Green

Siam Paragon is a huge, posh mall. I take CJ there on weekends. Once we run into a  serendipity – old cars from Thai businessman Jesada Dejsakulrit’s decade-old, once-private collection of practically all means of transport which includes “everything from a helicopter to a London Bus, and very soon it will have a Russian-made U194 submarine.”

Mr. Dejsakulrit explains,

“apart from rare cars, I began accumulating other means of transportation such as boats and airplanes. At the time being we have about 400 cars, including an assortment of old tricycles from all corners of the globe, military and commercial aircrafts and land vehicles.”

These items are in the businessman’s home province. He “conceptualized Thailand’s very first museum of exotic cars after a trip to Hanover, Germany, famous for the Bubble car.”   The most relevant information for me as a Mom is that Mr D

“offers school children the opportunity to see these rare and exotic vehicles up close.”

So here you go Moms. Green!

Chris hosts Mommy Moments at The Mommy Journey

Orange

The way CJ enunciates ‘orange’ will stick in my mind for as long as he is in therapy. It’s cute, well, that’s a mom speaking, and if you lost something you suddenly think it was cute and all that. In the daze of events surrounding CJ’s second clinical impression which is PDD (pervasive developmental disorder) I was unable to update posts about him but I reckon I can make a little story out of this week’s Mommy Moment’s theme.

Have a look at the orange statement on this pair of Geox.  This product is like medicine. Literature is provided in the box when you take it home after purchase.  Let me share part of what it says –

Space research has led to the discovery of extraordinary materials. One such material is the Geox membrane, which, when placed in a rubber sole containing holes in its track, allows the sole to transpire and keeps the foot free of external humidity. Geox team of designers, technicians, doctors and sole manufacturers in Italy started work on this concept in 1987. In 1990 they succeeded in producing the world’s first breathable shoes. Thus Geox – the shoes that breathes- is born.

Mommy’s pair, while bearing an orange streak is sacrificially non-elitist but toenails happened to go orange to the David Foster concert weeks back. I captioned this shot on FB ‘dismembered’ from the Charice Fan Club.

Chris hosts Mommy Moments at The Mommy Journey

>Goal goalie

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Mommy Moments is where Moms muse about motherhood and show off their kids. Joys, worries, disappointments, hopes, challenges and successes are shared. Chris hosts this meme every Friday at The Mommy Journey.

Goals. What are those?… Seriously that crossed my mind. For the life of me I am probably too benign with goals. If I didn’t accomplish one, I could get so hard on myself. But goals. I play them by ear and you can bet your apron strings this will be simpler than putting on lipstick in the steering wheel while the light flashes red. 

* Home school or something else
In May this year, CJ’s developmental pediatrician suggested normal schooling. I had that followed. But my learner forms his own ideas of how he acquires education. I need to sort this out.

* Budget
Gone are the days of sitting pretty knowing money is not an issue. Four years have flown by since I signed those divorce papers and CJ got wiped out of his Dad’s bank account. There’s my appetite for travel, household name concerts, and luxury dining over dwindling cash. Last year I breezed through 5 major cities in 3 countries. No debts and I am proud of that. The goal here is to be willing to give up expensive tastes if the budget threatens to keel over.

* Emotional stability
Has life taught me anything yet? Excitement, terror, optimism, boredom are quite a handful of mix to manage. Now where is that useful thing called presence of mind?

>Technoperfect Christmas

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Mommy Moments is where Moms muse about motherhood and show off their kids. Joys, worries, disappointments, hopes, challenges and successes are shared. Chris hosts this meme every Friday at The Mommy Journey.

With the way things are going for me I know I will not be celebrating Christmas normally. This year though I got a wonderful surprise. People at home did something they rarely do and I was ecstatic! Cj did not face the camera long enough but it was okay. A boy’s got to go play I know, I know 🙂

“I am eating mani (peanut),” Cj stressed when I asked him what was he doing. He swayed his glossy hair muttering quietly ‘Mommy, Mommy…’ before he went out of the bedroom to play with cousins. My mother then took over the keyboard. Blimey! my 69-year old mother finally chatting with me online? Do I really get a rest now from expensive overseas calls? I hope Cj’s computer gets a rest too from the dust or cobweb.

