Report Card 学校报告卡

I think the pre-schools nowadays have much better teacher parent communication. Han Jin goes to a mid-tier pre-school, hence, it is sort of expected that there is teacher parent conference, and I wasn't very surprised when the teacher sends out weekly update every Sunday night (see, we are taking it for granted, i.e. we are used to people working during non-working hours), or when there is regular updates on the Shutterfly sites that the class teacher has created. However, Mei goes to a playgroup at the RC center downstairs, which is probably at the very grassroots level, and I am surprised when there is also a report card, completed with the handcraft that she has done during the past 3 months.

Well, since we have just received the report cards for both kids within the last week, let's have a look of what they have done.

瀚今瀚月最近收到学校年中报告卡，来看看他们的表现。

Mei's art work as follows: Frankly speaking, I am more convinced that the coloring of the yacht is the original work of Mei. All other pieces probably involve varying degree of 'hands-on' guidance from the teacher.. :) However, I am very proud of the fact that my girl is doing well with a class of kids who are one year older than her in general.

瀚月的手工，我相信那个帆船绝对100% 是妹妹的原创。。。其他的嘛，或多或少都有老师的帮助。妈妈还是很骄傲的，我的还不到两周岁的宝贝。

Han Jin's work is definitely more impressive. Each half year, the assessment starts with a self portrait. Here is a series that he did in the past two years, from a barely recognisable scratch of face, to a candid smiling boy with Mr Sunshine, clouds, grass and flowers.

瀚今画的自己，从两年前还不是太容易辨认的一张脸到现在清楚的线条和布景。

瀚今做的手工书，描述一家人回中国的事情。Teacher commented that Han Jin was absent from school for too long this year. Indeed, he had the fall and fracture (1.5 months), home trip (2 weeks), chickenpox (nearly 2 weeks) and other minor flues etc over the last 6 months. Pray for my family... Health and Happiness....

妹妹两岁生日+7年结婚周日 Mei's birthday party, Anniversary

Mei turns 2 on 4 Jul. We celebrated early with a combined McDonald birthday party with Xiao Niu.

妹妹和小牛合办的两岁生日会！小丫头很开心。

- first time that we held/attended birthday party at McDonald, not bad.
- first time I set foot in McDonald at Ridout Tea Garden, nice garden setting with an outdoor playground.
- first time we formally celebrated Mei's birthday with friends. Her first was a small family event.

Feedback from Han Yue: she enjoyed it, participated the games, enjoyed accompany of friends, loved the usually restricted fast food, loved her Hello Kitty cake, and loves all the gifts. For me, I did minimum planning, just tapped along Hu Ping's research. Thanks, fellow mum.

Thanks all for coming, and hope you had a good time!

 It happened to be our anniversary, 7 years. Then and Now. 6月26，刚好是我们结婚7年的纪念日，没有做任何特别的事情。两个孩子，日常琐事，已经冲淡了浪漫，要记得提醒自己，before we were parents, we were husband and wife, lovers and friends. 在做父母的同时，我们更是夫妻，爱人和朋友。

我老公好像比七年前还帅。呵呵。。。

Yamaha concert + butterfly 音乐课和蝴蝶

Han Jin has completed 6 months Yamaha music class and the first level, graduation to 2nd level. We attended his graduation concert at the school yesterday. My boy wasn't stressed at all, didn't practice much at home..... and, amazingly? no, expected, didn't perform well. He forgot the piece that he supposed to go solo, he didn't know when to start, he used right hand only... Nevertheless, he had good times and high spirit throughout, eager to participate and made good friends. I think that's enough for me to send him onto the second level.....

瀚今上了六个月的雅马哈音乐课，昨天毕业了，全家人去看表演。说实话，瀚今的表现不算优秀，可是他很开心。这样就足够我乐意再送他去了。。。

Aha! I figured out how to attach YouTube videos! More videos going forward!


On another note, the caterpillar turned into a lovely black with yellow dot butterfly on Friday night. The whole family brought the little creature down to garden and set it free. It hovered at the edge of the box, and almost fell off on the first step, but flied beautifully away in a split of second. An inborn ability....

毛毛虫变蝴蝶了。。。放飞脆弱的小生命。。。

Chickenpox cleared 水痘好了

A snapshot: Daddy is reading newspaper. I just finished a conference call, and put a tearing Han Jin into sleep. There is a bit regression in HJ's behavior from the stellar performance in China. He was very upset that I was not there at the usual time, and clang on me like an octopus for a while, then bravely let me go when I said I need to take shower. I HATE night calls, I don't even  have a proper study, or a working telephone. I was hooked up to my cellphone for more than an hour, killed millions of brain cells....

