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Growing Up

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“I’m Geronimo Stilton Today!”

June 11, 2014 in Entertainment, Ethan, Growing Up, Parenting | No comments

No need for uniforms in school today because as part of Book Week this week, all the kids are invited to dress up as their favorite book character.  Naturally, Ethan chose Geronimo Stilton…

It was very hard to find a GREEN suit just like Geronimo Stilton’s, so Ethan is going as Geronimo Stilton on vacation (in green t-shirt and shorts).  I painted and crafted the mouse ears for him yesterday and fixed it onto a hairband, and Ethan had fun making his glasses out of pipe cleaners yesterday afternoon.  Some eyebrow and eye liner on the nose completed the look together with the red tie Stilton wears.

Cooking Up A Storm with MasterChef Junior

June 7, 2014 in Growing Up, Hannah, Parenting | 1 comment

Just over a week ago, Hannah and I were selected and invited to attend a MasterChef Junior Cooking Workshop inspired by the recent MasterChef Junior series on television.  Those of you who saw my Instagram picture might have thought that this was a competition, but on the contrary, it was just a cooking workshop, held mainly to encourage and foster a special bonding time between parent and child.

The cooking workshop was held at the Cooking School in Tropical Spice Garden, and that morning, since Emma decided to sleep in, Hannah and I drove to the venue first; and Daddy took Ethan and Emma a little bit later on.

Hannah, of course, was very excited about the whole thing, and was even more pleased when she was given her very own MasterChef apron to wear!  Mommy got a matching apron too…yay me! 😀

Together, Hannah and I made 3 simple dishes: Apple Crumble, Baked Chicken Leg and Coleslaw.  Hannah did most of the cooking except for using the knife and the stove.  The recipes were fairly simple but quite tasty.  I would make them again.

We had a lovely time that day, and we hope to be a part of more cooking workshops to come! 🙂

Just for fun now…here’s a shot of Ethan in front of the lunch buffet spread we had.  This photo was taken while waiting for Hannah and Mommy to finish our cooking workshop:

 

A Whole New Level of Independence

June 4, 2014 in Growing Up, Hannah, Milestones, Parenting | 2 comments

Two nights ago, we crossed an important threshold in Hannah’s childhood:  She finally moved out of our room into her very own room.  We can’t say for sure now if this will work out to be a totally permanent situation, but it has been two nights now, and she’s doing really well.

We’ve moved into our new home here for close to 6 months now, and although we’ve already had her (pink and girly) room set up for her, complete with a queen-sized bed (decked in pink bed linens chosen by her), and a desk and chair, Hannah has been bunking in our room on a mattress adjacent to our bed.  She has been telling me that she will move to her room when she is ready and I have trusted her.

Two days ago, she confidently told me that she’s ready and would like to sleep in her own room now.  I figured maybe she was just saying it for fun…’cos sometimes she says things and bail out at the last minute.  However this time, she kept repeating it consistently, so I prepared her bed for her that night.  I told her I would stay with her in bed till she slept and then I would creep out.  I left the bathroom light on for her in case she needed to use it at night (she can’t reach the light switch yet).

She brought along 2 of her doggie soft toy friends: Sunshine and Cliffer, and they kept her company through the night.

I had half-expected her to show up in our room in the middle of the night, but that never happened.  I was awakened only by Emma, and Hannah independently slept in her own room the whole night through.

The following night, she asked to take her shower and brush her teeth in her own ensuite bathroom.  So I moved everything there for her: towel, shower gel, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, and even her little step stool.

She’s done it two nights in a row now, and I’m so proud of my little girl.  Not entirely sure what really prompted this to happen: it could be due to the fact that she’s just gained some confidence or that I recently told her about a dear friend’s daughter who recently moved into her own room too. 🙂

Thing is….I’m missing her now. 🙁

Sing

May 21, 2014 in Celebrations, Emma, Growing Up | No comments

Last Sunday, Ethan woke up bright and early, took a shower and got dressed in his not-so-usual long sleeved shirt and jeans for church.  He told me it was a special day because he was going to be singing in the kids’ choir.

That Sunday was the day some of the 9-year-old kids were going to celebrate First Holy Communion and Ethan was part of the kids’ choir, who had been practicing for the past 2 months as part of the kids-animated church service.

Doesn’t he look handsome? 🙂

Next year it will be Ethan’s turn to celebrate Holy Communion for the first time…exciting times ahead 🙂

The Accidental Green Juice Lover

May 5, 2014 in Emma, Food & Feeding, Growing Up, Parenting | 1 comment

Just over 2 weeks ago, after some positive reinforcement and influence from some girlfriends of mine, I decided to start drinking fresh vegetable and fruit juices.  I stocked up on fresh vegetables and fruits and decided to use my immersion blender, just so I could get all the fiber too.  My sole intention of drinking green juices was to help to heal my eczema from inside out, and hopefully the goodness will pass on to my breast milk and that will in turn heal Emma’s eczema too.

