Fun In The Middle Of Nowhere

I was too tired last night to get my post done. We spent the day in the bush. Well, it looked like the bush but it wasn't really. This place was only about 15 mins drive from the Gympie town center but it really looked in the middle of nowhere.



We went there for a Clogging Christmas Party. Obviously I'm not clogging right now but I still like watching and Aaron seems to enjoy it too. It didn't matter that the temperature must have been in the mid 30 degrees Celsius and that the low roof you see there was made of zinc. Everyone had a fan in hand and was still having a blast. Its great that these people are so enthusiasitic that they don't let these 'minor' discomforts stop them. My parents included!

We packed frozen drinks, a box of popsicles for Aaron and a stack of frozen towels to hang around our necks. Aaron was the only little kid there but most of the crowd were grandmothers so he was kept entertained. Or maybe he was entertaining them, I'm not sure. Either way, we all had a good time.

It took us nearly two hours to get there and then we were in the heat for about four hours but Aaron was surprisingly well behaved. I nearly didn't go because I thought I'd have a miserable time trying to control him and stop him from being a pest to all the people there. But, he surprised me. Isn't that always the case?

He's Feeling Christmassy

The house that we are in now is the same house that we have lived in since my family moved here in 1988. Yet, this year is the first year that there is a Christmas tree in it. I remember that we did put up a tree in Malaysia each year but when we moved here, we didnt' move the tree.

I love the Christmas season and all the giving and good cheer that it comes with. My parents never saw the need for us to have a tree by the time we moved here and really, I don't think its all that important either. Its just something nice to have. However, Aaron has been so enamoured with all the Christmas trees and other decorations in the malls that I thought it would be nice to get one for our house too. So, we now have a tree with lights, a bit of tinsel and a few ornaments. Its not a super fancy tree but you should see how excited Aaron gets about it, especially when I turn the lights on.

The next thing I need to do is start playing all my Christmas carols CDs. Thats my favourite part of this season.

We'll definitely be doing some Christmas shopping but I'm trying my best to teach Aaron that it is the season of giving instead of receiving. I know he'll automatically get excited about receiving presents but at least he should know that the joy comes from giving too.

The strange thing about Aaron, for now, is that he isn't all that interested in Santa Claus. He knows about the bearded old man and how he leaves his home in the North Pole once a year to distribute presents but somehow, he's not all that excited about him yet. And, I'm not encouraging. I won't shatter the idea of Santa Claus but I'm not going to play it up either because its probably something that will happen naturally anyway. What won't happen as naturally is remembering that Christmas is about the birth of Christ, so I am talking about that a bit. I've also noticed that two malls near us have the nativity scene displayed too.

So far, its been a lot of fun sharing in Aaron's awe at all things Christmassy. It has always been my favourite time of the year and it has become even more enjoyable now that we have an older Aaron to share it with.

Thanksgiving Where There Is No Holiday

There is no Thanksgiving Holiday here in Australia but I thought it would be nice to reflect on some of the things that I have to be thankful for anyway.

I know I am blessed in a hundred different ways and have always been. My life has always been happy and worry free. I never had everything I wanted but I did have everything I needed. So, there are plenty of materialistic things and achievements that I am thankful for. But, the thing that I am most thankful for in my life is my family. Everything in my life has been possible because of this fantastic family that I have.

Of all the people I know, I feel as if I have the best parent-child relationship around. Throughout my life, I have enjoyed their company as much as my friends. There have been times when I have invited my dad along to outings with peers just because I know that he will make the trip more fun. My mother has been the most supportive grandmother while at the same time the least critical. There are lots of obvious benefits to us living here in their house but I am thankful to be able to live so happily with them. The house is big enough so that everyone gets their privacy but we still we have fun every day. We do things together and we respect each other.

I'm also thankful to have the most patient husband in the world. Yes, I was just complaining a couple of days ago about how he is having a holiday while I never get one but I know that I couldn't have found a better partner in life. And we have Aaron. I am more than thankful for having him around. How can someone be so cute and so infuriating at the same time? How can he make me so angry yet make me love him so much at the same time? So, my own little family is also the most fantastic in the world :P

And I can't forget my brother. Its just crazy to think that we argued every day growing up and yet we chat like best buddies every day now. I actually found an old notebook from primary school where I had given myself some lines to write. It said "I hate XXX XXX". I must have really hated him back then yet I'd do anything for him now.

So, thats my self indulgent post for today.

Back Talk Expected

No, Aaron isn't quite doing it yet but sometimes he really says things that make me wonder what I'm going to be in for in the future. I think its safe to categorise him as a chatty little boy. When we're at home, he talks the whole day long, non stop. If there is nobody to talk to, he just talks to himself. When we go out, its still unpredictable. Some days, he'll start a conversation with a complete stranger and other days, he won't say a word, even if its to one of my friends that he has had previous conversations with.

I think all children go through the annoying phase of talking back to their parents. I know I sure did and one day, Aaron is going to do the same to me.

