A few more pictures of Noa spending time with Kiko’s family in Tanegashima for Golden Week. They love him, he loves them, it was super.
Tag: hina
Golden Week
We are now back in Kagawa after a trip to Kiko’s island (Tanegashima) for Golden Week. Noa is fatterer, I am tired, Kiko got a haircut, and we had a great time!
Noa got to spend time with his cousins (Hina, Kana, and Shu), his Aunt (Mie) and Uncle (Takao), and his grandparents.
I would have more for you, but (as my last post stated!) I am hard at work on the new website. Expect good things soon. In the meantime, perhaps you can get as excited about this as I am.
(Our shoutbox is currently offline because I can’t seem to stop the spam. Give me a few days!) 
A good week?
Hello!
Last week was a roller coaster. Lots of ups, and many more downs. Between my computer breaking, our Ipod Nano breaking, messing up a lot of translations, getting called on the messing up… the list goes on. Suffice it to say I was not pleased and I was kind of down.
On the other hand, I also had some very good things happen. Our MythTV box is back up and running (after a lot of work), I am still loving my job here in Chunan, and <drumroll>
I got the scholarship I applied for last year!!! 
Although I will be very sad to be leaving Chunan, from October of this year I will be attending Gakushuin University (known for the emperor’s family and politicians kids going there) through a very big government scholarship!! I am still in shock, but there are so many people I have to thank…. Kiko, Komuro-sensei, Arntzen-sensei, Ito-sensei, Jotaro, Ishikawa-sensei, Tracy, Shane, everyone else that helped me out with the application… THANK YOU!!
Like I said, it is going to be tough to leave Chunan, we really do love it here. But I am confident that this experience will help me move close to one day getting a job as a professor back in North America, so wish us luck!
Now since there were no pictures in our last post, Kiko has asked me to upload these family pictures we took in Tanegashima. I believe we promised to have them up earlier.. sorry! These are pictures from Noa’s omiyamairi, the blessing that Japanese children get after 30 days. We took family pictures after the ceremony.
We have also had quite a few visitors for Noa. Below are pictures with Liz (Jim’s girlfriend. In case you forgot, Jim is my good friend who bashed Noa’s head into the ceiling light.) Following that are many of my good friends here in Kagawa prefecture on the JET program, and finally Yoshiko Hirao. One of my most loyal and favourite students attending my town English classes. Enjoy!
Our New Years in Tanegashima
How exactly was our New Years in Tanegashima?
We figured your might be interested so I put up a few pictures to show you how it all went. Being from a more rural island, Kiko’s family was very into tradition, so we did a number of things from making rice cakes, to planting pine trees at the entrance of doorways, to visiting a shrine (or temple… or something). Noa has grown quite a bit in the 3 weeks since we have been here and has put on a lot of weight. He is getting stronger and is becoming quite expressive.
We hope you enjoy the pictures!
New Years in Tanegashima
We also thought you might like my brilliant photography. If you have any complaints, its the camera’s fault. seriously. im perfect.
Noa : Up close and personal
Substance…
Once again the people have spoke… and I have listened.
"We want to know more about Noa."
"What is he doing?" "What is he like?"
"We want more substance in your posts."
Ok. I get it. Here is a general idea of how Noa works.
Noa Kenichiro Bennett 
- Lots of arm flapping. He really likes the flapping.
- He is attentive and loves to be held.
- He likes musical instruments.
- He flaps his legs when he is bored of flapping his arms.
- He has learned to smile!
First things first, he is a very advanced baby. I am not joking. He has been able to hold his own neck up since he was born. He is very good at sucking things. He can sort of pick things up. He has developed a sense of security when you hold his hand. He can smile when he is happy.
Now I don’t know much about babies, but from what I have been told, these are all characteristics of a 2 to 3 month old baby. Way to go Noa!
Now, a little bit more about our time in Tanegashima.
Here is Noa has been able to meet his 3 cousins. Hina, Kana, and Shuichiro. They love him a lot and even 10 month old Shuichiro is very gentle around Noa.
The following are some pictures of Noa’s first plane ride, his time in Tanegashima, and spending time with his cousins.
This last picture is of Noa and Shu chillin’. (after Kiko made them lie down together.)
Omiyamairi – お宮参り
I was scouring the internet trying to find a few sites that I could link to for information, but no such luck. It looks like I’m in charge of explaining what we put Noa through.
Here goes.
In Japan, 32/33 days after the baby is born (depending on whether it is a boy or a girl), the child is taken to a shrine where an “ujigami” lives. An ujigami is a god that lives in a shrine and has the role of protecticing babies. (I made that last part up… but I think it’s true.)
So anyways, you dress the baby up in a a little white dress, slap on a baby kimono, and you are set. The child is taken to the shrine where a Priest waves a magic tree branch over him and he is blessed. It’s kind of like a christening without the water and with lots of magic. The shinto priest recites a prayer for the health of your baby and then -poof- it’s done.
Noa slept through most of it. The ceremony was only about 10 minutes long, and followed by family pictures. They were professionaly shot so when they are done I will send them up.
In the meantime, have a look at Noa in his hot baby dress.
Surfing in Tanegashima
We just got back from Tanegashima where we celebrated Kiko’s Dads kanreki (60th birthday) and relaxed for a week.
We will be posting a ton of pictures of Tanegashima, our nieces and new baby nephew and Kiko’s family. Should be good! In the meantime, look at me in all my surfing glory. (I am also bruised to shit and my breasts hurt.
) But it was worth it…. (ie: I stood up for maybe 15 seconds.)
That’s me with Hina and Kana, our nieces. They are so cute!
Shuichiro!
This is a little bit late, but Kiko and I have a new nephew!
His name is Shuichiro, and he is Hina and Kana‘s younger brother. His Dad is Kiko’s older brother Takao.
His name is a little difficult to explain, but all you need to know is that it is a combination of sounds and characters from the fathers name, Ichiro and Matsui.
I think he’s going to be a baseball player….
Lots of Good News!
It looks like we will be getting back (semi)hi-speed Internet in April. It is not nearly as fast as what we were using, but is much faster than the ISDN line we have now. The website will be updated, and our VOIP (416) phone will be back in operation… so now you have no excuse for not calling
Kiko’s older brother, Takao, father of the super cute Hina and Kana:
(Takao) just had another baby. His name is Shuichiro! We haven’t got pictures yet,but when we do we will post them!
In other, less exciting news, Graduation photos came in from one of my other schools, along with another small write up in the Shikoku Newspaper. Have a look.
