Jeff, Shino, and Saya

Brunch Sunday

2012-02-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

Today we headed up to Boulder to visit our friends for brunch. It was a bit snowy up in the mountains and so Jeff drove and we took the Subi up thinking all would be ok. Sure enough we reached the hairpin and attempted to make it up the hill twice and it was not looking good. Jeff stopped the car and Saya and mommy got out and walked the rest of the way to Patty and Derek's house. We asked Derek to come and help daddy and the car was sliding down the hill. Derek put boards behind the tires and it finally stopped and Jeff slowly backed the car down to the hairpin and parked.

We then got to eat our great brunch but Saya wasn't very hungry so she hardly ate. She played with her friends and really tired around 1pm. So we called it a day and decided to head home. We walked down the hill to our car and slowly drove down the dirt road till we hit the pavement.

We got home and Saya went up to nap and mommy walked the dogs and did the dishes. Daddy cleaned up too and soon it was time to prep for dinner. Tonight we made chi chi mochi again and colored it yellow. Saya absolutely loves it.

We also pretended to be cowboys and made a lasso that went around Lucy.

J School- Matta ne Baba

2012-02-11T20:50:00.001-07:00

On Saturday we got up and had a croissant and fruit breakfast. Baba got all packed up and we all got ready to head to Saya's Japanese school since it was snowing and it may have been dangerous to drive the Civic to the airport. So daddy got to see Saya in action at J school and so did baba. Baba enjoyed the class more than Saya did. Saya didn't want daddy to sing in Japanese so she said "it's Japanese daddy, stop it". We had to leave early so that we could take baba to the airport. We got to the airport and checked in luggage and Saya pulled baba's red carry on bag. Since baba was in a rush to get through security we had to take hold of the carry on so that we can get there on time. Saya was very unhappy. We watched baba go through security and then said our good bye's right above the train.

We got home and Saya was hungry so we had a bit of lunch and then Saya went down for a nap. We started cleaning and then it was time for dinner. Daddy made us dinner and then we had cupcakes for dessert. We did our normal bedtime routine and it was off to bed.

Daddy's Home- Indoor Playground

2012-02-10T15:35:00.003-07:00

Today Saya woke up to find daddy sleeping. So she decided to wake him up. Good thing we didn't have a 5am morning today. Daddy played with Saya and read her books while carrying her all around the house. We had a light oatmeal breakfast and then played and read some more till it was time to head out the door to the indoor playground at Paul Derda. Saya had a blast and learned how to climb that she kept going up and down repeatedly. She went down the slide once but otherwise she was walking and climbing for over an hour. We met up with our friends and hung out for awhile and then decided it was time to go home.

We stopped by Pacific Ocean again to return a 10 dollar tea that somehow ended up in the cart. We also picked up a few groceries as well. We got home and baba prepped lunch for us all and Saya was in good spirits. After lunch Saya was beat and we decided to take a bath before naptime. A perfect day.

Daddy got home from work a little while after Saya woke up from her nap so mommy and baba made dinner while daddy watched Saya. After dinner we had a birthday Valentine's day dessert of pink cupcakes. Saya got to blow out the candle.

We then watched a few old videos of Saya when she was just a baby and she couldn't get enough. I can't believe how much she's grown.

Scratches and bites-POM and Golden Spoon

2012-02-09T14:47:00.001-07:00

Not sure what happened today but we had a very lazy morning and late start since we got up later than normal. Mommy threw the ball for Ryder in the morning but he hopped over Saya and accidentally scratched her face. She cried lots and we had lots of hugs and kisses. We had snail pancakes which Saya loved. Mommy made eyes out of chocolate chips.She ate 3 whole pancakes plus yogurt and fruit, which is more than mommy and baba had. We then played a bit but Saya started to itch her butt so I took a look and found bug bites. It started to swell so I put ice and then some backing soda to help it some. That didn't seem to work well so we decided it was time for a bath and that helped. We then vacuumed the entire house and did a bunch of laundry.

Once we were done with all the hoopla it was already 11am. We decided to check out the Chinese market and then stop by Golden Spoon on the way home. Saya was in awe with all the seafood and wanted all the plastic tubs and such that were in the corner of the market. She's so silly at times. We checked out and then had to ride the pink pony. Yes, we HAD to ride the pony. Then we headed over to Golden Spoon where Saya had her sample and couldn't be any happier. She almost passed out in the car but soon we got home and we got an afternoon nap after a nice lunch. She got a special treat of "kinoko no yama" which is a chocolate covered biscuit. She LOVED it and wanted more but the promise was just one and teeth brushing soon afterwards. She followed through her promise so we had a great ending to a weird and crazy day.

Hobby Lobby and Flatirons

2012-02-08T14:04:00.002-07:00

Today we headed to Hobby Lobby even though Saya got up at 3am again. We decided to get some more items to start our story board. Saya loved all the Valentine's day decorations but we whisked through the store getting only the items we needed for our story board, lots and lots of felt. We then headed out to the mall and Saya was so excited to show baba everything and every place she knows. We went to Pottery Barn kids and then to Hannah Andersson for some training underwear. Saya now tries to go to the potty by herself so we decided to buy 3 pairs just in case. Baba was so excited to buy her her first underwear so she did. She loved the polka dot set so we got those and she carried them throughout the mall. We stopped at Build A Bear and then headed over to Starbucks. We had a special treat and Saya drank all of her apples juice. Saya said that "I have lots of energy now" after drinking her apple juice and the older couple sitting next to us couldn't help but to chuckle. We We headed home but headed out of Dicks Sporting Goods which we never do and Saya had to hold hands with all the mannequins. I wish I got some pictures but I was too late. We got in the car and headed home just in time before Saya fell asleep in the car. Saya and baba played a bunch with stickers and mommy made lunch. Saya ate a ton of food and wanted some chi chi mochi too (she calls them baba jiji mochi).

