A Fish Out of Water

How Hot and Wet Do You Like It?

Very hot, and very wet. Summer, that is. This is the first time I've spent an entire summer in Japan in ages and it was so hot that I've had to rethink my favourite season. It's always been summer, I love the heat and the lushness of summer greenery and not having to wear socks and eating fresh summer fruit and going to the beach and of that stuff. But I'm starting to not love weeks and weeks of temperatures that relentlessly stay above 30C.

The hottest temperature I experienced this summer, 38.8C during a visit to Osaka, is not the hottest temperature I have I have ever experienced: that would be 47C somewhere in the desert on the drive from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, a few days after I got married. But- don't roll your eyes, it's true- that was a dry heat. When the temperature is in the mid-30's and the humidity is at 90%, you start to not like summer so much any more. This wasn't even my hottest summer- 2010, when I was at the end of my pregnancy, was worse. I think it's on record as the hottest summer recorded in Tokyo, ever. Yet this time around it's much harder. Not that lugging around an extra thirteen kilograms of weight in record-breakingly hot weather was easy, but with the baby still inside me I didn't have to do much to keep it entertained. This time around, the baby was now a very active toddler, incapable of staying at home all day with the air conditioning on. This active toddler wanted to go out.

Thank god for splash pools. Thank god specifically for the one that is open from the beginning of May till the end of September, an unusually long period for Tokyo. We have a splash pool right across the street (and another just up the street) but it's only open during official school holidays, for about 6 or 7 weeks in July and August. So despite the fact that it's a 1 minute walk away, we only actually went there a few times this year. We went to the May-to-September splash pool, a 20-minute bike ride away, much more often. Just yesterday, in fact. Because the heat of summer doesn't confine itself to school holidays.

Shuma, of course, loves getting wet, and I know most little kids do, but he loves it with a zeal that I rarely see in other kids. He just goes nuts in the water. And he is not picky about temperature. The first time we went this year, in early May, he stayed in the water until he shivered, and then he stayed until his entire body was cold to the touch, and then he stayed until his lips turned blue. I kept asking if he wanted to get out and warm up and he kept saying no, and I am not a worrying, helicoptery type of parent so I decided to let him have his fun. A little drop in body temperature wouldn't kill him, right? But there is a point at which the distinction between relaxed parenting and wilfull neglect disappears, and that point is when your two year old's lips turn blue after three hours in ice-cold water on a warmish spring day, so I got him out of there. And I had to drag him out kicking and screaming. He loves the water that much.

And I love it too. Many of the mothers huddle under trees and/or their parasols, with their sun hats and long-sleeved UV protection hoodies and shorts over stirrup pants, watching their kids from afar while complaining how hot it is. I am not one of those mothers. There really is no better way to cool down on a scorchingly hot day than sitting on the side of a kiddie pool with your feet in the water, watching your child go berserk in the fountains.

So I survived the summer, and thanks to splash pools and a water-loving little boy (OK, and air conditioning) I am not quite ready to declare spring or autumn my favourite season. Just don't expect me to stay in Japan for the entire summer next year.

Aobadai Koen, May 10th.

Hikarigaoka Koen, with friend Leo on June 7th.

July 19th, Aobadai Koen.

Oizumi Chuo Koen main pool, July 22nd.

Oizumi Chuo Koen main pool, July 27th.

Oizumi Chuo Koen second pool, August 5th.

Aobadai Koen, September 14th.

Canada

In January this year Shuma and I went back to Canada for a seven-week visit. While there we went to Jamaica as well, and originally Hideaki was supposed to join us there for a week, but he was unable to settle his vacation time to coordinate and ended up staying home.

It was a rare winter visit, my first one in about eight years, and I was expecting to hate the snow but of course with a toddler it was lots of fun. Lots of work, too, but I was able to pass most of that on to Baboo (the nickname my nephew gave to my father years ago, which has stuck).

The problem with southern Ontario is that it's not always snowy, and when there is snow it's often the wrong kind. We only managed one snowman. This one had a mohawk for some reason, and Shuma seemed to appreciate the novelty as he only half-destroyed it.

