I was telling Terelle to make sure she washes her hands before she had her dinner. She was glued to the tv and turned me a deaf ear.
After repeatedly asking her to wash her hands and demanding if she heard me, she suddenly turned to face me, gave me a dismissive roll of her eyes and said in a "i-cant-be-bothered-with-you" voice, "Whatever..."
At that moment, i felt really hurt. Where did she learn how to use that word? And in that context and tone??? I expected that kind of rebuttal to come from an angsty, rebellious teenager and not an innocent 4 year old?! Oh my goodness, are we fast forwarding to 10 years later?
After some discussion with hubby, we concluded that maybe she picked it up from us, cos we did use the word "whatever" on each other before, especially during arguments or quarrels. Guess we better watch what we say from now on!
Luckily it was just a harmless word, ill be terribly embarassed and angry if she were to start spouting profanities when we are outside. But that, i know for sure, she would not have picked up from me....
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Updates
"This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. I will rejoice, I will rejoice and be glad in it, and be glad in it."
The entire afternoon session of kindergarten kids were singing this sweet refrain as Terelle and I entered the assembly hall. Wednesday is Assembly Day where all the kids gather at the hall for half an hour of praise and worship.
Hearing this just lifted my spirits immensely. Especially when Terelle bid me a cheery goodbye and raced into the hall, yelling out "Lao Shi Wo Lai Le!" excitedly. As i walked away, i saw her form teacher embrace her in a hug and lead her to join her friends.
I feel I have really made a good choice in sending her to this school, praise God!
Anyway updates on Terelle:
1) She is finally finally off diapers , day and night! I was trying to train her to get used to the feeling of not wearing diapers at night while we were staying at my mum in law's house. I felt it was a good time to train her since she was sleeping on a mattress on the floor, so in the event of any accidents, the cheapo mattress could just be thrown away at the end of our stay.
After MANY accidents, i was finally confident enough to let her go diaperless on her actual mattress in the new house. I set my alarm clock to get up and bring her to the toilet once in the middle of the night.
After yet many more hits and misses, we have finally got it. She will pee about 3 hours after she goes to bed, then the nxt one will be when she wakes up in the morning. We have also started a sticker system where she gets one sticker for every dry night and she can exchange 10 stickers for an ice cream treat. And im proud to say she has been diaperless for the past 3 weeks with only 1 accident!
2) She is into this "princess" phase. We put a mosquito net over her bed, our aim was actually to keep her safe from the mozzie infestation affecting out block now. She views it as a princess canopy and everynight she will tell us, in the haughtiest voice she can muster, to invite Her Royal Highness to please enter her bed.
Terelle: (Looking down her little nose at us) Quick tell princess to go inside her bed!
Hb and I: (Flippantly) Princess please go inside your bed.
Terelle: Again! Ask the princess properly!!
Hb and I: (Louder and more plaintive) Preeeeeeeencess...pleassse go inside your bed.
Terelle: ok...hehehe...
Wonder how long this princess phase will last?
3) She is getting increasingly whiny and angsty. When i say she cant have something, she will go on and on asking to have it.
"But I want Mummy I want...I want it Mummy I want I want I want I want!!"
If i continue to hold fast to my decision not to let her have it, her whines will become wails and tears will start to fall, especially if she is sleepy or tired.
Otherwise, she will start hitting me and yelling, "I dont like you! I dont like you!"
Fine fine...I can live with you not liking me for awhile!
4) She takes extreme pleasure from imitating hb and I while we are talking. And when we try to talk faster and she stumbles over trying to follow us, she will squeak and squeal and double over laughing.
And it doesnt faze her if we do the same and imitate her while she is talking. She will squeak and squeal and double over laughing too.
And as for Thane:
1) The maid tells me he is an extremely good boy whenever im not at home. He will sit in the high chair and allow her to feed him his entire lunch with nary a protest, play quietly with his toys and just be a little angel.
Its a different story when im home. He screams to be let out of the chair, bats away the spoon when i try to feed him, spewing food all over himself, me and the floor. He refuses to play on his own and always just wants to be carried by me.
2) He understands many things that we say and can carry out instructions very well, like "Come here!", "Take this to Daddy", "Go wash your hands!" (at the toy kitchenette), "Cook somthing for Mummy!" (he will hold a pot over the tiny kitchenette stove).
He does a very good impression of Terelle crying, by scrunching up his face and going "Waaaaaaah!" , whenever we ask him "How does Jie Jie cry?"
He also loves to peek at our helper while she is busy in the kitchen and go "Waaaaaatssssss" , laugh cheekily and then walk away. I think he's trying to say "Whatsup", cos hb has been teaching that inane word to Terelle as a form of greeting.
3) Terelle needs a blanket whenever she goes to sleep and seeing Jie Jie with a blanket day in and day out, he's taken to wanting one for himself too. Whenever its bedtime, he will lie on it and chew the corners, making little contented noises.
Im glad they do not have a preference for a particular blanket! Any piece of cloth seems to do the job!
4) Stands up for himself whenever Jie Jie snatches things from him. Will either smack her, all the while making admonishing noises, pinch her or if she tries to run away, grab her tee shirt and pull her towards him to continue his assault and verbal "lashing". If she manages to get away, he has no choice but to scream loudly and frantically fail his arms cos he cant run fast enough as yet.
5) And last but not least. he has 7 teeth and loves eating anything that is not his own food, and that includes unedible stuff like rubber bands.
The entire afternoon session of kindergarten kids were singing this sweet refrain as Terelle and I entered the assembly hall. Wednesday is Assembly Day where all the kids gather at the hall for half an hour of praise and worship.
Hearing this just lifted my spirits immensely. Especially when Terelle bid me a cheery goodbye and raced into the hall, yelling out "Lao Shi Wo Lai Le!" excitedly. As i walked away, i saw her form teacher embrace her in a hug and lead her to join her friends.
I feel I have really made a good choice in sending her to this school, praise God!
Anyway updates on Terelle:
1) She is finally finally off diapers , day and night! I was trying to train her to get used to the feeling of not wearing diapers at night while we were staying at my mum in law's house. I felt it was a good time to train her since she was sleeping on a mattress on the floor, so in the event of any accidents, the cheapo mattress could just be thrown away at the end of our stay.
