Girly Heidi

Never thought that the characteristics of being a girl would show through so early and so tellingly at so young a age!

What set her apart from her brothers:

1. The first time I put socks on her, she refused to let me take them off, and that's even before she knew socks = going out.

2. She would go quiet and compliant when I do something to her hair - comb, put pins / hair bands on, put hats on. Except cutting it.

3. She pasted a sticker on her blouse. When I tore it off and gave it back to her a day later, she pasted it back to her blouse again.

4. She is generally more watchful and less rowdy (except when hungry or greedy) than her brothers.

When They Are Amusing

Ethan
His first homework was to colour a thank-you note with a bear picture for his buddy in primary school. At night, he was already quite tired so I told him he could do it the next day. "And if you wake up earlier than us, you can always colour this in the morning," said I. "Of course I'll wake up earlier than you all." was his truer-than-truth, matter-of-fact-cum-a-little exasperated (at such lazy parents?) reply.

Jethro
Jethro's favourite songs these days are "造飞机" (with full body actions):

造飞机造飞机来到青草地.

蹲下来蹲下来我做推进器.

蹲下去蹲下去我做飞机翼.

弯着腰弯着腰飞机做的奇.

飞上去飞上去飞到白云里.

"小小兵" (started the day he got a gun key chain from Uncle Alvin):

小小兵,小小兵,我是小小兵,
年纪小胆量好,常常练兵操,
有敌人来犯我,向他开抢炮,
乒乒乒乓乓乓,乒乒乒乓乓乓,
向前冲,向前冲,敌人不放松,
哒哒哒地,地哒哒哒地哒哒.
嗒嗒嗒滴,滴嗒嗒嗒滴嗒嗒

and a new song that he seemed to learn from the child care centre. That morning, while saying bye-bye, he was quite teary and refused to let Jianming go. The same evening, when we went to my parent-in-laws' place for dinner, he kept singing this song over and over to us (an almost tune-less song that sounded like something the teacher improvised?) while doing some frilly hand actions (most likely improvised!):

我爱爸爸，我爱妈妈。
爸爸做工，妈妈上班。
哗啦啦啦啦，
哗啦啦啦啦，
哗啦啦啦啦，
哗啦啦啦啦啦。

Coupled with his unclear diction (the last was okay, since the wordings are very simple - further evidence that the teacher made it up!), it's hilarious.

Heidi
The teachers at the infant care centre told me Heidi would kiss you if you asked her to. Among the many "kiss kiss mommy" chants by me, there's just this once when it actually happened - she put her face near mine in a kissing pose. Oh, such small gesture, such great joy! But I must hasten to add that it has only happened once so far. Most of the time, she would turn her head away in a shy or quit-bothering-me! manner - I think it's more of the latter.

The Toddler in You

That day, when you first stepped into your Primary School, your first day as a no-more-pre-school kid, I felt a rush of nostalgia. A few days before, I had seen you march around the flat like a soldier, putting your hand to your forehead and saying "Yes, Sir!". I was suddenly transported to the first few months in Scotland, when we played alot of marching up and down to the tune of "The Grand Old Duke of Yoke". There was a shadow of the toddling you in there. And I wished I had not been scolding you so much these past few months - on your attention span, on your whining, on your unwillingness to help out around the house, on your seeming callousness after you accidentally knocked your sister to the floor, on your dilly-dallying. Oh, on so many things we thought you should be outgrowing. But in actual fact, you are still a child.

Ethan, the days ahead may be exciting and a little overwhelming for you. You are likely going to face some set backs, and some wonderful adventures and discoveries too. I see your life as an individual person, being on your own, beginning. And I hope you'll look forward to the days ahead, to the opportunities abound for growth and learning and gaining more and more independence. As for me, I'm just going to miss those younger days more and more, the carefree and almost trouble-free childhood that you had, those long walks that we did together in Edinburgh, the long afternoon sun and hours spent on those activity books with a sleeping Jethro. Which you have forgotten, and I won't ever.

Pink is the New Black

I am Heidi-ised when I actually bought a pair of pink slippers ... for myself.