Armaan's Multicultural Birthday Party 2-20-10

Jack went to Armaan’s birthday party this weekend. There were several aspects of the event worth noting:

1) The boys seemed the happiest fighting with each other in the holding room of Pump It Up! before going into the actual party. See the attached link.

2) Everyone wants to be Jack’s friend. The room was filled with little boys running around yelling “Where’s Jack May?” According to many of the moms, the main question on all of their sons’ minds about the party was: “Is Jack May going to be there?” Even the little brothers of kids in his class want to play with him. He is a natural leader.

3) The party was strange. Although it was a boys’ party at a bounce house center, they had Circle Time with a fairy and played shake the parachute. Jack Wilder’s Grandma was in town from the Cities, and she couldn’t understand why all of the parents hung around for the entire party. She and Jack and Jack’s mom all left early.

4) Armaan’s mother put him in what I believe is a traditional Indian Dhoti Kurta for the birthday celebration, after the running around. Idan, whose family is from Israel, came to the party with his little brother and his mother, even though it was on Saturday, the Sabbat. Ethan Wu’s mom brought him a “special meal,” because he doesn’t like cheese on his pizza, wink, wink. It felt like a Model UN Birthday Party.

5) They had face-painting at the party. As you can see, Jack allowed himself to be turned into Spiderman….until he got home.

Jack & Mommy

Everyone loves their mother. Some people come to understand that their mother isn't perfect but, she is their mother, and they love her anyway. Others truly have the mothers we all deserve. They are selfless women, who put the needs of their children first and above all else. I had a mother like this and so does Jack. When I went away to college my mom told me..."I love you. I will miss you. No matter what happens, you can always come home. If you ever need anything, call me. If it is 2:00 AM and you need a loaded hand gun and $10,000 dollars in cash. No questions asked. I am the person you can call. I am your Mother and I love you." I miss her every single day. Jack has a mother like mine.

Jack and Pam are close. More than mother and son, they are best friends. When I met Pam she told me she did not think she would ever want children. Funny, her life would be empty today without Jack. For Jack, he loves his mom more than anything. It is just wonderful to see them together. No words can explain the joy I feel watching them. I wish my mom were here to see them....Michael

Just another Sunday at the Beach 1-31-10

The weather was good so we drove over to Laguna again. Jack and Pam made sand castles. The tide and surf were really high....multiple storms out on the Pacific are pushing waves ashore. The Beach was half the width of two weeks ago. By Feb 4th we should see more rain for four days.

What was that? ..................A shark?

A DAY AT THE BEACH

The weather the last week was nearly perfect and we went to Laguna Beach on Sunday. Jack kept telling us he wanted to go "surfing." He got out Pam's wake board and was all set to go surfing when we got close to the water. It was colder than he expected. I think water temperature is about 63 degrees.

Once he got to the shoreline, Jack ran around splashing in the water. No real surfing but a good beginning. Not a bad day for January 10.

Mommy's FLIP Video

Santa brought Mommy a new FLIP Video camera. I expect to be the star in Mommy's new Video Show. Watch here for more Jack Videos.

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Jack went to AVATAR in IMAX 3D. It was little too much for him. After an hour he wanted to go. We went down to the lobby and played video games then he went to school to tell his friends. He will have to wait for the DVD to finish the movie. He missed some of the "bad guy" parts.

HUCK FINN GOES TO THE AUTO SHOW

Jack was acting like Huckleberry Finn. The wild boy running around the LA Auto Show. Three times I told him he we might lose him if he runs to far away. Then off he ran.

Here is a photo of him looking back over his shoulder for us. We crossed the aisle and for an instant he was "lost".

After this incident, Jack stayed pretty close by Pam and me. He liked the wide open areas to run through but not so far as to get out of our sight.

Jack also like to climb into the cars. At the Suzuki Booth he waited for a kid to get off the Quad Runner they had set up. When another kid tried to get on, Jack cut in front and jump on it.

OUR TREE

We went shopping for our Christmas Tree last weekend. Jack was the helper with his tape measure. In the past we have bought trees without measuring the space they will sit in at home. This has led to frustration when the tree needs to be brought in and set up.

Jack was well prepared. Everything he measured was "81 inches".

We went to a local Tree Farm in the Santa Ana Mountains above our home. It was a nice drive up the toll road and through Santiago Canyon to the Tree Farm. When we got there a Greasy Kid at the gate handed us a sheet of all the rules and told us to park. We drove around the lot and decided the Tree Farm was not the "Full Service" Tree experience we were looking for. They did not "net" the trees.