After MANY accidents, i was finally confident enough to let her go diaperless on her actual mattress in the new house. I set my alarm clock to get up and bring her to the toilet once in the middle of the night.
After yet many more hits and misses, we have finally got it. She will pee about 3 hours after she goes to bed, then the nxt one will be when she wakes up in the morning. We have also started a sticker system where she gets one sticker for every dry night and she can exchange 10 stickers for an ice cream treat. And im proud to say she has been diaperless for the past 3 weeks with only 1 accident!
2) She is into this "princess" phase. We put a mosquito net over her bed, our aim was actually to keep her safe from the mozzie infestation affecting out block now. She views it as a princess canopy and everynight she will tell us, in the haughtiest voice she can muster, to invite Her Royal Highness to please enter her bed.
Terelle: (Looking down her little nose at us) Quick tell princess to go inside her bed!
Hb and I: (Flippantly) Princess please go inside your bed.
Terelle: Again! Ask the princess properly!!
Hb and I: (Louder and more plaintive) Preeeeeeeencess...pleassse go inside your bed.
Terelle: ok...hehehe...
Wonder how long this princess phase will last?
3) She is getting increasingly whiny and angsty. When i say she cant have something, she will go on and on asking to have it.
"But I want Mummy I want...I want it Mummy I want I want I want I want!!"
If i continue to hold fast to my decision not to let her have it, her whines will become wails and tears will start to fall, especially if she is sleepy or tired.
Otherwise, she will start hitting me and yelling, "I dont like you! I dont like you!"
Fine fine...I can live with you not liking me for awhile!
4) She takes extreme pleasure from imitating hb and I while we are talking. And when we try to talk faster and she stumbles over trying to follow us, she will squeak and squeal and double over laughing.
And it doesnt faze her if we do the same and imitate her while she is talking. She will squeak and squeal and double over laughing too.
And as for Thane:
1) The maid tells me he is an extremely good boy whenever im not at home. He will sit in the high chair and allow her to feed him his entire lunch with nary a protest, play quietly with his toys and just be a little angel.
Its a different story when im home. He screams to be let out of the chair, bats away the spoon when i try to feed him, spewing food all over himself, me and the floor. He refuses to play on his own and always just wants to be carried by me.
2) He understands many things that we say and can carry out instructions very well, like "Come here!", "Take this to Daddy", "Go wash your hands!" (at the toy kitchenette), "Cook somthing for Mummy!" (he will hold a pot over the tiny kitchenette stove).
He does a very good impression of Terelle crying, by scrunching up his face and going "Waaaaaaah!" , whenever we ask him "How does Jie Jie cry?"
He also loves to peek at our helper while she is busy in the kitchen and go "Waaaaaatssssss" , laugh cheekily and then walk away. I think he's trying to say "Whatsup", cos hb has been teaching that inane word to Terelle as a form of greeting.
3) Terelle needs a blanket whenever she goes to sleep and seeing Jie Jie with a blanket day in and day out, he's taken to wanting one for himself too. Whenever its bedtime, he will lie on it and chew the corners, making little contented noises.
Im glad they do not have a preference for a particular blanket! Any piece of cloth seems to do the job!
4) Stands up for himself whenever Jie Jie snatches things from him. Will either smack her, all the while making admonishing noises, pinch her or if she tries to run away, grab her tee shirt and pull her towards him to continue his assault and verbal "lashing". If she manages to get away, he has no choice but to scream loudly and frantically fail his arms cos he cant run fast enough as yet.
5) And last but not least. he has 7 teeth and loves eating anything that is not his own food, and that includes unedible stuff like rubber bands.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Transitions
What was originally meant as a 2 week stay at my in laws while the reno at our house was completed has dragged to become a month long stay, the reason being we added a couple more things to our list of to-dos for the new house and that has delayed the completion of the reno.
I am thankful for some aspects of our extended stay here:
- The kids have become so much closer to their grandparents. Previously Thane would turn away and cry whenever hubby's dad attempted to even touch him. Now he would rather Yeye carry him and take him out on a car ride than stay home with me.
- The after dinner playtime with their cousins. I think they will miss this most of all once we've moved out. Every night, dinner is hurriedly shovelled down in anticipation of dancing, singing, painting, playing make believe...u name it, they do it...up in the computer room on the 3rd floor. Thane doesnt do much of the above but he is content to watch his sister and older cousins at play and will always laugh or clap enthusiastically at their antics.
- The 24 hr free babysitting service that lets hubby and i have some precious couple time together, be it going to the nearby coffeeshop for supper or busying ourselves cleaning up at the new place, we are always reassured that the kids will be well taken care of at home.
- The super duper efficiency of the 2 maids in the house. Because they help each other out, our laundry is done within 24hrs, the toilet is always glistening, our room is always spick and span, the kids are always well fed and well entertained.
But i will definitely not miss:
- My mum in law's outrageous superstitious beliefs. I am particularly miffed by the fact that she thinks all women's clothes are "dirty" and have to be washed separately from the rest of the family's.
- The suffocating heat of the house. My mum in law keeps ALL the windows perpetually closed for fear of dust entering the house. Granted, the house is spotless, but the sticky, cloying HEAT is just unbearable.
- Terelle's obvious disregard of my authority cos she knows she has the constant backing of her grandparents, who will indulge in her every whim and fancy. Just this evening, after dinner (she had a HUGE bowl of rice), she saw her cousins stuffing their faces with cashew nuts and junk food and promptly declared that she was hungry. A soon as Yeye heard her pitiful mantra, he immediately gave her a bowlful of nuts, and Terelle simply ignored my fervent protests. Hungry?? Like real!! What a total con job that only grandparents will fall for!
- Hubby and I are constantly at each other's throats; i cannot pinpoint exactly why...perhaps its because of the lack of personal space here, perhaps its because of the heat, perhaps its because im constantly frustrated over the kids and am subconsciously taking it out on him.
So there you have it, as im writing this, we are still waiting for our new place to be completed. And for all the good there is from our stay here, I know that when we really move, I for one would be most happy and relieved.
