Fall= football, neck rubs, and throwing YEEEVES!

Today is the day there are lots of leaves!

Daddy Bear and I watch football. "RUN RUN! GET 'EM!" I shout when I see those uniforms line up.

I LOVED going to Mama and Daddy's college game last weekend. I yelled and danced. We went to eat with Daddy's "BIG BIG" friends. "Uncle Wazzy, Perk, Mr. Drew. Baby Emma coming? I want to kiss her! No Rocky. Rocky is BIG BIG too."

Today, we are just watching the game on TV. I don't know who is playing even though I ask 5 times in a row. They are lining up again, "RUN RUN." I stomp my foot on the ground just like when the quarterback sends the receiver into motion. Mama and Daddy didn't figure out what I was doing for a week. "I show you," I said one day when football was on. Mama still didn't get it until Daddy Bear told her. Girls. Oh, the players are moving, I see the ball, but it's on the ground now. "Oh, missed it. Daddy, they not get it?"

"Daddy, I sit on your lap? You put your hand here! Do it like Mama does!" I rephrase because Mama Roo asks me to. "Daddy do this, my neck here, PLEEESE?" Apparently I miss that word all the time. Who has time for politeness? I'll do it, though. When I say please, I usually get what I'm asking for. I like massages. I have been asking for them more. Mama thinks I'm growing, Daddy just thinks I'm smart.

While Daddy massages, I don't yell at the TV as much. Mama thinks I might actually fall asleep. She is wrong, I can't fall asleep, this feels too good. I'm glad my Daddy loves me. Daddy also loves me enough to go upstairs and get a dress for me. Mama doesn't let me do it because she thinks I'll make a mess of the closet. She is right, so I don't argue. I just get Daddy to come. This is what I look like when Daddy get's my clothes. This is a dress over my pajamas. I have no diaper and no underwear. Mama just shakes her head.

After the game, it's still light. Mama says if I change into "appropriate" clothes, we can go to the park. "I want to go! I wear a dress? I wear pants too? Where are my boots? You put my boots in the box? I not see them there. Where you put my boots?" Mama ignores most of my questions and disappears upstairs for what I can only hope to be to pick out clothes to go to the park in.

There are leaves EVERYWHERE at the park! "Yeeeves, Mama! I get them. You get some? Lellow Yeeves here. Yeeves go in your pockets?" I remember the water. "I frow these Yeeves in there?!" I jump up and down while I say it. Mama complies and follows suit.

There is a girl here! "A friend here too, Mama. This girl has yeeves. I want yeeves too." We throw the leaves over the edge and giggle together. "One in the water! That one in the water too. Where they go? You see them? I not see them."

It's time to go. "I take yeeves with you? I put them in Marshal car?" "No pumpkin Lou, we will come back and play with leaves later. Leaves don't belong in the car. Say, yes Mama." Grudgingly I agree, "Yes, Mama. I run to Marshal car???" I'm smiling once again. :)

Practicing to be a big sister

Today I hold a tiny little baby.

"Mama, I want to hold her! Just a little? I do it myself. I carry her? No? When she is bigger? K."

Mama tells me to sit on the couch and she pulls a pillow up close. Baby Kyla is the cutest. I want to take her home. Mama says we can't. She doesn't have the right milk for her. I'm confused, Mama has milk. We even have rice milk. I'll have to ask more questions later.

"Mama, I ready. You put her here. See, here. I hold her like this, I show you. I give her kisses? I be gentle. She likes those kisses? I like her."

Kyla's brother wants a turn now. He sits so patient and waits. Baby Kyla gets lots of love. I think her older brother and sister hold her lots. She doesn't even squirm much. She even gives us some smiles with brother.

It's fun holding Kyla. I can't wait until my baby gets here. Mama says it will be a while longer. I will hold her every day. We don't know what kind it is, but I only call the baby a girl.

We are getting ready to go. I like practicing being in a family with more kids. I want lots of kids in our family.

I think I'll be a good big sister.

Who says potty training and road trips don't mix?

Today is the day I see the farm.

Mama and I drive a REALLY REALLY long time the other day. We start driving in the morning then I fall asleep. When I wake up, I whine something Mama can't understand. She says, "I can't hear you. Are you thirsty?" I yell "POTTY!" She gets the message this time. Mama moves the car to the side of the road faster than I've ever seen. I go potty in the little potty WHILE I was in the backseat. Best part of the trip! I will insist on using the potty in the car from now on.

Today, I sleep on the way to the farm. I wake up and get to use the car potty again! I am a little sleepy and I don't find it amusing that Mama is taking my picture right now. She says something about a wedding montage, she is so weird. I don't get it, but she is keeps laughing to herself. Moms are weird.

 "Mama, I see those horses. Oh a goat, two goats. I on Daddy with the goats (Mama note: last time she crawled to the highest point on Chris to get away from the goats, lol!) Oh, stinky. Mama, what stinky is that?"

Mama says, "I think you might smell cow manure, Lou. It's the cow's poo poo. You won't notice it in a minute."

"Mama, I go see the newer (manure)? Where the cow? No cows over there..."

