16 1/2 months

Hope everyone is well.  We are fine here.  We've had a busy couple of days, with several playdates and eating out.  Mom had a birthday on the 25th, so we all went out to eat to a place called Boston Lobster Feast, where there's an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet with lobsters and crab.  Mom and Dad enjoyed themselves, but Thomas had no patience for sitting at the table that day, and let out a couple of heard-turning, deafening shrieks to show his impatience.  You can imagine how mortified and embarrassed I was when our neighbors all turned their heads simultaneously and one of them inexplicably said, "whoa! Two points!"  We all took turns sitting with him in the car or the lobby area while the others ate.  Now I remember why I like to spread out my outings to only one or two a day, maximum! Any more than 

that becomes too much for him, and he gets shrieky, impatient, hyperactive and teary.  As soon as he wakes up refreshed and well-fed on good food, though, it's back to his happy smiley self, pointing at the fans and lights and doors with the appropriate sign or inquiring, "doooooooooor?"  He is even starting to give me lots of kisses, making kiss noises and leaving a wet patch on my skin.  So lovely. 

 

He had his 15-month appointment with the pediatrician this week (a little late), where she declared him to be looking good.  She asked me how many words he knew, and I blanked.  I should have asked her if sign language counted.  So I've been thinking about it, and he knows 8 sign language words and 8 words.  The signs he knows (or has his own 

signs) are:  up, help, more, milk, all-done, bye-bye, light and fan.  He knows the words for dog (doh, ar-ar-ar), duck (duh), hot (achi-chi-chi =Japanese), banana (nanana), no (no noooooooo), door (doooooooooa), all done (ah dah) and sometimes shoe (doo), but recently he's been calling them doors (dooooooa).  And by the end of the day today, he knows that the "M" on my t-shirt (where it says "We're on the MOVE to end Alzheimer's") is "mmmmmm" and the "O" is "oh oh oh".  He's always so interested in the letters on that shirt!   I think it's because of that phonics bus (LeapFrog Learning Friends - Phonics Bus Vehicle) that Dawn, my friend from work gave him for his birthday! 

 

Oh!  Two more teeth just broke through!  Now he has another front-bottom left, and his bottom right molar has also just barely broken through.  So that makes four on the bottom and six on the top.  Poor guy, I think they're giving him lots of pain.  On the plus side, he can now chew a lot more things, like pieces of chicken, apple slices and big chunks of boiled vegetables.  It certainly makes meal preparation easier!

 

Thomas has started walking around with his hands behind his back.  Is it because he's now so comfortable walking that he doesn't need the safety net of his hands in front of him?  Whatever the reason, he looks like a little man, inspecting everything.  He's also started clambering up on the couch and sitting down deep in it, skooching himself forward a bit so that he can really lean back into the cushions, legs stretched out before him, smiling and letting out a deep sigh.  He looks so happy to be sitting on the couch like an adult does!  And he looks like an adult doing it!  So cute!

 

16 1/4 months

The past week has seen a happy reunion with grandma and grandpa after their grand week-long dancing adventure in Plant City.  They're surprised to see him lo

ok thinner, which means that he's had a growth spurt while they've been gone. Thomas is always SO excited to see them, and when he h

ears knocking on the door he gets a startled, alert look and when he hears their voices at the door, he laughs his excited laugh and runs for the door!  They're getting over a coughing thing, but they look better.  And they just had a cracked radiator in their car fixed, so hopefully that will see them ride safer to their dance lessons!

 

We haven't done much special this week besides our regular around-town stuff, like Borders, grocery shopping, Library Rhyme Time and the occasional playdate.  Matthew took Thomas to the community pool a few times.  The air is up in the 80's but the pool still had enough of a chill to make Matthew cringe when he went in, but Thomas gasped and giggled.  They do seem to have fun in the pool, bouncing up and down, splashing and making waves.  Today I was taking him for a stroller ride and he pointed at the pool and said, "Dada?  Dada?"  Actually, that's about how the past few days have been, since Matthew left early Monday morning.  Thomas wakes up and spends the whole day periodically saying, "Dada?  Dada?"  He loves to see Matthew on the computer since we can do video chats, and even knows what it means when I say, "Daddy's on the computer.  Where's the computer?"  He'll run straight to it!

