First molar

After Christmas, Auro came down with a fever (40 degrees!), so we had to call the doctor. Luckily it's just a viral infection in the throat, so he doesn't have to take any antibiotics, but the past days have been a bit tough for him. With all the crying that (apparently) comes with a viral infection, I discovered a new tiny little tooth in the back of Auro's mouth: his first molar! For those of you who are still counting: this is tooth number nine ;-)

Buon Natale da Cesenatico!

I know! It's a little bit late to wish you a merry Christmas, but nevertheless: "Buon Natale!", "Zalig Kerstfeest!" and "Merry Christmas!" to anyone who is reading this!

Last week, we left Genoa and drove down to Cesenatico (on the Adriatic coast) where my in laws have just moved into a brand new (and I must say, really beautiful!) home. Then, on the 24th, my father, brother and his 'morosa' (girlfriend) joined us from Belgium. From the day my family arrived until the day they left, we stuffed ourselves with all kinds of delicious food carefully prepared by 'nonna Valeria' (Remo's mother). Two days ago, slightly heavier than when they arrived, the Belgian part of the family left and things quieted down a bit. My jaws now have some time to relax after all the laughter of the previous days. Definitely one of the better Christmases I've had!

 

Milestones

I can not believe I haven't posted any news in almost 2 months. It's definitely not because there was nothing to tell! Actually there have been some big changes! So, to get started again, here are some of the 'big' things that happened during the past 2 months.

We bought a car! With the help of my cousin and my father, we found a second hand Renault Scenic in great conditions and for a very reasonable price. We were actually looking for a smaller car to maneuver down the narrow streets of Genoa, but we were getting such a good deal, we couldn't let it pass by. And so now, for the first time in my life I have a car registered to my name!

Auro started walking! I believe that  Auro was physically capable of walking by himself for a while already, but psychologically he just wasn't ready yet to let go of my hand!(Or is this one of those things that every mother thinks of her child?) Anyway, on the 25th of November (so at the age of 14 months) Auro, all of a sudden, started walking around the room by himself. Unluckily for Remo, this blissful event took place while we were still in Belgium, three days before Remo joined us from Italy.

And then there was the big move to Genoa. On the 3rd of December, we (my father, Remo, Auro and I) left Begijnendijk with 2 cars (ours and my father's) to arrive 16 (!) hours later at the entrance of our new home in Genoa. The trip was long (1085 km) and tiring (2 hours of traffic jam in a tunnel in Switzerland due to an accident), so, needless to say, we were very relieved to arrive and get some sleep. My father stayed for the weekend and then drove back by himself. Strangely enough, the drive back took only 12 hours! What is it that they say about horses when they small their stable?

My mother

Last year, on the 2nd of November, at 15:45, my mother passed away. Yesterday, we got together in my father's place and had a dinner in her honour. Today, I just feel like sharing some photos of her...

September 1971 (my mom was 21!)

In September 2006, my mother came to visit me in Japan. After having lived there for nearly 7 years, I had finally convinced her to come to my graduation ceremony. She loved absolutely everything in Japan, except the traditional Japanese breakfast. This photo was taken at the breakfast table in a temple on Mount Koya where we had spent the night.

This photo was taken after my mom's visit to Japan. Over the last years, my mother and I had made a habit out of making little daytrips to different places every time I was in Belgium. In 2006, we went to Delft in Holland.

Peekaboo

Auro and I have been in Belgium for one week now and we have recovered from our jetlag (one day for every hour of time difference). Tomorrow, Auro and I fly to Bologna where Remo should be waiting for us. From Bologna we will drive to Genoa. The coming week(s) we will be very busy looking for an apartment, so it might take a while before I will write here again. But, as soon as we have found our place (and an internet connection) we'll be back!

