Aaron's Tongue

Aaron has started talking a lot. Plenty of words and these days, short sentences as well. We have been fairly successful at sticking to the plan of Richard speaking Mandarin to Aaron while I speak English. Since I spend most time with him, English comes more naturally than Mandarin. Thats not surprising.

What is surprising is that we've noticed that it is the Indonesian sounds that he most likes to make. He doesn't spend that much time interacting with people who speak Indonesian but the language is floating about him all day long. And these days, he seems to actively look for opportunities to speak Indonesian.

Even though his Indonesian vocabulary isn't as broad (yet), I think he even asks more questions in Indonesian than in English. Who is that? What is that? Where is it? What is this? Have you eaten? With the local accent that he's acquiring, he's going to be better than me in no time.

Yesterday, when Aaron was talking to himself in Indonesian, my mother said to me "Its so strange. Thats not even his mother tongue".

He says, "No. Aaron's tongue." And sticks his tongue out.

This little guy always has his ears pricked up and listening to the conversations around him. Its no wonder he's absorbing so much language. I wish there was some way that I could surround him with more languages. It seems so effortless to him at the moment but I'm sure this sub conscious absorption will fade with age.

Once you cut, you can't stop

I asked our family hair stylist (my mother) to give Aaron's hair a trim. Then, we thought it needed a little more taken off because it was a little uneven. Then after that, we thought he looked so good with the new short style that she should just go all the way. Now his face and head look really big but at least it keeps him cool. I like his new look.

I've been thinking of asking my mother to give my hair a trim too but after this, I'm having second thoughts. On the one hand I want to go straight to a short hairstyle but I know I'll regret it. I always do. Yes, its just hair and it will grow back but after spending years with it, you literally (and figuratively) get attached to it. I'll have to re-think that cut.

Movie Night

WOW! I just finished watching Poseidon (the 2006 version) and it was gripping! All 98 minutes of it. Maybe its because I haven't watched a good action/adventure in ages but I hardly blinked through it all and at the end of it, I just sat there thinking that it was the greatest movie ever. Of course, I know it isn't but it gave me THAT sort of feeling. I watched 'Elizabeth. The Golden Age' last week and while the costumes and sets were beautiful to look at, I wasn't saying 'Wow!' afterwards.

I've been a little starved of movies since 2006 and really must catch up. I'm not sure if I'll ever get caught up since there are plenty of movies being released this year that I probably won't get to watch but I'll start here:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
2. Casino Royale
3. The Ant Bully
4. Ratatouille
5. Hairspray
6. Lust, Caution
7. Sweeney Todd
8. The Bourne Ultimatum
9. The Golden Compass
10. Atonement

Thats all I can think of. I don't even really know whats out there anymore. Let me know your 'Must See Movies' ok.

Thursday Thirteen #5

The Numbers 1 to 13 Around Me

1) One incredibly entertaining toddler.

2) Two (and ONLY two) biscuits are used as daily 'ammunition' against Aaron during the car trip home from the gym.

3) Three month membership at the gym. I don't sign up for anything longer in case I need to leave the country.

4) Four hours is the longest uninterrupted stretch of sleep I've had in the last 19 months. I've adjusted.

5) Five different types of plants in the garden that we can eat; Okra, Winged Beans, Tomatoes, Zucchinis, Baby Cucumbers. The first two are regulars on the dinner table but we're still waiting for the other three. Those just got planted a month ago.

6) Six - Size of my shoes.

7) Seven days before my mother leaves.

8) Eight years married to Richard.

9) Nine cousins in total.

10) Ten years since I left Australia.

11) Eleven chapters left on the novel I'm reading: Red China Blues by Jan Wong.

12) RM12 (~USD3.70) is the average we pay for half a week's groceries from the local markets.

13) Thirteen pet fish.

I need a 'Mandi'

Many of the blogs I visit are written by people who live in the Northern Hemisphere. So, for the past couple of months, there has been a lot of posts on snow and how cold it is. And each time I read one of those posts, I can't help wishing I was in a place like that because of the warm weather we have here.

Now on hindsight, I should have been enjoying that 'warm' weather because its positively scorching right now. This week, we've suddenly lost the clouds and the rain, COMPLETELY. So its just a constant heat that builds up as the day progresses. Its 3.20pm now and in about 40 mins, part of the house will officially be an oven.

Enough of the complaining. I've lived long enough to know that it doesn't help. Instead, I'll just go have a 'Mandi'.

We have a shower here but I prefer to do what the locals do. The houses here have a permanent tub that is a fixture in all bathrooms. This tub is always filled with cold water. So when it gets hot, I just go in there and dump water down on me. It feels a little like being under a waterfall, except that I have to be manually scooping the water out of the tub. Thats the 'Mandi'.

A friend for Aaron

I've been on the look out for little friends for Aaron for months now. So far, I have failed to setup any play dates and the only interaction Aaron gets with other kids is on Sunday during Mass. And these days, thats very limited because I'm trying to get him to stay quiet.

All that has changed now. Aaron has a daily play mate. Meet Linmas:



The maid quit last week to look after her sick mother so I engaged this other lady to help out with the housework for a couple of hours each day. Linmas is her 4 year old son. This lady works at several homes in the neighborhood and Aaron has 'met up' with him many times while on his morning walks. They just never played together because Linmas used to hide behind trees, pillars, bushes or his mother. He's different now!



Most of their play is parallel play but they are slowly learning. Aaron tried to talk to Linmas in English on the first day but he's figured out that Linmas only understands Indonesian. So today, there was a little bit of back and forth banter but mostly it was just loud squeals (eventually screams) of excitement.

Fun Monday - The ABCs of My Happiness

Swampy's Fun Monday challenge is to pick a theme and then list down, using each letter of the alphabet, all the words, phrases or photos related to that theme.

I really had a hard time picking a theme for this challenge but in the end settled on 'Happiness' because it is what we all need and sometimes, it is easier than we think to attain it.

A - Aaron. Of course.

B - Blogging.

C - Cheesecakes.

D - Deep fried food. Unhealthy but the occasional treat definitely makes me happy.

E - Exercise. It releases endorphins.

F - Figuring out a Sudoku puzzle.

G - Giving gifts.

H - Hugging.

I - Internet. Just a few minutes can often perk me right up from any bad moods.

J - Joining online communities. Living in Palembang often has me feeling isolated but once again, the internet has solved my problems.

K - Kellogg's Special K. I love these. They are my favorite breakfast cereal.

L - Listening to Michael Buble.

M - My family. Any and all time spent with them is full of laughter.

N - Noticing something special on somebody else and complimenting them on it.

O - Overlook annoyances. Definitely easier said than done.

P - Planting my own vegetables. I started this last year and am amazed by how happy I get eating food from my garden.

Q - Q from Star Trek. All the episodes with Q are my favorites.

R - Reading a really thick fantasy novel.

S - Simplicity. I can be fussy but for most of the time, I try to keep my needs simple.

T - Talking with an old friend.

U - Using my hands. It makes me feel like I'm doing so much more and gives me a really full sense of accomplishment.

V - Visiting Friends.

W - Walking in the morning sunshine.

X - X-tra time to myself whenever Richard is home.

Y - Yellow. Its a happy colour.

Z - Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. This song always makes Aaron laugh and that makes me happy.