Gym class!

These pix were taken one of the mornings when we were getting to the car to leave home for Isaac's school and work. If we happen to park in a certain part of the carpark lot on the ground floor, Isaac would want to walk on the ledge (? whadya call that?) balancing his way.
Isaac has always been quite physically inclined. He met his physically milestones early - stuff like, flipping over when he was a baby, starting to crawl early, and walk early too. He likes to play rough with hubbs, and literally uses hubbs as his personal gym & playground equipment by climbing all over hubbs and balancing on his shoulders or 'walking' up hubbs' leg etc...
So when I heard that they have extra classes in school that we could sign him up for and one of them was "gym class" - I knew Isaac would love it. So I signed him up for it, thinking that he would enjoy it from Day 1.

Alas, it was not to be! The very first day of gym class, I checked with Teacher Foong Ling if Isaac enjoyed gym class. She instinctively nodded, but paused awhile, and said "But he cried." Apparently, Isaac had some kind of separation anxiety - he didn't want to be separated from the teachers he was familiar with - Teacher Foong Ling and Teacher Lina - to go to Gym Class who was conducted by external instructors.
That first lesson, it took him very long to get acclimatised to the gym class teachers and only towards the end of the class was he more relaxed and enjoying himself. He also tried to make excuses to leave the lesson to go out to look for his teachers FL & L - by giving the excuse that he needed to go to the toilet.

By the end of that Thursday, when I picked him up, he was pretty traumatised from being forced to attend gym class that he repeated kept telling me that he didn't want to go gym class. The next day on Friday, and over the weekend, he continually kept repeating "I don't wanna go gym class."
He was so traumatised that, come Monday, he said he didn't want to go to school. I thought it was odd of him to say that coz he enjoys school. So I asked him...

Me: Why don't you want to go school?
Isaac: Don't want.
Me: Why?
Isaac: Don't want school.
Me: Oh. (then I kept quiet. after awhile...)
Isaac: Mummy, today no gym class. No gym class, right?
Me: Oh... no, no, today no gym class.
Isaac nods.
Me: Is that why you don't want to go school?
No answer.
Me: You want gym class?
Isaac: No! No!!! No gym class!
Me: It's okay, today don't have. (pause) Why don't you like gym class?
Isaac doesn't answer.
Me: Is it coz... Teacher Foong Ling and Teacher Lina are not there?
Isaac looks at me, and nods.
Me: Oh... I see... But you know that Teacher Foong Ling and Teacher Lina are just outside, right? They're right there.
Isaac just looks at me, and keeps quiet. Looking a bit sad and anxious.
Me: They're right outside. They're waiting for you to finish gym class. You don't have to be scared, they're right there. (Richard Marx 'Right There Waiting' playing in the background... kidding! :p)

pix above taken on 25th March 2010
Isaac @ 2 years 7 months plus

The next day, I quickly pre-empted Teacher FL, telling her that they better start psychoing Isaac to prepare him for gym class that coming Thursday. "Psychoing" meaning to keep telling Isaac about it, to prepare him mentally by talking him through it. I have found this method of communicating with Isaac to be very useful and effective. Perhaps it's coz I have been doing this with Isaac since young.

I don't know whether they did it in school. But at home, we started psychoing him. We'd constantly mention gym class, and talk to him about it. At the start, he used to get all worked up when the words "gym class" was mentioned. But I kept telling him that his favourite two teachers were just outside waiting for him, and that gym class is fun etc.

As the weeks pass, Isaac grew to like gym class. I suppose he got used to the gym class teachers, and he realised that teachers FL & L were really just outside, and most of all, he enjoyed what they did in class. Probably. I'm just guessing, but I think I'm probably right on most counts. But what matters is, he was no longer 'afraid' of gym class.

