Minori is 3 and a half!

The older sister started going to a German kindergarten about 2.5 months ago. Everyone there speaks German so she's really picking up the language. The kindy experience is also great in the sense that she's so much more independent. She is now capable of dressing herself up, putting her shoes on, brushing her teeth (we still do a brush over after that) and going to the toilet on her own.

At home, whenever she's willing I try to get her to help out with some of the household chores, like laying out the table for dinner, putting the dirty dishes into the dish washer, hanging out the clothes to dry, and watching her baby sister. I think her favorite is helping to bake -- and afterwards, eat -- what she calls "corn flakes cookies."


She's become technologically savvy too (aren't all kids these days?!). It's amazing that using a TV remote control is so instinctive to her (and her 13-month-old sister!). So is turning on the CD player, Skyping, watching videos on YouTube (she knows how to get the videos to Full Screen!) and manipulating the electronic dictionary. In this photo, she types her own name into the dictionary to find out what it means.


Here's a picture of Minori and her own little walnut cafe! Not sure whether she'll be the little helper or competitor to her uncle when we return to Japan.