10 things I won't miss

Ten things I will NOT miss
1. the cockroaches with which the whole apartment building seems to be infested (on average, we 'catch' 2 or 3 per day... and this is with all the possible holes they could come out of securely taped up!)
2. the dust/sand everywhere (Changchun really is just one big eternal construction site)
3. the 'aggressiveness' of people in crowded supermarkets
4. the spitting (actually more the sound that goes with it)
5. the 'collecting' of garbage on the streets
6. the smell of most taxis
7. the fact that 'they' occasionally switch of the electricity/water/internet
8. the tiny little sink in our kitchen
9. the fact of having the complete bathroom wet when you take a shower
10. being behind the Great Chinese Firewall (no Facebook, no Bebo, no Blogger, no Youtube!)

10 things I will miss

We have not lived here that long, but here are 10 things I will miss when we go back to Europe.
1. the size of our apartment (about 120 square metres)
2. the amazing variety of fresh fruit and vegetables in the supermarkets (great for vegetarians like us!)
3. the extremely child-friendly environment (the Chinese simply LOVE babies!)
4. the relative cheapness of things (we could easily live on one salary)
5. the short distance to the university (and therefore to work.... about 10 minutes on foot!)
6. the fact that Remo can be at home a lot
7. the crazy driving style of the taxis in Changchun
8. the sunshine throughout the whole winter (it might be freezing cold outside, but there is always a blue sky!)
9. the amazing internet downloading speed ;-)
10. the feeling of being safe in any part of the city

Packing

Two more nights in our apartment and we are leaving Changchun! And this time we are not leaving on a holiday. No, we are MOVING to Italy! Remo found a job in Genoa (that's northern Italy, west coast) and he has to start working one week from now. So, we are packing once again (sigh). Luckily Auro is helping out ;-)

Bribery

Usually Auro is not too fond of being held by people he doesn't know. And so, when this lady asked if she could hold him, I was sure he was going to let out a cry worthy of China's National Day. But, he didn't! Why? Because this nice lady had a beautiful red flag (with no less than 5 stars on it) that was flapping in the wind ;-)

Red

On October 1st in 1949, the Communist Party of China declared victory in the war against the forces of Chiang Kai-shek. So, today, the Chinese celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (=China's National Holiday) and therefore Changchun was red with Chinese flags. For days now, every other car in the city has been driving around with a small red flag attached to it's bumper or antenna. Today, we even saw a man holding 2 flags out of the window while driving! Not just the official buildings are proudly showing of their biggest flags, you can also see many flags draped from windows of the poorest looking apartment buildings. Really quite amazing for a Belgian like me. I honnestly don't think I have ever seen so many flags in my life. I mean, I have never owned a Belgian flag in my life and the only time I remember ever holding one, was when I was in primary school and the nuns in our school made us wave one when the king visited our town!

Second 'One'

The day after Auro's party, we left Kyoto and made the 2 hour trip to Dejima harbour in Osaka. There we had a second birthday party planned for Auro on Saturday afternoon. Because Jan Haring was scheduled to be hauled out of the water on the same day, we got up early and, while Remo prepared the boat (putting away the sails, lines and other stuff I don't know the correct name of), Auro and I got dressed for our last day in Japan and started preparing the things for the party in the afternoon (ordering pizza, buying snacks and drinks, laying out a couple of sheets for the children to play on...). We had everything carefully planned out, but because somebody (and it was not Remo!) had forgotten to keep the low tide of the early afternoon in mind, the boat could only be lifted out by 3 PM, which was unfortunately the exact time we had told all the guests the party was going to start. But, even though Remo therefore missed the first half of the party, it was a super super big and absolutely great birthday party! We had invited about 30 people and no less than 40 people showed up (8 children)! Auro was showered with birthday wishes and presents. Thank you all!!! And a special thanks to Nozaki-san, the harbour master, for letting us use the clubhouse, to the people of the harbour (Kido-san and Shinya) who came to sing 'happy birthday' to Auro (complete with guitar and drum!) and to mama-san (my former employer) who, without a doubt, brought the biggest toy (a complete entertainment board with buttons to push, pull and turn) and devoted her complete time to taking care of Auro and succeeded in keeping him entertained the whole time! And, thank you, Nakayama-san, for sending me these nice photos!

