Latest Development

Jerilyn has moved from playing the piano with 1 hand to 2 hands . Below is the first piece she plays.

It was taken from the book below. The book is the first piano book I purchased. I find this book really helpful as it teaches from the basic, thus easier for her to grasp the techniques. There are also theory parts for her to write on.



Jesslyn can solve 40 pieces puzzle in less than 20 minutes without much help. She has tried this puzzle less than 10 times. I am surprised she can solve it.

The power of makeup

If you have heart problems, do not look below.

I warned you!

Eng in the Spoon

Johnny English

Took the kids to the Johnny English today. This is the 2nd show after Shrek more than a year ago. I had been reluctant to bring the kids to the cinema after the not-so-happy 1st experience. Just to recall, Jerilyn was afraid of the green monster and Daddy carried her out about half an hour after the show started. They never returned.

When my favourite cartoon, The Smurfs was shown in the cinemas, I didn't take them there for 3 reasons. Firstly, I wasn't sure if they were ready for the high level of noise. Secondly, the wizard might scare them off. Moreover, they are more interested to watch action-pack movies than animations. Thrillers can grab their attention from beginning til the end. With animations, they get distracted by other things half-way watching them. Ironic isn't it? People who love action-pack movies cannot stand high level of noise.

So, next comes Johnny English. I thought comedy might calm them and distract them from the noise. We bought a twin-seat for RM25. Apparently, the twin-seat or better known as couple seat is spacious enough for the 4 of us. The moment we went in, the dim lights weren't soothing. Jesslyn kept complaining that "It's scary." I quickly took out some cotton pads and stuck them in Jerilyn's ears although the movie hadn't started yet. On top of that, Jerilyn covered her ears with her bare hands. Jesslyn didn't want the cotton pads. When the commercials and previews began, Jesslyn started crying and people in front of our row turned back. Nothing helped. Not even lollies. Daddy took her out. Jerilyn continued covering her ears.
After 10mins, they returned. Jesslyn was quiet but she peeped through her fingers. Daddy covered her ears the whole time til the end of the show. Jerilyn let go off her hands slowly after about 20mins. Next, she complained that the shops would be closed soon. She wanted to leave. I distracted her by explaining what was going on in the movie. Explanations are good as they usually follow with 'Why'. At certain parts she laughed along. At other parts, she questioned with curiosity and excitement. She was loud enough for 2-3 rows around us to hear her. I had to shut her up a few times.
Overall, she likes the movie because it's funny. When I asked "Which part", her answer was "Every part".

Who's the Boss?

Are most kids (if not all) nowadays vocal with their feelings?
Mine are super expressive so much so that I wonder who is in command here. Sob! Sob!
For example:

1. This is what Jesslyn (2y8m) said when I scolded her. "I am not happy with you." After a minute or so, "Next time, I don't buy toys for you." I remembered Jerilyn saying "I don't give you angpow." when she wasn't happy with me.
2. Jesslyn (2y9m) woke up on the wrong side of the bed one morning and wailed. In fact, it happens at least 2 times a week. I said something; a joke maybe to make her happy and Jie2 was also babbling but this was her response "I don't want to listen (to) this!" She repeated twice so I was sure that was what she said. I laughed actually.
   
3. My dad complained the very same day that she said this to him "I don't want to listen you. I listen to mummy."
4. She negotiates with you. (A) I told Jesslyn not to take any chocolates because Jie2 has a cough. She said "Jie2 don't eat. I have no cough. I want to eat." (B) I tell her to colour faster for example, she answers "I am writing fast already what?"
5. At night when she wants to sleep, she orders like this "Shh... shh... I want to sleep. Don't talk." She repeats until you are quiet.
   
6. Some of the complicated phrases she uses are "What is happening?" "I don't believe you." "
   

For the record, Jesslyn learns to

• put on and take off her clothes
• button her own clothes
• writing a few small letters of the alphabet at 2y9m old
  

Favourites

These are their favourites:

Jerilyn
Colour: Pink
Food: Spagethi, Premium chocolates, anything sweet
Drink: No preference
Song: Nobody, Nobody but You
Cartoon: anything goes
Programme Fort Boyard

Jesslyn
Colour: Blue (the pic is the evidence)
Food: Chocolates and anything sweet, fruits like pineapple, orange
Drink: Coffee
Song: whatever Jerilyn likes, she likes
Cartoon: anything goes

Both of the kids are not sporting when playing board games. Both want to win and they insist the game to be played in favour of themselves. If they lose, they sulk. I think Jesslyn learns it from her sister again. She used to be cool about losing but not anymore.

Read on to know

I just came home from attending a colleague's wedding in Kampar. It was the first wedding I attended alone after my marriage. You must be wondering why am I blogging now? What is so important?

This is why I blog (before I forget):

Jerilyn: Mummy, Mummy, Mummy. Last time Po Po* and Gong Gong push the car.
I was flabbergasted. Yes. I remember my parents telling a similar incident but she couldn't be anything more than 2yo when it happened. How could she recall? I asked more to know how much she remembers.
Mummy: Where were you?
Jerilyn: In the car.
Mummy: Why didn't you help Po Po push the car?
Jerilyn: Because it is dangerous.
Mummy: Where is gong gong?
Jerilyn: Inside the car.

