My little son has a love-hate relationship with the son of my close friend.

When they’re apart, they want very much to play together.

When they’re playing together, they inevitably fight.

The other day I went to my friend’s place to fetch her kids over to my place to play.  In the car the easy banter between us all developed into a shouting match over who should speak first – both wanted to talk to poor me (who was concentrating on the road) at the same time.

“I talk first” one would say.

“No!  I first” the other would counter.

“NO I FIRST!!”…

“NO I FIRST!!”…

At my place, they played amicably together for a while and then inevitably one (usually my little son because he is in his own territory) will snatch a toy from the other and a snatching fight would ensue.

Whilst watching Bob the Builder, my son (for whatever reason) sat on his friend’s lap and immediately received a kick in the rear that sent him running tearfully into the kitchen.

The next day, after our little guest had left, my little son told me ,“Mama I want Joshua to come to my house and play”.

Do you call this a love-hate relationship or what?

Let us take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Blessed and “Bloggerful” (whatever that means!) NEW YEAR!!

from Footyman & Footywife…..and Footyson (aka FootyKing!)

Apart from procrastination, there was also a feeling of inadequacy like, “are you sure people will like this song?” etc. But I am going to throw all those feelings away and rejoice in who God has made me to be, and share the song that He has put in my heart. So what better time than to share this than Christmas Day!

So here you go! Hope you enjoy it anyway
PS: yes that’s my voice, my “need-to-improve” guitar playing, and my own editing too!

SHOW ME YOUR WAYS (Psalm 25)

Close our eyes
Close our eyes
Close our eyes to the temporary glory of men

Build our lives
And fix our eyes
Fix them on the Glory of Our LORD

(repeat)

chorus
O LORD Show Me Your Ways
Teach Me Your Paths
And Guide Me In Your Truths
For You Are My GOD
My Saviour
And My Hope Is In You Eternally

bridge
I wouldn’t be what I am
If not for you who’ve shown me the truth
I wouldn’t be where I am
If not for you, if not for you

Lately my little son has the desire to “get inside the TV”.  It first started last week while he was watching Barney.

“Can you bring me inside there please mama?” he asked.

I was taken by surprise by that question.  “Why do you want to go in there?” I asked.  “Because I want three children,” he replied.  He meant he wanted to be the third kid in the show, as there were only two kids with Barney.

This week while he was watching Winne the Pooh & Tigger, he again asked, “Can you bring me inside there please mama?”

I asked him why and he said, “because I want to talk to them”.

“Oh, we can talk to them when they come to the shopping centres,” I said.  “We can’t go inside the TV because there’s nothing inside there.”

I then showed him the back of the TV.  “See, there’s nothing in there.”  I said,  “and Pooh, Tigger and Darby are not real people, they are fake.”

“How about me?” he asked.

“You?  You are real,” I said.

“No!  I don’t want to be real.  I want to be fake!” he declared, upset that he wasn’t the same as Darby or Pooh or Tigger.

Today, just before his nap, he told me “Mama I want you to buy me Darby but not the flat one.  But like us.”

I think he meant he wants a 3-dimentional Darby, not a 2-dimentional one like in the TV.

Or did he mean he wants a real Darby, not a fake one?!!

Not too long ago a good friend of mine recounted to me how her 4-year old son wept silently after being scolded by her.  It broke her heart.

“Oh”, I replied, a little surprised.  You see, my 3-year old little son has never cried after being scolded, no matter how loud or fierce I scream.  In fact scolding has had little effect on him.  Most of the time he just ignores me.  The only time he sits up and listens is when I hold the most feared instrument (aka the cane) in my hand.

But everything changed last week.  We were at the grocers and my little son was at his most irritating self, running and intentionally bumping into me every corner I went, blocking my way and refusing to let me walk. My patience began to wear thin and as soon as we got into the car I just let it all out and ranted at him.  He looked at me and suddenly the side of his mouth curled downwards and he started to sob.