One

As I'm writing this post, I am sitting on the sofa of our apartment in Changchun. After having spent one month in Japan, we packed our suitcases again and got on the airplane yesterday afternoon. Eight hours later, we were here. Today, while Remo was chasing the cockroaches out, I spent most of the day disinfecting the floors, so Auro can crawl to his heart's content in a clean apartment. To finish this long day, I want to tell you about our last days in Japan.
As most of you know, on the 17th of September, Auro turned one. So, on Thurday afternoon, we celebrated that with presents and a cake. Auro enjoyed unwrapping his presents and even tried (very briefly) to blow out the candle on his cake (and Carlos was just in time to catch that moment!)

By the way

Just to make sure that none of Auro's milkteeth will ever feel 'left out' because it didn't get as much attention as the others, I have to mention this: last Sunday we welcomed tooth number eight in Auro's mouth! May it grow strong and white and chew many tasty things!

Sailing trip

Last Thursday, we left Osaka behind and went sailing for a couple of days. Together with 2 other sailboats (Catch 22 and Oceantech) we first sailed from Sakai to the island of Nushima (沼島), a small island about 5 km to the south of Awaji island. Just to give you an idea of how small: the island is 2.5 km² 'big' and has a population of about 600 people. On Friday, Auro and I explored the island (lots of shrines and temples, and a beach!) while Remo jumped into the water to clean the hull of Jan Haring. We had planned to leave Nushima the next day, but rainy weather kept us in Nushima until Sunday morning. Not feeling like going back to Osaka already, we (Jan Haring and Oceantech) decided to head for the harbour of Sumoto (洲本), on the southeast coast of Awaji Island. On the way we anchored in Yura (由良) to have our lunch and by the early evening we reached the quiet port of Sumoto. Remo started the next Monday morning with scraping off the last bits of dirt on the hull and after a big breakfast we started our trip back to Osaka, where we arrived 8 hours later... tired, but very satisfied and refreshed!

Change

In the almost 3 weeks we have been in Japan, Auro has undergone (at least in my eyes) a small transformation. Just as the first 3 weeks in Belgium have been the most difficult among difficult periods so far, the change that came after it has been the most amazing...
In only a couple of weeks Auro has learned how to

*smoothly go from stomach to back and visa versa (until recently, when he rolled over, it was mostly by coincidence)
*push himself up to sitting position (I very often find him sitting in his bed in the morning!)
*crawl forward (first with his belly on the floor like a soldier ducking overflying bullets, but now on hands and knees like a real crawling baby)
*walk around when you hold both of his hands
*pull himself up to standing position (using the sofa, a table or a chair, but preferably me!)
*understand some basic 'commands' (like "give it to mama, let mama have a taste, wave goodbye, clap your hands")
*understand that there is a certain order in actions (when I put the towel on the floor, he goes to sit on it and waits for me to bring him his food ... or... when I put him in the stroller, he looks for the seatbelt and tries to lock it himself ... or ... when I put a towel around his shoulders after a shower, he tries to wrap himself in it like I usually do)
*play by himself for longer than 15 minutes

New summer

Just when I thought summer in Japan was over (it was becoming pleasantly cool during the day), all of a sudden the temperatures rose again and on Saturday it was hot, hot, hot! Not that I am complaining, because even if the heat and humidity make me somewhat slow and lazy, I still prefer that too a cold and icy winter. So, while Auro and I spent our time being lazy on the boat, Remo worked hard on the covers of the cushions (with an industrial sewing machine he is stitching turquoise coloured covers for the cushions of the bed and sofa). And on Sunday, we went sailing ;-)

Quick lunch

After our 'amazing' little visit to the public toilet of Imadegawa station, we left the station to meet an old friend of mine during her lunch break. Carmen, who, by now, probably knows for certain whether she passed her PhD exam, definitely passed the "Am I allowed to hold you, Auro?"-test and successfully carried Auro all the way to the restaurant and back! In return, Auro politely waved goodbye before we left!

