The Jordy Book Club: 2010 Retrospective

I last wrote about Jordy's favorite books a year ago. In the year since, he's developed an even deeper love for reading and stories, and can recite along almost word for word to many of his favorites. I love that he has a pretty established library now, filled with books that are taped together and dog-eared from daily use. That library of over 150 books is so much a part of who he is. For two fellow readers, it's a lovely thing to witness.

So without further ado, here are the top books of 2010, ranked in no particular order, and treated like members of the family by my little bibliophile.

Let's start off with the night books. By this I mean, these are the books that are either inside, or under his cot. A pool from which we read between three to six most nights before bed.



Airport, by Byron Barton
I bought this for Jordy to help him make sense of his first flight, an 11-hour long epic journey to New Zealand in December 2009. He started off fascinated by the wonderful detail in the pictures and point out all the objects he recognized, from buses to planes to a little boy with a red bag. Now he knows the whole book by heart, and can recite whole passages, a particular favourite bit being "control tower to pilot: all clear for takeoff!".



Papa, please get the moon for me, by Eric Carle
Yet another one he knows by heart. Made even more special when D reads it with Jordy. Oh and he loves the Youtube version too!

I Love You as Big as the World, by David Van Buren and Time Warnes
I got this off a Scholastic book club order form from Jordy's school and am so delighted I did. It is one of the sweetest books about a parent and child, and shows a nose-kiss on the cover - one of Jordy's favourite past-times, aside from eating cake!



The Little Red Caboose I still don't know why he loves this one so much. But it has to be in his cot when he sleeps!



Lion in the Meadow
A classic New Zealand beautifully-rendered tale about a young boy and his friendship with a lion. The appearance of a huge pink dragon is of particular delight to J. As is the wonderful pictorial detail. Jordy loves reciting the lines, some of them a mouthful which he does with stunning accuracy, like "Mother, there is a huge, whiskery, yellow lion in the meadow." And he's started describing the tiniest details in the book with his usual panache. Example. "little boy reading a book on mummy's lap" or "lion whispering story to little boy". And the pink Shrek dragon Godpa James bought for Jordy from Universal Studios is the EXACT replica of the dragon in the meadow. Just wonderful!

Run Rabbit Run
Another Kiwi favorite. For some reason, the line "Is it the farmer come to bring me some carrots?"tickles him to no end.



Chocolate mousse for greedy goose
He started out iffy about this one, but now it is a firm favorite. Favorite line to recite includes "macaroni for shetland pony". The sweetest thing, he calls the book "chocolate moose, reading goose".



Where is the Green Sheep?
LOVES this one. Has invented a whole bunch of names for the sheep depicted, including "astronaut sheep", "reflection sheep" for a sheep gazing at himself in a pond, "birthday cake sheep" for a bunch of picnicing sheep, and "aeroplane sheep" for a sheep with angel wings.



Toddle Waddle
This was the first Julia Donaldson that started him off. And the first book that featured a travelling snail, so of course he loved it!

The last bedtime book is one that I got as a cheapie from Kinokuniya called Charlie's Clothes. It must be no longer available as I can't find any image of it online!

As for day time books, there are truly too many to name for 2010. But these are the ones we come back to time and again.



The little yellow digger
Fabulous rhymes, one of the books in Jordy's collection I love reading out loud the most.



Peas!
Spur of the moment purchase turned favorite dinner time book. He now calls peas Pete and Penelope.




The very hungry caterpillar
We had this for ages but he showed no interest in it before he turned 18 months. After that though, it suddenly became a mealtime staple. And now he loves counting the different fruit and saying in a loud voice "one slice of salami!"



My big world book
His favourite of the genre. Jordy's always loved being tested on his vocabulary. Must get it from me. In the early days, he'd point at the koala and say "kaupapa!". Very sweet. These days, he shows his nature boy tendencies by pointing out things like "Huge rock under the waterfall!"





Monkey puzzle
I used to have to read this everyday! Now it's more like once a week.

On the subject of reading though, my sister just posted the single best speech I have read in a looooong time. Mario Vargas Llosa's Nobel Prize for Literature lecture on reading. I almost teared in awe at how he managed to make epic the simple acts of imagining, writing and reading. I was alternately thrilled and inspired. And also very thankful that I have married a reading man, and we are raising a little reading boy.

A Very Camel New Year to You!

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My first creation of 2011. This could get addictive!

O Camel Christmas Tree

We put up our Christmas tree on Wednesday, and dare I say it, it's the best tree I've ever had in my 30something years! We bought a fake tree this year as 2008's real live Swedish IKEA tree was wonderful but oh-so-high maintenance.

This year's tree has ornaments from the previous years, with a few new additions: golden Christmas lights that have red flowers, green stars and blue cones interwoven amongst them, a yellow bird that Jordy chose all by himself at TANGS' splendid baubles fair at Vivo, and a sparkly blue butterfly, again chosen by Mr J himself. What's missing is the 2010 Jordy bauble, something that is quintessentially him. Will know it when I see it. (Of course, right now, looking at his preferences, it'd have to a Dora or Boots bauble. He is OBSESSED with Dora!)

Pictures to come. I promise. I realise my photo-taking has drastically declined now that I've started full-time work. I'm also not the biggest fan of taking photos of everything as it means you aren't really inhabiting the moment. But some things, like the annual decoration of the Christmas tree, well, that's different!

