So we bought this class photo (£9) of Ethan's afternoon, upstairs nursery class from the nursery. I was eager to fill in the lines with their names, and I only recognised Robert, Lorien, Madihah and Ethan, with a few of the familiar faces whom I couldn't quite place the names with. Jianming may be able to pass but I shall certainly fail badly here. Initially I thought, to surmount this great problem, I'd have to ask the teachers. Then, I thought, why not ask Ethan? And surprising to me, he knows everyone in the photo! All 25 of them, including the teachers and him. I don't remember knowing half of my kindergarten classmates. But then, maybe that was just me. Or maybe it's the teachers here.
Anyway, I just jotted them down on a piece of paper as I was not sure of their spelling. For example, 'Millie' or 'Milly'? Nuria? Ma ... Mer?
Knowing I wouldn't get any surprises this time, I still ventured to ask Ethan, since he seemed in such a good mood playing with his blocks.
(I cannot remember the exact word for word of the conversation already.)
Me: Do you know how to spell their names?
E: No, I don't know the words.
Me: (trying my luck further) Do you know how to spell 'Ethan'?
E: Yes, I know how to spell 'Ethan'.
Me: Really? How?
E: E--Than.
Me: That's not spelling. What are the letters in your name?
E: E--Than, or E--Fen (an overzealous 'th' pronunciation by some of his classmates surely).
Me: No. It's E-T-H-...
E: (for once, good-naturedly follows) E-T-H..
Me: A-N.
E: A-N.
Me: (wondering how long my luck will last) Spell again?
E: (luck stops here) No, no, no, no, no, no...
Thus ended one of those haphazard spelling lessons.
Saturday, 13 June 2009
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Garden Party
On 4th June, the nursery held a garden party in the nursery garden. The parents who were going were to bring a savoury dish. After thinking about this and that (we were thinking if we wanted to bring something special), we decided to just bring fried rice. The last time we tried something new - mochi with red bean paste filling - at the Ceilidh party, it wasn't well received. Then there was the International Lunch at the Women's Club last year, I tried to make Chai Tow Kway and all the batches turned out so bad in the end I brought Tau Suan, and that wasn't the best we had cooked either. Anyway, this time I thought it'll just be plain old fried rice that we have almost once a week. If it wasn't well received, at least I didn't put in too much effort.
Well, the rice was finished, but not because it was good, I think. There wasn't that much food there and there were in fact many rice dishes. Our fried rice was one of the last to go. There was this Japanese rice dish that tasted like sushi, only instead of rolling it up, it was spread out and covered with seaweed pieces, smoked salmon and avocado. It was really good and our fried rice really paled in comparison, even though it tasted alright on its own.
Anyway, this is not about food. Or wait - it is about food. Because that's the only thing Ethan would do when he got there. There was a tattoo stall (just a sort of printing, not actual tattooing of course) manned by one of his teachers, Jennifer. It looked so fun that I dragged Ethan there, but he refused to have it done on him. Then we thought we would take a picture of him in front of the playhouse (which was locked up), but he did not want to. Then there was a live band, with some percussion instruments on the mat in front that the children can play with along with the music. I went there and fiddled with them in an attempt to get Ethan involved, but he, who is always so noisy with his own instruments at home, did not want to have anything to do with them. There were also the permanent things like the sand pit and the climbing frame but nothing interested him but food. So, I thought that's it, that's how this party will be spent.
Then came the desserts. Ethan had some chocolate rice pops and cake and fruits. The sweets might have energised him, for after that, he started to get on the slide. It also seemed to happen just around the time when I got talking to a Malaysian Malay so I tried not to look at Ethan. He's probably gotten self-conscious when his parents are around. Soon, I can imagine, he'll say, 'Oh Mummy please, don't come along!' Anyway, now he just gets all shy and non-participatory when we are present. Later, he got into a chair behind Tristan. Then - his best friend appeared.
I did not mention this best friend before except once during video conference. They've been best buddies for more than half a year now. We think it all started one day when he saw his classmate at the museum and called out her name. She did not respond then, and he also did not walk fast enough (you know, lingering and loitering like most children have the exasperating tendency to do) to catch up with her, so we forgot about it. It thus came as a surprise to us when he began to mention her name after that day. On and on and on. Initially we thought it was probably more of a one-sided friendship, like with the guys. Because although he mentioned some of the names in the nursery quite frequently, I have never seen any special recognition or smiles from him to them or from them to him when I brought him to the nursery. With the girl, I have not seen them say 'Hi' or 'Bye' to each other in the first few months. Until one day, the girl's mother told Jianming that Lorien (that's her name) kept talking about Ethan. And it became well-known among the teachers that Ethan and Lorien always do things together. Also, when we bring Ethan to and from the nursery, we can see that now he will look for her and take part in what she's doing (she's there from morning till afternoon), and they smile at each other. Jianming told me Ethan introduced him ('That's my Daddy.') to her once.
