45 Months Old

Hi all, I am already 45 months old!! This was taken on my 45th month birthday. I was at a doctor's clinic as I had been coughing for a few days and needed more medication.

This month, I had been getting much more vocal. I am still saying stuff like "Thank you Mummy to holding spoon" when I meant to thank Mama for letting me open the milk powder tin with a teaspoon. But I am also saying lots of "I don't want" to whatever Mama wants me to do. At times, I will say,"Ok, coming." when Mama ask me to come out of my room for dinner.

I am also very clear about stating my wants. For example, we were on our way home after playing at a playground when I spotted 3 cats at the void deck. Mama wanted me to continue our journey home but I told her I wanted to stay and see the cats. She had no choice but to let me watch the cats to my heart's content before I was willing to make my way home with her.

Sometimes, I will repeat myself about what I want. Mama thinks I had been using a lot of "I want" statements because my parents often said stuff like "I want you to eat dinner now" to me and I had thought that by saying "I want" like my parents do, I could really get my way.

I had also picked up and generalized some of the things Mama said in frustration. For example, Mama once tried to feed me in the car when we were on my way to church. I told her,"Don't feed me. Otherwise, I will be angry and stressed." I also make the "tsk" sound with my eyes closed for a very brief moment to express my displeasure.

I also told my parents "I don't know Chinese. Speak English to me." Actually, I do understand Chinese. Mama is speaking Mandarin to me more often nowadays but I had chosen to answer her in English. So we occasionally do have bilingual dialogues.

Sometimes, the things I said really tickled Mama. A few nights ago, Mama told me I was coughing and can only drink milk and water. No juice, no Yakult, no gassy drinks. Only milk and water. I was silent for a while and then said something like,"It's no use. I am still coughing even if I drink only water." Mama was really tickled by what I said. She also thinks I am right in a way. Though it's just very simple reasoning with gaps in my knowledge, Mama is still amazed that I can reason rather adequately for my age.  

This month, I started attending new school and Mama found it strange that I am starting to show separation anxiety again. She thought I had kind of outgrew it as I had no problems attending my 2- hour playgroup sessions this year. But when I started the new school, I will often tell my parents "I don't want new school. I don't want Teacher Yati"

Once, Mama brought me to school and I said I didn't want Teacher Yati repeatedly. But when I saw Teacher Yati waiting to take my temperature and check my limbs in school, I changed my statement to say I don't want school. Today, when Mama fetched me, I actually hugged Teacher Yati before I left. Mama was told when there was once when I saw Teacher Yati prepare to knock off from work and I didn't want her to leave.

One of the rare occasions when I was enthusiastic about going to school was when I had a friend with me. Here we were, on my way to school. Mama later found out she had been in the school for a long time.


After attending this new school, I started singing many more songs. They are mostly kiddy songs like "Are You Sleeping?", "Mr Golden Sun". Sometimes, I will just sing my own random tunes with my own lyrics. Mama also observed me to be repeating some beats. Just a few days ago, I tapped the sofa cushion I was seated on using my left hand once and then hit the laundry basket twice with my right hand. This kind of made a "1,2,3, 1,2,3" beat. Mama saw me doing this "1-2-3" beat for a few seconds before I changed to another activity. Could it be I am really a musician in the making?

I also picked up new things for imaginary play. For example, I will ask to use my parents' desk top computer and then pretended I was the teacher. I will say something like,"Ok, no more crying. I am going to switch on the computer. Understand? Are you ready?" (the computer was already switched on)

My parents believed I was imitating the teachers in school and Mama was somewhat amused to see me imitating my teachers.

Ok, that's about all for the moment. Thanks for reading...

Marina Barrage

Last night, Papa decided we should go to Marina Barrage this morning and so to Marina Barrage we went. I had not played water here for quite some time but it didn't stop me from having a good time. Let the photos speak for themselves...

Initially a little ginger about it. I insisted on wearing my swim shirt and shorts. Singlet and undies won't do for me.

