Ice Skating Homework

I have been working hard to make Lil Shauna do her ice skating “homework”. For the past 3 nights, we have been practicing the postures at home before bed. She couldn't manage the basic Spiral posture. I suspect that she didn't quite understand how the posture is supposed to work. Not only could she not balance, she looks awkward as well. I also cant help but wonder how she is going to balance on the ice when she cant even do that on dry land. I am not exactly sure how the posture is really supposed to look like and couldn't really correct her. I am just hoping that her posture and balance will eventually work out by itself after more nights of practice. Otherwise, we will just try our best and see how her lesson goes next week. 

This is how she looks as compared to the picture from the internet. 

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There are many other more advance spiral postures to conquer and I wonder how our dear stiff little girl could achieve those when she could barely execute the most basic one. 

This is the other posture that she had to practice.

The posture itself isn’t difficult and Lil Shauna manages it fairly well too. But I think the difficulty comes from having to move from a standing position to this position and back to a standing position and continue skating. Seriously, I cant fathom how this can be execute on ice. The body weight should be where?  

We will find out whether the homework helps when we go back for practice this Saturday. Mummy will have to go into the rink to help her practice. Zzzzzz… I am lazy.

Mummy Lim

Pampering Day

I was on pm leave yday. I needed to do something for my poor hair and had also decided to head for my facial appointment – the last one was almost 5 months back. 

The last time I went to color and treat my hair, my consultant hard sell $10k worth of products to me. I was left super pissed and dread going back to listen to the same sales pitch. I had to go back nevertheless, given that I still have 7 (inclusive of yday’s) paid visits left. I guessed I just have to close my ears and turn into a monster customer to shut the consultant up if need be. Then, I heard the good news when I called to make my appointment – my consultant was on leave. Yeah!

My hair appointment was at 12.30pm. Colour and treatment would usually take about 3 hours. I have resigned to fate and opted for a much darker brown this time. The previous times, I had bright reddish brown. I love lighter hair colours as grey hair looks less obvious when they reappear. Unfortunately, these colour chemicals used by the salon are supposed to be less harsh and I ended up with a much obvious shade on the top part of my hair and a much darker shade at the lower half. I was told that the colour was unable to cover the lower part of the hair that had been previously dyed black. As time passes and my hair grows, I ended up with 3 different shades – my original hair colour, the reddish brown that has now turned into light brown and the lower darker brown. Though I am not exactly concern about my hair color, I was often left awkward when questioned by others. Enough! Especially with CNY around the corner. Hehe. 

This is the end result after almost flattening my already flat butt in the salon. The appointment took 3.5hr. It is dark brown with a tiny hint of red.

As compared to the hair color before. Well, at least I have uniform hair color now. What is the best is that there was no selling at all!

Right after my hair appointment, I hopped over to the facial salon. It was another 2 hours cooped up but it was a heavenly 2-hour pampering session. Ahh… I even drifted in and out of lala land. Hehe. 

It was an afternoon well-spent. In the past, I have to take 2 separate half day of leave to do hair and facial. Moving on, I think I should better utilize time and squeeze everything into 1 half day. I love pampering sessions. Hehe.

Mummy Lim

The Boy Hearts the Little Gym

There was a time where I struggled about whether I should continue Lil Isaac’s gym class. I meant, he doesn't seem to pick up an identifiable skill and the classes are freaking expensive. I am not sure if the classes are anywhere pointing near to gymnastic in the future though I really don't think so. But the little boy loves his gym class. He wanted so much to continue with them and so we did for another term. And like I mentioned in my earlier post, it is my perfect bargaining chip for not bringing him along to jiejie’s ice skating class. And each time I bring him to his gym class, I just feel that I have made the right choice. Oh, did I mention that he totally adores his teachers too. That is like another big plus.

