Get Well Aidan

We're currently in the UK for our winter break. we enjoyed the boxing day sale but unfortunately we're down with some kind of bug. Hardy was down first, and then i was down almost the whole day, and then it hit Aidan.

It is seriously worrying to see your son down. he's having fever, temp of 39.5c, very chesty cough, running nose and diarrhea. extremely clingy, he wants Hardy most of the time, no appetite and whines a lot. very unlike him. i suspect this could be his last stage of teething, or it could be simply the winter bug. he now sleeps on the bed with us, hopefully it'll help. but despite feeling sick, he can still laugh and play. but still.... we are worried, i am still worried sick. this is actually the first time he'd ever been sick like this.

We brought him to Warwick Hospital's A&E last night as his tempreture went up again and got him some new meds. no infection, just a virus, hopefully, he'll get better very very soon, before our journey back to NL.

I have been worrying and crying and not to mention had very little sleep. and at times like this, it made me realize more that money is not everything, health is. and at times like this, your partner needs to be as strong and calm if not, even stronger and calmer. at times like this, you really need to pull yourslf together, for the sake of the child. at times like this, nothing is more important, no sale is worth going, no place you'd rather be than to be with your son.

Get well soon Aidan. i love you very very much.


Z

To Leon & Marianka

Having been in this country for 2 years now, we are very fortunate and blessed to have known good people who then became good friends. but there's 2 of them that we cant personally send them a card, or wish them our warmest geetings and give them a big hug because they're currently in a different continent (you're missing the good frost here guys!).

2 wonderful people, a handsome couple - LEON & MARIANKA.

Since we cant send you any cards, since you guys are busy travelling asia and enjoying each other's company and creating fond, special memories together, here's a wish for you both, a MERRY CHRISTMAS filled with lots and lots of love and warm wishes.

Enjoy your holidays and we hope to see you guys when you're back. sending you all our love, lots of hugs and kisses!!

Here Comes The Tree

It is honestly, the most festive and wonderful time of the year. although we dont celebrate christmas but we can actually 'feel' the mood that everyone's in. its wonderful to see lights all lighted at most houses and shops. i was in Geleen when they put up their tree at the square. no fuss, no mess, it was done very quick and efficiently. the police escorted the trailer to the town and everybody stood there in the cold to watch 8 men putting up the big huge tree.





Almost every cities will have their christmas tree at their squares, complete with lights and decorations. we're talking about huge, big, massive trees! just look at the size of this one!

See! told you it was a big one!

Where? there, where the logs are. how? well, i was as puzzled myself! they put it in the manhole! cleaver bunch of people!

Look! a flying tree!!

Slowly... easy does it! and by this time, my ears were frozen, fingers were numb and legs were so stiff. mind you it took almost an hour and a half for the tree to reach its final destination, upright and standing tall from the begining of the road.

Tadaaa!!! the smell was simply breathtaking. the tree smells really really gorgeous, foresty nice kind of smell. the tree is now lighted and enjoyed by the residents and visitors of Geleen.

Z

Here Comes The Frost

We have been waking up to frosty mornings for almost a week. tempreature below freezing, a high of 0 celcius to -2 celcius during the day. it's been really REALLY cold. the thing about winter is, you dont feel like going out at all! home is definitely the best place to be during this time of the year. all warmed up, enjoying suchard hot cocoa, thick wooly socks, wrapping ourselves with fleeces, and eating warm meals...

This was our back garden, taken a few mins ago.

Cold means dry skin. putting the heater on keeps us warm but what it does is, it sucks all our moisture from our skin. but i'm all stocked up with creams and oils. and this is just december! winter will peak in january and i should think that is when it will probably snow.

We now have to put the car in the garage otherwise we'd have to scrap off all the frost. and the first thing i put on when i'm in the car is our butt warmers! ;) helps to have one in your car!

We now take an extra 10 mins dressing up, wrapping ourselves up with layers and layers. especially Aidan. i'll make sure i'll bundle him up, make him all puffed up! but he's doesnt seem to like his gloves! a little bit of a problem for me when bringing him out. but hopefully he'll see (and feel) why he needs to have his gloves on.

If you're in a tropical country, enjoy the sun! and if you're somewhere this part of the world, do wrap yourselves warm this winter!

Z

A Dutch Tradition (and slightly a late edition from me)

It is now december, it is now very cold, christmas lights are up, shops are busy this time around, trees are very well lighted, christmas markets are on, parades welcoming christmas are well underway, christmas cards are almost out... but here, in the netherlands, december means sinterklass and christmas.

Anyway, i know this is late news. as sinterklass was almost a couple of weeks back. but here's just to share, on the dutch tradition.

Every eve of 5th of december, children look forward to opening their gifts. no, not quite christmas, but yes, its Sinterklass. Sinterklass or Saint Nicolaas, is a tradition in the Netherlands (and certain parts of Europe) where kids will get to unwrap their surprises from the sint (like santa claus). the sint arrives the kids get 2 bites at the annual presents! lucky them!

Sinterklass traditionally arrives from spain, by a steamboat. he wears a red long robe and with a tall hat. a little bit more religious than santa claus. he will visit everyone with parades welcoming him and his helpers zwart piet (black piet). zwart piet will throw tiny round cookies to the children.

