Puzzles for the little one

Grace has a number of puzzles which some of them are still too advance for her. There's this Bible Puzzles, which I saw from Christianbook.com, which contains 3 double sided puzzles with 12, 24 and 36 pieces respectively. Though this is too advance for her, I will put the puzzles together myself, in front of her and then teach her on the bible stories that the pictures depict.



Other than the bible puzzle, we have 2 early Puzzles set which we redeemed using our Bonuslink points. Each of this set has 4 puzzles ranging from 3 pieces to 6 pieces. Earlier on when I obtained the puzzle, I would put it together for Grace and tell her stories of the picture. This:



About 3 weeks ago, I started to teach Grace to put together the 3-piece puzzle which assemble to a fish. Initially, Grace would just bring me the pieces randomly and asked me to put the puzzle together. When I ask her to put it together herself, she would need my help to bring her the correct piece.



We abandoned the puzzle activity for about 2 weeks cause I was so busy with the Church Children Holiday camp. Today, Grace saw the puzzle in her cupboard and requested to play with it. I took the 3 pieces out and shuffle it. Then to my surprised, she could put it all together, needing some help in securing the joints. What a great pace children are learning at!

I will start to teach her another 3-piece puzzle which assembles to a car next.

THANK YOU, HUBBY!!!

Our church Children Holiday Camp had just ended yesterday night. It was a great time with the kids there. Though tiring (I had been sleeping over 2am in the past few days too), but joyful to see so many children learning together. I am especially glad and proud of my group of dancers, 5 girls (one 7-year-old girl, three 8-year-old girls and one 10-year-old girl). All of them did a good job yesterday night in performing the dance, though they only have 3 days (not full day) to learn and practice. I taught them the Hi-5 T.E.A.M song dance and it was a great success!

While I was busy with the teaching and things, I was so glad that I have hubby and my mom to help with looking after Grace. Grace is still too young to join in the fun in the camp, and we are also afraid that she might get knocked down by the kids accidentally. On Thursday, my mom followed me to church and looked after Grace through out the time there. Thanks mom!

On Friday, hubby took the day off just to look after Grace. I leave home earlier in the morning with mother in law to the camp, while Grace and hubby stayed on at home. They only joined us later.

Friday night I slept at 3am as I was rushing with the video clip editing for the graduation night. So it was a little hard to get up on Saturday morning. Hubby was so good in bringing Grace our for breakfast while I continue to sleep. Later I was still busy with completing the video clip and hubby continued to look after Grace. Our camp starts at 4pm and hubby also continue to look after Grace at home while mom (in law) and I headed to church. They joined us later in the evening for the graduation night.

All in all, I am glad that Grace can now be away from me for longer duration. And after these days, the bond between father and daughter has grown a lot!

Great job done, hubby and Grace way to go!!!

No more a super glue!

Grace use to stick to me and/or hubby like super glue whenever she's surrounded by strangers or even those she knew from church. So every time when we are in church, either one of us would need to look after her while another one of us go on with our church service.

When Grace was younger, we tried to let her join the children worship (which runs concurrently with the Sunday service). Although she likes to be around other children, she can't sit down quietly. For fear of disturbing the other kids, we postpone the thought and let her play in another room.

Until the last Sunday (not yesterday, it was the week before, August 10th). That Sunday I was serving as a pianist during the Sunday service while hubby is involved in a choir and testimony. As both of us were tied up, there's no one to take care of Grace. I have a god-daughter Joan, whom willingly help to take care of Grace for us that day.

Joan together with her mom, Chai Luan, whom so happens was the teacher for the children worship that day, lead Grace into the class. And...to our surprised, she went through the whole class without any major problem. Half way through the class, Chai Luan help bring in milk (Grace is now mixing between breast milk and formula milk) for her.

Later on after the Sunday service, I checked with Chai Luan on Grace performance in the class. She told me that Grace joined in the singing by clapping, while sitting quietly during the story telling. Now there's this 2 sisters in the class whom like so much to take off their shoes. Grace did make noise wanting to take off her shoes, but the teachers manage to attract her with something else while not taking off her shoes.

It seems to us that Grace is beginning to learn to be independent.

Yesterday, I had plans to let Grace join the children worship too, but before I could do that, Grace demand on playing on some board games. Knowing Grace, I hold on to sending her into the class for fear that she will protest. While she's playing with her game, I asked her if she wants to join the "哥哥，姐姐" (means brothers and sisters) in the class. To my surprise, she node and says "收" (keep/tidy up the game). So I sent her into the class. Everything was going smoothly until a little girl suddenly cried during the class. Grace was frightened and thus asked for me. So we have to send her to another room. Overall, I think Grace is ready for classes like that.

Grace further showed her independence through out the day. As the children camp is coming up this Thursday, we were busy preparing for it (learning the dance, songs, final meeting and arrangement) after Sunday service. Moses was not around as he went to my dad's church for rehearsal on dad's church 50th anniversary and ordination service (Moses will be the chairman that day). Even so, I still gets to do all my things without Grace screaming away. How's that so? Many of those not involve in the camp help to look after Grace. Not forgetting to mention that, Grace don't even asked to be breastfed until when we were at home at 4pm. (Grace had milk and porridge).

"Grace, good progress! Keep it up!"

Busy weeks....

My church will be holding a Children Holiday Camp this coming Thursday to Saturday. It's a 40 person kind of day camp for kids in the age group ranging from 4 to 11; although we do have a few whom are only 3 years old. I have always been involved in children ministry, so there's no exception this time.

Though the camp won't be starting until this coming Thursday, we have had several meetings months ago, and I have been busy with tasks weeks before.

