He joins his brothers

... at the Giant Kids Run 2013, officiating his first run!

I was away on a business trip.. so the boys went to the run with apps, taatha and ammachi. In the 4-6 year old category, the children are required to run with a parent.

Dylan ran with apps. When he saw some children being carried by their parent, he too wanted to be carried! Nevertheless, with lots persuasion, he finished his 760m run by himself, accompanied by apps. Well done baby! :)

My baby... a finisher of his 1st run :)

When Aaron was at the starting point, he told his ammachi, "Last year amma held my hands. If she had let go, I could have run faster and won.." So this year, amma told appa to let go of his hand if he can do it..

I was surprised that he remembered I held his hand during the last year's run. I was actually worried that the other children and parents might trip him.. in a bid to get to the finishing line..  He had not mentioned anything to me during the last year, and even in preparation for the run... Wow! What memory.. and analytical mind.

Aaron all set for his run!

Aaron was right. He could run faster than his taatha. So appa let go of his hand as they were nearing the finishing line.. and he beat two more children to become the 12th. Winning position up to top 10 :) Just missed...

Well done Aaron.. we are proud of you :)

While Aaron and Dylan ran 760m in the 4-6 year old category, Nixon ran 1.85 km in the 7-8 year old category while Thytus ran 2.2 km in the 9-10 year old category. While they were on the run, ammachi was interviewed by the media...

in the Star, published on Thursday September 19, 2013

Chandra Kanaga, 63, who came to the run with her husband and three grandchildren, said it was the third time that her grandchildren were participating in the event.“Their grandfather encouraged them,” she said, adding that they are keen to join next year as she believes that it is a good outing for her grandchildren.

in the New Straits Times, published on Thursday September 19, 2013

 Grandmother Chandra Kanaga, 63, who wanted her grandchildren to be fit, encouraged them to take part in the event."My grandchildren have been taking part since Giant first held it. I get them to participate in the run and they have always been excited about the event," said Chandra Kanaga.

Finisher medals and certificates of my little finishers :)

Least expected..

Thytus and Nixon had to prepare for an elocution activity at school.

I helped them outlined their speech, and edited based on their preference / comfort..

Since we were constrained for time.. having attended two functions in the weekend, the boys were having difficulty trying to remember the lines.. Nevertheless, they practiced hard... and I didn't let them go easily. I pestered them on every available minute to practice their lines... even on our journey for the functions!

The night before, after more practice, they managed..

When they came back from school, Thytus excited told me how his speech went.. He was proud of himself.. I felt happy and proud for him.. and at the same time, I shared his sense of accomplishment - after helping with the speech and practice *wink*

Nixon came up to me a said, "Thank you for the speech, amma." *melt*

I least expected the "thank you" but definitely loved the appreciation! And, this is not the first time he has thanked me for helping him with his school work..

Although they expressed themselves differently, I fondly felt their appreciation for my work in assisting them...

My little picasso

My company organized an art competition, with the theme being "the  major festivals in Malaysia". Apart from having prizes for the top 3 winners, one of the winning art would also be chosen to be printed as the corporate greeting card!

I missed out on the submission date for the first festival (Hari Raya)... But when I mentioned about the art competition to the boys, there were excited. They enthusiastically worked on the their art (with guidance from the art teacher = me *wink)..

Their drawing was not too bad.. I was proud that they were patient enough to sit through for at least an hour to finish the art..

Deepavali Art by Thytus,Nixon and Aaron (clockwise).

Thytus and Nixon won the 2nd and 3rd place in 9-6 year old category, while Aaron won a consolation prize for the under 5 year old category (due to a single entry).

Christmas Art by Nixon, Thytus and Aaron (clockwise).

The boys all received consolation prizes.

Chinese New Year Art by Aaron, Nixon and Thytus (clockwise).

Thytus and Nixon won the 1st and 2nd place in the 9-6 year old category, while Aaron won a consolation prize for the under 5 year old category (due to single entry). But there was more, Thytus's art was selected to be printed as the Chinese New Year greeting card!

