Isaac is English?! (studio pix 8)

Sometime last week or the week before that, Isaac came home from school and told me that he had a new friend - as in, a new classmate. A boy named Hamzah. Instinctively, my brain started to process the information, and wanted to classify the new information I received and the question was out of my mouth before I really thought about it...

Me: Hamzah? That's a unique name. Is Hamzah Chinese or Malay? (I thought it made a cool 'christian' name - you never know, these days.)
Isaac looked at me in a HUH? look - he didn't understand my question. Quickly, I realised that he had no concept of race or nationality - which is natural - that's something you learn... So I tried to explain myself by giving examples...

Me: Oh, is Hamzah Malay like Marcel? Or Chinese like Kevin?
Isaac paused. Thinking over my question... then... without answering my question...

Isaac: Mummy, I am English!!!Hahahhaa... it was hilarious. I laughed so hard my tears came. Isaac my English boy!!! :)

Pretty? (studio pix 7)

Early one morning, when we just woke up... I had Shawna with me on our bed, and Isaac was up already... We were just stoning, not fully awake yet, when...

Isaac: Mummy, is Shawna pretty?
Me: Hmmm, do you think Shawna's pretty?
Isaac: Yes! She's pretty!
Me: Haha yeah! I think so too! :) Who else is pretty?
Isaac: Macy!
Me: Yes, Macy! And who else is pretty?
Isaac: Xinrui!
Me: And who else?
Isaac: And Alycia!
Me: Yes! And who else is pretty?
Isaac: And Jiaying!
Me: And who else? (thinking to myself that, Isaac's pretty much named all the girls in his class, well done!)
Isaac: I dunno! *perplexed* OH!!! Teacher Lina and Teacher Foong Ling... and you Mummy!!! You're pretty!!!
Me: *beam*beam*

Now, I swear I wasn't gunning for that!!! :p

Such a charmer he is. Oh, but did I tell you what he's been doing lately? He been using my flabby tummy as his punching bag!!! He comes up to me and starts slapping and punching my flabby tummy and I'm like "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" then he goes "I beat your stomach!!! Hahahahha" Gosh. He sounds like me. hhahahhahahaa...Time really flies! It's been almost 5 months since we took these pix! Shawna is starting to crawl as well, and both of them have teeth out (ouch!). They both now "recognise people" and would often cry out to me and hubbs when they want us to carry. They have also started on semi-solids - baby cereal etc (Frisocreme smells great!). They're turning 8 months old soon, on Sept 6th (which is Auntie Hweech's birthday! Gosh I must remember on the actual day itself!!!). Before we know it, the twins would be a year old!!! wow!!!

pix above taken on 10th April 2010
Isaac @ 2 years & 8 months plus
Asher & Shawna @ 3 months plus

United Colours of Isaac (studio pix 6)

You know how Isaac knew his colours from a young age, right? I remember I took the opportunity to teach his colours early, coz I liked to talk to him a lot. As in, I would literally give him a running commentary on everything he sees.

Like in the car, I would go:"Look at that big truck, Isaac! Isn't it huge?!" or "Look at the sky! Aren't the colours beautiful?!" Soon, I realised that in order to adequately point something out to him, I need him to know his colours. Like ya know "Look at the tall trees, Isaac. The green things are the trees, no, that's a bus, that's not a tree. THOSE are trees, those green bushy thingys?!"
So anyway he knows his colours well. And recently, we realised that he would use colours to refer to things which he doesn't know the name of. But then we realised that we have to remember what he is trying to refer to!

Isaac: Mummy, where is my Red?
Me: Huh? What red?
Isaac: My Red, Mummy, my Red!!!
Me: Huh? what what? What is red? What are you referring to?
Isaac: *getting increasingly flustered* MY RED!!! I WANT MY RED!!!
Me: *suddenly occurred to me* OH! Your red Woody Woodpecker Lunch Box with your cars inside?!
Isaac: Yes, my Red.
Me: Your red lunch box. Say, red box.
Isaac: My red box. Where is it, Mummy?
Me: Oh, it's at home. I'd find it for you when we get home, okay?
Isaac: Okay :)
DISASTER AVERTED!!!
Earlier this month... as we were leaving my sister's place. We were all getting into the car...

