Aiden’s birthday…

We headed to the Tumbleweed Day Camp in Brentwood to celebrate Aiden’s 5th birthday.

Jack had a good time playing all the games, Shark and Minnow, What Time is it Mr. Fox and they taught Jack how to shoot a bow and arrow:

Jack about to go on the upside down swing:

Look!  Amazing…a rare Ayako sighting at a birthday party!  Normally I have to go to parties by myself but this was a family birthday so Aya made a guest appearance! 

Yes, these are Aya’s kids…

So after Will’s party I decided to take a picture of Stacy and then Jack ran into the room and wanted to take pictures with Stacy.  Normally I don’t take many pictures of them together because I hear with the second kid, parents never have pictures of just the second kid because they make the kids take pictures together. 

I have so many pictures of Jack, I didn’t want to short change Stacy so I try to take a lot of pictures of just her.   Since Jack just got back from Will’s party and he was looking like Batman I had to take a picture of both kids together:

When Aya saw the picture she couldn’t stop laughing because all she could think about was, “Those are HER kids looking like that.”

Will's Birthday..Part 2

In case you were wondering this is how Jack’s caricature drawing came out:

I like how his mouth is tilted a little left as he was munching on chips while the artist was working. HAHAHAHA. Just like his mom.

So at the party they had a hand writing reader. I wasn’t doing anything so I decided to give it a shot. The reader said she is hired by companies to screen new candidates. I was thinking this is no good because I have horrible pen-men-ship and it has only gotten worse as the years have gone by because now I just ‘type’…heck I don’t even write checks anymore, I pay online!

So the hand writing expert tells me to write a paragraph, anything I want and then sign my name. No biggie. I wrote some mumbo jumbo about the day and why I was there and then sign my chicken scrawl of a signature. The lady looks at it for one second and then tells me:

I am neat, organized, analytical, driven and detail orientated. She said I have a bold signature and I am confident and can be aggressive at times. That was about it. After that, she asked what I did for the living and I told her she pretty much got everything right. I asked how she could even get that from my HORRIBLE writing but she said the ‘neatness’ isn’t a factor it is how it is written.

She also said I was book smart…which really isn’t true so I guess she wasn’t completely correct but I was pretty amazed by the hand writing reader. It reminded me of the tea leaf reader Aya and tried at party once. That was freaky weird too…as she was right about me as well. Heck I must be easy to read…no wonder Aya loves me so much…I am an open book and oh so love-able!

Will’s Birthday Part 1…

So normally I don’t like kids parties but I have to admit now that Jack has gotten older, I can see how much fun he has at the parties.  Now I can tolerate parties and I think I discovered the key to a good kids party…it is the same key to a good wedding (minus the open bar)…it is the F-O-O-D!

This weekend we went to Will’s birthday party and it was like a mini carnival.   They had a face painter, a caricature  drawer, a hand writing reader, a tattoo artist (fake), air brush t-shirt maker, pinata’s, clone war character, a bouncer, pizza and my FAVORITE a taco maker!  I basically stood near the taco lady and ate tacos for 4 hours!

Jack loves the bouncer and it is pretty rare to get him to leave.  He can just jump around ALL day long.

While Jack was in the bouncer I had to wait in line to get a t-shirt for him:

 

It is funny how Jack is like his mommy.   He wanted his face drawn but only if he could have snack while the artist drew his face:

Captain Rex and Annikan Skywalker:

The parachute toss:

Jack getting his face painted like Batman…again:

 

Aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper?

This past weekend we went to Jack’s new best friend’s birthday party.   The party was costume themed and Jack went as a clone war trooper.

Stay at home Dad...

So why did I like being a stay at home dad…easy…it beats working! Ha. Okay, actually being a stay at home dad was work but not as hard as what I hear from other stay at home moms.


The hours of a stay at home dad is longer than when you work but they are not consecutive working hours. You have gaps during the day when you have down time, like when Jack is in school or napping. Also being a stay at home dad is like owning your company, the hours are longer and you might work harder but you do it because it is for your job/family.

I guess I like a schedule so I just scheduled out chores that I need to do each day of the week. I have to prep and cook at certain times as well so once you have the schedule it gets easy.

It is nice to go to all of Jack’s activities. Quite often I am the only dad there. I don’t mind either because I don’t really talk to a lot people. I see a lot of moms go and just sit there and talk to each other like it there social hour and not even watch their kids.

Did I miss the social interactions of other adults? Nope. I was perfectly fine by myself. If I had to talk I could talk to the security guard, mail man, dry cleaner, grocery store checker, teacher, etc.

I think being a stay at home dad made it easier for Aya and I as well. We didn’t talk about chores or who would get the kids. All that stuff was done. Aya just had to work and I would do the rest. Now I never really thought I would be a stay at home dad and I never wanted a stay at home wife but I think the family dynamic was better when one parent is home. Assuming one parent makes a lot less I think the trade off for staying home is great. For Aya and I, it is hard to leave money on the table and not work.

