Happy Birthday Mieko and Daddy

March has always been a busy month for us with two family birthdays. Of course, this year has been different without Mieko. But, thanks to our friends at Rondo School, we had a very special celebration on what would have been Mieko's 5th birthday.

They invited us for lunch at school and we had the chance to thank volunteer Skip who designed and built Mieko's music bus. Everyone had a chance to see the bus and check out all of the musical instruments.



We donated a guitar in honor of Mieko's birthday. She always loved the guitar during music therapy. It was wonderful to spend the day with people who knew and loved Mieko. It means so much for us to stay connected to them.

We went to dinner that night at the Rainforest Cafe, where we took Mieko for her first birthday. Hana liked the monkeys, but got a little overstimulated. We are thankful for all of the friends and family members who helped support us on a day we missed Mieko's smile even more than usual. It helps to know other people are thinking about her too.

Daddy celebrated his birthday with a big burrito...then his favorite African food (at Fasika) a few days later. He's really enjoying taking Hana out in the backpack everyday now that it's warmer. She really enjoys seeing the neighborhood. We're hoping she will fit in the backpack through the rest of summer and fall.

Hana is getting so animated. Check out her wiggling here:

One of her big recent discoveries has been her toes.



Shes' gotten pretty good at rolling but isn't sitting up just yet. Hana's using both her hands to play with toys and, like most babies at five months, she likes grabbing things and putting them in her mouth. No teeth yet, though she does drool quite a bit. She pets and sometimes grabs the kitties too. She's also become very vocal and laughs a lot. We're so lucky to have such a happy, smiley girl (again).


Hana still doesn't sleep through the night, though sometimes she sleeps for longer stretches of about 5 to 7 hours. We're trying formula with rice cereal at night, which helps sometimes. We'll try solids in about a month.



We're looking forward to visiting Grandma and Grandpa in L.A. in a couple of weeks. We'll be going to a wedding in Northern California too, so we'll have a chance to see many relatives. We're really excited for warmer weather both here and in California. But, we're also concerned about everyone in Fargo. We hope all the Johnsons and friends stay dry and safe and the city is OK.


One more thing... March 31st is "End the R Word" Day. This is a campaign by the Special Olympics to teach everyone about hurtful language used against people with intellectual disabilities. If you'd like to learn more, go to r-word.org. Mieko would be proud of you.

Big Head Hana and the Kitties

Hana is changing in many ways. She just had her four month check-up and her stats have flipped around. At 2 months, she was at 78% for height and now she's at 21% (23.8 inches). Her weight was 66% and now she's 43% (13 pounds and 14 oz) and her head went from 54% to 80%. Her pediatrician isn't concerned since Shawn and I both have sizable melons too (she didn't say it that way). We're pleased she's continuing to grow so well and we're anticipating many more such changes. Hana still doesn't sleep through the night, but her doctor says it might not happen for a couple more months. We're actually getting used to it. We're so thankful she's a healthy baby. Her biggest problem right now is eczema. What a completely different world.

Hana is such a happy little girl. She's laughing and smiling a lot now. She reacts to other people's expressions and, much like Mieko, she smiles with her whole body. She's quite flirty and tries to get people's attention, so that they'll smile back at her. Hana really loves to stand up. We've been putting her in the hanging jumpy thing and she does a pretty good river dance impression. She also manages to propel herself quite well.



Daddy calls her a little adrenaline junkie, since she loves all the big movement and action. Seeing Hana develop is a joy, but also different for us. We were used to Mieko's slow progression. She really worked hard for each new skill. We celebrated everything she accomplished. There was no such thing as a small achievement. Hana seems to be changing so fast. In the past few days, she's been rolling from her back to her tummy. She can also roll from her tummy to back. She likes to reach and grab for toys. Auntie Sue gave her an activity tunnel. Both Hana and our kitty Jordan love it.

We're starting the next session of Baby Ballroom in a week. We'll be tackling the waltz, swing, and cha-cha. We also started an Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) class. It's in the same building as Mieko's school, which gives us a chance to say "hi" to our friends. Hana is one of only two babies in the class, the rest are around two or older. We play all together for the first part of the class, then the parents split off to discuss parenting issues like potty training and saying "no". It's not all that relevant now, but the infant-only classes are full. I'm still enjoying meeting the other parents and teachers. Hana stays with me in the class for now. When she's 6 months old, she can go to an infant/toddler playroom with a teacher.