Just like any Sundays, I would bring him to his gym class after church while Popo sends Lil Shauna to her Chinese class. And like usual, he would run to the center, takes off his shoes by himself, have his temperature checks and dashes into his class. There is no clingy boy, a totally different boy from Sunday school that took place just an hour ago. It also didn't matter whether mummy is near the class waiting for him. He would wave and give me a huge grin if he spots me by the window. If he doesn't or even if he sees me leaves the center (to walk around the mall or get a cuppa), he is totally fine. That is like so rare for me. I mean, he is fine and goes to school/ class good when mummy is not in the picture. The nonsense starts only when I am around. Yes, I am the problem. Lol.

He takes instructions well in class and totally has a blast jumping and climbing and rolling. He tumbles and falls and knocks and sometimes I choose to look away but at least it is in a safe environment.

After class, if we have time, he sits and builds structures with blocks. 

Then, we walk around while waiting for Daddy Lim to pick us. He may fuss at times but is well-behaved generally and I think it is bcos he totally enjoys the attention that I showered on him solely. We are also starting to wean him off his stroller. He is way too big for his stroller and the stroller is also starting to disintegrate from the years of wear and tear. He walks and doesn't complained. Oooo-hoo!

Ahhh, I love his gym class as much as him. 

Mummy Lim

Private Lesson 2

We went for our 2nd ice skating class on Saturday. There was no class last week and I was too lazy to bring Lil Shauna to the rink to practice.  But I think we have to step up moving on. She definitely needs more practice outside of class. However, it is a chore to try to escape the house without having to bring the little boy. I am so glad for his gym lessons, which he loves. The gym classes are my perfect excuse for not bringing him (to the rink), bcos jiejie doesn't go for his gym lessons and therefore mummy is being totally fair. 

We met Xee Yue and Janelle (a new 9 YO friend, which is also taking private lessons) at the rink. Lil Shauna warmed up a little before switching over to the portion of the rink for private classes to practice more before class with Janelle, who was having class at 11.30am. Lil Shauna has definitely improved a little on the backward crossover that was taught in the 1st private lesson but far from the real move.

At the stroke of 12noon, the student-changing dance happened and Lil Shauna started her class. Teacher Raymond spent quite some time mulling over her front crossovers. These were learnt during core 4 but I do agree that Lil Shauna still has a lot to work on for her crossovers. Then she practiced her backward crossovers, her T-stops, the dips. These are all the basic moves that she would need for her to learn and execute the more difficult jumps and spins in the future. These took up a large part of the lesson.

She learnt 2 new moves. I don't know what they are called. One of them is probably the spiral.

It was hard work and more hard work to come. The 30 mins lessons ended very quickly, Throughout, I was by the rink, busy taking videos. I think the videos will come in useful when I try to explain to her what she needed to do. We were given homework too. She has to practice the 2 new postures at home, to be able to balance on ground so that it will make it slightly easier for her to execute on ice. We tried last night and she was more playing a fool than actual trying to practice. Zzzzzz. And I realized that she is so stiff! I think I am more flexible than she is, can stretch better and can definitely do those postures better than her. We were at WCP rollerblading as well yday evening and I was urging her to try those postures on her rollerblades, which she flatly refused. I read online and there are very different views about whether rollerblading will help improve their ice skating. I do agree that they are actually very different but if there are chances for her to practice balancing off ice, it is always good. 

Next week, we will be going back to the rink and this time, I think I will be hopping down to the ice with her to practice the basic moves. Otherwise, each private lesson is like a practice session for her and I can feel my money burning away. Zzzzz. I have just purchased a student pass for her that gives her daily entrance but I have to figure out how to bring her to the rick without Lil Isaac tagging along on weekends. I am also thinking to bring her down at a timing that is less crowded. So tough.

Mummy Lim

  

Better

I would like to think that it is bcos I am starting to ease into the routine and thus things feel much better this week. Or maybe bcos Daddy Lim and I left the office earlier yday – we were in time to pick Lil Shauna from the school bus and had dinner together at home. It was only 8pm by the time we all settled down and there was plenty of time to work on homework. Lil Isaac fussed a little though. He was grumpy and tired and threw some tantrums. He hasn't been the easiest recently and I am guessing that he is seeking attention as Lil Shauna has loads recently given the big milestone of starting Primary One.

