静香:朝陽（さや）が１歳の誕生日を迎えました。皆様プレゼント等有難うございました！

Chris: Yep, she's one year old. She had no idea that it actually was her birthday, but she got some good presents. Of course, her favorite toy? The cardboard box and newspaper that my parents packed her presents in.

静香:ちょっとブレてしまいましたが、一応誕生日のケーキです。私が焼いたのですが、スポンジがうまく膨らまなかったのと、分量に見合わない大き目の型で焼いてしまったためにスライスすることが出来ず、仕方なく半分に切ったものを重ねた半月型になってしまいました。トホホ・・・

Chris: Shizuka even baked her a cake. Of course, we ate most of it for her, but she got a little bit. We tried to take some cool birthday photos, but they all came out super blurry. We put one here, and we're hoping you'll think its "artsy"...

色々な可愛い写真
Random Cute Pictures

静香:１ドルで買った使い古しの電話型オモチャ。最近では何でも細長くてボタンがついているもの（特にテレビやビデオのリモコン）を電話のように耳に当てて持ち歩くことが出来るくらい知恵がついてきました。

Chris: We picked up this groovy little electronic phone at a garage sale for $1. One of our best purchases. She trots all over the house answering it. She also tries to answer the remote control and one of my black shoes...

静香:なぜか後ろ向きに座ってしまう朝陽（さや）です。

Chris: She has had this little push-around riding thing since Shizuka's mother was here before Christmas, but she is only now figuring out how to ride around on it. Yes, we know she is on it backwards, but it actually drives better that way.

静香:朝陽（さや）の頭と首に巻いてあるものは実は私が作りました。でも、彼女は頭に何か被るのが大嫌いなので、まったく活躍せずに冬が終わってしまいました。

Chris: There is no story here - she is just kinda cute sometimes.

静香:私の両親が送ってくれた電池で動く犬。日本の空港で見たときは興味深くみていたのに、いざ電池を入れて動かしたら怖かったみたいで泣いてしまいました。

Chris: And what little Japanese girl would be complete without her robotic dog? She has a strange love/hate/fear relationship with this thing. Shizuka likes it though. I have been scared of it ever since I found it alone in the living room humping the sofa leg.