2Y5M 35W3D アトピー？ Atopic eczema?

アラタに風邪をもらったタカラは咳と鼻水で悲惨。今朝起きてみると、頬と目の辺りが広範囲で赤くなって、少し腫れもあった。風邪とは別物で、何かのアレルギー反応かもしれないという疑いが・・・。ここ1ヶ月近く、タカラに耳切れ（耳の付け根が切れたようになってじくじくする）があって、最初はなんだかわからなかったが、アトピーの子供に多いらしく、どうも怪しい・・・。

腫れは午後までには引いたので、ウイルスによる一時的なものだといいなあと思う。ネットでアレルギーのお勉強もしたけれども、３大アレルゲンの牛乳、卵、大豆。私は昨日全種食べたから、もしかして母乳から？うーん、面倒くさいことはやめてよ～。

念のためGPへ。耳の中は少し赤いが、喉は腫れていない。風邪をひいたことで元々ある湿疹が悪化したのだろうという診断。湿疹の原因であるアレルギーに関しては特に指導も診断も無しなのは予測通り。こういう時、日本の医者にかかりたくなる。

Takara's got a cold from Arata. He is quite miserable with runny nose and coughs. When he woke up this morning, I was shocked to see his cheeks and eyelids were red and puffy. After searching on the net, we suspected it's nothing to do with the cold he has but some allergic reactions. The bottom of his ear lobe has been weepy and red as if it had been cut. This is one of the possible signs of atopic eczema.

The puffy bit was gone by the early afternoon and I really hope it was caused by some sort of virus. I studied lots about atopic eczema and allergy on the internet. I ate eggs, soya bean (tofu) and milk yesterday. Takara may have reacted to my breast milk....?

I took him to GP to be on the safe side. His ear drum was a bit red but not bad. The doctor said Takara's eczema may have worsen by some virus and advised me to apply some moisturiser on his face. Of course, he didn't mention about allergy or atopic eczema at all. I wish we were in Japan now so that I could take Takara to a skin specialist...

2Y5M 35W1D 歯医者 Dentist

OasisDentistへ。産後1年間はNHSで歯医者も無料なので、NHSの患者として歯科検診。そして、アラタも初の歯科検診。

怖がるし騒ぐだろうなあと心配だったが、歯医者さんの「あーんして」「イーして」に素直に口を開いていたのにはびっくり。もっと驚いたのは、アラタの検診、2秒で終わり？「はい、問題なし。次は一年後に来てね。」思わず私も、「これだけですか？」

頑張ったねシールをもらって、嬉しかったアラタは、「ダディに見せる」と、大事に大事に、Tシャツのシールを押さえながら帰ってきた。この写真は、途中でスタバで休憩しているところ。この後、脱いだジャケットにシールがくっついてしまい、シールがなくなったことに気が付いたアラタは「スティッカー！」と大騒ぎ。そんなに大事だったのに、家に帰ったらダディにも見せずに忘れてしまっていた。は～、子供って・・・。

Went to Oasis Dentist for check-up. I have free NHS dental treatments for a year after having a baby. Arata also had his first check-up.

I was anxious about Arata's check-up from the morning as I knew Arata didn't like it and he would scream to resist. But surprisingly, Arata was all fine. When the dentist said, "Open your mouth, then, say eeeee," Arata just did it. But most surprisingly his check-up lasted for only 2 seconds! "Everything is ok. Come to see me in a year time," he said. "Is that all?" was what was coming out from my mouth!

Arata got a sticker of a brave lion from the dentist. He was very proud of it and said, "I will show it to daddy." He was then putting his hand on the sticker to prevent it from coming off his shirt on out way home. We stopped at Starbucks for drinks. After being taken this photo, when Arata took off his jacket, the sticker came off and sticked to the jacket. Without knowing it, Arata was crying, "Sticker!", when he found it was missing on his T-shirt. After we came home, Arata apparently lost interest in it and he wasn't even keen to show it Jason. Phew... children are....

2Y4M 34W5D ママ、ノー！！！ Mama, no!

