More Birthday Fun!

Here's the boys playing with more birthday presents that were being held hostage at our mailbox for a while. The card is singing, and they loved the cars! :)

Navin's First Birthday!

We are celebrating Navin's first birthday today! Here's some early morning pictures taken with the wonderful gifts sent by our sweet family and friends. He really liked the noisemakers, and is having a lot of fun with the wooden froggy pull-toy. Navin also got his first tooth yesterday after a whole day of having a fever. He's all better now, thank God. More pictures to come!

Brotherly Hugs

It is so cute. They like to give each other hugs. It's a sneak preview of many fun times to come. This was taken yesterday, before the hair cut. Too cute to not share.

Haridas's First Hair Cut

I finally brought myself to cut off Haridas's beautiful curls, although part of us did not want to. He was not wanting to brush it or let me tie it back, and it was getting really out of control. So we had some fun with the scissors, and the experience was much funner than our brushing struggles! He likes it a lot. We made a nest with his hair for a bird's egg that we found on the ground and hope may survive. Here's his new 'do and the nest, too!

Haridas Can Read!

Haridas surprised me today when we were doing school. Navin had woken up from his nap, so I went to be with him, leaving Haridas with a page in a workbook...without me to read the instructions to him.

When I returned, he had correctly colored in three according to the color labeled in the workbook, red, yellow, and green. I have showed him how to spell these colors a few times, but I did not expect him to read them all by himself! Impressions on a young child's mind are amazing.

Here's pictures of him and the workbook as well as his "palace" he made, plus a picture of me and the upcoming birthday boy taken while the camera was out.

Flower Boys

This amazing flower blooms once a year and surprised us for Navin's birth and now again for his coming first birthday! We don't know the Hawaiian name...we just call it Navin's Flower. It is so special in many ways!



And here's Haridas with a lei of dried flowers as a crown from his special, sweet smelling, and favorite climbing tree, the Puakinikini. These are our favorite smelling flowers in Hawaii. And, yes, I know his shirt is on backwards and inside out. The silly boy does it that way on purpose.

Navin The Walker

Navin is officially walking now. He looks so cute. Now that he's getting better at it, he keeps his arms out for balance to catch himself if he falls, and he waves his hands and laughs while he walks! And now that he can walk, he has quickly moved onto CLIMBING! I was so surprised to watch him manage his way up onto the couch and Haridas's little chair.

Here's a video of those great first steps!



We made several attempts to get the camera (on the computer screen) to capture Navin who would keep walking the other way! So, this was the last take, which is why Haridas keeps saying that he got the last one!

Carrying Two!

This was for fun and didn't last very long.

Busy Days Are Over!

We have been extremely busy being with our special guest for the past 2 weeks. We're just getting back to normal now! Here's a few pictures of Haridas playing with his friends during all the festivities:

Navin's Grain Ceremony!

Today we were so blessed to have Navin's First Grains Ceremony. This is usually done around 7 months, but we waited until now so that our Spiritual Master, Srila Bhakti Bibuddha Bodhayan Maharaja, could do it for us while he is visiting this week. He came to our house and recited the Vedic hymms and performed the ceremony.

Navin was given the opportunity to choose one item from a plate, either a spiritual book, a pen, money, jewelry, flowers and grass, which shows what the child's taste is for. Navin chose the money (just like Haridas). So, it looks like we have two business men in the family! Here's some pictures and I will be adding videos soon.

Gargling Trance

Navin often gets into these gargling trances. He will do this for quite some time, although the camera distracts him, so it is hard to catch! Here's a try to give an idea of what he does:

Mango Season Is Here!

Here in Hawaii, the seasons are based on the fruit, not weather! Right now we are thankfully harvesting lots of mangos everyday from the wonderful giving trees that we are so lucky to have in the yard. There are golden mangos, and also some red Hayden mangos, but those always get eaten right away because they are the best! Here's my little harvester who would only make silly faces for you all!

Sleeping On Mama's Back

I just had to share this cute picture of Navin sleeping on my back. He's so cute!

Navin Claps!

Yes, his brain waves are advancing, and he has mastered the art of clapping at the young age of 10 months old! Now he claps to tell us when he likes something. He has also started putting toys away into a box, which is quite wonderful after mastering the art of making big messes and scattering toys everywhere!

