02.02.10
Posted in Journal, Micah at 1:25 pm by Sarah
So we have been back from Malaysia for a total of 1 week. We were’nt really looking forward to that week because it was full of things – like Greek and sermons and dermatology appointments and Hebrew. Not a particularly relaxing week in which to acclimatise and recover (travelling with parents is somewhat exhausting – no matter how convenient the babysitting is).
And so in an apparent attempt to avoid that week, or perhaps to celebrate Australia Day.. and our homecoming, I broke my ankle on the stairs. Read the rest of this entry »
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08.01.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:41 am by Sarah
It’s the middle of the night. I have finally succumbed to the inevitable. I have been trying to hold off the anxious list-writing for at least another 24 hours. But the terror has struck tonight.. therefore no sleep for me.
And.. I ask you.. what else should I do but blog?
On Monday we are flying to Malaysia with the express purpose to introduce Micah to his third Great Grandmother and various uncles and aunts. I am, perhaps unreasonably, stressed and anxious about the trip. I guess it’s the unfamiliarity and unknown.. something I was quite happy to deal with pre-baby.
Before Micah was born I was a person who liked routine. You know, the sort who has a routine for getting up in the morning etc. I am open to change, but generally my comfort lies in routine and the familiar. This side of me is on hyper-drive now that we have Micah. I stress out when he doesn’t sleep when he’s supposed to.. or when I have to delay feeding him. He is on a written routine that I can recite for you – but that would be incredibly boring.
So hopefully you can understand my anxiety about an 8 hour plane trip, an unfamiliar destination and a 3 hour time difference.
The other thing that’s been interesting about this pending trip is that Haoran and I feel quite detached from it. It was organised by H’s parents… plane tickets, accomodation.. everything. So it’s quite different from our European trip where we planned every last minute. The thing is.. we have no ownership over it.
And as I said.. I’ve been trying not to dwell to much on it, so the actual realisation that… “Oh yeah! We’re going to another country on Monday!”.. hasn’t really set in.
In other news, Micah started pulling himself up to standing and roaming furniture over Christmas… which is kind of awesome. It also means we have to watch him more because he’s still getting his legs for it.
I know I shouldn’t be anxious about him.. he copes so well generally. He’ll probably be an angel on the flight and charm the pants off everyone. But I’m the mother – so I get to worry – it’s my job.
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20.12.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:26 pm by Sarah
I don’t know whether it’s a new house or the new occupant.. but a certain somebody else is actually not so bah humbug this year. The Christmas tree hasn’t even had one nasty word said to it. So it’s been fun planning and scheming Christmas treats with someone who is more on the enthusiastic side than last year. 
We’re having Haoran’s side of the family over for Christmas this weekend. Our first Christmas in our house. Our first Christmas with our precious boy. So we’re trying to figure out… what makes it Christmas for us?
Well, when it comes to us… or our family in general… food makes the atmosphere. And, face it, food is important at Christmas time. Haoran is making his famous turkey from last year – this may be a tradition in the making. I am making fabulous gluten free, dairy free desserts (it’s not that difficult!). One is an apple and rhubarb pudding. My mum taught me this pudding – it’s super easy. Make your pie filling i.e. boil apple and rhubarb with sugar cloves and cinnamon to oblivion, and pour a gluten free cake mix over the top. Bake and you’re done! I may sprinkle some icing sugar over the top so it looks a bit more complicated.
My other dessert is a lemon meringue pie. I admit I’ve only made the lemon filling so far… but it doesn’t seem too hard. Actually the hardest part will probably be making gluten free pastry. I’m trying a new recipe so we’ll see if it cuts it in the big time.
18 hours late – early on the morning of
Oh MAN!
Haoran and have finally succumbed to the colds that have been dancing around our glands for the last few days. We both feel like rubbish and we’re supposed to be hosting Christmas??? Thank you God for parents and brother and sister-in-law’s who will be here early to help!
