Feed the Doggie

I showed Ashlyn how to pretend to have the doggie eat out of the bowl. When she realized what I was doing, she walked over to the kitchen, got a Cheerio, brought it back to the bowl, and started feeding him.

3 Little Painted Piggies

When Ashlyn saw mama painting her toenails, she wanted in on the action. 3 toes in, she was over it and then smeared it, so this is the result: 3 messy but still somewhat pink piggy toes!

Watching Daddy

It's "Badman" Week around here, same idea as Prowler Week back at Whidbey, which is a week of sporting events as squadrons compete each other for the right to say they're the best, all ending in a ball on Saturday. One of the events Daddy participated in this week was the dodgeball tournament, so we went to watch. Unfortunately, they lost in the first round, but it was still fun to watch.

Let Me Help You With That

Yesterday was move out day, today was cleaning day. Our sweet friends/Japanse parents (Ashlyn's Japanese grandparents) came over to help watch Ashlyn and even pitched in to help us clean! Ashlyn, being the helper that she is, wanted to help wash the windows. And who could say no to that?!

Watching the Beep-Beeps

Ashlyn's word for trucks is "beep-beeps," for the sound they make when backing up. Much to her delight, there have plenty of beep-beeps around lately. Between the normal ones that come and go all day and night (we don't know what those big white ones do, but they were the original source of the beeps), and now the construction ones to tear down the migrant shacks behind us and the ones that tore up the driveway to put in a new water pipe for the soon-to-be new houses. Oh, and then there were all the moving trucks that came to get our things. She was one happy little girl!

Budding Photographer

Ashlyn loves cameras and whenever she sees one, she wants to see the pictures or videos on them; actually, what she wants to do is scroll through the pictures herself, which we would let her do, but we're afraid she'll accidentally erase them instead. 

So the other day, we showed her which button to use to take pictures. Here are her first pictures,  covering the loves in her life: mimis (kitties), momma, and dadda.

Proud Daddy

Found little AJ on her couch engrossed in daddy's bike magazine

       Daddy couldn't have been prouder

You've Got to Read This

It's so intriguing, this book of animals

And Thus Begins . . .

. . . the rain boot obsession, or "boof" as she calls them. Seriously, what is it about these shoes that kids are nuts about? She has to wear them all day, inside or out, upstairs and downstairs, and while she sleeps. I had to hide them yesterday so that I could get her wear real shoes on the train. She can even put them on by herself, and maybe that's why she likes them so much, or maybe it's the color, or texture or the feel. I don't know, but for now, they are here to stay (which turns out to be a good thing, as it's been a really rainy spring so they are perfect for the puddles that she can't stay away from!).

p.s. - That is a new full-torso bib I had gotten her that day too; even her pants were J, so she was having a very "J" day!

Spring is Here

So be sure to stop and smell the flowers

Bye-Bye Jack

We had to say goodbye to Jack and his parents last week. These sweet little playmates have shared many memories together, and we will miss them greatly. Don't they both look so sad?

Fuji Safari Park

Right at the base of Mt. Fuji, is a very cool drive-through zoo with separate zones for different safari animals. Very cool indeed!

grrrr......lions!

let's get going - lots to see today!

hey dude

ring-tailed lemurs

Easter Presents - A Heartfelt Thanks

Thank you Bankart Grandparents for my crab towel, cat ("mimi"), and dancing chick.

Turning the chick off and on and dancing to it has become my favorite past-time; I can actually do part of the chicken dance now, as mom and dad taught me, but I didn't want to do it in this video, only spinning in circles

And I really did like the book, I only look like I'm not interested.

And lastly, I'd like to thank you for the box

Books in Bed, Miso Express, Yellow Ribbon

Here are a few snapshots from recent life.

Reading books in bed

Miso soup through a straw - the easy way to eat it

Yellow ribbon in her hair (this was only tolerated for a few seconds before being ripped out)

On the Packaging!

Finally, the photo shoot Ashlyn did months ago for the baby carrier is finished!

posing with the carrier (on the mannequin)

Happy Easter

At Yet Another Park

I found another park on our local map, so on Saturday, a nice sunny day, we jumped in the car and followed the map to the park. It had a great playground that Ashlyn enjoyed very much:

and a nice walking path and trail that we explored as well:

Among the Blossoms

Tokyo: Asakusa, Sumida River Cruise

Training it around Tokyo - this guy on my left wasn't much of a fan of Ashlyn and her antics

under the sakura no hana (cherry blossoms)

lovely boat ride

Auntie Mel keeping me safe

'mimi' change in the handicap/diaper change bathroom

Kamakura with Auntie Melanie

on the train ride home

Being Silly for the Camera