Hikawa shrine festival / 氷川神社のお祭り

While Mia and I were taking a walk in Mejiro, we saw a festival on Mejiro street.

目白を娘と散歩していたら、たまたま氷川神社のお祭りに遭遇。

Since Mia loves festivals, we decided to visit the festival.

娘は御神輿や山車を見るのが大好き。もちろん見に行こうとせがまれ、祭りに足を運んだ。

It was a perfect timing to be there because they were about to start pulling the dashi. I rented the happi from a festival staff for Mia, then we joined the event to pull the dashi.

そしたらなんとタイミング良く子供達の山車引きがちょうど始まるところだったので、受付で娘用のハッピを借りて山車引きに参加した。

I think the best part of pulling the dashi is getting free snacks, drinks and sweets. We got some juice, a slice of water melon, popsicles and soda every time we stopped somewhere for a break. When we finished pulling the dashi, they gave us a bag of snacks, sweets, juice and a pear to enjoy at home.

休憩ごとにもらえるお菓子やジュースはやっぱり何歳になっても嬉しい。

This experience made me to think about how I used to love pulling a dashi and getting free snacks and sweets as a child. I thanked Mia that I got to do it again!

山車を引く子供達を見ながら、そういえば私も子供の頃にお菓子が欲しくてよく山車を引いたなぁ〜なんて考えて懐かしくなった。

Mejiro Garden / 目白庭園

Mia said "WOW!!!" as soon as we walked in Mejiro Garden.

娘は目白庭園に入ったとたんに,WOW!!!と叫んだ。

Mejiro Garden is a small garden that is located near Mejiro station on JR.

目白庭園はJR目白駅のそばにある小さめの庭園。

I was not expecting much before our visit to Mejiro Garden, however I was stunned by its aesthetic beauty. I loved how the garden was designed because almost everything that I saw at the garden was interesting and beautiful that made me that I want to explore the garden more by walking.

全然期待しないで庭園に入ったので、庭園の美しさに感動。
小さなスペースがとても上手に、庭園を訪れる人が楽しめるようにデザインされていたので、誰がデザインしたんだろう？とまで考えてしまった。

I ended up walking through the garden twice!

あまりにも庭園が良かったので庭園を二周した。

I would love to go back there soon.

また行きたいと思った。

Swimming at the Jidokan / 児童館でのプール

Mia and I have been enjoying using the Jidokan near our apartment ever since we moved to Tokyo especially since we live in a small apartment. Although I love how I can get pretty much everything in Tokyo except delicious BBQ and Mexican food in Austin, Texas, I miss having more space that Mia can run around.

広大なテキサスから東京に戻ってきてからは狭いマンション生活が少し嫌で時々児童館を活用するようになった。（もともと私は家にじっとしているタイプではない）

Japanese Jidokan is a children's facility/building that has pools during summer time, a little outside park, toys, pens and papers to draw and more...; it offers babies/children's classes for free or very low prices.

アメリカには児童館はないので色々とある日本の児童館には関心する。最近の児童館はプールまであるなんてすごい！

Today was the last swimming day at the Jidokan, so Mia enjoyed being in water with other children. It still gets hot and humid in here, but I can feel the fall is here already by looking at cherry leaves on the ground that changed their colour from green to yellow.

今日は児童館のプールの最終日だったので娘とプール。まだまだ毎日暑い。でも外の桜の葉が緑から黄色に変わり地面に落ちているのを見ると秋の気配を感じる。

I think we had enough of hot days and I am looking forward to my favourite time of the year in Tokyo!

大好きな日本の秋が訪れるのがとても楽しみ！

Swimming / スイミング

IMG_5188, a photo by fumika yamamoto on Flickr.

It has been hot and humid in Tokyo!
I took Mia for swimming.

毎日毎日暑すぎるので娘を近くの児童館のプールに連れて行った。

She looked little concerned at the beginning when I put her in a small pool, but she figured out what to do after she watched other children playing in a pool.

初めての児童館のプールでちょっと緊張気味の娘。でも他の子が楽しそうに水遊びをしているのを見て水遊びを始めた。

Mia likes water!

