Do I really need this book? Did I ever?

Maki and I are getting serious about de-cluttering our house.  We have too many magazines, too many books, too much mail lying around.  We have canceled our subscription to Wired magazine (yeah, I know, this is serious) and Parents magazine.  I went through a week's worth of mail, and I trashed dozens of catalogs.

You know it's serious when I start going through my book collection.  Let's see, I got rid of Women and Family in Rural Taiwan, to name just a few of the dozens of books I have decided I no longer want or need.  I don't even remember where or how I got that book.  Was it a poli sci class from college, a women's culture class, something I picked up at a used bookstore?  I have never read it and don't plan to (no offense to the women of rural Taiwan).  I even got rid of a bunch of nuclear disarmament books from a poli sci class over 20 years ago. 

Maki is going to see if the library wants any of the books, then I guess we'll trash or recycle the rest.

Funny Questions

Here are the latest funny questions from CJ.

Mama, if we put water on the cat, will she grow?

CJ: Mama, what color balloon is your favorite?

Mama: Purple

CJ: Why don't you like blue?

Mama: I do like blue, but my favorite is purple.

CJ: Why don't you like white?

Mama, if we plant a cat in the ground, will she grow?

Mama, can I have chocolate for breakfast? 

The funny things he says - more

Mom friends beseech me to write down the cute things that CJ says, so here you go:

Mom, why do you have to go to work? (Answer: so I can make money to buy you trains. CJ: Oh.)

Mama, here's a cat kiss. (kiss, meow)

Mama, I collect trains, you collect boxes, and dada collects batteries and computers. (Because Maki has a collection of batteries for CJ's various toys and is always replacing batteries in something.)

Edward is still Edwin.

Look still sounds like wook.

And sincerely is sinsincerely.

Mama, tell me a story about Thomas and (fill in the blank. Recent stories have been about the ceiling fan, the window, the pigeon, the nothing, the bad engine, the good engine, and the cat.)

Mama, is dada at the data center again?

Mama, I want to send you an e-mail.

Mama, what's your phone number? (picking up his toy cell phone)

I supposed to do that. (yes, the am disappears, this is a HUGE favorite these days)

Mama, I want Apple TV. (because there are endless Thomas episodes on Apple TV)

Mama, you're always late.

Mama, I'm frustrated. (Auntie Dayna taught him the word)

Mama, I'm starving. What does starving mean again?

CJ and the big boy Thomas bike

Check out CJ on his new, big boy Thomas bike.  His old tricycle from Jessie was getting too small, so this is his birthday present from mama and dada.  CJ was a natural; he even biked around in the store since the bike was too cumbersome to carry.  Thank goodness it fit in my trunk.

The Toys R Us man recommended a size 14 bike, but CJ felt really unsteady on the larger bike, AND, perhaps most importantly, the Thomas bike only went up to size 12.  So, for $59, I made my son happy.  I can always get a new bike next year.

Here is a video of CJ on his new bike!

There's No One Quite Like Emily

CJ loves to sing.  The Emily song is his current favorite; he sings it a lot.  I think he learned it from YouTube, of all places!

Hooray for Potty Training

CJ is now fully potty trained.  Actually, he was mostly potty trained last November when we went to Japan, and we put him full-time in underwear this past February.

Wow, no more buying diapers or pull-ups, although I do always bring a change of clothes, just in case we have an accident.  Gosh, anything can happen.  Last weekend, CJ got carsick in the car and then splashed a bunch of soy sauce on the replacement shirt.

He has become very good at telling me when he has to go potty and holding it if the bathroom is not nearby.  I do still have to always remind him to use the potty before we go anywhere, when we get home, before going to bed.

CJ can now feed himself, use the computer, go potty, and even dress himself.  Life has changed!

CJ on his Bike

CJ just loves riding the bike that Jessie gave him.  It's getting too small for him and he is ready for a big boy bike and helmet.  Here is a video of CJ riding around on our street on a beautiful July evening.