太陽、航海を連想させるママとパパの名前。そこからインスパイヤされた大空のイメージが重なり「昊」と命名。そらちゃんにとって人生の船出は、ほんの少し“荒波”が立つものとなりました。出産予定が3週間も早まってしまい、急きょ入院生活を送ることになった陽子さん。しかもお互いの両親が当時、どちらも体調を崩してしまうという想定外の事態に…。そんな心もとない日々を支えたのは、もちろん航さんです。「出産の日まで産院に1週間も寝泊まりして、職場と私の部屋を往復してずっと付き添ってくれたので、ほんとうに心強かったですね」。その一方でなんと、航さんの妹夫婦の第2子もそらちゃんの生まれた日と1日違い！でめでたく出産。陽子さんいわく「まさにお盆と正月がいっぺんに来ちゃったようなドタバタを体験しました」という家族、親戚一同なのです。「出産の時も助けられましたが『彼がいたからこそ乗り切れた』という場面が生後2ヶ月にもありました」。それはレギュラーの案件でどうしても陽子さんにとって穴をあけられないお仕事のオファーでした。「まだほやほやの赤ちゃんでしたから、何をやってもずっと泣きっぱなしで、困り果てて抱っこをしながら外に出てみたんです。すると、落ち着きを取り戻してくれて静かになったんですよ！」と航さん。近所にある4ヶ所の公園をはしごするなど、そのまま4時間近くも歩き通したのだそう。今となっては愛娘とのお散歩はお手のもの！

Being inspired from the name of her father - “Wataru”, whose “Kanji” (Chinese characters that are used in the Japanese writing system) makes us imagine “the voyage” and her mother’s name “Yoko”, which makes us imagine “the sun”, the baby was named “Sora” meaning “the Sky”. However, her life’s start was like a little rough wave. Her expected delivery came early and suddenly Yoko had to get hospitalized. Additionally , both of their parents were under the weather. Even with such unforeseen circumstances, the hero was, surely, Wataru.
“He was with us and stayed at the hospital from a week before Sora’s birth and I was very reassured”. Sora was safely born, and the 2nd child of Wataru’s sister was also born just a day after her birth! “It was so busy, just like Obon (summer break in Japan when families often get together) and New Year came together!” says Yoko.
Yoko is a hair and makeup artist, and she had an important offer when Sora was only 2 months old. Again, she felt that she could have only done it with Wataru’s support. Wataru told us that “Sora was such a little baby at the time, so was crying all the time. I had no idea what to do, so I took her outside. Then, suddenly, she was calmed down! He took her to 4 different parks and kelp walking for 4hours and today, still the father and the daughter love taking a walk together.

9世帯が同じ建物に入居しているモダンなコーポラティブハウス。自分たちで組合を作って共同購入、土地探しから住宅の設計、誰が何号棟に住むかなどをすべて話し合いで決めたのだそう。それぞれがこだわりのイメージを持ちつつも、寄り添って暮らすコミュニティならではの一体感がここにはあります。「建物そのものや共有スペースは統一感がありますが、家の中はまったくの自由なんですよね」と航さん。真っ白な壁にはそらちゃんのお絵描きが！のびのびとしたクレヨンの跡が、その自由な雰囲気を物語っているかのようです。D BY DADWAYのイブル・キルティングマットを敷いて、思うままに色とりどりのクレヨンで遊ぶクリエイティブなスペース。「抱っこひものベルトカバーや、おねんねに使うおくるみのガーゼストールなど、鳥や草花など自然のモチーフがさりげなくって気に入っています。色も鮮やかで、おうちでもおでかけでも気分が上がるんですよね」と陽子さん。ギャラリーのような白を基調とした空間に、差し色となっているテキスタイルが印象的です。「いろんな色や形が刺激になるといいですよね。最近では美術館などにアート鑑賞にもでかけますが、海や山などにも遊びに行って一緒に美しい自然を感じたいですね」。

The family lives in a modern cooperative house where 9 households live together. They managed the group and they did everything together from looking for land, designing the house, and discussing who would live where. Each room has its own concept and design but there is a community which cooperates and supports each other. “We unified the design of the building and share space, but inside of each house is completely different”, says Wataru.
There are Sora’s paintings on a white wall. The relaxing atmosphere of her paints may reflect the houses. Ibul quilting mat from D BY DADWAY is a creative space for Sora where she likes to paint with her colorful crayons on it. Yoko likes D BY DADWAY’’s belt covers for the baby carrier and swaddles which they use for a nap, and says “ I like the motif of birds and greenery. Also their bright color makes us happy when going out”. Their room is white based like a gallery and the effecting color of textiles is impressive. “We hope many colors and shapes influence her. We like to visit art museums but we would also love to visit the ocean or mountains and play together in beautiful nature.

September. 2019