אֵיתָן (ee-thuhn) solid, enduring (1 Ki 4:31, Ps 89) & טליה (tal-yuh) dew of heaven (God's kindness)
Thursday 9 July 2009
Water Fun
Monday 6 July 2009
Walking the Dogs
Sunday 5 July 2009
Flying Lesson
Saturday 4 July 2009
My Sister the Model
Friday 3 July 2009
Dr Jones
Thursday 2 July 2009
Driving Ms Talia
Ethan not only likes driving Daddy's car, he also likes playing with his own. He does modification, washes it, and of course drives his sister too! What a sweet pair - and both in yellow too! He really treats Talia well, being gentle and protective of her, and we can already see that she in turn adores her big brother.
Wednesday 1 July 2009
Tennis
Ethan loves going out to play tennis with his daddy. Actually, he only loves it for about 5 minutes then he loses interest in the game! So daddy has to remind himself that it is about having fun in the experience at this stage and not so much about getting Ethan "into" the game. We did buy a tennis racket together though - this cutest little Wilson which is well sized for him. But after the initial 5 minutes Ethan wises up and prefers to use Daddy's racket instead. Apparently bigger is better in his view.
Tuesday 30 June 2009
Mad About Driving
So here we are at free parking outside Sembawang Shopping Centre, after a rainy drive during which Ethan kept telling me that HE wanted to drive. Daddy promised so Daddy is delivering - letting Ethan enjoy one of his favourite activities. Whether it is being with Daddy or getting to be like Daddy he just soaks it all up! He will probably remember this time "driving" more than any other activity we do at Sembawang!
Thursday 25 June 2009
Water Park at Sembawang
It was a great day at the water park in Sembawang Shopping Centre for all! Ethan and Talia thoroughly enjoyed themselves and got dripping wet at this fantastic playground. It is less boisterous than the one at IMM and it has food and drink shops just next door where parents can sit and order grub.
It was one of the first few times that Talia really got herself drenched going in and out of the water sprays. Ethan was much more cautious than she is now at that age. We have always known that Ethan loves to play with water but Talia really LOOOVES the water.
We ate steak, chicken wings and french fries at the open air Astons and drank milk tea from the Hong Kong tea house...it really feels like one is on holiday! Amazing that the park is all free, the food is cheap, there is lots of cool air-con shops when you get tired and street side parking nearby is free if you can find it! The only thing missing is warm towels and a changing room!
Talia had such fun time with her Mummy and Daddy!
Sunday 14 June 2009
Bumblebee Boy
Have you seen Ethan in his bumblebee outfit? It was a special occasion – the last day of school and everyone dressed up, so Ethan donned this outfit complete with wings. On that day he unusually allowed the hood to be on too, so he looked quite the part!
Saturday 6 June 2009
Reading
Reading sure is fun!
Friday 29 May 2009
Gingerbread Bumblebee
Sunday 24 May 2009
I Love You Talia
Tuesday 5 May 2009
Artwork: Well & Sick
Thursday 30 April 2009
I Surrender
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Talia's Passport Photo
Monday 6 April 2009
Kangaroo
Does this pouch look familiar? It was Ethan's favourite one when he was Talia's age and it looks like our little girl enjoys the bird's eye view too! It's really good for when I need to go out for a short jaunt with both of them as I am hand-free!
Things haven't been going so well on the new sleeping venue tho. Talia's caught Ethan's flu bug and has been pretty unsettled and waking a lot at night, so she's moved back into my room and sleeping with me for now.... She's been pretty hard to settle so I've been getting about 4-5 hrs sleep a night and pretty tired! Hope she gets better real soon. Thankfully Ethan's been charming and even helps to soothe her when I run out of steam -- often doing quite a good job on his own!
Friday 3 April 2009
Pure Joy
Wednesday 25 March 2009
I Love My Sister
Sunday 15 March 2009
Room Mates
We decided to move Talia at this stage because :
a) She is already sleeping about 8 hours after her last night feed
b) New-room & Separation anxiety have not quite hit home for her yet!
Rooming together does mean that they are much more likely to wake each other up, so I have to try to get to them as swiftly as possibly to diffuse any crying before it escalates. However, we expect that along the way, they will learn to tune each other out except for the louder sounds made by each other. We have already seen Ethan sleep thru the (false) fire-alarms that tend to go off quite often around here!!
Thursday 26 February 2009
First Classmate Over to Play
When there are other boys around it gets much rowdier. So even though we had two toddlers playing, it was actually quite peaceful and pleasant and all three adults had their fill of our "day off" lunch - Ivan's portobello mushrooms, asparagus wrapped with bacon, and fresh hamburger patties with rocket & baby spinach salad!