On Thursdays, I'd ask him if he enjoyed gym class that day, he'd say Yes! On days I forget to ask, he'd tell me "Mummy, today got gym class." Last week, when he told me that...
Me: Oh yeah... was gym class fun?
Isaac: Yes!
Me: You enjoyed it?
Isaac nods: Yes, enjoyed it.
Me: What did you do in gym class today?
Isaac pauses: Aeroplane!
Me: huh? oh! you pretended to be an aeroplane?
Isaac: Yeah!

Isaac has not learnt to describe his day to me yet. But he's slowly learning to do so. By "aeroplane" I think they were probably learning in gym class to balance on beams, and spreading their arms out (like an aeroplane) to balance themselves.

Just yesterday, Isaac saw Shawna rolling on the mattress and said "Look, Mummy! Shawna is rolling like a sausage!" :) So, I know, in gym class, my Isaac learns to roll like a sausage.

Now, Isaac looks forward to gym class, just as he enjoys school. Well done, everyone! :)

Ash & Shn, Isaac the traffic policeman

Guess what? It's time for the babies' monthly jabs again. And guess how much they weighed in? Asher's a whopping 7.4kg now, and Shawna's doing alright at 6.75kg :) Guess their weight gain is slowing down, but according to the pd, they're both doing good.

Date	Asher	Shawna
10 Jun 10 (21 wks)	7.4kg,64cm	6.75kg,60.5cm
12 May 10 (18 wks)	7.15kg,61.5cm	6.2kg, 58cm
15 Apr 10 (14 wks)	6.7kg, 61cm	5.5kg, 58cm
8 Mar 10 (9 wks)	5.6kg, 58.5cm	4.7kg, 55cm
18 Feb 10 (6 wks)	5.1 kg	4.6 kg
6 Jan 10 (at birth)	2.770 kg, 48cm	2.815 kg, 49cm

I managed to check back and found figures for Isaac @ 21 weeks. He was 7.9kg and 66cm. So he's still heavier and taller than Asher at the same age! This is despite the fact that at 21 weeks, at Isaac's time, I had already gone back to work, and Isaac was refusing to drink my expressed breast milk from the bottle. So his weight kinda stagnated after I went back to work. Yet he still weighs in heavier than Asher.
So all the more, thankfully this time round, both babies are okay with drinking from the bottle. Asher & Shawna can drink 120ml to 140ml every 3 hours now. Pretty good, I must say. Isaac used to take 40ml to 60ml like sporadically, in the day. He'd be famished by the time I got home and hung on to me for dear life sucking the milk out of me :( I used to feel so guilty that if and when I had time, I'd drive to my in laws place during lunch just to let him suckle.
Did I tell you about Daylin? Daylin's my cousin Dawn's 2nd child. She's huge - Daylin is. Apparently she can sleep through the night now - and that's coz she drinks 5 feeds of 180ml every day!!! wow! And she's only like 10 days older than the twins. Power.
Oh yes the twins still wake up at night to drink. At most twice. Each. So I'm up most of the night, yet. Haha. But it was this way since Isaac, who woke up 3 to 4 times a night. So I'm kinda used to it already. My body has since adjusted to less sleep, and I can function alright - like, I won't fall asleep at my desk, or while driving.
Though for a time when I went back to work this time round, I actually did not go back to sleep after feeding the babies, but logged onto the computer at 3am at night, clearing office mails till 5am or 6am. But I stopped doing that... when I started to fall asleep while driving. Which is very bad, yes. Very dangerous. I have this bad habit of falling asleep at the wheel when I am too tired. Major accident when I was 21 - luckily I wasn't hurt. Scary though, and my mum never fails to remind me of it, telling me to get enough rest.
Life is precious yeah. What's a few outstanding emails compared to losing your life. or worse, my son's life. Horrors. Can't and don't want to imagine that. So... yeah... I stopped checking emails in the dead of the night. Now, I resort to going in to office when hubbs has to work on weekends. And I'm planning to get a Blackberry so that I can clear emails while breastfeeding the kids. I used to think that I wouldn't want to be able to check office mails on the go coz that'd mean that I'm working 24/7 - well, times have changed huh. No choice... haiz.
Speaking of driving, did I tell you what a traffic policeman my Isaac is? He's very... the thing, when we drive... hahaha... can't think of an adjective lah... Judge for yourself... Here's what Isaac says when I/we drive...

