Kodomo no hi

This past week has been "Golden Week" in Japan, a series of national holidays starting with the Showa emporer's commemoration and culminating in Children's Day. S had much of the week off, and our friend K visited us from Nagoya, so we did a little touring around of some of our favorite spots in Kyoto. More posts on these adventures coming soon...

We were very happy to celebrate Children's Day with our very own little J, and it was a time to reflect on the milestones in his life, and ours, as he enters his ninth month (he'll be eight months old next week). Every day brings something new and interesting, usually taking us by surprise. He sits up very well now and seems to enjoy this new view of the world. When we go out to eat, he often sits next to me (with some help) if I'm on a bench or booth seat. He also is better able to enjoy picnics (until he tips over on the hard ground!).

We've been working on sign language. We haven't made much progress, but J really enjoys the DVD with a cutesy lady singing about "more, more, more" while making signs. Me, not so much. What he has learned (and we're so proud of him) is to "give me five." That will take him a long way in this world, right? He also blows raspberries and squeals a lot and spreads joy wherever we go. He's followed by a chorus of "kawaii, desu neh!" (cute, isn't he!) when we walk down the street, and lots of people (women, usually, but often older men) like to shake his hand and talk to him. It's really fun to have our own little ambassador, and we speak a lot more Japanese than we otherwise would. He's eating well, and whatever we put in front of him (Japanese sweet potatos seem to be his current favorite). He has three teeth as of today, with the next three coming in all at once (two down, four up). He loves to read books (and eat them).

J continues to adjust well to this adventure we're having in Japan. He giggles when we put him in the carrier to go out and, except when he's hungry or tired, he happily tolerates slow walks around temples, hikes in the mountains, grocery shopping, and crowded city streets. He really is a good traveling companion. He's been sleeping pretty well and is now able to take his naps either at home or in the carrier. Unfortunately, he doesn't yet like his stroller much, so we're working on short trips with that. Honestly, I wouldn't like being pushed down a crowded street at knee level, either.

For Children's Day, we celebrated with traditional carp flags ("koi no bori"--well, the ones we got have some kind of Japanese power rangers on them), small gifts which harken back to Japanese folklore about strong and prosperous boys, and oak-leaf wrapped mochi with adzuki bean filling. We also ventured out to our local Shinto shrine (the Shimogamo Shrine, which is very close to us) to let J ring the bell to talk with the Kami (gods). He wants everyone to know that he wished for good health for all his family and friends.

We're having a wonderful time here, especially because of the presence of little J. The downside is, of course, being away from family and friends. We want to be sure J remembers all of you, so feel free to send pictures, links to video, or call us via webcam. He gets excited when the "phone" (i.e., computer) rings.

Happy Children's Day, everyone!