Random Kiddo Talk Dec 2020

Meimei: Emily do you want to learn piano

Oo: I don’t know

Oo: I still thinking

Meimei: you can slowly think

Oo: if I don’t want it’s ok?

Meimei: yes it’s ok

Oo: but if I want it’s more better?

Meimei and the dad: nods slowly.. yes

Random Kiddo Pic Dec 2020

 

YeeYee's Wedding Day

Woot! Congratulations YeeYee! 

Celebrations were subdued due to Covid-19 measures. Instead of the normal 10 pax per table, there can only be 4 pax a table. Despite the smaller crowd it was still a wonderful intimate occasion. 

Presents Galore!

This is probably the year where the kids are getting so many presents. I think we overdid it by a long stretch and made a point to Meimei that we need to tone it down going forward.

Obviously the kids were extremely happy and excited with so many toys. I suppose it's fitting for kids to enjoy childhood when they can. We just need to tamper their expectations that they will not get as many goodies as they grow older. But for now, woohoo! toys galore!

Tunnel Slide Playground

We are at a new playground today, one which replaced the old Floating Stones playground 萱萱 used to love playing at. I like the old one as the floating stones were a unique feature I rarely see in other playgrounds. It helps to build hand eye coordination and builds her confidence to venture into 'dangerous' positions. Unfortunately 阳阳 will never get to experience it. 

Nonetheless the new playground does make it easier for 阳阳 to have fun too. Often the problem I face is finding a playground that can suit both a 5 year old and a 2 year old. If its just small slides, 萱萱 gets bored. If its more ladders and taller climbs 阳阳 cannot play since its dangerous. So I'm happy when there is one that can suit a wider age range. And the kids truly love this playground, especially the swing.

What Makes You Happy And Sad

萱萱: "Papi can we chitchat?"

萱萱: "When you are young like me and didi, what makes you happy? what makes you sad?" 

萱萱: “Papi do u know what will make me sad?”

萱萱: “When mama scold justin”

萱萱: “When mama don’t love justin”

萱萱: “These are the two things that make me sad”

Papa: "How about when mama scold u?"

萱萱: "No, just crying. And sometimes I don't cry when mama scold me one"

Papa: "But why sometimes you will tell us to scold Justin?"

萱萱: "I'm not sad about that because Justin naughty"

萱萱: "But I sad about Justin just now cry"

Papa: "Do you know mummy love you and Justin very very much?"

萱萱: "Yes but when we get really really naughty mama will scold us"

Papa: "What makes 萱萱 happy"

萱萱: "When I play with my friends"

萱萱: "When I spend time with everybody I will be happy"

萱萱: "When I sit in the airplane I will be happy, wah can see the sky so high yah"

萱萱: "When I play basketball with Daddy and Mami and Justin"

And then she stopped talking, turned to the side and seemed happy and contented to doze off and sleep.

Setting Up The Tree For Christmas 2020

It gets more and more fun now that both kids are bigger and can help with the decoration. Last year 阳阳 was still a toddler and didn't really understand what was going on. This year he was able to help put on some of the ornaments.

Sofra Is Back!

We were worried when we first saw Sofra looked like it had shut down as we drove past Shaw Towers. Thankfully they were closed because they were moving to a new location. Shaw Towers is slated to be torn down and redeveloped into a new building so all tenants had to go. Sofra has moved to a much more spacious, bright and lively storefront at Marina Square.

As much as the place looks better, the more important thing was whether the food is still as good. So we were there today to test it. And it sure didn't disappoint. Looks like we would be coming back often for a regular doze of great Turkish cuisine.

Random Kiddo Pic Nov 2020

 

Retro Mario

I came into the bedroom last night to a surprise package on the bedside table. A belated birthday present from Meimei!

I gave it a couple of good shakes to see if I could figure out what it was. I never get it right but it is always fun to guess. Well it turns out to be a Mario Brothers handheld game!

The nostalgia of this is so real. But not so much that I reminisce the good old times of playing Mario brother games ... rather more of how much I wanted to play these games back in the day but didn't get the opportunity to do so. Either my parents outright refused to buy a console for the games or they withheld the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) during school term and only let us play during school holidays. So yeah it brings back memories but not in a pure gleeful sense of "oh yeah I had so much fun with these back in the day" ... more of "dang I wish I had the chance to play these more when I was younger".

Would I do the same to my kids? Maybe ... its so much harder to control them now with all the digital gadgets and handphones.

I Can Fly, Fly, Fly, I'm A Little Butterfly~

Just had to post this very fun video (at least for me) of 阳阳 interacting with Nyaong and Nyama.

A Truck For 姐姐

Since 萱萱's saving for the watch, she has not been spending on any other toys. You can tell though she is tempted to spend some, especially when 阳阳 has been using 2-3 stars regularly to get small trucks and cars. I think 阳阳 notices it too and he did a very nice thing today for 萱萱.  

He asked for two of the fire trucks. When questioned why he is getting two, he simply said, "one for 阳阳 one for 姐姐”. I then told him that I would take away 6 stars since each cost 3 stars. He replied with "姐姐 stars" "No, 姐姐 is saving for the watch, if you want to get a truck for 姐姐 you have to use your stars". He stared at the trucks for a few seconds and nodded. To make sure he understood I replied it a few more times that I was going to take 6 stars away from his chart and he kept replying ok.

