It's Easter Sunday and of course, all the shops are closed ... except for the Asian shop! Trust the Chinese to open and make money :) Their sign says they are even open on Bank Holidays! :) So, we went in and grabbed some sesame sauce, having run out at home.
But that's not the highlight of the day. And it's not hunting for eggs either. Easter may be a big thing here, but to us, it should just be a holiday, but since Daddy Low's work does not enjoy bank holidays, this is just a normal weekend to us.
I had started the day with a driving lesson, while Daddy Low had gone into office to give a briefing and Jules had gone with him, since I could not take him with me. Apparently, Jules looked a bit puzzled at the sea of unfamiliar faces, but was otherwise well-behaved and quiet. I had come home, exhausted from all the double roundabouts and parallel parking...
And we took it slow, taking an afternoon nap when Jules had his and it was fabulous to sleep off the sultry heat of the afternoon. Somehow, we must have both been exhausted, 'cos we woke up refreshed and feeling like new persons totally.
So refreshed and so new, that we thought it would be great to get into the pool for a dip!
The first time we went, Jules had clung to me throughout with a deathly grip. He was an absolute koala and no typhoon would have loosened his hold. We spent the first session like that. I think Jules thought it all very strange and didn't feel safe and could not relax, even though the pool was heated and all.
The second time, he would not stop crying. Later, I learnt that he was not feeling well, so he was naturally very upset.
It's been a while since the last time we went. And I felt hopeful that this time he would feel more at ease and possibly enjoy himself. Why? Because Jules has been increasingly enjoying his baths. Now that he can sit upright by himself, bathing has become a very different experience. At first, he clung on to me, then the sides of his baby tub tightly and would not let go. After possibly a few weeks, he became more used to it. And when I introduced toys, he became more intrigued by the properties of water, as it trickled through the holes in his stacking cup. The turning point came one day when I showed him how to hit the water and make splashes. He imitated my actions and thereafter, every bathtime is a very wet affair for the bathroom floor. With this in mind, I was confident that he would enjoy the pool this time.
So, we went into the pool. And again, the death grip came out. Daddy Low brought him into the water, but he kept wanting me. Once I held him, he refused to let go, not even to go to Daddy Low. After much cajoling, he went over. I showed him how to make splashes again and he watched me intently with his beady eyes. Then, after a while, he started making tentative hits at the water and we had a small mini spray. And the rest is history - he was soon happily splashing away, getting his face wet many times. He would blink his eyes, but would want to continue. And Daddy Low would gently wipe his face clean of droplets of water. It was very sweet watching them.
I would have stopped there and just enjoyed playing splashing water with Julien. But Daddy Low saw this experience differently - he wanted to teach Julien the skill of paddling and feeling confident in the water. He held Julien tummy flat on the water and supported his arms, so that they were stretched straight outwards. And he moved Julien towards me. And before long, Jules was making little paddling actions with this legs and flailing his arms a little. It was amazing.
I was a proud mama. My little boy was not only enjoying water, but moving in the water :) And I am a proud wife, because Daddy Low taught our son that. And that is what I noticed about the 2 of us. As a teacher, I have it in my mind very clearly always to look out for teachable moments, but as a mum, I realised that I am always just focusing on making Jules feel safe and play with him, to make sure he is enjoying himself, to get the pure peals of joyous laughter from his lips. I suppose Daddy Low's memories of his swimming lessons and his background as a diving instructor helped to influence his ideas about interaction with his son.
Anyway, we had a jolly good time. And to give Julien some rest, we also brought along his baby float. He is still too small for it, but he can still use it, albeit being a bit "sunken". And we were lucky to be the only ones using the baby pool, since the lifeguard allowed us to take photos of Jules. We had a really good time.
Jules got a nice warm bath when he got back and with a bottle of milk, he was soon fast asleep. Daddy Low and I treated ourselves to a steaming pot of prawn noodles. Oh, so nice, the hei mee!
Haha, what a great Easter! :)
The second time, he would not stop crying. Later, I learnt that he was not feeling well, so he was naturally very upset.
It's been a while since the last time we went. And I felt hopeful that this time he would feel more at ease and possibly enjoy himself. Why? Because Jules has been increasingly enjoying his baths. Now that he can sit upright by himself, bathing has become a very different experience. At first, he clung on to me, then the sides of his baby tub tightly and would not let go. After possibly a few weeks, he became more used to it. And when I introduced toys, he became more intrigued by the properties of water, as it trickled through the holes in his stacking cup. The turning point came one day when I showed him how to hit the water and make splashes. He imitated my actions and thereafter, every bathtime is a very wet affair for the bathroom floor. With this in mind, I was confident that he would enjoy the pool this time.
So, we went into the pool. And again, the death grip came out. Daddy Low brought him into the water, but he kept wanting me. Once I held him, he refused to let go, not even to go to Daddy Low. After much cajoling, he went over. I showed him how to make splashes again and he watched me intently with his beady eyes. Then, after a while, he started making tentative hits at the water and we had a small mini spray. And the rest is history - he was soon happily splashing away, getting his face wet many times. He would blink his eyes, but would want to continue. And Daddy Low would gently wipe his face clean of droplets of water. It was very sweet watching them.
I would have stopped there and just enjoyed playing splashing water with Julien. But Daddy Low saw this experience differently - he wanted to teach Julien the skill of paddling and feeling confident in the water. He held Julien tummy flat on the water and supported his arms, so that they were stretched straight outwards. And he moved Julien towards me. And before long, Jules was making little paddling actions with this legs and flailing his arms a little. It was amazing.
I was a proud mama. My little boy was not only enjoying water, but moving in the water :) And I am a proud wife, because Daddy Low taught our son that. And that is what I noticed about the 2 of us. As a teacher, I have it in my mind very clearly always to look out for teachable moments, but as a mum, I realised that I am always just focusing on making Jules feel safe and play with him, to make sure he is enjoying himself, to get the pure peals of joyous laughter from his lips. I suppose Daddy Low's memories of his swimming lessons and his background as a diving instructor helped to influence his ideas about interaction with his son.
Anyway, we had a jolly good time. And to give Julien some rest, we also brought along his baby float. He is still too small for it, but he can still use it, albeit being a bit "sunken". And we were lucky to be the only ones using the baby pool, since the lifeguard allowed us to take photos of Jules. We had a really good time.
Jules got a nice warm bath when he got back and with a bottle of milk, he was soon fast asleep. Daddy Low and I treated ourselves to a steaming pot of prawn noodles. Oh, so nice, the hei mee!
Haha, what a great Easter! :)
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