Saying goodbye

Earlier this week her school principal informed me that one of her classmate, who've also been the pioneer in this kindy, together with Victoria and a small group of other kids, was leaving to another kindy. The inevitable has come. I would have thought that she only needed to say good bye to her friends next year, or when she leaves kindy to start primary school. This girl, K, is a very close friend of Vic's and back home I explained to her, that K is going to a bigger school, just like what Vic will be doing one day. We remember our old friends, and hopefully have the opportunity to meet up still, and look forward to making new ones.

We bought K a little photo frame, which Vic chose because it had many animals on it, like "a happy family." Then I picked two of their pics and sent it for printing yesterday. Vic wrote on the back of the photo, "To K, from Victoria with love, 012 XXXXXXX) And I asked her, what will you say to K when you pass her this present? Vic answered, "Please do not forget me."

I will miss you too, K. (I see her classmates every weekday)

What has William been up to lately?

At 15 months now, my boy boy still has not learnt how to talk. Once we heard him call Kakak when the maid walked upstairs, but that didn't happen again.

He can definitely understand us, from what we see. When we say, throw this.. he goes to the dustbin and throws. Then he tries to pick up other stuff from the bin.

When we say take the towel, or on the fan, or take the remote, he does exactly that. Or keep the drumstick, and he tries to lay them on the drum set. When the stick falls on the ground, he picks it up again, and repeats this for another 2 times. I'm thinking, does that mean he's one who's a tidy freak? I hope so, so I don't have to grumble so much about picking up after the other person's stuff in this house.

William has also grown interest in toy cars. He plays with the Hotwheels cars given by Uncle Julian and Aunty Winnie, and yesterday Daddy bought him another car from Toys' R Us. He chose the Mr Bean car but only in red. : ) Victoria insists it's not Mr Bean's car, because "Mr Bean's car is green."

William also likes to manja with either myself, the maid, or his jie jie. He used to do this by lying down on our laps, then now he does this by reversing slowly until his buttocks touches us, then conveniently sits on our laps. (With kids, we have this habit of sitting on the floor more than using the sofa). Sometimes he does the same, by reversing himself and using his buttocks as a touch censor before he sits down, without looking even at where he sits.

William also likes to hide my handphone on the bed, then ask, "Vaaaa?" with two open palms for added effect. :) He's also like Victoria, now picking up our pillows and with all his little might, attempts to throw them down the bed onto the floor.

When he wants to go out, he wears his own shoes, kept just beside the door. Actually these shoes are crocs imitation which are quite large (hand-me-down from Victoria) and we let him wear them at home.

OK, that's all for now. Boy is trying to off my pc as I type this.

Turn round and round

William learned a new trick to humor himself today. He stands and turns round and round. This just makes him laugh and squeal in delight. Then when he sees the sister nears him, he squeals even louder, and hugs the nearest person to him. This boy, when he plays, he plays real hard. But when he's serious, he can be very serious.

She wants to be 5 years old!

Lately Vic keeps telling everyone that she's 5 years old. I think this came about when her kindy teacher commented that she looked like her 5 yo classmates because of her height and maturity. Then when her music teacher asked how old she was, she put up 5 fingers. Occassionally she'd tell me that she's five, actually and that we got her age wrong, haha. And she has also noted that she is now taller than our dining chairs, compared to a year back when she could hide unnoticed behind the chairs.

Victoria can't wait to just grow up. At this age, I guess any child would be the same. She looks forward to get her car licence, she wants to go to big school, she wants to eat all those yummy looking food that we adults can eat (including junk food), she talks about getting a job and going to work, etc. When I give her bath, she will wash her own hair and scrub her own body. Then she will rinse the soap and shampoo off (I know, her grandparents would probably not believe this!) and I only have to do a quick rinse to ensure there's not excess soap.

She's also talked about having her own baby next time. When she was 2yo, her idea of a husband is one who bring her go pee pee, one who carry her and feed her food. Now of course it's different. She doesn't say, but last weekend she jokingly called Daddy her husband! Haha.

MMR immunization

I took William for his MMR immunization jab which was supposed to be taken when he reached 12months, but the hospital paed said he should take the Chicken Pox vaccine first, so we went ahead with the paed's advice. Then in early July, he was supposed to go for his 3rd Prevener booster jab but came down with high fever. He recovered last Wednesday.

