2Y2M 21W2D 大宮から東京まで新幹線 Shinkansen

成田から実家に来る時に乗って以来「アラタ　しんかんせん　のる～」と言い続けているアラタは、その時おばあちゃんが買ってくれた黄色い新幹線のチョロQを握ったまま毎晩眠っていた。

その悲願の新幹線に今週は何度も乗っている。日曜日にはふみえさんとの約束に、今日はワピングで仲のよかったかおりさん＆響くんとの再会に、東京駅まで新幹線往復。大宮・東京間は在来線で1時間しない距離なのでちょっと贅沢なんだけど、アラタカラを連れて各駅停車に乗るなんて想像しただけでも頭痛になる。新幹線特急料金の（片道）1050円を払えば30分足らずの快適な旅が手に入るし、アラタも大喜び。

Since we traveled on Shinkansen on our way from Narita airport, Arata kept saying, "Arata Shinkansen Noru!. (I want to have a Shinkansen ride! )" He even goes to bed holding the miniature Shinkansen my mum bought for him.

Arata has been on Shinkansen for a couple of times this week. On Sunday, we used Shinkansen to go to see Fumie and Mana. Today, we went to see Kaori and Hibki on Shinkansen as well. It's between Omiya and Tokyo stations and we don't usually use Shinkansen for such a short distance. It's only 50 minutes on local trains and we need to pay for extra Shinkansen charge of 1050 yen (5 pounds) each way.

But I can't imagine myself traveling on slow and crowded local trains for nearly one hour with Aratakara. It takes only 30 minutes from Omiya to Tokyo on Shinkansen with more peace and comfort. And more importantly, Arata loves it!

2Y1M 21W0D まなちゃん Mana chan

昨日はまなちゃんに会いに東京へ。まなちゃんのママのふみえさんとは、アラタ妊娠中から顔を出しているインターネットの子育てサイトで知り合った。このサイトで知り合ったお友達、お互いの様子をサイトの掲示板や各自のブログでいつも見ているので、会ったことがなくても違和感がない。ふみえさん親子とも初のご対面。

まなちゃんは、純粋日本人だけれども、写真で見ていた通り、ちょっとハーフっぽい、お茶目でかわいい女の子。ふみえさんとコーヒーを飲みながらおしゃべりしている間にも、丸の内オアゾのエントランスホールをアラタとまなちゃんはと本当に楽しそうに駆け回っていた。元気な女の子とはとっても波長が合うアラタは、頂いたプレゼントのカバンを見るたびに「まなちゃんにもらった」と繰り返している。

Yesterday, I took Aratakara to Tokyo to see Mana. Fumie, Mana's mum, is a friend from a mothers and children site on the Internet. I started to go to the site when I was still pregnant with Arata. I have a couple of 'close' friends from the site. Even though most of us have never met in the real life, we know each other very well because we often go to each other's weblog and we talk to each other on Skype or on the message board of the site.

Mana is very charming and full of beans. She is a pure Japanese but as I've seen her on Fumie's weblog, she looks as if she was a half European. While Fumie and I were chatting over coffee, Mana and Arata were running around at the spacious entrance hall of Marunouchi Oazo. Arata likes lively girls and surely he liked Mana's company. Since we came home, he has kept taking his purple bag, a present from them, in his hands and says, "Mana gave it to me."

2Y1M 20W6D 「アラタ行かない」 I don't want to go.

あっこちゃん、もろ、ようこのロンドン繋がりの仕事（遊び？）仲間が近所のしゃぶしゃぶ屋まで会いに来てくれた。アラタカラを（何時間も両親に見てもらうのは不可能なので）連れて行くつもりだった。ところが、家を出ようとすると「アラタ 行かない。」車に乗せようとしても激しく抵抗して、ついに自分で靴を脱いで家に上がってしまった。私がちょっと買い物に行こうとしても一緒に来たがるのに、おかしい。

