Lifecycle of a Butterfly

Our church organized a children outing to the Oh Chin Huat Hydroponic Farms in late March. Specifically, they took a tour of the butterfly section. Gabe got to ride on a coach bus, which got him really excited (and he couldn't stop talking about it for a few weeks) and fearful (I don't understand why either) at the same time. He came back reporting that he saw the caterpillars, touched the one that was put on papa's palm and asked to go there again some other time. But the highlight of the trip to the butterfly farm for Gabe, was the little water fountain that sports a pond with some fish swimming in it. Yeah... it's a "winning" statement.

So it seems that each kid was to be gifted with two caterpillars at the end of the trip but due to a shortage in supply, they came home empty handed. The good people at the farms compensated by personally coming down to our premises the next Sunday, with two caterpillars for each child. The package was complete with a plastic tub with a meshed cover to house the wrigglies, a satay stick and some leaves as food for them.

The excitment was felt throughout the church as kids and adults fuss over the little tubs that Sunday. Gabe was happy to bring them home but I think I'm the one who was really excited. Although we've studied the life cycle of a butterfly as kids, it was all just head knowledge. Plus, the wrigglies were really pretty, totally different from the plump, green ones from the textbooks. Obviously, the task of caring for the caterpillars fell on me, especially if I was to keep them alive to show Gabe how they would transform into butterflies.

The instructions were pretty simple: change the piece of paper that lines the bottom of the tub each day (cos those teeny things poop a lot), put in a fresh leaf every morning and evening, and when the butterflies emerge, set them free within a day so they will not starve. Sounds easy, but I was so freaked out with avoiding contact with the caterpillars while I took them out of the tub for the daily clean-up. It's this creepy crawly thing that gets my goosebumps up. With some practise, I managed pretty fine in the end.

It was fun watching the metamorphosis and Gabe was equally intrigued. We checked out the activity in the tub each day and looked forward to the day we released the butterflies. It left a pretty deep impression on Gabe. And he still requests to go visit the butterfly farm again...

Welcome, C1 and C2

I've never seen such a "prickly" caterpillar before!

Gabe could be trusted to play around the tub without manhandling its contents

I was doing my daily check on them when I found them stuck upside down to the satay stick one morning.

And in a few hours, they have shed their outer core (the two black lumps on the paper which are incidentally stretchable) and morphed into a semi brown, semi orange pupa.

In another couple of hours, the pupa or chrysalis shed the orange tone. At this point, I relocated the tub to the top of the TV where Gabe would not have any chance of accidentally knocking it over. They looked so fragile dangling from the stick I figured I shouldn't take any chance.

One week later, I was sitting from a distance wondering why the tub looked so crowded. Upon closer inspection, found that the butterflies have emerged. Here they are drying out their wrinkled, wet wings.

Flapping its semi dried wings

Gabe observing them up close. We decided to wait for derod to return before releasing them and as I returned the meshed cover to the top of the tub, the butterflies panicked and tried their very best to go free. They only settled down a minute or so later. That night, livingjoyfully came to join us for dinner and all of us took the tub with its precious contents downstairs.

They flew free and landed on nearby pillars where we finally had a good look at them from the side, a view not available while they were still in the tub.

Jesus Is...

Derod was trying to get Gabe to tell me what he learnt at toddler's class today (Easter Sunday).

Derod: Jesus is a...
Gabe: A lion!

Hmmm... he's quite right too, you know, except that the answer we were looking for was "ALIVE".

Marina Barrage!

It was one of those public holidays so derod and I lugged the kids out for a late breakfast, and made our way to Marina Barrage to check out this place we've been hearing our friends talk about.

Apparently, the place gets quite crowded on weekends and public holidays. We had to park at some construction car park a little distance away and roll Rou over pretty interesting terrain.

The boy looking cool in his shades.

Making our way across the building to get to the fountains.

Told you Gabe was a particular one. While other kids would throw themselves into the water, he just stood there for ages just watching his favourite "water fountain!!" but would hear nothing of going near them.

Finally, I kinda pulled off his shoes and dragged him nearer. Took loads of convincing to even get him to step into the pool.

