Mr Bitey

Babies, particularly mine, seem to go through phases. Luckily, most of them pass pretty quickly. Some return, like Pichan blowing raspberries- not so great with a mouth full of food, and some just keep going and going, slowly getting worse. In a nutshell, he has turned into Mr Bitey.

I can understand a babies need to gum down on something while teething. Pi, however is not teething. I do believe he is just practicing a new skill. Pi is the owner of 6 baby teeth- all in by 8 months- and has recently discovered the 'bite and rip'- aka rending my tender, tender flesh. He doesn't care what. He loves doing it to plastic bags, as it means he can then swallow a deliciously dangerous piece of plastic. He loves doing it to clothes- after all, they do stretch nicely, and who needed that shirt to look new, anyway. But above all, he loves doing it to flesh.

Unfortunately, it means that I am walking around with a lot of bit marks, and a bit of pain.
Let's hope he moves on quickly from the "Mr Bitey" phase to the next phase. I have my fingers crossed it will be a "Mr Cuddley" phase...

Nom nom nom... (not Pi or I, by the way)

Step up cooking course.

Yesterday, I went back to the 'health centre' building for part two of my cooking course. As we weren't told to bring aprons or anything this time (just the boshitecho and 100yen) I figured that we weren't cooking. I was, embarrassingly, 15mins late for the course (due to being held up at the post office), however luckily they didn't seem to mind as they are understanding of people with babies. I think another lady just came a few minutes before me. I don't know if the saying "better late than never" applies in Japan though.

We didn't cook, and luckily our babies could be with us (very lucky, as Pichan has TERRIBLE separation anxiety these days- more on that another time though). The lady running the course is very lovely, and knows my Japanese isn't great so she was speaking nice and slowly for my benefit. It made it very easy to understand.

In a nutshell, what I got out of the meeting was that we need to feed our babies a variety of foods, and don't be afraid to mix things in to get a good flavour. Apparently, babies like the 'umami' flavour, so we were encouraged to give it our best. We had to try a few different dishes, such as boiled carrot and potato so that we would know how soft it needs to be, as our babies can eat chunky foods now. We also received a hand out that had a few recipes, and how much of what foods to feed our baby. It is all in Japanese though, so partially helpful. I really need to study more, and harder.

The class took an hour, and afterwards we went upstairs to the 'denden mushi' playgroup (free to join). There were lots of bubs, and heaps of toys. Pichan had a blast putting each and every toy in his mouth. That boy is going to develop some great immunities. It was also nice meeting other mums too, and if I was staying in Ninomiya, I would completely go again and try to socialise a bit.

But we are moving! To Tsurumi. The moving has keep me super busy and stressed, with the moving company coming next Tuesday (I still need to START packing). In the meantime, I now have a few ideas of food to make for little Pi. I made him a lovely (rice) pasta bolognase last night. And also meatballs too with the left over mince- though both the pasta and the meatballs were mainly make up of carrot and onion. Yummy yummy. In fact, I even at his left over pasta for my lunch today after I had already frozen a ton of it.

 (bought off of I-herb)

Being a mum of a 9 month old is...

Being covered in food, of all kinds, at all times (and not even caring)

Reaching down and discovering something crusty on your dressing gown, that you are just not sure what it is. But you don't wash it anyway.

Saying things like "Oh No, he's gotten into the onions again"

Getting a bicep like Popeye... Just one though.

Hearing the squealing of a little piggy that is being squeezed into a tuxedo...All. day. long.

Having eyes of a hawk, that has the eyes of many hawks.

Realising it's not separation anxiety, but separation hysteria.

Discovering that your house isn't baby proof as you thought it was.

Never pooping alone.

Finding out that babies can fit enough food up their nostrils to block it, but they don't like you fishing out the food.

That you shouldn't let your baby feed itself when they are tired (see above for consequences).

Cooking at least three gourmet meals a day; because they should have 'x' many servings of vegetables and protein at all meals, that are soft, and lumpy (or they will never eat whole food), but not too lumpy, and certainly not too pureed, no salt or sugar, bland but full of flavour, nothing allergy triggering, nothing artificial, all organic, and never introducing a new food too early (but delaying may find you feeding them nothing but Ketchup Sandwiches until they are 15).



Above all, being a mum of a 9 month old is having a baby who is filled with nothing but love, and the need to be cuddled up next to mum.

BCG vaccine

I was really dreading this vaccine. As a pro-vaccer though, I knew the importance of getting it; even if we don't stay here forever. I didn't want the stamp pad scar for Pi though, and so while we were home in Australia in December, I looked into getting the shot there. It is a single jab needle (though, it still blisters and scars), but as it is not a routine vaccination, they had to make some calls and I would need to be booked in (and charged to do it) at a hospital.

In the end we figured that if he was going to be scarred anyway, that we would get it done in Japan where they are used to administering the shots.

Today, off we went to the docs to have it done.
 His arm was swabbed with extra gusto this time, then a thin layer of (what looked like paste) was spread on. Then a stamp (the size of a regular ink stamp- like the ones they use in schools to say "good job" or "awesome") with nine pins was pushed into his arm.... twice.


On the first jab, he was pretty cool with it. The second time he wasn't happy though and started screaming/crying.

