My Little Erika

She is not feeling Well

2010-11-15T21:08:00.000-08:00

Erika got a fever since Saturday night maybe because of the cold weather ... she is having a severe cough and runny nose and sometimes got teary eyes when the cough get worse. We went to the doctor yesterday for a medicine and I hope she get well soon. Today I am absent from work while Erika is absent in Hoikuen. I want to see her happy face again.

Long Time No See

2010-11-11T02:35:00.001-08:00

Wow I did not update this blog for over a year .... and I'm excited now to be a blogger again. Anyway as of this day my baby is now in her second year in Hoikuen belongs to nisaiji usagi gumi this time her hoikuen is about 20 minutes near our house ... and because it is near now I am little bit relax in the morning unlike before. She is now 2 years and 9 months and incredibly growing and learning different things so fast. Okay more updates on the future post.

Nice to be back again here blogging and I hope I can update this blog more often.
See you around.

My Baby's First Few days in Hoikuen

2009-10-03T00:27:00.000-07:00

October 1-

Finally after preparing my daughter's thing we went to hoikuen this day, Erika belong to "Ringu Gumi" or Apple class which consists of 1 year old kids. The class has 20 children with four teachers in a room. A young lady Sabito san is Erika's sensei. My husband and I took her to daycare center for about eight in the morning, the 20 minutes route took us 30 minutes to drive due to busy cars in the road at early hours . When we reached the place, we just had a little conversation with the teacher about rules to be done inside the classroom during this time Erika was playing with the kids and enjoying the colorful surroundings . We silently leave without saying goodbye for her not to cry. But going back home I felt loneliness because this is our first time to be separated even for a few hours a thought of it tears to my eyes, my husband noticed and just laughed at me to change the atmosphere because I know hes sad too.

We fetched her for about 10:30 and her teacher says that she cried for two hours. Upon seeing at me she hugged me so tight and said "mama, mama". I felt sorry for her really.

October 2-

This day its only me who bring her to hoikuen, upon entering the room Erika turned on me and said "iiya, iiya" (I don't want). I stayed with her for a while inside the room and she started to play again with the kids. Again I silently leave without waving goodbye to her.

When I comeback to fetched her, Her teacher said that she cried but sometimes stopped when playing the cellphone and saying "poshi, poshi (moshi moshi or hello) mama".

October 3-

Today was Erika's first hoikuen undoukai or sports festival. We went there just to watch the shows and I did not have a plan to participate in different sports since we did not attended their rehearsals even ones. But one of the teachers caught me and lead us to the center where all are dancing. I'm glad Erika danced too. Afterthe show they gave us omiyage or gift inside was a green ball, banana, mikan, apple juice, a pack of fresh milk and a pack of cookies.

By the way, I did not have a hard time weaning her for a week now.

Erika's General Check up

2009-09-25T01:01:00.000-07:00

(My camera is broken and can only take blurry photos)

We had an appointment yesterday for Erika's 1 year and half general check up at the health center. The place is near our house, and I was glad to see many children at Erika's age playing toys in the small playground located at the hallway inside the building . I was glad because my daughter loves to play with kids too.

Well the check up begins with kids mental ability, the health worker together with my husband and me had a little conversation about Erika. The health worker said that my daughter is advanced in her communicating skills for making sentences made of three to four words. Erika took a test by putting the shape sorter toy to its proper shape and she did it well.

Next was dental check up and the doctor got no problem with her teeth. After that was the check of her height and weight which was 79.8 cm and 9.7 kls respectively. A short seminar was held together with other parents about how to feed the kids and how to properly care with their teeth.

Before the check up ends one of the health worker talk to us and told us that Erika according to the results of check up grows normally at her age. But the last word the lady told us is to wean her because breast feed might result to a tooth decay. So started yesterday going back home I did not breast feed Erika anymore just last night at bed.

I hope I can wean her easily soon.

Preparation for Erika to enter to Hoikuen

2009-09-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

Last week we received a telephone call from the City Hall that starting next month Erika can enter in a Hoikuen or a Daycare nursery . These Hoikuen or Day care nurseries looks after children who cannot be cared for at home in the daytime for the reason that both parents working full time, falling ill, or having a family member who needs care or is handicapped, and are based on the Child Welfare Act.

I already applied for a job and its good because it is just a walking distance from our home. But opposite from what we expected if I got a job,its not that easy to enter in a daycare center all hoikuen near our place where full of babies and children, and she cityhall got a daycare school a little far from us which starts next month. I know it will be very hard for me more with Erika to adapt in her new environment without her "mama" on her side.

I plan to bring her to hoikuen this starting Friday so that she can play with other kids during the practice of "ondukai".I hope she can easily adapt to her new environment and forget about breastfeeding in daytime.

Sigh...

Exploring Toba City

2009-08-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to Toba city and stayed there for one night me, Erika, my husband together with my oldest step daughter who arranges the trip for us. Before we went to hotel, first we went to Nemu no Sato a very wide park located in Ise Shima because its very spacious we need to ride a in small vehicle to reach different corner fast. I've heard that it takes three days to visit all the places in Nemu no Sato.

It was an unforgettable weekend staying in the Seaside Hotel providing their costumer good services and facilities. I like the view of the ocean from our room window and of course the Ofuro or public bath ... this was Erika's first time to enter public bath and she enjoyed it very much . And one more thing I wont forget is their baiking style or eat all you can dinner and breakfast.

Next day after taking a walk on the sea shore we check out about 10 in the morning and proceed to a ferry boat for a Toba bay cruise.

Erika play with the Dolphin inside the Aquarium

After the cruise we went to Toba Aquarium this was my second time to visit the place.

Another topic about Erika at 18 months old:

she can now make short sentences with three to four words

say few new words everyday

can climb chair

Brush teeth with my help

can name "mama "or "papa" when shown a picture of us

Identify some part of her body like her foot, hand, nose, teeth.

Here is a video of Erika playing her shape sorter toy at 18 months old she can put the toy according to its shape perfectly.

But anyway last words I can say is that it was a nice trip o remember.

OBon and Hanabi Taikai '09

2009-08-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

Her Grandfather teach her how to ring the bell of Butsudan.

Well last Friday in commemoration of Obon festival we went again to Anjo City to visit the grave of my mother in law who passed away almost four years ago also to offer a pray in the Butsudan. The main reason going there is to have a reunion with my husband's relatives which happens every year. We had a rich and delicious dinner that night while chatting and laughing and of course the main attraction was my baby Erika, she sing and dance and made gestures that we really enjoy watching.

Next Day it was Saturday we went to Anjo's nearby place Kariya City where my sister in law lives. There was a live kiddie show and attractions that Erika love to watch. At night there was the famous Hanabi Taikai or firework show wherein people excited to see. Before the night comes the place is crowded with a plastic vinyl seat (my husband called it blue seat ) for a good view of the fireworks at night. My sister in law made us onigiri or riceball we ate while watching the hanabi.

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Every time Erika wacth this video she always clap her hands.

Note: Erika had her mumps virus vaccine today.

Anjo City Tanabata Matsuri 2009

2009-08-10T01:35:00.000-07:00

Last month we celebrate Tanabata Matsuri at home and this time Erika loves the colorful Tanabata festival held in Anjo City where her father's relatives live. According to my husband The festival starts 50 years before wherein on that time huge streamers were only made of papers and was being prepared many weeks before the festival comes.

Now, streamers are made up of cloth and shinny ribbons and is hanging everywhere. Other shops made contribution by putting their own creations in front of their restaurant or firms.

Dancers on the street

These are small shops or store selling foods like Okonomiyaki, hotdogs, grilled squid, kaki kori or ice cone, toys, ice cream, games and others.

I saw shops that offer to sketch your face and massage service.

There was also a photo gallery about world war II sponsor by Japanese soldiers.

At the end of the day Erika got a blinking cat ears on her head in remembrance to the festival.

The jurisdiction of the festivity is too wide that major streets need to be close and it lasts for three days.

Erika Playing on the River

2009-07-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

So how was Erika this past few days?

