Early, early morning...

4 a.m. seems to be the witching hour around here. Mia has been waking up every night at the same time, and last night was no different. I looked over at 4:05 and there she was smiling at me and looking as if she were ready to jump out of bed and start the day. I picked her up and talked to her a bit about how it was far too early...so she promptly got all sleepy eyed and fell fast asleep.

This left me wide awake though, so I picked up my trusty phone to do some blog reading...but then quickly got bored...and switched to Internet surfing. Ten has been getting baby eyes again. I can guarantee that within the next year and a half or so...he will be wanting another one. So, I decided to do a bit of Google searching about pProm...and then I realized that sigh...no matter how I word it...I will be classified as a high risk pregnancy. 

I did a quick search of high risk doctors in NY, and I came across one clinic (can't remember the name now) that is so good it was featured in O (the magazine...though not really sure if that actually means it is good). I digress. It is one of the best places, so I was scrolling through the website and gleaned some information. 

I have almost decided not to have a baby until we leave the US after searching through the website. Why? Well in case of emergency...leave a message and someone will get back to you. Also, you have to go to a different place to get ultrasounds done...and they will try to do tests that fall within your insurance plan...so unnecessarily complicated and definitely not the level of care that we have experienced before.

Anyway, uninteresting story...but...highlights lack of convenience of some things here.

In other news, I am waiting to here back about a Japanese mothers' group. Comical since I'm not Japanese, but I actually got invited by a Japanese woman at Whole Foods....Also, must have Ten follow up with Shin Nihondo this weekend. It is a Japanese grocery store that delivers twice a month to Manhattan....much looking forward to getting food that I am now more familiar with cooking with...and is healthier.

Finally, I've lost 1kg this past week. Yay! I haven't even been able to get to the gym...now if I lose about 15 more...all will be right in the world.

In All Directions

I was reading a book this morning about life management by Elizabeth George, and I came upon a sentence that said there are three kinds of people in this life. There are people that pull you up, people that pull you down, and those who pull you along. Kindle had this passage underlined as a favorite of other readers of this book, and I thought...wow...those are some powerful words. How are people in my life pulling me? What categories do my people fall in?

As I thought about this more, I finally realized that these words were giving too much power to people in our lives. Yes, we are influenced by others...but ultimately it is up to us to be pulled down, up, or along.

For instance, I've had friends from every walk of life...and quite a few who could be called the type to pull you down. They were involved in things that were sure to limit their future, but I never got involved in those things at all. Instead, I created friendships with these people while choosing not to get involved in their kind of lifestyle.

Also, you can be given every chance in the world to improve yourself. You can be surrounded by those who want nothing more to pull you up, but if you don't do it yourself...then you don't stand a chance. You have to make the choice to change yourself for the positive!

So, am I pushing myself in the right direction. I would hope so, but it is definitely something I need to be more aware of...and when I meet those people who want to pull me up...I need to make sure that I'm not weighing myself down!

Mondays With Mia

The weather has been really nice lately, so we have gotten lots of outdoors time.

We've been having picnics outside at where we have been calling home for the moment.

We've been taking Mia down the slide...and she doesn't seem to get what all the hype is about...yet.

We also took a trip to the Wild West Playground to put our feet in the water....

...and we have been getting some walks in...here and there...

...and finally we've been spending time with your aunt and cousin...

...who also loves the water at the playgrounds.