 

Thomas' understanding of what we are saying has really grown hugely.  He understands the hand-washing process, and will bring us shoes when we talk about them.  Yesterday, Dad put on one of Thomas' socks, and Thomas ran to the other room and returned with the other one and gave it to him.  He also goes to the TV when we say, "Tommy, do you want to watch Blue's Clues / International Baby?"  And it catches his attention, even through crying, when I sing songs from either.  These days, he applauds himself when he accomplishes something he's excited about, like stepping on and off the stepstool.  He also seems to like crayons now.  He looks like he enjoys scribbling with the different colors on paper.  And at bath time, I ask him to get the bucket and he carries it from one bathroom to the other bathroom (empty) and puts it in the bathtub when I ask him to do it, so I can fill it up with water.  He also climbs into his car seat by himself and understands me when I ask him to help me buckle his seatbelt.  He's started to resist having his diaper changed, though, and also runs into the garage like a shot if we open the door. 

 

Now that Mom and Dad are back, we get to eat more of Mom's fabulous home cooking.  Thomas enjoys it, too.  He's getting proficient poking things with fork and eating it off the fork, using his spoon to eat his breakfast cereal, and drinking out of cups without assistance.  Must put the cup out of reach when he puts it down, however, since he sometimes shakes it, sending water or rice milk flying.  He's still stubbornly dropping food over the edge of the high chair tray when he's getting bored with being fed, but when he's experimenting, he drops it over the side with a "nooo nooooo?"  Testing.  He does that in other areas, too!

In other news, Chloe has a new cat tree --- she's very excited and spends all day up it.  Safe from Thomas!

Video: Thomas and the balloon

"If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet"

"If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands"

And then a cuddle for the balloon!

16 months old

The three of us are slowly getting over jet lag.  We had a few very slow days, getting into the home routine again, and then on Tuesday we drove down to Plant City to visit Mom and Dad at their dance studio.  They have been having a week-long training course, and they had the afternoon free.  We didn't quite make it in time to see them dancing, but we did get to meet a lot of their dancing friends at last.  We went out to lunch and then they took us to the famous Parksdale greengrocer where we did some veggie shopping and plant browsing, and had a strawberry shortcake and a mocha shake.  MMMMMM, now I see why that is a weekly tradition for them!  After that, we wandered around downtown for a while and watched a train go by.  The conductor even waved at Thomas!  It's funny how excited I 

get for Thomas when that happens!  I get even more excited than Thomas does!  It was a lovely, hot afternoon and we spent the rest of it chatting with their good friends who they stay with who have a cat and two dogs.  Thomas was very diverted.  

This week, Thomas has figured out how and when to clap his hands, tap his knees, and stomp his feet for the song, "If You're Happy and You Know It" on his Japanese International Baby video.  He grinned so widely, it really looked like a lightbulb went on!  Today he came to us, holding the video DVD and stomping his feet and clapping his hands.  As clear a message as any!   Also, his appetite was pretty nonexistent for the past few days, but it seems to be back on track again.  Tonight we went out to eat with 

some of Matthew's flying buddies and Thomas had a lot of rice pilaf, broccoli and fish with tomato-mango salsa.  We asked for it unseasoned and they did a great job!  After a week in Japan and its soy sauce-based foods, it was a surprise to remember that some foods can easily be modified like that.  And that it's okay to ask for it. 

 

Well, after a week of falling asleep on our shoulder for naptime or bedtime, Thomas is protesting vigorously the cruel practice of leaving him in his room alone to sleep.  Perhaps it is separation anxiety, too?  He seems to be equally attached to the two of us after the three of us being joined at the hip for almost a month.  When it's just me and Thomas, he'll often ask, "Dada?  Dada?"  Matthew reports the same when it's just him and Thomas:  "Mama?  Mama?"  After two and a bit weeks vacation, I'm scheduled to go back to work on Saturday, and Matthew's flying out of town for his trip on Monday.  Back to the usual life.  Oh well. 

