Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Taking Stock

I was perusing my previous journal entries and I have realised (to my own horror) that the last time I did some good old-fashioned soul-searching was in January 2007. That is to say, I have been preoccupied with so many external issues in the last three years that I have not been able to do any introspection.

I have changed so much that I can hardly recognise the tremulous slip of a person from three years ago. The challenges I faced as a medical physician pale in comparison to the challenges I face now as a mother. I have experienced such a wide spectrum of emotions - love, elation, exultation, pride, anger, despair, fear, horror - at levels of intensity that I never knew I was capable of feeling. Stardust has the effect of bringing out the best and the worst in myself. In him, my faults are magnified and I am more aware of those aspects of my personality that require correction.

I am also more sensitive to the fact that my words and actions have an impact on Stardust and that he learns from observation. I pray for God's guidance during every hour of my life because I want to be a better person; because I want to be worthy of the honour of being a parent; because I want Stardust to be able to develop his full potential.

This year, my challenge is to balance my job as a mother with my role as a wife. I must confess that I occasionally neglect MDH, especially on those occasions when I am having Stardust-related stress (which is, well, nearly every single day). Even in the quiet time that we have together each evening, I tend to be somewhat distracted and distant.

MDH is such a long-suffering and loving man...and I think that I have been taking him for granted. Although MDH's rightful position as the Big Love Of My Life has not been usurped, I still have to find ways to tell him that he is very much loved. I do not want him ever to feel that he is in second place. In the days ahead, I hope to be able to manage my time and energy more effectively so that I can give MDH the attention that he deserves.

The past few years have been a whirlwind of activity and I have no idea what the next year will bring, but I welcome it with open arms.

Come on, 2010.

BRING IT.

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Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas

Christmas is a good excuse to...
1. Spend quality time with family2.Chill out with friends 3. Make music and sing carols 4.Remember a very special birth. Happy Christmas, everyone!

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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The colours of the rainbow

TSCD: Okay, sit down nicely on this chair

Stardust: I sit down.

TSCD: You can have this to play with...(jams a finger puppet on Stardust's thumb)

Stardust: Fish!

TSCD: Yes, it's a fish. What colour is it?

Stardust: (scrutinises fish) Green. Green fish.

TSCD: Um, no. It's a pink and orange fish.

Stardust: Green fish.

TSCD: No, it's a pink and orange fish.

Stardust: Pink

TSCD: And?

Stardust: Or....

TSCD: Pink and orange

Stardust: N'orange

TSCD: That's right! (starts singing)
I'm a pink and orange fish
I'm swimming in the sea
I'm a pink and orange fish
Just take a look at me
I'm a pink and orange fish and
I'm happy just to beeeeeeee
A pink and orange fish who is
Swimming in the sea!!

Stardust: (chimes in) The sea!!!

TSCD: Good! (second verse!)
I'm a pink and orange fish
Come and play with me
I'm a pink and orange fish
Just look and you will see
A pink and orange fish
Happy as can beeeeeeee
To be so pink and so orange
And so fishy in the sea!!!

Stardust: (chimes in) The sea!!!

TSCD: Good! So, what colour is the fish?

Stardust: Green.

(On a more serious note, Stardust is probably colour blind. Red-green colour blindness runs in the family and I am probably a carrier of the gene. I have problems with colours myself, but probably at a different level from true colour-blindness. I can see red and green but I occasionally have difficulty differentiating shades of brown from shades of dark red. I have noticed that Stardust almost always identifys the colour green incorrectly but at his age it is too early to tell. When he's older, I will probably have to get him formally tested.)

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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Brown paper packages

So another parcel arrived in the post today - Happy Birthday to meeeeeeee!

It was another gift from MDH (with a little help from one of my mates), sent by local store Fleur Avenue. The gift was so beautifully wrapped that opening it was so much fun. It was like having an adventure! I am really impressed by the effort put into the packaging that I just have to share it.

My birthday gift came in a mysterious white envelope addressed to me (sent by my mate). Inside it was an equally mysterious brown envelope. It was addressed to my friend...I guess she left the envelope on because it was so pretty. The envelope was decorated with a spray of foxgloves on the front...
...and marked 'Fragile' on the back.
Inside it was another brown paper package with a precious and highly relevant (ahem) reminder from Fleur Avenue on the front stamped on the front...
...and the season's greetings on the back.
Inside the brown paper package was yet another little white paper packet (!) tied up with a candy-striped string with a beautifully designed namecard on the front.
Underneath the card was another - still very relevant (ahemahem) - message from Fleur Avenue.
One would think that two paper packages would be more than sufficient to wrap a present in, but not for Fleur Avenue, oh no.

