The birthday girl

Noah`s first birthday party ever

Opening presents- her first doll

Yummy yummy cheese fondue

What a difference 4.5 months makes- Noah & Sakura make friends with each other!

Grown-ups talk and the kiddies play

Noah meets Missha

The bubs try walking

Noah sitting with me

Was such a lovely weekend as I said but we were exhausted after it was over so today we just chilled out at home and caught up on some play time just the two of us (Noah & I) while mama (me) caught up on some laundry and some chill out time! The good news is that Noah has been a bit of a champion sleeper most nights this past week waking up only once usually during the night (anywhere between 1-4am)…He is bathed and fed and put to bed between 7:30pm an 8:30pm and then sleeps for 5-8 hours usually and then goes down for another couple hours- today he slept in until 8:30am (after a 4am wake up, change and feed) but that could of been because of the busy busy days we have had lately.

My friend Clare (bridesmaid from wedding) arrives from Australia Thursday morning and will be with us for one night before heading down to Kyoto and then back with us from Sunday for two more nights and then she is off on an adventure to England for a couple of years. She of course hasn`t met Noah yet but is excited to meet him and I am so excited to see her!!! We have been friends since the first day of highschool where we met when we were 12!

So tomorrow will be another day spent cleaning up, cooking up a storm (want to cook lasange and soup so that on Thursday and Friday nights I can just heat up food and perhaps make a salad- plus I meant to make brownies today but didn`t get to it so will try them tomorrow!) and making sure everything is ready for my next visitor!

On Saturday we drove out to Kugayama (borrowed in-laws car) in West Tokyo to see a little boy who I used to teach- I mentioned him a couple of weeks ago. Shion. Shion had been at the preschool I used to teach at for 4 months when I joined as a teacher and already his English was excellent- it was so hard to believe ha hadn`t been bought up in a billingual environment until that point. If Noah spoke English as well as Shion did at age 4 I would be pretty happy!

He was always a bit of a handful but such a great, spirited kid and he was always one of my favourites. I taught him to read before he turned 5 and he never looked back- often asking what shop signs said when we would walk to the park and always bringing books to me to read.

A couple of months ago when his mum got in touch with me to see if I was back in Japan I was so happy to hear from her and hear that Shion had gone into elementary school without a hitch. She said her other little boy Kanon was at another international preschool (the one I used to work at closed down 9 months after I left, and before I returned to Japan) and he was also doing very well (he is 3 now, Shion is 7)- then when I got a phonecall a couple weeks ago from Shion I was so excited to make plans to see them in the coming weeks.

So Saturday was the day. Shun had only met Shion twice and only met his parents once but it still went really well. It was my first time at their house and Shion`s mum had prepared temaki zushi (with non-raw seafood options as well) and it was delicious! Noah was pretty well behaved and Shion`s mum had set up a little rocker/seat for him to sit in.

I was most impressed that Shion still spoke English so well even though he has been in a Japanese elementary school since last April (he does do returnee English program 2-3 times a week though and also bible studies at the same school his brother goes to. Shion`s mum is Christian and they attend church each week) – I was also super impressed with how Kanon`s English had come along. When I left Japan he hadn`t started school yet and only spoke a handful of Japanese words and no English but he conversed with me in English at a similar level to a lot of native 3 year olds- certainly at the same level of a child who has one native speaking parent which is what Noah will have so I have high hopes for his billingualism (although Shion/Kanon are full Japanese and their parents don`t speak English- Shion`s dad is a famous song writer though and goes by the pen name “Hikari” and writes songs for bands like Every Little Thing, NEWS, Rinka and V6 -he even is written up on wikipedia here. Why the name Hikari? Well it is the second kanji in his given name and he gets called “Hi-kun” a lot apparently although I always call him by his given name plus san. hehe).

We took a couple of photos and I am looking forward to seeing Shion and his family again soon

Shion insisted on trying to hold Noah while standing up

On Sunday we spent the day at home until just before 5pm when we headed into the city towards Yurakucho to see friends and celebrate the engagement of Gen & Alice. Gen & Alice live in Melbourne but Gen & I studied together originally when I was a student in Japan and he grew up in Melbourne but with two Japanese parents. Alice`s heritage is Chinese/Vietnamese and she spent a bit of time visiting Gen while he was on exchange so I have known her for just as long- the got engaged late last year and were in Japan for this week so we all caught up- a lot of old uni friends (mainly Japanese) also met us for dinner.

Most of them had not seen Noah since he was a week old (except James, Hiro & Cat) and Megumi I hadn`t seen since I came back to Japan so it had been almost 2 years! It was great to catch up although Noah found the whole thing a little overwhelming I think- but he sure slept well when we got home and bathed him (from 9:45pm-4am and then until 7:30)!

