Morsels and Stitches

New Year, New Beginnings

2011-12-27T16:19:00.004+08:00

Loads of Xmas cheer with time well spent with loved ones. 2011 coming to a tail end as we await for the new year of new beginnings !

2011, a bountiful year I've had.
- We twirl with 2 little ones and guess what, i can't imagine life with just one
- Little of couple tiffs, many of hand holding, kisses and hugs
- Lost friends
- Rediscover colleagues, befriended "jie-meis" at work
- A long time best friend is back, welcome HOME
- Debt free, financial freedom (gee, i can fry my boss any time and be at peace with shopping then)

2012 will be another exciting year which i want to divest my time learning new things and exploring other aspects of my life. Striving for more travels with J & the kids is one on the agenda.

With this, i mark THE END of my blog writing journey, with so many memories to keep, print and made into albums. I can't wait to see the output of this project :)

Open mind, open hearts, open eyes to many more NEW things. Happy New Year!

Academic Excellence

2011-12-27T09:17:00.000+08:00

I found this over the long weekend. I showed it to my dad and my in-laws.

SY Dad:
Dad : Oh my, whose results are these?!?!
SY: Jason's
Dad : Erhmm, but almost all subjects FAIL ??
SY: on the next page, it states 40 days absent from school, 40 days of medical !
I think my dad would shudder in fear if i showed this to him during our dating days. hey dad, this is the guy i am dating, gulp.

In-laws:
FIL : The school is very high standard, you know
SY : hmm, so high till almost all fail? almost all is in the RED.
MIL : Is it?? i always thought he is not too bad in his studies (and she is NOT joking)
SY: huh? this is called not too bad?? And so many days absent from school?
MIL: But but, i DID send him to school everyday!
FIL: Haha, smiling, Shawn will likely be the same too :p
SY : *almost fell off the chair* touch wood, touch wood, so not funny

If you only have 2 sons, and both having this set of red numbers, you really need to be damn damn cool to be able to sleep at night.

But importantly, it's ALL about each parent's perspective. I am not sure if i can be at that level of "coolness", but at least i have this set of results to remind myself....

Some things never quite change

2011-12-21T17:38:00.000+08:00

You see this long table seated 9 pax, dressed in our work gear, sipping champagne and wine. Ever wonder what does a bunch of males and females (age : mid 30s), yak about on a night out?

We seriously discussed :
- growing our eyelashes at $195 per month. Latisse is the word, repeat after me
- buying a heat cap (which you microwave for 2 mins), apply hair mask, voilà supposedly luxurious hair is yours
- debating over the existence of the Lama's sleeve dog, which apparently lives on saliva ?? erhmm
- everyone, i mean everyone except muah is hitting the gym every week. i see cleavage on the guys and slim silhouette of the gals. *envy*
- how cutting tomatoes can be extremely dangerous that one was rushed to A&E recently for stitches
- the craving for yummilicious champagne brunches continues

Master the art of being silly. They really really make me laugh all night. After a decade, they still talk the same !

Our Tree is Up!

2011-12-19T16:26:00.002+08:00

Can you reach for the top? Higher and higher, almost there. The kids are easily excitable, hyper over the tree. A little trim at the bottom (for pressies), a douse of water, we are ready to bring it into the house.

The weather has been cool, the smell is in the air, Xmas carols, pressies on the way (for obvious reasons, why we can't have the presents under the tree too early :p), stock up on the champagne, the roast, the ham, we are almost ready for the long weekend.

With Kids, it will not be quiet.

With Family, it will not be empty.

With Christmas, you will not be walking alone.

The brothers get WOKING

2011-12-17T16:36:00.004+08:00

If i haven't talked about how well the guys in our household cook, let me say it here again. They are good, great and fantastic cooks that does magic to simple stuff in the kitchen. Which also explains why it's so darn hard to lose weight.

Over the weekend, the 2 brothers work around the kitchen with a Japanese & Grill theme put together. Rainy days are best started with a hot steaming bowl of miso soup, doused with kelp, spring onions and bursting flavors of the clams.

Next is a cold dish (can also be served hot if you prefer). Stew the radish in chicken broth of dried cuttlefish and oysters, with salt added to taste. Chill (to v. cold) before serving. Radish are like sponges, they mop up the goodness of your broth and when you bite into them, the richness of the soup flows and because they are chilled, it's very refreshing to the palette. Tip: Often some radish may be bitter and hence best blanched before stewing to rid of any bitterness.

The main menu :

Salads: Greens drizzled with Jap sesame dressing

Rice: Cooked with green peas and a pinch of salt added. Served with sliced mushrooms simmered in soya sauce and Japanese mirin.

Fish : Grilled with generous sprinkling of chunky sea salt (this gives a crunch and flavor when you bite into the salt bits together with the fish).

One of the best addition to Scrumptious and Dribbles in 2011. Very healthy and hearty.

Stress free weekends

2011-12-16T15:01:00.000+08:00

It took Mister Shawn quite a while to enjoy sandplay (without boots on). Alyssa is our rough and tough type of girl, that thinks nothing of the sand bits or the crashing waves a near distance away.

Recently, we found a sweet spot along East Coast beach where you can see air planes from afar one after another, soaring over your heads every 10 minutes.

The duo delight themselves in cooking up a storm for a good hour. Every weekend comes and go by, just us and the kids. Play, sleep, eat and back to play again. Stress free weekends seem too good to be true but let's hope its here to stay.

Hennessy and Chinese pop?

2011-12-05T17:39:00.003+08:00

Recently, i did stuff that i have never done before.

Drink Hennessy in a mando-pop club, Shanghai Dolly that blares Chinese songs.

Being in a Chinese/canto club is one thing, drinking Hennessy (!) is quite another. No offence but i always thought Hennessy is kinda reserved for a certain type of crowd (either the v young or the very old haha) :p We had white wine at 1 Altitude, then Moet & Chandon champagne before closing the night with happy hour pricing of 2 bottles of Hennessy at Shanghai Dolly?? What on earth are we thinking!

You can imagine how the night turned out to be. It ended with J swinging by to pick up his sober wife (surprise, surprise), armed with 2 mini-tubs well lined with plastic bags for my friends at 1am. Very very smart of a husband i have. If J didn't come by, i am not sure how i am gonna manage the girls out of the club!

I have to say i have not enjoyed myself that much for a long long time, being with people who play hard unreservedly. A refreshing change from what i am used to. Humming to cheena songs, drinking some old man drinks, playing 5-10 and giggling like a young girl. GeREAT night out.

My spouse's best friend

2011-12-04T23:21:00.001+08:00

When Shawn was trying to "proclaim" that he would like me to be his wife, J has the perfect reply for him.

Mama is my girlfriend, my wife and my best friend. You go find yours.

When you hear this from your hubby, you smile and squeeze his hand. I am glad i am my husband's best friend.

Holiday 2011 Disney series - The Works

2011-12-04T17:00:00.002+08:00

Our 3rd family trip to Disney. And we still have an unforgettable time. Hmm.... i wonder why.

Alyssa's first trip up in the sky. Bravo girl. Yeah, she's a tough cookie.

Besotted with the merry-go-round but honey, you've gotta get down and re-queue. She complains each time the music stopped and safety belt unbuckled.

Meet Mister Shawn's idol, Buzz Lightyear! We've got a truckload of Toy Story figurines. They are just too cool to skip.

My favorite. Crystal car cabin, a 20 min cable car ride that you can look right through to the very bottom and boasting a panoramic sea view.

The kids are entertained while the parents take a break over pre-dinner drinks and snacks by the side. Time-out.

They are quite a sight in the hotel. Hard to miss them, when you see rumbustious kids rolling all over the floor, squealing away (day after day?!).

After a day in Disneyland, we wind down to the indoor heated pool. 4 of us, wrapped in super cute Mickey bathrobes waddled down to the poolside. We even had a quick dip in the whirling hot jacuzzi tub. A nice long evening nap ensue.

A good 5 days together and fond memories for all to bring back to Singapore. To be honest, J & I have started to ponder over our next holiday spot, probably 4 months away :) i love family holidays!

Vanity hobby - Top 5

2011-11-30T15:37:00.002+08:00

As we push past 30, we move beyond the 3 step skincare (cleanse, tone, moisturise). You move (read: should invest) into a zone of serums, serums, serums. Layering becomes the norm, which is also one of the reasons why i feel Asian ladies do somewhat "age better".

With the multitude of products, admittedly, i seldom do a re-purchase unless the product proves itself beyond comparable, of superior quality. I constantly like new finds. A peek into my top 5 must-haves which i have and will re-purchase.

1) Diorsnow UV shield SPF50 PA+++
this baby is relatively thick in texture and creamy but miraculously dries to a semi-matte finish. Not only does it keep the sun out, it keeps the oils away. A perfect sunblock and base. I have not been able to find a substitute to this costly baby.

2) Clarisonic Mia
this brush is like my Braun electric toothbrush. you can't turn back the clock to manual cleansing anymore.

3) Bioderma cleansing water
water that cleans like a dream. i am still amazed everyday that something which feels, look, smell like water but take out whatever gunk effortlessly. You don't ever need to worry about oil seeds or clogs.

4) SAL whitening lotion
high concentration of arbutin that works to lighten sunspots. no imagination required, it does its job. I do not like to be too fair, so after a while, will only use on spots rather than the entire face

5) Cle de peau concealer stick

yes, believe all the raves that's been written on the internet. every bit is true. if you can get over the whopping (!) price tag, trust me, you will never get over this product (shade: ivory for me).

It's always nice to check out another lady's must-haves..... shop away.

Holiday 2011 Disney series - Top 3 lifelines

2011-11-29T17:21:00.004+08:00

Overdue on our holiday postings, been sick for the past week. Our top 3 lifelines during the holiday.

1) Nutella
Array of breakfast selections does not draw my kids away from their all time favorite, must-have Nutella spread on bread. That simple. And yes, we walk around with our tub of Nutella.