Apology

I'm fairly certain that people who have gone to public toilets in Japan before have never given it much thought, so I feel I should mention it here: when you have a baby with you, Japanese public toilets are so benri (便利=handy)! Almost all public toilets have at least one cubicle which has a special seat for babies. I have to admit that, before I had Auro, I very often used this seat to put my bag on and never really appreciated it's real value. With this post, I officially apologize to all the baby seats in Japanese public toilets for not seeing how handy they are! I really wish they had them in Belgium or Italy too (I always had to put Auro on the floor close to me), not to mention Chinese public toilets... And while we are at it, maybe airplane companies should also consider installing them. I don't have to explain to you just how much 'manoeuvring' it requires when you need to go and there is barely enough space on the dirty floor to put your feet.
Anyway... here is Auro in the toilet of Imadegawa station!

Bravo

For many months now I've been trying to teach Auro how to clap his hands together, but he never showed any interest. The other day, all of a sudden, he reasponded to my "bravo" by clapping his hands together! Now, every time I say "bravo", he drops whatever he is holding and starts clapping his hands! So, maybe he will not only be able to blow out the candle on his cake, but also to congratulate himself on his first birthday!

Reunited

About 2 weeks have passed since Auro and I arrived in Japan after a long and tiring, but nevertheless sleepless flight. Auro was 'slightly' over-tired and hardly slept at all the first night here in Kyoto. Completely jetlagged and (again) in a new environment, surrounded by new people and expected to fall asleep in a strange bed... it all was a little bit too much for Aurino! I was patient with the crying and screaming until about 2 am, but then I had absolutely no energy left. Luckily, Remo was there to take over and, ready to make up for the 2 months of being separated, he comforted Auro, sang to him and eventually just slept on the floor next to his bed.

After that first night, Auro quickly overcame his jetlag and his initial confusion, and after only a couple of days he started sleeping normally again. Just in time for the conference, symposium and meetings that I came here to attend. Remo stayed with Auro during the day and I was able, for the first time since Auro was born, to go out the whole day without having to worry about him getting hungry or sleepy! And, of course, we have also visited Jan Haring in the 2 weeks we have been here! The first time I took Auro to Osaka to see the boat, we stayed only for a couple of hours. Remo had prepared a car-seat for him in the cockpit and after having tied his seatbelt safely, we went out for about an hour and a half (there was no wind!) to accustom Auro with the idea of sailing. He did not complain ;-) Then, last Sunday, we traveled there again (2 hours and 4 trains from the north of Kyoto to the south of Osaka!), but this time we stayed a little longer, because we wanted Auro to get used to sleeping on the boat (no sailing). The back cabin, that had been reserved for him, seemed to be to his likings and he slept very well in the long and narrow bed, behind his safety net! Next, we are planning to try a short sailing trip for a couple of days!

Last days

Tomorrow, Auro and I are flying to Osaka, where Remo (hopefully) will be waiting for us! Here are some pictures of the last days in Begijnendijk.

Auro has been trying to skip his morning nap, but sometimes it is just stronger than himself ;-)

Auro loves taking all of his toys out of the bag and throwing them around. And in the end he still wants a mobile phone or some keys to play with...Auro on his uncle's shoulders... for sure the highest place he has ever sat!

My mother

Two days before going back to Belgium, more precisely on Monday evening, we finally did what we came here to do: we parted with the last physical remains of my mother. As she had requested more than once, we enthrusted part of her ashes to the sea in Turkey which she was so fond of. My mother, who was the reason for many more things in my life than just me coming to Turkey this time, now has a final resting place from where she can gaze at the rocky coast of Kiris and keep an eye on her apartment that had become her favourite place over the last couple of years!

Numbers

The fact that we are relaxing in Turkey, does not mean that Auro's physical and mental development has taken a break. On the contrary! Here are some numbers.

