Yipeee…just three more days for my parents and sister to arrive in Singapore! They are coming for just ten measly days, but it’s better than nothing.
Hooty and I are counting the days. With ten days to go, I held up both my hands and asked, “How may more days for Puncha, Kiri Amma and Kiri Aththa to come?” She counted my fingers and declared. “Ten!”
So for the past few days I’ve been folding one finger at a time each day and got her to count down. You know what? She doesn’t get it! After the 5th day, she keeps on insisting that I hold up both the hands. And today when I held up three fingers, she insisted that I hold up the entire hand saying there are five more days to go!
But she is definitely exited. Today in the morning while getting ready for day care, she started practising ‘hugging’ them. She said, “I’ll first hug Puncha, then Kiri Amma, and then Kiri Aththa,” while showing hugging actions.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Trilingual
These days we are trying to speak with Hooty in our native language ‘Sinhala’. She can understand what we say, but finds it hard to form sentences in Sinhala, as she is used to conversing in English.
At day care, she learns in English, but they have Chinese as a subject where her teacher only speaks in Chinese. Last week at the Parent’s teacher’s meeting, she told us that Hooty understands what’s been told and can follow all the instructions in Chinese. When Hooty comes home, she sometimes tries to teach Hubs and me some Chinese words. She would point to something blue and say, “Say after me Amme, ‘Lansya’.” (At least I think that’s what it sounds like). She would even sing Chinese songs to her self and gets highly annoyed when we don’t respond to something when she says it in Chinese.
Now I think she is highly confused about the two languages. When she wants us to tell her a word in Singhala, she says, ‘say in in Chinese Ammi.’
And yesterday when we spoke to her in Sinhala she answered back in Chinese!
At day care, she learns in English, but they have Chinese as a subject where her teacher only speaks in Chinese. Last week at the Parent’s teacher’s meeting, she told us that Hooty understands what’s been told and can follow all the instructions in Chinese. When Hooty comes home, she sometimes tries to teach Hubs and me some Chinese words. She would point to something blue and say, “Say after me Amme, ‘Lansya’.” (At least I think that’s what it sounds like). She would even sing Chinese songs to her self and gets highly annoyed when we don’t respond to something when she says it in Chinese.
Now I think she is highly confused about the two languages. When she wants us to tell her a word in Singhala, she says, ‘say in in Chinese Ammi.’
And yesterday when we spoke to her in Sinhala she answered back in Chinese!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
'Buss' off
Today while getting ready for work and school;
Me: “Hootyiiiiii. Please hurry up. Ammi was late these past few days. My boss will scold me.”
N: “Does the ‘bus’ have a mouth?”
Me: “Of course she does”
N: (complaining to Thaaththi) “Thaaththi Ammi says her ‘bus’ has a mouth!!”
Then only did we realise that she thought we were talking about a BUS and not a BOSS. So we tried explaining what a boss was. That there was a ‘big’ person we work for.
Hubby: “Well, when you are at home, Ammi and Thaaththi are your bosses. And when you are in school, your teacher is your boss.”
N: “When I have a brother and a sister can they be my boss?”
Oh well, she doesn’t know she is actually the boss in our family ;o)
Me: “Hootyiiiiii. Please hurry up. Ammi was late these past few days. My boss will scold me.”
N: “Does the ‘bus’ have a mouth?”
Me: “Of course she does”
N: (complaining to Thaaththi) “Thaaththi Ammi says her ‘bus’ has a mouth!!”
Then only did we realise that she thought we were talking about a BUS and not a BOSS. So we tried explaining what a boss was. That there was a ‘big’ person we work for.
Hubby: “Well, when you are at home, Ammi and Thaaththi are your bosses. And when you are in school, your teacher is your boss.”
N: “When I have a brother and a sister can they be my boss?”
Oh well, she doesn’t know she is actually the boss in our family ;o)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Another 'Oh Boy!' story
A couple of weeks back, while Hooty was using the toilet;
N: “I hold my penis when I pee.”
Me: (Utterly shocked, but not showing it) “No darling. You can’t. Only boys have a penis and girls don’t.”
N: “Noooooooo. I have one!”
Me: (Groaning to my self and wondering how far I should go since Child Experts advice parents to teach kids (from 2 years onwards) the proper names for body parts.) “No darling. Only boys have one. Girls just have a ‘wee- wee’.” (Yeah, yeah, I know it was a pathetic attempt, but I just couldn’t bring my self to tell her the proper word for what she has!!
I am just wondering how many more of these kinds of conversations I will have with her before prematurely turning grey ;o)
N: “I hold my penis when I pee.”
Me: (Utterly shocked, but not showing it) “No darling. You can’t. Only boys have a penis and girls don’t.”
N: “Noooooooo. I have one!”
Me: (Groaning to my self and wondering how far I should go since Child Experts advice parents to teach kids (from 2 years onwards) the proper names for body parts.) “No darling. Only boys have one. Girls just have a ‘wee- wee’.” (Yeah, yeah, I know it was a pathetic attempt, but I just couldn’t bring my self to tell her the proper word for what she has!!
I am just wondering how many more of these kinds of conversations I will have with her before prematurely turning grey ;o)
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Play-Mate
Hooty now has a play-date every Saturday with a neighbor’s grandson, Kevin, who also attends the same daycare as my daughter. He would come over around nine in the morning and call out “Hootyeeeeeee,” and my daughter would rush out, still in her nightdress.
They would play all sorts of games until around 2.00 pm when Hooty has to have her afternoon nap, and Kevin’s father comes over to take him back home. Kevin’s Grandma would come over with his lunch or we would feed him along with Hooty .
With all the playing, there would be occasional fighting too. Mainly initiated by Hooty in a bout of jealousy over sharing her toys. But Kevin is such a gentle fellow, and being five years old and ‘mature’ than Hooty , he would give in most of the time. When Kevin’s grandma hears the commotion, she immediately comes over with a bag of sweets (much to our annoyance ;o) as a way of conflict resolution! We have no way of asking her not to, as she does not speak a word of English and we mainly communicate with grunts and gestures!
I am so thankful for little Kevin for coming over and playing, as it makes it easier for Huuby and myself to do all the housework on Saturday and it keeps Hooty a happy girl!
They would play all sorts of games until around 2.00 pm when Hooty has to have her afternoon nap, and Kevin’s father comes over to take him back home. Kevin’s Grandma would come over with his lunch or we would feed him along with Hooty .
With all the playing, there would be occasional fighting too. Mainly initiated by Hooty in a bout of jealousy over sharing her toys. But Kevin is such a gentle fellow, and being five years old and ‘mature’ than Hooty , he would give in most of the time. When Kevin’s grandma hears the commotion, she immediately comes over with a bag of sweets (much to our annoyance ;o) as a way of conflict resolution! We have no way of asking her not to, as she does not speak a word of English and we mainly communicate with grunts and gestures!
I am so thankful for little Kevin for coming over and playing, as it makes it easier for Huuby and myself to do all the housework on Saturday and it keeps Hooty a happy girl!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Dance Baby Dance!
Hooty ’s school had the end-of-year concert last week. Oh boy! Was I exited or what! Armed with a camera and a camcorder, Hubby and I sat on the third row, ready to capture every single moment of our daughter’s first ever public performance.
As I sat there I got misty eyes even thinking about my baby on stage, performing. And then the concert started. It was hilarious! Apart from the utterly unsynchronized movements, there were kids doing all sorts of funny things on stage - some were doing their own thing, some were waving to their parents upon spotting them and some would call out “Hi Mommy!! Hi Daddy!!” (Hooty ’s playmate Kevin even called out “Hi Hooty Daddy, Hi Hooty Mommy!!)
When my daughters class came on stage dancing to the song “Lollipop,” I forgot to feel all maternal and become teary eyed because I was doubled up with laughter looking at the little girl besides Hooty , doing all sorts of things - like looking for glitter on the stage floor and scratching her little bum – than dancing!
Hooty was perfect. She followed all the dance steps so well. (Even a few teachers commented how well Hooty performs and how well she follows instructions). I am mighty proud of my baby, but it was oh so much more fun watching the others!
As I sat there I got misty eyes even thinking about my baby on stage, performing. And then the concert started. It was hilarious! Apart from the utterly unsynchronized movements, there were kids doing all sorts of funny things on stage - some were doing their own thing, some were waving to their parents upon spotting them and some would call out “Hi Mommy!! Hi Daddy!!” (Hooty ’s playmate Kevin even called out “Hi Hooty Daddy, Hi Hooty Mommy!!)
When my daughters class came on stage dancing to the song “Lollipop,” I forgot to feel all maternal and become teary eyed because I was doubled up with laughter looking at the little girl besides Hooty , doing all sorts of things - like looking for glitter on the stage floor and scratching her little bum – than dancing!
Hooty was perfect. She followed all the dance steps so well. (Even a few teachers commented how well Hooty performs and how well she follows instructions). I am mighty proud of my baby, but it was oh so much more fun watching the others!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Close Shave
A few stories that involves Hooty and Shaving:
Story 1:
This happened when Hubs’s parents were in Singapore a couple of months back. Hub’s father (Hooty ’s Muththa) was in the bathroom shaving.
Hooty looks in and says:
“Muththa, Thaathis (Dads) shave their faces. Ammis (Moms) shave their legs!”
(I’m hoping that Muththa didn’t hear this piece of information ;o)
Story 2:
Hubby was putting on aftershave after a shave.
Hooty : “Thaaththi, why are you putting that on”
Hubby: “Well, it makes my face feel better”
Hooty : “Mmmm.. Thaaththi, you smell like a flower!”
(I am sure this is not what Hubby nor the producer of the aftershave wanted to hear ;o)
Story 1:
This happened when Hubs’s parents were in Singapore a couple of months back. Hub’s father (Hooty ’s Muththa) was in the bathroom shaving.
Hooty looks in and says:
“Muththa, Thaathis (Dads) shave their faces. Ammis (Moms) shave their legs!”
(I’m hoping that Muththa didn’t hear this piece of information ;o)
Story 2:
Hubby was putting on aftershave after a shave.
Hooty : “Thaaththi, why are you putting that on”
Hubby: “Well, it makes my face feel better”
Hooty : “Mmmm.. Thaaththi, you smell like a flower!”
(I am sure this is not what Hubby nor the producer of the aftershave wanted to hear ;o)
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Nothing Fishy About It
I remembered watching a BBC documentary (Child of Our Time) on the benefits of fish oil and it's effects on a child's behaviour, a long time ago.
As my little daughter is a bit on the naughty side, with at least one mega tantrum a week, a few weeks ago, I suggested to Hubby that we try giving her some fish oil to see if it calms her down.
Now I am a total believer in its effects. It works!!! It really does! Hooty has not had a single tantrum for the past two weeks. She is sweeter and milder. Mornings are pleasant now and so are bed times.
So, yo! tantrums! Go fish I say!!
As my little daughter is a bit on the naughty side, with at least one mega tantrum a week, a few weeks ago, I suggested to Hubby that we try giving her some fish oil to see if it calms her down.
