**Warning for my father not to fall off his chair when reading the following...
I'm only writing this here because maybe maybe MAYBE it will make me actually do this thing.
Brent has been talking about training for a mini-triathlon. Working on running and biking and swimming. He even bought new fancy shoes yesterday.
So today I asked him about the training schedules he'd been looking at. He said it was a little discouraging because they all BEGAN with "run for 30 minutes." Well, embarrassingly, that's not something either of us are in good enough shape to do. He said he needs a plan to start slower than that.
Couch to 5k popped into my head. I'm not sure where I even heard that term. But I Googled it and sure enough: A nine-week plan to get even a couch potato running a 5k. And then I thought, hmmm... I wonder... so I flipped over to iTunes, and sure enough -- an app for the iTouch that lets you play your music while a voiceover tells you when to run and when to walk and when to run again for each step-by-step workout.
We downloaded to both of our iTouch (because by now I'd gotten mildly interested) and put shoes on our feet and helmets on the boys and the girl in her stroller and off to the track we went. Jake rode his bike most of the time. Quinn ran a lot and rode the Skuut a little (his legs aren't quite long enough to do it easily yet). And Brent and I did our "thing."
It worked ridiculously well and we both looked at each other afterwards and said, "That was easy." I'm not sure we'll be saying the same in a few weeks. But we'll try to keep you posted.
I will SO laugh if I actually run the New Year's 5k.
Did I mention that I hate running?
Kira, there are a few things about you that must be written down for posterity before I completely forget about them.
1. You and I have exactly the same eyebrows. Our left one has a bit of a peak, the other does not.
2. One of your very favorite things if having your shirt put on or taken off. You just love the fabric going over your face. You laugh every time.
3. You slept through the night at an insanely early age. 5 hours at a stretch the first week. They were concerned and wanted me to wake you up to feed. But that's just silly. By your third week you were only feeding once at night, after cluster feeding for the hours before bedtime. And probably by 12 weeks you were sleeping upwards of 8 hours a night. Daddy began asking when I was going to move you into your crib since I wasn't feeding you at all during the night. I said, "This may be the last. Give me a little while longer." But you've been in your crib now for several weeks and are happy as a clam.
4. I really do think you have a beautiful little face. You've got your dad's lips and such big eyes and gorgeous skin tone. You've also got your dad's ears. Which, on a pretty little face like yours, is not the greatest thing. It's not that your dad has bad ears, but he has a much bigger head. On you, the ears are a bit... well... shall we say... BIG. And they stick out in an adorable sort of way.
But the funniest thing about this is that your right ear often gets folded over and sticks that way when I'm rocking you or feeding you or when you are sleeping. But yesterday morning, you woke and your dad brought you all the way downstairs and into the kitchen to me and when he handed you off, your ear was STILL stuck!! Oh my. It may be long hair for you.
5. You've gotten to the age where you grin and giggle a little in excitement when you see my nipple.
6. Your hair. I just don't know what it's going to be like. You have a huge cowlick swirl in the back and your hair will only brush over to the right. It still looks kinky/curly-ish when it's wet, but straight otherwise. You've definitely lost some since birth, but there's still an awful lot there.
7. You have the most beautiful nail beds. They are somehow long and gorgeous.
8. You belly laugh when I rub under your chin.
9. You sleep and ride beautifully in the car during the day time. But at night, you cry and scream and generally make me feel like I've had 4 espressos while trying to get you home asap.
10. We don't know what to do about your name. We all pronounce your name in the Japanese way (Key-duh). Your dad thinks we should just tell people that is your name. But his name is BRENT. He hasn't had to correct people's pronunciation of his name constantly. I'm pretty sure it would be a nightmare to try to teach people to say it that way. Maybe it will just be the cute nickname we have for you.
Halloween 2009
The T-Rex
The Triceratops
And the... uh... well, it's technically a dragon costume, but as close as I could get. DO YOU SEE THOSE FLIRTY EYES??