All these while we've been bringing him to this private hospital where he had all his immunization jabs, but now that he's past the 1 yr mark, we decide to change him to our other paed in TTDI. He got poked in the left buttock and didn't cry at all. The cost of his MMR jab yesterday (this paed recommended that he went for MMR first, because that will give him the protection instead of a booster jab for pneumococal which he already has the vaccine in him) including consultation was only RM80, less than the consultation cost alone of the paed in the private hospital. Imagine if we'd added in the cost of the vaccine in the hospital, it'd have blown to nearing RM200!

Anyway, William measured 81cm, not much of height gain but he's still above the average. As for his weight, eversince he lost some two months back, he hadn't gain much. In early May, he weighted at least 11.5kg but now his weight is hovering at 10.7kg for the past one month. Although still above the average, however the paed is concern that there is no weight gain for the past 1 month.

Admittedly, he's not keen on his porridge at all, and insisting more on what his jie jie eats or what I eat. We have tried organic gluten-free pasta and he loves it, and thyme added to his porridge. I will have to pick up more fresh herbs to add taste into his porridge.

This boy loves his carrots, best in soft chunks so that he can bite them. He'd rather choose carrots over potatos, which is the total opposite from Victoria. A few times I had to resort to adding very small chunks of carrots with this porridge and show it to him before he agrees to open his mouth. Other times, we distract him with table toys. Another note to add is, William likes his food warm, and if it's not, he's likely to push them out of his mouth.

He used to like his dhal and lentils, but not so now. Millet on its own? No no, even if it's mixed with apples. So I add a spoonful into his porridge everyday. Will have to relook the net for some yummy tasty salt-free, sugar-free, egg-free, wheat-free recipe.

Blur pic, taken from the mobile phone, but I simply adore the way he stands (very casual, relaxed.. as if he's talking to a chick)

You are my special angel

Two nights ago, Victoria insisted to watch her Cinderella movie on our laptop. She wore a whole headset by herself, whilst I shared one with Hubby. A short while into the movie, she took off her headset and told me, "Mummy, you ARE my special angel."

Aiyo, so sweet. (Mind you, this phrase doesn't come all the time, so this is really special that's why I just have to post it here, hehe)

Having fun in IKANO

A quick outing at Ikano a couple of weeks back. Vic and I sat on the animal mobile which costed RM5 for only 5 minutes! Of course, this is also because the lady in charge said we could sit two persons, so I made the money worth it lar. It's quite cool actually, coz Vic had to step on the accelerator instead of the automatic electronic type.

Mummy unabashed.

Then we hopped over to Brands Outlet and played with the sunglasses there.

I think this looks quite cool on ya. But only when you're 16, young lady!

Finally we went upstairs to check out the Harvey Norman sale and whilst William walked around, the opportunist sister quickly sat in his stroller. So the brother volunteered to push her.

Pushing the sister... the Queen Victoria

The little chef

Vic used to be very possessive over her toys, and naturally she was not eager to share them with William when he was 6 or 7 months and getting curious about his surroundings. These days, she's perfectly OK with William helping himself to her toys, eg the kitchen set, aptly named Iynkaran Kitchen, the pink doll stroller, the dolls, color pencils (which was initially out of bounds as he would put them in his mouth) and any other stuff belonging to her.

Of all these, William's favourite seem to be the Iynkaran Kitchen, complete with pots and pans, cutleries, plastic foods that can be halved, a mobile phone, stove, etc. Some weeks back the little boy has discovered the joys of using REAL utensils. He'd open all my kitchen cabinet doors, and help himself to REAL cutleries and also take some of my plastic casserole and plastic bottles, because we always stop him when he takes the other REAL stuff which are breakable and dangerous.

It's no surprise to see the boy running out from my kitchen with a spatula or ladle or cake beater in his hands, or sometimes his jie jie's blue Mickey Mouse fork (he doesn't like the spoon, he prefers the fork). Sometime's they'd be stuff strewn all over my kitchen floor and we know who's been there! He's also poked my garlics with the fork, and threw them on the floor. He's put the sweet potato in the basket of his bicycle. He's peel off a banana or two, and threw some apples on the floor too, I guess just to see if they bounce like a ball. : )

She's not ready for movies yet

Hubby and I discovered the joy of catching a movie together again... haha, but not at the cinemas instead we watch the DVDs on our laptop in the room, with the kids asleep. The environment is almost the same, with the airconditioning, the dark room, and no irritating people who leave their handphone on or snack loudly away. We put on the earpiece so we can enjoy our very own "surround sound" without disturbing the kids. Actually, not that pathetic lar, it's very enjoyable and addictive too, I must say.

