15 posts tagged “birthday”

it's a quiet 37th birthday for me, as it usually is. it's what i've come to expect since my birthday is just two days after christmas.

but i can't complain. my cold is almost gone and i had a quiet day with just doug and chaeli.

doug and chaeli baked me a cake and i'm about to have a delicious dinner - spaghetti and garlic bread. doug made the sauce from scratch - tomato puree, crushed tomatoes, ground beef and pancetta. the bread is a freshly made italian loaf from the bakery and the wine is my favourite spanish red.

all these things will make this day memorable.

but what will REALLY make it one not to be forgotten, is the fact that i didn't hear doug and chaeli come home from the market. and the fact that i was dosing off while watching 'love actually' when chaeli came barging into my room. and the very fact that on our 37" high definition, flat lcd screen which towers over chaeli, was the scene from 'love actually' of the two stand-ins talking to one another, in the nude, while stimulating a sex scene (as they were stand-ins for what we are to assume is a porno flick).

and it was at that exact scene, to which chaeli stops right there, front and centre of the TV and asks, "mommy... what are you watching?"

i stumble towards the remote while muttering, "uh... nothing" as i fumble to find the off button.

then, my dear five year old turns to me to say, "doesn't look like nothing."

this is how i sum up parenting. you spend all this energy to shelter your child from things they are too young to see... all the effort and energy, snubbed out in one single split second where you totally fuck up.

• the only problem with having my closet now clean and organized is that i find myself wanting to sit in it. for no particular reason. i want to just go in and plop myself in the middle of the floor. just to marvel at the beauty of how being clean and organized really revitalizes me. of course, there is still that half of a shelf and my cd collection that needs to be done. maybe i'll get some of it down tonight.

• we went to cathy's little M's 5yr birthday party yesterday. it was fun! the kids had such a blast. cath had hired a clown. and when the invitation first mentioned about a clown, i was a bit concerned. i have an irrational fear of clowns. not a phobia, per se. but they have always given me the creeps. i was happy with this clown, though. she was whimsical and cute and really knew how to create good chemistry with the kids. and the children did love her! not only did they get a ballon twisted into something they loved, she put on a great magic show that starred a cute rabit in the end. the kids got to sit on a chair have hold the rabbit on their lap for about 30 seconds each. and then, after lunch, each of them got to have their face painted of their choice. chaeli was so crazy about the clown that she said, before going to bed, that she hopes she will meet the clown again someday.

• i'm hungry. it's a weird kind of hunger. i feel like i can eat a lot today. which isn't good, really. because i know that if i allow myself to go nuts, i'll feel like complete crap at the end of the day. but, i have brought some healthy snacks so hopefully, i can stay good.

• this past friday night, we had last minute, unexpected babysitting. so, with the freedom to have a date night, doug and i both worked out (me at the gym, him outdoors for a run), meeting up at home afterwards. we felt like steak and lobster. and though i know we could have had a hundred different choices of where to dine, i suggested the keg mansion. our meal had us quite full so we decided to stroll through the village since it was just a block away from where we were. the festivities was gearing up towards pride week. there were a lot of people walking up and down the street... and better yet, so many people were sitting on benches and chairs outside various stores/cafes, just lounging, talking and people watching. some of the clubs were have drag queen competitions or just great music pumping out and into the streets. i saw one blond drag queen that looked so smart that i was tempted in taking a photo of her. i didn't though - didn't want to look like a tourist.

• on saturday, doug and i went to the gym for another workout and then headed over to an all-u-can-eat japanese restaurant to meet my parents, aunt and uncle. i'm pretty much content with the amount of sushi i injested though i feel like i didn't get my fix on spicy salmon sushi. afterwards, doug hitched a ride with my aunt and uncle because he had to go back into the city to do a recert for his first aid and cpr. chaeli and i went north to my parents' place and spent our afternoon plus dinner there.
  

• today, sunday, is probably my favourtie day this weekend. i woke up earlier then doug to fix him a father's day brunch (though he came down shortly to do the bacon - i'm a multitasker except while cooking). afterwards, we sat in the living room to finish our coffee while listening to some tunes. my aunt came over and joined us. then, we washed up, changed and headed out to get some flowers for our potted, patio garden. i just came in from potting five large pots. i pray this year, that we have more success then last year, when most of our flowers died by mid-summer. i should take some photos of them while they are still alive - just in case!

as for doug's father's day gifts, i bought him a travel set of shaving cream and after shave lotion, a large tub of shaving cream (that kind you use with a brush to lather up on your face) and the godfather trilogy.

he's quite happy considering last weekend, we celebrated his 40th birthday. i bought him a horrible histories book about scotland, the 13th warrior dvd and the mini-series dvd, lonesome dove. and, i bought tickets to see cirque due soliel KA at the mgm grand while we're in vegas. can't wait!

