He's officially 1 and a half!

Holy Cannelloni, I am super far behind on Liam's updates. These past few months have been incredible. We went on a 30 day vacation to the states to visit family. 10 days in Santa Cruz and 10 days in Reno. On the way home to Okinawa, we got "stuck" in Hawaii for 5 days! It was the best, unintentional Hawaiian vacations. After being married to Kyle for almost 5 years, I have learned that the best vacations, are the unplanned ones.

We rented a car, and drove all around O'ahu and Honolulu for 5 days. It was so much fun! Kyle and I needed the time to ourselves. Visiting family can be chaotic sometimes since we are so used to being just us three, so it was a nice vacation to the end of our vacation. Liam is becoming quite the world traveler!

Speaking of Liam, he is a totally different kid than he was a few months ago. I know I say this every time, but he is so much fun now! It is really starting to sink in that he is a toddler. It hit me the other day when we had to stop in the parking lot because he informed me his shoe was untied. I guess the quickest way to fill you all in is to make a list, so here we go!

* He is now wearing size 2t. He is officially too tall for the baby sized clothes. He is in the 97th percentile for his height, and 60th for weight. He is in a size 5 diaper, and size 7 shoe.

*He is talking SO much more! Most of his words are jibber jabbers. But he is able to say the basics: stuck, hot, duck, Dada, Mama, dog, cat, cracker, nite nite, all done, keys, water, etc. We can actually communicate now, which is super fun! He will let me know when he is stuck somewhere (usually when I have him strapped into his booster seat-he assumes he is stuck haha), or if one of his toys are stuck. Also, if he drops something, he will say "Uh-oh" for a good 5 minutes at least. All food is "hot" to Liam too. He blows on everything.

* We officially packed up the high chair, and he sits at the dining table with us in a booster chair. We always eat dinner together as a family at the dining table, so it's neat to see him sitting right there next to us.

* He eats what we eat, unless it's something spicy. The other night I gave him a bite of my spicy black bean burger, and he started wiping his tongue off. It was sad, but also hilarious.

* He is a huge lover, and always wants to be like his Dad. If Daddy is wearing a hat, Liam wants to wear a hat. If Dad is playing video games, Liam is sitting right next to him on the couch watching. He is not much of a snuggler, but definitely a hugger and kisser.

* He says "hi" to anything that moves. His favorite thing to wave to and say "hi" to are cats and dogs. This boy gets soooo giddy over seeing animals. I think another trip to the zoo is in order!

* He has a MAJOR sweet tooth, no surprise there. I don't mean candy either. I think I can count on one hand how many times he has had candy. I mean anything sweet like yogurt, fruit, *cough* ice cream *cough* I have no idea where he got his sweet tooth from ;)

* He is such an easy kid. He is not a tantrum thrower or a whiner. He is totally content playing by himself, or playing with you right up in his bubble. He is very laid back. We have it pretty easy ;)

* His favorite TV show is Sesame Street and cooking shows. He loves hanging out on my hip while I am in the kitchen cooking. He knows that the stove is very hot, and he reminds me every 2 seconds while I cook.

* He still hates meat.

*He has outgrown his baby toys. He likes playing with toys that require imagination now. He loves Little People toys! We got him a dude dollhouse-type thing that is Sesame Street and he puts Cookie Monster and Elmo through the doorways and such. He just loves to tinker.

* He will fight you for a smoothie. Anything that has a straw, he assumes is a smoothie and he gets quite upset if you don't share.

* He is only missing two teeth! He has molars and everything. Boy, were those a pain!

Anyway, I could talk all day about my little guy. There is so much more to say! I love him with everything I am and he makes me the happiest person in the world. I feel so blessed to be this sweet little guy's Mommy.

15 Month Update

I know, I know. This update is seriously late. What can I say, I am a super busy Mama to an INSANELY busy boy! So much has changed over the past few months. I have unwillingly accepted that Liam is now a toddler, and no longer a baby. I miss my snuggly clean smelling infant. His replacement sure is fun though! Even if he is covered in food and dirt 90 percent of the time.

Things around here are going great. We are heading back to the states for a month long visit the week of September 18th. We have been on this rock for over a year, and we both are needing to break free for a bit. I am nervous as heck to fly with Liam just because he DOES NOT SIT STILL! It is going to be a looooonnng flight. We just bought a Sony blu ray/dvd player for the plane, so hopefully that will eat up some time. I swore to myself that I would never become that parent...that was before I became a parent. So to all the Mama's out there I judged in the past, my apologies.

We are getting PUMPED for our big PCS next July-ish! I like Okinawa, but it is hard to love Okinawa when you spent the last three years living in Europe. We are ready to live back in the states and be around family. It's very important to us that Liam know all of his Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles and Cousins.

Anyway, on to the boy. He is growing and learning so fast! It's so much fun to interact with him now. He makes Kyle and I laugh so hard every single day. I sure love that little dude. At 15 months old, Liam is able to:

*Wear 18mo shirts, and 2t pants/shorts (cinched all the way in the waist though.)

*Size 5 or 6 diapers. Depends on the brand.

*Brush his hair and his teeth on his own.

*Wave hello and bye-bye

*When I say, " Get your shoes so we can go bye-bye." He scampers over to the shoe closet and brings me his shoes and plops down on my lap. He even attempts to put them on himself.

*He points to EVERYTHING and wants to know what it is. He will point and say, "Da..." and then we tell him what it is.