Ok, back to the topic. Hurray! Han Jin was cleared from Chickenpox yesterday morning by Dr Kong at Gleneagles, then we went to nearby Botanic Garden to feed the fish and turtle. We had lunch at the Swesens, with kid's meal ordered by HJ himself, and I order pizza to share with him, completed by a large chewy chocolate icecream ordered by HJ. I think he enjoyed having mummy just to himself for one day. I think it is good to have one to one time with each of my children. I love both of them dearly, but much softer towards Mei. However, HJ is the one who is always sweet to me, while Mei, yet to officially start her terrible two, has already started throw tantrum. I have to teach her how to express her anger and frustration.

We brought back a Nebilizer to clear the cough. Mei actually loved the 'smoking' and 'becoming elephant' time. So much different from the resistance the last time that she used it.

因为打过预防针，水痘出的很轻微，不到一个礼拜就好了，昨天医生写了证明书，今天就去上学了。昨天我和瀚今去了植物园喂鱼和乌龟，吃他爱吃的西餐，放一下憋了一个礼拜的风，也享受一下只有一个孩子的悠闲和专注。

Stress 压力

No much mood to write blog these few days. Couldn't sleep at night. All signs of stress.

Sources of stress:

- Work: I am tasked to make a presentation to some senior Directors in the firm on a topic... that I am not familiar with on the Monday after. I will be given a new joiners training next Monday, but I couldn't care less to prepare. On the presentation, the piece of job was done by my counterparts in New York, and I just had a brief understanding over the process, though I am probably the one who knows the most about the process in the Asia Pacific region. I dreaded to study the material on the share point. Though I have blocked my calendar for a few occasions last week, in the hope to study the files, but there were always other issues popped up. I stayed till 2pm last night at home trying to read, but my brain just refuse to work on a Friday night. I scheduled two late night calls with my counterparts in NY next week, and hopefully can get some time to study and prepare the slides. I foresee I will be stressed until the date of the delivery: 27 Jun.

- Sickness: Han Jin had a skin allergic reaction 2 weeks ago after I applied some lotion prescribed by Prof Hui to lighten the scar. He played too hard over the last weekend, and fell sick on Monday. We thought it was a normal flu and withheld the antibiotics GP at SilverCross given. Thursday, rashes with blister developed. Daddy brought him to the usual GP that we go, and I brought him to Dr Ravin on Friday morning, then to Dr Kong. It was a confirmed Chickenpox case. Thankfully, it was mild and Han Jin is still of good spirit, much to the credit of the vaccination. So, calls to all moms, maybe chickenpox vaccine is worth the jab and the costs. Dr Kong assured us that the Chickenpox should be healed within about a week for vaccinated case, while it usually takes 2 weeks for non vaccinated case.  On a side note, Dr Ravin has becoming more risk averse. He referred all the 3 cases in that morning to Dr Kong......

- Stock market: deeply in water.

- Property market: price rocket high. interest rate bottom low. Market on watchers warned softening or even a perfect storm as early as in 2013. A perfect storm is brought about by: interest rate hike, over supply and soft demand. So not the right time to enter property market, but we have to buy/rent one near to a desired school by early next year....

Let me post some lighter topic photos.

最近压力有些大：
- 瀚今出水痘，还好打过预防针，不严重，精神状态还很好。但是隔离的问题就很麻烦，只能尽量隔离两个小家伙。
- 工作上有些压力。
- 股市大跌，前景更不看好。老公坚持不要止损出场。
- 房市高价，低利率。有分析师认为两三年后房价会疲软，利率会升高。可惜我们在明年之前就要买一间在心仪的学校附近的屋子。。。鉴于目前的情况，很可能考虑在学校附近租房子，把现在的租出去。。。

看点开心的照片吧。

- 妹妹去看朵拉的表演 mei went to a Dora show at the Forum
- 出水痘局限在家却很开心的瀚今 home confined but high spirit Han Jin
- 妹妹看一个有乌龟池的公寓 A condo with a live turtle pond
- 楼下花园的Mr Yip特意给瀚今瀚月抓了一只已经做茧了的蛹，我们在等它化蝶 Mr Yip at the community garden got a encapsuled caterpilla in the cocoon, especially for Han Jin and Han Yue, nicely put in a container with a net. We are waiting for the butterfly.
- 妹妹的新玩具推车，每天会推小baby下楼玩，今天给她吹泡泡 Mei's new toy: baby pram.

