Junya turns 21 months today. ^^
(Also read 1st month , 2nd month , 3rd month , 4th month , 5th month , 6th month , 7th month, 8th month, 9th month , 10th month , 11th month , 12th month , 13th month , 14th month , 15th month , 16th month , 17th month , 18th months , 19th month and 20th month here.)
After an emotional month, Junya and I are currently traveling/holidaying in Japan. And I am just so glad that we made this trip together. I felt like he has grown a year for the past week.
Here’s what happened in the past month!
For Baby
Life in Japan
We have been in Japan for almost two weeks now, and every day we are doing something different, so there is no fixed schedule like when we were back home (he had to skip two weeks of school!). Sometimes he sleeps 11pm (his usual sleep time is 8 or latest 9pm), sometimes he naps for 3.5 hours.
He is eating very very little this month for whatever reason, but he has become crazy with milk and usually prefers it over real food -_-. It’s like he’s becoming a baby again. Sometimes he wakes up 5am crying for milk. And the first thing he asks for when he wakes up is also milk.
Anyway he has also tried most of the yummy things mama had in Japan.
He learns soooooo many new things here though. This is why I LOVE living in Japan. He learns about manners without even me teaching him. He picked it up by just observing what other people do. Everybody says “itadakimasu” and “gochisousama desu“, and he does the same. Shop staff and taxi drivers use polite form, and Junya learnt to say “gatozaimasu” (arigatou gozaimasu) instead of the usual “arigatou” I taught him. He kampai with us every day now. He started picking up so many Japanese phrases from the TV and people around me. (“Mama daisuki!” from a commercial. *heart melts* And also “yabai” lolol.)
For some reason he is just extra extra cute and lovable in Japan lolol. And I swear he only has double eyelids when in Japan (usually one is hidden most of the time). I mean, it is Japan. I am 100X in love with the ones I love.
JunJun Does Everything
Well, the time has come. I’m not sure if Terrible Two starts only at two years old, but since a couple of months ago he has displayed some of the “signs”. And by the way I really don’t like to call it the “Terrible Two”, because it is only terrible if you allow yourself to think it is.
Yes toddlers this age throw things, have melt downs at the most untimely occasions and embarrass you a lot, but it is all their ways of expressing their emotions and frustrations which they cannot yet control, and we just have to remember that all they want is for us to understand them. And by taking time to do that it makes everything so much easier.
Junya wants to do everything by himself now. Everything is “JunJun open”, “JunJun close”, “JunJun wipe”, “JunJun kish” (squeeze), “JunJun feed”. The most headache one is “JunJun drive” lol.
“JunJun drink.”
It is a pain because on a daily basis I get overflowing apple juice all over me, spilled pasta, wasted toothpaste and have to clean up an assorted mess from the floor, couch, wall, every where -_-. But letting him try everything was also very fulfilling to watch. The satisfied big smile on his face 😀
Monkey Jumping Abed
He likes to blabber in sentences now. Random sentences. Mostly before he falls asleep or the moment he wakes up lol. He will recite random song lyrics (“monkey jumping abed“, “tinkle tinkle a star“, “donguri gorogoro“), and random things I have told him in the day (“Tokyo Tower Kira Kira“, “Ambulance yiyo yiyo“).
His favorite word now is “yucky!!!!” (with a lot of exclamations) -_-. He picked it up from a kids song video i showed him (the one about yucky combinations of food like sushi smoothie, mushroom popsicle, popcorn pizza etc). Now he’s all “papa yucky!!!!“. “No hug. Yucky!!!!” -_-.
He can state facts and explain simple situations (“Popo driving car”, “Papa working”…). A while ago he slammed a sliding door over his feet and broke a nail (T______T), and for a few weeks every new person he meets he will try to tell them about his unfortunate accident. He’d point at his toe and make a really troubled face saying “nail, nail”. And you will have to be very exaggeratedly concerned and ask him what happened XD. And he’d tell you “close sliding door”, and then proceeds to ask you to blow this toe for him lolol.
He has also getting super chatty and friendly with other adult friends!
Wefie with RinRin
Asking Gomi san to press her iPhone
Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Well technically he hasn’t learnt the art of lying, but he has been abusing the word “promise” lolol. I think papa once ask him to promise to hold hand because he is running so fast now and we can hardly catch up. And that’s how he started overusing the word “promise”.
Whenever we don’t let him do something now he’s be like “promise!” “Go down, go down promise!!! (to hold hands)”. And then the moment we let him down he’s gone like Houdini. (A few times me and papa were like “but you promised!!!!” in a very bitter tone lolol.)
