Death and Toddler E

We have a neighbour auntie whom E calls 'po po'. He sees her a lot because our backyards share a wall with grilles and she spends a lot of time hanging out laundry and pottering around back there.

She had a bad fall at home and passed away while we were in Vietnam visiting my brother in October 2013, the husband texted me the news. I was worried about how toddler E would handle the news as he knew her quite well and remembers her.

We came back to Singapore and the next time we were in the backyard (the kitchen stove is outdoors by the backyard and toddler E insists on making his own scrambled eggs for breakfast so it was inevitable that he would notice 'po po' was not around). He asked me where 'po po' was and I just told him she's not here any more. 

He seemed satisfied with that answer. I guess I have a couple more years to come up with a more detailed explanation on death and loss of life.

Dancing with Tua Teo-Kong

I'm really grateful that toddler E has a chance to get to know my uncle who helped raise me.

My aunt passed away before I started dating the husband and she never got a chance to meet toddler E. I'd like to think that she knows all about him from where ever she is now and is looking down and chuckling at toddler E's antics.

21 October

Wave your hands in the air

Boogie on down

Run away!

Pretty good dancing for a 79 year old man and an almost 3 year old toddler!

The Garden House Preschool

In my search for a preschool / kindergarten for toddler E to attend in late 2014 or early 2015, I took him to an afternoon preview of a programme called 'Sproutlings' designed for children 15 - 36 months at The Garden House Preschool.

Here's their description of the activities included:

"Get a taste of what we provide in our core programme with the comfort of having Mummy or Daddy around. Different experiences will be set up each week for the children to explore their senses and to try out their hands at gardening! A healthy, organic snack will be served while the children connect with one another in a group setting.

This is a chance for parents to get an insight to setting up invitations to play."

So we attended the preview on 26 September and had a lovely time!

Inside classroom

Getting into everything

Sandpit was a big hit

Water play area

Cooking area with dry pasta in pots

The focus was on outdoor play which I loved because a majority of the preschools in Singapore keep the children in an air-conditioned environment the entire time they are in school.

There were several outdoor play areas set up, a mix of sand, water, finger paints & dry props (like the cooking pot section with pasta in the pots). Toddler E tried every one except for the paint section towards the back of the building because he was stuck at the water play table and wouldn't budge for the longest time, not even for a snack!

The preschool is designed for up to 5 years old and toddler E will be 4 years old by the time I plan to enrol him in school. Plus we would be living in Yishun by then and The Garden House Preschool is somewhere in between Toh Tuck & Bukit Batok which would make it pretty far to travel for us.

Papa's Boy

Toddler E has always been attached to me but I'd attribute that to me being his source of food in the early months. Now he has times when he clings to me like a barnacle and then there are time where he is happy to play on his own.

As he grows older, the husband also gets to spend more time with him and share his love of toys and cartoons with toddler E. Gone are the days where toddler E (as an infant) would bawl his eyes out if anyone but mama picks him up and comforts him.

The storm has passed, toddler E is growing up! And I don't miss those early infant days at all, no siree!

19 October 2013