October Fest

Another lovely sunny/busy day. C woke up in a very good mood so we took the bike and zoomed to Nissen where she no longer likes to sit in the trolley but prefers walking around the isles inspecting the produce and throwing anything with Anime characters especially kitty chans into the basket. I did a massive shop and got them to deliver although was peeved to find out they have stopped the free delivery and now charge 600JPY. Anyway its still worth the no hassle of slapping it all back hanging off the bike.

We rode up to Hiroo as C had been asking to see the "tortles" since she woke up. We had a little romp around the park and bumped into hippy mum ( very nice) but kids are called "Arrow and River"...

After and hour C could hold off turtle watching no more so we took the bike down the massive slope to the duck pond where she went nuts at the hundreds of turtles basking on the rocks in the pond. She loved it when the baby ones would jump into the water it was quite good really even I was impressed by the sheer number of turtles in there its a turtle hotel.

We switched to full power to get up the National Azabu Hill and then hit La Boheme for pasta lunch. It had been a while so c was happy to see her favourite waitress who knew what she wanted before we sat down (Melanzane A set Omori!). They are so nice in there even though it looks like a nuclear explosion by the time we have finished..

She was doing nodding dog on the bike on the short ride home and just managed to get her in and into bed. Cecelia turned up around 12:30 so I legged it down to the nail shop and did the "colour nomi" just repaint no manicure, on my toes and got the electric blue for bargain price of 1200JPY. I felt a bit sorry for the poor lady having to touch my hooven feet.

When I got back it was 5 past 2 and Cecelia had got C up and was already playing house with her in the big plastic box with wheels on that she loves. She wouldn't let any of the teletubbies in only her dog and Cecelia didn't have a pass either. We did a quick turn around and back on the bike to Music together class which she loved as usual, and then we came back so she could play with CC some more. Around 4:30 we kissed CC byebye and headed for Hibiya Park to meet Cliff from work at the open air German Fest with om papa music and lots and lots of sausages and German beer. It was not too bad as it was still early and people had not started to fall down when we arrived. We sat next to the lake and all tucked into bratwurst and kartoffel. I took extra fruit for C who ate everything in site and still complained loudly the whole way home on the train that she needed "Snak" snacks.. I gave in and gave her some animal butter cookies.

We also got to skype with Jane and Thea which was great as C had been looking at pictures of them during hamani season and was over the moon to be able to see her in the flesh. She spent most of the conversation kisisng the screen. Will have to speak with Jane after she has gone to bed so we can talk for more than 3 minutes next time.

Cliff is mega busy with work again so looks like and early night for moi.

Temper Tantrums

C seems to have developed verbal diarrhea over night. Her vocab is accelerating and this evening she was huffing and puffing telling us that the toy piano she was carrying was "very evi" that's " very heavy". I tried to pass tofu off as cheese ( because she only eats things that have cheese on them these days) but she said "no tofu mummy". There is no more fooling her and I have to be careful what I say as she understands absolutely everything.

Today must have been in the high 30s it was boiling so much so we took refuge in Appi the jidokan where we met 2 really lovely mums Yuki with her daughter Laina and Mary and Taiki just moved here from Canada. They were surprisingly easy to chat to so we swapped contact details and will get together next week. The ladies there asked after my "sister" Emma but I told them she had gone to Hakone for the day.

This afternoon we headed to skip kids cafe again and met up with Natalie and Kai, Lize and the girls, Rachel and Ashling, Christine and Aaron. Charlize was not interested in the play area she just wanted to eat "snack mommy" and run between the tables or sit on my lap eating everything she could get her little hands on.. She was dead when we left so the ride home on the train was good. I also picked up yakitori (20 sticks) to feed my bottomless pit hubbie and spare myself having to cook yippeee. Bought 3 pairs of character sock ones with bunnies on for Charlize so I can use them as a bribe to get her clothes on in the mornings! The shopping street there in Musashikoyama is the longest covered one in Japan I think it looked interesting but not enough time to browse. Charlize polished off a whole box of cherries on the way home hence she has been pooping like a horse. We skyped with Emma and Ellie and was good to see that Ellie was feeling better.

