New Hairstyle

Gong gong complained that Bryan and Dylan’s hair is too long already, so we took the boys to the hair saloon on the way home.

I watched over Dylan while hubb watched over Bryan when he had his hair cut. I know that hubb just told the hair dresser to trim the sides, nothing major.

But as she worked on Bryan’s hair, she suggested cut here, cut there because, this place is too thick, that area is too tall. Hubb just went with her suggestions and allowed her to work on Bryan’s hair as she please.

Bryan is now very cooperative at the hair saloon, and the lady really could have her way in experimenting with the cut that fits Bryan’s face. Furthermore, Bryan’s hair was quite long already, so she could basically cut anyway that she wanted to cut.

Finally, she settled in a look that “she” is satisfied. Of course, she also keep asking us if we are ok and happy with the new look, that is very different from Bryan’s old haircut.

BEFORE

AFTER

Hubb likes the new hairstyle more..says Bryan looks more “yeng” (stylish). Besides, he have been complaining that Bryan’s old hairstyle is soooo “soh chai.”

I think the new hairstyle is definitely more stylish..but I also miss his innocent mushroom looking hairstyle….Awww..my boy is growing up….

p/s: Dylan also had his hair cut. But his hair is so thin, there’s nothing much the hairdresser could do. Just trim the ends nia… Besides, he is still not as cooperative as his gege yet.

Songkran Party

When I find out that I am pregnant with Dylan, I was a bit worried as their age gap was only slight above 2. I was worried that I will not be able to handle 2 boys.

Now I am glad that their age gap is so close, as they really play very well with each other. Last weekend, we let them out of the house to play on the porch, while I prepared lunch.

It started with bubbles play, then some cooking play with water…and then it turned out to a full fledge water play!

And all these while, what is mommy & daddy doing?

Mommy = Cooking in the kitchen
Daddy = Watching tv at the living room while keeping an eye on them (of course)

I think that they are so lucky to have each other. No matter how much we love them as parents, we can’t play with them as “crazy” as a sibling can. And no cousins or friends can spend as much time with them as a sibling can too! And me and hubby are glad to have some extra time to ourselves since the boys have each other.

Can’t wait for them to grow up and watch how their bond continues to grow deeper. I think they are going to be a great brother and friend to each other!

Where’s my brother?

Yesterday, in the middle of the night, Bryan woke me up
Bryan: MOMMY! Didi is GONE! *I can see panic in his face*

Dylan is a very “mobile” sleeper lately, and he has wedged himself so close to me that I had to sleep sideways to give him more room. And Bryan could not see Dylan because Dylan was too close to me.

Me: Nah…Didi is here la…

Bryan: Oh * Goes back to sleep*

That’s how close both the brothers are. They will look for each other before they sleep and first thing when they wake up. Correction :- First thing when they wake up is MOMMY. Second thing is their gege or didi.

Well Done Dylan!

Previously, Dylan will cry when i drop him off at school, it it were anyone else other than Ms S who greet him at the gate.

But for the last 2 weeks, Dylan would happily wave bye bye to me no matter who it was at the gate.

I do not dare to blog about this at first, coz scared pantang..but since it has been 2 weeks…I think it is safe to conclude that he is really settled into school.

And yesterday, i was greeted with another good news when i picked him up from school.

He had been diaperless through his afternoon nap and no wee-wee in bed too! It was the first time that the teacher let him nap without diapers and we are happy that it was a successful one too.

Well done Dylan! Keep it up!

Funny stuffs

Funny things the boys said on the drive back home yesterday night.

Scene #1: Both boys were making a lot of noise at the back of the car.
Me: Aiyoooo…both of you are so noisy.
Daddy: Later the police come and catch both of you.
Bryan: If the police come, I will take the gun and PONG the police
Me: Do you have a gun? No gun, how to PONG the police.
Bryan: Mommy, can you buy plastic gun for me. And put batteries inside so that I can PONG the police

Scene #2: Carpenter’s Close to You starts playing on the stereo
Bryan: Hey, that is my concert song. *Starts singing*
Me & hubb: *Ignores Bryan and continue talking*
Dylan: Hey. QUIET! QUIET! QUIET!
Me: *Oops, din’t know Bryan got fansee and supporter already!*

Life Sciences

Bryan loves butterflies. Everyone who know him knows that.

