five

So you turned five today, our sweet little boy.

Those five years seemed to pass in a blink.

You introduced me us to parenthood so sweetly. With your gentle soul and generous smile, we thread the unknown path together. You are gentle and sweet and never cease to amaze us with your wonderfulness. You are cheeky and always surprise us with your pranks. You are creative and very often blow us away with your 3D paper creations or your sophisticated drawing. You are caring to your parents and sisters and your other loved ones, you touched us so deeply with your affections. You are helpful. You are willing to wait patiently for your mommy to take her afternoon nap for an hour or two (while you toss and turn or draw next to mommy, you are so sweet that way).

We want to thank you for making this journey a wonderful one. Having you home with us now (for who knows how long), living, learning and growing together, is a privilege for us. We love you, dear Jove. We are forever thankful for this chance to be your parents and knowing and loving you.

Happy 5th Birthday. Thank you for being the person you are.

Love,

Pa and Ma

reading

"Spiderman." Jove suddenly read the words on the notebook. He even read it upside down. I was surprised and asked him to identify 'spider' and he actually knew!

A week ago, he read 'city'. Then this morning, when I did some illustrator work of a lion family and type 'Roar!', he asked me what it was. "What do you think?" I asked him. He paused for a while, took a good look at the word, and answered, "Roar?"

My son is learning to read!!! Okay, this might not be a big news for most of you and I might sound a little stupid in feeling happy of his progress. I know one of his friend has learned to read at two year old and his same-age cousin has started to read months ago. But it's not the speed of his learning, but the wonderful process of his self-learning that I joyfully celebrate here. I've hardly initiate teaching how to read to him. He did not like flash card and he only played the phonic games when he felt like it (which was just once in every few months). Sometimes I did feel like a failure/lazy mom who was too lazy to enforce any learning to her kids (so and so has started to read and write and he is the same age as Jove, my mind would say). But when the learning spurt came back, I would stood there amazed at the whole process.

He learned reading by writing, mostly. He loves to draw line art, so naturally he started to write titles for his drawings, labels for certain things, write numbers on the race cars... and these few weeks, he started to write on dialogue balloons like comics! He would ask me how to write Indiana Jones, Lego, Spongebob Squarepants, Toy Story, Cars Toon, Madgascars, Buzz, Woody, and the like (you get the idea). I would spell the letters and he would write them. As time goes by, the spelling and the writing goes faster and he even can spell them out by himself. He started recognizing familiar words everywhere (games, the, play, etc) and started reading them. He gets really excited when he found out that he can really read those words... and so do I.

So I'm going to write it down here as a reminder for myself. I will keep on trusting my children's ability and eagerness to learn things. It's really a wonderful journey to watch them blooming and growing on their own. I'll be walking along as their helper, assistant, guide, companion, cheerleader, comforter, mommy, and whatever role they will need me to be.

Jove will start going to school in July. I'm still not very sure on how he (and all of us) will fit into the system. I guess I need to trust him more and know that he will do just fine. :P

the third one

So life has been busy and wonderful. I've missed writing about lots of precious moments that has happened this year. It's a quiet morning now, Kay has gone back to sleep, Jove is still sleeping... and I think it's time to write about the third one in the blog.

We found out at the end of January that I'm pregnant (again!). It was quite a surprise. We never thought of welcoming another baby in 2011! The first trimester was quite nauseous and tiring (I craved sleeping all the time). But entering this second trimester, my energy came back and I feel really good. :)

We had an ultrasound check last Saturday and confirmed my suspicion that I'm carrying another girl! I had a dark linea nigra when I was carrying Jove. But none when I was pregnant with Kay and I did not have it this time too. It was the first and the strongest clue that made me thought I was having another girl. Miss Kay had guessed that she would have a sister all along. Jove is excited in having two sisters. My sweet boy, he's a fabulous big brother. I really would kill to have a big brother like him. :)