The doctor then brought out a hairdryer and dried the site for a minute or two, then swabbed it again, and dried it again for what felt like about 5 minutes. By this stage the dryer had distracted him nicely, but he wanted to be cuddled by me so I awkwardly wrapped my arms around him while Husband was holding him and the doctor was drying.

It wasn't nearly as bad as we were dreading. The site will blister in about a month, but apparently baths are okay, and not to be worried about the blisters.



The good news is, he is all vaxed up. But poor little man....

The flight home

I think I was dreading the flight home even more than the night flight over. Flying with a catnapping baby who doesn't like to sit still, and is only happy when exploring outside was making me dream up nightmare scenarios of 9 hours of screaming.

Thankfully, I had Husband on the flight back to help me. While he waited in the massive line (Xmas holidays), I walked Pichan around in the Ergo, trying to get him to sleep as it was getting well past nap time. After trying for an hour or so, Husband finally got to the front of the queue so I gave up, checked in and proceeded to security. Wouldn't you know that as soon as we got there, he fell asleep. It wouldn't have been a problem, except that at Gold Coast airport you go through domestic security and then international- and domestic is WAYYY stricter than international. This meant I had to take my over tired, finally sleeping baby out of the carrier. Talk about horrible. Somehow we managed to keep him asleep while I unstrapped, carried him through the scanner, and then restrapped. Of course they wanted to check me for explosives (running the wand over me and my sleeping baby). Thankfully, still asleep. Though, not 5 mins after we got through, the constant bombardment of the boarding messages over the P.A woke him. Which meant I was getting on an international flight with a very over tired baby.

Again the feed on take off meant no problem for his ears (though he was starving by the time I could give him milk). We decided to wait for 2 hours for his next nap, and kept him entertained in the bassinet, or playing in our laps. At nap time though he did not want to sleep in his bassinet. Cried until he started screaming (even with my arms around him and trying to pat him to sleep). I gave up for the other passengers benefit and strapped him back in the Ergo, and soon enough, he was asleep. Then, he stayed that way for nearly 2 hours. Husband and I did nothing for the first hour and a bit, certain that he would wake up. But after the hour mark he kept sleeping, so out came the Ipods and Ipads.

After his wake up it was a three hour tag team of trying to keep him amused. We rotated between playing in his bassinet, playing on our laps and walking around the plane. We brough on two bags filled with toys, but of course he just wasn't interested in them, or not more than for 30 seconds. A 30 min nap and then another 2 and a bit hours of keeping him amused and then we had landed without isue.

I was so happy to be back in the country- especially as it was Japanese efficiency that meant our bags were soon out on the carousel and then a train in 10 mins. We finally got home about 10pm, and little Pi was sooo stare-y by the end of it. He was just too tired to cry.

He was such a trouper though, and such a good boy. We were so proud of him! Still, I wouldn't want to do it again in a hurry.

Flying with a baby- flight 1

I'm back.

I had a bit of a break (more like, I didn't bring my computer back to OZ) from the internet, but I am back into the swing of things now.

So, the plane trip.... Gah! I decided (apparently) that it would be fun to travel alone to Australia with a baby who doesn't sleep and catch a cold at the same time. I booked a bassinet seat (thank goodness) which helped (no way could I have rested with a baby strapped to me for 9 hours). I remembered to feed Pichan on take off so he didn't have any problems with his ears, but take off wasn't until 9:30 (delays), which was about 3 hours past his bed time. Needless to say he was exhausted, and therefore- screaming.

He didn't want to go to sleep in his bassinet, even though I had my arms wrapped around him and cuddling him. The hosties were doing the service really slowly, so the lights were on and people were walking up and down the aisle constantly. Eventually, the service finished and they dimmed the lights, so about an hour and a bit after takeoff, Pichan finally went to sleep.

Then the captain came on the P.A. and made his announcement- waking Pi up for another screaming fest. Thankfully he went back to sleep after about 20mins, and then only woke up once during the flight- a quick feed and cuddle and down he went until landing. He was okay on landing again, as he was fed, but waiting through immigration (even through we have 'smart' passports, children can't go through those gates) put him at the end of his tether- the poor little man.

Then it was a long wait for bags (no idea why it took so long, as we were the only international flight coming in at Gold Coast airport). I was also disappointed to see that there were no baby change areas on the baggage collection side, no feeding rooms or even a 'baby' seat in the toilets.


(these baby seats are in most ladies toilets, and sometimes the men's too).

Thankfully, with the Ergo I was able to cart all my bags around (2 wheelie suitcases, a satchel, a bag of toys and a bag of duty free) without too many problems. No way could I have done it with the pram. Customs also took pity on me and sent me through the 'go straight through' gate- so I didn't need to go through my suitcases to prove I have no drugs.

Then, on the other side of the gate- Pi's grandparents- yay!!!

There was also one mothers room, which was basically just a change table and a toilet- considering people kept mistaking it (or deliberately using it) for a ladies toilet I wouldn't have been able to feed Pi in peace. Luckily he was fed not too long before. Still, that is Gold Coast airport for you.

We turned out not too bad though, considering Pi's lack of sleep (and of course, mine). There is no way I would want to do that regularly though....