happy smiley again

After 3 days of eating well (i.e. 3 meals + 4 bottles of milk each day), Joy-Anne is looking better and certainly smiling more.

I managed to get some smiley pictures this morning. She was very obliging in posing and generous with her smiles. Can't quite hide those slim legs though. She doesn't have chubby thunder thighs. Just long and slim like her father.

What more with all the exercise she's getting these days, walking everywhere. She doesn't want to be carried. She will say "walk" and squirm out of our arms onto the floor.

Last night, we celebrated my grandmother's 84th birthday.

Secret Recipe makes yummy cakes but suck at decorating/writing on them so this is my DIY job. I had 3 sugar rats which had been sitting in my fridge all this while. And since my grandma was born in the year of the rat, and we are still in the year of the rat, I thought they made perfect deco for the cake. Joy-Anne fed herself noodles and ate up 2 whole pieces of taufus. This was after she had her dinner at home, followed by milk in the car on the way to the restaurant. And after that she finished another bottle of milk with her eyes closed, before we left for home.

Joseph also ate pretty well. He finished his dinner at home. At the restaurant, he fed himself a bowl of noodles. Then he helped himself to a piece of birthday cake which was a yummy cheesecake.

Later he had some fruits and after all that another bottle of milk before going off to dreamland.

I wanted to take photo of the kids with their Ah Chor but Joy-Anne was already asleep.

Hooray for kids eating well!

videos for yee yee

So thankful

The year 2009 started of kinda bumpy with both kids being sick and Joseph crying and vomitting in school. After a rough start it looks like this will be a pretty good year after all.

Joseph has finally settled into school. He started wearing his new uniform yesterday and was all excited about it.

How many people does it take to get 1 kid ready for school???

Last week, he cried a little on Tuesday and that was the last of his crying. I asked him if he still wanted to cry and he said, "Not at all!" Yesterday on the way home from school, he told me, "I had a great time at DreamCenter school".

Now he goes to school with a sunshine smile on his face. I'm pleasantly surprised with how quickly he has settled into school. It's great to see him more sociable and happy with his new-found independence.

As for Joy-Anne..... after having fever and not eating for 6 days, she woke up on Monday morning very happy! She drank 4oz of water non-stop, and then downed 5oz of milk non-stop. Less than an hour later ate all her oats and after that still had appetite for biscuits and her birthday cake. She must be making up for lost time.

We were just happy and relieved to see her eat. After her tummy was full, she got busy around the house. She walked everywhere, opening drawers and cupboards just like Joseph when he started walking. But Joseph only did this at about 14 months. She's more advanced!

She's also more advanced in her speech and fine motor skills.

See....I can colour with both hands at one go!

Joy-Anne certainly provides us with lots of laughs. When we tell her "go to sleep" she will shake her head, wag her finger and say "No! No! No!". Then when we ask her if she wants to "go shopping?" or "kai kai?" she will nod her head and say, "esssss...essss"

She also knows her head, eyes, mouth and bellybutton. When we tell her to fold her hand and say a prayer, she puts 2 hands together.

Sing "twinkle twinkle little star" and she opens and closes her hands.

Sing "God is so good..." and she points her fingers like how we do the actions. Then she pats her chest when we sing the last line "He's so good to me".

Indeed God is so good and we've so much to be thankful for.

Tomorrow we celebrate my grandma's 84th birthday.

My brother will be getting married this August.

Daalin received a AUD4000 grant to cover living expenses during his sabbatical in Australia.

God is very good....all the time!

To celebrate a One-derful year of love, life and blessings

A year ago, we welcomed our princess into this world. It's been a great year and we wanted to celebrate! About 30plus family, friends and neighbours crammed into our little humble abode to celebrate with us.

I ordered a number 1-shaped cake from cakecupboard. It looked rather sweet. I added her name and the 'Happy Birthday' sign myself.

After singing a few songs, Jackson, our cg leader prayed and then we sang "Happy Birthday" before everyone helped themselves to the food.

I was especially thankful because just 2 nights ago, Joy-Anne suddenly got so sick that I feared she might not see her 1st birthday. She is actually still unwell, having had runny nose and on-off fever since Tuesday (today is the 6th day!).

That's why she looks so grumpy and skinny in all the pictures. She was 10.3kg a week ago but I'm pretty sure she's lost some weight.

Even though she has been refusing to eat and drink, she did eat some of Aunty Cathy's very yummy chicken porridge and also her birthday cake.

AhKu (also known as Billy the Clown) did a magic show for the kids and adults too.

After that, all the children took their turn and trying to break the pinnata.

When all the guests had left, Joseph said, "Can I help Joy-Anne open her presents?" And before I could say anything, he ripped open all her presents and then helped himself to playing with her new toys.

She did look very cute pushing this dolly trolley.

I'm just so very thankful for how she's grown and for having her to complete our family!

Absent from school

Joe was absent from school yesterday (Monday, 12 January 2009). He wasn't feeling very well since Sunday night. I think he was just very tired from the long week and also the long busy weekend we had. He had a runny nose and was coughing so I didn't think it was a good idea to share his germs with all his friends in school.

He was very happy to stay at home. Not lethargic at all. Except for that drippy nose.

So I made him switch off the tv after breakfast and we had some study time. I taught him to tell the time. Thus far, he can tell when it's 'something-o'clock'.

