Sen and Emi take a bath

off to take a bath...

Monday night is usually bath night, but last week it was Thursday.
(yes, it's only about once a week around this house...)
Sen and Emi took their first bath together.



Sen and Emi are great bath buddies.

They help each other wash and get

shiny,

fresh,

and new.

Afterwards, mommie gets to snuggle (the best part!)...

.

lots to be excited about, except...

Papa !

You better watch out,

you better not cry,



you better not pout I'm telling you why,

Papa Claus is coming to town!



(okay, well maybe he has already been here for four days and leaves tomorrow, but this gives you just some idea of the anticipation that the arrival of Papa caused... we sang this song for the final few days before he came, and surely will again the next time he comes)

Chalkboard

Unbelievable

Today Sen made some beautiful art...




and Emi did this...

Motherhood

...is tripping over the twisty-wire-ball toy-thing, about breaking your toe, and then dashing back to the bedroom to make sure you didn't wake the baby.

What Emi and I did yesterday

First-day-of-winter-term after-school snack:

for

mark and sen,
love,

mommy and emi

Rainy days in Southern California

We went to Los Angeles right before the holiday, it was a whirlwind, with only a few minor set backs such

as having to drive up to the Portland Airport in a snow storm - a 3 and half hour journey in which Sen pooped his pants...well, lets just say more than once. We got to the airport with literally minutes to spare, so our luggage had to come on the next day's flight, but I was amazed we even made it at all.

It was my first time to L.A. in 6 years, and I was excited to show Mark, Sen, and Emi some of the places that I remember growing up. The best part was meeting my new little brother Soma, who is a month older than Emi. He is super cute and super sweet.

Soma made up for the rainy and cold weather that we thought we were getting away from

I would have liked to do a lot more while we were out there, but with 3 kids involved, we didn't get out of the house too much. One place we did get to was Olvera Street, one of my favorite places as a kid. I hadn't been there since I was a kid either, so I was very excited. Olvera Street is supposedly the oldest street in Los Angeles, and now exists as a little cultural hubub, filled with Mexican souvenir shops and restaurants. We ate some good food, got some amazing souvenirs for Christmas gifts, and ate churros of course.


Sen by the Nativity Scene at Olvera Street (Mark resisted putting him in Jesus' cradle)


We also got out to the Santa Monica pier




..where Sen and Emi and Soma all got to ride their first Carousel.






Sen also got to go on a few fun rides.


I got to go on some rides too!

Mark got to check out the street talent on the Promenade later, which I think he was pretty happy about, and Sen hung in there so well until...


yes, Sen is asleep on Mark's shoulders



about 15 minutes later, when I stopped to get some tea

The return to Oregon was as exciting as leaving, there was a new snow storm in Portland,

so we had to get a hotel and chains the next day to get home where there was... absolutely no snow. Major rip off!! I think I'm finally getting over it... Sen handled it much better than I did. It is good to be home.


a few more cute pictures...

akemashite omedetou!

(yes, it is hard not to eat her sometimes)

oops! we didn't mean to run out on you like that!

There has just been so much going on, what with the holidays, travels, work, and chores.

So much has happened, and I hope to catch everyone up over the next few weeks.

For now, I will just let it be known that everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year, especially Emi, who celebrated her first of both. Like all babies, the wrapping paper was her favorite part.



I can't believe that Emi has now been here through two different years!

Sen is as adorable as ever and currently aspires to be Santa Claus when he grows up.


Happy New Year everyone!!