ベラ家族とWokingParkのプールへ行く。タカラは初水泳。髪の毛を洗う時に、頭からザブーンとお湯をかけられても泣かない（アラタはまだべそをかく）から、プールも大丈夫だと思っていたがその通り。Jasonと一緒に楽しそうにぷかぷかと浮かんでいた。

アラタは、同じ年のアナベラが全然怖がらないのを見て、いい影響を受けたようだ。Jasonママに買ってもらった腕輪を付けて頑張った。足が届かない所に近付くと、私が少し支えてあげようとするのだけれども、それをアラタはとても嫌がり、「ママ、ノー、ノー！」とばたつく。こっちはひやひやしながらも、手を離すと、しっかりと一人で浮かんでいる。アラタの顔は口をぎゅっと結んで真剣だ。すごい度胸。さすが男の子。「アラタ　プールで　およいだ」と家に帰ってからも得意げ。

We went to the swimming pool at Woking Park with Vera's family. It was Takara's first ever swim. We knew that Takara was fine with water as he never cries when we wash his hair in the bath. Takara didn't show any fear and he was floating comfortably with daddy.

Arata must have got a good influence from Annabellie, who doesn't scare water and enjoys swimming. He was wearing arm bands, which Nana bought for him, and doing very well. When we approached the deep side of the pool, I tried to hold him but he didn't like it. He resisted hard saying, "Mama, no! No! No!" I felt scared myself but I reluctantly released my hands. Well, Arata could float without any problem! He looked very serious closing his lips tight but he managed to do it by himself. I was really impressed by his courage. After we came home, he was proudly saying, "Arata swam in the swimming pool!"

2Y4M 34W2D フォトシューティング Photo shooting

子供モデルがハッチランドパークに大集合してフォトシューティング。ゆうこ姉が運営している服の型紙販売サイト用の写真を撮るために、いつものメンバーが集まったってことだけど。型紙から起こして作った服を着てポーズ。なーんてアラタやトーマには無理。走る走る。3歳児のカレンちゃん達になるともう少しましなのだけれども、それでも走る走る。カメラマンのゆうこさんは大変そうでしたが、素敵な写真がたくさん撮れたかな？

タカラは夕方からご飯もミルクも吐きまくり。今日は暑かったから暑気当たり？赤ちゃんでもなるの？

Child models gathered at Hatchlands Park for their first photo shooting! Well, all were Arata's friends. Yuko organaised a photo shooting session for her sister's web site, which sells clothes patterns. Our children got dressed with clothes made from the patterns and Yuko took their photos. Well, it was of course very difficult for Arata or Thoma to stand still and smile at camera. They kept running and running. Karen and Lilia are over 3 years old and more sensible but still kept running.... It must have been very hard work for Yuko but she took lots of nice photos, I hope.

Takara started to throw up after we came home. He didn't seem to have appetite but I fed him anyway. Then he threw up all he'd eaten on his high chair tray... After that he managed to have breast milk, but vomited all..... I hope he will be ok by tomorrow. Did he have a heat exhaustion?

2Y4M 34W1D ティーンエイジャー Already teenager!

ゴーガがモニカとニコルを連れて遊びに来た。昨日、「明日はモニカが遊びに来る」と言っておいたら、アラタは朝になっても「きょう　モニカ　くるよ」と覚えていた。「コーディーも？」と聞いていたので、川合さんち（コーディーは川合家の犬）のモニカだと思っていたようだ。ゴーガの娘のモニカとはWapping以来の友達だけど一年ぶりだから無理もない。アラタは「ちいさいモニカ」と区別することにしたようだ。

ゴーガ達が帰った後、トーマのうちに遊びに行った。トーマと一緒だと、お世話好きに変身するアラタは、トーマが転ぶと「大丈夫？」と駆け寄り、トーマのバイクが引っかかってしまうと、手伝いに行く。

そして、帰る準備をしていると突然「アラタかえらない。」車を発進して行っちゃうふりをしても「アラタ　トーマと　ごはんたべる」と譲らない。ゆうこさんの、「置いていっていいよ」という言葉に思い切り甘えて、本当に置いてきました。アラタ無しで帰ってきた私達を見たJasonは「友達と一緒の方がいいなんて、ティーンエイジャーみたい。」