Isaac: Papa, where's my Blue?
hubbs: Huh? What's blue? *flashes me a questioning glance*
Isaac: My Blue! My Blue!
Me: Isaac, say properly, what is blue? Describe to us?
Isaac: Where is my Blue!?!?
hubbs: Oh!!! Your BLUE skate scooter that Ee-ee just gave you, issit?
Isaac: Yes, my Blue.
Me: Skate scooter, Isaac. It's called your skate scooter.
Isaac: Skate scooter. Where?
hubbs: It's in the back of the car. We got it.
Isaac: Okay.
DISASTER AVERTED!
Yesterday night, we just picked up hubbs, and we were parking the car... Isaac was sitting with him...

Isaac: Papa, *said Isaac, touching hubbs' chin* You use the Green?
hubbs: Yes, I used the green.
Me: huh? what's green?
Isaac: And here? *touching hubbs upper lips* You never use the Green?
hubbs: No, not yet, haven't use the green.
Me: *getting very bewildered* huh, what's green?!
hubbs: Shaver
Me: Oh.... *roll*eyes*That's United Colours of Isaac for you!!! :)

Wah lau... (studio pix 5)

Wah lau, we still posting studio pix?! Yes we are!!! hahahaha...

Actually, personally, I don't use the phrase "wah lau" very often... I prefer the more gek seh, angmohfied "wah lioaz" - I also think that this version is not as vulgar. As for hubbs... well... compared with the time before we got together many years ago - think his language use is definitely more refined now :p
I also constantly remind him that we have to watch our language in front of Isaac, as kids learn by osmosis and I would have no doubt he would pick up stuff from us. Hubbs used to shrug me off, especially when Isaac was younger. But I remember one of the incidents that really surprised us was when Isaac was only about 2 plus years.
Incident #1: Isaac was in the car with hubbs, and hubbs drove and was about to exit the carpark, when he realised that his cashcard ran out of money. And we were in a rush. So he went:"F*ck!" under his breath. But Isaac heard him and said "F*CK!" !!!

Incident #2: Isaac was with me this time. I can't recall exactly what happened. Also in the car I think. Something happened lah, and I muttered "Sh*t!" - and Isaac heard and went "SH*T!!!"

yikes!!! really shocked us at that time cos he was really quite young.
But recently, we're realising more and more how fast Isaac is picking things up from us (or whoever!) that we're really amazed at how quickly he learns... and how carefully we really have to watch our language now!

Hubbs was driving home, and going rather fast at that, coz it was late (sunday night) and we had to work the next day... The road was pretty bumpy and it didn't help that hubbs was going fast, so the car was moving quite a bit... Isaac was trying to drink water from his water bottle.

Isaac: Wah lau, Papa, you make me spill my water already.
hubbs and I started sniggering, coz he said "wah lau".
Me: Isaac, who teach you to say "wah lau"? I mean, who says "wah lau" at home? Is it Papa?
hubbs: Hey... me meh? No, Isaac, who says "wah lau" in school or at home? Who?
Isaac laughs and laughs and said again "Wah lau, Papa you make me spill my drink AGAIN!"
Me: Who? who? Who says "Wah lau"? you learn from who?
Isaac: You don't scold me for spilling my water ah. You see lah. Wah lau.
We couldn't stop laughing.
Me: Isaac, don't say "wah lau" lah, so vulgar. Can you say "Papa, please drive more carefully so that I won't spill my drink."
Isaac: Wah lau, my drink spill already.
hubbs: hahahaha who say wah lau?!
Isaac: *grinz* Shawna!
Me: Really???
Isaac: No, Asher!!!
Me: *scowl* Are you sure?
Isaac: ALYCIA!!!
Me: Yeah right.

We never knew... but now... come to think about it... I think it's my father-in-law!!! ;ppix taken on 10th April 2010

Pix, pix and more pix!!! (studio pix 4)

Studio pix batch 4! Just three pictures this time round. It was really fun taking pix that day. We only wished that Shawna was awake when we took pictures. But with kids that young, it's hard to coordinate. But think the pictures still came out pretty well.
So it's a good thing that Shawn & Helena (Mr & Mrs Photographer) have converted one of the rooms in their home into a home studio! We can't wait to try it out! Especially now that the twins are older and are able to keep awake for a longer period of time.
Look at these two pix ;p I thought hubbs looked quite funny hahaha reminds me of the times when we did Playback Theatre. Think the next time round when we take pix at the home studio, I'm gonna suggest we take more candid shots like that. Experiment a little, huh.

pix taken on 10th April 2010

Oh and I just thought of a good reason why I wanted more kids, so that when I take photo, they'd block me - like in these pix - so that I won't look so fat! hahahahahhahahahaa... kidding. that's NOT why I have kids. silly. It's just an added bonus point ;p

I'm so fat I need to exercise!!! urrghhhh!!!! Just on Sunday, hubbs took a pic of me and Isaac. I looked at the pic and said:"Gosh! I look so fat here!" And hubbs said:"Right. Yes. That's what it is." BASKET. sighz. I need to exercise!!!