Emma and I have our birtday perrty much around the same time so we are getting Cliff and Stuart to baby sit on friday night and will go the K space charity dinner at Tableaux in Daikanyama. I am really looking forward to a nice night out. May even dress up a bit ( if I can find something that fits me!!!!)

Cliff is working working working and I am about to dig out the injection booklet tommorow is jabs and polio auchy!

Sun and Moon Yoga Studio

Friday morning Cliff had early conference call so I had to use all my powers of persuasion to get madam into clothes and out the door in time for school. She loves the old front door admin guy Yamazaki san so if I tell her we are going to see him she bucks up and complies. I am surprised she likes him so much as he is always wearing a mask and looks kinda scary!!! He is very sweet to her though.

Dropped C this time with Fuyuko as Hadar was late, she did wail a bit on hand over but stopped as soon as I was out of sight and was fine. They had a play with Nendo day, so lots to keep busy with.

Emma had some admin stuff to do and I wanted to get back to the sun and moon yoga studio and my fav teacher Emi so we grabbed a quick coffee in Book Off and went our separate ways. I hadn't sen Em for a about a month we were both really happy to see each other. The class was packed and as it ran from 10:30 to 12 Em did a quick cool down routine for me so I could be out by 11:40 enough time to be back to pick C up at 11:45! C was in good spirits but tired, dead tired, and feel asleep on the bike just before hitting home. I dumped her into bed again snoring.

The afternoon we did some shopping with C on her trike and then hit the jidokan where we bumped into Silvia and Diego, Emi and Naomi and Isabella with her nanny who had been there since 10am in the morning because of Janica working. I offered next time for them to just pop up to us for a lunch time nap and hang out as Isabella had not had even 5 minutes sleep all day and was exhausted.

Cliff came home mega busy with work, so after pizza for dinner I went to bed by 9:30pm with a book which I finished in a record 1 and a quarter hours. Dont know what time Cliff came to bed but he was up at 6 this morning working again.

C and Cliff played in the paddling pool this saturday a.m, C with only her shoes on and going blue with cold from the cold water and pink from sunstroke but refusing to get out or wear hat/swimmers. That was until she did a giant poo in the pool and decided it was "dirty mummy dirty"!!!! We took the trike and had breakfast at our local/regular coffee place in Juban which Cliff swears is the best iced coffee ever as they serve it in a cold copper jug? We hit the Juban park and met up with Emi and Naomi there via the toy shop where we picked up an anpanman ball set which she loved kicking around in the dirt. She was covered in dirt and I had to stop her licking the filthy grate where the water tap was. We shopped in Peacock with C walking around the isles with her kitty shopping bag poking everything.. and then bought some big deep pink peonies at the flower shop. The lady there loves C and gace her a stem of roses that she had stripped the thorns off C was delighted she loves to smell flowers. She is down now and so is Cliff. This afternoon expect we will see Rieko or maybe I will send the pair of them out to the duck pond to check out the tortles and I know they will sneak a secret ice cream in and taunt me about it when they come home. I can then kill Cliff later with Amercian Idol!!

Pokke, Migrains and rummaging in Ikebukuro

The weather has been scorchio for the past few days and C and I have been zipping around on the bike. She is a bit random with the hat wearing mind, some days she keeps them on no probs, other days she just throws them out the bike basket as we are reaching top speed usually along with whatever teletubby has crashed from favour becasue it is not sitting the way she wants it to.

Yesterday we got ourselves over to Pokke the jidokan that also offers 8 days a month Japanese Day care for bargain price of 2000JPY for 4 hours or 3000 yen the whole day. I had to attend a "setsumei kai" though before they let us use the service its set up for Minatoku residents and the ladies that work their are all child care pros and very sweet ( the younger less anal ones that is)

We had to suffer an hour of one of the older women reading off a pamphlet which we had all read anyway, while the kids went mental snatching toys from each other and generally whining. I tell you a medal should be given to us mums brave enough to sit thru those long and unnecessary explanations. Of course there are a 100 rules that need to be followed and my application couldn't be finalised without a picture of not only Charlize ( this I prepared), but also of Cliff and I. So looks as though I have to make another trip all the way back there on the "chi bus" next week.

