Happy Birthday Genki - 1 Year!

It's hard to believe, but you're 1 year old! I don't know how time can go so fast and so slow, but the first year with you was like that. The nights when you used to wake up every hour, those were long nights (and long next days). The time when you were light and small enough for us to carry in the Baby Bjorn went by so fast. I still love carrying you, but your weight and penchant for wiggling means we can only carry you for short times now. How much you have grown and changed in 1 year. You're not a baby anymore!

Your mama recently showed me a Japanese Pampers video. In the video, moms in Japan take their babies to see the doctor for the 1 year visit. During the visit the dads hang photos of the moms in the hospital hallway to surprise mama. You see, baby's first birthday is also a celebration for mom. For 9 months before you were born and for the first year of your life, your mama has been amazing. In your life, I hope you remember, your biggest hero is your mom. You are a happy and healthy baby because of your mama. She always thinks about you first and does everything to make sure you are comfortable, even on days when she is super tired and you are being difficult. In the future, sometimes for no reason, please just say thank you to your mom.

As for me, if I think about the last year, I can only smile. You have such a good spirit, I can see already. You love to be with people, you love to play and you love to laugh. Of course, like all babies, you are also fussy sometimes. But I can see your personality shining through like a bright sun. I don't know what your future will be, but I do know that right now the possibilities are endless as long as you have this personality. This apparent love for joy. Keep this always in your heart.

With the first year in the rearview mirror, I wanted to list a few of the many firsts. Year 2 has just started and I am sure there will be so many more wonderful things in store for us.

August, 2013 - Birth! First meeting with Grandma and Great-Grandma from Japan!

September, 2013 - First meet with grandpa Buglio.

October, 2013 - First Halloween.

November, 2013 - First Bulls (and Blazers) game! 100 Days!

December, 2013 - First Christmas, first trip to Japan!

January, 2014- First New Year's.

February, 2014 - First snow!

March, 2014 - Visit to Detroit Dam and Lake.

April, 2014 - Visit Uncle Jun, Aunt Mai, baby An and Grandma in Toronto. Meet Grandma Peggy and Aunts Cheryl and Theresa!

May, 2014 - First kiss and first camping!

June, 2014 - First bike ride!

July, 2014 - First blood, first visit to Crater Lake!

August, 2014 - First Birthday!

Almost 1 Year - 362 Days

This will be the last time I list days in the title. Your first birthday is on Thursday, so we can start listing years and months and weeks. Can you believe it? Already 1 year old. I'll save my 1-Year thoughts for Thursday, but briefly I wanted to show you a little bit about your sleeping style.

Of course, you have had good days and bad days with sleep. In the beginning you woke up every hour or two. Then for a short time you would sleep all night (those are good nights!). Recently you've been waking up around 3am or 4am and then sleeping for a couple more hours. You'll grow out of that, you see, kids love sleeping. They might hate going to bed, but they love sleeping. So far though, you have been an early riser. You seem to be a morning person. I guess that came from me. 

One other thing that might have come from me is your sleeping position. Or I should say, positions. When I was a kid I would sleep in many crazy positions, turning around many times at night. You do this a lot. Usually when I go upstairs to go to sleep I take a photo of you sleeping. Maybe a little creepy (and I promise I will stop this when you get older), but it's so funny to see the crazy positions you put yourself in. 

Crater Lake - 335 Days

Last weekend we took you to Crater Lake with Uncle Ben. It was our second try to go camping with you and maybe your longest drive (almost 5 hours of driving!). We packed the car full of everything we needed: tent, sleeping bag, clothes, diapers, toys, food, cooking supplies, chairs and more and more and more...the car was full.

The drive to Crater Lake was easy, you slept most of the way. We stopped a couple of times so we could all take a break and stretch. But finally we made it to Crater Lake and the Mazama camp area. After making our camp we started to drive around to see the lake.

It's really a beautiful place, and I think we need to come here again when you can appreciate the nature and view. But maybe by then you will not want to go camping with mama and papa? I hope you will.

I think maybe because you slept so much in the car, you were not so tired at night. You didn't sleep well in the tent, so two times I put you in the car and drove around the camp area until you fell asleep (very quickly both times). The first time we tried to move you back into the tent, but you woke up soon. So the second time I left you in the car seat and slept in the car with you while mama slept in the tent. You slept until morning, but I didn't sleep much at all. It was freezing for me (no sleeping bag), but cozy for you because you had two blankets. In the morning you woke up refreshed and sat on the Ben chair near the fire.

The next day we decided to do some site seeing while driving and then take a trail down to the lake. It wasn't a long trail, but I was carrying you in a back pack so it was a little tough, but fun.

