BabyKen

Age: 17 months-3 weeks (13 months-3 weeks, corrected)

Hi Folks! Long time no post… Sorry, but we have been pretty busy recently, and we have neglected the website for a while now. But don’t worry. I’m still here, still growing quickly, and making amazing progress. But where to begin? Let’s see, some highlights:

Last month I had my last RSV shot of the season. And even better, my pedi thinks that is the last time I will need it, because he thinks next year it won’t be necessary. Awesome! I can’t begin to tell you how sick I am of needles! My weight gain has come to a screeching halt since last time (actually down by 50g), but what I lack in weight gain I have made up in height (I now measure 78.7cm). In my physical therapy session, my PT spent most of the time fashioning me up some new insoles that are supposed to help my feet form well as I am growing. He put some arches in, as well as a small dimple near the front that will help me build strength with my toes.

I continue to be quickly socialized with the world. As I am staying home with mommy, she is having people over and sometimes I am going out to visit people. And I have to tell you, I love people! I really do, friends, relatives, total strangers, I like to play with them all… Okay, mommy and daddy say to tone it down a bit with the strangers, but it’s hard to resist. I just love getting out. And speaking of getting out, recently we had some nice trips to some local parks, and one longer trip to Nasu Animal Kingdom. They had all these animals that you can pet, animal shows, talking parrots, etc. They let people bring their own pets to walk. And if you don’t have a pet, you can even rent a dog to walk with you while you visit. Isn’t that zany? I visited Auntie Joyce recently. She has a really nice house not too far away from us. I really liked it, especially her staircase. It’s the first time I had ever seen stairs inside a house, and I knew instantly that I was destined to climb them. And climb them I did, all the way to the top in like 20 seconds. That was liberating. Of course, daddy was right behind me, watching me the whole time, so I dunno, maybe only slightly liberating…

Some mini-milestones. My teeth are really starting to come in a hurry. I now have 8 front teeth, and I am getting my upper canines and my first lower molars. I like biting things, and I can bite pretty hard now. You should see daddy’s fingers. They have bite marks everywhere… Ummm, I am walking well now. I am still not too confident waking completely alone, but I like walking while holding on to somebody’s hand, or by walking along a wall. Sometimes I do let go voluntarily and walk short distances. And I can stand unassisted for pretty good stretches of time.

I am also making progress with my development. My vocabulary is becoming more complex and starting to increase quickly. I now have clear behaviors and sounds to let mommy and daddy know what I want, like when I want something to eat or when I want to take a drink from my bottle. And speaking of bottles, I can now handle my own drink bottle, which has a silicone straw. I like that one… Increasingly, I like to copy everything that mommy and daddy do. They are particularly amused when I see them cleaning up the house, and I want to do it to. They give me a little towel, and I’ll spend a good while cleaning tables, chairs, floors, the TV, and anything else I can reach. My menu has greatly expanded now too. Mommy has been making all kinds of super yummy foods for me. I am eating all kinds of seafood, meats, eggs, vegetables, rice, bread, milk, fruits, and of course, desserts. Basically, I can eat everything mommy and daddy eat.

One really big news, in the last few months mommy and daddy have been preparing to move to U.S. That’s right, we are leaving Japan. It has been a good home for me for the last year, but we think in U.S. there will be better opportunities and for me a better environment to grow up. The big move is coming in June, so now you know what has been keeping us busy recently. It’s all the packing, cleaning, getting rid of old stuff, and arranging everything you can imagine – it’s not easy preparing to move 5,000 miles away! Ok, I’ll try not be such a stranger in the future. But something tells me we will keep pretty busy right up until we move. Catch you later!

Weight: 9,145g / 20lb-2.6oz.

Age: 16 months-1 week  (12 months-1 week, corrected)

Hi, what a nice weekend we just had! On Saturday, we had a nice time out. No place special, just visited Kawagoe, where mommy got some new batteries for her watches, I picked up a new shirt from Gap, and later we went to Costco to restock our refrigerator.

