Saturday 30 April 2016

ZY and his cute kiddy voice

I still remember how I jotted down the early words of ZK and made video and voice recordings frequently. But poor ZY, being the second kid of a busy mama, there has been few such records! And his voice is soooo cute - need to make more effort..

Last night, or rather, very early this morning when he woke for milk, he said a lot in his sleepy state. It was a reminder for me to do this - today, I shall just pour out all I remember about ZY's speech.

While we weren't too sure when ZK meant what he said when he went "papa" and "mama", we were very sure when ZY meant them when he uttered those words. And he called ZK "didi" for the longest time - this boy wanted to be the big brother! Sorry, dear boy, you're two years too late! He eventually learned that ZK is "gege".

Speech seemed to come earlier and more easily to ZY though he used less hand signs. Very soon, he was saying all kinds of things. Found him singing baa baa black sheep and row row row a boat this week, way clearer than back in December!

Saying cheese for the check in/out photos


"妈妈,出来" as he holds the door open for me in the morning.

"Cannot open" as he tried to open a small tub of play dough, with a grimace on his face.

"Don't want!" - self-explanatory.

"So angry, go away!" when he doesn't like what someone is doing - just where did he get that from?!

"I don't like it!" when he doesn't like his food or when he is just following what ZK says.

Just the other day at dinner, I was telling ZK to eat so that he could be big and strong, and this exchange happened:

ZK: I'm big!
ZY: Yangyang bigger!
ZK: I'm bigger!
ZY: Yangyang so big!
Sito: I'm biggest!!

They kept repeating it so I captured bits of it:


A couple of days later, I was telling ZY that he was so big and strong, and he said "Gege big and strong!" So sweet :)

So this morning, I was up at 3 am. At about 4 am, I heard them come out of the room and the light was switched on. I walked out to see this little boy with his eyes 90% closed, lugging his two bolsters with him.

mf: Yangyang... 没有睡觉?要奶奶啊?
ZY: Go away, Mama.. Kakak make..
mf: Ok ok, Mama will sleep, ok?
ZY: *nod nod*
mf: Kiss kiss?
*muack*
mf: Hug hug?
*hugs*
ZY: 晚安, Mama.. Go in the room!

So I followed the direction of his finger back to my room. As I closed the door, he said 晚安 again :)

Oh, and he is, at this moment, more bilingual than ZK. Yesterday, when I went to pick up the kids after telecommuting, ZY had some toys in his hands and I asked him to 收玩具 so he repeated that as he dismantled the blocks and dropped them back in the box. He will also volunteer 谢谢 and 再见 without us prompting him to use Mandarin.

But I must be true to my heart - I can see that he is slowly saying more and more English... Gosh, please don't also let this boy tell me that he is an English boy, not Chinese boy! (Yup, his brother said that already, more than once!)

Saturday 23 April 2016

"We're going to Penang!"

I was looking forward to this trip - until morning sickness hit. Then I dreaded it. But two of the three days were actually very very good.

Friday, 25 Mar 2016

We woke super early. We as in the adults. The kids found it normal *.* Tucked them in matching outfits and we were off to the airport!

The very-worth-it-even-if-used-once stroller


There was some issue checking in - they automatically assigned me to a bassinet seat even though we had chosen other seats at time of booking. But as the whole village was going, we just swopped around so I wasn't with ZY on my own.

This ZK has become a poser!


Little Clan :)


The Silkair flight was pretty uneventful, especially as ZY took a little nap. I had my sng muay so I survived too.

We arrived in Penang by 9.30 am, met our driver and off we went!

First stop - Snake Temple where there were real snakes!


Took a trip up Penang Hill where the kids took turns to nap. The tram ride up was rather steep and fast. Quite fun!

ZK first - the stroller was big enough for him to lie down!


ZY fell asleep in Mum's arms shortly before ZK woke and vacated the stroller


And ZK had a meltdown after discovering that he was sleeping in the stroller cos "it's for babies". He was so angry with me for putting him there, and wanted Papa, not me. Psst: It was actually Papa who put him sleeping in the stroller! Wahahahaha!

We didn't do much on Penang Hill. Too hot to walk about. The mummies stayed in the shade while the rest ventured out a little. Then it's off for lunch!

