Aren't I Pretty?

I woke up a bit early today and while my Mommy took a shower, I got out of bed and raided the makeup.  Aren't I beautiful????

No Mommy NO!!!

Today was not my day.  I had to sit and watch Akira play at the toys at the mall....because Mommy thought I was being too naughty.  I do have some 'terrible two' issues, including (today), screaming 'NO MOMMY NO' and trying to hit her, kicking the wall of Nordstrom as Mommy tried to put me down and speak to me about my terrible behavior, and grabbing clothes and throwing them in the midst of a tantrum. 

Geeze Louise...do you have to take it all so seriously mom?  Look how sad you made me today????

Hat Model

Sure, I rarely seem to wear the actual hats that mommy has gotten for me.  I like to steal other people's hat.  It's just that honestly....don't you think I look so much better in this hat than my mommy every could? 

It's not my fault I steal everyone's hat....I'm just THAT cute!

I'm a massai warrior...

or at least half of me is. 

Today we went to see a massai warrior who has traveled from Kenya to teach us about the nature ways of the massai.  The massai people are from southern Kenya and northern Tanzania and this lovely man spends time in Arusha and has even heard of the Sirikwas...Akira's side of the family tree. 

He brought massai blankets, necklaces, jewerly, baskets etc to sell.  We don't really need any more....but lots of people were buying them.  He showed the crowd lots of things, like all the different weapons the massai use out in the bush to protect themselves and their cattle, the beautiful dancing and chanting that the massai are famous for and generally educated people about the life of a massai warrior.  It was a great presentation.  Aki and I loved the chance to spend time with our culture and to be reminded of what a proud and special people we come from.

Noah turns 2!

And, he threw an awesome train themed birthday party to celebrate.  We had yummy food, and trains to play with and he and his mommy even made a kid sized train out of cardboard. 

All our church friends came to help Noah celebrate his big day!  Happy Birthday little man.  Can't wait to show you the ropes of being 2...it's a great age!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Tonight, after a very busy day of birthday parties and east african culture....we headed into the city for a bit of asian culture.  Tonight was the famous San Francisco Chinese New Years parade.  It was freezing...and had been raining all day.  Luckily tonight, it was a bit drizzly but not pouring rain.  It was, however, crowded!  Uncle Gogo and Aunt Resa were supposed to save a place for us on the parade route.  I guess, in theory, they did.  But, they saved it on the WAY other side of the parade where we could not reach because the parade officials would not let anyone cross over.  So...instead we stuffed into a crowd and Mommy and Bada held us up as high as they could for as long as they could (all the while mommy was muttering ugly things about her relatives under her breath....for some reason she was not thrilled to be standing in the cold drizzly rain holding a 45 pound kid up over her head while manuevering a double stroller in a crowd full of people). 

In any case....it actually was SO fun.  I loved the parade and all the bands and the chinese dragons.  After the parade finished  we went inside and got some chinese food for dinner before heading home.  Whew...quite a day! 

Valentines Day - For Real!!

OH, Valentines Day is about my two favorite things in the whole world....love and sweets. 

And, today I was surrounded by my Mommy and all my family that loves me so much!  AND, I got lots of opportunities for sweets.  Often my Mom and I butt heads over this issue...Akira does not have much of sweet tooth and often would choose the squash over the orange.  But....for me, I LOVE any and everything sweet and my Mommy wants me to eat other things besides just fruit.  But, today she laid off a bit and let us have a sweet tooth.  We had PIE for lunch!!!  Can you imagine!??!  And, tonight in our mailboxes we got cards that told us how much we were loved, and candy to give us some extra energy.  Oh, and a few little surprises here and there....like my new sunglasses????

Happy Valentines Day! 

Happy Heart Day - A little early

Today was SO MUCH FUN!!!  The weather was beautiful, and the whole family was happy and having fun.

We started the day going to the growing tree preschool Valentines Party.  Aki and I LOVED it...Mommy was a bit iffy on the whole thing.  Mommy can be such a party pooper sometimes.  Her biggest problem is that she does not like a mess.  Who doesn't like a good mushy mess???  I sure do!  Well, a pre school Valentines Part is bound to have messy elements.  Yay for me.

We had a Valentine making table where there was glue and stickers and glitter and we could make our own Valentine.  I loved doing that.  Then, there was a table to make a valentine necklace with painted pasta.  You wouldn't think that this would be too messy, but the past kept splitting in two and spilling all over the place.  And, poor Mommy put down her coffee cup to help Aki clean up and I wanted to help too....but in the procss I knocked over her cup all over the necklace table.  She looked rather dismayed....so did the pre school teachers in charge of that table. 

Finally, the last table was a cookie decorating table.  YUMMY Frosting!!!! 

After our valentines party morning...we went on to an afternoon at the zoo!  The weather was amazing...in the 80s and not a cloud in the sky....in the middle of February!  At the zoo, we played and visited the animals in the petting zoo and even rolled in the grass with Mommy.  What a fun, carefree time we had.  On the way home, we even stopped at Noah's bagels for a snack and we sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful day. 

All  in all the day was practically perfect in every way!

Hanging with the boys...

...and my Bada!

We went to Tilden Park today for a picnicand some fun.  Just a sunny Saturday in February with my Bada, brother and Uncle Gogo.

Thanks for a fun day!!

Hats

Whether I'm sporting my brothers winter hat or an upside down watering can.....

I am rockin the hat these days!!!