哥哥 suddenly started having a fever this afternoon. He was ok yesterday and this morning he was still jumping about, as usual. He woke up suddenly from his afternoon nap and I saw his face was flushed. Must be the chocolates he ate last night. Sigh! Hope he will be well soon.
Did this craft with 哥哥 last night. I think this is only suitable for older kids. The younger one might hold the ‘petals’ to hard and break it.
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I was playing with 妹妹 when she suddenly said "I". I thought she was babbling again. Then she walked to pick up something she saw on the floor. It's the letter "I"! Then she picked up some more and say it out as she picked them up.
Oooo! It made me so happy! What a wonderful Anniversary present this is!
I had a memorable birthday this year. For a start, 爸爸 went to work only at 12 noon. No. He did not take ½ day leave. It was because he went to work the night before and only reached home in the morning at 6. Then, my best friend of 18 years sends me a bouquet of flower and cake (and my favourite!). What a pleasant surprise! 爸爸 said now he don’t have to get me a cake. We were able to have the cake together. 妹妹 sure enjoys it. Thanks, Bonny!
Then my mobile constantly beeps for messages. Birthday greetings from all the mommy friends. So sweet of them! And there are more greetings from my site! Wah!
In the evening, I made Glutinous Rice Balls 汤圆 (for the 1st time) as it was Winter Solstice 冬至 too.
Yeah, I did have a memorable birthday. Thank you everyone for making it a special one!
It was Winter Solstice 冬至 yesterday. I had my first attempt in doing glutinous rice balls. Being my first attempt, I don’t want to be so ambitious. I bought all ready-made ingredients.
The outcome was okay. I’m not skillful enough. The balls keep breaking when I knead them and all peanut fillings came out. Lucky, I have enough dough.
Oh well! Practice make perfect. I’ll be better … next year.
I am finally able to video 妹妹 reading a word I scribble on a book. So happy to see the 'fruit' of my labour. ^_^
Made this super easy Jellyfish with 哥哥 few days ago.
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There you have it, your own Jellyfish. We hung it near the fan and we can see the jellyfish ‘swaying’
I had a pleasant surprise on Friday when 妹妹 pointed to the word on a flash card and said it correctly. Oh, she can read! From the look on 哥哥’s face, he was surprised too! I showed her a few more cards and she could read those too!
I haven’t been able to test 妹妹 because she would simply grab the cards when I asked her to pick the correct one. So this really gave me the boaster to continue teaching her.
I encouraged 哥哥 to practice writing and spelling by telling him that he can now help me test 妹妹. But he would have to know how to spell and write the word first. For the past 2 days, he kept writing 妹妹’s favourite word, ball, on pieces of scrap paper and kept running after 妹妹 asking her what the word is. I kept hearing 妹妹 saying ball, ball, ball ….
Ai yo! Time to write a new word!
妹妹 has this habit of hugging and smelling her pillow sleep. But I do wash her pillow. No smelly pillow, okay! It’s the tag of the pillow to likes to smells. My hubby and I were both baffled. It’s really amusing to see her smell it. Sometimes she will offer the tag to us to smell too.
Lately, I sew a little pillow and a pillow case using some fabric salvaged from some old clothes. And I sew in a tag I got from a cushion I bought to the pillow case too. Hopefully the next time when we go out late and pass her sleeping time, the little pillow will help calm her down and make her sleep in her pram. Right now it’s impossible to still be outdoor after 8pm.
While buying fruits, 哥哥 saw these cardboards (and a polyfoam fruit tray which I'm planning to make flowers) from the fruits cartons. He went to ask the uncle if he could have them and bought them to me, saying we can do crafts using them. Ai yo! 妈妈– big garang guni, 哥哥– small garang guni. Okay, okay, we shall use them to do a small Chirstmas tree.
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You can now decorate the tree. 哥哥 hanged the star we made 2 weeks ago as decorations too! The only thing missing is presents under the tree!
The craft Joanne did with the twin for the teachers' Christmas Gift gave me the idea to do this. It’s great because we can use it to hang up on the Christmas tree we will be making later (already made by the time you see this).
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When it’s dried, you can use it to decorate your Christmas tree.
I cooked Hokkien Mee yesterday and 爸爸 rated it 4 out of 5 stars. Not bad for first attempt. I asked him if there is anything that he would rate 5 stars. Without a thought he said, “ That’s simple! Salted Eggs lor! A 5 stars any time!” Grrrr!
It’s a struggle to get 哥哥 to eat and finish his meal. Be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s so tiring. I spent a quarter of the morning and half of the afternoon slogging in the kitchen to make lunch and dinner and in the end … sigh! I can’t keep giving him milk to fill his stomach, right? Either Warren finds it a chore to eat or my cooking sucks. Sometimes I wonder how I can still manage to find the desire to continue cooking everyday. Haiz!
妹妹 has been more willing to speak lately. She still babbles a lot. At least she is interested in talking and learning to talk.
Now everywhere we go, if there is something she knows or anything she found interest in she would say it out loud. She also loves singing with me and with all the actions! 爸爸 noticed this after his trip back from Malacca. I told him we are going to need earmuffs soon!
Yesterday, we went window-shopping and everywhere we went it was Christmas decorations. 妹妹 was excited to see all the ‘balls’ and ‘stars’ hanging around. She can’t stop saying ball and star. When we were at Kiddy Palace’s door step, 哥哥 asked if we could go in to look and play with the toys. He said “no buying, just play only.” Well, okay. He had never fail me once. One thing I like 哥哥 best ... no wailing for toys.
They both had fun playing with the toys there. (So pathetic hor?) When we left, 哥哥 asked if he could have the bulldozer her saw for Christmas present. I told him I would think about it. Perhaps I would get him two presents if he behaves for the remaining of the school holiday.
Told 爸爸 about my plans. He told me he has got a headache. He got to get soooo many presents. Christmas presents for the kids and me, my birthday present and our wedding anniversary present. He just can’t stop suggesting things for me to buy. I told him it’s not going to be easy getting things for me because I don’t even know what I want!
