Auntie!

Other than a rather unflattering, yet truthful, description of my sister's feet, she hasn't had much of a presence on the Hirano family blog.

That is all about to change!

First off, a short introduction is in order. Erin is my younger sister by a year and eight months. She is the mother of four (yes FOUR) children between the ages of 8 and 18. Not only does this make her Wonder Woman but it makes her a good person to have around when you've just had a baby. Also, there are very few things that she loves more than newborns. Again, making her the perfect person to have around postpartum.

Ten days after Kio and I arrived home from the hospital, Auntie Erin arrived in Japan.

And seriously, it was about time! I honestly don't know which was more difficult for me, being a new mom or trying not to go stir crazy from staying at home. Either way, Auntie to the rescue!

Within days of her arrival she had Kio on a feeding schedule, convinced me that soothers aren't the devil (significantly reducing Kio's crying time) and restored my sanity by cleaning the apartment and suggesting some much needed outings. Like I said, Wonder Woman!

Although Erin had been to Japan once before for our wedding, there were still a couple of touristy type things that she was hoping to do during this stay. As Shin, the ever protective daddy, wasn't keen on us using the trains because Kio hasn't had any of his vaccines yet, we borrowed his parents' car and hit the road.

In Kyoto checking out the flea market scene.

In Hiroshima at the Atomic Bomb Dome.

At Osaka Castle.

Checking out the plum blossoms.

Kio is one well traveled little dude!

As far as sisters go, Erin and I don't look much alike. We live very different lives (in very different countries) and have very different interests - I like shopping, she likes hunting. Yin and Yang, you might say. But just like Yin and Yang we are complimentary opposites and thus have a few similarities. Namely, our laugh and sense of humor.

Over the two weeks she was here we had many occasions to unleash our laugh on society. Believe it or not, hers is louder than mine! Right from the beginning we had the placenta jokes to keep us in stitches.

What the hell is a placenta joke you ask?

Well...

It is safe to say every second or third commercial on TV in Japan is for pig placenta supplements claiming to make you look and feel years younger.

As you can see for yourself, even the woman's back looks youthful. And all she has to do is eat placenta twice a day.

Gross.

Due to the sheer overdose of placenta advertisements I had become oblivious to them. But Erin was sufficiently disgusted for the both of us.

Disgust quickly turned into hilarity with the onset of the placenta jokes.

Basically a placenta joke consists of replacing the noun in a sentence with the word placenta.

Disgusting? Certainly.

Crude? Of course.

Funny? Hells yes!

Have you hugged your placenta today?

But perhaps only funny for the two of us.

It was a great two weeks full of nonsense, long chats, useful advice and most importantly Kio and Auntie cuddle time.

Thank you Erin, we miss you! xo xo