Not again!

What can I say for the short hiatus in my blog? It wasn't like I was away, nor was I busy with mega projects or happening parties. I was around, just being me, the usual stuff, a little lazy now and then, at other times multi-tasking, maybe the same old boring life you can say.

Stories Untold!

But we've been having some parenting challenges with our little girl, Vic. I don't even know how to begin. Except that, you recall the previous time when I wrote about her sneaking behind our backs to have a bite of junk food, ice cream and then did I mention, she had sweets and Mamee Monster a couple of weeks back?

Oh, the anger in us just welled up! I need to say that we never once suspected our little girl. Moreover, after the previous incident I'd have thought she learnt and understood the reasons and the consequences. But no, one morning when I dropped her off at tuition, her friend mentioned about eating Mamee Monster with her, and Vic admitted. To give her face, I told her I will settle with her at home, and explained to her friend that Vic is not allowed to eat junk food due to medical reasons.

That evening itself, I receive a phone call from a mother friend who informed me out of concern that her daughter told her that Vic has been eating Mamee. What shocked me even further was it was NOT just once, but two separate occassions, and on top of the snack, she also had MUFFINS! The Mamee was also bought with money from a classmate. How can she indulge in such foods when she knows it will harm her? I think she just caved in. Any human would, I tried to reason with myself that if I was her, having "puasa" for 3.5years, I'd also go berzerk and would do the same.

But but but!! I don't say much this time, I let hubby take over because it is very emotionally draining. Having to know that my daughter sneaked behind us. Worse, that she deliberately hid this from us, hoping we'd never find out. As if we were the bad guys.

Is this a normal behavior for kids this age?

On hindsight, isn't it funny how I keep getting information about my little girl's eating junk without even looking or asking?

We told her to sleep in her own big girl room, the one that's been waiting for her to turn 7. I've been telling Vic that she needs to move to her own room now, she being a big girl and all that. But this incident fastforwarded her migration. Sadly, it was supposed to be a promotion, not a punishment, but seemed more like the latter. She obediently moved to her room with her sleeping mates and what a relief that her nights there were uneventful. She even claimed to enjoy sleeping in her own room, not wanting to come back over. Instead, she wanted to rope in my sleeping partner at one point.

That aside, we told her that she's always welcome back for a night or two, just for old times' sake. This was only after a few days - when the weather has calmed down.

Barter Trade

Two days ago, I was checking her bag and found 3 items that we did not buy for her. One of which, she insisted she did not know how it came into her possession, whereas the other two was given to her by a boy in her class. Both incidents, we said no! First of all, things don't have legs. Either she took, or someone gave, and both are equally wrong.

A parent shared with me that her daughter also keep bringing things back that does not belong to her. Apparently kids these days like to exchange things or give their things away. I feel this is an unhealthy habit.

Why should children be exchanging things when they have no need to?

Solution - Hopefully

After much thought, hubs decided that we should give Vic some pocket money. As home CFO, I put the amount of 50cents up, which is enough for her as she does not need any money at all since she brings her own snack to school. There is also nothing in the canteen which she can eat.

So far, she has deposited all her daily pocket money in her piggy bank. As a motivation, I told her that she can reward herself with the money after a few months.

Discovering his testicles...

The other day when I was bathing the two kids together, I noticed William was silent, two hands supposed to be washing (but stopped moving) his private part. So I checked on him, and he put on his cheeky smile before exclaiming, "Look mummy, I have two eyeballs in my bird bird!"

Hahaha... I told him that's his BALLS... or correctly known as testicles. He laughs it off!

Another time, he was rinsing himself while I sat on the bed to wait for him. Then as he sprayed water at his birdie, he said "Hahaha... I'm filling my bird bird with water!"

Maybe a little Biology 101 will do the kids good. They seem interested and understood the " functions of red blood cells / white blood cells / antibodies" concept recently. I'm thinking of introducing their different organs to them and keep my fingers crossed for future doctors in the family... muahahahahahah!!!