Scotland (Horrible Histories Special)

Terry Deary

The 13th Warrior

Lonesome Dove

Lg-ShaveCream-HR

Pd-Mens-Skin-Care-Kit-2

2 comments

it's been a crazy five years with chaeli in our lives.

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the truth of it is... there's been some very trying and challenging times.

the truth of it is... there's been some very huge ups and downs.

the truth of it is... i wouldn't have traded in these past five years for anything else.

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chaeli's been an amazing daughter. and to be honest, i think i've been an amazing mother in return.

neither of us are perfect nor should we be. but together, we keep it real. and keeping it real counts more then any amount of parenting books, groups or experts out there who claim to have most of the answers.

the party this past weekend was a success. everyone had a great time, including myself. there were 16 kids running around the big, indoor playground, screaming and just going nuts! everywhere i turned, there seemed to be another kid almost underfoot.

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3 comments

the cake turned out amazingly. my friend, corrine (website), really outdid herself this time. she said it was the most challenging cake she has ever made and i don't doubt her for a second. chaeli loved her wall-e and eve cake. she loved it so much that she got a little teary when it was time to blow out the candle - she didn't want to cut the cake but hoped to preserve it forever. luckily, corrine removed eve for chaeli to take home as her very own.

near the end, i had to stand back and appreciate how everyone seemed to be so social and relaxed. the children, who were all equally fascinated by the cake, ran off to play as soon as they had their slices, leaving the table area children-free again. i watched as my friends gathered around one end of the table and chatted away. there was something very comforting about witnessing their interactions.

have you ever felt as if a certain setting of people was more like home away from home, rather then the physical environment?

chaeli was so happy. seeing her smile and hearing her laughter made it all the more worth while.

here's to my little girl who's not so little anymore.

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well, it's the day of chaeli's 5th birthday party.

there are still quite a lot of things to do and strangely enough, i'm pretty calmn. at the moment, it's 8:30am and i'm already starting to clean the house. i would have probably postponed it until tomorrow, since it's the long weekend but figured i might as well get it out of the way. my family will be over after the party and it would be nice to have a clean house for them.

more importantly, if i clean it now, i can have the rest of the 3-day weekend to spend with doug and chaeli. and i'm hoping that the weather will cooperate so we can head to the zoo tomorrow! it would be nice to get some fresh air for a good amount of time.

doug is working out right now with our friends but when he comes home, he'll be in charge of loading all the party supplies into the trunk of our car. and then it's just a matter of having lunch, making the egg rolls, showering, dressing for the party, packing the egg rolls and then heading out. can i do this all before 2:30pm?

well, if you know me by now... failure is not an option.

• heroes is back after a nearly 2 months break. i had almost forgotten that last night was the first episode for 2009. something made me decide to double-check the starting date. thankfully, i found out 13 minutes before it started. i loved it last night. LOVED IT! and i'm sure a crap load of people will disagree as they say, "but... what happened between then and now? what's going on? why is he all of the sudden bad?"
  

• as we enter february, i'm starting to get mildly impatient for spring. it's always this time of the year in which i start to day dream about wearing sandals or not needing accessories like a hat, scarf or pair of gloves. i start to fantasize about wearing a light jacket or no jacket at all and being able to walk around without having to try and avoid ice and salted-slushy-grey-crap that stains my boots and my car. i will, however, miss winter fashion. taking off the thick jacket and other outwear necessities, it's nice to wear a sweater and dress pants made of thicker material.
  

• chaeli's birthday part is now just a week and a half away. i have everything almost ready, including the kid's napkin and paper plates which i ordered online because it took me months in finding a canadian distributor that sells wall-e products for parties. yes, this is going to be a wall-e theme party. it's also on valentines day so the whole wall-e hearts eve thing goes well together. i have everything for the lootbags though i still have to put them together. the helium balloons will be prepared by the party place. the cake is ordered - a friend of mine is making it (she runs a cake business). food is being helped by my aunt, my mom is doing one dish and we'll be providing a dish/platter or two as well (once i decide what to do - the party isn't during a meal-time so as long as we have appropriate snacks, it should do).
  

