We changed our minds on half of them. We might have to look again at other options.
by invitation, 1st round
Quite a productive day! Covered health, some of base make and make-up. Almost all of the anti-ageing options are a given – no further discussions needed; they have to be added. But of course since everything adds up to the cost, cost-cutting has to be considered.
One thing we’re really thankful for. Yui didn’t fuss much and even looked like she’s having a very enjoyable time.
life with a toddler: plastic bag
It’s summer and Yui’s daycare will have the pool open for two months. We were required to bring three things: swimsuit, towel (preferably with a hood – I brought Yui a bathrobe) and a plastic bag. I was really baffled with the plastic bag because I find it such a waste and not eco-friendly at all. Was about to buy a pack of plastic bag (as in the same type you’d use in grocery stores but small size) when I decided to just use the Eco bag we used as give away for our wedding since we still have a number with us. That way, I can just wash one while the other is at daycare.
And then come first day of pool and I saw what “plastic bag” really should be. And as it happens, I was the only one who misunderstood. Hubs also thought I knew what plastic bag meant. I finally bought one today, a week after the pool started.
Culture difference blooper.
Happy feet
When I picked Yui up at daycare earlier today, these were being aired out to dry on a corner outside Yui’s classroom. Curious, I took a look up close. There weren’t any names right beside the foot but one look at all of the tiny prints and I know with a sure confidence which foot is Yui’s. I picked up the card to look at the back. Sure enough, the Mom was right; it was Yui’s foot. π
on Japanese honesty: refunded clinic check-up fee
I was about to pay for my daughter’s checkup fee after her visit to her paediatrician the other day when the two receptionists bowed and said “η³γ訳γγγγΎγγγ§γγ” (Moushiwake gozaimasen deshita/we are terribly sorry for our grave error), that phrase for apology that the Japanese reserve for terrible errors/mistakes. Surprised and baffled, I waited for their explanation. It turned out that they made an error in the fee they charged us during our last visit – TWO MONTHS AGO. So now they are returning the excess amount I payed. The delta? Only Β₯370, roughly equivalent to three bottled drinks.
And just in case I didn’t get their explanation right (doctor and nurses speak English but the receptionists do not), they gave me a memo so I can show it to my husband.
Amazed. As I always say, if someone’s dependable on small things, you could count on them to be dependable on big things too.
The clinic was not named after a person since the doctor herself is not named Yui. Rather, Yui here refers to the meaning of the kanji itself which is “bind”. The clinic aims to be a bind in connecting the community even closer.
life with a toddler: douzo, nani, yu-eee-chan!,
A sure fact: life with a toddler is never dull. All these events happened just this evening.
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We just got back home and were in the bedroom. I told Yui that we go out the bedroom already and go to the dining area so she can have her snacks (so that Mom can prepare dinner). Then I told her to open the door.
She pulled the door handle down and opened the door. And then she said, “douzo” (please go ahead) while gesturing with her hand to indicate that I go ahead.
A shocked and utterly amazed Mom walked ahead. Of course she had heaps of praise after.
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We usually ask her to throw her used tissue and papers on the trash bin. This evening, she was playing with an empty biscuit packaging that’s obviously plastic. Told her to throw it to the bin. I was thinking she’d throw it to the usual place that she places the paper trash into. Surprised when I saw her walk over to the plastics trash bin.
Now the baby already knows how to segregate the trash.
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Yui: Nani? (What’s this?)
Mom: it’s a cheetah.
Yui: nani? (Pointing at the same photo)
Mom: it’s a cheetah.
Yui: nani? (Pointing at the same photo)
Mom: it’s a cheetah
Repeat 300 times.
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She was pointing at the wet tissue dispenser.
Yui: yochan
Mom: ne, yochan (I could not clearly understand the word she’s trying to say so I just guessed “yochan” though I have no idea what it was.
Yui: yochan
Mom: ne, yochan.
Finally, in an almost exasperated and out-of-patience tone, she slowly said,
Yui: yu-eee-chan! Clean, clean, clean.
Apparently she was trying to say that she uses her wipes to clean her hands.
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This one was last weekend. She was putting her bears to sleep so she picked up a book to read to the teddies. Her choice couldn’t have been more perfect – Goodnight Moon. And nope, we don’t read this to her at bedtime since she prefers that I sing “twinkle twinkle little star” (and only that on endless repeat. She complains if I try to sing another song. I’ve sang it to her at bedtime since she was 1-month old that it had probably become a kind of “security blanket”.
Never dull indeed!