2) Soba sauce and angel hair pasta
It's a joke if you tell others you need to worry about food in HK right? Ironic but often, it's done way too salty for the kids to stomach. Nothing too complicated. J grabs angel hair pasta, dump into a small thermos flask, hot water, 10mins done. Chill in fridge, drizzle with soba sauce, ready for serving with fish, chicken ordered by the side. Healthy and hearty.

3) Our abode
Now this is very very important for our idea of a holiday to be accomplished :p. Well, we have a 16mth old in tow, so at intervals of the day, we need good rest and namely, space. Space for them and US. Needless said, the kids were thrilled, particularly during bath time. They had good fun daily in the tub by themselves (Disney TV cartoons blaring in the toilet!), while i lounge by the side, talking to J.

The living room and bedroom each opens up to a balcony area, with a view. But a pity, fireworks can't be seen from the balcony. i would highly recommend this abode for families with young children (note: plural).

Show me your teeth

2011-11-24T16:51:00.000+08:00

Where's your teeth? Show me, show me, show me

I have to remind Brother Shawn not to put his finger into her mouth. She's no longer a baby but a little tiger full of pearly whites.

Gifting

2011-11-23T22:56:00.003+08:00

Xmas is round the corner and it's almost time to start making out a list of pressies for the little ones. I do enjoy this shopping greatly for the past few years, to see their faces light up and excited by it. We give because we want to bring the "xmasy" joy of sharing with other kids, small thoughts, not because we are expecting something in return.

In fact, we are totally COOL and happy without any back. It dawn on me that in the past, we do get very expensive presents that make us gasp. Although not my friends (sorry i can't help if you are one, oops!), i do know and have read about how other parents would compare the value of pressies (even b'day goodie bags) and it's an Asian thing that they felt somewhat compelled to give something back in equivalent to be polite. To me, that's my pet peeve and i don't buy that, neither do i care. Coz kids don't really know what's expensive and what's not. In fact, they only care about what they can play with (which sometimes can be just inexpensive bottle caps(!)) and the unlimited time to play with them.

2010 Xmas zone

So with this joyous festive season coming up, let's put on some of our thinking caps and fiddle with what our children truly would like to have. Worry less on $ value (keep the balance for charity :p), worry more on what we can conjure for the kids. More time, less $$, more meaning to this fabulous holiday season!

Holiday 2011 series - the flight

2011-11-18T18:22:00.000+08:00

Just a 3hour flight into HK was a start to make me perspire a tad and rattle my nerves. I am just glad i am not alone in this. An hour into the flight, Alyssa decide to stage one of those classic horror babies symphony that we often see and hear about. Mind you, it was a full flight that morning. We cajole her with snacks, books, toys, pacifier, TALK to her, the list goes on. It's not like we sat there doing nothing. She was just in one of those "i am not comfortable, i need to voice out" mode. I had heads turn to catch a glimpse of our star.

I looked helplessly at J and our little angel in his arms, who simply went, "it's alright. what's there to be stressed? she will get tired out from crying and sleep soon, dear. " That was it. Unfazed, not a twinge of embarrassment. His classic reply (well, thank god no passenger talked to us), "this is part and parcel of traveling with kids." Gulp.

End of year family holiday 2011

2011-11-12T16:32:00.001+08:00

When you tell a 4 year old about going to Disneyland Hong Kong, you see his face instantly lights up with excitement and happiness. Suddenly he knows exactly what day of the week he is in and start to count down to it.

I get lots of "huh, Disneyland HK again??" and "what, 5 days just being at Disney only?!" The answer is simple, the children doesn't care how many times they've been there coz they just want to be there! J & I are most happy enjoying ourselves when we know our kids are having a time of their life too.

Holiday starts right at home today for Gavriel's birthday before we catch the morning flight out on Sunday. We gonna veg out for the next 5 good days. Take it slow, do all the kiddy stuff 100 times over, eat ourselves silly with kiddy junk food, watch Disney cartoons all day, take walks and enjoy the cool weather. To be honest, just being at Changi airport with those jumbo planes in sight is enough to excite the kids tomorrow.

Like what Shawn says, "no school, no work, it's family time!"

Say Hi !

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000+08:00

We've been out and about, enjoying our time with the little ones. Looking forward to our 1 week holiday in November and Xmas is just round the corner. Oh my, i love these months.

i like you, like you not, like you

2011-10-31T15:16:00.001+08:00

Everyday is still a rock n roll time with each other. During the early days when they have yet mouth their first words, they fight at the slightest brush of physical contact.

And now? My FIL calls them "sensitive". A single word could swiftly fire up to a battle of punches, slaps and kicks. All is bygones in an hour's time. I await for the day, they can behave like civilised kids of loving parents.

Home sweet home

2011-10-23T16:07:00.000+08:00

Nothing beats coming back to a home-cooked bento meal after a hot shower. I have loads to talk about with J and the kids. Jet lagged but smiling ear to ear.

Weather now

2011-10-21T13:59:00.005+08:00

For some reason, I wonder if eating ice cream will make me warm instead :) Or make ice cubes on the sidewalk.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Oslo

Biz travel log 20 Oct

2011-10-21T04:36:00.003+08:00

It was 2 degrees when we were out for dinner. Forecast to be -3 degrees tonight. Tomorrow will be the coldest day of the week with a maximum high of 4 degrees. The Norwegians have started skiing in the mountains already and now is just a start to the cold bitter winter months ahead.

They party on Thursdays, work half days on Fridays and head out to their cosy cottages in the mountains for the weekend. They work to live, not
live to work. Enjoying mother nature to the fullest. This is one whole week that I don't hear about property prices or the stock market.

It's a blissful life, albeit slow paced but it's one that I would like.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Oslo

Biz travel log 19 Oct

2011-10-20T03:55:00.002+08:00

When I was away, I get emails, messages, calls and lastly, a beautiful note from the kids. Okay I know I am missed. Be back home soonest.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Oslo

Biz travel log 18 Oct

2011-10-19T04:29:00.004+08:00

People here talk about the weather and their likes of everyday akin that of hunting and skiing. Cold crisp air that is refreshing to the soul.
Now is the season of having lamb. Far from what we have in Asia, the lamb chops are cooked to medium rare perfection without the usual gamey whiff at all. I am sold. It was rich and flavorful, juicy to bite.

I am taught to appreciate cheese with homemade figs and apricot. Who would have thought marmalade does wonders with blue cheese. Finale was a plum soup that zipped me. Fresh plums preserved for 2 years made into a delicious light syrup with vanilla ice cream makes anyone hoot. I want more.

Food is indeed the best way to understand one's culture.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Oslo

The next week to come

2011-10-12T14:42:00.002+08:00

Packing for the cold next week in Norway. Hopefully I get to see the first fall of snow flakes.

Button up and buckle tight.

Travelling alone on long haul flights can be erhm surreal. Talk about having me time. Well, I will have loads next week. Usually i read a lot. Catch up on all the movies. Load up my ipad with magazines. And have my turn watching how other mothers handle their children, half wishing i was as busy as them ? Neh.

I actually just pretend i am one of those carefree biz traveller, with my ipad and earphones. Peace.

A party of 4

2011-10-05T08:41:00.000+08:00

Shawn's 4th Birthday

When birthday rolls around, they always have one another and have a great time. Instant friends, instant playmates, no invites needed. Gee, that's the convenience. They don't always play nice, so at home it's a 50/50 of good times and bad.

To be honest, often after a day at work when i get home to the 4 kids, I can understand why some people have big families. They are a true joy to watch, hug, hold and kiss, albeit the noise and mess. Children are indeed blessings of each home. Not one day mirrors another.

Good reads @ 3 October

2011-10-03T09:49:00.002+08:00

I like this type of 'give it to you in your face' type of blog.

They are the contrarian. They challenge your parenting views (or agree to disagree). They don't 'sugar lace' motherhood or their children.

They can make you gasp at times and mostly, they are a daily inspiration to remind us of some common sense that we parents just don't practice these days. But of course, if you prefer sweet blogs to such slam dunking ones, this would not fly.

http://buildingupmoms.wordpress.com/category/family/

If you have other similar blogs of such, please share. I would love to add on to my reading list.

Universal Family Chair

2011-09-28T10:00:00.002+08:00

If there is one thing you want to add to your home for coziness (carpet is another must although for some reason, sprawling rolls of carpet are as rare as pets in SG homes :p), I think it's gonna be this XL plush bean bag from Muji. It's absolutely heavenly and comfortable. The kids love it, they squash in it, roll on it, lie in it, jump onto it. It moulds instantly to your body shape by its ultra ultra fine miniscule beans. At times, J lies back with the kids piling onto him.

Super loving this. Took us a long time scouting for our elusive universal family chair. Found it!

Night 1, 2 ......

2011-09-28T08:47:00.003+08:00

The story goes..... on Monday, the kids (read: Shawn) was not exactly on his best behavior. Every inch of me seems to be trapped in the state of a "nagger in anger". Hearing my own voice pitched at volume 10 many times puts me on a lousy mood. 2 kids, 1 mummy and no husband around. Get the visual? The last stunt of Shawn doing a nose dive head down from the bed onto the floor, which abruptly ended my overseas call with Daddy J (last wk in Philippines, this wk in Thailand!) was the last straw. I surrendered Alyssa to my in laws (who seems just as happy "without her Mummy", makes me do a double sigh) and decided we should just end Day 1 by sleeping early.

Night 2 was lot better. I had my girl back. The kids were a charm. We had a nice 20mins phone call with Daddy J and I could actually relax with a glass of wine. They have their milk together, pop in the pacifiers and good night it shall be. Yes, it was that simple. All 3 of us had our smiley faces when rise and shine this morning, 7am.

Life is great, good and sweet smelling today.

What's in J's luggage

2011-09-26T13:46:00.000+08:00

A peek into J's luggage whenever he travels. For the past 8 months, he's been taking this along with him. He tucks it into his backpack, takes it out when he's back and in, it goes between one of our many books. Then the next time he travels, he hunts it down again and proudly declares to me he's gonna to read it. Oh well, I still don’t think he has started anyway near page 1.

