Ikaika, Age 2 1/2

Anne's and my 2 1/2 year old grandson Ikaika is a busy guy, and I'd like to briefly note four of his recent actions:

1) Because he is avidly into sports, in our playroom he put each of us, his dad Kyle and Anne and me into three point stances, so we could play football as it is done in big time football. Afterward, he made the three of us basketball defenders, positioning us with our hands up. He drove the basket as we tried to defend him.

2) His favorite characters are from a TV show called "Paw Patrol," about cartoon dogs. When his dad came home two nights ago, Ikaika was excited, calling out, "daddy, daddy, daddy," as he ran up and grabbed Kyle's finger and walked him into his bedroom. There he proudly showed Kyle his new "Paw Patrol" T - Shirt," the shirt he wore the next day.

3) Two days ago, he learned from his mother Diane how Santa Claus brings good little boys and girls presents and a lump of coal to bad children. He at first confused "coal" with the name of his friend "Kohl," but once he understood, he wanted to take an airplane to the North Pole and talk to Santa about why he is good boy. Or as Anne said, "to negotiate with Santa."

4) Yesterday Ikaika received a piggy bank after Kyle and Diane learned that this year he had set up his own little bank account in his drawer, picking up loose change and depositing it there.

Dick