試練の始まり Tougher beginning

 日中一人で子供達の面倒を見始めて早くも丸二週間。目が回る程忙しい～!! 特に最初の週が試されているのかと思ったほど大変だった… 何が大変だったかって、水曜日はイキナリ朝から水が出なく15時間もの断水!!さらに金曜から翌週の月曜までアカリがお腹の風邪だったのか嘔吐に下痢…幸い熱はなく先週は大事をとってずっと篭ってました… はぁ〜　ただでさえノンストップの育児と家事プラス寝不足でドタバタなのに、断水と体調不良のおまけ付きになるとは思ってなかった…

予想外のイベントで思ったより大変だったけれど、親切な友達のご飯の差し入れに助けられ、どうにか乗り切ったぞ～!! しかし年子の育児って体力と忍耐力の勝負だね… 決まって2人揃って同時に何かしら要求があるんだもん。ゆっくり一息入れる暇さえないよ… あぁ、この週を乗り切れば、旦那が一週間休み! うれし〜☆

So could the past few weeks get any harder than it should had been?! It wasn't fair that all those things happened on the very first week of taking care of little ones alone... I felt like i was being tested. Things were going better than I expected until Wednesday. All day Wednesday we didn't have running water until almost 11 pm, and then Akari threw up at 4:30 am on Friday and then on Monday!  It looked like she got some kind of stomach bug but luckily it didn't last too long. phew... You know, I felt a little helpless seeing my one year-old being sick, yet she cannot tell us if any part of her body was hurting and how she was feeling. :(

But we have survived so far without meltdown, thanks to the wonderful friends who brought us food to help!!! Now I'm hoping we will get through this week okay and without crying, then the Holiday week! Yay!!

年子育児の初日 1st day with 2 kids

もうすぐで息子くんが生まれて早くも一ヶ月が経つが、あまりの忙しさに目が回りそう～ 手伝いにわざわざ日本からきてくれていた両親。家事にチビの相手と、凄く助かってたのですごく感謝！チビも甘やかしてもらっていたけど、一番甘えていたのは実は私だったんだと思う… その両親も遂に先週末帰国… (´Д` )

It's been almost one month since Ken's arrival, and it's been insanely crazy busy even with my parents' help with Akari and around the house!! Akari was spoiled by my my parents but the truth is that I was even more spoiled by them. We were so lucky that they came here from Japan to help us out, but unfortunately they finally went back this past weekend.  

赤ちゃん返り Reactions to her brother

ビックリしたのは、出産前日からなぜか急にママっ子に変身し、特に出産した日の朝のベッタリさは普通じゃなかった。どこに行くのも（家の中で）私の手を握りたがり、病院に行く準備をしていた私の代わりに他の人がアカリの相手をしようものなら「ノー」の連発で私の側を片時も離れたがらなかった。終いにはパパに赤ちゃん抱っこ。 これっていわゆる子供の第六感ってやつだったんじゃないかなぁ〜

What really surprised me was Akari's reaction before the baby's arrival. It started a day before I went into the labor. Usually she is very independent, but especially the morning of the delivery, she was unusually clingy and wanted to be my side all the time and hold my hand. If someone else tried to take care of her while I was getting ready to head out to the hospital, she screamed "NO!!", and asked me to do things for her instead. I wonder if that was the six sense and she knew that someone was about come out and she had to share her parents??

長男の誕生! Baby boy is here!

１１月７日に予定日より１週間遅れて、アレクサンドリアの病院にて無事に元気な男の子が生まれました。取りあえず、親子共に元気です。

赤ちゃんの体重増加が心配（予定日にて既に3600g（8lbs）前後との診断）だったのと、また誘発になる可能性にちょっとガッカリ…　予定日を過ぎてから「もしかして今日かな？」という思いで一杯だったので、一日一日が非常にゆっくりに感じた〜

On November 7th, a week later than the due date, the healthy baby boy was born finally at Inova Alexandria Hospital. He and I are doing great!

Although I was a little concerned about his possible weight gain during the 41st week since they told me he was already 8 lbs on the due date... Also I wasn't all that happy about possibly being induced again. After the due date had passed, a day felt a lot longer due to anxiety and only thing I could think was "maybe it's today!?"... 

