Nambo Paradise!

 This last weekend David and Meg with birthday boy, Ty, came over to stay for two nights and a day.
  We were truly lucky to be with Ty on his birthday. He's so sweet and precious! He's definitely much more mobile than the last time we saw him. He's very interested in touching, feeling, and tasting everything! He looks so much like Meg when she was younger, it's just SO cute! He is also VERY flexible and climbs on tables very well, not to mention fast. I guess you could expect that from the son of a yoga practicing, runner mom! It seemed that he remembered me, and even Josh! He gives you his warmest smile and makes you feel all warm inside! :)
  I also must add, that Meg is one of those GREAT mothers. So, warm, caring, and understanding of what Ty needs. She's got great patience! And I must not forget, makes the best baby food ever! Brian and I are always so greatful for Meg's "baby food" cooking! It's always, healthy, full of variety and flavor! Brian enjoys it!
  

  We went to Nambo Paradise, one of the few tourist spots in Tateyama. There are beautiful green houses filled with many different kinds of plants and flowers. The fathers pushed the strollers and walked ahead, while Meg and I took photos of the beautiful nature.

 Ahh...simply lovely! Looks like dancing ballerinas!



Some other fine beauties that I tried capturing...believe me, it looks much more spectacular in real life!

  In the"Tropical Jungle" green house, we spotted some banana trees! We couldn't resist having one bite! Gotta make it a big one!

This bird was nice enough to sit still for us to get a photograph of it. The other birds stayed hidden.

The babies slept the whole walk down through the many green houses, so we were all able to stop and enjoy the different things that interested us. I'm sooo glad I didn't have to chase Brian everywhere making sure he didn't touch anything! Ha!


Some special BBF shots.... boy, we've come a long way -Meg and I! And of course, we couldn't resist taking some "Romance" shots! I don't have the ones of David and Meg, so I'm hoping Meg will post them. :) 

After walking through all the green houses, we came out to a small animal area. Ty ate his cracker and enjoyed watching the goats! 



Awww....






A squeal of joy! 






Maaaa....!!! Hmm...strange.
 


 Once we passed the goats, and got to the massive turtles, guinea pigs, and birds we had to wake up Brian. He was a bit serious and still tired, but (I'm sure) was glad we woke him up for the awesome education and experience. 

Ty kept trying to touch and grab the parrot. Ha! He probably wanted to know what it felt like. Maybe get a little taste too. Haha!


Some other fun moments!!

 We then got hungry and headed out of the park to find a place to eat. I, personally, had so much fun and would love to go back there again! Maybe we could skip the HOT green houses! Especially because August is coming up!

 At the house the boys played together while the parents looked on in amusement. It's so funny to watch these two boys play. Brian follows Ty around looking amused and maybe wondering why Ty is moving on all fours instead of on all "twos". Ha! I learned that Brian is incredibly possessive over his and my things. When Ty would touch Brian's shoe, or toys, and at one time, my watch, Brian would let at a shriek, and either move Ty's hand away or grab the thing away from Ty. It was so interesting...and a bit naughty of Brian.
  They are both such tough guys! They'll grab at each other, pinch faces, etc. But neither one of them scream out or get hurt. They either carry on with what they're doing, or will grab and pinch right back! Ha! Perfect for each other! Ha!

The BBFs are both ONE YEAR OLD NOW!!! Same height...and almost same weight...almost! Ha. 

  In the morning, before David and Meg headed back to Tokyo, we were able to snap a few group shots. David and Meg look so wonderful! The perfect couple I would have to say! Josh and I...well, we look like the pajama couple! Ha! Thankfully, love is blind!

Josh spending time with the two fast growing boys! 


Such big boys sitting on their own! Ty looks like the older brother; taking such good care of Brian...making sure he doesn't fall down. Haha!

  If all works out, I'll be going to stay over at Meg's next next Friday, so we'll get to spend some more time together. Thanks so much for dropping by and being such great hosts...oh wait...visitors! Ha! We hope you had a relaxing, restful time here. :) Come again soon!

Birthday and Mother Farm

I must say, it's been a while since I've posted anything on this blog. It's been tough to get on the computer for any reason other than to turn on Kiddie Viddies or other kids video for Brian. Whenever he sees a computer he tries to get me to open it and turn on a video for him. I guess he really loves it!
Anyway, so many fun things have happened since the last time I posted, and trying to write about everything will take way too long!. So, I'll try and keep this post simple. The goal is to post SOMETHING tonight, and NOT get carried away trying to fill you in on everything.

June 7th Brian turned 1 yrs old! Whoohooo!! He's a real cutie pie! Skinny, but strong. I love him to bits!

We had a simple little party for him and Kimby (Aiki and Mary's 3 year old who has the same birthday as Brian).

He didn't really dig into the cake and get all messy like we hoped, but again, Brian is a real clean boy and doesn't like mess.

