10 March 2007

and now… 25 Sept 2008

Eva is back in Singapore for a visit. And the two got to play together over dinner last Thursday. And erhmm (no) thanks to Jayden, she can walk much faster than before. Well, so long as he doesn’t teach her to climb furniture…

Isn’t she a cutie? Was quite fun hearing her talk a little in French and English. And how she ate the fried chicken. So much better than ‘liquid diet’ Jayden.

Did I mention ‘liquid diet’ yet? I just nicknamed him ‘juice extractor’ too. He bit into the honeydew, munched on it, and spit out the pulp. No batteries required.

heh. Seen off Michelle’s, taken from Vimrod.

Perhaps I should have posted it before we went for tonight’s BYOB (bring your own baby / babe) gathering. Thanks Nanie for the invite. It was nice meeting you (and the family!) proper. I really cannot imagine carrying a newborn again. They look so fragile.

Unlike trooper Jayden who went house exploring.

And for record’s sake, the roll call for the night :-

1. host, Lil Qiqi (lil sleeping beauty), Nanie and D
2. Lil Nat, Leon and Yvonne
3. Lil Kayla, mummy S and daddy
4. Ron and babe Serene
5. Jayden and us parents (of course)

Yes, I bite.

1. the stroller is a necessary evil when we go out for long trips. It is a pain in the ass to carry up and down the bus, a horror to wheel out of Orchard MRT station and super irritating to navigate the never-ending construction.
2. the able bodied people who insist on taking the lift and try their best to avoid my gaze as they refuse to lift a finger to keep the door open when I reach just as the doors shut. *say is that a dandruff I see on your hair?“
3. more able bodied people whose eyes are glued to their handheld games and refuse to move their legs. Nevermind when said person is sitting. Even when said person is sitting in the ‘privileged’ seats. Just move your FEET. (Oh, nevermind, I’d just roll over your feet…)
4. idiots who insist on rushing into the train as I try and alight with bulky stroller. “Now, I really do not want to go down another stop!!! Let me out!” or even for the ‘wheelchair’ access gates. Really why do you need such a big walkway? Scared your precious monogrammed bag gets caught on something?
5. money grubbing kopitiam drink stall owners who insist on asking for 20cents for some water. So atas. But wait, Paragon has a lovely water dispenser for mummies on the go (although it is utilised by cleaners on a break… you can hear metal spoons clanging as they stir their kopi).
6. every Tom, Dick or Harry that turns into the world’s expert paed when a child is sick “chicken pox! too hot lah! measles! rash!” (when Jayden was experiencing the roseola fever rash).
7. having to navigate a shopping trolley filled with groceries, a folded stroller and a fussy kid who insists on being carried. Multiply irritation when kid has soiled diaper.
8. diaper changing by myself. All hell breaks loose. Oh yes, why do some inconsiderate parents allow their kids to pee into the washbasin?!
9. other inconsiderate people who insist on rushing past me to board the (empty) bus. Can help carry stroller? The bus driver will still have to wait for me to be done
10. shopping malls with no mummy friendly washrooms (Compasspoint, for example, only has diaper change stop right on the top floor…!), lots of steps (WISMA!!!) and just plain unfriendly staff who eyeball you when you push the stroller around.

K, gripes aside, I have met some really lovely people who stop to help. Like the bus driver eons back (service 105) who actually got down to help me with the stroller. The kind man, a fellow commuter who helped on the shuttle service between Mt Alvernia and Novena MRT. The nice passengers who gave up seats for us so that we could feed the boy on the way home. The really friendly cab driver who dropped us at Plaza Singapura who got out of his cab to help me with the stroller and tried to entertain the boy enroute. There is hope yet…

but meantime, I bite.

We have been pretty laid back about sending Jayden for enrichment classes. We are not quite ready to start on a slew of programmes designed to “encourage, nurture, train, improve, develop” his abilities. I guess we rather he learns at his own pace. I remember telling my mum when I finished my last paper for university that kids these days don’t have much of a childhood. Most of their time is being spent in school or class.

And I am not quite ready to give Jayden the ‘enriched’ life treatment. The odd enrichment class playdate I don’t mind. But not really those structured full 12 weeks of lessons (which are then followed by another 12 weeks of stage 2 and then stage 3 and advanced, you get the hint).

So any how, I brought Jayden for his first trial class at Kindermusik (at Tanglin Mall). I think he enjoyed himself. When he was paying attention at least. He was more prone to wandering off on his own. Said nicely, he was the life of the class. But truth betold, he is way too independent to want to sit still in a new place. Such places mean exploration time. So the lil trooper could be found banging away at the glass door, slipping out of the premises and well, rummaging the rubbish bin to pick up cups.

It was a structured class. Designed in a way to stimulate their senses, develop a sense of rhythm, coordinate their hand and leg movements but really, what Jayden truly enjoyed was being swung around in the air. Which he already gets a lot of.