Isaac: Mummy, be careful that black car, ah.
Me: Yes, I'd be careful.
Isaac: Be careful the taxi car, ah.
Me: okay.
Isaac: Oh be careful that motorcycle.
Me: Yes, I'd be careful I don't bang him.
Isaac: Be careful that, that, that -
Me: Cardboard on the ground? Yes, I'd be careful of the cardboard on the ground.
Isaac: Yes, be careful ah.
Isaac: Mummy, put your two hands on the steering wheel when you drive.
Me: Yes, my two hands are on what.
Isaac: Like that! (Puts his hands out at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock)
Me: Like that also can (my hands on 11 o'clock and 5 o'clock)
Isaac: No!!! Like that! (Puts his hands out at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock)
Me: okay okay!!! (Shifts my hands to 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock)
Isaac: Mummy, don't drive so fast.
Me: I very fast meh? (peeking at the speedometer - 80kmh?)
Isaac: Yes, very fast. Drive slow.
Isaac: Drive slowly (he corrects himself)
Me: Oh okay. But actually not very fast what.
Isaac: Fast! Drive slowly.
Me: Okay okay!
Sometimes when Isaac is feeling tired in the morning, and not too perky. He'd want me to hold his hand while I drive. Which is a lucky thing this car is an auto car...

Isaac: Mummy, hold my hand.
Me: Oh okay, are you alright?
Isaac: Yes. Just hold my hand.
Me: Oh. Okay. But I have to drive you know.
Isaac: Hold my hand!
Me: But I thought I am supposed to put both hands on the steering wheel?
Isaac: Hold my hand!!
Me: Oh, I need to turn now, can I have my hand back for awhile?
Isaac: No, hold my hand!!!!!!!

pix taken on 24th March 2010
Asher & Shawna @ 11 weeks

There was this one time, Isaac was drinking from a bottle, in the car. You know, those 500ml bottle, he had unscrewed the cap, and was holding on to the bottle, without drinking, and did not close the cap...

Me: Isaac, can you please cap the bottle.
Isaac: No! I hold like that.
Me: You might spill it. Cap it!
Isaac: No! Don't want!
Me: Or you put it in the cup holder.
Isaac: No!
Me: Yes!
Isaac: No no! You, you, you don't talk to me!
Me: (um chio) don't talk to you?!
Isaac: Yes! You, you, you look at the road while you drive!
Isaac: Put your two hands on the steering wheel!
Me: ?!?! (trying to control my laughter)
Isaac: You don't talk and drive, very dangerous.
Me: You don't change topic okay! You later spill the drink then you know!
Isaac: You don't talk!!! You drive! Don't talk don't talk!!!
Me: !?!?

Asher with Po Po & Gong Gong

Asher with my Dad! Look at Asher smiling. He always seems to smile when my Dad carries him. Bulls of a hoof stampede together, I suppose. They're both bulls! So my Dad is 60 lunar years older than Asher & Shawna!

above 2 pix taken on 26th March 2010
Asher @ 11 weeks or 2 month plus

Look, these last 3 pix were taken on 21st March 2010. Just a week difference and see how Asher's grown! :)

pix taken on 21st March 2010
Asher @ 10 weeks plus
Isaac @ 2 years and 7 months plus

Colour coded for your convenience!

You know, as different as the twins look, there are still some people who say to us "They look soooooooo similar!!! Which one boy, which one girl, huh?" This is also despite the fact that more often than not, Shawna's in pink and Asher's in blue! DUH!? ;p
But it's okay... I forgive them when they say "They're so cute!!!" :) Now, ain't that the truth :)

pix taken on 20th March 2010
Asher & Shawna @ 10 and a half weeks or 2 and a half months

This morning...