And what they normally do is, kids will put carrots or apples in their shoe near their chimney (should they have one), or in the living room for zwarte piet to take. . they will then place presents for the kids in return. its really nice to learn of other tradition.

Our friend Mush writes well on siterklass (you'd probably have to scroll down a bit). you can either read her take on it here or click here, to learn more on sinterklass.

Aidan brought home some presents from school and they made him a hat as well. piet's hat. we would certainly want aidan to learn and respect other traditon and cultures. and its really nice to see kids happy smiling away, and parents creating memories for them to remember by.

Z

A Different Phase, A scarry Place!

I've noticed different behavior patters of Aidan. when he wants things, when he's distresss, when he's angry and hungry, when he's happy, moody.. theres a reaction and with it comes a certain look on his face.

He sometimes gets upset when he doesnt get what he wants, he'll make his "ah" sounds indicating what he wants, while holding out his right hand. i repeatedly said to him, if you want something, "ah" is not the word. say "please". i know its way too soon for him to actually say the actual word but something of that sort would be fine too (in other words, apart from "ah").

(this was his face showing off his teeth, not when he's upset, didnt have the camera with me when he's upset)

After giving him the plastic bottle he wanted, he then left me for his space, fiddling with it, trying to put the cover back on. i then sat on the sofa, while resting my back and observed.




"My god, this is it".... i thought to myself. the period of taking care is over, it is now how we bring him up. it is now all about upbringing.


Dont get me wrong, taking care is not over completely. it will never be over eventhough after they are married and moved out of the country (for some). you'd still have to take care of them, in many many other ways. you still do take care of them now but now i suppose, lesser. they no longer just milk, burp and poo. they have those tiny little feet that walks around the house and climb the stairs, they have that tiny little hands that picks up even the itsy-est bit of dust, they would react and respond. no more just feeding them, cleaning them and burping them. now it includes chasing, explaining and reasoning.


Little that i know that we have entered "the next phase". one scarry place!! we would want him to have certain values, manners at the same time, be himself. the daunting bit now starts and i am adjusting my tone of voice, my manners, my actions, EVERYTHING!




And i have also noticed the need to incoporate routine - after meals, take the plate to the sink, wash your hands, wash your month, wipe your hands, wipe your mouth. and before going to bed, wash your face, brush your teeth, not to mention the use of words such as dank u well (thank you), together with alstublief (please).




We decided not to use the word "no" that often to him but use other phrases instead. "no" is much much easier to say, one syllable! but it will create a lot of "whys" later on. so, in order to prevent having to explain a lot of "whys" later, we'd better cut down on our "nos". have to be rajin a bit lah! i'm getting there..


Come to think of it, it's scarry. it is now how we bring him up. Bringing Up Aidan. Bringing up our son Aidan.

Roots and Wings

Its back to being just the 3 of us now. and now Hardy is at work, i'm at home alone with Aidan now napping before going to school for half a day. mum and dad had left for the UK to my sister's last saturday morning. i sobbed uncontrollably as soon as we got home from the airport. the house now seems too big for us. i miss them both. i miss their voices, i miss the noises, i miss going out with them, i miss the smell of dad's cooking, i miss going to the craft shops with mum, miss going to the chippy every tuesday afternoon, i miss them playing with Aidan, i miss Aidan's laugh laughing at them, miss saying good night and good morning to them... but most of all, i miss having conversations with them on the dining table.

Eversince i was young, we have always had good conversations during our meals. the advices, the lectures, the gossips, the examples, the laughs. sometimes the best advise given to us are by our own parents, without you realizing it.

The topic of camping came up one fine evening, while we were having dinner. Hardy mentioned he wants to take Aidan to the woods (a real forest) for a camping trip when our son's bigger, it'll be a thrill - he claimed. i struggled to see his point. being a person who has never gone camping, and a person who watches too many scarry tv programmes, i tried compromising by saying i'd be more than happy to make our back garden a forest for the 2 of them, i'll plant some big plants and play voices of the earth cd and make a huge tent, i'll cook dinner and they can place them on the bonfire... they can camp outside! i'll be happy.

Apprently that's not Hardy's idea of camping. that's not his idea of survival. his idea of camping is to pee and poo in the woods, use leaves to wipe their bums, eat whatever they can find in the jungle, get bitten by nyamoks and god knows whatever bugs out there, not sleep comfortably on a matress, sleep next to some creepy crawlies which they might probably not know of their names, be on the lookout for animals... and god knows whatever else...

Being an ex RMC boy, dad agreed on going camping. we exchanged laughs and they listened to me reasoning out. and then he said:

"Adik, as parents, you'd want to give your children roots and wings. strong roots so that he'll be stable. and wings for them to be free and fly experiencing the world. one day you will have to let him go and let him do his things."

I cant imagine letting my son fly. i cant even bare to be apart from him for one night, let alone see him fly and see the world, or get married for that matter! i then conclude and come to terms with the issue of bringing Aidan camping - it all boils down to roots. it is therefore really important to have such good roots. good solid roots so that when he flies, you will feel confident and rest assured and hopefully he'll have roots to fall back onto.

Thanks dad, thank you mum for giving us solid roots and strong wings. we miss you both very much and cant wait to see you for christmas!

Z