The whole conversation took place in the car while we came home. I was astonished why and made her bring it up out of the blue. Hubby and I looked at each other. I told him this is not the first time she talked about my mother. Moreover, at most of the time, she would say something err.... weird.

* At this point, I said to myself. There she goes again. Talking about Po Po. I paid particular attention when she came to this word because she would say something err... weird. :D

That night, in the bed, I provoked her to talk about it again. She added more information such as Po-Po pushed the car slowly and she didn't know why the car didn't move, something was wrong with the car.

Proud Mother

After the food poisoning incident, all of us gain weight instead of losing. What is happening here? Did all the diarrhea and vomitting left our stomachs so empty that opens up our appetite? The kids are finishing their meals faster than before. Sometimes, Jerilyn even gobbles up her food as if she has been starved. They also take food that they used to puke. Food like beans, sizable meat, onion etc... Going out for meals are much more fulfilling for me. Happy am I to see them eat without fuss.

I have another few days to prepare Jesslyn (2y8m) for kindy next year. For the past 4 weeks, I haven't taught her much other than writing letters. She can actually write very fast if she puts her heart into it. Today, she wrote N, O, L, I, H. Yesterday, was P, T, R, Z. But, when she is not listening, she cannot even draw a line. Yesterday, I used more than 10 minutes to force her (I know I shouldn't) to match a picture with its word. Her reading skills are as follows:
lion, cat, car, cup, dog, mummy, daddy, door, fan, fish etc...
This kid is an audio learner where she learns through listening. According to research, less than 20% of the people are audio learners. I guess this is why until now, she cannot identify animals. She can recite Multiplication for 3, 4 and 5 in Mandarin after listening to Daddy for not more than 10 times each.
She is also a Tell-tale. She can recall and convey her experiences easily. For example, when we fetched her from MIL's house, she told us this "Small go-go (age 8) cried like this 'weh weh weh... because he fight with the big go-go." I asked hubby to confirm with MIL if it really happened. She can create stories, reasons, excuses in split second. I wonder if she needs to think at all. Most of the time, she will provide reasons without being asked. For example, "I don't want to eat this because it is lat-lat." "I want to go swimming (shower) because I am smelly." "Eee... I dont want that (insect) because it will bite me like this armm... armmm.... armm..."
We are used to her authoritarian style too. She would be the one who tell us what to do esp her sister. Today, she saw a scribble on the book. I told her that it was Jerilyn's doing. She asked "Why did you draw this?" No answer. "Tell me. Why did you draw this, Jie2?" She'd ask til she gets an answer.
She is selfish as she doesn't share. When JErilyn peeps to see what she is doing, Jesslyn would stick her face to the book and push her sister away. THese are the things she would say: Do your work. You haven't finished your work. Go go go, quickly. Don't disturb me. Mummy, you see. She is disturbing me." She doesn't defend her sister when I beat Jerilyn. She will stay away quietly and then come to you in a very affectionate manner. Instead, she helps me to reprimand her sister "I told you. Don't ... Mummy will scold." or "Don't cry. Nah, tissue paper."
She is the keh poh in the family. "Aiyo! Look at the floor. There are so many ants." "Aiyo! What have you done?" "Aiyo, don't touch my .... You are spoiling it." When I scolded her dad, she copied what Jerilyn would say "Don't scold Daddy. If you scold Daddy, you go out. I don't love you anymore. I love Daddy. You love Jie2."
She is the honey of the family. Honey because she attracts attention in the public. People like to tease, play and talk to her as she has a beautiful smile and face, she talks interestingly and simply attractive.

Jerilyn, on the other hand, is a Thinker. She likes to solve puzzles and play with tools. She is more discipline. I am much tougher on her as compared to Jesslyn. I make her sit and do her work. She is the peace-maker. When an argument breaks out, she will be the first who reminds us not to argue. She shouted back "Why you shout at Daddy?" or "Don't talk to Gong-Gong like that." That usually makes us cool down immediately. She is nostalgic. many things remind them of my mother. Yesterday, I was telling them about a dying dog. Jerilyn said immediately "The dog is dying like Po-Po? Is the dog going to stay with Po-Po?"

The kids complement each other. Through Jesslyn, Jerilyn is more chatty and brave in public. Before Jesslyn learned to talk, Jerilyn was quiet and although she was playful. Now, she talks like an adult. On the other hand, Jerilyn taught Jesslyn to be more kinetic and creative with her hands.

I am proud of them. For their age, they are very mature. More so when I compare them with other kids (I know I shouldn't). I don't have to worry when we go shopping. They do run around but I still love shopping with them. They are independent eg wear their own shoes, carry stuff for us and get up and down the car themselves. They seldom cry in public. They never argue or fight in public. They stop other children whom they think are not behaving correctly. They reminds me of important things.

• When I give Jerilyn milk, she reminds me to add medication.
• When I forgot to lock the gate, Jesslyn reminded me.
• When I left out a clothe from Jerilyn's school bag, she reminded me.
  

They make me proud.

