Amy's Blend

Really, people?  This didn't make its way in to my stocking?  I'm extremely disappointed.  I had to buy it myself at the commissary yesterday.  Despite the sad fact that it is the association with Komen that makes it such a coincidence, it is kinda cool, right?  I'm honored...even though they got my last name all wrong ;-)  

Naughty or Nice?

Christmas Eve was a rough day for Adam.  He just couldn't stay out of trouble.  So we had to play the Santa card and tell him that he was probably on the naughty list and Santa probably wasn't going to come.  We would just have to wait and see in the morning.  Sure, we felt bad, but it did make him think...Fast forward to Christmas morning: Adam comes in to our room at about 7:15 a.m.  He asked if he could go check to see if Santa came.  I was actually surprised that he hadn't done that before he woke me up, but I think he really was a little bit scared that Santa may not have come.  I told him to go check and then come back and let me know.  A minute later, he came running back down the hallway, yelling, "SANTA CAME!!  AND HE BROUGHT STUFF FOR ME!!  HE MUST HAVE CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT ME!!"

What can I say?  Santa changes his mind sometimes ;-)

Later, talking to Robin on Skype, he told her that Santa brought him this workbench, even though it wasn't on his list.  "Santa took some liberties," he said.  Yeah, Santa will do that, too. ;-)

My Life in Pictures...At Least Since Facebook

This is so neat, if you ask me.  Pummelvision puts your facebook pictures to music.  Here's my life, in 2:10.  Personally, I love the random flash of my foot :)

10!

What a month this one has been.  So many changes and so much going on, it's crazy!  Time just keeps rolling and Anaya and Audie are now 10 months old!  Crazy.  I guess it's time to start planning their first birthday!  They are really aware of oneanother now and I often find them just talking to each other and playing together...or fighting over a toy.  They have mutually decided to start shunning baby food, which has been a little difficult, seeing as how they DON'T HAVE TEETH!  But they have also done a great job with the toddler food, so at least there's that.  They are, overall, easier to tote around now and I'm not as afraid to get out with them, which is great because I'm tired of being at home.  In fact, a lot of times if they're in a bad mood, I'll just get them out of the house and they're all better.  They still aren't sleeping through the night completely, which is getting really old.  I can't even tell you how much I would love a full-night's sleep.  I vaguely remember what that was like and I miss it.  On the bright side, we're almost through the first year!        

Anaya

Anaya has changed a lot this month.  Her personality has improved greatly.  She can still break some glass with a scream, but she seems to be in a good mood more often, which is nice since she has such a precious smile.  Like the other day, we were at lunch and she was being a little troublemaker.  Alan looked at her firmly and said, "No!"  She looked at him for a few seconds, then slowly broke out her most adorable smile, as if to say, "Yeah, this is how I win this battle."  She's a little chattier now, too, and I'm pretty sure she can say "bottle," although it sounds more like "ba-doool".  She just loves playing with Adam and no one can get her laughing like he can.  She still likes to bounce when standing and she dances to music.  She's lazy, though.  She still is not tempted to move at all.  She's strong enough to pull up and can if you are right in front of her, giving her the means, but she's not going to move to get somewhere to do it.  You would think that with Audie going, she would want to, but she seems content to just stay where I put her.  I imagine one day she'll just stand up and walk, telling Audie that she didn't want to get her knees dirty by crawling.  The only glitch in that theory is that she isn't afraid to get dirty.  In fact, she has become a much messier eater than Audie.  A meal doesn't pass that doesn't leave her with food in her hair, ears, nose, and covering her clothes.  She's a mess, overall, so that just suits her.  She's the princess. 

Audie

Audie has had a very busy month.  He has started clapping his hands and is crawling (instead of scooting) all over the place now, and has even started pulling up and cruising a step or two.  I am officially in trouble.  It's only a matter of time before they are both moving and then my days will be spent just chasing them.  I wonder if Karina will move in.  Audie is still the charmer and jester.  He has an adorable smile and a great personality, overall.  The only problem now is that he can follow me around and complain.  I can no longer leave the room to take a breath - he just follows and fusses at me.  Yesterday I opened the Tupperware cabinet to let him play with it while he was bugging me in the kitchen.  I walked in to the living room to tend to Anaya and heard him fussing, but it was muffled.  He had climbed in to the cabinet to get every last piece of plastic ware out.  He's pulled over plant stands and un-decorated the Christmas tree.  He torments Rosie and even Adam, especially when he's building something with blocks.  He's everywhere I'm not and he's fast.  Unfortunately, he has an interest in cords and outlets, so we have to watch him closely.  Luckily, Adam is ready-and-willing to tattle, so we have some help.  Audie had another first this month, as well:  First tooth!  Thank God, because of the whole "refusing baby food" thing.  At least that explains the fussiness, fever, disinterest in the bottle... He's my little cuddle-bug.

