When a child displays a certain characteristic, It is either due to their genes or they learn by example. We are baffled recently by Elaina's reaction to agitation through biting!! It is not her nails we are talking about, rather her target is only and always Matty.
We have come to terms that Elaina is a temperamental and stubborn girl, it seems to run in the family but not sure where she got the violent streak in her. We have witnessed a few times in the last couple of weeks Elaina trying to take a chomp off Matty when they get into a disagreement. Good thing she hasn't quite succeeded in her attempts if not hell would have broken loose by now.
So far, we have not heard of anyone in the immediate family doing something this unthinkable, ruling out the possibility of it running in the blood. Neither can I recall any instance of someone another person during an argument (well... at least not literally), so Elaina couldn't have learnt from example as well. It this a self-defence instinct or plain naughtiness?
I can just about picture my girl being branded the big bully in school in the not so far future and the numerous times we will be summoned to see the school principal for her bad behaviour.
Wednesday 3 December 2008
Tuesday 18 November 2008
Power of Blogging
I have been cutting myself some slack these days at work (slacking if you prefer to call it) whenever I find the chance to or if I try hard enough to justify the need to slow down. Work has been overwhelming on most days so there is more reason to get a grip of myself before I lose my sanity. And besides that, since I hardly get a chance to surf the net at home now that I am a mummy of 2, the best opportunity to do so is unfortunately during the 5 to 10 mins break I award myself throughout a typical working day.
Yes... Mummy has been doing what I call blog-hopping - going around reading blogs of people I know and those whom are complete strangers to me. This is not new to alot of netizens just that I never got caught on with it. The habit only really started because I was doing alot of googling for new and interesting recipes to try out. The more I blog-hop the more ashamed I am of mine... I think I just don't put in enough effort to write.
Since I am into cooking these days most of the blogs that I have bookmarked are of people who share the same interest and can be bothered to do a proper write-up of recipes, take pretty pictures and post them for everybody to enjoy. They are an inspiration! Though I am not sure when I will ever get my butts moving and move out of the "being inspired stage" and do something similar here. Let's target that to happen 20 years later.
Other than cooking tips and recipes, blog-hopping has let me keep up with what is happening in friends' life even without having to actually talk to them. Hmmm... that should really be a bad thing isn't it? Then there is another cluster of people that I only know by name writing about their struggles in life from pursuing an MBA to fighting a battle with cancer.
It is amazing how much you can learn from the experience of others just by blog-hopping... and of course an avenue for me to shift my focus when the tough gets going at work (excuses, excuses, excuses!!).
Yes... Mummy has been doing what I call blog-hopping - going around reading blogs of people I know and those whom are complete strangers to me. This is not new to alot of netizens just that I never got caught on with it. The habit only really started because I was doing alot of googling for new and interesting recipes to try out. The more I blog-hop the more ashamed I am of mine... I think I just don't put in enough effort to write.
Since I am into cooking these days most of the blogs that I have bookmarked are of people who share the same interest and can be bothered to do a proper write-up of recipes, take pretty pictures and post them for everybody to enjoy. They are an inspiration! Though I am not sure when I will ever get my butts moving and move out of the "being inspired stage" and do something similar here. Let's target that to happen 20 years later.
Other than cooking tips and recipes, blog-hopping has let me keep up with what is happening in friends' life even without having to actually talk to them. Hmmm... that should really be a bad thing isn't it? Then there is another cluster of people that I only know by name writing about their struggles in life from pursuing an MBA to fighting a battle with cancer.
It is amazing how much you can learn from the experience of others just by blog-hopping... and of course an avenue for me to shift my focus when the tough gets going at work (excuses, excuses, excuses!!).
Monday 10 November 2008
I Think We Are There (Almost!)
It has been a week since Matty has gone "diaper-less" during the day.
He has had a few accidents in the last 1 week thanks to the fact that he still refuses to say when he needs to go most of the time. We need to drag him to the toilet religiously (and has been doing so for the last 15 months)... but that is not enough because only he knows best when his bladder is going to burst.
By denying him his diapers completely may eventually drive home the message that he has to tell someone when he needs the loo. Hopefully it won't be long before Mummy blogs about Matty having zero accidents and completely toilet-trained.
He has had a few accidents in the last 1 week thanks to the fact that he still refuses to say when he needs to go most of the time. We need to drag him to the toilet religiously (and has been doing so for the last 15 months)... but that is not enough because only he knows best when his bladder is going to burst.
By denying him his diapers completely may eventually drive home the message that he has to tell someone when he needs the loo. Hopefully it won't be long before Mummy blogs about Matty having zero accidents and completely toilet-trained.
Friday 24 October 2008
34, Eczema, Playschool and Birthday Cake
Papa turned 34 yesterday and we took the day off work to spend time with Matty and Elaina (well actually more like to run errands!).
We had to take Matty to the skin doctor yesterday morning after the "outbreak" appearing on parts of his body just doesn't seem to go away completely. The doctor confirmed that he is having eczema (again!) and promptly prescribed him with some cream and a bottle of syrup with apparently stops itches. No intention to give him the syrup unless the itch becomes really bad or if we want to knock him out - the bottle has a bright red label across it saying that it causes drowsiness *evil grin*.
We even enrolled Elaina with a playgroup which starts 6 January 09. Seeing how she enjoys dancing, singing and mingling with other little people she should have a good time in the playgroup... just a matter of how fast she can get adapted to the environment and being left alone. The good thing is that due to age, for the first term she needs to be accompanied. When she turns 2 in March 09, she will proceed on to level 2 which do not require a guardian to be around. Hopefully the first 2 months can help break her in gently.
Surprisingly.... this time round I seem to be less concerned about sending a little being off to school at such a young age. I used to battle with myself (and of course the rest of the family) when we had to send Matty to a playgroup at 18 months old. It felt so cruel to "abandon" a baby to a bunch of strangers.
Strangely... I have had a few people telling me that she is too young for school. And those who didn't think it was a great idea before (for instance my own parents) feeling otherwise now.
Technically... I won't even term it as going to school. More like socialising, having a place to hang around for a couple of hours per week and getting entertained.
Elaina finally understood the meaning of birthdays... or rather the whole candle-blowing and cake-cutting business. For the first time she attempted to blow off the candle after the birthday song ended. It was really cute to see her huffing and puffing with all the might she could gather.
We had to take Matty to the skin doctor yesterday morning after the "outbreak" appearing on parts of his body just doesn't seem to go away completely. The doctor confirmed that he is having eczema (again!) and promptly prescribed him with some cream and a bottle of syrup with apparently stops itches. No intention to give him the syrup unless the itch becomes really bad or if we want to knock him out - the bottle has a bright red label across it saying that it causes drowsiness *evil grin*.
We even enrolled Elaina with a playgroup which starts 6 January 09. Seeing how she enjoys dancing, singing and mingling with other little people she should have a good time in the playgroup... just a matter of how fast she can get adapted to the environment and being left alone. The good thing is that due to age, for the first term she needs to be accompanied. When she turns 2 in March 09, she will proceed on to level 2 which do not require a guardian to be around. Hopefully the first 2 months can help break her in gently.
