Growing Up

 

This week the Daily Post challenge is Transition. It got me thinking about my beautiful niece and nephews and how fast they are growing up. Crazy to think they are all teenagers now! They have transitioned from babies to toddlers to little kids with definite individual personalities to teens with all the joy and angst that comes with that particular transition!. They are talented, loving kids.  Their transitions may not always be smooth, the world out there throws up the odd road block now and then, but they have an amazing mum and dad, they have each other and they have a loving family there for them all the way. I am looking forward to seeing them develop as adults and all that the future brings.

November 15th is “Shi – go – San” or 七五三 in Japan. The characters mean 7,5,3.

On this day and around this time, parents take children aged 7,5 and 3 to shrines and pray for their happiness and well being as they grow up and transition through the various stages of life.

It is usually girls aged 3 and 5 and boys aged 5 and 7. Litle girls can be seen in gorgeous kimono and boys in the male version, a Hakama. Sometimes the children wear very formal western clothes.

My niece and nephews spent 3 years here in Japan as little ones. They were 3, 5 and 7 at the the time so it seemed appropriate to take them to the temple. These photos are complements of my sister.

ShichiGoSan 2006 at Yoyogihachiman Jingu 

Kimono

 

It is hard to believe that my niece .”C” is a beautiful young woman aged 16 now. She is a talented artist and I love seeing her artwork.

“J” featured in the bottom picture as a 5 yearold is now 14 and over 6ft tall, taller than his dad I believe! He is a keen sportsman and takes part in triathalons. They live in California now and he is into surf lifesaving. He has just started Senior High School and is playing American football.

“B” the youngest is the builder and the inventor of the family. He likes to dismantle things and see how they work. He loves to get into into grandandad’s workshop and build things when they get home to NZ and he has quite a collection of his own tools now too. He is a beach babe, a skateboarder and has no fear!

Transitions

2006

2009

2015

Love you guys!

Yoroshiku Onegai shimasu

Leanne