"Please" and "Thank you"

We are teaching Hao to say "Please" and "Thank you" each time he's trying to ask something from us (usually food). Notice how I ask him to say "Please" and "Thank you".

Hao: Mommy, gurt, gurt *pointing at the fridge, hinting to me he wants to eat the yogurt*
Me: (Looking at Hao) Say "Please".
No respond from Hao.

Me: Say "Please".
Still no respond from Hao.

Me: Say "Please" first. Mama will give.
Hao: Plead.

I open the fridge and pass him a yogurt.

Me: Say "Thank you".

Hao: Kyu.

-------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday afternoon, Lynn wanted to eat raisins.

Lynn: Mama I want to eat raisins. Can I have some raisins please?
Me: OK.
Lynn: Mama I want this green spoon and this white spoon is for Didi. (Whatever food that she is asking, she will always get some for Hao.)
Me: OK.
Scoop one spoon of the raisins for Lynn and another spoon for Hao.

I was feeling a little hungry too. So I asked them to share some of the raisins with me.

Me: Lynn, can give mama one raisin?

Lynn passed me one raisin.

Me: Hao, can give mama one raisin?

Hao: No! (Taking one for himself.)
Lynn passed me another raisin.

Me: Hao, share share? Give mama one raisin?
Hao: No! (Continue eating by himself.)
Lynn passed me another raisin.

Me: Hao, just give mama one raisin, can?
Hao: No! (Munching his raisins.)
Lynn passed me another raisin.

Me: Aww... why don't you want to share with mama?
Hao: No!
Lynn passed me another raisin.

Hao: (Take a look at me) "Plead".

Me: Oh, you want mama to say please? Hao, can you please give mama one raisin?

Hao passed me one raisin finally.

Me: Thank you! :D

Erm, I did not say "No" when the kids are not saying "Please". So this one definitely not from me. Hehehe.

Anyway, now Hao will automatically offer me the raisin simply because he saw Lynn always do this to me! So it's really important to get Lynn to show the good example. :)

Lynn @ 4 years old

Lynn's birthday is just a small celebration with the family members from both side. We went to a restaurant serving western food some where nearby our house.


Lynn @ 4 years old
1. Getting easier to talk/communicate with her. But she still likes to make me "nag" a lot. Whenever I ask her to do something, for example brush her teeth, go take bath, keep her books etc. She likes playing a deaf ear with me, always want me to repeat myself many many times. Sometimes until hb also get annoyed and scolded her.

2. Very slow in doing things. For example she can take a good 15-20 minutes to brush her teeth, in which 10 minutes is spent on looking at the mirror and play talking by herself there, and another 5 minutes playing with the water.

3. Ever since I bought a Barney DVD for her, she can glu to it every weekend. No more Little MJ fans ever since Barney DVD come into the house.

4. A cheeky child? Love to bully her brother. Love to make her brother shout loudly. Love to make her brother cries. Love to take away the things from her brother's hand......

5. Although she likes to bully her brother Hao, but she also likes to take care of him. She will share all her food with him. Each time she asks food from me she will sure get some for her brother. But just not the books and the toys. (Until I have to declare those books are mine!) Likewise for Hao - he will also share the food with Lynn but not the toys. :(

6. Still prefer meat than vegetables. But manage to persuade her to take more vegetables especially when she sees other kids are taking vegetable too.

7. Still likes to talk a lot. On the way home after picking up the kids, she will be talking non-stop in the car. Tell me this la that la, or play loudly in the car with Hao. Or if not singing, making noise in the car. She's a noisy kid.

8. Very clumsy and don't take good care of her belonging. She spoil the rail of one of the drawer (until today I still can't figure how she did it), not to mention the toys and those craft she done in the school. Once come home.... within few days gone case.

9. Although she's diaperless at night, accidents do happen.

10. Still sucking thumb! Grrr.... but I found a way how to make her suck less. Still trying to get rid of that completely. I told her, if I see her sucking thumb, then next day no yogurt or vitagen (she loves them and every morning she will ask for it). I said it and I practice it. So after one time, she really make her effort not to suck her thumb.

11. Ever since I introduce sand art to her, she loves it very much.

12. Like to pretend play she's a teacher.... like to "lecture" others, telling others cannot do this cannot do that. She even told us she wants to be a teacher! Is it because she was born on Teacher's Day? *shrug*

13. Instead of being shy, now she will pose for me when I take her picture, give me her sweet sweet smile. ^_^

14. Love books. Love to read books. Love me or hb reads books for her.

15. Every Saturday and Sunday, she will surely ask me this question "Mama, today gai-gai?" And then when I bring her out, she will keep on telling me "Mama I like this" "Mama I want this", asking me to buy things for her. I hate to say "No" to her, but I can't be just buy anything that she asks for. The last one I told her "If you be a good girl, don't make mama tells you to do this do that, sayang didi, I will take you come back here to get it for you." And that keep her mouth shut. But of course if she well behave, I will surely and happily bring her back to the shop to buy what she wants for her.