Today, we also had an even better day out. We decided to have a family picnic at the local park. Unfortunately, the park lawn is undergoing some maintenance, so we had to sit on a park bench. We all had our lunch there, and then I spent a good amount of time  in the kiddie playground. I met a few kids, and I was curious to try and grab them and occasionally talk to them. They don’t talk back to me, they just watch me. Maybe it’s because I’m much bigger than they are. I also played around with some of the activities there. After we got done at the park, we went to Babies R Us. Mommy and daddy were eager to get me my new shoes, since my shoes now are going to be too tight really soon. Also, since my PT is making some insoles for me to help me walk properly, we want to be ready with the new shoes. I got some Asics GD.RUNNER BABY CT mid-tops in camouflage color. They look super cool. At home I tried them out, and they feel comfortable. I’m going to like these shoes…

My first week alone with mommy has been awesome. She has been cooking me all kinds of yummy foods. I am loving everything, and I am now eating almost as much solid food as I take in formula. Daddy just ordered me some multi-vitamins, too, which I am getting back on now that my diet is changing. I am a growing boy!

P.S. Here I am at the park playing with an elephant, and also a shot of my new shoes.

Age: 16 months (12 months, corrected)

Yesterday was my first day staying alone just with mommy. It was different but it was great. She took me to the park in the afternoon and I had a blast playing around. When daddy got home, though, they noticed that I was sniffling. They got me a little bit of medicine, hoping that I didn’t catch a cold or something.

Today, I woke up with a runny nose. I am not comfortable. There is also a little bit of coughing, but it is still mild, and I am not having a fever. So still hoping it is nothing serious. In the afternoon, we figured I was Ok, so we went to Babies R Us. There are a few things that mommy and daddy wanted to get me, including some new milk. They have decided to make the switch to regular powder milk, as opposed to the high-calorie milk I have been on all my life. At the same time, the plan is to increase the type and quantity of solid foods. I also got a new cup with a straw, which daddy is hoping I can learn to use soon. Finally, I got a few toys to help with my physical and mental development. First, I got a fire engine that I can either sit on and ride, or I can stand behind it and hold onto while I practice walking. It is very similar to the one I was playing with at my PT’s office the other day, but this one has additional activities and buttons for me to explore. The other toy I got is a smaller fire engine that you have to put balls into, and while you roll it, the balls pop out from a different hole. Finally, I got a small play cellular phone. I had a blast at the store, so much in fact that I didn’t want to leave. After the store, we went straight home and spent the rest of the day relaxing and playing with the new toys.

Mommy is also starting to cook me food, and today I got to try her first recipe. We actually took it on the road, my first little “bento” box! Check it out below, and also check out the latest pics of me playing with my new train. Oh, also, I was trying out my newest outfit with a necktie…

Age: 16 months (12 months, corrected)

I’m a little sad from this weekend. On Saturday, after a little more than 4 months with us, my grandma finally went back to China. We drove her to the airport. OK, wait. we didn’t actually drive her to the airport. We sort of drove her to the airport. Oh, boy, it looks like I have some explaining to do. So here’s the thing, it is about 100km (about 60 miles) from home to the airport. On a good day (for Japan, anyway), the trip can be done in about 2 hours. Well, today was not a good day. It was raining, and there was traffic. And to make matters worse, we only had about 1/4 tank of gasoline, and daddy forgot to fill up before getting on the highway. You see where this is going? No, you’re wrong, we didn’t run out of gas. But it was close. In downtown Tokyo, in the middle of traffic, after the gas lamp had already been on for a while, we finally made the decision to get off the highway and over to a gas station as quickly as possible. The only thing is, it was still early in the morning, and the first few gas stations we found were closed! We started to think that our nightmare might come true. And because we were already within the 2 hour window before flight time, we decided it was safer to just stop and send grandma to the airport by taxi. It wasn’t the ideal situation, because a taxi ride to Narita is expensive – with a capital “E”. But oh well, like the saying goes “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. So we are going to take it on the chin and try not to do it again. Right, dad? Speaking of dad, he and I stayed behind while mommy took grandma to find a taxi. Since mommy got the phone numbers to some gas stations in the area, daddy punched them into the navi, and we set out with our remaining gas to go find one. The plan was to just go the nearest one and then park there until it opened. Wouldn’t you know it, when we go there, it was open! Doh! Mommy and grandma could have stayed with us and we would have been on our way. Maybe next time we will exercise a bit more patience as well. So we got our gas, and then we continued to the airport. We ended up arriving there just about 10 minutes later than mommy and grandma had arrived. They were already checking in when we found them. We were happy that we got to see each other before grandma left. After we confirmed grandma’s airplane left the airport, we went and got some noodles for lunch (including me), and then we set out for home. A couple of hours later, we arrived. We made a short stop at the drug store for my chin medicine, then another quick stop at the supermarket, and then we got home.

