Cristina Lei's first day of preschool

Cristina handled the first week like a champ...there were several tears at drop-off up until about halfway through week two, but in the end, she's thriving. She's getting so big and people often think she's 3 or 4 but she's almost 2-1/2. her vocabulary has come along very well. We are starting to learn "gentle hands" and "friendly fingers"...after a few episodes of being a bit too aggressive with other classmates. Her appetite could be better but she's "grazing"...not fully eating a complete meal but trying her best. But all-in-all she's really getting along well and we couldn't be happier.

(yes, there are terrible twos...her increasing vocabulary includes such wonderful words such as "NO" or "STOP IT" or "MINE" or whatever it may be...but hopefully she's moving through this stage and on to another...one of more challenges but so, so much fun).

Here are some photos over the past month or so.

FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL - SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

AND MORE PHOTOS...

A visit from Papa at Preschool...happy day...

Giving it a good try at playing volleyball with her good buddy, Kalia, at Bellows Beach

Smiles in her overalls

With her godparents just two days ago...

It takes a village. Lots of love surrounding this little girl and our family.

Thank you for your all your support.

Gay dads' brains show activity akin to both parents

Fascinating study about gay dads and parenting here.

Enjoy.

Two. Elua. Deux. Dos. Zwei. 二(ni)

We've Arrived at Two -- And I swear I feel like she was born yesterday. And yes, everyone DOES tell you that it flies by...but why?? When we're having such fun???

I know. I'm her father. I'm supposed to be gushing. And gush I do. On Facebook. Instagram. At work. In texts. On my blog...I'm that kinda parent. And most other parents don't bat an eye because they are doing the same thing -- loving their children. Is there anything better? Until you get there (and you will, all the IPs out there), you just don't realize the magnitude of having your heart live outside of your body all day, every day, for the rest of your life. It grounds you in a way you've never experienced before...and it's only going to get worse...errr or better. And we are so looking forward to it. The only part that makes me feel a tiny pang of an "ouch" is knowing we will never have that moment back...that one that just happened. The one that made my heart melt, made me say "awwww", and get those butterflies of love for our child. Those moments of sad eyes, giggly laughs and tickles, to cute garbled words, to singing Zippidy Doo Da in the car on the way back from day care, to her saying "nilky please?" or just that tired look at night when she molds in to your body and you rock her to sleep. It really has been that good, with only a few down times (during which I secretly plan to plan a Papa/Daddy vacation until I come to my senses).

Here are some photos of her 2nd Birthday Party. Enjoy!

Peppa Pig is the bomb in Cristina's world.

Opening her Godfather Todd's birthday card

Snuggling with her sister, Chloe, before the festivities...

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Uncle Matt always arrives early and wants kisses. She warmed up by the end.

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Cristina's cousins, Balen and Aidan, and neighbor, Rocky. A framer for sure.

Cristina and her friend, Kalia from day care -- they are total BFFs

Kory, Page, Mekia and Josh

Slave. Labor. Nuff said.

The gang in Cristina's room.

Godmother Kay and our very good friend and neighbor, John.

Apparently picking leaves off bushes is a very fun thing to do....

Waiting for the birthday cake.

Here it comes...and she' doesn't know what to do with it.

Keola and Kalia know exactly what to do with the birthday cake!

Holly, Patti, John and my sister-in-law Leah

Daddy and Rocky are getting ready to make Peppa Pig disappear

My two brothers, Scott and Matt with me and Cristina. She's very ticklish...

Kisses were being doled out by the end of the night, Thank God.

Daddy and Cristina reading Daddy's 

godmother's birthday card to Cristina.

This was a very sweet moment...

An awesome 2nd Birthday...for sure.

Papa and Daddy Love You, Cristina Lei. Here's to a happy and memorable year of growing and loving and making friends. You're Two now!!! Such a  BIG girl...

XO

HuffPo Gives Us Another Go...

