pinku

Pink Fix Sunday

Wow it's the last day of November! I can't believe that I pretty much managed to post once a day for 30 days. The content was not quite ground breaking stuff but it was enough to get me back into blogging! I don't think I'll be posting everyday from now, but you'll definitely see much more regular updates.

Here is a knitted FO that I'm pretty sure I never blogged about. They are pink so I figure it is appropriate to post a pic of them today. These are knitted slippers from some Japanese craft book. I sewed on some lambskin lined leather soles and voilla - winter slippers. I pretty excited about them because for some reason I threw out my other two pairs of slippers earlier this year and my feet were getting cold. I thought that I would buy another pair from Uniqlo but I came across these all folded up in my sock drawer - yay!

another saturday at the zoo

Flashback Friday

This photo was taken two days before Christmas 2002. That's me and my little brother Chris although he's really not that little anymore. I was living in Japan but had gone back home to Brisbane for the holidays. As you know Christmas in the southern hemisphere is pretty warm - we usually spend xmas day eating a hot roast dinner while sweating in our party hats. I hate that I'm going to miss that this year. I'm going to try and remain upbeat even though xmas day in Japan is a normal workday (although I will be taking the day off - I cannot bring myself to work on xmas). One thing I'm really looking forward to is a visit from my liitle brother early next January (he's arriving on my birthday - yay!). I'd like to think he's flying all the way from London to see me, but he's really coming to finally meet his nephew. Jake is going to love him!

13 months and one week

J,

You turned 13 months old last week. Only a few weeks after you took those first tiny baby steps, you are now walking confidently by yourself. It's kind of amazing because we spent months waiting anxiously and then you walked and after the first couple of weeks, it seems completely normal for you to be upright. Was there ever a time when you didn't walk? That's how it feels.

When trying to compose this post, I visited this site to check 12 month and 13 month milestones - you've pretty much hit them all. It's kind of amazing how you pick this stuff up when we are not actively teaching you all of these skills. We really do need to watch ourselves though because the other day you father slapped me on the bottom in front of you and then you walked over to your father and slapped him on the bottom. We figure that we should focus on hugging in front of you from now on to avoid possibly embarassing public situations!

I posted about your one year old birthday last month but I don't think I posted a photo of you at your party. Unfortunately right before we lit the candles on your cake and Aisha's cake, we put a little hat on you and you pulled the elastic and then let go. Ouch! I mean I would have cried too!

Luckily there were a lot of happier times at the party too. I love this next photo because I can tell from your expression that you are playing peek a boo with the your new hat from martine. cute.

Some of your new favourite activities are throwing and kicking a ball - you are REALLY good at this especially the kicking! I was surprised to see just how good you are but it makes sense since you practice everyday at the park with your dad. You also love to climb the ladder at the park and go down the slide all by yourself in addition to all of the ride on toys.

You have now completely switched to one longer nap a day - it was rough for a while there as it took you some time to get used to the new schedule, but things are much smoother now. I only wish that your dad didn't have to 'wear' you during your ENTIRE nap - you are getting heavy you know and your dad's back can't take much more of this. Food-wise you pretty much eat anything except all of the foods you are still supposed to avoid like honey, nuts and sugary food. Since the weather has gotten colder we share a big bowl of oatmeal with banana and apple in the morning - yum!

Another new morning event is TELEVISION - you know the joys that are waiting for you on the little screen and point and grunt for us to switch it on. Luckily NHK has some great kid's tv on in the morning with no commercials and it is full of really educational and creative stuff. I can't stop singing the songs. We are a bit worried about how you turn into a complete zombie with the tv on, but since you only watch it for a little bit in the morning and in the afternoon we figure it's ok.

I'm really glad that I have been writing these updates mainly because I love to look back and read the old ones and to remember. There is no way I'd remember every little detail since the changes come thick and fast in these first couple of years. We love spending time with you and will do absolutely anything to hear that infectious giggle like throwing you around on the futons with the blankets (you really love that) and of course, eating your tummy. I think our house is pretty fun for you and you definitely make it more fun for us. You've started to give me big sloppy kisses when I ask and my heart pretty much melts when you do and I can never get enough. It's amazing watching you start to understand us and grow into a little person. To be honest though I still can't believe that you are our son and that we made someone as awesome as you - it's so cool!

love mama

Banana protection

A while back an old Japanese friend who also has a babe about the same age as J came to visit. At lunch time she pulled out a banana case. At first I thought the concept of a banana case was silly but now I'm a complete convert and of course we have one and use it ALL the time. I mean how many times have you found a black squished up old banana at the bottom of your bag. It's a pretty big boom in Japan right now due to the fad banana diet that I blogged about last month!! Of course we got the yellow one and they are advertised with the guarantee that 90% of bananas will fit inside the case - so far all of ours have fit.

Feeling nostalgic

The nostalgia hits every now and again, as does the power of the bond to your own baby - it's kind of amazing!

This time last year Jake was much smaller than he is now.....it kind of looks like J has a mohawk in this photo but that's his father's mustache!!

Park time

Now that J walks, we spend A LOT of time at the park. It's a nice safe area where he can just go, go, go. However he always seems to gravitate towards the concrete paths and steps - are they easier to walk on? I really don't know what the attraction is with all that great grass available. Today was a national holiday in Japan (there are a lot of them actually - at least one a month except for June and August), so I was the lucky one able to take J to the park/zoo this weekend - in three days I think we went to the park about five or six times. The little zoo near us is also a popular destination with lots of little kid rides, animals of course and play equipment. I will be writing more about J's playground adventures in his 13-month update this week.

Pink Fix Sunday (US time)

Yesterday (Sunday) was one of those days where everything goes wrong. I was asleep by 7:30pm and didn't have time to post, but I'm posting now and since it's still Sunday in the US I figure it's ok.

Darin sent me this link yesterday and it's perfect for pink fix Sunday:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/11/pink-and-blue.html#more
Korean artist Jeongmee Yoon photographed children who would only wear and buy gender specific clothes and toys.

Seems like I'm not the only one that likes pink.

Progress has a price

I stayed up way too late last night knitting on Mary Jane. And I paid the price today. It's 10pm and I'm knackered. Blogging then going straight to bed!! Lucky it's a long weekend!!

Here are some MJ progress pics. I'm using Rowan Felted Tweed in red.

Oh and here's a pic of my smiling boy - just coz!

Flashback Friday

Well we are travelling to the late 1940s today. I'm going to share a couple of photos of my mother when she was little. She was born in England and spent the first decade of her life there before migrating to Australia. Both of these photos were taken at the London Zoo and are definitely family favourites.

My Nan is also in the photo below - that's her on the far right at the back behind my mother. Don't know who that guy is next to her :) Ha! My nan turned 89 three days ago - she is an amazing lady who really knows how to party! Happy Birthday Kitty!!!