New Beginings ( did I spell that correctly?)

Well its May and I am sitting in our family house in glorious sunny England ( the garden is bone dry as it has been past 2 months really) and thinking I had better jot down closure to Japan, the interim Chicago stint, this temporary Uk situation and the impending move to NYC.

I guess the daijshin on the Friday followed by our lucky planned exodus on the Tuesday was all lucky timing really even though we really did not want to leave Japan when we did.

Cliff being back from his NYC job interview and in the house when the big one actually struck was very lucky as it was actually rather scary. I had scarily thought after all the shocks we had the month leading up to " Ooooooh we are due the big one, maybe its not a bad thing we are leaving japan after all..".

C thought after the initial 60 seconds turned into increasingly scary minutes and things fell down and smashed ( for some reason I grabbed the TV )and couldn't let go until Cliff shouted at me to pick up Satsuki sleeping in the other room and get the bugger out. Picked up a crying Lesely with pants half down she was on the loo and a sobbing Viv and barking Bella on the way. It really went on for long long time and the Singapore embassy people were outside too so we stood in the cold with no shoes and coats for at least 2 hours. Luckily Natalie pulled up in her big SUV and we sat with her for a while outside away from power cables. She said she had been on omotesando crossing with the kids luckily sleeping in the car and reckoned it was something out of Armageddon movie the whole of Tokyo pouring out from high rise buildings screaming and trying to take pictures of things at the same time.

C even now doesn't much like sleeping alone and saw the news a few days ago which was showing the Spanish quake and started getting fretful all over again. May take a while me thinks. Just getting to Narita even with confirmed tickets out was a shit show as some of the highways were closed and the Nartia express was not working. Luckily we had a taxi booked a month in advance. The airport was crazy though and we had the cat 8 bags and quarnteen checks.. The worst bit was the panic buying of food and drink. Seriously got pissed off everytime I popped down to the shops to find NO BLOODY BREAD ANYWHERE. One man in the 7 Eleven infront of me bought the entire stock of melon pan and onigiris. Anyways. 12 hours later and we found ourselves in chicago in a furnised 2 bed on the lack front. Welcome to the USA yes i got my greencard so now lumbered with US taxes. Nice location but the weather was still minus with snow in late April WTF?. How how how do people survive those winters? We had a heated pool in the basement and that was the only thing keeping me from not topping myself. Oh and Lexie and Macey lovely neighbours and the Japanese ladies that brought round tons of toys, sharp knives and the real deal bags of rice.

Was all a bit stressful us trying to work out what road to take. In the end after much backward and forwarding Cliff took early retirement option ( he could as he had 15 years service and hence could keep lifetime flight benefits). He was offered another job in Marketing with United on return but was treated so poorly and with oil prices rising and the merger not of equals I think he would have rather eaten his own feces then stayed I kid not. Luckily already had 2 other jobs on the table just needed to work out which one to take Berlin or NYC? Well it to date is NYC but after starting there a few weeks ago after I insisted he dropped us into the UK for the interim as I refused to do "600 square meters with kitchenette" and no stuff all on the boat, with 2 small children.

With grandad the Gruffalow for now and the girls are loving England in the summertime. Berkshire does have loads of parks and stuff for kids. Even got her into Pre K and she is doing a fantastic ballet class at southill park arts center.

Grandad wants to sell the family home and downsize as reckons it "too bloody much" for him. I don't want him to as selfishly we want to come back to the Uk and stay and in a 2 bedroom flat that would be hard. He is set on the idea though so may have a tough time convincing him likewise. I did explain that he wont be able to comfortably stay with us in NYC as we will be poor and live maybe n one bedroom with den if we are lucky. He might be coming round after that talk we shall see. He doesn't need the money that's for sure he never puts the bloody lighting and heating on anyway. I think he is fantasising about spending the whole time with us in NYC. Maybe that picture needs a bit more explaining... Then again after the stroke maybe downsizing now while he is fit and healthy and we can sort the entire lifetime of stuff is not such a silly move hum.

I am exhausted another crazy day tomorrow. Cant belive in 2 weeks time my plumpster turns 1!!!! Where did that time go??? She is so so sweet and funny. This week we have had 4 new words already I really cant believe it. Today it was a clear Shoooooes as she handed them to Charlize. She also loves to say poo poo when she has done one in her nappy and randomly to make charlize laugh. Also does baby and trys to poke the dollys eyes out and to grandad yesterday when he brought her blankie in to her a clear "blankie" which again had C in stitches. Yes we have another blankie boo situation...

