private space

爸爸媽媽退休了多年，不過他們的生活好充實。一星期最少三天會參加康文署辦的免費長者運動班，星期天上教會，間中又到教會練詩歌、做義工、參加電腦班。有時候，他們還會各自約會自己的朋友。

我喜歡他們有自己的生活圈子。孩子孫兒他們都疼，但不是他們生命的全部。

我們一星期一起吃一頓飯。其實祖父母哪有不想多見自己孫兒的，但爸爸媽媽明白我們平日上班都沒有太多時間和孩子一起，所以週末和假期都不煩我們。有時怕我們擠不出時間來一起吃飯，還道沒空的不要緊，下星期才約囉。他們也從來沒有要求一起去哪玩一起去哪旅行，大概是明白，如果我們想找他們，就自然會找。

從前只屬於一個家，結婚後卻變成三個家，私人空間愈見可貴。我感謝父母的體諒，給我空間。私人空間很重要，那是我休息、透氣的地方。每天的熱熱鬧鬧，會讓我喘不過氣來。

我跟自己說，老了也不要只顧圍著孩子和孫兒團團轉。其實我好期待退休後的生活，做義工啦、下廚啦、晨運啦、上興趣班啦、還要每天約朋友去吃茶！

the friendly ladybug

常常勸阻爸爸媽媽給孩子買衣服，嫌他們選的土。不過這件甲蟲背心又暖又可愛，我們都好喜歡。

媽媽說我小時候只會坐，不會爬。不知道這隻小甲蟲會不會像媽媽？



eric carle's "the grouchy ladybug" is one of rafael's favourite books, and now he has the perfect companion to read it along with.

fathers

我愛我的爸爸，他從不吝嗇表達他對孩子的愛。我都三十多歲了，每次見面時爸爸還是會親親我的兩頰，像法國人般。

不過，看樣子，mac應該至少會親heather至五十歲多吧！:P

i love my father. he is never afraid to express his love to his children. i'm turning 40 in a few years (oh my...), but he's still kissing my cheeks every time we meet, like the french do.

as for mac, bet he will kiss heather for at least another 50 years?! :P

sewing resolution

這才是我今年的母親節禮物 － 媽媽的衣車。

小時候媽媽為我縫了不少裙子，我立志也要為女兒親手至少縫一條。




趁放產假閒著，找媽媽給我速成班，這才想起中三以後好像沒有碰過衣車！在媽媽的協助下，縫了個小袋子。

又趁放產假去買了一些布料回來。告訴自己，產假完畢前，定要弄好一條裙子來！


my mother had made me clothes and dresses when i was small, and i really wanted to keep this sweet tradition by making clothes for my daughter too. so here's the sewing machine from my mother, a little pouch that i made with my tutor-mother's assistance, and some fabrics that i bought. hope i can finish at least one dress before my maternity leave ends!

like mother like daughter

有其母必有其女（兩周一聚五月專題）

其實我不覺得自己跟媽媽有很多相似的地方，特別是外貌。有人說如果想知道太太老了會變成甚麼模樣，就看看她的母親。哈哈，我不想像媽媽一樣胖啊！:P

倒是，從媽媽身上，我學習到一點點育兒的智慧。

從小，媽媽就給我很多機會學習獨立。小學幾年級，我就從大圍的家自己乘火車到旺角再走路上學，後來還帶著弟弟一起。有時候，媽媽又會著我做一些小差事，到街市買蒜頭，到郵局寄信之類。記得那次最後買錯了蔥頭，上郵局看到有很多人排隊不知道要排那裡，又驚慌到哭起來了，但是這些經歷，一次一次給我增加一點一點的信心。

從中學選科到結婚大事，媽媽都相信我的選擇。或許你說，她讀書不多，她也不知道怎麼為你選擇。但是，你要知道，有很多人雖然不懂，還是會有很多意見。我知道，她就是相信我。

我感謝母親從小對我的信任。有時候，我會想，甚麼時候才開始讓自己的孩子獨自上街，到他們要選科的時候又要怎樣來引導。我想想我的小時候，我就知道，要像媽媽一樣，懂得信任，懂得放手。

媽媽，我愛你。

moms' love in a fridge

兩周一聚：我們家的冰箱

打開冰箱，盡是媽媽的愛。

順時針：

1. 婆婆醃製的酸薑，我認為比中環某家名飯店的還好吃！

2. 嫲嫲預備的冬蟲草粉和田七粉，叮囑我們每早吃一匙來加強抵抗力。

3. 嫲嫲自家製的佛手果蜜，是喉嚨不適時的最佳良方。

4. 兩個媽媽弄的粽子，好吃但其實我不太愛吃（幸好爸爸愛吃），甚麼時候才會吃完？

不禁想起，當靖愷有自己的冰箱時，我也能否將一點點的愛灌進那兒？

moms' love in a fridge:

from clockwise: ginger pickles from por-por, chinese herbal medicine powder from ma-ma; buddha's hand citron honey from ma-ma: rice dumplings made by both grandmothers.

wonder if rafael will be able to find bits of my love in his fridge when he has one of his own? :P

注：兩周一聚是由巴黎師奶發起的作文遊戲，素未謀面的網友每兩周以文相聚。是次六月專題之圖文並茂：我家的冰箱由讀食出題。

children oh children!

