Chika's little boy Taiichi and Kadin have the same birthday! There is a very big chance that Taiichi's little brother and Kadin's little sister will also have the same birthdays! It has been very fun to be pregnant at the same time with a Japanese friend who has an active toddler at the same stage as Kadin. We have kept in contact through our pregnancy woes, and have enjoyed spending time together. Unfortunately, Chika and I wont be delivering at the same hospital this time. Her husband works very long hours, and she will need help with the baby, so she is going to her hometown this month to stay with her parents. This is pretty common in Japan. Most pregnant women return to their hometowns about a month before the baby is due, and stay for at least a month after the birth. Daddies stay back in Tokyo and work, taking weekend trips to visit when they can steal away from their jobs.



My friend Eriko and son Yuma (also Kadin's age) will also be leaving this month to go to her hometown for the birth of their second son. We have been pregnant together through baby swim class. It was so nice to not be the only one who was being stared at! A pregnant woman in a swimsuit is a rare site in Japan, so we stand out pretty well! Eriko and I have really enjoyed getting to know each other through this season. We sweated through August together, trying to keep Kadin and Yuma occuped inside so we wouldn't have to melt outside in the heat playing at parks. We are so glad that the hot weather is almost over!