We did find a funky cool grandma on the outbound bus journey to entertain C though. As soon as we joined her baking at the bus stop she grabbed Cs chubby little arm and started massaging it. C thought this was quite nice and offered her the kitty phone with a nice big "Dozo". The woman turned out to be a concert pianist ( she was about 60) with afro hair, platforms, looked like a boob job in a sparkly bejeweled Tshirt and and jangly bracelets. She was off to a swimming class with her concert ballgown stuffed in an oversized bag. She lives half the year in Sweden and then tours the other half. She was Japanese but so not typical. We got some funny stares on the bus from the more conventional biddies but it was so refreshing to meet someone a bit different without a chopstick up their bum.

In the afternoon we had music together and C had a great time prancing and singing. It was hard to get her out of the fish tank though as she is obsessed with them (along with boobies and turtles) and there a little tank in the foyer as you come into the Church which she is usually shouting about as we pull up to the door on the bike. The afternoon Cecelia came so we popped home to see her after a quick run in Azabu park where Charlize caked herself in mud from head to toe jumping in the sandpit where the big kids had made a river with water. I wouldn't mind but she was wearing a red panten Mary Jane shoes, floral Laura Ashley type dress, and white frilled ankle socks. When we arrived home, Cecelia couldn't believe the state of her we stripped her down in the entrance hall she was such as mess. She then had a lovely time playing " Cecelia Where are you?" which she says really well now thanks to Cecelia repeating it 1000 times. I then made a quick exit to meet Reiko in Omotesando at Next as she had 10,000 yen worth of points to use and I really fancied leaving the house for the first dinner outside with a friend since last year!!! I did start to feel a bit headachey on the train on the way though and thought to drink water but then didn't pass a vending machine and got caught up at Next ordering a swim sun hat for C while Rieko tried on the entire store. It was fun though as it was after work and we were the only 2 in the shop it was like having personal shopper at your disposal and such a luxury not having to do the usual grab and run with Chalize along. Rieko bought a suit and blouse and I bought socks for C and a t shirt for me bargain as I got 5% off for my birthday month plus extra 10% so t shirt was only 800JPY. I am still too fat though a size 14 next when I need to get down to a 12.. 12 I can get into but not comfortable.

After shopping we wondered to Las Chicas for a nice dinner but my headache was getting worse. I was going to have an umeshu but couldn't face it as turned to full blown migraine to the point where I had to wear my sunnies in the dark. We asked the restaurant for aspirin but by that time it was too late. We had to leave and got as far as the train when I started to upchuck. Poor Rieko went scuttling off to find a plastic bag and then we decided we couldn't do train we needed cab so ran back up and into the nearest taxi with much sumimasening as the cab driver thought he had a drunk on his hands! Got back in with Riekos help and just hit the sack feeling crap. So much for my big night out..

Today I woke up still feeling a bit ropey but realised I had better get with the program as had C to get to school. Once I let her wear the Kitty chan socks she agreed to put her clothes on and we raced out the door on the bike. She went over to Hadar ok there was a bit mumumumuming but only lasted a minute. Emma wanted to check out Ikebukuro a super discount store for some funky iron in labels with kitty chan and poo etc on for the girls school clothes. We got there a tad early so scarfed some hot cakes in Maky Ds before having a right old rummage in the rummage fest shop. I got some good hairbands that are long enough and thick enough to tame my mangy hair, and we had a laugh trying on grandma hats. Also picked up a 1000 yen giant beach bag that I can carry the huge amount of crap I need when I leave the house each day. Trucked it back on JR and picked the girls up. They were full of beans because they had been cooking and had baked us a cake. C wanted me to open mine immediately but quickly snatched it saying " cake mummy cake" and started shooving it in her mouth as fast as she could. Hadar showed us pics of them in the cake mixture and today's lunch was spagetti which C ate every scrap of ( she is Italian) thru and thru much to Cliffs delight and all those deli lunchs last year in eatly!!!

