Excited...

I am having a rush of excitement today....maybe it is the brewed coffee....OR..

I received a call from one of the nurseries that I enquired about yesterday today. School holidays they are open! 3 meals a day at RM600. There is hope yet! Only grouch from hubby is that "It's so out of the way!" :)
Still have to look around and go look see the place actually....but at least there is some glimmer of hope! Thank God!

Going grocery shopping maybe today if it doesn't rain. Going to get some ingredients to bake a chocolate cake this weekend. Hubby will be starting his new semester and I have to find food and fun sufficient for 2 for the weekend! Thank God!

I think the brewed coffee is too strong...
Better dirnk more water....
My heart is pounding and my hands are shaking...
And my brain is thinking too fast....

Gotta go....gonna surf for more nurseries!
And in all times, thank God!

When school holidays matter

I know only so many 2+ toddlers who are in nurseries.
I thought nurseries would be different from kindergartens.
In that only in kindergartens would I need to think about school holidays.
But it does seem that nurseries also follow school holidays.

So, if I send my son to a nursery like that, what do I do with him when school holiday starts? Back to Ipoh to be with my parents?
I was quite sure I would do that......until now.

I don't know if I will have the heart too. I will miss boyboy.
Maybe it is time to plan for my second one soon! :)

Anyone know any nursery that doesn't follow school holidays?
Or have school holiday activities with day care?

A little sparrow

Built his nest

On the small seclusion

Above our warm bathroom window

It comforts me...

And I am reminded...

Psalm 104

Matthew 6:25

Luke 13:18

American Idol winners and more

I read through the latest remarks left by some of my friends on my homepage in Facebook yesterday and someone commented he was "Watching David Foster and Friends".

I moved on, giving it no second thought. But this morning, the thought came into my mind again and I decided to Youtube search it.

I saw Michael Buble, then I moved on to the one with Michael Johns. You remember him? American Idol Season 7, Australian guy? He was eliminated quite early but seems to have gone on to greater success than some other seasons' winners (like Season 5!!).

So, I decided to do a little recap...

2002 - Kelly Clarkson (Justin Guarini runner up).
2003 - Reben Studdard (Clay Aiken runner up).
2004 - Fantasia Barrino (Diana DeGarmo runner up).
2005 - Carrie Underwood (BoBice runner up).
2006 - Taylor Hicks (Katherine McPhee runner up).
2007 - Jordin Sparks (Blake Lewis runner up).
2008 - David Cook (David Archuleta runner up).

Some runner ups I really don't even remember how they looked or sang!

Some from the some season(s) who America missed/messed up!
2004 - Jennifer Hudson
2006 - Chris Daughtry
2007 - Melinda Doolittle

I think I loved the 2008 lineup the best. I enjoyed Michael Johns, Carly Smithson, Brooke White (she was pure goodness), even Jason Castro, Kristy Lee Cook and Syesha Mercado.

Some still familiar names from 2006 like Kellie Pickler (I saw her sing on TV in one programme, if only I could remember which one), Elliott Yamin and Bucky Corington.

Thankfully, the rainbow seldom ends there, there are song wrtiers and music producers that do 'cash in' on the talent they see.

And then there are some who make it on their own!

I seem to be a little lost with the 2009 season. Maybe I am still high on the 2 Davids....

So, who do you think will be 2009's winner?

By the way, the David Foster and friends concert is really good! May even get the DVD.

When sorry is the hardest word

I feel rotten.

Lately I have been seeing some frustration sympthoms again.
And for reasons I am wondering why he allows himself to be frustrated.

For example, he will scribble on the Doodle but when he reaches the edge of the board, he gets a bit frustrated that he cannot continue. Coz it is after all the edge and the limit of the board.

If I see it, I will have to explain to him and he will either throw the Doodle away or try again somewhere in the middle.

He doesn't have alot of patience.
And he is at a crucial stage of testing boundaries.

Most of the time when he wants something he cannot get, I will hold him firmly and look at him and explain. Most of the time he can accept and move on.

But there are also times when he cannot. And when he needs to release frustration, he no longer bangs his head. He releases it on the adults - as in he will hit me. He doesn't hit daddy though.

Most of the time when he hits me, I will hold the hand that hit me and flick it and tell him he cannot hit people. Then I would ask him to sayang (love) me back.

Most of the time he will hug me afterwards and his cries of frustration will temper down to a sob.

Yesterday my babysitter told me he hit her also. And when she asked him to say sorry, he said No.

Maybe it is time I teach him the word "Sorry" instead of asking him to just sayang back. He will be going to school soon and I cannot afford hearing "What do you teach him at home?" again.

Once is enough....but it sure makes me feel rotten.

Between rain and heat and snow

It has been raining cats and dogs every evening in Malaysia recently. Being our next door neighbouring country, Angeline is also experiencing her share of rain. Balbir however in Arizona is having a freeze!

