Studying

I'm at it again.
I'm itching to study.

Perhaps it's because i feel unstretched. After 6 years (... i think... i lost count...) of teaching, i have become very comfortable with my duties. Perhaps too comfortable. That i can't even remember how many years i've been teaching speaks for itself... each year is beginning to feel more and more like the previous one. Or perhaps i feel "unstretched" because for a good 7 months in the past 2 years, i've been on maternity leave, and while my flesh luuurrrved it, my mind has not been working out enough.

Whatever the reason, I'm getting stale professionally... i long to have new theories to ponder over, new ideas to be excited about, new projects to work on.

i want to study.

Taking unpaid leave is out of the question. We can't afford that now with 2 kids, a maid and a car. Plus i still want to go travelling.
Studying at night seems to be the only option - but is it worthwhile, taking away time from family and ministry? Or should i just forget about getting a masters degree, and just read the odd book to keep myself vaguely satisfied?

As i continue thinking about that, my daughter is about to live my dreams for me. That's what every unfulfilled parent with unfinshed dreams do isn't it - impose their desires on offsprings?

That's right. Glory's going to school come December.

She's growing up fast, that one.

I read that at 18 months, an average toddler does about 20 words. At 17 months, Glory's way above that!

It's fun observing the way she articulates her thoughts.
She started off with nouns, labelling things she sees and hears, and some verbs. Eg. car, thunder, echo, eyebrow.
She recognizes shapes - circle, square, diamond, oval... but she calls crescent "moon", and her pronunciation is still quite baby-ish)
Letters and numbers (hasn't mastered it yet tho. about 75% accuracy. on good days. on bad days, she doesn't bother looking but randomly rattles off letters patronisingly)
Colours.  (on bad days, every colour is blue)

Now she's using adjectives, nouns, verbs to get her ideas across better.
Eg.

• When we walk out on a sunny day: Sun, bright, eyes. (and for effect, she squints)
  
• When we're waiting for papa to get the car from the carpark: Papa. Noooo. Wait. Papa, car, red.
  
• When she sees someone crying: Cry, waahhh, pat-pat. Eyes, wet, sayang
  
• When she wants to be carried but i'm carrying Celeste: Put there(points to rocker), Meimei. Please bao-bao.
  

She likes to give instructions: "come", "sit down", "take out" (remove seat belts, take out toys etc), "put there", "pat pat". She sounded too bossy, so we quickly taught her to say please. And she immediately put it to good use.

Check out the way she says "Please bao-bao".

Step One. Grab a leg. Look up with her large eyes. Say, "Please baobao"

Step Two. If adult does not bao bao immediately, look sad and puppy-like. Squat, and repeat request, preferably with a sad, emotive voice. (she can do this really well. her voice cracks with emotion, and sometimes she can even make her eyes water!)

Step Three. (Last Resort) Sit and repeat request. Works best when the floor is dirty.


How to say no?