I am thankful for some aspects of our extended stay here:
- The kids have become so much closer to their grandparents. Previously Thane would turn away and cry whenever hubby's dad attempted to even touch him. Now he would rather Yeye carry him and take him out on a car ride than stay home with me.
- The after dinner playtime with their cousins. I think they will miss this most of all once we've moved out. Every night, dinner is hurriedly shovelled down in anticipation of dancing, singing, painting, playing make believe...u name it, they do it...up in the computer room on the 3rd floor. Thane doesnt do much of the above but he is content to watch his sister and older cousins at play and will always laugh or clap enthusiastically at their antics.
- The 24 hr free babysitting service that lets hubby and i have some precious couple time together, be it going to the nearby coffeeshop for supper or busying ourselves cleaning up at the new place, we are always reassured that the kids will be well taken care of at home.
- The super duper efficiency of the 2 maids in the house. Because they help each other out, our laundry is done within 24hrs, the toilet is always glistening, our room is always spick and span, the kids are always well fed and well entertained.
But i will definitely not miss:
- My mum in law's outrageous superstitious beliefs. I am particularly miffed by the fact that she thinks all women's clothes are "dirty" and have to be washed separately from the rest of the family's.
- The suffocating heat of the house. My mum in law keeps ALL the windows perpetually closed for fear of dust entering the house. Granted, the house is spotless, but the sticky, cloying HEAT is just unbearable.
- Terelle's obvious disregard of my authority cos she knows she has the constant backing of her grandparents, who will indulge in her every whim and fancy. Just this evening, after dinner (she had a HUGE bowl of rice), she saw her cousins stuffing their faces with cashew nuts and junk food and promptly declared that she was hungry. A soon as Yeye heard her pitiful mantra, he immediately gave her a bowlful of nuts, and Terelle simply ignored my fervent protests. Hungry?? Like real!! What a total con job that only grandparents will fall for!
- Hubby and I are constantly at each other's throats; i cannot pinpoint exactly why...perhaps its because of the lack of personal space here, perhaps its because of the heat, perhaps its because im constantly frustrated over the kids and am subconsciously taking it out on him.
So there you have it, as im writing this, we are still waiting for our new place to be completed. And for all the good there is from our stay here, I know that when we really move, I for one would be most happy and relieved.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Almost a year now...
At 11 mths and 3 weeks, Thane can
- say "go" if he wants to be carried somewhere. He can even indicate the direction by flinging out his little fist.
- say "dog" whenever he sees a dog, his current favourite animal. That's why Mummy is going to have a doggy theme for you for your birthday!
- say "eye" when we point to our eyes.
- kiss on command. Very cute, especially when he is kissing little stuffed toys!
- clap and dance on command. Current favourite song - I like to move it! from Madagasca. This skill was honed by Terelle, cos she is hooked on the cartoon. She can watch it twice a day and not get sick of it!
- put a handphone to his ear whenever we say "hello?"
- make a monkey face on command. It involves scrunching up his nose and squinting his eyes.
- question authority. For example, he would be on the verge of reaching for a forbidden object like a fork. Upon hearing a stern "no!" from either of us, he would continue to surreptitiously reach for the fork by s..l..o..w..ly reaching out his little hand towards it, all the while cheekily looking at us from the corner of his eye.
- say "dee" when i point to hubby in our wedding picture. Though im not sure if this was a fluke, cos he hasnt been able to repeat this feat.
- walk unsupported for 4 steps before deciding that crawling will get him to his destination faster.
Its going to be your birthday party tomorrow baby! Mummy is getting excited! ;)
- say "go" if he wants to be carried somewhere. He can even indicate the direction by flinging out his little fist.
- say "dog" whenever he sees a dog, his current favourite animal. That's why Mummy is going to have a doggy theme for you for your birthday!
- say "eye" when we point to our eyes.
- kiss on command. Very cute, especially when he is kissing little stuffed toys!
- clap and dance on command. Current favourite song - I like to move it! from Madagasca. This skill was honed by Terelle, cos she is hooked on the cartoon. She can watch it twice a day and not get sick of it!
- put a handphone to his ear whenever we say "hello?"
- make a monkey face on command. It involves scrunching up his nose and squinting his eyes.
- question authority. For example, he would be on the verge of reaching for a forbidden object like a fork. Upon hearing a stern "no!" from either of us, he would continue to surreptitiously reach for the fork by s..l..o..w..ly reaching out his little hand towards it, all the while cheekily looking at us from the corner of his eye.
- say "dee" when i point to hubby in our wedding picture. Though im not sure if this was a fluke, cos he hasnt been able to repeat this feat.
- walk unsupported for 4 steps before deciding that crawling will get him to his destination faster.
Its going to be your birthday party tomorrow baby! Mummy is getting excited! ;)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
An ode to my friend
To my dearest neighbor (ex-neighbor as of today) and friend,
I will always remember...
- the Games Nites we used to have b.c (before children), where we played board games/cards and snacked/chatted till late into the nite
- the yummy steamboat dinners together, leisurely ones b.c, not quite so leisurely after children but equally enjoyable
- the look on your face the 1st time you told me you were pregnant with Kirsten. I still remember it was in my living room and 1 mth old Terelle was fast asleep on the floor
- the holiday we had together to Langkawi. (Despite the not so ideal accomodation, we still managed to have fun! Remember the yummy Dai Look Mee dinner and seafood lunch n cheering on the guys during their go kart race?)
- our traditional xmas gift exchanges and little xmas dinner parties together
- how you managed to capture the bird that flew into my room with the wastepaper basket. You with your blooming tummy, with Kirsten inside and me with a 3 mth old Terelle fast asleep on my bed. Remember we were wondering how on earth we could let it free without it flying back into the house? Finally we threw it out into the corridor and quickly slammed my front door...haha...makes me laugh to think about it again...
- our New Year countdowns and "party" in the corridor, where we drank sparkling grape juice and ate "kwa chee"
- our endless chats about everything under the sun, especially the kids and our forever errant hubbies :)
- your support when Ryan was away and Terelle was very ill and had to go to the hospital. Will also always be grateful to Ray for sending us there even though it was late at night.
