COVID vaccination

Sito and I are finally vaccinated, woohoo!

Sito went for his first jab on 30 May, two days after being released from SHN. By then, I put in three appeals for him to get early vaccination already as he had wanted to go back to KL soon... 

He didn't get much symptoms or so he said until my first jab. Changed his story to feeling tired from work....! But ya, he was working madly the two weeks after SHN.

And I had my first on 19 Jun. I think MOH was very busy? I didn't get an SMS reminder whereas I got one for Sito's as I registered for him.

One week before that, MOH told me I had a possible exposure on 3 June in Ion *.* Sito didn't mention but he should have got the same SMS! So we were encouraged to swab or we must monitor our health for two weeks. Since it was only a few days shy of two weeks (!), we just waited it out.

My arm was very sore that evening. Yu accidentally landed on my arm and I jumped. Thankfully, it got much better the next day. I didn't feel it unless I pressed it.

Then the news came that we could bring our second vaccination forward. Sito's date for 11 July (just before Kai's birthday!) was already looming and it was the weekend when he didn't have to work so we didn't change that. I brought mine forward by only one week coz I wanted to coincide with a weekend when helper was around.

About 24 hours after his second jab, he felt tired. And he felt tired for pretty much the rest of the day. His arm was also sore. But thankfully, he had no other symptoms. By the next day, he was fine.

I had mine in 24 July. I had purposely chose a Saturday when helper was working on the Sunday so that I could rest on Sunday and would not need to take MC if I were down. But I didn't get anything more than a super sore injection site that was warm to the touch. Only a little sore and warm now. Temp seemed a bit high but below fever range and I didn't feel unwell. I did have a bad runny nose but I don't know if that's just me being susceptible to colds or a symptom!

Much TLC from this sweet boy :)

Also made appointments for helper to be vaccinated. She didn't want it when I first asked her. Then one day, she told me she wanted to go for the vaccination. I registered for her and captured all her declaration on WhatsApp, with the help of Google Translate :p When news for no dining in came in, she cancelled her rest days so I moved her dates forward instead of waiting for the Fridays when she would be working on the Sunday - weekend much less work and she didn't need to spend her rest day recuperating. Quite unlike me, hoho!

Swimming lessons are back!

We stopped Kai and Yang's swimming lessons in end Sep last year. Yang was resistant; it was on a Sunday which made going out difficult; it was in the morning so it was cold; and coach wanted to raise fees at that time. Just as well, coz in Nov, AhYe saw that they didn't seem to be able to swim - after learning for two years!

I was looking around for a while and got a recommendation from a neighbour. He's a lot more expensive but reviews are good. So we finally started yesterday!

We decided to start Yu as well so I picked him up earlier. Yang was still resisting the big pool; last time they didn't go to the big pool much coz of this so maybe that's also why they couldn't learn properly. So while Kai and Yu were playing in the pool, Yang stayed dry.

Resting like a boss

This Kai scared the wits out of me when he went out of reach from all sides of the pool. I can't swim!! He continued to do so after a warning so I banned Nintendo this weekend. He was very grouchy about it when the coach arrived. But this coach wouldn't let him have it. Or he let him have it big time? Haha! 

So Coach got them to sit on the edge with legs in the water. He had to tell Kai a couple of times before he did what he said. He knew Kai and Yang had lessons before so he got them to show him. Then he started all of them on the same footing *.*

They had noodles!

Listening properly to Coach

Coz until they got the instructions, they would remain there and be cold! I was so tickled at that and that the boys listened!

They really swam a lot during the 45 min. Swam the width a few times and the length two laps. I was the gan cheong mama watching them, especially Yu who took off his puddle jumper. He shouted out to me when Coach was removing it - I'm taking my float off! :p

I must say they all did well. Kai kept kicking when he wasn't supposed to but he managed to do everything. Yang was resistant but finally got in when he realised he's taller now. Yu had no qualms getting in at all despite this being his first lesson.

Coach's feedback was that the kids were all physically ready to swim - Kai with his long limbs, Yang very good, Yu wasn't afraid. And he apologised for being strict but I have no issue with that - we're aligned in that we want the kids to know how to swim. He continued with two other kids in the estate - both wearing PJs! - while we went to the middle pool to just play.