A few times we let Vic join us, even though she does not understand a single the plot. I decided that we could watch her kinda movie, and remembered Finding NEMO which is hardly scary and has all these cute little fishes. Unfortunately we couldn't find it in our collection thus, I managed to borrow one from a good friend (thanks, Grace!). Last Friday, we bought Cinderella and turned our livingroom into cinema environment, with the aircon, lights off, and big screen. Sadly to say, Vic's first experience of watching a movie was not good, and she got frightened when she see the evil stepmother, or when the King was chasing his right hand man. She did ask us to off it, but we encourage her to watch and assured her that it was not scarry. At some point of the movie, the little girl started to cry. So we ended the show prematurely.

Today we watch Finding NEMO in the afternoon. Vic got scared at the part where Nemo got caught by the divers whilst swimming away from his dad. She was apparently shedding tears silently and I only realised this when the maid saw her. Quickly I off the movie and she burst out crying. Oh my! Looks like no more movies for the time being. Btw, she's even picked one Mickey Mouse and Bear in the Big Blue House collection at our local DVD supplier the other day. Hopefully she will like it at our third try.

A visitor came by our garden

Yesterday as Vic and I was going upstairs for her afternoon nap, I saw some birds on the clothes rack and beckon her quietly to watch the birds. As we parked ourselves on our sofa and peeped through the sliding grills, I realised there were a couple more birds pecking away on the ground and indicated this to Vic. But the little girl spotted something else... she whispered to me, "Mummy, there's a squirrel"... and I said "Where, where?"

Quickly I realised it was near the drain, and as we watched, another squirrel popped out. After a good 5 minutes or so, Vic decided to sneak out to scare the squirrel, but just before we could open the front door, the squirrels disappeared behind the caladiums.

Oh, and did I mention that a couple of months back as Vic was about to leave the house for school, she spotted a squirrel in our house. Daddy and the maid cornered it behind the TV set and trapped it in a box, which Daddy then gave to the teachers, with their consent, to show the little kids a real life squirrel. Vic named the squirrel, OMO. : )

Funny things that Vic does/says

Some stuff I noted down previously but didn't get around to blog about it. Here they are:

1. During mealtime, Vic said, "Makam maam" and "Makan tuan" (immitating the Maid) and she does this with a straight face.

2. Asked her to list five of her favourite fruits at that time. Mind you, her preference are as seasonal as the fruits themselves. At one time, she had the craze for grapes (2yo), bananas (when she was around 2.5-3yo), then cikus and mangos (3.5yo), plums (4yo) and once in a while watermelon and dragonfruit. Definitely not bananas which she hardly touch nowadays. Back to my question, she answered me bananas and I asked her if that's her favourite fruit, why doesn't she eat it.

Vic answered, "Ohh ohh.. X! No, I like giraffe meat actualy."

3. Driving has always been Vic's dream. She loves it when Daddy brings her to the empty carpark near our house and put her at the driver's seat. Daddy will then let her turn the steering wheels for fun whilst he control the gas and gear. The rule is, "Don't drive on the grass." Vic has been bugging us to let her drive since she was around 3yo, and we explain that she needs to attend classes and get a licence to do that.

Some months back she said, "Next time when I'm 8 years old (to her, that's VERY OLD) I got licence, I bring Daddy, Mummy, Aunty Maria go out kaikai." What car? "Mercedez."

Yikes. Daddy said she got no budget and she will have to work hard. Vic in her own words said, "I work late, cannot come home early. Have to take train, Daddy take car. We work in the same office." Btw, another occassion she told us that next time she have to take helicopter to work. Wowee, like Donald Trump? :)

4. I was very tired one afternoon and wanted my rest. The kids didn't want to sleep for whatever reason, so I let William play on my bed whilst I lay down. Vic told me, "Mummy you sleep, I take care of William. I try my best." Then she turns to her brother and says, "William, don't disturb Mummy." And she takes a bunch of toys and place them in front of her brother on the bed. I was a little concern and very much amazed with the maturity of my 4yo. Didn't sleep at the end, more like just close my eyes a little while in between watching the little darlings play.

