Lessons in Parenting

Being a parent has taught me many things about the Father Heart of God. It amazes me how God uses my children to teach me about Him.

Yesterday, I was feeding Joseph lunch with my right hand while holding Joy-Anne on my lap with my left arm. A short while later, my mother came to carry Joy-Anne and as she was carried away, Joy-Anne reached out and grabbed the piece of keropok that was in Joseph's hand.

"Heyyyyyy!!!!!!", Joseph shouted.

"Arrrrhhhhhhhhhhhgggghhhh!!!! Joy-Anne took my keropokkkkkkk!!!!"

I told him to calm down and I would give him another piece.

But he wanted it back so Joy-Anne handed the saliva-soaked piece of keropok to him. He took it and then threw it on the floor.

I was certainly not happy with his attitude and made him apologize to Joy-Anne.

Later, as I was putting him to bed for his afternoon nap, I had a talk with him.

Mama : Joseph, do you know what Jesus teaches us in the Bible?

Joe : Huh?

Mama : Jesus said that if someone slaps you on the right cheek, you should turn your left cheek for the fellow to slap too.

(Joe looks at me with a stunned look)

Mama : And if someone takes your shirt, you should give him your shoe as well.

Joe : What????!!! Then I will have no shirt and no shoe!

Mama : Then God can bless you with new ones.

Joe is still stunned.

Mama : And if someone takes your keropok, you give him your chicken nugget as well.

Joe : That's not fair! (now he's really upset)

Mama : When Joy-Anne takes your keropok, you let her have it. Then I can give you a new piece.

Joe : But I want my keropok.

Mama : Do you want back the piece of keropok that has Joy-Anne's saliva or do you want a new crispy piece of keropok?

Joe : (thinks for a while then answers with a sad face and sobbing) ...the new crispy piece.

Mama : So can you let Joy-Anne have the keropok if she grabs it from you?

Joe turns the other side, hides his head under his Barney bolster and says "I'm really tired".

So young and yet he knows how to avoid the subject.

I left it at that and when he woke up later in the evening, I continued my talk with him.

This time, it ended like this....

Mama : So if Joy-Anne takes your keropok, what do you do?

Joe : I give her chicken nugget. And then can ask Ah Mah to make more keropok. And if there's no more flour and prawn, we can go to the market to buy some more.

Even with this incident, God reminded me that many times, we hold on so tightly to the things we have that He can't bless us with more. I've to learn to let go and let God work!

Mr Wooden Spoon

This is Joe's good friend - Mr Wooden Spoon.

Mr Wooden Spoon helps Joe when he doesn't obey. Joe tells me that there is also a Mr Wooden Spoon in school. Naughty children get 3 warnings and after that they get sent to Teacher Stephanie's office to meet Mr Wooden Spoon.

At home, Mr Wooden Spoon has a friend called Mr Cane.

Last night, Edwin left Joe in the room for a while (Nana and Mama were not at home) and then he heard a loud crack. When he went back into the room, Joseph showed him this....

And he said, "I broke the wooden spoon". Since he was honest, and it was an accident, Mr Wooden Spoon did not have to kiss his bum.

But I'm just wondering how he broke Mr Wooden Spoon into 3 pieces!!!

date night

Since Joy-Anne is all bigger now and can go to bed at night without breastfeeding, we've resumed our weekly date nights with more consistency. Joseph also goes to bed all by himself so it frees Nana to put Joy-Anne to bed. Last night, we decided to try out Italiannies (The Gardens). I've been having this craving for carbonara pasta. (Can't wait to get to Melbourne to devour those at Sofia's)

We went for their promotion deal - 4 bowls of pasta for RM29.90. They offer a choice of 10 types of pasta. We pick 4.

So we picked Classic Carbonara (but of course!), Clam and Beef Bacon, Salmon and Lemon Aioli, and Shrimp Linguine.

While waiting for our order, we were served complimentary bread with olive oil and vinegar.

Being a weekday, the place was very quiet and just perfect. We had a view of the 'river' from the cosy little booth we were seated in.

Our food arrived soon enough. I took a good look at it and tried to figure out which bowl contained which pasta.

This must be the Salmon and Lemon Aioli...

This is the Clam and Beef Bacon

This is the Shrimp Linguine

And this looks like the Angel Hair Pomodoro

Ah....what was that again? They got our order wrong! How could they have forgotten my carbonara???

So we got them to change it. Here's my carbonara. The blur photo makes the bacon look kinda gross.

But it tasted nice and creamy to me.

The bowls were small but we were quite full by the time we finished everything. We especially loved the Salmon and Lemon Aioli. Unfortunately, it's not on their regular menu and we're not sure if it'll still be available after this Bowls of Pasta promotion ends.

The regular plate of Classic Carbonara (which according to the waitress, feeds 2 persons) is also priced at RM29.90 but I'm sure one will feel much more jelak without the variety that we get with this current promo. Maybe that's why Italiannies encourages sharing. It makes the meal a whole lot more enjoyable.

the good, the bad and the naughty

I was not prepared for the new thing Joseph showed me on the way home from school yesterday. He showed me his third finger and said, "Mama see....I can point like that!"

My eyes opened wide but I kept my cool because it wouldn't be cool to hit another car like I did on Sunday (but that's another story).

Since starting school, Joseph has grown a lot. He's now much more mature and sociable. A couple of weeks ago, he migrated back into his own bed and now our king-sized bed is for 2 again. He even puts himself to bed and doesn't need me to pat pat him anymore because he says "I'm a big boy now".

He loves washing at the kitchen sink. His hands are not quite long enough to reach the tap but Nana taught him how to use a chopstick as a lever to switch on the tap.

He always wants to wash his hands all by himself.

He wants to wash his own cup.

He wants to pour cups of water for everyone in the house.

Actually I think he just wants to play with water.

He comes home from school and says he can be Teacher Esther. Joy-Anne is his student and he teaches her phonics using the alphabet chart we have on the wall.

The downside of school is that he has been nursing a chronic cough just like a few of his classmates. He's also been having a runny nose on and off.

He learnt to shake his bum and say "shame shame, all the monkeys know your name" from Nat (according to him).

And now he knows how to show his third finger!

I explained to him that it is not a nice thing and that it's rude.

His response : why?

Ahh....why? That's his favourite question. Why this, why that. How this, how that.

For example...

In the morning.....

mama : Joe, it's time to wake up.

Joe : Why??? (rolls over, hides his face under his bolster)

I tell him the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den.

Joe : But how did Jesus protect Daniel?

mama : Jesus kept the lion's mouth shut.

Joe : But how?

mama : Jesus will close the lion's mouth.

Joe : But howwwww??????

So anyway, I explained to him that he can use his pointer to point at things but not at people because it's rude. And then I showed him that if he wants to point at someone, he should use his thumb turned down.

I'll have to have a chat with his teacher to see what he's learning from the other kids.

Family Portraits

I'm so overwhelmed by the lovely shots Grace took. Posed studio shots are so outdated. I love how these candid shots capture all the smiles and tender moments...now immortalised forever. Thanks Grace!