And So It Begins

Last night was the first night we slept away from our house. 4026 SE Boise is no longer our home. It’s a house we own. Yesterday when I was cleaning the mostly empty house I really felt that this place is just a set of walls, floors and ceilings. It was our first house together and we made many memories. All three of you came home from the hospital and grew here (Kiri just a little). Lots of laughter, tears...all the sounds a family of five make. It’s not easy to leave.

But we’ll take the best part of our home with us to Japan.

Oxbow 49, apt 517 is our home for the next two months. It’s a practice space for the much smaller living conditions we’ll have in Tokyo. We have a lot of stuff. But the most important things we take with us are precious memories and excitement for the next part of our lives in Japan.

I think it will be a great adventure for us.

Leaps & Bounds & Dinosaurs

Genki my little boy we are so proud of you. Every day, every week, and month that goes by you make progress. Learning new things and growing into yourself. Sometimes those steps are small, sometimes bigger. This week you took a giant leap forward.

See, potty training has been tough for you. It is not easy for you to tell us how you feel yet. Of course that means you haven’t been able to let us know when nature is calling. With help from Building Bridges, we started many months ago trying to establish a pattern, routine and comfort level with the toilet. In those first days we were so surprised because we got some early success. We thought we were right around the corner from diaper independence for you. But it has really been up and down for months. You don’t hate the toilet, it’s just that you also didn’t hate diapers. So progress on the potty has been slow.

Then there was this week.

Little man you’ve made us so happy and proud this week as you seem to have gone #1 and #2 more on the toilet than off. We bring you into the bathroom and voila! You go! Just like that. We’re not 100% out of the woods on this of course, but this week was better than the last 6 months combined. A few times you have even told us you want to go. So great!

It’s things like this that make us believe you are learning and growing and little by little, task by task, poop by poop knocking out the goals we set for you. Keep it up my man!

In other news…

So while I don’t have a picture of you taking a poop, I do have a couple from what we did last weekend. Lately you are crazy about dinosaurs. You love the toys, pictures and cartoons about dinosaurs. So we were pretty lucky to find a traveling dinosaur show that was in town (Vancouver) last weekend showcasing so super big dinosaurs. You had a lot of fun.

October 2017 Catch Up

It’s October, and the weather is starting to turn. Your sister is really coming into her personality, your brother’s debut is less than 2 months away, and you baby bear continue to grow and learn and improve. We’ve seen a lot of great changes in the last 6 months. We’ve also seen some strong protest from you at certain times. I’m sure that’s a mix of you not being able to fully communicate yet and you just being a regular 4 year old boy. Sometimes you just don’t want to do something.

We’re really trying to get you and Kiko to play and share together. It’s tough because she really wants to play with your toys and well, you don’t like that. But I think little by little you understand and you will have fun playing together.

We also went to Hawaii and wow did you love the pool. In fact, every time we tried to leave the pool you would get upset. In the beginning you would only hold on to me, and preferred to stay in the shallow end. But by the last day you were kicking your legs and swimming by yourself. It was great I can’t wait to go back as a family of 5!

Independent little by little each other

When you start the school, I missed you first few days. 

Well, it's only 3 hours actually. So I got used to it quickly. 

You have new schedule form today. 

You have a lunch without me 3 times a week. 

I was planning to go shopping but I felt empty my something? Somewhere? 

I didn't do anything, just was thinking about you until picking you up. 

I couldn't wait the time. I missed you so much. 

When I picked you up, you looked ok, not like me, just normal Genki as usual. 

You may got tired. You fall asleep in the car. 

We used to walk to go shopping to Safeway EVERYDAY. 

Only you and me. No kiko. 

You listened to me well. You followed me well when I call you even I don't hold your hand. 

Just before getting the Safeway, you ride the stroller and we do shopping. 

Then back to home, I watch you play at the backyard for an hour. 

I loved the routine. I miss that days. 

But I know we cant keep it forever. You are growing. 

Because of school, you can speak a lot now. Still not enough to play with same age kids.

But I'm so happy when I'm listening you sing. 

