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.

Misc photos from the week

Sakura intently watching her DVD.
Playing with some cords out of the entertainment center.

Yancha Bozu - go away.....

Playing her flute - it's funny, she sees the flute and puffs her cheeks out blowing, even if it's not at her mouth - she knows what she's supposed do, sometimes she'll laugh and laugh ...

Sound asleep with Daddy - RIGHT before we had to leave to take Daddy to the airport

Those are the stragler hairs that always end up in Sakura's eye.

Hinamatsuri Part 2

Sakura with Manami last year on this day

Sakura was just 1 month old, and still in Japan waiting for us...

Do you think she's changed much (I know, I know, she still has the same cheeks!)?

Today on Hinamatsuri - Sakura is 13 months old.

Tonight we went to dinner at Ah-So, our only Japanese restaurant, Sakura enjoyed her favorites tofu and gyoza. She wore her jinbei at dinner, and when we got home, she changed into Mommy's kimono - ironic that Mommy had a kimono from when she was a little girl and would pass it on to her own daughter one day. I was given my kimono from my aunt who travelled all over the world, and brought souvenirs to me when I was little. I'm very happy to have this kimono to pass on to my daughter and it has even more meaning when I saw Sakura wearing it. Happy Hinamatsuri Day to all of the girls.

Give her a phone and she's quite content!


Mommy and Sakura at Ah-So

Our little bird :) Daddy feeding Sakura some gyoza, trying to stay a little bit clean!

No Hana Daddy

Sakura was having a ball with the straw to her cup...can you tell she enjoyed her tofu -

2 bowls of tofu I might add?!

My pretty girl

Playing outside, it was dark but there were a few lights on the grass...I thought these next few pictures came out kind of cool

Daddy and his girl

Sakura in Mommy's kimono -

This painting came from my Mom's friend Kimi, she painted it for Sakura for Hinamatsuri

Sakura's painting hanging in her room for Hinamatsuri

Sakura and her Hinamatsuri dolls

Sakura says "Happy Hinamatsuri" to all of her family and friends!

Happy Hinamatsuri Sakura chan

In anticipation of Hinamatsuri which is March 3rd, Daddy put up Sakura’s dolls on February 20th. Daddy made a special display area for Sakura's dolls, complete with red velvet.

Hinamatsuri literally translates as Doll Festival, but is often referred to as Girl’s Day. Celebrated annually on March 3, families pray for the happiness and prosperity of their girls, helping to ensure they grow up healthy and beautiful. On this day, families with young daughters celebrate this event by displaying hina-ningyo, special dolls for the occasion.

Handsome Emperor

Beautiful Empress

Although not a national holiday, the meaning of Hinamatsuri is to celebrate girls’ happiness, in Japan and the United States. Grandmother to mother, mother to daughter, the wish for a daughter’s happiness is both valued and treasured, and still celebrated in this spirit.

Sakura received her dolls from Daddy’s Uncle Tomohei in Japan and they are SO beautiful, if I had been able, I probably would have chosen the same set. Dean and I had not taken all of the pieces out until we displayed it on Saturday, so it was exciting to see everything put together. We will leave it out until Baa-chan and Jii-chan arrive March 6th so they can see everything displayed.