What has been happening... in a nutshell

I'll start this post off by saying that... It has not really been what I (or rather, we) have expected, but we know... God has His plans and that He is with us through it all! Praise the LORD!

I'm writing this post while sitting on a hospital bed... a bed that I have gotten myself comfortable with for the past 6 weeks. Yes, I was admitted to this hospital 6 weeks ago due to bleeding in my current pregnancy.

In a lil nutshell (for now), I am currently being monitored by the doctors and nurses for bleeding, due to low lying placenta. I am only at 26 weeks right now, and therefore, they cannot diagnose me with the condition of "placenta previa" or "which type" as yet until I am at 28 weeks.

Details of what actually took place will be written... slowly.... but surely.... haha! I seemed to have a lot of time being in the hospital. But I try not to exert myself further... yes, that means not even sitting and typing... it's just rest rest rest... lie down.... don't walk here and there... don't move too much... don't sit up for too long...

All I hope and pray is that I will go through a smooth pregnancy until delivery. I have been bleeding every now and then, and that scares me a lot. Baby is doing well. He's actively moving and kicking inside me, but each time I go through episodes of bleeding, I find myself weak... physically, emotionally and spiritually. I pray that the Lord will extend His hands of protection and bless us both baby and me with complete health and restoration. I pray that God will place in me faith as small as a mustard seed to move this "mountain" that is in front of us. My prayer is that God will give baby perfect health - perfect growth with perfect limbs and organs. He will be the most beautiful baby on earth who shines in God's glory. He will grow up to be one victorious warrior - one who will fight for the LORD... one who will grow up to be the man that God intends him to be. Nothing is too hard for Him! Amen!

Hear our cry, O Lord.... attend unto our prayer. In Jesus' name we ask and pray - Amen!

Getting started once again... (after 2 years, that is!)

Last post? April 16, 2013... WOW! That is literally 2 years ago... talk about timing! :)

And so... my blogging life may probably be revived again... it's time to journal my life... and there's gonna be a lot of it! I just need to get myself focused, organised and start my writing journey once again.

Stay tuned for more about my life journey. There's just sooooooooooooooooooooo much to share!

First post for the year 2013

Looks like....... I've not been blogging. Not something new.... and which also means, in this one post, just looking at the date of my last post, here's wishing everyone...
"Happy Deepavali 2012!"
"Blessed Christmas 2012!"
"Happy New Year 2013!"
"Happy Chinese New Year 2013!"
"Happy Valentine's Day 2013!"
"Blessed Easter 2013!"

Wow! That really speaks a lot, eh?! :p

Yup yup... here's me making some noise to say that, I'm good and well! :)

Have a pleasant and a blessed day ahead!

Do You Have a Happy Husband?

An article taken from:

Crosswalk Marriage

Do you remember the day you said “I do”?  I remember my wedding day in 1999 very clearly.  My fiancé James and I had decided to have one of his favorite seminary professors marry us.  Ours was only his second wedding to officiate, but we didn’t care about his inexperience.

Just as I approached the door leading into the sanctuary, I was shocked to hear the sound of our professor’s voice, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to bring James and Arlene together in holy matrimony.”  The only problem was, I was still standing in the hall with all the bridesmaids.  Our professor mistook a break in the music as his cue to begin the ceremony.  He got all the way to that famous line, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”  There was complete silence.  Our friends and family didn’t know whether to laugh or be mortified.

At this, my aunt started playing the piano, bridesmaids went flying down the aisle, and finally I joined my own wedding in progress!  Although it was a rough start, the ceremony continued without a hitch.  My heart was full of love.  All I wanted to do was to make my husband’s dreams come true.  Chances are that’s what you were dreaming about on your wedding day too. You wanted to make that groom of yours a very happy man.

Fast forward from that moment to the present.  Is it still your heart’s desire to make your husband a happy man?  A few years ago, my husband James and I were teaching a young-marrieds class at our church.  We looked at those newlyweds on the first day of class.  There was not a centimeter of space in between those couples.  Wives were superglued to their husbands’ sides.  Eyes were locked, hands were held, hair was twirled.  I looked over at my James who was sitting about one foot away from me.  Maybe we, the sage teachers, were the ones who needed a refresher course on touch, affection, and romance!

We were not having marriage trouble, but the tenderness and physical affection that we enjoyed during our courtship had been compromised.  Among other things, having three young children can do that!

If we are not intentional, the heat of passion turns into the warmth of companionship in marriage.  That warmth can cool into a cordial relationship that resembles two roommates rather than two lovers.  You don’t want that dull fate.  It’s not what you signed up for.  