This morning, I was on leave to babysit the kids while Popo went for her medical appointment. Lil Shauna woke up at about 8am and the moment she knows that Popo was going for her medical, she asked me, “can we make cupcakes?”. There isn’t enuff ice cream at home and I am trying minimize Lil Isaac’s exposure to ice cream. His dreadful cough and running nose have like plagued him for weeks! 

Lil Isaac woke up soon after. Popo was out of the house by then and he asked, “can we make ice cream cupcakes?”. Haha. This must be some kind of a new Popo-not-at-home routine. We didn't make ice cream cupcakes eventually but had chocolate fondue for tea instead. The kids were thrilled. I couldn't tell which if the chocolate fondue is less sinful but comforted myself that it is a once in a blue moon treat.

The kids were easy this morning. However, Lil Isaac started fussing that he doesn't want to go to school when I started to change the kids into their school uniform. He was of course plenty of whining but Mummy is well trained. He was tearing by the time he went up the school bus. My heart did ache a little but too bad little boy. It was so much easier with Lil Shauna. She was excited about school and was happily chatting with the other kids waiting for school bus. 

The night ends fine. You can tell, right?

Mummy Lim 

1st Private Ice Skating Class

Lil Shauna finally had her very 1st private class with Teacher Raymond last Saturday. Lil Shauna had been so looking forward and I have been too. This is our first step to flying on ice! Lil Shauna looks so skinny in this attire. Hehe.

We arrived at the rink for the 1st skating session at 10.30am. We have also dated Phoebe and Xee Yue and the girls had fun skating. Companionship is so important. However, Lil Shauna got bored fairly quickly. Maybe she was just so looking forward to her lesson. 

Her lesson was to start at 12 noon. She saw Teacher Raymond at 11am and actually went over to say "Hi" when I encouraged her too. She is always so shy but does things to surprise me sometimes. Teacher Raymond was aware that he was taking Lil Shauna for private class and asked her to warm up at the portion of the rink that was barricaded up for private figure skating classes. I could see that she was actually proud to "join the figure skaters' side". She didn't mind to have to leave her friends and actually started practising the moves that she had previously learnt in her core lessons.  Teacher Raymond would be checking on her core during the 1st lesson. I was standing by the rink the whole time and the little girl kept coming back, asking me how many more minutes before class would start.

Before class started, Teacher Raymond also told us that the coaches' schedule is opened to the coaches' regular students now. In the middle of the month, it would be opened to the public for booking. We told Teacher Raymond that we would trial the 1st lesson before deciding if we would continue on a regular basis. I already suspected that we would since Lil Shauna handpicked Teacher Raymond but just in case.

The lesson finally started and it started right on the dot. The minute it turns 12 noon, the coaches all seemed to do a syncronised changing-partner dance, the current student left and the new one appeared. As expected, Teacher Raymond went through the core steps with Lil Shauna and helped her with some of the ones that she is struggling in. He demonstrated and she followed. This basically went on for the entire lesson. 

Lil Shauna got to learn some new moves too. Daddy Lim said that they are basic moves but they look so difficult to me. She still has a long way to go.

Time passed really quickly and soon her lesson ended. Teacher Raymond said that Lil Shauna is alright but needed to learn to push harder. She is so gentle and he cannot tell if she is too shy or scared. Lil Shauna seemed to enjoy the class and agreed that she would want to continue classes with Teacher Raymond. The next class would be the week after given Teacher Raymond's availability. We have also started to book his February schedule and it seemed that we would have class once every fortnight. This sounds good for my pocket. I haven't figured out if we would go back to the rink to practice on the weeks that there is no class. That would be ideal but unfortunately we have 2 kids and timing gets a little tough. Maybe I should also put Lil Isaac through ice skating lesson so that he is less of a hazard... The thought of him on the ice makes me shivers. Let me think harder about it.