I was happy to see that Shuma still loved the baby swings. But have you ever tried to get a snowsuit and snow boot-clad child out of a baby swing? It takes several minutes and requires all the strength and brainpower of two adults. Luckily he is old enough for the big-boy swings, so he was encouraged to use those.

Before we left for Jamaica we took him for his first-ever salon haircut. He did not enjoy the experience and did his best to make it miserable for everyone involved. His special added touch was suddenly deciding, just as we were leaving, that he loved the place and throwing a tantrum because he wanted to stay. But the end result: non-straggly hair that doesn't cause strangers to say "What a cute little girl!".

You may think that all we did was play at the park, but we also worked. All that snow needs to be shovelled, and Shuma had to pitch in like the rest of us. Here his is pointing out the injustice of child labour:

Well, tough. Now back to work, that snow isn't going to shovel itself.

Luckily, the is not just a nuisance- it can be pretty too.

Indoors there was plenty to do, as Grandma had ensured the toybox was well-stocked.

No food pictures this time! Except I couldn't resist a shot of this alphabet pretzel Scrabble, to show what a twisted bunch I am related to.

Finally, here are some pictures taken by Sherry (Shuma's autie). First with Fluffles, one of those wonderfully patient cats that don't mind little kids. And then playing in the snow in the backyard:

 More pictures here, and a post on the trip to Jamaica to follow.

Tripping: Uchibo

This weekend we rented a car and drove to Futtsu City in Uchibo (the Tokyo Bay side of the Boso Peninsula) in Chiba. It was a repeat of many trips we've taken in the past, most recently three years ago when Shuma was just a hiccuping little otter in my tummy. We went to most of the same places and stayed at one of the minshukus we used last time, and it was neat to compare the two trips.

It's not a long drive but Shuma is newly out of diapers and we needed a bathroom break, so we stopped at Umi Hotaru, a rest stop in the middle of the bay. It's a cool concept, built just where the Tokyo Aqualine changes from a tunnel to a bridge- right in the middle of the bay! But it's also kind of a tourist trap, so we let the boy stretch his legs a bit and then got back on the road.

After eating some local seafood for lunch (clams and anago eel, no pictures because Shuma was being Shuma) we checked into our beachside minshuku, Kinkaitei (see more about this cute inn in this post). Then we hit the shore. Shinmaiko beach is nothing special but we aren't picky- it was the first time for us to be on a beach in Japan as a family.

I'd like to do some before and after comparisons, starting with beach pictures:

A picture of me contemplating my future family, three years ago.

Me, taking a picture of my present family (nobody took a picture of Shuma and I in the water, sniff).

Next, compare how we spent our time lounging on Kinkaitei's many comfy chairs and hammocks:

Hideaki on our room's little balcony, relaxing pre-baby.

Me on a hammock, not relaxing at all. Relaxing is hard to do when there is a monkey-child swinging in front of your face.

But I love my monkey child, and hammocks are as good for hugs and tickles as they are for chilling out.

Dinner was on the inn's deck, facing the sunset. All the fishies and veggies shown above plus rice and soup, and Shuma got a lovely kid's plate, which he tore into before we'd even finished sitting down. He also had most of my soup and all of those pickles (Hideaki's too).

The next day we drove down the coast to a different beach, stopping for coffee and ice cream at Michi no Eki Tomiura Biwa Club, a rest stop with a nice little cafe and pretty grounds.

Another comparison:

Hideaki sitting on the bridge behind the rest stop, all by himself.

Hideaki sitting on the bridge, small child running on the bridge. He's nearly three so if he's not sitting he's usually running.

Shuma, just before getting in trouble for picking a marigold.

This area is famous for its biwa (loquat) and this place sells all kinds of biwa products (we like the biwa soft-serve ice cream) and has a giant steel loquat in front. I've inherited an inability to resist giant novelty statuary from my father, so here are some more comparison shots:

Giant belly on a giant loquat.

Little boy on giant loquat (medium-large belly behind giant loquat).