Updates on twins (studio pix 3)

The third installment of studio pix for your viewing pleasure (or displeasure!) :p Mrs Photographer was the one who came up with this idea of the totem - I remember. She was trying to feed baby Rachel while giving us instructions on how to stand and how to hold the babies. She's got a good eye for such things! :)
Updates! updates! Asher's teeth broke surface a couple of weeks back, a few weeks after Shawna's did. Lately, I also realised that his hair is longer now. His hair grows slower than Shawna's does. Shawna's hair is thicker (each strand) whereas Asher's hair is very fine. It's amazing how different they are, really :)

One comment that we tend to receive is that they each "have their own face" - meaning, they look different lah. People tend to comment that Shawna's got a "girl face" and Asher's got a "boy face" or that Shawna looks like me whereas Asher looks like hubbs. All we say to these comments is: "Heng ah!!!" ;p or as we would say in English - Thank goodness!!! :) Praise the Lord!!! hahahhahaa...

Shawna has started to crawl, though not as efficiently as Asher yet. That isn't to say that Shawna is not mobile though. She moves about a lot and gets to where she wants by wriggling her butt, and swiveling on her hips, or by flipping here and there. She's very good at it. Did I mention too that she's very adept at reaching out and grabbing for things with her hands? Asher's starting to do that too. So when I carry them and eat at the same time, I have to make sure they don't reach out and grab my plate off the table!

pix taken on 10th April 2010

Both of them will also ask to be carried now. Shawna would look at me, cry out as though she was calling out to me, and hold out her arms towards me, to indicate that she wants me to carry. She is starting to recognise people and would not allow unfamiliar people to carry her. She is fine to play on the mat if I sit next to her, but once I walk away, out of sight, she will cry coz she doesn't see me :) This is normal developmentally. It will be awhile more before she learns that out of sight does not mean the subject ceases to exist.

Asher, with his efficient crawling, will crawl towards the person he wants to be carried by. He will literally crawl to me, and start rubbing his face on my knee/thigh, and making pleading noises, to ask to be carried. He still doesn't sit stable yet, but he's learning. Unlike Shawna, Asher is quite okay with unfamiliar people carrying him. We have to be careful to make sure he doesn't get carried away, literally!

Isaac was more like Shawna, could recognise people and didn't allow unfamiliar people to carry him. Even at this age of 3, he still doesn't take to 'strangers' very well. Just the other day, we met Auntie Helen in church, and you know what she called Isaac? She said that he's a "Touch Me Not" !!! hahaha... how apt!

But for all three of them, they're very smiley. Shawna and Isaac (when he was a baby), despite them not willing to let strangers carry them - they would always smile at people. Very smiley. Asher - like my mum commented - smiles the moment you look at him (and catch his eye). The happy one, indeed! :)

Skinny hubbs! (studio pix 2)

This is the second batch of studio pix for your viewing pleasure! :) If you're thinking to yourself that the pix don't look very different - just look at Isaac. Most of the time, HE is the variable!!! :p
You know how skinny hubbs is. He has always been skinny. He can eat A LOT and STILL be skinny. Envious envious. Bottomless pit, he certainly is. He has always been 'healthy skinny' though. Like not toooooo skinny. Especially at one time when he was doing a lot of rock climbing - had pretty buff bod at that time :p (yes, that was before we got married).Well, recently, everyone who's seen hubbs have been commenting that he's lost weight! Seriously, everyone from neighbours, to relatives, to friends, to my colleagues, even Isaac's teachers! And truly, I have never seen hubbs with a flatter butt than now - and that's saying something!

