The Hons

Enduring appeal

2010-03-03T07:30:00.009+08:00

Mama loves Audrey Hepburn and her movies. I remember we were watching ‘Roman Holiday’ and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ together back in Bukit Panjang. That was, well, way before Gabby was even an idea.

I’m not really into romance, but I was captivated by Audrey’s appeal and her sheer performance. She was simply stunning; she's sophisticated, yet refined and stylish. I believe that she’s the one who immortalized headscarf as part of the feminine garment which remains an iconic fashion to this day. This classy, enduring appeal was also adopted by Supermodel such as Kate Moss.

Well, we have our mini-version of Audrey here. Yes, it’s our very own Gabby 'Hepburn' Hon!

One fine evening, she woke up from her usual weekend power-nap and decided to turn her coverings into a head dress. We didn't reherse this, and I don't think she has met Audrey (yet). But any resemblance is purely coincidental.

Willingly, she became our ‘Supermodel’ for the evening and offers herself for some photo-taking opportunities. Strickly for my camera only...

Heh heh… My daughter beri cute leh! “Baba xi bei hao lian…”

Stop and smell the flowers!

2010-03-02T10:41:00.020+08:00

You need a break. Seriously, you do.

Not that it’s a lazy excuse to go a day without any activities. But it’s important that we take time out to rejuvenate and catch on with ourselves. It’s God’s way of telling you to completely rest and remain in peace. Trust God ‘cause He designed you this way.

Every day, we struggle to make our ends meet. We get quashed while rushing for the things in life: the train rides, the deadlines, endless meetings and conference calls, bills and more bills… Men~No~Pause…

Every year, Mama and I do our parts to remember and celebrate the important dates in our lives: birthdays, ROM day, and wedding day. No hassle, no bells and whistles, just the 2 of us. Our preference: We like it quiet and leave Gabby at the childcare center. “No phone calls please!”

But seriously, we need to take time out for ourselves. The chores of life can quickly make us forget who we are, and our mortal souls sank deep into oblivion. We must be reminded time and again that life’s precious and worth living for.

Understand this: when your elderly have passed on and all your kids have grown up and go about their own ways, you’ll be there for one another ‘til your ripe old age.

It’s worth a day’s off to take her somewhere nice and spend quality time together.

I want 'phish'!

2010-03-01T12:31:00.024+08:00

Koi Garden, Suntec City

Whenever we attend church on Sunday, one of Gabby’s diehard routines is to visit the Koi Garden at the basement of Suntec City. We would give her $2 to buy fish food to feed the fishes.

Once arrived, you will instantly notice that most of the fishes are pretty well fed ‘cause they look bloated, like they are about to give birth. But everyone is excited and they go into feeding frenzy. Well, the fishes aren’t complaining, and no one puts up any stop signs.

The Kois are friendlier than most other fishes I have known. In my opinion, they behave like most domestic pets; they are not shy and like to get very close to people.

It’s actually quite relaxing just by looking at the fishes. Their subtle movements, the sounds and the ripples of the water have calming effects on people. Generally, it sets one on a pleasant and soothing disposition, especially after a hard day’s work. Mama always wanted her own aquarium at home.

“Beri the good idea. But how much leh?” Something cannot be measured; it’s called Intangible Benefits – Relaxation, peace of mind, and soul at ease… yeahhh…

Something fishy here

Besides Kois, there are also different kinds of deep sea coral fishes available on exhibits outside Koi Garden (next to Tony Roma’s). They have these long, stretchy aquarium tanks fixtures that look like huge wall-mount Plasma TVs.

Aquariums: Hey, fishy fishy!

We have been there almost every week. Talk about weird, I have seen some strange-looking fishes and their bizarre behaviours.

Big Eyes Fish

No camera tricks or Photoshop touch-ups: Initially, I thought something was wrong with my lens. As it turns out, this particular fish has really huge eyes.

I don't know what's the scientific name for it, but it sure reminds me of the front cover of the alternative rock band Eels' Beautiful Freak album in the 90s':

Sleepless nights?

Tune in to this interesting MTV by Eels entitled "Novocaine for the Soul": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2yy141q8HQ&feature=fvst

Kinda like Cyclops (X-MEN) wearing huge magnifying glasses for goggles going on a deep sea exploration; in case it gets dark. Clearly a Fibonacci pattern failure.

Vertically challenged

No camera tricks or Photoshop touch-ups (part 2): Every week, I get to notice this particular fish’s interesting move: training for his vertical marathon. I know you won’t believe it; watch the video:

Fish enjoys vertical swim

Occasionally, he gets a little company. But, none of them are quite as persistent as this one. "Really committed to win nah!" "Never say die yah!"

I thought I was watching NEMO live. "I'm going to save my son!"

.

I want toys!

2010-02-27T23:35:00.017+08:00

The song remains the same: Every child loves toys.

Experts tell us that playing with toys is an integral part of children's development and learning process. Since children are natural learners, they constantly look for opportunities to absorb new experiences and stimulations in their daily lives.

Gabby has been toying with stuffs ranging from infant rattles to hula hoops to simple 6-to-12 pieces jigsaw puzzles.

Hula Hoops Fun with Fei Fei Jie Jie

After half an hour...

Hula Hoops Fun with Fei Fei Jie Jie (Part 2)

Lately, she's into Hot Wheels race cars. Kinda remind Zena of her toddler days. When she feels like playing them, she'll empty them from the ziplock bag and lay them nicely on the bed, like a display artist at work.

So, we did what every parent could, to help her out with the collections. She has about 12 vehicles to date. Quite impressive for her age (I only wish they were all real ones... dah...)

