He said he wanted to flush his sister down the toilet the other day. i was surprised at his unusual outburst cos he's usually quite loving towards his meimei. when asked why he wanted to (in his own words: "flush her down the toilet bowl, then the water will flow over her and she'll go down the pipes and get stuck") do that to her, he said
"cos she bites mama". (he thinks she bites me when she feeds.)
This must be related to an incident on another day, when i was carrying her in front of him and laughingly commented she's so hungry she's eating my hand (she was trying to latch onto my arm). he took it quite literally though, and immediately came over, put his palm on her forehead and pushed her away, saying "cannot eat mama."
I must be more careful about what I say around him.
13 October 2011
Sleep configurations
Christian had been sleeping with my parents ever since Calista was born. He first moved out of our room because she was a newborn who kept waking up, then cos he was having a cold / cough and we didn't want him to pass to her, then cos he had chicken pox and went to stay at my mum's house.
I felt immensely guilty every time I hear him say "i want to sleep with mama" / "i want mama to make me sleep".
On nights when I'm able to, I'll put him to bed by telling him stories / singing lullabies, but I find that it takes me very long to put him to bed cos he's so afraid i'll leave him. Often, he'll be ostensibly asleep (i'll feel his involuntary leg-jerks / slower, deeper breaths) when i leave the room, but he'll shout and cry the minute i leave the room and close the door. Sigh. This makes it very difficult as Calista often wants to feed around that time. I think it'll be much better once I stop b/feeding..
Anyway, three nights ago, my helper said he heard my voice whilst i was in the living room and told her 'i want mama'. Guilt overcame me and i decided to let him try and sleep with us in the same room. The first night was not so bad. She woke at 3-something am and he stirred a little, stretched his hand out to check i was there, and went back to sleep once i shushed him. The second night was terrible. He slept on a mattress on the floor, cried / threw an irrational tantrum at 1-something am. I had to wait till he was soundly asleep before daring to pump at 2.50am, and Calista woke demanding to be fed at 3.40am. All was well till 6am, when she wanted to feed again, and woke her brother up. He's such a light sleeper, i didn't even dare to turn the night lamp on and change her diaper, and now her bottom's a little red. It was difficult putting her back to bed at 6-something am cos her brother was fully awake and started talking, so i kicked P and asked him to bring Ch out.. All of us ended up sleep-deprived. Ch threw a tantrum and didn't want to go to school again.. and my mum said he yawned 3 times on the way to school. P looked zombified in the morning. As for me... well... i slept with the little one till 11.15am =P
Sigh. We are now back to him sleeping with my parents. It's not ideal, but i suppose it's for the best given how he's a light sleeper.
(on a related point, he's started querying - "why meimei feed and feed and feed? why she drink milk so many times?" *grin)
I felt immensely guilty every time I hear him say "i want to sleep with mama" / "i want mama to make me sleep".
On nights when I'm able to, I'll put him to bed by telling him stories / singing lullabies, but I find that it takes me very long to put him to bed cos he's so afraid i'll leave him. Often, he'll be ostensibly asleep (i'll feel his involuntary leg-jerks / slower, deeper breaths) when i leave the room, but he'll shout and cry the minute i leave the room and close the door. Sigh. This makes it very difficult as Calista often wants to feed around that time. I think it'll be much better once I stop b/feeding..
Anyway, three nights ago, my helper said he heard my voice whilst i was in the living room and told her 'i want mama'. Guilt overcame me and i decided to let him try and sleep with us in the same room. The first night was not so bad. She woke at 3-something am and he stirred a little, stretched his hand out to check i was there, and went back to sleep once i shushed him. The second night was terrible. He slept on a mattress on the floor, cried / threw an irrational tantrum at 1-something am. I had to wait till he was soundly asleep before daring to pump at 2.50am, and Calista woke demanding to be fed at 3.40am. All was well till 6am, when she wanted to feed again, and woke her brother up. He's such a light sleeper, i didn't even dare to turn the night lamp on and change her diaper, and now her bottom's a little red. It was difficult putting her back to bed at 6-something am cos her brother was fully awake and started talking, so i kicked P and asked him to bring Ch out.. All of us ended up sleep-deprived. Ch threw a tantrum and didn't want to go to school again.. and my mum said he yawned 3 times on the way to school. P looked zombified in the morning. As for me... well... i slept with the little one till 11.15am =P
Sigh. We are now back to him sleeping with my parents. It's not ideal, but i suppose it's for the best given how he's a light sleeper.