I have a replica one for Mom, by my bedside. Yeah, it has also been there for some time :p

22 September I like You

2011-09-21T11:29:00.001+08:00

Tomorrow is the day, J told me he likes me 16 years ago ( I had to use a calculator plus my fingers for this number). I guess never did it cross our minds that after this "I like you", it's gonna stick long enough for marriage and 2 kids.

We held hands, we did smooch and we talked (read: only talk!) through the night. 22nd September 1995. Dizzy and ditzy from love.

I was driving along ECP this morning, with many flashbacks in smiles. J will be on his way back to Singapore hours from now. 16 years later, we are comfortably in love and still holding hands. Only time will tell a "happily ever after" story.

And of course it's a perfect reason for us both not turning up for work tomorrow.

My childhood

2011-09-16T13:50:00.005+08:00

When I was very young, my parents didn't have much money. We hopped from places to places, renting a 1 bedroom to flats and finally owning a place of our own in my secondary school days.

I attended a neighbourhood school, had a great bunch of friends that taught me the worst Hokkien spews. I spend loads of time at the playground, balancing on monkey bars and roller skating along corridors. The beauty of our humble lodgings is you can easily peer out of the window and see who is already downstairs playing or hear their screams. I remember the joy of dashing downstairs to join them. With a few cents, I could get myself colored ice sticks and suck at them to my heart's content. Or perhaps get myself a few red sour plums wrapped in newspaper. I spend hours playing an assortment of games with my loitering friends. When the rain comes, we play with our clothes wet. We didn't need toys in our days. I rarely watch TV too. Need a playmate? We just pop into each other's flat and make ourselves at home.

We had friends. We had time, a lot of it. We had freedom. I have always been happy.

No morale of the story. Just snippets of the past that reminds me of, who I was, how I have been and what I am now. At times, I forget.

Shawn's 4th Birthday Part 1

2011-09-13T08:52:00.000+08:00

2011 Shawn's flavor of the year has gotta be "to infinity and beyond".

His classmates were chanting the line when they caught sight of the cake. For a good 10 seconds, Daddy was wondering where to place the 5th candle, when i said, "dear, what are you doing? your son is only 4 years old!"

In 20 mins, the remnants of just Rex by the side. This bunch of kids can really eat. The girls were going for a second slice while the boys look like they were all ready to attack the goodie bags at one go. We have prepared lovely home-made cookies for the teachers.

What did we do for his actual birthday? More along the way........... Yeah, my boy is 4! Have i been a Mummy for that long? Gulp. I hope i have been a fairly decent one so far.

Happy 4th Birthday

2011-09-11T16:51:00.010+08:00

One night, while we were packing goodie bags (this year being paint books) for Shawn's classmates. I asked J whether he remember any of these during his times.

Well, none of us remember the existence of goodie bags, nor school birthday celebrations or birthday parties either. Each birthday was celebrated with our parents in a low key manner. J has total amnesia and doubted his parents remember his birthdays. While for me, a nice dinner with my parents in a restaurant is enough to make me feel very special from head to toe, morning till night.

When our kids' birthday rolls around, we vex over what to pack for goodie bags, what choice of cake for school & home, what celebration venue in mind, what presents and many more. What can I say? These days, kids just have so much more because we give and want to give.

Were we less happier than the kids of today? No

On this day, let's not forget the very basic is simply, I love you, Happy Birthday, son and I hope you have felt truly special X 10 on this day!

Eating Doldrums of Young Children

2011-09-07T10:07:00.003+08:00

During our recent crab and durian eat out with a bunch of friends, I did a catch up with a mother of two, about fussy eating with children. Her boy is my motivation that finally, it will come one day Shawn becomes a good eater like her son now, who was a classic scrawny super picky one during toddler hood till age 4-5 (read: are we there yet?!). I need inspirational stories like this otherwise J & I will drive each other crazy trying to get Shawn to EAT.

Shawn is one that does not conform to “if you don’t eat it at dinner time, you can eat it for breakfast” plan. If you let him have his way, he will gladly not have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I am also sick of hearing other parents' advice that our kids are just spoilt brats, we should starve them and let's not even get into the territory of self-feeding at a grand old age of 4. Which brings me to why I love my PD. She looks at us straight in the eye and gave us this unconventional big time snap:

1) do not starve him because you will lose for sure. This guy will really NOT eat.
2) self feeding? Why worry about this? So what if you have to feed him every single meal? FEED him for god's sake, get the calories in.
3) feed him anything he wants. Anything. Ice-cream, chips, chocolates, whatever.
4) he wants cold noodles (japanese noodles in soba sauce) every day?? GIVE it to him. It's healthier than rice, you know
5) if you have to read to him, on the TV, to get him to eat, just DO IT.

This is a different battle we are talking about. We are talking about the eating momentum, the habit of eating and loving food. Gee, it does help to have a mother in law who proudly declares Shawn as the same as Daddy J when young. So easy to take care of since they still thrive without eating ??!! Remember this photo? I shudder.

As of 28 August 2011 7pm (2 weeks to Shawn's big 4th birthday), our little man started to eat, crying out those 3 magic words, "I am hungry". He wolfed down 2 slices of bread after dinner, fruits, biscuits and milk. Since then, every night, he needs a slice of bread before he turns in for the night. But of course, it's not that magical sounding. There are still ups and downs but the situation is looking a whole lot better now.

This Sunday will be his 4th birthday. I am motivated to think dawn is almost here…. almost. Please, let the "Fantastic Four" begin.

Starting a Home Library

2011-09-02T09:03:00.007+08:00

Want to start a home library for your kids? Not sure how to start? What is a quality read? How should we decide for our kids?

A couple of useful sites to get you started :

1) http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/compubs/booklists/homelib/alacbcbuildinghomelbry.cfm
The ALA-Children’s Book Council (CBC) Joint Committee, with cooperation from the ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee, has created the four bibliographies below, "Building a Home Library," to provide guidance to parents, grandparents, and others interested in assembling a high-quality library for their children at home

Scroll over to the Awards section which you can get to see the Caldecott Medal Winners of the past years.

2) http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/early-years-book-list/
Timeless classics, easy navigation by age group.

3) Amazon is a great place to check out reviews

Why start a library when we can just go to one?
It would be a good couple of years before our children become fluent readers. They thrive on repetition. Classics and good reads are worth the read-a-loud sessions. And of course, we would like to influence their reading (read: choice) of only good literary works from young.

Enjoy.

Ditch that cleansing oil

2011-09-01T10:05:00.001+08:00

If you are like me, hoping for an alternative to cleansing oil (yew! to oily residue) as the pre-cleanse, this is THE product to nab, Bioderma Sensibio H2O cleansing water.

Soak a cotton pad with this water like solution and it takes away everything without effort. Extremely gentle and it feels exactly like you have just cleanse & tone your face. No fragrance, no irritation or dryness and no residue. Although the instruction says "doesn't require a wash off", I use it as a precleanse and henceforth follow on with my usual facial foam on my clarisonic mia.

Squeaky clean. Squeak squeak.

Back at work

2011-08-31T08:38:00.002+08:00

For some reason, 2 weeks of break somewhat felt like 2 months. I have to admit I was itching a tad to get back to work. I miss my colleagues, I miss their laughter and cheesy jokes. Partly, I am also nursing a hole in my pocket from so much serious shopping that I am relieved to bring this chapter to a close. It was a good break. I feel relatively rejuvenated, physically and mentally. I did spend some good time with my children. So I am a happy rested person of today.

As any normal human being, first thing that I did when I got back to work was to check the balance of my leave entitlement. Ironic? Haiz. Like they always say, the grass is always greener on the other side. September is one big birthday month (with 2 of the C.A.S.E babies and Mister Shawn blowing candles) and J travelling again. October is yet another travelling month for me to Norway and we shall end the year with our all time favorite Disney HK trip (again) in November.

A rocky 2011 for the financial sector but a bountiful one for the little me. Healthy and happy.

Each other's best friend

2011-08-29T15:25:00.000+08:00

They play in their make-believe world for hours. A couple of pillows, blankie and toys, they make their very own cool hideout. Alyssa takes to Big Brother Shawn easily and follow his lead.

The days where my kids become each other's best friend and play independently by themselves is nearing. I am looking forward.

Alyssa @ 13 months

2011-08-25T11:17:00.000+08:00

Our little heart tugger. A face that makes you light up everyday.

My FIL's soulmate. She gets our votes for being the next most important person in the household. During her absence away in Phuket, my FIL throws himself into more and more home DIY projects, working round the clock. Let's just say, all were relieved to have us back, particularly Alyssa.

Wifey from Hell

2011-08-23T10:09:00.003+08:00

J is one classic husband that scores in doing sweet, but yet silly things. Last night was a war zone where i partnered my long lost friend of exasperation. I couldn't help but unleash it in full.

He was back from Jakarta earlier than scheduled and surprise surprise, he had a Miu Miu bag in tow from DFS to give wifey me a voilà. Well yes, we did pass by a Miu Miu boutique weeks back and i did parade in one of the bags or probably salivate too much over ONE. But cross my heart, i really have no intention to buy it. And of course, in his usual sweet self, he decide to grab one to surprise me last night. Guess what? It could have been better if it's exactly what i wanted but instead it was the "IT" claimed (read: hottest) bag by the sales person. Picture turned. First, i had other things in mind. Second, it's NOT the bag that i like. Third, it is close to hideous.

I know i know, he is such a sweetie which makes it a whole lot worse. I am exasperated and then later, angry at myself for being ANGRY at such a sweet man and even more angry why i couldn't just pretend to like it. Well, I have cornered myself into the hole of being a total bitch. Okay, that was last night, i was wife from hell. Today will be a better day. For me and the bag.

I am very sorry, dear.

Shawn & Alyssa Aug 2011

2011-08-23T09:36:00.000+08:00

They fight, bite, spit at each other, in jest. Jealousy is not high on the cards but bending to each other's will can be trying at times.

Phuket Holiday 2011

2011-08-18T10:11:00.004+08:00

Whatever i wish for, I had. 4 days of bliss contained within this villa at Westin Phuket, perched on a secluded hillside. This setting cannot be better for some major veg out. Vacation to us, is being away from the bustle of our everyday. Chill with a beer, dock your iPhone for music, read, quick bites by the pool and take in each other's ramblings fill our hours each day. Yes, i do happen to like talking to my husband, a lot.

