Xmas get-together

We don't celebrate Xmas, but decided to have a get-together just to eat, be together and give presents to the kids.  Mine were overjoyed when they found out about this heh. Well JE actually... SE is too young to understand what was planned.

Had it at Putien...  (and why it's a good thing I'm not a food blogger)

First dish to arrive, iced bittergourd with honey

Another shot from where I was sitting

Took pics of the next few dishes.  All not presentable.  I'm better at taking pics of cutie pies waiting for food!

Who, me? 

Nah, one final attempt at food pic:

Food! Ermm half eaten mostly

OK, I give up.  Food was good, I always enjoy the various unique dishes here.  And having so many people around meant I could order ALL my favourites!

Sesame Street

Took the girls for Sesame Street Live.  Not that they're fans or anything, but I thought it'd be good to let them have a variety of experiences (need a change from going to the mall! hehe).

So how was it? Hubby dozed off a few times. JE kept asking "Is the show very long?" And asked, "Here got Frozen show also? I prefer Frozen".  And back again to, "This show is very LONG?"  SE was all right but didn't seem to enjoy it all that much.  Oh well. Good thing I brought some snacks along.

(But now a few days after the show, they are still talking about the various characters so maybe it was worth the ticket price!)

They enjoyed the room - watching TV, opening and closing the 2 internal doors, touching this and that.

Time to go eat? But we want to watch TV some more...

And or course, the bath tub!

Yayyy!

It was a nice break. With good food. :)

Random things SE says

SE doesn't pronounce well yet, but she can talk. :)

Cloh eye! Hehehe

*while showing me her arm
SE: The tiger come and bite me
Then it say, so naughty Su Ern
Actually, TIGER ih naughty

*while shaking one leg
SE: Mummy, look at at my feet
Me: Why? why look at your feet?
SE: My feet ih dancing!
(OK, never mind that it should be 'foot'!)

Still cloh eye

And her current favourite self-made 'joke':
I yike Papa, I yike Mummy, I yike Jo-jo, I yike tatak Jen, I yike Su Ern.... 
HAHAHAHAAAAA I yike Su Ernnn (I like Papa, Mummy, Jie-jie, Kakak, SU ERN)

She always laughs real loud at that point!

SE the poser

I was taking photos of the girls.  Was surprised when SE began to pose, coz she'd never done that before this.  Here goes...

Cheese.... 

(Me: Hey I love this one! Snap!)

Cheese..

(Err why one arm up like that? Nvm... snap)

Cheese....

(Ah acting cute. OK also... snap!)

Back side! *hops, turns and holds still

(Haha all right. If that's what she wants... snap!)

Hmmm

Things that make you go Hmmmm....

JE: Kakak! Come quickly.  Bring the broom.

Hmmm.

Oh, it's nothing to worry about

Maid: Bring the broom?  Why?
JE: So dirty here. Got so much hair

Hmmm.

Lalalala

Maid: Hah? Why so much hair?
JE: I don't know. Got so much hair on the floor here,

I'm innocent. See? Look innocent right?

Turned out she had cut out some off some hair off a Barbie doll.  Oh well, at least it wasn't her own hair. Or SE's hair. And actually, it was only off a cheapo McD Barbie doll heh.

Told you, nothing to worry about!

"I thought..."

SE's new phrase is "I thought...".  Upon seeing me covering JE with the nearest convenient blanket, she pointed to it and said '"I thought... bear banket ih MAH banket?  Jo-jo banket ih rabbit".  (Bear blanket is mine, Jojo's is rabbit)

Always got a new phrase for the month (or so), this one!

I thought I don't want Mummy to keep taking photos?

I thought I want to blow bubble also?

Playground

The girls love going to playgrounds.  See the happy faces:

Cheeeeese

*Happy*

Only problem is getting them to leave.

Yes or no? Yes or no?

Sometimes the kids have incessant questions, sometimes we are busy with something else, sometimes we haven't decided, sometimes we don't quite know how to answer, sometimes we are just not in the mood to answer incessant questions.  So we answer with a non-committal 'Mmmm' (volume rising to 'MMMMM!!' according to level of irritation hehe).  These kids don't accept 'Mmmm's though. JE would go, 'Yes? Yes or no?' and repeats until she gets either one.

