The Other Angel was left alone to sit on the toilet bowl (as always) because she said she wanted to do a em-em (poo) and suffered a fall.

A clatter brought the alternative dad to the toilet to find her sprawled on the floor and attempting to stand while hollering away. A big bruise on the top of her head and hugs later, she was composed.

The Angel, who rushed to the scene, was in tears to see the Other Angel injured. She then told me strongly, ” Next time, we must not leave Meimei in the toilet alone. Someone has to sit with her.

After the episode, the two Angels laid in bed to talk about the incident.

The Angel : Meimei, did you em-em?

The Other Angel : No. Fall down. Fall down. (Make funny noises that sound like falling down)

The Angel (Kisses the Other Angel’s hand) : Meimei, you were sitting, then you ‘bomp’!

Now when we sit in the toilet with her, she will tell us, ” Fall down. Wah,wah, wah! Ouwie.

What Will You Be?

Has anyone every asked your child what she would like to be when she grows up?

My Angel has gone from being a fighter jet pilot to becoming a teacher, a doctor and now, an engineer.

Yesterday, she had a really interesting conversation with a lovely friend of mine.

AA : What would you like to be when you grow up?

Angel : I’d like to be like my papa, I want to be an engineer.

AA : Don’t you want to be like your mother when you grow up? Be a SAHM and look after your children?

Angel : I want to be like my papa, I want to be an engineer.

AA : Don’t you want to stay at home and look after your children?

Angel : I want to be like my papa.

AA : Hmmm…. but don’t you want to stay at home to look after your children?

Angel : I still want to be like my papa. PAUSE ….. Hmmmmm…. my papa is a man, how can I be like him? *Laugh loudly!*

When I was young, my mom didn’t sell me the idea of being a SAHM, except to be someone useful. I’m now completely sold to be a SAHM and I think I easily become one because my mom was one and I could easily see how important it was to have a SAHM in the house when I was growing up.

What would my girls grow up to be? It’s probably time to start selling them the idea ….

Finally checked out Things We Forget (a Made in Singapore Post It Note Production) after putting it off for eons!

Reminds me of The Interesting Thoughts of Edward Monkton!

Both inspiring and uplifting.

My kind of art, my kind of thoughts, my kind of people!

Check them out!

80% of children who suffer from eczema and food allergies are on the march to asthma and nasal allergies.

The Angel seems to be heading this way and the Other Angel suffered her first attack of urticaria (hives due to allergic reaction) on the very last day of 2009.

Both our hearts sank when the Other Angel suffered that acute attack. Severe hives all over her face and limbs.

I’m now working to prevent the onset of asthma on The Angel and keep the Other Angel from any more urticaria.

The sky was heavily shrouded in clouds, seemingly unlikely to catch the eclipse.

We spent the remaining time within the Science Centre Discovery Zone when we suddenly looked out of the window and saw a hole in the sky with the sun coming through!

Amazing to see the last of that partial eclipse @ 5.17pm!

At the end of the day, the Other Angel came home and threw up 4 times!

Check out the Science Centre Astronomy blog with the Scobbers!

We stayed in some really dodgy places and there was not a word of complain from them. For the first few nights, they went ‘Wow’. While the ‘wows’ gradually disappeared as the accommodation deteriorated, not a negative word was heard from them at all. They finally stayed at a modern hotel in Laos and all they did was hugged the bed.

I’m so totally proud of my Angels! The Alternative Dad said that we must have done something right to the girls!

Alternative Dad quotes his favourite line of the trip! "Accommodation is ok, except not decorated."

The Angels under Fingers of God

Caught in action - hugging the bed in a modern room! Finally!

The smell of pine from our Christmas tree!

What a lovely season this has been for my family! We have met many new friends (mom made mom-friend, dad made dad-friend and kids made kids-friend), drove through Malaysia, Thailand and on to Laos!

The Girls' Work on the Homemade Gingerbread House

We had the pleasure of spending some days with Mamapumpkin and our girls decorated the homemade gingerbread house that survived the journey across the Causeway! A poor attempt on mine when piecing the house together and the Angel developing an allergic reaction to the icing I made! But Mamapumpkin was fantastic and whipped out such colourful cheerios and biscuits that got the house into shape!

We are finally home after our long road trip and we just have to say Happy Christmas and Merry New Year (the British way) from ours to yours!

We moulded volcanoes, made pseudo-volcanic eruptions, story-telling the kamishibai way, and did a drama! How lovely can it get!

I managed to raise more than what I’ve expected of the project and I want to keep going!

A 3 hour session, using experiential learning, with drama and team work to discuss the East Bali children’s lives in an isolated hamlet, using the book, ‘The Art of Learning by Doing‘.

If anyone is interested to expose their children to the above with meaningful outcomes, do get in touch! I also hold sessions at my place or yours if you can get a group going!

Email : alternative dot mom at gmail dot com

I accomplished a lot in that 48 hours and one of the most important and exciting event was bringing in the books I want to fundraise for the East Bali Poverty Project.

I’m going to conduct a fundraising cum workshop. Please come and join me if you :

1) are a parent with child/children between 5 -12 years of age.
2) are interested to learn more about the East Bali Poverty Project
3) want to meet other parents or make friends and enjoy a nice indoor jacuzzi, sauna, swim while your kids learn

Something for the Parents, Something for the Children