Chapter 6,

March 15, 1999,

I woke up this morning and was so excited because today's my fifth birthday. I raced downstairs and alisema "wow; Pokémon everywhere!" There were balloons with the characters faces on them from the TV onyesha and a big pile of presents sitting on the table. Dad wasn't up yet because he didn't expect me to be awake for at least another half an hour. I went into the living room and waited for him to wake up

I was amazed that dad was able to pull all this Pokémon stuff off because I wasn't into Pokémon until about a mwezi zamani when I had come across an episode of the onyesha on TV. For the past three years now all that I had been interested in was superheroes and the nyota Wars movies, which made it easy on dad because he knew exactly what to get me for my birthday and Christmas. He sat through a couple episodes of Pokémon with me and I tried to explain the whole concept of the onyesha to him but; he never understood why I liked it so much.

Finally; dad came downstairs and alisema "happy birthday AJ!" I hugged him and alisema "thanks for the Pokémon party decorations daddy!" He alisema "you're welcome; it took me forever to find them because I didn't know what I was looking for!" Grace followed behind him with Prince holding her hand and Paris in her other arm. Prince alisema "it's my birthday!" Dad alisema "no silly; it was your birthday last month!" Dad alisema "come on AJ; I want wewe to see what gifts I got you!" I alisema "I hope wewe got something that I will like because I know wewe always get the Pokémon characters names wrong!" He laughed and alisema "I have a real strong feeling that you're going to like what I got you!"

We went into the jikoni and sat at the meza, jedwali with my gifts on it. He grabbed the one off the juu and passed it to me. I ripped it open and alisema "oh my gosh; wewe kept telling me that I wouldn't get a Game Boy until I was 10 years old!" I started to tear open the other presents and I got three different Pokémon games. I alisema "thank wewe so much daddy; I upendo you!" He alisema "I upendo wewe more! Now there are some rules that go along with that Game Boy! First of all, I don't want wewe playing that all siku long. sekunde of all, if wewe don't listen to me that will be the first thing that I take away from you. Last of all, these games are small and wewe better not lose any of them because they're really expensive!" I alisema "I'll try my best not to lose them!"

March 21, 1999,

I was sitting at the meza, jedwali in the jikoni playing my game boy and dad was clearing the table. He alisema "I want wewe to do something else, wewe can playing with it some zaidi tomorrow before wewe have to do your school work!" I ignored him and he alisema "I know wewe can hear me.” I continued to play the game with my eyes pretty much glued to the screen and he alisema "you better put that down!"

He walked over and took it out of my hands. I shot him a dirty look and alisema "give it back!" He alisema "don't talk to me like that; go play with your action figures au see what Prince is doing!" I tried to grab the game boy out of his hand and he put it on one of the high shelves that was mounted on the wall. I alisema "as soon as wewe walk away I'm going to get a chair and grab it!" He sighed and alisema "you better not because if wewe do I'm going to send wewe to your room and wewe won't be allowed to watch TV au do anything fun!" I laughed at him and alisema "yeah right!" He alisema with a serious look on his face "I'm not messing around and I don't think it's funny at all!"

I climbed on the chair and smiled as I reached for the Game Boy. He alisema "you have three sekunde to put that back up there before I put wewe on punishment." Putting me on punishment was the same thing as being grounded to other kids but dad didn't like the word grounded so he changed it to punishment!"

That didn't stop me from getting off the chair and as soon as he tried to take it from me I ran as fast as I could! He caught up to me though and took it out of my hands. I started laughing when he picked me up and alisema "you're going to your room!" When we got to my bedroom door he opened it up and gently tossed me on my bed. I looked up at him with a shocked look on my face and asked "wait; am I really on punishment?" He alisema as he looked at me "I told wewe I was serious!" I alisema "I promise I won't do it again!" He alisema "it's too late for that now!"

He shut the door behind him and Grace alisema "for a five-year-old AJ is pretty strong! I'm glad that wewe can still carry her while she's trying to kick wewe because I know I can't do that anymore!" He alisema "yeah I know; I'm just glad that she thought I was joking because she made a little bit easier on me. She's easy to carry when she's not flipping out but when she is It makes her feel 20 pounds heavier! I have no idea what I plan on doing when she is nine years old because if I keep doing that I'll end up pulling my back out!"

