Her first day of school
This picture is taken on the morning of her first day of school. I dressed her in a simple Dune dress, matching (brand) white panties and her new Pumas. She is really outgrowing her pair of Clarks, it is quite a squash now if she wears it with socks.
She loves her new water bottle, and whilst walking around the house with it faithfully slung over her neck, she takes little sips from it every now and then.
Upon reaching the school, a Chinese teacher brought us to the dining hall, where the kids gather in the morning. Lia was very okay then, she's nonchalant to the teachers and the breakfast they served her, and she busily pondered around checking things out. I followed her about, and later stood nearby, in view, as her teachers took over.
Lia is in an all new class. There's seven of them, including Lia, and she's the youngest, at 18.5 months (in fact, she is the youngest in school for now). All of them are on trial, and some of them are actually just doing half-days now. They get two teachers now, as new kids are always a handful, one is Teacher June, the center supervisor, whilst the other, teacher Sheena.
Here's Lia, checking out her classroom - new toys.
And here's Lia, playing by herself with the new toys.
Most of the time, I was standing at the door, this distance away. Lia looks up every now and then, I'd smile at her and she'd just turn away nonchalantly. With the kids whining and crying, and teachers busy comforting, I sneak my digital camera out. It was awkward at first, I tested water and took a few shots, without flash. The teachers noticed as there's this beep sound whenever I pressed the shutter, and though they did not say anything, I knew both of them were okay with it.
We went to the gym shortly after.
Lia enjoyed herself very much and she was shrieking half the time! I took a video of them in there, am in admist of uploading it now.
And then, lunch. Rather early for playgroups, they were sent to the dining hall at 10.30am. Rather amazingly and without fuss, Lia sat down for lunch. She fed herself, quite messily, but she amazed most of the adults (teachers, helpers and parents) in the room. And when Teacher Sheena tried to help her with her food, she flung her hand away! Teacher June made a joke and laughed heartily on seeing it!
Back to the classroom for Chinese lessons. The Chinese teacher is a nice lady, she looks okay but she was quite straight. She came in, sat down and started singing and clapping and actions and all. She sounded alright but, she was doing that to just ONE kid. Lia, as you can see from the picture below, was busy checking out the bookshelf, whilst the others were at different corners of the room. Lia stopped for a while and went slightly nearer when she heard the singing, but she wasn't really enticed (and the teacher did not really spend efforts to bring her in) and she was back to checking out the bookshelf. Or maybe, coaxing kids wasn't part of her job scope, she merely conducts lessons, and that's it.
Lia was up at around 630am and she's showing signs of tiredness. She whined a little, came over and grab me on my pants and wanted me to carry her, which I did. She then wanted to lift my top for her milk fix, which I later managed to distract her from. Teacher Sheena came over and I told her. She asked if I wanted to feed her but I declined. I have to let my baby know that she will not be getting her milk fix at this time and at this place in future, and she is not getting it now either.
Teacher June saw this and suggested that Lia go brush her teeth. They went, but returned shortly and Teacher June said that Lia did not wanna do it. I thought for a while and knew why. I then asked Teacher June if she had attempt to brush Lia's teeth or let her do it by herself? Teacher June confirmed on the former. I then told to let Lia do it on her own, she agreed and wanted to try again, but Lia, she refused. Ok, I had to step in. I told Lia that I am going in with her to brush her teeth, she is still whiney refused to budge, and I step out saying I'd go out and wait for her. She followed suit on seeing me exit the room. And bingo. Lia started brushing her teeth by herself when Teacher June handed her her toothbrush. But, she refused to stand at the basin while at it. I fully understand why. She wasn't tall enough to see herself in the mirror, and she was looking for a step stool. At home, she'd trot out to get her step stool, drag it back into the bathroom and I'd let her her on it. She'd be looking at herself in the mirror while brushing her teeth.
Lia got her shower, while I waited outside. When she came back out and she'd saw me, she cried and pat her chest. Poor baby, must have been quite an experience having someone else shower her besides her mommy. It was going to be nap time soon, and I decided to leave. Lia was cranky already because she's really tired, and on seeing her mattress (she recognised the cover), she smiled a little and sat and lay down. Teacher June had gone out to make their milks and it was at that time that I broke the news to her. She started her whining all over again, she refused to listen to me as I repeated myself a few times, and for the final, I said goodbye to her and with promises that I'll be back later to pick her, I went out the door promptly. The little one cried. I stood outside and put my ear on the door. I could hear Lia's cries clearly. Peering from the windows, behind the blinds, I saw her hanging around at the doorway (a helper/auntie was with her) and whenever the door opens, she'd pop her little head out to look for me. I steped out of the school gate with a very heavy heart.
On my way home, I called the school to get her Lia's teacher to bring her teddy out, as I hope that would be a comfort.
It was really strange, not having Lia with me. I was really hungry having missed breakfast and decided to go to the market for lunch and some grocery shopping. Back home, I tidied up, cooked Lia's porridge and magic-kleened the house! It was really strange, again, not having Lia in the house.
Time flies and soon, it was time to pick my baby from school! I reached school around 4pm and they were finishing their snacks... I stood outside and watched and when Teacher June saw me and came up and did some reporting. She told me that Lia was very independent, she wants to do every little thing by herself. She refused to be held and carried when crying for me. Thus Teacher June left her on her own. She then fell asleep on the floor. Teacher June tried to transfer her onto the mattress but she awoke and screamed! Teacher June left her alone again and Lia was back onto the floor. But this time, the little one rolled a little and moved her body, until her head reached the mattress, and she then used it as a pillow. Her head's up on the mattress, but her body's on the floor. Teacher June left her to it and the little one then slept throughout, from 130pm to 3pm. A time record, this is the longest duration she'd slept, not using a hammock. She must have been real tired.
Lia saw me and started crying, she trot up to me, handed me her water bottle while pushing a chair along; which we didn't know what she was up to. She tried to climb onto the chair, and it was then I realised, she wanted to climb her way out over the window sill! She wanted me to rescue her! Which I did, by the right way of going through the door. =)
We left to visit James at the hospital and this is a picture taken there. I will probably blog on what has happened to James, later. Let me get things in order and also, I need to get enough sleep first!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home