Childhood friends.

The kids met again. This time all four of them.

Anita wanted to celebrate her daughter's birthday and we wanted to take the girls out so we met at swensens for dinner. Swensens has kid's menu which I think is pretty appropriate except they should never have removed the ice cream. Ice cream used to be part of the kid's meal but now it's gone and swensens no longer an ice cream place for them. Joelle really enjoyed her meal and Isabelle enjoyed her french fries (she had her own dinner at home). Wayne is speaking alot now but Jayne is the more sociable one. Wayne is a shy boy, very gentle I would say, not rowdy like most boys. Joelle and Wayne took a meal to warm up and by the end of dinner, they were holding hands while walking, hugging while posing for pictures and really watching out for each other. These childhood friends, difference by a month in age, might actually be long term friends. It sure depends on us parents to allow them to interact and socialise. So Anita... dinner again?  

Pride and Daddy.

Isabelle is really daddy's girl. 

One night she accidentally bit me and daddy scolded her. Mind you it was just raised voice. She pouted and looked away from him but refused to let her tear dropped. She listened to his "lecture" SERIOUSLY and I swear I could see her tears welling up and threatening to fall. If she had blinked, they would roll I tell you. I was controlling my giggles. I have never seen such expression on a little child before. She had so much pride before her daddy. It was after about five minutes when she finally let go and bawled. Really bawled. Those breathless and hicuppy kind of crying. She was uncontrollable. It took me almost ten minutes of coaxing and cuddling and kissing before she quieten down. Then she refused her daddy to touch her. But when daddy took her forcibly and cuddled her, she started crying again but it's a different kind of tears. It's the kind of "Bu Fu" (in mandarin) feeling towards her daddy. It's really worth blogging cos it's the first time I encountered such intensity from a 17 month child. Whoa!

True colours.

  

Did you notice the colours used on Joelle's pictures now? It's so... "correct". Brown hair, peach face, yellow sun, green grass, blue sky and white clouds. She got them all correct now. No more pink hair, blue face and colourful grass. I don't know why I'm so upset by her use of "correct" colours? I should be happy that she's "seeing" colours as they should be right? But... her drawings are getting... normal and predictable. No more surprises, no more funny explanations, no more spontaneity. In a way it's getting... boring. 

Well, she's already four so I guess it's the right time for her to "know the true colour of things" around her. I should learn to let go. But I tell you... I really had a fun time listening to her "she brush her teeth with my toothpaste that's why her teeth are pink!" explanations. 

I wonder what's in store for me next. 

"Issy... come and colour with mummy..."

Mummy's thinking...

Isabelle broke one of my favorite thing today. She took it and wanted to hand it to me but oops... it dropped and broke. It has a kind of globe (made of glass) filled with liquid and some glistering material which looked really pretty when you lightly shake it and watch the glistering stuff fall over these dolphins inside. I have it next to my computer and use it to relax actually. I like that very much and I'm really sad that it's broken now. Moreover it's a gift from a friend. To think about it... I have not seen her in years and hardly spoke to her at all. We used to write when she was in the states but now that she's back teaching, I don't get any mails from her. But I do think of her once in a while. Sigh... I am really one emotional soul. Sometimes I really wish I can put in more effort in trying to keep in touch. Maybe I feel inferior now that I'm more or less a SAHM. I know I shouldnt be but the views of many people including our government is such that if you're not in the workforce, you're not contributing at all. Laughable I know but it's the sad truth. Though I'm working (for crossroad) from home and have some projects of my own on the side, I still consider myself a SAHM as I see the girls day in day out. I realised that alot of people could not accept the fact that I did my degree and all, yet decide to give it all up for the girls. Afterall I had a stable though boring job that allowed me to indulged in expensive clothes for the girls and nice food in expensive restaurants once in a while. But I was often unhappy, unsatisfied and unwell. Though I am still often unwell, it is mostly physical and that's something even doctors couldnt better. So I reckon I should better the quality of my mind and my heart instead. And I'm happier now. Never have I been more satisfied with my life than now. I chose this path and I'm going to learn to walk it proudly. I'm going to be a very rich SAHM, in mind, in heart and in spirit.  

More pineapple tarts.

 My man likes the chinese new year bakes so much he actually says "the kitchen feels so empty without the goodies" and gives me the saddest face. So today... I bake some for him. What better way to please a man than through his mouth. Hmmm... very true indeed. And this is joelle's drawing of the pineapple tarts in the oven. Ha!

Red Pea at Mcdonalds

  

Joelle attended one red pea session and I have to say that it's worth our time. Not that ronald mcdonald is one cool dude... far from it I must add. It's their efforts and organization. Their activities, songs and dances are pretty interesting and I found myself tapping my feet that day. They have staff around to help the younger children and are kind enough to provide discount vouchers for meals and to seat the parents comfortably in full view of the kids. Joelle had so much fun that day she has been asking for more. I bet we will attend one again this march holidays. One problem is... their shows are repeats so if you attend one, you attend all. But then again... well done mcdonalds!

My broken tooth.

 If you have not noticed, Issy broke her front tooth and in this photo you can see it rather clearly. Daddy is the saddest in this broken tooth episode and Mary... she still couldn't find an answer to the how, why and where questions.

1) How did it happen?

2) Why didn't you keep the stroller?

3) Where is that part of her broken tooth?

Well, maybe she was too stunned and frighten and needed time to come up with "correct" answers. Afterall she was the only one with Issy when it happened. It's acceptable that she didn't have enough time to prevent the accident but it's simply unacceptable that she didn't see the accident unfold. 

But how I look at it, this is what happen... Isabelle was playing with the stroller. She tried to get up on it. The stroller toppled. She fell forward on the ground and broke her tooth. As for her missing tooth... it must be in her tummy.