Surprisingly.... this time round I seem to be less concerned about sending a little being off to school at such a young age. I used to battle with myself (and of course the rest of the family) when we had to send Matty to a playgroup at 18 months old. It felt so cruel to "abandon" a baby to a bunch of strangers.
Strangely... I have had a few people telling me that she is too young for school. And those who didn't think it was a great idea before (for instance my own parents) feeling otherwise now.
Technically... I won't even term it as going to school. More like socialising, having a place to hang around for a couple of hours per week and getting entertained.
Elaina finally understood the meaning of birthdays... or rather the whole candle-blowing and cake-cutting business. For the first time she attempted to blow off the candle after the birthday song ended. It was really cute to see her huffing and puffing with all the might she could gather.
Friday 10 October 2008
The New-Age Little People
How different are the children of this generation as compared to the last? The list can be pretty long but to name a few, they are no doubt much smarter, more advanced in their thinking, has a stronger personality, more opinionated and definitely a lot more outspoken. The western counterparts probably raised children like these in the last 2 to 3 decades but for us Asians I am quite certain that is not the case until the recent decade.
Back when I was still a kid (and I clarify that it was really not very long ago!) the parents dictated what we do, what we can or cannot say, what our diet should be, what we wear or even how we think. No room for discussion or the next thing you see is the cane landing on our butts for disobedience. Come the generation of Matty and Elaina - saying that they live in a revolutionary generation is not an exaggeration. Never do we get through a day without engaging in some form of negotiation with Matty.
Since Matty has had a better grasp of the language in the last 1 year, he is also starting to have a better control of every aspect of his own life. He tells us which pair of shoes he wants to wear today, that he prefers the shorts to his jeans, why he does not want to take his nap, how many scoops of milk powder he wants us to put in to the bottle and the list just goes on. To give credit to him, he is starting to grow out of the stage where his reply is a simple "no" and act like a tantrum throwing kid when he thinks otherwise from us. He engages in a proper negotiation and would offer alternatives to us to consider... "how about (this) or how about (that)?". God-forbid... I can never imagine myself doing that when I was 3... either because I was too stupid to think in that order or too worried that I will get into trouble with my mum.
In the last couple of weeks, Matty finally decided that enough is enough... porridge is not his favourite food and he will not hesitate to tell his grandmother not to include that in his menu. He even took the trouble of explaining to his grandfather that the only reason why he eats his porridge is because of the "you tiao" which we all know he has a soft-spot for. On one occasion, he had even suggested to me to get chicken rice instead of porridge... and in his exact words while offering a third option for consideration "or noodles also can".
Elaina too (in mostly her own language with a few words which the rest of mankind can understand) will not give up any opportunity to exert her own thinking as well - which in her case is of course still in the primitive stage of "yes" and "no-no"... but working towards where Matty is.
Maybe as a "new-age parent", we play a big part in molding the "new-age little people" - freedom of speech, freedom to think and freedom to choose. Hopefully we are heading in the right direction and equipping our children with the appropriate values and character to survive tomorrow's world.
Back when I was still a kid (and I clarify that it was really not very long ago!) the parents dictated what we do, what we can or cannot say, what our diet should be, what we wear or even how we think. No room for discussion or the next thing you see is the cane landing on our butts for disobedience. Come the generation of Matty and Elaina - saying that they live in a revolutionary generation is not an exaggeration. Never do we get through a day without engaging in some form of negotiation with Matty.
Since Matty has had a better grasp of the language in the last 1 year, he is also starting to have a better control of every aspect of his own life. He tells us which pair of shoes he wants to wear today, that he prefers the shorts to his jeans, why he does not want to take his nap, how many scoops of milk powder he wants us to put in to the bottle and the list just goes on. To give credit to him, he is starting to grow out of the stage where his reply is a simple "no" and act like a tantrum throwing kid when he thinks otherwise from us. He engages in a proper negotiation and would offer alternatives to us to consider... "how about (this) or how about (that)?". God-forbid... I can never imagine myself doing that when I was 3... either because I was too stupid to think in that order or too worried that I will get into trouble with my mum.
In the last couple of weeks, Matty finally decided that enough is enough... porridge is not his favourite food and he will not hesitate to tell his grandmother not to include that in his menu. He even took the trouble of explaining to his grandfather that the only reason why he eats his porridge is because of the "you tiao" which we all know he has a soft-spot for. On one occasion, he had even suggested to me to get chicken rice instead of porridge... and in his exact words while offering a third option for consideration "or noodles also can".
Elaina too (in mostly her own language with a few words which the rest of mankind can understand) will not give up any opportunity to exert her own thinking as well - which in her case is of course still in the primitive stage of "yes" and "no-no"... but working towards where Matty is.
Maybe as a "new-age parent", we play a big part in molding the "new-age little people" - freedom of speech, freedom to think and freedom to choose. Hopefully we are heading in the right direction and equipping our children with the appropriate values and character to survive tomorrow's world.
Monday 15 September 2008
Taboo Topic
As all parents would, we dread to be caught in a "life and death" situation with our children. By that I mean having to explain "where do babies come from" and "what is death all about".
We were caught in a situation which none of us were prepared for few days back. A lizard was scrambling for life running around the corridor like a headless chicken, Mummy and the maid were screaming our lungs out, while Matty and Elaina froze and couldn't quite figure out the what the commotion was about. Daddy ended the episode by stepping and killing the lizard there and then. Very soon the following conversation ensued...
Matty: Is lizard sleeping?
The adults: Ermmm... yup the lizard is sleeping
Matty: Why the eyes not closed?
The adults: Lizards sleep with eyes opened.
It was really horrible to know that we lied through our teeth... but was probably the best that we could do knowing that the time is still not ripe for us to go into a lengthy discussion with Matty on the topic of death. We were just not mentally prepared for it. Hopefully we will do better in time to come... but preferably this opportunity comes later than sooner.
We were caught in a situation which none of us were prepared for few days back. A lizard was scrambling for life running around the corridor like a headless chicken, Mummy and the maid were screaming our lungs out, while Matty and Elaina froze and couldn't quite figure out the what the commotion was about. Daddy ended the episode by stepping and killing the lizard there and then. Very soon the following conversation ensued...
Matty: Is lizard sleeping?
The adults: Ermmm... yup the lizard is sleeping
Matty: Why the eyes not closed?
The adults: Lizards sleep with eyes opened.
It was really horrible to know that we lied through our teeth... but was probably the best that we could do knowing that the time is still not ripe for us to go into a lengthy discussion with Matty on the topic of death. We were just not mentally prepared for it. Hopefully we will do better in time to come... but preferably this opportunity comes later than sooner.
Friday 5 September 2008
I wish for 25/8
Whoops... another month has gone by without any updates to this blog. So much has happened but Mummy just simply cannot find the time to write these days. And when I finally think that I have some space to breathe... I can't quite remember most events. Is that a sign of old age?
