report card day

I was at Kell's school earlier to collect her report card, and again, I saw and overheard conversations between "those" parents (mothers) that made me grimace and flee the school compound as soon as my business there was over and done with, that is, to collect her report card, and to purchase new uniforms for the baby sister.

I am so terrified and put off by "those" parents, or rather, the pressure induced by them, that I could count with the digits on one hand, the number of times I've stepped into her school this year, discounting the daily drop off at the school gate. Let's see. Once for her singing competition, once for her English story-telling competition, and once for today. And today, I realised, to my absolute HORROR, that I did not even know where's her classroom! As I walked along the corridor, trying to locate the classroom, I cursed at myself. What kind of a mother am I to not know where's my daughter's classroom?!! :(

I must make it a point to know where's her classroom next year. I must. I think, with the younger sister joining her next year, I definitely would have to get over my phobia of stepping into the school compound, and probably get more involved with the happenings there, by *shudder* interacting a little more with other parents.

So, her performance this semester has been consistent with that of the last semester. She's got A's for every subject, and is ranked 3rd in a class of 35. I'm pleased with that. I'm also pleased with the fact that I need not buy her a dollhouse because that was the pact we made. That I would buy her a big Barbie dollhouse if she's placed 1st, and a small dollhouse for 2nd position.

For 3rd place, her prize is (to be) a watch. Well, she's pleased with that too.

growing (pains)

The eldest mentioned the word "condom" in a dinner conversation with the sisters. Out of curiosity, curious to know if he even knew what a condom was, I asked, "Dan, what is a condom?"

He replied, "Err.. it's something that's used to wrap a sausage."
I asked, "Sausage? What kind of sausage?"
"Sausage as in meat lah", said he.
"You mean, you CAN eat a condom?"
"Yes. That's what Amos said." (Amos - his friend).

I turned towards the father's direction, and muttered, "You better deal with this."

The second eldest came out of the shower one evening, telling me that she has seeds in her body, and they are growing. I asked, "Where?", and she pointed at her chest. Upon examination, I felt a small lump on both sides, under the nipples.

I took her to the family doctor, and learnt that girls do develop and enter puberty at an earlier age now, but that did not rattle me any lesser, knowing that my little girl, who's only eight, is developing breasts and will be having her period, possibly in two year's time! That day, I sat her down and pointed out to her stuff that I never bothered to. You know, like, which part of the body should be kept private, and no one should be allowed to touch or see those private parts, etc.

The youngest, as you know, has graduated from pre-school. Next week, she'll wear her primary school uniform, while attending three weeks of orientation classes in her new school. When we drove past our security guardhouse this morning, the guards were wearing new uniforms, and the faces were new. The management has changed the security company, but to a six-year-old, the perfect explanation would be: the old guards have graduated, so they are now wearing new uniforms! :)

Life with children is stressful, and at times nerve-wrecking. It's also very interesting, and I've heard that there will come a time, when it's rewarding. I wonder when.

influencing change

Last night, before I was about to drift off to slumberland, the husband asked me what would I like for my birthday. Not exactly the right time for me to be wrecking my brain, thinking what I could "squeeze" out of him, but that's beside the point. The point is, my BIG day is still donkey days away.

And just last Friday, he informed me that he will be going out for lunch with some colleagues. I asked, "When?", and he replied a date that's like two weeks from now. To which I mocked, "Ok, can you let me know again in two week's time?"

That's just so not him. The man that I know will not bother to remember something until that something is staring at him right at his face. In short, the man that I know is a major procrastinator. But of late, this is changing.

I believe that people closest to us have a profound effect in influencing change in us. This change that I'm seeing in the husband is the result of one particular "excited" child, who will remind us constantly, many weeks in advance, of impending events in school, or at home (somebody's birthday for example). Daddy calls her long-winded. But above all, she's a forward thinker. She loves to plan, and she plans to plan.

I was a lot like this girl, sans the long-windedness. Planning and organising was my strength, a strength that has weakened considerably since the husband came into the picture. I've been greatly influenced by the husband, and is becoming some sort of a procrastinator myself - taking things easy, like how most men would, instead of being frazzed, like how most women are.

He changed for the better, while I picked up his bad habit. How? Or perhaps, I shouldn't think of it this way. Perhaps, it's good that we are more balanced individuals now. Manifestations of the yin and yang. hoho!