At the Garden Party, they played very well together. When Ethan fell down and got bruised, Lorien tried to hold his hand and get him to dance. But he was too unhappy then. Later, Lorien went to the sandpit by herself, Ethan was in a bad mood and told me he did not want to go to the sandpit. But in the end, somehow, he got himself to join in and they had a really good last 20 mins or so of fun.
Jianming is so amused by their friendship that he even thought of staying on for another year so Ethan could continue this friendship. He finds it a pity it has to end soon. I am more cynical. I just feel they are quite young and friendships at this age usually do not blossom into fast friends when older. Still, it is a nice thing now.
Not many photos though, since I don't want to publish the front view of the girl.
Well, the rice was finished, but not because it was good, I think. There wasn't that much food there and there were in fact many rice dishes. Our fried rice was one of the last to go. There was this Japanese rice dish that tasted like sushi, only instead of rolling it up, it was spread out and covered with seaweed pieces, smoked salmon and avocado. It was really good and our fried rice really paled in comparison, even though it tasted alright on its own.
Anyway, this is not about food. Or wait - it is about food. Because that's the only thing Ethan would do when he got there. There was a tattoo stall (just a sort of printing, not actual tattooing of course) manned by one of his teachers, Jennifer. It looked so fun that I dragged Ethan there, but he refused to have it done on him. Then we thought we would take a picture of him in front of the playhouse (which was locked up), but he did not want to. Then there was a live band, with some percussion instruments on the mat in front that the children can play with along with the music. I went there and fiddled with them in an attempt to get Ethan involved, but he, who is always so noisy with his own instruments at home, did not want to have anything to do with them. There were also the permanent things like the sand pit and the climbing frame but nothing interested him but food. So, I thought that's it, that's how this party will be spent.
Then came the desserts. Ethan had some chocolate rice pops and cake and fruits. The sweets might have energised him, for after that, he started to get on the slide. It also seemed to happen just around the time when I got talking to a Malaysian Malay so I tried not to look at Ethan. He's probably gotten self-conscious when his parents are around. Soon, I can imagine, he'll say, 'Oh Mummy please, don't come along!' Anyway, now he just gets all shy and non-participatory when we are present. Later, he got into a chair behind Tristan. Then - his best friend appeared.
I did not mention this best friend before except once during video conference. They've been best buddies for more than half a year now. We think it all started one day when he saw his classmate at the museum and called out her name. She did not respond then, and he also did not walk fast enough (you know, lingering and loitering like most children have the exasperating tendency to do) to catch up with her, so we forgot about it. It thus came as a surprise to us when he began to mention her name after that day. On and on and on. Initially we thought it was probably more of a one-sided friendship, like with the guys. Because although he mentioned some of the names in the nursery quite frequently, I have never seen any special recognition or smiles from him to them or from them to him when I brought him to the nursery. With the girl, I have not seen them say 'Hi' or 'Bye' to each other in the first few months. Until one day, the girl's mother told Jianming that Lorien (that's her name) kept talking about Ethan. And it became well-known among the teachers that Ethan and Lorien always do things together. Also, when we bring Ethan to and from the nursery, we can see that now he will look for her and take part in what she's doing (she's there from morning till afternoon), and they smile at each other. Jianming told me Ethan introduced him ('That's my Daddy.') to her once.
At the Garden Party, they played very well together. When Ethan fell down and got bruised, Lorien tried to hold his hand and get him to dance. But he was too unhappy then. Later, Lorien went to the sandpit by herself, Ethan was in a bad mood and told me he did not want to go to the sandpit. But in the end, somehow, he got himself to join in and they had a really good last 20 mins or so of fun.
Jianming is so amused by their friendship that he even thought of staying on for another year so Ethan could continue this friendship. He finds it a pity it has to end soon. I am more cynical. I just feel they are quite young and friendships at this age usually do not blossom into fast friends when older. Still, it is a nice thing now.
Not many photos though, since I don't want to publish the front view of the girl.
Thursday, 4 June 2009
The Professionals
Recently, Ethan insisted on zipping up the coat himself. That's all very well, except that he's usually already late for the nursery, and it's not just zipping up - he has to fit the ends of the two sides of the zipper together first. Not adept at doing that, he got easily frustrated, which then frustrated Jianming and I who were trying to teach him how to do it, and not getting much headway there.