Monday 23 February 2009
Happy Birthday Daddy
Friday 20 February 2009
Urban Escapes
Thursday 19 February 2009
Daddy Dialogue
It is Thursday - the sabbath-day of rest, for Renata and I anyway. So today, as Ethan got ready for school we did our normal routine except for a few "work things" that Daddy left out. Ethan got his water bottle and his bag and he sang our school song. Daddy has been singing this special song to him and Ethan knows it very well now:
My school, my school, my school is so much fun
There's lots of things to do, and learning to do be done
I'm looking very smart, and feeling very glad
Carrying my bag... Gosh! I'm just like Dad!
Just outside the front door our dear son then exclaimed, "Forgot bag Daddy!" True enough, Daddy was not carrying his computer bag as he normally does because today is not a work day!
But this is not yet the best part... Today as we were walking to the classroom we sang our songs, talked about the teachers and the other kids and as we were climbing down a flight of stairs, Ethan paused, turned his head to look up to me and said (by himself with no prompting), "I love you Daddy!" He then continued to walk to school, serenely oblivious to the wonderful gift he had just bestowed with his daddy dialogue.
In fact, it's been quite a spectacular week for Daddy in Ethan's eyes and vice-versa. He's been talking about Daddy a lot, thanking Jesus for "wash the car with Daddy" and "drive with Daddy". At night he asks for special "Daddy come inside" time whenever I'm around. It's really very precious!
Sunday 15 February 2009
Dear Darling Daughter
Saturday 14 February 2009
Brother and Sister
The other day he came back from school and declared, "I wanna hold Talia!" which we allow him to do if he sits nicely on the couch and we rest her in his lap. "Wanna play Talia" is often heard when we set her down under her baby gym and Ethan loves joining in. Here they are during one of those times holding hands!
Friday 13 February 2009
Chinese New Year Celebrations
Monday 9 February 2009
A Great Day
Finally, the picture above was taken a couple of days ago when Ethan wanted to play with Talia at her baby gym. They get along really well.
Ahhh...all parts of parenting should be like this.
Friday 30 January 2009
Siblings and Loving It
Wednesday 28 January 2009
Farewell FJR1300
What finally got to me was not any close call or near accident (never had any in 6 years of riding), but the thought that if something did happen to me then Ethan would not remember me! All the time we had spent together would not yet be burned into his memory. He would only read this blog and hear Mummy say, "Your Daddy loved you very much Ethan, and you loved him too! But one day when he was riding this motorcycle which you loved to play on..." Oh, the first time the thought dropped into my head there were tears in my eyes!
"Ethan wanna ride motorbike!" is one of the sentences that my son is adept at. He is also very adept at riding my motorbike. He looks like quite a natural holding the handlebars and playing with all the gadgets. It's much more fun than a car cos he gets up real close and there are a lot more switches and gadgets on my bike that he can fiddle with!
When he was younger he would be scared when he saw me on the bike with my full-face helmet on because he didn't recognize me. Now he does recognize me. "Daddy motorbike!" he exclaims happily when he sees. Once he saw me out of the car window when I rode up next to him. Later that same day, in the car on the way home he said to Mummy, "Want the Daddy outside!" He wanted to see me on the motorbike again!
Below is the only video that we have of us playing on the bike together. We played on it together for a loooong time on that final day before the buyer came to pick it up. I finally peeled him off and both of us cried...If you don't know (because I didn't know before this), giving up riding and leaving a large sport-tourer like this feels very much like "breaking up". I laughed at myself when I thought of this analogy, but it's true! It comes with bittersweet memories of the times you enjoyed together, the thrilling excitement and fun, and the hopes of the future that will never fulfilled (like riding to Thailand!). Now you know how understanding Renata is to put up with all of this from her hubby! :)
Tuesday 27 January 2009
Naughty Corner
We have just installed a Naughty Corner as our toddler is now firmly in his terrible two's and we think that he is ready for some firm disciplining! Here you can see it brand new and as yet unused without the tenant. I must take my hat off and thank Super Nanny for the valuable toddler lessons we have learned. On the same day I installed it (today) I used it TWO TIMES with Ethan and it worked Super Well just like on Super Nanny! When watching that reality TV show we often think, "Does it really work that well?" And now my answer is yes, it does...if you follow her rules!
WARNING!!! The rest of this lengthy narrative is
only of interest to parents of young children!
Preparation >> A few lessons we picked up: The naughty corner must be in a well-defined spot, so a sign helps the toddler know what it is. Daddy came up with this particular one and stuck it on the wall together with Mum's cushion idea so Ethan knows where he is supposed to stay. Also, it must be in a place in the home that is away from the fun and action but in line of sight so the parents can see when the toddler moves out of the naughty corner. There must also be an explanation to the toddler before it is used, what it is and how it works. All explanations and communications are to be done at their eye-level with a firm voice! Ha... looks easy on SuperNanny, but that's a lot of things to keep in your mind when you actually practise it.