16. Will open the fridge and take the food to eat without asking. Some more will take for her brother too. Bad example!!! :(

17. Last but not least, Lynn weight at 4 years old is 16kg, and 107 cm tall.

C2 - Refreshingly 100% Natural Green Tea

This is a product review of C2 – Cool & Clean Green Tea written by me.  

Amongst all tea, I love green tea the most, mainly due to its soothing taste besides the many good benefits about green tea. Green tea has the least caffeine and the highest amount of health benefits. Drinking green tea regularly can reduce the risk of four of the major health problems: stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes. It also helps Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cholesterol, Infection, Impaired Immune Function and detox.

C2 Cool & Clean Green Tea comes in 3 refreshing flavour - Apple, Lemon and Forest Fruit. The added flavour enhances the taste and musk the bitter taste of Green Tea/Chinese Tea which some of us don’t like. So even the children will love it.

Apple flavour – My kids’ favourite. Sweet fruity flavour, just taste like apple juice. I like to take this in the morning after breakfast.

 
Lemon flavour - my all time favourite. It taste like lemonade, but with less bitter taste than the normal lemon tea. I like to take this after a heavy or oily meal, or in the hot sunny afternoon, as it is very refreshing especially if it is chilled. 

Forest Fruits flavour – amongst all three, this one has the strongest bitter taste of green tea. So it is the least favourite for the kids. As for me, I like to take this at night, during my “me” time. Sitting down here taking a chilled Forest Fruits flavour green tea is such relaxing and refreshing.

C2 Cool & Clean Green Tea is packed in a convenient ‘resealable’ 350ml PET bottle that you can ‘sip & seal’ and drink ‘on-the-go’. It is also at the right size to be hold by the children. See how my boy enjoy drinking it. Hehehe.

C2 Cool & Clean Green Tea is made from 100% Natural Green Tea, not from powder and concentrates of green tea. It is “Brewed and Packaged” fresh on the same day, therefore retaining most of the green tea goodness and benefits which is normally lost in other extraction processes. One of them is this powerful antioxidants, called ‘Catechins’.

Catechin is a natural powerful antioxidant found in green tea, not added by the manufacturer. It is also found in chocolate (cocoa), fruits, vegetables, wine and in many other plant species but it is most abundant in Green Tea. It helps fight the effects of stress by reducing cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure and boosting the immune system.

C2 COOL & CLEAN is a range of high quality non-carbonated ready-to-drink fruit flavoured green tea based beverage that creates a refreshing lifestyle different from your usual soft drinks. It is healthier alternative to carbonated soft drink. That’s why I have no issue letting the kids taking it. It is best served chilled but the kids love it even if it is not chilled. It is also ‘Halal’ Certified.

C2 COOL & CLEAN is now available in Malaysia, brought to you by URC Snack Foods (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd - Malaysia’s leading snack foods, biscuits and chocolate distributor.

Available outlets: -
1. 7-11
2. Mydin
3. Giant
4. Jusco
5. Other shops near you.

So check it out today, taste it and let me know if you like it too. :)

You jump I don't jump

Took the kids to the playground during Lynn birthday. One enjoy jumping while the other one.....



Well, you can imagine how noisy my house can be when both of them are playing at home. :D

5th year anniversary

This post is to remind own self not to repeat the same mistakes again.


Today mark the 5th year wedding anniversary for me and hb. We have been dating for 4 years before we get married. Altogether is a 9 years relationship. During these 9 years, we have been gone through many many things - many tears, many talks, many fights, and of course many happy moments too. We had 2 major fights and almost split. First fight led to a 3-months cool down period. Where in these 3 months, we did not talk and we did not go out with each other. Second fight made me depressed for 9 months. It is the worst time in my life and it is a very expensive lesson learn. I definitely would not like to go through it again. It also has changed me to a different person:

1. Set no expectation

In the past, during weekend I would like hb to help out in the housework. However hb always not motivated to do housework, even though he just needs to clean the floor. One task only. While I had to handle other things, like washing, cooking and taking care the kids (they are very attached to me). So I would feel frustrated over hb's attitude. I would blame him for not helping.