It's funny how rain can make you feel different things depending on where you are and what you are or intend to do.

When I was in US in December, I got to experience snow. While people living there already thought it common, I found playing in the snow and stepping on snowflakes that just touched the ground quite fun.

The ice however was something else to talk about....it was slippery and dangerous and invisible!

But I reckon, rain and show aside, it is more the cool temperature that creates quite a difference in our emotions.

Imagine taking long walks and never sweating! Buying a hot chocolate on the sidewalk and letting it warm your entire body!

Somehow buying an ice cream on a hot day cannot compare!

And I used to envy the houses in US that could have wooden flooring due to the low humidity. And the fireplaces really sparks up a romantic atmosphere. And a chimney for St. Claus!

Sometimes I wish I could have US's climate but maybe without the ice!

Is technology really bad for kids?

When Christopher was a little tot, my mum gave me some strict warnings:

"No TV until he is much older...."
"Let them love their books first...."
"No PC. Why need to introduce them to PC?"
"Look at the handphone screen, spoil eyes...."
"Teach them to read first...."

So, I sort of gave in.

But as the months rolled by, I noticed alot of kids below 2 are into technological games these days. And they do learn quite a lot from these interactive softwares. Also alot of music and nursery ryhmes can be accessed free from the internet as well.

In fact by 2+, most kids already know how to use the mouse, the back key, replay and even choose the music sites that they want to see.

My colleague's son learns spelling through the Google Search too. Since he wants to see pictures of a certain object, he better learn to spell the word!

As of now, my son just slams on the keyboard whenever my laptop is open. But he has a great interest to sit with me when my laptop is on. Mainly coz he is amazed by action-reactions now. Not so much my reaction but the reaction from the laptop when he clicks on a certain thing.

The same with the remote control. When he presses a certain button and the screen changes colour, he can tell me which button he has pressed.

I remember someone saying, we have to keep up with the times. As in keeping with the times of toys the younger generation play. We cannot impose our kind of games on them.

You know you can imagine play tennis with the TV !

Which makes me wonder....
Is technology really so bad for a kid below 2?

Maybe it will teach him patience - as in how to use the laptop. And yet capture his attention since there will always be a reaction not dependent on mummy!

But I must say, he does flip through alot of his books now....considering he only has that to entertain him!

What do you think?

If you are happy....and can't live without-s

Antics of Christopher....

****
Things I cannot live without....

My afternoon tea delight! I bought this at Tropicana Mall (the latest mall in PJ) costing RM10 for 7 pieces. This is my first time eating a durian egg tart! But I reckon the "Kam Heong" puff was the best, most unusual of the mix!

*Kam Heong is a chinese cooking method of stir frying with dried chilli! This kam heong puff had meat and prawns.

NEXT!

The holder actually comes with the Magiclean dry wipes. I bought the micro fibre blue cloth from Daiso (the latest RM5 shop in Ikano). And it fitted on perfectly on the Magiclean holder.

This device has cut down my cleaning time to 40 minutes. And there is no need for me to do a room twice - sweeping and mopping! Though alot of hand muscles are required to push the wet micro firbre cloth....be fore-warned!

Playpen for sale

My colleague is selling off her playpen. Please find link below.

http://www.mudah.my/vi/1786212.htm

It is in very good condition and hardly used.

Anyone interested?

Sleeping Arrangements

Previously in the condo, hubby and I slept on a queen sized bed against the wall. Boyboy slept in his cot.

My woes then were that boyboy keeps wanting to come over and sleep with us. And that he was fast outgrowing his cot.

I was looking forward to moving into my new house where I can put a super single mattress beside our queen bed so that boyboy can sleep with us yet on his own bed.

Oh my.....I was so super wrong.

At 3.30 am (or thereabouts), semi conscious, he will kneel at the side of my bed and push me further into the middle.
Then he will crawl up and sleep beside me.

If I don't move, he will crawl over me (stepping on my lungs and stomach with no mercy) and sleep in between us.
Kick off the covers and leave me freezing in the cold.

Usually I wait till he falls asleep again and then carry him back down.
This can happen 2-3 times in a night or not at all.

And now that our queen sized bed is in the middle of the room,
hubby is very very insecure....
Coz when boyboy pushes, he feels like he is almost going to fall down
on the cold cold floor....
where now most mornings, he bolster lays.

It's just a phase, just a phase....

House blessing

We had a house blessing/dedication on Saturday, 7 March 2009.
I can understand now why some will consider it ceremonial.
But to me the meaning behind the intention was beautiful.

That even in the building of the house, God intended it to be.
In the strength of the builders, God intended it to be.
Not just our decision to purchase, but the decision to build,
God intended it to be.
How far beyond was His intention to be...

That no matter what the world throws at us,
God has given us a safe haven...physically.
Where angels guard the house.
Where we will build in the ways of God.