So what have I been busy with? Budget review, filling in numbers, document chasing - a typical 3rd quarter at work. At home, Mummy has been busy looking for new recipes and trying them out with some successes and some failure. I may even attempt to bake some cake if I can work out the budget and time permits. Baking is a big investment and I don't want to dump in the money and not get to do much of it. These days I am getting more calculative. Everything is getting more expensive and feeding a family of 4 is no small business.
There is still much to be done around the house. I got to find the time to pack Elaina's old cot and put them into storage. Same goes for the bedsheets and clothes that can no longer fit. The leather sofa and head-board needs to be polished - the stain remover was bought more than 3 months ago and has yet to make it out of the packaging. I haven't even had the opportunity to look through all the photos we took during the trip. (Can you ask Daddy to stop hogging the computer?)
24/7 is not good enough. Maybe 25/8 might work.
So what have I been busy with? Budget review, filling in numbers, document chasing - a typical 3rd quarter at work. At home, Mummy has been busy looking for new recipes and trying them out with some successes and some failure. I may even attempt to bake some cake if I can work out the budget and time permits. Baking is a big investment and I don't want to dump in the money and not get to do much of it. These days I am getting more calculative. Everything is getting more expensive and feeding a family of 4 is no small business.
There is still much to be done around the house. I got to find the time to pack Elaina's old cot and put them into storage. Same goes for the bedsheets and clothes that can no longer fit. The leather sofa and head-board needs to be polished - the stain remover was bought more than 3 months ago and has yet to make it out of the packaging. I haven't even had the opportunity to look through all the photos we took during the trip. (Can you ask Daddy to stop hogging the computer?)
24/7 is not good enough. Maybe 25/8 might work.
Wednesday 30 July 2008
Gone and Back, In and Out
Busy busy busy - nothing else can better describe the last couple of weeks.
It was one full week of packing before the whole family packed off to Australia (Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney to be specific) for 10 days on 12 July. Gosh... Mummy used to bring one hand-carrier for a week of vacation but this time round, the hand-carrier was only good for diapers, a can of formula milk, wet wipes and medication for the kids. It was no small feat to pack for 4 of us. The thick clothing took up a lot space and the worry that the kids might dirty the clothes with food, puke and what not made me want to pack more than less... and that didn't help again.
Frankly, I was looking forward to having a holiday (I haven't been to anywhere since 4 years ago!) but on the first day there, I so wanted to come back home. Elaina reacted quite badly to the foreign land - the lack of routine contributed largely to it. She didn't manage to catch much sleep on the plane even though we were hoping that a red-eye flight would mean that she will be knocked out by the time the plane took off... obviously that didn't happen. By the time we had the first opportunity to give her some milk, she was all puffed up from the crying and lack of rest. The milk did knock her out though and didn't wake up until mid-afternoon. By then she had missed her breakfast and lunch. The only decent meal both the kids had were dinner. I felt so bad making them starve.
Elaina spent most of the following days clinging to Mummy. She lost her appetite somehow and was always crying for attention. She did enjoy parts of the trip but her upbeat mood was sporadic. I lost my appetite because of tiredness - my back was at the verge of breaking from the carrying that I did in the 10 days. Both Elaina and Mummy lost some weight when we got back.
Matty on the other hand had huge fun. He ate well, slept well and was always roaring to go. The best part of the whole trip and probably the only accomplishment is to see Matty enjoying himself. If only we had the time and mood to bring him to more places and packed in more activities for that 10 days....
The near-disastrous trip ended on 22 July and life sort of went back to normal for less than 3 days before Matty got hospitalised for gastric flu which made him unable to keep any water or food down. The doctor kept him bedridden and on the drip for one day. My worries that he would attempt to yank the drip-off, throw tantrums were unfounded. He willingly stayed in bed and glued himself to the TV and books. The 13-hour nap he took on the first day helped reduce the chance of him getting bored. Matty was finally out of the hospital on 27 July.
We are now back to the usual routine - Elaina is happy that her days are normal again, Matty is glad that he can finally get his normal food and milk... and Mummy is flat-out from all the running around.
It was one full week of packing before the whole family packed off to Australia (Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney to be specific) for 10 days on 12 July. Gosh... Mummy used to bring one hand-carrier for a week of vacation but this time round, the hand-carrier was only good for diapers, a can of formula milk, wet wipes and medication for the kids. It was no small feat to pack for 4 of us. The thick clothing took up a lot space and the worry that the kids might dirty the clothes with food, puke and what not made me want to pack more than less... and that didn't help again.
Frankly, I was looking forward to having a holiday (I haven't been to anywhere since 4 years ago!) but on the first day there, I so wanted to come back home. Elaina reacted quite badly to the foreign land - the lack of routine contributed largely to it. She didn't manage to catch much sleep on the plane even though we were hoping that a red-eye flight would mean that she will be knocked out by the time the plane took off... obviously that didn't happen. By the time we had the first opportunity to give her some milk, she was all puffed up from the crying and lack of rest. The milk did knock her out though and didn't wake up until mid-afternoon. By then she had missed her breakfast and lunch. The only decent meal both the kids had were dinner. I felt so bad making them starve.
Elaina spent most of the following days clinging to Mummy. She lost her appetite somehow and was always crying for attention. She did enjoy parts of the trip but her upbeat mood was sporadic. I lost my appetite because of tiredness - my back was at the verge of breaking from the carrying that I did in the 10 days. Both Elaina and Mummy lost some weight when we got back.
Matty on the other hand had huge fun. He ate well, slept well and was always roaring to go. The best part of the whole trip and probably the only accomplishment is to see Matty enjoying himself. If only we had the time and mood to bring him to more places and packed in more activities for that 10 days....
The near-disastrous trip ended on 22 July and life sort of went back to normal for less than 3 days before Matty got hospitalised for gastric flu which made him unable to keep any water or food down. The doctor kept him bedridden and on the drip for one day. My worries that he would attempt to yank the drip-off, throw tantrums were unfounded. He willingly stayed in bed and glued himself to the TV and books. The 13-hour nap he took on the first day helped reduce the chance of him getting bored. Matty was finally out of the hospital on 27 July.
We are now back to the usual routine - Elaina is happy that her days are normal again, Matty is glad that he can finally get his normal food and milk... and Mummy is flat-out from all the running around.
Monday 7 July 2008
Terrible 2 No More?
Matty is finally 3 and Mummy really looked forward to it because it means we have survived yet another year of parenthood and most importantly because of people around have been telling me how a Terrible 2 Toddler will miraculously turn into a not so terrible toddler when he gets to add another candle to his birthday cake.
Not sure if the theory does indeed hold some truth or because Elaina is now becoming a terror, Matty seems to be a lot more co-operative these days (except when we tell him he needs to share his toys with his little sister). I do see less tantrum coming from him lately.