We then took the dogs outside for a short short walk and dropped off a calendar to our neighbors house. We got home and played some more before heading upstairs for a nap at 2pm.

After nap Saya's present arrived so we opened and played with her doll, Aya, and all the accessories. Thanks baba! Saya also got to try on her new training pants too. She got to wear them after dinner and with just a little accident. We went straight to the potty and all better.

Butterfly Pavilion

2012-02-07T14:14:00.004-07:00

Today we woke up a little later than before, around 6:20am and we all feel so much better. It started to snow this morning and mommy had to shovel paths for the doggies early in the morning. Thank goodness for fluffy fluffy snow which was very light and only a few inches. We had a simple breakfast and then got ready to head out to the Butterfly Pavilion. We thought it was going to be super crowded in the morning due to snow but when we got there we were the only car parked in the parking lot and first into the building. Saya walked right on in and baba followed. She held Rosie while mommy paid for admission. We looked at all the creepy crawly stuff and Saya showed baba everything she knows. We skipped the The Wings of the Tropics and headed straight to the play area and gift shop. We finally convinced Saya to head to the butterflies soon after. We heard there was a storytime so we tried that but Saya was just talking and not interested so she decided to leave and so did we. We got in the car and headed home. We picked up the mail and sure enough there was a package for Saya so we HAD to open it. It was all the craft stuff that baba brought for Saya in the Bay Area that we couldn't fit in our suitcase back. Lots and lots of pieces came in the box so mommy let baba handle it. She soon realized how much picking up there is after Saya dumped everything out. Now it's just sitting on the counter out of Saya's reach.

We had a nice lunch and dessert which was shockingly good as Saya ate all her lunch and asked for more. Lately she hasn't had much of an appetite and we were worried but she ate a ton and even guzzled down a cup of milk. We decided to play with playdough for a while but 10 minutes later it's going in Saya's mouth so that came to an abrupt end. Saya finally went down for a nap at 2pm and now getting ready for dinner.

We recieved a package via Amazon and thought it was her present from baba arriving early so we told Saya she can open it soon after dinner. We opened it to only find diapers. Bummer!

Library Story Time and Costco

2012-02-06T19:13:00.001-07:00

Today we had a really early morning but let baba sleep in a bit. We then had a nice breakfast and hung out at home till story time. Saya created an egg store and sold 10 eggs for a dollar. We then got to the library and borrowed a ton of books and bought one book filled with doggie pictures. Saya did fantastic at story time and participated in all the songs and activities. She then played with all the toys in the play area before checking out all the books and then heading out the door. We thought we could make it to Costco before naptime but unfortunately Saya was too tired and fell asleep in the car again. But since we were already in parking lot we decided to go in and Saya woke up just as we parked. We looked at all the tvs and got all the necessities and of course our berry smoothie before heading home. We got home for lunch but someone wasn't hungry so we tried nap but that was plain chaos so we decided to try again later. 2 hours later everything was great and Saya napped. Then it was time for dinner.

Saya didn't really have much of an appetite but still ate some.

An pan and Airport

2012-02-05T14:19:00.002-07:00

Today we had an early start and Saya woke up at 5am. We woke up baba around 6 thirty and got breakfast ready. We decided to make french toast as daddy was getting ready to head to the airport. We started to make an pan so that we had enough time to send daddy to the airport with one. Saya kept baba pretty happy and daddy went to the store to get some last minute items.

We ate the an pan soon after it came out of the oven and Saya loved it. We then got ready and took daddy to the airport. Saya fell asleep on the way there so we thought she wouldn't take a nap in the afternoon. On the way back home we stopped at Target to get some Saya stuff like shampoo and camis and then came home. We all played for a while but it was time for nap. Saya surely was tired but didn't want to go to bed so after 15 minutes of whaling and screaming and kicking she decided to lie down and hopefully sleep. Baba and mommy at lunch around 2pm and hope to get quiet time before afternoon activities begin.

Saya woke up from her nap and we decided to make some chi chi mochi and dinner. We ate spaghetti and then decided to head over to Toys R Us. We headed to Toys R Us but it was closing in about 20 minutes so we were quick. We had no idea what was what and quite overwelmed so we headed home but not before we rode the Dumbo ride. Saya loved it!

We got home and Saya wanted to watch Finding Nemo. Totally forgot to FF during the shark scene, oops, but she seemed somewhat ok with it.

Snowy Saturday & Baba

2012-02-04T10:21:00.005-07:00

Today we woke up to more snow. Daddy had to shovel another path for the doggies and then we had a nice pancake breakfast. We then checked baba's flight status and planes seem to still be landing at DIA so we are hoping she will make it in. We did a few chores around the house and hopefully we can go sledding outside once the snow stops.

No sledding today but we decided to shovel snow. Saya didn't want to wear gloves so we almost didn't make it out but thought it might be good to get some fresh air. The doggies headed out and had a blast. They even found a little tunnel under the deck. Ryder and Bella stayed outside longer than they normally do when it snows. So nice to be outside. Saya kept falling in the snow and got stuck plenty of times. She was so exhausted she just laid there. We picked her up and it's time for nap.

