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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here is video of Calleigh's new favorite word, "Bubble". She says a lot more babble these days but when asked to repeat words, she is doing well with repeating.
There are a bunch of other words that she can repeat when asked. Here are some that we have been teaching her:
Wow
WooHoo
Bubble
Boo
Ma Ma (We ask her to say Mommy)
Da Da (We ask her to say Daddy)
Ya Ya (Her Nanny's Nickname)
Peep Peep for Bird
Yeh Yeh (Grandpa in Chinese)
Mah Mah (Grandma in Chinese)
May Yee (Cousin Maci's name in Chinese, she can't get the "c" sound yet)
Josha (Cousin Joshua)
O (Auntie Cathy)
Hmmm....Early Education
In Hong Kong, parents are crazy about getting and early education start for a child. Culturally, it's about giving their child the best options in the future and bragging rights when a child can play the piano at 6 years of age or getting into a school that is highly competitive. I have researched a school that teaches right brain thinking and it's not cheap. Theory states that young children, 5 and under, have a great capacity to learn quickly and read without having to understand phonetics. But does this really matter? Does this really help? What's many don't know is that comprehension does not happen until after 5. So basically, a child can talk but not really understand what they are saying or how to structure sentences.
For me, I decided that Calleigh will learn just fine, but in her own time. I'd rather her gain some street smarts and experience life from her current perspective. Adults need to remember, the stimulation level for a child is off the charts. Everyday they are experiencing and absorbing something new. Lately Calleigh has been having play time with other kids in our building and it's really encouraged her to speak and do things differently. There is a saying, you are who you choose to surround yourself with in your life. So true.
In a recent visit to Korea, people really seemed to be keen on touching and gawking at Calleigh. It was a bit strange because I have not experienced this except with family and friends. Here is a clip at a train station near the South and North Korean border Demilitarized Zone and a tourist is posing for a photo. She notices Calleigh and just grabs her and gets a photo with her. Keep in mind, I am only a few feet away and no permission granted from me. Cute but scary.
Hmm...Kidnapping
People in Asia have always talked about child abductions and using cute children as begging magnets on the street or selling them off. It's a horrible feeling. But when I saw how fast that woman grabbed Calleigh it made me think how easy it is to lose a child if you are not paying close attention. When watching the video, notice how Calleigh does not scream out for me or say anything at all to alert me. It's a scary thought. Maybe I've watched too many movies but as a parent, I couldn't bare the thought and would not know what I would do, especially in a foreign country. I could only imagine them saying....oh well....your fault.