Our companion for the trial was baby Kayla (they were the youngest and oldest of the class!), who was more cooperative than Jayden. Mummy S remarked that our two young ‘uns were the only ones who hated the massages. Instead they twisted around and sat upright. Midway through the class I was tempted to ask the teacher for the doll she was using to demonstrate movements. “Exchange”.

So did he learn? I am not sure. He cannot talk and I cannot tell. I, however, much prefer that he learns outside the classroom. But I am open to more trial classes with friends. The tea time interaction between mummies thereafter is much appreciated.

After spending an afternoon out with Kayla and her mummy, I am positive that Kayla is much more cooperative. We switched kids at certain points during our Kindermusik trial class when Jayden went wandering around and blatantly refusing to listen to instructions, while Kayla wandered over to my lap.

I think we were both quite happy with the outcome.

********************

Kindermusik feels like a gym class for mummies. A good workout. All within 45 minutes too. I don’t quite understand the benefits for the kids but I think Jayden enjoyed himself. When he was paying attention that is and not walking around the room on his own.

Last Friday marked the celebration of Jayden’s great-grandma’s birthday (Vern’s maternal grandma). We all gathered at Bottle Tree Village and had a big fellowship time. Everyone recounted how ‘this time last year’ Jayden was playing favourites and testing everyone’s (in)ability to carry him without crying. I think this is the start of one of those childhood memories you wish everyone forgot but no one actually does.

This time round, he was good. Much more interactive and with a great following. If you could not spot Jayden in his seat or being carried, you just had to find the crowd of older children that moved behind him. He laughed and clapped a lot. He was hungry. He actually ate a bit of the noodles. Nothing spectacular, a strand or two. And when it came for the time to blow out the candles, he was upfront where all the action was.

Makes you wonder who the big do is actually for.

Oh, in case you were wondering… he slept the minute the van turned out of the carpark. Straight through till we reached home. Talk about exhausted.

Sunday saw us at Kids Loft (Cluny Court) to celebrate the birthday of Kayley. Little Kayley turned 2 and had a wonderful party for the young and young-ish guests.

We have not really brought Jayden for any classes, preferring to let him be so the exposure to a class of song and dance, interaction, musical activity, ok… the full works assaulted his senses head on. He enjoyed himself thoroughly. The musical instruments enticed him (so much so that he held on to them tightly even when it was time to return them!) and you could see a distinct sparkle in his eyes.

Lavina engaged the children very well and you could tell they loved her. It was our first time seeing her in action although we have heard many rave reviews from mummy friends who had sent their kids to her lessons. Its quite rare really, to find ‘teachers’ who can interact so easily with their little charges but I think she did so beautifully. Not to mention the place is stock a block with lovely ‘equipment’ that make learning so much fun.

When it came to food, Jayden was busy playing with his while the little boys and girls around him ate. Instead he busied himself with gathering the little honey stars, clutching them tightly in his hand and running to the next room. He repeated his actions for quite some time, building a small treasure pile in the activity room. Hmm. Everything is play to this boy.

We headed to Compasspoint for an afternoon chillout with Lynda. We settled down at Starbucks, by the windows, in the comfy sofas. Whereby Jayden promptly went to make friends with whoever was walking by outside. He walked around the little coffee joint as if it was his own territory, waving, shaking his head and blowing small kisses. Heh.

Everything was fine until it came to diaper changing time. In Lynda’s own words, “I’d settle for changing kitty litter”. Haha.

Yes he struggled big time. Crying like there was no tomorrow. So bad until he scared the other occupant in the baby room who promptly joined in the chorus. Gah. Big tears rolled down his cheeks, red eyed wimpy look, all ready for a hug. The minute you release him, he flips over and sits staring at you… almost as if to ask what the fuss was all about.

Yes yes. I think red plates go really well with the decor. And yes, you do look handsome. What you think that of me too? Awww.

So we finally had the first BMW gathering of the year. Missing the company of Yvonne (and Leon) and lil Nat, the rest of us had a good time chit-chatting. It took close to 4 months to get together at the JEMEJ home again.

The first member of the BMW Kids club was quite happy entertaining himself, with the mirrors and breakables. Very scary.

EJ, did he *break* anything?

So the Kids Club has…

1. Jayden
2. Nat
3. Pei Fen’s “pinky” (due Jul 08)
4. Vera’s babe (due Oct 08)

Anyone else we missed out? *blink blink*

Do we really need to say anything more?

Happy Manyue baby Alex!

Sorry we left so early. Jayden was such a little terror. Unlike the rest of the kiddos who were contented to sit still with their parents, or were engrossed with the Wii, this one was busy pushing chairs around the home.

Daddy reads too much between the lines and says…

1. either a hands on kind of guy
2. chairman

Nevermind. Just enjoy your childhood. Que sara sara.