Feeling very lucky and honored to have been interviewed for this piece, after I was able to blog a couple times on HuffPo about being gay dads. I guess I've been getting a little excited on Instagram with photos of our little angel and it caught their attention... And I guess that's normal for new parents (well she's almost two so sorta new???)...all in all just happy we are able to tell our story and advocate for parenting by same sex parents. What an amazing time in history!

Here is the link: http or just click on the image below:
//www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/05/doug-rigg-gay-dad_n_5080761.html

I hope everyone out there in the blog world is doing well. We have all been doing great. Can't believe Cristina will be two years old next month. Time is flying...and the milestones have been flying by as well...

All the best,

Doug, Bill, Cristina and Chloe 

Happy New Year!

Yes, it's been a while since our last post..but thought we'd update you with our holiday card photos. Wishing you all a happy, healthy new year and if you are enduring the cold somewhere out there stay safe and warm inside...

With Aloha from Hawaii,
-Doug, Bill, Cristina and Chloe

Where have the last few months gone?

It seems time has flown and our little one year old girl is now just over 16 months and is a full-blown toddler. She's eating solid food, literally running around the house, usually trying to dribble a ball or chase Chloe, she is talking, traveling and my goodness is she growing! Her last check-up she was 29 lbs and 34" tall. That's almost 3 feet tall! I'm a bit blown away by it all, and we are just so, so happy that she's healthy and happy and still sleeping 11+ hours a night, with a three hour nap during the day. Yay for sleep!!!

A celebratory wave/high five after her doctor's appointment

Bill went back to work last month and so our neighbor has been watching her during the weekdays, and next week Cristina will go in to a group day care with 3-4 other kids. It's so convenient as it's right down the street from my work, and so drop-off and pick-up will be a breeze.  Let's see how Daddy and Papa do with letting her go to someone else's house all day, though...I'm a bit nervous about it, as she's been in the cocoon of our house since she came home at 9 days old. I hope she adjusts ok...I'm being a bit of a nervous parent about it...but I'm sure she'll be fine.

Labor Day weekend we had our good friend and Cristina's god father in town. So both god parents had to pose for a beach pic with our beach babe.  Cristina loves, loves, loves the ocean. And has no fear. I can't wait until she can swim! It will make me feel much more comfortable, too.

Kay, Cristina and Todd

About two weeks ago Cristina and I flew to see my father, who had had a stroke, and is not doing very well.  He had never met his granddaughter so we really felt like it was time to get to Illinois to spend a week there. The travel was brutal, and poor Cristina was such a trooper...being strapped to me like a monkey in the Ergo carrier while I lugged a carry-on and the diaper bag and one checked bag around. Many a flight attendant and passenger helped me snap snaps, and adjust her just right...thank God or else I would have never been able to do it.  The trip was worth it, and through the jet lag and the different surroundings and the non-baby-proofed house we were staying in, we made the best of it. And in the end, the big Papa got to meet the littlest grandchild. So the mission was accomplished!

Papa Sr. and Cristina saying their hellos...and goodbyes...

This iPad Guy case SAVED the iPad on the trip! Highly recommend it!

Even though we spent a lot of time at the hospital visiting my father, Cristina was on her best behavior and made the best of it...such a good little girl.

All strapped in and ready to go home!

Making the same face, after a very long jet lagged nap

Just as I got back from the trip, our sweet blog friends Laura and Brea of Mamas & Sons were on vacation in Hawaii with their two adorable boys Blake and Ben, and we got to have lunch and finally meet them after following each other's journeys to become parents. There's something very special about meeting people you've never met but know so much about -- their struggles, their victories, all of it...and then you finally get to see them in person. We had a great lunch at The Contemporary Museum and then let the boys and Cristina run on the lawn. Fun times...!

Cristina is also a big fan of copying us making faces...here she is making fish lips!

And of course she's full of wonder, a curious little girl. 

Just love her so much.

Thanks for following along....

DBCC