Yes? I can continue playing on this? Yes?

SE is starting as well.  SHE says 'Ye? Ye or no?' as she cannot pronounce 'S' yet.

Ye? I can order what I like? Ye or no?

What to do... have to answer properly or they won't stop asking!

Human furniture

SE has always loved to sit, lean against or lie down on people.  When she was tiny, she'd lie down on people's lap until it wasn't possible to go anywhere. Now when we watch TV, she'd use someone (usually me, sometimes hubby) as a human chair.  She'd get up to take something, and return to plonk her backside where it was.  If I push her off to go to the loo, she'd make herself comfy again when I'm back.

Shouldn't complain, it's rather nice having a child snuggled against me like that!

This part is scary. Better hold on tight.

Cheapo

There are of course all kinds of businesses targeted at kids - craft classes, coin-operated rides, kidzania, pay-per-entry kid zones etc. Sometimes gotta rest the pocket.  My kiddos are young enough to enjoy messing around with stuff in shops WITHOUT buying and taking it home. 

Hey, you two look familiar...

We are busy!

Aha so it's JE and SE. Messing around with Ikea art smocks. (I'm sure Ikea has staff to put these things back nicely!)

Don't we look nice?

The only problem is, SE bawls when it's time to put back the thing!

On Hold

... one goal each for the girls.

For JE, it's on finishing meals within half an hour.  Started this 'program' 3.4 months ago where she receives a star every time she succeeds and redeems a toy after accumulating a prerequisite number of stars.  Three redemptions later though, she needs to be rushed in order to succeed.  It's very strange - much as she obviously wants that star, she is incapable of putting food into her mouth. She wriggles, talks, looks at the TV (it's only turned on at 8pm for the news and everyone else would have finished dinner by then) or just sits there.  I figured that spoonfeeding her and exhorting her to eat/chew/swallow faster faster! is besides the point of the whole exercise. So, on hold for now.

For SE, it's potty training. Tried her diaper-free while taking her to the potty periodically.  But after two weeks, she'd never done anything on the potty.  After taking her diaper off, it was wait until the first pee or poo where she just lets go (and goes about her activities as usual!). Clean up, and repeat. Since this seemed pointless as well, on hold also.

I guess it's ok to wait a while until they're ready.

Let's test mummy's patience.... hehehe

 

It

For some reason, JE refers to SE as 'it'.  Reporting to me, "It was walking-walking, then suddenly, it fell down" or 'It is so naughty, it bite me!".  Going to tell kakak that the sister has woken up and is crying. "Kakak, it wake up already! It is crying!"

I tell her that it should be 'she' because SE is a girl. But half-heartedly for now since I think 'it' is quite cute!

It? I might as well be a reindeer. See my horns!

iPad holder

Why buy a purpose-built iPad holder? When your legs are short, they function as a very nice holder. I'm amused when I come downstairs and all I see of SE is her head, iPad and little feet. Arial view:

Feet tucked neatly together

See? Just nice!

*Tap slide tap*

Watching TV with Papa

Hubby has a talent... of watching TV non-stop for long periods of time!  Like one movie after another (me, I can only manage one movie. With maybe one toilet break)  Like episode after episode of series shows, until 2 - 3am.  Often with accompanying snacks.

*Engrossed*

Overheard this recently during his Vikings series...

JE:  Papa, this one good people or bad people?
Hubby:  Good one
JE:  What are they doing, papa?
Hubby:  Stealing something

5mins later...

JE:  Papa, this one the good people?
Hubby:  Yes
JE:  Are they going to fight?
Hubby:  Yes

Oo-kay, I think a better role model is called for here!

On a serious note, I do have a concern with the kids watching along.  Hubby's shows usually involve violence, bad language, gory scenes.  I'm not sure about the impact on the kids, he says shows are like that and no point filtering for the kids.  I can't be covering their eyes - too many such scenes. Can't be removing them from the living room - hubby watches TV all the time and this would mean the family is never together. So for now, the kids are watching wide-eyed torture or crime scenes which disturb even me. Sigh.

