Update about EJ & his activities & his moments

(Super Long Post!)

I think I haven't been updating stuff about my kids for so long. I don't know why these past a few months, I just want to stay away from blogging and give myself a break until I'm ready again.

It's like too much to update but too little time hahaa..

My son, EJ is 2 years 9 months old and my daughter, Calysta is 1 year 2 months old. As you can tell both are toddlers with only 1.5 year age gap (19 months to be precise). both are active and need full attention from their mommy, so every day my life is all about my kids and my kids. I can hardly have time for myself. I wonder how other mommy bloggers can manage their time between blogging and kids. I'm just too tired at night to do any blogging!

I think I have not been particularly updating about EJ since he turned 24 months old. Oh gosh, where did time go? Overall, for the past 1 year, it has been awesome having them in my life and I couldn't imagine my life without my 2 kiddos. So this post is mostly about EJ! (But I think mostly every post is also about my kids lol!)

Here's how it's like with 2 toddlers under 3 years old:

7am: both are awake!. EJ has his milk for breakfast (he doesn't want anything in the morning except milk). Calysta latches (yes, I'm still breastfeeding her!) and she has her breakfast (bread + cheese or pancake, muffin etc.. she's not a picky eater luckily!)
8.30am: sending EJ to his nursery
9am: EJ enters nursery and mommy goes back home to take shower & have her breakfast. Calysta has her shower too
10.30am: picking EJ up from his nursery
11am: EJ goes back home
11.30am: EJ & Calysta have their lunch
12pm: EJ taking shower while Calysta has her first afternoon nap
1.30pm: both have their afternoon milk
2pm: Activities time for EJ
3pm: Calysta latches & has her mid-noon snacking
4pm: we will go for walk/playground/shopping etc
5pm: kids have their dinner. Yes they normally have early dinner
6pm: kids taking shower together
7pm: kids getting ready for bed & have their milk
7.30pm: Good night. Lights off & kids are sleeping

The rest is mommy's me time! mommy deserves a longer me time, right?

Activities with EJ at 2pm:

I love (and EJ loves too) to do activity time with EJ and I believe those activities can improve his motor skills and enhance his memory. It doesn't have to be expensive. Mostly, I bought his activity stuff from Daiso or preschool activity books bought during supermarket sale. Cheap stuff can entertain toddlers too.

sticking the leaves to the tree, sticking & arranging fishes, turtles & starfish to the aquarium, matching colors & shapes, etc..

EJ did some finger print, coloring & painting, sticking whales, ships, jelly fishes, etc, scrambled & pretended to throw papers to dustbin by sticking it, etc. He also matched colored eggs (good for motor skill, memory & coordination), sticking itcy bitcy spider's legs, coloring & matching numbers (I find this is a super effective way for him to learn numbers, not only he will know how to recite numbers but he will remember & recognize numbers as well!

 

I find that simple activity like coloring & sticking colorful papers is good for toddler motor skill & his brains development. As toddler below 3 is still developing their hand muscles & coordination, encouraging him to do artwork can stimulate his brains I believe

he did some cars & wheels color matching (because he likes cars and I want him to find activity time interesting). Doesn't matter if some of it he couldn't stick it into a straight line or the wheel colors don't match ~ I believe every individual child has his/her own creativity

 EJ made turtle & crab and he learned numbers too (yes again & again)

 Butterfly & sheep

 Fish EJ made using his hand print and polar bear using cotton he scrambled & pasted.

 Sorting out colors can be fun for a toddler too

Paper Plate Lady bug colored & pasted by EJ

EJ made this flower himself & told me "give daddy"

 

EJ's painting. Love the super cheap water colors from daiso that are easily washed off and I also use ice cube tray with cover. I can store the left over paints for next use!

EJ ~ 24 months to 33 months

24 months ~ cars & vehicles obsession. He's never ever bored! Not once! There's always a space for a new car!

24 months

 Cheeky boy!

26 months

Loving blocks & legos toys

Baby puff is yummy!

 28 months

29 months

He still likes mommy to baby wearing him

 growing up well, 16 kg & 102cm at 2 years 5 months old

Loving his puppy soft toy he named "brownie"

30 months

31 months

Been asking us to get him a pet, instead we got him a bunny toy & he was pretty contented!