During summer here in Japan its been a tradition to have a Hanabi taikai or firework festival held on big or even on small cities throughout Japan. And since it is hanabi season, we are having a small hanabi show in the yard wherein Erika enjoyed to watch almost every night if it's not raining. We fired hanabi for a few minute , watch the sky for the airplanes that passes almost every hour and observe the plants and flowers around the yard .

In the yard, Erika's favorite spot is her mini pool so last night we forgive her to play in there standing ... when all of the sudden she sit inside the pool full of water with clothes on that is why she had an unplanned night swimming last night.

Meanwhile today we went to the river with my husband for the idea that he will do ayu fishing while Erika is playing. Ayu fishing can be done only in summer and ends on last week of August until September.

Erika enjoyed tapping the water and playing with sand and stones and as expected her clothes were all wet.

The First Time Baby Plays in her mini pool

2009-07-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was a little cloudy but hot afternoon so I brought Erika to her pool in the yard to play with the water, but she was so excited to play inside so I put her inside it and since then you could hear her screaming because of too much happiness.

2009 Tanabata Matsuri at Home

2009-07-07T04:53:00.000-07:00

Last year Erika celebrated with us tanabata festival and tonight was her second. We made her again a small bamboo tree with different style of papercraft. This time I made the papercraft decoration better than last year's decoration. And since it is a star festival I hanged many stars on her tree. I also made a small lantern which made my husband surprised after seeing it, he could not believe that I did it better now because last year I don't have any idea how to decorate the bamboo tree. I also made a three pieces papercraft butterfly I saw the tutorial in you tube and it was so easy but then my husband says it was his first time to saw a butterfly on a tanabata bamboo tree. :)

People write a wish on a paper called tanzaku and hang it on the tree. So The wishes we wrote in the tanzaku was:

for Erika: to stay healthy and smart

for family: health and not to involve in any accident

My step children too wrote wishes for their work I just can't understand since it was written in Japanese.

After all the members of the family hanged their wishes we brought the tree to the garden and waited for the stars to appear in the sky . I remember my last year's wish for Erika was hopefully to heal her illness and it happened. Do you have a wish? who knows it may happen...

Some Milestones Erika can Do Now

2009-07-03T01:04:00.000-07:00

Erika enjoyed playing on the Children playground last Wednesday when we went to the electric shop to buy a Computer Desk lamp inside the department store. You could hear her screaming of too much excitement playing inside the room full of balloons. I forgot to brought my digital camera so I took some shots of her by my cellphone.

Erika is more talkative now than before, she can sing us now and she knows how to play her dad's harmonica too. Most of all she can kiss me back on my cheeks with a big sound. Some other words she can speak now are:

atsu for atsui means hot

she call as sometimes as papa ya for her father while mama ya to me

gako for ungako means music

ta for itai means she hurts

dede if she wants breastfeed

happa means leaves

Starting All Over Again

2009-06-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was away for about two weeks from my country so after came back home I hurriedly access the internet and I was disgusted to know this blog was down because the very first page I see was I need to install the wordpress platform that I'm using. I contacted the hosting provider of this blog and they fixed the problem. After checking everything I learned that this site was down for many days.

Another trouble I experience with this blog is when I updated the wordpress to its latest version. After upgrading the blog is showing but I can't enter the admin panel for the reasons that it only shows a white page so I need to restore the back up files thru backup restore of my control panel but it seems like backup file is inappropriate so I tried to contact the hosting but they want the backup file to be converted to another format which I cannot do. After many trials and errors I felt a little contentmen after I retrieved the old post and comment thru phpmyadmin but not the uploaded pictures. Now I'm posting the photos for all the post manually.

The Hardest Truth to Accept

2009-06-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

My Mother and my Father with me on my wedding day.

I don't know how to begin with this. It was three years ago when me and my elder sister went back to my country because my mother died of stroke. I always remember her last words until now when we last speak over the phone "when will you come back?". It was the most painful moment of my life to saw my mother (Erika's grandmother) lifeless in the coffin for the last time.

Now its happening again.

Yesterday I received a message from my elder brother in the Philippines that my father (Erika's grandfather) were brought again to the hospital. I called my elder sister whom with my father and I tried to spoke with him but I got no response, this time he was unconscious unlike before he can talk to us even hes not feeling well. Yesterday June 7, 2009 Sunday at noon he left us forever.

My father had suffered from a fourth stage prostate cancer. He was diagnosed with that desease to late to be cure, the doctor told us that he will not get well even he undergoes operation. We want him to have an operation but his heartbeat was too weak. He doesn't know the truth that he will not get well. I always telling him you can still walk and ride your bicycle soon. I always telling him when we talk over the phone to get well soon and he always answer me "yes".

Now I am on the saddest point of my life. Tomorrow we will going back to the Philippines to be with him for the last time and to say "Papa, thank you for giving us our lives and taking care of us. Thank you for everything. Otsukaresama deshita. Oyasuminasai."

Please wake me up in this nightmare!

Baby's Summer Preparation

2009-06-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

Erika putting stones inside her pool

Actually there is nothing extra ordinary, we bought a baby pool for my daughter in preparation for the coming summer and to be place in the yard. At present ... daytime is not that hot but we tried to put air and water on it to see Erika's reaction and as expected she was very delighted to see the penguins (drawing) inside the pool. :)

She was so happy looking for the pool full of stones.

She did not want to go with us anymore so

we give her a chance to play more with the water .

Another thing Erika enjoy is when we go shopping she loves to ride on a cart like the one on picture below. You can hear her voice laughing and sometimes she is making unusual sounds while moving the handle.

Meanwhile I think Erika learns to talk very fas. She talks not that perfect but you will easily understand what she wanted to tell.

Some words and thing she can say and do:

na na pa for inai inai pa (Japanese peek a boo)

mu for moon

naa for nai or inai (means nothing)

atta (she can say this word perfectly and knows when to use it which means she found something )

apu for apple

nennen means sleeping time

she can points me her diaper while saying "u u" for poop but sometimes theres no poop inside it

Another week is over

2009-05-18T01:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to a nearby family restaurant for lunch. Inside we requested for a baby chair so that Erika can sit with us at the table at first she likes her place but after a while she wanted to go down and play. At this time it is still not safe for her to sit on the chair especially if theres no seat belt because she always moves and wanted to stand.

So I put her in the corner of my chair (like a sofa) and there she did play with her bag.

She carries her bag like a woman so cute.

After lunch we went to a flower shop.

On the other hand today Erika got her MR vaccine (1st stage). I hope she don't get fever and other side effects of the vaccine.

She can talk "wa wa " as flower

"ba ba" as bubbles when were inside the bathroom

"ba-" as bag

"bu bu" (brooom broom) for cars

And she always calls as "mama" & "papa"

Erika's voice at 1 year 2 and half months:

Strawberry Picking and walking

2009-05-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

We went to strawberry picking yesterday and Erika although did not like to eat strawberry sure did enjoy freely walking on wide fields of grass with clover's flower. She was so eager to walk since there are many kids playing around her whenever I gave her a hug she always escapes from my arms and goes wherever she wants. Anyway I really did enjoy watching her.

Walking and Playing Erika

2009-05-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

Last week was Golden week here in Japan and during this seasons it is expected to many people to go somewhere specially for couples and families to "make good memories of the Golden week" since there is no work for three days or five days when it falls on weekends.

unluckily we are not one of those families who can make good memories of the week for the reason that my husband had his work. I just hope he can take vacation in exchange for the days he did his job so that three of us can go somewhere and Erika can enjoys time with her father.

By the way my daughter started to walk alone without any support last week, April 29. I was surprised when I saw her walking inside her playpen back and forth with toys in her hands. I really feel happy that time and all I can do is to hug and kiss her.

The video above was taken today, we went to the park and I am sure Erika enjoyed her day. Aside from walking she can now distinguished the circle one on her shape sorter toys and put it on the right hole easily!

