(2004/09) Year End (Sep - Dec) 2004 Mothers-to-be

[little_devil]

febnian
i didnt receive the pm .... umm... okie, in tat case i will take 3 tix for quinn, hubby and me.


NOW me thinking should book 1 more tix so my mum can tag along.........

Next Sat 20 Jan - 1100hr
----------------------
(1) Berry [x2 tickets]

Next Sun 21 Jan - 1430hr
----------------------
(1) Febnian [x2 tickets]
(2) little devil (x3 tickets)
(3) Medusa (1 tix + 3 tix for my friend = total 4 tix)
*******************************************

medusa
ha!!!!! i really dun tik she will be really interested but 45 mins maybe not so bad...heee... but no lah, decided to go without her. for the white plain shoe i also like converse alot. just now went there *to look for my own shoe* and also browse thru the kids was, soooo cute! i nearly bot it the other time for quinn but during then, his feet were still toooo small for it. dun know hows there cutting like, as in sizing. as i was so disappointed just now when i discovered i cant even fit into their smallest size.

puff
the one i bot is not addidas lah, its puma. guess hubby likes it so much its becos the design and cut is specially made for car racer wan.... *roll eyes*

kypf
oh dear..... hope ethan is okie. seems more vote for option 2.

then u can stay longer and we all can meet up!

SHOE SPREE
recently wanted to join a spree but didnt lah since wat i want dun have quinns size.



http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2896927/0~2376778~6007879~6007880~6007845?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6007845&P=1

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2911337/0~2376778~6007879~6007880~6007845?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6007845&P=1

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2871316/0~2376778~6007879~6007880~6007845?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6007845&P=2

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2856943/0~2376778~6007879~6007880~6007845?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6007845&P=2

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2920020/0~2376778~6007879~6007880~6007845?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6007845&P=1

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2853307?refsid=36606_1&refcat=0%7e2376778%7e2372811%7e2380122%7e2384312%7e2384409&SourceID=1&SlotID=1&origin=related


i like the second and last wan, especially the last wan but no size.....

 

[littleprince]

thanks, mummies for the sport shoes shop. will try to go over the weekend and look around.

mozart festival - eh, i also think they won't check birth cert wan. even for Rhyan, i also say he is 23 mths when the admission says 2 and above need to buy tixs.

kelly - Adidas sounds nice, thks! hmm, i will compare the prices of branded and brandless lah coz wearing for CNY mah, so if not much price diff, then i will choose whichever is nicer.

lil devil
very nice shoes, first thing i noticed was Ferrari! eh, very like quinn shoes. hehe! how much does it cost?

yalor, the more we stop, the worse it is. like hubby doesn't like to play playdoh with rhyan coz he always put it into his mouth (he really does it, even though he already knows it tastes awful). funny though, Rhyan seldom do it when he is with me. but, i hv noticed he will purposely put it close to his mouth first, then look at our reaction, grin if we frown! i will just remind him its only for play and not real food, he is ok after that. for hubby, he gets too worked up when the playdoh is near rhyan's mouth. so hor, rhyan always tell his daddy "play playdoh" and grin his cheeky smile when his daddy comes back from work.

kypf
its ultimately your call to decide what is best for you. oh dear, did you put a cold compress for ethan's bump?

puff
thanks, i can go on my own to look see first since Tampines Mall has it.

eh, do try to talk to yx more about her going to school soon and drive past the school or walk past frequently to get her prepared. hope she enjoys her CC.

 

[little_devil]

littleprince
wahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! just now i was still tiking should i say he is below 24 months... not very willing to pay when hes only SLIGHTLY above 24 months leh.. *BAD MUMMIE*

for the shoe, i rem they are having 10% off $49.90 i tik so i pay ard $45. but i buy slightly bigger cos can tahan slighly longer mah. seems like quinns feet is slightly bigger than average toddler, i mean accordingly to his small frame.

 

[little_devil]

littleprince
oh yah, forget to talk about the new hobby thingy.

yah, tats y we CANNOT over react wan, else they will find it soooo fun and interesting. everytime when quinn do something which i actually will get VERY work up but i really try my very best to act as if its okie for me..... then he willnot do it again, guess its OUR reaction tat give them the THRILL???

