Annabelle - Going to Pre-School, Abigail>?

12 Jan 2015, marked the first day of Annabelle's pre school start day. We both took leave to accompany her to school.

She has her uniform, her school shoes, her bag and also her lunch box.

Preparation for her schools,
watch for the design of the school logo ~ proudly done by Ivan Vincent

"Jesus, blessed me when I am in school"

"Both ready for school"

First day, easy going with toys and familarisation with the school teachers

See her name on the list.  

Her school ~ Tadika Santa Anna

Brought back memory of me wrapping my school books. 

She is so grown up.

Her school is Tadika Santa Anna, Port Klang. The school starts at 7.45am and finishes at 11.45am.

As working parents who goes to work at 6.30am, we are thankful to our daycare Taska Selektif for their assistance to get Annabelle's ready in her best conditions and the daycare's uncle (Thata) will drop and pick her to/from school on time. The routine has started and will continue as such for the next 2 years. :)

So far, her school days are "Fine" (as Annabelle described.) The first week, there are only 2 days she tears and told me over the phone that she misses us (her mummy, her papa and also her thata). Then, I have came out with reward chart to encourage her, she is doing fine and hope that she will continue it well too.

Everyday, we (especially the papa) will ask her "How's school?". Her response is "OK!" "Fun", "Fine"... not much she will described. Then, I bump into a threads online how to ask our child about their school instead of the "How's school"" questions. It does not really give me all answers but at least some.

Here, I concluded my finding about her school: (Like doing research!)

She does colouring mostly at school. She used orange colour to colour fishes and ball ( I guess).
One girl is still running out from the class (stopped by Teacher Assistant - Teacher Rita).
She can't play at the playground because the slides was wet.
She doesn't like the chicken burger that I prepared for her for her snack break. She wasn't not able to open her piece of cheese during break once. :)

Anyway, from these bits and pieces of conversation with her yesterday; she said: "Mummy, I like my school, my friends and I like to go to school." I guess Ivan and I are the most happy one who hears this.

2015 - Sunday School

Annabelle also started her Sunday School (Catechism classes) on the 4 January 2015. She is so keen and happy with the classes. She bombarded her catechism teachers with questions like "Why 3 Kings.." "How Jesus?"  "Where baby Jesus?"

She came back and asked me: "Mummy, can you tell me the 3 Kings story?" Oh yes, looks like mummy who is a convert better buck up and learn up more about the faith.

Oh yes, her catechism classroom is the same classroom as the normal weekday school; she did confused over her teacher too.

I explained to her, on weekday you will meet Teacher Manjit and Teacher Rita. On the Sunday, you will be seeing Teacher Charlote and Sister Angeline. Obviously she is still trying to get used to it.

Anyway, hope she will learn about her faith more and be a good girl too :)

Her Catechism Books  

Catechism classmate (rombongan led by Sister Angeline)

Get the chance to carry Baby Jesus 

How about Abigail when the sister (Jie Jie) at school?

Oh yes, she is in the daycare. She does take part in the "going school" activity. She followed thata once to fetch the sister from school.

When I asked Abigail, "Do you want to go to school?" her answer is yes with strong nodded of her head. When asked about "Where jie jie?", she will says "School"...

Nowadays, she also like to drag her small school bag around the house as if she is going to school.

Anyway, both our baby girls are growing well and at schooling age too. Hope our Lord will protect our children when they are in school or in daycare. May the schooling years for Annabelle be fun-filling and enjoyable too. 

Year of 2014

Last Friday, when I decided to write a blog about the girls; I have noticed that it is difficult to maintain two blogs; thus it was officially being combined to one. The blog header will should reflected it now. Do not worried about the content from Abigail's blog, it was already transfer over. 

Counting now, our girl has grown so much. Annabelle is already 3 years 4 months and Abigail will turn 2 years old by 3 January 2015. The sisters are growing up very well together. They will ask for each other and look out for each other. Obviously there are time that they fight and also screaming at each other, but they are just so loving to each other.

Year 2014, Annabelle grow to be an elder sister who really knows her responsibilities. She has achieved a biggest milestones of diapers free. She is becoming more aware of herself. She will ask me questions such as...

