Tony Kaulins in China

Scenes from my life in China IV

2012-02-11T04:50:00.001-08:00

Scenes from my life in Wuxi, China 3

2012-02-10T15:16:00.000-08:00

What Tony did to Dad's laptop!

2012-02-06T05:52:00.001-08:00

Those who have an Ipad or Ipod touch know that pivoting the device can change it from landscape to portrait configuration and vice versa. So, it is not a rare thing for Tony's Dad to turn on his Ipod touch, when Tony lets him, and to see the screen in an unwanted configuration.

Monday evening, after letting Tony play with his laptop, Dad turned on that device to see the screen in a configuration that he didn't want. The sign-in screen of the laptop was in a portrait configuration -- that is, everything on the screen was flipped ninety degrees from where it should normally have been . Having this problem with the Ipod, it took Dad a few more seconds, than it should have, to realize something was wrong. When Dad entered the password, the "*" character, used to hide the password, went upwards on the screen instead of left to right as it would have normally. The desktop and all its icons were also ninety degrees off. And maneuvering the mouse on the screen was impossible.

Fortunately, Dad was able to quickly discover, after a minute, what had happened. Dad saw a key on the keyboard that had a picture of a screen on it: the F1 Key. To activate the function of that key, one had to press the function (Fn) key. Doing this, Dad fixed the screen configuration problem by pressing the keys and choosing the correct option of the menu that then appeared. Tony had pressed the function (Fn) key and the F1 key at the same time -- a possible mistake Tony could make playing with the Microsoft Train Simulator program.

In the aftermath, Dad had three thoughts. First, he fixed the problem so quickly that he didn't have time to really get upset about it. The problem was, in essence, fixed during the moments of it setting into Dad's awareness. Second, he should have taken a photo of the problem and put it into the blog instead of trying to describe it. Of course, he could change the configuration of the screen again to take a photo, but that was asking for trouble and so it would be better to let things be. Third, he wondered if he should let Tony use the laptop again.

Tony uses Dad's housecoat as a blanket

2012-02-04T04:57:00.001-08:00

Dad was wearing his housecoat as he sat on the sofa in the Casa Kaulins living room when Tony came up to him with his dolls and started to pull at the robes.

Dad didn't know what Tony was up to. But as he tried to stand up, Tony got very upset and insisted that Daddy "sit down!"

Tony then took the bottom of Dad's robe and used it as a blanket to cover his Eego Beego doll.

"Strange!" thought Dad.

Daddy! Give me the Yellow!

2012-01-30T20:35:00.001-08:00

Daddy has a yellow cover on his Ipod; Mommy has a pink cover on her Ipad. So, Tony calls each respective device "the yellow" or the "the pink."

One evening, Daddy came home from work. Tony opened the door for him and appeared excited to see him. Jumping up and down he was. But the first thing he said to Daddy was "Give me the yellow!" Mommy then explained to Daddy that Tony hadn't been allowed to play with the Ipad all day.

Many mornings when Tony gets up and is dressed by Daddy, the first thing he will say is "Daddy! Give me the Yellow!"

Sometimes, Daddy will try to dissuade Tony by telling him to ask Mommy for "the pink." Most times, he will give up the yellow because Tony will otherwise put up a horrific whine.

Sometimes, Daddy will pretend to not know where the Ipod is, but Tony will then search Daddy's pockets.

There is no deterring Tony from getting "the Yellow."

Tony on the ropes

2012-01-30T03:26:00.000-08:00

Tony espies a train

2012-01-30T03:09:00.000-08:00

Entering the Year of the Dragon: The official Chinese New Year Video of ...

2012-01-29T00:08:00.000-08:00

Tony during Chinese New Year 2012 in Beixin

2012-01-26T03:39:00.001-08:00

Tony is scared of fireworks. So he spent most his time in Beixin either with his ears plugged or sitting indoors.

Does Tony like David Hasselhoff?

2012-01-17T20:48:00.000-08:00

Tony's father, despite his better judgement**, really likes this video, and now Tony likes it as well.

Tony's father put the video on his mobile phone. He showed it to Tony once, and now Tony insists on watching/listening to the video at bedtime. Tony even tries to sing along with it

**Actually, this is a great video. It is fun and bouncy, and one should have no reservations about liking it.

Tony on January 10

2012-01-12T19:30:00.001-08:00

I want Toby! and other observations about Tony.

