Decker

Hey everyone! It’s Monday, May 2nd! That may not mean a lot to you, but trust me it’s very important! Why? Because EVERY new day is important, because every new day means a new date to mark on the calendar! Ok…I sense that some of you are not grasping just how amazing and cool and fascinating calendars are - well, let me tell you why they are the coolest thing in the world:

Around Thanksgiving of last year, I discovered that every day (and holiday) has a special day and number assigned to it, and there are these things called calendars which you can use to keep track of (and count down the days til) every different kind of day and event you want to! Birthdays, Xmas, school, doctor appointments, trips to Dad’s office in Berkeley…anything you want! There are 12 months in a year, and I can tell you them all by memory and spell them all for you too. There are only 12 months, though. Then when December is over you start all over again with January. I like calendars so much that I actually have my own collection! I have a calendar of Mexico from Papa Tim, a decorate-it-yourself calendar from Ellen (with stickers!), and Santa gave me and Sutter and Mom each our own calendars at Xmas, so that’s three more! Santa gave me Curious George and Sutter got Wallace and Gromit, and those two calendars hang up on our walls in our bedroom and we only get to take them down when it’s time to change to the next month’s page. Mom got Ratatouille, and she lets me take that one down sometimes and look through it and read all the different words and stuff on it. Calendars are totally cool, because you can practice your counting and your spelling and your reading and stuff like that! Mom lets me put stickers on her calendar too, to mark all the different stuff going on each week. And when I go to visit Pammy and Cappy, Pammy lets me mark each time with a sticker on her calendar too! When it’s the first day of every month, I also help call the different people in my family to remind them to change their calendars (grownups seem to forget to do that a lot!).

Also, in school we mark the different day every day with a cool marker on the bulletin board. Whoever is the star that day gets to mark the calendar. There are 12 kids in my class, so I always have to wait 11 days until it’s my turn to be the star. And I REALLY like being the star, so calendars and counting the dates is a great way to keep track of when it will be my turn again! Being the star is the best, because you get to be first in line to line up and leave at the end of the day, and you get to ring the bell when it’s clean up time, and when it’s circle time you get to help the teacher mark the date and ALSO you get to go look outside and check the weather and then come and report on it to the class and then put the corresponding cards up on the bulletin board too! It’s like the awesomest thing in the world to be the star!

I get to be the star again next Wednesday, by the way. That’s on May 7. That’s in 5 days. Yay!

Hi everyone!

It’s been a really long time since I caught folks up on my adventures, but the biggest thing for me right now is Christmas!!!  I always knew that Christmas was pretty cool, but this year its total awesomeness has sunk in and I am having a great time! First of all, we got to decorate our house with all sorts of neat stuff. Mommy was kinda preoccupied this past week or so, so it was up to me and Dad to transform the house…and we were definitely up to the task! We all went to the tree lot together, and I picked a great tree, if I do say so myself. Then we brought it home and I got to help put all the decorations on (or at least direct the grownups where to put them - my step stool only goes so high!). My aunts Katil and Tully were over a couple of weeks ago to babysit while the folks were out, and we made ornaments together - so I got to hang those up too! We have a wreath on our door, all the Christmas season toys are out, and the Dickens Village houses are all lit up on the bookcase -it’s fun to look at all the little people! We’ve been watching all my favorite Christmas videos (Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Frosty the Snowman) and watching new ones too, like Elf. We’ve been reading Merry Christmas Little Critter, Santa Mouse, and a new one from Tully called Elmo’s 12 Days of Christmas.  My little brother and I have a lot of different Christmas socks that we like to put on, and I even have a Christmas pillowcase! Daddy hung these nifty colored lights in our room, and there are pretty blue ones outside on the balcony as well. Overall - Christmas is great! Oh! And I got this really neat thing from Pammy, Katil and Tully called an Advent Calendar, and everyday you open a new window and you get to see a little picture! When all the windows are opened, then it’s time for Christmas!!

Let’s see, what else? Oh - last night the lights went out in our house, because the power was out on our block. So…we got to get out our flashlights and light a candle and pretend we were camping! It was really neat - I got to sleep in my sleeping bag (even though I was still sleeping on my bed), and I sat on my mom and dad’s laps downstairs and made lots of cool pictures on the ceiling with my flashlight - I like playing in the dark with them! Sutter didn’t have as much fun - he just went to bed early. Maybe when he’s older.

I love Christmas! I love winter! Happy Holidays, everyone!

Hi everyone! Well, on Monday I had my 4 year checkup with my doctor. This time my little brother Sutter had his checkup appointment at the same time, so I had some company, which was nice. I showed him how to be a big kid and be brave for the nurses and the doctor. Because I’m a big kid, and not a baby, I got to do stuff that Sutter didn’t. Like, when they measure Sutter, he has to lay down on a table, but I got to stand up against the wall! Plus, I got to put this silly spoon over my eye and tell the nurse what kinds of pictures she was pointing to (that was sort of strange, but they seemed to think it was a fun game to play so I humored them). They told my mom that I am now 39 1/2 inches tall, and a little over 34 lbs! I’m getting bigger every day, and I tell my mom dad that when I am big like Daddy I will be able to reach the shelves and I will go to work at his office. (It’s good to have a plan).