After that, we made a pinniata for Joy-Anne's party. He was very excited even though it's not his party. So he helped me tear up pieces of paper to soak and then wrap them over a balloon.Then he helped me to apply glue on the second later of paper. Later, we decorated it and made a smiley face on the balloon-shaped pinniata.

In the midst of all that, I was talking to my mum and talking about how to seal the opening after filling it with sweets. When he heard the word "sweet", he turned around at me and said, "Hey.....sweets are not good. You said cannot eat sweets!"

Ahh....yes dear, you're right. Sweets are not good.

When we were done from the pinniata, Joe showed me a song he learnt from school.

Actually, we've already taught him this again and again a long time ago and he knows it but wouldn't do sing it properly. The teacher taught him just once and he does it so happily.

Today, I gave him a dose of polaramine and packed him off to school. He started crying when I put his shoes on for him. I hope he doesn't throw up on his teacher again.

school blues

I'm sitting here in the concourse of the adjacent block to Joe's school. There's free wi-fi to keep me occupied.

Today is the first day that parents are no longer allowed to be in school. I dropped him at the door, said goodbye and he went in with a teacher. I decided to just wait around outside for a while.

Five minutes later, the teacher came out to say Joe vomitted. It was a huge mess. Vomit on himself, the floor, on the teacher, in the bathroom. So I went in, changed him and comforted him. Then the teacher took him for a walk and tried to comfort him.

I told him I would see him later and made my exit. From behind the wall and through the windows, I peeped and saw him sobbing quite a lot.

It's heart-wrenching to see my baby cry. Ok so he's no longer a baby. But he'll always be my baby. I think this is as hard for me as it is for him. But I know he's got to get through it sooner or later. If we wait another year to send him to school, this same thing will happen next year. And the next. And even in primary school.

Yesterday he said he cried "Just a little bit". And when I asked him why he cried, he said "because I miss my mama and my papa". How could my heart not break with words so sweet.

I hope tomorrow will be better.
And once he's settled, I won't have to neglect my other baby every morning.

Joe's dino dance

Joe had this conversation with Nat this morning in school....

Nat took out a mentos sweet from his bag.

Joe : Sweet is not good. My mummy say cannot eat.

Nat : My mummy say can.

Joe : My mummy say cannot!

Nat : But my mummy say can.

Joe : Cannot!

Nat : Can!

Joe : Cannot!!

Nat : CAN!!

Joe : CANNOTTT!!!

Then they started to play pretend-boxing. And the teacher had to tell them both to sit down.

**video of his first day added to post below **

Joe's first day smiles and blues

Joseph went to school today. I'm so pleased with him. It's really a breakthrough!
Up till last week, he didn't want to go. At some point when we came to visit, he wouldn't even go in. He kept saying, "I'm too scared" and "You have to stand there and watch me".

But last week, our conversation changed...

Mama : Do you want to go to school?
Joe : Yes! Because I think I'm brave now.
Mama : Can mama go to school with you?
Joe : NO! You go to work.
Mama : Can Joy-Anne go to school with you?
Joe : No. Joy-Anne is a baby. I'm a big boy!

Mama : So who will you bring to school with you?
Joe : Jesus. (pats his chest)
Mama : Are you gonna cry?
Joe : Nooooo.....
Mama : And what if other children cry?
Joe : I will comfort them.

So this morning....I had to wake him up at 7am (he usually sleeps till about 8am). It kinda reminded me of how my mother used to have to a hard time trying to wake my brother up for school every morning.

We got there in plenty of time. Joseph smiled at his teacher and played with the toys on the table. But he kept looking around for me.
Finally at about 9am, he looked pretty comfortable and I thought it was alright to leave him for a while. I pointed to the clock and told him that mama will be back when the short hand reaches the number 10. He said ok, waved and said, "Bye bye mama!"

So I went over to the other block and sat around reading through the Parent Handbook.

At exactly 10am, I went back to peep at him and saw his eyes red and teary.

He cried out loud when he saw me and ran for a hug. I told him it was alright, dried his tears and then he went back to sit with his class.

Soon it was time to line up and gather for dismissal assembly.

I was surprised that he was pretty compliant.

He obeyed the teachers and sat and stood as he was told.


Then they sang songs and did a dino dance.

Again, I was very surprised that Joseph participated and did all the actions. He has plenty of such opportunities at Children's Church every Saturday but he has never done any of the actions by himself. Not even when his papa is on stage leading the singing. He usually clings to me like a koala.

But today, he was so independent. I felt strange. But it was nice to see him wave and smile when the teacher said to wave at your mama and papa.

When he was dismissed, he waved to his teacher and said, "See you tomorrow". He came home and told Nana that he cried "just a little bit".

I'm pretty sure he will be alright here in Tadika Juara Cerdik.

Happy New Year! Happy Birthday!

We ushered in the new year as we always do....by celebrating Kong Kong's birthday which falls on 1st of January. This year, he turns 63. And we have a 'double celebration' with the newly-engaged couple. At night we went for dinner at Chili's. After using our vouchers (redeemed from credit card points), we paid RM36.

As usual, Ah Ku had to entertain Joe with his magic balls.

now you see it...

now you don't!

This is Kong Kong's first birthday with 2 grandchildren. The family has been growing...

By his next birthday, we hope he will have a daughter-in-law to add....

...and maybe another grandkid on the other side of the globe :-)