New photo program!

We are trying out a new photo program. I hope it works because it was so easy to load this shot of the Kintai bridge and the Cherry blossoms! If this works then a lot more photos will be here!

Hi there!

The kids started baseball this past week. Kyle had his first game. He had 2 singles and was able to get an out against the other team! He discovered that the kids can't catch, so he grabbed the ball and ran it to the first base! He was pretty fast and managed an out. However, since it is T-ball the kid still got to run the bases.
Carrie had her first game on Tuesday. She is pretty excited about baseball this year. She made it to bat twice. The first time she hit a single, but never made it any further, as her team struck out. Her second at bat she hit a double! It was the best hit for her team that game. The team didn't score once, but Carrie was glowing since she knew how much progress she has made since last year! She really did shine. She can't wait for her next game. :)
Collin seems really into cars and sports! Such a boy. He loves to play with cars and makes us laugh as he makes noises and pushes his tonka trucks around! Everywhere we go he has a truck or a car in hand. He is growing so fast. He is talking and seems more like a kid than a baby now...kinda makes me a little sad.
All is moving along as usual here. Kevin is home and gone so frequently we have a hard time keeping track of him. I am looking forward to finishing the school year. Summer is sounding nice, especially since we had a cold snap the past few days. Rain and freezing temps!

SAKURA!

So, usually when I mention Sakura, I am speaking of the dog, However, this time I am talking about the namesake. It is Cherry Blossom season (SAKURA)!
We have had a beautiful Cherry Blossom season. It seems to be lasting longer than previous years. The kids and Kevin and I have had a ball taking pictures at some of the local tourist sights.
Earlier this past week, my friend and I hiked up the mountain to the Castle (above). It is such a beautiful place. We picked what appeared to be a great day, but by the time we reached the top it was freezing and raining. We were not really prepared for this! It apparently snowed in Hiroshima that morning! Who would have thought! Anyway, we had fun and the kids got to have Japanese corndogs when we got back down to the bottom. We did eat them in the rain though!

KYOTO!

This weekend was my "girls' weekend" in Kyoto. I have really wanted to see it. It is one of the few cities that the war didn't touch, so it is very old and beautiful. The cherry blossoms and other trees were just beginning to bloom. It was pretty, but in a few weeks it will be fabulous!

Kiyomizu Temple at night

There were so many temples and castles that I can't even begin to describe them all. This was what I thought Japan would look like. The old section of the city was a myriad of shops and cobble stone streets. It was amazingly beautiful. We saw so many beautiful things, that I can't begin to share them all. )I will post a few more pics later, due to the wacky internet refusing to take anymore today!)
The shopping was a blast too. On Sunday morning we went to a big flea market at one of the temples. The streets outside the temple were full of vendors and food stands. I got quite a few little goodies. We tried a few street fair foods, Japanese style. Most were really tasty.

Kevin was so great with the kids. Collin slept and didn't even seem to care I was missing. I thought that might bruise my ego, but I am actually relieved. Carrie and Kyle were really happy to have a daddy only weekend. They went bowling and spent a lot of time at the park. THANKS KEVIN!

Collin's first haircut!

It was a nice quiet weekend here. Collin was a bit under the weather again. Seems like we are constantly fighting the stomach issues with him.

BEFORE!

On Sunday, I finally decided that Collin really did need the first haircut. His hair was probably 6 inches long all over! So, Kevin and I strapped him into his high chair and I snipped away! He was such a trooper. We couldn't even get a good crying while getting a haircut picture. He thought it was funny until I trimmed over his ears right at the end. Even though it was a mom job, it looks pretty good. :)

AFTER!

OH, I LOVE MODERN MEDICINE!

Collin is so much better. The antibiotics have done a miracle. After one dose, he was showing signs of improvement. After 2 doses he never threw up again. Now we have taken the 5th dose. He is so much better. I can not feed him enough! I feel like he must have been more miserable than I could have know over the last few weeks, He must have been so hungry... Poor little guy. Hopefully we will get the lab results back soon. I am erally interested to see what the lab shows the cause to be...maybe it will not show anything, but I sure am curious.

His sleeping has improved too. He slept from 8pm til 5 am in his own bed the past 2 nights. Yesterday he woke up at 5 am so hungry! Today he went back to sleep til 7. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Carrie and Kyle were very reluctant to get back to school work today. After last weeks break I was hoping for renewed energy, but it was a torturous event. Oh well, only a few more weeks left!!! I can almost smell summer!!!!

A Day at the Clinic

Hello!

Well, I said a few posts ago that Collin had a tummy issue. We went to the doctor last week and they did x-rays to be sure it was not a swollowed toy (I kinda pushed for this because I had a feeling it wasn't a virus). They determined it was viral and would pass. Well, 2 weeks later and it has NOT passed. Now, I must tell you that this has been the strangest experience as far as the pattern of vomitting. Only in the middle of the night and a lot of undigested food. The day time issue is the diarrhea. It is profuse!

So here we are 2 weeks in and still no end in sight. We went back to the doctor today. Poor little Collin, who by all growth charts is quite small, has lost almost a pound. He was a little dehydrated, but overall seems fine. No fever or rashes. The doctors stood around scratching their heads for a few minutes and decided to do blood work, a fecal culture and to start him on a broad range antibiotic. Well this all sounds GREAT! Maybe we can figure this out, but 2 hours later and quite a few adults worn out, we finally had a blood sample. The idea that a blood sample from a baby was so hard, just did not occur to me.

So, now I am waiting around with a plastic cup, hoping for another dirty diaper....Oh to be a mom.

Living in this remote area, it takes a week to get bloodwork back. So, we will start antibiotics and wait and see. If the antibiotics do not clear it up and the blood work and fecal do not show us anything, then we will be off to the big hospital near Tokyo...but that gets way ahead of ourselves.

Needless to say, I am tired, Collin is tired and we are hoping for a minor miracle with the antibiotics.

Say a little prayer for us! Collin needs them!

On a bright note, Carrie and Kyle are healthy and happy. Carrie just got back from piano lessons. Kyle is running around like mad. They are both anxiously awaiting baseball season.

:) Think Happy Thoughts!