Then one day, I saw him fit the zipper ends and zip up in one smooth action. I thought, wow, he had finally learnt it. Somehow we must have succeeded in teaching it to him. The next day, though, he said, "Elaine taught me how to do this." Elaine is a teacher at the nursery. I am impressed. Where we have failed, the teacher has succeeded without much ado, it seemed. Ethan has since then been able to fit the zipper together smoothly without fuss, without fail.
This led me to think that Ethan may be ready for more independence; it's his parents who are not ready to teach him. It's always the parents who are the cause of a child's over dependence. Long time ago I told myself that if I could not be that ideal parent, at least I should not have a negative effect on my children. But when the time comes, I have found it difficult to let the child have his childhood in his own happy way, less the overbearing parent who cannot stand messiness, sloppiness, disobedience, lack of focus etc. - the terror, the spoilsport, if you must know. It is just a small step away from being an unreasonable tyrant when you discipline for what you think is the good of the child. And one doesn't always watch out for that step. There's just too much about children I do not know. There are so many things I should and should not do/say when teaching and disciplining a child that are against my character and my own upbringing. It is unfortunate, parents can't all be professionals in this most sacred of professions.
Then one day, I saw him fit the zipper ends and zip up in one smooth action. I thought, wow, he had finally learnt it. Somehow we must have succeeded in teaching it to him. The next day, though, he said, "Elaine taught me how to do this." Elaine is a teacher at the nursery. I am impressed. Where we have failed, the teacher has succeeded without much ado, it seemed. Ethan has since then been able to fit the zipper together smoothly without fuss, without fail.
This led me to think that Ethan may be ready for more independence; it's his parents who are not ready to teach him. It's always the parents who are the cause of a child's over dependence. Long time ago I told myself that if I could not be that ideal parent, at least I should not have a negative effect on my children. But when the time comes, I have found it difficult to let the child have his childhood in his own happy way, less the overbearing parent who cannot stand messiness, sloppiness, disobedience, lack of focus etc. - the terror, the spoilsport, if you must know. It is just a small step away from being an unreasonable tyrant when you discipline for what you think is the good of the child. And one doesn't always watch out for that step. There's just too much about children I do not know. There are so many things I should and should not do/say when teaching and disciplining a child that are against my character and my own upbringing. It is unfortunate, parents can't all be professionals in this most sacred of professions.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Baby On the Go
等呀等，等到决定不去等，才看到靖恺开始用手和膝盖爬，可是他还是常常趴在地上蠕动。做父母的也真是矛盾，不怎么能爬时担心他有什么问题，现在比较会爬了又开始头痛不能放心走开做家务事了。现在怕他拉桌子或其他家具站起来时会站不稳跌个窟窿，开抽屉会夹到手，乱翻里面的东西。还有就是靖恒，也被比较能动的靖恺威胁到，常常发出尖叫声，怕靖恺爬去破坏他的玩具。他甚至用身体挡住靖恺的去路，或是抓住他，弄得一个在叫喊，一个在叫救命，惹来我的骂声，成天鸡犬不宁。几次告诉并示范给靖恒，让他知道我们不会让靖恺乱摸他的玩具和画画后，他开始比较没那么紧张，有时会跑过来跟我说靖恺快动他的东西了，让我出面阻止，而不是只顾大声嚷嚷或自个儿向靖恺动粗。
靖恺最近学会喷口水。每次吃东西，吃到不喜欢的就拼命喷口水，喷到饭粒菜肉四溅，我的衣服，地毯，玩具等都遭殃，气死我也。还有舌头常常伸出来, 加上他仍然肚子贴在地板上行动，真象条蛇！
靖恒也较常自己一个人玩。他从豆豆班回来后，知我忙着照顾靖恺，也比较少烦我，虽然有时还是会哀叫。我一个下午就忙着跟靖恺换尿布，擦屁股清洗粪便，喂他吃晚餐，煮晚餐，跟靖恺冲凉，洗衣等，直到建明回来开饭。
5月天气不错，出了几次远门。5月尾气温达摄氏21度，太阳好强。大伙儿一起去海边，靖恺被晒得脸红彤彤的。隔天赶紧买了防晒油，真是亡羊补牢，希望不会太晚也。
To and fro Farmers' Market
To fully use both hands...
