My little girl is really starting to show her ability to think fast. This is especially so when she is put in a situation whereby she is not comfortable with. She is quite good at talking her way out of things, I feel.

While out one evening she was posed tricky questions by the dad and put in a difficult position. How the questions came about was because the brother wasn't around. Cayden was being punished and kept back in school to finish up his homework hence dad started to test the little one.

Dad : Mei Mei, since Ko Ko is not here so you will have to take his place and stay with Kong Kong.

('Mei Mei' - younger sister in Cantonese)
('Ko Ko' - older brother)
('Kong Kong' - usually to address the maternal grandfather but in the Choo household's case the Paternal Grandfather is also addressed in the same manner hence lots of people get confused thinking my father in law is my father lol)

Anyway, back to the story.

Caitlyn : I don't want.

Dad : Why don't you want to? Ko Ko is not here so you can sleep with Kong Kong, watch TV in his room. Kong Kong has a big TV in his room, you know?

Caitlyn : The TV is spoilt.

Dad : Oh, TV spoilt? Never mind then you sing to Kong Kong so that he can fall asleep, ok?

Caitlyn : Yes. (She fell for the trick. She loves to sing hence didn't give much thought to her answer here.)

Dad : Ok! So what song will you be singing?

Caitlyn : You Raise Me Up.....no..no..no... sing Rock A Bye Baby!

Dad : Can also. So you are ready ya to sleep at Kong Kong's house tonight?

Caitlyn : No, I don't want.

Dad : Why? You said that you can sing to Kong Kong and put him to sleep. Why you don't want?

Caitlyn : I got no voice already!

Dad : ???!!

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Scenario : Shopping for a pair of running shoes and socks for Cayden.

While we were choosing shoes for Cayden, Caitlyn was also busy looking around. Suddenly she appeared happily and claiming she found a pair of shoes for herself. Well, her taste was not bad as it was quite a sweet pair of baby pink sneakers with floral motif but then it was too big for her.

Caitlyn : Ok, I want this pair, Daddy.

Daddy : No, Mei Mei. We will buy it for you next time. For your birthday.

Caitlyn : Why? Me want this one...

(Ignored...)

Caitlyn : Daddy, MAY I have this one PLEEAASSSEE. (She thought if she used the magic words it would work.)

Daddy : Next time ok Mei Mei? Next time we buy for you.

Caitlyn : Ok
...........

Off to the departmental store to get the socks. We were looking at the wide selection of socks available. Caitlyn too had her share of choosing and yet again her requests to get a pair was turned down.

Caitlyn : I need socks. I don't have socks, Daddy.

Daddy : Never mind. You wear sandals so you don't need the socks.

Caitlyn : Then what are you buying for me, Daddy?

Daddy : Nothing Mei Mei. Just socks for Ko Ko.

Caitlyn : Why you don't buy me something? I also want to buy something.

(Plea goes unanswered and she comes looking for me)

Caitlyn : Daddy said he is buying me something! (Smiling away happily)

I turned to look for Cavin who was not too far away and he heard the little one's exclamation. We both laughed at her determination.

She was still persistent and kept asking us what we will be getting for her as we were walking towards the food section.

Daddy : Ok we go buy kacang for Mei Mei ok?

Caitlyn : Yah, buy this kacang! (Pointing at a box of Ferrero Rocher)

We exchanged glances again....

Well in the end we bought her a packet of kacang as promised, not the Ferrero though. Her efforts did pay off :D


Moral of the story :

"The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come."






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Radio & television till this day still remain great influencers to mankind. The influence is so great that even a young child is able to retain bits of what they watch or listen to. This is evident as my kids too are being 'brainwashed'.

Example 1 :
While deciding on where to go for dinner one night Cavin, my sister and I were tossing ideas and suggesting restaurants. Cayden too chips in and...

Cayden : Go to Wendy's daddy..... (suggestion gets ignored while we adults were still chatting)

Cayden : Fresh foods made fast... (everyone stunned and dumbfounded)

Me : Huh.....where did you hear that from?

Cayden : GOT (emphasizing that he is right). On the radio.



Example 2 :
Caitlyn could immediately identify the song 'Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas' from just the intro of the song. Even before the singing starts she would have muttered out either "Boom Boom Bak" or sometimes "Gotta get..get".



Example 3 :
Everytime when we are out and in the car without fail Caitlyn will be requesting for a Mandarin song which Cayden USED to like (Not anymore tho due to the never ending request from the sister for the song to be played. Poor boy is so sick and tired of the song by now :p ).

The song is Richie Ren's - 對面的女孩看過來 or Dui Mien De Nu Hai Kan Guo Lai (translated as 'Girl Over There, Look Over Here'). Caitlyn will be able to sing a line or two whereas Cayden can sing almost the entire song. The MTV can be viewed @ Richie Ren - Dui Mien De Nu Hai Kan Guo Lai



Example 4 :
The romantic side of Caitlyn and the eye for an interesting commercial.

Caitlyn particularly likes a certain part of the Malaysian version of the Ribena - Lemon Meets Blackcurrant "A Perfect Match" TV commercial.

Briefly about the commercial : It has a very catchy tune which has an overall feel and inclination towards Indian music and movie production. The commercial follows the typical Indian movie plots of two single souls in search of love > boy meets girl > both fall in love > dance around a tree (but there's no tree in this instance but just dancing in a circle. However you would get the drift.)

Caitlyn will always wait for the part where the Blackcurrant runs towards the Lemon. Without fail she will shriek with excitement when the Blackcurrant's hands meets with the Lemon's; just before the pair breaks into a dance :)

The commercial can be viewed @ Ribena "A Perfect Match"

As I turn a year older, my son too turned a year older 2 days before I did. He has indeed grown to be wiser.. (*So proud of my boy*)

Daddy was in Singapore and was chatting online with me so I casually asked Cayden to say something to daddy and the following was what transpired:-

Me : Cayden, mummy is talking to daddy online. Do you want to say something to daddy?

Cayden : Good night daddy. I love you, sweet dreams...(pauses)

Cayden : Where is daddy now?

Me : Daddy's in Singapore. Why?

Cayden : Daddy got bed to sleep or not in Singapore?

Me : Ya, of course...

Cayden : Don't let the bed bugs bite too...