32 months

33 months

EJ moments:

Feb 2016:

Apparently EJ has secret admirer at nursery. So there's this 2 year old little girl at his nursery who has just confessed to him just now hahaha.. Little girl's auntie asked her "is EJ your boyfriend?" Little girl answered "yes" Little girl's auntie: why did you say so?" Little girl: EJ handsome Me: lol According to the girl's auntie, the girl has been mentioning EJ a lot at home that she likes EJ because EJ is handsome hahaha.. And apparently she remembers EJ only and is protective towards EJ. Like when the girl's brother teased her : I call EJ & hit him" the gal would scream "nooooo.. Can not!!" And she also said EJ is naughty because he throws things in the class but she still likes him because he's handsome hahaha.. And I asked EJ too "is K (the girl's name) pretty?" EJ nodded "pretty" Toddlers are just so cute & innocent!   Jan 2016   My sweet little EJ, sometimes an angel, sometimes a little monster. Apparently yesterday he was being punished by his teacher for being naughty in the class for throwing toys, making loud noises & pushing his friend. So he came back home & I lectured him ALOT & he did this to Calysta (then I knew he was actually being punished) EJ: (holding Calysta's face just like teacher did when she talked to ...her student seriously) "Mei Mei, one more time, one more time... Corner, stand there.. One more time.." EJ: "Mei Mei, naughty.. One more time, corner, sit, stand there..." (Kept repeating & repeating the same sentence to his sister) I didn't know whether to laugh because he was naughty in a cute way or what! Naughty boy followed what teacher did to him hahaha Dec 2015   So proud of EJ meeting another milestone at 2 years 8 months old. Perhaps other toddlers his age have talked fluently but I have been waiting for this milestone to happen. And he surprised me. Yesterday he said "Auntie, open the door please" (asking our helper to open the baby gate, so he can enter the kitchen) "I sit baby chair" (when I put him in his high chair to eat dinner) "My eyes pain"... (when the light is too bright) "Okay done" (when he's done doing something) "Thank you & please help" (he always say those words) It's a good start and I hope I'm going to have a talkative toddler soon   Nov 2015   EJ is really funny! 2.5 year old likes to ask questions he already knew the answers but would like to test you! EJ: what is this? (Pointing at panda picture) Me: it's a panda EJ: I know Me: .....

EJ goes to Nursery 1

It has been long since my last update about my son, EJ. Really hope to be more active in blogging. But whenever I have my "me time" I just want to relax and lay down on bed. Mmm... I'm a tired mama of 2!

EJ started his nursery or playgroup at 2 years 8 months old and he has started pre nursery aka Nursery 1 in early January this year. And here's his experience going to school. Btw, he's going to 2 hourly playgroup, Monday to Friday, 9-11am

P/s: I won't be revealing here which school he's going for privacy reason, no uniform picture too ~ mama is a little paranoid hearing stories about the consequences revealing too much info on social media :p

1st month/January 2016

Week 1:
The first one week, EJ's nursery allowed one parent to accompany his/her child. Not too bad! The first day, EJ was so excited! He woke up early and asked our helper to change him. He was really happy and he thought he was going to play! So we reached school for his first day, he played, he participated, he danced, he clapped his hands, he made LOTS of noises, he jumped around the class, he participated in artwork and did well. He also listened to simple instruction pretty well. Like when teacher asked him to sit down, he sat without hesitation! I thought, Mmm.. Not bad, good beginning!

But I was wrong hahaa...

The following day, he was still excited going to school, asked to get changed and happily going to school ~ perhaps because mommy was still with him! BUT, the second day onwards, he was a bit lazy & clingy in the class, he would just stick to me and sat on my lap in almost every class activity including playing toys with friends (he would prefer mommy stay beside him and play), he was sitting down instead of standing up to participate in morning exercise, etc. he wasn't feeling that excited in the class although he didn't cry or throw temper. He was bored I guess! I was a bit worried about him not wanting to participate in his first week at nursery but I was wrong again!

Week 2:

Week 2 is a little heart wrenching week because that's the week, parents had to leave their children ~ no more accompanying kids to the class. As I expected, EJ cried a big time ~ crying & screaming, throwing temper & refusing to enter his class. According to his teacher, it's really normal for kids this young to behave this way. It would take 2-4 weeks for them to settle down & what we can do as parents is to let it go, let them cry & scream and eventually they will settle in. The more worried we are, the longer time those little kids would take to settle in. So yeah, I listened to teacher's advice, although my heart was breaking seeing him cry so much, I had to let him go! Teacher had to force-carry him to the class together with other crying kids. Most of them were crying BADLY in the second week!

I waited outside the class for 2 hours ~ just in case teacher would call me in.

The first day of second week was a heartbreaking day with lots of crying & tears but guess what? The third day onwards, although most of the children were still crying when they were about to enter their class but they did settle down after half an hour to one hour of non stop crying. I heard less crying after the first one hour. And lesser & lesser crying from one day to another day. By end of second week, I heard no crying at all 10 minutes after all kids entered their class. Teacher was right, it took 2 weeks for those little kids to adjust into their new nursery with new friends & teachers :)

Overall, EJ was fine inside the class, according to his teacher. He did well, he participated well & he didn't fight with other kids ~ something I should be proud of him :) but most of the days, he would cry and throw temper in the morning, refusing to enter his class ~ crying & rolling on the floor outside his class and I had to force him! He would sob & sob waving good bye to me but didn't struggle when teacher checked on him (temperature, hands, mouth for hands, foot, mouth disease) and he was okay & playing with toys when he was inside the class. Separation anxiety at the beginning I believe!