All-in-all, we're doing alright around here.  The kids are healthy and growing and keeping us very busy.  The past 10 months have been difficult ones, but mostly have been worth it, although Adam might give you a different answer.  It's nice to see things getting easier - it gives me hope of someday living a semi-normal life again.  Someday... 

When I Grow Up

I know it's time for a 10-month update on the babies, but that will have to wait.  I'd like to tell a little "Adamism" today.

Adam often tells people that he is going to be a doctor when he grows up.  It's cute.  Because, when we were four, weren't we all going to be doctors?  Well, while we were in Pensacola last weekend, visiting Alan's family, we were riding in the car and Aunt Catherine asked Adam what kind of doctor he was going to be.  His answer?  "A Japanese one."  Ha!

The Cons

Of course it's great to be home.  Family, friends, shopping, Mexican food, fast driving, grandparents spoiling the kids...all that.  I do love being back in the United States and I am so glad we are here visiting.

That being said, here is a list of a few things we have encountered in the past week-and-a-half that we have not missed:

Scorpions
Fireants
Pennies (we don't use these, even on-base, in Japan - everything is rounded up or down)
Way-too-big trucks and SUVs
Wal-mart and it's typical patrons
American-operated airline companies (Japanese airlines treat you like first-class, even when you're coach)
Rude people (sadly, any rude person we encounter in Okinawa is American)

Alan adds: Unnecessarily gigantic drink cups.  Seriously, America?  Catch on.


Just some thoughts!

Takes Two, Three and Four

Take Two

Date: Sunday, November 14, 2010

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place: Kadena AB Passenger Terminal

Luggage: Same as yesterday

Attendance: Again, everyone.

Outcome:  Success!  We got on that plane that was headed for San Antonio.  We were the first name called, actually.  You know, since we missed it the day before by a stinkin' seat.  Today, though, we emerge victorious!  However, knowing that this plane was originally supposed to leave Friday and it is now leaving on Sunday, we remain skeptical.  Will this aircraft actually get us home?

We gather our things and head through security, then to the bus to get out to the aircraft.  This is all, of course, a logistical nightmare when traveling with two infants.  Nightmare.  Nevertheless, we get on the bus, then get on the plane, climbing the ladder from cargo to the main deck while each holding a baby and trying to protect Adam.  Nightmare. 

Crew guy: "Where are y'all headed?"

Alan: "San Antonio"

Crew guy: "Oh, that's where we're all from."

Alan: (refraining from responding, "No shit.") "Well, is this plane gonna get us all the way there?

Crew guy who shouldn't be allowed to speak: "It is now."

Ha.  Once we took our seats, we sat there on the plane for at least an hour while they tried to get the engines started.  Great.  I think that probably isn't a good sign.  Eventually, however, they got them started and we were off.  A little while later, we stopped in Osan, S. Korea, but didn't get off the plane.  I think we were there for two hours, then we were off again, headed toward Yokota AB, Japan.  The plan was to spend the night in Yokota and take off the next morning.  So we made the mad-dash to billeting.   Did I mention that Yokota doesn't allow cabs to run on-base and the shuttle was off for the night, resulting in a WALK to lodging.  About 15 minutes.  Stupid Yokota.  Luckily, they had availability for us and we got a really nice room, actually.  To bed we went.

Take Three

Date: Sunday, November 14, 2010


Time: 9:00 a.m.


Place: Yokota AB Passenger Terminal


Luggage: We consolidated and did away with the rolling backpack.  Adam wasn't pulling his weight.

Attendance: Again, everyone.

Monday morning, we show up for the flight, check our bags, purchase our meals and wait to board.  There's a playroom at the Yokota terminal, so the kids are (relatively) happy.  We wait and wait and wait.  Then we hear what we knew we would hear all along, but were praying we wouldn't - a rumor that the plane is broke and it could be a week.  Crap.  So Alan immediately calls to get us another room for that night and we check the board for other flights heading out.  There are two on Tuesday that we'll try.  We head back to the room - walking again because it would be almost an hour wait for the shuttle. 

