Mt Hakkoda

Christina and I hiked/snowshoeed up Mount Hakkoda on Saturday becuase I wanted to see the snow monsters. The trees are really really tall on the moutain and in the wintertime they get snowed over utnil just the top 5 or6 feet are showing and they're so covered in snow they look like mishapen snowmen. Most of the snow melted right before we went up, but there was another good snow a few days prior. OF course I didn't even take any pictures of them when we were in the middle of them. . . but that's why I went and I saw them and it ws cool.

The main road that's the quickets way to get up to the starting point was closed still from the winter. So we had to drive all the way around for an extra hour or so and even stop at an onsen for directions to make sure we were going the right direction.

I was really excited for the hike, but about 10 minutes into it I thought I was going to DIE. I don't know what possessed me to want ot hike hte mountain! But I would have felt like a total retard if I bailed out before we got out of sight of the car. But really, it was painful att the beginning. SHe's a fast walker too, so that was awesome. Fortunately it ended up getting a LOT better after I got into a groove. Or maybe my body just realized that it was going to be hiking for the next while so it should jsut sort it out. I could even talk to Christina later on in the hike. I still had to stop alot more than she did, but she was cool and let me rest all I needed.

We didn't have to forge the trail until farther up the mountain, but fortunately Christna was in the lead for that part.

Heres us at the top. It only took us 1:15 to get up there. It was really nice weather until we were in the canyon part. Then the wind and ssnow really kicked up. But it was nice up at the top by the cabin. (semi snow monstes in the back--the only picture I have of any trees up there becuase I"m retarded)


Heres Christina and Shep, her dog. He seemed to really love hte snow. I felt bad though becuase he would have hiked it faster if it wasn't for me! : ) He's an awesome dog though. Thats a japanese couple who arrived right behind us. We couldn't figure out how to open the door to the cabin, the woman in red helped us.

You'd lift a wooden panel up then pull it out and you'd have to crouch down and sort of drop down into this 'mud room' area. To the right was a sliding door that you'd heave open and you'd drop down again into another mud room not much bigger than the first. THen there was another door into the actual cabin.

Here's the inside of hte cabin. Its a national park, so the cabin is built to sleep as many people as possible in case they get stuck up there in a storm or arrive to late to make it back down the mountain. So its set up like three tiers of giant bunk beds. THere's even fouton bedding rolled up (cna see a bit to the left) Christina is making Stephen's Mint Hot Chocolate for us. It was sooooo good! TO the right there were also heaters and some fuel. But Christina said if you're planning on camping you're suppossed to bring your own fuel then leave any left overs. I was just thinking how something like this would NEVER work in the states. ITs too bad it wouldn't though, becuasei t was pretty cool.








Heres the entrance to the cabin. Christina is sitting behind the camera. THat's my coat hanging up. You can see a ladder for more bunk beds on that side.

As we were finishing up our food and hot chocoalte a Japanese hiker came in and put his pack down and pointed to shep and said "Dog! OUT!" A little gruff for Japanese people, but maybe its all he knew or he was allergic or something. But anyway, we packed up and headed back down the moutain. Judging from his pack he was spending the night up there.

Here's us at hte bottom. Theres a cool looking snow cave archway behind us. I jammed a piece of cardboard into the side of the snow mountain and set my camera on it,that's why the picture is all funny. IT only took us about an hour to get down the moutain--the rest of which is behind us to the right.

On the way down I was behind christina. I couldn't wear my glasses under the snow goggles and teh wind and snow really kicked up on the way down the canyon, so my snowshoes kept catching the snow funny becuase I couldn't see where I was putting them so I kept falling down/over. It was exhausting, and annoying, but funny too. I kept yelling to christina "Ahh!" Wait! Oh no! Oh come on! Christina! I can see NOTHING of the topography here!!" (that was about 5 falls in there). So she let me be in front on the way down and my falling significantly decreased.

I told her to yell loud if she fell or needed me to stop becuase I coudln't really hear. And she said "anna! what if something happened? I broke a leg or something? what would you do?" I said I'd dig a little snow cave for us and hang out until spring becuase it was already march 28th and she had 2 MREs in her bag for just such an event. She laughed, but I was serious.

Fortunately I dind't have ot lead for long. ONce out of hte canyon she took over again and I could see becuase hte snow and wind finally abated.