Oh and just a funny anecdote from my expedition with Jordy to Vivo yesterday. To understand this, you need to know that Jordy has, from about two months ago, developed a dislike for sharing lifts with strangers. If a lift comes with a stranger in it, he says loudly, "Next one!". However, sometimes, in the morning rush of getting to childcare and work, he passes on two lifts in succession, then I will look at him with a stern expression and say, "we have to share the next lift. Why do we do that? Because we live in a community."

So anyway, back to Vivo. We were in the basement and wanted to get to the level 3 skypark. It was a Friday evening. It was crowded for Singapore standards! The lift comes, a whole bunch of people exit, and another bunch of people get in. Jordy takes one look at the lift and says, "Next one!"

I enter the lift with him wordlessly.

As the lift travels level by level, somewhere between level 1 and 2, he says in a quiet voice, "Community..."

A few heads turn, some wide eyes, and the girl next to me chuckles in surprise. Jordy looks stoic and unfazed. When the door opens, he can see the sky park on level 3, some birds playing on the grass, and he runs out to meet them.

What a boy.

On that note, here at The Camel Diaries, Christmas is starting early. I'll leave you in the good hands of one of the brightest Internet stars (in my opinion)!

Blogging and the working mum

Well, it seems my complete silence corresponds with my starting full time work in October! I'm starting to figure out a new routine and so far so good! Thank god for an understanding workplace that let's me leave at 4pm most days to go pick up Jordy. So really, the key differences to before embarking on full-time work, is that I now have less time to cook and do chores. Which means weekdays, Jordy gets mainly reheated frozen food, I alternate between a chicken and brocolli noodle thing, spag bog with 5 veg sauce, various veg soups n cheese and marmite sandwiches, Mac and cheese, and easy cook dishes like bee boon soup with tofu. The house is slightly messier, but other than that there hasn't been too discernible a difference!

My craziest working mum moment to date must have been on Thursday, which happened to be The Biggest Media Announcement Day of the Year. We'd just run a media conference that morning that saw everyone turn up (biggest turnout to date), the rest of the day was spent fielding many media queries. When I got home with Jordy that afternoon, I was pretty much doing a one woman Hindu goddess juggling act. At one memorable point, just before D got home, I was simultaneously on speaker phone with a reporter from The Straits Times and changing a poopy diaper while filling up the bath! *bows courteously*

The best thing? The journalist was a mom too and totally identified with the constant juggling that is working motherhood. And we shared a moment in between talking about trackable donations to religious organsations!

But that's the thing I'm so relishing at the moment. That by day, I get to do something I think is pretty meaningful, something which I truly believe will make Jordy's generation happier - I mean, promoting volunteering and philanthropy in Singapore is a pretty cool job to have. Then when I go pick up jordy at 5 and go hangout at the playground then have dinner, I'm doing the most important job of all. So despite the daily adrenalin rush of just keeping things together, I think I'm in a pretty sweet spot right now...

Oh well, it's only been six weeks in this new routine. And I've only managed to blog ONCE. Well, it's a start and the camel diaries is back again! Refreshed, revitalized, and still manic as ever!

On Fathers and Fire Stations

We brought Jordy to the Central Fire Station this morning. They hold an open house every Saturday morning from 9 to 11am, and I think it is such a lovely community service they perform! Jordy had a pretty good time - he loved the sirens and lights, was intrigued by the crane (or "a very, very long ladder" as he called it, a phrase he picked up from a delightful Eric Carle book that Mama Maree got him), was happy to observe from a distance the powerful water hoses, and didn't quite like sitting in the huge fire engine ("Jordan go down!" he exclaimed).

I think the part he enjoyed the most was being toted around by his dad; it's a special bond they share, those two. Often in the weekdays, when it's just Jordy and me in the afternoons, he'll discover something cool (like for example, when he realised he could say "rugby ball" in a low voice, a high voice, a quiet voice, a loud voice, and a robot voice), and the first thing he does after cackling in delight at newfound discovery is to say, "Show Daddy!". I think it's so lovely.


After reading the very insightful Raising Boys by Steve Biddulph, I'm conscious of not getting in the way of a Jordy/Daddy relationship. I've realised my Type A, sometimes-manic personality tends to make me a tad, err... controlling by nature, so I tell myself every now and then that I need to let go. That I'm not the expert on all things Jordy, and that Daddy and Jordy need to find their own rhythm, and develop their own shorthand.

I also know that at some point down the line, Jordy is going to become physically bigger and stronger than me, and if the situation ever calls for it, it's going to be very important then for D to step in and say, "Don't speak to/treat your mother that way, son!" If Jordy is in any way like me, I can foresee that happening quite a bit!



If watching your baby develop into a thinking, feeling person is like going on a road trip to an unknown (but pretty funky) destination, then watching him form relationships with the most important people reminds me of the coffee and cake stops you do in between.

Hand, Foot, Mouth, Shudder...

HFMD is still at epidemic levels in Singapore, with more than 1,000 children getting it this past week alone. Poor Jordy has had it twice (TWICE!!!) this year already - the first was an extremely spotty affair, but thankfully he wasn't afflicted by the characteristic ulcers in the mouth; the second bout was milder but he did have a few small ulcers in his mouth which went away fairly quickly, thankfully.

I read a report which quoted Singapore's Ministry of Health as saying that the kids that caught HFMD tended to have poor nutrition and hence their immunities were low. Started looking at what Jordy's diet is like, and I thought it seemed pretty ok. I mean, he's not one of those kids that will just eat brocolli and carrots as is, but he usually gets his fair share of nutrients.

