The Woodruff World

As Heather noted, we've taken a pretty long hiatus from doing blog posts, but we're trying to get back on the saddle. Since my parents just finished visiting us, we thought this would be a good time to restart our blog, especially since it will allow my parents a chance to download the pics we took.

My parents came for about 2 weeks. This was their first time to Japan and we wanted to give them a well-rounded experience with Japanese culture, both modern and old.

We started with a former royal garden, Hama Rikyu, and took the water taxi from there under Rainbow Bridge and to the modernistic Odaiba island.

Like most of Asia, food is a critical part of Japanese culture. So we were sure to treat my parents to some great dishes, such as ramen, real sushi (sashimi), and yakiniku (which is Korean-style BBQ that is very popular all over Japan). They loved the food, although some dishes were a bit harder for them to eat than others. :)

We also had the chance to go to the Studio Ghibli museum. Studio Ghibli is the Japanese equivalent to Disney. They have been making incredible animated movies since the 70s, and many have won major international awards. As a family, we've enjoyed watching many of these classics, so it was a wonderful experience to visit the museum. We showed 2-3 of the movies to my parents before the visit, and even with such little exposure, they loved the creativity and imagination evident all over this unique museum.

To highlight Japan's modern culture, I took my parents to Robot Restaurant. It was definitely a colorful, cultural experience.

We even got attacked by Godzilla at one point, which you would expect given that we are in Tokyo.

Here are my parents with our girls wearing their summer kimonos, or yukatas.

While they were here, we also celebrated the birthday of my most incredible, stupendous, fantastic wife.

The visit was timed perfectly to catch a sumo wrestling tournement. We had a great time watching very hefty men smash their bodies into one another wearing diapers and trying to throw/push their opponent out of the ring.

Here we are at one of Tokyo's most atmospheric shrines, Meiji shrine. Fortunately we saw about 2-3 weddings take place that day, which was fun to see because the whole wedding procession wears traditional Japanese clothing.

And of course, there was a lot of playing around at the house. I'll do another post about our big trip to other cities outside of Tokyo.

This Post is way overdue, but since Maya just turned 1, I think its great to go through her story! If you have been following on facebook, many of these will be familiar to you.

January 27, 2015

Ready

Set

GO!

So little and precious! Maya Lynne Woodruff, 5 lbs on the nose, 27 inches

I had a lot of complications due to my hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and later diagnosis of Lupus, so we had a lot of ups and downs. It was really hard to be able to predict when the birth would need to happen. Because the birth might need to happen quickly when certain levels spiked (which couldn't be predicted), Todd and I were almost resigned to the fact that he might miss the birth. In this we were blessed as well. Todd was able to get back in time for the birth of our baby. I'm so very grateful for this tender mercy.

Our perfect baby. I love this picture.

Maya had a little trouble breathing at first, because she didn't fully inflate her lungs so she had to stay in the NICU. They let her come and visit me in my room one more time before taking her there. She made this sweet but sad mewing sound for the first several hours with her shallow breaths.

We were very blessed, for the first time, to be in a place with lots of family for the birth. It was such a blessing to share this time with them.

My grandparents, Betty and Bob, loved having the opportunity to visit Maya right after she was born.

Jenny, Mom, and Cheri got to come and hold Maya right away too. Such a sweet little thing.

Maya did need a little help from bilirubin lights for the first couple days in the NICU.

Ready to meet her sisters! Elli and Sienna were so sweet with Maya, gentle and so excited. Maya couldn't leave the NICU, and since kids weren't allowed to go in there, they had to wait until we were taking Maya home to meet her.

Elliana took her older sister role very seriously. She was really good with Maya.

Sienna was very interested in Maya but wasn't asking to hold her as much as Elli. However when we took her home, every half hour or so she would run over and check on Maya, making sure that she was still there and all right. Then she would run off again. It was very sweet.

All the Gerwig cousins joining in on the loving of Maya when we brought her home.

They were all fascinated by how small she was.

Grace and Kyle with Maya

She started growing right away though and had lots of visitors. So many people to love.

Mema and Maya had a special bond. Mema told me she felt like Maya was her baby too. She would just hold her for the majority of most Sundays. Mema loves you Maya.

My family was such a great support to me the entire time I was home in Texas. Especially during the time that I was in the hospital and/or on bedrest, I completely relied on my parents, Jenny, and Cheri to help out with everything. I am so grateful I have such an amazing family to rely on.

