Elyssa's First Dental Visit



On the last week of 2013, I did my usual year end thing - use up dental allowance  :-)

 

Last year, I brought Elyssa along. She sat on the sofa in the treatment area while the dentist worked on my teeth (thus, she saw and heard the whole procedure). This year, I casually told her the day before my appointment that the dentist will check her teeth as well. Surprisingly, she said ok!

 

Getting her teeth checked

She was so brave! She was a bit scared but still opened her mouth wide for the dentist.

A far cry from her mummy who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the dentist and who clamped her mouth shut on the dentist chair.  hehe.

Scaling procedure

No cavities at all!  Phew.  Dentist did some light scaling. My mum commented when we got back - why on earth does she need scaling on her milk teeth???  Err.....true also hor. And got charged RM 50 for that.

 

 

Another little milestone for my Elyssa!

Hello 2014!

Happy New Year!  It's 2014 already???  And half of the first month of the year gone already???

Time really goes super duper fast!
Overall, 2013 was a great year. Personally, it was a year of breaking lots of my own perceived boundaries. The feeling of being able to achieve what I set my mind to do was absolutely liberating and amazing.
I was a tad disappointed the year didn't end with a big bang I was hoping for (and no, it's not baby #3!!). So ok, I may not get be able to achieve everything I set my mind to do after all, but hey, life is also about picking oneself up from the little bumps on the road right? Most important thing is the right attitude and confidence to forge ahead.

So, bring it on 2014!  I'm all ready for a great year ahead  :-)

Photos taken during the first week of 2014:

Elyssa - She was so excited to return to kindy. 

Erin -  this girl moves around so much, this is the only decent photo I have of her!

Flashback: (oops, much shorter one this year!)

2013 : Bye Bye 2012, Hello 2013!

2012 : Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

Elyssa's view about ....... Killing Snails

What she told me just now:

Elyssa :   When you see a baby snail, don't kill it ok? Because the baby snail is probably looking for the mummy.
Me : Uhmm...ok.
Elyssa  :  Actually, when you see a adult snail, you also don't kill it. Because if you kill the adult snail, then the baby snail cannot find the mummy.
So, if you see any snail, just let it go. Ok?
Me : Ok, princess.


I just couldn't stop myself from smiling.  Absolutely love her view about this  :-)
(And no, I have NOT been on a snail killing spree.  Not really sure what prompted this. hehe)

Aaaaaahh...... the carefree innocence of a kid!

Sisters - 5.5 and 2.5 years old

Here are a couple of photos of the two sisters and 5-and-a-half years old and 2-and-a-half years old :

Bedtime reading 

See their matching skirts!

Enjoying a snack together

At a birthday party

 

Their favourite activity at any shopping centre

 

I dug out the photos above after seeing these from my old memory card -

Here they are at 3.5 and 0.5 years old.

Awwww!

 



 

Will try to take more sisterly shots next year.  After all, they are only going to be "x" age and "y" age only once!  :-) 

 

Tupperware Craze

My sis and I went through a Tupperware craze a few months ago.

It pretty much started from a Tupperware shoot at my home. (someone posted in our neighbourhood FB forum that they needed a location urgently. Hubby responded and the shoot was done 2 days later)

Photo Shoot

It was certainly interesting to watch! There were the people from the shooting company, the production company, 2 child models and mum & grandma of the 2 models. And then there were all the camera equipment in the house. And of course the Tupperwares. (loads and loads of em!). 

Cute child models (Sis and bro team)

 

 

After the photoshoot, my sis and I talked about Tupperwares and then she mentioned an online site where she saw a sale.  We spent the whole weekend agonizing about what to get, in what size (which involved us pouring water into different containers to see how big is 800ml, 250ml etc) , how many units, what shape etc etc  ;-)

 

Part of my loot

Another part of my loot (bought later using my colleague's member card)

I love these modular mates in my kitchen cupboard. All used up by now.

 And here's more

Hey, they make good toys too! Here's Elyssa practicing her balancing skills.