This year will be a wonderful year. We've been counting the weeks together with the developed little baby in the womb, and the journey will be more exciting when the little one has come out. Her estimated due date is the first of October (our wedding anniversary!). :)

late afternoon walk with the kids

carving pumpkin

 

our first jack-o-lantern

daddy came home with a pumpkin. :D

sweet brother

the kids were playing jump-from-headboard-to-bed game last night. they took turn climbing the headboard then jumping onto the bed. sometimes they hugged each other or hold hands and jumped together.

at one jump, their heads bumped together. while still hugging his sister, laying on the bed, jove cringed and asked, "are you okay, sis?"

the sister, who was okay, was not paying attention. she stood up and continued to climb the bed's headboard again. but mommy (who stood there watching) was so touched. that boy felt hurt yet he cared more about the sister!

i really need to learn a loooot from that boy.

planting green beans

we just planted green beans (or more correctly, mung beans) yesterday. they have been sprouting significantly today. :)this started because jove was fascinated with boowa and kwala planting green beans. check it out here. the instructions to plant green beans from boowa and kwala can be found here.

then this morning, i found this interesing site: ecoliteracy, which has this activity of making mini greenhouse from a recycled cd case.

exciting project for mother and son. :)

lent and bedtime

During this season of Lent, I am abstaining from complaining. It was easy during the first day, then I tend to forget about my abstinence.

The struggle is harder around bedtime, which in my family happens around midnight. No matter what the activities are, Jove seems to have his energy renewed in the few hours approaching sleep. His favorite activities consist of playing with his cars on the bed, watching movie (he has been playing UP every single night for more than a week now), jumping up and down the bed, drawing, and being read a book (his latest favorite is a children's encyclopedia). Sometimes he asked for a snack or a glass of milk.

I used to become so grumpy if he didn't want to sleep at around eleven. But I stopped since being grumpy irritated my husband and my children, plus it didn't make Jove sleep earlier anyway. I tried to be involved in his activities and enjoyed it. Our favorite is to put the children on a blanket, then my husband and I will swing them while singing some songs. The we drop them on the bed giggling and asking for more and more until my hands are red and sore (being stronger, husband has no problem with that).

Last night, I was tired. Jove did not nap during the day and he was still very physically active at midnight. I got angry and I forced him to sleep. I complained high and low about how tired I was and how I needed rest and how I was sore of breastfeeding Kay to sleep (she kept on waking up because of his brother's activities). He slept at last. But I regretted my actions.

This morning, my husband told me that I should not force the kids to sleep again. Because sleeping is a peaceful act, the kids should be able to fall asleep in peace. Well, I completely agree with that. I just need to figure out what I can do to stay nice and sweet till my kids fall asleep peacefully.

it should be green

Jovan was accidentally looking at the computer's monitor and saw his drawing that I digitally colored.


"Ma, it's wrong. It's not red. It should be green," he protested.

"Oh, sorry, I thought those are mushrooms." I replied.

"No. Those are trees. Trees that are seen from far."

(Nggak Ma, itu pohon. Pohonnya jauh, jadi kecil.)

Wow. I never think that he knows perspective already!

three

Dear Jove,

As I held your hand to sleep tonight, I prayed to God, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you..."

Thank you for all the moments, all the tears, all the joy, all the lessons, all the pain, all the smiles... well, basically, THANK YOU for blessing me with this grace of being your mother for these three years (and nine months).

I still can't believe that you have turned three. I still can't believe that I hardly ever carried you again during the day (you used to stick on me like a limb) and I have not nursed to you sleep for a year now (you used be an extension of my breast at night).

Do you still remember the days when I wished you would start talking? Or the days when I urged you to let go of my hands to walk by yourself? Now you talked nonstop during your waking time. Jumping and running and climbing and sliding down and riding your truck and jumping some more... nonstop too.

I should stop expecting things from you and should really savor the moments we shared together more intensely. You are no longer my toddler, darling boy. You are growing up (sometimes too fast for my liking) to be a man.

This past week, you have decided to spend your nights sleeping in your grandparent's house against our will. Your Papa was sad and devastated. He always missed you and always always always wanted to sleep with you at night (no matter how many nights you have kept him awake with his droopy sleepy eyes to read you just five more story books). I told him, you were just sleeping five minutes away from home in the embrace of his loving aunt... How would we feel when you decide to go abroad for your study? How would we feel when you find your girl, marry her, and live somewhere far from us? Honestly, your father and I had no answer for that.