Playground hopping & Daddy's birthday 想念游乐场&爸爸的生日

What we missed the most in Chi Zhou, is the outdoor playgrounds that the HDB neighbourhood has. Plenty, spacious, colorful, well-lit, well-maintained, and free, and with kids who queue and share, generally.

So, the first thing I did with Mei Mei over the weekend was hopping around the playgrounds nearby, all within 3 minutes walking distance, and she had a fun time with her favorite swing, and her gross motor skills has remarkably improved. She could clamber up a mini rock climb, and walk on suspending bridges. All happy, I miss you, the convenient tropical red dot.

Daddy's birthday passed on 23 May, during our trip in his hometown. We did nothing special on the day itself, at the request of Daddy. So, we had a little cake cutting for Daddy when we are here, 'just to let the kids know that it is Daddy's birthday'. I thought of GPS as his birthday gift for a long time, but he deterred the idea and I enjoyed nagging at his sense of direction, or the lack of that, and bossing him on the road... :) so, be it. I am his living GPS...

在国内最想新加坡的就是政府组屋附近的游乐场，大小6，7个，全在3分钟路程内，露天，保养良好，免费。回来的第一个周末活动就是和妹妹游转附近的游乐场。

爸爸的生日23号，在池州的时候应本人要求，没有声张。现在补一个小小的蛋糕和生日歌：）我一直想买GPS给他做生日礼物，他不要，我也很享受碎碎念他糟糕的方向感，算了咯，我就是他的GPS：）

池州 - 相伴相随 Home Trip - Together

这一旅程，最美的，就是一家人相伴相随，时时刻刻。

瀚今
瀚今的表现已经说过，100分。独立随和，任何人都可以玩，可以抱。任何事都感兴趣，爱参与。爱护妹妹，自己吃饭，几乎不用我操任何心。看来变化的环境是可以锻炼孩子。

瀚月
天气乍暖还寒，很难将息（想起李清照的声声慢：）。第一天艳阳高照，第二天阴雨连绵，气温突然降低，妹妹层层5，6件单衣，我们都穿姐姐带来的暖衣。妹妹鼻涕咳嗽，晚上特别重。几乎24小时都是妈妈抱抱。当时很累，现在很怀念我们俩粘在一起。

哥哥妹妹互动
很快乐。最快乐的活动：
1. 两个双人床，爸爸妈妈和两个孩子。扔枕头，盖棉被。。。
2. 爆竹，瀚今很开心，妹妹有点怕。。。
3. 两个室内游乐场，有点像Gogo Bambini。。。
4. 楼下的乐龄活动操场。。。
5. 在外公外婆住的酒店浴室打水仗。。。

回来以后
瀚今突然变得特别粘妈妈，仿佛要把过去两个礼拜补回来。瀚月依旧粘妈妈，保姆成功地把她带回自己的房间，倒是妈妈在妹妹房间外徘徊，听妹妹叫妈妈，心里忐忑纠结，清早早早起来睡在妹妹身边，还怕保姆觉得我在阻碍她的工作。。。

爸爸
会了很多同学，包括同桌的她。在自己家慵懒随便，父母妻儿，应当是很开心的。最让我感触的一幕：他斜躺在床边，用手支着头，眯眼笑看两个小儿打闹，穿着爷爷的旧T恤，由白变的灰，可能自己多年前的运动裤，那种天蓝柔软，裤两边有两条白色条纹。。。这是我们这个年代共同的回忆吧。。。一条天蓝的运动裤，你知道我说的是什么吗？

我自己
不带表，不带手机，没有电脑。和我爱的人，慢活。。。

I love most about the trip, is that we are with loved ones, take our time, enjoy every minutes with each other.

 瀚今哥哥牵妹妹的手，送小花给妹妹，一起吹泡泡，一起睡。

 生病的妹妹有双眼皮，不停的鼻涕和让风吹红的脸颊，加上最后两个暖和后蚊子盯的包，大小6个在脸上，惨不忍睹。瀚今活泼好动，听话。

 在一个露天游乐场玩，画画。

 在两个室内游乐场玩。

烟花，楼下的活动中心，凌乱热闹的大床。

池州 - 家有高堂 Home Trip - Fantastic Four

我曾经感叹过父母在，不远游，游必有方。我和老公在十几年前分别离开自己的家乡，抱着年轻的梦想在不熟悉的国度打拼，邂逅彼此，成家立业。留在家里的老父母，年轻时觉得风筝上的线是牵绊，现在觉得风筝上的线是根。线的另一端就是我们的老父老母。。。