C is seriously eloquent these days but she and Grandad are doing my nut in arguing all the time. I told them I had enough today really enough. She was then all worried about me being upset and tried to "just calm down mama everything will be alright if you just take a big breathe and have a cup of lemon and ginger tea". Ok Charlize.

She is writing her name now, not so good at getting it in a straight line but numbers and letters and sight words she is now really getting into she is really wanting to read alone. I just feel guilty as I have not read anything to Satsuki and find it hard to make time for C with the two f them full throttle. I think I need a job. Well I know I need to find one anyway if we want to survive NYC and I am no exggageration we will be very very poor in our new country. Stay tuned..

December already!

Gosh time has flown I cant believe that Charlize turned 3 and Serafina is now 6 months!!! Since we still have no word from head office when we are supposed to be out of here ( were told initially end of the year) but now silent as people wait to see if they have a job still, so we are just in limbo which guess will last until feb or march at this rate when the new org is released. Well since it was Nov for Cs 3rd birthday we made it a massive one paid for by the girls modelling money!! K space again but with Kiwi kitchens catering some lovely food this time not mine!!! Rosie Csballet teacher came and did the ballet theme games and a performance with the girls who all came wearing tutus with Max and Fin the token action figures and very good ballet boys they were too!!! Aimee did face painting and downstairs they ran off the sugar in the soft gym. We had 84 people in total with 40 pink and white iced cupcakes and an Aerial cake which C was gagging to see as she couldn't find Aerial for a week I told her she had gone on vacation to think of a good present for C!!! Charlize wore the pink puff ball dress I got on sale in the summer in Azabu and looked really lovely. Homestay mum from Nagano stayed the night and her sister came down too as well as Arichan and Kochan so thank good for all my Japanese friends who basically cleaned and tidied and acted as hosts. Would have been dead without their unprompted help. Have just finished sending Oseibo ( the thank you gifts at New Year) this time tsukemono rules it seems according to Rieko my present giving adviser! Other highlights worth jotting, C is finally in big girls bed. She no longer frets about the goonies and Cheshire cat coming so we have taken the side off the cot and she climbs in and out now and has her books on a little step next to her. She has been excellent not getting up and down and sleeping thru till 7:30 8am before coming to find us!!! Some classics out of her mouth-"Daddy did you have a conference call today?"-Cliff-"Yes Charlize my boss was a little bit annoying". C-"Shall I smack him for you daddy I can do that you know". Her Japanese is not so bad too she was playing Japanese cards with Homestay okasan and she has all the hiragana down and apparently according to homestay mum perfect intonation ( I am jealous). She also likes milk more in a cup. Just got blankie boo and thumb sucking to go!!! I have to confess to being much lazier with 2 and not doing enough letters and numbers with C and poor Serafina hardly gets read to compared to the first golden child who had about 10 books a night at age dot. Need to make more time and def limiting Tv these days. We also did 7-5-3 with her little mate Emily. I found a really good place in Roppongi for just 3890JPY that included hair make and kimono hire for 2 days. Torihodai session for 40 mins in the studio next door was 8000JPY but worth it they gave us the original data and we used for Xmas cards this year. I think I choose the best Kimono for C but she was insanely jealous of Emily's Barnett as she has load of hair and could do Amazing roller type things with height. C had 2 pig tales and wailed when she saw Emilys so the stylists swapped and backcombed like crazy until we got a semi Aime winehouse effect and covered the bald bits with flowers!!! They looked adorable and the Shrine was very atmospheric with the golden ginko leaves.
Other stuff- Emily and C had their first haircuts this week At Golds Salon mega expensive but worth it as its a lovely Salon, we got the first appointment and the gay boys fawned over them and made us all cappuccinos. They washed and massaged her hair and Flavio did a great job it looks sooooo cute but of course we had the pout making an appearance again when she saw Emily's bob!! Still with lots of kawaiiiiiis Lize chan she is feeling good about it now I think. I kept the hair! Other Yay is Jolie and the twins and Marlena are in town and we pulled off a play date. Charlize saw Marlena in the park while she was torturing a little white miniature chihuaha called Lisbeth who she reckons she was teaching circus tricks!! She made her a bed of leaves and dragged her around. When I asked' are you being evil to that dog Charlize" she replied, "yes mommy a little bit evil". At least she does always tell the candid truth!!! Her and Viviene were fighting over it while bella big dog watched on jealously. Marlena was coerced into the action for a bit too. Oh what fun and its 9:48pm time to make like a pumpkin!!! Baby was up all night I did not close eyes last night as we all have horrible long lasting phlegm colds and she cant breathe the poor darling but at 4am I don't feel like a nice mum when I am thinking and sometimes say out loud CAN YOU PLEASE SHUT THE F#@# UP AND GO TO SLEEEEEEEP!!! God give me strength and patience to be a good mummy. Over and out probably for this year.