Mummy Lim

New Chinese Class

Lil Isaac started his Chinese enrichment with Tien Hsia yday afternoon. He took the trial class a while back and I heard that he enjoyed the class then. I had reminded him on Wednesday night about the Chinese enrichment on Thursday but I think it did little to calm his nerves.

Popo called me at almost 4pm yday to complain that the boy refused to go for his class. The next few calls were of similar content, followed by having the boy cried into the phone and then the call got hung up abruptly. I don't think I did anything to comfort the boy. He was crying and probably didn't take in a single word that I said. I did tell Popo to just shove him into the class. I don't know what tricks Popo used eventually but he did go to class and the crying ceased shortly. I heard that the teacher also helped to entice him. In one of the calls, I promised to fetch him from class and left the office on time to do so.

At the center, I peeped into the classroom and saw Lil Isaac participating in the class with the rest of the students. He didn't look like he had a crying fit just an hour back. He looked happy when he came out from the class and was even happier to receive his reward – a huge chocolate chip cookie. We had dinner and headed home to pick Lil Shauna. 

While jiejie had her dinner, Lil Isaac completed his phonics homework and even willingly practices his writing. I bought exercise books, wanting Lil Isaac to start practicing his writing. Not only is his writing atrocious, he can’t really write all the alphabets (upper and lower case) independently. Maybe bcos it was early and he wasn't too tired, he was so cooperative and I was so amazed at how cooperative he was. My aim is to set some time aside very evening/ night for such work. I don't remember having to worry the same for Lil Shauna.

I had less success with Lil Shauna. She was tired and bargained and whined when I made her do her Maths enrichment homework. While she was at the homework, I helped her to pack her bag and realized that she is to bring to school some magazine that she brought back from school a couple of days back. The bad news is that I thought it was some junk mail and threw that away! I hope the teacher doesn't come too hard on her for that. Sob. Lesson learnt – keep whatever she brings back from school. 

It is the new routine that we all have to slowly ease into. I hope I will have success with the plan to set aside some time for homework every evening, especially with Lil Isaac. I am just so glad that we finally come to the end of the 1st week and are all still alive.  

Mummy Lim

Mad Rush Wednesday

It was bad. I felt truly exhausted at the end of the day and I hope that getting used to will make the schedule feels less punishing.

Daddy Lim was able to leave yard at 5pm yday and he picked me up at 5.30pm. We braved the Tuas’ everybody-is- going-home traffic to go to Pioneer Mall to buy Mac dinner for Lil Shauna. Meanwhile, we cursed and swear at every driver who cut into our lanes or drive too slow. We were so glad to be 15 mins early yet spent the whole 15 mins worrying that Lil Shauna couldn't find her way to gate 3. She made it safe and sound to gate 3 but I got a call from the school bus auntie, who gave me a thrashing bcos I didn't tell her that we are picking the girl and she couldn't find her at the designated waiting area. 

The drive to Clementi wasn't any easier. The traffic was horrible even on a Wednesday evening. Clementi must be over-populated. Lil Shauna was so hungry. She said that she only snacked on biscuits during recess bcos there wasn't enuff time. She was so happy to smell food the moment she got into the car and gobbled down a fish burger and half a pack of fries.

We arrived in class about 10 mins late and concluded that Daddy Lim must try his best to fetch Lil Shauna on Wednesdays. In the worse case, I will take the company transport to pick her up from the gate and then wait for Daddy Lim at the school to send us down to Clementi. In this way, he could stay a little later in the yard (if need be) and save time from having to pick me up.

We rushed off for dinner and all the rushing probably robbed my appetite. I found myself gobbling my dinner not bcos I was starved but I had been rushing so much that I couldn't slow my pace down. Dinner wasn't enjoyable. We then split ways. I had to go off to Popular to buy the Chinese textbooks for Lil Shauna – I have managed to buy one of them at JP on Sunday and 2 more yday. We are still short of 2 and we will have to try JP again this week. It is so frustrating. The books are probably available in the school bookshop but the opening hours don't suit our work schedule. Daddy Lim went off to buy new strings for his loaned guitar while I checked out Popular. It was almost 8pm when we were done.