5. The other day Vic was telling me to do this and that, for William, for myself, for her... she's not only a little helper she can be a pesky boss! So I got agitated and told her, "Don't boss people around. I can tell you what to do because I'm your mother, your authority (she's come across this word before in the Character First module used by the kindy)."

Then Vic replied, "I didn't lar. Next time when I grow bigger I'm gonna be a auritity!" I burst out laughing. "WHAT? Auritity???"

The little girl blushed and laughed.

6. Vic can now tie her own ponytail with a rubberband on her own.

The week that passed: Vic's JMC and William's communication

Last Tuesday I brought Victoria for her long awaited, Yamaha Music School New Junior Music Class (NJMC). We were stuck in the traffic jam due to the slight rain earlier, and admittedly Mummy entered LDP on the wrong part from our house and had to make a detour. Some parents and their kids were late as well (I knew this as I called the school on the way to notify them that we were delayed due to the heavy traffic) but by the time we arrived, it was 20 minutes late and we were of course the last to arrive.

However, Victoria didn't need a warm up as she immediately took to the class. It's great and probably the pap talk prior to that worked. We told her that if she doesn't join in or follow what the teacher says, then she will end up a spectator and not have any fun. I think she's naturally interested in music, just need to bring her out of her shell. She still reminds me that she wants to learn the drums, and smartly tells me "Why don't, Mummy... I start with the drums first... then..." Or at another time, she will change her mind and say she start with the guitar first.

The brilliant thing about what happened was Victoria actually sang aloud, solo, when it was her turned up in front. There are 5 boys, and 3 girls including herself. A few of the boys are quite funny, and one started pointing to another's teeth during the group singing in front of the class, saying, "Hey... I can see your teeth" and then when they became noisy, the teacher asked where was the noise coming from, one cheeky fler pointed at the window behind him, "From there!"

After the lesson, Vic spent a good 15minutes or so playing with the showroom drums, guitars, bass. She even told me that the next time we go, we bring our own drumstick (her toy ones) because the school kept away the real ones.

On another note, William has been more consistent in his "signing" to us when we communicate. He nods his head when he answers us in agreement, and shakes his head when he doesn't want something. He gives flying kisses and waves goodbye, and does what we tells him to, sometimes, eg keep the remote, close the drawer.

He's also getting bored with his porridge and wants our food.

Random pictures of Victoria Part 2

Posing the same way
Look at the cheeky face... they are praying, and the boy in the middle seems to be in a sleepy state whilst Vic is trying so hard to keep her eyes closed, which probably makes her cheeks blow up
Oohh, I love this pic! Totally sweeettt. Btw, see that pen in her front pocket? She insisted it should be there.
Children church last Saturday: supposedly paying attention to what's going on...
This is her group

Random pictures of William

The little drummer. Whenever jie jie goes for the drums, he wants too.
Hhhmmm...
William loves to clap hands, sometimes like "self praising"... haha
Like taukeh... he was on the phone during Daddy's graduation ceremony, must have been so bored. He goes, "aahh" which is his way of saying "hello"
On the mini stage playing around during Children Church

Random pictures of Victoria Part 1

Making funny faces at the camera over dinner yesterday at Souled Out

Come on... can you smile at the cam???
Vic pretending to be playing a violin with her toy guitar and the drum stick
Swimming over the weekend still insist on washing Daddy's hair, but we finally got her into the pool and she had her first swimming lesson kicking water horizontally!
This is it! The moment of truth.
I don't know how she learnt the "Peace" sign, but I love it when she wears something on her head

Today I celebrate Life

Four years ago on this day I almost lost my husband. I share this here, with his permission, because I want my kids one day to know, that we are all here today, because of God's grace and mercy. Because Daddy was returned to us.

Up till today, I can remember more clearly than any of our anniversaries or any of our birthday celebrations, the first time I walked into the ICU, then the CCU ward, the walk uphill in the mornings and evenings before and after work, the phone calls and the lonely nights whilst my honey slept in the hospital. And each time I reminisce about this, my eyes get misty thinking that I could have lost the man that I vowed to love my whole life... till death do us part.

I remember even how Hubby told me not to go to the hospital because he was fine and only admitting himself for a day observation. Then it happened. CODE BLUE.

At that time, Vic was barely 3 months old. That weekend itself as she lay on her bouncinet I explained to her what happened and that Mummy Daddy will not be able to spend time with her, for the first time. I hurriedly said goodbye to her when my father-in-law came by to pick me up to see Hubby in hospital. Mom helped looked after Vic.