Thailand and 2 months of Grandad

So Grandad left on monday after 2 months with us. What to report? Well he arrived at 114kilos!!! I sent him home at 106kilos. We had a few rows mostly over his use of slang, Charlize started saying "you wanna punch up the ear? or a bunch er fives".... After a month of winding each other up they did get friendly to the point of C letting him push the buggy and being rather sad now that Grandad is no longer around to fight with!!! I had him pushing it up and down the hill 4 times a day!!! Also he got on the bike and cycled to the Shiba Koen pool with cliff every Saturday and moaned alot about having t0o cover his tattoo with sweat bands to be allowed in but I think we managed to sweat quite a fair amount of fat off so pleased with the plan just need him to stick to it. If you are reading this dad I hope that is a banana you are munching on seriously. We managed a family holiday to Thailand. Cliff left us for a week ( eek it was not easy) to pop to Milan to attend his sister Dominique's baptism of 2 daughters Anna and Sara to whom he is the god father. There was no way I could have done standby with 2 kids to Europe for a few days and back again. He flew from Milan directly to BKK and left me to bring the 2 monsters and Grandad on the red eye on standby... Well we made it but only just. Stayed in Amari again room 2520, got the 155 dollar rate for corner suite massive with 2 rooms and a connecting door for grandad included breakie on executive floor and 3 oclock cocktails and dinner. We chilled mostly round the pool with knowing all the staff as we have been going there since she was born and they love her its the same nice ladies. She wanders up to pool bar and orders herself a fresh coconut juice then does the hands together kapumka thing!!! Did a bit of shopping in pratnam whole sale mall directly outside teh hotel doors and had a Thai massage for 99 bath that is 3 dollars for 2 hours every night. Also splurged and for 30 bucks had mani pedi, 2 hour hot herb massage and facial. God I love Thailand for the affordable pampering. Also the Thai restaurant Thai on 4 in the Amari is great as was the food court on top floor of MBK. Other bargains- I got my Tag watch serviced and battery replaced for 30 bucks instead of 100. Got my teeth filled and cleaned for 50 USD was going to do whitening but then chickened out at last minute thinking it oouch as they are sensitive anyway. Also from the photo shoot we did in Tokyo had the disc and took it to MBK where there is a studio where I laid it out the way I wanted into a collage, bit of photo shop in places and mounted on a massive canvas for the living room. It cost 60 USD as apposed to the 86,000JPY that is 900USD in Japan!!! Shipped it home for 25 USD as too massive to plane and it arrived 3 days later in one piece hurray!!! cliff hates looking at himself on the wall he wants it down but I am not budging! We had a nightmare getting home but stayed calm. All flights out of BKK way over sold on every airline and have been the last year!!! What is the poingt in having airline benefits with a family you can never ever use them. We need better salary instead. We had Grandad with us so our options on other airlines were limited. In the end we had to Jet Star for 50 bucks each but no check in luggage!!! to Singapore ( in end I paid the 20 USD for a check in bag with all my Thai shopping in) and then one night at airport crowne plaza in singers ( modern and walk to check in 1 minute so good as flight left at 7am and nice food court in basement with play area) back to Tokyo on United. did manage 5 seats all to us in Premium economy and had an extra on the bulk head which grandad nabbed and had a nice kid free return flight until charlize worked out how to bonk him on the head over the seat with her head phones!!! The kids were very well behaved with all the travel all things considered but we did get reminded that Charlize can not do cars she projectile voms after 10 mins in a car we had that prob in Italay too every year in the people carrier I had just forgotten. So that meant we only managed Wat Po and a river boat taxi and the rest we had to sky train. Back to Tokyo last week and its still warm now even in October it has been a very hot hot summer this year. Serafina doing well growing growing so fast. She coos, says mamama, sits almost unaided and can push up really well on her tummy. She is a very easy going little dolly although we do have some probs with colic she really does not bring up wind no matter how much I try and burp her and then an hour later screams in pain. Roll on 6 months. Also breast milk low at 6pm feed but sorted that thankfully with the Fungkuk herb tablets from Lesley. To date she has not had formula ( I tried) but she wont take the bottle..) Apart from making armpits stink of cumin they really do work. Charlize in love with Lesley's little girl Vivinne and Bella the dog who she wants to take for walks all the time. Dont ask me about cliffs job I still have no idea and almost afraid to think about it. Just putting out of mind. Soon to be Halloween and then after that it will be Cs birthday so other things to keep us busy. Xmas is how many months away???!!!! HELP!