Now I am a total believer in its effects. It works!!! It really does! Hooty has not had a single tantrum for the past two weeks. She is sweeter and milder. Mornings are pleasant now and so are bed times.
So, yo! tantrums! Go fish I say!!
Friday, October 12, 2007
A Fairy-tale
Hooty loves pretending to be a princess. One such day she comes up to me and says;
H: “Ammi I’ll be the Princess”
Me : “OK”
H: “Thaaththi will be the King”
Me : “OK”
H: “You be the Wicked Stepmother”
Me : “OK”
H: “But don’t be wicked to me OK? Be wicked to the King!”
What else could I say but “OK”! ;o)
H: “Ammi I’ll be the Princess”
Me : “OK”
H: “Thaaththi will be the King”
Me : “OK”
H: “You be the Wicked Stepmother”
Me : “OK”
H: “But don’t be wicked to me OK? Be wicked to the King!”
What else could I say but “OK”! ;o)
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
More Chantings
Adding on to my previous entry, here are some other things Hooty wished on us last week while carrying on her chanting. I think she tries to think of the meanest possible thing that can happen to us when we reprimand her! I hope it’s just a phase she is going through!!
“Spiderman will get you!” (Yep, the black and red one)
“Cockroaches will get you!" (Hopefully not the flying kind)
“A Kukuchiyaw* would get you!” (Don’t ask! No idea what kind of creature this is)
“A crocodile will get you!” (Hope it’s like the one in Peter Pan)
“The policeman will get you!” (Hopefully this one would be a cute fella)
“I will throw away all your cloths!” (Ah! And I will feel the breeze while going around!)
Note: (Inserted on 10/10/2007)
* Oh-oh! Just learnt what 'Kukuchiyaw' means from my colleague. Apparently it a word in Chinese (actually a dialect of Mandarin) used to describe the body part Hooty mistook for an elephant!
“Spiderman will get you!” (Yep, the black and red one)
“Cockroaches will get you!" (Hopefully not the flying kind)
“A Kukuchiyaw* would get you!” (Don’t ask! No idea what kind of creature this is)
“A crocodile will get you!” (Hope it’s like the one in Peter Pan)
“The policeman will get you!” (Hopefully this one would be a cute fella)
“I will throw away all your cloths!” (Ah! And I will feel the breeze while going around!)
Note: (Inserted on 10/10/2007)
* Oh-oh! Just learnt what 'Kukuchiyaw' means from my colleague. Apparently it a word in Chinese (actually a dialect of Mandarin) used to describe the body part Hooty mistook for an elephant!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Chantings
Hooty ’s learning quite a lot of undesirable stuff from school. Now, whenever we would ask her to behave, she would go in to a long rumble which would sound something like this (which I am sure is what the kids at school say and do, as I see no other source for her come up with something like this):
“I don’t like you!
I don’t like you! (Sob, sob….)
You make me sad!
I don’t like you!
Oooh whaoooooo
You will be punived (punished)
Sob..sob..sob……
I am going to call Spiderman, the red and black one!
(Mind you, she hasn’t seen a red and black one let alone the red-only one!
We haven’t even seen adds for it on T.V as far as I can recall!)
And he will get you!
I don’t love you!
Boo hooo hoooooooooo
I don’t want to be your friend!
I don’t like you…
I don’t like youuuuuuuuu..
Sob sob sob…
When I grow up, I am going to go to the other room!
(that’s not very far, I was thinking ;o)
I won’t stay with Ammi and Thaaththi!!
Booo hooo hoooooooooooo
You don’t say 'sorry' to me!!!
Say ‘sorry’ to meeeeeeeee
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa
I don’t like you!!!”
And on and on it goes.
Yesterday just before bed-time she started her chantings after I refused to let her play with my necklace. After asking her to stop the nonsense and come to bed, Hubby and I ignored her. After going on for a while, she must have got sick of carrying on like that. Then, she has the nerve to come up to me and say, “Ammi, you say sorry first, then I will say sorry!” Can you believe that?
After explaining to her that I did nothing wrong to say 'sorry' to her, I went back to ignoring her while she went back to her chanting.
Again after a while she comes to bed and says, “Ammi, can you say a tiny little ‘sorry’ to me and then I will stop?”
Oh well, they do say ‘don’t sweat the small stuff.’ So, I said a tiny ‘sorry,’ and she said a big one, and we finally went to sleep, peacefully.
“I don’t like you!
I don’t like you! (Sob, sob….)
You make me sad!
I don’t like you!
Oooh whaoooooo
You will be punived (punished)
Sob..sob..sob……
I am going to call Spiderman, the red and black one!
(Mind you, she hasn’t seen a red and black one let alone the red-only one!
We haven’t even seen adds for it on T.V as far as I can recall!)
And he will get you!
I don’t love you!
Boo hooo hoooooooooo
I don’t want to be your friend!
I don’t like you…
I don’t like youuuuuuuuu..
Sob sob sob…
When I grow up, I am going to go to the other room!
(that’s not very far, I was thinking ;o)
I won’t stay with Ammi and Thaaththi!!
Booo hooo hoooooooooooo
You don’t say 'sorry' to me!!!
Say ‘sorry’ to meeeeeeeee
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa
I don’t like you!!!”
And on and on it goes.
Yesterday just before bed-time she started her chantings after I refused to let her play with my necklace. After asking her to stop the nonsense and come to bed, Hubby and I ignored her. After going on for a while, she must have got sick of carrying on like that. Then, she has the nerve to come up to me and say, “Ammi, you say sorry first, then I will say sorry!” Can you believe that?
After explaining to her that I did nothing wrong to say 'sorry' to her, I went back to ignoring her while she went back to her chanting.
Again after a while she comes to bed and says, “Ammi, can you say a tiny little ‘sorry’ to me and then I will stop?”
Oh well, they do say ‘don’t sweat the small stuff.’ So, I said a tiny ‘sorry,’ and she said a big one, and we finally went to sleep, peacefully.
Friday, September 21, 2007
A Stinky Poo
Hooty was a bit under the whether the last few days. She had stomach flu and was throwing up quite a bit. Now she is all better and back at school. But we still have a slight problem from her illness—she has been passing wind like a choo choo train, and believe me they stink to the high heavens! (I’m sure the celestial beings have all donned masks by now!)
Believe me folks, it’s so bad that when ever a slight whiff comes our way, Hubby and I immediately dive for a pillow, cushion or piece of cloth in the vicinity to cover our long suffering noses!
So, while being treated to the highly noxious fumes once again yesterday evening, I was suddenly reminded that her fellow beings at the day care too would have been treated to them generously.
Me: “Did you poo in school too darling?”
N: (With a sly grin on her face) “Yeeeeeeeees”
Me : “Did anybody say anything?”
N: “Nooooo…..Yu-Anne said ‘Oooh who poo pooed?’” (She and I were both giggling by this time.)
Me : “So, did you say it was you?”
N : “Nooooooo…I was too shy!”
So, while saying bye to her this morning, I said a silent prayer for Yu-Anne and all her friends, as Hooty is still going strong being a choo choo train!
Believe me folks, it’s so bad that when ever a slight whiff comes our way, Hubby and I immediately dive for a pillow, cushion or piece of cloth in the vicinity to cover our long suffering noses!
So, while being treated to the highly noxious fumes once again yesterday evening, I was suddenly reminded that her fellow beings at the day care too would have been treated to them generously.
Me: “Did you poo in school too darling?”
N: (With a sly grin on her face) “Yeeeeeeeees”
Me : “Did anybody say anything?”
N: “Nooooo…..Yu-Anne said ‘Oooh who poo pooed?’” (She and I were both giggling by this time.)
Me : “So, did you say it was you?”
N : “Nooooooo…I was too shy!”
So, while saying bye to her this morning, I said a silent prayer for Yu-Anne and all her friends, as Hooty is still going strong being a choo choo train!
Friday, September 7, 2007
One for the 'Small People'
Hooty loves to operate touch screens. So, whenever we top-up our travelling cards or use the ATM machines, Hooty gets to pick the options by pressing the buttons. Being a Lilliputian, we usually have to hoist her up to do this. So imagine her delight when Hubby took her to an ATM machine that was built in fairly low in the wall. She just had to stand on tiptoes to reach the screen.
So, she had delightfully repeated this statement several times:
“Look Thaaththi, it’s for small people! They made it for small people!”
Hey, people who install ATM’s—please take the ‘small people’ into consideration as well in future—if just to see the sweet delight in their faces!
So, she had delightfully repeated this statement several times:
“Look Thaaththi, it’s for small people! They made it for small people!”
Hey, people who install ATM’s—please take the ‘small people’ into consideration as well in future—if just to see the sweet delight in their faces!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Ambition
Hooty’s life’s ambition has been finally revealed to us!
We were on our way to a friend’s wedding in a cab when Hooty suddenly declared that she wants to be a taxi driver when she grows up!
She also said, “I want to be a Barney-Mummy when I grow up.” Oh well, I guess being a purple mom to a giant baby of a dinosaur, while driving a cab, is not too bad an ambition to have!
We were on our way to a friend’s wedding in a cab when Hooty suddenly declared that she wants to be a taxi driver when she grows up!
She also said, “I want to be a Barney-Mummy when I grow up.” Oh well, I guess being a purple mom to a giant baby of a dinosaur, while driving a cab, is not too bad an ambition to have!
Monday, August 27, 2007
'How many dollars are you?'
Hooty has a bit of a problem when it comes to any form of measurement. When she was two, when ever someone asked her age, she would say, ‘Two dollars.” Now, she would correctly say that she is three years old.
Last week she was playing ‘Doctor’ with Hubby and me. She poked the plastic toy ear-thermometer in my ear and claimed that my temperature is “Seventy five dollars!” (I guess I am surviving by some miracle if that’s the case!) Hubby was told that his temperature was “Five dollars.” (Pretty cold case ha?)
I think she associates any measurement with dollars, because even when checking her weight on the bathroom scales, she would announce an arbitrary number as her weight coupled with the word ‘dollars.’ This applies to her height chart as well.
Then there is the question of time. Anything that happened from yesterday to 3 years back would be termed as –yep—yesterday! So, she would go, “Yesterday, when I was a little baby, I couldn't talk!”
When it’s time for her to go to bed, she would sometimes ask, “Is it past 8’o clock?”—as in the nursery rhyme ‘Wee willy winky.’
I wonder when children actually start comprehending time. Does it suddenly occur to them that the day is divided into these small units called hours? Or do they just think that morning follows afternoon and then night until they start school and actually learn these things for a fact?
Last week she was playing ‘Doctor’ with Hubby and me. She poked the plastic toy ear-thermometer in my ear and claimed that my temperature is “Seventy five dollars!” (I guess I am surviving by some miracle if that’s the case!) Hubby was told that his temperature was “Five dollars.” (Pretty cold case ha?)
I think she associates any measurement with dollars, because even when checking her weight on the bathroom scales, she would announce an arbitrary number as her weight coupled with the word ‘dollars.’ This applies to her height chart as well.