Have we ever thought how different things would be if certain things happened or did not happened? If not for God's mercies on my family, I would not be here today. I would have been a single parent, a bitter depressed young widow still asking what if and why and how come. William would not have existed. Vic's and my life would have been totally different.

Today I celebrate Life. The life of a man who gave me so much happiness and does everything for the simple reason that he loves me. I love you honey.

Daddy's Graduation

Last Sunday we attended Daddy's MBA graduation which we chose to attend locally instead of in Australia. Thank God this was a wise decision made some months back before the outbreak of the Influenza A (H1N1). Joining us on this auspicious occasion was Mama Yeh Yeh who picked me and the kids up at 12 noon as hubby left a little earlier to pick up his graduation robe.

In the morning I wanted to bath Vic, but she insisted that she will wash her own hair, which I allowed her to under my supervision. Just as she started, William woke up and I went out to check on him. When I returned to Vic, she was already washing her body and I was amused that she can reach the body soap herself which was placed on a shelf slightly above her eye level. I offered to help her but she kindly turned me down, so I stood and watched her proudly. Silently my heart was feeling a little sad, that my little girl is now a big girl. Getting more independent by the day. Anyway, back to hubby's graduation.

The ceremony was held at Hotel Nikko, Kuala Lumpur. The kids had their lunch at the lobby upon arrival before we headed upstairs to the ballroom. Daddy looked soooo handsome in his robe, but I sure pity him as he was dressed under the robe, in his full formal wear ie long sleeve, jacket and tie. Three hundred over graduants were present, and that means easily a thounsand people including guests and staff.

We were seated by 2pm, and waited for Daddy's name to be called. William, this boy... was soooo excited, so energetic and so restless. He was walking all over the place, and we could only briefly keep him seated in his stroller during the Vice Chancellor's introduction speech, with his biscuits. Thereafter, he was up and down the red carpet at the back, and along the sides, and in between the empty chairs at the back, and when I brought him out to the cocktail area he was almost running and laughing away at the vast space! Naturally I was a little irritated that I could not sit to witness the ceremony, and I was tired running after him. At one point he was going for the plates at the reception area, and almost took one in his hands. I had to watch him like a hawk, and stay near enough to stop him before he breaks anything. As for William, he didn't like it when I carried him away from where he was or what he was doing.

3pm came and he refused to sleep and hardly drank his milk. Vic was very well behaved, sometimes joining me to watch over William, but most of the time seated with Mama observing the ceremony. This is Victoria's 2nd time attending a graduation ceremony, the first being my MBA graduation (I finished my last paper whilst conceived with Vic).

William knocked off towards the end of the reception, and poor boy wanted so much to try our food. I felt really bad that I can't share with him, because Hubby and I are adamant that we will be patient and not give him adult food so soon as obviously our food contains seasoning, flavouring, preservatives, oil, salt and sugar which a baby, or even a young toddler can well do without! In the car, the older child knocked off too.

A family pix... and someone's showing his midriff

The youngest graduant
So, this is it. The end of one chapter in Hubby's life, after all the toiling, burning the midnight oil and sacrifices and finally... but this is also the beginning of many great developments in Hubby's life and me and the kids are very proud of you, Daddy!

Happy Father's Day

Look, this is sooo typical Victoria! Daddy wants to kiss her and she puts her hand in between. Btw, this is a belated entry as I didn't have the chance to download the pictures. We celebrated the special occassion at Nagomi Shabu Shabu, Plaza Damas with a simple lunch.

Who is Victoria?

I've been meaning to write this post quite sometime back, as a run up to Victoria's birthday in April, but looks like work got the better of me, or maybe it's just the laziness in me.

Just an insight into who this 4yo girl is. A mother's notes.

On first impression, Victoria seem to be very reserved, shy and maybe some might say, unfriendly. She takes a little longer time to warm up than most kids, because she's very cautious of new faces, and surveys her surrounding before deciding to open up or stay reserved. But once she opens up, her teachers and friends agree that Victoria is one cheeky, jovial and playful girl. To us who are even closer to her, she's more than cheeky. She can be tomboyish by climbing grills, body wrestling with Daddy, being a bridge between two sofas, jumping on beds and screaming at super high pitch just to irritate us.