So, last night, before I closed my eyes, I murmured, "My birthday. Hmm... Please make it a habit every year, to ask me what I want, waaay in advance ok?"

And by the way folks, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? It's already November!!

concert day

The grandma was very very sweet to turn up for the little girl's concert and graduation. If Shell says jump, ah ma will jump for her. She said, "Come!", so ah ma came to see her. I felt very touched.

I also felt very moved, I still do, by the husband's presence. This is the third year he's around for her year-end concert, and I remembered how emotional I felt the first time. I was actually crying when he went to the front to take photographs of Shell. This is not something I (will ever) take for granted.

Then, I got a little teary-eyed, seeing the littlest in her graduation robe, realising that this is the end of the kindergarten experience... for me! She is my last preschooler. Unless... ok, I'm crazy to even contemplate. All in all, it was an emotional afternoon for me, and I blamed it on the hormones a little.

The theme of the concert revolves round nursery rhymes, and it was not as boring as it sounds ok. Case in point: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, performed by the 4-year-olds, was sung in Bollywood fashion. ;)



And here's one of Sing a Song of Sixpence - the part with the black bird ;). And this is the Rock 'n Roll version. I laughed at 2:13. She'd never practiced the dance at home, so it was a surprise to learn that she's actually got her moves! Wuahahaha! :D



And here's them in their robes. *teary-eyed again*

rehearsal day

It's that time of the year - pre-schools hold concerts, and primary schools hold year-end celebrations of their own, tomorrow being Children's Day for one. The littlest had a full-dress rehearsal today and she went to class, face fully made-up.

Since the message written in the message book called for darker colours cos' video recording is involved, I put so much colour on her that she was at risk of looking like a clown. It doesn't help that I did this in bed, barely awake, not wearing my lenses. Not that she cared how I did it. She's more conscious about her lipstick fading, and I believe she kept her mouth slightly ajar, and lips apart like what you see in the pic here, the entire morning.

When I picked her up from kindy at noon, she had not touched her water bottle, cos' she didn't want to ruin the colour. Heck, she did not even eat her favourite Oreos cookies in the snack box! The eating princess forsaked her food for beauty! How's that for vanity??

Just so you know, she's taken the role of a black bird, complete with costume (think Sing a Song of Sixpence nursery rhyme). It could have been worse. It could have been the Big yellow Bird. *_*

a toast to friendship

I don't know why I appeared so short in this photograph. I'm positive we are all about the same height. Could it be that the person holding the camera had tilted it? heh!

Yan was back in town and it was wonderful that two other girlfriends, hers and mine, were able to join us for a lunch that extended way beyond lunch time. WTT and I concurred that these are definitely advantages of being a homemaker that we truly appreciate - flexibility of time, and freedom!

So there we were, 5 ladies on a mid-week afternoon, seated in a corner at a sushi joint, eating and drinking, and merry-making, totally oblivious to the gloomy skies and rain pitter-pattering outdoors.

Just a moment ago, as I was reading a page off the One-Minute Devotions Calendar Book that Yan gifted me during our last meeting, I can't help but remember my friends. I gave thanks for true friends who understood me and stood by me, who's strength carried me through difficult times. I also thought of Caroline, who's an older sister to me, and much much more. I used to think that as long as I have her, I do not need anybody else. But of course, Someone above reckoned that I could definitely do with a few more good people in my life (Hehe!). And so, I gave thanks for today too, for this fellowship of friendship!

And pardon me for seeming to "jump" everywhere as I type this.. but I also want to share with you this phrase that was in today's reading, which I know will come in handy in my everyday living, and I know it will come in useful in yours too:

If you're searching for peace in a difficult situation, stand back and take a long look at the problem. Maybe, you need to revise your expectations and accept the realities.

So, for a start, I shall accept the reality that I have three monkeys at home, and revise my expectations:- accept the fact that no matter what I say or do, how I scream or yell, they will still be monkeys. I'm just going to consciously remind myself to lower my expectations, so I don't get driven up the wall all the time. *takes deep breaths*

my lala land - we're still at it

Ok, I get it that this might not interest you, but I have nothing interesting to update you, so here I go again, with my lala land, again. Just look at the beautiful flowers!! If I have a farm, that's how it will be. There will be lots and lots of flowers. And durian trees.

Yes, I lead a boring life.