Kayla: After 2 years old...

My talkative girl whose language skills have developed leaps and bounds after turning 2 years old, have become so much fun to chat with! She can imitate to us what interesting words her cousins have said, she can reiterate what we have said to her. Her mandarin has also improved greatly and can speak complete sentences in Mandarin. Well, she even know how to switch between English and Mandarin when she speaks to the maid vs us! haha.

Amazingly I came to know that she actually has quite good memory of past happenings! One fine day she suddenly brought up Klaske and what she did - something that happened about 2 months back! Haha!

Happenings after 2 years old!:

• Visit to Singapore Art Museum

• Visit Walter the Rabbit @ Marina Bay
  

• Wanting to do more activities by herself (e.g. taking off shoes, socks, switching on/off the TV)
  

• Activity time @ playground

• New games! 

         - Matching a pair
                            - Memory game

          - Able to identify a few alphabets such as A, M, Q, S, T and numbers such as 1, 5, 6, 0

         - Grasp the concept of difference in size, e.g Papa bigger

         - Engage in empathizing role-play (she being the doc after having a jab to us, will     hug & comfort us when we "cry")

        - Express her emotions in words (I m unhappy, it's fun! etc)

• Talk about "dollars" and "cents'!
• Funny self-conversations:
  

         Kayla: "Papa says - What do you want?"
         Kayla: "Mama says - Stop it!"
         Kayla: " Yeye says - zo man ye?"
         Kayla: "Nai nai says - mei nu" (i.e. pretty girl)
         Kayla: "Ah ma says - you mei you?"

         (Hahahaha....)

• Her own created (funny) way of saying Good-byes!:

         1. "Bye Little Tomato!" & her reply is "Bye Bye Little Carrot!"

         2. "Bye Little Yakult!" & her reply is "Bye Bye little Yogurt!"

         3. "Bye Bye car!" & her reply is "Bye bye motorbike!"

         4. "Bye little Dora!" & her reply is "Bye bye Monkey!" 

         5. "Bye little Kai Lan!" & her reply is "Bye bye Ye Ye!"

• More Toddler tantrums (as she wants to exert more independence and individualism)

      - Refused to do what we wanted her to do yet she doesn't wish to do, by
      (1) ignoring us,
      (2) put up a big struggle when we try to carry her
      (3) Cry and run away!

     - Talking back in a tone similar to ours when we scold her

• New enrichment classes!

1. Kinderdance: Kindertots

- Initially she seemed a bit keen on learning new dance steps from Kindertots, but gradually I realised that during the 30 min class, she is only focused on the first 10-15 mins then she got distracted and tired. She also didn't follow the dance steps earnestly. Luckily this is a trial class that I have signed up for her, mainly for her exposure purpose. So I didn't continue her with the dance class after that.
 
     2.  Leapschool House: Whiz Creators
- In comparison, Kayla adjusted to Leapschool House class faster and better! She likes the dancing and singing, and towards the end of the 8 lessons, she started to participate more and even joined in the dancing and shaking! As a clumsy inactive girl, she was finding a bit difficult to climb up and down as easily as the other toddlers. She started to like the gym play session more and more, and got more confident during all the climbing and active play. Thumbs up for the improvement! She also got exposed to art and craft sessions whereby she can learn to use the scissors, the glue, the paint brush. Kayla also enjoyed both the English and Chinese storytelling sessions. I think this Leapschool House class is really beneficial to her learning development.

• Live shows!

1. Elmo Green Thumb

     2.  Mickey Mouse Live Show
- She enjoyed both the shows more or less, but just tend to get tired toward the later half of the shows. In comparison she knows more characters from the Mickey Mouse live show than the Elmo Green Thumb live show, so can relate better to the latter.

Facebook & Friends

From Wikipedia:

• Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc.^[1] As of July 2011, Facebook has more than 750 million active users.^[6][7] Users may create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile.

• Friend(ship) is a form of interpersonal relationship generally considered to be closer than association, although there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations.

  Value that is found in friendships is often the result of a friend demonstrating the following on a consistent basis:

• The tendency to desire what is best for the other
• Sympathy and empathy
• Honesty, perhaps in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, especially in terms of pointing out the perceived faults of one's counterpart
• Mutual understanding and compassion
• Trust in one another (able to express feelings - including in relation to the other's actions - without the fear of being judged); able to go to each other for emotional support
• Positive reciprocity - a relationship is based on equal give and take between the two parties.

Recently something happened on Facebook, and prompted me to think about what is it about "Facebook" and what is it about "Friends" to me?