We often take her to the toys departments at shopping malls and various Toys-R-Us outlets. Most visits will take 45 mins at the least. She enjoys herself thoroughly, and conveniently forgets there are 2 'bodyguards' hanging around her that wanted out.

Gabby At Toys-R-Us

Well, there's no 'return policy' for a real kid, methinks. "Ah girl, faster grow up and get married lah! Mama and Papa want our lives back ahhh!"

Before I can finish thinking, she held up one toy that she likes and say: "Baba, pay money!"

Ouch...

Toy Blender

Toy Clock

When I see you smile

2010-02-26T09:41:00.015+08:00

Gabby Smileys

"When I see you smile
I can face the world
Oh oh
You know I can do anything
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light
Oh oh
I see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smile
Oh yeah
Baby when I see you smile at me"

Remember this big 80s hit by the band Bad English? (dunno why they called themselves by that name, dah...)

Anyway, in those days, you get a handful of really good rock bands (e.g. Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Aerosmith, White Snake, Def Leppard, and many others). But, they pretty much look the same; long messy hair-do, leather jacket outfits, and write tons of really great ballads that made them rock legends.

I'm not a huge Bad English fan, but this particular song hit me like a sledgehammer, even to this day.

"Sometimes I wonder
How I'd ever make it through
Through this world without having you
I just wouldn't have a clue

Cause sometimes it seems
Like this world's closing in on me
And there's no way of breaking free
And then I see you reach for me

Sometimes I wanna give up
I wanna give in
I wanna quit the fight
And then I see you, baby
And everything's alright
Everything's alright"

Often in our lives, we come to breaking points where we wonder: "What's the meaning of it all?" "Why have I worked so hard but gathered so little?" "When is this big break really going to happen to me?" I must admit, I have asked those questions countless times in my life.

Like the stocks markets revisiting their highs and lows, we let our daily toils and spins take us on a roller-coster ride. I have my fair shares 'cause I have been there many times too.

But everytime when Gabby and Zena smile and laugh while having fun, I took visual snapshots of that moment in time and commit them to memory. It reminds me that in times of my vulnerabilities and sadness, I have my love ones to turn to for strength and support.

Gabby Smileys with Helmet

Tune in to the following links for the song and lyrics:
Bad English - When I See You Smile - Lyrics
http://www.lyrics007.com/Bad%20English%20Lyrics/When%20I%20See%20You%20Smile%20Lyrics.html

Bad English - When I See You Smile - MTV
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lb78_bad-english-when-i-see-you-smile_music

Show me the money!

2010-02-25T12:17:00.010+08:00

Gabby n her Ultra-piggy bank

The importance of savings

When I was younger, I often heard stuffs like that from my parents and the elderly. But never really take their advice to heart. I used to play deaf when they start their 'nags'. This went on into my teenage years and persisted well into my adulthood.

It didn't border me until we got married, owned a house, and kids 'suddenly' appeared. Then, we started asking the obvious, history-repeats-itself question: "Where did all that money gone to?"

I think to myself: Yep, its the movies I have watched, CDs and DVDs I have bought, toys and posters I have collected... and the list goes on and on. I admit, bulk of these stuffs are totally unnecessary and useless today. Its taking up space and in the end, I have to get them out of my way. Zena said this in a funny, canto-style tone: "They are preventing earth from turning!"

Ok baby, I get the point...

I once heard this wise saying: "What is the point of using money you don't have, to buy the things you don't need, and impress people who don't even care?!" - Sounds a lot like my parents breathing down my neck, but it sure makes whole lotta sense!

We often run to paid seminars, buy self-help books, tune in to professional advice and talkshows for the very thing that our parents and the wise elderly are saying for free.

So, as a responsible dad, I did the absolute necessary thing... to teach my daughter on the importance of savings.

Gabby completes her round of savings

I want to go playground!

2010-02-24T10:19:00.007+08:00

Lately, she loves going to the nearby playgrounds after school. With all that energy built up after lunch and a power nap in the afternoon at school, she is eager to work it out by climbing and running it off.

Zena, now into her 3rd trimester, often joke about this: 'Are you a boy or a girl?', 'She like monkey right?'

But we just love watching her having fun.

Blessed 2010!

2010-02-23T10:56:00.032+08:00

Hi there!
It's good to be back on the blog again. We have been 'away' for a while, for no particular reason. Just taking time out and play lazy, taking a break from the digital world.

Well, what can we say, time flies, Gabby is 3 years 1 month old now. We have taken time out to throw a mini celebration at her day care center. It's a surprise party we have planned with the school teachers. She is really delighted celebrating her 3rd birthday with her classmate friends and teachers.

It's a joy to see them sharing these precious moments together. It's the little things that make life wonderful.

Lion Dance

Recently, Gabby's into lion dance. Probably due to the chinese festive new year season and their frequent showing up at the shopping malls and nearby retail stores. She gets to see them more often. Everytime she hears the drumming starts, she will shout 'lion, lion'!

Outing on Teacher's Day

2009-09-03T11:01:00.007+08:00

Gabby's CC was closed on Teacher's day. The HONs decided to take leave too and have some family time. Vivo city was not the initial venue. The original plan was to Liang court, We took a train to Clarke Quay station and discovered that it was rained heavily. Anyway, no regrets, caused we had a great time in Vivo too.

We were walking ard the mall and did stop for the 'golden time' @ Modesto. We ordered 2 beers, 1 cranberry juice and 1 Penne Bolognese for Gabby and me.

After the 'golden time', it's time for the wet ones. Guess where were we????

Yes, we were at the 3rd level of Vivo city. We always wanted to bring Gabby to the beach but didn't make it for many reasons........ :P So this was the little compensation for our princess.

There was an indian girl join in the fun.....
Splashing and more splashing.....

