Irony

The kids were up at 5:45 AM so I got an early start on the day.

Maia's hair is getting pretty long. I bought some cute hair elastic and put her hair in PIG tails for the first time.



Lunch boxes (bento) are a big deal here. Sam takes a lunch box (bento) on Fridays only - the other three full days each week he gets a school lunch. Lately we have just been putting in food he likes without worrying about making it very cute. But I saw a cute photo of a PIG for a bento made of ham and carrot.



I have a cute two layered lunch box with an interesting saying written on it.



The mother of one of Sam's favorite girlfriends from school gave him part of a huge watermelon, so I put some in the second layer to go with the message about fruit on the lunch box. It was a pretty nice composition.

Proud of my accomplishments - might even fit in a cup of coffee, newspaper skim, AND shower before taking them to school - I go to get the paper. It says that SWINE flu (here called "Shingata influenza" - new form of influenza) has hit Kyoto, an elementary student in our ward of the city. Schools and youchien in two wards only will be closed and that includes Sam's. Daycare centers are open, but there's no point in Maia's taking the risk of going if Sam's home.

I guess I will get to see Sam's reaction to his swine food at home while I get to look at Maia's swine do. Sweet fruits!

Say Yes

I have a spring resolution – or maybe early summer resolution – to catch up on various planned posts. When out and about I often take photos and compose blog posts, but somehow the evening is always too short…

Anyway, one piece of news that's WAY out of date is that Maia did get into public daycare in December. I think I won't get into where it is until she is no longer going there, but it is a great place. For the price of a week of daycare in Boston she receives a month of full-time care with warm lunch and warm teachers.

In the end, the key to the system, as to many things, is knowing that the answer will be "yes" before you ask the question! So after asking around (other mothers, Kodomo no miraikan service desk, and the welfare desks) and also calling the list of centers directly without giving up, you find a potential spot and THEN tell the welfare office that you want that place. If you don't request it on the form, they won't tell you there is an opening there, no matter what you tell them verbally. And also, it's worth knowing that although there are only three obvious spaces on the form, you can write down more than three requests. Anyway, once I heard there was a spot in a commutable place and requested it, it was all settled in a few days. I have to say, I don't think the welfare office was very helpful at first. And the other problem is that people in Kyoto have low tolerance for long commutes (compared to Tokyo, I mean), so people assume everything is too far. But the cost and quality are excellent.

Maia has a lot of buddies her age, mostly boys, and has learned all sorts of songs and good behaviors like washing her hands with soap, putting on her own shoes (almost), and putting on her own pants (well often two pairs of pants with one leg on each leg). She bows when people greet her or gives her things. She is slowly learning to talk, mostly Japanese or words in both languages like "cheese" and "corn." While walking she sings the My Neighbor Totoro song "Sampo" – just the line "Arukou."

And indeed she loves to walk (aruku no dai suki)!

(Wisteria at Byodoin)