*If we are singing a song, he will join in and just hum or sing notes.

*He shakes his head yes or no. He loves shaking no when it comes time to eat dinner...

*Blows on hot food or candles. His "blow" is more of a spout of air coming out of his nose.

*He picks up my necklaces and puts them on and wears them around the house.

* He is OBSESSED with airplanes. That boy has so many toy airplanes, and he loves them all equally. He flies them around the house while making airplane noises. Anytime he sees planes outside he points and gets all excited.

* He also loves toy cars. He drives his Hot Wheels all over the house too making vroom noises.

* He knows what face a fish makes. I ask him to do it all day because it's pretty much adorable.

* He mimics everything. If I snap at him for doing something wrong, he will speak jibberish back to me in the same tone.

*His first molar popped in on August 18th. His 2nd molar came in a few days later.

*He loveeeess coloring. This new hobby of his buys me at least 2o minutes to get some house cleaning done.

* He is a CLIMBER! He climbs on the dining table, the couch, in his dresser, the baby gate, the rocking chair, into the dishwasher, on the dryer...If you name it, he probably has climbed it.

*Eating is still an ongoing battle. I have just settled on the fact that he will eat what he wants, when he wants. When he gets hungry enough, he will have to eat. No more specially made dinners for him. That's just dumb and was getting us nowhere.

* He has learned to run. If we are in public and if I let go of his hand for a SECOND, he takes off.

* Last but not least, he has mastered the art of going down a slide.

I am in disbelief of everything he does now. Let's face it kids, he's a toddler. He keeps me so so busy, but I can't imagine life without him. He is my whole wide world and I love him to a trillion pieces.

What in the world did I do with all my free time before he came into our lives?!

Day 3 of Typhoon Muifa

*Here she is, all over Okinawa like a fat kid on cake.*

We are sitting at day 3 of this nasty hurricane. Last night was the worst of the whole thing! It's true what they say, the back side of the hurricane packs way more power than the front of it does. As soon as the eye passed over us, it was chaotic! The eye hit Okinawa around 3pm. I thought the storm was over because the winds turned to a breeze, and there were birds chirping and it got brighter outside. Liam went down for a nap so we decided to have family nap time and we all slept for about an hour. As soon as we woke up, it all turned nasty.

I read a weather report that we got almost four feet of rain! Four feet! It is still pouring rain outside. I heard some people off base have severe flooding in their homes, some people's roofs are caving in, some even lost the roof to their homes! We were lucky enough to not have lost water or power. The strongest gust of wind that was recorded, I believe, was 130+ mph. The sustained winds were around 95mph.

The local news says that 47 people have been injured, and 70,000 people are without power.

We have been on lock down for 40+ hours now. We have not been allowed to step outside and it is starting to take its toll on us. We are getting impatient and irritable, but this hurricane is showing no end in sight. We are still in Typhoon condition 1-Emergency which means the winds are still up to 57ish mph or more.

Last night the worst of the storm hit around 10pm. We finally got our butts to bed around midnight after watching, " Arthur." The slider in our room sounded like an severely obese man was throwing himself up against it over and over again. It was pounding, and rattling and whistling ALL NIGHT LONG! I believe I was woken up every 20 minutes throughout the night. At one point, it took every bit of strength in me to get the slider door to open because of the air pressure in the house. Once I did, it felt like I was going to be sucked out and thrown over to China. It was terrifying. Liam slept through the entire thing!

I felt bad leaving him in his room since it was so creepy and loud outside. I went in to get him form his crib so he could sleep with us, but I couldn't even wake the kid. He was sleeping like a rock!

Anyway, here we are at day 3 of Typhoon Muifa. We have read every magazine we own, watched tons of movies, ate all our typhood, cleaned every square inch of the house and we are now starting to get cabin fever.

I know I am whining, but in all honesty, it has been nice to have to stay indoors. We have had good quality family time without things like needing to run to the commissary or bx getting in the way. We have spent hours talking and playing with our boy, and it can't get any better than that.

Thank you to those who called or emailed us to check in to make sure we are safe. It really means a lot to us. I know those who have lived here in Okinawa know that typhoons are nothing to be afraid of so no need to check in on us. You know how they play out :) I saw that this hurricane is making the news back in the states! Pretty crazy!

I am going to go sit on my butt and watch the rain with a huge huge huge bowl of coffee!

Toodaloo!

Typhoon Muifa update

Not much has changed since I last posted. Today was a beautiful day! I guess that is why they call it "the calm before the storm." It is now 9:30pm and the wind has picked up drastically. We have our patio packed up, and everything is shoved into our storage closets. They are saying it is going to hit at some point tomorrow. Word on the street is it will hit late afternoon-ish. I hope it hits during the day! Typhoon Songda was creepy because it hit at night and we could only hear the damage being done outside. All the street lights were out, so it was pitch black. You could only see big black shadows flying through the air and slamming into our building.

Now, our power is probably going to go out. The latest update I heard was that Typhoon Muifa will be barreling 29 miles SW of Kadena Air Base at 10 am Friday, packing sustained 132-mph winds and 161-mph gusts at its center. If it remains on course & as strong as advertised, Muifa should be the strongest typhoon Okinawa has experienced since Bart ravaged the island 12 years ago!!