I have just finished reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone for the 4th time!! Now, I’m thinking whether I should start reading the next one, Chamber of Secrets. I really don’t have that much time to spare. If I do, it would mean sacrificing my sleeping time again. My hubby said I’m mad. He said, “Reading it again? Why don’t you read Lord of the Rings?” Errr. No, thank you! That’s not my cup of tea. I’m hoping by the time I finish reading the remaining 5 books at my own sweet time, Book 7 (and the LAST!! *Sob*) will be out already. Dumbledore died in Book 6 and from what I read from the JK Rowling official site more characters will die *more sobs* Ai yo! It’s just intriguing thinking about it! I just can’t wait for the book to be out!
哥哥 has been bugging me to do a telescope for a long time. Told him we need to finish the Kitchen Paper Towel first before we can do it. We need the tube.
Last week however, he saw an empty plastic bag tube when we were doing marketing and he asked the uncle there if he could have it. When the uncle said yes, he was grinning away. The next thing he said was, “妈妈 can we do telescope today?” I knew it!
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Now your kids have their own looking glass!
妹妹 did the funniest thing yesterday. We three were in the playroom and 哥哥 brought a pile of story books and left in on the floor for reading. 妹妹 saw one of her favorite books and picked up to read. She didn’t actually read …
She flipped and pointed to the words. She started babbling and giggling then she pointed to the picture, babbles, laughed some more and made funny faces. When she reached the last page which is the ‘surprise’ page, she acted surprised and say ‘Wow!” After she close the book, she waved her hand and said ‘No more!”
Ah! So this is how I read the books to her! What a good Copycat!
哥哥 made this Craft in school before so he was able to show me how to do it. 爸爸 chipped in to help because we had to do a lot. It was like a production line. Everyone of us was given a task to do. It was fun!
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My mind was blank for quite some times. I just couldn’t think of what to do as Christmas presents for 哥哥’s teacher. Only managed with these ‘Christmas Shells’ on Wednesday. Luckily it was very easy and fast. 哥哥 had fun searching for the Alphabets needed for the greetings!
When we finished with the shells, 哥哥 kept saying,"The biggest shell is for my丁老师!" That's his favorite teacher. He was so sad when I told him 丁老师 won't be teaching him next year.
Oh, 爸爸 also help us stuff ‘Xmas Candies’ for Warren’s classmates (see next posting instructions). The first time 爸爸 got involved with our crafts. Maybe he pity us when he saw we had so much to do! We had lots of fun!
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There you have it. Chirstmas Greetings on a Shell!
We got back a bag of readers and workbooks from 哥哥’s school today. That’s what he had completed for this final school term. Along with it, was his Progress Book. It’s like a Report Card showing how he fared in school for the second half of the year.
He’s results were pretty good. Lots of As, some Bs and 2 Cs. So, during the school holidays, I need to just concentrate on his 2 weak points, colouring and writing. Should have known it. He hates both of them! But he hasn’t got a choice. Practice makes perfect and he knows it.
Anyways, this is the teacher’s remark on 哥哥, “He has incredible energy and enthusiasm that carries throughout the day. He enjoys participating in conversation and discussions in class.”
This is my interpretation, “He can never sit still and has to be on the move constantly. He is talkative.”
I know very well how my son is like …
We decorated our house for Christmas and the front gate now is full of little figurines of angels and snowmen. An idea strike me! Let’s do our own Frosty the snowman!
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This snowman comes in 2 parts. 1st, the snowman, 2nd, accessories/clothes for the snowman.
哥哥 and I made a hat, scarf and a broomstick for Frosty.
Last Saturday, we made this Wind Detactor before 哥哥’s bedtime. He was pestering me to do craft work and I wanted a fast craft. So here it is.
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Hang it near the window, fan or air-con to see it turn! I got to think of another craft idea for 哥哥 today. It’s Saturday – Craft Day!
妹妹 now walks around the house with a bag (my clock bag) with a purse inside. And she carries it like a tai-tai. Can you imagine the picture? Oh. She doesn’t like it if her purse is empty. What does she do then? She gets the money from MY purse. Mind you, she only takes the notes!
Found this link, myheritage.com, in my friend, Esther Tong's site. I'm pleasantly surprised to see the results. Wah ... I got some celebrity faces in mine ah! No bad huh! Hahaha! Buay Pie Say!
妈妈 has finally crumbles down to flu. Yeap, the flu bug has finally got me. 爸爸 told the Doctor, the Iron (wo)man is finally down. I hate having flu! Runny nose, sneezing non-stop and feeling drowsy. Now I wear a mask when I’m near the kids. I was thinking of wearing a mask to 哥哥’s school. On second thought, better not. People might think I got the Bird Flu, so exaggerating! 妹妹 finds me with a mask funny and kept waving at me! The flu bug got 妹妹 too! The sick taking care of the sick. Urgh! Hate this!
Bought 妹妹 for her 18 mths jap last week. Yes! How time flies! My sweetie is 18 mths old now. When the Paediatrician began to ask me questions, I realized I'm supposed to monitor 妹妹's development from the guide given in the health book! Ai yo! This 妈妈! How can I forget?
Then the Pead continued with her tests on 妹妹 like making her stack-up blocks, weighed and measured her and checked her eyes and ears, etc. 妹妹 is not very heavy. She only weighs 10.1kg but I think she is quite tall – 82cm. Then the dreadful part was finally here. The needle! I was to hold her down while the Pead gave her the jap. The next second, it was over. No crying! Tough cookie, this girl!
Her next check up will be when she is 2 year old and I was to consider if I want to let her take the Pneumococcal Vaccine, which is S$180. Hmm … I should consider letting 哥哥 take the jap. I think he will probably struggle so much that we might have to tight him to a chair！
Yesterday 哥哥 was surfing Starfall and I realized they have changed their site to welcome Halloween. It looks cute with cobwebs and spiders all over. So, today I thought why not we make a spider shaker.