With all the good things there are bad things. It was always hard to say that I don’t work. I dunno why, but it just kills me to say that I don’t work. I also think Aya isn’t a big fan to say her husband doesn’t work either. I dunno if it is good or bad but I think I got even CHEAPER when I didn’t work. I would still buy stuff for the kids but I just didn’t buy anything for myself anymore.

For you Buffy fans out there that saw the tv show, do you remember the musical episode where Buffy sings, “I think I was in heaven…Yes I was in Heaven…” Yeah that is sort of what it was like for me….and now I am back to the grind just like everyone else. Say goodbye to nice Miles because I am sure grouchy Miles will be back soon!

Monday...

I have rejoined the ranks of the employed! It all happened rather quickly. It wasn’t like I was looking for work but I started to see more full time job openings and I thought maybe I should apply. While I enjoy the flexibility and the money of contracting I was never able to get something long term and close to home.

Luckily I found something close to home and within 2 weeks I had 5 interviews and an offer and then I started last Monday at Electronic Arts in Playa Vista.

While I have had a few contracts the past year and half, for the most part I have been at home. So what does it feel like to be back at work? It feels like I was away for just one LONG weekend. Not even a vacation just a long weekend. Sad, huh?

I am not sure how I feel about being back to work. I like what I do so that is fun, but I had always wanted to be a stay at home dad. While I was fortunate that Aya allowed me to be a stay at home dad I found out that I really enjoyed it….that is why I don’t know how I feel about working. Being a stay home dad was something I loved and now I am going to a job that I just like…oh yeah and PAYS.

Well if any of you out there want EA games let me know. I get them for $20 bucks on any platform.

4 month checkup…

Stacy went into the doctor’s for her 4 month checkup and she has a clean bill of health.  

12 lbs 8 oz

23.5 inches

It doesn’t seem like Stacy is already four months old.  She has been such an easy going baby so far (knock on wood).   I guess this is the part I missed when  Aya was on maternity leave with Jack.  I pretty much was hands off until Aya went back to work, so this was really my first time spending some much time with a baby.

Jack was fast to walk but I am pretty sure Stacy will be fast to talk.   She already seems to be making noises trying to tell me all about her day!

Chello…

Music class is almost over.   So far I am not that thrilled with the class.  It was okay but I don’t think Jack has taken to any particular instrument.  If I had to choose I think he likes the drums the best.  He seems the most comfortable of the drums banging away but it is just that…banging away and making noise.

This week he got some instruction on the Chello.

Hmm, yeah I would play the drums over the chello.

K1 Racing…

Dawn had a surprise birthday party for her boyfriend Bryan at K1 Racing in Torrance where we raced electric go-karts.

Dawn invited my Dad and I to join Bryan’s birthday party.

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My dad wanted a 1 second lead for every year older he was than everyone that raced him.  Sadly, Bryan is like 19 years old so giving my dad a plus 40 second lead would be too much.

 

I didn’t get a chance to race against my dad but I was in the same heat as my sister and I was able to LAP her!!   I was definitely in the easier heat but a win is a win and I came in first place…sure I had to bump a girl once and then t-bone her boyfriend but I am the champion!

Mother’s Day…

I was thinking, “Mother’s Day…what a sham of a holiday.”   Don’t get me wrong Father’s Day is also a fake holiday but lets be honest, no one really care about Father’s Day as much as Mother’s Day. 

I think Mothers Day is like Valentine’s Day…a made up holiday for women.  I mean really, why do we have to celebrate Mother’s Day?   To be grateful and appreciate all the things your mom does for you?  Sure, that sounds good…but I didn’t choose to be born.  I think Mom’s and future moms know what they are getting themselves into when they decide to have a baby, right?  When you choose to be a parent you shouldn’t get a holiday of acknowledgment.  If that’s the case we should celebrate Miles the Great day 365 days a week! 

In any case, Jack celebrated Mother’s Day by making a card and a picture from for Aya:

 

Happy Mother’s Day from Jack and Stacy.

Dodgers…

Okay, I am trying…I am trying to be sure that at least one of my kids will grow up watching and rooting for the Dodgers with me.  I need to get Stacy a Dodger hat of her own but for the time being she can use mine.

Earth Day…

For Earth Day at school Jack painted a flower pot and got some seeds for his plant.   His plant is just starting to sprout. 

I don’t think I have a ‘green’ thumb because it seems like the dirt in the middle of the plant is getting pushed up as the plant sprouts from the side instead of the middle.  Oops.

Stacy’s laugh…

Stacy is starting to laugh now.  Luckily we caught her when we had the camera.

Tummy Time…

Who says you need a fancy schmancy camera to take action pictures. 

The other day during tummy time I happened to catch Stacy barfing…guess she was done with tummy time.