Category Archives: Motherhood

Missing Out

I enjoy participating in the I Heart Faces photo challenges each week – mostly because they give me a blog topic and a reason to dig out photos that may otherwise be forgotten. And every once in a while these challenges spark a thought or reflection that may otherwise have slipped by.

This week’s challenge, “Innocent Wonder” sent me digging through photos from the past couple of months until I stopped at this one.

The obvious connection to the theme is the memory of a day with friends at the science museum. A rare opportunity spending some time with my boys as they explored with their eyes and their hands. In this photo Samuel is digging into a sand bath with his friend Patrick. Every so often he’d find a plastic animal and ask me what it was before burying it deeper under the sand or finding a suitable rock to rest it on.

But more than just a photo, this shot makes me think about moments that I am missing. When Thomas was Samuel’s age, I was blessed with a four day work week and the attention span that comes with having just one child. Thomas and I would visit the science museum at least once a month to play in the toddler area where I basked in the wonder of his learning and development and enjoyed that short, but significant, time we had together – just the two of us. I worry that Samuel is missing out on that same experience and, OK, I worry that I am missing out on it more.

I doubt there is any one person who feels as though they couldn’t do with just a little more time. My fear is that I haven’t been using mine wisely. Kei is in charge of pick up and drop off for Samuel so I took on the duty of putting him to bed each night for a little bonding time. Lately, however, I have been more worried about getting him to bed quickly and without too much frustration, rather than enjoying the short time we have together each day.

He’s only going to be two years old for a few more short months and I realize that I am missing this most precious period when his language development and curiousity for life is at its most powerful. This photo made me realize that I need to pause and take the time to bask in the wonder a little more and worry about bedtime a little less.

Wasted Weekend

The MLK long weekend had so much promise. 3 days to recharge and relax, get some things done around the house and spend a little fun family time together. We had plans for sledding, we were invited to a sushi party at a friends house, I was going to be ALONE on Monday. Yes, it definitely had promise.

But alas, Samuel’s illness that began Thursday night turned into a five day event, taking me down for a day and Kei for a few hours in the process (he got off easy in my opinion). Thomas seems to be the only one unaffected so far (banging very hard on the closest piece of wood I can find). I am starting to feel almost back to normal today, although a little weak and out of breath. Samuel woke up chatty and happy – a far cry from yesterday when he lay on the couch for hours, even while the TV was turned off.

So, needless to say, there hasn’t been a whole lot of time for blogging and taking photos between loads of laundry (about 10 loads since Thursday), looking after two boys and trying to squeeze in a little of my day job. Oh, and Kei is in week #2 of his job so him taking a day off to balance the childcare has not been an option. Feeling sorry for me yet?

OK – enough complaining. I am going to power forward and make it to Friday and then I am going to collapse in a heap. Good thing I have a girls spa weekend away in the not-to-distant future. I seriously am counting the days.

And since I haven’t picked up my camera in a while, I only have a few iphone photos to share. The boys and I managed to venture into the front yard on Monday for about an hour while the sun was shining. That 60 minutes may have been the only thing to preserve my sanity.

My Favourite Face(s)

I’m still working on my final “look back at 2010” post. So far I’ve shared favorites from the places I’ve been and the things I’ve seen. Next up I’ll share some 2010 photos of the people I love, but in the meantime I thought I’d stop by to share my favourite face(s) of 2010 for the latest I heart faces challenge.

I didn’t have to go far back to choose this photo. I took it on a train while we were on our way to Narita airport after a wonderful vacation in Japan. I just love the pure joy that you can see in their faces and this is the image I try to bring up in my mind every time they fight and cry and complain. We are blessed to have such happy children (for the most part) and I think this photo is the perfect reminder.

 

Orange Days

I have been a little lax in posting a follow up to my last post about Japan. I have one coming, just need to find the time to put it into words. In the meantime I’ll post a photograph for the latest I heart faces challenge. This week is Orange and I am pleased to say that we are surrounded by a good deal of it at the moment. Sadly Portland days have become much shorter and so I am forced to enjoy the smallest sliver of colour for about 30 minutes in the morning on the drive to work.

Oh well, at least the weekend offered me an opportunity to take one of the best shots I have managed to capture of Samuel in a long time. While 2.5 years of age brings many wonderful things such as longer conversations, the ability to dress oneself and a new appreciation for books, it also brings the frustrating necessity to scream “NO” at the sight of a camera. So I’ll take the few moments of staying still long enough for the camera when they come my way.

Cute, isn’t he? And I’m not just saying that because I gave birth to him (OK, maybe 80% of it is because I gave birth to him, but he’s still cute).

