Day & Night

A phonecall from daddy this morning.... The kids were talking happily to him.

Mei-Mei: So ru going to work now daddy?

Daddy: I'm going to sleep now. It's already 9plus at night.

Mei-Mei: (stunned look and looks outside our window)???? But daddy I just woke up and you are going to sleep?

hmm....need to explain abt time/day difference to her 

😂 

Small but fiery

Scene : Lil pretending to be a doc

"I'm going to use my microscope (stethoscope) to listen. Went up to daddy and did the actions as she sang this song "Time for your Checkup, time for your checkup! I'm gonna check your ears (put on daddy's ears) check your eyes (put on daddy's eyes) find out how much you've grown..

Then I listen to your heart beat (put on daddy's body - wrong part)"

Continue putting everywhere (funny thing is she did it without putting the earpiece to her ear. I told her abt it, she told me its painful) then continue to irritate daddy. Dunno what she did, daddy told her off. She commented "where got patient scold doctor? Only doctor can scold patient!!"

LOL

Hols almost OUT. New school term NEARING

I can't believe where the time have gone. I thought that I would be able to plan at least 2 playdates (on separate days) with mei-mei's ex-MMI friends and St Hilda's. Let me tell you how many we had so far. NONE! Disappointing right? I am as I haven't had any of mei-mei's friends over at our place for playdates before. (that's the disadvantage of being the younger kid I guess. So I can't blame her for having no interest in baking or whatsoever)

In about three weeks' time, our lifestyle would have some slight changes. My little one will officially be in Primary 1. I loved it seeing how excited she is looking forward to see her new friends  and how she exclaimed to me when she overheard my conversation with my older girl "should mummy volunteer for the first 3 days"? 

"Mummy, you go and volunteer and help other mummies. No need to help me, then you go to the gate and wait for me". I had mixed feelings when she said that to me, as compared to her older sister she is definitely a girl with GREAT GUTS. I told you I would be the one crying on her first day in school, she'd kick her Mammarazzi mummy out of the school depriving me of chances snapping pictures of her. And for that once-in-a-lifetime scene I bought a SLR - so that I can zoom on her. Might as well put on a tracking device on her. 

I've been making her practice putting on and taking off her blouse and pinafore. Call her a pampered child, my girl never had the chance to learn to turn her clothes the correct way coz it's usually laundered after one wear. 

I should have made her carry her schoolbag and climb up two flights of stairs. But I didn't want to see my skinny girl being crushed under her heavy bag.

Other than that, I think she may be prepared for Primary 1 academically. It's honeymoon year but ...... with their Principal I'm sure the format of examination and tests have changed. 

So far, I totally leave her Chinese to Berries. She's done the first units, which are basically Hanyu Pinyin, in her assessment books for me. Horrible to hear her intonation still having that angmoh-ish tone.

English, by far, is her forté. I wouldn't say she's perfectly fine in English or get 100% all the time. But for a kid her age I should be snobbish to say, she's real good. So no tuition for now.

Maths, OMG!!!! She's good in her calculation but she's rather weak when she has to deal with heuristics. And because teaching the older one is a breeze for Maths, I swear I was going to kill the little one. I feel my brain cells dying after I teach her. I'll adopt a wait and see approach, if I cannot cope I'd have to send her for Maths tuition.

Okay, so the older girl will be Primary 5 next year. Heard about the dreadful DRASTIC DROP in results tale. It would be a comfort if she didn't score as well coz it happens to most kids but ....coming from me!!! Who have spent so much time coaching and torturing us both all these years ... She shouldn't be getting bad results. Hmm... Maybe I should learn to relax so that I can live longer.

I guess she'd be staying back in school more often. So now I wonder if she would be able to cope with her school homeworks. You would have heard how we often struggle with her homeworks daily. Her dilly-dallying and daydreaming; me getting worked up when she hasn't finished her homework; daddy sees her doing work and accuses me for loading her with my work; I get super mad at both of them for making me the bad person. (God is fair, he gave me an independent younger girl who loves to do assessment books, who has superbly good attitude)

Not sure which class she'd be in next year. I hope she remains in the same class...  Would she get the same FT 4 years consecutively?? Hope so. Pray hard!!

With them in school for a longer period, I don't have to rush like siao-charboh doing the housework. I can probably find a little time to have my early lunch and stuff myself fat with all the good food around Joo Chiat; then pack something for them ( on days when I'm lazy to cook their lunch) before picking them up. Speaking of which, I'm missing the 328 Laksa; poh piah in I12 foodcourt. 

Can't comment much about after school now. I can only see but I do foresee them eating in the car 5 days a week.  *complain complain* Argh! Lil' one had to spoil her Hello Kitty table (her third one so far) again!

Che-che was sad that I did allow her to take HMT. Oh please! Not that she has fantastic results for her Chinese, I need her to buck up first. I don't need her to stay back for HMT when she may have better use of her time. Moreover, I won't send her to SAP school, so the HMT is redundant. But I gave her permission to stay back for Maths Olympiad if she wants/can do it again next year.

