big boy underwear!

"like cameron guh-guh!"

in the middle of breakfast this morning he randomly said, "need to poop."

ok! baba took him to the bathroom and he went, just like that! when he was done, we asked him if he wanted to wear big boy underwear. we showed them to him and he wanted to wear them after i told him that guh-guh wears them too because he's a big boy. that was motivation enough, he kept saying he was a big boy like cameron. woohoo, thank you cameron! i felt like rewarding him too! ha, ha. nj got four stickers for each time he went to the bathroom today and he kept his underwear dry all day. we were so excited, happy, and proud! i was so proud i wanted to cry. who would have ever thought? being this happy over peeing and pooing! so silly, but great at the same time. i hope he keeps this up and doesn't lose interest. we still put a diaper on him for his nap and bedtime, since he sleeps for so long. hopefully that doesn't mess it up either, but we'll just have to see!

"cookies. under there."

i've never seen him do this before, it was quite strange. he wanted to see the cookie crumbs that dropped to the bottom of his seat once i took the tray off. i kept telling him to sit down before he hurts himself.

first dip in the pool this summer

it's nearly mid july, yet we're just using the pool for the first time this summer! so sad, it's just been hard to get back to normal again. at least it only took one time for nj to warm up to the pool this year. the first summer, he loved the pool and water. last summer, it took us several tries just to lure him close to the water at all. thanks to auntie tine for sitting with him to splash his feet and to uncle scott for carrying him in, holding onto him, and making sure he was safe and had fun. they already had their kids to watch in the pool too, they're so good to him. it made me so happy to see him having fun in the water and to spend time with friends relaxing. what a day to remember.

"mama sit with ji-yung"

auntie becca came out with us, so i got to sit in the back seat with him and this was my view. he definitely talked to me a lot more knowing i was right there to listen and respond.

at the store, auntie also wanted to buy bread with us. nj said, "auntie becca want bread." and he insisted on us waiting with her. as we got back into the car to leave, baba got him in, loaded the groceries, and auntie returned the cart. the three of us were in the car (me, nj, baba), but auntie hadn't returned yet. nj said to baba, "wait, auntie becca coming back!" we weren't going to leave her! silly. and so sweet.

lunchtime together

nj and i had a turkey and cheese sandwich with some apple. auntie and baba had steak and asparagus. yum, yum!

we all tried to encourage him to finish his food once he started slowing down. he pointed out, "mama not finished, auntie becca not finished." and then he said, "baba finished, baba good eater can get sticker!" haha, he thought baba deserved a sticker for being a good eater!

"auntie becca go home?"

as we cleaned up for lunch, auntie said she needed to head off. nj ran to cling to baba and let out a loud cry. we were all shocked. he was so sad about her leaving! this has never happened with anyone, it was so sweet and sad. we had to tell him that he'd see her again soon and that he needed his nap anyway. poor guy. he had so much fun with auntie, he didn't want her to go.

"want to pee."

we haven't been very consistent with his potty training, yet he's doing a pretty good job at telling us when he wants to go and actually going. he got another sticker for for it, he was so excited.

"mama, take a picture..."

that's what he said for every car and truck he held up. he held up quite a few one by one, but i had to tell him no more pictures. he's got way too many.

30 stickers!

"want this one. yellow fire truck!"

smile, nj...

too much! a normal one!

"Happy Birthday America!"

unlike the last two years, nj was quite frightened by the noise of fireworks. he clung to baba like glue! at one point, he got up and nj was still clinging like a koala. we thought it would be even more enjoyable now that he's older, but i guess it just made him more aware. otherwise, he was mesmerized at 7 and 20 months.

about part way through baba convinced him to turn around to at least look at the fireworks.

finally, he was comfortable watching as long as baba had his ears plugged. silly boy.

nj: "hallelujah, mama's home!"

it was my first night back at home after a long 19 days at ucla.

after picking nj up today, he noticed flags on cars. he said, "america, on that one! flying..."

I told him it's america's birthday.