So I crossed out 6 stars from his chart and gave him the trucks. He was very excited and ran to the living room to pass one of them to 萱萱. Awwwww ... such a sweet gesture.

Stars For Toys

A few weeks ago, Meimei started a new stars reward scheme to promote good behaviour and teach 萱萱 and 阳阳 the value of money at the same time. The stars can be exchanged for a variety of toys, stationery and trinkets from a 'Mama shop' booth above the star chart.

Some of the key behaviours we are encouraging:

• No videos during meals
• Potty everyday
• Keep toys after play
• No peeing in pampers at night
• Sleep early at night

I would say it's been a success. The kids are behaving better in anticipation of the nightly stars reward. Also they have been able to 'buy' toys from the shop and that keeps them motivated. 萱萱 has been very prudent with her stars as she has her eyes set on a watch which cost 50 stars. It's good they are learning to save their stars and evaluating which items are more worthwhile for exchange and which are probably over-priced.

Slower On Scooter

Buoyed by the success of cycling, I quickly brought 阳阳 to try his own Scooter. It didn't catch on as well as the bicycle. He's more afraid of falling and could not grasp the idea of stepping on the back wheel to stop the scooter.

Nonetheless he gets full marks for style points haha. 阳阳 has pretty ok locomotive skills so probably a couple more tries and he'll be zooming around the basketball court.

A Natural Biker

It's always a dream of mine to go cruising the neighbourhood on bikes with my kids, just as I did in my youth. So naturally I have to get them acquainted with the most important tool of all, the bicycle. 阳阳 is 2 and a half now and ready to give it a try. I would have introduced cycling to him earlier if not for Covid. No matter though, he is a natural at it. First day and he is cycling around the basketball court as if he has been doing it for months. He knew how to apply the breaks and make turns around the court. Even a fall didn't deter him from getting up and giving it go again and again. Soon enough 萱萱, 阳阳, Meimei and I would be breezing along East Coast Park together on our bikes :-)

A Standing Desk Of Sorts

I miss my standing desk at the office. Its been more than 6 months since we were back in office and sitting at home has made me very lethargic. Thankfully Meimei had a great idea to convert a Muji shelf into a makeshift desk. Granted we cannot fit both the IMac and work laptop onto the same desk. But at least when I'm not working I can stand and surf the net. It feels so good to stand up again. The funny thing is that I noticed how my thighs feels weaker now after months of sitting at home. I think I need to stand more to build up the strength in my legs again.

More Water Gun Action

Besides the great fire hose water gun toy, we bought another set of water guns for the kids to blast water around the neighbourhood ;-)

The kiddos were very happy to get some play time before getting home. More so when it's water play!

Riding Around The Neighbourhood

萱萱 has not ridden her bicycle for some time now. We didn't let the kids out due to Covid so she didn't get a chance to practice with her 'new' bike. It's Sunday and 阳阳 is off for his afternoon nap so I brought 萱萱 down for a ride. Its hot in the afternoon so I decided we would ride at the void deck to avoid the sun. We have a good loop we can do around the blocks of flats.

Naturally she was excited to get out of the house to play. And quickly she gotten confident with riding and went faster. I like how she was riding better with this bike but I ended up running behind her.

I can see this becoming a regular activity on Sundays. Better this than letting her stare at the Ipad all afternoon. Plus I get a short work-out too haha.

Random Kiddo Pics Oct 2020

 

A Straw For Mama

Meimei was having a very bad backache last night. So much so that she couldn't stand or sit properly. We were in the baby room and Siti was helping 欣欣 rub her back with ointment. Suddenly 萱萱 ran out of the room and came back with a straw.

I'm not sure what got into me but I shouted "Why are you playing with a straw?!!" ... "I'm taking a straw for mama so she can drink water" 萱萱 replied softly. Oh no, a streak of guilt immediately shot through me. It didn't occur to me that 欣欣 could not bend her head forward to take a drink. Instead a little 5 year old had more awareness and kindness to notice that 欣欣 wanted to take a drink from her bottle but had difficulty doing so. I instantly regret my words and apologise to her. But the damage was done and she cuddled into a bundle and pulled a sad face. 

Sigh ... that was stupid of me. I should have been commending her for being so sensible and caring. Sometimes I forget how loving 萱萱 is and am trigger happy to scold her. Even 欣欣 sounded it out to me that I should be more tolerant of 萱萱 as she is showing good progress and maturity. Plus she tends to be very sensitive to reprimand, seeing it like a betrayal of sorts from people she loves.

Oh my darling little girl, I will improve on my temperament with you! *love love

Spraying Like A Fireman

Diaso just released a range of water guns. Amongst them is a very good quality fire extinguisher one which has a built in pump. The kids were beyond excited to play with a water gun. What's not to love when you can spray at flora and insects?

Short Hair

She looks better and more girl with short hair. I think its probably because she is still too young to know how to take care of longer hair. So it became very untidy and has lots of knotted ends. Shorter hair just makes it easier to maintain.

Children Art: My Garden