Today we didn’t do much, just stayed home and relaxed. Miss you, grandma…

Age: 16 months (12 months, corrected)

Today was my main visit to the hospital for this month. I had three appointments. We started with the dreaded RSV shots, one to each leg. Today I didn’t cry at all, but I screamed loudly as usual. Next up, we went to see my pedi. He answered some questions for mommy and daddy. Also, because mommy and daddy were concerned about a slight rash that I developed on my chin, my pedi gave us a prescription for medicine to use on it. Remember the horrible blood extraction they did on the last visit? Well, the results were back today, and the news is very good. I don’t have any blood disorders and my blood circulation is great, as my my red blood cell and white blood cell counts are right were they should be for my age. Also, they did extensive tests for possible allergies that I might have. Here too the result is good, as I have normal to lower than normal sensitivity to typical allergens, including a wide variety of foods. So with this, the doctor recommends that I go ahead and increase my intake of solid foods, without too much worry that I am allergic to anything. Great, as I am eager to eat more! My last appointment was for physical therapy. I didn’t go to PT last month, so my doctor was pleased to see me. And he was even more pleased that I was actively standing by myself and walking all over the place. I even tried a slide that they had setup! Daddy didn’t think I could do it by myself, so he guided me down. I also tried a little fire truck with a handle, designed to help me walk by myself. I liked it immediately, and mommy and daddy decided on the spot that I should have one. Yippee! Also, I showed my PT my mental progress. Last time he gave me a little toy where you have to put the ball at the top, drop it, and watch it spiral down to the bottom. At the time, I had no clue what to do, I just wanted to hang on the ball. This time, as soon as I got the toy, without anyone showing me what to do, I immediately put the ball in the hole and watched it drop. I did this a bunch of times, until I eventually got a little bored. The rest of the session went well. My PT gave me some stretches and took my footprints. He also recommended to make me the special insoles that he recommended a while back, and he mentioned that it might be good for me to wear high-tops to better support my ankles. So it looks like I will get some new shoes soon too. Nice!

Weight: 9,195g / 20lb-4.3oz.

Age: 16 months (1 year, corrected)

Hey! I had a really cool weekend. On Saturday, nice and early, we headed out for a little getaway in the mountains in Yamanashi. We went with the family of mommy’s work friend. So we met them near our home, and then we drove out. When we got close, we got into some good snow. We first stopped in to have some local Hoto udon noodles, which are famous in the area. I got to taste a good bit of the pumpkins in the noodle plates. But I overdid it a little by eating too much, as I threw up. Once I got cleaned up and we finished lunch, we headed out to find our hotel. Actually, it is more like a small private cottage, owned by mommy’s company. We were the only ones staying there the weekend, so we settled into our rooms. Later we went downstairs and the grown ups played some pool. Then, everybody got changed and went down to the hot spring pools. It was nice, having that all to ourselves. Daddy took me to the boy’s side and we stayed in the pool for more than an hour. Finally, later in the evening everyone went downstairs again for dinner. After dinner, everyone came to our room, and we sat around chatting over snacks. What a fun day!