"Mummy, I want to grow up like you!"
"Mummy, can I wear this?" ~ while pointing at the panjabi suit that I am using.
"Papa, can I follow you to the shop?"
"Mei Mei, you do like Jie-Jie, squat down!" ~ while showing her sister how to do it by action...
"Bunny (our pet rabbit), you better listen to mummy; else mummy bring ruler for you."

However, even she has grown up so much; she will not fail to say this to me:

"Mummy, can you sleep with me until I slept. You can go sleep with papa!"
"Mummy, I love you!" ~ while snuggled on the bed next to me.
"Papa, can you carry me like "Hush Little Baby"?"...

So loving she is...

For Abigail, she is growing up just like the sister. She does sound like her sister too, which at time; Ivan and myself have difficult to differentiate who says those words. :)

Abigail too achieved her milestones gradually. She is still learning how to speak clearly, but she can understand all that you said. Many months, I have to reprimand her because she loves to cry... she cried when she woke up, she cried when I bath her, she cried when I refused to turn on her favourite DVD... and so on.. Probably it was just like me, like my ah-pa said: "she is just like you when you were young, cry a lot!!!"

As she grows, Abigail is much calmer now. She will and still learning how to be more patient in waiting for her milk, her turns to play her toys and etc. But one thing for sure, we love her loving voice when she speaks...

"Pa... pa..." when the father come back from work and she will run towards him.
"Ma ... ma.. (for some reason, she called me mama more often than mummy), what is this?"
"Jie ... jie...share.. share..!"

Isn't it just too lovely?!

 

Year 2014 has been very kind to all of us thus, we have achieved two big achievements as a family unit.
(1) We have moved into our home.
http://our-princess-annabelle.blogspot.com/2014/09/our-home.html

(2) We (I) have received my Master degree finally...

In this year, we have learn to know people around even more. We have many people to thank for this year. I will not mentioned it one-by-one as I believed you know who you are.

As I am writing, I will not forget my dearest husband, darling Ivan Vincent. This year was challenging for me and you. But we have sail it through together and will do it together for years to come.

Thank you for saying this.

"B, thank you for the dinner. It was satisfied!" (after finishing all dishes on the table)

 "B, do you think the decoration was nice?" (after each decoration done for the festive)

OK... hope by maintaining one blog rather than two will be easier for my update now.

So, you who are reading, thank you so much too for following us for the year. Stay tune for more :)

Say Bye Bye to ... Night Diapers

"Dry Night", "Free from Diapers Night" are all phrases that mummies thought of, read about and talk about. Some mummies choose to delay this phase, some mummies will reason it as "my child is not ready..", some mummies will choose to let nature take its course to train up their child. In whatever instances, I just like to record and share this with mummies.. This process is achievable to get your child a diaper free nights..

When I discussed and asked my colleagues, Helen mummy; how to go about the process, I am scared to even start. I used to give excuses to myself and told Ivan that we shall train her up after 3 years old. Now Annabelle is 3 years old, passed her birthday and it is definitely is the right time. 

We began this training at 1 September 2014. Today marks 24th days of training. 

Day#1: Night, I told Annabelle. "Annabelle, you need to tell mummy if you want to "chu-chu" ~ urine." She nodded.  

Day #1 (Result): Wet 3 times (12am, 3am, 5++am) on the single bed mattress. I told myself, I cannot get angry. Woke up, change her, change the bedsheets and change the bed protector sheet. 

Day #2: Night, I told Annabelle the same message. She nodded.

Day #2 (Result): Wet 3 times (can't recall timing). This time I got a little mad because I woke her up at 12++am to ask if she likes to urine, she say NO then 30 minutes later she wet the bed... I admit that I had reprimanded her.
She told me softly and in the half-sleepy mode:"Mummy, Annabelle must tell mummy if want to urine?" She followed with another statement that I used to tell her "Mummy, Annabelle will try again?"...
My heart felt so bad, and I told myself; "Shirley, you are not going to scold her any more for this training or practice!"

Day #3: I went on get some consultation from Helen mummy, she told me some "petua"...

Day #3 (Result): I told Annabelle to urine before her milk, urine again before sleep. That night, she wet twice.

Day #4: I used the "petua", I printed a reward chart for potty training (modified to suit) for her. We told her if tonight she did not wet her bed, tomorrow she has one star. 

Day #4 (Result): Wet once still. But we continue to motivate her.

Day#5: I repeated myself like broken radio.

Day #5(Result): She is dry the whole night.. We let her stick her first star in the morning. 