Then there is the question of time. Anything that happened from yesterday to 3 years back would be termed as –yep—yesterday! So, she would go, “Yesterday, when I was a little baby, I couldn't talk!”
When it’s time for her to go to bed, she would sometimes ask, “Is it past 8’o clock?”—as in the nursery rhyme ‘Wee willy winky.’
I wonder when children actually start comprehending time. Does it suddenly occur to them that the day is divided into these small units called hours? Or do they just think that morning follows afternoon and then night until they start school and actually learn these things for a fact?
Monday, August 13, 2007
Poop Stories
Last week my Mom-in-law recounted this story about Hooty ’s cousin, who is about 6 months older than her. He had come up to my Mom-in-law and had said, “Athamma, I put an umbrella!”. Being extremely puzzled by this declaration, she had asked, “What do you mean darling?” and he had replied, “I did an umbrella, a ‘ooh’, a ‘ooh’.”
So, to solve the big mystery, she had followed the little fellow, who had proudly shown her the newly…um...laid poop in the shape of the letter U!! Of course, we all know 'U is for Umbrella' ;o)
Now, Hooty too takes huge pride in the shape and size of her excrement!!
She would scream at the top her voice asking Hubby and me to come and take a look at her you-know-what. She would say:
“Thaaththi! Ammi! I did a BIG one! Come and see,” and she wouldn’t stop until we would (with wrinkled up faces) go take a peak into the toilet bowl! (Yeah! Yeah! One of the many perks of being a parent! —You are treated to visual and other sensory delights!!)
So, yesterday, while sitting on the throne, Hooty suddenly screeched, “Ammi! Thaaththi! Look! I put a bird!” and poor Hubby and I had to go take a look. My daughter sure has a lot of imagination I must say! It certainly looked like a bird. I mean there it was, one piece lying vertically while the other horizontally, forming the ‘wings’ of the ‘bird’!
Then, a few minutes after, she goes, “Look everybody! I put a crocodile!”
I refused to go this time saying, “Call me once you’ve done a whole zoo!” but poor Hubby had to go take a look and he claimed that it did indeed look like a crock with its mouth open wide!
So, to solve the big mystery, she had followed the little fellow, who had proudly shown her the newly…um...laid poop in the shape of the letter U!! Of course, we all know 'U is for Umbrella' ;o)
Now, Hooty too takes huge pride in the shape and size of her excrement!!
She would scream at the top her voice asking Hubby and me to come and take a look at her you-know-what. She would say:
“Thaaththi! Ammi! I did a BIG one! Come and see,” and she wouldn’t stop until we would (with wrinkled up faces) go take a peak into the toilet bowl! (Yeah! Yeah! One of the many perks of being a parent! —You are treated to visual and other sensory delights!!)
So, yesterday, while sitting on the throne, Hooty suddenly screeched, “Ammi! Thaaththi! Look! I put a bird!” and poor Hubby and I had to go take a look. My daughter sure has a lot of imagination I must say! It certainly looked like a bird. I mean there it was, one piece lying vertically while the other horizontally, forming the ‘wings’ of the ‘bird’!
Then, a few minutes after, she goes, “Look everybody! I put a crocodile!”
I refused to go this time saying, “Call me once you’ve done a whole zoo!” but poor Hubby had to go take a look and he claimed that it did indeed look like a crock with its mouth open wide!
Monday, August 6, 2007
And Here Comes Muththa
Well, it was time to welcome ‘Muththa’ (Grandpa – Hubby’s dad) last Friday. He arrived around 7.00 p.m. and Hubby went to pick him up from the airport after work. In the morning, before going off to school, Hooty had asked Hubby if he was going to pick Muththa up, and Hubby had said, “Yes,” to which Hooty had said, “Don’t forget to take Hooty , Thaaththi!”
Hubby phoned me beforehand to let me know that they were on their way. Hooty got so exited, that I had to take her up to the lift to welcome Muththa. The moment the lift doors opened she ran to Muththa and gave him a big hug. Muththa was so (pleasantly) surprised that he dropped the duty free liquor bottle he was carrying! ;o)
From baby-hood, Muththa has been a firm favourite of Hooty’s and nothing seems to have changed even after a year of last seeing him. Hooty resumed their relationship from where they left off with such ease.
It’s been a busy weekend for all of us, going sightseeing with Aththamma and Muththa, with Hooty enjoying every second of it (well, almost, apart from all those every other second where she fuzzes, frets and becomes a pain in the you-know-what!)
That reminds me of a new ‘Aththamma Story’: Hooty dislikes sharing her food, specially sweets or snacks with Aththamma. You have to coax her to give up some of her goodies. Last Thursday, she was eating some sweets and Aththamma asked for some. Hooty was not too happy about it of course! So, she thought for a bit and came up with a very good excuse. She very solemnly declared, “Aththamma, you have a tummy-ache. You can’t eat sweets!”
How’s that for a little cunning rascal!
Hubby phoned me beforehand to let me know that they were on their way. Hooty got so exited, that I had to take her up to the lift to welcome Muththa. The moment the lift doors opened she ran to Muththa and gave him a big hug. Muththa was so (pleasantly) surprised that he dropped the duty free liquor bottle he was carrying! ;o)
From baby-hood, Muththa has been a firm favourite of Hooty’s and nothing seems to have changed even after a year of last seeing him. Hooty resumed their relationship from where they left off with such ease.
It’s been a busy weekend for all of us, going sightseeing with Aththamma and Muththa, with Hooty enjoying every second of it (well, almost, apart from all those every other second where she fuzzes, frets and becomes a pain in the you-know-what!)
That reminds me of a new ‘Aththamma Story’: Hooty dislikes sharing her food, specially sweets or snacks with Aththamma. You have to coax her to give up some of her goodies. Last Thursday, she was eating some sweets and Aththamma asked for some. Hooty was not too happy about it of course! So, she thought for a bit and came up with a very good excuse. She very solemnly declared, “Aththamma, you have a tummy-ache. You can’t eat sweets!”
How’s that for a little cunning rascal!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Fun with Grandma
Hooty is getting quite attached to Aththamma. Of course there are bouts of rude behaviour towards her whenever Hubby and I are around, but she is generally having a thorough time having fun with Aththamma.
I can’t imagine the amount of energy my mom-in-law seems to have. She can come down to the level of a three year old and play for hours without getting tired. I guess this is generally the case with grandmas and grandpas, as they don’t have any other things to distract them, unlike parents who have housework, jobs and various other responsibilities to juggle with.
Aththamma and Hooty would play for hours being a princess and a gypsy girl! Hooty of course being the princess and Aththamma being the gypsy girl [I have no idea how this came about ;o)]. Hooty would wear one of my night -dresses and Aththamma would wear all sorts of paraphernalia (including cloth pegs!) on her hair and ears.
Another game they’ve come up with is: Aththamma would play various musical toys while Hooty would dance till she drops. And all this is done on the common corridor of our flats. (Lord knows what the neighbours must be thinking!)
Yesterday, Hooty even refused to come home with me, but preferred to stay with Aththamma in the park, which shows the remarkable improvement on their relationship.
I really wish Hooty could have more time with both her sets of grandparents and I am counting the days that we could let her have her fill of fun with them once we go back to Sri Lanka.
I can’t imagine the amount of energy my mom-in-law seems to have. She can come down to the level of a three year old and play for hours without getting tired. I guess this is generally the case with grandmas and grandpas, as they don’t have any other things to distract them, unlike parents who have housework, jobs and various other responsibilities to juggle with.
Aththamma and Hooty would play for hours being a princess and a gypsy girl! Hooty of course being the princess and Aththamma being the gypsy girl [I have no idea how this came about ;o)]. Hooty would wear one of my night -dresses and Aththamma would wear all sorts of paraphernalia (including cloth pegs!) on her hair and ears.
Another game they’ve come up with is: Aththamma would play various musical toys while Hooty would dance till she drops. And all this is done on the common corridor of our flats. (Lord knows what the neighbours must be thinking!)
Yesterday, Hooty even refused to come home with me, but preferred to stay with Aththamma in the park, which shows the remarkable improvement on their relationship.
I really wish Hooty could have more time with both her sets of grandparents and I am counting the days that we could let her have her fill of fun with them once we go back to Sri Lanka.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Surprises!
Hub’s birthday is coming up. So, me with my big ideas, decided to surprise him. Last Thursday, I got Hooty all exited and got her to draw a couple of birthday cards for daddy boy. And I told her, “Let's surprise Thaaththi on his birthday,” and we hid the cards. Mind you, I explained as best as I could that they will be kept hidden until the actual birthday and that she can surprise Thaaththi then.
And what happened?
Hubby got back from work. Barely managed to open the door, only to be jumped on by a whirlwind of a Hooty shouting, “Surprise Thaaththi!! I made cards for you for your Birthday!!”
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! Well, that was the end of that surprise!
And you thought I’d give up?
Oh No! With hope still in my heart that I might be able to still salvage it, I went to the stationary shop down the road and bought two cards. One for me, and Hooty selected her own card. When Hubby came home, there was no mention of any card and I sighed in relief.
However, Hubby had to go down to bring bread in the evening, and he took Hooty with him. After they came home, and after the usual bedtime procedures, while lying in bed, my hubby says, “So, you bought two cards for me for my birthday as a surprise ha?” While laughing, he said this is how the conversation went;
Hooty : “Thaaththi your birthday is coming soon!”
Hubs: “Nope.” (Hubby says he just said this to avoid a "cake converstion" which he thought would take place if he said 'yes'.)
Hooty : "It is! It is coming soon. That's why Ammi got birthday cards for you. Ammi got one card and I also got one card."
Hubs: “Wow! Really? How nice!!! From where did you get the cards darling?”
Hooty : "From that shop...."
Gaaaaaaaaaaaah! How was I to know they’d end up in the same store!!
And what happened?
Hubby got back from work. Barely managed to open the door, only to be jumped on by a whirlwind of a Hooty shouting, “Surprise Thaaththi!! I made cards for you for your Birthday!!”
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! Well, that was the end of that surprise!
And you thought I’d give up?
Oh No! With hope still in my heart that I might be able to still salvage it, I went to the stationary shop down the road and bought two cards. One for me, and Hooty selected her own card. When Hubby came home, there was no mention of any card and I sighed in relief.
However, Hubby had to go down to bring bread in the evening, and he took Hooty with him. After they came home, and after the usual bedtime procedures, while lying in bed, my hubby says, “So, you bought two cards for me for my birthday as a surprise ha?” While laughing, he said this is how the conversation went;
Hooty : “Thaaththi your birthday is coming soon!”
Hubs: “Nope.” (Hubby says he just said this to avoid a "cake converstion" which he thought would take place if he said 'yes'.)
Hooty : "It is! It is coming soon. That's why Ammi got birthday cards for you. Ammi got one card and I also got one card."
Hubs: “Wow! Really? How nice!!! From where did you get the cards darling?”
Hooty : "From that shop...."
