Ode To Daddy

On behalf of Jay…

 

Roses are red

Violets are blue

So many Daddies in the world

I am so glad God gave me you.

You’re the best, Daddy. I love you!

Happy Father’s Day!!!

Creativity In Kids

Mommy & Jayvon spent a fun-filled Saturday morning at WowART Studio. It was such a fun time creating our individual clay masterpieces!

Here’s our final masterpiece…

One interesting thing that I learnt was that creativity in children is at their highest when they are 2 years old! This is the age Jay is at now, and I do see this in his ability to see the quirkiest things, and the details that Mommy and Daddy misses out on.

However, creativity in kids slowly decrease as they grow older, and is at the lowest at 6 years old.

The sad reason? Cos when they get into school, the current school system discourages creativity and free expression.

Let’s really make the effort to instil and encourage creativity in them! Don’t dictate how a tree should be drawn or what colour the pig should be, but allow them to express their creativity and launch forth their imagination!!!

Reading Is Goooooood!

I love to read books. I don’t read as much or as often as I would love to, but I do enjoy sitting and having a good read, with a cuppa piping hot coffee in hand.

I am so glad Little Big is focusing so on reading!

Bears! He must adore this book!

Well, Thursday Feb 25 also marked Jay’s official graduation from the Suntec Nursery.

I will miss him so. Miss bringing him along to work, miss popping by to see his cheeky lil’ smile, miss having him near by for a quick destress and pick-me-up.

It’s a new phase in both our lives!

Day Out With Mommy

After a loooong last week, I was relieved and happy to finally spend some quality time with my boy!

Just today, I decided to bring him over to Bugis Junction. As I anticipated, Jay lurved the floor fountain! It was super difficult to tear him away.

In fact he was so engrossed, he forgot where the spray of water was, and got the water splashed into the side of his head! Check our his shell-shocked expression!

And being the good mother that I am, after I laughed my head off, I promptly brought him to “air-dry” himself. Seeing how I totally forgot did not bring an extra change of clothes for him. *ahem* So I brought him to chase some pigeons.

Once he was sufficiently dried, I brought Jay to the toy section, where he got into some fun with some drums!

After he had his fill of fun, it was also time for Mommy to do a bit of shopping! I got a top from M’phosis & wandered into Charles & Keith to check out the shoes there… when all of a sudden, I noticed Jay bopping to the beat (the shop was blaring techno-pop in the background!) and I couldn’t resist this cute video!

Jay dancing from Sandra Tan on Vimeo.

All in all, it was a fun day out with my lovely prince!

Dancing With The Birds

It was a Monday afternoon, and as I was contemplating if I should laze at home or bring Jayvon to go shopping… and when I tweeted about it, my good friend tweeted back “Of course go Orchard (Road)!”

And so, we did go!

We took a cab (yes… just us two!) and alighted at Takashimaya Shopping Centre, where we first shared a nice McNuggets meal between the two of us. Then we proceeded to the toys section where he fiddled with all multitude of toys…

Then I wanted to walk to the new shopping centre… but lo and behold as we went out, we (or rather, Jay) got distracted.

By some fat pigeons!

Here’re two funny videos of my boy trying to get his hands on some pigeons! You have to see the first one, cos it shows Jay having a sense of social justice! In the midst of chasing the pigeons, an older and fatter boy was standing by, and this boy kicked at the pigeons! Jay was so stunned by that action, he kept glaring at this boy!

Yet another funny video!

It was a fun, albeit tiring, day out with my boy! I can hardly wait for my next day off!

My Sick Boy

My poor baby is sick.

Down with a bad BAD flu, flam-y cough and fever.

Which makes him sick, tired, irritable, grouchy, sleepy.

Which make me sick, tired, irritable, grouchy, sleepy.

But which makes him such an adorable non-moving target to take some shots of.

See? This is PROOF he DOES have double eyelids. Hallelujah! 

My poor, sick, sick, baby.

Five bottles of meds on the wall, five bottles of meds…

Count ‘em… that’s right. I have to “force” these down his throat. Three times a day. To a toddler who chooses now of all times to exert his freewill on what he will and will not eat.

Yeap… medicine time is such fun. Screaming, writhing fun.

Some get-well cards done by his cousins! Which is now plastered all over our door.

Sob sob!

What kind of a mother…

whips out her camera…

when her baby cries…

instead of bringing on the tissue paper & comfort?

Not me!

Especially when it is such a “fake” cry! Haha!

Jay at the Singapore Zoo

We did it! We went to the Singapore Zoo this afternoon. One of our concerns was the scorching afternoon sun these few days, so I purposefully went over to get some sunblock for Baby and me, in anticipation of the hot day at the Zoo! Amazingly, when we reached at about 2.20 p.m., the weather was divine. The sky was overcast, and at times, a few fat drops of rain would fall, but due to the heavy foliage in the zoo, we were more or less sheltered. What a blast we had!

One of the first exhibits we went to was to see the pygmy hippo. And just before that, we saw this … ugly scary slow-moving right out of a Stephen King movie fish. At least I think it is a fish. And Jay was enthralled by this ugly creature! The scary funny thing? That thing fish was stationary in the water. Absolutely stationary. I didn’t even see a fin move. Till Jayvon walked away. And. The. Fish. Followed. Him. Shudder….