As J says, the best of all is we have everyone in good health to be able to enjoy this. Alyssa can't be easier who keeps to her nap schedule, eats like a tiger and of course smiley all the time. We easily tuck her in for her naps while we lounge by the pool side.

By the second day, Shawn asked if he could wear his swimwear first thing in the morning and have his breakie by the pool. Eat, swim, eat. Yes, we do that all day long. Take short walks, admire the picturesque sea view surrounding the resort, have a massage, hot tea by the pool side in the evenings (the boys had ice cream IN the pool). We didn't even have a watch to keep time.

Top 5 snippets of our trip:

1) It's a blessing to have children poop at predictable time

2) Bad behavior still exist during holidays! So does time out (in the walk-in wardrobe)

3) When you see another kid crying buckets on flight, you look at that pacifier on Alyssa fondly. Yeah, pacifier way to go

4) Watched Toy Story 3 times over

5) Iphone, Ipad, i love you

We are all 3 shades darker with wrinkly skin from hours by the pool and sleep through like babies every night.

None of the troop wanted to head home. But we have to.....reluctantly. We will be back.

Swell time starts in 9 hours

2011-08-12T09:37:00.002+08:00

The great about working in a bank is we have mandatory block leave of 2 weeks. Yippee, 2 weeks in lala-dom. Today at 6pm, i will switch on my "out of office" reply, to be officially switched off.

Giving my heels a break. Away to the land of smiles, Phuket. August is a blast with 2 public holidays and an entire 2 weeks of break, gosh it's a non-working month. On the social calendar, we are hosting a big crab & durian party next Friday, followed by Shawn's friend big 4 bash and yet another ladies' night out. I plan to catch up on my long over due beauty treatments, real shopping and finish up on my good reads. Maybe more of swimming would help with my never quite started weight loss program.

Loads of personal time, anything under the sky but work. Me, J and my children.

National Day 2011

2011-08-10T21:19:00.001+08:00

To me, National Day is usually best spent in the comfort of one's home, blaring the TV and having dinner in peace. Away from the jostling crowd, heat and traffic jams.

Well this year for Shawn & Alyssa, my FIL decides that the kiddos cannot NOT see a helicopter close to one's ears or fighter planes (is that what we call those?!) hollering their engines over your heads and lastly, fireworks right into your face. So here we are this year, best spot ever at the Marina Bay Sands, which has a very large patio that you can lounge out in, boasting a panoramic view of the event.

There was a buffet spread going on (thank god for air con), nice chilled beverages served throughout, I would have to say this is as comfortable as NDP can get.

The only catch is the moment that last fireworks cackle in the air, you better make a 200m sprint for the valet service and snake through a 15min jam home.

We all slept very soundly for the rest of the night. National Day 2011, I like.

School Family Day 2011

2011-08-05T15:46:00.002+08:00

One and a half year ago, all of them were tiny toddlers wailing away on their first day of school. They were frightened, timid and shy.

Today, I see a gorgeous bunch put up an excellent performance for us parents. They each have a line (well it's a big big deal for a 4 yr old), muster their courage, step forward, and mouth those words alone in front of an audience deserve big claps. 1-2 of them resolved to tears, while Shawn was monkeying away with his seemingly best buddy at the back. And me ? The overly smiley parent that waves at him non-stop till J nudged me to stop distracting them. Well… I am doing what any proud mama would do. 200% support right?

I still have vivid memories of these little buds in January 2010. I remember all their faces and names. Now they are big, tall and gregarious. Look, that’s Shangwen. Ooh, is that Sarah, she is so pretty and chubby. Kaylee and Caitlin can really eat. Seems that the girls in Shawn's class eat very well and the boys are erhm a tad scrawny. We have Brennan, Travis, Gagan, Liv, Jayden … the list goes on. Half day gone, time to get back to the office.

Mr. Cane

2011-08-03T18:09:00.005+08:00

As much as we disagree with the notion of caning our children, Mr Cane does its magic to help mothers not be a screaming banshee. Let me introduce Mr.Cane.

How is Mr. Cane used in the house? Mr Cane is everywhere, on every floor of the household, in each of our room. Originally intended for the dogs, now it's handed down to the kids since the dogs have outgrown them.

Dinner time
3 kiddos on the same table. Fun time. I look at you, you look at me. I take a walk, you talk a walk. And the next thing you know, Gavriel might have 1 leg resting on the table, balancing his chair in a backward swing. Katriel running up the sofa and Shawn gallivanting to the toys section. Well, Mr Cane takes care of NAUGHTY LEGS.

Me: Who has naughty legs? I see naughty legs!! After a few occasions of spanking, the next time Mr Cane comes wavering at them, immediate attention with butts glued to the chairs. Smiles, dinner continue in peace.

Pajamas time
Aka chaos time. You first, he first, she first, I don't want first. Mr Cane comes along. Everyone wants to be first. Done in 10mins.

Big time
Shawn has gotten 2 BIG times from Mr. Cane (after multiple occasions of gentle humane counselling). One for his many attempts to push Gavriel down the flight of steps at home. That scores 1 Big time. Another one for dashing onto the roads to play "catching" with Nai Nai many times.

Mr. Cane serves swiftly with intention. Hurts like ouch (him on legs, me at heart). A mama has gotta do what she's got to do ;) But I am glad to say, Mr. Cane is used most commonly as the crowd or noise controller of our household. Welcomed but best used when necessary just like a panadol (treats headaches on the spot although not the source :p).

Up for the challenge

2011-08-02T16:17:00.005+08:00

We are travelling with the 2 kiddos next weekend (our first) so some time is needed to pack, pack and more packing. Off my head, I have an imaginary excel spreadsheet to keep track of what to bring. As with any other trips, J is the official packer and me, the contributor. What a great pair. Haha.

I have psyched myself up for the trip, hoping the kids will have a fun time and us, not too hard of a time. I have jibes from J about having the kids 24/7 to ourselves (wink wink) and reading Alyssa's favorite books 100 times over. Alyssa has this thing for books that drives J & me like a broken radio on auto repeat mode.

They are so much fun given that now they don’t sleep that much, walk too much, yak too much and demand a lot. Get the visual of my fun? Did I mention their favorite game now is splattering saliva at each other?

Can I bring Shawn's Noah's Ark? No !!
Can I bring 2 swimsuits each for all of us? Yes
Have we got meds for emergency? Yes
Do we need a thermometer? Of course
Can we hire someone to feed Shawn? Roll his eye at me
How many floats do we need to bring? Roll another eye
We have to get packed by this wkend! Double flip

I cringe at the thought of my luggage. Clothes, diapers, milk powder, milk bottles, baby foods, swimwear, toys, children's books, DVDS, swim floats, shoes, medications, hats, sunblock, bolsters, stroller, I can continue another page long.

Praying for good health, good weather, good food and hopefully some good s** (of course, I meant sleep :p) .

First Shoes - Alyssa

2011-07-28T11:09:00.000+08:00

So old fashioned, yet sooooo sweet. Alyssa only got to wear this for a couple of weeks before her feet grows out of them.

Ramblings 27 July 2011

2011-07-27T08:44:00.003+08:00

Haphazard ramblings.

My mind is everywhere these days. I am not used to organising events (friends who know me will nod their heads), which took up my idle time in blogging. Kidding!

With all the recent family parties, I had a smashing time wrapping up the Bank's Operations dinner which I hosted last Friday (ended at 3am!!). I tried my best to enjoy the organiser role, force myself to be sociable, upbeat and hyped. The turnout was great and had my fellow colleagues still reminiscing about the event this week.

Next party in line will be the "Bring a fren night" on 6 August, which I am scouting for eligible (good looking is a plus) male bachelors to bring for the party. This stems from the wild champagne night we had not too long ago…. Well, married aunties don't have single eligible male friends right. The best is already TAKEN, sealed with a marriage stamp by me :p Since I don't have supply, I better volunteer myself maybe in the food committee. So if you happen to be a very eligible male, reading this blog (?? haha), please contact me urgently. We have hot girls and hot food guaranteed.

The ramblings could go on forever… we have a relative visiting from the States, whipping up superb Viet cuisine these days for us at home. So it's seriously jeopardising my diet plans. Did I also mention recently, I have upgraded myself to the passenger seat right next to Daddy J, who can now easily hold my hand while driving? I have reclaimed my husband and the kids are doing fine at the back by themselves, yeah!

Treasure Hunt - Found!

2011-07-21T13:12:00.001+08:00

I was troubled for more than a week plus, hunting high and low, everywhere for the remote control in my room. We asked Shawn, 'did you see the remote control?'. He looked at us, wide eyed, "NO." I was quite prepared to resign myself to squating in front of the TV and punching the buttons manually.

I wonder who is the cruel person behind this. Indeed cruel.

Boxing Day

2011-07-20T16:15:00.000+08:00

Guys think nothing of this. The mother (muah) look on in horror when you find something like this at home! Gulp X 3. Sometimes it's hard to be a cool mom.

J's 38th and counting

2011-07-19T12:43:00.001+08:00

I have kilos piling from all the July birthday celebrations. A few days after Alyssa, is J's 38th birthday! Ooh whoo, someone is pushing 40 soon, gulp. Like any other year, i always had to rack my brains over gift and venue. Only when you have to ponder over such things, you get to realize what type of person this hubby of mine is. He is a simple, down to earth, what you see is what you get type of person who seemingly have NO WANTS. He doesn't hanker after expensive things and rolls his eyes at the mountain high of impractical stuff i get. His tag line to me is always, "please nothing expensive for my birthday!"

Presents aside, i also made reservation in a Japanese restaurant, touted to be in a class of its own. It lives up to its reviews that you are truly paying pittance for top notch sushi & sashimi flown in every day. I wanted an experience for J, whom i know will truly enjoy the finesse of the Omakase at Shinji. It was a restaurant that you sit back and eagerly wait for what's next to tantalize your taste buds. It is a place you go to when you want to impress someone and of course i so badly want to impress J right ? :) It is also the first where you wouldn't have your own sauce plate of soya and wasabi. Everything is dictated to perfection by the chef. We had our blackberry kept, no interruption, just 2 of us and good food.

