The Princess and Prince (8 y/o and 6 y/o) has a recital few days ago. This is counted as the third recital for Princess and first time for the Prince. All I can said is, the Prince played very well despite taking up violin lesson sometime in April. We are very proud of him indeed.

Just before the recital started, as usual the mischievous boy can’t sit still. He was seen here turning his violin into a Cello!

And he have to irritate everyone in the room with that streaky sound from the string instrument. The Mummy will have to go sheesh… sheesh…. or gave him the deadly stare.

The Jie-Jie is nothing but a Princess. Other than her chatty mouth (which girls wouldn’t) I do not have to nag her to sit still. But this girl wouldn’t want to take any pictures. Duhh!

As usual, 7.30pm is too early for Daddy to leave the office. He is giving this a miss. Again! The show was delayed for 30 minutes as many musicians turned up late. Prince got impatient and wanted to call his Daddy.

He is asking why his Daddy is not here yet and asked his Daddy why he doesn’t want to come see him play. Scout swear - I did not ask my Boy to called the Daddy. The whole night I was busy with my camera and I thought he just wanted a chat with his Daddy to kill time. The kids does that all the time at home when the Daddy comes home late. And the last picture here you can see my Boy almost in tears.

My Boy is very very close the the Daddy. He still cling on to his Daddy like a Koala bear. I almost forgot the phone was on speaker mode! Now the whole audience knows that the child’s father is not supportive . I heard Daddy said something like… “pass the phone to Mummy” and I quickly took over the phone. And guess what? Daddy is almost reaching home and I asked him to detoured to join us since the show hasn’t started yet.  Of course my Boy was so thrilled to see his Daddy walk in and deserved a big bear hug!

I love this picture of the girls and their violin.

This was shot using a 50mm lens. This is what we called synchronized!

Princess is always duetting with this girl (sorry don’t know her name) as they are of same level.

And the Prince…

I was so proud of him, the moment we reached home I marched to my Sis’s house and show the video to Uncle Kimmy, “Uncle Kimmy, come! Nah, show you something. The child that never practise at home can played so well.”

Really! My kids hardly practise their violin at home. Haha! You may ask why. To me, I never like to forced my kids into anything and if I were to give myself a new chore like nagging the kids to practise this and that, you think it is worth it? I was fortunate as my kids was showing interest and naturally accepted it. Even without the daily practising, they still did well. I am not a perfectionist and I don’t expect to have one. They are what they are, the God’s given child.

I have been told that bringing up a girl and boy is totally different. Girls are so much easier and they tend to does thing without being told and of course…. smarter! I have never compare both my kids (Kharsyn 8y/o and Carlgene 6y/o). They are special in their own way. Being smart or not is not important as I was born intelligent but studies ruin me.

Now, the thing that I always need to nag on my boy is his lack of enthusiasm in his studies. He has got my bad gene. He is exactly like me when I was little - very playful and lost concentration easily. Getting him to do his homework without being told is like buying a lottery ticket. And if he really finished up his homework without being told, it is like me, hitting the 4 million jackpot! (This is how from the original title “Of Homework and Exam” was changed to I Won a 4 Million Jackpot! Haha!)

Last Sunday night I kept on nagging him to finished up his mental arithmetic homework. As usual, most of the time he will be playing with his toes and gawd knows what. 30 minutes when I came back to check on him, he is no where to be seen on his desk but pangsai in the toilet. But where is his homework? How come they are not on the table? As I approached the toilet, my anger was held back when I saw him continue doing his homework by using a stool as a table.

Of course I quickly get my camera and shot my winning lottery ticket. 4 million dollar wor! When he look up at me, he goes, “Oh, Man!” <~~ please insert the most macho slang. Of course the little boy need lots of praising to keep him motivated .

On an unrelated issue but still pertaining to kids, this week is exam week again especially for Chinese school. Whenever daughter came home, the first thing I ask would be her exam:

Mummy: How’s your exam today? Can do or not?
Dotter: Can!
Mummy: Everytime also say can but never bring home 100 for Mummy. You don’t know meh Mummy like the two zeros. Mummy like to eat eggs.
Dotter: Oh, so you mean you like to eat sausage and eggs issit!

Kids nowadays!!!

