Favorite new game

Callie has really been enjoying her baths lately and came up with a fun new game the other night. Now we have to do it every night!! She wants the shower head down in the tub and tries to drink the water. What a goofy kid! I have no idea how she came up with this, but has a blast :)

Taking a drink

She loves that it tickles her nose and face!

This is fun Mama!!!

Baseball game

We finally went to another baseball game on Friday night. I think it might have been our sixth or seventh this season . . . Callie doesn't seem to be a big fan of the games and never wants to sit in the seats. We invited our good friends the Masts and I was hoping that Callie would be distracted by playing with her friends, but no luck. Callie and Carter spent about three innings in the middle of the game running around the concourse and I think I was up and down the stairs with Callie for about four innings combined! Scott did get to pitch, not that I was able to see much of it, and we all had a good time. I think we may try to go to one more game before the season is over, but I'm not sure if I can take it. It's quite the workout for me :)

Oh, and I also drove to the field for the first time on Friday. I haven't done it yet because I've been nervous about getting lost and not being able to get a hold of Scott to help me out. When we went to the field the other day to take pictures I drove and was pretty confidant I could do it on my own. We made it to the field just great, but after I picked up our friends at their house I turned onto their street and was waiting at the stop light. Well, the cars turning onto the street were just waiting to turn and looking at me kind of funny and I wasn't really sure why, I wasn't taking up the whole road or anything . . . Turns out I was on the wrong side of the road!! I guess I am just anxious to get home :) After that I was much more focused on my driving!

Watching some TV before we head out to the car.

Lily trying to get Callie to sit with her and watch the game

Having a blast in the concourse. She loves these columns that light up. They change colors every so often and she was telling me the different colors, counting the lights, running circles around them. You would never know that there was an exciting baseball game going on . . .

Watching the game on TV with her new friends :) All the fans loved Callie's outfit and would smile and say how cute she was. I'm pretty sure she loved the attention :)

Callie modeling the newest Hanshin Tigers merchandise, an Atchison hat!!

This hat is too funny with ATCHISON across the front in the biggest font size possible . . .

. . . and Hanshin Tigers hidden off on the side. I think we might all wear these in our next family picture :)

Center of attention

Callie is definitely not shy when it comes to her peers :) The play group we joined a couple of times in the beginning of the season has started up again after a summer break and today was the first day. It is held in a large ballroom and there were about 15 kids (1-4 years old) with parents there today. There are lots of random toys to play with, songs to sing, games and a craft. When we walked in the room today Callie wanted down right away and headed straight for all the toys and kids! We started off with circle time and a name song. Everyone sat in a circle, a rather large one because of all the kids, except for Callie. She was right smack dab in the middle! She wanted nothing to do with me and wanted to be in the middle, walking around, dancing and singing the songs! She was also the only kid in the middle of the circle, and loving every minute of it! I'm thinking she may have a future in Drama :) I didn't have my camera today but will definitely bring it next week. Hopefully she will love it just as much next week as she did today.

Trip to the park

Saturday morning was cool temperatures and overcast skies, the perfect day for the park! We headed to the "rolly slide park", which we don't visit very often and Callie was really excited. Once she saw all the slides she wanted to get out of the stroller right away. She walked around for awhile talking about all the play equipment at the park before finally settling in the sand pit. I had to scrounge in the diaper bag for some toys and she had a great time. At one point a group of older girls were playing tag and it looked like Callie wanted to join in the fun too. There is also a school right next to the park, and even though it was Saturday there were kids playing at the playground. Callie walked right up to the door at the gate and started trying to open it. She wanted to go to school!

Showing Daddy the sand pit!

Swinging!

Walking me over to the school

Climbing up the stairs to the school

Let me in!

Well, since I can't go to school I guess I'll play at the park some more!

Steering the ship!

Trying to climb up the slide

Trip to the baseball field

We made a family trip to Koshien Stadium, where the Tigers play, on Friday. I had made Callie a jersey and wanted to get some pictures of her with Scott and playing on the field. The morning started out a little rough, with a crabby baby, and it didn't get much better once we got to the field. I think Callie was nervous and a little shy with all the new people paying attention to her and the new surroundings. We tried to make the best of it and got a couple of good pictures. It was the first time that I had been on a field, other than Cheney Stadium as an intern, and it was pretty cool. The outfield is much bigger when you are actually standing in it, as oppose to watching as a fan. Hopefully next year Callie will have some more fun at the baseball field and we will be able to take her more. She did enjoy carrying her new bat around the whole time, even if she didn't want to be there :)

I got a close up picture before we left, anticipating that it might be the best pic I got all day :)

Scott's locker with his name in Japanese

Callie hanging out in Daddy's locker

Running to me on the field, crying for me to pick her up!

Family pic!

Daddy and Callie

A snack and a drink once we got home made it all better :)

We have a walker!

Callie has started walking all on her own!!!!!  Yesterday she just decided that it was time to do it without holding onto my hand.  We had been at the store earlier and I had walked away from her.  She was a little upset because she wanted to "walk with Mama" so Scott picked her up, set her on her feet and she walked the five or six steps toward me.  She did it a couple of more times when we got home and then we sat down to eat lunch.  Once lunch was over she wanted to walk, and boy did she!  I think we must have done the walk to Mama thing again and then she just kept going!  It was so exciting and you could tell Callie was really proud of herself.  After nap we went down to the park to play and she kept showing off her new skills.  I was worried she would wait another month to walk on her own, but she kept right on going.  Then after dinner we took a little trip down to the lobby of the apartments and she was doing even better!  We even ran into her friend Caden and she just about ran to him.  She was so excited to see her friend and sort of keep up with him!  Now I am officially chasing a toddler and am so worried when we are outside since Japan is the land of concrete!  I see many scraped knees in our future, but I doubt Callie will mind.  She seems to already enjoy her new independence!

Summer festivals

The last two weekends Rokko Island has been host to summer festivals.  Two weeks ago was a small, almost impromptu, festival and last weekend was the Obon festival, celebrating the end of summer.  There are food booths, games for the kids and entertainment.  The first festival was very small and had some unique entertainment.  There were multiple bands that all seemed to play hoe-down music, which is the best way I can describe it :)  There was even a Japanese man singing Backstreet Boys songs, well actually only one song and he sang it two different times.  That was by far my favorite part of the festival!  

Callie playing with Lily

Carter enjoying some grilled corn!

During the Obon festival we all got into the spirit and dressed in Yukatas.  I didn't get any good pictures of Callie and me, she wasn't really in the mood to sit still for pictures, but we did have a good time.  There were three different stages for performances, a Japanese fire truck, a bounce house, kids games and LOTS of people.  It was a little much for Callie, but I think she ended up having a good time :)

Getting ready to head to the festival.  Lily had a great time pushing Callie in the stroller, she is such the little mama :)

All the girls walking to the festival

Trying to get a good picture of Callie in her Yukata . . .

More corn, all the kids loved it!

Caden, Lily and Drew eating corn

Even Sean joined in on the fun!

Callie and her friend Riley the dog

The only pic I got of the two of us together

Callie worn out after we got home from the festival