When I asked them about it later, Kai said Coach was too strict. I told him it should be that way, else he would not listen! Yang and Yu said they like him. But Yu said he was afraid he might drown without his puddle jumper. So I assured him that Coach would teach him. Later, Yu even taught me how to do the steps 123 that he learnt :)

I'm looking forward to seeing them swim well!

Kai turns nine!

It's 12 July again - birthday of our eldest and parenthood anniversary :)

A stack of nine doughnuts for the boy who turns nine!

It's pretty tricky when the kid doesn't eat cake *.* Last year's ice cream cake didn't make it coz of a thin layer of sponge... I don't know how I thought of doughnuts this year but it was a hit!

There were nine doughnuts in there - the three under the smiley face had no cream outside. There were three more in the box. I had wanted to buy only nine - six in a box and three in a bag, said the young man at the counter - but a more experienced staff asked me to buy 10 which would come with two free doughnuts. Why not?!

Nine and still so cute?!

I think someone but the birthday boy blew out the candle... As usual!

Sito had two doughnuts, Kai and Yu had almost two each while Yang stopped at one. I had one plus the leftovers :p Including helper and our supper, we finished all 12 on Saturday!

Kai's present "delivery" came during Nintendo time. No boy suspected anything, hee.... Kai opened it up after the doughnuts. He sounded pleasantly surprised to buy a box of circuits! Thanks to the current Saturday 9 am show Apes Love Hypercraft, which recently showed a chap handling circuits etc.

Papa doing a demo

Following experiments in the instruction manual

So happy to see him toying with the circuits and his brothers being all interested as well. I can totally live with another box on the TV counter!

Kai chose KFC for dinner on Saturday, with Yang having wantan noodles. Gave him an original recipe burger - much yummier and bigger than the colonel chicken burger but we had to remove the sauce for him *.* I cooked my one pot pasta on Sunday when Sito had his second jab so he didn't have to go get dinner. 

A jelly cake on Sunday!

The best shot already but his eyes were closed!

Oh yes, we reused the candle from Saturday :p The jelly cake had only one candle and the "9" was still very usable! But no, Sito, we cannot keep it for two more years...! Haha!

Yang and Yu didn't bother with the cake - Kai opened his presents before cake time so they wanted to play the bow and arrows. Kai finished his cake with the adults - this boy likes jelly :) Then they started on a new Nintendo game. They had purposely stopped playing earlier so as to save the time for the new game!

The whining started soon after the grands left. When Nintendo time ended, Kai and Yang resumed playing the bow and arrows. Somehow, Yang received a small set of bow and arrows too - something about the shield toys from his birthday being broken - when it was not his birthday. That meant that Yu was the only one with no bow and arrows, when Yang should have been in the same position too. And Kai and Yang refused to share. Someone suggested swimming, which finally ended the whining.

After coming back from swimming, Yu didn't even bother with clothes when he came out of the shower to find that his brothers were not done yet. He started playing with the bow and arrows, stark naked. Poor boy.

So happy to play with Kai's set when Kai was daydreaming on his bed

He also played when he woke this morning. But Kai wasn't pleased to find that his bow and arrows were not in their original spot when he came home from school :p

Yup, Kai's birthday will usually fall on a school day. He and Yang enjoyed a Magnum on the Monday after Yang's birthday. Today, both of them had a cup of Yole each - neither finished so Sito and I had their leftovers!

Didn't make them do work this afternoon but Yang had homework so we spent some time on that. Then they went to "feel like a boss" on Sito's swivel chair while Sito came out for a break (and had the leftover Yole). When they asked me for Nintendo, I asked Papa. Papa asked if they were good, and so they got their way :)

Coz Kai doesn't like kakak's food much, I told helper not to cook dinner. Instead, I ordered something he likes - satay! Collected 50 satays from the outlet downstairs and bought three packets of nasi lemak for the adults. Got wantan noodles - this time without wantan, hoho! - for Yang who doesn't eat satay, and a char siew bun for Yu who might not eat many satay.

As Yu had speech and drama makeup class until 5.30 pm today, I got most of the food before fetching Yu. When we came back, Kai was done. I counted - he had 19, woohoo! Yu, as expected, didn't have much. His projected 10 became two *.* Sito and I had quite a bit of satay and the remaining will be Kai's lunch tomorrow.