On to nicer animals… We practically walked through the entire zoo. I kid you not. I reckon we got our money’s worth, cos we took in about 70-80% of the exhibits!

Here’s some pictures!

Nic & I took turns to carry Jayvon around. Not because he can’t walk. But whenever we set him down, he’d always give me a mini-heart attack by reaching down to the floor and grabbing some damp leaves. And giving them to Nic. And taking more leaves… So for my heart’s sake, we just took turns with him. And it was great having a fellow burden-carrier. I mean, baby-carrier. Coughcoughcough…

Remember in my previous post, I was looking forward to the Rainforest Kidzworld!

As we entered, this site greeted us.

Daddy: ”Wah…”

Mommy: “You’re going in.”

Daddy: “You didn’t tell me it would be like this!”

Mommy: “I told you to bring extra clothes…”

Daddy: “Did you bring a towel?”

Mommy: “Of course!”

Daddy: “I meant for me?”

Mommy: “……… coughcoughcough………”

 

He enjoyed it… Until…

The giant elephant tank that would periodically fill up and splash like a ton of water did so. And the force of the splash (though Jay wasn’t that near it anyhow) “blew” him a couple of steps and covered him with cold drops of water. That was when he started bawling.

Ah well… Back to the animal exhibits then! To think I was still considering settling down at Ben & Jerry’s for an ice-cream cone! Hahaha!

2 1/2 hours later, arms aching and feet throbbing, we finally hailed a cab back home. Phew! What a tiring day!

Oh and our new domestic help’s here! *fingers crossed*

Tyrant Prince Of Ice Cream Land

Yes, I am he.

Deny me not my ice cream. When I want it. How I want it.

Just because Mommy felt a teensy bit bad for being so busy with work the past few days that she took me to Swensen’s for a nice treat, it does not negate my tyrannical princeship in ice cream land. I am Prince in ice cream land.

Rule #1 in ice cream land: Do not try to take photos of Prince and Ice Cream together. Just. Feed. Me. NOW!

What are you doing, Mommy? Stop it! Feed me now!

Rule #2 in ice cream land: You shall be prompt in feeding the prince. Let not your hand be weary. Move it, move it!

(He’s upset cos I lingered and dangled the ice cream in a bid to get him to smile. Ugly photos, yeah? I really wanted a nice smiley one, but I guess the Prince wasn’t in a posing mood.)

Rule #3 in ice cream land: Because I am Prince, I can shout at you to be quick on your feet, and feed me now I say!

(See the video! He is really “barking” at me when he feels I am too slow!)

Jay at Swensen’s from Sandra Tan on Vimeo.

It was a stressful week for me at work, and I felt Jay was shortchanged in terms of time spent with me. And the time he had with me was with a grumpy, short-fused Mommy. When I found myself so frustrated I actually asked my 14 month-old, “What do you want? Just tell me!!!!!!” I kinda knew I (and baby) need a good break! Hahaha!

So I wanted to spend some quality time, make him happy! Haha! So I brought him for a quick break

Attachment Theory

I had a most interesting discussion with a colleague this week. And as we were both mothers, it inevitably led to our “pet” topic – raising children.

Now, she is a very different person from me. She is as meticulous as I am forgetful, and so her parenting style is based upon  her own research and convictions about what the so-called early childhood experts may say or assert, but she comes to a conclusion and adheres by it. My parenting style? I basically let Nic decide. He has a degree in Social Work, and in the University did a course on child psychology, and has first-hand experience with “undiscipled and undisciplined” (my words, not his) adults in his work.

Both my colleague and I agreed that we did not subscribe to the “Cry It Out” method, but rather our parenting styles (and by “our” I really mean her style and Nic’s style, which I follow) is generally based on the Attachment Theory.

(Disclaimer: I may not 100% accurate, but this is my understanding and interpretation, as a lay non-social work background person )

The Attachment Theory basically states that an infant becomes securely attached to adults who respond appropriately, promptly and consistently to their needs. This adult (primary caregiver) becomes a “secure base,” a base from which the child can explore the surrounding environment. A baby will show some signs of distress when separated from their primary caregiver, but will be happy and comforted upon the caregiver’s return. They will not be overly distressed at a parent’s absence, but clearly prefer parents to strangers.

This is generally the best sort of attachment, as a securely attached child becomes a securely attached adult. These adults will have a good self-esteem and be able to have trusting and lasting relationships.

Other attachments that can develop through are avoidant attachment (where the caregiver offers little or no response to a distressed child, and generally discourages crying), ambivalent attachment (where the caregiver is inconsistent in his/her response to the child, sometimes appropriate and sometimes neglectful) and disorganized attachment (caused by mistreatment). Insecurely attached children grow up to be insecurely attached adults, and face different issues with their life and relationships.

Interestingly, securely attached children are the least isolated and most popular and least likely to be bullied in school! And most remarkably, school bullies are often insecurely attached.

So these are not mere theories and attachment “principles”, our parenting styles do influence our kids, not just for a few months or even a few years, but it impacts the child’s entire life!

God, please grant us the wisdom to be great parents!