By answering the following questions, you can quickly assess how you are doing in the marital satisfaction department.  Ask yourself if you agree or disagree with the following statements:

1. The environment of my home is warm and peaceful on most days. 

2.  I drop other things (even with my kids) to make time for my husband if he needs anything.  

3.  I never say unkind things about my husband to others.  

4.  If there’s a decision to be made, my husband has the final say.  

5.  I enjoy having sex and look forward to making love to my husband.  

6.  My husband and I talk regularly about ways to improve our sex life. 

7.  I make an effort to look attractive with my clothes, hair and makeup even on days when I only see my husband.

8.  I am a healthy body weight and exercise at least 3 times a week.  

9.  My husband and I go on a date at least once a month.

10.  We still enjoy romance, kissing once a day for at least 5 seconds.  

How did you do?  Count the statements that you agreed with.  If you agreed with 1-4 statements, your relationship is probably on shaky ground.  There are some critical areas of unmet needs that you must identify both for yourself and your husband. 

If you agreed with 5-7 statements, you have some good habits and attitudes to build on.  As you make a few key changes, you and your husband will be laughing, flirting, and enjoying each other’s company more.

If you agreed with 8 – 10 statements, you have a happy husband!  Set your sights on moving from great to unbelievable.  Be on the lookout for other women to encourage and mentor along the way.

If you scored lower than you thought you would, don’t be discouraged.  Rather use this little reality check as a guide to get you back on track.  I remember driving down the freeway and seeing a pickup truck with these bold words printed on the back window: “Happy to be here, proud to serve.”  Can you imagine those words hanging in a frequented place in your home?  When you can say with your whole heart, “I’m happy to be here as your wife and I’m proud to serve you,” your husband will want to hurry home every day because it’s the place he feels most valued and loved.

Take a look at your wedding picture today.  Then close your eyes and remember what you felt like on that day.  Happy to be here.  Proud to serve as your wife.  I can see your husband smiling already.  

Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of 31 Days to a Happy Husband and 31 Days to a Younger You.  She has been a guest on Family Life Today, The 700 Club, Turning Point with David Jeremiah, and The Hour of Power.  Arlene and her husband James live in San Diego with their three children.  Visit Arlene’s website at www.TheHappyHusband.com

Hair Product for My Permed Hair...

To manage my new curled hair, I bought these 2 products from Lucido-L :

1. Designing Whip Hair Foam

- It  gives a shiny gloss with moisture finishing.
- It keeps created style for many hours even on a humid day.









2. Hair Make Supplement (Treatment Oil)

I think this is a good buy... I felt that my hair is not so dry after applying this supplement. Well, the effect is not very very obvious yet, but at least... I know my hair's benefiting something from this product.

- It works from within to improve hair's natural moisture retaining system.
- It maintains soft bouncy curls with light weight yet moisturising oil!

A Quick Glance at My Life's Journey... (1)

My life’s journey… some major events (that I can remember) since…  December 2011:

Hair-styling…

23 Dec 2011 – Hair rebonding….

No regrets... I liked it! At least it was easy to manage. I didn't need to go through bad-hair-day for a few months! The power of rebonding! hahaha!

Six months down the line… 

30 June 2012 – Digital perm (1) + colour (copper) = RM202.00 (After discount 50%)

2 July 2012 – Digital perm (2) + treatment

I saw this pix on line (on the right), and I fell for it. I showed this pix to the hairdresser. BUT... it didn't turn out like that at all :p

In fact, the first perm didn’t turn out good. My hair was dry and I’ve got frizzy hair all over. I couldn’t bear having a “broom-feel” hair on my head. Colleague advised me to call up the salon and get it fixed. Thank God I made it there again. At 5.30pm sharp, I left office… picked Sarah up from Daycare… and headed towards HEAD LINES Salon at Kelana Jaya. Traffic was fair… Thank God!

And so, we reached the salon at about 6.40pm. There wasn’t any customer there at that time, so Sarah sat beside me at the salon. She was excited to sit on one of the salon’s chair. The hairdresser told me that if I have time that evening, he would fix my hair immediately and so, I agreed. Later when I lied down to “wash” my hair at the washing area, Sarah lied beside me as well. She was giggling all the way. Haha! She looked so cute. She was really so excited. I could see it in her expression. J

We were there for about 2 hours. Sarah entertained herself by watching movies from my handphone. And of course, she was making herself very comfortable there. For a 4 year old, I think she did pretty well as she waited patiently for mummy to finish the treatment and perm process. Anyway, this is the product of the wait…. and most importantly, I didn't need to pay extra for this fix.