Next door are two shops selling local seafood. Shuma wanted to touch all of these drying fish and squid, and those tiny fish on the far end were being grilled and offered as samples. He wouldn't stop eating them so we bought a bag to appease him, and now they are sitting forlornly in the fridge as he won't go near them.

Bellies full of ice cream and tiny dried fish, we drove to Haraoka Beach. We'd been here on the last trip and thought it would be perfect for little kids. It's not crowded, the other bathers are mostly families, and there's a toilet and life guards but just one umi no ie (beach hut). And best of all, the water is very shallow and the sand is fine- ideal both for sandcastle building and toddler swimming.

It turns out that the shallow water is only at low tide though. We enjoyed a few hours of endless shallow water and soft sand, which meant we could relax a bit with Shuma, and then the tide came in and we had to watch him more carefully as the water was deep and the sand mixed with ouchy seashells and rocks. Next trip we will find out the tide tables and time our visit a bit better.

But we still had a great time. The umi no ie was actually a good one, with ice cold draught beer (seriously, it stayed cold till the last sip, amazing on such a hot day) and the best fries I've had in ages. And this beach does have play music, but at low level and from a single speaker (other beaches here often blast music from speakers spread out on the beach, I've never really understood why).

Shuma is a bit better in the water than he used to be, and is now actually fun to be with (sometimes). He still has no fear of the deep so needs to be watched like a hawk, but he's learning. Out of the water, he still has a long way to go. Hideaki and I are both Sancastle Champions (of an imaginary contest) and used to enjoy spending hours building our special "glorp" style sandcastles (free-form structures using just water and sand, no tools). The technique was perfected by my father, passed on to me, and I look watching the lagacy continue through my own son. But he is so much better and destroying them than creating them.

Now, let's compare:

Me building a magnificent sandcastle in peace. It will remain standing for several glorious hours until the encroaching waves gently lap away at it, returning the sand to the clams and crabs and other creatures of the sea.

Me having my almost-finished masterpiece ruined by a creature of the land. Not just knocked down in a few places, but utterly, completely destroyed.

And with an unseemly amount of glee.

Does this look like a future Sandcastle Champion? Future hooligan more like.

More pictures from the trip here.

Tripping: Nasu

Way back in May we took a weekend trip up to Nasu, a hot spring resort in Tochigi prefecture. I've been there many times, but this was our first visit as a family, and our first time at a fancy family style resort hotel (Epinard Nasu). We had a great time, except for when Shuma woke up crying around midnight. He could not be calmed down and wanted to go out, and ended up screaming until Hideaki took him for a walk around the hotel. Three walks, as the first two times he started crying again as soon as they got back. So weird as he sleeps really well at home. Hideaki was such a hero that night.

We didn't do much- just walked around the hotel's grounds, swam in the pool, soaked in the hot springs (Shuma's first- and he went in the men's side with his dad!). And ate, ate, ate. All-you-can-eat shabushabu for dinner, a buffet breakfast with local products, and scones for lunch at Shozo Cafe. I've done all of this a few times before so didn't take food pictures, but you can see pretty much the exact same stuff in previous posts (here and here for example)

One reason Shuma cried that night was that he'd seen some little kids bikes in the lobby and wanted to ride them. So we rented one the next day and let him ride around the hotel grounds. The bike is a Strider and has no pedals, kids just push with their feet. I've seen them before and they can go suprisingly fast, but Shuma couldn't quite get the hang of it. He looked like he was just walking around and happened to have a bike between his legs. Whatever, he had fun!

I'm missing quite a few trip posts: one we just took to the Boso peninsula, one to Canada and one to Jamaica. Will try to catch up soon!

See a few more pics from Nasu here.

Japan's Next Top Model?

Here are some pictures from a photo shoot Shuma did a few weeks back. It was just a freebie offered by a new photographer, so he's not famous quite yet. Actually, he may never be as he wasn't very professional, needing several snack breaks and pulling a tantrum when we tried to take the balloons away. And frankly, his Blue Steel needs some work.

