Prison Break!

When she is being really naughty... really "moh-sii-thin" ("non-stop" in hakka)... really "banyak tangan".... this is where she'll end up....

We flood the prison with some "goodies" to keep her accompany for awhile while daddy & I quickly do our chores.
Not long after that... when "reality strike", she stood up and...

That's our girl.... :)

[Crosswalk] Slow It Down

Slow It Down

T. Suzanne Eller

"God called the light day and the darkness he called night. And there was evening and there was morning." Genesis 1:5 (NIV)

Devotion:

I was reading my Bible one day and noticed a huge mistake in Scripture. Everyone knows that morning comes first, and then evening follows. Right? But there it was in black and white. Genesis 1:5 reads, "and there was evening, and there was morning."

Of course, it was no mistake. Somehow, God started with evening -- a time of rest -- and a day's productivity came out of that.

We live in a culture where rest is often viewed in a negative light. When we work, we work hard. When we play, we play hard. We know how to fill our time with e-mail, activities, carpooling, cleaning, aerobics, and our to-do list. Our focus is work all da, and then eventually rest.

Seventeen years ago, at the ripe age of 32, I found out I had cancer. I mentioned to the doctor that I didn't have time for cancer, but cancer didn't consult my schedule. My life changed as I put aside a lot of things I once thought were absolutely vital while going through chemo, surgery, and radiation. Funny, but one thing that came out of that difficult time was a new list of priorities. The first? To balance my life.

I learned how to climb between the sheets and put aside my worries. To rest my body and my mind. To slow down when life becomes crazy and weigh what is important, and what is not. I began to see evening as the first part of my day. From rest, sprang morning.

It's a concept that changed my life. Not just physically, but also spiritually. Recently I had two speaking events sandwiched together. As the date approached, my time with my Heavenly Father became "evening." Of course I prepared, but spiritual time came first all week. Once I arrived in the city where I was to speak, I closed the door of my hotel room and listened to the heart of my Father instead of going over my notes. And out of that rest, sprang fruitful ministry. I was refreshed and filled by His presence, instead of my efforts.

How often do we run out of steam because we are out of balance? I wish that I could say that I became forever balanced. But I'm not. There are times that I have to slow it down and reconsider my priorities all over again. And if physical rest or spiritual rest has been pushed to last place, I have to put it all on the table and let God help me sort through it so I can put "evening" back where it belongs.

I have a dream... a song to sing...

What is my dream?
Oh, what dream? I've never really got into this in detail... at least not about my life. I do have dreams before. But they come, and go, and in the shortest moment of time. They don't stay inside. Most often than not, they just linger around me. I will of course remember them, but only when I started realizing that I've been walking... and walking... and running... and running... but yet, i'm not going anywhere.

So... the question lies... What is my dream? And... what is yours?

Oh... and by the way... to some...

Young -> Vision

Mid age -> Day dream

Old -> Dream

So in other words, when u day dream u are getting old... is that true?
I disagree! :p

Milestone chart: 13 to 18 months

Taken from babycentre

Child's Age	Mastered Skills (most kids can do)	Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)	Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
13 months	• Uses two words skillfully (eg. "hello" and "bye") • Bends over and picks up an object • Stands alone	• Enjoys gazing at his reflection • Drinks from a cup • Plays "peekaboo"	• Combines words and gestures to make needs known • Tries to lift heavy things • Rolls a ball back and forth
14 months	• Finger feeds • Empties containers of contents • Imitates others	• Toddles well • Initiates games • Points to one body part when asked	• Uses spoon or fork • Matches lids with appropriate containers (e.g. pots and pans) • Pushes and pulls toys while walking
15 months	• Plays with ball • Vocabulary increases up to five words • Walks backward	• Can draw a line • Runs well • Adopts "no" as his favourite word	• Walks up stairs • "Helps" around the house • Puts his fingers to his mouth and says "shhh"
16 months	• Turns the pages of a book • Has temper tantrums when frustrated • Becomes attached to a soft toy or other object	• Discovers joy of climbing • Stacks three bricks • Learns the correct way to use common objects (e.g. the telephone)	• Takes off one piece of clothing by himself • Gets fussy about food • Switches from two daytime sleeps to one
17 months	• Uses a handful of words regularly • Enjoys pretend games • Likes riding toys	• Responds to directions (e.g. "Sit down") • Feeds doll • Talks more clearly	• Dances to music • Sorts toys by colour, shape, or size • Kicks ball forward
18 months	• Will "read" board books on his own • Can pedal when put on trike • Scribbles well	• Strings words together in phrases • Brushes teeth with help • Builds a tower of four cubes	• Throws ball overhand • Takes toys apart and puts them back together • Shows signs of toilet training readiness