公園通い parks

デイケアが終了してから早くも３週間。公園やプレイデート通いの毎日で、最近は「おんも」と言うようにまでなった。さすが元気一杯の１歳児。日によっては午前と午後に１回「おんも」に行きたがるので、現在妊娠３５週目の身重＆運動不足の私もアカリと一緒に昼寝をするようになってしまったよ… 基本、１人で歩かせる様にはしているけれど、時と場合によっては抱っこが必要なので、鞄や荷物を足すと私は合計とてつもない重りを抱えて歩いていることになる。計算すると、多くて６０ﾎﾟﾝﾄﾞ（２７㌔）!!　ひぇ〜

Since the daycare ended, it's been three weeks already. I have never been this busy before. Almost everyday, we have been at a park, sometimes twice a day! She just loves being outside, and now she says "Onmo (outside)" and tries to run out of the door all the time! All these times going to parks also make me pretty tired to the point I need to take a nap also... Well, after all, sometimes I have to pick up Akari and at most, I would be carrying about 60lb. of the extra weight in total... Geez!!!

日本からの小包 package from Japan

 昨日、日本から小包が届き、私は速攻上機嫌♪　いくつになっても贈り物は嬉しいね

 Yesterday, a small package arrived from Japan. It's always nice to receive a gift package.

アップアップな日々 busy days

相変わらず、仕事、育児、家事、妊娠と自分でも欲張りすぎたなと思いながらアップアップしながらこの記録的な猛暑に耐えてます。（ってエアコンガンガンつけて、アイスを頻繁に食べていたり…）今年は４０度を超える日が多くて、妊婦には辛い〜　日本程湿気がないのが唯一の救いだけど、暑がりの我々親子は果たして日本の夏大丈夫なのかな、まだまだ先の心配をしてみたり…　

As always, juggling work, parenthood, house-chores, and pregnancy hasn't been easy for me, and i am taking one day at a time while enduring this crazy heatwave... with A/C and ice cream. This hot summer is a little too much for this prego, although I cannot imagine how things are in very-humid Japan. As much as I want to go back, I am not looking forward staying there one summer in the near future! Akari gets sweaty too easily too... poor thing.

アメリカンな１歳の誕生日 First birthday celebration

チビの１歳の誕生日（先月だけど...汗）は初めてのケーキ（手作り）とキッズミールジャンクフード（アメリカンな旦那のご要望）でのお祝いとなりました。さすがに、ポテトは数本、ナゲットは一個だけしかあげなかったけどね…チビはもっと食べたかったのか、一生懸命、箱をひっくり返してナゲットを探していたよ　苦笑　天気がよかったので、仕事のあった私抜きで、旦那が公園に連れて行ってくれ、楽しんだ様子。お祝いは私たちだけだったけど、記念に残るものにしたくって、飾り付けを自分なりに頑張り、天井のガーランドは手作り。たった一日だけじゃ、もったいないので（嫌なので？）まだ飾ってあり、チビはときどき上を向いて、「あ〜」と指差す・・・　喜んでいるのかな？

For Akari's first birthday, we celebrated with homemade cake and McD's kids' meal (hubby's idea). Although A only got to have a few fries and just one nugget... (that would have been a little too much junk food, a little too soon.) It looked like she wanted more nuggets as she turned the box upside down searching for more... Beejay took her to the park to play since the weather was really nice, but unfortunately I had to work that day. It looked like A had lots of fun outside! I made her birthday triangle banners, and they are still hanging from the ceiling. Well, didn't want to use just one day after spending some time on them, you know ;) A points them often while she is eating. I wonder if she is liking them... 

翌日動物園に連れて行きたかったのだけれども、生憎の雨で延長。代わりに、プレイグランドに連れて行ったものの、大きい子が多くて、ヒヤヒヤ。やっぱりモールのプレイグランドはダメだね〜

↓は誕生日プレゼント。母に見せたら、「あなたも似た様なサンダルはいてたわよ〜」だって。私の好みは母譲り？！

Unfortunately, the trip to the zoo had to be postponed because of rain. So we took her to the playground at the mall instead. Well, bad idea... too many older kids running around and it was a little too much for her.  The sandals below are her birthday present. According to my mother, I had something similar when I was little also. Hmmmm, we have similar taste?? 

スリープトレーニング sleep training

Now we are in the third week of sleep training, sometimes I wonder if there is a day she will sleep through the night... I'm so exhausted. Based on my own experience, I think the phrase "sleep like a baby" doesn't make much sense!