So chances are we will be without power. I don't imagine you, family members of mine, will freak out since the states doesn't show our weather on your news so therefore you probably have no idea we are about to get hit with a Category 3 hurricane. If you are curious of the damage or current location of the hurricane, just google "Typhoon Muifa."

Kyle and I stocked up on junk food, wine, beer and all kinds of baking ingredients! Oh and art supplies to get a start on my sister's baby shower! We are set to go!!

I will update more as this beast approaches the island!

Typhoon Muifa

Here we go again! Super typhoon Muifa is forecasted to hit us directly around 3am on Friday. You can see Naha hidden under the purple 4. This is suppose to be the biggest hurricane (hitting us directly at a Category 4) we have gotten on island so far...well, since we have been living here. I will keep you all posted as the days get closer. She could change direction at any given moment. High-five to a long weekend indoors! Hopefully we don't lose power because it is hot as balls...

Blast from the Past

I found this old entry on my computer. I wrote this in October of 2007. It is so crazy to me to see how much has changed in such a short amount of time! Kyle and I have really grown together as a couple. It is going to feel weird to live in the states together as a family. Living overseas is all we know. I'm excited!

Home. What would one define the word as? A place you live? A place where you grew up? There can be many definitions to the word, depending on how you choose to look at it. The dictionary explains " home " as a physical structure which one lives. So for me, Germany is now home. I have gone through 4 months of leaping over lifes toughest hurdles, although I feel like Im treading water. I had no idea it was going to be so tough.

I had left my teeny little world in California to come out here almost 4 months ago; it had been an difficult and quick decision, one that I almost regretted when the wheels of the plane touched down in a country that had only been visited by me for 3 weeks. I had spent an almost bitter first few months thinking of the choices that had led me to this country, so unfamiliar to my small-town mentality. I was so wrapped up in love, that I hadn't stoped to think how hard this was going to be for me. Now don't get me wrong, I love Kyle with all my heart, and that means I will move where he moves and support him through thick and thin. I swore a vow to be there for him no matter what, and I will. But leaving my small town of Boulder Creek to live here in Germany was a major step for me, and I hadn't realized it until I was in Ramstein and unpacking. I had been ill with homesickness, understanding at last why it is called "being homesick".

When we first moved in, it was exciting. I had an entire house to fill with memories of California, and rooms to decorate with my belongings and small touches of what used to be home. That kept me busy for a few weeks, it was when Kyle went back to work, and we had ran out of money to decorate is when I started to feel sad and lonely. I wasn't keeping busy anymore. Somedays I would feel like the walls were caving in on me, and I'd just breakdown for no apparent reason. I could't find the energy to pull myself off the couch. I wanted to go home. Home, a place where things were all safe and familiar to me. Where I had family. All I could do was sit there and cry. I'd look through old photo albums and try to make small projects for myself, but all of this was a temporary fix. I am still afraid and uncomfortable with walking out my front door, and going for a walk on my own. It is all so unfamiliar to me. I will have good days and bad days. Days where I want to be up and doing things around the house and job hunting, and days where I just stare out the window for hours. It is so much harder than I had imagined this being. I wanted to hit the ground running; but once I got here, my views had changed. My first instinct is that I want to go home, and Germany was not home. This country intimidated me from the start. I was afraid to go anywhere outside of base. I didnt want to order food at restaurants. I hated driving places in our car. I was being so close minded and in fear because I didn't speak the language, and this, I realized, was ruining my experience and memories I will have of germany. I knew then that my life was and is forever going to change. This is a lifestyle that I need to adjust to. Being a military wife, I need to learn to become more independent. My world as I knew it, would forever be altered.

It has been a long 4 months, and I am slowly adjusting. I saw new things. I tried new food. I traveled new cities. I played the part of tourist; in fact, despite my new address, I was a tourist. I am slowly finding that I like Germany. The germans are nice and there is so much to see and do. I just need a nudge now and then to make me get out there and experience this world that so many people wish they could see. I am blessed for having this opportunity. Many people live their whole lives and don't get to see what I've seen in this last year...But why can't I appreciate it?

I have been told that once I start a new job, and meet new people, things wont seem so bad. I know there are many men and women in my place right now, I just need to reach out and meet new people. I wonder if going home will make my stay here much easier...or will it be that much more difficult to leave the second time? I've yet to find out. I have changed so much as a person, that home may not be the same to me anymore. Of course my family is there, but will it be weird being back in that small town of Boulder Creek again? Who knows. I need to accept that Germany, is my home now...at least until June of 2009. I need to be more open minded, and enjoy this experience with my amazing husband. He has helped me through so much, there is no need for me to be so afraid with him by my side. He is the family that I have here.

So, I will continue to experience. I will try new things. I will not be afraid of the unfamiliar. I will take in these memories that will last a lifetime. I will put myself out there and show this country the real me. I will adapt.

Remaining thin while living overseas...

...is a HUGE challenge!

Yesterday I went out to lunch to a little cafe (kind of like a Starbucks if they served a ton of food) with the family. I got a very light grilled chicken panini and a chai tea. I felt good with having such a light lunch in my belly. Then, we decided to get some muffins to-go. On our way back to the car, we decided to stop at the little Lawson's Station, which is like a 7-11. Here is where things went south...

When living overseas, you get very excited to try new treats. Treats that are considered "normal" to the locals. So, we got some pastries, and some juice/soda things and it was SOOOO good! I have accepted that I will not be super thin until we have been living back in the states...for awhile. Of course when we get back to the states, I am going to want to eat EVERYTHING that I have missed from living overseas for 5 years. Goodness, I should just become a fatty and enjoy it.