A typical day in Jordy's food journal (on a playschool day) would look like this:

Breakfast
Breakfast #1 at home (7.15am):
- 1/2 banana
- 1 pottle yogurt
- 1 piece toast with vegemite/jam/peanut butter
- 1/2 cup diluted orange/dark grape juice

Breakfast #2 at school (8.45am):
- cereal/french toast/hash brown/"bao"/sandwich

Lunch
Whatever school offers: usually rice with soup/veg, pasta, porridge, noodles + apple slices

Afternoon tea
Afternoon tea #1 at school (3.00pm):
- bun/sandwich/green bean soup/sponge cake

Afternoon tea #2 when I pick him up (4.00pm)
- cereal bar/banana/Heinz baby biscotti thingies

Dinner
Very predictable:
- Main course: noodles with chicken/fish, brocolli, carrots, OR spag bog with 5 veg sauce (beef mince + tomato, zuchinni, red pepper, carrot, celery), OR macaroni cheese + brocolli and tomato/carrot soup, OR tomato/carrot soup + cheese sandwich
- 1 pottle yogurt
- 1/2 pear or mango or apple

Supper
- Cheerios + milk

Aside from that, I'm giving him a daily multivit supplement, a tablespoon of Scotts Emulsion (Orange), and as soon as my order from iherb arrives, an immunity-boosting supplement from Elderberries called Sambucus, which I've had recommended to me from so many different mom-sources that I think I should try it.

Anyhow, I'm trying my best to make sure Jordy gets his daily nutrition needs. But this whole HFMD thing is just always lurking at the back of my mind. Guess we can only do what we can, and leave the rest to a higher source!

Oh, and in light of the epidemic, the new policy at childcare = no more toys from home. So Sheepie now stays at home and miraculously... Jordy is perfectly fine without him, and has been falling asleep with no problems. Honestly, sometimes I don't give him enough credit. What an amazing, adaptable kid!

Yes, The Camel Diaries are Alive and Well, Thanks for the Concern!

Yipes! Yet another crazy long hiatus from ye olde blog.

This time the reasons are pretty valid: HFMD Bout #2 (a mild case that saw us being off school for 9 days!), then Mama Maree came to visit and we were too busy having fun in Bali and then at the pool, and in the midst of it all, we had not one, but TWO, birthday cakes!

The first was at Jordy's second birthday party, held the day after we returned from Bali. We made a pretty special airplane cake (if I may say so myself):


And the birthday boy was very visibly thrilled:


The second cake was a quieter affair, a strawberry and cream concoction from Da Paolo, which we first had for D's birthday this year. Jordy went at it with his characteristic focus.


I'll do a Bali post soon - I feel compelled to chronicle just what a fantastic traveller Jordy is turning out to be. From being wonderful on the flights, to taking hour long naps in the car with his head on Mama Maree's lap, to eagerly climbing into weird, new cots, and to saying "Amazing Bali" and "Thank you so much" to the many taxis drivers we met in Seminyak and Ubud!

In the meantime, this is more a blog-recusitation post so that everyone knows I'm still alive and writing. On that note, I'm currently reading The Guardian's How to Write. I am officially inspired. Now to just get of my butt and do something about it!

The Amazing Jordy

The Amazing Jordy

Sometimes, it helps to have a little image overhaul to bring back the sizzle in a relationship. So, introducing Camel Diaries 2.0: new look courtesy of Blogger, content: same insightful stuff as always (hah! sorry, had to do some PR for myself).

Thought I'd upload a few videos taken from my new Motorola Milestone (I'm one of the tiny percentage of people out there who don't have an iPhone because wonderful D suprised me with an iPod Touch last year so I thought it would be a little wasteful to have an iTouch AND an iPhone. So Milestone it is - not bad functionality, extremely good price, and QWERTY keypad. Overall positive user experience so far).

Anyway, this is a Jordy post. He's saying all kinds of wonderful, surprising things these days. Just this week, he started saying "Amazing Jordy!". All his teachers at school have heard it, and some are calling him that, haha! He's kinda saying it in the video above, very hard to capture as it's usually quite out of the blue. Oh and just two days ago he started saying "tomorrow"!

So here's another video from a few weeks ago. When the HFMD quarantine was first lifted and we went to Vivo one morning and hung out at the open amphiteatre and playground. Jordy's getting very handy with a ball and is running very fast these days!

Throwing a ball and a tiny fall, which left him unruffled.

So, seeing as the Amazing Jordy is two months shy of his second birthday, I thought it time for another vocabulary audit. List is probably not exhaustive, but I'll try to list down everything I can remember. This is as much for the Jordy almanac, as it is for posterity's sake. Sorry if it appears a little indulgent but I think it's rather fascinating to chart language acquisition!

These are all the words he can say, from recollection (his receptive vocabulary is much larger than this):

Family and People
Mummy
Daddy
Mama Maree
Gong Gong
Mama
Uncle Nick
Auntie
Uncle
Sheepie
I love...

Everyday Items & Home
Spoon
Fork
Bowl
Cup
Plate
Chair
Bedroom
Towel
Wall
Baby (for Baby Einstein)
Bubble
Book
Bath
Bed
Cot
Ball
Goggles
Fan
Mote (for Remote)
Hat

Food
Apple
Orange
Bread
Juice
Water
Egg
Cake (!)
Nana (for Banana)
Grape
Masi (for Medicine, or Scotts Emulsion, his favourite thing in the morning, or anytime!)