 

[puff]

little devil
oops, sorry, yah, should be puma with a ferrari logo, not addidas!! type too fast

yuru
my ILs will pick her up from school so the oldies will get to spend time with her as well, otherwise if i choose full day, Yingxin may be too tired? and our family will have no "together" time

cos saturday will be at my mum's place, and sunday will need to bring her to ILs place......half day also slighty cheaper

 

[puff]

little prince
the puma shoes cost about $45 (after discount), bought 2 months back at Royal Sporting House, and I got 3 sizes bigger than her current shoe size cos i was thinking let her wear during new year with socks on and since their feet grows pretty fast, it's betta to get bigger size, but turn out it's too BIG!! heheh

yes, been talking to her about going to school, she kept saying she wants to go but dunno whether she meant it or not

 

[puff]

yuru
it's a small child care centre in those private estate, 2 storey semi detached house; unheard of to me previously cos not "branded" as compared to Eton House etc

hmm, i'm planning to let her wear sports shoes during new year cos more comfy, but if it is still too big, will get alternatives; anyway, i have 3 other pairs for her bought by my mum, sister and myself

 

[littleprince]

lil devil
Sounds like quite a reasonable price for the shoes!

I try not to over-react lah, but hubby lose his cool faster than me usually. hehe!

yuru
LOLLLLLL! No lah, its not a must to wear sports shoes for CNY! Just that I thought of getting a pair for Rhyan since he does not have a pair and he loves to run around so much.

puff
3 sizes bigger! Thats alot leh! Rhyan generally wears out his shoes every 4-5 months for now, so should have enough mileage if he does not have too many pairs. Currently, he has 4 pairs of shoes and i think its too much.

 

[puff]

little prince
yes!! 3 size bigger, cos this shoe is narrow and it looks huge on the outside but the insole is actually smaller for sports shoes, if you know what i mean

currently yingxin has only 1 pair of covered shoe and 1 sandals for everyday wear

hmm, 4 is quite a lot hor

 

[cxope]

Hi Little Devil & Medusa,

Thanx for confirmation of number of tickets, will be getting the tickets during lunch today.

 

[puff]

Yuru
Yingxin's nap time is erractic, sometimes she can sleep at 11am to 12noon/1pm, at times she nap at 2pm + or she can play till 7pm then knocked out completely

which part of east? simei? not sure of any good schools but heard cherie hearts not bad??

 

[fan_choy]

Montessori or Flexi-hours childcare?
Need advice. Basically, I don't really compare what they provide. I only found out the CC at my mum's place provide 3 hour (flexi-hours), which I quite like. But I also like the Montessori nearby, 1.5 hrs, more expensive, no subsidy.

Yeah, sometimes shouldn't compare $$ when come to this, but still a little bit of savings since I can use Evan's a/c for the CC.

If u were me, which one would u choose?

 

[mtmtmt]

CSR,
I wld try flexi with subsidy cos might as well take adv of the subsidy. Very rare to get anything from govt . Besides, since u like flexi-hours. But why u like flexi-hrs ah? Isn't it better to have a fixed routine for Isabel? I guess u like montessori cos it seems more educational than just straightforward "care"? In which case, why not pre-nursery in kindy- also 3 hrs? I find c/c more daunting cos it involves bathing (queue up naked in one big group while the teacher showers each kid assembly-line style). If I were a kid, I might find that very scary, very different from showering at home/ at nanny?

Yuru, u must be so relieved that Cindy adapted so well to her cc.

febnian,
thanks!

sports shoes/ canvas sch shoes-
hmm think A has smaller feet so hopefully will have her size!

 

[berrywife]

charsiew, maybe you can base yr decision on what matters most to *you*? Like eg, if curriculum is top priority, then maybe u can request for a daily schedule of both places, and ask lotsa qns regarding what they do, how time is divided, the mthods they use to teach mag/math, etc. If you are more concerned abt inhouse policies and care quality, then maybe u could ask them detailed qns on discipline policies(like how they handle some typical toddler situations), or stuff on how they ensure safety, how much freedom/structure each kid gets, the expectations the teachers have etc. Then maybe after having more details on wats impt to you, you shd then know which u prefer?

For *me*, the culture of the sch matters the most(discipline policies, expectations of kids, teachers' approach on handling children etc ), followed by how much fun she gets, followed by curriculum. I feel that if the child is happy and comfortable to be herself and teachers are able to bring out the best in the kids, then they'll naturally learn efficiently.

NEW SCHOOL- Currently I am feeling quite nervous for some of my friends who just started their kids in new schs. Keeping my fingers crossed that everyone's precious tod who is starting sch this year will be able to get used to and love sch real soon.