We spend most of Monday watching the television channel that shows outbound flights.  We notice that the two we were going to try are changing and they eventually disappear.  Tuesday we don't see anything for the rest of the week going to the States and we don't know anything about the plane we came in on.  So, we decide to bite the bullet and purchase commercial tickets out of Tokyo.  Surprisingly, they weren't as expensive as we anticipated.  Still a lot of money, but it could have been worse.  We're all set to leave Wednesday evening, which would put us in San Antonio on Wednesday evening, due to the time change.

After making that purchase, we decide to walk to the BX to grab some (cheap) lunch.  While we're there, we see a few of the guys on the crew of our plane.  One asks what we decided to do and we told him we bought tickets.  Then, Alan asked the question we almost would rather not have known the answer to: "What was wrong with the plane?"  As it turns out, there was no safety issue with the plane and we could have made the trip to San Antonio just fine.  It was a matter of convenience.  The Auto-Pilot Stabilizer wasn't working, so the pilots would have to manually fly the plane and they just weren't willing to do that.  I know the mission comes first and we're just catching a ride, but really?  The mission must not have been that important if the Auto-Pilot Stabilizer delayed it.  Meanwhile, 40 people were left stranded .  The part was due to come in on Thursday and they were shooting for Thursday night take-off, at the earliest.  We definitely didn't want to wait until Thursday night, so we made the right decision (plus, Mom & Dad were begging us over skype to just get on a plane). 

Final Take

The rest of the trip went exactly as back-up-planned.  We rode the shuttle to Tokyo, flew to LAX, then flew to San Antonio.  The babies did amazingly well, all things considered.  They mostly slept on the plane rides and Anaya only blew out two windows with her screeching.  Everyone was a trouper, but Audie gets the "Best Traveler" award because he was such a little champ.  

It's nice to be back in the States, but let me tell you people: Nothing beats flying an Asian airline.  Even if you aren't flying first class.  They helped us carry bags, they carried a baby if it was needed, they gave special kid and baby meals, they had baby beds on-board that attached to the wall, they brought hot water to make bottles with, they smiled and cooed at the babies any chance they got - they can do service like no other.  And what did we get from United?  A broken stroller that will hinder us for our entire stay.  Thanks, a lot.  You just made my life even more difficult.  Welcome home.  

It was a long trip and I'm glad it's over.  On the plane, when we landed in San Antonio, Adam mentioned something about wanting to sit by the window when we went back to Okinawa.  I told him I didn't want to think about that.  It's just too much.  A line from Mr Potato Head in Toy Story 3 comes to mind: "You have no idea what I've been through tonight."

Take One

Date: Saturday, November 13, 2010

Time: 0500
Setting: Kadena AB PAX Terminal

Attendance: The whole friggin' family

Luggage: 3 suitcases, 1 diaper bag, 1 backpack, 1 purse, 1 rolling Lightning McQueen bag, 2 car seats...all stuffed to maximum capacity

Weather: Rainy, of course.

Time spent waiting: 3 hours

Outcome: Well, we're still in Okinawa, but we came close - missed it by a seat.  They had four seats left and we were next in line.  One. Darn. Seat.  I'm about 99.998% sure there would be some pissed off grandparents if we left a child behind.

Outlook: Sunny, actually.  Tomorrow there are two planes we can try: one plane is going to Kelly Field, Texas (but said plane, unfortunately, has a tendency to break and since it stops in Osan, South Korea, we're a tad bit scared to get stuck), and one plane is going to Hickam AFB, then on to McConnell AFB.  Now, most of you probably recognize that Kelly Field is SAN ANTONIO.  Could it be any more perfect?  Yes, it could.  We will probably take our chances on it because it has more available seats and we're at least near the top of the waiting list, but it isn't the most reliable.  Here's hoping that bird flies - all the way to Texas.  Before you get too concerned, though, I should clarify that we don't think the plane will break while it's flying, just that we'll land in South Korea and they'll find something wrong that prevents them from clearing it to fly again.  Maybe for a few hours, maybe for a few days.  Either way, no me gusta the idea of being stuck in Korea.  The alternative flight takes us to Hawaii and then on to Kansas.  So if that one breaks, we're stuck in Hawaii.  I'm having a hard time finding much wrong with that.  If it doesn't break, which it is less likely to do than the other one, then it will get us to Wichita, Kansas, and we'll have to get to San Antonio from there.  That's not a bad deal, either.  We would just like to get on a plane tomorrow.

