Starting Yoga

I stopped by at the demonstration garden today in Lake Hills to see if there is something worthwhile photographing.  I like having my camera with me at all time since I can make sure I don't miss the opportune moment.  Today was a gorgeously sunny day unlike the usual gray and drizzly Seattle weather.  I saw many people out walking and riding bikes, enjoying the sun.  There weren't too many lively plants at the garden, but I found some pretty things out there.  Some of the garden patches were covered by woven coffee bean bags from overseas.  I thought that was very interesting.  It's trendy now to make bags out of those things and I was looking at them and transforming them into cute tote bags in my head. 

Thursday is a busy day for me since I usually have some kind of engagements like volunteering for 1st graders and meet up with friends in the morning.  I also go to my friend's Yoga studio for a lesson.  I've decided to do Yoga because I am over 40 and I need to make sure I become more flexible to avoid having any posture problems in the future.  My body had taken a dramatic change after giving birth to four precious children.  I no longer stand the same way as I used to, my hip is certainly wider, and my stomach muscles have stretched so much, it has a big gap in the middle.  If someone wants to stab me, a good place would be right in the middle.  I often look at women with perfect body on the web and magazines and sometimes they motivate me and sometimes send me to thinking they are of different species.  It may take a while, but I want to get my body back or even become healthier than when I was younger.  I am counting on Yoga and chiropractic.  I've decided to stick with Yoga and be the granny who can do neat yoga poses in old age!

Photography Assignments

I am having lots of fun with the weekly homework for my photography class.  This week's assignment is capturing patterns.  You can do a lot with the theme whether presenting the uniform patterns of things or people, or things that are aligned randomly.  I can be a geek when it comes to preparing my photography.  I researched what other talented photographers captured in this topic and that gave me some ideas about what to take.  I started to carry my camera at all time and I see things now like an artist scanning through life for potential materials.  It's fun to be creative.  I have a lot to learn and I am hungry for more experience and knowledge.  Here are some of the pictures I took today.  I was at Issaquah waiting for Noah's therapy to end, so I stopped by at Lake Sammamish State Park.  I saw lots of birds and otherwise tranquil lake.  It was a sunny day and the park was beautiful.  It's one of those moments I felt very lucky to be out there soaking up the beautiful scenery.

Two Three Days Weekend

 

 

 

The kids got lucky for the past two weeks since they didn't have school on two Mondays.  The one last week was Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and today was a teacher training day.  I like that I don't have to wake up early to make their lunches, but then I have them all day asking me what they should do.  When I say "ok, why don't you read?" then they say "no, no, not that kind of thing.  Like what I usually like to do".  The next time they ask me the same question, all I do is just stare at them.  They seem to get "why ask?" message telepathically. 

Sean these days are more a Daddy's boy than Mommy's.  I should be happy he still calls me Mommy, but the bond they have are pretty tight and I am losing my share in Sean's favorite things pie chart steadily.  The football is a big culprit but there are also unspoken guy things that women don't get - like not washing hands before eating out at a restaurant.  I try my best to play catch with him but I also have to keep track of Noah and make meals.  Daddy is more available (on weekends) to play with him.  I also don't get too excited about Fantasy Football or know who the quarterback is for Minnesota Vikings.  My eyes don't shine twinkle like Mike does when I talk about sports.  So, of course Daddy has a higher score than me in terms of fun category. 

I asked him who he likes go hang out with, Daddy or Mommy, the other day.  I know it's a loaded question and not a very mature thing to ask, but we all ask the kids at one point in our lives, don't we?  Maybe not.  He cautiously responded "I like to hang out with you and daddy the same".  A smart answer, I thought.  I can see his thoughtfulness in sweet little answer like this.  He also said "Can you stop asking me that?" when I asked him if he thought Seagals (Seahawks cheerleaders) are prettier than Mommy.  Mike jumped in from the background exclaiming "Of course, it's Mommy!" a self-defense automatic response he developed over a decade of failed honesty.

