01.29.06
Posted in Maddy, Parenting at 11:03 pm by tina
When I picked Maddy up from the toddler’s class at church, the teachers there couldn’t wait to till me how amazed they were at Maddy. In the middle of the class, they ‘lost her’ all the sudden. And next thing they knew, the girl came out of bathroom and announced that she needed help wiping her butt because she just pooped. Then she proceeded to dress herself wanting no help.
My ego went so high. I wanted to tell them “Oh yea? You shoud see her rinse her hair by herself after I shampoo it. You should see her work on her new 45-piece puzzle! She is not even 2 1/2. She is MY daughter!”
But my promise to Maddy quickly came back to me: that I will never use my daughter for personal gain like typical Chinese parents just love to compare their kids as if the successes of their children somehow make them more superior or ‘better parents’ than others.
“I have amazing support in parenting Maddy!” I answered them “Maddy has wonderful teachers in school and they help her excel in things even when I didn’t think she’s ready”.
“And it is really all Maddy, I’m just lucky enough to be her mommy”.
A very lucky mom I am indeed.
Permalink
01.26.06
Posted in Daycare Reports, Parenting at 12:21 pm by tina
Despite of hearing and reading about how we should taylor to our children’s learning styles, I always believed otherwise. Perhaps it is due to my deep belief in “Survival of the fittest”, I much prefer Maddy being exposed to as many different styles of learning as possible. Kids are amazingly moldable, and it’s best for them to adapt to whatever teaching styles comes their ways.
Still, I’m a bit nervous whenever Maddy changes teachers. As much as she is flexible, I wonder how she does with different teachers. There are teachers she naturally clicks with and becomes the teacher’s pet on the first day they met, and there are teachers she only ‘tolerates’.
It tickles my heart to see Maddy imitates her teachers. Every time she gets moved, we see dramatic differences in her within a week or two. Her main EPSII teacher used to teach elementary school, and she runs the class like one. At first I wasn’t too sure about how Maddy would react to her, from the huggy huggy, let’s run around and sing loudly teachers to this much more quieter, strutural class. She is doing well though. Since the beginning of this week, Joe and I have to sit ‘nicely’ (line up perfectly against the wall) and be quiet when she ‘reads’ story books to us. She turns the book around and talks with a serious voice “Here. Do you see?”.
But the most fasinating thing for me is listening to each teacher telling me about what they think of Maddy. How she is different in some ways and the same in others in each teacher’s eyes. She’s the quietest kid in the toddler class at church, but the chatiest in her old ESPI class.
Somethings are consistent though: She is very independent, and she’s a ‘clean freak’ (of course, they never used that term). In her toddlerI class when she was barely 12-months, she picked up the peas one by one and ate cleanly while most other kids smashed their food all over their faces and table. In her toddlerII class when she was 1 1/2 years old, she teachers and the directors in school got a big kick when she refused to do body painting and only agreed to touch the paint with one finger after much encourgement. In her ESPI class, her teachers often talked about how she was very upset when her shirt got a little bit wet after washing hands.
And now in her ESPII class, the teachers say they’re ‘impressed’: the way she keeps her eating table clean (wipes off the table right away when any food got out of the plate), and how she requested to be changed after a little bit of dirt got on her pants when they played outside.
I suppose I just assumed that most kids are like that and her anal retentive character has made my life much easier. Come to think of it, I think Joe’s table is usually a lot more messier than Maddy’s (for some unknown reasons, the dripping of sauses across table or rice pallets outside of his plate never seemed to bother him as much as it disgusses both Maddy and me). Maddy is like a kitty cat, who for the most part has kept herself nice and clean.
I wonder what Livy is going to be like. It would really serve justice if she doesn’t sleep well, doesn’t eat well, doesn’t deal with changes well, as messy as she can be, and whining and clinging. I suppose I would still love her the same (although with thin patience for sure). But secretly, I know that the reason I wanted another girl is really because I want another Maddy.
Permalink
01.25.06
Posted in Maddy at 11:32 pm by tina
Cute expressions Maddy has picked up from her new class:
1) No WAY!
2) Oh my goodness!
=======================
Mommy: Maddy, do you want to go to Southpoint or Cary town mall?
(noticed that staying at home is not an option this time)
Maddy: (after much frowning)… southpoint
on the way there…
Maddy: Is this a different way?
Mommy: no, it’s just dark so you can’t see. It’s the same way we always go to Southpoint.
When she saw the lights at Southpoint:
Maddy: I come to Southpoint EVERY DAY!
Mommy and daddy in unison: We DO NOT come to Southpoint everyday.
It’s like she is doing such a favor for us going out.
======================
Conversation when I picked her up from school-
Mommy: Did you see Abraham at school today?
Maddy: Yea, I say hi to Abraham in potty.
Mommy: Oh yea… would you like to go and say good bye to him before we go home?
Maddy: Ok
We went over to her old class (their classes are adj by the potty room)..
Abraham: Hi Madison
They hugged and we had some cute conversation with each other.