There seems to be a big Eco Movement against netting trees to bring home on your car. One place last year told us that netting the tree "hurts the tree". I could almost hear them crying out. Regardless, we need our tree netted to bring it into the house.


Once the Tree was selected, netted, driven home, and set up, Pam and Jack were as busy as Santa's elves at decorating. Jack told me he wanted to climb up into the attic to bring down the decorations. He said, "I am a brave boy, and I can climb up the ladder." Yes, he was.

After about two hours the tree was finished. Jack and Pam did a great job. The tree is set up in our Office so I get to see it as I work.


We are almost ready for Santa. Jack the "brave boy" has made his list. Now the Tree is up and today the weather has turned cold. It is a high of 52 degrees today as we brace for a "brutal winter storm" to hit Southern California. They expect a foot of new snow in the mountains.

Greg and his girl friend are coming to spend Christmas week with us and they will add to the Holiday Cheer.

Now it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

NEW VANS [shoes] FOR JACKIE

Last weekend we went to the Irvine Spectrum to the Vans Store to buy jack new shoes. Jack thinks these are "Big Boy" shoes because he sees all the skater kids wearing vans.

As we were leaving we walked past a store with funky music playing and Jack jumped up on the planter and began to dance. It was sooo funny I took a photo.

Here is our little Krunking Jackie in his new shoes and his Doyers cap. They don't stay little for long.

Here is a link to Vans: http://shop.vans.com/catalog/Vans/en_US/home/index.html

WILD ANIMAL PARK

Last Sunday we drove down to the San Diego area to go to the Wild Animal Park. It was a cool day and perfect weather to spend outside walking around. It turned out that the Park was much nicer than expected.

The African Safari area is a valley filled with loins, giraffes, rhinos, and dozen of different antelope. We rode the tram around to look at them.

The cheetahs have the good life. Their watching us, thinking about lunch. We plan to go back to the Wild Animal Park now that we know where it is and some of the details.

HALLOWEEN

Another Halloween has come and gone. Jack was "Spiderman" this year. He is obsessed with Super Heroes. His friend Lucas was Hulk and his other friend Ryan was Batman. They made up the Super Hero Team at Tutor Time last Friday for the Halloween Party. Pam attended and captured some of the crazy fun.

Saturday Jack dressed up again as Spiderman and went trick or treating with Mommy. It was not nearly as much fun as playing with his friends at school. Still, he collected some good candy and our neighbors all liked his costume. Pam and Jack carved the pumpkin and we all had great time.

School Photos....coming soon

This is not a very good picture. It is a cell phone photo of Jack's School pictures which came out today. We will get copies for everyone who wants one.

Pam and I do not know how they got Jack to smile this way. We think he is acting like a Movie Star.

Real School Pictures will be coming soon.

Magic Kingdom

We are back from Disney Orlando World. It was HOT.

Waiting in line to go on rides in 91 degrees was a little more than Jack could take. We did ride on the Buzz Lightyear ride. That was indoors and air conditioned. Even waiting in line was air conditioned. We waited to ride on Dumbo the Flying Elephant. After about 10 minutes Jack said, "Daddy, it's too Hot, lets go on another ride."

We stayed at the Grand Floridian and we went swimming. Jack has learned to swim under water. Pam gave him his scuba mask in the bath tub about two weeks ago. Jack has been learning to go underwater. It really paid off. He can swim about 15 feet under water with his mask on. It won't be long before he is swimming for real.

Tuesday, Pam had to work at her convention and Jack was not up to another hot day at the park. We decided to go to see Toy Story in 3D. It was pretty cool. I mentioned earlier that I had given Jack the Buzz and Woody toys from Burger King. Jack can't wait for the new Toy Story movie to come out.

Orlando and Disney World were fun, but for all the cost and heat it is much better to just go to Disneyland here in California. Waiters and Cab drivers kept asking Jack how he liked Disney World. I think the kid is jaded. He preferred swimming to Mickey Mouse and the Heat.

Going to DISNEY WORLD

Next Saturday we fly to Disney World for a four day stay. Pam will attend a convention at the Gaylord Palms Hotel on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Jack and I will have four days to roam around Disney World and Orlando. It should be fun. Jack is just the right age to go to Disney World.

We plan to keep everyone updated on our trip via Facebook and Twitter. When we return we will add some photos to this Blog.