結局タカラだけ連れて行く。落ち着かないアラタが一緒だったら2時間が限度だと思っていたから、思わず友達とゆっくりできた。家に帰ると、アラタはとてもいい子だったと、両親。いつもは嫌がる歯磨きや着替えもさっさとやって、率先しておばあちゃんと寝室に行き、あっという間に寝たらしい。「ママ　友達」と言って、私のいない理由を理解していたと言うのだ。

未だ理解不能。こんなに素直だったなんて。Jasonはアラタの独立心の芽生えだと言う。両親は、アラタが私の不安な気持ちを察したと言う。確かに、アラタカラを連れて外食･･･と行く前から緊張している上に、遅刻しそうでヒステリックになっていた。だからって「僕は行かない方がいい」というロジックに2歳児がなるのだろうか？

A couple of friends who used to work and go out together in London came to see us at nearby Shabu Shabu restaurant. I was going to take Aratakara with me because it would be too much for my parents to look after both of them in the evening. But when we were about to leave, Arata started to say, "I don't want to go!" I tried to put him into the car but he resisted very hard and in the end, he went back to the house. It's really strange. Arata always wants to come with me even when I just go to a corner shop for some milk...

I took only Takara with me. If Arata had been with us, we could have only stayed for 2 hours maximum, Arata wouldn't stay at table quietly. I could spend more time than planned with my friends.

When Takara and I went home 4 hours later, Arata had been already in bed. My parents told me Arata was a good boy. He behaved better than when I am around. Arata didn't run away when my mum was brushing his teeth or dressing him with pyjamas. He then took my mum's hand and went upstairs with her to his bed and soon fell asleep. He was saying "Mama friends" and my parents think Arata understood why I was not with him.

Jason thinks it's a sign of his independence. My parents think he sensed my tense and felt he should not come with me. Well, to be honest, I felt nervous to take Aratakara to a restaurant and as I was running late, I was a bit hysteric. But still, can 2 year olds think logically like that?

2Y1M 20W5D おじいちゃんと With grandad

しましまタウンで父にアラタを遊ばせてもらっている間にタカラを連れて買い物をした。おじいちゃんと二人でいることにもだんだん慣れてきて、公園や買い物に手をつないで出かけて行く。おじいちゃんが「道路は危ないから手を離さないように」と言うときちんと守るらしい。ママといる時とちょっと違わない？

While my dad was looking after Arata at Shimashima town, I went shopping with Takara. Arata has got used to be with grandad. They often go to play grounds or shopping, holding hands. Arata seems to be a good boy when he is with his grandad. Isn't it a bit different when Arata is with me??

2Y1M 20W4D 大忙し Busy busy...

帰国後たった2週間しか経っていない気がしない。毎日のように出かけていて、すっかり日本のママ生活にも慣れた。

水曜日、シノさん紹介の集まりに東大宮まで行く。コミュニティセンターの和室で、何組かの親子が集まって子供を遊ばせながらおしゃべり。昨日は図書館にアラタの会員証を作りに行き、新幹線の本を借り、午後は、さいのこで知り合ったお友達のうちへ遊びに行った。

今日は、大宮のJackにある

「子育て支援センター大宮」

へ。ここは0から2歳児を対象としたさいたま市が設置した施設（運営業務は
社会福祉法人の保育園に委託）で、平日9時から4時までオープン。利用は無料で、常時スタッフがいる。おもちゃが置いてあって、好きな時にちょっと遊ばせに行ける。子供向けの音楽クラスなども開催している。今日は0歳児のリズム体操にタカラと参加したあと、センターで遊び続けるアラタカラを両親に任せて私は美容院へ。

I can't believe it's been only 2 weeks since we came back to Japan. I take out Aratakara nearly everyday and I feel as if we'd been living here for a long time.

Wednesday. We went to a mums' gathering in Higashi Omiya. It's organised by Shino and her friends and held in a small washitsu at a community centre. Their children are around Arata's age and Arata looked enjoying playing with them. Thursday. I took Arata to a library to have his membership card. He has borrowed a couple of books of transportation. We then went to visit Yoko-san, who we met at Sainoko.

