The other big news at our house is in the potty training department! After a week of seemingly no progress and no awareness that he was going pee, Tomoki suddenly started getting it! Perhaps it was helped by the fact that one day at the park, there was a big group of kindergarten children playing there. We had to get in line for the swings, etc. Tomoki did well getting in line and when they said to line up for the toilet, he wanted to go too. The new accomplishment has been a big boost to his self esteem and he seems extra happy these days. The smile he gave me when he could do it made me feel happy to my core!
Otherwise, we have our garden planted. Tomoki loves digging in the dirt, so I really have to watch him so he stays in the area I gave him instead of digging up my vegetables. He can dig for hours! His vocabulary and memorization skills continue to amaze me--both in Japanese and English. He talks to Akihiro 90 percent Japanese and to me in 95 percent English I would say. He loves it when I agree with him and when I hesitate, he says, "Mama, say, 'That's right!'"
We have been enjoying having Javon Steffen living down the street in the Klaus's house. She is studying Japanese and seeing about the possibility of long term service here in Japan. We've really put her to work with moving things out of Shioda church storage, planting garden, etc, but most of all we have appreciated her spiritual encouragement and inspiration. She has become friends with Tomoki and has got some pretty good shots of him--you can check out some of them on her blog. My favorite is at the bottom of this post--slurping noodles! http://onegreenbicycle.blogspot.jp/2012/05/golden-week.html
These two have some cute ones too..http://onegreenbicycle.blogspot.jp/2012/05/tokyo-sunday.html
http://onegreenbicycle.blogspot.jp/2012/05/mothers-day-at-hospital.html
We had Javon and our neighbor Imada-san for a make your own sushi party this past week and I got some pictures.
