Which is worse?

To be puked on or shat on? I should get some voting done on this as I believe most mums have been puked on AND shat on before, and often simultaneously....which is what happened to me recently. Of course, this is NOT to put off potential parents, just to put parenthood in persepective.
The little one woke up from her nap looking rather ill and started whining and complaining about a tummyache. And of course, all asian mums worth their salt would have RUYI oil or eucalyptus oil every ready and a suitable distraction. for us, you tube was it. And then it happened. halfway through little mermaid singing about being part of the human world, the projectile vommitting started. It rained on the ccomputer table (please let it not move near the the keyboard!), the chair (ok, got to pull out the cover), the nearby mattress (aargh!!!! let it not seep through the bedsheet. no no!!oh oh!), the floor (ok, this one can leave for a bit), her, me (eeww!!!ahh! vomit in my hair!!). Given that the little one has only thrown up once in her life when she was still a wee one, this experience of retching was new to her and she was naturally shocked and frightened...which meant she clung on to me, tight as a kuala to a eucalypt tree, awashed with puke and tears.While i pulled off the bedsheet as quickly as i could, opened the door with vommit-filled hands, walked as quickly to the bathroom to get us cleaned, it happened 3 more times, leaving a trail of destruction along the way.You do realise that doing all that with a 13 kg weight attached to your neck is no small feat. AND THEN the OTHER THING happened. off came the clothes to rinse off the little body (which was still firmly attached to the mothership) and then drip drip drip.....a puddle of poo gains momentum and gathers into a neat artistic shape while drizzling down my legs. AAARRRGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

A desperate phone call to the grandparents had all 3 adults (gramps and helper) landing at my doorstep. 2 hrs later. Which by this time, we were all cleaned up and all feeling better. And cheerful. Which left the bewildered SOS team at the gate wondering what the fuss was about..and me feeling rather sheepish about the sharp tone of my SOS call. another day in the life of a mother.

Of Santa Claus and other magical creatures

A casual remark to a friend that the little one is looking forward to receiving presents from Santa this Christmas earned me THE LOOK. Of course, THE LOOK is often nuanced and heavy in subtext, which in summary would say something like "You're teaching her about Santa?? you're a christian!!" I guess this is where hubby and I differ from half the christian population, and on purpose. On purpose because we actually had a deep discussion before we decided that she should be acquainted with Santa, flying reindeer, the tooth fairy, the unicorn, brownies, pixies and other such creatures. As a christian, it is easy to get caught up in the legalities of what you should teach one's child and what you shouldn't. In fact, as a young adult, I even wrote and directed a musical about the true meaning of Christmas where poor Santa got ostracised after the world understood what christmas meant. In fact, I was so righteous about it I got upset that shopping centres depicted Santas and other seemingly unrelated creatures. As I grew older, I've become less legalistic, more measured and I've learnt to see the positive in Santas. As I teach Maeve about baby Jesus and how God loves us so much He sent us His Son, I also allow her to be excited about getting presents from Santa. The St Nicholas story, is also an important one and depending on how one pitches it to their child, can be a wonderful lesson in love and giving.

The magical stories of Santa for me, fall in the category of fairy tales of wonder and adventure that the little one should know about. Without being able to imagine Santa in North Pole, the tooth fairy exchanging good quality baby teeth for tokens, magical fairies hiding in gardens, riding on a magic carpet, being a genie that can grant wishes, what would childhood be like? For us, there is no need to introduce too many realist concepts at this age, the world and gradual age will do it. Eventually, she'll be a appropriately cynical pre-teen and this world will disappear naturally.

I guess I believe sincerely that the ability to dream, to make-believe, to wonder, is the gift of childhood (that hopefully won't be killed by pragmatism). I remember wishing really hard when i was young (and even for a while believing) that I could climb up the magic far-away tree (enid Blyton)and do all the wonderful things like eat sweets that grow in your mouth.Sis and I will make a pact to meet each other "up the tree" and for a golden age, we did.

So while she thoughtfully chooses a gift to give baby Jesus for His birthday, she'll also get a gift under the tree from Santa on Christmas day. But first, she must remember to put out the milk and cookies for him!

Fav phrases of a 2 year old

If i had a dollar for each time these phrases are used, i can buy myself a spa package!

1. I can do it myself.
2. Don't help me.
3. Don't teach me.
4. Don't show me how.
5. I don't want to eat/drink/go out/come in/bathe/brush teeth/wear the ugly dress...
6. Mummy, say sorry to me. APOLOGISE!
7. Mummy, you are a naughty mummy. Stand in the corner! (when she doesn't get her way with me)

While this all sounds pretty negative, i think it comes with the territory of a 2 year old exercising self-will. It is really tempting to DO THE JOB AT HAND for her, such as wearing her shoes as it takes such a long time of repeated attempts and errors, but i have to always remind myself that by NOT DOING, I'm allowing her to learn independence, patience, perseverence, tenacity.So our household spends our time NOT DOING a lot of things, which leads to lots of spills, spagetti-smeared face, clothes worn the wrong way. But! she also learns to self-feed, drink from a cup without spilling too much, mop up after she's spilled, bring soiled clothes to the laundry basket, and be a really good helper at home.

There's also the positive expressions and they mainly consist of
1. Mummy, you're my sweetiheart!
2. Good job mummy!
3. That's well done mummy dar-ning!

I hope I still hear such phrases of affirmation when she goes into her turbulent teenage years!