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 .

Almost 3

Lots of bubbles. 

Wow, hard to believe but you are approaching birthday number 3. And what a big year for you. You became a big brother and so far you have been kind of nice to little Kiko. Sometimes you come over to her and touch her head. It’s cute.

This is bed time, but sometimes we need to take photos!

You've had nice visits from Grandpa Ray and Grandma Peggy (Aunt Theresa too). You're getting bigger and stronger and having lots of fun hanging out with Keita and sometimes Shokei. You are sleeping by yourself sometimes. You are being a great little boy.

There are still some things we need to work on. Talking of course and maybe eating a few more new things. But I know those things will come with time. Every day you give us joy, so we couldn't be happier.

Mr. Cool guy.

Taking photos with Grandma's phone.

Our Boy

Mama wrote you a note about her feelings after “officially” hearing the word autism as connected to you. I’ve taken a bit more time to say essentially the same thing. But not because I needed more time to accept this diagnosis as a definition of you.

It’s more because I’m lazy.

These last 9 months have been an exciting time in our family, and very shortly here, things are going to get even more exciting for you, in just about every way.

First, you’re about to be a big brother. I mean, really about to be. Mama is ready to go and Kiko-chan seems almost ready too. No matter what, in less than 2 weeks you’ll be big brother Genki. More on that later.

Second, I didn’t feel the need to write anything specific about this diagnosis. Maybe that is a bit of naiveté or denial on my part. But really, this news in no way changes one bit of how I feel about you. Of course it wouldn’t. All this means to me is that we need to find the right places for you to learn as you need to. In the big picture, that’s just a small thing for us.

Here’s what’s big..you’re our boy and always will be. We want you to be happy and healthy, however that shakes out. There’s not one thing about you that we would change if we could.

Which is your real?

When you lay down, you can't think the distance between other person and you.

So you often lay down on my face. It REALLY hurts...

I thought I got broken bone so many times.

One time your head hit on my cheek bone. After that I couldn't open mouth well, teeth hurt, felt pain every time when I eat something. I thought I got bad teeth first. It took few weeks to heal.

But on the progress to heal, you hit again!!

I shout and cried seriously. I couldn't breathe well and almost passed out. 

After I calm down, I was thinking about my old schoolmate who is a boxer now. 

I can't believe he gets this pain every time...

Now I cover my face perfectly always when I lay down with you. 

The other way. I don't know if you understand or not but my belly is huge because of your sister.

Sometimes my shirts comes up and show my belly.

Then you care about my belly and fix my shirts to cover it for me everytime. 

I really love it. How sweet!

(And you kiss me softly. haha)

So which is the real you?!

My Lovely Little Boy

Today I got the result that you are diagnosed with autism. It is really tough to think what I can do for you. Especially since I'm not good at English like other Japanese mamas who work somewhere.

So I feel like I'm out of control of it in America. I have no power.

If it's in Japan, I could search where I can get the best service that I want for you or what is good for you or something, by myself. But here, I have no idea. From the beginning I don't know what is different culture for any of autism or what is same. What they have, what they don't have...

For example, there is YAMAHA music lesson in Japan, everywhere. I feel like it's good education for your character.

I know I need my driver's license here too. This also one of difficult thing.

I was sad when I heard the result this morning.

But when I saw your face after that, nothing changed. There was my sweet sweet baby in front of me, looking at me, hugging me.

You cheer me up.