[Knowledge: Toddler] Milestone: Talking

Taken from http://www.babycentre.co.uk/toddler/development/speechandlanguage/milestonetalking/

Your baby will gradually learn to use words to describe what she sees, hears, feels, and thinks as she makes mental, emotional, and behavioural leaps. Researchers now know that long before a baby utters her first word, she's learning the rules of language and how adults use it to communicate.

When it develops

Children learn to talk during their first two years of life. Your baby will begin by using her tongue, lips, palate, and any emerging teeth to make sounds (ooh and ahhs in the first month or two; babbling starts shortly thereafter). Soon those sounds become real words ("mama" and "dada" may slip out and bring tears to your eyes as early as four to five months). From then on your baby will pick up more words from you, your partner, and everyone else around her. And between one and two years, she'll begin to form two- to three-word sentences.

How it develops

Your child's wail at birth is her first foray into the world of language. She's expressing the shock of being out of the confines of the womb and in a new and unfamiliar place. From then on, she's absorbing sounds, tones, and words that later shape the way she speaks.

Talking is inextricably linked to hearing. By listening to others speak, your baby learns what words sound like and how sentences are structured. In fact, many researchers believe the work of understanding language begins while a baby is in utero. Just as your unborn baby got used to the steady beat of your heart, she tuned into the sound of your voice. Just days after birth, she was able to discern your voice among others.

1 to 3 months
Your child's first form of communication is crying. A piercing scream may mean she's hungry, while a whimpering, staccato cry may signal that she needs a nappy change. As she gets older, she'll develop a delightful repertoire of gurgles, sighs, and coos, becoming a mini sound factory. As for her ability to understand lanugage, linguists say babies as young as four weeks can distinguish between similar syllables, such as "ma" and "na."

4 months
At this stage, your child will start to babble, combining consonants and vowels (such as "baba" or "yaya"). The first "mama" or "dada" may slip out now and then, and though it's sure to melt your heart, your baby doesn't quite yet equate those words with you. That comes later, when she's almost a year old.

Her attempts at talking will sound like stream of consciousness monologues in another language, endless words strung together. Vocalisation is a game to your baby, who is experimenting with using her tongue, teeth, palate, and vocal chords to make all sorts of funny noises. At this stage, babbling sounds the same, whether you speak English, French, or Japanese in your home. You may notice your child favouring certain sounds ("ka" or "da," for example), repeating them over and over because she likes the way they sound and how her mouth feels when she says them.

6 to 9 months
When she babbles and vocalises, she'll sound as if she's making sense now. That's because she's using tones and patterns similar to the ones you use. Foster your baby's babbling by reading to her.

12 to 17 months
She's using one or more words and knows what they mean. She'll even practise inflection, raising her tone when asking a question, saying "Up-py?" when she wants to be carried, for example. She's realising the importance of talking and how powerful it is to be able to communicate her needs.

18 to 24 months
Her vocabulary may include as many as 200 words now, many of which are nouns. Between 18 and 20 months, children learn words at a rate of 10 or more a day. Some learn new words every 90 minutes, so watch your language. She'll even string two words together, making basic sentences such as "Carry me." By the time she's two, she'll use three-word sentences and sing simple tunes. Her sense of self will mature, and she'll start talking about herself -- what she likes and doesn't, what she thinks and feels. Pronouns may confuse her, and you may catch her avoiding them, saying "Baby throw" instead of "I throw."

25 to 36 months
She'll struggle for a while to find the appropriate volume to use when talking, but she'll learn soon enough. She's also starting to get the hang of pronouns, such as I, me, and you. Between ages two and three, her vocabulary will increase to up to 300 words. She'll string nouns and verbs together to form complete though simple sentences such as "I go now."

By the time she turns three, your child will be a more sophisticated talker. She'll be able to carry on a sustained conversation and adjust her tone, speech patterns, and vocabulary to her conversation partner. For instance, she'll use simpler words with another child, but be more verbal with you. By now she may be almost completely intelligible. She'll be fluent at saying her name and her age, and will readily oblige when asked.