Us with Gen & Alice

Technically yesterday was not the weekend but I have one more photo to share! Yesterday Noah & I ventured all the way to Shinjuku to catch up with Cassie & Nana. Was such a lovely day and we visited Kinokuniya (more books for Noah & me), H&M (in which I only looked and bought kids clothes although would love to go back to look for myself) and had a lovely lunch and starbucks!

Here is a photo of Nana, Cassie & Noah- Nana got a little upset when Cassie had held Noah for me earlier in the day so I asked her to “help” her mum hold Noah so I could get some stuff ready (in fact I think it was so I could do up my dress after feeding him. hahaha) and that went much better. It makes me realize though when we add a brother/sister into the family in a couple of years time that Noah might take some time to adjust! I loved this photo though- Nana is checking out Noah!

No Two for Tuesday this week but I am making Chilli Con Carne in the crockpot/slow cooker as I type so if it is a success I am sure I will have some recipes to share next week!

My mum saw him smiling on Skype for the first time yesterday and Shun`s parents were here today and couldn`t get over how much he was smiling- it was hard to catch on camera at first as he would stop as soon as I put the DSLR to my eye which is why a lot of them are at funny angles since I rested the camera on my lap a lot of the time to get the shots below.

Here are some smiley shots of our beautiful boy (I can say that cos even though I might be biased I truly believe he is gorgeous!)- He is definitely at his “smiliest” in the mornings…

More at flickr for those inclined! He has started smiling but we have not managed to catch it properly on camera yet- this one below is probably the closest we have got!

Or this one

He looks so peaceful asleep

Last photo taken with Nan before she went home to Australia

He can hold his head up for a long time now, especially when he has something interesting to look at (like the sock octopus from Melanie!)

This one is for my mum- “colour ordinated socks” haha

He likes the mirror on his playmat

“Banzai” sleeping

Shun, me & Cat

Ryomei, the one in the middle, is the one that was here from Germany. It was so funny to listen to him speak German and even funnier when Mai (girl on the right) said that when they were in Africa earlier this year travelling he spoke a bit of English  with a German accent. That cracked me up the most- listening to him try to speak English and him having an obvious German accent! Both of his languages have improved though- I had never heard him speak much English before and before he went to Germany he spoke no German so he has done pretty well!

Sarah & Sakura were also in Chiba overnight and I can not believe how much Sakura has grown in the 2.5 months since I last saw her!!! She was so alert and genki and had so much fun playing with her toys and watching what was going on around her. She was already asleep when Shun got home last night but they had some time together this morning and Shun was not nearly as scared to hold her as he was a couple of months back!!!

Sarah left this afternoon for the airport and they should be flying on there way to America now- I hope Sakura is being a good little girl for her mum. They will stay with us again on the 28th of December (and my mum will already be here then too- so full house!) since they fly in early evening and it would be too difficult to get back to Niigata after that long a flight. Will be interesting to see how much changes in the three weeks! Plus we will be able to get some cute Sakura & Goma-chan photos!!!

Here are a couple photos of Sakura- she loves playing with her rings a lot!!!

Doctors appointment yesterday went okay. The doctor said baby had moved down a little bit but not much- he said we can probably assume that the baby will be late. Shun mentioned that I was really against the idea of having a c-section unless absolutely necessary and the doctor said that should be fine and that if I am still pregnant on the 21 December they will induce and hope for the best. I am hoping of course labour starts naturally before then but at least I know they are not going to go straight to cutting me open if it looks like he is going to be late. Doctor didn`t do an internal but I assume he will do one next Monday when I will be a day overdue.

They said he was still super genki, looked to weigh about 3.1kg and that they would see me in a week unless contractions started sooner. I have a lot of braxton hicks type pain still and I think he has moved down a little bit but on the ultrasound it showed that his arms over his face are what is stopping him from moving down much further so hopefully he moves them out of the way soon! Shun asks me everyday if I think the baby will be born today and every day I tell him “I don`t think so”- it is cute that he asks though. I told him he will be the first to know if baby starts to make an appearance!

My blood pressure was a little higher than usualy- up until now I have had 110/70 at the highest but it was 135/75 yesterday- I think part of the reason was that I was nervous about seeing the doctor and hearing what he had to say this week but they didn`t even mention it to me (I take my own bloodpressure and it prints out on a piece of paper that I give to the midwife) so I am guessing they were not too concerned about it especially since up until this point I have had no blood pressure issues at all.

I am in pain when I walk or do much so will be nice once he is out and in my arms!!!

It was a beautiful beautiful place and while the weather wasn`t the best I think it added to the charm.
Here are some pics from the trip plus more can be found here on flickr.

