No, no baby yet. We are working on baby announcements A LOT. Something that we didn't do with Joshua. Well, we have our excuses but the main one was.... we were stressed out. There was a lot going on during that time in our lives. Hopefully our son won't hold it against us all his life. Now that we have a little more time and resources we are doing some things with the second one that we weren't able to do with the first. Namely baby announcements. Mike is here in California now which has been nice. Despite him not working... we've had no problem finding things to do.
Joshua will be starting kindergarten next week with the threat that in 3 weeks he will be relocated to another school. Yes, like many public schools throughout the region, his school is facing overcrowding. What California has done is set up a bussing system to another school close by for children who have been "cut off". I'm hoping that it doesn't happen seeing as his first year of school might be filled with going to 3 schools but unfortunately, it's out of my hands.
Joshua had his Buzz Lightyear birthday party last week and we were fortunate enough to have a lot of friends join us, including some special ones from Japan. Well, now they are in Monterey. He is so into Buzz Lightyear right now and unfortunately it's a hard toy to come by. I had to order his party supplies on line. As Mike has told me... Disney owns us! We are suckers when it comes to Buzz Lightyear. We were fortunate enough to find a Buzz Lightyear Halloween costume at the Disney store for Joshua this year - complete with a flashing light button.
For a gift, Mike sent me this very very cute pajama set for the hospital. It includes a matching gown for the baby. Which reminds me, I've got to fill up that "going to the hospital" bag! I'd have to say with this one, we are planning much better. The same weekend that Joshua was born, we were planning on buying the nursery furniture and the weekend prior, I think I had just returned from my baby shower. Our family is pretty notorious for having early babies. My cousin's water broke at her baby shower. I'm hoping that I can keep this one in longer!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Travel with Baby Showers
OK, I thought I would blend the title together. I woke up at 5:00AM this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. Either this has to do with my pregnancy or, I'm super anxious about my flight tomorrow. Probably a little bit of both.
Last night some close friends of mine held a baby shower for me. The decorations were so cute (surfboards, lanterns, and swim trunks) and the food was great (Make you own ice cream sandwiches). There were some great ladies there a mix of on and off basers which made for fun conversation. We played a game of hanging clothes on the line while holding a baby doll and talking on the phone. (All the while creating a fake conversation on the phone). Then I opened all the gifts. So many baby clothes and fun things! Which I really needed. I've been able to get most of the gear it's just the clothes and little things that I was needing.
I will post pictures when I can. Mike and I went to together and bought me a camera that I could have during my travels. A little Canon Power Shot SD1100 IS Digital Elph. I wanted something that was made in Japan and not China which the Japanese Salesman at the NEX was very happy about. The Canon Rebel is just too big for me to take and, Mike wouldn't give that up for 2 whole months! I am now under obligation to take a lot of pictures and post them. Something that has been Mike's domain in the past. (no pressure!) I'm super anxious about leaving for such a long time. I will really miss my friends here. I've made so many close ones. I'm looking forward to seeing my family and I hope they are happy about seeing me but it's a long time to be away from my husband and friends and house and life! Stay tuned. This Summer should be interesting as I deal with pregnancy, childbirth, reverse culture shock, and family drama!
Just recently, I made a new dessert called Chocolate Sludge a dessert fit for 2 soon to be 3 boys in the house.
Last night some close friends of mine held a baby shower for me. The decorations were so cute (surfboards, lanterns, and swim trunks) and the food was great (Make you own ice cream sandwiches). There were some great ladies there a mix of on and off basers which made for fun conversation. We played a game of hanging clothes on the line while holding a baby doll and talking on the phone. (All the while creating a fake conversation on the phone). Then I opened all the gifts. So many baby clothes and fun things! Which I really needed. I've been able to get most of the gear it's just the clothes and little things that I was needing.
I will post pictures when I can. Mike and I went to together and bought me a camera that I could have during my travels. A little Canon Power Shot SD1100 IS Digital Elph. I wanted something that was made in Japan and not China which the Japanese Salesman at the NEX was very happy about. The Canon Rebel is just too big for me to take and, Mike wouldn't give that up for 2 whole months! I am now under obligation to take a lot of pictures and post them. Something that has been Mike's domain in the past. (no pressure!) I'm super anxious about leaving for such a long time. I will really miss my friends here. I've made so many close ones. I'm looking forward to seeing my family and I hope they are happy about seeing me but it's a long time to be away from my husband and friends and house and life! Stay tuned. This Summer should be interesting as I deal with pregnancy, childbirth, reverse culture shock, and family drama!
