2009, January 6, Tuesday
Its time to deck the halls with lots of holly fa..la...la..la..la..
Here is a shot of Ivan decorating the Christmas tree with an ornament that he specially chose and bought from Causeway Point.
Every year we get Ivan to join all of us, when we decorate the house and tree for Christmas, hoping that one day he too would understand the meaning of Christmas. This year unlike the previous ones, I got the children to follow as we got the decorations. It costs so much more than when I buy them myslef. Ivan he actually handpicked a couple of decoration pieces on his own.
The boys really enjoyed decorating the tree. It was fun and heartwarming watching them do up the tree, as we listen to Christmas Carols and talk about the journey an the birth of Jesus. We also talked about the meaning of the Christmas tree and the gifts it brings. Not forgetting the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.
After the tree was done, we turned off the lights and turned on the Christmas tree lights to enjoy the sight and simply spend the night cuddled up watching the decorated tree.
-bittersweetz-
2009, January 5, Monday
Its been a while since I updated my blog. I was down with the flu, cough and fever. Later on the boys got it from me and we took a while to recover. It was a long and tedious recovery as along the way I lost my voice and ears got all blocked up.
So here is some catch up on our Batam trip. On the left you see a shot of Ivan and me, taken on the ferry to Batam. We didn't go on this trip alone, we went together with my hubby's twin, his wife and their latest addition, baby Rochelle.
The next photo was taken at Harbour Bay, where we had great seafood for just S$40/- can you believe that! We had crab, fish, prawns, vegetables and drinks. It was a really good deal, and the food was really tasty. Plus, the ambiance was very cozy with candles lit at every table to give a romantic atmosphere. This is the third time we would have gone to Batam. Each tim
e, we go there, food is one thing that we really enjoy there as its so cheap, tasty and filling.
On the right is a picture of exhausted Ivan. For the two nights that we were there, we didn't have to ask Ivan to prepare for bed. He knocked out the moment his head hit the pillow. I must say that this trip, Ivan was rather cranky. He kept annoying everyone. I could not quite understand what was the problem. He would intentionally step on our shoes. Intentionally, push the brother or poke him in his face. Eventually, I concluded that the problem could be that he is either seeking attention, or he was trying to get us so annoyed that we would go home. He kept on asking for his computer. So, he probably thought that if he pissed us off good enough, we would pack up and leave. The annoyance didn't stop, however, so we had to resort to firmer measures. I gave Immanuel that green light to rereciprocate Ivan's actions. It was the lesson of cause and effect. Soon Ivan would realize that it wasn't so nice receiving the actions he gives out, a taste of his own medicine. It didn't seem to work immediately, but it did cut down the annoyance a very little bit.
The children had a great time together, even us adults, did. My sis in law and I went to the spa to relax, as the dads looked after all the kids. The spa was great experience. The dim lights and relaxing atmosphere, really transported us to a haven for almost 2 hours, until we came back to reality and went back to care taking again.
It was a refreshing trip for us and we were geared up for a wonderful New Year full of surprises in 2009.
-bittersweetz-
2008, December 24, Wednesday
As we walked around after church, I was taken by the sight of the floating Christmas trees. It was so pretty and I knew that a photograph taken there would be a keeper. Just as I thought so. Isn't this simply a wonderful picture. The three men in my life, hmmmm.
If you look closely, you will find that Baby Bugs Bunny is there too. He is in Ivan's arms. Don't know why he has shut his eyes for.
-bittersweetz-
2008, December 24, Wednesday
The cousins came over today. It was a refreshing change as normally we always go over. It is a handful however a pair of twins and an infant. The kids had a great time together screaming and running around the house, jumping on the trampoline and playing pretend play.
Immanuel even managed to get his uncle and aunt to play chess with him. Ever since he learnt the game, he has been looking for people to play with so that he can win. He played with me and won (boo-hoo). He played with the dad but only won once by sympathy. He won the uncle the first time round, as he had help from the aunt. Apparently we were told that the aunt is really good in chess. He knew that if he could win her it would be a great achievement. She was good, I must say but she gave no chances. Which is good, we don't want him to think that he is really good and play with others only to be disappointed. Sometimes we have to be harsh to prepare our kids for a harsh world. Gladly, he took his defeat and told her that he would practice but wants another game when we go over to visit again.