 

15 3/4 months (4): with the Yadas in Kyoto

Then it was hanging-out time with the Yadas.  As always, host-mom made a delicious dinner, and Thomas and host-dad played throw-and-chase-the-fan.  They had done a huge remodel of their second floor, the kitchen-dining-office-photography studio.  It was unrecognizable!  And they added a bath and garden.   It was the design of one of their sons,' Asashi,  who is an interior designer or architect, I can't remember which.  He just got married to a very nice young woman and they invited us over to their house to see what a traditional Japanese town house looks like.  Except they were starting to do some remodel in there, too, so it was kind of a blend of traditional Japanese and modern Japanese.  Very stylish and comfortable!  Anyway, it's a very 

busy, bustling suppertime, as they they still have an exchange student from AKP (Associated Kyoto Program from several colleges), and a former AKP student who is living in the area and doing research for her doctorate, and Asashi's new wife, and the other son, Takagi just around 

the corner these days, and daughter Yukine.  How nice to see everyone again!  They asked me what I wanted to see while in Kyoto, and I remembered a particular rock garden that I saw on AKP in 1995, but I couldn't remember where it was.  Helen, the doctorate student, happened to know where it was as she was very good friends with the head abbot of that temple!  Yukine took us to see it the next day at Tofukuji, in the south of the city.  She corralled and amused Thomas so I could have a good look at it (and last me another 14 years!).  Boy, they had fun together.  Pictures on the website.   And then on the way back to the hotel, 

Yukine dropped me off at Nishioji market to do a little bit of shopping while Matthew took Thomas back to the hotel for a nap.  What a great place.  Must go back. 

Lessons from the trip:  it is very difficult in Japan while travelling, but try to avoid salty foods for Thomas as he seems to become hyperactive and screechy.  Unless you have your own kitchen, though, good luck trying to find unsalty foods to eat!  Obentos, onigiri, ... all of these foods are salty or sweet or both.  Also, it takes about four days for Thomas to get over jet-lag, so expect him to be awake at two, three, four o'clock in the morning.  Good thing for 24-hour Lawson's or Family Mart, and early-morning strolls.  And chains called Jonathan's!  So family friendly!  Like a Ja

panese Denny's, except clean and yummy.  Thomas falls asleep best when the room is quiet and dark, so when at someone else's house eating dinner and he gets sleepy, leave the room with him and bring him back when he's asleep.  And, babies are going to screech on the airplane, so just accept it and don't fight it or feel any guilt.  And you have to save your own sanity, so do that above all else.  Lots of walking around helps, and playing with the bathroom door handle (for Thomas).  Even if the flight attendants get snitty.  Also, if possible, don't fly a US carrier if you want good food, good service, and good entertainment. 

 

15 3/4 months (3): with the Hansens in Kyoto

After that it was off to Kyoto on the bullet train.  We met up with my cousin Kari and her husband Andrew, who happened to be in Japan at the same time, competing in a pro Magic tournament (Andrew).  We hung out together on our first day, which was their last day before heading back to the States.  It was cold and raining.  SO COLD.  It even snowed!  We went to Shimogamo Jinja to see a Girl's Day festival, taking a detour through my old campus, but by the time we got to the shrine, we were too late for the ceremony.  But a funny thing happened on the way to the shrine:  a man stopped us in the street and gave us his umbrella because it was raining, and he didn't need it anymore.  It took me a while to figure out what he was talking about (and to remember that this kind of thing really happens here, and he's not asking us for money or to tell us about Jesus) and we gratefully accepted his gift.  He even apologized for giving us only ONE umbrella, and not one for everyone!  Ha ha!  Anyway, ten minutes later, the same guy shows up again, and he has TWO MORE umbrellas for us!  He had chased us down the whole length of the shrine to give them to us!  Ah, Japan.  That is the difference between Japanese and American customer service.  What a nice guy.  And what a difference it made for us that day because it rained all day! 