- having to borrow your thermometer whenever my kids were having a fever cos my lousy, screwed up thermometer always gave me wonky readings
- our dinners together whenever any of our hubbys were away on biz trips
- our shopping/makan sessions when the girls were in school and later, our shopping/makan sessions with the boys in tow
- the joy our girls had whenever they played together, be it in either of our houses, in the corridor, at the playground or in the pool or anywhere else we took them. As long as they were together, they enjoyed each other's company
- how we satisfied our spicy food cravings together by eating mee sian and nasi briyani when we were having the boys
- our bak kut teh pig out session, pity we didnt have more...
- your lovely homemade bread and the mouth watering smell that always came from your flat when you were baking it
- your generiosity, warmth and kindness and that you guys were the best neighbors we could ever ask for.
So its goodbye for now, my dear friend. 5 years have gone by in a flash, its the end of an era for us. As i write this, my heart is heavy and im feeling sniffy as i watch the movers at your place and the corridor being filled with your stuff. It just makes everything so final.
I wish you all the best as you move on to your new home, forge new friendships and make new memories. I will always hold what we shared close to my heart. I will definitely miss your reassuring presence just next door and the knowledge that i can always count on you.
Just promise me to meet up often ok? I still hope our kids can grow up together and become fast friends just like us.
Bye for now and God bless all of you where ever you may go.
I will always remember...
- the Games Nites we used to have b.c (before children), where we played board games/cards and snacked/chatted till late into the nite
- the yummy steamboat dinners together, leisurely ones b.c, not quite so leisurely after children but equally enjoyable
- the look on your face the 1st time you told me you were pregnant with Kirsten. I still remember it was in my living room and 1 mth old Terelle was fast asleep on the floor
- the holiday we had together to Langkawi. (Despite the not so ideal accomodation, we still managed to have fun! Remember the yummy Dai Look Mee dinner and seafood lunch n cheering on the guys during their go kart race?)
- our traditional xmas gift exchanges and little xmas dinner parties together
- how you managed to capture the bird that flew into my room with the wastepaper basket. You with your blooming tummy, with Kirsten inside and me with a 3 mth old Terelle fast asleep on my bed. Remember we were wondering how on earth we could let it free without it flying back into the house? Finally we threw it out into the corridor and quickly slammed my front door...haha...makes me laugh to think about it again...
- our New Year countdowns and "party" in the corridor, where we drank sparkling grape juice and ate "kwa chee"
- our endless chats about everything under the sun, especially the kids and our forever errant hubbies :)
- your support when Ryan was away and Terelle was very ill and had to go to the hospital. Will also always be grateful to Ray for sending us there even though it was late at night.
- having to borrow your thermometer whenever my kids were having a fever cos my lousy, screwed up thermometer always gave me wonky readings
- our dinners together whenever any of our hubbys were away on biz trips
- our shopping/makan sessions when the girls were in school and later, our shopping/makan sessions with the boys in tow
- the joy our girls had whenever they played together, be it in either of our houses, in the corridor, at the playground or in the pool or anywhere else we took them. As long as they were together, they enjoyed each other's company
- how we satisfied our spicy food cravings together by eating mee sian and nasi briyani when we were having the boys
- our bak kut teh pig out session, pity we didnt have more...
- your lovely homemade bread and the mouth watering smell that always came from your flat when you were baking it
- your generiosity, warmth and kindness and that you guys were the best neighbors we could ever ask for.
So its goodbye for now, my dear friend. 5 years have gone by in a flash, its the end of an era for us. As i write this, my heart is heavy and im feeling sniffy as i watch the movers at your place and the corridor being filled with your stuff. It just makes everything so final.
I wish you all the best as you move on to your new home, forge new friendships and make new memories. I will always hold what we shared close to my heart. I will definitely miss your reassuring presence just next door and the knowledge that i can always count on you.
Just promise me to meet up often ok? I still hope our kids can grow up together and become fast friends just like us.
Bye for now and God bless all of you where ever you may go.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Public holiday
Its a public holiday and im having tuition in the morning. Mornings usually involve me trying to get Terelle ready for school. Today im of course, in no hurry to get anything done.
Im blithely teaching my student at the dining table. Terelle senses something is different about today. She saunters over and asks, "Why am i not going to school today, Mummy?"
"Cos its a public holiday."
"What's a public holiday?"
"Its a day when everyone does not work."
"But daddy is working." (Hubby's big boss is in town so he has to be at an important meeting)
"Daddy is special, he has to go to the office. Ok be good, go watch your cartoon, after Mummy has finished tuition, ill bring you out okie?"
"Yay! We're going out! I love you Mummy!"
She quietly settles down to watch tv for the next 45min. After my lesson, i decide that since its a cloudy and cool day, we could head down to the Botanic Gardens to have a picnic and feed the fishes. So I start packing some picnic things to take along.
"Are we going now Mummy? Are we??"
"Yes, after you finish your lunch."
"Oh man!" (Accompanied by a dramatic hanging of her head and exasperated shaking of her hands - This girl deserves an Oscar for her theatrics)
I call my parents and tell them of my plans for the day, to which they reply that its too hot to go to the gardens now and that i should make the kids take their nap 1st and then head down in the evening.
I agree (against my better judgement) and feed my by now extremely bored girl her lunch.
After lunch she dejectedly lies on the playmat in the living room and declares in a forlorn voice, "Its so boring at home, i want to go out Mummy, im so bored"
"ok ok we'll go out after your nap ok? Gong Gong and Por Por says its too hot to go out now. All the fishes are hiding deep in the pond, they will not come to the surface cos the sun will fry them"
"oh fry them? Then they will die? ok then ill sleep now, we go later when the sun is not so hot right?"
"yes i promise we will go later"
And so she happily skips off to bed. An hour and a half later, she jumps out of bed with a broad grin and chirps,"Are we going out now? Are we are we??"
By then it has started to rain cats and dogs and i was silently cursing myself for not following my instinct just now and just gone when the weather was fine.
"We have to wait for the rain to stop. Anyway Baby Bone is still sleeping. We will go when he wakes up ok?"
"oh its raining so the fishes will get wet then they wont come to the surface?"
"Hahahha the fishes are already wet cos they are living in the water. We will get wet if we go out in the rain. Then we will get sick."