Saya is getting good at gymnastics.  She has been taking a class once a week since four years old.  It was just for fun in the beginning, but she is into it now.  She is almost there with cartwheels and handstand.  Her bridge looks nice and she can climb a long rope higher than ever before.  She practices her cartwheels everyday.  She sticks her hands up with her fingers spread apart like a little frog's before she tries and it's the cutest thing.  Unlike me, she is a very muscular and flexible, so gymnastics suits her.

Alyson continues to be a great reader.  She is the only kid that won't complain when I ask her to read.  She knows she is good at it and enjoys it.  She is also taking gymnastics, but she is just there to have fun.  I don't see much of interest in gymnastics from her.  I am looking for some activity for her now and Mike might have discovered her talent the other day.  While Sean was playing in his basketball game, Alyson and Saya tried indoor rock-climbing in the gym.  Alyson climbed all way to the top quite easily in the first try.  She has long arms and legs so she has a great reach span and she is also very strong.  The strong part must come from Daddy's side because my muscles are very wimpy.   Since we already have Sean's old rock-climbing shoes, she is good to go with this hobby.  Mike joined a class to become a rope holding person for the climbers on Saturdays, so he will be taking her to rock-climbing sessions regularly now. 

As for me, I started taking a photography class every week for five weeks.  I am so excited about this since my last photography training was nearly 20 years ago.  It's offered at a local community college and is for people of all skill level, so we will see if it's as effective as I want.  I attended the first session last week and the instructor seems nice and so are my classmates.  They ran out of time before they critique my work.  I have no idea if my photos are something acceptable in a professional world.  I have never been critiqued by a pro.  My friends and family like my work, but who knows what the experienced pros would say.  It's exciting and nerve-racking but I am hoping to learn tons from this class and hopefully take more classes to up my skills!

I am all over in my post today, but I also wanted to mention about two sleepovers my kids had during the two long weekends.  The first sleepover happened on the first weekend with Parker.  Parker came over to "sleep" with Sean on Sunday and they had such a great time.  The only thing they didn't do much of was sleep.  I really don't know what they were talking about but they chatted pretty much until midnight.  Funny boys.  They go to different schools so when they see each other, they make sure they catch up.  They really like each other and at one point Sean was saying he wants to marry Parker.  He also said that he has a crush on Parker thinking "crush" means he likes someone very much.  I like the innocence of the boys their age. The next day was tough, but it was all worth it I am sure.

The girls had their sleepover at Nana's house last night and they also didn't sleep very much!  Jan told me when I dropped my girls off that she has cheese, crackers and shrimps and it sounded like a girls night in.  They are all so cute.  In the end, they watched four movies and went to bed at midnight.  Sounds like a sleepover to me. :-). They were tired today and a little crankier than usual, but they had a fabulous time at Nana's house.  Thank you for hosting, Jan!  They said they have something they are not supposed to tell me but rest assured they were tight lipped and haven't leaked anything.  What happens at Nana's stays at Nana's. 

Well, I think that is about it!  Have a great week everyone!
p.s. The non-gymnastics photos are my class assignments this week.  The theme was "Light".  What do you think?

All American Pasttime

Well, we did it again!  Seattle Seahawks beat Greenbay Packers 28-22 and won the ticket to Super Bowl two years in a row.  We were losing terribly until the third quarter and Mike even turned the TV off because he thought there is no way we could turn it around.  Upset, he went upstairs to lay down on the bed.  Sean was in tears, screaming that we are losing.  We were in a dump and gloomy mood just like the weather outside.  I was getting sleepy and actually fell asleep on the couch until Mike came down and turned the TV on again saying his friend texted him to check the game out.  Before the TV went off, the score was 7-19 and there were only five minutes left on the clock. 