2012-01-11T19:44:00.001-08:00

Tony had an idea: we, his mother and his father that is, were going to buy him a Toby train engine. Toby is a character, a train actually, in the Thomas and Friends t.v. show.

Tony was watching the show a few days ago and saw Toby the engine; Tony already had a Thomas engine and a Percy engine for his TOMY train set; and I had already put Thomas, Gordon, and Percy engines into the train simulator program that is on the computer at home. Tony plays with the train set and the train simulator program every chance he gets. So, I can understand his jump in logic. I supply him with all this train stuff, so it must be his right. So far, though, we haven't given in to him.

Tony is getting proficient at the Microsoft Train Simulator program. Last night, he played with the program for an hour without requiring my assistance. He can release the brakes on the trains, put the trains in gear, and set the throttle.

Tony got a hold of the ear-phones I plug into my Ipod. I noticed that he had pulled the plastic covers off both the ear-jacks. The covers allow the ear-jacks to fit snugly in my ears. I was able to find one of the ear-jack covers, and not being able to find the second I asked Tony where he had the put it. I said this in frustration, but he then surprised me by handing me the missing ear piece.

Tony has an annoying habit of wanting me to carry him everywhere. He will stand in front of me and beg, by jumping and having his arms outstretched. I try to run away but his wailing is too much to deal with so I give in and take him in my arms.

Tony at the Baoli Shopping Mall

2012-01-10T05:53:00.001-08:00

Tony plays with some gadgets

2012-01-10T05:46:00.000-08:00

Ipad

Ipod

Trouble!

2012-01-08T06:18:00.001-08:00

Dad has an Ipod Touch. Unfortunately, Tony has found out the fact.

So, Dad doesn't get to use the Ipod in the evening.

Scenes from my life in Wuxi, China #2

2012-01-04T06:43:00.000-08:00

Tony plays a big part in this video

Tony Kaulins looking at canals near Nanchang Jie and Market

2012-01-02T05:15:00.000-08:00

How does Tony begin 2012?

2011-12-31T21:15:00.001-08:00

Tony wasn't the least disappointed by the fact that he didn't win the Wuxi Expat of the Year award for 2011 -- he was the Wuxi Expat of the year for 2010.
He seemed more concerned about being able to start on the year by playing computer trains.
After two hours of playing computer trains, he pushed Dad into the seat in front of the laptop -- he wanted to play with the Ipad.

Tony's Mom gets a new hairstyle

2011-12-28T20:41:00.000-08:00

Tony not with the program

2011-12-28T20:08:00.001-08:00

Tony's kindergarten had the kids put on a show for the parents. Thankfully, I didn't have to go. These shows are mind-numbingly boring and I don't really care too much to see how other children are doing anyway -- I only concentrate on Tony.

Tony's mother Jenny, who is into this sort of thing, did go and made a report to me. She also took some video but there is no point in uploading it. Tony really didn't do much. He is still too young to do anything solo. As it is, it is hard enough to get him to participate along with a group. So for yesterday's show, the teachers had him wave his arms and dance with a group of his classmates. Jenny said that for the first group show that Tony was a part of, Tony did well in that he waved his arms in unison with the other students. However, for the next shows, Tony stood at one end a group, that was spread out wide, and cried. Watching the video, one can see the children beside him waving and dancing while he stands still, causing a teacher to try to comfort him. Jenny says that Tony cried because he saw her and thought he was going home.

So, Tony wasn't with the program. Oh well!

Bumper Cars in Wuxi, China

2011-12-27T23:45:00.000-08:00

Photos taken of Tony round Christmas time

2011-12-27T05:14:00.000-08:00

Gee! Thanks Tony!

2011-12-27T03:39:00.001-08:00

Previously, I mentioned that Tony had learned to say "Dad! I need to check my email!" when he wanted to get on my laptop and play with the Microsoft Train Simulator program.

He learned this when I kept asking him if I could check my email when he was playing with the trains.

Just now, as Tony was playing on my laptop, I decided to play with the Ipad. I did this for about fifteen minutes before Tony noticed.

All of sudden, Tony grabbed the Ipad from me, and said "Daddy! you can check your email!"

It seems he prefers the Ipad.