He also likes to turn and look at us, pointing at something not kid-friendly and tell us, “Sharp/Hot/Dangerous!. Don’t touch”, “don’t press”, “don’t kish” (squeeze), in a very serious tone. And then proceed to touch/press/squeeze anyway -____-.
Imaginary Apples
I feel like I was a kid again. Because now my son and I are feeding each other imaginary apples/ichigo which are either too salty or unbelievably yummy lolol.
Furikake for gohan
Sometimes he’d “pick up” the Hello Kitty print on my shirt or the cute bunny on the restaurant kids cup with his fingers and force-feed me, and I’ll give him a very shocked face and he loves it and will continue to feed me more random inedible animals.
He will also ask for imaginary medicine for an imaginary wound and tell me “better” after I “apply” for him.
Things are getting real fun XD.
Baby
I don’t think he understands the concept of having a sibling/pregnancy yet, but somehow he understand that there’s a baby in mama’s stomach.
He’d ask to touch “baby”, and would squeal when he feels the movements. He loves to put his face against my belly and would give “baby” good morning and good night kisses. Sometimes he feeds the baby imaginary bunnies and ichigo lol.
For Mama
I am back. Hi it’s me, Junya’s mama.
The biggest lesson I have learnt in the past month is that, the only way to win the love of your little ones is to spend time with them.
It’s so simple but so hard. Sometimes I feel that this world is really messed up. Our helpers/maids leave their kids back home so that they can work and make more money to bring home. We let other people take care of our kids so that we can pursue a career and earn more money.
Why can’t we just take care of our own damn kids? Why must sacrifices be made?
Of course, there are many reasons. Sometimes it’s to better the family’s future. Sometimes it is for personal fulfilment. Sometimes we simply have no choice.
But in this short week of traveling, I have realized how reluctant I am to forgo the chance to simply spend time with my own child and miss out any single moment of him growing up. If I have a choice. Which I really do.
I am so happy.
So happy to be stuck with him 24 hours. Yes I get body pain all over. And I am so heavy and tired cleaning the house is like slow murder. I am getting third-trimester nausea -__-. We barely did any sightseeing because of my limited mobility.
But I won my son’s love. By spending a lot a lot of time together with him. I feel like his mother again.
sweet! did he finish that ice cream bar?!? 😀
We shared!! 😀
umm because husband is not saloon owner and just one person working is not enough to pay house loan, car loan, diapers, etc?
One always has the option of a cheaper house, a cheaper car, cheaper diapers, etc.
It’s all about choices. 🙂
I love your Junya posts! This is such a turnaround from when you felt low and lost after leaving him, and seeing him full of excitement & love for Mama Cheesie just makes me heart melt <3
I'm so happy for you! I've followed you for so long and I love the progression of your blog.. plus it makes me so determined to come to Number 76 for haircare, omg!
You're awesome Cheesie <3
Thanks so much! It’s really nice to get encouragements like this too. 🙂
Please let me know how your hair experience go! 🙂
Yeah, everyone is so orderly and polite in Japan!
They queue up properly in the subway and JR train. I saw a Chinese woman from China cut the queue in Lawson at Chitose airport and the Japanese guy behind her grumbled to the cashier that he was first in line. It was the first time but not the last, the behavior of some mainland Chinese people is really shocking and disgraceful. I felt paiseh *for* them.
Oh, is that the new Sakura drink in Starbucks? I had it too, it was quite nice. I ate a lot of sakura stuff while in Hokkaido, everything from sakura leaf mochi (my better half told me this was very good and it was) to Sakura Pepsi (which just came out and I had it on launch date LOL).
I know what you mean about kids and their promises. -_- Haha!
The furikake you have is quite unusual. Why is it round balls? Does the contraption “grind” it before it comes out?
All the best Cheesie! BTW I suddenly came across your blog again while searching for Japanese salmon. I was wondering when the sushi chef told me and realize “wa” just means “Japan”.
Because the furikake IS A TOY HAHHAHAHAHA omg fooled you.
Yes “Wa” also means “harmony” and “peace”. It is one of my favorite kanji!
My girl is 22-months (11 May 2014) ans I just passed the crazy 21-month phase. Like what you’ve stated: the loss of appetite, more demands for milk and waking up at weird times.
I even wonder if she’s teething but she’s not letting me peek into her mouth.
As soon as she reach the 22nd month, things are looking up a wee bit. But she gets a bit more clingy and always ask to comfort latch. Plus she’s getting to be petty too. I guess this period is gonna be a bit tumultuous for us.
But hang tough Mama! May things go smoothly, esp. for you & no. 2!
Omg didn’t know kids can be so similar!! Thanks so much for sharing! And they are exactly a month apart!!! My baby girl would be born around your daughter’s bday ^^