Catch Up

I didn't get those Kyoto photos posted "as soon as we got home" as I intended. Kyoto was nice and we'd really like to go back - when it's not so hot. The heat was a killer. We made it to one shrine and the Nishiki Market - which has mostly food based products, then we had lunch and came back home. I don't think I could have made it all afternoon trudging along town in the heat.

@Temple in Kyoto

Nishiki Market

Getting our knives engraved

This is what Max did while we were purchasing knives

We had a great time with Nana. The day after Kyoto, we went to Osaka for the monthly shrine sale. It was again, excruciatingly hot, so we shopped 'til we dropped all morning, then headed back on island. We spent most the rest of our time on island and buying little odds and ends. She wanted to get Maximo a birthday present, so we went to Toys R Us and I stashed it away for him - and even got a birthday present for him too, which is really unlikely for me to do so early! On Friday, we went to the water park on island, which is really, really fun for Maximo. There are so many things he can do there and got more courageous to try some of the slides!

On Saturday, Nana left. Unfortunately, there was a little drama with her departure, but she made it on her flight (barely) but packed something we asked her to take back for Pete and Elvia's wedding (I'd be more precise, but they may read this!) and let's just say you shouldn't fly with it in your carry-on, so we have to return to the airport this week to go pick it up and try to ship it!

Since Nana left, I've been recovering! She wiped me out - in a good way. Really, it was more the heat than Nana. Max and John have been going out on secret missions to get Mommy ice cream (very important) and to catch bugs. We've also been just trying to stay cool.

Here's a cute little video from this week. Maximo has been talking so much - and in complete sentences. I'll have to post some of his best quotes lately, because he has us laughing all the time!

Three more weeks of vacation left... oh, where does the summer go?

A Week Chock Full of F-U-N!

Since Mom arrived we have been going at full speed almost the whole time. The first four days Mom was here it rained incessantly, then we went to Tokyo and came back to extreme heat and humidity - but at least it's easier to get around and we're not trapped in the house.When Mom arrived, it was Christmas in July which was fun, especially for Maximo. Nana was full of Thomas paraphernalia, so Maximo was super excited.

Maximo already in new pajamas and playing with new toys from Nana!

The next day we went to IKEA, 1. because Mom has never been to one 2. because we wanted to buy a "big boy bed" for Maximo. This may have not been the best plan. There were about 8 trillion people in IKEA, Maximo was HORRIBLE and his new bed got him off his sleeping schedule for about... well, tonight was the first night he went to bed without a bit of a fight.Maximo and Flavius trying out the new bed (this is the top bunk of the bed)

We then just relaxed and were kind of stuck in the house due to the weather for a few days, but ventured out in the gaps of rain for lunch, shopping and a little River Mall.

On Wednesday, we boarded the Shinkansen for Tokyo... Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea! This wasn't our original plan, but we scored a free night at one of the resort hotels and knew Mom would like being a part of Maximo's first experience at Disney! We had a great two days.

Nana, John and Maximo @ Disneyland Tokyo

On Thursday, we went to Tokyo Disneyland, which was a lot like Disney World, but, in my opinion, a bit better. It was a little more modern, there were a lot of places to sit down and there were also many shaded areas. John took Maximo on his first ride = Pirates of the Caribbean! He's really into pirates, but when he came out of the ride, he ran over to me, saying, "Mommy, pirate boat, little scary!" (John said he cried through some of it!) Pirates of the Caribbean - Maximo's first amusement park ride!

There were tons of little girls like this dressed up as princesses, I think there was a place you could go to dress up! I loved this one's hair! They must have been so hot in these dresses.

We persuaded him to get on another couple of rides with us - the train around part of the park, It's A Small World, and the carousel. We wouldn't go on any rides that had a wait, really the only thing I wish he could have done was the Dumbo ride, otherwise, we did all we needed to do. We went back to our hotel mid afternoon because Max was too wound up to sleep in the stroller in the park, then we returned for dinner at the Pirates of the Caribbean which was like stepping into Louisiana - very dark with lanterns and Spanish moss, then stayed and watched the Electric Parade. It was a fantastic day!

Water cannons shooting off from the castle - delicate Nana with her umbrella!

Maximo and Daddy on the carousel

On Friday, we headed to Disney Sea. To me, it was like what Epcot is to Disney World. It's an amusement park that has a water theme - all the different areas were different "ports" from around the world. It was scorching hot outside, but Max got to ride a few rides that didn't scar him for life and we saw a Little Mermaid show that was like little kid Cirque de Soleil. We went to a Mexican restaurant hoping for some decent Tex-Mex, which it didn't, but had a real Mexican band who played while we ate. Then we headed back on the Shinkansen for home.Maximo and Daddy on the Little Mermaid Flounder ride - pretty fast - he loved it!