If you are someone who like Transformers or marvel hero type of movie, go watch Iron Man. By the time I walked out the cinema, I wish I can fly vertically up the sky with lots of smoke coming out from my palm and feet. And, and suddenly I am my Son’s target (Read: Kungfu fighting) pretending we are fighting with smoke and fire coming out from our palm and bullets coming out from our shoulder. As usual he is always the good ones and I have to play the bad guy role. You should see the way he throw himself on the floor when I return his shot. That is so real. Ah, it was a good movie tho. Don’t miss it.

On the other hand, Eldest Princess has now earned herself a green belt.

The following is just some silly photograph we took last weekend.

errr… errr… I better not say anything here.

Please ignore the two silly ladies on the right.  Look at my son.  So full of concentration and so serious. I like!

And now, please ignore the serious looking boy and look at the two silly ladies in the background.  Eldest princess can performed a very nice split eh?

Ok, ok. For once, we all need to be serious in self defence. HAI YAK, KA CHOWWWWW! poWWWW!

My son told us that he wants to watch Iron Man again.  Who wants to bring him along?

Without her Daddy around (1st time) during her birthday is emo enough for the Mummy and this teenage daughter of mine decided to add in more emoness early morning. *haiz

Daddy called home from States in the morning to wish her a “Happy Burfday” and of course she is more than happy but can’t control her EMOtion. Her voice started to choke and that sleepy eyes of hers slowly turned watery and red. Of course when Mummy see this, she can’t control her EMOtion too. I think my daughter has my gene. Both of us is quite EMOtional type.

Since Daddy is not around, my Sister was kind enough to bring us out for dinner in TGIFridays. Awww….. see, I have the greatest Sister in the whole wide world!

And yes, I heard you, “TGIF again ah?” lol. We really love their yummillicious food and all the crazy stuff they chanted for the Birthday Girl.

But you know what? (S)he is (s)o (s)hy, (s)tunt, (s)peechless and her eyes starting to (s)well again.

You can tell by looking at her in the picture. Watch that guy in red. He has got all sort of action. Now look at my daughter, she just stood there like a statue and that smile is just so fake. Luckly the bunch of crazy guys notice it and quickly ended the session. So emo can die! I gave her hug so that she would feel better and told her TGIF is not her type. She is just too shy! (I was supposed to say EMO but didn’t want her to rain again). So there you go, a emo birthday for her to remember.

Dear Diary,

Today my teacher cane me on my palm because she say my hair is long. I feel that is not being fair to me. Well, you see, it is not my fault at all. I told my Mummy last Wednesday that Teacher already ask me to cut my hair. All Mummy replied was, “ASK YOUR TEACHER TO CONCENTRATE TEACHING AND NOT BOTHERING YOUR HAIR.” And on Monday, again the teacher ask me to cut my hair. But you know, my Mummy is working full time. She reach home at 6.30pm and I come back from school at 7.00pm. She have to make sure my baby, my brother and me got proper dinner waiting on the dining table for us. But most of the time, we get tapau food only. I’m ok with that. Cos I know my Mummy is really busy. I ready say she is busy so she can’t bring me for a hair cut on a weekdays. So yesterday, the teacher cane me on my palm .

I don’t understand. I am not stupid nor naughty. Why small matter like the hair also the teacher want to cane me? And I was caned in front of all my other 48 classmates. I was embarrassed. Tomorrow I don’t want to go to school.Well, my Mummy is afraid that the Teacher is going to cane me again tomorrow. So, she bring me for a hair cut. But, it is 8pm. So late at night and I have my violin class at 8.30pm. Mummy gone crazy again. Yelling at us, at my baby and brother because they like to fight. Mummy drop di-di at the violin class first and we walk to the salon just few doors away.

This Mummy ah, she is really crazy and fierce. She walk in the salon, let me rephrase, a high class salon. The cheap salon close already ma. Ok, so she walk in to the salon and say, “Give her a hair cut. A fast one. 5 MINUTES! Make sure it is short! No touching collar!” Mummy saw a magazine with a pretty aunty on it. She then ask the hair stylist to cut the same hairstyle. The hair stylist so scare of Mummy. He say, “This hair style 5 minutes cannot finish.”

“Ok. 10 minutes.”

“Miss, cannot la. At least 20 minutes.”

” Ok! Ok! Make it 15 minutes.”

This Mummy hor, I’m running late again but she is still so fussy with my hair. She want it shorter. It is already very short! Good thing the hair stylist bi, bla, bi, bla then Mummy say okok! Everything also ok. Aiyer.

