Our first family vacation

Was a trip down to a hot spring resort in Hakone. It's one of the most popular destinations for Tokyoites as it's one of the nearest out-of-city towns you can get to. Less than a 2h drive door-to-door for us and from there, you can enjoy the coolness of the highlands, the fresh greens of Spring and the beautiful view of Mt Fuji with its melting snow caps.

We had a huge place and the parents & auntie-in-law brought their dogs so everyone had a 'baby' to care for. It was a real family vacation and the first time Keina had spent the night away from home. She did remarkably well and was in good spirits for most of the trip. Except when she had to stay in the car seat and was wailing to get out.

It's so interesting how much more expressive she has been lately. I find it much easier to understand her these days. Ah-yeee meant mama please come carry me. Ah-huk-huk (a cross between a gulp and a pant) meant I want to eat soon. All other cries are a little in between. Some are about having a bad nightmare. Some are about whining (ala car seat trauma).

Since she has been sitting up, I have been looking for toys to stimulate her interest. Haven't bought any new ones and the 2nd hand ones I bought whilst pregnant came into play. A toy piano with 4 keys and a multi-toy mirror with an attached ball. And her recent favorite? One that doesn't cost a cent- a plastic bag. Preferably the white thicker type as it makes a much crunchier sound. A good runner up these days is the plastic cup which I got to try to get her started on drinking.

Back on the trip. Ok, admittedly, I was rather nervous about spending 24-7 with the in-laws. I was nervous about 'well-meaning suggestions' about how I care for Keina but it seems that I was worrying too much. They were just simply happy to spend time with Keina as they were surprised how good-spirited she was and she is- especially in the mornings which they don't get to see much. And she was a ball of fun one of the evenings at dinner at a cute cosy cottage called Grain. She was vocalizing her chords in various tones and octaves that we were a teensy bit embarrassed at her loud cries. It was so funny to see her experiment with her voice and so amazing to hear how the undulating tones actually resemble the adult conversation.

As for me, it was my first time I could spend quality time by myself. A full 3.5h in the span of 2 days! Totally Keina-free. But out of sight and hearing didn't mean out of mind. Quite a bit of my mind wandered to thoughts about our new life with her as I lay in the big pool of calm hot spring water, listening to its trickling sounds as it pours out of a big spout into the bath. I was lucky enough to have been able to enjoy the whole area to myself as there wasn't anyone around. The pitter patter of the rain outside almost lulled me to sleep but luckily it was too hot for me to pass out.

I was reminiscing back as to the last time I had the same luxury. Back to when I was pregnant and it is still so unbelievable how much has changed. I had gone from a whiney needy preggie to a frustrated nutcase sleepless mom to a much more calmer confident mom. She had gone from a zygote to a frustrated clueless needy baby to a much more happier and contented baby. It sounds like quite a journey already yet there is much more to go. 

And also my relationship with N. How it has changed as we both share in this new found joy, quarreled in exasperation during times of uncertainty. Time will tell if Keina brings us closer together in the good way and so far, though there has bee a few bad strikes, we are still tipped on the good end of the scale thankfully. 

This trip has been a good example of what a good partner he has been as we spent quality time with each other- away from the buzz of the city, the burdens of work and chores, the seductive call of the internet to lose ourselves in. We focused on enjoying each other's company and is the best type of vacation we could ask for. Now, we feel more confident about travelling as a family in the future. The only bit that needs to be ironed out is the baby seat.

As for Keina, she was a real star being very manageable and even pulled on Gaku's- the family's pet brother- hair. She was lucky he didn't snap at her. Haha.. pity we don't have a shot of that. She seemed unperturbed by the 2 dogs- White Labrador and Dark Dachshund. She is definitely a mouse with a lion's heart :)

Father-in-law reads a book to K

Family breakfast at a nearby restaurant of a museum

You can almost make out where her dimples could be.. if you stare really hard

Lazing in the morning on the futon of our tatami room

K's not-so-tiny fingers grabbing at everything within her reach

View of the resort

Sleeping K in sling with fresh wet Spring greens in the backdrop

Dinner at a real sushi restaurant where the uni (sea urchin) rocks!