Popo and Lil Isaac were at my brother’s place. Popo told me in the morning that we had ran out of almost everything in the house and we must do grocery shopping yday. Popo insisted that she had so much to buy and must partake in the grocery shopping. Errr… I can read a shopping list, you know? Anyway, she offered to walk to Clementi Mall to meet us. Thinking that it is a long walk and she would have to lug the boy along, I offered for Daddy Lim to fetch them instead, which was a grossly wrong choice. We ended up so super short of time and had to split ways again. I started grocery shopping after leaving Popular and Daddy Lim had to go pick them. As a result, Popo was upset with me for not waiting for her to do grocery shopping and Daddy Lim was upset with me for making him go fetch Popo and the boy. He later told me that it wasn't a long walk from my brother’s place to Clementi Mall but he had to make several detours to drive to my brother’s place and back. Oopsy.

I loaded the shopping cart while waiting for the rest to join us. I bought so much, more than our usual grocery shopping trip and the cart was so full. They joined me at about 8.30pm and Popo picked up the last remaining few items (mainly food). It was already 8.50pm and we rushed to pick Lil Shauna from class and finally headed home.

 Back home, we quickly showered the kids and packed Lil Shauna’s school bag. Luckily there was no homework bcos there wasn't any time left to do anything! Lil Isaac was fussing after a long day. It was already 10pm when we were done and kids were sent off to the bedroom. 

I was so exhausted myself by the end of the day. If next Wednesday is still so bad, something must be done. Maybe Lil Isaac should stay at home. Maybe we shouldn't squeeze in grocery shopping. Maybe we will pick Popo and Lil Isaac after picking Lil Shauna if they must go to my brother’s place. I am so glad that Wednesday is over and in the very least, we didn't lose Lil Shauna in school.

Mummy Lim

No Time and 3rd Day Drama

Daddy Lim had to work late last night. It was almost 8pm when he picked me from work and we headed home for a simple dinner that Popo made. Lil Shauna was taking her shower when we reached home. By the time that we all settled down and finished with school bag packing, it was already 9pm. 

While I was packing school bag, Lil Shauna was floating around. She has finally brought home the timetable. Unlike when we were in primary school and had to painstakingly copy the timetable off the chalkboard, hers was a nicely printed sheet of paper. I was worried about missing out on books and files that she was supposed to bring and was even more worried when Popo kept nagging and asked me to pack extras bcos she cannot help if I really missed out. How to pack extras?! Some of the books that Lil Shauna brought to school on the 1st and 2nd day were already kept in school. So I took a while to figure out if the books that she needed for lessons today are already in school or still at home. To add on to the confusion, English textbooks are called Grammar and there are other kind of Stellar and don't-know what workbooks and I cannot figure out if she needed to bring them. Well, I did my best.

Bedtime wasn't very far off after we have settled down. The kids were tired too and didn't take too long to drift off to lala land. It makes me wonder where we would find time to do homework either from school or enrichment classes in the future. Then again, I think it wouldn't be too often for us to work so late… I hope. At times like that, I am affirmed that I made a good job switch. 

This morning at 11am, Popo called me. I heard Lil Shauna yelling in the background about her Chinese homework. It wasn't really homework but a form that she brought home on Friday from Chinese class. We completed the form and I remember putting it in her bag together with 2 other forms. When I checked last night, I did see some forms still in her bag but didn't check what exactly they were. Since the little girl insisted that the form is no longer in her bag, I told her that her teacher has probably collected it. She was fearful and refused to go to school despite my assurance.

Popo called back again a short while bcos our dear girl has escalated into a crying fit, insisting that she hasn't handed up the form and refusing to go to school. I have to resort to lying that I would call the teacher to explain when I don't actually have the teacher’s hp number. I also explained to Popo what happened. 

