A Very Hungry Mommy のブログ

Dancing with Classical Music

Mon, 10 Mar 2014 10:38:48 +0900

Recently, Yoshi loves classical music, particularly “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” by Mozart. He asks me to play the CD and starts dancing with the symphony. We were amazed by his variety of motions, especially when we first saw them: waving his hands like a professional conductor, swinging his body from side to side, crouching down and wiggling his hip, jumping with a broad smile, touching walls, taking funny steps toward us… He seems to choose his moves by the tone of the music by using all parts of his body. Amazing!

Before knowing his inclination, I always played children’s songs or J-pops. However, because one of my friends gave me a CD of classical music specially programmed for expectant mothers and fetus in their wombs, I gave it a try. Then, it was Yoshi, who was delighted the most. Originally, I am not good at classical music. It is shameful to say this, but I used to doze peacefully at the concert halls many times, sometimes even bump my head to the back of the chair, next to my husband, who is very fond of the sound of pianos and orchestra. Yoshi must take musical talent/sense from his father! Good for him. (20minutes)

Interviewed by an Aachorwoman

Sun, 09 Mar 2014 06:47:28 +0900

It was when I was stopping by a pharmacy and Mr.Zzz was waiting for me outside on the Togoshi Ginza Shopping Street in the Saturday afternoon, my husband was interviewed by two Finnish TV news reporters. They were from "NHK in Finland", they said, covering a story about Abenomics there. They asked Mr. Zzz whether the business condition has been getting better in Japan, he had gotten a raise, and he had bought any luxury commodities like a car as a result of it. Different from Japanese interviewers with serious looks and rather monotonous reactions, the couple was very cheerful in bright colored clothes and enjoying themselves during the 5 minutes’ filming. That is why, I suppose, it was easy and fun for my husband to communicate with them, although their Japanese was awkward. (20 minutes)

Visiting Suitengu

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:58:29 +0900

Yesterday, Mr.Zzz, Yoshi and I went to Suitengu, a Shinto shrine famous for expectant mothers/couples/families to go pray for the safe delivery of their child. We chose yesterday because it was the Dog’s Day of Chinese Zodiac; usually, dogs have many puppies, so it is said to be a lucky day for praying. There were much less visitors there, perhaps less than 30 %, compared to when we went there for Yoshi on the weekend. Yet, we had to stand in a long line more than ten minutes. Thanks to the comparably warm and nice weather, it was easy to wait outside the building. I listened to and prayed with the priest’s Shinto chant magic in the temple with other 47 women for about five minutes, then received a lucky charm as a souvenir.

Lunch after that was something memorable. We tried “Tamahide,” an old established restaurant famous for its Oyakodon, a bowl of rice topped with chicken and eggs. Three of us fully amused ourselves on this special occasion.

（50minutes)

Prettying up Yoshi

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 17:48:30 +0900

This weekend, I finally evened out my son’s foretop.
This time, I made it straight bangs across his forehead, above his eyebrows. He looks very childlike and adorable, doesn’t he? Even when I am irritated with this monkey child, his new hairstyle makes me chuckle, reminding me that he is still a toddler.

(10minutes)

Meeting with FP

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 13:48:39 +0900

We had a meeting with a representative of a new insurance agency today, in order to re-examine our insurance plan, considering the housing loan which we start to repay from next month. His suggestion was more simple, realistic, and persuasive than the former rep in a different company, who had shown us more than 10 recommendations. Here is his advice on how we should choose insurance.

1. Stop using educational endowment insurance for the second child, because the usage of money is narrowly limited. Instead, we should consider my life insurance, savings-type, which we can use its reimbursement for any purposes including education after a certain period of time.

2. For choosing medical insurance, the point is flexibility that you can shift to the better at any time, because medical treatments are developing day by day, and so is the medical insurance. Therefore, it is worthwhile to pick non-refundable insurance which covers highly advanced medical treatment at lower cost.

3. The big category for insurance and the agent hadn't touched so far was life insurance. Collecting and leaving a large amount of money for the loved ones after death, life insurance was a must; however, these days other currencies are alternatives as they will give us better interests. If we can pay a large amount of money at once, we can increase the amount of money in the future with lifetime death security.

He will give us sample simulations next week.

Ink brush out of Yoshi’s Hair

Sun, 02 Mar 2014 10:13:50 +0900

Last August, Yoshi got his hair cut at a beauty salon in Jiyugaoka to make an ink brush out of his very first hair. The brush was ready on early October and I had to go to the salon again to pick it up. (I wanted them to send it to us, but they were not flexible!) It was bothering to me, to be honest; as a result, I had left it on the last line of my to-do lists for more than four months. Finally, on last Wednesday, Yoshi and I went to Jiyugaoka to receive it.

