Hamburger is My Life.

Some days you bake bread and quilt. Other days you hope Child Protective Services doesn't knock on your door and you consider signing up for anger management courses. For last week, the latter was true.

Brett worked nights. Not a big deal. We still got to see him. However, to Marie it meant complete insanity.

 

It's obvious she's a daddy's girl. He sleds, he takes us fun places, and he's always good for a laugh. But last week it was like Marie went off the wall without him home from the usual 6pm-bedtime.  I couldn't figure it out. It's not like I had the baby. She wasn't really sick. At one point my friend suggested that maybe her molars were coming in. But it was the night Brett finally came home for the evening she had a tantrum from 1 am to 4 am. It was like I had a colicky newborn. If Brett wasn't there I think I would have sewed myself a strait-jacket... and a toddler sized one too.

But things are back to normal magically. She is back to her normal "drama-goose" self, minus the infant colickyness.

 

Welcome Back Marie.

Lots of Thoughtful People

Feeling very spoiled over here. My friends threw me a baby shower and lots of people from the ward came. I'm such a cheapskate with people I felt pretty bad. But it was really nice. 

Also, we have to give a blog shout out to Aunt Christen who always knows exactly what to send us. A true giver of good gifts. This time she sent Marie a book entitled "I'm a Big Sister." It's been a HUGE help when talking about the baby. The book explains that the baby will get lots of attention, but it's much funner to be a big sister  because they get to do things like eat ice cream. Ice cream does make things better.

Thanks to everyone to who is always thinking of us and asking how we are doing. It's hard to be homesick when everyone is keeping in touch and supporting us in every last way. We are ready for baby.

Results

The Doctor called with results for Marie. I know you've been waiting on pins and needles. Not.  I actually forgot about it for a week, but I'm glad he called.

 She:

1. Is free of Turner's Syndrome.

2.  has normal liver function.

3. Has a normal Chromosome count

4. Is not anemic

5. is RTA free

 

Hopefully she just gets to be super petite all her life. I would love that for her. She may not have her mother's man-hands, not be a Timber Marker and work with loggers, but I will still love her.

 This testing was all unnecessary, but her Dr. is really young and I understand Dr.'s want to be un-liable.

 

Anyways, I'm less than 3 weeks away from my due date. I feel like baby wants to come on Valentines Day. I don't blame her. I could name her Valentine, but her little brother would have to be named Ender.  It would solve the name-issue though.

Just to update, Brett is for Olive as much as I am for Mina. I have alot of critics for both, which makes Brett like the names more and me hesitant for both. Molly is the one we both agree equally on. But we also like Roxanna and I like Avery. Brett won't budge for me on Ariel and I won't budge on liking Belle/Bella. It is beautiful, but there are a lot baby girls named Bella these days (stupid vampire book!) kidding. But of course, what should I care? My name Rachel and it has served me well.

 

I can't believe with Marie I was 20lbs more at this point of the pregnancy. Water weight at it's worst! I was so miserable. It was a 103 degree summer. But I don't think I can look forward to losing 30 solid pounds in two weeks like I did with Marie just by sweating in my sleep. I think I went early with Marie because I was so big. Also I think I just "needed" her more too. My friends came to visit 1 week before she was born and they brought their adorable little baby boy, Simon. He just melted me. And then when they left my brother and sister-in-law came with my niece Beth, and literally every time she would cry I would have contractions. I just wanted a baby so bad I think I willed Marie to come out.  Not to say I don't want my little nameless baby, it's just very cold outside and I understand if she wants to stay warm for a little while longer.... but not too long...

A Taste of This Week



It's Thursday and its been a rather fulfilling week. Despite the snows efforts to unhinge our family fun, we've managed to get out and make a few more memories.

My friend Lyana moved here one year prior to me. This benefits me because she's been to most of the "fun" places and then I just bother her until she takes me to some of them. This week it was Swan Park.

Don't swans fly south for the winter? Yes, Siberian Swans fly to Misawa. Apparently it's "better" here. I'm not sure how they compete with all the aggressive ducks though. They ate all the bread we brought.

And apparently this one thought Marie was edible.

 

Quack Quack.

 But be warned! Hornets live in the forest nearby.

And Marie and Mark got some good sledding in. What cuties.

Other than that we've still been getting things ready for baby #2. We still haven't decided on a name... nay... we have decided on a name... but the name Brett picked is different from the name I picked. I guess we'll see who gets a hold of the birth certificate papers first. Brett keeps threatening to "change" the name of the baby while he is blessing her. However, I reminded him about all the paperwork he will have to re-do, so I think I have hindered him for now.

Marie is just keeping things real. Here she is this morning helping me make Grandpa Ron's Waffles. We added whole wheat flour this time and high fat milk- I think it turned out great. But as I ate them I could hear Brett echo in my head "so you decided to ruin the waffles, that's interesting."  My family will embrace whole wheat someday. ...and I'll end on that joke.  