Technology does a perfect job of bringing us closer to loved ones. I appreciate it more than ever.

glitterlive

Merry Christmas Glitter Graphics – Glitterlive.com

And that’s my perfect Christmas!

>So big

>Mommy Moments is where Moms muse about motherhood and show off their kids.

Joys, worries, disappointments, hopes, challenges and successes are shared.

Chris hosts this meme every Friday at The Mommy Journey.

Today’s theme got me debating if these punching bags would do.

Maybe HK skyscrapers would count. Three of the world’s tallest buildings felt lofty across the horizon. So big too.

They dwarf me much like the way challenges of mommyhood do. But then life is bigger than all these biggies. And good too.

>So little

>Mommy Moments is a meme where Moms muse about motherhood and show off their kids.

Joys, worries, disappointments, hopes, challenges and successes are shared.

Chris hosts this meme every Friday at The Mommy Journey.

Today’s topic is so little. I dug through what’s left of CJ’s offline albums and found one I scanned last night. This is one of CJ’s earliest photos. He’s just hours old. The first time I looked at my trophy, I was slightly aghast: CJ looked like a lizard. So you guessed it – little, tiny everything. Too little perhaps for a silly first-timer’s vanity.

CJ with his tiny self is pictured here with his paternal uncle who cradled him away from camera flashes. I obviously didn’t do research on photographing infants, but I’m glad I have this shot as I don’t know when are they ever going to pose again together.

CJ is not letting his recent, little obsession off his cheeky grasp. He takes it with him everywhere. I sing him, “CJ has an Ultraman, Ultraman, Ultraman…” to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb.

And these are CJ’s little men; his little sidekicks during his 6th swimming birthday party. This was when I fulfilled a promise I made to him on his 5th birthday – no more girly decors on his next cake, What was Mom thinking! and HK Disneyland to compensate for those flowers on the 5th cake that he snubbed.

To be honest I did buy one of those odd, little toys in HK to avoid a tantrum, aggh…. Boys!

>Coconut husk

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“… and you’re travelling with your daughter, Ma’am?” asked the immigration official at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He examined CJ’s passport then looked at CJ and his shoulder-length hair. The official furrowed his brow. I stifled a laugh. At Bangkok Airport, the confusion scene was similar.

CJ’s ‘normal’ hairstyle is short like most boys.

Sometimes a hair saloon would take the liberty of cutting him their version of stylish –

Once he wasn’t aware of the camera in my hand. He turned and I clicked right into his long bangs –

Round and round Hong Kong, I had no idea his hair was this long already until this photo was uploaded. Only a few hours after we arrived home, CJ’s grandma had his long hair trimmed very short.

Now he looks like a coconut husk floor scrub.

We’re doing hairstyles this week @ The Mommy Journey.

>Disney Magic

> Relying almost entirely on milk and unless starving, CJ doesn’t eat. So when I witness moments like this, I feel relieved. His recent snack choice is kechup or soy sauce. To make him eat something healthy I try these strategies simultaneously: coax, beg, threaten, set an example by eating the food myself or bribe.

“I’ll let you play all you want with Winnie the Pooh, Lion King and Mickey Mouse if you eat,” goes the motivating factor behind this episode. Ibbity-Bobbity Boo! a little mouth opens wide.

For a picky eater, this bite looks big enough to last him til the next snack time.

Snacks going on at the Mommy Journey.

>A little boy’s tiara

>It’s a week abundant with life’s little pleasures, and I’m enjoying such a great Friday mood with the FFF ladies over at Susanne’s Living to Tell the Story. If you are dropping by from Mommy Moments, please scroll down a bit; thank you. Now the highlights of my week —

1. Birthday dinner at Cabbages and Condoms. A friend put up with my fondness for dining out and exploring restaurants. C & C supports social development programs of the PDA, an organization that complements the Thai government’s effort to promote family planning.

