Pretty Please

Domo Arigatou, Ikeda Family

Since it's 2010, we're doing Thank you videos instead of Thank you letters! (haha, just kidding Mom, don't have a heart attack.) Izzy and Ethan were SO excited about all of the stuff the Ikedas sent them via Momo and Jiji, that I wanted to take a video and post it...besides, air mail to Japan takes like 7 days so the Thank you note won't arrive for a little while!


Satoru-san and Akiko-san, honto ni arigatou gozaimasu!

Arigatou, Momo and Jiji!

Momo and Jiji recently got back from an incredible trip to Thailand and Japan, and they sent the Babe and E-man some jinbei (Japanese pajamas). They have been perfect for the warm weather we've (finally!) been having, and they're super cute too. Domo arigatou, Momo & Jiji!




We also brought out the beautiful kimono the Ikedas got for Izzy when she was born, but I'm embarrassed to say that I don't remember how to properly put one on! I think Izzy could sense it when I dressed her:

But then she got comfortable:


Meanwhile, E-man has taken a liking to Izzy's headband and loves to wear it around the house:

If I only had a heart...

(just kidding, we know you have the biggest heart ever, Gumbo!)

Leos, Leos, everywhere

We've been celebrating a lot of Leo birthdays lately. First, E-man on July 27th, then Kelly on August 5th and Koko on August 9th.

Happy birthday, Kelly & Koko!

Party on the horse swing




We celebrated Kelly's birthday at her childhood neighbor's house, too. It was a pool party but we've had an unusually cool Summer in San Diego so most of us didn't brave the chilly pool...

Instead we played on the grass,



Iz did some ab exercises:


And of course we ate cake (look at Porter trying to blow the candle out at the same time as his mama):

The Texans Come to SD

Our dear friends The Mehtas came all the way from Austin to visit us, and it was the most fun ever! As we usually do when we get together, we enjoyed a lot of wonderful food, laughed a lot, and managed to squeeze in the zoo, the beach, a bike ride, and several trips to Trader Joes. :) M, N, & N, we miss you already and can't wait to start planning our next trip to Austin!

E-man tries out his first cowboy hat:


Iz & Nico were really cute together:



Nico taking sock puppets literally:


Matilda the Koala at the zoo:


"Look! Monkeys!!"


More monkeys:


Is that your hippo face?


Auntie Monique & Nico




Nico's first Skyfari / Air tram ride:




Some of the yummy food we ate:
Lucha Libre


Blue Water


Blind Lady Ale House


Nico trying to play catch with Gumbo:


Nico's first bike ride (Gumbo's making sure their seatbelts are fastened):



Beach time!

Don't look so excited, girls!

Happy Birthday E-man!

It's hard to believe that it's already been a year since our Big Bubba was born. I can still remember very vividly watching The Goonies at midnight on July 26th when the intense labor pains started (only 10 hours before the scheduled c-section was supposed to happen!).

What a wonderful year it's been. Seems like just yesterday we were marvelling at his first smile. Now we laugh at how he waves byebye, how he crawls at very high speeds all through the house--especially towards the front or back door if it's open--how he peeks around the corner to see what you're up to, how he laughs at the most mundane things that his big sister does, how he can't get enough of any food that we put in front of him, how he goes only in reverse on his riding toy. He's starting to get road rage on his walking toy just like his big sis did at this age, too...must run in the family. Happy 1st birthday, E-man!

Birthday boy:

E-man and Iz get the bday celebration started:

Then they share a yogurt stick:


His teachers made him a special birthday crown:

Eating cake for the first time:


Video proof: