How time flies.
I still remember when I was entering my 3rd trimester of pregnancy with Darren, when I had to be admitted to the hospital because I kept having premature contractions.
Hubby and I were SO WORRIED! We prayed and prayed, and so did the rest of the hospital complex (we were living in a missionary hospital complex in West Borneo, and were both working in that hospital). With every single day that passed by, we were grateful because Darren got to spend another day where he belonged, in Mommy’s belly. By God’s grace, Darren was born full term, healthy and perfect ^___^
Today, Darren’s a healthy, happy, super active, 18 months old toddler.
He excels in many areas: physical development, language skills, motoric skills.
He runs around, fully toilet trained, speaking a vocabulary of probably around 400 words (of course I’m not counting, that’s just a rough estimation. I’m guessing that amount because some 80 of which was animal vocabulary, probably another 80 was vegetables and flowers, maybe another 50 was names of relatives, friends, those in Sunday School, and the rest would be enough for his daily conversation words). He’s using sentences of 3 to 4 words, although still without preposition yet. For example: “Papaw... work... (to earn) money... (for) Darren... (to buy) milk...” (in Bahasa)
Or he’d tell you a story, his current favorite is a Bible story of Jesus calming the stormy sea: “[the disciples] ATUT... [takut / fear] ANGUN.. ANGUN [mimicking their waking Jesus up]...,” he says, and now with his arms stretched out, “IAM... [diam! / silent!] NANGLAH! [tenanglah / calm down!]”
He mostly does it without being asked. Sometimes when he almost falls asleep, he would chatter and babble up a series of words like those.
He also counts from 1 to 10, although many times he does it in 2 series: 1 to 3 or 5, and after a few seconds, continuing to 10.
He knows colors, except yellow and orange. His never mistaken colors are: GREY and BROWN (weird, isn’t it?).
He sings -as in completing words and sentences of the lyrics when we sing for him- of MANY Sunday School songs along with the gesture for each song.
It’s just too amazing to watch a child grow, especially mindwise. I remember Darren’s mind still being a bit “empty,” oblivious to our speeches just a few months ago.
I wonder how he got the creativity of inventing “GROWTH”, from a single embryo into a baby, a child, and further on, an adult human being.
Our Creator’s TOTALLY AWESOME, isn’t He?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Name of Days
By request of a friend, I’m going to tell you about Darren’s song of days.
In Bahasa, there’s a Sunday song that mentions all the days in a week. I guess it was designed for kids to easily memorize the name of days in a week.
The song goes:
♪ Hari Senin, hari Selasa, harinya Tuhan harinya Tuhan
Hari Rabu, hari Kamis, harinya Tuhan harinya Tuhan
Hari Jumat harinya Tuhan
Hari Sabtu harinya Tuhan
Hari Minggu, semua hari, harinya Tuhan ♫
[In short: from Monday to Sunday, everyday is God’s day]
I was wondering why each time I got to Kamis [= Thursday], Darren would say, “Kong kong,” referring to his Grandpa.
My first guess was because the last time my parents came, it was on Thursday, but I wasn’t really sure because Darren didn’t know the concept of days’ names yet.
I asked what he meant, and as with every other times when I didn’t understand him, he would have this expression on his face, as if he were thinking and trying to figure out some way to make me understand.
[Aren’t children’s minds amazing? ]
Then came his explanation: he pointed his upper lip, he mimicked the sound of a kiss, and said, “Yi...” [= geli...!] with this ticklish expression on his face.
It took me about 2 seconds before I figured out what he meant and laughed outloud.
He mistook “Kamis” for “kumis” (moustache), and each time he heard the word “Kamis”, he remembered Grandpa’s moustache.
My Dad loves to tickle Darren by kissing his chubby cheeks and rub them with his moustache.
Whenever he does this, Darren always had this ticklish expression and gesture, and he’d laugh so gleefully, along with his Grandpa ^___^
In Bahasa, there’s a Sunday song that mentions all the days in a week. I guess it was designed for kids to easily memorize the name of days in a week.