Wuxi Tony opens his first ever Christmas Present

2011-12-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

Recent Photos of Tony

2011-12-25T05:26:00.000-08:00

Daddy! Can I check my email?

2011-12-23T21:13:00.001-08:00

Daddy! Can I check my email?

That is a strange thing to be coming from the mouth of a four year old. Those who are so young shouldn't have email accounts, even in this day and age. Still, Tony does say this, and I have an explanation for why.

I let Tony play on my laptop. I have showed him the Microsoft Train Simulator program and he loves it. He can spend hours on end playing with the trains. It is nice that he likes the trains but unfortunately, his liking the program means I can't use my laptop myself. Tony doesn't let me use the laptop even for a short time. I ask him if I can check my email and he says no!

So, you see, Tony has picked up the expression from me. He doesn't know its exact meaning, but he has gathered that the expression is a request to yield the laptop.

Tony and Andis on December 19, 2011

2011-12-19T16:48:00.001-08:00

Tony and Andis fight.

2011-12-11T16:55:00.001-08:00

Tony and I had another fight. This time it was about the train set. Tony pointed to a PLA RAIL box and a picture of a particular train setup or track configuration. I then started to dismantle the current track configuration and Tony became upset. I continued dismantling because I thought that Tony's wailing would subside when he would see me put together another configuration. But it didn't. Tony only became more upset when I started to make a new one. He then began to rip apart the track of the new configuration. Annoyed, I helped him and put the track in the plastic box in which we store all his PLA RAIL things. I asked him if this was what he wanted. He said no! in an upset manner. I then held him in my arms for above ten minutes trying to soothe and calm him down. I eventually took the track out of the plastic box and tried to make another configuration, but the same scenario happened. This time, I told Tony to tell his mom his complaint -- he can speak a lot of Chinese that I don't understand. She told me that he wanted me to make a new configuration for him. Telling Jenny my story, that that what was what I was trying to do, didn't do anything to lower the contempt she had for me at that moment.
Actually, the second incident really wasn't a fight. I did nothing aggressive towards Tony. I just let him wail. I even withdrew from him at one point to see what he would do.
During the withdrawal, I was hoping to see Tony run to me. What did happen was he continued to cry and I couldn't stand it and so went back to him.
It took Mom giving him the Ipad to calm him down.

Tony plays with his TOMY PLA RAIL train set

2011-12-11T07:19:00.000-08:00

Ultraman! I want Ultraman! Mai Ultraman!

2011-12-08T18:41:00.001-08:00

Father finished his Christmas Shopping** for Tony. Or at least he thought. He bought some toys, at a Toys-R-Us near his place of employment, that Tony had requested and took advantage of the free gift-wrapping offered. Father imagined the look of excitement that Tony was sure to have when he opened the packages on Christmas day.

While Dad was making his purchases at a Toys-R-Us, he picked up some catalogs for Tony to look at. He gave them to Tony first thing when he arrived at home from work. Tony immediately pointed to a photo of some Ultraman figures and told Mom and Dad to buy them for him. Tony didn't mention the other toys that he and his father had discussed.

Maybe Dad isn't finished his Christmas Shopping after all! He will have to rustle some extra cash to pay for an Ultraman figure.

**What Dad bought for Tony will be revealed at the proper time to Tony and the rare readers of this blog.

Tony and his father's laptop

2011-12-07T05:14:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Uncle Ron!

2011-12-04T18:03:00.000-08:00

Tony and Uncle Ron in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in June 2010.

An evening of Microsoft Train Simulator

2011-12-03T19:21:00.001-08:00

Dad let Tony play MTS on the new laptop on Saturday evening. Tony played with the software, more or less unsupervised, for over three hours.

Though, Tony is only four years old, he can use the mouse to navigate the software. He knows the key sequences to get to where he wants to go. He can't read but he learned them by watching father show him once. He was able to watch all the six types of trains on MTS without assistance from his father.

Getting him off MTS and telling him to go to bed isn't easy. But Father knows Tony will wail for five minutes before there is something else to play with.

Tony the Guerilla

2011-12-02T21:44:00.001-08:00

Tony climbs and slides

2011-11-28T16:29:00.001-08:00

Tony surprises

2011-11-24T18:18:00.001-08:00

Actually, Tony surprises his father a lot. But that is why Tony's father enjoys being a parent, and supremely regrets that he didn't become a parent sooner in his life.

