The festival of dolls

*English speakers please scroll down to continue reading :)

おばあちゃん、誕生日おめでとうございます。そしてステキなお雛様のお人形、日本のおもちゃやお菓子をありがとう。これからもますます元気でいてください。おじいちゃんとおばあちゃんに会える日が楽しみです。日本にもいつか行きます。　　まや

Dear Maya,

Today was Hinamatsuri in Japan, translated as the Doll Festival or commonly known as Girls' Day.  We may have been far from Japan, but we did it up good!  Mommy made the traditional chirashizushi, or scattered sushi.  Your grandparents in Japan sent you your own small set of dolls.  Often girls are given a large set of hinaningyo dolls that are displayed on seven tiers, but luckily the ones they sent were an abbreviated version as we wouldn't have had room for a full display.  Regardless of the size, they are beautiful!

Since you arrived in our lives, mommy has been bitten by a domestic bug, and decided to sew (!!!) an outfit for you for this festival.  Girls in Japan usually dress more formally, but traditional kimono are way too complicated and uncomfortable for an infant as little as you.  Therefore, mommy managed to put together this sweet little happi for you, and is quite proud of herself for doing so, I might add.  

You didn't seem to mind wearing it at all, even when daddy added the twisted fabric headband.

  

The full set of dolls in these pictures belong to our landlady. 
Between them, the cushions and the tatami mats, it looks like we're in Japan!

Your grandparents also sent three ornaments that feature adorable babies on strings.  Mommy has long been a huge fan of anything made out of chirimen (Japanese crepe material) and so loved them at first sight.  It wasn't until the next day that I realized they were what I had been waiting for--I had been putting off making a mobile for over your bed until I found just the right unique and special things to hang from it, and now here they were.  And you seem to like them quite a bit. 

Well, my left arm is numb from your weight as I type this with my right hand only, so I think I'll go put you in bed.  Love you!

P.S.  The beginning of this post was a message from Maya for her Japanese grandmother's birthday.  It says, "Grandma, happy birthday.  Thank you for the wonderful dolls, Japanese toys and snacks.  Please take care of yourself.  I can't wait to meet you.  I will come to Japan soon.  Maya" 

P. P. S. Maya's Japanese grandmother loves owls.