The next morning, Josh and I gave him another little cake just so we could take some "messy photos".

Rody the bouncy horse was a GREAT present from Meg and Ty. He still really likes it and treats it very gently. Maybe he thinks it's real? Ha!

 

Another fun thing we did this month was go to Mother Farm. Big place with rides, and animal shows, etc. Brian loved it! He really enjoys seeing animals and especially loved feeding the sheep. (Don't worry, they don't bite!)

He liked chasing the massive turtles and hitting their backs, then chasing them again. Strangely, the turtles were pretty fast compared to my short-legged toddler.

Taking a peak into the cows barn. 

And...that's it for tonight.

Camp

Hey Jewel! Guess what I found the other day? Us at camp...2004??
BTW everyone, Jewel will be having her second kid REAL soon! Good luck! I'm keeping you in my prayers!

Random Post

This is just a random post about my weight. I think I've been losing weight suddenly, from what people tell me. I haven't noticed anything. I stepped on the scale just now and weigh 53 kg. Before I was pregnant I weighed about 49~51. So, hey...pretty close. I feel like how I normally feel during winter/Christmas time. Ha! I'm sure you all know how a Christmas belly feels like. :p Let's just hope I sober up and get serious about exercising (at least the stomach). My arms are ...ooohhh la la!! Sexy as ever. Nice tone muscles and good lines to prove that I've been "wearing my child" for over 18 months just like some books say to do. :)
Summer time comes after this rainy season, and summer time in Tateyama means flip flops, bikinis, and beaches! Whoof....got to get working on my abs...and focusing on making sure Boobins nurses on the smaller boob to even things out!! Haha!! That's ONE nasty thing about breastfeeding...your boobs aren't ever nicely balanced. Maybe some mothers out there can prove me wrong.
Anyway...I'll close my random post with some photos that I've posted on Instagram (an app on Iphone), for those who haven't seen them yet. Enjoy!

Brian dressed up at Kina's Birthday Party.

Looking through an incomplete door! "Smile for the camera!!"

Tanaka family all in red.

My hair cut. (Bangs don't usually stay down that nicely.)

A visit to 'the lady on the hill', with all her animals! Checking out the goats that aren't quite there in the photo! Ha!

9 Month Report

I know I skipped his 8th month report, but it's a bit too late to post up now. Here's:

Brian’s 9 Month Report

Height: 69cm

Weight: 8.5kg

He started crawling a week before his 9 month birthday. So, as you can imagine, this month has been filled with exploring and accidents. He’s had lots of head bonks and bumps from falling from a standing position. But now he is very coordinated when it comes to moving around, so accidents have really lessened!

After he started crawling, he right away crawled to furniture and pulled himself up to stand. He’s been so happy now that he’s able to crawl around. He goes off to explore, but makes sure to come back after a few minutes to check in with Mommy; have some cuddles and kisses; then he’s back off in search of another activity.

He loves crawling around outdoors and chases our dirty diseased cat around. I have to constantly be picking him up and moving him to the other side of the lawn so he doesn’t touch the cat. He enjoys watching the other kids play and run around too. He’ll crawl his very fastest to catch up with them. It’s so cute!

At the beginning of this month (March) I moved some furniture around and made a little “Brian Corner” for his toys and books. It makes things a lot easier for me, and it helps to keep him sitting or crawling on one side of the room. J He pulls out his toys on his own, and sometimes reaches up to grab a whole pile of books onto himself, then sits quietly opening and closing the books, then ending his book time by using the books as a teething toy. That’s when I have to DIVE for the books!

He slept really well at night for the first week or so (crawling is tiring!). But after that week his night sleep became restless and he’d wake up often to nurse or to “practice” his new skills. He’s also teething, (four upper teeth coming in) so that could be another reason.
I was real tired during this month. My one bottom wisdom tooth also started giving me problems and I was concerned that I’d have to stop nursing because of the antibiotics that they usually give when you pull out a wisdom tooth. That’s when I started realizing how much breast feeding Brian meant to me. I didn’t want to stop and I told myself that I’d go through the pain for a few more months, just so that Brian would be able to nurse up until he’s 1 years old.

Thankfully, I went to the dentist and the guy said that I wouldn’t have to pull it out until I stop nursing. He said it’s a common thing for gums around the wisdom teeth to get infected and have problems when the person is run down or stressed. Stress is obviously not in my life at this time, so it’s got to be my lack of sleep that is the culprit.

One nice thing that happened because of Brian being tired is that he fell asleep with Josh, twice this month, when I wasn’t able to put him down. J

He learned “Kudasai/Please” (Clap) when he wants something, and can wave “Hello” (or “HEY!!”) to people, trees, animals, and art on buildings. Josh and I ate out at Hamazushi and we put him in a baby chair next to the aisle and the whole time he leaned his head out to see all the way down the aisle, and with a big smile he’d put his hand out in a “wave” gesture to say “HEY” to all the people sitting and passing by. It was cute, but kind of embarrassing because we were getting so much attention. He eventually leaned all the way to the side of his chair (to get a better view) and stuck one foot on the table. That’s when we had to just sit him up right and tell him, “No more”.