Playpen, Gatherings and Funny Face

2009-04-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

After returning Erika's crib to its real owner we did not buy for another one anymore instead I made her a playpen inside her room. The space is much wider than the crib and is also safe for her to stay. The wall around was made up of wood while inside the playpen are a plastic drawer, plastic cabinet of toys and books and an alphabet poster on the wall. The fence around are a wood fence and a bed (with a fence like wood on both sides) with a bumper on it.

Last week I tried to put a mattress inside so that she can lay there when she wanted to and I can leave her sleeping and do housework without worrying that she might fall from bed when she wakes up as well as she may not reach the "danger zone" of the house like electric outlets stairs and likes. I think she like to have the mattress because sometimes she smilingly lay in there as if she were resting.

Also Last week , we went to my husband's work related gathering and Erika did play with the kids. She had a good time playing around because she did not cry even she feels sleepy (she always cry when sleepy).

Another thing about her is that she like to imitate someone , most of the time is me like when I clean the table she also acts as if shes cleaning ... this time it was the face of the man on the video. The video was a kiddie TV show and its about exercising the face while feeling angry.

Cherry Blossoms or Sakura in Full Bloom

2009-04-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

It was still cold when we leave Japan last month and it is unexpected this month of April how warm it is during the day ... before I always feels cold until May :). Now we're wondering how hot it will be this coming summer. Anyway my Baby is enjoying playing on the park on this warm days.

We are still so lucky to witness the sights of places with popular Sakura trees or cherry blossoms before it's season ends. Flower viewing or Hanami is the usual tradition during this season done sitting under the Sakura tree while eating obento or homemade lunch or drinking with beer, however other people also bring a sleeping bag to sleep under the tree at night. :)

Can you see something hanging near the bridge? It is Koinobori a designed carp shaped streamers hanged in preparation for children's day (mainly for boy's day) to be celebrate on May 5.

She got her first real hair cut last week (I cut only her bangs before)

Erika with her father

We're Back Home From Vacation

2009-04-06T01:22:00.000-07:00

Erika with her cousins

Its been a month since my last post, finally we are back last Saturday from a long vacation from the Philippines. It was hard for me to leave my father in his situation who has a Prostate cancer (and not a mild stroke as first predicted). He cannot walk, he cannot move his body from his waist down to his feet and if he wants to go somewhere two men should carry him to the wheelchair. I brought him from the province to Manila with my two brothers to have his medication in the National Kidney Technology Institute and I leave them with hope and pray that he regains his strength and can walk again soon.

Erika's first meeting with her grandfather who just comeback home after confinement from the hospital

On the other hand, during our stay there, Erika had a Diarrhea so the plan of weaning her in my province has been dismissed. She lost weight. Meanwhile she was also baptized there last April 28. She can now talk with "i" sounds in the end and can sing without words that last for about a minute ... just imagine her song is like a baby talk with a melody. Well I hope I can record her voice singing one of these days.

A shot during her baptismal

A pose with H who happened to have a vacation in our province

Erika playing with three girls

Changes, Updates and Vacation

2009-03-05T06:18:00.000-08:00

Hi I'm Erika's mom, as you can see the banner of this blog had changed into Erika's World and B'coz I'm a Baby now is a sub-title. Starting from this post I decided to write from my own points of view as her mother and of course the main topic is still about my daughter. I also changed the about page for some information what is behind this blog.

Well today we went to the hospital for the final echo xray to Erika after 6 months of our last visit and praise God its no doubt the hole in her heart had totally closed, my daughter now is having a healthy heart.

We left the hospital at about 10:30 in the morning and we directly went to Passport office to claim her passport (since my husband applied for it a week ago) the validity is good for five years since baby's appearance change really fast. I keep a shot for a remembrance.

I can't give you an update of this blog for about a month because were going to the Philippines on Sunday and now I am busy packing our clothes. We will visit my sick father (Erika's Grandfather). He had a mild stroke and he can't move the lower part of his body. I know he need us for comfort and I really feel worried too. I have a hard time sleeping at night thinking about him.

That is all for now and thanks for visiting!

A Baby's Transformation into Toddler

2009-02-23T07:22:00.000-08:00

My first one full year has been passed and mom almost spend last few days thinking what were the things happened a year ago. Among those happenings and events holding me for the first time was the most precious time of her life. From the day I was born until now I am her treasure, her little buddy, her best friend, her inspiration, in short ... her everything. I am grateful mom and dad and my brother and sisters loves me so much.

Anyway since it was a flashback mom posted my monthly photos for one whole year. It is really amazing how my personality changes compared to the previous month. They are so happy I grown up so much.

You can find the older pictures in the first half year of my life. Thank you for visiting and viewing.

Celebrating Baby's First Birthday

2009-02-16T21:18:00.000-08:00

Mom and dad held a small get together party last Sunday for my birthday, cousins and relatives whom we did not see for a long time came into our house to celebrate my first birthday. My oldest (half) sister K made a cake for my birthday and as you can see it has a single red candle on it with a shape of 1 represent my age. Mom and Dad and even my brother and sister just really can't believe that I am a year old now.

Even its my birthday and every body seems to be happy I just can't help myself but cry. I still did not understand what is going on they all strangers to me and the voices and noises I heard was so unusual so I always cried .

Another thing I did not like is that they take away the cake in front of me hehe

But I was surprised when everybody sings a birthday song

Soon after singing I did tasted and smashed my cake .

Mom's Wish for Me:

Happily Ever After
On your birthday, special one,
I wish that all your dreams come true.
May your day be filled with joy,
Wonderful gifts and goodies, too. On your day I wish for you
Favorite people to embrace,
Loving smiles and caring looks
That earthly gifts cannot replace.
I wish you fine and simple pleasures.
I wish you many years of laughter.
I wish you all of life’s best treasures.
I wish you happily ever after! Happy Birthday!

By Joanna Fuchs

Preparation for Hina Matsuri or Doll's Festival

2009-02-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

It is perhaps too early to prepare for this festival since Hina matsuri / Doll's festival or Girl's Day should be celebrate on every third day of March but dad were just so excited to display my dolls so that I can enjoy looking at them. During Girl's day here in Japan every family who has a young daughter displays a set of ornamental dolls or Hina Ningyou in a seven red platforms like the Image below.

Image from Wikipedia

The top platform represents imperial dolls consist of the emperor and the empress (Odairisama & Ohinasama). Other platform represents their assistants , entertainers, musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period. (Reference: Wikipedia )

Anyway since our living room is a little crowded and providing a layout for all these dolls and accessories needs a larger space so mom and dad ended for only one platform, the Emperor and Empress dolls and the three court ladies, the Bonbori (lamp), tree of flowers.

Dad said that after the celebration it is better to keep these dolls soon because if not it is believe a daughter cannot marry someone. :)

Baby's First Birthday Coming soon

2009-02-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

I learned to laugh and squeal, then sit and stand,
and I can walk now if you hold my hand.
But the fun has only just begun,
lookout world, I'm turning one!

Some milestones I reached at this point of time:

can play peek a boo with someone

play games with my books

using hands or fingers to point into a things or someone

can speak three syllable words such as papapa, mamama, bok bokbo, tatata, nanana and likes

dancing to music

can do "give me five"

raising my left hand when dad's call my name like we're on a nursery school

Climbs on toys and furniture

Likes to explore and open and shut cabinet doors

can understand the word "damme" or no , words that makes me cry

My other first moments:

My first health problem

My first solid foods

First day using a walker

First Tanabata Festival

first baby things and equipments

The first time I talk

My Okuizome

First trip at eight months

My hand and foot prints At 9 months

First Christmas

first Art

How Baby Response to Music?

2009-01-30T07:29:00.000-08:00

After I turned eleven months, I learned to distinguished the sound of music because when I hear it, it makes me dance. You may wonder how a baby like my who still cannot walk is now dancing ... well, I can show that I am dancing by twisting my hands, rocking my chair whiles sitting or shaking my body when I am standing.