Happy happy Birthday! To a man with a beautiful wife *wink wink* and 2 little precious !

Alyssa 1st Birthday Finale

2011-07-16T15:58:00.002+08:00

The weather was fantastic for a barbecue at the rooftop. I have to admit, behind the scenes, we had to activate a battalion of helpers to get everything up 4 storey high. Each walked some 10 times up down.

Light cool breeze, clear blue sky as we gaze at the orange sun setting away in a distance. 2 families get together for Alyssa's 1st birthday. We popped champagne, got the grill going and we were lucky enough to catch the NDP rehearsal of airplanes soaring by, complete with fireworks later in the night.

Alyssa was in sobs when the kiddos started to invade her cake...... with their fingers, saliva, kisses of breath.

Happy happy birthday, Alyssa! From Daddy, mummy, grandparents, great grand parents, aunties, uncle, cousins..... You have a big troop at home, dear!

Powder Poof

2011-07-15T02:00:00.001+08:00

I repeat : I am a vanity junkie. I like to try out new stuff and chuck them if I don't like it. I love talking about them too. I have 2 core friends that I regularly yak to them about so that relieves a bit of blog space and hide the fact that I am that vain.

Today's vanity highlight is this loose powder that I call it my new holy cow. It's sooo finely milled, that it's a tad messy to handle. When you take off the cap, you can see poof , the powder goes up in a mist smoke like. I have to hold my breath (fear of ingesting). Yes, it's that incredible. This 100% mineral silica powder softens the appearance of imperfections. It goes on colorless so one universal shade for all skin tones.

It is to be used with a fluffy brush, tap off the excess and sort of dust lightly over your skin (less is more). The effect is soft matte. The price is so terribly reasonable that everyone should just try it !

Having a life

2011-07-14T08:50:00.001+08:00

When I start seeing Alyssa make her toddler steps this week, it becomes clearer and easier to understand why my inlaws insist on calling Alyssa to their room every night. We go through this almost every single day since Alyssa was born. Basically, there is a 2 minute discussion every night, about who gets to sleep with Alyssa (yeah, it's unbelievable). Potentially, the last baby of our household, my inlaws cling on to this priceless time.

Since the kiddos were born which was celebrated with a big bang (how often do you have 2 daughter in laws pregnant at the same time living together?), my inlaws no longer have a life of their own. They sold their business and the kids became their life. The kids' stories become their daily stories. The kids' laughter become their smiles. The kids' cries become their frowns. The kids' illnesses become their worries. The kids' milestones become their achievements. Some grandparents would dread this "imprisonment" but ours, relish in it everyday.

J & I have kids because we truly want them. Not because we are married or my inlaws desire for them. Our every day living is simple, uncomplicated and plain happy. After we get off work at 6pm, we spend the rest of the night with the kids. We sit down and play with them literally. We don't have (can be also read as "want") our personal space or time apart. Just the 4 of us. Things seemingly mundane, can be so beautiful. That is the life I want and living it now.

Prelude to the big ONE birthday

2011-07-11T10:16:00.001+08:00

Daddy J has specially requested for this to be posted on the blog for memories. A little something that he has done up for our girl's big ONE birthday. I was surprised to receive this in my mailbox last week. He had the invite emailed to the family (gee, grandparents do have email accounts too) and printed for distribution (at home ?! haha).

To the kids, I have to say the best ever birthday present they can have every year, is their Daddy. Ever so sweet and thoughtful in everything he does for them (and me!). One thing you can be sure is, he never says he is too busy. It simply does not exist in his dictionary.

I even have a gracious satay man (read BIL) "volunteer" for the upcoming event. Thank you all for making my girl's day, which I know is gonna be a beautiful one. Praying for great weather.

Lunar Birthday - Alyssa

2011-07-04T17:59:00.005+08:00

Alyssa's Lunar Birthday, 4th July 2011. How is it done in our household ? A Chinese tradition that the grandparents stick on for all the kids.

2 gigantic ang ku kuehs for her first steps to ever lasting of good luck and popularity. The cool and oily feel made her squirm and yelp in protest. Next, jumbo drumstick. She was pretty terrified by the huge drumstick planted near her lips for abundance of good food.

She pondered for quite some time. Looked, stared, a couple of false alarms before clearly settling for the .....

The calculator wins the race. Well, looks like we might just have another book-keeper down the line.

Alyssa celebrating her big ONE. The clock is ticking away fast and surely. It has been such a blissful crusade that i always tell myself to count and deposit them in the Memory Bank. That is what makes us SUPER rich today.

Love is Reciprocal

2011-06-30T15:28:00.003+08:00

Love is reciprocal. At least at this moment.

He could be playing with his toys and out of blue chimes, 'Mummy, I love you".
He tells my husband often enough, "I like your wife".

Neat.

Girls Night Out - 24 June 2011

2011-06-26T15:13:00.006+08:00

Champagne, tipple of cocktail shots, Champagne and more shots. Our watches ticked 1am, husbands' messages start buzzing. "Time to come home" beeped J, "It's 1am, get home, you girls are drunk" beeped another hubby.

After a couple of drinks, we were ready to pose for the camera, dance, talk crap and make hell lot of noise. Amongst us were a :
- hot globetrotter (WT)
- newly stay at home ~~mom~~ tai tai enjoying her freedom (WL)
- de-stresser back from non-stop biz travels (SK)
- hyped up banker (Yvonne)
- wholesome mummy of 2 v. handsome boys (TC)
- and the bimbo-licious (SY)

The good about rooftop bars is you can drink under the sky, smoke, dance and yet able to hear each other out over the din. In a half sober state, we hugged goodnights to a close at 3am. When you let the mummies out, you can't count on them to get home on time.

The big 5

2011-06-23T09:27:00.007+08:00

Whenever i am bored, i start doing a lot of skincare purchases. So indeed i was bored last week with J being away which escalated the Korean skincare fever. All his fault.

I like reading blog posts about skincare products that withstand through times, meaning suckers like us just keep going back for more. List compiled by a hardcore skincare junkie (i like!), check out the big 5.

http://hope-inablog.com/coreana/cosmetic-products-that-will-withstand-the-test-of-time/

Out of 5, i have been using 2 from time to time over the years and now test driving the 3rd. Woohooo, makes me feel i am doing something right for the past 10 years. Hahaha.

1) SKII facial treatment essence (FTE)

Not sure what this do and why it's so darn hot. Well, it's effortless to splash it on my face, why not. I've been through 2-3 bottles of it over the years. An item i tend to go back to for some reason. It makes me feel refreshed.

2) Estee Lauder advanced night repair

I like it for anti-aging purposes. Strengthen skin, give it a boost of antioxidants. But a friend of mine complained it gave her bumps.

3) Sulwhasoo First Care Serum

I have been test driving this for one week now which replaces my finished SKII facial treatment essence.

I like it better than SKII FTE as its a light fluid that provides more hydration and makes the skin supple! The claims of what this product does is so overwhelming that i would not repeat here but you can check it out at their website. This is supposedly the holy grail product that can be used in 100 ways. I am using this as the first step to enhance deeper penetration of my other skincare products and prep, soften the skin after cleansing with my Clarisonic (still the love of mine). This will be a staple on my dressing table. SKII FTE? move aside please.

Have fun and enjoy these hot stuff! Wallet unfriendly but physcially and mentally soothing :)

While J was away

2011-06-23T08:22:00.002+08:00

While J was away last week, things were back to their slight malfunctioning state.

I managed to scrap a deep deep gash across our car handle (listen, it's the handle, not side mirror) against the pillar while parking in a relatively large parking lot. That's how close i was (read as sucky) and how i did it, i have no idea but it took me a good 10 minutes trying to reverse without burning the side mirrors (too) which i was proud of.

Shawn didnt poop for 4 days. He needs his Daddy for his night poop. Needless to say, his pearlies were left pretty much in their original state as on the day J left.

I missed all ERP magic timings by minutes and paid my way through morning & night.

In the name of boredom without J, god knows how many online purchases i've made. Well, J can have a closer look when the credit card bill comes round NEXT month.

I think that's about all for 4 days.

Alyssa 11 months

2011-06-21T08:00:00.001+08:00

For some reason when you have a girl, you look at her in microscopic details from the hair, brows, eyes, lips to even toe nails trying to find some sort of resemblance. To find a part of me in her. At least, she has my very straight hair (which i now have messy waves that make my hair stick out all the time).

She is 2 shades darker than me (where did the birds nest go??) with faint dark eye circles under her peepers. Her defined brows and sparkly big round eyes has made her the hottest girl at home. She is on a fashion parade, all thanks to shopper Dad. I love those dollops of baby fats on her and addicted to smelling her face. She drools and drools, happy flashing her toothy grins all the time.

Never has a day passed without us, hailing her with darling, pretty, dear, baby, sweetie, the list goes on.....

It's good to have him BACK

2011-06-20T08:34:00.001+08:00

With Daddy J back from biz trip, it feels good to start the week together. It's a beautiful Monday. The kids and i have missed him so much.

Counting down to her big ONE year old mark next month. She has started her wobbly first steps. In the meantime, she bulldozes her way around the house with her push walker. See her face instantly light up when you cheer her on.

Mister Shawn is growing every bit like me. Sometimes, I could even feel him knowing me inside out, just by looking into my eyes. He put words to my thoughts. To a point where i tell Daddy J to tackle him the way he does with me. If he's good with Mummy, he can do his magic the same way with Shawn.

My Son has a Super Power

2011-06-17T11:02:00.001+08:00

When you chance upon something as powerfully written as this, it is impossible not to share.

http://www.theredneckmommy.com/2010/11/01/my-son-has-a-super-power/

Hang in there, babe

2011-06-16T23:30:00.002+08:00

There was a low point in my life. Pits. I get into the office with a heavy heart and brink of tears with family problems. My best friend SK, always intuitive, drags me to a nearby cafe. Our hideout for super bad times. We smoke, we talk our hearts out. We get over and trudge on with our lives.