Well, something amazing happened in the last three minutes of the game.  In the last three minutes of the game, Seahawks gets two touchdowns and a two-point conversion.  They scored 16 points in three minutes and led the game 22-19.  Packers weren't going to go out easily though.  At one minute left, the quarter back efficiently moved the ball down the field, close enough for their kicker to score a field goal.  They were tied 22-22 and went to the Overtime.  At this point, Mike, Sean and I were just stunned.  We could not believe the big come back the Seahawks made.  We were for sure, 99% sure, that we were going to lose.  In the miraculous moment, Russell Wilson made two long passes and BOOM, Jermaine Kearse makes the winning touchdown.  WOW!!  That was a blow out game.  Sad, nervous, shocked, happy, teary, we got some emotional workout today.  Thank you Seahawks for playing so hard and showing us that a hard work and resilience will help make our dreams come true.  It's just a football but it sure means a lot for people in Seattle.  Wooohooo!!  Super Bowl here we come!

p.s. The pictures above were taken on last Friday after school.  I didn't take any pictures of us watching football today.

Man Cave

I don't know what the fuss about so called "Man Caves".  I don't know what the female version of it,  maybe a craft room?  OK, it would be totally cool to have a craft room.  A space where I can do my own craft things without being disturbed, now that's sweet.  Well, Mike got his manly wish come true since he built a Man Cave in the garage.  He hang a small TV on the wall and has all his workout equipments in there.  It's cold in the winter and hot in the summer, but he is supposed to stick it up like a man because it's a Man Cave.  It's not manly if it's too comfy, I imagine.  He and Sean were so excited, they had dinner out in the garage on Sunday.  I am pretty sure their warm meal turned cold in a few minutes, but they enjoyed their meals sitting on the folding chairs.  Sean wanted to eat dinner in the garage again the next day, too.  I am glad they found a space to bond and talk freely about sports.  Sean thinks he is a little man and I am sure he is very happy to be the active occupant of their own Man Cave!

Botanical Garden in Rain

What to do on a rainy weekend with four kids?  A park would be too wet to play, shopping malls are too crowded, indoor play area - forget about it!  It's a mad house with wild children.  I wanted to take them to a nice trail in the woods, but it was already in the late afternoon.  After some pondering we decided to take them to the Botanical Garden in Bellevue.  They have done some renovations recently and it has nice clean bathrooms and cute gift shop.  There weren't too many people out there so it was in a way very nice.  We put Noah on a leash and he was skipping and hopping singing some songs.  He seemed very happy to be out.  There is an Asian looking hut in the garden and we call it grandma's house because it's fun to call it that way.  We brought my Mom here a few times and we sat in the hut together and took pictures. 

As we strolled through deeper, we found a Japanese gate leading to "Yao Garden", a Japanese garden dedicated to the sister city Yao in Osaka.  "I am so excited about this," Sean said and he ran toward the garden.  Maybe he remembers visiting temples, shrines and gardens in Japan three years ago.  After visiting the garden for many times, it was a big surprise for me to find a Japanese garden there.  I had no idea such thing existed and I was just as excited as Sean to take a look.  The gate looked authentic to me and it reminded me a lot about beautiful gardens in Japan.  A gravel pathway led us to the walking path around the pond (it was more like a swamp) which you could cross on the big stepping stones.  It was not picture perfect because it was not maintained very well, but I was still happy to have a Japanese garden nearby.   Kids happily ran around and played even though it was raining. 

Noah was good until we got out of Yao Garden.  He wanted to go touch something in the fenced in area and he got very upset since I won't let him.  He threw a kicking and screaming tantrum and I had to carry him back to the car.  People might have thought I was kidnapping him!  It is getting harder and harder to take him out.  I have a feeling that he is almost at the tipping point where he is ready to listen to us.  At times, I think he is pretending that he doesn't understand it to get what he wants.  He looks at me with a certain dark shine in his eyes as if he knows how to trick me.  It's mother's instinct and mothers know everything, of course! 

