Much complaining...

Have I mentioned lately that we have been paying $4.06 for gas for the past...uh...FOREVER?  Yeah, just had to throw a tizz over that little GEM.   The reason they have been giving us is that they purchased gas in bulk - way back when it was up the WAZZUU pricey, and now they are stuck with selling it for that price until it runs out.  Here's my complaint.... IT WAS A DUMB INVESTMENT - just because you have a monopoly on our gas prices, doesn't mean that WE have to bail out YOUR screw-up.   - oh wait...that's EXACTLY what that means... I'm totally annoyed.

My guess is that NO ONE has money to pay for Christmas shopping at the ever wonderful selection of stores we have this weekend (more of a monopoly), so that is why they are dropping the price on Black Friday..... I'm going on strike - who's with me??!!

Letter to Miss E - Month 7 & 8

Month 7  (FINALLY!)

I thought it would take me at least until Month 20 or so to miss a month (or 2).  But, WOW...we've been busy!   And when I say "we" - I mean YOU!!  We had your 6 month photos taken at Murasaka Mura, your first airplane trip, first trip to the United States, the first stamp in  your passport, meeting Pappa Malan, meeting your Great Grandma Smith, meeting lots of cousins and more Aunts and Uncles, your first ride in a car that drives on the correct side of the road, and last but certainly NOT least...drumroll please....

Your first trip to the wonders and beauty that is...the MALL!  And of course not just ONE, but many across our mall-filled, proper size selling - US of A.  Yes, yes...I was as happy, and as proud to share this experience with you as I could be!  It's an experience I'm sure we will share many more times.  You are a great shopper, and I can tell you definitely got my shopping gene.  You LOVED riding in your new stroller - you can see everything that's going on, and smile at everyone walking by - you make friends everywhere we go.  People always stop us and comment on how beautiful you are, which I already knew - but I am amazed at how you dazzle everyone that passes by.  I thought you were only famous in Japan, but obviously you are WORLD-WIDE known!!

At 7 months old you are sitting up all by yourself, turning over both ways, and starting to show more interest in crawling.  Before now, you would flip over from your stomach to your back immediately, but in the mid-7 month period, you realized that you were on to something.  Walking/running while holding on to peoples fingers is still your preferred mode of mobility, but you are starting to get a little more comfortable with the idea of crawling.   You've been eating sweet potatoes, applesauce, sweet peas, and bananas so far - you aren't sold on the bananas yet though...You LOVE chewing on anything cold.

Also, while visiting with your ever attentive GIRLY cousins in Utah - we discovered 2 middle-front teeth peeking their way through your bottom gums, the first to make their appearance.  While we were there visiting, you attended your first Halloween party.  Your daddy was "supposedly" working in Vegas at the time, but he flew in and surprised us - especially me, and my totally non-attractive costume choice for the last weekend that we were in the states.  He is such a great daddy to you Em, and I hope you know how lucky you and I are to have him in our lives!  

You and I flew home to Japan together, and you were the perfect traveling companion (you didn't even snore like Daddy!).  You slept most of the flight, only to wake up and jog the aisles with me in tow.  Everyone was so impressed at how good natured you were, and they were impressed with my mothering skills as well - even though I had nothing to do with your ever happy presence on that long plane ride!  You had your favorite friends on the plane, and would want to walk by them and give them a smile every now and then, and in return they would wave and return the smile.  This would make you extremely giddy - and you'd be off and running (again, with me in tow) to your next friend.

Your first Halloween was spent in bed - as you were catching up on some much needed shut-eye.  You slept from 5pm until 7am the next day, completely missing out on all the trick-or-treaters, and your 4 costume changes that I had purchased for you throughout the past year.  I am still planning on putting them on you - just to take pictures - so stay tuned for that!!  I was glad that you were so happy to be back in your bed though - it made me know that you missed home, just like I did.   I could tell that you were missing all the attention that everyone had been giving you, especially daddy's - so I tried to keep you entertained as much as I could on my own.

Month 8

You are getting SO active!  I am seriously wondering how I will ever keep up with you when you are totally mobile.  Just to change your diaper, I have to make sure you have something to keep you interested in staying in one spot.  I'm trying to train Sushi to sit by me while I'm attempting to change you - you LOVE him and want so badly to pull his tail.  Even when you're being held, you turn around so much - trying to see everything that is going on.  NOTHING gets by you little one!  I've started calling you "Taz" as in "tasmanian devil" from your whirling about, and think that it fits you perfectly!  Mid-8 months, 2 more teeth arrived on middle-top.  You are now eating squash with corn, applesauce with strawberries, and green beans.  You love your veggies, but anything with applesauce is always preferred.  

You have developed this little scooting action that moves you across the floor.  I am so impressed with your ingenuity!  In the sitting position, you will put your hands forward, and bring one knee up so that your foot is flat on the ground, then you will pull yourself forward with your hands and foot, and push your other foot from behind you.  It's so fun to watch...but SCARY knowing how determined you are to be independent.  It's so exciting to see your personality coming out.  You love books, our neighbors dogs, watching kids play and you love being outside.  It's already breaking my heart how fast you are growing up.  I want you to stay little forever, but I'm also excited for all your milestones ahead!