emma

Here's our lovely little girl, Emma.

Born on 15 October 2010, 1146 hours
3.035kg, 47cm

Day 5
Baby Emma we are home

elvis' emma

Thanks to Elvis' colleagues who took these photos of the Coffee Bean cupcakes. All of them said it's so nice!!! I'm assuming the taste, THE LOOK, especially THE FLAGS!

But i'm quite disappointed becoz they look completely different from the ones shown inside the menu/catalogue. I feel quite "cheated"! These "creamed toppings" (or whatever it's called) look quite ugly to me...and the flags are not placed at an angle, about two-thirds to the right of the cupcake! Hahahaha... ;p But at least they remembered to stick in the flags for us. (Thank you, Coffee Bean)

this is it!

Baby Emma will be arriving tomorrow morning.

In preparation for her arrival, we've ordered 200 cupcakes from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaves for Daddy Elvis' colleagues, to be delivered on Monday for their tea-break.

Here in Shanghai, people give away pre-packed preserved egg ("lor"-egg) or egg-shaped chocolates when they have given birth to a baby boy. And if it's a baby girl, they dont have to give anything. So unfair!!! We decided to get the cupcakes anyway. And becoz Elvis says he always doesnt know who has given birth AND he doesnt eat the "lor"-egg, Mommy Jo made these mini flags so that people will know that Elvis has a little baby girl! ;)

Hope Coffee Bean remembers to stick them in. (I was quite disappointed we couldnt get to see the actual/sample cupcake before ordering)

joel counting 1-to-100

33 months

Joel is 33 months and weighs about 13kg. He's starting to love going to school! His teacher said that in the past, he didnt like it when she wanted to paste the 五角星 star sticker on his forehead or even on his hand (whenever the kids do something good) but now, he's ok with it. So he's been coming home almost everyday with a tiny star on his forehead. ;)

Joel will have a little sister this month. Hope he'll be a loving big brother.

Before & After school.

more videos

Joel at 33 months, 10 October 2010.

Days & Months...


One, Two buckle my shoe...
(I heard Joel recited this last week, so he must have learnt it in school. Sometimes, he will also recite something in Mandarin but i cannot really figure out what he's saying! Haha!)

37 weeks pregnant

During the last few prenatal visits, it's always the "measuring-tape-on-belly" checkup. When we asked the gynae if we will be doing the ultrasound scan this time, she said we could do it the next time (which is also the last time) or today. She says it's meaningless to do it every time since the growth is about the same. (We havent been doing any scan for a month) So, we decided to do the scan that day since Joel was with us. He was happy to be able to see his little sister on screen. ;)


Baby sis weighs about 2.6kg now and might probably be about 3kg when she's out in exactly 1 week.

Last prenatal checkup will be 3 days before the delivery...

15 Oct 2010...

loving school

WEEK 3: 
Joel made huge improvement. He's started to mingle with other children. Very cute.

WEEK 5: 
Joel made huge improvement this week. He learned many new Chinese words. In the beginning, he did not want to talk. Then he started to talk only in English. Now, he can talk to the other children in Mandarin. He has made such great improvement within a month! I'm happy for him!

WEEK 5 (from a Progress File):
 Joel is a great kid! He improved a lot. From crying and not wanting to enter the school to greeting me happily every day "Good Morning, Teacher" I think this is our greatest comfort.

chinese songs

delayed again

As expected, the bottom pullout bed is NOT going to be delivered tomorrow. Mommy Jo is angry!

joel's new bed

Joel's room is almost complete. The pull-out bed we ordered 25 days ago finally arrived today. BUT, the bottom pull-out bed is still not ready. I was told a few days ago that it's Out of Stock. I was pretty angry becoz they did not inform me beforehand. I was only told when i called them 2 days ago to check since the scheduled delivery date falls within the 3-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. They said that it's also becoz we wanted the pine wood bed painted in white and it needs a longer time (to order & dry). So, i made them deliver the pull-out bottom in the original pine wood colour (from their showroom). They will replace it when my white bed is ready.

So now, i can "close" the sofabed the Ahyi(s) have been sleeping on and get Joel's room looking more like his bedroom! Joel was excited when they delivered and fixed up the bed. I told him that it's his New Bed! After that, he climbed onto it and tested it. Hmmm...not bad! (Mommy Jo also searched high and low and found another shop that sells the mattress that i like. The mattresses were delivered yesterday.)

About an hour later when Joel was about to take his nap, i made him get onto the bed and he fell asleep shortly. Not bad after all! ;)

The new bed looks shorter than what it really is becoz we bought the bedframes as well, leaving only a small section for Joel to climb up. It's actually a standard 2m x 1m adult single-bed.

organizing

Everyday after the Ahyi keep the washed-and-dried laundry, i have to pack my wardrobe again... It's been 3 weeks and she still doesnt know how to put back the clothes accordingly.

So, i resorted to writing post-it last night... Thanks to this online Translator!

