Let your fingers do the talking

Hand puppets and finger puppets are some of Apples favourite toys. She often chases me around the house to ask me to put on the hand puppet and starting talking with it.

Recently, she's found a easier way to play this game. No puppets required. Just play pretend worm. She'd wriggle her little finger and make tiny voices. And being the nimble-minded mother I am (Sorry, no humility here. ;), I was quick to play along. Since then it's one of those games we can play wherever we are. No props required. Cheap and good. I like that. :)

I want to be like...

Before I left for work this morning, I had a chat with Orange to remind her to be obedient and polite to her grandparents; and that when I get home in the evening, I would check with them if she did so. Then I explained to her why she needed to be obedient and kind. To increase her motivation, I said, "If you are obedient, you will grow up to be like David (one of her favourite Bible heroes). Would you like that?"

She replied, "No, I don't want to be like David."

I asked, "How about Jesus? Would you like to be like Jesus when you grow up?"

She said, "No."

I said, "So who would you like to be?"

She said, "Like you, mama."

I thought (with head swelling), "Wow! Not bad, huh. I have higher standing in her eyes than David and even Jesus!"

She added, "Then I can wear your clothes."

Poooof! There goes the bubble.

Apple and the Water Bill

Our utility bill shows a chart with our monthly consumption and the national average for an apartment our size. I've always been happy that our water consumption was below average. But this month, when we received the bill, I was shocked to see that it was way above average. Strange... some of these thoughts came to my mind:

"Apple! Where are you?" I would shout from the kitchen when the house became strangely quiet. More often than not, I'd find her in the toilet brushing her teeth. This would be one of her favourite "past times" at home. It involves filling up the cup to tbe brim with water, rinsing once or twice and then refilling again...Or she could be practising her handwashing skill until someone comes and stops her. .

May was also a month when we started seriously potty training Apple. That means lots of accidents, washing up. The fun thing about using the toilet for Apple is that she gets to flush it. Every so often, she'd be found practising this new skill, whether she's used the toilet or not.

Apple certainly has the dubious honour of almost singlehandedly increasing our water bill. Sigh...I have to work hard at bringing it down again...

Do you listen to me?

When Kong Kong (or Grandpa) joins us for dinner, Orange likes to sit on his lap after they are both done for a story while the rest of us continues with the meal

Here's what I heard from the dinner table one evening. Kong Kong was reading a story from the Bible, about Cain and Abel. There was a line that said Cain did not listen to God. Orange asked her series of Why questions. Kong Kong's answer was, "Because he didn't listen to God". Then Kong Kong started asking his own series of questions.

Kong Kong: Does Orange listen to Kong Kong?
Orange: Yes
Kong Kong: Does Orange listen to Ma ma?
Orange: Yes
Kong Kong: Does Orange listen to Pa pa?
Orange: Yes
Kong Kong: Does Orange listen to Por Por (Grandma)?
Orange: Yes

Then Orange decides she should ask some questions.
Orange: Does Kong Kong listen to Orange?
Kong Kong hesitates....: Yes
Orange: Does Kong Kong listen to Apple?
Kong Kong: Yes

LOL! Was Kong Kong was "trapped" for a moment?

Lesson learnt: Practice what we say.

Mama, I'll be gentle...Meditation on the Cross

Orange took her toy hammer and came to me. "Mama, you'll be Jesus. I'll nail you to the cross!", she said to me one day while we were playing. She proceeded to narrate from memory (this is one of Orange's favourite bedtime Bible story in the last few weeks), the events before the crucifixion:

" 'Crucify him! Crucify him! And free Barabbas instead', said the Jewish leaders. Jesus was forced to carry a huge wooden cross through the streets to Golgotha, the place of execution.... At last, they arrived at Golgotha. There, guards nailed Jesus hands and feet to the cross."

This is a new game, I thought to myself, so I stretched out my arms and obliged. Then Orange used toy hammer and nailed me to cross. I played along in the drama and yelled out in pain, "Urrrgghh!! Urrrgghh!!"

"No, mama, it's not painful", said Orange. She went on hammering.

"Yes, it is. It was very painful for Jesus when the soldiers hammered nails into his hands.", I replied. "Urrrggggh!!", I went on.

"No, mama, I'll be gentle. Look, I'm gentle." she said, "It's not painful."

I tried explaining to O that it is painful but she kept protesting. Finally, I let it be. This is where her understanding is at this point of time.

This incident has stuck in my head for a while. It had me thinking about my own understanding of all that Christ had gone through for my own sin. How limited it must be, just like how limited O's was.

I'll never know how much it cost
to see my sin upon that cross...
so here I am to worship
so here I am to bow down
here I am to say that you are God

That's the least I can do. He is too good to me.

Baking day

"Mama, can be bake please?"

A typical question when Apple is taking a nap and when I'm not out at work. Good thing I have some baking ingredients stocked up in my cupboards. I obliged that one time when she asked me and we made some muffins.

She asked me again the next time I was home. Since she has been learning about days and months of the week, I decided to ride on that. I wrote "Baking day" on one Saturday in the calendar which she uses to mark off the days. It worked. I escaped a few days of nagging from her. Whew!

This is the product of last Saturday's baking, which we shared with her sunday school friends.

Just today, she told her papa: Saturday is baking day... Hmmm... I'm not sure using the calendar what that great an idea after all.... ;)

Bedtime stories

Apple doesn't like to sleep alone and she makes sure that we take care of her bedfellows. Everyone must be kept warm...

Orange doesn't like all these unnecessary "interference" on her bed. She likes to keep it neat and simple. This is what her bed looks like before she comes to our room to say "good morning".

She's been making her bed everyday the last few weeks without us asking her to. We're amazed and so proud of her.