"Don't need to cut hair..."

From www.babyblues.com

E and I feel slightly guilty. We have been trying to get Han into a hair salon for the past 3 days for a haircut without success. She already looks like she has an over-sized black helmet on her head, the result of a last hair cut some 3 months back.

I still remember when Han was an infant, it was her grandparents who cut her hair for her. She was blessed with a thick mane of hair when she was born and it was not even 4 weeks later when she got her first trim from grandpa. Subsequently, whenever the need arises, we will bring her to the neighborhood salons where the kind hairdressers will give her a quick and professional hair snip for between $5-$10. Fuss free service that more than compensate for E and I's sorely-lacking barber skills. The most memorable time was when the very inexperienced - yet extremely adventurous - thinking we'll get a good deal E and I decided to try out a home-based hairdresser. These are normally middle-aged women who provide hair-cuts at their homes, which are equipped with the basic salon gear. It turned out disastrous because Han was wailing away (she was about 7 months at that time) and the hairdresser's "I've seen it all - it's ok even she cries her lungs out - so let's get on with it" attitude did not rest very well on us. So guess what? We carried the poor battle-worn Han home, half-crying half-asleep. With her haircut HALF-COMPLETED. A few hours later when she woke up from her nap, we bought her to my hairdresser who completed the job well. We were so thankful that it could be completed in the first place! Subsequent haircuts were quite uneventful. So what took place the last few days did catch us by surprise!

Back to the cause of our guilt. 3 failed attempts to get Han to a hair salon the past few days had taken an emotional toil on her. The first time we tried to insist she still went ahead, she really bawled. Our instinct told us that it was not a tantrum she was throwing, but it was a fear she was exhibiting. Of what? I'm not sure, perhaps it was the noisy purr of many hairdryers combined, the snipping sound of big shiny scissors, the intimidating lights in the salon, the somewhat sinister smile of the hairdressers (now I think I am imagining things!) etc. So on the 2nd and 3rd attempt, we tried to dangle some carrots. A cold drink, a sweet, some prep talk at the entrance, distracting her by focusing on the pretty Christmas deco... Nothing worked. Tears still flow and Han pleaded, "Hannah don't need to cut hair..." We toyed with the idea of just dragging her in and forcing her to sit down for a cut but in the end decided against it as we feel we need to help our girl work through what's bothering her first. There are specialised salons for children with TV monitors in front of the barber chairs and a cute super child friendly environment, but we so do not want to be using that as the only option.

She woke up last night after a nightmare. "Daddy! Daddy! Don't need..don't need.."

The haircut could wait for now. Thankful for hairpins. Hopefully our family trip the next few days will take her mind off this for a while and when we are back, it's Operation Cut Hair.

Laying the Table for Her Friends

Han loves to play her pretend play kitchen set and cooking accessories almost everyday during her free play time. Sometimes, I would ask her if she prefers to play with something else, she will rarely divert to her other toys and would still prefer playing with the pretend play cooking.

Recently, she started to involve her 3 friends in her play. She would pretend to cook for them and then dutifully lay the "table" (it's actually our family couch) for them. Some of my observations from  here:

1) Yellow plate for yellow BJ (colour matching)

2) Purple cup and purple eggplant for Barney (colour matching)

3) Purple cup for the small Barney (colour matching)

4) Purple-pink spoons for the 2 Barneys, none for BJ and Baby Bop

5) Teapot for refilling of cups

6) Big plate of food placed in the centre, not the side (observation from how the family sets our table??)

7) Something to eat and drink for everyone!

It's cute uh? I really wonder what goes on in the mind of a two-year old! :)

Colour Matching Her Favorite Way

Han did her own colour sorting after we finish some crayon activity. She's been doing this for quite a few times. Today, she took out the different shades of the same colour and classified them correctly, according to what (who rather) else? Her good friends! It's moments like that when I know she is learning, retaining and applying what is taught! :)

Importance of Creating Memories

This afternoon, in her usual chatty mood, Han said,

" Hannah go to the beach with por por...
Hannah scoop sand...
Hannah pour water...
Hannah never walk on sand... (referring to her initial reluctance to walk on sand) 
Hannah wash legs...
Hannah's legs dirty!!"

This is not the first time she has talked about a memorable first time-outing to the beach with us and with my mum. Today, as she narrated it again and added the last three sentences to make today's version a longer one, something struck me.

Han could remember something that took place more than half a year ago and she really enjoys narrating it quite often. The more she narrates, the more details she will add. It's a process of articulating a memory that is very precious to her. She does the same for her second birthday party that took place last month.

"Hannah happy birthday...
So many purple balloons! Same colour as Barney!
(proceeds to name all the immediate and extended family members present at the party)
Hannah blow cake. Barney, BJ, Baby Bop, Scooter all on cake!"

Someone, an experienced father of 4 daughters, once told E and me , " Create memories for your children to look back on. What I remember is not the things my parents buy for me, but the memories they created for me."

A large part of a child's memories are  built by the parents and I pray, by His grace, we will seek to create great memories for Han.

