What kind of Homework?

Lil Shauna brought these home some time back. She needs the computer to work on them.

According to the teacher, these are good to do but not compulsory bcos not all families have a computer at home. We do and I attempted to log onto the system once but wasn't successful initially and gave up. Haha. Not compulsory mah. 

However, I think the teacher had been constantly reminding the students to go into the system and so we tried again. We were finally successful and Lil Shauna started using the computer to do her homework. 

There are so many activities inside, English, Maths and Chinese. While she was at it, I had to stand around to supervise. Zzzzz. I was surprised that she knows how to log in, used the keyboard and the mouse. Apparently, she learnt these in school. 

The activities/ quizzes are easy for Lil Shauna. However, she took painfully long to find the letters on the keyboard. Haha. And Daddy Lim super sensitive mouse that darts around the screen at mere touches isn't helping much. Hello Mr Mouse, where are you rushing to?

It is recommended that the children shouldn't spend more than an hour each time on the computer. Errrr... At the speed that Lil Shauna progressed, she couldnt get much done in an hour. Hahaha.

Mummy Lim

Really on her Own

On Tuesday, Daddy Lim and I were both stuck at work. We weren't in time to pick the girl and she finally got a chance to go home on her own.

I was worried that she would get lost but she was totally fine, making her way home safe and sound like what she was supposed to. Big girl already. Hehe.

Mummy Lim

Ice Skating Lesson 7

We escaped the house while the little tiger was still in semi lala land. We paid respect to the great man before heading to the usual bfast and then to the rink. There was quite some waiting as we were way too early. 

Lil Shauna was definitely feeling much better as compared to the week before. However, I still think that it would do us some good if the lessons are alternate week so that there is time to practice. For e.g., she can manage the 3-turns at times but she doesn't always get them. Solution? Practice. She had been doing so many of the crossovers, both forward and backwards that I thought I saw her improved in stability and posture. She still some way from the very standard cross overs.

Teacher Raymond combined a 2-stroke before Mohawk that looks super complicated. Lil Shauna didn't do very well during lesson. She really needs to work on using more strength so that she has more speed to execute the moves and also on her head and arm posture – she is looking down all the time and her arms are everywhere. She hasn't realized how much her arm posture actually influences her ability to execute certain moves by providing stability and at the same time helps to display grace and confidence when they are in the right place. We will have to work on that. I though she didn't do well but at the end of the class, Teacher Raymond actually assured that she was fine. 

I haven’t told Teacher Raymond that we would miss the competition in KL. Daddy Lim said that he couldn't apply for leave but I was still hoping for a miracle. He double confirmed that we have to miss it. Lil Shauna was a little disappointed but Ok after we promised her that she can take part in the next one in Singapore. I will inform Teacher Raymond the next lesson.

We would be back in the rink next week. Lil Shauna has no lesson and it would be a great opportunity to practice before lesson the following week. I bought her an expensive ice skating pants that many other figure skaters are wearing too and she was looking forward to be in them. I had thought long and hard and finally got them for her as a motivation to keep her going. It is tough work for the little girl.

Coincidentally, we met Auntie J in the rink. Lil Shauna was eager to show off and despite always so shy, agreed to skate with Auntie J. Haha. We will definitely invite her to Lil Shauna’s bday party at the rick and let her skate and take care of the kids. Hohoho.

Oh, by the way, I finally spoke to this mummy who always accompanies her girl to the rink for practice. I had been watching this girl for awhile bcos she is so good, practicing really hard on the ice without much need for supervision. I found out that she is 8 yo and had been ice skating for 1.5 year only. She will be taking part in the national competition 2 weeks later. She is really that super good. She glides on the ice with style and can execute jumps and very nice spiral. I drool. Let’s hope that one day, our Lil Shauna can do those too. Hehe.

Mummy Lim  

Faraway Holiday in Sight

SQ had this promotion for a long time. Today is the last day. The tickets are to be booked 180 days in advance.

Daddy Lim had wanted to go back to Korea and we can now only travel during the school holidays. The weather in December is definiteky more appealing than hot June. Something in Korea must have touched Daddy Lim - probably the hot pot. Lol. Other than the extreme cold winter weather, I don't mind Korea too. I always welcome holiday. Haha.

After thinking and considering and discussing, we finally made up our mind. I had just booked the SQ tickets to Seoul, travelling on 17 Dec and back on Christmas! Hehehe. Yes, it is months away but I am excited already.

This time, we will make sure that we do not save on the winter clothing and make sure that we are all bundled up super warm, so as to better enjoy our winter holiday. Hohoho.

Mummy Lim

On Her Own

Other than Wednesdays where we would pick Lil Shauna straight from school, Daddy Lim or I have to be home by 7.10pm each weekday to pick Lil Shauna from the school bus. Sometimes, it would be a bad rush, arriving at the pick up point minutes before she does.