しばらくして電話をすると、「今、アラタくんとトーマ、お風呂に入ってる」とゆうこさん。それを聞いた私達は意外な展開に大爆笑。晩御飯をご馳走になって、お風呂も入れてもらって、トーマのパジャマを着て帰ってきた。本当に楽しかったので、興奮してなかなか寝付けなかったけど。

Goga came to visit us with Monika and Nichole. I told Arata last night that Monika is coming to see us tomorrow and he could remember this when he woke up this morning. He said, "Monika is coming today." He then asked, "Is she coming with Cody?" Cody is the dog at Kawai family. Arata thought Monika, Moto's daughter, is coming. Arata has played with Goga's daughter Monika many times but it was a year ago when we last saw them. Of course he can't remember her. Anyway, Arata has decided to remember Goga's Monika as "little Monika."

After Goga and her children went home, we popped in at Yuko. When Arata is with Thoma, he always likes to look after him. He ran to Thoma and said, "Are you alright?" when Thoma fell, or he went to rescue Thoma's bike when it was stuck in bush.

We were just about to go home, Arata suddenly said, "I'm not going home." He kept saying this and I even got into the car to show I really meant I was going without him. But he insisted he was not coming with me, saying, "Arata is going to eat dinner with Thoma." Yuko was very kind and offered me to look after Arata for a while. When I got home and explained what happened, Jason said, "Arata is like a teenager! He prefers to be with his friend."

A little bit later I rang Yuko. She said, "They are now having a bath." Jason and I burst into laughter because we didn't expect Arata was so much enjoying staying there! Arata had a dinner and a bath with Thoma, and he came back in Thoma's pyjamas. He must have had a really good time. Arata was so excited about what he's done today and he couldn't go to sleep easily.

2Y4M 33W6D 英語と日本語 Japanese and English

日本にいる間にアラタは日本語オンリーになった。区役所の2歳2ヵ月児の言語発達チェック、「青いペンをお母さんに渡して」と「そのペンを椅子の上に置いて」には、普段日本に住んでいない割には楽勝。と言うより、英語で聞かれたら答えられなかっただろう。アラタの日本語徹底度はすばらしく、レーシングカーやダンプカーまで「レーシングくるま」「ダンプくるま」になっていた。

英国に戻ってきて2日目にJasonママが渡英。アラタは、Jasonママが何を言っても日本語でトンチンカンな事を言っていたから殆んど理解できていなかったようだ。Jasonママもアラタの日本語に推測で答える。でも、これが全然当たっていないから、二人の会話は密かに可笑しかった。

Jasonママの帰国間近になってようやく英語が少し出てきた。ナーサリーでは多少話しているらしいが、実は、私はこの目でアラタが英語を話している所を見たことがなかった。興味深く観察していると、語順は日本語で単語だけ英語！？「アラタ　泣かない」が「クライイング　ノー」で、「アラタ　ねんねしない」が「スリーピング　ノー」

第一言語は日本語という印象を与えたため、「アラタには英語が必要よ」とJasonママ。私も日本から帰国後しばらくは、日本語で話しても誰もわかってくれなくて困惑しているアラタが不憫で、日本人の友達ともっと遊ばせて自信もたせなきゃとか、私も英語で話してあげた方がいいのかしらと、心が揺れた。

でも、英国に住んでいる限り日本語をキープする方が大変なのは間違いない。案の定、Jasonママが帰って2週間、家の中の会話はほぼ日本語のみに戻ったが、ナーサリーやテレビから英語をどんどん吸収する。英語で何か言いながら一人遊びしたり、絵本の絵を指さしてJasonが「What's this?」と言うと英語で、「これ何」なら日本語で答えるようになってきた。

その分日本語は日本に住んでいる2歳児程伸びていないはず。私は日本語しか話さないよ。頑張ってねアラタ！

After we stayed in Japan for nearly 2 months, Arata only spoke Japanese. When he had a small development test of language over there, he was asked, "Give this blue pen to your mother please" and 'Put this pen on the chair please" He could of course manage to respond correctly. Taking into consideration that he usually lives in the U.K., he did very well. To be honest, he couldn't have understood if it'd been in English, though. Arata said everything in Japanese. Every single word. Even "Racing car" was "Racing Kuruma" although in Japanese we also call it "Racing car"!

