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I've had a cold.
And I came up with the brilliant idea of waking up before 5 to write and study instead of staying up late.
Not in that order.

To make up for my lapse, I offer these blurred pictures of my growing belly. This little guy sits super high, making it impossible to eat things like curry or onions. I don't have many cravings other than a winter-related one for incessant cups of hot tea. Non-caffienated for the most part.

I have an idea about his name but it isn't 100 percent confirmed yet. The middle name will be Japanese and has a bit of Colette's name plus the season in which he is going to be born. The first name is popular in Europe (#1 in Switzerland). In katakana translates as a girl's name but is also a character in an anime that seems very popular here which sports one of my best friend's names in the title. If you are a nerd like me, I expect you to figure the name out and post it in the comments.


And whatever you do, do not tell me that I look huge. I am really not that big. For an American. It isn't fair to compare me to my Japanese counterparts who usually don't show until 9 months. Though I have seen some waddling mamas around here so I am not that uncommon.

Hope you are all well and warm. Take care.

(22)

The sun was shining and I had the camera but I never took a picture.
It was a rare pre-Spring day today, making us remember what is in store when winter retreats for another year.

We did some errands downtown and I hung and folded laundry, scrubbed out the bathroom and shower room, and got everything sorted for tomorrow. Jason took Sebastian to see the Jackson Pollack exhibit at the Aichi Arts Center. Jason was impressed but Sebastian was more interested in the Pokemon Center next door. Of course. He is eight, after all.

Okay, I think it is time to snuggle with Colette who looks very snug on her sheepskin. I will have to figure out how to wean her from that so her little brother can sleep on it soon. She will be getting her very own futon in the coming months which is good since her long limbs don't leave much room for my bulging belly.

Good night, again.

(21)

It has been rainy and cold.
More like February than January.
Maybe that is because it is almost February.

Why is the year speeding along so swiftly?

I won't even cheat with a photo from the archives today. Instead, I will hope that tomorrow brings sunshine so we can take our poor housebound kids outdoors so I can take some new photographs.

Right now, it is bed time. Good night.

(20)

I issued myself an ultimatum today.

(19)

Thinking, thinking, and thinking some more.
Trying to stay on top of everything.
Trying to learn how to cut myself some slack.

Working on some new projects...
Learning from mistakes, and learning to value those lessons instead of discarding them in frustration...

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Oh, beginning of work week, how you always ruin my good habits. I lost all of my energy outside of the classroom this week. Perhaps it is connected to the giant baby growing in my midsection. Must go find some tea now before the evening is a complete wash. Oh, great, that reminds me I need to take care of the laundry....

(15)

Today I ended up with 1, 2, 3 kids at home. Ha ha ha ha! (I hope there are some Sesame Street fans in the audience tonight.)




We have had a mild stomach virus circulating amongst us. Colette was the lucky first (and Jason was the unlucky parent to be wearing her in the ergo baby when... well you have imaginations.) It hit me at the end of last week (though after months of 'morning' sickness, it is hard to distinguish the difference). The boys had their turn over the weekend. To be on the safe side, I called their schools this morning to announce (in broken Japanese) that they would be home for the day. This breaks Sebastian's perfect attendance record for the year but shoganai, ne.

Of course, there was no food in the house for an extra day of all-togetherness so I had to make a quick run for food, snacks, and coloring books. And since they missed their healthy school lunches, I had to provide the equivalent. Brown rice onigiri, braised hijiki, karaage chicken, and miso soup. They had a bowl of strawberry kanten as dessert and are now happily coloring and reading comic books in the next room.



It isn't the quiet Monday morning I had envisioned but it is always nice to have more time with the kids. I actually enjoy the chance to take care of them, all together. I know it may sound corny but it is a true honor to be a parent, even if it borders on servanthood sometimes. My payment is meager but seeing them chow down happily on their lunch after a night of vomit, vomit everywhere, is really quite enough for me.

Now, back to the laundry, the lingering souvenir of our pukey weekend. Hope you are all genki!
xo