Big Girl

Today was a busy day...running around, lunch with Katie and unfortunately a trip to the Doctor for Sakura's H1N1 booster (they FINALLY got more in). Sakura took it all in stride, she didn't cry for even a second and was such a big girl.

When we got home I tried to take a picture of her chubby thigh since the nurse commented thank goodness for chubby thighs, she didn't even feel it. But Sakura was busy dancing, so I tried catching her dancing on video, again she wasn't having that either, but I did manage to catch her doing a couple other cute things :)

My Mom has been teaching her "How old are you?" in anticipation of her birthday this week.

She must not have sensed that I had the camera in my hand because she normally doesn't cooperate :)

Let's go to work....

An exciting mail day....today's mail brought Sakura's Social Security Card.

...we were quite surprised that we received so soon after hearing 'horror stories' that it could take anywhere from 4 months to 2 years, depending on how long it took them to find someone to translate Sakura's Japanese birth certificate. It came just in time, Mommy got in a Stampin' Up! order and Sakura was hard at work helping Mommy sort orders for her customers. Grandma is here and snapped a few pictures documenting Sakura's first day at work :) As you can see Sakura didn't mind work at all - not bad for an 11 1/2 month old.

Here Mommy, this one goes to Miss Alice....This goes to Miss Shirley and this one is Miss Nadine's...Oh alllllll of these are mine Mommy...well sort of.

In the Stampin' Up Box...and YES opening this box WILL cause extreme excitement!

All wrapped up in the packing

Playing with Daddy

I can fly..(check out that hair)..

With a little help from my Daddy.

I love my Dad!

Some pictures from the last month

These pictures have been taken in the last couple of weeks, they were on my Mom's camera so when she was here I downloaded them to share.

Enjoying dinner...super tired and rubbing food in her hair...

Sakura goes to Krispy Kreme :) I did not give her a hot yummy GLAZED donut, instead she had a hot yummy UNglazed donut and she thought it was pretty good...didn't figure she needed all of that sugar that I enjoy so much one day she will get those - for now we really limit her sugar intake!

Sporting her Krispy Kreme hat!

Mommy showing her the donut assembly line...YUMMY!

Sakura enjoying her 1st Krispy Kreme!

Meeting my cousin Amy's son Michael -

Sakura is not real big on babies that can touch her, she loves older kids and she doesn't mind little babies, but ones that can 'touch' her - as you can see, not so great!

Michael saying HI Sakura! Sakura moving away from Michael.....

Sakura crying because Michael got a little too close "He touched me"....Michael wondering what's up with her???

Auntie Cheryl mentioned that I should be proud that Sakura hasn't been "warehoused with a bunch of other babies all day long" great point Auntie Cheryl and yes, we're VERY proud of that! I definitely have been afforded the luxury of working from home and now that Sakura does go to a "babysitter" three days a week - I'm even more blessed that my great friend Katie watches Sakura and the only kids she is exposed to are her kids! I couldn't ask for a better babysitter, Katie treats Sakura as if she was her fourth child.

I LIKE pickles!

We tried a 'sour' thing with Sakura...her first taste of pickles and she liked them! It was pretty funny, my Mom kept saying that we should have been taking pictures of Daddy's face since he hates even the smell of a pickle, so his expression was better than Sakura's. She sensed it too - she kept watching Daddy as she picked up the pickle and chewed on it.

Watching Daddy's expression....






We are SO fortunate that she is such a great eater, since we are both pretty picky!


Just another picture from this weekend, a freshly bathed baby, is there anything better?

Ruff-Ruff video

I FINALLY got this on video -

sorry Sakura was interested in her Doggies book, but it's the best I could get.

Sakura has been doing this for a few weeks now, we laugh and laugh at her expression when she's saying "ruff, ruff, ruff", look at those cheeks!

She has added "Bby" (for Baby) to her vocabulary too, she talks to her baby all the time.

Here she comes

Sakura is pretty proud of the fact that she can push her stroller!

Such a big girl pushing Kitty!

A special vest

Back in March when we got Sakura, Okada san gave us this sweet little vest. It was quite big (at the time) for Sakura and recently I pulled it out and it fits....this vest was given to Sakura chan by her Bio Grandma (Bachan). I hate to put it on Sakura because I want to keep it nice, but I know that she would want Sakura to wear it, I know how special it is, and want to keep it nice for Sakura. Today I took a few picture of Sakura out back to send to Taz so she could share them with Sakura's Bio Grandma. Her outfit came from Grandma (my mom), so she was dressed by a couple of her Grandmas! We think she looks pretty cute!