Out of blue…
Abraham: Maddy, you need a haircut!
I look at Maddy.. She had lost her hairclip and her hair did look a bit messy.
We laughed. Yea.. only best friends has the right to be so brutally honest with each other.. only best friends can say such things yet our feelings are not hurt. We giggled some more and went home happily simply because we got to hang out with our best friend even though it was only for a short two minutes.
Permalink
01.24.06
Posted in Daycare Reports at 10:28 am by tina
I dropped Maddy at school this morning and had a chance to chit chat with the teachers for a while. According to them, Abraham’s parents and I are the ones having a much harder time ‘transitioning’ than our kids. The two are doing fine, they assured me.
I think they are right. Maddy was different when I picked her up yesterday. Instead of just doing parallel play she was engaged in a puppet show with two other kids. She didn’t want to leave when I told her it was time to go. She told me on the way home about the whole puppet playing thing. How K and her ‘thought’ it was too crowded when H came to join them; how which kid got what puppets to precision (since I also saw which kid got what pupppets when I got there); how many ducky babies and how many ducky mommies and how H wouldn’t let her have the ducky mommy. She went on and on…
She was different this morning too. Instead of just sitting down on one seat and doing her puzzles by herself, she walked around station by station. Cole came over “Hi, Maddy” and gave her a big hug. She finally decided to join the girls in the reading station. Each of them had a book and they laid on the little couches… resembled us grownups sipping coffee and reading newspaper in a cafe.
The teachers asked me and we joked about Maddy’s infamous stares when she tries to ignore people… The “No-I-did-not-hear-you” and “whatever” and “get-over-it” stares. It looks like my little girl with an attitude has made her way back. Good for her!
Permalink
01.23.06
Posted in Maddy at 11:49 pm by tina
We were playing ‘play house’ all night long, and moved from one room to the other upon Maddy’s requests.
It just happened that we walked to daddy’s den. We were in there for less than 10 seconds before Maddy announced “We can’t read here”
“Why not?” I asked the little girl.
“It’s too messy in here” said Maddy with a straight face and started to lead me out
We left daddy in there by himself, and I made sure to turn around and gave daddy a victory smile. “I did not coach her to say that”
Perhaps, daddy will be inspired to finally clean up his den.
Permalink
Posted in Parenting at 3:16 pm by tina
Last week was Maddy’s first full week in Early Preschool II class. I went to check on her almost everyday, and grew wearier and wearier each time.
From the surface, she’s totally fine: She does parallel play with other kids; she listens well in class. People can even say she’s ‘better’ than normal two-year-olds. We haven’t experienced any break-downs…. even her occasional tantrums never lasts more than two minutes.
But I know, this has to be the most difficult transitional time for her: Abraham hasn’t been moved up to her new class yet. The two had been inseperable for a year now. Ms H. and Ms C. in her old class had told me in several occasions on how they had to teach Maddy “If Abraham needs something, you need to let Abraham talk to us” and vise visa with Abraham.
Maddy had met new friends in her new class last week, but life is not the same without her best friend. She is more reserved and shy. Her new teachers say Maddy is quiet in class, which is not so much like her in her old class.
There was an overflow last Thursday and Maddy got to go back to her old class for a bit. Usually I would complain if Maddy gets sent back to a younger class (and the teachers were apologetic about it), but it was such a wonderful treat for Maddy.
Ms C. said it was like a family reunion. Maddy went straight to Abraham and Abraham stood up to greet her and they played together for the entire time she was there.
We’re learning to deal with all these new emotions a two-year-old starts to regconize. We’re learning to move on with life, but remember and treasure the best friend who can’t be with us temporarily. We’re learning that sadness and disappointments are part of life, and it’s ok to feel bad sometimes. We’re learning to be thankful for life’s little surprises like when we get to visit our best friend occasionally or run into him in the bathroom/hallway. We’re learning that despite of the risks of losing someone very speical to us, it is still better to open our hearts than to put up an emotional shield to protect ourselves.
I do pray for Maddy… that God will protect her little innocent heart. When she is heart broken, God will mends her fragile soul. I don’t ask that she never faces disappointments, but I do ask she becomes stronger each time, and never loses faith in love.
Permalink
01.22.06
Posted in Maddy at 1:17 am by tina
Grandpa Junneck and grandma are visiting us this weekend. They arrived late so Maddy didn’t get to see them last night. Upon hearing the girl by the stairs this morning, grandma hurried to greet her with much excitement and anticipation….
Grandma: HELLO MADDY!!
All grandma wanted is just a nice hello and a hug from her granddaughter; unfortunately, all she got was
Maddy: Where is grandpa Junneck?
Grandpa Junneck, the theif who stole Maddy from grandma.
But it’s understandable. After all, grandpa Junneck is the silliest grandpa who makes Maddy giggles all day long.
Permalink
Posted in Maddy at 1:06 am by tina
Today is the last session for our free quarter classes at the Little Gym. Maddy has grown quite familiar with the whole routine there. From always wanting to be bau-baued during the warm up execise in the beginning, she’s now doing everything with ease by herself and runs faster during the warmup than her very pregnant mommy.