And then the sleepy ones a few minutes later...
It rained on the actual night and so these are a bit rain-blurred... but they had fun getting candy and eating as much as they could from about 6 houses. That's a good amount of candy as far as I'm concerned!
The were adorable...
As mentioned before, we spent our 40th & 38th birthdays on Ie Island, off the north-western coast of Okinawa. We barely made it to the ferry because I managed to get on the expressway going in the wrong direction and drove for 20 minutes before either of us realized it. By then I was certain we would miss the ferry, but somehow (let's not talk about my driving) managed to make it with 15 minutes to spare.
The boys LOVED being on the ferry -- even if it was just a 30 minutes hop. They made friends with the swarms of people who seemed to surround them and perfected their WAVE.
The island has this funny little mountain on it called Gusuku-yama (Yama=Mountain). This was to be the high point (pun intended) of our trip.
That night's dinner was Brent's big exciting 40th with his little family. We had a traditional Japanese meal that was yummy but left us starving about an hour later...
The next day was our big adventure, starting with a taxi ride (WOOHOO, THE EXCITEMENT!!) to Mt. Gusuku.
The boys were troopers up all 300 steps.
Kira rode happily in the sling.
Great views of the whole little island from the top and over to the Aquarium on Okinawa.
Next we taxied to some caves where approximately 1000 people lived during the Battle of Okinawa. Evidently both the US and Japanese armies knew they were there, but let them be. It was amazing to imagine how terrifying and awful that kind of an experience would be.
We all took a nice long nap in the afternoon and then went down for my birthday dinner -- this time a yakiniku (cook your own meat and veggie) meal. It was wonderful, but again portions for people smaller than us (not that it wouldn't help for us to eat a bit less -- but COME ON, this was a birthday meal!). We did have some yummy chocolate cake for dessert though.
The next morning after packing our luggage (and don't get me started on how much more difficult it is to pack up 5 of us than it used to be when it was just me and my backpack), we went down to the beach and did some seashell and sea glass hunting. We saw a few BOB's (hermit crabs) and did some posing for Dad. This first one is the "Aviva Shot"...
We spent a little bit of time in the COLD pool (they were closing it for the season the next day) and then headed back to the ferry for our trip home.
We truly had a wonderful time.
The trip got me to thinking about how I'd like to spend MY 40th birthday... thinking a weekend away with no kids!! Should be the first birthday I will have had in 7 years not being pregnant or breastfeeding. EXCITING to imagine!
You've found your hands and your voice.
Over the last week you've begun to grab everything within reach. My hair, toys, my face, Jake's fingers, and most beautifully today, some dark chocolate (which of course I didn't let you have). You're four months old and the baby in you is drifting into the past. You are active and grabby and delightful.
And your voice. You love to talk. Much like your bigger brother, Quinn. And I can't understand either of you. You babble and vocalize often. And the raspberries have just begun. You're spitting and buzzing all over the place. It's fabulous.
Thanks, Tara, for the pix!
We've had a busy couple of weeks as we celebrated a B-I-G birthday in our home. Brent was born 40 years ago in 1969 and we thought that deserved some incredible partying!! We had different things planned on different days...
Tuesday, the 22nd (a week before the big day): We surprised him with a massage at Risner Gym. He came back looking like Silly Putty and happy! That night, he ordered his big presents online (with big thanks to the 'rents for the b-day money) -- a 50mm prime Nikor lens and an 18-200mm Nikor lens for his camera.
Wednesday, the 23rd: I arranged for babysitting for Quinn (Thanks, Tara!) and surprised Brent with breakfast at the Rose Garden followed by our first visit to a Love Motel. Brent was pretty mortified when we pulled up to the lit up screen to pick our room... I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to go except that I'd taken a trip with my OkiHai girls a few weeks previously to scope our and demystify the Love Motel Experience. You can read about that (and see the room we stayed in -- "The Wacky") HERE. The tub was gigantic and the whole experience was a little silly -- but fun! And we can check that off our list. Wait, was it on our list?
