June 2012: This is Love

Finally, I'm scrapbook again!

To get rid of the negative bugs from head.

Credits: Magical Moment Freebies by Kitty Designs and Vera Lim, 

Fei-fei's Stuff, Ashalee Wall's Designs and Paise Press

Happy mid-week, all!

This post is linking up with Wordless Wednesday by SakuraHaruka.

Thankful Tuesday: School Holidays

We are having 4 weeks of school holidays. My brain started to work on some program to fill up Jiejie's time. Some one just said it right! Kids' school holiday is parents' busiest time! Ours are home-bound mostly, and I just have to be thankful for many things along the way... 

~ having won a giveaway and excellent timing to flip the book and learn through songs with Jiejie. Being a girl, she seems more interested in the beautiful drawings. We are half way through though. 

Rainbow Bear's Dinosaur Discovery

~ We had a special guest, J, came over last week for a playdate (the parents were working) and we had a muffin baking session. Unfortunately, the sudden episode of minor stomach flu affected her mood very badly. But like what J's mum was saying, play is the best medicine and she did get her self up and participate part of the process. I was so glad that I didn't call off the playdate, otherwise she will be gloomy and whiny the whole day.

YX, their ex-classmate during their preschool time, who stay at the same block as us, was invited over too. Since my girl lethargically entertaining them, I quickly sought YX's grandma's permission to host J over their place for another fun play while my girl took her rest. I just have to improvise to keep the girls happy!

I actually got the idea of baking session from Cindy. Thank you:)!

"I measure the sugar, you measure the flour, ok?"

~ Grandparents! Who came over to visit us last weekend. Having them together for a meal is luxury to the girls and my self. Look! Grandpa decided to join the little ones on the small table and chairs, and he can't help himself but to voice his concern, "Eat more, will you? You are way too skinny at your age." 

The cheeky one replied, "You (are very skinny) too, gong gong!"

"Jiejie, see! I am eating faster than you!"

~ A handy man as daddy, recycled a drawer-cabinet into a little kitchen for the girls. This is his second attempt after I commented the first one was not beautifully executed and compatible to ELC standard. Now, he put me in "thinking corner".

I heart this! Looks like a mobile cart though;p.

Little Bomber spends less time to cling on me. Wonderful, isn't it?!

She is really a happy chef~!

~ Perhaps, I should also thank my self for finally letting my fence down and learn to not sweating the small stuff, especially coming from the kids.

Dancing with the mess.

However, one major incident happened. I lost my purse, together with my staff card, imedical card, identity card, driving license, ATM card, credit cards... I am cardless and feeling very unsecured and hopeless to my self. I wonder, am I overwhelmed with all the juggling until I could not even take good care of my own belongings. I could not even remember where I lost it!

I probably should be grateful for having SC as my husband. He helped to search the whole house like a detective, he eased my mind by saying, "It isn't any big deal", he pointed what need to be done in next few days, what not and off he gone with a jet plane.

How I wish for miracle now if there is any kind soul return my identity card. My identity, that's all I ask for!

~ Mandarin holiday program that is keeping Jiejie busy for just 5 days. Thanks to my boss allows me to report to work late in the morning, so that I can send the girl (and her friend) to class. Best is, having my mum who willing to share half of my load to bring her home via the public transport (while I'm working) after class. It takes special skill to ask a favour from her and at the same time ignore her comments on my way of parenting. I'm just get exhausted sometime, but then again she is tons better than no help!

It's harder than I thought!

~ And a few more playdates coming up while daddy is out of town:)!

...................................

This post is linking up to Grateful Gatherings of Making Mum.

Sisterhood (II)

As little Bomber is growing up and learning more, the sisters have more fights and argument each days. The little ones just know when and how to start a fire with the big sister, even with very limited verbal skills. Well, I do understand that sibling rivalry is pretty normal in a family with more than a child. (It was one small reason why I took so long to consider for second child. I was not very nice to my siblings.) 

Anyway, I learn that it is pretty much on parents to mend the relationship, like how we deal with it in fair manner. Now, this is what happen most in my household these days: Little Bomber raises her hand with a tool, in tears, chases after jiejie and aims for a target to hit! Poor jiejie shouts for "HELP!" and run for her life. The best thing I can settle it, amidst the boiling porridge on the stove and running water in the sink, rescue the big sister from the angry meimei by holding the sisters with my two hands separately. Both crying for different reasons: horrified vs madness, but mama usually will just "Whew~!!!" and blah, blah, blah.

So these days, i see my role more like a pivot for a see-saw, trying to stable both girls' need and attention; trying to firm when crying becomes a (wonderful) weapon for anyone of them (girls, they just love to cry!). SC and I laugh at it sometimes, taking it easy, so called. Other time, we try to treat them equal love and respect. Often we work on positive reinforcement (my hope my girls don't read us nagging).

I do see them lovey dovey to each other. In my case, jiejie is willing to listen and doing her best to avoid a fight. Meimei is the one who can't help her self but to hit if said, jiejie does not give in to her. Actually jiejie thinks that meimei is too young to know her right so always take the best of toys or food. But in actual fact meimei knows her ground very well, often, she tries to tell all of us that, "don't think I'm too young to get bully hor!"

We need to learn how not to make meimei an "aggressor" and jiejie a "victim".

I try to see the good side of them. Such as, how the little one admire the jiejie in many capabilities and skills that she wishes to acquire, how the elder girl willingly offer her precious chocolate to the little sister just to comfort her from a meltdown. 

I think they are doing much better than my sister and I when we were as young as their age.

I know this is a long journey to be a good pivot for them. I need to learn how not to be referee for resolving their conflicts.

We were in MacRitchie Reservoir last... 2 months ago! 

So, yes, we are working on sibling rivalry, emphasizing about loving each other as sisters. Thankfully, they are so good sometime that, I wish the moment is frozen!


Such as this one moment here: they never let go on each other's hand when climbing up the slope.