What comes next

As your child grows, she'll become more of a chatterbox. You'll scarcely remember the time when she hardly spoke at all, and you'll enjoy hearing about what projects she did at playgroup, what her friend Cassie had for lunch, what she thinks about Cinderella's wicked stepmother, and anything else that occupies her mind. She'll also start to tackle the more complicated skill of writing.

Your role

It's simple: talk to your child. Research shows that children whose parents spoke to them extensively when they were babies have significantly higher IQs than other children. Their vocabularies are also richer than those of kids who didn't receive much verbal stimulation. You can start as early as when you're pregnant, so your baby gets used to the sound of your voice. Read a book out loud or sing to your baby when you are in the bath. When the baby's born, talk to her as you change her nappy, feed, or bathe her, and give her time to respond with a smile or eye to eye contact. At around five months, you may notice her watching your mouth intently. Keep talking, and soon she'll start trying to talk back.

Baby talk has its place, but also speak in real sentences. Your child will learn to speak well only if you teach her to do so. You don't have to avoid using complicated words. While you may need to simplify the way you talk so your child will understand what you mean, the best way for her to expand her vocabulary is to hear you using new words. The same goes for toddlers and preschoolers, whose language skills will continue to grow as long as you continue to stimulate them with conversation.

Reading is a great way to help develop your child's language skills. Babies will delight in the sound of your voice, toddlers will enjoy the stories, and preschoolers may even jump in to tell you what's going on in a book.

When to be concerned

Babies with hearing problems stop babbling at around six months. If yours isn't making any sounds (or even attempting to) or eye contact with you, consult your doctor. While some kids start forming words at nine months, many will wait until they are 13 or 14 months. If your child isn't saying any words by 15 months, or you still can't understand a word she's saying, discuss the matter with your doctor or health visitor.

If by age three your child continues to drop consonants (saying "ca" for "cat," for example) or substitute one sound or syllable for another (saying "car" as "tar", for example, or "fish" as "sish"), she may have a speech or hearing problem. Talk to your GP or health visitor, who can arrange for her to be assessed.

All toddlers sometimes stammer and stutter from time to time. Sometimes they're so excited to tell you what's on their mind that they can't get the words out easily. Allow her to finish her sentences, and avoid jumping in to help her out. That can feel like a put-down and won't help her learning.

However, a persistent stutter should be checked out by a speech and language therapist. A child will usually make best progress if he is seen in the first six to 12 months after the stutter is first noticed, regardless of his age. You could ask your GP for a referral, but most speech and language therapy departments will also accept referrals directly from concerned parents.

Review: Starbucks Ikano

When you hear "Starbucks" or "Coffee Bean", you actually think, second to the coffee, it's the free wifi you get! Right, people?! People don't mind paying more for this service + an environment that is friendly.

This is my 2nd attempt being away from office... in Starbucks now.... drinking my Iced Caramel Macchiato, and yes... i don't need to look high & low for power plugs, unlike my previous experience at McD *doh!*

Power plugs are seen everywhere! It's almost like a 1:1 table & power plugs. They even provide 3-way adapters on the wall plugs, and of course I'm now sitting comfortably on the sofa. Many others are on their laptops too. I don't usually hang around at Starbucks, not to mention surf there. I don't do this often enough to know where else provide such great facilities too. Surely, there are many places provide free wifi these days. I did it before outside a mamak restaurant too! Hahaha!

So Starbucks, good job! Keep it up! :)

Another new activity for Sarah: Reading (at Month 13)

Uncle Ewe Boon & Aunty Kit Kuan gave Sarah "Tiny Treasures" for her 1st birthday. It's a collection of little books in a box. Very very cute indeed! It was still wrapped nicely in a plastic bag for until last weekend when I decided to let Sarah have a "feel" of these tiny treasures.

As always, Sarah was excited over this new "toy". She took it as a "building block" kinda toy. As you can see, they are tiny books in a box. So, she takes the books as tiny blocks and try to put them back into the empty slots in the box.