2. Cafe de Tu. We took the sky train to get to a posh mall for dessert. There’s a lovely ambience for a slice of chocolate banana cake and a long glass of iced lemon tea. It was sheer relaxation verbalizing ephemeral wishes. From the high ceiling pretty lamps cast off a warm, soft glow making the place conducive for twilight dreams.

3. Work over lunch at Fuji. Now comes a hard, raw bit. I had to carry work to one lunch but it helped that I like Japanese cuisine and cracked 80% of the job right there on the table. Thanks to the Giver of blessings: the untouched 20% spared me indigestion issues.

4.”Everything smells so fresh after a storm.” It’s been raining on my nook. I’ve been musing over these words from one of my favorite films, Ladies in Lavender, starred in by two of my favorite actresses, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith.

5. Mommy Moments. This is a brief account of some of my fave moments with CJ, integrated as my fifth Friday fave and entry for today’s Mommy Moments theme, Wacky right below –

As I lamented CJ’s stance against being photographed, I realized that my constant attempts to click away anyway have gained a few wacky results.

On board a yacht in Hong Kong, a weary single mom was hoping to experience a lovely night watching the famous Symphony of Lights while cruising Victoria Bay. Soft music, butter cake, mint tea, silver strappy heels, it was her moment.



Fat chance. A little brat decided to grab her crowning glory.

That’s how my tiara ended up on his head…

It made me determined to snap more shots. But at The Peak the next day, CJ’s stance didn’t waver. Well, they say if you can’t beat them, join them. I did and with Auntie Chette’s perfect timing, we got this moment together.

Wacky Mommy Moments at The Mommy Journey.

>This I give to you (pamana) and birthday week highlights

>This is a 2-in-1 post today. I sort of incorporated the contents as they are related and fall into similar concepts for both memes which are equally significant to me. If you are dropping by from Mommy Moments, please scroll down. Thanks. Friday’s Fave Five, hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story is right next –

It’s probably a matter of orientation: I am used to uneventful birthdays. What I’m not used to is missing a few things. But I didn’t and this week’s faves are about what I’m thankful for the most:

1. Monday which was the day came and went peacefully. No issues at work, I ate what I wanted to eat, did a little shopping and I easily found the ‘celebration’ restaurant for tomorrow. I’m excited.

2. Greetings from good friends. I didn’t expect anyone to call or email but they did and I appreciate that.

3. A promise in the sky, woot! See heaven’s kiss on earth to boot.

4. Ticket to David Foster and Friends concert in October purchased with a 10% discount. My seat is not too close to the stage that I’d be having Peter Cetera’s heels on my nostrils, and not too far that I’d be squinching for Natalie Cole’s facial expression. I’m anticipating a lovely night with the Canadian Tenors, Ben Studdard and The Hitman himself.

5. Cj’s progress. This has to be my best birthday present. While watching a second cousin fix my mother’s dog’s leash, he uttered, “oh, it’s entangled.” The other report is that he sang Into my heart and Bayang Magiliw (national anthem) by himself last night. He also minded his homework which involved reading. I like the reading part. Selective mutism now sounds a bit less daunting. Celebrating my birthday tomorrow will be yummier.

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No, I’m not bequeathing my son a bookstore. Although the idea is wonderful and if I owned one he’d naturally inherit it when I’m gone. As I am no rich Mama, Cj will just have to settle on books that I am accumulating. One goal is to instill in him a love for reading.

Not very long ago, my ex went pensive on me, “If I die suddenly there’s — for Cj from my —. The lawyers will sort it out.” I thought of the divorce mess that Cj is caught in and quietly realized, “no hon, you go pray to your Buddha while I drop on my knees to my own God and hope that our kid develops faith in a power that will help him rise above this adversity we caused him.”

A long shot, I know. But despite the setback I’m banking on the value of non-material things for Cj to live a happy life he deserves.

See what Moms are passing on to their kids at The Mommy Journey.