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:)!

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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. 

Wordless Wednesday: A Steep Walk to Tea House

Our morning walk to the Tea House of Teh Boh, Cameron Highland.

And the little one insisted to taste the climbing her self!

Mothers' Day Special @ Jungle Classroom

There are "Jungle Classroom" in Hong Kong, KL (Malaysia), and Jungle School in Taiwan, with a very simple intention to bring the children for outdoow activities at the same time learn about Mother Nature. We are lucky to know that there is one (Jungle Classroom) established early of the year in Johor Bahru, which is, considering near to us. I was thrilled to be able to register ourselves for the event this month finally, unknowingly it took place on Mothers' Day.  

It is a well programmed outing, as in, there are breakfast, lesson (depends on the theme of the month), story telling, and several hands-on activities, and it is conducted in mandarin, once every month. What is more attractive about the outing is, venue usually outdoor, lush of green and breeze of fresh air, probably lots of perspiring for participants too. Most learning materials are provided, and each family is asked to bring food to share with others. So, here we were for the 4th amazing event of Jungle Classroom (Johor Bahru), for the first time! 

I will let the pictures tell the story of this meaningful event we joined last Sunday.

Sun-rising and we were still on the road finding our way
to Muzium Layang-layang, Pasir Gudang.
[photo courtesy by Jungle Classroom(JB)]

Every family is requested to bring one type of food for sharing.
Also, everyone is reminded to bring their own cutleries, no disposal!
[photo courtesy by Jungle Classroom(JB)]

She was kind of shy to meet new friends & into new setting,
hence snapping around to calm herself.

This was us munching the food, snapped by JC(JB), unknowingly.

After breakfast, kids were asked to gather in front of Anna (blue shirt
at the left corner of the picture) and started the lesson about "WIND".

SC and I were just sit back and enjoy the breeze=).

Story time! Looks like Little Bomber lost focus here... 

After learnt about wind and feathers, fan, blowing and what not,
kids started to making bubble and experiment right away!

It took us a bit longer than others to bring the kite up in the sky...

But, effort was well pay-off. 
Finally the kite was soaring:).

She learnt about "layang-layang" (kite in Malay) as the 
compound is Muzium Layang-layang (Kite Museum), Pasir Gudang.

It was a blessing to have the rain stop right before our arrival.[photo courtesy by Jungle Classroom(JB)]

So, yes, we are look forward to join for the future events, if time permitted=). Though I have to wake up early at 5am to prepare egg sandwiches.

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If you are keen to join the outing, hop over to their facebook page and find out more.

Her First Doodle

Unlike her big sister, Little Bomber had her reservation towards arts, paints in particular when I attempt to introduce her arts exploratory. She was not exciting about it at all. She showed her hesitation when she saw a range of colours displayed in front of her, as if she is going to be attacked by them!

She would frowned when she sees her hands hits patches of little beautiful red or yellow, as if they are trying to be funny and mar her soft silky skin. She whined further and fiercely if I had ignored her and tried to persuade her to stay a little longer with colours and doodles. It's killing her, both stubborn mum and messiness (on her). She doesn't see them as nice and fun as any other toys she plays with.

I think I grumbled about this more than once. I admired how little Girlee enjoyed her self in Art Bug. Little Bomber was unable to complete the session (forgotten was it 30 mins) that costed me $45 painfully. You know, going to such setting for such attempt is like getting a diagnose on your child that, "she failed in communicating with arts".

After that, I paused, from further explore the fun to dip brushes and colours. Well, more of no time for me to think about it.

Until one of the evening two weeks ago. The big sister had an impromptu discovery, she dug out the set of mini-portrait of snow white and requested permission to paint. Very quickly, she saw and quietly followed what her big sister did. For the first time, she has no problem with paints, no frown or whine to her blueish hand that doodled by her big sister. Pure concentration.

I observed, smiling, quietly grabbing my phone and snapping the moment.

I would like to announce that, she is able to communicate with arts, in her own way.

What do you see? It is pinned on the notice board.

Puddle and Pebble, at the Flyer

Finally, we are sick of shopping malls for our Saturday outing. I told SC why not we re-adventure outdoor this weekend. But weather was wet the whole afternoon, drizzling on and off. It took us a while to decide where to since we have to skip park this time. SC thought of Singapore Flyer, I could not think of any better alternative. Well, worst case scenario if the weather turned very bad, we would probably stay and food-testing a lot in the Singapore Food Trail and count the number of rounds we walk around the built-in urban garden, under the sheltered corridor.

Oh, we didn't intend to ride the flight. Instead, we strolled into the rainforest set in the central atrium of the Main Terminal Building, feed the fishes in the pond and allowing the kids run wild at the ample space outside Flyer. It was just two and a half hours of adventurous, included dinner time. 