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I don’t know what got into 哥哥 yesterday to make him finish folding all the clothes!!! Actually, only his and 妹妹’s clothes but still it was a great effort.
I had just finished clearing the adult’s clothes and had left the remaining 2 baskets of the kid’s clothes aside to make dinner. 哥哥 woke up, came to me and asked me, “You folding clothes? I help you with the handkerchiefs okay?” I said okay and he left me.
After some time, he came back into the kitchen and told me he had finish folding all the clothes and he was going to put them in the cardboards. HUH? What finished folding the clothes? I followed him out and true enough all his and 妹妹’s clothes were all folded and according to my way of folding; a top with a matching bottom! Hahaha! I told him not to keep 妹妹’s clothes because she was still sleeping and we don’t want to wake her up. So he went ahead to keep his own clothes. After that, he continued to make his bed, packed the playroom and sweep the floor! Wow!
I asked him why did he help me do so much things and he said, “ I love you mah. I help you do things so you can rest lor. I want to be a good boy mah.” Wah … how sweet! *tears in the corner of my eyes*
妹妹 has taken up a new habit … brushing her teeth. Each time we are near the washbasin, she will take her toothbrush to brush her teeth. And her has never taken the wrong one before. It’s a good habit as her 4th upper Incisor is coming out. That makes a total of 8 teeth she has. But this morning, I actually saw the tip of an upper Molar. It’s already out? Gosh! But the Canine is not even out yet! Shouldn’t it grow in sequence? I checked her health book and realized the growth of Canine is really after the 1st Molar. Oh … I didn’t know that.
We finally have to chance to do a ‘Clicky Frog’ on Saturday, after I finally got hold of 2 bottle caps.
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It’s all done and your child can click the frog away!!
We did these to thank 哥哥's teachers for helping him and his classmates put up the nice dance for the parents.
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Yesterday, I told 哥哥 he must remember to thank his teachers on Monday for helping them put up the nice dance. 哥哥 suggested that we do some thank you cards. I told him he would have to do the writing on his own. I know he hates writing. He reluctantly agreed to do it. Gosh! His writing is horrible and it got worst for the second card due to boredom.
Anyways, I came up with the designs, help him do the cutting and some squeezing of the papers and he did the rest. He was quite fast. I didn’t expect him to complete both cards today, as he usually gets bored doing repetitive things.
The outcome was quite nice and he wanted to do another one for 爸爸 but dropped the idea. Why? Boredom again. I just knew it. So poor 爸爸’s card would have to wait for another day.
It’s going to be over! Finally, tomorrow is the day the parents will get to see the hard work of what the teachers and the children put in for the past one and the half months. And I’m so glad today is the last day I hear ‘complaints’ about 哥哥 being ‘wild’. That’s the exact word his teacher used. Hmmm. I just hope the kids had fun and not pressure preparing and performing the show.
When I went I pick 哥哥 from school today, his teacher told me he has been misbehaving and was not cooperative when they were practicing for their concert dance. She told me he kept playing with one of his classmates. Apparently, he was doing very well for the past few days when this classmate was absent.
I later told 哥哥 that if he continues with this behaviour, I would have no choice but to withdraw him from the dance because he will disturb his classmates and the dance will not be able to go on. Then all the 爸爸, 妈妈 and his classmates will be very disappointed. And I told him to try staying away from that particular classmate, at least for the time being. I know I shouldn’t have said all this but … sigh!
I have seen how the boy behaved out of school and I certainly wouldn’t want 哥哥 to be like him. 哥哥 is already so ‘out of control’ but at least he tries to listen.
There was this incident last week, where this boy keep walking in muddy puddles and splashing in them. I told him it was very dirty and told him not to do it. He did not listen and even kept pulling poor 哥哥 to the mud. He is so skinny and couldn’t break free from his grip. In the end, 哥哥’s white shoes and socks were all muddy. The next day, 哥哥 was so afraid of him that he told me to take another route to avoid him. He told me he didn’t want to walk with that boy because he kept pulling him to the muddy puddles. He doesn’t want to end-up having to go to school bare-footed!
Last night, while waiting for 哥哥 to finish his dinner, I played with 妹妹. I think she was trying to count the holes in 哥哥’s wooden toy. I counted with her. After I counted to four, she said ‘pie’. I did a few times and each time she said ‘pie’. So ‘pie’ is five …. Hahaha!
Then 哥哥 started singing 'If you are happy and you know it'. When he reach the part … if you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it… he couldn't remember the words and just make up some words to sing it through. 妹妹’s reaction to 哥哥’s singing was a boring ‘who-wah’ while playing with her stuff. It was so funny! Simply just entertaining her brother. Poor 哥哥! He didn’t even notice it.
We have to take a flight of stairs to go to 哥哥’s school, which is in a Church. Usually every morning I would carry 妹妹 up and down the stairs before letting her down. Today, I thought I would let her try climbing up with me only holding one of her hands. She could do it quite well and was quite steady. She wasn’t as good when she climbed down. Maybe, the steps are a bit too high for her. She had to bend her knee so much just make sure that her other foot was flat on the lower step. And I could see that she is slightly scared and wanted to hold both my hands. Nevertheless, I think she has done very well and I proud of her!
On Monday, 哥哥 had some visitors. They were his classmate and her little brother. 哥哥 just loves to have visitors over. It would means fun, fun and more fun! And 妈妈won’t be able to control him that much because it would mean controlling his friends too. Hmm … I’m cool. It’s not an everyday thing that we have visitors. I’m happy to see the kids are having so much fun together. At some point, the 2 older kids suddenly decided they were tired and promptly lie down flat on the floor. Subsequently the 2 younger ones followed suit. It was so cute!
One thing I 'hate' about having visitors over is when they left Warren would throw tantrums. It usually last for a while and I had to spend hours coaxing him. Poor boy! I think he is just feeling lonely. Well, at least now he has a little sister for company.