Shapes
Square
Arrow
Heart
Ring
Cross



Animals
Bird
Duck
Cow
Cat
Dog
Pig
Horse
Lion
Zebra
Koala
Crocodile (in Chinese, er yu)
Fish
Ant
Bee
Baassie (for Butterfly)
Owl
Fly
Rabbit
Bear
Mouse
Panda

Nature
Sun
Moon
Stars
Raining
Lightning
Clouds
Sky
Beach
Sea
Sand
Snow
Mountain
Trees
Leaf
Rainbow
Tomorrow

Transport
Aeroplane
Bus
Car
Taxi
Boat
Train
Choo Choo
Beep Beep
Van
Truck


Numbers (he can recognise all the numbers from 1 to 11! 11 because that's the level we live on, so he's always pressing the number '11' button in the elevator)
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Eight
Nine
Ten

Colours
Red
Yellow
Blue
Green
Black
White
Purple
Orange

Self
Ears
Eyes
Hair
Teeth
Mouth
Knees
Toes
Hands
Pee pee
Poo poo
Spots (thanks, HFMD!)
Shoes
Socks
Shorts
Boy
Girl

Commands and Actions
Wait, wait!
Stop!
Down
Up
Hug
Kiss
Walk
Sit
Eat
Clap
Bye Bye
Hi...
Hello
Read
Swimming
Kick

Phrases
I love...
Amazing Jordy
All gone
All done
No more

Hmm, have run out of steam. There's actually quite a bit more, but I can't quite remember right now. Oh well, good job Jordy! Amazing how you've gone from tiny zygote to talking, running toddler with an attitude!

Ok, better go for now. Afternoon plans may include the zoo (depending on state of Jordy's drippy nose when he wakes, and my own not-so-sore throat but still rather blocked nose.) Oh joy!

On TV, Toddlers, and Tiredness

One of the highlights of my morning drive to work is listening to the BBC World Service. My 15-minutes of uninterrupted drive-time listening usually coincides with the world news and Business Daily, the latter being one of my favourite BBC programmes. Last week, one news bulletin in particular caught my attention, yet another study on Toddlers and TV.

When I had Jordy, I made a promise to myself to try not to rely on the TV as a passive babysitter. I didn't have a hard and fast policy on TV watching, but I did know I wouldn't have the TV blaring on in the background the whole day. Not sure why, but I just felt having my ipod playing would be a lot more relaxing for all involved. So that's what we did most of the day. Some of my fondest memories of my stay at home mum days with Jordy involve dancing around to music - Jack Johnson, Simon and Garfunkel, Yo-Yo Ma, Mark Knopfler, Turin Brakes, U2, Crowded House, the occasional Guns n Roses and Radiohead.

But very deliberately, I also remember looking online for second hand Baby Einstein DVDs, and meeting a mum at an MRT one afternoon and buying the ENTIRE Baby Entire discography in one fell swoop (for $35 might I add, and no, she didn't throw in Ginzu knives).

I can't remember the thinking that led me to the Baby Einstein purchase, I just remember it coincided with Jordy enjoying being in his bouncy chair and me thinking that he should have something else to look at during bouncy chair time besides the incy wincy spiders hanging down from the mobile attached to his chair. But the thing was, it felt RIGHT. It felt like I was giving Jordy a glimpse into a cool world filled with puppets and classical music and great toys. And I remember thinking it was a welcome respite from all that playing - whether it be with me or on his own, as well as his all-time favourite activity, Reading with Mummy - we were easily going through 10 to 20 books per day from very early on!

So from that moment when he was around three months old, Jordy watched 20 - 25 mins of Baby Einstein every day. This increased to twice a day when he was about 8 months old, and this takes us right to the present.

So when I hear news articles like this, with a very severe sounding researcher saying in an urgent voice that children under two SHOULD NEVER WATCH TV. Not. at. all. Or it might impact their later years in very bad ways, I feel a mixture of emotions that range from guilt, fear, chagrin, anger, denial and a sense of "mind your own @#%* business!"

I know Baby Einstein is currently embroiled in a class action suit. But hey, I didn't buy Jordy those DVDs thinking for one moment that they would make him smarter. Sheesh, surely any parent would know that? Wouldn't they?! Doesn't your gut instinct tell you that the things that make your child grow up into confident, bright individuals are the simple things like love, security and attention? And not plonking them in front of a screen?

Anyway, I know I'm ranting a bit here, but I just feel that parenting in the 21st century is characterised by Too Much Information. If one were to spend just 10 minutes everyday Googling the latest child rearing trends, that would make for a pretty confusing life indeed. I mean, the debates are endless: breasfeeding vs formula, organic vs regular, cow's milk vs non-dairy, traditional baby-wearing cultures vs Western baby-on-playmat approach, co-sleeping vs cry-it-out, home-care vs child-care, smacking vs anti-smacking, medicating vs homeopathic treatment, flashcards vs books, and let's not even start about the whole "working mom" debate!

So back to the TV is BAAAD issue. Well, seeing as Jordy is 21 months old, and that he's been watching 20 to 40 minutes of Baby Einstein everyday (more when he's sick!), I'm going to state here that it felt right at the time, and still feels right today. I'm not making excuses or getting defensive, but he gets loads of one-on-one interaction, shared reading and imaginative play, and is one active toddler to boot (he was able to jump as of three months ago!). TV makes up a small but not crucial component of his day. So I'm hoping that if we carry on with our balanced, common-sensical approach, it won't do him any long term harm! If you are a parent and have a view on this, I'd love to hear it!

