Watching Baby Einstein

Always such a good happy girl, playing with her toys!

Peyton Sakura loves to watch her Baby Einstein DVDs - she has quite a collection. Her very first one remains her favorite, it was from Auntie Becky and is Baby Mozart. She will watch the entire movie and 'fuss' or let us know when it is time for the credits. Most people have popcorn with their movie, Peyton's favorite snack is still the cloth kind...here she is eating her blanket that I had laid across her lap while she watched her movie.

Getting ready for her snack...checking for the right spot of fabric!

Y-U-M-M-Y!

Maybe this section tastes different....

Playing with Busy Bee

A Busy Little Bee....

A little history.....back when I was a Freshman in high school (yes that was a very long time ago - LOL!) my StepDad was active in the Rotary Club. We always enjoyed working the hamburger booth at the County Fair for the Rotary Club, but our favorite thing as kids were our Foreign Exchange students that came to stay with us.

Our very first Foreign Exchange student was Marian, she was from New Zealand, and she lived with us for several months. We had others that lived with us, as well as the "kids" that my StepDad was a counselor to, none share the same bond as Marian, Marian will always be my sister. We were fortunate that Marian liked our family and has always stayed in touch, visiting several times over the past (gag, choke) 27 years.

Marian was here visiting when Dean and I were building our house, called on our wedding day to wish us well and tell us that she wished she could be here with us, and then she was back again two years ago with her family (she has two boys, William and Jack) along with her husband Graham. We all enjoyed spending time together in Sedona at the cabin, Disneyland, etc., Graham and the boys enjoyed a first hand look at the Stryker, and a HMMWV, which was a big deal for them. I think our bond will always be strong and I hope that someday Sakura gets to meet her Auntie Marian in person and not only know her in pictures (sniff, sniff!).

Marian (as everyone else) was very excited to learn about us adopting a baby, albeit quiet and afraid that she might say the wrong thing - but once we came home with Sakura from Japan, Marian was one of the first to call and Congratulate us, and then send us this adorable little traditional New Zealand toy.

Tonight I was cleaning out Sakura's bed - she has started moving around a lot and I knew it needed to be done, but held off until tonight, I removed all of her stuffed animals from her crib. While I was clearing out all of the toys, I layed Sakura down on her blanket and put a few toys around her - Sakura chose the sweet little Busy Bee from Auntie Marian, Uncle Graham, and cousins William and Jack.

While I watched her very closely (I'm sure this in intended for older children, it has wings that move when you pull her behind you and a string), I sat quietly thinking of my family so far away. So this post is for my far away family - here is Sakura playing sweetly with her Busy Bee! We Love You and Miss You!





Rolled over holding her toes, and still holding the string to Busy Bee!

Sakura goes to the Movies....

Dean has been wanting to go and see The Hangover, but was reluctant since he hates crying kids in movie theaters. I think enough people told him to go and watch the movie and how funny it was, and I convinced him that Sakura would be fine - she was, she slept through about 98% of it! She was awake for the scary preview for Final Destination and another one, can't remember the name of right now, then about 5 minutes of the movie and fast asleep! Such a good girl :)

We then went to Wal*Mart to pick up a couple things and I got the STUPIDEST comment ever "Is she yours, or is she adopted?".....I won't go into what I was thinking, and don't know how I maintained control and didn't say something to her about being stupid, but I did maintain and just said "She's Mine and yes, she is adopted....you stupid ....." Oh I wasn't going to go there - LOL - I didn't say that to the woman, and I was even nice and chatted for a few minutes without walking away. Sometimes I surprise myself!

Memories from our week

Not a whole lot going on around here, it's too darn hot! Just a few pictures from our week.

This week we tried a couple of new foods - tonight was carrots (here's my first bite),

earlier in the week was pears and peaches. So far sweet potato is the very favorite of anything we have tried...peaches and pears are a toss up for fruit. This week we are going to give squash and avocado a shot! I'm not real sure how to make 'prunes' but saw those in the Stage 1 baby foods - I'll have to do some research.