This thing was like a grape soda, except more bitter. No idea what was in this thing, but it was good!

Liam's strawberry muffin from the coffee shop.

My healthy chocolate muffin. ;)

This was like a chocolate croissant, except way better!

Today, I have a 13 month old

Oh my goodness, where has the time gone?! I can't believe I was running around the house like a crazy person getting everything ready for his birthday party a month ago!

Every day, Liam seems to change into a different baby. He is growing and developing and learning something new every single day. With that being said, the little dude has also learned to throw a mild tantrum. Liam does not like being told, "no." Kyle and I don't say it often unless he is in danger because I want him to feel like he can roam around and experience things in his tiny world. I don't want to put boundaries on everything. If he is about to pull something off a shelf, or pull the bird cage down, or break something etc. is when we tell him no, and boy does he let us know he's upset about it. He becomes dramatic and plops down on the floor and whine/growls/fake cries for a couple seconds and then he's done. Kyle and I can't help but laugh, then I get blamed for passing the "dramatic" genes onto Liam. Psh!

He is being so stubborn about walking. He knows how to walk, and he will walk to Kyle and I no problem, but he still prefers to use crawling as his main form of transportation. Occasionally he walk walk from one couch to the other, but long distances he crawls. He has known how to walk for almost 2 months now, but he lacks the confidence to get up and just go! I am not going to rush it or get impatient because I know as soon as he walking and running and taking the car and graduating from college, I am going to look back and wish his crawling days didn't go by so fast.

The mountain of pureed foods in the pantry is finally gone, and he is eating only big boy foods. It has been a challenge though...He would eat pureed broccoli, green beans, you name it, like a champ, but it is a struggle to get him to eat them in their natural form. I have to trick him most the time and it's exhausting. His all time favorite meal is pasta with red sauce. He will tear some pasta up! He also has a weakness for yogurt. Someone takes after his cousin ;) Breastfeeding is coming to an end. I m so proud of Liam and I for making it an entire year! A year has always been my goal and I am excited we made it! My supply is almost gone. I stopped pumping and since he sleeps through the night (most nights,) I only nurse like maybe once or twice a day. I am easing out of it and I am ready for it to come to an end and I feel I am going about it the right way so keep your comments to yourself yo!

He interacts with Kyle and I a whole lot more. He mimics us all day and he responds to questions by using his body. I can ask a question like " where are the birds?" or " where is the airplane?" and he will look directly at the object and get all excited. So, he knows words, he just hasn't quite figured out how to say them. He is becoming quite adventurous. He tries to climb everything! The couch, his lego table, his dump truck, the chairs. He is really good at keeping me on my toes.

He is wearing size 18-24 mo clothes, size 5 diapers and size 6 shoes!

Tomorrow is his first dental exam! He is such a big boy now and going to big boy appointments! I know I say it every time I write his monthly update, but boy time sure goes fast :(

I wish this little mister would slow the heck down, but he is so much fun! Kyle and I have the most fun, the most belly aching laughs, and the most love for our little guy. I love love love being his Mommy and I thank God every single day for choosing us to be his parents.

I love you so much it hurts, little Liam!

I am thankful for...

I am thankful for...

by Nancie J. Carmody

...the mess to clean up after a party

because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

...the taxes I pay

because it means that I'm employed.

...the clothes that fit a little too snug

because it means I have enough to eat.

...my shadow who watches me work

because it means I am out in the sunshine.

...the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot

because it means I am capable of walking.

...all the complaining I hear about our government

because it means we have freedom of speech.

...that lady behind me in church who sings off key

because it means that I can hear.

...lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing

because it means I have a home.

...my huge heating bill

because it means that I am warm.

...weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day

because it means that I have been productive.

...the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours

because it means that I am alive.

There are three kinds of days:

1. Good days,
2. Great days, and
3. Outstanding days.

I hope yours is Outstanding!

30 Day Photo Challenge

Day #1- A picture of yourself with 10 facts.

1. I am obsessed with all things pregnancy and childbirth. I cannot stop reading books on it!

2. I'm addicted to second hand/flea market shopping. Thanks Tammy for getting me hooked! :)

3. I have a phobia of deep water. I get sweaty, nauseous and tingly when I go to aquariums.

4. I collect sea glass.

5. I have lived in 3 different countries (US, Germany and Japan) and I have visited 11 different countries. ( Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Ireland, England, Italy, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Holland, Japan.)

6. I can't wait to live in the states so I can have a great big garden full of organic yummies!

7. I am completely head over heels in love with my best friend. I love you, Kyle!

8. Being a Mommy is my calling, and it is the best feeling in the entire world.

9. I am going to have a home birth with the next baby.

10. I have a weakness for scotchmallows from See's candies.

Typhoon Songda

(Okinawa is the TINY island next to the eye of the storm.)

*I wrote this last night right before our power went out, so it never got a chance to publish.*

Typhoon Songda has arrived and she is a feisty one! Her strength has downgraded from a category 5 typhoon to a category 2, but that hasn't stopped her from wrecking shop on this island! The storm started to get pretty bad around 8pm and it is now 10pm. The photo above is from about 5 minutes ago. The "eye" of the storm hasn't even reached Okinawa yet! I seem to be the only one in the house that is excited and terrified of this storm. Liam has been sound asleep in his crib for about 2 hours now, and Kyle is playing xbox...I have spent the last 45 minutes standing in my doorway like an idiot taking all sorts of videos.