March 23, 1999,

Well; because of the stunt I pulled with the Game Boy a few days zamani I'm stuck up in my room doing absolutely nothing. The only thing that I've been allowed to do for days is school work; which is obviously not fun! I'm allowed to come downstairs to eat but that's about it and it's driving me crazy! I must've really hit a raw nerve with dad because he doesn't want to listen to me when I try to convince them that I'm sorry and that I won't do it again! The only thing that he has alisema to me is that he would come and talk to me before he is going to let me off of my punishment!

I was sitting in my room filling out a worksheet when I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. My doorknob turned and dad stood there looking at me in complete silence. One thing he has definitely learned as a parent is how to make me feel guilty! Grace can't make me feel guilty but; just looking at dad after I've done something wrong makes my stomach turn! He definitely uses it to his advantage!

He came over and sat on my bed. I didn't say anything and just stared at him for a few minutes. He asked "so; have wewe been having fun up here kwa yourself?" I alisema "NO! I'm so bored!" He alisema "that means that that was true punishment because you're supposed to be bored out of your mind!" He pulled out the chair I was sitting in and alisema "come here; sit inayofuata to me!" I walked over and ended up sitting on his lap instead. I alisema "I promise wewe that I really am sorry for not listening to!" He kissed the juu of my head and alisema "I told wewe from the very beginning that I didn't want wewe playing Pokémon all day! wewe are getting to be very disrespectful to me and it's really starting to bother me!" I alisema "I truly don't remember what I'm doing when I get that irritated and I understand why I got in trouble!" He smiled and alisema "I know that and I also know that I can be a little annoying at times but; that's part of my job as a daddy!”

April 14, 1999,

For about five days now I've secretly been intimidated kwa Prince! When I say that I don't mean that I'm scared of him but; I'm worried that he is almost too good! This is the first time that I've felt jealous of him since he has been born. Most of the time; I think he knows that he is better behaved than I am. I know he's only two years old but; I think he's trying to almost rub it in my face! Dad doesn't notice that lately he has been constantly comparing me to Prince. I know he means well but; it kind of has been making me feel like I am the bad child! I don't want to bring that to dad's attention now because I know he will feel awful about it!

I was sitting in the living room and Prince was in the play room. Dad was in the jikoni putting some things away when I came in to the room and sat at the table. Prince came running in and alisema "juice please daddy!" Dad reached for a bottle and Prince alisema "no; I want Spiderman cup!" I alisema "that's my cup; he's too little to use it." Dad poured the juisi into the cup and passed it to Prince. Dad alisema "Alanna; he is not a little baby anymore! If he doesn't want the baby bottle anymore; he doesn't have to use it! I wish wewe would've aliyopewa up using bottles that easily! I remember that I had to argue with wewe about giving them up and wewe were screaming at the juu of your lungs!"

I looked at dad and alisema "I'm sorry that I can't be as perfect as Prince is!" I ran upstairs and he alisema "wait AJ I didn't mean…" He followed me upstairs and got to my room just-in-time for me to slam my door! He opened it up and I had curled myself into a ball on my bed. I wasn't crying but; I was really upset! He alisema as he knelt down inayofuata to me "I didn't mean it like that AJ! What's wrong?" I looked up at him but; didn't say anything! Then out of nowhere; I alisema "I am a bad kid!" Dad scooped me up and sat down on my bed. He alisema "you're not a bad kid! I don't want to hear wewe ever say that again! Don't let anyone tell wewe that wewe are because you're not!" I alisema "I never listen to wewe and I know I don't! I wish I would listen to wewe but; I just can't!"

Dad looked me in my eyes and alisema "stop saying that!!! God made wewe exactly how wewe are supposed to be and I know that's never going to change! To me I couldn't have ended up with better kids if I picked them myself! I alisema "all week long; the only thing wewe have talked about is Prince! AJ; look at Prince… Isn't he cute? You're so good Prince! I upendo wewe Prince!" The look on his face alisema it all! He asked "what do wewe mean? Give me an example!" I alisema "said all right; like yesterday!" He asked "what happened yesterday?" I alisema "well; wewe made me feel like I didn't even exist because wewe were spending so much time with him. I know that he listens to wewe better than I do and that bothers me!" Dad alisema "oh; AJ if I had any idea I was doing that I would've stopped! I never want to make wewe feel like wewe aren't good enough! If wewe catch me doing that again all wewe have to do is remind me and I'll make sure not to say anything like that anymore!" He kissed me and alisema "by the way… You'll always be perfect me! wewe don't have to try to be good enough… ever!"

April 28, 1999,

I'm so happy because one of dad's best Marafiki Mark Lester is coming for a visit all the way from the UK with his oldest son! His oldest son is from his awali marriage and his name is Kyle. Kyle is only a few months older than I am and am excited to have someone to play with that is the same age as me! Mark has two other children with his current wife but; their only toddlers so they're not coming.

