Stand by me!

It is official - Jackson can stand. Let me clarify...

Jackson has been cruising the furniture, and the walls for weeks now. Recently, he has learned to let go of his push toy, or the sofa, and stand unaided. At first he looked like he was surfing, as he wobbled side to side. Now he is steady and can stand for several seconds, usually grinning and clapping.

Today, however, he was sitting on the floor, put his hands out, pushed up, and stood all by himself! Of course, a few seconds passed and he sat down, said "Uh-oh" and stood again. Like everything else he does, he repeated this maneuver several times. Classic!!

Here is a pic of him last week standing at the wall, right before he let go.


Toodles! Haha

Japan

So I realize that we live in Japan, and yet, most posts are about Jackson. This weekend I will try to capture some more pics of Japan. I will try to get a Pachinko Parlor, more fancy toilet shots, aand the plastic food displays. So you'd better check back or else!

Goldfish Smiles

Jackson is a lucky little ex-pat! We found Pepperidge Farm Goldfish at the international supermarket. He is for sure a Voth grandbaby now!! Here he is with his first little orange smiling friends. Yummy.

Cutie Patootie!

Rumblins

We had another earthquake, near Tokyo, but only a level 3. We're fine.
Here is a helpful link to keep track of our "rumblins"!
Buh-bye, time to shop!

SO hot, SO humid, I think I'll grow some teeth...

It is hot, it is humid, and we are homesick. Jackson has also decided that now is the right time to sprout some more choppers...

Jackson has his two top front teeth coming in, and it looks like they are racing for a debut. His bottom two teeth were not red, nor swollen, nor did they show any preliminary signs of emerging. Just prest-o, one day I felt a little sharp tooth. These top two, however, are so red, so swollen. It looks as if he would bite down on something even as soft as a marshmallow that they would just pop through. But they haven't.

Wouldn't that be so bizarre; to remember having no teeth, and then the pain of getting them? Yikes. I can't imagine being a baby and remembering it. Gumming everything, and then having the discomfort Jackson is clearly feeling, and then having sharp little baby teeth. Bring on the steak, y'all! Haha.

(My niece just got her braces off. I remember that. So exciting! And then - so slimy. The slick teeth felt so foreign. I felt gorgeous. She is gorgeous...)

We took Jackson out for some fresh (hot and humid) air today, and we saw a black lab/mix at a cafe. It isn't uncommon to see dogs in Tokyo, but they are usually small or toy breeds, and they usually wear clothes. This was a real hound. He was nice. The owners were admiring Jackson; we were admiring the dog. I was anxious to see if Jackson would be hesitant or scared, since he hasn't seen Dixie (or any dog bigger than he is) in 3 months. He was in Heaven! He was squealing and screeching and laughing and trying to pet this really friendly sweet dog! Of course, I tested him out to make sure he was not the biting kind (the dog, not jackson!). The owner spoke a little English and was surprised Jackson wasn't afraid.

I was grateful for the encounter. I want him to love dogs. I want him to have his dog Dixie to pet. I really want them to grow up together. We miss her a lot, clearly, and we are ready to come HOME. I love Japan. The people here are so kind and polite. The country is beautiful. There is so much culture and convenience; the best of both worlds. But no Dixie, no family, no dryer or oven hahahha. So we either need a visit from one of you, or a plane ticket home. So get here already!!

Love, the Smiling Choppers.

Here's looking at you kid.

Yesterday we installed Skype. (Skype is a way to communicate on the web from anywhere just like on the telephone but for FREE...) Today we bought a little web-cam! So if you love us, and if we know who you are (haha), let's chat! Go to www.Skype.com and download it! Send me an email and we'll give you our details, and you can talk to us (in Japan, for FREE) and SEE Jackson ON THE MOVE!!! ;) I love technology!

Jackson

Jackson is 10.5 kilos, and 76 cm at his 12 mos well check. That's roughly 23 lbs and 30 inches. He's juuuust right. ;)

I felt the earth move under my feet...

Super Typhoon changed paths and all we got was a bit of wind and a lot of heavy rain. Then, the sun came out, and our building was swaying! Yikes, our first earthquake! That we know of anyway. I will write more, but right now I am so hungry I can't think. The gist of it is we survived; thanks for asking! ;)

Bu-Bye, time to fly - for now...

Jackson LOVES to say cheese... And he can stand unassisted for about 10 or 12 seconds!

Our good buddy John went home to the States today for a couple weeks vaca. We're going to miss him! (Don't ask me why Eric is making a West Side sign! Dorks... haha)

OH EM GEE Va Va Voom!

Having a baby with insurance, $77.00
Moving to Japan on assignment, a few more dollars.
Having new bras after breast feeding, PRICELESS!

