Shes's Searching - official Lyric Video (from EP titled 'THIS IS LYIA')

Teacher's Day Cikgu & Kami - Chastan's Class 2016

Stupid Stupid Stupid

The other day, Dad was roped in to play 'tag' with Chastan and Cheryl. While playing, something made Chastan angry. He just stopped in his tracks, stood there with an angry face and went "STUPID STUPID STUPID ".

Dad did not say anything then because, first he was stunned and second, most importantly, he did not want put any emphasis that this was not an appropriate word to be used in anger.

Again on another occcassion in the car, he used this word. Then last week at the bookstore at Jusco, someone accidently knocked into him. Annoyed, Chastan got up and said "Stupid" but luckily he was not loud and Dad was grateful, the chap who bumbed into Chastan could not have heard it.

Without reprimanding him, Dad said to Chastan "You should not use that word" and then continued "Where did you learn that word?"

"TV" shouted Cheryl who was nearby.

Then another time when Mummy scolded him, Chastan went "Stupid, Mummy stupid"

Boy Friend

The other day while Mummy was going through the homework with Cheryl. Cheryl suddenly blurted out.

Cheryl: "Mummy, I got boy friend"
Mummy: "What?"
Dad: "Boy friend?"
Cheryl: "Yes"
Mummy: "Who is he?"
Dad: "What's his name?"
Cheryl: "Justine"
Mummy: "He is in your class, is he?"
Cheryl: "No, he is in Orange class"
Mummy: "Does he come in your school bus?"
Cheryl: "No"
Mummy: "How do you know he is your boy friend?"
Cheryl: "Sheryl Siah said"
Mummy: "Did you talk to him?"
Cheryl: "Why you ask so many questions?"

This is our daughter who isn't six yet.

Swimming - New Trick

It has been months since the last time the children went to the pool. So this evening being a hot day, Mummy reminded Dad to take the children down to the pool. Cheryl had on her full body one piece swimsuit and a body float while Chastan wore his trunks, a t-shirt and the arm-floats. While Cheryl eagerly jumped in, Chastan was reluctant to get into the pool. He stood at the edge and was trying to pull down his shorts. Only after Dad took off his arm floats and t-shirt did he get into the wading pool.

When time to leave, Chastan, being the good boy he is, went back quietly with Mummy while Dad stayed back with Cheryl to take her into adult pool. In the adult pool, dad asked Cheryl to close her mouth, nose and go under water, which she did a few times, staying under water for only a split second each time.

When time to leave and changing into her new bathrobe that Aunty Rose bought for her.

Cheryl: "Dad, can I put on the bathrobe myself "
Dad: "Ok"
Cheryl: "I'm sure my friends will be jealous if they see this new bathrobe"
Dad: "Yes, certainly"
Cheryl: "Dad, thank you for showing the new trick"
Dad: "Uh?"
Cheryl: "You know, holding my nose and going under water"
Dad: " Oh, you are welcome"

Big Sister

Earlier this evening while Dad was spending some quality time with the children.

Dad: "Chastan, I am your father"
Chastan: "Daddieee"
Dad: "Mummy is your mother"
Chastan: "Mummieee"
Dad: "And Cheryl is your sister"
Chastan: "Che Cheaaah"
Right at this moment, Cheryl who was listening in,
Cheryl: "Correction"
Dad: "Huh?"
Cheryl: "BIG Sister"

Children at Jusco (1)

Watch how Cheryl and Chastan play together at a shopping centre.




Now watch how they 'play' together again.

Teen Titans

This is Cheryl's favourite program - all because of the main character, Robin, the little guy in the green and red costume. She even dreamt about him. One morning when she woke up,

Cheryl: "Mum, I saw Robin"
Mum: "When?"
Chery: "At night when I was sleeping"
Dad: "Where?"
Cheryl: "Don't know, I was so happy and then I woke up"

Cousin Jason, knowing about Cheryl's new liking, gave her a printout of the Teen Titans that he obtained from the net. Even to bed, she held on to it and kept it under her pillow while she slept.

On 21/12/2006 we took the children to the 'Christmas with Teen Titans' that was being staged at Sunway Pyramid but did not tell Cheryl about the show. No disappointment for the children in case the show did not go on that day.

The posters of the Teen Titans around the stage watered downed the surprise we had intended. Anyway, Cheryl was indeed excited to see Robin live even though he did not look as 'cute' as the cartoon screen version and, this being a first time for Cheryl at a show like this, Dad had to go along to have her picture taken with Robin. Then just after the show,

Cheryl: "Mummy, we follow Robin wherever he goes"

Mum: "What, why do you want to follow Robin?"