I thought there will never be light at the end of the tunnel. It was bleak. But it did pass. I always believe with every down, there comes the UP. Just hang in there, my friend.

Hera Sun Mate

2011-06-15T10:16:00.010+08:00

I am still sucked into this Korean skincare frenzy and keep going back for more. Trust me, it's another jungle (a beautiful one) out there.

Today's highlight, sunblock. Everyone needs a sunblock, yes everyone. It's not about pigmentation or freckles but about anti-aging, wrinkles and basically protecting our skin.

With our humidity, European sunblocks literally melt and slaps on our face like a mud mask. You get this grease or stickiness lingering. I live with it and still "sunblocking" every day that I feel almost naked without it at times. This week, I started test driving my first Korean sun block, Hera Sun Mate Daily SPF 35 PA++. Out of the tube, comes a peachy colored serum-feel lightweight cream that glides on the face comfortably. After a few minutes, it settles well to satin matte - slight dewy finish. With SPF 35, this is more than enough for daily wear. What I love about this is that it is also a makeup base that helps with correcting of the skin tone. Brightens the skin without the grease factor. The thing i hate to admit is this might give my newly acquired Cleu de Peau primer, a run for it's money.

The con is you probably can't adjust back to the conventional European sunblocks anymore. Another thumbs up for the up&coming Korean beauty finds. It has made me a convert today.

Caveat: if it is your own face that is spewing oil, there is little this can do to absorb the excess oil :p

Bringing 3D to home

2011-06-13T18:13:00.002+08:00

Don't you just marvel at technology? 3D movie at the comfort of your home. The kids were stunned, excited and simply thrilled. Rapunzel came to life. Gavriel got so excited that he almost charged at the TV. The mother in me is not exactly that happy about this latest gadget.

Help breeds Laziness

2011-06-10T10:51:00.000+08:00

There are times I wonder what life will be like without maids (since our house has a need of up to 4 helpers now). I have seen how live-in maids practically run the households of most families these days. They spearhead the marketing, cooking, washing, childcare and for some, even sharing the bed with the husband (oops, of course that’s a typo. I mean children). I see how families need them at home, at restaurants, at parks/beach, at church, at hospital, basically everywhere, except Universal Studio (because entrance fee cost too much :p Haha).

What does it gives us? Personal time and careers so that we can proudly say we are working mothers that have it all. It's such an illusion to believe so but we do, at least in Singapore. We are planning for a family holiday and I can tell you, there was a fleeting (I swear just a split second thought) whether should we bring a helper along since we now have 2 young children (one who is still not sleeping through). What a bummer excuse and I was rebuking myself for even harbouring such a thought. Can I not survive parenthood without a helper? What is this? I have become so lazy that even on a holiday, I need a maid to fly with me? I was angry at myself, angry that maids have become important in my children's lives.

I confess I do harbor sardonic thoughts from time to time about not having maids, the IMpossibility of living a decent family life without maids. That will force me to quit my job (that's for sure). That will force me to roll up my sleeves to cook, iron and wash. That will force me to be a mother, not one that just gives instruction. The dream combination should be part-time help that does a bit of cleaning/ironing but not living in a household that becomes part of my life. That will change the today me.

Boy boy Girl girl

2011-06-06T17:47:00.000+08:00

The boys do what boys do.

We can do a girl team sooooon.

Pearly White

2011-06-03T16:19:00.000+08:00

J has a tooth that needs major repair, which the dentist recommends overall teeth whitening before crowning the bad tooth. So this is a case of teeth whitening by necessity. He comes back with a whitening kit that comes in 6 tubes, which he just needs 2.5 tubes.

J: There is extra for you. Let's do together
SY: Erh, no thanks man. I am scared of pain!
J: There is no pain
SY: Yah right, I am not so sure about that :p

Then he rattles off a list of diet restrictions that causes tooth sensitivity. The biggest one being no wine for 2 weeks. Wait, first I have no drinking buddy for 2-3 weeks then next, if I do it after him, that’s another 2 weeks for us. Hmm, then it makes sense for both us to whiten our teeth and suffer together!

So there we have, husband and wife whitening our teeth every night. One by necessity and the other by convenience. :)

Beauty find : Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Cream

2011-06-03T10:53:00.000+08:00

This week, I have started test driving the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Cream! It's Korean and I am in one of those adventurous mood as usual.

The gem revealed. The Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Cream, a revitalising cream that delivers nutrient rich Ginseng to the deepest layers to the skin. Ideal for reducing the traces of aging, boost elasticity and combat dullness. Ginseng berry, which only grows on matured ginseng that is more than four years old, is known to fortify the skin barrier red ginseng sap, on the other hand, is extracted from six-year-old ginseng roots and carefully brewed to optimize the skin-regenerating effects of the cream. It sounds so yummy for the skin. And of course for such miracle sounding cream, it comes with a hefty price tag. But then again, there is no logic in the beauty industry right.

New finds like these make me feel good about spending. Oops.

Dad Vs Mom

2011-06-02T10:38:00.002+08:00

When I was away the whole week, the kids were in good hands of my husband. He's pretty much in control of everything. From their medications, meals (he feeds Shawn every dinner), reading, brushing their teeth right up to bedtime with 2. I last heard they even went to the club for swimming. Yes, we do have help at home but with or without, he's fine doing it alone too. I was totally impressed when I learnt that daily reading lessons with Shawn continue without a glitch and he even had shopping done for Alyssa's apparel dept.

Now that J's away, I can't really say the same. Firstly, I forget things all the time (badly). I just realised I have not given Shawn his multivits or lunch box for 2 days now. Reading lessons? Oops, how possible with Alyssa crying for attention or making sure she doesn't start eating some foreign objects? Shawn quizzed why he doesn't need to brush his teeth every night? Erh, took me 10secs to reply, "dear, they look clean to me". Basically we live in a "make-do", "get by" situation till J returns.

Well, I just have to try harder each time J is away.

The Blue Trip

2011-05-31T23:26:00.004+08:00

Our Bergen office calls it the Blue Trip, for "out of the blue". Nobody (except the organising committee) knows where we would be heading out to. Last year, they were up in the mountains and this year, by the sea. A quaint little restaurant, accessible only by ferry / boat which serves the freshest catch of the day.

It was one thing to dine by the sea but quite another to be in one that makes you feel like you are in the middle of the sea, with seagulls soaring in a distance under rays of sunshine at 8pm. Picture perfect. It was the first time i tried butter sprinkled generously with sea salt on bread that gives it such a burst of flavor. Learnt about the Norwegian tradition of having a medium bodied red wine with white fish (scoffed by the French) and polishing up the meal with a stiff cognac. It was truly enjoyable to spend some time mingling with my Norwegian colleagues. Food, wine and a smile breaks all barrier.

A good trip definitely and I'm a lucky gal :) Lots of memories will stay with me many years to come. But i am still more than eager to head home to my babies after one week. So missing my hubby who is flying out the day after i return. Oh man.

Mother Nature

2011-05-30T16:15:00.000+08:00

Along our walk to the Bergen office, right in the city central, you get to see glorious tulips in full bloom. Doesn't it just make your day?

Bergen Day 2 - 3

2011-05-27T04:05:00.002+08:00

Today's weather is 8-12 degrees and our Bergen office has officially started it's summertime which means everyone gets off work at 3.30pm everyday to enjoy an extra hour of the summer. Isn't this called a life? It's bright even at 11pm night.

It's GeREAt in Bergen. The people are warm, sociable and I've been feasting on authentic Norwegian dinners. On my list, I have given a go at whale carparccio and grilled rein deer meat. Fresh seafood like scallops, salmon, caviar was just lip smacking. One thing that i enjoy about dinners in Norway is how the restaurant makes an effort introducing each course of meal, the wine that goes with it. It's a dinner and wine appreciation. I personally enjoy how conversations always revolves around exploring nature, the mountains and what they do OUTSIDE of work. Be it at meetings or dinners, I see, hear and learn new things just by talking to them.

Tomorrow is our Bergen's office annual social event. Venue is kept confidential and has always been a surprise. In fact everyone is hyped about tomorrow. The only hint is to dress warm. Last year they were up in the mountains and this year some are guessing we could be out in the sea. Looking forward.

Bergen day 1

2011-05-24T22:47:00.003+08:00

A quiet day by myself roaming the city centre of Bergen before my 3 day meeting. It's cold, just nice to wrap yourself in a coat, hands tucked into the pockets and breathe in. It's all about walking and more walking in Europe. But I am loving the chill, taking in the sights. Sunshine, light showers of rain, cloudy and burst of strong winds that changes by the hour.

What's for lunch? Seafood hot broth with bread on the side. Mussels, salmon, shrimps, veg in a very rich tasting broth. Warm indeed. Paired with a glass of chardonnay *burp*. After a good lunch, I took a stroll along the pier, do a bit of peoplewatch, marvel at the houses up in the mountains. Hours passed, my legs keep track of the time well for me to head back to the hotel.

Biz Trip

2011-05-22T18:00:00.000+08:00

With the food poisoning incident behind us now, i can leave for my business trip in peace.

Counting a 20 hour flight including transits to Norway Bergen, i probably have time to count my hair even. A week long of cold weather and cold food.

I heard the place is simply beautiful. Not expecting a stressful week.

Exfoliate, exfoliate , exfoliate

2011-05-18T17:12:00.004+08:00

Exfoliants have always been a favorite and staple on my dressing table. I have gone through bottles of it over the last decade. Flip those Taiwanese magazines, you see the magic word 去角質 for brighter, smoother and radiant skin popping everywhere. Each just has to find the best combination on frequency and type of exfoliation. There is a host of effective exfoliators in the market and gone are the days of our Mummy's times where you hear of scary acid burns (yawn).

A few good options to add into anyone's beauty regime. Goes on after cleanser before serums and moisturisers.

1) Neostrata Ultra Smoothing Lotion
Light lotion texture and is mild for everyday use. Great for sun damaged skin, promotes cell renewal.