My hubby took the twins to the playground below as his brother took my boys for Christmas shopping at Sun Plaza. Meanwhile, the rest of us stayed home with baby Rochelle. She really is a doll. Beaming a sweet smile all the time, she loves company and hates to be left alone. It was so cute that she enjoyed lying down on our dinning table with a pillow rather than be placed in the bedroom on the bed. Time alone with Rochelle was so serene and quiet.... until the return of the other four. My two boys and the twins. Ivan came home so happy with a plush toy of baby bugs and told me. "It's Baby Bugs Bunny." He was so totally eccentric about having the plush toys that he was showing it to everyone.
After alot of playing, we decided that we were going down to Yishun fo
r some shopping and dinner. Well shopping for the mums and dinner for the rest. When we got on the bus the twins fell asleep and so do Rochelle. When we alighted my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and my hubby all carried a child each along with them, Ivan was carrying his Baby Bugs Bunny in the same fashion as them. I asked him if his baby was sleeping too, and he said, "Yes. Baby Bugs Bunny sleeping."
Bugs has been with him ever since. At night when he goes to bed, he has Bugs next to him at first. When he get comfortable to dozed off, he passes Bugs to my side so that I would care for Bugs as he sleeps. (so sweet the way he cares for the plush toys as if it were real)
On Sunday, when we were to go to church, he insisted that Bugs came along too. It was a little weird this time because, kids and adults were giving him a "look" as he carried Bugs in his arm wherever he went.
After church, we went into GAP to get some stuff. We left the boys to sit on the chairs in the kids section and went to pick up gifts for the toddlers. I turned to check on them and saw a little girl standing in front of Ivan giving him a confused look as to why he was holding onto a plush toy. She stood there looking for a minute or two until her mum called her to try on something. That was only the first incident that day. It happened again at Gelare, and other shops too. I try not to let it affect me as I know that no one else is going to be able to understand what my son needs and how he functions, as well as me. These strangers that stare today are not going to be there when he is throwing a fit or when he goes for therapy sessions. So why should I care if they think he is weird. What matters most is what I think of him. He is my angle sent from God, my charmed bracelet, my peace haven and my pot of clay. Clay that with the Lord's instruction I will make into a beautiful piece of Earthen Vessel, for Him to use.
2008, December 24, Wednesday
Every Sunday on our way to church, we pass a gorgeous looking ice cream parlour. Its call the French ..... (something) Ice Cream. Its pretty new I must say but it looks so good even from outside. We decided that once daddy came home we would stop by for some. And so we did. The boys ordered their scoops of ice cream in a cup but me oh no, the dessert queen has to have the big wafer cone.
My sons and hubby kept asking me if I would be able to finish it, as it seemed huge. But of course, its dessert for heavens sake, should you even doubt. I had the mixture with bananas and nuts, kind of a banana split version, I guess. Immanuel had ordered the Rocky Road and Ivan the Brownie Fudge.
It was very e
exciting to watch as the chef called out your order and started to prepare your ice cream. They scoop up the ice cream of your choice then mash it with style as they add in the other ingredients that you have chosen in your order. SMACK, SMACK, SMASH, SMASH, WAM BAM and TADA the ice cream is served to you. So Sweet. More than anything it was a great family experience, bringing the kids there for the show and fabulous ice cream.
-bittersweetz-
2008, December 23, Tuesday
Daddy had gone 
to work today while we waited for him at home. In the hours of boredom, the boys decided that they would play with the pillows. And as usual, they would leave all the pillows out of the pillowcases. And that makes me mad all the time.
This time Ivan was the one who had removed the pillow case. So I insisted that he placed it back again. He was resistant and screamed. But finally realized that I wasn't going to take no for an answer. He once, twice, three times but could not p
lace the pillow into the pillowcase. Immanuel tried to help but I stopped him. I told Immanuel that he could give his brother verbal instructions but he was not to help him physically. After a while they got the hang of it. I was glad to see them work as a team. Ivan was happy when he had placed the pillow into the pillowcase. And I am pretty sure that after this, he would know what he will have to do if he should take out the pillow case again.
-bittersweetz-
2008, December 23, Tuesday
This is a sample of work done by Ivan. He stayed up all night drawing these Warner brothers logos while singing the theme song.
He has meticulously drawn the characters and written all the fine prints with all the different fonts. This is one of the many mater pieces that he has done. Its also so interesting that when it comes to colouring his worksheets, his work is horrible. But look at how wonderfully these have been coloured. Even the colours have been copied as per the original. This is one of his fascinations that has followed him through the years.
-bittersweetz-
Its time to deck the halls with lots of holly fa..la...la..la..la..