I woke up this morning and ran downstairs. Dad was sitting in the living room and I asked "when are they going to get here?" He alisema "in a couple zaidi hours. Are wewe excited to see Kyle?" I alisema "I can't wait to onyesha him my room; we haven't seen them since we traveled all the way to see them last year!" He alisema "speaking of your room; wewe need to go clean it before they get here." I alisema "why? It's not a mess!" He alisema "if wewe don't think that room is a mess then wewe must be blind because it looks like a tornado destroyed it!" I alisema "I hate cleaning my room! Do I really have to?" He alisema "yes wewe do." I threw my hands up in the air and complained as I walked up the stairs."

It took me almost 3 hours to finish cleaning my room because I kept getting distracted kwa the TV. Dad walked down the hallway and into my room. He stood there in shock then alisema "wow; I don't think your room has been this clean since wewe are learning how to walk! I'm impressed! He hugged me and alisema "Mark was just on the phone; they'll be here in about five minutes!" I alisema "I'll get dressed for the siku so I'm ready when Kyle gets here!"

I quickly put on a pair of jeans and a Pokémon T-shirt. When I walked downstairs Mark and his son were just coming inside. Kyle was behind him and I alisema "hi!" He ran up to me and alisema "hi; I was so excited when I found out we were coming here for a whole week to see wewe guys!" I alisema "I know; come on I want to onyesha wewe my room!" Dad smiled as I grab Kyle's hand and took him upstairs. Dad alisema "that's the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Mark looked over at dad and jokingly asked "how much wewe want to bet the two of them will be married someday?" Dad chuckled and alisema "that would be so funny if that actually played out that way!"

When we got to my bedroom, Kyle alisema "wow; wewe have so many boys’ toys in here!" I alisema "I don't like girly toys, my inayopendelewa thing is Pokémon!" He asked "do wewe like watching the Power Rangers on TV?" I alisema "sometimes if it's on I will watch it! I like the blue Ranger the best!" He alisema "I like the red one the most!" I asked "do wewe like Pokémon?" He alisema "yeah; I like it when there is a gym battle on the show!" I pulled a big binder out of a drawer in my room and put it on the floor in front of Kyle. He opened it up and alisema "you have so many of the Pokémon cards!"

Almost an saa later dad and Mark laughed as the two of us came running down the stairs. Mark alisema "here comes the stampede!" We were having so much fun running around that our light up sneakers started having problems! I walked up to dad and alisema "thank wewe so much daddy for letting my friend come visit me!" He alisema "oh how sweet; you're welcome!" I alisema "I want to have a sleepover downstairs with Kyle tonight; can we?" Dad alisema "yeah that's fine; wewe guys can watch Disney sinema in the living room on the flatscreen!" Kyle alisema "wow; thanks Michael!"

Later on after we had dinner; Kyle and I got dressed in our pajamas. We went into the living room and there was a huge blanket spread out across the floor. Mark brought over a stack of DVDs and put them in front of the two of us. We went through them and picked out nyota Wars episode one. Dad alisema "all right; don't stay up really late wewe guys!" Dad and Mark laughed out on the porch while they were talking to each other because they could hear the goofy conversations Kyle and I were having with each other! The funny thing was that we didn't think they could hear us!


May 8, 1999,

I came running downstairs and noticed that dad wasn't there. Grace alisema "your dad's working on his new album so; he won't be back till dinnertime." It had been a long time since dad had left us with the nanny and I was really not looking mbele to it. Grace and I are always butting heads because she doesn't let me do most of the things that dad lets me do. She doesn't want me to break anything au she doesn't want to have to punish me. That's why she doesn't let me do anything and it drives me nuts. Every time I go to go outside she's like "oh AJ; I don't want wewe to go outside! Wait for your dad to get back and wewe can go out with him!

I was in the play room most of the siku playing video games au watching TV because there was nothing better to do. I was bored out of my mind! I think the worst thing about being the oldest child is that I don't have any interest in doing the things that Prince and Paris do because they're younger than I am. kwa the time dad gets nyumbani I'm usually a ball of energy.

August 17, 1999,

I woke up this morning and could hear barking coming from downstairs. I hopped out of kitanda and put on my Spiderman slippers and walked down to the living room. I looked at dad and asked "did wewe hear that?" He alisema "I didn't hear anything!" I heard the noise again and dad alisema "I heard something that time!" The two us walked to the back door and there was a dog laying on the porch. The dog was a reddish colored golden retriever from what I could tell because he was so dirty and matted.