Can't imagine how hectic it would be, I know I will be doing the same - grabbing one kid to do work while the other is in tuition class.

No more mei-mei's favourite Shichida class next year, Thursdays are free now. Yay!

Let me enjoy my last 3 weeks of relaxation mode.

Hokkaido

It's been more than 10 years since I last stepped on Japan land. I'm even more happy going to a part where I've never been to.

I kept that part of my brain with Japanese aside for too long, it's turned rusty.

The trip was fantastic, the girls had loads of fun with snow. It snowed heavily and although they've both been to winter countries before, they scream excitedly with it snowing on them. Flakes on their hair; nose; cheeks etc... They couldn't keep their excitement. They would deliberately stretch out their hand and wipe off the snow on the railings; kick the snow. They'd roll on the ground. Yes, they were really happy. I can sense their joy, I too wanted to do what they do. Old liao, scared if I get chilled may end up with rheumatism. The childish thing I could do was to throw snow at them catching them in surprise.  

 

Onsen was good. Che-che spent her time ogling at naked ladies. Haha! Once mei-mei followed her daddy, I hope she didn't shout "Aiyoh! What's that?" Haha! Anyway doubt anyone will understand her.

 

Would love to be back there again. That time, hopefully it would be a Free & Easy tour.

 

Photos are linked on blog page

P1 Orientation

The letter stated that her class is Jonquil 1. On this day, we proceeded up to her classroom wondering who her Form Teacher would be.

Little one was pretty excited and happy to see her new friends, and she also talked about hoping to bump into two of her St Hilda's Kindy classmates.

I was really surprised to see their new paperwork, the last time I did was 4 years ago. And I must admit there wasn't so many forms to fill up this time round. And since I'm an experienced mummy, the speech and whole orientation flow wasn't that overwhelming to me.

 

Since che-che was with me, I asked her to stay and see if the teacher needed any help. I would proceed to the hall myself since hubby is not in Singapore. 

These are some pictures that che-che took of her little sister in her new class

All the blur faces

 

After the briefing by the Ms See, I went back to another classroom to submit form.  Seemed like they activated all the teachers back to the school. Che-che's Maths teacher was helping out mei-mei's class. Che-che's FT was helping another class so we dropped by the class after we picked her up. Mei-mei was rather outspoken and is the opposite of che-che.

Che-che as usual would complain to me about her sister, talking too much; asking too many stupid questions. So much so that her FT had to ask her to stop talking rubbish. Haha!

She left such a deep impression on her FT. FT even asked che-che if she (herself) is talkative, when she said "no", FT was doubtful. 

A great surprise when I found out my classmate's daughter and Aricia are classmate. So sweet right?

She told me she couldn't wait for school to start, she wants to see her friends soon.

Last Day of Kindy

Ok... so this is it! The day is finally here. Sounds like it's the end of the world like that.

I'm getting so emotional, I wanna cry......... and my heartless girl don't feel a thing.

Last pictures with her playground kakis. 

Everyone's going to different schools, so I wish them all the best!

My future son-in-law

 

 Don't ask me what happened here. Some kids started squatting down

 The really last picture of them in this school uniform

Two more weeks

I can't believe it, it seems not long ago when I first brought Aricia to her new kindy. 

First Day

St Hilda's Kindergarten, a kindy which is known to all for preparing the children well for primary school. Well, I have nothing but praises for the school for inculcating Christian teachings and their emphasis on academic. I've seen how much my girl has grown.

Just today, my girl told me "mummy I will not cry, why must I cry? you volunteer to help other people in my school. Then you can go to the gate to wait for me". 

Aww..... isn't it so sweet? She sounds so brave..... She has a strong character but there's something that will make her cry - Injection! Really! 
I shall remember to telepathy with her again. Remember how well she behaved in St Hilda's ?

In two weeks time, we will say goodbye to this wonderful school; to the teachers and principal.

Thank you so much, St Hilda's! (mummy is going to cry soon)

  

   

Halloween 2012

We're lucky that this year's Halloween happens right after their SA2. So... we can go trick-treating longer.

Every year, I wreck my brain thinking what my girls should dress up. Of course it was done without consulting them. I'm asking for trouble if I did, coz' they'd come up with so many characters.

Last year, che-che was Queen of Hearts and so I thought sticking to Alice in WOnderland would be a good decision and I'll work on that theme. Che-che is Mad Hatter and mei-mei is Alice. 

Had a reunion with Queen of Hearts. Costume looks familiar? Coz' that's mine! 

5.30pm and we started trick-treating.

 
Alice aka Aricia getting really fed-up with me. "why are you taking pictures all the time, mummy"?

 

 

 

 

 
Some random strangers

 
Bump into her classmate there

 

Aricia's Graduation Concert

Aricia had been busy practicing for her concert, she sings (out of tune) in the house; she dances around in the house.