The ingredients I chose were primarily green, with the occasional orange.  I added water or soy milk depending on my mood.  The resulting drink is a nutritious, and somewhat filling green smoothie.

On one occasion, however, as I was holding my cup of green smoothie, and carrying Emma at the same time, she quickly grabbed my cup and put it to her mouth.  I relented and let her have a taste.

Well, well…surprisingly she loved it and kept asking for more!  She drinks the juice and eats the fiber..maybe like 4-5 sips but it’s a healthy and promising start! 🙂

So now, since I have an accidental green juice lover in the house, I make my own organic soy milk from organic soy beans and use it to make the green smoothie.  That way, I can be sure there are no preservatives and sugars added to the smoothie for Emma to drink.

Have you had your green juice today? 🙂

Cool For School

April 29, 2014 in Ethan, Growing Up, Milestones, Parenting | No comments

Another chapter ends.  A brand new one begins.

After enjoying homeschooling for eight odd months, Ethan started off in regular school just yesterday.  He had always told me that he liked both homeschooling AND schooling, and that in an ideal world, he would have both.  We just felt that he was ready and it is time he tried regular schooling.  After all, it is only fair that he forms his own opinion of each after trying both out.  It is ultimately his own happiness that’s important.

One thing for sure though (and one which we like about regular schooling) is that he will get a chance to be with friends his age almost every day.  We had that in homeschooling on some days but not all days.

This also means ironing uniforms on a regular basis for me.  No more slacking, Mom! 😛

Still early days but we’re going with the flow now.  School runs will be tweaked somewhat, but I’m just extremely thankful for the proximity of his school to our home.  I’m still pro-homeschooling though, please don’t get me wrong…but this is just something that we have to do, at least for now.  I would definitely homeschool again in a heartbeat, if I have the opportunity to do so again.

Proud of you, dear Ethan!  You rock! 😀

Getting To Know You

April 24, 2014 in Entertainment, Ethan, Growing Up | 2 comments

Name: Ethan

Age: 8

Wakes up at…

7:30a.m. on weekdays and approximately 8:00a.m. on weekends.

Showers

Twice a day; once in the morning upon waking and once at night before winding down.  Can shower independently now.  Only once a day during weekends.

Favorite Food

  • Chicken rice
  • Chicken sandwich with fresh lettuce, cucumber slices and mayo
  • Wan ton mee
  • Beehoon soup with chicken slices and lettuce
  • Grilled salmon with rice and sliced fruit or fresh greens
  • Spaghetti marinara.

(A far cry from what he used to eat years ago :))

Favorite Sport

Soccer

Favorite Soccer Team in BPL

Manchester City

Favorite Man City player

Álvaro Negredo

Musical Instrument

Ukulele.  Practising Amazing Grace currently.  Might move on to guitar later if still keen. 😛

Favorite TV show

Amazing Race, American Ninja Warrior, The Voice, Slugterra

Favorite Books

Geronimo Stilton and Magic Tree House series

Favorite Songs

  • Happy (Pharell Williams)
  • Radioactive (Imagine Dragons)
  • Demons (Imagine Dragons)
  • Counting Stars (One Republic)
  • Empire (Shakira)
  • All Of Me (John Legend)

Ambition

Professional soccer/football player

If you want to know anything else about him, let me know and I’ll pass the question on… 🙂

I’m at The Perfect Height for…

April 22, 2014 in Emma, Food & Feeding, Funny Moments, Growing Up | 1 comment

Cribside Chomping!

Meet Our Star Kid!

April 15, 2014 in Celebrations, Growing Up, Hannah | 2 comments

Hannah’s school gives out recognition medals to kids each month based on merit and behaviour.  These awards, called the Star Kid award, are given out during the monthly assemblies, and since the beginning of the year, Hannah has been trying her best to get the award.

She told me she had been helping out in class with the cleaning up and had been extra attentive in class.  She thought she would get the Star Kid award for sure in March but she was a little disappointed when she didn’t.

So it was with utter joy and happiness when she came back home last Wednesday displaying her Star Kid medal!  Actually she was feeling a little under the weather that day, but she knew it was Assembly day and she wanted to go and see if they would call her name.

Such was her determination.  And paid off it did. 🙂

Well done, Hannah! *hugs*

Proof and Resemblance

April 7, 2014 in Emma, Ethan, Growing Up, Parenting | No comments

We are often amazed (and still are) at how closely Emma resembles Ethan.  It’s almost like having and holding Ethan all over again, except that Emma’s a girl.

This here is Ethan at about 7.5-8 months (photo taken from my archives):

…and over here is Emma at about 8 months.  I’ve rotated the photo so we can get a better view of her face:

The same button nose to the same BULAT head 🙂

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