2) Paula's Choice 2% BHA lotion or liquid
BHA can get through the oil that's clogging your pores and helps to get rid of those horrid tiny bumps. This is my all time favorite. The lotion texture is velvety soft feel and immediately dries to a matte finish. For the lotion phobic ladies, the liquid would do beautifully.

I alternate between the 2 type of exfoliants, depending on skin condition. Admittedly I've been lazy these days (extremely)... and i start to see yeeky bumps. And when your hubby ask why you start to have bumps, you basically FLIP and FREAK OUT for a skincare junkie. Time to EXFOLIATE! And being ladies, we just keep on trying new stuff to keep ourselves feel alive that we are DOING something right?

Latest hot buy:

Obagi Triple Peel 10, only available in Japan market (but who is stopping us with internet these days? :p). No tingling sensation or irritation. Surprisingly mild feel. A few pumps to the cotton pad, swipe / massage across face and neck.

I could even rub off some dead skin cells with my fingers thereafter. Perfect for skin rejuvenation.

If you have bump woes, go for BHA. Otherwise, this would do beautifully to even out skin tone for a radiant healthy skin.

3 day 2 nites - Hotel Thomson

2011-05-17T11:21:00.001+08:00

Weekend getaway at Hotel Thomson is not something we take delight in. With Shawn's vomitting and diarrhea runs had us back to keep him hydrated with the IV drip. Our brave little boy still manages to keep his spirits high with his endless banter and smiles. Only one word for him, BRAVE and that certainly makes the parents, us, less stressed.

He has his TV. We have our magazines, internet, beer and chips. I was almost guilty about still having an appetite for some authentic Penang food in a nearby Penang cafe (hidden gem in Novena) while Shawn hasn't been able to eat. The episode is over and we are glad to pack for home. We've got an immediate task now, fattening Shawn up! Kilos please. Dear God, I surrender my tummy fats (kilos of it) to Shawn, please take them preferably within the next 2 weeks. Amen.

Shawn's first lunch box

2011-05-12T16:10:00.000+08:00

I try to be a romantic parent at heart. I have started packing little knick knacks for Shawn's afternoon tea break in a super duper cute lunch box. Although I don't cook their meals, this is something I can manage day to day. Cookies, sandwiches, marshmallows, chocs, jelly beans, or whatever I can grab hold of the night before. Yes (!), that's a chocolate bar spotted in his lunchbox (left pic) and cold drinks are permitted.

Surprise in a lunch box. And I plan to slip a note (simple words or a verse) in his lunchbox when he can read better. The same for Alyssa in time to come. Just a way to be part of our children's day although Mummy is physically at work.

Cooling Off Day

2011-05-07T20:32:00.001+08:00

The day was unbearably hot. Pump up the rubber pool, bring on the swimsuits and hoses of cold water. Truly the cooling off day.

Alyssa is coming to 10 months (going through bad hair day phase). She crawls, walks with support, bites and perspires with air con on full blast. She has voiced her first words, "mum mum". Not for Mummy but rather for food. Want her to kiss you ? Just twitch your mouth like you are eating something, she will immediately kiss you on your lips in hope to catch a bit of that morsel. That's how serious she is with food. The irony is Shawn's first words were "bird, bird" and well, he truly eats like a bird. I gather God is fair.

She is fiesty and defends herself well against the kiddos. She hollers for help when ruffled. That sets my mind at ease. As with any other pacifier addict, the most irritating of this habit is they cry in the middle of the night when their pacifier goes missing. I was certainly amused when J placed 2 pacifiers (left & right) in her cot hoping that she can just "help herself to them". Neh, she just screams her lungs out for her pacifier, demanding that you dutifully get up from your slumberland.

The good is at the end of the day, 10pm sharp, our 2 little ones are tucked into bed. J & me resume our night with TV, a chat, a drink or just listening in to some cheesy Dick Lee/Hossan Leong YouTube videos for a laugh.

Our Start to Literacy

2011-05-05T17:41:00.010+08:00

Shawn, who taught you how to read

Mummy !

To be precise, Shawn is not quite there yet to read independently. But we have officially started our journey more systematically to literacy 1.5 months ago and making good progress that is enough to make me hoot. I have to emphasize it didn't matter whether a kid speaks at 2 or 3 year old, whether a kid reads at 4 or 6 year old because at the end of the day, you can be sure somehow they will speak, they will read. But rather where do we stand in their learning days? We are their best teachers if we put our hearts into it because we learn to watch them, watch their signs, basically get to know them inside out. I hope at the end of it all, my boy can proudly tell everyone, my parents taught me. Well, ego mom.

It's English for a start. Simply because that's the easiest. We tackled phonics head on with just 1 tool, Leapfrog Letter Factory DVD. That was caught on instantly and saved any work we need to do about basic phonics sounds of the 26 alphabets. Whew!

Stage 2 : Reading lessons begin! I checked out highly acclaimed titles like Reading made Easy and How to teach your child to read in 100 lessons which left me confused. We settled with The Reading Lesson: Teach Your Child to Read in 20 Easy Lessons that should bring us through end of the year. The book is great and we ran with it ever since. Phonics is not king as there are a good bunch of English words that can't be sounded out so we have our good old Peter & Jane Ladybird Key Word series to go along.

The Walk
As easy as it may sound, first 2 weeks was hell although it's just 20mins every night. Shawn was not used to his parents wearing the "teacher's hat" suddenly and why is Mom asking him to read since every night, he gets fab stories being READ TO him instead. There was resistance and patience was tested every single day. It finally broke after 2 weeks. The next thing you know, Shawn was asking me why there is no reading lesson if we miss a night or 2. The ball started rolling and I last caught him reading out loud the Peter & Jane book by himself. In the 2 weeks, we pushed on by:

1) setting a timer to get him off his playtime
2) daddy and mummy both by his side (this helped us more than it helped him)
3) just 20mins and he is a FREE boy
4) he gets to choose a sticker every night to mark the page done

The beauty of it all, every time you cross a hurdle, it brings you closer to your little one simply because we have worked it out with him. Excited, J is now thinking about teaching him how to swim. *Gulp* honey, i don't think it's such a good idea.

Shawn's first sketch

2011-05-04T08:24:00.000+08:00

One of those moments I've been waiting for. What might his first drawing be?

A home, the 4 of us.

Election Bonding Time

2011-05-02T18:56:00.006+08:00

Don't you just love elections? Funny, lots of juice, gossips and you can go on forever at the family dining table. We know little about our GDP growth or how much potential losses GIC has chalked up but lots of other nitty gritty snippets.

Whose the choice? Snippets of our best (some complete with dramatic behavior) at the dining table:

For the past 20+ years, it's always FOR OPPOSITION. Oppose for the sake of opposing. Followed on by rattling off a long list of relatives' names who would do likewise.

I just choose the symbol i see most pleasing to the eye. And definitely it's not that hammer. I only like the lightning.

Of course PAP! My HDB value is at stake and we want to get into Tao Nan. Don't play play hor. I am not so suicidal.

Ain't it obvious? Definitely the prettier one right? How can you have someone who tells the entire Singapore that not going to Universal Studio is her life's biggest regret?

{in a most serious tone} Don't try to be funny. My grandchildren's schooling is at stake. This is then the big picture!?!? They will "mark" you.

I am voting for opposition, so must you because you are my wife !?? {no prizes for guessing who's that}

People who vote for opposition are BAD PEOPLE {proceeded with an elaborate act of tearing up the flyer of the opposition party}

Well, we definitely don't seem like the most intelligent bunch around discussing election issues. But we are your typical Singaporeans that guessing each other's "secret vote of 5 years" is also a form of thrill to our otherwise mundane life. Just for laughs. Looking forward to 7 May 2011.

News, history, worms

2011-05-02T16:32:00.009+08:00

Almost everyday, i see tag lines in the newspapers and Internet that read "live with the consequences" and "for the next 5 years, live and repent". You feel like child being blasted by your parents on reality discipline. Well i sure thought it is a great disciplinary tactic on my budding 3yr+ old toddler (a strategy i actively practice all the time). But hey the Mummy here is 33 (!), so seriously i don't need this down my throat every day.

The great about the GE, is everyone wants to say something and all the worms start crawling out, which by chance led me to a write-up on Dr Lim Hock Siew. The second longest held political prisoner. I watched his speech twice (banned of course but if you search hard enough, you will find it), mesmerised by this soft spoken gentleman who gave me the biggest lesson of my life. A medical doctor who paid a price of 2 decades behind bars for his integrity, ideals and convictions. A lock-up that is even longer than a life sentence for heinous crimes. He stood firm, he faced the consequences (silly to the practical) and lastly, he didn't repent for sure to our great leader. He has definitely shown me what is the true meaning of magnanimity.

At the end of the day, we can be God fearing, Parent fearing but certainly not PAP fearing (do you fear your own "servants"). I thank whoever that uploaded the remarkable 20min speech which opened my eyes and heart to something more, which also means i wouldn't be touching a copy of MM Lee's book, our great leader standing on high moral grounds, in the foreseeable future.

5.5 day work week

2011-04-28T17:55:00.004+08:00

Anyone work 5 1/2 day week these days ? How do you feel working half day on Saturdays ? I mean you can work a couple of hours and then it's free time to enjoy with the family (you can still have a lot of bonding after that). So what's the issue? Still sucks big time? Enough for you to raise your hands and exclaim what a crap job?

Our children goes to school Monday to Friday too. Interestingly, do our children "work" a 5 day week or 5.5 day week too?

Over the long weekend, we were in the vicinity of Parkway Parade. I would say it's one of the enrichment galore locations on weekends. Cars were snaking in to drop kids off.

It was a very beautiful day. Glorious weather, the sun is up, the skies are clear blue. Why are the kids not out just enjoying the entire day? Why are they "working" that extra 0.5day on Saturdays/Sundays? A dip in the pool, a cycle, a game, the beach, the sand, the park, whatever.

Unfathomable choice because our society dictates it as the norm. Well it sure does sound really "normal" because they are having lots of fun enriching themselves remember? Yawn. My turn will come one day, maybe, one of those cars in the snake queue :p

Less is More

2011-04-28T13:25:00.001+08:00

The way I share about my life with the 2 little ones, a friend asked if it's because Alyssa is a much easier baby. I mull over it a bit. It wasn't because Alyssa is 'easier' and neither was there more help the second time round. What was the difference?

