Ian is 4 years old today

Happy birthday Ian! How time flies, you are 4 years old already.

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Ian has been receiving birthday presents since last week from different uncles and aunties (relatives and church). He made this comment to his mommy at home.

Ian: How come so many people like to buy me presents huh?

(so proud!)

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I have been scratching my head to buy Ian something really special for his birthday. Last weekend, I brought him to an aquarium and bought him a fish tank with 4 fishes and 1 prawn. He was very excited. He can't wait to go home and had to call his brother on my handphone to relate the good news.

I felt good knowing that I had bought him something extraordinary from his other presents.

When we got home, we spent the next few hours setting up the aquarium. I taught them how to feed the fish. Both wanted to feed and we had to draw up a simple roster. Alternate days beginning with Ian.

Ryan helped to name all the fishes. There's Nemo, Pulp, Zebra, Colourful and Zoop (prawn). I am not sure where he got his inspirations for these names. Some cartoon characters perhaps?

Next morning (less than 24 hours later), Zoop died. Since then, they have been monitoring if more will die soon.

Yesterday, Ian told his mommy...

Ian: Mommy, next time don't buy me fish lah
Mommy: Why?
Ian: So boring
Mommy: Why boring?
Ian: I say "hello" to the fish but they never talk
Mommy: But they can't talk. Only human beings talk. They are pets like cats and dogs.
Ian: At least a dog will wooh wooh.
Mommy: errr....

For the record, Ian has stopped feeding the fishes. Ryan has taken over the role daily.

And this morning, while I was sending him to childcare, he said he doesn't want the fishes anymore. Ryan can have them. Too boring but I need not buy him a replacement present. He said never mind.

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Weeks before Ian's birthday, he has told us he does not want to celebrate it at his childcare centre. We double checked several times over several days, and he has been consistent with his reply. No cake cutting.

All he wanted is to distribute little gifts to his friends.

Very good. We don't have to take leave to go to the centre then. Hee hee...

This morning, he carried a big bag of goodies, mainly twisties and some tidbits, for the entire centre. Tonight, mommy will bring all out for dinner with my mom. Jenny (domestic help) happened to have the same birthday as Ian today.

Daddy has a meeting. Sigh.

Ryan's Junior Golf Program

Ryan started attending Sembawang Country Club's Junior Golf Program from early March 2006. It's not just a course. It's a school. There'll be years of golfing instructions ahead. That requires a long term commitment not just from him but also from us, parents.

I look forward to playing on the green with him soon. That'll be great!

The video below was taken during this evening's lessons.




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How HFMD is affecting Ian - part 2

Last night I was having pillow talk with Ian.

Me: Why did you cry in childcare this morning?
Ian: Because I want you to go inside with me!
Me (in a gentle tone) : But I cannot. Your teachers said all daddies and mommies cannot go inside now. blah... blah... blah......

He just listened.

This morning, on the way to the centre in the car, we spoke again.

Me: So Ian will go inside the childcare centre himself ok?
Ian: NO!
Me (in a gentle tone again): But I cannot... the teachers... blah blah blah....

He kept quiet throughout the journey.

When we reached there, his teacher greeted him.

Teacher: Good morning Ian, go inside yourself ok?

He took off his shoes and went inside himself. Hmm.. .. I think reasoning with him helps. See the pictures this morning. No more tears.

How HFMD is affecting Ian

Childcare centres in Singapore are all trying to cope with the recent outbreak of HFMD. From yesterday, Ian's childcare has disallowed parents to enter the premise to minimise contacts between the children and the public.

A teacher-in-charge has set up a counter outside the centre to take the temperature for all students. Parents will sign in their child at the table and bid farewell at the gate.

This is breaking the norm for us. Our usual routine was...

1. sign in at the table
2. helping Ian put his shoes on the rack
3. holding his hand into the centre
4. putting his bag into the pigeon hole for him
5. placing his water bottle on the tray
6. giving him a hug
7. bringing him to the window to get ready to wave goodbye at me
8. get out of the centre and into my car
9. wind down the window and get ready to drive off
10. wave goodbye

With the new measures at childcare centre, our new routine is reduced to 1, 8, 9, 10.

it is not surprising that Ian started crying again. See the pictures taken today.

Ryan won his first medal in life

This happened a few months ago.

Ryan has been passionate about golfing and we signed him up for a golf program at his school. After the first term (approx 10 lessons), he asked for more and we signed him up for another term. He has definitely benefited from the program. I could see improvements in his swing. He may be ready to tee off from red tee.

Seeing that his passion remained high, I bought him a set of clubs during his program.

At the end of the 2nd term, the school organised a golf competition. He was of course excited to be playing in a competition.

After the game, he called me on my handphone to tell me he had won a medal.

Ryan: Daddy, I won a medal!
Me: Really? That's good! What's your score??
Ryan: Huh?
Me: Are you first? 2nd? or...?
Ryan: I don't know?
Me: What medal did you get?
Ryan: Those that hang around the neck.
Me: What does it say?
Ryan: errr... participation award.
Me: Oh...!

When I got home that night after work, he was still wearing the medal round his neck. He was really proud.

Today, Ryan is enrolled in Sembawang Country Club's junior program.

Ryan learning how to ski

We have decided to visit Korea in Dec 2005 to have some snow experience. The kids were looking anxiously towards skiing. The schedule only catered half a day for it and they were complaining that it was too short.

They were not aware how tough it would be yet.

At the ski resort, the atmosphere was exciting. The ski slopes were packed with people and most of them made skiing looked so easy.

