Big Socks!

Taka took down two of the stockings, put them on and shouted "Look mommy! Big Socks!". He often adds real real to adjectives and verbs these days. (Sometimes I run into the convenience store and say "I`ll be real, real quick!") Now whenever we go somewhere he asks "Taka real, real quick?" He is watching Blues Clues in this picture. Right now he watches mostly 1. Go Diego Go, 2. Dora the Explorer 3. Wonderpets 4. The Wiggles 5. Barney. He is not really interested in Elmo so much anymore. Whatever he watches, he wants to learn. He has a very strong natural curiosity to learn. He loves when he can improve his vocabulary and knowledge. He is really good at generalizing now. He makes some pretty intelligent observations and connections. I am learning from him everyday!
I would say the biggest struggle for me as a mom is the cultural aspect. My values that I am naturally teaching him through just being me are not really acceptable in the Japanese culture. He is always being scolded for being to loud and rough. He is gradually maturing, but I struggle with allowing him to be himself and the expectations of how a mom should raise a child in Japan.