Now that baba's flight is on time we need to find the best and safest route to get to the airport.

Picked up baba from the airport and Saya was all excited. She had baba read her books and showed her all her toys. We had dinner and then played some more after a nice bath. We decided to fry up some soy beans for Setsubun. Saya had a great time and we had beans all over the place. We cleaned up and watched Wallace and Gromit before bed. Saya was so exhausted she didn't hear baba making a bunch of noise right next to her room.

Snow and Feb Winter Storm

2012-02-03T14:28:00.001-07:00

We woke up this morning to a ton of snow. The wind blew a ton of it in our backyard and the plows started really early in the morning. Saya got up at 5am as usual and we read books and had breakfast. Mommy shoveled a little path for Ryder in the morning as he really had to go and daddy was still sleeping. We had breakfast and daddy worked from home today so it's been really nice. Will WM make it to our house today? We'll find out by the end of the day. So far no sounds of a garbage truck but we saw the mail truck so it's business as usual.

Saya was super tired during lunch and soon after but we saw all the kiddos in the neighborhood sledding and the dogs playing so we just HAD to go outside. We got on our snow gear and brought out our sled. Saya joined in with the big girls who took really good care of her and helped her up and down the sledding hill. She had a great time but got knocked down by our neighbor's dog. Thankfully she had her winter hat and a puffy jacket on which seemed to have soften the blow. Saya still wanted to pet the dogs even after. Daddy almost lost it though.

The snow worked and Saya was out like a light for her nap. The snow had stopped for a while when we were out but it's now snowing again.

At Home

2012-02-03T14:22:00.001-07:00

On Thursday Saya and mommy stayed home again. Saya is still stuffy and congested and mommy and daddy started to get sick. We read and played and cleaned the house some more and headed up for a nap around 1:40pm. Daddy got home early before any snow started to fall and we had dinner and a butt dip before bed. We started watching a movie called Gnomeo and Juliet which seems a lot more violent than what we were expecting but Saya seems to like it.

Child Find

2012-02-02T13:45:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday we hung out at home and cleaned the house before baba comes to visit and Saya helped. She is still feeling sick and her nose is just not getting any better. So we took the dogs on a short walk and then got ready to head out to Child Find after eating an early breakfast. Saya got up at 3am and then again at 5 thirty so it was a long long day. We ate breakfast at 6am so by 10 thirty little one was pretty hungry. We ate lunch and then headed out to our eval. Saya did really well and was above average in all areas. So now it's time to find the perfect preschool for her.

We got home and Saya was still somewhat not ready for a nap so we hung out a bit and played a bit before napping.

Lazy Day

2012-02-02T13:41:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday we stayed home as Saya was feeling sick and was up early. So we hung out at the house cleaning and then took the dogs for a walk. We decided to stop at the playground for a little bit before heading home for lunch. Saya almost fell asleep in the stroller so we ran all the way back home. Whew we made it and stopped to play in the backyard before lunch. Soon Saya grew really tired and was out like a light.

We tried candles on the table but that was a huge mistake and Saya's hair got a little singed so no more candles for us. Lesson learned and good thing it wasn't bad. Mommy trimmed the ends of a few strands and Saya is just fine.

Saya Sick and Staying at Home

2012-01-31T14:05:00.001-07:00

On Monday we stayed home since Saya had a runny nose and was not feeling well. We had an early morning start and had a light breakfast. We cleaned up the house a bit and played with all the toys we got from Craigslist, after weeks not cleaning them, which Saya seemed to love. We had to head to the grocery store for a few vegetables and Saya just perked up. We rode the penny horses before we headed home and she was so happy. We read lots of books and watched videos and the long day came to an end as Saya just fell asleep in her crib.

In the evening we had vegetable soup for dinner and gave Saya a nice warm bath and lots of lanolin on an under her nose as it was all red.

Hope Saya feels better soon.

Daddy Zoo

2012-01-31T13:59:00.003-07:00

On Sunday we headed to the zoo with daddy. It's been a long time since we've all been to the zoo together. We had a very very late departure. We were waiting for pooping to end so we can get in the car, but that took about an hour. We finally got in the car and thought about turning back home but that didn't happen and we headed to the zoo. It was super cold and windy and sure enough we didn't bring Saya's down jacket but layered her and put on a wind breaker on. Oops! We actually got into bird world and got really warm. Saya and daddy rode the carousel and Saya said "I'm embarassed" as mommy yelled her name and waved. They had a great time. Then we headed back for some lunch at Samburu grill and then headed home. Saya fell asleep in the car but daddy was really good at putting her in crib without waking her up. She slept for a long time. We then took the doggies for a walk and then came home.

We then decided to make some chi chi mochi for dessert but it took longer than expected so we had to wait till the next day to eat them. Yummy!

J School Onigiri - 1st Pocky EVER-and Kool Aid Playdough

2012-01-31T13:55:00.003-07:00

On Saturday we had pancakes for breakfast and headed off to Japanese school. It was onigiri day so mommy got the rice and nori all ready to go. Saya got up super early around 3am and then slept for a little bit longer afterwards so we thought we were in for a long day at J school but she did really good. We made it through onigiri making, although Saya ate most of her while making and then through snacktime. We stopped at the doggie store for food and chews and got home to daddy and had a nice lunch and bath. Soon after it was time for a nice nap.

After dinner we decided to ditch our old playdough and make a new batch. Daddy had a big smile on his face as he made it and so did Saya. The miracle of playdough.