Later, as we sat in a coffee shop trying to get warm, Thomas was playing peek-a-boo with a little old lady sitting a few tables away.  I was hanging onto his pants to keep him from toppling off the chair and hiding my face to hide my embarrassment at his brazen flirtatiousness, imagining him in his teens with cooing girls hanging off his arm and wondering how I'm going to prevent him from growing up to be like the Fonz or Joey on Friends, hitting on girls with 

cheesy grins and cheesier pick-up lines, summoning them with a snap of the finger.  And then I turn around and Thomas is staring out the window, smiling flirtatious

ly and waving at a group of Junior High school girls in their uniforms outside who had stopped, come back, and were all giggling and waving back to Thomas through the window!  Oh my God!  Does anyone know the name of a good monastery?  

 

Here we all are with The Umbrellas.

15 3/4 months (2): with the Otakas in Emi

Then it was time to visit Yoko-Oneisan over in Chiba.  We rode a bus for a couple of hours, and Thomas abandoned a nap in favor of flirting with a little old lady sitting behind Matthew's seat.  Smiling, giggles, peek-a-boo...  it was all on.  She seemed to have fun, too - after she and her granddaughter got off the bus, they waved to Thomas until we were out of sight.  Yoko-Oneisan and her husband picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel, which was amazing, and included a delicious dinner and buffet breakfast (both traditional Japanese style).  In the morning, we had a drive beside the ocean and over to their house, where we met her mother and their cat!  Mr. Otaka and Thomas got on like a house on fire.  Thomas loved the sliding doors and sat for a long time opening and closing them.  Then the two "boys" had a tour of the garden, where again Thomas made no objection to being picked up and carried out of sight.  Was it another case of "imposter" family?  We may never know.

 

15 3/4 months (1): with the Ishiis in Tokyo

We just came back from a week in Japan!  We saw our cousins the Ishiis in Tokyo; old friends Yoko-oneisan and her husband in Emi; my cousin Kari from Wisconsin (now living in Tucson) and her husband in Kyoto; and my host family from college, the Yadas who were also in Kyoto.  You may recognize everyone from our wedding.  We hadn't been back to Japan since 2004, so we took a million pictures and ate a lot of food.  A week seemed like enough on paper but it was over before I knew it!  It seemed as if it was time to leave just when Thomas was getting used to people and things.  I didn't feel like I had enough time to do half of the things I wanted!  I'm already planning when we can go back and what we'll do.  Right now the plan is for next year! 

 

Katsuo Ishii graciously met us at the airport.  And thank goodness, too, as I don’t think I had any brain power left at that point, after being on the road for 18 hours.  He saw us safely to our hotel, and we were met by my cousin Kazuko Ishii.  Thomas surprised us by running over to her within the first five minutes to be picked up.  Usually it takes him at least half an hour before he can be at all interactive with strangers, but perhaps because she looks so much like Mom, and speaks Japanese too, he was fooled into thinking that she was his Grandmamama.  She laughed and called herself "Imposter Grandma."  In fact it was the next day, as he was running towards her with his arms out, he suddenly stopped short and stared at her with realization on his face.  And then ran away.  It took him that long to discover the imposter!  How funny!  Poor Kazuko!  Mom had a good laugh about it later, though!

 

Anyway, we had a lovely time with the Ishiis, chatting with everyone, visiting Yuri at work, eating French food, Japanese food, Japanese-style American sandwiches, yum yum yum.  Thomas was still pretty jet-lagged at that point, so he was pretty grumpy and tired, but even so seemed to connect with almost everybody.  Mari gave him a couple of "notebooks" that sing Japanese children's songs and say the Japanese alphabet and quiz him on how to spell words.  He'll be able to use those for a very long time!  They are awesome!