Wednesday, December 31, 2008

近四岁儿的心灵世界


回顾过去
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小小鱼:为什么Annie帮我扎头发?

妈妈:哪一个Annie?(心想,不会是她两岁多在纽约时的老师吧?那时候她连话都说不大利索,怎么会到现在还记得老师帮她扎小辫?)

小小鱼:就是学校的Annie. 她扎得好紧。。。

天,果然是学校的老师,小孩子的记忆力太惊人了!不仅记得老师扎小辫,连好紧的感觉都记得。
btw, 不晓得她脑袋里是不是也存着妈妈每次吼她时的立体声影像? :P

珍惜现在
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妈妈:冬天了也,好冷哦。

小小鱼:但是没有雪。我们已经搬到加州了,这里不是纽约不会下雪。

妈妈:对啊,我们已经搬来好久了。你想念纽约吗?(同时脑袋里在想象着,旧时屋子外面是不是早已给结实的冻上了)

小小鱼:我们搬来加州,因为这里很warm, 你不希望我再生病了。

接着继续演绎: 你帮我找学校,找blah blah blah,blah blah blah. 把我刚来时跟宝爸的,她阿姨的,朋友的(including conversation with明明和sunny同学about M vs traditional, public vs private:)),所有对话和忧虑和兴奋都搬出来细数了一遍。我的天,她就不能leave 她的妈妈 alone一下吗?凡是我说过的,做过的,甚至只是脑袋里想想的,人都注册在小脑袋里了。这个小蛔虫/spy/mind reader太可怕了!! :P

展望未来
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妈妈:你快要四岁了也,很高兴吗?

小小鱼:(点头)

妈妈:你很喜欢长大吗?

小小鱼:(勾在妈妈的脖子上继续点头)

妈妈:为什么要长大呢?长大很好吗?

小小鱼:因为长到四岁就可以taste egg了。

妈妈:(又惊讶又心酸。原来不能吃蛋,对她的阴影还是蛮大的。毕竟这东西比nuts or shellfish普通多了,当她的best friend据案大嚼带着蛋的午饭时,她在旁边看着却只有干着急的分,那感觉多半不是太好吧。)

还是妈妈的心肝宝贝
===============
最近最常听到的要求:

我要a lot of mommy

我们来玩抱抱game

我们来玩假装我生病了,你要我多睡觉,你帮我盖被子...

近照: 帮妹妹拆礼物的近四岁儿

Monday, December 22, 2008

自作多情的len


就是我。:S

星期五早上小小鱼11点半就放学了,因为老师们等不及要回家过节了。接了她我们母女俩出去觅食,结账的时候柜台的阿姨以非比寻常的热情口气说“你今天好漂亮哦” 。有点不好意思,我羞答答略显含蓄的预备说声谢谢,感激她注意到我那天Gucci的高跟鞋子(虽然是很旧,很有历史的),Elie Tahari的瘦长裤子(虽然是outlet超级折扣后买的),Brooks Brothers的薄毛衫子(虽然来历也可以追溯到一个遥远的年代),还有BCBG的贼长大衣(只有这个是一年半旧,勉强算六成新的近代产品)。但我抬起头来,那个谢字还没出口,发现人眼睛是热切的盯着我旁边那个三尺出头,扎俩不三不四的小辫(那天是爸爸给收拾出门的),衣服裤子颜色不配,老大一件外套袖子还卷起了一大截的超级邋遢小同学!!!

谢了热情的阿姨,还让被人称赞为“近几年来看过最漂亮的小妹妹”的小同学自己说了谢谢阿姨,之后那个心里真是又可笑又可叹。(btw, 这个阿姨实在应该到flickr多逛逛,就不会这么大惊小怪了。现在哪家小姑娘不是被妈妈们打扮得花枝招展的?:)) tnnd, 这娃娃是我生的,她的眉眼脸蛋皮肤没有一样不是她老娘我的功劳(哦,只有那个坏脾气跟我没关系 :p),这才哪里已经把她妈妈给撇一边去,自己独自享受赞美了。Anyway, 自作多情事件后最明显的后遗症是,第二天带她参加birthday party有人跟大妈我攀谈时,我赶紧自觉的说,对,我就是那个娃娃的妈妈,谁要跟那娃娃玩,跟她playdate,我这司机秘书兼personal shopper会负责安排一切,但至于我是谁干啥名啥就不重要了。geez, 这难道就是“大妈养成”的必经之路?

