Monday, April 4, 2005

Well here's a red letter day. I just submitted my first pieces of fan-art. Check'em out! And the new cast pic is up, as you can see. Yep, I've shaved my beard for this season. Aisha thought I looked cuter without it. And yeah, I thought it was high time you saw an actual photo of me. Whadaya think, ladies? Also, the site music has changed to a whimsical remix of the Forest Temple theme from Zelda 64. I really think it sets the mood for my future webisodes.

Alright. Today it's all about one special little girl. It's time you became acquainted with the newest (and cutest) member of my family. Everybody say "kawaii!"

Kida-chan It was a beautiful, unseasonably warm, late winter day. Aisha and I sat on the front steps while we watched Ozz and Kida-chan play in the yard. Ozz fluttered about while Kida tried to catch him, all the while giggling happily. Every now and then if Kida got too close, Ozz would port to the other end of the lawn. “She almost got you that time, pal!” I called. Just watching this innocent scene filled me with such joy and tranquility. I couldn’t keep myself from smiling. Kida lunged at Ozz. “Ozzy, come here!” He ported away just in time, but Kida had taken off with such force that she fell flat on her face. I jumped to my feet screaming, “Kida-chan!” and rushed to her side. Aisha followed. I knelt down and helped my daughter up. “My baby girl, are you OK?” I asked. I expected her to start crying any minute. But Kida wiped the dirt off her nose and glared at Ozz. Without a scratch on her body, she jumped out of my arms and resumed chasing him. “I’m gonna get you!” she screamed. Shocked, I looked over at Aisha who was grinning proudly. “She’s gotta stop scaring me like that,” I said. My paternal instincts still hadn’t accepted the fact that my little girl was physically invulnerable. “I don’t wanna!” Kida yelled as she stamped her foot. The hardest part of Aisha’s and my day came again: Kida-chan’s bedtime. I spoke to her very sternly. “Kida-chan, you know the rules. It’s seven o’clock and it’s time for you to get ready for bed.” But Kida wouldn’t have it. “NO!” she screamed. Aisha put her hands on her hips and spoke like she was the commander of the entire Ctarl army. “You march right up there or you’re gonna be in serious trouble, young lady!” Ai ya! Good thing she was on my side. But I leaned over and whispered, “Aisha, calm down. She’s only five.” She retorted, “You have to be strict with them.” “Strict, yes. Not intimidating.” I knelt down to Kida’s level and spoke to her very clearly and very strongly. I’d seen this done on Dr. Phil and Super Nanny. “Kida-chan, listen to me. You have to go to bed.” She turned around and started to run away, but I swiftly picked her up by the sides. “Got’cha, little lady!” Kida wasn’t giving up without a fight. She grabbed my wrists and tried to pry my hands off her. Wait, forget ‘try’. She was prying my hands off her. Another sign of her Ctarl heritage. Kida was half my size and just as strong as me! I tried to restrain her, but at the same time I didn’t want to hurt my baby girl. Again, forgetting that I couldn’t. So I deployed my secret weapon. I quickly dug my hand underneath her shirt and started tickling her. In seconds, her grip loosened as she squealed with laughter. “HA HA! NO! HAHAHA! I DON’T WA-HA HA!” Soon I had her on the ground in submission. As she started to calm down, Aisha knelt down and picked her up. “Come on, Kida-chan. Bedtime.” Later that night, Aisha and I were watching TV when Ozz called me. “Justin, come quick.” “Ozz, what is it?” “Kida’s having a nightmare. I can sense it.” I raced upstairs and into Kida’s room. I could already hear her whimpering. I turned on a lamp, knelt down beside her, and gently stroked her hand. “Kida-chan,” I whispered. “Kida-chan.” She woke up panting and looked over at me. “Daddy!” She sat up and seized me fearfully. Ozz floated over. “You make one heck of a baby monitor, buddy.” Aisha rushed in. “What happened?” she asked. “Kida had a bad dream,” I said. Kida looked up, tears streaming. “Mommy,” she sniffed. Aisha came and sat on the bed and Kida crawled over and hugged her mother. “Poor baby,” Aisha said as she patted her back and kissed her head. This scene between a mother and daughter was so touching. I was amazed at how much Aisha had matured in a such a short time. “Did you have a scary dream, sweetie?” I asked. Kida sniffed and nodded. “Do you think you can get back to sleep?” I added. She shook her head and buried her face in Aisha’s arms. “You’ll be OK, Kida-chan,” Aisha said. “Ozz is here. He’ll look after you.” Ozz floated down and nuzzled Kida’s cheek. But Kida still looked a little shaken. “Would it help if one of us stayed here?” I asked. She nodded slightly. “Alright,” I said. “I’ll stay here until you fall asleep. OK?” Kida smiled brightly and crawled back beneath the covers. Aisha leaned over and kissed my cheek then she kissed Kida’s forehead. “Goodnight, Kida-chan.” She wiped away the last of her tears. “Night, mommy.” Aisha left and I pulled up a chair next to the bed. I brushed Kida’s hair with my fingers and kissed her cheek. “Goodnight my little kitten,” I said. “Night, daddy,” she said as she closed her eyes. I started to sing a lullaby as I watched over the most precious thing in my world. Kida-chan: My little angel of joy.

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