Stay tuned!    

In other news...We got back to the house and the babies were ecstatic to be unstrapped.  Audie, who's been scooting around on his belly for weeks, was so excited that he just up and crawled!  That, combined with the fact that he is already pulling up on anything and everything, makes me believe this could be the beginning of the end.  I better lace up my running shoes.

9

Seriously?  Nine.  Friggin'.  Months?  Some days it seems like it was just yesterday that Mom was arriving, expressing her concern over how huge and uncomfortable I looked.  But then, some days, it seems like it was years ago.  Time has both flown by and stood still at once.  Isn't it funny how that happens?  Anyway...


The twins are NINE MONTHS OLD!!  The best part about it is they are really getting fun.  I mean, the work's not over - not by a long shot - but at least there is more joy thrown in the mix.  They are very aware of each other now and play together a lot, even fighting over toys.  He yells at her when she has something he wants and she yells at him when he takes it away from her.  They're both talking a lot now and both continue to develop their own unique personalities.  They still aren't completely sleeping through the night, but we're shifting our focus and are intent on making that happen soon.  I'm tired of being tired.  It is soooo much work having two, but I can almost feel it starting to be fun, so I'm more excited about the months ahead. 

Anaya

Anaya has become pretty scrappy lately.  With Audie on the move, he likes to scoot on over and pick on her, steal her toys or whatnot.  I keep waiting for her to just stand up and chase after him.  But, no.  She seems determined to not move.  We put her on her tummy and put something enticing in front of her and she just screams at us until we either move it or her closer.  It's not because she's not strong enough - she can push up.  She's just not interested.  She remains a diva, screaming when she isn't immediately getting what she wants.  However, in between the screams, she has also learned to give big, wet, sloppy kisses, so we almost forget about the screaming.  Until we ask her to give one kiss too many, in which case we are quickly reminded of the screaming.  She still seems to overreact about everything.  She eats pretty well, but turns her nose up at anything green.  She's all about feeding herself, which has forced me to be creative since they still don't have any teeth.  Some favorites are bananas, avocado, string cheese and crackers.  Anaya loves the bath and gets excited when she sees me filling up the tub.  In the bath, she loves to splash BIG and squeals with delight as the water comes down around her.  She really seems to like the water.  She also loves to play with Adam and her Daddy.  Her eyes never leave Daddy when he's in the room.  She has also made it her responsibility to fatten Rosie up (as if she was hurtin').  Most of what's on Anaya's tray ends up on the floor, and then in Rosie's mouth.  Rosie's not complaining, of course, and really neither am I - I don't have to sweep!  Anaya loves to look in the mirror at herself and enjoys books a little more than Audie.  She also loves to bounce when you stand her up.  Anaya's personality has definitely been a challenge for us, but it's nice to see that she is getting sweeter.

   

Audie

Audie is MOBILE now.  His world just got a lot bigger.  He goes wherever he wants, and especially loves to pick on his sister.  He can just take himself right over to her and grab whatever it is he wants, and make a clean getaway.  Now that he's on the move, we're finding out what he's really like :)  He is already more curious than Adam was and leaves no stone unturned.  He explores everything.  Just today, Alan found him with a trash can of diapers dumped over, his head in the can.  Thankfully, Karina had just emptied that trash, so there was only like two diapers in it.  Also thankfully, he did not figure out how to get in the diapers.  Audie is a mess.  He ventures through the house, leaving a path of destruction.  And he's starting to show the bumps and bruises that come along with being an explorer, as well as just being a boy.  He's a flirt and a sweet-talker already.  He's generally full of smiles and loves to talk.  Lately, though, he has really amped up his temper and I often get an earful from him when I'm trying to get him to do something he doesn't want to do.  He'll just start yelling at me (not crying), shaking because he's so mad.  Then, he follows it up with his same, pitiful cry that makes anyone within ear-shot think I just pinched my baby.  He's got my number.  And yours, for that matter.  Audie loves to chase Rosie around, but I don't think that's a mutually fun game.  He also loves the bath and has been known to attempt to throw himself into the tub as I'm filling it with water.  He especially loves to shove the head of a rubber ducky in his mouth and just leave it there while he enjoys the tub time.  He's crazy.  He loves his big brother and is always trying to get in the middle of whatever Adam has going on.  He's beginning to look a lot like Adam did at this age, too.  We'll consider ourselves lucky if we have another little Adam running around :)  Audie eats well, but is very messy.  He insists on feeding himself and I insist on battling over that, which usually results in flung food.  He also likes to spit food at me, which is particularly nice.  He loves musical toys and isn't so much in to books - just tries to eat them.  His favorite place to be (besides in my arms) is staring out the patio door.  He's loud and fun and is going to fit right in around here.