But it isn't all sunshine and lollipops being a parent. Getting Tony to wake up in the morning, for instance, is a chore. Father understands and empathizes with Tony's protestations about having to get up and go to school. But Father knows it has to be done.

Friday morning, however, Tony could sleep in. His grandparents were in town, and it was his grandmother's birthday. Friday, there was to be a birthday lunch for Grandma, and Tony was going to get school off so he could attend. Tony was, of course, asleep well past the time he would have had to get up to go to school. Dad knew that getting Tony up would be a little easier this day, but he still suspected that when Tony did have to get up, there would be a struggle.

So it was a great surprise to see Tony run out of the bedroom, in his pajamas and barefeet, without prompting. What happened was that Mom's mobile, which was in the bedroom, was ringing. Tony decided to get up and take the phone to Mom who was in the kitchen. Dad took the phone from him and gave it to Mom. Tony went back to bed, and Dad thanked him for his surprising thoughtfulness.

Tony walks on November 22, 2011

2011-11-22T23:30:00.000-08:00

Tony Kaulins at the People's Square in the Hui Shan -- daytime District of Wuxi, China

2011-11-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

Can we do this.... yeah?!?

2011-11-22T03:41:00.001-08:00

For the last three days, Tony has been using the above-mentioned grammar pattern. Anytime he wants to suggest a course of action for us or me, he has been stating the hoped-for action and then adding a "yeah" which is either exclamatory or interrogatory.

I assume he picked up this annoying pattern from school, but from whom? Are the teachers teaching him this? Is there some young foreigner, drunk when not teaching, who taught him this?

If I had the time, I would investigate.

After School Tony Kaulins

2011-11-21T04:03:00.000-08:00

We are supposed to be going for a bike ride!

2011-11-20T19:25:00.002-08:00

First, Dad took this photo. (He forgot to put the camera in video mode)

He then took this video:

Tony Kaulins at the People's Square in the Hui Shan District of Wuxi, China

2011-11-20T18:09:00.000-08:00

Sunday evening, Dad took Tony to a square near their apartment. Hui Shan People's Square is a open area of tiles, among which there are pools, pedestals, stairs, and sitting areas.

Tony impressed Dad with his daring as he walked the narrow elevated ledges around the square's central fountain and pool.

Tony is in a Wall-E phase

2011-11-19T06:31:00.001-08:00

Tony has been watching the DVD of the Pixar Movie Wall-E over and over and over again.

The DVD has been in Casa K for over a year. In that time, Tony had no interest in it. But then in the last week, it has become the only DVD he will put in the player.

Jenny told me that, one night in the past week, she and Tony sat together and watched the entire movie.

Tony Kaulins plays with the Microsoft Train Simulator

2011-11-18T19:44:00.001-08:00

Tony takes a photo

2011-11-15T17:56:00.001-08:00

Tony jumps and shots and lies down

2011-11-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

Tony got a gun

2011-11-13T00:26:00.000-08:00

Spanking him doesn't stop him

2011-11-09T23:59:00.001-08:00

Tony was a bad boy Wednesday Night. In bed, he was playing with the Ipad at midnight. We took it away and told him to go to sleep, but he protested. He demanded that we give the Ipad back to him and cried like the big baby he was when he didn't.

Mom took the Ipad out of the bedroom. Tony was left with me on the bed. I tried to comfort him all the while trying to get him to smarten up. It didn't work. He started kicking at me and tried to scratch my face. I spanked him. He cried but went after me again. And I spanked him again. And he attacked me again.

Mom came into the room and told him that she was going to take him out of the apartment. This scared the heck out of him. He then asked me for his bottle which I gave him. He cuddled up to me for a brief moment before he started to roll and kick again...

Wuxi Tony Update: November 2011

2011-11-07T21:44:00.001-08:00

Tony is a playground bully?

2011-11-06T18:26:00.001-08:00

Tony's mother Jenny told his father Andis that Tony was beating up every other child at the playground Sunday afternoon. He didn't discriminate when doing so, said Jenny, and so it was quite embarrassing for her. Tony would push around any other child, regardless of age, size, sex, and ethnic origin, who got in his way. So he pushed a little girl who tried to sit in his favorite toy car. He did push bigger boys too, but to be seen picking on the smaller will deduct from a reputation for strength.