This is our first official typhoon since we have lived here. We have had 4 or 5 hit the island, but none close enough for us to really feel them. We live on the 4th floor of our building, and the walls are shaking so bad it feels like an earthquake. Our windows are screaming, and the doors are rattling! I have never ever been through a storm like this in my life, it's so intense! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a tiny bit freaked out...

I decided to open the door to feel the wind, and I got a face full of leaves and dirt! There is so much crap flying through the air. The power is flickering and all the street lights went out. The base is pitch black! Of course, with every storm comes crazy idiots. I saw a couple walking down the street holding hands. I heard there were teenagers skateboarding down the streets. My neighbors on the 5th floor were holding onto their balcony railing and pretending they were in Titanic. Locals don't give a dang about typhoons, they are out walking their dogs in it like it's no big deal! While all of these things DO sound fun, it's just not smart people!

For my entertainment, I blew up a balloon and watched it get ripped out of my hand and carried away in the wind. I would like to tie a rope to a bucket and fly a bucket kite, but I will have to save that for another day.

Anyway, sitting next to the screaming and rattling sliding glass door is starting to freak me out a little, so I am going to move to the couch and wait for the power to go out. I will update you all tomorrow on the damage! The wind is suppose to be nuts like this for another 5 hours!!

Churuami Aquarium

Being Asian after running through the pouring rain.

Holy toledo it has been a long time since I wrote. I know I still need to do Liam's 1-year update. Little dude is so grown up and he has changed so much, it's ridiculous.

Anyway, this weekend is kind of exciting. As you all have heard, there is a super typhoon that is going to hit us here on Okinawa tomorrow night around midnight. I have heard some compare Typhoon Songda to Hurricane Katrina! This is the first typhoon that will actually hit Kadena since we have lived here, so we are pretty anxious to see what these typhoons are all about! We are all stocked up on food and water since we are not allowed to leave our house when it gets close to us. This base turns to a ghost town! Right now I guess you can say we are experiencing the "calm before the storm." It is 9:30 at night, and there isn't even a slight breeze outside and the typhoon is less than 24 hours away! So, since we are going to be stuck indoors all weekend on our nice, long, 4-day memorial weekend, we decided to take the only opportunity we would have to do something fun before the storm hit. We got up early and headed up to Churuami Aquarium!

It was about a 1.5 hour drive. We took the scenic route up, and the expressway on the way back. It is sooo pretty up north! It is very mountainous and you are driving along the ocean the entire way. It was cloudy and drizzly when we got there, but oh so humid as usual. The aquarium was super sweet! My favorite thing about it was that all the creatures in the tanks were ones you could find out here in the local area. Every tank was a tropical fish tank, so it was very different than what I was used to at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. First off we saw a "petting tank" with starfish and sea slugs. From there there were a lot of tanks with fish that looked like they belonged on "Finding Nemo." If we're just being honest, I wanted to just bee-line to the 2-million gallon tank and check out the whale sharks! About 15 minutes after we got to the aquarium, a SWARM of Japanese high school students showed up and flooded the place. Before their arrival, it was pretty quiet and Liam got front row views of all the tanks. We were trying to stay ahead of the crowd, but it just wasn't working. They cramed in any little space they could find, and holy cow were they loud! Needless to say, Liam went into sensory overload very quickly. All the locals were trying to talk to him and wave to him, and all the tanks, and the loud noise...I just wanted to run to a corner and hide with him for a minute to have some quiet time to pull ourselves together! It was so chaotic haha!

Eventually, we made it to the whale shark tank. For those that know me, you know I have a phobia of deep water and large objects ( boats, whales, airplanes...) I wouldn't say it's a serious phobia or anything, but seeing these things makes me freak out a little. As soon as we turned the corner and I saw the tank, I instantly started feeling sick! It was the craziest thing and I have never experienced a feeling like that in my life! I was getting all panic-y and nauseous, it was nuts! Kyle basically told me to snap out of it and stop being a baby hah And so I did. The tank was incredible! There were three whale sharks, all of which I was told were not full grown. There were manta rays, sting rays, all kinds of schools of fish, tuna, sharks, and so much more! There were so many different fish in there, you didn't know where to look!

After we spent a good 45 minutes at the big tank, we moved on to see what else the aquarium had in store. We saw so many more tanks filled with crazy looking fish and eels, it was a blasty blast. After 2 hours in the aquarium, Liam had enough of the shenanigans. We got a phone call from Kyle's boss stating that the TCCOR had dropped to 2, meaning that the storm was closer and we needed to strap everything down at home and prepare for the storm. Since it was a 2 hr drive home, we figured we better head out. As soon as we walked out the door, I saw a Japanese man passing out umbrellas for you to borrow as you walked around the park. I figured, " eh, it's just sprinkling....I don't need an umbrella." Right as we turned the corner to head to the car, it starts pouring. Kyle and I are in a sea of Japanese people with umbrellas, and we are the only dumbass Americans who don't have one. We look like complete idiots and we are soaked. As I recall, Kyle said I looked like a " wet rat." I should mention that the rain feels like bath water. It's so warm, that Liam was soaked in his stroller and he didn't even care the least bit. I started to feel bad for him, so we decided to run the rest of the way to the car ( which was a good 10 minute run hah)

Our drive home was a little nerve-racking as well. It was dumping rain most the way, and it was near impossible to see out the windshield! Great idea to go on a mini-trip the day before a hurricane. Who's bright idea was that?!....

