Who still reads this blog anyway? :'P
Took up a ministry assignment to write daily readings/meditations for the whole of Holy Week this year (Palm Sunday - Easter Sunday). A short book of 8 essays. A dear friend very creatively suggested that I should teach/preach through the Book of Ruth in 8 days. At first, I didn't see how Ruth could be fitted into Holy Week. But since I like challenges of that kind, I took it up. In the series, I bring readers to journey through Holy Week in light of the Book of Ruth... and perhaps, a little vice versa. Certainly, God has been kind and gracious to lead me.. because I was often clueless and unsure. By His help, I did it.
Special appreciation goes to those who read my writings and gave me valuable feedback. Not forgetting those who prayed for me, helped me with Sophie whenever I needed the extra space and time to brainstorm (read: juice my brain), and bore with me while I was working even throughout the Chinese New Year holidays. Burning midnight oil and all. My hardworking parents-in-law. My long-suffering husband. My very forgiving little girl.
Speaking of my little girl...
Strange... When I look back at the previous blog record of her milestones and progresses, it seems to me that she has grown so much... that it is a little terrifying. She is now a full-fledged "terrible-twos" toddler who is capable of throwing tantrums wherever and whenever. But the good thing is... she is quite easily pleased. As long as you find the right thing to distract her, her tantrum changes course and she will end up laughing. However, since she is a very determined, strong-willed little girl, one needs to be very patient as well as resourceful (with regard to that bag of tricks for making peace). I thank God for giving me patience for every meltdown... that I have never really had to shout. In fact, I usually lower my voice and speak softly (but sternly) when I mean business. I find that she listens better when I do. Sometimes, I pull a sad face and tell her how she is ruining my day - which stops her in her tracks. Or laugh myself... and invite her to laugh at herself. Or her giraffe will tell her to behave. The only time I threaten my toddler is when all else fails: "If you still don't walk to the bathroom, mummy is going to tickle you... 1-2-3...." She will run. Tickling is the lesser of all painful things. I don't enjoy tickling her - or being tickled for that matter. I use it very sparingly - like cili padi in my food. But well... at least it makes her laugh.
She's now speaking many more words than she used to, thankfully. Although signs (with facial expressions) and grunts are still her best-loved methods to get her messages across to us, at least she makes an effort to pronounce when we prompt her to. I suspect that she is like me in the sense that she doesn't intend to speak much until she has all the words down pat. I was like that with Korean and Hokkien. (I only began speaking Hokkien after ~10 years of living in Penang.) Meanwhile I would rehearse the words and sentences over and over to myself when nobody was listening. Perhaps she does the same.
Her favourite word is now "NO" or "Mai...." (Hokkien for "no") I don't like her to answer "Mai..." when I talk to her in English - and so I give her the evil eye whenever she does so. Nowadays, she would hastily say "No...." whenever she forgets and accidentally says "Mai...." in my presence. Haha. Alternatively, I would humour her... "My? My...what? My pillow? My giraffe? My mummy? My daddy?"
Other daily words include:
- Honorific titles (Yeh-yeh, Ma-Ma, Dadda, Mee-mee/Mummy, Aunty, Uncle, Ah-Ee, Gong-Gong, Kor Kor or Ge-Ge, Jie-Jie, Mei-Mei, Di-di, Um-mah for Godma, Poh, etc...)
- Bye-bye
- Some verbs: "Go!" "Go out!" "Walk!" "Wear!" "Bark!" (for dog)
- Names of colours (her favourite is "Red")
- Pop pop (inspired by CNY)
- Um- (for umbrella)
- Egg (for Humpty Dumpty - well, he is really one!)
- Girl/Boy
- Some adjectives (Wet, Dry)
- Certain animal sounds
- The names or phonic-sounds of most capital alphabets (except the consonants that she cannot really pronounce yet) and a handful of small letters
- Shh-shhh-shhhhh (with pointer to lip)
- Ssss (for bus - she always leaves out the "ba" in front for some reason)
- Other words which I am still trying to decipher, much to Sophie's frustration
People tend to say things like, "What? She is not talking yet? So-and-so was talking loads by the age of one-and-a-half..." Or something like that. Well, I'm not sure what qualifies as "talking"... but to me, as long as she understands us and keeps moving forward, there is nothing to worry about (I've come to accept). Nothing to rush. After all, all children are different... and they learn differently.
Sophie is great at signing though. She likes relating the events from her memory by signing/actions with sound effects. For example, the evening her cousin sister took her outdoors and played pop pop in her grandma's (my aunt) garden, followed by a round of fire-crackers that gave out smelly smoke. This is one of the stories that Sophie loves to tell and re-tell. Oh, nursery rhymes too.
Yup. Here's to the final two months of her second year as the sweet, beautiful, funny little person she is.
Loving you, Sophie girl.
1 comment:
Finally you're back here! 😄 was fun reading your updates n all the new words sophie can speak
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