Bittersweet Baby

We finally have the newest member of our family. Meredith gave birth at 10:44pm on Friday 12th November at Masterton Hospital to a baby girl. Again, I thought it was a boy and we got a surprise. Mum claims she knew all along. I found out when Mum emailed my keitai (cellphone), I was eating dinner with my friends and burst into a blubbery emotional I'm-gonna-be-an-aunt-and-a-godmother-again state. I know I'm an aunty again, but I've told my family I am the godmother for this baby as well. Just no one else is good enough. My babies!!
Meredith had been feeling pains all afternoon, she went into the hospital early evening only to find she was half way dilated. She then dilated quite quickly and went into pushing just after 10pm. Unfortunately baby was not presenting straight on, trying to come out with the side of her head rather than the top of her head. The doctor figured out what was wrong, but baby's heartrate was dropping rapidly due to distress. Apparently in situations like that its touch and go and you have about 60 seconds to get the baby sorted. So the doctor whacked in the forceps, not an ideal birth but at least a safe and quick one. A real surprise for her parents, they had only thought of boy names, but we are so overjoyed that Dyson and Jodi have a new little sister. She has no first name yet, but will be called Lynne for a second name after Tony's Mum who unfortunately died last year. I am of course suggesting nice Japanese names like Ayana, Mika, Hana or Kana. No one is paying any attention to me!
It was pretty tough last night to not be at home right now, I did a lot of sobbing, a lot of thinking. I am planning my trip home in July, can't wait to meet baby and spend some time. I am stoked that Jodi's awesome baby clothes can be used again. Overall I'm really happy, celebrating. We have a new baby!!! Can't wait to find out what it's going to be named.

Weird Stuff

Today I went out to Oshima Island's elementary school. It is a small school of 65 kids, they are all really genki (lively) and friendly. I felt like Jennifer Lopez, or at least someone who made some kind of significant scientific discovery. It's like you are a VIP or famous person. You are escorted everywhere. Between classes I am given coffee in the principal's office. It is normal for people to clap when I walk into the room. It is going to be a big shock if I ever go back to being an overworked teacher in NZ. The difference between being a guest in a NZ school as a trainee teacher and being a guest in a Japanese school as an ALT is vast indeed.
At lunch today the kids and teacher marvelled that I am able to use chopsticks. They obviously haven't seen me trying to get the last bit of noodle out of the bowl in the privacy of my own home. I was stoked because my Japanese has got better and I can ask one or two extraordinarily basic questions, or answer them. I only needed about half of the questions to be translated for me today. It is a really amazing feeling, to slowly transform into a bilingual being.
On Sunday in Yanai with my mates (post Halloween party, hungover = yakiniku. There simply is nothing else) we all went out for a meal. The waiter dude came over and I just started ordering what we wanted. Okay, so it was really simple, two of this, three of that, and can we have some water please kinda stuff. But I did it. I was actually able to order food and be understood. Trust me it hasn't always been this way. I have had waiters look at me and just sit there blankly, with neither of us knowing what the hell to do. It's stuff like that which makes you want to come home, when you occasionally feel that way. Just sheer frustration and fear.
Today I got back to the Hagi port at 1.30pm, and cruised off to the supermarket to get ingredients for the chocolate self-saucing pudding I am making for a dinner party tonight. It's a public holiday tomorrow so we are all eating and sleeping over at Sarah's place. Should be fun. I am making the pudding in the new microwave oven Dan and I bought last night. Rockin! I can finally cook stuff. Great feeling.