End of the year shananigans...

Today, I was still feeling quite under the weather.  I spent much of my day in my Mommy's arms, cuddling and sleeping.  My brother spent most of his day driving my Mommy to drink (or drinking himself....geeze, Akira....what's in that water you're drinking???)

In any case...I ended the year with my family and friends....just where I want to be.  I can't wait for the next year!  It's going to be a great one.

Happy New Year to you all!!!!

Bath Palooza 2010

A bath is ALWAYS more fun with a crowd!

From left to right:

Me, Akira, Cele, and Culder

Exploring Seattle

Poor Akira is really a sicky today.  But, he is not going to let that illness slow him down.  Today, we went exploring into Seattle.  With only half a day at our disposal, we couldn't do everything and Mommy nixed the Public Market as being too cold for Akira and since we did not have much time....well, we saved it for our next summer visit.

We did get a chance to visit the downtown Nordstrom though....one of my mommy's happy places in the world  It was fun and busy and everything you would expect it to be.  We also took the monorail over to the Space Needle and the Seattle Center. Wow, that space needle is BIG.  Inside the Seattle center it was still decorated for Christmas and they had a huge model railroad system set up, complete with villagers ice skating, horses pulling carts of people and gifts, stables....you name it.  That was so much fun to look at.  And, Akira and I always love a good monorail ride. 

After that, we headed to Meg's house, where we will hang out hats for the next few days.  We have met Ms. Meg this past summer in Napa, but it was soooo fun to see her and Celeste again, as well as to meet Grammi, Ms. Meg's mom.  Meg and Cele live in a really lovely house on west Seattle, overlooking the lake, the ciy and the space needle.  They also have a great dog named, Zadie (named after Zadie Smith).  I can tell it's going to be one wild ride over the next days....so much to do, so little time.  Cele has the most fun toys....stay tuned!

ducks

There are ducks all over the country...all over the world really.  But, Mommy is certain that the ducks on Lake Washington in Kirkland, Washington are the best ducks out there.  So...she thought we should feed them. 

She packed us up in the car very early yesterday morning and we drove and drove and drove to Seattle Washington.  This morning, we woke up and headed for Kirkland where we explored Mommy's childhood memories and ate our first frosty's at Wendy's (I sure hope they won't be our last).  Then, we finally got to the main event.  We fed those ducks.  I loved it!  I am fearless and felt no nervousness though the ducks did get mighty grabby.  Oh well...I figure they are special ducks after all, they are entitled! 

So far, I am loving Seattle.  It sure is cold though....

soccer balls, trikes and everything nice

I love all the outdoor sporty fun equipment Akira and I got for Christmas.  Akira has been playing outside for months on his bike, but I haven't had much to do but watch him...and I do not appreciate standing by the sidelines.  I want to be IN THE ACTION.  Now, I can!

Can't wait for spring to come....I'll be a riding maniac.

I was Right!

Santa thinks I'm cute enough to forgive my TERRIBLE two behavior (generally consisting of turning my head away when being told I must finish my dinner, screaming NO at the top of my lungs on a regular basis for fun, pointing my finger at my Mommy and saying, 'no, mommy, no mommy, no', hitting when I don't get my way and laughing about everything as I'm getting into trouble in the first place), and Christmas morning was as it should be.  Santa even gave Akira a slide-by today and brought him his fire truck.  For me, I got a stocking filled with a new music wand, a tooth brush and toothepaste (case Santa loves our pearly whites), lots of yummy snacks from Trader Joes, tangerines, new BIG GIRL panties AND my soccer ball.  Oh how I love that soccer ball.  Bada bought me a trike!  Now I can go riding outside with my brother.  Whew...I was getting mighty cranky just watching him.  He got a new helmut for his bike. 