We actually made it home without her falling asleep I think the cake kept her busy, but as soon as we were in the door she was down.

This afternoon we popped to the shops with C on her little trike the one I can steer at the back and then called into Appi jidokan only to find it closed for maintenance but bumped into Silvia Diego and Naomi and Emi also trying to get in there. Naomi and Emi came back for a play at ours for an hour and Naomi and Charlize had fun dancing to the music together CD and pushing the baby strollers around.

She is fast asleep now and just like her dad who is snoring heavily on the sofa.

Khaya and Skip Kids

C's teeth are really bothering her she is doing an Elmer Fudd special with the face and generally has the grumps. She wanted to see Khaya over at our old apartment so we rode over in the am to find a very stable and sane Ionah chilling with fag on the terrace and bemoaning the upcoming move to Atago Green Hills with no outside space + cat, dog, 3 kids = chaos and all compounded with recent purchase of new designer soft felt grey sofas with no zip off covers!!! Ionah being the generous soul that she is, donates current designer sofa ( dog prints and all to chez sprules) but covers do zip off for wash so big result. C went and woke up Khaya and they played a bit and then C got fussy and hungry so we did half an hour in juban sandpit followed by 500 yen pasta set lunch at baby friendly La Boheme. Yes its only 500 yen including salad and free drinks bar. They know us in there we go once a week as they see us coming and prepare for nuclear explosion. C is getting better only covers half the floor and table these days. We rushed back for her afternoon nap which I cut a tad short to meet Alison with Emily, and a pregnant and Sofia-less Jill at Skip kids cafe in Musashikoyama. What a great place that is. A cafe where other nice Japanese ladies supervise your kids at play in a ball put wiv slides, while you sit at a table and sip wine and eat yummy light snacks!!! Charlize was the loudest there hollering MAMAMAMA MUMIIIIIII even though I was 3 inches away from her. She had a good time and was for once mellow on the train journey home as she had blankie and was knackered, well at least she was unit Cliff came home and hyped her more. Also spoke to Marina on phone and caught up hoping to hope we can pull off seeing each other in Italy this summer.

Oh I just remebered a funny thing happened this evening which had me rolling on the floor in stiches but Cliff was none too impressed. Cliff had his top off and we 3 were on the sofa messing about when C stops suddenly, turns to Cliffs chest and points saying "Daddy Boooobies"!!! So now I can tease the living daylights out of Cliff about his mans breasts!!! C wont shut up since she saw me laughing at this comment she is totally hamming it up. Poor Cliff!!!

Atami onsen, swine flu and Igura day care

So we hit Atami for the weekend because it was only 30 mins from Tokyo by Shink and that is the most these days we are prepared to suffer with the buffalo climbing over people and seats on the train. C was rather naughty but that was mainly because she was so tired after the big school debut the day before. Atami while on the sea is not pretty but there is a beach and a rope way and a kids amusement park in the Korakuen hotel so enough to keep us occupied for the weekend. I booked the Otsuki (big moon) hotel as it looked nice from the picture on the web and it was Japanese style with big rooms. We took the travel tent sleeper thing in the hope she might go for that but it was more of a game for Dolly's, no way was she going to sleep in it.

The ryokan people were nice let us check in at 11am actually I don't think they wanted the raging bull running around their lobby trying to catch the koi in the ornamental pond so let us into the room and out the way! She is obsessed with Fish and turtles these days its the first word that comes out once she opens her eyes, well that or boobies..

The hotel God Bless them gave us a 10 mat with 5 mat joining room so we could lock up the wilder beast and have our kaiseki dinner in peace while she slept. Actually it was lucky I thought to take the sleep bag that way she couldn't really easily get up off the futon!!! In the morning though at 7am I heard her throw herself off the futon and wriggle over to the door and she was there when we opened it like a little worm!