This was funny. I laughed seeing what she did with those books. One of the book was on "Fruits". She saw a banana and said "Ahmmm...", while trying to "eat it"! Another thing that impressed me was when she saw the picture of "shoes", she actually said, "shu..." :)

New activity for Sarah: Drawing (at Month 13)

Most children are able to grasp a crayon and shove it around on a piece of paper when they're about 12 or 13 months old. From then until sometime between their second and fifth birthdays, children will gradually get better and better at writing and drawing until they're able to put a few letters down on paper and, eventually, spell their own name.

Read more here.

Last weekend I thought of trying out something new with Sarah. Just a thought... that maybe she's ready to start doing something with a pencil...

Test result: Yes, she held the pencil quite correctly (or at least trying to...), and she's definitely a righty (CK, are u reading this? hehehe...) but no, i don't think she's ready to be left independent with the pencil yet... After some minutes of "drawing", she took one of the pencil and start putting it into her mouth. We'll give her some more time to learn this new skill.

p/s -
Firstly, don't give your child (if they are below 3 years of age) a pen/pencil to try out this skill. It's most dangerous should an accident occur. Though we parents are watching every second, their movement may be quicker than we thought. So, avoid such accidents, ya?! Crayons will be better option but get the non-toxic water-based crayons (I'm still in search for an ideal pack...).

Secondly, as quoted by Danielle: "it's advisable to use the thick crayon because it's better for grip. Her fine motor skill is yet to develop on the grip ... so you dont want to disturb the flow of development by giving her tiny thin pencil!" So... listen up! :)

[Knowledge: Toddler] Milestone: Writing

Taken from http://www.babycentre.co.uk/toddler/development/physical/writingmilestones/

Your child's early attempts at writing certainly won't look much like words and sentences, but his scribbles, lines, and drawings are all helping him get ready to learn his ABCs -- and perhaps someday produce the next Great Novel.

When it develops

Most children are able to grasp a crayon and shove it around on a piece of paper when they're about 12 or 13 months old. From then until sometime between their second and fifth birthdays, children will gradually get better and better at writing and drawing until they're able to put a few letters down on paper and, eventually, spell their own name.

How it develops

Over the last several months of his first year, your baby's fine motor skills will improve steadily, which will help him get ready to grab a crayon. At 12 or 13 months, some toddlers are already able to scribble; if yours needs a few more weeks, that's fine too.

Most 16-month-olds will have mastered scribbling, no doubt producing a gallery's worth of masterpieces for the refrigerator. After that, your child will gradually start moving on to bigger and better things, including colouring and painting (artistic play) at about 29 or 30 months and being able to draw a vertical line by his third birthday.

By the time he's three, your child will be able to hold a pencil in writing position. Some preschoolers will be able to make a few letters -- or squiggles that look an awful lot like letters -- and a few will even figure out how to write their own name before they begin school, especially if they've been learning the alphabet at playgroup or nursery. Many don't, though, and that's okay. Don't feel pressured to make your child learn to write before he's ready; wait until he's really interested and excited about it.

What's next

As preschoolers get more adept at using crayons and pencils, they'll start making more elaborate and accurate drawings. Between his second and fifth birthdays, your child will learn to make horizontal lines, to copy a circle and a square, and to draw people. Once he starts school, he'll soon learn to read and write.

Your role

As with any of your child's new skills, your job is to provide encouragement and support -- and, in this case, supplies. Starting as early as your baby's first birthday, be sure to have crayons and paper on hand for when he starts showing an interest in scribbling. (Skip pens and pencils until he's older -- they're much sharper than crayons and could hurt your toddler were he to fall on them or accidentally poke himself in the face). Let him practise scribbling as often as he likes, but take breaks if he gets frustrated.

Teach your child to limit his artistic endeavours to the piece of paper in front of him, although no matter how many times you tell him not to, he's bound to find the wallpaper (or the floor, or your brand-new paperback) irresistible. So be prepared to clean up after him a few times; to that end, invest in washable crayons. Try not to let him eat his supplies, although getting a little wax crayon in his system at some point is practically inevitable -- and won't do any lasting harm.

When it comes to writing actual letters, the most important thing you can do is let your child learn at his own pace. Preschoolers who are forced to read and write before they're ready can do it and will often seem to have an edge over their classmates. But studies have found that they lose that advantage as they get older and realise they can't apply the same memorising techniques they used for reading and writing to more complex learning.

Finally, be sure to talk to and read to your child as much as possible. The more language he hears, the more his brain will grow and develop, which will benefit all of his communication skills -- including writing -- in the long run.

