Karate

We just signed up Joey for Karate yesterday. I could not believe how on top of it he was! Wow.. I was sitting there so giddy and proud of him. This was his first day ever. He was completely focused and serious and yelled out all the commands... just like a little soldier.

The Sensei came up to us afterward and praised him for being the best first lesson he has ever taught! He and the other instructor were so impressed. They said that most kids have a hard time answering questions on demand or are unsure of themselves and they'll just stare back... When he asked him if he was smart, Joey goes, "Yes, Sir!" and when he asked him if he could do something, Joey said, "I'll try!"

The Sensei said that he is going to go slow with him because he thinks he can be good. My little guy.

This reminds me... the other day, Joey was asking me about making money, then asked me what happens if you are an adult and you don't have money? I immediately told him, "Joey, you never have to worry about that. You will always be successful."

Whatnot's by Joey

~At a restaurant with my Mother he was tired, out of nowhere! "Can we please just get the check and get out of this joint??!!"

~I wanted to see Narnia. Joey, "Mom, you know that movie is rated 'L' right?" "Joey, there is no rating 'L'." "It is rated 'L' Mom... because it's LAME and I don't want to see it." Where does he come up with this stuff.

~At another restaurant.. and I guess him just being done. He goes, "Okay, I'm tired, I've just eaten my entree' and so now we will need the check." and looks up at the waitress filling our water right then, as if to say, hint hint. She looks down startled, "Okay." And I said, No, that's fine.. don't listen to him. Man is he demanding.

~Genuinely, "Mom, I'm really very sorry you have to clean up this mess I just made." haha... yeah.. right.

~"You know how the gum ends up in my hair or clothes?? Magically! It's just there." With a sweeping motion he makes with his hands and a look that says, 'that's just the way it is.'

Aspirations

Saturday Night we had the missionaries over for dinner. I asked one of them how much longer he had on his mission, since I knew he had been out for quite some time.
Missionary, "4 weeks."
Joey, "What are you going to be after this?"
Which by the way, I thought was some pretty advanced insight for a 5 year old. It might be difficult to understand this if you don't have kids.
Missionary, "Oh, I'm not sure... I have to figure it out. I have no idea."
Joey, puzzled by this, "You don't know what you want to do?? Well, I know what I want to do! I'm going to make movies." very matter of fact might I add.

Joe and I had our ideas for him.. we finally came to the idea of an astronaut, which I know sounds funny, but I love science and he is definitely smart enough. Joe wanted this cause he wants him to be a pilot... But Joey had other ideas.

Here's the ticker. Some of you who know Joe might think he got this idea from him... oh, you are wrong. He has come up with this on his own... kind of evolved. From 3, he saw books as scripts. At 2, he preferred to carry around pictures of his super heroes over the actual super hero figures themselves. I saw his admiration grow for images and photography to movies at a very young age. He appreciates them, memorizes lines, familiarizes the actors and can always identify them from other movies he has seen. And for some reason, he never wants to see a movie twice... ever.

I know I am bragging here.. but hey, this is the beauty of being a mother. It's the best... But seriously, he is pretty impressive to me. When something will happen, he will want to draw it all with a short script below the pics... He wants to put it all down as a story.

The other day, I walked through his dim room and he had these little people figures standing next to his wall with different color lights shining straight on them that projected their shadows on the baseboard... He said, "Mom, look. This is how you film people moving without moving them yourself." and moved the lights to make it look like them were walking along (by their shadows). I was like, "huh, I don't think I could've thought about that."
I feel like we are holding him back by not giving him all his tools... I swear this kid needs like a studio! Especially with his art work... wait till I post about that!

May Day School Speech

May 23rd, 2008. I had no idea Joey was a little speaker. Nor was I told he was going to speak at an event in front of the entire school, staff and parents!! I was told his May Day celebration was going to start at 9:30 and I had to leave work, had a hard time finding parking and was maybe 3 minutes late! I don't know when they started but when I showed up, the Kindergardeners were all done, song and all. As I was trying to figure everything out, a teacher came up to me praising Joey for the great job he did reading for the Kindergarden class in front of the entire school! I was floored!!! WHAT??!! I can't believe I missed that :( .. soo bummed. Well, at least she took pictures of him and said he did such a good job and went up there like a big boy... also that he was chosen to read because he is the only one who can read the way he can. So proud of my little boy. This is why I read to him every day!!



Here's the funny thing. When I dropped him off at school.. he freaked out when he saw the school being set up. I said, "What on earth is the matter?" "It's May Day and we have to HULA! Oh, I don't want to." and started whining and complaining. I said, "it's not a big deal, just go along with it." All the grades put on their own performance.

Then when I found out that he was speaking I naturally thought he was freaking cause he was nervous to give the talk. But when we asked him about that, he goes, "NO, not at all! I didn't care about that. I just didn't want to sing! It's so stupid!!" haha... he always makes me laugh.
You know how little kids and toddlers in groups will clap their hands and sing along in activities (like with Barney or in Library readings)?? Joey has never been one to do that. Ever!.. I always wondered if he just didnt' get it.. but then I realized in his own little head, he just figured it was silly and was always looking around at everyone like they were crazy. He just refused to go along with it no matter how hard I prodded..

Here are some pics of the celebration. Don't ask me what May Day is... Have no idea... something about aloha?

Ew. But hey it's us.

Picky Eater? I don't think so!

Raising a picky eater is just not an option for me. I NEVER complained about my food and always ate everything on my plate. Especially, to me, a man must eat like a man... and therefore raising a picky boy does nothing for them.
At dinner time at home, he actually starts WITH his veggies (asparagus, broccoli, etc.) and moves from there. I have been quite pleased as he doesn't even know "ew, this looks gross.. I can't eat that". However I didn't quite expect this from my kid.
Joey's food choices crack me up. Let's just say he prefers the more sophisticated choice. No joke, he even seems offended when he is handed a kid's menu. He just gives you and the choices this snobby disappointed look. I still try though because I don't like that...
He has been eating crab, sushi, calamari and more since he was 3. Escargot, sashimi and caviar since he was 4- perhaps even younger.

The other day at an Italian restaurant he wanted to leave once he heard the kid's choices, but when he heard the specials from the waiter, he insisted on going with the steamers. The waiter didn't think we were seriously ordering that at first. haha... little does he know the first thing Joey asks for in a French restaurant is escargot.. and eats them like candy! When he brought them out, he said that the chef was like, "this is for a KID?" It was a huge bowl... Joe didn't take one and in no time at all, they were all eaten properly with the fork-- he even dipped bread in the sauce afterwards... The staff were all watching.

Here's a pic of him at Genkei Sushi 2 days ago eating fish eggs, plain... and plain octopus legs on rice... NO flavor, nothing. I had to take a picture with my phone... he makes me laugh.