Last Friday, after fetching 哥哥 from school, we went to the 24 hours coffeeshop for lunch. As it was raining heavily, we decided to loiter around while waiting for the rain to stop.
As usual, 哥哥 stopped at the escalator, which has a glass panel so you can actually see the parts moving. He then started explaining to an auntie who was nearby, how the escalator works. The auntie was so nice to squat beside him listening to his 'lecture' for close to 20 minutes. When she asked him how he knows all these stuff. He said, I know! I see and learn myself!
If you too want to know how the escalator works, Click Here. Don't think you'll be interested lah.
Recently I realised 妹妹 could actually sort shapes. 哥哥 has a shape sorter, which I bought when he was a toddler. 妹妹 will usually open the cover than throw the shapes inside but lately I could see an interest in her in putting the shapes accordingly. And she is quite spot on. Her favourite shape is circle. Each time she will pick up circle first. I guess that's because it's the easiest shape, no adjustment is needed. Smart girl!
妹妹 gave me an Eskimo Kiss today!!
When we came back from the market, I squatted down to remove her shoes. When I lift up my head, I put my face very close to hers. My forehead touching hers and she just did it! Then she laughed so loudly. So cute!
I have heard 妹妹 said quite a few words but I haven’t heard her repeating them for a while. Hmmm. It’s the same for 哥哥 when he was a toddler.
Today, when I was bathing 妹妹, she said bubble again. She is telling me she wants to play with bubbles. Her ‘regular’ words are all about playing. ‘Up’ to carry her out of her playpen, ‘go’ to go out and ‘there’ to the direction she wants to go.
What about the rest of the words, 妹妹?
Last night I dreamt I somehow found a wonderful job that I can’t refuse. I decided to take up the offer but had to leave my kids with either the baby sitter or childcare center (can’t remember which).
哥哥 was crying when I had to leave for work and 妹妹 was happily waving good-bye. It was so tiring having to work and think of the kids. It felt like the day was never coming to an end and it felt really good to see the kids again.
I don’t know what’s more tiring, being a SAHM, FTWM or dreaming. I woke up feeling beat; like I worked 48 hours non-stop. Sigh! What’s the dream telling me? Stop thinking about going back to work?
Yesterday I was with the kids in the playroom watching a VCD when 妹妹 suddenly stood up and walked towards the TV. Before I could pull her back, She kissed the TV screen. And do you know what was in it? A baby! Ai yo!
After showing 妹妹 flash cards for almost 1½ months (I took a break in-between), I tested her today. She could point out the correct card when I asked her.
My sister was around when I did it and she found it amazing. She doesn’t understand how 妹妹 could remember the words on the cards when I’m flipping so fast. Hmm ... I’m considered slow. The recommended speed to flip the card is 1 second per card. I’m still have not managed to reached that speed yet.
I must ask 爸爸 to find a way to record this down for memory. I’m so proud of my dear 妹妹. She makes me feels that I have not idled at home being a SAHM.
Red spots are appearing on 妹妹 again. It took almost 5 days for the fake measles to clear the last time, which was just few days ago. I really don’t know why the spots are appearing again. Perhaps, it because of teething? I can see 4 teeth trying to push their way out of 妹妹’s sore gums. Hopefully the spots will not be accompanied by fever.
爸爸 took leave for 2 days, Monday and Tuesday, to finish his course assignments. Like yesterday, 爸爸 followed me and 妹妹 to fetch 哥哥 from school today. 哥哥 was very happy to see 爸爸. It’s not an everyday thing that 爸爸can fetch him.
On our way back home after lunch, 妹妹 threw tantrum and refused to sit in the pram. 爸爸 had no choice but to carry her. When 爸爸 stop to talk to me, that naughty girl told him ‘Go, go!’ 爸爸 was like, huh? After a while, she wriggled and tried to get down. She told 爸爸 ‘walk!’ Although, I have been updating 爸爸 with all the things that 妹妹 can do and say, nothing beats seeing and hearing them himself.
I think 爸爸 really enjoys taking leave to stay at home, though he was mostly at the study desk burying his head in his books and pile of paper. At least he can catch up with what he had missed on the kids’ development
School re-opens today! Thank God, 妹妹 is well except for the fake measles.
When I brought her to the coffee shop for breakfast, all the aunties were so happy to see her again. They haven’t seen her since last Wednesday. A lot of aunties gather there for their morning coffee, so everyone knows everyone. The coffee shop’s lady bosses calls 妹妹，小姑娘 aka Little Lady and always give 每每 free 叉烧包. Sometimes, I feel so shy that occasionally I would make dessert for the Lady Boss to return her kind gesture.
Noone will ever guess what the aunties and uncles here called 哥哥 when he was a toddler. He was called 村长 aka Village Head. This is because he will go in to people’s shop and start greeting all the people inside. Like wise for the people in the wet market.
I think my two kids can be quite successful in jobs that are people oriented in future.
My poor 妹妹 had fake measles after her fever. It was quite bad. It was all over her. Only her feet were spared. She was itching all over. My poor baby! All I can do is put prickly heat powder for her, boil 金银花 for her to bath and sip to help disperse the heat in her body. Hopeful, it will get over soon.
I bought 哥哥 a Clipboard yesterday on our way to the market. When he returned home, he said he is now Mr Bentley’s Assistant and when on behaving like Mr Bentley.
He said he would take a break from being Warren the builder for a day. He then walked around the house with his clipboard looking at stuff then said ‘checked’. He will asked me, Is your cooking done? Yes? Good! Checked!
That’s the influence of television program! So be careful what programs you let your children watch.
My poor 妹妹 is sick! She had fever yesterday and her fever didn’t subside despite taking medication. I bought her to the family doctor today. Doc said 妹妹’s fever was caused by throat infection and breathing through the mouth because of her blocked nose causes the throat infection. Oh, okay!