Aly took a long test to evaluate her for the gifted program on Saturday.  I didn't think she could take a test for 3 hours, but she did it!  She even said it was fun.  I didn't expect to hear that from her.  She said it was difficult, but she tried her best.  I don' think she qualifies for the program because she is not the type to show off her academic knowledge.  Her favorite subject is recess and she rather be chatting with her friends than studying...  Oh and she is engaged already.  A boy proposed to her last year and she said "yes!"  It cracks me up.  The reason why she accepted his proposal is because he said he will invite her to his birthday party.  Good reason, I suppose.  His Mom and I volunteer in the class on Fridays and we had a good laugh about it.  When she mentioned their engagement to her son, he said "but it was supposed to be a secret!"  Ooops, I guess he learned girls gossip. 

Noah's Hospital Visit

I took three differnet snacks for the appointment and he was quiet and busy eating all the goodies.  He let the nurse listen to his heart and check his hight and weight. 

I took Noah today to Seattle Children's Hospital to meet with the anesthesiologist who will be administering anesthesia to Noah when he gets MRI and EGG test next month.  Mike and I have been contemplating, well mostly me, about having Noah go through MRI to rule out any physical reasons why he has severe developmental delays.  Based on my research online through the chromosome 3 deletion group I belong to and the general study papers regarding Noah's symptoms, there were several possible conditions he may have. 

EGG is a test for seizures.  Many children with chromosome 3 deletions have seizures, in fact, it is the most common physical symptoms of the deletion.  I researched about it online and spoke to the neurologist and decided that it is worthwhile checking if he is having seizures or not.  What I am referring to is absence seizures.  They are not the typical epilepsy we are familiar with but instead it involves the patient just staring at space without twitching.  Noah does get into his own world daily and there are many times when he is staring at the wall and would not respond when I call his name.  However, that is also a symptoms of autism, so it is hard to tell.  The EGG test should reveal if he has a seizure tendency and it will be good to know for peace of mind. 

As for the MRI,  it was optional but was suggested by the neurologist since he will be asleep anyway.  I talked about some of the concerns I have and she said they can address them by doing a MRI.  I don't want this post to sound like a medical paper but one is agnesis of corpus callosum.  It's defect in the brain which the right side of the brain and left side are not separated at all or only partially separated.  This condition causes autism-like symptoms with overall developmental delays.  I've suspected this and called the prenatal maternity center where I went to get my ultrasounds when I was pregnant with the twins.  I know they checked the fetusus' brains and overall physical structures of all their organs, but I want to find out for sure it is normal.  They said they will look into the old ultrasound but they never did.  I feel nervous about it but it's good to find out once for all.

The other condition is Eustachian tube dysfunction.  Eustachian tube is a small passage way that connects inner ear to upper part of the throat.  I was watching a medical TV show one day and learned about this illness.  There are several odd symptoms Noah exhibits and they fit with what they were explaining on TV.  He for one has speech issues.  If the tube gets blocked and the liquid does not drain to throat, you hear muffled sounds like you are hearing something underwater.  When Noah was a baby he made cat sounds when I pointed to a picture of a cat, but he made a high pitched noise with his mouth closed.  His noise making has been a bit off ever since and I've wondered if it because he hears sounds differently.  He also sniffs his nose even when he doesn't have runny nose or congestion.  They said the people with this problem often do that to try clearing their ears. 

Relating to Eustachian tube dysfunction, the severe case of it can cause a tumor near the ear tube.  I know it's the worst case scenario, but it's something worthwhile checking.  I spoke with Noah's pediatrician several years ago about having a MRI done to check his brain.  He told me that doing MRI might reveal more problems than necessary.  He said sometimes they find an unknown mass in the brain which may be harmless but since it was found, we would have to do a MRI annually.  There also may be a chance - a chance that the result may be disappointing.  See, the MRI can reveal the size and location of  the white and gray matter in the brain.  I understand that they represent intelligence and some psychiatric conditions.  What if it shows he is significantly lacking something?  It is scary to find out.  I suppose though at the same time, I can find the right treatment for him - if he shows challenging environment in the brain to speak normally, then we will all learn the sign language etc...  It's what he has and there is nothing wrong to learn, isn't it?