Well, no doubt... it's high maintenance (well, at least to me!) I need longer time to maintain the curls on my hair... meaning to say, I've gotta wake up earlier in the morning.... AND I bought a few products to "help" me maintain my hair... AND i even googled every now and then for ways to maintain my curls! High price indeed! :p

My 24 hours....

This is now my 8^th post for the year… hahaha! And I thought that with internet at home, the number of posts will increase tremendously… BUT… it didn’t happen… what could be the reason?

Hmmm….. Busy? That’s not really a good reason though. I’m not always busy. I think I’ve mentioned this before… YET, there seem to be no time…  :p

Sigh…. Let’s just dissect the situation… I have, like everyone else, 24 hours a day…

Starting from the moment I wake up, get self and Sarah ready + travelling time to school & work + work work work + travelling back home = 13 hours;   

get dinner ready + eat + rest + bathe = 2 hours; 

sleep = 7 hours; 

miscellaneous (includes FBing, watching TV, reading, drawing, playing & leisure time with Sarah) = 2 hours…

YEP! So there goes my 24 hours every day!

There's just so little time every day... and every single second counts where spending time with our loved ones matters most. Yes, please cherish every moment you have with your spouse, children, your parents, your siblings, your relatives, your friends... and make time to pen precious moments down. Uhuh... am talking to myself here... hehe. A blogger's gotta do what a blogger's gotta do! 

So again, here I am saying... Do tune in to hear more from me, ya?! It's all about Life!

YES! I'm online!

On leave on the first day of school holidays! YES! Hehehe...

It's a happy day! I finished some house chores (very fortunately, I enjoy doing house chores! :))
Sarah played some online games as I did the chores.
After cooking, we ate together while watching Enchanted (Yeah... it's like the number donowat time we watched this... 8? 9? or 10 perhaps?). It's one of Sarah's favourite. Now, she's enjoying herself watching Enchanted while I'm here blogging! YES! Happy that I could blog a bit. I sure miss this day! Hahaha!
And of course, after 5 long months, ever since we moved back to our home, we didn't have internet connection at home... until last weekend! YES!

Sarah's been waiting for 5 months... she's been asking for it so that she could play her Barbie doll games... dressing up games... cooking games, etc.... The past months, I only allow her to play my handphone games that I downloaded and some video files that she could watch. But of course, after some time, that cant be compared to having an internet connection at home. We all been waiting actually. At first it wasnt really a need... and so 5 months have gone by. I think it's timely that we have it and be connected to the world. There's just so much we can do with it... besides the "leisure" part of it. :)


And so... YES! This is my 7th post this year! Hahaha! And more to come I believe.

We just got this package from YES! http://www.yes.my/v3/personal/devices/huddle.do

So far so good... but sometimes the walls in our house may be a hurdle to the wifi connection.

A BZ bloggers Life!

It has been....more than a mth since my last post. Indeed, I miss the times when I had "more ME time" and blogged like nobody's business. Yeah... it's a hobby that I once had time for. Maybe I just need to start it off again.

Looking at my blog archive... hmmm....
In the year 2008, i had a total of 301 posts.
2009.... 223 posts
2010.... 58 posts
2011.... 39 posts
and this year, up till end of May 2012.... 5 posts!

Check out the drop! :(
OK... I promise myself I will do something about this figure. Why? I am basically lacking of some ME time. I take blogging as part of my ME time because that's when I reflect... I write... I pen down moments that I cherish.... and share my knowledge... expand it as well... So, yep.... I shall make time for blogging. Being bz shouldn't be the reason not to blog, eh? So... wish me the BEST! :D

Interesting conversations with lil Sarah...

Some interesting conversations I had with my little girl recently....

Mummy: Sarah, look at that girl... nice or not - her make up?!

Sarah: *look look* her make up nice... but her face a bit not nice.

Mummy: ??? LOL!!

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

Mummy was driving Sarah to school. We normally would have our breakfast on the go or when we reach near her school.

Eating while sleeping?

Sarah sleeps while she eats... or eats while she sleeps? Hmmm....

Mummy : Sarah, wake up! Sleeping ar?

Sarah suddenly gave a smile (while eyes are still close)

Sarah: I'm thinking...

Mummy: Huh? Thinking? What are you thinking?

And while eyes are still close...

Sarah: Thinking of what video to watch...

Mummy: ??? LOL!!