Library or Bust

2012-01-31T13:52:00.001-07:00

On Friday Saya and mommy headed to the library but sure enough it was an in service day so it was closed in the morning. We tried to head to Golden Spoon but they were closed too so we stopped at King Soopers for a few items. We ended up getting more than we needed and we just HAD to stop through the Valentine's aisles. We then went to Golden Spoon for a sample and quart and headed home for lunch. We had a nice lunch and then it was naptime. Saya took a very short nap so we headed to the library soon after and got a ton of books. By the time we got home daddy was home and he took Saya and the doggies for a walk.

Playdate with Friends

2012-01-27T20:28:00.001-07:00

On Thursday we had a playdate at our house. Just our good friends came over so it was a blast. Saya was all excited to share her toys. We talked and had tea and snacked before playing some more and having lunch. I definitely think 3 toddlers is a good number of kiddos. It was just an easy going day and super fun. Definitely will do it again. Saya was so tired but she hung out till about 2pm before napping which is super good for her. She also decided to be more interested in some of her toys that she could have cared less about. Hum... perhaps we should have playdates instead of switching out toys.

After nap we took the dogs for a long long walk and then stopped at the playground for about 30 minutes before heading home. It was a cold and windy day but we got a bit of outdoor play. The dogs were cold just sitting there waiting for us so we left and ran home;)

At Home Day

2012-01-26T14:03:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday we stayed home even though later on Saya said she wanted to go to the zoo. She got up at 3am complaining of a stomach ache so mommy rubbed her tummy till she fell asleep around 4am. She has always been saying " I want to stay home" so we did. We hung out at home reading books, playing with playdough and all her toys. We also decided to do a bit of cleaning as our friends were coming the next day. We took the dogs for a walk and then came home for lunch and soon naptime approached. She was so tired she took a nap at 12 thirty and mommy got ready to head out for her dentist appointment when daddy got home.

By the time mommy got home Saya was all up and ready to go. We went outside and rode the Strider and then played with chalk until dinner time.

LEFTOVER night and avocado, cherry, blueberry smoothie for dessert.

Snowy Denver

2012-01-26T13:58:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday we had an appt in Denver so we headed out and sure enough it starts to snow. We get in the car and the skies are gray. Thank goodness there wasn't much traffic on the way down south. Saya was super good and walked all the way from the parking lot to the office without a fuss. We got to the office and Saya was super good as well. She got nothing but smiles from everyone that came in. After the appt we decided to stop by Starbucks for a little hot chocolate and it was a hit. She loved it (how could one not, right?). So then we got home and Saya was dead asleep in the car so we didn't get a nap. Oh well.

JPG Setsubun

2012-01-23T19:33:00.002-07:00

Today Saya and mommy had a rough morning as selective hearing seemed to be more selective today than normal. We finally got out the door to the JPG in Boulder and made it to celebrate Setsubun. We made masks and sang songs (oni no pantsu) and then threw nuts to get rid of bad spirits. Michiko san who started the group spoiled us with home made an-pan. Saya had no idea what it was but knew that it was good. She ate almost the entire bun and gave mommy a small piece with no an in it. I guess we'll have to try making it at home too. We then headed outside to play in the outdoor play area and Saya had to ride two tricycles and ride all the toy cars. She didn't want to leave the sandbox area but as noon was shortly approaching we had to go home. Of course we got a snooze in the car so when we got home there was no nap. Mommy was so tired and hoped for a short one but nothing.

So we decided to take the dogs for a walk and get the mail. We then decided to draw and read books for awhile and Saya seemed to be quite content until daddy got home. Whew!

After dinner we decided to try another smoothie for dessert. This time we tried yogurt, cherries and soy milk. Yummy! Saya loved it!

Costco or Bust

2012-01-23T19:26:00.001-07:00

On Sunday we had a relaxing day and headed out the door to Costco for some clothes shopping. Surely we knew how much the cost would be but still a bit shocked at the final cost. We tried samples and bumped into an old co worker and then left the store with a cart load of stuff and of course a berry smoothie and frozen yogurt for mommy. We got home and had a light lunch before heading off to a nice nap.

Saya slept for quite a bit and woke up quite happy. We had a late dinner so our night seemed to fly by.

Otanoshimikai- J School

2012-01-21T13:18:00.002-07:00

Today we woke up and headed over to Japanese school for a fun day event called otanoshimikai. Supposedly fun for kids but for Saya she was over stimulated. We got there and sat with the rest of the class and headed up to do our performance but Saya just wanted to go and be with daddy. But we got a few seconds of singing which was great and she enjoyed the bento boxes afterwards and so did we. We got home and ate as fast as we could, so hungry after chasing baby all morning. Then we decided to head outside to ride the Strider and play with the other girls in the neighborhood. Saya had a blast and was a completely different person when she got home.

Naptime has become a huge struggle everyday now after our trip. Hopefully things will ease up before Jeff goes on his trip and starts his new job.

Mall and Farewell to the Pierces

2012-01-20T12:14:00.001-07:00

Today we met up with friends at the mall. We were a bit late as mommy couldn't get out the door fast enough. We got to the play area and the kiddos played a bunch and then we headed over to Starbucks where we had a light snack and treats. The kiddos then got some samples of frozen yogurt. We headed to the Disney store and then to PBK. The kids had a great time and we'll miss our friends who are moving to Japan next week.

