Little Darlings

Everysince I was pregnant with my first child, I strongly believe that child-proofing a home is the #1 most important thing I must do to prevent accidents. I did some online window shopping and found that there are actually a lot of gadgets. I came  across this wonderful site that offers child-safe products from stairway gates to furniture and electrical safety to be used for a child-safe home.

The main thing that I was most concerned with was the stairway baby gate that I can use to block access to the kitchen and staircase. They have different material to choose from – be it wooden or metal ones, they has a wide range for me to choose. They even have outdoor safety kits like sunshade and pool safety alarms. I am glad I found this site. I has a complete catalogue on safety products and I’m sure I won’t miss out on anything important while surfing here!

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Holidays are finally over! 2009 is the 1st year Boy attends school and he’s absolutely excited. He’s been asking me when he’ll be going to school like his sister. Despite the many times of explaining to him, he continued asking and finally his question is answered. The night before school started, he had problem falling asleep. The next morning when I woke him, he quickly got up, brushed his teeth and changed. He had a bottle of milk and quickly took his school bag and placed it near the door. He took a piece of bread in the car.

The traffic was good. We reached school early. Just as I assumed. He didn’t cry. He found a place to sit for himself, played around with his bag and bottle, looked around the class while waiting for his daycare friend to arrive. He laughed quietly at a boy who was crying in his class. He, of course got a scolding from me for being mean. It didn’t bother him much that it was his 1st time in school .. new faces and environment. He blended in so well that it worries me. When he reach his freedom age of 21, will he tell me “Goodbye mom, I’m shifting out!”. Shouldn’t he be a bit anxious and scared?! When his friend finally arrived, they talked at their top of their voices – like they own the classroom. Mind you! They were even louder than the noise in the class. And the teacher had to quiet them down – and I mean ONLY the two of them! I left him there and told him I would be back to pick him up. He hugged me and when I picked him up, he was in the same state like before – Happy! Sigh .. I have a funny feeling that its gonna be complains for me along the way. Its only the BEGINNING!!

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As for Princess, when the holidays started she was already asking me when school is starting again. She really enjoys  school. I think I’ve forgotten to mentioned that I transfered her out from the previous school. She was from a Fungates system but I find that its not very suitable for her so I changed her to a Montessori one. She had been in fungates system for 7 months and I find that the method they use is not helping her at all in understanding the basics. I believe a strong basic is necessary in building a good foundation in her early learning years. That was when I decided to switch her to this current school that I should at the very beginning. There is no point in crying over spilt milk – anyway, I was really amazed on the 1st day of her attending this current school last August 2008 – she knew how to read. This school actually is known for their ability to teach kids to read. I was totally impressed. Now not only her reading in English is good, her BM reading was also quite ok for a person who doesn’t speak at all. She joined the school late where everyone was already way ahead of her and I was really satisfied to hear from the teacher that at the end of the year she had actually catched up with the rests of them. She have this ‘kiasu’ attitude that she doesn’t like losing. Its good in a way that I know she will try hard for something she really wants but on the other hand, I worry that it would give unnecessary pressure to herself. Sometimes I just wonder where she got this attitude from, both of us doesn’t have ‘kiasu’ attitudes and we definitely don’t teach them to be ‘kiasu’. Make them realise about competition yes but telling them to win at everything at all costs .. NO!

Anyway, this year Princess attend the afternoon session (mandarin medium) with her other daycare friends. She’s excited on the 1st day of school. Like Boy, the night before she had trouble sleeping. On the 1st day I dropped her and her buddies to school and stayed there awhile to make sure she’s ok cos the flashback of what happened when she attended kindy for the 1st time still lingers in my mind! I was there for a couple of minutes then I left. She was happy and excited with her friends around her. Poor girl. This year she doesn’t take her nap anymore on weekdays. The first few days she’s tired but after that she’s gotten quite used to it and now’s she fine. I just had to make sure both of them sleep at nine every night during school days. So far so good.

I have been really slacking on my updates since last May 2008 and I have tons. Just had to do a summary of it these couple of days/weeks before it REALLY becomes ancient historic news!

Shifting into a new home is a major change. We start by thinking whether the children can adapt to the new environment and also furnitures and fittings to be put into the new home. The kitchen is the place that has to be thought thoroughly because everything will have to be in order to have a complete home-cook meal. I don’t like walking for hours looking at things and couldn’t decide on what to buy so I decided to browse the internet and came across this site. It has all kinds of kitchen appliances from anything small such as a kitchen timer to anything large such as the refrigerator.  Its absolutely useful especially when they have a buying guide. Its good in a sense that you can actually compare one specific product with many range of the same product. Then, you can well be certain of what you really need.