Week 3 & 4:

EJ was getting better and better. Once a while, he would refuse to go inside his class and would cry requesting me to carry him in but he was pretty much settling in well in the new nursery environment!

2nd month/February 2016

He's no longer crying going to nursery and he's pretty much getting excited to meet & play with his friends. Every morning, he is waving "bye-bye" to grandma, auntie (our helper) and his little sister excitedly . As much as he's getting "too comfortable" with his new environment, he's misbehaving at times too and teacher has complained to me that EJ:

1) screamed & talked loudly
2) pushed his friends (I asked him why did he do that and he answered me a long "noooo, play play...") so he thought he was just playing, not intentionally pushing his friends but he's the biggest toddler in his class, so a gentle push could potentially cause injury to his little friends 
3) scattered & threw toys. I didn't know why and he didn't give me a reason either.

After being too comfortable in the class and created troubles, we kept talking to him what can and what can't do in the class and he was always better in the class the next morning but a toddler under 3 is still a toddler after all. He often forgets and repeats the naughty things again. EJ oh EJ!
I can tell he's improving so much better in terms of communication and vocabulary and he talks more now! He's progressing well and I couldn't be more proud of him :) my boy has grown up so much!

p/s: he even has 1 secret admirer at nursery telling me EJ is her boyfriend and he's handsome! hahaha

artworks he did at nursery!

EJ at 2 years 9 months old

 

Ethan James's 2nd birthday

He's TWO years old! My toddler boy has grown up so much from a little chubby baby I brought back home from TMC in 2013 into one super active naughty toddler boy in 2015

We celebrated his birthday on 26th April 2015, just nice his birthday fell on Sunday, so we were able to invite his friends to celebrate together :)

It was a simple party, only invited his neighbor toddler friends. Our friends are staying far away from us and since it was only a simplest birthday party with home cook foods, so we were a little embarrassed to invite our friends who stay far away heheee

EJ got to know his friends from our housing playground he goes every day and there are about 6-7 little friends he treasures, so we invited these little friends with their helpers (of course!)

Birthday party started at 4pm after EJ woke up from his nap & almost everything were DIY from Daiso and home made.

My helper helped with simple decoration and the cooking. There were pizzas, spaghetti bolognaise, red eggs, sausages with marshmallows, fish balls sticks, chicken wings, fried wrapped hams & eggs (mil's specialty) and of course EJ's favorite chu chu train birthday cake

His biggest birthday wish is firstly to own a sport car (the one he can drive but obviously he can't, so we have to use remote control to drive him around) and secondly a big & tall racing car track.

And yes, his wish was fulfilled

We bought him a sport car and a big car track and we hid it somewhere in the house for nearly a month

How did we surprise him? One day before his birthday, we have already assembled his car track (took us 1 hour +) and on his birthday, we covered his big presents with big cloth and asked him to open it. His reaction was priceless. He was very surprised & it was his happiest day ever and so our happiest day too :)

My baby boy is truly no longer a baby boy and he has grown up too fast, wish he's still my chubby baby boy but time really flies, we grow old and so our children! Cherish my time with him while he's still a toddler. Soon, toddlerhood will be over too!

He has changed too much, he's getting more and more cheeky. More and more playful and of course more and more loving!

He knows how to hug & kiss me

He knows how to place my head on his tiny chest

He knows how to request "mommy buy car"

He knows how to push me to the cashier, so I can pay for his toys

He knows how to scare little girls with his spider toys

His vocabulary is getting more & more. Sometimes I don't expect he knows how to say certain words and I'm surprised he can use those words appropriately according to the correct situation. I'm amazed!

He learns fast from action and conversation.

Terrible two is official now but he's still perfect in my eyes and I wouldn't change a thing about him

EJ is my son and I will love him unconditionally

Happy birthday, Ethan James!

With mommy & daddy

This chu chu train birthday cake tastes so good!

With uncle & auntie (my bro & his wife)

Foods, presents & goodies bag (with lots of candies & chocolates)

The surprise

Another big surprise

Presents opening with mommy (and daddy & Calysta in the background)

The birthday presents

CNY 2015

GONG XI FAT CAI!

It has been a good new year! And CNY 2015 is also Calysta's first Chinese New Year and EJ's second Chinese New Year

Recap of my Chinese New Year as a married woman:

2012: 1st CNY with my husband and his family. We have just gotten married and we were still enjoying our honeymoon period
2013: 2nd CNY, I was 7 months pregnant with EJ
2014: 3rd CNY, EJ was 9 months old
2015: 4th CNY, celebrating CNY with TWO kids!

May CNY 2015 bring us good luck, health and happiness!