At this age I'm enjoying more to watch my favorite television show " Inai inai pa" wherein a dog named wanwan, a little girl and many babies are the main characters and the show "Okaasan to Issho" and of course the talking paper cup "Watashino Kimochi". Even those television shows where repeatedly playing I don't get tired watching them. I have also several favorite TV commercial that I like to watch whenever I hear it plays my eyes hurriedly look to see the TV evens I am busy Playing.

However too much TV is not good for a baby like me that is why I also need to practice walking with this thing.

I enjoyed using it on the first time but lastly it is still my mom's hug I'm looking for ... maybe it takes time before I struggle to walk on my own.

Playing Games with Books

2009-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Before my new books arrived, mom and me play games with my four favorite books, here they are:

Among these books, at this time of my life my most favorite is still Akazukin.

You may wonder how we played games with this book right? Okay, first mom will put these four books in a row infront of me and she will start to talk as if shes reading the book ( Mom already memorized all the content of these books by reading it to me maybe a hundred times or more). Then after listening to her I will grab appropriate book she is talking about.

Very simple rule isn't it. And as of now I can played it perfectly!

Toys and Lot of Books

2009-01-20T01:10:00.000-08:00

It was first week of this month when we went to Anjo city for a family reunion, on our way there we did stop on a second hand bookshop. They bought me lots of story books because it was so cheap for only 1$ each. Here they are:

After the reunion, we visited my dad's younger sister and unexpectedly she gave me a toy and a lot of books too. Would you believe that my obasan kept this for 14 long years ?? that is true because my cousin AN used these things when she was still young.

My wooden toy gift from Obasan (My dad's sister)

Books from Obasan

As for the moment I am showing just a slight interest on these new books because I still prefer my old books. The only problem is that mom is having a sore throat repeatedly reading some these books to me many times.

Baby Handwritten Art

2009-01-13T17:00:00.000-08:00

I am sure you will not agree with mom calling my first drawing an "art" because it was only made up of lines with no direction. But for my mother she considered this an art. Writing this art was accidentally happened when I grabbed the pen on the table and mom saw an old calendar and she got an idea of teaching me how to hold and write using a pen. I used the old calendar's back pages for making this drawing. Dad saw it and told my mom to take a picture of it for a remembrance.

Mom applied the message of my drawing to me. She thought that these lines are like babies ... no directions and doesn't thinks about boundaries and limits. Just like while ago aside from the calendar I also like to write on the wall and chair and I want to eat my pen ... that is why babies like me need someone to guide us to know the right from wrong so we can shape our future. (Maybe) that is the meaning and message of my art.

From now on watch me how I slowly transform this art of mine from lines without direction to shape and figures in this coming years.

Foods I like and Others

2009-01-10T00:25:00.000-08:00

Before when mom began feeding me first solid foods I did not even tried to refuse every serve of food she gave, but just recently whenever she gave me food there are times that I belch it out. Do you know why? I discovered lately that mom and dad's food is more tasty than the food they give to me, I think I am now ready to enjoy eating a wide variety of solid foods like my mom's meal. I'm showing interest of what she ate by opening my mouth or by making some noise. But she is still in doubt to give me fully their food so she is looking for new baby food recipes online as well as baby soup recipes to prepare for me everyday. Every meal mom gives me a bowl of soup like wakame soup and misoshiru hoping for me not to have a hard time in pooping.

Having four teeth (both two in front up and down) makes me curious to bite almost everything around me ... my toys, spoon, chair, tables, mom's or dad's hand and others. During breast feeding I am having a good time biting my mom's nipple that makes her scream my name and this makes me laugh. Because of this habit shes now planning to wean me from breast feeding but cannot decide because she is worry I might get starve because I do not drink bottled or formula milk. So I think weaning is not that easy for her and it will remain a plan.

For the first time standing on my own without any support did happened today although it did last for a few seconds mom is so excited thinking to see me walking on my own ... I hope it happens soon.

Cousins, Sister and Friends

2009-01-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

We been away for first few days of this year, every new year and Obon season we're going to my fathers hometown for their family reunion.

This was taken last December 31, 2008 with

Osechi Ryouri for the holiday.

Can you spot the dog? This was taken in my father's

friend's house

My (half) sister S visited us for the holiday.

She just turned 20 and studying hair Fashion.

With my sister and her friend M

With my cousins AN and AH. I am 10 and a half months

here while they ages 14 and 25 . Before AN was the

youngest in the clan now its me.

They love me very much, I hope after several years I can take pictures of them again and see how I grow up and how we change.

Welcome Year 2009

2009-01-01T00:35:00.000-08:00

As the New Year unfolds

May you blessed with the joy of new beginnings

Prosperity to live life to the fullest

Serene Moments to bring peace and happiness

May each new day bring for a new joy and new hopes

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Its been a very long holiday for us and this year this will be my first post. This morning three of us went to the nearest Jinja and offered a pray to Kamisama hoping this new year will be good for us. We hope for Blessings and good health, and no accidents nor unwanted things to come.

Tomorrow we'll be going to Anjo City to attend for a family reunion, it will take 3 to 4 hours going there whew! very far. And of course, I'm going to recieve my first Otoshidama which means a new year's gift recieved by children usually from relatives and grandparents and commonly money. It will go to my savings to be use when I grow up.

Meanwhile, I can stand by myself with one hand on the wall or support and after struggling to stand I just fall down. Lately. I learn to clap my hands while watching my favorite kiddie show but I wave goodbye to someone only sometimes hehe. Anyway I'm doing my best to learn everything to survive so that when you come back reading my blog you will be surprise for the new development about me.

For the meantime mom is going to prepare our baggage for tommorrow so bye for now.

2008 My first Christmas

2008-12-25T00:44:00.000-08:00

May your Home glow

with warmth and laughter

and may your heart be filled with

Happiness, not just today but Always.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Becoming more Mobile

2008-12-16T07:04:00.000-08:00

Thank you for visiting my blog. I am becoming more mobile now and mom almost cannot take her eyes from me for the reason I may get hurt from falling. Everyday I am struggling to crawl and stand by myself in my playpen even I fall many times

When I'm on a good mood I can play alone

for long period of time while having some baby talks

I like playing

Everyday its been my routine to play and hear the sound of the piano , I can make music by tapping the board with my two hands without directions and mom call the sound I play as baby music.

My two upper front teeth is very visible now, good thing I did not have any teething problems.

Another thing I can do is that I can make a joke now by tickling mom's ear that makes us both laughing.

Preparing for Christmas

2008-12-06T05:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas is fast approaching and you can see Christmas trees and Christmas decorations on malls and supermarkets and any public establishments. I remember the first time I saw Christmas tree was inside the Okinawa mall it was huge in size with white sparkling balls as decorations that I wanted to touch. Since then whenever I see decorated Christmas tree it will always bring a big smile to my face.

In preparation for this holiday they build me a white Christmas tree. They wish me to have a joyful celebration of my first Christmas.

Meanwhile this week my upper middle teeth starting to pop out and as well as this week I can stand alone on my mom's bedside or wherever I have a handle for support. I hope I can make an improvement this coming days.

Using Headband

2008-11-29T05:42:00.000-08:00

I am a baby blessed with thick hair since I was a newborn and now at nine months it grows longer and thicker that always blocking my sight that is why I'm always rubbing my eyes. Sometimes mom uses a hair accesories such as clips and a tie but it easily fall from my slippery hair so she bought this headband with crab design few days ago.

You can tell that I liked it because I did not try to pull nor remove it from my head.

It stay several minutes on my head and like the tie and clips that I used it just slips and fall down from my hair.

Baby Hands and Foot Prints

2008-11-24T21:22:00.000-08:00

They (mom & dad) should have done this before when I was a newborn, even its a little late they done this last night, getting my hands and foot prints at me 9 months old.

Look at those tiny hands and foot prints ... I wonder how it will grow bigger as I grow older.