Gaaaaaaaaaaaah! How was I to know they’d end up in the same store!!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Welcoming Grandma
Hubby’s Mom is here with us for about a month. Hooty had not seen her “Aththamma” for about a year now. We however tried to keep her memory alive by showing pictures or playing question-answer games which went something like;
Us: “Who is Thaaththi’s Mummy?”
And Hooty would shout out “Aththamma!
“Who is Ammi’s Thaaththi?”, and she would go “Kiri Aththa!”, and so on and on.
Before Aththamma arrived we got Hooty exited by reminding her everyday by exclaiming, “Guess who is coming soon! It’s going to be so much fun when Aththamma come”, etc.
So, by the time the actual day of Aththama’s arrival came, Hooty was quite exited and looking forward to welcoming her.
Hubs and Hooty went to pick her up from the air-port and Hubby told me that Hooty ran to Aththamma and gave her a big hug (which by the way, she had been practicing for a couple of days).
And when I called to see how it had gone I heard Hooty chatting non-stop over the phone and even when she got home, she was really exited and was talking non-stop.
It’s been two days since Aththamma has been with us, and Hooty is quite pally with her. Of course, there are bouts of jealousy when Aththamma gets too chatty with me, and Hooty becomes rude.
I think I’ll have loads of Aththamma stories in the days to come. So stay tuned folks ;o)
Us: “Who is Thaaththi’s Mummy?”
And Hooty would shout out “Aththamma!
“Who is Ammi’s Thaaththi?”, and she would go “Kiri Aththa!”, and so on and on.
Before Aththamma arrived we got Hooty exited by reminding her everyday by exclaiming, “Guess who is coming soon! It’s going to be so much fun when Aththamma come”, etc.
So, by the time the actual day of Aththama’s arrival came, Hooty was quite exited and looking forward to welcoming her.
Hubs and Hooty went to pick her up from the air-port and Hubby told me that Hooty ran to Aththamma and gave her a big hug (which by the way, she had been practicing for a couple of days).
And when I called to see how it had gone I heard Hooty chatting non-stop over the phone and even when she got home, she was really exited and was talking non-stop.
It’s been two days since Aththamma has been with us, and Hooty is quite pally with her. Of course, there are bouts of jealousy when Aththamma gets too chatty with me, and Hooty becomes rude.
I think I’ll have loads of Aththamma stories in the days to come. So stay tuned folks ;o)
Friday, July 6, 2007
Hooty, Hooty Quite Contrary
Hooty has this habit of disagreeing with us when ever possible:
When offered a packet of milk from the fridge – “I want hot milky”
When we offer to give her warm milk – “No! I want cold milky”
When a pyjama is given – “I want a nighty”
When a pyjama with stripes is given – “No! I want the one with spots!”
When I offer to wash her – “I want Thaaththi to wash me”
When Hubby offers to dress her – “No! I want Ammi to dress me”
When an Apple is offered – “I want an Orange”
When an Orange is offered – “I want Orange Juice!”
When blue sandals are given to wear (if it matches what she is wearing) – “I want the pink shoes!”
When asked to tie her hair – “No! I don’t want to!”
Oooooooooh the list goes on and on and on and on and………
Now do you see how tantrums are a part of our lives. It’s all about control. Hooty hates to loose control of a situation. She always wants it her way, and when it doesn’t happen…..heaven help us!
When offered a packet of milk from the fridge – “I want hot milky”
When we offer to give her warm milk – “No! I want cold milky”
When a pyjama is given – “I want a nighty”
When a pyjama with stripes is given – “No! I want the one with spots!”
When I offer to wash her – “I want Thaaththi to wash me”
When Hubby offers to dress her – “No! I want Ammi to dress me”
When an Apple is offered – “I want an Orange”
When an Orange is offered – “I want Orange Juice!”
When blue sandals are given to wear (if it matches what she is wearing) – “I want the pink shoes!”
When asked to tie her hair – “No! I don’t want to!”
Oooooooooh the list goes on and on and on and on and………
Now do you see how tantrums are a part of our lives. It’s all about control. Hooty hates to loose control of a situation. She always wants it her way, and when it doesn’t happen…..heaven help us!
Monday, July 2, 2007
Perspective
Hooty is used to travelling on the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) in Singapore, which is similar to the tube in London and the Subway in USA. Basically it's a train ;o)
Singapore also has a LRT (Light Rapid Transit) which is a single train-car which is a localised rail system from neighbourhoods that act as feeder services to the MRT. Hooty is not too familiar with the LRT as we don't have a station close to where we live.
Last week, while on our way to a friends place, we saw a LRT and quickly pointed it out to Hooty saying, "Look, look, there's a train".
She took one look at the single car and gravely informed us that "No. It's not a train. It's just a broken piece!".
Singapore also has a LRT (Light Rapid Transit) which is a single train-car which is a localised rail system from neighbourhoods that act as feeder services to the MRT. Hooty is not too familiar with the LRT as we don't have a station close to where we live.
Last week, while on our way to a friends place, we saw a LRT and quickly pointed it out to Hooty saying, "Look, look, there's a train".
She took one look at the single car and gravely informed us that "No. It's not a train. It's just a broken piece!".
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Worry Wart
Today my baby went on a Field trip from her day care to the Jurong Bird Park. Now I know why my mother was for ever looking at the time and reciting the time table of the trip and for ever saying "I wonder what they are doing now", when ever one of us went on a school trip. Because, I feel like doing the same. When you entrust your kids with someone other than your self, all the horror stories splash before your eyes...of kids getting lost, kids getting hurt....
So dear teacher,
Please look after my baby well....
Don't let her wonder off alone....
Don't let her fall down....
Don't let her get hurt in any way....
Don't let her get dehydrated....
Don't let a stranger talk to her....
Don't let a bird peck her!....
Please let her come back to me all safe and sound, full of stories of how much fun she had, what she saw, how annoying some of the other kids were, and how she would like to do it again....
So dear teacher,
Please look after my baby well....
Don't let her wonder off alone....
Don't let her fall down....
Don't let her get hurt in any way....
Don't let her get dehydrated....
Don't let a stranger talk to her....
Don't let a bird peck her!....
Please let her come back to me all safe and sound, full of stories of how much fun she had, what she saw, how annoying some of the other kids were, and how she would like to do it again....
Monday, June 25, 2007
A Weighty Issue
Hooty came in to the room carrying the bathroom scale. She demanded Hubby to keep his feet on it. Mind you Hooty was sitting on the bed, so she placed it at his feet and asked him to "get on it".
When asked what she was doing, she said, "I'm checking your time, Thaaththi".
After being satisfied with Thaaththi's 'time', she came over to me and asked me to place my feet on the scale.
After looking at the reading, she sombrely told me that my 'time' was 75! Maybe I should be thinking about reducing my 'time'!
When asked what she was doing, she said, "I'm checking your time, Thaaththi".
After being satisfied with Thaaththi's 'time', she came over to me and asked me to place my feet on the scale.
After looking at the reading, she sombrely told me that my 'time' was 75! Maybe I should be thinking about reducing my 'time'!
Friday, June 22, 2007
A Doggy Tale
We went for dinner at a friend's place last Tuesday. He has a lovely pug and Hooty was extremely fascinated with her.
She was so exited by the fact that the dog seems to like her, that she was talking about it non-stop, going on and on about how the doggy was following her.
She would sit on the floor and the little fellow would come over and lick her face. Hooty would squeal in delight, "Oooooooh! she's kissing me!"
She would also walk around the table and try to get the dog to follow. It was a pleasure to see her excitement and delight and I was glad that from a young age my daughter can love her fellow creatures and take delight in them.
One thing I promised my self is that I will get her a puppy or a kitty as soon as we go back to Sri Lanka.
She was so exited by the fact that the dog seems to like her, that she was talking about it non-stop, going on and on about how the doggy was following her.
She would sit on the floor and the little fellow would come over and lick her face. Hooty would squeal in delight, "Oooooooh! she's kissing me!"
She would also walk around the table and try to get the dog to follow. It was a pleasure to see her excitement and delight and I was glad that from a young age my daughter can love her fellow creatures and take delight in them.
One thing I promised my self is that I will get her a puppy or a kitty as soon as we go back to Sri Lanka.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Warm Welcome
We went to Phuket, Thailand, last Wednesday night and came back yesterday (Sun). What a glorious trip. (Will blog about the whole thing soon - once I find some time!)
When my husband dropped Hooty at day care today, all the kids had cried "Hooty !!" and had welcomed baby like a long lost friend! Wish I was there to see it.
When my husband dropped Hooty at day care today, all the kids had cried "Hooty !!" and had welcomed baby like a long lost friend! Wish I was there to see it.
Note:
posted much much later...OK forgot to blog about the trip...instead let me load some pictures. After all a pictures worth a thousand words, so they say. so here's 4000 words ;0)
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Big Tantrum
Yesterday, just before going to bed Hooty had a huge tantrum. As usual it started with asking her to brush her teeth. She refused saying she wants to wash her hair first. I said, "No!", upon which she started screaming and crying.
Hubby took her to the 'naughty spot' and made her sit on it for a while. All this time Miss. Hooty was screaming her head off. I wonder what the neighbours were thinking.
Hooty absolutely does not want to be told what to do. When the screaming stops for a while and we ask her to say sorry and brush her teeth, she comes up with another excuse and starts screaming again. She absolutely does not want to give in and wants to have an upper hand in deciding what should be done.
In between all the screaming when ever we went into get her to say "Sorry" and brush her teeth, she would say "Peow! peow!"
So, the tantrum went on for 40 long minutes, by the end of which both Hubby and I were exhausted. Finally managed to get her to brush her teeth; but, that too she tried to make it as difficult as possible, for example when I tried to brush, she'd say "It's my turn to brush", and when I tried to wash, "Don't wash my butt! only wash my neck", and so on it went.
Finally go her into bed. Before that, we confiscated her favourite toy, 'Max the dog', refused to read her a bed-time story and Hubby didn't come to bed with her for 'one-minute'.
I too didn't take much notice of her while she was nodding off. After thinking for a while, she finally gave me a kiss and said "I am sorry Ammi!"
Hubby took her to the 'naughty spot' and made her sit on it for a while. All this time Miss. Hooty was screaming her head off. I wonder what the neighbours were thinking.
Hooty absolutely does not want to be told what to do. When the screaming stops for a while and we ask her to say sorry and brush her teeth, she comes up with another excuse and starts screaming again. She absolutely does not want to give in and wants to have an upper hand in deciding what should be done.
In between all the screaming when ever we went into get her to say "Sorry" and brush her teeth, she would say "Peow! peow!"
So, the tantrum went on for 40 long minutes, by the end of which both Hubby and I were exhausted. Finally managed to get her to brush her teeth; but, that too she tried to make it as difficult as possible, for example when I tried to brush, she'd say "It's my turn to brush", and when I tried to wash, "Don't wash my butt! only wash my neck", and so on it went.
Finally go her into bed. Before that, we confiscated her favourite toy, 'Max the dog', refused to read her a bed-time story and Hubby didn't come to bed with her for 'one-minute'.
