Happy New Year 2014

明けましておめでとうございます！

暫くぶりの更新です…ドタバタし過ぎてて、気がつけば半年も放置していましたね〜（汗）チビ介も一歳になり、小走りするまで成長。チビ姉に負けずヤンチャなので、私は毎日ヘトヘト。

昨日、義姉の住んでいる南バージニアはお天気だったのですが（おかげで良い写真が撮れた♥）、残念ながらワシントンDCは今日から暫くどんよりとした寒い日々が続くらしく、子供たちのエネルギーをどうやって消費すればいいのか悩み中…　こういう季節になると、プリスクールが非常にありがたく感じます…（苦笑）

ちび介の初節句 Children's Day

5月もすでに下旬だというのに、ちび介の初節句のことまだ書く時間がなかったので今更ながら・・・まぁタイムマシーンに乗ったつもりで、という事で（汗）悪まで自分の記録のためだしね〜 で、4月半ばから順番に体調を崩し続けていた我が家。５月の上旬には見事に私と旦那がsinus infection（副鼻腔炎ふくびこうえん）に。最近アレルギー鼻炎になると必ずと言っていい程、sinus infectionになってるし。しかも、授乳中のため服薬出来ず、自力で（？）治すはめに。はぁ〜〜〜〜〜

I know May is almost over, and Children's Day was way back on May 5th. Well, bare with me... I know it's somewhat of expired content... So since the middle of April, my household been dealing with cold, allergy and sinus infection. After kids got better, now it was B and my turn to suffer, this time it was sinus infection around the first week of May...
手抜きも何も、ちまきしか作る気力なかったわ。いや、炊き込みご飯にしか見えないけれど、ちゃんと中華ちまきです。ただね、面倒だったので炊飯器で炊いてお 茶碗によそっただけなの。笹の葉もタケノコの皮も手にはいらないし…　鯉のぼりの形のプレートとかケーキとかもなし。そう、ちまきだけ！ちまきだけ作っ て、力つきてソファーの上で伸びてました。ごめんね、ちび介。どうせまだ何も食べられないからいいや〜という気持ちもどこかにあったけど、来年はちゃんと がんばるので許して…

For Children's celebration, I wanted to make all different kinds of dish to celebrate Ken's very fist Children's Day (also it's Boys' Day). BUT, I only had energy for one dish, chimaki (sticky rice dumplings) before I crushed and vegetate on the sofa. I felt bad for Ken for not making it special, but on corner of my mind, I have to admit, I was thinking it wasn't a big deal since he cannot eat yet! Sorry, Ken... I will do better next year, I promise...


鯉のぼりも用意できなかったので、せめて自作でも！とDIYの紙の鯉のぼりを作ってみたのだけれども、難易度ふつうのはずが、難しかった!!!! 私が不器用なだけなのかもしれないけれど、マジで途中放棄したくなったことが何度あったか…ウソツキ！でも、まぁヤケでちび介のために夜な夜な時間を見つけて作りましたよ〜これ、作ってる途中で、肝心な難点に気づいたんですが・・・写真では中に浮いている様に見えるのですが、実際には糸で鯉を柱につなげるので、柱を立てると鯉が空を泳がない！これじゃ、まるで死んでいるようで、かっこ良くない！

…いろいろ考えた末、糸の代わりに厚紙を細長く切ったもので鯉を柱に固定し、割り箸と小さい板をボンドで付けて柱の補強し、ようやく完成。う〜ん。あんまり良い出来映えではないけど、何もないよりはいいかな？と…

Since we didn't have Koinobori for the occasion, I decided to make DIY paper-craft Koinobori and make them for Ken. It was supposed to be a piece of cake, well it was labeled as "middle level"... WRONG!! It was quite difficult and took a little longer than I expected. Also there were two major issues I didn't expect. Fish were attached to the pole with strings, and it wasn't self-standing type... The photo sort of tricked me thinking kois will look like swimming when it's finished. So I had to think a little hard to come up with a solution – use pieces of paper strips instead of strings, and make a stand using a pair of chopsticks and a piece of wood.

Despite my effort, I wasn't too thrilled with the outcome, but I tried and hope Ken will appreciate it when he looks photos later... 

