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The 2 of us

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Jazreel at 19months

It seems like a long time ago that I blogged about my little princess. Its so fun watching her grow, watching her start to express herself, watching her try to to form more than one word into half sentences, even watching her display her tyranny over her gorgor. She's changing so fast that I feel compelled to try to record her little quirks, as they can change within a few weeks.

She weighs 10.5kg and is 81cm tall. She looks as if she has lost a bit of weight from the coughing. :(

- This girl seem to like speaking chinese, so ah gong ah ma are very pleased. She prefers to say "开" to "open", "走走" to "walk walk", "怕怕" to "scared", "坏" to "cup".

- like to re-arrange her bolsters

- She adores her gorgor so much that she will bring him his shoes first before she wears hers to go out, help him take off his jacket first thing when we come home. Even likes to help him remove his shoes, takes his towel for him when its time to bathe, brings him his water bottle when she's drinking hers, thought first of sharing the flower windmill with him when she saw it at toysrus. He's also the first person she ask me for when she wakes up in the morning. And, he first colour she learnt to recognise is his favourite colour green. She learnt it when I am preparing his medicine and she wants to help, so she has to learn how to recognise the green cup.

- But she can be very very stubborn and defiant with him too. If she knows gorgor wants to "cook" something at the stove, and she's not in the mood to let him, she will plant herself at the stove side of the ELC kitchen, and start fiddling with her toy or cup or spoon, refusing to budge. If gorgor tries to push her away, she will push back. If gorgor scolds her, she will scold back either by a loud "No!" or some nonsensical shouting. Her favourite defiant act recently is blowing a raspberry at gorgor, splattering her saliva all over his face.

- She loves brushing teeth,and will sign "brush teeth" to me every single night. And for some strange reason, she needs to hold one toothbrush herself when I am brushing teeth for her with another toothbrush. After brushing, she will gnaw on the toothbrush she's holding until its time for latching whereupon she will push the toothbrush back to me and say "mai".

- At times, she knows that gorgor wish to walk past the coffee table to reach a toy on the other end. So she will deliberately block the path, and if gor gor comes close, she will push him. If he complains, she will blow a raspberry at him. Many times, hubby and I gotta stifle our laughs in order to reprimand her.

- I have started reading to her at night again after she turns 18mths, and now she's more receptive. Every night she will ask for "book", except she pronounce it "bohh". And she has gotten this idea into her mind that she must hold and flip a book herself while I read another book idiotically to myself.

- She very enthusiastically repeats whatever we teach her to say.

- Due to the above, for about 2-3 times now, when she wanted something e.g. for me to carry her, she came close to expressing it by suddenly saying "Ma ma...I warng (want)...... 抱抱 (upon prompting).....".

- For some strange reason, she used to (around 18mths) say "1" as "bonng". I like it whenever I ask her to help me take tissue paper, she will walk towards the tissue box, pause and turn around, raise up her index finger and asked me questioningly "borng?", meaning "Just 1 tissue?". But recently, she has changed it to"Warnng". So when she repeats after us counting, she counts as "Warnng, hu, eesh....(1, 2, 3)".

- Last week, when Daddy counts with her, she repeats after him until "7", then she herself continued with "Ehh (8)". When Daddy said "8", she continued with "Naih (9)". Heheee...

- She lives to imitate gorgor in everything he does, including eating fruits, running around in circles, jumping up and down. Once, gorgor was jumping up and down and making some happy but nonsensical noise, Jaz (she can't jump with both feet off the ground yet) imitated by walking around and kicking her leg up and down, up and down, and mumbling something that sounds like "shai....shai....shai". I wasn't there but when hubby made a very close imitation of what she was doing, it (he) looked quite hilarious.


In this photo, Jovann has set up a make shift "stall" by overturning the highchair and placing the toy cash register on it. He's selling stuff. Don't ask me why is his customer sitting on a potty though.

- Just tonight, Jovann was holding onto Daddy's hands and jumping on every third count, chanting "1, 2, jump, 1, 2, jump". And when I was preparing the bed for Jaz tonight, it happened that she nearly wanted to walk to the edge of my bed so I quickly picked her up. She could somehow sense my anxiety, so she chuckled and said "warng, tuu.... dumb (1, 2 jump)!".

- She can hold conversations with Jovann sometimes when they cooking up a storm in their little eatery/restaurant. She appears to be the one taking orders and delivering the dishes, and the conversation between them can be quite amusing to witness especially when Jovann seem to understand her gibberish. Heheee...

