我觉得我是幸运的。在茫茫人海中能遇到我的老公。
老公， 你常说只要我开心， 你就开心。在结婚十周年的今天，你准备了一连串的惊喜给我， 真的让我有些招架不住，受宠若惊。我要告诉你， 我真的玩得很开心， 只是不好意思让你整天都在做陪客， 一直在等我。
我知道你为了今天的节目筹备了有两个多月。真的很谢谢你为我所做的一切。正如那 nail therapist 所说。。。you are so sweet。 连老板娘都那么觉得呢， 你几棒一点哦。 说真的，那不知道 next destination 是哪里的感觉还挺好的。 我是个典型的 planning 派， 总要策划， 准备， 以防万一。 久了都觉得有些闷。 今天， 那种被你带着走的感觉真好。
老公，你常说我很好养， 花费少。 既不喜欢逛街又不喜欢买东西。 所以你就把这十年累计的一切奢侈一天内全给了我吗？ 你是知道我是个不爱乱花钱的人， 虽然不至于是个守财奴但算一算今天的花费也是会觉得心痛 （ 老毛病， 改不了）。 就这一次好了。 ：）
我会记得这十周年的一天。 这只是我们的第一个十周年， 还有第二个， 第三个， 第四个， 第五个， 第六个。。。 要对你说的是今天的每个节目都让我很感动， 但最让我感动的是你许下的那个愿望。 放心！ 我们一定会做到的。 要白头到老哦！
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 05, 2009
Our Comical Family Tree
At the breakfast table this morning, Jiaheng & I were trying to sort out the relationships among our relatives for Yixuan. E.g: Who is Papa's Mama? Who is Mama's Papa? etc
I suppose Jiaheng and I didn't do a good job cos the little girl seems pretty confused. In the end, I decided to draw out a simplified family tree for her.
(Stage 1 : Basic) Only drew Kai Hock, me and Jiaheng and Yixuan. (and of course, must draw long hair for the girl and punky hair for the boy) Simple questions just revolving Kai Hock, me, Jiaheng and Yixuan were asked to check for understanding. The results .... 100%! yeh! Pass with flying colours.
(Stage 2 : Intermediate) I added in 阿公, 阿媽(the paternal grandparents), 公公 and 婆婆 (the maternal grandparents). Somehow, the little girl seems to think that 阿公 is my father instead of 公公. So mummy has no choice but to put in some distinction to the drawing. This girl is really pushing her mummy's drawing skills to the limit (as if there were any to start off with :P)
So I drew a strawberry next to 阿公 (cos 阿公 is our faithful strawberry supplier to make the little princess happy). And I drew a moustache on the icon symbolising 公公 (and Jiaheng was simply tickled when he saw the moustache I drew... hmmm... is it really that funny??)
Ah... this distinction seems to do the trick and the little girl cleared Stage 2 too. Seems like Mummy has not forgotten what she learnt while teaching to start off with concrete examples and move towards abstract association.
(Stage 3 : Advanced) Actually, I was a bit reluctant to proceed to Advanced stage. Thot of just letting the information seep in for the little girl but Jiaheng just kept encouraging us to continue. So, we added in 3 姑姑 and 1 舅舅. Conclusion... Blur.
Stage 3 failed. Kua Kua Kua... Never mind, we can always try again next time with more people added to the family tree. A long list to go : 大姑丈，二姑丈， 大表哥， 二表哥， 三表哥， 表弟， 舅妈， 太婆， 曾祖父， 曾祖母。
One thing I am grateful is that my mum-in-law insists that we address our elders according to their seniority. Hence the many terms. She always says "Don't call auntie and uncle. Must call properly. There are so many uncles and aunties in the streets."
P.S. In case you are wondering why 舅舅 has rounded ears, his is a fan of Mickey, that's why.
--------posted by Mommy
I suppose Jiaheng and I didn't do a good job cos the little girl seems pretty confused. In the end, I decided to draw out a simplified family tree for her.
(Stage 1 : Basic) Only drew Kai Hock, me and Jiaheng and Yixuan. (and of course, must draw long hair for the girl and punky hair for the boy) Simple questions just revolving Kai Hock, me, Jiaheng and Yixuan were asked to check for understanding. The results .... 100%! yeh! Pass with flying colours.
(Stage 2 : Intermediate) I added in 阿公, 阿媽(the paternal grandparents), 公公 and 婆婆 (the maternal grandparents). Somehow, the little girl seems to think that 阿公 is my father instead of 公公. So mummy has no choice but to put in some distinction to the drawing. This girl is really pushing her mummy's drawing skills to the limit (as if there were any to start off with :P)
So I drew a strawberry next to 阿公 (cos 阿公 is our faithful strawberry supplier to make the little princess happy). And I drew a moustache on the icon symbolising 公公 (and Jiaheng was simply tickled when he saw the moustache I drew... hmmm... is it really that funny??)
