Dosokai 2009 - Disneyland/California Adventure

First Character meeting - Goofy (at the Disneyland Hotel Lobby)

Peyton Sakura-chan and Goofy

This weekend is the Dosokai for the ATWA Japan adoption group. We are enjoying visiting and meeting many new families. Last night we had dinner together at Naples (Pizza was YUMMY), then today we went to the parks, and tomorrow we will have a Character (aka: "Chatter" in our family) lunch at Goofy's kitchen.

Snoozing on Daddy through dinner at Naples


Heading to Disneyland

Peyton Sakura went on her first rides today, met her first (and only so far) Chatter Goofy, and spent time at Disneyland and California Adventure with friends. Our first ride was Storybook Land with Kelly, Clyde and Kai, 2nd ride was It's a Small World, then we went on Pirates of the Carribean - Peyton was only awake for Storybook Land, then fast asleep for It's a Small World (although I joked with Dean that it looks like she was trying to cover her ears - J/K, I'm sure she will LOVE this ride when she is a couple of years older, doesn't all little kids?).

Kelly and Kai, Mommy and Peyton on Storybook Land

"Covering her ears" on It's a Small World

We are back in the room for a bit, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to blog while Dean and Peyton nap.......who can nap when you are at Disneyland? DEAN!!! Those of you that know him aren't surprised I'm sure!

Snoozing on the way back to the room for a rest

A very special Thank You!

Thank You!

Peyton in her Bounce-A-Bout

Watching Mommy


With our gift card we ordered Peyton a Bounce-A-Bout. While we were gone last week the Bounce-A-Bout arrived and was waiting at our front door, I tried to get Daddy to assemble it last night, but he was tooo tired (understandable since we drove 12 hours home from his parents yesterday), but this morning Daddy assembled the Bounce-A-Bout and I put Princess Peyton in there today and she L-O-V-E-S it! She reached and grabbed at each thing within her reach it was sweet to hear her 'talking' to the baby, and screeching at the other toys. Here she is in her Bounce-A-Bout, Thank You all!!!


"Talking to the bug"

Memorial Day lunch with the Cech's

Our families

We love coming to town and spending time with the Cech and DeMetris families. Today was no exception - it's always nice to catch up with great friends.

Unfortunately Tripp was under the weather and we weren't able to see the DeMetris family this time - but we will look forward to our next visit even more!

Mommy and Peyton looking at the fishies (yes, she was watching either the fishies or bubbles)


Auntie Eryn holding Peyton (Auntie Nancy wanted to see how much Peyton had grown)

We were able to catch a few pictures of the girls together too - and how funny is it that they all matched - Emi was wearing pink, Miya had on lime green and Sakura-chan had on pink and lime (Sakura print)!

Emi, Peyton, and Miya (hard to get a good picture of three wiggle-worms)

Emi was happy to hold Peyton

Happy Memorial Day to all

Just wanted to take a minute and wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day - please remember those that have fought for our freedom!

Just a sidenote - since we are away from home for a couple more days and our connection is crappy at best, I will have a few posts all at once when we return home, but we wanted to again say

Happy Memorial Day from our Family to Yours!

It's Official....

"I can roll over"... says Peyton Sakura

Peyton is rolling over from her tummy to her back. She has done it before, but only maybe one or two times, so I wasn't calling it "official" but today she rolled from her back to her tummy about 6 times, so I am now saying that she is officially rolling over. Such a big girl!

You can never have too much love!

Peyton Sakura has now met all of her Grandparents.

Papa and Peyton

Papa (my Dad) and Grandma Janie came all the way from Indiana to meet their newest grand daughter and I think they kind of liked her, but today we had to say Goodbye. We hope to visit them before Peyton grows up too much though!

Peyton on our way to The Garden

The gang at breakfast

Peyton seems to be growing and learning new things every single minute - she has been laughing at 'strange' things, and today it may make her laugh, but don't count on it again -

she's a tough sell!

This weekend I was talking about something and said that it was yu-uu-uu-cky and she thought that was pretty funny and laughed, so I did it repeatedly and she laughed, but the next day, nope not funny anymore.

She is a truly wonderful baby - we are so fortunate and very blessed that she is our daughter. She definitely knows who her Mommy and Daddy are and normally we are the only ones that can take her when she is fussy (which is only when she is very tired) and get her to sleep....

we think it's sweet though!

A sleeping little angel - she loves this pillow case and reaches and touches the lady bugs.

And look who was sleeping right by the baby....Wrigley!

To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mommy and Peyton Sakura - Mother's Day 2009


Today was an amazing day, I was finally able to celebrate this holiday as a Mommy. I have always wanted to be a Mom, I never imagined that it would take as long as it did - but I am so proud to have the opportunity to be Peyton Sakura's Mom, to be chosen to raise this amazing little girl is more than I ever imagined - my love for her is beyond measure.

