Time Out...

It's been a week since my last entry. The past week has been like any other ordinary week ~ busy with the kids and stuff at home. Not sure why but I just didn't feel like writing anything this week. Maybe the heat is getting onto me. I've got a big ulcer underlying my tongue and it's hurting like hell. Must be the durians that FIL is getting these days...even hubby is feeling heaty and complaining about headache few times this week already.

Min has been sick for a week now. It started with his stuff and blocked nose that didn't fully recover the last round and then few days ago the cough came on and then just yesterday, the running nose. He's been on meds for a week now and I am crossing my fingers that he'll recover soon. He's been a little cranky these few days and I am feeling very tired out with his tantrums plus the sleepless nights and having to drag myself out of the bed to ferry Ee to school everyday and getting breakfast ready for the rest every morning. Just this week I woke up late twice at 7.40am and Ee ended up late for class. I even forgot that Tuesday was supposed to be Racial Harmony Day and Ee was to wear his traditional costume to school on that day. He definitely expressed his displeasure but luckily he let me off rather lightly. Hao was a booster today as he woked up today at 7.30am and washed up before I even started to nag at him and even made the bed himself and revised his spelling for today. I rewarded him with Mac breakfast and cup noodles for lunch lol. That's his sorta treat.

Must admit that I raised my voice at the kids a couple of times this week and I am definitely going to get a hold of myself and remind myself that I need to give more kinder words and more hugs and kisses. I find that once the kids start growing older, they no longer give hugs and kisses willingly...this may be especially true for boys? I must remember to cherish the special hugs and kisses that they are giving me now.

Despite me feeling tired, somehow I can't fall asleep tonight. Min had a short nap this afternoon and retire for the night at about 9pm. By right I should be catching up with my beauty sleep but found that I couldn't fall asleep. Ended up watching a couple of shows and now that the rest of the family are asleep (including hubby), I still can't sleep. I even drank a glass of milk. Hope I don't start reaching out for food later on...desperately need to trim my tummy!!

It's Hatty Day!

Today is Hatty Day at Ee's school. This term 3 they are exploring the different weather conditions in school and thus declared today as Hatty Day, where they can bring all their different hats to school for sharing. Just nice, Nic bought him a orange hat recently and he loves wearing the hat out. So when we got the note from his teacher about Hatty Day, I asked which hat he wants to bring and the answer is affirmative ~ the orange hat from Nic. Hubby later asked whether he might want to consider bring the mickey mouse hat or the sun visor that we got in Beijing, and he rejected all other alternatives and firmly told us that he's going to bring the orange hat. This morning, when Hatty Day finally arrived, he wore his orange hat with his uniform and vest proudly and took this picture.

On another note about the book that I mentioned the other day, I have decided to read it another time LOL...and if you are keen to read similar books that helped me, try the "How to Talk so the Kids Will Listen and Listen so the Kids will Talk". This book is also highly recommended online. I read this before the rivalry book and I find that both books actually reinforce some pointers and are in line with the theories mentioned.

Sibling Without Rivalry!

Just finished reading this book that I borrowed from the library called "Sibling without Rivalry". This is a really good book that I would strongly recommend parents with children who are constantly fighting or conflicting to read! If you have not noticed, I've developed an interest over the years to read a lot of parenting books and trying to keep myself sane from using tactics from the books to create a more peaceful atmosphere at home as much as I can. However, I must admit that reading is one thing and actually doing and keeping consistent with the tactics is another. It is hard to remain calm and remember to use different tactics as opposed to verbally reprimand or even physical punishment when I am in a fit of anger and react naturally. More often than not, I feel guilty after that and banged my head on the wall and tell myself not to repeat that again. I must say I feel more and more in control of my anger in relation to my kids' mischievious acts over the past year and it began to dawn upon me more that what I've read in some books is really true and some tactic works.

