Weeks 14 & 16 Baby Update

All is well over here in Japan! We've been enjoying some nicer Spring weather (that one snow day excluded) and trying to get a few baby things in order before Alex has to leave again. 

We had an ultrasound around 15 weeks; the little Chubelet was wiggling and waving its arms, but busy hiding it's business, so we've still got a few weeks on knowing whether it's a he or she! 

My sister was telling me about not knowing for sure how to say "Chubelet" so I'll give you a little explanation on that today! Alex's call sign is "Chubes" and I'm known as "Chubette" or "Chubealina" (like Thumbalina.) So our little one has been nicknamed by the squadron as The Chubelet, which is pronounced "choo-b-let."

Any sightings of a baby belly here are really just a food baby...darn you delicious Easter brunch! 

It was Sakura season during my 14 week pictures, which I tried to draw for you on the board. Easter weekend we also went to Hakone with a few friends to go see the cherry blossoms. It was a great day!

We have an appointment in May in Yokosuka to do the full anatomy scan to see Baby C's heart, kidneys, bones, and hopefully, sex! 

More soon!

Castillo Family takes Japan part 2!

After Kyoto, we went home and back to the normal grind of things. (boo!) Gabe flew in on Tuesday and Alex surprised him with the news he was going to be an uncle! Carol and Anthony went to Hakone for an overnight trip one night on Wednesday. We did a little adventuring in the nearby area, and over the weekend went to enjoy cherry blossom season in Tokyo! Hanami season was in full swing and there was quite a party happening at Yoyogi Park. It was crazy and beautiful!

 We picked up some beers from the beer festival that was happening and found some food from the vendors nearby; we found a few friends of ours and settled in for our very own hanami picnic! (Hanami means "flower viewing" in Japanese; when the plum and cherry blossoms bloom, they go out in huge crowds and save spots under the trees to have picnics and parties. People drink tons of chu hais and sake and have fun!) I'm drinking pineapple juice!

Before they go onto the blankets/tarps/mats, the Japanese take off their shoes! I LOVE it.

We found a blooming magnolia tree....it was so pretty!

This picture is AMAZING!

 And it would have been a good one....

Then we wandered over to Meiji shrine!

Oh the outfits in Japan.

Nighttime in Shibuya!

It was AMAZING to have family in town! It was so nice to get to show them where we live. It was so so great, and I know Alex really appreciated having his family here!

We were really sad that we didn't get to see Katie and Laura; and I certainly can't leave them out of the family post! We Facetimed each of them once Anthony and Carol got on the plane to come over (we didn't want anyone to spoil the surprise out of excitement!) I intended to take screenshots of everyone as we told them, but I was too excited and couldn't focus and totally forgot. But I got these two gems!!