The song goes:
♪ Hari Senin, hari Selasa, harinya Tuhan harinya Tuhan
Hari Rabu, hari Kamis, harinya Tuhan harinya Tuhan
Hari Jumat harinya Tuhan
Hari Sabtu harinya Tuhan
Hari Minggu, semua hari, harinya Tuhan ♫
[In short: from Monday to Sunday, everyday is God’s day]
I was wondering why each time I got to Kamis [= Thursday], Darren would say, “Kong kong,” referring to his Grandpa.
My first guess was because the last time my parents came, it was on Thursday, but I wasn’t really sure because Darren didn’t know the concept of days’ names yet.
I asked what he meant, and as with every other times when I didn’t understand him, he would have this expression on his face, as if he were thinking and trying to figure out some way to make me understand.
[Aren’t children’s minds amazing? ]
Then came his explanation: he pointed his upper lip, he mimicked the sound of a kiss, and said, “Yi...” [= geli...!] with this ticklish expression on his face.
It took me about 2 seconds before I figured out what he meant and laughed outloud.
He mistook “Kamis” for “kumis” (moustache), and each time he heard the word “Kamis”, he remembered Grandpa’s moustache.
My Dad loves to tickle Darren by kissing his chubby cheeks and rub them with his moustache.
Whenever he does this, Darren always had this ticklish expression and gesture, and he’d laugh so gleefully, along with his Grandpa ^___^
Friday, June 19, 2009
Toddler Restraint
Darren who is now 18 months old, is a very active little boy who loves to run around.
When we go to shopping malls, especially the huge, roomy ones, he’d run around happily, as if being freed from a cage haha..
It’s entertaining to see his activity, but also VERY TIRING! Running around trying to catch him from going too far or getting near dangerous places is so not friendly for our backs!
Having to bow to reach him has caused me several episodes of low back pain.
That is why we don’t go out much. It’s just too tiring and unpractical, not to mention the time we need to prepare him and ourselves, and more often than none, Darren’s “overstimulated” condition we have to deal with when we get back home.
Fortunately, we found this FABULOUS invention a few weeks ago.
Whoever had the idea to make it and produce it worldwide must had had his/her own moments of having “high performance” toddlers.
The MASTERPIECE comes in the form of restraint strap ^__^
It’s very much similar with the strap that people use for their pets when they bring their pets for a walk, to keep them from going too far.
And believe me, it works just PERFECTLY!
When we go to shopping malls, especially the huge, roomy ones, he’d run around happily, as if being freed from a cage haha..
It’s entertaining to see his activity, but also VERY TIRING! Running around trying to catch him from going too far or getting near dangerous places is so not friendly for our backs!
Having to bow to reach him has caused me several episodes of low back pain.
That is why we don’t go out much. It’s just too tiring and unpractical, not to mention the time we need to prepare him and ourselves, and more often than none, Darren’s “overstimulated” condition we have to deal with when we get back home.
Fortunately, we found this FABULOUS invention a few weeks ago.
Whoever had the idea to make it and produce it worldwide must had had his/her own moments of having “high performance” toddlers.
The MASTERPIECE comes in the form of restraint strap ^__^
It’s very much similar with the strap that people use for their pets when they bring their pets for a walk, to keep them from going too far.
And believe me, it works just PERFECTLY!
As you can see in the picture, Darren couldn’t go far enough to get into trouble.
On the other hand, he doesn’t always have to stay right by our sides, he’s in a way more free to run around, although within limited range – of course, still under full, strict supervision.
Those of you who already have toddlers must have this question in mind, “How do you make the kid cooperate and willing to wear it?”
Well in my case, Darren LOVES horses (I’ve never been more grateful before), and it makes him feel like playing horse / horse pulled carriage. He happily mimics the sound of a horse-man controlling his horse (although in this case, he’s the “horse” – he’s too young to make the connection logic hehehe...).