As unfortunate as the rain situation was, it made for a good memory and a story. It is moments like that that you look back on and laugh. All in all, it was a great day. We didn't get lost at all, and I loved spending the day with mi familia! I hope you all get to enjoy your nice sunny Memorial Day weekends!! Don't forget the reason for the holiday, dudes!

xo

To the Madres

Before I was a Mom -
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom -
I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on - Pooped on - Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and My thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life
so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

And remember that behind every successful woman......
is a basket of dirty laundry.

Some of My Favorite Pregnancy/Mommy Products

As most of you may know, my beautiful big sister and brother in law are expecting their second baby. I couldn't be more excited to be an Auntie again! I feel like I am always trying to remember to tell her about a certain baby product I use, or something I used while pregnant, so I decided to make things easier and just write a "favorite products" blog. Since we live overseas, I have to order 99.9% of our belongings online. Because I have to order flippin' everything, I end up doing a ton of research since I can't just go back to the store to return it. Here are a few of my most favorite Mommy things. :)

Quinny Buzz 3 Stroller

This stroller is the bomb.com. We saw a ton of parents pushing these around all over Europe (it's a European stroller.) We always said that when we had a baby, this would be the stroller we were going to get. I cannot explain to you how many times we get stopped when we are out. Everyone comments on it and asks us about it. Anyway, one of my favorite things about it is that to open it, all you do is flip a little latch, an the stroller assembles itself. I can hold Liam in one hand, and open the stroller with the touch of a latch. Collapsing it rules too. It is all so smooth and simple, you never have to shake it open, or kick it, or scream at it. The "big kid" part of the stroller comes off so you can attach a carseat for the infants. When the carseat is attached, it looks like a little carriage. Also, you can switch the "big kid" seat around so it can face you, or leave it where it is so it can face out. The stroller came with a rain shield and bug shield. You can switch out the front tire to make it a running stroller as well. Also, the front tire swivels so you don't have to tilt the stroller back to go around corners. I friggin' love the heck out of this thing! We ordered ours on eBay brand new for $300-ish.

Johnson's Face and Hand Wipes

These are a diaper bag must! I picked these up at Walmart in Reno for a couple bucks. I can't find them here in Okinawa, so I had to switch to a different brand :( Anyway, these are antibacterial wipes and I used them on everything! It is inevitable, some person you don't care for is going to touch your baby, kiss their hands, slobber their face etc. I know I can't STAND it! So, if you don't feel like being rude, just wipe baby down when they are finished :) These wipes smell incredible. I will admit I have used some to wipe my face and arms to "freshen up" if I have been out all day. They smell so fresh and clean! They also work great to wipe off a pacifier that has been thrown on the ground, or a dirty table at a restaurant. I highly recommend buying these babies in bulk! They come in a tiny package that fits well in your diaper bag.

Method Products

I pretty much love Method, and everything they have to offer. We use their laundry softener, hand soaps, baby products, household cleaners..everything! The baby products happen to be my favorite. Their soaps don't contain Peg-80 which is the main reason we buy it. (I will save the Peg-80 talk for another entry ;) ) It leaves Liam's hair smelling delicious enough to eat and his skin so soft! The diaper cream happens to be my second favorite. It comes in a pump-able bottle which makes for a super easy application. You can order all the products on Amazon, or pick them up in Babies R' Us.

Dimpleskins Bum Bum Balm

So, having a baby has turned me into a tree-hugger. Laugh all you want, but I would rather not pump my kid full of chemicals. I stumbled across Bum Bum balm and I LOVE it! It is chemical free and organic. I use this on his toosh daily. He has yet to have a diaper rash. It smells like lavender and it's clear so you don't have to worry about it staining clothes, or baby's bum. It is thick like wax (not a paste) so it can be a little more time consuming to get on there, but it works wonders! I ordered it on Amazon for *I believe* $8.

Udder Cover Nursing Cover

I literally have 6 of these bad boys. I ordered them all from uddercovers.com. Each cover is $32. I ordered one, and since then, the company sends me emails ALL the time for free covers. They send me a promotional code, and the only thing I have to pay for is shipping. These covers are great. They have boning at the top so you can see baby, and baby can see you. The neck strap is adjustable. That way, if you are breastfeeding in a spot where people passing by can see down your cover, you can tighten it up. The adjustable strap helped me a lot when we were flying to California. I tightened it up so that I didn't need to worry about the people sitting behind me seeing my boobies. The patterns are super cute and they are lightweight so you don't have to worry about baby sweating his bum off while he grazes.

Bravado Bliss Nursing Bra

This is my all time favorite nursing bra. I bought at least 6 different bras, and this one is my go-to. I ordered it on eBay brand new with tags, for about $40. It has great support, and light padding so that those passing by can't tell what the weather is like by looking at your chest. The snaps are easy to undo with one hand so you don't have to put your little one down to get the goods out. I believe they come in 3 colors: black, nude and white.

Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil

I figgin' love this stuff! I used it twice a day when I was pregnant, and I made it out with only 2 small "battle scars" on my belly. I would apply the oil right after my shower or bath. It doesn't have a strong "foody" smell, and it absorbs quickly. It leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft. I still use it on occasion on my arms and legs. I believe it is around $4 a bottle.