The gloomy weather didn't gloom the kid's spirit. We literally play by eras: strolled in the (partly) sheltered Rainforest when it was drizzling, roamed towards the riverside get some fresh air and admiring Garden by the Bay when the rain stopped. We love the breeze when we sat along the riverside. Kids were really amazing, too. They found fun along the way without any guidance, without any extra expenses. Jiejie tapped on the puddle, meimei tried to balance her self on the pebble stones. While we strolled, SC taught they to print the wet-sole and see the pattern of each and everyone of our shoes. They were fascinated. And I got to tell HY that how an imagination can become reality by looking at Marina Bay Sand. Yup, I'm a boring mum. 

By the way, we love the nostalgic Food Trail in the Flyer. Not the food though, but the ambience. The oldies reminds me of my very young days a lot. So far, chicken rice and fried oyster and eggs won our taste bud.

I realised that I have not recording many of our outing since 2009 (actually I have not been doing lots of thing here). So here I am, writing this entry, try to "wow" you. I do hope my pictures tells a good story of the joy moment we had. 

Those Instagram pictures are inspired by this post and that:).

Ears Whispering | Observation Wheels | Daddy's Girl
Urban Green | Do-Mi-Re | Wow, Raindrops!

Admiring Skypark | Enjoying Pebble | Tapping Puddle
Work in Action | Trying Nostalgia | Rewinding Oldies   

The kids love the lush vegetation of the rainforest and adjacent spacious space to bits! The little chatter box (jiejie) have requested to come back again. And we thought of bringing sushi platter for having picnic by the river:). 

I'm glad our intention not to go shopping mall again didn't influenced by the iffy weather today (i mean yesterday). This was not our first visit to Singapore Flyer though, we just forgotten that they do offer quite a fair bit of natural outdoor (semi-sheltered) and few little surprises here and there. This outing reminded me that kids don't really ask for complicated or expensive thing for fun, all they want is a place to run, play and be together with their parents. 

Do you have favourite natural outing place for kids in Singapore? Do share please:).

Work Less, Mother More

I began to work part-time this year. Theoretically, I have “stolen” 14 hours from the work week to devote to my kids’ playtime and mealtimes. But the truth is, my list of responsibilities in the office is not shorter while my motherhood list is getting longer.

This is something new that I am doing: Work “less,” mother more. Pretty challenging, I would say. My past experience as a stay-at-home mum hasn’t helped much. Back then there was only one child. I have two now, and the only thing I’m armed with is numbness to hectic-ness.

My new tasks include dragging my P1 child from slumber-land at 6.30AM. It has been 10 weeks of school altogether, 10 weeks of racing with the rising sun. I never thought it would be so difficult to awaken her without spoiling her mood and mine. She hates to fight against the sleep devil. Who doesn’t?

It gets more daunting in the morning sometimes when I think we are ready to leave the house and the girl shrieks, “Mummy, I haven’t finished my homework!”

If our morning episodes are fun, the second part of my day is pretty exciting too. Work tends to overrun by an hour or so beyond my official working hours. When I think it’s over, more things come up. At the same time, I’ve discovered that my work computer isn’t any faster than computers from 10 years ago. My brain works faster. It is extremely nerve-wracking waiting for Powerpoint slides to be saved or opened, knowing I am still in the office and my girls are waiting for me. I dash out from the office to the bus stop to the train station to home to cook dinner for four by 5PM. Then I pick up the girls and we bid the babysitter goodbye and swing by the playground. Dinner is served at 7.

The excitement continues after dinner when I sit down with Jiejie to study hanyu pinyin, addition, and subtraction and to remind her to concentrate. It kills me when she doesn’t listen to me and repeatedly writes her “w” as “W,” or pens her name without her surname, or gets distracted from her Math book and starts peeling off stickers from her desk. Arrghh… Not to mention that my little “Bomber” is very curious and wants to scribble on her Jiejie’s book.

Shrieking and whining are now “music” to my ears. It is a great relief to me that the daddy helps out here and there, doing the laundry, washing dishes, or attending to one of the girls. I call it a day when the bedtime story is done. Usually I doze off before the kids do.

It is exhaustion day after day, in exchange for hearing them call me “Mummy” more. There are moments where I’ve almost burst into tears, and moments where I felt defeated and couldn’t do anything except give in to meltdowns.

But when I see the girls home before sunset, cozily on the sofa with a book or a bottle of milk while waiting for dinner to be served, it reminds me of why I want to do this.

* I like my job. I learn new things constantly, my boss is understanding, and my colleagues are great people. They told me the reality is that kids grow up eventually, hence work is essential. It’s disturbing for them to see me take a pay cut just to gain a bit more time with the girls. However, I do make them envious when I leave the office early every day.