The next morning, we all went downstairs and had our breakfast. Then, back to the hot springs. This time daddy and I didn’t stay too long, maybe 45 minutes. But it was another good soaking. Then we got ready and packed, and by late morning we checked out and got going. Mommy’s friend recommended that we go to a local safari. Everyone was excited to see some wild animals up close. We headed out, stopping at a supermarket to pick up some snacks. We arrived at the safari and everyone was excited to get started. We had the choice to either take the caged buses or stay in our car. We of course, decided to stay in our cars, as the buses looked like they might be crowded. They had quite a good selection of animals. First, we saw a bunch of bears. Most were relaxing but we saw a few walking around and two even play fighting. Next was lions, all kinds of them, maybe 20-30 total. I wasn’t paying too much attention, even though they were walking all around us, some casually strolling past right outside the windows. Then we saw some tigers. They were beautifully colored, but unfortunately it seemed they had just ate, so they were all passed out sleeping. Then we got to some of the slightly less wild animals, like giraffes, elephants, zebras, etc. Some of the giraffes walked right past the car, looking down at us. And there was one animal – I don’t know what, it looked like a lama – it came over and started licking everything on our car, the side mirrors, the body panels. It was funny! Towards the end we saw other smaller animals like deer, bulls, and others, but by that time everyone was getting tired, so we kind of fast forwarded through that. Also, we were itching to get home early as mommy was expecting some important papers in the post.

One last thing, today is a kind of symbolic milestone. One year ago today, I was originally scheduled for birth! So, although I am more than a year old already, it still feels like a little celebration is in order for my 1 year corrected birthday. I am happy, and and mommy and daddy are especially happy, that I have achieved so much, I am healthy, and I am growing well, physically and mentally. Thanks to everyone out there that continues to think about me and who prays for me.

P.S. Here is what the Yamanashi area looks like in winter. The Hoto udon noodle place we ate lunch at is somewhere on the right side of the road, across from a lake.

Age: 15 months-3 weeks (11 months-3 weeks, corrected)

Big news today, folks. I mean, really BIG. Just a few days shy of my corrected age of 1 year, I walked! That’s right, I took my first steps. No cheating or exaggerating. The test was for me to take at least 5 normal consecutive steps with my back straight, unaided by anyone or by any objects. And more than once I did way more than 5 steps. Here is how the big event unfolded. Daddy came home from work as usual and started playing with me. Since I have been able to stand by myself now, daddy wanted me to work on my balance. So he set me down on my feet, holding my hands at first. Then he let go of me, letting me balance on my legs as long as possible. On one of the tries, I stayed standing with very good stability, and since I wanted to hold on to daddy’s arms, I just leaned towards him and started moving my feet, and that was it. Although I only took a few steps at first, I was hooked. The feeling of walking alone was amazing. And daddy got excited. He tried it again and I walked to him from a standing start again. Daddy then got mommy and grandma, grabbed the camera, and we continued for a while. I took turns walking from a standing start, then walking from daddy to mommy and back. We probably overdid it though. On one of my tries I tripped, bumping my head. I cried for a few minutes, so we decided to stop. I can’t wait to practice my walking again!

Here I am, walking!

Age: 15 months-3 weeks (11 months-3 weeks, corrected)

I had a nice weekend. On Saturday, mommy and daddy wanted to go look at car seats. They found a couple that they liked on the internet, the Aprica Euroharness DX and the Recaro Young Sport. They really wanted to see the Recaro in person, but when they called around, nobody had it except for Super Autobacs in Odaiba. So we decided to make it a family outing. Luckily the weather was great, and the traffic today was super smooth. So we got out there and spent a good hour testing the seats out. Once we saw the Recaro Young Sport in person it seemed it was not so great. We did find another Recaro (the Start H1) that we liked, but we didn’t make a decision, as they did not have the Aprica Euroharness for us to look at or to compare with. So we decided to have a look at more seats at Babies R Us. By this time it was late afternoon, so we stopped in for a lunch and then got going. When we got to Babies R Us, we found the Aprica. Once again, in person it didn’t seem so good. We took a closer look at the Recaro Start H1, and finally we settled on that one. It is black and red, and looks really sporty and cool.