I suppose it is a better problem to have a child who is a bully then one who is meek. But true manliness requires showing strength as well as holding it back as proper morality requires.

Tony and his father

2011-11-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Tony is a bugger at bedtime.

2011-11-05T18:36:00.001-07:00

Fight!

2011-11-05T00:46:00.000-07:00

Tony is a bugger at bedtime.

2011-11-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

Tony should be going to sleep. His father tells him so. But this is what he does instead:

Don't get me wrong. I love my son. But sometimes.....

... he is a little bugger.

Tony on a school field trip

2011-11-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

Tony is in the back row, fourth from the left:

Tony is second from the left:

Ditto:

Tony is holding his teacher's hand:

Tony on a school field trip

2011-11-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

Wearing Mom's underwear. Bag Search.

2011-11-02T19:57:00.001-07:00

Tony did two strange things on Wednesday evening: one witnessed by his mother Jenny and one witnessed by his father Andis.

Jenny said that, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tony walk into the bathroom to pee while wearing something strange on his head.

Jenny went to investigate. She found that Tony was wearing her underwear on his head.

Andis arrived home from work about eight thirty or so. Tony came to the front door to greet him. Tony then took Andis's backpack. He unzipped some of the pouches on the bag looking to see what was inside. Andis thought that Tony was looking for a toy or batteries for his toys. But Tony found some white board markers Andis had, pulled them out, examined them, and said wow! Tony seem satisfied leaving Dad still wondering what Tony's intentions were.

Tony Kaulins wears a Halloween Mask

2011-10-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

Tony Kaulins at bedtime

2011-10-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Tony lately

2011-10-31T17:51:00.001-07:00

Tony went to Dad's school Halloween party on Saturday evening. He put on a mask and seemed quite comfortable with it. He then stole the microphone from the evening's m.c.'s, and cried when it was taken away from him. He could only be placated by an I-phone that let him play Angry Birds.
Tony is currently enamored with Ultraman or Ultramon, a Japanese t.v. show, where men, dressed in latex tight suits with boots and helmets, fight monsters. At Nanchang Temple market, he found three Ultraman figures, and has been playing with them ever since.
Tony and his Dad still have arguments about diesel and steam trains.
Monday evening, Dad took Tony for a bike ride. Tony was impressed by the Moon in the sky. Look Daddy! Look Daddy! The Moon! The Moon!

Who is that masked boy?

2011-10-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Wuxi Tony and the Black Takara TOMY Locomotive

2011-10-25T23:03:00.000-07:00

I am having a bad day! So please don't take a picture!

2011-10-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

Tony on a bicycle

2011-10-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Tony watches the Microsoft Train Simulator

2011-10-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

Tony makes a "V" sign

2011-10-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

Wuxi Tony Update: Microsoft Train Simulator

2011-10-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

Ingratitude

2011-10-24T07:00:00.001-07:00

One just doesn't know with Tony. You try to make him happy but he will instead act miserably and abominably.

Dad found this old bit of software that he thought Tony would enjoy: the Microsoft Train Simulator. He loaded it on his laptop and when Tony came home, he showed it to him.

Tony was interested, but became quickly became annoying. He immediately wanted to control the computer and the program even though he didn't know how to operate it. He wouldn't let his father try to figure out how to get the steam trains running. His father would have rather have used the Diesel engines which were easy to use, but Tony peevishly wanted to only watch the steam engines, which aren't easy to operate. He also had this strange desire to view the trains from close-up. Dad was interested in a wider view to see the setting the train was in, and tried to set up the wider view but Tony got angry.

And when it was time for supper, Tony had a twenty minute fit when Dad turned off the program.

Dad found himself begging Tony to act reasonably and calmly without success. He thought to spank the boy, but didn't see the point. Hitting a child to shut him up is counter-productive.

Will Tony listen to reason when he can better understand what is Dad is telling him?

Monday Morning Grumpiness

2011-10-23T19:01:00.001-07:00

It was a given that Tony was not going to happy Monday morning. He went to bed late Sunday night, and it was raining outside making staying in bed a wonderful prospect.

He was up far too late last night looking at Thomas & Friends websites.

He was like a limp doll as his parents dressed him in the morning.

When it was time to be taken to the van that was to take him to kindergarten, Tony clung to his Dad, his head on Dad's shoulders, and tried to get even more sleep.