I did this for 3 of our wardrobes and the washing machine (instructions). Up next will be Joel & little sis' wardrobes, followed by the super headache Monday to Friday Menu-Of-The-Day!

happier at school

Starting from the eighth day of school, Joel didnt cry when we leave him with the teacher. He still fusses a little in the morning when we're preparing to go to school. Hope he'll adjust better in time to come. ;)

After 1 week of school, here's the good/bad things about attending school:
THE GOOD
1. Joel goes to bed much earlier at about 8+pm and he wakes up automatically at about 7+am. He used to sleep too late - anytime from 10pm to midnight.
2. Joel doesnt scratch our elbows as much when he's trying to fall asleep.

THE BAD
1. Mosquito bites!!!
2. Joel fusses more when at home, always wanting Mommy to be with him.
3. Joel sometimes cries for Mommy in his sleep and needs to be assured that we're beside him.
4. Joel gets REALLY HUNGRY and eats lots of biscuits before his meals.
5. Joel wakes up too early on weekends. *yawn*

trolley bag

Joel loves pulling trolley bags around the house. So, on the following day after Daddy came home from Bangkok, we gave him this trolley bag and said that Daddy had bought it. Keke... Actually, Daddy only shopped for his own stuffs - on his only 1 free day. Mommy had bought this for Joel - in Shanghai. ;p

13 Sep 2010, before Joel left for school.

with mommy

...on a rainy Saturday.

progress booklet

Almost everyday, Joel's teacher will write something inside his booklet. This is how he performed this week.
6 - 11 September 2010, Week 2.

Joel is a clever boy. His English is the best in class. When he first came to school, he will sometimes think of Mommy and cry. However, from Thursday he started to play with the other children. He started to laugh. Hope that he will continue improving.

1 week of school

On the seventh day of school, Mommy brought Joel to school. Daddy is away in Bangkok till Sunday night. I was worried that without Daddy's reminder not to cry at school, Joel will fuss when we reach.

When i pushed his stroller past the school gate, he saw his teachers standing in a row (to welcome the students) and he waved and said a big HELLO! Then he got out and hugged his teacher! WOW~

We continued inside to help him change into his indoor shoes. At that point, Joel knew i was going to leave (soon) and his eyes were teary. But he didnt cry or sob. He held his teacher's hand and walked in. Just as i thought he's not going to look back at Mommy, he DID! And he said ByeBye. It made Mommy very happy.

This day, i went out shopping (again) and reached Joel's school slightly later than 4pm. When i reached, Ahyi, Joel & his teacher were waiting at the school gate for me. His teacher said that Joel showed BIG improvement today! So she had to tell me about it! She said that Joel was completely different today. He laughed happily (and loudly) and played with the children today. Joel's appetite was also very good. She said it must have been the Mr Happy tshirt he's wearing. ;)

Back at home, Joel is showing Mommy how he takes his nap in school. (We have to bring his quilt and pillow home every Friday to sun/wash. I dont know why they made the bedsheets PINK!!!)

sixth day of school

On the sixth day of school, Daddy Elvis & Mommy Jo walked Joel to school. Daddy still had time to have breakfast with Mommy - something we did everyday since Joel started school. As usual, Joel fussed and whined when he was at home...but i think he knows he doesnt have a choice. Keke... ;p

And as usual, Daddy carried Joel before we reach the school and told him not to cry. He was a brave boy yet again! We're so proud of him! ;)

After our breakfast, we walked home and Daddy Elvis left for the airport while Mommy Jo went shopping for Joel & little sis. (Spent too much again) Daddy Elvis will be back on Sunday night.

When Mommy picked Joel up from school, his teacher told me that Joel showed great improvement today! He played with the children and sang very loudly in music class. I think the 'very loudly' is an understatement becoz i know how Joel can be when he's happy & singing something he likes. I hope Joel will continue to enjoy school as much tomorrow. Mommy is also quite "relieved" that tomorrow is Friday and we can both take a break from school. ;)

8 Sep 2010

My hungry boy back from school.

fifth day of school

On the fifth day of school, Joel started fussing at home from the time he took his bath. He also didnt want us to get dressed. When we were about to reach his school, Daddy Elvis carried him and told him not to cry. When we reached the school gate, we could see that Joel was trying to hold back his tears again (just like yesterday)...

His teacher said Joel was much better after he entered the classroom. Maybe he felt less lonely with the rest of the children in class.

Tomorrow & Friday, Daddy Elvis will be away in Bangkok and wont be able to send Joel to school. He'll also be away for a week in Hong Kong 2 weeks later. (It's the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday and Ahyi will also take the day off) So, Mommy Jo will have to coax Joel into not crying and being brave when he's preparing to go to school.

His school is located inside another condo, about 10 minutes walk away from our apartment. Here's how his school looks like from the outside...

Little Knight's Kindergarten

(I also found another website here with the same logo as Joel's school but the address is different. Hmmm....)

fourth day of school

On the fourth day of school, Daddy Elvis had to rush to the airport but he still walked Joel to school first. On the way there, Joel wanted to be carried instead of sitting inside the stroller. When we reached the school, he knew that we were going to leave him and he wanted to cry. Daddy told him not to cry... and we could tell that he was holding back his tears and said goodbye to us when the teacher carried him in. Even if he DID cry after we left, i'm still so proud of him. ;)

Back home from school...