Nodding Yes

Here's the latest funny thing from the boys! Papa is playing the drum inside, although you can't hear it much, he is 'dancing'. :)

Look At That Hair!

Navin has the natural mohawk, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger! People always ask me if we cut it like that, but don't all babies have some kind of funny hair-do? Haridas has two swirls in the back, and Navin has the mohawk. This particular morning, the mohawk was especially fluffy and standing on end. He looks like a crested crane! See for yourself:

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers! I hope everyone had a nice day. Thanks for being such great dads!

Haridas's First Self Portrait

Here's the second self portrait that he drew later on the magna-doodle:



Here's his first self portrait commentary on video!

Standing Navin!

I knew I should have brought the camera today, but I didn't. Sorry, everyone! We went to the beach and the zoo. At the lowest tide I had ever seen, we saw sea snakes (that was a first), brittle stars (starfish), sea slugs, fish, hermit crabs, and more! Navin loved the zoo because it was the first time he'd ever seen those animals. The peacocks that roam the zoo freely had baby chicks!

Then, I was setting Navin down to let him play in the sand and sea, and he didn't just sit down like usual. He stayed standing, balancing on two legs for the first time ever for about 6 seconds! It was quite a fun moment. He is only 9 1/2 months! This is really early. He is an early learner for sure, with a big brother for inspiration! I'll try to catch it on film next time!

More Go-Gee-Go-Gee-Go!

Go-gee-go-gee-go! Hear it live from the original artist, Navin Madan Das:

Brotherly Love

Haridas is reading stories to Navin!


And here they are sharing one of Navin's favorite past times...pulling folded laundry off the shelf and throwing it all around!

H-A-R-I-D-A-S

Haridas has been learning how to write his name. H and A have long been mastered, and now we are working on R and I. I was happy to see him write this during free play time all on his own without me asking!

Happy Full Moon Birthday!

Yay! Today's my 29th birthday! Papa made pancakes and we're spending the day at the beach since it has been hot, beach weather lately. I got some wonderful gifts...beautiful opal earrings that match my opal wedding ring, high class chocolate, the long wanted baby swing for Navin to swing alongside Haridas and also money to fund a baby carrier and yarn. I am so thankful for so many nice gifts! I will post pictures at the end of the day! Thank you so much for everyone who sent cards and gifts! Thank you Dad and family, Sharon and Dan, Rhonda and Alex, Bob and Teresa, and Grampa Bill.

The greatest surprise gift was the call saying that William got the insurance job that he had been interviewed and tested for!!! Yay! We're so excited about this one, it seems to be very professional and promising! Thank You, Lord!

Grampa Bill is starting off to Maine today, so he is in our thoughts and prayers for a safe and blessed journey.

Kiddie Videos!

Give thanks for Google videos becoming much, much faster in the video uploading process, so I can share more cute moments with the kids.

Haridas and I have made so many birthday cards that when we sat down to draw, he insisted on making a birthday card for me!



Here's Navin singing his "Go-Gee-Go-Gee-Go" song and please know that the floor is clean and the apple doesn't make it into his mouth very much anyways.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers! May you all be blessed by the Divine Mother with infinite love, respect, and compassion! Be strong and know how loved you are! k

Thank you to everyone who called and sent cards and loving thoughts with us. I am so thankful for how cared for we are. We love you all! We spent the day at my choice of the ocean, remembering our beautiful Mother Earth who takes care of us all.

Rollin' in the Roller!

The roller was parked on the empty lot across the street from us while it was being paved. So, here's a video of Haridas in it talking away. We did have permission to go in it.

Happy Birthday, William!

Today is Papa's big, happy birthday! He is done with the 20's and is now 30! We're getting old, hahaha! We had chocolate pancakes for breakfast and listened to a new cd. We'll go for a walk by the ocean later and just enjoy being together on his special day!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our anniversary! We're having a nice, sweet day together, just being lazy! Gotta love that! :)

Happy Birthday, Grammy Sharon!

May 2nd is Grammy Sharon's birthday! Best wishes for many more wonderful birthdays to come! Here's some pictures of your beautiful boys!

Happy Cruiser!

Navin is one happy baby! I can't believe he's only 8 1/2 months old and already getting up on his feet. Practicing walking makes him laugh so much! This video will surely make you laugh, too!