Oops, what's that, Papa..........
Oh Papa, I think I saw some fishes.....

Same place, 1 year later

2009-08-20T10:48:00.007+08:00

Late post. I simply had a hard time loading picts to this stupid blogspot until Rachel shown me the hows of using photobucket. Thanks Rach, if not for her, this blog of mine will turn rust and moldy. same function also happen in Facebook loh. Sign, what is wrong with them?????

Anyway back to my story.

We were at Ngee Ann City on 9th August, our National Day. I deeply remember that we had taken photos there about a year ago. So when I compared the photos that were taken then and recently, Gabby has grown so much. She no longer look babyish ( to me, she still does look one) and has 'promoted' to the 'angelic' 2 ( I refusse to use the word Terrxxxx). She is so mobile and agile that we have to constantly follow her when we are in the mall/crowded places. She does 'disappear' among the crowds.

Anyway she does have her cutie sides too, so much more that this post can't contain all. Just to name a few (in case you guys start falling asleep), she is more willing to share food with us (without we asking), always offer her cheeky smile whenever we got mad with her (by doing that, most of time she got away from canning) and always make funny faces to cheer us up (will try to take picts if we are fast enough).

Cut the long story short, these are the proofs of her growing up.

Loving Children unconditionally

2009-07-31T14:08:00.004+08:00

Recently I’ve subscribe to Positive Parenting weekly newsletter. Okay, I know some might says that I’m too anxious/kiasu/obsess over Gabby upbringing or being a ‘perfect’ parent. The funny thing is I’m used to think about my friends (with kids) too. It is only come to this stage of life then you realize you do need quite a lot of external advice to keep your life in ‘sane’.

To me, raising a child is like an art. It require a person to equips with the knowledge, patience, experience and most important, LOVE. Gabby is my 1st born, hence to increase my experience and lessen ‘the pain’, is to read on related topic and talk to experienced parents. So this begins my journey on my new found reading topic.

Back to the subject, there is a column in the weekly newsletter that caught my attention.

7 Helpful Reminders on Loving Children UNCONDITIONALLY*
1. Children are children.
2. Children tend to act like children.
3. Much of childish behavior is unpleasant.
4. If I do my part as a parent and love them despite their childish behavior, they will be able to mature and give up childish ways.
5. If I love them only when they please me(conditional love) ... it will make them feel insecure, damage their self-image and actually prevent them from developing better self-control and exhibit more mature behavior.
6. If I love them only when they meet my requirements or expectations, they will feel incompetent. Insecurity, anxiety and low self-esteem will plague them.
7. If I love them unconditionally, they will feel good about themselves and be comfortable with themselves. They will then be able to control their anxiety and in turn, their behavior, as they grow into adulthood.
* Reference: Positive Parenting Digest, A weekly publication of Institute of Advanced Parentology

This is a reminder to me that no matter how ‘unpleasant’ Gabby can be at times, she is still my beloved child. My love for her can never be lessened but increased over the time, just like GOD love for us is unconditional and will never change.

Updates: Diet in school

2009-07-15T17:24:00.001+08:00

Gabby has made some improvement on her diet. She has finally eaten half of the tuna mayo sandwich during tea break yesterday. This comment may seem strange to some parents but Gabby is a selective eater. According to the teacher, since day 1, she had been refusing food like fish, vegetables (all kinds), mushroom, honeydew, watermelon, apple with skin, etc….. . She only consumes carbo and soup (her favourite and will finish by herself). As she is still new to the environment (coming to 2 weeks), the teachers have been lenient towards her for the time being.

According to the VP, Gabby was arranged to sit with the peers that enjoy food a lot. They hope with the peer pressure, it will motivate her to eat and it works. She had been observing her peers finishing the sandwiches fast and asking for 2nd and even 3rd helpings. In turn, she starts her sandwich by tearing off the edge of the bread (which has the most tuna flakes) and scrubbed as much tuna off the remaining of the bread before she ate it. She also drank ¼ cup of milo.

According to the VP, kids like Gabby, who is a selective eater will eventually improves once they reached Kindergarten. As they needed more energy for their daily activities, they will be eating more and better. Another factor is they are constantly been feed with the food that the CC gives, it’s only a matter of time before their body senses (taste, visual, smell) will get use to it. So there is hope for all selective eaters, so long we parents don’t give up. For me, I’m more relaxed than before. At least Gabby had been eating sweets, chocolate and many others things on many occasion. I believe the important of having balance diet with enjoyment. So Gabby, Gambetta!

Funny hats

2009-07-14T10:11:00.004+08:00

We were @ Ikea Tampines 2 wks ago, caught Gabby putting on her fav hats.

The Birthday cake

The Fruit basket

These days, whenever she get change to new sets of clothes, first day she would do is to admire herself infront of the mirror. Did I also mentioned tossing her hair too?

Comm Book

2009-07-10T10:08:00.007+08:00

Finally the Teacher-Parent Communication book (comm. book) is here. This book supposed to be in Gabby’s bag since day 1 with Kinderland but the centre has run of stock until 2 days ago.

The comm. book is quite professionally designed. Why I said, is because most CC give an ordinary blue notebook which you can get from Popular or other bookstores. The CC will paste a label with info like: CC name, Child name and class. Well over here they give this
On the 1st page, it has a note to parent explaining some of the features that can be found in the book

At the end of each month, there is a checklist in different areas of the child development . Teacher suppose to check the 'bigger' or 'smaller' leaf at the side of each box to indicate the progress of your child. The 'bigger' leaf signifies that the skill has been 'Observed' and the 'Smaller' leaf indicates that your child is 'Working on it'. Also parents are suppose to participate in the exchange by providing specific information about your child based on the questions asked posed in 'Word to parents'. We, the parents are suppose to write our observations in "From parents to the teacher' section. I like this section as this allows me to know the progress of my child, but on the hand, it means more writing.