4.45 PM >> Ethan wakes up, moves out of his room and eyeballs the new home addition with curiosity. Daddy sits on the floor next to the naughty corner with Ethan and explains it to him and surprisingly he understand perfectly well. When I say "naughty corner", Ethan squirms and looks away. He knows it's not a good thing. The preparation is done.
6.30 PM >> It's dinner time which has become increasingly difficult over the last few weeks. Ethan does not want to sit down and insists on playing with his current toy which is a common occurrence. After a few warnings it was naughty corner time. "You're going to the naughty corner because you didn't listen to Daddy and didn't sit down for dinner when I told you to." The requisite bawls and cries came from the corner. He stayed there longer than I thought he would... but after 1 minute he stood up and walked. Ever a student of Nanny JoJo, Daddy quickly picked him up and popped him back on the corner without saying anything. Ethan cried again and stayed there for another minute but just as I was about to end his naughty corner time he stood up again, so I repeated the silent reinforcement of the naughty corner and after 30 seconds went back to him. Throughout this his cries changed from defiant to a soft sob with more calmness. The time in the corner is definitely good for him to calm himself emotionally and stop the escalation!
"Ethan, you're in the naughty corner because you didn't listen to Daddy when I told you to sit down for dinner. Are you ready to come for dinner now?" Sob sob... "Say sorry to Daddy and you can come for dinner." He sobbed some more, seemingly unable to vocalize, but he hugged me so I picked him up. He was still a bit reluctant to sit in his high chair but this time he did and ate his dinner without crying or fuss! It was a big success but the better one was to come after dinner!
7.15 PM >> DInner was over and it was time for bath time. This has been an escalating difficulty with screams and yells over the last few weeks. Renata and I had discussed it and tonight was naughty corner time if it was to happen again. We were nervous that it being firm on discipline would make him more upset but we committed to it and tried. The results were amazing!
"Ethan you're in the naughty corner again because you didn't listen to Daddy when I told it was bath time." Again Ethan stayed for 1 minute but this time instead of standing up and walking off he tried scooting off while still seated. I stifled a chuckle at this testing of boundaries and firmly put him back on the naughty corner. Cries and sobs, but he stayed there for the whole 2.5 minutes, so I ended his naughty corner time and went to him...
"Ethan you're in the naughty corner because... " He interrupted me by looking upward, pointing at the sign and clearly voiced, "Naughty corner!" "Yes, Ethan, this is the naughty corner and you're here because you didn't listen to Daddy when I said it was bath time. Say sorry to Daddy and you can come for a bath now." No response. No cries, but no response. "Do you want to come for a bath or stay in the naughty corner?" Very clearly he said to me, "Naughty corner!" and sat down again!
Again I stopped myself from laughing and moved off. After some silent laughter in the kitchen I pretended to read the papers and ignore him and he stayed there for 2.5 minutes without moving this time! By the end of 2.5 minutes he was agitated. I went to him and explained again. "You are in the naughty corner because..." Ethan pointed upward toward the sign, "Naughty corner!" he said. "Yes, Ethan, you're in the naughty corner because you didn't listen to Daddy when he told you that it was bath time. Are you ready to say sorry and take your bath now?" Ethan hugged me and said, "Bath Daddy" and quietly walked into the bathroom with me!
Conclusion >> He was calm and though obedient, his spirit wasn't broken! This was wonderful! Bath time and the ensuing bed-time was a very calm and pleasant affair. So thank you, Super Nanny! It went so well and things were so calm that night that we went out for dinner and Mummy treated Daddy to a pork-knuckles and swiss rosti at Marche afterwards!
Monday 26 January 2009
First Day of School
Daddy walked Ethan to school, in what is to become our daily routine and composed a new song for Ethan:
My school, my school, my school is so much fun!
There's lots of things to do, and learning to be done.
I'm looking very smart, and feeling very glad.
Carrying my bag - Gosh, I'm just like Dad!
My school, my school, my school is so much fun!
There's lots of things to do, and learning to be done.
Everybody laughs and nobody cries,
Cos Mummy comes back in a twinkle of an eye!
My school, my school, my school is so much fun!
There's lots of things to do, and learning to be done.
There are friends to meet and games to play,
That's why we love to go to school every day!
We stayed a long time with Ethan on that first day before leaving. He enjoyed playing with all sorts of things, and unsurprisingly, particularly enjoyed the play-time food. Here he is playing with one of the cutest little girls in the class. Actually, he enjoyed the real food too, eating his own pau before scooting sideways to bite into the uneaten pau of the girl sitting next to him.