Second Chances

We are home!  And it is gorgeous.  The azaleas are out in full force all over the city.  

Rafe always wears his helmet when he rides his bike.  It sounds like "hammock" when he asks for it though, so I am always confused at first.  "Hammock on!"  "Hammock off!"

 The kids are starting to get really good on their balance bikes.  Rafe has a little track he likes to do in the house when I'm cooking.  It has some tight corners that I am impressed he can navigate.  If the seat of the bike gets twisted the tiniest bit during his riding though . . . the world ends!  "Fix it!  FIX IT!"  Vivi can put both feet up and coast on the downhills.  It may be the laziest way ever to teach kids to ride a bike . . . I'll let you know how it goes when we have to add pedaling into it.

 It is nice and warm here, which means we get to do outdoor water things again.  They have some pretty awesome wading pools at Kikko park. 

 And our kids weren't even the only ones in their underwear!

Vivien's long, thin legs . . .

 We got to go on a branch campout last weekend up at Yasaka Dam.  The equipment you can bring is limited only by the size of your car . . . So much stuff.

 We had a beautiful evening roasting dogs and chatting over the fire that one of the young men built, and then it rained all night.  We had brought our rain fly, but had forgotten to tuck the edges of our tarp under it.  Good thing we slept on an air mattress!

The rain made for some beautiful mist in the morning.  Japan!

 The kids played in the river in the morning while Drew packed up the car.  Vivien refused to open eyes for pictures. 

 But the biggest news since we've gotten home is that BOTH kids started youchien!  Rafe made the age cut off by 7 days.

He gets so excited when he sees the bus coming.  He loves to hop on and find his seat and then wave at me as they pull away.  Vivien is usually pretty surly in the morning, but by the time the bus comes home SHE is the one waving at me and running out of the bus to give me a hug.  It's a long day for the little guy, even though after lunch all they do is nap.  I keep waiting for the fatigue of a long day at school to cause him to sleep in after 5:15 when the sun comes up, but it hasn't yet.  Ah well, at least it keeps us productive?  

Here's the two of them walking the path from the bus to the school.  I followed them secretly one morning because I had to take the special Japanese pull-up diapers for Rafe.  

I feel like having both of my kids in school and Drew at work, I have been given a second chance at being a newly wed.  I have the opportunity for the next few months till the baby comes to work on my homemaking skills that have been limping by for the last 6 years and start some good habits that will make things a lot better for our family.  It's going to be awesome!  

The first thing I decided to improve with my new found time is to be a good youchien mom this year.  So, I went to the Daiso and bought bento stuff.  Japanese women are not very expressive of their feelings.  They show their love for their families by taking care of them and making them beautiful bento boxes for lunch.  One of Drew's friends said that if a wife is not very pleased with her husband, it shows up in his lunch.  I have to say, the kids definitely eat their food a lot better when I put in a little effort to make it "cute."  And if I prep the night before it really doesn't take too long.  I picture them taking out their lunches and telling their friends what's inside, like Frances and Albert.  I have to show off my efforts!   

 Kiwis, carrots, and PB&J wraps.

 Quesadilla hearts with sour cream for dipping, black beans, and blueberries on colorful picks.

Rice balls (onigiri) with PB faces, edamame, kiwi, and ham (they were supposed to be flowers, but I was in a hurry!)

 Chicken nuggets and baked french fries with ketchup for dipping and steamed broccoli florets.

 Kiwis, carrots, and PB&J sandwich hearts.

 Meatball caterpillars, edamame, and kiwis on a bed of rice.

 I have been doing a lot more cooking actually, now that I can menu plan and go to the grocery store in the middle of the day sans tiny, volatile helpers.  I made Boba-Fettuccine Alfredo for May the 4th.  It was dang good, because I made it with heavy whipping cream like the recipe actually calls for for the first time ever.  

 I also made some Pavlova for my neighbor who had her baby and is allergic to chocolate and has therefore been unable to eat any of the treats that have been brought to her.  

 Look how cool!  I even remember to bring my reusable bags to the grocery store because I reorganized some stuff in my kitchen and now they are easily accessible!

 I bought some baskets and organized the kids' dresser drawers so they can help learn to fold and put away their own laundry.  It has been working pretty well so far, especially for Vivien.  

 And I am trying to be a better decorator.  This has involved searching out some Japanese things we want to collect.  I went to a kokeshi doll painting activity the clinic put on.  

