Charlotte turns 5

Today, dear Charlotte, you turn 5.

You are a girl with persistent. Especially with your whys. 

Why is today my birthday?

Why does everyone have a birthday?

Why do you love me?

Why can't I eat junk food?

Why am I not 33 years old yet?

Why am I growing up so slowly?

You wouldn't stop asking until you get an answer.

You started to question about life and death. I dunno where is this coming from but I am seriously considering taking down the tv. Every evening, and it's only in the evening, you will start saying things like, 

"I don't want you to be old. I don't want you and daddy to be old."

"After we're 1000 years old, then we become a baby again?"

"I don't want to go to Jesus' house. I like our house. I want to stay in THIS house!"

You are kiasu when it comes to showing affection. When you see Emmett comes for a hug, you will rush over and hug me tight, "I want to hug! I want to hug like Emmett!" 

Not complaining about this, though.

You're getting more picky when it comes to food but you will try your best to finish all the food, albeit slow. Sometimes have to threaten a little. However, you're forever a big fan of all the dessert I make. And Grab food 😒

You still love to eat spicy food and your tolerance for spiciness has increased. I'm not sure if it's something good, though.

You have really really really good memory. You can memorize all the bible memory verses taught in Sunday School even though we didn't revise much. When prompted, you can easily cite them while I struggle to remember if it's verse 16 or 60. You are good in recognizing words and you're also good in Math, too, as long as you are focused. When you're not, it drives me crazy because I know you can do better.

You still have a love-hate relationship with your brother, Emmett. Mostly love. Just yesterday, when I was trying to get Emmett to stand on the weighting machine but he refused, you came over and said, "Go Emmett. It's ok. Go stand there and then I'll give you a special hug. You want special hug or not?" 

You're so so loved by everyone. Your kaima and jiu jius sponsored your birthday present this year. Your mother stayed up late to bake you a cake and your father built the toy kitchen until 6am in the morning. It took us so long because we were trying so hard to keep it as a surprise but you were still not asleep at 2am. 

As always, my baby girl, I wish you enough.

I love you. Happie 5th Birthday, Charlotte. 

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Potty Training - Emmett's edition

How have you been?

I'm not sure how many days it has been but it's getting easier now to stay at home. I have to admit, it was hard at first. Especially for me. Before MCO, whenever I feel tired and lazy to cook, I will just bring them to the mall to get their dinner fixed. It's expensive but I take it as buying time and energy.

The kids have been taking it really well, though. They just play the whole day. I would stop Charlotte and get her to do some work or reading but then I will need to get back to work with minimal distraction, so I resorted to TV nanny. I think they've way exceeded their screen time quota I set for them throughout their childhood. Oh well.

Emmett, on the other hand, is highly neglected. He just plays the whole day. Playing is good, right? Children need to play all the time. That's what the experts say.

Anyway, I started on potty training Emmett since day 2 of MCO. I mean, it's the right time to start since we are supposed to be home all the time.

Charlotte accompanying Emmett 🤷

I'm proud to say that he's 90% potty trained. 90% because this fella, just like his sister, DOESN'T WANT TO POO POO IN THE POTTY!

Why? How come!? どうして!? Dim gaiii!?!?

It was still considered easy for Charlotte because she wouldn't poop in her pantie. But she wouldn't sit on the toilet bowl to poop as well. She would wail and cry and tahan until I give in and put on a diaper for her. The point is, she can tahan until the diaper was on. So one day I decided to go hard on her and lock myself in the room. She gave in and pooped in the toilet. And since then she was diaper free. I blogged about it Here.

But Emmett. Oh my Emmett. He can now tell when he wants to shh shh and all but he just wouldn't let me know when he wants to poop! He successfully pooped in the toilet only because (1) he just finished showering and he hasn't put on his underwear and (2) he was only on the potty and the poop just came out with the pee.

Sorry tmi.

But other wise, he would just poop in his underwear and only inform after!

I've been drilling him all day everyday and he knows all the answers to it. The following is what's on the loop every 10 minutes.

"Emmett, do you want to poo poo?" (Usually it's a "No")
"Emmett, if you wan to poo poo, what must you do?" (Tell mummy)
"Can you poo poo in your underwear or not?" (No)

Sometimes when I'm too carried away with work, Charlotte will do the drilling.

"Emmett, if you want to poo poo you tell mummy ok? Tell jie jie also can."

And this morning, while changing him out of his pajamas, the sei sui zai went,

"Can poo poo in the underwear or not? Nooooooo~"
"Poo poo in the toilet ok? Emmett tell mummy, ok?"
"Emmett sing song and poo poo in the toilet, ok? Yaaaayyy!"

Yay your head la, yay.

But on the bright side, we're only using 1 diaper a day now, when he goes to sleep at night. Most of the time he wakes up with a dry diaper. I can always tell when he peed in the diaper cause he would refuse me to change him out of his pajamas.

Also, I'm glad I didn't give this training potty away. It was given to me by Suet Yin.

Charlotte preferred the big one. But for Emmett, I think he started to feel stressful after 4 days of potty training, on the 5th day, he started to refuse going to the toilet. So I took this out and he happily accepted it. I guess this goes to proof (again) that all children are different. It's an age old theory. What works for one might not work for another.

I look forward to the day I can happily announce that Emmett is 100% diaper free.

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