I like to, through updates on Facebook (a very easily accessible tool in my life now), write about anything about my life, my thoughts, my feelings - whether good or bad, happy or sad, etc... anything if and when I want to.Well, that is real life isn't it? Life has many different facades, not all the time rosy. Anyway I am such a person that I like to express them out, cuz of my character. I don't like to keep inside me, cuz if I do, I will keep dwelling over it and it makes me feel crazy!

Well, a friend texted me and briefly asked me I am alright now, few days after the post on the Facebook. Then the friend, I believe its out of good intention, told me that some things are better not to be said in public. Inside me I feel like saying its NOYB! I do not sense the Sympathy and Empathy from you, even as a fellow mother yourself. Yes, probably you are more rational, less emotional in character, and very fortunately that you do not face such hostile issues from your child, and you may not have been rejected by your own child, or even if you did, you would have been so level-headed that you wouldn't mind it with a kid! Oh yah, maybe you also think I am an immature adult who do not know how to handle my own feelings well, and who actually mind it with a kiddo! But these are my feelings! I care so much because I put in a lot of efforts on my child and I feel terribly disheartened whenever my child rejects me, pushes me away in favor of her father. I am someone who is in need of recognition and acceptance. And Yes, I may not be good in managing my feelings, but trust me, I have kept more inside me over the years. I have learnt not to share so much of my real feelings over the years. But there are times when I am really emotional and down, I need an outlet to release my feelings.

After this incident, I wonder... what is considered a Friend? One who tells the truth they have of you despite knowing that may hurt? Or who should at least empathize even if they don't sympathize? Maybe that is why it is defined in such a way that "there is a range of degrees of intimacy in friendship..." Friends who understand you better, who support you yet not afraid to tell you the truth after they have shown their support and understanding for you, are of a closer relationship. Those who only briefly tried to show their concern, then turn around to give a quick harsh judgement and opinion of their own, OUCH! That hurts. That I afraid I have to stay away...because you never once tried to understand me...

Well, I have learnt my lesson since I have been judged and commented on, no matter how much I want to relay my feelings/thoughts into words on Facebook, I better think twice! No I better think thrice! I have to turn to my blog to vent all the unspoken thoughts and feelings...& of cuz to count on real Friends whom I can trust to confide to...even if they judge, they have empathized...
^[update]

Kayla's 2nd birthday Party + Zoo Outing

24 July 2011, Sunday: Organised a mini birthday party for Kayla with close family members to celebrate her 2nd birthday at our house.

Chosen "Winnie the Pooh & Friends" theme for her this year cuz its my favourite! haha... She likes them too lah.

The invitation cards and Party Favors

Party Deco and Cake from Pine Gardens

When we put up the party decorations on the night before, Kayla went "wow" and was excited about her birthday party. On that actual morning, she also remembered and said words like "birthday party", "happy birthday", "presents"!

Thankful it was a small and private gathering, Kayla had fun playing with her cousins and interacted with the close family members whom she is familiar with.

We had lotsa fun taking lotsa PHOTOS! Including Pooh's theme Polaroids (but Kayla got a bit irritated at the end cuz she had been called by us many times! No choice since she was the star of the day!)

"Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday to KAYLA!" sings the gang!

The lil' Yammies taking a group picture...

Her Presents from family and friends!

Handmade Cards from myself and my brother

Opening her Presents!

26 July 2011, Tuesday: We took a day's leave on Kayla's birthday to bring her out to the ZOO! She had only went once to the Zoo when she was younger, so I think she may not have remembered that trip. Now she knows more animals, so hopefully she will have a beneficial trip ! Also heard from friends that there is this Water Play area in the Zoo which kids really love playing there, and want to bring Kayla there to play too!

Hello Zoo!

Upon entering a few steps into the entrance, the lazy girl already asked to be carried and don't wish to walk. I tried to distract her attention and started introducing the animals to her so that she won't keep pestering us to carry her!

Gazing at the zebras..

Next stop is the Water Play area!

Initially she was hesitant when she stepped on the wet spongy floor, but started to let her guard down once she started playing with the water!

Splash! Splash! Splash!

Mama is also having fun with Kayla!
Kayla loves playing on the slide and asks for more!

After a bath & KFC lunch, let's continue the journey...


We shall revisit the Zoo soon! Bye Bye Zoo!

Hope Kayla had an enjoyable day out with us at the Zoo for her birthday!
Happy 2 years old, my dear girl!

Kayla turns 2 years old!

KAYLA IS 2 YEARS OLD NOW!! How time flies..from a dependent little baby to a big girl who starts to know what she wants, and displaying the "Terrible Two" tempers!

