Monday 29 November 2010

My Favourite Person

S asked the kids this question:

"Who is your favourite person?"

Matthew: God!

Sarah: Elton John!

Sophie: Me!

Rachel: ng-hng...

Friday 12 November 2010

Happy Holidays

That's right. Our school-going kids are now already into their year-end holidays, thanks very much to the herpangina virus. Third time lucky? This round it included special treats like Daddy rushing from the SW of Singapore to the NE to take Sarah and her 39-degree fever home from school with her puking in the car (and leaving our Monopoly set behind), the next day Daddy covering an even greater distance to get Sophie and her mouth ulcers away from her poor little classmates still saddled with another week of school, Matthew hitting a record 40.1 degrees, and a final, cosy little trip of just Daddy and the three big kids to the doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Where was Mommy in all this, one might ask. Oh, not very far away. Just posing and repeating "Om" a few times at a downtown yoga sanctuary, or buying more lovely dies and texture plates off ebay, and oh, of course, working VERY HARD in the office. Mommy got no car, bopian.

So, they're now all ensconced at home, no school excursions, no after-exam games in class, no West Coast Park outing this Saturday, and no first steak dinner for Matthew until doctor gives them the all-clear. Speaking of which, I had considered taking him to Morton's at first, but that will certainly start him off with UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. So, Astons it'll be, when he's good and hungry again.

This morning they were each provided with a big paper bag and tasked to fill them with toys and other stuff they no longer wanted. They were actually enthusiastic about it, and particularly towards things not their own. "But you don't need it!" was the common refrain as they tried to throw out each other's old things. Good! I endeavour to inculcate in them the virtue of chucking and that is a sure step in the right direction. Always try to throw out OTHER people's things first.

Meanwhile, Baby has been given the all clear at her very first appointment with the therapist as regards her walking (or lack of), given that she can climb the sofa and cruise, and also as regards her speech (or lack of), given that she has no problems with reception and fuller expression can expectedly come later. Good. Now to see what the specialists say, since her doc thinks it'll probably be a matter of sooner and not later that the lump in her head should come out, based on her recent MRI scans. Well, shopping for the right brain surgeon is almost as interesting and engaging as trying to pick the right items for combining shipping on ebay, and rather trickier. We've been given some big names at different hospitals to consider and consult, and kind souls have given us plenty to think about regarding post-op ICU care and so on. The medical social worker was glad to observe that we seemed to be positive and have good support, so, to keep that up. Well, we certainly wouldn't be as content as we are now without our three F's: our Faith, our Family and our Friends. So, THANK YOU and HAPPY HOLIDAYS one and all!

Wednesday 10 November 2010

Courtesy

Courtesy is for free
Courtesy is for you and me
It makes for gracious living and harmony
Giving a friendly smile
Helping out where we can
Trying hard to be polite all the time

It's rude to be abusive just to prove we're right
Instead we could be nice about it if we tried

Courtesy is for free
Courtesy is for you and me
It makes for gracious living and harmony
Living could be a treat
If people are awfully sweet
Courtesy could be our way of life

Make courtesy our way of life

Tuesday 9 November 2010

The Scrapping Senes

I don't suppose just getting a proper machine and supplies qualifies us as a scrapping family, especially since I have no intentions of actually putting together any scrapbook pages. But I like the sound of it anyway. Reminds me of Scrappy Doo and his wonderful "Lemme at 'em! I'll splat 'em!" attitude!

The Sizzix Big Shot (what a great name!) is very well made, and looks charming, to me. Embossing and cutting is literally a turn-the-crank affair. Even Sophie can work it without help.

It's great for engaging the kids since they're very free at home now, and will be even "freer" during the coming school holidays. I love the pretty dies and embossing folders that we got to go with it. That said, it took us two and a half hours at the shop, with the help of our ever reliable old friend W, to make our final selection!




Now all I need are holidays to play with everything, and lots and lots of paper!

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Travel Declaration

I suppose it must be for disease control that MOE requires the kids to submit travel declaration forms every school holidays. The kids want to go to Bintan this December, so we have made a booking, but we haven't officially announced it to them yet.

Last night Sarah said to Sean, "Daddy, can we go to Bintan please? But Mummy already put Indonesia in my travel declaration form."

Sean replied, "Do you think that Bintan is a country?"

"Yes?"

Matthew went, "Bintan is in Indonesia!"

You could literally see the dawn of understanding breaking over Sarah's face as she processed this information, and her delight at the end of it as she cried, "Yay! We're going to Bintan!"

Then she added, "Daddy, next time on the travel declaration can you put Australia?"