He’s got lots of books on butterflies – fiction + nonfiction, English, Malay, Chinese. He can name the different parts and lifecycles of butterflies. He can even tell you the difference between a moth and a butterfly, and spot one from the other.

So whenever there are any caterpillars at my mom or my aunt’s house, they will keep the caterpillar for him. Wait for it to turn into a chrysalis (pupa) and transform to a butterfly.

The first few times we kept the caterpillars, he refused to let the butterflies fly away. We will either keep the butterflies in empty aquarium, net laundry basket or a big box with  a netting over it. We will also put some fresh flowers for the butterfy. But butterflies have short life span and don’t survive well in captivity. So they normally die after a few days.

I keep telling Bryan that he must let the butterflies go. That the butterflies are miserable because they misses their friends. But he answered, “If I let them go, then I cannot see them anymore already lo. I want the butterfly die. Then cannot fly away already lo”

*Faints* I was thinking “OH NO! I gotta do something about this.”

So I continued to brainwash him about how precious life is, that everything has a right to live, to be free and to be happy.

On the third time, it was at my mom’s house. Bryan was very excited when he saw that the butterfly had transformed when he came back from school.

So I started my “brainwashing” again.

Bryan: Mommy look. This is a Malayan Mormon butterfly. Same like the one at Butterfly farm one hor?
Me: Yes. Bryan. You can look at the butterflies for a while. Then after that you have to let the butterfly go.
Bryan: But, but I want to see the butterfly for long long time. If I let it go, then I cannot see oredi..you know.
Me: Yes, but the butterfly wants to go home. Back to Butterfly Farm. If I keep you in a room and don’t let you go home. Will you be happy?
Bryan: No. *Think*
Bryan: Why the butterfly don want to fly one?
(Of course la..not much place to fly mah. Only a box)
Me: Because the butterfly is sad. Not happy. It misses its friends.
Bryan: It misses the bee, the grasshopper, the beetle, the stick bug hor?
Me: Yes.
Bryan: *Think* Think* I think I will let the butterfly go.
Me: *Grinning happily*
Bryan: But but I want to see a while first. Wait until I finish dinner ok.

After dinner. He gladly proclaimed that he is ready to let the butterfly go. Dylan, him and my parents took the box outside the house and let the butterfly go. The butterfly was quite lifeless in the box but as soon as it was out, flutters quickly away and fly really high.

Bryan: Mommy, the butterfly is soooo happy to fly out. It can fly SOOOOOO high you know. Now I cannot see the butterfly already. I think the butterfly fly back to butterfly farm already.

2 weeks ago, my aunt found 2 caterpillars on her plant again.

So I took both the caterpillars with some stalks of her plant so that the caterpillar can continue feeding on it. Mana tau, by the next morning, the plant habis kena sapu. I had to go to the market and shop for sommo “food” for the caterpillar. Caterpillars only feed on specific plants depending on the species. Coincidentally, this species feeds on curry leaves.

But after a day, the caterpillars turned into chrysalis.

After about a week, I thought it will be nice for Bryan to take the chrysalis to school for show & tell. And the school can keep it there until it turns to a butterfly, and it should not be long now. I called his principle and told her the idea. She was very excited about the idea. I told her that I will let Bryan bring the chrysalis on Monday just in case the butterfly decided to come out during the weekend.

Unfortunately, the butterflies really decided to come out on the weekend. One on Saturday morning and the other on Sunday morning.

This time, I no longer had any trouble asking Bryan to let the butterflies go.