A copy of daily schedule is pasted at the back of the book.

Our 1st Picnic @ Jacob Ballas Children's Garden

2009-07-08T16:52:00.009+08:00

Sorry guys for the very late post. Our very 1st picnic @ Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.

The attendees are Joanne and Lycia, The Loks, Joey and The Hons. We met at the entrance @ abt 5ish and choose a spot near the pond. By then, everyone were ready for the fun.

Our spread

The lovely princesses

Joanne and Lycia

The 2 'Js', Joelle and Joey.

The HONs would like to thank Joanne for inviting us to this wonderful outing and we look forward to the next one.

2009-07-08T15:38:00.006+08:00

Gabby has left the previous CC for good and started her 1st day @ Kinderland on 1st July 2009.

We had prepared Gabby weeks ahead that she be transferring to another CC by doing the following:
1. Brought her to the new CC to play on Saturday for the past weeks.
2. Whenever we pass by NTUC, we would tell her that her new school is located on the 3rd floor.
3. Told her that she be going to a new environment, meeting new friends and teachers.

The day has come. Our Princess Hon is ready for school. As a tradition, my mum would give her a red packet on the 1st day of school as signify for good start in the new environment.

Her new uniform, t-shirt with shorts (exercise attire) for the morning. After shower, she would be changed into her long sleve with track pants.
Back view

Getting ready for school

On the way to Kinderland

We stayed for an hour and left just before the lesson starts @ 9ish. We carried her and told her that we be going away for awhile (a white lie) and will be back later to bring her home. Gabby cried, of course, at the very natural state. We almost didn’t make it for the lift, cause of Gabby’s separation anxiety.

By about 1ish, the chinese teacher called me and told me that Gabby has stopped crying shortly after we left, not even a sob after that (I told you she is a smart girl, she wouldn’t waste her tears for nothing). She also told me that Gabby has been quite attentive during lesson and has no problem with the teachers and classmates. Even the vice-principal was surprise that she can adapt to the new environment fast. I told the teacher that it could be due to the preparation as mentioned above and this is the 2nd CC for her. Anyway, as her name say, Gabrielle, which means GOD is her strength (Hebrew). In whatever things she does, GOD’s strength and wisdom would always be with her. Amen.

We were very pleased that she is doing fine and continue our date with a peace of mind. :P We were there @ abt 4:30 to bring her home and Missy Gab was having her tea. So we waited till abt 4:45 and our darling Princess was done and was happy to see us. The assistance teacher told us that she needed to change Gabby to her ‘home’ clothes and diaper before she left for the day. (Think it’s the tradition of Kinderland practice but I could be wrong.) Also was told to bring a bottle of lotion so that they can apply some on her after the shower.

So far The Hons experience with Kinderland is quite good but it’s too early to tell. Let’s hope things stayed the way it is.

Strawberry and Gabby

2009-06-08T10:46:00.002+08:00

Lately, Gabby is into strawberry. It all started many weeks ago, I came back with a box of Korean strawberries. As most of you know, Korean strawberries are mostly ‘naturally’ sweet and never sour. Hence, Princess Hon is hooked ever since. She can’t take her eyes off the strawberry. Whenever, I see one, I would try to get a box home for her. Not on every occasion but whenever I can.

For the past 2 weeks, we were having strawberry short cake from Four Leaves almost every Saturday and Sunday. Gabby would take a few bites of the cake but she would eat every single pieces of strawberries (halve and slices) all by herself. The remaining was down into our stomachs. Since then, I can picture myself eating another piece of cake anymore especially strawberry short cake!!!

For those who know me long enough, I’m very into Gabby’s diet. Some would even say I’m obsessed. Well, blame it on the years that I took Food and Nutrition as my ‘O’ level subject but I do believe that diet do play apart in our future health condition. I would want Gabby to have a better eating habit.

Anyway, I did some research on the web to find out the nutritive value of strawberry and here are the findings:
Has the ability to remove harmful toxin in the blood.
A rich source of folic acid
Highly rated as skin cleansing food
Removes tartar from the teeth and strengthens and heals the gums.

Reference: http://hubpages.com/hub/Health_Benefits_of_Strawberry

Who say only an apple a day keeps the doctor away, so now we should also include strawberry in our diet too. More strawberries, anyone……

Mother's day

2009-05-18T15:03:00.002+08:00

This was the mother’s day gift from Gabby.

The CC helped her with the cupcake and card but I’m sure the heart was from Master Gabby. I’m loving it.

How to raise a happy child

2009-05-08T13:48:00.002+08:00

I always wonder if Gabby is a happy gal?

As full time working parents, time with her is always limited. That’s why JHon will bring her to CC every morning and I will fetch her back (usually we will spend minimum half hr on rides and walking around the mall). Weekend and holiday are our reserved family time. We usually spend our evening watching her favorite videos (The Little Eninsteins, Barney, Fun Songs Factory, etc…..), playing puzzles, play pretends, Alphabets tablets, etc. Not sure if these are enough but we always have a great time, laughing and end up tickling each other on bed.

Found an interesting article on baby Centre on How to raise a happy child (ages 2 to 4).
http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-raise-a-happy-child-ages-2-to-4_1492443.bc?showAll=true

It teaches you to learn to read signs if your child is a happy one. As mentioned in the article, “a happy child smiles, plays, shows curiosity, socializes with other children, and doesn't need constant stimulation.”

“The signs of an unhappy child are clear: The child "is withdrawn, quiet, not eating very much, doesn't spontaneously get involved with other children, doesn't play, doesn't ask questions, doesn't laugh and smile, and has very spare speech."