On Sunday, mommy and daddy installed my new seat. Then we made a quick run to Costco, and I got to try it out. At first everything looked weird. Facing forward, I was a little confused and excited, because everything looked different. I had a lot more freedom, I could see mommy and daddy in the front, and I felt comfortable. For the first 10-15 minutes, I was all excited, talking and making a lot of noise. I loved it! On the way back, I fell asleep in the seat. Mommy and daddy had been a little concerned whether I could sleep comfortably in the new seat, because the seat is fixed to the car seat, meaning it cannot recline. It turns out, there is no problem. The natural angle of the seat still allows me to be reclined enough to sleep comfortably, without my head falling forward. All in all, a good choice!

Here is the new seat. Totally styling, right?

Age: 15 months-2 weeks (11 months-2 weeks, corrected)

Today was a cool day, literally. We woke up to a big snow. It was not a super dry, super cold snow like last month. This snow was all moist and fluffy. Too bad, I probably don’t get to go out and play in it, despite my pleas.

Recently I am doing well. This weekend I scored another big milestone. I am able to stand up by myself with no support! Wohoo! I first did it with grandma. I had my hands busy with a toy, and so I let go of her hand. There I was standing and eating my toy, all the while balancing myself on my feet. The legs were a little wobbly, but I kept it up for a good 10 seconds. I was happy. Next up, walking! Mommy and daddy think it will happen any day now.

My vocabulary is expanding too. I am slowly developing specific words for things, like when I see my milk being prepared, when I am happy to see somebody if I have not seen them in a while, and when I want something.

One other exciting thing. Mommy and daddy are talking about buying me a new child seat. I am just about at the maximum size for my little Graco seat, so it looks like I will be getting a forward facing seat, one of those combination types that can change from harness seat belts at first, to normal seat belts later, and then the back can be removed to become a booster. It should be the last child seat I need until I am big enough that I don’t need one at all. I am curious what I will be getting. I’ll let you know soon!

P.S. This is what it looked like out the front door this morning. My fingers itch to go get the snow!

Age: 15 months-1 week (11 months-1 week, corrected)

I was at the hospital today for my latest pedi visit. All signs are good. Mommy and daddy were asking a lot of questions about my nutrition, like how long I need to stay on the high-calorie formula, whether I need vitamin supplements or not, if my teeth are OK because they look crooked, and what is that bright red spot that appeared in my left eye recently. The good doctor answered all the question and here they are, in no particular order: there is not clear indication how long I need to be on the high-calorie milk. We are at a stage now that I am close to the standard size, plus I am eating more and more solid food every day. So the time is probably very close. The doctor didn’t say that I have to stay on it or that I should get off it. It is up to mommy and daddy, and they are thinking to do it soon. The doctor also said that it is basically up to mommy and daddy whether to give me vitamins and supplements or not. Mommy and daddy like the idea, so they will probably start soon, to coincide with getting me off the high-calorie formula. The doctor says my teeth are coming in fine, he says it is normal for them to be a little crooked when they erupt, and he expects that they will line up over time. Anyway, there is no concern right now. Besides, we have noticed that they are changing as they grow out. And about that red spot, the doctor says it is common to appear in young infants, and the thinks it is not a problem. As it has been fading since it appeared a couple of days ago, we think he is right.

One unpleasant thing, my pedi suggested to check me for food allergies. We thought it was a good idea, but the bad news is that they needed to take my blood. Oh, my precious blood. Anyway, it had to be done, so they prepared me. They also asked mommy and daddy to wait outside, which we all didn’t like. When they did it, it was painful, and I screamed and cried for a few minutes. After that I got all bandaged up, and I got settled down once I got back to mommy and daddy. For any of you out there, if this happens to you, please make it a point that your mommy and daddy don’t leave the room. Insist on it! We will get the results on my next visit.

Last weekend we were at Babies R Us, and I got a few new things. I got some Buddy Lee jeans, a grey hockey shirt, a blue skiing sweater, and some super cool new socks, one for every day of the week. Seriously, one for every day of the week – they say so right on the socks!

Weight: 9,120g / 20lb-1.7oz.

P.S. I also just crossed a couple of symbolic weight milestones in both metric units (over 9kg) and in English units (over 20lbs). And I grew another cm since last month, so I am now measuring 76.3cm (just over 30″).