Where is your penis?

This was the exact question that my daughter asked our maid awhile back.

Eversince being a mother, I have trained myself to keep my ears open, eyes sharp and ever ready to spring into action - whether as the comforter, reprimander, referee or whatever other role that duty calls.

While I was upstairs trying to get an important document out to the banker (asking for a bigger loan, haha!) I overheard my 6yo asked the maid at the dining table, "Kakak, where is your penis?" in a hushed hushed tone.

Naturally, Kakak was confused and didn't know the meaning of the word P.E.N.I.S so she asked, "What is that?" and Vic repeated her question.

At her 2nd or 3rd attempt, I interrupted and asked her to come upstairs. Secretly I thought I "caught" her at some mischief and immediately put on my "teacher cum investigator" hat.

I asked her if she knew what a penis was, she said it was "pet pet" which is a girl's genitals. then I asked her who taught her that word. She answered, "Teacher."

Huh? I probed.

Vic explained that "teacher told us when we go to school next time, not to let anyone touch our breast or penis." And apparently teacher addressed this to both the boys and girls.

Oh.

Vic looked really innocent. The fact that she thought that a penis is a girl's ahem... I held my breathe, trying to think of how to respond to her.

Then I burst out laughing. After I told her that a penis is a "bird bird" and not what she thought, she burst out laughing too, and so did the maid downstairs.

Oh, and I need to mention that as I was questioning Vic upstairs, William immediately went to Kakak downstairs to ask her "how to spell penis? how to spell penis?"

Graduation Portrait

We recently received Victoria's graduation package, consisting of a half body closed up portrait, full body portrait, passport size photograph and class photograph of the children in their full graduation robe and mortar board.

This is her teacher's autograph personally written for each child:

"Dear Victoria,

You are a gifted child. May God continue to give you ideas to design, build and perform. Let Him fill you with His creativity, that will bring glory to Him and blessings to others. May the beauty of the Lord be upon you to establish the work of your hands!"

Real William or Fake William?

After reading a Clifford The Big Red Dog book for William as part of his nightly ritual, he asked me, "Mummy, how come Clifford the dog can talk?"

So I answered him matter of factly that Clifford "is a fake dog, that's why."

Then the boy said, "So real dogs can't talk?"

"Yup."

After thinking a few seconds, he continued, "So I'm a fake William that's why I can talk?"

*slap head* but I thought that was really funny. So I better jot this down before forgetting.

On another note, this real William has been really protective and loving towards his sister lately... examples:


At a playground

Vic dropped her shoe while swinging on the swing and called to Kakak to pick it up for her. Kakak didn't seem to find the urgency to do so, thus William got off his swing and quickly pick up Jie Jie's slippers, and lay them neatly in front of her.

He did this a second time just before we left the playground.


During dinnertime

When Vic went for second helping of rice, the maid with her good heart added more vegetable for her. Not a vege lover, Vic objected. From his seat, William told the maid off, "Kakak don't make my sister sad! She is my sister, not your sister!"


Oops! It was an accident

In the kitchen one day, the maid somehow accidentally but don't know how, jabbed Vic's eye. I was in the kitchen and I took little notice of it since it was an accident. Later did I realise that Vic went out to the dining table, still holding on to her "injured eye" and when William found out, he went straight to the maid and scolded her.

Both Kakak and I found this rather amusing, but not William. He insisted that Kakak apologize to his Jie Jie, but when Kakak claimed she already did, William didn't believe her. He went over to Vic's side, and asked her gently, "Is it true Jie Jie, that Kakak said sorry to you already?"

I gave a look at Vic, who was not really in any pain. She seemed more touched at how William reacted and stood up for her. And when she admitted that Kakak did apologize, William backed off.


On the aircon, I'm very hot!

After a few hours of having the air conditioner turned on in the afternoon, I turned it off, much to Vic's dismay. She immediately told me that she was hot and melting, but I said no.

