Showing posts with label Birthdays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birthdays. Show all posts

Friday, December 20, 2019

Pre birthday birthday party

I didn't feel like doing anything large this year for Kien's birthday party. It's just too hard at this time of the year. I asked him what he wanted to do, and he was really keen for a room escape challenge. So last Sunday that's that we did with a small group of his close friends. They truly are such an eclectic mix, which makes it very interesting when they get together.





We had to split the group into 2 teams to go to 2 separate rooms. Kien was in a room called "The Bach" and the other group went to "The Shed". They had an hour to solve clues to open locks and get out. I was locked in with Kien's group, and they were so excited throughout the whole thing. We managed to get out, but with lots of help from the game master, and with extra time as well.

















All round we had a great day. Kien and his friends enjoyed it - that's the main goal. Tick, another parental obligation fulfilled.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Kien's birthday party

Last weekend we had Kien's birthday party to celebrate him turning 9 at the end of the year. It's always difficult to juggle a late December birthday (as far as I'm concerned), and everything gets frantic leading up to Christmas. We were very lucky for amazing weather.

Jef took Kien to his cricket match in the morning while I finished off decorating the cake. When they came home Kien was very happy with his cake.



Kien decided once again that he wanted to share his birthday party with one of his best buddies, Naotaka, which is great because then I didn't have to do all the work. This year the piñata was hand crafted by Ayako, and we shared the responsibility with food.





We played classic party games like pass the parcel and treasure hunt. They had water balloon fights and jumped into the spa to warm up again.

















Candles stabbed onto cake by children, then lit by anyone who was keen.









I let Kien do the first cut of the cake since he was really keen for it. He's had lots of experience up at our ngahere in the glades chopping woody weeds down with the machete, so I can trust him with a giant knife...



After everyone devoured the cake (I didn't even get a slice - it must have been good!) Jef strung up the piñata and supervised as they all took turns bashing the thing.











Such a fun afternoon. I feel very fortunate that we are able to provide these experiences for Kien. This will contribute to his childhood memories, and adds to my fulfilment as a parent.

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Eight

We had gone to bed really early the night before. It was not yet half past eight and the child was already showered and brushed. Plus he had sellotaped a note to the bedroom door stating that no one could enter until it was his bedtime. So of course it was his bedtime! He had surprised me by making the bed and tidying the room, and he went into great detail explaining how he did it, and why. “Because I love you, and you like surprises, and I like to surprise you.”


I was tossing and turning through the night, and woke up at almost 3am. Wow, this time 8 years ago I held him in my arms for the first time, and now here we are, lying like logs side by side, sometimes like out stretched branches that interlock and catch on one another through the rythm of slumber and restlessness. We sometimes switch beds 2 or 3 times in a single night as he likes the security and closeness of my arms blanketing him. I’m torn between feeling smothered and feeling loved, but I know this time in our lives is very brief.


I sang happy birthday to him this morning when we woke up. His face lit up and he threw his arms around my neck and schmooshed his face up against mine. “I really love you, Mummy.””You know, 8 years ago you made me a mummy.”


Jef surprised him this morning with a giant helium balloon in the form of the letter K. “K for Kien!” We FaceTimed Jef and he said he needed to explain the presents that were wrapped up under the balloon. I suggested that maybe Kien might want to open his presents when daddy got home. He agreed wholeheartedly.


My darling, Kien. It’s been a big year of growth, and I love watching him blossoming in front of me. I love getting texts from him.

I love how he waves to me every single morning from his classroom window until we can’t see each other anymore.


I love finding notes that says “to mummy” and inside the folded up paper are these drawings.


He’s a sweet little boy who grinds his teeth and thrashes around in his sleep. He loves his beyblades, Donald Duck cartoons, Dr Seus stories, YouTube, berries, spotty bananas. He’s feisty and makes up the silliest of jokes. He is a Kien, the Kien, our Kien, my little kiwi koala...and he is now Eight!

Friday, December 30, 2016

Seven

My baby boy is now SEVEN. His little face with his missing front tooth peered out at me from under the covers yesterday morning, smiling, excitedly asking, "is it really my birthday, today?". I nodded, and he was like, "SEVEN, I'm now seven!", as if it was the best age to be, ever! Then I looked at my Fitbit and told him that this time 7 years ago I was waiting for him to sleep, that his daddy had just driven us from the hospital to Birthcare, and he was lying in his cot looking at me with those enormous eyes, blinking, staring, not sleeping. The nurses checked in on us, one at a time, hour after hour, exclaiming how he should be asleep by now. Little did I realise this was going to be my life for the next few years! He giggled after I told my story, telling me it was very funny. Then he threw his arms around my neck and pulled my face close, squeezed tightly and gave me a kiss, and asked for the iPad.

He was a palaeontologist after breakfast, slowly chipping away with his hammer and chisel to dig out the bones buried in the clay brick. This kid has been interested in dinosaurs for as long as I can remember. He even wants to go London so he can visit the Natural History Museum - the one that David Attenborough's "Alive" documentary was filmed in, which uses CGI imagery to bring to life several of the extinct animal skeletons in the museum. He loves that doco.

We had his friend, Naotaka, (who shared their birthday party together a couple of weeks ago) over for the day. Both boys had such a good time. We broke out the water balloons.

After all the birthday gifts at their birthday party and Christmas presents I can safely say Kien was present-ed out, to the point where he didn't even expect/ask if we had got him something. We had, but I think I'll save that for another time.

Last night I asked him if he enjoyed his birthday. He said he did, very much. He loved the balloons, playing with his friend, and our house. He's said a few times that he loves living here, and that he doesn't miss the apartment anymore. He also told me that his favourite daddy is Daddy, I'm his favourite mummy, and Koala is his favourite best friend. And then he continued talking about all sorts of things (like he does every night) and asks me to explain why we dream, how our eyes work, why our heart is so important...and then I tell him to be quiet and go to sleep...and then he yabbers on under his breathe thinking I can't hear him until he passes out, eventually.

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