Sakura is now pointing at everything! Her little shirt should say "chapped cheeks"!

Today we went to work, and one of Daddy's engineers commented that her shirt was 'right'. Must be pretty rosy for the guys to notice!

11 months old!

Happy 11 months to my little Sakura chan!

It's hard to believe it, but today Sakura turned 11 months old, our baby is growing up WAY too fast, but we are enjoying every single minute.

• At 11 months we FINALLY found a food that she doesn't like - of all things pineapple! We were at Mimi's this past weekend and Sakura now eats just about everything we eat (minus the no-no's that the Dr. told us about until after she is 1 year old), and when Daddy shared his pineapple, Sakura CRIED! Guess that means that she didn't like it!



• She is still standing and walking around things, but not yet walking on her own.



• She has 4 teeth and it looks like two more will emerge any day!


• She has a few new words - YaYa for Yancha Bozu and Ruff, Ruff, Ruff (I've GOT to get this on video, she cracks us up with the expression she makes when she says this!) - instead of saying just a nice sweet "MaMa" she hollers "MOM" when she wants something, it doesn't matter if I'm sitting right beside her I think she figures if she hollers she'll get immediate attention?



• She does Patty-Cake and claps for "Yay Sakura"



• Waves HI and Bye-Bye



• LOVES to be 'walked' holding on to your hands and walking like a big girl

Walking like a big girl with her friend coming along.



• "Holds" things in her mouth so her hands are free to crawl, walk, or do whatever else she might want to do...just like Kumi!



• She has started "dancing" or "bouncing" when she listens to something she likes on TV



• HATES bibs!

For Sakura's 1st birthday next month we will be headed to Disneyland to celebrate!

The Happiest Place on Earth with the little girl that has made us the Happiest People on Earth!

Dinner with the Galakatos family

We always make time to meet up with the Galakatos family whenever we head to Phoenix. The Galakatos family was the very first family we met (face to face) once we started the adoption process with ATWA. It sure is amazing that when we first met Cory and Amy, little Sinclair was only 7 months old, and next month she will turn 2! She is adorable, smart and quite funny! She is so fun to be around. Sakura really loves Cory (Sinclair's Daddy), most people know that it's hard to get a smile out of our girl, but Cory manages to get several every time we see them. Unfortunately we forgot to get a group photo, but I did take a few pictures at dinner.

Sinclair calls Peyton "Peyt", she can say Peyton, but calls her "Peyt" it's pretty cute!

Cory and sweet Sinclair

These next few photos tell a little story, the story of Sakura having "pains" for Sinclair.

Photo #1 - All is well, Sakura loves watching Sinclair.....Sakura loves Cory, he gets LOTS of smiles!

Photo #2 - Sinclair has a little melt down because she wanted the straw and Mommy wanted a nice picture without the straw....notice Sakura's face

Photo #3 - Poor Sakura doesn't like Sinclair crying, and joins in - my friend is upset, I'm upset too!

All better - the girls recovered fairly quickly.
Hugs and Kisses for "Peyt" from Sinclair - Bye-Bye Sinclair we will see you again soon.

Christmas Part II

We had our Christmas in Phoenix over the weekend. Sakura still wasn't into opening presents, but did a tiny bit more than while we were in California. She LOVES the camera that Grandma and Papa gave her, it's pretty cute that click, click, clicks it...just like I do :)

Sorry these pics are in reverse order, right now it won't let me move them.

After opening presents, ready to go shopping!

Up from her nap!

Sleepy girl just woke up.

Opening her kimono from Grandma - my Mom really wanted Sakura to have a kimono and we just plain ran out of time while we were in Japan, so my Mom's friend bought one for her when she was in Japan a few weeks ago and brought it home with her. It isn't what we'd choose ourselves, but she does have a kimono now so that's good!

Her favorite gift...a toy camera!

Opening presents with Mommy and Daddy

My pretty girl by the tree with her Santa Mouse

Holding an ornament in front of the tree...because she wanted to crawl away every time I put her in front of the tree, if you can imagine?!

Before opening packages, sitting with Santa Clause and Santa Mouse