Life With Jekyll & Hyde

You never know what you’re going to get with Samuel and, OK, maybe the title is an overstatement. He doesn’t exactly turn into a terrible monster, maybe more like Oscar the Grouch.

But when this kid is ‘on’ he really knows how to charm and entertain. Take tonight when I was putting him to bed for example. We went from stories about daycare and singing do-re-mi “like music teacher” to crying because he wants just “one more” story – one more on top of the 5 “one mores” he has just had. Still, listening to him tonight was easily the best part of my day and even the crying didn’t spoil it.

A few other things I am enjoying right now:

  • Finally being able to give Thomas a bath without having to tape a plastic bag around his arm.
  • Sitting down to dinner each night and having Samuel begin to tell me about his day without even waiting for me to ask because he knows that dinner time is the time when we catch up. (“well today I played with…”).
  • The red peppers (capsicums) that are finally growing in our vegetable garden – although not sure two peppers were worth waiting four months for.
  • Thomas laughing uncontrollably while watching America’s Funniest Home Videos – while I tell him over and over that these are examples of what NOT to do. His laugh is easily one of my favourite sounds.
  • Samuel’s endless trips around the house on his “mini bike” while singing the Goodbye song from Yo Gabba Gabba – complete with Jack Black rock screeching at the very end.
  • Seeing some light (and a vacation) at the end of the tunnel, along with the promise of a little photographic inspiration. Feeling the need to break out the camera again after a short self-induced hiatus, and…
  • Little boys in kimonos.

It doesn’t get much better than that. (photo taken with iphone)

A Little Breakfast Reading

Samuel insists we turn the box around so that he can see the back of it while he’s eating breakfast.

And I’m not sure what else to say about that…

Five.

There was a feeling of coming full circle when we found ourselves returning to the place where it all began today. Well, the doctor’s office right next to the hospital where it all began anyway. I can’t believe it was five years ago today that we first laid eyes on our teeny tiny little 6lb 8oz baby. And it seemed fitting that five years after he first gave us a scare with his dramatic entrance into the world, Thomas would scare us again by falling out of a tree. As a side note, on Saturday night at the emergency room Kei asked Thomas how it happened. With tears in his eyes, Thomas looked at Kei and said “It was because you weren’t watching me.” Now that’s a guilt trip. Here’s the boy in his new black plaster cast. He chose the color himself although of course I fully support anything that shows less dirt. As Thomas’ turns five, it’s a good time to reflect on a few things that have changed – and some that have stayed the same – over the past year:

  • Star Wars went from casual interest to full blown obsession. Star Wars lego is taking over the house and the Wii game is a regular opportunity for father/son bonding.

  • Brothers became friends – and then hated each other – and then became friends again (on a daily basis).
  • Thomas was in his first wedding and almost walked down the aisle on his own.
  • A lot of trees were climbed – some adventures more successful than others, of course.

  • We all learned how to sing “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” in Japanese, although only Thomas knows every word.
  • The cobwebs finally came off the skuut. (Razor scooter still sits in the shed).

  • We have apparently outgrown cutesy clothing (at least that’s what I’m told).
  • We started to see a little attitude.

  • Although I’m pretty sure I know where is comes from.

  • Favorite foods are Rice, Natto, Nori, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit snacks and chicken tenders (the last one is influenced by cousin Cameron).
  • Favorite things to watch have changed through the year but stand outs are Sid The Science Kid, Dinosaur Train and anything related to Star Wars that is NOT the movie. I am sticking to my guns on that last point, although parodies by Weird Al and Dancing Chewbacca’s on YouTube are OK.
  • We spent a number of Saturdays playing Soccer AND Baseball (with lots of running)

  • George is still his very best friend which proves that there’s still a baby in there – and I am holding on for dear life.

Happy birthday to our littlest Jedi. May the force be with you.

Saturday Captions

“Don’t. Take. My. Picture!”

“See? Sometimes we do play well together…”

“And then the moment passes.”

“OK – you’ve got 5 seconds and then I want to see the picture on your camera and we’re not all going to look at once so you’d better get used to it.”

Stages in Child Development

There are many ways to break a parents’ heart – as experienced first-hand in the Ishida House.

How to do it at 2 years old.
“I do it myself”
“Go Away Mummy!”
“Leave Me Alone”

How to do it at almost 5 years old
“If you don’t let me [insert request here] then I’m not going to love you anymore”
“I’m mad at you and don’t like you very much”
“I’m going to take my heart out of my body so I don’t have to love you anymore” (I blame this one on an, otherwise wonderful, book we’ve been reading).

Good thing it’s balanced out with the occasional hug, kiss and “I love you”