Elaina on the other hand is getting Mummy frustrated. She clings to me like the cling-wrap, demands to be walked, makes a din when I try to get her to take a bath and refuses to allow anyone of us to close the bedroom door with her constant "open, open, open" when she knows that we are trying to put her to bed. I can't wait for this phase to pass through really soon, that her sniffles will go away completely before this weekend and that her teething which has been putting her in constant pain to subside. My patience is wearing extremely thin and that is not good especially when we are flying off to a holiday in another 5 days.
It is a good thing that Matty has fully recovered after his long bout of flu and cough (possibly due to Mycoplasma) and that we are finally seeing him smile a little more. Bringing him on to the Singapore Flyer made that bit of difference to his birthday and brightens him somewhat. I am sure he is looking forward to the holiday and will enjoy himself lots. Hopefully we can say the same about Elaina.
Good luck to us... we need lots of it!
Not sure if the theory does indeed hold some truth or because Elaina is now becoming a terror, Matty seems to be a lot more co-operative these days (except when we tell him he needs to share his toys with his little sister). I do see less tantrum coming from him lately.
Elaina on the other hand is getting Mummy frustrated. She clings to me like the cling-wrap, demands to be walked, makes a din when I try to get her to take a bath and refuses to allow anyone of us to close the bedroom door with her constant "open, open, open" when she knows that we are trying to put her to bed. I can't wait for this phase to pass through really soon, that her sniffles will go away completely before this weekend and that her teething which has been putting her in constant pain to subside. My patience is wearing extremely thin and that is not good especially when we are flying off to a holiday in another 5 days.
It is a good thing that Matty has fully recovered after his long bout of flu and cough (possibly due to Mycoplasma) and that we are finally seeing him smile a little more. Bringing him on to the Singapore Flyer made that bit of difference to his birthday and brightens him somewhat. I am sure he is looking forward to the holiday and will enjoy himself lots. Hopefully we can say the same about Elaina.
Good luck to us... we need lots of it!
Thursday 26 June 2008
Stock-Take
We have been living in frenzy for the past few weeks. The move and flu bug going around the household leaves Mummy with a blank mind on most days.
Unknowingly, Elaina is now able to mouth a few words. It didn't dawn on me until 2 days ago when she asked for "water" and pointed to her bottle. We took for granted that she babbles most of the time and never really paid attention to whether she actually meant something.
I finally took count of what she can say at 15-month old:
- open
- bye bye
- hello
- see you
- water
- that
- mine
- mum-mum (for food)
- bao-bao (carry)
- hua-hua (flower)
- apple
- pa-pa
- ma-ma (for both Mah-Mah and Mummy)
- gong-gong
- gor-gor
- shake shake (for milk-shaking and bum-shaking... in other words dancing)
- baby (referring to her Baby Einstein disc)
Actually Elaina is doing much better than I had initially thought.
Unknowingly, Elaina is now able to mouth a few words. It didn't dawn on me until 2 days ago when she asked for "water" and pointed to her bottle. We took for granted that she babbles most of the time and never really paid attention to whether she actually meant something.
I finally took count of what she can say at 15-month old:
- open
- bye bye
- hello
- see you
- water
- that
- mine
- mum-mum (for food)
- bao-bao (carry)
- hua-hua (flower)
- apple
- pa-pa
- ma-ma (for both Mah-Mah and Mummy)
- gong-gong
- gor-gor
- shake shake (for milk-shaking and bum-shaking... in other words dancing)
- baby (referring to her Baby Einstein disc)
Actually Elaina is doing much better than I had initially thought.
Tuesday 24 June 2008
The Bug is Here Again
Mummy is dozing off sitting in the office and staring into the computer. The utter lack of sleep is the culprit, and the culprit for the lack of sleep is the persistent flu bug that has been bugging us.
First, Daddy fell sick and then Matty came down with the flu. We were cleared for a mere one week before the bug stroked again hitting Daddy and Matty. Elaina has since caught the same strain of virus and is making her really sick. She hasn't been sleeping well since last Friday and Mummy has been surviving with a 3 to 4-hour sleep each night. I can hardly feel my brain except for the backache that usually lingers when I need to share the bed with Elaina.
We wake up each morning wondering if Elaina will be better tonight but so far we hadn't had any luck.
Better end-off here because I just caught myself falling asleep.
First, Daddy fell sick and then Matty came down with the flu. We were cleared for a mere one week before the bug stroked again hitting Daddy and Matty. Elaina has since caught the same strain of virus and is making her really sick. She hasn't been sleeping well since last Friday and Mummy has been surviving with a 3 to 4-hour sleep each night. I can hardly feel my brain except for the backache that usually lingers when I need to share the bed with Elaina.
We wake up each morning wondering if Elaina will be better tonight but so far we hadn't had any luck.
Better end-off here because I just caught myself falling asleep.
Wednesday 18 June 2008
Kids Say the Darnest Things
I recalled reading an article online somewhere detailing how many words a child will know and be able to say at what age. Now that Matty is turning 3, his skills in the department of language is undoubtfully doing well and deserves a distinction at times.
Some nights ago while getting dressed, Matty was getting cranky after a long day and was saying "no" to whatever we tell him to do. When I attempted to comb his hair for him, he retorted with "No... I don't want to comb my hair... I don't want to be cute". I was getting agitated with his constant "no-this" and "no-that"... but at that moment I burst into laughter.
Matty got into the phase of not wanting to brush his teeth yet again. I was trying to reason with him why he needs to just the other day:
Mummy: Matty, do you know why Gong-Gong's teeth dropped and he needs to wear dentures? That is because he doesn't brush his teeth before going to bed. Don't you think you don't look nice without teeth?
Matty: Mah-Mah has teeth.
Mummy: Yup... because she brushes her teeth. So do you want to brush your teeth?
Matty: I want to be a handsome boy
Expressing his feeling is what Matty is capable of doing these days. He had a quirky exchange with Mah-Mah weeks before when he told her that he doesn't want to be a big boy because big boys are not allowed to do alot of things (well we tell him that he is a big boy now and therefore he cannot be doing things like throw tantrums etc) and that he wanted to be a baby. But after Mah-Mah evaluated the pros of being a big boy, for instance going to the supermarket for shopping when little babies like Mei-Mei needs to take her afternoon nap and that only big boys can eat french fries... he pondered over it for a few minutes and declared that he wants to be a "big boy baby". He obviously wants his cake and eat it too.
Of course other than saying how he feels, Matty tells us what he wants us to do or buy. In anticipation of his upcoming birthday, he has been constantly reminding us every other day that he wants a Mickey Mouse on his cake. One night after watching the episode "Birthday Machine" in Little Einstein, he told Mummy that he wants a big birthday with a Mickey Mouse cake, hats for everybody and a blue schoolbag as present. I hope the list will stop growing. He is pretty long-winded for a 3-year kiddo - doodled on his doodle board on Sunday and came running to me showing off his masterpiece. It resembled a box and he explained that it was a present. I prompted him further and he clarified that it is his present and guess what is in the box... a blue schoolbag.
Matty has started to ask "why" and not just "what" and "where". But he does it in an unusual way unlike most children I know - he phrases it with "because?".