Our once-in-a-lifetime experience started with us putting on the gears. The thick clothings and gloves restricted our agility and mobility. It was really inconvenient to walk with the bulky ski shoes. Poor me still got to carry the skis and poles (think that's what they call it). Mind you, I have to carry 2 sets of skis. It was too heavy for Prince Ryan.

The instructors gave us a very brief lesson. Taught us to break fall, get up and walk sideways. 10 mins lesson in total. That's it??? Yes, that's it.... go enjoy yourself!

It was my first expereince too but I took over as coach to guide Ryan. Finally understood the true meaning of 'the blind leading the blind". In between the numerous falls, I was shouting instructions at Ryan to be careful! Ryan was inclined to walk upslope with the skis pointing straight in front. This is a basic mistake we should not make. It causes us to slide backwards.

So we all have to walk sideways upslope to enjoy the glide down. This was Ryan's first headache. The skis were big and heavy. He kept falling down, got up, glided backwards, fell again, got up, glided backwards somemore... and got himself further and further downhill instead of going up. There was no enjoyment to talk about.

After about 30 mins or more, he fell for the 1000th time and sat on the snow and cried. "I give up! I am not playing anymore!" There were tears.

I could tell he was very disappointed that skiing was so difficult. He was looking forward to it so badly. I took off his gears, brought him into the cafe, consoled him and sipped a hot drink together. Rested for 30 mins and encouraged him to give it a 2nd try.

This time, we would carry his skis for him upslope. All he had to do was ski downhill. And then, we took off his skis and carried it upslope again. How convenient for the Prince!!!

His skiing experience took a positive turn and we ended the experience within 3 hours (total). All because daddy and mommy became too tired.

The tour guide was correct. Half a day was more than enough for us. Enjoy the video below.


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Potential worship leader

In the last blog, we saw Ian as a camera shy boy. The real Ian at home is very different.

I am a worship leader in church and he has been imitating me all the time when alone. Caught him a few times and decided to catch him secretly.

Last night, Ai Peng placed a camera on the dresser when she saw Ian in the "worship leading mood". He was busy leading worship with no one else in the room. He suspected the camera was running but Ai Peng came in to convince him to carry on with what he was doing. In the entire video, he was alone.

In the video....

1. Ian was singing "Let creation sing" from hillsongs. One of the lines is "with a shout of love, we will give to You all the highest praise." This is one of the new songs we have been singing in church. See how he repeated the last line over and over again before leading into high praise.

2. Noticed also the way he clapped to avoid his imaginary microphone?

3. He ended the first song by slowing down before saying "Hallelujah Praise the Lord!..... oooh!"... and clapped again.

4. And then he spoke to the church.

If you want to know the real Ian at home, watch this video. I will try and capture him playing drums next time. Another classic.

ian imagining he is leading worship.wmv

Ian is camera shy???

Ian doesn't like to be in the limelight. This includes taking photographs.

When we were in Korea, he has been running away from me whenever I aimed my camera at him. When we were all changed to the traditional Korean costumes for a family portrait, he cried. To be exact, he wailed. Fellow tour members had to help me catch him to "force" him into the costume.

There was no point doing that.

He was still not in the picture in the end. He was right behind us in the picture hiding from the camera. Only 3 of us were in the portrait.

Last Friday, when my lifegroup celebrated birthdays in the month of March (me and Ian included), he cried again when we tried to get him to stand in front of the cake. He ran away sobbing as we sang the birthday song.

The video below showed him refusing to pose for pictures and running away from me as I chased him on separate occasions.

Video part 1 - In a gondola going up the ski mountain
Video part 2 - Tried to shoot him eating sweets in his thick clothings. Looked very cute like a penguin.

Ian has a girlfriend

Ian has a girlfriend. That's what I found out from Ryan and him when we were holidaying in Korea. Watch the video to find out more.

Video - Ryan cycling

This is a video of Ryan learning to cycle.

Ian's misbehaviour in childcare

This is about Ian's naughty behaviour in childcare on Monday.

I first heard the accounts from the kids and the story goes this way. After the teachers have bathed the kids, Ian's classmate (a girl) tried to unveil his towel twice. In response, Ian removed his towel for all to see. As a punishment, his teacher made Ian parade in the nude round the centre. Ian was crying while he walked.

Of course, I was very concern at the form of punishment being meted out. I am not against punishment but the way it is done. I clarified the incident with the teachers immediately the next day.

The teachers' accounts revealed otherwise. After the teachers have bathed the kids, it was Ian who was disturbing the girl. He got his warnings but he continued to misbehave. The teacher then held his hand to see the principal who happened to be at the other end of the centre. As Ian was struggling along the way and crying at the same time, his towel dropped. His cousins saw the incident and thought he was made to parade in the nude.

How dangerous it is just listening to one side of the story?!

I choose to believe the teachers' accounts. Looks like I have to start disciplining Ian for his misbehaviour. Getting a lot more complaints from his teachers lately.

Ryan can cycle already!

Last Sunday, Ryan woke me up from my precious nap to teach him how to cycle. I was very unwilling to get out of bed..... I want my precious sleep!

But hey, my boy wants his idol, that's me, to teach him cycling. This is going to stay in his memory forever. I got up immediately to do the job.

We chose the car park because of its space and is usually empty. Thanks to his mommy, they had several sessions already. After just 5 mins, I was convinced that all Ryan needed was some courage. He was already cycling with me "pretending" to hold on to his chair running alongside him. It was a good exercise for me... pant pant.

After some encouragements... "Yes Ryan, well done..... you can do it..... keep cycling... sit up straight... don't slow down..... the faster you paddle, the easier it is.... look up.... yes... see? you are cycling already!"

He went round the carpark several times without stopping.

I hereby certify Ryan Pang Jun Wei ..... a cyclist!