Fritz is going to have his home education on this July. I hope I can be responsible with my decision and I hope I can be so consistent with it. Most of all, I just need some supports from the environment I'm going to face. It's a hard decision but I have to do it for my boy. Hopefully it can go well, though I believe there will be up and downs problems later. Ciayo!!

I'm writing the days on Zillion Marvelous Journey's Blog. A new blog of Fritz's home education.

You should prepare balanced meals and healthy snacks for your toddler. Well balanced offerings, especially during snack time, will help you to overcome the inevitable lack of food intake during a meal.

For example, if your toddler does not drink all of his milk at breakfast, give him cheese for a snack. If your toddler refuses to eat his meat at lunch, give him tofu bites dusted with Cheerio or Granola crumbs for a snack.

In these examples, while you may lament at the lack of calcium and protein intake during breakfast and lunch, you have taken the opportunity to "make up for it" during snack time!

Toss out the idea that your Toddler will suddenly be eating "like the family" does! Remember, your Toddler is still in a stage of slow-then-rapid-then-slow growth and is going through many changes!

How Much Should I Try to Have my Toddler Eat per Day?

When planning and serving meals to your toddler, try to have him/or her consume the following on a daily basis:

• 2 to 3 cups of calcium - milk (or yogurt, cheese or other calcium rich foods)

• 4 servings of fruits and vegetables. (Serving size: one tablespoon per year of age.) One serving should be high in vitamin C and another in vitamin A.

• 4 servings of grains - bread and cereal. One should be an iron-fortified baby cereal. A serving is about 1/4 to 1/3 an adult portion (1/4 slice toast, 1/4 cup pasta)

• 2 servings of proteins - meat, beans, eggs, tofu, or peanut butter. A good serving of protein should be served at every meal. One serving equals 1/2 ounce.

What is Considered a Serving Size for a Toddler?

We find that feeding your Toddler becomes less complicated and frustrating when parents realize what a serving size for a Toddler really is. A good rule for serving sizes for toddlers is the following::

1 tablespoon per year of age or 1/4 of an adult serving per year of age

At the next meal, use these measurements exactly and see for yourself how little food a Toddler should actually be eating. We bet you will be quite surprised!

Taken from wholesometoddlerfood.com/Toddlers.htm

Milk/Dairy: Servings: 16-20 ounces of milk per day. Whole milk, soy or rice milk are recommended. Other equivalents: 1/2-3/4 ounce of cheese = 4 ounces of milk. 1/4 cup of yogurt = 2 ounces of milk.

Fruits and veggies: Servings: 5 or more per day. Serving size: 1-2 tablespoons - Pureed, mashed, or cubed.

Grains: Servings: 3-4 per day. Serving sizes: 1/2 slice of bread, 1/4 cup of cooked cereal, 1/4 cup of dry cereal. 1/4 cup of pasta, 2-3 saltine crackers, or 1/2 tortilla.

Non-dairy Proteins (meat, fish, beans, eggs): Servings: 2 per day. Serving sizes: 1/2 egg, 2-3 tablespoons beans (i.e. black, pinto, edamame, etc...), 1 tablespoon peanut butter, or 1 ounce of fish, lean beef, pork or chicken.

Taken from keepkidshealthy.com/experts/fb/toddler_serving_sizes.html

Note: 1 ounce = 28.3495231 grams, 1 ounce = 29.5735296 ml

Here are some his abilities in this month:

- He starts to walk steadily. He slowly doesn't raise his two hands up anymore while he is walking. He's also able to stand up easily using his both little legs without falling down anymore. His walking is improving in a month. Every day, he practices his walking by going here and there, going to Uncle's room, bathroom, bedroom, Opa's room, to the kitchen and playing with the things around there. So I don't need to guide him again...Yay....I'm free now, I just let him exploring all the things around him. If he felt down, I always say to stand up again and that's ok...I really can't wait to see him running!!