Know me Better

2008-11-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

NAME:Erika

AGE: 9 months old

WORK: crying and enjoying myself are my main job, but I was obliged to learn things they teaches me

LIKE/ LOVE: go on driving, I like bath time

DON'T LIKE/ HATE: I don't like when mom or somebody told me "don't" when I'm enjoying pulling the curtain or when I touch interesting things like newspaper that I'll turn into pieces, cellphone and wires and other things I reached.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN WEEKEND: loitering wherever

SONGS OR MUSIC YOU LIKE: lullaby, alphabet song, twinkle star, or song with funny melodies

BAD HABBITS: putting things in my mouth

A FAIRY LENDS HER MAGIC WAND AND LET YOU MAKE A WISH, WHAT WILL IT BE? I wish all my toys turn to non-sweet candies or chocolate so mom will not scold me when I'm putting it to my mouth.

FIRST THING YOU DO IN THE MORNING: give my mom a big smile as greeting when I'm on the mood but a load cry when I'm still sleepy

WHAT YOU THINK WHEN YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO SLEEP IN THE EVENING? Oh, I still don't have time to think, I maybe busy playing or crying.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE ON THE WALL? Alphabet posters, stuff toys, my pictures, calendar and mickey wallclock.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? just a while ago when mom did not permit me to touch the keyboard.

GOOD MANNERS: a good listener to dad when he plays his guitar

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? anything as long as it cold and sweet

WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my dad because we only meet on evening after his work, I greet him with a screaming smile when come home as if we never met a month.

FAVORITE FOOD: yogurt, banana,

HUGS OR KISSES: both can I add cuddling?

FAVORITE SOUND:harmonica, piano, guitar

SPECIAL TALENT: twisting my lips (lol)

LESSONS LEARNED AT 9 MONTHS: when they say "damme" or "dont" I should stop what I'm doing or I should drop what I'm holding

Tadaima

2008-11-14T04:10:00.000-08:00

Ferry boat Terminal

Tadaima is a Japanese word use when someone came back to his own house which means "I'm home" and the usual response to this is okaerinasai means "welcome back" or "welcome home". So I'm home now after three days of staying in Okinawa with mom and dad. Although its a little late here is the summary and some photos of our trip.

Early in the morning of Saturday when mom woke me up, even I'm still sleepy I gave her a smile while she changed my dress to a white long sleeve shirt and a pink jumper style dress and because its cold she wrapped my body with white furry jacket. About seven when Dad drive us to the Ferry terminal and we ride a ship which brought us to International Airport for exactly 40 mins.

Japan Airport

We ride the plane before eleven in the morning from there I'm crying because I felt sleepy fortunately the stewardess gave us a small blanket and space where mom breastfed me, from there I fall sleep. It took less than two hours for us inside the plane.

We landed in Naha Airport and the first thing we noticed the weather was so warm so all of us were sweating because of Jackets and long sleeves we're wearing unlike in our place weather Okinawa's weather temperature are ranges from 24 to 28 degrees, now I understand Okinawa dont have a four seasons.

A bus fetched us from the airport and three of us seated in front . One thing mom observed in me is that I'm always on the good mood ; smile with loud voice especially when I looked at the window and when dad's friend talk to me.

Inside the bus

Our Hotel room

View from hotel window

Eat all you can dining room where

we had our breakfast for three days

The famous huge sized aquarium in Okinawa

Southeast Botanical Garden Area

Loitering inside the gift shop

Inside the Okinawa mall

Old house built hundred years ago

You can see this statue almost everywhere

in Okinawa believe to protect owners place

Naha Airport going home

Although our trip was not that perfect because of rainy weather it was a good trip and fun to remember.

A Trip to Okinawa

2008-11-05T03:09:00.000-08:00

This coming Saturday November 8 Dad will go to his company's travel to Okinawa and fortunately me and mom can go with him. This will be my first trip so mom although excited is a little bit worried for me and now busy preparing for our baggage and needs. The plan is early in the morning of Saturday we will drive to the port to ride a ship that will take us to the airport. They say it takes about three hours inside the plane to reach Okinawa.

So anyone of you did travel with a baby? What was the baby's first reaction inside the plane or ship? Mom is worrying because I don't drink bottled milk. When I cry its a toy, baby food or breast milk that can stop me from crying, this means if the first two doesn't work out there is a risk for mom to give me breast milk inside the plane shes hoping to have a room for breastfeeding privacy. Pacifier did not work for me.

Mean while things happened this week is that my first teeth came out now after several weeks of having a swollen gum ... it was the bottom two middle teeth, if you can see me it still not obvious so you may feel it with your thumb at the same time I will give you a bite for sure you feel it. haha.

I'm doing my crawling perfectly now because my belly doesn't touch the floor anymore and sometimes I give it a try to stand when I hold something for support.

Anyway this post means that mom can not drop back on you starting saturday until we return home.

I was Blessed

2008-10-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

It was the same room we entered for my echo x-ray and the physician we met was the same person who did my previous x-ray. This time mom hug me while the lady physician doing her job to me and Dad watching us and sometimes play with me when I start to cry. The physician had a hard time to locate the hole in my heart and even checked the previous results to be sure where the hole is. The x-ray last for about 20-30 minutes and I did not cry because they give me toys to play.

When we went to the doctor's room to hear the result I fell asleep. According to the result the physician who did the x-ray did not found the hole and there is a big chance that it fully closed. They scheduled me for another echo x-ray next year of March 3, this time if the hole can't be found again I can now graduate on this illness and grows like an ordinary kids says the doctor jokingly.

Thanks to those who offered their prayers for me.
Thank you Lord, we praise you with all our hearts.

Remembering Things

2008-10-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

Lately, they were amazed by the things I can do, one thing is remembering things. When they ask me "Jibun no sashin wa? "(where is your picture?) I will respond by looking on the direction of my picture hanging on the wall. "Sakana wa?" (where is the fish?) I will look on the aquarium located on our genkan and so on and so forth.

The first thing I memorized the name was my favorite toy and playmate Pooh chan (Pooh Bear) and my favorite book "Akazukin" that my mom read to me many times. Included here are my photo reading/ looking the book with my favorite toy and a photo as an 8 months old baby.

By the way I got my third DPT vaccine last monday October 27and tommorrow is my schedule for my echo xray for my illness. I hope and pray the result will be good and favorable for us.

New Home

2008-10-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

Finally I got my own domain, I'm sure I will miss the look of the original blog that is why I save even at least one screen shot. From here I will begin again from the start. Regards to my regular visitors and readers. If in case you have a link of this blog to your site please update the link to this url. Thanks

Baby walk & Talk

2008-10-26T02:17:00.000-07:00

One warm day of October, I'm on good mood talking while walking with the walker.

Having Bad Days Lately

2008-10-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm on my exploring stage and aside from my toys which do not have much appeal to me sometimes I want to discover interesting things around me that is why whenever I'm alone on my walker or when someone hold me I'll try to enjoy myself by touching everything as long as my hand reach it. But while I'm enjoying my time they always say "NO" and this made me cry. Things that I find interesting are:

television remote control - interesting when the channel suddenly change or the when I push it and the sound goes to high volume.

mom cellphone - I'll grab it when ringing.

electric cord - I'm curious whats behind this long white electric cord.

curtain-I'm having a good time pulling curtains

mirror- I enjoy to touch the cold steel that made this whole body mirror located just beside the door and I can reached it while on my walker

newspaper or any paper on kotatsu table - of course I still don't read it I just want to turn it to pieces

heater- located permanently on the corner of the house- recently I discover a push button on this heater and whenever I push it my mom scream "don't" .

Just last week when dad put something on the standing mirror so that it will not fall whenever I touch it and now they're thinking again to put something to be a hindrance on my way to the heater. And because those things seems not good for me so they gave me remote control and cellphone but all of these were already broken.

Meanwhile, I always want to listen to my dad when he is singing with his guitar and harmonica, No he is not a musician he only loves to play those things and he said he will teach me how to play with it someday. The guitar attracts me of its sound but when I touch it I just enjoy pulling its string.

About my talking progress, before going to bed tonight mom was surprised because its my first time to pronounce the syllable "mam mam ma ma" the word she was longing to hear.

My Day Begins ...