Randomness

• After looking at what feels like a million houses and calculating commuting times, we have decided to once again be city-apartment dwellers.
• Our new apartment will be on the Upper West Side and within walking distance to Central Park and Riverside Park, so I am looking forward to taking advantage of all of the outdoor play areas and activities.
• My feelings about living in New York are completely mixed right now. 1. This place is stupidly expensive. 2. We have shootings here everyday...terrible about what happened at the Empire State Building! 3. People are really close minded. When I said that I had just come from living in Japan...two women actually said to me...how was that? (sarcastically)...and then went on to bash Japanese men and the Japanese for being excessively clean (no idea how cleanliness is a bad thing). However, there are a lot of good points: 1. I talk to people every single day and have had little babies for Mia to play with. 2. We can actually use a lot of public services like the library, since I can speak the language....That is all I can think of right now...but I'm sure more will come up as we adjust to living here.
• I am completely missing Japanese food again. After eating it for 5 years, it's hard to let go. Sigh.
• We have absolutely no furniture...so need to think about ordering some...soon....very soon.
• My blog name and look need a desperate update...but I barely have time to blog...so not sure when that will get done...goal for 2013 maybe.
• A new episode of the Duggars comes on tomorrow night, and I CANNOT WAIT. 
• Finally I will leave you with this pic. My nephew and Mia.

Hannibal Visit

As you may have noticed, I was M.I.A. for almost three weeks on this little blog of mine. Mainly for good reasons (but a little due to laziness...actually very little if I really think about it).

Anyway, last week I visited my hometown for a full five days (not including travel days)...and let me tell you...it was good to be back...but at the same time extremely hectic.

Here is a little breakdown of how things went:

Day 1: My sister and nephew picked me and Mia up from the airport....We stopped for some lunch on the way home and then hurried back onto the highway. As I saw the signs for Kingdom City approaching...I knew something wasn't quite right...hahaha. So, yeah....we took a 50 MILE detour to get to my mom's house. When we finally arrived, I was beyond exhausted! However, we had some good BBQ with my brother and his wife, my mom and her husband, my grandma, and my sister and nephew...no pictures of course because I was too tired.

Day 2: After an extremely hectic morning...which unfortunately...I can't blog about. I went and got my driver's license renewed. Easy. We then went to close my bank account. I walked into the bank and sat down to fill out the forms...the lady says ummm....I can't find your account...it wasn't my bank...yeah...thanks Sarah! Next, we went to the social security office, so I could request a new card. Everything was going smoothly until they asked me the dreaded question: Father's name? I calmly stated...There is no one listed on my birth certificate. After a few minutes, the man said I have one listed here. I gave him two names...and he said yes one of those match. He looked so confused, but he was even more confused when I had to then ask him which one was the correct name...hahaha. 

Day 3: This day was relatively calm...for the most part...I was able to visit my grandma all day and hang out with my cousin and her babies...such a fun time. 

Sorry Brooke...not the best picture

Day 4: Went from blonde to brunette...which turned my very white hair green...and full of streaks...yeah...not good.

Day 5: Went and had the color corrected and now it is an okay shade of mahogany...not thrilled but better than green. Then did lots of shopping, ate at my brother's house, and then packed to leave town at 3 a.m.

Now, here are some random pics:

Grandma, Mom, and Mia

Seth and Mia hanging out.

Sarah Jane and Mia

My brother, his wife, and my grandma at a Chinese restaurant.

Yeah, so I had a really nice time....but I didn't take enough pictures as usual...and there were too many things to get done there...as usual...hopefully, next time I can go to just visit and am not running around like the Headless Horseman. 

4 Months Old!!

Dear Mia,

You are now 4 months old, and you have grown up so much!! I can officially say that you are an infant and have left the days of being a newborn behind you.

You are mastering all kinds of new skills. We are letting you play in your Bumbo to practice sitting up, and you love it! You are also starting to really grasp on to things and bring them up to your mouth to chew on which is really cute. I think you may be starting to get some little teeth in since you want to chew everything in sight. However, rolling? Still haven't gotten there yet...but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens any day now as much as you have been scooting and moving around.

Miss Mia, you may notice that this was typed quite a few days after your 4 month birthday but it is because we have been B.U.S.Y. You have moved from Tokyo to New York, and you have also had the chance to meet my side of the family when we visited Missouri. You now even have a little (big) cousin staying with us...and I can tell you will be the best of friends.

You are finally sleeping through the night!! I think this may be more exciting for your parents, but you sometimes like to wake us up around 4 a.m. for a little bit of a snack and snuggle before you go back to bed. You wake up anywhere from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. usually and go to bed between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. You love your sleep.