Saya fell asleep in the car as usual without lunch so we'll see how long she will nap for. Ok that was about 30 minutes. Saya got up and we had a light lunch and then headed to the store for some much needed milk. We got home and decided to take the dogs out for a walk in the gusting winds. Thankfully Saya was in her Bundle Me. We got home and played with bubbles. Soon daddy got home and we decided to ride Saya's Strider. Still cold out we decided to come inside and get warm before dinner- yeah for leftovers.

Stock Show

2012-01-19T16:42:00.001-07:00

On Thursday daddy took the day off to spend time with us and we headed over to the Stock Show in Denver. It was quite windy outside so we felt the zoo may not work out. We attempted to find parking which was less than 25 dollars and we ended up driving farther and farther away from the event. We found the tractor tram that we could take to the event center and Saya loved it. We could have just left after the ride and she would have been happy. We purchased tickets and hung around the event arena and went down to the stables to see all the horses. Saya got to pet one and she was so happy. We then headed over to the other building after seeing a bison and headed to the kids area. She got to ride a pony which she loved! She could have stayed forever riding it but at 6 dollars a ride, no thank you. We looked at all the displays, chickens and roosters before heading to the petting zoo. We had no idea the petting zoo was clear across the entire building but we made it and Saya was tired but still enjoyed it. We got back to the car and she was out like a light and naptime was hard but at least we got one.

Tonight we will take it easy and let the kiddo rest a bit.

Tractor ride.

Horses in the ring.

Checking out the stables.

An enormous horse to pet

Not sure what this animal is but we had to pet it.

Got her pony ride token.

Strapped in by the man (Saya had no problem holding his hand to be carried onto the pony- makes mommy a bit nervous) and daddy right by her side.

Enjoying every minute.

Silly mom couldn't stop taking pictures of the pole.

Ride stopped while another pony pooped.

Looking like a pro.

Lots of birds. Chickens, ducks, roosters, pigeons and lots more. Couldn't wait to get out of there but held it together for Saya.

A cow named Sally.

A pig and 2 ewes.

Making a 9 News penny with daddy.

Yeah we made it to the petting zoo after a long trek to the end of the building. So many animals to pet. Just wished Saya didn't start petting animals from the back.

Playdate

2012-01-19T16:36:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday we headed over to a playdate with a friend and had a great time. I didn't think Saya would make it through but she did. It took us an hour to put on clothes and change diapers. We then stopped at the grocery store to pick up bagels and cream cheese for our date. We got to the right house and we played with the dog and Saya actually played with toys and her friend. We enjoyed snacks and played more. I knew Saya was done so we got home and had a light lunch before naptime.

Saya wanted to hold hands before naptime and that seemed to work out great.

Child Find & Store

2012-01-19T16:33:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday we had an evaluator come to our house to see if Saya required any services. She did a in home evaluation and just asked us a bunch of questions. Thankfully daddy worked from home so we got the doggies to behave while she was here. The eval was over and the lady went home. We decided to head to the store to get some sticky snacks for Saya. We got a few snacks and rode the horse before heading home for lunch. Soon after we decided to try napping.

We made some vegetable soup for dinner and had a great night.

Butterfly Pavilion and Coffee

2012-01-19T16:30:00.001-07:00

On Monday Saya and mommy headed over to the Butterfly Pavilion for a great outing after our trip. Saya did well but was so tired she just kept walking. So we were all over the place as usual. We decided to try storytime but the place was packed due to the holiday. So we decided to head over to Caribou Coffee for a nice drink and snack. Saya was super tired by that time that she couldn't really stay seated and got a hold of a card whose cover got torn open so we headed back home with a birthday card. Saya was not happy and it took about 10 minutes to get in the carseat before heading home. Nap was even more of an issue and it was quite difficult. Whew!

Thank goodness daddy got home early and we made a pizza for dinner after mommy headed to the store to pick up a few items.

Sunday- Catching Up on Sleep

2012-01-15T18:40:00.001-07:00

Saya woke up in the middle of the night screaming and wet so we had a little lack of sleep today. So we took it easy and headed to Costco to pick up pictures and hopefully a throw for the dogs after breakfast and got home for a light lunch. We headed outside to fly Saya's kite again but still not enough wind. She loved holding the string and running the kite. She saw a girl from our neighborhood riding her bike with training wheels and she ran along her around the park. Saya wanted to ride her bike but the girl wanted to ride it. Thankfully we got distracted with a neighbor running their dog in the park. Whew!

After nap we headed out for a long dog walk and mommy made some vegetable soup.

It was a good relaxing evening and hopefully we'll have enough energy for a great week.

Back in Colorado- J School

2012-01-14T12:54:00.002-07:00

Last night was a bit chaotic as Saya was so excited to be home. She took a bath and had a light dinner before heading off to her bed. We unpacked and did some laundry and then got ready for J School.

Today we had a pancake breakfast and then headed off to J school. We didn't think we were going to make it as Saya was exhausted beyond belief and was so upset to go. We got her in the carseat and was about to just drop off our tuition but we tried to go to class. Saya was unbelievably tired but pulled through almost till the end of class but mommy called it quits and headed to the car. We had to buy some bento boxes for next week's Fun Day. Saya will be singing and performing with her class so it should be fun. We'll see how things pan out.

We had a light lunch and then Saya headed up to take her nap. Hopefully a good nap to make her feel better.

After Saya's nap we took the dogs for a walk and then stopped by the playground for a bit. We got home and decided to bake a chocolate cake before dinner. Dinner was good but dessert was a lot better.