I ran out the door and dad alisema "wait; wewe don't know whether he is mean au not. I don't want him to bite you!" The dog got up and dad slowly walked backwards with his hand on my shoulder. I asked "how did he get in here anyway?" The dog walked up to dad and started licking his hand and I alisema "I think he likes you!" Dad alisema "he looks like he's only about a mwaka old! I got down on my knees and he started to lick my face. I looked at dad and I think he knew what was about to ask him. He alisema "if we keep him you're going to have to help me take care of him." I alisema "I will; he can be my dog!" Dad smiled and alisema "all right let's get him inside and clean him up because he's a mess!"

He followed us upstairs and to our surprise just jumped in the bathtub with his tail wagging. I got a T-shirt and swim trunks on so I could help give him a bath. Dad alisema "so what do wewe want to name him?" I alisema "Drake!" He alisema "that's a cool name!" After drake was all clean he jumped out of the tub and shook himself dry. I alisema "thanks for letting me keep him daddy!" He alisema "you're welcome!" I still have drake today plus the other two mbwa Jackson and Kenya. We used to have a dog named shadow when I was a newborn baby but, he passed away the siku after my third birthday.


September 3, 1999,

I think drake is getting used to living here with us. He usually lays inayofuata to me in kitanda every night but this morning I was woken up kwa the sound of dad saying "gross; I can't believe wewe would lick my face!" I jumped out of kitanda and ran into dad's bedroom. drake was casually laying on the kitanda and dad was wiping his mouth with a washcloth. I started laughing and alisema "what… He just loves you!" Dad chuckled and alisema "I just didn't expect for a dog's tongue to be the first thing I see when I opened my eyes in the morning!"

drake jumped off the kitanda and I chased him down the stairs. Dad was about to come down with us when Prince yelled "daddy" from his bedroom. Dad alisema “hang on AJ; stay up here until I get Prince out of his room. Then I'll make wewe something to eat." I walked back upstairs and followed dad into Prince's room. Dad had just gotten rid of Prince's crib, kitanda cha mtoto mchanga last week and I'm glad because since then Prince doesn't seem so perfect compared to me. He's definitely in his terrible twos now! They're nothing like they were with me but, it does make me look little bit better behaved now.

After breakfast all of us went into the living room to spend time together because dad has been working on his new album lately. This is the first time we will be able to spend the whole siku with him since the beginning of the week and I'm so excited! I alisema "I'm so happy your nyumbani all siku today daddy!" He sat down on the floor inayofuata to Prince and I. He alisema "I can't wait spend time with wewe guys… I actually have a surprise to tell you!" I asked "what?" He alisema "I sent Grace on a vacation to see her family so; it's just going to be the 4 of us for the inayofuata two weeks!" I asked "but don't wewe need to work?" He alisema "I really needed to take a break and I really miss wewe guys when I'm working on the new CD!" I alisema as I climbed onto his back "yes; two weeks with just you!"

Most two-year-olds like Prince go through a biting phase; thankfully I missed out on that phase because I was too busy kicking people when I was his age! Prince is definitely now a biter but; I'm hoping now that dad is going to be the only adult here watching us for the inayofuata two weeks that he will be able to break Prince of that habit!



September 4, 1999,

I woke up this morning to Paris jumping up and down on my kitanda saying "AJ!" I opened my eyes and dad, Prince, and Paris were in my room. I asked "what are we going to do today daddy?" He alisema "anything wewe want; within reason of course, nothing too crazy!" I got up and dad alisema "guess what I'm going to make for breakfast!" I asked "what?" He asked "what's your inayopendelewa thing that I cook every once in a while?" I alisema "chocolate chip pancakes!!!" He alisema "Yes!!! After I change Prince and Paris's diapers wewe can help me make the pancakes!"

I was about to walk out of the room and go downstairs when dad alisema "hang on; I don't want wewe to go down there yet because I have the stove heating up! I don't want wewe to fall kwa accident and get burned! Come with me; it's only going to take a few minutes!" I followed him as he carried Prince and Paris into Prince's bedroom. Dad sat down on the floor and I passed him the wipes. He looked at Prince and alisema "you know what Prince? I think you're getting too old for diapers." Prince playfully alisema "no, no, no!" Dad chuckled and alisema as he tickled him "yes, yes, yes! Maybe we'll start working on getting rid of them this week!"