Crying at the movies

Victoria may be tall for her age, and matured in her thinking, but when it comes to cartoons, she has a very soft heart.

When she first watched Finding Nemo a year back, she cried when Nemo got caught by the diver, and when the sharks came out.

Then I thought a little romance will be nice, and let her watch Beauty and The Beast. Oh, but even this she cried... maybe the beast was too ugly!

Lion King... also she cried.  Don't know why. 

Lately, she cried when she watched Tom & Jerry "The Magic Ring"... this was a big surprise to me, as she has watched T&J episodes before but never shed a tear.  However, when she saw the "violence" she started to snuggle up to me, and this is when I know the tears will soon come, and it did when little brother refuse to off the movie, and she refuse to turn away. 

A couple of weeks ago, when we had a "movie night" with the kids over dinner, daddy thought we should watch a new movie called "Puss In Boots" instead of the usual Smurf and stuff. But not even half way through the show, Vic started showing fear... haiyo... we watched anyway, and she "outgrew" her fear, I believe. But I am not sure if she will watch this movie again.

So what are the safe movies for her? TinkerBell, Smurf and Toy Story are some examples. We told her that cartoons are fake, not real, and also just stories. The storybooks doesn't scare her, but the movie does. Must remember to tell her boyfriend next time not to bring her to horror movies... or cartoons! (Just a side note that mummy doesn't watch gory, bloody violent shows, unlike Daddy, and I'm a hardcore romantic comedy kind. Horror, ghost shows? No way!)

Sick but so what?

Despite hubby being overseas for more than a week, leaving us 3 days before the school holidays started, and arriving home only on the Friday at the end of the school holiday...

Despite William falling really ill the day that hubby left, vomiting the next day, developed fever for 3 days and nursing an irritating phlegmy cough, before, during, and after the school holiday...

Despite my hardy foreign maid having fallen ill also on the weekend before the holidays...

Despite me, the supposedly immune-to-nasty-viruses mother, who during this time needed to stay strong and care for the two young ones, having caught the flu virus too, with body heatiness having shot up resulting in blood in my phlegm and nauseous cough...

... We all did had quite an enjoyable holiday - the rest days were good despite not having gone far.

Vic was the strong one amongst us, all thanks to God and probably the oil of oregano boosted her immune too. It was good that she escaped to Mama Yeh Yeh's new house for two nights, again showing me that my firstborn is going to be one independent girl (I dread to think of her leaving us at the departure hall going off to university).

We also spent 3 days in Seremban to spend more time with Popo Gong Gong before they fly off to America. The kids were happy to spend time with cousin Grace and Andrew too and a negotiated trip to Jusco.

On the last day, Gong Gong and I brought the 3 older kids to Jusco for their arcade fix.  Don't be fooled by their seemingly demure, well behaved poses here...

We didn't make a trip to City Park this time, but the kids were amusing themselves with coloring and picture drawing.

Looking at the tortoises they each colored on their own... From Left: William's,Victoria's and Grace's.  They drew the faces and I drew the other parts.  They were proud of their artwork and wanted Gong Gong to see it when he came home, before taking it down to cut the shape out.

We came back to PJ on Friday and that night, we drove 2 hours to LCCT to pick daddy up. The Friday off peak hour jam was horrible. Initially the kids excitedly finished off their dinner in the car, then half way through the jam, Vic said she needed to answer nature's call, and so we stopped along a rest stop along the way. As we finally neared LCCT, the kids were quiet and I guess about to doze off, all they wanted was to see Daddy first.

On Saturday, hubs and I brought the kids to Tropicana for a breather. William still have classes at Gymboree to finish before his next birthday.

A little incident happened that day...

Notice the little blue black on his right forehead?  This boy was chasing his sister who ran ahead, and he had a misjudgement and ran straight into the glass door of the Gymboree centre.  Ouch!  He cried really loud and all the parents were looking at him. 

I shared with hubby that I have mild insomnia that few nights. He said, why... he's already back, but I said it must be the mucous all build up inside my nose causing a migraine, which I had to relief by massaging my forehead to sleep. The next day after lunch, he booked me a session at Khareyana Spa, recommended by a lady friend of ours who is a spaholic.