In other news, Bada loved the toy snoopy dog we picked out for her (old school, exactly like her favorite childhood pull along snoopy) and Uncle Gogo was gaga for his wolf named Lindsey (we made her at Build-a-Bear and named her Lindsey because he volunteers at the Lindsey Wildlife Center and loves wolves).  Mommy was REALLY impressed by the Christmas tiles we made for her....she says she will cherish them forever! 

More important than Santa (only a little though....Santa, if you are reading this, I think you are VERY important), was time spent with my family.  I really love them all so much and laugh and have so much fun when we are all together. 

I hope you spent the day with the ones you love too. 

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

And the kids went CRAZY! 

Ok...so the excitment of this season may have finally gotten to be a bit too much.  From our anual lunch date with Mommy during which she considered that this tradition be picked up again in 2030 when we might know how to behave out at restaurants (I blame the balloons!) to our less than examplary evening at church...we gave her a run for her money today.  I can blame my terrible twos (and the balloons), but I don't know about Akira. 

I figure I'm very cute and generally adapt at smiling and charming my way out of any trouble I find myself in...so probably Santa took one look at my cute little cheeks and checked me off on his good list.  But, if I were Akira...I'd be worried!  Good luck big brother...

Cool at the zoo

Today was so fun.  First, Mommy and I went on a special date to meet friends in Sausalito.  I met Jack, a little boy just a bit younger than me and Mommy met her friend Lindsey and her husband Kurt.  We had such a fun time. 

Then, time to go home for a good rest.  When we woke up, Mommy got us ready to go really quickly and we headed out for the zoo!  The Oakland zoo has a special event at Christmas each year during the evenings where the whole place is lit up with Christmas lights and music.  Aki and I got to play on the animal toys and peruse the light displays.  Also, we generally made Mommy crazy with our over-excited-due-to-the-season-and-the-fact-that-we-are-both-experiencing-the-terrible-twos-behavior.  Maybe next year will be easier Mommy.  In the meantime....we had a blast!

Tilden Park at Christmas

Boy have we been doing a lot of shopping the past few days.  No too much buying as I think Mommy and Bada have most of their shopping done.  But, they are sure enjoying being out in those malls.  I'm not at all sure about it.  Seems to me that there are too many people, it all really makes me tired.  BUT....

tonight, we got a break from the malls and headed outdoors in the cold rainy weather to the Tilden Park Merry-go-round.  There were so many fun Christmas decorations to look at, and so many trees all decorated.  And, of course, we got to ride the merry-go-round, which was so fun!  And, on top of it all, we got to drink some cozy warm hot chocolate.  yummy!

Giddyap!

Santa Baby...

...Hurry down the chimney, will ya?

I asked Santa for a 'ball please' today and he talked with Akira and I about how important it wa to be good kids so that we could go on his nice list.  We'll make it.....just look how cute we are, that's got to excuse a little bad behavior, right???

Gingerbread and spice...and all things nice

Tonight Mommy took Aki and I to a party at Zabrae, Will and George's home.  We had such fun!  There were tons of kids there to play with and lots of yummy cookies to eat. We got to decorate gingerbread cookies and eat as many as we wanted (mommy helped me decorate mine...and then gave up trying to police our gingerbread intake....so we got to eat a LOT).  And then....

Santa came to visit.  He brought each kid a gift!  Aki got a book of Dr. Suess stories, including the Lorax and The Grinch Who Stole Christams.  I got a puzzle of animals who are pets.  Santa was so nice to us and even sang songs with us.  My brother was more bold than I and went right up and talked to Santa about his glasses.  I was a bit more shy, but I wasn't scared.  Santa is such a nice man...who could be scared of him?

Merry Christmas from sunny CA

Life in Cali is not so bad.  It's Christmas time and we are hanging at the beach....not too shabby for a girl from Arusha, Tanzania.

Home for Christmas

Mom....

can we live at Disneyland?  I love it there!

And, I would like to anounce that I did not have an accident all day long and made sure to go on the potty chair whenever I needed to go.  I am VERY proud of myself (so is everyone else).