New Shoes!

Well Sofia's toes are starting to hang off her size 2s when she walks, so I had to go shoe shopping! What fun! Stride Rite was having a sale, so I got 4 pair! They are adorable!! Sofia liked them, too. We tried on a few and she gave me a hug!
These will also be good as I did not realize how much the feet take a beating during crawling...at least now her toes and tops of her feet will be covered, and I can let her out on the patio more often.

Who says cat toys are just for cats!?

New pastime

Recently she has taken up climbing!

9 month Dr. visit

This happened last month, but since we had an internet delay here are the stats.
She weighed in at 17.75 lbs....which means by now she is 18 something! My arms and back at least are telling me this! She was 28.35 inches. No wonder she is wearing 12-18 months already!
She has started using her push car thingy....she really likes it, but demands that I do not help her! It is hysterical...and sort of sad. Glad to see independence, but in a way I am thinking "all ready??"
25 or so days until Tom gets home! YAY!

Keys or the pickle.....

That was the dilemma yesterday afternoon!

Swim lessons

Tomorrow is our last day of the first session swim classes. We start the next set in 2 weeks! She really likes it! I had to show you her new glasses....surprisingly she keeps them on...I think she realizes it helps block the sunlight.

Sofia's first grapes!

They were a hit! The Japanese grapes are small and so sweet! They are delicious!

You! ...No you!

Sofia's new thing is pointing. She points at me, the cats, the roomba (next post), and anything she is interested in. I imagine she is like "you" in a Robert Dinero voice to mean you are good....cause she does it when I have given her something or she is happy. I point back like "No you" in a Robert Dinero voice and this just goes back and forth and we giggle, too! It is so cute! Sometimes she gives me pointing with both hands! This is one of the things I will always remember...it really gets me all gushy!

Our humble abode

Well I can't post too many pics yet, as our house is a surprise for Tom. Let me just say it is FABULOUS!!
We did have a few snags....
We moved in on a Fri. I turn on the AC....like 85 degrees in the house...I figure it might take a while to cool down the place. We go to bed....wake up and still 85 degrees. I start to play with AC remote to make sure I am not just the next gaijin that does not know how to operate the AC correctly. I bring out manual for further back up. I run it on AC, dehu, and automatic for periods of time on Sat and Sun. No ....still hot and sweaty in the house...oh and not having curtains really doesn't help matters! On Monday I call...the maintenance comes and it is out of freon! Yay...oh wait what was that...you don't have any and don't know when you will be back with some?! OK...unhappy face at this point!
Luckily he came back a few days later, and we have been cool ever since!

Second issue....it is raining for 2 or 3 days...and here it doesn't just sprinkle or rain for a bit...it will literally rain for 2-3 days! It clears up...I notice the driveway is really wet and water is pouring from the water drain...I think well maybe it is rain that was stuck on the roof or whatever...we leave. We get back and still going....I go outside the master bathroom and look up...it is raining from my roof...no not mother nature rain, but water tank sprung a leak rain. I call the housing agency...they ask me if I can turn off the water main....ok I can read some Japanese, but uh turning off the water main is out of my league...she tells me it is a box outside...ok there are like 5 boxes outside...we conclude it will not happen, and they call plumbers to see when they can get out to the house.
Meanwhile the building owner's parents have decided to come to my door to help! hahahhah....they live a few blocks away! Oh this is now getting really funny! I invite them inside to look at the situation. The tank is on top of the bathroom roof - the 5th floor....ok so they ask me for a chair to access the ladder rungs on the side of the wall cause this cute little 60+ looking old man is going to climb them! Ok so as he looks 60 he is really probably 102 cause the Japanese do not age! I go to get a ladder...there is no way I am going to rely on a chair here! He gest up there and calls his son to tell him what is wrong, and shuts off the water. While this is all happening I am chatting with his wife in my broken Japanese, and she has told me she is going to show me where the local produce market is that is really good! She thinks Sofia is cute and my Japanese is good! I think she is just being nice...not about Sofia though of course!
Meanwhile the housing agency calls me back, and plumber can't come until tomorrow. OK...I explain the owner's son is on the roof....hahhahah! So we are now waiting for an agency employee to come and make sure all is well...and help the man down from the roof....I have to feed Sofia dinner, but I keep checking on the father to make sure he is good. He is thankful for my concern, but remains on the roof.
Plumber comes and no more leaking....except 2 days later I am running Sofia's bath, and the water slower starts to get less and less....uh oh...yep we ran out of water....they forgot to turn the water back on.
They send someone over immediately and we have water...oh and the water leak is back!!
They send a plumber while we are out...we have a social calender you know! We get back and they say that it is an electrical issue...he will be by tomorrow, and we are now on tank water again. Luckily it lasts 2-3 days...which I really like this whole tank thing...really cool idea! Anyhow the electrical guy comes...and when he leaves he makes sure the water is on! Yay! Problem solved.
So we are now living problem free. Sofia is enjoying her swimming lessons, and we are just counting the days until Tom gets home! We are SOOOOO excited!