It doesn't help that the bus arrives early at times and the bus driver doesn't care if the parent or guardian is here for the child, driving off the moment the last kid steps off. The parent/ maid of the other kids have been super nice, helping me to watch over Lil Shauna on 2 occasions that I was a minute behind the bus.

The pick up point is actually 1 block away from our house and there is a nice walk path leading to our block. I am quite sure she can handle that little walk in the event that we really couldn't make it. She too is confident of doing so.

Yday, she happily accepted to walk home on her own while I followed from a distance. She even took the lift herself while I boarded the next.

There was nothing exciting about it - that walk is that short and safe. The next time we really couldn't make it on time, I am quite sure she can make her way home safely.

Mummy Lim

Pay Respect

I was never a great fan or hater towards Mr Lee. When I heard that he was very sick and eventually passed away, my only tot was that he was really very old afterall. I mean, no one is immortal, right?

Then I read his stories and sacrifices that he had made to make our home a better place and I realised how much I have taken all these for granted. I was frequently reminded about how safe and prosperous our home is and how female have equal chances in Singapore. There is indeed no other place that I wanted to be.

What touched me most was the devotion that he had towards his wife and family despite being so much busier than a lot of us. A colleague told me, if a man is this devoted and loving towards his wife and family, he cannot be that bad a man. I cannot agree more.

Though I didn't have as much conviction as many to make me q up for hours at Padang, I had wanted to bring the kids to the community site at JE to pay our last respect.

Lil Shauna learnt about the death of the very important man in school. I brought her to pay our last respect early this morning before the ice skating class. I was surprised at how emotional I felt towards this great man whom I have never met.

We said a little prayer and left some words.

It was a good opportunity to emphasis how great Mr Lee was. Imagine that I, who heard about him all my life, didn't realise his sacrifices, how much more would our kids, who barely ever heard of him.

Lord, thank you for sending this great man as the leader of our country May you bless his family and comfort them in ways that nobody else could. Remind me constantly too to not take things for granted. Amen.

Mummy Lim

Insecurity?

I managed to leave Lil Isaac in Sunday class alone last Sunday. I didn't feel good during service but glad that I came out and heard a sermon that touched my heart. When I fetched him at the end of the class, he was happily doing craft. However, the aunties shared that he cried. Haiz. He did stop after a while. They also said that he sneaked out of the class to look for me. But went back to the class when he wasn't successful in locating me. The church compound is safe, I am just worried that he would one day wander out. I must talk to him before Sunday school this week.

I haven't figured out what is the root cause for his insecurity. I take comfort that maybe Sunday school would be more interesting next year? I remembered Lil Shauna not enjoying the baby classes too but was so enthusiastic after being promoted to the big kids' class. Come next year, he will also have jiejie to accompany him (though not in the same class but same hall) and hopefully, that make Sunday school easier for him.

On Thursday, Popo said that Lil Isaac didn't want to go to school. He was in tears when Popo forced him onto the bus. He again insisted that he didn't want to go for his Chinese enrichment class but was bribed with a toy eventually. When I asked him about it in the evening, he said that he only wanted to go for 1 class and not 2. He makes me worry no end. Lil Shauna is so easy.

The other thing about him is how he doesn't sleep through. We still tuck the kids to bed now, lying beside them until they fall asleep and many times I do too. Some nights, I woke up and crept back to my bed. Lil Isaac seem to be some kind of parent's sensor in him and an ultra sensitive one. On nights that we (usually I) disappear, you can be sure that he will wake up moments later in search of me. I duno of this is normal or caused by insecurity. Does he dislike his room so much? Hmmmm...

Mummy Lim

Ice Skating Lesson 6

We shouldn't have ice skating lesson on Saturday morning after the very exhausting legoland trip on Friday. I have thought that we would have plenty of rest but I was so wrong. Personally, I felt tired and lucky for me, all I had to do on the ice is to tell Lil Shauna what to do. So I can imagine how it was for the little girl. She couldn't do some of the twists that she managed previously and wasn't as determined as usual to achieve them. One word – tired and I cannot blame her. I was tired too.

The ice skating lesson went on despite her tiredness. We have paid $$ already. I could see that she was distracted at times and definitely wasn't in her top form. Nevertheless, she could do what Teacher Raymond asked her too, which appeared to be an advancement of the crossovers and also combination of some moves. She was taught the spin but wasn't too successful in spinning. Lol. We will have lesson this coming Saturday too and will practice the needful before class. Teacher Raymond also instructed us on the spiral stretching exercise, to be done everyday back home. It is already Monday and we have not started. Oopsy. Oh, we haven’t done our stretching exercise for a long time too. Double oopsy.