When to be concerned

Babies develop skills differently, some more quickly than others, but if your child hasn't started scribbling by the time he's about 15 or 16 months old, bring it up the next time you see the doctor or health visitor. Keep in mind that children who were born prematurely may reach this and other milestones later than their peers.

Review: McDonald Section 14

Last week I was at Section 14, PJ McDonald. Being happy to be there to do some personal management of my files & folders (virtually) - i got myself a Happy Meal! :p

It was my first time going upstairs to have a meal here after the Restaurant's make over months ago. The environment should be better I told myself. It does look stylish from the outside! I went up to the 1st floor - rather warm. Was the aircond functioning? Hmm... I didnt know there was an "open area" there as well - for smokers. Wow! What facility! :-s

I looked around me for a power plug as my macbook battery is totally dead & i needed power to do whatever i plan to do in that few hours. I saw another couple nearby who were also looking for power source for their laptop. Hmm... OK.... looks like i am not the only one.... Actually, there were many power plugs all around us - just that.... they were all NOT working!

I decided to go up to the 2nd floor and try my "luck". Yey! It was cooler there. But funny, there was a signboard at the staircase saying that "This Section is CLOSE" - but to my surprise, the whole floor was almost filled up! There were many students doing their studies there - some with books, some with laptops. Well, again, i must say there wasnt any power plugs available. The couple from downstairs and a guy came up with me. We were all looking for the same thing but only got disappointed together.

I then decided to have a break, & finish up my Happy Meal. I got a "free-gift" for Sarah too! Hahaha... I got bored so I took some pix of it (not too many as my handphone battery was about to die too! Arrrggghhh!! What a day!)

I took out my organizer (my faithful book) & started journaling my day at McD S14! Well, at least i've something to do there besides waiting for an available plug! :p

Hubby then sms me and ask me to go KFC and get a chicky meal instead! *doh!* Wasnt willing to do that. Maybe they have non-functional power plugs as well...

Hmm... i wonder whether it is like this everyday, or it only happened that day when i decided to spend some time off from the office to do some personal planning.

Some observations...
1. Most McD customers are students - mostly college students
2. Most of these students have laptops!
3. Students who come alone - i think they are for real! Well done!
4. Students who come in pairs - most of them are boyfriends/girlfriends - i saw a few couples kept talking & teasing each other during their study time! Hmm....
5. Students who come in groups - when they come in groups, they come in same-gender-group. They seem to be rather serious in their discussions too. So, keep it up boys & girls! :p

All in all, i spent about 40 minutes in McD with my personal organizer & guess what? My pen started running out of ink too! What???! Ah well... I finished my Happy Meal and decided to walk around Section 14 until Daniel comes to pick me up @ 5! So, that's how i ended my Friday in PJ!

Some take aways for those who are planning to spend some time on their laptop & get free wifi service in a restaurant like this...
1. Check availability of seats + power plugs first before buying your food.
2. Prepare extension cord or power adapter - you might need this when you want to share the power source with someone else.
(I thought of this when I saw a guy nearby me who was sitting alone and having his laptop connected to a power plug. But guess what? After some time, he walked up to a McD staff and asked her for power plug (that is working). She pointed at the one he was using, and he answered back, "Sudah rosak-lah". OK.... means he was running on battery all the while too. *doh!*)

I guess they purposefully switch off the power supply so that people in general wont sit in there for too long. Sigh...

Free wi-fi? Woo-hoo! Yes! But, sorry, no free power plugs! Sorry, McD - that's NOT good service!

It's TLC Time!

Rough skin was felt on my hands & my feet! Arrrggghh!! This is terrifying!
Oh boy... i told myself I had better start (again) giving some TLC to my hands & feet every night. That's when I started applying lotion before bedtime. I started 2 days ago & told myself that this should be done everyday, not once a week or once a month! ...or once in a blue moon! :p

Anyway, that's what i did 2 nights ago. Everything was done in the dark as it was also bedtime for Sarah. She saw me applying lotion to my feet & hands. I put some lotion onto her foot as well and massage it lightly. She seemed to enjoy it. She offered me her other foot so that I would do the same to the latter. Hehe...