2 days after we came back to the U.K., Jason's mum arrived. When she said something to Arata, he was saying completely unrelated. I assumed he didn't understand her at all. Jason's mum tried to guess what he was saying and replied to him. Usually her guess was wrong. Secretly I was quite amused by their conversations! (Sorry, Beth!)

Towards the end of her stay, Arata slowly started to speak English. At nursery he'd already spoke some English but I'd never heard him speaking English. I was watching excitingly when he spoke English. It was very sweet because he used English words in Japanese grammar. The word orders are different in 2 languages but without knowing that, Arata went, "Sleeping no!" or "Crying no!"

Jason's mum got an impression that Arata's first language was Japanese. She must have been quite disappointed and she told us that Arata needed English. Well, just after we came back from Japan, I also lost confidence what I was doing about his language education. Because, whenever he spoke, nobody understood, of course, and Arata looked confused and sad. I thought I had to take him to Japanese friends more often to gain his confidence or I even thought I had to speak English to him.

But when we live in this country, it's too obvious that keeping Japanese is more difficult than learning English for him. Since Jason's mum went home, our conversations at home have been back to more or less only in Japanese. But Arata's English is getting stronger everyday. He picks up English at nursery or TV. He sometimes plays by himself talking something in English. When Jason asks "What's this?" in English, Arata replies in English and if he is asked in Japanese, he answers in Japanese on simple things.

On contrary, I'm sure his Japanese hasn't improved as fast as 2 years old who live in Japan. I don't intend to speak English to him at all and he must master Japanese somehow!

2Y4M 33W4D 和朝食 Japanese breakfast

朝はあまり食べないアラタだけれども、和朝食だと違う。久しぶりに、お豆腐＋わかめのお味噌汁にご飯＋アンパンマンふりかけを出してみたら、お味噌汁は全部飲むし、ご飯はお代わり！普段のアラタからは想像つかない食欲。お豆腐もお味噌汁もご飯も大好きだから、和朝食を食べ続ければもっと体重も増えるかもね。炊飯器買おうかなあ。

Arata doesn't eat much breakfast. But if it is breakfast with rice, he is different. Look at this. He had a Japanese breakfast yesterday, with a bowl of steamed rice and miso soup with tofu and seaweed. He not only finished his miso soup, but he had another bowl of rice! If he has Japanese breakfast more often, he may gain more weight?? We should probably buy a rice cooker.

2Y4M 33W3D 「マー」とうつぶせ寝 "Maaaaa" & lying on his tummy

タカラは左右とも寝返りをマスター。はいはいの前進＆伝い歩きもするようになった。そして、四つんばいになって立ち上がろうとする。（もちろんできないけど！）

寝返りが上手になってくると、添い乳でおっぱいを飲む体勢からコロンと寝返ってしまったり、昼寝中ちょっと目が覚めた時にコロンと寝返って起きてしまう。こんな感じで数日間混乱していたようだ。一時的におっぱいを飲む量も昼寝の時間も減ったのだが、要領を得てきてもう大丈夫。その代わり、うつぶせ寝をするようになった。うつぶせ寝ができると熟睡できる。夜もあまり起きなくなったのは嬉しい。

水曜日の夜、コットの中で寝られずに泣いていたタカラをしばらくそのままにして置くと、「あーん、あーん、あーん　マー　マー　マー」と泣き出した。よーく聞いていると「ダー　ダー　ダー」とか「アータ　アータ」と言っていることもあるような気がする。本当に言っているのかもしれない。

Takara can now roll over to both sides. He can crawl not only backwards but forwards as well. He often tries to stand up from all four. (Of course, he can't manage to do it yet.)