I know some people disregard it (we’ve met MANY people whispering or pointing or staring or laughing at Darren with his strap). Big deal, it’s just too convenient to make us even care about what they think ;)
On the other hand, he doesn’t always have to stay right by our sides, he’s in a way more free to run around, although within limited range – of course, still under full, strict supervision.
Those of you who already have toddlers must have this question in mind, “How do you make the kid cooperate and willing to wear it?”
Well in my case, Darren LOVES horses (I’ve never been more grateful before), and it makes him feel like playing horse / horse pulled carriage. He happily mimics the sound of a horse-man controlling his horse (although in this case, he’s the “horse” – he’s too young to make the connection logic hehehe...).
I know some people disregard it (we’ve met MANY people whispering or pointing or staring or laughing at Darren with his strap). Big deal, it’s just too convenient to make us even care about what they think ;)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Table Manner
Here’s a pic of our family praying before Darren’s meal. (Thanks to my friend Anita who took and uploaded the pic in my FB.)
He closes his eyes that tightly and says “AMEN!” right after ^___^
Other than praying, I’ve also been teaching him to offer people around him to eat whenever he’s eating.
In Chinese (and most other Asian) culture, when you’re eating, you have to offer people around you, especially older people, your food. I don’t mean the food from your plate, but clean food from the table. It’s considered good manners.
He grasp the idea pretty quickly. Whenever he eats, and there are people around him, I no longer have to remind him to offer. He’d say, “Mbah, mamam!” to the old lady who works at our house, making his offer. He’d also say, “Kong, mamam!” to his grandpa, or “Paw, mamam!” to his Papaw (=Daddy), and so on.
Funny thing is whenever an ant happens to walk by on the table. He’d say, “Mut, mamam!” [“Ant, eat!”] and put a crumb of his bread or a grain of his rice within the ant’s reach.
Of course, I never taught him that, I guess he’s just kinda considerate ^__^
Other than praying, I’ve also been teaching him to offer people around him to eat whenever he’s eating.
In Chinese (and most other Asian) culture, when you’re eating, you have to offer people around you, especially older people, your food. I don’t mean the food from your plate, but clean food from the table. It’s considered good manners.
He grasp the idea pretty quickly. Whenever he eats, and there are people around him, I no longer have to remind him to offer. He’d say, “Mbah, mamam!” to the old lady who works at our house, making his offer. He’d also say, “Kong, mamam!” to his grandpa, or “Paw, mamam!” to his Papaw (=Daddy), and so on.
Funny thing is whenever an ant happens to walk by on the table. He’d say, “Mut, mamam!” [“Ant, eat!”] and put a crumb of his bread or a grain of his rice within the ant’s reach.
Of course, I never taught him that, I guess he’s just kinda considerate ^__^
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Language of Touch
I’m sure many of us know about the 5 love languages.
The book has been translated into Bahasa, and if I remember correctly, the title’s “5 BAHASA CINTA.”
To briefly remind you, the 5 ways with which we express our love towards others or feel others’ love for us are:
1. Gifts
2. Touch
3. Quality time
4. Service
5. Words of encouragement
I don’t know at what age a child begins to show his major love languages, but I think Darren’s been strongly showing his, which is touch.
I know most young children love to be touched (hugged, kissed, held, carried, etc.), but Darren seems to use this language A LOT.
For example, he loves to hold hands, when walking, or when he’s sitting down. He’d ask to hold my hands even as he sits on his potty pooing >_<
His favorite position for reading a book is on my (or Daddy’s or other reader’s) lap.
When he hears startling, loud noise, he usually gets rather scared, and would ask for a hug.
He loves to kiss people he likes (although sometimes he’s a bit picky hehehe...).
In meal times, if I get upset because he starts acting out, he’d ask to hold my hand to make sure that I don’t get mad at him (of course most of the time I refuse because I’m already mad hahaha... Sometimes I refuse holding his hand only to make him stop acting out.)
And when he wakes up at night, if he doesn’t need to drink, all I have to do is hold his hand and he’ll instantly calm down and go right back to sleep.
I know it’s too early to figure out Darren’s love languages, but my point is that you really should know your children’s love languages well, because it’s SO IMPORTANT!
Let me give you an example. If the mother’s love language is gift, she’ll instinctively give things to show that she loves her child. But if the child’s love language is quality time, he’ll long for quality time and unable to appreciate his mother’s love in the form of things.
If they’re unaware of each other’s love language, both would suffer. They both would suffer from love starvation and lack of appreciation.
So, let’s all learn love languages and practise them. Trust me, it’ll solve many difficult problems in our relationships ^__^
The book has been translated into Bahasa, and if I remember correctly, the title’s “5 BAHASA CINTA.”
To briefly remind you, the 5 ways with which we express our love towards others or feel others’ love for us are:
1. Gifts
2. Touch
3. Quality time
4. Service
5. Words of encouragement
I don’t know at what age a child begins to show his major love languages, but I think Darren’s been strongly showing his, which is touch.
I know most young children love to be touched (hugged, kissed, held, carried, etc.), but Darren seems to use this language A LOT.
For example, he loves to hold hands, when walking, or when he’s sitting down. He’d ask to hold my hands even as he sits on his potty pooing >_<
His favorite position for reading a book is on my (or Daddy’s or other reader’s) lap.
When he hears startling, loud noise, he usually gets rather scared, and would ask for a hug.
He loves to kiss people he likes (although sometimes he’s a bit picky hehehe...).
In meal times, if I get upset because he starts acting out, he’d ask to hold my hand to make sure that I don’t get mad at him (of course most of the time I refuse because I’m already mad hahaha... Sometimes I refuse holding his hand only to make him stop acting out.)
And when he wakes up at night, if he doesn’t need to drink, all I have to do is hold his hand and he’ll instantly calm down and go right back to sleep.
I know it’s too early to figure out Darren’s love languages, but my point is that you really should know your children’s love languages well, because it’s SO IMPORTANT!
Let me give you an example. If the mother’s love language is gift, she’ll instinctively give things to show that she loves her child. But if the child’s love language is quality time, he’ll long for quality time and unable to appreciate his mother’s love in the form of things.
If they’re unaware of each other’s love language, both would suffer. They both would suffer from love starvation and lack of appreciation.
So, let’s all learn love languages and practise them. Trust me, it’ll solve many difficult problems in our relationships ^__^
Friday, June 12, 2009
Weird Sleep
Have you ever noticed how a child goes to sleep?
We adults go to sleep in a standard manner: we get into a comfortable position, grab a blanket or a pillow or anything cosy, we close our eyes, and wait until we sort of “lose consciousness.”
Babies do it differently. I dunno if this is only my son, or if it applies to all babies, although I believe the latter is more likely.
When they’re sleepy, they can’t calm down. They need to be calmed down, one way or another. If you’re lucky, your child gets to calm himself down easily. If your child’s like mine, you’ll learn many ways and in the end will be extremely creative and witty and tactical about sleeping stuffs, and eventually have an easier life ^__^
Anyway, once they’re calmed down, they don’t close their eyes just yet.
If they’re lying down, they’d roll over here and there once in a while, chitter chatter quite some, stare blankly to a direction, and then, after a while, very slowly, their eyes start to blink slowly, heavily. After some slow, heavy blinks, back open ever briefly, and then blink more slowly and more heavily, their eyes finally close.
When that happens, babies need some 3 minutes or so to go into deep sleep, and after that mommies can leave (or put them in bed if they were carried and swayed) and enjoy “freedom.”
I think it’s weird. Isn’t it MUCH easier and faster to just close their eyes and relax BEFORE falling asleep instead of AFTER?
Sometimes I want to try and keep my eyes open for as long as I can before I fall asleep just like that. But I’ve never succeeded doing that. Because naturally, when I’m really really sleepy, there’s nothing else I want to do, but to close my eyes and surrender. That’s the very best part of sleeping. The ultimate relaxation.
