One year later

We took him on his very first beach outing a few weeks ago.  He loves the feel of the sand and very much enjoyed stomping around in the shallows.

I decided to roll out the red carpet for an old friend who was back for a flying visit.  I laid the table,  Martha stylie and managed to cook lunch for 6.  The menu included a wonderfully rich ricotta dip, Martha’s crunchy chicken salad, vegetable pasta and chocolate cuppies for dessert.

They couldn’t get enough of these :)  I even packed some for them to takeaway and indulge at home.

The bub’s sitting on the guest of honour’s shoulders.  He seemed to enjoy having people round and couldn’t stop staring at everyone.  He’s also learning to socialise and laughed along every time we laughed.

There was also a wedding.  The bub stayed home as we were concerned about the crowds and H1N1.  I played with my camera’s slow sync flash at the party and captured some ghostly images.

 

We celebrated one whole year of Little Mister JD Keasberry the Sunday before his actual birthday.  I indulged my inner Martha and baked him a chocolate cake.  Unfortunately he wasn’t allowed to indulge because the recipe contained coffee.  Bad mommy!

On Saturday night we mourned the passing of the King of Pop and the blonde Charlie’s Angel.  I cooked, baked, set up our patio and lit the candles for a night under the stars.  It was a wonderfully breezy evening and a good time (I hope) was had by all.

We bought a 6 foot paddling pool and hauled it out yesterday for a dip as nature intended. 

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A Mother's Prayer

Dear Lord, I need your help today.
I want to care for those you've sent into my life,
to help them develop the special gifts you've given them.

But I also want to free them to follow their own paths,
and to bring their loving wisdom to the world.

Help me
to embrace them without clutching,
to support them without suffocating,
to correct them without crushing.

And help me to live joyfully and playfully, myself,
so they can see your life in me and find their way to you.
Amen.

It’s a fine balance *sigh*

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The answer is KIDO’Z

I stumbled across KIDO’Z today.  Now I can sleep easy.

Yes, I know that the bub will not be using the internet in the immediate future but it never hurts to be prepared. 

If we don’t take responsibility for our children, who will?

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IMPACT

 

The International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats is the first global public-private initiative against cyber-terrorism.  In September 2008, the International Telecommunications Union declared that IMPACT’s global HQ in Cyberjaya, Malaysia will become home to ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Agenda.  This includes ITU’s Child Online Protection initiative.

Yesterday ITU celebrated World Telecommunications & Information Society Day.  The purpose of WTISD is to raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and ICT can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

The theme for WTISD 2009 is Protecting Children in Cyberspace which aims to ensure that children can safely access the Internet and its valuable resources without fear of falling prey to unscrupulous predators in cyberspace.

What does all this have to do with me you may ask?  Well, as a parent, the internet and ICT has now provided another item to my list of things to worry about.  I admit to being a horrible parent on occasion and playing You Tube clips of Pocoyo and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and sometimes playing Baby Einstein dvd’s to distract the bub momentarily.  Doing this I can always be sure that whatever the bub views is ok by me but what happens when he gets old enough to surf the internet and buy dvd’s on his own? 

2 of the munchkins now have email addresses and mobile phones of their own.  Now, these are 7 year old girls.  Prime target for naughty people out there.  When it comes time for the bub to have a email and mobile phone of his own, how do I police his activities?

It’s all well and good to say teach him responsibility and that every action has its consequences but in this big bad world which is getting bigger and badder thanks to the internet and globalisation of everything possible, how can a parent sleep at night knowing that their little ones are safe and not consorting with unsavoury characters through the new means of communication the internet has brought. 

How do we keep the big bad wolf from our door?  Being a reasonably educated person I am aware of the usual precautions one can take to protect oneself – don’t give out personal details, always shop on secure sites, use a net nanny, install firewalls blah blah blah..but what can I do to mitigate that random element of human behaviour?  Not much I would think.  This is where I should fall back on faith and trust that the big guy in the sky has a plan for all of us and ultimately will (crossed fingers) keep us safe.

The ITU has a global cybersecurity initiative.  Do we?

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3 months later

It’s been awhile hasn’t it?  No apologies. No explanations.  I’ve just been a busy busy busy bee.

The girls and I spent an afternoon with Bobby Chinn.  There was cooking and wooden spoons were signed.  Image compliments of Mr.KDA.

I baked 2 batches of Ben 10 cupcakes for a little boys birthday.  Black frosting isn’t very pretty.  There was also a request for another few batches from the munchkins for their birthdays.

My Project 365 didn’t even make it to the 3 month mark!  I got too busy and lost inspiration.  It’s awfully draining to do the same things everyday.  It’s also heartbreaking to see the same pile of papers on your desk everyday no matter how much work you do :(

I’ve done my little bit for charity.  Image by Senor Pablo.  More here.

The bub is growing bigger by the day.  He’ll be 1 soon.  He crawls like a commando and has delusions of walking.  It seems like just yesterday I was in the labour room. 

Isn’t it amazing what an egg and a little sperm can do?  Maybe it’s time to work on another?

Nothing you read and noone can ever prepare you for being mommy.  I’m still learning everyday.  I’ve spent the past few months obsessing over his diet – what foods to introduce, when to introduce, is it mushy enough, maybe it’s too mushy, how does it taste and so on and so forth.  It got to the stage where I just didn’t have the energy anymore and powers beyond my control took it out of my hands i.e. both grandmas have this well under control.

Work sent me away from the bub and other half for 5 days last week.  I was good.  I didn’t cry when we were apart but I now have new appreciation for technology and what it can do.  I made sure we video called almost everyday so I could see the bub and other half MMS’d me photos too.  The bub must have been wondering how mommy got into the phone because he kept pointing at the screen and looking confused.  Like all absent parents, to make up for being away I shopped for him.  He is thoroughly enjoying his guitar and cymbals – I, on the other hand, regret buying the latter as he loves the clanging the cymbals at ungodly hours of the morning and demands they be brought to him if they’re not in his cot when he wakes.

The bub has started testing boundaries.  He’s raising hell when we try to put him in his carseat but once he’s been strapped in he’ll happily stare out the window watching the world go buy.  He really knows how to yank at my heartstrings by fake crying.  It looks like real crying for all intents and purposes but has no tears and can stop at an instant.  I am slowly hardening my heart to deal with this.  I shall (try) not (to) let the bub manipulate me.

I am happy to be back in heels and have bought a Minkhoff MAM in Cranberry to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Actually, I just needed an excuse to buy a new bag and Mother’s day was as good as any.  It’s actually a very practical bag as it can fit a few of the bub’s toys, a spare bib and flannel and his sippy cup for short jaunts so there’s no lugging the handbag plus a diaper bag.  This is what other half would call trying to justify its existence.  I call it rationalising.

Mr. KDA, Miss Livieish and I have also started a new project.

It’s just a little fun between friends.

Until next time.

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How time flies

Writing in a state of total relaxation is not a luxury I can afford these days.  The old cliche of so many things to do and so little time really holds true.  I barely have time to shower let alone blog!

A quick photo update then :)

3 generations:  Grandpa K, Papa & John-John.

John-John likes to eat duck.

He also now fits into the swim ring with the assistance of the BSC's little green galumph frog stuffed in back to keep him in.

This time last year.

In the pink.

Aren't they pretty?

Happy Birthday to Mr. H.O. Lee!

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Gong Xi Fa Cai

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