Happy 4th Birthday, Saya Elizabeth!

Little Saya turned four on Thursday last week and she was as cute as she can be.  Her siblings could not contain their excitement, either, and they all woke up at 5:21 am.  I heard thumps and giggles, then someone dashing to the bathroom.  "Oh, great," I thought and sooner thereafter Aly barged into my bedroom saying "It's Saya's birthday!" with a big smile.

So, I was woken up way too early but I could not get mad at them.  The gorgeous weather we were having sure helped, but we had very excited birthday girl who kept exclaiming "it's my birthday today!" with a big smile on her face.  We had extra time in the morning before school, so we relaxed and spent some time together before getting ready for school.

I was an extra busy woman after dropping everyone off at school.  I went to Seattle's Uwajimaya (a big Japanese grocery store) and Daiso (Japanese 1 dollar shop) across the street to buy items for Sean's Royal Week and Saya's  Birthday party the following Saturday.   I love to drive to the city on a clear sunny day because I can see Mt. Rainer and Mt. Baker while driving on I-90 bridge.  When it's super clear, I can even see Mt. St. Helen behind Mt. Rainer.  I've decided that it's a triple good luck if I see all of three.  I saw just two mountains that day, but it sure makes me feel like a luckiest person on earth for that brief moment. 

I am a fast shopper now thanks to the fierce training my children give me and I had a fruitful shopping trip in the city.  It's so liberating to shop by myself and I tend to buy extra since it puts me in a good mood.  I made it just in time to pick up Noah in Redmond at 12:00.  I was told from his teachers that Noah was hyper today.  I said it's because he woke up too early and he is probably a walking zombie.

I had another one hour to myself after dropping Noah off at his public preschool.  I've realized I hadn't had a cup of coffee yet, so headed out to Crossroads Mall to get my liquid battery.  I was pretty tired of running around, so decided to sit in the car and sip my coffee while I caught up on my email.  I've decided to not do the formal birthday cake on the actual birthday and have the girls pick their favorite cupcakes at New York Cupcake.  I thought they would enjoy going into the store since it is all pink and girly. 

Going to the cupcake shop was a hit.  They were so impressed with the store, they could not settle their eyes to pick a cupcake to take home.  The woman who owns the store seemed a little impatient since the girls were taking time to decide.  There were no other customers, so I am not sure why she was.  But she did allow me to take the girls' pictures in the store so I am grateful!  The pictures turned out so cute, I want to frame them.  Saya settled on cherry cream frosting with chocolate cupcake and Aly chose cherry cream with vanilla.  I was good and did not buy any for myself.

We stopped at Nana's since Nana wanted to give a present to the birthday princess.  Saya got what she wanted from her - a giant Minnie Mouse stuffed toy.  She's been asking for it ever since we went to Disneyland in Tokyo.  The doll is huge and she carries it around in the house and sleeps with her.  Thank you Nana!

We waited to have the cake until Sean finished his math homework.  He did his homework super fast knowing he's getting a cake as soon as he is finished.  He has been doing better with homework since we introduced the routine schedule chart.  We make a list of tasks he needs to finish and we check it off when he completes the task.  He loves getting his checks and doesn't fight us as much.  We are so glad we discovered this method!

Saya sat at the oversized dining room table staring excitedly at the cupcake with a candle shaped like number 4.  We sang her the happy birthday song and she was showing her widest smile yet.  My baby is four already.  It is bitter sweet.  Looking at Sean now lean and long, I know how quickly they lose the baby soft skin and chubby arms.  Saya still has those toddler charms and I just wish somehow I could preserve it.  I find myself feeling her soft skin trying to imprint it in my memory forever.  I don't remember much about Sean and Alyson's baby softness (I remember Noah's), so I am not sure if my memory would last so long.  I just have to take lots of photos which captures Saya's cuteness and that might be more promising!  Happy 4th Birthday, my little princess!   Love Mommy

At the Cake Shoppe

I am yet again too excited not to post this picture of the girls at a cupcake shop today.  The cake shop was all pink and fancifully decorated, a type of place where the girls fantasize about.  Needless to say, they pulled out their dreamy voices and were so happy to be there picking their favorite pretty cupcakes.  I will write more about the day tomorrow, but I just love this picture!  They are so cute!