Today, we went to

child caring support centre

at Jack Omiya building. The centre is open from 10 am to 4 pm on weekdays for children under 3 and their carers. It's free of charge and there are lots of toys and books. There are small classes for children or parents from time to time. We took Takara to their 'Song time' for under 1 today. Takara enjoyed it. After that, I asked my parents to look after Aratakara at the centre and I went to have hair cut!

2Y1M 20W1D 靴を脱ぐのはいいけれど… Why do you want to take off shoes?

アラタは電車に乗ると必ず、1.バギーから降りる2.ジャケットを脱ぐ3.靴を脱ぐ。昨日は宮原から桶川まで高崎線に、今日は大和田から大宮まで東武野田線に乗ったけど、10分弱なのにこれをやってくれるから大変。降りる直前に「逆」をやりたがらなくて、ジャケットを着せようとすると泣きながら抵抗して周りの注目を浴びる。アラタと一緒に公共の交通機関でお出かけは気が重い。

After getting on trains, Arata always 1. gets off the buggy 2. takes off the jacket 3. takes off shoes. We were on Takasaki line from Miyahara to Okegawa yesterday and on Tobu Noda line from Owada to Omiya today. They are both less than 10 minutes ride but Arata still does his ritual, which brings me a headache. Because Arata does not like the other way round and he screams when I try to put his jacket on him!

2Y1M 20W0D 過去と未来 Past and future

ここ1ヵ月ほど、アラタを寝かしつける時は、「今日何した？」と聞いて、一日を思い返し、「明日もまたママと遊ぼうね」と、楽しいことを想像させながら眠らせている。効果は上々で思いを馳せている間に寝てくれる。だから過去形や未来形の話しもできるようになってきた。ちょっと前の出来事を覚えていて、例えば、12月にミニチュアの機関車に乗った時の事を「アラタ電車乗った。怖かった。アラタ泣いた…」と話したりする。

Arata has started to make past and future sentences. When I put him in bed, I ask him what he has done today. He then starts to talk who he played with etc. This 'technique' seems to calm him down. When I say, for example, "We will see Thoma tomorrow." Arata always looks happy and soon falls asleep. Arata can now make past and future sentences and I'm always surprised how much he can recall. Arata still remembers how he felt when he went to miniature train ride with Jason in December. Arata says, "Arata had a train ride, I was scared, I cried. (In Japanese)"

2Y1M 19W5D プレイエリア付きカフェ Cafe with play area

うわさに聞いていた、

キッズパークバンビーレ

へ行った。このカフェは、真ん中にプレエリアがあって、子供を遊ばせながらランチやお茶ができる。こんなのをイギリスに開店したらはやりそうだけどなあ。（0歳～12歳の子供1人に付き、初めの1時間300円、以後30分ごとに100円が飲食代以外にかかる。）

なゆみちゃんがきているので、近所に最近オープンした温泉に連荘で行った。車で20分ほどの

清河寺温泉

は源泉を掛け流しがあり、10分で行ける

むさしの湯

は話題の岩盤浴もある。どちらも本物の温泉が湧いている。銭湯感覚なので入浴料も700円ぐらい。なんて便利！夜、アラタを寝かしつけてから行くが、二日とも私がいない間中タカラがおお泣き。両親はタカラを置いていかれるのはもうこりごりだと言っている。

We went to a cafe with a play area

"Kids Park Bambire"

. The play area is surrounded by glass walls and we can eat lunch or have a coffee watching children playing in it. I really think we should open something like this in the UK. It will be a good business?? (They charge extra 300 yen, about 1.5 pounds, for the first 30 minutes per kid. After that, 100 yen for every 30 minutes.)

Naymi was staying with us and we went to Onsen, hot spring, nearby 2 days in row.

Seiganji onsen

is 20 minutes drive from my parents.

Musashino Yu

is only 10 minutes from here. Both hot springs really have hot water coming from the ground. They have been discovered recently. Both facilities only charge about 700 yen, 2.5 pounds, per adult. It' refreshing. We went there after Arata went to bed and I left Takara with my parents. Well, on both occasions, Takara kept crying while I was away and my parents really think they had enough....