In the meantime, here's a little recap of Jordy at 21 months...

He still loves bubbles! In face, one of his favourite things is a Central Park bubble song I downloaded on my ipod.

Bubble time at gong gong and mama's

He has deep-belly laughs. He enjoys a good laugh as much as a good cry (yep, we're firmly in the terrible twos).

Sharing a laugh with Mama

He LOVES cake. The capital letters do not give enough emphasis to the far-reachingness of that love. That love, it is immense. This was the first time he'd ever tasted real chocolate cake. It was Mothers' Day and we thought it was a special occasion so why not?!

Ola, my name is Jordy aka The Moustachioed One.

And he's talking heaps now. Favourite new words include "swimming" and "goggles"! And we've been showing him pictures everyday (on Powerpoint) of the entire family, Singaporean and Kiwi, and he lights up when he sees family now :)

Rare family photo at Mothers' Day dinner!

Wow this was a pretty long post. Ok, Jordy's due to wake up from his nap anytime now so am gonna end here. Oh and the tiredness I alluded to in the title of the post? Just a lingering malaise that I'm trying to ease out of, remnants of a viral fever that I came down with two weeks ago I suspect. But I have been feeling bone-tired the last few days. Doesn't help that work is crazy. Not just normal, many-projects-with-multiple-deadlines crazy, but CRAZY. But the people make it worth it at the moment (apart from unhinged director I had to deal with from another department). So things are chugging along at the moment but am hoping to get back into exercise routine this coming week!

More Than Words (Or, a 20th Month Birthday Stock Take)

Firstly, a big Happy 20 Month Birthday to Jordy!

Thought I'd use this occasion to do a quick vocabulary stock take. So here goes, here's what Jordy is saying (or trying to say!) as of today:

Apple
Air-pane (Airplane)
Ah-go (All gone)

Bubble
Boh (Ball)
Bee
Baba (Bye bye)
Ba-woo (Bedroom)
Baby
Bus
Boo (Bird)
Bed (Bread)

Car-car (Car)
Coe (Cold)

Daddy
Dog

Ele-oo (Elephant)
Egg

Gape (Grape)

Hoe (Home)

Jordy (but it sounds slightly different each time, think he's trying to work out how to make the "j" sound)

Kiss kiss
Kau-papa (Koala)
Kaga (Kangaroo)

Moon
More
Mum/Mama (Mummy)

O-poo (Open)
Or-ay (Orange)
Ow-oo (Owl)

Pease (Please)
Pee pee
Poo poo
Per-ler (Propeller)

Shoe shoe (Shoe)
Poon (Spoon)
Tar (Star)

Two
Tuh (Truck)
Tow-oo (Towel)

Uh-oh
----
It took a while for him to start speaking but now that he's started, he's surprising us with something new everyday!

Life Imitates Art (Or, Jordy's First Art Exhibition)

Painting on the left, artist at work on the right.

Jackson Pollock said every good painter paints what he is.

If that holds true, then Jordy is a warm home, framed in a wonderful swirl of greens and blues. He is also a gardener, one hand in the earth, watching the fruits of his labour bloom in pinks and blues.

Jordy's is the green hand on red. His name is written in traditional Chinese in the upper left hand corner.

As D and I were feeling better after a day of (semi) rest at home (D worked mostly in the study, I cooked a batch of Jordy food to freeze), we were both able to pick Jordy up from childcare and head to the Children's Exhibition at Carpe Diem Kidz' new Russels Rd premises. Extremely impressive, and you could see the heart shining through the teachers' and children's work.

I didn't realise the toddler class would be included in the exhibition so was so surprised to see Jordy's efforts on display. He was pretty unfazed by the enthusiasm emanating from us, and just gave us small Jordy smiles as we clapped and whooped in appreciation.

Family shot at the Exhibition!

Halfway through the Exhibition, I was suddenly struck with wonder that the very Jordy who had produced a handprint artwork was once a cell. I know I'm not the first parent to be struck by wonder at that, but if that doesn't constitute a miracle then I don't know what does.

And Family Shot #2, this time with a clearer depiction of the artist's face!

I'm just so pleased we found a good childcare provider for Jordy, and that he seems to genuinely be having a good time there. I can see myself getting right into the whole parent-teacher thing, and the after-school volunteer programmes etc. Right up my alley man!

We didn't stay too long at the exhibition, and left before it officially started (as we were still not 100% and didn't want to risk being there when all the other children's families arrived), so then headed to IKEA for dinner (where Jordy fed himself half the kid's portion of pasta - some landed on the floor and some remained in the bowl!). At dinner, we unveiled his new favourite book - a present from his Mama Maree that had just been received in the post that day! A digger book with monster wheels!

Jordy and his book go shopping at IKEA.

Back home now, D's putting Jordy to bed while I type this, then it's Glee! And tomorrow, I turn 34. Oh. My. God. I will restate that for posterity. 34. Years. Old. I figure it's gauche to be all precious about revealng one's age. Call a spade a spade I say.

So yes, on my last evening of my 33rd year, I'm sitting here on my couch up in the air in my apartment facing the jungle in a tropical island just north of the Equator, my wonderful husband and much-blogged-about son just a few feet away, my health looking good (temporary ailments aside, touch wood), my sense of self, like my teeth, intact, and I'm thinking, Jackson Pollock said, Every good painter paints what (s)he is.