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

Something about perfect... Unfortunately, I couldn't remember how the conversation took place, and what about?? Sigh... such a forgetful mummy am I!
Anyway, it went something like this...

Mummy: *showed Sarah something...* What do you think of this?

Sarah: Perfect!

Mummy: Perfect? Do you know what is "perfect"?

Sarah: Wonderful!

This girl amazes me at times... with all her marvelous replies. Hahaha! Truly a God-given wisdom I'd say. God bless Sarah! :)

Sarah, the lil' reader!

My little Princess is a reader! And I'm glad that she loves reading. Even when she was a little toddler, she expressed interest in reading. Now, being 4 year old (almost), she has already started reading. She recognises most words that are introduced in the books. Currently, she uses the Peter and Jane series books as her readers in class. They have not started any REAL readers as yet.

Peter and Jane series introduces words through repetition of the sight words. Some key words are used ever-so-frequently that children who are exposed to the book recognises these words and read them so confidently after much repetition.

Some children learns to read through pictures. They see a picture and they verbalise the picture with words that they know, not necessarily "reading" the words.

Well, what method works? Different methods work best for different kids. For me, I believe learning phonics sounds is very effective. The children will learn the different sounds of each letter. REAL kids introduces the phonics sounds of the alphabet through Jolly Phonics. Well, as for high frequency words... words that are being used frequently but not necessarily can be introduced phonetically, I do recommend using Peter and Jane and something alike. Hahaha! Currently, Sarah's my guinea pig!

I didnt know her kindi uses Peter and Jane until I send my girl over there. It started just last week, ie about 6-7 weeks since she started school, that I realised that she IS reading Peter and Jane. She came back one day and went to her book shelf. She took a few Peter and Jane book, ie 1a, 1b and 2a. I was just observing her as she did all that herself. And she started "reading" on her own.

When she has gained enough confidence, Sarah told me she wanted to read in front of me. After reading book 1a, she later took 1b on her own and tried to read. I think she did it pretty well. I then decided to "test" her and point words randomly for her to read. Earlier, I closed the pictures to test if she relies totally on the pictures to read. Hehehe. This mummy ar... Anyway, this is another of her great milestones. She is now learning to read and she is enjoying every moment of it. Every evening when we come home from work/daycare, she would go to her room, get some of her books and read while I do my cooking. Way to go, girl. Am really proud of you! :)

Here's a video of little Sarah reading Peter & Jane... and also, mummy's "random test". kekeke. My apology that the video + audio don't seem to be in sync.

CNY resolution...

Happy Chinese New Year 2012 to everyone!

It's the 2nd day of CNY... so i guess this is a new year's post! People reflect about their life on 31st December of every year so that they can prepare themselves for the new year and perhaps think of some new resolutions for the new year. This time, I reflect about my life twice! And yes, i have some resolutions for the new year (extended version of the one from 31st December 2011! hahaha!)

#1 Make time to beautify myself. I think i have lacked lots of this. I did my hair rebonding before Christmas and right before CNY, i went to a beauty salon to get my eyebrows shaped. haha! The lady that shaped my brows told me that i need to do facial too - well, at least to get rid of my blackheads! I've been wanting to do that but it was never a priority in my life... and so I used to just think about it and later left it to fade away with the wind. (sigh) So, after this CNY, i will do just that.

#2 Spend more intimate time with my loved one. Sometimes, i've been so selfish and thought that everything should be done my way. He didn't do this, he didn't do that... but then again, i think it's me. I have lacked doing this and that for him. Spend more quality time with my hubby and not look at the negative things that affects our lives. It's not just about doing house chores and making sure the house look good and neat. How about the hearts in the house i called home? yeah... good reflection!

#3 To shout less and relax more. Hahaha! I think this may be quite tough to do especially when she is just testing my patience almost all the time. However, i know it's something I have to re-learn. My patience grew less... is it because of her? I guess i got frustrated more than before because I became so bossy and wanted things to be perfect. Yes! things must be done my way. More stress is making me a horrible person. yeah... gotta change things here.

So, in this new year's reso (extended version), i need to get a more balanced life. I need to be a more loving wife, an understanding mum and of course, i must learn to love myself and take care of my beauty both inside and out! So yes, that's summarizing what I must do in the coming days... weeks and months ahead!

I believe when we get into the root of things, we're able to get things right, and easily too. Lord, surely You're in this too! Thank You for this reminder. Thus, I read this article about "Happy Parents Make Happy Kids", in my previous post. It's not about finding out how to discipline the child... how to teach a child good manners, etc. Sometimes, it's not about looking at the product and complain and finding out solution to solve the product flaws. Sometimes, it's about looking back at the factory that produces it. LOL!

