Trip to San Diego

サンディエゴで過ごした2週間の夏休み、懐かしい面々に会い、成長した子供達と遊び、それぞれの近況を報告しあいながら、アラバマに引越してからの2年半を振り返るよい機会になった。ミーシャは友人宅、公園、ビーチ等、各場所で友達を作り、自分の世界を着実に広げていった。そのたくましさに関心しながら、友人たちの子育てを見て自らを反省する点も。2003年、ここがアメリカでのスタート地点だった。6年後、まさかアラバマに落ち着くとは思ってもみなかったけれど、Never Say Neverと、6月末で1周忌を迎えたスマヌナさんによく言われてたっけ。

それでは、サンディエゴ写真をお楽しみください。サンディエゴの明子さん、トランスのマネージャー（美紀さん）、カールスバードの秀美さんをはじめ、皆さんお世話になりましたー！Auntie Debra and Irene - Thank you so much for your hospitality!

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in San Diego

Misha and I are currently visiting San Diego - our "hometown" in the states - from June 23. We have met our friends, attended the wedding, and visited the beach a few times already. Temesgen and Liya are coming on 7/1 to join us, and then we all leave on 7/7. It is my first time to be away from Liya, and it is so strange not to hear her giggles around. We miss you, Temesgen and Liya! But until you come, let us have all the fun!

10 Best places to live in USA

This week, our city, Auburn, was nominated for the 2nd best place to live in the USA. Click here for the news story! 私達の住むオーバーンが、全米住む町ベスト２に選ばれました。詳しくは上のHEREをクリックしてね。

Auburn serves as a little oasis for the deep Southern Alabama with relatively liberal, international, and multi-cultural atmosphere. This article says the population of 50,000, but if we include adjacent city, Opelika, and the Lee county which are right next to Auburn, the population will be 100,000+. For this small university town, we have a good art museum, performance center, and other cultural events all year around (mostly free), and Auburn provides safe, yet affordable environment to live. The average selling price of the houses in Auburn is $210,763 as of April 09 ($271,108 April 08). The education system here also deserves 5 stars. The academic performance of Auburn High School students is well-recognized, and most of the graduates receive scholarships to colleges/universities. It certainly needs improvements in some areas, such as public transportation; however, I have to say I probably wouldn't have felt this comfortable if we were living in anywhere else in Deep South.

With all the good things said about Auburn, I still have to hold some doubt being nominated for No.2 for the best place to live in the whole nation. But it certainly makes us feel good to be recognized.

Liya 15 months checkup

この間、リヤの15ヶ月検診に行ってきた。測定値は：
身長 Heights：約74cm　(29 3/4 inches:30 percentile)
体重 Weight：10kg(22 pounds:30 percentile)
頭囲 Circumference of the head：47.5cm　(19 inches:95 precentile)

食欲（大）旺盛で、かなり筋肉質でむちむちのリヤ。日本人のお友達のおうちで夕ご飯をご馳走になった昨晩も、チキンカツをむしゃむしゃと、そしてその前後にクラッカーを平らげる（知子さん、ありがと！）。それでも体重は平均以下。それに比べて、頭囲はサイズオーバーである。道理で帽子がきつくなったわけだ。アンパンマンのDVDにあわせてミーシャと一緒にダンス。まだ言葉は不鮮明だが、歌詞も覚えられるようになった。耳を澄ますと、母音があっている。ミーシャが最初に覚えた歌は「いとまきまき」、リヤが最初に覚えた歌は「大きなのっぼの古時計」。こういう小さなランドマーク、きちんと横にいて肌身で感じていきたいな、と思う

"Mom-in-chief"

Mother's Day always falls on the Graduation Commencent at Tuskegee University. Plus I had to prepare for my section of the Clinical Proficiency Examination (AVMA/ECFVG program), which was scheduled on the following Monday; therefore, I worked most of the Mother's Day this year. Well, I got to do what I got to do, yeah? The photo on the left is the gift from Misha for the Mother's Day this year. These little acts of appreciation mean more than anything in the whole big world.

The ParentSmart column on the USA Weekend picked the new "Mom-In-Chief," Michelle Obama, for the issue on the Mother's Day. They commended Michelle Obama for being involved in their girls' school activities, eating every breakfast and at least 5 dinners together, and making self-care a priority. If I can have one wish for being a better Mom, it would be going to the gym more frequently and regularly. Although I love going for walks with my girls on double-jogger, time at the gym provides a sort of focused meditation time for me. My late 20s and early 30s made me realize that I am the type of person who needs quite a lot of physical activity (I can see this in Misha, too) to perform better at work or to be more generous at my personal life. Generosity is not only monetary issue but also time, patience, and kindness. It might be too much for the working mothers to have even more time away from children, but I might start being more persistant on my regular gym visit. Happy Mom means Happy Family, right?