The morning after…
Ohhhhhh that could have been alot worse than it actually was. But still, it was a struggle to get through it! My cold got worse and worse throughout the day. So the brunch was enjoyable (especially the Spelt and Maple museli G and M brought… YUM) and so was present opening. Well… Micah enjoyed the sound of ripping wrapping paper anyway.
But by the time people were arriving for dinner I was pretty useless. Haoran kept it together a little bit better because he was allowed to take decongestant. I tell you what… breast feeding can be a bum sometimes. Anyway I got through with a fire-engine-red dripping nose, weepy eyes and temporary deafness in one ear. I looked like a had been crying and, to be honest, I felt like it several times during the evening.
Yet the food was good and plentiful (so much so that our fridge is still full) the people enjoyed themselves, and my desserts turned out mostly ok! My easy pudding could have used a bit more time in the oven. But the lemon meringue was surprisingly hard to stuff up. The best part (well… for me anyway) was that Micah went to sleep at 7 without complaint and slept through all the noise and children screaming. So good…..
So… the evening was not as idilic as I had hoped. But perhaps it will become legendary. As in – If I can do it with a humongous disgusting cold then it’s going to be EASY on a healthy day!
I may be allowing myself to wallow in self-pity and curl up in a corner today (read: recovering) but I already have a flood of plans for Christmas proper (being spent with my side of the family). I still have 5 days to concoct plans of home made marshmallows and honeycomb and other lovely goodnesses. And maybe this time I might have the presence of mind to take photos!
One of the better moments of the day
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23.11.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 5:43 pm by Sarah
Things are happening so quickly with Micah this month.. that I feel the need to write it down. I keep saying it – but he seems to pick up something new almost everyday.
In reference to the title – Micah has now figured out how to get from sitting to on his tummy (without bashing his face on the floor) and is now commando crawling quite quickly around the room – especially on our super-slidey tiles! He quite often gets stuck in corners and cries until he’s rescued. But he definitely knows what he wants and how to get there. Right now we are trying to convince him that what he wants is not Daddy’s CD collection.
He is alot more adventurous when he’s climbing all over us or is on a soft surface – so I guess he knows he’s much less likely to hurt himself.
He is saying ‘buh-buh- buh’ regularly – his first discernible ’word’. When he gets excited or hyperactive (Note: normally past his bedtime) he starts shaking his head and making laughing sounds with a huge grin on his face. He also started clapping which possibly started off accidentally but now – since we’ve encouraged it – is quite purposeful.
Ok here comes the crazy child prodigy bit. He has figured out how to whistle! Seriously- he purses his lips and blows and sound comes out. I’m wondering whether he’ll keep on knowing how to do it… or that he’ll have to relearn it when he’s 6 or something…
Yesterday was the icing on the cake. We were packing up after church and Haoran gave his phone to Micah to play with while we were busy. Next moment I get a text message from Haoran’s phone ‘a7oP 7x’! Somehow Micah manged to unlock the keypad, type a message and send it! Haoran panicked a little thinking he may have done other things as well while the keypad was unlocked… but no.. that was it! He sent a message to his mummy.
The last week has been a little tough. This is the first time in Micah’s life where he has had to deal with some serious heat. It’s also been a challenge for us to figure out how warm or how cool we should dress him etc. Especially at night. The poor little guy has been pretty sweaty and he’s drinking a lot more water now as a result.
The other thing contributing to our tough week has been that – slowly but surely – a tooth is emerging. Micah has turned out to be one of those kids who don’t deal well with teething (I’m sure I wouldn’t either – but I have heard many stories of them just appearing without a fuss). Today has been the first day where I can really feel that little sharp tooth coming through. You can barely see it – but you can definitely feel it.
That’s all for now… I’ll be back with more amazing Micah stories soon!
(See the video here)
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05.11.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:45 am by Sarah
I heard someone say the other day that once upon a time people wrote books ( I KNOW! Can you believe it?). After a while someone decided that that was a time waster and invented the blog. Then that took too long and so we entered the modern age of Facebook and Twitter.
Therefore: the slow death of the blog.