Just after he'd mastered roll-over, he was a bit confused for a couple of days. From the lying down breastfeeding position, he rolled over without any proper intension. When he woke up in the middle of nap, he rolled over and couldn't go back to sleep. He had less milk and less sleep for a couple of days. Now he is fine. He knows what roll-over is for. Instead, he can now sleep on his tummy. Babies sleeping on his tummy can sleep better and Takara is no exception. He doesn't wake up as often as he was only a couple of days ago!

On Wednesday evening, Takara was crying in his cot for cuddle. We first ignored him hoping he would go back to sleep. He was first crying, "Aaaaan Aaaaan Aaaaan..." then he went "Maaaa Maaaa Maaaa..." Of course I picked him up immediately because he clearly called for me! If we listen carefully, he sometimes sounds "Daaaa Daaaa Daaaa" and "Aaaata Aaaata". Takara is calling us for sure. How amazing it is!

2Y4M 32W4D 頭痛薬 Medicine for migraine

昨日。午前中、公園でアラタカラを遊ばせ、午後は彼らを連れてロンドンまで。会社に遊びに行った。夕食後はジムでステップ。張り切りすぎた一日だったからかな、今日は朝から頭痛。タカラの初Kindermusikクラスから帰ってくると、一緒に昼寝。気が付いたらもう5時で、アラタをナーサリーに迎えに行く時間だった。

偏頭痛には欠かせない薬のイミグラン。授乳中は乳児への影響が不明ということで控えるのが普通だけれども、6ヶ月を過ぎてから、偏頭痛で2日間近く吐きまくり、機能しなくなるよりはと、飲んでしまっている。もちろん、一月に一回一錠ほどだが。

アラタの時は薬を飲んでも慎重におっぱいを搾乳＆破棄、粉ミルクを上げていたが、今回はそれもしていない。オーガニックに気を使っているわけでもないし、コーヒーやワイン、ジャンクを食べたりもするから、母乳に悪いものはとっくに摂取しているだろうという勝手な見込みで自分を納得させて・・・。

Yesterday. I took Aratakara to a play ground then went to London with them to SCS to see my colleagues. After dinner, I went to the gym to attend a 'Step' class. When I woke up this morning, I had a slight headache. Probably I did too much for one day yesterday. But still, Takara and I went to his first Kindermusik class. After lunch, we had a nap together and when we woke up it was already 5 pm, the time I had to go to pick Arata up from nursery.

Imigran is my medicine to combat migraine. During breastfeeding, we usually avoid it as the effects on babies are not known. But since Takara turned 6 months, I've started to take it again. Or I usually suffer very severe migraine and can't do anything for nearly 2 days. Of course, about once a month and only one tablet each time.

When Arata was still a baby, after I took Imigran, I expressed and discarded breast milk, gave him formula for a day. But this time I haven't done it to Takara, I keep breastfeeding him. I'm not the type of person who always looks for "organic" and I eat or drink without carefully avoiding lots of stuff, coffee or wine or junk food etc! So, my excuse is I've probably already had something bad for breastmilk anyway.

2Y4M 32W3D 赤ちゃん返り Baby's behaviours

おもちゃ箱の前がタカラの朝の定位置。座らせておくと静かにおもちゃを出すことに集中しているから、その間に私とアラタは朝食。昨日は、おもちゃ箱でもつかまり立ちしていたので、これからは安心していられないかな。寝返りも上手になったし、大変になるぞ。

アラタの赤ちゃん返り。少し前まではタカラの真似をして指しゃぶりをしていた。これははたして赤ちゃん返りだったのかしら。最近は、タカラの離乳食が始まったのがきっかけで、ハイチェアでご飯を食べさせてもらいたがるように。これは本物の赤ちゃん返りよね？思う存分赤ちゃんを満喫させてあげているけど。

I put Takara in front of the toy boxes every morning. He sits quietly and takes out toys while Arata and I have breakfast. Yesterday, Takara stood up holding one of the toy boxes. We won't be able to have breakfast peacefully any longer? Takara can roll over very well now, too, and I will be very busy soon...