瀚今已经会背‘游子吟’：慈母手中线，游子身上衣，临行密密缝，意恐迟迟归，谁言寸草心，报得三春晖？

公公：曾经事业单位里的小科长，最爱看报纸，礼节很多。无微不至地照顾婆婆。老来耳背，有点皮肤病。
婆婆：小鸟依人地离不开公公。身体状况有些差。让人有些心痛的依赖。
爸爸：部队上的文职，爱喝酒，爱逗小孩玩，我的老顽童爸爸，不分对错地爱我。照顾妈妈，和公公比，应该是有些粗枝大叶，但是也是毫无怨言。
妈妈：有一点点强势。近年来身体不太好。爱我们，但是有原则。

留了老父母在家，就要靠姐姐姐夫照顾公婆，哥哥嫂嫂照顾父母。感谢这四位至亲，在父母前尽孝。

有点沉重哦。。。看看孩子们和四位老人的合影，妹妹和姑妈的互动，我们去九华山的照片。 唉，九华山的地藏王菩萨，以孝著称。。。

The Fantastic Four: My parents and in laws.

Translation (meaning) of 孟郊(mengjiao)-游子吟(you zi yin)

A Traveller’s Song

The thread in the hands of a fond-hearted mother
Makes clothes for the body of her wayward boy;
Carefully she sews and thoroughly she mends,
Dreading the delays that will keep him late from home.
But how much love has the inch-long grass
For three spring months of the light of the sun?

 跟张敏姐姐和小庆，还是有特别的感觉。亲人的感觉。小庆有点内敛，似乎是个有自己思想的孩子，希望能和她多亲近。

池州 - 风景与人物 Home Trip - Scenery and People

I did something really stupid last night, unintalled nVIDIA thinking of I don't need the twin screen function (the only function that I knew but obviously nVIDIA is more powerful than I thought). I then spent the whole of last night to reinstall Windows, however, in the slimiest hope, the view is somehow restore. I am an IT idiot.

Alright, back to blog about home trip.

Scenery: very nice! Lots of lakes, greenery, bridges, rivers and fresh air etc.
People: very hospitable! Lots of feasts, ang bow that shockingly big, gifts etc.

池州的风景极为美丽，不像苏州的小桥流水般秀丽，不像西安城里开阔方正的大气，不像上海的都市之美，也不像北京的文化底蕴。它就是这么一个不大的城市，比较新的规划，比较多人为的景致，但是到处可见湖泊杨柳，亭台楼阁，绿化很好，空气相对清新。我没去过杭州，但心里总觉得池州更像杭州，可能小一点，新一点。

老公家在池州有很多亲戚朋友，大家都极为热情。习惯了这里的一杯清水，还有点不太适应故里的茶香和温酒。但是极为感动的，这种温热的人情，暖暖的，让我有家的感觉。特别感谢：

- 冬梅姐两周来的美食；
- 安文时常帮我照料瀚今；
- 齐马姐夫带我们四处走走；
- 岺梅姐送的iPhone配件；
- 汪正和陶龙姐夫帮忙安排九华山之旅；
- 耽误了小庆很多的学习时间；
- 所有人的热情和温暖。

Back to routine 回归常例

拜一凌晨回来，我和老公当天去上班，瀚月拜二去上豆豆班，瀚今拜二看完医生后去上学。一切回归正常。刚刚做完五月份的家庭财务报表。股市的表现很沮丧。。。改天再记录回家的经历，总结如下：

- 池州的亲戚朋友十二分热情
- 池州的景色出乎意料的美
- 公公一如既往地悉心照顾婆婆
- 我的父母似乎和我的想法一样，对人对景
- 瀚今表现一百分，和妈妈的粘度5%
- 瀚月表现60分，和妈妈的粘度100%
- 老公应该很开心，生命中重要的人都在一起
- 我也很开心，绝大部分生命中重要的人都在一起

Just finished the family P&L and cash accounted for balance sheet. No more energy to update the details of the home trip. Summary:

- Relatives in Chi Zhou (my hubby's home town in Anhui Province) are very hospitable, we were showered by endless feasts and ang bao and love and warmth... which I am not used to, but very touched;
- Scenery is wonderful in Chi Zhou, with countless lakes and well designed city development, a small but beautiful city;
- My father in law took very good care of my mother in law, as usual;
- Think my parents enjoyed the trip as well;
- Han Jin was perfectly behaved! 100% independence and didn't require my attention at all! partially due to no chance to be near to me as Mei is on all the time.
- Mei stick to me 24 hours a day, fell sick due to the sudden weather change, very tiring but I completely enjoyed her wet smacks with mucus and the close bonding;
- Hubby should be happy with all the loved ones around;
- I am happy with all the loved ones around.

To be continued.