She's drawing parallels - "This one's same as..."

Han has been drawing quite a number of parallels in her speech. Her favorite and most consistent example is that of drawing parallels to colours. Examples:

1) "Same colour as Barney!" (whenever she sees an object that is purple)

2) "Same colour as Baby Bop!" (whenever she sees an object that is green)

3) "Same colour as BJ!" (whenever she sees an object that is yellow)

You must understand why she loves to use Barney characters as her references. If you do not, you can read an earlier post!

4) "Same colour as Tigger!"  (whenever she sees an object that is orange)

5) "Same colour aaaaaaaas .........." (whenever she sees an object's colour that she's trying to match a parallel to)

These few days, she has been using shapes to draw parallels too! Examples:

1) "This one's (a) square, same as (the) table!"
2) "This one's (a) circle, same as (the) cup!"
3) "This one's (a) triangle, same as (the) highchair!" (referring to the highchair tray)

Today, she took her kangaroo soft toy, came up to me and exclaimed, "This one's same as (a) rabbit!!" 

And so she proceeds to the next stage...

Favorite Song

I was washing up for Han today when I asked her casually, "Hannah, what is your favorite song?" She looked at me and seemed like she was thinking hard. I thought she did not understand what "favorite" meant, so I asked "Hannah, which song do you like the most?"

She replied without hesitation, "Jesus Loves Me."

Her Reality of Consequences

Seems like many interesting conversations and lessons are taking place at the food court, our daily morning place for a good breakfast.

Han saw the cleaner mopping the floor and was observing her intently. Han is no stranger to the idea of cleaning the floor as she sees me doing that everyday. And then she said: "Uncle (actually it was an aunty who was wearing a cap) mopping floor..Hannah cannot walk...Hannah will fall down." I nearly choked on my food as I heard that. Besides being one of the longer sentences that she has been churning out, it was to me, a sentence of profound meaning! What Han said reflected that not only did she understood the reality of consequences (if she were to walk on wet floors), but she was able to retain that idea and articulate it out in another similar setting! Wow!

I am very encouraged because this means each time there is a need to explain consequences of actions or  discipline,  I know that she can fully understand and she's able to apply it to similar situations the next time (I hope this continues!)! All those times of reiterating caution and instructions have not been in vain after all:)

I continue to pray that she has a teachable and soft heart that she may walk in the ways of the Lord always!

Arrived: The Days of "What's that?"

SCENE 1 : One fine morning at a food court during breakfast with mummy time.

(I was happily enjoying my breakfast of soup noodles)

Han: What's that?

Me: What? (spoken more in disbelief that she has asked this so soon. I thought this phrase of "What's that?" asking will only come later? She just turned two!)

Han: (pointing to something) WHAT'S THAT?

(I turned to look at what she was pointing. It was a small red mechanism that was mounted on the ceiling, used to support decorative structures or banners that needed to be suspended from the ceiling. HOW AM I GOING TO EXPLAIN THIS TO A TWO YEAR OLD??)

Me: (sounding like a subject expert) Well, it's a machine used to hang decorations from the ceiling.

Han: (sounding like SHE'S the subject expert, even nodding knowingly) Looks like an airplane!

Me: (knowing better NEVER to dilute a toddler's imagination, unless it's really wrong) YAH! It looks like an airplane!

(I then went back to enjoy my hot soupy noodles, glad that such an interesting conversation took place.)

SCENE 2 : Repeat of Scene 1
SCENE 3: Repeat of Scene 2
SCENE 4: Repeat of Scene 3

You get the drift. It went on for 8 times. In one day. At the same sitting in that food court.

Welcome to the days of "What's that?", until the days of "WHY is that?" come! :):):)

Jump for Jesus!

Han REALLY loves to dance and sing. I mean REALLY! She has recently started to hum (correctly) to the tunes of her favorite songs and even sing along (to some degree of accuracy). I'm very proud of her as a mum and I celebrate this gifting that God has given to her!

Han does not really like puzzles. Now we all know that puzzles are supposed to aid in the logical and analytical side of her development. For a while, I must confess that I was slightly affected by her lack of interest in puzzles and was getting concerned about this part of her development. I began to even fear for her placing in the country's education system that emphasizes quite a bit on math and science. Of course, I am not accepting that she is not going to survive the system when she goes to school, but I must confess that I was quite concerned about this issue.

Recently I am reading "Parenting from Surviving to Thriving" by Charles Swindoll. In one of the earlier chapters, he encouraged parents to recognize the giftings that God has blessed your child with and to celebrate and nurture that gifting. I was very much reminded again that Han love for music and dancing, and being able to read and speak well are indeed  gifts that God has endowed upon her. I ought to celebrate and nurture them! (and not be too overly focused on what's lacking whatsoever)

At the service last week, we praised the Lord with a song that involved us jumping for Jesus. Han simply went crazy with joy and she was just jumping around during the praise time! She was even more ecstatic when she saw fellow worshipers of the Lord jumping for Jesus!

So jump for Jesus Han! We celebrate you and all that God has given to you and more to come!