Post-Christmas Recycling

Christmas at our home has quickly come and gone for us but it seems that the younger you are, the longer this holiday drags out. In Sarah's case, it probably feels like Day #834 of Christmas since we are still opening presents that were stuffed into the trunk and front-seat of our mini-SUV only 6 short days ago. (Yes, she was spoiled again this year.) Which brings to mind, this Sarah is one really lucky girl because she will get 'Christmas' twice yearly since her birthday is in the spring.

With all these presents, our home has been transformed to a primary-coloured, plasticky, squeaky wonderland. So much for thinking that her toys would remain confined to the playroom in the basement. My fingers have been getting cuts left and right from opening box after box of junk wonderful presents that we have so graciously received from family and friends. In case you haven't been exposed to it, these said boxes are horrendously difficult to pull apart, especially when you have a toddler screaming at you to get the said gift out of the box now (and asking for Daddy to "haap" because Mom is apparently incompetent).

Take evidence #1,786 for instance.

It doesn't look like it would be particularly onerous to open, right? WRONG. It took me a good 20 minutes to free the bus and school from 11 heavy-duty plastic twist ties that were doubly secured with the stickiest packing tape ever, while Sarah looked on and offered to "haap Mum" because I, again, was too slow.

You would think that this was some precious, valuable piece with all the wrapping that came with it, instead of some plastic "Made in China" toy! Next year, I should request that either my kid gets no gifts or that the gift-giverer must remove all packaging before wrapping it up or face the wrath from a child in her terrible twos :)

Sadly, Sarah (being too smart for her own good and having lame-o parents) knows where we have secretly stashed her gifts so she has been helping herself to presents when she is bored of her new ones. Wonderful - more box-cuts coming our way. Thank goodness for our large recycling bin!

Apples & Blackberrys

Oh, the ever-present allure of the forbidden apple. Much like the very first temptation way back when, we are always faced with new luscious, tasty fruits. Today, they come in many forms - be it fashion fads, cars, status and other material and immaterial items.

In my case, our apple is not forbidden and is quite literal - as in the Apple with a capital "A". This Christmas, our home was invaded by not one but two iPhones in a matter of a couple weeks. Hubby got himself an iPhone for Christmas, which is as close to pigs flying as you can possibly get. Why so unbelievably shocking you say? Well for starters, he was/is virtually the founding member of Team Blackberry (if there was ever such one!) and had vowed to be forever loyal to that little technology piece de resistance. Not to mention, he had just got himself a new Bold a number of months back. However, after witnessing the novelty of the gazillion apps available (convenienced with me asking "can your BB do this/that?"), he caved in - gasp! - only one short week after putting one under the Christmas tree for me. He is not solely to blame though, for while I was never anti-iPhone, I never appreciated the neat things that it offered for a casual cellphone user as myself and did not understand the hype surrounding it. It even took me some many months before succumbing to the iPod revolution in the Apple Store at Ala Moana Mall. But now I totally get why the iPhone is so popular - it has all the neat gadgets that an average user like myself would use and while I miss BB Messenger and the other productive tools on my old phone, this one is definitely a keeper for now!

Having Another Go At It

After much thought and consideration (and endless nagging from peeps about the lack of updates to my first foray into blogging), I finally decided to take another stab at it. There is no better time like the present, given that it is close to the annual New Year's resolutions (which I admittedly always break).

This time around, I am expanding my blog to not only include all things related to life as a mom - now to a toddler - but also my miscellaneous musings and thoughts that come about with this ride called 'life', which I stumble through, very much like how I walk in stilettos (no cat-walk struts for this gal). I hope to motivate and encourage you with my ramblings but most of all, hope to use these writings as self-therapy for the daggers that get thrown my way - thankfully there's not too many to dodge. Anyway, I hope I don't disappoint but if I do, then so be it!

Disclaimer: The author does not promise to update Ramblings on a regular basis but will do her best to do so in the few hours between paid work and chasing after the 'mommy-attention-seeking' centre of her universe.