Getting Kyla and Lezane to Read

Each time I pass by a bookshop or view an online bookshop for children, I will tend to 'overbuy' books for Kyla and Lezane. I have many books at home, but they are seldom read by the kids, especially Lezane. Well, I hope, one day, my kids will automatically pick up a book and enjoy reading. My financial controllers,Weikai and Ivy kept telling me that I have so many books, but why am I still spending money on buying more. But I still cannot help but buy and buy...

Now, I have to prompt Kyla to read and bring a book to Lezane, only to have him flip to the back of the book and throw it away. It really makes me wonder if I too boring in the way I engage and teach my kids, so much so that they are so disinterested in reading or maybe, I am just not meant to teach them, must outsource teaching to the outsiders (an excuse for me to send them for enrichment classes).

Whenever I have time, after finishing all the housework, I will try to get Kyla to read and do some handwriting exercises. However, we always end up doing cutting and pasting activities, which is Kyla's favorite activity to-date. I must try to get her interested in Mathematics and learn simple addition and substraction and words recognition. Some people may think she is is too young to learn the abstract logic of Maths and learning words, but to me, never underestimate a child's capacity to learn. As for Lezane, I am trying my best to fit in very short reading time (ie 2 min) with him in between his play. I think he is an experiential learner, while Kyla is both experiential and listener learner.

With our impending plans to move out and being a kiasu mummy, I am starting to buy & stock up workbooks (English, Chinese), books, music CDs, educational materials and etc, so that I will not run out of ideas and activities to teach the kids. Just today alone, I spent $100 on buying simple Science concept books for them. If Weikai knows about it, he will kill me for sure (I have been spending far too much lately...)

Kyla Speaks Again

I was cradling Lezane in my arms and he had dropped his bread on the floor.

Me: Kyla, can you help Mummy to grab tissue from the box on the table please?
Kyla: Mummy, you are a big girl. You can take the tissue yourself. You can, you know.
[she took the box to me but refused to take the tissue out. Instead, she insisted that I take it out myself and pick up the bread crumbs.]

She always use our words on us.

Did he just say Let's Go?

"Shall we go for a holiday? To LA, Paris, HK or Japan where Disneyland is," Weikai asked. Hmm.. months ago, I was trying to convince him to travel and he was not for it at all. Last Fri, he msged me and say let's go for a trip using our free tickets. But now, I am not really for it as all the destinations are going to cost us a bomb and with Lezane in tow, I think is going to be really a challenging trip for me. Shall discuss further with Weikai tonight...

You think you can SQUEEZE

Lezane loves playing hide and seek. Look at his latest hideout with his sister.

Toilet Time!

Kyla had been toilet trained since 2 yrs and 3 mths old. I have always reminded her about 'toilet etiquette' - my version of cleanliness and what are the dos and donts in a public toilet for her. So far, she has my standard of cleanliness for the toilet. everytime, when we visit a public toilet and if she sees the toilet not flushed or has paper on the floor, she would go "eee.. dirty". Anyways, this post is not about cleanliness is about our conversation in the toilet while she is doing big business.

At the resort, she had to shit and I brought her to the restaurant toilet.

Kyla: Mummy, 大便。
Me: ok. (carried her to the toilet seat and placed tonnes of toilet paper on the seat. I cannot carry her up for long now that she weighs a tonne and she takes a long time to shit)
Kyla: Mummy, coming. small one (one small shit, plong into the bowl)
Me: good job kyla.
Kyla: Mummy, big one ... long coming (she started to make sounds to push and I played along with her making faces to push for her)
Me: good kyla. how many more
Kyla: Three (raising her fingers to show 3)
Me: Ok...
Kyla: Mummy some more...
Me: ok are you done?
Kyla: Done (this is one of her favorite word)

She loves giving us live account about her shit. Is so Kyla... very vocal girl.

Our FIRST holiday with both the kids

My colleagues have been telling me " hey, I am going Japan, Taiwan, Bangkok, etc for holidays". Such statements make me itch for a getaway too. The last holiday I had, was a drive up to Cameron Highlands with Lezane in my tummy during last May 08. Kyla was 15 mths then - well-behaved and easy to manage.

Hence last week, on a whim, I booked a 3-bedroom suite at Pulai Springs Resort, JB for ourselves, Ivy's family, mother and Aunty Alice/Ah yin Gor Gor for the Dewali holiday. I wondered why i booked that for.. it was a golf resort and what can we do there? this is the result of whim booking just for a quick break which turned out fun but super tiring. Nothing of relaxation at all.

