Hello friends! Though I'm pretty convinced I'm four years old, everyone tells me that I'm only 19 months old. I keep up with my big brother pretty well, and he's still the best big brother in the world to me, even when I destroy his stuff. He calls me the "Master of Disaster" and I do my best to live up to that terrific title! I have about 20 words consistently now (Mama, Dada, Deca (for Declan), rock, bubble, goggle, Gee, Bapa (grandpa), wawa (water), bobble (bottle), muh (milk), bow, ball, hello, bye bye, cacka (cracker), up, and down), a big improvement since I got my ear tubes. I also have one full sentence, "No no no no no no no!". I can say more, but I choose to let Mama, Dada, and Declan figure out what I'm trying to say - it's more fun that way.
I'm running around like crazy, and still think I'm a monkey trying to climb everything. I'm taking my one nap (most of the time), and sleeping from 7pm to 8am to make everyone happy.
Climbing the wrong side of the stairs until I got caught
A visit to Oakland martial arts studio for Felix's birthday
Felix and I wrapped up the night with a little light-saber battle
Dada and the other dads couldn't resist a little game themselves
Peek-a-boo!
Trying to bust down the door to get to big brother
Dada, me and Declan out to dinner in Napa
Dancing in the backyard with Grandpa
Organizing the garage with Grandpa's help - all the tools have a new peg board - it made Mama soooo happy!
I cheered on the work crew from my special vantage point
I get to enjoy gymzone now too!
After our last family road trip, we have been fairly settled in Napa and the Bay Area.
We spent one weekend with several friends in San Francisco. We enjoyed a beautiful hike at Land's End and I loved eating the sand. I passed out in Mama's backpack at one point since it was so relaxing! We also spent a day at the California Academy of Science, which I loved. The aquarium part was pretty cool, but I loved the dinosaurs even more. I kept roaring throughout the whole exhibit on pterodactyls just to help with the ambiance. Declan Hercules also loves dinosaurs and he even got a dinosaur dig toy to excavate dinosaur fossils. He has now added those to his shark tooth collection.
Top of a (very windy) Twin Peaks in SF
Declan and Clare climbing by the beach
Waiting to make a break for the water
Nap time! I couldn't fight it any longer...
Hercules steering his pterodactyl
Excavating the fossils
Doing my best to interfere with brother's project
Declan brought his new stegosaurus into the shower with his protective goggles to wash off all the dust
After that weekend, Gran came to visit from Pennsylvania. She was here a whole week and Declan didn't have school or camp that week, so we all got to play together in Napa. I succeeded in giving her my cold, so we have less photos than normal. She did get to watch me while Mama took Declan to the county fair (Dada was away at a work retreat thing). We all got to go out to a fancy sushi dinner so I could eat a whole bowl of edamame and throw my rice all over the ground.
Gran took Declan to a local art studio so the two of them could have fun painting together!
At the fair
Hercules reading me an awesome book
We love our Gran!
Then I spent 5 days in Elk Grove with Gee & Grandpa and the rest of my family since we had a big huge party for Grandpa's 80th birthday. There were 206 people there, and Mama introduced me to most of them. Each time we met someone new, I just pouted and said bye bye! This way, I got to leave the party early and go back to play at Gee & Grandpa's house! Declan Hercules had fun playing with our second cousins on Mama's side who all came down from Oregon for the party. I had the most fun the next day at the pool party at Gee & Grandpa's house. I even got to stay and watch the total solar eclipse from my Great-Grandma Hilma's park.
Declan with second cousins Marissa & Kate
Mama, Dada, Declan, Uncle Ben, Rinnah, and Grandpa with me
Hercules and Nyx all dressed up with Gee
Dancing at Grandpa's party
Gee & me
Cousins! Uncle Ben w Rinnah, Mama's cousin Casey w Marissa, Mama's cousin Drew w/ Kate, Hercules, Dada, Mama and me
Mama and me with Mama's cousin Sharon & husband Tim
I got to watch the solar eclipse with Gee & Grandpa at my Great-Grandma's park in Elk Grove
Just hanging with Grandpa
Another very exciting and important event happened this week. Declan Hercules started Kindergarten at Mount George Elementary in Napa! His teacher is Mrs. Mitchell and he really seems to like school so far. Mama and Dada were a bit tearful and nervous on the first day, but Hercules was just excited and walked on into the classroom without a problem. He will tell you all about it when it's his turn to write the blog post.
Declan with Dada finding out which classroom he is going to be in. Mrs. Mitchell!
Lining up for the first time and meeting Mrs. Mitchell
Introductions in class
Declan's badge that says "I survived my first day of Kindergarten"
Hi Everyone! I'm SIX YEARS OLD!!! Mama and Dada can't believe how big I am (coming from 2 pounds initially!) and can't believe I'm going to Kindergarten in just a few weeks. I'm just being my super cool self, interested in science, cooking, space, paleontology, designing experiments and loving my sister. I'm spending the summer in a variety of summer camps; this week is chemisty camp and next week is a farm-to-table cooking camp at Connolly Ranch. I'm still in swim lessons twice a week and gymnastics once a week. I'm not loving reading and math too much yet, but I'm working super hard on it! I love spending time with sister Keevah Nyx - she is quite a little person now and is doing so much better with her ear tubes in. She has about 15 words now that she's learned in the past month, but her favorite one is "No!". She tries to say my name, but it's a hard one and comes out more like "Deda or Deden"!