I found a little playmate and we were together for a very short while. Mama thinks she is a girl... will my cousin look like her? ;)

Mama didn't bring my water toys but I have got these stones. Throwing them a short distance away from me into the water is quite fun too... tomp..... Unfortunately, I threw one on my own leg just before we left. ;p

This is probably my favorite shot. I chose this one below for Mama's wallpaper on her handphone.

Mama loves how I wrap my arms around her in this one.

Got to go... bye....

Walking in the Rain

Yesterday, it started raining when Mama and I were on our way home from school. Though we had shelter all the way from school to the bus-stop and from the bus-stop near our place back to our block, Mama still brought an umbrella, probably to secure her own feelings.

So here I was, taking the opportunity to walk in the rain while Mama waited for me at the sheltered pavement. Kind of strange to see a big umbrella "floating" around at first sight and then only spotting me me who was holding it, yah? :D

But I had a good time walking in the rain and Mama showered me the first thing we got home to keep me from getting a cold... I love walking under umbrella. :D

I Don't Want New School

Papa and Mama thought I was settling down well in school. I started school on a Thursday. After the weekend came and left, I kind of changed. Perhaps it was the weekend break that kind of broke the momentum.

On Monday, I started chanting "I don't want new school". If Mama remembers correctly, it started on Monday evening. I will keep saying it again and again like a chant. Mama definitely remember I did it on Tuesday evening. That evening, Nai nai called to ask us over for dinner the next day. Mama made the mistake of passing the phone to Nai nai after making dinner arrangement, thinking a conversation with Nai nai will probably take my mind off the chant. She could not be more wrong.

I took the opportunity and spoke to Nai nai in a very grieved tone,"I don't want new school. I want to stay at home." and sounded as if I was about to broke down but still trying to hold back my tears.

This really broke Nai nai's heart and worried her. She asked to speak to Mama again and asked why I was saying such. Mama said I had napped less than an hour and was tired and hence whiney. Nai nai was worried the teachers in school had mis-treated me but Mama was confident the teachers are doing me good.

Nai nai hung up but called back about 20 minutes later to ask again why I did not want to go school. Mama had to tell Nai nai she had asked me to pack my bags to go stay with Nai nai and there is no need for new school anymore. Hearing that, I had burst out crying," I don't want Nai nai house. I want to go to new school. I want to go to new school..."

Nai nai asked why I was speaking like that and Mama explained I was tired and as a child, I would just change my stand easily. Looks like I am not the only one who needs reassurance.

So I had been like this for this week. Chanting "I don't want (new) school, I don't want (new) school" while allowing my parents to help me wear my uniform, while I co-operated and took a bus to school with Mama, while walking towards school.

When I arrived in school, I will cry as I know Mama is leaving. I don't just whine at her departure. I go red in the face and squeeze out some tears. This got Mama's attention and thoughts as I had not exhibited such behaviour the whole of this year even though I had been attending school.

Twice, Mama had hidden herself somewhere to peep at me after dropping me. She noticed that the teachers do give me more personal attention. Just yesterday, she saw me on a teacher's lap as our class sang nursery rhymes. Though I didn't look happy I had stopped crying soon after she left and was following some of the actions in Incey Wincy Spider...

Strangely, when Papa picked me up from school on Tuesday, I actually was not too enthusiastic to leave. I only doubled up when I was told Papa/Mama will leave without me.

Yesterday, I started to nap in school. Teacher Karen shared I offered to shower her when she was showering me after lunch and she had to tell me she did not need me to shower her. I also asked her to lie down next to me when she patted me for nap. I told her Mama also laid down to rest with me.

Mama thought it was very nice to see me sleeping on the mattress with my friends when she arrived earlier than arranged to pick me up. I was sound asleep and Teacher Karen had to wake me up so that I can leave with Mama.

Mama did not ask how long I had napped but one thing she was happy about : I had been so tired I slept from 9.30pm last night to about 7.15am this morning. If you know my records, I usually sleep at around 11pm. Mama is certainly glad childcare is doing good for my sleeping pattern.

Looks like I will be staying in school until 5.30pm next week....

Positive Feedback

No pictures for this post. Mama can't be shooting pictures when my teacher is giving her feedback about my day in school, right? Then again, it's kind of comical if she whips out a camera and starts taking pictures in the midst of talking with Teacher. haha...