Pre-Food Poisoning

I was looking forward to this semester break (27 August - 18 September) long before the holiday started. Actually, everyone in my field would be looking forward to sem break the moment a new semester starts. :-) However, this time is special. It's special because it coincides with the Raya and Merdeka celebrations which means that the whole family is on holiday! Yahoo!
I had planned to go to Penang. Why Penang? The last time I went there was 3 years ago. I have always wanted to go back there but there is no reason. Reason? Do I need a reason? Yup. Because hubby does not like Penang. We always have issues in Penang. The trips to Penang usually ended up in arguments. So, anyway, this time, I persuaded him to go because I wanted (the kids) to meet The Smurfs. They were going to Penang from 27-29 August. I love(d) the smurfs. The kids know them, not like them. I booked a room at Berjaya Hotel 2 weeks before the event. Everything went smoothly until the night before my last day of work.

Food Poisoning

On Wednesday, 24 August night, Jerilyn started vomiting after 9pm. After the 2nd time, Daddy took her to his panel clinic. In fact, the reason she was sent to the clinic was not because of the vomit but because of her bleeding nose. Blood wasn't dripping but there were stains of blood in her mucus. They came home with some medications. The first thing I asked Daddy was about her nose which dr said that it was not something serious. She vomited the 4th time before bedtime. We went to bed.
At about 1am, Jerilyn vomited again. And again after about half an hour. And again. And again. And again. I lost count how many times she threw up. By 3am, we couldn't take it anymore. Daddy took her to the clinic again where the dr advised us to give her medicine each time she threw up and wrote a referral letter in case we want to admit her. The ordeal continued 'til 5am I guess.
The next day, I went to work like Zombie while Daddy took the day off. I came home at 2pm, praying for good news. Unfortunately, Jerilyn threw up twice that morning which means we had to take the last resort. Hospitals, the place I hate the most. Don't we all?
We gathered whatever necessary and headed for Pantai Hospital an hour later. This was the first time Jerilyn was sent to a hospital. As we knew no pediatrician, a Dr Lee HT was recommended. The doctor diagnosed her as 'suspected food poisoning.' She was on drip. The first night was 'relaxing' for me. Imagine doing nothing other than making sure that Jerilyn was comfortable in bed and looking out of the busy traffic outside the window. To my relief, she only vomited once and her condition stabilised towards the night.
We snuggled together in her bed for the 2 nights. I tried sleeping on the lazy chair but there was no way I could have a good night sleep with a mosquito (or 2) hovering over my feet. At one time, a nurse jostled me but what I came face to face with was a heavy leg on my chest. I wondered if the nurses laughed at that embarrassing sight. While I took care of her for 2 nights, Jesslyn was sent to my ever ready MIL.

Post Food Poisoning

After spending two nights at the hospital, we were out on Saturday. I had new hopes of going to Penang. In fact, I had written a list of things to bring on the previous night. You see, I am the type who like to jot down what I want to bring for holidays. There is nothing more fun than planning for a holiday.
However, my hopes were dashed when I heard that Mei2 threw up 4x the night before and Daddy himself didn't look good. He plonked his head on the hospital bed himself while waiting for the bill. At home, he practically dropped dead on the living room floor which he hadn't done before. Thank God Mei2 was tough. She was bubbly as usual except for her poor appetite.
On Sunday, we were still undecided whether to go on with our plan or not. Went out for breakfast. Coincidentally, we bumped into my dad and aunts thus we had dim sum together. Hubby's appetite was back. Jerilyn's was ok. I, on the other hand, couldn't eat.
It was after 11am when we finished our breakfast. I couldn't stand mulling over whether we should go or not. I told my driver that we would pack our bags and go . We packed our bags and left by less than 1pm. Before we left, I had diarrhea.
We reached Berjaya Hotel at 3pm. Everything went well. It started to pour when we opened the room's curtain. The room however was a disappointment despite paying RM220/night. Another lesson learnt: Never trust what you see online.
We rested and headed for Gurney Plaza by 6pm. We did not know how far is the plaza but were pleasantly surprised to see the magic word (Gurney) only 2 blocks away. Our mission was to meet and take a photo with The Smurfs. So, we searched high and low for the event venue the moment we stepped out of the car. I thought it would be easy to find. How big can a shopping mall be, right? It took us half an hour to spot it. I hurriedly grabbed 2 clothes at Voir for the kids for RM71. In order to take a photo with The Smurfs, we need to purchase a minimum of RM50 worth of merchandise in any outlets. Thank God the line was not long and every photo shoot only took 30 secs.
After the photo shoot, I suddenly felt wobbly and breathless. I had to put down Jesslyn who suddenly seemed a few kilos heavier. I thought the virus must be attacking me, just like how it attacked Daddy. I needed to sit badly. We quickly looked for a cafe and ordered our dinner - 2 plates of rice for 4people. Half the plate was left uneaten. Jesslyn and I didn't touch the food at all. I turned in early that night.
The next day, it was raining when I woke up. Did it rained the whole night? I felt much better. I even managed to finish half a plate of fried keow teow. Only Jesslyn still distant herself from solid food. The rain and the uncomfortable bodies made us not very adventurous. We shopped at Queensbay Mall til we were tired, which did not take long to happen and came back home in the late evening.

Short comments

One night, after a good cry, Jerilyn confessed "Mummy, I don't want to cry. But, my eyes don't want to stop. My eyes tell me to cry."

A week or two back, I uploaded a video of Jesslyn reciting Multiplication of 2. And now, she can recite Multiplication of 3. Hubby was just reading in a sing song manner for 6-7 times and before we knew it, Jesslyn could recite herself.