new pics...explanations to follow

Sorry Tom the house may not be a big surprise now...but thought the pictures were more important and had to share the cuteness!! These are what happens when Sofia eats rice...and knocks the plate to the floor...and then decides to step in it!

Here we have Sofia and her first taco rice...it is a huge local thing...basically just taco fixings on rice...pretty good. Sofia really liked it and was grabbing it off my plate! This is the Bios on the hill place I wrote about last summer. Sofia really liked feeding the goats carrots...different goats were out....I wonder what the meat was in the taco rice? ahhahahhah

The next 2 are Sofia in her 18 month outfit from gpa and gma Noel. This kid has got some upper body! Her tooshie can still fit in 9-12 months, but not her top half!! She likes my mouse as you can see!











And finally we have Sofia proud and laughing that she got away from me while I was attempting diaper attachment! This happens quite often, but at least I got one leg secured this time!!

YAY!!!

We finally got approval to move off base!!! I am soooooo excited! We should be able to move in on Friday to our new seaside abode...we may be without internet for a few days, so just wanted to update everyone! Hopefully we will be back on Monday!

Tissues...

Typhoon Songda

Some of you have heard by now that we had a typhoon...and oh boy did we ever!
I was thinking eh...no big deal...the last "typhoon" was less threatening than some of the rain storms we have had. This one though was insane!
The winds started up around 8 or 9ish at night, and were so intense the windows were bowing and the building was moving...OK people...we live in a huge 9 floor block of concrete! The glass cabinets were shaking and I was thinking the building wasn't going to make it...at least the windows would break. The howling and whistling of the wind through the windows was so loud!!
We ...well Sofia slept in the living room away from the windows nestled near one couch to be used as a barrier if the sliders decided to break. I was awake until it ended...I was in and out trying to sleep, but I remember thinking "oh it is quiet now..it is OK...I can sleep." It is crazy what maternal instinct does...cause if it was just me and Tom I would've been out like a log!
We made it through the night...our emergency water that was in the tub leaked out...so much for that! The streets were filled with debris...mainly tree branches. I saw a few dead birds...it was sad! The tree tops are broken and most are dried out from the winds...they are normally so lush here with all the rain, but it looks kind of like winter now.
All I can say is WOW!

5:45 am?

OK well for the past few days now...I thought it was just a series of bad nights...Sofia has been waking at 5:45! I guess it is goodbye to the leisurely days of 8! So sad! We also have both been sleeping in her room on the futon...I hope this does not last. Last night I was so tired from not getting sleep the night before that we both went to bed about 8...in separate beds....then I was awoken by crying and Sofia standing up in her sleep. In consciousness she can get back down, but during these night standings all she does is tire her self out standing, and then doesn't get back down. So I go in, but she won't go back to bed in the crib, so we just sleep in her room the rest of the night.
On a funnier note - she likes me to chase her now! It is so funny! She looks back and sees me and squeals, and starts haulin to the next room! hahahhahah!

So here is what I walked in to see when Sofia woke up from her first nap today...yep...standing! Notice that she is way taller than the crib rails, and it is now just a matter of time before she hurls herself over and escapes! I am sure she is planning it already!

You can see how delighted and proud she was! It was so cute! I was of course proud, too!



Her second front bottom tooth has broken through!

And holy moly is this kid getting heavy...I checked because yesterday and today she felt much heavier than last week, and sure enough she had gained another pound. Was 16 something and is now 17.2! I wish Tom could just come back for the weekend to give my arms a break, but I don't think that is going to happen. Maybe she will just walk early to help me out a bit!















Next we got high centered while trying to get remotes on the opposite side of the stool. I didn't help her at all...she just kept pulling!




































This morning she was really interested in the Tylenol dropper...I tried to take it away for breakfast and got a serious protest, so it joined the meal...it ended up full of food and well we are going to use another from now on for the medicine.
Notice our "hospital flooring". Another reason I can't wait to move!














And finally...thank you Bobbie for getting the tunnel we requested! It is a total hit with Sofia and the cats! I barely got the camera in time to get these shots! As you can see she is fast!