birthdays

Flowers and birthday blues…

ShebaMakeda 2 Comments
spring-by-the-river

Spring by the River

I decided a few weeks ago it was time for me to practice making flowers again. Why? It’s spring… and my sister’s birthday. Now y’all know i’m not really the floral type so it was definitely more for the latter reason than the former.  My much, much older (ANCIENT actually!) sister Frances just llllooooovvves  flowers.  And not just any flowers – BLUE flowers.

blue lilies

Lilies in the Deep

I have no idea what it is with her and the colour blue but she just ADORES it!  And not just any blue: deep, rich royal or cobalt blue.  Nope, no pastels, sapphires and turquoises for her, it’s gotta be dark blue and it also better be covered with flowers.  Anyone in her life understands that to be with her is to be surrounded with varying shades of deep blue… and flowers.  Lots of them.

april4

River Garden

So considering how often she used to beat me up, i learned decades ago to stop arguing (despite not really caring for the colour blue or flowers) and just give her what she wants… or maybe it’s a need?

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Blue Pandora Beads

Not very many people could get me to sit down and just make blue flower beads over and over again over several torch sessions but for her…well ok… since i  KINDA like her… a bit (plus she could keel over from lack of exercise any day)… i figured i could squeeze out maybe one… or two.  or three.  plus a few bracelet beads.  But that’s it.  i’m done.  No more blue flower beads for me!

(p.s. Her birthday was April 2nd and yes, through her wrinkles, grey hair and doddering i could tell she was very pleased.  I think she even let go of her walker for a moment.)

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The Teenager turns 17 today

ShebaMakeda 2 Comments

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POOKIE!

One month old

One month old

And I woke up all teary-eyed pondering the significance of this particular birthday…

…it’s his last year to experience all the freedoms and luxuries of childhood. 

…this may be the last year he lives full time with me (depending on where he decides to go to university) – and while i joke about the limited real estate, I’m really (really!) gonna miss him.

…he’s changed so MUCH in the last year! I’ve watched a child leave and a young man slowly appear in my home.  I so rarely have to put on the “mommy hat” now that when i do he seems to find it hard to take me seriously.

…he’s just unbelievably smart, funny, confident, calm, cool and collected.  I’m truly enjoying what little time he spends with me now and really looking forward to the coming adult years when i hope i’ll not only be his mom but also his friend.

…every day i think about how lucky and proud I am to have him as my son.  He’s worth every single sacrifice and I’m still stunned he turned out OK (since for the most part i had to figure this parenting thing out by trial and error along the way).

…I’ll always miss waking up to hugs from chubby little arms, the wet kisses, a damp little hand wriggling its way into mine, the many gag-worthy mother’s day breakfasts, the bony prods and pokes from tween cuddles and being called mama, mommy, mummy.   I’m now just “Mom”.  But I think I can now at least? hopefully? retire my title as the “meanest mommy in the WHOLE world”.

I’ve now got my comfy viewing seat off to the side and i’m getting ready to watch him complete his journey into adulthood.

Random thoughts: birthdays and the joy of cool

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birthday gift 

1.  Glassy gifts: Just had my birthday and my friends funded my latest glass purchase: a new bead press and some frit.  How cool is that?

2.  Late bloomer? This b-day was special for some reason – i actually felt it, when usually birthdays pass just like any other day despite the celebrations.  must be the beginning of a new stage in my life.  and that’s pretty cool.

3.  I love handmade stuff:  for my b-day the Teenager made me a beautiful new digital wallpaper image for my desktop in all my fave colours (hot orange, bright pink and deep purple).  It was created in  Photoshop and took him “foreverrrrrrrr” – something to do with blending custom brushes, colours, fonts, vectors, fractals, blah, blah, blah… etc., etc.  whatever.  it’s installed both at home and at work, and looks way cool.  i love it.  especially since it comes from my kid who thinks everything should be black, white, gray or navy blue.

4.  Essence of adolescence:  On the bus ride home a couple days ago, this kid sat down in front of me done up from head to toe in what i can only assume was his definition of the latest in 13yr old, bad-ass, hip-hop cool: poofy down bomber, angled baseball cap, artfully dishevelled ‘fro, oversized layered Ts, huge jeans strategically belted mid-buttcheek with the crotch dangling somewhere at the knee and large name brand sneakers.  overall colour combo? black, dark green and white.  yo.  tiiiiiiight.

He kept shifting in his seat and adjusting the various garments using his reflection in the facing window seemingly to determine just the right degree of anti-establishment slouch.  It was all i could do to keep a straight face through these antics.  cuz you know six months ago, his mom was probably still laying out his clothes for him but now?  baby, he’s in junior high.  ccccoooool.

5.  Cool mom?  The Teenager attended his first real grownup (i.e. no gaming, pizza, sleepover or parental involvement) party last weekend.  and yes, with my permission.  He calmly asked.  then waited for me to finish hyperventilating about sending my baby off to some booze and drug filled hellhole, in some stranger’s house, with a bunch of older friends i hadn’t met, and did he really know who these people were and trust them to not be crazy? and, and… well uhhh, you get the picture.  He was fine, got home within curfew limits, admitted to everyone drinking except him (yay!) and had one word about the experience: “AWESOME”.

I’ve had a few people mention that this act officially makes me a “cool” mom.  I disagree.  i was simply being practical: First, I trust him – he’s mature, smart and responsible.  Second, at his age, i (technically) wasn’t permitted to go to these types of parties but my friends and i still attended many under the guise of the now infamous, intricately planned, arranged and parental approved “sleepover”.