 She turned out rather well!  I based her kimono pattern on koi scales, because the activity was on Children's Day, and koi are a big part of Children's Day.

So, those are the adventures of Sabrina the Homemaker for now.  I shall continue using my nesting energy to slowly chip away at all the things in my life that need work while I can.  

And now I think it's time for some Funny Things the Kids Do and Say.

I caught Vivi singing the clean up song the other day with these words: "Clean up! Clean up! Everybody else!"

Vivi taking selfies with my phone

Sometimes when I thank Vivien for doing something, she'll say "My pleasure, Mom."

This is Vivi's friend Norah.  She lives on the floor above us and our balconies face each other.  Vivi and Norah will often invite themselves over to each other's houses without me or Erica (Norah's mom) knowing.  But, they play really well together, so it's actually a really convenient practice.  

 While we were Space A-ing, Vivien kept wanting to play a role reversal game.  She wanted to be the mom.  At one point I said, "Oh, does that mean you will carry the bags and take care of Rafe and make sure we have enough food to eat and water to drink?"  She said, "No.  You will just call me 'Mom' and I will call you 'sweetheart' and you will do what I say."  

Norah and Vivien playing dress-up.  Rafe chose my high heels, a sword, and a fireman's hat to play along.  

 Also while we were traveling, I kept trying to teach Vivien about the importance of following posted directions.  "We can't stand on these seats because that sign right there says 'please do not put feet on seats.'"  Things like that.  Well, now when she wants my attention and is having a hard time getting it, she says "Mom, you have to keep looking.  There's a sign on the wall that says 'keep looking,' so you have to."

Vivien likes to "make a living room" in the corner of her bedroom with a lamp, a clock, and a fan.  She will invite people to come sit there with her.  

Whenever Rafe completes a task (putting a toy in the toy box, pulling a grape off the stem, clearing his place), he yells, "I DID it!"

 Rafe came home from youchien one day with this huge bandage on his head.  

I took it off and this was what was underneath.  Vivien said "Rafe has a huge egg boost on his head!"  Egg Boost = Goose Egg.

We watched Song of the Sea probably a million times in our travels.  It's about a selkie, and at one point the selkie gives her son an "ancient shell" that plays him the Song of the Sea if he puts his ear to it.  Vivien often asks to go to the Ancient Shell Shop so we can buy one for her. 

On Saturday nights the kids get to watch an episode of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" with Daddy. They love it, and the characters show up in their play all week.  "Oh no!  Appa is missing!  Hurry we have to go find Appa and save him!"  This is Appa:

Rafe wears his rain boots everywhere he goes.  We have a book about a gosling named Gossie who wears her boots every day, everywhere.  He loves it.  He also really likes Where is the Green Sheep?

Rafe is really into biting right now.  He'll get you really bad when he's mad (I keep finding bite marks on Vivien . . .), but when he's just playing, he'll come up and rest his teeth against your skin and growl.  It is highly disconcerting.  He also has a really funny face he makes when he's getting ready to do it, but I can't get a picture of it because as soon as I take out the camera he stops.  I'll keep trying.  

Dimply hands at church.

Vivien likes to have her hair braided, but she is very particular about how it is done.  She either asks for a crown, Anna braids, or one braid with varying degrees of hair left out (like half of her hair braided and the other half down).  I try to follow her wishes as much as possible without making her look absolutely ridiculous. She had it in two braids for church today and actually left them in quite awhile, for her.  She was pretty thrilled with her waves when she took them out after church.  It was completely straight by the next day.  

 One more.  I am trying very hard to teach the kids to clean up after themselves.  I am having them pick up their toys throughout the day and put their dirty clothes in the hamper and wipe marker off the wall when they color where they're not supposed to.  The big one for the last 2 weeks has been clearing their places after they're done eating.  Usually I can talk them into it with the right degree of enthusiasm, but some days Vivi's just not feeling it.  She'll pretend she can't hold the weight of the plastic plate for awhile, pushing it around with limp hands pathetically, then she'll finally pick it up gingerly and stumble, whimpering, to the sink, like she hasn't eaten in days and just barely has the strength to breathe . . . I really need to get a video.  It's QUITE a performance!  

From Mother's Day.  I am her Primary teacher.  Thank you, Pinterest.

And lastly, a baby bump picture.  27 weeks and counting!