 

[mtmtmt]

Berry,
thanks! U hit the nail on the head abt how nervous I am, yikes. I'm so worried Athena will cry, so worried she will get thrashed/ bitten/ hit/ slapped by other tods. She's smaller sized and doesn't hit back, but tends to hold on to coveted toy very tightly. Prime Target ah.

She does know how to cry loudly but if adult intervention not fast enough, think sure kanna bitten!!!
I'm having wild thoughts of getting HB to sport fake tattoos, wear singlet and look like hoodlum. Go to sch and scare all the teachers/ other parents , so that they will be careful to watch over our precious/ not bite my kid!!! But HB cannot "make it" as hoodlum lah.

 

[cxope]

Hi Little Devil & Medusa,

Tickets bought (Little Devil x3 tix, Medusa x5 tix).

 

[cxope]

Hi Little Devil & Medusa,

Tickets bought (Little Devil x3 tix, Medusa x5 tix).

 

[littleprince]

puff
overbought the shoes lor, one pair at nanny's (coz when Rhyan was younger, he sometimes barefoot go over since we carry him), one pair for home (now wear it to CC), one pair for formal occasions and one crocs (last min decision to buy). and, all are going to be outgrown together liao!

yuru
eh, so your nanny is not going to take care of cindy anymore? she can bear cindy to go to school ah? how did you tell her you are going to send cindy to school?

Rhyan's CC is at Simei. hmm, i wouldn't say Rhyan's CC is fantastic but i think its good enough for us. they got 3hrs, half day and full day CC till 8.30pm. luckily, i didn't wait for the other CC which Rhyan was on waiting list for coz they didn't call me at all.

but, rhyan and i are not ready for full day CC so we are both happy with just half day CC at the moment.

charsiew
for me, i wanted Rhyan to learn to be independant, like self feeding (very difficult to get nanny to let Rhyan feed himself, i am not very good either at letting him self feed at home) and also other social skills like playing with friends etc. these are regarded as more impt for Rhyan now compared to learning curriculum stuff so i would choose CC instead of Montessori.

And, I personally feel 1.5hrs not long enough to learn much "social skills" which is why I signed Rhyan up for half day instead of the 3hrs flexi care.

medusa
rhyan's CC shower the kids 2 by 2 and nanny already complain to me, say later rhyan catch a cold how? should bathe 1 by 1 mah. they are very protective of rhyan, if they fetch him home and he seemed to have cried earlier (teary eyes), they report to me and ask me to ask the teacher the next morning.

and hor, Rhyan got bitten by one his classmates the other day coz that classmate was crying and he went to hug-hug him and kenna bitten. hb's nephew who is 6 mths older than Rhyan, teacher asked them to keep the colour pencils and he wanted to keep for his classmate, kenna bitten instead as well.

 

[mtmtmt]

febnian, thanks rec'd ur SMS. Can SMS what time/ exactly where to meet on date itself? I'm not familar with that venue either... I suppose can always phone to identify each other hor?

lilprince,
YIKES!!! How heartbreaking to get bite marks, and not even over toy tussle, so yuan wang!

.

 

[puff]

little prince
i have the same thought as you! 1.5 hour playgroup is too short a time for them and my ILs will have to make 2 trips (bring her back and forth)

and i dun like the idea of full day CC cos they sleep on "hard and cold" mattress without mattress cover, pillow and blanket!! worse than in the army? the hours are long too....

i also wanted Yingxin to polish her speech and have interaction rather than facing my ILs day in day out!! hahah....especially my MIL, let her sleep in front of the TV, feed her sweets and let her listen to those cantonese stage song....watever!

 

[berrywife]

Hmm... something I wanna share- years ago when I was doing course-related observation at some ccs(which shall remain nameless since I cant remember their names anymore), the part that shocked me most was how the kids were treated during bathtime and nap times. I am not condemning the teachers cause I can imagine how exhausting it must be running after so many young kiddos, having to plan n conduct lessons, put up with the usual kiddy fights/quarrels, AND still have to bathe AND nap them! (thats why I always think that IDEALLY, child-carers shd be diff ppl from the teachers, whose jobs are to teach. haha, sorry off-topic rant. )

Anyway, bathtime that I saw went like this: Kids were divided into two groups (boys n girls), they were massed-undressed (those who took their own sweet time had their clothing articles hastily) and lined up in a row. Then they were marched into the showers in twos and teacher will spray water on each of them, followed by a hasty soaping on main body parts and then they were sprayed water hastily again. Then they will be hurried out whereby another teacher will do a quick dry on their main body parts and followed by dressing. It kinda irked me that some of the kids had soap bubbles(not much, jst a few, but still?) on their hair/arms when emerged from bathroom, and that they were not always totally dry when dressed, which means they walked ard with tops/bottoms that had wet patches at times. I came to know that the rush was due to the fact that in many ccs, the longer they take to bathe the kids, the later they will nap, which means shorter naptime (since they all wake at the same time daily), which means shorter wind down & work preparation time for the teachers.

