Cousins Across the Pond

After a year of planning, they were finally here! Tia, Tio, Daisuke and Emiko arrived, and every day of their trip was a reunion on repeat!

After a long flight, we gathered around the table and listened to stories of their travels. Tia and Tio brought gifts for everyone, and the girls were most excited about their scooter and bike bags that Miya handmade to affix to their vehicle of choice. We got hooked on Strega Nona, and they added some more books to our Frances collection. There was also a large cache of chocolate that Corey and I proceeded to sample daily after dinner. I couldn’t stop saying it, ‘They’re finally here!’

The next morning, Tia was already on the hair styles of the day. I told the girls to get their fill because Mommy can’t do the twists and braids like their auntie. The girls were stylin’ heading to nursery, and the Forrest/Ramirez crew went out to explore. The morning outings paired with relaxing afternoons were a great rhythm for the start of the trip. Gives everyone a bit of rest while still seeing many of the London landmarks.

I took the day off so we could see the changing of the guard. They marched right past us on the way to Buckingham Palace but by the time we were walking that way, there was a torrential downpour and we waited it out under a tree. This meant a detour to Fortnum and Mason to ‘get dry’ and admittedly do a little souvenir shopping. This detour led to a lovely afternoon tea hosted by the Princess cousins. Tea in Union Jack mugs made our day.

You’ll have to get the update on what Miya and crew did on Thursday. I know it involved multiple modes of transport– including the Thames clipper! Tio came back with a Chelsea hat, and I think they also made it to the Natural History museum! It was a full day that came together so wonderfully. Everyone came home tuckered out which helps with getting onto the Greenwich timezone.

With my girls off school for the weekend, it felt like our house became a make/do creative space. There was crown making with sticker jewels. Miya and Jose set up pizza making in the backyard, and we tested some of Montes Deli’s red sauce, mozzarella cheese curds, and salami toppings- all delicious. Emiko decorated a cake for her dad’s birthday, and Miya led the charge again with our first experience making musubi. These moments helped me feel confident to do more hands-on cooking in the kitchen with my girls- something I’d been aspiring to, but hadn’t yet embraced.

We spent time in the local playgrounds and the ziplines were a hit at both Highbury Fields and Clissold Park. We also did some bug sighting at Canonbury Square. We are thankful that our neighbors helped us assemble wheels and helmets that were the right size for everyone so we were a serious scooter brigade around the neighborhood.

The Tower of London was another wet day, but cousins don’t mind that. We saw the crown jewels, climbed the White Tower, and ducked into a pub for an afternoon snack. The highlight on the grounds were the Coronation benches designed by school children in a national competition. We couldn’t get better pictures of the kids, and with twelve benches, this became an activity in itself… a scavenger hunt to nab seats where people were just getting up.

A couple months back, Saya and I built a model piñata as a template for what a larger one might look for her birthday next year, and Daisuke and Emiko’s visit was the perfect time to fill it and bust it open. Tio taught us a song to sing when each person is going to bat. We will definitely need to have a voice recording of that come May 2024. We were all thoroughly entertained with Corey and Jose holding the ropes!

Amongst all of the incredible memories being made, a highlight for me was taking the cousins to the zoo while Miya and Jose went out to a play at the Globe. We filled up the kids with ice cream, and spent the afternoon visiting the butterfly house, penguins, lions, and the tigers. Daisuke cracked me up in his posed picture ‘running’ from the tiger, and he was also taken with the sign warning that zoo guests look like a slab of steak to the tigers so please do not try to enter the enclosures.

Daisuke made quite an impression on the zoo playground. Within seconds of arriving at the play structure, he’d coordinated a group to play tag, and he was overheard saying “I’m not from around here, but where I’m from, this is how we do it” and proceeded to have all kids put their feet in the circle and call out “Eenie meanie my-nie moh” to determine who was ‘it’… Auntie Corey was very impressed.

I am kicking myself that I don’t have the photographic evidence of our meals at Lahore and Gokyuzu, movie time on the couch, and 1:1 sister time, but I know it’s because I wanted to be in the moment. The time being with my family filled me with energy and happiness. I can’t wait to plan more logistics and coordinate flights. This trip will keep summer in my heart for the rest of the year.