兩周一聚：小朋友

小朋友，你就是這麼簡單。只消用自己的力量將一輛玩具電單車擺好，你就會感到萬分高興。你自豪地說：企到喎！

小朋友，你就是這麼奇妙。沒有你，我大概不會和爺爺嫲嫲去登高，不會和公公婆婆去農場和踏單車，更不會為了看那起格的畫面而裝上視像鏡頭。

小朋友，你就是這麼會逗人。你在情人節的早上突然在我身後說"我要攬住你！"，然後用小手環著我的腰。噢，我還需要甚麼禮物幹麼？

小朋友，你就是這麼能巔覆世界。有了你，我和爸爸都只顧圍著你團團轉。爸爸，有時候忽略了你，請別怪！

小朋友，你就是這麼惹人憐愛。你的一次小病，得來十多個親切的慰問。謝謝大家，小朋友說：我沒發燒了！

（首次參加由巴黎師奶發起的兩週一聚，是次由athrunz出題。）

in times of sickness

rafael is having fever again, just one week after his recovered from his last one.

in times of sickness, i'm grateful that:

- i am still breastfeeding, and i can make him drink more liquid even when he's sleeping.
- i have a job that can allow me to take leave relatively easily.
- i can leave rafael in the safe pair of hands of my in-laws who live nearby - as we have no maids.

call me suspicious (haha, no one noticed my typo - i meant superstitious! :P), but rafael has been sick in three consecutive februraies - in 2007 he was hospitalised for 8 days after he was born, in 2008 he was absent from school for most of the days and in 2009 he has seen the doctor twice in a month already. february is certainly the influenza season i believe!

children get sick all the time, but as parents, we couldn't help not to worry as much each time around. i tend to believe what a doctor told me though, that this is how the children build up their antibodies and get strong.

this picture was taken when he was having fever last week - he woke up in the middle of the night asking for a glass of cow's milk!

靖愷病了，發燒最高至102度許。醫生說是感染了病毒，昨天沒有喉嚨發炎，肺也清，但今天開始有鼻水了。

照片拍於上星期（！）發燒時，靖愷凌晨醒來說要喝牛奶！孩子就是這樣，病了仍可以笑瞇瞇，倒是教一家人都擔心不已。

愷愷，加油啊！打勝仗後，你的身體又會再強壯一點！

tyke and hike

爸爸在歐辛勤工作，我們在港繼續遊山玩水！:P

爺爺嫲嫲拖著靖愷的小手，在北角的山頭拾級而上，我們看到小魚、小狗、小花，又向怕羞的小草說早。

爸爸，你說昨天到倫敦的harrods, harvey nichols和hamleys買了手信給我們，我們也沒有忘記在山上拾了五顏六色的紀念品給你呢！

三天後見！

a cheeky tyke, went for a hike
he said "hello touch-me-not"
but mom said "hey please walk!"

bits and pieces @ kadoorie farm

嘉道理農場半天遊的濕濕碎...

靖愷與飛禽走獸：有舉起一隻手的鱷魚、正在休息的貓頭鷹、咯咯叫的公雞母雞、在曬太陽的野豬、隔著玻璃想搶吃的馬騮、單腳站的紅鶴、邊吃邊洗白白的肥豬、表演飛行的麻鷹，還有幫忙拿著垃圾箱的小兔子。

rafael & animals

靖愷與花花草草：紅的、黃的、青的、藍的、白的、黑的... 還有紫的花椰菜和開得燦爛的幾株櫻花！

rafael & blossoms

靖愷與我們：與公公哼歌、跟婆婆看魚、和sherman, sabrina扮紅鶴、從auntie stephenie手上拿野莓乾吃、向稻草人說哈囉，還在媽媽的懷裡跟影子拍照。

rafael & us

one leg up @ kadoorie

do you know why the flamingoes stand on one leg?

何以紅鸛要單腳站？



and do you know why rafael stands on one leg?

那何以靖愷又要單腳站？

a different new year's day

不一樣的新年

靖愷用黑色蓋配紅色碗，小心翼翼將瓜子放在碗蓋上，然後灑滿一地。

不一樣的新年

我們不吃年糕吃粉粿，還有公公弄的燒賣粉粿。

不一樣的新年

我們到太公太婆家吃飯，靖愷第一次當作是自己家四處走，還和狗仔小寶握手。

不一樣的新年

還要等九天才見到爸爸。

who's turning 60???

rafael: it's too early to celebrate my birthday... and how come there's only one candle on the cake??? are you so absent-minded?

rafael: anyway, let me blow the candle first... birthday song please!

rafael: wait a minute... how come the cake comes with "happy birthday to melvin"??? oh, it's grandpa's birthday! happy birthday to yeh yeh (grandfather).