Read about it to find out more. Enjoy. :)

What went wrong

2009-05-07T16:24:00.004+08:00

It had never crossed my mind that a toddler might have UTI (urinary tract infection). This can be common in adults but children??? I didn’t know until Monday.

On Monday, I met up with my best friend for dinner and had my dad to fetch Gabby from CC. When I reached home, read the communication book (a habit formed since the day Gabby started CC) and it was written that Gabby had been scratching her private part and complained to the teachers that she felt pain in that area. I thought it wasn’t that serious until 9ish that nite. I fed her with 160ml of water and half an hr later, she was screaming loudly, clenching her fists as if she was in great pain. All of us were in shock as we keep asking her what was wrong. She just kept screaming and crying loudly. When she finally calmed down and we realized that the diaper was warm. There is a very least chance for her to react to this manner unless the pain is beyond her threshold (FYI, she do have very high pain threshold. The last time she did that when she had a bad nappy rash. The wounds were raw and bright red and only reactedwhen the wound exposed to water.)

JHon said that we should go to KKH to have it checked. We reached around 10:45pm and only reached home around 6ish the next morning. The doctor had done twice the urine test and confirmed that Gabby has UTI. According to the nurse @ KKH that this can be common among the children especially girls. She was given Antibiotics for 15 days. 1st 10 days, 3 times daily, to treat the UTI and the last 5 days for prevention.

Found an article on toddler and children with UTI, it says “Baby girls using diapers are more prone to get UTI than baby boys. In girls, the distance between the anus and meatus (the outside opening of the urethra) is short and as stool remains long within the diaper, there are more chances of bacteria entering the urethra and move upwards after multiplying. Also, in girls, during toilet training, wiping which is usually from back to front tends to push bacteria nearer the meatus.”

Reference: http://www.nativeremedies.com/articles/toddler-children-urinary-tract-infection.html

Please be careful if your babes are on diaper, especially girls. If the child has a history of UTI, chances of getting it again is high. Please do let them drink barley water/ cranberry juice on weekly basis. It does help to minimize the chance.

For Gabby, the CC has started to expose her to seat on the toilet seat and the full training will start at the 3rd quarter/end of this year instead of mid next year (cause she has gotten UTI.)

Yesterday, JHon has talked to the supervisor firmly that the CC teachers have to change her diaper more regular instead at the fixed timing and be more attentive towards the children.

I was very upset that the teacher noticed that Gabby was scratching and complains about the pain but no one from the CC had called to inform us. This is not the 1st time but this would definitely be the last time I’m going to tolerate this. Otherwise, The HONS would not hesitate to take Gabby out of this CC.

Building confident and self-esteem child

2009-04-24T08:57:00.004+08:00

I was looking for some articles on toddler behavior and had come cross this interesting article on Building confident in your child in Baby centre.

The article mentioned that “Children under three crave our attention, and if it is easier to get it when they are naughty, then they will be naughty. It just happens that way, because actions that lead to a desired result tend to be repeated. But there is a price. If the way he gains our attention emphasises our negative views of him this lowers his self-esteem and the confidence he has in himself.” These happen to Gabby, especially during changing of her diaper and get her to wear her clothes after bath. These things will get only get done after much shouts and occasionally some canning.

In ending, it says "In the long run a child with confidence and self-esteem will be better behaved as well as more likely to stretch himself to his full potential.”
Not sure if it works on Asian children, but The HONs are going to a try. *fingers cross*

Why confidence matters
It is easier for a child to feel confident when they feel competent and easier to feel competent when other people praise what they do. Children blossom when the adults they care about like what they do. We could, of course, write this the other way around. It is easier for a child to be competent when they feel confident and easier to feel confident when other people have confidence in them. Children blossom when we expect them to blossom. They sink when no one expects them to swim.

Adults and older children can put on a show of confidence even when they do not actually feel confident, but small children cannot do this. What you see is what they feel. Adults can pretend that failure does not matter and can talk themselves into believing that something is less important to them than it actually is -- but small children cannot. What they can do is bounce right back from failure and criticism unless that failure and criticism is persistent, in which case the elastic starts to get a little slack. Because the habits we form as small children often follow us through life, persistent criticism and persistent failure can set the mould for the rest of his life.

The power of belief
Believe in your child. Always think that he 'can' because what you project to him (knowingly or unknowingly) really does influence what he can do. Research suggests that boys are better readers in classes in which teachers believe boys learn to read sooner, while girls are the better readers in classes where teachers believe that girls do better. If teachers exert such influences in the year they teach a child, think how much benefit (or damage) a parent could do. In another study one group of children were repeatedly told they were good at maths and another group that they should be better -- guess which group did better in the maths tests at the end of the year?

How to convey your belief
• Tell your child he is special -- 'You are the very best Jamie in the whole world'.

• Tell him he can -- 'That is really hard, but I think you can do it'.

• Appreciate his efforts -- 'That was really hard and I know you tried your very best. You get a big, big T for trying'.

• Look for the good -- 'Those silly socks again -- but you got the pants, T-shirt and the trousers right!'.

• Expect -- 'I expect you to pick up that puzzle'.

• Thank him -- 'Thank you for putting the toys away'.
Building self-esteem

Because a child's view of himself is partly a reflection of the views other people have of him, the view you project as his parent is very important. In the days when most children lived in large extended families with brothers, sisters, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and neighbours all interacting with a child the negative views of one doubter probably carried less weight than it does today.

Not all parents who love their children make this clear to them. Nor do parents always balance criticism with praise. Busy lives mean we often use the times children are being good to do the tasks we need to do. In effect, we ignore them when they are good. Because we cannot get on with our own things when children are naughty we inadvertently give more attention to bad behaviour.