Saturday, December 20, 2008

In the grateful mood...


今年年关不好,对少数能“握在手中的繁华”,

譬如俩娃娃的健康成长;
譬如一家四口吵吵闹闹,你推我挤,却总归是团团圆圆一起混过的每一天;
譬如岌岌可危但还给一根细绳系在那里的工作;
譬如六个月体检时毛毛头一如既往开心的微笑;
又譬如小小鱼在她的小破学校里,被老师们调教,照顾,引导得顺利而按部就班的做着想着尝试着她这个年纪应该进行的一切;

是非常心存感激的。

我是个没有抱负的人,也相信因为对孩子的期望低,造成以后她们“成就”有限是个必然的结果。但我就这么个温吞水个性,即使知道结果如此还是很难摆起“孩子,妈妈这么做是为你好”的面孔,而硬性要求她们非做什么不可。所以,如果小小鱼今天学会了什么,90%都是学校教的。如果硬要说她跟我学会了什么,那就是凡事搞砸了,会心平气和的说“that's ok“然后冷静的去把事情从新做过的态度,而不是气急败坏的怨天尤人,甚至无理取闹的归咎别人。

Anyway, 从大字不识几个,ABC全靠唱的,first sound不知为何物,脾气很坏,自理能力很差,羞羞怯怯的不肯跟任何成人对话,到现在俨然一个小大人,进了教室就如鱼得水,每天回家带回来一缧缧在学校完成的活计,学的,唱的,说的,想的,一波波冲得我晕头转向(again, 实在是我对课业学习的要求太低 :))。而最令人欣喜&错愕的,不是她学习的量,而是她没有间断的进步。对她的老师们,心里真的充满了感激。诉诸文字,就成了四张别别扭扭的Xmas card。:)

Dear Ms. P,

Thank you so much for being a great teacher to April. There must be some kind of magic in your class. She is just so happy everyday and she has learned so much in the past year. I remember you said that April is out of her cocoon and is ready to fly on her own. You were so right. She now speaks with her own thoughts, makes decisions with her own judgement (sometimes not perfectly correct :)), reasons with us with her own logic, and handles most situations with reasonable behavior. The lesson you gave her is more than just alphabet and numbers (which is magical effort too because we just weren't able to get anything through her little mind at home :)). She learned reasons, logic, consequences, and most importantly curiosity and interests in everything around her. Thanks for being a big inspiration to her. We really appreciate it.

Dear Ms. O,

We really like to thank you for being an amazing teacher to April. There must be something about your teaching that made April thrive since you came to the class. We looked at the school materials she brought home and were just amazed how much she is learning and how much progress she has made! She's learning through so many things, books, stories, even songs. Just recently she started to count down (from 10 to 0) and I was wondering where she learned that. Then I realized she learned that from "The 12 days of Xmas". That must be one of the numerous songs you sang to them. We also like to thank you for so many one-on-one lessons with April. That really made her fell like a big kid, and she ALWAYS proudly shows us what she's done with Ms. O today. Ms. O this, Ms O that, from how often she mentions your name at home, I can imagine how much effort you have spent on teaching and guiding and inspiring our little one. Thank yo so much! You made her learning a fun game and a cool challenge, something she will benefit for a life time.

Dear Ms. S,

If I have to say one thing that makes me feel most comfortable everyday when we drop off April at school, that would be knowing you are in the class watching over her. Thank you so much for being the warmest and most caring and fun and careful and organized and responsible teacher that April has ever had. When I pick her up and see both you and her smile at me, I know she had another good day at school and you are a big part of it. The numerous art projects that you did with children have also become the most interesting ornament on our Xmas tree. On the "exhibition wall" at home, we also put her art work up and let her explain to us what that is. She ALWAYS says, Ms. S helped me with this. :) Thank you so much for being such a loving and caring teacher to our little one. We really appreciate it.

Dear Ms. F,

I'm always amazed by how cheerful you are whenever we see you, and I truly believe that is one most important reason that makes April love school so much! In the morning, we're always greeted by your big smile and warm welcome. In the afternoon, we take April home knowing she just had another good day with your help on EVERYTHING. Starting from the minute she walks in the door, through lunch time, nap time, bathroom break, recess, till we pick her up, you're the guardian who helps her, guides her, and protects her on every little detail, and you make sure she is comfortable and cared for in the best possible way. Children learn at school, and they "live" at school too as many of them spend more waking hours at school than at home. You are my little one's mommy at school and I can't imagine how she can happily get by a day without your care and help. Thank you, from a mommy to a mommy. :)

今天接娃的时候Ms. S出来开的门,她说读了卡片都哭了。(其实我早就觉得她特别偏心我们家娃,娃亲耐的姨也看出来了 :)) 于是我们拥抱,互道新年快乐,也深深知道对方都期待新一年的到来,因为我们有一个大大的交集,就是都粉爱,粉关心,粉照顾同一个娃。能替娃找到学校如此,我真的很grateful, 很grateful...

