Poor Nolan often has to stand in the shadow of his older brother, Nico. I just realized that at least the last five blog posts have been about Nico. And I still haven't gotten around to displaying any photos of Nolan in my office at work.
Anyway, Nolan also hit a milestone over the weekend: his first haircut. Not that I want to keep talking about his big brother, but Nico was around 10 months old when he had his first professional haircut. (Vic dubbed the trim I gave him months earlier as the "Dumb and Dumber" Disaster.) Nolan is two weeks away from his second birthday. Although he doesn't have as much hair as Nico did at this age, Nolan's hair is cute and curly.
Nolan did pretty well during the haircut and only whimpered a bit when the stylist tried to use electric clippers on him. I saved some of his baby hair, especially the baby curls.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
First day of second grade
I can't believe Nico is a second-grader now!
Nico's first day of second grade went well. Vic and I walked him to school and stayed with him through the school flag-raising ceremony. It was great seeing everyone there - students, teachers, parents and other family members.
Nico was a bit shy when we first arrived on the school playground, but gradually got more comfortable. He wore his Batman backpack from first grade (he tried to talk me into buying a brand new backpack but I stood my ground), which was heavy with school supplies. It turns out that Vic was right - I *was* the only parent who labeled every single one of the 48 pencils with Nico's full name. But that's what the instructions said to do! Label everything, including pencils. I followed the school supply list to a tee. Vic said I was being obsessive-compulsive; I said I was merely being thorough.
Anyhow, Nico was happy about his class and his teacher. We're looking forward to another great year.
Nico's first day of second grade went well. Vic and I walked him to school and stayed with him through the school flag-raising ceremony. It was great seeing everyone there - students, teachers, parents and other family members.
Nico was a bit shy when we first arrived on the school playground, but gradually got more comfortable. He wore his Batman backpack from first grade (he tried to talk me into buying a brand new backpack but I stood my ground), which was heavy with school supplies. It turns out that Vic was right - I *was* the only parent who labeled every single one of the 48 pencils with Nico's full name. But that's what the instructions said to do! Label everything, including pencils. I followed the school supply list to a tee. Vic said I was being obsessive-compulsive; I said I was merely being thorough.
Anyhow, Nico was happy about his class and his teacher. We're looking forward to another great year.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Nico loses his first tooth!
Finally. Nico lost his first loose tooth! After being wiggly for more than two months, the little thing finally fell out today.Vic and I were starting to worry about the tooth. All of Nico's same-age friends have lost several teeth already and have moved on to their "big" teeth. I fretted that Nico would develop a mustache before losing his baby teeth. (It's not implausible - childhood photos of Vic suggest that he really should have started shaving at age eight.)
Nico's tooth had been loose for so long that its neighboring tooth started trembling too. Nico explained the situation once he noticed it: "It's like the two teeth are hugging each other and saying, 'Hold on!'"
Then, two permanent teeth started jutting up behind the two loose baby teeth. So for a while, Nico had two rows of teeth in his mouth, stadium-seating style.
This afternoon, after many close calls over apples and corn on the cob this summer, the first wiggly tooth finally gave in. This is a major milestone for Nico, my soon-to-be second-grader.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Shark teeth
Nico is finally on the verge of losing one of his baby teeth.
Even though he is 7 now and all of his peers have moved on to "big teeth", Nico is still holding on to all of his little ones. His jaw has grown a lot in the past year, but his little baby teeth have remained the same size, which makes his smile look a little jack-o-lanterny with all the space between each tooth.
Nico has had one wiggly front bottom tooth for a month now; the permanent tooth has already backed up behind it and poked out like a tiny iceberg. Now he looks like a shark!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
No more training wheels for Nico
Hooray! Nico learned how to ride a bike without training wheels. Vic basically taught him how to do it in one weekend.
I can't believe my baby is growing up so fast.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Nick Chicken Food Show
CLEVELAND - In his new web series, the Nick Chicken Food Show, six-year-old host Nick Chicken shares his passion for food and fun. Aimed at kids, the show explores topics ranging from cupcakes and Easter eggs to fun things to do at the dinner table.
As the host and creator of the show, Nick chooses "fooditific" names for everyone with a role in the show, including mom/camerawoman Lisa Pizza and little brother/guest star James Fishy. Nick Chicken hopes, ultimately, to connect with viewers who agree that rolling your eyes while eating a meal is an important and valuable skill.
As the host and creator of the show, Nick chooses "fooditific" names for everyone with a role in the show, including mom/camerawoman Lisa Pizza and little brother/guest star James Fishy. Nick Chicken hopes, ultimately, to connect with viewers who agree that rolling your eyes while eating a meal is an important and valuable skill.
Teachers who inspire
I can't believe Nico has finished first grade!
Nico has been blessed with amazing teachers so far, starting from his early childhood program through kindergarten and first grade. This year, he had a wonderful Chinese School teacher on Saturdays too.