Naptime- Naptime comes after main activities n bathtime, which also means this is when the teachers are the most tired and worn out. I couldnt help but noticed that some of the teachers at one point started patting some kids a little too hard after the child insistently refused to fall asleep. Of course its not like they were hitting them, but still.....

Well, still I do feel that it cant ALL be like this (I sure hope so!), I am sure some centres do have higher quality control abt these matters. Seems like it helps if its a centre whereby the principal is around alot and will randomly supervise, so I guess this might be an impt point to take note.
Hope I dont sound like I know how all ccs work cause I def dont, just sharing some little things I happened to have the chance to see.

 

[berrywife]

Today Faye and I had this conversation that once again reminded me of how important mummies are to little tods, and that at this point, most of us are truly their universe.

I asked Faye if she would like to keep her hair long or prefer to keep it short, then she replied v happily 'short! just like mummy! same as mummy!' (jst for the record, these days she says this alot during pretend play or when stating preferences) So of cos I melted lar hehe, then I asked her, 'hmmm why do you wanna be like mummy so much? do you think that mummies are great? do u like only yr mummy or all mummies in the world?' she replied 'ALLL the mummies in the world! all mummies are great!' And I asked again 'why do you think mummies are great? because they all know alot of stuff that babies dont and are very smart? or because they love their babies?' She replied with a mega grin "because they love their babies SOOOOOO much! like my mummy!" *I officially melted into a giant puddle*

I'll bet my last dollar that most of our kids think the WORLD of us and think that we are the best thing that happened to them.

 

[ktpf]

waaaah faye so sweet!!

i remember saying at baby group that the best thing about being a mum is that your baby prefers you to anyone else in the world. that was about 1.5 years ago when ethan was a little baby but recently a friend who i got to know at baby group told me she remembers that because it's so true.

 

[littleprince]

yuru
did your nanny say why she does not want to take care of cindy if its a half day thingy? money factor? I didn't cut my nanny fee in the end coz they have been doing alot more for Rhyan than what they have been paid for, felt bad about it.

can understand why you want to put cindy in CC instead. Eureka is those private housing kind of CC? sounds familiar to me. btw, i didn't like the CC at the church near Rhyan's nanny's place. we visited and didn't feel good about the place, tell you in case this is in your list too.

oh, and one more thing in case its important for you. i heard most CCs don't provide dinner for the kids coz they close by 7pm, Rhyan's CC does coz they close later.

puff / yuru
besides struggling through the initial tough period to adjust Rhyan to CC, i don't regret at all to send him there coz i already saw that he learnt something by the 2nd day of CC. now, i enjoy talking to him every evening or before bedtime and ask him what happened in school. some of the narrations are so funny. hope your gals will enjoy their CC life too bcoz as a mummy, it does feel great when you know that you have made a right choice for your child especially when you know your child was previously in a poorer environment.

berry
yar, i heard these stories before too! think its a good idea hor, that they have different staff for different activities, separate nap and study. i was concerned about the shower part too but thankfully, Rhyan's CC bathes only 2 kids at a time while the rest have free time in their classroom and when these 2 kids are ready, the next 2 kids go. after showering, then its lunch time, rest and nap time. but, i do believe the showering is surely not clean enough which is why i am glad its only half day for Rhyan so that nanny can shower him in the evening.

wah, Faye is so sweet!

 

[fan_choy]

Medusa
No pre-nursery nearby my mother's place. their flexi-hours are 9-12pm, which is quite ideal.

Berry
Yeah, guess I have to know more on what they provide.

Little Prince
Should i choose the flexi-care, i may change her to 1/2 day after she adapts, see how.

Thanks everyone!

 

[littleprince]

yuru
so strange of your nanny to think like this, thought she loves Cindy alot, should think what is best for her lor.

oh yar, i do know about this school but i didn't shortlist it bcoz its inaccessible for nanny to fetch Rhyan, and abit high end in terms of cost. looks quite a nice place though.

 

[littleprince]

yuru
nvm lah, when she sees Cindy next time after starting CC and more independant, she may think differently then. my MIL and nanny also kept thinking why i want to send Rhyan to school at such a young age but now that they see he picks up so much things in CC, they tell other people he is such a smart boy.