The below is the link to the USA WEEKEND:

http://www.usaweekend.com/09_issues/090510/090510thinksmart-parent-obama.html

Aha! Moment (Liya) 1歳3ヶ月齢ができること

写真：4月の復活祭に行われる市主催のエッグ・ハント。リヤも初参加。

ここの所多忙で、ブログの更新ができなかったが、我が家のリヤも明日で1歳3ヶ月。この1ヶ月で飛躍的な成長を遂げた気がする。物を学ぶ力、というか思考力が深まり、ボキャブラリーも増えた。

リヤ、1歳3ヶ月でできることを羅列したい。
１．オムツ変え後、何も言わないのに、汚れたおむつをつかみ、すたすたとゴミ箱に歩いていき、投げ入れる。
２．ある日、ちゃぶ台の上で踊っていたミーシャを見た後（もちろん、ミーシャは怒られてダンス中止）、他の部屋から子供用のいすをもってきて、椅子を台にしてちゃぶ台に無事登頂。登頂の祝いか、踊りだす。（もちろん、すぐ怒られてリヤもちゃぶ台から下ろされる）。
＊　目的を達成するための手段として、椅子を思い出して取りに行き、目的達成する、この思考力にびっくり。
３．「いち、に」といったら、「シャーン」（さん）と答える。
４．これはどうか、と思い、「ワン・ツー」といったら、「シュリー」（スリー）と答えた。
５．物をもらったとき、「なんて言うの？」というと、「シャンキュー」（サンキュー）と答える。
６．口元に人差し指をもっていき、静かにしろ、といわんばかりに「シー」という。
７．音楽が好きなリヤ。気がつくと、庭で一人遊びをしながら、CDの歌を口ずさんでいた。

ミーシャと私の会話を聞いてるんだろう。教えてないのに、めざましい発達具合である。小さいとき、バランスを崩したり、転んだり、ベッドから落ちたりして何度となく頭を打ち、脳に影響がないか、正直気になっていたが、なんとか大丈夫なようだ。ほっと一安心。

声が大きく、言うことだけ一丁前で、実際は結構おくびょうなミーシャに比べて、リヤは穏やかながら、目的を定めて、ずんずんと進んでいく、かなりの冒険者である。え、ミーシャが誰に似てるって？　日本の実家から笑い声が聞こえてきそうだな。　Happy　Mother's Day！母の日おめでとう！

Aha! Moment (Misha)

Misha at playground after Egg Hunt on Easter Day

As interracial, multi-national, -cultural, and -lingual family, people often ask us about Misha's language development. It has been one of my curiosities, too. Although she understands Japanese, she definitely responds and expresses herself the best in English. She is also exposed regularly to Amharic (main Ethiopian language), German, and Hausa (one of Nigerian languages). Being a bilingual, or raising a bilingual child is extremely difficult, if you truly aim at equal language skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Having said that, I do not want to stress her (or us) too much, so I am just taking every opportunity to speak to her in Japanese. I believe this is one of the best things I can teach or pass on to her. Nothing serious or strict, but Japanese conversation is becoming more consistant.

She speaks English well, a little too much sometimes (remember, she was born in the year of rooster... who knew!) Her sentence is getting longer and more complicated. The other day, I heard her say "Mommy, this is my most favorite movie I have ever seen!" I probably learned this level of English grammar in 8th or 9th grade as a kid in Japan. I do not detect the southern accent in her English yet, but I guess it is a matter of time. Then she will truly become G.R.I.T.S! (from the sticker I saw on bumper recently - "Girl Raised In The South")

The other day, we were taking a walk at park and met one of my German mom friend from the breastfeeding support group. Temesgen was also with us, so we started talking in German together (nothing to boast when it comes to my German, really) while the girls were enjoying snack in the double jogger. All of sudden, Misha started saying "Mommy, Kleine Raupe, Kleine Raupe!" First, I did not really understand, wondering why she brought up the name of her favorite book out of nowhere. Then I realized - she brought it up because she realized the language we were speaking was German, and this is the only German book she has in her bookshelf! Kleine Raupe Nimmersatt is "Hungry Caterpillar" in English by Eric Carle. It was truly the Aha moment to me, realizing she connected the language with this book among dozens of books she has. Children's brains are definitely developing and connecting all these elements of language. It truly amazed me.



Although Misha certainly does not have pronunciation problem in English like non-English speakers do (like me with R/L, s/the, o/ou, etc.), she has some words that she cannot pronounce well yet. The lise includes:
1. Earrings - Ing Rings
2. Christmas - Kisamas
3. Fridge - Gabaage

I know for sure these words will bring back all these warm memories of her childhood to us when she grows up. Every moment is so precious.