Random strips of cuteness...

Just because Mama's brain might just have melted under the onslaught of continuous children show,
today's post will just be random collection of Kecil in action.
Do enjoy yourselves!

 

 

Summer school round up

I don't think there was any question about Kecil going for summer school.

After 1 whole term of school, 3 months holiday is simply too long, so the 1 month summer school was a good thing.

Not to mention the fact that it did offer Tante and Eyangs to watch Kecil in school, of course.

But summer school is over, so I guess it's up to Mama now to come up with all kinds of 'interesting' things to do at home, such as swimming, playing ball, do the odd arts and craft thingy... you got the gist.

In the meantime, here are some of the things that Kecil did do during summer school.

(Mama might miss some. She's only human, after all!)

We thought of putting the stuff up on the wall like what we did before.

But it turned out that summer school craft is a bit trickier to collate, so... Mama just put those that can be kept aside, took individual photo shot as the opportunity arise, then a mass photo shoot at the end of the summer term.

You see why the possibility of something got left out is high, right?

But anyway, without further a due:

Summer school crafts

Colored sandwich, star mobile, pasta necklace and a collection of salt dough animals.

You see what I meant about the stuff being trickier to just put up on the wall?

The glass jar bear, and face painting (ha!)

Summery stuff: the sun, a rain/shine mask, and a mini kite.

Another star, an airplane (whoops, actually this was from school proper that did not get documented with the rest), a Mother's day card (2nd Sunday of May) and egg bunting (from Easter)

And lastly, our souvenir from summer school: pasta decorated frame!

The picture was taken right after the kids had face painting. It so happen that Kecil was extra clingy that day (a few days after Eyang and Tante left) so Mama was in the picture as well.

Just need to add that Kecil has quite a proprietary pride in all the things that she did. 

The moment I picked her up and we went to fetch her bag, usually she would start rummaging for whatever craft that was done that day to show Mama (Aww!), and also Daddy later on.

The Kid, my dears, has indeed grown up, no so little anymore.

Mama and Daddy are so proud of you!

Technical difficulties

We are currently experiencing some technical difficulties that has prevented a regular blogging schedule. The technical stuff ranges from Mama getting sick from eating bad stuff, to internet working at internet pace, to Kecil not taking her proper naps (and giving Mama time to write and collate), and so on.
Mama's school has also started, with a report due at the end of this week, so... we'll see how all that will affect blogging schedule.
Of course, Kecil is still happily playing, cavorting, gambolling, and generally making merry.
It does not make taking care of her easy, what with Mama's upset stomach, but I guess her laugh, her smile and her incessant chatter kind of make up for it all.

We'll still have another day in the weekend to rest, so... here's for a better week ahead!

No more school!

As it turned out, it's not yet the end of summer
The sun is still shining brightly (and sooo hoootttt!!!!)
Summer school, however, is officially over.

ehm... is that a cause for a woo hoo or an ugh ogh?

well... whatever it is, no more school, at least for a month.
We'll see how that will affect blogging schedule,
Especially given how the heat is affecting Mama in a positively adverse way (hummpph!)

In the meantime, just to show our appreciation to Kecil's teachers and all their hard work,
We just like to say:

Here's hoping for good times for the rest of summer!

inken inken...

inken inken star...

inken... (via Amazon)

Inken Chitra green...

No clue yet?
Well.. the moral of the story is that we are still working on proper pronunciation and also on proper singing of a certain song (one of many).

As for the individual stories:

These are one of the many school craft projects that Kecil did during her summer school. Mama tried to give it a place of honor in the house, but no success so far. Anyway, Kecil love it, and she's forever singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" everytime she sees the stars. Of course, her version is more like: "inken inken star! mm.. mm... are!"
As mentioned before, we are still working on it.

The second INKEN:

via Amazon

We happen to have this movie in the house, and it has become quite a favorite.
Again, we are still working on the proper pronunciation of 'Tinkerbell'. Still, just in case you were at our house, you would know what to do should Kecil start screaming 'Inken Inken'.
Why, look for the DVD and shove it to the player, of course.

