A gentle reminder to all of us parents.

 

Cat's in the Cradle
by Sandy & Harry Chapin

My child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew,
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad.
You know I'm gonna be like you."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."

My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, "Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's ok."
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmmed,
Said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."

Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."

I've long since retired and my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you."
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3bht7S-3vI&feature=related

 

 

I've been trying to get rid of the excess fat around my ab, gained during pregnancy, with Ab exercises and to no avail.  Did you know that Ab Exercise does not flatten you stomach?

 

Ab Myth No. 1: Doing Ab Exercises Gets Rid of Abdominal Fat

Unfortunately, spot reduction doesn't work, either for the abs or for any other body part. The fallacy of spot reduction assumes that, if you have fat over your abs then exercising the ab muscles will make that fat go away. While exercising the muscle may increase endurance or strength, it won't burn off the fat in that area.

The only way to burn fat from your belly is to reduce overall body fat by creating a calorie deficit. The healthiest way to do that is with consistent exercise (cardio, strength and flexibility workouts) and a healthy, low-calorie diet.

http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/a/abmyths.htm

 

Saw this clip on my brother's blog.  Brought back some childhood memories. 

 

Ryan and Hans has to watch this, my nagging everyday is not working, time to try another approach!

 

     

"In 1915, Dr. Henry Dwight Chapin reported that in foundling homes throughout the U.S. where babies were given adequate nourishment and cleanliness, nearly every infant under two years died. The mortality rate was almost 100 percent. He had discovered the policy at the time was "no coddling." The babies died from lack of touch. Human babies definitely need tender loving care to survive. "

 

Another article that explains the primacy of human touch.

 

Ryan was sick so I took him to the clinic.  On the wall of the clinic is a picture of a baby being kissed by two adults (presumably the parents).  The caption says

"A kiss at 5 months can be felt at 50"... or something like that.

 

It continued to say that based on the organization's experience working with children for 100 years, children who are well loved goes through their adult life more self-assured and with a better sense of security.

 

So I went home and gave my two boys extra kisses.... just in case the usual amount is not sufficient.

 

 

The other day my son outsmarted me.

 

This conversation took place when we drove pass the pond at Kelana Jaya.

 

Ryan: Are there any animals in the pond?

Mummy: No, there is only fish.

Ryan: Is a fish an animal?

Mummy: Errr.... yes a fish is an animal.

Ryan: Why you said there is no animal in the pond?

Mummy: Errr.... isn't the weather hot today, Ryan.  

 

The kids knocked out before 8:30pm today, it's a historical day.  Having skipped their afternoon naps, both found their battery out sooner than they like ... much to the joy of their parents.  Funj went to bed straight after after suffering from sore throat and diarrhea the night before.  Leaving me in a much needed serene solitude.

 

Listening to Eddi Reader's rendition of Moon River makes me feel all pleasantly nostalgic.  This state of mind for me is best to reflect and connect with God.  You cannot help but to thank God for the good and bad in life. 

 

 

  

Was having dinner with some friends last night and talked a bit about my schooling days in Australia.  Mainly on the culture shock I went through at the age of 15.   That brought some nostalgic memories about my alma mater that I decided to look it up in the net.  As expected, the school now have a website.  I saw that some of my teachers are still there... and I found something unexpected as well.

 

The first day I went to my school Applecross Senior High, I was made to wait in the front counter and there I saw a plate on the wall with a list of names displayed in chronologically for Head boy and Head girl.  I didn't know what Head boy/girl meant, but there was a slight urge in my heart to be in the list... totaly oblivious of what was to ensue.  Yes! I was kiasu.  Later that day,  I found myself totally lost in a system foreign to me in a strange land with unfamiliar languge all on my own.  I remember crying myself to bed everynight.... i found myself in a blackhole, overwhelmed and consumed by all the unknowns.

 

Most of my migrant friends took the transition much better than I did... but I think I was too enthrenched with the past.  It wasn't until a year later that I came to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Three years later, when I left the place, I also left my name up there... but not under the title head girl but something else. 

then, I assumed that the title meant top achiever in academic performance.  I couldn't have gotten the honour for any other areas.  But today I found on wikipedia

It sounds more like a title to honour those with leadership quality (which incidently head boy/girl was for) and I certainly don't think I demonstrated any of that during my years there.  Whatever it is... I am appreciative of the honour till today... almost 20 years passed.

 

 

We celebrated Ryan's birthday at 1 Utama yesterday, dinner finished at 8:30pm and on the way home Funj suggested that we take a drive around too see the lights (the lack of lights rather).  I thought it's a great idea, kids all belt in the and minimal parental work required!!  Then it hit me, that would defeat the purpose wouldn't it?!? burning all that fuel!!  So we drove home straight and funj showered in the dark.

 

Sometimes if we are not careful we can be so consumed with the implementation that we forget the purpose of doing it in the first place. 

A suburban mother's role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.  ~Peter De Vries

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.
Mark Twain

"To understand a mother's love, bear your own children."
-- Chinese Proverb

Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.
Lin Yutang

Eat less meat to save the environment! Below is an abstract from Greenpeace.  It's new to me but I think I will start doing that.

 

 

Meat

We‘ve said it before but it bears repeating: meat is bad news for the environment. Number one: meat wastes other sources of food. The Worldwatch Institute estimates that the total amount of food and grain fed to livestock in the US each year could feed everyone on the planet five times over. Animal production also wastes massive amounts of land, energy and water.

And, if you‘re still not convinced, meat is emerging as one of the biggest culprits when it comes to climate change. Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the United Nation's scientific panel on climate change, has asked the planet to "please eat less meat." Why? Because livestock production creates more greenhouse gases than all forms of transportation combined.

