I'm noticing that as Kai is more and more mobile and active and interesting, I'm finding less and less time to grab my camera to capture it all. Here are a few snapshots of December 2010 in our lives..
Kai LOVES noodles!!!
Kai is a big fan of noodles, but spaghetti with meat sauce hands-down is the best and tastiest and funnest and messiest meal of them all.
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| Yummmmmm!!!!!!!!!! |
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| Meat sauce leave-in hair conditioner |
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Walking, running, playing
Our baby is no longer techinically really a baby. He is running all over the place and I'm sure if he were taller, he'd be climbing over more things, too. It's interesting to see what he learns each day or how his mind works or what he gets into. Recently, I had to move his diaper pail up onto a high stool because Kai really wanted to dig his hands into there and pull out his stinky diapers. Gross! He still really enjoys throwing things down the stairs and he's into hiding objects. For example, yesterday, he hid the remote controls in my slippers! He still likes digging around in the kitchen cupboards and throwing tupperware around the floor. I have to keep an eye out and actually move the remotes because I caught him also taking the batteries out of the remotes and sucking on the batteries. Kai hasn't really said any new words, but he's picking up the baby sign language more. He waves bye-bye more regularly. He signs "milk" and "more" all the time. At gymboree he claps and follows along during the songs. He knows just when it is parachute and bubble time and really likes to watch the gymboree teachers. Kai still really enjoys reading a lot and could read his favorites again and again. A new favorite "Brown Bear, Brown Bear"... Tutu read it to him six times in a row! And he signs "more" to read it again as soon as the story is done. On Thursdays, when the weather is not rainy, we go to the park to join the japanese moms. It is good for Kai to get out to the playground and it is also good practice for me with Japanese.
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| What adventure is out there today, mom?! |
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| making a mess/"playing" |
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| at the Japanese moms' group with Keila and Auntie Katie |
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| running around semi-naked... so much fun! |
Tahoe
My parents have this timeshare in Maui that they have NEVER used. We have benefited from their ownership by using their timeshare points to go to Tahoe. This year we planned a trip with the thought of taking Kai to see the snow for the first time. Ryuta was an avid snowboarder and went 7 times one winter. Since Kai's been born, he hasn't gone in 2 years. Our original plan was to go to Tahoe with my parents and the Fukudas. The babies could experience the snow and my parents could babysit one day while we hit the slopes. Well, the weather report for the weekend sounded pretty horrible with an incoming snowstorm. We decided to leave Kai home because we just couldn't see getting stuck on the roads and have a screaming kid in the back. It ended up being a weekend getaway just the two of us... and it was wonderful! It was just a pair of warm, waterproof gloves and a ski mask away from perfect. We borrowed mom's landcruiser and had no problems at all getting there or back and actually talked the whole way roundtrip! (Usually one of us sleeps while the other drives.) We got to hang out, eat lots of carbs and junk, sleep, go to Heavenly, gamble. It was great!
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| at the top of mountain... freeeezzing!!! |
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| at the casino... Ryuta got -$60 and I got +$4 in roulette. |
Christmas
Does your family have any holiday traditions? Our family has been creating new ones. Last year, my grandpa and his wife came to stay with us from Las Vegas. Also, last Christmas Eve, we went to my aunt's house for crab. Last year on the 26th, Jenn and the girls came up from SD and everyone hung out and exchanged gifts. Due to the success and general merriment, we all decided to go for a repeat of last year. Grandpa and Lynn came again. We went down to San Jose for Christmas Eve for crab. On the 26th, the girls came up from SD. A new one we tried this year was sukiyaki for Christmas dinner. Ryuta was commenting on how he wasn't the biggest fan of American holiday foods (turkey, mashed potato, etc.), so we thought having a little japanese feast might be a neat idea to try. Ryuta went to Mitsuwa market and prepared the whole Christmas dinner. It was yappari very oishii!!! Of course, we spent the whole week of Grandpa's visit playing Wii everyday. I'm trying to get Kai back to his normal life after the holidays. We stayed up later than usual (although Kai woke up earlier than usual, too. not a good combination.) Anytime someone grabs the TV remote or appears to.. he grabs the Wii controllers and bends down and grabs the Wii fit board from under the sofa. He stands on the Wii fit board with the Wii controller and looks at us like, "ok, I'm ready!" He played the penguin slide game on Wii fit by just standing on one side of the board. The iceburg just tilted to one side and the penguin kept sliding to the left, but Kai caught 33 fish! He was pretty amazed, too. Although I have to teach him that Wii is NOT a normal part of our everyday life. Only when Grandpa is here. The two things I've really enjoyed during the holidays this year was: (1) watching Kai watch and run around and scream happily while he chased after all his older cousins (I thought a lot about Ryan, Sarah, and especially Andrew..and wished they were here) and (2) watching Kai try to open his gifts. It was definitely a lot more interesting than last year when he just lied there and stared at the ceiling.
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| San Jose Christmas in the Park |
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| Jenn & I with our kiddies |
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| singing for the 1st time in the choir for the Christmas service.. |
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| Joy to the World! |
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| handsome Sanui men :) |
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| Christmas with Grandpa |
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| our 2010 Christmas card |
It's strange to think that 2011 marks not only a new year, but a new decade. We will be spending New Year's Eve at home with friends, good food, and games. We hope your holiday season is safe, warm, and memorable!