I had the chance to check with Teacher Raymond on the competition. It will be held from 26 to 28 June 15 at the Pyramid Ice Skating rink in KL, next to Sunway Lagoon. If Lil Shauna participates in the competition, it is likely that she will skate on 26 June 15, which is a Friday. We have to be there by Thursday.

There will be cost involved. We have to be the Singapore Ice Skating Association (SISA) member before we can take part in any competition and the membership will cost us USD20. There will be a test to certify Lil Shauna’s level before the competition and the test fees will be USD7. On top of that, the competition sign-up fees will be about SGD70. Lastly and most importantly, we will have to pay for the coach fees, which is to be shared by all the students taking part in the competition. This will amount to about SGD200+ if Teacher Raymond manages to get at least 5 students to participate. I cant help but suspect that this is the main reason why he is so encouraging towards Lil Shauna taking the competition. Lol. I haven’t figured out if it is worth to spend SGD400+ excluding the travel and hotel fees for Lil Shauna to spend those mere minutes in the rink. I do agree that it would be fantastic exposure but let me think about it. 

Daddy Lim also have problem taking so many days of leave in June. I will be heading to Ho Chi Minh in early June for work and thought of extending it into a family holiday. He would have issues taking leave again in end June for another holiday. Lil Shauna did mention that she wanted to join the competition. If she’s after the holiday more than the competition, we can always compensate that in other ways. We will speak to her again. I am just glad that she's still passionate about the sports to want to even take part in competition. Hehe. 

Mummy Lim

What would you Do?

We were at the Polliwogs indoor playground. After an hour of self-entertainment, the kids grew bored and were bugging the parents to play with them. Daddy Lim and I took turns. Lol.

When it was my turn, Lil Isaac and I played dodge ball at the ball pit and swing area. We shared the area with a pair of mother and son (probably 3 or 4), who were already there throwing ball up the slide. I took extra care to avoid throwing the balls at them.

Then, at one point, the little boy decided that he would lie down in the ball pit, which was a really bad choice. Lil Isaac was moving backwards and tripped over the boy and fell on him. Oops. The boy started crying and we apologised but he continued crying.

The mum rushed over and started comforting the crying boy, rubbing his tummy, where Lil Isaac fell on. The boy cried on and his mum carried him out of the ball pit area. Throughout, the mum was silent. Somehow, her body language seemed to suggest that she was not pleased that our boy fell on her boy, even though it was an accident.

I was apologetic at 1st and then wasn't pleased with what I read of her body language. Yes, we shouldn't be playing dodge ball at the ball pit but they weren't playing right too. Most importantly, it was an accident. Hmpf.

What would you do?

Mummy LLm

LegoLand

We didn't plan for an overseas holiday during the March holiday this year and I am glad that we stayed. This is the peak period at work and I had a mad rush last year before we flew to HKG. This year, I was actually busier. Heng ah. However, it is still the school holidays and to make the kids happy, we decided to at least cross the causeway and head to Legoland. We dated my brother's family and the kids were thrilled.

The kids woke up bright and early at 7ish.

We met on Friday morning, 8.30am and the custom was a breeze.

It didn't take that long for us to reach Legoland. However, it did take forever for our bfast to be served. The change in service standard always take some getting used to after crossing the causeway. Lol. But our mood wasn't dampened.

Our 1st casualty of the day.

Legoland, here we come!

The weather forecast said that there would be rain but our umbrellas were use only to shield the sun. It wasn't exactly a sunny day. It was hazy and as such, the sun was for most part covered. However, it was still warm and very humid. We were perspiring buckets and sticky throughout the day.

It had been a long time since we last visited the legoland. Then, the park was fairly new and it was super crowded. We didn't have time to take all the rides then. Yday's legoland was not crowded. The maximum waiting time was about 5 mins and we took many rides that we didn't get to try the last time.

When the weather got too punishing, we couldn't be gladder for indoor rides.

There was also this air conditioned room filled with Lego pieces. Kids get to build their racing car and race their racing car. The parents loved the air con. Muahahaha.

We took all the rides that the kids wanted including the huge roller coaster. The crowd was thinning by then and the staff allowed us to take the roller coaster continuously for 3 rounds!

Lil Isaac wanted to drive the car so much and got his wishes fulfilled too.

We left the park at almost 7pm when it was closing and had dinner outside the park before heading home.

We had thought that the custom would be clear on a Friday night but was met with a jam. We were struck for an hour at least. Lil Isaac fell asleep after dinner and slept all the way home. He woke up for shower and then went back to sleep until this morning. This tells you how tired we all were. Lol.

Legoland would be fantastic if it wasn't for the punishing weather. Still, we all had loads of fun.
 I couldn't speak for Daddy Lim but enjoyed myself tremendously with the kids. Hehe. I love theme park and loved spending time with my family. Muaks.

Mummy Lim