With a side of crickets.

Holy cow! HELLO! What a jam-packed, completely crazy couple of months we've had! I didn't completely forget about this blog, believe me, but it seemed like every waking moment (both mine AND Daniel) was spent playing, eating, crying, and (primarily for me) job hunting. Still no go on the last little tidbit, but I fear not and enjoy the fact that I've spent 8 MONTHS at home with my little monkey.

Thanks right, folks! Daniel is now 8 months young and gosh, the things he does. In the last few months, he's accomplished so much growth! Let's see...

1. At his 6 month appointment, he was still at 20 lbs. (his dad and I believe he probably gained several pounds between 4 and 6 months, but once he started moving around the weight dropped down to 20) but measured in at a whopping 29 inches! Still a big boy, that one!

2. He's been crawling for a little over a month now, pulling up on anything he can get his hands on (which he actually learned to do way before mastering how to crawl) and as of about 2 weeks ago, started balancing on his two feet completely unassisted! Look ma, no hands!

3. For the sake of updating, because I sucked at blogging over the last 3 months, his two bottom teeth have completely come through and now we look forward to his top two teeth to start poking through. So far, no sign of them though. Speaking of teeth, he's a voracious eater now too! His favorite foods are avocado, sweet potato, and his morning pureed apple or pears mixed with rice cereal (I plan on upgrading him to oatmeal or something with more substance once this box is gone, though). He also loves little baby crackers and cookies, but if he's anything like me, we have to keep those at a minimum.

4. Still babywearing, still co-sleeping, still nursing...

5. Daniel used his passport for the first time when we went to Japan earlier this month! He was fantastic both to and from our destination; he met both sides of his Japanese family and received many gifts. So many, in fact, that we had to pack an extra bag on the way home. His other grandparents enjoyed him greatly! While in Japan, he went to the beach for the first time. Lots of firsts during this trip!

6. Mama. That will be his first word. He's said it on numerous occasions, but not AT me. At least, I don't think he has... until today. When he was whining, all of the sudden I hear him saying "ma ma, ma ma", not his usual "ma ma ma ma". It was very obviously, and I think very deliberate too. WOW! My baby's first word... I'm honored <3


On May 16th, Daniel's dad and I finally tied the knot! It was small, just us and my mother. In a few years, I'd like to plan a bigger ceremony with our family and friends. At that point, I'd like to renew our vows and exchange rings. Right now, I'm wearing an engagement ring and he's wearing his dad's first wedding band.

Like I said in number 5, we went on Daniel's first overseas trip to see family in Japan. It was so much fun, but a bit stressful traveling with the little guy as he chose the day we got there to start separation anxiety (so the only two people he would let hold willingly was myself or his dad). And you don't realize how long 2 weeks is until you're not home, so it was so nice to get back to our place and sleep in our bed after our vacation... but I could tell that Gary wished we could stay longer.

Waiting at the gate to board our flight.

Sleeping away.

His first train ride! We went to the beach.

At his grandpa's Navy retirement... he crawled out to the middle of the stage during the guest speaker's speech!

A foreshadow?

Meeting his second cousins Manato and Rio (Gary's cousin's kids).

Getting ready to venture to Tokyo!

After our Tokyo day trip, we went a bit further to a hot spring hotel owned by his grand-uncle.

The family!

"Do I have something stuck to my lip?"

My aunt and cousin!

Food and drinks with family and some good friends.

Kanpai! Enjoying some drink with my mother-in-law.

He loves his grandparents!

We took him to the aquarium!

Amazed by this dolphin that is hanging out right by the window to his habitat.

Whoa!

Animal show!

Intense look of concentration. 

BUBBLES!

He loves looking at the window on trains.

Meeting new friends! Gary's former co-worker, her little boy who's 1 year, 11 days older than Daniel (who turned 1 on 11/11/11!) and us.

It was a great trip all around, filled with lots of neat things done and seen (that he won't remember, but we'll remember for him!) and the most important thing is he got to bond with his family, especially Gary's sister. She was the last of the family to meet him and fell in love. Gary's grandmother finally got to meet him too, since she lives in Michigan and neither we nor her have had time or funds to visit one another since Daniel was born. During this this trip, he accomplished so many milestones (missing mom and dad, clapping, balancing unassisted, eating crackers and cookies for the first time). I can't wait to take him back when he's older, maybe in a year or two.