Well if I were a good painter, I'd paint a pretty big sun with a smiley face in it. 'Cos that kinda sums up how I'm feeling at this moment.

Don't you know, we're talkin' 'bout a revolution

Wow, the gaps in my posts are getting huger and huger. The funny thing is, it's not really the working mother juggling act that is keeping me from posting regularly, but more the potent combination of Amazing Race-American Idol-Glee-So You Think You Can Dance + Our new StarHub recordable set-top box.

Which means a) I'll never have to miss anything that coincides with Jordy's bedtime again; b) I can record ANYTHING on the channels we pay for, like say, random episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway; and c) TV Is just so... distracting! Anyway, bad excuses I know...

So. A ton of things have been going on but probably the coolest has been Jordy's sudden decision to TALK! Yes, as in clear words, not just "geh" or "kah". It's been a l-o-o-o-n-g time coming but it's so fascinating to watch!

So here's a look at the words Jordy is saying at 19months:

1. Daddy
2. Mama
3. Uh-oh (usually after he deliberately sets his water bottle on its side, or overturns something)
4. Baby
5. Bubble
6. Ah-poo (for apple)
7. Air-pane (for airplane)
8. Car-car (for cars)
9. Kou-kou (we think he's referring to gong gong, his granddad, but we're not 100% sure yet)
10. Per-per/Per-ler (for the propellers on his airplane!)
11. Tar (for star)

And just today he said,
12. Two (for the number two!)

Speaking of numbers, he's really into them at the moment. He loves pressing the number "11" button in our elevator to go home, and singing "One, two buckle my shoe" will get him out of most grumpy moods/crying jags.

Ok, going to catch some zzzzz soon. David is on whis way to Abu Dhabi and I don't know whether Jordy's persistent cough will mean it's Sleepless in Singapore tonight so I better make hay while the sun shines (weird metaphor for sleep I know, but you get my drift!). If not it's zombie city at work tomorrow! Till next time!

Notes from an (Incredibly Overdue) Exhibition (Or, A Very Long Hiatus)

Collage #1: Dated from the morning of 6 March 2010, this nuanced piece of work shows a boy and his car as they go off on adventures in the park. Notice the subtle hints of colour linking boy and car, the green a tribute both to the naturalistic setting, as well as to the snot flowing freely from the boy who has caught yet another bug while at daycare. The splashes of red allude not just to the fiery personality of the male subject, but also to the broader context of transport - note how the boy's shoes and his car's wheels are an almost identical shade of red.

Sorry to all for the long silence on this poor neglected blog!

The weeks have passed in a whirr of work, play, and rest. Jordy is now very settled in childcare after four weeks of tears in the morning (that gradually went from distraught "what happened to mum and what on earth am I doing in this noisy, crowded place?!" cries, to half-hearted "waah i don't want mum to go, hey isn't that a cool bird in the cage, hmm I wonder what I'm going to have for breakfast" cries.)

It was amazing to watch him gradually get more comfortable and secure at childcare. And on the Monday of the fifth week, he happily marched in, let me take of his shoes, grabbed his water bottle, and WALKED STRAIGHT IN. Without looking back. On the Tuesday, he turned back and waved goodbye and SMILED! I almost fainted from shock but stood as if like a smiling pillar of salt, one hand raised in a big wave. And on Wednesday, he laughed as the teacher checked his temperature and sanitised his hands, waved and again walked in. It's been like that since and we are now into the seventh week at childcare!

I wish I could capture this precise moment in our lives, because it honestly feels like we've achieved a lovely balance. Jordy seems to be happy at his playschool, he eats and rests well there (he's known as as "third helping" boy, and settles for his two hour nap very easily, doesn't even need patting to sleep!), he's learning new things everyday (e.g. he now knows how to pump a soap bottle, take some soap in his hands and wash them!, he dances to "If you're happy and you know it stamp your feet" and "Ring a ring a roses") and settles back into homelife pretty well after school.

As for me, I'm loving being back at work. I thought I would feel some kind of disconnect, or at least experience some jarring moments here and there. But truthfully? It probably took me a day to transition back to work, I don't really feel like a fish out of water, and it's amazing how wearing nice clothes, some lip gloss and slipping on a pair of heels can transform how you feel inside. And the other thing? I'm loving getting back on the exercise bandwagon. It's gym day and swim day for now, but I may look to add a "walk up Fort Canning Hill" day to the week. But I'm easing into it.

Weekends are more precious, and I probably enjoy my time with Jordy more now, as I have time to miss him. One of the girls asked me at dinner last night if I thought about Jordy a lot at work, and again, honestly? I don't really. I think it's because I work only four hours a day and in those four hours, I feel like I'm making every minute count work-wise. It's like I'm a living PR Agency time sheet where I can account for my time for each project I'm working on! Anyway I'm only into my fifth week back at work so ask me again in a few months and you might get a different answer.

Which brings me back to how I wish I could freeze this moment 'cos it's feeling pretty sweet.

As a tribute to a recent book I read, the excellent Notes from an Exhibition by (the ridiculously good looking) Patrick Gale, I present to you, more notes from an (incredbly overdue) exhibition. All artwork created and curated only this morning!

