Little Angels

I really should update more often. So much has happened since my last post. Grandpa Mits came to visit for two weeks. We made sure he had plenty of activities...including two family events, the PGA championship, and lots of rounds of golf. When he walked in the door, Hana cried at first. But, it didn't take long for her to smile and giggle playing with Grandpa.



We had our tree dedication celebration for Mieko's tree in McQuillan Park. It was great to see her teachers and physical therapist from Rondo as well as family friends.

We let a few balloons go and shared some memories of Mieko. Despite how sad we are she's no longer with us, we are remain thankful for those four years we had with our special girl and that she still brings us together.



That weekend, we traveled to Fargo for Hana's baptism at First Lutheran Church. All of the Johnsons have been baptized in that church. Hana didn't want to sit for the service, so her godmother entertained her while we waited. She did pretty well during the ceremony.

She didn't like getting wet, but she only fussed a little. She also managed to kick her booties off during the event. Mieko was baptized along with her cousin Gabriel in 2005. But Hana's ceremony was a little different. The congregation sang "Jesus Loves Me" to her at the end, which was a very nice touch.
Shawn and Grandpa played golf almost everyday and I even played a couple of times. Their new favorite course is Purple Hawk in the Cambridge area. Grandpa also saw some of his favorite golfers on the first day of the PGA championship at Hazeltine. He packed a lot in during this trip. Maybe next time he'll make it to the State Fair too.

Shawn is enjoying his last couple of weeks before the school year begins. Hana goes on walks all the time soaking up what's left of our summer weather. She's also figured out how fun the kids playroom is at the YWCA. She really enjoys the other kids and, of course, all the toys.


Speaking of playing with toys... my Tuesday night knitting friends and I had our much anticipated Artfibers Yarntasting party. It was a blast. We had the opportunity to try out almost 200 different types of unique yarn made for this San Francisco bay area company. I had the chance to visit their store last year and became a fan. So far the "try before you buy" program is free. I highly recommend it for any group interested in Artfibers.

They have all sorts of fibers from unusual types of silk to wool, alpaca, mohair, yak, bamboo, and synthetics. There's even a yarn that has paper in it. It was a very cool experience.

On the Road

Hana did very well on our big summer road trip. We traveled about 3,500 miles in eight days. She slept quite a bit in the SUV or amused herself with toys. We are making it an annual tradition to attend the SOFT (Support Org. for Trisomy 18,13, and Related Disorders) Conference Picnic and Balloon Release. First, we drove to Toledo and had Hungarian food at Tony Packo's. It was the first restaurant we've ever seen with signed hot dog buns. Hundreds of celebrities have their "buns" on the walls.



We stopped at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, which was very cool. Next, we visited Gettsyburg, Pennsylvania. We toured the civil war battlefields and saw the huge cyclorama painting of the Battle of Gettysburg. We also had lunch in an historic tavern.

We kept going east all the way to Virginia Beach, Virginia. We enjoyed walking the beach, but Hana was scared of the water.

We headed west again for the conference in Roanoke, but made a few stops on the way. We went to Colonial Williamsburg, but didn't make it in time to tour the buildings. We strolled some of the streets, where we ran into a founding father.


We also toured the College of William and Mary, including the oldest college building still in use in the United States. When Hana looks back at these pictures, she's going to think we never took her out of that backpack. But, she really does love the view from up there and was so comfortable, she even fell asleep in it.


We stayed in Richmond one night and had the best barbecue sandwiches ever. It was actually Texas barbecue at a place called Alamo. We also tried North Carolina and Virginia style barbecues. We really liked the No. Carolina style, which had a lot of vinegar in the sauce. Next, we visited Thomas Jefferson's home Monticello in Charlottesville. We also hiked the area around the natural bridge not far from Roanoke. Everything in Virginia seems tied to history. We saw George Washington's initials carved into the rock when he surveyed the bridge.


Speaking of history... we also visited "Foamhenge". It's a life size replica of Stonehenge made out of foam. You never know what you may find along the road.

We had a wonderful time in Roanoke at the SOFT picnic. There are many families we know from contact online and it's great to see them in person. This was only our second year, so we're still getting to know people. It is always inspiring to see kids who are long term survivors with trisomy disorders, some in their teens and twenties. I really wish we would've been able to take Mieko to a conference. We were supposed to go a few years ago in Chicago, but a hospitalization kept us home. It is always touching for me to meet someone who remembers Mieko and followed her life online or watched her videos. The big event is the balloon release for all the children who've passed away.


This year, we released the balloons from beautiful spot on the mountainside overlooking Roanoke. This is always such a moving event. I put together this youtube video, if you'd like to see it, here's a link:

Baloon Release 2009

I hope that we can continue participating in the balloon release every year. We would like Hana to grow up with this tradition. We see other siblings who come every year and they have such a sensitivity towards children with disabilities. We would like Hana to get to know the special kids and maybe feel closer to her sister.