The winning card, printed as the corporate greeting card for Chinese New Year 2013! 

Sealed with a kiss

Yeap, received two love letters, sealed with a kiss!

The boys left for Bangkok with amma and appa for a 5 days 4 night holiday. The moment Nixon knew he is booked for a holiday and will be away from home for a few days in November, he wrote us a letter in September itself (self initiated!).

He let me have a sneak preview of the letter and said he will give it to us on the day of departure. I was touched by his letter...

Nixon's letter to both of us

Having known that Nixon has written a letter for us, Thytus wanted to write one too. Just a couple of days before his trio, he managed to write and decorate the letter. Hmmm, considering that the contents of the letter is similar to Nixon's letter, I think he got his inspiration from his brother ;)

The front cover of the letter (made to look like an envelope)

Thytus's letter to both of us

I guess he meant ILU for I Love You (the code we share)
and spelt it wrongly as EULOU!

After seeing a colourful letter by Thytus, Nixon was a little sad.. that his was just a simple letter with words. Nevertheless, I assured him that his letter was very special and thoughtful as he had written it all by himself...

Thank you for the sweet and caring letters Thytus and Nixon. 
Love you both so much too *muaks* *I.L.U*
Have fun in Bangkok!     

SUPER infectious

"I have caught the super fever!" I told Thytus..

"Huh?!" Thytus did not understand me.
"You have been using the word super for everything.. SUPER easy, SUPER cool, SUPER hard, SUPER hot, etc.. and now I have doing the same. It's infectious!"
"Hahaha.. yeah, the disease is infectious." he replied.

After a few moments, Thytus said, "Ma, you are SUPER cool. You can so easily say the word.. Like you are so used to it."

He's hiding something from me...

I was talking with him on the phone when he asked me, "Is appa there?"
I said, "no, I am at work.."
"Ohhh, then never mind" he said.
I asked him "why?"
"It's a secret! I will only tell appa..." he replied firmly.

"How could you have secrets from me?" feeling a little taken aback..
"No, its not like that. It's about my plans for Mother's Day.. and that's why I can't tell you." he pacified me.
Arrgghh! I made him tell... *regret*
"Ohhh.. ok." feeling better knowing that he had a valid reason to hide it from me *BIG grin*
"By the way, can you wake up at 11am on Sunday?" he asks me..
"How can I? You have Sunday school.. I have to prepare your breakfast.." I told him.
"Arghh! *silence* You think I can not go to Sunday school this week?" trying his luck..
"You'll have to ask your father this.." being not sure what to tell him.. since he seems like he has a plan for me on Mother's Day..

Even if he is unable to proceed with his plans.. I am already sooooo touch! Thytus, you are just toooo sweet! I love you baby...

8 already?

Seems like only yesterday I held my first born in my arms.. on April 7, 2004.
Today, he is 8 already!

We planned for a surprised mini birthday celebration right at 000 GMT.

Apps brought him upstairs.. to get into bed. 
Nixon, Aaron and I prepared the marble cake muffins with the 8 candles.
The boys went up to call apps and Thytus.. to watch a movie..
He came down surprised to see a birthday cake made of 8 pieces of muffins for him!

After blowing off the candles, cutting the muffins, we did watch TV for a while *grin*

Aaah, my baby!
He is growing up into a fine boy..
Aaah, how time flies!
He is already 8 now..

Apart from the mini celebration at the strike of midnight, there was a lunch treat and a real cake cutting session with paternal and maternal grandparents, uncles and aunties..

In a quandry

... whenever I travel.

My business travels have affected the boys when they were little (less than 2 years old). Now as they grow older, I believed they will able to handle my absence better.
Usually, my business trips last a week.. but the most recent trip to US was for about 3 weeks! before, during and after that trip, I didn't see any issues from them. Phew!

After the 3-weeks US trip just 2 months ago, I told them that I will be away for another 2 weeks in Geneva. Aaron and Dylan were oblivious to my long absence.. considering that they are too young to note the number of days involved. On the other hand, I didn’t think that it would be any issue with Thytus and Nixon since they are bigger now. Nevertheless, since two weeks before my trip, both them took turns to ask me when would I be leaving..and kept telling me that they would be missing me. I didn’t take it literally... assuming that they are emotionally robust at the age of 8 (in 2 months) and 7 (in two months)... and fondly reciprocated that I would miss them too..

