Christmas Eve

Christmas eve is coming soon
Dear O old Saint Nicholas,
please turn your ear to me
whisper what you bring to me if you can

Qi Yu has been singing this song a lot lately. She is waiting for Christmas to come! We are going for the caroling this Friday and i just got some goodies bags ready for the kids.
Time just zoom by so fast another year coming soon! Wishing all a blessed Christmas and a happy new year.

So fast

Time flies, feel like 2010 just beginning not too long ago but now is already December. Next year Qi Ning will be starting standard 1 and next week she has to go for her trial class for 10 days. We were also thinking baout sending QI Yu to kinddie but i am two heart about it. feel like i should home school her myself instead of sending her off to school. Brought her to school the other day and the teacher commented that she is so small.
Last night, Qi Yu asked me to pray for her that she would be brave at school, really unsure of whether to send her or not to send her. Hubby said for me to quickly finished my thesis then i can talked about home school them both. At the moment, my time, everything is so tentative, i dare not commit myself to homeschool Qi Ning. Qi Yu because she is only 5 next year, i think i still can manage. How i wish to get this thesis over and done with. I am at the last lapse but is taking me soooo long! wish it to be over soon!

Home schooling

I have been teaching Qi Yu all the alphabet sound since March this year. Being lazy myself, i only teach her once in a while, maybe like once or twice a week. I was feeling guilty about not consistent in teaching her. But thank god she is catching up fast. She already know the sounds to all the 26 alphabet and i am trying to use these alphabet to make words for her. Her enjoy sounding out the words and sometime will sound out the words for me to read. Of course she is not able to read just yet but when she holds book in her hand and do the read alound, it make people think that she already can read! And people will often give her the "wow" which she is pleased!
From time to time, she would request to have class when mummy is being lazy! I used to play hide and seek game with her. i hide the card and say the sound, she goes to search for them. And the jie jie is complaining why her learning is not as fun as meimei! Guess i need to put in some time to look into ways of making learning fun for the jie jie as well!

Imagination!

Qi Yu loves to let her imagination run wild. She often imagine herself to be different kind of thing, usually animal. One day she can be a cute little puppy, another day cute little pony, whale, Dumbo the elephant, Simba the lion king or whatever story she read, she would turn to that and wanted to be called that name. So her name is changing everyday and when you address her with the "wrong" name she would be cross!
She loves to tell story and loves to ask questions. She is a real inqusitive girl, adorable and sweet!

Too Harsh?

With daddy coaching her, Qi Ning's piano is moving on great. She just started to learn piano beginning of this year, she is now at grade 4 pieces and started being Sunday School piano the sunday just pass. She is able to play well but I am not sure whether if we have pushed her too hard. There are time she would cries because it is too hard for her and she say she feel like giving out piano! I don't know whether if this is just part of a learning process or because we pushed her too hard. I just want her to enjoy playing piano and not feel pressurized. She is a smart girl and when she overcome the challenges she would share her happiness. hope we are not too hard on her!

My cooking adventure

i am not a good cook and seldom cook when i have maid, never cook when i was single. Since the maid left beginning of this year, i have to cook for the family. Actually i feel very guilty for not doing a good job. i think we eat out more than at home and very often bread is for breakfast and lunch. one day a friend commented that if i eat sandwhiches all the time, the kids don't get enough fibre. and eating out also not good for the kids. really i would love to cook more often but my cooking skill is so limited.
So lately i started to try simple cooking by using oven. i make pizza, grill chicken. The result is quite encouraging. My girls like the pizza that i make and hubby commented that it is the best pizza he ever had. :) it give me such encouragement.
Cooking can be quite fun, guess i need to be more diligent in trying out different recipe.

smoke coming out!

I went for a seminar last week which was approved by my boss and HR which was on Tuesday and Wednesday. Unfortunately, i was down with severe throat infection on monday, so i call in on MC Monday. Tried to call my boss but she did not answer the call. so left a message with receptionist to inform her as i know she is very particular about this. Trying to show she is in charge!
Then today, i went to submit my claim, Mc etc to the HR and the HR manager ask me what is the email about me not turning up to work on Wednesday. O boy, my boss ditch me in such a way. Is she she threaten or insecure or what? why try to do things like this to me! blind me, power who are power craze! Angry with people who is like this, smile in front of you but don't know what they do behind you!

My joy

Is so much joy to see the two girls growing day by day. Qi Ning is now concentrating on her piano since mummy slack off in tecahing her everyday. She is having class with mummy 2 days a wek instead of 4 days now. so her piano is improving tremendous now. Her piano teacher was saying maybe she is a little genius. She started her pianno lesson this year and is now into grade 3 pieces! She put in lots of practice daily and daddy coached her daily as well. There was tear at time but soon the beautiful music covers the tear! She is peservering on and aiming to be a painist at chuch by next year. Daddy say if she progress on at this rate, she might be one by end of the year!
Qi Yu is progressing well in her own way. She never cease to amaze me with her street wise response. At time when i want to reprimand her for not sharing, before I could starts, she would say "no Mummy, i only want to choose the biggest one for jie jie". Her mind turn so fast! She is getting interested in drawing now adays. sometime she would draw mummy, daddy, jie jie and her.
I have been using SWR with her but his lazy mummy is not discipline in tecahing her everyday. So up till now, i only have taught her about 22 alpahbet sounds. She knows it well and i am trying to teach her all the 26 sounds. She loves reading so everyday i would read to her. She is a sweet little girl.
I thank God for the two beautiful girls He has given to me!

