Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Playmates

Bun's favourite playmate is nic-ness (i.e. Chip). When he is not around, she makes do with any others that she can find. I am not a great playmate since I don't spend much time playing with her. More often than not, I direct her to play by herself.

In this photo, I suggested we invite Dolly, Wiggy, Tigger and Jessie to dinner. Bun got to decide what to cook and serve. After fetching them from their respective resting places, she seated them down and got busy in her 'kitchen' before serving them.


The entire game took only 10 min, but it served my objectives. The bonus: she was very amused, especially after looking at the photo.




Sunday, April 28, 2013

Dunkleosteus


The 8-year-old has been obsessed with anything prehistoric for a while now.

I came across this drawing of his recently (not sure when it was drawn, maybe in Feb/March 2013) of his version of a 'futuristic' dunkleosteus.


What I find fascinating, besides the details of the prehistoric creature, is how he had imagined it to emerge into existence again, sometime far into the future, with robotic-like properties and abilities.

When I reminded him that we were talking about a prehistoric creature, he argued with absolute conviction and confidence that the fact this animal was prehistoric doesn't mean his imagined version could never become reality.  :)






Saturday, April 27, 2013

The Afternoon Busy Bee

Proudly showing off the Devastator to me after spending some time converting the transformer according to the instructions. Just looking at the instructions give me a headache. I am glad he is happy to figure it out by himself.






The 6-year-old may be in Primary 1, but he is usually very free after school.

Since he doesn't go to any tuition class and there is no homework from school, he spends virtually all his after-school hours on play and activities of his own choice. Some days when I can find the time (i.e. when the tot is napping and there aren't more urgent chores to attend to) and/or I can keep her occupied on her own, I may sit him down for 30 min of revision and introduction of more advanced materials. Even when I do so, he still has plenty of free time each day to explore and create.

He spends a lot of time drawing, reading and creating games of all sorts. He makes up rules for his games and pesters his reluctant brother to play with him, who normally prefers to be left alone than to participate in another game of his. Very often he will also rummage through my box of craft materials or whatever recyclable materials he can find in the house and turn them into another of his wacky creations. Some are simple ideas, others offer glimpses into his fascinating mind.

Looking at his carefree days, I am just glad that he has a strong enough academic foundation, so he can afford all this time relaxing and indulging now.






Friday, April 26, 2013

Same Same


19 months old. Loving puzzles and finding all things that match.







Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Pretty, Pretty


She saw the range of pretty colours and helped herself to them. One by one, she tried. Walked around the store and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. No amount of coaxing could persuade her to leave the store in the first hour.





Photos taken in mid April 2013

Monday, April 22, 2013

Splashes of Colours


Whenever I let her, she will always have a blast splashing, squishing, dabbing and painting.





And I always love the finished products.



Sunday, April 21, 2013

Lego Dino


The 6-year-old's version of terror, which he created one April afternoon.







Saturday, April 20, 2013

Olivia: 19 months




I have had many surprises since the day she turned 19 months.

She started rote counting out of the blue. At first it was only from 1 to 5. What amazes me is how she makes progress everyday, which shows she must have noticed the way we corrected her. Now, a week later, she will walk around the house repeating 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10, missing her 7 and 9. It doesn't matter whether she gets it right, or understood what she is saying. It is just so funny to watch her do it. I realize a few days ago that she recognises many numbers under 10 and she knows the sequence (e.g. if we pause after counting from 1 to 5, she will almost always say 6). Haha... so cute!

We didn't set out to teach her to rote count or recognise numerals, though I did point whenever we come across them. She must picked them up from our reading (we have a few baby books that introduce simple counting) and from watching us count in our daily interactions.

Instead of her usual 'mama', she started calling 'mummy'. She must have noticed the boys addressing me as 'mummy', so she follows suit. After two days of not hearing her call 'mama', I started missing it badly. For reasons I can't explain, I felt a tinge of sadness, as if my baby has already entered another phase of growing up. The next day, I told her how much I like to hear her say 'mama' and incredibly she went back to 'mama'! Hmm... I don't know if it was pure coincidence or if it is possible that she could really understand what I was telling her. Now, she alternates between the two. :)  At about the same time, 'daddy' and 'papa' are also used interchangeably.