Pack Food for Recess

I am busy with a new routine: prepare simple food for my P1 child to consume during her recess time.  

Everyday!

It is fun to mix & match and create one unique combination everyday.

And I start to be attentive to the frozen department of supermarket and hunt for proper food for packing. Food that in favor of my fussy little eater. Food that is easy and quick in preparation.

Apple, cashew nuts and raisins are her favourite and hence regular in the pack.

Sushi is just done when there is left-over rice and Tamanoi Sushinoko, when I am up much earlier.

Sometime, I feel smug on my creation.

Sometime, I get lazy and just chuck in a bun and a choice of her snack.

The truth is, she never able to finish all of it. She plans well and usually take second part of her recess time for play. Often, she shares with her friends, 'cause the friend(s) asked for it. Yup, she is pretty honest with me on this part. I would just remind her that, "you suppose to eat most of it, not your friend". The bottom line is, I know what she eats in school and there is communication establish, like "Eclair for tomorrow?"

Happy me.

Showcasing Her Work, Once Again

Towards the end of last year,

we were called to meet the teachers.

We chat.

We thank the teachers.

We bid goodbye.

She had a wonderful time altogether. 

As part of the conclusion of her learning journey with them for a very good 3 years,

we were handed over a stack of her works and progress reports.

I realized that it is an end to her preschool journey.

I tasted first bite of bittersweet as a mother.

My little baby is no longer a preschooler.

I flipped through her works.

Some are really cute,

some are messy;

some are whimsy,

some put a smile on my face. 

And I wonder how to treasure them all.

I showcase them!

some of them.

Her work during her preschool time.

In my kitchen.

A celebration to a marvelous milestone! 

For the longest time it can be!

Wrapping up, 2011!

Just to sum up my 2011, like previous years did. But first of all, I have to confess that my version of project 365 failed terribly. It stopped short at Jul 2011: Feeding for the longest time till I did another one for jotting Little Bomber's milestone in December (like 2 weeks ago..?!). I was too greedy and wanted to do too many things for the past whole year: fighting with needle and thread, dancing with spatula and mixer, not forgetting constant mind games with my girl(s) on creative conversation and soon to become siblings rivalry. But one thing I have been keeping up is writing the diary! another form of keeping the record of the girls besides digital scrapbookingi.

Good and bad, for juggling so many things. Hubby has to get all the blames when things go wrong.  

JAN:
Remarkable start of the year for us to learn (or for my case to re-learn) how to make rice-ball and spent a wonderful time in KL with family and old friends came by one after another to laugh and hug:).

FEB:
Chinese New Year family reunion and celebration. We were surrounded with lots of love and laughter. 

MAR:
Marked Little Bomber's first year. Well, marked my 35th birthday too. We had a staycation in JB to celebration hers and my birthday. Nothing much to talk about, I mean my birthday. I thought more about the girls now... 

This time of the year, Jiejie participated another round of wushu test, she passed it and elevated into intermediate class.

APR:
Have to pat my self on the back about picking up sewing skill from basic again, and revived the padded seat for the old stroller of ours. Little Bomber officially is an toddler!

MAY:

Unexpectedly, I had to deal with an office crisis and painfully accepted the true fact of Jag's leaving. Life is unpredictable!

JUNE:
 Together with my parents, we travelled to Hong Kong for our annual getaway. Delightfully, Little Bomber started to call me "mama", mutterly.

JUL:
Went back to Kulim without exhausted our selves for almost 10 hours of driving. Jiejie made a remarkable statement for our trip. Little Bomber started to attempt and accomplish something new, like feeding her self with porridge. 

AUG:

We were daunted by the registration system for local primary school. But honestly, it is a fair game. 

SEPT:
This year, I did not post any entry about Jiejie's birthday celebration. But this was the very 1st time, we had it twice: one with her K2 class and another (party) with family members and friends. Well, it was a barbecue and we prepared the food by no-catering service. A big thanks to SC's aunt and Little Bomber's babysitter. I baked a brownie and most of the time, stuck with unwell Bomber. I should digiscrap this wonderful party! 

OCT:
Sad to say goodbye to my grandma forever. Life will not be the same any more, for most of us.

NOV:
We attended Jiejie Graduation Concert. Contentedly sighed on her growth and milestone thus far.

And every Saturday, Jiejie attended extra training for an wushu performing early December. I was like a old lady riding on a skating board, tried to control my tone and temper in order to encourage her to join in the group. She was horrified by the momentum of the training, at the same time in doubt of her ability to do well.  

DEC:
Well, She completed the wushu show. Could be better, if you wonder. Received the best Christmas gift:), hence embarking a slight different journey with my family.

Conclusion? Life is short, seize the day! And certainly hope I will do it better this year. Slow down perhaps....

Happy New Year, y'all.