mr. four

i really remember my fourth birthday with surprising clarity. i remember my mom standing at the mixer, whipping up the batter for my strawberry shortcake cake. it was one of those nice tin pressed pans with the image of the beloved character molded so that when the cake was baked, you turned the pan over and out slid a lovely image of the beloved character. my mom went all out on the frosting, whites and pinks and reds with a little green and blue there. i remember that my large extended family threatened to skip it but then, to my parents' surprise (which i can remember as well), more came than were expected. and i think this was the only time in my history that such a gathering occurred. the next time i would see so many relatives, sadly, would be at the funerals of my grandmothers.
the reason why i am sharing this snippet of personal lore is because sebastian has reached this milestone of long-term memory. what goes on now is recorded. i realize that he, like myself, will always have earlier memories but those prior memories are sparse and scattered. the memories that are being created now will stay within his consciousness' grasp. so now, we need to be careful. most parents worry about getting their children through babyhood; i've been nervous about four since the two pink lines appeared on that plastic stick. it's pretty heavy, man. of course, at the same time, i have been looking forward to this age for a while. actually, to tell you the truth, through his, ahem, entire third year. three is so awkward. not a baby, not a kid but still a baby and almost a kid. he went through a lot this last year, transitions all around. and because he is sebastian, he bore it like a king. i am so happy to know such a cool little guy. he is friendly and funny and has so, so much energy and passion contained in his little frame that it is always on the verge of escape. happy birthday, darling boy. thank you for putting up with us.

セバスチャンくん　お誕生日お目でと!!!

this floridian life

hot heads

it's summer, people. real hot, humid, sunny, thunderstormy summer. here are my hot heads to prove it:


you know it is hot when sebastian naps. i could use one myself but there is always Too Much To Do. i did enjoy cleaning the porch with nico in his chair while sebastian slept. two of our hanging plants had bit the dust and so i spent some time cutting away the skeletons and finding the salvagable roots. it is strange how the little victories of the day become so important to my general sanity. now if only i can get the dishes done my day will be complete.
hope everyone is well. happy weekend.
xo

taking a break

so, the news. we have decided to put our efforts into getting back to japan as soon as reasonably possible. it is not just for the sake of being in japan, it is about giving our sons a better life that we can't afford for them here. health insurance, kind people, beautiful scenery, bilingualism. did i mention health insurance? i am in the somewhat frustrating process of gathering ducks and putting them in their rows. graduate school, jlpt, letters of reference, job possibilities. it can be a tad overwhelming. sometimes i just need to step away from writing cover letters and statements of purpose and head to the park.


more pictures from the morning can be found on my flickr account.
outside time is growing limited with the increasing heat, smoke, and humidity. sebastian needs a new hat and so do i. perhaps a modified sun hat from simple sewing can be accomplished before i have to head to work.
a good break indeed.
p.s. thank you for your crossed fingers. we need all the luck and good thoughts we can get.
xo

plan b

this is me and sebastian just over a year ago.

i can't write a lot concerning plan b but i would like to say that it holds certain elements that are exhibited in the above photo. (and, no, i am not pregnant again.) i can't write a lot mainly because nothing is certain AND because i don't want to jinx myself. but if you could cross your fingers and toes for us, i would greatly appreciate it. coins in the fountain are also quite welcomed.

thanks.
xo

(hope you are having a good weekend)

fraternity

and so they play.