Fun is a everyday priority

A toddlerhood is only good when there is fun in it.

In fact, it would be even better if fun is a priority. Make it a everyday priority.I did the LO with Sassafraslass Bungle Jungle collection and had great fun with it. I followed Sketch #30 from Inspired Blueprints.
Journaling:
1.Sweet & silly moments
2. Mischief & mayhem
3. Huggable non-stop energy
4. Fascination & fun
5. Trucks & planes & trains
6. Birds & bugs

Jealousy

Remember I said earlier during Jillian's first month that Jonathan was quite man and will just say hi to Jillian and then ignore her coz she's still young? Well now that Jillian's into her second month, he's displayed manifestations of jealousy! He will kick up a fuss when he sees me carrying Jill. Even when I walk past Jill and have no intention of carrying her up from the crib, he will quickly run to me and ask me to "bao bao!"


After mentioning this to a mother who was sitting beside me at church, I have carried Jillian downstairs where Jon has access to the TV, his toys and books. So hopefully he will be distracted by other things.


Any tips on dealing with sibling jealousy? Esp when the older one is still a toddler and is learning to push his boundaries? and their age gap is very small?

Here's a photo I managed to snap of Jill when she's awake this morning.


And a LO of Jon's photo taken last weekend "Did you know toddlerhood is no walk in the park". Love Sassafrasslass Montrosity papers. Thanks Yin for helping me get them!!!

Jon has turned to the dark side...the sticky & terrible age of two. And he's displayed traits of jealousy to his baby sister. I do love my little man, but sometimes he can really drive me nuts. Here, he is all sweet and docile, I just have to scrap the photo with Sassafrasslass Montrosity papers.

Journaling: This look belies the speeds, highs and lows of a roller coaster, intensified energy & controlled chaos that a toddlerhood joyride brings.

Yummy packages

My in-laws came back and pass me a folder of SB stuff. They said it was heavy and didn't put it into their luggage coz it may add to excess baggage. For papers, the flat sure was heavy!

In the folder were four packs: a prize from Piradee for the MWL June 09 Challenge; a RAK from Pooi for her Jul Challenge at MWL; a pack of supplies + a magazine + a book I asked Chwee to buy from MWL in Jul, and Sassafrasslass supplies that I troubled Yin Wen to help me get! Now wonder, the pack was heavy as the mag, book and chipboards in the prizes added to the weight.

Thanks so much ladies! I was so happy that day that I slowly opened each pack like it was Christmas!

Here's pic of Piradee's prize.

And how sweet of Pooi to pack princessy stuff as she knew I just delivered Jillian.

I will try to find time at night to scrap, ladies.

In and out

Over the Hari Raya holiday, we brought Jonathan out for brunch at the Marriott Hotel & Spa while Jillian stayed home with confinement nanny. We didn't bring her out as she is still so little.

Jonathan was quite well behaved and ate a muffin, some cereals and a choc doughnut. He wanted to play with our cutlery and copy how we ate. In the end, I gave him a cup and spoon and he promptly broke his muffin into small pieces in the cup.I had beef bacon, mushroom and cheese omelette, roasted potatoes, slices of cheddar cheese. Tried to get Jon to try the omelette but no luck. After sitting for 45mins, Jon got restless and Simon took him out for a walk around the poolside. I quickly wolfed down a pancake, sausages and baked beans. Even read a section of the newspaper before they came back. Then I had nasi lemak and we left before Jon got restless again. Not too bad, Jon lasted 45mins + 20mins at brunch!

We then took a walk on the hotel grounds where Jon explored a "castle". He slid down the mini slide and had a soft landing, but didn't like it to go again. It was Jon's first slide!He then checked out the castle and discovered a door. He opened it and wanted to peek out but his cap was blocking his view. Smarto tomato went removed his cap and tadah...he got to see what was beyond the door. (actually it's my cap, but after adjusting to the smallest size, it could fit Jon!)We took a walk and Jon ambled along. Do you realise that kids don't look down on the ground when they walk? They just walk or run without looking where they're running. That's why parents will look out and warn their children about cracks on the floor, uneven grass patch, slopes, etc whereas children will just run with wild abandonment. They have no fear!

Well, Jon didn't realised he walked from the grass to the sandy part of a beach volleyball court. He only realised it when he stumbled a little on the soft sand. He then quickly walked back to the grassy part. But when he turned around and discovered that Simon had walked to the breakwater, he decided to give the sand another go in order to get to his daddy.Both father and son explored the promenade while I took snapshots of them. I like to see father and son walking together or when Jon reached out to his dad to carry him onto the breakwater. When a child clings onto a parent out of fear or for support, that's when the parent has unconditional love for his/her child. If your child looks to you for protection and love, wouldn't you hold him close and dear to you?The sun was blazing down on us and I was glad that Simon chose a sleeveless T for Jon. In the morning, I was like, "Are you sure he should wear sleeveless? What if it's too cold at the hotel?"