My favorite position, whenever Mommy is changing me I pull my feet up and hold them, whenever I'm in bed and awake, I'm holding my feet...just about any time you see me and I can, I hold my feet!

Just Hanging Out being sweet

Mommy's Sweet Little Monkey

Holding on to my Daddy

Look close, you'll see a red tongue giving kisses!

I like my peaches

Mommy was trying to trick me into not pulling the binkie out of my mouth by putting one in each hand....didn't work though I knew that I didn't have a hold of the right binkie!

Thank You Auntie Misty and Cousin Kumiko for my shoes, me and Mommy (well Daddy too) LOVE them!

The day after I exercised with Daddy, Mommy took a turn with wearing me on her back trying to get things done....

Looking at my shoes, trying to figure out how I can eat them!

Lots of Giggles

Giggles for Yancha Bozu

Lots of Giggles when Peyton Sakura gets tired.

The other night we noticed that Peyton Sakura was cracking up at Yancha Bozu when he "fetched" his toy. Tonight Daddy grabbed the camera and we caught the giggles; Peyton Sakura was first cracking up at Yancha Bozu chewing on his bone (she was very tired here), then I grabbed his toy and started playing with him and she continued laughing.

The last few months have been totally amazing - our lives are so full with our sweet daughter, it's hard to even imagine what we did before we had her. Yesterday we celebrated 4 months since we were in our apartment in Roppongi Hills with Okada-san, Taz, and Manami receiving our beautiful baby girl. Life is truly amazing.

Sakura continues to try new foods, to date she has enjoyed Apples, Bananas, Peaches, Pears, Green Beans, Sweet Potato, and will try Carrots this weekend. She is a very good eater and definitely has her favorite food - Sweet Potato is by far her favorite of anything she has had, I would say Pears would be a close second.

"Hanging Out" with Daddy

Tonight while Daddy did his eliptical .... someone took a little 'ride'! It didn't last nearly long enough to get dinner cooked, but any time is better than nothing!

A few more hours with Katie and Kids!

This time Mommy remembered to bring the camera so we have pictures of Peyton spending time with Katie and her family.

Nicole and Peyton Sakura

Yesterday I had to go to work to receive an award that I missed earlier in the month --- unfortunately the Safety Meeting is held at o'dark-thirty in the morning (well 6:45 a.m.) --- so that meant getting up early, getting ready for work, getting the Princess up and over to Katie's all by 5:45 a.m.!

Nicole, Samantha and Princess P

All went well and here are a few pictures that Katie took while I was away - LUCKILY we got another good report from Katie - Katie even said that Sakura chan smiled at her hubby Mike, and she'd never met him before - I told Katie "She LOVES men!", and that really is true,
Sakura tends to smile at all of the engineers (most of them are men) at work before she smiles at the ladies.

The girls!

All tired out from playing with the kids!

Next veggie....Sweet Potato

I think this is the very favorite! She ate the whole thing!

But I'll always prefer to eat my toys, nice soft fabric is my flavor of choice and it is

Y-U-M-M-Y!

Why Not?

Just for Daddy I bought this onesie for our little angel.....but I ask "Why Not?".

So here you go Daddy!

Apples, Kicking Elephants, Dog Toys and Screaching

Yummy Apples, mixed with cereal for breakfast

Today I tried some apples, I was going to wait, but changed my mind...nothing else until next week though, just to be sure that we don't have any allergies - I just couldn't stand the thought of the paste (aka: cereal) alone when she could enjoy something good in it!

Happily waking up from her nap! She had her little alphabet elephant pulled over and then pushed the button (quite by accident) and the elephant was kicking his legs on her head...she didn't seem to mind though :)

That little green toy belongs to Yancha Bozu - he knows that Sakura is a "person" and expects her to throw his toy for him, he is very patient - the other day he stuck it next to her and I think he got excited when she grabbed it, but unfortunately for him, she didn't throw it, she tried to eat it!