We had time for a couple more stops on the way home. We visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We enjoyed hiking and seeing several waterfalls. We even saw a bear, though it was in the brush several feet away. But, it was still exciting for us.

Lastly, we spent some time in St. Louis. We saw the gorgeous Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. It has one of the largest displays of mosaic art in the world. More than 40 million tiles were used and thousands of colors. Shawn thought it was more impressive than Notre Dame.

We also went to the St. Louis zoo, probably the best free zoo we've ever seen. Hana had her first carousel ride. She also really liked the goat yard.


Since we've been home, Hana has been in constant motion. She's either crawling, climbing, pulling herself up to stand, or walking along the furniture at all times. How do kids get so much energy? She had her 9 month check-up and weighs almost 19 pounds. She's also eating finger food now like Cheerios. She really has fun picking up the little o's when she's not tossing them from her high chair.

Hana loves being around other kids, especially older ones. She squeals and laughs a lot. I took her on a play date at the Como Zoo with the babies of some of my colleagues at WCCO-TV. All five of them were born in Sept. and Oct. of last year. It was a lot of fun to see them interact, though most of the time they did their own thing. I'm going to try to get Hana involved in more group activities, since at home it's just her and the kitties. I think her buddy Jordan needs a break from getting chased.

Movin' On Up

Hana is really on the move! She's commando crawling (and chasing kitties) and getting up on her hands and knees and rocking.



Just a couple of days after that she started pushing herself to sitting and then pulling herself up to stand. Now, she wants to grab anything to pull up.

She's making good use of Mieko's ballerina bar, though she's not taking too many steps along the bar. She can take several steps while we hold her hands. She's also turned up the volume on her voice and makes more new sounds. She's very good at saying "Da-Da" and clicking. Shawn also thought he heard her say" Ca-na-DA". We do live relatively close to the border. She goes out walking several times a day with Daddy and loves to swing in the park.

We've donated a tree for Mieko at McQuillan Park near our house. We're still waiting for the plaque to be installed. We'll share pictures soon. As we approach the one year annivesary of Mieko's passing, this tree and what it symbolizes brings us comfort.


We're looking forward to going to the balloon release at the SOFT (Support Organization for Trisomy 13, 18 and Related Disorders) Conference coming up in Roanoke. It will be great to connect with old friends and introduce Hana.


We cherished all the years we spent with Mieko and the joy she brought to our lives. It' s hard to believe sometimes that we're still going on without her. We miss her smile, gentle spirit, and unconditional love every moment. We were very lucky to be her family. We miss you, Little Kitty. You are always in our hearts.

May Madness

Now, I know what Hana would look like with curly, pink hair. Thanks to an ingenious crocheter for giving us quite a laugh and letting Hana model her original creation. May really has been full of surprises. Sorry, it's been so long since my last post. Hana is definitely growing and changing everyday. She now has three teeth! They're all on the bottom. She's had some fussy moments, but overall, she's done very well. She's been doing a good job with the baby food too. Finally, she's able to eat peas and not gag. Grandpa is so proud.


She continues to smile, laugh, and bounce. This girl really loves to be on her feet. We're wondering if she's going to be an early walker, but so far, she isn't sitting up without a little support. But, it looks like it won't be long.Hana has been keeping up with her busy schedule of baby ballroom dancing, ECFE class, and many outings in the sunshine.


Daddy takes her out in the backpack just about everyday. It brings back a lot of memories of Mieko at this time of year. Though she was too big for the backpack last year, she spent a lot of time on the tricycle and on the swings. Daddy points out every dog and kitty in the neighborhod and Hana usually giggles whens he sees them.


We spent Mother's Day weekend with the animals. We went to Shepherd's Harvest in Lake Elmo and checked out the llamas, alpacas, angora bunnies, sheep, and goats. The baby goats were Hana's favorites. We also watched some sheep shearing and sheepdogs in action.


We had a nice Mother's Day dinner by Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis. We miss Mieko so much during these times, but it's nice to visit the places we used to go with her.


Next is Father's Day, the 4th of July, and then the anniversary of Mieko's passing. We are still working on getting a tree planted in the St. Paul park near our house. It will bring us comfort to be able to visit the place Mieko enjoyed and see her tree.



We were so proud of her last Spring, when she was able to walk with her walker all the way to the park. Later in July, we'll be going to the Support Organization for Trisomy 18, 13, and Related Disorders picnic in Roanoke, Virginia. We'll relase a balloon for Mieko like we did in Colorado last year. We met some incredible people and look forward to seeing them again.

Thanks to everyone for keeping us in your thoughts during this time. All the firsts are hard, but they're made easier knowing friends and family are with us. Of course, Hana keeps us smiling as well as our precious memories.