"oh ok we go later"
Seemingly appeased for the time being, she skips off to play with her toys for a whole of 5 min before announcing again,"Im bored mummy! BORED! I dont want to stay at home. I know! Lets go to the children's playground!! The one that is nearby?"
"Aunty Yiling says its closed for renovation."
"Oh man!" (Dramatic hanging of head and wringing of hands again)
Her head suddenly jerks up and she implores longingly
"What about the other indoor children's playgrounds? You can drive there!"
"Its a public holiday baby, they will be very crowded"
"Oh man!" (This time she throws herself onto the mat and lies there with a woebegone look on her face)
"We will still go to the botanic gardens to feed the fish, just wait for the rain to stop ok?"
She doesnt answer me. I think she is angry with me. Haha...
After half an hour, the rain slows to a drizzle so i decide to take a risk and venture out. Terelle can hardly contain her excitement as i bundle both the kids into the car.
"Are we going to feed the fish now Mummy? Are we?"
"yes, yes. Pray hard its not raining at the botanic gardens ok?"
"Ok....god please dont rain at the botanic gardens please please" After which she settles back in her seat and happily starts singing her songs.
It was raining throughout our entire journey to the gardens and i was half expecting to have to deal with her disappointment at not being able to feed the fish after all. Miraculously, right after i parked the car, the rain stopped and we all headed straight for the Symphony lake.
As she was standing there gleefully throwing bread into the pond (bread sponsored by Gong Gong and Por Por who trooped all the way to Katong to buy scraps from a bakery), she turned to me and gave me a disdainful look.
"At last im finally having fun Mummy!"
"...?? ...??!!"
Since when did it become my fault??? Hahahah...
Im blithely teaching my student at the dining table. Terelle senses something is different about today. She saunters over and asks, "Why am i not going to school today, Mummy?"
"Cos its a public holiday."
"What's a public holiday?"
"Its a day when everyone does not work."
"But daddy is working." (Hubby's big boss is in town so he has to be at an important meeting)
"Daddy is special, he has to go to the office. Ok be good, go watch your cartoon, after Mummy has finished tuition, ill bring you out okie?"
"Yay! We're going out! I love you Mummy!"
She quietly settles down to watch tv for the next 45min. After my lesson, i decide that since its a cloudy and cool day, we could head down to the Botanic Gardens to have a picnic and feed the fishes. So I start packing some picnic things to take along.
"Are we going now Mummy? Are we??"
"Yes, after you finish your lunch."
"Oh man!" (Accompanied by a dramatic hanging of her head and exasperated shaking of her hands - This girl deserves an Oscar for her theatrics)
I call my parents and tell them of my plans for the day, to which they reply that its too hot to go to the gardens now and that i should make the kids take their nap 1st and then head down in the evening.
I agree (against my better judgement) and feed my by now extremely bored girl her lunch.
After lunch she dejectedly lies on the playmat in the living room and declares in a forlorn voice, "Its so boring at home, i want to go out Mummy, im so bored"
"ok ok we'll go out after your nap ok? Gong Gong and Por Por says its too hot to go out now. All the fishes are hiding deep in the pond, they will not come to the surface cos the sun will fry them"
"oh fry them? Then they will die? ok then ill sleep now, we go later when the sun is not so hot right?"
"yes i promise we will go later"
And so she happily skips off to bed. An hour and a half later, she jumps out of bed with a broad grin and chirps,"Are we going out now? Are we are we??"
By then it has started to rain cats and dogs and i was silently cursing myself for not following my instinct just now and just gone when the weather was fine.
"We have to wait for the rain to stop. Anyway Baby Bone is still sleeping. We will go when he wakes up ok?"
"oh its raining so the fishes will get wet then they wont come to the surface?"
"Hahahha the fishes are already wet cos they are living in the water. We will get wet if we go out in the rain. Then we will get sick."
"oh ok we go later"
Seemingly appeased for the time being, she skips off to play with her toys for a whole of 5 min before announcing again,"Im bored mummy! BORED! I dont want to stay at home. I know! Lets go to the children's playground!! The one that is nearby?"
"Aunty Yiling says its closed for renovation."
"Oh man!" (Dramatic hanging of head and wringing of hands again)
Her head suddenly jerks up and she implores longingly
"What about the other indoor children's playgrounds? You can drive there!"
"Its a public holiday baby, they will be very crowded"
"Oh man!" (This time she throws herself onto the mat and lies there with a woebegone look on her face)
"We will still go to the botanic gardens to feed the fish, just wait for the rain to stop ok?"
She doesnt answer me. I think she is angry with me. Haha...
After half an hour, the rain slows to a drizzle so i decide to take a risk and venture out. Terelle can hardly contain her excitement as i bundle both the kids into the car.
"Are we going to feed the fish now Mummy? Are we?"
"yes, yes. Pray hard its not raining at the botanic gardens ok?"
"Ok....god please dont rain at the botanic gardens please please" After which she settles back in her seat and happily starts singing her songs.
It was raining throughout our entire journey to the gardens and i was half expecting to have to deal with her disappointment at not being able to feed the fish after all. Miraculously, right after i parked the car, the rain stopped and we all headed straight for the Symphony lake.
As she was standing there gleefully throwing bread into the pond (bread sponsored by Gong Gong and Por Por who trooped all the way to Katong to buy scraps from a bakery), she turned to me and gave me a disdainful look.
"At last im finally having fun Mummy!"
"...?? ...??!!"
Since when did it become my fault??? Hahahah...
Thursday, October 23, 2008
My second child
Then
Terelle used to follow me EVERYWHERE, and i really mean everywhere. Even when i had to go to students' houses for tuition, i would cart her along, and she would play with my students' siblings or watch her dvds right beside me
Now
I hardly bring Thane out cos with 2 kids of different ages, its kinda difficult to plan activities that they can both participate in. And it doesnt help that he doesnt cooperate when i try to bring him out.
1) If i take him along to tuition, i wont be able to teach for 5min before he starts howling for attention and demanding to be picked up. If not he will be crawling around/pulling on everything in sight/putting everything into his mouth. No way would he be able to sit quietly beside me for 1.5hours.
2) He hates being confined in the car seat, choosing to cry and squirm all the way to our destination. Outside, he refuses to sit/sleep in the stroller, and usually ends up irritable and cranky.
