Another new year

Few more days we are going to say bye bye to Rabbit year and welcoming the year of Dragon. Rabbit year is a very challenging year for me. Big decision, major changes. There are lots of stress. And pains. But it also allow me to see who are true friends who are willing to give their helping hands and those who only know how to talk and instead of ease our stress, they are giving more pressure to us. One lesson learn for me is, no matter how protective and careful we are, we can't avoid not getting hurt by people around us. Unless everyone become nobody to us. But this is not always the case. Thus instead of getting protective, I should learn how to deal with the pain.

Rabbit year is also a year I have to deal with lots of "disagreement". In which, dealing all these things are stressful actually. Lots of time, people only see the surface but not knowing actually what's happening behind. Especially those people that like to make their own assumptions without asking the people involved for facts. Whatever happen is not my choice and the end results may look ugly, but I think it's the best decision and the right thing to do based on the options available and the situation at that time. I can't control if people want to talk bad about me. I can't possible please everyone. And I feel grateful for those who stand by us and share our thoughts.

In the year of Rabbit, I've becoming more active in baking. Main reason that I started baking is to have more varieties of food for the kids, as well as to save money. Cost of living is getting more and more expensive. It's always cheaper to bake ourselves except that baking do take some time depends what you want to bake. So in the past few months, I have been slowing down on reading books, as some of the time are spent on baking.

Despite those challenging events, the best thing that happen to me in the year of Rabbit is, the unconditional supports from my parents. They will not question our decision, just offer themselves to us without asking anything in return. They are hoping by giving us helping hand we get to spend quality time with our kids. I'm really feel blessed to have such understanding parents. Thus whenever possible, I'll bake something for them, to show my appreciation.

While Rabbit year is not a good year for me, and lots of people are saying the coming Dragon year is not a very good year too. I just wish things are not getting worse for me. And I wish all of us are having good health, no unexpected trips to hospital.

Happy Chinese New Year!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
May all of you have a prosperous and better year ahead.

Big sister and little brother

This year Hao is going to turn 4. It'll be first year for him going to kindy, and last year for the girl. And both Lynn and Hao will be attending the same kindy. While it may be good that having a big sister around, but is it really good for the boy?

Lynn no doubt is a very caring sister. With her independent character, she can take care of others very well. Since she was 3 years old, she has been helping me taking care of her little brother here. When I started Hao with the semi solid food, Lynn always wanted to help feed the brother. In fact, she almost like wanted to take over all my responsibilities taking care of Hao, except she could not breastfeeding him. She can help change the clothes for the boy; she can wear the socks for him; wear his shoe for him; button his clothes for him; serve him food as they so used to sharing the food; pour milk for him; when we go out she would help me keep an eye for the boy, hold his hand; and lately she even help me to bath the boy!

I should be proud for her. I am. Except that, Lynn was so used to taking care of her little brother here, she has forgotten that he's no longer a baby; that he needs to learn to do things by himself too! Lots of time, me and hb have to keep on reminding Lynn, stop helping Hao, let him do it by himself.

And how about Hao? He was so used to having "helper" around, he prefer choose the easier way to ask for help, than try harder himself. Lots of time, me and hb have to remind him he's no longer a baby. Lots of time, me and hb have to refuse his request to help him, forcing him to try first. Lots of time, me and hb have to stop Lynn from helping him too.
 
Not only Hao, Lynn likes to take care of her cousin sister too. My niece also is in the same kindy with her. I was told that, when my father went to pick up my niece, Lynn would help to carry her bag to the door, then go to the shoe rack take the cousin's shoe and put nicely on the floor, ready for her to put on the shoe. While I think it's good that she's such a caring sister, but she is also taking away the chance for the younger kids to learn to grow up and be more independent.

So before the school reopen, we have been telling Lynn not to do things for the brother at school. Earlier in the afternoon, I called up kindy and asked how they doing. The teacher told me, during breakfast, Lynn carried Hao to sit on her lap to eat. While Hao did not really want to sit on her lap to eat, but she insisted the brother to sit on her lap. *Slap forehead* I always eat together with the kids, but such thing never happen to us! I really wonder is she treating her brother really like a baby? *shaking head* Anyway, I'm glad the teacher did not allow such thing to happen. They are also sharing the same thought with me that, the boy should not become too attach with the sister.

I feel blessed having such caring daughter. I would not reprimand her for taking good care or helping her little brother there. She's my great helper. But I will explain to her the importance of letting the brother to learn and grow up by himself. Just like how she learn it in the past.