Love and Hate relationship

Caleb has this love and hate relationship when it comes to swimming. I think he loves to swim and play with water, but he hates it when the water is cold. But at the end of it, he still choose to love than hate as he fights the cold by shivering..




As for Danielle, she loved it. She would whine initially as she first touched the cold water, but once she warmed up, and gotten used to the water, she loved it!





All in all, we had fun playing in the water.


Actually during each swimming session with the kids, I try to suppress my feelings. Inside me, I do wish I can just make them swim well and confidently so that they can start taking part in swimming competitions at the age of 5 or 6 which was the time I started but I know if I am going to do that, they may just end up hating swimming. So I keep telling myself that I should not expect them to be like me or cramp them with too many skills at one time..I had to control myself and just focus on letting them enjoy the water and having confidence first.

After the swim, Caleb had a BIG appetite! When the rice was placed on the table, he immediately went for it!





It was hilarious, seeing him attack the rice like that!



We were having dinner at Changi Village. I ordered the fried fish while Caleb and CT had ayam penyet. I understand from my Malay colleagues that you should look out for the purple stall which sells great ayam penyet (smashed fried chicken).




CT also ordered tahu goreng which was rather spicy and has lots of garlic. But it does taste really nice and fragrant! (opps think I took this picture slightly too late. The tahu seemed to have disappeared into our tummies real fast)



I was really proud of Caleb as he was feeding himself. Just one week in school and he has learnt to feed himself. So glad he is learning!



After dinner, Caleb was playing with the cat. I am glad he loves animals and is not afraid of them.





I want my kids to be brave and not being afraid of anything. So thats why whenever I see a lizard or cockroach, instead of running away or saying, "Yikes"..I would say, "Wow! Check that out!"..I try to make it sound so exciting! haha.

Caleb's first week at school

On Friday, I ended school early. CT was also home early from work (for good!) as he will be starting his new job in Somerset next Monday. How exciting as its a good break from Jurong Island. His new company is Afton Chemical that deals with additives for fuel. Something like V- Power petrol in Shell station.

So today, the whole family, including Danielle and Vicky went down early to wait in anticipation for Caleb to arrive after his school in the bus. It was pretty exciting as this was his first week in school and it seems he is doing quite well.

While waiting, we were having fun throwing paper planes. We folded according to the steps in the newspaper where it featured this guy who could fly his paper plane for about 26 secs. We tried but failed. Ours probably lasted no more than 4 secs.



All 3 of us- Vicky, CT and myself were all immersed in throwing the paper planes. I really wonder what Danielle must be thinking about us, adults!


While playing, we kept looking out for Caleb's school bus. We were really excited.

We waited for quite a while. So to kill our boredom, we keep taking pictures.



Caleb was awake when he finally arrived and the auntie in the bus said he slept for a while during the journey. Think both CT and I felt really proud of Caleb for behaving so well in school and in the bus.

I really wonder how Danielle will cope in future...

First 3 days of Orientation

Caleb's first day of school was even more exciting and nerve wrecking for the parents. CT took 2 days off from work to take the school bus with him for this 3-day orientation while I just took time off for that 2 hours to meet him in school.

I understand from CT, who was sitting in front with the bus driver that Caleb was already talking to the aunty in the bus during the journey. Caleb probably didnt even notice that his daddy was in the bus with him.



During the first 2 days when both CT and I were there. We both felt 'extra' and thus bored as Caleb didnt even bother about us. We felt transparent to him. He was playing and doing his own things.



I wouldnt say Caleb was very comfortable as during the first 2 days, he was stoning. He was neither smiling nor crying. He was just stunned...probably trying to understand what is happening. Why is his sunday school different from what is happening now, even though its the same room? He was probably processing what is happening exactly.



When they got together in circles to sing and do action, he refused to do it. He just held hands and stoned.

There are altogether about 6-8 in the class and 2 teachers. But during this orientation, there were about 2-3 more teachers helping.



On the second and third day, I actually took the bus home with Caleb as I didnt have to go back to teach. Here's Caleb in the bus. He actually fell asleep midway during the journey back home. Its almost an hour ride long.



On the last day of orientation, CT went back to work as there was really nothing we could do in Caleb's school. He was very independent. However, I still went to attend his orientation as it was also an excuse for me to get off from work and be with my kid. Moreover, my school didnt have any teaching on the first week of school this year. So, I might as well be with Caleb on his last day of orientation.

I actually walked from my school to his school. It took me only about 15 mins. Caleb was more comfortable on the third day. He was slowly warming up, playing with his friends and being more participative during the action songs as well as story time.