It was like my little son suddenly grew up and words began to have an effect on him.  It’s strange because I’m with him 24/7 and he matured under my nose just like that, and I’m not even sure how and when that happened.

In a way I’m glad.  Glad that I don’t have to resort to the cane to make a point.  On the other hand I realize harsh words could hurt him emotionally so I really have to mind what I say when I’m angry.

He’s suddenly not a toddler anymore.

(This is written by Footywife)

We went to a Christmas party the other day and my little son brought along his most prized car collection, from the Walt Disney movie “Cars”.

He was playing with them when our friend’s teenage daughter, Geraldine, came along to chat with him.

“What is the name of this car?” Geraldine asked.

“Art-sen” my little son replied instantly.

“Art-sen?” Geraldine repeated.

“Hudson” I chipped in, helping my little son to pronounce the letter “h”.

“Oh, Hudson” said Geraldine. “How about this one?” she asked again.

“Pilmore” my little son replied, somewhat a bit more hesitant.

“Pilmore?” Geraldine asked, looking a little confused.

“Filmore” I chipped in again, helping my little son to pronounce the letter “f” this time.

“Oh, you mean Filmore. How come I don’t understand what you say” Geraldine commented.

Then she pointed to another car and asked the same question.

“I don’t know” came the reply from my little son.

Filmore (2nd from left) ; Hudson (2nd from right)

But I’m sure he knew because he knows all the cars’ names by heart. My interference probably made him feel lousy about his diction as Geraldine could understand me but couldn’t understand him. So he chose to feign ignorance than risk Geraldine not understanding his diction again.

Maybe next time I should shut my big mouth and let my little son carry on the conversation in his own way and see what comes out of it.

After 65 million years, they are BACK!

I saw this on TV News one day and was immediately drawn by it. It’s a live theatrical experience where 15 “live” dinosaurs, including the terror T-rex, walk, roar and fight for supremacy in front of your very eyes!

The show is touring North America now. How I wish they will come to Asia, am sure a lot of children (and adults) here would like catching a glimpse.

Yet I cannot help but begin this countdown to Christmas in memorial of a fellow Singaporean who died innocently, yet tragically, in the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai.

I do not know Lo Hwei Yen personally. I also can never know the extent of grief her closest ones are currently feeling. I only know, as a fellow countryman in this small country, that terrorism has hit home.

And what a time to re-iterate that we truly need more Love, Joy & Peace in the tumultuous world we now live in. Everyone is driven by their own beliefs, some to the deadly extent of sacrificing one’s or worse, others’ lives. Is this THE WAY?

This will take ages to discuss and there will be no conclusion.

I only urge my fellow readers, that as you finished reading this, to firstly say a quiet prayer for Hwei Yen and her family. I truly believe it helps.

Secondly, try keeping the message of PEACE in your heart today. If you are provoked, take a step back and tell yourself, “I want to be a Peacemaker today”. (Remember, if your children see what you are doing, they will follow)

GOD Bless Lo Hwei Yen & her family.

I stumbled onto this blog HOT THINGS DEAR today and was overjoyed to find an article describing the little animals.

So they are called Pygmy Tarsiers!

Now I can’t wait for my little son to wake up tomorrow to show off my new-found knowledge!

You see, the previous trip to the cinema was partially a failure because my son simply did not want to go into the cinema hall. I think the darkness and loud sound kind of traumatized him. Good thing the cinema was pretty empty then and we could sit at the last row near the exit, moving in and out during the show depending on whether there were “loud” moments.

Today, we knew it would turn out better because he has been looking forward to the trip. For the past week he has seen the trailer of “Madagascar : Escape to Africa” on TV and proclaiming he wanted to watch it in the cinema, while eating popcorn!

True enough, apart for a moment of early hesitation, he was enjoying himself in the cinema so much that  from halfway in the show, he started showing boredom and wanted to climb between row of seats!

He has definitely grown in the last few months…at least in the area of fear of the dark and loud sound.