Now as the consequence of the second Inken, we have the third picture:

When Eyang and Tante came for holiday the other day, they brought this particular dress in 3 different colours: green, blue and red, intended to be shared with Kecil's closest friends in the neighborhood. We had left the decision to choose the appropriate colors to the Little One, and she chose green for herself.
Soon afterwards, she came up with the explanation: "Inken Dress!".

Well... I guess... hmm... quite. 
Needless to say, the Inken dress had become one of her new favorite article of clothing, surpassing even the B dress.

And THAT, my dears, is the storie(s) of the Inken Inken.
Have a good day!

The Little Surfer

Well, after the big storm, a few rains and some clouds, the sun apparently decided to come back full time on Sunday. So hot hot hot!
So late afternoon, we decided to follow the sun, and test drive yet another piece of loot from the holiday visit: the surfing board, ahem... the car-shaped float from Eyang.

Ugh, this Mama can feel hot again just by looking at the picture. Here's another one with the sun, which also happen to be Mama's favorite pic:

You might think we are crazy to swim under such HOT sun, but fortunately the swimming pool is usually covered in shade by 3.30pm, so... no sweat.
Mama was kind of hoping that the water would colder though. It was positively warm!

Even Kecil made noise! Hahaha... well.. she went in anyway, and we had a pretty good time in the pool: Kecil, Mama & Daddy.
Too bad there was no kind soul to take some pics for us, so... just take it in faith that we were all there, yes?
Here's for the floating Little One...

How did your weekend go?

Sunday: TO & FRO

TO

FRO

Sunday, as often is, was another essentially a laze-around day with lots of TV, some good (lazy) food, until finally the heat forced us out of the house for some... other activities, like going to and fro around a certain electric pole, apparently.

Well, I'm sure you can already quite tell what we did from the pictures, but we can also keep the stories to fill up this week. With Kecil in school 4 days a week, let's see if we can go back to daily posting, at least for the aforementioned 4 days, shall we?

For the shutterbugs in you, this Mama is trying (and still trying) to capture the elusive 'lens-flare'. Hence, the similar composition. Should you have any comments or suggestion, I would be oh so very happy to hear them!

The first Storm.....

Not to get me wrong.
I realize there were only 3 entry with 'Summer theme'.
The truth is, it's like eternal summer over here, what with the protracted rainy season last year.
It totally feels as if we never know rain. Oi!
So when the first tropical storm hit for the first time last Sunday.... ooooo.....
Excited, gleeful, blessed... do not even begin to describe the feeling we have.
Even when we found out on Monday (when we got to school) that Kecil's school was canceled for the day due to the storm (hmmpph!).

Still... it was really refreshing, in many more ways than one,
Thanks to the breath of fresh air, the break from the necessity of watering the plants, not to mention a certain sight outside my door:

Ain't it a lovely sight?

The story was that we went over next door to give Ami's (belated) birthday present.
After spending some time playing indoor, Ami decided to go out, wearing her own version of 'Rainy Day Regalia': pink raincoat, pink boots and pink umbrella.
Of course Kecil wanted to follow suit.
It so happen that Kecil just got her own raincoat, her Daddy's old raincoat, specially kept and brought by her Eyangs.
As for the boots, they were originally Ami's.
But they have not been worn, since Ami (obviously) preferred the pink ones.
Since they matched Kecil.... well....

I think Kecil was a bit confused with all the stuff about rain.
There she was, looking slightly lost amidst all the excitement (on the part of Ami and the dog).

And because she has very firm ideas about how you should be with an umbrella when it rains, she was so clasping her umbrella firmly throughout.

Well, 2 days afterward, the rains are gone, the sky is back to clear blue, and the temperature had soared back up.
But at least we can live on, knowing we are quite ready for the rains should the season starts
And we are hoping that it will start soon.

Here's to more rain, more greens and more fresh, cool air.
Wishing you joy in whatever season currently gracing your homes!