It is a vicious cycle, because of this, he seldom gets to go out. And perhaps because he seldom gets to go out, he is not used to being taken out and gets upset by the sights and sounds, and tends to get frightened by the many different kinds of people he sees. He will stare intently and scrutinize any new face, only to break into a howl when they start to smile/wave/play/do a hi5 with him.
Sigh...i am trying to bring him out more often now. Dont want him to end up being a frog in a well cos he's always left behind at home.
Then
Hubby and I would bring Terelle out with us all the time, and show her off to anyone and everyone.
Now
We try to sneak out as often as we can sans kids and we really relish our precious couple time together. Without the kids we dont have to take turns to have dinner/feed them/change diapers/appease their tantrums/carry them till our backs ache/worry about them touching dirty surfaces and contracting hfmd...the list goes on...
What about showing off the kids? Errr...just go to our blog and see their pics.
Then
Terelle used to sleep with us every single night.
Now
Thane sleeps in his cot every single night.
Then
I experimented with all kinds of foods with Terelle, unwittingly ignorant that they might have weakened her body. (according to the sinseh - he who believes that children should not be given any fruits from A-Z, no biscuits, no seafood, no cold stuff, no fruit juices until they have built up their constitution)
Now
Poor Thane only eats porridge/mee sua/organic pasta cooked in meat broth with vegetables and plain bread as his snack. He has yet to eat a single piece of fruit nor try a bite of a biscuit. His food repertoire is so pathetic that i feel so sorry for him.
On the flipside, he does seem stronger than his sister. He seldom falls sick, even when she coughs and sneezes right in his face when she is ill. Even when he is sick, his symptoms are mild and usually abate within a couple of days. We shall see...
Then
We had no helper and Terelle only had me 24/7. I was also fiercely protective of her and abhorred the thought of a helper, lest she vie for the affections of my precious baby.
Now
I leave Thane in the capable (so far) hands of my helper while i go out to teach/exercise/shop/eat/attend workshops/catch up with friends/have a life. I do not feel a smidgen of guilt...ok maybe just a teeny weeny bit sometimes when Thane tries to reach out for me as the lift door closes in his face.
Then
I remember when Terelle fell off the bed for the first time. We panicked and hubby carried her and literally ran all the way to the paediatrician to get her checked out.
Now
When Thane fell off the bed for the first time, i was quite unperturbed cos he only cried for like 30s, had no baluku and was pretty much his normal self after that. No need to go haring off to the pd...saved me $40 too.
Then
Splurged on pretty new clothes for Terelle ever so often.
Now
Im happy with my friends' hand me downs for Thane.
Then
Flashcards! Music during naptime and bedtime! Books! Gym!
Now
Err...i do some of the above whenever im not too tired or when i feel like it.
My poor second child...please dont grow up thinking that you've been sidelined. I still love you to bits.
Terelle used to follow me EVERYWHERE, and i really mean everywhere. Even when i had to go to students' houses for tuition, i would cart her along, and she would play with my students' siblings or watch her dvds right beside me
Now
I hardly bring Thane out cos with 2 kids of different ages, its kinda difficult to plan activities that they can both participate in. And it doesnt help that he doesnt cooperate when i try to bring him out.
1) If i take him along to tuition, i wont be able to teach for 5min before he starts howling for attention and demanding to be picked up. If not he will be crawling around/pulling on everything in sight/putting everything into his mouth. No way would he be able to sit quietly beside me for 1.5hours.
2) He hates being confined in the car seat, choosing to cry and squirm all the way to our destination. Outside, he refuses to sit/sleep in the stroller, and usually ends up irritable and cranky.
It is a vicious cycle, because of this, he seldom gets to go out. And perhaps because he seldom gets to go out, he is not used to being taken out and gets upset by the sights and sounds, and tends to get frightened by the many different kinds of people he sees. He will stare intently and scrutinize any new face, only to break into a howl when they start to smile/wave/play/do a hi5 with him.
Sigh...i am trying to bring him out more often now. Dont want him to end up being a frog in a well cos he's always left behind at home.
Then
Hubby and I would bring Terelle out with us all the time, and show her off to anyone and everyone.
Now
We try to sneak out as often as we can sans kids and we really relish our precious couple time together. Without the kids we dont have to take turns to have dinner/feed them/change diapers/appease their tantrums/carry them till our backs ache/worry about them touching dirty surfaces and contracting hfmd...the list goes on...
What about showing off the kids? Errr...just go to our blog and see their pics.
Then
Terelle used to sleep with us every single night.
Now
Thane sleeps in his cot every single night.
Then
I experimented with all kinds of foods with Terelle, unwittingly ignorant that they might have weakened her body. (according to the sinseh - he who believes that children should not be given any fruits from A-Z, no biscuits, no seafood, no cold stuff, no fruit juices until they have built up their constitution)
Now
Poor Thane only eats porridge/mee sua/organic pasta cooked in meat broth with vegetables and plain bread as his snack. He has yet to eat a single piece of fruit nor try a bite of a biscuit. His food repertoire is so pathetic that i feel so sorry for him.
On the flipside, he does seem stronger than his sister. He seldom falls sick, even when she coughs and sneezes right in his face when she is ill. Even when he is sick, his symptoms are mild and usually abate within a couple of days. We shall see...
Then
We had no helper and Terelle only had me 24/7. I was also fiercely protective of her and abhorred the thought of a helper, lest she vie for the affections of my precious baby.
Now
I leave Thane in the capable (so far) hands of my helper while i go out to teach/exercise/shop/eat/attend workshops/catch up with friends/have a life. I do not feel a smidgen of guilt...ok maybe just a teeny weeny bit sometimes when Thane tries to reach out for me as the lift door closes in his face.
Then
I remember when Terelle fell off the bed for the first time. We panicked and hubby carried her and literally ran all the way to the paediatrician to get her checked out.
Now
When Thane fell off the bed for the first time, i was quite unperturbed cos he only cried for like 30s, had no baluku and was pretty much his normal self after that. No need to go haring off to the pd...saved me $40 too.
Then
Splurged on pretty new clothes for Terelle ever so often.
