666

666 seems like the kind of post number that demands some kind of acknowledgment. Thus:

9 things about
3 little girls I happen to know.

AMY
1. Is absorbed in a little book about puberty that I bought her for reasons that shall remain nameless as said reasons include being EMBARRASED a lot of the time!
2. Embarrassing things in this poor child's life include her clueless mother, who always manages to say the WRONG thing in very bad Japanese, necessitating her telling said mother sometimes to SHUT UP and please don't say anything Mummy.
3. Likes to trace the conversation back to its root - now we're talking about chimpanzee lips, but we started talking about ear lobes. Wow!
4. Loves playing the piano, doesn't need to be reminded to practice, in fact needs to be begged to stop!
5. Has long long fingers like her grandmother in New Zealand.
6. Can cook Japanese rolled omelets and make umeboshi onigiri (rice balls with pickled plums) from scratch.
7. Has the most spectacularly beautiful smile.
8. Is an early bird and often beats the whole family out of bed
9. Likes to sew, and design clothes for dolls and for Erica, but won't take instruction...


LENA
1. Still wants to 'sleep down' - meaning next to Mummy on the futon, instead of in her bed with her oversized toy dogs, dog pillow, dog duvet and dog slippers. Mum's happy to be loved more than dogs.
2. Dances with delicate grace, and sings well too.
3. Is not interested in eating much.
4. Is very neat and tidy and likes to surround herself with her little treasures on her desk.
5. Fits a Pumpkin Patch size FOUR (she's seven and a half)
6. Is a perfectionist and often cries when she can't do something as perfectly as her mental image.
7. Loves to watch Doraemon. Would LOVE to get a Doraemon door for Christmas so she could visit Grandma any time she likes.
8. Is a slug-a-bed like her mother and would sleep until midday if she could
9. Asks LOTS of questions about very strange things, but that's another post!


ERICA
1. Is still breastfeeding! So much to say about that, that it merits its own post too.
2. Has little conversations with us. Understands nearly all we say, and answers appropriately, if still 60% babble! I had her trotting around the house this morning helping me find the camera. She looked in the toy closet, where everything significant obviously is, didn't see it, turned around to me and shrugged, saying 'Where gone?'
3. Her favorite game is wandering around the house with a torch, examining things and pretending to get a fright and be scared by the beam sometimes. This game combined fabulously this morning with her favorite game at Baachan's - wandering around the house examining things with Jiichan's magnifying glass.
4. Has discovered the unique power and joy of the word 'No' and is not afraid to wield it.
5. Injured both her sisters on Sunday - kicked Amy in the head, and head-butted Lena in the nose. (Mum knows better than to get that close to flinging toddler limbs)
6. Counts the stairs as she goes down: 3,8, 'go'(5), 2
7. Her favorite food is ice cream, and she knows where it lives, and often hunts it down.
8. Collects stuff to take places - books and chuppa and water and toys for bed. Also things for the car. This morning's haul included a packet of Minnie Mouse sugar cubes and a shoe horn. (?)
9. Can sing the ABC song - A B B B A B B H I J J J J B

MUM
1. Is getting a haircut and braving the dye this week.
2. Is thinking about getting contacts again finally.
3. Swears she's going to really, truly declutter this year, and this time FINISH the job!
4. Can't get a job.
5. Wants another baby (realizes 4. and 5. are incompatible, but that's life)
6. Wants a fancy new camera with all the bells and whistles and to learn how to use photoshop.
7. Will spend less time on the internet PROMISE
8. Is going to Hokkaido next year.
9. Wants to lose another 5-10kg

DAD
1. Is now covering a Japanese punk band.
2. Is going online at work finally
3. Dyes his own hair - he's better at it than me!
4. Has agreed in principle to clear out his books and magazines from the shed, but I understand that it might take another decade to actually get the job done.
5. Is going to Vietnam next year.
6. Has a GINORMOUS collection of DVDs, TV shows he's taped
7. Knows 10 years is a special anniversary involving jewellry. Lucky man.
8. His favorite food is STILL curry rice, sashimi and beer
9. Is still as sweet and sexy and when I first met him