Guess what, William overheard and went over to the switches, got on a stool and switch the aircon back on. This boy chose to disobey his mommy dearest for the comfort of his beloved Jie Jie!

A Surprise Visit by Aunty Ivy and Uncle Kevin

Last Thursday we had lunch with Aunty Joanna, and lo and behold shortly after she arrived at Sanbanto with her handsome 4yo son Elyas, in walked two familiar faces. I caught sight of this smiling lady first, who looked so much like our good friend Aunty Ivy from Cardiff, whom we stayed with last year during our visit to UK, and it finally dawned upon me that this lady was really her when I saw the also familiar looking man walking behind her, Uncle Kevin!

What a fantastic surprise! The food at Sanbanto was average this round (read, I did not enjoy my meal) although my kids loved their short ribs spaghetti, but the traditional pork stew I had was too dry, meat tough and rather blend.

Here are two pics of the kids with this wonderful couple. (Ivy, I hope you don't mind I selected the photos to put up before your approval. Drop me a mail if you want me to take it down, hehe)

Mountain Bread

Yesterday I was at Village Grocer in Bangsar Village to pick up some groceries specifically food for my little princess.

I found the Orgran Pancake Mix in both plain buckwheat and apple cinnamon flavours. I wasn't able to find this in the Cold Storage Solaris Mont Kiara branch, nor at Jaya Grocer's. Then as I strolled along, I saw a tray of interesting looking wraps. Being amazed at the variety of flavours ie corn, organic wheat, rye, oat, tomato basil, barley and oregano, I took a closer look to see if it was "halal" for my girl.

Then I found it... the magic words that said, "Yeast-free" and "No eggs" plus a bunch of other assuring statements like no sugar added and no sour dough and no oil added. For those allergic to dairy, this contains no milk product as well : )

Vic had a simple roll up this morning for breakfast with just butter spread on it, but she loved it! Then I cooked tomato minced pork with carrots and onion for lunch, topped with cucumber and raw tomato in the wrap, and the kids loved it.

I bought 3 packs, each from oregano, tomato & basil and oat flavour. The tomato & basil pack is finished. For storage, refrigerate at 4 degree Celcius for 15 days, and frozen up to 12 months. Consume within 5 days of opening at room temperature.

Random snippets and updates of the kids

Updates


The kids are well, they are better behaved these days but occasionally they have nothing better to do after a meal than to start an argument over some petty issue.

Healthwise, Vic gets the runny noise every other day but I don't give her medication unless it's serious. The nose bleeds have not occurred since I last reported (I think in May) and neither has the red spots appeared.  We are indeed thankful, but I know she is still allergic to either food (yeast and eggs) or dust.  Very likely both, and highly likely the latter as she gets runny nose and itch when in a dusty area.

For William, he is growing fast, standing at 102 cm and still spotting his crew cut short hairstyle.  I have not given him any eggs directly yet, but he has eaten food containing eggs such as muffins, buns, cakes and is fine. Although his maturity is behind that of Vic's when she was his age, he no longer talks baby-ish, and sometimes asks me questions such as, "Can I eat eggs?  How come I can eat, but Jie Jie can't?"

Sibling Jealousy

During the first half of this year, Vic was rather insecure, getting jealous of her little brother and often made hurtful comments to him or us.  She would say, "I wish I am in the After School Programme so I don't have to be at home and see William." or more directly, "I don't love William" and "I don't want a little brother.  I want a little sister instead."  I personally feel she has gotten over this stage, and accepted the fact that William is PERMANENTLY her brother, so no exchange or refund policy.

These days, I see more love coming from her, even patient when William gets rough and kicked her in the belly once (oh yes, he is still a boy and has his moments especially when he is "practicing kungfu" - so he says) and she winced in pain and readily forgave him when we got William to apologize.

Vic is definitely more controlled of her emotions at this age, but cries whenever she is unjustly told off or feels unloved.  Once when William used the "I don't love you" phrase on her, she ended up in tears.  