We'll see you soon!

 

Two Things and a Cowboy

Saturday we dressed the kiddos up and went to a haunted house at Alan's squadron, then trick-or-treating on base.  The base opted to celebrate on Saturday to avoid the late night Sunday night.  The bats were out in full force, but thankfully it didn't rain this year.  It was a beautiful night for some trick-or-treating.

Sheriff Woody!

Thing 1 and Thing 2...my first attempt at homemade costumes!

All three, getting ready for the haunted house

Adam, showing off another pumpkin he decorated.  Is that a halloween-y sky, or what?!

Buzz came by to trick-or-treat and I asked if I could take their picture together.  When I went to look through the camera, I said, "I can't even see y'all because it's so dark!"...

...so Adam pulled his glow stick out of his holster and said "You can see us now!"

ALIENS!!!

Our trick-or-treat setup with the neighbors, Steve and JoAnn.  Adam was the candy-keeper.

Happy Halloween!

What a year!

One year ago today we arrived on this Rock.  An exhausted family of three and our dog.  My, what a year it has been!  We've seen things we never thought we would see in our life.  We've experienced the uniqueness that is this island, but still have so much more to do.  We've dipped our toes in the East China Sea, as well as the Pacific Ocean from this end.  We celebrated the holidays here, with new friends and Air Force family.  We delivered twins!  We've learned a little Japanese (arigato gozaimaaaaaasu!).  We've shopped in Japanese grocery stores, kids stores, department stores and furniture stores and we've fallen in love with the Japanese style of karaoke.  We eat the food and drink the drinks and have rice a lot more often than we ever have.  We have chopsticks in our silverware drawer.  We know to dial 0071 to call our family.  We no longer accidentally walk to the left side of the car to drive and we no longer turn on the windshield wipers when we're looking for the blinker.  Driving on the left side of the road is now second-nature.  Recently, Alan and I became scuba-certified and have completed four dives, witnessing the amazing beauty that is our underwater world.  My mom lived here for THREE MONTHS!  Alan ran a marathon in a country that wasn't America.  We have made great friends (a few of them have even been aggies!), and have had to bid a few farewell...only until we meet again.  We've been through a typhoon and a major earthquake (and a tsunami, if it even counts).  We've jumped on-board with the Okinawan obsession with vending machines (seriously, people, you even use a vending machine to order food at some restaurants!).  We've learned which online shopping sites ship to APOs and which do not.  We've learned that the early bird catches the worm at the BX and Commissary (even if you have to buy your seasonal stuff three months early).  We've learned to get used to those bats flying overhead, but still don't appreciate close encounters.  We've learned the feeling of loneliness, though, too.  Although we know we have each other and our Air Force family, nothing replaces our families and friends we've left behind.  We wish we were sharing all of these experiences with all of you.  Nothing replaces that quick phone call or that last-minute decision to meet for lunch or drinks.  Nothing replaces holidays with your family and nothing replaces missing the birth of your best friends' babies.  Although we have loved this year and we look forward to the time we still have left here, we always miss home and the feeling that home gives you.  In celebration of our time here, I give you this year, in pictures.

Our first Thanksgiving here:

Our first Christmas here:

My Mom arrived!

The twins are one month old!

Springtime in Okinawa:

My 31st birthday:

Our first formal event here:

Alan's birthday:

Rosie's first pedi:

The Air Force Birthday Ball:

Start of SCUBA class and Spouses' Dining In:

What?  You were expecting a different sort of "year in pictures"?  There are only 11 works of art here - number 12 comes tomorrow - my "One year anniversary" pedi.  So excited!  Seriously, though, it has been a great year and we are excited for our next year here and the adventures it will bring.  We know our time here will pass quickly and we hope we leave with no regrets. 

Adam's about to be home from preschool and he'll want a snack.  Just before he eats it he'll say, as he does before he eats anything, "ducky mas," which should be "itadaki masu" (the "u" is silent).  I can only hope that one day he is able to recognize how lucky he was when he was four.

Konnichiwa!