She hasn't slept through out the night yet, but definitely there have been some improvements. yay! Although it probably should help if I stick to one method. But you know, being a half-awake in the middle of night, it's almost impossible to think! Well, whatever I'm doing, hopefully it will work out one point...

ただいまスリープトレーニングの真っ最中！要するにあの手この手で、夜中に起きない様にする訓練でアメリカでは６ヶ月健診で小児科に勧められます。年末年始でドタバタしてたせいか、夜泣きが悪化し、酷い時には新生児並みに起きる様になってしまったチビ。 一応仕事もしているので、これが辛く、スリープトレーニングを開始。まだ夜通し寝てくれないけれど、夜中と明け方の２回の起床にやっと落ち着いたし、夜の授乳を止めたためか、やっと（９ヶ月目にして！）離乳食を食べる様になったよ。風邪を引いたのを機会に、一時期は一切食べてくれなかったので、これにはビックリ！あまりの嬉しさに小躍りしたくらい　笑

 このトレーニング、いろいろな方法があるのだけれど、性格なのか寝ぼけているからか、日によってバラバラ。あぁ、早くグッスリ眠れる日が来ると良いのだけれど…（チビ本人は熟睡してていつも幸せそうです）

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まとめて近状報告 lately... In summary

育児、家事、仕事に追われ、独りでマッタリする時間もないまま気がつけば師走。今年もあと僅か！オマケに全然更新出来ていないこのブログ... (-｡-; 一体時間はいつの間に経ってしまっていたのだろう…　

さてさて、アカリももうすぐ８ヶ月。話には聞いていたものの、成長が早く、嬉しいやら寂しいやら。今フニャフニャせず、かといって幼児でもないこの時期が一番好きかも♡ アカリは7ヶ月になったとたん、いろいろな事ができるようになった。お座り、つかまり立ち、いないないばぁ、ハイハイ、バイバイと大忙し。おまけ一日だけの 人見知りをよりによってサンクスギビングデーに。親戚大勢に注目されて、ビックリしたのか、私、旦那、私の実母以外に抱っこされようものなら、顔を皺く ちゃにして大泣きヽ(´o｀；

Juggling parenting, house chores, and work has been keeping me super busy. I almost didn't realize the year 2012 is almost over! Top of that late realization of how fast time has gone, the blog has been put on the back burner... Where did time go!?

Well, Akari is almost 8 mo. and growing really fast. Within the past month, she managed to sit by herself, stand by holding on to something, do peek a-boos, crawling, and waving her hand (bye-bye)! She doesn't shy away from unfamiliar people, but on the Thanksgiving day, she didn't want to be held by anybody. If someone else other than her mommy, daddy and grandma, would hold her, she started to cry furiously... hahaha but luckily, it was only one day deal...

 

相変わらず離乳食は難航中。食べる事に対する興味がないらしく、すぐ気が散る。（↑ハイチェアの上でご飯を食べるよりも、下で紐を食べる方がいいらしい…）離乳食の時はいつも根気比べ。自分で 言うのも何だけど、随分辛抱強くなったよ、私... 唯一パクパク食べてくれるのはバナナ。トマトと玉ねぎは嫌いみたい。乳製品はお腹に合わないのか粉ミルクに引き続き、ヨーグルトをちょっとあげただけなの に、吐いちゃった (´Д` ) 母乳は平気だからアレルギーとかではないらしいんだけど... うーん

She rather wants to play than eating food. So feeding her has been such a struggle and least favorite things to do for me and her. As the photo shows, she rater eat the belt of the high chair than food... But She loves banana, but hates onion and tomatoes, and do not do well with dairy product. When she had one small bite of yogurt, she ended up throwing up, just like when I gave her formula. Makes me a little concerened...

発する喃語も増え、おしゃべりしているように聞こえるから不思議。先日もランチの時にそばの テーブルにいた1歳くらいの子と一生懸命コミュニケーションをとっていた。一体誰に似たのかおしゃべりな子になりそうな気がするぞ～ ♪( ´▽｀) ダダダやパパパと連発し、旦那が帰宅すると歩行器で旦那に向かってダッシュして行くので、旦那はメロメロ \(//∇//)\

She also started to babble a lot. Other day at Panera, she was busy "talking" to other baby near by. I wonder where she picked up this talkativeness? I have a feeling that she will be a talker. She says "dadada" and "papapa" a lot which makes hubby grins all ear to ear. Other day, she literally ran to him in a walker when he got home from work. Surely she knows how to make his happy!!

