a few travels

A shrine inside one of the Buddhist temples at the top of Mt. Miya Jima. I thought this was beautiful.

Lola playing with the bunny at Hachigamine park

This is how they harvest oysters in Japan. The bamboo sticks are hanging down off docks out in the middle of the water

This is how Lola hiked up Mt. Miya Jima-this was all Chris' idea!!

Trying to get Lola to play with the little penguins but she had no interest! I wanted to play with them more than she did

Diggin for Gold!

Lola about to go down the slide @ Hachigamine Park

Being silly in the tub-she likes to show off in case you can't tell!!

Hiking up Mt. Miya Jima

At Miya Jima island-1 of 5 World Heritage sites in Japan

We have been so busy since my last update! We spent a few days in Miya Jima-thanks to the Marine Corps!, we went down to Sasebo and Fukuoka this past weekend, we had Friendship Day on May 5th(an annual event inviting all the Japanese on base), a lot of our friends are leaving so we've been really busy with them, and we have made some new friends recently too that are new to the island. These are a few of the highlights from the past month or so. I realized that I haven't posted many pictures of things in Japan so I will start doing that, and it seems our internet is doing well again so hopefully I can post pictures weekly again.

My cousin is coming this upcoming week and we are taking a few trips so hopefully we will have some great pictures.

words

So I have to do a bit of bragging---
Any day now I'm expecting a full sentence to come out of Lola's mouth. She is just blabbing away. She says shoes, Mommy, Daddy, Abby(the dog), that(as she points, basically asking whats that),bug (ladybugs)and some more gibberish that to us is words. She has an animal book that she loves to look at a million times a day! If we ask her what different animals are she can tell us, she knows ladybugs, puppies,ducks, birds and sometimes butterflies. And since we are right here on the air station she knows planes of course! Every time one takes off she points to the sky and attempts to say plane.
She has also started learning her body parts-she knows her head,nose,ears,belly, feet, and mouth/teeth. If we ask her if she has stinky feet she smells them! I know it sounds weird but it started out with me picking on her saying she had stinky feet so now she knows what that means!
Since she can't always say what she wants I have taught her sign language, and she is able to sign drink, food and more. She also knows how to cleanup, but of course that doesn't always go as planned.
Chris has eased right back into work as usual, and I started classes back this week. We have a busy spring and summer ahead with lots of visitors and trips planned. I will keep you all updated even if not with pictures.(our internet connection is terrible in case you haven't picked up on that yet!)
I can't upload pictures right now, so I figured that I would update you all on what she's doing. Sorry to seem like I'm bragging, but I realized that most of you don't know what is going on with us since I've been so bad about keeping in touch lately.

finally new update-sorry!

I know everyone has been anxiously awaiting pictures and I aplogize. Our internet is in and out all the time, so its been just as frustrating for me trying to post as it has been for you all waiting to see some pictures. I do not have the pictures from the day Chris got home yet, but when I get them I will try and post them. These are just a few pictures that our internet allowed me to upload, I tried to post more, but it wouldn't let me. I will try again in the morning though.

Anways-everything has been great here. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and gorgeous as always. I have some wonderful pictures. We plan on going this weekend at night so hopefully we will get some more.

Lola is growing it seems like by the day. A few days ago I looked at her and she did not look like a baby anymore, she's all toddler! She is living up to her sassy name, and attempting to say more and more everyday. She will just start blabbing off, no sentences yet, but Im expecting it anyday now.

I just finished a semester of school and start another next week. ugh!!

Other than that things are quiet. We have lots of little trips planned for this spring and summer, and supposedly have lots of people wanting to visit!!

hope everyone is well!love and miss

Commorant fishing boat with the cherry blossoms and festival in the background

The three of us at the Cherry Blossom festival at the Kintaikyo bridge

In the rain waiting for Da-Da to get home from Iraq. Of course the day he arrived it was pouring down rain and cold!!

smiles!

This is what it looks like outside our front door due to the painting

And this is the sign-it's all Japanese me doing the work

You can see her back teeth coming in-you have to look hard though

can you tell she's feeling better?!

Just got out of the bath tub-one of her favorite things to do!