Last night, I took the lotion & sat on the bed. While applying some lotion onto my palm, Sarah sat down and position both her feet in front of me. I was tickled by her actions. She looked so cute! And yes, she remembered! Even though it was only done once the night before. I massage her feet with the lotion & I asked her "Nice?" She then said, "Mmmm..." :)

Little Sarah's Milestone: 12 to 13months

It's been about 6 weeks since I last updated about Sarah's milestones. Thank God for a healthy growth upon dear Sarah. She's learning new things, exploring new grounds & truly, bringing joy to our hearts! Now, let's see....

At Month 12 - 13:
New vocabulary:
1. "Two" and sometimes pronounced it as "tiu"
2. "Three" or "tii"
3. "No, no, no, no...." (nice tune at the end of it... hehe...)
4. "Mmmm..." (she not only utter this, but she understands that this word/sound means "nice". She first imitated me saying this when i first gave her a spoonful of cod-liver-oil. Ever since then, she will say the same everytime it's "Scott's Emulsion time"! or when something taste/feels nice!)
5. "Nose" (pointing to her nose...)
6. "Eye" (pointing to her nose... :p)
7. "Mouth" (pointing to her nose... :p) LOL!
8. "No more...."
9. "Walk walk"
10. "Night night" - we wish each other "night night" every night (even to both Mashi mashi & giraffe!)

New actions:
1. She holds out arm or leg to help me dress her. She stands, place her hands on my arms to support herself as I let her wear her pants.
2. She understands her body parts, eg. tongue, neck, leg, hands. When you ask her, "Where is ....?", she will show it to you.
3. She says "chou-chou" (means smelly in mandarin), and this time, she did not poo yet but she will walk to me, indicating wanting to go to the toilet. We went to the toilet... she attempted sitting on adult toilet bowl... (need to really watch her). I brought her potty in, she sat on it, & a second later, stand (she does this few times). I gave up... put on her diaper again... minutes later, she poo-poo in her diaper! :p (OK... OK... it's potty training time! Hehehe...)
4. Twinkle twinkle little star (imitate Pek-Pek)
5. Imitate singing (whenever I sing, she sings...)
6. Err... imitate this & that.... :p
Actually... the list of things she does goes on & on & on... she's truly an imitator of both actions & words (like a parrot!). A pretty fast learner i'd say! God bless little Sarah! :)

YouTube: Beautifully Imperfect

"It's these small things you remember; little imperfections that make them perfect for you."

Produced and directed by acclaimed and award-winning film director Yasmin Ahmad, it is a story about how imperfections make a relationship perfect.

The story shows a widowed wife talking about how she appreciated her late husband's imperfections and how the love they shared helped him to overcome those imperfections.

Id, ego, and super-ego

In his later work, Freud proposed that the psyche could be divided into three parts: ego, super-ego, and id. Freud discussed this model in the 1920 essay Beyond the Pleasure Principle, and fully elaborated upon it in The Ego and the Id (1923), in which he developed it as an alternative to his previous topographic schema (i.e., conscious, unconscious, and preconscious). The id is the impulsive, child-like portion of the psyche that operates on the "pleasure principle" and only takes into account what it wants and disregards all consequences. Freud acknowledged that his use of the term Id (das Es, "the It") derives from the writings of Georg Groddeck. The term Id appears in the earliest writing of Boris Sidis, in which it is attributed to William James, as early as 1898. The super-ego is the moral component of the psyche, which takes into account no special circumstances in which the morally right thing may not be right for a given situation. The rational ego attempts to exact a balance between the impractical hedonism of the id and the equally impractical moralism of the super-ego; it is the part of the psyche that is, usually, reflected most directly in a person's actions. When overburdened or threatened by its tasks, it may employ defense mechanisms including denial, repression, and displacement. The theory of ego defense mechanisms has received empirical validation,^[37] and the nature of repression, in particular, became one of the more fiercely debated areas of psychology in the 1990s.^[38]

I learned something new today.... :)

Id, ego, and super-ego are the three parts of the "psychic apparatus" defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche; they are the three theoretical constructs in terms of whose activity and interaction mental life is described. According to this model, the uncoordinated instinctual trends are the "id"; the organized realistic part of the psyche is the "ego," and the critical and moralizing function the "super-ego." ^[1]

Even though the model is "structural" and makes reference to an "apparatus", the id, ego, and super-ego are functions of the mind rather than parts of the brain and do not necessarily correspond one-to-one with actual somatic structures of the kind dealt with by neuroscience.