She also started calling the boys 'nic-ness' and 'mars'. Super adorable! We can't figure out why, but in the last 2 weeks, she has suddenly become especially affectionate towards Chip. She would ask for 'nic-ness' when she hasn't seen him for a while, or she will run towards him and tell him 'cuddle nic-ness'. She hugs him from behind when he is sitting down on the floor or she may cuddle his legs if he is standing nearby. She loves to climb onto his bed and lie on his pillow, something which always makes Chip smile.



She started humming when she was 16/17 months, but now she is trying to sing and very often dances as well. She likes to sit by the window to count and name the colours of cars that pass by (so we hear plenty of 'red car', 'yellow car', 'blue car') and when she sees a bus, she will go 'round and round wheels, all day long... round and round wheels, all day long...' (that is her trying to sing 'the wheels on the bus'). Otherwise she will be swaying her body from side to side, with occasional knee bends as she 'la-la-la-ta-ta-ta-yah-yah-la-la-la' for a minute each time. We have a few videos of her dancing, sometimes with a toy knife in one hand and a spoon in the other. Just hilarious to watch. She loves the attention and will gladly oblige to perform a few more when we ask.

One morning, I offered her some Cheerios with just 20ml cold cow's milk, hoping to wean her from breastfeeding soon. After that first try, she started asking 'mama, cheerios milk' every morning. She still won't take beyond 30ml at a go, even when she sips from a cup, but she enjoys it enough to ask for 'milk please' at least 20 times a day, and whenever we pass by the fridge. Saying 'no' that often is getting a little trying though.

A few days ago, she was stacking some toys up in a corner of the room when she called out 'mama, see bun bun'. She referred to herself as 'bun bun' these days - a nickname which has evolved from 'bunny' - perhaps because this is how I address her most of the time. Throughout the day, whenever she wants to show me something, be it something that has created with toys, a drawing, a dressing up or stripping show (she puts on too much or take off too much at times), she would shout 'mama, see bun bun'. How can I not put everything down to give her my undivided attention!  Just the thought of my little 'bun bun' melts my heart.

Of the three kids, she is definitely the one whose speech development is most advanced at 19 months. It is probably a girl's thingy though, since girls are known to develop faster in speech than boys. We are biased of course, hence we find every phrase/word uttered to be immensely cute. I got to admit they either make me laugh out loud or swell with pride. I am sure all my smiling and grinning at her every adorable gesture and phrase these days are cementing more fine lines and wrinkles on my face.

Recently, she started saying
- 'not me' (when asked if she had done something, such as biting the wooden table or tearing pages off a book)
- 'I want this' (um, I think she must said this at least 60 times today. She walks around the house, pointing and demanding everything, at least 3 times. If it is something she knows is forbidden, she tries her luck by repeating 'I want this' 5 more times).
- 'mama read book bun bun' (asking me to read to her)
- 'mama sit down on the chair' (I am still amazed that she would say 'on the chair' and 'in the cot')
- 'bun bun lie down mama white pillow' (this is by far the longest she has said at one go!)
- 'I drink water pls' or 'more water pls' or 'drink water green cup pls'
- 'give me that'
- 'go away' or 'mama go away' (usually involves pushing me away from the scene where she is planning some mischief)
- 'shut up' (she must have heard the boys said it to each other in jest. When I asked her who said this, she said 'papa shut up'. Oops. Of course E fervently denied it. Hee hee... )

  

All the funny and fun stuff aside, she is fast developing into an assertive individual with a strong mind of her own. She tells us what she likes and dislikes and is quick to say 'no' or walk away. More often than not, she runs away from us if she is asked (told) to do something she isn't keen on (e.g. sleeping).