Jump posing for the camera

Getting a last look at the butterfly

Fly away to freedom

On one of the days, we were so happy when the butterfly flutters to my neighbor’s plants and start feeding on the nectar there for a long time. It gave Bryan and Dylan a chance for them to look at it longer.

Posing with the freed butterfly

I think being able to let go and move on is such an important skill/ value to have in life. And I am very happy to see that my little boy has learnt to be kind to other living things and to let go of the things he loved so dearly. I am so proud of you Bryan.

P/s: To reinforce this value in him, I told his teachers at school to praise him for his kindness too.

2010 New Year Celebrations

After the Christmas party, my friends started to plan for the New Year’s eve party. Hubb and I debated for some time whether to take Bryan and Dylan to the party since it is a school day and Dylan will usually be tired by 8pm-ish.

In the end we decided to welcome the New Year as a family. We would take the kids to the party and see how it goes. If the boys got tired, we’ll go home after dinner.

There were a few venue suggestions for the celebrations. Chilli’s at downtown Gurney or TGIF at Queensbay Mall, which is nearer to our home. In the end, we decided to go to TGIF because Chilli’s do not allow reservations on that day. Since it was a big group (12 adults + 4 kids), we do not want to take the risks.

We head straight to QBM straight after picking the kids up from daycare. We were afraid of traffic jam, and no carparks. But traffic was clear. Since our dinner arrangement was at 7pm, we took the boy to the “compulsory” spot first…Borders & Toys R Us. I even fed the boys some char siu paus as they complained that they were hungry already… (yeah, even lil Dylan). Luckily I had brought some paus as backup (in case the kids won’t eat the TGIF food)

There were no Kids Eat Free offer at TGIF that day, and they only have limited menu on that day, and everything cost Rm10-RM15 more that day. What a bummer!

Since their portions are usually huge, we decided that the boys will just share what we have. Hubb and I ordered the Jack Daniels Grilled Chicken and a Jack Daniels Burger.

Dylan had mostly fries, bits of bread and some chicken while Bryan had almost half of hubb’s burger patties, some chicken, fries and bread. It wasn’t really a healthy meal for them (esp Dylan) but we had to compromise each time we take them out to eat.

Before dinner, both my boys were quite shy. But after the fuel up, they warm up to my friends’ kids. The TGIF staff gave them each a balloon. And before long, the kids were busy having fun with the balloons. Throwing and catching balloon.

We were lucky to have a table near the corner with some space. So the kids gathered at that corner to play. A few of us adults have to help watch over the balloons to make sure that they don’t fly to the other guests table. A few times, it actually did. But luckily everyone is in a celebratory mood, and the guests will usually happily throw the balloon back to us.

When the kids got bored of the balloon throwing, I took out some coloring books & coloring pencils, and that continued to keep them entertained.

At about 9pm-ish, Dylan started to show signs of tiredness. Hubb asked him if he wants to sleep and then carried him in his arms. Dylan laid his head on hubb’s shoulder. Hubb pat pat pat his back and in almost no time, Dylan was fast asleep…Awww….it was such a sweet sight for me.

Since Bryan was having a lot of fun with his new friends, we decided to continue to stick around. Afterall Dylan was napping. We doubt he’ll nap for long and we hope the power nap will help to power him right past midnight for the countdown.

We left TGIF around 930 and went to JCo donuts. We ordered more drinks and Jco yogurt and continued the “lepak” session there. The kids continued their coloring sessions there and Dylan continued his power nap.

We decided to hang out at Jco until 12mn for the fireworks. There was a concert right outside the mall, and there were a few sponsors handing out free party packs. So the adults went out and got some for the kids to play with. So the kids continued their “party”…It was such fun to see them play.

Dylan woke up about an hour later…refreshed and ready to join the older kids to play.

At 12mn, we walked outside for the fireworks. It was not as great as I expected but Bryan enjoyed it very much. Dylan was a bit scared and kept asking me to take him back indoors.

