Hospitalised for food poisoning

Posted on July 26, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

It has only been like yesterday since we got discharged from hospital but since last Friday, T1 came home with a tummy ache and then the runs and then consecutive runs for 3 entire days. My immediate reaction was CANTEEN FOOD! But her other classmates were OK. So.......click to learn what next.

Making Paper Jewelery – Project at Nana’s

Posted on July 26, 2010July 26, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

As explained earlier about T1's weekly stay at Nan's, on her 2nd week, she made Mommy some paper jewelery from cut out magazines, then rolled them using a thin chopstick and glued together to make little paper beads. Awesome! She excitedly presented me with 2 boxes, pink and.......click to learn what next.

How to play horsey with your children

Posted on July 26, 2010July 26, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Scene venue: Master Bedroom on MY bed After much begging and whinging that I NEVER play with her, I relented but only for awhile, I made her promise. It started out innocent enough, with T1 sitting on my stomach.......and then T2 decided she wanted to join in the.......click to learn what next.

Monkey traps in KL?

Posted on July 26, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

You heard right. Just 100 yards from our home, stands a large green metal container, about 7 by 7 feet high and wide, that we pass by everyday on our way home from school. And on lucky days, we'd catch the monkeys at lunchtime with food strewn across.......click to learn what next.

Project paper mache at Nana’s

Posted on July 25, 2010July 22, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Ever since we managed to convince T1 that staying at Nana's over the weekend was way more fun (we threatened her with balls and chains literally) than hanging out at home, she's settled into a new weekend routine much to Uncle Ben and Nana's dismay excitement. And it's.......click to learn what next.

Narcissism is prerequisite for success

Posted on July 24, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

I read that today. How interesting. It obviously has some truth in it as I have always wished I was more vain. If I were more vain, I'd be slim and looking great, not living my life as a dowdy Ah Sow, on a daily basis. My daughter,.......click to learn what next.

Learning Similes

Posted on July 24, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

What the hell are similes, you may ask, especially if you are not an English Teacher? Well, I had no clue. A simile is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things with similar properties, for example, I am as busy as a bee, T2 is as cool.......click to learn what next.

Interpreting a 5 year old’s sketch

Posted on July 24, 2010July 24, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Observe the above sketch by T1 and tell your story. Then read below to see how near or far you were *wink* According to T1, . . . . . . . . She is at a movie shoot! And the camera man is saying "Great one!" to.......click to learn what next.

Math Mania

Posted on July 24, 2010July 22, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Because I have so little time to spend with T1, she usually passes her time alone either playing, watching TV or doing her workbooks. I'm lucky in that I don't have to force this girl to do her workbooks as she actually enjoys doing them herself at her.......click to learn what next.

Burung Kakak Tua

Posted on July 23, 2010July 22, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

What is little T2 looking at so curiously? On a daily basis, T1 will entertain T2 as she needs a platform to perform. She needs an audience and who better to pick than her own little baby sister, who is always enchanted by Che-Che's songs, moves and grooves.............click to learn what next.

Flykidz at Solaris

Posted on July 20, 2010July 14, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

After a long time of begging, we finally allowed T1 to start the gym this year. But we've stopped everything else. I find this a suitable gym for this age group as they teach the kids some solid gymnastic skills (like handstands, cartwheels, roll-overs, somersaults, balance beams and.......click to learn what next.

Should babies watch TV?

Posted on July 19, 2010July 14, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

When T1 was a baby, I allowed her to watch those Baby Einstein videos that were supposed to stimulate babies. Those days, they weren't available in KL and we had to either purchase them overseas or stole them from friends. At some point, they made it to KL.......click to learn what next.

Preschooler’s questions on outer space

Posted on July 18, 2010July 19, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Because the Hubs has an astronaut friend who got launched into space, T1 has naturally been exposed to all things space having attended the launch itself in Florida. She also excitedly received this very good book on space from a very dear friend from London which she has.......click to learn what next.

Born to be the teacher’s pet

Posted on July 17, 2010July 14, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

That'll be my T1. Every other day, she comes home from school 'boasting' about how her teacher always asks her to help. Of course, she only dares 'boast' to me. She isn't allowed to do it otherwise. Either help in the canteen or help in the classroom, almost.......click to learn what next.

5 year old who cries after fun

Posted on July 14, 2010July 11, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Ever since T1 was 3 years old, she would cry after a holiday. I don't know why. She'd cry every time we came home and we'd have to endure her dramatic tears and sadness for a few hours. It was almost like she'd sink into a depression after.......click to learn what next.