Today, I have an 11 month old

My little bug,

First off, let's get straight to the exciting news. Your birthday is next month! I got an email today saying, "things you should know about your 11 month old..." and I felt like I got kicked in the stomach. I can't believe I am 30 days away from having a ONE YEAR OLD! Where in the world has the time gone?! I have been a Crafty McCraft-pants this past month. I am making everything for your birthday party since we live in Japan. It is too difficult to order everything online. I am making your very first cake from scratch and I am super excited about it!

One thing I discovered today, is that it is like pulling teeth to get you to smile in pictures when you are distracted. You think plastic easter eggs are the bees knees, and once you got your hands on them, you tuned the rest of the world out. You are truly the happiest and most calm baby I have ever seen. You really don't ever fuss unless you are tired. I can't even remember the last time I saw tears in your eyes.

You are an excellent napper. You still take two, sometimes 3 naps a day. Every time you get close to sleeping from 7pm-7am, you get a new tooth that pops through and makes you miserable and restless and puts us back at square one.

Some fun 11 month facts about you are:

*You learned to wave this month. It looks more like you are trying to get something sticky off your fingers, but to us, it's a wave.

*We have officially conquered your fear of the grass. You hated the texture of it and always tried to climb up me like a cat in water when I set you down. As of last week, you love picking it and throwing it.

*Your favorite snacks are bananas and toast with jam.

*We are still unable to find a food that you don't like. Hopefully that never changes. You are still breastfeeding, however you only nurse about 3 times a day (before you go to sleep.) We have almost reached our 1 year goal and I am so proud of us!

*When you hear an airplane, you cover your ears with your hands and laugh.

*You wear size 18 mo clothes, and size 5 diapers. You are in the 90th percentile for height, and 50th percentile for weight.

*We got you your first pets a couple weeks ago. We snagged you 2 parakeets. They are both girls and their names are Frankenstein and Snuffleupagus.

*You almost have SIX teeth! You have (almost-two more popped through today) four on top, and two on the bottom. You look like such a big boy!

The most exciting news of all is that you are starting to walk! You are sooo close to doing it on your own. You walk all over the house with your dinosaur walker. Whenever we walk to the room to get a diaper change, or when we walk to the bath, you insist on holding our hands and walking there. You think walking like a big boy is the coolest thing since chilled teethers. You are getting better at it too. You can walk along side us while holding on with one hand. Today, I set you down and you took one step with your left foot, then you plopped down! I am so excited that you will be toddling around pretty soon.

You are babbling all the time, but no new words have popped up in your dictionary. Everything still seems to be "da-da." When you are tired you always say, " Ni-ni." (nite nite) And when you are finished eating, you say, " Ah-da." (all done)

As I say in every entry, you are growing way too fast. I am not prepared to be the Mommy of a ONE YEAR OLD! At the rate you're going now, I guess I better start prepping myself for your first day of kindergarten. I love you so much my little bug. You bring so much happiness into our little family, and Daddy and I love you more than we will ever be able to describe. Just try and stay little for a little while longer...please?

10 Month Update

My little Liam,

This entry is about 10 days late...this month has been a hard one and Mommy has just been emotionally drained. You lost your great Uncle to stage 4 melanoma a couple weeks ago. I am going to keep you lubed up in sunscreen your entire life mister. Right after your great uncle passed, mainland Japan got hit with an 8.9 earthquake and a massive tsunami that hit 30 minutes after the quake. The wave moved houses out of it's way like they were little toys. Since we live in Japan, this earthquake has hit home and has affected us emotionally. It is so heartbreaking to see footage on the news. This month has been a devastating one...

On a lighter note, you are now 10 months old! I don't believe it. You have been out of my tummy as long as you were in it! You are becoming more and more independent and it tugs at my heart strings. My little boy is growing up!

You are talking a lot more. You try to repeat a lot of things Daddy and I say. You repeat "all done" except it sounds more like, " aa-daa" and you can say, "nite nite." It is so neat to hear you talk! You are always laughing or singing it seems. You are a very happy little dude. We NEVER see you cry. If there are tears, something bad must have happened. The only time you whine is if you are super tired and grumpy.

You are still taking 3 naps a day. They will range anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Your day is pretty much down to a predictable schedule. You wake up around 7:30 every morning. Your naps are always 2 hours from the time you woke up. And you are in the bath at 6:30pm, and in bed by 7pm. Routine has always worked so well for you since you were a tiny infant. You sleep through the night most of the time, but when you are teething, all bets are off.

You officially have four teeth! You no longer look like a tiny little baby...You are still eating pureed foods, but for the most part you love fingers foods and you love being able to feed yourself. It's fun being able to experiment with different foods. So far, I haven't found a food you hate. Last night I made some broccoli, and you were literally licking your tray trying to eat every last crumb! Your most favorite foods are bananas, toast with a little bit of jam and butter, cheerios/puffs and spaghetti. Breast milk still takes the cake. Nothing wins your heart over more than milk straight from the tap. We are still nursing, but you have definitely cut back a ton. You nurse before naps/bedtimes and that's it.

You are taunting Daddy and I with this whole standing thing. Some days you stand a whole bunch, other days you refuse to do it. You are capable and have the strength/coordination to do it, you are just nervous. As soon as you realize you are standing without support, you fall down onto your butt.