- His vocabularies are also improving this month. Though he's not yet producing some clear words, I still teach him everyday with new words.
Here the lists:
* butterfly ( he still keeps on trying to make a butterfly symbol by using his hand as I did to him)
* chicken ( he does it like a duck. He's also recognizing the picture of chicken in the Pecel Lele's hawkers in the street he passed, then he showed to me the movement of duck)
* frog ( then he looks at the big froggy's bank in the top of the big cupboard in home)
* cow ( he can recognize any kind of cows wherever he sees)
* airplane ( he knows finally the things in the sky that can fly like a bird)
* turtle, rabbit and bird ( he is still learning on this vocab)
* horse (knows the pictures and like to ride a horse toy)

- play pretending things such as driving a car, a motorcycle and riding a horse with the bolster

- able to kick the ball

- prefer hip hop song to sentimental songs. He can cry when hearing those songs....really cry with falling down tears. So sad!

- when he wakes up and there is a remote control on the bed, he will get it and turn the TV on. Ohhh gosh, he copies what I did!!

- The other things:
* raise your hands...then he raise his hands and I'm going to tickle his armpit. He will do it more and more raising his hands without I'm asking...hahahhaa
* peace sign by showing two fingers...I taught him when we did mirroring and took a picture. He's trying to do it more and more...so funny...
* shocking...by putting his palm on the chest.
* powdering..get any kind of bottle and put in her belly and spread it like powdering...he's totally copying from me.

- he prefer to play the things around to his toys. He likes transferring the small red beans from one bowl to other bowl by using spoon.

- I teach him how to pray now and recognize his Jesus Christ. Then, I'm trying to sing some religious songs that he had heard on Sunday School.

I really can't memorize what he did one by one, but for me, he's a big boy now. He starts to copy all the things he sees. Then I really must be careful with what we do, what he see and what we say...and the most of all, he is a brilliant boy for me...

I dream for these:

Living in a small house, just three of us. Having own properties that I can manage it by myself.

I can put a sofa and a LCD plasma television in the living room. I can put 4 chairs and a simple dining table on the dining room with a fridge there. I can manage my own kitchen with all the utensils inside. Then I can put our toothbrushes, shampoos, liquid soap and my shower cap in our bathroom.

The most of all we have our private room and Fritz has his own room. In his room, I will put all his toys and things there. So he has his private area to play and do some things.

What a good house!

Next, I dream for having a small car that enough for three of us.

oh, I forget one thing, I don't think I need a maid at my simple house probably as I never satisfy with their works. Can I??

The other dream is my hubby gets a good work as an entepreneur. Hopefully he's gonna be a successful person in the future. Amien! So I just stay at home taking care of houswife's chores.

We can eat what we want to eat, we can go wherever we want to go, we can buy what we need to buy..

I just dream a simple life and enough money for daily needs.

God, may You grant my wishes...please.....

Last Saturday, three of us, da Lievell clan, had a pleasant day. We went to some places and met some people inward.

We had lunch at d'Cost. It is a cheap restaurant with their motto is five star's quality with hawkers' prices. When we arrived there, I saw some familiar faces and they're my teachers from high school. Firstly, I didn't wanna to greet them honestly.

In my thought at that moment, they're from my past and I didn't have any obligation to greet them, right...Then, I remembered, I was a teacher also and I was so delightful if there is one of my students still recognize me as their teacher.

So, with my big heart (^^), I greeted one of them, Ms Nana. She knew me but she forgot my name. That's ok, she is old already and I was not the only one students she has, right...Then I introduced my name and she said, "I still recognize your face but I'd forgotten your name. It was so pleasant that you still wanna recognize us as your teacher and greet us."

Ooooohhhh....I was so happy when she said that words.....after I and their had lunch, I asked them to take some pictures with me. Here they're: Mam Jenny (English Teacher), Ms Nana (a nicely and charmingly teacher), Ms Yulia (Anthropology Teacher) , Mr Arifin (Sociology Teacher), Mr Soemardiono (Biology Teacher), and Mr Totok (PE Teacher).