My phone rang for the 3rd time. This time, there was good news. Popo said that she checked Lil Shauna’s bag and found the form together with the other 2 forms in her bag. Apparently, our big girl hadn’t looked carefully. Zzzzzzz. Popo said that she was crying one moment and broke into a big smile the next when she saw the form. Aiyo. And of course, she headed off happily to school.

Ok, drama already on the 3rd day of school. I think our lives will be very exciting henceforth. Now, did Lil Isaac cry in school today?

Mummy Lim  

New School Year, New Time Schedule

Today is the 1st day of school for the tiger. I had reminded and reminded him that he would have to take the school bus alone. I have also told him many times that he cannot cry in school bcos he is a big gorgor now and the babies will laugh at him. Popo said that he did really well initially and boarded the school bus cheerfully. Popo sneaked to school in attempt to buy new school uniform for the boy but was spotted. She didnt even see him but he called out for Popo and the next moment started crying. Shame, shame. He hushed shortly though. I must encourage him to do better tomorrow. I am quite sure that Lil Shauna did well. She’s our big girl.

Over the weekend, I was talking to Popo on the new schedule now that Lil Shauna is in full afternoon class. Being in the afternoon session is really not time productive; almost all her enrichment classes have to be pushed to the weekends, burning our weekends. We are also shifting her maths class from Friday to Wednesday evening since the traffic towards Clementi is impossible on Friday evening – everybody heads down town. On Wednesdays, we will pick her direct from school instead. We haven’t figure out how to tell her to meet us at the gate that we will be picking her. Stress. I will also have to be on standby mood on Wednesday and takes the company transport in the event that Daddy Lim cannot leave on time. We have decided that shelving my Wednesday Zumba class for the time being (1 year) will be the best option for now.

So Lil Shauna will have Maths class on Wednesday night, ice skating on Saturday mornings, phonic on Saturday afternoons, Sunday school on Sunday mornings, followed by Chinese class in the afternoon. Yes, we are tiger parents. Actually no, I think we are just like any other Singaporean parents.

Lil Isaac had it easier. He will have jiejie’s companionship in the morning and heads to the usual 3 hour school. Popo has asked me to sign him up for as many school enrichment classes as possible so that he can stay in school for longer hours. The classes will start this week and he will take Music and Movement on Tuesdays and Chinese enrichment on Wednesdays.  This will keep him in school until about 4.30pm. On Thursday afternoon, he will attend Tien Hsien at JP for Chinese and phonics on Friday evening. His gym classes on Sunday afternoons have ended and I have not decided if we should continue. This will largely be dependent on how much he really wants them. It is quite hard to ascertain his real interest at this age. Given that Popo will have to send him for phonics class on Fridays, I will again have to be on standby mode on Friday evenings to pick up Lil Shauna after she alights from the school bus in the event that Daddy Lim cannot make it.

We will have to see how the new time schedule works out and whether we need to make adjustments. Things will change again next year when Lil Shauna is in morning classes. I really do hope to shift some of her enrichment classes to weekdays and also put her in an after school care on other days. Let’s see. 

On a different note, Daddy Lim and I have both set the resolution to lose some weight! As I have to give up my zumba classes, we have decided to start exercising together once a week, in the night after the kids have turned in. We headed to the Jurong central park to rollerblade last night. It was tough. The temptation to just sleep or watch iPad was so great. We didn't skate that much, the intensity is definitely lesser than my regular zumba classes. Moreover, it is really quite boring to skate in that small park. It was also very dark and I was stress about tripping over branches and stones. We ended the session with a latte at MacDonalds and suspected that we consumed more calories than what we had burnt. Lol. Well, at least it is a good start. I think it is time to loan Auntie H’s bicycle and try some night cycling. Daddy Lim said that cycling burns good calories. We are also hoping to squeeze in some longer rollerblading sessions and routes after work on rare days that we can knock off early, while there is still day light. The next time that we do rollerblade in the night at the same Jurong park, we will at least attempt to ditch the after-exercising latte. Lol.

Mummy Lim