This morning, hubbs and I were fussing over Asher & Shawna, coz they both took their jabs yesterday evening - and so could possibly get a fever. So this morning, we were taking their temperature, for both of them. But of course, Isaac wanted to take his temperature as well, so we did. Once, twice... but when he asked to take again, we know he's acting up... so to distract him. I told him to help get me a piece of tissue paper...

Me: Isaac, can you help me take a tissue paper, please?
He didn't react, so I repeated my request and added: I want to blow my nose.
Isaac looked at me curiously and said: Where is your pee sai?
Trying to control my laughter, I said: In my nose, lor.
Isaac tilts his head to look up my nostrils.
Me: Quick, give me a tissue! I need to blow my nose. I reach over and grab a tissue from the box and proceed to blow my nose...
Isaac: Is your tears so very loud?
Me: It's mucous, not tears. And yes, I'm blowing my nose very loudly.
Isaac: So loud! Just like an elephant!
Me: Haha... Yes, just like an elephant.

Dun disturb me ok?

Recently, Isaac got stomach flu and need to take medication. There is this milky medication that taste aweful. Below is a tussle of our conversation:

"Isaac come here and take your medicine."

"Dun want, papa"

"Come here now. Do you want to take it by yourself or PAPA to feed you?" (temper rising)

Then came the classic answer:

"Papa, I going to sleep now. You dun disturb me OK?" Then he lie down immediately on the floor and closed his eyes!

Hahaha... More keng than the father...

Good boy, good girl!

Isaac has been saying so many things worth blogging about (in my humbly proud mummy opinion) that I wish I had a fantastic memory to recall all the conversations I have with him, verbatim - word for word!

This was a short one that I could remember. From a few nights ago...

I asked for a hug, and we hugged, during which I said: "I love you, Isaac."
As an afterthought, sorta like talking to myself, I said: "You're such a good boy."
To which Isaac replied:" I love you, Mummy. You're such a good girl."

hahahahahaha! :)

Say you, say me. Say it forever. Naturally.

See my sweet Shawna. She's got this very sweet look. Even after we cut them both botak in their 4th month, it was still easy to tell the twins apart, coz Shawna had this sweet girly look, whereas Asher had this boyish look.
See, now that Shawna's drinking more, she's starting to have these chubby cheeks. Lately, people have been pointing out her double chin too. hehehe... that's fine for now. But I hope she slims down next time ;p Haven't you seen those research reports that shows that there's a strong correlation between fat babies and obese adults?! horrors! And I was a fat baby! *sob*sob* My mother says that as a baby, all I did was eat sleep eat sleep eat sleep. SIGH. what bliss.
We recently took away one of the cots in our room, and replaced it with the single mattress that Isaac used to sleep on, placed beside our King sized mattress. So now, we have a King sized mattress, a single mattress and one cot, in our bedroom. We like it better this way, seems more spacious. Was a tad cramped with two cots.

For some reason, the babies love the mattress. They would be very happy lying on it. Flipping around on it. Oh yes! Forgot to update. Soon after Shawna flipped, Asher did too. Like within the week. Then, at 19 weeks, Asher was the first to "flip back" - from face down to face up. Then Shawna did too, shortly after.
Thus, at night, sometimes, I'd place one baby on the mattress, and one in the cot. Sometimes, I'd place both babies on the mattress. They love it. They don't bother each other. Sure, their arms and legs get in each other's way sometimes, but they're fine with it. They will not cry coz of it. More often than not, they'd end up beside each other, linking arms, or holding each other's hand.

