on sunday we went to a flea market in munakata yurix. there, i met the i****s. grandpa offered to take hiro (who was in his stroller, and in the crowds, it was not easy...) while grandma and i shopped. i found some cute outfits, some for as little as 50 yen. then we had lunch in yoshi's favorite restaurant. then i hung around a little longer, because this woman the public health nurse wanted to introduce me to was coming to see her friend (who was selling things at the flea market.) this was a japanese woman, K., who is married to a canadian and has a little boy who's almost one year old. she was very nice, and she spoke english well.

on monday, hiro turned four months old. my, how the time is flying. he's almost turning over from his back, he still hasn't figured out his shoulder...

on tuesday, we had the four month check for hiro at the public health building. hiro is fine, just a tad bit small for his previous growth, but i for one am not going to worry. he eats well and is happy all the time. and he's such a good boy. although he does get fussy in the evenings sometimes. then, afterward, i met K. and her son again. we met at kentucky fried chicken, which worked out well for her since she hadn't had lunch yet, and it worked for me because it's near my house (plus, i don't know munakata nearly as well as she does.) she's a high school teacher and will be going back to work in april (when her baby is one year old). she doesn't really want to go back, and yet she does. i know exactly what she means.

wednesday is ladies day at most theaters in japan. the other day i noticed that the princess diaries 2 was released in japan, so i went over to the costco shopping center and took hiro to a movie. he actually did quite well. he watched the screen at first, quite amazed. then he watched some of the movie. i'm sure he didn't get it, but such big things moving around...must have been weird to him! then he got hungry, so i nursed him (man, this breastfeeding thing is useful !!) when he became tired he started to fuss. luckily i could rock him in my arms while standing up (which i did in front of the stairs off to the side so i wouldn't be in anyone's way) and i doubt he bothered the other patrons (all six or seven of them) for more than a few seconds. i enjoyed the movie, but, as a sequel, it wasn't quite as good as the first.

on thursday i got some free baby clothes from a couple who are moving back to the US. i got a whole range of sizes, from newborn to 3T, but most of them are 3-6 months and 6-9 months. very good!!

on friday we went to costco to get a few things. mainly shrimp. it was on sale with a coupon, big black tiger shrimp with the heads on. i thought yoshi would like them in nabe, so i got a package. yay, nabe on saturday.

today (saturday) we have baby massage class at 1:30. we're also waiting for snow. it sure is cold outside. and, there's even thunder! yay for inclement weather. thank goodness i talked yoshi into keeping the all-weather tires on the car. ok, gotta clean.