I guess she was soo full she needed to lay down for a second

R.I.P. Karen

Karen, My Dad and Lola-summer 07-one of my favorite pictures!

She was "taking care of business" in this picture. She had the 3 wheeler backed up in a corner!

Yummy apple

I'm sure most of you know, but if you don't-our family and the world lost an amazing woman last week to a terrible freak accident. It has been a hard time for everyone. She was an amazing inspirational woman and will be greatly missed. The top picture is of her, my Father and Lola last summer. We have all learned so much from this and she will be forever rememebered in our hearts.
Other than that I don't have much to update, I am just sooo busy. I started back to school full-time and am busy keeping up with Lola and all of our activities here on base. I will try to get some more pictures up this week. Love and miss you all

Getting better

Well if you didn't know Lola and I have been sick this past weekend, and it was very long weekend to say the least. Good news though-we are both doing much better. I think I had the 24 hour bug and Lola's ended up being a bit longer. I have felt so bad for her the whole time, as there was nothing I could do to make it better. Like I said we are both much better though and I will udpate more later this week.

Lolas well baby checkup

Lola all bundled up!

Feeding herself applesauce-of course she has to have something in both hands!!

This is the rice cake she was carrying around on her back on the previous update

I just wanted to write a quick update about Lola's checkup. She had 3 shots, which she actually did very well with. She of course cried when they gave it to her but was fine the second I picked her up. She was in the 80th percentile for her weight; which was 24.8 pounds, 100th percentile for her head!!haha And she was in the I believe 90th percentile for her height.
She hasn't lost weight, but she hasn't gained any either. He said that she is probably just beginning to get lean as she gets taller(which we already knew) And that she is definitely getting all the nutrients she needs. We talked about fluoride, and we decided to give her a fluoride drop everyday because there seems to be some discrepancy whether or not they put it in the water on base.I also asked him why he thought she wouldn't eat meat, and he said he didn't know but to keep giving it to her and trying it in different ways-trying it in different sauces, ground up etc. So long story short everything is fine and Lola is doing well!

Finally able to upload pictures!!!

Serious face

Walking around with the rice cake on her back that Noriko and her Mom made for her-the Japanese do this on their first Birthday to see if the baby will be strong. Needless to say Lola passed!

Birthday cake Megumi & Noriko brough for Lola and I-says Lola and Ashley Happy Birthday!

Lola loves couscous and green beans-little messy though!

Eating the ice cream cone Uncle Wade made me!
Noriko and Megumi brought Lola and I presents for our Birhtdays when we got back to Japan and a wonderful cake!! They gave Lola a Japanese toy cell phone and a little dog that barks and jumps up and down-she loves loves loves both!!!
As you can tell she growing like crazy, and still has her funny crazy personality!

sorry no pictures!

I am so sorry I have been trying for the last day or two to update pictures onto this page with no success. Our internet connection is really bad, so please keep trying back!
I sent out an email update recently so there isn't much else to update. Hope everyone is well! love and miss you all

Late Merry Christmas

David me and mike

Love Love Love this outfit!!

we had them put this on the board for you Chris!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!! We certainly did!! Chris' aunt, uncle and kids down come from Michigan and we had a great crazy time to say the least!!! It wasn't the same without Chris here, but that just makes next year that much better!!
This weekend we will be in Annapolis for the Schwind wedding-can't wait!! Will update again after! Love you all!

A few randoms

she loves pizza-but only the cheese and sauce off the top!

already loves her purses!

sleepy munchkin

Lola with cousin Brandon over Thanksgiving

Lola visiting Santa

Lola turns one!

Grandma and Grandpa Wade with Lola at her Birthday party

Opening all of Lolas presents!!

Digging into the Ladybug Cake

singing Happy Birthday to Lola with the Grandmas and Great Grandmas

Pictures with Santa

First of all I want to thank all of you that came to Lola's party-it meant so much to be surrounded with so much love!! We had a wonderful time at her party and I can't believe all the wonderful presents she received!!! We are truly blessed with friends and family!
I can't believe its been a whole year since she was born! It has flown by and been filled with milestones, excitement and unexplainable moments! I look forward to the Holidays and all the wonderful moments ahead! Thank you all so much-we love you all so much!
Thanks for the emails from Japan! Miss you guys