Still Life #1: Boy and DVD player. This muted scene barely conceals the rich undertones simmering beneath the surface. The boy's eyes are raised to the artist, as if inviting admonishment. This picture paints a visual puzzle in the form of the missing DVD. Where has it gone? Who has taken it? And for what purpose? We are left wondering, even as the boy's right hand curls protectively round his water cannister. But wait, what is hidden in the boy's other hand? Could it be...

A Study in Animism: Here, the boy is shown in a rare state of spiritual reverie. Eyes downcast, he is at peace with the natural world, his energies and intent focused on the green car wrapped in his hands. He is also bowing in the direction of McCafe, which is the traditional scene of post-play replenishment and redjuvenation.

Mother and Child: Through the ages, the mother and child prove to be an enduring subject for artists. In this case, the mother points out the myriad kites gliding through the sky to her firstborn. Excited, he raises his hands and says triumphantly, the word "Geh!"

Still Life #2: Boy scanning the horizon. In this closer study of the Everyboy, he is once again clad in green, set against the backdrop of the urban/natural dichotomy - in this case, the maritime/oceanic split. Notice his resolute half-smile as he ponders what is to come, determined to tackle head on whatever comes his way.

Mullet Begone!

Jordy and his mullet enjoying Baby Einstein.

Jordy's mullet was beginning to have a life of its own (or at least deserving of its own nickname), so before things got too out of hand, D and I decided that today would be the day we embarked on Jordy's first milestone in hair removal.

I had no idea how he'd react - I've heard all kinds of horror stories, so was prepared to take things as they came. Armed with a little pair of scissors, and a vague idea of what sort of style I'd aim for, we began!

Not much of a reaction from the first snip!

I worked as swiftly and decisively as I could, taking out rather huge chunks of hair as I went along, as you can see below!

The tools of the trade!

And as quickly as it began, it ended. Barely two minutes! And now presenting, Master Jordy Version 2.0, sharper, sleeker and stylier. As D put it rather nicely, he's gone from lout to lad! Heh heh.

Jordy attests to the hypnotic effect of Baby Einstein.

Not a bad job if I can say so myself, ahem.

Obligatory back view

They Should Build a Roller Coaster Ride Called "Motherhood" (Or, Day Eight of Childcare!)

Today marks the eighth day that Jordy has been in childcare. And also the eighth day that I've experienced four seasons of emotions in one day.

The mornings start out like Spring; you wonder what the day will bring. Everything hints of possibility and new-ness. Jordy smiles and feasts on breakfast like the nestling that he is. We read some stories and play his favourite music.

An hour later and Jordy is dressed for childcare and suddenly Autumn is here. He seems slightly older in his yellow and blue outfit, and the spring in my step is suddenly gone, replaced with a little heaviness that mirrors the weight in my heart. The colours of the morning seem a little muted now.

He gets into the car happily enough, even smiles at his little robot backpack. We pull up the driveway of his little school and he senses the first frost in the air. He is tentative, but still puts on a brave face as we walk into the din that is morning drop-off time. He understands what is to happen when I remove his shoes and rub some insect repellent on him. He is in denial though, and only really cries out when he sees his teacher coming to get him. When she carries him into the Centre - and to his new routine in the day - Winter blasts its icy entrance into my heart and I always freeze for a moment. Don't move, lest he cries more. But then I regain my senses, and walk briskly to the car. Pause, deep breath, and drive off.

The next six hours pass in a bit of a blur - of activity, of emotion, of movement. I run errands, I catch up with friends, I watch a movie alone, I read in a cafe, have a pedicure, take my time while choosing produce at the market, I listen to a lot of music. Winter gradually gives way, warmth creeps back, Spring again.

Three o'clock. I pack a couple of his snacks, some sand toys, perhaps a ball, and drive to the centre, my heart beating a little faster than usual. I reverse park in the driveway, stop the car. Pause, deep breath. Wonder what he will be doing when I next lay eyes on him. What expression will be on his face.

Every single time I see him, he is always happy, always busy, and pretty content. His eyes widen with recognition, and he runs up to me. Never clinging, but always to show me something he's learnt, or a new favourite toy. This afternoon, it was a pasta music shaker he made himself. I leave him in Winter, and return in Summer.

And if there's one thing to remember, it's that kids have fun in Winter too.

Apron Strings and Other Things

First morning, dressed in his childcare kit, not knowing what lay ahead.

This is a bit of a bittersweet post. Hmm, maybe bitter is a little too harsh sounding. More of a semi-sweet post. Heck if this post was a chocolate bar, it'd be a Whittaker's 70% Ghanaian cocoa bar.

Apologies for the clumsy metaphor. What I mean is this: the last two days have seen me vacillating between emotional extremes. On one end, it's fear, anxiety, guilt, doubt, and these gut-wrenching regular twitches where my heart used to be; on the other, it's pride, liberation, love, and the great, overwhelming desire to WRAP MY ARMS AROUND something, preferably my child.

Yes, Jordy started childcare this week.

I thought I had psychologically prepared myself by reading a plethora of online articles from various mum and bub sites and working mum forums. I read the fantastic chapter on working mums in Kate Figes' Life After Birth. I was mentally prepared for the swirls of emotions they all said you'd feel. But alas I have learnt that the cerebral is no match for the visceral.

In plainer English, my brain thought I was ready and would be okay with my firstborn going to daycare for seven hours a day, but my insides rebelled and I suddenly found myself on day two after dropping him off, sitting in a car wash and crying. All this before 9.30am! The stuff they don't tell you about motherhood! (By the way, the car is clean and sparkly, so that's one good thing eh?)