Jack The Superhero

Jack has been promoted to “Pre-Kindergarten.” This is a new classroom, adjacent to his last classroom, with some of the lucky children from Pre-school B, and a whole bunch of new, 4-year-old friends. Jack is quite proud of himself and we are so happy with him that we feel like bursting.

What makes me the proudest is his quirky, self-awareness. Last weekend he woke up in the morning and went to the bathroom. Here’s what he told me when he came back: “Mommy, I was going potty, and I was thinking to myself: When I get done going potty, I want to watch TV.” That’s hilarious.

Tuesday night, Jack was in the tub. Mike peeked in on him and found him washing his hair. He said: “Jack, you’re washing your own hair.” “I know, can you believe it?!” he said. So funny.

Jack has new shoes for school. The first few days of wearing them have hurt his feet. I assured him on Monday that by Tuesday (tomorrow), they would feel better. When he woke up on Tuesday morning for his first day of Pre-K, he asked me: “Mommy, is it tomorrow?” “Yes, Jack.” “Good. Now my shoes will feel better.” And they did…for most of the day. By evening they were uncomfortable again.

Wednesday morning Jack and Mike were getting ready to go. Mike found him at the bottom of the steps with is shoes. “Jack, what are you doing?” “Mommy said my shoes would feel better today, and I am waiting for them to feel better.” He repeated this to his teachers when he go to school.

And one other anecdote about his emotional intelligence: We were watching Spider Man 2 recently, because Jack likes all things Super Hero. He already has his Spiderman costume for Halloween, complete with puffy muscles. Toward the end of the movie, Mary Jane is about to get married to some other guy. The guy is standing there at the altar, waiting for her. “That boy loves the girl, but Spider Man loves her, too,” says Jack. What? First I was amazed that he knew who Dr. Octopus was, but this was ridiculous. What a smart little boy.

STAR WARS

If you have been an ongoing reader of this Blog, you know that Jack is very interested in fighting and guns. They used to say that all this behavior is "learned" but after having four daughters, I can tell you it is NOT. The girls all played dolls and I can not remember how many times I put Barbie's head back on after it had been combed too hard.

Regardless, the girls were girls and Jack is a Boy. He will ask me..."daddy, are there guns in this movie?"

We have become concerned because guns or even playing "guns" at school with his friends, are frowned upon by the Socialist Obama-nation...get it Obama-nation = abomination. Anyway, we want Jack to fit in as much as possible even though Pam and I never really fit. So, I suggested Jack should watch Star Wars and NOT something like Dirty Harry.

Now Jack is obsessed with all things Star Wars. I bought the entire 6 movie DVD set. He has us watch it with him in parts almost every day. I bought him an Illustrated Star Wars dictionary that explains how light sabres work among other things. Jack has become a Star Wars geek.

At the Barnes & Noble, Jack and the clerk were discussing scenes from the movie. The clerk had seen the entire six movie set in original I through VI order. He was very clear that this is the correct way to watch the entire Star Wars event.

Jack and I are working our way through it. May the Force be with you.

To infinity and beyond...........

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 1995--In continuation of its long-standing relationship, Burger King Corp. Tuesday launched its third movie tie-in with Walt Disney Pictures this year and its eighth in five years.

The promotion with Toy Story, Walt Disney Pictures' first completely computer-generated animated film, is Burger King Corp.'s biggest holiday movie tie-in ever. From Nov. 16 through Dec. 31, 1995, participating Burger King(R) restaurants will offer Kids Club Hamburger Meals featuring one of six exclusive Toy Story character toys for $1.99, while supplies last. These superior toys spark kids' imaginations with their equal boy-girl appeal and playability.

And just in time for stocking stuffing, participating Burger King(R) restaurants will offer Toy Story hand puppets for $1.99 with the purchase of a Value Meal between Thanksgiving and Christmas, while supplies last. All of the toys and puppets are modeled after the movie's lead characters.

I bought these cute toys for Meredith and Colleen back in 1995. We went to the Movie and loved Toy Story. I also bought a second set of Buzz and Woody. My plan was to save them, and resell them or give them to my grandchildren sometime in the future. Now, 14 years later, things have changed. The original toys that Meredith and Colleen had have been sold at a garage sale along with hundreds of toys from happy meals in the 80's and 90's. But the Buzz and Woody I bought, are still in their bags like brand new....waiting for some kid to want them.

This morning Jack said..." I know the name of the guy I was thinking about, the space man....Buzz" Pam and I looked at each other. "You mean Buzz Light-year?" Yes, Buzz Light-year. I told Jack, I think I have Buzz down in the garage. After some looking I pulled out the bag with Buzz in it from way back in the Twentieth Century, 1995. Long before Pam and certainly long before Jack. Back at the Burger King in Florissant. Jack's eyes lit up. "Buzz Light-year" he said. It was so cool.