It’s way too easy to Facebook. I get more comments, and it’s quicker. And you can be smart and quippy. I haven’t twittered yet.. mainly because I really don’t get the difference between that and updating your status (in fact people often connect the two so they don’t have to update both constantly). And, I don’t know, it seems a bit boring and one-dimensional *gasp*.
So why am I updating my blog if FB is so cool? Well… I can’t sleep and I have words running around my head and I needed to get them out. That’s all.
Life is .. well.. going quickly. It doesn’t seem so long ago that I was 8 months pregnant, moving to a suburb where we didn’t know anyone, entering the SMBC world and wondering whether we’d bitten off more than we could chew.
We’re now approaching the end of first year. I have completed my first subject (and am awaiting final results), Haoran is well and truly neck-deep in study for exams, and we have a 7 month old son! I look back and am in awe of the way God has blessed us this year.
I really am adoring being a parent – even despite the times you want to scream (see last post). I love playing with my little boy and watching him explore the world and develop. He just constantly amazes me. I feel like I was made to be his mum.. and at the same time I can’t believe I am a mother to such an adorable boy! Rightio.. I’ll stop gushing now.
The year to come is going to be full of new challenges. Like taking our first overseas trip with a bub. Like becoming parents to a TODDLER. Like spending more time being a part-time student. Like entering the endurance part of a church plant. Like thinking about what post-college might hold.
It’s going to be a fun ride..
My Boys
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16.10.09
Posted in Micah at 11:13 am by Sarah
The word that has been constantly on my brain the last few weeks? ROUTINE!
Shortly after my last post, things went very pear-shaped.. and I was reminded, once again, that with a child things never stay the same.
Micah had had his vaccinations, actually I’m not sure if that was the trigger, but it was around the same time and I needed something to blame. Suddenly the routine went out the window- Micah refused to sleep during the day. I kept everything else the same, feeds, solids, baths… but come bedtime, it was a fight.
Just to clarify: when I say ‘not sleeping’, I mean willful angry screaming when any attempt is made to put him to sleep, and constant whinging when I give up and let him stay up. This is hard to deal with on a good day. 2 weeks of it turned me into a quivering weepy wreck. It’s not just the sleeplessness, it’s the emotional toll, it’s having to hear your baby scream and cry and not knowing how to make it ok. It’s the fact that you can’t do anything! It’s the expectations that you give to yourself and fail to live up to, it’s the shame you feel when you admit your problems to someone else.
At the height of the woefulness I finally took action. I didn’t start enforcing a strict routine, call Tresillian or skip the country. I just sent some prayer request emails. That was actually a really hard thing to do, it felt like giving up. But later I realised it was something I should have done days ago… put my trust in God.
I sent those emails on a Tuesday. From the moment I did, I started feeling so much better. The dark cloud lifted.
We had a extremely busy weekend, and I knew that if things continued the way they were we were going to have to cancel altogether. But we didn’t have to. On Friday suddenly something clicked in Micah’s little brain and things were back to normal. God is good.
Since then things have gone from good to better. Not only has Micah started to sleep.. he’s started to have good long sleeps. Instead of 4 short sleeps he does two long sleeps. Our only challenge now is to get him to sleep in early evening. Evenings are still a bit of a battle where sleep is concerned – but I would prefer that to a week ago!
I should mention that throughout the whole fiasco that I was trying to keep up the encouragement to sleep through the night. And it’s paid off. We did it! No more 3am feeds!
And all this extra sleep makes for a happy chumbawumba.
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30.09.09
Posted in Micah at 7:05 pm by Sarah
I’m still getting over how many changes have happened in Micah in such a small period of time. If you really think about it, babies are only babies for a year… then they turn into toddlers. I can’t believe that his first birthday is in March – that seems like such a short time from now! The old adage holds – ‘they grow up so quickly don’t they?’.
Just a few months ago Micah was a very serious child. He smiled rarely and laughed never, but seemed generally interested in most things. Nowadays you’ll just glance in his direction and earn a huge open mouthed grin. He loves being thrown about the place and adores sky-diving/penguining/flailling on his tummy. He is even starting to ‘get’ the whole concept of peek-a-boo!