2Y1M 19W4D さいのこ Sainoko - mums and children salon

大和田駅近く、

彩の子ネットワーク

主催の「さいのこ」というプレイエリア（月水金の10時から4時オープン）に行ってみた。おもちゃや本が置いてあり、スタッフやボランティアが常駐。（託児所ではない。）お弁当を持っていって食べてもいいのでおもちゃがあまりないアラタをたまに連れて行ってあげようかと思う。もちろん授乳室やオムツ替えもあってきれい。今日はたまたまお遊戯したりの時間があったが、アラタは全く参加せず。一人のお母さんが、「上の子（10歳？）が小さい頃はこういう施設もなくて、一人で子育てしている気がしていた」と言っていた。少子化対策かしら、日本も子育てし易くなっていくのか。アラタの後ろの壁に貼ってあるのは、みんなが今日作った紙のおひな様。

I took Aratakara to SAINOKO,

organised by Sainoko network,

near Owada station. It's a kind of play area with lots of toys and books, with breastfeeding rooms and nappy changing facilities. It's open Mon, Wed and Fri from 10 AM to 4 PM. There are always some staff and we are allowed to bring food. I will probably take Aratakara often as they don't have many toys here. (It's not a creshe, though.) There was a song time today but as expected, Arata didn't participate at all. One of the mums told me when her elder daughter was small, about 10 years ago, there was nowhere to go with kids and she felt as if she was all alone. Is Japan getting better place for mums with young children? (The small cirlces on the wall behind Arata in this photo are Hinaningyo we made during art time today.)

2Y1M 19W3D ひな人形 Set of dolls for girls' day

区役所で3人分の国民健康保険に入った。さいたま市でも6歳までの医療は無料らしい。日本の医者にかかれるなんてとても安心でお手並み拝見したいところだが、病気になられても困るな。たまたま区役所で育児相談+体重測定があったので、アラタカラの体重と身長をはかってもらった。アラタはここほぼ4月横ばい状態の10.5KG。身長83.8CM。タカラは6.84KG、65.5CM。区役所では一月に一回、こういう日を設けているそうだ。母子手帳も欲しければ作ってくれるらしい。

その後、父の友人シノさんのお嬢さんノンちゃんに初のご対面。彼女はアラタと同じ年の女の子。シノさんの代から使っている素敵なおひな様の前でみんなで記念撮影。うちは男の子だけだからおひな様を所有することはないのね。ちょっと寂しい。

We went to register our move back to Japan to be able to register national health insurance. I didn't know that seeing doctors for under 6 years old is now free in our city. It wasn't like this when I was child. I feel relieved because I could take Aratakara straight to any specialists in Japan and I can't wait to see how good doctors are! There happened to be a child clinic in the town hall, and Aratakara were weighed and measured. Arata was 10.5Kg, 83.8Cm tall. Takara was 6.84Kg, 65.5CM tall. They have a clinic once a month.

Aratakara then went to see Nonchan, my dad's friend, Shino's daughter. Nonchan is almost the same age as Arata. We took a photo in front of Nonchan's Hinaningyo, traditional dolls for girls' day, 3rd March. This set of dolls is handed down from her mother Shino san. It was really beautiful. I didn't even have a set of this size! Well, Rumney family will never have one because we have only boys....

2Y1M 19W2D 有料プレイエリア Play area

近所のステラモールにある

｢しましまタウン｣

へアラタを連れて行った。しまじろうがやってきて、こんにちは！と言われた時は怖くて後ずさりしていたけれども、楽しく遊んでいた。次回はおばあちゃんにでもアラタを連れてきてもらっている間に私はタカラを連れて買い物に行くか。アラタ付きでは買い物なんて落ち着いてできないからね。写真はパン屋さんごっこをしているところ。

I took Arata to

"Shima Shima town"

in a big shopping mall near my parents. It's not a free play area but there are sophisticated kitchen corner or 'shops' for kids to play. Arata didn't like a big Shimajiro, a Japanese cartoon character, but over all, he enjoyed it. The best way of use it is to ask my parents to go there with Arata while I go shopping with Takara. (200 yen, about 1 pound, for a child, 100 yen for a carer per 15 minutes.) In this photo, Arata is playing as a bakery.

