Saturday, September 28, 2013

Craft: Flower and Crepe


One of the activities that I had wanted to get Bunny to do for a few months, but I just kept procrastinating.

Finally, I sat her down and it was done after about 30 minutes. The tot was given the drawing and shown how to tear, scrunch the crepe paper and paste onto the petals and leaf. She understood the instructions and did them with precision and great focus. I am amazed by her ability to remain enthusiastic throughout the activity.







This is an updated version of what Chip did back in Nov 2008.


Friday, September 27, 2013

Her Reading Habit


Of my three kids, one is definitely a bookworm. He would read anything, anytime, anywhere.

Another enjoys books selectively and would happily trade it for other forms of entertainment. He is the kind who would literally drop the book at the suggestion of a game, treat or outing. Even for a cuddle.

As for the toddler, she started out loving books as much as her siblings, all thanks to our zealous reading habits. But sometime in the last year or so, books have become the least interesting things on Earth to her. I blame this change largely on the introduction of the iPad and phone for online games and Youtube videos, as well as a fast growing collection of new DVDs specially for the princess.

Sometimes, I get ahead of myself and worry a little too much for the youngest. What if she doesn't love books as much as I hope she would? What if she doesn't like to read at all?

So I do have to make a BIG effort to ensure that we do as much reading as possible during the day before daddy gets home.

Occasionally, I get GEMS like these which deserve special mention on the blog, so I could look back in a few years when she was a well-read young lady, and laugh at my own silliness. :)







(Photos taken in Aug/Sept 2013)


We did have some excellent days during which we read over 20 books, but also not-so-good days when we did not even get near a book.

Overall, I got to admit that I am so much more relaxed in so many ways about achieving (or exceeding) developmental milestones with this kid, partly because on most days, there just aren't enough hours to go around for me to do what I would love to do with the kid. Poor baby!

Well, we will get there eventually.










Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Glasses





She loves to borrow the glasses from Potato Head (a.k.a. Mr Potato). 

Whenever she is left to play by herself in the study, these glasses (which she throws into the white toy box together with her other toys) will appear on her face moments later.  




Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Wanting More

There are endless things that I want to try, do, complete and improve on. There are always some areas that I think the kids could do better, if only I have time and/or energy to coach them or at least make the introduction. There are always things that I want to expose them to or wish they could experience.

It has nothing to do with how much or little I appreciate my kids or think that they are not good enough. In fact, I think the world of them; they are akin to raw gemstones waiting to be discovered. Rather, it has everything to do with how I feel as a parent. 

Very often, I just constantly feel like I could have done better.

Now that we are already in mid-Sept, it is time to take stock before the year ends. I shall take a deep breath, channel my strength and energy to tackle and complete all the remaining goals that I have set out to achieve for the year. 

The focus must be on finishing the year with a bang. 


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Looking Different




I am not sure how, but she looked different in this series of photos I took one afternoon. 
(Another three are not shown). 

She was watching me cook lunch. 




Monday, September 16, 2013

Day-to-Day

It has been months since Chip started Primary One. My daily routine has changed quite drastically as a result. With both boys in morning school, I get to spend a few good hours with my little Bunny, which is truly a privilege to be thankful for.

A typical weekday (kids @ 9 yr, 7 yr and 2yr old)

6am - 8am: Boys leave for school. On days when I get boys ready, I head to the gym after they leave, while Bunny sleeps in with E.

8am - 12pm: Breakfast with Bunny, play and learning time. Grocery shopping and light chores too.

12pm - 2pm: Lunch preparation, feed Bunny before nap time.

2pm - 5.30pm: Boys back from school. Lunch, homework, play/relax time. Twice a week, I try to fit in 45min coaching time while Bunny is napping.

5.30pm - 9pm: Dinner preparation, chores. The daddy returns. Bonding time and bedtime for kids.

9pm - 12mn: Whatever else that needs to be done before my me-time.


There are mornings when I take my own sweet time and laze around in bed with Bunny, accompanied by just a huge stack of books. Other days are more productive, peppered with playgrounds, small trips and brief unstructured learning sessions at home.

But, rain or shine, rushed or not, I cook lunch daily. That is my way of ensuring that kids are fed nutritious and wholesome food, at least once a day. Dinners are less certain, depending on the day's schedule, the husband's preference and my mood, though the toddler still gets home-cooked dinner without fail. On average, boys are still served home-cooked dinner at least four times a week.

I no longer coach the boys concurrently as I find one-to-one time to be more effective. If the toddler is awake, the boy who is not sitting with me will babysit her. The boys are getting really wonderful in their babysitting duties, which they often carry out happily and responsibly, with some supervision and under my watchful eye.

The hectic hours are usually in the afternoons when the boys are back. Nearly every day, I feel an urgency to complete more tasks than I can possibly handle (no thanks to my Type A personality as well), and like every household with young kids and without a second adult to help out, there are always unexpected events that consume energy and time that could otherwise be used more productively.

Good days or not, the weeks just flew by.

And I try to remind myself to count my blessings, be thankful for my typical days and even for the not-so-typical ones, for they may be the ones that I remember in the years to come.




Monday, September 2, 2013

Red Boy


It was love at first sight. The toddler first caught sight of him in April 2013 when her daddy made the introduction.

In less than half an hour, she was so smitten with the boy with red hair, whom she promptly referred to as 'Red Boy', that she has to 'see' him everyday.

:)




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