 

[little_devil]

littleprince
yah can tell u can stay cool better than ur hubby. maybe its u tat can stay really coolmost of the time, everytime i see u with R, u really take it sooo easy! good!!

yuru
heee.....no lah, not a must to wear sport shoe for CNY. just happen to spot this tats y. and mainly also boys dun have so wide range compare to gals mah so most of the time i only like the design tat happen to be sport shoes.

wah, u mean cindy nap for soooo long???

febnian
thanks alot for ur efford, shall see u there tat day! will sms u soon.

CSR
for skool ah, melooking ard *not very actively though* too and to me i will see wat am i looking for in a skool. for me its the teachers way of handling kids, eg, wat will they do when shildren so call misbehave and such. i came across some skools *cant disclose here lah* tat their twachers actually SLAP them HARD on their back and keep screaming at them and even principal didnt set good example. tats a NO NO for me. and also the environment is another factor for me. i dun need a skool tat teaches very achedamic stuff, i just want quinn to go to a skool he likes and enjoy and not being treated in a very trashy manner.

medusa
hey, me too worry about quinn going to skool *even now hes not* i am not so much worry about the behaviour of OTHER toddlers as i already expect things like hitting, snatching *sort of normal* bting *umm..... i guess some kids will do tat but hopefully not* but wat matters to me MOST is HOW the TEACHER will react when such things happens?? will they just simply take the SHORT CUT way, like simply just seperate the toddlers and without applying RIGHT teaching as in talk to the party who hits and so on.

ur wild tots soooooooo funny!!!!

maybe it works hor! wahahahhahahahaha!!!!!!!!

berry
hey....... i really also hope NOT every skools are like tat lor but its really very difficult to find those i want. i also place curriculum at the back as to me wats most imp. to me is other than tat. i wanted a nice environment, good teachers and so on.... its really difficult to know which is the skool i want as how am i suppose to find out?? i mean of cos i will talk to the principal, roam ard the skool and outside classes but i guess its not enough to tell but well wat can then. hubby was saying the way of skool handling kids here in singapore is very much OUR culture and poor salary for those teachers, so sad. and alot of skool uses teacher who is willing to accept NOT SO GOOD pay RATHER than teachers who has PASSION with their job, i guess theres a huge different when it comes to how they perform??? tats y till now i am STILL looking for a skool for quinn. rem. the LITTLE SKOOL HOUSE i was talking the other time? i visited their premises afew times but i guess i need to do so again if i really thinking of putting quinn there. theres another skool at pasir ris, heard its quite good and if i put quinn there, my mum will be able to send him to skool and back home with her skoolbus so its easier for me. and also quinn will NOT need to spend like 1 hour in the bus so to wait for his turn to reach home *as my mum will pick up him and send to skool straight and when going home time, same* but well, i am really VERY concern about skool culture and such and NOT their curriculum.ummmmm...... how i wish singapore has more of such skools ard.

faye is soooo sweet..... i feel soooooo warm while reading ur post and tats a good thing abt having gals. or maybe boy also does tat?? but not for quinn

 

[jenjen]

yuru, if u send cindy to CC, u will still need to pay ur nanny? *confused*

 

[fan_choy]

Little Devil
Thanks for sharing your views.

 

[mtmtmt]

Jen,
I think Yuru preferred half-day cc, the other half day cared by nanny. But nanny didn't want this arrangement, all or nothing I guess!

lildevil,
if A gets bitten, I think my mum will pressurise me to pull her out. :/

 

[berrywife]

lil devil, yar lor, lil prince beri 'zai'(steady) wan, she is my idol mom haha!
so have u signed up w little school house oredi or still trying to decide?
For me, I dont think Faye will be ready for proper presch so soon, but *hopefully*(crosses fingers tight) by end of this year or beginning of next. If not I dont mind waiting even a lil longer.

 

[littleprince]

Sports Shoes - I saw Adidas one today, quite nice!

But, can't take white colour for sure coz it will turn black in no time at all. I also saw a pair of shoes (looks like school shoes) with green straps from Adidas, sounds like the one Kelly/Deniz mentioned the other day?

yuru
what time does cindy go to bed at night for napping a long period of time? Rhyan naps only at 3pm or later nowadays, I try to wake him up before 6pm else it would be difficult to put him to bed at 9pm.

eh, you need to pay for the mattress Cindy sleeps on in CC leh. not sure about the rest but Rhyan's CC has personal mattress for everyone for hygiene purpose. maybe can request to have special mattress that you buy on your own?

lil devil / berry
hmm, i think i am "stoned" by nature, so have no reaction most of the time (maybe still not woken up yet!), not "cool / zai" just for Rhyan.

berry - wahahahaha! what do I have for you to idolize me about?