We hit the little beach on the front after we tried to get her to take a nap and she was having none of it. She found a little Filipino/Japanese boyfriend the same age at the waters edge and together they ran into the water, fell over, got drenched and refused to come out even though they were shivering and blue with cold. Plus I only had a rain mac and no towel so she had to go naked with just the rain mac on once she was out. She did have a pair or frog character shorts on though she looked a bit strange.

we went up the ropeway and decided we didn't need to pay to go into the sex museum at the top. C had a tantrum when we tried to prise her away from the anpanman kids rides. Cliff was resorting to "look see that man over there well he is a police man and he is coming to take you away if you dont behave" I had to ask him to stop putting the frighteners on her and scaring her for life!!!

It was a nice weekend we had great food and I stayed in the onsen for at least 3 hours. Took C the next morning and lucky there was no one there as the hot water did wonders for the bowls and when I looked carefully on the brown tiles I noticed she had left a giant poo on the floor.. Thank God it wasn't in the bath while Japanese people were there. She had a great time swimming in the indoor bath that was semi scolding hot it was a nightmare trying to coax her out.

Today was Monday we signed up at Igura the Japanese daycare/school which offers 8 times a month providing I ring at 9am a month in advance hum dont think we wil be getting in there often. The headmistress commented on how "genki" she was. I think roughly translated that is " oh my God your child is HYPER!". C also dropped a sembei in the entrance way and the crumbs went everywhere which sent the lady scuttling off for dustpan and brush and we had only just walked thru the door. I dont think our first impression was a great one.

It was K space in the afternoon and she wore her ecology jump suit which she modeled last year with the big red apples on very cute. I got it in 98cm so she is getting taller but still no hair. Also Gigi gave me a CD with all the pics on from her first day so will upload a couple. They didnt want to put them all on the website for fear of other mums complaining they were all of Charlize!!! Also tonight I threatened divorce on Cliff who came home clutching a mask saying he was going to Osaka for a business trip!!! I turn on NHK to discover they have closed the schools.It seems there are 131 cases of swine flu with 48 of them in Osaka hum. I made him drive straight to the station and refund the ticket!!! OK maybe I am being paranoid but don't want to chance anything.

Also just now got word from John that Lucy just had a baby boy Alexander. She looked all serene and lovely Lucy that is in the pics and she just popped him out!!! Jealous as I remember looking like a trogger weeble and am still trying to loose that look almost 2 years on!!!

Final news I got us booked into the mega cheap but nice onsen in Hakone that is subsidised by the local goverment for when cliffs mum and uncle and aunt arrive in June.

Right off to bed tommorow another busy day.

Akachanhonpo run

Today I am in Japanese speak kutabireta (knackered) so this is going to be short. C did day 2 at K space with parents invited in to special "sunflower circle time". It was madness at 9am with 40 hyper kids and their frazzled parents in one gym waving sunflower face cutouts that they made yesterday and singing about how they need sun and rain to grow. Once it was all done we ran up to the roof where they all the toddlers went a bit mad until Fyuko and Hadar brought the onigiris, drinks, sunscreen, hats, nappies and outdoor shoes up and restored order. Once the food arrived, us mums all tried to sneak out but ha! FAT CHANCE of that with Charlize suddenly doing a limpet special! Finally got away and Emma and I and Aikos mum ( whose name I dont know!!!) but she is from Madagascar and hubby works at the embassy) went for the 598JPY special full on breakfast at Jonathans family restaurant ( whoopie!) and then did another supermarket sweep of the second hand book shop which Emma is now addicted to. I even picked up a March RED mag for 200JPY good for the train to Atami tomorrow providing misses is asleep!

She was a dead body in the bike again on way home and I was dead tired too but the construction outside our place was so loud couldn't get any nap in ( me that is!) . Met Naomi and Emi after lunch for a Akachanhonpo run. Charlize was fussy and insisted on walking around the megastore with as many toy kitties as she could hold on to and would not give up the pack of kitty socks she found for love nor money. I gave in and bought them. I tell you these terrible twos looming are starting to cost me money. Rather than a scene I am finding myself just doing whatever it takes to appease her. I did pick up a rather funky Hello Kitty Back pack for school which she insisted on wearing all evening naked with just pink frong shoes on around the house and LALA and teddy squashed into it. She looked very funny I took some pics. I am worried she is getting a bit spoiled I need to be a bit firmer as cliff lets her get away with murder!