2Y1M 18W6D チョキチョキ Hair cut

10日程前アラタの前髪を切った。と言ってもこの世の終わりのように嫌がるので2回はさみを入れるのが精一杯。しかたなく、右は短くて左は元のままで放って置いた。

ＺＩＯＮ宮原店

には、キッズヘアサロンが併設されている。車のデザインの椅子に座って、アンパンマンのＤＶＤを見ている間に切ってもらえる仕組み。

これは喜ぶだろうと思ったのに、車の中に座らせると、速攻で髪を切られることを悟ったアラタ。泣きながら降りたがる。私が抱っこしている間に切ることになったが、泣き叫ぶから涙と鼻水と髪の毛で顔もぐしゃぐしゃ。必死に抵抗するから危ないし、親子でかぶれるという気の利いたケープも役に立たない。「毛だらけになってもいいですからとにかく切って下さい」と私。えびぞりになって「ダディー！！」と叫ぶアラタと、私と、美容師さんとの格闘。きれいな女性の美容師さんがバイキンマンの人形を持ってきて話し相手をしてくれた最後の数分だけ少し落ち着いた。なんでそんなにいやなのよ～。(写真はBeforeとAfter。前髪に注目。)

I cut Arata's front fringe 10 days ago. Well, he only let me do 2 attempts, which left the right side of his fringe shorter than the left. And I've left it just like that until now. We went to

a Kids hair salon Zion

today. They have seats like toy cars and while you are watching an Ampamman DVD, one of Arata's favourites characters, they cut your hair.

Neither car nor Ampamman worked on Arata. As soon as I put him in the 'car', Arata realised his hair was going to be cut and started to cry, trying to get down. We gave up the car and I held Arata while his hair was being cut. It wasn't easy to hold Arata as he was resisting really hard. His face was covered with hair and tear and snotty nose. We were wearing a cape which is designed to cover both mother and child but it didn't stay on us! It was really dangerous, Arata kept protecting his hair from the hairdresser.

It was a battle between the hairdresser and me vs Arata. I said to the hairdresser, "Please don't worry about the falling hair. Just cut it!" I tried to hold down Arata and he was screaming, "Daddy!!!!!!" Arata calmed down only the last couple of minutes after a good-looking female hairdresser came to play and talk with Baikinman doll.... Why do you hate hair cut so much, Arata??? (The photos are Arata's 'Before' and 'After'.)

2Y1M 18W5D 時差ぼけ Jet lag

アラタカラ共にイギリスタイムにほぼ近い形でベッドに寝かしつけることには成功している。もちろん時差ぼけ。普段授乳のために起きることのないタカラは夜中数回おっぱいを飲むし、アラタは朝の10時過ぎまで起きず、普段しない昼寝もする。今日は昼寝のアラタをタカラがこうやって起こした。

Aratakara have managed to go to bed about the same time as they are in the U.K. but of course they are still suffering from jet lag. Takara, who usually sleeps through night, wakes up for a couple of times for feeding and Arata, who usually doesn't have a nap, have a couple of naps during day! This afternoon, Takara woke Arata up like this!

2Y1M 18W4D 到着 Arrived!