mac's remarks: i should have posted this message a few weeks before as my father's birthday is on dec 28 : P btw, i think my father really enjoyed this celebration especially it came with a big kiss from rafael! : )

four generations

在迪士尼樂園，22個月大的靖愷第一次坐仿蒸汽觀光小火車，他不知道87歲的太公在許多許多年前就已坐過真的。

太公告訴靖愷，二次世界大戰發生時，坐火車隨時會遭到飛彈襲擊。後來有很多火車軌都被炸了，車站都封閉，他和其他人就睡在軌道上，有時候，睡醒時身上會披上一層雪。

靖愷很幸福，太公太婆都很健康。我從來沒有見過自己的太公太婆太爺太嫲，看到這小手捉著大手的畫面，感到格外溫暖。

was it christmas or was it disneyland? it really touched my heart seeing the tiny hand of rafael holding the big hand of his great-grandfather (father of mac's mom).

the ride on the steam-powered locomotive was a total new experience for the 22-month-old, though the same ride brought the 87-year-old flashbacks of the 2nd world war. but i guess what really mattered was they were sharing that magic moment together?

birthday song replay

靖愷似乎還在想念公公婆婆星期日的生日會，今夜玩積木時又突然哼起生日歌來。只嘆媽媽手腳慢，聽到他唱完整曲一遍，立即拿起相機著他重覆再唱讓我記錄起來，但小人兒又怎會言聽計從？

a birthday song for kung kung & por por - replay!

rafael actually sang the whole song when he was playing with the blocks tonight, but i was too slow to catch it on the camera. :P

oh, by the way, rafael said he was building a train with the blocks.

靖愷說他在砌火車

happy birthday to kung kung & por por

公公婆婆都在農曆十月生日，慶祝活動中靖愷最開心的就是可以吹蠟燭！幾個月前給媽媽爸爸唱生日歌時才只可以說you，昨日竟可說整句happy birthday to you了。

去掉奶油的蛋糕添了一件又一件。

happy birthday, our dearest daddy & mommy/kung kung & por por! we love you!

下個月爺爺嫲嫲慶祝生日時靖愷又可以吃個夠了。

unique tee, unique haircut

have you noticed rafael's tee? i think this is the one and only one... you can't find it elsewhere : P everyone on the street stared at rafael's tee when we were on our way back home from school last week.

what caught rafael's attention that he even unnoticed i was taking pictures on him? (lately i found him not really liking to be photographed...) make a guess and amy will tell you later : )

btw, you may have noticed that rafael got a new haircut and he does look great.... right? i made the first cut but it turned out to be catastrophic as rafael looked like a dumb...

but thanks to amy and my mom for further trimming... rafael still looks handsome and smart : ) and it seems that rafael is pretty happy with his new haircut.

my first fine dinner

we seldom go fine dining even before rafael was born, let alone after his birth. when my father proposed to dine at a french restaurant last week, i had much reservation as i was afraid that rafael might lose control when he's sleepy. but to my big surprise, rafael had behaved well most of the time, leaving us a comfort time to enjoy the nice food... : )

what caught rafael's attention that he didn't even blink?



wow... some nice cookies : )



after being trapped in the high chair for almost 2 hours, rafael started to become a little bit cranky, perhaps because of sleepy!? we have tried every means to keep rafael stay intact when taking pictures, including the lure of cookies, but obviously we failed.



singing or dancing didn't work neither. this is the only one picture which shows the clear image of all three of us... though the composition is a bit weird : P anyway thanks mildred for your hard work in taking the pictures.

floury moments

小時候媽媽常會在家自製粉粿和銀針粉，我們姐弟仨總愛鬧哄哄拿著粉團搓呀搓，或弄個心型的粉粿，或弄條O型的銀針粉，然後一起將製成品放進蒸籠。等一會兒，粉團熟了變成晶瑩剔透熱騰騰的點心，大家又鬧哄哄地圍在一起用手拿來吃．．．爸爸媽媽，謝謝你們給我這些甜美的兒時回憶。

這天公公婆婆來探望我們，三代同堂一起弄粉粿和銀針粉。

rafael and mommy's dumpling & noodle workshop with gung gung and por por:


靖愷：婆婆，銀針粉怎弄？

搓好的粉放進盒子裡。

猜猜哪條粉是靖愷弄的？

對了，就是在最底肥肥短短的那條。

嫲嫲的廚藝了得，很期待下次可以跟嫲嫲學習呢！

the calm in the storm

靖愷不經不覺已經歷過三次颱風，最近兩次爸爸都要上班，媽媽卻都幸運避過當風更。八號風高掛的星期三，感謝爺爺冒著風雨來我們家兩遍，還有嫲嫲美味的菜餚，填飽我們一家大小的肚子（更為媽媽送來翌日的飯盒），讓我可全心全意當一天幸福的全職媽媽。

靖愷望著窗外的雨點說rain，然後幸福地在家中睡著了。

風更是避過了，但與馬術賽有關的輪班工作卻怎也逃不掉。靖愷，媽媽明早凌晨四時多便要出門了，你要一覺睡至天亮啊！