Now I like my designer haircut . Luckly I was just in time for my violin class. So in a rush can die lidat.

Today was a sad and hectic day for me. I am so sad. Just now, Mummy tuck me to sleep. She teach me how to stand up for myself if this thing happen again in future. This is what Mummy say, “Teacher, it is not my fault. It is my Mummy’s fault. You don’t cane me.”

Hmmm… since it is not my fault, then the Teacher should cane my Mummy lor. See, the Teacher is not smart like my Mummy. They just simple cane student as they like. But I think Mummy should talk to the Teacher. If not, next time the Teacher will simply cane me or other children again. And since I’ve already cut my hair, the Teacher will assume that my Mummy is ok with the caning but in actual fact, she is not. But what can I do. I am only a 8 y/o child.

Nevermind la. It’s late already. I want to sleep. Oh, I just remember, Mummy took a photograph of my ‘longgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg’ hair. Ok la. Not that long but the little end there already touching the collar. Cannot wan you know. Our hair must be like Boy George lidat.

I laugh not because I am happy. I’m laughing at my Mummy is so crazy. She ask me to pose like a prisoner lidat. Tomorrow I go and show my teacher my new hair style. Very pretty wan. Good night.

Barely a week left till the school reopen for school children. This year, I have 3 school going children. Yea, Baby Princess who is turning 3 next year is joining her Brother in the same Kindergarten and will be staying back full day in the child care. Tomorrow my pocket is going broke ($$$) again as I am going to the Kindergarten to pay for their school fees which might cost me another dSLR. I’m not kidding you. Montessori Kindergarten is a very expensive affair. I can’t wait for them to enter Standard One. No more coughing out monthly school fees and we even get free text books this year. Woohoo!

Talking about which, majority of Chinese school students is make compulsory to wear their name tag. I’m not sure about Kebangsaan school tho.

Four pieces of name tags was given free to each student. But halooooooooh, my daughter had 5 sets of school uniforms! What to do. Pay money lor. Buy lor.

Eldest Princess have her stationaries (cum Christmas presents) to show off this year to her friends.

The sissy pink High School Musical merchandise. Kids nowadays matured too fast. When I was 7 y/o, I know nuts about TeeVee actors and actresses.

Since school holiday is coming to an end, Hubby felt bad for not bringing the kids for a holiday. But I was so broke after buying the new dSLR. Holiday + Money = <~~~ me!

Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the new schooling semester. I’m sure most Mothers do .

******* Unrelated to the above *******

Since I was stitching Eldest Princess name on to her pinafore, I had her Taekwondo’s grading badge sew too.

Taekwondo grading syllabus is a bit weird. The number start from 10th Kup (grade) to 1st Kup (grade). For example:

• White Belt - 10th Kup
• White Belt Yellow Tag - 9th Kup
• Yellow Belt - 8th Kup
• Yellow Belt Green Tag - 7th Kup
• Green Belt - 6th Kup
• Green Belt Blue Tag - 5th Kup
• Blue Belt - 4th Kup
• Blue Belt Red Tag - 3rd Kup
• Red Belt - 2nd Kup
• Red Belt Black Tag - 1st Kup

She will be Green Belt holder next year. Don’t prey-prey….

Credit: Mermaid’s Haven

Daddy got very mad when Eldest Princess sprained her ankle during an outing in 1-Utama over the weekend. We paid RM15 for the entrance to some children’s indoor playground where every child is required to wear a socks at all time for safety and hygiene purposes.

Now, I was educate by my Mom on the danger of wearing socks around house! Who the h*ll would want to wear a socks in the playground for safety reason? I’m not sure if you have been to 1-U (new wing) Starship Galactica. To cut the story short, this is what my daughter told me when I pick her up 3 hours later with a limping leg:

“I was walking up the stairs and a boy push me from behind. I fell. The next thing I know, I have pain on my ankle.”

Well, I’m not trying to turn my blog into some sympathetic piece. All I can say is, accident do happen anytime at anywhere. We are not there with her when the incident happen. We just take her words as it is not wanting to point finger at anybody (tho my biggest suspect now is the SOCKS!).

