Gotcha Day part two

Today we celebrated by taking the day off work and spending the day together reminiscing about our time in Roppongi Hills just one short year ago. It's hard to imagine that one little person could change our lives so much - and for the better I might add. Sakura has blessed both of us beyond measure - we love her more than life itself.

Sakura started her day with a great nap in the morning and then we headed to Sakura's favorite spot....The Creative Playground, Sakura LOVES the park, especially the swings.

Mommy and Sakura at the park entrance

Me and my favorite girl!

First we went down the slide...Sakura was unsure at first

But by the time we reached the bottom, she loved it - this is a FAST slide!

The smaller slide for Sakura with a little help from Mommy - Sakura didn't like this one!

Sakura the bunny - not too fond of being a bunny

Can you tell we have an acrobat baby?

"You get me down from this rock"!

Daddy and his girl

Mommy and Sakura

Our family

Then we enjoyed dinner out at a Chinese restaurant since last year on this day we enjoyed our first meal as a family, at a Chinese restaurant in Roppongi Hills, accompanied by Okada San, Manami, Taz, Kazuya, Cheryl and Dave, we hope that the Watanabe family of 4 is having a great day too!

Looks like Sakura is telling me something here - hopefully it has something to do with the fun she had at the park and how much she enjoyed spending our special day all together.

Yummy Palagor Inn -

Our favorite Chinese here - today we got the "A Team" as Daddy called it,

the owner was cooking and he is by far the BEST!

Sakura opened her first Tiffany box, for her Gotcha Day gift -
which contained a child's place setting of a yellow duck plate and cup

(do you sense a theme here yet? Like I said in the Part 1 post, one of our favorite photos of Sakura was taken for her passport - symbolizing her coming home, so I wanted to do something special for her 1st Gotcha Day anniversary and get her something that she'd keep forever. )

Playing with her box - she wasn't real cooperative with photos tonight -

sigh I guess she's getting to that age :(

Sakura enjoyed the wrapping and the box - along with clanking the cup on the plate,

it was soon removed before it got broken!

Ironically the bottom says "Made in Japan" - just like Sakura!

I had a cake made for our special day with small yellow ducks on it, the cake doesn't look anything like I envisioned, but what do you do when you're there to pick it up and it isn't what you wanted? It still had ducks and it was really good - Strawberry (Sakura's favorite fruit!).

I ♥ ice cream!

Goes straight for it!

Messy face and almost gone!

Sakura ended the day in her ducky jammies - she also received a special present in the mail today and Sakura LOVES these shoes!

Mooshu Trainers, shoes that squeak....here she is trying to put them back on her feet after we'd walked in them and taken them off. I removed the adorable clippies so they didn't get lost. Normally Sakura squawks at putting shoes on, as she knows that means we are going somewhere and she will be enjoying (or NOT) a ride in the car!

We had a fantastic day together today as you can see.

Gotcha Day anniversary - 1 Year Ago Today!

Today is our 1st anniversary of our Gotcha Day (the phrase comes from "Got Ya"). It was one year ago that these photos were taken, our first few minutes with our precious baby girl. Within seconds my heart skipped a beat, our lives were finally complete. Words cannot adequately describe what I felt last year on this day - hopes and every dream fulfilled, I longed to be a Mom, I longed to hold my daughter in my arms after receiving her photo, and the day had finally come. Pure elation I have to say, it was everything I ever dreamed and more.

Daddy was first to feed Sakura

but Mommy was first to hold her,

Our family finally complete

Today as we celebrate our 1st "Gotcha Day" we have so many people to thank,
God is #1 for without him, there would be no Sakura, there would be no celebration, Airi and Yuki, Sakura's BioMom and BioGrandma, Taz and Lesley, Okada San, as well as countless family and friends.

Tonight we will celebrate with a small trip down memory lane, one of our favorite pictures was this one we received from Taz while Sakura was with Okada San this is photo taken for her passport.

