Morning Baby -198 Days

Every morning with you is different. Often you are the 5am alarm clock, as you start talking just before sunrise and continue until mama puts you to sleep.

The last couple days you've woken up as I go downstairs, but you're quiet as a mouse. There's no pattern. 

Sometimes you just look at me, stay quiet and then fall asleep again (like this morning). Other times your eyes widen and I know you're awake for good. Honestly, it makes my morning happy.

Camping, Valentine's Day and Cheek Poop - 189 Days

It's been a little bit since the last entry, sorry baby bear. Of course a lot has happened since then.

We took a nice trip up the coast to the NW tip of Washington state. It just so happened that Portland got a lot of snow that week so the streets were covered as we left Portland. It was slow going but once on I-5 nearing Longview, the rode cleared up a bit and normal highway speeds were possible.

That's when we got a flat tire.

It was scary changing the tire on the side of I-5 with the shoulder barely useable because all of the snow. I had to open the back of the car for a long time to un pack everything and get to the spare. Cold wind right in your face but you didn't make a sound. Just kind of watched me as I frantically moved things around.

Thankfully a state trooper stopped behind us to provide a safer place to stop. From there it was just a matter of getting new tires and heading to Neah Bay. It was a long drive but you did so well. The cabin was nice, right on the water (in a long line of other cabins). It was a fun trip and makes me look forward to the future when we can all go camping for real.

Roadside diaper change!

That's the Pacific Ocean in the back...somewhere.

Sleeping with mama in the cabin.

We also had Valentine's Day last week. It was our second Valentine's day together in Portland and the anniversary of our engagement..and the first time with you. You were a little fussy but finally you fell asleep and mama and papa enjoyed some nice Italian food and wine.

Valentine's Day was also your 6 month doctor check-up. 6 months! Really? I am not sure if I feel that time went by fast or slow. Both really. You are healthy and that makes us happy. You're a big boy for sure (almost 22 lbs) and in the 97% for weight (84% for height). You did need to get some vaccinations though and you were not too happy about that, but when the nurse was finished you stopped crying and became a big boy again. The next day you had a slight fever, but even that didn't last long.

6 Month check...before the vaccinations!

Valentine's dinner at Mama Mia.

A final update…from this morning. Lately, after waking up, you do something strange. As usual, you are happy and chatty, but you seem to have added a strange behavior to your morning routine. Laying on you back, you raise both your legs and pound them into the mattress in quick succession. It makes a loud sound, like a bass boom. It's funny and I can hear it downstairs in the shower.

This morning though, i think this new technique made a small problem worse. You see, yesterday was a good poop for you. You pooped 3 times (2 is usually the max), so mama was feeling good that you did all your business. Usually in the morning, before I leave for work, I don't change your diaper. You are not usually awake and I don't usually have time.

This morning however, you were wide awake and I thought I would help mama by putting a fresh diaper on you. I soon discovered that you had poop #4 waiting for me. No big deal really, I could change the diaper and get to work. The more I looked though, the more I saw poop had made it's way up your back. This has happened a couple times. It seems though that the banging feet technique helped the poop make its way all the way up the back, just below the neck. Crazy, but ok. I asked mama for helped and we got you cleaned up with fresh clothes and a new diaper.

I laid you down in your crib, as I was getting ready to leave, but noticed poop in yet another place: on your cheek! What?! How!? You had somehow managed to get poop on your hands then onto your cheek (and who knows where else!). This was a first for us (and hopefully a last!). Of course you were chatting and smiling the whole time.  

Little Hiker - 166 Days

It was just a short little walk, hardly a hike, but it was in the woods on a dirt trail. So let's say we took you hiking this last weekend. A nice little stroll in Forest Park.

We parked with the Tanner Family up at Pittock Mansion and started down the Wildwood Trail. It was clear and sunny, a bit cold. So that means you were in "Eco Mode." Hardly a peep out of you!

Surprise Gift - 5 months and 4 days

Mama and Papa like this face.

You really like to give us a surprise gift, like your papa. Yes, I was super surprised and happy.

Last night you slept from 8:45pm~6:30am. 10 hours!!
When I woke up with your playing voice in the morning, I thought "Ah maybe I couldn't wake up even thought you were crying last night. And Anthony took care of him…"

Then I looked at the milk bottle...No evidence of drinking. "Well, he didn't drink milk and slept? Nice." And I looked at the diapers…There was only the diaper that I changed last night.