Before I came across this site, I have faint idea of a product. Now I know that for one type of product there are actually many different range to choose from. For example, if you are thinking of getting a wall oven, there are actually many range to choose from – there are the single ovens, double ovens and the single convection ovens. They have explanation on the use of all products and recommendations for top brands as well. I don’t have to waste my time walking and talking – I’ve got all the answers here. Its practically like you’re there at the store – minus the aching feet!

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Boy is always taking Princess’s hair bands, clips and scrunchies to wear on his own head. His hair is so little, its almost impossible for him to use her scrunchies, so normally he would stick to her hair bands. He would wear it on his head and tell me “Mommy see I pretty” and he would have his cheeky laugh. I would go “Shame shame boys don’t use hair bands”. He would go “No Mommy I girl”. Then I would go on about him not being a girl .. blah blah blah. I know he’s just playing a fool but hopefully this wouldn’t become a habit in the future. Maybe should get him more guns and swords. He likes playing with his toy cars, transformers and superheroes but he plays his sister’s girly toys, too like barbie, princesses and polly pockets. I don’t mind that he plays girl toys actually. Since he’s so rough, so I think that would make him softer in nature.

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When I asked Princess something, she would put her pointer on her chin and said ‘lemme think think think’ – like a little busybody. Sometimes, when she’s in a really ‘busybody’ mood, she would even roll her eyes up. I would laugh at her gestures and she would laugh along with me.

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This is one of the kids favourite snack. Its like pancake but crispy and a bit sweet. The kids can take 4 each at one go. Normally, if I go pasar malam I would get some for them since they are always asking for snacks and supper every night before their milk. Everyday when I pick them up from daycare, especially Darien would ask me what food I bought for them. When I said I didn’t buy anything, he would be so disappointed. Occasionally when the whether is better, I would get them McD’s but weather like this normally I would ask them to take biscuits or I would buy them steam stuff like pau or timsum. No doubt they love food but they will only take things that they enjoy.

He used to play this Fisher Price Pull Up Ball Blast toy when he was a baby.
Now, he has an even newer way of playing it!

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Princess feeding her ‘baby’. She’s a natural at holding and feeding it.
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16th Feb – 17th Feb 2008

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This will be my last posting for CNY 2008. I’ve done many scraps but have been slacking these days. Excuse … too tired … energy drained from caring for the two kids. Happy to be back again. During the last weekend of CNY, our family – all 15 of us went for a trip to Malacca. We rented a 6-room bungalow. We spent most of our time eating and walking the Malacca Jonker Street. The kids enjoyed the food and shopping with us. We visited the crocodile farm on the last day. Boy was so tired he slept. Weighing 16kg now and Daddy carried him while he’s sleeping. When we were almost leaving, he woke up and had a round looking at the crocs … really small and boring farm if you ask me. Haha .. one round you see them all. I’d rather go to the zoo. We didn’t visit the zoo though ‘cos everyone was tired. We had lunch and headed back home to my mom’s for mahjong. Had seafood dinner again near my mom’s and headed straight home.

14th Feb 2008 – Day 8 Valentine’s Day

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On Valentine’s Day, we had BKT brunch at a shop nearby our place and spent the rest of the day at Jusco Bukit Tinggi. We had karoake with the kids, movie, did some shopping, some fun at the kiddy rides and dinner at Dragon-I. The kids loved their fried rice and noodles. Being out the whole day worn them out. We reached home at about 10pm, bathe and slept. They were so tired, they dozed off instantly. Nothing special for the Valentine’s – we don’t celebrate anyway.

The kids performing their singing skills.

I’ve been slacking in my blog posts again. Have been feeling really tired and lazy lately. Have piled up MANY backdated posts since February. So, I’m going to try posting everything soon. I really salute blogger parents who have that kind of energy to blog everyday. For me, I’m still looking for that energy. Anyway … here goes.

11th Feb – 13th Feb 2008 – Day 5 – 7

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We were invited to Genting by my cousins cos they were celebrating their daughter’s 1st birthday. Arrived at Genting at noon and we had lunch at Gohtong Jaya (braised yee mee and durian for dessert). When we arrived at the peak was almost 2pm. We walked around the place a bit and played some rides indoors. With no nap .. the kids were sure tired. We had an early dinner, rest in the room and the kids slept early. The following day, we had fun at Snow World and some kiddy rides. We checked out the next day at noon and had lunch at Gohtong Jaya. We wanted to go home after lunch but ended up at my cousin’s place for mahjong session.