Here's wishing everyone once again... a very Blessed Chinese New Year 2012! Live your life to the fullest this year! We all deserve a better life - you and your loved ones! God bless!

Article: Happy Parents Make Happy Kids

Article is taken from http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/parenting/happy-parents-make-happy-kids.htm

By using indicators such as achievement tests, teachers' descriptions of children in classes, and their own interviews, analysis of relationships and other observations, Carolyn Pape Cowan and Philip Cowan, husband-and-wife psychologists at the University of California have concluded that it is possible to predict how well children will do emotionally, socially and academically.

The key? How the parents are doing. That's true, whether the parents are together or separated, and matters more than the number of hours with their children. Even in cases where mothers truly care about the development of their sons and daughters, says Carolyn Cowan, spending every possible moment with them when they get home from work, "the children do not fare well if the adults aren't taking care of themselves and their relationships."

She adds: "It's not just the quality of the mother and father's relationship with the child, but how they're managing as a couple that affects how well kids do. Not many couples truly share the load equally, but where it does feel shared, the husband and wife are happier as a couple and their parenting is more effective and nurturing."

Overall, the Cowans believe half of how children turn out is probably genetic and beyond parents' control. But their research suggests that about 15 percent of what happens to children can be attributed to what parents have done, 15 percent to how the marriage is going, and another 15 percent from the history of the family — for example, the parents' own experiences as children. That's equally true, they say, for divorced or separated parents and stepparents.

Lessons, according to the Cowans:

• Make your relationship a priority. Schedule time together. Make it happen. If a long night out isn't possible, at least try for a regular hour here and there.
• Make yourself a priority. Take breaks for yourself. Find time for friendships.

"Frazzled people with the best intentions but who are not themselves getting nurtured and befriended — and getting relief from looking after kids and family — are just not going to be as available with the energy it takes to be a strong parent," says Carolyn Cowan. "Those kids will not do as well.

Sarah's first day at school

I've missed posting a blogpost with photos of my lil girl's new experience... another new milestone for her and I am so proud of her!

January 6th, 2012 marks the day that she started wearing her preschool uniform :)
She looks so cute on it (though i got one size bigger for her because she grows very very fast!)
It was her first day at school but it lasted only 2 hours because it was the orientation week. Those who were there early came into class, put down their bags, and the teachers labelled all water tumblers so that there will not be any mixed up. The kids then go to the different corners of the room to play. Some played blocks, some draw, some read books. It started off at 8.30am when her class teacher, Ms Lorraine, brought everyone in class (15 of them altogether, but only 13 were present at that time..) around the school. Anxious parents like me walked behind the kids and joined the visit-around-the-school. Hahaha! We were all allowed to be there even though, personally, I know we should just leave the kids to the good hands of the educators :) However, I'm all excited with my camera and took some photos of Sarah in her first experience in school. Hehehe...

At 9, the kids had their coco krunch snack. After that, a walk to the toilet for everyone, and then it was story-telling time. At about 9.45 I rushed back to the office to do some work :p By 10.40, I was at the gate to pick girl up... and she asked me, "Why you come so late?" I was really sorry to her... as when i left, i didnt even tell her that i was going to the office for awhile. Else, she would have understood. In the car, I asked her this and that... what did they do after story telling? Did they sing any songs? Did they play in the playground? etc etc... Her answer at that time was, "Why ask so many questions?" Ah doi... this girl... Anyway, to conclude, she did tell me a lil more about their activities I missed... they did the "Chicken dance", sang "I'm a Little Teapot", and... she told the teacher that her "Message file" is not hers... because her bag couldn't zip up due to its size. LOL! I think she's doing good at school for a start.

Today, 9th January 2012 marks another day of her milestones.... first time at the Day Care! Yes, she will be in school for 10 hours. After work, I'll be picking her up and we will travel back together. I will have strings of questions to ask her about her school and I guess, she will answer me, "Why ask so many questions?" :)

I'm so proud of her. She's really growing well. I pray for God's hands of protection upon her at school. May the Lord sees her through in her learning and development. May she be a blessing to all around her, even young as she is. Lord, I commit my lil princess into Your loving hands... in Jesus' name I pray... AMEN!

(no photos yet... as i didnt bring my cable to transfer the pix fr my hp. :p)

My Sarah has grown aggressive... =(

Please pray for us...