Modelling with toddlers DONT DO IT!

Today was a toughie. Had a family pic at Keyshots with Kerry. She did one of us with C but now we have S decided to update much to the humings and DO WE HAVE TOs??? of Cliff and my Dad..

Had a big poof ball of dresses for C and S and made grandad and Cliff change out of shorts and flip flops pleading that "its only 1 hour of your god darn lives suck it up will ya!!! Well it was world war 3 at the studio given that C would not give up the farting elephant soft teddy she found (why oh why keep that in the studio?) for love nor money. We had to do all her shots with the farter!!! Then she had a screaming kicking fit on the floor "NO PICTURE OF MOMMY WITH SERAFINA!!! I resorted to bribery but even that didn't cut it. So 160 quid poorer and only pics of C with a pout you could hang a picture off and farting elephant making cameo appearance in every shot. As far as getting her and S together, forget that idea she was about to murder her!!! The green eyed monster really was in full force today so naughty.

She was like an angel 3 days ago for the combi mini shoot which also turned into an ordeal given it was 5 hours long instead of like 2 and the kids did 6 outfit changes and were there till 6pm. I had left S with Aimee at home as it was over her long nap and thought would be done and dusted in 2 hrs max but instead she woke up screaming for boobie would def not take a stinky bottle so had to cab poor aimee with wailing S strapped on to the studio. Also blame the studio experience for 2 bad things. They had toy guns in the toy box ( which I had passed off to C as a "bubble machine" until the little boy model corrected us.. and then the stylists taking them up to the glitzy mirror stylists room to tong their hair and put blusher on them!!! I told C it was face paint, again shattered when Isabella said : don't be silly its make up my mommy wears that!" I don't wear make up ( i need it mind you) and had managed to avoid her knowing about it. Today when she was playing for the 1000 time snow white with Grandad as the wicked witch, she told the mirror on the wall after she feel down dead from eating the poison apple, that she neede to " quickly do her makeup!!!" ARRRRRGH. Anyway she is down now after being out till 9pm romping in the mud in Juban park as its the local bon odori. Had to hose her down at the door.

other news is cliff got Lasik. I took him on friday (I would never had gone thru with it) but he did and he was in pain all yesterday so I was frabtically looking at all teh things that could go wrong online ( big mistake). Then today he waked up no pain and gets checked up andnow has 20/20 vision. Just hope all stays well. he looked a bit bruised in the pics but what with the farting elephant and wailing Serafina with a bad case of wind the pics are just AWFUL anyway!!! Gotta laugh!

3 month check up

Took plumps for her first check today. Found a nice newly opened clinic in Hiro called Flow East clinic!! The nice doc from Aiku who speaks English opened it they take both hokensho and private and the minatoku coupons. Lovely and clean and appointment system online so no wait. Plumps is 64cm long and 7kilos at 3 months the doc says she is the size of a 6 month baby and in the 91st percentile. God love her she really cried at the injections very different from C she is a real sensitive type mummy's girl whereas C never did nor even now bats an eyelid at the doctors injections and all. Next is BCG which is the hideous one with 12 needles. Maybe I shouldn't do it as we are off to US but thinking it might be good to get out the way as UK do it school age. Planning a get away to Thailand. Flight going down look good but always coming back they are full. Grandad if he can change his ticket will come with us too. Plumps in terms of development has been able to push up on her hands for the past month and kind of go forward. She is very alert, grabs everything and something that C never did she actually talks and coos all the time like a real conversation. Much more tactile and cuddly. c is more Ike Cliff does not like cuddles and space invaded. c also still a little jealous and a little spoiled which I am working very hard at turning around. She is just too clever for her own good. The most fab negotiator. cliff and I love " No mommy I don't like my bath its just not my favourite"!!! She is so full of imagination telling stories about the Cheshire cat that lives in her curtains and the goonies and tooth fairy etc. She asks all the time what words say in books and on the TV so she is ready to start reading I think. Need to stretch her more and Juliet has asked to put her up which I want to but then she would miss Ellie and Sumire her best mates so maybe she needs to stay longer and play. They do phonics anyway its just that the other kids are not articulating diddly sqat and its boring for her. Anyway it was a rude wake up at 5am this morning with S so better get to bed before 10pm this evening!

