"Go Baseball Game!"

   A few weeks back I had the idea that we needed to get to a Japanese baseball game before we leave.  Clayton has been to an MLB Allstar game vs the Japanese, but neither of us in over 4 years had been to the local team, about 45 minutes away.  Clay figured out it was due to the fact that this is the first summer he has ever spent in Japan, normally the ship is gone.  We tried on Saturday to buy tickets at the mall here in Yokosuka, but they didn't have any. The man assured us there would be plenty available at game time if we went to the stadium.  Apparently the Yokohama Baystars aren't doing that great this season.  

   Without any directions except for what a friend had told us we headed up on the train to Yokohama.  We found the right train line to transfer to and found the stadium easily.  Before game time there were bands playing, with fans cheering and chanting. We tried to buy tickets at the first ticket booth we saw, turns out they split the stadium into home vs away and you have to buy the tickets at your side.  We cheered for Yokohama, the other half of the crowd cheered for the Hiroshima Carp.  Both sides had their own make shift bands and team clothes.  

  We didn't know realize how small the stadium was so bought the more expensive seats.  We were 6 rows up from the field on the first base side.  Part way into the game it started to rain, we talked about leaving but waited it out and the sprinkles stopped and the sun came back out.      One of my favorite people watching parts of the game was watching the beer girls, in goofy little outfits with their money folded intricately around their middle finger.  The creepy man in front of us had 8 beers, and would only buy them from one special girl!  They had bento boxes you could buy, rice and sushi being sold into the crowd instead of hotdogs like American baseball.  One of the best things they sold at the game was edamame, Gabby's absolute favorite snack!  She ate an entire package by herself.  

     We had a great time, and loved the new experience.  Even though we couldn't understand much of what was being cheered or announced, sports are pretty universal.  Clay did buy a noise maker thing that you clap with, Gabby instead uses it as a funnel to yell into, cheering "Go Baseball Game!"  

New Gabby Things!

   The past few months my little girl has been growing up even more than I could have imagined.  She is into many new things, including dress up, purses, barbies, dinosaurs, dancing, pumpkins, oh and things like not listening and "run away!"  as she likes to call it.  Most things are fun, but then there are the times where she tries to test me and refuses to listen... such as today at the store when she wanted to touch everything!  

    Dress up is something that she likes to do only occasionally but is becoming more fun, like tonight she put on a pink tulle dress and pretended to be a ballerina.  Ballet is another thing she has gotten into lately, no clue where she picked it up but she dances and talks about it and now we have two new books to go along with the theme.  A few weeks back dress up consisted of putting on a fun dress, necklaces and lipslick (lip gloss).   Boots go with everything, rain ones are even better!  It helps that we now have new frog rain boots and little ugg type boots.  

    Gabby has two purses, first is her Tatiana bag- pink and usually filled with goldfish crackers for snack.  Her new purse I bought to tease Molly, who has been coveting a giraffe print bag.  Gabby is just always up on style so she has her very own giraffe bag!  

     I wasn't going to buy a Barbie quite yet, but I needed some new small toys for our long airplane ride to NY.  Gabby was first introduced to a Barbie at stroller class when an older girl had one, but wouldn't let Gabby play with it (she was very intrigued by it).  We have Damatina, Latino (fake brand) Barbie... we have re-named her Jenny From The Block, I couldn't help it with the outfit she came with (knee boots, a poncho and a large floppy hat).  In NY we got "princess" Barbie who is really a ballerina.  On sale I found beach Barbie who is wearing a swimsuit and has sunglasses.  That is our collection, and trying to keep track of all the little things they come with is laughable.  

   One thing that has not changed is her LOVE for books!  We could spend the entire day reading all of her books and that would make her totally happy!  Even though we have a large number of books, reading 30 or so a day we go through the same ones frequently.  Gabby can tell you just about every word of every book.  I think the girl has a photographic memory b/c I really am amazed by things she knows.  Just this week we bought a bundle of new books at the second hand store (cheap and necessary b/c the NEX rarely gets new books in).  After reading the Clifford book a total of 3 times she knew each page!  Another thing about the books is that become scattered all over the house.  While I was on the phone this week she sat quietly and took each book out of her book case, looking at each one.  A total of 3 books were left IN, all the rest were in a pile on the floor!  

   Well here are some pictures to enjoy of our sweet Gabby Jean doing some of her new favorite things.

    Oh and a few funny things that she said today.  At lunch she had ham, after eating what was on her plate she had this short conversation with herself "Where the ham go?"  "In the BELLY!"  For dinner I had cut up cucumbers and put rice wine vinegar on them, Clayton asked her if she was going to eat cucumbers with vinegar.  Gabby signed drink and said "Drink Vinegar!"  She proceeded to eat about an entire cucumber soaked in vinegar, then drank the vinegar off the plate telling us, spicy! It is funny that we were trying to get her to eat the pizza and not just cucumber!  I swear the girl will eat almost anything!  

4 years!

Today marks my FOUR year anniversary of living in Japan!  I am amazed that I have lived here that long, but it also doesn't seem like that much time.  It is crazy to think about all that has happened since we moved here!  The best and worst thing about living here (and anywhere with the Navy I suppose) is the friendships you make.  I have made incredible friendships with many people, but everyone eventually moves away at some point.  I have solid friendships with people I met when I first got here, and am building great relationships with people I have only recently met!   I will miss Japan dearly when we do end up moving, it really has become HOME!  I am trying to all that I love and enjoy here while I have the chance.   So KOMPAI, and CHEERS to 4 years in Yoko.