Ah... this distinction seems to do the trick and the little girl cleared Stage 2 too. Seems like Mummy has not forgotten what she learnt while teaching to start off with concrete examples and move towards abstract association.
(Stage 3 : Advanced) Actually, I was a bit reluctant to proceed to Advanced stage. Thot of just letting the information seep in for the little girl but Jiaheng just kept encouraging us to continue. So, we added in 3 姑姑 and 1 舅舅. Conclusion... Blur.
Stage 3 failed. Kua Kua Kua... Never mind, we can always try again next time with more people added to the family tree. A long list to go : 大姑丈，二姑丈， 大表哥， 二表哥， 三表哥， 表弟， 舅妈， 太婆， 曾祖父， 曾祖母。
One thing I am grateful is that my mum-in-law insists that we address our elders according to their seniority. Hence the many terms. She always says "Don't call auntie and uncle. Must call properly. There are so many uncles and aunties in the streets."
P.S. In case you are wondering why 舅舅 has rounded ears, his is a fan of Mickey, that's why.
--------posted by Mommy
Reaping the fruits
We started Jiaheng on his Money Jars when he was younger and kept encouraging him to keep this good habit of money management.
We even increased his allowance from $1 a day to $1.50 when he turned six. (inflation, you know? ^^) In fact, he has been using money from his NESS (Necessity) jar to pay for his school's excursion fees and even his Yakult-Milk scheme in school.
Today is Kai Hock's birthday and Jiaheng very generously decided to use his NESS funds to buy Papa a birthday cake. After counting the coins for a good 20-mins, he handed me a big pile of coins to exchange for two $10 bills. Coupled with another $10 bills in the jar, Jiaheng said that he will like to get a $30 cake for Papa.
It is one whole month of savings for him. Everyday, without fail, he will recite his Dizigui by himself and then ask for his $1.50 savings ($1 in NESS , $0.30 in FFA , $0.20 in GIVE)
Now it is time to reap the fruits :) Keep up the persistency and consistency. Mommy knows that they will serve you well when you grow up.
---- posted by Mommy
We even increased his allowance from $1 a day to $1.50 when he turned six. (inflation, you know? ^^) In fact, he has been using money from his NESS (Necessity) jar to pay for his school's excursion fees and even his Yakult-Milk scheme in school.
Today is Kai Hock's birthday and Jiaheng very generously decided to use his NESS funds to buy Papa a birthday cake. After counting the coins for a good 20-mins, he handed me a big pile of coins to exchange for two $10 bills. Coupled with another $10 bills in the jar, Jiaheng said that he will like to get a $30 cake for Papa.
It is one whole month of savings for him. Everyday, without fail, he will recite his Dizigui by himself and then ask for his $1.50 savings ($1 in NESS , $0.30 in FFA , $0.20 in GIVE)
Now it is time to reap the fruits :) Keep up the persistency and consistency. Mommy knows that they will serve you well when you grow up.
---- posted by Mommy
Thursday, June 04, 2009
The Games We Play
I really find that playing games is the best way to teach our children. There are so many learning points we can derive from well-selected toys.
Yixuan is really into a few games right now.
Game #1 - UNO
---------
Yes, you are right. She can play a game of UNO independently. The only challenge is that she has issues holding up the 7 cards fanned out in her tiny hand. So, the best she can do is to place the cards all faced up on the floor. We the professionals will hold the cards in our hands and spy on what cards she has at the same time so that we can strategise our winning moves. ^^
Rules wise, we go for the most basic i.e. no placing of double cards; no interception; no reverse; no skip. Lest the many variations puts her off. However, the main teaching points in the game is to teach her to match numbers and colours. I must say she is a fast learner. After 1 session with her Papa, she is ready to play.
She even manages to win & wow Grandma with her new skills. Ha ha
Game #2 - Giant Floor Jigsaw Puzzle
---------
The Alphabet Jigsaw was actually inherited from Jiaheng. It covers a floor area of about 60 cm by 100 cm.
For beginnings, it is better to start with bigger pieces of puzzles. It is easier to handle and not so straining on their eye sight. And it is just so accomplished for them to see a giant piece of work done. Yeh!
I will first dramatise the process of searching for the correct placement for a piece of puzzle. Soon, I find that Yixuan will imitate me looking at the model answer on the puzzle box and try to match the placement of the piece that she is holding. From that first piece, she will find the other connecting pieces and slowly grow the puzzle. Most times, she can finish the 26 piece puzzle herself with a little help here and there.
Well, I could have just done the 'start from A and form to Z' method. But, I find that the forming of the puzzle with different starting pieces proves more challenging for the girl. That is when I can say "What is the piece BELOW G?" "What is the piece ABOVE K?" etc. Another great learning opportunity, isn't it?