Jottings 31 Oct

I had a scare a couple of weeks back.  I had closed my eyes when JE/SE wanted a bedtime story and to play. So I got up for a while. Suddenly, everything seemed to spin violently. I managed to crawl back into bed. It was a strange end to what had been a perfectly normal day. Thought a night's sleep would cure it, but the world was still spinning the next morning.  It was so bad I felt nauseous, and had to hold on while standing.

Since then the 'attacks' hadn't been that bad or that long. Still, I would have them at least twice a day.

Last weekend I took a blood test together with hubby. The medical centre called back to say there was something abnormal in the blood work and recommended an appointment with their specialist. That set me off on a morbid train of thought. And I knew that, more than anything, I want to be around for my girls. I want to care for them while they're young, to be there to support them when they're older.  Their world will definitely be better with me in it!  (I don't plan to be taking care of my grandchildren... but who knows? Heh)

Collected the test results yesterday.  The GP said everything looks fine.  I didn't bother to enquire why they suggested a specialist - this is the most inefficient medical centre I've ever seen (they actually misplaced hubby's report and took ages to FIND it!) and I don't know whether they even know who called me!  For now, I'm going to give it some time. Maybe the vertigo is due to some ear/balance problem.  Hopefully things will improve. If not, I can deal with it if the attacks come at specific times.  And I can definitely accept it if it means I don't have something life-threatening!

Hubby has been solicitous, which is unusual for him. It's rather nice, actually. Wonder how long it will last!

I want to see more, A LOT more, of these two:

JE: I'm being silly!

SE: Haha... see-yee me (silly me)

Little sis, big sis

It amuses me when SE is the good little sis:

JE: Su Ern, go and bring the fluffy penguin
SE: Fa-fi... pen-gin?
JE: Yes bring the fluffy penguin
SE trots off and comes back with it.

JE: Su Ern, we need the little yellow dog also
SE: Li-der... yell-o... dog?
JE: Yes, bring the little yellow dog
SE trots off to look for it

And it continues until either one of them move on to something else.

Caught the little one on camera following the big one...

Me: OK smile, take photo!

SE: Cheeeeese

JE: Blehh

SE: Bleh?

JE: BLEHH

Both: Bleh! BLEHH!

iPad addict No.2

Oh dear, another iPad addict. This one is pretty far gone too.  She wakes up, goes downstairs and her head swivels around looking for the device. I pry it from her fingers eventually and she screams bloody murder. And looks around for someone to complain to that Mummy is naughty.

Conversation with kakak one night last week:

Maid: Come, it's time to brush your teeth and sleep
SE: NO
Maid (tries new tactic): Kakak switch off the light ok?
SE: O-chay
(Maid switches off all lights. The only light source is the iPad)
Maid: Ok, kakak go upstairs now
SE: Bye-bye
Maid: Kakak is going to sleep now
SE: Good night

Guess she'd have been happy left alone the iPad! Until the battery runs out and she's all alone in the dark, that is.

This girl is super stubborn, no point setting time limits. Need to start hiding the device until she forgets about it.

Do what you like, just don't take away my iPad

Ah Mah's Birthday 2014

We celebrated Ah Mah's birthday at Unique Seafood in Kota Dsara.  It was not crowded and easy to book a private room (not sure if this kind of outlet can last though!).  There was karaoke provided, which the kids enjoyed...

Heheheee

Wow I took pictures of food? Must have been good! These dishes were actually, cost almost RM300 each but were the highlights of the dinner. The other half of the giant tilapia was simply sprinkled with black pepper and grilled (also good but not posting up here coz not photogenic). The other dishes were spicy japanese snail, ginger-spring onion venison, lemon chicken, 2-style kailan, hotplate tofu and birthday noodles.

Fresh prawns and giant tilapia in lemongrass soup

Chilli crab with fried mantao

Sis made the cake and it turned out fine (unlike last year where cake apparently collapsed and we ended up with Secret Recipe).

Happy birthday to Ah Mah!

Err SE, it's not your birthday yet you know...

Let me at the candles, I will blow them out

Happy birthday to my dear mother and here's to many more birthdays to come!