However, I was brought to shock on my journey to the airport when Nixon was tearing all the way! Thytus just sat in car being really quite throughout the journey...

The initial plan was to just drop me off since it was already 9.30pm and that I only had enough time to check in and walk to the gate. But after seeing the boys in that condition, I told apps that I will bring Thytus and Nixon with me to check in and will bring them out when I am done, while he waits in the car with Dylan and Aaron.. (Aaron was already sleeping.)

The boys were in luck that my flight got delayed by 1/2 hour. So after check-in, I suggested to apps that we have dinner before they said good bye.. and apps agreed.

But still, we couldn’t avoid the fact that I will be boarding soon... can't I? As I hugged to say goodbye, I was so afraid that the boys would get emotional again. I embraced Thytus lightly.. assuming he wasn’t into hugs (since he is too shy to say ILU (our code for I love you) or give me a peck in school (unlike Nixon), but will do it at home).. but in return, I got a real long hug! *sigh* Nixon looked better after the extra time with me.. after kissing all of them bye, I headed to the gate.

I checked with apps on how the boys were after I left.. and he said that Nixon was tearing all the way home again...

I was wrong to think that the boys were growing up and wouldn't be missing me... *sigh* It's gonna make it more difficult for me to leave them on each of my future travels.

Cross 'bathroom' chat?

The boys just finished their swimming lessons. Thytus got into one bathroom cubicle and Nixon into another to have a shower. While I await outside their door, waiting to hand them their towels and clothes...

Nixon: Anna, which bathroom are you in? The last one?

Thytus: Yes..

Nixon: Can I tell you a joke?

Ahh?! Taking a shower also these boys can chat and share jokes!

Thytus: Ok..

Nixon: What comes before 7.. no, no.. 8? (forgetting a little the line of the joke that he read from anna's joke book)

Thytus: The school bus! (knowing the answer)

Nixon: Correct!

While I was getting a little impatient waiting for them.. I couldn't help but chuckle with their cross bathroom chat!

I didn't even know...

... that Thytus had asked for Cheerios when he was 2 years old and I had ignored him!

I was driving home with Thytus and Nixon in the car. I had Cheerios with me (I always keep some food in the car to save me from the sleep mode!) and asked them whether they wanted to have some.

I told Thytus that previously I didn't like it, but now I love it. He then tells me...

I have always liked it amma, since I was 2! 

Since you were 2? You ate Cheerios then? How can you remember? (I know I didn't buy Cheerios before this...)

Yeah.. I remember when you brought me shopping at Jusco... I was in the trolley and I made noises to you to buy for me Cheerios and you ignored me. So, while still in the trolley, I moved my body front and back.. to make the trolley move, and nudged the Cheerios box down. Not realizing that I had knocked it off the shelf, you picked it up and put it in the trolley! Then when you had paid for it, you passed it to me and I ate it all up!

 Huh?! (What a story teller!)  

Did you know that when you were 2, thambhi was 1.. You didn't share with him?

Ohh, I did give him some, but he didn't like it.. so I finished them all by myself.

*speechless*

Wow! Talk about his imagination...

We want to talk

On one of my dinners with appa and amma, the boys insisted to sit on another separate cubicle.. saying that they had something to talk about. We didn't think they would last long sitting by themselves.. and let them go ahead.

Brothers, having a chat over dinner

I was watching them enjoy their dinner, and even chatting with each other, oblivious to the fact that I was watching them. Loved the moment!

Is there a runner in the house?

When appa knew there was a run for kids (organised by Giant, Malaysia), he asked to register the boys. I was excited as he was, and registered the boys for the fun run.

Appa knew Nixon could run and went on to train the boys... building up their stamina and introducing the distance to them. After weeks of training (twice/thrice a week).. the boys were ready!

Last minute tips, from trainer to trainee

Main supporters - the boys and their grandparents!