6ヶ月健診で言われたスリープトレーニング (要するに授乳拒否する事で最終的に諦めさせ、夜の授乳をなくすことで、夜起きなくなるらしい。アメリカでは結構当たり前かな？) は...全然出来てない、というかしてないので、夜中数回起きて授乳。だって眠いのに泣くアカリを一時間以上あやして寝かしつけつける気力なんてないよ～ オッパイ挙げればスグ寝てくれるのわかっているから特にね...(｡-_-｡) モノグサなのさ。そのうちね・・・

As for me, I am still suffering from the lack of sleep. Well, it's the result of not doing the sleep training as Dr. told me to do at her 6 months check up. I haven't had energy to put her back to sleep by spending hours, when she goes right back to sleep if I feed her. Yes, probably I am just being lazy. But I don't think I can do cry it out neither... well, maybe one day, I will get to sleep train her... maybe....

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ショックなこと shocking event

話には聞いていたけど…　やっぱり実際に経験するとショック!!!!
I was aware of this..... but it is quite shocking to actually experience it.


Σ(ﾟдﾟlll)ｶﾞｰﾝ



産後の抜け毛!!! 今最高期…　髪の毛をとかしたり、掃除するたびにギョエェェェ〜　大量の抜け毛を見るのはかなりショックだよぅ。

Crazy amount of hair is falling off due to the pregnancy!!!! It is scary to see how much are coming off whenever I brush or sweep the floor. YIKES... :'(

アカリも前より動きが活発になってきたので、寝ハゲが出来ているし、親子揃ってこんな風になったら嫌だなぁ〜（苦笑）

Akari is also getting the bald spot now she is moving around more than ever... Maybe we will be a bald pair in the near future... ugh!
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山あり谷あり ups and downs

一緒に沢山泣いて、笑って、時には我慢大会に根比べ。ちょっと前まではフニャフニャしてただけなのに、凄いスピードで大きく育っていく。気がついたら、４ヶ月しか経ってないのに掛替えのない存在になっているんだからスゴイ。この４ヶ月、私も人生の中で一番成長した気がする。

We have cried a lot and laughed together, sometimes it all about seeing who is more patient. Just a little while ago, she was just a small and fragile creature, but she has grown really fast and getting strong. Now life without her is unthinkable for us. Crazy... Also I feel that I have grown up most within this past 4 months...

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欲張ると… getting greedy...

赤ちゃんの指シャブリって、手をグーして親指をチュッパチュッパしているのを（勝手に）想像してたんだけど…　始めはグーが出来ないんだね！

手がパーになっているよ〜（苦笑）

I always pictured that when babies suck their fingers it's their thumbs and while clinching their hands... well, I learned they don't know how to clinch their hand at the beginning! ha!

So Akari's hand usually cover her face... hehehe

欲張りな時は、指一本じゃダメらしく、グーした手を口に突っ込む。
When she is feeling a little greedy (?), she sucks her whole hand...

もっともっと欲張りたい日は両手の指を一生懸命小さいお口に詰めようとするんだけ・・・　
Then when she really feels the strong urge, then she tries to put both hands into her tiny month, but...

それはチョット無理でしょ〜(´ε｀；)　結局口に何も入っていないから、怒って泣き出しちゃうおチビさん。思わず吹き出しちゃう！｀;:ﾞ;｀;･(ﾟεﾟ )ﾌﾞｰｯ!!

that's a little too much.... After all none of fingers is in her mouth. So she gets upset! Oh she is so silly!! :D

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今となっては… looking back

出産した病院で行われるママグループに時々参加しているんだけど、生後２週間の赤ちゃんと来ているママが先日来てたんだよね Σ(ﾟ◇ﾟ；) …日本じゃ生後２週間で外出なんて問題外だけど、居るんですよね…　アメリカは（汗）…　いろんな意味でビックリ！

さてこのママさん、赤ちゃんが飲んだ後やたらと吐くんで心配。新生児はそんなもんであまり心配することないとアドバイスしている自分が可笑しかった。

だってひと月くらい前には自分もこのママさんと同じ心境だったんだもん（苦笑）うちのチビも時々心配になる程良く吐いてて、一時はママなのか洗濯婦なのか分からなくなる程。酷い時には一日に３回くらい二人してびしょ濡れ…↓↓↓

I have been going to the new mom group held at the hospital I delivered lately. There was a new mom with a 2 week old baby. She was worried how often her girl throws up. It was interesting that I was giving her advise not to worry so much because I was in her shoes until one month ago!