Doc prescribed anti-biotic for 妹妹, which I don’t like. I had no choice but to follow because I’m not a doctor. I don’t care what doc prescribed as long as she gets well soon!
This is how the kids' playroom looks like just after 3 hours of playing. Sigh! I'm really cool about it these days and smarter too. I will only ask 哥哥 to pack at the end of the day. Even if he did not do a good job ... well, it's better not doing at all. I'll pack later when the kids sleeps. Better anger management!
There are so many things 爸爸 doesn’t know what the kids can do. And when he actually sees them doing stuff he never sees before, it made him feels surprised and happy.
Last evening, 爸爸 was having his dinner alone when I carried 妹妹 out of the bathroom after her bath. She kept staring at 爸爸's dinner and I asked her if she would like some rice? And she nodded yes. 爸爸 was so surprised because he has never seen her nod. I did show him a video of 妹妹 nodding her head some time back but this is the first time he actually sees it in person.
I went on to ask her if still want some more and she nods. 爸爸 was so happy! He said it looks as if 妹妹 really understands. Gosh! I told him she DOES understand!
Poor 爸爸! So deprive of family time!
Everytime I ask 妹妹 to kiss me, she will do so with a very loud 'Mmmuaak!" But she is very stingy. She will only give me one kiss, nothing more. But it’s better than none.
When 爸爸 asks her for a kiss, she has no reaction. She simply ignored him. And she will push 哥哥 away if he asks for it.
The privilege of being a mother!
This morning when I carried 妹妹 out of her playpen, I presumed that she would just walked out to go the playroom. She didn’t. Instead, she walked to the fan, pressed on the off button, and then walked out!
If she wants to go out, she would get her shoes and pass it to me. Then, she would lift up her leg asking me to put on shoes for her. She will also try to remove her shoes when we get home but she only managed to unfasten the Velcro. I bet the next thing she will learn to do, is kick her shoes out! That’s what 哥哥 did when he was a toddler.
妹妹 is learning all the routines!
I noticed 哥哥 coughing a few times last week and I quickly started him with his medication. Guess even giving him his medicine before his cough get worst is of no use. If he is going to get it, he will get it.
Today, 哥哥’s cough has got a lot worst. Sigh! Poor 哥哥! I can hear him coughing away as I type. Let’s hope he recover soon.
Now, my next worry is he will not pass it to 妹妹. God! Don’t let it happen!
Every time 妹妹 says, “Wow!” when we go out, it would mean that we have pass by a shop with toys or with colourful things. She will keep saying, “Wow!” till we leave the shop. She is just so adorable!
Lately, I can see a tiny bit of improvement from 哥哥. The frequency of me shouting has lessened, though I still have to keep repeating for a simple instruction. At least it’s a good start. Maybe the cause of his improvement was having seen my nose bled last week after I got so angry. My blood bled for a good cause.
Me on the other hand, still have not managed to contain my anger. Sometimes, I will still flare-up. Sigh! My poor 哥哥 kept apologizing for being naughty and I too kept apologizing for shouting. Hmm. I got to work harder.
妹妹 is being so difficult lately. She doesn’t want to take afternoon nap and only wants to be in the playroom.
Gosh! Previously, she could stay there with 哥哥 accompanying her but now, I must be there too! If she noticed that I’m not there, she will hunt for me! The ‘best’ part is, when she is watching TV, she wants to sit in between my legs and she would lie back against me. Wow! Really knows how to enjoy life!
Poor me! Someone tell me how am I going to get work done now!
Teachers’ Day is coming. This year, I have planned to help 哥哥 made flowers for his teachers. It quite easy! I think he should be able to manage.
Teachers’ Day is coming. This year, I have planned to help 哥哥 made flowers for his teachers. It quite easy!
Materials required: Papers (Pattern or Coloured)
How to do it:
To make the process longer, I had 哥哥 put paint and glitters on the paper on one day and then start the above instruction on the next day.
哥哥 had just finished painting and putting glitters on the papers yesterday. We will be cutting the papers this evening. I think the outcome will be lovely!
Last Saturday, we went to McDonald’s for a bite and this 妹妹 couldn’t stop waving (meaning ‘hello’) to a family seated behind her. In the end, the mommy of that family turned her chair around and made her join them. Hahaha! As usual, 哥哥 was very upset that his dear sister had been taken away and made a lot of noise. That mommy asserted him that his sister was merely joining them for fries and would return soon. 妹妹 did return to our table, after eaten several sticks of fries!
Yesterday I called my sister to catch up and our conversation led to feng shui. She was telling me how my eight characters are good and strong; stuff like that. When she said that I should have money. I jumped up and said impossible! If you consider insurance as ‘money’, then ok. Otherwise, I’m penniless!!
This half-bucket feng shui master crosses checked my Luck Pillar and Zi Wei. She calculated that my current 10 years luck is not good. So will be my next 10 years. Gosh! Another 20 years to go! And there are ‘bad’ stars in my spouse pillar and my health pillar. Meaning what? There are problems with my spouse (mistress maybe?? Hahaha!) and I have to be careful with my health in my 50s. She was very sure with the health part as it tallies with my eight characters and she even pointed out it would be something to do with my stomach! Hmmm …. She hasn’t come to me about the spouse part though because she said it doesn’t tally. Gosh! That’s the interesting part!
Anyways, there are other stuff she told me, like when my mother-in-law is going to move in with us and how would that affect me!!! Humph!
I told my hubby about it (the spouse part). He immediately called her to invite her over to house to further discussion! Hahaha! The half-bucket feng shui master can’t make it last night. She had a drinking session. The feng shui master drinks you know! Hahaha! We are going to my father’s place on Sunday. After that, my sister is going to send us back and then she is going to look into our eight characters, Zi Wei and stuff.
By the way, I’m going to live to a ripe old age of 70+! How am I going to go through that being penniless! Hahaha!
We met our new neighbour at the void deck at the ground level. The grandma was with QiQi 妹妹 who’s 1 year younger than 妹妹.