The downside of this visit is that I had to get some shots. AND THEY HURT A LOT!!! Luckily, one of the nurses held Sutter so I could sit on my mom’s lap and hug her while they gave me the shots in my arm. Mommy said I was very brave (although I will admit that I cried - hey you would’ve too, trust me!) and then the nice nurse game me a special dinosaur glider toy for being such a good sport. So I guess some good came out of it. Apparently next year I will get more shots, but my mom says that’s a long ways away. So ok.

Hi everyone! Guess who got to march in a parade on Saturday night? That’s right, ME, Decker J O’Steen! (Oh, and in tow with me were my mom and dad and baby brother).  This weekend was the start of the Walnut Festival, and the city of Walnut Creek has a “Twilight Parade” where local groups get to march down the street and wave at people sitting on the curb. Me and my family marched with my preschool, and all us kids got to wear cowboy hats and red bandannas and wave glow sticks! It was a little overwhelming at first, but then I looked over and saw Pammy, Cappy, Katil and Tully waving like a group of crazy people and they kept following our group along the sidewalk, so I always had some friendly faces to look for. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to play a drum in this parade like all the cool big kids I saw in the high school marching bands, but maybe next time. Afterwards, we got to go to dinner and stay up late, and then we walked back up the street and I waved enthusiastically at all the last floats that were pulling up at the end of the parade route. I kept calling out to them, “Hooray! You did a grand job!”. Hope they liked the encouragement!

PS: I got to keep the hat! Neat huh?

Hi everyone! Well, it’s Friday once again and that means I have officially been back at school for the last 2 weeks! It’s been pretty neat, especially because I really like my teachers Ms. Lori and Ms. Patti, and some of the kids from last year are in my class again this year too. I’ve been keeping busy - we’ve done some crafts, talked about shapes and school, played at a water table (it’s been REALLY hot!), and already had our back to school night! Daddy went to that one, because Mommy had to go to the other one. That’s right - I’m going to TWO schools this year! I think it will be crazy but fun. So far my teacher from my other school (her name is Teacher Marlene) has come to visit me and brought me a book as a welcome present, and then I got to orientation this week with my mom and Sutter. That was fun, because we got to play outside on the playground, and make cards for our grandparents, and eat a cookie! (mmmmmm). I start at my second school on Monday, and I think I’m excited. (I’ll let you know!). The class is slightly bigger, but the kids all seem nice. (And there’s even another new kid just like me).

Oh! I forgot to say - because it was my birthday right before I went back to school, Ms. Lori let my mom bring cupcakes to school during snack last week, and the class sang Happy Birthday to me and Ms. Lori and Ms. Patti gave me a book and a sticker! Isn’t that awesome? School is the best!

This was my third time riding my new bike, and I think I finally got the hang of it! Pedal forward to go. Pedal backwards to skin daddy’s shins! Got it! Anyway, I’m havin’ fun on my new ride, and I thought I’d share this photo daddy took of me this evening.

Hi everyone! Well, after what seemed like an eternity of asking my folks if it was my birthday yet, it finally was! I am now 4 years old, and so far it’s been great! I can do a lot of stuff now that I am bigger, older, wiser - and it’s been fun. I got to have two parties,  one on my actual birthday and then one a few days after. Birthdays are so awesome - people bring you presents, and you get to open them all by yourself! I told my mom and dad I wanted a Muppet party, so they put up green and purple balloons (for Kermit and Gonzo), and my dad made these neato signs with pictures of Animal on them, and my mom made me a Kermit the Frog cake! I got lots of nifty stuff, like cool books, and new cars from the movie ‘Cars’, and some new sports equipment, and….my very own Big Kid Two Wheel BIKE! Yeah! It’s red, and it has training wheels on it right now while I learn to ride it, and my dad has already taken me out a couple of times and it’s been really fun! I got a helmet to go with it, because that’s the rule (Elmo said so, so it must be true).  Birthdays rule! Thank you to everyone for making it so special!

Hi everyone! Guess who’s taking swim lessons right now? ME! That’s right - I, Decker J, have been going to ’swim school’ over at Pleasant Hill Park, and it’s been really fun! My teacher is a very nice person named Corrinne, and we have a great time together! I’ve been learning to kick, and move my arms, and blow bubbles and even put my head underwater! Today I got to put on a life vest and float all by myself while I practiced moving my arms and kicking - it was so cool!  Mommy and Sutter don’t get to go in the pool with me, but they sit on the side and wave to me when I look over at them. I get to go all next week, too - and my mom and dad say that they are very proud of me. I’m proud of me, too!

