Erlan goes to Monterey

Erlan is on his first vacation. He and Daddy are tagging along with me while I work. Overall, Erlan was terrific on the flight. He did try all of the tricks that other kids used that drove me crazy when I traveled on business. He threw a fit for no reason. He kicked the back of the seat. Fortunately for everyone, he kept these activities to a minimum. :-)



On Monday, my friends at work had a party for him. Being a ham, Erlan soaked up all of the attention that was showered on him. Midway through the party, Erlan was giving high fives and shaking hands all around.



Erlan learned a few things at the party that will serve him well. First, he figured out that brownies are good stuff. He was reluctant to try the brownie at first, but, once he did, he gobbled down two. When Erlan spotted my co-worker Bruce trying to eat his chocolate cookie, Erlan quickly climbed off of my lap to ask for a bite.



He also learned about presents at the party. When he unwrapped his first gift, he seemed to be trying to figure out how the package was put together. He loved finding presents under the paper. He really enjoyed the gift bags that he could use to organize his new books.









He finally figured out that stuffed animals are ok. Notice the kiss that he is giving his new penguin. He spontaneously hugs the penguin when he sees it.

Erlan had a great time at the party. He did his best to work the crowd and charm everyone.

Today we took Erlan to the ocean. He loved it. He liked running into the waves and running from them. Keep in mind that the water in Monterey is always freezing. The locals wear wet suits when they go in the ocean. Only the tourists swim in the ocean in a swim suit. Erlan didn’t care about the water temperature. He didn’t care when his jeans were soaked and his shirt was soaked. He was ready to go back for more. Poor kiddo only had his jacket to wear on the ride home.

This was actually the second time Erlan was soaked today. Earlier in the day, he managed to soak himself with the hose while helping Daddy water the yard. He also likes to help Daddy use the leaf blower. The kid is a hard worker! By the time 8:00 rolls around, it is all Erlan can do to keep his eyes open. He was asleep almost as soon as he head hit the bed tonight.

And on a completely unrelated note: Erlan can now identify 20 different body parts! He can say four body parts: eyes, belly, neck, and back. The word “back” sounds a lot like “butt”, but he is saying (or thinks he is saying) “back”!