And with that, yup, welcome to your 10th year! Double digit next!

Yu's first play date with his friends

I don't think I wrote about Kai or Yang's first play date with their friends... Oh well, I was busier than now :p

Yu's friend invited him over to play yesterday. Her mum didn't say but Yu told me they celebrated her birthday in school on Friday so I bought a present.

Yang was also invited later coz Yu's friend's sister was in Yang's class. But Yang decided on the day itself that he wanted to play Nintendo instead. In fact, Yu also wanted to watch them play but I wouldn't let him off coz we promised to go already. I bribed him with ice cream *.*

But along the way, he wanted to show me a lollipop vending machine that I had never noticed before. I'm sure the last time he saw that machine was months ago too. Second time in a week that he showed us his good memory; on Saturday, he saw a purple box in the fridge and asked Sito if that had the yellow popping balls - yes! But he last had that months ago!

We took a bus from the interchange after he found the right number. Then he sat on a single seat on the bus, which meant I had to stand next to him *.* He kept telling me to sit down though - hello, 你掉下来怎么办?!

The other invited kid was already there when we arrived. I had wanted to do a drop-off too but Yu wanted me to be with him and this was his first time at his friend's house. Luckily Sito didn't have to work this weekend. 

After the initial screaming greetings, the kids went playing. Yu was very taken with the kitchen such that when the rest started playing a dancing game on the TV, he did not join them!

We had cake for tea. Yu and I bought a tub of popcorn as well but I was surprised he didn't eat much of the popcorn. 

Then the slide came out

Sito and I considered getting a slide when we first moved to BP but in the end, we didn't get one. Would have been great to have during the circuit breaker?!

While they were playing, the parents chatted about school, work and life with kids, and sometimes acted as customers for the kids' restaurant. Then it was time to go!

Yu had his lollipop on the way home

Notice all the slopes behind Yu? Yang and I used to pass by this estate on the bus to and from music lesson. Yu and I came from another bus stop but more buses could get us home from this bus stop outside the slopes. We walked down quite a bit and descended only one floor! Thankfully we found a lift to help with three more levels.

Yu gave the second and last lollipop to me. I told him I would share it with Papa later. He ended up coming out of his bed again and again to ask if we'd had the lollipop *.*

He had to park his lollipop in a cup when we got home coz he had to shower. Then Papa and his brothers came home from packing dinner - Macs! It was a very fast and happy meal for them :)

不知不觉

我都忘了上一次宇半夜跑到我床上来了是几时了。现在他只有大清早会跑来找我、叫醒我，所以学校放假时，我不用闹钟还是可以准时上班！

以前，铠和扬也会跑进来叫醒我。不过近来比较少了，通常只是追着宇进来而已。因为我对他们说：“你们都这么大了，不可以一直跑上爸爸妈妈的床了。”

一些日子以后，我想宇也会自觉地不再跑进来叫醒我……

我终于可以睡得再好一点！

可是……做娘的还是有点舍不得……真矛盾！

周末，他们喜欢找窝在床上的爸爸，坐在他傍边看他玩手机游戏。其实我很讨厌他们这样一身汗汗地爬上床，甚至坐或踩在我枕头上！可是看到他们开心地和爸爸一起，我也觉得开心。真的很矛盾！

就等他们有一天自己玩自己的手机游戏吧。

我猜，那时我也会像今天这样，后知后觉地发现孩子又长大了。

育儿的过程中，有多少的不知不觉、后知后觉呢？

Update 4 Jul 2021

And he came in last night for the first time in a long time! 不要讲了……

Third round of HBL

First round last year, almost everything was on SLS. Kai didn't do some of work until I checked towards the end of the month *.* No time to check every day coz all three kids were home then.

Second round, they had assembly via Zoom and more Zoom lessons. I was on leave quite a bit and managed to check every day. By then, Kai was doing fine. Yang of course needed guidance.

This round, they followed their timetable so it's as if they're in school but Zoom all the way - which means they're mostly occupied 7.30 am to 1.30 pm, woohoo! But I still have to do IT:

• Mama, there's music.... Yang turned on music even after I killed the app; he must be fiddling with my Mac during lessons!
• Mama, I think I want the small one from yesterday... Yang's turn to get my big earphones on Tuesday but he decided against it after a few minutes
• Mama, so boring, still in the waiting room... Kai's teacher had told him to do some SLS work on his own and he finished early
• Mama, no battery - this deserves a para itself...