Jerilyn was doing some colouring exercise. When it came to radish, I asked her to colour it white. Her immediate response was "This is white, alright. So, leave it!" with both her hands held high, in sarcasm. You see, the paper has a white background. Thus, the unnecessary extra work to colour the radish white.

Weainng

Exactly four days back, which was 12 July 2011, Jesslyn was forced to sleep without gripping our fingers. Daddy thinks that it is high time she learns to sleep independently. She whined and sobbed, moving between our bed and hers for maybe half an hour. She finally dozed off sandwiched between Daddy and Mummy. In the middle of the night, there was a loud thud and I knew our dear Jesslyn had landed on the floor. Daddy picked her and put her in her bed. From that night onwards, we did not allow her in our bed. In fact, she herself would climb back to her own bed after tossing on ours for a while.
It was a historical night for me because weaning off the fingers means freedom for me. Imagine having to let your fingers being twisted and squeezed every night til she falls asleep? Other times, she pulls your nails til it cause pain. Now, I am a free sleeper!
MERDEKA!!!

This is so easy

Don't know what has got into Jesslyn. She is so confident with her work. She returned this paper to me a few seconds after I gave her and asked me to print another exercise for her. I asked why. "I don't want this. This is so easy."
Nope. She didn't get it 100% right.

More about Jesslyn... opps

We have always been entertained by Jesslyn's mischievous answers. She is a language person. Her PR is also very good. She has a way in avoiding reprimands and beatings by looking at you sweetly, hands clasped at her chest with her head tilted slightly and darting eyes. Sometimes, she grins so hard that her eyes become a line only.
She is also an expert in avoiding working on her books. To buy time, she'll ask me numerous questions (to confirm the answer) before she draws on the paper. For example, "Mummy, is it like this? Mummy, I draw here? I use this pencil?" I must say that I am bias for not being tough on her as I would be on Jerilyn for wasting time. Normally, she would say that the exercise is difficult. One day, she completed a maze within seconds and said "Mummy, you see? This is easy." However, I did not tell her that she got it wrong. Look at the far right. At first, she used a pencil. Then, a red marker.

She does not like her sister to touch her stuff. This includes her Sesame Street schoolbag. One day, she scolded her sister " Wei... wei....wei(in Chinese)... don't spoil my school bag.... Always spoil my school bag." and snatched the bag away. Same goes with many other things, the moment her sister holds an item, she snatches it and claims "I want to use it."

A mini fun-fair has been set-up recently near my in-laws place. Upon seeing it, she said "Wow! Look at the merry-go-round. It is so big. I want to go to the playground." I told her "It's fun-fair, not playground." She replied immediately "I THOUGHT it's playground?" I was surprised she knows this bold word. Other than that, she used 'actually' as in "ACTUALLY, I want that. " when I asked her "Do you want this?"

I don't think attending school next year would be a problem for her as she loves to send Jerilyn to school every morning. Leaving her in the car means tantrums from her. She loves to see the teachers; calling them and waving at them. One day, she said to her Jie2 "Be careful" at the school gate and turned around. How touching! I swear I have never said that to Jerilyn before while sending her to school.

She adds SILLY to reprimand anyone for doing the 'wrong' thing. For example, "Daddy didn't take this, silly boy." "Mummy, you silly girl. You ...." "Why you turn here? You silly boy."(Daddy used another route instead of the usual route.

In addition to her list of cheeky answers, she knows 'Sam Chi Keng' (something to do with Chinese proverbs), and a few 'adult' songs. The songs are: You are my Sunshine and Sealed with a Kiss. She only needs to listen to a song or anything melodious a few times and 'snap', she can sing. She is the one who corrects Jerilyn singing.
The video below shows her ability to read multiplication(x2) in Mandarin.


The picture below is her work. When she uses the pencil, the lead easily breaks. I do not allow her to use the 'magic colour' because she will end up pushing the sticks in. 2 unusable magic colours is too much for me! As you can see from the left picture below, she is quite detailed when colouring. She chooses the spots to colour. Unlike Jerilyn who just sweeps the colours across the pictures. Moreover, she has better control as she doesn't colour out of line as badly as Jerilyn.

Jesslyn on the Piano

Although Jesslyn cannot play any music piece, but I see potential in her. First of all, her feminine, good look gives me the 'I am a musician' impression. Excuse me for being superficial. Secondly, she has quite good control of her fingers when she taps on the keys. She can press from one key to another with her thumb, up to the fourth finger without overlapping. Thus, the clear, distinct sounds. She is only 2+ years old.

Jerilyn too has the potential as she knows how to improvise. The Happy Birthday piece I downloaded begins with G note. However, after I removed the letters on the keys, she started playing her own way. She uses C note. Very creative.

Graffiti

Guess where this was drawn on?

TA-DA!!I was shocked to see that when I stepped into the house. But, surprisingly, I didn't scold them. In fact, I was quite pleased with the drawing. It decorates the otherwise dull, empty wall. I was surprised how Jerilyn could draw such a big picture. As you can see below, the picture is so much higher than her. And the details, how long did it take her to draw it? Where was my dad when she drew? What was he doing? Did he scold? These were the questions running in my head.