3 months tommorow

Well I have been rubbish at keeping up to date but by the time 9pm rolls around I am ready to hit the sack! Plumps is doing well soooooo chilled compared to manic C THANK YOU DEAR GOD!!! Now no longer afraid to be alone with the 2 of them. even managed music together today with both and Charlize had Serafina sit on her lap for Trot old Joe and didnt kill her RESULT!!!

Plumps is 7 kilos at just 3 months. She has "OSHIII HAMU LEGUS" as auntie Reiko likes to tickle! We did actually get modelling work the usual combi mini was surprised but both monsters got choosen so that is 700 quid for 3 hours work, YES WE LOVE CHILD LABOR!!! S made the front cover if the mag ( well at least that is what they were shooting for so hope they do use it as quite cute pics I think?) Will be using that dosh for either new electric bike f towards Cliffs eye surgery!!!! He went and had a 3 hour test in Shinjuku clinic with Rikeo and is thinking about it.

So far the summer tokyo heat has been minging. 35 degrees to 40 some days unbearable. We have had some nice matsuri stuff going on. Did a big one with Donna, squidge and aunt diane on the saturday in Azabu. Rieko Naomi and her mum and Setsuko Cs Japanese teacher and her daugher Mari came over and we did the whol yukata dress up and photo Shoot on the balcony. Good fun and Riekos mum even got a x5 XL jimbei suit for Grandad who is here for a month until end of September. Next day we did it all again with the Harbers, Austins and Mines. Sunday was a nice chill out went to Blue Point cafe in Shiroganedai for the STylists garage kindly told to me by Mary in the know. Had a lovely lunch while plumps did her big sleep and Aunt Diane, Rieko her mum and Donna and I then proceded upstairs wher 8 stylists had set up selling off al;l theur ohito shoot clothes for hardly anything. Got a gorgeosu Marni beaded skirt for 2000JPY and Day Birger top with intricate lavender flower design on also for 1000JPY!!! Aunt Diane and the girls went made and bought loads. You could try on and the stylists would suggest stuff and do your make up too. Since I cant shop these days it was great everything in one place, chilled, only a few people and not so takai.

Still looks lilke Chicago for the end of the year. That is likle 16 weeks!!!! Arrrrgh not thinkng about it.

1 month and counting!

So Serafina Satsuki made her appearance on May 30th 2010 at 11:30pm just 30 minutes off my birthday 4 days over !!! Sakamoto asked if I wanted to hold on I told him to bugger off!! Contractions started around 2pm on sunday and I managed to hold off going to Aiku until 7:30pm so that I could make sure everyone had eaten their tea including Rieko her mum cliff and the monster!!! We all cabbed it up there with c doing heavy breathing with mommy!!! They took me off for a little fiddle to discover I was alrady 8cm dilated hurrah!!! It didn't hurt so bad this time and they reckoned I would go into pushing not so long so I was praying Sakamoto would get in his posh car and get there super quick. He came and I was doing ok so he went away then came back and said I needed to break my waters. I said NOOOOO but he did it anyway. THEN the contractions really stepped up so 15 minutes later I had him back in and said DO EPIDURAL NOW!!!! He did it and 10 minutes later I was already pushing the baby out. 6 pushes and she was out but they were very very difficult pushes. She weighed in at 4.3kilos and 54cm long!!! Ouch they then left me in the delivery room ALL NIGHT on that hideous bed on a drip saying I would need to stay until came next day as afraid I would bleed like last time!!! So NO SLEEP AND EXHAUSTED In my own crap and undercarriage so hurting even with the epidural wearing off!!! Lasted only 3 days in Aiku as the woman I HAD to share with (all single rooms gone) kept opening the window at 4am !!!! ARRRRRGH. Breast feeding went much better though this time and I am still persevering now and the milk flow is much better than with C where I had bugger all. Its one month on today and c is the biggest nightmare or at least I think we are turning a corner with the jealousy stuff this week. She is helping more and not so terribly clingy and stopped saying PUT THAT BABY DOWN NOW MOMMY!!! I THROW HER AWAY!!!!

Only positive side is I lost 11 kilos in 3 weeks!!! Crazy I know I weigh less than before Igot preggers. better stay this way! Its just exhaustion and breast feeding I think?

Next stress is Cliffs wicked boss has called us back to chicago by the end of this year. NOOOOOO We wanted to stay for the ANA integration one more year that was the point.. Anyway now only a few months to get action plan together sigh.

Baby waking up have to run