We’re officially mad about maps, all because of our GeoPuzzles! Finally managed a 100% on this Asia map quiz and am now embarking on an Around The World reading project for myself and Layla!

Btw I got inspiration from this post on “travelling through books.” Am still working on my list but here’s a peek at what I’ve got so far (my books are in italics):

China
Books by Ed Young

Lebanon
Sami And The Time Of The Troubles

Afghanistan
The Roses In My Carpets
The Kite Runner

Iran
Shah of Shahs (I just had to read this after Mariane Pearl said this in A Mighty Heart: “That Danny so loved [Shah of Shahs] — and thought I would love it, too — made me think, God, we really do have something in common.”)

Iraq
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq
Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad

I’ll be putting up our entire Around The World reading list on a separate page; look out for it!

Didn’t want to blog about this until we could see it for ourselves — now we have and I think it’s my best “toy” buy in months!

Yeap, we now own GeoPuzzles for five continents (Asia, Europe, Africa, and North & South America). These puzzles are special because their pieces are shaped like the individual countries, and Alf and I learned a couple of things today, e.g. I didn’t know Pakistan and Afghanistan shared a border, and Alf had thought that India and China were about the same size. (Not the case at all!) Also, you’ll probably find yourself coming up with a million questions, like “Is Russia part of Asia?” (Answers here and here.)

As for Layla, she learned that people in our lives come from India, China, Myanmar, and the Philippines. Also, she kept her cool as we worked on a puzzle together, even managing to figure out several sections on her own. There’s a fine line between challenging and frustrating, and I’m glad these worked out for us.

If you’re keen to check them out too, click here to find out more — you can get them at 10-20% off but you’ll have to send in your orders by today. Before you decide, you can also read more reviews on Amazon.

p.s. The puzzle for Asia refers to Papua by its old name “Irian Jaya,” and doesn’t include Papua New Guinea. Actually it doesn’t include half of the Middle East either; that’s over on the Africa+Middle East puzzle. (Btw if, like us, you have Mudpuppy’s Our World Floor Map, you could also have some explaining to do when it comes to Papua New Guinea.) One last thing: I tested myself on Sporcle and only managed to name 32 out of 48 countries in Asia, but I certainly would’ve failed miserably if I hadn’t done the puzzle yesterday!

At nightfall, Harriet climbs into a wagon,
and the farmer covers her with blankets.
As the wagon wobbles along, Harriet worries that it is heading to jail.

Should I leap, Lord?

TRUST ME TO PROTECT YOU, CHILD.

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom, Carole Boston Weatherford

This story’s about Harriet Tubman, also known as the “Moses” of her people, who escaped slavery herself and later guided others to freedom. The book imagines the conversations she might have had with God during her first escape. Definitely the best picture book I’ve encountered on courage, faith, and prayer — and for once, Alf agrees with me!

Thanks to Ron, I now own a classic black hardcover Moleskine, so that I can be a better Writing Mother who writes by hand, from the heart.

Update: I’ve already written a page in my new book to get acquainted with it, but it’s so lame I almost feel like apologising to it!

I took Layla to the dentist’s today. It wasn’t an unusual day; Layla seemed perfectly healthy, she’d had her morning milk, and, as is my normal practice, I packed light. All I had on me were my wallet, coin purse, a nature book that’d just arrived for us by mail order, a brush, and a bottle of water.

After we stepped out of the clinic, Layla’s teeth were gleaming white, I was $112 poorer (we’re switching to something cheaper, wasn’t expecting this because our first visit cost $30), and I thought we could grab a Milo and run off to our next appointment, to view a kindy.

Layla seemed fine, even happy as I went to get money from the cash machine, but as we were standing in line for our drink, she started whimpering, and when we were out at the cab stand, her face turned red and she started gagging. She coughed out something clear and water-like, probably a result of too much toothpaste swallowing at the dentist’s.

A security guy was passing by and I asked if he had some tissue on him but instead he pulled out a pack of Hacks and gave one to Layla. There was no-one else nearby to ask and we were running later by the minute, so I decided to… leave the little watery pool behind to dry on its own.

Yes, how awful! You can bet I’m not leaving home without wipes ever again. Maybe it’s high time I carried around a change of clothes and some plastic bags too, just in case.

Layla and I hardly have any decent mother-daughter pics. (I’ll own up: I’m always the shot spoiler!) But that’s when a photographer in the family comes in handy. Thanks Jac!

We’re almost two months into all the enrichment classes we’ve been attending (bible study, chinese playgroup, dance class) and Layla’s started to open up and reveal her spirited side to everyone.

Today at dance class, she busied herself playing catch with another little girl — the feisty, independent one who comes unaccompanied every week. (All this went on during the “breaks,” in between activities or when the teacher was attending to individual students to help them with their poses.) They laughed and ran in circles and took turns falling over, sometimes on purpose, and I was so glad to see Layla finally having a really good time and not needing to be by my side.

But suddenly, the other little girl fell again. And she didn’t stop crying. Even after the teacher carried her and tried to console her. And after I took over and tried to figure out where she was hurting. (She was clutching at her arm, but when I moved it she said it didn’t hurt.) She didn’t stop crying when the teacher found her dad sitting in the waiting area and asked him to have a look at her arm. She refused to rejoin the class and in between cries, insisted she needed a doctor. Finally they left, with her still crying all the way.

I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t know how to check her arm, in the first place. Maybe it wasn’t even her arm that was hurt. And I didn’t take note of what position she fell in, as I’d expected her to pick herself up and dust herself off and be on her way. And I didn’t know what assistance to offer to her dad. And I certainly didn’t know how responsible to feel about this, even though she’d fallen on her own with no-one nearby, but it was after all my kid playing with his?

But there is one thing I know I should do. Take a first aid course for parents, because kids will play, and accidents will happen.

My dad went out and got us two buckets of magnetic letters and numbers… and I’m touched he actually remembered that I prefer all things wooden. :)

So we’re clearing out the old to make a little space for the new arrivals:

For Sale:
1. Plastic Magnetic Numbers, $5 (RESERVED FOR SU)
2. Plastic Magnetic Letters (Lowercase), $5 (RESERVED FOR SU)

Free (some of these sets have a missing letter, click on the pic for details):
1. Plastic Magnetic Letters (Uppercase) (COLLECTED)
2. Foam Magnetic Letters (Uppercase) (COLLECTED)
3. Foam Magnetic Letters (Lowercase) (COLLECTED)

Look out for more giveaways, coming up soon! There’s a reason for all of this; we’re seriously considering moving although we’ve become very fond of our noisy, colourful neighbourhood… will update as things happen.

For Sale:
ToddleWrite Lowercase: $10 (RESERVED FOR E-LIN)

Peter and Jane Keywords Flashcards: $5 (SOLD)

Free For Everyone:
Hungry Frogs Game: Ours is China-made; nothing’s broken yet but one of the frogs is a little wonky at the joints and will usually require a fix-up in mid game. (RESERVED FOR E-LIN)

Winnie the Pooh vacuum cleaner: battery operated, the suction compartment no longer works, but it’ll still play music and serve as a pretty push-along or pretend play toy. (COLLECTED)

Free For Friends, Blog Readers:
The Complete Calligraphy & Stationery Set

DVDs: The Up Series, Babel, Far From Heaven, O Brother Where Art Thou (RESERVED FOR RON)

Leave a comment or email me if you’re interested in any of these!