Poo has been quite a common topic of conversation in our household.. especially since Micah is now eating solid foods, often, three meals a day. I thought the change might be gradual over a few weeks. But no, we had a no show for two days and then BAM! We were indoctrinated into the world of the big-boy-poo. I am dealing with the smell so far, and quite honestly I am enjoying the ease in which you can deal with such poo… ahhh explosive poos are now thankfully a thing of the past! And that’s quite enough about that.
Eating is now in full swing. It has added another thing to the schedule which has been a little demanding. But I’m keeping on top of it by cooking a whole bunch of food up and freezing it at least once a week. We have been caught out a few times when we’ve been out and had to make it up on the run… with varying levels of success. But I am learning to cater for all amounts of hungriness when we’re out.
Now solids are now in the diet, I am attempting to tackle another challenge. Sleeping through the night is one of those things that easy for some and elusive to most. ‘Is he sleeping through the night?’ It’s the question that mothers (whose children are perfect and have slept though since they were 3 days old) and others (who don’t have children) ask to make us feel particularly human. Micah CAN do it… he has done it on occasion. But can he do it consecutively? This is what I am trying to find out.
He wakes up invariably between 1 and 3am where he will be quite easily settled with a cuddle. After this, it’s a little more challenging. The pattern at the moment is that he wakes at 4-5am and is unsettleable without a feed. Then he’ll sleep till 7am. So we’re looking at the variables. If we feed him more during the day will that help? If we double up his nappy, or perhaps a disposable?
I’m just wondering how long I should keep it up… ? These things do take a toll. How much sleep should we lose in order to gain sleep? This is the billion dollar question.
End mum rant.
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19.09.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:33 pm by Sarah
Soma has been on my mind alot lately. And.. no wonder, since here we are on the eve of our launch!
It’s been quite a different experience of church for us. Unlike most of the other members of the launch team, Soma has been our only ‘church’ attendance since Micah was born. Bringing a baby church up from nothing has seemed like a humungous task at times. But somehow – through God’s grace – it’s happening.
It’s been great to get to the bottom of church – what Jesus truely intended it to be. One of the best things about starting from scratch is that we CAN! No traditions, no expectations, no limitations! Of course, it hasn’t been smooth sailing or anything. This has taken 8 months of discussions, planning, doing and more discussion.
Our tag is that we’re doing something ‘different’. Not that every other church is doing it wrong or anything. It’s just that when an average (generally non-Christian) person walks into a church they have certain expectations: that there will be hymns, there will be a boring sermon they don’t feel is relevant to them, and there will be alot of meaningless ritual. We want to challenge people’s perceptions and create something that is accessable by Gen X and Y. Having said that.. we will have most things you would expect in a church.. because most churches tend to do things biblically! But I guess they will have a bit of a Soma flavour added.
Being a smallish group, it has been lots of fun exploring our gifts and abilities and to use them for the good of the church. Being able to use my marketing background and my recent dabbling in painting has been much fun… and it’s great to actually do something you’re (relatively) good at! Generally in the past I have done things to fill a gap or have had to learn a new skill when getting involved. But we are so diverse that things are just getting done!
It’s a bit scary not knowing what might happen with this church. The launch happening tomorrow is going to be nowhere near what a normal group will look for us.. so next Sunday what if it’s just us and no one else turns up? There’s alot of unknowns. But surprisingly I’m feeling quite calm… I would like to think it’s because I’m depending on God to provide people for our church (specifically people who don’t normally go to church – no transfer growth!) .. but perhaps I’m just trying not to think about it!!!
I have a feeling we will get a lot of lessons in trusting in God over the next few months…. not a bad thing at all!
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06.09.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:24 pm by Sarah
It’s been a crazy couple of weeks and it’s been hard enough to keep up with life without blogging it! Yet I feel like if I don’t, these precious moments will slip through my fingers and my memory.
Our beautiful bub (gotta keep calling him that before he’s all growed up and won’t let me) is delighting us more and more each day. There’s more smiles and giggles (especially when I manage to find that elusive ticklish spot on his belly) and lots of activity. If he’s on the ground his little legs are kicking constantly.. and if he’s in our arms he’ll try to launch himself off into space.