Today is Day #24: There are still days that she accidentally did wet her bed, but I had decided not to buy bed sheet protector; she is sleeping with her sister on the queen bed instead of the mattress. She is doing very well and she has received 2 presents from us (Small present from us, a water-colour set, and Pringles Potatoes chips).

When Annabelle read this at 7 years old or older, she will turn around and say to me : 'Mummy, why you record this in the blog and share with people... so shameful..".. (Mummy will just giggle and say, this is mummy's blog, mummy write anything that I felt important ..." :)

So does the reward training chart works? It does :) (Special thanks to my Helen Mummy's help :))

Here share some photos...

Activity Time with AA babies (phrase borrowed from a good friend)

Do you know that there are only 15 weekends left for the 2014? Hahaha... yes, I calculated it this morning on the way to work. Many times, we parents are pre occupied with many activities during the weekend (from wedding functions, birthday party, family gathering, compulsory working Saturday for office), I personally felt that weekend are just too short for me to spend time with AA babies.

As a full time working mother, weekends are just so precious for me. It is not for me to rest, my weekend since I have the two girls after a big baby Ivan Vincent; is much more occupied and busy than a working day. Ivan and I loved the weekend more when we know that we can spend time with the girls. What do we do?

...breakfast together
...watch movie/ cartoon together
... arts and crafts together
... bake pizza or cup cake together
... run, cycle, chase, scream, bubble together (at the balcony)
... swim together
... dinner together

For the activity time that was mentioned in the post title, I wish I can do it more often during the weekday but due to heavy back home traffic, we reach home late and unable to spend the time doing activities with the girls. I borrowed this idea from my close friend who also doing various fun learning activities with his son, I thank her for the ideas.

I am still researching online for more fun activities time that I can customize for both babies. It is very much challenging to have both of them love the activity. For example, when Annabelle were drawing and colouring on the art block, the younger sister will doodle onto the same piece and both ended up screaming at each other. In another instance, when Annabelle busy preparing for her pizza; the sister is eating the bread. But it is so much of fun recalling all these moments.

Art & Craft Fun

Those day, we used to play this using paper;
Nowaday, it is like this... 

Painting & Drawing together

Colouring Fun 

Show off Fun

Bubble Fun Time 

Evening run, chase, scream Fun Time... 

Swimming at the condo pool

Pizza Making

Ingredients and Chef 

Chef Annabelle 

Chef Abby...

 

Our lunch... 

Baking Cup Cake

One of the activity time, we tried cup cake baking. It was a success! Thanks to the cup-cake pre mix box... hahaha... Although it was messy to have this activity, when I heard Annabelle said:"Mummy, this is so fun!", I am willing to do it again for her.

See, my ingredients for my cupcake 

Professional... 

Junior Master Chef

Does with passion and love

Finally finish!!

She wants to hold it and bring the baking tray to the kitchen

Not bad ya... 

Patiently waiting

Cartoon Characters

Ever changing cartoon characters...

In the beginning, we have Magic English DVD series, both sisters loved it... Then, Abby prefers Dibo, she will pick up the Dibo CD and pass it to me... though she can't speak then; I know that she likes to watch that. Then, the period where I introduce princesses to Annabelle, I guess Abby has no choice to watch repeated times of Cinderella stories that the "jie jie" likes..

Moving on, there comes Frozen... every night; in Amma's house; you can hear "...Let It Go..., Let It Go..." and sometime, we will sit down and watched "Brave"together.

Don't know since when, Abigail and Annabelle loves Dora the Explorer. Probably also thanks to the mummy who bought the first Dora CD for them...

Last Saturday 13/9/2014, we took the chance where there were a Meet and Greet session with Dora & Diego; we took them both to Curve. Prior to that I have told Annabelle that she can meet Dora, this is because; when she was younger she was afraid of the A&W mascot bear (what character was that?!), but when she heard Dora she was so excited. When I told Abigail about the same thing, the only thing I saw was her firm nod and she said; "Dora... Dora..."

The date with Dora was 6.30pm. Papa was so excited to bring the girls to the best session, despite after attending a meeting; papa didn't rest and wake us up from our afternoon nap at 5pm and we got ready for the Dora. (such a sweet lovely father)

After the date with Dora, we had quick bite in McD, some rides for the kids and we ended the day with a smile on everyone face..