Nixon winning the 2nd place in the 4-6 year category

My runners, with their finisher medals

So, is there a runner in the house? Who is going to follow the footsteps of my 63 year old appa, an avid marathoner in his youth?

I'm jealous

Amms told me that she made a special meal for Thytus and Nixon. She emails me...

I made something special for my grandsons. Since my grandsons love to eat their thosai with chicken curry. I ground the rice and lentils to make the thosai for the night.

I wanted it to be different.. I did orange, green and natural colour thosai for the night to be eaten with curry chicken.

I have not made this for my own children.

The boys liked it very much. They wanted more and more, and I was delighted just watching them enjoy their meal.

I asked Thytus and Nixon, “Did you know that you have just eaten your vegetable as well?” They looked surprised. I told them, “green thosai was with spinach, and the orange one was with carrot..” and Nixon continued, “the white one is with radish!” I chuckled. I told him white was just the normal thosai.

Hmm, I didn’t think about the radish thosai. I could have made it since I had it in the fridge anyway.

Not just having it for dinner, Thytus wanted some thosai for school. I told him that it would be messy to pack the curry. I made for them small chapatti with nutela and chapatti with cheese instead.

Obviously amms seems to find joy in creating unique meals for them... that they trully love!

In the mean time, she had to stress, "I have not made this for my own children".. and now I'm jealous!

Time for a change

Out of a sudden, Thytus declared, “From today onwards, I am going to make a change in my life.”

Amma was taken aback. “What change?” she asks him.

“This change will concern taatha, Nixon and me” he clarified.

Amma was more curious. What change is he talking about?

“Today onwards, I am going to sleep with ammachi..” he coolly announced.

When at their maternal grandparents place, Thytus was sleeping with amma at first. He gave in to Nixon one day, and he never had a chance to sleep with amma again. Yesterday, Thytus suddenly thought that he wanted to make the change.. Unfortunately, his proposal was not approved by appa… claiming that he needed to teach Thytus something while Thytus is with him!
Appa, just say it.. you are fond of your first grandson right? *wink*

All for gold

During the last school holidays, in a bid to encourage the boys to do some work sheets, apps and I prepared three ‘piston cups’: gold, silver and bronze.

The 2011 BENS trophy

The boys wanted the gold cup each.. but we told them that the person with the most stars will get it. The stars came from completing work sheets, being helpful around the house and just ‘being nice’.

Frankly, they didn’t go all out in getting the stars.. but worked on the work sheets as they wished (couldn’t force them as I was not right beside them). Nevertheless, they earned some stars by sharing with each other, helping me with the house work, etc..

D-day arrived.

At the end of the holidays, we counted the stars.. and guess who got the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place?

Thytus, the champion
(hmmm, as says his blog!)

Nixon and Aaron who got the 2nd and 3rd respectively were not happy.. and didn’t want to accept the silver and bronze ‘piston cup’. On the other hand, since they didn’t want it, Thytus was happy to receive it all!

Cheeky boy bagging all of the cups!

No quite relenting, Nixon still took his silver cup, but Aaron didn’t. Both of them have promised to try for the gold cup the next time.

Grand greetings

The boys were on their school holidays. As I usually get them to work on different activities to keep them occupied, I asked them if they wanted to create a card for their cousin who will be celebrating her birthday on June 27?

They were excited. They loved arts N crafts. They loved painting. They loved card making. Hmmm, they seem to like whatever I like *wink*

But this time, I suggested something different. Instead of the conventional A4 size cards, I gave them each a 'mahjong' paper. Each of them were to colour the drawings (I helped them out with the drawings).

They were so engrossed in it. Each of them was trying to colour the best.. I had to help Aaron as the drawings were just too big, and the colouring took some time..

In the end, we came up with a great 'suprise' greeting for their cousin...

the 'grand' greeting card'

My lil' explorers

On the first day of Chinese New Year, we brought the boys to the National Science Centre. The boys have been looking forward to visiting the place as I have told them that there is a dinasour exhibition there.

The boys were excited with the science booths and machines that they could get their hands on!