 

外遊び大好き loving to play outside

母の日の週末に義理姉家族の新居を行って来ました。アパート住まいとは違い、一戸建ての大きな庭に興奮状態のちび姉。手押し車に乗せてもらい、従兄弟と楽しい時間を過ごした様です。最後には自ら手押し車によじ上ろうとまで…（苦笑）

おかげで（？）先週末以降から、朝起きて初めに「おんも、いこ！」今までは「パン！」だったのに… 部屋から出るとすぐに自分の靴をもって催促するまでに。朝が苦手な私は「あとで〜」を一体毎朝、何回言っているのだろう…　

そんなんで、私の花粉症も落ち着いたので、暑くなる前に思いっきり公園を満喫させてあげ ようと、今日の午前中は公園で２時間も遊ばせてきました。プレイグループも読聞かせも、何かと脱走したがるちび姉。（絶対に将来学校から成績表に協調性が ないと書かれるのじゃないかと、実は今から心配）公園は正反対！！私とちび介が帰りたいがために、もっと遊ぶ〜と泣き叫ぶちび姉を抱えて、片手でベビー カーを押しつつ、車まで戻る羽目に…　思いっきり遊ばせたので昼寝はガッチリ４時間も！ラッキー☆

So after spending time at the new house of sister-in-law's this past weekend, Akari is obsessed with playing outside. She had so much fun running around and exploring the huge yard. And what kid doesn't love being pushed around in the wheel-barrel! After everyone got tired of pushing the wheel-barrel, she was still trying to climb into it by herself...

Now since the Mother's Day weekend, now she says "Let's go outside" as the first thing in the morning while she is still in the crib. As soon as she gets out her room, she even grabs her shoes and ask me to put them on! She is so ready to go, but not her sleepyhead mama though... This is a little tough and I end up repeating "a little later..." over and over.

So today I decide to bring her to a playground since my allergy is better finally. Well, guess what!? We were there for two hours! I even had to grab her and carry her out of park while pushing Ken in the stroller because she still wanted to play, but it was getting hot and Ken and I were hungry. Geez, she really loves park unlike playgroups and stroytimes which she usually tries to leave right away... Anyway, I think today was win-win situation for everyone! Akari had so much fun and hers nap was almost 4 hours. Yay!

 

そろそろ it's almos time for...

今月でチビ介くん、５ヶ月です。ちび姉もそうだったけれど、この月齢って手足を良く動かす様になりじっとしていられなりますね〜常に動きがおおげさなので興奮状態にも見えたり（笑）相変わらずうつ伏せの練習を忘れがちの私。上の子の時は、頻繁に育児書を読んでいたのに、二人目だと読みもせず…　極端な違いに自分でも呆れてますが、完全に手抜き育児でもちゃんと成長してますよ〜（汗）

最近うつぶせからゴロンと半回転寝返りが出来る様に。寝返りする日もそんなに遠くなさそうなので、添い寝しているベッドからクリブに移さないと、危なさそうです〜　なので、アメリカ式にスリープトレーニングを開始！でもかなり今回は自己流に、夜中の授乳を止めさせてからクリブへ移動の予定。クリブ移動→夜中の授乳中止だと、絶対泣かれて起こされるので私の負担が大きいかなと…　効き目はあるのだけれど、泣かせ続けるのは出来ればしなくないしね。今のところ、オシャブリさえあればどうにか夜中起きてもまた寝てくれています。ほっ…もう暫く様子を見て、大丈夫そうだったら殆ど使ってない（苦笑）クリブに移動だぁ〜　そうしら、夜中にかわいく愛らしいちび介の寝顔の代わりに、目を開けると旦那のひげ顔があるのか…ちぇっ

Ken turned 5 months on Monday. Just like how his sister was, he's become more animated, and his little arms and feet are always moving around as he is constantly excited. It's funny how much I'm more relax this time around and not reading developmental books religiously everyday. ...I'm too busy and lazy, I guess? But he is doing just fine! 