It’s been fun to watch him try and figure stuff out. He is especially entertaining at tummy time where he acts as if he’s sky diving.. head and neck stretched off the ground and his arms up and back behind him – kicking with all his might. Occasionally he’s have moments of genuis where he pushes himself up with his hands and brings his knees up… but mostly it’s sky diving. Having said that we’re trying to get used to the fact that it won’t be long before he’s mobile.
One of the things that is especially nice about a 5 and a bit month old is that he shows affection alot more. More snuggles into my neck. And now he reaches out his arms to me to show he wants to be held.. so sweet! Although it can be somewhat frustrating when he refuses to be held by anyone else!
Sitting up is still a challenge. He needs to be propped up a bit and watched – just in case he does his famous face-plant/somersault. A cushion is needed when he sits in his highchair – even then he tends to slide to one side (and suck on the arm rest) when he’s tired.
Eating has been a start stop process. I started giving him a bit of rice porridge (in which hilarious face making resulted) last week.. but then I got a tummy bug and Micah was grumpy and pooey for a few days. So I’m pretty sure he was sick too. We paused and reevaluated and started again a few days ago. He’s also enjoying sucking on pieces of apple and one or two very gooey rusks.
I have discovered that introducing solids is a vague art. The method has changed so much over time that no one really knows what’s going on anymore. I figure I’ll contiue with the philosophy that I’ve been going with for everything else – do what works. I’m quite happy to research and take advice – but in the end, what works, works.
Having taken two days to figure out what to say next.. I’ll figure pictures speak louder than words .
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13.08.09
Posted in Journal at 1:39 pm by Sarah
A mum asked me the other day whether I was recording Micah’s ‘milestones’. I said that I didn’t… but that I had a blog. The truth is that I don’t much like the little books you get given where you fill in the blanks… that doesn’t mean anything to me. But for Micah to grow up and read what I wrote about him, I think that’s pretty special.
Having said that.. now I don’t sit in front of my computer everyday, my natural instinct to blog is waning. So, while I procrastinate writing an assignment, I shall update.
Life has gotten that much more busy this semester. I’ve taken on a subject at SMBC which I’m really enjoying. I’m loving the feeling of being a student and using my brain. Especially now I’m not working. I’m also loving that I am taking time to do something by myself. That’s pretty significant since the majority of what I do is with either or both Micah and Haoran in tow. Maybe this will be my chance to conquer that panicky overwhelmed feeling I get when I do anything that will be marked.
I’m also busy getting to know other mums in the community, something I’ve been pretty keen on from the beginning. The advantage of being a mum is that when all else fails is you have at least one thing in common with other mums. There’s mum’s groups, and song and rhyme groups and play groups… so many opportunities to meet non-christians! The temptation is to fall in with the crowd and never talk about anything other than kids.. so that’s something I have to watch out for.
Church has been an absolute joy to be a part of. Being a small ‘planning group’ right now, we haven’t had to experience the stress that parents usually face when their kid screams down church. The launch is getting nearer… which is stressful but exciting. We’ve had our share of blockages… but perhaps that tells us that we’re doing something right?
It might seem particularly domesticated.. but I do love the amount of time that I spend at home. Housework is now part of my routine rather than something I avoid when I get home from work. I love baking and trying out new recipes. I love having the time to play with and sing to Micah and give him the time he needs.
Haoran being a student this year has really been a blessing. Our proximity to college plus his hours (as opposed to working hours) means that he is able to help me quite a bit with Micah. Plus we get to spend more time together and as a family. I think that’s been an important part of going from 2 to 3.
Micah will be 5 months next week. I attended a talk on ‘Introducing Solids’ yesterday that kind of freaked me out. Suddenly, now we’ve finally got the current routine downpat.. it’s another adventure into the unknown. I am looking forward to it a bit.. that I can help him explore another part of the world. It’s going to be fun!
There tis my life … and in true testament to my distraction from blogging.. it took a total of 3 days.. phew!
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