* Auro's weight (measured just before we came to Turkey): 8900 grams
* Auro's height (also measured just before Turkey): 75 cm

* number of breastfeedings in a day: 2 (we recently replaced the afternoon-milk with some fruit and/or a cookie)
* number of 'frietjes' (=French fries/chips/pommes frites) Auro has refused to eat so far: 0 (He definitely IS Belgian!)
* number of ready-made babyfood Auro opens his mouth for: 1 (couscous with vegetables... everything else needs to be fresh!)
* number of shiny white (and amazingly sharp!) little teeth: 7 (number 7 saw the light right here in Turkey)
* number of (airplane) flights Auro has been on in his life: 18
* number of countries our little globetrotter has 'visited' so far: 8 (Belgium, Italy, Austria, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and Turkey)

Gözleme

The other day, my father needed to catch up on some lost sleep, so tante Els, Auro and I took the car and went out for lunch. We drove to a nearby restaurant where we ate on of my favourite Turkish dishes:gözleme. Gözleme is a hand made and hand rolled pastry, filled with feta cheese, potatoes or spinach (these are the 3 most common fillings), and then cooked over a griddle. When the gozleme is cooked, little brown round eye-shaped spots appear on the pastry and this is how the origin of the name for the dish is explained: 'göz' apparently means 'eye' in Turkish.

Adrasan

Two days ago, my father, Els, Auro and I took the rental car and drove to Adrasan (about one hour to the west of Kiris). Whereas the beach here in Kiris consists of little (and sometimes bigger) pebbles, Adrasan has a little inlet with an almost sandy beach. Also, to walk into the sea requires less of an acrobatic effort in Adrasan, as the beach doesn't immediately drop from ankle-shallow to waist-deep (though this does occassionally provide some amusing and entertaining sights!). Anyway, after a good (and cheap!) lunch, we swam in the sea, had a walk in the excrutiating heat (so Auro could take a nap in his stroller), had another refreshing swim and finally went to a nice restaurant on the river (extra nice because it's a place where my mother has not been forgotten). Amazing how the heat disappears near a river under the cover of green trees! A great place to end a surprisingly tiring day.

Neighbours

Last Friday (July 24), my father, Auro and I took the plane from Brussels to Antalya in Turkey. We are staying in my mother's favourite place in Kiris. Since we've arrived here, we haven't really done anything noteworthy. Except for swimming, sunbathing, going to the market, drinking and eating of course! And always in good company! (see picture of my father drinking the local beer in company of our Belgian neighbours)

the Dutch

Today, the 21st of July, is a national holiday in Belgium. Actually it is THE national holiday of Belgium. On July 21, 1831, Leopold I took the oath as king and Belgium officially became an independent country. All of this happened after the Belgian revolution, during which the Belgians declared their independence from the Dutch.
Yesterday, and this has of course nothing to do with the above, my good friend Ilona came from Holland to pay us a visit. We hadn't seen each other in over a year and we had some catching up to do. We sat in the garden the whole afternoon, where Ilona became best friends with the dog (Kazan kept bringing her pears from the garden, which she kept throwing away and he kept coming back with new ones). Also Auro was completely charmed by my Dutch friend... or was it by the big leather (and therefore extremely chewable) belt she was wearing?

Sand

The day Auro turned 10 months, my friend Pascale picked us up with her car and drove us all the way to the Belgian coast (for Belgian standards 2 hours is a very long drive!). The coastal town of Blankenberge is very well known among Belgians and on a hot sunny day the beach is ususally packed with people. Luckily it wasn't that hot, nor that sunny, so we could enjoy the sandy beach to our heart's content. Especially Auro was impressed with the 'sandiness' of the white sand, because he wouldn't stop touching it. He took some in his little fists, then let it slip through his fingers, only to pick up some more. Of course there was also the occasional sand-tasting going on, but I think he quickly understood that sand is not meant to be eaten. Smart little boy!
To make our sandy day complete, we also paid a visit to the sand sculptures festival, which is held every year in the dunes of Blankenberge (11 Euros!). This year the theme is 'Pete Pirate and the Barnacle Bill', so lots of pirate ships, treasures, sea monsters and ... Michael Jackson!