Featuring Kids at Play

My Child Magazine has a page to feature kids at play... and for the September 2010 edition, Maximus's picture is selected in the page.

It's not about winning a prize or anything, but it's just feeling of being selected to be published in the magazine. I was so excited when I noticed the photo after few times looking at the magazine. (Didn't expect will be featured in the magazine).

What I did was just to send the photo of my boy playing to the magazine...as simple as that!

The enlarged picture (cropped out for the tiny picture) of Maximus playing sand at the PD beach.

It's just fun play...

Play is just part and parcel of the toddlers' livelihood and part of their "work". As I was doing the report of my action research regarding "Parent's perception towards learning through play", I realised that my boy has been engaging into so many fun play just because of the opportunities given by us as parents. Yes, our perception as a parents in accepting Play into our children's life is important. "Play is indeed the highest expression of human development in childhood for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child soul" (quoted from Friedrich Froebel - Father of Modern Kindergarten). Play is the child soul... this is what brings a child to be lively, fun, sociable, and ALIVE!

Play has been introduced since a child is born! And as I look through all the photos of my son playing, they give me joy... and it's just fun play in a child. It's also their RIGHTS to play! (stated in the Convention on the Rights for a child by UNICEF).
So, our lil ones play...because it's just FUN Play.

Here are some fun play pictures of my boy playing since a baby...

Soup for the Lil Boy

This is not the story on Soup for the Soul or anything... This is about how my lil boy enjoys soup and being just the typical Chinese boy! He always want soup after meal and sometimes he will just have soup... Grandma's soup must be tasty!
It's fun watching how he slurps and drink his soup in a mouth full...smiling over the satisfaction of having his cousins to accompany him and mostly the way he sits on the stool! It's really a sight!

Pretend Play / Dramatic Play

Pretend Play / Dramatic play is part and parcel of child's play and it encourage creative thinking. Toddlers normally will mimic and imitate adults through pretend play. My young toddler enjoys his time having pretend play with his soft toys and his pizza set.

Each picture shows a sequence of the pretend play event:

#1: Getting ready the props - Pingu the penguin and the Pizza set




#2: Feeding Pingu some sauce




#3: Said "Pingu lak-lak" (Pingu feels spicy) and feed Pingu with water.



#4: Next, Maximus cut the pizza slices.


#5: Then he took one slice and feed it to Pingu.



That's how much I enjoy watching pretend playing with his toys.

Getting ready for potty training

Potty training should only be introduced to toddler when he/she is ready. It is normal to start introducing the potty to toddler around 18 months - 36 months. But it should be done gently, with patient and not stressful for both parents and toddler. There are few signs when a toddler shows readiness for potty training. These signs are:

1. Dislike or feeling uncomfortable in dirty diaper and insisting to be changed
   
2. Able to stay dry for at least 2 hours
3. Have regular bowel and ask for the potty
4. Able to tell when wants to urine
5. Able to tell (verbal or facial expression) when wants to pass urine or motion

When a toddler is ready for potty training, then parents should try to avoid wearing the diaper for a long duration. Start introducing brief or potty training pants.
For Maximus, he started his potty training on bowel motion as early as he reaches 12 months. He dislike the dirty feeling and will be anxious when he wants to have his bowel. Now he is learning to be trained to pass urine in the potty. At home, we will get him to wear a pair of shorts without diaper and remind him to pass urine at every 45mins - an hour (Initially started with every 30mins).
When we go out for a short outing e.g. for breakfast, for a walk at the mall or grocery shopping, we will get him to wear his brief and pants. Maximus likes his briefs bought by his elder aunt (ah-yee).
We hope that Maximus will be completely ready to urine or pass bowel motion independently when he is around 30months. There will be greater challenge with potty training especially at night.

Top-left: Front-view
Bottom left: Back-view
Right: Getting ready for bed-time. Wore the underwear when we went out for a short walk in Leisure mall

My lil Bossy Boy

My lil boy is turning 2-years in 2 months time! Before even being a 2-years old toddler, 12-years old adolescent or a 20-years old young adult, my lil boy is a lil Bossy Boy!
Besides being a perfectionist (just like mummy), he always want to boss everyone around. With his ability to speak short phrases without any proper grammar in using the preposition and conjunction he will just shoot his instructions. Being the lil Bossy boy, he addresses himself as "Max" and started commenting, pin-pointing and requesting everyone especially us!
He uses phrases such as:

1. Max clothes
2. Mummy-milk-milk car (Meaning - He wants mummy to feed him milk while holding to his car).
   
3. Uh-Oh! No more lights!
4. Uh-Oh! Close (Meaning - we have to close the drawer or cupboard or the door properly after opening them).
5. On lights
6. Yes, stairs (Meaning - Yes, I want to go downstairs /upstairs).
7. Yes, Pi-Pi (Meaning - Yes, I want to watch Pingu).
8. Take! Take! Take! (While pointing at anything he wants and request us to take it for him)
   

Obviously if any of his instructions are not being full-filled, he will definitely:

1. Scream!
2. Whine
3. Throw tantrum by lying down on the floor and roll around

It's not easy to control his tantrum throwing although we tried ignore, distract or substitute. Sometimes he will give-in but most of the time he is just being our Lil Bossy Boy!

No more baby

It was the 6th of September when I went for the O&G check up after a week of spotting and leakage. The nurse in Klinik Ibu dan Anak advised me to get a scan from the O&G. I have never felt so anxious while waiting and since I could sense that something is not right about this pregnancy, I felt even more anxious. I can only pray...
When I was called into the Gynecologist room, I told the whole situation to her and up to the examination bed to get my scan. The 1st scan (abdomen scan) failed to trace the fetus's heartbeat and it was confirmed by the 2nd scan through the virginal. My heart dropped upon hearing this and I was ALONE! The gynecologist said I need to do a D&C immediately to avoid any infection since the fetus has died in 7 weeks old although through her scan it showed 8th week.
I cried when I called hubby but what needed to be done, need to be done fast. I signed the consent letter and then admitted.
The process was fast! It happened just like a blink of eyes - when I was conscious, it was DONE. My baby has gone! I was too tired to think or be sad about it... what I could do is just talked about the future plan with hubby as i lay down in the ward. And my mind was thinking about my lil Maximus. I miss him so much at the moment and wanted to hold him close in my arms.
It's just a feeling of loosing something precious and I guess Maximus is the one whom I hold preciously. But God is good...and He is good all the time.
Through this time of trial, I cling unto Him for His Mighty strength. I found strength in Him... thus I was able to control my emotion. When I went home, I has the comfort of Maximus, hubby and also my mother. It's a feeling for warm and secure.
Late at night, we had our bed-time bonding with Maximus. Low and behold, he uttered the word "No more baby'" and it surprised us! I guess my lil guy here know what has happened. He was aware or somehow in his spirit he was connected to us.
Well... I was relief when he uttered those words and it seems a confirmation to me that I have to accept this fact. So i surrender it to God and let him plan for our next one.