Sometimes I felt I am in a very helpless situation... seeing my lil princess reacts and behaves very badly towards her surroundings, the people around her and even with me and daddy. It's sad to be in this position when I personally do not know what to do and help her out. Daddy & I must really pray for her... and please, pray for us too.

Recently she becomes more aggressive and started hitting and throwing tantrums that are worst than before. Helpless we may be, we're praying for the LORD to lead us... At the same time, I go for on-line help and found this article from baby centre about aggression and how we are to go about it. I hope this will help many parents like us in dealing with a 3-4 yo child whom I believe is also feeling helpless and wonders why the change in their behaviour at this stage. Who knows? They might be clue-less and yearns for us parents to help them come out of this "agony"....

Here's the article:

Why preschoolers get aggressive

There you are, watching your little angel through the window at preschool, thinking how blessed you are to have her. All of a sudden, she draws back her little hand — and whacks another child squarely on the nose.

Shocking as it may be to you (and to the other parents who witness it), aggression is a normal part of a preschooler's development. Indeed, lots of children this age grab toys from classmates, hit, kick, or scream themselves blue in the face from time to time. Sometimes the cause is a simple case of fear: Your child might lash out if she feels cornered by another youngster, for instance. Other triggers have less to do with instinct and more to do with circumstances. After all, your preschooler's learning a host of new skills, from using scissors to speaking in complex sentences. She can easily become frustrated with everything she's trying to accomplish and end up pouncing on a playmate. If she's attending daycare or preschool for the first time, she's also getting used to being away from home. If she feels resentful or neglected on top of everything else, she might just retaliate by shoving the kid who won't get out of her face. And sometimes, your youngster is simply tired and hungry. She doesn't quite know what to do about it, so she responds by biting, hitting, or throwing a tantrum.

The good news is, your preschooler will eventually outgrow her aggressive behavior as she discovers how to use words instead of fists and feet to solve her problems. The key is helping her realize — sooner rather than later — that she'll get better results from talking out a dispute than she will from yanking a friend's hair.

What you can do about aggression

Respond quickly. Try to respond immediately when you see your preschooler getting aggressive. It's tempting to wait until she's hit her brother for the third time before saying, "That's enough!" (especially when you've already reprimanded her a dozen times in the last hour). Even so, it's best to let her know instantly when she's done something wrong. Remove her from the situation for a brief time-out — for a preschooler, three or four minutes is plenty. The idea is for her to connect her behavior with the consequence and figure out that if she hits or bites, she'll miss out on the fun. No matter how angry you are with her, try not to yell, hit, or tell your preschooler she's bad. Rather than getting her to change her behavior, this simply teaches her that verbal and physical aggression are the way to go when she's mad. Instead, set a good example by controlling your temper and calmly pulling her out of the action.

Stick to the plan. As much as possible, respond to aggressive acts the same way every time. The more predictable you are ("Okay, you shoved Tina again — that means another time-out"), the sooner you'll set up a pattern that your preschooler comes to recognize and expect. Eventually it'll sink in that if she misbehaves, she gets booted out of the fun — the first step in controlling her own behavior. Even if she does something to mortify you in public, stick to the game plan. Most parents understand your situation — after all, we've all been there before. If people stare, toss off a wry comment like "Don't you just love this age?" and then handle the episode the way you see fit.

Talk it out. Let your preschooler cool down, then calmly discuss what happened. The best time to do this is after she's settled down but before she forgets the whole thing — ideally, 30 minutes to an hour later. Ask if she can explain what triggered her outburst ("Jenny, why do you think you got so mad at Tina?"). Explain that it's perfectly natural to get angry sometimes, but it's not okay to shove, hit, kick, or bite. Suggest better ways of showing how mad she is: by kicking a ball, pounding her fist into a pillow, finding an adult to mediate the dispute, or simply voicing her feelings: "Tina, I feel really mad because you took the purple crayon."

Now is also a good time to teach her to walk away from infuriating situations and people until she can think of a better way to respond than letting her fists fly. You can help your youngster deal with her anger by reading books together on the topic. Try Mr. Rogers'sLet's Talk About Feeling Angry, Aliki's Feelings, or Jane Martin's Now Everybody Really Hates Me.

Reinforce responsibility. If your preschooler's aggression damages someone's property or makes a mess, she should help make it right again. She can glue a broken toy back together, for instance, or clean up the crackers or blocks she hurled in anger. Don't frame this action as a punishment, but rather the natural consequence of a belligerent act — something that anyone would need to do if he or she broke something.

