The past 10 days have been very busy in our house, making room for baby and then establishing routines. What an exhausting joy it has been. I have learned to do more of the vital tasks than I did when “visiting” Yoshiko and Gregory at my mother-in-law’s house. *NOW* I understand what it’s all about.

The pictures are from Gregory’s omiya mairi, a sort of Japanese christening wherein the shrine priest (in our case, Yasaka Shrine) literally introduces the baby to the Gods and asks for their blessings. Gregory was in a good mood and didn’t cry at all the chanting and waving of fronds. The temple has a photo studio, and we sat for our first family portrait. There is a kanji “大” (“dai,” meaning ‘big”) written on Greg’s forehead by Yoshiko’s mother. Indeed he is getting bigger, and stronger and smarter. He certainly knows how to push daddy’s buttons.

The macho hawk motif of his wrap kimono is nicely tempered by the frilly bonnet and bib, wouldn’t you say?

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