Friday, December 19, 2008

六个月体检


身高:26 1/4 inches
体重:16lb 2oz!!!
皮包骨就是这么个形象吧。

Anyway, 下次我要再自作主张,等娃咳到每晚至少吐三次,每次吐到刚吃下去的原原本本的出来,连续吐了好几天才带去看医生,我就,我就,我就让她爹引刀自宫!

不过呢,人家自己还是挺高兴的,完全不介意被刚愎自用的妈妈忽视的不幸,有照片为证。:)

Friday, December 12, 2008

中文课花絮


小同学们的反应力和想象力太好玩了。And现代小儿童生活中可玩的东西,真多!

花絮一: 那天讲的是五官,反正脸上有的东西都给招呼了一遍。提到眼睛的时候,

老师:眼睛可以干什么?

小同学甲:可以看东西

老师:看什么东西ne?

小同学乙:看电视 (全是电视儿童!)

小同学丙:看computer (大概都是在看youtube吧)

小同学丁:看书

老师:yeah! (总算听到一个想听到的答案了)

小同学戊:看Wii

老师:What?! 你们太先进了,老师都没有Wii可以玩也

小同学super star: 看世界!

老师连带全体家长一起,咣铛!!
这孩子也太有思想太成熟太会回答了吧。

老师急忙问是谁说的,但这个低调的孩子决定韬光养晦,并没有给老师一个表扬自己,和众父母崇拜的机会。
sigh, 我们家这位,害羞的,你只要多看她一眼她就以为你要跟她求婚的,回答从来不超过两个字的小同学,要到什么时候才能有这样有深度的想法和及时的临场反应? en,也许永远不会...

花絮二:这天讲的是植物,花啊草啊树啊啥啥啥的。

讲完了老师问:小朋友家里种树了吗?

Amazingly, 大部分小朋友都举了小手,咳咳,包括我们家那位。
她还羞人答答的转过头看了我一下,而我的脑袋同时也飞快的转着,在想她心目中的树是什么。难道她以为妈妈那颗死不死活不活,还老远从纽约一路搬到加州的长春藤也算是树?

老师看了一圈,点了坐在最前排的小小鱼:涵天,你们家种了什么树?

小小鱼:(几不可闻的)Xmas tree...

See, 我就说嘛,只要可以用两个字回答出来的问题,她都不吝指教。:)
不过我是挺羞愧的,Xmas tree是把人家种了多年的树扛回家,不是自己种树,跟种树的精神完全背道而驰。

这是小同学在中文课上英勇的背影。

会倒数了 :)


还居然是拜妹妹所赐 :)

小小鱼:我们给她10oz(的奶)好不好?

妈妈:太多了

小小鱼:那9oz.

妈妈:还是太多了

小小鱼:那8oz吧.

妈妈:(咦,似乎嗅出pattern的气息。不动声色的继续问...)还是喝不完。

小小鱼:那7oz... 6oz... 5oz...

到这里卡了一小下,因为她觉得5oz肯定可以喝完了,但我坚持喝不完,她只好说那2oz吧。
我又嫌少,她才加到4oz, 然后我又很磨几的说太多了,她只好递减到3oz, then 2oz, then 1oz, 最后说,再喝不完,就no more了。

根据我对小儿童对数字的神奇的胡扯能力的了解,知道这很可能是瞎猫碰个死耗子的不可重复行为,所以我们又玩了一次。这次她给我10oz喝不完就喝11oz吧(多浪费粮食的人啊)的荒谬答案。又根据我对这个人时不时的不合作&捉狎行为的理解,知道这也很可能是她不耐烦的表现。所以我们歇会儿,又把妹妹抱起来问她要喝多少奶,这回居然十拿九稳,几乎每次都给蒙对了。

Well, 的确是给蒙的,如果有谁教过她任何数数的概念,肯定是她那个礞人的学校了。:)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

我们也鲁了 :)


追随微米小姐姐的脚步,鲁冰花现在是某小人儿的最爱。:)