I shall first recap of her development during the 22-24months:

22-23 mths:

- Speaking in a more structured & complete 1-2 sentences.
- Knows how to use more adjectives to describe how she feels, or what she sees. Eg, Very hot.
- Using the term ＂你＂，＂我＂

23-24 mths:

Playtime!:
- Likes to engage in imaginary play with cooking & gets excited over an array of cooking toys!

- Likes to ask me to take one book to read while she takes another book to read aloud to herself at same time (another form of pretend play)
- Adding on to the list of songs that she knows to sing ("Happy Birthday" song, "泥娃娃", "Muffin Man", "Twinkle Twinkle Little stars" ), she can now sing "London Bridge is falling down", "Rain Rain Go Away", and chinese version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little stars", "Happy Birthday", 客人来.

Character development:
- Very structured & insistent in the way how she wants certain things to be done. For eg, she will want to keep the toys before leaving and even have to be at the original place they are (eg upper drawer vs lower drawer) or insisting that I pick up a bottle that has fallen down & put it back to original position.

Communication skills development:
- Able to initiate talking with us instead of just responding to our questions. Eg, she will tell us things like "Let's go!"
- Will start to notice whenever there is something attractive in the surroundings that caught her attention, then she would try to point out to us & ask " What's that?"
- Likes to ask " Why? Wad happen?"
- Sometimes even wanting us to follow what she says. Eg she would want us to say the Cantonese version of the word we used instead of English (this is under the influence of her grandpa!)

Her Firsts!:
- Tried Durians & French fries for the first time
Concept of colors, and speed:
- Starting to distinguish between red light & green light ( traffic lights)
- Able to distinguish between concepts of speed, and will always ask us to sing "fast" or "slow" tempo

Terrible Two's behaviors!:

- Behaviors such as pushing, beating start to happen more frequently. And even go around telling people that she has done it thou we have scolded or taught her that it's wrong to do that. Probably trying to seek attention? Not sure too...

- Lots of whining, tantrums throwing, incessantly crying... *ARGH!* So have started to set a 'naughty corner' for disciplining her!

My Wish

Birthday-Wish

Just passed my last 20th birthday 4 days back... Sigh... Once the years passed, its never turning back. I never thought my youthful 20s would pass so fast. I always thought, time is on my side. I always thought, I will always be this youthful. But, the reality is not like this.

Next year will be my first big "3". I have to learn to age with grace. I have to learn to embrace LIFE. I have to be grateful for every single year of my life as they are given by my parents and is cherishable!

What I am "fearful" about aging is the signs that will show on my face (e.g. wrinkles, spots, dull looking skin). Maybe can start to use SK II products and eat more bird's nest to nourish my skin and maintain my youth! Haha... Seriously, maybe I can focus more on the important elements of aging, for e.g. matured disposition, more wisdom, being a steady mother , being a more respectful person etc? Well, I shall work harder on focusing on that. But I still WISH I can maintain my youth!!! Hahaha...

Parent-Wish

I wish, as a parent, for my child to be able to explore freely in their world. I wish, as a parent, for my child to be able to grow up feeling confident, and brave. I wish, as a parent, for my child to have unlimited quest for knowledge. I wish, as a parent, for my child to be independent and strong. Unlike me.

I deem myself to be a failure, sometimes. I am conservative and unwilling to explore the world. I am timid and have no confidence in myself (can't even drive a car confidently despite earning myself a license!). I always need other people to give me recognition, and yet I do not give myself any. Maybe I have always been well-protected and pampered by my family so I have always been a da-xiao-jie. When I grew up, I had to learn the hard ways on adjusting to the reality of life. Say for example when I become a mother, I found it so hard coping... If I had been stronger, tougher, independent, or more confident of myself, I would have adjusted to my new role better.

So I hope I can encourage my girl to be more daring to explore, to imagine, to be curious. And I hope my partner can support me by understanding how I want to be as a parent, and encourage her more instead of inhibiting what she can do, what she cannot do. If not, this will be an endless struggle between us, and she may end up being pampered, & being not confident like me when she grows up...

We can never be there for our children. We can never be there holding their hands, or catching them when they fall. Failure, in fact, could be the most effective way to learn and gain experience. So the most critical thing during their learning stage is to encourage and train them lifetime skills & positive attributes, which will be valuable to them for their whole life.