I wonder how long babies do that. Darren is nearly 18 months, and he’s still doing that weird stuff before falling asleep.
We adults go to sleep in a standard manner: we get into a comfortable position, grab a blanket or a pillow or anything cosy, we close our eyes, and wait until we sort of “lose consciousness.”
Babies do it differently. I dunno if this is only my son, or if it applies to all babies, although I believe the latter is more likely.
When they’re sleepy, they can’t calm down. They need to be calmed down, one way or another. If you’re lucky, your child gets to calm himself down easily. If your child’s like mine, you’ll learn many ways and in the end will be extremely creative and witty and tactical about sleeping stuffs, and eventually have an easier life ^__^
Anyway, once they’re calmed down, they don’t close their eyes just yet.
If they’re lying down, they’d roll over here and there once in a while, chitter chatter quite some, stare blankly to a direction, and then, after a while, very slowly, their eyes start to blink slowly, heavily. After some slow, heavy blinks, back open ever briefly, and then blink more slowly and more heavily, their eyes finally close.
When that happens, babies need some 3 minutes or so to go into deep sleep, and after that mommies can leave (or put them in bed if they were carried and swayed) and enjoy “freedom.”
I think it’s weird. Isn’t it MUCH easier and faster to just close their eyes and relax BEFORE falling asleep instead of AFTER?
Sometimes I want to try and keep my eyes open for as long as I can before I fall asleep just like that. But I’ve never succeeded doing that. Because naturally, when I’m really really sleepy, there’s nothing else I want to do, but to close my eyes and surrender. That’s the very best part of sleeping. The ultimate relaxation.
I wonder how long babies do that. Darren is nearly 18 months, and he’s still doing that weird stuff before falling asleep.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
A Blast with Bule ;)
Life without nanny is busier than I thought. Especially when there are many unusual agendas for the days, i.e. social events, health disturbances, etc.
I’m not sure I’ll be able to write much on this blog. At least not until I finish my current project, which would probably take about a month or so.
And after that, MAYBE, just maybe, we might be moving out, who knows?
Anyway, although the past few weeks were full of social meetings, with family and friends, they’ve been a blast!
I met several old friends from high school, one of whom has been living in the Netherlands. She brought her “bule” husband. And to my surprise, although Darren’s a bit awkward to him (the bule), meaning that Darren would barely touch him and refused to kiss him, Darren likes him so so much that he keeps mentioning his name, “Oom Sy..”, sometimes up until he fell asleep at nights!
I was told that sometimes babies just aren’t friendly with people that are “different” from them. By different I mean another race. I wasn’t quite sure about it.
When Darren met my friend’s hubby, he had a thin moustache and beard, so we thought it was probably why Darren wouldn’t kiss him. Darren feels ticklish with moustache and beards, also stuffed animals with rough hairs hehehe...
But then again, after he shaved and had his face all clean, he tried getting Darren to kiss him, but Darren refused hehehe... So we thought he probably just wasn’t comfortable with “bules”.
It was kinda odd, coz it wasn’t the first time Darren met a “bule”.
He met another friend’s hubby once, when he was about 10 months old. But he probably was too young to understand back then.
And when Darren was born, was he surrounded by many “bules”!
In fact, the doctor who first took care of him right after he came out of my belly was a “bule.”
Nonetheless, we’re looking forward to meeting more “bules”, so we can watch Darren’s reactions.
One thing’s for sure, if he/she’s fun to play with, Darren doesn’t mind what their skin colour is, so long as they don’t ask for a kiss.
I’m not sure I’ll be able to write much on this blog. At least not until I finish my current project, which would probably take about a month or so.
And after that, MAYBE, just maybe, we might be moving out, who knows?
Anyway, although the past few weeks were full of social meetings, with family and friends, they’ve been a blast!
