Ethan is a COVER MODEL!!!

The catalog that Ethan modeled for is out and guess who is on the cover??? Ethan--talk about making a great modeling debut--I think I have a little moneymaker on my hands!! He is also in TONS of pictures in the catalog and I think he looks SOOOOO cute (I am a little biased however!) The website to access the catalog is: http://combimini.jp/. The site is all in Japanese, but if you go to the bottom you will see 4 catalogs and click on the one with Ethan on the front and then you can click through the catalog and see all the pictures he is in. Anyways, we are just so proud of how well he did and so glad that he enjoyed this experience. Hopefully we have many more catalogs and modeling gigs in our future. Now I need to start working on his poses!!

Painting, Sewing...keeping busy before it's baby time!

As my due date gets closer, Eric and I have been staying very busy getting things done. We are still organizing the house and putting pictures up, etc. I do have to say it is looking quite nice. Last week my friend came over and painted most of our main floor and then I finished up the hallway. She ragged the walls and it turned out so nice. It is amazing how much of a difference painting a room can make. We also painted the baby's room a nice bright sunny yellow. It looks so nice. Here are a couple of pictures of my recent projects.

I made this new dress for Kailey--I thought it turned out very cute. In the picture you can't tell but it has the cutest sleeves.

Baby's room--I still want to find something to put on the other wall. I have been looking at the huge vinyl wall stickers and think I am going to get one of those--I just have decide which one.

This sign I actually finished a while ago, but we just finally hung it up. I owe my dad big time, because he helped cut everything out. Also, the wall in the background is what color our downstairs is--it looks so nice.

I have a couple of more weeks before my mom gets here and hopefully the baby will come a little early. I still feel like I have tons to do, hopefully it will all get done!!!

Baby Shower or rather Mommy Shower!!

Last weekend, two of my good friends, Kendal and Rachel threw me a baby shower. I had told them I didn't need one. I mean, it is my third, we don't know what we are having, we don't really need anything, so I saw no point in having a shower. However, they ended up throwing a "Mommy Shower" and it was fabulous!! I got a lot of gifts for me (beautiful necklace, spa gift certificate, great new diaper bag, etc.) and some great necessity items for baby (diapers, food, japanese baby stuff, etc.). It was also such a fun shower, because we just sat around and laughed and talked. We had a great time and I am SOOOOO lucky to have so many wonderful friends here.

I had never seen this before, but thought it was such a great idea. Rachel and Kendal bought onesies in all different sizes and then people decorated them for the baby to wear.

Some of the fun japanese baby stuff. I especially LOVE the grey and white striped leggings for the baby. I also can't wait to try out some of the japanese baby food for the baby.

Moving + Valentine's Day + a birthday=one BUSY WEEK!!

So we have had a VERY busy week the past week. We started off the weekend moving into a townhouse on base. We had been living in a high-rise apartment on base and moved about a block away into a 4 bedroom townhouse--it is still small, but we LOVE it!! I have to admit it was a pain moving. Eric and I figured this is our 7th move in our almost 5 years of marriage. Also, I look at Kailey and in her short 19 months of life, she has now lived in 4 different homes in 2 different states (Connecticut and Missouri) and a different country--I guess we aren't very good at giving our kids stability!! The good thing is that they don't seem to be fazed at all by moving and Eric and I are getting very good at packing ourselves and moving. We should be in this house for at least the next 2 1/2 years--so come visit us, our guest room is waiting!!

(The movers decided it was easier to walk our couch down to our new place instead of putting it in the truck, so here they are wheeling it down the road!)

(The kids in our new backyard--they spend hours out there digging in the dirt--I LOVE IT!!)

Monday was Eric's birthday and I felt bad because it was a pretty crummy one. To start off, the weather was nasty--cold and rainy. We also had to finish moving a couple of things and clean our old place and then Eric had to go into work--what a way to spend your birthday!! We did end up going out to eat and opened presents, so the night ended on a high note. Here are a couple of birthday pictures.

Since we moved this past weekend, we decided to celebrate Valentine's Day a couple of days late (mostly because I couldn't find where I put any of the valentine stuff I got for the kids and Eric). So Wednesday was our Valentines Day and the kids got spoiled, not by Eric and I, but by their Grandma and Grandpa Nelson. I swear our kids are so spoiled by their grandparents!! Eric's parents were very nice to send the kids some new outfits and new jammies, books, they each got a new valentine's pillowcase among some other things-they were in heaven. Of course Kailey got 2 new pairs of shoes and she wore one of her new pairs of shoes all day--in fact I had to pry them off of her feet during naptime--she is such a little girl!!