6 year old doing homework

Posted on July 12, 2010July 10, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

T1 goes to a school reputed for slave-driving kids with academic pursuits and lots of homework but really, she doesn't get much homework at all. Not to me anyway. I've seen kids with lots more, or perhaps she does it independently and quickly that it doesn't appear to.......click to learn what next.

Creative Play in Children

Posted on July 11, 2010July 10, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

I love it whenever I see T1 entertaining herself with creative play because I think it is so important to be creative in this day and age what with all the commercialism that is thrown at our kids every single day. Here she was a hill (and she.......click to learn what next.

Stone Dinosaur

Posted on July 10, 2010July 10, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Since she is always alone and having to entertain herself most of the time, T1 makes up her own games and songs a LOT! The other day, she asked me if I've seen her stone dinosaur trick. She clasped her hands together almost like praying, in a joint.......click to learn what next.

The importance of sleep in children

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

According to Doctor Marc Weissbluth, a children's sleep expert, and the late Tracy Hogg, who was my life saviour for T1 (and the best book I'd recommend for every new mother), most people underestimate the importance of sleep in children. Especially in Asia, where I see most kids.......click to learn what next.

Match made in Psycho Land

Posted on July 8, 2010July 4, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

My brother Ben and T1 have the most symbiotic relationship - mid thirties single creative male and five year old single creative brat, and they get along like a house on fire. These two are such a riot. They can talk rubbish all day long and laugh all.......click to learn what next.

The reading pooper

Posted on July 7, 2010July 7, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

T1 now reads every time she sits on the pooper and she poops every single day. Sometimes, twice a day. Coincidentally, T2 squeezed out 10 inches (TEN INCHES, MY FRIENDS!!! And just for the record, she had already had 2 poops yesterday) of toothpaste poop onto my hand.......click to learn what next.

All from the same genes, Mama…..

Posted on July 7, 2010July 6, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Today, T1 wanted to eat THREE nectarines consecutively and I said NO. She is so lucky that she has a Nana who indulges her in such expensive fruit and this girl has damn expensive taste! She likes cherries, she likes nectarines and peaches, she likes Japanese Fuji Apples.......click to learn what next.

Developing compassion in children

Posted on July 6, 2010July 4, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

One of the very important things children need to learn from the start is to have empathy and compassion. According to the fabulous book above, children who have a higher emotional quotient get ahead in life at a much faster pace and go much farther in life. That.......click to learn what next.

Making Star Angels

Posted on July 5, 2010July 4, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

T1 is very good at entertaining herself by designing little games or composing rhymes and songs and tunes or choreographing dance steps. Here she improvised the usual snow angels to star angels since she claims we don't have snow in Malaysia. It involves flapping both hands and feet.......click to learn what next.

Encouraging fine motor skills in kids – For the love of scones…..

Posted on July 2, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

T1 has inherited the love of Scones from my mother and we three are really the scone experts as we have tried so many scones in so many places! And the best still goes to the ones Jo taught me how to make, thanks again, Jo! Recently, T1.......click to learn what next.

Monkey see, Monkey do?

Posted on July 2, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Now you all know how much my baby loves those crappy baby bites that I really don't like her eating but give it to her because she hardly likes anything else thus almost everyday, you'd be able to catch her with one at some point when Mommy gives.......click to learn what next.

A keen observer

Posted on July 2, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Can anyone recognise the atrium above? T1 excitedly told us that the colours on the columns change and illuminate at every 10 seconds. Did you know that? I have been to that mall so many times and I never notice things like that! But trust a 5 year.......click to learn what next.

Toy Story 3 with my 2 girls

Posted on July 2, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

This last holiday, I took the girls out with T1's school mates to watch Toy Story 3 at The Gardens. Of course, it was T1's day out, T2 just tagged along as a matter of course. Actually, she asked if she could stay home alone so she could.......click to learn what next.

School Holiday Indoors – the establishment of a new habit

Posted on July 1, 2010July 1, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

T1 has always loved reading although there was a time she went off it for awhile when there were too many activities happening (all those darn extra classes, play dates with friends etc) and she discovered TV! Then I had to encourage her to read beyond her ability.......click to learn what next.

What T1 did during the school holidays

Posted on June 30, 2010June 24, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Well, apart from spend our first week of holiday shuttling to the hospital, we spent our second holiday week recuperating from the hospital stay! No visits to the zoo, no holidays at the beach, no playgroups. We just stayed at home all week. We went to watch Toy.......click to learn what next.