Even though his forgetful mom probably isn't giving him enough tummy time, he can roll back to the on-his-back position during the tummy time.  So that means, soon he will be rolling around everywhere and I need to let him sleep in his crib at night now... Out of convenience, I have been co-sleeping with him on my bed (believe me it was the best decision I ever made and I've been scratching my head why I didn't do that with Akari!) and feeding him in bed at night. So starting on this week, I've been sleep-training him, in my own way. My goal is to stop midnight feeding, then once he sleeps throughout the nights, I will move him to the crib... hoping I don't have to do the CIO method even though I know it's very effective (we did that with A.). So far, as long as he has a paci, he has been doing great this week. Perhaps, it might be sooner than I though that I don't get to see the adorable face of my cute innocent boy, but instead there will be my husband's face... ha!

 

ちび介の４ヶ月健診 4 months check-up

早いものでちびスケが４ヶ月になり、今週は健診に行ってきました。が・・・運悪く健診の日に大雨。

どうやってこの年子姉弟を軒下まで雨の中連れて行くかいろいろ考えました。晴れていたら、ダブルのベビーカーだったんですが…　結局、待っても一向に弱らない雨の中、ちび介をカー シートのまま左手で、傘で遊んでしまって歩いてくれそうもないちび姉を右腕にラグビー抱きし、傘を肩にかけ、ダッシュ!!!!!!!!!! 火事場の馬鹿力とはまさにこの事ですね（苦笑）おまけに、帰りも同じ手段。腹立つことに、健診の数時間後には晴天に…

It's been already four months and we had to go to the check up this week, in rain... I think it was pouring down at Akari's 4 mo. check up too! What is going one here?!

After thinking of a few ideas how to get to the building from the car with 22 mo. and 4 mo. without soaking wet, I realized that there weren't really many options but to run with them. But guess what? I'm the only one who can run! So I grabbed the carseat in my left arm, the toddler in my right arm, put the umbrella on my shoulder, and ran in the rain! Oh boy, I didn't know that I was capable of doing such heavy lifting even though I haven't worked out since I was pregnant with Akari! It was quite a workout!!!

体重は平均近く(65％)まで下がってしまったけれど、７キロは超えていました。そして、予防接種の注射を二本太腿にブスッ！ブスッ！でもって、ロタのワクチンを飲まされてきました。アメリカ人でも纏めてするのには抵抗のある親は、纏めて予防接種をしないらしいです。が、そのために何度も足を運ぶのは正直言って（私が）辛いので、うちは纏めてがんっばってもらいました（汗）ちびスケ、今回は少し泣いただけで、抱っこしたらすぐ泣き止んでくれ、帰りの車の中では寝てました。えらいぞぉ〜

医者に行くのに大変なのが、ちび姉！私が子供の時とそっくりで、診察室に入ろうとすると何かを察してすでに、泣きべそ。幸いにも、小児科の先生のパソコン（カルテ）が気になり、診察中は子供用の椅子を先生の隣りに持っていき、ちゃっかり座り込んでパソコンを覗き込むのに夢中で、大人しくしていてくれました（苦笑）でもその後、看護師さんが注射を持って部屋に入って来ると、ちび姉ようじゃないのに、また半泣き…　オイオイ…

well, so even though it was down to 65%, his weight was over 16 lbs. No wonder my arm hurts lately... And he did well with two shots in his thighs. He cried right after the shots, but soon enough he calmed down and was sleeping in the car on the way home... Much better than previous time, Ken! 

Akari also did much better than I expected. She freaked out a bit as we entered the room (just like how I used be as a kid...), and when the nurse came in with the shots thinking they were for her. But during the check-up, she was curious about the Dr.'s laptop, so she moved one of the kiddie chair next to the Dr's, and sat there to see what was on the screen whole time!   

さてこのちび姉。すっかりお姉さんが板についてきて、いろいろと私たちの真似をしてお世話をしたがります。でも、力加減がわからず、弟くんはいじめだと思っていそう…　ちび介が泣いていると、真っ先に飛んで行くし、今までは「べべ」と読んでいたのに、今月からはちゃんと名前を言うようになりました。取りあえず、焼きもちもやかずに仲良くしてくれているので、すごく嬉しいなぁ〜 

Talking about Akari, now she calls her little brother by his name, not just "bebeh". Also she loves to take care of him, copying what we do, although still not understanding how to be gentle, poor Ken is more like being beat up... oh boy...  But it's so clear that she just loves her brother and seems like she cannot get enough of him! She is constantly checking on him making sure that he is okay, and she is the first one to get to him whenever he is crying... It's cute and seeing them together makes me smile :)