He really is a friendly little fellow and usually will smile at anyone, as long as they don’t try to pick him up. He keeps his distance. I guess it’s like that with most babies. This little Gemini boy knows how to entertain and get attention.

Again this month we visited Brian’s cousins: Ray, Ryo, and Taiki. I can’t wait for number four to come next month!

We also went to visit a lady who has two young children and owns a MASSIVE castle-like pension up on a hill.

Every month we experience new things, but the memorable one would be our bath together in his little baby tub! It happened like this, I wanted to shower, but no one was around to watch Brian, so we made an experience out of it. I brought his tub in, showered both of us, and then I got into the tub (with one leg sort of hanging out) and him sitting on my lap, half way in the water. Whew!! We FIT! I can’t wait to bath together in a bigger proper bath tub! Ha! (After hearing this, you’ll probably appreciate your bath tub that you have, but rarely use! Yah?)

This month, instead of playing with his toys like he usually does, he’s been more interested in taking the toys out of their box or container, then putting (more like throwing) them back. He does this with every thing; even my laundry gets pulled out of the basket, and then thrown back in.

He still enjoys puzzles, and is starting to take a liking to cars and things with wheels. He’s really a little boy, and doesn’t take interest in what the other Kato girls play (our next door neighbors).

When we brush our teeth, he brushes his teeth too and enjoys it greatly! He reaches out his hand waiting for us to give him his own tooth brush. Then I do a little simple “check” for practice, and we’re clean! He hasn’t liked bathing as much as he used to. He doesn’t like when I wash his hair. He doesn’t lean back, so water usually ends up getting in his face. Poor guy! He does like water play and splashing around though.

At the end of his 9 months he started feeding himself by picking up small pieces of food in front of him, and putting it into his mouth. Before this, he wasn’t into doing this at all, but just wanted to mush and throw the food on the floor.

I also put away his 6 month or size 60~70 clothes away, and pulled out size 80. He’s not too tall, but getting taller!! Yay!

My Expert Explorer!

Brian has become an expert at exploring and making a huge mess while he's at it. I don't know if girls are into making messes as much as boys are, but...any chance he gets, he'll be pulling books out of the book shelf, pulling clothes out of drawers and laundry baskets, getting into little cabinets that he's not supposed to. It's all fun and, well..., pretty time consuming for me who has to pick up after him. Thankfully, he's also into putting things away, so I have a little helper.
I'm cleaning up the room constantly, especially in the afternoon, around the time that I know Josh will get back from work. I try my best to have him come back to a clean room so he can relax. Often, though, I can't seem to do it.

Here are the few photos that I've taken of his messes, which I catch him doing at least 4 times in a week. Ha! Will I ever learn!!






But, he's still my little boy!!

The last three days (including today) Brian's been sleeping real well for his naps which has given me the time to type up his 8 and 9 month report and do some blogging on the side. Whoohooo...I'm highly enjoying my little computer/coffee time. :) Let's hope that his good napping continues!!

Till next post!

Deoderant...delicious???

The other day while changing Brian's diaper I realized there was no more wet cotton in the container. So, while distracting Brian, I reached in the drawer for the wet wipes, but for the first time, there was NO wet wipes OR cotton in the RIGHT place...
There I went, diving into the bottom drawer to find the wet wipes to put into the container.
When I got back, Brian had reached over, got my deoderant, opened the top, and ate a chunck out of it! GROSS!!! He was gagging on the stuff trying to spit it out but it was all over his mouth. Poor guy! I'd assume it tastes a bit like soap.
So, that's my sad story of no wet wipes or cotton. Better be more prepared next time! :)

Doggy outfit too small!!!

As you can see from the last post, his little dog outfit, and all his other clothes in his drawers have been getting too small for him. So, the other day I pulled out size 80, which is still too large, but better large than too small. :) Oh what fun it is to put on new clothes! But, also, so sad to put away such cute clothes. :)

One Sunny Day

I know I haven't been blogging much this last month, and I will try to do better. There are so many little things to blog about, but I don't find the time...or more like Brian doesn't let me sit and use the computer. He'll crawl to me right as I sit down, and walk around my computer chair, tugging on my pants, bugging me to get off and play with him. Shucks. It's funny, because when I do other things around the room he's usually content to just play, crawl around, and explore. There's just something about me sitting at my desk, being on my computer, focusing on something other than him, that he doesn't like.

Anyway, I can up load some photos now, as he's getting charmingly big. Not so tall, apparently, ... and actually thinner than last month, so I guess...he's just charmingly charming! :)