So this is more for posterity, probably not in chronological sequence as 1 week has already passed since I started school and Mama can't remember that much anymore.

My parents are happy to hear lots of positive comments about me from Teacher Karen. It could be that I am new in school and hence, Teacher Karen gives me a daily report whenever Mama or Papa comes to pick me up from school.

Just yesterday, Teacher Karen told Mama I was a very good boy! She told Mama I had instructed her to say so to Mama. But was I really a good boy in school? The answer is, YES! Teacher Karen said she herself had wanted to say I am good.

On the first (or was it second) day of school, I told Teacher Yati I did not want to eat vegetable when I was served broccoli for lunch. Teacher Yati then hid the vegetable beneath the rice and I finished all my food. I had also learnt to place my eating utensils gently back into the red bucket after my meals.

Teacher Karen also gave the feedback I did not walk around but was very good. Though I had pushed my friend on the first day of school, I stopped the behaviour after Teacher Karen told me very firmly I was not supposed to do that. By the second day(or third), I had not been known to push my friend.

Though I keep nagging to Teacher Karen for Papa and Mama to bring me home, I did not whine much.

On my second day in school, I saw a friend crying. I went over and showed my affection to him by putting my hand around his shoulders. There was another friend crying and I asked Teacher Karen,"She needs her mummy, is it?"

This was so for the first 2 days in school but things changed after the weekend passed. More of that in another post.

My First Day in School (Again!)

Yes, it's another school again. Mama counted I attended school at 3 different locations this year. We started off with StarTots a 8 minute-bus trip away, then transferred to the branch 5 minutes walk away (depending on how fast we walk) and now, this new school called Amazing Star Montessorri just 2 bus stops away from Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange.

The adults call it a childcare centre but I call it "new school". Mama had tried not to mention to me it's a childcare centre as there were several occasions when she said she will send me to a childcare centre when she was very very frustrated with me. Now that I am really attending one, the last thing she wants for me is to think I am being sent there as a punishment. It certainly is not.

On my first day of school, Papa was at home to bring me there. See, the above is the picture he took for me before we left. I was wearing my long sleeved Angry Bird pyjamas inside the uniform as the sky seemed overcast and Mama wanted me to be kept warm in case it rains and gets cold.

This time round, I went to school with a small entourage. Papa, Mama and Nai Nai went to school with me.

We picked Nai Nai up from her place before we went to school. Nai nai had expressed her intention to go with us to take a look on my first day. She actually asked Teacher Karen if she could tour the kitchen but was denied access very politely by Teacher Karen as my parents already toured the school when they went school-shopping some time ago.

The children who arrived before me was at the assembly area and they were singing kiddy songs projected on a screen. This is Teacher Karen, my new teacher. She actually had me helped click the mouse of the computer soon after I arrived as I wanted to be part of the action. I was allowed to click the mouse to start the next song but once the song starts to play, I was supposed to be seated. Not bad for a start. :D

As I am new to attending a childcare centre, I am given lots of personal attention by the teachers. The teacher who is showing her palm in the picture below is Teacher Karen who is probably my main caregiver. She gives lots of positive feedback to my parents when they pick me up. The other teacher next to me is Teacher Yati and I always say, "I don't want Teacher Yati" but more of that in another post. This is the bag area where I am supposed to leave my bag after I arrive. Mama has no idea why the whole group of us is made to sit there. Not that she cares to find out either. ;p

Here's the weekly schedule as well as the menu for my first 2 days in school. Mama had no time to process so much information and so she took pictures to read at leisure.

She was really surprised Nai Nai had memorised what I would be eating for breakfast and lunch for the next 2 days after looking at the menu. We are indeed treading on her area of expertise as she used to be a cook at a childcare centre.

Mama had always imagined she will just drop and go for my first day at childcare but at Teacher Karen's "invitation", she stayed with me until I had my breakfast. Though I was registered for full day childcare, Teacher Karen had advised us to start slow with my first 2 days ending after lunch at about 1230pm. So far, so good for my first 2 days in school. However, the best is yet to be... ;p