(Kailey in her new Valentine's outfit and her new pretty shoes!)

Touch a Truck!!

Friday we met up with some friends and went to an event the base put on--"Touch a Truck!" They had a bunch of different trucks/cars that the kids could sit in and of course, the kids LOVED it!! Here are a couple of pictures of the kids on some of the different cars and trucks!

So nice to let Kailey drive--watch out!!

Plowing up Kailey

A lot of machine for such a little girl!

Kailey in the fire truck

I think the ambulance was their favorite, especially Kailey's--they loved playing in it!

So our house is covered with these green boxes. We are moving yet again...only a block away, but another move!! We are living in a high-rise apartment on base and are moving into a townhouse--it will be nice to have a yard. Anyways, we have been packing up the house with all of these boxes and the kids have had a blast playing in them. Here is Kailey looking like a gangster with all of her bling!!

Happy 3rd Birthday to Ethan!!

I have a 3 year old--I can't believe it!! Last week Ethan turned 3 and had a great birthday. He has been so excited for his birthday and to open all of his presents. It was funny on his birthday he kept walking around saying, "It's Ethan's birthday, I get to 00open presents" or he would sing "Happy birthday to Ethan!" It was very cute! We spent the morning webcamming with both sets of grandparents and he got to open their gifts while they watched. Then we went out to eat at the Officer's Club here on base for lunch--very good food and finished up the day with his birthday dinner and opening the rest of his presents.

Eric and I feel so lucky that Ethan is a part of our family. He is such a wonderful child (most of the time) and is such a great big brother to Kailey. He and Kailey love each other so much and Ethan is always so good to watch out for Kailey and I know he is going to be such a great big brother to our new baby. I have to admit, I have so much fun with Ethan--he is such a great helper around the house, I love listening to what he has to tell me, he is such a funny kid...I could go on and on. What it boils down to, is that I am probably the luckiest mom because I have two of the greatest kids ever!! Happy Birthday Ethan--hope this year is great!!!

Ethan blowing out candles on his dirt cake!

Kailey obviously enjoyed her cake--I think more got on her face than in her mouth!

Ethan playing with "Chuck the Truck" - one of his new toys!

Kailey and her crazy morning hair playing on Ethan's new plasma car--by the way, it is awesome--Eric and I have fun riding on it!!

Japan's Next Top Child Model

Ethan had his first modeling gig this week and ROCKED it!! He is like a professional and I was just so proud of him. I don't know if you have ever heard of Combi, but they are a company that makes baby everything--clothes, strollers, etc. Anyways, he modeled summer clothes for their summer catalog that is coming out--so in a couple of months I will post his PROFESSIONAL photos--as I watched them take pictures, he had a lot of really good ones.

Anyways, so Ethan and I had to be up in Tokyo Thursday and Friday for a couple of hours. Thursday we got to the studio at 10:30, where there were also 4 other little boys there to get pictures. They changed Ethan into his first outfit, did his hair and we started taking pictures. The bulk of the time we were there he took pictures with one other little boy, but later in the day he took pictures with 3 of the other little boys. We were there until about 2:00. I have to admit the time flew by, because as soon as Ethan finished his pictures, we were changing into our next outfit, fixing hair, etc. He would wait about 10 minutes and then it was his turn to do pictures again. Like I said, I was just so proud of him because he did such a great job. A couple of the little boys had a hard time standing still, but Ethan was so good to listen and stood there and made really cute faces--I was just so proud of him!!! Anyways, Ethan really enjoyed himself. The staff at the studio were so good to play with the kids and make them laugh. I really had to do nothing, just help Ethan change into his clothes and then watch him as he took his photos--it was a lot of fun!!

Friday we headed up again for another day of shooting. We got up there at 1:00 and there were 3 little girls there that were finishing up their pictures and a little boy that was there to take pictures also with Ethan. It was kind of interesting talking to all of the moms, because they all had done TONS of modeling with their kids. The one little boy that Ethan modeled with had done 12 Combi catalogs among tons of other jobs. I realized that this modeling thing is like a whole new world--one of the moms was telling me that she does 6-8 jobs a month with her kid--it is crazy! Anyways, Ethan rocked it again and we had a great time. I have to admit I went into the modeling thing a little reluctant, but after watching Ethan I have realized that he is GOOD and the photographers really like him. It will be interesting to see how many jobs we get after this.

