Mio had some very special visitors this past weekend — her Auntie Megumi, Auntie Sam, and Uncle Matt came to meet her for the very first time on Sunday! The last time we were all together was at the gorgeous baby shower that they threw for us before Mio was born. Megumi lives in Southern California now, but we’re so glad that she was in the area so that we could all come together again!
Mio loves Auntie Gumi already!
She loved Auntie Sam, too! Look at that big smile!!!
Matt was a little scared of holding her, but she loved him too!
I baked some lemon cupcakes for the occasion!
It was a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors, and my favorite part is the lemon cream cheese frosting.
Megumi, Sam, and Matt have been so loving, sweet, and generous to Mio even before her arrival! I’m looking forward to all the future memories we’ll have together, and feel so lucky that Mio has such wonderful aunties and uncle that will be there to watch her grow. Thank you so much for visiting us this weekend! Hope to see you again soon. 🙂
Yesterday on Sunday, July 10th, Mio turned 100 days old! A baby’s 100th day is a milestone in several Asian cultures, and traditionally in Japan it’s celebrated with a ceremony called okuizome.
When a baby is 100 days old, Japanese families celebrate a weaning ceremony called ‘‘okuizome,’’ or first food. This ceremony traditionally involves a large shared meal prepared by the mother-in-law. The menu varies by region. Traditionally, a small pebble is placed on each plate and the adults symbolically bite down on it. This ritual is meant to wish the baby a life of abundant food without hunger as well as good strong teeth. While a father or grandfather may pretend to feed the baby solid food during these festivities, the baby is usually still drinking exclusive milk.
We did not have a formal okuizome ceremony, but Mio got to spend the day enjoying lots of time with loved ones! In the morning, we went over to Berkeley to have brunch with my dear friend Julianne, who happened to be in town! The last time we saw Juli, I was still pregnant, so this was her first time meeting baby Mio.
We had gelato for dessert afterward... my favorite! It was so good seeing you, Juli!
Later in the day, Mio’s grandparents (Dan’s parents) came over to have a celebratory lunch with Mio. Dan’s mother made and brought over some delicious sushi rolls! Mio couldn’t have any, of course, but we very much enjoyed the food on her behalf! 😉
Mio with her grandparents!
Dan's mother handmade this dress and bonnet for Mio for the occasion! So pretty! I love the lace, bows, and flower detailing.
So happy to be in grandma's arms!
Mio with Mommy and Daddy on her 100th Day.
Mio started to fall asleep, so we put her in her bouncer and she immediately woke up and started to cry when she realized she was no longer in anyone’s arms….
"It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to!"
Happy 100th Day, dear little Mio!
We feel so blessed and lucky that Mio is so healthy and she’s already given us so much joy in the past 100 days. In some cultures, the 100th Day is also celebrated as the one year mark since the baby came to exist in the womb. Sure enough, it was around this time last year that Mio started to develop within me — it’s amazing to see that only a year later, we have such a big, healthy 3-month old in our arms! I used to feel like the nine months of pregnancy was unbearably long (especially while I was experiencing it), but if you look at it from that perspective, it’s pretty incredible that a fully functional human can be created from nothing in a mere nine months! Life is truly a miracle.
Mio has already changed our lives forever in this short period of time, and we cannot wait to see how she continues to blossom and bring more joy to us as well as those around her.
“My heart is yours.
My spirit sings with love.
For you. My child.
You’ve grown yourself,
inside me.
Foot under my rib.
One became two.
At last you are here.
Sleeping on my chest.
Clutching my tangled hair in your hand.
Your dark eyes calm as a lake.
Your breathing making me safe.
You who gave birth to this mother.
A life. My child.
We gave birth to each other.
I kiss your face.
A million times a day.
I sit still and listen.
To the whisper of your wisdom.
To life, right now.
This is love, my love.”
— ULRICA
Yesterday, I took Mio to Annandale to meet my friend Erri and her two adorable children, Audrey and Brennan. Audrey is almost four, and Brennan is almost eight months old — about five months older than Mio! It was their first playdate together and Mio had a great time, as you can see from her smiles here…
Look at that huge smile! Mio is so happy to meet Audrey and Brennan.
Mio looks so smug here. Brennan is so cute!!!
Later in the evening, we went to Sushi Yoshi in Vienna to have dinner with my girlfriends from high school. It was so much fun catching up with everyone and introducing them to Mio. Thank you Debbie for organizing the dinner!
With some of my girlfriends from Madison High School
We just got back Sunday from an enjoyable three-day, two-night stay with our family at Pembroke Springs Retreat in the Northwestern part of Shenandoah Valley. This bed & breakfast inn is beautiful and set in the tranquil countryside with a beautiful view of the green mountain landscape, but it has a very Japanese style flavor! They have two large Japanese-style indoor baths which are fed by natural spring water (like an onsen), guests enjoy delicious homecooked Japanese meals, and walk around in yukata and slippers after soaking in the baths. There are five guestrooms available, the largest of which is the Sunrise Room which is decorated and furnished to look very Japanese. Our family had the pleasure of staying in two of the guest rooms this past weekend — the Sunrise Room and the Oak Room (since we had seven people including the baby). My parents and sister had been there before, but this was my first time going!
We left early Friday afternoon, and the retreat was only an hour-and-half drive away from our home in Northern Virginia.
Arriving at Pembroke Springs Retreat
The view of tranquil Shenandoah Valley
the porch of the Retreat Guest House
The front steps of the inn. The house has a rustic country feel on the outside.
Bed in the Sunrise Room
Shoji screens open to show the view outside.
Table with chairs on the tatami floor. The floor underneath the table is deep so you can dangle your feet while you sit.
The bed in the Oak Room
Yukata robes laid out for guests.
Snuggling with obaachan upon arriving.
Mio is so excited to be here!
The doors to the two baths.
We soaked in the bath after dinner. It was so relaxing!
I didn't bring my camera into the bath (for fear of getting it wet), but here is a photo of the bath from their site!
Mio with her ojiichan, both in yukata.
Playing board games with the siblings at night.
A delicious Japanese-style breakfast with salmon the following morning.
Some of the family at the breakfast table.
Fresh fruits for dessert!
After breakfast, we took a walk around the retreat property.
Mio needed ample protection from the sun!
There were lots of chickens in the coop.
...and a peacock on the roof!
Miwa and Mio outside the barn.
Afterwards, we drove around the surrounding area and picked up lunch. Mio slept the entire time in her car seat and didn’t wake up until we got back to the inn.
Mio waking up with bed hair... lol.
Dinner was kicked off with a delectable tempura appetizer.
For the main course, we had ginger chicken buffet-style. It was so good, I went back for seconds!
Flan cake with ice cream and berries in Cointreau sauce for dessert!
In the evening, Mio practiced standing up with her auntie. She firmly plants her feet on the ground and attempts to stand up on her feet! We have a feeling she might start standing up on her own before she even learns to crawl.
Fish for breakfast the second morning. All the meals were so colorful!
The ladies of the Yokoyama family
Before leaving the retreat.
We had a really lovely time at Pembroke Springs Retreat, and will definitely be back again! I am hoping that we can go again as a family — this time, with Dan too — perhaps when we are back for the winter holidays. It really was such a perfectly peaceful getaway!
