The 4 (and ½) Month Update!

So much has happened since my last update! Sorry I missed the 3-month entry--my calendar`s been full! Granna Goodwin’s stay was fun. We went walking along the seawall everyday, she sang to me and liked to rock me to sleep. Papa actually made the trip to Okinawa for the last week. They left and were soon followed by Grandma & Grandpa Breyen. Grandpa took me to all the Yen stores and cooked some great food including one of his infamous apple pies. He left after nine days—he has a very busy retirement schedule to keep you know. Grandma stayed here until 6 July. She took me tide-pooling in the ocean, walked to shopping plazas and listened to Sesame Street CDs with me.

On July 14th, Daddy left for the USA. He started med-school at Univ Texas—San Antonio on the 24th. I took my first airplane ride the next day. I flew from Okinawa to Osaka to Chicago to Minneapolis. I did pretty well. I like the crowds of people at the airport and on the airplane. When I was fussing, Mommy would just lift my head above the seat; I’d stare at the multitude of people, and quiet down. On the trans-Pacific flight to Chicago(13.5 hours), I had a bassinet in the bulkhead row. When I fell asleep in Mommy’s arms, she’d lay me in my little bed on the floor and try to get some sleep herself (but usually just watched the in-flight movie).My first time in the USA was a whirlwind. We landed late Friday night. On Saturday morning, we had breakfast with Mommy and Daddy’s friend Alyssa at our hotel. Saturday afternoon we attended my great-Grandpa Folck’s 85th birthday party. I met almost all my relatives on Mommy’s side of the family—7 baby cousins and second cousins.

Sunday, I was in Des Moines for my cousin Ashley’s baptism (my Aunt Julie and Uncle Wes’s second baby girl and Mommy & Daddy’s goddaughter). Monday morning we left Iowa (in my new, bigger carseat—the Britax Marathon) and drove10-hours to Enid, Oklahoma. Mommy and Daddy had to drive their Sebring that’s been in storage and Grandma & Grandpa’s from MN to TX. Enid was a nice half-way point to San Antonio and we got to see the Gwinnups (and my friend Riley) one more time before their move to Florida. Tuesday we drove 4 hours from Enid to Altus, Oklahoma to visit my god-sister, Remy,and her mom and dad, Kelly & Martin. Mommy told me there was just one more leg of driving—the 8 hours from Altus to San Antonio. (All driving times are adjusted for babies. Mommy & Daddy had to stop every 2-4 hours to feed me, change my diaper, and let me roll around for a little on a blanket in the grass.)

Daddy had his official White Coat Ceremony on the 24th.Afterwards, we went out for a late lunch at one of Daddy’s favorite restaurants, The Alamo Café. Mommy and I looked at some houses with Granna. Daddy started orientation week. Mommy and I returned to Okinawa on July 27th. I didn’t have a bassinet for this sortie, but we had our own two-seat section. The seat next to Mommy was empty, so that’s where I slept most of the way. Mommy says I’m a good traveler. The airplane didn’t bother me at all—even take-off and landing.We’re going to stay here in Japan until Mommy finishes her AF pilot training commitment in February. With the leave she’s saved up, we’re hoping to be back in the USA by late Dec or early Jan. I miss Daddy already,but Mommy video-taped Daddy reading some stories to me. I love to hear his voice. That’s the update. It’s almost time for my 5-month entry, so I’ll talk to you soon!