Also make sure your preschooler understands that she needs to say "I'm sorry" when she oversteps her bounds — even if you have to lead her by the hand to the offended party and say it for her. Her apologies might seem insincere at first, but the lesson will eventually sink in.

Reward good behavior. Rather than paying attention to your preschooler only when she misbehaves, try to catch her being good — when she asks for a turn at the computer game instead of snatching the mouse away, for instance, or gives up her swing to another child who's been waiting. Tell her how proud of her you are. Show her that self-control and conflict resolution are more satisfying — and get better results — than shoving other kids into the next century. Keep a special calendar on the refrigerator or on her bedroom bulletin board, and reward her with a colorful sticker when she manages to keep her temper in check.

Limit TV time. Innocent-looking cartoons and other so-called children's shows are often rife with shouting, threats, shoving, and hitting. So try to monitor the programs your preschooler sees by watching them with her — particularly if she's prone to aggression. If something happens on a show that you don't approve of, talk to her about it: "Did you see how that girl pushed her friend to get what she wanted? That wasn't a very good thing to do, was it?" (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids this age see no more than an hour or two of "quality" television a day — yet another reason to skip that show in the future.)

Don't be afraid to seek help. Some kids have more trouble with aggression than others do. If your preschooler's behavior is frequent and severe, interferes with school or other organized activities, and results in physical attacks on children or adults, consult her pediatrician. Together you can try to get to the root of the problem and decide if a child psychologist or psychiatrist is needed. Sometimes an undiagnosed learning or behavior disorder is behind the frustration and anger; sometimes the problem is related to family or emotional difficulties. Whatever its source, a counselor can help your youngster work through the emotions that tend to lead to aggression, and learn to control them in the future. More than likely, professional help won't be necessary — but if your preschooler does need some counseling, it'll be a relief to know that you don't have to deal with the problem on your own.

Busy spells...

The busy spell hit me again these few weeks... our teachers' training had finally came to an end ! :p yeah, that was last week. Past month was crazy and the past 2 weeks were crazier! Had to juggle with so many tasks with so little time. But praise the Lord, it is over and I can breathe a little.

My manager who was the main trainer was even stressed with the whole event as there were a few trainings happening at the same time and back-to-back as well. I thank God i'm not in her shoe! hehehe...

Anyways, it's all over for now... but other tasks awaits us. It's back to crazy work! Working till late night is tiring for me, and as lil Sarah demands for my attention whenever I get back home, I sometimes had to reject her. It's sad I know... :( but my physical body + mental capacity limit me. She would want me to draw for her, read to her, etc... however, my reply for the past week was...

Mummy : Not now, girl... mummy's very very tired and mummy needs to sleep

Sarah : That's why... I told you to stay with me. If you stay with me, you will not be tired-lor...

Mummy : But mummy have to work so that mummy can earn more money to buy you many things you need. Buy new books, new toys....

Sarah : Barbie doll?

Mummy : Yes, barbie dolls too....

Sarah : But no space already! So many books, so many toys... then no more space already...

Well, OK... i got the hint. Actually the only thing she demands from me is my attention. It is really never my intention to get so carried away with work. I do hope and pray that in the very near future, I can live a more balanced life. Work is work... but my family... IS my life. I'm praying for God's continuous guidance upon my life, my family... my dear, my girl and myself. Nothing means more than being with my family. Though I enjoy my work but I know... I need to strive for a balanced life. I pray all these in Jesus' name, Amen!

1 week after the BBW...

... that was literally 1 week after the Big Bad Wolf sales and some story-telling times with my lil princess!

Sarah : Mummy mummy... i tell you something (she came to whisper in my ear)... allinthewestwing!

Mummy : Huh? Again?!

Sarah : allinthewestwing

(I had to ask her 3x to understand what she meant! hehehe!)

Mummy : Oh... All in the west wing!

Sarah : The clock said it! :)

Well, guess what? Last night, she asked me to read her the same story... not too sure how many times i've read to her already... :) I'm fine with reading to her the story books (again) at night, but at times, my body's just so tired after a long day at work. But anyway, last night was another "cute" night spent with my lil princess.

And so, mummy here flipped open the first page of Beauty & the Beast... and started yawning.

Sarah : Mummy, read!!!

Mummy : (yawn!!!)

Sarah : Once upon a time... Mummy, read!!!

Mummy : Oh, you remembered! OK... Once upon a time...

Sarah : Mummy, I don't want "and then... and then... and then..." OK? Not nice!

Mummy : OK OK... Once upon a time...