8th Wedding Anniversary

Hubby and me aren't that big on our own celebrations. Initially we went out for special anniversary meals - I recall having a very raw steak at a French restaurant! Then we just went to simpler places we know we like. Two years ago he forgot and I almost did. Last year I forgot as well. Haha.

This year we went out for dinner... with JE, SE and our maid too. Well, we don't leave the kiddos by themselves at this young age. And driving to my parents' place to drop everyone off would be too troublesome (for them obviously, and us also as their place is pretty far away)

We had dinner at the Ship and coincidentally both girls were dressed in a nautical theme! There was a birthday party going on and we appropriated some balloons for JE and SE. How come an anniversary dinner becomes a kiddy event too?  :)  Hubby has promised me an anniversary present so I still have something to look forward to!

Balloons for us, yay!

Mermaid

These days, I often find a mermaid sitting in my room. She usually wears a necklace and sunglasses. And she looks like this:

Mermaid cannot walk...

She will respond to requests for a photo....

Mermaid can swim

Don't believe she's a mermaid? Look, she has a tail...

Today my tail is pink

Hehe the kiddo. Yep her legs are stuffed into the pillowcase! And she will tell all and sundry, "Mermaid cannot walk, mermaid can swim",

Team JE/SE

My girls do fight, but they are close to each other. So one night, JE was to follow me upstairs to brush her teeth. She asked me to bring some of her pyjamas from the cupboard downstairs. I told her no need and continued upstairs with my arms full of other laundry. Whereupon the kiddo decided to bawl. Loud and louder. I didn't bother with her, just continued putting the laundry away.  Later the maid reported this conversation with SE that happened when JE was bawling...

(SE had her arms folded)
SE: Mummy naughty
Maid: Why?? Why Mummy naughty?
SE: Mummy beat Jo-Jo
Maid: Nooo. Mummy did not beat Jo-Jo
SE: Then, why Jo-Jo cry?
Maid: Oh Jo-Jo wanted Mummy to bring her pyjamas. But no need because upstairs already got pyjamas
SE: Then, Mummy naughty.

Oo-kay. I foresee future sessions of Team JE/SE vs Mummy!

Cannot beat Jo-Jo, okay Mummy?

Scooter for SE

I don't normally buy things for SE (poor kiddo!),  She is just supposed to take over once JE outgrows them. Or in the case of toys, take turns with JE to play with them. She tends to want whatever others are having though. And bawl loudly when she doesn't get her way. So recently I have gotten a few things just for her. Like this scooter and she was thrilled!

SE: I have a scooter also!

Conversation with 6yo neighbour who came to our gate on her scooter...

Girl next door: My scooter is red

JE: Mine is yellow

SE: And maih ih...peeenk (And mine is PINK)

Amused me the little one is following and even joining in the conversation!

Another reward

Up to 30 stars this time!  I am hoping this exercise is effective.  JE would only achieve her limit of 30mins if there's someone putting food into her spoon, putting food into her mouth and reminding her every 5mins or so to EAT.  Otherwise she would just sit there looking around (or at the TV if it's my parents place) with either her mouth empty or the food stored in her cheek.  Sometimes when it's near the time limit, she would gulp down soup or water to wash down her food quickly.  Which isn't a good habit nor does it promote interest in eating.

She is so happy when she gets a star, and is so glum when she can't make it.  I can't make the target too difficult or there goes her motivation. So to balance it, next I'm making it a target of 25 stars but specifying that she gets less help.

This time I laid out a couple of new toys but she stuck to this fishing and cooking set.

My 30 stars!

Aww this toy is for me?

After buying it, I thought it didn't have that much play value.  But she was happily playing with it all weekend, phew!

Busy playing...

Of course, the small one insisted on getting her hands on the new toy too.  Grabbed whatever JE was processing.  I tried to keep her away so JE could enjoy her reward (it's her toy, after all) but loud bawling ensued.  Finally our maid took her outside to play with something else.

I acho wan to chut and chook fish 

(I also want to cut and cook fish)

 But later, when jie-jie was having a shower and a nap, the small one took over the new toy...

Come fishy fishy fishy... hehehe