Arata's baby behaviours. He was sucking his fingers copying Takara for a while. I'm not sure if it was one of his 'returned' baby behaviour after Takara's birth. Since Takara's weaning started, Arata has insisted to sit in the high chair and wanted to be fed. This must be one of the typical baby behaviours, I think. Of course, he enjoys being a baby again.

2Y4M 32W2D タカラのお友達 Takara's friends

タカラの3日後に生まれたヤンくん。カレンちゃんの弟。タカラよりずっと大きくて、外人度も高いけど、この写真、なぜか同じ表情をしてる。アラタの時のように、タカラと同じ月齢の赤ちゃんを持っているママ友作りは全くしていないから、どうしても、アラタの友達中心。ただ、二人目がいる人もいるから、たまにはタカラも同年代の赤ちゃんと遊ぶ機会がある。

Jan, Karen's brother, is only 3 days younger than Takara. He is much bigger than Takara and looks more Westerner. But both of them have a same expression in this photo! I don't go out to meet the mothers with children of Takara's age and most of Takara's friends are Arata's friends. Some of their mothers have their second child and Takara occasionally sees children of his age. Hugo, Mana's brother, is also only 2 months older than Takara.

2Y4M 32W1D タカラの音 Takara's noises

よくアラタが真似をしていた、タカラのかわいい赤ちゃん音「あうー、あうー」はあまり聞かなくなった。最近は「うーーーーー」とドスの効いた声で周りを楽しませたり、複雑な音を出す。

タカラは口が小さくて、「基本通り」におっぱいを深くまでくわえることができないから、先っぽだけを吸っている。だからどうも真剣に飲んでいるようには見えないのだけれども、吸引力がものすごくて、アラタが赤ちゃんだった時よりも、短時間で上手に飲んでいる。機嫌がいい時は、「ふんが　ふんが　ふんが」って音をだしながら。

Arata often copies Takara's noises and it has been just"Aaaauuuuu Aaaauuuuu" for a long time. Now Takara can make more complicated noises. When he makes "Uguuuuuuuuu" with very low voice, we all laugh and he knows it's funny!

When Takara is in good mood, he makes, "Funga Funga Funga..." when I am breastfeeding. Takara's mouth is quite small and he can't latch deep. He is just sucking the tip of my breast, which looks as if he is not seriously feeding. But his sucking is very strong. With shorter time than Arata used to do, Takara have as much milk as he wants!

2Y4M 31W6D セルフサービス Self service

タカラの寝かしつけや夜中の授乳の時に添い乳することが多い。アラタの時はあまりやらなかったのだけれども、子供二人になると疲労度が違うかな。ついつい、自分も横になっておっぱいを上げてしまう。

おっぱいを吸われるのはとても気持ちがいいものだから、タカラだけではなく、私もいつの間にか眠っている。

夜中に授乳して、そのまま私達のベッドで寝てしまっているタカラは、家族の中で一番の早起きだが、私はもっと寝ていたい。だから、タカラが起きた事に気付くと、サッとおっぱいを出して、タカラが飲みやすい位置にちょっと体を動かしてまた寝ちゃう。そのうちに、タカラはくるっと横向きになって、片手で私のシャツを押さえながらおっぱいを飲み始めて、満足すると眠る。

セルフサービスは便利だけれど、おっぱい丸出し。あられもない姿で寝ているのよね・・・。

When I put Takara sleep, I often lie down on our bed and feed him. I didn't do this much with Arata but probably I get more tired to look after 2 monkeys. As it's a really good feeling to feed baby, I often fall asleep as well...

After I feed Takara during night, he usually stays in our bed till morning. In the morning, he wakes up earlier than all of others. But I want to sleep longer. When I notice he is awake, I open my bra and move myself a little bit so that he can feed by himself. After a short while, he turns his body and holds my shirt up and starts to feed. Then he falls asleep again.

This is quite convenient but I'm sleeping while my breasts are both being exposed...