And it was especially more wonderful,
that the closest people whom I love the most were there.
To pray together with us.
To worship together with us.
(The high ceilings certainly made the worship sound so glorious)

I have no words to ever express how gracious is our God,
and how wondrous are His ways.

Thank you guys (you know who you are) for making our house a home.
I thank God each day for my 'extended' family.

Awning = more shelter (period)

So, you know, our new house comes with a metal roof.

And yes, it is noisy when it rains.

And yes, it looks a bit 'low-class'.

And no, even though my contractor and grill guy tells me that this material is actually VERY VERY good and VERY VERY expensive, I still feel somewhat 'cheated' that I have a metal roof.

But hard times comes with alot of accepting.

It has been raining cats and dogs every evening lately.

Even when I park my car as inside as I possible dare,

the back passengers still get wet coming out.

So, you can imagine hubby's slightly longer car.

And with that comes the hassle

of taking boyboy out without him getting wet.

Hard times may come with alot of accepting.

But this I cannot accept.

So, I have resorted to extending my metal roof.

With what?

MORE metal roof!

I did say hard times come with alot of accepting no?

We had the option of using polycarbonate.

We also had the option of adding a 'ceiling' under the metal roofing.

But I did say it was hard times ya!

As for now, it has to be a loud, noisy metal roofing

with a LoUdeR metal awning...front and back!

Did you hear what I was saying?

Reckon perhaps not.

our awning....minus the ceiling

Routines into Rituals into Traditions

I received an email shortly after Christmas from a programme I had signed up earlier on Baby Signing.

It was about Building Traditions.

After the Chinese New Year, many wrote about how it used to be (a sure sign that we are getting old) and how different it is now.

Loads of traditions and rituals that we used to practise are now lost to our kids.

Reckon festive traditions are one thing. But there are some daily rituals I read which I found interesting.

Maybe you will find them interesting too!

1) Tooth Brushing Party
(excerpt :) Every night the entire family can have a "tooth-brushing party." Everyone rushes to the bathroom and brushes their teeth while at the same time humming, "If you’re happy and you know it, brush your teeth!"

Whoever gets to the bathroom first to brush their teeth will put toothpaste on the other person’s toothbrush as well, so when the other person comes to brush their teeth, although so small an action, it lets you know that someone is thinking about you and loves you.

This small act elevates the simple routine of brushing teeth into something more meaningful – a family ritual.

2) Saturday morning fun
We leave the house early enough to go to a park, go hiking, visit a lake etc. Then go for breakfast together.

I may need to put this into an evening exploration instead since hubby may want to sleep in! And add in the night market visit and dinner.

3) Evening Escape
Every Saturday evening we will escape to a place - may it be the library or the mall or a bookshop or the museum etc. The choice of place to be determined each at a time.

May use this when it rains and we cannot go to the park! Or do it in the afternoon instead.

4) Church
Sunday morning, the kids get to dress up and get ready for church.

5) Grandparents time
Sunday evening will be a visit to the grandparents place.

6) Family Home Evening
A family time for telling stories, reciting poems, scripture, playing board games or movie nights.

7) Personal Bedtime Stories
Make up stories or read from a book ones. Make up songs or ready known ones.

8) Teaching Table Manners
(excerpt:) While we eat, we all watch each other to make sure we all use good manners. If someone catches someone else using bad manners, then he or she can take a ticket from that person. We can catch our children (or they can catch us) if bad manners are exhibited. For example, chewing with one’s mouth open, talking with a mouth full of food, putting elbows on the table, using one’s shirt or arm for a napkin, leaving the table without asking to be excused, and so on! It is a lot of fun and our kids are even able to "catch" mom and dad a few times, and they always get a big kick out of that! Our children beg us to do it more often but we reserve it only for certain nights.

9)"What’s New Today?"
(excerpt:) Make it a point to enjoy our family meal together without the distraction of TV. During the meal the kids can share something new that they learned that day. I always check with them when they come home from school and if they can't think of anything new I get them to research something from their books or encarta before they start their homework. It works a treat and starts them learning early about public speaking.

10) Good Night Stinky Feet!
(excerpt:) This is a little ritual I do with my children before they go to sleep at night. I gently run my fingers through their hair as I say, "Good night hair!" Then I trace their eyebrows and cheeks and nose as I say "good night" to each part of their face. If I forget to say "good night" as I do it then my two and three year old will remind me by exclaiming, "say it, say it!" They always try and prolong the game by saying "you forgot my ears" or "you forgot my ankles!" When I get to their feet I say, "Good night stinky feet!" and of course they giggle with delight.
The kids beg me to play it with them every night. It gives me the chance to connect with each child one at a time and lets them know how much I love them!

There are more in the article....but let me start with a few first....
Especially the Brushing Teeth party!
Christopher loves to brush his teeth now.