Going for Orchestra Concert

I love music, especially classical music. I listen to classical music since I was young as my father likes classical music too. Ever since I learn about the orchestra from the piano lesson, I have been wanted to attend any live orchestra concert instead of just listening from the CD or watching it from TV. I was very curious about different instruments and how they work together to perform a master piece. However there was no orchestra hall in Malaysia at that time. The only chance to attend orchestra concert was at overseas.

My dream finally came true when we visited Austria as our family holiday trip about 10 years ago. Austria, being the home of some famous composers like Mozart, Johann Strauss, visiting to the orchestra concert is definitely a must! Not only we went for the live orchestra in the famous music hall, we even got the chance to watch the famous ballet - Romeo and Juliet at the famous Vienna State Opera House in Vienna! We were so lucky that we managed to get the cheapest ticket for the evening concert on the same day! Despite cheapest, but after converting to MYR if not mistaken should be around RM50-RM100, can't remember the exact amount now. The performance was outstanding! Since we were sitting at the side, and top tier, we could not view the full stage (oh well, it was the cheapest so couldn't expect too much. :D), but to me, most important, is I get to watch the live performance from the famous opera house in the world! I enjoyed it very much actually.

In 1998 August, when Dewan Filharmonik Petronashosted its very first performance by Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra in KLCC here, without second thought I went for it. And I started becoming their subscriber. I was the regular patron until Hao was born. My favorite still their Family Fun Day program and I'm still going for it. This is the only package that I buy for the whole season and I get a reduced price being a subscriber. In fact, as long as you buy any package for the season, you will become subscriber automatically and enjoy lower ticket price. Discount rate is based on which category of the ticket that you are purchasing, the highest the price the higher discount rate you get. Family Fun Day used to be the only concert that allows children age 3-4 onwards to enter. It is a program specially designed for young children. Each performance there will be a presenter, explaining the songs that going to play, or people performing on the stage based on the theme of the concert etc. The audience will be having so much fun! Other normal concerts if not mistaken are for age 8 onwards. From last year onwards, we have been taking Lynn to the concert! I remembered during that time, that was this Korean series - Beethoven was showing on the TV. The series was talking about a composer and group of people from all sorts of background, who are not musician in profession but due to their passion of music, they get together forming an orchestra. Besides that, I also have the Baby Einstein series which introduces orchestra instruments to small children. All these was pretty good enough to give her an idea what orchestra is about and what to expect. And after taking her to one concert, she loves it! And requested for more! Since then, she's the one accompanying my mom to the concert. I did not go as Hao was still young.

But now Hao is already 2 years old, and hb is alright with taking care of the kids alone at home, so this time I bought 3 tickets for my mom, Lynn and me go to the concert together! I know Lynn will be super happy. Three of us went to the concert together last month. It was a complimentary session for MPO subscriber and I managed to grab 3 tickets for us. I did not tell her that I will be going for the concert with her and po po. And she kept on asking me why I did not go home (because normally I just dropped her to my mom house and went home). Hahaha! She was so happy when I went into the concert hall and sit next to her.

The concert performance for the new 2010/11 session will be starting next month. And the first concert for the Family Fun Day package will be on November. I'm so looking forward to it! If any of you are interested, the tickets still open for sales. It is not just limited to the packages, you can buy single ticket for selected concert too. Click here for details of the concerts for 2010/11 season.

Note: This is not a paid post. Just want to share that besides art, Music is the other area that Lynn is exposed too. I'm planning to start teaching her piano in next few months. I notice she has great interest in music. Probably she has the same passion in music as me. :D And I also hope all these are good preparation for stimulating her interest in learning musical instrument. I found that the more I understand the more I appreciate the musical performance. :) 

"Nen nen"

The kids are referring "milk" to the fresh milk that they drink everyday, and when Hao wants me to nurse him, he will say "nen nen".

About 2 weeks ago, we transferred Hao from sleeping in the baby cot to a small mattress on the floor next to hb. Lynn was lying on the mattress together with Hao. It was bed time soon. Then I saw Lynn lifted up her t-shirt and offered to Hao "Hao, do you want nen nen? Jie jie gives you nen nen want or not?" *FAINT*

Hao was looking at Lynn. Then looked at her chest. He looked puzzled - jie jie really got nen nen? LOL! He was just keep on looking at her, did not do anything. :P

Then later that night, Lynn asked nen nen from me. Long time ago when Hao was still on full bm, I did ask Lynn want or not and she said no. So I was surprised that now she asked me to nurse her. I did not give. A little tempted but I also worry do I need to go through another weaning process with her? She's a more demanding child as compared to Hao. Hao can sleep by himself without being nurse, but not Lynn when she was still a baby before weaning. After that day, Lynn asked me again one more time. Luckily she did not insist that I must give her.

Last weekend, we went to Mid Valley to celebrate my niece birthday. I took the chance to go to Jusco to do some shopping. Lynn was with me. Hb took Hao with him to watch tv at the Electrical section while waiting for us. We were at the lingerie section. Then I heard Lynn saying this "Mommy, I like this pink nen nen. Mommy buy this pink nen nen."

I was like OMG!!! And then I realized, she was referring the bra as nen nen too!

Later when we were back home, I was hanging the clothes after the laundry was done. The kids were playing at the side. Hao saw this bra lying inside the laundry basket waiting to be hang. "Nen nen", said Hao.

Oh no!!! He is also referring the bra as nen nen???!!! Alright, TIME TO TEACH THEM THE PROPER TERM!!!