C's first day of School

Well this is going to be a quick one tonight as we are all knackered after a "full power" day.
Charlizes first day of school (hideously bankrupting PRE school that is!) and we were there waiting for the teachers to turn up at 8:45am armed with 2 hello kitty bags full of a gazillion baby paraphernalia we had to remeber to bring with. After Hadar had downed his coffee and quickly changed in to his K space tshirt he came and took the princess who was happy to go until she realised I was going too and then it was the inevitable mummy mummu mummy. I popped up to the reception area ( got the 27 page form) and listened to her in circle time and relief was palatable as soon as her little mate Ellie chan walked in the door and was greeted with Elllllieeeeee. Ellie's mum Emma joined me to listen for a bit, and David the headmaster popped in and snapped a few pic of them to reassure us they were actually not missing us at all. and then we slopped of to find coffee and sit anxiously for a call telling us to "come quick" and pick up sobbing toddlers. Every time the mobile rang we were certain it was the school summoning us quick sharp back, but mostly it was Cliff and Stuart calling to check how the girls were doing? As if we knew?!!!

After a lovely child free coffee (hot) not iced as no fear of spillage, we had a rummage thru the second hand kids books downstairs and then strolled up to Meguro in the sunshine for a nose around Uniqlo and Muji. Picked up some shinkansen tickets at JTB on the way for our Atami hotspring trip this weekend and checked against the brochure I hadn't booked a rubbish place. Then started to feel sad and a bit guilty at all the "Me" time I was having. After a quick race around Muji ( mostly checking the baby items..) we raced back nervously to pick up what I fully expected to be inconsolable children. Instead we were greeted with great big smiling faces, Charlize was babbling away at 100 miles an hour about what she has been doing, Hadar was going on about how his "heart today was just bursting with such BIG lurve" for the girls and then just as expected Charlize noticed Emma's chest and started with the "boobies mummy" bit. At least I had warmed Emma and it didn't last very long as C' s head started dropping and she was fighting to keep awake. I had to sing all the whole repertoire of music together and K space combined to keep her awake on the bike and stop her head from flopping forward onto her knees before we made it home. I finally raced indoors and dumped her straight into bed where she was ecstatic to snuggle with "Blankie!!!"
This weeks school theme is Sunflowers. They are growing them, making hats and tomorrow all mums and kids have to go in dressed in yellow for a special sunflower circle time ( and there was me hoping for another coffee and croissant in Book Off!). Have no idea what to expect tomorrow but sure to amuse me thinks.

Saw Naomi and Emi in the afternoon we took the chi bus to Tamachi tothe jidokan called Pokke where after an interview we can get child care 8 times a month for 500JPY and hour, bargain!The ladies there seem really lovely, its government run and very professional and they also do Saturdays and Sundays!!! Starting to fantasize about a cinema trip or a meal with Cliff!

1 Sleep till School

So I just got off the phone with Emma who tells me she has a ginormous "PACK" that she is diligently working thru so that Ellie can start at K space pre-school, same as Charlize, tomorrow for 2 days a week 3 hours a day thursday and fridays. Not sure if I should be jumping for joy at the prospect or loosing sleep tonight with the sheer angst of it all. I started to get nervous when Emma explained there are 27 pages that need filling out and a medical and phone tree thing. I also have to put labels in all C's clothes, have 2 bags one she leaves there one that goes in and out everyday with her and supply inside shoes. Well its 10pm not sure where I am going to find sew in labels now and I know that me and sewing are not a good combination so I am going to have a shifty thru the kitchen cupboard for a marker pen. I wonder if I have to label the nappies too? Inside shoes we shall just wash the dirt off her deck shoes and those will suffice. Why didn't her lovely but admin useless teacher the amazing bongo drumming "beautiful mummy" lived most of my life on a kibbutz, Hadar, not give me the pack or the list? Guess he didn't want to frighten us?