Cheryl: "We follow to see where Robin goes"

Mum: "But they are going to rest for the next show"

Cheryl: "But I want see Robin again"
Dad: "Ok, we will wait for the next show"

Cheryl enjoyed the repeat performance also.

At Christmas Cheryl received an additional present from Aunty Sharon, a folder with printouts of Robin and the Teen Titans. She was so glad that she ignored her other presents and held on to the folder as her prized possession.

Cheryl with the Teen Titans

Hide & Seek

Hide & Seek is one of the games Chastan and Cheryl love to play at home. While Cheryl is able to count, Chastan is not. But still he loves to be 'it' and facing the wall he will close his eyes and say "One two three seven nine eady not".

Not much choice hiding places in our small apartment, but for Chastan anywhere will do as long as his eyes are not seen. But then he is good. Once when we had house helper problems and when Dad stayed home to babysit, dad could find Chastan when it was time to go and bring Cheryl back from school.

Dad practically panicked, he kept calling for Chastan but not a sound was heard. Checking all the rooms, bathrooms and under the beds and even in the closets (yes, the clothes cupboard is a hiding place), no sign. After a frantic few minutes, he was found hiding behind a door which cannot be opened fully due to a floor shelf behind it. He was squatting there snugly facing the corner between the door and the shelf, face down and quiet, very very quiet. The gleeful smile on Chastan's face showed dad that he had been had.

Chastan hiding on the bed

With Chastan, Hide & Seek can be played anywhere, even in a shopping mall.

Chastan hiding in One Utama

Music School Concert - Cheryl

Cheryl was enrolled for the Yahama Junior Music Course (JMC) run by Claris as this was available in our Taman. This is a two year course where a parent of the student sits in with the child for every lesson. Mummy had this pleasure, but Dad had to sit in for a few sessions when Mummy was indisposed.
The concert, 'An Evening With Claris 2006' organised by Claris at Flamingo Hotel in Ampang included all students enrolled in their schools. JMC students were roped in for the 'Percussion' contribution whereby Cheryl's class played the casternets. A practise session was held earlier in the afternoon.

It was a good and enjoyable evening of music and Cheryl thoroughly enjoyed the participation as these pics portray. Chastan too attended, but he, being a good boy he is, was not too difficult to control.

Pocoyo

This is Chastan's favourite cartoon. To the uninitiated, Pocoyo is the one in blue, the pink elephant is Ellie and Patto is the duck. Two other regular characters not in this picture are Loola, the dog and Sleepy Bird.

Pocoyo, in this cartoon series, would normally express his anger by folding his arms across his chest. Chastan too does it when he is angry. Is this type of gesture by Chastan, in expressing his anger, an influence by TV or is it natural?

Parents-Teachers Day

Today was Parents-Teachers Day at Cheryl's school, Midah Kindergarten. It was also the day to collect the report card.

In the 1st half year exams, Cheryl scored full marks in all papers and she was positioned joint 1st together with Lui Kok Leong and another of her classmates. However she lost a few marks in the year end exams which saw her drop to 2nd place in the overall results. Her classmate and same apartment friend, Kok Leong, maintained 1st position while her best friend in school, Sherryl Siah, retained her 3rd position.

Mummy with Cheryl meeting the English teacher
(Chastan standing behind Cheryl)

Midah Kindergarten Class Positions

Cheryl in 2nd place in exams for the 5 year olds

Cheryl joint 1st position in 1st half year exams

Cheryl's 2006 Report Card

Outing - Mines Wonderland - Cheryl

Today, Cheryl went on her 1st outing organised by her school, to Mines Wonderland. On the way to send Cheryl to school, Mum reminded her to listen to teacher and don't wander off on her own. At 1.00pm, we picked her up from school after the outing. In the car on the way to Selayang,

Mum: "So how was your trip?"
Cheryl: "Great"
Mum: "Did you go on the boat ride, the water taxi?"
Cheryl: "Yes, we wore life jacket"
Dad: "Did you go to the snow house?"
Cheryl: "Yes, but don't have snow, only ice and it was so slippery"
Cheryl: "And we wore jacket, so big jacket. Teacher also wore jacket. It was so cold inside"
Mum: "What did you eat?"
Cheryl: "Rice"
Mum: "Did you eat the rice?"
Cheryl: "No"
Mum: "So what else did you eat?"
Cheryl: "We had ice cream"
She looked so tired and dozed off in the car.

N70

Dad got himself a new toy on 19/10/2207 - a Nokia N70 with a 1GB memory card which reduced his savings by about RM1400. First, the battery did not charge very well. This new phone was supposed to be charged for at least 7 hours, so the guy at the shop said. But it stopped charging after about 2 hours.