Busy

Lately, i feel so overwhelm with the things i need to do. Probably is due to the new semester begins and I am in the midest of doing thesis. DUe to maternity, one of the subject i was to take a year ago was not offer until now. So i have to juggle between data collection, assignment for the family therapy and also teaching. Luckily this semester i am teaching advance technique in counseling so i no need to prepare for the lesson as it is all prcatical. At first, i thought the course work would not be a hindrance to my thesis writing, as it turn it it is a pest and feeling upset about!
With this busy schedule, often is the children's learning took a back seat. I have not really teach Qi Ning and Qi Yu lately. Actually feeling guilty about it. Hope I will get my thesis done soon so that i can have more time for my girls. Lord, please give me the strength to hang in there and be discipline in my studies!

Touch base

I haven't have time to blog and follow blog for a long time! Nowadays, i seem to get caught up in so many different things. Housework, kids, studies and some teaching and counseling work and church work, they all seem to be never ending! ANd I have this nagging thought behind me regarding my thesis, when am i going to finish! I met a friend who just had her gradaution on Monday and she is continuing on with her post graduate research, oh mine, when will my gradaution be! Guess i just have to put my head down and keep myself going with my data collection and data analysis!
I am really thankful for the two girls. They are really good in allowing me to do my studies. They would play by themselves when i need to do some work.
Qi Ning started her piano lesson beginning of this year and she is progressing very well. She is now in grade 1 level and moving on to grade 2 lesson. She puts in lots of time in practising piano with daddy as her guide. I think she is musically inclined but she does put in the effort to prcatise everyday. I am very proud of her achievement but sometime I wonder if we pushed her too hard!
I have to say i have slacked in my home schooling program with Qi ning and also very slow with Qi Yu. AM thinking of sending Qi Yu to kindergarten next year onward but feeling guilty about it. Really wish that I can be the one who teach her at pre-school. This little girl of mine is alo grwoing up fast and she is a quick learner in her own way. Her mind response very fast. She loves reading and is a chatter box at home.
I just loves to have my two girls with me.

Down time

My two girls are down with high fever since yesterday and we are due to go to Cameron Highland on Firday! Really must pray that they will be well by then, if not how to go!
Feeling a bit stretch with all the last minute thing to do for family week and also looking for spaeker. Looks like June holidays is a busy time for speakers, all tied up in camps, seminar etc.
As for my thesis, I am looking for participants for my research. Not easy to get people to wanna share their expereince of violence or abuse so I just need to be patient and circulate the info as widely as I can.
Feeling a bit stress especially by the girls sickness. Sigh, wish they don't get sick often!

Kids development

I have not been keeping a log of my two girls growing up in writing for a long time. Today, quickly find some time to do a quick write-up of what is still freash in my mind.

Qi Ning has three permanent teeth now, so fast when the dentist say uusally it will not happen till age 7 or so but my girl is only 5 plus. She started her piano lesson begiing this year and her teacher is impressed by her performance. Piano tecaher is thinking to start her on grade 1 soon. She puts in lot of practices. I think she really like music. Still not going to school yet and I have slow down in home schooling her. Instead of 4 x a week, is only two times a week. Lazy mummy! She can now read better and can read Peter and Jane till book 4 level with no problem. She need to stop to sound out the words in book 5. She is very articulate and would not hesitate to give you a piece of her mind. She is very mature for her age but I must always remind myself that she is still a child and can't expect her to be like an adult!

Qi Yu is also growing up fast. She is a book lover and what amaze me is that she could recite all her favourite story well. She likes to be called names. Earlier on she want me to call her monkey, and now Garfield. In between, she wanted to be known as Panda bear and Koala bear but only for a short few days. Monkey and Garfield has been for months. Don't know when she will change name again!No more monkey now but Garfield!
Started her with the phonic lesson now. She is enjoying it as I have make it into a hide and seek game for her. She has to find all the letter that I hide. So far she has learnt from a-j and numbers 0-9. Daddy is teaching her some simple mandarin. She gets really excited when she recognise the letter in a word be it books or advertising bill board of the tv screen. She will quickly tell me about it by the sound of the letter.
She has a good memory. she thinks about what we tell her and has a quick mind. This morning she was upset with me and was wanting to hit me. When I told her daddy say cannot beat mummy, she turn around and say "Mummy I want to pat pat you and not hit you!"
Such joy is to have two girls like Qi Ning & Qi Yu. They are a real blessing from God. Love them very very much!

Moving On!