But he did give his Dad a goodbye kiss without being asked to do so.

Yue Yue R.I.P.

2011-10-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

This photo of Yue Yue is as heartbreaking as the video of the accident that lead to her death. That's her being held by her mother as her older brother stands in the foreground.

Tony and his parents have posed for similar types of portraits. But, Yue Yue looks very angelic in this portrait.

Tony holds Daddy's hand

2011-10-16T17:58:00.001-07:00

Recently, Dad's favorite moments with Tony have been when they have walked up and down the stairs to their third floor apartment. Dad and Tony hold each other's hand and walk side-by-side as they ascend and descent, giving Dad a warm glowing feeling all over.
Tony has picked up the expression "cool!" from his Dad.
Tony is made, by his mother, to color things in his coloring book every evening. It teaches the boy some discipline, and he has become very dexterous with a crayon.
Tony speaks much more Chinese than English these days, and already his Chinese has exceeded that of his Dad's. Not that that was going to be hard to do!

Tony! Go to sleep!

2011-10-11T18:26:00.001-07:00

Tony wouldn't go to sleep last night.

His parents lay in bed, but he didn't. He couldn't sit still. He strutted about. He flopped about.

One time, he lay on a chest at the end of bed, and put on a second pair of pajama bottoms. He then took off the bottoms and then the other pair of bottoms. He smiled as he gave his parents the moon.

After this, he decided to fight Dad, jumping all over him, annoying him to no end.

Tony and the Crayons

2011-10-10T04:43:00.001-07:00

Tony sits on Dad's lap.

2011-10-10T00:46:00.001-07:00

Sunday evening, Tony was sitting on the couch and playing Angry Birds on his mother's mobile phone. His father seeing this decided that Tony should go outside. "A four year old playing video games! That just won't do!" reasoned Tony's father.

Hearing from his father that they were to go outside, Tony initially was very upset. He cried like a youngster would who was thinking he was being deprived of something. "No go outside! No go outside!" he screamed and pleaded at his father. But he quickly changed his mind when his mother told him that he could ride his bicycle. And he was out of the apartment before his father.

Tony lead his father to a public square near their apartment. He told his father to sit down while he rode the square's wide spaces.

All of sudden, Tony came to where his father was sitting, saying "pa le!" and sat on his father's lap which was very uncharacteristic of him. Tony's father then noticed that Tony had his ears plugged with his fingers. Dad then understood that Tony had been saying he was scared (pa le means I'm scared in Chinese), and that he wanted his father to protect him. Tony had been scared by loud noises that were coming from a nearby construction site. Dad knew that Tony was scared of Fireworks, of which there are lots in China, and told Tony that were no fireworks being let off. Saying this satisfied Tony and he went back to his bicycle.

October Holiday Video Number Three

2011-10-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

Seven consecutive days of Kindergarten for Tony!

2011-10-08T01:44:00.001-07:00

Tony went to Kindergarten today (Saturday). There really isn't such a thing as a holiday in China. What happens is you a day off for a holiday, but then you have to make up for later.

So Kids are going to school on Saturday and Sunday to make up for the holidays they had during the week.

Tony in a trenchcoat

2011-10-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

Tony and his mother in Beixin, China

2011-10-08T01:33:00.001-07:00

Tony and his father in Beixin, China

2011-10-08T01:32:00.000-07:00

Photos of Tony in Beixin

2011-10-06T21:29:00.001-07:00

Tony was in Beixin from October 2 to October 5.

You can see photos of him there here. I have linked to one of the photos. You can explore the other site to see the rest.

Tony waves good bye!

2011-09-30T09:02:00.001-07:00

The past week, after Dad has put Tony into the van that takes him to the kindergarten, Dad has waved good bye to Tony!

And Tony has waved back giving Dad a warm feeling all over.

Dad knows that he might as well enjoy this moment and milk it for all its worth. Tony will one day be a teenager and, chances are, he will pretend he is not his Dad' son.

Tony's father would like to smack other kids that pick on Tony.

2011-09-26T21:26:00.001-07:00

Tony's father took Tony to a playground just before supper time on Monday. Tony was playing on a slide. Another boy joined him. The boy was smaller than Tony and yet was pushing Tony around.