Boys checking out the science booths


The boys were in awe when they say the huge dinosaurs! They didn't expect them to look so real.. The dinos even moved and had sound effects!



The boys loved the huge dinosours at the exhibition!


Check out the boys painting of the dinosaurs at d'Champion, d'Presiden and d'Prinz.

On Saturday, we took the boys to i-City. They loved the bright colourful lights. They also had a chance to watch an acrobatic show, performed by some children. The boys were stunned with their performance! Glad teh boys had a chance to watch this shows.. as it is their first!



Colourful, bright lights @ i-City



Bonding with him

One of the gifts from the 25 Days to Christmas count down was a DVD - the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Thytus watched the movie at appayee’s (paternal grandma) house while I was at work.

When I asked him how the movie was, he said, “The movie was good. Amma… you should watch the movie with me.”

I said lovingly agreed to comply.

Last night, I asked him to put on the DVD while I was checking my mails on my laptop.. in front of the TV. The movie began.. and in between of scenes that I missed, I asked him what just happened and he did take pleasure in answering me.

After a couple of times bugging him, he finally told me, “Amma, I think you should just of the laptop and watch the movie with me. Then you don’t have to ask so many questions.. you will know what is happening..”

Ooopps!

I shamefully complied.. immediately.

At the end of the movie, I was pleased that I spent a solid 2 hours (with no distrations) watching the movie with my son. I felt good!

Attending to their likes

I know how much the boys love Ben 10 and when I got to know will be a Ben 10 Ultimate Boot Camp in One Utama on 27 November 2010 from Parenthots, I immediately marked my calendar. When the day arrived, apps and I brought them to One U as soon as their lessons ended at 10.30 a.m. I was shocked to see the queue as early as 11.00 a.m. After standing in the queue for more than ½ hour, we managed to register for the 3.30 pm session! That’s a 2 hour wait.. so we headed for lunch at Chili’s.

When we came back, we had to queue for our numbers to be called. The boys waited patiently for their turn to get in the game area. There were 10 stations, of which they were required to finish the challenges and collect the stamp. Upon finishing all 10 challenges and getting 10 stamps, they would receive a Ben 10 Ultimate Boot Camp Certificate and Ben 10 goodie bag from Cartoon Network!

I followed the boys through each of the challenges while apps baby-sited Dylan by window shopping. Check out the pictures of the boys at each of their challenges at d’champion, d’presiden or d’prinz.

While we were busy at the building blocks challenge, the Cartoon Network official asked me whether Aaron was my son and whether she could get a snap of him. I happily obliged. I wonder why she choose Aaron out of the three of them - all of them were dressed in Ben 10 outfits..

Well Aaron is more photogenic compared to his brother!

The boys posing for me in front of the
Ben 10 banner at the Ben 10 Ultimate Boot Camp.

The boys were so happy that they managed to finish all the challenges and were excited with all the gifts that they received.

We were glad to be one of the many parents who put up with the queue and spend one whole day of our weekend FOR the boys!

Ingenious birthday plan

We had this conversation regarding my upcoming birthday.

Me: I will be in Hong Kong during my birthday next month you know.

Thytus: Is it? Never mind lah. We will celebrate when you get back home.. just us.. our family only, OK?

Me: Ok. *feeling touched* That's soo sweet of you. Will you call and wish me on my birthday?

Thytus: Yeah. And, on your birthday, I will invite everybody for you.

Me: Why? When we celebrate a birthday, the person has to be there. I won’t be here.. *confused* They will have to wish me, sing a song for me, etc..

Thytus: I know. When they all have arrived, we will call you and wish you on the phone one by one. Then, we will sing the birthday song for you..

Me: I will also have to cut the cake you know!

Thytus: Don’t worry, we will cut the cake for you.

Nixon: NO! I will cut the cake for amma! *making it clear*

Thytus: Then when you come back, we will have another small celebration.. our family only lah.. u know, just us.

My little fellow, planned my birthday out - found a way to celebrate with family and include me in even when I am overseas. I love your plan, baby! *hugs*