Birthday @ Ulu Langat 27thMarch2011

Blow till your balloon bursts! How terrifying.

HC's birthday was held in a campsite in Ulu Langat. Once again competitive games were organised, Fai and Han backed out after trying out the first game.

While the other kids filled up plastic bottles with water using sponges, my boys looked on with disinterest.

Dear Hubby brought up the socialization issue and I guess he was wondering if homeschooling had made the boys shy away from such games and mixing with other kids.

Hmmmm....

I gave this some thought. I think the boys just didn't find the games worth participating in.

It is not that they had issues mixing with the other kids, it is just that blowing huge balloons and having it burst in your face and running up and down squeezing water into bottles with a group of kids they have just met, besides HC, at the behest of an adult with a loud hailer must have seemed mindless and pointless to them.

The boys headed for the stream.

As we waded in the cool water, enjoyed the feel of the smooth rocks under our feet, the familiar tune of 'Chicken Dance' invaded our tranquil sanctum.

JY baked and decorated the 'Polar Express' birthday cake.

One boy appreciated her cake so much he wolfed down 3 of her fondant train carriages.

The log bridge was a favourite with the kids. Some butt-scooted across. Others balanced their way over, tightwalk style. The stream could be dammed up till the water was chest-high. I can imagine the young and the young-at-heart doing a backflip into the water from the log.

The campsite was a perfect place for a gathering.

A few parents who had placed their kids into an international schools were lamenting about the dismal state the school was in.

One of the parents thought that service learning in schools such as building toilets in Third World countries was what he had envisioned his child would be doing in his school and another was disappointed that her child was starting to rudely answer back.

It has been some time since I have heard complains about the school system and the problems of socializing with the wrong crowd.

I was pulled into the discussion by HC's dad and JY was interrogated by the parents.

It is easy to complain about the school system but not many are willing get out of the system and take the challenge of teaching their own.

Through homeschooling, your child could be collaborating with other homeschoolers from around the region or the world using the internet to discuss and build toilets or libraries, if he chooses to do so.

The book "Dumbing Us Down" was mentioned. A good book that deals about the issues that schools, teachers and schoolkids face and how it is detrimental to the development of our kids.

The kids in their own world. Creating their own games with just their imagination and Mother Nature. And socializing certainly wasn't an issue, Fai and Han quickly cliqued with the rest of the kids. Happily joining in with whatever that was cooked up.

Ean sploshing paint. It was very thoughtful of HC's mom to set up a painting table, vegetarian food, an array of dishes that could feed an army, waterguns, bubbles, sugar-free drinks...this woman had immaculate planning. The face says it all. We had fun.

Birthday Party @ Bangsar Village 26March2011

Slithering like a snake. It was JMing's 5th birthday party.

What a workout the boys had. First an hour of climbing, sliding, jumping and running at the play apparatus followed by games with the facilitator. Phew!

I have a question: What is it with 'Chicken Dance' at kids' parties?

This time around the mummies were roped in to do the dance.

Fai and Han didn't like the games much and excused themselves after the second game.

Competitive games like the ever popular scavanger hunt - get a belt or a 10cent coin or a strand of white hair was not their idea of fun.

Maybe seeing their mummy do the Chicken Dance took the fun out.

Other kids, especially the birthday boy, had a whale of a time though.

Ean, on the other hand insisted on joining the Disco Dance. He said that he wanted to dance and kept pulling me into the dark room with flashing lights and groovy music.

Hungry Kids.

The food was thoughtfully portioned and laid out on kid-sized tables.

So all the kids had to do was choose a seat and attack the food.

Thank you CHOoi, HLing and JMing for the lovely time.

Before heading back home, origami cranes caught JY's eye.

She happily folded 20 cranes.

She would have contributed more cranes if I hadn't given her a deadline.

Fai is 6

Fai with his Transformer Mega Sword. One sword with lights and goes Ka-Ching. I expected lots of grabbing and tears of defeat. However I was pleasantly surprised that Fai gave in to Han and let him play with his sword every now and then. And he wisely use it as a bargaining chip.

Fai's negotiaion with Han this evening after dinner went like this , " I will let you play with my sword, if you let me help mummy wash the dishes " So Han ran off happily with the sword and Fai got to wash dishes by my side.
Yes, helping mummy wash the dishes is not a chore in my house. My boys like nothing better than to assist me in the kitchen cutting, washing, cooking.... Perhaps it is the only time they get me to themselves.

Jianyi doing the finishing touches on Fai's Transformer Cake. Autobots for the teatime guests and Decepticons for the Dinner guests.
Decepticon logo on cake2

Fai cut the cake and scrapped off the icing upon request.

Fai's grandmothers had the task of removing the wires that secured Optimus and Jetfire to the box.

Fai was impatient and tried to help Pohpoh.

Mama hard at work. The 2 toys still firmly in place.

Fai is exceptionally creative. He used the wires that came with the toy and masking tape to make a jellyfish.

Jianyi and her cousin, Caryn in the foam pool.