At the bottom of the trail there is an area where we could have a nice lunch (kitsune udon for mama, curry udon for me). Uncle Ben was swimming in the lake, but the water is really cold, so we just decided to dip our feet into the water. It was cool and refreshing and you splashed your feet many times.

Hiking back to the top was really tough, but we did our best and we all made it in about an hour (mama did great!). You actually fell asleep on the way up. It was warm and you didn't nap for a long time. I tried to be a smooth hiker so you could sleep.

That night we were a little worried that you wouldn't sleep again and that it would be night #2 in the car. After a little fussiness though, you fell asleep. Of course you like to move a lot in your sleep so you moved over into mama's area. She loves you so much, so she moved over a little more so you could have space to move. She was not too comfy, but you slept all night! Finally you woke up (around 5am) and I was happy (I slept!).

We packed up that day and started the long drive home. It was a beautiful weekend and we had fun seeing the Lake and camping. We have one more camping trip planned for this summer, so that means your first year with us you will have camped at least 3 times!

Feel We Are Your Papa and Mama -11 Months

You smile at me when you see me.
You look happy when I hug you and kiss you.

Your eyes chase papa when he is doing something.
You look at the the door from your play area when you hear the door rock open when papa comes home after work.

You look happy when we just call your name.

You are always cute.
But these days, you look cutest. Or you will be cuter and cuter!

4th of July 2014 - 327 Days

In the future, as you get older, I promise you that you will love the 4th of July. It's a big day of fun, games, barbecues and fireworks. It's also your Aunt Cheryl's birthday. It's a nice day. You'll love it.

This past 4th of July though, I think was not your favorite. We went to the Tanner's home. You got to play with Sarah and Kent and so many toys. This you loved. You went to the zoo and saw some cool animals (we think you saw them). You also got a new toy from the zoo gift shop. You ate a lot of nice food and wore a cute jinbei. There were a lot of fun things for you.

Of course, there were a couple things you were not so happy about. First, of course, the fireworks. American people love to make noise. They love to blow things up too. So 4th of July is the perfect holiday. Babies love to sleep at night. So 4th of July is not a baby's favorite holiday.

We also tried to let you swim in Sarah and Kent's kiddie pool, but you didn't really like that. Maybe you'll love swimming (you love baths!), but not this weekend.

Finally, after a long car ride home and a stop at a baby shower, you were home in your play zone. A happy little boy. You said hello to all your toys and books (and some new goodies from your Grandma in Japan!). But, after you were playing alone for a little bit, you started to get fussy. Then we saw this:

We have no idea what you did. You weren't really crying, but somehow you managed to bloody your nose, and then proceed to wipe it all over you face, chest, diaper and about a dozen toys. What happened? After we cleaned you up you were fine and happy again. Mama cleaned up all the blood from the toys and the play area looked good again. At first mama panicked a little, but you were not crying or hurt, so she calmed down. In the future, please don't show mama your bloody face. Show me first.

High Chair, Food and TV! - 322 Days

Now I'm feeding you.

You are now able to eat (almost) normal rice. Not the super soft risotto I have been making. I only add a few spoons of hot water. You eat well.

You like snacks, steamed bread, sweet potato, prune…many kinds of food you love now.

You are watching TV during eating. Pixar's movie, "UP." You started to watch TV more and more too. Almost whole story movie you watch. But I was surprised now. Because you laugh many times at the laugh point of the story! It means you understand the story a little. Not just looking at the animation.

It made me happy.

You are growing. I want to show you good animation or movies more and you can know many worlds, many things.

Also, Portland is good weather now. We will go many beautiful places this summer!

(papa's note: how many times can you watch Hotel Transylvania?)

Family Biking, World Cup and Our Fascination With はなクソ - 321 Days

It's been a little while since we last wrote in this blog. The weather has become so nice here in Portland (it was actually too hot today). When the weather is good in Portland, everyone gets outside. Camping, cycling, hiking...you name it, people do it.

I wanted a way for all of us to enjoy something together. Camping is fun of course, but we can't always go camping. So we got mama a nice new bike (a Fairdale Flyer!) and got you a nice little seat front and center. The helmet is still a tad big, but we think you like riding the bike. You are like a captain.

The 2014 World Cup is also in full swing. It's actually now down to 8 teams. The USA lost today. Japan lost last week. Our house is a little sad. But you looked cute in the NIPPON hat! And it's free agency time for the Blackhawks (can't wait for hockey to start again!).

And finally something I can't explain. And I will admit it is gross, but both your mama and me have developed this weird fascination with picking out your boogers. It's like a game or something. You really don't like when we touch your face. But sometimes you have a booger just hanging out inside your nose and we can't help ourselves. Maybe because we want you breathing clearly, or just because it's gross to look at. I don't know, but I know we want it out!