We are changing and growing little by little each other. 

Catching Up With Genki

Quite awhile since our last post for you. You've been a busy boy and lots and lots going on for you. School, summer, visit from Grandpa, trying to be a big brother. The last few months have been a lot of ups, a few downs...but also a lot of learning and change for you.

You really know your animals. You can recognize and name almost the whole zoo! And it seems like everyday another animal name is coming to your vocabulary. You're saying iguana now! Wow.

It has been super hot the last several days. Not easy to sleep. One night we all tried to sleep in the same room to stay cool, but it was not comfortable for you. But thankfully the weather will start to cool off soon. Maybe we'll even see rain. Until then, we're spending a lot of time with the sprinkler.

And of course your birthday is coming soon. Wow, 4 years old in a week. We still don't know how we will celebrate, but I am sure there will be cake!

And a nice surprise for you: we're going to Hawaii and there is a super cool pool at the hotel. I know you'll be super excited and it will be difficult to get you out of the water!

And then a few months after Hawaii an even bigger surprise. You'll be a big brother again!

Long Time, No Blog

It’s been such a long time since the last post for you little bear. 190 days actually. But many many things have happened. Let’s list a few:

• we went to Japan!
• you really started to go to school every day
• you started eating chicken! What?!
• you’re pointing, making eye contact, communicating more and having group sessions

So many good things in just those 190 days. We’re so proud of you and know that the next 190 days will see even more good things. You are also thinking about Kiko. We see you try to put her pacifier back into her mouth if she drops it. Maybe you want her to be quiet? We also see you get upset a little if she is crying. We know yo want her to be happy. But you also like to keep your toys…and keep her toys! We need to practice sharing more. 

The weather is starting to get good, so we will spend a lot more time outside…your favorite place. This summer we will also take some bike rides and maybe some small hikes. Lots of fun for the four of us.

Cubs Win! Cubs Win!

So a funny thing happened last week. Something I have never seen, most people alive have never seen. And something most people assumed they would never see:

The Chicago Cubs became World Series champions.

What’s this got to do with me, you might be asking? Well, nothing, and a lot of things. In no particular order, here are the ways you have been affected.

1. While you won’t remember it in your adult lives, October of 2016 was a month that was probably not too pleasant to be around papa and was definitely not pleasant for mama. The emotional ups and downs made for a sometimes tense house. This is something (I hope) you will never understand. Already in your lifetime, the Cubs have won the World Series. So let’s assume you become massive, irrational Cubs fans like your father, at least you won’t be 41 years old watching your favorite team compete for the trophy for the first time. Yes, you were too young to see this one, but you were alive. It happened. There will be a DVD, or whatever media is popular for you. It wasn’t in your 41st year of life. Let’s hope you have a much more measured approach to being a fan.

2. You both wore a lot of Cubbie blue this year. For some strange reason when you both were born, I thought to myself I would not transfer my sports fandom to you. You were not born and raised in Chicagoland. I believe in being loyal to the team you grew up with and undoubtedly that will not be a group of Chicago teams. Thankfully though, Portland does not have an MLB, NHL or NFL franchise..so at least the Cubs, Sox, Blackhawks and Bears are in the running. I’ll be happy if you cheer for the Timbers and won’t be disappointed if you like the Blazers. Just please, no Seattle teams…ok?

3. Not a whole lot of cartoons playing on the TV at night during the month of October.

4. Again, assuming you become Cubs fans (no guarantee of that), there is an identity you won’t have. I am not sure if this is good or bad. Loving something that never quite loves you back is character building. Loyalty is learned. Patience is learned. There’s a payoff at the end, or at least possibility of a payoff that is bigger and better than any lottery win. It’s like moving to heaven after living in hell.

5. It’s not all bad, for the next several months, I’ll be flying high..maybe there’s a few more things you can get away with (Genki, I’m looking at you, just don’t go overboard).

In the end, it’s a good time to say thank you to you both and most importantly your mama who not only put up with me during the month of October, but genuinely got into it. I am happy I could share this happiness with you .