Wow - so Victoria's Secret does ship to Japan, and in about two days! Thank goodness. I have had a difficult time with Japanese sizes and availability. Let me just say, after all the changes your body goes through when you have a baby, there is something so overwhelming about a good bra! And not just the fit, but the color variety and lack of pull down cups! Haha. Why doesn't Victoria's Secret make maternity and nursing bras???

Feeling good; looking good. Love MM

Yikes!

We saw a bat last night!! Flying around our 'hood. If you know us, then you know we love critters and nature! We were really excited.

I wonder how big the box is???

This makes me laugh so hard!!!

We had a really nice easy pea-z japan-eze weekend of just hanging out like we do. Tha's all. :) Everything is groovy with us - we miss our families, we miss DIXIE, we are homesick, but we are just chillin' in Japan. Hugs to my Homies.

Horsin' Around at The Mermaid

An early dinner at our outdoor cafe... Kawaii!!

My boy, J-Mac

Macca's

Jackson just thoroughly enjoyed his first plain cheeseburger from McDonald's! Of course i cut it up for him, but he was in Heaven! Such a big boy.

Hong Kong is not a country...

For clarification on Hong Kong, click here.

Jackson knows how to brush his hair...

Jackson found a hair brush. It was on the kitchen table. He can stand next to it and reach up to grab things from the top. When did he get that big??? He moved the brush across his gorgeous locks like a pro. He is a sponge. Who knows yet what other behaviors he's witnessed and been documenting. Here comes Trouble!

He is really a big boy now, and so charming. He loves to be outside, and loves the water (bath). He is quite the parrot, imitating every noise - a cough, a sneeze, a crow, a vacuum - every noise. Really funny. He says a few words, MaMa, DaDa, Goo (good), Muh (more), BaBye, Ca Ke (cracker), GaCaKe (graham cracker), and the best one, BaBehBeh (BlackBerry!). He will growl when I ask him what the bear says, and for cat he will squeal like a high pitched meoooow. He knows how to bow his head like a good little Japanese resident, and he can wave, give a kiss, hi five, clap, etc. He shakes his head side to side to say uh-uh with a grin. He loves to play Peek-a-Boo, and will put his hands on his cheeks when I say "Oh My!" He can do "SO Big", and we're working on "Praise Jesus" (So big with a shake). He cruises the furniture and can walk with help, but isn't walking solo - yet. He plays very well on his own, but is never alone haha. He loves his plastic kitchen set, especially the spatula. He loves to read books, even upside down books, and he really loves music. Quite a good little dancer. He's a really sweet child, a very good boy and has a lot of personality. He's good with strangers and likes to flirt. He eats lots of grown up food, loving chicken, fish, cheese, yogurt and breads. He is very good when we are out. Our friends comment on how unbelievably happy he is, which makes us really happy. He's a joy baby, though not really a baby anymore. So much fun, and what a blessing, as all babies are!

mean peoplesuck, friends are nice to have, babies make it all okay.

Yikes - sorry I haven't posted in a while. We've been busy, now that Jackson is one... Haha.

Okay a quick little update and then more observations. Eric's work mate (John McAndrews) from RIM US arrived last weekend.

He's super nice and digs Jackson, and we've been hanging out a lot. He likes to join us for meals, I think to see Jackson. :)

Thursday night Eric's office hosted a get together with a meal and drinks at the ANA Intercontinental in Roppongi. It was good food, unlimited beer and with 60's beach music. Everyone was friendly and gaga for you know who. Jackson loved the music and the bread, of course.


We've just had a week of living, ie grocery shopping, laundry, errands, cleaning, bills, you know - life... But it has been a good week.

Yesterday we left the mouse house to go to the market. We heard distant chanting and thought there might be another matsuri/festival. As we neared the corner we saw police officers directing traffic for the parade. To our disappointment and disgust it was a parade of protesters. A modest group carrying Middle Eastern flags (which I didn't recognize - not KSA, not UAE, I don't know), and stomping on the Union Jack. They were unified and indignant, and every now and then we could here Allah this and Allah that, and then later an angry chant followed by several "America"s. Didn't look good. Of course the three of us stick out like a family of westerners in Japan - because we are. We crossed the street and tried to fade into the buildings. Very unnerving, and in my 'hood! Argh.

On a lighter note, we did find a TINY little Mexican restaurant near here. Although it definitely wasn't the Tex Mex of Austin, it tasted good enough to order more, and the Corona's were cold. Jackson was mad for the chicken and cheese quesadillas, which were so mild we could both share. We sat at THE outside patio table (there are about 20 seats inside) and watched the locals come and go. An old bum kept circling the block and every visit to our table was like the first one for him. Trying to ask for something in Japanese, laughing, jabbering, the same conversation we had just tried to have on his prior visit. Harmless and pretty funny.

So now Jackson is down for a nap and I have some chores to do. Waiting for the cleaning crew. Grey outside but not too hot. Missing HOME and you. xoox

PS/ Here are some random shots from the week ;)




Mmmmwah!