Some nights ago while getting dressed, Matty was getting cranky after a long day and was saying "no" to whatever we tell him to do. When I attempted to comb his hair for him, he retorted with "No... I don't want to comb my hair... I don't want to be cute". I was getting agitated with his constant "no-this" and "no-that"... but at that moment I burst into laughter.
Matty got into the phase of not wanting to brush his teeth yet again. I was trying to reason with him why he needs to just the other day:
Mummy: Matty, do you know why Gong-Gong's teeth dropped and he needs to wear dentures? That is because he doesn't brush his teeth before going to bed. Don't you think you don't look nice without teeth?
Matty: Mah-Mah has teeth.
Mummy: Yup... because she brushes her teeth. So do you want to brush your teeth?
Matty: I want to be a handsome boy
Expressing his feeling is what Matty is capable of doing these days. He had a quirky exchange with Mah-Mah weeks before when he told her that he doesn't want to be a big boy because big boys are not allowed to do alot of things (well we tell him that he is a big boy now and therefore he cannot be doing things like throw tantrums etc) and that he wanted to be a baby. But after Mah-Mah evaluated the pros of being a big boy, for instance going to the supermarket for shopping when little babies like Mei-Mei needs to take her afternoon nap and that only big boys can eat french fries... he pondered over it for a few minutes and declared that he wants to be a "big boy baby". He obviously wants his cake and eat it too.
Of course other than saying how he feels, Matty tells us what he wants us to do or buy. In anticipation of his upcoming birthday, he has been constantly reminding us every other day that he wants a Mickey Mouse on his cake. One night after watching the episode "Birthday Machine" in Little Einstein, he told Mummy that he wants a big birthday with a Mickey Mouse cake, hats for everybody and a blue schoolbag as present. I hope the list will stop growing. He is pretty long-winded for a 3-year kiddo - doodled on his doodle board on Sunday and came running to me showing off his masterpiece. It resembled a box and he explained that it was a present. I prompted him further and he clarified that it is his present and guess what is in the box... a blue schoolbag.
Matty has started to ask "why" and not just "what" and "where". But he does it in an unusual way unlike most children I know - he phrases it with "because?".
Thursday 5 June 2008
Falling in Place
We finally (well almost since there are still some work left to be done) crossed the biggest hurdle anticipated for Year 2008 - the move back to Waterplace.
As much as we hate it, the move was an eventful one... rectification to be done at the very last hour because we found out about something really late or someone forgotten clean about it or someone wasn't using his brains in the process. A hood that failed to work just when we thought that we are almost at the finishing line. And like every move, the shopping list just gets longer by the day and up until now the list is still being revisited and revised now and then. The whole process was truly back-breaking... from the washing and cleaning to the unpacking and organising. It will not be a exaggeration to say that a gazillion hours were put in to get the place ready.
I thought that I could have managed this better since I have moved a few times in the last 4 years but things didn't seem to flow the way that I had wanted to despite all the prior planning and even the nice worklist that was composed so that we will not lose sight of what needs to be done. But like we all know, expectation and reality do not gel. The washing and cleaning took twice the amount of time that was factored for. We worked till the dawn just one day before the big move and still not all things were where it should be for "Day 1".
The amazing part of life is that no matter how bleak the situation might appear to be at the beginning, things do somehow fall in place. We got through the first night working on the basis that as long as the kids get their shower and milk, have a bed to sleep in... the rest is something to worry about the following day because by then we were all burnt out and the mind and body just couldn't work another minute. And so we survived "Day 1" and even "Week 1" despite all the prior planning seemed to have failed miserably.
We used to wonder and worry about alot of things in the last 4 years. We cracked out heads over not having the space for a cot in our room before Matty came long and how are we to fit 2 car seats plus a maid at the back of the car when we need to ferry everybody home each night. We never got an answer to how the cot is to be placed or if we need an MPV. By the time we got Matty, we were moving into a place that was big enough to fit a bed plus a cot, convert a room into a baby changing room and a kitchen big enough to accommodate a bottle sterilizer, bottle warmer, and whole lots of other baby stuff. When we had even gone through that stage with Elaina it was time for us to move in to an apartment once again. We don't have to ponder if a saloon needs to make way of an MPV because we are now comfortable with the thought that Matty is sensible enough to take the front passenger seat and making sufficient room at the back to fit in 3. We discovered that if we stack things the right way, all the tupperwares, containers, pots, pans, cutleries which used to fill 2 kitchens can now go into that one little kitchen. It seems that time and time again things will work its way out naturally and eventually much to our surprise.
It is high time for me to get used to the notion that a good plan is when we do not to have one and just let matter run its own course.
As much as we hate it, the move was an eventful one... rectification to be done at the very last hour because we found out about something really late or someone forgotten clean about it or someone wasn't using his brains in the process. A hood that failed to work just when we thought that we are almost at the finishing line. And like every move, the shopping list just gets longer by the day and up until now the list is still being revisited and revised now and then. The whole process was truly back-breaking... from the washing and cleaning to the unpacking and organising. It will not be a exaggeration to say that a gazillion hours were put in to get the place ready.
I thought that I could have managed this better since I have moved a few times in the last 4 years but things didn't seem to flow the way that I had wanted to despite all the prior planning and even the nice worklist that was composed so that we will not lose sight of what needs to be done. But like we all know, expectation and reality do not gel. The washing and cleaning took twice the amount of time that was factored for. We worked till the dawn just one day before the big move and still not all things were where it should be for "Day 1".
The amazing part of life is that no matter how bleak the situation might appear to be at the beginning, things do somehow fall in place. We got through the first night working on the basis that as long as the kids get their shower and milk, have a bed to sleep in... the rest is something to worry about the following day because by then we were all burnt out and the mind and body just couldn't work another minute. And so we survived "Day 1" and even "Week 1" despite all the prior planning seemed to have failed miserably.
We used to wonder and worry about alot of things in the last 4 years. We cracked out heads over not having the space for a cot in our room before Matty came long and how are we to fit 2 car seats plus a maid at the back of the car when we need to ferry everybody home each night. We never got an answer to how the cot is to be placed or if we need an MPV. By the time we got Matty, we were moving into a place that was big enough to fit a bed plus a cot, convert a room into a baby changing room and a kitchen big enough to accommodate a bottle sterilizer, bottle warmer, and whole lots of other baby stuff. When we had even gone through that stage with Elaina it was time for us to move in to an apartment once again. We don't have to ponder if a saloon needs to make way of an MPV because we are now comfortable with the thought that Matty is sensible enough to take the front passenger seat and making sufficient room at the back to fit in 3. We discovered that if we stack things the right way, all the tupperwares, containers, pots, pans, cutleries which used to fill 2 kitchens can now go into that one little kitchen. It seems that time and time again things will work its way out naturally and eventually much to our surprise.
It is high time for me to get used to the notion that a good plan is when we do not to have one and just let matter run its own course.
Wednesday 7 May 2008
Ques: What can wreck your Sunday?
Ans: A blazing sun, 2 babies who fights over toys and attention constantly, a toddler who only replies with "I don't want...." and a coughing bug that refuses to go away.