Or one hand
"Sometimes we are good":
The big ship sails on the ally ally-o:
Posing for camera:
Trip to Leith Links, event organised by 'Parents Like Us':
Photos of sunny days - that's how the weather's mostly been like this month:
His achievement (the tower thing):
'Day Out with Thomas' at Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway Station:
A ride on the steam engine:
The driver of Percy talking to an unresponsive Ethan:
Glasgow museums - Kelvingrove and the Museum of Transport:
Ethan's Robots:
Happy times:
Had wanted to make Siew Mai for the International Lunch at the Women's club in March, but wasn't up to it. Since the wanton skins have been bought, I couldn't possibly waste them:
The rare 'bathroom scene' (in the past, it was 'into the bathtub and out in two shakes', but now that weather has gotten warmer, I thought he should at last have the standard bathing photos):
Cheeky baby (to use Mz's word):
Ethan's train station (does look like Waverley Station! Jianming said 'did not bring him out in vain' - I suppose he was referring to the Thomas day out, but it could have been anytime we need to take a train, to Linlithgow, to Glasgow, to North Berwick...):
Ethan's perpetual problem - sleeping during mealtime:
Farmyard:
Choo-choo! (It's not clear from the photo, but Ethan had arranged boxes, chairs and the tractor in a row behind his car and Jethro was sitting in one of the boxes. Ethan was, of course, the driver.)
Cramond again. This time we went across the causeway to Cramond Island, where there is a small ruin of a Roman fort. (And where Jethro got his sunburnt.)
At the start of the causeway:
Getting nearer to the island:
And nearer:
Lunch on the island:
View of Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle:
View of bridge over the Firth of Forth, where we once crossed over to go to Deep Sea World in North Queensferry:
Strolling along the beach back to the causeway and back to Cramond mainland:
Ethan wanted to go into the Roman Fort, so we made a short climb up before making our way back, despite legs aching from the long walk:
On the bus back to central Edinburgh:
Chilling out (or rather, heating up) at the greens (Bruntsfield):
I had decided not to wait for the day Jethro would crawl on his limbs. Maybe he'll get there eventually. Maybe he'll never really bother to. Then, one day, I saw him get on his fours. Slowly, he is making efforts to crawl on all fours. But it still is hard for him and he still sticks to slithering like a snake most of the time. He has also learned to get onto his fours and into a sitting position, and this he uses alot for changing direction. To see Jethro trying to accomplish these physical feats, one cannot help thinking that life is a series of of struggles from the moment you are born.
Ethan can generally play on his own nowadays. After he's back from the nursery, he knows I am usually occupied with Jethro (changing nappies, cleaning up his poo, feeding him dinner, cook dinner, bathe and washing), and he will play with the blocks, the 'fire engines' etc. quite happily on his own. Of course, he still gets into that irritating whine whenever he wants your attention, and I have to control myself not to use the rod. And he is almost always threatened by Jethro crawling, because he says Jethro is touching his toys (when in fact, he has just started to move and Ethan's toys may or may not be his destination). I still remember the earlier days when he would actually encourage Jethro to crawl when Jethro could only move half an inch.
Jethro, for his part, is feeling less frustrated with being on his tummy, and cries less for help now. But he's onto a different reliance - now he wants your help to stand, and he usually cries as he crawls towards me and stretches out his hands for me, knowing I will lift him up to stand. Then he would turn round and round in my arms, or stretch upwards and bend downwards, challenging my dexterity at holding him.
Another dreadful behaviour he has acquired is spitting out saliva, especially when he's having his solid meals. So my shorts, my t-shirt, the carpet floor and any unfortunate objects nearby are usually splattered with his un-swallowed food during feeding times. Which really drives me crazy, and he has the cheek to smile back at you!
Humans are full of dilemmas. Before Jethro learnt to crawl (or slither), I was worried if his slower development signified something more serious and watched anxiously for signs of his increased mobility (that was before I decided to stop waiting). Now that he's getting there, I am finding it more difficult to do my chores as I have to keep an eye on him more and more often. I am still worried, for his development is rather slow. But that is another matter.
Oh, but summer is here and certainly I am going to get a little more exercise by venturing out more. This month is a sunny one and we went out during the weekends whenever weather and energy permit. As a result of an extremely sunny May day, Jethro has a sunburnt. Poor red-faced bairn!
靖恺最近学会喷口水。每次吃东西，吃到不喜欢的就拼命喷口水，喷到饭粒菜肉四溅，我的衣服，地毯，玩具等都遭殃，气死我也。还有舌头常常伸出来, 加上他仍然肚子贴在地板上行动，真象条蛇！
靖恒也较常自己一个人玩。他从豆豆班回来后，知我忙着照顾靖恺，也比较少烦我，虽然有时还是会哀叫。我一个下午就忙着跟靖恺换尿布，擦屁股清洗粪便，喂他吃晚餐，煮晚餐，跟靖恺冲凉，洗衣等，直到建明回来开饭。
5月天气不错，出了几次远门。5月尾气温达摄氏21度，太阳好强。大伙儿一起去海边，靖恺被晒得脸红彤彤的。隔天赶紧买了防晒油，真是亡羊补牢，希望不会太晚也。
To and fro Farmers' Market
To fully use both hands...