There were lots of parents and friends there. I thought it was funny how everyone wanted to take pictures/videos at the very last class even though they weren’t doing anything special.
That was until they announced that there is a ‘graduation ceremony’ for the kids. Ms K. made a cute podium where each kid got to walk up and received a metal. Unlike the girl who was wailing next to Maddy because she wanted to go up right away, Maddy waited patiently for her turn. She was a little shy, but walked her walk with such pride. Do we feel stupid for not having our camera with us!
Daddy did take a few pictures with his Treo600, but the quality is not that great. I supposed it’s more of a reason for him to upgrade his gadget for days like these.
Permalink
01.20.06
Posted in Maddy at 12:01 am by tina
Permalink
Enter your password to view comments
01.13.06
Posted in Maddy at 10:33 pm by tina
Maddy’s new bed came in today. It’s not the one I had set my mind on for more than two months. But when I saw this one in the store last week, it presented me with offers I couldn’t turn down.
Although not as elegant as my first choice and not my first choice of color (white instead of antique white), it’s as sturdy as it can be. The bed did not move an inch when I tried to shake it with all my might, something I deem ‘required’ as I know kids will jump on it whenever they can. It’s a floor sample with minor scratches, but it’s marked down to where the scratches are ‘worth’ it.
Maddy girl absolutely loves it! She told daddy “don’t bother the gentlemen” when they assembled it in her room. She jumped on the bed like a monkey for a good fifteen minutes. She even took a nap on it without any bedding.
I went out to get her the bedding while she took her nap. Maddy was more than eager to help us make the bed. She went under the sheets several times to ‘practice’ how a big girl would sleep, and she gave me her highly squeezed shaking hugs of hers… totally elited!
The bed rail came in mail today as well (very good timing). We’re slowly transitioning her baby room to a big-girl room. One thing for sure: Maddy is ready to be a big sister.
Permalink
Posted in Maddy at 9:19 am by tina
We haven’t had much luck with ‘going to the doctors’ lately. I come to realize that I don’t necessary care to build a personal relationship with them, which they seem to spend much of their time on. I much rather them being efficient, professional, and to-the-point.
When I took Maddy to her regular doctors at Triangles Peds yesterday, I was quite pleased. Not only they were on-time after my short-notice appointment, the doctor was excellent! It’s the way she conveyed the information to me. She was confident in her diagnosis although also informing me that it’s not a confirmation since no x-way is done at the point.
There was no ‘maybe’, no ‘most likely’, and she provided me with a solution. She was everything I expect a doctor to be: Not someone who tries to make me feel better, but someone who can tell me something I don’t already know and someone who gives me answers to my problems.
The Penicillin works like a charm last night. Just one first dose at night and I saw much improvement in Maddy. She slept much better than the night before. There was no more heavy breathing through the mouth due to her severe stuffy nose. When she woke up at 3:30am (the time she usually has her temp spikes), her temperture was totally normal at 98.4, the first time in the past five days. She asked for water; complained and made me put on my pants; tried to tickle me; asked about why daddy is not on mommy/daddy bed (which I suspect daddy decided to leave the two germ-infested people alone). There were big smiles on her because she’s on our bed sleeping with me.. mischievious smiles showing she was pleased that she got to sleep with mommy and daddy didn’t.
Thank you God, for sending needed restoration and blessings through the doctors at Triangle Peds.
===================
1/13 9:00pm
Maddy girl is back to normal. Except taking her Penicillin every 12 hours, there is no temperture and very little stuffy nose. Her cough has gone down dramatically as well. We will keep her isolated one more day just so that she doesn’t spread her germs or get something else along the way.
Permalink
01.12.06
Posted in pregnancy2 at 10:16 pm by tina
I’m 20-week pregnant today, half-way through and another 20 (hopefully a week or two less) to go.
I’m beginning to believe my sister’s convicted belief that she had lived under my shadow all her life being not only just number #2, but also the middle child.
It’s not like I notied Livy less since she is much more active than Maddy at this point. I could hardly felt Maddy at week 20 but Livy has been making her opinions known for two weeks now, and she kicks me hard.
I’m just less self-consciencious about being pregnant… didn’t really read the pregnancy book everyday, and am so much less will-powered about not drinking coffee, and sadly enough.. the novelty of being pregnant is about to wear out on me.
And while everything about Maddy’s life has been carefully thought through and planned (even the most insignficant, pointless details such as what Maddy’s new twin size bed will be and how it’s going to be positioned in her room took me forever to decide), Livy already seems to be getting the ‘left-overs’: The last spare room in the house, the hand-me-down everything from Maddy, the thought of ‘maybe I can save it for Livy’ when I saw an old old paci in a drawer the other day actually crossed my mind.
Somehow, I think Livy is going to be more like my sister: more independent; more opinionated; more social; more strong-willed. After all, she probably needs to be that and more to be heard in her unfair world!
Permalink
« Previous entries