 

I've got quite a few more not in the photos above.  Tupperware shopping can be very addictive!

 

My collection is way, way less than my sis tho.  Hers is probably double or triple mine. Hehe.  Come to think of it, I should reword my first sentence.  I went through a Tupperware phase (partially cos I was running out of storage space), but she's still happily going through it.   :-)  

Penang Holiday (Part 2)

This is a wayyyy backdated post, which I wrote part of it more than 2 months ago here. Well, it's one of those better late than never post.  ;-)

We stayed 3 nights at Hard Rock Hotel. Supposedly a family holiday but it turned out to be hubby's work trip. Plus point - we got to stay 2 nights for free. Minus point - I had to take 2 days of my precious annual leave at the very last moment. Grrrr!

Photos -

We got a nice room overlooking the kids play pool

Super excited to go to the pool

Watching the band at night

They were very good!

 

Pool time again, when daddy went to work the next morning

 

 

Colouring in the Play Room

 

No post about a Penang holiday is complete with at least some food photos.  So here's two  :-)

 

Yummy Indian Curry @ Little India

Assam Pedas @ Nyonya Breeze



And erhm..... that's all about the Penang trip!  (That's the problem about posting so late. Can't remember already. keke)

 

Elyssa's Sticker Chart

A few months ago, Elyssa went through a difficult behavioural phase - tantrums, angry face, shouting, fighting with others etc etc.  What I've learnt these past year is that Elyssa responds better to the soft approach. When scolded or smacked, she can respond rather aggressively.  My, my, the words she has spoken and the tone used have certainly shocked me before. (words like "I hate you", I don't want my sister", "I want you to go away" in a very, very angry tone).

I tried an experiment once - when she was very angry and agitated, I just hugged her close to me without saying anything. She struggled, screamed and tried to get away from me. After about five minutes of screaming and kicking, I felt her body relax. I calmly asked her whether she wanted to read a book. Surprisingly, she said yes and that was the end of that tantrum episode.

From that experiment, I learnt how to handle her DURING a tantrum session. But to PREVENT a tantrum, I had a lightbulb moment - sticker chart!

So, the deal was - 1 star sticker for each day that she's good. Once she gets 100 stars, she gets to choose her own gift (with mummy's consent).
She was super excited with her star chart!

Beginning was tough - in the first week, I think she got 3 stars only.  In the second week, I think it was about the same.   She tried really hard tho.  On the days she didn't get a star, she would whisper to me at night : "Mummy, is it ok if I try to get a star tomorrow?  I"ll try and try ok?"

And somehow, from the 3rd week or so onwards, it went smooth sailing.  I was so, so, so happy to get my little princess back (and not the little monster she turns into during tantrums)!. 
She got a star practically every single day.  It became almost a nightly ritual to give her the star and for her to happily count them.

Happily counting her stars

Getting more and more!

Almost there!

Even my mum was really surprised with the behaviour change. These days, almost daily when I pick the girls up, she will say "Elyssa is good today, She is good every day these days". (Elyssa LOVES to hear this!).  Yay!! 

Last month, she managed to accumulate her 100 stars.  For her reward, she requested for fairy wings and a magic wand. (I was prepared to give her a much bigger gift, but she insisted on this)

So, so happy with her hard earned reward

My 2 fairy princesses

I bought the pink/blue/yellow fairy wings for her first. Regretted it cos it was so big that it kept flopping down. I bought another set for Elyssa and she generously gave the earlier wings to Erin  :-)

These days, she gives me a lot of these "Awwwwww.....so sweet" moments!

 

 

She is now on her second reward chart already. Same concept, but this time I told her she needs 101 stars. hehe.  She has about 20 stars now.

 

I never imagined such a simple reward chart can result in such a drastic behavioural change to Elyssa. She is such a lovely, lovely girl to handle these days. :-)    Ok, there's still the occasional drama but hey, she's only five. 

 

Now, what I really need is another lightbulb moment for Erin. I am still at a loss how to handle that mini wildhorse!