Girls' Spring Portraits

I was too excited to not share these pictures with you tonight even though it's late here!  I took some pictures of the girls with their new dresses (purchased today at a bargain prices) after dropping Noah off for therapy.  They did well and I am proud of my pictures!  I am yet to learn so much about photography, but so far I am having a blast.  Someone in these photos are going to be four tomorrow!  She is funny and has fine curly hair!  Miss.  Saya!  I will post about her birthday as soon as the time allows me to!  Cheers!

Experience Music Project

Last weekend, we took three kids to Experience Music Project in Seattle Center while Malawaina watched Noah at home.  It's a museum of rock in a nutshell, but it's unique because the interior is hip and it pays tribute to local artists like Nirvana.  A huge screen by the entrance played fun music videos which people sat and watched.  They were showing Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and the girls have been dreaming zombies ever since!  They were scared but entertained at the same time.   I used to love that video when I was a teenager.  There weren't too many girls in my class in my Japanese all girls junior high that liked foreign music, so handful of us used to gather around and talked about Michael Jackson, Boy George and Duran Duran during recess.  I dreamed of the world beyond Japan and I could not have imagined where I am today, married to an American husband and raising four children in the U.S. 

The museum is tastefully decorated and had an ample area where the visitors can experience playing instruments.  Kids enjoyed playing drums and were busy looking at different displays.  There were a lot of people since it was spring break but there were less younger children like them since the museum is geared toward older children but mainly generation-x.  Wow, I haven't heard the term for a while, generation-x!  What is the current generation called?  I have to bing it later to find out (we never use the term "google" in our house due to being a Microsoft family)!

We took some pictures of the Space Needle and that reminds me, first of all, why we decided to venture out to the city.  Sean is going to have his royal week in early May in his class and he is supposed to present his interests to his friends.  He had no hesitation in picking the subject of architecture and Space Needle is the crown jewel of Puget Sound!  There are a lot of towers in the world, but Space Needle is beautiful.  It was built in 1962 for the World Fair and I can just imagine what a marvel it must have been for the visitors then with its sleek body and futuristic observation deck which looks like a space ship.  It is no longer the tallest structure in Seattle, but it is a true symbol of the city and will continue to be loved by generations of residents and visitors for many years to come. 

We had a very fun outing again and Noah got to spend great time with Malawaina.  Life is good~

Spring Break 2013

Daddy's Kiss ~ Aly was upset about something and was comforting her. 

Saya took nearly 3 hours to finish her candy.  I don't give kids candies, but she got one at a birthday party.  Sean was amazed how long she kept working at it. 

I am reminded how busy I am having no school for the girls and the big boy.  Noah has morning therapy everyday and that is a saving grace for having one less kid at least part of the day and it forces us to get out of the house.  I appreciate school even more now that I am left with bored children!  I don't know what to do when summer comes.  It's the dilemma I face every year, loving the sunshine and not being able to enjoy it at full extent.  So is life and I am in need of a positive cup of tea. 

In the craziness, I managed to make some appointments for some cleaning jobs around the house.  A roof cleaner is pressure washing the roof as I comfortably sit indoors, in rain and wind.  He will wash my deck and drive way next after battling the fuzzy carpet of moss on the roof.  A window cleaner will come tomorrow to make my windows look nice.  I wish I could hire away and get all the projects DONE.  It's been seven years since I've been putting many projects off because I have babies!

My photography project is stalling, for I haven't taken any good pictures lately.  I have been playing around with some photo editing programs and learning some new tricks.  Back in 35mm film days when I developed my own pictures, each process took a while and the persistence and precision made a presentable picture.   To have a special end product, you had to have an eye for art and luck in  addition.  However, the instant digital photography and advanced editing programs made things easy for any photographers to create decent pictures.  Art show worthy photography is a bar higher now and there is no excuse to present sub par work.  I will need to learn more about the editing programs and although it is challenging, I am excited to be able to apply all sorts of cool effects and make my pictures look artful!

We wished we saw more sun during the break, but this is Seattle.  We get antsy in spring coming out from drizzly winter months every year.  The gray sky, depression and coffee drinking are a way of life around here, but so are beautiful rain forests, fresh seafood, less traffic and great coffee.  There are always pros and cons in any cities and for us the pros weigh heavier than cons living in this ever so green city.  As much as I day dream about wearing sunglasses in winter, I like living here.  I look forward to exploring the state with the kids when they are a little bigger. 

Spring Break, you had totally different meaning when I was a student.  The children liked you but I am glad you are gone now!