A blazing sun - The scorching sun causes a hike in the temperature and thus making everybody cranky.
Sibling Rivalry - The concept of "sharing" and the phase of "what you have must be better than what I have" do not go well together. Inability to keep both separate can cause major damage. Be prepared for 2T and 2S (tears, tantrums, shouting and screaming) to occur as a result.
"I don't want" - The common phrase of T2 stage. Sentences instinctively will begin with "I don't want....". It is a show of uncooperativeness. Telling the T2-stager otherwise will again result in 2T and 2S to occur.
Coughing Bug - A bug that drives one nuts especially over a prolonged period of 3 weeks. Condition can worsen when the sufferer sees "sibling rivalry" (defined as above) or hears the phrase "I don't want".
A blazing sun - The scorching sun causes a hike in the temperature and thus making everybody cranky.
Sibling Rivalry - The concept of "sharing" and the phase of "what you have must be better than what I have" do not go well together. Inability to keep both separate can cause major damage. Be prepared for 2T and 2S (tears, tantrums, shouting and screaming) to occur as a result.
"I don't want" - The common phrase of T2 stage. Sentences instinctively will begin with "I don't want....". It is a show of uncooperativeness. Telling the T2-stager otherwise will again result in 2T and 2S to occur.
Coughing Bug - A bug that drives one nuts especially over a prolonged period of 3 weeks. Condition can worsen when the sufferer sees "sibling rivalry" (defined as above) or hears the phrase "I don't want".
Friday 18 April 2008
An Equation to Better Skin... Birdnest or Shea Butter?
We can now conclude that birdnest does not give one better skin. Matty and Elaina are classic examples. I took so much more birdnest when I was expecting Matty but his skin is so sensitive to insect bites and heals poorly leaving his limbs with marks all over. On the other hand, Elaina who had half the dosage of it while “incubating” in Mummy’s womb has a much better skin condition.
Matty now faces a condition that is worse than mosquito bites that swells and takes forever to subside – he has eczema! It started with his fingers mid of last week with skin peeling off. Initially we thought that it was a result of his handling of art and craft material in school and making his skin dry. Shea butter helped his fingers to get back to normal in 2 days. Last Friday, the skin on one of his toes started to flake. It couldn’t have been something he did in school because he goes around in socks while in the class and never barefoot. Shea butter failed to perform magic on his toes. By Sunday, peeling started to show on his other toes.
Mummy and Daddy brought him to the skin doctor on Wednesday and it was confirmed that the peeling is a form of mild eczema and most probably induced by perspiration. The word “mild” gave me some comfort. Unfortunately, such condition will come back to haunt him now and then until he is a little older (like in his teens). The not so bad part - it is so mild Matty did not experience any itchiness other than peeling skin.
There is no way to prevent the eczema from recurring except to try our best to keep his skin moisturized as much as we possibly can. Mummy have gone out to invest in a tub of shea butter cream suited for babies and resolve to make it a nightly regime to slap on some cream for Matty (and Elaina when she is a little older and have learned to stay still while being dressed!). I did some reading on the net and found out that shea butter is good for eczema amongst other things like insect bites, cuts and burns, which is probably why Matty’s fingers managed to heal.
Speedy recovery to Matty.
Matty now faces a condition that is worse than mosquito bites that swells and takes forever to subside – he has eczema! It started with his fingers mid of last week with skin peeling off. Initially we thought that it was a result of his handling of art and craft material in school and making his skin dry. Shea butter helped his fingers to get back to normal in 2 days. Last Friday, the skin on one of his toes started to flake. It couldn’t have been something he did in school because he goes around in socks while in the class and never barefoot. Shea butter failed to perform magic on his toes. By Sunday, peeling started to show on his other toes.
Mummy and Daddy brought him to the skin doctor on Wednesday and it was confirmed that the peeling is a form of mild eczema and most probably induced by perspiration. The word “mild” gave me some comfort. Unfortunately, such condition will come back to haunt him now and then until he is a little older (like in his teens). The not so bad part - it is so mild Matty did not experience any itchiness other than peeling skin.
There is no way to prevent the eczema from recurring except to try our best to keep his skin moisturized as much as we possibly can. Mummy have gone out to invest in a tub of shea butter cream suited for babies and resolve to make it a nightly regime to slap on some cream for Matty (and Elaina when she is a little older and have learned to stay still while being dressed!). I did some reading on the net and found out that shea butter is good for eczema amongst other things like insect bites, cuts and burns, which is probably why Matty’s fingers managed to heal.
Speedy recovery to Matty.
Monday 31 March 2008
A Big Milestone
Should have put a note here last week but never found the chance to do it.
2 days after Elaina turned 1, she started to walk a few steps unsupported. Unfortunately the very next day she came down with a fever (caught the bug from Matty) and since then she hadn't taken any further steps.
2 days after Elaina turned 1, she started to walk a few steps unsupported. Unfortunately the very next day she came down with a fever (caught the bug from Matty) and since then she hadn't taken any further steps.
Tuesday 18 March 2008
Whose birthday is it?
Passe as it may be, I still need to say this - time flies! A year ago I was cut up the 2nd time to bring a new life to this world. It felt like yesterday when I became mummy to Princess Elaina but in actual fact it was much longer than that.
In the last 365 days, Elaina had been busy doing a lot of growing up, hitting milestones, learning new stuff and getting acquaintance with how the world around her works. Today we finally welcome her to toddlerhood as she leaves the stage of infancy. It will be another exciting year for her... more milestones to meet, search of her own individual identity and equipping herself with what she needs to get to the Terrible Two (we have the other baby in the T2 stage and it is no longer amusing when he puts the skills he had acquired in the first 2 years of his life to good use and practice!).
Like all babies do, Elaina had her birthday celebration for crossing the big 1. It wasn't a big affair... but it was a long one spanning 3 days in total. We had 2 cakes over the weekend and today Mummy and Daddy took time off work to spend this special day together with Elaina. Matty definitely enjoyed the candle-blowing and cake-cutting more than Elaina. Elaina just had this blank look throughout - the same what-the-hell-is going-on expression we got from Matty when he turned 1. I'm sure come next year both of them will fight over the candle-blowing and cake-cutting when Elaina finally realises what birthday is all about.
In my opinion the first birthday is to be celebrated more so to congratulate the parents for surviving the last 12 daunting months and to remind ourselves of what's going to coming in the next 12 (or more) months.
Before Elaina turns 1 year and 1 day old in another 1 hour and 40 minutes... here's to her - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
In the last 365 days, Elaina had been busy doing a lot of growing up, hitting milestones, learning new stuff and getting acquaintance with how the world around her works. Today we finally welcome her to toddlerhood as she leaves the stage of infancy. It will be another exciting year for her... more milestones to meet, search of her own individual identity and equipping herself with what she needs to get to the Terrible Two (we have the other baby in the T2 stage and it is no longer amusing when he puts the skills he had acquired in the first 2 years of his life to good use and practice!).