またまたアメリカでお食い初め 100th day celebration #2

 あれよあれよ、と言う間に気がつけばチビ介も生後１００日になりました。しかも、ちょうどバレンタインデー！チョコでもあげればよかったかな？チビ姉にもお食い初めをしたので、してあげないと可哀想なのでしました。しかし、最寄りのアジア系のスーパー、最近取り扱っている日本の食材が少なくなってきてて、食材全部揃わなかった・・・（涙）取りあえず、手に入ったものでどうにか済ませる事に。

準備したのは、レッドスナッパーの塩焼き、お赤飯、筑前煮、アサリのお吸い物、クレソンのお浸し、梅干しとたくあん。今回は、レッドスナッパーの頭の向きをちゃんと正しく左向きにしたよ！でも、他のお皿の置き場所はかなり適当で、後日母親からご飯茶碗は左、お椀は右と教わりました〜（汗）

追記：お茶碗とお椀は日本にいる友達からの出産祝い。やっぱり和食器はいいね。Mちゃん、ありがとう！

It's hard to believe that it's been already 100 days since Ken's arrival. Just like when Akari's 100th day birthday celebration, I cooked special food for him as well... However, the Asian grocery store I usually go to started to carry less Japanese food lately. So I wasn't able to get everything I wanted. Bummer! The menu is grilled red snapper, sweet rice with azuki beans (sekihan), clear broth with clams (osuimono), chicken and veggie (chikuzenni), boiled watercress (ohitashi), and pickled radish and plums (umeboshi).

This time I got the direction of fish head correct, but the placement of rice and both was opposite (top photo) according to my mother. Oops!

「なんだこりゃ？」とでも言いわんばかりの、チビ介。「ママ〜写真なんて撮ってないで、早く食べたいよ。」と言いたげなチビ姉。「せっかくの記念だから」と訳の分からない、日本行事に付き合ってくれた旦那に、感謝！この後、チビ姉、レッドスナッパーとレンコンにハマり、むしゃむしゃと沢山食べてました。オクラ、ブロッコリー、キュウリなど、妙な物が好きなのね…（もちろん大好物はスナックと炭水化物だけど）

Of course, Ken cannot eat any of these and pretty sure that he doesn't recognize them as food yet. He looked very puzzled in this photo, and his hungry sister seemed to be begging to eat... and thank to my hubby for going along with this tradition, just because I want to do it, even though it's not like Ken can eat them... ;)

ドンドン成長 growing fast

気がついたら、すでに１月が終わり２月…毎年思うのだけれど、時間が経つスピードがドンドン加速しています。仕事していた時より早い。そのうち気がついたらおばさんになっているのかなぁ。いやだ、いやだ〜　

でも気がついたら、ケンスケは今週で３ヶ月だし、２ヶ月したらアカリは２歳。二人とも、猛スピードで成長しています。前の日に出来なかった事が、翌日出来る様になってたりと子供の成長にはただただビックリ。毎日が一生懸命過ぎるから、時間が経つのが早く感じるんだよね。

January flew by, and it's already February. I feel that time goes by faster and faster every year... By the time I realize, I will be a grandma. Yikes! But time has flew by so quickly. My little boy is already 3 months this week, and the little girl will be turning two in two months! It's so hard to believe how fast kids grow and they can do things that they couldn't a day before... like laughing out loud, discovering the hands and feet.

いつの間にか、あんなに伸びるのが遅かった髪の毛も結えるようになったよ。ケンスケと比べると、すっかり人間（瀑）。パンを立ち食いしていたので、座るように注意したら、パンを後ろに隠して遠くまで逃げてから、慌てて全部口に押し込んでいたアカリ。ドコでそんな悪知恵を…かなり得意げな表情だったよ。バレバレだけどね〜

Even the slow-growing hair finally got long enough to put into pigtails. In comparison to Kensuke, she acts like us nowadays. Other day, she was eating while walking around. Upon being told to sit while eating, she quickly hide a piece of bread behind her back with a big grin. Then once she was faraway enough from us, she shaved it in her mouth thinking we couldn't see what she just did... We couldn't believe her reaction! So deviant!!