Blooming by the Bay – Page 34 – The Endless Stories of Dan & Misono & Their Beloved Mio

First Pool Visit This Year!

April 29, 2014 By Misono in Recreational Fun, Videos Tags: Chantilly, Cub Run RECenter, indoor pool, Mio, Mirei, pool, videos, water slide

On Sunday afternoon, we took Mio and Mirei to the pool for the first time this year. Mio still remembers all the fun she had at the water park and pools last summer, and she’s been saying “Go to waterpark!” for a couple months now. We went to Cub Run RECenter, as they have an indoor pool with a water slide and play area for kids. Mio had so much fun splashing around that she was reluctant to leave at the end!

Mio splashing around as soon as we got to the pool:

Mio going down the water slide:

Mio couldn't get enough of the slide! — Mio couldn’t get enough of the slide!

First pool visit of the year! — Venturing to the deeper end with Daddy.

Wading around with Daddy:

Mirei woke up so we changed her into a bathing suit, too!

Mirei's first time steeping into the pool... — Mirei’s first time steeping into the pool… she cried a little at first, but once she got used to the water, she seemed to love it!

Sweet big sister planting a kiss on Mirei.

Chubby legs in the water... — Chubby legs in the water…

Mirei's expression here is so funny and cute! — Mirei’s expression here is so funny and cute!

Mio's hug attack from behind! — Mio’s hug attack from behind!

We’re looking forward to more visits to the pool and to the water park as the weather gets warmer!

Donuts with Daddy

April 28, 2014 By Misono in Mio Tags: Donuts with Daddy, Mio, preschool

Mio’s preschool had a Donuts with Daddy Day on Monday morning, where the kids could enjoy eating donuts with Daddy and a little bit of playtime together for about 20 minutes at the beginning of class. According to Dan, Mio gobbled up the donut holes and went straight to the blocks to play. Her teacher calls her “my little architect” because Mio loves blocks so much.

Three Months Old.

April 25, 2014 By Misono in Mirei, Mireiâ€™s Monthly Photo Tags: 3 months old, baby, Mirei, Mireiâ€™s monthly photo, monthly photo, newborn, three months old

Mirei officially graduates from newborn-hood today as she turns three months old! While the past three months have had their challenging moments, Mirei has really brought so much joy into our lives and we already cannot imagine life without her — our family now feels complete. ♥

(Iâ€™ll be taking photos of Mirei sitting in my white desk chair and wearing her monthly onesie every month until sheâ€™s one year old.)

Previous Photos:
One Month Old â€¢ Two Months Old

The Rundown at Three Months…

Stats: At your doctor’s visit yesterday, you weighed 15 lbs 7.5 oz, approximately double your birth weight! You are now 24.5 inches tall, so you’ve grown a bit in height as well. Even though you are only three months old, Dan and I have been saying that you’re already getting quite heavy too hold! Your head size is 16.75 inches in circumference — you’ve got a big noggin!

Things You’re Doing Now: Since a couple weeks ago, you’ve started becoming much more alert and stay awake for much longer periods of time during the daytime, and there are some days that you are awake for 6 hours straight even! You continue to sleep through the night most nights, usually going to bed around midnight and waking up anywhere from 6 to 8am. We can tell that you can see a lot more clearly now, as your gaze follows us and Mio everywhere we go when we move around the room, and you stare into our eyes when we face you. Your cries sometimes sound more like whines and complaints, and you sometimes “talk” to us with your coos and babbles. The late-night colicky crying has settled down a bit, although you are still more irritable in the evenings than in the daytime. You like to blow bubbles with your lips and often furiously suck on your fist and fingers. You are smiling more and more now, which never fails to warm our hearts.

Be with Me Playseum

April 24, 2014 By Misono in Local Gems, Recreational Fun, Videos Tags: Be with Me Playseum, Bethesda, Kailee, Maryland, Mio, play, Playseum, playtime, video

Yesterday, Mio got to go to the Be with Me Playseum in Bethesda with one of her best friends, Kailee! It was our first time there, and while it looks like a pretty small space initially, there are several themed rooms in which children can play and entertain themselves — they can easily spend hours there and never get bored!

Shelves lined with empty boxes and food containers for kids to shop.

The produce area, complete with plastic fruits and veggies.

Firefighters Mio and Kailee! Mio, I think you're using that backwards... — Firefighters Mio and Kailee! Mio, I think you’re using that backwards…

Entering the "Pet Shop" room — Entering the “Pet Shop” room

I was surprised to see that they actually had real animals in the "pet store"! — I was surprised to see that they actually had real animals in the “pet store”!

The "Bella Bethesda Salon" room featured dresses and wigs for dress-up. — The “Bella Bethesda Salon” room featured dresses and wigs for dress-up.

Mio playing with a fan. — Mio kept calling herself “Princess Mio!” Here she is playing with a fan.

As much as I have my reservations about the effect of the princess culture on little girls, I do admit it’s pretty stinkin’ adorable to see Mio’s smiles and spins of delight as “Princess Mio.”

A room themed to be "Grandma's Attic." — A room themed to be “Grandma’s Attic.”

There's a lot of props and details that go into these rooms! — There’s a lot of props and details that go into these rooms!

Playing with the instruments on the performance stage.

Taking a snack break while listening to Auntie Ju read a story.

Mirei looking up at me from my Ergo baby carrier. She was so well-behaved the whole time we were there!

Putting toppings on pizzas in the pizza parlor room.

Putting their pizzas in the oven... — Putting their pizzas in the oven…

Mio with the "cookies" she cut out of rolled dough. — Mio with the “cookies” she cut out of rolled dough.

A circus area where kids could dress up as clowns.

Mio and Kailee had so much fun at the Playseum that they were in great spirits on the drive home, squealing and laughing with each other! It was really sweet to see them playing so well together. Special thanks to Ju for suggesting we go to the Playseum and for driving all of us over!

Every Little Expression…

April 22, 2014 By Misono in Mio, Pregnancy & Parenthood Tags: Mio, parenthood, parenting

I read an article a while back about parenting, and there was a particular passage in it that has stuck with me even months after reading it. It said, “My children are not truly mine. They donâ€™t belong to me; theyâ€™ve simply been entrusted to me. They are a gift life gave to me, but one that I must one day give back to life. They must grow up and go away and that is as it should be.” As much as I know this to be true, I always feel a deep pain in my chest and a big lump in my throat every time I recall the quote. Though it may be years away, it’s hard to imagine someday not seeing my little girls every day, especially Mio (at this time) since I’ve already spent three years making so many memories with her. When I feel that pain, I often find myself picking up the camera and just endlessly snapping away, so that I can document and capture every little expression of hers… so that I can look back on it years later when this time is long gone and my memory fails to recall them clearly. Parenting is such a daunting and challenging task sometimes and I constantly find myself wondering about what the future holds, but I want to more fully appreciate and savor the present.

Anyway, here are some photos from one of such afternoons that I found myself continuously clicking the shutter while watching Mio play. She is at such a sweet and fun age right now.

While you may not be mine to keep, I will love you always.

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