The concepts themselves arose at a late stage in the development of Freud's thought: the structural model was first discussed in his 1920 essay "Beyond the Pleasure Principle" and was formalized and elaborated upon three years later in his "The Ego and the Id." Freud's proposal was influenced by the ambiguity of the term "unconscious" and its many conflicting uses.

The terms "id," "ego," and "super-ego" are not Freud's own but are latinisations originating from his translator James Strachey. Freud himself wrote of "das Es," "das Ich," and "das Über-Ich"—respectively, "the It," "the I," and the "Over-I" (or "Upper-I"); thus to the German reader, Freud's original terms are more or less self-explanatory. The term "das Es" was borrowed from Georg Groddeck, a German physician to whose unconventional ideas Freud was much attracted.^[2] (Groddeck's translators render the term in English as 'the It').

Read more in wikipedia

[+video] No no no no.... Part 1

I personally like to hear the way she "sings" it! "No, no, no, no-oh..." :)

[+video] "Tesco or Jusco?"

Go figure! :P

[+video] Sarah... in Ikea

This video was taken 2 months ago in Ikea. She was totally in her own world... exploring new grounds! :)

Oh... finally, she sat down... resting! BUT not for long...

Been missing Sarah...

Everyday been missing her... cant wait to go back and see her and cuddle her. She's an apple of my eye. Whenever I miss her, I will see her picture or watch short video clips of her which i took from my handphone. :)

Sarah...1 year 1 month 1 week

Hi Sarah!
Wishing u Blessed 1 year, 1 month & 1 week old today! :)

Mummy is so glad to be your mummy in this lifetime. Mummy is so proud of every bit of your development - physically, mentally, spiritually & emotionally. Though you can be really playful and naughty at the same time... you truly have grown to be such a beautiful girl... daddy & mummy know that you will grow up to be a perfect lady on day - one who is strong at heart, one who is determine to achieve great things & climb up to higher heights, one who loves God and one who follows after God. Walking in His light is something we will always pray and encourage you to do. There are just too much uncertainties ahead of you (and us), yet we know that when God is by your side, there is nothing to be afraid of. We wish you well, our little one. We thank God from every bit of our hearts for giving us YOU.

Oh be careful little eyes what you see...

Oh be careful little eyes what you see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

When the little girl (at the end of the video) asked her dad, "Do you have to...?" That's when good change happened. There is always a choice to make when you're in that crossroad in life. We just gotta make the right choice, else we'll slowly fade ourselves away from the destiny God has for us.

Let us be careful with what we see & when we decide to do what we're doing. God sees beyond what we see & think... & He knows what's best for us. Pray that God will strengthen each & everyone of us to make the right decisions in our lives... from the little things to the big things.

YouTube: Slow Fade by Casting Crowns

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

Chorus:
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

Chorus:
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

Chorus:
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what you see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

Was it scary that night?

Last night upon switching off the lights for bedtime, Sarah started crying and her actions were actions of fear. It was as though there was something in the room that she was afraid off. She wasn't behaving her usual self. I was sitting on the bed with her and she kept wanting to climb on my laps. She just did not want to "touch down" the bed.

Daddy quickly prayed a prayer that Jesus will cover her with peace & grace. Daddy prayed that our room be filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit & not something bad. Minutes after that, as I hugged her tightly (and she to me), she slept through the night.

It was such a pity that she couldn't communicate what she wants or what she sees or feels. Daddy & I kept asking her what's wrong and tell her that it's OK... mummy's here, daddy's here... She just cried, shook her head and sort of wanting to tell something but couldn't. I saw the frustration she had when she couldn't communicate words with us.

Well, Sarah... the day will come when we can communicate with words, ya? Be patient. Little by little everyday, you, daddy & mummy will be able to communicate and know each others hearts ya? Bless you, our little one... Have a good rest at home & may God send His angels to surround you & guard you from any evil deeds, in Jesus' name we pray - AMEN!

Baby Sarah's Weight & Height - Month 13

Last night, Sarah got her 4th & final vaccination for pneumococcal.

We were supposed to be there on the 16th according to the doctor to get both her pneumococcal (bacteria) jab & chicken pox (virus) jab. Unfortunately, we went there last night due to convenience & found out that the reason he made the appointment date on 16th was because Sarah had her virus jab last month and we needed to wait for a month before she gets another virus jab (chicken pox) so that both vaccines wont clash with each other. Well, I guess the doctor knows best. So, since virus jab & bacteria jab don't clash, she got the pneumococcal jab this month & we'll wait for another month to get her the chicken pox jab.