You love playing peek-a-boo with your shirt and you love when you sneeze. Every time you sneeze you look at us and wait for us to give you a reaction. Then you try to mimic the sound of your sneeze by making a spitting noise with your mouth. You find it hilarious! Every time a jet flies over our house, I shout, "airplane!" and you quickly put your hand over one of your ears and you laugh and laugh. If your hands are being occupied by a toy, you quickly lay your head down on the floor so your ear is against the carpet. It is so hilarious! I get a kick out of watching you do it every time. If there are lots of jets, the whole family joins in and we all sit there with our hands on our ears. You think it's the funniest darn thing.

We don't watch much tv, but if it's on, your favorite show is Sesame Street and some creepy show called, " In the Night Garden." It freaks Mommy out and I hate when we have to watch it. Nothing beats Baby Einstein though. Those will always be your favorite.

You are huge. Every time we go out, people think you are at least a year old. You should see their faces when I say you are only 10 months old. It doesn't surprise me, you are in 18 mo clothes, and size 5 diapers!

We have started to plan your airplane themed birthday already. I can't believe you will be 1 in less than 2 months!

We love you more than we will ever be able to describe!!

Dear Boobs,

I found this online and was highly entertained by. Breastfeeding Mamas, (past and present) I know you can relate.

Dear Boobs,

I just wanted to write and say thank you ... and sorry.

I'm sorry for all you've been through over the past five years what with all the pregnancies and nursing for months on end. I'm sorry for all of the tenderness, the cracked nipples (why couldn't that kid get his latch right?!), the mastitis, the clogged ducts, the thrush, the chemical burn (that was totally my bad! I had no idea putting straight grapefruit seed extract on nipples would cause 2nd degree burns). I'm sorry for the time Leo intentionally bit you and drew blood. I'm sorry for the time he twisted your nipple so hard it turned purple for days. I'm sorry for flashing you to the general public on a regular basis. I know you're shy by nature, but I just couldn't get that stupid Hooter Hider to work. And most of all, I'm sorry that you went from being two buoyant, glorious orbs to the deflated, sad rock-stuffed socks you are today.

You've been such troopers. I'm sure it hasn't been easy. I see you staring at the ground, demoralized and it breaks my heart (not to mention my back).

So please forgive me. I'll buy you fancy bras and I promise I won't ever let another infant use you as a chew toy.

Love,

Saggy Sistah

P.S. I do have one last favor to ask you. I know you've been through a lot, but could I talk you into a boob job?

Up, Up, and Away!

So, as most of you may know, Liam's first birthday party is right around the corner. After many discussions with the Hubs, we decided to go with an airplane theme! Cute, bubbly, cartoon-y airplanes that is, not realistic ones.

The colors are going to be red, baby blue and white. I am snagging a few ideas from this here website. Yesterday I bought some red napkins, balloons and streamers. It looks like I will be making most of the decor, and ordering a few things here and there from etsy.

I will be making 2 cakes. One big, and one small smash cake for the boy. I haven't decided if I want to do the cakes in fondant or not.

I'll keep you updated on the planning of the big day. I am so excited! I love planning parties!

...however, I dislike the fact that I almost have a 1 year old...

Where did my tiny baby go?

12 Photos

There are suppose to be 30 pictures, but good ol' blogger wasn't letting me add anymore, so I will do it in segments..Grrr...

1. A photo from a great night. (Night boat cruise down the Siene river in Paris-Our first date.)

2. A picture of something you are terrified of. (Iraq-Kyle deploying again.)

3. A picture of someone you always have a good time with.

4. A picture of your parents when they were (around) your age.

5. A picture from last summer. (We pretty much didn't do anything since we had a newborn and were too scared to go out and do things in the crazy heat hah.)

6. A picture from your engagement. (South Lake Tahoe, CA)

7. A picture of you on your favorite vacation. ( Cliffs of Moher, Ireland)

8. A picture of an accomplishment. ( When I delivered Liam without any drugs!)

9. A picture of your first home as a married couple.

10. A random picture of outside where you live.

11. A picture that always makes you smile. ( This is the first time we got to see Liam:))

12. Someone you will never let go of.

My walk in iPhone pictures.

When the weather allows, Liam and I go on a walk around the neighborhood. I would say this walk is at least a mile and a half.

This is our new home. It is said that the 3rd floor is haunted. Luckily, we live on the 4th floor! The outside looks like poop, but the insides are nice and renovated.

Halfway up the hill that I walked daily when I was pregnant. Now the boy and I run up it. I have a love/hate relationship with this hill.

These are the new renovated houses on base. They kicked us out of our old one to renovate them to these. Instead of moving us into these sweet new houses, we got put in the dusty old towers. Thanks....

This picture makes me so sad. This is Liam in front of our first home. (The top two windows on the right were our bedroom and the living room.) The home where I told Kyle that we were going to have a baby. The home that I spent so many hours nesting, and making the nursery just perfect for his arrival. The home where my water broke. The home we brought him to when we came home from the hospital. These cement walls holds so many of my memories that will always be a part of me. It makes me sad that I will never be able to take Liam back to this building and show him the first house he lived in. It is now just a pile of rubble, with my memories tangled up in the cement and metal.

Jungle vines! Every building or sidewalk on base is hugged tightly by super dense jungles that are full of all kinds of crazy noises.

You can hardly see the huge ol' bird in the bottom picture