妹妹 was so excited to see her. She went to sayang her and even hugs her. All these, she did so gently. I’m so surprised because she has never did this to any of us before. Maybe she can differentiate that QiQi is a baby and she has to be gentle like how her 哥哥treats her. But then again 哥哥 can be quite tough with 妹妹. Hmm. When I tried to carry her home, she got angry! She only 'moved'; when QiQi goes home too. Sigh!
Before QiQi went in to her house, 妹妹 didn’t forget to give her one last hug! Where did she learn to do all these?
August is coming to an end and I start to wonder what I have achieved so far this year.
My temper has got a lot worst, I’m easily provoked and I’m quickly losing my patience. This is no good. It is BAD! If I continue this way, by the end of year 2006, I will turned in to a screaming agitated MOMster. I must really learn how to relax, lower my standard I demand of Warren and spend more time clean up after him.
I don’t think it’s going to be easy and who says being a mother is easy.
I just realized there are purple lines on my sofa, courtesy of 哥哥. To cover-up his crime, he uses cushions to cover it. Sigh! The furniture in the house has all his abstract artworks on it. Seems like he thinks drawing papers and white board are not good enough for him to showcase his talents. Wait till his father sees his artwork. I don’t think he will please with them.
It’s so difficult to bring the 2 kids out without 爸爸 now. Even since 妹妹 started walking 2 weeks ago, she refuses to sit in the pram. Neither does she want to be carried. She just wants to walk. It’s so difficult especially in crowded shopping centers. People walking behind me might be cursing me for being a slow tortoise.
Lately she is worst. She now refuses to let me hold her hand too! Big girl now wants to roam on her own.
This 哥哥. Sigh! Woke me up in the middle of the night and tell me to fetch him earlier from school. Just don’t understand why he keeps saying that. He can repeat so many times throughout the whole day, everyday. Just like a damaged tape recorder. I’m wondering if he is just saying it out of habit. I must try to find out what’s wrong.
Last week I caught 哥哥 playing with 妹妹’s Milk powder. I have put the can of milk powder on the TV console in my bedroom for easy access. Sigh! There was milk powder everywhere, on my bed, on the floor, in the bottle sterilizer, in the toy box. It was literally everywhere in my bedroom. 哥哥 got the ultimate from me.
Then yesterday, I caught him putting his food in a box of toy to play. Previously, I had caught him playing with liquid soap. He can finish playing with the whole bottle of liquid soap, that’s 750ml, you know! He then pour water inside to make it full again. He’s not dumb you know.
Sighz! I really don’t know how to deal with him. I tried talking nicely to him. I have explained to him, punished him, scolded him and also caned him. Nothing seems to work.
He knows he shouldn’t do it but he is still doing it. When he is caught, he will tell you, I shouldn’t do this. It’s wrong to do it. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. Then it happens again.
The thing I hate most is people telling me it’s ok, let him be. Kids are like that. I wish to see if they will still say the same thing if it is their kids that are behaving like that. I certainly don't think it's 'ok'.
All I can say is this volcano (me!) is very active now. No more dormant volcano. Don’t provoke me. I may erupt anytime
I don’t know how is it that 哥哥 can love to eat Egg Fu Yong aka Fried Onion with Eggs? Many people have asked me this. Their kids hate it. Not 哥哥, no. He also likes garlic too. Weird! My Hubby said that’s because he is following his weird mother. Ha ha! Yeah, I like Egg Fu Yong but my way of cooking, which I learn from my father. 哥哥 also doesn’t seem to like the Egg Fu Yung we eat outside. I think it’s a bit too dry. Hmmm … Maybe I can influence him to eat Lady’s Finger?
My little 妹妹 wants more flash cards! I have showed her flash cards when she was about 6 months old. After 2 months, she could pick out the correct cards when asked. At the same time she also loses interest in it. Early this month, I showed her flash cards again. This time round, she seems interested again. Last weeks she just refuses to let me stop showing her the cards! I can show her 2 rounds of 5 sets of cards, which contain 10 to 15 cards per set, and she still wants to see them. If I stop she will be angry and she will start to pick up the stacks of cards and start to see it herself! I went to the Popular Bookshop to look at the flash cards they have. I found that either the cards too small or the words are too small. The topics are always the usual like colours, shapes, animals, body parts, etc, which I have already made. Seems I have no choice but to make some more on my own. There goes my beauty sleep again …
You know how people always say, children are God’s gifts, children are the joy of our life, children make our life complete …. These are all the nice stuff about children.
You know what I think about children? I think they are sent here to take revenge for their grandparents! Ha ha!
I remembered how my parents kept nagging at me …. Wake up, you will be late. Hurry, finish your homework. Eat faster, you food is getting cold. Pack your room, it’s so messy. Now Warren is taking revenge for his Ah Gong and Ah Ma. Ha ha!
Seems like I doing exactly what my parents did!! Ha ha! Hmmm … I have not been a good girl! Ha! Ha!
I'm a Capricorn woman, you know. The Zodiac has so much nice stuff to say about this sign, it makes people who know me want to throw up reading it. Ha ha! must show my hubby about the part it says Capricorn is a 3 in 1; perfect mother, a perfect housewife, a perfect wife. Ha ha!. Got this extracted for my sister's space.
Capricorn Woman - December 22nd to January 20th
A tall slim, cool and quiet woman. Once she is mad she can be very fierce. She can work better than some men and she is very high confident woman. In her opinion, woman is not just a flower or decoration at home or at an office and certainly not a weak sex who needs protection. She likes to control and hide her weak emotions. She will never try to change anyone, but she will learn to accept them as they are. If she does not like someone, she will not comments or criticize but she will completely ignore that person. She hate plastic and an artificial flower because it make her feel that you are not being sincere.