This is the one. It is a middle sized brush. We made it because my family loves Japanese calligraphy. From childhood, it has been a custom to write our new year’s resolutions on January 2^ndon white thin paper. I thought it would be so nice and memorable to have and actually use brush by one’s own hair, which Mr.Zzz agreed with. We will give Yoshi this unique brush when my son turns 20!

(20 minutes)

Kokuhaku by Kanae Minato

Sat, 01 Mar 2014 22:49:53 +0900

This week I chose Kokuhaku by Kanae Minato for my reading. As you may know, this was made into movie in 2010, recording a big hit at the box office. Since I had watched the promotional video of the film on TV then, I knew this story would be horrific to some extent; however, it was more shocking than I had expected.

Yet, Kokuhaku gave me a good question to think about. “Why we need the governmental power to bring criminals to justice, instead of soul salvation.” Because I have ever questioned it seriously, the novel gave a strong impression as well as one answer to me. I will consider it from now on, and then write an essay in the near future.

Also, unlike other novels, which I need to memorize new names and situations of the characters with feeling a bit stress in the beginning, this novel was much easier to visualize the scenes. The writing method the writer used successfully and naturally get readers in the story, from which I want to learn how for my writing.

Kokuhaku gave me two kinds of homework!

(35 minutes)

Online Bank

Fri, 28 Feb 2014 08:12:16 +0900

I registered the electronic-based financial service last night. Ever since the bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi, my main financing bank, raised their service charges for the basic transactions in late 2013, I have not bothered so much because I usually need to go to the bank once a month. Also, I have to pay no withdrawal fee for using ATM machines there. However, now I need to transfer money for the real estate and housing related companies in installments, for many times. I realized how wasteful and frustrating to pay up to extra 840 yen to use the system each time, then I decided to start online transactions.

At first, I felt uneasy to put my personal data on the web; however, I realized it was so much convenient to finish necessary errands at home. Now I don’t have to bring my monkey-child to the crowded bank to transfer cash. I don’t need to walk 10 minutes on rainy days to the bank counters to deal with larger amount of money. Wow, it has so many advantages other than the service charges. Lucky me! I am really old and conservative type of person, to be honest, who resisted having a cellular phone or credit cards until I truly needed, but once I get the new item, I always appreciate how nice it is to change as the environment does.

(40minutes)

Seductive Spring

Thu, 27 Feb 2014 10:06:19 +0900

It’s getting warmer and warmer for the couple of days. The Ume blossom, both red and white, and Kawazu cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The tiny buds of white magnolia are swallowing day by day. Admiring these at the small park next to my apartment, I recognize happily that my dearest season, spring, is just approaching. At the same time, however, early spring is the time for pollen allergy, which I have suffered from for more than decades now. Though I have lighter symptoms every year, they are still annoying. The typical symptoms; big sneeze, runny nose, and itchy eyes, came all of sudden last night. I know this was because we spent long hours outside in the brilliant weather. From now on, glasses and white gauze masks are essential! Really sweet but mean season.

(20 minutes)

I Can/Want Do It!

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 23:12:56 +0900

Recently, Yoshi’s will has gotten stronger and stronger. He shows clearly what he wants to do, and not to do. Combined with his ability to speak several words, we can now share and communicate far more than ever. Good thing is that I am able to understand his needs concretely, then respond correspondently as a result of it. I now know whether he wants to drink some water, milk, or tea, for example. On the other hand, the negative side for me is that he tries to take initiative almost all the time, which often changes my schedules or drives me crazy. For instance, wherever we go, he wants to choose the route to walk. Therefore, when we don't have enought time, I have to be smarter than he is to take precautions, not to be late for appointments, by avoiding his favorite route.

Cooking is one of the difficult parts of my daily routine now, as my son really wants to help me. He needs real experiences! He used to satisfy himself by mimicking what I am doing beside me on the kitchen mat. However, he brings his chair to reach everywhere on the kitchen, and starts doing almost exactly the same as I do. By watching his copying me, I do agree with the fact that human beings learn more than 80% of things by watching! After several days of trial and error, I stopped telling him, “No! Stop it!” Instead, I make it a habit to think what part I will ask my son to help me for, along with the menu of the dinner, and the quickest/ most efficient process to cook. Giving him some roles will produce much more satisfying results for both of us, I’ve realized.

In the first picture, Yoshi is managing a microwave oven as freely as he wants; it is totally a mess, but I admired for some extent how he did it. The second one shows his washing dishes; the kitchen was flooded after all, though. Finally, tonight, we could cooperate in cooking, as I asked him to mix the spinach and dried sardine. Childrearing makes me tough and flexible.

(40 minutes)