Thirdy-isms @ 3

Thirdy: Ma, matulog na ko!
Me: ...
Thirdy: Dad, matulog na ko!
Dad: ...
Thirdy: Aysus Maria! MATULOG NA KO!

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We were teaching him to pray. We told him to pray for what he desires for himself and for his family.

Me: What do you want for yourself?
Thirdy: Cars!
Me: What do you want for Bambam?
Thirdy: Cake!
Me: How about for Mama?
Thirdy: Chicken!
Me: Oh. How about for Dada?
Thirdy: Chili!

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Me: Nga a ikaw gid ginsabak ni Ms. Jacky?
Thirdy: Kay love niya ako.

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Dad: Wow! You have a nice watch. What time is it?
Thirdy: (looks at his watch) It's nighttime!

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Thirdy: Look, Ma. It's a stick nest.
Me: No. It's a nest made of twigs.
Thirdy. Ok. It's a twig nest.

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Thirdy: Ma, nag pray ako!
Me: (looks at him proudly) Wow! Paano ka mag pray?
Thirdy: Gina gisi ko ang papel kag ginasunog.

Apparently, he has been observing and imitating how the Chinese pray to their ancestors.

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Me: Is Emman a boy or a girl?
Thirdy: A boy!
Me: How do you know he's a boy?
Thirdy: He goes to the boy's toilet.

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Me: How about Aunty? Is she a boy or a girl?
Thirdy: She's a grandma!

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Me: Nga-a gahibi si Bambam?!
Thirdy: Kay gin-ipit siya sang buli ko.

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He has a new classmate who only speaks Chinese.

Thirdy: My classmate only speaks Chinese.
Dada: So you should teach her English.
Thirdy: Then I should speak Chinese!

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Thirdy: I have a classmate named Delicious!

The classmate's name is actually Delicia.

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Me: What is your teacher's name?
Thirdy: I don't know. But she's wearing lipstick.

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Thirdy: Ms. Rokiya is absent again today. She is always sick because she's wearing lipstick.

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Thirdy: They (his teachers) say my name is difficult (to pronounce)!
Me: So what do they call you in school.
Thirdy: They call me "Darling"!

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Me: Thirdy, is Bambam awake already?
Thirdy: No. But she's still alive.

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Me: We're going home to Iloilo City this November.
Thirdy: I don't want to go to Iloilo City.
Me: Why?
Thirdy: It's scary there.
Me: Why?
Thirdy: There's blood moon there.

Blood Moon was the phenomenon he witnessed last January 2018. 

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We're Saying Goodbye to Being 3...

It has been a good year for me. 

I was able to finish my Nursery 1!

So many places I have been to,

and so many things I have done. 

I am currently attending Nursery 2.

I look forward to meeting my friends everyday

because of so many fun things to do.

I learn Chinese from Tang Lao Shi

And I learn English from Ms. Shiivani.

I have been to a Yakult factory, to a playeum, a zoo, and a giant aquarium.

But my favorite is the ArtScience Museum.

I am still learning to be a big brother.

I never thought I will have a playmate in my sister.

I enjoy playing with my cars, blocks, puppets, and clay.

A storybook always ends my day.

With my family and friends,

life is never a bore.

I cannot wait to do more fun things

now that I am FOUR!

Done with Nursery One!

I would have wanted to homeschool my little boy during his pre-school years, but when I gave birth to our second child January of this year I knew I just had to give up that idea. A toddler and a newborn were just too much for me to handle, so we decided to enroll him in a pre-school instead. We were staying in Iloilo City then, and the closest preschool to our apartment was the Iloilo Montessori School. Coincidentally, this was the same pre-school my husband attended when he was in Kindergarten.

Can you spot my Dada?

Dada dancing at Iloilo Montessori School some 30 years ago

Thirdy was enrolled in the one-month summer program but he was only able to attend for 3 weeks because we had to fly back to Singapore for some appointments. Thus, he was not able to join the culminating activity of the summer class. 

Ocular visit at Iloilo Montessori School with Maam Ditas and Dangdang

Bambam was just 2 months then

I sat with him during his first day. Because I was there, he actively joined in the activities. He seemed confident in imitating his teachers, but he still did not want to let me go. During the succeeding days, he would tearfully hug me everytime I would hand him over to his teachers. After the first week, he was already happy to join in the class. He really liked his Teachers Ms. Noreen and Ms. Hera.

Snack time on my first day of summer class at Iloilo Montessori School

Ms. Hera and Ms. Noreen, my IMS summer class teachers

We enrolled him again during the school opening with the plan of letting him finish the school year. But this was cut short because we had to fly back to Singapore as Bambam's dependent pass was approved, which meant we could all stay together as a family in SG. So, we had to say goodbye to IMS again. 

Ms. Tricia, Ms. Joyce, and Ms. Hera, my IMS June-July teachers

The perennial blue line of IMS

We were back in Singapore by July, but since we did a bit of travelling, we were only able to enroll Thirdy last August. It took us some time to find a school for him as most of the early childhood institutions near our place are childcare centers, which means they do not cater to 2-3 hour classes. We were blessed to have found Starland when we met a nanny at the playground who informed us that her ward studies in this school. What is nice is that it is just about a 10-minute walk from our block. Thirdy officially became a Nursery 1 pupil of Starland last August 16. 

Birthday celebrations in school 

Just another day in school

 

Children's Day 

 

Yakult Factory Tour

Deepavali/Diwali Celebration (India's Festival of Lights)

 

                                      With a Chinese boy                                         With an Indian girl                                      With a Malaysian girl

Graduation Concert

It's a small world, after all!

You are my sunshine!

Medley with other grade levels

Schoolyear in Singapore begins in January and ends in December. Students also attend school according to the year they were born and not according to their age. If you were born in 2015 for example, you belong to Nursery 1, regardless of the month you were born in. 

I was the smallest in class.

                                                                          My last day to wear this blue sailor uniform

Saying goodbye to Ms. Jaculin, my Nursery 1 Teacher at Starland

Teacher's comment made my Mama and Dada's day!

I used to frown on parents who post their children's report cards in social media to show off the excellent grades. Now, I understand why they do. It just feels great to know that your child is performing well in school. I am excited for his Nursery 2 classes!