This entry is not meant to discourage those who are planning for second kid.  It's just a warning that if you are planning to do it without help, be prepared to go insane.  A friend who ones took care of 3 kids by herself told me, "you are just trying to keep your sanity each day".  I don't have to go to 3, two is already driving me crazy enough.

 

My maid had to go back to her hometown due to some personal emergency for a few weeks,  so I have been left without a helper for a month now.   It really doesn't help Hans has just picked up the skill to annoy his brother recently.   The battle begins each morning at 8am ends at 9:30pm everyday.  While I am caught in the crossfire, I really can't be bothered (or don't have the energy) to be the mediator with all the house chores at hand, not that I never tried, but my peace plans have all failed so far.  It also doesn't help Funj works till 8:30pm each day leaving me to battle it out with the two monsters for 12 hours alone.

 

So I find myself shouting across the room helplessly all day while hanging the never ending laundry.

DON'T push didi RYAN!!!!!

DON'T disturb kor kor HANS!!!

FINISH your milk now RYAN!!!

DON'T eat that black thing HANS!!!!

DON'T kill each other!!!!!

 

But have to say, it does get easier each day as you get more and more desensitised to the crying, shouting and whining, although "easy" is a relative term.  And you learn new skills like carrying crying Hans on one hand, feeding Ryan with the other, and picking up all the spilled rice with my third (which I've grown since).  Mind you it's not just a couple of rice, the amount of rice that is spilled around the dining table each day is enough to feed a donkey!

 

 

Oh dear!!! What have I done????

 

Today didn't start off that well.  While giving Hans his bath, he pooed in the bath tub.  It has been two consecutive days he has done that.  Today's stool was a bit loose so it turned the water instantly into feces-bath... with him still in the tub.  The aftermath and cleanup was horrific. The sight of the murky water with bits and pieces of stuff floating in the tub is still stucked in my head.  How does a small cute thing like this do so much damage? I guess shit happens.

 

 

Oprah featured Carrie Underwood on Hallmark channel today and she sang one of my favourite songs.  I love it cos I can identify with it.

 

Jesus, Take the Wheel

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It'd been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
she was going way too fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was sooo scared
She threw her hands up in the air

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on

Ooh, Jesus take the wheel
Ooh, I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
From this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel
Ooh, take it, take it from me
Ooh ooh wah ah ooh ooh ooh

I took my eyes off Hans for 5 seconds yesterday.  Before I knew it, Ryan was screaming "Didi ! (chinese for brother)  Don't eat the lizard, don't eat the lizard".  I rush to Hans and saw him chewing on something, I put my finger into his mouth to dig it out... SHOCK HORROR! It's a dried up lizard... all black with legs and tails daggling and all!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuugh!!!

 

I am not taking my eyes off Hans anymore not even for one second...  until he can tell the difference between food and... everything else. 

Watch Oprah Show this morning featuring Priscilla Dunstan, who claims to have photographic memory for sound.  She has learned that babies make 5 universal sounds to express themselves .  They show videos of different babies makeing the same sound! Interesting.  But apparently only works in 1st three months, if during their 1st 3 months, the baby was not responded to, they stop making the sound... so too late for me to try out the theory.  But usually when my baby cry, I try all - feed, put to sleep, check diaper and burp... so haven't missed out much.

 

According to Dunstan, the five universal words (or sound reflexes) used by infants are:

 

Neh
I'm hungry - An infant uses the sound reflex "Neh" to communicate their hunger. The sound is produced when the sucking reflex is triggered, and the tongue is pushed up on the roof of the mouth.

Owh
I'm sleepy - An infant uses the sound reflex "Owh" to communicate that they are tired. The sound is produced much like an audible yawn.

Heh
I'm experiencing discomfort - An infant uses the sound reflex "Heh" to communicate stress, discomfort, or perhaps that they need a fresh diaper. The sound is produced by a response to a skin reflex, such as feeling sweat or itchiness in the bum.

Eairh
I have lower gas - An infant uses the sound reflex "Eairh" to communicate they have flatulence or an upset stomach. The sound is produced when trapped air from a belch that is unable to release and travels to the stomach where the muscles of the intestine tighten to force the air bubble out. Often, this sound will indicate that a bowel movement is in progress, and the infant will bend its knees, bringing the legs toward the torso. This leg movement assists in the ongoing process.

 

Eh
I need to burp - An infant uses the sound reflex "Eh" to communicate that they need to be burped. The sound is produced when a large bubble of trapped air is caught in the chest, and the reflex is trying to release this out of the mouth.

 

 

 

I had the strangest dream last night.

 

I dreamed Funj and I were metal junk collectors.  When we were going around the city one night looking for metal scrap, we found two books which were evil, Funj wanted to open it and I stopped him fearing that it may bring calamity into our lives.  So we just brought them home.  I was so fearful of them that I trembled while sleeping. In my dream, Funj woke me up and said something like "We don't have to fear the devil with Jesus in our lives, see".... at the point, there were some ghostly figures which were hurling themselves at us, funj commanded "In Jesus' name, go down".... the ghostly figures fell on the floor and "died". 

 

THe second part was a bit comical, so I went and try it, I also commanded "In Jesus' name, go down", another fell down and this one is a miniature Joker (Joker from Batman). Suddenly my church zone leader appeared, she said "quickly put him into the cage. he will suffocate in there".    So we all put him which was struggling in this glass panel cage.... and I don't remember how the dream ended.

 

But I guess the moral of the story is "We don't have to fear the devil with Jesus in our lives".

Refering to Pak Lah's latest words of wisdom on repeating the 2004 general result,