Last Day

Today will be Elizabeth's last day of daycare in her kindy. She will usually be there for a full day and I will pick her up after work. So starting from the month of May, she will be getting a transport from her teacher who would be sending her home after classes. My babysitter who is taking care of Joseph, will also be taking care of her. How did I come up with this decision? Since Joseph is bigger now, I think the babysitter can handle two. Moreover, it's not difficult to take care of Elizabeth. She's already turning 5 this year. She seems to be liking the idea too(I interrogated her many times already). She chose to be with the babysitter even though I tempted her with the phrase, "you won't get to play with your friends anymore".

Since it has been decided, we'll just have to make the best out of it. Hopefully the babysitter can cope and hopefully Elizabeth will be happy. And of course hopefully Joseph will be happy too. The only thing worrying me a bit is whether I can cope with coaching her in her homework. Yes, you heard it right, preschoolers also have homework now. It's a competitive world. All this while I've been enjoying the benefit of not having to coach her in her homework because the teachers would help her with it. I mean I do coach only when she can't finish all her homework in school. But that is not everyday. Come next week and I have to start coaching her with her homework already in addition to all the other chores I have to do once I get home from work. It already sounds overwhelming. Hopefully I won't be giving up.

Can you believe one of the teacher said, "Oh so we won't be seeing you so often already". Are they starting to miss me? LOL. Elizabeth also asked me, " Mommy, so you won't fetch me in school but fetch me together with didi at didi's auntie's house, right?" She sounded so excited. Haha.

Elizabeth is a well-known crybaby in school. The teachers even joked about it. There was once the principal received her at the school gate when I dropped her off and Elizabeth was already on the verge of tears. The principal said, "It's ok. Monday blues lar." >.<
On another occasion, she cried in school after my husband left. One teacher asked her, "Elizabeth, today is what pau? Char siew pau, tau sar pau or ku pau? I don't want ku pau you know?"

Do you get the joke? Hehe. Have a nice weekend!

We don't even have to do homework when we were in kindy. Now preschoolers also have to do homework.

If I Were A SAHM

There was one day at the end of January where I had to take leave from work and stay at home to take care of Joseph. My babysitter had some important event to attend to. After I bid farewell to my husband, I started preparing Elizabeth for kindy. Seeing me still in my home clothes, I knew it was just a matter of time before she starts questioning me. Then the expected happened and I told her that I had to stay at home to take care of Joseph today because Auntie (the babysitter) cannot take care of Joseph today. Then she said she wants to stay home too but I said she cannot miss kindy today but I promised to pick her up early at 1pm after her classes end. She didn't agree at first but accepted it later when I promised to pick her up earlier than usual. Joseph got to go for car ride when I had to fetch his sister to kindy. The principle was at the entrance when we arrived. I saw Elizabeth's face was beaming with pride when the principle saw Joseph. She was proud of her baby brother. :)

I enjoyed the time I had with Joseph alone because it was a rare opportunity. Most of the time his sister would be around. So even though it was not a full day, I am truly grateful for it. It was quite a breeze looking after him that day. He even napped twice. When I went to pick up Elizabeth that afternoon, it seems she told her friends that I'm going to pick her up early and that I will be bringing along her little brother. So when I arrived, her friends rushed to the gate to have a peek at Joseph. She proudly introduced Joseph to her friends. LOL. When we are back at home, I had to juggle between taking care of two children and doing household chores.

At the end of the day, I started to ponder. If I were a stay-at-home-mom(SAHM), how would I be? Will I be enjoying it? Will I be bored? Will I start to miss my working life? Will the two children drive me to insanity? LOL. I was thinking to myself, "Hey I can get used to this". Even if the kids will drive me to insanity, if money is not an issue, I will rather be a SAHM to be there for my children, in a heartbeat.

Lil' dahling demanded for bread when I was having my breakfast.

Like 'apek' style of sitting. Tsk tsk tsk!

After finishing a slice of bread, he wants my breakfast instead! That's my bun!

Giving me that sweet, innocent look.

After brekkie, he took the remote control to me. So TV time while I quickly prepare his porridge.

Still watching the telly after I'm done with the porridge.

I decided enough of TV. So it's play time!

Even played with torch light.

Play time before nap time.

Playing peek-a-boo with me.

Even the laundry basket was not missed.

Welcome home Elizabeth!

Jie jie wants to read while di di wants to cook.

Whee!

You thought this wouldn't happen eh?

First Day Of Kindy

I can't believe today is the day my dearest daughter is going to the kindy for the first time. I always listen to stories from my friends or colleagues about their children going to kindy for the first time and thought to myself, "I wonder when will my time come?" Well, I've got my wish today and boy it was really an experience.

I think most mothers will high five with me today because we might have the same experience. I was so anxious when we were approaching the school. Eliza was still innocent and not really knowing what to expect from kindy. She was ok as she enter the gate. Phew! I've passed one hurdle. She was ok when the teacher took her into the class. Phew! Another hurdle. Looks like it's all good. She was ok when the teacher sat her down on the chair and gave her some colour pencils to draw on a piece of paper. Phew! I'm so proud of you baby!

Then the dreaded thing happened. A boy came in the class and when his parents left, he let out a blood curdling cry. As you can guess, our princess started to cry too. Asking for her mommy to come and don't leave her. The teacher already warned us before hand that some children will be alright at first but will start to cry once they see another child cry. I felt like scolding the boy because it was all his fault. But I don't blame him actually. Her cry became louder and as time passes it became longer. My husband and I was getting worried and wonder whether it will ever stop? After so long finally it ended when the teacher decided to distract them with loud music and beckoned them to dance with her. Ok, it's time to leave now instead of loitering in the hall and peeping every few seconds. She might catch a glimpse of us and start to cry again. So we left for breakfast.

We decided to come back and check on Eliza again in the afternoon. There she was fast asleep..but on the floor?! I had to have a word with the daycare teacher and she told me that she was on the mattress at first but when the daycare teacher came near she quickly stick to her and ended up sleeping on the floor. The teacher tried to move her after she fell asleep but she opened her eyes and she quickly put her down in order not to wake her up. That was her story but I do hope it's true. After all we have to put our trusts in them right? Anyway, we left again and came back at 4.40pm to pick her up early. She was having her dinner halfway. But it's ok. I just don't want her to be the last to be picked up on her first day of kindy.

She told me after that that she cried in school because of the boy crying and that she wanted me. She also told me that she drank her milk and slept in school. She went on to say that we came to fetch her home and pick up dee dee. But last of all she told me that she doesn't want to go to school tomorrow. When I asked her why she said because she'll cry and want me and want to go home. Funny but of course that's not gonna happen. Tomorrow will be another challenge and I hope everything will be fine in no time.



The part where she was ok at first



She's actually crying

For a moment, I thought she spotted me.

Eliza in her uniform