puzzle

October 31st, 2009 | By Kyoko

Immi is working on her puzzle at the table. This spot has become her favorite spot: she always sits on this chair on this side of the table. We have a new house rule which is “no food/drink anywhere except at the table” (we make exception for coffee/tea in our office/studio and popcorn with movie), and immi follows this rule very well. The table and chairs were basically a housewarming gift from immi’s Obaachan. It took Todd and I an entire day to find one that we both liked (and it also had to be child-friendly), but the time spent was worth it seeing how much immi fell in love with it at first sight! She spends most of the day doing activities sitting here.

Immi and I have been having tea every evening (milk tea! immi’s is made with rooibos instead of black tea). I’m very grateful for a relaxing activity that immi and I enjoy together. Having tea with immi ineviably reminds me of days when my sister (aka Auntie Junko!) and I lived together in NH and had tea together every evening (We miss you!!).

happy halloween!

October 31st, 2009 | By Kyoko

Happy Halloween!

We are going to the market.

Immi is trying out some pickles!

Immi’s tutu, witch’s hat, bag, and the black kitty all came in the box packed by her grandmom in Reston (Hi!!! She really loves the Meow!). I’m not exactly sure what her costume is with the sweatshirt and pink legwarmers (cute witch? 80’s inspired witch?) but no one was about to deny her candies:D

We managed to forget to eat breakfast so we are grabbing sandwich at a cafe nearby the market. Immi is of course primarily interested in the pickles.

Immi is patting her brother to make him feel better about being stuck in the car seat (he really hates his car seat!).

moving-in

October 28th, 2009 | By Kyoko

We just got a call saying that the movers are bring in our stuff this evening around 8:00pm. I was glad immi was taking a nap, since it will surely be a long long night ahead!

Movers are here with out stuff and immi, her brother and I are staying in the kitchen area. She is having fun with play-doh.

Immi is keeping herself busy recycling:D

The movers were here until past 4:00am! We are all totally exhausted…and we are getting coffee. And no, I’m not sharing my coffee with immi, though she is trying very very hard to take a sip. Her hands are so strong for being so little!

lacing

October 27th, 2009 | By Kyoko

Immi is playing with her lacing book at a coffee house.

market

October 24th, 2009 | By Kyoko

It’s perfect autumn weather out so we headed out to a farmers market! I can’t believe how pretty all the veggies are (and cheap!!)!

Immi is getting her first real kettle corn.

We got bags full of veggies, pastries, local honey and fresh milk.

Immi is waiting for her dad getting his coffee at the Pony Espresso coffee truck.

friday

October 22nd, 2009 | By Kyoko

Moving truck is still not here. There’s only so many days you can sleep on the floor so we got a bed. Immi seems to think it’s comfortable.

Immi can easily open the fridge door here (we gotta go get fridge lock probably…). She helped herself to some pickles. She put on her pink polka-dotted sweater and mint-green shawl presumably because it matches her PJ.

first week in portland

October 22nd, 2009 | By Kyoko

It’s been really busy here, running errands and such. My mom is here from Japan to help, and it has been really helpful. Our moving truck is delayed (agh!) so we’ve gotten a few things we can’t do without for too many days. Here’s some of what we’ve been up to past few days:

Having Mexican before picking up keys to our new home.

Immi and Oskar sleeping…on the floor.

Having breakfast at a cute breakfast place in a cute town nearby. Immi seems really tired from running around the past few days (not to mention the first trip via air!) and fell asleep without eating.

Making ourselves totally at home already in the new town finding a bubble tea place on our way to Trader Joe’s.

We had the table and chairs (our vintage find from the day before!) delivered to us and immi fell in love with them immediately. She picked her own spot at the table.

Looking for a lamp or two at House of Vintage on Hawthorne Blvd.

…still looking for a lamp or two at Lounge Lizard (also on Hawthorne Blvd. Immi found the most fabulous immi-size chair.

Celebrating immi’s Obaachan’s birthday. This is the first time in a loooong time that I got to wish her a happy birthday in person! We are having sushi.

So far, we really really like it here! The best part: so many coffee shops

journey

October 14th, 2009 | By Kyoko

Today is the moving day! We are flying from IAD to PDX. I read that we are now allowed to bring through security checkpoint juice or milk for kids/babies, so I tried my luck. And it’s true, you can bring them. However, they had to make me insert the straw into the box and do liquid test (…to make sure that an asian mom with two kids isn’t about to blow up an airplane by smuggling explosives in a juice box). I can’t carry around a juice box that’s already opened so here’s immi having it on the concourse shuttle on our way to the gate.

Immi and Ashland sleeping on the airplane, their first flight ever!

…and we are here! We are staying at a hotel for the night since it’s late and we can’t pick up the keys to our new place until tomorrow. We are celebrating this very happy occasion with random assortment of junk food we got at the lobby because it’s definitely too late for going out for dinner.

last days

October 9th, 2009 | By Kyoko

Only few more days left in Reston! Immi just woke up and helping us clean up the empty apartment in her favorite PJ.

Immi giving Miss Monroe a hug.

Kitties hanging out in the empty cabinets.

Swaddling

October 2nd, 2009 | By Kyoko

Immi has been swaddling various stuffed animals and baby dolls. Her swaddling adventure has reached hilarious proportion.

Immi has a tendency to get an idea and then run with it. She realizes her ideas many times — with variations —  eventually ending up in the realm beyond obsessive. She is probably born an artist. That or she is just really ridiculous I have no doubt that she’ll be taking the swaddling idea and apply it to something completely unimaginable in the near future