アラタカラと11時間のフライトを経て日本に到着。ＢＡやＶＳよりも500ポンド（約10万円）近く高いＡＮＡを選んだのは夜7時発のナイトフライトだから。当然チビ達が寝てくれて楽なフライトになるものだと思っていた。そうでもなきゃ、一人で二人なんてつれて帰ってこれない。

アラタは殆んど寝なかった…。英国時間の夜の11時になってやっと私に抱っこされた状態で寝たので、足元に横にしたが、1時間で大声で泣き叫びながら起きてしまった。その後寝ぼけたまましばらく泣き続け、周りの皆さんもお目覚めになりました（冷や汗…）。落ち着いたと思ったら、スチュワーデスに、危険なので椅子に寝かせるように言われる。椅子に座ったまま寝られるわけがないからまた愚図る。やっと寝たのは到着2時間前。私は完徹！

でも、タカラはよく寝てくれました。水平飛行になってすぐにバジネットに置くとそのまま8時間すやすや。アラタ寝ず、タカラ熟睡という構図は普段の二人から容易に予測できる。なんてわかり易いのだろう！とにかくタカラには感謝！

水木のフライトは比較的空いているのでこの日を選んだ。でも運悪く満席で、隣の席をブロックしてもらうこともできなかった。ＡＮＡのエアポートサービスのお陰で成田では到着後、到着ロビーに着くまでお手伝いしてもらって助かったのだが、ヒースローではこのサービスを断ってしまった。これは失敗。セキュリティーチェックではバギーもＸ線にかけるからと、アラタカラを降ろし、バギーをたたみ、その間に、荷物とタカラを抱えながらアラタの脱走を阻止するというのは至難の業だった。

成田まで母が迎えに来てくれたが、大宮行きの成田エクスプレスを待つその1時間が限界を超えていると感じたので、すぐに出発する成田エクスプレスで東京まで行き、そこから新幹線で大宮まで帰ってきた。アラタは成田エクスプレス＆新幹線に乗れてご満喫。

We chose ANA even though air fare was 500 pounds more than BA or VS because it departs at 7 pm. I desperately hoped Aratakara would sleep during flight because Jason was not coming with us for 11 hour flight to Japan.　

I learnt how easy to expect what we can expect from what we see everyday. Takara fell asleep just after the plane started to cruse, and slept for 8 hours, but Arata didn't sleep much!

Arata slept in my arms at about 11 pm U.K. time. Within one hour, he woke up screaming. It lasted for nearly half an hour and lots of passengers were woken up by him! I felt so embarrassed... He then managed to go back to sleep but as I put him on the floor in front of our seats to sleep, a flight attendant came to tell me to put him back to his seat for safety reason. Of course, Arata couldn't sleep comfortably in seat and kept waking up until 2 hours before landing when he finally fell asleep.

We chose Thursday flight as I was told that Wednesdays and Thursdays are often not so busy. But our flight was full and we couldn't have any blocked seats next to us. ANA has Airport family services. I had this service on arrival, we had a help from the aircraft to the arrival hall,　but I didn't ask for it when we were at Heathrow. What was most difficult at Heathrow was at the security check.
I had to collapse our big double buggy to have it X-rayed, while holding Takara and 2 big bags chasing after Arata who tried to run away....

My mum came to Narita to meet us. I was too tired to wait for a direct train to Omiya for another hour and we decided to take the earliest Narita Express to Tokyo station then got on Shinkansen to Omiya. Arata was finally really happy to be on both Narita Express and Shinkansen!

2Y1M 17W6D 好き嫌い Like and dislike

タカラは4ヶ月歳になっていたってことに今日気付いた。まだ風邪がひどいが、既に何回もひどい風邪を経験しているので私もタカラも慣れてしまった。木曜日の日本行きのフライト中にひどくなっていなければいいが。

ここ数日、「好き・嫌い」という単語を繰り返し1人でドリルしていたアラタ。会話にも使えるようになってきた。ほとんど藪から棒で、子供の思考回路ってどうなっているのかわからないが、昨日はいきなり「ジューリー（保母さんの一人）嫌い。」そして、「ナーサリー嫌い」と言った。「明日　ナーサリー行くの？」とほぼ毎日聞かれるので、よっぽど気になっているのかしら。（寝る前には「ママ　好き」と言ってキスしてくれた！）

さっきは注意されてもタカラを押し続けたので、「あまりいじめると、オリくんがアラタのこと嫌いになるよ」と言うと、しばらく考えて、「オリ アラタ　嫌い　ならない。」そして、タカラによしよししてあげて、タカラも箱の中に入れて、一緒に電車ごっこ。反省したのかしら。私の言い方、子供にはちょっときつかったかなあ…。ママも反省。

Takara is 4 months old now. (We didn't realisee this on his 4th month old birthday...) His cold is still bad and I really hope it will be better by the time we fly to Japan on Thursday.