I know that there is a reason for everything that happens in our lives, and I know that I was always meant to have this precious little girl as my daughter....being a wife and mother have always been my lifelong dreams of mine.

I couldn't have chosen two better people than Dean and Peyton.

I do not have enough words to describe the way I feel today, so I won't even begin to try.


My Family

Dean and Peyton surprised me with a beautiful Tiffany bracelet with a lock charm engraved with Mom - it is so beautiful. Dean took this picture of Peyton with my box before I opened it (she must have thought it was funny that she kept the secret from Mommy).

My bracelet

Friends of our family (I taught two of their boys to swim back when I was a lifeguard and just 16 years old!) own this quaint little restaraunt downtown, and we have gone there to celebrate Mother's Day for many years, so I wanted my first Mother's Day celebration to be there, so my Mom came down here and we went to celebrate at The Garden Cafe.


Grandma, Peyton and Mommy

The Whole family celebrating Mother's Day

I also received a beautiful picture frame from my Mom which she bought intended for me to put one of my first pictures with Peyton in, and I did - it looks beautiful and will always remind me of our special trip to Japan to get our beautiful little baby girl. Such an amazing journey to an amazing little girl. Dean's sister Linda and their family sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers - I couldn't have chosen a better husband and equally I couldn't have chosen a better family. I received two very nice Happy 1st Mother's Day cards from special friends. I never knew how special life could be - Thank You all so much for making this such a special day.

This poem sums up the way I feel today and everyday since Peyton joined our family.

Today I kissed an angel.

I knew it from the start.

The first time my angel smiled at me;

I gave away my heart.



Today I kissed an angel;

This angel child of mine,

Though not of my creation,

My child by God's design.

Today I kissed an angel.

My heart is dancing wild;

Our family, by a miracle;

Blessed by our angel child.
© Brenda Meece

Video of a Princess

Pretty girl

Video clip of Princess P 'talking' to Daddy - definitely not the best video, but you can still see her expressions and appreciate her tiny little voice - she cracks me up with her little expressive eyebrows!

Princess Peyton Sakura-chan talking to Daddy

We went for our second half of our shots yesterday, and while we were there Nurse Libby weighed Peyton, and she now weighs 13.3 lbs!

Many faces of the Princess

It has been a busy week for the Princess - Monday we attended a funeral for a dear friend, many called him "Big Al" - but I always called him "Dad" - he was the Dad to my best friend since 7th grade, Donna, Dad will be missed by all that knew him, he was a saint if there ever was one! Many funny stories were shared by Donna's brother Glen, I have so many great memories of times shared with the Dahin family, I spent many hours at their house at the other end of our street, simple things like "Food Shopping" Thursday nights at Fedmart, asking Dad for the car keys so we could go out joy riding...too many good times!

Peyton was an angel through the services and never made a peep, it was so nice to be able to share Peyton and bring out smiles in everyone at such a sad time. Peyton went to anyone and everyone that wanted to hold her - she is such a good baby!

A pretty little Princess dressed for the funeral of "Dad".

Today we went out to work and spent a few hours, and then to dinner with Auntie Carla and Auntie Kim - a couple very good friends from high school - we laughed and reminisced while the Princess slept - it was a busy day for her - she was very good though and only fussed when she got VERY tired, she missed a lot of her napping by being passed around.

Monday Peyton Sakura-chan turned 3 months old!

I didn't know it was possible, but we think she just gets cuter and cuter.

Here are a few "many faces of Peyton Sakura-chan" pictures - taken Monday when she woke up and I turned her around in her crib down by her stuffed animals (she was making funny faces, and kept pulling her little pink elephant to her face *it's very soft*).

Happy 3 month birthday Peyton Sakura-chan!

Mommy LOVES big bows!

Last week when we visited Amy, Cory and Sinclair, Amy gave us a bunch of bows for Peyton that they don't use/need anymore, since Sinclair has so much hair and the little clip bows work for her now.

It just so happens that afternoon I was going on a bow quest and Amy saved us from that!

I love this bow (pink and brown how could I not love it?) --- all of the bows are so cute!

Trying to reach Yancha Bozu!

Bumbo time

Such a sweet baby girl

1st time in her Bumbo

Trying out her Bumbo...or is it "Jumbo" - another Japan adoptive family has an adorable little girl and I always smile at these little seats because their blog post about their experience was "Bumbo doesn't come Jumbo" - so now everytime I see this thing, I call it a Jumbo....it was the cutest post. Poor little Kumiko was a little too big and didn't fit in her Bumbo and it went back to the store. Peyton fits hers, and it's pretty cute to see her sitting in it, although she does get bored. The first time in it, she looked like she was concentrating (see above), but by the next time (see below) I think she thought it was okay.

Another turn in the Bumbo...

I bought these sunglasses way before travelling to Japan, and decided we'd try them out the other day, as you can see by that wrinkled up little nose, someone wasn't very fond of them and kept rubbing her head back and forth.

Sure takes a lot out of you having soooo many pictures taken.