Aunt Julie, Mac, and Uncle Al, and Kelsey

Alyson, Todd's sister, drove from Oklahoma with Maya's cousin Treyton, Emery, Griffy, and Jayci. It was so wonderful to have them come. All were enchanted with Maya: Griffy (5) being the one requesting to hold Maya the most!

GrandBob and Grandmother Betty were both so wonderful to visit in the hospital and were so worried about me the whole pregnancy. I love them so much. My Grandaddy was the one who helped me get Maya into a really great pediatrician here too just because of his amazing reputation.

Laura and Steph were so awesome to come back to Lubbock to meet Maya too (all the way for Vegas and Colorado). I am so glad to feel so much love from family.
Ashley, Zac, and Natalie also got to meet their new cousin.

More Visitors: Laurisa Murrow, old friend Maya got to meet at church

Maya Sweetness

So little she fits in a popcorn bowl in the sink: This was her first bath.

Maya a little bigger everyday.

She loved her pacifier almost from the very start.

Family Pictures a couple days before Todd had to go home to Japan

Maya's Blessing Date: February 9, 2015

In attendance: Jenny, Cheri and Chris and kids, My grandparents, Todd's parents, my parents, my Cousins Austin and Asia, and of course my little family.

It was a beautiful naming and blessing given by Todd.

Maya didn't cry and looked so sweet in her blessing gown.

Maya kept growing, slowly but surely.

Maya's first Easter

Returning back to Japan, 3 months old

Cheri's farewell to me and Jenny! Pedicures with Maya in tow of course!

We stayed a bit longer than expected in the US, since Maya got whooping cough, but she recovered well and then we were off to real life. My sister Jenny accompanied me back with all the kids to Japan. She was such a great help and got to stay and hang out with me here for over a month! We had such a wonderful time together and the girls really did look at her as another mom. We had lots of adventures together which I will post at some point. But until then, here are some cute moments of Jenny with Maya and the girls. Despite now having three kiddos, having Jenny around made it possible for me to get out and still have lots of fun in Tokyo and around Japan.

Tokyo Skytree- tallest tower in Tokyo

Lion King Baby on Mt. Nokogiri

Kangaroo Jenny with Maya in Pouch at Tama zoo

Hakone Open Air Museum Lots of love.

We were very sad when Jenny had to go back to Texas but so grateful for all the fun we had.

6 months Maya

At 8 months old, Maya was 14 lbs. She had 3 teeth already that she got a couple months prior (beating her sisters who didn't get any teeth until 10 months) but she has no affinity for baby food. She was still small being in the 2% for weight but in the 30% for height. She makes up for her little body with her big bright eyes and big happy smiles (as long as Mommy is holding her!)

Grandma and Grandpa Woody came to visit! Maya is a snuggler and enjoyed all the extra attention.

Maya's hair definitely had a lot of red at first, but then it faded to a blonder color.

And she loved her pacifier. Mommy tried to break of Maya of the paci so Maya decided to then became a two middle finger sucker. Not sure if that was the right choice for Mommy!

The girls love to come into Maya's bed after she wakes up in the morning, just to have some sister time before Maya sees Mommy and only wants no one else. :)

October Baby- 9 months

Maya definitely knows how to let you know she is not a fan of something.

10 months - New experiences often!

Maya is not a thrill seeker-- she doesn't like swings or slides, or small throws in the air. The picture below was taken right before she started wailing.

Christmas Time- Maya 11 months old

Maya's friend Hajime

Not a fan of Caucasion Santa, Asian Santa on the otherhand... okay.

Superhero Christmas Pajamas!

Traveling Maya- Abu Dhabi

12 months- Maya started crawling at 11 1/2 months and pulling up at 12 months. Much later than my other two but she is just doing things at her own pace, which is fine by us. Since she started crawling though, she has been a much happier baby. She enjoys getting around by herself for sure. She is still on the small side and in the 1% for weight but she eats well now and is much better at eating table foods, so we aren't worried. Maya's loves: her momma, daddy and sisters, her pink kitty cat lovey for sleeping, and her talking bear, Violet. She gets so excited when she sees her Violet and just hugs and cuddles it. Its so sweet. She loves to cuddle with mommy, and with Daddy when mommy is gone, and laughs constantly at her sisters!