August was a full month...full of beach time...last minute prepping for baby...spending time with Brian...enjoying life as it was with just Austin and Brooke before their sister arrived...full of "holy cow, I am huge, when is this baby coming"...full of packing and moving...long walks...and just full of fun.
Being 9 months pregnant during August, especially a hot and humid Japanese August, is not something I want to ever do again! You would think with all the sweating I did, and all the long walks I took trying to stay active, I wouldn't have gained as much weight the past few weeks! But oh no, I think I shocked and awed all the staff at the hospital when I weighed in each doctor appointment! It must have been the humidity :) (or the costco muffins and the chocolate covered raisins I so craved towards the end...shhh!)
Brian tweaked his back at the beginning of August which landed him on the DL for 1o days. Normally that's not a good thing, but in all honestly, it worked out to be really nice for me and the kids! We got him home for 10 straight days as he rehabbed in Fukuoka and didn't have to travel or play in any games. We never get time like that with him during the season, so...knowing it wasn't anything real serious...just this once...we didn't mind that he was on the DL ;) With baby 3 on the way any day, and life about to get really crazy on us, we took advantage of those few days we got him home!
Especially since we moved apartments during that exact time he was on the DL!! Instead of Brian being on the road during our move, he got to be with us to help! After 2 1/2 seasons in our same apartment, we upgraded from a 2 bedroom to a 3 bedroom so we could have some room for the baby! The team was awesome, they hired a moving company to take care of everything for us, and being as pregnant as I was, that was music to my ears! Normally I have a hard time letting people doing things for me, I am way too OCD to let someone else do it, but this time around, I was all for it! And we had no idea how much we had accumulated in our tiny apartment, it took 2 whole moving trucks to move everything...to just one apartment building over!! Seriously, I don't know how we are ever going to get all this stuff home one day! There were boxes galore and it was hot and humid as heck! I don't recommend ever moving 9 1/2 months pregnant to anyone! It was a lot of work, and it was just an apartment!
Then at the end of August, my mom came out to Japan to help us with the new baby and keep us company :) It has been so great having her here! We couldn't have done it without her and owe her the world for all she has done! She is actually still here, bless her heart!! Thank you Mom!!!
And of course, August ended with the birth of our daughter Natalie! It was a great month, and we've got a lot of pictures to prove it...
So here's August...
Showing off his UConn and Diamondback pride! (Thanks Kelsey for the hats, the kids are obsessed with them!)
These two have so much fun goofing around together, they seriously are the best of friends!! And totally crazy!!
Brooke and her hats...she loves wearing them!
At the annual Ohori Park Firework Festival!! Held every year in Fukuoka on August 1st, we haven't missed it in 3 years! We always go with our friends from the team and sit up on the Yahoo Dome steps to watch them! Brooke was NOT so crazy about the fireworks at first, but beings how they go on for over an hour, she eventually came around!
The kids running around watching the fireworks!
Most of the women wear their kimonos!
Enjoying a beautiful night watching fireworks with my kids ;)
Playtime at the beach with the Houltons!
Brady and Brooke being brave in the water!
Our water girl, she loves to swim!
Look what washed up on shore!
Austin and Tessa cooling off!
How Brooke gets the sand out of her bucket to make sand castles!
This girl takes every baby she has to bed with her!! And they have to be all cozy on their blanket (with bottles next to her just in case they get hungry!), she is such a mom :)
Yummm...ramen!! They love noodles!
Always a game of baseball going on at our place!
Austin is really into being the catcher right now!
Quite the setup on our patio! The kids love cooling off here! If only they realized how many trips with a bucket full of water from the kitchen sink it takes me to fill up that darn pool and water table!!
They love playing horsey rides!
The gorgeous views from our new apartment!!
Brooke wanted to share her stuffed animals with the baby, so she placed them all on me and said to my belly, "Here you go baby!" It was adorable ;)
They are all "packed and ready for their trip!" That's what they told me!
Backpacks, ride on car to get there, and golf clubs for entertainment, sounds like a fun trip!
Such a character!
They love going to the indoor play areas in the malls here! They have the coolest stuff for them to play on!
Making friends!
Austin in a little friendly competition with a new buddy!
Seriously, this girl cracks me up! Brooke is always going to her closet and coming out with something crazy on...she had to have her rain coat on to eat her treat before bedtime!
Waving to Daddy in the dugout!
Come on Dad! Strike him out!
Such a daddy's girl! She has to have Brian carry her home after all the games! I just love the way she holds on to him ;)
Brooke LOVES sneaking into Austin's bed at night time :)
Trying to catch fish with the new nets Brian got them!
Total baseball kid. After going to a bazillion baseball games a season, you totally don't mind that your kids sit on the floor in the stadium!!
Ahhh ;)
Walking out to the car with Dad after another game!
So precious.
Playing dolls with Daddy :)
My mom's in Japan!! On the field after a game!
Brooke playing baseball with the boys!
Beach time with Grandma!
These two just got soaked by a wave!
Me, my two kids, and my ready to pop belly!
Only a few days left with just each other...soon they are going to have a little sister!
Enjoying some baseball with Grandma!
Hangin' in the dugout!
Love that my girl loves to play with trains and cars too ;)
Can't get enough of ramen!
My good friends Annie Ortiz and Katie Houlton (the three of us have been together in Fukuoka for 3 baseball seasons!) threw me a wonderful baby shower just days before I checked into the hospital! We had such a great time and they spoiled the baby with beautiful gifts, thanks girls!!
Katie, Me, and Annie!
What would we do without the cool ride on cars at the Big Banana on the beach?!! The kids love it here!
A favorite hangout of ours.
Ahh, we caught you Austin!! Playing dolls with his sis!! I am sure he is going to love these when he is in highschool!
Reading books with Grandma before bed...they can't get enough!
The end of a fun summer's day :) Wiped out!
That was August!