I met several old friends from high school, one of whom has been living in the Netherlands. She brought her “bule” husband. And to my surprise, although Darren’s a bit awkward to him (the bule), meaning that Darren would barely touch him and refused to kiss him, Darren likes him so so much that he keeps mentioning his name, “Oom Sy..”, sometimes up until he fell asleep at nights!
I was told that sometimes babies just aren’t friendly with people that are “different” from them. By different I mean another race. I wasn’t quite sure about it.
When Darren met my friend’s hubby, he had a thin moustache and beard, so we thought it was probably why Darren wouldn’t kiss him. Darren feels ticklish with moustache and beards, also stuffed animals with rough hairs hehehe...
But then again, after he shaved and had his face all clean, he tried getting Darren to kiss him, but Darren refused hehehe... So we thought he probably just wasn’t comfortable with “bules”.
It was kinda odd, coz it wasn’t the first time Darren met a “bule”.
He met another friend’s hubby once, when he was about 10 months old. But he probably was too young to understand back then.
And when Darren was born, was he surrounded by many “bules”!
In fact, the doctor who first took care of him right after he came out of my belly was a “bule.”
Nonetheless, we’re looking forward to meeting more “bules”, so we can watch Darren’s reactions.
One thing’s for sure, if he/she’s fun to play with, Darren doesn’t mind what their skin colour is, so long as they don’t ask for a kiss.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Sunday Fun
Darren loves to go to Sunday School.
He loves to sing along and move along the songs, although he doesn’t follow them very well yet.
He looks forward to going to Sunday School on every Sunday.
Darren has three regular Sunday School teachers.
Two of them are nice, middle-aged ladies. The other one’s a pretty, young lady at her teens.
Darren seems to like the last one best ^__^
Last Sunday, his favorite SS teacher was leading the singing and dancing. Out of the blue, he went by himself and sat right by her!
If you’re curious, I sat in the far side of the room. He usually sat by my side or on my lap, and then I would try to make him follow all the activities, but it would only last for some 15 minutes.
But this time, to my surprise, he happily sat on his own, on the foremost line (!) and sang and danced along the songs (though very limitedly). In fact, he was the youngest and the smallest kid there who join his SS teachers sing and dance.
Darren seemed enthusiastic to sing and dance along, although he only knew a few songs (because I didn’t know the song well enough to teach him hehehe...).
It was a pleasant surprise to learn that he’s somewhat independent and confident enough to do that.
(There were several other kids around 2 years old or more who wouldn’t join any activity, and just played around with all the available toys.)
Being a 17 month-old, please keep in mind that he does have a short attention span. After singing and dancing along a few songs, he came to me and sat on my lap. Some 5 minutes later, he was all around the room, no longer paying attention.
Nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise ^__^
He loves to sing along and move along the songs, although he doesn’t follow them very well yet.
He looks forward to going to Sunday School on every Sunday.
Darren has three regular Sunday School teachers.
Two of them are nice, middle-aged ladies. The other one’s a pretty, young lady at her teens.
Darren seems to like the last one best ^__^
Last Sunday, his favorite SS teacher was leading the singing and dancing. Out of the blue, he went by himself and sat right by her!
If you’re curious, I sat in the far side of the room. He usually sat by my side or on my lap, and then I would try to make him follow all the activities, but it would only last for some 15 minutes.
But this time, to my surprise, he happily sat on his own, on the foremost line (!) and sang and danced along the songs (though very limitedly). In fact, he was the youngest and the smallest kid there who join his SS teachers sing and dance.
Darren seemed enthusiastic to sing and dance along, although he only knew a few songs (because I didn’t know the song well enough to teach him hehehe...).
It was a pleasant surprise to learn that he’s somewhat independent and confident enough to do that.
(There were several other kids around 2 years old or more who wouldn’t join any activity, and just played around with all the available toys.)
Being a 17 month-old, please keep in mind that he does have a short attention span. After singing and dancing along a few songs, he came to me and sat on my lap. Some 5 minutes later, he was all around the room, no longer paying attention.
Nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise ^__^
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