Dear Chunky, we have let you chew on some strawberries here and there and tried to give you a little bit of baby sweet potato. You love to chew on fruit, but aren't big into baby food yet...so we may end up exclusively nursing you until you are six months old....which would make us so happy.

As you already know (by the giant smiles on your face all of the time), you are much loved. We can honestly say that every second that we spend with you is never regretted and we never wish we were doing anything else but that.

We are so lucky to be your parents.

Love,

You mom and dad

My 28th Birthday

I have officially lived another year on this planet. A whole 28 of them now. I had a phone call from a family member, and he said...well that sucks that you are getting closer to 30! hahaha. I laughed at the comment and then thought about it a little bit more. In fact, I am not even phased that I have lived another year, I am thankful for it. I am so grateful for making it another year closer to 30. My birthday isn't a time to sob and think about losing my youth, because let's admit it...we are never going to be any younger than we are today...plain and simple. Instead, I am loving the fact that I have been able to experience 28 years of living, laughing, loving, learning, and so much more. I also see my birthday as a time when I can make goals and plans for this coming year!


So, for my 28th year on this Earth...here is what I hope to do:


1. Focus on the Practical - In all honesty, at this time in our lives we are just swamped with daily tasks. We are consumed right now with settling in to a new place (and actually finding a new home) and trying to figure out how the next few years will play out while we are in America. So, I am trying to dedicate myself to making sure we are meeting deadlines and doing this with as little stress as possible.


2. Focusing on Myself -  I would say that last year wasn't a big year that I could focus on myself as much as I would have liked. My pregnancy saw that I was not allowed to exercise for the first 15 weeks of it and then I got to add in a sprained ankle for the next few months...followed by a stay in the Maternal/Fetal Intensive Care Unit on bed rest....and then living in the NICU essentially...followed by not being able to take small preemie baby outside...it's really not an excuse..in the beginning I wasn't allowed to exercise and then after I had no time...but now that Mia has hit the 3 month mark and things are getting to a new normal...I definitely want to spend sometime working on me! 


3. Focusing on Marriage - I will admit that this has not been a big priority for Ten and myself for the last long while, and I really want to change this. We need to spend more time together...away from Smartphones and distractions and just be with each other...I may talk him into seeing if we can have a date night once a month to start with...I think that weekly isn't really practical for us right now...but something is better than nothing.


4. Focusing on Kids - I need to make sure that I am spending time with Mia to help develop her little character, mind, and heart. I want to make sure that I am parenting intentionally and not just getting through the day! Also, we will be having a new addition to our family very soon :) ... No, I am not pregnant. Our nephew and my sister are coming to live with us...and I will get to have the best job of taking care of him while she is at work...so same treatment goes for him... intentional care giving...not just getting through the day.


5. Focusing on Building a Family - I want to make sure that we aren't just a group of people who are living together...I want us to have quality time together at meals and on the evenings/weekends. I am looking forward to celebrating holidays, birthdays, etc...


6. Focusing on the Funds - With so much going on this year for us, I really want to take a more active role in our $ituation....haha. We haven't ever really made a budget, but this is something that we should probably start...I also want to find ways where we can continue to scrimp and save (homemade laundry detergent here I come!)


7. Focusing on Studying - I want to make sure that I am spending enough time this year learning new things. This includes from both daily experiences and from a lot of the readings that I do.


8. Focusing on Community - In Japan, we severely lacked a since of community. So, this is something we both really wanted to work on when moving to the US. We are looking forward to settling in at a new place so that we can get involved in where we live. We are also going to do our absolute best to be involved with nearby Japanese communities since that is obviously a big part of our family. We would like to hopefully go to community events, volunteer, and whatever else we can to put down roots a little bit more.


So, these are some areas that I would like to dedicate my time to in my 28th year. I know that a lot of it is rather vague, but these are the principles that I plan to live by. 


How about you? What are things that we should look forward to improving and living for?