My big girl

Cupcake turned 5 months yesterday. Unbelievable!

She is just the most adorable little thing. Actually, I don't think I should say little. She's huge. She is as big as Little Fish was at his first birthday. She has outgrown all her 3-6 month clothes, which is very sad as I loved them so very much. I am looking into making something like a quilt out of her clothes but I don't know if I'll get around to that while I'm off work. My friend here in town had a good idea- a bear made out of a favourite outfit. How do I choose which one though?



She got her BCG on Tuesday. A little late because we were in Canada, but finally she has it! I am totally in favour of her getting all the vaccinations she can, but this one is hard. It's not just a shot, it's 18 pricks on her skin, 9 at once. The worst part was actually holding her arm from moving for 30 minutes afterward, so her arm could dry. She does not like being held down! You can't even see the scar now, but in a few weeks it will get red and bumpy. Little Fish's scars are all gone now (and I can't remember when they disappeared!) so I'm not worried about anything permanent, as long as it doesn't pain her again.

She is a mover and shaker. She rolls both ways, loves standing, and scoots! She only scoots backwards for now. Still, it's time to ramp up our baby-proofing. She might be following in her uncle's and grandad's footsteps, as she wants to touch any electrical cords possible. Poor Little Fish keeps losing his iPod headphones to her.

Because we were in Canada at her 3-month checkup, we went to it a month late. In Japan they do it as a cattle call. All the kids in my town who turn 3 months (or 6 months, or 18 months, or 2 years) in the same month gather at the health centre to get checked. The last time we went, right after Cupcake was born, Little Fish was getting his 2-year checkup and went on a biting spree. The worst day of my parenting career. I vowed not to go again, but I did!

This time was much better. Big Fish took Little Fish in his truck for a while but when he had to go back to the company he dropped Little Fish off (but forgot to take the childseat out *oof* so we had to walk to Daddy's company to retrieve it). I was so worried, but Little Fish was well-behaved. He had his toys and iPod and did very well, except he wanted to blow raspberries on all the babies tummies and I don't think some of the moms were comfortable with that!

The badly behaved one was me. Since Cupcake was a month older than all the other kids, she was the biggest one there (almost 17 lbs then, 18 lbs now). She also moved like nobodies business. She was rolling over onto the other babies and standing and basically showing off. All the other mothers were oohing and aahing over her being so strong and I didn't mention once that it was because she's older! Let them think it's my superior genes. ;)

Riding the rails

Well, we are back in Japan and all we are left with is memories of the best summer ever.

Mostly I just enjoyed staying home and hanging out in my parents' backyard. And eating Costco's stuffed salmon (ambrosia I tell you!). But we had some nice days out.

Little Fish loves trains. He was super excited to ride on the old train at Fort Edmonton Park.



He was almost as excited about riding the train at West Edmonton Mall. I'm not sure if it is still the biggest mall in the world or not.

We had a great day there playing with two of Little Fish's friends. It's so bittersweet to have kids who play in the same places you did. I had my 8th birthday in the play park at WEM, and then Little Fish played with his friends there- and enjoyed it as much as we did way back when.

He loved riding the zoo train with Grandma too!


Little Fish didn't just ride trains in Canada- he rode the Disney train in Tokyo on our way to Canada. I always thought Disney would only be for older kids, but he enjoyed it so much we are considering taking them soonish. Maybe in the next year or so.


Little Fish lives a couple blocks from a real Japanese train but he much prefers he smaller size ones. He keeps talking about riding the trains in Canada- hopefully he can ride them again soon.