6 Months and Feelin' Fine

Hana hit the six month mark and is moving right along. At her check-up, she weighed 15 pounds, 15 ounces (63%). She was 25.8 inches long (67%) and her head size was 16.9 inches (76%). So, it appears she's right in the middle of the pack for kids her age.

We've hit some milestones as well. Hana started eating solid foods. She really likes the fruits like pears and bananas. She also likes the orange veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes, but the green veggies...not so much. In fact, she gags on them and throws them up. Grandpa is going to be disappointed. Since we're just getting her used to solids, we won't be pushing the issue right now.

Hana also had her first tooth poke through on the bottom. The teething is making her drool like crazy, but she's not too fussy. She has her unhappy moments, but for the most part she's coping well. Her only other problem is the eczema on her cheeks. We've put her on a stronger cortisone cream and we've taken dairy out of her diet (and Mommy's). After a couple of weeks of these changes, it seems to be getting better.

She's getting closer to sitting up on her own, but still not quite there. We've pulled out Mieko's floor table and she's playing with toys while propped up against the couch. Hana's already playing with some of Mieko's favorite toys. It still amazes us how fast she's developing. Her hands are all over the place and her mouth too. She loves to grab fabric and crinkly things. She's getting very attached to a little blankie/teether.

We've been out walking a lot, sometimes more than once a day. Hana loves the backpack and looking around up high. We went to the Walk for Animals and she was fascinated with all the critters. It seems like she gets very chatty while we're walking around. We're looking forward to spending the rest of spring and summer out and about.

We hope to take another driving vacation too, but this time we'll be headed east to Roanoke, Virginia for the annual SOFT (Support Org. for Trisomy 18, 13, and Related Disorders) Conference. We'll release a balloon again for Mieko and meet up with many friends we usually only see online.

Last weekend, I attended a memorial service for those who passed away at Children's Hospitals last year. It was good to see some of the friends I've met through the Children's grief groups. Some of us really bonded. We all had a chance to light candles for the kids and share mementos, photos, and stories. It was a very touching outlet for the parents and siblings. There are few places where everyone in the room understands your loss, but it was also so sad to see the photos of all the beautiful children who are no longer with us. It was intense to see how deeply each child was loved, but also missed. I think we were all grateful for the opportunity to share, even if it was painful. One of the chaplains talked about how our experiences showed us we are capable of such great love. But, I think we were the lucky ones to be loved so well by Mieko.

Spring Break in California

Hana was great during her first plane ride. As you can see, she felt right at home. After only a little fussing, she slept the rest of the way to Los Angeles. The next day, we drove to the Sacramento area with Grandma and Grandpa for my cousin Jeff's wedding. Hana enjoyed meeting all of the family members there, some Shawn and I hadn't seen for many years. As you can tell, her cousins were very intrigued.

The wedding was in a small town called Walnut Grove and the reception was nearby at a huge mansion in the middle of orchards.
We all had a great time and Hana seemed to like all the attention.

Next, we drove to Corte Madera north of San Francisco to see Shawn's brother Dave and his family. We got to watch cousin Nick play some baseball and cousin Emily introduced us to their new kittens Cooper and Chloe.


On our way back to L.A., we also visited our friends Genie and Pat Hoggard in San Jose. We strolled through the San Jose rose garden while catching up.

We spent the rest of the time visiting with friends and family in L.A. and , of course, eating our favorite foods and searching out new delicacies to try. Shawn had his pilgrimage to L.A.'s #1 taco truck, which parks in front of Nishikawa Auto Service in Pasadena.

We also had fresh, handmade tofu from Meiji Tofu in Gardena. The biggest thing in L.A. right now is Korean Tacos from the Kogi BBQ truck.


Grandma and I waited 2 and a half hours for these tacos. They were really good, but I don't think I'd ever wait that long for any food again.



Hana got to meet her cousin Lani, who I hadn't seen since she was about five years old. She's now 14. That was a real treat. We also had a get together with some friends from high school and their families.

You can see Hana was ready to chest bump her new friend Sydney, who is exactly two months younger, but has much more hair. She also liked meeting Charlie, the Howorth family's new puppy.


We spent a lot of time outside. We walked almost everyday. Hana loves going for walks in the baby bjorn or her Daddy's backpack.


She's also giggling. Here's a fit of laughter prompted by Grandpa.


Hana is getting very good with her hands. She can pull her pacifier out and put it back in. She also transfers objects from one hand to the other. We really noticed on vacation how focused she can be on the things around her. She loved reaching out and touching the plants and flowers. She's become increasingly interested in toys, especially chewing on them. We love watching her explore her world.


So, it's back to work and Hana's social schedule. We'll be starting another session of baby ballroom next week and getting back to ECFE class. We're so thankful we had the chance to spend time with so many wonderful friends and family members. We hope to see them again soon.