Like all babies do, Elaina had her birthday celebration for crossing the big 1. It wasn't a big affair... but it was a long one spanning 3 days in total. We had 2 cakes over the weekend and today Mummy and Daddy took time off work to spend this special day together with Elaina. Matty definitely enjoyed the candle-blowing and cake-cutting more than Elaina. Elaina just had this blank look throughout - the same what-the-hell-is going-on expression we got from Matty when he turned 1. I'm sure come next year both of them will fight over the candle-blowing and cake-cutting when Elaina finally realises what birthday is all about.
In my opinion the first birthday is to be celebrated more so to congratulate the parents for surviving the last 12 daunting months and to remind ourselves of what's going to coming in the next 12 (or more) months.
Before Elaina turns 1 year and 1 day old in another 1 hour and 40 minutes... here's to her - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Wednesday 5 March 2008
The Aches & Pains of Parenthood
Barely 2 weeks after Matty recovered from his fever, it is now Elaina's turn to come down with stuffy nose. I hate it when the kids are sick - flu, cough, fever... it makes them ultra cranky especially at night when they are unable to rest well. They are so helpless but there is only so much that we can do to offer some relief. We can only wait for the body to fight the bug.
Mummy has been suffering from a stiff neck since yesterday - a result of co-sleeping with Elaina. In order to get Elaina to rest properly during times like this, the best way is to let her bunk in with Mummy. The princess is growing big and the bed is getting squeezy with her, Daddy and Mummy in it together. It was still ok few months ago but these days it is no longer comfy for Mummy. I think I probably didn't move an inch for 6 whole hours with Elaina on one side and Daddy on the other and end up waking to a very bad ache in the neck and shoulder area. Mummy couldn't even turn my head at all yesterday. The $10 massage which I paid for plus the medicated plasters to aid in circulation helped in giving me back some mobility in the neck area. Still hurts a little with bits of knots here and there. Talk about the aches and pain of parenthood.
Mummy has been suffering from a stiff neck since yesterday - a result of co-sleeping with Elaina. In order to get Elaina to rest properly during times like this, the best way is to let her bunk in with Mummy. The princess is growing big and the bed is getting squeezy with her, Daddy and Mummy in it together. It was still ok few months ago but these days it is no longer comfy for Mummy. I think I probably didn't move an inch for 6 whole hours with Elaina on one side and Daddy on the other and end up waking to a very bad ache in the neck and shoulder area. Mummy couldn't even turn my head at all yesterday. The $10 massage which I paid for plus the medicated plasters to aid in circulation helped in giving me back some mobility in the neck area. Still hurts a little with bits of knots here and there. Talk about the aches and pain of parenthood.
Wednesday 13 February 2008
Self-Feeding Finally
After celebrating the little successes that Baby Elaina had in the last blog entry.... it is now time to give a big pat on the back for Matty.
Not sure if Matty had been influenced by his little friends in school or just a natural progression, he decided all of a sudden last Friday that it was high time he held the spoon on his own and insisted that he wants to do it. He has been doing well when it comes to self-feeding with fork... but little luck with the spoon and chopsticks with a tendency to spill the contents unless of some sticky consistency.
8 February 2008 is a date to remember - for the first time ever, Matty managed to feed himself a full bowl of fried rice without much help. The idea of "self-feeding" caught on and since then he has been taking his own meal, from rice, to porridge, to yoghurt and even soup.
I admit that this important milestone was delayed due to our reluctance to clean up the mess that he is likely to create after each meal... it felt much easier for us to feed him and still keep the place in order. But come to think of it... it probably is a lot easier on us if we just let him learn to take his own meal and free up our time to do something else. Mah-mah is definitely pleased because it means she can pretty much leave Matty alone these days during meal-time... and as he is now too preoccupied with making sure that his food gets to his mouth safely, he has no time to ask for toys or tv.
Not sure if Matty had been influenced by his little friends in school or just a natural progression, he decided all of a sudden last Friday that it was high time he held the spoon on his own and insisted that he wants to do it. He has been doing well when it comes to self-feeding with fork... but little luck with the spoon and chopsticks with a tendency to spill the contents unless of some sticky consistency.
8 February 2008 is a date to remember - for the first time ever, Matty managed to feed himself a full bowl of fried rice without much help. The idea of "self-feeding" caught on and since then he has been taking his own meal, from rice, to porridge, to yoghurt and even soup.
I admit that this important milestone was delayed due to our reluctance to clean up the mess that he is likely to create after each meal... it felt much easier for us to feed him and still keep the place in order. But come to think of it... it probably is a lot easier on us if we just let him learn to take his own meal and free up our time to do something else. Mah-mah is definitely pleased because it means she can pretty much leave Matty alone these days during meal-time... and as he is now too preoccupied with making sure that his food gets to his mouth safely, he has no time to ask for toys or tv.
Saturday 2 February 2008
Three Cheers for Elaina
Hip~Hip~Horray for Elaina!! For the 3 achievements today:
One... she mastered the skill of sliding down the bed while on her tummy.
Two... she clapped her hands when she was happy.
Three... she was able to climb the stairs.
One... she mastered the skill of sliding down the bed while on her tummy.
Two... she clapped her hands when she was happy.
Three... she was able to climb the stairs.
Tuesday 29 January 2008
King on King-Size Bed
Since moving back in with Mah-Mah, Matty has picked up the bad habit of climbing onto our king-size bed in the middle of the night. We forsee alot of hard work in trying to get Matty accustomed to sleeping in his own room when we move out again. As for Elaina, Mummy bears half the blame... because we know that she will eventually go back to sleep as long as she can "smell" me somewhere near here, I would always carry her out from her cot and put her next to me so that I can go back to sleep promptly while she gets her "aromatherapy" session. It has become a habit for Elaina as a result. There were nights when the bed became too squeezy with all of us on it... of course the 2 babies didn't seem to mind.
Last night, Matty threw a fit when he woke up in the middle of the night realising that he was back in his own bed. For the fear that his tantrums would wake Elaina up and make the situation even more uncontrollable, we had to let the "king" have the bed. Not for long I promise! Hopefully when we move back home, he will not find it as convenient as now to crawl into our bed, since it definitely will require more effort on his part.
For now, Daddy takes it as a fair exchange. The "king" gets his king-size bed and thrown-out-of-bed Daddy gets to sleep on the more comfortable mattress which I don't understand why Matty would readily give up for.
Last night, Matty threw a fit when he woke up in the middle of the night realising that he was back in his own bed. For the fear that his tantrums would wake Elaina up and make the situation even more uncontrollable, we had to let the "king" have the bed. Not for long I promise! Hopefully when we move back home, he will not find it as convenient as now to crawl into our bed, since it definitely will require more effort on his part.
For now, Daddy takes it as a fair exchange. The "king" gets his king-size bed and thrown-out-of-bed Daddy gets to sleep on the more comfortable mattress which I don't understand why Matty would readily give up for.