It's really fun to have her around the house, coz' over the years she tends to give us sneak previews before her concert. Unlike Athena who is a very quiet girl, never practises at home. We always have no idea what she would be performing. And then she goes all out to surprise us on stage

This year, she'll be one of the students to make her Thank You speech. She'll be one of the actors on stage for one of the opening song. She knew she had a responsibility to be there coz everyone including herself is of importance with their part be it big or small.

But God must make fun of us. When I brought her out from school yesterday, she was weeping.  She thought I wasn't going to pick her up from school. I thought it was weird, she never weep quietly normally she'd lash out in her loud voice (voice reaching me before she reaches me)  "why you come so late?!" When I hugged to console her ... Oh shucks! she felt warm. I kept quiet not wanting to speak a word to this highly sensitive girl. I guessed she sensed something different about me behaving in that way,  you can say we have some sort of telepathy between us. She controlled her emotions for a few minutes and suddenly burst out crying in the car and shouted  she "had to be in school tomorrow because it's MY concert". Relieved to hear her shouting (when usually I'd ask her to lower down her volume) - she's back to normal.

Back home I prayed fervently for a speedy recovery, I asked for a miracle. Ha! My faith wasn't that strong, God didn't want to show me miracle. In my unusual routine, I forced her to sleep sleep and sleep. In her usual character, she TOLD ME WHAT SHE HAD TO DO - her assessment books and school homeworks. ARGH! My threats were ignored, mummy had to back down coz' she's dealing with a strong-headed girl. Perhaps there was something more to this little chilli padi. It got me real mad that I had to threaten her "if you don't rest and can't get well soon by tonight. You'll not be able to go for your graduation concert". 

Time passed from afternoon to evening to night to midnight. She continued to feel warm. I began to think if we were not fated to watch her perform and graduate. What a joke God must be playing on us!  Now that (fortunately) hubby had his trip shortened last minute he was able to make it home, my girl is sick?!?! Was our happiness short-lived? 
Discussed with hubby if we should let her perform her item then bring her home early. He okayed it.

In the morning
I told hubby we had to be early, he can drop us in church and go over to have his breakfast while we embark on our Singaporean favourite pastime - QUEUE. It's our last chance to see her perform so we had to be early to chope good seats. Surprisingly, he was fine with it. Anyway, he'd gain right?! Didn't have to queue and will still get a good seat.

We were there before everyone else. Alas! Their class's certificate-giving ceremony is at the end of the concert. Oh my God!! I wonder if she can endure all the way through. Apart from feeling warm; face looked blushed she appeared normal to everyone else.

I loved her dance, she was rubbing her eyes.. Probably coz of the make up I did for her or she was really tired. But my lil' girl danced and danced. 

She fit the role very well. She's suppose to be a sick child on stage and she's really SICK. However that didn't stop her from moving so much, she had to fidget around. 

Thank you speech

My lil' girl spoke and enunciated her words well. Very proud of her, she remembered that she had to emphasize on her 'th', 's' and 'k' sounds. She memorized her script really well and didn't fumble abit. The only flaw? She was speeding through her speech like a speedy gonzale. We all had a good laugh at our gan-cheong spider girl. While she was on stage, I couldn't help but worry if she'll faint. I felt proud after she finished her speech

 With my son-in-law making their wedding speech. Hahaha!

When it came to her class item, she was dancing with all her might. She was really GIVING IT ALL OUT - I should say it's her BEST BEST BEST SHOT!! She didn't fumble, apart from her constantly rubbing her eyes she was perfect. I'm not sure if anyone noticed it, if they did they would have thought she was wiping her tears away.

Certificate giving ceremony

She's the first girl to receive her cert, the shortest mah! Mom had to cheer for her... actually she was like the only one being cheered on in the whole K2 cohort. I'm not pleased with the audience, it's the worst lot I've seen so far. They weren't generous with their applause. Poor kids go up on stage, not many people clap for them. 

End of concert and I was getting a little sentimental

I remember when it was che-che's graduation concert, I said "That's it! It's finally the end of her first educational milestone". And was unwilling to leave the church and had to snap more pictures of her and her friends. 

I thought second time, I wouldn't turn emotional - but I DID. I felt sad that her two years in St Hilda's is closing its chapter. She had her group of friends whom she love. However no matter how long I'd love to stay back I couldn't. I had to give my brave girl a rest, she needs it badly.

I was extremely proud of her, she has the spirit that is really commendable and put me -  her mummy - to shame. 

She was so tired that she fell asleep in the car. We brought her to see the doctor. She "complained to the doctor" about everything. "I have fever,  my eyes pain, my body pain, my neck hot hot, my leg pain, my head pain". The doctor was shock and showed us the reading on the thermometer - a high of 40 deg cel. OMG! I would have complained and crawled around with that kind of fever.