 

[little_devil]

medusa
ha!!!! yah i guess ur mum will freak out and demand to change skool. but tats normal for her to react in such a way.

berry
yah *both hands up* little prince super zai! for me i use to be rather gan jiong, even the slightest thing but as time goes by, i became much relax....dun know why but can be a good thing though i guess.

no, have not sign him up with little skool house. not tat i dun like tat place. maybe still looking ard and mainly becos i find tat quinn is not ready too.

its okie with me, i am also planning to send him to skool only either the second half of this year or even early next year. now i just got to go more playdates and such but most mommies working during weekdays and some toddlers already off to skool so it cuts down quite abit.

talking about this, i suppose to be sleeping *need lots of rest as me very sick* but just cant as quinn is NOT with me..... SIL suggest to me tat she *and my PIL* will take care of quinn tonight so i can rest well and recover asap. everytime when they suggest, i will say no.... but this evening i was thinking to myself tat MAYBE i should learn to LET GO...??? maybe its better for him * as quinn is very happy when hes there as theres lots of pp to play with* but i know when it comes to sleeping its gonna be abit tough as he will goes "i want mommie" and i am feeling weird right now.... i feel guilty..... miss him..... lost..... and i was telling myself tat i should just learn about letting go...??? when quinn is less than a year old, i say hes too young. when hes 1 i say hes not ready. when hes 2 i say.... tik its a excuse for myself? i guess i am suffering from seperation anxiety

i always feel tat he will not be okie if hes not with me *roll eyes* theres so much to say lah... better stop now else i will be writting essay.

 

[jenjen]

lil prince, I din know that the mattress has to be paid separately?! thanks for the info...

Sorry if I've missed some school going discussion... have been very very very tied up with work... may I ask *again* (if it has been asked), anyone has the "list" of questions to ask the CC when you plan to go for a visit? TIA!!

 

[berrywife]

lil devil, if you feel that quinn will want you most and feel safest at home durnig bedtime, then how about you leave him there to play in the day, then bring him home at night to sleep?

lil prince, u are my idol mummy cause for so many things that I have to read and make myself internalise, u can do it so effortlessly by instinct, I never told u before meh

 

[pets]

Hi all,

Sorry MIA for so long. After 12 weeks break, I finally started work. So sian.... Posting Sharyn and Sharmaine photos.

 

[babypooh]

hi everyone

still on maternity leave and not free to post thread here..finally got chance to post my elder gal pic but my baby gal not yet...

 

[mtmtmt]

Yuru,
LOL I read abt the night sleep thing too! Athena's been missing her naps so she knocks off quite early. But she wakes early too- my HB bang door here and there lor!

Converse-
went TM saw quite cool designs, but more suited for boys leh. $40, yikes. Small kid only leh.

 

[ktpf]

littleprince, ha ha, i'm glad berry and little_devil think you very zai, means i'm not the only one who thinks that. if all mommies as zai as you i would feel very inferior, man.

 

[ktpf]

little_devil, i know how you feel, I'm also very sticky to my boy, never passed a day without seeing him since the day he was born. one of the reasons why i haven't started him in nursery.. me thinking when the time comes and he starts school that's the beginning of separation so why hasten the process?? but dun worry too much about him tho, i thot ethan will stick with me at bedtime when we were at my ILs surprisingly he willingly let my MIL take him to bed.

 

[littleprince]

lil devil
its the first time quinn sleeps overnight elsewhere? did you call to check if he fell asleep ok? rhyan stayed overnight once at nanny's place and i also couldn't sleep the whole night, next morning chiong to fetch him. actually, i am wondering too whether i should learn to let go and let him sleep there occasionally at night when i really need a break. coz judging from hb and my busy schedule this year, we may have to pick him up very late at times. but i feel bad lor, like sacrifice him for my own stuff.

on the other hand, it may be better for rhyan coz less disruptive for him than me carrying him home in sleeping mode.

hope you recover soon.

jen
yar, need to pay separately for the mattress and if the child stops going to the CC, can bring the mattress home.

yuru
actually, the mattress is those exercise mat material. not very good lah, but not that bad also.

hmm, i want rhyan to sleep early because i need the time after that to do my stuff lor. and, i believe in "zao shui zao qi shen ti hao". but, very shiong coz i sleep late and need to wake early coz he will want me to wake up and play with him.