Mummy here started reading the story, and after the first page, I paused and closed my eyes. She didn't see my closed-eyes and said "tringgg!" instead. Hahaha! That was the exact sound effect from the CD when the page is to be turned. I just had to carry on. Her "tringgg!" just woke me up! :)

And then, there was one part in the story when Belle came to look for her father in the castle.

Mummy : .... Belle said, "Papa, we've got to let you out of here!"

Sarah : There! Not here!

I looked at the words again... it was "there", and not "here". That really amazed me! She could remember some parts of the story word for word! And I also noticed her mimicking the movement of my lips as I read to her the story.

Another milestone for Sarah in her reading development! God bless her!

the BIG BAD WOLF!

It was the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale.... and I went there 3 rounds cuz it's really such a worth-to-go sales! :D

First was a trip made with my team-mates in the curriculum department. hehe... konon-lah source and buy books for the department (of cuz we did that! hehe...), but I also did my own shopping le (killed 2 birdies with 1 stone!) And I went back there again in the evening after work to buy more books and also found out some books I wanted have been sold out!

Few days later, I thought I must go there again to get some more books that I've missed! hehehe... so we went there again just before leaving for Melaka that Saturday! (the temptation was too great to bear! :D) Anyway, this round, I went with lil Sarah & hubby. Of cuz, hubby's reaction was like... "WOW" when he stepped in. He didnt tell me that, but I just know :p

He bought himself a whole box of books too! ha!

Got more books for Sarah... and then again, the 2 books that I wanted weren't there anymore. Sigh... they're all up for grabs (literally!)!

OK-la.... that's for the sales. Well, bought a few princess books for Sarah. I didn't want to pamper her with princess stuffs, but the sales were just too good to be true! And so, I got her many many books which include 1 "big" princess book and 4 other "smaller" ones... :p

It would be pampering if I got her the whole volume (which is really really a good deal!), but no... I decided to close one eye and just got her a few.

This is how the "big" book look like...

This became one of her favourite story books. She would ask me to read it to her each time I return home from work.

My first attempt in reading her the book went like this:

Mummy read the whole "Beauty & the Beast" story... (without reading the text... in other words, using my own words).

Mummy : So you like the story?

Sarah : (thougth for a moment...) Why got so many "and then" one?

Mummy : Oh, you don't like it?

Sarah : (shook head) Why always "and then... and then... and then... and then..." one?

Mummy : Really? OK, next time when mummy read, no more "and then... and then... and then" OK?

Sarah : OK!

I didn't realise that I kept saying "And then" at the beginning of every page... haha! She was really showing attentiveness while listening to mummy! :)

And so... the very next day, she asked me to read to her the same story book...

Mummy : (testing her memory...) What words that you didn't like Mummy to say?

Sarah : And then.... :)

Mummy : OK-lah... so today, i will read to you from the book, OK?

Mummy read the first line of Beauty and the Beast....

Mummy : How is it? Nice?

Sarah : Yes! Don't want "and then... and then... and then... and then..." OK?

Mummy : OK! :)

She's literally my "ah-counter"! LOL!

And well, since there is a CD that came along with the book, it's now in the car and every time she's in the car, she would request for "Belle's story" or "Little Mermaid's story" or "Snow White's story"

So, thus the season of the princesses' tales.... thanks to the BIG BAD WOLF!

Some of the "Y" questions that I couldn't answer...

When the Macbook's startup screen appeared, Sarah asked....
Sarah: Mummy, why the apple like this one? Who bite the apple?
Mummy: Err.....


While reading some of her favourite fairy tales....
Sarah: Mummy, why all the prince have long hair one? Why, mummy?
Mummy: Err.....

Ready for School!

Oh yes... she is ready indeed! :)

Almost every week when we chat about going to school, she would get so excited and commented that she wants to go to school (tomorrow) or (later).... and that she can't wait to follow mummy to school (whenever I'm on duty in the centre on Saturdays). However, I must remind her that going to school is not always about playing or watching cartoon (which she does presently when she follows me). It is about learning and studying... and making new friends... and following the teacher's instructions and making the teacher and everyone else happy! :)

Last weekend was "Open Day" for REAL kids. And so, after work, we headed to the "chosen" centre for my lil princess.

Sarah's gotten her new uniform. Oh yes... it's the new REAL kids uniform which I think looks really nice. No problem getting Sarah on it as it IS a dress. Hahaha! Here's lil Sarah in her new uniform. Check out her smile... :)

I'm as excited as she is (I guess). A new stage for me as a parent and for her as a student! This is really exciting! Praying that everything will go on smoothly. Thank You, Lord for Your blessings! :)