元旦に、近所に住む友人の第二子が誕生しました。元気な女の子で、早速見に出かけました。
ちょうど斉藤家の息子（小学4年生）もうちにいたので、一緒に連れ立ってでかけます。小学生は冬休み最終日だったので、近所のI君（６年生）も誘うと、ついて来ました。歩いていると、またもや暇そうな小学生発見。いかにもぶらぶらしているので、試しに誘ってみると二つ返事でついて来ました。（う）を抱っこした私の後ろに、小学生の男の子5人。なんとも奇妙な一団は、雪がぱらつく中をぷらぷら歩きます。
玄関に入ると、皆で上着を部屋の外に置き、一直線になって手洗いうがい。なんといっても、生まれたてですからね。
道々、皆で赤ちゃんの名前を当てっこしていましたが、まだ命名が済んでいないとのこと。残念がりながらも、皆順番で抱っこをさせてもらいます。皆始めて触る小ささにキャーキャーワーワー。ちょっとした社会科見学となりました。翌日、I君に感想を尋ねところ、
「いやぁ、何とも言えないですね。」
とおじさんぽい口調で冷静に返してくれました。私も久々の赤ちゃんで、横でどしどし歩く（う）と見比べたりしながらしみじみしてしまいました。
（わ）
6-day-old
A friend of us in this village gave a birth to her second daughter on 1st Jan. So, we visited to have a look!
We, myself and Umeo, took Manten (the 4th grade) who was killing time at our house. I knew that it was the last day of their winter vacation, so I called another boy (the 6th grade), and he decided to come with us. On the way, we met another three boys who were hunging around, obviously doing nothing. When we told them about the baby, they immediately decided to follow us. Seven of us started walking in a line, and it started snowing a bit.
We took off our jackets at the entrance and washed our hands carefully to be ready to touch the baby.
Before we reached the house, we were guessing the baby's name, but it was not decided yet. Anyway, we hold the baby in turn. It was totally a new experience for boys, so they got really nervouse and took such a long time to decide who went first. next day, when I asked one of the boys how he felt, he said
"Well, I really can't tell you."
Yeah, I undestand! As for me,I was thinking back the day when Umeo was born. Now she is walking here and there, but she also used to be as tiny as the baby...mmm, time flies!
Wakana