 "I see those birds. I go in there? You stay here (outside the cage). I go in. You lock it? Don't leave me. Don't come in. Stay here. Ok?"

"Look, there's that horse. One, two horses. I like that horses."

I'm glad Mama takes me to the farm. Those girls are here and they are so fun. I really like Ellie and Claire, and I watch every move Rachel makes. She is not quite an adult and I'm a kid so I like people that are still kids. I can sense the difference. Adults don't get it. Ellie and Claire give me snacks and show me the animals. Every once and I while I see a flash and movement, that must be that boy. I watch him close too. I don't know if I like boys. He moves too fast.

I like this farm. I want one. I have Mama convinced, it's just Daddy we are waiting on.

Tea gives me the trots.

Today is the day I had my first cup of tea!

I have been getting sips of tea from Mama for a little while now. Mostly, Mama has this very particular rule about only drinking water. She couldn't find anything too wrong with me sharing her tea. Finally, she gave me my own cup. Here I am so proud that I'm a big girl!

"Mama, I have some tea? Own cup? That cup there? I have my own cup, please?......Mmmmm, TEA! Daddy, look, I have tea. My tea, not Mama's tea. I put it on the little table. You want some? Mama has some. It pink tea. I like pink tea. You like pink tea?"

I finish my cup of tea and I feel my tummy gurgle a little. I know what this feeling is....
"Mama, I go potty now. Daddy, you come with me? I go poo poo. I not poo poo on my dress. Put dress in armpits and close my legs. (Running to the potty, I call behind me) Daddy, you coming?"

I sit down and get my dress situated. Mama is giggling. She says, "I guess tea gives her the trots." Daddy and I look at her like she is crazy. "You've never heard that saying?" she asks us. I continue to stare and Daddy tells her, "No, that's a weird saying." Mama just keeping laughing.

I tell Daddy a story and he listens, like always. He doesn't ask as many questions as Mama. I like that.

Daddy makes me laugh too. We make funny noises together. He listens while I name my poops. "I still going poo poo. You push like this, uuhh. See there one goes. It's a noodle poo. Nother one is snake poo. I not done yet. You sit with me. You don't leave." I shake my head to send the point home.

I like it when Daddy sits with me.

Nursing my toy car

Today is the day I nurture my baby car.

There is a whole debate about "girl toys" verses "boy toys". Do you want to know what my mom is most excited about? ...Not buying any toys. Seriously, it's like she doesn't know I need all the new plastic things they make in those big stores. I'll get to her one day, for now I'm just trying to confuse her so she doesn't know what to believe.

She is doesn't really subscribe to those camps that say girls are only interested in babies and cooking or the camps that say only give your kids gender neutral toys. She just watches me play with all kinds of things, as long as they don't take batteries (or until the batteries run out and she won't replace them??? Mean.). Usually, I stick with books, blocks, babies, or anything she touches during the day. My top three go to toys are old cell phones, an old keyboard (I like to return the emails of my many blog followers), and my babies.

Today, I wanted to change it up.

"Mama, car needs milk. Car is going nigh-night. More milk? Sh, sh, sh (pat pat pat). I put right here, in my wrap. Car needs milk to go nigh-night. I go find you a bed. Car needs Mama's bed. Mama, you need your bed? No, ok. I use it. Evybody bed or Daddy bed? I be right back. You be here?"

I take extra care to hang on to this car in my wrap for a while. My purpose is to confuse Mama. It seems to have the opposite affect. She smiles and giggles. She gets out the camera. Why is this so cute to her?

I'll have to do something more drastic tomorrow. Day 23 of the plan is ruined. Man, you can't live with Mamas and you can't live without them. I wonder what's for lunch?

High heels and car seats

Today I wear my tutu all day.

My friend had a birthday, the BIG 2, yesterday. I got a tutu there and now I will never take it off. Mama is thrilled.
Of course, I see the tutu right when I wake up. I insist it goes on immediately. "Mama, MY PINK TUTU! It's right there. I get it. Put it on. Please. I do it, wait you help. Peanut butter toast now. You make it for me?"
Mama says, "You forgot a word." "You make it for me, PLEASE?"

Mama is cleaning up like always. I venture into her closet, like always. High heels go with everything. High heels and tutus! I come waltzing out of the bedroom.

"Mama, look I in your shoes. You need these shoes? I wear them today. You use them later? I big shoes."

The only thing I want to do now is play in my car seat with these shoes on. Why would I take them off?
"Oh, this sippy. I be careful. Mama, I bein' careful."

I love high heels.

August rain.

Today, well this last month or two we have been playing catch up.

Mama says she was tired of taking pictures non-stop for months, but now she has picked up the camera again. I can use the camera too! "Mama, I see it? I hold it? I take a picture with you? No? Mama? Now? No? Maaammaaaaaaa...."


"It raining out there, Mama! I need a coat. Where my boots? You put boots in closet? I go get them. You wait. No, don't open the door yet. I not ready."

Mama explained she would be right back. She SAYS she has to get her boots, but I know she is trying to go have fun without me. I get mad so I sit by the door and wait for her....