Children under three crave our attention, and if it is easier to get it when they are naughty, then they will be naughty. Your child does not sit down and think to himself, 'If I am naughty Mum will stop making phonecalls' anymore than you think, 'If I give him attention when he is disruptive he will become more disruptive'. It just happens that way, because actions that lead to a desired result tend to be repeated. But there is a price. If the way he gains our attention emphasises our negative views of him this lowers his self-esteem and the confidence he has in himself.

To help build your child's self-esteem:
Always:
• Give regular attention to good behaviour -- a smile, a pat on the head, a 'That looks great' is all that's needed.

• Try to ignore bad behaviour. Don't shout -- either walk away or put on a stony face, pick him up and put him outside the room. When he comes back into the room (which he is allowed to do) tell him how glad you are that he has decided to be good.

• Criticise the behaviour not the child -- 'Pinching is a naughty thing to do' not, 'You are a naughty boy'. The first version leaves his self-esteem intact, the second runs it down.

• Keep a running tally of praise and criticism -- and make sure the praise is always in the lead.

• Use carrots generously and sticks frugally. They both work, but carrots build esteem and sticks deplete it. In the long run a child with confidence and self-esteem will be better behaved as well as more likely to stretch himself to his full potential.

Never, never:
• Call him names or run him down.

• Let others call him names or run him down.

• Forget to tell him you love him to bits.
How to encourage competence

• Expect it.

• Praise it.

• Say, 'I know you will try your best'.

• Say, 'I know that you tried really hard'.

• Break tasks down into manageable chunks and work with him so that he does the bits he can do.

• Help him in unobtrusive ways. For example, if you put his T-shirt face down on the bed he is more likely to put it on the right way round.

• Push gently -- when he can do a puzzle with four pieces give him one with six then 10 then 15. If he cannot manage 15 pieces then find one with 12.

• Let him know that you make mistakes: 'Silly Mummy -- look what she has done. Now I am going to have to start all over again. I hate that'.

• Let him know you sometimes need encouragement: 'I think I need a Jamie cuddle'.

Reference: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/toddler/development/stimulating/confident/

2009-04-09T16:54:00.003+08:00

Did I mention that Megan has received RECYCLED and MISSING PARTS birthday present?

Well this person is really mean to a 1yo child.

To that person, if you have difficulties in finances or ‘heart’ or anything, please don’t give.

To me, this is Megan 1st birthday and the parents have the heart to invite you and your family to share the joyous occasion. Please, how could you do it to such a cute and innocent girl?

As I always said “The seeds that the person sow, the person will reap the fruits”. Well, if you don’t believe, see this for yourself. Ning Meng Nai Cha

Double Joy

2009-04-08T12:52:00.011+08:00

We were invited to a birthday party for Megan 1st birthday celebration. Would you believe that both father and daughter were born on the same day, 4th April.

We took a cab there. Here she was sitting beside JHon. Looking at the picts, she does look more “pre-schooler” as compare to her peers. Well, she does look more “mature” in picts, as commented by some of our friends.

By then, quite a number of guests were there. As usual, pass the gift to Joelle, say hi to my friends before proceed to the buffet table.

Gabby was very happy to be there. Coz there are many toys and friends to play with.
Birthday girl, Megan
Nicholas
Bernice, beside Gabby.

Play time

Time for cake cutting.

Megan's cake
Loks family portrait

Richard's cake

Look, Gabby has the JHon's sweet tooth.See how much sugar she had ate. At the rate she is going, Gabby is going to be a sugar babe. haahaa....... :P

The daddies @ work.

Bonding Time

2009-04-06T13:15:00.010+08:00

How do you bond with your kids? Do you play the games that they enjoy or simply share a bowl of ice-cream together.Or you are one of the 'modern parents' that simply too busy, can't even spare 5 mins talking to them. Which do you belongs to?

To the HONs, wkends and holidays are the time where we do all things together as a family. Things like taking nap, going out( most of the time), taking a stroll or just do nothing.

Every evening, when JHon comes back from work, before I can say 'Hi Babe, welcome home', these are what I sees.

Gabby @ 26mths

2009-03-25T15:40:00.001+08:00

I had a talk with the Chinese teacher, Chen Lau Shi, yesterday evening, who came back from her 4mths maternity leave. She noticed the following changes in Gabby:
· More active than before
· Will sing and dance whenever her mood comes
· More socialable
· More fussy on food
· Her coloring skill has improved, the strokes are stronger.
· More verbal, sometimes can speak more than 2 words (depend on her mood again)

Also, @ 26 mths we noticed she’s trying to wear shoes correctly and self-feed on her own. She fully understands what is ‘No’, ‘here comes the cane if you misbehave again’, etc. In short, Gabby communication skills have improved tremendously. Oh yes, more cheeky too.
Rachel, she loves your Christmas present so much that she has to play it every single nite…… :)

These were taken last weekend.

Coming 1

2009-03-18T12:54:00.000+08:00

Megan is coming to 1 year old. Time

Panasonic Lumix FS7

2009-03-18T12:32:00.003+08:00

My beloved hubby bought this DC for The Hons. Yeah....... Love you baby!!!
Guess what is the color of the DC???? It's Pink/Rose.
What a surprise! Cause this color was chosen by JHon. He chosen this because Pink is Gabby's fav color and one of mine. You are the best, babe..... :) Thank you.

How do I Look

2009-03-18T12:17:00.006+08:00

We were at Kiddy Palace CCK last Saturday. My vain gal took this shade from the counter and wore it (with my assist).