We started our journey at 9.30am, thinking that it was a short drive from the checkpt, which turned out to be a 3.5hrs jam at the Tuas/M'sia check pt. My bladder was full and Lezane made it worse by stepping on it now and then (yes, he is not in his car seat... he got restless in his seat during the jam). After we crossed the check pt, I thought it was going to be a short drive (assuming our paper maps and GPS will serve us well), we got lost for awhile - driving in circles near UTM. hahaha... finally at around 1pm, we reached Pulai Spring - we were all so hungry by then.

Immediately, after check-in, we went to Qing Palace for lunch. Kyla was a good gal, she sat in her chair and ate her lunch, which includes VEGETABLEs (she asked for veges). We had beef with spring onions, fu yong eggs, vegetables, braised tou fu, chicken in sesame oil and was good. Lezane became cranky due to missing his nap and refused lunch. He had a bottle of milk and off he went exploring the restaurant.

After lunch, was work-out time. We had a swim at the pool. It was refreshing as the weather was sweltering hot. Thankfully, no rain during our trip. The kids, Mildred, Randall, Kyla and Lezane had so fun. The older ones had floats, while my gung ho Lezane, refused to have any on him. I had to carry him all the while. He was mischievous. He loved going up and down the pool. Mummy and Ivy were the guards on land and I was the water guard. He was protected by three adults. Immediately, after the swim, Lezane knocked out for this afternoon nap. The other three kids were still very much 'awake' - playing around the suite.

In the evening, we went to Sutera Mall for dinner. It was a HUGE mall, surrounded by many nice looking eateries. had a quick dinner at a Japanese restaurant and off we went KTV at Kbox with the kids. It was fun.. Kyla took the stage, danced and sang. My gal, is a born performer. She treated the adults to her funny versions of dance and song. Randall was stoned by then. Mildred also sang and danced. Lezane was cranky and trying to bring the room down by throwing things around.

The next day, we did not do anything much as Kyla as down with fever, cough and flu. Did not allow her to swim, much to her displeasure. We went exploring around the resort and had a short game of table tennis. Around 1pm, we checked out and went to Bt Indah for shopping again and that marks the end of our short holiday.

Overall, it was an enjoyable short getaway. It was a 'good' experience with Lezane overseas. He was such a SUPER GLUE. After the trip, he was nicknamed Denise SuperGlue. Others tried to relieve me from him but to no avail. My every waking and sleeping moments were with him, most of the time carrying him. My arms are well-toned and trained.

I am going to plan for another drive-up to Msia again once Weikai's Nov/Dec work calendar is out.

Who says ears are self cleaning agents?

I have always been told that ears are self cleaning agents and we should not dig childrens' ears at all for fear of hurting their ear drums. I have held close to this belief, only cleaning Kyla's and Lezane's outer side of the ear, until yesterday.

I decided to try out the lighted ear digger on Kyla and to my discovery, her ear is a 'gold mine'. Gosh.. her right ear is 'stuck' with a HUGE solid dark grey ear shit - an accumulation of 2 yrs and 10 months worth of shit. After much patient digging, Weikai managed to dislodge the 'gold' from the wall of the ears and dug it out... I wondered how can she manage to hear us all this while. For info, she enjoys every moment of ear digging unlike Lezane who will worm and squirm. So parents, please clean your children's ear. It is not a self cleaning. Ears do need to be cleaned occasionally.

Look how big is the Gold!!!

Kyla's talk show (Part 2)

Ivy: Want to follow borbor to fetch Mil?
Kyla: (as a matter of fact) NO .. (gave a flying kiss to Ivy and walked off)

Kyla: Why didi cry?
Me: Why do you think he cry?
Kyla: Maybe... he no shower...

The coach stops at a shopping mall.
Kyla: where we go?
Wk''s mum: Shopping
Kyla: Shopping again...

Gosh, her responses these days are so adorable.

Kyla is Growing!

Last evening, when I was back from work, I was greeted by a big hug from Kyla, whom I have not seen since Thur. She was in her best behavior, best mood. It was great feeling having to hug my little gal, who will soon oversize me, after so many days. Didi saw that I was not hugging him first, made some protest by screaming (he is so 'good' at screaming, that gets on anyone's nerves)

Kyla was excited to tell me what she has done for the day and during the trip, and showed me her self-made Deepavali card. During dinner, she took the camera out and showed me the photos taken during the Batam trip. Weikai played a video of her dancing and she chuckled all the way. It was hilarious looking at her, laughing at herself. [Weikai, we should video her and Lezane chuckles on of these days]. During bedtime, she insisted on singing only Chinese songs and knowing my chinese standards, I was trying hard to sing along with her and Weikai. When i do not know the lyrics, she will say "mummy.. sing" and I will have to pretend to know how to sing. It is time to learn the chinese songs. And she has a mind of her own now. For eg, our conversation last night:

Me: Can I sing this xxx song?
Kyla: No... let me think. [she would put on the thinking look and smile.. followed by actions trying to tell us what song to sing]

Me: Shall we wear this pyjamas?
Kyla: How about that?