As you can see Sakura was wearing a white gown with small yellow ducks on it - to me that symbolizes Sakura coming home. "Ironically" the first thing that we bought for our baby was a stuffed Taggies Duck, well before we knew if we'd have a girl or a boy - to us it didn't matter, only that we got the baby that God intended for us. We bought that Taggies Duck soon after our paperwork headed to Japan in December.

Last Friday I was able to pick up Sakura's birth certificate in Phoenix, she couldn't be my daughter any more if I had carried her 9 months inside me - she never sat beneath my heart, she always sat inside it.

It's so hard to remember how we filled our days before the arrival of Sakura. It's hard to imagine our lives without Sakura we are SO very blessed to be her parents.

I will post our celebration in another post tonight after Sakura goes to bed.

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today
We had an answer to a prayer
when we finally received a call
to say that *you* were there.

‘Though holding only a photo,
our hearts were lost that day
to a tiny baby girl in Japan
half a world away.

The baby face and tiny ears,
those lovely almond eyes,
the chubby oh-so-kissable cheeks
held power to mesmerize.

The distance seemed to melt away
‘though still a world apart.
gazing at your picture,
we met you heart-to-heart.

At long last knowing you were real
a child to call our own,
the daughter we were soon to meet
to finally bring you home.

And now I hold you in my arms
and count my blessings from above
because just one year ago today
we were given *you* to love.

~poem by Jill Work (edited to fit our story)~

It's all in how you look at things

Most people drink their milk sitting up - like Sakura is......

Or not like Sakura is here minutes later - laying down? Either way I guess it's all the same ?

Last year on this day Dean and I boarded our plane to Narita anxious to get to the Land of the Rising Sun where our daughter was...today we watch her and cannot believe what she can do, how stubborn she is, and how much joy she has brought to our lives - we love you so much Sakura chan, we are SOOOOOO incredibly lucky to be your parents!

Happy St. Patricks Day

Sakura enjoyed her first corned beef and cabbage tonight for dinner.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone - may the luck of the irish shine upon you!

Many Expressions of Sakura

Inquisitive Sakura
Big Smile
Just a Grin
Serious Sakura

Determined Sakura

.....and we love each and every expression!)

Making Progress

Last night was Sakura's last bottle .....

Mommy vowed that once she was on straight milk that was it.

Tonight Daddy tried giving Sakura some milk in the cup - but as you can see Sakura didn't want any part of it (although on her own she had picked up the cup and drank some by herself, prior to Daddy offering more).

Nope, give me my water please!

Thank you, but I'll have my water - check out those messy gohan hands!

Ok for Jiichan I'll drink it

Heading for a walk with baby, before bed.

But first...watching her favorite Japanese baby show.

Sakura dances and waves her arms at the babies.

I can do that too!

Sakura ♥ Yaya (aka: Yancha Bozu)

We were sitting outside and Sakura kept calling for Yancha to come over to where she and I were sitting...Yancha being the dog that he is wanted to roam around sniffing, but Sakura kept calling and finally as you see below Yancha came over. Such a good doggie.

*Sorry for the dropping of the camera in the video clip*

Sakura calls Wrigley "ruff, ruff, ruff" - guess we all know what Wrigley does most of the time!

Sakura ♥s Yaya...

"HI Yancha"...pat, pat, pat

Awwww, big hugs for Yancha!

Best Buddies!

Sakura gets bangs

Sakura has been having some hair issues, where some of her stragler hair gets in her eye when she sleeps, or rubs her eyes when she's sleepy so I gave in and got her bangs trimmed....wanted to let it all grow out, but figured this would help keep it out of her eye.

I think it looks cute none-the-less, and it will grow out eventually.

Sound asleep on our way home - poor Sakura had a super busy day w/o a nap. First it was out to lunch with Mommy, then a trip to the Dr. for the second half of her 1 year immunizations, then to see Auntie Becky for her hair trimming.

Sakura ended up falling down and hitting her head and when she's tired it's extra bad when ANYthing happens, our little Drama Queen! Needless to say, NO pictures of Sakura's first hair cut, Mommy had to hold her and Daddy is out of town :(

Home pushing baby in her stroller - all is well.


Mommy I can touch these now.....

Oh did you say "NO"? I don't think I know what that means just yet.