View from Montville at lunch time!

The magpie in Montville while we were eating lunch!

A tractor- That is how I KNEW it was the country!

Montville and Maleny had a lot of crafty shops!! So Shun was trying out the merchandise!

Cow!

Shun & I after lunch in Montville!

Glass House Mountains shot on the way home to Brisbane.

Day before country trip- Shun & I after lunch at Mooloolaba!

Ziggy the dog- our babysitting charge!

It was a lovely weekend!!! Plus we got to cross going to the country off my 101 list!!!

January 26 2009, On a walk near the water, Olympus E520

I spoke again with the camera place on Friday and they are still waiting for a part for my camera which won`t be here until March 20th!!!!!!!!!!! They have already had it for almost 3 weeks. I am so sad. I just want my camera back and in working order…

Another Monday is over- I have another 8 Mondays left of work and another 9 before the wedding. Time is flying by so fast. I have another 14 or so until we are back in japan.

Last night I watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time- it is one of my dad`s favourite movies so I ordered it for him off the internet (can`t really get it in the local dvd shops) and we watched it all together. It is one weird movie. I can`t believe how young Susan Sarandan and Meat Loaf looked though……I like the music in it though. Time Warp is a classic…

December 2, 2007, Showa Kinen Koen, Olympus 830

This photo is unfortunately a little bit fuzzy around the edges. I would love to be taking new macro shots but with my camera in the fix-it shop you will all have to wait a little longer.

You can see my palm print in this though! hehe

We don`t really have seasons in Brisbane where I am from and living at the moment. We have summer which lasts pretty much from October- March…so yes it is pretty much 28 degrees or higher for six months. We then have a bit of a cooler turn for April & May where it is walm still but a little chilly at night, then we have winter which is actually not as cold as you would hope- but the nights are fairly chilly I suppose and then basically we head back into summer. There is no changing leaves, there is certainly no snow and there are no beautiful flowers in bloom at a certain time of year (okay except jacaranda`s in November & frangipani`s in January- but trust me nobody gets out there blue picnic sheets and goes to do flower viewing under them)

This is probably something I miss most about Japan- the seasons. I can not wait to experience Autumn again later this year and while I will miss hanami & cherry blossom season this year I am already fantasising about next year!

I have to go back to Showa Kinen Koen, where the photo above was taken, and if anybody else is near Tokyo, in particular near West Tokyo then this is a fantastic park!!! I have only been twice, once was with my kindy class, and it has been fantastic both times. It is huge and like a little oasis in the middle (okay outskirts) of Tokyo. Plus on a clear day you can have the most awesome view of Fuji-san from near the poppy fields.

By the way we got our engagement photos back- I love them!!! I will try to post scanned copies later tonight or tomorrow!

March 23 2008,  Near Tokyo Station, Olympus u830

This was taken on a trip to the imperial palace to see the cherry blossoms- we were a little early (in season I mean) but managed to see quite a few blossoms and on the way there we walked past this mini tulip festival with brilliant coloured tulips lined up.

It is hard to beleive that in less than four months I will be back in Japan. I wouldn`t say I am nervous about going back, in fact I am extremely excited. That said, my Japanese has been going down hill fast lately- Shun doesn`t understand me half the time (okay maybe not half of the time but 10 or 20 % of the time) and I am sure it is because apart from his Japanaese I am not hearing it anywhere anymore. It is different to the year I spent home when finishing uni because I had lots of Japanese friends and was still studying at uni and talking to Shun on the phone almost every night helped. He told me today that now he understand my English more than my Japanese most of the time….

I need to start watching Japanese TV again & studying again (EEK!) and ringing Japanese friends on the phone. I can not believe how bad it has gotten…I know if I played back to myself a tape of me speaking Japanese I would cringe in horror at how bad it has gotten. It is funny though, when I am speaking it, I don`t really notice my mistakes much until I see the confused look on Shun`s face.

I am really stoked that his English is improving (and that he understands my English!) but my Japanese is worrying me. I am trying to think of ways I could improve while I am still here (apart from speaking to Shun because obviously I do enough of that!)…so if anybody has any suggestions please let me know. I better try and get my act together before I head back otherwise I will be confusing all the natives!!!

January 12 2009, at home, Olympus E-520

This is for Enny who requested an engagement ring shot ages ago after a Wedding Bee (A wedding blog!) e-ring photo extravaganza…

I felt a little bit silly taking a photo of my engagement ring. I took a couple but I liked this one, on top of the puzzle pieces the best!!! We still haven`t finished the puzzle which my Dad brought home several weeks back of the Sydney Harbor Bridge & Opera House…all that is left though is the blue water to do (we completed the blue sky!)