Kai's laptop cannot support Zoom so he had to use the iPad with laptop on standby for any SLS work. When it ran low on battery, I couldn't charge it coz he needed earphones so as not to disturb Yang and me - same hole *.* Lucky Sito's iPad was fully charged! For Yang, I had to string the charger from across the living room. I worry for their safety if they trip; I worry for my iPad if it gets pulled off the table!

HBL setup

Gave each of them a tray from the old Ikea toy shelf to place their materials for each day. Topped it with their timetable in a plastic sleeve, with Zoom details on the opposite side. So proud of myself haha!

The green box contained snacks for their recess and other small breaks - they have little bites in school but now they also had "eye" breaks. Or "i"? Makes sense either way!

After many weeks of waking up naturally (sun or Yu :p), I feel sad having to wake at 6.45 am now! We need that much time to get ready, especially Yang. End up, Yu also got up early. In fact, he was the first out of bed this morning - saw him peeing when I came out.

Next week will be 5.55 am! Sighs.... But better than HBL. Let school carry on!

Yang turns seven!

Happy birthday to my little sheep!

I said a sleepy happy birthday to him when he came to find me early this morning to show me his Pink Panther who lost his tail *.* He got it on his birthday last year so it kind of lasted one year :p Anyway, I stitched the tail back.

Celebrations started yesterday.

Somehow, Yang decided that he would have mixed cakes for his birthday. He had been eyeing the bear bear mousse cake from Chateraise for a while so we went down yesterday morning to choose the rest. And since he was turning seven, I got seven items - one cake each for everyone except Kai who doesn't eat cake (!) and two jellies.

Look at Yang's cute expression!

Two making faces and one maintaining the same pose :p

Yang made his wish while taking this photo!

Friday night, I told him to make to make a wish before he blew out the candles. I forgot to tell him to do that after the song :p

Anyway, he gave the bunny to Yu, the melon to Papa and the panda to me. Helper got a non-cartoon chocolate cake. Kai of course had a grape jelly. In the end, both Yang and Yu didn't like their cakes *.* And Yang also didn't like the strawberry jelly, which Yu happily took.

Then Yang tore his "delivery" apart

We started thinking about his present over a month ago but couldn't decide on anything. We're pretty bad gifters oops... So our kids are quite poor thing? Hoho! Then I chanced upon an interesting toy shop and found fun toys on its online shop. So I went there after TCM on Wednesday, and got Kai and even Yu's presents as well!

As Yang likes to receive deliveries at the door, I thought it might be fun to make his present look like a delivery. I wrapped everything in brown paper and stuck a piece of paper with his name and our address on it :p

When they were playing Nintendo on Saturday, I brought it discreetly to the door, then turned around and went, "Yang, there's a delivery for you!" He was so pleased! :) Now Kai and Yu also want their own deliveries - ok, in the works already!

It was a maze puzzle - the sunglasses were to protect against the laser, eh....

Very focused on where to place the mirrors...

He said he didn't ask for this present but he liked it :) His brothers also like to play this game. They took it out of the box to play this morning, after lunch and before dinner. Success! 

A second celebration today with the grands!

That was the third time the candles were lit!

Thinking about his wish...

Done!

Again, he didn't eat much of his cake. Neither did Yu. Why?! The adults enjoyed it very much :p Is it the cake or is it the toys distracting them??

He got his wish - a moving excavator!

Ah Yee even got aquarium stones for him to dig but the excavator ran out of battery amazingly fast. Dad recharged it and the battery ran out again. Yu and I must have spent more than twice the play time picking up the stones! Sito said maybe it's like our drone - only 10 min of play time *.*

Yu went for manual excavator instead

Yang put on his armour again - my little warrior!

Warriors are violent!!

The grands also got him two sets of puzzles, all from his random requests, but he hasn't got down to them yet. After the grands left, Yu said he was hungry so Sito went to buy dinner and Yang decided to go along coz it's his birthday, heh!