Dinosaur, A Boy and Mommy

Lynn likes to draw. At first, she started with drawing "sausage", long long sausage. Lynn loves to eat sausage. :) Not sure because of this reason or it is just simply easy to draw. Hehehe. Then I taught her to draw flower. Now I don't see her drawing sausage anymore, but she still draws flowers. She will draw the flowers and let Hao colors the flower. Last week when I went to pick up the kids at my parents house after work, Lynn showed me her drawings, and asked me to write her name on it.

She told me this is a dinosaur. Blue dinosaur.

This is a boy. 

Upon seeing this, I asked her to draw a girl too. I have seen her drawing a girl with beautiful eye lashes. But she refused to draw me a girl now. So I asked her to draw mommy instead. So this is "me".

Mommy with red and green hands! LOL! 

She said mommy is holding a green handbag (Actually I don't have any green handbag! LOL). I asked her where is mommy's hair. She said mommy has no hair! o_O Alright at least the face is orange and not blue face (like the dinosaur). LOL!

Thinking of enrolling her into art class. Her kindy has this Da Vinci Arts class. The fee is RM100 per month, or RM270 for 3 months. For her age, will be more focus on coloring, in different tone, using crayon and water color. Drawing will be depends on the child. Sounds expensive. But I heard from others it is usually somewhere around this price. Do you think I should enrol her? Or wait till her get a bit older, maybe next year? She is 4 years old now.

Back pain

When I was young, I always heard my mom or grand mother complaining having back pain, especially after they had carried something heavy. I was still a teenager. At that time, having back ache seems like not something happen to me very frequently.

The last time I had terrible back ache, was when I was pregnant with Hao. I was around 8 months pregnant during that time. It was a Saturday and we were getting ready to travel to Malacca for a short trip with my parents and my brother family. Lynn was 2 years old that time. She was much attached to me, and even more when I was pregnant. She always demanded me to carry her. So that morning, she asked to be carried again. It was my mistake actually. I thought just for a while, I did not squat down before carrying her. I just bend down and when I wanted to lift her up, *OUCH!!!* I felt a sharp burning sensation on my back! I shouted in pain, and put her down immediately. For a while, I couldn't move at all. Just stood there letting the pain go off. I could hardly walk. But I thought it would go off soon so I did not think much about it. Just continue to load the stuff into the car and then we set off to Malacca.

During the car ride, the pain did not go away. In fact, it was getting worse. When we stopped the car for toilet break, I had difficulty getting down from the car to bring Lynn to the toilet. I could hardly walk too. Every movement would cause me in great pain. I consider myself have very high tolerance on the pain, still could not take it. It was very very very painful. Much much more painful than giving birth. :(

After taking our lunch in Malacca, we decided to pay a visit to the doctor. We went to one of the hospital in the town. Seeing my big tummy, at first the nurses thought I'm going to deliver! LOL! The doctor checked my blood pressure and my back. He prescribed me panadol as pain killer. He mentioned that it is safe for me to take the panadol. He also gave me some patches to put on my back, to relief the pain. Could not remember the name now. I did not take the panadol but I did put on the patch. The patch did help a lot. Still painful, but at least I could move around. Night time sleeping was another night mare. I could not get up alone without help, to go to the toilet. I could not turn my body too. Every movement was a great pain. It was a restless night.

Could not remember how long I suffered from that back pain. But Lynn did not ask for carry anymore after that. She knew I was in pain. She would say "Mama pain pain".

Few months back, I experienced some back pain too. During that time, I had coffee almost every working day. So I tried to cut down the coffee intake, and the back pain would go away. Since then, I limit myself to maximum of 3 cups of coffee a week. Usually I only consume 2 cups per week.

For the past one month, consistently I'm having back pain almost everyday. At first I thought maybe due to coffee. However despite I stop taking coffee for the whole week, the pain did not go away. I also tried putting a small pillow under my back when I sleep at night, but it did not help much this time (this method used to work well for me before this). It is not very pain, still bearable, but VERY annoying. I can feel the pain most of the time, whether I am walking, sitting, or even sleeping. I'm not sure is it due to carrying Hao? He is getting heavier now. However I don't really carry him much nowadays. Not even more than 5 minutes. A short hug and carry when I pick up the kids at my parents house (Hao will sure ask for carry, except if he's sitting in the high chair having his dinner), carry him to the car seat and carry him to switch off the lights. I don't carry him when we are outside shopping etc. Usually hb is the one (only if Hao asks for carry). I don't really think carry Hao is the reason. Then what is the reason causing the back pain? Sigh. No idea. Maybe it is due to the stress from work? *Shrug* Going for a body check-up this weekend. Hope to find some clue there.

Wishing you all a great weekend!   

Read and Share Bible: Life and Miracles

This DVD , animated straight from the pages of the popular Read and Share® Bible, The Jesus Series introduces children to the life of Christ. I'm not a Christian and I have never introduced Jesus and Bible stories to my children before. So I was excited to receive this as I think it is a good introduction to them. At the same time I was worry if the kids will find it boring, as this is not like other children program e.g. Barney or Mickey Club House.

There are actually 4 short stories combined together in the half-hour presentation which tell about Jesus' ministry along the shores of Lake Galilee and the villages near Nazareth. Children will see Jesus call His disciples, feed 5,000 people, heal the sick, teach about God’s kingdom and introduce the Lord’s Supper. The stories actually have been simplified and the words used are easy to understand. The story moved along in good pace too to hold the interest from the kids. I watched it together with Lynn and Hao. Both of them paid full attention to it during the half-hour presentation and Lynn even requested want to watch it again and again.

Some people may find the stories too simplified but I found it just right for the young toddlers, especially as an entry to the Bible stories. The quality of the video is good too and I myself enjoy watching it.


In overall, I will rate this 3.5 out of 5.

Note: A complimentary copy of this DVD was provided to me for review through Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze program.