I took a couple of pictures at the shoot, but really didn't have time to take more.

What one of his shirts said that he modeled--I thought it was a funny saying--typical Japanese!

He wore a lot of outfits similar to this--the Japanese really like pink--he wore a couple of things that looked like they were for a girl, but on the other hand he had some really cute outfits.

Playing with the staff during a little break--I can't say it enough, but the staff was AWESOME--they were so good to play with the kids. In the background of this picture, you can kind of see the set where they took pictures.

Kannonzaki Park and the most awesome slide ever!!

Last week, we took the kids to this AWESOME park by us called Kannonzaki Park. The kids and I have been before, but this time we took Eric with us to experience the fun. All I can say is that playgrounds here are SO much better than they are in the states. The following pictures will depict that. So the above picture is a view from the park. The park is huge and is up on top of a hill. We really haven't explored much of it besides the playground part.

The whole reason to go to the park is this slide. It is a roller slide that is super long. This picture only shows part of the slide. Japanese love roller slides. I have only seen them once in the states, but you go so fast it is almost scary, especially the bigger you are!

Ethan and Eric coming down the slide! The only bad part about the slide is the hike back up to the top. There are two ways to go--up TONS of stairs or up this obstacle course with stairs. We chose the obstacle course obviously!!

My little monkey climbing up the net!

Kailey on the zip line.

***Warning--next picture not suitable for young kids--depicts a pregnant lady on the zip line--SCARY!!!***

I love zip lines, so I had to try. I am embarrassed at how far down the rope is--I guess I have put on a few pounds--I'm blaming it on the baby!!

Another rope course to climb through

There is this fun pirate ship play area with a slide to play on. The kids love it!

This was the highlight of the park. So Japanese have awesome bathrooms with TONS of buttons for everything you can think of (heated seats, wash your bottom off, sounds to mask when you are making sounds, etc.) The kids spent probably ten minutes pushing the buttons to open and close the door. They thought it was so much fun. On the plus side, Ethan does love to go potty when we are out in town because there are so many buttons. However, one of these days I know he will push the bidet button and I will have a stream of water come shooting up at us and we will have to walk out of the bathroom soaked--how embarrassing!!!

Luxury in Tokyo!!

There is a hotel here called the New Sanno that is in the middle of downtown Tokyo and it is restricted to military personnel or officials. It is so cheap and so nice (think like 4-5 stars) and all I will say is our hotel room cost less than $60--unheard of for such a nice hotel and here in Tokyo if you stay in a hotel it is EXPENSIVE!! Anyways, so the New Sanno is just about the best place on earth. This was our first stay and for sure not our last. We plan on taking trips up there at least every 3-4 months. The nice thing about it, besides being so gorgeous, is that you feel like you are in America and in the lap of luxury. It has a couple of very good restaurants, you are taken care of so nicely and everyone speaks English!! Anyways, so we drove up Monday afternoon and came home Tuesday afternoon. It is kind of sad, but Ethan was ecstatic to stay in a hotel and couldn't stop talking about it. It has now been a week and he is still asking me when we are going back to the hotel. I guess this tells me that he has spent a little too much time in hotels if he loves hotels that much!

Anyways, so we headed down Monday afternoon. Here is a picture of our little diva on the drive (it was a little over an hour)--she refused to take off her sunglasses all day.

This next picture is an example of what it is like to park in Japan. This is the parking lot at the hotel and like most places, all the parking spots are so TINY!! You can't tell too well from the picture, but we had about 3 inches on either side, so we had to jump out the back of the car!!

After eating a wonderful meal at the hotel, we hopped on the train and headed out to see some Christmas lights. We had read about a couple of displays in the base paper and decided to go see them. We will just say that next time we venture out, we need to do more research. So we found the lights and here is a picture:

When we got there, all of these people were waiting in line and there were a bunch sitting in bleachers watching the lights and the weirdest music was playing. As people walked through the line, they stopped at this tree and took pictures as they touched a big seashell.

Here is a picture of the big tree thing and people touching the sea shell. As they touched the shell, you would have thought it was the most important thing ever. ERic and I joked that it seemed like a cult. Anyways, I just can't describe how bizarre the whole thing was. However, Japanese are just bizarre. It was an interesting experience!

The next day we hung around the hotel and went swimming (they have a great indoor pool) and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast buffet. Like I said, we didn't want to leave, we felt like we were in the lap of luxury and can't wait to go back. We already have reservations for May when my parents come--yahoo!!