She throws tantrums (oh yes, the Terrible-Two or Terrific-Two phase, whichever you like to call it, has arrived!) more easily and they are also getting bigger than a month ago. The easygoing toddler has gone into hiding. Thankfully, my years of parenting experience have prepared me well, so I am still unfrazzled. Just take deep breaths and this phase will be over before I know it. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy every moment of her amazing development.







Friday, April 19, 2013

Fork and Fingers



Pasta with chopped prawns and diced vegetables. Pan-fried with olive oil.

Whatever the fork can't pick up, the fingers will do the trick.

A little oily and messy for self-feeding but the bowl gets emptied and she always has fun.






Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Little Things

The week often passes in a blur. But when I give it more thought, I realized there are many little things each week that made me happy.

Little things such as....


Watching Bunny pick up a book in a store and plonk herself on the floor to enjoy it.


My sugar-candy-pink nails!


Sharing a bowl of berries with my baby and watching her scoff them down.


Cooking for the kids and knowing that they will be eating all the good stuff made with love. The satisfaction is immense.


Just the realization that there are many small things, which are so easily taken for granted, that I should be and could be thankful for, is yet another reminder of how blessed I already am.






Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Gift of an Ordinary Day

As a stay-home mum, it is all too easy to discount each ordinary day as just another painfully boring day, filled with mundane tasks.

I will be honest to admit that such thoughts cross my minds umpteen times too. After all, it has been over 9 years since I gave up the key to my beautiful office and work space!

Luckily, I bounce back from moments of low fairly quickly. Sometimes, all it takes is a good night rest or just a few hours of chill away from the daily hustle and bustle.

Watching this video recently is a timely and wonderful reminder of the privilege that I have.


Monday, April 15, 2013

Throw

To keep the tot in the high chair for a little longer after her lunch, she was given the shape sorter.

10 min later, she had enough and started demanding 'go down, go down'. I coaxed, patronised and promised 'just a little while more'.

After a few more pleas, she tried a different trick.




She watched my reaction intently. Mummy laughed. The tot was at first confused. A second or two later, she covered her mouth and let out a big laugh too.

I probably shouldn't have laughed. Maybe a stern face and a telling-off or reminder would be more appropriate. But I must admit after all these years of parenting, I am trying to laugh more at the little things. Not that it is unimportant to teach her the rights from the wrongs, I just figured a little leeway doesn't hurt at times.

Anyway, the 'no throwing' reminder did follow swiftly after. And I am pretty sure she got it, though it doesn't mean there won't be another addition to my lunch in the near future. After all, it is the phase of testing boundaries.




Friday, April 12, 2013

Little Fingers



Sorting: Feb 2013

Blueberries: Mar 2013

Pasta Fun: Mar 2013

Pom Pom Bottle: Mar 2013

Purple Coins: Apr 2013

Plenty of activities to keep her occupied.






Thursday, April 11, 2013

Afar

Six years ago, we were so close. He was so needy and dependent on me.

Now, I feel a widening gap between us.

I may be able to make him laugh heartily, but I am also less hesitant to take actions that may make him cry. I may have 'hardened' considerably over the years as I learn to deal with the many parenting challenges, but my heart aches often.

I know I am being firm for his own good and that I know better than he does, yet I still feel awful and guilty more often than I like.

When I look a little harder, I can still catch a glimpse of that little needy boy and his innocence. But when the days are long, I often forget to look.

He still holds my hand willingly when we are out and about and gives me cuddles whenever I ask for them. No, cuddles and hugs are no longer volunteered. Gone are the days when both my cheeks were happily kissed and I can't remember the last time he called me 'mama'. These days, it is usually 'mummy'.

In a few months, my first-born will be 9-year-old. Where did all the time go?




Saturday, April 6, 2013

Under the Sun



Jan 2013 - gathering leaves
Jan 2013 - ants go marching by
Jan 2013 - humming
Feb 2013 - mama look!
Feb 2013 -  wah!
Feb 2013 - favourite seat


Mar 2013- 1,2,3 go!




















April 2013 - say 'cheese'

April 2013 - drenched at Vivo
April 2013 - squeezing water
















LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...