Meanwhile, Shawn is also back in school. He's going to Hamline University at night to get a reading specialist licensure. It will probably take him the rest of this year to finish. As you've seen, Shawn and Hana enjoy reading together. She also enjoys watching Daddy eat burgers (our new Valentine's tradition with friends) . This year, he only ate one and didn't win anything. Last year he won a t-shirt and a stomachache.


Some of you know, Mieko's birthday is coming up on March 9th. She would have been five years old and in her second year of pre-school at Rondo. We're so touched that her friends at Rondo are inviting us for lunch that day. We're grateful to be able to share part of this day with them. Shawn, Hana, and I will also do something together that evening. We'll make it something Mieko would've enjoyed. Though we know it will be a tough day without her, we are trying to focus on all the wonderful times we had together, and of course, that smile.

Dancing Queen (Princess)

We've been getting used to new routines, now that the holidays are over. I went back to work earlier in January. Hana has been taking a bottle pretty well, but she wakes up more often at night. Instead of once a night, she now gets up about three times a night. She doesn't usually stay up, but either wants to eat or take a pacifier. We're really hoping for some longer stretches soon. However, the work schedule is fine. On Fridays, one of Mieko's former care attendants and another college student take care of Hana. Daddy has her all weekend. He's anxious for the weather to get warmer, so they can walk the neighborhood. Until then, it's trips to the Mall of America or snuggling up with a good book.


Hana had her two month appointment in January and her first shots. She did pretty well. Sorry this info is so delayed, but on January 7th she weighed 12 pounds and 2 ounces and was 24 inches long. She's in the 66% for weight and 78% height. I don't know where the height comes from, definitely not from the Nishikawas. As you can tell from her cheeks, she doesn't miss too many meals.


Hana seems to be getting more interested in her hands. She's grabbing toys more often and batting at things. She's still cooing away, which we love. She also really likes being on her feet. We've been putting her on the exersaucer with a pillow underneath, since she can't reach the bottom. She really likes being upright and seeing things.


We started Baby Ballroom with Meghan. Hana's in a class with three little boys, all a little older. She seems to like the movement as well as the songs and parachute time. It's fun to dance around with the babies and let them look at each others like partners. Hana also likes to admire herself in the mirror, of course. Mieko always loved the dancing and it's nice to carry on this tradition. This session we're re-learning Tango, Salsa, and Rhumba. It's all coming back to me. We'll be continuing for a few weeks with the New Parent Connection class at United as well. We're also thinking about baby yoga. We like to be busy, even if it is cold.

In other news, we have a strange update on our kitty Bailey. We received a letter from the organization in charge of cremating her remains. They said the van carrying Bailey's body had been stolen from an animal clinic. But, they later found the van with the animals inside. Whoever stole it, left it on the street somewhere and it ended up in the impound lot. The organization not only paid for the cremation, but also gave us a free urn. Weird huh?


Lastly, we want to wish Grandpa Mits a happy 70th birthday! Woo hoo! We'll be seeing him and all the family and friends in California in early April for Spring Break and my cousin Jeff's wedding. Until then, we're thinking warm thoughts. For those of you outside Minnesota, it's been the coldest January in 30 years!

Fargo to South Pasadena Express

Get ready... this is a long post with many pictures!



We just returned from a great couple of weeks on the road for the holidays. First, we went to Fargo for an early Christmas celebration with the Johnson family. Hana enjoyed all the attention from her cousins, aunts, and uncles and a special visit from Santa.



It was 12 below zero with a 40 mile an hour wind when we left Fargo for the Los Angeles area. The blowing snow made visibility tough, but we were fine by the time we left the Dakotas. It took us three days to get to South Pasadena, where I grew up. Both Hana and Bailey (our second oldest cat) did well. Bailey needed daily medication and other care, which is why she went with us.

It was rainy, but of course, much warmer in South Pas. for Christmas. We spent it with Grandpa Mits and Grandma Akemi and the Sakai family.