Tony's father watched this to see how Tony would react. Tony seemed to take it good naturally. He laughed as the other boy head-butted him in the back. But as the play went on, the other boy became more and more mean-spirited; or thought Tony's father who wanted, but resisted the urge, to tell Tony to smack the "little shit" back. The other boy's mother did scold her son for his behavior once, but the boy continued on with his bullying behavior and started kicking Tony.

Tony's father, at this point, decided it was time to take Tony home. Tony resisted, and didn't leave the playground till Dad got on the electric bike and pretended to ride away. Tony then, in a panic, ran to find his father. When they were finally reunited, Dad scolded Tony for letting the other boy push him around. "Don't let those fucks do that to you!" he said to Tony.

But, Tony's father quickly felt remorse and hugged Tony. Tony, he realized, was a good kid in a fallen world.

Wuxi Andis opens the curtain, Wuxi Tony closes the curtain

2011-09-25T20:30:00.000-07:00

Photos of Tony

2011-09-21T06:14:00.001-07:00

I published a whole slew of photos of Tony at TKIC wordpress.

Tony plays with his train set.

2011-09-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

Grumpy Tony

2011-09-15T16:11:00.001-07:00

Tony didn't want to go to school Thursday morning. He fought his father when they went to the kindergarten van pickup spot. At one point, Tony grabbed his Dad's hand and tried to pull him back to Casa K. He wasn't happy as he was put into the van.

Tony's mood was upsetting to his parents. Tony's mother phoned his father about Tony's state as he got into the pickup van. Learning that Tony was still upset, Tony's mother phoned the school. Tony's mother later phoned her for an update.

It seemed that Tony hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. His teachers reported that he was yawning in class.

Wuxi Andis does a commercial! He talks about Tony!

2011-09-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

Wuxi Tony practices his Ultra Man moves

2011-09-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

Wuxi Tony plays Angry Birds on the Ipad

2011-09-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

Tony Fishing

2011-09-07T00:25:00.000-07:00

Tony watching Ultraman on the Ipad

2011-09-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Tony at the Kindergarten: what I have heard.

2011-09-06T17:57:00.001-07:00

Tony beat up another boy at school yesterday, or so Dad was told by Mom. They were fighting over a toy. Dad eagerly wanted details about the altercation. Was Tony punching? Did Tony push the boy over? Did Tony grab the toy from the other boy? Mom, who was told by the teacher about this, wouldn't offer more details.
Does Dad want a meek Tony or a stronger Tony? He doesn't want Tony to be a bully, and yet he would prefer a bullying-Tony to a meek Tony. Some parents want their children to not have their inadequacies.
Kindergartens have nap times for all their kiddies. At Tony's school, it is between 1230 and 200 p.m. Dad imagines that Tony is not an easy one to get to nap. Tony won't rest is what Dad has observed. Tony is an unstoppable dynamo.
Yesterday, Mother Jenny went to Tony's school at nap time. She learned that Tony will nap in his own fashion. He is not one to fall asleep right away: one p.m. or so is when he does. She observed that Tony doesn't like to wear pants when he does nap. So when she went to the Tony's class nap room, she saw a lot of sleeping children and a bare ass -- Tony's bare ass. The teachers told her that Tony always takes off his pants at nap-time.

Fishing Wuxi Tony

2011-09-04T00:29:00.001-07:00

Wuxi Tony has three trains!

2011-09-02T01:26:00.000-07:00

The latest Tony Takara TOMY train video.

2011-09-01T20:59:00.001-07:00

Watch it here!

Tony drinks some water before he goes to school.

2011-09-01T01:12:00.000-07:00

TKIC Classic Video: Wuxi Tony Update #394: Tony at Chicken World in Beixing, China

2011-08-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

Links to photos of Tony and Takara TOMY

2011-08-29T22:37:00.000-07:00

Photos of our Takara TOMY train set: TKIC #1, TKIC #2, AKIC #1, and AKIC #2

Tony's Daddy is a bad man.

2011-08-27T21:47:00.001-07:00

Why is Tony's Daddy a bad man?

He accompanies Tony on a bike ride but doesn't let Tony decide the route.
He makes Tony ride the bike. At one point during the excursion, Tony demands to sit on Dad's shoulders while Dad pulls the bike.

TKIC Classic Video: Wuxi Tony Update #174

2011-08-26T22:49:00.000-07:00