Finally, a place I’m welcome at!
BEAM ME UP
Finally, a place I’m welcome at!
HOT WHEELS
I had ordered my new wheels and I couldn’t wait for them to come in. No, I wasn’t getting a new car. Something more practical. Something I’d actually use more than a new car. A new stroller! The current stroller was just a frame that the car seat clips into. It was perfect for us while Ellie was small, and we didn’t want to deal with the big, bulky travel system stroller. But she was getting bigger and we wanted her to start sitting in a forward facing stroller. After researching, we found the one that was going to work for us. The City Mini by Baby Jogger. It had “patented quick-fold technology that allows you to fold your stroller in one simple step.” Also, “eight-inch quick-release EVA wheels with sealed ball bearings.” Not to mention the “swivel front wheel for quick and agile maneuverability.” Jealous? I don’t blame you. I picked the purple color with grey trim because it seemed unique and dynamic. Needless to say, I was excited for it to arrive. And even more excited to take that bad boy out for a spin.
PICKY PICKY?
Ellie has never been a good napper. I’ve accepted it. I may whine and complain about it sometimes, but I’ve accepted it. So when the Reverse Tooth Fairy strikes and disrupts her naps, it isn’t that shocking.
One thing Ellie’salways been good at is eating. I can be walking to her from across the room and she’ll have her mouth open waiting for a spoonful of food. Sometimes during snack time, I’ll sit on the couch with a spoonful of yogurt and she’ll walk over to the spoon with her mouth open. She’ll run back and forth from the spoon stopping for a bite. I’ll just sit there. It’s like a reverse airplane situation. Instead of the spoon being the airplane, her mouth is. “Raaawwwwwrrrr… This is Captain Ellie coming in for a food pick, clear the runway! Raaawwwwrrrrr!” However, recently the Reverse Tooth Fairy has been getting bold. She’s ventured beyond using her typical tactics of destroying naps. She’s now messing with her eating habits.
WHERE’S THE TOILET?
Bathrooms in Japan are pretty interesting. First of all, the toilet is in it’s own room. You open a door to a room about the size of a linen closet and you’ll find a toilet… and that’s it. I found this troubling on my first trip to Japan to meet Aya’s parents. Not only was I meeting them for the first time, but I’d be living with them for ten days. The bathroom situation can always be tricky when you’re meeting people for the first time. After you meet your girlfriend’s parents, you don’t want to be that guy who kills the bathroom. This was a major concern as I knew I’d be eating all kinds of food I’d never had before, some of which were raw. I had no idea how my stomach would handle that situation. I was really counting on the “shower mist” maneuver. You know, when you “go” right before you take a shower. No matter what happened in there, the shower mist would cover it all up. But with the toilet being in it’s own room the size of a closet located far away from the shower, operation “shower mist” wouldn’t work. We all got to know each other really well.
PICTURE PERFECT?
Aya’s longtime childhood friend, Ksenija, is a professional photographer. And by longtime friend, I mean since the first grade. Aya had moved to Japan and back and they still remained friends. So when we decided we wanted a family portrait session, of course we wanted Ksenija for the job. She photographed our wedding, our baby shower, and even Ellie when she was only a couple of weeks old. She was a close friend, and we loved her work. Her pictures are more than photographs, they are art. We had set up a session with her in the fall, our favorite time of year. Continue reading “PICTURE PERFECT?”