2Y4M 31W5D ナナ帰国 Nana's gone home

Woking Parkでトーマ2歳の誕生日パーティー。トーマはサッカーが好きなので、みんなでミニサッカー。小さい子供は親のヘルプ付きだが、3歳を少し過ぎるとゲームを楽しむことができるようだ。アラタはよく理解できずに全然違う方へ走って行ってそれっきりだった。

トーマも同じような感じなんだけど、彼はサッカーが上手いから少し年上の子供に混ざって大健闘。2歳になったばかりとは思えないほどドリブルが上手い。絶対にセンスあるぞ。トーマがかわいいのは、他の子にボールを奪われるたびに、そっちの方向を指差して、泣きながらお父さんに助けを求めるところ。「おもちゃ取られた～」って言いたいんだろうね。

Jasonママが1ヶ月ちょっとの滞在を終えてニュージーランドへ帰った。日本から帰ってきたばかりのアラタは日本語オンリーだったので、コミュニュケーションが全然取れず、Jasonママも寂しかったみたい。でも、1ヶ月の間に英語も話すようになった。テレビやナーサリーなどで聞いて、元々頭の中にあった英語が出てきたのか、ナーサリーではいつもこのぐらいは話しているのか、この1ヶ月でJasonママから学んだのか。不思議だけれども、うらやましいわ。

Thoma's 2nd birthday party at Woking Park. As Thoma loves playing football, we had mini football matches. Children of Arata's age played with their parents' help. But if they are older than 3 years, they can understand the concept and enjoy games. Arata didn't understand what to do and he ran off the pitch. That's it. He never went back to the game.

Thoma was similar to Arata. But he is surprisingly good at dribbling balls for his age. He was more participating in the game with a bit older children. The sweet moments were when his ball was taken by another child. He always stopped and started to cry pointing the boy. Thoma must have wanted to say, "He stole my toy!"

Jason's mum has gone back to NZ after over a month of stay. When she arrived, we were just back from Japan and Arata couldn't communicate with her at all as Arata seemed to understand and speak only Japanese. Jason's mum must have felt sad. But in the last week or two, Arata has started to speak a bit of English. I'm not sure if he learnt English very quickly from Jason's mum, or if he anyway speaks English that much at nursery, or he had enough English in his brain and Jason's mum triggered his language skill. Well, whatever the truth is, I envy him.

3Y4M 31W4D 初・・・ Takara's first...

タカラ。手をたたけるようになったのは2週間ぐらい前。まだ片方がぐーになっちゃうけど。

（アラタは少し早かった。）

寝返りははっきりと目撃していない。半分は回っているのはよく見かけるし、最近は横向きに寝ることもある。

今日は私達のベッドから初めて落ちた。ってことは寝返りしているのか？

（アラタの初落ちは…。）

アラタの時も今日も、Jasonが世話をしていた時に落ちたので、私は目撃していない。「XXXした隙に落ちちゃったよ…」って今回も言っていたけれども、男の人って目の端で見えないものなのかしら？

つかまり立ちはこの通り。次男の宿命で、放って置かれることが多いから、一人でソファの前でつかまり立ちの練習しているからね。

Takara's milestones. I don't pay enough attentions and I often don't know how long he's been able to do them.

Takara started to clap his hands about 2 weeks ago, although only one of his hands is not properly open.

(Arata was able to clap his hands at about the same time.)

I haven't seen Takara rolling over in my eyes but he can probably do it. I often see him rolling half over and he's started to sleep on his side.

He fell off our bed for the first time today. Does this mean he can roll over now??

(Arata fell for the first time like this...)

In both occasions, it was Jason who was with them. And he made the same comment today."When I was not looking at him for a couple of seconds, he fell." Can't men see 2 things happening at the same time?? We, women, can do it!

Takara can stand up with support like this. Well, he is often left alone without any attentions, and he practices a lot on his own...