We all went downstairs and into the kitchen. I grabbed a stepstool and dragged it over to the stove so I could help dad make pancakes. Prince and Paris were in dad's eyesight playing in the play room and watching a movie. He alisema "I'll do the stuff with the spatula just because I don't want wewe to get hurt but; wewe can put the chokoleti chips in and help me figure out how big to make the pancakes okay?" I alisema "okay! I'm going to put a lot of chokoleti chips in them!" He alisema "okay then!" When it was my turn to put them in I dumped the whole entire bag into the one batch of pancakes. Dad alisema "oh my gosh! All of us are going to have a sugar rush… But that's okay! It's daddy's rules for the two weeks so; if wewe want to go crazy wewe can!" I alisema "I thought that Grace goes kwa your rules when wewe aren't here?" He alisema "she does but; I know she can be really strict specifically with wewe when I'm not here!" I alisema "yeah she can be; I know she is trying to keep me from getting into trouble au getting hurt but, she can take it a little too far sometimes!" Dad alisema "well she loves wewe and she know wewe can be better behaved than wewe are most of the time; am I right?" I alisema "I guess I can try a little bit zaidi to listen to her!" He alisema "maybe if wewe showed her that wewe can listen to her she would let wewe do some of the stuff that I let wewe do when I'm here!"

Dad brought our plates to the meza, jedwali and put Prince and Paris in their highchairs. He cut their chakula and when he got to me I asked "can I cut it myself?" kwa the look on his face I don't think he wanted to let me but; I think he knew that I'm growing up and that there's nothing he can do to stop that from happening!" He passed me a kisu and alisema "be careful!!!" I struggled for the first few dakika and he alisema "here; let me onyesha wewe how to cut it! You're freaking me out; wewe come so close to cutting your finger!" He took the plate and started to cut the pancakes and if I didn't tell him to stop I think wewe would of cut the entire thing without giving me the chance to try again. After watching him, I easily cut the last few pieces on my plate and he took a sigh of relief!

September 5, 1999,

We were watching TV in the living room when I alisema "daddy; I'm bored! Can we do something?" He asked "what did wewe have in mind?" I alisema "slip and slide!" He alisema "I’ll tell wewe what; after I put Prince and Paris down for their nap because they're too young to use that the two of us can!" I asked "but what if one of them wakes up and wants you! You'll be outside with me so wewe won't be able to hear them!" He alisema "every once in a while I'll go inside and check on them to see if they are awake."

After lunch, dad put Prince and Paris down for their nap. I was outside playing with drake when he started dragging the slip and slide across the lawn. He hooked up the hose and water started to spray everywhere. I ran down the side but; was having some trouble with sticking to the plastic. I looked at dad and alisema "this thing isn't slippery enough!" He ran inside and came back out with something in his hand. He alisema "cooking oil should make it slippery enough AJ!" He poured a small amount onto the plastic part of the slide but, all the oil began to pour out really fast and before we knew it the slide was drenched.

Before he could stop me, I ran down the slide and when I went down on my stomach towards the end I shot halfway across the yard because it was so slippery. Dad was worried that my knees had gotten hurt and walked up to me. He asked "are wewe okay Alanna?" I lifted my head off the ground and started laughing because there were nyasi stains all over my face. Dad couldn't help but laugh to because of how hilarious I thought it was!" Then all of a sudden we both look over our shoulders and we see drake coming right towards us because he was sniffing the slide. Dad, the dog, and I ended up piled on juu of each other with the two of us laughing our butts off!


September 10, 1999,

Grace will be back from her vacation in a couple zaidi days and dad will be back in the studio working on his new album. Dad is trying to spend as much time with us before he has to start working again! I don't know why he calls this a break because he's probably working twice as hard taking care of the three of us kwa himself than he ever would standing in a sound booth recording a song! Now that Prince is talking really well, he likes to try and get me in trouble; which wewe all know I don't need any help with that! I'm just waiting for dad to catch Prince in the act of doing something he doesn't approve of!

Prince, Paris, and I were playing in the play room when dad decided to come in and spend time with us. I climbed into his lap and Prince must've been jealous because he decided to hit me. Dad looked at him and alisema "that wasn't very nice at all! Say you're sorry to AJ! We don't hit in this house!" I alisema "it's okay; he doesn't have to apologize!" Dad alisema "yes he does!" Prince alisema "I'm sorry" and gave me a hug!

The thing that kind of bothered me is that Prince just apologized and moved on. When I do something wrong I don't just admit it, I drag it out as long as possible. I was kind of hoping that Prince would get into some serious trouble; just as payback for all the times that I've gotten in trouble for something that he did!