hey, emma's gal looks alike to Cindy leh. Cindy has a similar picture like this taken before, is it?

berry
orhhhhhh .. okie okie! anyway, thank you (erm .. for idolizing me! ).

kypf
haha! i don't know how to reply to your comment. anyway, thanks since i suppose being "zai" is a good thing.

medusa
the adidas sports shoe costs more than $50 (before discount). hb says rhyan wears more branded shoes than him.

sharon
maybe bring sharwyn down to take a look at the school once in a while? to get her prepared + can take a look at the school during operating hours lor. if they ask, can say you already signed sharwyn up but just wanted to bring her down to look see and get prepared for school in Mar?

shaynnen and sharwyn's smiles quite alike hor?

 

[littleprince]

mummies
what do you all intend to cook for your tots this weekend huh? i am quite brain dead liao, can't think what to cook for Rhyan to eat. hehe!

 

[jesebelle]

Little Devil
Can understand your seperation anxiety. Recently I went to Bali with my hubby leaving my boy to my parents. Then, I felt so sad on my way to the airport. The feeling is like 'there I go enjoying myself and my boy was left behind.'

Little Prince
Lucky you didn't put Rhyan in the childcare centre my mum's working in. Recently, the old batch of teachers left and now the centre is in a mess. My mum's leaving that cc in mid-feb too.

Another thing I wanna share, although putting our kids in a childcare centre is good cos he can learn lotsa things, but on the other hand, he can also learn the wrong things. Eg, recently my boy learn this hokkien bad word from his classmate and he goes around scolding pple using this word!! We were rather surprised where he learn the word from cos we don't use that word at home. Then, I realised he learnt it from his cc cos I heard one of his classmate saying the same word and they all giggled at the mention of the word!! Feedback to his teacher, but I think his teacher is not aware cos she is an Indonesian

Yuru
For my boy's cc, we have to purchase a mattress and cover for him. We bring back the cover to wash every Friday.

 

[deniz_ann]

Sharon,
Shaynnen's toothless smile so adorable! She's got very defined features already, nice nose & chin.
I know how u feel abt work now. Maybe can try be SAHM for awhile & enjoy ur 2 gals.

Medusa,
I like the converse shoes also but not willing to pay $40 also. That's why got the cheaper ON shoes instead.

 

[berrywife]

Jesebelle, indonesian teacher?? Can she speak good (accurate) english pronounciation and grammer-wise?

lil prince, if you are gonna be busy on weekends, slow cooker meals like stews will help reduce mealtime stress, cause you can settle it early in the morning and if you cook in slow cooker, you dont have to watch the stove (can even go out w Rhyan), then when you are ready, you have a nice meal waiting. Also, I batch-freeze chicken stock so that anytime I need to prepare a quick meal last min, I can pull out one pack from freezer, throw in some noodles n other ingred. Rhyan likes noodles or not? The noodles I normally use are soba, udon and organic wholegrain ramen. You only cook on weekends, shdnt be as hard as cooking almost daily like me
OVERNIGHT- I believe that you letting Rhyan overnight will not become a convenient habit for you, and during times you have to do it, its prob very much for his best too (distrupted sleep otherwise like u mentioned). Plus, you will not be forever this busy lor, its v temporary. Plus, wat you are doing isnt exactly for selfish reasons mah, its not like you go clubbing everyday till late or wat One of the most impt lessons I learn thru being a mom is to be forgiving and be gentle to myself when things are less than ideal, just like I aim to be forgiving and gentle with Faye when she is less than ideal at times.

Sharon, Shaynnen is really very pretty, so sweet and delicate looking!

 

[littleprince]

jesebelle
hehe! thats indeed a blessing.

how was your bali trip? no rainy weather there right?

berry
my slow cooker is the big size one (got it FOC when I bought some stuff last time), realised that when i use it, it actually increases my electricity bill quite a fair bit. contemplated to buy a smaller slow cooker but then i will have 2 at home.

i thought of stew as well but hor, my stews don't taste nice leh.

anyone here got stew recipes to share?

rhyan loves noodles, so most of the time i prepare this as its faster and more convenient. i use the organic udon etc too.

chicken stock - do you just boil chicken with water or you add other stuff in? when you freeze chicken stock, only the liquid and no ingredients inside?

yar, cooking on weekends is not as bad as cooking everyday but in terms of ingredients, there will be left overs. buy too little, not tasty enough. buy too much, cannot finish. i can't bring to nanny's place nowadays since i send Rhyan directly to CC in the morning. at times, i try to cook for everyone but hor, sometimes too tired with all the washing to do after that.

hehe! thanks! i know what you mean but i keep thinking to myself that its not that bad for me yet, still can tong so i will continue to bring him home every night lor. i also don't know when is the day when i decide i am too tired and need to let go.

see lah! i must idolize you for this part, to be forgiving and gentle to myself when things are less than ideal. many people tell me i am too tough on myself.

