27.4.12 - Catching bugs

Some of the children and mums in our playgroup went to the park nearby and caught bugs to study them and release them after that. My boys refused to catch the bugs and preferred to watch instead. They think that bugs should just be left alone.

27.4.12 - Toy creations

Below are the toy creations that S created this month

25.4.12 - Library books read in April 2012

These are the library books we read in April 2012.

From PJ Community Library

From PJ Playcentre library

From TTDI Community Library

25.4.12 - Helping mummy with household chores

After our maid left us for good after 3 years of work with us, S (5 years 7 months) voluntarily chips in to help me with household chores. 

Cutting taufu and washing rice

Sweeping, vacuuming and mopping.

Washing bucket, scrubbing cloth and loading and unloading clothes from the washing machine. 

Hanging and pegging clothes.

19.4.12 - Climbing monkey bars

Gymnastics has taught S to be more brave and he managed to climb the whole stretch of the monkey bars, after 2.5 months of gymnastics class.

14.4.12 - Autoshow

Immediately after visiting the dentist, we walked behind the building to see some cars on display at a small autoshow. The boys were interested in the decorated cars.

14.4.12 - At the dentist

I brought E in to the dentist at our residential area to refill a filling for a small cavity in between his front teeth that had dropped off. He initially didn't want to go as he said that the taste of the filling was bitter. This is be his fourth visit to the dentist (excluding his tooth extraction under general anesthesia) last year. Because his earlier extraction was done under anesthesia, he doesn't have any fear of the dentist. 

The dentist was very impressed with his courage

14.4.12 - Pusat Sains Negara

We went to Pusat Sains Negara in the morning, as I had to return our library books.

We saw several caterpillars at the Nature Secrets Lab. This is a medium size caterpillar. I saw the same type of caterpillar in a broccoli head that I had bought from Tesco. Unfortunately it was dead, maybe due to being kept in the fridge. I had not realised it was there. 

There was too much mist that it felt claustrophobic, so we hurried out. 

The boys went to play at the waterpark instead. After that we went inside the main building. 

Our first time seeing a diver feeding the fishes. It seems this "show" is held on weekends only. 

At the indoor play area

13.4.12 - Gymnastics class

This is E during one of his gymnastics class sessions. S finds it scary to do this.

7.4.12 - Cheng Beng prayers

I was debating whether to bring the boys to attend the Cheng Beng prayers for my late grandparents, as the environment might be smoky and unsuitable for them. However, I thought it would be a good educational event for them to experience, so we brought them there.

We went to Nilai Memorial Park, where my late grandparents' urns were kept. It was the boys' first time there. We were pleasantly surprised that the road was not jammed and there were not too many people there. There was even a shady place to sit and very breezy too.

Grandma guiding S on the prayer rituals

Showing E my late grandparents pictures

4.4.12 - Of birthdays and presents

These are the presents that they received from their aunt S - A large Finn McMissile which is able to shoot missiles and a Hot Wheels Switch and Spray gadget for Colour Shifters.

Dangers of giving them toys as presents - since then, whenever she comes to visit, they would call on her to buy them toys, which hubby and I don't encourage as we don't want to raise narcissistic children. We try to teach them the concept of delayed gratification, which will be important when they grow up. It's still difficult at this age whenever they see some of their friends having toys that they don't have. 

This is also the reason why we only have a small birthday celebration with the family. We don't want to encourage the sense of entitlement as they expect to receive gifts on their birthday. I grew up in a family which doesn't practice celebrating birthdays. I only had 3 birthdays being celebrated, one at 5, one at 12 and one at 18. The rest of the years, my mother would cook mee sua (symbolic for longevity) and red eggs. Kids are so different nowadays. Now, my boys have started asking me, "Why don't we receive presents on our birthday?" They can't comprehend it as they attended some friends birthdays and see their friends receiving presents. 

If I do organise a birthday celebration for them in the future, it may be one without toys as presents.  

3.4.12 - Drama class - Session 2

This is session 2 of the children's preschool drama class at KLPAC in Sentul.

After the class, we went to the lake right beside the building to the fishes.

This is Sentul Park and it exudes a very serene atmosphere. 

He usually saves bread crusts to feed the fishes.

There are several tortoises in the lake

I love the tree roots. It seems to have an ancient feel about it. I wonder how many years it took for the roots to grow like that.

Hiatus

I have been on a 2-months + hiatus from updating my blog and am a few months backwards in my postings. Reason is I do not have much time any more. Our Indonesian domestic helper has left us for good after 3 years with us, as she needed to take care of her own children back home and her father is very ill. Her sister doesn't want to take care of her kids any more, so she has to return. 

Since she left in early March, I find that I do not have much time to update my blog and to juggle my therapy work, household chores, cooking, cleaning, care of the kids and ferrying them for activities, so I've left the blog for some time. We're not taking in any new domestic live-in helper, not even a part-timer, so we're trying to manage with technological gadgets. 

I also have cut down on field trips for the kids, and only join in whenever I have the time. Meanwhile, I hope to be able to keep my blog up to date with our current activities.