Momotaro the Peach Boy

This is the second best picture you will see on this blog. Just in case the Sumo career doesn't work out, I am thinking Max will grow up to have a small gang consisting of a parrot, a monkey, and a dog. Once he has his gang assembled, Max will take them to Demon Island, where they will conquer the Demon King and his subjects. Victorious Max will then return home, bringing with him the confiscated treasure of the Demon King for his loving parents. How is that for a retirement plan?

My Little Yokozuna

By far, this is the BEST picture you will ever see on this blog. I have waited six years for the outside chance that I would be lucky enough to marry a beautiful Japanese woman and have a strong, chubby baby boy who would do this portrait justice. There is nothing more for him to do now except eat, grow big, and claim his rightful spot as one of Sumo's all-time great champions. I can already feel the tears of pride streaking down my face...

Print Club goes Digital

Not only can you get half a dozen colorful snapshots for under 5 bucks, but you can also get the photo booth to e-mail you the pictures to your mobile for an additional $2.50! The Japanese definitely have the rest of the world beat when it comes to devising clever little ways to seperate you from your money.

Dual Citizen Pike

This is an older picture, but an important one. I don't know why I was so excited when we got his passports. Maybe it was having Max officially recognized as a member of The Planet Earth Club: Japan and Canada Divisions. I was itching to get a hold of this Japanese passport since Japan started including microchips embedded in one of the passport pages. The chip contains all the information shown on this page. Compare that to the Canadian passport we got. With all of their rules and fussing over taking a simple passport photograph, they still managed to make this same picture of Max turn out 5 shades darker.

Aomori Nebuta Festival

I couldn't boast my love for Aomori Prefecture without at least showing a picture of one of the famous Nebuta Festival floats. Massive, colorful scenes from Japanese (and sometimes Chinese) folklore, constructed with wire, paper, lights and paint. This one was used in our little town festival, but the most famous version of the Nebuta festival takes place in Aomori City the beginning of each August. There, don't ever say this blog doesn't teach you anything. RaSe Ra!!!

Pike Family Update

Hi Gang,

Well, here it is.... September. Yes, we are still in Japan. No, we do not have the green light to go to Canada. In fact, the Canadian Embassy in Manila has decided to draw out the procedure (with Kotomi's passport in their possession) to the very limits of endurance and common sense. Why would they need paperwork regarding Max, this was a Visa for Kotomi we were applying for? And why are they waiting over two months to ask us for it? Anyways, I believe this is one of those moments where you just gotta suck it up and BLB...... Be Like Buddha. I believe if he were in my shoes, his mind would effortlessly slip through the Cosmos, find its way to the telephone line of the reception desk at the Canadian Embassy in Manila (a place unreachable by mere mortals), and after ringing up the secretary, with all the Compassionate Loving Kindness that his eternal being possesses, plainly tell them to get their ass in gear.

The bad news is I don't know when we are coming home. I won't speculate, I will merely post as soon as we have the tickets in our hot little hands. The good news is my son is loving the Northern Japanese Festival season. Look at him! He is so cute!! And fat!! He is so fat!!! That hasn't stopped him from practicing to roll over. We love him sooooo!!!!