Spring Break, Here We Come!

This weekend we started off our spring break, well at least for Chan and mommy :)  I decided this was the best time to purge the papi (Chan's word for his pacifier) so we got right to it after work on Friday.  I came home and pulled out the trash can and told Chan to say bye-bye to his papi's.  He sort of laughed and threw them all in there.  Allen and I thought he'd have a hard time sleeping and be up all night but amazingly he didn't even make a peep that night.  And he asked about his papi's maybe once or twice this weekend but that's it.  Esme and Chan have pleasantly surprised us with how easy it was to stop the thumb and papi!

We've had some cooler weather here in Hilo lately which has left our mountain covered in majestic looking snow.  I managed to get a quick shot while driving home from the beach the other day.  It's a lot clearer in person but here's an idea...  

Snow on Mauna Kea

One the way to swim lessons

The kids experienced their first slip and slide this weekend.

Esme loved it but Chan not so much.

Too cool Esme, ready for a birthday party today.

Trying on life jackets in preparation for our beach house trip to Kapoho this week.

Love this shot!

Chan, Chan, Chan!!!

Earlier this week I got a call at 10:30am and it was Chan's sitter.  She wanted to know if everything was okay with him cause he'd been in time-out five times already that day.  Sheesh!  Apparently he was terrorizing the other kids by pulling hair and hitting which is exactly what he does to Esme when he's frustrated or upset.  Anyways, we have no idea if it was a growth spurt, need for more sleep, his 2 year molars or what but thankfully he turned his act around.  And then the next day he went peepee in the toilet to make up for it all!  He's such a silly guy!  He LOVES his trucks and throwing balls all over the place.  He would run around playing with those things all day if he could.  Esme could take it or leave it.  She's gotten more into playing with her dolls lately.  When one of her cousins comes over she likes to go into her room where the dollhouse is and shut the door so Chan can't bother them.

Yah I peed in the potty today!

Esme got to experience a Girls Day Festival at the Japanese Cultural Center this past weekend.  

She got treated like a little model and all "dolled" up in her kimono

She got to do it all with cousin Malia

To-da!  The finished result!

Thanks Aunty LeAnne for the hair clips with bunny ears attached! Esme placed them herself.

Uncle Sterling teaching Chan how to use his little backhoe.

This kid LOVES to drink!

 

Where Has The Time Gone!

It's hard to believe it's March already!  Esme loves telling people that she's four now and she really does seem so much more grown up.  Cousin Hunter also turned 4 the day after Esme and we celebrated his birthday at Kalopa last weekend.  The kids got to run around the park and play in the cabins and mess hall.  Esme made sure to sit right next to Hunter when it came time to cut the cake.  We were so busy with face painting, the balloon guy, and the magic show before that that we totally forgot to help Esme with lunch but she wasn't complaining.  She was happy to have cake instead.  Ha ha!

Chan has found his temper and loves to throw fits if we don't let him do what he wants.  Oh boy!  A lot of times it has to do with him wanting to be more independant (holding the open water cup and walking around) or because he wants what Esme might have (cake, juice, toys).  And he lets us know if he's upset.  He either starts screaming and making himself all rigid or he whops Esme on the head with something.  He's really good at talking so it has nothing to do with not being able to communicate with us.  Lately he's added songs to his list of things he can say/sing.  He's got Twinkle, Twinkle, ABCs, Apples and Bananas. and EIEIO down.  He's also good at imitating Esme when she's practicing her Mandarin.  

Mimi, the goofball.

Chan loves fig bars while on walks with mama.

Happy 4th birthday Hunter!

Of course Chan loves the motorized truck.

The girl cousins minus Mahina.

Too cool Chan in Nana's car.

Teacher appreciation day at Keikiland.

Chan loved sitting in the pre-school kids chairs.  

Happy 4th Birthday Mimi!!!

First off, I just stumbled upon some pictures I forgot to post during the holidays.  These are the cute Hawaiian gingerbread shirts that Nana got for Esme and Chan.  They wore them to the Christmas dinner party we went to.

Okay, now onto more exciting news - Esme turned 4 this weekend!!!  She's been talking about this day for awhile and requested saimin and a Frozen themed cake.  She woke up bright and early on Sunday morning and wanted to open her presents right away.  Then we went to the bike park and a local bakery.  She said she can go anywhere she wants cause it's her birthday.  I told her within reason that's true :)  In the afternoon we ended up having a family party at Liliuokalani Park with all her cousins and it couldn't have been a better day.  It was overcast and cooler than normal which worked out perfect for running around and eating saimin.  

The other big news following her birthday is that we told her once she turns 4 she can't suck her thumb.  She's been preparing herself and so far she seems to be doing okay.  The only problem is that she has a harder time falling asleep without her thumb.  It really calmed her down apparently.  Once she's good without her thumb then we'll start working on Chan and the pacifier.  

Birthday morning giggles!

She wants to keep the decorations up for a "long time."

Sharing a morning treat at the bakery with Chan

She called herself the balloon girl for awhile.

Frozen themed cake thanks to Aunty B's

She also loved her singing Elsa doll. 

All the cousins waiting for cake, minus Mahina who was sick. 

So excited for her chocolate cake!

All the festivities at Liliuokalani Park.

Chan is coming up with all these phrases lately - I got it daddy, Watch me, I love you mommy, Sit down please, It's over there, Have a good day, and so on.  He can even count and say a few words in Mandarin.  He's growing like a weed too.  He's growing out of all his 18 month clothes and more comfortably fitting into 24 mo or 2T clothes.  Esme and him have their moments and they're each learning from the other, good and bad.  

Chan giving daddy a back rub of sorts.

Clothing swap at Nana's ;)

Valentine's Tea Party at Keikiland

Mommy and daughter tea.

Nana and Mimi at tea.

Mother and daughters picture at the yacht club on Valentine's evening.

The Things They Say

The other day Esme said she wants us to buy a house and live in WA.  I told her okay but that meant she'd have to give up Nana, her cousins, the beach and sand, the warm weather and all the other good stuff in Hawaii.  She was really quiet after that :)  

Chan likes to hide in this little tent/house that we have in the living room.  We pretend we don't know where he is and walk around saying "where's Chan?" and then you can hear him laughing inside and he says "right here."   He's so cute!

Reading program night at Esme's school.  Chan stayed home with Uncle Sterling and Esme LOVED having Allen and me to herself.

Chan wearing daddy's visor.

Esme's class excursion to the fire station.

Esme's turn with the hose.

Esme and classmate Tori at a slip and slide birthday party.

Fun on the slide with the girls.

Esme and Chan taking a snack break at the bike park.

Home Depot kids workshop, making a heart box. 

Esme and Capri with their gypsy masks at the Waimea Cherry Blosson Festival