We are just glad and thankful that you relented and slept with us yesterday... and today... and hopefully tomorrow (and for the rest of your life, hehehe).

Thank you for being such a sweet wonderful smart cheerful boy these three years. We LOVE you.

Papa & Mama

communication and trust

It was a nice Saturday afternoon, the weather was good. The sun, the not-so-cloudy blue sky, the coolness of the wind after the rain. Hubby drove around while I sat in the back seat with Kay on my breast and Jove slept, his head nestled on the pillow next to me, just touching his sister's head.

That was when we finally talked. The heart-to-heart kind. The discussion kind. It was a first for a really long time.

These days, we usually just exchanged one or two liners or short stories on the kids activities. A lot of frustrating arguments about the kids and other stuff in life. Jove was doing a lot of mischief and refusing to nap lately. Kay woke up longer during the day. Staying alone with both of them in the house was quite a challenge for an unorganized mother with little home management skill like me. Tired hubby came home from work with an expectation to play with the kids, but a tired wife welcomed him with a lot of additional chores (please help me clean this and that) and complaints. Both of our exhausted spirit combined were still much too lower to match Jove's battery power who could last past midnight. So by the time Jove slept, both of us were usually asleep too. No time to really talk.

I searched and read a lot about parenting stuff online, when I could. I tried this and that method in getting Jove to sleep, I talked about this and that method to hubby when asking him to help Jove to sleep. That frustrated me. And irritated him. Hubby is a practical kind of person who rarely read.

So today when we finally talk, it was great to find out that in the end both of us agreed on the same 'method' to handle this active child of ours (and his sister). I told him what I've read (especially the emails from an amazing woman) and he said he never cared of methods, or whatever name I used, that was the way he wanted all along.

The journey is still long for both of us to enjoy and savor. It is great to know that we are in tune with each other in this long journey of parenthood. As I watched my babies slept and my love drove us in the warm light of the setting sun, I felt tremendous happiness and gratitude for everything that made this moment happened.

aunt jen's visit

This Sunday, we met our friend from NTU, Singapore. Jove called her Aunty Jenny.

We started early, with Jove still sleeping, and drove to Ritz-Carlton to pick Aunty Jenny. Jove awakened when we reached the hotel. I told him that Aunty Jenny only spoke English, so he has to greet her in English.

When Jenny went into the car, he did not greet her, but introducing her to Buzz Lightyear plastic toy that he had.

"This is Buzz Lightyear!" (pointing the toy at Aunt Jen)
"To infinity and beyoooooond!" (Buzz flew around)

We went to Church of St. Theresia for the English Sunday Mass, then for delicious mpek-mpek lunch (where Jove got acquintanced with a few kids). Then we followed Aunty Jenny to her room and had some tea and fun chat in her really cool hotel room.

Jove could answer some simple questions and he was not shy in trying to communicate. Children, even though they have not mastered the language, have better communication skills than adults, I think. The best skills are their sincerety and total curiousity. Oh, and their innocence and their smile too!

I've really nothing to worry for his socialization skill.

Thank you Aunty Jenny for the sweets and heaps of good time! :D

she loves picture books!

While Jove were away with his grandma (due to his recurring cough), I had more one-to-one time with baby Kay. I read her The Very Hungry Caterpillar three times today. She loved it. She stopped fidgeting and paid close attention to the book from start to finish.

I remembered that Jove used to be like that too, I just could not recall whether he did it when he was this young.

It is good if the children love to read, isn't it? Then they can spend a few hours on their own being immersed in another world, and the mother can have sometime to do her own stuff. Ha ha.

I'm sorry, Sis!

Jovan was pretty cranky yesterday afternoon. He kept on asking me to carry him while I was holding his sister.

After sometime, I relented. That boy needed some good hugs.