 

[weddingfairy]

hi mummies,
pai seh, havent post 4 a long while. been reading e thread but no time & effort 2 post. e boys r sick since 5jan n juz when they r recovering, gabe's runny nose came back a few days ago. sigh!

i've been adjusting 2 my newfound freedom (e 3hrs when gabe goes 2 school) wif marketing, spending time wif edward, having breakfasts at ikea, etc.

after looking at all e girls' pics, i wanna scream again "I WANNNA HAVE A GIRLLLLLLLLL".


pets,
ur girls r so pretty.......sharmaine looks like u? sharyn seems 2 put on weight too. at one glance, i tot she was casros' girl louisa.

how's sharyn adjusting 2 mei mei & being in cc?


lil devil,
hi-5! me too
cant let go of gabe...ILs asked 4 gabe 2 spend nites at their plc many times liao...they've been asking since gabe was >6mths old n u know wat kinda excuses i give cos they r e same excuses u gave urself.

must learn 2 let go...remember wat we agreed 2 remind ourselves. u also get well soon. c ya soon.


jesebelle
gabe started school recently n he has been saying more stuff now. as i'm a SAHM, i can go 2 his school earlier 2 gossip wif e mummies n a few shared wif me (those who hv older children) tis...wait a while longer, gabe'll come back wif more new words & actions - undersirable & desirable. it'll juz come. i was like, "ok, i'm already having a difficult child 2 handle...now more issues" *headache*


sharon,
wah, u r also up so late...1am+

like wat lil prince suggested, i would suggest u bring sharwyn down during her session n show her wat's happening. keep telling her everyday (which i did wif gabe lah) tat she's going 2 school on 19mar (show her e date on e calendar & mark it off so she can c it often). for me, i will show gabe e date n use opportunities 2 show him of pp going 2 school (it shld b easier 4 u now cos it's school term now so u shld find students everywhere in e morn, mid-day & evening). when u bring her 2 school, show her e premises...like tis is ur classroom where u'll b learning stuff wif ur friens, tis is e toilet where u wash ur hands & pass motion, tis is e playground, etc etc. i did tat wif gabe (i didnt write tat much details in e blog but i did tat - gotta go add in more grandmother stories in e blog after tis)

u c, sharwyn is joining only in e 2nd term so by then e students r already well adjusted/accustomed/aclimatised (watever word u can use) in school. she needs 2 get used 2 school environment, get 2 know e classmates & teachers so gd 2 bring her down, get 2 know some familiar faces & also c e teacher.

dun do it too early, do it during end fed or early mar so still fresh in her mind. u shld also ask e teacher abt stuff...i also like u, suka suka juz book e slot, paid e school fees, didnt even ask wat curriculum, how r e teachers, how they handle toilet training, sick students, etc. u shld ask e teacher or principal such stuff. as i SAHM, i've picked up gabe almost everyday so i ALWAYS go ask his form teacher (who never fails 2 spend time 2 talk 2 me, despite e tods eager 2 go home) abt how gabe's doing in school, how did she & e classmates handle when he peed in his shorts (he did while sitting down on e flr n his form teacher handled it very well, IMO lah).

 

[weddingfairy]

gabe's runny nose/dry cough (no phlegm yet) is back n i was intending 2 keep him away fr school 2day. i did consult his form teacher ytd if i shld keep him away fr school n she replied, "we dun reject students wif runny nose/cough but fever/diarrhoea/vomitting, yes"

after 2days of medication (it came back on wed), his nose still runny tis morn. so when he woke up at 6am, i asked him if he can stay home wif me 2day cos he's not well. gabe retorted, "NO, go school. me go school"

hai...how? anyway, i sent him 2 school 2day cos his runny nose seemed 2 stop.

 

[mtmtmt]

Sharon,
lovely pic!

Haiz, today I tried conversing in mandarin to Athena- every sentence I said in English, I tried to repeat in Mandarin. Cos her mandarin really cannot make it- I read story (borrowed from library), she completely lost. But I'm stumped by how to translate so many things since my mandarin is so lousy.