I asked her 2 questions:

1. Where was Gong2? She pointed to the couch. My dad must be engrossed in a drama while she was at her mischief.

2. Why did she drew it? She answered "BEcause I want to make the wall pretty."

Filial Girl

Jerilyn has always been a filial girl when it comes to respecting the oldies. Much so after my mum's incident.
For instance, recently, my dad's blood pressure shot up because of the stress from baby-sitting the kids. I told her that if she continues to be naughty, Gong2 won't take care of her. Her eyes were red when I said that. Since then, she has been 'less naughty'. She also told me that she is good and hasn't made Gong2 sick lately.
Because of this too, I have requested my in-law to take care of the kids once a week so that my dad can take more rest. Other than that, Hubby and I have taken turns to apply leave from work more often. Actually, hubs company is experiencing a slowdown in business, thus, the forced leave. Anyway, it's a blessing in disguise. So, one day, while my dad was driving her to her grandma's place, she asked "where is Mei2?" When she knew that her sister was already in the grandma's place, she didn't want to go. My dad was curious why. She explained "Ah Mar is old. She cannot take care of two kids." Dad was surprised. So was I. I thought, if my late mother knows how filial her grand-daughter is, she would surely be very pleased.
'Til now, my mum is still very much alive in my household. The kids often talk and sing about her. Birthday songs are dedicated to her, gifts are often said to be presented to her etc...
Last week, she asked again "Why do you cry Mummy? Why do you always cry-Po2, Po2?.... I also always think about Po2 but I don't cry..... Dont cry Mummy. Po2 is not happy if you cry."
I had given a journal topic to my students, which I myself wish it happens "If I could turn back time..."

Threats

My girls are beginning to threaten me if I do not do as they say. For instance,
1. Jerilyn wanted to play with something but I did not allow. This was what she said "Don't play... don't play. Next time, I don't want to give you ang pow." I assume that she won't give me any 'allowance' when I am old and frail.
2. they wanted to use the tub for bathing which I did not allow. Jesslyn said "Next time, you don't swimming(bathe) me. I don't want you to swim me. I want Daddy swimming me." I was more than happy to hear that. haha.... However, hubs was still in the office. So, they were forced to bathe with me.

This morning, Jerilyn looked dull so I tried to lighten the mood "Hello, pretty." Her answer "Hello, ugly woo..man." Not angry.

New Song

Jerilyn's first song.


After playing the same song for two weeks, I have tried to introduce a new song to Jerilyn - Rain, rain, Go Away.

After struggling for a few times, she went back to Happy Birthday because that's the song she can play. She boasted that she does not need the notes anymore. It's amazing how interest can motivate her so much to play it by heart. Yes, she can play the song by just looking at the keys with 1 or 2 wrong keys.

So, we turned back and forth between the two songs. I tried to teach her fingering and reading notes. When she could not use the right finger, I started to raise my voice and when I did, she began to shut off from me. Looking down, not listening, no response.... I knew that we(to be exact, I) had to stop. So, the 2 of us sat quietly for a moment. After 1 minute, I encouraged her to try again. She did.

I was wondering why she had to use finger 1 and 5 (she should use 5th and then 4th)to move from G to F notes. The most possible answer is that she could only coordinate her fingers this way. Thus, I told myself to let her use any fingers at the moment. I reminded myself that she is only 4. Therefore, I only taught her how to read notes. Not bad for the first day, she knows and remembers which are F and D notes. She is able to memorise 40% of the song too. i think she prefers to memorise playing than to learn reading the notes. Whichever way, I am happy she is playing.

Bossy

I was busy googling when this caught my attention:
"Jie2, I said thank you to you." After a while, she repeated again. This time louder. The same sentence was repeated 4 times and each time, it was louder and more firm. I could not take it 'til I had to call out to Jerilyn "She is talking to you." to which Jerilyn said softly "Ok Mei2." Jesslyn was not satisfied with the answer "Jie2, I said thank you to you." This time, Jerilyn too raised her voice and that shut Mei2 up.

This is Jesslyn. The loudest, firmest person in the family. I am not sure if I have jotted this down but when
1. she was on the phone with Daddy and she could not hear him, she put up her index finger over her mouth "SHHH... SHHH... SHHHH.... I cannot hear.", walking around as if she was having a million dollar business conversation. Sometimes, she complains about either one of us not letting her take the call.
2. I asked her not to take out all the books from the drawer. She replied angrily "I just want to see."
3. I asked both of them to keep their toys before we went out for dinner. Jesslyn ordered her sister after a while "Jie2, you keep. Quickly before Mummy beat you. There, another one. Quickly." Jerilyn did not utter a word while frantically put everything in a bucket. All she wanted was to go out.

Little Mozart

Last week, I took Jerilyn for a haircut. While waiting for the busy hair-dresser, I went next door to check out the music academy. The first impression put me off. I rang the bell twice and an unwelcoming lady greeted me with "Mut Yea Xi". I felt like a salesgirl all of a sudden. Anyway, we went in, asked about piano lessons etc. She said as Jerilyn is only 4yo, she has to start with Little Mozart. The books looked easy yet complicated. I asked if she could start with classical music instead. 'No' was the answer. This made me even more uneasy with her. Most importantly, I just do not like her, thus I do not like whatever she said.