Lately, she is more conscious of her appearance. She would protest if the clothes are not to her liking. Also, we have to praise her if we do want her to wear certain clothes. Example: "Wah, Gabby is so pretty, mei mei leh." You know what I mean.....

Guess she has the daddy's genes, which mean more shopping. Yeah......Hee hee........ :)

Botanic Garden

2009-02-26T09:01:00.008+08:00

We took leave on our ROM anniversary and spent half a day at Botanic Garden.

These were taken at Orchid garden:

We have yet to cover half of the park, will return there soon....... with Gabby. :)

Hip Hop Gabby

2009-02-10T10:22:00.004+08:00

I’ve been missing for a longggggggg time. Reason: busy…???

Anyway, Kelly, has done up a video on Gabby. It has background music, so do be careful when playing in office. Enjoy.

Second molars (posterior)

2008-11-28T11:34:00.007+08:00

Gabby vomited thrice on Monday evening.

She was fine when I fetched her from child care. Teacher Florence told me that Gabby’s appetite wasn’t good. She only managed to finish 100ml of milk (half of the portion) @ 4:15pm.

Gabby usually has her dinner ard 7ish. Just when I’m abt to feed her, she vomited. It wasn’t just a bit, but it was good enough to fill half of a rice bowl. The vomit not only came out of her mouth but also through the nose. Poor girl, she was shocked and started crying. My mum pacified her while I cleaned up the mess. After that she was cleaned and changed into a new set of clothes.

Been a loving granny, my mum though it‘ll be good to feed her some plain bread. It had been 5hrs since her last feed @ 4ish. Just when we thought she was fine, she vomited for the second time. This time the vomit was slightly lesser but it was still bad. She looked even more ‘sian’ and cranky. She just wants me to carry her and refused to be put in her day bed.

The 3rd time was after she drank 20ml of milk ard 9ish. Cleaned and temperature checked, no fever. Good. Think it’s time to bring her to KKH.

Reached there ard 11ish. Doc found nothing wrong with Gabby (I was like ‘WHAT do you mean’) Anyway they need to ensure Gabby has cease vomit before they can release us home. The doc needs to fast her for an hr and another hr, feed her with hydrating fluid every 15mins.

By the time we reached home, it’s already 3ish, Tuesday morning. What a nite.

For the past few days, Gabby has loose bowel movement twice a day. I was concern and decided to google for more info. Below are my findings:

What are the symptoms of toddler teething?
Most parents find that problems associated with teething improve after their baby's first few teeth have broken through. Then, just after his first birthday, the dreaded symptoms return:
• red and swollen gums
• red flushed cheek or face
• ear rubbing on the same side as the erupting tooth
• sleepless nights
• loss of appetite
• gum rubbing, biting or sucking
• general unhappiness

The reason is likely to be the arrival of his molars, the large teeth at the back of the mouth. Big and blunt, these teeth can take a while to push through, causing pain and misery in the meantime. (You may remember the ache your wisdom teeth created when they arrived which will give you an idea of what your toddler is going through). Plus, once the first teeth are through, the rest of the teeth may erupt in clusters, some on the same day or within five days of each other.

Some parents report that their baby develops a high temperature, loose bowel movements or diarrhoea just before a tooth breaks through. Most experts do not believe that teething causes these conditions, as they don't occur consistently when a baby is teething. It's best to treat them as completely separate problems and always consult a doctor if necessary.

What are the best ways to soothe painful gums?
Gentle pressure with something cool is often the best way to relieve the pain of teething. You could simply rub his gums with your finger though you need to be a little careful: he may well object to the intrusion and tell you so with a painful bite! Better still give your toddler something else to chew on:

• A peeled, raw carrot straight from the fridge or a frozen stick of cucumber or banana is good for him to chew on and is a useful shape to reach the precise spot that is hurting him. Stay with him when he is eating it, however, to make sure he doesn't choke on any pieces he bites off.

• A cool dessert spoon or partly-frozen wet flannel to chew on are also useful tools and offer interesting textures to keep him amused.

• A cool teething ring or dummy may also help

You may find that your toddler will lose his appetite when he is teething. Chilled foods, like yoghurt or simple fruit purees, will soothe his gums and may be more tempting.

Drinking from a breast or bottle can be a particular problem. Sucking causes more blood to rush to the swollen areas, making them particularly sensitive. Drinking from a cup may be easier for him in the short-term. There will be times, however, when your toddler will reject all of these offerings and at these moments, a cuddle is the best therapy you can supply.

Should I use teething gels or homeopathic remedies?
Teething gels usually contain a local anaesthetic and an antiseptic or disinfectant, which work together to ease the pain and prevent infection. A little rubbed onto the sore gum with a clean finger has a numbing effect that lasts for about 20 minutes. Do not use teething gels more than six times a day.

If you are still breastfeeding, you should avoid using them immediately before a feed as they can numb your child's tongue, making it hard for him to suck successfully. They might also numb your areola (the dark skin around your nipple) making feeding difficult for both of you.

Many mums swear by homeopathic granules (available from chemists). These come in small sachets that you pour into your toddler's mouth. You can also get powders or tablets to dissolve in warm, cooled boiled water as a drink. Check that the brand you are buying is sugar-free. Some teething granules contain lactose or other ingredients ending with "~ose". These are forms of sugar so check the label carefully.

Sugar is a prime cause of tooth decay so you don't want to be covering your toddler's new pearly white teeth in it at regular intervals throughout the day.

Should I give infant paracetamol?
If all else fails, and your toddler is in real distress, give him the correct dose of infant paracetamol. It's an effective pain killer and can make him feel more comfortable quite quickly.