As hubbs puts it, he has lost 10kg since the start of this year... when Asher & Shawna were born. Usually he says this to illustrate how "not easy" it is to raise a pair of twins. Well, okay, he attributes 6 kg of his weight loss to this.

pix taken on 10th April 2010

The other 4kg was lost during this past month or so, when he fell sick with the viral fever (9 days of fever!) during the same period when the twins were hospitalised and Isaac, my MIL and even the helper fell sick. Then my mum and I caught a bit of it towards the end of the run.

Last week, we had another run of the virus - think a different one this time. This round, Isaac started the fever first, then Asher, then Shawna, and now hubbs is running an on-off fever for the past 3 days. sighz.

Poor hubbs. Not sure why he's been hit by this spell of poor health. Think he's not very used to it either - coz all his life, he's been very active in sports and all, and has always been in the pinkest of health. We feel that it's coz he occasionally helps me out at night when both babies cry at the same time - we noticed that he tends to feel very tired and weak when he hasn't had enough sleep.

Sigh! Get well soon, hubbs!!! :)

Studio Pix on 10th April 2010!

Some of you may have noticed the studio pix on my facebook, and on the left column of this blog :) Yeah we took studio pix!!! hehehe... and you know how (like wedding pix) that every picture seems nice? hahaha so for the next 10 blog posts - I'm going flood you with all the pix I thought were nice... my blog - I get to do whatever I want ;p !!! kekeke...
My JC Odac clique had 4 of us pregnant at about the same time - within 6 months - 5 babies were born - so the kiddos are all about the same age. One of the Daddies - Daddy Shawn of lil' Rachel is into photography. So when Helena & Shawn suggested this photo session at the studio - we were all game!
We had tonnes of fun that day, posing and all. Isaac wasn't as cooperative as we'd hoped he'd be, but all things considered, the pix came out pretty good (Isaac got super cranky as the morning wore on).

I cropped this picture of Isaac below from one of the pix that I'd looked awful in. Look, you can see the blemish on his chin where his classmate Chewy bit him. kekeke... The scar's gone now, thankfully. Hahaha...pix above taken on 10th April 2010
Isaac @ 2 years and 8 months plus
Asher & Shawna @ 3 months plus

Some of you, having seen our studio pix on Facebook, have already been smsing me asking me for details of it. Well, here's a preview for you! Below is the flyer that Shapes Photography is sending for printing as we speak (click on the picture to see a bigger version of it). You may also visit Shawn & Helena's website at http://www.shapes.sg/ to see more of Shawn's pictures. If you don't see any package which suits what you want - do give Shawn a call, contact number's avail on the website. Oh and you know what? They've got a home studio set up - which I think is perfect for those of us with babies

Isaac Mummy's birthday!

piIt's been awhile since we posted any videos. Here's two! Isaac singing happy birthday to me in English and in Chinese. Here's the link to the post on what we did on my birthday 12 May 2010 :p

pix & vids taken on 12th May 2010
Isaac @ 2 years 9 months plus
Mummy very old already

Asher & Shawna, my happy babies!

It's coming August and I'm still in May!!! Yikes!!!

It's now 1st August 2010, and Shawna can speak gibberish already. Like as though she is talking (and complaining) hahaha... We think she'd be a fast talker... as in, she'd start talking before Asher and before Isaac did at that age.

Shawna's also very good at reaching out for stuff. If I carry her at the table now, she'd always reach out and grab whatever within reach. She also recognises me and hold her arms out to signal that she wants me to carry her :)

Shawna has started to "recognise people" and now would only allow people familiar to her to carry her. If someone she is unfamiliar with carries her, she would start fussing and crying.

Asher is not so discerning. Not sure it's coz he doesn't yet "recognise people" or is it his character? Coz he does recognise me, and would also want me to carry him if he see me (he doesn't hold out his arms though, he whines... ;p) But Asher is fine with anyone carrying him. Asher's very strong and can remain in this position for quite a long period of time. It's his favourite position. Shawna's favourite position right now is sitting up.
Asher still can't sit steadily on his own, but he can really crawl now! I put him at one end of the mattress and tried to take pix of him. But coz he wanted me to carry him, he kept crawling towards me and I had to keep backing up so that I could take pix! hahaha...Both Asher and Shawna are very smiley and happy babies. Just like Isaac! :) Hehehe... just like Mummy and Papa? *grinz* :p

pix taken on 23rd May 2010

Asher & Shawna @ approx 4 and a half months