Trip to the Passport Office

Ok so when Grandma and Bobbie came Grandma's passport was only valid for her trip here...to return she had to get a new one from the Japanese passport office.
This led to a few trips down there needless to say...this is a recap of one of the trips!

So we head out to pick up Hiroshi and Akemi and stop by to drop off the passport application. We planned to do this first and then pick up Hiroshi and Akemi...we planned! We get in the car with diaper bag full (5 diapers, change of clothes etc.) kid in tow. It takes about an hour to get to the office, so we are hoping Sofia will stay asleep for a good portion of the trip. Not so much! We have to stop for first diaper change and feeding midway. That works out ok, but now we need to go to the airport first. We get to the airport and of course diaper change and feeding, but this diaper change requires 2 diapers because she peed in one and then pooped immediately in the fresh one I put on! We are now down to 2...I am thinking we will make it, but....
We get to the passport office and she has peed again. I drop off everyone and they head up to the office. I am changing Sofia in the car in a loading zone. She is crying. She poops. Now my last diaper is used and during all this she also lost her original outfit and is in the spare.Then decides she wants to pee again...Great! What do I use Macgyver?? I remembered that I had a maxi pad for myself just in case I needed it...ok what can I stick this to....hmmm ok I have a baby hat...good enough. So there is Sofia with a maxi pad in a baby hat, and I am crossing my fingers she doesn't go for a while. I am waiting a really long time, so I ask the security guard where I can park. He directs me to another garage across the street. I go and feed Sofia...
We get on the expressway...so far so good. Now all we need is no pee for 45 min. HAHHAHAH yeah right!! So since it is late we decide to stop in at the Kentucky Fried Chicken...and then pee happens....and of course the pad couldn't hold it all and it goes all over her last outfit. Now we resort to the naked baby wrapped in a blanket with a receiving blanket under her bum to absorb anything else that happens! Poor kid!
So we finally make it back to a warm bath, and footie jammies!

At least I can say that being a parent will make you more creative and calm during crisis!
Oh and we now carry 9 diapers for any outing!

5.5 weeks!

This was a post I was trying to write a few weeks ago!

Well Sofia now makes full eye contact with us! She also likes Ansel Adams and Georgia O'Keefe that we have above the couch. She is gaining weight, and is breaking my arms and back! Her latest addition is her double chin! It is irresistible!! Picture soon....Tom is on duty and heading to the Philippines on Sat.

Love the Cloth Diapers!!

Ok well Tom was skeptical...I was not sure I would be able to do it, but our cloth diapers from Bum Genius are awesome!!
Since I am staying home for our tour here in Okinawa and I am inclined to do planet and health conscious things I decided to buy 36 cloth diapers = 3 days worth. 12 in the drawer, 12 in the diaper pail, and 12 in the washer. So far it has been not that bad at all!
I do laundry every day is the only downside, but is is manageable. I love that the diapers are chemical free and very soft. We have had no leaks or blowouts...I hope I have not cursed myself by saying that!! They are adjustable, so they should last until she potty trains = very cheap! They were $18 a piece and we also spend .08 cents on diaper liners ( to keep most of the poo off the cloth) per diaper. These liners obviously are for one use only and come from Kushies. We had to use regular diapers until she met the 8 lb requirement for the diapers, and we couldn't believe how expensive they were! We paid like $10 for 3 days worth!! At that rate I figure that our diapers will pay for themselves in 64 days...and if we add the expense of the liner then we are looking at maybe another 3 days each month she is in diapers ( about $30 a month)...WOW! I knew we would save money, but not that much money!
Oh and yeah they are also good for our planet...how about that!?

The Swaddler

These inventions that are a swaddling blanket with velcro are a life saver on the nights when nothing seems to sooth your kid...heads up Stella!! I think you can get them at Babies R Us.

The Launcher

Well I am sort of back on the scene...it has been hard adjusting, but finally Sofia will sleep awhile without me holding her. It is really cute how particular and demanding Sofia can already be at times...when I am holding her and I need to move even just a fraction of an inch there will be protests that are hilarious, which if I can get on tape I will. A really funny thing is when a boobie runs out and she is still hungry (she apparently forgets there is another one) she gets mad, and protests...Bobbie and Grandma witnessed it and we all were laughing! I am really tired, but glad to be getting back into the swing of things!

This is to amend the previous blog...
We have now encountered a new type of poo...we dubbed "the launcher". This is when you are just about to put the diaper on and you think you've got the "all clear" when suddenly poo flies out and hits whatever is in its path until landfall! Holy moly! Items that have been hit include: hands, diaper, diaper pail, wall (4 feet away), changing table, photo frame that I stashed on said wall until we fill with pics of family, laundry basket, and Mr. Kitty lamp. Our real cats have managed to avoid the disasters! Tom and I are not that lucky!!
Cleanup? Forget about it! We are still finding little spots on the wall from the first one, and Mr. Kitty is on his last leg!