We left, determined not to take any music lessons from this academy. From then, I was also determined to teach Jerilyn to play a piece. :p Thanks to the teacher, my kid is playing her first song after 2 weeks of practice. I want to prove that she is wrong. Kids at 4 can play. Some argued that the basic knowledge of fingering and keys are important and one should start with that. They may be right but without the interest, it will take double the time to learn that. Therefore, I started my kid with a song she is familiar with.

Initially, I only gave her one of my old books and never bothered to really show her how to play - which key, which finger. Then, I realised without a purpose, she would not learn. Now, she has a purpose to play ie that is to play for her Ah Yee and grandma.

This will make fingering lessons easier. Gambateh!

1st song

I had tried introducing piano to Jerilyn for quite some time but there was not much progress until recently.

I got the idea of writing the notes on the keys after watching a friend's video in FB. After 2 weeks, this is what Jerilyn can play.

I am quite satisfied with her progress although the timing is not accurate. The very next day after this recording. she practised on playing without reading the notes.

She is very motivated to learn this song after I told her that her Ah Yee's birthday is fast approaching and she can play the song to her. (Hope Daddy is not offended as his birthday is half a month sooner than Ah Yee's). Other than that, she is more than happy to play for her grandma. At first, she complained that the piano is too big and heavy to bring to her Ah Ma's house to which I replied that we could record it down instead. Thus, working hard on the keyboard since last week.

Enjoy the not-so-perfect song.

2nd Chance

Can you see the cross? Jerilyn was marked wrong for 'wrong' match for BM paper. There is an extra line from the picture yoyo to the ball.
As a lecturer, I might have done the same to teach the student a lesson so that they would be more careful in their test. But, as a mother, I felt that I have to fight for my kid's interest. More importantly, she got the answer - drawing a line from the picture to the word. If the line was from 1 picture to 2 words or 2 pictures to a word, it's wrong. In this case, it's just a picture to another.
Hubby told me to let it be. If I were to let it be, I don't think I can sleep for nights. So, I wrote a note to the teacher. After two days, the teacher returns the paper with the amendment. No more complaints.

First Assessment

Jerilyn had her first assessment a month ago and I have been anxious with her results. Below are her results:
Bahasa Malaysia 96%(100% after amendment)
English 96%
Mandarin 100% (this is questionable)
Mathematics 96%
Science 100%
Moral 100%

When she showed me her first paper, which was the Science paper, I was overwhelmed with delight. Although I expected her to do well in all her subjects but seeing the red '100' on a test paper has a magical effect on not only me I believe but on all parents.

I have a feeling I am going to be one of those 'kiasu' Malaysians even though I do not wish to be like them. I do not want to compare who scores higher marks, who has more 'A's, who is in the 'smart' class and who is not and who is number 1 in the class. Competition is good only if parents do not demoralise any kids. There are parents who compare and condemn their own children for not doing as well as the cousin or friend.

Ops... there I go again judging other parents.

What your child wants?

Being a language teacher/lecturer, I have the privilege to learn about the teenagers thoughts and feelings. As they are asked to write journals and essays, they tend to be more vocal with their feelings. I realise that many parents do not know what their children want and sadly, many children are neglected.
So, what do children want? Very simple, they just want someone to talk with; someone who will listen to them instead of being talked to. Yes, they want toys, they want branded goods and lots of money to spend. But, more importantly, they want the parents attention. Most of my students' parents work out-station and hardly have time for their kids. Thus, the kids end up spending most of their time in front of the idiot box from day to night. Ironically, parents often complain that their children do not speak to them. Some of my students wish to own dogs because they are lonely and need something to talk with. How sad. Why is this happening?
I have seen parents who lavish their kids with the latest gadgets from PS2 to iphones to ipads. Apparently, ipads are educational. It may be if it is used wisely. You do not just throw a gadget to your kid and allow her to spend hours with it without any human communication. To me, it's an excuse for the parent to be left alone.
A recent part-time Indonesian maid told me that she has been here for 6 years. I asked her why hasn't she gone home. Her reason was she wants to save for her daughter. How old is the daughter? I was expecting a teenage girl but No... she is only 7, which means that the mother has left the daughter back home soon after her 1st birthday. To me, it's very sad that the mother thinks that money can replace her when the child needs her most. I was very direct with her (though it was only our 1st encounter) that although money is important but the mother's presence is more important and she cant earn all the money in the world.
In another case, a mother was showing her teenage girl news about how run-away teenagers made their parents sad. The mother was hoping that her daughter would understand her mother's point of view. In response, the daughter said "If a child runs away, it's the parents' doing." When the mother told everyone in her family, they pitied her and thinks that the daughter is wrong. On the other hand, I agree with the child. [You should see my husband's response when I agreed.] Just because the girl said that doesn't mean she is bad. Some parents cannot accept the fact that they have done wrong or they are the ones who pushed their children away. This particular mother has always been authoritarian and harsh on her kids. She often complains about her children to relatives IN FRONT of the kid. To me, it's wrong because kids nowadays have very thin skin. They want respect and be treated like an adult. As the saying goes, 'do not wash your dirty linen in public.' Recently, she has transferred her teenage daughter to another school because a guy in school has been sms-ing her day and night. The mother could not stop the sms-ing thus she transferred her. I was shocked upon hearing this. How many schools can you jump to? This is running away - running away from facing the problem. I wish I know about this earlier so that I can talk to the mother. When the opportunity comes, I hope I can enlighten her before another kid runs away from home.