Sibling Without Rivalry is one book that I chanced upon when surfing on Amazon, trying to find books to help me on sibling rivalry issues at home. I had wanted to purchase this after reading so many positive reviews on amazon but stopped myself (didn't want to waste money just in case its not my kinda book). Instead I went to the library and found the same book and got it reserved. When I got hold of the book after the Beijing trip and started reading, I was rather taken aback by how the writers relate stories and tactics to our everyday lives. Instead of the usual theories and research numbers, the writers wrote this book based on the classes they conducted and stories and feedback and real happenings that they have gathered from parents and even kids. In reading all these stories, it made a real good impression on my mind as these little scenarios are always happening in my own home with my kids saying exactly the same words and demanding the same things from me or their siblings. After reading how the other parents felt and reacted and the results they gotten from their children, I am convinced that the tactics are actually helpful in reducing conflicts and best of all, even if conflicts are not reduced, the siblings actually learn how to accept their differences and make leeway for each other when they recognize that they are actually different beings. There are some pointers that I found really helpful but I have not gotten down to jotting them down but once I do so, I might just post them here :P Meanwhile I strongly encourage everyone to grab a copy and read it!

All Reunite!

Finally everyone is back in Singapore. I mean us and my in laws. My in laws went to Shanghai and then to LA to visit Nic for 3 weeks and came back just this morning. Their flight back was really a nightmare but luckily they made it back to Singapore on schedule. Thankfully they are socially responsible to stay home today and (crossing fingers) hopefully tomorrow since they came from USA which is one of the countries that is listed in our (swine flu) danger zone. I've also tactfully told them that we will only visit them tomorrow evening and called them this afternoon just to make sure they are both ok. Of course this is not the only reason we are staying away from them for now, but also for the fact that they are all tired out from the long haul flight and need time to adjust their jet lag.

The last 2 weeks had been rather busy for me as I was busy experimenting new foods to cook and getting my TO DO LIST done. Ever since I've started using Facebook, I was hooked on! Everyday I had to go online and check out my profiles and farms and make sure I was progressing in my games :P It has become such an addiction that if I don't go online a day, I'll be fidgeting the whole day! I finally told myself that I need to restrict myself and get OTHER things done and not spending the whole day on the net.

Finally got Ashlynne's beansprout husk pillowcase completed and also the cover for our new printer doen up. Still pending for my completion will be the Multiplication chart for Hao and converting the spare bedroom into a condusive reading room for the kids. I hope all these can be completed by next week and also finish reading the 3 books that I've borrowed from the library. Next week will be a busy week for me!

Project World Map

Ok I'm officially declaring that my Project Menu has failed. Its not that I didn't cook much but that each time I'm finished with cooking, I hardly have time to take photos of them as the kids will be crowding around the dining table wanting to start eating asap! There'll be Ee asking "Can I start yet, Mummy??" or Min trying to pull his baby chair to the dining table and attempting to climb onto it by catching hold of the tray table. I didn't have time to take nice photos of the food but will be busy getting them ready for dinner. Finally I gave up even attempting to take photos of it, and would gladly let the kids eat them up. Nevetheless, I've made a list of food that I know how to cook by now and it'll be a good reference for me when doing my meal plans.

Project World Map is actually hubby's project. If you know us well, you'll actually know that we love to bring out kids travelling to different places every year. There is an unwritten rule that every year we will plan a family trip and bring the kids on a family holiday. So far we have been to quite a few places and Hao knows the most as he has travelled with us the most times. This gave hubby the idea of getting a world map up on the wall and putting map pins on the places that we've been to with the kids and putting up small pictures of them at those places.

Just today after dinner, we headed to Popular and got the stuff for the Project World Map. We got the big world map from a bookshop in Beijing. Tonight, we bought styrofoam boards, plastic cover sheets and hubby and Hao pinned the world map on the styrofoam boards and put plastic cover on it. It's not the best looking piece around but turned out rather well. We then told Hao which places we went to together and he found the locations and put a map pin on it. Next we'll have to get old pics out and try to paste it on the map somehow and then put it up on the wall of our living room. We asked where Hao will like to go next year and his reply is "To USA to visit GU GU!!" :P