Just recently, I made a new dessert called Chocolate Sludge a dessert fit for 2 soon to be 3 boys in the house.
Friday, July 4, 2008
6 More Days
So Mike has come home from being away in Singapore and Diego Garcia for 2 weeks and in 6 days it will be my turn to leave. During his time away, I stayed really busy with my great group of friends but it was still hard at times. I have to say I'm not really looking forward to leaving. I do love my family but it will be hard being away from home and Mike for all that time. Believe it or not, we get a long pretty well. Plus, now that he's home I feel this overwhelming pressure to nest in one weeks time. So, I'm going just a tad loony. At the same time, I've spent so much time out of the "baby loop" I've sorta forgotten what a baby needs or, what I should have for a baby. That thought came to a reality when my girlfriend said:
Girlfriend: "So, do you basically have everything that you need?"
Me: : "Sure, I think so. I mean, babies don't need much."
Girlfriend: "So you have like burpcloths.....?"
Me: "Uh, no not yet"
I didn't even really think about that. So, I looked up a little list online of things that babies need and I'll probably go by that. I'm planning to get most things like layette and little things when I'm back in the states. It's less expensive than out in town and I'll buy it at the location rather than buying it all now and then mailing it.
Of course the second time around, there are things that I know I probably won't need. We never had a changing table for Joshua. In the beginning we just changed him in the crib and later on we just changed him wherever. I remember for Joshua's baby shower, poeple made me a ton of blankets that were never used because, well, we lived in San Diego and the apartment usually never dipped below 65 degrees even in the winter and during the Spring, Summer & Fall with no AC it was 80+ in there. This time around I know we'll need more cold weather equipment.
The winters are a lot cooler here and Summer usually doesn't come into full swing until around late June so, I'll need snowsuits and such. I think I'll have to invest in snowsuits for both Joshua and the baby. Since, Joshua is getting more and more into the snow and I'm hoping that we get out more during the winter.
Girlfriend: "So, do you basically have everything that you need?"
Me: : "Sure, I think so. I mean, babies don't need much."
Girlfriend: "So you have like burpcloths.....?"
Me: "Uh, no not yet"
I didn't even really think about that. So, I looked up a little list online of things that babies need and I'll probably go by that. I'm planning to get most things like layette and little things when I'm back in the states. It's less expensive than out in town and I'll buy it at the location rather than buying it all now and then mailing it.
Of course the second time around, there are things that I know I probably won't need. We never had a changing table for Joshua. In the beginning we just changed him in the crib and later on we just changed him wherever. I remember for Joshua's baby shower, poeple made me a ton of blankets that were never used because, well, we lived in San Diego and the apartment usually never dipped below 65 degrees even in the winter and during the Spring, Summer & Fall with no AC it was 80+ in there. This time around I know we'll need more cold weather equipment.
The winters are a lot cooler here and Summer usually doesn't come into full swing until around late June so, I'll need snowsuits and such. I think I'll have to invest in snowsuits for both Joshua and the baby. Since, Joshua is getting more and more into the snow and I'm hoping that we get out more during the winter.
Monday, June 30, 2008
EnoSpa
Karri and I had the opportunity to go to the EnoSpa on Enoshima Island yesterday for some massages! A side note that it can be a hunt to find a good massage here. The base offers massage but all fully clothed. BOOO! I was also looking for prenatal massage as, in my condition, I can't get a regular or shiatsu massage. There are curtain areas on my body that are off limits like pressure on my ankles which can lead to premature labor.
Karri really worked hard to make all of the arrangements. Since the spa only speaks Japanese a friend of hers booked the appointments and made sure that they had a special table for my belly. We didn't have strait forward directions there so, it took us longer to get there than expected. The spa was kind enough to call. (Somone who knew Engrish asked if we were still coming) We felt horrible to push back our appointment to 12:00 but they said it was OK. The spa itself is fairly easy to find. We were just scared Gaijin drivers! We definitely felt like VIPs. Because of our appointment, they reserved a parking spot in their garage for us. An employee flagged us down from the road and waved us into the garage. Normally there is no parking for the spa. However, there is public parking on the island. The place itself seemed very shi shi overlooking the ocean.
Because we were on a time restraint and because I'm pregnant, we couldn't really enjoy the onsen part. We went strait up to the appointment massage area after washing. Once in the room, I laid down not on a western massage table, but a soft futon on a raised floor. The futon had a cushy reclined pillow with a hole for by belly. It felt so good to lay on my front side again! My masseuse was very gentle and used all natural grape seed oil and hot towels. After the massage, I showered again and was invited to sit in the lounge covered with a warm towel and served raspberry herbal tea and dried fruit. HEAVEN!