She has also been asking whys, what, how, etc? Most of the time, i think my brain gets more stimulated than her as I search for words, ideas to reply her.

Kyla: Mummy, why stop? [we are infront of a traffic light but it is green]
Me: Becoz there is a car infront of me, that is not moving
Kyla: why stop?
Me: Did you see the car is not moving
Kyla: why mummy no move?green
Me: [getting irritated] kyla you see the car infront, is it moving?
Kyla: No why stop?
our conversation just goes on until I moved and turned right.

My little girl is really growing.

A weekend without Kyla

In the morning, I called Kyla and she was excited to go on the Batam trip with my in-laws. She was having her breakfast then and hence the conversation was short and sweet. On Sat, we did not do anything much with Lezane as I was out with the gym gals for a lunch cum tea and in the evening, had dinner at popo's house.

I had an enjoyable time with the girls. It has been ages since I went out with them or friends for that matter. There was much girly talks, which I had missed so much. everyday, I speak of babytalks... ehehhe... I am waiting for Weili to upload the photos. We even talked about the possiblity of a trip... hmmm that sounds good but hard to let go of the kids thou.

This is my worst pic. I look so dead. Should have put on makeup.

Lezane was kind to us on Sunday, he slept in till 10am, which also means we had slept in too. Had a quick lunch for him and off we went to the pools. My boy is a water baby. He loves water so much. We brought along the dolphin and he only played with it when it was deflated~ funny boy. Weikai had forgotten about the camera and hence no photo evidence. he looked so cute in his ducky outfit. Although we missed Kyla, we were thankful to have this private time with Lezane. I think Lezane felt it too that he was 'special' and had all the attention these two days. Can't wait for Sat to come and we would be off to M'sia for a quick getaway with the kids.

Just Lezane and Us

Kyla is going to go away on a short vacation with my in-laws to Batam. This would be the perfect time for Weikai and I to spend some private time with Lezane. It has been a long time since our attention is solely on Lezane. Being no 2, he definitely does not spend and grab as much as attention as no 1. Have not planned anything yet but definitely will bring him out to explore.

Jabs + Updates of Lezane

Yesterday, Lezane had his MMR+Chicken pox vaccination. He did not even cry, just a little winch from him. Brave boy... This boy will be a tough nut to crack in time to come. He is just so different from Kyla. He doesn't like books (loves to throw them thou), very active and mobile boy, super good with his pyschomotor skills and a very cheeky boy. Needs mummy to place her hands next to his face while he sleeps, lulling himself to sleep by my smell. hahaha. Walked at 11 months, which is very fast compared to Kyla whom first steps are at 14 mths. He has a fiery temper (must be from Weikai...??) and super glues to my mother in law and myself. Till now, my daily dinners are eaten with him sat on my lap... never once let me out of his vision.

Office date with Kyla

Kyla has been asking "Mama zuo gong where?" and last evening, she had the opportunity to visit my office again. She was the social butterfly and was well-behaved amidst all the aunties "oohs and ahhs" about how adorable she is.. Didi, on the other hand, was overwhelmed with the attention and hung closely to me and ate his chocolate biscuit with wariness of the surroundings.

Dinner out at IMM

This is one rare dine-in dinner at a restaurant without much hassle with the kids. Generally they were goody boy and girl, eating their food, with Lezane occasionally trying his luck to mess up the place. Overall, was an enjoyable dinner.

Counted to 3 in office

I had to serve the cakes.

A very cute rosy bear

Cheesecake

娘子军

Fellow colleague cum CCKians.

Yesterday, my office had a belated celebration for my birthday. It came as a surprise as they had already wished me last Friday before I left for the weekends. Ai Lian, my small boss bought a cheesecake from Bengawan Solo, which I thought is quite nice (I never thought too highly of Bengawan Solo cakes) and a small little teddy bear. Thank you, OD team.

My First Chapter

Hmm... I have been cynical about 'broadcasting' my life to the public. And yet now, I have set up an account with blogspot to chronicle my daily happenings... more of chronicles of Kyla's and Lezane's daily life, in view of the coming changes next year. I thought it would be good for me to familiarise on the tech part of blogging so that I will be a savvy blogger by next year. 2009 is trial year and come 2010, you will see a more colourful and interesting blog depicting my little kiddos stories to family members.