2008-10-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

The first thing that make me smile from the time I wake up every morning is when I see the smallest Pooh bear I have on my bedside, it makes me more happy when mom make her voice sounds funny as if the baby bear greets me a good morning .... playing with this stuff toy my day begins.

I just turned 8 months old last Thursday and finally at this age I'm enjoying the crawling stage unlike before that I easily cry. Also on this age you will notice a mole on my left chin and left shoulder are starting to appear.

Meanwhile at this seasons you will enjoy the sight of Cosmos flowers in the neighborhood, this is a good place for strolling.

Buying my Needs

2008-10-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

Hey do you remember the things I ones used when I was a little younger? Yes, the crib and stroller were returned back to the owner because unexpectedly she got pregnant again and we are happy for them for having another baby like me. Aside from the crib and stroller that I don't use anymore was my little bath tub due to its small size. That is why we need to buy for my necessities. Thinking practically we landed to a big second hand store or recycle shop a little far from our place which offers second hand products (sometimes new products are being sold too) from baby things, furniture, appliances, bags and almost anything. Buying me a second hand products doesn't mean they don't love me that much.

The chair on my first photo is the substitute for my old bath tub, when I first sat on this chair I enjoyed playing the toy infront of it but when I tried to use this inside the bathroom I cried maybe because I'm a little scared. Honestly telling you I always cry lately ... I always want my mom to hug me.

They bought another stroller for me good thing in a second hand shop here is that the product were almost new and you can buy it on a cheap price especially the baby equipment that has been used for only short period of time. This stroller has a gray and orange color and very light to carry ... convenient to bring wherever we go. If you will buy this for new it may costs about 200 to 300$ or more while we bought this for about 30$.

By the way about my talking development, mom were a little jealous because I can now utter "papa" instead of "mama" , does it mean I like my dad more than my mom? or I will be a papas girl when I grow up? Oh! I'm still doing my best to crawl and in fairness I "ll improve a lot and I'm getting more naughty everyday. Meanwhile this week at seven months and three weeks old I had my first bangs and ponytail.

Started Talking this Week

2008-10-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

You read it right. It just suddenly happened. This started one day that was October 1 while I'm crying because that was not the usual "waaaah" that I always did, during that time its sound like "waaahhh #$%@?& waaahhh !?}$##%&* " funny ! that is why while I was crying mom was laughing suprisingly. haha. After that day you can hear me talking alone while playing and it sounds like "blah bala blah" and now I can talk such as "bah bah dah dah". Now my mom knows how it feels to hear her angel talking. Shes happy and very excited to talk to me everytime.

Please wait for a few more weeks mom, just prepare yourself you don't know I might be the one who could loss your patience If I grow up a like talkative one. lol.

New Toys and Others

2008-09-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

I guess I will starting to like weekend because this is the time we can stroll and drive somewhere and shopping for groceries. I am more glad if dad can be with us because sometimes even Saturday and Sunday he have his job but unlike today three of us went out. We had lunch on some restaurant I mean they had delicious lunch while me my bottled milk ... to ease this sentiments they brought me to Toys R Us.

You could see the happiness on my face looking at colorful toys while riding on a baby cart, aside from that I also enjoyed watching playing kids like me and younger babies riding on their stroller inside the store. In the end they bought me a kimono style red dress and some colorful toys, its color makes me want to play with it.

About my red dress mom was attracted by the design without thinking the weather ... I can only use this for a short period of time because the weather beginning to get cold especially in the morning and evening, I think they should buy me a few more in preparation for this coming winter.

Need Some Rest

2008-09-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

Word from Mom:

Due to some unavoidable circumstances this blog needs to rest for entrecard dropping not sure how long will it takes that is why I cannot promise to drop back on you like what I've written on the other posts. To entrecard droppers, friends, readers and especially to regular droppers goodbye temporarily, Thank you for visiting and dropping on this blog.

Fast learner?

2008-09-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Seven months old baby that is me. My ears grow bigger whenever a visitor came into our house and tells me " Oh you're such a fast learning baby, you can now walk at a very young age huh!" they said that to me while seeing me walking and running around the house with my walker , I can now walk sideways and forward. using my walker. That compliment makes me more active and more naughty grabbing things I can reach while visitors watching me lol maybe I'm just a showy type of person and whenever visitors came into our house it makes me happy.

They just didn't know that I still can't crawl, I easily cry when I'm on crawling position ... maybe because my hands are not free to play with the toy that is why I feel uncomfortable. I want to sit or stand while playing and holding a toy. Or maybe I'm just a lazy kind of girl which is bad. I enjoy roll over when I'm on bed , reach some toys, move on a round motion and cry after a few minutes.

Anyway they say babies are unique individual, some even at the same age may grows differently some may have the ability to do something in advance to the others. Like me I still can't crawl or maybe I'm just too young to do crawling... but honestly I'm on doubt.

Wait! I forgot, my mom is talking about my toolbar ... if you are interested just click here. Thanks.

New EC Card

2008-09-18T05:09:00.000-07:00

To the entrecard community . . .let me introduce to you my new EC card , the first one was my old card and the second image will be my new EC card and I'm using it right now. If you happen to see this on your inbox or meet my card while browsing other blogs don't hesitate to click it because that was me. And aside from this matter, I also want to apologize to my visitors if you always find my layout changing regularly my mom have this bad habit of always experimenting every good layout she browsed from the internet so next time you visit here don't be shock of the new look just be use of it.

Meanwhile that's all for now, see you on my next post!

Okuizome

2008-09-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

Today celebrating my Okuizome was a little late because this traditional ceremony must be held when a baby reaches her 100 - 120 days of living in this world so that means ages between 3 to 4 months. I will be seven months old very soon so I should say its really late. lol. Its good to know there is a saying "better late than never" I heard from mom so we decided to celebrate it today.

By the way Okuizome is an ancient ritual and celebration for a baby wherein food is serve for her hoping she will have enough food to eat and not be hungry as she grows older and the one who will feed the baby must be the oldest person in the family or relatives.

The food they served to me was a grilled fish, some vegetables, soup, sekihan and other Japanese foods that looks really yummy that is why I was busy grabbing the plate in front of me. Can you see me looking mysteriously on the grilled fish in the second picture? hehe I was really hungry.

But the big and sad fact about this ritual for a baby is that the feeding were all fake , yes ... because the serve food were still not be given to the baby, so when dad feed me while mom taking some photos he were just pretending giving me the food while me left hanging opening my mouth that in the end it was still my baby food I had for dinner. What would you feel if someone serves delicious food in front of you and just vanished like a bubble? Oh how sad.....hmmm!

A little Embarrassing Story

2008-09-01T23:51:00.000-07:00

Guess what happened today . . . although this is a little embarrasing for me even I'm just a baby I decided to share this story to you because I'm sure many mommies or daddies out there encountered this embarrassing situation with their kids it may not be exactly but it may be like this.

You know that I always enjoy my bath time very much. Playing with my floating toys, tapping the water inside the bath tub and catching the falling water from the shower are my favorite games inside the bathroom. But today after almost finishing the shower ... mom prepared the towel to hug me to go outside the bathroom when she found out a poop inside my tub where I was playing my toys its really shameful but I couldn't take it anymore. That is why I had my shower for the second round .

I know it was disgusting but a baby like me will be prone to many illness if I will not move it out so mom please forgive me for what I have done because that was the first time I did something weird just prepare yourself for the other weird things to come because still I won't promise not to do that again anymore. lol

Top Droppers

2008-08-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is to express our gratitude to the regular droppers of this blog especially to the top droppers , you will have this spot forever and my lifetime drops (except for the days we're out) of this blog and the other blog.

This spot will be updated every end of the month if there is a change. I see to it that before dropping the other blogs you will be my first priority, forgive me but that is just the only thing I can do aside from saying "Thank you very much"

-emirie-

Fun day

2008-08-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

They guess I will be an outbody type of person, I don't cry inside the car for a long period of time as long as I'm not hungry. Like today we went to a nursery school near us and had some fun .... unfortunately all of the kids there were ages about 2 to 3 years old that is why I am the smallest and youngest one so all I could do was to watch them playing while me just biting my favorite teether.