The base price was 9000 yen for the massage but after all of the spa fees (I had to become a member, access to all the floors of the spa, first time fee etc.) it ended up being about 13000 for the whole thing. Which isn't too different from a good massage in the states.
I can't wait to go there again when our little mango is out and we are both healthy so I can try all of the other services. It's perfect for an all day date. They have a swimsuit area and tradition onsen. They also have a relaxation room, shiatsu massage level, and eateries. I wouldn't mind getting a shiatsu again and I really miss onsen.
Karri really worked hard to make all of the arrangements. Since the spa only speaks Japanese a friend of hers booked the appointments and made sure that they had a special table for my belly. We didn't have strait forward directions there so, it took us longer to get there than expected. The spa was kind enough to call. (Somone who knew Engrish asked if we were still coming) We felt horrible to push back our appointment to 12:00 but they said it was OK. The spa itself is fairly easy to find. We were just scared Gaijin drivers! We definitely felt like VIPs. Because of our appointment, they reserved a parking spot in their garage for us. An employee flagged us down from the road and waved us into the garage. Normally there is no parking for the spa. However, there is public parking on the island. The place itself seemed very shi shi overlooking the ocean.
Because we were on a time restraint and because I'm pregnant, we couldn't really enjoy the onsen part. We went strait up to the appointment massage area after washing. Once in the room, I laid down not on a western massage table, but a soft futon on a raised floor. The futon had a cushy reclined pillow with a hole for by belly. It felt so good to lay on my front side again! My masseuse was very gentle and used all natural grape seed oil and hot towels. After the massage, I showered again and was invited to sit in the lounge covered with a warm towel and served raspberry herbal tea and dried fruit. HEAVEN!
The base price was 9000 yen for the massage but after all of the spa fees (I had to become a member, access to all the floors of the spa, first time fee etc.) it ended up being about 13000 for the whole thing. Which isn't too different from a good massage in the states.
I can't wait to go there again when our little mango is out and we are both healthy so I can try all of the other services. It's perfect for an all day date. They have a swimsuit area and tradition onsen. They also have a relaxation room, shiatsu massage level, and eateries. I wouldn't mind getting a shiatsu again and I really miss onsen.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
A Window
So, I was going through our old picture files and came across these gems.
How did it go by so fast? Here is a window into our future! If you're interested in seeing more baby pictures of Joshua or, our early married life in San Diego click here
How did it go by so fast? Here is a window into our future! If you're interested in seeing more baby pictures of Joshua or, our early married life in San Diego click here
Friday, June 27, 2008
Yogi
A good friend of mine, Karri is the Yoga instructor on base. She is awesome......all of the other Yoga instructors are awesome here too but she is the awesomist because she's my friend. Anyway, I finally dragged my butt down to her prenatal yoga class yesterday. I had been doing some videos at home and they helped but her class was great. It helped stretch out my calves which are notorious for cramping up and helped stretch out my rib cage which is getting more and more crowded these days. If anyone reading this is pregnant and residing on or attached somehow to Yokosuka Navy Base try her class. For first time moms or soon to be moms in who are new to the area it's a great opportunity to meet other folks like you! She also teaches Power Yoga and Mommy and Me yoga. I always always always feel better physically and well as emotionally after leaving her class. She'll usually end her class with a thought or begin her class with a theme. At the end of this class she ended with this thought: with all the discomforts of pregnancy that we have be comforted by the blessing that we have. Not everyone can experience this and we are so fortunate to have this opportunity. I'm fortunate to not only once but twice have this blessing so, for now I am grateful.....ask me in a few months though and I may have to read this again!
Today, I went to Akachan Hanpo with a couple of mommy friends. The store is like a Japanese Babies R Us. The prices were reasonable and the mall that it was in was huge! Check it out if you are in the market for baby goods. They are located at Kawasaki Station (JR) in the humongous mall there. Oh yeah. They also have a CPK there! I had Carne Asada Pizza. Thanks for the great time Jenn & Nina.
Today, I went to Akachan Hanpo with a couple of mommy friends. The store is like a Japanese Babies R Us. The prices were reasonable and the mall that it was in was huge! Check it out if you are in the market for baby goods. They are located at Kawasaki Station (JR) in the humongous mall there. Oh yeah. They also have a CPK there! I had Carne Asada Pizza. Thanks for the great time Jenn & Nina.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
24 Weeks
A little side note, that belly shot down there is not me.....wish it was it's pretty beautiful but I am not so brave or tan. Got my 24 weeks update email. He's just about over a pound and is about a foot long. Much like an ear of corn.....I still like Mango better though!
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