Victoria likes to tell her own jokes, and they may be funny or may not be. She's at this stage where she cannot fully differentiate a joke from a lie. So, many times I have to ask her, "Are you telling the truth, or is this a joke?" Sometimes she told a "joke" which was not funny, and forgot to tell the person that it was a joke. It ended up like a lie, and got many of us confused and upset. A few times, this girl told me that she wants to be a clown. Oh my... I hope, and seriously hope she's only joking. Btw, this girl says she wants to leave her hair very very long until it touches the floor and sweeps the floor.

Victoria is definitely playful at home. Very. And she's sensitive to our feelings too. She can sense our emotions, and if one is not feeling happy, she will ask, "Are you happy? Then why do you have a black face?" or she may be the most obedient girl in the world, finishing her food fast, and taking her plate to the kitchen, finishing her water, loving her brother, etc and then say, "I do this because I want you to be happy."

At her age, I think she can be quite scheming or rather, an opportunist. Remember the dragonfruit incident, where she quickly wallop the remaining dragonfruit when she heard me telling William that I will give him more? Then she started laughing with all the red juice in between her mouth, and some oozing out... how to scold when she looks so adorable?

Here are a few things Victoria likes.

Socks. These are Victoria's Number ONE favourite item. Anywhere we go, we must bring her socks. There are two categories of them. Those which are older and worn out are for home wear, and those that are newer are obviously for kai kai. She likes the longer ones, so she can pull them high up her knee and she prefers animal designs. However, she likes to wear the nice ones for home, when she sleeps. I have long time barred her from accessing her socks herself because she will take and wear them all the time, and I end up getting angry at that. So I put them on the top shelf of the wardrobe. Then lately I brought them down since she has started to "behave". Now she would pick two socks, one brand new and one old socks, and ask me to hold them in my palm and do the "magic show" for her ie I will hide the socks in my hands under my lap or behind my back, and she will choose the hand which she thinks holds the new socks.

A few days back she picked the hand with the new socks. I asked her if she was sure, and then without her looking, I exchanged the socks from one hand to the other. I doubt she knew but when she got the old socks, she started to threw her temper, and threw the socks away. Yikes, I think she knew.

Last night I told her during our "magic show" that whichever socks she get, she should accept it and not throw her temper. Victoria did this. She picked the hand with the new socks, and then looked me in the eye, reallly reallly closely, and tried to read my response and facial expression by asking, "I know this hand has the new socks.... right? Haha... you are holding the new socks" and mind you, she's not really sure, she's just trying to get a response from me. But guess who out did her? Mummy! I looked her back in the eye and gave her the most convincing reply, "Are you sure? No regrets ok.." and she ended up changing her mind, and chose the hand with the old socks!

Storybooks. Vic can ask and listen to the same story every night for a month and not feel bored! Even I feel bored from reading the same story and now I tell her, if you want Little Red Riding Hood again, then YOU tell me the story instead.

Long pants, long sleeves. How to describe her? Conservative. We used to wrap her up when she was a baby, fearing that she might catch cold. I guess that plays a part in her fashion sense now because she rather choose her long pants and long sleeve than a dress. Sigh, so much for dressing a little princess. At her age, or even last year, she's already know how to choose her own clothes, insisting on what to wear, and what not, and even her shoes. So I teach her a bit of basics lar, which is also to convince her to follow my way. One of them is, if you wear long pants or long skirts (not like she has any on the latter) she must pair it with sleeveless or short sleeve blouse. So she'd pick sleeveless then tell me to bring her jacket in case she's cold. And she quickly added that she will have long sleeve and long pants!

Some nights when Daddy sternly tell her to close her eyes and sleep, she will pretend to sleep. Then when I lie beside her and kiss her good night, I hear a little chuckle and then the little girl burst out laughing! What a pretender!

I think Vic is very maternal. She mimics the maid by putting her big Elmo to sleep, sometimes using a nappy as the sarong around her body. She enjoys doing everything that the maid and I do. Those days she used to play with the broom until I stopped her. Now she takes my Roboclean and "connect" it to me as if I'm the vaccumm machine, and she will hold the hose and pretend to vaccumm everywhere. Sound effects courtesy of Mummy. ; )

Last but not least, my Victoria is exactly what my first gynae said she will be. A little helper. And she loves doing just that, from making milk for her brother, to washing the vegetables, to pushing the stroller, to feeding William milk, wearing socks for him, etc.. even offering to brush my teeth!