As some of those teachers will be resigned, I felt so sad with the dedication of teachers. They have big portions of some people's life but their life are so miserable. I just can say, only God will repay their tears and sweat for their dedication in enriching our brain with the knowledge they'd given.

Next destination was my college at Apple Tree Sunter Branch, Christine Endang. She has delivered her baby on May 26th at Hermina Podomoro. She didn't tell me that she had delivered already. So we decided to visit her house towards. After we lost our direction to her house, finally we arrived and saw a beautiful girl named Grace Amy.

We chatted each other for almost an hour. It was a nice chat. It's been along time ago, I think it's more than a year we didn't have any chat. Before, at school, we worked together and have a chit chat with others everyday. I really missed that moments so much....*gonna cry missing that moments*

Then the other destination was attending a 1st birthday party of Timothea Jesslyn Wijaya on GJKI church at Sunter. When we arrived, it's almost done. Fortunately, we had a chance to see a happy b'day song, a blowing candle and a cutting cake moments and the last was taking pictures together. Yay!!!

Most of the children were going down to get the meals and Fritz was staying there. Why? Because he saw his fave's ones...Mickey Mouse on the mat. He stood up and squatted to point Mickey and Friends. He also did dancing before he felt down with his back of head on the floor then crying aloud. Ughhhhh.......

We just took not more than an hour staying there. We went home with drizzled rain outside.

The last destination was Davina's house. Actually we just wanna give some krupuk to her mom before we saw Raphael on Oma's hands. We decided ask Fritz to play with him.

Raphael is so big now, he also can produce some words. He becomes so chatty. His mom and dad are going to Bandung for their bussiness trip. So he just stayed at home with his Oma. What a lovely child! I'm so jealous...^^

Both of them though couldn't play each other, they showed socialization. Boys! I'm so happy to teach Fritz to be socialized with others. He can play and behave so nicely with his friends..

It's really a beautiful day. Though it was so tired, everybody were tired, I know that Fritz learnt a lot from some situations and environment he had that day.

Cheers!!

When we decide something, we have to responsible with that decision. How and whatever the condition is...we have to know the consequences of it...Right?

Regarding couldn't believe in someone taking care of my baby, I choosed to take care of my baby by myself. I had to resign from my work after delivering Fritz.

I love staying at home, handling every chores of a housewife. I can wake up as late as I want without being worried of I'm gonna be late for work. I can watch the TV along the day. I can use the computer as long as I want, googling and finding lots of information. I can do everything at home.

However, for some moments, I got bored with all the activities I've done everyday. Though it's not always be the same, still it's got boring lots.

Actually this is the consequences I have to face right?

Now, after a year I'm at home, I felt losing lots of thing from outside. Suddenly, I felt I lost my friends. I don't know how to make a conversation with them. They're lost from my sight. I hardly to find any friends to chat with. I lost my socialization and it's really sadly. I couldn't hang out again with them, I couldn't chat and throw some jokes with them, and I'm totally missing them...

Next thing is I'm being a narrow minded man. It's because I'm officially not attached with people outside that I called environment. I don't have any chance to chat with them lot. I have a little conversation with them but it's not a face to face conversation I had. I did it through phone and internet. Yes, I talk with them, but I'm not seeing their faces..It's so weird. I really don't know bout the outside world anymore.

Then, my English become worse. I didn't make any conversation anymore using English with my colleges at school and tutorial, the place that I worked. I don't have any partner who can develop my English anymore..

I really got jealousy when I saw some pictures of my friends having fun together. They're going by bus, enjoying the travelling together, laughing together...I missed the togetherness..I missed my old times...I missed being single..

Do I regret what I choose and I face?
For some times, yes...of course...
But I believe, no one will happy with their choosen things for their life. Everyone has their own life and destiny. This is my choosen and I had to face it though I like it or not. Am I right or right??

I'm jealous with elses then they also are jealous with what I have....cheers....

The house is crowded with the boxes and containers fulled with my stuffs and Fritz's stuff around the house. We're not going to move away anyway. That's only our things..;p

It made my Mom got dizzy as it is her house, right. So today three of us, my Mom-me-&-Ali, tried to tidy up by reducing some boxes and throwing away the used things. As I predicted, it just took for few boxes and the house is still crowded with the stuffs...