I liked the place immediately, location wise it was not far, and the prices were reasonable. Most importantly, it was clean and the masseurs were pleasant Indonesian ladies.

A quick snap of the room I used in Khareyana Spa, PJ. Behind the wall is the shower area and the tub is in the ground.

Monday morning... back to school. William have to be in school 20 minutes earlier every day for teacher to guide him on the work he missed out during his sick leave.

Watch this!

William may be talkative when I fetch him, but he doesn't tell much about his day in school when probed. I guess it's a child thing, but both hubby and I try to inculcate in our kids to share about their day so that when they get into their teens, hopefully it comes as a natural thing.

Oh well, ask him how his day was, he answers "Good." Learnt from his sister.

Ask him what did he learn or do, what did teacher teach, and he answers, "Nothing nothing."

Once in a blue moon he gives hints of what happened in class which excites me. Or while taking bath, he'd suddenly launch into a song he learnt in school, and once he told me teacher said he was a joker because of something he said.

This afternoon, he did this dance for me and the maid... the first two times he did this (without video) he did a dramatic ending. For the video, he was more composed and less spontaneous, but do be entertained all the same.

Updates on William

This little fler is nearing 4 come end April. He is, still... my little boy, and a romantic one too : )

At school

Daddy sends him to school in the mornings, which is the same arrangement as Vic when she was in kindy. Maybe it's a boy thing, because he doesn't want Daddy to walk him in, citing himself being a "big boy now."

William sits diagonally across the "driver" with the co-driver seat bent frontwards to allow him maximum space. He sits on his booster car seat, and normally wears Daddy's sunglasses to protect himself from the glaring morning sun.

He doesn't say much in the morning, being cool probably. Or more like tired. A couple of times Daddy saw him dozed off on the way.

When the Merz arrives at the school doorstep, the teacher on duty opens the door for William to walk out. William dutifully hand back the sunglasses to Daddy - the driver, and then greets the teacher as he walks out. Then the teacher helps to take the bag down from the car, and the child is to pull it in himself/herself. But once, this boy runs straight into the class with the poor teacher pulling his bag behind him. Hilarious! The next day, the teacher is "smarter" and quickly tells him to pull the bag in himself.

That's him in my car with my sunglasses one morning when I took over the shift of sending him to school

William is one of the tallest in his class, maybe the tallest. He sits on the red table, and knows only two of his friends' names. I managed to peep at him a couple of times when I was early, and he was elated just to see me. At one time, he waves happily at me, oblivious to his surroundings until his teacher came in between us and I quickly hid myself. Thereafter, I saw that he is back to paying attention to his teacher.

Another time I see him happily dancing and singing along in class. He is talkative the moment he gets into my car when I fetch him, but his mood changes quickly just like the English weather. Back home, I feel he's a little more rebellious, maybe he just needs to be himself after being in a controlled environment the whole morning.

Loving me, loving you

He adores his sister since a baby. Sure they argue, sure they tease and bully. But when Vic cries, his heart melts. 3 incidents in the past on month. First, Vic was playing with her nose shit on our bed and we teased her by pretending to put it in her mouth, but she ended up crying. As she huddled alone on her bed, William sits next to her, with arms around her without saying a word.

Second time, Vic got moody in the morning because it was time to wake up and she wanted to laze on the bed. So she went into a corner and sat there. Who else but the brother went along just to be beside her, again not saying a word, but just simply being there.

Third time, this morning as I got frustrated teaching Vic her music piece, her brother came up, pulled a chair beside her and just sat there.

Truly, I am touched by his brotherly love for his sister.

But nothing beats his love for me. : )

Because when Daddy bought a stalk of red rose for me last Saturday (no occassion), William conveniently gave it to me saying that it's from him, and he insisted to open up the wrapper and put it in the vase for me.

A rose for you, Mummy... because I know you like flowers

He says nobody else can call him "boy boy" except for Mummy. Not Daddy, not Kakak, not Jie Jie.