Now
Im happy with my friends' hand me downs for Thane.
Then
Flashcards! Music during naptime and bedtime! Books! Gym!
Now
Err...i do some of the above whenever im not too tired or when i feel like it.
My poor second child...please dont grow up thinking that you've been sidelined. I still love you to bits.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Best Baby in the Whole World!!!
Thane is a very serious baby, i mean it.
Coaxing a smile out of him is like coaxing blood out of a rock. And that leaves most of our friends feeling extremely stupid cos no matter what silly antics they try, he will simply stare at them with an impassive face and a furrowed brow, as if to say "Hey just quit it, dont you know you look really silly and its not funny?"
Yet only Terelle can make him squeal and double over with laughter. We can say the exact same things, do the exact same actions as her, only to be met with that deprecating, pokerfaced stare.
Tonight, she was monkey-ing around as usual and singing "Ke Ren Lai" at the top of her lungs, peeking out at Thane from behind the dining chair from time to time. He seemed to find that hilarious and started laughing hysterically. That fuelled more clowning around from my dear girl and he was laughing so hard that he was spewing bread all over the place. (He was eating bread at that time)
This "Ke Ren Lai" episode went on for a good 15min, after which both kids were totally tired out so we started our bedtime routines. (hahah what a good way to get them to go to sleep!!)
As hubby was putting on a pair of long pants for Terelle and i was nursing Thane, she suddenly exclaimed "Baby is the best baby in the whole wide world!!"
Our hearts melted. I guess the best thing that we did for her was to give her a sibling.
But once he gets a little older, that's when the real mayhem will start.
Coaxing a smile out of him is like coaxing blood out of a rock. And that leaves most of our friends feeling extremely stupid cos no matter what silly antics they try, he will simply stare at them with an impassive face and a furrowed brow, as if to say "Hey just quit it, dont you know you look really silly and its not funny?"
Yet only Terelle can make him squeal and double over with laughter. We can say the exact same things, do the exact same actions as her, only to be met with that deprecating, pokerfaced stare.
Tonight, she was monkey-ing around as usual and singing "Ke Ren Lai" at the top of her lungs, peeking out at Thane from behind the dining chair from time to time. He seemed to find that hilarious and started laughing hysterically. That fuelled more clowning around from my dear girl and he was laughing so hard that he was spewing bread all over the place. (He was eating bread at that time)
This "Ke Ren Lai" episode went on for a good 15min, after which both kids were totally tired out so we started our bedtime routines. (hahah what a good way to get them to go to sleep!!)
As hubby was putting on a pair of long pants for Terelle and i was nursing Thane, she suddenly exclaimed "Baby is the best baby in the whole wide world!!"
Our hearts melted. I guess the best thing that we did for her was to give her a sibling.
But once he gets a little older, that's when the real mayhem will start.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Strike Day 6
Thane slept through the nite before, somehow or rather i kinda expected him to. Guess once i changed my mindset, everything seemed easier to bear.
Helper took over to keep an eye on him so i could get some extra shut eye in the morning. However i couldnt really sleep cos i could hear him squealing non stop outside. Finally got out of bed and found, to my surprise, that my happy little baby was back. Perhaps our misery rubbed off on each other the past few days and once i started to lighten up, his mood changed for the better too. When i saw that he was no longer moping around, my spirits were further lifted, and i felt that maybe the worst was really over.
In the afternoon, after Terelle went off to school, i shut ourselves inside my room again, turned on the worship cd and spent the next 3 hours skin to skin. Thane fell fast asleep on my chest and although i was wide awake, i didnt dare move until it was time to fetch Terelle. He continued to sleep for another half an hour after that, that made it a total of 3.5 hrs! He had never before napped for such a long time.
The afternoon and evening passed by quickly enough, with us feeding him milk by spoon as per normal.
After dinner, as i settled down to watch some tv (Dont forget the Lyrics, my current favourite reality show), i thought no harm trying to latch him. I expected him to push me away again as usual, but to my utmost surprise and delight, he began to nurse as if he never stopped.
I didnt dare to move an inch lest he unlatched himself. I think I didnt even dare to breathe deeply. I watched in amusement as he went through his usual routine of scratching his head with his free hand and slowly drifted off to sleep. And i just sat there holding his hand and stroking his head for the next 1.5 hrs, with him asleep at my breast, only finally getting up and putting him down when my bladder was about to burst.
I don't know if he will go on strike again. But I am thankful that we had this particular nursing experience so I could savor every second of it. At least if that was the last nursing session, it will stay in my heart and soul forever.
Thanks to all my friends (you know who you are), and even other mums who just chanced on my blog, for being so supportive and comforting to me during this confusing, emotional time. What you did for me just confirms that mother-to-mother support is so very important to a nursing mother. I will always remember this episode for the rest of my life.
And to any other mums who is as unfortunate as me to have to go through this, take heart. The strike will pass..all u need is alot of patience and determination. And if you feel like its the end of the world, just get in touch with me, ill lend you my shoulder to cry on.
Helper took over to keep an eye on him so i could get some extra shut eye in the morning. However i couldnt really sleep cos i could hear him squealing non stop outside. Finally got out of bed and found, to my surprise, that my happy little baby was back. Perhaps our misery rubbed off on each other the past few days and once i started to lighten up, his mood changed for the better too. When i saw that he was no longer moping around, my spirits were further lifted, and i felt that maybe the worst was really over.
In the afternoon, after Terelle went off to school, i shut ourselves inside my room again, turned on the worship cd and spent the next 3 hours skin to skin. Thane fell fast asleep on my chest and although i was wide awake, i didnt dare move until it was time to fetch Terelle. He continued to sleep for another half an hour after that, that made it a total of 3.5 hrs! He had never before napped for such a long time.
The afternoon and evening passed by quickly enough, with us feeding him milk by spoon as per normal.
After dinner, as i settled down to watch some tv (Dont forget the Lyrics, my current favourite reality show), i thought no harm trying to latch him. I expected him to push me away again as usual, but to my utmost surprise and delight, he began to nurse as if he never stopped.