After bothering the nursery school we went to the supermarket, This picture was a big mistake because of all corners of the supermarket mom took pictures of me in the meat section and realized later that I should be on the toys or baby section hehe I feel like promoting a meat product but in fairness this meat is a branded meat here in Japan , anyway here are the pictures.

On that way I spend my day today, a day of fun watching naughty and smart kids and shopping.

First half year of my Life

2008-08-20T20:25:00.000-07:00

Babies grow really fast, my mother just can't believe that I've already spent half year of my life. Mom have this idea of keeping my picture every month so that she can easily see how my personality changes every month. So can you spot the difference?

I had my DPT vaccine (Diphtheria?Pertussis?Tetanus) last saturday August 16 and will be back in the hospital for the second injection of this vaccine on September 6. It hurts huh!

Well, being a six month old baby mom can easily tell now that I'm a right handed baby because I'm always using my left hand in grabbing things and holding something directly to my month. Lately I have this manner of pulling everything wherever my hand reaches that is why you can always see falling objects inside my room.

Some situation me and mom have misunderstanding were during diaper change she have a hard time to change my diaper because I want to roll over right away from the moment she put me down so all I have to do is cry during this time. And oh! before I forget she is worried because I'm crying or laughing almost always on a high pitch, she forgives me on the noise I made by thinking I will be a great singer someday. But a part of her mind is worrying not knowing whether I'm growing normally or not , some says that I'm just trying to communicate by shouting. Another thing is that you can hear me crying but easily laugh when someone teases me which results crying and laughing at the same time like crazy .LOL.

I just wish I can speak soon so that I can express myself in words.

Things about me

2008-08-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

Ooppps . . . I tell you first, you will find nothing extra-ordinary on these things, mom just posted it here because later she easily forget about something and another thing is that sooner or later some of these will be dispose and some will be given to others to use it. These things will soon be gone but at least in this blog memories remains...

My baby basket is a cute yellow colored basket. This is just a give away after my parents went to a wedding, they selected it from a catalogue. I just use this for about two months. Now its inside the stock room.

My stroller together with the crib was given to us by my fathers co-employee her name is Naomi she have two little kids and no plan for another baby, the funny thing about this is that shes pregnant again for the third time. I think we should return this things and dad should buy me a new one. Good for me.

Speaking about cribs as much as possible do not put pillows, quilts, comforters or likes even my stuff toys are not good idea inside my crib this is to prevent babies of suffocation.

My baby bath still new and just use this for about six months recently I'm not comfortable using this anymore because its small now, I need a bigger space. Anyway I'm having my bath time on the big tub together with mom and sometimes with dad.

My first dress is colored pink with a blazer, although this is the smallest size this was so big at me when I wear it going home from the hospital. Can you imagine me wearing this clothes without seeing my hands and feet?

My crib mobile toy are having three different melodies, you know I can easily fall asleep when I heard it play, sooner I will memorize the sound of it. Funny thought with this is that when my mother put it on the crib it accidentally drop thats why this is broken before I was born.

Meanwhile I'm still using my walker but even though I do my best to walk still ... I'm moving backwards ... huh , I think I need more baby foods to eat before I can walk forward. Sigh.

First Solid Foods

2008-08-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

Since I turned 5 months old mom introduces me to another thing that is starting solid foods. She knows that I'm ready for solid food because I"m always watching her while eating with a mouth open. First solid she tried to give me was a rice cereal she said that is recommended for baby to be the first solid food to eat because of low risk of allergies.

My first reaction after she put the food inside my mouth was seconds of funny gestures unto my face while on the second serving I slowly chewed the food and the rest of the feedings was exciting. Lately she gives me variety food like potato and carrots. She boil it first then pureed it by a blender to ensure that I will not be choke while eating. We have also an infant canned food to be serve when she had no time to make a homemade one.
Now, my moms problem is that she doesn't know whether I'm full or not because I'm not refusing every serves she gives, I don't even turn my head nor close my mouth. I always open my mouth and cry for more ......

Me at 5 months old

2008-07-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

This was my photo when I turned five months old. This is a stolen shot while playing with Dad. There are times when mom jokingly says to my dad that maybe her real baby is not me ... maybe accidentally changed in the hospital when I was born. Silly thinking mom. She said that because me and mom never looks the same in any angle. But dad will answered with a big NO because he said that my face is very much looks like him and he is very glad hihihi I don't know why hes glad maybe because I'm cute. Anyway forget about it because that conversation happens many times.

Well at five months old my hair became thicker and longer. Dad always told my mom to cut my hair a little because its summer and I think he felt pity for me when I'm sweating but my mom will answered a big NO because since I'm a baby girl she wanted me to have a long hair to put some accesories on my hair hihihi lately that discussion happens almost everyday.

On the other hand one thing they're not discussing is about my eyes. I have a big expressive eyes. Both of them love my eyes.

Some Bad and Good News

2008-07-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes expecting too much hurts a lot. During my visit to the other doctor for my BCG vaccine, they did not hear any murmur in my heartbeat so mom and dad assumes that the hole in my heart totally close. Last week we went to my real doctor and had my echo x-ray and the result was still I have this heart defects, this result made my parents frustrated but the good news is that its getting smaller, a big chance the hole to close and low risk of operation. First from 3mm then 2mm and now 1.5 mm, it closes a half. Next schedule for my echo x-ray will be on October. Were still praying for my illness to heal.

Too early for a walker?

2008-07-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

They bought me a walker with a red, yellow and white colors. Is this too early for a five months old baby like me? When I'm using this instead of moving forward I'll do it backward. At first I was delighted but when they push the button in front of me I'll cry because I hear the voice of different animals and it scares me.

Tanabata Festival '08

2008-07-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

Today is "Tanabata Matsuri" here in Japan. Tanabata means "evening of the seventh star", this festival is derived from Chinese star festival. It celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair). The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky, separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. Since the stars come out at night, the celebration is held at night. In the big cities mainly along shopping malls and streets they celebrate this festival by hanging huge colorful streamers while on the sidewalks are small shops build only during this festival. The shop maybe selling foods or things , some are services like massage. There are also parade and other entertainment show. Anyway I'm celebrating this festival inside our house by writing wishes in the paper and hang it on the decorated bamboo, I mean mom and dad wrote the wishes and decorated the bamboo.

Vaccine

2008-07-04T06:39:00.000-07:00

It was yesterday when three of us went to the hospital (the place where I was born) for my BCG vaccine, since mom cannot read kanji dad escorted us because there was a form that need to be filled and all written in kanji . It was about our family health background; mom have a history of tuberculosis and was healed three years before ... for that reason dad was hesitate to give me the vaccine.

We meet the doctor (not the same doctor of my heart problem) and they talked about moms' history of tuberculosis they say that since mom was healed before I was born they think that its okay to give me the vaccine, another thing dad asked was about my heart problem .... the doctor says that my heart problem doesn't matter, then after the conversation the doctor with his stethoscope checked my heartbeat after a long silent he said that he didn't hear any murmur (thanks God). So the conversation ends with a smile on my parents face.

We hope that the hole in my heart had closed because this month of 17th I still need to have an echo x-ray. Anyway we left the hospital because the BCG vaccination there were scheduled every Friday and we didn't got an appointment because it was full so we landed into small hospital near our place. This time it was a long conversation about me and moms' health history. In the end instead of the vaccine the doctor gave me a tuberculin skin test. We stayed there about half an hour to observe me for any reaction. They need to observe me for 48 hours and if no reaction occurs we will go back there tomorrow for a true BCG vaccine.