We seek medical attention using the Eastern way this time. The Practitioner said she had a tear on the ligament which causes swelling. He wrapped some chinese herbs on daughter’s ankle during our first visit. On our 2nd visit, he massaged the ankle to bla, bla, bla untangled the 3 ligaments. And since the swelling is still there, he wrapped the ankle with the same chinese herbs again. Each visit costs us RM48.00. *bye-bye $$$* I hope she will recovered by this weekend cos she had her Taekwondo grading next weekend. She can’t miss the exam cos the next grading will be next year only. But if her ankle can’t recover by then, we really had no choice but to skip her grading, which I hope will not happen.

Well, the other 2 little rascal wants their foot to be photograph too *rolling eye*.

After her 1st Recital, we are less excited about it now. Guess that’s the nature of human being .

There is also another thing I’ve found out - “NOT TO WATCH AN ORCHESTRA WITH HUBBY!” He is just plain annoying by nudging me. *grrrr…..

But, what to do. This is his first time watching his daughter performing. Oh, and this is Baby Princess 2nd time watching her Big sister performing. End of the performance, no one clap but Baby was cheering so loud, she goes “YAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!”. Everyone just burst into laughter and followed by applauses. That, I would called a good show!

This white belt girl has passed her Grade 8 - Yellow Belt exam. Too bad, she is a bit shy for YATTHAAAAAAAAAA!

After her Taekwondo class on Sunday, Yellow Belt Girl and Daddy is having a little cross word. Out of the sudden,

Yellow Belt Girl: Eh, Dad, I got yellow belt liao.

Daddy: Ya leh. I notice your belt. No need talk so loud. Action only.

Mummy: Get yellow belt liao can talk loud to Daddy. If get black belt can beat Daddy hor.

(Father and daughter just laugh!)

2 weeks before the Parents/Teacher conference, Daddy ask Princess what is her position in her class. Common question! Every one wants to know how far you fair in your class. Princess told him, “No.1″.

Daddy came to me, “wei, your daughter say she get no. 1 wor”.

Of course I don’t believe her la, “Her BM get 85 marks. Lidat also can get no. 1. Can you imagine how stwpig the whole class is?”

One week before the Parents/Teacher conference, Princess told Daddy she get no. 20 in her class. Again Daddy came to me, “wei, your daughter say she get no. 20 wor”.

“Wah lau. With her result lidat (5 subject 100%) can get no. 20. That means the whole class very clever la.”

See! Tension or not lidat. Children is getting smarter by generation. Must be that DHA/DAA/DHD/DDD bla bla in their milk formula.

Every mid term, parents have to be present at the school to collect report book. If your child is brilliant, all the sweet and nice word coming from the teacher’s mouth. If your child is not-so-brilliant-type… you know what to expect la.

So, what is her result? no. 20 out of 49 students. She is not so stwpig and not so cleaver. Right on the centre. Overall, she get no. 214 out of 540 students. Still she is right at the centre. Percentage wise, she scored 94.80. So now you tell me la. Such a high percentage yet she get no. 214. There must be whole lots of genius out there in her school.

The only comment I have from the teacher is, “Your daughter like to day dream and not paying full attention during classes. But i’m not so worry about that cos all her work & homework was done correctly. Maybe she already absorb the teaching and sometimes find it boring.”

Don’t have to tell me, I’ve already knew it. So that is some good and bad comment about Princess.

Since I’m in her school, I want to pretend like a grown-up student walking back to memory lane. Let’s eating in the canteen! We went and get a bite.

I ordered loh mee (KL and canteen version!)

And if you don’t mind, click here for Sitiawan version of loo mien (loh mee in foochow language). Sitiawan version has lots more ingredients in it.

We have the cuttle fish, bamboo shoot, ear fungus, lily bud and minced pork. I gave the KL and canteen version 0/10! Beh jiak!

Daughter had clear soup noodle. They had the same ingredients in it. One pc of foochok (soya sheet) and two pcs of fish cake. So pathetic looking noodle!

After eating, she brings her bowl to a bucket. Pour the left over in one bucket, bowl and cutleries in another different buckets. She came and did the same to my bowl. I look at her with jaw drop. During our time, after meal, we just pat-pat our butt and walk off.

As we was walking back to her class, she called out to me, “Mummy, come! I show you the water dispenser.” Wah lau eh, during my time hor, when we ran out of drinking water, there is two options to choose - drank from the water tap or thirst to death.

She then put in 10cents for 500ml of distilled water. I would think that is a very reasonable price.

As I was writing out this post, I keep scrolling back staring at her picture. I can’t believe myself that I have a 7 y/o daughter! Either I am growing old or she is growing up.