The Sun and the Snow

This week we got to explore Iwakuni a bit more with our friends Gio and Adrian.  Adrian is 3 weeks younger than Rafe, and Gio is married to Rachel, a pharmacist at the clinic.  Gio knew of a children's play center downtown, so he took us to check it out.  Tracy tagged along to be Vivi's buddy.  

Rafe and Adrian had fun in the ball pit, and I'm pretty sure they sampled every single ball.  Vivien showed us her skills on the obstacle course in the gym while wearing two skirts (she dressed herself). 

Then we gathered around for singing and story time.  I think I felt how babies must feel when we talk to them.  "Wow, super high pitched sounds that I don't understand.  Better just smile . . ."

It was a great way to practice listening to Japanese for sure.  We'll be going back, but we'll have to keep our eye on Rafe, the flirty little devil.  

After nap and lunch we headed to the Iwakuni Sports Center.  They have a HUGE arena there.  I think we saw lines for 3 different basketball courts on the same floor.  Rafe and Vivi looked like little tiny bugs crawling on it.  

It was fun to show Vivi different sports.  It made us excited for the Olympics.

The signs at the park gave me lots of good practice reading the Japanese alphabet because many of the sports names are really close to English.  And even though I know what sound the letters make, it's still kind of like Mad Gab to figure out what they mean.  This is what some of the signs sounded like:

a-a-chi-e-ri

te-ni-su-ko-to

tu-re-ni-n-ru-mu

a-ri-na

"e-n-jo-i-su-po-tsu"

cu-ra-bu-ha-u-su

go-ru-fu

So that would be archery, tennis court, training room, arena, "enjoy sports", club house, and golf (I think).  I feel very foolish, having to sound things out and then being SO EXCITED when I can actually read a word!  But not foolish enough to stop.  

There was a nice view of town from the sports center.  Charlie and Calvin helped everyone find some walking sticks.  Any time any older people walked by us, they stole Rafe.  

This man was like the Japanese Santa Claus.  He picked Rafe up and took him over to his walking companions, laughing all the way (ho! ho! ho!).  No really, that's how he laughed.  

Good thing Rafe is ok with strangers.  He just smiles and tries to stick his hand in their mouths.  I think this is a huge plus to travelling with a baby--we have had the opportunity to interact with so many people here that I don't think we would have without Rafe to reel them in!

We got to go to Yuu beach again last Saturday, and this time Calvin and Charlie Landry got to come too.  They made an enormous nest of seaweed they pulled out of the water and attracted many stares.  All the Japanese on the beach were wearing coats and shoes.  Tracy said they wear their coats and shoes to the beach even in the summer.  

Vivi was more inclined to play in the sand (and Rafe to eat it), so we spent our time drawing an enormous sand rose with our toes.

The rest of this week has been pretty cold, comparatively.  We've had lots of sun, but some flurries of snow too.  Drew said in Romanian they have a saying for it--"sun with teeth."  So, we've spent lots of time inside.  This has lead to the munchies.

And exploring every nook and cranny of the hotel room, even if we get stuck and can't get out.

We've started playing with the toys' containers because we're sick of the selection I put in unaccompanied baggage.  (She's an astronaut.  She said so.)

But Rafe's favorite toy is Vivien.  He LOVES to play with his sister.  We are all trying to learn how to help him do so safely.

Sometimes he follows her to places he can't get out of.

Sometimes he follows her to places he can't get to.

Sometimes he wonders how she gets to the places she does.

Everything she is playing with is the coolest thing there ever was, which makes her feel rather territorial and causes her to lash out.  She'd better be careful though, because this boy now has 4 little rabbit teeth, ready for chomping.  Weirdly, this seemed to correspond with a drastic increase in attitude--he's figured out how to scream his displeasure and has started trying out a really convincing pouty face.

But they can both agree that driving the car cart at the commissary is the best way to shop.