Oh My...Shanghai

Hong Kong is not the safest place to have your kid walk in the streets. Who knows when a taxi cab or bus will actually stop or drive past your feet to get through the foot traffic. Therefore, Calleigh really enjoyed the wide open spaces in Shanghai. Lots of room to run and explore. While being just a short visit, it was more than enough for my daughter to take a break in a new city, making it the 15th traveled destination spot. The one discovery on the trip was how much she loved the Shanghai dumplings, filled with soup. That first bite is her favorite as the soup gushes out onto the spoon.

  

 

Hmmm...Asian Countries Still Don't Enforce Car Seats

With the number of wide open roads and vehicles covering Shanghai, it was surprising that there was no enforcement of  child car seats. It's almost a nice to have, luxury item. If you are traveling abroad and planning to be in cars, bring your own car seat to ease your mind on safety measures.

Discover the Museo

A visit to Sausalito's Discovery Museum was more than what Calleigh expected. Sometimes it's hard to know how much is needed in order to have your child entertained, but sometimes, it's just the simplicity of an environment that satisfies a child's entertainment needs. As a parent, my entertainment was to watch our daughter spend time with family, including cousins, and the smiles and laughs that went on for three plus hours. This museum entrance fee is under $15 and completely worth it plus it has a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Hmmm....Activities
Lots of parents will spend lots of money to ensure their child gets enough stimulation through activities. The money is usually not the real issue but whether or not your kid will get the value for what you paid. So taking a child to a place like Disneyland may not be justified if your child is 1 years old, but it is hard to say as a 1 year old can't clearly express how much fun or how miserable an experience has been. Keep in mind, sometimes it is the simple things that cost nothing. Such as, playing with a old tissue box and making it into a car or a bus or using scratch paper to do drawings. A walk through a wooded park is completely free and can entertain a child for a couple of hours. Be creative and you'll soon find out you won't have to spend a lot of money and worry if you are getting value.

Second Trip to Gaum

It was Calleigh's second trip to Guam. During her first visit, she was about 6 months old and all she did was eat and sleep. This time she got to enjoy the pool, the beach and delicious BBQ food. Who knows if she will remember her visit, but at least we've got some pictures to capture the moments, especially with Grandma who I think is now officially in retirement.

Hmmmm....Water Worries?
Calleigh has not learned how to swim and taking out to the open waters seemed like a lot of fun. But when I was out about 15 yards into the deep, I started to worry. No floatation devices at all. It was not that bad as the beach area was enclosed within a coral reef, therefore the waves were very mild. When we were by the beach in Bali, now that was scary. Calleigh was scared of the water crashing so loud that she didn't even want to go near the water. I'd better have second thought about getting a life vest in the open waters.

Calleigh's New Suitor

Last year, we posted a blog of Calleigh's first kiss. It was a funny video of her kissing herself. One year later, she gets her first "full on" kiss from a boy, Logan, and it was caught on video. Luckily, the boy is someone we know and like. We expect a lot more of this going on in the future and even though it was a bit troublesome to watch from a father's perspective, it is quite innocent at this age.

See how Calleigh is touching her lips after the kiss, but also notice how she doesn't know how to say no more after continued advances. We may have to enroll Calleigh in some martial arts just in case.




Hmm....Boys and your Girl
At what point do you tell your girl about the birds and the bees? Kids do things at a young age without really knowing what is going on. Yes, it may be a beautiful experience, but at some point  a line needs to be drawn. When do you tell your kid how to say "No". It makes sense to teach a kid when to say no if they don't want something to happen to them. But at some point, if the other person is not respectful, they also need to learn to be outspoken and tell someone. Geez. Can't be too concerned, but kids do need to be prepared earlier than a parent realizes.

About Town (Hong Kong)

Calleigh loves getting out of the house. I love that about her. Yes, home can be comfortable but I really want her to get out and experience life. There are many concerns with having her walk in the busy streets of HK. She is not longer strapped to our chests and the stroller is not used much. She is walking while holding our hands, but a sense of independence consumes her at time and she wants to just be on her own. Now we've got to run circle around her to make sure no one bumps into her or that she is not so near to the edge of the sidewalk with the crazy drivers on the street. It's part of the experience, and to see the world from her vantage point, if you sat eye level with her, everything seems so big and in the way.

Hmmm...Kid Leashes
I have thought about getting a kid leash for Calleigh but to me, it just looks ridiculous. Sure it seems safe, but I think it almost gives a false sense of security, thinking the leash is enough so you can take your eyes off for a bit. I'd rather be all over Calleigh to make sure I have total coverage and attention to her at all times and also give her a sense of freedom. I think if I were to use a leash, I'd keep it nice and tight/short.

Dancing with the Stars

Calleigh is a very observant kid. When Mom watches "Dancing with the Stars", Calleigh tries to copy what the dancers are doing. Lifting up her leg, spinning around. It's quite good fun to watch her. The one thing I like about her is when she falls, she doesn't complain much. Sorry to say, I don't like it when kids are crying all the time over things that don't really hurt or to just get attention. Please Calleigh, don't be like this. Once in a while is okay, but don't make it a habit.



Hmm...Play Mats
You can really go overboard with play if you have hardware floors at home. It's not like your home is a play gym. I thought I had purchased too many play mats for Calleigh but I ended up using them throughout the home. The ones I purchased can be converted to any size I need. The one advantage to having this play mat is that it can be used for exercise as well. I do a fair amount of stretching on the floor and the mats make a great cushion. Placed in front of the TV is a great way to motivate exercise.

Korea, The South

Here is a selection of images from a recent trip to South Korea. I've always wanted to go here to experience the food and it did not disappoint. Calliegh loved the beef, the fried potatoes, jap chae and more. She is my daughter =).

Click on Calleigh's Flickr album for more pics of Korea (right side bar).

Hmm...The Unmanly Man
Normally, when you see kids in Asia, they are taken care of by the female or helper. With my family, I am usually the one with my baby strapped on me and I look out of place. But does it bother me that maybe I am not seen as the Macho Man? Not really. In fact, there were several ladies in Korea that seemed to like that I was the one taking care of Calleigh. When going down the 200 meter tunnel, going downhill, to view what is to be the exact border of North and South Korea, known as the demilitarized zone (DMZ), a couple of women made eye contact with me. They gave me the universal thumbs up gesture and I assumed that meant, good. I realized, I don't give a flying f**k what people think when it comes to my daughter. I do what I want and don't every worry about looking like a fool. The things one will do for their children is powerful.