Play time

I really thank God that both Isaac and Caitlin appear to adore and love each other.  Of course there are times when Isaac gets a little jealous and wants a little more attention, but overall, he's a very understanding koko, and does all sorts of silly antics to amuse his sister ;)  I love it that Caitlin will happily play in the living room when Isaac's around.

Isaac - 4 years 3 months

The day finally came when you turned 4 years old - on the plane journey back to Malaysia!!  You must have been the happiest boy when you told everybody 'I'm 4 years old!!'  You actually ask about when you'll be turning 5.  Why do you want to grow up so fast?  There were a few celebrations.  It started with your birthday party in Farmer Teds, then the air stewards from both legs of the plane journey 'created' 2 cakes for you, and then parties when arrived in Malaysia.  How lucky you are!!

About 6 months ago you started a love for dinosaurs, which became a craze, and lasted much longer than we expected.  Now, you can name all sorts of dinosaurs, have many books (including an encyclopedia) on dinosaurs, shirts and dinosaurs and a collection of dinosaur figurines which you play with all the time.  You are still very much into it now and wanted a 'lizarosaurus' for Christmas :)  Richard then arranged a 'dads and lads' movie outing with another 2 friends to watch 'Walking with Dinosaurs' which you loved!!

With 'lizarosaurus (saurophaganax)' which you named 'lizzy'. You got a scleral laceration from its tail on Christmas day itself

Caught you lining your dinosaurs up for a race

We started your swimming lessons in summer and you love it!!  Thankfully you can write quite well now.  Something clicked about a month ago and you could suddenly hold a pen well, control it and write.  Before that, you distaste even holding a pen and I got worried about how slow you were in learning to write (reminds me of the time when I was worried about you being slow in learning to speak ;)).  You have also started reading and is quite confident with 3 and some 4 letter words.  You also add and subtract within 10 well and starting to do within 20 now.  It really helped when popo and gong gong were here as they encouraged you to learn and do things sooo much!!  I need to keep that up :)

As you grow older, I sometimes forget that your life (school, friends, routine) is here in Liverpool and this is your home.  I planned the 6 weeks holiday letting this slip my mind.  After a few weeks, you kept asking to go home to Liverpool because you missed everything about Liverpool.  It did not help that Richard came back to Liverpool after 3 weeks and you missed him terribly.  Not that there's a chance for another long holiday like that, but I have to bear this in mind.

There was also your first school Christmas play.  You came home everyday singing the songs about about a month till I too was humming them in my head.  They were really catchy and nice.  I smile at how you 'fit' in some of the words though and when I correct you, you say but this is what Miss 'J' say it is!!  For example, you kept singing 'wriggly activity' and I say it's 'wriggly Nativity'.  You were a star (as you were in nursery class) who sparkled and danced very well and I'm so proud of you!!  

This was your 2nd church performance and you were much better this year compared to last :) You held up the word 'Ho' very high up and for a long time.  Your arms must have been aching!!

There's so much to write about you as you entertain, amuse and surprise us almost everyday!!  Talking with you is so interesting and I can only imagine it getting more and more fun :) 

Caitlin - 8.5 months

The last time I wrote about you was when you were just under 4 months old, a baby.  You are now heading towards being a toddler with a mind of your own :)  You started sitting at 5 months, belly crawling at 6.5 months, clap your hands at 7 months and about 2 weeks ago learn to wave bye-bye.  Your first tooth was also visible at 7 months and now have 2 front lower teeth (teething is way faster than your koko).

5 months old

6 months old in Malaysia - notice the kisses from mosquitoes

8 month cheeky me

2 front teeth for Christmas!!

I looked back at the posts and pictures of Isaac at about the same age and realise that you both do look very alike, except that you have hair!! Interestingly the photos that I take are similar too :) and of course you both have the same toys!!

The advise is not to compare but it's just natural to do so.  Although similar in many ways, you are more clingy and 'manja' and is less chilled than your brother.  You also put EVERYTHING into your mouth which your koko never did.  Maybe it's a boy / girl thing?  Or maybe it's because Isaac was already in nursery by now and hence have learnt to be more independent?  We'll see how your character and personality continue to develop.