• i'm wearing my new pair of black, pin-striped dress pants which had to be shortened. i don't get it. i'm 5'7" - a considerably average height for a woman. and yet, when i buy regular-sized pants, i have to always get the hems taken in because otherwise, they just drag on the floor - even with my highest of heels! i can't buy petites because they are too short for me. why is shopping for pants becoming more and more difficult? argh! i suppose, though, that with the multitude of footwear, it's hard for the manufacturers to decide on what the right length is these days. but my heels are not on the low side. i'm wearing 2 3/4 inches at work. i just don't get it.
  

• my sims2 have been totally neglected. i haven't touched the game since christmas time. i thought i would be able to play them once a week but sadly, i've just been too busy. same with watching dvd's. i had time during the holiday which i took advantage of, and went through a mad-dash of dvd's. since then? i've managed to watch a third of 'get smart'. it's not just not having the time. but when you have to divide up your time for various things, certain activities just don't make it up the priority list. it's gotten to the point where i'm not even all that interested in watching a movie because it allocates too much of my time at once. but i do miss playing with my sims2.
  

• today is chaeli's birthday. we'll have a mini-celebration tonight at my aunt's and uncle's house, since my parents are still in florida. we'll be having hot pot and then chocolate truffle cake.

i had one favour for doug to do on his day off today... get those mini, two-bites cupcakes so that i can bring them into class tomorrow for chaeli's birthday. i asked for all chocolate if they have any. if they didn't, then just get vanilla.

he came back with one dozen chocolate and one dozen vanilla. i asked him if they only had one chocolate left but he said, "no, i just figured that it would be nice to have two different kinds."

i looked at him and said, "we're talking about 4 year olds and 5 year olds. most of them like chocolate. how do you think one is going to react when the chocolate one is all gone which they wanted, but can't have?"

"oh..."

"dude - you gotta think like a parent."

i sometimes find myself saying that to doug.

a lot.

the saga of "the parents who don't rsvp to a kid's birthday party" continues...

well, no one replied back. so i sent out two invites to the parents whom i had an idea would be better at rsvp-ing, even though they weren't classmates of chaeli's first choices. luckily, i had the two parents' email addresses because they had invited chaeli before to their kid's party and you know, gmail saves like... everything.

they both replied back right away. amazing. not more then 24 hours from when i emailed them. i really didn't think they would reply back until later this week (especially as i was emailing them on a weekend) but just had a gutt-feeling that they would reply back compared to the non-replyers (just from the little interactions i've had with these parents in general).

i'm not sending any more invites out, though. i could, really. but to be honest, i'm not in the mood to do it.

chaeli will be happy with those coming and we've explained it to her about who's now coming and who's not. while there was some disappointment, she didn't dwell on it and was still excited about the party overall.

so lets hope that those that never replied will not just show up on the day of.

say hello to my new baby...

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that's what's now coined ada and hoa's loft - the fun house. because the kids love going to the lower level (bedroom and office open concept) to run around or watch kid's movies/tv shows. For us adults, we get the upstairs with the large island in the kitchen and long dining room table for wine, appetizers (last night it was wine and cheese) and socializing, and a wall mounted, flat-screen HD LCD TV for PS3 games. i guess because the whole place is open concept, that we might segregate into smaller groups but we're still very much together.

for dinner, ada and hoa prepared the required ingredients in making vietnamese soft spring rolls.

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it was, yet again, a fantastic way to celebrate the evening of hoa's belated birthday and ada's pre-birthday celebrations. not only was dinner yummy, but part of the entertainment was watching each other create our spring rolls. it's not as easy as it sounds for those who like to stuff their spring rolle. the rice-skin on the outside is not very thick and needs to have the right amount of ingedients inside so that it doesn't burst and fall appart.

rv's ended up looking like a fat catepillar for most of the night, while mine was... well, perfection, if i do say so myself. and i do. :) i held up my second one for all to see stating that mine was restaurant marterial. ha! the years of helping my mother make chinese dumplings and wontons paid off. i suppose i just KNOW how much something can hold without giving it much thought.

we finished off our dining with an assortment of desserts with coffee or tea. i had bailey's in my coffee which was just the right way to end a great meal.