CNY visiting and KG House

The weekend which has just passed was the 1st since WY went back to school after the chix pox. So we all resumed the weekend classes and routine, with a bit of special outings thrown in because it was still CNY celebrations.

Saturday breakfast is almost always a rush. Home-prepared and taken at home. Followed by an equally-rushed shower for everyone. I always say we want to get out of the house before 9:30am, but it almost always turns out that at 9:30am, I just finish my shower (of course lah, I am always the last to shower mah).

WF behaved terribly in his Yamaha class this week. I was so frustrated, wished I could just walk off from the studio.

When the children gathered round the Teacher to sing solfege, WF just strolled around the piano before finally deciding to stand BEHIND the Teacher. When the Teacher sat the children down, our friend sat down too (yes, ok, this part was ok at 1st). Then he started to fiddle with the velcro straps of his Hotwheels shoes, pulling them off and then on and then off and then on.... Woah lao! Then when it was time to play the keyboard, he cheekily played more than what the Teacher required, and also leaned against the keys so that his stomach rested on the lower keys! And of course, since they use electones in class, the depressed keys gave a continuous chorus of sounds lah!

Although his antics drew some laughter from his classmates and some parents, I couldn't help but feel like pulling him out of the class there and then! Fortunately the Teacher was very firm and could get WF to follow the lesson properly. She was also very diplomatic about it.

After the lesson, WF got a earful from me. Not unexpectedly, he promised to behave better in future classes and not be naughty again etc etc. But I wanted to drive the message home, so I stuck by this 'pronouncement' that badly-behaved children belong only to the Karang-Guni's House, for the rest of the day. He also didn't get the privilege of holding my hands or taking the front seat in the car. When we were in the car, he tried to lean on my arms but to no avail.

By the time we reached home from shopping at Carrefour, I think he got the message.

Dinner on Saturday was at Uncle Frankie's house. I always feel at ease at this place. Very 'home'-like, if anyone knows what I mean.

Yes, AhYee remembered to cook her signature fried rice for WY. And 'nice soup' for WF. On reflection, I think it has been a blessing that we got her help when Mother went to Switzerland previously. It was then a very trying time for us all, especially myself, so the help was especially very very precious. 真的是雪中送炭。I am very thankful for her help.

As is always the case when we go visit her, AhYee was stuffing us all with all kinds of food. Not limited to dinner-food only, hor. What chocolates lah, fruits lah, cookies lah, fruit cocktails lah. A simple but satisfying type of CNY visiting.

Uncle Frankie and AhYee got their kitchen toilet overhauled. Now every pipe and tile is brand new. Very pleasant pink colour scheme. Bright and cheery feel about it. I quite like the floor tiles. Just that I don't understand why they still use blue tack to hold the toothpick floss sticks??

They also replaced their gate with a new wrought iron one. AhYee was so cute - she shared with us that she had a nightmare just the night before that someone actually took off with her brand new gate! When she woke up to find her gate still intact, it was such a relief that she decided to try her luck at 4D using her unit number! I guess she really loves her new gate. Hahahaha.....

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Sunday morning was yet another rush. Rush to wake up, rush to wash up, rush to make breakfast, rush to get R and the small ones up, rush through breakfast, rush to get them dressed, and rush to send them for 文化艺术团 lessons.

This week I decided to let R send them alone. I stayed to get the laundry done and prepare lunch. This part of Sunday is a little different because CP was coming back in the afternoon to revise work with WY. (This is usually done on Saturday afternoons, but was changed this week because we had gone Carrefour shopping and CNY visitng on Saturday.)

After lunch, everyone became so drowsy. No, not because of my food but because of the weather, I think. WF fell asleep soon after we read his "Spotless Record" story about Arthur, the Big Tank Engine. R fell asleep on WY's bed before I asked him to join WF in the other room.

I started to go through WY's work. In between the assignments, WY stole time to read about termite mounds. Don't know what mounds are? Ask WY lor. :)

I have no idea what time CP came back.... because by then, I was also in slumber! Dozed off while marking WY's work on his bed. Ya, I know it always is a disaster to mark assignments on his bed - bad example also, but what to do? Eyelids were really that H-E-A-V-Y.....

So, I guessed CP came back to find all in slumber except for poor WY. I was awakened by some sharp snappy questions she was asking WY, couldn't make out what they were discussing though. Anyway, I got up then.

And it was lucky that I got up. Just as I finished hanging up the laundry and scrubbing the toilet floor, the door bell rang. Yes, it was Uncle Frankie and AhYee.

Then WY got a break from his tuition. He played the gracious host, bringing out the goodies for the guests and trying out the goodies with them. I think he enjoys playing host, which unfortunately he doesn't get to do often. He is quite a social person.

I am always very heartened to see how (on the few times when we received CNY guests) he would thoughtfully serve the guests CNY goodies, offering them things like tissue paper too, when he sees that they need it. Also, previously, he took out board games to play with the guests etc. This darling boy of ours is generally a good host and quite sensitive about the guests' needs. Only that sometimes he needs some prompting. :)

Afterwards, WY resumed his work with CP when Uncle Frankie and AhYee went off to 12th floor. WF, who had woken up when Uncle Frankie and AhYee arrived, continued to play his Thomas & Friends and Bob's Machine Team plus some other toy cars.

Dinner of fruits (and yoghurt for the boys) was served at 8:30pm. Guavas, peaches, grapes and jambus. Couldn't fit bananas in.

Then, we saw once again the power of the laptop. WY asked if he could have his computer time. We told the boys that they could have their respective computer time only after their showers. So, both went happily and eagerly to have their showers soon after dinner. By 9:30pm, WY was already on the laptop, aiming and shooting away.

WY has been keeping his deal of 2 hours per week of GameBoy. Usually, he chooses to convert this to one-hour GB and one-hour computer game. So far, he got privilege withdrawn once, for non-completion of work assigned. There were some hot tears then, I remember.

To WF's credit, he waited patiently for his turn last night. Thomas and Bob were still great company. So the evening was a relatively peaceful one. Good.

I finished the ironing at 5 past 12, had a quick shower before climbing onto bed. WF had this to tell me before I switched off the lamp:

WF: Mama, I will be good boy.

I: Yes, will you be good boy in Yamaha class too?

WF: Yes. I didn't cry at the 文化艺术团。

I: Ok, that's good.

(After 10 seconds of silence)

WF: Mama, only naughty boys belong to KG House, right?

I: Yes, only naughty ones belong to KG House. Would you want to go there?

WF: No! (with his trademark deliberate cheeky big grin)

I: So you are good boy, don't need to go KG House, correct? (WF nodded.) I love you very much, WF.

WF: I love you, too, Mama.

I: Let's big hug and sleep already, ok?

WF: And big squeeze too!

So after the HUGs and squeezes, it was lights off.

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This morning, 2 sisters were crying for their mother when we arrived at CH. Wailing non-stop. When WF saw them still wailing away after he had washed his hands, he looked at me and whispered into my ears, "Mama, they must go KG House, right?"

"Yes, I think so," I whispered back. He nodded wisely, and then said bye to me happily after taking over his water bottle and lunchbox of honey stars.