Updates

At 2y5m old, these are the issues to highlight about Jesslyn:

• Recently, she has more interest in writing and I took this opportunity to teach her. She could write 'H', 'E' and 'J'. She claims that she can write 'A' and 'N' but you won't be able to recognise the letters. :)
  
• She can trace dotted lines very well.
  
• She can recognise number 1-10 now (finally).
• Talking is still her favourite activity. You give her a book with pictures, she can relate a story based on the picture. At the same time, she asks "Why?" You give her a book with words, she tells you a story as if she is really reading.
• she has good memory. One morning, she learnt to write 'E' and I nonchalantly asked her after work what had she learnt to write that morning. She could tell me almost instantly 'E'.
• She has no interest in reading yet in the sense that she cannot recognise a single word. Occasionally, she strikes the word 'cat' and 'dog'.
  

What can a 4y4m old achieve? Jerilyn

• can read and write in English pretty well.
  
• knows less than 20 chinese characters.
  
• has interest in learning Bahasa Malaysia. As her English is strong, she has no problem learning pronunciation and recognising BM words.
  
• able to do very basic calculations involving numbers below 5.
  

Other than achievements, here are some of the negative traits Jerilyn has.

1. She lies when she has done something wrong. She puts the blame on Jesslyn most of the time.
   
2. She has the habit of putting things into her mouth and nibbling them.
3. She is stubborn as a mule; a rebel esp when I am tough on her.

Frankly, not that I am bias but Jesslyn does not have bad habits like Jerilyn. Jesslyn is more of a people person. Before you can get tough with her, she grins and make adorable faces that just melts your heart. She loves to get close to us (but not to Jie2), sitting with us and hugging us. This morning, I held her hand as she learned to write 'S'. Upon completion, she was so overwhelmed that she came to me and whispered 'I love you, Mummy' while wrapping her arms around me. When I scold the elder, the younger is quiet and mind her own business. On the other hand, when I scold the younger, the elder will become protective and start scolding me, saying that I am naughty for scolding her sister. I do appreciate Jerilyn's protectiveness over her sister. I hope she will do the same in school.

New semester

My new semester has commenced last week and my dad is ready to call it quits. I come home everyday to sighing and numerous complaints from my dad. Below are some of the things he complained about:

• They play hang-man using the skipping rope from the stairs.
• They squeezed half a packet of sweetened drink onto the floor.
• Although being told to stop taking too much M&Ms, the kids turned a deaf ear on him and in less than a week, they finished almost 200g of it.
• They threw stuff into the toilet bowl ie broken crayons and paper stars. Nadi, sorry to say this but Jerilyn broke the glittering crayons.
  
• Jerilyn played with water for more than 10minutes. She claimed to be washing the bottle.
  
• They open the fridge for countless times every day.
  

All these do not happen with me around. He complains that they esp Jerilyn won't listen to him.
Dad is loud... but he is not firm. How to tell him that?

Trip to Sydney (Week 2)

25/4/2011 - Day 8
A drizzly day. In the morning, we took the kids to a park where they fed the ducks. Simple activity like this can make their day and I am happy with their new experience.
In the afternoon, Nana took me (Yup! Me alone) to Parramatta Shopping Centre, leaving the kids and Daddy at home while grandpa visited his sister. I spent and spend I did. More clothes for everyone, books, toys and easter egg chocs. Purchasing power here is quite high. You can get wearable clothes for the price as low as AUD10/pc. A large Mocha at Gloria Jeans only cost less than AUD6.

26/4/2011 - Day 9
Another drizzly day. We had to change our plan from going to the city to Westfield Shopping Centre. Although Parramatta looks more exclusive than Westfield, its prices are more affordable than Westfield's. No wonder there are more shoppers at Parramatta. Didn't buy much but it wasn't all lost and no gain. Jerilyn saw Ben 10 mascot today. She heard of Ben 10 but never a fan. All of a sudden, she is a fan of Ben 10. Haha...

27/4/2011 - Day 10
When we left the apartment, it was already drizzling. However, by hook or by crook, we had to compete our itinerary. We took a train down to the city to the Aquarium and Wildlife. From outside, they were nothing to desire about but once you are in, you get some pretty surprises. Here are some photos:



28/4/2011 - Final Day
Being the final day, we relaxed at home and did some final shopping. I don't know how cheap are vitamins in Australia but Dad bought kilos of them. My luggage was packed with chocolates (>10kg) and cosmetics. Overall, our luggage was more than 90kg.

Trip to Sydney (Week 1)

Sis Juliana had always pestered me to visit her but I had my doubts and worries. They include the high exchange rate (1:3) and the inconveniences of travelling with two young toddlers. So, what changed my mind? I can still recall goggling AirAsia's website and was pressured by the cheap fares and the seats were taken up so quickly day-by-day as if it's market sales. At the spur of the moment, I click on the purchase button and booked 5 tickets to GC. I didn't even discuss with anyone before deciding. I called my hubby a minute before confirming the booking just to ask him if he can take 2 weeks leave from work and I only told my dad about the trip the next day. The return tickets for 5 persons (child above 2y is charged full price) is +RM3000.

After planning and preparing for 2 months, we were pretty much prepared to fly. Hubs however, only packed his clothes the night before flying.

