Guests

Maricar's sister also works here as a domestic helper.

She comes over to visit Maricar quite often, about two times in a month at least. Occasionally, she joins Maricar at church since Maricar goes there weekly.

Joy, who used to be a nurse-in-training, is very different from Maricar, almost opposites. She's an extrovert and loves to fill her schedules with lots of social activities.

Most of the time, she would be in a hurry to go off because she frequently meets her other friends and enjoys hanging out with her friends at Lucky Plaza. I've encouraged Maricar to ask her sister to stay on a while longer during her visits as I've always believed that chit-chatting mustn't just be on the surface. Sometimes, just a little more probing would become meaningful.

Kiki seems to enjoy girly-bonding. She sits between the two sisters, listening to their girly-gossips as if she's part of it. Maricar's sister seems to dote on Kiki too. She would read to her, talk to her and carry her. I guess Joy's chatty disposition makes it easy for Kiki to warm up to everytime.

Gifts

Some giant mentos to give away.

Friends & Gang

Steph & Darrel came over with their two girls.

It was a never-before-thing, I mean, I've known her for so long and we've never done dinner in a coffeeshop setting with our families together. The children had a good time playing with the abundant toys we have at home and also the stroll at east coast park. I'm glad that Wynelle liked the porridge we've cooked, which was with cod fish, pork, carrots, potatoe soup stewed over six hours and was surely delicious, yum yum.

Kiki at this developmental stage is somewhat possesive over her toys. She doesn't know how to give up the ones she's playing with to her guests, she clinged on to her favourites - namely the bicycle and the xylophone. I hope she will slowly learn to parallel play and grow into interactive play, although it might be sometime much later.

Variations

Variations

Self-made charts, I am making more of these and have these in powerpoint.
If you want them, please let me know.
Meantime, I've already got these ready for Ryan (22 mths), Wynelle (17 mths) & Nicklaus (6 mths). These are the few children within my vicinity.

Last Sunday, while at my mother-in-law's place, I was telling my MIL how Kiki could recognize pictures and on a spur-of-the-moment, I sketched a wedge of cheese on some scrap paper and held it up to Kiki, half thinking that she wouldn't recognize this ugly-looking cheese as it looked so different from the flash card version she has at home but she surprised me when she said - Cheese!

Wow.
I mean,,, it was a rough sketch and she could recognize it.

Then, the idea came to me to do up a variety of nouns so that her awareness is expanded.
Also, I would also impart to her the concept of relativity as well as concept of context.
For example: you don't just say an elephant is big.
An elephant is big compared to a mouse or a horse but an elephant is not bigger than a blue whale for instance. So, we give variations and range.

In the process of motherhood, I learn, un-learn and re-learn. And I would wish for wisdom, compassion, competency and connectedness.

Home Box Office

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reader

I watched this movie one night last week.
It was a difficult movie to watch but I'm drawn to it.

Janelle's 21st

Most of the time, she was doing this..... cry!

She's fine as long she's five feet away from everybody.

Janelle's 21st

My cousie - Janelle. Better known to us as Siying.
Turning into a promising, young, adult.

Jan

诗情画意

A poetic looking picture, so 诗情画意.

Janelle's 21st

She took a peek at my relatives and cried....

Very focused on playing with the weights that are holding down the balloons.

Singing with actions

Hi Sweetie!

(She's doing the actions for "If you're happy & you know it clap your hands")

"If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it,"
(she's doing the action for "face")

Changing Shift

New Pumps. (Previously bought from HK)
She's wearing toddler's size 20 - 23 now.
Also known as toddler's size 4 & 5.

She has as many pairs of shoes as me.
This pink number is just nice for the coming Chinese New Year.
Her music teacher commented a couple of times that these pumps are very lovely.

Absurdity

Absurdity is to live in a sweltering climate like Singapore and to feel cold all the time.
Cold in the office, cold on the bus, cold at the mall.

Found this --

Five Most Common Regrets of the Dying,

Number Two- "I wished I didn't work so hard"

Thrive

Sunday's paper was talking about this book by Dan Buettner, who travelled to four of the world's happiest places for his new book "Thrive".

Point #6 says- Socialise at least SIX HOURS a day. Hanging out with friends and family correlates with feelings of happiness.

May I ask -- Where do we find SIX hours a day to socialise???

Bren replied me -- "you are supposed to socialise with your vendors, colleagues, all the people you work with"

Me: "oh! you mean make work social?"

Yes, I really think it does mean make your work fun, make your co-workers your friends. In other words, spend your day at work socializing!

I wonder how it'll work out for me. Let me lighten up a whole lot more. I tend to take work too seriously.

She called me "Mama"

It has been a long awaited moment, she finally calls me -mom.
I was beginning to worry she doesn't prounce "M". It was contrasting because she could pronounce many other hard-sounding words but apparently not those that begin with M.
She does "grapes" very well, "cheese" and "carrot" too, but not "monkey" nor "milk". Even for eating, she doesn't say "mum mum" like most babies or toddlers.

So, I had shown her the "Mmmmm" mouthing a few times and the day she turned 20-month, she called me - Maamah!

What a joy.

@ The Playground

(Pictures taken last week, using CHINON- that "digital lomo")

Skyline

Skyline at the Marina Barage (after our Kite Flying)

We were so lucky, after the kite flying, we stumbled onto a carnival- the "International Volunteers Day". The organizers gave out free food (noodles, spring roll, nuggets), Swensens ice cream, Kachang Puteh, Popcorn, drinks and goodie bags, not to mention the live music from some bands and singers, counting Corrine Mae too, (if I've heard it correctly)

Sometimes, impromptu moments are best enjoyed candidly.

Kite Flying

Can you spot the one-inch rainbow? I was all excited, running to HJ and shouting "Look! Rainbow!"

HJ flying the kite.

My new pair of sandals (BD gift from Pam).

Our Event

This is our exhibits at our in-house exhibition. The whole show took months of preparation and this year's show is by far the most elaborate and grand one I've seen in the five years here. This bi-annual event is the 3rd one I've been involved and is also the most fun.

Our Event

Entourage to wow.

Daytime.

Night.

The barge (transformed into a function hall), all glammed up.

Our Event

It's Party Time!
After months of preparation and dance rehearsal, we were all wild and crazy after our staff performance segment was over.

Mimicking Catwoman- Meow!

I think this was after two pops of tequila, you can see the blemishes on my face.

Our emcee. Sexy legs and a voice like Tina Turner.

Pony Tail

Our Dance Rehearsal

Opening Segment for our in-house exhibition: Staff performance - Dance to the song - "Cup of Life" - Ricky Martin.

Photo Taking Session