Life-Wish

I have this wish in my life which I have yet to fulfill thou I don't know when it will materialise. My wish is to bring my parents (especially my mother) out on a holiday trip. This is a simple yet not that simple wish. As my mother is very tied up with a demanding and ailing grandmother in the house, she cannot even leave the house for too long. I can understand her situation. Yet at the same time, I wish I can bring her out to see the world, for she had only went to Malaysia ONCE for her honeymoon many many years ago.

Death-Wish

This sounds a bit depressing huh? I have no death thoughts. But thought of penning it down somewhere, in any case... Well, things are so unpredictable. Who knows what happens next?

Its been my wish, when at my funeral, my beloved family and friends to write me a personal note about myself. And shall read to me before I depart the world. I always like to know what does people think of me? Am I a good friend? Or am I a detestable person? Or what have I done/contributed to their lives when I was alive? Or whether we had wonderful and happy memories together? Or whether you will miss me when I am gone... Then burnt me the notes so that I will bring along with me to the other world...

Hubby, you reading this? I know you don't like to write letters/cards to me cuz you are not that sort of person. But I still hope you will let me know your heartfelt thoughts. I hope I had made a positive impact in your life, despite all the unhappy events that had happened.

These are my Wishes....

The Toddler Kayla: 1 month more to 2 years old!

In another month's time, Kayla will be 2 years old le! No doubt that I have planned for a mini birthday party celebration with her closer cousins, I still like to have a theme set and a nice party for her! It will be my favourite.... Winnie the Pooh!

The Party Packs & Decoration!

Mama has also prepared a handmade card for my dearest daughter... I do not know if she will appreciate it, or when she will be able to read it, but I just enjoy doing it and hope she will like it!


Ok, shall update more about her 2nd year old birthday party next round!

Let's talk about the events that had happened in her 23rd month!

...Had a dinner date with Eiman

...Had a gai-gai date with yeye and nai nai

...Had fun posing photos with jiu jiu

Attended Ah Tai's 94th Birthday Bash

Went to Dave's 1st year Birthday Bash!

Met more new friends when the Van Den Bos was back for a home visit!!
Having fun with one another

... knowing new friend from Netherlands!

The lovely faces of the Angels - Part I (well, they can be "devils" too at times!)

The lovely faces of the Angels - Part II
 (The younger generation)

The Toddler Kayla: 21 - 22 months

Another 2 more months, Kayla will be 2 years old!! My girl is growing up very fast every day...

Her developments for the month:

- Learning to count number 1-10 in Cantonese! *clap clap*
- Learning to count "11-20"
- Learning & identifying colors.
- Started to ask us the question "Why?"
- Loves girlish things! For eg accessories, clothes, hair accessories etc & will say "美美!＂

Kayla & her new hairband (only put it on for a short while only...
Always take it off and refuse to wear them again : / )
- Loves looking at photo albums and will identify the people whom I have pointed out to her before.

- Knows how to say " The End" when we finish reading a book to her
- Able to understand the concept of "Similarities". For eg, if a picture card shows "toy cubes", she will go and take her bag of toy cubes to me. And if she sees the picture of "slide", she will ask to play the mini slide in the house. She will also tell us "same same" when she notices the similarities between 2 objects.
- Able to sit her own butt up on the small chair by herself
- Learnt how to switch on and off her toys by herself

- Started "imaginary play"/ role playing with soft toys
- Learning how to show "V" sign with her fingers but her fingers still quite "stiff" so still have been unsuccessful

New foods for the month!


- Started her on Scotts Cod liver oil Emulsion (orange) & she loves it after a few tries & even want more!
In this month, we have both stopped using sterilizer for her milk bottle, and also (finally) completed her mandatory vaccinations! We will then start her on important yet optional vaccinations next - e.g. chicken pox

Activities in May!
- 6 May: We went on a Universal Studios trip on Papa's birthday! And as a family too (cuz Kayla had went twice le!)



- 13 May: We went for our very first outdoor photoshoot (its actually a Mothers' Day photoshoot promo by Oh,Dear! Photography) at Vivo City

Shots with Papa...

The Yammies in action...

Well, it was hard to get Kayla smiling happily, cuz firstly the weather is humid and Kayla does not like being outdoors especially under the sun (xiao jie pattern), and secondly she kept looking at the photographer and may also wondered why she had to do what the photographer/mama kept asking her to do? Luckily we still have quite a considerable amount of few good shots, just pity that Kayla wasn't smiling in most of them...  Papa Yam's mood was also affected by the humid weather and couldn't really show happy faces in the photoshoot... Hmm... only the Mama is enjoying the photoshoot by herself.. (zi high!) haha...

Finally a Happy Kayla!

- Lastly, she had a play date with new friends!