I feel as though its my first day back at school and I haven't done my homework. Also as it starts at 8:45am so I am will have to play court jester and pull out all singing all dancing Judy Garland style antics to get Charlize dressed and out the door in less than an hour as we both don't like to roll out of bed till 7:30am. As Cliff well knows, mommy does NOT do mornings! He always sends C in around 7:45 though bringing a plastic beaker of water which (cunning tactic) if I don't move quick enough ends up on my head.

My other 2 slight nagging concerns are:

1. Charlize has a Linus blanket which she insists goes everywhere. She screams 'BANKIE BANKIE" and actually sat on her baby stool infront of the washing machine for 35 mins yesterday while it went round and round having a hissy fit that I had dared to wash it. She even wants it on the high chair to slop up mush when she is eating. I wonder how we might do without it tomorrow, I don't think its going to be possible.

2. Charlizes new word for the week is " boobies" particular "mommies boobies" although she did point out Alison's boobies in the Park today. Once Alison realised what she was saying she was slightly amused but I just know she is going to point out her other lovely Japanese teacher Fuyuko sans "boobies" when I hand her over to her tomorrow. I know she is fixated currently as when I went in to get her up from her nap today, the first thing she did as soon as she opened her eyes was stand up, pat my chest, and yell "boobies mommy boobies". Maybe its comes from watching other kids breastfeeding? I just don't know. Oh well I guess we will just have to go with the flow.

I did tell the school that she wont lay down for nappy changing ( its like pining down a rampaging buffalo) so good luck with that. She does say now when she has done a "wee wee" and"poo poo" and likes to sit on the loo and generally press the washlet buttons and flood the toilet and waste whole loo rolls, but I guess its all good training.

We did Azabu Juban park this morning with Alison and Emily and saw Silvia and Diego there too. This afternoon was music together and Charlize was on top form, she liked the dancing bear song as she got to twirl around until she fell over, and then we did Appi jidokan straight after. When we got in she played with Cecelia who she now calls "CeCe" who then left her hyped beyond belief just before bedtime. Oh I guess the other thing to note about today is that she has finally learnt the other 3 names of the teletubbies so instead of them all being called her Favourite "LA LA" she now recognises them as individuals. She does not seem to be so keen on Dippsy the green one though. I am really hoping we can move onto a different fav program soon as I dont think I can take too much more "naughty NuNu" and "Tubby Toast" first thing in the morning. Cliff already in bed tired puffy and sneezy as we are "killing him slowly" with the cat..

Inspired to Blog

Given that communication with hubby between living room and dinning room happens via PC, I decided time was nigh for a more tangible excuse than Facebook to be eating up precious "us" time. Thanks Jolie for making such a fantastic blog that I now feel pressure to have a bash. This is all in Japanese mind (not clever enough to find the English button..) so I am sure I am going to have no idea what I am doing and first attempt is a bit of a car crash. Anyway its May its hot outside, we just moved from our beloved "Melrose Place" so called owing to drama on a seemingly hourly basis, over to what Cliff calls the "Stinky Pongi" side of azabu juban. So far so good though. Only one disapproving Japanese neighbour below us -Don't think she liked our umeshu fueled BBQ, kids pool on balcony, weekend.. plus confess to not being so meticulous with the old garbage separation and the 3 hummer like prams parked outside the door with assortment of random hello Kitty's and turtles cant help much.

Anyway Charlize is now 1 year and 6 months or exactly 18 months going on 58. Today it was temper tantrums and "hericupters" that go "batabatabatabata" ( that's helicopters flying over the balcony by the way). Tomorrow I have to fulfil my husbands birthday wish ( I cooked him a meal) well ok I bought sashimi from peacock store and put it on a fancy plate, but no present. To test my love he has asked specifically for "a special clothes rod" to dry our clothes in the fresh air outside and do something for the environment". Hum not sure how I am going to navigate Donkey (endearing name for the 24hr discount store in Roppongi), with a toddler, and then strap long polls on back of bike. Yes its electric, the bike that is, but streets are very narrow and bike riding not fab.