They Call it "Nesting"

I've been nesting.

This little box we call home is undergoing some minor improvements. My favorite include the curtains I finally finished for the girls room (below). Most of my projects include rearranging storage and  laundering Marie's old clothes to get ready for the baby. I thought I lost her blessing dress to yellow streaking from storage, but Oxy Clean saved the day. On the same note, I thought I would have to spank a certain two-year-old  for coloring all over the computer screen, but the Japanese version of Magic Eraser saved her my wrath. I give both products my shining endorsement.

One of the most exciting nesting tasks was to get some paintings framed. Yes, I know, only "fancy people" frame things. We are officially fancy. The picture above was inherited from my Grandma Lucille who past away this time of year. I hope one of my daughters loves this painting enough for me to give to them far, far down the road.

The picture below is my mother's rendition of the Golden Gate Bridge. So far we have scammed her into painting a place from each major place we have lived. I can't wait to see what she will paint for Japan.

Marie has also been working hard.

On Monday we took her in for her weight checkup. She weighs a solid 22 lbs 14 oz. I'm telling people 23lbs (hey, if she's my daughter she has to start lying about her weight sometime). The Doctor, however, was more concerned about her height. He thinks she is completely fine... but just to double check he wanted to do multiple blood tests and analyze her urine.

The first time she got poked her veins flipped and they didn't get anything. It was horrible. However, I said I would come back one more time and if they didn't get anything the second time I would call it all off. I think she's perfectly healthy. But the next morning I pumped her full of Qoo:

our family's favorite Japanese apple juice. I had her drink a kiddie sized can and gave her a donut before we went in. (I have no idea if the donut was really a good idea, but it seemed logical at the time). 

One poke, and they got the blood they needed. It was still sad. Especially when she asked for her "Daddy" most of the time. So sad. But after they were finished she wiped her tears and even gave the guy a high five. She got a sucker and we were off. What a super brave girl. 

The next task: collect urine from a two-year-old. All I can say is that it took 2 days of attempts, and finally after getting her to pee-pee in her potty... she dropped some ice cream in it. Wow. That was a huge downer. So I kept her sitting on her potty, let her watch 2 hours of "Diego" and sat by her as I handed her water every 2 minutes. Finally, got it and sent it to the lab. Results will be in soon and I can prove not only is she perfect on the outside, she's perfect on the inside.

 

Here she is enjoying a crepe. She really eats alot these days.

 

Keep up the good work Marie!

Lastly, it finally snowed here without melting the next day. But when it snows... oh, man- it snows.

Here is some poor schmuck clearing the sidewalk before the mandatory "get your sidewalks clear for the school kids at 8 am." The rules of living on base are endless.

That is all from the land of the Rising Sun & Falling Snow.

 

Christmas Goes By Too Fast

Outside the main gate is "American Park."

 These decorative trees are all made out of plastic pop bottles.

Christmas goes by too fast.  Unfortunately I can't keep the dying fire hazard that was once a Christmas tree up forever.

Our sweet goose on Christmas Morning

This year was rad. Our very first Christmas not on the road. Being 8-months pregnant I really appreciated it. But it was only complete since we talked to our parents on Skype. They each sent Marie thoughtful gifts including a nativity for toddlers, her very first baby doll, and those great pj's from Great-Grandma Millburn. 

My mom was clever and got her Minnie Mouse ears. I'm glad Mickey Mouse isn't a religion because Marie would be praying to it daily. But she humors mom and plays with the kitchen (pictured above) which is fully equiped with fake "steak and eggs." But Marie prefers to feed us yakisoba and jelly beans.

Brett and I combined forces to get a portable water filter for our Christmas present. Looks like a present the whole family will enjoy. Marie does a lot of cuddling with her new baby doll, but at the end of Christmas night I caught her cuddling with this filter, saying "oh wah-der filler, I love you too much." 

She also found another use for her kitchen. She thinks it's a "bubble baff," or a toddler sized hot tub. I really don't care what she uses for, except for the time she stripped down in front of our friends and decided to take a "baff" for them in the living room. Cute, but I don't think it encouraged our friends to decide to have kids. We had our buds Jeff and Susan over for Christmas dinner and that was really nice. Susan enjoys cooking also so needless to say we are still eating fabulous leftovers.

I will close with 3 videos, for optional watching.
PLEASE tell me if you try to watch a video and it doesn't work- I'm experimenting with different programs.

Dancing Dora: rate "E" for "excessive" or "enjoyable" (depending on who you are)


A Lengthy Christmas Collage: Rated "PG" for "Preferable to Grandparents"

And  lastly, Marie decorating the Japanese cookie she got in her stocking; rated "V" for - I know my voice is really annoying to listen to, but Marie never talks with the camera on so what am I to do?

We had a great Christmas, but we can't wait to be back at the cabin someday! Miss you all and your real Utah/Idaho snow!

Happy New Year All!