But now not anymore. Because I have changed my thinking - this is my house too. Why would I care if hb helps to clean the house or not? If I want it clean, I can just do it myself. I don't have to depend or rely on other person. So I stopped blaming him. I stopped feeling not happy just because of he's not helping. If I'm not too tired, I will just do it myself. He probably is tired too and would like to rest. It's just us living here. So no rush to stress ourselves to keep the house freaking clean. And what do I get in return? Hb will automatically do the cleaning part without being asked for. This means he's more willing to do it without the "stress" from me. :)

2. Move from family focus to self focus and now try to balance it with the kids

I used to do lots of things for other people in the family - hb or the kids. I enjoyed doing things for them, and even willing to sacrifice my limited personal time just for them. I feel terrible when I feel all effort spent was not appreciated. But in fact, I never think of is this what they want. If it is not what they want, of course they won't appreciate it. So I'm making myself getting hurt. Feel stupid right? I learn my lesson and started to keep some personal time for myself everyday. That's how the sleeping late habit started. I realized that without fixing myself, I cannot keep others happy. Without fixing myself, I won't be able to have more energy for others. Without fixing myself, I cannot feel happy. So the me time is important. It also helps me to de-stress after a full day work in the office.

3. Have common interest and stay connect

Hb and I used to go exercise - jogging, gym or swimming when we were dating and also after married before we have any kids. We stopped the weekly exercise routine after Lynn was born. Lynn was very much attached to me and I felt bad had to trouble the parents to take care the baby. With no activities being done together, slowly we didn't feel stay connect with each other. Many times, I did not know what is in his mind. Of course we were still talking. However it is just not the same feeling anymore.

Now we will do some activities where both of us enjoy. Whether we are staying at home, or going out, with the kids or without the kids. We have common group of friends or people that we know. We have common topics to talk about.

4. Support each other

In the past, I gave my support to him using my way. Thinking it was what he need. But now, I learn to support him in the way that how he want it. We give each other full freedom on things that we want to do. He is fine with me going out with friends leaving the kids with him at home.

Right now, I would say we are in a very stable relationship and there should be nothing that can break us apart. Hb is not a very romantic person. So I won't hope for any flowers or candle light dinner. In fact in the past 4 years, there was no celebration on this day at all. But this is not important. Most important is, we still love each other and we want to keep this relationship moving on.

Happy Anniversary to me, and have a nice day to all of you. :)

It's a wonderful world to have you with us

First Hair Cut

Hi it's me, Hao. What do you think of my hair? Long? Po po (Grandma) said if I still don't get my hair cut, I'm going to become like a girl soon. >.<

So on Saturday morning, when mama put a stool outside the house at the car porch, I "guai guai" let mama carried me to sit there. I even posed for her to take a picture of my handsome face. Wait a minute. Mama has never cut hair before! I will be her guinea pig! If I let her cut my hair, will I become not so handsome? No way! Now I feel a bit regretted not to let Po po cut my hair last week! >.<

So despite mama gave me a small box of cereal to eat, so that while I sit here eating my food mama would cut my hair for me. But thinking that this is her first time, instead of busy eating I was actually busy turning the head left and right, disallowed mama to cut my hair! Mama had a hard time to cut my hair. It was difficult for her to cut it straight with me shaking my head most of the time. She had to keep on asking me not to move. Until papa also coming down from upstairs to take a look what were we doing. And because I was shaking my head left and right all the time, mama was unable to cut my hair. At the end, papa got to hold my head still, made me can't move so that mama could cut my hair! Actually I scared mama would cut my skin instead of my hair, so when papa hold my head tightly, I feel more secure to let mama cut my hair. So mama had to be fast as I disliked papa holding my head for too long. I need to move! Guess what? Mama was complaining not good enough. Papa became impatient and took over the scissor and started to cut my hair too! After papa was done with the side, mama touched up a bit on the front and the side. Mama wanted to cut the back shorter but with no success without papa around to hold my head.

I saw lots of hair on the ground. And mama was kept on looking on my hair, checking here and there and cut cut cut!1 There was no mirror at car porch there for me to see my new hair style. I wonder am I still handsome? Well, don't care now. Already cut. What to do? Just hope my friends and gong gong po po won't laugh at me when they see me next week.

What do you think? Lynn Jie Jie said I am still handsome. I overheard mama telling papa that she think the back can be shorter some more and currently it is not so even. But papa think it was a good try for mama (and papa) since it is their first time. As for me, I feel more comfortable with shorter hair! And from now onwards I will make sure mama remember to comb my hair. If not, I will take the comb for her so that I look handsome all the time. ^_^

Btw, this is not my first hair cut. But first time mama cuts my hair!