When we left the hotel, it was only 10.30am. So we decided to go to Boat club where Jon could play at the playground. The first thing he saw were the parked sailboats and he wanted to go there. We managed to persuade him to follow us.

The first thing he headed towards was this old boat at the playground. I helped him onto the boat and he was grinning away while he played with the steering wheel. He kept waving to me while "driving" the boat. During this time, Simon went to check out the ads on the notice board.
From water transport, we move to land transportation - a huge tractor. When Jon saw it, he was singing the first two lines of his fav show "Bob the Builder". We helped him up and he had some fun on it until Simon saw that there were sharp edges on the tractor. We had to cajole him to come down. Next stop, the swings. Jon didn't want to go onto the kiddy swings at all. He just went straight to the adult swing and pointed at it. I told Simon to sit on the swing with Jon on his lap. Simon was all about safety and said not safe lah. How could he hold Jon and the swing at the same time. I told Simon he didn't have to swing high, just small swings. Jon was so thrilled.We also let Jon check out the huge playground equipment. The only things he saw was the long red slide and the boat part, which of course he played with the steering. He looked at two girls climbing up and sliding down and smiled, but thankfully he didn't want to slide.This was the last shot of the day. It's moment like this when I love him so dearly and forget his tantrums and short hissy fits!So many photos to scrap! Shall I do a 12 by 12 LO or a mini album?

Motherhood journey

Never did we expect to be pregnant around the same time. Li Yen, Sock, Tsui delivered our babies in 2009 and are now nursing our babies at various stages. While we may be in different continents, we share information, our frustrations and laughter via emails and phone calls (also with another friend, Trish). These ladies are all from my Small Group in Singapore.

I am honoured to be part of the motherhood journey with them.

Tsui is not in the photo, although it was taken at her place in late April this year (Tsui, you know why, my dear).

Materials: Hambly, Sassfraslass, Creative Imaginations, K&Company, Sei

No longer confined!

My confinement month was over on Wednesday and I had a couple of cold drinks (100+, green tea and ribena) and ice-cream!!!! Don't be mistaken, I was OK doing confinement this time round. Drank everything and ate almost everything that was placed in front of me. Enjoyed being treated like a queen, have to recuperate you know.

Although during the second week, I felt guilty that others had to help me take care of Jonathan while I laid in bed, resting my back (coz I was up and about after delivery a little too quickly and actually had aches at my lower back the second day after delivering Jillian). I tried to help out by taking care of Jonathan in the morning after nursing Jillian. but super active Jon soon had me all tired out and wanting to rest!

I was so used to the confinement schedule that I forgot I can take my bath anytime I want now! Enjoyed my morning showers again...although I am still careful not to shower with cold water (which I absolutely love).

Hmm, what shall I have for lunch tomorrow after church now that confinement month is over? Roti cani....nasi lemak...pizza....ice kacang/chendol?

Jillian is quite a fussy baby, and she doesn't like the heat at all, so she will fuss and cry and need comforting then she can sleep. And coz she gets hot easily lying on the bed, we have put her into the automatic sarong! ...at the slowest speed of course! Then switch if off when she falls in deep slumber.

What's it with babies and opposites? When we nurse or feed Jillian, she will fall asleep halfway. Then when it's time for her to sleep, she is wide awake and super alert?

Anyways, we have extended the services of the confinement nanny by another two weeks. My in-laws will be in Singapore visiting their new grandson, Oscar. And she feels better that someone is with me in case I need help or an extra pair of hands.

Do you know that Jonathan was actually jealous these two days? Yesterday morning, he was jealous when I helped to carry baby Mabel. He actually tugged at her feet and and told me he wanted me to carry him instead of her. Then yesterday evening, he was also jealous of Jillian and and threw a short hissy fit on the floor. He really wanted my undivided attention. Oooh, must be firm with him, and try to teach him. But he's at the terrible and sticky two....any ideas?

Simon showing Jon photos on the LCD monitor

More photos of my darlings and I made some of these

Jonathan is definitely warming up to Jillian and now climbs onto the bed whenever he sees her without my prompting. He is exploring her but she is not that into him yet, haha! (Nope, he didn't twist her arm in this photo.)

I also made some cards yesterday, all from October Afternoon's pp. Simple ones just to get started. I hope to make more to I'd better at them. I used to send out cards and letters to my friends overseas. I think cards and letters make better mail than bills and mailers right? Sometimes I would write, and put the cards into envelops but never got around to mailing them out! (Yes, Wen Kwek, when are you going to give me your addy so I can mail out the card I wanted to pass you in April??)

Here's a card for the arrival of a baby (scraplifted from Celeste Smith).

A 'Hey babe' card for a girlfriend

And two thank you cards.