At least, though just few boxes out and some used things moved away, I tried to tidy my things and Fritz's things reachable.

Heres some boxes I belong:
*Upstairs*
1. A cream plastic container fulled with all the complete college books.
2. A box of Primary 1 to 6 photocopies worksheets.
3. A yellow plastic container of my important things such as my graduation books since high school and college, song lyric books, collection things (erasers, stickers, cards), and others that I couldn't remember it one by one.
4. Another cream plastic container of primary new English books, Mandarin books, and other resources for primary..it's for Fritz..
5. The other cream plastic container of clothes for 2 years and more. It's heritage from my brother.
6. A green of plastic container of baby clothes that Fritz used since he was born till a year. So next time if I'm going to have a new baby again, I can take if there.
7. A box of baby born's presents from my friends. I can use it again if one of our friend delivery the babies.

*Downstairs*
- Out of the room-
1. 3 various boxes of Fritz's b'day presents.
2. A green container of toys from someone.
3. A milky container of dishes utensil
4. A red container fulled of Kinderworld's worksheet, I can use it for Fritz's learning next time. From Toddler to Kindergarten..complete..
5. Another milky container of mixed stuffs such as towels, lunch jar, and other stuffs.

-Inside the room-
1. A milky container of Fritz's books for study. There is tracing lines books, ensyclopedia, pictures dictionary and others.
2. A dark green container of my felt stuffs.
3. Another dark green container fulled of Fritz's toy inside without the top. So he should put all the toys inside the container.

Those all my boxes and containers...it's fulled of my stuffs and Fritz's stuffs....*it's a lot!!*

I also tidy the Excel's and I put my books on the 2nd and 3rd row while Fritz's book is on the bottom of the Excel's. So if he wants to read books, I can get it nearby and reachable. Also with his toys...

Though the boxes and the containers are still lots, I'm trying to reduce my oldies stuffs such as my diaries since primary to get rid out of my life...from 3 boxes to 1 box of my life...oooh my things from the past. I have to say bye-bye...u're just the past and always be my past..
lots of memorable things to remember...hix..hix..

Talking about Fritz's appetite, he is always showing up and down. Sometimes in one day he could grab what I gave, then the next day he totally would refused his meal.

Recently, I got quite dizzy with his breakfast. He got bored with oat already. He refused his usual meal in the morning, oat with meat or chicken and a little spoon of salt with spreading cheese on top. He had eaten this food for quite long in last few month and I always have given it everyday..No wonder he got bored, yeah??

Then I had to think another solution for his breakfast and it's totally blank...like this morning...

Another problem comes up, I have to think lunch meal menu...arghhhh.....

I really need spending extra time to think about our daily menu...for breakfast, lunch and dinner and for snack...if not, I will mess up coz I don't know what I should eat and give for Fritz...and the worst thing is he addicts with the food containing of MSG while I always trying to not put that kind of thing on our meal....*gosh*

Today Fritz has an opportunity to go to some banks accompanying Opa. He has met some people with various profession inside. He met some securities who charmingly and nicely greet him and played with him. Then he met the customer service and the marketing and they've gotten Fritz' waving hand of bye-bye and kiss-bye as usual when he was walking away. He also met some children with various age. Suddenly, I met my chatting friend in the net, Yuwinda Hidayat and her daughter, Viella. We had a little chat in the small restaurant before Fritz got tired and taking his nap in the car.

At home in the afternoon, I gave him my new felt book about pet animals. He loved to see it especially the dog, fish and cat. Then, he played with his farm animals' puzzle after he got bored with the book. Related to the animals he learned, so I turned on the Baby Einstein's movie on my player. He saw A day in the Farm part. He learned what we can see on the farm, the product from the farm, how to planting and growing things in the farm and also the farm animals itself.

He really learned a lot today, perhaps it can enrich his vocabularies more.