Gracia Having Tantrum

Since Lina started work, I get more chances to be really up close and personal with Gracia. And I am starting to experience her tantrum first hand. It sort of worried me and I am quite confused how to handle her. It all started yesterday, when I brought her out with me to work, I thought the journey was short and she might be happy to be out. In deed she was quite happy at first, and she sat quietly in the baby car seat for at least 20 mins. Soon after that, most probably she got bored and wanted to get out of her seat and started making sound. I told her “No” but she won’t listen. She just screamed and cried her lung out and wanted me to release her from her seat. Eventually, I surrendered and brought her out for a while.




When I tried to put her back again on the car seats, guess what? Little Gracia suddenly become a snake. She just twisted and turned her body and resisted so forcefully like a phantom just to avoid getting back into the seat. I ended up bringing her out again and thought of getting something as a negotiation tool to coax her back to her seat. But my idea turned into smoke when she refused to let me bride her with anything at all, and there's no other way i could possibly persuade her back to her seat again.

I have no choice and I did the unpredictable. Put her on my laps and drive, risking being caught by TP and risking both our safety. How I managed to drive her back I leave it all for your imagination.

I just wanna say that, she has grown up. She knows what she wants and she will do whatever it takes to get it> TANTRUM

I used to thought i should be able to handle tantrum steadily, but i guess i have underestimated the intensity and it prowess.It's time I should prepare myself and start reading how to cope tantrum now and brush up my knowledge of it.

Photo Try Out

My first attempt on a night scene using a slow shutter spend of 10' sec. Without a tripod, i had to try a number of times to get the surrounding look sturdy. Anyway, this is just a trial. I am planning to shoot a night scene of Boat Quay when i am on my reservist next coming 2 weeks. That's the only time i can stay out late.


Image:Road behind my block, Pasir Ris St21. I climbed over a bridge to shoot it.

Hungry Ghost Month

It is now 7th moon in the lunar calendar and in general is regarded as the Ghost Month, in which ghosts, including those of the deceased ancestors, and spirits come out from the lower realm: the gates of hell are opened to free the hungry ghosts who then wander to seek food on Earth.

Coincidentally, it was also my father death anniversary. As usual, my mother will gather everyone to come home and pay respect to my dad.
During the Ghost Festival, the elder ancestors and older generations are worshipped.
Rituals are preformed to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased, offerings reaching the ghosts should comfort the ghost’s life.

My mum prepared ritualistic food offerings, giving a feast to my dad.

All of us have to burn incense to show our respect. Joss paper, spirit money and paper-objects of material items my father will also recieved (maybe)

The burning of the joss paper and papier-mâché objects allows for the object to be transferred to the ancestors and ghosts, materialising in the afterlife.




Image:From left, my elder brother kelvin, nephew Nicolas and Ace burning joss paper.


True or not, i am not too sure, but it's out culture we have to follow.

Reading Is Good

....IN THE SMALL STUFF....

The person who does not read good books has no advantage over the person who can't read.

Build your personal library with hard cover books that transcend centuries and circumstances.

Read the front page of a local newspaper everyday. Keep up on current events.

Read for fifteen minutes every night before you go to bed.

The history of the world is merely the biography of great people.

Read at least one biography a year.

Read "HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE" by Dale Carnegie
at least once a year.

Be a reader, but one who read between the line.

At the beginning of each year, choose a topic of interest and spend the next 12 months learning all you can about it.(Daddy is reading about photography now)

Next time you read a really good book, make every effort to get in touch with the author.

Read books on variety of subjucts so as to broaden your personal knowledge and appeal.

Just because it's a print does not make it worth reading, choose carefully what you read.

Just because it's shown on TV does not means it's worth watching, becareful what you watch. esp your kids
Try doing without TV at all for a week

Finally, read a classic that stood the test of time at least once in your life.

Lina Is Going Back To Work

I have a mixed feeling of my wife going back to work tomorrow for 1½ month at least. I am glad that she can help lessen our family financial burden but will also miss her when she’s not around anymore in the afternoon with us, especially her dishes and I think Gracia will definitely feel the pinch more than me.

I want to thank my wife for having an undervalued job without income, leave and other benefit an employer should enjoy looking after Gracia for the past one year. You have truly been a great mom and your sacrificing is acknowledged.

We know that a child development begins on day one. And the most important person forming these skills and capabilities is the person raising the child directly. The role that you play as a guardian to Gracia is so significant and it's not a stretch to say that you are the most important person in her positive progression. Gracia and me truly respect and value the work that you had put in. This is a job where it’s unappreciated by so many but we are telling you we are not.

We also understand that although for the past one year, looking after Gracia was not a simple task and a lot of scarify have to be made, you had also found rewards, fulfillments and accomplishments in the mist of these entire journey. Now that you’re going back to work tomorrow, we believe there is a certain degree of heartache and sadness in you too.

Whatever it is, the choice is already made and is made with much consideration of the advantageous and any unfavorable influences to our family. Since we had already weighted the pros and cons, we should be happy and look forwards for better days to come. Daddy will try his best to pay more attention on Gracia development and hope that her progression will continue and not decline for the worst.

Wife Culinary Improve

My mum's already not with us for about a week, she should be in China by now. My wife took this golden opportunity to experiment her cooking style and to pampered me ofcos. Her first dish was 'kai lan' veggie that tasted a little bit bitter, too bad i forgot to take any picture of it. But she manage to cover up her unsuccessful dish with more appetizing one. In fact it tasted so good that it's hard to believe at first she cooked it herself if i didn't witness it with my own eyes.

Below are a few dishes Lina tried recently and the score i give them:
Sorry i did not take photo of the first one because i was lured by the smell and only care to taste it quickly and forgot about the rest.

1) Potato with Chicken chop = 9.5 ... "

2)
Image: Fried chicken with sweet sour sauce = 8/10 point






3)
Image: Chicken with broccoli = I wanted to give a 8.5 but Gracia hint me with her gluttonous look and suggest me to give more, so final conclusion 9.5/10


To my wife: Thank you so much for preparing all this fabulous foods even with the inconvenience of our Gracia around. I feel fully nourish and blessed. Your cooking skill has truly improve.

First Swim For Gracia

Just came back from Tampines swimming complex together with Gracia and my wife. It was the first time little Gracia got into a pool, just look at her expression and you will know how excited she was.




The whether is pretty hot though, fortunately we bought a bottle of kids sun-block for her.




We think she really love water. When she was younger, she already enjoyed taking her shower without any struggling. And when she got into the pool for the first time and occasionally drank a few sips of the pool water when daddy let go of her, it doesn't seems to bother her. We'll probably bring her swimming more often in the future.