Three million...

Remember Mom and Dad used to promise that they would pay us each a million dollars if they ever got divorced, and that they would never be able to afford it? I am curious as to how that came up. It always made me really happy though; I'm grateful for the security I always had in their marriage, even when everything else was crazy.

Aunt Wilma's Chair

The other day I was pretty worn out, and was rocking Luke in my Aunt Wilma recliner that Kathy passed on to me.

I got thinking about how much Aunt Wilma would have liked to know that I was rocking my babies to sleep in her chair, how she would have held them and cooed over them and loved them. And then I felt like I was getting a big hug from Aunt Wilma.

Special memories or stories from Aunt Wilma? Add a comment or write a new post!

HMC Family Association

FYI this exists, and is comprised of people related to us, and I think that Aunt Nancy contributes to the website

http://hmcfamily.org/

When Keishi was born.

When we moved to the US in 1984, I was expecting KJ already, and I was told he was due around April 10. At my first appointment and ultrasound in the US, I was told I was due on the 25th, two weeks later than I had been told in Japan. Being the obedient person I am, I went into labor on the 25th, and after several hours spent walking in figure 8's through Aunt Nancy's kitchen, family room, and dining room, the family made me get in the car to go to the birthing center.

Once there, the doctor felt I would have Keishi for several hours, and told Nancy she could go to her class and be back in plenty of time. Of course he was born about 15 minutes later, probably before Nancy even got out of the parking lot.

Because of the calcification of the placenta and how wrinkly he was, they told me he was at least 2 weeks late.

When Meg was born.

For baby number 2, Meggy, Daddy and Obaachan ordered me to stay at Obaachan's house starting a week before I was due. It was a broiling hot summer, with little or no air conditioning, and rain every day, so I was prickly heat from head to toe.

The Saturday before my due date, I had an appointment with the OB where I was told it would be at least two weeks before I had Meg. After a really good cry, Eimi and I headed back to the Shinjuku area, and I called Daddy, who met us and took us out for a nice bowl of hot curry and to see the new movie, The Empire Strikes Back. We took the long way home via bus, and the instant I entered the house I happily went into labor.

When Eimi was born.

Having a baby in Japan is a real adventure. In the day, most hospitals wouldn't allow the dad in for the labor and delivery, but since we had a Japanese dad and an a foreign mom, and Daddy was Lamaze certified, they let him in. Daddy was a good coach clear up almost to the end. In the delivery room he started to chat with the doctor while I continued to hyperventilate and go numb. Flailing my numb arm around to get his attention, I accidentally hooked his collar and brought him down to his knees. That got his attention and brought him down to eye level with me. He then handed me a paper sack to breathe into.

When all was said and done and Eimi Sue had arrived, to my surprise the doctor hustled over to congratulate Daddy, not me. And what was he congratulating him on? Not fainting and splitting his head open on the gas tanks the way the last Japanese father had.

3's Company

Being a sibling trio worked out well for certain things. Our dance, for example, cannot be replicated with two or four. Also, our system of laying on each other's backs in the back seat on road trips. Remember that? 

Down-sides to being a trio? Somehow I was always the one in the middle with two people laying on me =).

Does this trigger any random memories for you guys?

Thinking about Nomo

Remember the only time Dad actually watched American sports--when Nomo came to the Dodgers? I was looking for pennants on ebay for Caleb's room and came across a sweet nomo one that was going for 90 big ones.

Any memories about Dad and baseball/sports in general?

Mom, I am counting on you big time.

Playing on Polk Street

Okay, I really want to get this started, so help me out here. When I think of Eimi, KJ, and myself on Polk Street, I mostly think of playing outside while Grandpa watched TV. And, for some reason, I always think of summer when I think of Polk Street. A few things that come to mind (additions please!):

-Splashing in the plastic pool and laying out in the back yard.
-Riding bikes all the time (also, the month I wasn't allowed to ride after my appendectomy; torture!). We were always trying to do tricks like standing up on the seat.
-Roller skating (also trying to do tricks).
-The one time a cherry grew on the cherry tree, and KJ ate it, then later Mom said no one should eat it because who knows what they had sprayed on that tree.
-Lots of "prunes" from the "prune trees."
-You never wandered into Muffin's corner of the back yard if you wanted to keep your shoes clean.
-One time I secretly planted some pumpkin seeds back by the shed and was super excited when they started to grow. I don't think we got any pumpkins though.
-When the house was for sale, Mom made us put up the tent in the back yard and play out there so that we wouldn't mess up the house.
-Running from the living room into the TV room and flipping over the back of the sofa.
-Lots of judo throws onto the couch.
-Setting up a "car wash" in the front yard, which meant two of us crawled along the walkway, and the other sprayed them different ways with the hose.
-Lots of running through the sprinklers and washing the car.
-Going for walks with Grandpa and Muffin.
-Jumping off the triple bunk beds in Rosie's room.
-Summers at Paul Nelson Pool.
-Listening to reruns of All in the Family, I Love Lucy, and other Nick at Nite shows emanating from Grandpa's room.
-Playing hide-and-seek with Muffin.
-The ice cream man.
-Being excited about getting to mow the lawn with Grandpa.

There is an app ... Yeah!

So I do everything from my phone. Especially cause lex is always on the computer. Not sure if this would help you people with tablets but iTunes has a blogger app that is free :)

Mom arrives in Japan

I hadn't seen Daddy in a few years when I flew to Japan to marry him. I had to go through customs and it had been a 14-hour flight, and I had to have my hand bandaged in customs because I had cut it open without noticing. When I finally came out into the airport, there were a sea of Japanese people and I couldn't find him. Finally I saw Daddy come up and I ran up to embrace him and was met with his hand held out to stop me. "I'd like you to meet my mother." Clearly PDA was out of the question. He made up for it later.

-By Julie