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.