There's his good friend, Justin who is one of the most obedient in class. He sits quietly when told to and he has a good temperament.



It's story time and there's this boy,one of the most vocal and bigger size in class,who would walk around and disturb teacher Susan.



He refused to sit down and listen. Caleb got influenced by him and ended up standing up and going in front to the teacher as well. Oh well...

During dance and singing time, Caleb was holding hands with his 'girlfriend', Praise. She is a sweet little girl who seemed to like holding hands with only Caleb as she either cries and hugs her mum or she would stretch out her hands to hold Caleb during dancing time or when they go to the toilet. Its cute.



There's Caleb finally participating during the activities on his last day of orientation. I was glad that from his 'performance' today, I knew I would not need to worry how he would be doing in school or how he would cope in the bus as he can very much take care of himself and be with his teachers and friends. Thank God for that!

Day before school

Tomorrow, school starts for Caleb and for me...Its exciting but yet, feeling nervous for Caleb since I do not know what to expect and how he would cope in school and in the bus.

Anyway, we decided to take a walk in the park only after our dinner as it was raining. We thought the skies would clear after dinner..

For dinner, I had laksa and oyster omelette.




After dinner, the drizzle was so light that it seemed there was no more rain. But just in case, we placed a cloth over Danielle's pram.



Had a nice stroll as the weather was cooling and since we just had our dinner.


There was this tree in particular which had so many flowers and it was giving out a very strong scent..The scent was so strong that it was giving me a headache.





We also spotted an eagle flying in the sky. We really enjoyed ourselves. Guess it was just something we had to do before school starts tomorrow....yeeks!

A walk in the park...

Today, CT suddenly decides to take us out to the park for a workout!



We parked at Telok Blangah Hill Park, where there is free parking and walked up the steps in the Terrace Garden where we could see the view of Singapore.





Then, we walked on the Henderson Waves.




The view was breathtaking..


Even Danielle and Caleb seemed to enjoy it.





As we were heading towards Mount Faber, we spotted a locust. Think it is a locust since it looks much bigger than a grasshopper.



As usual, Vicky would catch such insects and let Caleb hold it to experience it, while I would be by the side as I looked on and feel so grossed up inside me (nope, I wouldnt show it in front of my children).

It was a long walk but thank God for the great weather!





We finally reached Mount Faber and rested for a while up there as we tried to soak in the beautiful scenery all around us.




Caleb also grew tired after walking so much...So both of them shared the pram. Poor Caleb-flattened by Danielle...



On the way back, we also spotted a few monkeys..It was closed to 6pm, when the monkeys came out to look for food.


That was the bridge which we took to and fro..


After a great workout, we drove to Vivocity and had dinner there before heading home.

A bright and lazy morning..

It's the second day of year 2010 and at about 6:30am, I was woken up by the moon light shining into my bedroom. It was big, round and bright!


Even at 7am, the moon was still there. Caleb was also woken up by it and started looking at it from the balcony area when I came out of the room.



Danielle woke up and watched her favourite Hi-5 DVD. She enjoys climbing up all by herself to the sofa, sit down on it and just watch quietly.



Then Caleb would come along and join Danielle in the Hi-5 dance.


One of the typical lazy mornings....

Deprivation?

Everytime when I go to a friend's place who has young children, I always have the feeling that I am depriving my children of something.

Recently, we went to CT's schoolmate's daughter's one month old party and they already have an elder daughter. So there were quite a fair bit of toys in the room for kids to play. Caleb and Danielle stayed the whole time in the room, playing away with their toys. So you can imagine how much they enjoyed it there...or rather, how much I have 'deprived' them.

There was this Barnie erasable drawing board which was big and colourful! Even I was playing with it!



There's the elder daughter who was 4 years old.



Danielle had fun riding this. She even knew how to move it with her legs.


They also had this winnie the pooh fridge where you can put ice in the bucket and then once you close the fridge, you can place your cup on the ice dispenser and the 'ice' will drop out. Its fun!



Danielle also had lots of fun with this wooden recorder. She blew into it and produced a sound which amused her greatly.



Anyway, though I feel I deprived my kids in some sense when I compare (bottomline: dont compare), I also feel that its not practical to have so many toys as they will outgrow it and children get bored of toys very easily. It also takes up space and will just end up in one room or corner, collecting dust.

Moreover, the children themselves do not feel that they are being deprived. Give them a stick, keys or a spoon and they can be happy swinging it or making noise with it!