Friday 18 January 2008
Slacking and Lacking
As I was browsing through the blog last night and reading some of the old blog entries, it confirmed my recollection that Matty actually started to talk (as in like say a few words) when he was about 9 months old. In fact he was able to mouth a few words even earlier than that... at about 8.5 months old. To name a few, he was able to express words like "mum-mum", "up", "down", "go", "on", "off", "clock", "bird", "car" and "flower"... and it wasn't random sounds that he was making. He points to the item and says it clearly.
I was proud that the boy was steadily increasing his vocabulary back then. I have always attributed Matty's strong verbal skills to the amount of talking that we constantly do with him. It wasn't intentional... it was never in our agenda to "groom" him in this aspect. Maybe because he doesn't really sleep a lot back then and we ended up distracting him and entertaining him with constant chattering. We carried him and walked him around the house, the garden, the neighbourhood and gave him all the exposure that a child needs - the sight, the sound, the smell.
Flip side of knowing that Matty was doing well in this area is that now I feel we haven't done enough for Elaina and the guilt of neglecting her seems to have crept back quietly. At 10 months old today, Elaina has not been able to mouth any recognisable word... probably just "mum-mum" when she sees food, which we are not even sure if she is pronouncing the word itself or just random baby sounds made. The excuse of "time is so stretched" is often cited to get ourselves off the hook when we cannot get something done for someone. To say that I have failed as a parent may sound a little too strong, but I hate to think that I may not be doing enough for the girl. I have always tried not to compare Elaina with Matty and stay away from being uptight about a lot of things.... but with that, I seemed to have slacked in making the effort when it comes to Elaina.
Probably in a few months time or in a few years when Elaina has learned what she needs to know and able to do what she needs to do... the guilt will stop haunting me. Until then...
I was proud that the boy was steadily increasing his vocabulary back then. I have always attributed Matty's strong verbal skills to the amount of talking that we constantly do with him. It wasn't intentional... it was never in our agenda to "groom" him in this aspect. Maybe because he doesn't really sleep a lot back then and we ended up distracting him and entertaining him with constant chattering. We carried him and walked him around the house, the garden, the neighbourhood and gave him all the exposure that a child needs - the sight, the sound, the smell.
Flip side of knowing that Matty was doing well in this area is that now I feel we haven't done enough for Elaina and the guilt of neglecting her seems to have crept back quietly. At 10 months old today, Elaina has not been able to mouth any recognisable word... probably just "mum-mum" when she sees food, which we are not even sure if she is pronouncing the word itself or just random baby sounds made. The excuse of "time is so stretched" is often cited to get ourselves off the hook when we cannot get something done for someone. To say that I have failed as a parent may sound a little too strong, but I hate to think that I may not be doing enough for the girl. I have always tried not to compare Elaina with Matty and stay away from being uptight about a lot of things.... but with that, I seemed to have slacked in making the effort when it comes to Elaina.
Probably in a few months time or in a few years when Elaina has learned what she needs to know and able to do what she needs to do... the guilt will stop haunting me. Until then...
Thursday 17 January 2008
New School
Matty has finally gone back to school after a 2-month break... except of course he is now in his new school. So far the one good thing that came out from it was that our fear of him rejecting school did not materialise. He insisted that he wanted to go back to his "old school" when we first brought him there to check the school out. That added on to our fear.... the fear that Matty needed Mah-Mah to stick with him in school for almost a month before he is convinced that school is a pleasant place, that he can face school all by himself and that he will still come home in one piece at the end of the day.
Even though we were told by the school that one parent can remain in the classroom with the kiddo for the first 3 days, the teacher - Ms Simmone persuaded us to just drop and go. Otherwise it will be very hard for her to bond with the child if the parent continues to hoover around. And so we did…. after spending 15 mins with Matty and basically showing him around the classroom just to interest him with the crayons, toys and books, Mummy left him there and only keeping close watch through the observation room. Circle time, snack time, playground, singing, free-play filled the 3 hours. He did well – not a single drop of tear! Of course, we weren’t too sure on the first day if it was because the reality hasn’t sank in yet and the tears will start to pour on the subsequent days to follow. We even pre-empted Ms Simmone of that possibility before she gets overly impressed with his “steadiness” on the first day of school.
Then came the second day. Unexpectedly, Matty’s enthusiasm for school started to show. Right after lunch, he insisted that he wants to leave for school even though it was still way too early before the class starts at 2 in the afternoon. He puts on his shoes and waited at the door for Daddy to send him there. So he ended up waiting for the class to begin in the deserted school… because it was only 1.30 and all the teachers were still out for lunch.
It has been almost a week and Matty seems to be enjoying his new school. Guess our worry was an unfounded one. Glad to be proven wrong in this instance. If not it will be another stressful month for everyone.
Even though we were told by the school that one parent can remain in the classroom with the kiddo for the first 3 days, the teacher - Ms Simmone persuaded us to just drop and go. Otherwise it will be very hard for her to bond with the child if the parent continues to hoover around. And so we did…. after spending 15 mins with Matty and basically showing him around the classroom just to interest him with the crayons, toys and books, Mummy left him there and only keeping close watch through the observation room. Circle time, snack time, playground, singing, free-play filled the 3 hours. He did well – not a single drop of tear! Of course, we weren’t too sure on the first day if it was because the reality hasn’t sank in yet and the tears will start to pour on the subsequent days to follow. We even pre-empted Ms Simmone of that possibility before she gets overly impressed with his “steadiness” on the first day of school.
Then came the second day. Unexpectedly, Matty’s enthusiasm for school started to show. Right after lunch, he insisted that he wants to leave for school even though it was still way too early before the class starts at 2 in the afternoon. He puts on his shoes and waited at the door for Daddy to send him there. So he ended up waiting for the class to begin in the deserted school… because it was only 1.30 and all the teachers were still out for lunch.
It has been almost a week and Matty seems to be enjoying his new school. Guess our worry was an unfounded one. Glad to be proven wrong in this instance. If not it will be another stressful month for everyone.
Friday 11 January 2008
First Blog for the New Year
Couldn't bear the thought that the blog hasn't been updated at all since we crossed over to 2008. Just gonna write something for the sake of it. Let's see...
Matty and Elaina caught the flu bug from Mummy a week ago and are on their way to full recovery. Other than the 2nd night which was really bad and resulted in Mummy only getting 3.5 hours of sleep that day.... I think we were pretty lucky to say that the babies were not as cranky as what we thought will be. Maybe we should thank Dr Chan for the "magic green potion" which can even knock Matty flat out.
Elaina is starting to get very demanding these days. She throws her tantrum more often and over minor things at times. We can hardly strap her to the car-seat lately. She will cry as though something devastating had happened. Elaina is definitely more daring as compared to her brother. She had been letting go of her grip without much thinking and can actually stand unsupported quite well. Everybody is betting on her walking real soon. I guess we will find out eventually.
For Mummy... it has been alot of money spending despite the end of Christmas. Now we need to start buying clothes and shoes for the Chinese New Year. I can't help but feel that my pocket is burning a big big hole... and will only get bigger when we start getting the red packets out.
I think that's about it. Time to knock out. Nitezzzzz
