A little catching up

Thought I would take a minute (or two) and catch up on our blog.

Yesterday was a very emotional day, as much as I wanted to come home to the United States, I also felt very sad leaving Tokyo and Japan in whole. A piece of my heart will always be in Japan and with Airi (Sakura's BioMom) for giving me the gift that I could never imagine having and something that I have wanted my whole life but couldn't get myself - my daughter. I feel very blessed that Airi chose us to be parents for her daughter whom she couldn't care for herself, so leaving Japan was tough and at the same time, exciting - it's very hard to explain the emotions you feel unless you have been through this process. There are SO many people that we are connected to and feel like they are part of our forever family - especially Taz and Okada-San (and Manami too!), Taz gives so much of her life to those of us going through this process - she is invaluable - she will always be part of Sakura's life, as will Okada-San although from a distance, we hope that Okada-San and Manami will be able to join the adoptive families one day at a Dosokai (reunion). It is hard for Okada-San to leave Japan, because there are always babies to care for, but hopefully someday.....



Well, we arrived home safe and sound late last night (around 10:30 p.m. AZ time) - so it was a very long and tiring day. We landed at LAX around 8:30 a.m. CA time, and proceeded through Immigration and then Customs, and Sakura was processed through with her Visa - I think that LAX and our return flight was the most draining of our whole adoption process...not that it was hard, it's just that you are SO tired (since you lose a whole night on your way home because of time changes/length of flight, etc), so anything you have to deal with at that point is just miserable. After we got through all of that we had to wait at the curb for our shuttle to take us to the car in long term parking. Once we got our car, it was time to head out - Dean really wanted to stop at South Coast Plaza and pick something up for Taz that he had seen before we left and he was unsure of, but we couldn't find where our directions were from our trip and all of the packing, so we headed toward home, Dean was really tired (and grumpy!!!) so we stopped at some flea bag hotel (NEVER again!) - it served it's purpose, we were able to sleep for a few hours, while Grandma took care of the baby (who also slept) - then we went to Claim Jumper for dinner, and stopped at the Carlsbad Outlets (for Grandma) before heading home (I did really want to get one outfit that Dean and I had seen earlier at Gymboree though, so I wasn't protesting stopping even though we were dying from exhaustion. I also found this super cute hat while we were there :)

Mommy had to buy this adorable hat at Gymboree on our way home from LA!



We are happy to be home, and love the heck out of our daughter. She is just a perfect little baby, I know that the day will come and I will be eating those words, but so far, she is perfect --- rarely cries, etc....I guess I would say the only thing I could 'complain' about is that she would rather sleep ON us, than in her bed - and I would love it if she slept IN her bed for a few hours, but all you have to do is lay her in her bed and within about 20 minutes, she discovers that she isn't being held and cries/fusses. I think that she is just used to sleeping amongst people/babies and this is all very different for her. **Don't laugh Heather!!!**
Sleeping on/with Grandma this morning

Today we went to lunch with my Mom and Stepdad David for Mexican food, then ran to Toys-R-Us (since we don't have a Babies-R-Us) to see if they had any of her favorite bottles that we can't get here - and then to Target to buy a baby gate for her bedroom door so that her older brother and sister (furry ones) can't get in her room unless we are in there with them - they really want to check this small person out that has moved into our home.



This morning the little Princess had her first bath at home, and she loves her pretty pink bathtub. She is back to crying when she is taken OUT of the tub, instead of being unhappy while In the tub - her first bath in Japan she loved, but then cried for each bath afterward.

First bath at home

Clean baby

At lunch hanging out with Daddy while Mommy eats

First trip in my stroller

This afternoon when we got back home from running around, as you can see - a couple people in my family were feeling the time change and taking a much needed nap.

This afternoon after having Mexican food for lunch - Yancha Bozu is still unsure of who this is, why she is here, and when she's going home - HaHa!

Hanging out this morning in her swing with a special little lamb from Papa and Gramma Janie

Snuggling with Mommy last night




Sleeping tonight in Daddy's arms....unfortunately it was WAY before we wanted her to go to sleep - so we are hoping that she sleeps for a couple of hours (at least).