I got to celebrate my birthday so many times!!
We took a week-long trip that started at Gee & Grandpa's house in Elk Grove. My Uncle Ben, Auntie Aubree, and Cousin Rinnah came back from Jordan for a few months and this was my first time seeing them since last year. They brought me a brand NEW COUSIN too! Baby Providence Joy is my newest cousin and she's only a month old now...and also really cute! It was a few days before my birthday but I still got to open presents, including my very first chapter book: Harry Potter! I need help reading it, but it is so cool! I also got a magic set and a shark tooth kit including my very own Megalodon tooth (replica). I've been sleeping with the megalodon tooth ever since! We also got to light fireworks in their backyard. It was the first time I've gotten to see fireworks up close since we usually see the big show in Napa and home fireworks are not allowed. I loved the show, but they made me nervous at first!
July Fourth Hercules & Nyx
Cousins! Declan with Providence, Keevah Nyx, and Rinnah
Gee & Grandpa with Providence, Declan, Rinnah, and Keevah
Fun in the sun! My family with Gee, Grandpa, Auntie Aubree & Cousin Rinnah
Rinnah with Auntie Aubree, Gee, Mama with Keevah
Mama and Dada with me and sissy
My first Harry Potter book!
Gee & Grandpa gave me my first ever ice cream cake
My first firerwork; sparklers!
My first up-close fireworks...check out my hilarious expressions!
My family is a bit strange
Mama introducing cousin Providence to Keevah who LOVED the baby!
Me with Providence and Rinnah
Keevah loved playing with Uncle Ben!
We said good bye to my Elk Grove family and drove to Monterey. We went to my favorite aquarium in the World! Keevah loved it this time too and was super excited about the sharks. She picked out a saw-tooth shark stuffed animal in the gift shop and hasn't stopped hugging it all week. I picked out a small narwhal toy which is pretty cool too. We ate at my favorite Italian restaurant Cibo, which has the best cheese ravioli in the world.
The octopus put on quite a show!
The kelp forest
In the tidal zone!
Shark!
After a day in Monterey, we drove a few hours South to San Simeon. I followed our whole drive on my big map of California with my marker in the back seat. We stayed in a hotel right on the beach and spent two afternoons playing on the sand. I also got to go to Hearst Castle for the first time and really loved the experience. I can't believe someone built a castle that large to live in...I've started figuring out how I'm going to build my mansion someday! Keevah Nyx also felt right at home in the castle! After the Castle, we went to see the elephant seals who were molting on the beach so close to us. I can't believe how noisy they are! I went on an awesome hike down a big cliff with Dada while Mama watched Keevah Nyx up at the top. Dada couldn't believe that I made it all the way down and all the way back up!
Hearst Castle
I don't understand why I don't have a pool like that at home!
Keevah Nyx climbing the steps to the castle
Relaxing on the beach with Mama
Elephant seals!
Dada makes a good bed
Dada and me on the big rock!
Nyx isn't happy about selfies
Happy Keevah eating sand...again
Playing catch with Mama
Relaxing in our teepee
After two days in San Simeon, we drove onwards to Alisal dude ranch in Solvang for our annual family reunion with Granddad, Boppy and all my aunts, uncles and cousins on Dada's side of the family. My favorite thing about Alisal is running around like crazy with my cousins, but I also enjoy the animals in the barn, the hay wagon ride, the horses, swimming, the hoedown, and crafting. I have another new cousin on Dada's side of the family - baby Emmeri who I got to meet for the first time. She's not quite as small as Providence Joy, but she's still really tiny!
The whole gang!
Me with Cousins Sophie, Lexi, Harper, Logan, and Laura holding Keevah
Another birthday celebration for me! A cake at Alisal!
Kids table from 12 o'clock: David, Michael, Laura, Harper, Declan, Sophie, Noelle, Lexi, and Logan
Mama and sissy on her horse!
Sister was a natural on the horse!
Dada and me - next year I get to go on the horse rides all by myself!!!
The barnyard is one of my favorite activities
Keevah wasn't afraid of anything!!
Giddy up tortoise!
Feeding the bunnies and guinea pigs
Nyx loved the woof woof Cora!
Me holding a huge snake!
Two birdies!
Keevah loved the tweet tweets!
Cooling off
Me and Granddad
Matching flamingo swimsuits
My age doesn't fit on one hand anymore!
All dressed up for dinner
Keevah Nyx is so pretty!
The cook at the pancake breakfast made me a special pancake for my birthday
Family water balloon fight!
Keevah Nyx with new baby cousin Emmeri
Me dancing with Dada at the hoedown
Dancing with cousin Logan
Dancing with my cousins
Dancing with Cousins David, Logan and Lexi
Dada and Keevah dancing
Boppy and Keevah dancing
Phew! I had to come home to relax after such an active and fun vacation!