Pretty often, I catch Asher putting Shawna's hand in his mouth. Or he'd be chewing on her shirt. Doesn't bother Shawna. Sometimes she chews on Asher's hand too. Hmmm... wonder if they'd still 'not mind' when they start having teeth. hahaha...
Isaac loves to lie down on the mattress next to the babies. We'd go like "Isaac! Be careful! What are you doing?!" And he'd go "I want to lie down beside Shawna/Asher." "Oh... okay okay be careful!!!" But there he goes, he'd like, lie down beside them. And he's happy. For like 3 seconds. Then he starts.
Isaac: Mummy, Shawna pull my long sleeve shirt! Can you tell her not to pull my long sleeve shirt please?
Me: It's okay. Nevermind.
Isaac: But she pull my long sleeve shirt! Mummy, can you say Shawna, please?
Me: Nevermind lah Isaac. A bit only.
Isaac: She pull my shirt! See! Mummy, say Shawna! Say Shawna!!!
Me: *sigh* Shawna, (stern voice) please stop pulling kor kor's long sleeve shirt. Okay, Isaac?
Isaac: (beaming from ear to ear) Okay!
Isaac: Mummy, Asher catch my hand!
Me: He's just holding your hand, he didn't "catch" your hand.
Isaac: I don't want Asher to hold my hand!
Me: Why? He's just being friendly. He likes you.
Isaac: No, he's not friendly. He catch my hand!
Me: He likes you, you're his big kor kor. He's just being friendly.
Isaac: No, can you say him, Mummy. Say him.
Me: *sigh* (stern voice) Asher, can you don't hold kor kor's hand. He don't like it. Oh and don't catch him too. He dun like. Happy? (looking at Isaac)
Isaac: (nods enthusiastically, bright eyed and pleased) Yes! Yes!
This morning, Isaac initially laid down between the babies. Then he shifted himself, and placed himself just below both Asher & Shawna's feet!
Isaac: Mummy, Shawna kick me.
Me: She didn't do it on purpose.
Isaac: Can you say her?
Me: I will say her, but you know, she didn't do it on purpose.
Isaac: Say her.
Me: (stern voice) Shawna, can you please don't kick kor kor. But Isaac, why don't you move away? You move away then Shawna won't kick you.
Isaac: Mummy, Asher kick me!
Me: I told you if you move away, then neither of them will kick you!
Isaac: He kick me!
Me: Yes, of course he kick you, you're at his feet! Quick move away, then he won't kick you!
Isaac: Say him, Mummy, tell Asher don't kick me!
Me: Isaac. Can you move away? They are just babies, they cannot control their feet.
Isaac: Can control!
Me: Cannot!
Isaac: Can!
Me: Move away!
Isaac: Say him! Say him, Mummy!
Me: *sigh* Asher! (stern voice) Please don't kick your silly kor kor who chooses to lie down at your feet!

pix taken on 15th March 2010
Isaac @ 2 years 7 months plus
Shawna @ 2 months plus

Me: Okay okay quick get up. Go eat your porridge. We're late already.
Isaac: Not late!
Me: Yes late! At the rate you're going! Quick, come on!
Isaac: No. I want to lie down with Asher & Shawna.
Me: Then stop complaining that they touch you. You lie down next to them, of course they'd touch you. Quick go, you're making me late!
Isaac: Not late!
Me: Yes late.
Isaac: Mummy! Asher pull my long sleeve shirt!
Me: uurrghhh!!! *pulling*hair*
Isaac: Mummy, can you tell him not to pull my long sleeve shirt."
Me: very late already, Isaac, let's go!
Isaac: Mummy, Shawna pull my hand!
Me: Papa!!! Isaac is making me late! Can you say him!!!
Isaac: Mummy can you say Shawna?
Me: Papa!!! Can you tell Isaac not to make me late, please?
Isaac: Not late!
Me: Papa, can you say Isaac?!
Isaac: Don't say me!
Me: Say! Say! Papa, say him!
Papa: ?!?! Isaac...

My sweet sunshine!

Isaac's always been very good with words. Lately, he's been surprising and amusing us on a daily basis with the things he says...