2Y4M 31W1D 便秘には To ease Takara's constipation

タカラはまた便秘になった。よく食べてくれるからと、離乳食を上げ過ぎているかもしれないと反省。試した便秘解消法は・・・。

１．便秘が治るまでは離乳食の量を減らす（おっぱいの量が増えることで離乳食開始前のような軟らかいのになれば良し。）

２．日本から買ってきたベビーフードばかり上げていたので、スターチー過ぎた？にんじんとバナナを少しだけ上げることにする。

３．特に与えていなかったが、水を少し飲ませる。

４．プルーンをピューレにしたものをあげる。

５．自転車をこぎ体操をしてあげる。

６．極めつけは・・・

出そうで出なくて苦しんでいる時にオムツを開けると、おなかに冷気があたるからか、足を持ち上げることで、自転車こぎ体操と同じ体勢になるからか、その場で出ることが何回かあった。ところが、土曜日は同じ状況でも、ちょっとだけ出てくるのに、いきみきれずにまた戻ってしまうという事が続いた。（私は生中継で見ている訳だ。）

硬そうだし、これはまずいと思い、最後の手段を実践した。Jasonには「虐待になる」から止めろと言われていたし、英国のサイトでもしないようにと書いてあったが、日本のサイトでは、赤ちゃんの便秘対処法として紹介されている。オイルを塗った綿棒をほんの少し入れて刺激する。

効果は抜群で、瞬時に誘発された。ただ、長い間溜めていたので、硬くて太くて、痛そう。タカラは、泣き叫びながら押し出していて、あまりにもかわいそうなので、最後はウンチを引っ張り出してあげちゃった。ちょっと出血も。

大変な試練だったけど、出口を塞いでいた「栓」がなくなると、その後2回、次の日は離乳食改善の効果も現れてか、軟らかいのを大量に2回した。すっきりしたようなので、プルーンはやめて、離乳食も水分大目で再開。ところが、昨日から、一日に5回も6回も液体状のをするようになってしまった。お尻も荒れてかわいそう…。いったいどうしたらいいの？

土曜日、Jasonの幼馴染のキンベリー達とWappingのTurks Headでランチ。Turks Headの、

アラタをかわいがってくれたシルバン

の従妹がまだ働いていて、私達を覚えていてくれた。隣の公園ではアラタカラそろってブランコ。ここのカフェ、子連れにはやはりとてもよい。

Takara has been constipated again. I think I gave him too much solids as he eats very well and I kept feeding him without thinking much. I've decided to try the followings to ease his constipation.

1. Reduce the amount of solids and make him take more breastmilk. Hopefully, his poo will go back to the soft or liquid one.

2. Stop using ready made baby food I bought back from Japan. I must have relied on it too much. They must be a bit too starchy, I think. Instead, give him small amounts of pureed bananas and carrots.

3. Give him some water after meal.

4. Give him some pureed prune.

5. Move his legs in cycling motion in clockwise.

6. And as a last resort....

If I open his nappies when Takara is trying hard to push, he often manages to do it. It's probably because he has some cool air on his tummy or it causes the same muscle movements as I move his legs in cycling motion. But on Saturday, even this trick didn't work. I could see one end of a poo nearly coming out but Takara couldn't push hard enough and went back. (I saw everything in live!)

It looked quite hard and I felt I had to do something drastic. And I did it. Jason told me not to do 'this' as it's a child abuse! On U.K. web sites, they also said not to do it. But on Japanese sites, it's introduced as one of the things we could do to treat constipation. Well, it's to stimulate a oil soaked cotton bud.

It worked immediately. It definitely stimulated the bowel movement very well. But unfortunately, his poo was too hard. He pushed very hard screaming.... I felt sorry for him and pulled out the last bit with my fingers!

It must have been such an ordeal but after the 'plug' was gone, he could manage to do two more. The changes of solids started to make different on the following day and he did two big soft ones. It looked most of the hard bits were cleared and we stopped giving him pureed prune and re-started his solids with more liquid. But he's started to do very liquidity poo all the time! Since yesterday, more than 5 times a day, he poos but not solid at all! His bottom has become red and looks very sore... What shall I do now.....

On Sunday, we went to Turks Head in Wapping to have lunch with Jason's friend, Kimberly and her partner Grant. One of the waitresses remembered us. She is a distant cousin of

Sirvan, who looked after Arata when we went there often.

There is a park and playground next to the cafe and I still think it's one of the best cafes for those with children. Aratakara were on swing side by side for the first time.