However, make sure that there isn't something else causing him to be upset. Ear infections are often mistaken for teething and will need medical attention. Also, if he has a high temperature, or if he cannot be comforted, you should certainly consult your doctor as it is unlikely to be due to teething.

How long will teething last?
The good news is that you are now on the home straight. In most children, the teeth erupt as follows:
• first, (anterior) molars come through between 12 to14 months.
• next, the canines (the pointed teeth on each side at the front), which rarely cause problems, appear between 16 to 18 months.
• then, the second (posterior) molars arrive between 22 to 30 months

There is some variation in when teeth erupt from child to child, but children usually have a full set of 20 baby teeth by the time they are two and a half years old. Some may still be teething at three years old. Your child will keep these first teeth until sometime around his sixth birthday when he will reach his next dental milestone: the loss of his first milk tooth.

Reference: http://www.babycenter.com.au/toddler/caringfor/teethingdistress/

Food Preference

2008-11-20T09:59:00.004+08:00

Does your child have any food preferences? Well, it depends how old is/are your child/children. As they grow older, they do developed one or few. For my princess, she does have a few.

Hate list.
Rice (Prepared in any style, except congee and rice w/ soup from fish steamboat. Don’t ask me what’s the diff compare to the one w/fish soup. Cause I can’t tell the taste diff except they add sour plum and yam in the fish steamboat.)
Puree/Mash
Durian (Wat a shame!!)

Love list
Ice Cream (Tis is one of the 1st word that Gab can pronounce and remember instantly when taught. Whenever we passed by any ice cream place, she never fail to say “Wah, i-cream”.)
Cake
French fries/potato wedges
Chilled green tea
Biscuits
Cheesy stuffs
Milky stuffs
Bread/prata/puffs
Noodles
Selected veg

Recently, we tried to introduce some hot stuff (chili) to Gab. So far so good. I still remember the 1st time she took Pasta that was mixed with chili powder. First, she look abit shocked and secs later, her face and neck turned pink. Okay, it’s in a darker shade. Then she would start to chew her food real slowly, slowly and she turned to us with a “Do you know what you are doing but tis is nothing to me. I can cope” smile. Sound complex? But tat’s what we saw in her smile. She is brave. So far she has tried laksa, dried noodles w/ chili sauce. Wonder wat’s next……. Chili crabs?? ;)

Graduation Concert part 2

2008-11-17T11:46:00.007+08:00

The Hons were late for 30 mins. Gabby supposes to be there ard 8:15am for changing and styling. When we entered the room, all kids were changed and styled. She was quickly changed. Just when we abt to leave, Princess Hon started crying. That’s the moment, you need to move asap.

I always think babies and toddlers are “grabbers” for both emotion and physical needs. This is a positive statement. If they don’t, parents, you better start thinking. :P

Anyway, we managed to grab a drink from the vending machine just bef the concert. Went to the auditorium and found our seats. As mentioned in my last blog, 5 rows away from the stage.

Her group is "performinmg" 小小兵. Their reaction are so cute, can’t explain. Pls watch. She’s the 1st, on the left. Apologise for the poor image. It's using my phone video. Think it's abt time to get something better.

Perfomed by PlayGroup 1

Gabby's look has changed. Apart from the eyes and nose, she looks more like Jim.

'Pa Pa, can we do another one? Mummy is showing to much of her teeth' :P

'Mummy, I'll give you 1 more chance. Okay? '

'That's better, gd girl. Love you, mummy'

Graduation Concert part 1

2008-11-12T16:35:00.004+08:00

Gabby has attend Playgroup for many months, like since Aug 08.

We received a notice from the centre that they'll be holding graduation concert on 16th Nov 2008. We were like; huh, " GRADUATION"????? So fast!!!???? No lah, this concert is a grad concert for the k2.

Anyway, the concert will start at 9:30am and the kids suppose to be there at around 8:15-8:30. Both of us were like "WHAT and WHY" on a sunday morning. Waking early is a constant challange for the Hons. Like I told my kakis, Gabby s just part of the props. Comeon, she's only 22mths, what do you expect.

Paid $44 for 2 tickets, 5 rolls away from the stage. Paid $30 for the DVD. Will update when received the DVD, okay.. It better be clear and have more of Gabby, otherwise....... No lah, just kidding. :)

Lookalike

2008-11-05T13:17:00.004+08:00

Has anyone watch the current 9pm soap opera on channel 8?

Does the following pict looks like Xin Ya's daughter.......

Is that me

2008-10-31T16:01:00.009+08:00

This was done by my sister when Gabby was about 4 months old.

Wonder what would Gabby say if she sees this

Fountain of Joy

2008-10-31T11:13:00.001+08:00

We were @ Clarke Quay last Saturday after our TCM appt.

As usual, we'll always passed by this spot. Just for Gab. :)

Caught by surprise

2008-10-30T12:41:00.001+08:00

This pict was taken many weeks ago. She was playing one of her fav toys.

Then, woah.... caught by surprise. :)

Hello Kitty

2008-10-30T09:26:00.000+08:00

Guess who is Gabby best friend? Mum? Dad? or ...........

The winner is Ah Pa (her 1st love), follow by me, (mama).

Hello Kiity comes in 3rd place, which is also my best friend's best friend. Confused? She is My Melody lah. :)

* stay tuned for more picts*

Prevention is better than bitten

2008-10-24T14:54:00.000+08:00

Bought this @ Watson yesterday.

It's a Mosquito Repellent Patch. First saw this @ Lycia's party. Been raining for the past few days. Better do something or else...

Time flies

2008-10-23T14:03:00.000+08:00

Time flies. My princess is coming to 22 mths.

From this

@ 3 mths

@ 4 mths

@ 9 mths

@ 18 mths

@ 20 mths

Next stage, toilet training....