- She can turn on her tears when she cries, you can see her squeezing her eyes tight shut and sure enough, within the next few seconds, tears will ooze out.

- She can switch off her tears like turning off a tap too. E.g. when I said yes after she's been crying for more latching ("na na").

- Nowadays, most times in the night, I let her roll in bed before she falls asleep herself. Although its not always successful.

- She has a serious nursing addiction hehee. Not that I am complaining! I love this.

- 8 May is the first time Jaz sat on the potty seat on top of our adult toilet bowl, and pooed for the very first time! Yeah! milestone! She has always been more resistant than her gorgor towards the potty, but ever since I bought her the car look alike potty, she has started getting more receptive, and that day, its a milestone for us when she really did poo inside the adult toilet bowl.

- Her favourite DVD is now Baby Signing Times.

- She's more daring at slides and tunnel slides than gorgor at same age. At Julia Gabriel, she's also more receptive to food. First lesson, initially she didn't wanna eat the raisins and papaya, and only attacked the biscuits in her bowl. When the biscuits finished however, she grudgingly started on the raisins. But as she has been eating so slowly and most of her friends has finished and the teachers need to prepare for song and dance, they encourged us to continue eating at another table in a corner that was set up for the slow eaters (only Jaz and a girl called Alicia, which happens to be the daughter of one of my ex coursemates in Uni). But Jaz refused to budge and she insisted on finishing her food standing up, me holding the bowl for her while she ate the raisins at her own sweet pace.


- She still loves her pink princess cloth book, and will pluck at the fibre when she's falling asleep holding it.

- She can multitask quite well. When playing chef at the kitchen, she can balance a plate on her arm with the help of her chin, stir the soup pot on the stove, and close the oven door with her feet, all at the same time.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Selective Listening

This is something that I have been meaning to blog for months.
Jovann can be totally selective in the things he "hears". If its something that agrees with him, he will hear it fine and well. If  its something that doesn't benefit him, he will pretend otherwise.

An example from a few tele conversations with him months ago.

Positive Example
(Jovann called me)
Jov: Mommy!
Mommy: Hello Jovann, have you had your lunch?
Jov: Mommy! Can I drink chocolate milk? wai gong says I must ask you.
Mommy: Yes you can.
Jov: Ok!!! *turns to ah gong and yelled "我的妈妈说可以!"*
(He hanged up the phone)

Negative Example
(Jovann called me)
Jov: Mommy!
Mommy: Hello Jovann, have you had your lunch?
Jov: Mommy! Can I drink ribena? wai gong says I must ask you.
Mommy: Hhmmm. No you can't, because you already drank a lot yesterday.
Jov: Huh? What Mommy?
Mommy: I said, NO you can't.
Jov: What did you say Mommy? I can't hear you!
Mommy: I said No You CANNOT drink Ribena, Jovann.
Jov: Huh?? What???!!!
(He hanged up the phone)

I can't believe it!!!
 
Then just this evening, something similar happened again.
 
Scene: Jovann sitting at his table, and I was sitting 3 metres away. He just finished complaining to me that Ah Ma don't let him sleep on our King bed ("Daddy's bed") during this afternoon nap. He told Ah ma that Daddy allowed him to sleep on "Daddy's bed", so she must allow him too. Ah Ma was worried that he may pee on the big bed because nowadays he don't wear diapers to sleep.
 
Daddy, whom is standing 3 metres away from him, starts explaining.
Daddy: Jovann, you can only sleep on Daddy's bed at night. When Daddy is around. Ok?
Jov: Daddy, my ear very small. I cannot hear what you are saying.
Daddy: I said that during your afternoon naps you CANNOT sleep on Daddy's bed, you can only sleep on your bed.
Jov: Daddy! I told you my ears very small, I cannot hear you! You need to speak louder.
Daddy and Ah Ma was quiet for a  moment, thinking how to proceed.
Me (deciding to "test" him, and using the same decibel as Daddy): Jovann, you can drink ribena. Can you hear THAT?
Jovann: No I cannot hear that.
Another pause from him.
Jovann: You should say..... (raising his voice at this point) "YOU CAN DRINK RIBENA!" then I can hear.
 
All 4 adults, plus maid, burst out laughing.
He was smart enough to pretend he didn't hear that first sentence about ribena, but yet not smart enough to really continue pretending he can't hear! So funny lah.

