Happy Easter

We started our day finding eggs in the stairway and hallway filled with numerous character vehicles from the movie, "Cars" as well as many matchbox vehicles. The eggs provided a path to the easter basket.

This year's Easter basket was a large sand bucket and shovel filled to the rim with all kinds of goodies such as fingerpaints, paintbrushes, Winnie the Pooh movie, Emily the train, a Dora book, playdoh, and much much more.....

Caleb's favorite item from the basket was a bag of Cheetos. He could eat them everyday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and never get tired of eating them.

I know that Cheetos aren't good for him, but they make him so happy!!!

36 weeks or so..

I went to the doctor on Wednesday and for the 3rd month in a row, I'm measuring a week ahead...so 37 weeks. Baby Riley is doing great. I, on the other hand, have reached the weight I was when I gave birth to Caleb and 5 pounds more, for a total of 36 pounds. I still have (possibly) another 4 weeks. I'm eating only carrots and tuna fish from here on out. I swear they made a mistake when they translated the kilograms into pounds. Either way, I'm feeling like a whale. Shawn's great advice is "we" are in the home stretch now (he's so helpful). I've been having some cramping at night and my braxton hicks are getting more intense. Hopefully, they will come together and give me some good contractions. Riley just can't come next week cause Shawn will be gone, but the day he gets home, Riley has clearence for travel.

Easter Activities

Sunday, Caleb and I went to an Easter Party given by the Blue Ridge. Daddy had duty and therefore missed all the fun. Caleb decorated eggs for the first time and he fully enjoyed himself.

This is one of Caleb's favorite people...Christine. She is Jen's daughter and Caleb just loves her. She is the most patient, wonderfully spirited, fun and smart, young woman. Her love for Caleb is obvious on her face every time she is around him. As soon as she walked into the door of the party she was by Caleb's side helping him decorate eggs, find eggs in the hunt, making crafts, and pushing him on the swing. She's AWESOME!!

This is Caleb and Jen's other child, John. These two act like siblings. They play, they fight, they antagonize each other and I see my future when I watch them. John is five, the same age Caleb will be when Riley is 2....Caleb really enjoyed the Easter Bunny this year. He went right up to the bunny and gave him a hug and talked to him and got in line to get his picture taken with him.

The egg hunt turned out great. The party had a section separated for kids 3 and under and gave them unlimited access to however many eggs they could fit in their baskets. Of course, we came home with more than those that would fit in his basket. Caleb loved finding chocolate in every egg and the occasional sticker.

Parked Vehicles

Yesterday was the first time we went out in town as a family. I made Shawn drive because I still don't feel comfortable with the craziness that Japanese people call driving. There is this phenomenon here called stopping, but no parking. Yes, as long as you keep your car running you can pull over and stop your vehicle, get out, and go into a store or whatever. These are some great pictures that depict this strange road rule. This is a very busy 4 lane road that stretches along our area of Japan...Rt. 16. It's probably comparable to the road that travels downtown DC. And as you can see these vehicles on the left hand side are stopped. You'll be driving down the road and there will just be a car or a large truck stopped. The rule is that you just jump in front of the person in the next lane...and I do mean jump. Literally, you close your eyes, pray, hit the gas, and jump into traffic.

I never laughed so hard watching Shawn drive thru this madness. He usually is up to any adventure, but this is one that I don't think he will forget anytime soon. It was a real nail bitter, and only reinforced my belief that I am not ready to deal with the craziness of driving outside the base gates, especailly with Caleb calling my name and calling out every car, truck, boat, bicycle, and motorcyle that he sees.

My Cleaning Caleb

I just have to brag on my kid for a moment. Tonight, I asked Caleb to pick up his toys and put them in his basket. He picked up all his cars and put them away and then picked up his shoes and took them upstairs and put them in the closet and shut the door. I am so proud. I think my example is rubbing off on him, now if only I could get my example to rub off on Shawn.....

Speaking of Shawn, he'll be home soon and I am excited to have a day of pampering. I am planning to get my hair cut and colored and my brows waxed. I really need it. I have been feeling like a worn out old hag lately. Nothing about me feels feminine. I have been wearing tennis shoes everyday, sweat pants that don't squeeze the belly, and Shawn's t-shirts. And if I comb my hair it must be a day that I'm going in to see my doctor, only because I don't want her to think I'm depressed...which I can say at this point, I am not. I'm anxious, but not depressed.

An artist in progress

I have wanted to get Caleb an easel since before we moved here. I was so surprised to see that the Exchange had gotten them in. I bought one immediately. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but if you see something at the Exchange you don't have time to think about buying it because it will be GONE!! I have experienced this too many times. And the Exchange doesn't get stock in very often, if ever of the same things.

Caleb really enjoys the chalk side of the easel. He's very creative and talks alot when he's drawing. And of course the tongue has to be out to help with concentration.....just like his daddy.

Wal-Mart vs. Ave

This weekend my girlfriend and I (along with our kids) went to Ave. It's a store that resembles Wal-Mart. It resembles Wal-Mart in that it is divided into a home shopping area and a grocery area. It has a garden center (which is awesome) and a pet store. There are at least 3 isles for just dog supplies. There are more clothes sold there for dogs then there are for people. Actually, there was only a selected amount of clothes (maybe two or three racks) for people. It sells rugs and dinnerware and storage bins and pots and pans.

When I go to stores outside the gates of the base I can see the huge cultural differences. For instance, can you imagine Wal-Mart being quiet??? Ave was so quiet, of course until Caleb showed up and then you could hear him from across the store. No one yells out for their shopping partner or calls out to a store employee. It's quiet. The Japanese say that their biggest annoyance with Americans is that we are LOUD (some of us more than others). Another huge difference was the size of the shopping cart. Now when you go to Wal-Mart you can fit your kid, your lunch, your diaper bag, your purse, and your umbrella stroller into your cart and still fit everything that you need to buy. At Ave, the cart is a carrying basket on wheels. No kidding. The seat for holding a child is definitely for a small built Japanese child because Caleb wouldn't fit a thigh in this seat. Japanese people must go the store every other day or we Americans are just more glutenous than we thought.