I too didn't take much notice of her while she was nodding off. After thinking for a while, she finally gave me a kiss and said "I am sorry Ammi!"
Sunday, April 1, 2007
'Singlish'
Boo hoo hoo...Nethmi has lost the lovely accent she had and is now speaking in a typical Singaporean accent! (What was I expecting now that she spends most of the day with Singaporeans ha?)
The way Singaporeans speak is generally called "Singlish" and Nethmi is getting to be quite an expert in it! Singaporeans have a habit of adding the word 'already' at the end of sentences where it is most inappropriate to do so! For example: "Pick up your toys, already!" and this 'already' is said in a dragging manner -- 'alreadieee'. So, now Nethmi uses this word whenever possible in her sentences, only she says "readieee" so it sounds something like "Pick up your toys readieee".
Nethmi also says 'can not' and 'do not' instead of 'can't' and 'don't' as is popular here. And this too is said by dragging the word (cahnnaaaat).
Some words however are said real abruptly. Nethmi now says 'Mahc Dohnalds' instead of Mc Donalds!
Oh well! You can't--I mean cahnaaaat--expect everything to go the way you want it. So, as long as we are here, I suppose we'll have to live with Nethmi speaking 'Singlish'!
The way Singaporeans speak is generally called "Singlish" and Nethmi is getting to be quite an expert in it! Singaporeans have a habit of adding the word 'already' at the end of sentences where it is most inappropriate to do so! For example: "Pick up your toys, already!" and this 'already' is said in a dragging manner -- 'alreadieee'. So, now Nethmi uses this word whenever possible in her sentences, only she says "readieee" so it sounds something like "Pick up your toys readieee".
Nethmi also says 'can not' and 'do not' instead of 'can't' and 'don't' as is popular here. And this too is said by dragging the word (cahnnaaaat).
Some words however are said real abruptly. Nethmi now says 'Mahc Dohnalds' instead of Mc Donalds!
Oh well! You can't--I mean cahnaaaat--expect everything to go the way you want it. So, as long as we are here, I suppose we'll have to live with Nethmi speaking 'Singlish'!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Big Changes
Hmmmm....where do I begin!
I am going back to work!!! After 3 years of being a stay-at-home mom, I am going to work! (Hooray!). I think it's going to be a job I'm going to love--it involves a lot of research and writing.
How is H1 taking it? Quite well I think. A lot of thoughts and preparations went into getting to where we are today. Even before I started applying for jobs, we got H1 enrolled in daycare. It took almost a month for her to settle down, but we finally got to a day that she didn't cry when leaving for daycare. It took a lot of planning and patience, but it finally paid off.
I think we took these decisions at the right time. H1was getting bored at home, as I couldn't give her my full attention all the time. There were chores for me to do --the cooking, cleaning and washing, and these were the times she was left to entertain her self. These too were the times when she got fuzzy and threw tantrums to get my attention. She was also becoming increasingly shy of strangers, lacking social skills and being extremely selfish (consequences of being an only child).
So, enrolling her in daycare was the best thing to do. She gets to know how to interact with people other than her mom and dad, how to have good social skills, learn how to make friends, be independent, learn to share; things I can't teach her at home effectively. Just yesterday, her teacher told me that H1 makes friends easily, and that she gets along with everybody in school, and not just the kids in her class. The teacher said that she is always hugging and kissing the other kids. And also that H1 has taken the youngest kid in school under her wings--that she is always guiding the little kid and makes sure that the 'baby' is not left out. I'm glad she is getting a taste of what its like to have a 'sibling' even though she doesn't have one of her own--yet.
When I was sure that a job was about to come my way, Hubby and I wanted to prepare H1 for staying the full-day at daycare (she was going half-day while I was applying for jobs). This too, we did with a lot of preparations. Throughout a month or so, I kept dropping hints about staying the whole-day to H1, that she might have to have her afternoon nap at school, how much fun it's going to be. Of course whenever I did say these things, she would protest saying "No!, I want to sleep with Ammi!", or "No! I want to go home with you". But I think it slowly went into her mind that these things will happen soon.
So, when the day came that we decided to keep her for more than half a day, things were not too bad. The day before that, I spoke with her teacher, told her of my intentions and got her to help me prepare H1. When I went to pick H1 up, I casually told her, "Ammi might get a little late tomorrow OK? So, you might have to have your nap with the other kids". And the teacher and I kept saying how much fun it's going to be. Then I took her upstairs to where the other kids were getting ready for their nap and showed her how much "fun" its going to be. Of course, H1 was protesting and crying. But when the day it self came for staying longer, she was quite OK. When I went to pick her up, she was her usual happy self, but told me that she "cried a little", but that the teacher laid down beside her and hugged her until she fell asleep.
Over a period of two weeks, I gradually extended the hours she stayed in daycare, so that she didn't notice the change. The first day I picked her up at 3.00 p.m. ; the next day at 3.30 pm.; then at 4.00 p.m.; and so on.
I am extremely happy with how things have turned out. And I am so gratefull for those lovely teachers for looking after my baby with such loving care. I am totally confident that H1 is happy there, that she doesn't have time to miss me; because, they are constantly engaged in fun activities and play. When I pick her up in the evening, all I see is a happy kid, and she is in no hurry to get back home. And I am determined to give her my full attention once I get back home and during the weekends, so that she will still feel secure in the knowledge that though Ammi is not around as much as she used to, she is as much loved as she always was.
So, I have no guilty feelings for 'letting strangers take care of my baby'. I feel I'll be a better mom and a person now that I'm working again, because I always felt that a part of me was missing while staying at home. I feel proud that I gave 3 total years of undivided attention to my child, but feel that time has now come for a big change....for all of us.
I am going back to work!!! After 3 years of being a stay-at-home mom, I am going to work! (Hooray!). I think it's going to be a job I'm going to love--it involves a lot of research and writing.
How is H1 taking it? Quite well I think. A lot of thoughts and preparations went into getting to where we are today. Even before I started applying for jobs, we got H1 enrolled in daycare. It took almost a month for her to settle down, but we finally got to a day that she didn't cry when leaving for daycare. It took a lot of planning and patience, but it finally paid off.
I think we took these decisions at the right time. H1was getting bored at home, as I couldn't give her my full attention all the time. There were chores for me to do --the cooking, cleaning and washing, and these were the times she was left to entertain her self. These too were the times when she got fuzzy and threw tantrums to get my attention. She was also becoming increasingly shy of strangers, lacking social skills and being extremely selfish (consequences of being an only child).
So, enrolling her in daycare was the best thing to do. She gets to know how to interact with people other than her mom and dad, how to have good social skills, learn how to make friends, be independent, learn to share; things I can't teach her at home effectively. Just yesterday, her teacher told me that H1 makes friends easily, and that she gets along with everybody in school, and not just the kids in her class. The teacher said that she is always hugging and kissing the other kids. And also that H1 has taken the youngest kid in school under her wings--that she is always guiding the little kid and makes sure that the 'baby' is not left out. I'm glad she is getting a taste of what its like to have a 'sibling' even though she doesn't have one of her own--yet.
When I was sure that a job was about to come my way, Hubby and I wanted to prepare H1 for staying the full-day at daycare (she was going half-day while I was applying for jobs). This too, we did with a lot of preparations. Throughout a month or so, I kept dropping hints about staying the whole-day to H1, that she might have to have her afternoon nap at school, how much fun it's going to be. Of course whenever I did say these things, she would protest saying "No!, I want to sleep with Ammi!", or "No! I want to go home with you". But I think it slowly went into her mind that these things will happen soon.
So, when the day came that we decided to keep her for more than half a day, things were not too bad. The day before that, I spoke with her teacher, told her of my intentions and got her to help me prepare H1. When I went to pick H1 up, I casually told her, "Ammi might get a little late tomorrow OK? So, you might have to have your nap with the other kids". And the teacher and I kept saying how much fun it's going to be. Then I took her upstairs to where the other kids were getting ready for their nap and showed her how much "fun" its going to be. Of course, H1 was protesting and crying. But when the day it self came for staying longer, she was quite OK. When I went to pick her up, she was her usual happy self, but told me that she "cried a little", but that the teacher laid down beside her and hugged her until she fell asleep.
Over a period of two weeks, I gradually extended the hours she stayed in daycare, so that she didn't notice the change. The first day I picked her up at 3.00 p.m. ; the next day at 3.30 pm.; then at 4.00 p.m.; and so on.
I am extremely happy with how things have turned out. And I am so gratefull for those lovely teachers for looking after my baby with such loving care. I am totally confident that H1 is happy there, that she doesn't have time to miss me; because, they are constantly engaged in fun activities and play. When I pick her up in the evening, all I see is a happy kid, and she is in no hurry to get back home. And I am determined to give her my full attention once I get back home and during the weekends, so that she will still feel secure in the knowledge that though Ammi is not around as much as she used to, she is as much loved as she always was.
So, I have no guilty feelings for 'letting strangers take care of my baby'. I feel I'll be a better mom and a person now that I'm working again, because I always felt that a part of me was missing while staying at home. I feel proud that I gave 3 total years of undivided attention to my child, but feel that time has now come for a big change....for all of us.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Shooting Party
A couple of weeks ago, H1 told me that when boys play, they go "'Peow, peow', when they don't like you!" She said this while holding out her hand in a shooting gesture.
A few days ago, after coming home from daycare, she and I were sitting on the floor chatting about the day.
Baby : "Oochiya was naughty today!"
Me : "Oh! Why? What did he do?"
Baby : "He pushed me! And disturbed me!"
Me : "Oh dear! Did he push you and disturb you?"
Baby : "Yes Ammi! He did both!
Me : "So, what did you do?"
Baby : "I said Peow! Peow!!"
Oh! The violence in this world, even at such a tender age! ;o)
A few days ago, after coming home from daycare, she and I were sitting on the floor chatting about the day.
Baby : "Oochiya was naughty today!"
Me : "Oh! Why? What did he do?"
Baby : "He pushed me! And disturbed me!"
Me : "Oh dear! Did he push you and disturb you?"
Baby : "Yes Ammi! He did both!
Me : "So, what did you do?"
Baby : "I said Peow! Peow!!"
Oh! The violence in this world, even at such a tender age! ;o)
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Sweet Smells
Do you remember that sweet sickly smell of Kindergarten? The smell that's a mixture of baby-talc, fruit-juice, pee, and honey? That's what H1 smells of when she comes back home from day-care. From head-to-foot she reeks of it, and I'm immediately transported back to my Kindergarten days--back to my all-time favourite teacher who used to squeeze my tummy and call me "Bandigediya" (I don't think there is an English equivalent to this--it sort of means 'one with big tummy', I think).
Do you remember how little babies smell when they are less than a year old? The smell that's a mixture of cologne, baby soap and breast milk? I miss that smell. I truly do. I used to inhale deeply when kissing my baby, just to get a full blast of that sweet smell.