Jovann is 3 years 8 months old.

Aiyoh, 4 more months and its his birthday! That's fast! where have all the time went?

He's 101.3cm tall and weighs 15.3kg. He still looks so skinny, due to all the months of coughing. Sigh.

- He still loves roaring like a dinosaur. We bargain with him, only once a day. Whenver he happens to fulfil that promise, he will be so proud and tell us all about it when we get home. But many times he defies ah ma and ah gong and keep roaring, resulting in him coughing and coughing a lot after that.

- I must admit I have been quite laid back regarding his diaper training. Besides nap time, we have never let him sleep without diaper for his night time sleep...until the day he turns 3 yrs 8mths. That was the first night we did it, and managed to wake twice to pee! and didn't wet the bed. I guess that's beginners' luck, coz the next 2 nights, he wet the bed in his sleep. But 4th night onwards he managed it again.

- He can't seem to eat enough food now, always asking for more. After his dinner, if he sees us eat, he will come to the table and ask where's his food, and pitifully told us he's still hungry. And whenever ah gong ah ma reach our house, Jov will ask them "阿嬷, 你有买东西给我吃吗?"

- He likes "cooking" delicious gourmet food for me, arranging them nicely on the tray. Often during our dinners, he likes to come around my table especially to add "dishes" like "chicken", "eggs", "sandwich", "pizza" or "soup", complete with a fork and knife/spoon and wrapped in napkins (a piece of tissue).

- His current favourite DVDs are Disney "Cars" (Lighting McQueen), Jurassic Park and 101 Dalmatians. All 3 disks are all over-watched and spoilt. Sigh.

- Millenia Walk, Collecting the good bags, race number (to be pinned on the tshirt) for the Run For Water 1km Kids Dash that weekend in April.

We had lunch at this quaint little Jap/french looking restaurant that sells tiny portions of food. :P

At the 1km Kids Dash, after our run, hot and victorious hehee. He loves that medal.

'

- Musical instruments introductory workshop arranged by Auntie June. Held at Staccato Music School.


1st Golf lesson at Kinder Golf.He amazed the coach by fully paying attention throughout. Apparently thats quite unusual for that age. I think he's just influenced by Daddy's regular practice swings at home heee.


Wednesday, May 19, 2010

My Birthday

Such a belated post, but been really busy and tired. Finally got down to some blogging. Wish to mention my birthday this year as its really enjoyable a day for me. Love the food, the movie, and flowers.... :) Thanks hubby!

Hubby asked me to choose the spa myself, as he knows I am quite particular when it comes to such luxury. Ngiak. I am not complaining! Decided on Auriga Spa in The Capella Sentosa. Ultimate retreat! very pampering, organic products. Excellent ambience, plush sofas, relexation lounge, perfect service. Love everything about it.

We had a tour by the friendly therapist and came across this strange ice bucket thingie. Apparently, you are supposed to slather ice over yourself after you come out of the suana/steamroom/hot jaccuzi...I can't remember which! hahaha! whatever it is for, I will NEVER put these cold things on myself!

The relaxation lounge, complete with tea and dried organic apricots. yummy.


Next is lunch. Hubby brought me to Julian Bombard. Hubby had pan seared foie gras and their lobster bisque (which he proclaimed to be the best he ever tasted) for starters, whilst I had a delicous half dozen oysters of the freshest sort I have ever tried. These oysters beat the oysters at Greenwood hands down! Its crunchy, fresh, succulent, didn't give me the "zhe lak" feeling at all. Each of the 6 is excellent. I wanted more!

On top of this, we had another starter of House Smoked Duck Breast with chopped romaine salad, which is surprisingly as sinful and fatty as the foie gras, hehee!


Roses from Poppy..! so pretty I kept looking at them througout dinner. The sweet waiter brought us a ice bucket to put the bouquet in.
For mains it was Pork Platter with briased jowl, belly and loin served with roast apple and green peppercorn sauce for me, and Spanish Paella with Chicken and Prawn with Chirozo sausage and orange for hubby. Both are delicious. Dessert was Melange of Berries with Chocolate Sorbet. Then hubby arranged a surprise for me.


We went to fetch Jovann and brought him to watch How to Train Your Dragon. We sat in Directors Seat and Jovann sat in between us,it was very fun and cosy. He enjoyed the show too. We then did some glass painting.

Lovely day! enjoyed every minute of it. :)