Some introduction on the camp. This camp is a place where we will teach these kids Bible stories, most importantly the gospel. Other than story telling, there are off course lots of singing, game and crafts! Besides, we are also holding a graduation night on Saturday for the parents to come join in the fun. Thus, there are needs to teach these kids to perform every kind of performance for their parents. There will be singing (with action), mini sketch, dancing, instruments and many more. Beside the performance, this will also be a night to recognise the children's effort during the camp. There will be prize giving as well for the Role Model and Craft competition. And because this is a camp for children, we will be giving out attendance gift for all who attended the 3-day camp. Not to forget the graduation certificate!
Well...why then am I so busy?? Earlier weeks, I was searching high and low (well sort of) in the Internet for crafts that suit the different age group that we have in the camp. Then last week I was busy with the preparation of the presents.

For the attendance gift we had been giving things like pencils, toothbrush, glue, other stationery in the past. As I was thinking of what to give this year, it came to me that though we had been taking group photo during the camp, we had never distribute it to the kids! So, I suggested that we distribute the photo to the kids, but just that? Nope, distribute the photo in a DIY photo frame.

I went out with Grace on last Monday to get all the stuff. Craft foam, glue, card stock and glitter pen. Then on Monday night itself, I started off to work on the photo frames. With Grace around, I can only do limited things in the day. Though I have my mother in law to look after Grace for short intervals during the day.

So for almost every night last week, I engaged myself in cutting, designing and putting the frame together. I had to do it after putting Grace to bed. It was like 10pm at night. Thus, I had to "burn the midnight oil" to get all these done. Had been consistently sleeping at 2am every night, from Monday to Saturday. How many am I making? 42 pieces. I guess, if I wanna do all these, I will just have to sacrifice some of my sleeping time as well as blogging time! Another lesson on sacrifice.

After so many nights of hard work, I finally finished off the last bit yesterday night.

Here's some of my favourites and my "working station".

<-----my working station----->

<--every frame is unique,my favourites->

This coming week, I will be busy preparing for the story telling and the camp itself!

Swimming, swimming, swimming!!!

Well, swimming is one of the usual activity that we will have twice a week. Grace loves swimming a lot. In fact, you cannot mention "游泳" (swimming) when you don't want to go swimming. Else, Grace will be jumping around asking to go swimming.

Every time when I ask, "Do you want to go swimming?", Grace will node her head over and over again, then she will be super happy. Nowadays, she will say "yiyong" (swimming in chinese is "you yong", so she pronounced it as "yiyong"). Once she gets changed into her swimsuit, she will happily wave to her grandma saying goodbye.

Today we when swimming and we also did 9 turn on the water slide. I could still remember the very first time when I introduced the water slide to Grace. It was like 2 months ago (I think).

Back then Grace immediately shook her head after one try on the slide. Then the next time, she requested it herself. And from then on, she was in love with the water slide.

You see, the place where I live is already like 12-13 years old. So the water slide is a little old. Plus, sometimes the water on the slide was not on the full run.

On Grace's second try, only one side of the water was running. Imagine slit down a water slide with limited water. Huh.......I need to push us down with my both hands! With the weight that I am in, argh......it was hard work. And this Grace asked for it over and over and over again.

Luckily the water is running at maximum level now. Else, I will have muscles in my arm!

Once we reach the end of the slide and into the pool, Grace will node her head , signaling to me that she wants another go. She's really in love with the water slide!

Watching Olympics

I was surprised to see that Grace loves watching sport events. These few days we had been watching live Olympic games and Grace joined in the fun and cheering. She is attracted by swimming events, fooball, volleyball, badminton, and anything that do to with ball and swimming pool. I guess it's the pool that she's interested in.

Today afternoon I wanted to go off to Tesco to buy some stuff for the coming children camp in our church. I changed and came out to the living room to get Grace, whom was watching a swimming race then, changed. To our surprised, she refused to get changed.

So I took my bag and keys and walked straight to the door. Seeing me leaving without her, Grace immediately run to me and said "Xie?" (means shoes?) in a questioning tone. She was actually telling me that, she do not have her shoes on. It seems that going out of the house supersede all!

Grace?!? What is wrong with you?!?

Sigh...sigh...sigh.....I don't know what she wants!!!

It has been 2 continuous nights! Both yesterday and today. Not sure what is bothering Grace. She just can't or may be it's won't get to sleep during bed time. During the midnight, it was ok. It was just when wanna make her sleep. Just can't get her to sleep without tears!

She kept crying and crying and crying. When we asked her what does she wants, she will just point to the door, exclaiming "Ah Mo", "Ah Mo". Who is she referring to? I recon it is Amos, her cousin brother in Shanghai. Is she really missing Amos? We won't get to know unless she speak to us!

Furthermore, she won't allow her daddy to leave the room until she falls asleep. Whenever Moses attempts to leave, she will stop feeding and turned towards Moses, then......CRY!!! Sigh..sigh..sigh...Poor daddy, has to stay on and on and on, leaving his important work behind.

Yesterday it took us about an hour to make her sleep. Tonight, it's even worse. We went into the room at about 10pm, start feeding her, but she won't sleep. Came out to the living room, played football for about 10minutes before she requested to go into the room. Got into the room, she requested to browse through her big book of pictures. Saw a page on birthday party, demanded we sing birthday song over and over and over again. Then give me a love bite that bleeds. Then start feeding again. Then cry. Then feed. Then cry. Then feed. Then cry, cry, cry. Then at about 11.25pm, finally fall asleep. Argh.....what is wrong with her?!?