Happy Mother's Day

 

This Mama still remembers well her first Mother's Day, with a bulging tummy (5 months then), a stalk of carnation and a special blessing during mass.
That was 3 years ago, and the little thing inside the tummy has grown to this lovely Little Girl that I see everyday.

Just want to wish all mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day.

Summer theme: holiday loot

Being the first grandchild from both her maternal and paternal family,
No family visit will be complete without the accompanying loot of gifts for the Little One.
From this holiday alone, included in the loot:

Cute flowery, Hello Kitty hair clips

Cute, girly clothes (enough stock for at least the next 6 months!)

Mickey pyjamas and Indian bangles

Daddy's old raincoat

Absolutely adorable 'bear jacket' (it has ears on the hood, but it was not in the pic)

Not to forget the brand new pool and swimming suit!

This Mama hopes that Kecil will continue in her good nature and not turn into the Demanding Little Brat who would expect loot from every visit. Like this:

Give me!

Ahem.

Nah. But she is quite possessive, which is saying that if you take something she thought of as hers.... she's quick to demand the return of the said item.
We are still working on sharing.

In any case, just in case you were all wondering about Mama and Daddy's share of loot.... why, we have the equivalent of a happy pirate's bounty of a whole stack of nice photographs as well as an extremely happy kid with us. Like this one:

And so we are content. Life is good.
Here's hoping for contentment in life, wherever you might be!

Now and then and now...

Mama came across these photos while flipping through the stack of photos taken during the holiday:

Mama & 'Baby', now

Which somehow brings to mind a certain similar picture, or not quite:

Uhmm.. oh well, not quite similar, then. Can hardly see Mama in the second picture.
Truth to be told, I think my mind focused on other point of similarity: the photos being so obviously taken in a car (the door handle! the door handle! a dead giveaway), and by someone else (photo above is by Tante Lia, while the first 2 were taken by Tante Rina).

The point is, the holiday brought back the realization, how nice it is to have another person around who is equally enthusiastic about wielding the camera. Once in a while, it's kind of nice to see Mama posing naturally instead with one hand at an angle (dripping with sweat while struggling to keep the heavy, big camera in place to get a good pic), or facing the mirror with camera in hand.

Here are Mama's favorites:

Mama and the Water Baby

Mama & the Zebra Whisperer

Uhmm... only 2. Haha... It would seem that the rest did not quite make the cut.
Maybe Mama needs to learn some modeling 101.

With the family gone (Eyangs and Tante left last Sunday), it's back to creative self-portraits, I'm afraid.
Unless, of course, yet another family member or friends are coming over sometime soon.
Any taker?

*All photos, except the one with the little baby, are taken by Tante Rina. The old photo, as mentioned, was taken by Tante Lia. The one with the Zebra Whisperer is obviously Mama's favorite.

Summer theme: Outside

Going outside

 As summer temperature soars, Mama & Kecil simply had to come up with ways to cope.
To Mama's understanding, there are basically 2 school of thoughts: you can hunker down and hide, or you can simply embrace it.
Given the relative cost (central airconditioning bill is so NOT cheap!), we chose the obvious choice of embracing the heat.
Went outside, enjoy the heat, and the ability to do things that is only possible given the heat.
Like.....

Splashing around?
Ahaha... something like that.
Summer is nation-wide holiday over here with schools going on holiday for the whole 3 months.
Naturally, shops are stocked to the brim with all summer 'essentials', things like inflatable pools, sand castle making equipment, etc.
Such irresistible offering for some family members given the presence of a certain precocious toddler.
So after a brand new set of swimming suit, a set of inflatable pool (inflated using our kind neighbor's pump), we're off for some serious summer splashing!

Splashin'

Posing?

Coming out

And of course, since we borrowed the pump from our neighbor, we should also invite her to the pool, right?

Kecil &Ami

Tit for Tat

Ugh ogh, I guess it is a bit much to expect the two of them to play 'nicely' for too long, ya?

But anyway, we are enjoying summer so far, outside.
What kind of weather are you enjoying currently?

"My life in paradise"