Jordy's first day at Carpe Diem Kidz (yes, unfortunate spelling I know, but they have a petting zoo and tree house so there!) started at 8.3o and ended at noon. His second day started at 8.30 and ended at 2.45pm! My intention is to pick him up around 3pm everyday, once I go back to work.

In his more formal uniform for day two!

He did pretty well on both days, considering it was his first time being cared for by strangers after hanging out with me as his main caregiver these past 17 months! He started each morning cheerfully enough, clambering to get to the dining area to see what was being served for (second) breakfast - omelette yesterday, cereal this morning - then walking around the garden and looking at things. Both days he didn't cry when I said goodbye and walked away. But both days, I saw him look for me after I'd gone (I spied at him from afar of course) and then, when he was unable to find me, would start crying.

The teachers had to carry him for much of the first two days. Strange considering he normally hates to be carried.

D said a very insightful thing, that Jordy had been so secure previously, and that's why he was so independent and would walk and run all over the place and not ever asked to be carried. So he is probably craving the cuddling now that he is in an unfamiliar situation, and is not feeling all that secure. Do you hear my heart breaking yet?

Ah. But everything I've read has also led me to believe that it will be worse before it gets better. I'm expecting disrupted sleep at night, increase in tantrums, and perhaps, even weight loss if he doesn't eat as well in the next few weeks. I'm preparing myself but the realities are just so tough to face!

Anyway, don't get me wrong. It's not all doom and gloom. It's just that the challenges are so out there, so obvious, that I've had to address them first.

What I'm getting to is what I think will be the longer term benefits. The amazing toys and resources they have at the centre. The well-trained teachers who seem genuinely caring and compassionate. The presence of a dedicated Mandarin teacher (yay!), and of course, the fact that as Jordy is broadening his horizons and his world just a little, I'll be able to get back to the workforce! So I'm taking a long term view on things.

Having a little play at home before heading off this morning.

I'm going to keep this short as Outrageous Fortune beckons on DVD. But it's only the end of day two, and I'm already getting a little inkling of what lies ahead. I see in Jordy's future... a pile of school reports, much like the one below...

Isn't it fantastic? The teacher will prepare one every week to explain what the week's activities have been centred on, as well as what is to come.


And the very best thing? You turn over the report, and you get this!


Almost as good as being there? Perhaps not, but it certainly allows an overly-imaginative parent like me to keep a few images in my head.

These early childhood teachers do an amazing job. I salute them, as I do the wonderful kids who inspire them (I hope!).

100% Pure New Zealand

Jordy revelling in the hay at the Waikouaiti races on New Year's Day

Sorry everyone for the long absence from the blog! Bloggie silence usually is an indicator of one of two things: either we are having an amazing time so no time for online chatter, or nothing exciting is happening and I can't think of anything to write. In this case, thankfully, the former holds true!

Since I don't have the time to do a blow-by-blow account of why our trip to NZ rocked (and rock it really did), thought I'd post a few pictures to show the emergence of Jordy, the 100% Kiwi Boy. It was as if a secret part of him suddenly was unlocked and like a little phoenix rising from the flames, he grew into this more aware, more evolved little person who became even more comfortable in his own skin. It was very special to witness.

He loved that being in New Zealand was like leaping into his Baby MacDonald video and his farm books. He had a great time looking at and chasing all the animals - lambs were a favourite, as were cats and dogs and seagulls!

Little lamb leading Jordy up the garden path at Lindale in Paraparaumu

But more than the animate things, he especially treasured the spectacular natural environment that is New Zealand. He must have touched every flower - from tiny white weeds to roses in full bloom - in his Mama Maree's garden.

Nature baby in the garden

He had his longest walk (round trip too mind you!) at the Dunedin Botanic Gardens - a full 45 minutes - where his eyes (and mind probably) boggled at the splendid colours in front of him. He studied tiny plants in the rock garden, tried to hold on to a ladybird, and marvelled at the sheer scale of the trees.

Figuring out his place in the world

But I think what he loved best of all was the beach. And I think that's where his two very different cultural identities merge - he is the child of two Island people. His dad was born in a town by the sea, where seagulls try to peck at your fish and chips, and his mum was born in a city island state, where you cannot swim anywhere without seeing boats or oil tankers on the horizon!

He was Himself at the beach. He loved the feel of sand through his fingers, and he would often stop to look up at the sky and wrinkle his nose at the clouds floating by. He smiled at the seagulls who fixed on him with beady eyes. He cruised along on a boogie board pulled by his Uncle Nick.

Trying to bury himself at St Kilda beach
Wheee!

He invented games at the beach - there was the jump-on-the-crackly-dried-up-seaweed-and-laugh game, the toss-the-peach-backwards game, the fill-up-my-plastic-turtle-with-sand-and-then-try-to-fill-up-the-picnic-basket-with-sand routine, and of course, bury the ball!

Jordy demonstrating a stellar peach toss at Waikouaiti beach

When he finished playing his games, he walked around looking a bit more, often stopping to look at the little sand pools the other beach goers had dug out with their shovels, and of course the surfers.

I am King of the Foreshore!

We're now back in Singapore, all sporting tans of various shades of golden-brown. But Jordy gained a bit of an inner tan I reckon. Having his feet planted firmly in New Zealand soil has added more soul to his already spirited self. And of course it should, that's what going home does to you!

I'm very proud of my little island (x2) boy.