Straw flowers for me. He asked Vic to fold them, then presents them to me.

Very often, he still wraps both his arms around my neck as he hugs me to sleep. Super sweet. But he's bigger now and sleeps in his own bed without much problem. The only challenge is to migrate the kids to their own rooms.

Favourite Past Time

Coloring. He calls it, "art and craft" but can coloring and drawing can hold his attention for a good 15 minutes, full focus. Don't add anything for me, don't offer to help, don't put colors in unless he tells you, else he gets highly upset, and rejects the whole art piece.

Lion Dance drawn by Kakak, fully colored by William.

His drawing of a house with many snow balls in the sky. 

Having a bite of the "forbidden fruit" and other business.

Eating the "forbidden fruit"

For all these years my daughter have only stumbled a few times in her strict diet control. Once when she deliberately told her kindy teacher when she was 4 of 5, that she could eat bread and without checking with me first, her teacher gave her a piece which she devoured in seconds!

In between that time and now, I can't recall if she's sneaked behind our backs to eat foods that she's not allowed to, I believe not.

But a few weeks back, the mother of her good friend (yes, she's got a new buddy in school now who happens to be her classmate and car pool mate) told me that she bought junk food for Vic as a little reward because Vic said she could eat. I couldn't fault her, because she did not knew that Vic is not allowed these food. As for Vic, I merely reminded her that she is to strictly not eat any canteen food, unless I buy for her.

Shortly after that, this mother informed me that her daughter said Victoria ate ice cream in school, buying it with money given by another student. You will not believe the wrath in me when I brought her home. It was immediate probing and investigation. I made it very clear that sweet foods and junk food and any food that she KNOWS she is not allowed to eat, she should NOT eat. There in the living room, Mr R.O Tan came out to reemphasize my point.

I told her to inform us herself if she knew she had done wrong. Naturally we will be angry and she has to brave herself for any punishment that may come, but we would not be AS angry if we had found out from other sources.

Oh but that was not the end of the story.

Who's things?

A few days later I happen to check her pencil box. It is not like everyday that I check, and I saw two pens and a glue that does not belong to her. She immediately told me that her friends gave it to her, which also happened before in kindy.

I am not ruling out that she's really telling me the truth, because speaking with another parent, I realise that kids these days have this habit of giving their things away, or exchanging their items. But my direction to Vic since Day 1 is this:

"Do not take things from your friends, even if they offer you or insist. Tell them that their parents work hard to earn money to buy stationary for them. It will not be nice for their parents to find out that the items they bought, have been given away and your friends will get into trouble. Also, it is not right for us to take because you are blessed with MORE than enough. If ever you need anything, tell us your parents, and we will verify that need.

Friendship is NOT based on what things you give or receive. It is how your friends treat you or help you, and vice versa."

So I confiscated the 3 items and met her in school during recess time. Oh, the look on her face - she was totally expecting me, yet not wanting me there.

Cut the story short, I got her to point out which friend / table, and returned the items. She spoke to them.

In the very same visit, a friend of hers told me that Vic ate ice cream TWICE, not once. When I asked Vic, she kept to one time only but two friends confirmed that it was twice, which Vic later admitted.

So back home, she got a good telling off by Daddy this time. For simple reason that she hid the truth from us. I can understand her fear, but that should be no reason for not telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

We still love you

So finally that was it.

Recently, I made her bread from organic, stone milled whole wheat containing germ and bran, with a sprinkle of oregano and sea salt for a foccacia flavour.

First time attempt at this recipe proved to be easy with minimum efforts, thanks to a great weblink, hehehe. Most importantly, Vic loved it. A little treat for her once a week, but not all the time as we need to keep her carbo intake low.

Most importantly, my little girl was surprised and totally loved it! She ate it before and after dinner.

And here, my little girl with the bottom incisor teeth that finally came out as she was brushing her teeth. A week later, the other shaky bottom incisor teeth came out as she was laughing and talking in the car! According to her, it just plop out!