Hi everyone! Guess where I got to go last weekend? Yosemite! Yup, just came back from 3 days in the great outdoors and I had a great time! I went with my mom and dad and Sutter, and Cappy, Katil and Tully came along as well. It was so fun! On the first day we left really early drove and drove and finally stopped at this really cool place called Tenaya Lake. Mommy, Katil and Tully all used to live in a dorm building named after this lake, so they made sure everyone knew how to pronounce it properly! I’d been to the ocean,  and I’d played near ponds, but I’d never really been to a lake before. This one was super shallow for a long ways out, and the water was super calm and not too chilly - as a result, my mommy came back from unloading the car to find me, Cappy, my dad and Sutter (in Daddy’s arms) having waded out hecka far into the lake! And it still only came up to my waist! I had a blast playing in the water, especially after Tully brought out her inflatable innertubes,  and I got to float around and around with her and Katil. Mommy was a wimp and wouldn’t go in past her knees or so (she says I’m part polar bear like my dad!). I only got out finally when I started turning blue and my teeth started chattering (the wind had picked up). Can’t wait to go there again!

That afternoon we got to stop at some places with amazing views and really big rocks to climb, including a place called Olmsted Point. Sutter napped, and I clambered around and got some energy out. Then we went into the valley and had a yummy dinner and shopped around at this awesome gift store that has this enormous stuff bear that I remember from last year. I like to hide under his legs and talk to him - I named him Winnie the Pooh.

The next day we started off at Bridalveil Falls, and there were more rocks for me to climb! (Aunt Katil was very patient). Then, as we were walking back down the trail, a nice lady told us that there was a bear down in the ravine below us! Sure enough, a little ways away there was this black bear with a yellow earring (so silly!) wandering along! The bears in my Berenstain books walk on two legs and wear clothes, but this bear walked on all four legs and just wore fur. Mommy and Daddy seemed interested but also a little reserved about the bear - Mommy kinda held me tight and Daddy told her later that he was figuring out if he could run fast with a baby strapped to his back! Cappy spent the whole time filming and  saying silly things at the bear. Mommy said we should always leave bears alone, because they can be as grumpy as she is in the morning when she first wakes up! Yikes!

We walked on more trails that led to waterfalls, but because it was later in the summer there wasn’t much water to see! Then we went to the new visitors’ center and explored around there, and Daddy bought me a cool patch with a bear on it to put on my school backpack for the new year! THEN we went and played in the water some more - but this time it was iun the river! Another first for me! This was the Merced River, and again, the water was really calm and shallow, so I got to wade out pretty far with a grownup. I played for a while with my dad and a boy that I met and made friends with called Caiden. We threw rocks and pretended to fish! Then I hung out with my mom and aunties while Daddy and Sutter caught a nap, and I pretended to be Mary Poppins flying on a kite. I sang and sang and sang, and then we all got cold and got out and lay on the beach and ate plums from Cappy’s tree back home. Mmmmmm! After that we drove and drove and drove, and finally got to a place called Glacier Point. This was neat because you can see a REALLY far way away, and also because we had ice cream! There were more rocks to climb,which I did while Mommy nursed Sutter. (Mommy says she has now nursed me and my brother is some of the most interesting locations, including Glacier Point, Central Park (NY) and Museum of Natural History (NY)! She says she likes to have something cool to look at). At Glacier Point I told my folks that I had to potty (I went a lot that weekend - it was very hot and I drank lots of juice boxes!). Anyway, it was my mom’s turn, and I think the experience traumatized her - it was one of those potties with no plumbing, persay - you get the picture. Anyway, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so green! Poor Mommy!

The last day, Mommy went on a hike up to Vernal Falls with Cappy, Tully and Katil, and I stayed in the valley with Daddy and Sutter. We walked all around, including to this really big hotel called the Ahwahnee, and I also saw a helicopter land in the middle of a meadow! Then we finally met up, had some lunch, and drove a long ways home. I slept really well that night!

Hi everyone! In school we learned that it’s summer right now, which means it is very hot outside and you do summertime activities like play in the water and have bbqs. So far my summer’s been pretty busy, but it’s been very fun! I’m in summer school through the end of the month, which is neat because I really like school. In my spare time, I’ve been traveling all over the place! (And I let my mom and dad and baby brother come along). I’ve been to the California State Railroad Museum up in Old Town Sacramento, visited Fairyland (like a miniature Disneyland over by Lake Merritt - so fun!), gone to the park a bunch of times, and even went to a big movie outside in San Francisco one night! (It was a grownup movie, called something like “Cats Blankie”, it was black and white and not the most interesting movie but there was still lots of cool stuff to see outside). Best of all? A couple of days ago it was the 4th of July, and that was super fun! In the morning before it got too hot, my mom took me and Sutter over to the pool at my aunties’ complex - I love playing in the water! I floated in an inner tube and the grownups took turns helping me ’swim’ and kick my legs in the pool! (Mommy says I can take swim lessons very soon - looking forward to it!). Then, that night we went over the park and I got to go on the playground with Daddy, and then we ate ice cream (Yum!) and grapes (double yum!) and then while Sutter tried to fall asleep with Daddy, Mommy and Pammy and my aunties went down to the bandstand with me and we got to listen to LIVE MUSIC! So cool! There was a drummer and a guy playing the saxaphone and a guy playing the guitar and a lady singing and there were all these older girls (like 5 or 6 years old!) dancing in the front. It looked really fun, so I went up and danced for a long time too! I like to shake my groove thing - I like to move it, move it!  Oh yeah, and afterwards there were fireworks.

Try to stay cool this weekend - it’s hot outside!