Yang got to choose dinner this weekend. Five of us can't dine out, sadly, so we still have to pack. It was wantan noodles yesterday (duck noodles for Kai :p) and udon today. After dinner, I brought out the Pocky that Yang chose yesterday when we went to buy cakes. Sweet ending to the day for them :) But that's not all! After showering, they got to watch Shaun the Sheep until 7 pm when they got their phone. They're watching YouTube Kids as I type now....

Sometimes I wonder what it will be like if I say "yes" to them all the time and let them have all the things they want all the time... They seem so happy :)

Yawn yawn

I haven't been sleeping well at night.

At first, I couldn't fall asleep. Or I would fall asleep and then keep waking up. It could be because Sito had been working late since he returned from Malaysia. Not the usual late - he works past 3 am at times. I must go in to check on him coz I'm the paranoid sort.

(I know, I didn't get to check on him while he was serving SHN but well, ignorance is bliss?!)

His hours were much better in the past week though, thankfully. But I also didn't sleep well coz we were playing 2048 until quite late, oops. I decided to delete the darn game last night when we ended past 1 am!!

Hope to sleep better from tonight :)

If we lie in bed in the day, it's to chit chat and look like the beautiful skies outside, not nap :)

What did we do during June holidays?

Like last year, it was sad coz we could hardly go places...

But with Kai having year end exams this year, I prepared lot of assessment papers for him, wahahaha! And poor Yang had to join in too. So when Kai complained, I told him to feel lucky he didn't have to do this since primary one!

Working on their timed assessment papers

Also made them rebuild old Lego sets like this that they dismantled ages ago

These two activities took maybe two or three hours each morning, with Yang slacking off during Lego time! On leave days, Kai and I spent more time on Lego. On working days, I could only let them play Nintendo.

We also went to the pool quite a bit in the first half of the month when it was less rainy. There are so many of us when social gatherings were limited to two so we pretty much stayed at home, going only to play scooter downstairs or play water.

I think Yang was lying on his float... 

Dug out this old hat which previous helper left behind :p

With Sito working at home nowadays, sometimes the kids went to find him... Usually that happened in the evenings when there was no Nintendo and I was showering :p

This was a staged photo for Sito to send to his office for some Fathers' Day thing :p

I took leave to wrap rice dumplings as usual but with Mother's surgery, we decided not to do it coz it was hard work washing leaves and cooking. But I went over anyway that Monday, 14 June - eat glutinous rice from the hawker centre! It was the same auntie from my kindy days, gosh... 

So yummy!

But I found Mother doing laundry - saving water from the machine rinse and putting clothes out to hang *.* I offered to help but she said she must exercise. Um, hello, I don't exercise. And look at my breakfast! :p

Buckets of water from the rinse!

On Wednesday, I was on leave again and this time, I brought Kai and Yang to Jurong Lake Gardens! They have been cooped up at home for so long! But it started drizzling just as we arrived so we waited it out at a pavilion. Thankfully, it wasn't a long wait. And the rain made the walk very nice and cooling!

Yang took this picture - tried to explain 独木成林 to them

This Kai had a lot of complaints on the way - wet ground, sticky shoes etc. Yang looked up more often and was more curious about things. But the highlight had to the playground.

Big see saw! Very fun but I was too heavy :p

This looks fun but Yang wanted out shortly

Flying fox! Kai found it easier to pull the thing back with Yang on it!

Found an insect on a flower next to the flying fox

On our way out, they decided to lie down on a hammock - and Yang insisted on the same hammock...

Yang gave Kai a swing!

Very relaxed...

Passed by this lovely flower with water droplets on our way out

We took the train back again. I was quite tired and was in a daze when we reached Jurong East where we were supposed to change. I didn't move but thankfully, Kai saw where we were and got us out of the train! Then he couldn't help asking me cheekily if I was going to daydream again when we got to CCK *.*

Yang's cute pose on our way home

They asked to use their pocket money savings on kiddy rides and they shared for the more expensive rides

That week, I also started them on typing. I first learnt typing in primary three so it's high time Kai learnt it too, especially when he uses the laptop more than I did at the same age, what with HBL and even the young zoologist badge online. He did some back in P1 but I found that website to be too crowded.

Might as well get Yang started too

On Thursday, Yu and I were chatting about recycling and he started saying that cardboard would go into yellow bin etc. When we got to the mall, he ran to this kiddy ride to show me what he meant.

