3 months

I can't believe how much Rain has grown in just 3 short months!

She is such a sweet girl and getting stronger every day.

There are a lot of things she likes to do these days - one important one, finding her hands!

Serious concentration holding her toy

Look at me! I'm so strong!!

Well, I'm getting there...

Something about this screams crime scene. It's actually rare to find her sleeping like this - she normally needs to be swaddled to sleep! (Yes, I realize we're going to be in trouble very soon when we can't swaddle her anymore!)

Another favorite thing to do these days - coo at the mobile!

This picture makes me think of all the Japanese people (strangers included) who see her and respond - "like a doll!"

Bundled up enjoying the view!

6 week photo shoot

I'm a little behind getting these posted, but I wanted to share some pictures of Rain's first photo shoot. The pictures were taken at our house when she was 6 weeks old - it will be nice to look back on them one day and remember her first home. It's very strange to think her home will change so many times - growing up I only had two homes and they were literally down the street from each other (my parents bought our neighbor's land and house so we moved roughly half a mile down the street!) Since I essentially lived in the same place until I graduated high school, it's funny to think how different Rain's life will be... the life of a military child... hopefully she will never think of it as a sacrifice but as an adventure and will know that home isn't really about the house, it's about the family and love inside it.

Tokyo and Fuji-san

Before Christmas we made our first trip to Tokyo as a family of 3 to make Rain legal! Since she was born in Japan we had to go to the US Embassy to have her sworn in as a citizen and get her Consular Report of Birth Abroad (otherwise known as a birth certificate) and apply for a passport!

Of course, we made the best of our trip by seeing a few sites while we were there... including this group of Japanese Elvis impersonators!

Complete with a group of Japanese poodle skirt wearing dancers! They played Elvis' music and danced - SOOO awesome!

We also got to enjoy Christmas lights in Harajuku

Visit Tokyo Tower (sorry this is blurry!!)

And since our hotel was literally right beside Tokyo Tower we had plenty of picture opportunities!

More Christmas lights and decorations at our hotel!

Christmas day was absolutely gorgeous here with beautiful clear skies, so clear that we could see Mt. Fuji from our neighborhood! We've lived here a year and a half now and this was the first time we realized that you can actually see Mt. Fuji from where we live - incredible.

Rain's First Christmas

Rain's first Christmas was a pretty relaxed, low key affair. Pre-Christmas festivities included seeing Christmas lights in Tokyo, decorating our tree, meeting Santa, hearing her first Christmas carols, making sugar cookies, and watching Christmas classics. Of course she slept thru most of this but it was still fun!

Shane had duty on Christmas Eve, but he was home about 8am Christmas morning and we ate breakfast, opened gifts, and skyped with family. (Have I mentioned that I LOVE skype recently... it's such a blessing to be able to SEE our family and friends and for them to see Rain!) Andy, Tif, and Tyler came over for dinner and it was great to hang out with them! They arrived in Japan the same week we did, had a baby 6 months before us, and are one of the few couples that will be in Japan until we leave (several of our friends have left/are leaving soon) so, we definitely have a lot in common and are lucky to have them as friends. Since Tyler is about 6 months older than Rain we also got a glimpse into our future a few months from now and all I can say is wow. It's amazing how mobile he is and such a cute personality... it's crazy how many milestones Rain will hit in such a short amount of time - crawling, and walking, and eating - oh my!

I absolutely love this picture. Yes, she has him wrapped around her little finger already!

Rain's first ornament... she wasn't really into decorating the tree so she hung out in her chair while Shane and I hung the ornaments!

Putting on the star.

Christmas morning... looking VERY excited to open gifts! :)

Actually, she was just excited to look at Daddy!

Cutest Christmas bloomers ever! Thanks Baba!

Now Daddy will always be close!

Okoshiyasu doll I made for Rain in Kimekome class - Okoshiyasu means welcome in Kyoto, Japan.

Posing with her puppy from Grandma!

Looking cute with Frosty

Such a camera ham!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

One last picture - looking cute on New Year's Day.