Mama says I need pants. "No pants mama. I fetty." "You're seaty?" "Yep, no pants, I fetty. You have pants?"

We are finally ready. "Outside now! I go out there. Look, lots of rain. Here your abella. Daddy's, Mama's, Kami's." I point to all the umbrellas we have out.

"This my neighbors, Daddy. Sam, Nancy, there's Janet. There's kitty. That kitty go in there? What in there? I go in there?"

"No, we are going home now." Daddy leads me back to our garage.

"Mt. Fuji"

Today we discover the other "Mt. Fuji"in Nobi.

On the map, northwest of Nagasawa JHS, Mama keeps seeing this mountain labeled Mt. Fuji. On one of our last days here in Japan, we have to check it out! Here is the link to the map in case you think Mama is crazy like I do. Map of Mt. Fuji

Starting up the stairs, we already see some cool headstones. Mama spots a cross and smiles. "Jesus is everywhere, Lou. See?" The WHOLE hill is full of all types of headstones. Of course, to see more, we must climb stairs. Seriously, stairs EVERYWHERE. I'm glad Mama takes the brunt of this physical challenge. I bet she has double the muscle from hiking with me on her back this whole time.

It turns out, the view is worth the climb. It's a beautiful day and we find so many great things up here. Where are all the people? We have to figure out how to get up to the red tower. Looks like we need to detour a bit. Around the first hill is the logical conclusion. "Up there. I walk myself? Where you going Mama?" Mama is walking through a huge garden. She sees no other way around it. I think she should find a road, but she disagrees. Tramping through someone's garden is not culturally acceptable in the States, let alone here. Mama tells me she sees no other way....

We look back at the garden to marvel at the sight. Mama says this is probably the whole neighborhood's garden. Up the last hill and two sets of stairs. We see the BIG Buddha. "BIG BIG BUDDHA. I in it? Inside Buddha, please." Mama tries to explain that you can't go inside all the Buddhas, just the one we saw last week. We search desperately for a bathroom. Here is what we find. You don't see a door, do you? Neither do we. I take a minute to run around while Mama airs out her shirt in the tree. Yup, a tree. So embarrassing. 

 Ok, aired out and relieved, we are on our way. "BIG BUDDHA! Oh, Statoo, look statoo. Scary face statoo. Careful, Mama!"

More statues! Mama is going to look up what they are for, but really we don't care much. It is great just to be at the top of this Mt. Fuji. There are no signs, no way to know what exactly this is all for. We know it's a temple and we have seen the "ok" hands before. They are apparently for welcoming the dead. I guess that's a good thing because there are tons of graves on this hill. The grumpy face ball statue is pretty funny too. We are trying to figure out why they put bushes in front of the statues. Hmm? While Mama takes tons of pictures, I find some ant hills to play in. Mama is not impressed.

The pagoda at the top! Mission accomplished. Good thing, because it looks like it's getting late.

We wander through the neighborhoods back to the train. Mama doesn't know where we are, but she knows what direction we came from. She doesn't wear a watch, but we know what time it is because the dinner bell just rang. It's 5pm. Kids go running back home and you see adults making their way back too. We witness some mamas shooing their babies inside while they shout goodbyes to their friends. We pass a couple neighbors laughing and talking and inching away from each other the way you do when you want to keep talking, but you really have to go. A family is going by with a giggling preschooler who is taunting his much older sister or cousin with his plastic sword. She chases him down the street and scoops him up with playful laughter. The mama just nods over to us with a smile and the neighbors who are talking cheer the young one on as we walk past. We all smile and laugh because this is the best time of day. It is the time everyone returns to their family for some food, some fun, and some love. You don't have to understand the language to understand the peaceful surrender to the dinner bell. We look around knowing this is one of our last days here. We almost feel like we belong.

 A live-in tree house? "I go in it, Mama? Stairs myself?" Mama says it looks unsafe. Blast.

Do you see the hill in the middle? There is a red building at the top, that is the pagoda we went to. I'm glad Mama is adventurous, because it was a little more strenuous than we originally imagined. However, it was well worth every effort. What a great day.

Safely back down, we need to go find a playground. Mama said we could stop at one on the way up to the Buddha, but we couldn't find one. "Train coming! Comes here, goes there. Tunnel here. Goes over there. Get on here." I wave my arms around and learn which way we are going today. Mama laughs out loud at my erratic movements, so I laugh and make them more flamboyant. I dance and use two different voices to top off the experience. Mama can't breathe.

 We ride the train to a snack and a playground. Harumaki (spring roll) and deep fried horse mackerel is what we found to eat. YUM! "Nother bite, please. Fish one, no beeto one. I like beeto! Mama, more beeto too?" I put my face very close to Mama's so she really hears me! She laughs and spits a little fish into my eyes. I blink and rub it off then start fake laughing mimic her and now Mama is laughing harder. I only play for a few minutes. It is time to get Mama home. She is delirious from all the sun today. We should have brought more water, I guess.

We slowly make our way home before dark. The last bit of an adventure is always the hardest. Sad to be leaving, but happy to move on to new adventures. These are the moments life is built on.