Cousins!

The very best thing about visiting Massachusetts was spending time with family, especially having Lucy spend time with her cousins and her Baba. We already get to see Olive at least once a week in Utah but since Maya lives out in DC, we feel lucky if we get to see her and her family once a year.

Elaine and Maya arrived a few days before Emily and Olive did so Lucy got some quality time with her older cousin. A lot of time in the car and shopping:

I'm pretty sure Lucy was stuffing some King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread in her mouth here.

And then when Olive arrived, some Play-Doh action:

And for the main event - gifts from Japan from Baba! Holy crap, it was like Christmas in our house for these granddaughters, minus all the wrapping paper and decorations (and cold weather). Baba did not disappoint.

Totoro socks all around! I think Lucy was a little disappointed that she didn't get the pink socks. Color options (mostly over pink) would be a source of some contention with some other gifts a little later.

Following the socks came Totoro wash cloths, then stuffed Jiji (from Kiki's Delivery Service) and Totoro dolls.

There was some more traditional Japanese gifts like fans and zori sandals (that Olive is wearing in the background).

I made a special request to my mom to get Lucy an umbrella since I had been having a hard time finding a good sized one for her. She came through with not only the umbrella but some rain boots too!

Unfortunately, there was only one umbrella so a quick trip to Target to buy two more umbrellas solved any problems associated with it.

And there were so many dolls! My mom sewed the kimonos and all the accessories for these traditional Japanese dolls. She sewed a whole other set of dolls and clothes that I didn't even get a picture of. These girls were in heaven!

And of course, Princess dresses. You can't get away from having some princess dress action thrown in. And there were so many more clothes I didn't even get pictures of, most that my mom had sewn herself.

And some darling red riding hood capes made from old kimono fabric.

Thanks for all the gifts, Baba!!

Phew! We're pooped!!