One point, I thought that motherhood = laundry lady! On the worst day, she threw up on us three times!

あの時はかなり心配して、一時はレポを書くほど！（いや、パターンを見極めようと思ってー　(´ε｀；)）【A】無事にゲップだけで済んだときはかなりホッとしたけど、吐く量もいろいろあって、【B】チョコッとのときもあれば、【D】噴水の如く吐いた時はあまりの凄さに唖然( ﾟдﾟ ）としてたよ！【C】鼻からも出ちゃう時は、さすがにビェーと涙目だったなぁ…

At that time, I was so concerned that I started to keep the record hoping I can figure out the patten. When she just burped [A] , I was so relieved, but often times she spit up [B]. But there were times she threw up like as if she was a fountain [D], and it was quite shocking! Of course, she got teary when it came out from her nose [C]... poor thing...

あんなに吐いていたチビさんも３ヶ月過ぎた頃から滅多に吐かなくなり、今じゃ飲んであまり時間が経っていないのに、うつ伏せになっても平気。つくづく赤ちゃんの成長って早いなぁと思う。その分毎日が楽しいんだけど☆　吐いてた頃も今となっては良い思い出です。(´∀｀)

Even though she made me so worried, after she turned 3 months, gradually she stopped throwing up. Now she can be on her tummy after feeding without spitting up! It's just amazing how fast the baby develops. I guess that's why it's nice to get to be with her everyday to see her growth... (thanks hubby!)

Even those bitter experience is now a part of important memory with her ;)

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アメリカでお食い初め ceremony @100th day

７月３０日が１００日目だったので、お食い初めをしたかったのだけど予定が合わなく無理だったので、時間的に余裕のあった８月５日にしました♪。でもここはアメリカ。鯛なんて売ってない!　鯛の一種のレッド・スナッパーという魚で代用。

メニューはレッド・スナッパーの塩焼き、カボチャの煮付け、揚げ浸し、お漬け物、アサリのすまし汁、お赤飯とうめぼし。

In Japanese culture, there is a traditional ceremony called Okuizome (first eating). When a baby tunrs 100 day old (or 120 do in some regions), you prepare certain type of dishes and pretend to feed a baby with a hope that the baby will never go hungry throughout his/her life.

Akari's 100th day birthday was on July 30th, but since we were out of town, we ended up having this ceremony this past Friday.

自分でも頑張った〜と喜んでいたのに、問題の当人はさぁ写真を撮ろう！と思った矢先グズグズ…　必死に「アカリちゃんのために作ったんだよ〜」「嬉しくないの〜？」とあやして（苦笑）どうにか無事に記念撮影を終わらす事に…

旦那は旦那で、日本の伝統行事に「なにこれ？」と？顔。…イイんだけどさ、ちぇっ…

なんか結局私の自己満足で終わった気がしてたのだけれども、両親に褒められた後には気を良くしていた単純な私でした…

I spend pretty good amount time preparing dishes. However despite my effort, Akari was not in good mood when it was time to take pictures (of course!)... Also hubby was puzzled by the food since Akari cannot eat them yet.

I guess you can say the feast was for my own self-satisfaction and I was only one who was happy how food turned out :-/ :: sigh ::


【追記】
なぜかオッパイ拒否はどきどき家でも起きる様に！今週末もやられた〜　けど他のママ友に励まされ、プラス思考で乗り切ってこうと決心。ボトルだろうが粉ミルクだろうがこの子が元気に育つのが一番重要なんだしね！私が母親として小さい事でグジグジしない様、精神的に成長しなくてはいけない事に、気がつかされたよ… (当たり前の事だけどね）

[update]
Akari went on the nursing strike this past weekend again! Yikes!! But comments from friends made me decide that I shouldn't let the small problem bother me to much. After all whether she feeds with bottles or formula, as long as she is healthy and growing, it's not a big deal. As a mother, I need to prioritize her well-being and put my sill emotion second. :)

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