2023 to 2024
After a month of nightly preparation for the calendar gifts and a meal prep after a meal prep, I cannot express anything other than the word, "Exhausted." I'm also an expecting mother now that everyday has become a struggle from waking up from the bed to picking toys up from the floor. I will keep the blog short but I felt like I couldn't transition happily without keeping records of the highlights in 2023 and where I left off after the summer post.
As Koa has become more aware of what Christmas is, we felt responsible for delivering good experiences for him. Everyday, he woke up to a Nisse gift in his Christmas calendar pocket. First word he said in the morning was "Nisse came?" A two-year old is brutally honest as he showed a big disappointment when Nisse brought a piece of sticker as opposed to the full delightfulness on the day he received a toy car.
We pulled off Christmas eve with all the presents wrapped in time and food prepared nice and warm thanks to Nicolai, who's dedication to Christmas was far beyond my reach. Uni got pieces of duck without getting a stomach trouble this year. Koa received a ton of gifts as usual from us, the Danish family and Japanese family.
Highlights of 2023
Looking back in August, we were in the Danish summer surrounded by greens and ocean. Staying for a week in the summer house was hygge and delightful. We made snobrød (bonfire bread) around the fire pit, walked around the harbor with soft serve ice cream, and woke up to the mornings with freshly baked tebirkes, frøsnapper, and spandauer. Koa got to try sailing for the first time and he still remembers and refers to it as "farfar's boat."
September and October went fast. My corporate work got very busy and I just can't remember anything other than sitting home and facing my computer. I got incredibly sick in late November and during Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, not until December that I felt released from the deadlines and viruses, and truly got into the mood of holiday events. In the beginning of December, we took Koa to California Disneyland for the first time. Despite the extremely overrated and overpriced experiences, Koa had a blast. Every second day, Koa still talks about his dream two days at the Disneyland parks.
In The New Year
The new year was nice and chill beside the short trip we took to Santa Barbara a couple days before the new year. We were stranded in the holiday peak traffic and it was more hectic than we thought it would be. Luckily we made it home before the new year's eve and I took over the feast preparation, which were our traditional toshikoshi soba for the eve and Osechi for the 1st. The rest, we took naps, ate well, did a little bit of karaoke, and took more naps.
The year 2024 will surely be interesting with a new life coming into our world. My goal for the first quarter is to give Koa as many kisses and hugs as possible before the new baby arrives. He is aware and has become more and more attached to me lately. After years and years of battling infertility, it is such a pleasure to be able to become a parent of two kids in our lives. No matter what the future holds, we will stay close and foremost wish no more than the health and happiness of the two children we will treasure in our lifetime.
Greetings in Japanese
明けましておめでとうございます。まずは、日本の大規模な地震で被災された方々に心からお見舞いを申し上げます。新年早々、地震や航空機衝突などびっくりするほど悲しいニュースばかりで、無事を祈り連日ニュースを見ています。この先、色々なことが良い方向に向かうことを心から願います。
2023年の後半は、楽しかったデンマーク旅行からの帰国直前に妊娠がわかり、妊娠症状との戦いの毎日であまり旅行もできず、忙しくなるばかりの仕事と自分の体調と向き合いながら日々が過ぎて行った気がします。
思い出せる楽しかったことといえば、１２月の始めにこあくんを初めてのディズニーランドに連れて行ったことくらいです。2人目が生まれたらしばらくはいけないなーと思い、今回は少し奮発して、パーク内にあるホテルに泊まり、ランドとカリフォルニアアドベンチャーを２日にかけて満喫しました。こあくんは今でもその時のことをキラキラの目で限られた言葉を使って語ってくれます。
クリスマス、お正月はいつもながら家でクッキングをし、プレゼントにたくさん囲まれながらそれなりに楽しい日々を送ることができました。今年は家族が増えるということで、ワクワク半分心配半分です。1人で十分と出産後１年半くらいは思っていたのですが、徐々にこあくんに兄弟を作ってあげたいという思いが出てきて、まあ歳も歳だし、誰よりもひどい不妊の歴史がある自分にとってほぼ無理だろうと思っていた矢先のことで、妊娠発覚した時はびっくりしました。
今願うことはただひとつ、無事に健康な赤ちゃんを産むことです。こあくんも、お腹の膨らみにベイビーがいるってことをなんとなくわかっていて、最近赤ちゃん返りなのか、以前以上にべったりするようになってきました。2人子供がいる自分が今では想像できませんが、授かることのできた人生に感謝しながら２０２４年を過ごしたいと思います。