A Visit from Health Worker

2008-06-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

A health worker in our place came in our house yesterday to see me at first mom were hesitate to talk because she still not good in speaking complicated and deep Japanese language but when the lady says that she wants to talk about the baby yes that's me, then mom feels glad and decided to talk with the woman because there are things mom worrying about me. At first the woman asked mom everything about how she feeds me, mom always worried about me because lately I stopped drinking milk in the bottle before it was mixed breast and bottle milk feed. I don't want the rubber nipple nor the taste of formula milk its like a pacifier. It will be almost a month of intensive breastfeeding. The woman asked about what time I sleep and wake up. Then they talked about appointments, what to do when the baby have a fever, etc. The woman give different advice to mom. Lastly they started to undress me and put me on the scale... I was 6.8 kls and they measured my height I was 60.0 cm. They made a chart and the result everything was normal. The woman says that I need to go to my pedia for BCG vaccination since I am four months old. Thoughts of going somewhere makes me feel happy because I don't like to always stay in my room I always want to go somewhere. I hope we can go next week.

(Lets go driving)

Story of A Baby

2008-06-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

A baby asked God,

"They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,

but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"

"Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

The child further inquired,

"But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do

anything but sing and smile to be happy."

God said,

"Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you.

And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."

Again the child asked,

"And how am I going to be able to understand

when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"

God said,

"Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words

you will ever hear,

and with much patience and care,

your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"

God said,

"Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?"

God said, "Your angel will defend you

even if it meansrisking it's life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me

and will teach you the way to come back to Me,

even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven,

but voices from Earth could be heard

and the child hurriedly asked,

"God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."

"You will simply call her, 'Mom.'"

Another Month Older

2008-06-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

Last monday I turned four months old and as usual each time I turns a month older mom always took a picture of me so that she can easily distinguished what changes in me. As a four months baby my hair getting thicker and longer and my skin back to my younger months I am a little bit dark now becomes pale in color, and here are the other development :

can totally control my head

can now easily roll over (last month was a hard time).

I can now stand with my own feet if someone support me on my sides.

can now make vocal sound like ah ah ah (aside from crying).

get excited when mom prepare for breastfeeding.

Kicks legs a lot. Splashes hands and feet in bathtub

When lying on tummy, my legs straighten, and I will make swimming movements with both arms and legs.

I watches moving people and gazes across a room.

Looks for complexity and novelty in surroundings

Both hands grasp at approximate size of object to manipulate it, then I put object in my mouth

Easily tracks objects with my eyes

can now grab and hold

Explores my own body with hands

Father's Day

2008-06-15T02:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all wonderful father around the world.
This poem is dedicated to my father:

A Little Girl Needs Daddy

A little girl needs Daddy

For many, many things:

Like holding her high off the ground

Where the sunlight sings!

Like being the deep music

That tells her all is right

When she awakens frantic with

The terrors of the night.

Like being the great mountain

That rises in her heart

And shows her how she might get home

When all else falls apart.

Like giving her the love

That is her sea and air,

So diving deep or soaring high

She'll always find him there.

Author Unknown

Relatives Visits Me

2008-06-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

Today is weekend ... my fathers relative came here today to see me for the first time since they are living about 3 hours away from us. They bought gift oh its not really a gift they bought money as a gift because it is a tradition in here when someone had a baby friends or relatives (must) give a gift to the parents for the child to use. In my case, aside from money we recieved are baby dress, car seat, crib, toy gift card, baby clothes and toys. To the relatives who gave us money as their gift after a month as far as I know about 30 % of the amount will be given back to them as the okaishi (something in return). My dad made a gift card as okaishi. By the way today we went to a yakiniku resturant (grill restaurant) with my dad and mom, grandfather, uncle and his wife, and my auntie.

do I look bossy?

I'm ready

Bath time is Fun time

2008-06-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

My favorite time of the day is bath time even if I feel sleepy I become excited and alert when I feel if its a bath time. I don't want to leave my little tub. I want to play with the water especially hot day like today.

I'm growing more

2008-06-09T00:50:00.000-07:00

At three and half months old I can now roll over at my left side.

Using Pacifier

2008-06-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

I'm so stressed today my mom introduced something that made of rubber its yellow in color and she cold it pacifier. I don't like the taste of it I pushed it with my tongue outside my mouth but mom said that its sweet : ) I know its has no taste and no milk coming out from it ... she said I need it especially during bedtime but mom insisted so I cried ...cried...cried ... mom get tired too and she forgive me.

Growth

2008-06-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

I'm growing just like any other baby. During this time there are many things change in me, here are some:

I can control my head a little as the muscle on my neck become stronger

I can turn my head from side to side while on stomach and propped up on forearms

I kick more vigorously

I love to watch moving and colorful objects

I smile in response when someone talking to me or

I make sound as a response

I turn my head towards sound

Some Good News

2008-05-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

Before I reach 2 months old they scheduled me again for another echo. This time I did not fell asleep since the process takes too long that is why I cried and cried until I fall asleep. That was the loudiest cry I did. But its worth it when the doctor talked to my dad he told us the thruth that I had 2 holes in my heart but another one was smaller than the 3 mm my parents got scared again but the doctor said that the smaller one has closed. And the 3 mm hole became smaller that it becomes 2 mm. The doctor scheduled me for another echo on July 17. Next time we visit the hospital we hope that the hole in my heart to be totally close and heal. It was a good news. My parents and I were so happy until we reach home. (some pictures of two months)sleeping with the poohs

Baby's Heart Murmurs

2008-03-29T22:45:00.000-07:00

During my 2 weeks check up in the hospital the nurses check my height and weight and my head circumference size ... Im enjoying the colorful sight of the room and the kind nurses thats why I always smile at them and the good thing was all the result was normal. But when the doctor spoke to my mom and dad he said that there was something weird in the sound of my heartbeat it was like a noise or like a sound of a running water, he said that I have a risk of heart disease and out of 100 children 2 or 3 children are having a disease like me so the doctor made another appointment. My mom and dad were shocked when they hear what the doctor says they was so worried .

After a week we went back to the hospital for my echo. Before we enter the echo room I felt asleep I just felt that they put a cold liquid on my chest something like gel and with the use of an instrument another doctor watching my heartbeat in a monitor by my side and it was so dark . The procedure took a long time its seems like the doctor not familiar with her work or maybe the process really takes time.

As we waited for the result I saw many children with their mom . they're so cute like me. My mom saw a little girl about 2 years old walking around how she wish I grow like that little girl normally. Finally they called for us, I saw the same doctor during my 2 weeks check up. The doctor said that hes not mistaken according to the result I have a 3 mm hole in my heart, there something wrong with my heart chamber or valve. He said that this disease was the simpliest form of heart diseases and nothing to worry about because the hole may have a chance to close. He said that he met more serious and more bigger heart hole but after operated are now living in good condition normally. But again my parents were so dismay by the news.

Here is my omiyamairi picture when I was a month old, we went to a jinja or temple and had a ceremony. My father says that it is a tradition for a baby to wear a kimono so I wore an orange kimono that was so big and heavy that I could not see my hands and feet ... anyway that day was so cold so the dress made my body warm.

The Day I was Born

2008-02-22T19:22:00.000-08:00

At last after almost 14 hours of my moms in labor I was born at 12:35 pm with weighed 2954 grams. After a long rest my mom and I went to our room with my dad me in my crib. Everyday was a routine , I have a memo pad beside my bed when my mom change my diaper she always wrote something in there. Every morning about 10 my mom take me to the nursery for my bath time. During breastfeeding time I easily fell asleep that is why nurses always press the back of my feet and it awakes me because it makes me cry. When visitors come they always surprised because I have a very thick hair unlike the other babies . We stayed in the hospital for a week. Here is the shot of our room in the hospital I'm on the bed .

Finally its time to go home, that day it was sunny, windy and cold because its still winter. Its only dad went to drugstore to buy some stuff while mom and I waited inside the car for my dad because I fell asleep I like riding in the car.

When I woke up we are in front of our house and upon entering my mom says that the house is a little messy maybe because dad is busy in his job and no one will clean the house. We finally went to my room where my mom and dad furnished for me and of course its not messy they prepared it for me many months before I came. To others maybe its not that good but to me this is my safest place. So this is my room I am here with my family. My mom took a snap shot of my room before she gave birth to me.