16/4/2011-DEPARTURE
We took the 1.30 bus from Ipoh to LCCT. It stopped at KLIA and finally reached LCCT at 5pm+. Took a simple, yet extremely spicy dinner. Boarded the plane at 9.30pm. The kids didn't give any problems except when they were awaken in the middle of their sleep. Jesslyn woke up at 2am when most of the passengers were also snoozing. Imagine a scene when the sleeping draculas come alive one by one, putting their heads up. She quietened down after a long 5minutes. About an hour later, it was Jerilyn's turn. My biggest worry was if Jesslyn pee in her pants. You see. her last pee was at 7pm in LCCT. Thank God she did not have any urge until we landed at Coolangatta Airport, Gold Coast at 7am. Phew!

17/4/2011-ARRIVAL
To cut the story short (I have 8 days to update), we arrived at Sydney International Airport after dusk. Talking about it, I wish our journey starts now as I am blogging. Ahhh.....

18/4/2011 - Day 1
After travelling for 2 days, Nana planned a relaxing, easy-going itinerary for us. We shopped at DFO shopping mall. Being the 'must buy' type, I bought 2 books and 4 sets of clothes for the kids. I was surprised how cheap the books are over here. Mind you, the books are made of good quality papers ie hard cover or glossy, which is exactly what my naughty kids need. The content is also commendable.

19/4/2011 - Day 2
The highlight of the day was Easter Show. We were there from 11am to 2pm. The 4 of us cost > AUD90. My dad didn't go. He would not enjoy such programme. Initially, we were undecided whether to get the whole day tickets or after 5pm tickets. A carnival normally takes only a few hours to cover every part. However, this is different. Its such a major event that you need a map so that you don't miss anything. In the end, I decided to get the whole day tickets as I wanted the kids to watch some Australia's farm animals. Some of the animals we saw were dogs, sheep, cows. Hmm... not many huh? My main purpose(my sis's too) was the showbags. There are so many to choose from. I was an excited little girl again. Nana too. In the end, we settled for Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer showbags. Each bag cost AUD22.
What do you get for RM75? ONE Disney Princess trolley bag itself may cost RM75. Here, I get 4 bags!! However, we did not get it because the actual colours are dull and used as compared to what you see here.

20/4/2011 - Day 3
Good weather. We took a train from here to the city. Upon reaching the Central Station, we walked a distance in the city to our first station which was Peppers Lunch. I am no food critic so, I won't write about it. After that, we walked and snapped some photos of the city. Pity Daddy had to carry exhausted Jesslyn. After It seemed like forever, we reached Sydney Tower. We spent maybe about 45 mins before we headed towards the Central Station direction. Before leaving, we watched a short movie, sitting on a motion chair. Jerilyn was emotionless while Jesslyn was crying from time to time while sitting on my lap. On crucial moments, she lowered my hands to cover her eyes. After that, we stopped at the Paddy's Market and Chinatown. We spent on key-chains, bookmarks and tea towels for souvenirs to colleagues and relatives. Hubby and I are happy that our 'job' is done.

21/4/2011 - Day 4
By Day 4, sis had sore throat and a slight fever. It was a quiet day for us to recharge. The kids too, did not want to go out.

22/4/2011 - Day 5
WE went to Sydney's Fish Market. As it's Good Friday, which means it's a public holiday, the market was super crowded(according to BIL). The sellers are mostly Chinese. There was a variety of seafood, the size 3-4times bigger than the ones we can get in Malaysia.

23/4/2011 - Day 6
Shopping day which is also my favourite day. Nana took us to Parramatta Shopping Centre. I didnt buy much as the kids were not very cooperative that day. I bought some children's clothes from Target and some books. However, sis Nana marked a few shops that I must visit the next time I go.
In the evening, we gathered at a relative's house. I was looking forward to this gathering as the last time I met cousin Susan, both of us were not married yet. Now, she has a girl and a boy who coincidentally were born in the same years as my kids.

24/4/2011 - Day 7
So far, the weather has been extremely good to us. Sis Nana said it had been raining almost every day the week before we came. Today, we took 2 ferries to Manly Beach mainly because we bought a Explore 4 in 1 package that includes Manly Oceanworld. The package cost AUD50/person. The other 3 items are Sydney Tower (done), Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Wildlife. The Manly Oceanworld was a letdown. There were not variety of sea creatures. Its main attractions are the sharks and turtles. One particular turtle swims 2 times faster than the sharks. Those sharks must be as old as the aquarium.
The beach is welcoming. Jerilyn especially, loves it. It was the 2nd time Jerilyn had been to a beach and played with sand. As we are not frequent beach goers, Jerilyn and Jesslyn only sat and filled their bucket with sand. Simple as it is, the kids did not seem to mind the
'game'. I must compliment its fine, smooth, sandy sand.

The 1st was taken in Lumut, Perak. I was worried as I walked on the littered beach. The stones were edgy. The 2nd was taken at Manly Beach.
I was guilty I only allowed the kids to enjoy the beautiful sand for less than half an hour. We had no choice as we had to cover the Opera House as well. I was not very keen about seeing the Opera House as to me, it's just a building but as the saying goes 'Not visiting [this landmark] means not visiting Sydney.' There are some cool pics of the kids as shown below: