アラタが回復したと思ったら、今度はJasonとタカラが熱を出して寝込んでいる。やっぱりこの時期に短期帰国するのは病気しに帰ってきたようなものだ。私は点滴のおかげでよくなってきた。
木曜日に、アラタは大宮にある
鉄道博物館
電車好きのアラタは大興奮。
Arata is feeling better now. So am I. It's Jason and Takara's turn. They have been in bed with a temperature since 2 days ago.... I think coming to Japan this time a year is a wrong choice. We came home to get ill!
On Thursday, Arata went to
the railway museum
in Omiya. Arata enjoyed it very much.
アラタの3歳の誕生日は日本で。特注のトーマスのショートケーキでお祝い。
クリスマス当日に日本に到着。タカラは水疱瘡になるし、アラタは飛行機で吐き、今日まで熱を出して寝込みました。私もこじらせた風邪でふらふら。医者には一ヶ月も薬も飲まなかったことに驚かれ（だってイギリスは風邪で薬くれないもの）、点滴を打ってくれました。
Arata had his 3rd birthday in Japan. My parents ordered special Thomas birthday cake for him.
We arrived in Japan on Christmas day. Takara had chickenpox, Arata vomitted on the plane and he kept feeling unwell until today with a temperature... I was really tired, I've had a cold for more than a month, and decided to go to see a doctor. He gave me a dripping to make me recover quickly.
夕子さん宅で、マリエットの家族とラムニー家でクリスマスパーティー。サンタが登場する前から、「Santa is comining!（サンタが来るよ）」と緊張と興奮でこわばっているアラタ。プレゼントもらって、バイバイして、又来年も会おうねとキスしました。着替えて戻ってきたトーマのダディを見て、一瞬疑いの目を向けていたけど、ばれなかった。もちろん、トーマはサンタを見た瞬間に「パパ？」
Yuko organised a Christmas party at her place. Before Santa appeared, Arata was a bit nervous saying, "Santa is coming!" When he saw Santa, he was so amazed and looked happy. He got some presents. Before Santa left Arata kissed him saying "See you next year." When Thoma's dad came back in plain clothes, Arata had a suspicious look at him but didn't realise the truth. Of course, Thoma immediately said, 'Papa?" when Santa got in.
ギルフォードのトロッターズの子供用ヘアサロンへタカラを連れて行った。
アラタが初カットしたキングスロードのトロッターズ
同様、水槽がありました。アラタは激泣きだったけど、タカラはへっちゃら～。って思ったら最後の5分だけだめだった。初カットで切った巻き毛つきのファーストカット証明書をもらった。
前髪も横髪も同じ長さに切っちゃってたから、頭の半分だけ短くて、残りが長いから変だった。「ダンナが前髪切ったらこんなになっちゃったの、どうにかしてください」って言うと、美容師さんは、「おばあちゃんがこうやっちゃうってことはよくあるけどねぇ」と同情してくれました。すっかり大人っぽくなったタカラ。でもやっぱり長い方が断然かわいいよ・・・。
I took Takara to children's hair salon at Trotters in Guildford.
Arata had his first cut at Trotters in Kings Road.
Both salons have a fish tank in front of the chairs to look at. Unlike Arata, who was crying all the way, Takara was fine.... till the last 5 minutes. He had a 'first hair cut' certificate with a set of his first curl.
After Jason's cut, the half of Takara's hair was very short, because he cut not only front but also side hair to the same length, and the rest was long. When I said, "His daddy cut his front fringe so short... can you fix it?", the hairdresser said, "It's often a grandma who cuts children's hair so short." She understood my feelings and did it nicely! Takara looks very mature now. Personally I prefer him with longer hair, though.
家に帰ると、タカラの髪が・・・・。「前髪が長かったから切った」ってJason。それにしてもこれはないよねー。アラタと同様、初散髪は子供用ヘアードレッサーで切ろうという話し、数日前にしたばっかりじゃない！タカラを見るたびに、"物理的に"心が痛み、「かわいそう」とつぶやく私。どうにかしなきゃ。
I was so shocked to see Takara when I came home yesterday. Jason said, "Takara was annoyed with his front fringe." I hadn't been mind if it had been only for 1 or 2 cm, but, this is too much! We were talking about taking Takara to a Children's hairdresser for his first hair cut, as we did for Arata. Jason didn't seem to fully understand how important children's hair was! All men are like this? Probably yes!!!
Whenever I see Takara now, I always feel my heart aches.... I have to fix if in some way...
昨日、ナーサリーのアラタのクラスでクリスマスキャロルがあった。かなり前からクリスマスの歌を練習していたみたいで、アラタも『ジングルベル』や『真っ赤なお鼻のトナカイさん』をよく歌っていた。このぐらいの年齢で、やっとこんな事が出来るようになるので、子供の初晴れ姿を見に来る親達で一杯。
いろいろな衣装を着て一列に並んで登場。衣装に合った歌になるとその子供は立って、みんなで歌う。思っていた通り、アラタは私達を見つけても笑うでもなく表情を変えることなく、ポーカーフェイス。（後で聞いたらダディとママがいて「びっくりした。」）アラタは歌をぜーんぜん歌っていなかったけど、殆んどの子供がそうでした。アラタが着たのはクリスマスプディング。今日はタカラにも着せてみた。
Arata sang Christmas Carols yesterday at nursery. Children had been practicing songs for a while and Arata has been singing 'Jingle Bells' or 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' often at home. It was full of parents at nursery. I think it's around this age that children can start to do this sort of activities and parents were there to see their children's 'first' such appearance.
Children walked to the 'stage' in line, and sat down on the floor. They sang about 10 songs and when it came to the turn of the children who were in the relevant costume to the song, they stood up, while everyone was singing. When Arata found us there, he tried not to show emotions, he didn't smile but kept his poker face till the end. Jason said Arata was really self conscious. (Later Arata told me he got surprised to see us.) Arata wasn't singing at all. But not only him, most of the children were not. Arata was in 'Christmas Pudding' costume. I dressed up Takara with it today.
最近アラタがはまっているテレビ番組が
『In the night garden』
。シンプルなキャラクターが子供に受けるのはテレタビーズと同様。私にはあまりかわいいとは思えないが、登場人物の擬音語のような名前をいつまで経っても間違える私とは大違いで、最近はタカラまで気に入っている。
イギリスの子供達が寝る時間の19時直前に放映されているだけあって、番組のテーマ音楽はリラックス効果ありでなかなかよい。携帯のリングトーンはないかしら。
この番組の雑誌
『In the night garden』（1.99ポンドで3週間毎に発行）
は、シールを貼るページが多く、他のキャラクター雑誌（子供番組の多くに同様の雑誌がある）よりは、シールブック好きのアラタにはもってこいなので、タカラの昼寝中にカフェに行く時に活用している。シール貼りに集中している限りアラタはおとなしく座っているので、私はゆっくりとコーヒーを飲みながら、雑誌をネタに、アラタと二人きりの時間を満喫できるわけだ。
この雑誌の読者のページにGardenファンとして写真が掲載されると、番組のDVDがもらえるというのにつられて応募したら、載せて貰えました。アラタは自分の写真を発見して「アラタいたね～。」
Arata loves
'In the night garden'.
It's just a sophisticated version, more CG, of Teletubbies for me. The characters look simple and I understand children like simple looking big eyed characters. I can't say they are cute from my point of view. Anyway, the names of characters are very strange and I can't learn them at all, while not only Arata but Takara has also started to like it!
The program is on TV just before 7 pm, British children's (I must say it's not Japanese children's!) bed time, and its theme music is soothing and nice. I wonder where I can get a ring tone, though.
There is a magazine for this program as well. It's also called
'In the night garden' (every 3 weeks, 1.99 pounds)
and they give us more stickers than other similar magazines (lots of TV characters have similar magazines), which suits sticker-book lover Arata. I buy these magazines when I go to a cafe with Arata while Takara is having a nap in his buggy. When Arata concentrates on putting stickers on pages, he sits at the table quietly and doesn't move around. I can have a coffee peacefully. Of course, Arata and I can enjoy our time nicely together.
Arata's photo is in the current issue as a 'garden fan'. This means we won a DVD!! A couple of weeks ago, I sent his photo hoping to win their DVD, if a child's photo appears on the magazine, they will send a DVD. When Arata found his photo, he said, "Arata is here!"