Do you notice that little babies don't have bad-breath, even after a full nights sleep, even after sipping milk throughout the night? We used to wonder about that a lot, Hubby and I. But once they pass the two-year mark, babies start to smell just like us! (what a pity).
I wonder what other smells I'll start to miss as my baby grows up....
Do you remember how little babies smell when they are less than a year old? The smell that's a mixture of cologne, baby soap and breast milk? I miss that smell. I truly do. I used to inhale deeply when kissing my baby, just to get a full blast of that sweet smell.
Do you notice that little babies don't have bad-breath, even after a full nights sleep, even after sipping milk throughout the night? We used to wonder about that a lot, Hubby and I. But once they pass the two-year mark, babies start to smell just like us! (what a pity).
I wonder what other smells I'll start to miss as my baby grows up....
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Why Oh Why!
H1 has started driving me crazy (nothing new!) by asking me "Why?" most of the time we have a conversation.
Me: "Phew! We are in the shade now."
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Because, we are inside a building."
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Because, this is the way to get home."
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "What do you mean 'why'?"
Baby: "Why are we going home?"
Me: "Because that's where we live!"
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Because, that's where we live!!" (secretly thinking "For heaven's sake!!")
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Because......"
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Just because...."
Baby: "Why?"
Me : "That's why!"
Baby : "Why?"
Me : (Thinking "Grrrrrrrrrrrr" and deciding to remain silent.)
Baby : "Why Ammi? Why?"
Imagine having 2 or 3 conversations like this per day! Exhausting, I tell you!!
Me: "Phew! We are in the shade now."
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Because, we are inside a building."
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Because, this is the way to get home."
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "What do you mean 'why'?"
Baby: "Why are we going home?"
Me: "Because that's where we live!"
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Because, that's where we live!!" (secretly thinking "For heaven's sake!!")
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Because......"
Baby: "Why?"
Me: "Just because...."
Baby: "Why?"
Me : "That's why!"
Baby : "Why?"
Me : (Thinking "Grrrrrrrrrrrr" and deciding to remain silent.)
Baby : "Why Ammi? Why?"
Imagine having 2 or 3 conversations like this per day! Exhausting, I tell you!!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Night-time Fears
H1 has suddenly become afraid of the dark. If I leave her in bed alone (even for a few minutes to go to the bathroom), she starts crying, saying, "I'm scared of the dark". I know this is normal for pre-schoolers, but what is troubling me is that it is hampering my attempts to get her to learn to sleep alone.
I suppose this means I have to go through the torturous ritual of putting her to sleep at least for a few more months!
I suppose this means I have to go through the torturous ritual of putting her to sleep at least for a few more months!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Mother
This blog entry is not about my kid--it's about me!
There was a parents-teachers meeting at H1's daycare last Friday, at 7.30 in the evening. As Hubby had to go to university for classes, I took H1 along with me.
There I was, walking hand-in-hand with my baby to a parents-teachers meeting, when it suddenly hit me--I am a mother!!! Anybody would think it's silly to realise that you are a mother after nearly 3 years of being one! I mean, I knew I was H1's mom all along, but that Friday evening it really hit me hard, that here I am, completely responsible for this tiny human being walking and skipping besides me. And I felt like shouting out loud, "Hey! I am a Mom everyone!!"
It was such a wonderful and scary feeling at the same time. I had flash-backs of going to school with my mother, and here I was taking my baby to school-- and me being the Mom, instead of the daughter.
Aaaaaaaaaah! Its so hard to explain how I felt, but I'm sure all mothers can relate to that. That one day you suddenly realise for sure (after existing in that role for sometime!) that you are more than just a human being! That you are a MOTHER!
There was a parents-teachers meeting at H1's daycare last Friday, at 7.30 in the evening. As Hubby had to go to university for classes, I took H1 along with me.
There I was, walking hand-in-hand with my baby to a parents-teachers meeting, when it suddenly hit me--I am a mother!!! Anybody would think it's silly to realise that you are a mother after nearly 3 years of being one! I mean, I knew I was H1's mom all along, but that Friday evening it really hit me hard, that here I am, completely responsible for this tiny human being walking and skipping besides me. And I felt like shouting out loud, "Hey! I am a Mom everyone!!"
It was such a wonderful and scary feeling at the same time. I had flash-backs of going to school with my mother, and here I was taking my baby to school-- and me being the Mom, instead of the daughter.
Aaaaaaaaaah! Its so hard to explain how I felt, but I'm sure all mothers can relate to that. That one day you suddenly realise for sure (after existing in that role for sometime!) that you are more than just a human being! That you are a MOTHER!
Friday, March 9, 2007
Baby Songstress
Whenever Hubby would sing to H1, she would answer him appropriately with her own version of the song. Mind you, all this is done to perfect tune.
I'll give you a few examples:
(1)
Hubby: "Have I told you lately that I love you..."
Baby: "I love you toooooooo..."
Hubby: "Oh Darling...I'm telling you now..."
Baby : "Oh Thaathithi..I'm telling you now..."
(2)
While giving H1 her evening wash;
Hubby: "When I kiss you like this..."
Baby : "When you wash me like this..."
Hubby: "And when I hold you like this...."
Baby : "And when you put water like this..."
The list goes on. Unfortunately I can't seem to recall any at this moment. But it really amazes us the way she readily comes up with an appropriate verse at the blink of an eye.
I'll give you a few examples:
(1)
Hubby: "Have I told you lately that I love you..."
Baby: "I love you toooooooo..."
Hubby: "Oh Darling...I'm telling you now..."
Baby : "Oh Thaathithi..I'm telling you now..."
(2)
While giving H1 her evening wash;
Hubby: "When I kiss you like this..."
Baby : "When you wash me like this..."
Hubby: "And when I hold you like this...."
Baby : "And when you put water like this..."
The list goes on. Unfortunately I can't seem to recall any at this moment. But it really amazes us the way she readily comes up with an appropriate verse at the blink of an eye.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Reality
When H1 plays a make-believe game, she really gets into the role. If she is playing "Farm", she becomes a "Milly Goat", and I think she really and truly believes that she is one. She would go "Baa....baaa" and ask my husband (the farmer) to feed her through the pen. She would get highly annoyed if we address her in any other way than we would to a Billy Goat. If I call out "H1" to her, she would say "I'm NOT H1. I'm a Milly Goat!"
Yesterday, H1and I were playing "Supermarket". She was the shop assistant and I was the customer. She was really into the game, and was having a great time until she banged her head while reaching out for the shopping basket. She started crying while saying something which I couldn't understand through her sobs. I picked her up and rubbed her forehead, but she still kept on crying and saying the same thing over and over again. After carefully listening to her, I finally figured out what it was. She was saying "I'm still H1....I'm still H1."
I think once she banged her head, the world of make-belief fell apart and she was no-longer a shop assistant, but a little girl. She must have thought I was still in the play-role, and wanted to make sure that I understood that I would have to come back to being Ammi and take care of my little H1Girl.
Yesterday, H1and I were playing "Supermarket". She was the shop assistant and I was the customer. She was really into the game, and was having a great time until she banged her head while reaching out for the shopping basket. She started crying while saying something which I couldn't understand through her sobs. I picked her up and rubbed her forehead, but she still kept on crying and saying the same thing over and over again. After carefully listening to her, I finally figured out what it was. She was saying "I'm still H1....I'm still H1."
I think once she banged her head, the world of make-belief fell apart and she was no-longer a shop assistant, but a little girl. She must have thought I was still in the play-role, and wanted to make sure that I understood that I would have to come back to being Ammi and take care of my little H1Girl.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Honesty
When we enrolled H1 in Day Care, she had a few teething problems. (Thankfully they are all over now.) One was that she was not used to some of the food served for lunch, as she was used to Sri Lankan food and not Chinese. To entice her to eat what was served, we came up with a bribing....er....I mean rewarding system. If she ate what was served, she would get an ice-cream.
Initially, the teacher would tell me whether she ate or not, so that if she didn't eat that day, I could feed her again when we got home. Now that it is almost 3 months since she started Day Care, H1 is used to the food and would get her ice-cream almost daily. (I want to stop this practice now, but can't figure out how to!)
But, there are still days that she doesn't eat. This is a conversation we had on such a day:
Me: "Did you have a good lunch today in school?"
Baby : "I didn't eat all the vegetables."
Me: "Oh! Why? Vegetables are good for you. How are you going to grow big and strong if you don't eat them?"
Baby : "Ammi, I don't like vegetables. Don't buy me ice-cream today OK? Buy me tomolow when I eat all my lunch OK?"
I hope this kind of honesty will last when she is in her teens!
Initially, the teacher would tell me whether she ate or not, so that if she didn't eat that day, I could feed her again when we got home. Now that it is almost 3 months since she started Day Care, H1 is used to the food and would get her ice-cream almost daily. (I want to stop this practice now, but can't figure out how to!)
But, there are still days that she doesn't eat. This is a conversation we had on such a day:
Me: "Did you have a good lunch today in school?"
Baby : "I didn't eat all the vegetables."
Me: "Oh! Why? Vegetables are good for you. How are you going to grow big and strong if you don't eat them?"
Baby : "Ammi, I don't like vegetables. Don't buy me ice-cream today OK? Buy me tomolow when I eat all my lunch OK?"
I hope this kind of honesty will last when she is in her teens!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Love Note
Hubby and I were watching TV yesterday, while H1 was watching a Barny CD on the computer. All of a sudden she came running to us, gave Hubbya little note (an old supermarket receipt), gave him a hug, and said "I love you Thaathi". Then she did the same to me.
She had scribbled on the receipt with a pen. So I asked, "What's this darling?".
H1 pointed to one side of the receipt and said, "It says 'I love you Ammi'".
Then she pointed to the other side and said, "This is 'I love you Thaathi'".
"I can write now! And I did it all (by) my self!!", she added.
It's moments like this that makes the hard job of parenting all worthwhile, don't you think?
Friday, February 23, 2007
Counting Fun
On our way back from KL, Malaysia, Hubby was trying to keep baby occupied by playing a counting game. They were counting buses.
I am extremely proud of the fact that by the age of two and a half, H1 was able to correctly count up to 10. Now that she is nearly 3 years old, she can count up to 19--well somewhat up to 19.
So, this is how the game went -- as H1 spots each bus, she would count;
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, thirteen, fourteen, sixteen, seventeen, nineteen, nineteen, nineteen, nineteen,..............................
I am extremely proud of the fact that by the age of two and a half, H1 was able to correctly count up to 10. Now that she is nearly 3 years old, she can count up to 19--well somewhat up to 19.
So, this is how the game went -- as H1 spots each bus, she would count;
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, thirteen, fourteen, sixteen, seventeen, nineteen, nineteen, nineteen, nineteen,..............................
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
We visited Malaysia again, but this time we went to Kuala Lumpur. The journey again took 5 hours by bus. We went with a friend of Hubby's from his university, his wife, and H1's imaginary friends--a cat and a dog.