Bay Area Trip - Visit Auntie and Uncle + Doggies

2012-01-14T08:51:00.003-07:00

On Friday daddy dropped us off at the airport. Mommy was a bit weary about the flight as she should be. Saya was super excited and did well for the first part of the trip but later turned into a screaming crying and kicking toddler for about 30 minutes. There was really nothing that could be done but try to calm her down, didn't work. But by the time we had landed Saya was back to her old perky self and greeted auntie and uncle and was ready to have some fun.

Saya loved the little plane. Unfortunately the flight was a bit too long and we had a 30 minute meltdown. Lots of screaming and crying.

We made it and picked up dinner bentos from Kirala take out.

We went out for a late night dessert & doggie walk. Saya was all about the toppings. She ate her chocolate yogurt and auntie's too.

Saturday morning breakfast. Saya loved eating with everyone. Even Zion.

Auntie trying to do Saya's hair as she moved around everywhere.

Yeah for washable markers.

We headed off to Fisherman's wharf to visit the aquarium.

A tunnel. We spent a good 30 minutes in the tunnel.

Auntie wanted Saya to touch the sting rays Saya was almost halfway over the wall.

Boudin's bakery

Chocolate store.

Cotton candy treat.

Sunday morning. Auntie and uncle were not used to the 6am morning wake up call.

Off to dim sum with auntie Kyla and uncle Ken & Braydon. Saya had a blast and loved the beef chow fun. So full she fell asleep in the car ride back.

Off to Tilden park to ride the train with jiji an baba.

In da caboose.

2nd train ride in the open seats.

Dinner with everyone at Katanaya Ramen.

Birthday cake to celebrate auntie and jiji's birthday

Saya helping blow out the candles.

A little taste.

Monday morning running around the backyard and then had to poop.

Mochi making with baba.

Saya had to get a poke in here and there. Ok lots.

A little taste.

Poking them all.

Our mochi loving family. Baba seems to think takuan goes well with mochi.

We stopped by Ranch 99 and then Costco. On the way home we stopped at Trader Joes and of course See's candies. Saya got the peppermint twists.

Tuesday off to California Academy of Sciences.

On Wednesday we headed to the Children's Discovery Museum in Sausalito. Good thing we had change in clothing. Saya needed 3 shirts and pants. Oh dear.

Cheeseboard pizza for dinner. Live band playing and Saya was all about it.

Thursday we headed to Dreamland Park for the kiddos. Saya got to feed ducks and play at the playground. It was a nice chill day but she was so exhausted by this time of the trip she was ready to go home.

On Friday we stopped by a Pho restaurant on the way to the airport and Saya enjoyed her noodles as always.

Saya cleaning her seat area with a wipe.

ChildFind & Playground Fun

2012-01-14T08:49:00.001-07:00

On Thursday we headed over to our ChildFind appointment to get Saya's hearing and vision checked. She checked out just fine and we got done super fast. We checked out Gymborree for some tights and socks. Score! We got socks for a buck and some tights too! We then headed over to a nearby playground to get some outdoor play. Saya had a blast and I think we found our new favorite playground. We then headed home for lunch and then for a nap. We had a early dinner and then headed over to the airport. Unfortunately our flight was 4 hours delayed. We thought that they might get us a new plane so we thought about sticking it out. But unfortunately the time just got pushed back further and further till past midnight so we booked a flight for the following morning and headed back home. Saya was so excited she barely got to bed but eventually got to sleep.

Zoo Day- Fun but Long

2012-01-04T19:24:00.001-07:00

Today Saya and mommy headed over to the zoo to meet up with friends. We had a great time until a little meltdown- ok not so little one. We got over it and looked at the primates and played on the drum before heading over to the carousel. Yippee! Then we ate lunch and headed home. Again, a 10 minute nap on the way home and no nap for the rest of the day. Saya was actually quite pleasant throughout the day but mommy was a bit tired so we took a long walk with the dogs and came back home energized. Daddy got home and helped out while mommy got everything packed for tomorrow's trip.

Ok so I think we could have gotten away with packing only one suitcase but we are heading out with 2. Definitely overpacking but you just never know. Hopefully this time our trip will be much more pleasant but who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Boulder Appt

2012-01-03T20:30:00.001-07:00

Today daddy worked from home until our appointment in Boulder. Saya had to come with us so we packed every toy we can think of and headed to Boulder. We got back just in time for lunch and Saya was pooped. The new environment just seemed to have worn her out.

When we got home we made some pizza dough and read some books. After nap we headed to the grocery store to pick up some cheese for our pizza. On the way in we had to pick up a Christmas sprinkles donut. Yummy!

The New Day After

2012-01-03T20:28:00.003-07:00

On Monday Jeff had the day off so we took it easy and had our usual breakfast of oatmeal and then took the dogs for a walk to the playground where we all played for a bit. We got back home and rode the Strider and ran the dogs in the park before lunchtime. Still eating all the left overs from New Years.

We started to put away all of our ornaments and decorations from Christmas and got ready to put away the tree. We also headed over to Target after Saya's nap to pick up some essentials for our trip and then got ready for dinner.

We decided to make some better than brownies cookies after dinner. They were super yummy. Saya enjoyed the chocolate cookie and found some chocolate chips as well and couldn't be happier.