I put the sister on the bed and carried him. Not long after, his sister started to cry! But big brother still did not want to go down. He looked at her crying and he asked me to ask one of the aunts to carry her. I told him there were no aunts around now. Only the three of us.

Then he said, "I want to go down now." He looked pretty sad. I put him down on the bed, and joined in to feed Kay. Jove started stroking his sister's arm, kissing her little fist, looking at her lovingly.

Then he said slowly, "I'm sorry, Sis."

"Why did you say sorry?" I asked him.

"Because I cried," he answered. ("Soalnya koko nangis", katanya.)

He slept while holding her hand. And I don't think I can put my feelings into words...

making jelly

Today is Papa's birthday. We made jelly in the morning. Jove mixed the jelly powder with sugar and he also stirred the liquid once in a while. I poured a thin layer of the liquid on a flat plate, waited for a while, then shoved it into the freezer. Two minutes later, voila, a cold jelly flab for Jove to observe, play, and eat.

Papa can eat the jelly when he came back later. Happy birthday, Pa!

get well soon, pleeease!

Jove has been sick for about a week now. Cough and cold. He had stayed at my mother's to prevent baby Kay catching the bug.

Then, Daddy got sick three days ago. So baby Kay and I moved to stay at my mother's.

Jovan has started to get better now after taking the medicine prescribed by doctor grandpa.

Yesterday, the two-month old baby Kay got the coughing and the sneezing as well! My heart is just broken looking at her gagging with phlegm and trying to wipe her runny nose after a sneeze. She has vomited milk four times in these two days.

The weather has been crazy with alternating hot sun and heavy rain in a day. We're on our way to recovery, or so I prayed.

full fun day

Once in a while, I had a very productive day which enabled me to create some play things for Jove. Yesterday was one of such days.

We had fun playing the salt dough (1 cup salt, 2 cups flour, water as needed) on the sofa.

Then while Jove took his nap, I managed to make this felt story board. Have been planning to make this since forever, never started till yesterday.

I put this on the bed and let Jove played with it by himself. He was quiet for sometime... I was starting to feel happy that he liked what I've made. When I checked, he was busy stuffing those felt figures down the little space between the wall and the bed. Now some of them still lie down there since it was difficult to shift the bed.

Oh dear...

early christmas present

So, we had our present and currently still busy adjusting our new life with her.

Here I am in the wee hours of the morning, typing with my left hand while nursing the baby (who sleeps soundly during the day!). More posts when possible. :)

Wish you had a wonderful Christmas...

the missing ears

Lately, Jovan often "lost" his ears.

This morning, when I was doing something I couldn't leave, I noticed Jovan was plucking tissues out of the box. He plucked a sheet, threw it on the floor, plucked another one, threw it on the floor, on and on like that till a heap of tissues (about a quarter of the box) was piled next to his feet. I asked him nicely to stop doing that, and he kept doing what he was doing without even glancing at me. He did not hear my voice even when I have started shouting.

He only stopped when I picked him physically, put him to stand near the wall for time-out while I picked the tissues on the floor. Looking at him standing quietly with innocent face, I couldn't get angry for long...

But yeah, that and other similar incidents have made me scrambling to find out the best (and working) method to discipline him nicely.

So far... no luck yet. Any advice? :)

puzzles

Hubby bought a Lightning McQueen 12-piece jigsaw puzzle for Jove a few months ago. He bought it just because Jove liked the picture so much. One day, Jove tried the puzzle and got hooked. Now he have about 7 puzzles and one puzzle book (with 5 puzzles inside) that he regularly do. Like a hobby!


For the 12-piece puzzles, he does not need any help. But for the 30-piece and 48-piece puzzle, we need to help him sort out the side pieces to be done first. After a few tries, usually he would start to remember the places.


Being a firstborn, Jove always surprise us with his interest. I googled about puzzle and children development afterwards, it turned out that puzzles aid children hand-eye coordination and the development of memory. Jove plays with his puzzles daily and just in three or four days he can usually do his puzzle without any help in the initial sorting. He even can place the middle pieces at their correct places out of his memory. It's really fun to see him do the puzzles. :)