The past few nights, when he comes out from his bath (hubbs bathes him), wrapped in his towel, he'd come to me for me to dress him... this is what he has been saying every night the past few nights.
Isaac: Mummy, I am sunshine!
Me: Are you?
Isaac: Yes, I am sunshine!
Me: :) yes you ARE my sunshine! :)

This morning, you know what my sunshine said to me? :) I was trying to wake him up, so I was hugging him, and tickling him and all... and he turned to me and said:
Isaac: Mummy, you're so pretty!
Me: Really?! (I instinctively turned and look into the mirror, to see a just-wake-up-look, puffy eyed, messy hair me...)
Isaac: Yes.
Me: Hahaha oh thank you, my sunshine! :)
Me: Who taught you to say that? (sorry, cynical me.)
Isaac: Me!
Me: :) hahaha...

My sunshine is most sweet, don't you think? :)

Pulau Ubin

In hubbs' current position as the OIC for NCDCC, he sometimes needs to work weekends. He would often need to be present at some camp or some event or some activity that his cadets were having that weekend. Often, hubbs would bring Isaac along with him. Which is great fun for Isaac, coz he gets to go to the beach, or be at some campsite, play with canoes, and on this occasion, even get sit on a bum boat to go to Pulau Ubin, and visit Chek Jawa. So fun, right?
The babies are too young to be out a whole day like that. If not, you can be sure we'd go along. But not just yet :) We don't mind. We know our time will come. Meanwhile, it's great that Isaac gets to spend quality time with his Papa.
Isaac had a whale of a day in Pulau Ubin. Says hubbs :) here I am typing this post, coz if I wait for hubbs to log in and write about this... erm... wait long long eh. hahaha...
When he came home, Isaac kept on telling me about how he sat in a boat. Clearly a highlight of the day, the boat ride. He also spoke about the crabs he saw at Chek Jawa.
See Isaac in his trekking shoes. He chose to wear those that morning, which was particularly suitable given he'd need to walk a fair bit along the dirt path. We can't have him in his Crocs walking on sand - Isaac's very particular if the dirt gets in his shoes - he'd alert us to this and insist that we take off his shoes, dust off the dirt/sand/stone, and empty his shoe of any other stuff, before putting it back on for him.
Same for water. If his shoes get wet, he'd complain and asks that we dry them out, or he wouldn't wear them - and want us to carry him. Sigh. So im chim, you know. But then, I totally hate sand in my shoes too, so I know how he feels *grinz* So we learn. When we know he's likely to get water/sand/dirt in his crocs (those holes!!!), we'd ask him to wear proper shoes and socks.
Isaac has many many pairs of shoes. Think like 10 pairs or something. Most are courtesy of his cousins Jarrod and Joshua. Only the crocs are new ones I bought him, which he wears most often. So, every morning, Isaac'd have a choice of what shoes to wear. Mostly, he chooses the crocs. Occasionally though, he'd ask to wear something else. Was joking with hubbs that Isaac's teachers must be wondering how many million pairs of shoes does he have though. Haha.

pix taken on 13th March 2010
Isaac @ 2 years 7 months plus

On this day, it was the first time he chose to wear these hiking shoes. When he picked them out, hubbs looked at each other and smiled. "So smart ah Isaac. Okay, quick wear then let's go!!! You wanna sit boat or not?!"

Us with Asher & Shawna

Finally, we got to take pictures with the twins! Ya know, the 'twin-pic' - the pic with a baby in each arm. We hardly get to take pix with the kidzes, and must consciously make it a point to do so. Thus, we often forget :p
Met Daphs for lunch on Thursday and she complained that there weren't enough pix of the babies being posted. yes yes, will hurry and post more... :p But I was thinking about it... I figured out why it seems that lesser pictures are taken of the subsequent kids (not the first borne)... coz you have no hands to do it!

pix taken on 12th March 2010
Asher & Shawna @ 2 months six days

When you have one kid, the hubbs can hold the baby, while I take pix. But when you have two, then you each hold one kid. No hands. With three!!! Lagi worse. Thus, solves the mystery.

So, kidzes, it's not that Mummy and Papa love you lesser that's why take less pix, ok. It's coz we're not octopuses with 8 arms. Now, you wouldn't want an octopus for a mummy and a papa, would you? ;p