娘は水遊びが好きみたい。

Sleeping on tatami mats / 畳の上でのお昼寝

sleeping on tatami mats, a photo by fumika yamamoto on Flickr.

Mia was taking her nap on tatami mats today.

娘は今日の昼寝は畳の上。

I guess it was cool and comfortable to sleep on there because she slept on the tatami for 2 hours!

涼しくて気持ち良かったのか２時間くらい寝てた。

Summer in Tokyo has been hot and humid.

最近の東京は蒸し暑すぎる。

Maybe this is the best way to take a nap.

娘の畳の上での昼寝は気持ち良さそうだった。

Toddlers food cooking class / 幼児食の試食会

幼児食の試食会, a photo by fumika yamamoto on Flickr.

I went to a class to learn about how to make toddlers food because I am a new mum.

新米ママの私は幼児食の試食会に参加する事にした。

I have been little frustrated about Mia not being interesting in food and not eating a lot of solid food also.

あまり、ご飯を食べる事に興味をなかなか出してくれない娘。

The teacher taught us about some new recipe, how soft rice should be and how much food that we can give our toddler in 1 serving.

先生が幼児の為の献立を紹介。
そしてどのくらい幼児に出す白米がやわらい方がいいのかとその分量などなどを実際にご飯を器によそって親切に指導。

Mia only ate some white rice and a piece of carrot when we tasted the meal.

美味しそうな豆腐入りの柔らかいハンバーグは口に入れたらすぐに出してしまい。
ほうれん草のおひたしもきなこマカロニのおやつも同じにペッと口から出した。
ブロッコリーもダメ〜
ゆいいつ食べたのは白米と人参だけ。

I looked around and I saw none of toddlers being able to finish the meal that made me to feel okay.

こんなに食べないのはみあちゃんだけ？と周りを見渡したら、けっこう他の子も食べてなかったので少し安心。

The farmer's market at omotesando / 表参道のファーマーズマーケット

at farmer's market in omotesando, a photo by fumika yamamoto on Flickr.

Mia and I went to the farmer's market in Omotesando for the first time.

初めて表参道のファーマーズマーケットに娘と行ってきた。

Gosh, it was busy!

さすが、日曜日！
めちゃめちゃ混んでいた。

We saw many dogs hanging out.
I thought Mia might be interested in playing with dogs, but she got scared.

なぜだか、犬がたくさんいたので、娘が喜ぶかなと犬の近くによってみたら怖がっていた。

Her hair is getting long and she has her 6th tooth coming out.

だんだんと娘の髪の毛はストレートヘアの私では手がつけられない感じになってきた。

ちなみに今は６本目の歯が生え途中。

I think I want to go back to the farmer's market in the morning rather than in the afternoon since it was hot outside.

今度、ファーマーズマーケットに行く時はもうちょっと涼しい朝に行きたいなぁ。

Lunch with Makiko / 牧子とランチ

IMG_5055, a photo by fumika yamamoto on Flickr.

Mia and I went to Meguro to see Makiko.
Makiko's belly was not that big when I saw her last time in January, but this time her belly was big because her baby is almost in full term.

久しぶりの牧子とのランチ。
妊婦の牧子のお腹は大きくなっていたのでびっくり！

We had some delicious Chinese lunch at the restaurant near Meguro station!

ランチは目黒駅の側にある中華レストランで美味しい中華を頂きました。

After that I had a slice of lemon chocolate tart from a la campagne!

その後で神戸発の a la campagneのレモンチョコレートタルト〜

I think I ate too much!

ちょっと食べ過ぎた。

I cannot believe that both of us are going to be a mum soon!

二十代の頃から振り返ってみて、二人そろってママになるのがちょっと不思議な気分。

100 yen shop / 100円ショップ

IMG_5052, a photo by fumika yamamoto on Flickr.

Japanese 100 yen shop often surprises me.

日本の100円ショップには驚かされる事が多い。

I became quite impressed by their 100 yen toys, so I ended up buying them today.

今日、たまたま100円ショップに行ったらそこで売られているおもちゃに感心してついつい買ってしまった。

Mia enjoyed playing with them for 1 hour until she bot bored with them.

娘は楽しそうに一時間くらいおもちゃと遊んでた。