So, it's set and I am ready.  The nurse gave me a mask they use for administering anesthetic gas, so we will practice putting it on at home.  I am nervous, but happy that I am moving forward with it. 

Belated Christmasgram

The kids quickly sorted tbe presents to each recipient.  We told them not to touch the presents but they could not help themselves.



This cat has been on Aly's wish list for a while so she was very happy!



Sean received a new jersey from Santa.  He lost his navy one at school.



Nana received a giftcard for Microsoft Store.



Boxes everywhere! 

Look I am already behind on post!

I wanted to write a bit about our Christmas day before my memory is still fresh.

My impressions of the day were chaos and excitement sprinkled with guilt which are the similar feelings I experience every year.  The best part of Christmas is a few moments before opening presents.  Anticipation of how happy the kids are going to be makes me feel just as thrilled as the children.  From then on, the chaos come rushing over.   It's fun to watch them rip through the wrapping paper to find their favorite thing inside, but then this is when the guilt starts to set in.  I bought too many things for them again this year - I realized.  What I am teaching children here?  I mean, smart families are choosing to simplify their Christmas and here I am going nuts at stores like a squirrel prepping for winter!  It's also due to not remembering what I bought already.  I am pretty much convinced that I need to start writing everything done like normal productive people.  Depending on my memory only isn't working anymore!

The guilt aside, we had a nice Christmas.  We had a nice dinner, grilled tri-tip with various sides and home baked chocolate cake for dessert.  The kids looked happy although they were fighting a lot later in the day.  They get overtired because they usually can't sleep very well from the excitement the night before.  All in all, I hope they felt our love.  The best present of all, cheesy I know, was being able to spend the time together.  The life is still simple since they are little, but I know someday I will wish I could go back in time to experience Christmas just  like how it was.  So, in longer perspective, I will give myself 100%.  I will however plan my purchases better with my trustworthy planner I started using in the new year. 

Japan Photos

I have been busy editing pictures from Japan for weeks and I am happy to say I am almost done with them.  Here are some of the gems.  The pictures are not in chronological order.

Alyson and Saya had so much fun in Nara.  They learned about history and deer are not just cute.



This was taken at a temple near Amano Hashidate.  It was raining, but still very beautiful.

There is a custom to throw ceramic disks to a target for good luck at the Amano Hashidate look out area.

My Dad throwing the disks.  He got one disk in the ring.

Beautiful sunshine came through the door at Nara's great Buddha.

Girls at the Amano Hashidate lookout area.

Finally, I am in a photo!

Protector of great Buddha in Nara.  Wood-curved and magnificent (about 1200 years old!)

Saya looking the beautiful sight upside down at Amano Hashidate lookout area.

I found a little deer in Nara!

Saya had a lot of fun feeding deer until one of them stole her ice cream!

Little Saya fell asleep often from being too excited and tired.  Precious.

A Surprise Gift

I might have to brag about my husband a bit.  Mike nailed the first day of the new year big time.  He got up early, went for a jog and sprinted at the park, returned home and made us some breakfast, took Noah out to run errands, and came home with a big surprise present for me.  In the meantime, I was in my pj and robe until early afternoon and was enjoying a relaxing day with the three kids.  I was planning to take the kids to the Japanese Shinto shrine we usually visit on the New Year's day, but I remembered that I shouldn't be cramming too much in my schedule.  Staying home and spending time with my family seemed like a better idea.

Mike came home from the outing with Noah and told me with a big smile on his face that he has a surprise for me.  Then he brings this long big box from his car and I had no clue what it was.  I felt like a little kid on the Christmas day.  Since the box was about the size of Alyson, we told the curious kids who were already gathered around the box that there is a brand new kid inside the box.  It was a joke but they sort of believed us.  They started to walk away in fear when I cut the box open.  Well, it was not a kid inside (I would return it to the store if that was the case) but a brand new golf set!  I was elated because I secretly wanted a set since I liked playing golf in the past.