There were really four coloured bins in the kiddy ride!

I had wanted to bring Kai and Yang to Mother's place on Monday to show them the whole process of wrapping rice dumplings. But ended up we cancelled the wrapping. And I also had to go to the bank to close an account so I didn't bring them. Then they wanted to see Mother's kidney stone. So ok, let's go on Friday!

Cookies and cream ice cream from AhYee

Yang had one or two bites and decided he didn't like it. Kai didn't want half-melted ice cream so I had it *.* And that was after I had two sweet potato balls with red bean paste that Mother made! So full I gave up having the 老伴豆花 I bought along the way.

Time to show them the stone and tell them to drink more water and not to hold pee!

Later I also asked Mother to show them her dentures - another lesson here: brush your teeth properly!!!! :p We left shortly to go pick Yu up. Wanted to find Yang's teacher but she had left already, oh well!

Yu got to play kiddy rides with his brothers who once again brought some coins along

It being June, Facebook reminded me of past trips to Legoland. Really miss those trips - fun for the whole family, crab and Korean BBQ and massage for the parents!! Showed Yu a photo of him in Legoland two years ago and he packed his bags, hoho!

跑路啦！

Spent Friday before going to Mother's place and Saturday after my vaccination to finish three toy hammocks for the boys. I've had enough of their toys lying all over their beds, and them spending time arranging their toys every night or throwing toys around. Plus the dust. So found a solution online. Just that instead of getting fabric for this, I repurpose bolster cases!

Yu's was the first to be ready

He was so pleased with it he let his monkey sleep there at night instead of with him

I also sorted out my old Montessori files and this is Yu practicising using scissors

The day after Fathers' Day, Yang decided to make a card for Papa :)

Cards on the wall :)

Psst: Check out Sito's new arm chair! The kids like it coz they can sit on it "like a boss", haha! Thankfully, we have only had to pull them off the chair a couple of times so far... 

Went through hanyu pinyin exercises and played a game with Yang

"I'm strong!"

On Friday, the last weekday of the school holidays, Yu was also home due to a scheduled centre closure. I promised a prata breakfast but we couldn't all eat at the hawker centre so must pack. When I woke at 7 am, I dragged myself out of bed to get prata. When I went to grab a mask, I found, to my surprise, Yu sitting on his bedroom floor playing quietly on his own!

He knows that room was meant for him so he kept "treasures" there. First, he used the drawers and cabinets in Sito's desk. Then I emptied them into a drawer so that Sito could have more space. Barely a week in, the toys were back to occupy his drawers! At least he has cabinet space...?

This Ga-Hock Roti Prata about two bus stops away was recommended by a colleague-neighbour-friend. The Chinese boss was very friendly and proudly told me he is one of only two with this onion sambal thingy in Singapore. Maybe next time if we get a chance to dine in there...

The skies were scary as I walked back and I had to walk very quickly (auntie cannot run!) to avoid getting caught in the rain!

They like the prata, yeah! :)

Yu must stuff his mouth to pose for this.... Anyway, Kai and Yu tried both the fish and the vege curry, and preferred the fish. Me too :p

Made these troublesome boys lie still to wait for me to change to go to the library

The one who lay still the longest was to get a prize! They kept asking, was it a big fat kiss? Kai even got up to find me to tell him he thought there was no prize. Yes, no prize for you coz you got up. Yu won coz Yang sat up. I gave him a burger....sticker! And he was happy :)

Reading jokes while I read to Yu

The plan was to go to the playground coz we didn't go out the whole day. I had thought of bringing them prawning. But not sure if they would like it. And it rained in the morning... But it rained while we were in the library so the playground was wet. 

We ended up playing downstairs

We are not done with this boat but it's looking very good already!

Kai calls himself the "fixer" while I'm the "finder" though I could only help on leave days. Guess our roles? :p From now on, we probably would have time for this on only weekends, until the next school holidays. Looking forward to the whole thing :)

This weekend is Yang's birthday weekend. Will write more about it later... Next week, they older two are having HBL. There were many messages from the school yesterday. I prepared some notes to remind myself what to do to prepare for this round of HBL. Have to get all of us ready coz I have to work!