"??!? No way. He should have changed Genki's diaper if he woke up! It's mean…How long did he sleep?!??!"

I checked my phone that I noted the time you fell asleep. I kept quiet because your papa was still sleeping. But on my face, there was a full smile :). (Almost I wanted to cheer with a Champagne.)

-mama

Lazy Mama's Blog

Yes, I'm not good at keeping up with this blog. Sorry Genki. I felt a little lazy, even to write this. I have time maybe, but.... But! But also you have been so crazy during 4 months old.

Last time I wrote, I think it was when you were 100 days old. That time I wrote, "You became a better sleeper. You are a super good boy."

Well, you are a good boy, of course. But suddenly you became a bad sleeper again. And it was worse than before. I got used to sleeping longer. So my body didn't work well at night. Sometimes you woke up after only one hour. The longest time was about 3.5 hours. You cried a lot too.

Maybe you got your personality more and more? That's why you showed your feelings more??
That's good thing too :) But I can't understand why you became such a bad sleeper at night

These 4 months, you did many things too.

We went to Seattle and you had your first thanksgiving day with the Tanner family.

Your first Christmas day and many many gifts!

Your first New Years Eve and New Years Day. And Hatsumoude with us.

You took your first trip to Osaka, Japan. That means your first flight too.

You took a train and shinkansen.

You took a Japanese bath. (With me, papa, or grandpa)

You can take your gloves off yourself. (later BOTH!)

You speak more than before.

You can grab some easy toys. (Papa and Mama's hair too. ouch!)

You rolled over the last day in Japan.

You had your first meal these days.

After the trip, you had jet lag so bad....

In japan we met another friend's baby for the first time. Also your cousins. Rin and Ren were too noisy for you, huh? You were scared a little maybe. You cried. But mostly you smiled to everyone and made them happy.

When is the next time that we can go there?? We don't know. I hope it's soon. Because everybody loves you and want to see you again.

Food! - 152 Days

So this past weekend we gave you a little taste food,a preview of life beyond milk. To our surprise you ate it right up and opened your mouth ready for the next bite. We were shocked! Though today, after a few bites you angrily pushed it away. Maybe that's because mama fed you today but I fed you before. My technique is better?

日本 - 145 Days

Well baby bear, we just returned from your first trip to Japan. Your mama and I were so excited and nervous to bring you to Japan. We were so worried about the plane ride because it is a long time to be in a small space. We were lucky, on the way to Tokyo we had a seat at the bulk head, which meant we could use a baby bed that attaches to the wall. We hoped this would be comfortable for you and you would sleep. This was the plan.

Bulkhead baby bed.

Changing table.

While you didn't want to stay in that baby bed for long, I have to say you were a pretty good boy. Yeah, I stood up a lot, to hold you and gently rock you, but it was really no big deal. Some how we had the energy to keep you comfortable on the plane and like I said, you were well behaved on the flight over. Of course, once we arrived in Tokyo, you got a little cranky and I think you just wanted to lay down flat (not bundled up in the Baby Bjorn).

This trip was all about introducing you to everyone. I think you were the number 1 attraction for people, then your mama, then me. You had a chance to meet mama's friends and a new baby (Ryusho), only 1 week younger than you. You seemed so much bigger. Much heavier. I thought the same thing when we met your cousin Koharu for the first time. She was so light! I can't believe you used to be like her…small and light.

Nearly the same age, but not nearly the same size.

Quiet vs. loud.

The expanding baby gang.

Grandpa watching Genki watching TV.

Bookends to 4 generations.

One thing that made me a little crazy was just how quiet Ryusho and Koharu were. They never made a sound, sometimes a small little cry, but they were nearly silent the entire time. Your mama and I wondered why you are so vocal.

I think your Grandpa was super happy to see you. He took every chance to hold you and play with you. He even fed you a couple times. Your Great Grandma was also super happy to hold you. In fact, everyone was happy to hold you. You almost never touched the ground.

Everywhere we went people said "kawaii!" and I think people wanted to look at you because your mama is Japanese and I'm not. I have such a crazy beard right now maybe everyone is surprised you are so cute with a papa that looks like me. We had fun taking you to many places, We went to so many stores and restaurants.

  

It was a good trip, I think you enjoyed it. I know you won't remember, but hopefully this trip is only the first of many trips to your motherland.

Family time.