(on a related point, he's started querying - "why meimei feed and feed and feed? why she drink milk so many times?" *grin)
07 October 2011
Mama in the pig-sty
I'd put a mud mask from the Dead Sea on my face yesterday, and decided to leave it on till Ch came back from school, to amuse myself with his reaction.
He was certainly most disturbed when he saw me.
Kept repeating "WHY is your face black, mama???" the minute he stepped in the house, even amidst my mum's exhortations to go wash his hands.
I smiled and said I decided not to wash my face. Half-truth, but still disturbing to the little boy. "Why didn't you wash your face, mama?" "Mama! Go wash your face! EEEEeee... i don't like you.." I smiled and tried to kiss him. He withdrew in half-horror and screamed "NO...! Cannot kiss me...! I don't like black.. Mama wash your face!"
I rolled my eyes at his innate racism and tried to tell him there's nothing wrong with being black. Didn't work.
"Why is your face black mama?"
Me: Because I put some mud on my face.
Ch: Why you put mud on your face?
Me: Erm.. i put mud on my face cos it'll make my face look nice after I wash it off.
Ch (ignores what was said and formulates his own theory): Ooooh.... Mama! You go to the pig stay just now right?
Me: ahhaha...pig sty??
Ch: Yes! You went to the pig sty and you ask the pig, 'Pig, can I play with you?' and the pig said 'Yes' and you rolled rolled rolled in the mud and you got mud on your face.. right?
Me: Hahaha..
__________________________________________________________________
Later in the night, before I put him to bed, I tell him that whether i'm black-faced or not, he must still love his mama cos his mama is the same mama who loves him. He frowns a little, then figures out an escape route..
"Mama.. but I don't like blaaaack... i like blue! Mama, if you go to the pig sty and play in the blue mud and your face is blue, your hair is blue, your nose your mouth is blue, then i'll like you and i'll let you kiss me ok?"
-_-""
He was certainly most disturbed when he saw me.
Kept repeating "WHY is your face black, mama???" the minute he stepped in the house, even amidst my mum's exhortations to go wash his hands.
I smiled and said I decided not to wash my face. Half-truth, but still disturbing to the little boy. "Why didn't you wash your face, mama?" "Mama! Go wash your face! EEEEeee... i don't like you.." I smiled and tried to kiss him. He withdrew in half-horror and screamed "NO...! Cannot kiss me...! I don't like black.. Mama wash your face!"
I rolled my eyes at his innate racism and tried to tell him there's nothing wrong with being black. Didn't work.
"Why is your face black mama?"
Me: Because I put some mud on my face.
Ch: Why you put mud on your face?
Me: Erm.. i put mud on my face cos it'll make my face look nice after I wash it off.
Ch (ignores what was said and formulates his own theory): Ooooh.... Mama! You go to the pig stay just now right?
Me: ahhaha...pig sty??
Ch: Yes! You went to the pig sty and you ask the pig, 'Pig, can I play with you?' and the pig said 'Yes' and you rolled rolled rolled in the mud and you got mud on your face.. right?
Me: Hahaha..
__________________________________________________________________
Later in the night, before I put him to bed, I tell him that whether i'm black-faced or not, he must still love his mama cos his mama is the same mama who loves him. He frowns a little, then figures out an escape route..
"Mama.. but I don't like blaaaack... i like blue! Mama, if you go to the pig sty and play in the blue mud and your face is blue, your hair is blue, your nose your mouth is blue, then i'll like you and i'll let you kiss me ok?"
-_-""
06 October 2011
The stomach, heart and God
Ch: I like mama and meimei.
...
When i like mama and meimei, God is in my stomach right? (he apparently remembers me saying "God is in your heart when you love someone.)
Me (smiling): No, God is in your heart.
Ch: Oh. the heart pumps.. the heart pumps..
Me: Yes, the heart pumps blood around your body.
Ch: I like mama and meimei a lot. Mama and meimei are in my heart right?
Me: Erm.. yes.. God is there when you love us.
_________________________________________________________
It's amazing what information children retain and spew back at us, even if it seems like they are not listening at times.
(And it is apparent that for this little guy, the starting premise for everything is his stomach.)
...
When i like mama and meimei, God is in my stomach right? (he apparently remembers me saying "God is in your heart when you love someone.)
Me (smiling): No, God is in your heart.
Ch: Oh. the heart pumps.. the heart pumps..
Me: Yes, the heart pumps blood around your body.
Ch: I like mama and meimei a lot. Mama and meimei are in my heart right?