I'm not even kidding, he really doesn't seem like model material: the picture the photographer chose to put on her website is the third one down, where he is facing *away* from the camera (I'm assuming his dirty feet will be airbrushed). Also, don't ask me what's going on with the skateboard outfit, because I don't know.

 

 

Hello out there!

Hello! Is anyone still there? It's me, Amy. I know my attendance record has been pretty bad for the last little while, and you might have assumed I'd just given up for good, but here I am. Sorry for the past few years, and I'll try to post a little more often. At least so friends and family can see pictures of Shuma.

He's 2 years and 7 months old now, and pretty average all around. I weaned him just after his second birthday and am going to start toilet training when it warms up a bit (following the Japanese method of letting him run around naked for a few days). He still doesn't nap regularly but continues to sleep well as night. He eats fairly well and is not very picky, but his likes and dislikes change often enough to make feeding him a challenge. He's a bit behind in his talking and still doesn't make sentences, but his speech really improved after our visit to Canada this winter. Naturally his English is much stronger than his Japanese, but he understands what his dad says just fine. He is still far more interested in toys and objects than other kids, and above everything else he loves animals (or "ammos" as he calls them). And backhoes. Oh yeah, trains too. I guess it's an even tie between vehicles and animals. Please don't give me a knowing look and say "Boys will be boys!"

So here are some recent pictures.

Osaka

So we're back in Japan and have already spent a week with the in-laws in Osaka. Here are a bunch of pictures kids, which until I get my life back are the only kind of pictures I am capable of taking. The kids in question are Shuma, looking happy above because he's getting a treat at Tully's, and cousin Yuuki, with Shuma on their cool new PlasmaCar...

...and cousin Marya.

Shuma had some exciting firsts on this visit, including his first-ever pudding, which much to my dismay he loved (I'm not a pudding fan), his first doughnut (he liked it, I approved), his first sugar-bomb cereal (he actually prefers crunchy granola!) and first coin-operated ride at a shopping centre.

A not-so-great first was aggression toward a peer, in this case poor Yuuki. Shuma liked to grab his pony tails, pull his clothes, steal his toys, push him out of the way- apparently all pretty normal for this age but not very fun for Yuuki. Let's hope he grows out of this stage quickly.

 

 

Rain, rain

Rain, rain, don't go away. Little Shuma wants to play!

Yup, the kid loves rain, and who am I to keep him out of it? Thankfully his grandma sent him a raincoat a few months back, so he can keep dry in style. She sent some adorable rainboots too, but they're still too big so I got him a pair with froggies on them. He loves them and has been wearing them around the house, so was very glad to get to use them for their intended purpose.

Just one problem: he very quickly found a puddle that was deeper than his boots. Mom, you're going to have to send some thigh-high waders next!

 

Dinosaur Suit

Grandma sent this stripey number from Canada, and even though it's meant for the summer Shuma's already wearing it. A long-sleeved onsie and skinny pants add warmth without distracting from the friendly T-Rex.

Here's a closer look. I didn't think I'd get Shuma to stand still, but then he learned how to blow bubbles and all he wanted to do was stand around doing bubbles. I'm really proud of him, but it's kind of boring- when I was blowing bubbles for him at least I had something to do. He's cute to watch though, especially when he takes a break from blowing to say "Bubble" (pronounced "ba-bow" with a long, drawn-out last syllable).

This outfit even offers something for the back view, thanks to his nifty new shoes.

I love dirt

Here's a t-shirt Grandma sent from Canada with a very gender-stereotyped message. It is also true, and also very colourful so I'm not complaining. You could find many similar things in Japan only they'd be navy or brown or some other drab colour and the English would be wrong or just weird. It would probably say "HAPPY TIME WITH DUST EXCITE!!!" with a few additional phrases to fill up any blank spaces ("BOYS JOY LIFE", "GREAT PLAY", "GO GO VEHICLE!!"). So I like this shirt.

Paired with pants sent last fall (they still fit!), a navy onesie (doesn't fit but I refuse to give up on it) and a backpack, full of his most treasured possesions (snacks, a cat puppet).