Drama

Yesterday, while we were trying to put the kids to sleep, there were so much drama. They both were drinking milk from the bottle. Lucas wanted Chloe's pillow. Chloe refused to give. Lucas smacked her. We pulled Lucas away as he was getting physical. Then Lucas cried. After coaxing, they both apology to each other and Chloe is willing to share the pillow with her brother. Lucas had this habit of wanting everyone elses pillow except his. Most of the time, he has 4 pillows on his bed - 2 his own, one borrowed from Daddy and one borrowed from Chloe.

Then there was a mosquito flying around. Dominic then said:
Dom: Chloe, ask ko-ko to smack the mosquito.
Chloe: Kok-ko, smack the mosquito.
Lucas: NO.
Chloe: If you don't smack the mosquito, then who? ME?

Doesn't Chloe sounds like an adult? I was wondering if I speak in this manner and that's how she picks it up!

Then the next drama unfolds, they were fighting for the same blanket.
Lucas: Give me the purple blanket.
Chloe: NO. You want the yellow blanket?
Lucas: NO. I want the purple blanket.
Chloe: No, but I give you the yellow blanket ok.
Lucas: NO, I want the purple blanket.
Chloe: You had the purple blanket yesterday.
Lucas: (whining and complained to me) Mom, she is not sharing.
Me: Chloe, can ko-ko have the blanket for another night?
Chloe: No, but ko-ko can have the yellow blanket ok.

See the difference in their character. Lucas tends to whine and complain to me when at home and complain to his teacher when at school. He gets frustrated easily. Meanwhile, Chloe is very calm and will try to negotiate her way around. We always think Lucas will excel in his academic and Chloe is the street smart one.

Holiday Plans

Next week is Lucas's last week of school. Holidays again....
We have decided not to force him to go swimming. So we are scraping the 2 hrs a day 5 days a week swimming plan. Instead, he started taking Mandarin class. A teacher comes to the house twice a week, one hour each time. The teacher will read him story and they will have their discussion on that topic. On his first lesson, he learnt about bouncing big and small ball. After the class, the told his father that learnt about big and small but he has forgotten about how they are said in Mandarin! I'm trying to get my kids to be bi-lingual and trying so hard to switch the mother tongue from English to Mandarin. Each time I speak to them in Mandarin, they will both jokingly asked 'how put how?' (how are you or literal translation is fine or not?) and burst into laughter.

Other than Mandarin class, there is not much plan. Not travelling this holiday as Dominic has no more leave and we are getting a bit lazy. Staying in a hotel in city center on 31 Dec to party - eat and watch fireworks. Trying to arrange some play-dates for the kids and do some cookies baking for Christmas. I'm sure time will fly.

Aging...Part 2

Just when I thought needing reading glasses and wrinkles are bad, I have just made a new discovery, a far scary new discovery. I have been feeling some pain on my breasts. First, I brushed it off as maybe I have put on weigh and my bras are just too small. Then I told myself maybe I should go for mammogram since I'm in the 40s club. And there I go for mammogram and ultra sound scan. The mammogram was clear and I was relieved BUT the ultra sound detected 2 lumps on m left breast. According to the radiologist, one lump is definitely benign and another is suspicious. My heart dropped a few inches when I heard the word suspicious. Then I went to see a breast surgeon who again said the bigger lump is 50-50% benign. My heart dropped another few inches. I had to get the lump removed and get a biopsy. So, I scheduled a surgery to get the lump removed. The best procedure I have learnt is remove the lump, send the lump for a frozen biopsy where you can get the result within 45 mins. If it is cancerous, the surgeon can remove the limp node immediately (in the same operation while I still had the anaesthetic on). If it is not, then that's it. Thank goodness, the bigger lump is also benign!! For once in my life, I thought I'm going to die young....cannot be right, my kids are still young.

Anyway, it is a huge relief that this nightmare is all over but it was scary that I experience such a close encounter with cancer. Enjoy life, my friends.

My Snobbish Son

How do you tell kids that they are very lucky to have parents and have more things than they need??

Last December, we were at a bookshop. At the cashier, they were some postcards with names and the age of the underprivileged kids. Anyone can buy them book as a gift. So, we asked Lucas to pick a postcard. He chose a boy who was the same age as him and he chose one of the book from Mr Men collection as a gift. He was then given a card to write a message to the kid. And guess what my smart aleck son wrote - poo and pee !!! When we found out, it was too late. Asked him why he wrote such unpleasant message, he said it is funny.

Today, we took him to buy stationery for some underpriviledge kids again. His school is collecting stationery to be donated to underpriviledge kids. I told me beforehand as to why and where we are going. When we get into the shop, he chose his own stationery first. I reminded him we are buying for poor kids and he is not poor. He just ignored me. He did not even bother helping to choose what type of stationery to buy. Fine. When we get home, I was busy taking off the price tag form the items. He saw that there are a few angry bird stationery and he asked, 'Why are you buying these? They don't have iPad and they don't know angry bird.' Dah....what should I say? Snobbish or just plain innocent?

When I told Dominic about this, Dominic told Lucas, 'Maybe we should give your iPad to the poor kids. They will be really happy.' And you know what Lucas answer is.

One day a few weeks ago, we stopped at the traffic light. There was a van full with students beside us. Then I said:
Me: Lucas, look at the van. All the children are from your school.
Lucas: Why are they in the van?
Me: Because their Mommies and Daddies have to work and cannot send them to school. When Mommy and Daddy have to work, you will have to take the van too.
Lucas: Of course NOT.
Me: Then how are you going to school?
Lucas: I will go with Auntie S (my neighbour whom I car pool with)

Is he having it too good? BTW, he weighs 16.5kg and 108cm.

He just discovered he can move faster and easier in the pool if he stays in this pose.

He is more confident when he has cousin swimming with him. Jumping off the ledge ..

Little helper or trouble maker ?

He came back from the neighbour's house with the mask and hand robot saying the neighbour gave them to him.

Chloe's Ready for Nursery

Well, Chloe completed her playschool and will be starting Nursery in January. She will then be in school Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to noon. And, I will have some peace and quiet in the morning when both kids are in school.......yah!

On her last day, her Playschool had a Christmas party. The teachers turned the classroom into a playroom and lots of music, dancing, Santa Claus, presents and food. She had a great time, and now I will have difficulty telling her she is not going to school for the next 6 weeks.

She is 11.5kg and 88cm tall. Grown 2 kgs heavier and 4 cm taller since June. Not bad. She has been eating well lately - she eats meat more than her brother.

Getting her hand painted.

Her favourite toy, the balls.

Another favourite of hers, musical insturment, maracas.

Little gardener at home.

Sri Lanka

Lucas has been talking about Sri Lanka a lot lately. Don't know how it get started. Last night, he had this conversation with his father.

Lucas: Are we going to Germany only?
Dom: Where else do you want to go?
Lucas: Sri Lanka.
Dom; What do you want to do there?
Lucas: (quiet for awhile). How far is Sri Lanka?
Dom: Sri Lanka is 6 hours and Germany is 16 hours by plane.
Lucas: Then why don't we go Sri Lanka?
Dom: When you are older, you can go on your own. Then maybe you can buy Mummy and Daddy the air tickets to go too.
Lucas: You will be dead by then. You will be over 100 years old.
Dom: Are you going when you are in your 60 s?
Lucas: ( quiet)