I had two of the beehives watch clara at my house all day. I picked them up at 7:45am and got home at 5 pm. So it was an all day event (mainly becuase hte mountain was pretty far away-only about three hours to get up the mountain, eat and come back down) but it sure was fun! I'd like to do it again next year. But I'll have ot buy some snow pants and extra layers becuase christina gave me most of my gear. She's 'outdoorsy' like that : )

Washi Paper Dolls

I have a problem.

The Far East Bazaar was this weekend. That's not hte problem. The problem started last year when I bought a handmade washi paper doll from a woman who is a Japanese National Treasure (like, she's listed with Mt Fuji and Cherry Blossoms on Japan's list of National Treasures because of her dolls) and I've been staring at it for the past five months.

Since the bazaar is now only once a year, I now have 7 dolls total to tide me over until next march.

I KNOW! And they're not cheap dolls either! BUt they're so stinkin' cute! WAY cuter then stuff I see in the BX hallway.

I acutally bought some as gifts, but I hate to part with them becuase they're all so cute. I"m now torn and trying to rationalize buying a cheaper 'trinket-ey' gift for people and keeping my expensive paper dolls.

I need to take pictures becuase they're so much cuter then the images you get when you google search "washi paper dolls". So don't think that's what I spent my money on (but oh, spend it I did!)

Happy 1st Birthday Clara!

I had Clara's birthday at the Weasel's Den on base today. Yes it's the 21st, but the 12th was a really busy time and I couldn't get it together for that weekend. Plus tyler was maybe going ot be able to be home this weekend (maybe turned into no--I was mad) and the weasel's den was acutally available. So, the 21st it was.

I invited children (and parents, I guess ; ) from both chruch and the squadron and there was a pretty good turn out. I should have probably made more food, but I thought it was ok. I made a plate of nori rolls (cucumber and tamago (egg omlett)), tortilla shape sandwiches (PBJ, PBH), regualr bread sandwiches (variety of meats), made two veggie platters and a spinach salad. Cupcakes for dessert with a special 3-layer madarin orange creme cake for Clara. PLus waters and small juice boxes in a cooler.

After eating a bit and before the kids ran off to play in the den, I put clara in a clear plastic storage bin (borrowed from Cammi Farrer--thanks Cammi!) with her cake. I lit the candle, but put it out myself becuase it hit me as I was putting a LIGHTED CANDLE in a plastic bin with my daughter that it probably wasn't the best idea. . . . so I literally lit it, put it out and took it away. Whatever. She'll have plenty of chances to blow out birthday candles that she'll acutally remember : )

She took a while to understand that it was cake. She didn't really touch it or act excited or anything and I was a little bummed. She kept poking it with one finger. Then I gave her a taste off my finger and she seemed to get the idea a little better. But I was still impressed with the amount of cake NOT on her outfit. She did just fine on her face-hahahaha! but really not too much stuff on her outfit (which I bought on sale a while ago and saved it becuase I thought it would be the perfect spring time birthday outfit. . . except I didn't realize it would be so freaking cold here in northern japan in marcH!)

Anyway, the bin idea worked great (I think Kendall told me about htat one). And lots of people thought it was clever. THe kids seemed to like the cupcakes and watching clara and playing and I enjoyed all the adults that came out--just wish I'd made more food.

I had my friend Julie Blumennkrantz be in charge of documentation for me. She and her husband took videos and picture for me and Tyler (since he's gone) so that was really nice of them.

After cake I had ot change clara's outfit and she had to go potty, so that's why she's totally nekid in the picture. I didn't do it just for kicks : )

Oh, and my car key is around my neck BECUASE:

I'm aout ot leave hte house and have finished loading up the car and realize i can't find my keys. . . ANYWHERE. I call Chrissy COoke in a panic "have you left yet? I may need a ride to my daughter's birthday!" Keep searching searching searching, nowhere. Not even the spare can be found! Ahhh! So 15 minutes later, and two more (unasnwered) phone calls later I find the spare key. The single, alone, spare key on no key chain. I load clara in the car and arrive at the Den 10 minutes late!

Mary Lugar was nice enough to help me bring food, coolers and decorations in and help me set up. Fortunately I blew up the balloons and tied them in little bunches the night before! So in an effort to NOT lose this, my only key, I put some ribbon from the balloons through it and hooked it around my neck (like I used to wear the Whale Tail robert gave me from Thailand before it broke). I got some odd looks and some questions, but I just explained that I was NOT going to lose this key too and if I lose it now, I obviously have larger problems on my plate.

