When You Are With Romans

Well I've finally gone and done it. I've gone and done the thing that I said I'd never ever do. "What??" you ask. "But what have you done!? Have you...

-eaten an entire box of baby cookies by yourself in the dark at 3am?

-called your baby (in a cloying high-pitched voice) "my little boyfriend"?

-marched out of the front door and gotten halfway down the street before realizing that you were still wearing your slippers?

-allowed your son to press his nose up against the television screen for a good 5 minutes before moving him just because it was so damn peaceful?

-*glued your baby to a piece of cardboard?

-read the latest Candace Bushnell book?

-watched all 5 and a half seasons of America's Next Top Model in less than 30 days?

Before I continue the list and become so depressed that I just curl up under this computer table and die, I'll tell you that the answers to these questions are yes, yes, yes, yes, maaaaybe and... yes. BUT that's not even what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is buying a brand new baby seat for my bicycle and a helmet for Nico. When I first moved to Japan and saw all the mothers riding around on their bikes along with their babies, I thought it was crazy and when I became pregant I said that I'd never do it, that is was just too dangerous. This is especially because most of these babies aren't even wearing helmets and more often than not, the mother also has second child riding along in a another seat, an umbrella up, a cell phone conversation going, etc, etc, etc.

A few weeks ago I changed my mind though and decided that as long as I never rode in traffic (it's legal to ride on the sidewalk here), and made sure that Nico always wore his helmet, I'd give it a go. As a Japanese friend of mine said to me recently, "When you are with Romans, you must copy them. Or something like that..."

*It was an ACCIDENT okay? And actually he crawled onto a piece of cardboard that I'd been using to spray glue some things on so really, I didn't glue him there MYSELF. And I found him before it dried so no harm done right?

Comments

[veronica]

I hope all goes well with the biking. Just think of it as teaching him to conserve fossil fuels.

[Cavmi]

Hello from Italy! Your blog is fantastic! Please, if you have just a free minute, visit me back and leave a comment with your link, so other Italian people will be able to visit you! Thank you!;-D
Cavmi

[fidget]

oh he looks so psyched! Ive been talking forever about getting a seat for tessa and a tag along for mira but well it's just been all talk. Maybe this week...

[Annejelynn]

He looks absolutely thrilled outta his lil' yellow-helmet-with-purple-smileys donned mind! big kisses n' hugs! I swear, I'd smother him with kisses if I got my hands on him!

[diane]

Too cute!

[Sarah]

Your son is seriously the cutest happiest child I have ever seen.

[Anna]

In Japan they have two kinds of seats- one that sits behind the rider and another which attaches to the handlebars in front. For smaller babies, they suggest you put them in front and then the older toddlers and kids ride in the seats behind

[annie]

Yes, it looks as though he is holding on to the handlebars. Does he sit in front of you or behind you?

[Birdypups]

He looks so happy!

[Cora]

Hey Anna -- One question, where does Nico sit on the bike? What I mean is, where is his seat attached? I can't tell from the pictures and I'm wondering if the Japanese ride with their kids other than over the back tire. Seeing as they have whole festivals to phallices and bath theme parks, I have learned I can take nothing for granted when it comes to the Japanese.

[Heather]

I think that helmet is ADORABLE!! I'm sure you and Nico will be "biker dudes & babes" in no time!!

[Katherine Allred]

Are you saying that there's something wrong with gluing one's baby to cardboard?

[kat]

Um..I hope you and Nico are still free this Sunday. I promise there'll be no glue nearby. Sounds like you need some Bendall-Mok entertainment. Will email!!