Canteen Day

During canteen day at her school recently, where the kids were asked to take RM10 in small denominations specified by the teacher, she spent her coins on junk food and hairpins for Mummy, an eraser and scratch art for William.  She only spent on herself one Vitagen.  I was indeed touched.  I gave her the hairpins and kept the junkfood for myself, told her to keep the eraser for herself too since William has enough erasers at this age.

Favourite phrase

At 6.5yo, Vic's favourite exclamation is now, "Oh my!"  and she goes "Oh my!" in my face almost 10 times every day, which is starting to irritate me.  So I asked her why does she keep saying that, and she said "it's because I'm not allowed to say "Oh my God!" "  so she has shortened it.

As for William, he has been saying this particular word since I-can't-remember-when, maybe it's even his first 50 vocabulary.  He says "Anene" and laughs after saying it, maybe he thinks the sound is funny.  If he doesn't favour someone, he may call him/her, "Anene" eg "Anene Kakak"... but don't take offense if he calls you that.  It's just funny to him.  On the bed when he doesn't sleep, he'd "Anene" and chuckles despite my stern warnings to close his eyes.


Phototaking

Vic is still camera-shy, anti-phototaking, and she spots a camera pointing at her, she'd turn away.  You won't get the candid shots you want, unless you pick up paparazzi skills, or successfully tempt her with a reward she can't resist.  But handling the camera, oh yes she enjoys!

William, on the other hand, loves to take pictures.  Many times I wanted to video him secretly or snap candid shots of him, but he spotted me and posed for me instead, flashing his well sculptured smile.  After that, he would ask to check the photo.  Vain?

Favourite Color

Vic's favourite color now has changed from blue to pink and red.  Getting more girlish now.  Maybe peer influence. 

William's favourite color is black.  And orange.  But more black.

His The little red hen

Spiritual Growth

Vic reads her devotional Little Visits book together with the recommended Bible verse(s) every night. Even on nights that we come home late and tired, she would take the books out and ask to read. She is practicing finding the Bible verses every night, by first looking at the contents page. Sometimes she gets it, sometimes not. But I like her enthusiasm. She would not give up. I let her read the Bible verses on her own, then ask what she understood from it, then explain whatever I can (I'm not that holy mah) Then we have a short prayer time before she goes to sleep.

Vic's favourite story in the bible now is about how Christ died and resurrected.


Emailing

Victoria had her first email account created for her by Daddy sometime back. She has gmail even before me, haha! Lately Daddy taught her emailing and she started emailing to both her grandfathers, very short, two-three sentence emails.  She types them herself but checks with me or Daddy on spelling.  This girl is still not very confident la.  But she's happy and proud that she can also email, just like Daddy and Mummy. 

Running around with his pants half up.

Obedience

I have less obedience issues with Vic than William.  Quite obviously William is still learning, and Victoria has seen the wrath of her mother during her "time."  Haha... but with Vic, I still have to nag her to do simple daily routines like eat her probiotic and drink her water after bathing.  

That's all folks.  I'm happy with two, but sometimes wondering if we can manage three?   We are keeping our options open and undecided, but definitely after William settles in kindy and Vic settles in Primary One next year.

Crazy about tattoos

Lately Vic has taken a liking to tattoos. She came back from school one day and asked me if I knew what tattoos were. At first I didn't hear her right, and I asked her again. Apparently her friend told her about tattoos. Then it crossed my mind that I had some leftover tattoo stickers in my drawer, and I shared this with Vic. Immediately upon arriving home, she asked me for the tattoo stickers, and after showing her, she took them and later I discovered she applied one on her arm by herself.

Hhmmm.. guess she has conveniently "inherited" my stickers. Oh well. Good thing I didn't throw them away. The other day she asked me to help her with a big cut out sticker. In return, I asked her to oblige for a picture.

That was a week back. It's still quite permanent on her arm today, despite her trying to wash it off with soap.