Me: Erm.. yes.. God is there when you love us.
_________________________________________________________
It's amazing what information children retain and spew back at us, even if it seems like they are not listening at times.
(And it is apparent that for this little guy, the starting premise for everything is his stomach.)
Christian learns to love and share
I ordered some organic bananas from the local farm and told Ch I had a special treat for him. Hinted by asking "what do monkeys love to eat?" Him: "Peanuts!" Me: "Erm yes.. but this is yellow..."
"Bananas!"
Played "Spot the bananas" in the kitchen and we each peeled one to eat. I saw that his was a little overripe at the bottom so swopped his for mine. Christian asked why I took his and I explained that it was a little mushy and shouldn't be eaten. He asked again, "why I eat this and you eat that, mama" and I understood what he was really asking.
I explained that when you love someone, you want to give them the best, and that's why I gave him the better fruit. He absorbed what was said silently, then asked me to throw the spoilt portion away.
I gave little thought to what I said, until about half an hour later, when he came bouncing to me, offering me one of his guava slices. He would normally share his guava with everyone, but he looked around the slices seriously this time round, and said "I give you the biggest slice, mama." *smile*
He continued this after dinner, when he offered me his precious berrydophilus vitamin (which tastes more like a sweet frankly). I said no absentmindedly but was struck by his unusual persistence. Realised he must be trying to apply what I'd said to him earlier, and thus accepted one gratefully. I was bemused as the internal struggle to let go of his treasured vitamin played out on his face, but he managed to put the little chewable vitamin into my mouth (staring long after it went in tho, haha) after all.
"Bananas!"
Played "Spot the bananas" in the kitchen and we each peeled one to eat. I saw that his was a little overripe at the bottom so swopped his for mine. Christian asked why I took his and I explained that it was a little mushy and shouldn't be eaten. He asked again, "why I eat this and you eat that, mama" and I understood what he was really asking.
I explained that when you love someone, you want to give them the best, and that's why I gave him the better fruit. He absorbed what was said silently, then asked me to throw the spoilt portion away.
I gave little thought to what I said, until about half an hour later, when he came bouncing to me, offering me one of his guava slices. He would normally share his guava with everyone, but he looked around the slices seriously this time round, and said "I give you the biggest slice, mama." *smile*
He continued this after dinner, when he offered me his precious berrydophilus vitamin (which tastes more like a sweet frankly). I said no absentmindedly but was struck by his unusual persistence. Realised he must be trying to apply what I'd said to him earlier, and thus accepted one gratefully. I was bemused as the internal struggle to let go of his treasured vitamin played out on his face, but he managed to put the little chewable vitamin into my mouth (staring long after it went in tho, haha) after all.
02 October 2011
Christian, the cake fanatic
Christian attended his classmate's birthday party last Saturday. The party was held at the pool we usually go to, within Mt Faber Safra. He had so much fun and was so shameless in hanging around the main celebration area, taking the initiative to sing her a birthday song before asking where the cake was *shakes head*
It was great to see him so excited and delighted to be around his classmates in a different setting.
However, when we finally got to the cake-eating part, it was amusing yet worrying seeing how much he loves cake.
However, when we finally got to the cake-eating part, it was amusing yet worrying seeing how much he loves cake.
He could barely resist touching the cake and kept wanting to hang around the cake after the first cut was made. I had to drag him away so the birthday girl could take pictures with her family without his face in them. He hung around the periphery of action, all the time eyeing the cake. When she finally came to him with a piece, he thanked her, grabbed his treasure and wanted to wolf it down. I pulled him to a table, sat him on my lap and began asking..
"Please may I have some? We are supposed to share this piece right? C'mon, please share".
He fended me off with "NO. NO. NO" whilst using his elbow to guard his cake from my open mouth.
I tried again (at this juncture perhaps i need to justify my preying on his cake. he's so prone to coughs and colds that we try very hard not to let him eat sweet stuff / cookies / cakes / wheat / white bread) -
"Christian... *mock pout* Mama doesn't have any cake.. can I have some please??"
He dismisses my request with: "Go ask from Joy yourself."
I make an astonished/bemused face at his brilliant rebuttal and P, who was sitting opposite us, grinned.
Christian devoured most of the beloved cake and finally gave it up to us after I used emotional blackmail -
"Remember...i told you.. if you love someone you'll want to give him / her the best.. you'll give him what you think is good.."
He paused, stared at what was left on his plate before pushing it to me.
"Ok."
He paused, stared at what was left on his plate before pushing it to me.
"Ok."
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