Or one hand
"Sometimes we are good":
The big ship sails on the ally ally-o:
Posing for camera:
Trip to Leith Links, event organised by 'Parents Like Us':
Photos of sunny days - that's how the weather's mostly been like this month:
His achievement (the tower thing):
'Day Out with Thomas' at Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway Station:
A ride on the steam engine:
The driver of Percy talking to an unresponsive Ethan:
Glasgow museums - Kelvingrove and the Museum of Transport:
Ethan's Robots:
Happy times:
Had wanted to make Siew Mai for the International Lunch at the Women's club in March, but wasn't up to it. Since the wanton skins have been bought, I couldn't possibly waste them:
The rare 'bathroom scene' (in the past, it was 'into the bathtub and out in two shakes', but now that weather has gotten warmer, I thought he should at last have the standard bathing photos):
Cheeky baby (to use Mz's word):
Ethan's train station (does look like Waverley Station! Jianming said 'did not bring him out in vain' - I suppose he was referring to the Thomas day out, but it could have been anytime we need to take a train, to Linlithgow, to Glasgow, to North Berwick...):
Ethan's perpetual problem - sleeping during mealtime:
Farmyard:
Choo-choo! (It's not clear from the photo, but Ethan had arranged boxes, chairs and the tractor in a row behind his car and Jethro was sitting in one of the boxes. Ethan was, of course, the driver.)
Cramond again. This time we went across the causeway to Cramond Island, where there is a small ruin of a Roman fort. (And where Jethro got his sunburnt.)
At the start of the causeway:
Getting nearer to the island:
And nearer:
Lunch on the island:
View of Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle:
View of bridge over the Firth of Forth, where we once crossed over to go to Deep Sea World in North Queensferry:
Strolling along the beach back to the causeway and back to Cramond mainland:
Ethan wanted to go into the Roman Fort, so we made a short climb up before making our way back, despite legs aching from the long walk:
On the bus back to central Edinburgh:
Chilling out (or rather, heating up) at the greens (Bruntsfield):
I had decided not to wait for the day Jethro would crawl on his limbs. Maybe he'll get there eventually. Maybe he'll never really bother to. Then, one day, I saw him get on his fours. Slowly, he is making efforts to crawl on all fours. But it still is hard for him and he still sticks to slithering like a snake most of the time. He has also learned to get onto his fours and into a sitting position, and this he uses alot for changing direction. To see Jethro trying to accomplish these physical feats, one cannot help thinking that life is a series of of struggles from the moment you are born.
Ethan can generally play on his own nowadays. After he's back from the nursery, he knows I am usually occupied with Jethro (changing nappies, cleaning up his poo, feeding him dinner, cook dinner, bathe and washing), and he will play with the blocks, the 'fire engines' etc. quite happily on his own. Of course, he still gets into that irritating whine whenever he wants your attention, and I have to control myself not to use the rod. And he is almost always threatened by Jethro crawling, because he says Jethro is touching his toys (when in fact, he has just started to move and Ethan's toys may or may not be his destination). I still remember the earlier days when he would actually encourage Jethro to crawl when Jethro could only move half an inch.
Jethro, for his part, is feeling less frustrated with being on his tummy, and cries less for help now. But he's onto a different reliance - now he wants your help to stand, and he usually cries as he crawls towards me and stretches out his hands for me, knowing I will lift him up to stand. Then he would turn round and round in my arms, or stretch upwards and bend downwards, challenging my dexterity at holding him.
Another dreadful behaviour he has acquired is spitting out saliva, especially when he's having his solid meals. So my shorts, my t-shirt, the carpet floor and any unfortunate objects nearby are usually splattered with his un-swallowed food during feeding times. Which really drives me crazy, and he has the cheek to smile back at you!
Humans are full of dilemmas. Before Jethro learnt to crawl (or slither), I was worried if his slower development signified something more serious and watched anxiously for signs of his increased mobility (that was before I decided to stop waiting). Now that he's getting there, I am finding it more difficult to do my chores as I have to keep an eye on him more and more often. I am still worried, for his development is rather slow. But that is another matter.
Oh, but summer is here and certainly I am going to get a little more exercise by venturing out more. This month is a sunny one and we went out during the weekends whenever weather and energy permit. As a result of an extremely sunny May day, Jethro has a sunburnt. Poor red-faced bairn!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)