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

"Naughty!"

... is not what she admits to being.  It's what she calls people who doesn't do what she wants!  If she wants a toy that JE is playing and JE doesn't give it to her, she will complain "Jie-jie naugh-tyyyy!" If I don't let her mess around with water in the sink, she runs bawling to Papa and complains while pointing to me, "Mummy, Mummy naughty!"  Sometimes she will manja a bit.  Strokes Papa's arm and reinforces her stand: "Papa not naughty.  MUMMY naughty".

Firstly, everyone else gets accused of being naughty.  Secondly, in her mind SHE's not the naughty one and shouldn't be getting scolded.

So how to discipline this one?  I think will just have to wait till she's a bit older.

Let me check who is being naughty

Be gone!

JE likes going out, likes the announcement that it's time for lunch, likes to choose where to go, likes walking into the shop.  But somehow her enthusiasm faces shortly after the food arrives and she's had, oh, two bites.  Suddenly you'll see her doing these...

Hide behind Papa

Go to far away corner

So kakak went to try and make her eat.

Run, run away!

Kakak be gone!

Aiyo. Sometimes I wonder if there's something physically wrong with this kiddo.

Papa's away

Hubby went off to HK with his friends.  Sigh, I've not been on a plane since SE came along.  Still, what to do, I don't want to leave them behind and going overseas with both kids will be more stress than holiday.

So, on with the program!  Mission: Minimise screen time (without driving mummy nuts).

1. Went to the playground.  Kids loved it!  Too bad noticed within 10mins that SE had done a poo-poo , so we couldn't stay long.

Woohoo! Slide!

2. Went to the mall.  I needed to get shoes for everyone - JE's feet had a growth spurt (only the FEET!), SE is growing out of her good shoes, maid's slippers had just come undone.  Managed to get for everyone except SE.  Somehow couldn't get her size at a decent price.

I drive drive driiiiiivvveee

Pose with my friend the worm

 3. Went to Ikea.  It was very crowded so we just went to the kiddies section and didn't buy anything. Kids loved messing around.

We are sleeping, sshhhhhhhh

Now we are monkeying around with Mr Carrot

Not too shabby, eh?  I'd planned to take them to the Science Centre but will leave that for another time.  Hubby's back already, mission accomplished.

Frozen fever

Now what are these two up to?  Giggling away walking around the room draped in these...

JE: I'm Elsa!

SE: I'm Anna!

Heheheeheeee

Ah so they're supposed to be characters from Frozen. (If I had a third kid I guess he/she would be Olaf?)  If they're this happy with blankets, guess I don't have to bother buying actual Frozen merchandise!  I did buy these tutu dresses since my sis was getting them as well - wasn't exceptionally keen since I thought Frozen wouldn't be timeless like, say, Helly Kitty or Disney Princesses. Ended up the girls wear these dresses practically all the time - wear, wash, wait for dresses to dry, wear again. Value for money already!

Ta-dahhh! REAL Elsa and Anna!

(Dress, that is. We are just pretending to be Elsa and Anna)

Vainpot

I tend to prefer "boy's toys" than "girls' toys".  Well apart from soft toys, which I do like!  So my girls get toys to build, interactive toys, toys to encourage creativity etc.  But JE spends weekdays playing with cousin Elyssa and I think that's where she picked up the liking for girlie stuff - princesses, Barbie, Hello kitty, PINK colour etc.

So here's my little vainpot...

Wait, I put lipstick on first

The 'lipstick' is the thermometer from her doctor set.  OK so maybe she won't become a doctor after all? Hehe.

Not your dotta!

My maid related this to me... yesterday when she wanted to put SE into the car, SE resisted. Maid tried to coax her and that's when little SE said 'I not your dot-ta!'.  Hoo where did that come from?? So at night I asked her, "You are not kakak's daughter then whose daughter?'  And she replied, 'Mummy dot-TA!'.  Hehe so she does understand what it means!  No idea how it went into her vocabulary as it's a word we hardly use.

SE (tries to) talk like an adult even though she can't enunciate properly yet. When my mum asked her to put her feet down, she didn't. Only complied when my father told her sternly to do so. And then said, 'I no want listen Ah Mah say put feet down. I only want listen Ah Kong say put feet down'.

She's growing out of her stock phrase, 'I no want play with JoJo (or Erin or Kakak etc) any-MORE. Jojo so naugh-TEEEEE'. She likes to relate something and ends it with 'so fun-NEEEE heh hehhh'.  Latest now is when you say 'so funny', she will snap 'NOT so funny!'.

I foresee this one will be such the cili padi.

I no need listen tatak. Not tatak dot-ta

I will drive. Jie jie, you sit at the back

Afternoon at the MO

Had a buffet lunch at Mandarin Oriental recently. The desserts were good, savouries weren't that great in terms of quality and variety.  Expected more with the hefty price tag.  The environment was classy of course.

Ready to eat!

JE as usual starts to fidget and move around after a short while...

What's outside?

While SE is better in the eating department.  She has to do things her way though.  Sit on the chair she chooses, use this particular fork, eat this thing and not that thing.

I want eat cupcake with fork and want lick fork

Went to the KLCC park briefly after lunch to show JE the twin towers. Told her Mummy used to work there. Messed around with some palm tree species...

Touch touch pull pull

Nice time out for the kids, but I consider RM102/pax high for the food.  Hubby isn't into desserts and I can't eat all that much sweet stuff either. (Just realised I didn't take a single picture of food hehe)