And finally a little video of Princess P discovering she can make this new sound....and she makes this sound ALL day long - I think she has found her voice :)

First Veggie

Green Beans!

Dean and I are not fond of many veggies, but know how important it is for Sakura to be a good eater, so tonight I made her some green beans.....her first taste of anything other than formula or rice cereal. I also made some apples for her first fruit, not sure when I'll try those, for now they are baked and pureed and ready for the freezer.

First bite!


Hmmm, not too bad...I'll have more.

I had intended for Sakura to try Edamame first, however upon closer inspection of the cooked and 'popped' beans (that I had popped) in the baby food mill, I spotted a floating suspect....what turned out to be a worm!

- Needless to say we won't be eating any Edamame for quite a while in our house, it all went into the trash can and my stomach is still churning!

Unfortunately I LOVE Edamame...

maybe someday I'll "forget" about that creature hiding out?!

This is what she does when she wakes up and you are trying to just give her the binkie so she'll go back to sleep, if she is on her tummy, she does a swoop of the air trying to catch your hand/arm and holds on, it's very hard to just walk away when you've been caught!

Just hanging out in the Bounce-A-Bout with my Muffy ladybug, I love to try and eat her paw.

Here is how she fell asleep tonight.....

buried in my arm, laying (sort of) across my lap while I was on Facebook! So funny!

A couple hours away

Today was the first time I have left the Princess with anyone (besides family). I had my hair cut and ran a few errands and Sakura stayed with my friend Katie and her kids. I got a good report (Thank Goodness!) - I wasn't worried at all about leaving Sakura with Katie - her kids are very well behaved and I know that she is an amazing Mom - I was more worried that she would cry hysterically (as she has when I've left her with Daddy!).

A very special "Thank You Katie" for offering to babysit! Unfortunately I forgot to take the camera, so no pics of Katie and kids :o( Next time!

A week in review

I missed a few pictures from last weekend and one of Peyton Sakura's Firsts - her first time sitting like a big girl in a high chair....guess where it was? Mimi's Cafe for Grandma's birthday! Our little angel sat quietly for almost our whole meal, starring at he waiter each time he came to check on us. Here she is!

I'm a big girl, I can sit in my chair and quietly play with my toys!




For breakfast I'm having some 'bug legs'!

On Tuesday morning I put my normally very happy girl in this cute Crabby shirt...turned out that it must have influenced her mood, because she was quite crabby a lot of the day! I'm not sure I'll be putting this on her any time soon. Typically Sakura is a happy go lucky little girl, go with the flow, always in a relaxed mood, but this day was definitely NOT typical. As you can see by the look on her face in the next few pictures - someone was CRABBY!

Not a happy camper!


I'll show you Crabby!

I went in to check on Sakura while she was napping and saw that she had pulled over her Pooh friend and was sound asleep on him like a pillow.

Pooh makes a nice pillow, notice all of the binkies in her bed! The other day I counted 5! She mostly has her binkie when she sleeps, so I just leave them in her bed...

Even though I'm crabby, my Mommy still loves me :)

Thank You Katie!!!

My friend Katie made Peyton's new shopping cart cover for me. It looks SO pretty.....about 2 seconds after Katie left, someone thought this was made for them -

Sorry Wrigley this is for your baby sister, like almost everything that comes into this house.

Wrigley says Nice New Doggy bed....Mommy said NO WAY and moved the shopping cart cover!

Peyton agrees...Nice New shopping cart cover - and says "THANK YOU Katie"!

I love my new shopping cart cover, Mommy picked the bright pretty fabric!

Peyton has really started balancing well, she loves to 'sit' and play with her toys, try to eat her feet, and grab things that surround her. I put the boppy pillow behind her just incase she falls backward, which she still does from time to time, but she doesn't even fuss when she is 'laying' backward over the boppy.

Today was our "go to work" day....She was at work with Mommy today most of the day, and behaved very well when we went visiting all of the people we hadn't made it to see yet!

Here is the Princess 'relaxing' when we got home.

Here's my feet!

Always chewing on her hands!

Our Precious baby girl!