Penang Laksa... Not my fave.. I had a spoonful from Sito's


Ordered some soup noodles for the kids. This is one trip we were fairly confident that there would always be something they would eat. Unlike Spain..

Ban chang kuih in the middle of nowhere!


很用心


ZK liked the peanut butter one!


ZY had some too!


Our room! Messy immediately...


Walked a long while - or what seemed a long while - to find the famous chendol. It was so hot and ZK wasn't walking properly. Luckily ZY was in the lovely stroller. It was a bit tight in the shop with the stroller but we managed. At least ZY had a seat!

Very, very good!


We also ordered a lot of other things, like char kway tiao and wu xiang etc. But gosh, I was too tired to really enjoy it... And hot, very hot...

Went back to the hotel to rest for a while before the driver picked us up for dinner at Gurney Drive. It was a comfy enough ride but when we got out of the bus, I had a horrid moment when I thought I was going to throw up - the sea, at low tide! Yikes!

We didn't manage to eat what we wanted cos they only operated for lunch. So it was just normal zi char for us.

The mixed pot of bah kut teh in the middle cost some 40 RM?!


ZK went to sleep with Mum and Dad so we just settled ZY and I dropped off to bed. Sito went out with the rest for tang yuan.

And this is the place - I was kind of there too, haha!

Source: Jiejie

Saturday, 26 Mar 2016

Woke up all fresh and good. ZY slept quite well and woke later than usual. I lost the back ache and nausea - it was a relief but also a worry like I said.

ZY fed himself yogurt with dragonfruit - very cute!


Then it was time for more sightseeing.

ZK examined the dragon at the Thai temple


The huge reclining Buddha


Modern 求签


Sito "drew" an average lot. There was a line that said "if you're pregnant, it would be a boy"! Mum could decipher lots and said that that applied to a woman who drew the lot. So tbc then. But well, now it's confirmed hoho!

I drew a good enough lot. Contented, as usual :)

ZK the copycat


My baby remained fast asleep


Also visited the Myanmese temple across the road before going to Armenian Street for the wall murals.

ZK posing as the cheeky boy he is :)


Roar!


Lychee ice ball!


ZK was attracted to the sarsi ice ball though he took a liking to mine later


Sito with rose syrup ice ball - nice lip colour, Dear!


ZK with his guai guai look!


Big meow!


Goofy mama


Give me lunch, Mama!


And the big baby wanted to be carried


Our yummy char siew lunch!


I don't know how but Sito found this right behind the char siew place


Nyonya kueh!


The inside of the shop also had old-school stuff (and a roaming tot)


By then, I started feeling a shadow of the nausea. Ok, so it subsided for the morning. Grateful enough!!

Queued at the Upside Down Museum


ZK fell asleep after lunch so Sito stayed with him in the bus. The rest of us went into the museum. It was quite fun but ZY was tired and cranky after the first room.

Grab some bread, baby!


Actually these photos should be viewed the other way down... Oh well! :p

Us at the dining table


Toilet scene

Source: Ah Yee

This was quite fun!

Source: Ah Yee

This too!

Source: Ah Yee

My boys :)


Next was the don't know how many D museum.. It was educational but unfortunately our boys could not appreciate it... Just play la!

Touch the turtle


Um, forgot what this was!


Three generations of Sitos!


Mum was performing some trick on Dad??


Ta-da!


ZK also knows some magic!


Sito and his "protrusion"


Sounds bad, haha!!

This was the first time I saw my own pear *.*


ZY had some fun too!


ZK and his little face!


Sito and his not-so-little face


And I obviously cannot aim


Nose!


Book!


Kek Lok Si Temple


Somehow felt very peaceful there...

And I was very taken with this


ZY and Papa at Air Itam Dam


We had some heavy snacks somewhere and took a little break before a nice dinner at the restaurant recommended by the driver. I remember the crispy noodles :)

Sunday, 27 Mar 2016

Woke up and I felt a little bad again, though no backache. I attributed that to the nice bed.

This was our last day so we spent the morning in the pool! ZK jumped into the pool and was shocked to sink more than expected in his new float! Oops, should have warned him more :p

Papa helped him about the pool


Dad helped ZY around - ZY was the braver boy despite this photo


We checked out and went for a nice lunch at a coffee shop - noodles, noodles, and more noodles! Then it was off to the airport and back home.

WE SURVIVED!!!