Since then, we've been recovering from our trip. We've gone to Kobe Club for a swim, we went out to dinner one night for Kobe beef at Kochan's and we've shopped.

Tomorrow we head to Kyoto for the day. I'll try to post after our trip.
Here are more pictures from this month:

Morning at the Water Park

We're tracking Nana on FlightStats.com kind of like tracking Santa and his sleigh. (She'll probably bring as many gifts - no actually, probably more than what Santa usually delivers.)
On the horizon we have some pretty yucky weather coming our way and we've been trying to get together with one of Maximo's old schoolmates this week, so we decided to venture out to the Water Park this morning.There's a water park on island - and Max and Kiyona had a fabulous time! There were so many cool water features and all-in-all pretty safe. Max could play on his own without us standing guard the whole time. It was a great morning, and he quickly went off for a nap... until our next major event of the day... NANA'S ARRIVAL! We can't wait. She's about an hour from Tokyo as I write this, then she has another short flight into Osaka.

Maximo's favorite thing about the water park - the "big bucket" - once it fills it tips over and makes a loud noise and a ton of water comes out. He was fascinated, yet scared at the same time!
Time to go home!

S-T-R-E-T-C-H

This video is from two weeks ago, it's not that exciting, but here it is...

Maximo is the one in the green shorts and the red swim cap. He's the youngest by almost a year and he hangs in there. This is the class stretching before going up to the pool.

Home Again Home Again Jiggidy-Jig

I was discharged on Friday morning. I don't think I've ever been discharged when I said I was going to be discharged... actually even earlier. Max was in daycare, so I requested something American to eat - because I was a bit tired of the hospital food. John made me a BLT that was hands down the best one I've ever eaten. I slept like the dead that afternoon, then Max came home to me being home!

He was great when he came to the hospital, but he's really all boy these days - so he was using my propped up bed as a slide and twice he called the nurses' station. So it's much easier to hang with the monkey at home.

It is super nice to be home.

I can't really say the surgery was successful, because only time will tell. If this baby comes out full term about the 2nd week of December, then, yes, it went perfectly! But, I feel pretty good. I have a follow-up appointment in a week.

Unfortunately, all day yesterday it rained. Not just rained - POURED, so we had to get creative with Max, so it was art projects and playing chase around the house (all day long).
And in less than a week Nana comes, we can't wait!

Almost there

I got some good news this afternoon that I may be able to go home tomorrow. I am trying not to get too excited about this fact because I don't want to be disappointed if I'm not.

I know you've gotten more posts from this hospital stay than you have the past two months but I have absolutely nothing to do.

Here are some of my awesome shots of my stay...


- my sweet anti-embolismstockings




My covered IV port for my last 2 antibiotic injections tomorrow. I no longer have to lug a machine to the bathroom.




Julie Lemley in katakana - it's a good thing to memorize to make sure I'm getting the right meds/surgery ;)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Rokko Island Hospital

Almost unplugged

My surgery went well yesterday. I know I've said this before, but I'm so glad I switched hospitals. Location was definitely an issue but I'm so much more comfortable with the care. Every nurse that's come in has spoken (varying degrees of) English. My doctor, the other ob-gyn on staff and the anesthesiologist have been fantastic.
So yesterday I was a bit dicouraged when my surgery got postponed, but it was because I was starving and super bored. I went in at 3:45, got strapped down, got an epidural and then had my surgery. Afterwards the dr. did an ultrasound to check on the baby and ...

We got a MAYBE on the gender, although I'm not going to announce it yet.

I had a pretty rough night last night. I couldn't feel/wiggle my toes until about 11:00 pm and my back was killing me from laying down so long. The nurse kept moving me around a propping pillows around me which helped but I was still uncomfortable. But the WORST was the catheter. I don't know if I was born with a super sensitive urethra along with my IC ( incompetent cervix) but geez oh man did that hurt! I was in tears for a while and begged the nurse to put me out of my misery.

This morning my lovely doctor took the catheter out, so now I'm just hooked up to antibiotics, anti-contraction meds and the last of the fluids through IV.

I don't feel touch discomfort from the surgery, but I haven't gotten out of bed yet either.

Now I just count down the minutes to my next meal and try not to go crazy with boredom.

Location:７丁目,Kōbe City,Japan