We've been so lucky that Nico has had teachers who have really taken the time to get to know him and nurture him. This year, I told Nico's first grade teacher, Mrs. Polanco, that he was having some cultural identity issues. She invited me to come to the class and give a cultural presentation as part of a social studies unit. I gave two presentations, one about Taiwan and another on Lunar New Year. Mrs. Polanco encouraged Nico to help with the presentations and she had an especially great touch when she asked him to teach the class how to count to 10 in Mandarin. When he wrote the characters on the blackboard and led the class in reciting the numbers, she exclaimed, "Thank you, Professor Nico!" Nico floated for the rest of the day and even talked about it again when I tucked him in that night. Even weeks - and months - later, he said he was going to grow up to be a professor (and a bowler and a father).
Throughout the year, with Nico's writing assignments, Mrs. Polanco gave him feedback that showed she was paying close attention. She'd write "Yummy!" when he wrote sentences about food. When he wrote too much about diapers and poo, she'd say, with a smiley face, "Nice sentences! Next week, let's try to write without the Captain Underpants sense of humor."
On one homework assignment, he wrote a paragraph about whales, using as many words of the week as possible:
Whales live in the Pacific Ocean. They don't each whiped (sic) cream. They can not catch a ball. They can not match things. They don't have a chin. They can not chop things. They can't be our pets.
Mrs. Polanco wrote on his paper, "You made me laugh!" When Nico wrote jokes and special instructions for her on his work (e.g. "Turn the page for a big surprise!"), she complied and replied with messages of her own.
When we went on trips out of town, Mrs. Polanco encouraged him to keep a travel journal. Each time he did, she had him share it with the class. She also sent back wonderful handwritten notes with his journals. One read, "Wow, Nico! Perhaps you will follow in your mom's footsteps and become a writer! Wonderful, fabulous, fantastic work! I liked your attention to detail and beautiful drawings. Way to go!"
On one of his stories, Mrs. Polanco wrote, "Nico, you are a very talented writer! I can't wait to buy your best seller book one day. Keep up the FABULOUS work!"
In doing all of this, she helped Nico understand the power of language. When I was growing up, I was fortunate to have teachers who nurtured my love of reading and writing. I'm so happy Nico is experiencing this too. Thank you, Mrs. Polanco!
I hope our streak of fantastic teachers continues this fall!
Nico has been blessed with amazing teachers so far, starting from his early childhood program through kindergarten and first grade. This year, he had a wonderful Chinese School teacher on Saturdays too.
We've been so lucky that Nico has had teachers who have really taken the time to get to know him and nurture him. This year, I told Nico's first grade teacher, Mrs. Polanco, that he was having some cultural identity issues. She invited me to come to the class and give a cultural presentation as part of a social studies unit. I gave two presentations, one about Taiwan and another on Lunar New Year. Mrs. Polanco encouraged Nico to help with the presentations and she had an especially great touch when she asked him to teach the class how to count to 10 in Mandarin. When he wrote the characters on the blackboard and led the class in reciting the numbers, she exclaimed, "Thank you, Professor Nico!" Nico floated for the rest of the day and even talked about it again when I tucked him in that night. Even weeks - and months - later, he said he was going to grow up to be a professor (and a bowler and a father).
Throughout the year, with Nico's writing assignments, Mrs. Polanco gave him feedback that showed she was paying close attention. She'd write "Yummy!" when he wrote sentences about food. When he wrote too much about diapers and poo, she'd say, with a smiley face, "Nice sentences! Next week, let's try to write without the Captain Underpants sense of humor."
On one homework assignment, he wrote a paragraph about whales, using as many words of the week as possible:
Whales live in the Pacific Ocean. They don't each whiped (sic) cream. They can not catch a ball. They can not match things. They don't have a chin. They can not chop things. They can't be our pets.
Mrs. Polanco wrote on his paper, "You made me laugh!" When Nico wrote jokes and special instructions for her on his work (e.g. "Turn the page for a big surprise!"), she complied and replied with messages of her own.
When we went on trips out of town, Mrs. Polanco encouraged him to keep a travel journal. Each time he did, she had him share it with the class. She also sent back wonderful handwritten notes with his journals. One read, "Wow, Nico! Perhaps you will follow in your mom's footsteps and become a writer! Wonderful, fabulous, fantastic work! I liked your attention to detail and beautiful drawings. Way to go!"
On one of his stories, Mrs. Polanco wrote, "Nico, you are a very talented writer! I can't wait to buy your best seller book one day. Keep up the FABULOUS work!"
In doing all of this, she helped Nico understand the power of language. When I was growing up, I was fortunate to have teachers who nurtured my love of reading and writing. I'm so happy Nico is experiencing this too. Thank you, Mrs. Polanco!
I hope our streak of fantastic teachers continues this fall!
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