Happy Easter and Birthday

We celebrated the Easter holiday last Sunday with backyard egg hunting and family dinner.  We were blessed with gorgeous weather and the girls wore fancy dresses for the occasion.  They wanted to look like little princesses but they opted to wear long socks and sneakers, so there goes the crown.  We stuffed some candies, stickers and little toys into the colorful plastic eggs the night before, and Mike hid them in the yard in the morning while I distract the children upstairs.  When it was time to set the children loose, we told them the rules.  Apart from the usual no pushing or shoving, they can only find up to five eggs each.  I got the idea from an Easter Party we went the day before at Sean's friends' house.  It seemed unfair every year that Sean always have gotten the most number of eggs and the youngest was lucky if she found one. 

Nana came over to watch the children egg hunting.  Mike did a good job of hiding.  We built the fence last year and have not landscaped it yet.  I honestly thought he could not effectively hide them anywhere, but it took some time for the children to find all the eggs.  They were very cute helping each other find the eggs.  Sean found all five of them plus a boy toy very quickly, of course, and helped his brother and sisters find theirs.  He was being very sweet.  I became a news photographer trying to capture the moment as the children were running around. 

A pleasant big surprise came after the egg hunt when Aaron called to say he and Tina are coming up to spend Easter with us.  They are moving to Salt Lake City in early April and we thought we won't be able to see them before they left, so we were very glad they came.  I was preparing plenty of food for the dinner, so I didn't not have to change menu or buy anything additional.  The menu of the day was:  Rainbow Trout with soy bourbon sauce on a cedar plank,  gourmet pork sausages, deviled eggs, scalloped potatoes, garden salad, baked asparagus with balsamic vinegar and sea salt, shrimp cocktails, fruit salad, and butter rolls.  The guests gave me two thumbs up, so I was happy.  I like to make people smile with food I make.

We also celebrated my birthday, which was the next day, with a fruit cream cake Mike bought from one of my favorite bakery.  The family sang me the happy birthday song and I blew on the candles wishing my family's good health and Noah's good progress.  I had to pause for a moment to collect my thoughts and wish them properly.  I am that kind of girl! 

We had a very nice visit with Aaron, Tina and Nana.  The Easter this year was extra special to spend with the people we deeply love and care about.  I hope you had a nice Easter as well.  I am not religious, but it's a nice holiday to celebrate spring and the cuteness of children!

Special Blossoms

Our cherry trees in the front were at full bloom last weekend.  We had a warm gorgeous weather in 60s and the plant life and people were celebrating spring together.  Our walk from school becomes flower spotting sessions and Sean particularly enjoyed finding daffodils and weeds.  He calls himself a weed hunter and he excitedly points at every weed he sees.  Of course the other children join in the fun and we are a loud crowd all the way home.  The pink petals of the cherry blossoms swirled in the air and on the ground as the cool spring breeze swept them away from the mother branches.  I already miss seeing them light up gloriously in the sunshine.  Now that they are shed, we march on straight to real spring, my favorite season of all!

Mr. Little OCD

It's interesting to me as a very random and spontaneous person to watch Noah go through the range of fixed processes he repeats everyday exactly the same way.  For example, he has this circuit he runs in the house with same objects in hand.  If I am in his way, he winces and resumes his run when I clear his way.  It's not just running though.  He normally carries his favorite dog puppet toy on his left and a pink bunny on the right.  As he passes by the sink, he stops, looks at the dog puppet as if he is nodding with the puppet, he then runs behind the dining room table, pauses about three seconds at the corner, and proceeds to the entrance area.  He looks pretty content and I just wonder what in the world he is thinking about.  His imagination must be big, beyond what I am seeing for sure.  He also has this thing he does before he climbs on something.  He always has to hop three times on his right foot before he sits on the couch or climbs on a step.  Even tonight, Noah kept making noise past bedtime and he sounded like he wanted something.  He could not tell me what he wanted, so I let him come out and grab something important he must have to sleep.  He ran downstairs to the playroom and grabbed a head of a broken doll and a batman.  He then ran upstairs to his room and carefully laid the dog puppet, doll's head, batman, and bunny.  He adjusted the alignment of each objects until he was 100 % satisfied and he swiftly got on bed after he was finished.

The OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is very common amongst children with Autism and Sean has it, too, in a lesser degree.  While it is concerning, you gotta laugh a bit!  I admit, I've never liked stepping on the dividing lines between two tiles or and I still avoid them while walking around even in my own house!  Little boys with little obsessions.  Life is a comedy and lately there are many of it in our house!