Today, I heard my mother asking him to pick up her blanket because he had deliberately pushed it to the floor. He says, "Why? Its yours." Its a rude answer but in a way, I think I'm to blame because I always tell him to pick up things and when he asks "Why?", I tell him that its his stuff.

Anyway, this goes further. He leaves the room and comes to me while my mother is speaking to him. And when I ask him why he just left like that when somebody was speaking to him, he says "Now I can't hear her. She expects me to pick up her blanket."

At least he told me why he did it so it was easier for me to turn the whole thing into a learning experience on what sort of behavior is unacceptable. I honestly never expected my sweet son to have such rude thoughts and intentions!

So, this situation wasn't exactly back talk but somehow, it made me think that if I'm not careful, I'm going to be in for some seriously hurtful talk from him. At least he's still very receptive to people teaching him right from wrong at this moment. And, I know I have to cut back on my own sarcasm and uncharitable remarks.

What if MEN got PREGNANT?

I'm starting my countdown. No, not to the EDD (estimated due date) but to next Tuesday when Richard arrives. Right now, he's having a holiday in Malaysia. Let me repeat that:

HE'S HAVING A HOLIDAY.

As in a real one where he gets to sleep in, meet up with friends, go shopping, go out to eat, basically do whatever he likes without a kid in tow. Without even a kid to go back to at the end of a couple of hours out.

Well, I'm hoping my holiday starts when he gets here. I'm not hoping, I KNOW its starting next Tuesday. After all, six weeks after that and I'll probably be starting my next stint in hard labor (both types).

In the mean time, I came across these few jokes on what the world would be like if men got pregnant:

~ Maternity leave would last for two years....with full pay.

~There would be a cure for stretch marks.

~Natural childbirth would become obsolete.

~Morning sickness would rank as the nation's #1 health problem.

~All methods of birth control would be 100% effective.

~Children would be kept in the hospital until potty trained.

~Men would be eager to talk about commitment.

~They wouldn't think twins were so cute.

~Briefcases would be used as diaper bags.

~Paternity suits would be a fashion line of clothes.

~They'd stay in bed during the entire pregnancy.

~Restaurants would include ice cream and pickles as main entrees.

~Women would rule the world.

He Wants To Go Back!

Aaron and I spend quite a bit of time chit chatting in bed some mornings. Usually, the time is spent answering the hundreds of questions he seems to have about the world.

This morning was a little different. Out of the blue, he says to me "Mama, I remember what our room in Palembang is like. And I remember your desk outside with your computer on it. I think I'd like to go back to Palembang."

He wants to go back?! After all the fun he's been having every day here?? I thought he had forgotten about the place. Richard left Palembang a few days ago and is spending some time in Malaysia with his dad before coming here. Somebody else has already moved into our house. And he's talking about going back.

I've explained to him many times that we're living in Brisbane now but I knew all along that he didn't really get the idea of changing home base. Poor little guy, he thought we were just here for one of our holidays and that eventually he'll go home.

He seemed genuinely disturbed for awhile as I explained to him again that maybe one day, a looooong time from now, we'll go back to visit Palembang. But of course, he's three years old, easily distracted and has his most important person with him - ME.

We had another great day in Brisbane today with a relaxing afternoon listening to a band in a park. He's now off for a bicycle ride with his grandfather by the river. These days, I don't exactly miss Palembang but I still have so many fresh happy memories about the place. I think maybe it is the same for Aaron - which is touching.

A Calendar For Activities!

I still can't get over how many kids activities there are each week here. Right now, I'm using a calendar to keep tabs on everything coming up each week. With Christmas coming up, there is going to be even more. And the best part of this all is that so many of these cost absolutely nothing!

My favourites are all the concerts and there are plenty of free ones. Something is going on in a park somewhere almost every weekend and we have been going to quite a few of these.

Today, we went for one that I had bought tickets for. It was AUD10 per person for the Christmas Capers by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. AUD10 isn't a lot of money but initially, I still wondered why I decided to pay that instead of just enjoying all the free concerts.

Well, I don't regret it at all and I'm already on the look out for another one of these Kiddies Cushion Concerts to take Aaron to. It was fun, had some educational value and tailored specifically for little kids. And of course, the orchestra was good. Its been such a long time since I've listened to any orchestra indoors that I was already thinking "WOW" when they started tuning! They played all fun pieces and had singing and dancing in between. It was of course all very casual and lots of kiddy jokes.

A few weeks ago, whenever I took Aaron to any place where there were many other little children, he seemed very tense and unsure of the crowd. As if he wanted to be part of them but didn't know how. Thats the downside of not going to school and so far, not having any group activities to go to. The upside is that he's picking up fast and today he was joining in and enjoying himself like everybody else. Phew! Thank goodness for all the free kids activities around Brisbane. I still try to balance him with plenty of time at home but these upcoming Christmas activities are irresistable.