H1, from time to time, would bend and pick up the cat/dog from the ground and would sometimes ask me to carry them or put them in the back-pack. She would feed them imaginary food and water from time to time as well. They stayed with us right throughout the three-day trip. I haven't seen H1 playing with the pair after we got back home. They must have got lost on the way back!! (ha ha ha)
H1 was well behaved throughout the trip (except for a couple of tantrums when she was exhausted and sleepy).
This time there were no "I want to go home," every five minutes or so. On our way back home she said "I want to go to Malaysia again!". I guess the travel-bug has finally hit her!
Because she was well behaved during the journey to KL and the following day while sightseeing, we got her a noisy Poor Bear toy (which is currently driving me nuts!) which sings part of that Aqua song, "I'm a Barbie girl." Beats me why Poor Bear is singing "I am your dolly!"
I guess H1 sort of figured that if she is well behaved, she gets a toy-- because when I asked her to "Please be a good girl," on our way back to Singapore, she had the nerve to ask me "Will you buy me another toy?"
We visited lots of interesting places including the Eye on Malaysia, KL tower, Patronas tower, and Batu Caves.
H1 was very fuzzy while we were waiting in line for the Eye-on-Malaysia ride (similar to the London Eye). I suppose the size of the wheel and the fact that it was rotating made her scared. She kept on saying "I don't want to go." I told her to hug me tight and keep her eyes closed, if she is scared. But once we got into a carriage, she felt fine, because the interior looked similar to a cable car--which she is used to riding in. Once our ride started, we were treated to a spectacular fire-works display. This was the first time H1 has seen fire-works, and she was thrilled, and kept saying "They look like stars." She also kept identifying the colours of each burst of fire-works, and stating whose favourite colour it was. When it was blue, she would say "That's Ammi's favourite colour!" or when was red she'd say "That's Puncha's favourite colour!"
All in all, it was a great trip!
H1, from time to time, would bend and pick up the cat/dog from the ground and would sometimes ask me to carry them or put them in the back-pack. She would feed them imaginary food and water from time to time as well. They stayed with us right throughout the three-day trip. I haven't seen H1 playing with the pair after we got back home. They must have got lost on the way back!! (ha ha ha)
H1 was well behaved throughout the trip (except for a couple of tantrums when she was exhausted and sleepy).
This time there were no "I want to go home," every five minutes or so. On our way back home she said "I want to go to Malaysia again!". I guess the travel-bug has finally hit her!
Because she was well behaved during the journey to KL and the following day while sightseeing, we got her a noisy Poor Bear toy (which is currently driving me nuts!) which sings part of that Aqua song, "I'm a Barbie girl." Beats me why Poor Bear is singing "I am your dolly!"
I guess H1 sort of figured that if she is well behaved, she gets a toy-- because when I asked her to "Please be a good girl," on our way back to Singapore, she had the nerve to ask me "Will you buy me another toy?"
We visited lots of interesting places including the Eye on Malaysia, KL tower, Patronas tower, and Batu Caves.
H1 was very fuzzy while we were waiting in line for the Eye-on-Malaysia ride (similar to the London Eye). I suppose the size of the wheel and the fact that it was rotating made her scared. She kept on saying "I don't want to go." I told her to hug me tight and keep her eyes closed, if she is scared. But once we got into a carriage, she felt fine, because the interior looked similar to a cable car--which she is used to riding in. Once our ride started, we were treated to a spectacular fire-works display. This was the first time H1 has seen fire-works, and she was thrilled, and kept saying "They look like stars." She also kept identifying the colours of each burst of fire-works, and stating whose favourite colour it was. When it was blue, she would say "That's Ammi's favourite colour!" or when was red she'd say "That's Puncha's favourite colour!"
All in all, it was a great trip!
Friday, February 2, 2007
A Fun Guy Named Funkai
H1's best friend in school is a sweet little Chineese fellow by the name of Funkai (atleast, I think that's the way it's spelt).
The very first few days that she attended school, I identified this fellow as the biggest bully in class, because I saw him take her toys away, and he even hit her once or twice. Something must have happened along the way and now they are the best of buddies! Whenever H1 talks about him, she calles him "My boy."
A few days back, when I went to pick H1 up, the teacher called out "H1, time to go home." Then my daughter came running towards me shouting "Ammi!!!," and gave me a hug. And there was Funkai running right behind H1 carrrying her bag and bottle! After I took them and thanked the little fellow, H1 gave him one flying kiss after the other. I think that was her way of thanking him.
The very first few days that she attended school, I identified this fellow as the biggest bully in class, because I saw him take her toys away, and he even hit her once or twice. Something must have happened along the way and now they are the best of buddies! Whenever H1 talks about him, she calles him "My boy."
A few days back, when I went to pick H1 up, the teacher called out "H1, time to go home." Then my daughter came running towards me shouting "Ammi!!!," and gave me a hug. And there was Funkai running right behind H1 carrrying her bag and bottle! After I took them and thanked the little fellow, H1 gave him one flying kiss after the other. I think that was her way of thanking him.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Imaginary Friends
All of a sudden my living room becomes a Zoo! There are elephants, giraffes, kangaroos, and "kola bears" roaming all over the place. I am given a job I never applied for -- the post of zoo keeper, and my colleague is a nearly three year old brat! I am then forced to feed and water the animals, and put them to sleep when its nap time!
The above scenario is just one instant where H1 uses her imaginary friends to play with. The most frequent visitors to her imaginary land are a dog and cat. She would play for hours with them; feeding them, bathing them and petting them. She would even read stories to them. I know she badly wants a pet, and I guess this is her way of filling the void. I have promised her that as soon as we go back to Sri Lanka, I will get her a dog and a cat.
Another imaginary friend is a bird. This fellow manifested after an actual minah bird paid a visit to us. The bird must have been an escaped pet, because it was so tame that it even came into the house and started following H1 around! Ever since that incident, an imaginary little bird would descend once in a while, and I or my husband would have to "shoo" it away. Only H1 decides when the bird would fly away. So, when we say "shoo", she would say "Ammi, it's still there! 'Shoo' it away, 'shoo' it away!"
The above scenario is just one instant where H1 uses her imaginary friends to play with. The most frequent visitors to her imaginary land are a dog and cat. She would play for hours with them; feeding them, bathing them and petting them. She would even read stories to them. I know she badly wants a pet, and I guess this is her way of filling the void. I have promised her that as soon as we go back to Sri Lanka, I will get her a dog and a cat.
Another imaginary friend is a bird. This fellow manifested after an actual minah bird paid a visit to us. The bird must have been an escaped pet, because it was so tame that it even came into the house and started following H1 around! Ever since that incident, an imaginary little bird would descend once in a while, and I or my husband would have to "shoo" it away. Only H1 decides when the bird would fly away. So, when we say "shoo", she would say "Ammi, it's still there! 'Shoo' it away, 'shoo' it away!"
Monday, January 29, 2007
A Question of Politeness
About three days ago, I noticed a red spot on H1's cheek.
Me: "What happened darling?"
Baby: "A mostiko bit me!"
Me: "Oh! you poor thing."
Baby: "And he didn't (even) say sorry!!"
Me: "What happened darling?"
Baby: "A mostiko bit me!"
Me: "Oh! you poor thing."
Baby: "And he didn't (even) say sorry!!"
Friday, January 26, 2007
Independent
Oh! My baby is growing up!!
H1 now wants to do everything by her self. And she can do most of the things by her self!
She can get dressed on her own (even put on her pyjamas), she can wear shoes on her own and she even elected to carry her bag (which weighs about the same as her) to school.
Of course sometimes things can go wrong, like the times she would use one of the leg holes of her pantie as the waist!
I actually am thrilled to see how independent my little girl is becoming. Just two days ago her teacher was telling me how well she is settling and adjusting in school. So, these days, I am quite a happy mom!
H1 now wants to do everything by her self. And she can do most of the things by her self!
She can get dressed on her own (even put on her pyjamas), she can wear shoes on her own and she even elected to carry her bag (which weighs about the same as her) to school.
Of course sometimes things can go wrong, like the times she would use one of the leg holes of her pantie as the waist!
I actually am thrilled to see how independent my little girl is becoming. Just two days ago her teacher was telling me how well she is settling and adjusting in school. So, these days, I am quite a happy mom!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Words
For a two and a nine month old, H1's language skills are amazing. She can talk in full sentences even using phrases like "May I?" or "Me neither".
But she mispronounces some words in a real cute way;
Onjan - orange
jellow - yellow
pinjana - pyjama
mostiko - mosquito
comptiner - computer
limany - library
Milly goat - Billy goat
For me, the best one is the way she says Polar bear....she always says "Kola bear. One day, in an attempt to correct her I said "Its the Per sound love, say per per polar bear".
So now every time H1 sees a Polar bear on TV, she says "look! there's a Kola bear, a per per Kola bear!"
But she mispronounces some words in a real cute way;
Onjan - orange
jellow - yellow
pinjana - pyjama
mostiko - mosquito
comptiner - computer
limany - library
Milly goat - Billy goat
For me, the best one is the way she says Polar bear....she always says "Kola bear. One day, in an attempt to correct her I said "Its the Per sound love, say per per polar bear".
So now every time H1 sees a Polar bear on TV, she says "look! there's a Kola bear, a per per Kola bear!"
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Mummy Steps and Baby Steps
I can't imagine why I didn't think of this sooner. I finally figured out why H1 was so reluctant to walk when we go out. She insists on being carried. Not an easy task as she is now nearly 12 kilos!
It's just this....I took "mummy steps" and she took "baby steps" and I expected her to keep up with me! No wonder the poor thing was so reluctant. She had to either run or skip to keep up. And the situation was even worse with Hubs (Him being a six footer and H1 being a mere two and a half).
It beats me why I couldn't figure it out earlier, when I was going through the same thing! When I walk with Hubby it is so difficult for me keep up with his long strides that I have to run or skip to keep up!
So now problem solved. H1 and I both take baby steps. Only problem now is that it takes twice as much time to get any where! But I guess it is a small prize to pay for not having a backache!
It's just this....I took "mummy steps" and she took "baby steps" and I expected her to keep up with me! No wonder the poor thing was so reluctant. She had to either run or skip to keep up. And the situation was even worse with Hubs (Him being a six footer and H1 being a mere two and a half).
It beats me why I couldn't figure it out earlier, when I was going through the same thing! When I walk with Hubby it is so difficult for me keep up with his long strides that I have to run or skip to keep up!
So now problem solved. H1 and I both take baby steps. Only problem now is that it takes twice as much time to get any where! But I guess it is a small prize to pay for not having a backache!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Oh Boy!
This happened last July when we were in Sri Lanka for a short visit.
H1 was having a bath with her cousin brother who is 6 months older to her. Now my H1 girl has never seen a....um.... naked fellow before, so she must have noticed something odd!
All of a sudden, H1 points to her cousin's....um.... private parts and exclaims "Oooooh look, there is an ELEPHANT!".
Well, you have to admit that she is pretty sharp to figure out the similarity between a trunk and a....um....wee-willy-winky!