We left after the fireworks. We reached home around 12:45mn, gave the kids their shower and milk. Both are still super charged from the activity with no signs of tiredness. I had a hard time convincing Bryan that it was too late for story books and that he had to go straight to bed. But as soon as the lights go off, both kids were in dreamland already.

I realized later that I had not been to a countdown party for at least 7/8 years. It was a really meaningful countdown for me as we welcomed it as a family.

I am really glad that I decided to bring the boys along. Everyone had so much fun. Nothing is happier for me than to watch my 2 boys having fun. And to share that with my wonderful husband and good friends….Priceless!

Happy Belated New Year everybody!

2009 Year End Holidays – Christmas

I had been looking forward to Christmas and New Year for a long time…Not for the celebrations but for the holidays!!! I had lots of annual leaves that had to cleared before 31 Dec 2009, and I planned to take all of them during the Christmas & New Year season.

Initially, my plans for the holidays consist of facials, massages, hairstyling, housekeeping and shopping…. All the things that I wanted to do but never find the time to do. But alas, I did none the above except for a some shopping (Yay!)

So what did I do instead?

1. Shopped for gifts for the Christmas party at my friends’ house. Both hubb and I had a shopping list each for our mystery receiver respectively but I did all the shopping. I also need to shop for my husband’s office Christmas gift exchange party (ain’t him lucky (or lazy ).

Need to shop presents for Bryan and Dylan. Both had wish list at the Christmas tree at the school, and Bryan wants a BIG BUTTERFLY written on his card. Dylan’s card is written by his teacher and I don’t think that it is really what he wanted. I cracked my head for a butterfly gift. It has got to be special and something he would enjoy. At the very last moment (Christmas Eve day) to be exact, I found the Elefun – Butterfly catching game at Toys’R’Us. I was so happy to find this toy. It was a game that both Bryan and Dylan would enjoy, and yes, both truly enjoy playing this game.

Luckily both kids are now “trained” to pick up the butterflies, put them back into the elephant, turn the power on, catch…and repeat the process..over and over again…Otherwise, both hubb and I may “regret” getting the gift…haha.

2. I also baked chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese for the kids’ Christmas party at school. It was my first attempt at cream cheese frosting and I was surprised that it turned out to be GOooooooood! It took all my will power not to lick the whipping bowl clean of frosting. As I decorate the cakes, I had to constantly remind myself to STOP eating the cakes. I had to tell myself, “Enough of testing, you already know it tasted good!”

I had to stop myself not because I am worried there is not enough for the school, but that those little cutie cuppies are loaded with tones of calories that’s going straight to my hips!

3. Had lots of fun catching up with friends who came back from the holiday. We went restaurant/ café hopping (lunch, tea, desserts) instead of pub hopping since this mama had a curfew of 5pm, to fetch the kids from school.

4. Managed to watch Avatar 3D with hubb…(followed by more shopping at the mall )

5. I took lots of photos. Did a photoshoot for my colleague’s dog and for my sisters’ family. Those of you on my Facebook, would have seen some of these photos. It was nice to take photos other than those of my kids for once. And now I am looking forward to my Bali holiday for more photo opportunities!

6. For the first time in many years, went for a Christmas party…that is not at the office or during lunch hour!

Minus the kids…so there’s more photo opportunities again. Initially my plan was to let the kids sleep over at my parents. But at 11pm, Bryan called me and told me, “Mommy, I want to go back to your house to sleep. I don’t want to sleep at popo’s house.”

So hubb and I had to leave the party early, just as they were about to get started on a Shot & Ladder game…hahaha..probably just in time from getting myself drunk for the first time. Yeah..you read right, I have never been drunk my entire life. Not because I am a good drinker, but that I always drink very very little only. I have never even finished an entire can of beer by myself. Besides, I hate the taste of beer (generally). But recently hubb is into Heineken and Budweiser beers at home and I beginning to find these much likable. Anyway, I always prefer red wine over beer, but also I never drink more than 2 glasses in a night. So how to get drunk?