She loves real flower and it's scent. She loves a guy who wear after shave cologne. If you are a type of a guy who wear your Jean one month before washing, or wear an old sneaker, then you can forget about her. She loves music and nature even there is a rare case otherwise. She loves to go picnic in nature, so if you don't have so much time for her, you can take her fishing too. She is not as jealous as Aquarius or Leo woman, but do not cross the line O.K. Better not to see she gets mad, especially in front of public when she feels like loosing face. She loves to make up and dress perfectly and very neat, so never rush her for this matter. She has her own goal in life and does not care if you have a doctorate degree or not, if she thinks you are not bright then she will not care about you at all. She likes smart people by character not by certificate shown. If you can not show her this quality, go and take a bus and go to the next stop.
She does not like a dreamer who talk about his dream but never put his hands in action to make it happens. Don't bother to tell her "everyone is doing it, you should do it too", or "I think you should do it, it's good for you", because she will do what she wants to do only. She is a neat and tidy person, so if your apartment is a pigsty , do not take her there. If you go out on a date with her , try to be presentable such as nice and clean dress, clean nails or else it will be your last date. She is a cool type and will not nag, so easy on your ears. She is a slow but sure type. She will always respect and honor you and will never try to make you loose your face.
If she loves you, she will help you in anything you do. She likes to help people and expect nothing in return. If she asks you for a favor and does not get one, she will feel very disappoint. She has a high hope and a high faith and beliefs in her own confident than believing in "Luck". If she is your wife, you will have nice and clean home and a gourmet cooking. If your parents visit your house, they will be please. She is a 3 in 1 means , a perfect mother, a perfect housewife, a perfect wife or you could say "happily ever after".
If you want to see what your Zodiac says about you, go visit my sister's space and have a look. http://annieterri.spaces.live.com
Last month, I submitted one of 妹妹's photo to SingaporeMoms.com for their June Cutest Baby Contest and 妹妹 came in first! One of the rewards is entry to their Hall of Fame. And here it is ... http://www.singaporemoms.com/community/node/45117
2 weeks ago, my 爸爸 bought 妹妹 a pair of shoes. She has never like to put on socks or soft shoes. Everytime I put on for her when we go out, she will pull it out and throw.
As usual, when I put on the new pair of walking shoes for her, she immediately tried to pull it out. I let her stand on the ground and she still kept looking at her feet, kicking away. I think she got used to it now.
Every morning, I’ll put on the shoes for her and we will send 哥哥 to school together. When we reached the school, I’ll let her come down, holding her with one hand, she will walk 哥哥 to his classroom, wave to him, then walk back to the door. She has been doing this since we got the shoes. The teachers there commented that she walks like a ballerina tip-toeing as she walks.
She’s getting better now though she still prefers to crawl. Faster lah.
Last month, 哥哥's school informed the parents that there would be a performance by the children in the school's concert. The school wants to seek our permission to let them participate and to buy their costumes.
I have attended the one organised by 哥哥's pre-nursery school last year and it was quite fun to see the children's performance. 哥哥 was only 3 years old then and didn't do much. Still it was nice to see that he could stand in front of a group of adults with his classmates moving to the music. No stage fright.
My hubby came back last Saturday evening. He took many photos on his Project Site and I was helping him to download and to burn it in a CD so he could bring it back to his office to work on it.
Guess what? I suddenly remembered I left my little pink card in the Scanner!!! Ha Ha! I had it scanned because the organizer of SingaporeMoms.com wanted it as a verification to claim the prize Trenyce has won in the Baby Contest. After that, I had totally forgotten to keep it!! Muddle-headed!
All those searching and worrying that someone might pick it up and use it to borrow money from the loan shark! No kidding! That was the first thing I worry about when I found my IC missing.
Doesn’t matter now it’s back. Got to be extra careful now.
This evening my sister picked me and the kids up to bring me to the police station to report lost of my IC. Sigh! I have been searching high and low for two days... No sign of the little pink card ...
Anyway, after that we went to 鼎泰丰 for dinner. The kids and I shared a bowl of 牛肉拉面. My sis had Fried Rice and we all shared 一笼小笼包. God, I hope I got the Chinese words right!
妹妹 was enjoying herself very much. She ate 2 小笼包 and 1/3 bowl of the 牛肉拉面! 哥哥, on the other hand, was at his usual fussy-self. Not eating much.
When we were on the way home, 妹妹 couldn't stop playing with 哥哥. She kept going over to her brother's side to lie down on his lap and they couldn't stop laughing! How I wish I had the camera with me! It was such a lovely sight. My sister did take a picture on her super clear handphone, hope she will send me a copy.
哥哥 can really get out of hand and has always driven me up the wall. But every time I see how much he loves and takes care of his sister makes me forgets all his misbehaviour. I have seen how other older sibling fights with or bully the younger one. So I am really very happy that 哥哥loves his sister so much. Let just hope they will not fight when they are older.
I was playing cooking with 妹妹 this evening. She loves to play cooking. I gave her a plastic bowl and a spoon and she began ‘cooking’. After cooking for a while, she suddenly lifted up her spoon and wanted to feed me. She then went back to carry-on with her cooking again and then started feeding me again. Hmm …. I think it’s more like she is stirring the ‘food’. Ha ha! Then the song, Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes came on (we were watching Your Baby Can Read too). I asked her where her toes are and she could point out to me. I continued to ask her a couple more and she could correctly point out too. The funny part was when I asked her to show me where her hair was. She grabbed her hair so hard that she started to cry! Ha ha! My silly little sweetie.
My dear 妹妹 has decided to be a telephone operator. Her favourite past time now is to crawl to the telephone and pick up the receiver as if the phone just rang. She will then say ‘ah-o’ which is hello to her, then continue to babble on the phone, press some buttons then hang up. Ha ha! Then, she will crawl back to the playroom to play again. After a while, she will be out again. So funny!!
哥哥 saw me ironing a lot of my hubby's clothes and asks me what I'm doing with so much of his father's clothes. I told him his 爸爸 is going way to somewhere far to work again. He got angry (again). He kept grumbling ... then I cannot see 爸爸 for so many days, how? Why always go so far to work? His office is here mah! Ha ha! I can imagine him calling his father the next few days to grumble about it again. It's always the same every month. Ha ha!