All lookers on by now are laughing them selves silly when her cousin decides to turn away from H1 . My daughter who has a fascination for elephants was highly disappointed that it was taken from her view. So she exclaims again "Hey where did the elephant go?"
By now, as you can imagine, all on-lookers were rolling on the floor laughing!
H1 was having a bath with her cousin brother who is 6 months older to her. Now my H1 girl has never seen a....um.... naked fellow before, so she must have noticed something odd!
All of a sudden, H1 points to her cousin's....um.... private parts and exclaims "Oooooh look, there is an ELEPHANT!".
Well, you have to admit that she is pretty sharp to figure out the similarity between a trunk and a....um....wee-willy-winky!
All lookers on by now are laughing them selves silly when her cousin decides to turn away from H1 . My daughter who has a fascination for elephants was highly disappointed that it was taken from her view. So she exclaims again "Hey where did the elephant go?"
By now, as you can imagine, all on-lookers were rolling on the floor laughing!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Dora to the Rescue
Hooray!! No more crying when going to school! (I am still keeping my fingers crossed though) Thanks to a brilliant (ahem!) idea I had.
I thought of using a Rewards Chart, a technique I learnt from Super Nanny (God bless her!).
Since H1 is a big fan of Dora the Explorer and I had some Dora stickers handy I decided to use that as a theme for my chart.
The idea is to reward your child for good behaviour by setting a target. In my case I used a ladder rung to represent each day that H1 does not cry when going to school. She would place a sticker on a ladder rung each day that she doesn't cry. After ten days of not crying (I did not want to make the time frame longer as she would loose interest) she would reach the top. And when she does she would get her reward (in this case a toy camera, just like the one she saw Elmo having - I am praying that Toys-R-Us would stock this!)
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Classic Responses
Sometimes I wonder how to discipline a child that comes up with answers like this.....
Me : "Are you going to pick that up or not?"
Baby : "NOT!"
Me : "What will you have darling, an apple or an orange?"
Baby : "Nothing!"
Me : "H1 come and get dressed now!"
Baby : "I am NEVER gonna get dressed!!"
Me : "Will you come and brush your teeth now or are you going to sit on the naughty spot until you decide to do so?"
Baby : "Sit on the naughty spot!"
Me : "Are you going to pick that up or not?"
Baby : "NOT!"
Me : "What will you have darling, an apple or an orange?"
Baby : "Nothing!"
Me : "H1 come and get dressed now!"
Baby : "I am NEVER gonna get dressed!!"
Me : "Will you come and brush your teeth now or are you going to sit on the naughty spot until you decide to do so?"
Baby : "Sit on the naughty spot!"
Thursday, January 11, 2007
A Box of Fun
Its amazing what joy a simple cardboard box would give a child.
Last weekend we were cleaning out the store room and out came an old TV box. H1 immediately claimed ownership and carried it away. For over half an hour we were not bothered by her as she was too busy getting in and out of the box or curling in it just like a little kitten.
After a while when I checked on her, she had emptied her whole army of soft toys from the toy cupboard (all twenty one of them!!) into the box saying that its their new home. H1 being "Mom" was sitting in the midst of them all looking like cute cuddly bear herself!!
Last weekend we were cleaning out the store room and out came an old TV box. H1 immediately claimed ownership and carried it away. For over half an hour we were not bothered by her as she was too busy getting in and out of the box or curling in it just like a little kitten.
After a while when I checked on her, she had emptied her whole army of soft toys from the toy cupboard (all twenty one of them!!) into the box saying that its their new home. H1 being "Mom" was sitting in the midst of them all looking like cute cuddly bear herself!!
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
A bed, a farm and a baby
As the new year dawned, we decided to make a big change in H1's life (or so we thought). After making a huge deal about how big she is now and how nice it would be to start sleeping alone, we separated her bed from ours and placed it in another corner of the room.
Then I decorated the wall against which the bed was placed with stars and a moon that glows in the dark. I also placed loads of soft toys on her bed. (all this was done while my little girly was whimpering and crying asking me to move the bed back).
That night I let H1 fall asleep on our bed and moved her to her own bed once she was fast asleep. Around six in the morning she woke up and jumped onto our bed and slept again till eight.
A few days later we added a railing to the bed (we've been using chairs against the bed to stop her falling!).
The moment the railing was done H1 jumped on her bed and claimed that it looked like a farm (i guess she meant a pen in a farm) and immediately became a Billy Goat (Milly goat is what she says) going "Baa baa". (Now when ever she is on the bed she says "Thaathi I am a milly goat, you be the farmer OK?" and my husband has to pretend to feed her through the railings)
So it wasn't a big deal as we thought it would be. H1 just fuzzed a little on the first day but seems to have accepted it as the way things are done. Now she falls asleep on our bed, we move her to her bed once she is fast asleep and she jumps into ours around six every morning and sleeps a little more.
Another thing is that now she takes less than half an hour to fall asleep. Thats one new year resolution I was wishing she would make! (One down and nine to go!! ;o)
Then I decorated the wall against which the bed was placed with stars and a moon that glows in the dark. I also placed loads of soft toys on her bed. (all this was done while my little girly was whimpering and crying asking me to move the bed back).
That night I let H1 fall asleep on our bed and moved her to her own bed once she was fast asleep. Around six in the morning she woke up and jumped onto our bed and slept again till eight.
A few days later we added a railing to the bed (we've been using chairs against the bed to stop her falling!).
The moment the railing was done H1 jumped on her bed and claimed that it looked like a farm (i guess she meant a pen in a farm) and immediately became a Billy Goat (Milly goat is what she says) going "Baa baa". (Now when ever she is on the bed she says "Thaathi I am a milly goat, you be the farmer OK?" and my husband has to pretend to feed her through the railings)
So it wasn't a big deal as we thought it would be. H1 just fuzzed a little on the first day but seems to have accepted it as the way things are done. Now she falls asleep on our bed, we move her to her bed once she is fast asleep and she jumps into ours around six every morning and sleeps a little more.
Another thing is that now she takes less than half an hour to fall asleep. Thats one new year resolution I was wishing she would make! (One down and nine to go!! ;o)
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Fever
H1 has been having a slight fever the past couple of days. Although she has no fever today, decided to keep her from daycare. As you can imagine she is delighted with the arrangement!!
Right now she is driving me insane by asking "Is the school closed?" for the umpteenth time, I guess just to make sure that she is not going to be sent there today.
As the day progresses I am beginning to wonder how I managed to do all the housework while entertaining her without going totally insane.
I am now so glad that we decided to put her in daycare at least for the mornings. It gives me a much needed break after looking after her day in, day out. One thing is certain though, I will not put my self through this should there be another baby. I will then definitely go back to work or I am sure I'll end up having a never ending fever!!
Foot note (added: 08/01/07 - 9.00 a.m.)
After reading this entry H1's paternal grandparents were a bit worried and called to make sure H1 is fine. My husband reasured them that everything is quite alright. I know parents and grandparents all over the world worries a lot when a baby catches a cold or has a fever.
The information in the following links tells you all you need to know about colds and fevers as well as let you know when and when not to worry when your baby is sick.
Caughs, colds and sinus infections
Fever
Right now she is driving me insane by asking "Is the school closed?" for the umpteenth time, I guess just to make sure that she is not going to be sent there today.
As the day progresses I am beginning to wonder how I managed to do all the housework while entertaining her without going totally insane.
I am now so glad that we decided to put her in daycare at least for the mornings. It gives me a much needed break after looking after her day in, day out. One thing is certain though, I will not put my self through this should there be another baby. I will then definitely go back to work or I am sure I'll end up having a never ending fever!!
Foot note (added: 08/01/07 - 9.00 a.m.)
After reading this entry H1's paternal grandparents were a bit worried and called to make sure H1 is fine. My husband reasured them that everything is quite alright. I know parents and grandparents all over the world worries a lot when a baby catches a cold or has a fever.
The information in the following links tells you all you need to know about colds and fevers as well as let you know when and when not to worry when your baby is sick.
Caughs, colds and sinus infections
Fever
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Oopsy, I did a Poopsy!
When I went to pick H1 up from daycare last Wednesday, the teacher came up to me and said with a crinkled up face "H1 passed a motion on the floor today!"
I felt like going through the floor my self, I tell you!
This is something she has not done since the day she started using the toilet properly, so I was very surprised. At home when the need arises, she just starts running towards the toilet, while pulling down her underwear, while chanting "I wanna poo, I wanna poo!".
When gently questioned she said "I told teacher I wanna poo". So my theory is that the teacher was too busy to hear and H1 was in too much of a hurry!
Both Hubby and I didn't want to make a big deal of it but just to remind her what to do, before bedtime we played a question and answer game.
Q: "What do you do when you want to pee?"
A: "Say I wanna pee and run to the toilet!" (And we all would go Yeeeeeeeeei!!!"
Q" "What do you do when you want to poo?"
A: "Say I wanna poo and run to the toilet!" (Yeeeeeeeeeei!)
I am anyway going to keep my fingers crossed!
I felt like going through the floor my self, I tell you!
This is something she has not done since the day she started using the toilet properly, so I was very surprised. At home when the need arises, she just starts running towards the toilet, while pulling down her underwear, while chanting "I wanna poo, I wanna poo!".
When gently questioned she said "I told teacher I wanna poo". So my theory is that the teacher was too busy to hear and H1 was in too much of a hurry!
Both Hubby and I didn't want to make a big deal of it but just to remind her what to do, before bedtime we played a question and answer game.
Q: "What do you do when you want to pee?"
A: "Say I wanna pee and run to the toilet!" (And we all would go Yeeeeeeeeei!!!"
Q" "What do you do when you want to poo?"
A: "Say I wanna poo and run to the toilet!" (Yeeeeeeeeeei!)
I am anyway going to keep my fingers crossed!
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Her Point of View
Yesterday, on our way to the library, the bus we were riding went over a series of road humps. H1 looks at me and says,
"Oh oh! Ammi I think the bus is having hiccoughs!!"
On our way back home, it started raining cats and dogs. The rain water was running down the shutters of the bus. To the amusement of everyone listening to her non-stop chatter, H1says in a very loud voice,
"Oh! look Ammi, the bus is having a shower!!"
"Oh oh! Ammi I think the bus is having hiccoughs!!"
On our way back home, it started raining cats and dogs. The rain water was running down the shutters of the bus. To the amusement of everyone listening to her non-stop chatter, H1says in a very loud voice,
"Oh! look Ammi, the bus is having a shower!!"
Monday, January 1, 2007
Big Bad Wolf
One day, a few months back, H1 was being a little naughty girl. So her mother made her sit on the "naughty spot".
Naturally, H1 was not too happy about the whole thing and must have been contemplating things she can do to her mother! She was actually so mad that with clenched fists she yelled,
"I will huff you!"
"And I'll puff you!!"
"And I'll blow you down!!!!"
Naturally, H1 was not too happy about the whole thing and must have been contemplating things she can do to her mother! She was actually so mad that with clenched fists she yelled,
"I will huff you!"
"And I'll puff you!!"
"And I'll blow you down!!!!"
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