Before and after....

Ahem...proud mother blogging here.

Just a brief "history". Previously, I found out that Grace was not very keen in colouring. She seems very impatient in getting a picture coloured. She will simple take a colour and scribble a few lines, and call it done.

When she started school, she seems to continue to dislike colouring. But recently I noticed a change. She seems to have improved in her colouring skills. Let me show you.

Here's one example of colouring with mummy's supervision and pick of colour.


Then here's two example of colouring without mummy's supervision. (she got these coloured in school)

And, here's 2 of the most recent colouring, just 2 days ago. Without mummy's supervision, and without mummy's pick of colour. See, the improvement? Well, mummy is proud of you Grace!



And here's her doing her homework (taken this when she first started to have homework in January)

Questions and talks that drive mummy crazy......

Oh gosh.....I think my blog looks abandoned! Well, Grace is having her school holiday this week, and she's stuck to me like super glue.........wahahaha....and for the times when she's not sticking to me, I stuck my hands and eyes to completing a baby mini album my cousin ordered.

Err.....I have a hard time naming this post.

Anyhow.....here's some of the things that Grace ask and say.....

Grace: Can an airplane fly and then stop in the air?
Grace: Mummy, why is my school so far away? Why can't it be nearer?

She was cycling the other day with my mum's help and told me mom,
Grace: You need to be careful when you ride the bicycle. If you fall down, your buttock will "open flower"! (some of you might wonder what on earth is "open flower"...well it's a direct translation from "屁股开花" pronounced as "Pi Gu Kai Hua" which we use to some what illustrate the hurt in the buttock if we fall)

She was playing sailing with my sister and were pretending there are sharks around. But this little girl was a little scared of the idea....
Grace: Lets not play shark.
Aunt Sherril: Why not?
Grace: The sharks had gone to a far away place.
Aunt Sherril: Where did they go?
Grace: Hospital.
Aunt Sherril: Why are they at the hospital?
Grace: Because they are dying.
Then, on the second asking.....
Aunt Sherril: Why are they at the hospital?
Grace: Because the shark's friend is dying.

And these are the questions that she asked repeatedly (sometimes on purpose) to drive me crazy...
Grace: What is the use of the yellow light (referring to a traffic light)
Mummy: It's telling all the cars to slow down as the traffic light will soon turn to red which means stop.
Grace: Why do the cars need to slow down?
Mummy: (keep on explaining)
Grace: (Keep on asking the same question again and again)

Grace: Mummy, why need the ambulance? Why they (ambulance) drive so fast? Why can't they (ambulance) drive slowly? Why cars drive slowly?.......(and the questions will repeat)....sigh

I am going to see a tortoise

This afternoon, while we were having our lunch together, the following conversation took place:

Grace: Mummy, I'm going to see a tortoise.
Mummy: (wondering whether she's trying to coax me in bringing her in the coming school holiday)...Really, when will you go?
Grace: I am going.
Mummy: Who will bring you?
Grace: You...
Mummy: err.....When did I say I want to bring you to see tortoise?
Grace: You see, I have a bad tooth, and I need to see the tortoise to have it removed!
Mummy: (Burst into laughter)....oh....you mean a Dentist not a tortoise!

Well, I salute my daughter's courage in speaking out even when she's not very sure of the usage of English words. It's a great opportunity to learn!

Had been busy.....

creating a short video clip to walk into the 10-year-history of Good News Baptist Church.

You see, yesterday was the 10th Anniversary of my church, and we had a great time remembering God's grace and mercy to us throughout the past 10 years, enjoying the company of our brother and sister-in-Christ.

And so, I was given only a week to browse through the thousands and thousands of photos taken during the past 10 years, select a few and transform them into a video clip. So, for the past week, I had been sitting in front of my laptop with a pair of "gold-fish" eye. Some of the photos are hard copy and I had to scan them into my computer. Luckily I have this marvellous HP PhotoSmart All-in-one printer, and the fabulous HP Photosmart Essential that allow scanning of multiple photos at one go!

Alright, enough of talking.......here's the clip (for those who are interested)....

弟弟 or 妹妹

(translates to little brother {di di} or little sister {mei mei})

Well, this remains a mystery until yesterday, when we finally get to see......

In the very beginning of this pregnancy, we did check with Grace whether she wants a little brother or a little sister. Her answer is always, "我要弟弟" (I want a little brother). And since, she will refer to the baby in the tummy as 弟弟.

When I had my first ultrasound scan, Grace showed her grandma (my mom) the print out. My mom jokingly asked her, "So, is it a little brother or little sister?". And she answered firmly, "It's a little brother!". Since, we joked about her having the best technology of all, i.e. could tell the gender when the little one is so, so, so tiny....

Grace even wants to name the little brother, 钱佳钱 (sounds "qian jia qian"). You see, the surname 钱 means money, yeah....money and the 佳 here, though not the exact word, but sounds like another Chinese word which means, plus or add. So, there you have it, the little brother by the name of "Money ADD Money" wahahaha..

So, is Grace's technology better than the technology we have right now?

Well....let's just say we don't have much shopping to do. The second one could use all the pass-me-down.......

So, is it 弟弟 or 妹妹?

1st Excursion

3 months of school, and today Grace gets her first excursion. It's a Chinese New Year celebration with the old folks at an old folks home.

It was a great time for the children to learn to share and give rather than just receive during this festive season. There were lion dance, drama performance, CNY songs performance and all these were performed by just the kindy kids! Grace is involved in the CNY songs and dance.

Well, parents are required to prepare at least 5 "Ang Pows" (red packets), 5 mandarin oranges (for their kids to give to the old folks), some light snack (I prepared tuna and egg sandwiches) and dress up their kids in RED.

Grace was rather excited for this excursion and I could very easily get her to wake up this morning. Just told her, "If you're late, you are gonna miss the lion dance". She heard that, and the next moment, she's up. hehehehe......

I also taught her to say "新年快乐" and "耶稣爱你" (happy new year and Jesus loves you) to the old folks when she's giving them the "ang pows". After the event, she told me she did as I told her to. But only she, the old folk and God know......

Oh.....parents were not allowed at the event......and Grace keep reminding me that.... "Mummy, you just drop me there then you go home. You cannot go.".......sigh

And so, I dressed her up for the occasion and to my surprise, she won the Best Costume Prize......

And here's the little China Doll.....

The urge to craft is getting stronger....

I think I'm recovering from my morning sickness.....the urge and itch to get crafty is back and I've been crafting and crafting and crafting while Grace is away at school.

I made a Birthday Book. Got this idea from a magazine and thought it will be really nice. However, though I'm a card maker, I don't have too many birthdays to remember, so I made one for my church Young Adult fellowship, of which I'm also supplying handmade cards.

Then I made 4 birthday cards also for the Young Adult fellowship.









One day while I'm finishing off my cards, Grace stood beside me and made these. Impressive!