Zoo Day

2012-01-01T15:13:00.001-07:00

On Thursday we headed over to the zoo with friends. It was super windy outside so we brought our bundle me but Saya didn't want to stay in it at all. We headed inside and saw all the animals laying low to the ground with high winds. Saya did her business in the Felines building so mommy changed her and we caught up with our friends. We got in the Tropical Discovery area where it's indoors and warm. Saya was doing great but later started to act out so we decided to leave. By the time we got out of the building it was already 11:47am. Yup, too late to get in the car to go home without lunch so we headed to the bathrooms- took about 30 minutes to get there- and then to the Samba Grill for some food. Saya HAD to get the alligator sippy cup so we got one and some grilled cheese and a much needed Dr. Pepper for mommy. We sat and ate outside and attempted to head back out the zoo. This took about another 30 minutes before getting to our car. Yup, Saya then took a nap in the car for about 18 minutes and we didn't get more than 15 minutes of napping at home.

Did I mention before we got to the zoo Ryder and Bella got in a huge fight and Bella got scratched on the eye and was bleeding and Ryder got stepped on the foot and bleeding. Saya tried to get in the middle of all this so mommy put her elsewhere and separated Ry and Bell behind gates and doors before heading upstairs to get the first aid kit. But somehow we still got out of the house to head to the zoo. Perhaps that was the best thing to do.

Happy New Year- Traditional Japanese & Mochitsuki

2012-01-01T14:26:00.002-07:00

Today we woke up and had our traditional New Years breakfast. We had ozoni with all the trimmings. Saya loved the ozoni along with all the little side dishes. She ate all the fishes and her black beans so we're hoping she will have a long and happy life. While mommy cooked some more dishes Saya and daddy played and we started to put away the Christmas tree.

There was mochi tsuki in Boulder so we decided to head out before Saya's nap. She had a blast and wanted to watch forever. We ran into a bunch of Japanese moms and others from J school- so much fun. Saya had a ton of mochi with different toppings and some hot Japanese soup. Definitely will make it a tradition and perhaps we will go again next year.

Saya went down for a nap without complaint and mommy and daddy had some lunch and cleaned up.

Now for some football games and lots of food tonight. A wonderful New Years and can't ask for anything more.

Happy New Year from the Neimas! Please take good care of us in 2012 too.

Happy Noon Year

2011-12-31T13:35:00.001-07:00

Today we woke up and made pancakes for breakfast. We tried to make snails just like the one made in Japan. Saya loved it and ate every little bit. Soon after we took showers and daddy cleaned the house. Great morning before heading off to the library to get tickets for Noon Year. Had no idea the doors would open right at 10am so mommy just got tickets and left Saya and daddy at home. So mommy drove home to get daddy and Saya and got back to the library at 10 thirty. We grabbed some seats and met up with a few toddler group mommies. Had no idea if Saya would make it through the entire show but she did and loved it. She got a New Year hat and blowers. Loved them. We got home just in time for lunch.

Super great day for New Years Eve.

Playground and Starbucks

2011-12-31T13:31:00.002-07:00

On Friday we headed out to the playground to meet up with friends. It was quite windy out but we still decided to go and bring the Strider. Saya was still not too keen about the Strider but made it somewhat half way. We got to the playground and she played for a while and started her pooping process. It was time to go back to the car and get something warm to drink. We decided to head over to Starbucks and on our way in there were a ton of dogs that Saya had to pet. We headed inside and had snacks and steamers. A great way to warm up cold toddlers. We got home and had some lunch.

Saya went down for a nap and the microwave install guy came right at 3pm waking her up. Good thing, we got the microwave installed. Sadly a tired toddler. We headed out to Thornton to pick up a few toys for Saya. The lady didn't have any change for us so she gave us everything she had for free. Now we just have to clean them.

We got home just in time for dinner and it was smooth sailing from then on.

We Skyped with baba and decided to put up the okasane she sent us but with the warm weather it was already moldy. We'll keep it up for a few days.

Library and Golden Spoon

2011-12-31T13:18:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday Saya and mommy headed to the library to return a bunch of books and get new ones. We decided to stop at Golden Spoon on the way home.

After dinner we put up our okasane.

Build a Bear

2011-12-31T13:11:00.002-07:00

On Tuesday mommy and Saya headed over to the mall to make a build a bear. Saya picked out Wan Wan and even got him a leash it was so much fun. She has to walk him every day.

The Day After

2011-12-31T13:06:00.002-07:00

On Monday we had a wonderful day and took it easy. We just hung out at home and relaxed. We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few necessities and had to get a donut on the way out. Saya loved it.

Christmas Day- Presents and More

2011-12-26T13:47:00.001-07:00

On Christmas Day we were so excited to see Saya's reaction with all the presents under the tree. She was super excited and realized that someone ate the cookies and milk she put out the night before. We immediately opened presents with Saya until breakfast and took a short break. Soon after we did more presents and opened the stockings. Saya enjoyed all her presents and we played with every single one till we needed to get some fresh air. We headed outside to make a snowman and then made some snow angels. Our snowman's name is again, Dave. Mommy decided to stack her Christmas cake which turned out to be a complete failure.We then had some lunch and played with all of Saya's new toys.

For dinner daddy cooked a really yummy lamp roast dinner and we had a good time. We then had a yummy Christmas cake.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we got up and had a bit of breakfast. Mommy made some pancakes for everyone. We then hung out at home and had some lunch before naptime. Daddy got the spaghetti sauce ready for dinner.
Once Saya got up we made the garlic bread together. Someone had to eat everything in site.
Uncle Kirk came over for dinner and we had a good time. Saya got ready for bed but not before putting out streusel and milk out for Saya.