I am really not too surprised to hear Yixuan trying to use the prepositions like BELOW and ABOVE the next few days though she mixed it up most of the time. Whatever!.... It is still a good try. :)
Game #3 - Scissors, Paper, Stone
---------
Yes, it is the good old Scissors, Paper, Stone game that we played when we were kids.
Think about it... it is pretty good motor skills for a 2.5 years old to come out with a Scissors sign.
I was lazing on the bed when Yixuan requested to go pee pee in the toilet. As I just laid down, this lazy-bum-bum mummy was really very reluctant to get up and bring her to the toilet. So, I asked Kai Hock to bring her. As usual,Yixuan refused. It is strange sometimes why there are so many things that ONLY mummy can do in the eyes of the little ones.
To keep my chance to continue to laze around, I suggested that we play Scissors, Paper, Stone. If I win, then Papa will bring her to toilet. If she wins, then I will bring her to toilet. I thought that I had everything planned out. I predicted that she will come up with an easy Stone sign (showing a fist). Else, it will be a Paper sign (showing an open hand). For me, I will come up with a Paper sign to counter her. Smart right?
Lo and Behold, while mine was a Paper sign, hers was the Scissors sign (showing a Victory sign horizontally). Aarrghhh... how can this be? Really 人算不如天算喔。What can I say but to concede defeat. Just got to crawl out of bed and bring the victorious girl to pee pee lor.
Really cannot under-estimate the learning ability of this 小不点 and the power of learning with FUN!
----------- posted by Mommy
Yixuan is really into a few games right now.
Game #1 - UNO
---------
Yes, you are right. She can play a game of UNO independently. The only challenge is that she has issues holding up the 7 cards fanned out in her tiny hand. So, the best she can do is to place the cards all faced up on the floor. We the professionals will hold the cards in our hands and spy on what cards she has at the same time so that we can strategise our winning moves. ^^
Rules wise, we go for the most basic i.e. no placing of double cards; no interception; no reverse; no skip. Lest the many variations puts her off. However, the main teaching points in the game is to teach her to match numbers and colours. I must say she is a fast learner. After 1 session with her Papa, she is ready to play.
She even manages to win & wow Grandma with her new skills. Ha ha
Game #2 - Giant Floor Jigsaw Puzzle
---------
The Alphabet Jigsaw was actually inherited from Jiaheng. It covers a floor area of about 60 cm by 100 cm.
For beginnings, it is better to start with bigger pieces of puzzles. It is easier to handle and not so straining on their eye sight. And it is just so accomplished for them to see a giant piece of work done. Yeh!
I will first dramatise the process of searching for the correct placement for a piece of puzzle. Soon, I find that Yixuan will imitate me looking at the model answer on the puzzle box and try to match the placement of the piece that she is holding. From that first piece, she will find the other connecting pieces and slowly grow the puzzle. Most times, she can finish the 26 piece puzzle herself with a little help here and there.
Well, I could have just done the 'start from A and form to Z' method. But, I find that the forming of the puzzle with different starting pieces proves more challenging for the girl. That is when I can say "What is the piece BELOW G?" "What is the piece ABOVE K?" etc. Another great learning opportunity, isn't it?
I am really not too surprised to hear Yixuan trying to use the prepositions like BELOW and ABOVE the next few days though she mixed it up most of the time. Whatever!.... It is still a good try. :)
Game #3 - Scissors, Paper, Stone
---------
Yes, it is the good old Scissors, Paper, Stone game that we played when we were kids.
Think about it... it is pretty good motor skills for a 2.5 years old to come out with a Scissors sign.
I was lazing on the bed when Yixuan requested to go pee pee in the toilet. As I just laid down, this lazy-bum-bum mummy was really very reluctant to get up and bring her to the toilet. So, I asked Kai Hock to bring her. As usual,Yixuan refused. It is strange sometimes why there are so many things that ONLY mummy can do in the eyes of the little ones.
To keep my chance to continue to laze around, I suggested that we play Scissors, Paper, Stone. If I win, then Papa will bring her to toilet. If she wins, then I will bring her to toilet. I thought that I had everything planned out. I predicted that she will come up with an easy Stone sign (showing a fist). Else, it will be a Paper sign (showing an open hand). For me, I will come up with a Paper sign to counter her. Smart right?
Lo and Behold, while mine was a Paper sign, hers was the Scissors sign (showing a Victory sign horizontally). Aarrghhh... how can this be? Really 人算不如天算喔。What can I say but to concede defeat. Just got to crawl out of bed and bring the victorious girl to pee pee lor.
Really cannot under-estimate the learning ability of this 小不点 and the power of learning with FUN!
----------- posted by Mommy
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