Fortunately while cleaning up and adding more juice boxes to the cooler I found where my regular key had dropped.  BUt still, it was a pretty stressfull way to start out Clara's birthday party!

sj

It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Closes the Door

Clara likes opening and closing doors now. I have to be careful and make sure the doors are latched closed all the way because she can get her teeny tiny little fingers in the space between the doors (they overlap) and pry them open. Sometimes I'd swear she gets them open when there were definitely latched.

Its a fun peek-a-boo game until she closes the door and realizes that she can't open it again.

Exhibit A

Sunday Outfit

I got Clara dressed for Church this morning and just thought her outfit was so stinkin' cute. Fortunately I had some extra time this morning to take a few pictures. The shoes and hooded top are from the Baby Bunny Store (which is really called "Pine Tree" in Japanese, but I don't' know how to say pine tree in Japanese and no one would know what I was talking about if I referred to the store as "Pine Tree"). The skort is from Children's place (and I want the matching patchwork bucket hat SO BAD!) the pink longsleeve onsies (kimono wrap style) is from Land's End and her leggings are from babysnazz, or maybe target.

But here's my super cute little girl dressed appropriately for a day at church in japan. Now if only I could get her to stop screeching. . . .

Here's a video clip of her in her outfit and her standard activity. I like the last few frames of her face : )

I Do "Strong Work" or Clara's 1 year Appointment

Today I took Clara in for her 1 year check up.

She weighs 18.2 pounds (10th percentile)
She is 29 inches long (50th percentile)
Her head is 17.25 inches in diameter (25th percentile)

Towards the end of the appointment the Dr. (who looks to be about the same age as Doogie Howser and whose wife, according to a friend, just delivered their first child) was asking if I had any concerns or anything about her development and just asking questions in general about her and I mentioned that she only has two volumes. Complete silence or ear peircing shriek.

Not words or syllables, just shrieks and screeches. She used to do "mamama" and "bababa" and would mimick tyler or I in sound and volume, but that only lasted for about a month when she was around 10 months. Since then its either silence or "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!"

Sometimes it sounds like "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" But you get the idea I'm sure.

So he gives me a surprised face and asks me more about her noises and communication and I explain "Well, she'll sign. She'll sign dog, more, food, milk, but she doesn't make verbal noises unless its to screech." And I pointed to the dog painted on the wall and asked clara "what's that?" and she signed "Dog".

Then I put her down on the table and said "So, I know she understands stuff, she just doesn't. . . "

Just then clara stopped moving, made a weird sigh/exhale and grabbed her diaper (which was easy becase she was naked except for it) looked up at me and signed "potty". I said "You have to go potty?" and stood her up to check her diaper and she had just peed so as I'm taking it off and changing it out I finish my sentance ". . . she just doesn't verbalize at all, really. But like I said, she signs."

And when I turned around ot look at the Dr. he was obviously surprised that my 12 month old just realized she peed and communicated that to me. (We had just finished the part of the exam where he took her diaper off to examine her region and hip sockets, and the diaper was dry then--for all you nay-sayers our there : )

He said, "Wh, that's wet? Yes, so, that's strong work! That's really strong work you're doing. Yes, so, she's obviously communicating to you, so I'd say give it a few more months and if at her 18month check up she's not more verbal, then we'll look into it."

I guess I'll just have to talk out loud to her more (becuase its hard to carry on a completely one sided converstaion) and if she doesn't start making some non-shriek/screech noises by 18 months I'll take her to Roxanna : )

As I was leaving the office, I pondered the Dr's choice of words. What am I doing? Conducting an experiment? Or doing research? Yes motherhood is work, but it was just weird to hear him say it like I was in an academic or professional circle or soomething. I just thought it was odd. it almost felt like a boss was about to ask an employee to do something and the employee had already done it, so the boss just says, "Yes. strong work. Great job."

But all in all he's a pretty nice guy and seems to remember Clara (if only for her diapers that his wife thought were too much work) so, that's good. Good that he remebers her, not that his wife thought it was too much work to HELP THE PLANET!!! That's a post for Earth Day though, I guess.