Took the phone and charger back to the shop. "Oh this charger not so good" said the guy at the shop and gave me another charger. Ok the replacement was charging well.

Second, could not connect to PC with USB cable. Colleague, Maidin, helped to connect using his bluetooth. Third, viewed the pictures taken earlier, very poor quality. Expected much considering this phone has a 2 mega-pixel lens camera. Back to the shop again and left the USB cable for them to test. The following day, still no news. Then took the phone to the service outlet at Ampang Park. After much haggling, they replaced the phone but not the cover. That is the last VV Shop will have my patronage. Once bitten, twice shy as they say.

Cheque is Not Money

When we signed up Cheryl for her school outing to Mines Wonderland scheduled for 4/11/2006, there was a fee of RM30 to be paid. So dad wrote out a cheque favouring her school, Midah Kindergarten, for this amount and gave it Cheryl.
Cheryl: "Dad, this is not money. We must pay real money"
Dad: "This is just like money. Remember your school fees, we pay like this"
Cheryl: "But Dad, teacher said must pay money"
Dad: "You give this to the teacher, if cannot, tomorrow we will pay"
In the evening, Cheryl mentioned something about the teacher showing green money which we knew to be the RM8 for the class group photo.
Dad: "So, Cheryl, what about the cheque, did your teacher accept it?"
Cheryl:"I told you it won't work"

The school did accept the cheque.

Exams - Cheryl

It is exam time in most schools and it began with the Form Three PMR examinations last week. The newspapers had also highlighted the issue of whether our society is becoming more exam orientated.

It is no different for Cheryl, who at 5 years old is ending her 1st year in kindergarten. The time table below has been up on our wall two weeks ago. The pressure is on, not Cheryl but Mummy.

Cheryl's Exam Time Table

Church of the Holy Rosary

This morning we attended services at Holy Rosary Church on the occasion of the feast of the Holy Rosary.
Once inside the Church, our house assisstant Sapuna said" Saya suka gereja ini, banyak cantek". Then Cheryl said "I like this Church".
A little while later, Chastan, 2yrs 4 months old, pointing to the sanctuary said "One, two. three, four five Jesus".

Joshua

Last Sunday Joshua Fernandez followed his Aunty Irene to Church. After Mass, he played with Cheryl making her run and laugh. Later in the car,
Cheryl: "I like this Koko"
Mum: "Why do you like him"
Cheryl: "Because he is so funny"
Mum: "Don't you like to play with Jason Koko?"
Cheryl: "No, he small"
Mum: " What about Kevin Koko, he is big"
Cheryl: "I don't like his hair, like porcupine".

Pet Fish

Cheryl has been asking us to get her a fish for a pet and each time she brought up the subject, we would give some excuses like the shop is not open now or we'll go on another day etc. There's a shop somewhere opposite the Cheras police station where the sign board indicates it to be a fish/aquarium shop and each time Cheryl sees it, she will ask to go there and our usual reply is that the fish shop has closed down and the shop is selling cars now and that we will look for another fish shop. Last Friday when Mum and dad returned home from office,
Cheryl: "Daddy Daddy, I know how to go the fish shop".
Dad: "So how do we go there?"
Cheryl: "You go like this way and near the doctor and then turn and go that way and we come to the fish shop"
Dad: "Ok we'll go on Sunday when we take Chastan for his hair cut. You can show us the way" So on Sunday 01/10/2006, on returning home from church and Jusco, she kept pestering us. In the evening when we told her to get ready she said "I am so excited, I am going to get a pet fish, I am so excited".After Chastan's hair cut, we went to the fish shop and picked two pairs of fish that did not require an oxygen pump, so the fishshop man said. In the car on the way home.
Cheryl: "Daddy don't drive so fast"
Dad: "Why?"

Cheryl: "If you drive too fast and when you turn the corner, the fish will get a tummy ache".

Dad: "Oh ok". On reaching home,
Cheryl: "Daddyy can I feed the fish?"
Dad: "Ok but not now"
Cheryl: "So what time daddy?"
Dad: "7.30"
Cheryl: "Is it 7.30 now?"
Dad: "No, I'll tell you when". At 7.30, Cheryl was shown how to feed the fishes.

Next morning, Mummy gave the bad news to Cheryl, "All four fishes died". Cheryl then went to have a look and came back and sat quietly on the bed. Wonder what was going on in her mind.

Hair Cut - Chastan

Chastan had his third hair cut by this barber on Sunday 01/10/2006.
He was very quite all throughout the session but as soon as he was brought down from the chair,
Chastan put both his hands up in the air and yelled "Yeah!".