Happy New Year to all our friends, and especially to our Chinese friends who are celebrating Chinese New Year, we wish you all a very happy and prosperous year ahead.

We have come back from our holiday in Singapore couple of weeks ago.  Time flew past and before I knew it, my annual leave is over and the boys will be back to school real soon.  I am actually looking forward to school days again. :)  We had a good time in Singapore catching up with friends and family although towards the end of our trip, the boys and the husband fell ill.  They were quite ill and were down for about 5 days!  I was spared from the “Singaporean bug” — perhaps I have immunity (?).  I really thank God that I was spared from falling ill else no one will be looking after the boys.  I will be posting snippets of our trip in the near future.  For now, if you miss the boys, here they are :

Have a good year ahead!  God bless.

I found a letter that Calvin wrote to Santa in his school folder.  I believe it is a class activity.  This is what he wrote:

“Dear Santa,

Can I please have a DS, a pillow pet and a toy light sabre please for Christmas? I will be really good. How many reindeers do you have? Which one is your favourite? How old is your reindeer?  Is it a boy or a girl?

Love from

Calvin ”

What do I think of it?  I was laughing to myself when I read it.  First, I am glad that Calvin can write something! 🙂 Second, I am amused by the fact that he seemed to be more interested in the reindeers than presents.  There was a time when he was asking me the question whether santa is real or not.  Well, I do not wish to crush his dream, but the answer is no.  I did tell him no.  He was disappointed, but that does not seem to have dampened his spirits!  He still think there is santa and he is going to get presents from santa!

Me: So Calvin, how do you feel about turning 7 tomorrow?

Calvin: Ah ….. I don’t know…..

Me: Are you happy?

Calvin: Yes.

Me: About what?

Calvin: I have lots of presents! And the party at the park!

Me: What’s your favorite food?

Calvin: Vegetables.

Me: I mean, What is your favourite food? (hoping for a name of a dish)

Calvin: Tomatoes!

Me: What is your favorite dinner dish?

Calvin: Udon noodles in chicken soup — the one cook by you!

Me: *big smile*

Me: What is your favorite sport?

Calvin: Running.

Me: What do u like about it?

Calvin: Because then I can be faster!

Calvin: Mum, why are you asking me so many questions?

…………..

Presents are still the best thing on birthdays! He has received heaps of presents yesterday, many of which are Lego box set. He was so obsessed with them that he sat down after the party and fixed all the lego figurines up.

For some reason, Calvin absolutely loves running. He can run
pretty fast too. He always tries his best, be it at running races or cross country running or at physical education or at soccer classes. I like his attitude. I hope he can keep it up.

Calvin at age 4.

Calvin at age 5.

 Calvin at age 6.

I have been looking through the photo archives again just to look at how Calvin has grown over the last few years.  He really has grown up.  Thank God.

Today’s party at our local park went really really well. Thank God. Weather was fantastic and I think everyone had an enjoyable time, especially Calvin, of course.  Btw, Mr A had a ball playing with his friends too! I will post some pictures of the party soon. Stay tuned.

Found this picture of Calvin and me in our photo archives.  He was only about 4 months old then.  Absolutely love those chubby cheeks!

Thought I’d share some more interesting conversations I had with the boys in this space.  Enjoy.

Calvin: I really like grandma.

Me: You should tell your grandma that, she’ll be really happy.

Calvin: Yes.

Me: So, why do you like grandma so much?

Calvin: Because she is very kind and always give me the things that you say no to!

Me: Speechless

Grandparents are allowed to spoil the kids. 🙂

This is what Athan said when I reprimanded him for doing something naughty:

Me: Do you know what you just did is not good?

Athan: Yesss….

Me: Then why did you do it?

Athan: Because my brain asked me to do it!

Me: Why do you think your brain ask you to do it? Are you in control of your brain?

Athan: What is “control”?

Me: …. give up…..

This fellow likes to use this reason “my brain asks me to do it” to talk his way out of situations.  He tends to think that he is not responsible when he is naughty because his brain makes him do it. I laugh at it, but I know that it is also important to teach him to be responsible for his actions.

On another occasion:

Athan: Mum, this part of my hand hurts (pointing to the back of his palm)

Me: Did you hit something?

Athan: No.

Me: Then why does it hurt?

Athan: Because my hand has a headache inside there…..

I could not help but laugh at my little boy.  A headache inside the hand?  That’s a very interesting way of illustrating his sore hand!  Anyway, the “headache” seemed to have disappeared after a while.

One of the things I love about being a parent is talking to my kids, or rather, should I say, I love the things the boys say to me at times.  Here are some recent conversations:

Calvin: Mum, eating fish makes me smart right?

Me: Yup.

Calvin: Then, is fish smart? It must be smart right?

Before I could make sense of what he was talking about he said the following ….

Calvin: What about eggs? Does eating eggs makes me smart?

Me: Yes.

Calvin:  Are chickens smart too?

Me: (looked at him really hard trying to make sense of it all….)

Calvin: Well, the eggs are from the chickens, if they make me smart, then the chickens must be smart, right mum?

Me : LOL!

I just burst out laughing! I am so amused by the way his little mind works. Yes, of course I am one of those parents who tell their kids eating fish and eggs make them smart.  Now I am beginning to question whether all the fish and eggs has made him smart … 🙂

Here’s just something Mr A said the other way on the way to Kings Park:

Athan: Are we going to Kings Park?

Me: Yes.

Athan: I like Kings Park in-fi-ni-ty!

He likes to use the word “infinity” when he likes something a lot.  Me think he has learned the word from “buzz light year”. However he seems to use it a little wrongly all the time. That’s why I love talking to my little fellow. 🙂

We were doing some homework when Calvin said this:

Calvin: I wish papa is at home. I prefer him to be home.

Me: Why?

Calvin: Because if he is home, I can play wrestle with him. It is fun.

Me: What about being with me?

Calvin: You are bor ….

Me: (I knew what he was going to say) Say it!

Calvin: Bor …..

Me: Just say it.

Calvin: You are boring! You always everyday ask me do homework!

Calvin: (Quickly added) But I still like you!

Athan: Yeah mama, you are boring!

Me: Well, its for your own good! 🙂

In our household, I am the *homework tyrant*, unfortunately. Well, someone has to do that job, right?  I am sure Calvin will appreciate my efforts when he grows up! 🙂