We went to school with Buzz and Jack playing in the back seat. When we walked in, Jack said, "Dana, guess what? I have a Buzz Light-year." Dana, the Assistant Principal ,said, "You mean the toy? From back in the 80's? My son had one of those."

Ya, Buzz Light-year, from back in 1995, from a time warp into 2009 to make a little boy smile. And, Woody is still in the Bag.

LAKE MARY 2009

No photo of our trip is more telling than this one of Pam and Jack. Jack spent three weeks talking about going fishing and then about ten minutes on the boat before he said, "OK, let's go back."

Jack the Woodsman in his natural habitat among the trees and bugs.

This is Jack and Shawn [aka Shawnee] and what's her name.....Shawnee's girl friend.

Give a boy a fish and he eats for a day....teach a boy to fish and...well, he may not have the patience for fishing.

Jack the "tuff guy" ready to face down the bears. Are you talkn to me?

WALLY WORLD October 3-7, 2009

I just got off the phone. I made reservations at the Grand Floridian for Jack, Pam and me. They asked me if I had ever stayed at the Grand Floridian or been to Walt Disney World. Yes, many times with Meredith and Colleen. We had some of the best vacations of any family on earth. Julie deserves the credit. She wanted us to take the girls to Disney World. She was right.

Now Jack will get the full Disney treatment for the first time. Staying at the Grand Floridian just two minutes away from the Magic Kingdom on the Monorail. This will be an adventure he will never forget.

If you have time in October, come with us to watch Jack on his first visit to Disney World. I will take photos and post them after we get back. Nothing will be as much fun to watch as Jack on Sunday, October 4.

Tour de Woodbury

This weekend was the 4th of July. We were predominantly concerned with the return of Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers, the start of the Tour (http://www.letour.fr/indexus.html), and Tiger playing in his own tournament. But we did have some time for sports of our own.

Perhaps it was the opening stage of the Tour that did it. Jack said he was ready to learn to ride his Big Bike. He wanted to be like Lance Armstrong. Grandma and Grandpa bought Jack a Tonka Mighty Tough Bike last year, and he had yet to feel big enough to ride it. He has preferred his Big Wheel with the motorcycle sounds and songs, and his Radio Flyer Tricycle. But his knees have now started bumping the handlebars of the tricycle. To make matters worse, the 2 big boys down the block get their big bikes out almost every night and go for a ride. It was time to move up.

Saturday we practiced and practiced. Jack’s main problem was that he would peddle 2 rotations forward, and then one back…which put on the brakes. He worked hard to avoid doing this, and by Saturday afternoon, he rode over to the park & back. He wore his stretchy winter gloves as his bicycle gloves. He was riding Stage 1 in the Tour de Woodbury. But he had one question:

“How come you guys aren’t riding your bikes, too?” Mike explained that he still needed a push every now and then, but if he kept practicing, we could all ride our bikes up to get ice cream very soon.

That evening, Jack kept sneaking down to the garage to check on his bike. When he woke up Sunday he wanted to ride first thing. But we had one problem to solve: The gloves. So we got dressed and drove up to our local bike shop to find him some proper riding gloves: A pair of high-tech women’s cycling gloves with no fingers and gel packs in the palms. He was thrilled.

That afternoon, after more practice, we were invited to a neighbor’s BBQ. Jack rode his bike over so he could show everyone the bike, the helmet, and the new gloves. Mike mentioned that our neighbors’ toddler would be a good candidate to receive Jack’s tricycle. Without hesitation, Jack dragged me back to our garage to get the tricycle, which he rode over and presented to his new little friend. The baby loved it. Jack now had a fan.

But Jack wasn’t into the BBQ, and besides, he was still waiting for the ride up to get ice cream. We knew it was probably still too far for him to ride, and the entire trip was a slight incline. So I walked behind the bike, giving only the occasional push, and Mike went back for the car (the Sag Wagon). Jack bent down over his handlebars. He pedaled and pedaled. People in their cars slowed down to watch and smile as the little boy rode up the street.

The Sag Wagon was parked at the top of the hill, and when Jack made it up there, he loaded the bike in the back, took off his gloves & helmet, and strutted into the ice cream store, leaving us behind. He was quite proud of himself. He doesn’t actually like ice cream, and so he didn’t eat his, but that was never the point. Vive le Tour.