Thursday, the 24th: Left the kids with Taba-san and enjoyed the last surprise -- pedicures for us both at Cocok's. And yes, Brent LOVES it. Giggles through the whole thing -- but he loves the leg/foot massage.
Brent worked Friday through Tuesday morning (27th, his actual birthday) -- so not much celebrating then, EXCEPT for Brent beginning his application for returning to college (he completed it and submitted it on Friday!). Awesome thing to do for your 40th, eh?
On Tuesday, we all left for northern Okinawa to jump on a ferry to Ie Island and the YYY resort. We chose to go there because they have a one night "birthday special" you can use within 7 days of your birthday. Since our birthdays are only 2 days apart, we were able to use two nights in a row. Breakfast and dinner included with our stay. We had a fabulous time -- pictures to follow.
We came back on the afternoon of my birthday (29th) and had yummy hamburgers at Captain Kangaroo's and raced back to base to make it before the post office closed. Brent was THRILLED to find his lenses had arrived. I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more photos over the next months!!
Happy Birthday to us both!
I picked up the pictures of the kids from the 100th day photo shoot. Here's Kira's solo shot:
And the full length shot of the three...
And then the close up (my scanner did something weird with this large photo -- sorry about that!)...
Love my gorgeous kiddos!
Several times a year, Jake's school sends home pictures of school events and daily life. I finally remembered to scan them in this week, but my scanner is filthy -- so please excuse the dust...
LOVE this first shot... listening to stories, I think..
My graceful son practicing hand motions for music & dance program..
I think this pix was taken right before Children's Day..
Lovely Montessori activities... lacing paper...
And another... wooden toys, yippee!!
And some coloring...
At all Japanese schools, physicians and dentists visit DURING the school day on a regular basis. Wonderful... (Oh, and the monk in the painting (Top Left) is funny cuz Jake says he looks like Pop!)
Lunch and prayer!!
Play time...
Looks like ready to go home... maybe a last prayer??
We've been so thrilled with the school. Not entirely sure how much Japanese Jake really speaks -- he mostly sings in Japanese, but we love the school none-the-less...
The realities of life for a third child have already become apparent. I have chosen not to give Kira a pacifier because she is the third kid. If she had a pacifier that kept her happy and tearless, she would probably starve to death. I need to know LOUDLY when she needs food or a change or a nap.
Also, I already know that her "milestones" are not going to be as well documented. I believe that Jake was so well watched that every new movement or activity was cheered. Not so for Kira.
Case in point:
On Monday afternoon, I was messing around in the kitchen and Brent was in the living room. I had put Kira down on a blanket near Brent before heading into the kitchen. A few minutes later Jake said, "Momma, look at Kira -- she's soooo strong!" (He was mimicking what we've been saying about her cobra pose -- head and chest lifted while on her belly.) I responded with an Oh Great... while not really paying attention. It took a few moments for the comment to register and then I looked into the living room, and sure enough, there she was -- on her tummy, looking around. I said, Brent... And he looked over at her, paused... then looked up at me and said, "Didn't you put her on her back?"
Yes. Yes, I did.
Back to front. And no one to cheer.
But we're cheering now!
Brent already posted about this last weekend's Undokai and Jake's continuing adventures at his Japanese preschool HERE. But this is a little video of his big race!!
Recent Comments
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Dixie D. Reed said:
Hey, I'm sure you guys can do it if you keep it up and your father will be very proud!... read more
on C25K -
Dixie D. Reed said:
Give me a head's up and I'll be there to take care of the kids on your 40th. Can't wait... read more
on Ie Island: The Birthdays -
Dixie D. Reed said:
I didn't know this about her at night in the car -- that's kind of funny. What if you turned... read more
on Things about You
I hate running too and before I knew it I was running a half marathon. You can SO do this.....a... read more
on C25K