I was so excited, I went out to the front yard to practice my swing.  Mike had gotten me some plastic balls to practice with, too.  My neighbors were out so they were watching me take my very first swing in years.  I remembered how to swing with a decent form, but the ball decided not to get hit.  I swung about four times before the ball moved from the original position.  I will get better!  I taught the girls how to swing in the backyard later and they were digging holes than hitting the ball.  It was all fun anyway.  Alyson was getting better at hitting but her form is very random and incorrect.  Maybe Aly and I can take a lesson together in summer this year. 

So, yes I had a very good New Year!  Thanks, Mike!!

Happy New Year - 2015!!

The giant door at Todaiji temple in Nara. The afternoon sun was shining through the opening and all the small holes in the ancient building.  It was very beautiful!

Here I am staying up by myself on this New Year's eve, cleaning up the cat litter, sweeping the cereals off the floor, reloading the dishwasher to fit more dirty dishes... the usual chores I do at night after everyone goes to bed.  I have ten more minutes before the midnight so my blog was a good place to come to in the last remaining minutes of 2014.

We had a good growing year with all children now in school.  Kids are more independent than the year before and that brought sense of accomplishment for me and the kids.  With having more time to myself, I was faced with the challenge and pressure of how to use my free time wisely.  I know what a silly thing to worry about but I come from an overachieving culture that those types of "problems" are around me everyday.   I volunteer at kids' school - check, I hang out with my friends - check, go shopping for my family and run errands - check, I was quite busy I barely had time to finish my house chores before Mike came home from work. 

Aly said to me in Japan that she likes visiting Japan because I am not working all the time.  Well, that kind of made me think...  I may be too busy doing stuff that the kids feel like I am not available to them.  It would be a big challenge but I want to manage time a little better so that I can spend more time with the kids at home after school.   Having so many commitments every day, I started to forget a lot of important meetings and appointments, too.  I need to slow down and write down my schedule and check it every day.  I bought a new planner in Japan so I am pretty excited to start using it from tomorrow!

Another big challenge is Noah.  Noah has been causing a lot of problems at home and whenever we are outside.  He is a smart boy I know but he is not toilet trained yet.  He is very impulsive and sensory deprived that he would touch his soiled diaper.  I wanted to cry when I discovered the mess he made in his room.  Mike and I were wiping walls and floors at midnight feeling pretty miserable.  He talks more now expressing his wants but somehow the toilet thing is not working very well.  He also throws massive tantrums and started to hit himself very hard.  The way he punches his own head, it's so painful to watch.  I started to get used to this state and I shake my head because I feel like I am giving up if I allowed him to be this way.  Before, he didn't seem very autistic to me but now he definitely has the classic look of autism.  That caused more heartache than when he first received his diagnosis a little over four years ago.  Maybe I had a big hope that he is going to outgrow autism, who knows.  We have to change our tactic to meet Noah's new needs.  We love that little boy with bright big eyes so much. 

I am excited to start Yoga with my friend, Hanae, in the new year.  I've attended her class once in her home studio and boy she worked me out.  It hurt so much but in a good way.  I felt like a well oiled machine after the class.  My body is so beaten by carrying four children for many years, so this is my chance to restore my body back or make it even better.  Mike is now an organic health nut who drinks green tea and butter every morning, so it looks like getting healthier is one of his top agendas in the new year.  It definitely is on my top list for me, too.  How can I take care of four lives when I am barely surviving everyday!? 

So, here is to a healthier and happier me surrounded by happier children in 2015!! 
I have a good feeling about this year!

Thank you for putting up with my irregular posting and not so attractive web design.  With so many beautiful blog pages written by perfect looking women, I feel a bit out of place now.  However, I will keep writing as long as someone reads it - be it myself :-).

Happy Happy New Year to you all!!  Let's make the year 2015 the best one yet!

Kimi