And I've to take him walking...

do some demonstrations...

before he got a little warmed up...

and I got some rest.

Checking out the place on his own, with lots of caution and hesitation.

Then it was papa's turn to walk around with him and my turn at babysitting and camera duty.

Gabe got ambushed by one of these. He was walking around aimlessly when he happened to step on one of these at the exact time the fountain gushed. The best part was that he got so startled he ran for derod in the opposite direction. Two seconds later he discovered the mistake and turned around for his papa, only to rush head on into the spray in the process.

The father and son walk

What rou was doing most of the time

Great weather. We all got a tan! But the showers came just as we left the place.

Now that he's wet, we can finally leave.

But not before taking a family photo.

Riiing Riiing

Gabe's been making up words or sounds that he couldn't find expressions for in his limited vocabulary. I'm particularly intrigued by this one.

Rou was napping in a sarong for about a month or so. So if she starts crying inside the sarong, my usual response would be to tug at it in attempt to get her back to sleep. Sometimes Gabe objects to it and goes, "Don't want mummy to riing mei mei".

I can only suppose that it's the sight of the springs responsible for the up-down motion of the sarong that led him to that expression.

Shame Shame!

We have befriended a neighbour who lives on the first storey. Some days, Doreen would bring her niece up for a short while and Gabe would have some company. He had to adjust to sharing his toys and having another child around for a little while.

Once, Emma started frowning and fanning the air around her nose while declaring, "臭臭!" She exposed Gabe's quiet act of pooping in his pampers. During the time I've been trying to poop-toilet-train him.

On another occasion, we were about to get out of the house and that was the cue for the end of the play date. So the kids got to the door to wear their shoes, and Gabe sat on his stool to wait for me. Check out what happened.


Oh! Emma's one month younger than Gabe.

A Changed Mummy

I'm no longer the same mother I started out as a little over two years ago. Maybe it's also because my son is no longer the same helpless babe.

I was always stern but gentle in my instruction and handling of him and to the amazement of others and myself, never even raised my voice at him until he was about 14 months old. He was that cooperative, obedient and responsive. The walking, talking, exploring, imaginative toddler burst forth into his big bright world at 18 months and by age two, became something I totally didn't recognize.

We have had daily battles. We're having even more daily battles.

Gabe is a very particular boy. I'm not sure if it's because he can articulate his preferences early, or is it a trade-off with the fact that he is easier in other areas. I don't know. Some times, I've even given up trying to think of reasons behind certain behaviour.

I've become so bad tempered now. Small things trigger a volcanic eruption. I've broken a few personal rules on a couple of occasions and I feel really bad about it. Some days I feel so guilty.

"It's a phase, it's a phase", I find myself repeating. I have to consciously find joy in what I'm doing. I have to talk to myself to remind myself of the big picture and how since on hindsight, I'm happy that I'm doing what I'm doing, then I'll be glad I stuck on when I look back a few years later.

More than ever, my responses, the words I speak, the unspoken gestures and values that are revealed in my daily life are caught on by my little one. It simply adds on to the tall order of being sane at the end of a day.

Scripture/ songs come to mind when I'm at my wits end. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness. This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Jehovah Jireh, my provider, His grace is sufficient for me.

The Lord loves Gabe more than I can ever ask or imagine and He is in control. Urgh... why is parenting so difficult!?!

Glib Gabe

I'm not sure when it began but Gabe started paying me compliments when I get dressed to go out.

"Mummy's so pretty!" he'd gush, and even though I'm nowhere near gorgeous, it certainly feels great to be admired, never mind that it came from a kiddo who knows nuts about beauty.

He notices your clothes too. The other day I was wearing a blouse with two ribbons which I tied into a bow at the back. He rushed toward me declaring, "Mummy's so pretty! Mummy's flower so pretty." I got a hug too. Ok... he was just trying to reach the bow out of curiosity.

Ah what the heck. I'm pretty!

A Typical Day at Play

Gabe would be playing in the living room and Rou would be lying on the bouncer nearby. They co-exist peacefully. Big brother makes an effort to steer clear of the bouncer, avoiding it when he runs around or when riding his Ferrari or tricycle, and little sister looks on the activity.