Currently, you recognise your name and starting to communicate by calling out 'uh, uh' to get our attention.  You will also yell out quite loudly when you're excited.  Just like your koko, you are no where near sleeping through the night yet.  You seem to be more picky with your food and love to feed yourself.  Toast seem to be your favourite food!!  I need to give this to you 3 times a day during meals to get you to open your mouth.  You recognise music and would clap your hands when you hear any tunes.  A funny example was when we went shopping and you started clapping your hands when you heard the 'alarm' of the shop entrance go off.  Classic!! :)

I am totally enjoying my maternity leave with both you and Isaac and wish you both won't grow up so quickly. 

Christmas eve ponder

I had a look at my last post which said 'before I know it and it will be Christmas'.  How true....  I opened my posts and realised that there was a draft and so posted that.  Here I am now penning down and reflecting what has happened since September.

It really should come with no surprise that time flies so quickly.  I am 3/4 way into my maternity leave now and both Isaac and Caitlin are growing up so quickly.  Caitlin's no longer a 'baby', and both she and Isaac are learning to play with each other.  We celebrated Isaac's 4th birthday, flew to Malaysia for 6 weeks and have returned in November and submitted my thesis a few days ago.  I really cherish and am enjoying my maternity leave as have never had the luxury of so much time to spend with them (although I really miss work at times as there's no such thing as a 'break' taking care of 2).  Overall, I feel so very blessed and thankful.

There's soooo much more to write but think should be sorting out and updating photos for the previous posts :)

Think we took nearly 10 shots to get this 1 where both Isaac and Caitlin were not too blur from moving and are smiling at the camera

Conversations about God with Isaac

A collection of Isaac's questions/conversation about God...

Isaac: God lives in our heart.
Me:  That's very good
Isaac:  But how did He get there?
Me:  Ermm..

Isaac:  Is God big?
Me: Yes, he's the biggest thing in the world and is everywhere
Isaac:  Ah ha, but he's not bigger than the biggest giant
Me: Yes he is.
Isaac (replies smugly): He is the biggest giant and is the leader of the giants

We are now all recovering from a nasty virus and I've lost my voice. He keeps asking me what is blocking my voice and I say its the germs that are attacking my throat.
Isaac: God can take away the germs from you.
Me:  That's right. So will you pray for me?
Isaac:  OK. I will ask God to take the germs out but make sure the germs don't go into God's throat

Isaac: Mummy, how come nobody knows what God looks like?
Me: That is because God is God and He is everywhere
Isaac (thinks and replies after some time): That is because God lives in our hearts and we cannot see through the heart

Recent outings (now not so recent anymore)

'Over the past few weeks, we have done something every weekend.  This was especially so when Richard's parents were here, but was equally so to keep Isaac entertained.  This is his first experience of a summer holiday of not having school.'

That was written in August, and we're now in the middle of Sept. Where does the time fly to? My thoughts? There's too little time and soooo much to do. I better post this now, as before I know it, we'll be celebrating Christmas??  ;)  So in those summer weekends, we went on the Mersey Ferry, went to the Tatton Park flower show, enjoyed the pirates event by the docks, and made many trips to different parks and museums.  The photos to be uploaded will have to be done another time.

24th December 2013: uploaded photos

Caitlin's updates

NOTE:  Just realised that this post was written 3 weeks ago and not published yet.

You're 15 weeks now and enjoying the last week with Mah mah and Yeh yeh before saying good bye to them.  Have you been spoilt with having constant attention and being carried for all your naps.  They'll definitely be missed...

Only this week you've become suddenly very chatty, and talks to everybody.  You will also smile at whoever is talking, assuming they were talking to you?  Hmm...  You also LOVE your fingers, trying to sometimes put all 10 in at once!!  I have been advised to use a teether but you have yet to learn to hold one steadily.  You can also bring your hands together

We've been trying to encourage you to turn over but still not successful yet ;)  You can do mini push-ups though and moves your hands and feet non-stop.