It seems that 妹妹 is learning all the ‘B’ words now. First, she calls her 爸爸, ‘ba-ba’ but has now correctly called him ‘pa-pa’. Then she uses ba-ba again but on bubbles. She calls bubbles, baaa-ba. Ha ha! After that, it was bird, bear and now, bye. She will wave and say bye to anyone who say it to her. Ha! Maybe, I should teach her how to sing Baa, baa, black sheep. I think she will like it.
Last year, 哥哥 told me when he grows up he wants to be a Pilot, so he can touch the clouds; he said. That ambition lasted for a few months. Then he wanted to be a Chef. He said he wanted to cook nice things for me to eat, so I can ‘retire’ from the kitchen. How sweet! That ambition lasted longer.
Beginning this year, he said he wanted to be Bob the builder. I told him he couldn’t be Bob because he is Warren. Ha! Ha! So now he calls himself Warren the Builder. He will build whatever you ask him to build, though sometimes he will reject your request saying it’s too difficult to do it. Ha! Ha!
His father has been trying very hard to persuade him to change his ambition without success. Ha! Ha! Anyway, to encourage him to read and learn the words in the book, I ‘re-created’ one of his Bob the Builder storybooks using PowerPoint. Now he can click and listen to the words. Since he likes to play on the computer, I thought this might just work. I will re-create more if he likes it.
妹妹 has grown so much that it’s so difficult to wash her bottom after she poo. She will struggle, kick, wiggle and do all sort of things just to get off your grip. One of these days, she might just succeed and fall down.
妹妹 has spoken a brand new word, 'UP'. Every time, I want to pick her up from her play-pen or bathtub, I would said, ‘妹妹, come! Up, 妹妹.’ I guess this is how she learns the word. And the funny thing is, every time when she says ‘Up’, she will lift up both her hands and lift up her head to look up. Haa! Just like waiting for me to lift her up. I just realised she can even remember the title of her storybooks. Last Friday, I left 3 books on the bed and I told her, ‘Let's read, Get of my tail, Little Whale.’ She excitedly crawled to where the books were and picked up the correct one! Hmmm ... I’ll try another one today.
Currently, I'm letting 妹妹 watch educational VCDs. 哥哥 watched all these when he was a baby too. For mommies for just don’t have the time to teach. May I suggest these VCDs.
Your Baby Can Read http://www.infantlearning.com/videoclips.html
It works like the Flash Card method. Word, Pronounce, Action/Picture.
So Smart! Series
There are a few titles to this series. Recommended for babies 6mths and above.
Only picture with classical music。 A couple of title recommended for older kids have narration.
Brainy Baby Series
Also has a few titles catered for different age group.
The ones I bought are titled 'English' which is similar to Your Baby Can Read but the word appears together with the picture and 'ABCs' more for older kids. It teaches phonics as well. You can get all these from Popular Book Store.
Spend some time with your child to watch these VCDs. It will bring you closer to you child and your child gets to learn together with you.
1st July, first day of a new month. It shall be the day I start to teach 妹妹. I have wasted too much time already. I’ll be using the flash cards method. I have prepared a few new sets of flash cards. Just can’t seem to locate the soft copies of some cards I did for 哥哥. Maybe I just have to spend time redoing it again.
Anyway, this is how I do it. I will start with 3 sets of 10 cards each (30 cards). Although, my friend said it should be at least 5 sets (50 cards). I can increase later.
The sets are categoried by subjects, Shapes, Colours, etc. Each card has picture printed on one side and word on the back. I will flash the word, said the word and turn it around to show the picture. Once I am done with one set, I will mark on the schedule sheet so I can keep track of the no. of times I have shown my daughter. I will try to show the cards 2 times for 15 days. That means a total of 30 times for each set. Once I reach 30 times, I change to another set.
You can test you child at the end of the whole session. Show him/her 2 cards, eg, Square and Circle. Then ask him/her to pick up Square. See if it works. I taught 妹妹 when she was 6 mths, using Flash Cards. I showed her, Body Part, Number, Days, Months. These were without pictures. When I ask her to pick up a card, 90% she was correct. I must be determine to continue for my daughter’s sake.
My husband has been taking this corresponding degree course for a long time, doing one subject at a time. With his nature of work, I don’t know how his perseverance & endurance level can still be so high.
Everyday, except Sunday, he reach home around 8pm, take his bath, his dinner then head straight to the study table and bury his head in his books. Urgh! I don’t think I can do this. I will just fall asleep! Haa!
Recently, he has been staying up late (till past mid-night) as his exam is around the corner. I stayed up a few nights to make supper for him. Gosh! I felt my eyelids weigh a thousand tones this morning! I think I might just collapse anytime. Ha ha!
Remember how I could go drinking with my girlfriends at lounges and chat till wee hours and still wake up to go to work the next morning. Ahhh … Those were the days! If I continue to stay up late, I’ll soon be a yellow-face panda! Maybe I do miss being young. Haa!
No more late nights for me today. I need a break. He will have to eat bread for supper tonight. Haa!
I have been feeling lousy today. Fever and bodyache! 哥哥 has been such a dear today. Tried as far as possible to be a good boy. Didn't even make me angry; not even once. Even helped take care and play with 妹妹 so I could take a snooze. I can even hear their laughters thru out! Wished he could behave like this everyday!
I'm not sure when 妹妹 started to carry and hug her pillow whenever I tell her I'm going to carry her! Hmm. Even when I throw her pillow aside, she will promptly pick it up then comes to me with it. Haa! Anyway, today she was hugging her pillow (as usual) while I feed her milk. She suddenly blink to me when I looked at her. I thought it was just a coincidence. But no! She started blinking at me again, this time laughing with the bottle still in her mouth. Haaa! When I put her back to her cot after her feed, she was still blinking at me. Cheeky girl!