Had my seminar 1 yesterday. Really thank God for His goodness in seeing my through. I have got tow kind readers and my supervisor was very supportive and stood up for me at one point. I was told that usually he is very quiet and remain silence. But God's favor was upon me so despite the many querries and question, i pass my seminar. it was a stressful expereince but i learn. Like the chairperson say, I may have blind spot that I don't see so their questioning may help me to see and indeed it has help me to learn and realise that what i take for granted was not so easily understood by others. Anyway, I am glad that is all over and now is time to move on to another stage of my thesis, which is data collection. Of course there are some admendment to the first three chapter with alll the comments given yesterday but i have overcome the first hurdle and allow to move on to another stage. Hurray, praise be to God!

Maidless life

We have decided to go maidless since Jan 10. So far so ggod although there are time when the lazy bone strike, I still wish to have a maid. But overall, I would say we are doing alright without the maid.
For the past years, I never not never but hardly do any cooking, now I have to cook for the girls and hubby. I found out that cooking can be quite fun and give me a sense of satisfaction seeing them enjoying the food! One new achievement for me. Seriously, I have never really cook for my whole life, always have people to cook for me. Only now that I am maidless, I started to cook.
The girls are a lot me independent and we do lots of thing together including the daily chores. in the past, there was maid to clean after us. now we learn to clean after ourselves. Hubby is of great help.
But I am looking to get some help to do all the ironing though!
I must learn to be discipline in my lessons with the girls and also writing my thesis. Sometime, I find myself so laid back, probably a bad habit since my aussie day! Take it easy mate! :)

Seminar 1

I submitted my fisrt three chapter last week.mWaiting for the department to give me a date to defence my proposal. They will appoint 3 readers to read my proposal and then test me on it. Pray that right reader will be appointed and give me constructive feedback. Was feeling stress for a while then I later, i told myself so what. IF I don't pass the seminar, the worst is to redo, no need to die so no need to be so stress! See I so "Ah Q".
Now better prepare myself for the seminar 1 so that I won't be slaughter on the day. still don't know when yet. I was told it would be somewhere mid April or late April. Betetr get all my slides ready!

Sendimental

Two nights ago, we were lying down getting ready to bed. It is our usual routine to lay on bed and chit-chat before we sleep. The topic on the nite somehow turn to wedding and marriage. Then Qi Ning ask me.
Qi ning: "Mummy, I want to know after I get married, who do I stay with? You or my husband?"
Mummy: "of course your husband. But if you want you & husband can stay with mummy or you can have a place for mummy & daddy to stay with you."
I hear no reply from her for a while then I heard her sobbing away. Later I found out that she was already feeling sad having to leave mummy!
I think she is a sanguine, she is socialble and her emotion go up and down very fast.

Challenging few weeks

For the past three weeks, life was full of challenges. MIL came with us for a visit after our balik kampung trip for the CNY. It was good to have her around to teach me some cooking, unfortunately, she had a fall and frcatured her left femur on 19 Feb. She was admitted to the hospital and had an operation. As most of hubby's siblings are in Penang, there was only us to shuttle between hospital and home. It was quite a stressful week for us as we felt responsible in a way to have MIL fall down at our place. Fortunately, the family were understanding of the situation. One SIL came and help for the first few days after MIL's operation. That was a great relief for us. It was hard to juggle between hospital, two kids and home.
Qi Ning caught a virus while MIL was still in hospital on 28th Feb, her fever was running high for a few days and then ulcer break up all over her mouth. She could eat or drink for about four days and then she was better. She could eat but at time there was blood ozzoing out from her gum. It was a scarry site for a while. MIL was better and was discharged and went back to Penang on 1 Mar.
As Qi Ning recover, Qi Yu caught the virus from Qi Ning. She got it real bad, her fever was up high above 38.3 most of the time. She was not eating since Friday 29Feb. Yesterday was the first time she told me, "I am hungry Mum!" What a joy to hear that few words. She couldn't eat for the past two weeks and find it hard to drink. We have to coax and try all ways to get any liquid in. even ice-cream was no longer attractive to her! She lost about 4kg in that two weeks. She is all bone now! But I am glad that she is on the road to recover and is her active self now.
It was indeed a challenging few weeks with MIL hospitalised and children falling sick but thank God for His grace and strength to substain us through!

Maidless

Two Sunday ago (18 Jan) we sent off our maid for good. Her time was not up yet but she has been showing lots of tantrum of late and we decided not to keep here any longer. So we are kinda off maidless with a short notice though hubby and I are mentally prepared for this day. We have been talking about sending her off early with her lousy attitude of late but just haven't got to do it but she blown it out big time on Sunday and we send her off to the agent right away.
How's life without a maid. Good I would say, the two girls are chipping in to help in their own ways. They like to help mummy wash dishes, I guess they enjoy playing with the soap and water. They help with folding clothes, keeping thier own things. Good way to teach them about responsibility. Hubby is a great help, he did most of the household chores. Overall, I would say not having a maid is good, at least I am not so lazy! But I need to be more discipline in my usage of time so that I can finish my study as well as keep on tecahing my girls! I have been slack in classes with my girls since this year!