Dim Sum Mum - Tess' Little Pieces

happy birthday

today we celebrated carys, sela and jasper's birthday. it was a rather hastily thrown together affair, and one that we decided to have at a relatively close by beach, chung hum kok.

we weren't sure about the weather, and had the contingency plan that if it was raining or yuk, we would host it at our place.

last night charles made a dora cake, i cut up vegetables, made a dip, lita made cupcakes, sebastian and i made cookies, lita and sebastian also made cookies, we bought sausages, put away candles and a lighter, i procured napkins and plates, got out bathers, mossie spray, etc. and before we went to bed we prayed for good weather.

this morning, we woke up and it was greyish and cloudy-ish. we prayed again. a couple of people called. beach party or home party? charles and i looked at each other and decided to take a chance...beach. we loaded up the car, changed the kids into their bathers, and headed off to the beach.

what a fantastic decision it was. by the time we got there, the clouds were clearing. no sooner had we got the food laid out on the three tiny tables that were halfway between the beach and the playground and then the sun came out. we grabbed a drink and bounded to the beach, and the kids frolicked in by the shore and ventured into the water.

as friends arrived and we saw the kids bending by the shore and girls racing to the tide and then squealing as water hit their toes, we realised what a great decision it had been to have the party here. the sun became quite hot, about 25 degrees, and the light breeze kept the mossies away, and it was fantastic. even when jasper tipped a$$ over teakettle and had to be hastily pulled out by wonderful gus, did we regret having the party at the beach. the kids entertained themselves, racing around and loving the clean sand, the shells, the rocks, the play area.

the candles were blown out by the wind, but the triplets never noticed, they were too busy oohing and aahing over the dora cake magnificent charles had made. and digging into the bags of chips. and asking for a new juice box, taking one or two sips, abandoning it, and then five minutes later asking for a new one.

we didn't leave the party site until one hour after we were meant to. there was no reason. the kids were having so much fun, and truth be told, after all the dreading of birthdays, we were just savouring the sunshine of the day.

so happy birthday, three.

please click here to see pics of the party

oh yes, carys

last year around this time it was all about BEBE, carys' much loved green plush toy that was essential to happy sleepies and successful naps.

since Christmas time, BEBE is finding herself with a bit of breathing room, because BLUE has moved into town. blue is a doll, who wears a blue onesie, and is much loved by miss carys. i have started swaddling blue (and sela's doll, "pink", who wears a pink onesie) and carys stands over me and watches, fascinated. "SWADD-EL-ING!" she'll declare, very impressed and happy in the knowledge that her baby is cosy.

carys likes babies, she stands by when a baby is getting a bottle and watches eyes wide, as the baby guzzles, and is then burped. she'll tug at my arm and whisper, "baby."

not that babies weigh so much more than carys, she's still a tiny girl. her wrists are like string, but her fingers are so long.

she hasn't really shown much of a competitive fire (sela stole it), instead at playsport while jasper is examining the grass on the field, if the ball rolls by, carys will scream joyfully at her sister, "come on, sela!" and take after it. oh carys, i want to shake my head. sela wouldn't stop for you, don't wait for her!

carys often waits for sela. i don't necessarily think this is a good thing. carys will let sela speak first, and then she will repeat what her sister has said. she can blather on, but in a conversation with people, she will often just let sela take the lead when questions are asked, and regurgitate what answers are given. time i am hoping will take care of this.

she starts speech therapy soon, as soon as there is an availability. she gets grommet surgery at the end of march. her nose seems to be permanently plugged (even when breathing freely) and she doesn't have a nasal talking voice, but there almost seems to be a sinus issue with her. speaking can be tough.

hearing can be tougher. not from the difficulty persepctive, although she needs grommets i believe carys' hearing will be fine ~ but from the perspective of if ytou speak too harshly to carys she brusts into screams and is unconsolable. sela was doing this last year, remember? but this is so intense. she gets unconsolable. with sela, a couple of cuddles and it was over, and you wondered how much of it was dramatic. but this is deep, and dark and i am not sure what else. someone of course muttered autism, and yes "behavioural" something or other was mentioned, and i just don't know what to make of it. she is hyper sensitive to criticism, even if she knows that she was being terribly naughty. so she is wearying and i get a chill of concern at times.

on a lighter note, her hair is equally as confusing. she seems to have three crowns in it. in years to come, she will have a fantastic time getting her hair to fall back and hold styles, but for now, i cannot get her hair to do anything! i gave it a cute cut and it looks great with clips, but where is it going? good question.

she loves her parents and loves being cuddled by either magnificent or me. having a hand held by a parent is very important to carys.

when she is being delightful, she is very quick to answer questions and to sing songs or to make them up. she and sebastian probably have the least to do with each other, he finds her too babyish and unable to stand up for herself, while she finds him too demanding.

but my heart just contracts with love for carys. not because of from where she started, but because of what she can be. she has a distrust of strangers, i think she thinks everyone is a doctor or physical therapist until proven otherwise. but once you are in her heart, she clutches you there, she swaddles you in, and you feel so cherished.

carys.

my beloved.