Fleur Avenue goes that extra mile to make things super-special.
'Wait!' Fleur Avenue says to us, 'There's more to come!'
Inside the little white paper packet was a very, very tiny cardboard box tied with a green satin ribbon.And inside the tiny box was...

a wee strawberry chocolate cupcake!
Or, according to MDH, a 'petit gateau au chocolat de fraises'.
I love it!!!!!
Now, wasn't that just so much FUN?

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Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Happy Birthday to me

MDH tells me that he raided my 'Nifty, pretty things' folder and got a mate of ours to help him make a few purchases from Etsy. Apparently, this lovely little gold tree and pink garnet from Feronia is the first part of a trifold birthday present which will be delivered at intervals over the next couple of days!

Wheeeeeeeee!

I'm really excited!

Update: Clarie from Feronia left a comment! Thank you for making this necklace for me! *waves*

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Tuesday, December 08, 2009

A name that's lighter than air

Today, we made a paper warbonnet which Stardust immediately dubbed his 'Windy Hat'. He wore it proudly during his evening constituitional.

He ran along the garden paths, the paper streamers fluttering and rustling as he moved. A dried brown leaf became a boat for saving flying ants that struggled in the fishpond. A fluffy stalk of pampas grass became a quill for gilding the pavement with swirling designs that changed as they evaporated. A dull grey pebble became a throne for a bright orange millipede king.

Everything is an adventure when you're 20 months old and wearing a Windy Hat.

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Saturday, December 05, 2009

Natural jewellery

I took Stardust for a short ramble around our apartment block earlier this week.
Stardust usually likes to gather interesting objects that he finds on our rambles so I thought I would help him organise his nature collection. I made him a pair of sticky bracelets out of masking tape - he was very excited about them and clasped his hands together, holding his elbows out so that the bracelets would stop sticking to each other.
I showed him how to stick fallen leaves to his bracelets. At first, he was very distressed about destroying his sticky bracelets by covering them up with leaves, but eventually he decided that the a pair of leafy cuffs would be very fashion-forward.
We walked around and he selected fallen leaves of a similar size and colour (I realised this only after we completed the bracelets). Carefully, I helped him arrange the leaves. He was very proud of them, twisting them this way and that to admire them.
After we got home, I cut the bracelets off and hung them up to dry.
A few days later, I realised that the leaves curled up as they dried and pulled away from the masking tape. When I tried to press them flat, they crumbled and I had to throw the bracelets away.
Next time, I think I will buy a jotterbook and press his finished creations within!

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Thursday, December 03, 2009

A summary of text messages

Day 1:
tscd: Our internets is bruk. The magic box has no lights.
MDH: It's only 3 weeks old.

tscd: Called the hotline. PhoneStooge told me to call the fixit place.
MDH: It's a public holiday long weekend.

tscd: It's open on Saturday at 9am.
MDH: Dammit was hoping to download the Assassin's Creed expansion pack this weekend. Whywhywhy

tscd: Tough. See you later.

Day 2:
tscd: Called fixit place. Fixit man says to bring magic box on Monday. It's not accessible by public transport.
MDH: Means you need the car.

tscd: Sorry babe.

Day 4:
tscd: Fixit place is impossible to find. Had crap morning. Baby not happy. Fixit man changed the adaptor unit of magic box.
MDH: Why didn't he give us a new box?

tscd: Apparently is a common problem with this particular type of box. Whatever, at least it works.

Day 5:
tscd: Our internets is bruk again. Magic Box displays a red light. Phonestooge from hotline sending a PhoneGenius on Thursday around 4pm.
MDH: THURSDAY?! Why are we still paying the internet bill? NOTHING WORKS.

tscd: I can get it to work
MDH: Well then do it

tscd: The red light on the box only goes away if I disconnect it from the computer
MDH: What's the good of that?!

Day 7:
tscd:PhoneGenius is here. Apparently I reconnected the wires wrongly. Not supposed to connect broadband wire into the port labelled BROADBAND. Who knew.

tscd:Now computer is fixed but the internet TV doesn't work. All is well. PhoneGenius fixing magic box now.

tscd:PhoneGenius has fixed the magic box until it has disintegrated. He is replacing the box.
MDH: Incompetence :(((

tscd:And now we have a new box which also doesn't work haha is great. Is good thing that baby is sleeping otherwise this would all be horrific.

tscd: PhoneGenius has called for backup. This is turning into a party. Maybe I should start serving cocktails.
MDH: Why doesn't the new modem work? Is it because the computer is from the UK so it doesn't speak singlish? Or are they just stupid?

tscd: No. They appear to be having a conference. It's the Modem Grand Round in here.

tscd: Finally fixed. Apparently the call centre people are morons.
MDH: Why, what happened?

tscd: Oh he kept saying to the PhoneStooge please activate the internet activate it switch it on turn it on, on it on it and the PhoneStooge kept saying huh huh. This went on for 15 min.

MDH: so is it working yet?
tscd: Yes

MDH: YAY. Too bad I'm on call today.
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