Maggie-centric
(You did all say you didn't mind.)
Poor wee Maggie has a bit of a cold (as do I). Feeling slightly guilty and wondering whether I should in fact have taken some notice of all those people who told me not to take her out before she was a month old, in case of germs. Still, I'm not sure having a mother going slowly insane with cabin fever would serve her any better.
Grandma and Dey* (Cameron's parents) arrived on Friday with a suitcase full of gifts (this child has a more extensive wardrobe than I do) and are suitably smitten. We didn't leave the house on Saturday - friends came for lunch - and spent yesterday mooching about Harajuku. It is barely possible to get out of the house before midday, which cuts down on activity time. Maggie and I are staying home and sniffling today, so they've gone to peruse the department stores of Shinjuku. An adventure on the Tokyo transport system.
And my great excitement yesterday was getting into a pair of trousers that wouldn't fasten by a whole 2 inches just a week ago!
*Scots for 'grandfather', etymology and spelling uncertain and I can find no reference online bar one chap who says the "word has died out in many places, and as a result is sometimes cited to ridicule the speech of places where it is still used - a common fate of Scots words just before they disappear altogether."
Lisa at 04:19
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Day three on our own and so far coping quite well - except that the house looks like a bomb has hit by the end of the day. Nevertheless, Maggie has not been neglected, we've eaten a hot meal every night and laundry is being done. I feel quite proud. This morning I even managed a bit of a soak in the bath.
I'm debating what to do with my baby blue website. I'm thinking of continuing as I did through my pregnancy - some stuff here, some over there (like, I don't know, photos and details that will bore all but the most dedicated baby watchers)? Or should I abandon it altogether? Of course at the moment I barely have time for one blog - the hours just disappear in a haze of feeding, changing, sleeping - but I am sure that won't last forever. (And at some point I will get around to replying to the 200-odd emails lurking in my inbox.)
Some pictures - Me, Mum and Maggie at the Meiji shrine; Maggie asleep in her little jeans and T-shirt - isn't she sweet? (OK - perhaps I should put pictures on baby blue.)

I have to say a huge thank you to Duncan, who is hosting my pictures now I've run out of space on my server here. There's a big, boring job in my future, transferring everything off my Japanese server and updating all my links before we leave Japan. One for the rainy season.
Lisa at 05:20
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God!! this country. Cameron is out at some football do this evening so Maggie and I had plans to get a girly film out - something that Cameron would hate - and veg on the sofa with it. We though Haagen Dazs and perhaps a creme egg might help the evening go with a swing. We went to the video shop and chose our dvds (the first charlie's angels film and four episodes of friends, if you're interested). The girl started looking at me and her computer strangely then asked if it was my card. Now, I don't know what information they have stored, so I admitted that it wasn't, it was my husband's card. But, I said, I've been using it for the past two years with no problems. Her english failed at this point (and I don't do Japanese when I'm doing high-horse stroppy) so a boy came over and explained I couldn't use it this month. I (super-politely) told him that I'd used it for two years...yes, he said, but it's April. So there you go. And of course I didn't have any ID on me to be allowed my own card, so I've come home empty-handed and very disgruntled.
I expect we'll still manage the ice cream and choccy though.
Lisa at 09:13
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Gosh, how the days just fly by, no time to blog. Or email, so apologies to anyone who has sent a message and is awaiting a reply. I'll get there eventually. Maggie has found her voice so we've had a couple of small paddies these last couple of days - but she is still a very easy baby. She loves her sling (well...OK it's hard to tell if she likes it or not but as soon as she's in it she settles down beautifully. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I love her sling, it's so nice having her nestled right in close while having my hands free) and we've had some outings with it (we haven't attempted the pushchair yet). Lunches out and a trip to Roppongi Hills and the all-important first visit to Starbucks. Department stores here are extremely well equipped for mums; they have baby rooms with comfy chairs, little cubicles for feeding (with armchairs and sometimes rockers and everything), rows of changing units, water, and sometimes even vending machines of baby food! At night she drops right back off to sleep after feeding, so I am feeling fairly well rested. Um...OK that might be me; for all I know she's lying awake for hours after each feed as I snore away beside her.
Today mum and dad have gone to Omiya, a bonsai village*, so Maggie and I are just hanging out here. We did walk down the road to take some films in for developing and buy some bread, but I'm hoping after a peaceful day at home she'll be well-behaved tonight as we are going to attempt a meal out.
Of course I have no other news - I'm just baby baby baby at the moment. Not looking forward to next week, when mum and dad will have gone and I'll have to try to fit in laundry and catering alongside childcare - multitasking on a whole new level.
*A village where they do bonsai, not one full of very small houses.
Lisa at 06:31
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I'm back*!
Did you miss me? I've been starting each day with good intentions towards blogging and email but somehow bedtime rolls around all too fast - I am averaging one email a day. I don't think Cameron gets to retire from blogging just yet (besides, hasn't he been doing a good job? I think he should continue even when I'm back properly...)
THANK YOU everybody who sent cards, pressies, emails and left comments - and linked to us - we have been overwhelmed by all the kindness. Not only that, I had two free sessions of acupuncture trying to get Maggie moving - he said he'd only charge me if it didn't work and I had a hospital birth. Even more overwhelmingly, I had to see a hospital urologist last week and he wouldn't charge me either! Because I was in floods of tears in his office - I'm guessing he's used to middle-aged men and their prostates, not women in the grips of their hormones. Of course, not charging me just made me cry harder.
Motherhood is fantastic. I'm touching every piece of wood in the vicinity as I say she's much easier than I ever expected. I do look a little like death warmed up - but the fact that I have time to look in a mirror and notice that is a surprise! Of course, at the moment I have mum (laundry, dishwasher, cat-litter tray), dad (catering) and Cameron (nappies, shopping, miscellaneous errands) all at home to help...
I wonder how long it will be before I look in the mirror and notice the jelly-belly and wobbly flab rather than just thinking how slim I look? I'm definitely making the most of not having a bump! Tuesday was a happy day indeed as I squeezed into a pair of non-maternity trousers.
Cameron has been enjoying little outings with Maggie in her sling. Or rather, enjoying the attention...he's working on a story about how I ran off and left them (leaving my fortune in the bank) just to increase the interest further. She has been on a bus and a train and out for lunch twice already - making the most of the Tokyo lifestyle. And on that note I must go and feed her because she's wimpering and sucking my arm - quite offputting.
*If So-san is reading this...what I meant, of course, is that I am typing with my eyes shut**. I promise faithfully not to type anything open-eyed for the next two months.
**(Actually this isn't strictly true, but I am typing one-handed while holding a sleeping Maggie with the other hand)
Lisa at 07:37
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