Friday Groceries- Pre Christmas

2011-12-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

On Friday daddy worked from home and we lounged about in the morning and then headed to the grocery store to get some last minute ingredients for Christmas Eve and Day dinners. We had no idea how crowded it was going to be. Saya did great. Although we had about 10 bags of marshmallows in the shopping cart at one point it was still a success. We got home and had some lunch, Christmas cookie shaped pb&J tortillas, and decided to make some raspberry streusel. Saya was already pretty tired by the time we got home so the streusel was not the best idea but she had a good time plopping the dough on top.

We decided to watch Elf with Saya, which we think she understands and likes. We definitely do.

Saya loves making a cave out of the couch cushions. She loves hammering them too to fix it.

A little watercoloring

Frost on the windows.

An icicle

Saya enjoying her pony ride.

She loves the little fast horse one now too.

Lunch

Making a streusel.

Attempting to crack open her nut with her cooking spatula.

Swaddling our baby. Used to be a lot easier when she will little.

Book tower with daddy. saya can't help but to knock it down.

Snow Day

2011-12-22T22:17:00.003-07:00

It looks like it will be a white Christmas this year. We got about a foot of snow over the night and throughout the morning. Jeff worked from home as we couldn't really get out of the garage with all the snow. Saya woke up and didn't even realize it had snowed until we showed her. We had many activities in the morning. Saya got to play with quinoa and macaroni in her sensory table. We made a Christmas chain to put on the Christmas tree. We then headed outside to play in the snow. She got all bundled up and we went sledding in the front park. She just loved eating the powdery snow. We got inside and had some warm hot chocolate to warm up. We then had some lunch and then played a bunch before naptime.

Costco and Stars

2011-12-21T20:05:00.001-07:00

Today Saya woke up at 6 thirty. What is going on? She woke up quite happy and we had a great morning. We got out of the house at 10am to head over to Costco. Why it takes us so long to get out of the house is another story. We got to Costco and watched a bit of the Lion King and Cars on huge tvs. Saya loves that area. Then we walked through the crowd to find something to make for Christmas dinner. We finally decided on a lamb leg and bought a few more things before checking out. Saya wanted, of course, a berry smoothie so we split one. We got home and we had a nice lunch and did more glitter stars. We played outside a bit and read some books before naptime.

Saya tried sticky rice and mango again for dessert and this time she really liked it. We skipped the coconut milk and she wanted more.

Tomorrow will be snow so we'll have to be creative and find something fun to do inside the house.

Hobby Lobby and Glitter

2011-12-21T20:01:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday Saya woke up at 7am. Shocking! We had a great morning and decided to head to Hobby Lobby for some art supplies. We got some poster board, glitter, felt and a special ornament for Saya. Saya had a blast looking throughout the store. She ran here and there and just wanted to see everything. We got home a bit late and had some lunch and did a few glitter stars before naptime.

In the evening we played after dinner- London Bridge of course and then headed to the Christmas House. Saya was so happy and excited to see the house. We got there and it was super cold. She still wanted to stick around till the owner put together the train set.

Snow, Starbucks, Soup and Bruchetta then Nutella

2011-12-19T19:00:00.001-07:00

Today was rather a cold day. We headed into Denver for another appt. Saya was super fabulous and talked to everyone and ate her snacks during the appt. Though mommy bundled her up on the way in Saya wanted no part of the Bundle me on the way out. So mommy bundled her up and we walked outside. She carefully put her hands in her pockets and stomped in the snow all the way to the parking lot.

We then stopped at Starbucks to get Saya a soy steamer with raspberry syrup. She absolutely loves it! We have to make sure it's less than 100 degrees so it's not too hot. We have to ask for very little syrup so we don't have to deal with a major sugar rush.

We stopped at the grocery story on the way home. We got ingredients for bruchettta and got a bit more. Saya loved the big pile of mixed nuts and had to touch and shake each one. Oh dear! We finally got home and had a nice hot bowl of soup and then Saya got her first taste of Nutella. Total hit!

We had bruchetta for dinner and then a Nutella bruchetta with banana for dessert. Super hit with the dessert not so much with the tomato bruchetta. Back to the drawing board for dinner ideas.

Hope tomorrow will be warmer so we can play outside.

Sunday Relaxing

2011-12-19T18:54:00.001-07:00

On Sunday daddy woke up and made waffles for breakfast. Saya and daddy took the dogs for a long walk and played in the playground. By the time we got home it was time to play with the dogs and then lunch. Soon after Saya took a nap and daddy watched the Broncos game on TV. Saya got up and we made dinner.

We played a lot in the evening. We played London Bridge and Saya loved it! Then we played Leap Frog and then played hide n seek in the dark while she held a flashlight. Super fun!

Japanese School

2011-12-18T08:54:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we headed off to Japanese school after resting for 2 weeks. needed Mommy pretty much had to hold up Saya and carry her for the entire session. She made a Christmas tree crafted then sat down and said "itadakimasu" and started to eat her snack. She was done.
We stopped at the dog store to pick up the dogs some toys and some dog food. We got home and had lunch and a bath before books and naptime. The bath was really needed since she rolled all over the floor of the classroom.
After nap we hung out at home and made okonomiyaki for dinner and watched Incredibles. Our third and hopefully final microwave was delivered. Next install and haul away.

Friday Relaxing

2011-12-17T19:18:00.002-07:00

On Friday we took the dogs for a walk and stopped at the frozen playground. Saya still wanted to play so we did while the dog froze. We got home and played some in the backyard and then headed inside for lunch. Soon after we read books and it was off to nap.

Saya got up from her nap and watched a few videos and mommy prepped dinner.