Arata has learnt the concept of 'like' and 'dislike'. He has been practicing these 2 words for a while by himself and now he can put them into his sentences. Yesterday, he said, "Arata xxx kirai (Arata doesn't like xxx- a nursery carer)." Then he went, "Arata nursery kirai (Arata doesn't like nursery)." Well, he always asks me, "Ashita nursery iku no? (Am I going to nursery tomorrow?)" and I reckon he is concern about it much.

It was sweet that Arata said to me, "Arata mama suki! (Arata likes mummy)" last night before going to bed!

2Y1M 17W4D 予防接種最終回 Last set of jabs

タカラの予防接種最終回。今までやった5種+1+1（ジフテリア、破傷風、百日咳、ポリオ、髄膜炎B、脳膜炎C、肺炎球菌)のブースターなので、計3本。来週の一時帰国に備えて、今日の予防接種を延期したくなかったから、どうしても風邪の家庭内蔓延を防ぎたかった。が、Jasonもアラタも期待を裏切ってくれた。当然のようにタカラも2日前から咳と鼻水・鼻詰まりがひどい。

熱がなければ大丈夫と言われることは百も承知で「風邪を引いている」と看護婦に言ってみた。もちろん無駄な質問だったけどね。それにしても、タカラは、予防接種の度に風邪を引いている。風邪を引いていると負担が大きくなって余計につらいと思うけど…。ふと、

アラタの時のブログを読み返すと、

風邪だからって注射を延期しているじゃないの！アラタは生後半年は風邪を引いてもマイルドだったので、この時の風邪だってほんの鼻かぜだったはず。アラタは慎重に育てられたのねー。

イタリア人（のJosie）が日本人（の私とゆうこさん）を和食ランチに招待。料理好きJosieのフュージョン系ジャパニーズはなかなか素敵だった。私にはとても日本食で友達を招待なんてできないから尊敬しちゃう。子供達はパスタを食べていたのだけれども、トーマの残りまで食べようとするアラタは、「トーマにも食べさせて」と言われると、本当にトーマにフィードし始めた。一口食べさせる度に「おいしいね」と言いながら。お口の周りもティッシュで拭いてあげて、すっかりお兄ちゃんぶっていた。タカラの離乳食開始まであと2ヶ月よ。頼んだぞ、アラタ。

Takara's last set of initial immunisation jabs. They are all booster of the ones he had before (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping Cough, Polio, Hib, Men C and PCV) and he had 3 shots! I hadn't wanted to start cold to spread in our family because we are going back to Japan next week, and also I didn't want to postpone today's immunisation. But without knowing my concern, Jason and Arata have caught a cold in very bad timing. Of course, Takara has started coughing with blocked & runny nose since 2 days ago.

As Takara didn't have any temperature, immunisation went ahead. Takara always has a cold when he has jabs. It must be tougher for him if he's got a cold.

I just had a look at my weblog when Arata had his 3rd injections.

To my surprise, I postponed it as Arata had a cold. I'm quite sure that it was a very mild cold because Arata didn't have a bad one at least in the first 6 months. I must have been very careful with Arata or the first child...

An Italian (Josie) invited Japanese (Yuko and I) to a Japanese lunch at her place. She loves cooking. The food was nice and the presentation was 'Modern European' style. Shall we call it 'Fusion Japanese'? Children were eating pasta and when greedy Arata tried to eat the leftover of Thoma, Yuko suggested Arata feeding Thoma and surely he did! After each spoon, Arata said, "Oishii ne (it's tasty, isn't it?)." He even wiped Thoma's mouth with a piece of tissue. Arata behaved as a big boy! Arata, it's only 2 months to go till Takara starts to wean. I'll count on you!