So, for the record...

Month 13 (14 April 2009)
Weight=10.41kg (+0.29kg)
Height=77.5cm (+2cm)
Head circumference=44.5cm (+0.1cm)

Read previous post on baby Sarah's weight & height measurement (Month 12).

Today...

Just very briefly saying that life's been pretty busy for me lately....

There's gonna be lotsa new changes & challenges ahead of me... I guess time will only tell when I'll be updating this blog little by little about the changes & challenges that I'm facing & will be facing in the near future. As of now, it only remains in my "personal organizer" in my head & laptop! :p

I've also been "speaking in tongues" more than usual the past few days. What's speaking in tongues? Well, I wont go into details about that for now... basically, I was disturbed in my spirit. Ain't sure why. That's for God to know & for me to find out I guess. As i recall, it first happened while I was editing a short clip on Passion of Christ for Good Friday sermon. It was a simple clip, yet very difficult for me to go through the process of watching my Lord being crucified. I felt as though I was crucifying Him over & over when I was editing it. Anyway, it started then... and it continued almost everyday when I speak in tongues more than usual. Before I go to bed, in the toilet, at work, etc... Even today, 3 songs came to me one after another. Oh, God... tell me what's happening.

I had a short chat with my colleague about this and she said...

"Something has touched you, the Holy Spirit is stirring something within you... because it is spiritual, ur mind presently may not be able to comprehend it.
Praying in tongues will not allow your mind to stop or hinder that... so, just keep praying. The understanding will come later if it's to do with u/ur ministry..."

Will continue to pray... O Lord, show me Your ways... in Jesus' name i pray - AMEN!

We celebrate Your resurrection, Lord!

Thank you for the cross Lord
Thank you for the price You paid
Bearing all my sin and shame
In love You came
And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love Lord
Thank you for your nail pierced hands
Washed me in Your cleansing flow
Now all I know
Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Crown You now with many crowns
You reign victorious
High and lifted up
Jesus Son of God
Darling of Heaven crucified
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb

Sarah's "fish mouth"

Ho ho ho!
This is a MUST-POST on this blog! :D

We finally got this shot of Sarah doing the "fish-mouth". Hehehe... In previous post, she ended up doing a "pig-mouth" aka "gold-fish" from great-grandma sheela. This time, we got the shot we wanted... :p

In case anyone wonders... the answer is...

"No, I didn't teach her to do this... i guess it's just her natural talent or something. LOL!"

Sarah with Uncle Kenny & Uncle Alex
Haha... Uncle Kenny trying to do the fish-mouth too! :)

Our little girl is jealous!

Jealous? Possessive? Well... it's a trait that we saw in our little girl, and really... we wondered whether to be worried about it or to laugh at it and settle it later in the future! :p

Once upon a night at bedtime, I was lying near daddy and upon seeing that, Sarah quickly with all her greatest ability came in between both daddy & mummy. We then learned that she was probably unhappy seeing daddy & mummy so close together. OK... we got the hint! We tried again on several nights to "check on her current trait". Lo & behold, we found out that she was totally jealous when mummy is being "shared" with daddy! It was funny at the same time when we did this "test". First, she would make a sound implying that she doesn't like mummy & daddy to be close together. Actually that would be her first attempt to show her feelings and when that failed, she would then come closer to push daddy aside - far from mummy if possible! When that failed too, as we tried to "glue" ourselves together to further "test" her, she would then squeeze her way through so that she could have mummy all to herself!

WOW! Determine indeed, but yes, she has a strong character in that. She's already taking ownership at such a young age! Hmm... praying that it will be her strength when she grows up. There's a lot of good in being determine & possessive when they are used wisely.

Pray... pray... pray...

Well, if you ask us what do we do after the test? We distract her attention a little bit by asking her to hug daddy instead, and "mashi-mashi" (which is her little mashimaro bolster) and we continued to play with her a little while more before saying "Night! Night!"

Great is Thy Faithfulness

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning... new every morning
Great is Thy faithfulness O Lord
Great is Thy faithfulness

This song was being played in my mind since this morning, I believe as a reminder to me that His love & faithfulness never cease... His love is new every morning! Praise Him!