I didnt dare to move an inch lest he unlatched himself. I think I didnt even dare to breathe deeply. I watched in amusement as he went through his usual routine of scratching his head with his free hand and slowly drifted off to sleep. And i just sat there holding his hand and stroking his head for the next 1.5 hrs, with him asleep at my breast, only finally getting up and putting him down when my bladder was about to burst.
I don't know if he will go on strike again. But I am thankful that we had this particular nursing experience so I could savor every second of it. At least if that was the last nursing session, it will stay in my heart and soul forever.
Thanks to all my friends (you know who you are), and even other mums who just chanced on my blog, for being so supportive and comforting to me during this confusing, emotional time. What you did for me just confirms that mother-to-mother support is so very important to a nursing mother. I will always remember this episode for the rest of my life.
And to any other mums who is as unfortunate as me to have to go through this, take heart. The strike will pass..all u need is alot of patience and determination. And if you feel like its the end of the world, just get in touch with me, ill lend you my shoulder to cry on.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Strike Day 5
Hubby was at home again today, cos we need to go sign some documents for our new flat. The morning passed by as usual, with us spoon feeding Thane his milk and water. I have increased his meals to 3 times a day now, adding cereal for breakfast because in the past he used to latch in the morning.
When Terelle went off to school, we took Thane along with us to the document signing session. I still didnt want to leave him alone. In the car, i had almost succeeded in getting him near the breast when my fone rang. (It was my dad, he has an uncanny knack of calling me at the most inopportune time. Sigh...)
Thane got startled and started to cry and pull away. At the height of his hysterics, hubby suggested we turn back and leave him at home. I refused and tried my best to comfort him, all the while trying not to burst into tears again.
He finally slept on my shoulder. Thank God we didnt turn back! During lunch, i spoonfed him some milk again. He took it with minimal fuss. I put him in the sling and carried him around for the rest of the day. My shoulders ached from his weight but i was determined for him to spend as much time close to me as possible.
Thane had his porridge outside and was an angel throughout the signing and the meeting with the lawyer. He slept on my shoulder during the meeting and didnt wake until 3 hours later, by then we had already reached home.
I was worried that he was getting dehydrated as he seemed lethargic to me. Hubby cheerfully remarked that previously i worried when he didnt sleep, now that he was napping for a longer stretch why was i worrying again?
Fed him another bowl of milk when he awoke and gave him a new sippy cup to try. We had just bought that cup in the afternoon as i wanted to try everything in a bid for him to drink more milk.
I was dreading bedtime again but surprisingly, i neednt have worried. After turning on the cd, i sang "There is none like You" just once to him and he fell fast asleep on my shoulder with nary a fuss. I was elated. My spirits lifted and i felt so much more hopeful that i have felt in days. I think God is trying to tell me that we can get through this.
Hubby just came in and commented that it is funny how God works. We have been trying to get Thane to sleep on his own and complaining so much about how he wakes up countless times throughout the night. Whenever he cried and needed to nurse in the middle of the night, Hubby used to carry him to me and sleep at the foot of the bed while i nursed him. As soon as he fell asleep again, i would kick hubby awake and he would gingerly carry him back to his cot, hardly daring to breathe in case he woke up again. Before hubby left on his biz trip, we were actually saying that as soon as he came back, we were going to let him go cold turkey and cry himself to sleep.
We have realised that we should be careful about what we wish for, it really might just come true but not in the way that we expect. Yes he has gone cold turkey, but he has done it on his own terms. We didnt have any choice in the matter. And perhaps it is a good time that he is finally teaching himself to sleep on his own and not use me as a pacifier.
I am going to sleep now. As i am writing this, Thane is still fast asleep and i am convinced that he will sleep through the night agian.
We shall see. I live to fight another day tomorrow. I am encouraged and i have faith that i can get through this.
So help me God.
When Terelle went off to school, we took Thane along with us to the document signing session. I still didnt want to leave him alone. In the car, i had almost succeeded in getting him near the breast when my fone rang. (It was my dad, he has an uncanny knack of calling me at the most inopportune time. Sigh...)
Thane got startled and started to cry and pull away. At the height of his hysterics, hubby suggested we turn back and leave him at home. I refused and tried my best to comfort him, all the while trying not to burst into tears again.
He finally slept on my shoulder. Thank God we didnt turn back! During lunch, i spoonfed him some milk again. He took it with minimal fuss. I put him in the sling and carried him around for the rest of the day. My shoulders ached from his weight but i was determined for him to spend as much time close to me as possible.
Thane had his porridge outside and was an angel throughout the signing and the meeting with the lawyer. He slept on my shoulder during the meeting and didnt wake until 3 hours later, by then we had already reached home.
I was worried that he was getting dehydrated as he seemed lethargic to me. Hubby cheerfully remarked that previously i worried when he didnt sleep, now that he was napping for a longer stretch why was i worrying again?
Fed him another bowl of milk when he awoke and gave him a new sippy cup to try. We had just bought that cup in the afternoon as i wanted to try everything in a bid for him to drink more milk.
I was dreading bedtime again but surprisingly, i neednt have worried. After turning on the cd, i sang "There is none like You" just once to him and he fell fast asleep on my shoulder with nary a fuss. I was elated. My spirits lifted and i felt so much more hopeful that i have felt in days. I think God is trying to tell me that we can get through this.
Hubby just came in and commented that it is funny how God works. We have been trying to get Thane to sleep on his own and complaining so much about how he wakes up countless times throughout the night. Whenever he cried and needed to nurse in the middle of the night, Hubby used to carry him to me and sleep at the foot of the bed while i nursed him. As soon as he fell asleep again, i would kick hubby awake and he would gingerly carry him back to his cot, hardly daring to breathe in case he woke up again. Before hubby left on his biz trip, we were actually saying that as soon as he came back, we were going to let him go cold turkey and cry himself to sleep.
We have realised that we should be careful about what we wish for, it really might just come true but not in the way that we expect. Yes he has gone cold turkey, but he has done it on his own terms. We didnt have any choice in the matter. And perhaps it is a good time that he is finally teaching himself to sleep on his own and not use me as a pacifier.
I am going to sleep now. As i am writing this, Thane is still fast asleep and i am convinced that he will sleep through the night agian.
We shall see. I live to fight another day tomorrow. I am encouraged and i have faith that i can get through this.
So help me God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)