Hana especially enjoyed meeting Rabbit.

We included Mieko in our celebrations by giving each family member an ornament with her picture and a dvd of the videos from her Celebration Service. The last time I had been home was two years ago with Mieko.


We spent the next week visiting with friends home for the holidays from all over the U.S. and even Africa. Hana hit a lot of tourist attractions, including the Santa Monica Pier, Griffith Park, and La Jolla Cove in San Diego.

She also went hiking for the first time (in Daddy's backpack) in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley.

Luckily, Hana is very easy going. She's smiling and babbling a lot now, which delighted her family and new found friends.

One of the highlights of the trip was an historic tour of Little Tokyo in Downtown L.A. I had been there many times, but never knew the history of the buildings. We also visited the WWII monument to Japanese American service members, where I found my Uncle Frank's name.

A California vacation wouldn't be complete without a lot of our favorite food. Shawn satisfied his craving for carne asada tacos from the taco truck at Nishikawa Auto Service. In fact, one night he ate 18 of them! We also had Chinese Dim Sum, Korean BBQ, Baja fish tacos, and much more. To top off the culinary adventure, my Dad made soba noodles from scratch.

If you eat the noodles on New Year's Eve, it's supposed to bring you long life. On New Year's Day, we had a traditional Japanese soup called Ozoni. The other dishes symbolized peace, family, and wealth. Our tastebuds had quite a workout.

New Year's Day we did what the locals do around Pasadena... watch the Rose Parade on T.V. and avoid the parade route. Instead, we walked around Lacy Park and enjoyed the sunshine and 70 degree weather.

Our trip home was not quite as bright. Bailey took a turn for the worse and we tried to get to St. Paul as soon as possible. The freezing rain in Iowa and Southern Minnesota made the trip even longer. When we took Bailey to the emergency vet clinic, we discovered her kidney disease had advanced and she also had lymphoma. We were glad we spent some quality time together before she went to the hospital. We said goodbye to her early Sunday morning. We're trying not to be sad because she had a long and happy life. We hope Mieko is taking care of her now.


We wish you all the best in 2009!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

As you can see, Hana has been really busy this holiday season. She had her photo shoot with Santa at Steamworks Coffee in North Minneapolis.


Though she was a little bored at times, there were some really cute shots.

Mieko had her first Santa pictures taken here last year. Though it was hard to go back without her, we really wanted Hana to have the same experience. She did a great job!



Hana also hit the holiday party circuit. She tried bowling at the WCCO Kids' party. She didn't mind being passed around at the Osseo Senior High English Department Party and even shared a few smiles. She also showed people how she could pout. Good thing she didn't do this for Santa.

Hana is definitely showing more personality. She often gets excited and kicks her legs and waves her arms while she smiles. She's "talking" more and we have fun taking turns making sounds. For the past couple of weeks, Hana has started sleeping for longer stretches at night, usually about four to four and a half hours. We're feeling more rested and used to our routine. The next challenge is getting her to take a bottle well. I'll be going back to work January 9th. I can't believe how fast the twelve weeks have gone.

We wanted to do something for the kids at Rondo for Christmas in honor of Mieko. We added some new instruments to the music bus, including an electronic keyboard type instrument that Mieko loved. The bus is fully decorated now and looks great. We got to see the kids in action with the instruments and they seemed to be having a blast. We'll add more goodies to the bus on Mieko's birthday in March. We think she would be happy to know her friends are enjoying the instruments so much.

We'll have one last hurrah before my leave is over. We're headed to Fargo for an early Christmas celebration with the Johnsons, then it's off the Los Angeles. We're hoping for good weather, but it looks like another storm is on the way here in the Upper Midwest. We're anxious for some warmth and authentic carne asada tacos. Of course, we're excited to see our family and friends in Southern California too.


Though the holidays will be so different this year without Mieko, we're trying to focus on all the wonderful memories. Her stocking is up next to her sister's new one. Mieko and Hana both have handprint ornaments on the tree. We're also giving family members a special remembrance of Mieko. She will be included in our family celebrations this year and always. We want to wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season. We hope you have a healthy and happy 2009.