Simply our own attitude and expectation. Less uptight, less possessive, less anal, and most importantly, just being less perfect.

What goes in?

2011-04-27T10:41:00.000+08:00

Everything goes into her mouth. Apart from licking the floor, i have to give it to her (for super yucks! stunt) in enjoying the carpet fur and that of our dog Polo. With her hands wet with saliva, she plucks at the carpet and the next thing you know, her mouth is twitching and eating. She was also caught relishing a very long strand of hair during one of her treasure hunt.

I try to play it cool, what goes in will come out anyway right?? so its no biggie, really.

Days at home

2011-04-26T11:23:00.002+08:00

Have i said this before, i truly truly dislike business trips. Scheduled to fly Bergen in mid May, i will have to leave my very young children behind. I badly need a break from work and just be with the kids full time at home, so here i am, 3 days of leave. I always feel this way before biz travels. Oh well, it's a mother's thing. Love fuels guilt, guilt fuels even more love.

I have been at home, carrying Alyssa, hovering by her side, kissing her, hugging her and yet again continue carrying her till her nap time. Making my presence known, felt and held. Basically i am doing what full time working moms can't afford to do on any usual weekday. By 5pm, we take a stroll to great grandfather's house, lounge in the garden, pick at the leaves (the kiddos cook up a storm with banana leaves, making their "nasi lemak"), play with the dogs before we wash up for dinner. It was an entourage of 4 kids, 1 dog, 3 helpers and my mother in law shuttling between the 2 houses.

MIL: isn't it such a lovely sight to have so many of us occupying the entire street?

SY: erh , yup, the kids happiest

MIL: it's rare to have a big family like this these days

Honestly i am not sure what will be the ending of this big household story in years to come. But we live each day to our best in this place called HOME.

Muaks muaks

2011-04-25T00:21:00.000+08:00

I get big big bear hugs that suffocates me with his almighty strength everyday now. He kisses me on my lips, clasp my face in his hands and proclaims, "i love you, Mummy" many times in a day. He's terribly affectionate and big with actions.

As i joked to J today, i am torn among the 3 of them, seemingly the most popular. Shawn toppling me over, Alyssa clamoring to my side and J holding my hand.

Muaks!

On my nightstand

2011-04-24T16:34:00.002+08:00

Novels that trace history and bring it to life are a breath of fresh air. They make you fall in love all over with history. Characters that haunt us, stay with us after each read inspire our everyday is then time well spent.

It's bliss to have my nightstand burning every night with just good reads.

2 Holding 2

2011-04-20T05:01:00.000+08:00

Every day when I take a peek at her, she seems a little larger. It is scary to see the 2 little kids growing leaps & bounds. In another 3 months time, Alyssa will be crossing her very first year mark.

Officially, I will be a mother of two toddlers. I will graduate from babydom which has indeed come fairly easy this time round with Alyssa being the classic text book baby. Always easy, happy, well fed (don't you love seeing kids EAT?) and sleeps like a baby of course. I don’t even have teething episodes to share (her 5th and 6th teeth sprouting out this week) either.

It has just been a happy, fulfilling 2 children family walk in these nine months counting.

Sick

2011-04-17T16:14:00.001+08:00

Flashing 39 - 40 degrees for 2 full days. A terrible throat and a fever that makes your bones go all achy. Ouch! The fever finally broke on the 3rd. I didn't step out of my room for 2 days with all meals served. At least when i am sick, i can really fall sick in peace and sleep till i could stomach no more.

At times of such, J holds the fort (because he's less sick than me). I am running a temperature and he is not. He likes going to the doctors and i don't. He's one guy that will insist to go in with you to see the doctor together. I initially thought he must be joking or trying to be funny whenever he says, "i will go in with you to hear what the doc says." Erh, i am not a kid and neither am i old?? But of course i am so used to this by now than to think anything more of it. He takes care of my meals, handle the children, refill my water and takes my temperature. When you are physically at your pits, that person hovering by your side does its magic. You can still feel very blessed and happy when sick, that's the beauty of contentment (finding and collecting).

The worst is over. To a great weekend ahead.

Every sunday is splash time

2011-04-12T09:33:00.002+08:00

the beauty of having a waterproof cam

When it doesn't rain, it's gotta be the pool. Fearless with his arm floats and goggles. Probably time for him to learn some swimming and ditch those floats.

A great Saturday

2011-04-10T15:43:00.003+08:00

Friday nights are always great, the prelude to a beautiful weekend. We get all excited, dim the lights, blast a movie and snack on the bed together. I call this our Movie Night Friday. No bedtime rules, no books, just junk food and the TV box.

Rise and shine at 9am to check out a new breakfast place, The Tanglin Tree . A chic establishment that serves a hearty meal of streaky bacon, sausages, grilled tomatoes with baked beans and eggs! Alyssa is an angel so long she has her snacks (practicing away her pincer grip) while Shawn busy himself at the tree house playground just few steps away. It's quiet, the food is great, the kids have a blast. I could do this every Saturday.

We got home to set up our latest buy. Hours of play ensue in this little rocket tent before all of us take a short nap.

Refreshed and ready for a dinner get-together with a bunch of friends. The good about having friends over is the kids self entertain (read it's ok to bring the house down) while we adults could do with some catching up over drinks and feast on food like crabs, prawns which takes skill and a long time to accomplish.

It was a Saturday filled with good couple time, kids time, friends' time, a bit of reading and plenty of rest all in 24 hours. What a blessed Saturday.

Following the Herd

2011-04-08T16:57:00.000+08:00

I am a faithful follower of homeschooling blogS. I ravished the book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger mother at one sitting. You could hardly find any similarity between the two but they whet my appetite. Why?

Simply because I admire these mothers for their strength and their courage to go against the grain. It takes a lot to step out of your comfort zone, face up to criticisms from the ignorant (read people like you and me). They don't follow the herd, they work hard for their beliefs. How many of us could actually do that? Mention the word homeschooling in Singapore to any mother (which I once did), she gasp, 'oh, the children are such poor things.' Wait, shoving our kids to childcare minded by strangers are preferred over the love of a mother homeschooling her children? Hmmm.

Being part of the herd is easy. I have my foot in the herd cohort, but relish in drawing strength from those who are not. This must have been on my subconscious mind when yesterday J's reply to me over something was, 'it's standard.' On my mind and out came, 'what do you mean by standard? How can it be standard? Why is it standard? There is no such thing called standard in this world if you believe and do otherwise?'

I guess he must be thinking, wow, where did that come from?

Alyssa 9 months

2011-04-07T20:42:00.004+08:00

Photo taken @ 7mths old

She does a frown when Shawn bear hugs her. At times, she looks upon me expectantly to reprove him when he's a tad clumsy with her. She shares his toys by putting everything in sight into her mouth, giving a good lick to everything. For the record, toys are only washed once in a blue moon and Alyssa is giving them a good bath of her saliva every night. This is nothing compared to what Alyssa does in the living room, licking the marble floor just like Polo, my jack russell (whom she is wary of, vice versa).

Did I mention she's crawling on all fours for a while now? Gone are the days where you have a baby doing just flips. She has 4 teeth sprouting in 1 week and a bite that will make you go "ouch, what's that?!"

Truce

2011-04-05T08:38:00.002+08:00

Before we got married, we fight over real issues, feelings, over heart of the matters. After marriage and 2 kids, we call it a TRUCE for some time now till last Saturday, both of us were thundering at each other along one of the aisles in Giant supermarket. How glamorous can that be! Fighting over the choice of Mamy poko or Pampers?! Yes, that's how ludicrous it was. A spate of angry words exchanged.

Well, it sure didn’t make us closer neither did it tear us apart. I have to admit we are just a bunch of idiots (33+37 = 70 years of age) wasting our time bickering for the sake of bickering. One of those days, you pick a fight and fight hard till blue in the face. At the end of it all, you wonder what actually happened?

No see, No touch, Back off

2011-04-01T09:06:00.000+08:00

This is what she does when she sees men and old people. She starts to whimper if you come close and which will quickly progress to wailing if you continue to be within her sight. Oh my, how unfriendly my lily bud has become these days. She is at the "no see, no touch, back off STRANGER" phase. So stay away.

Do,Re,Mi and Fa

2011-03-31T15:50:00.002+08:00

Do, Re, Mi …… and Fa in my arms. J & I with 4 little ones in tow, zilch helper. Like ducklings, they waddle into Polliwogs with me, commanding them to hold hands, careful, take off shoes, put shoes in line, WAIT for me. We had a good 2 hours being 'acting parents' to the brood. How it feels having a large family ? 1 is neat, 2 is a mix, 3 is chaos and 4 is of course a zoo.

But it's plain nice drowning yourself with the kids. They are just so happy all the time.

2 Days Leave

2011-03-28T12:43:00.000+08:00

After some one-on-one time with Alyssa in the morning, we took off with Kat & Shawn to the Universal Studio after school. All thanks to membership passes (gift from J's uncle), we pop in & out of the place whenever we have time (enough to walk the place with eyes closed :p). Best time to visit is always late afternoons where the crowd typically dwindle a tad by then.

Well, i think we sat the carousel round & round 4 times. Rolling my eyes at J when he asks, "another round?" Look, adults past 30 ain't suppose to be doing this on their off days right? The story goes, when you have kids, blah blah blah you know.

Did i mention (again) the kiddos grow horns when together? They scream & screech (!), they dance, they jump, they laugh at every thing in sight. We could hardly agree on the dinner venue since the 3 year olds have a voice now remember. The kids want to eat right in Universal Studio, Daddy J opted for Pregos (no way with the 2, i am civic minded enough to be considerate to other diners). We NEED a children friendly (read : tolerant x10) dinner place that serves fab food. Where?

Tony Roma's. Not only do they serve great ribs, you can ask for a booth far away from the sane and make as much as noise. Ribs, honey wings, mozzarella sticks and big tall Margaritas for the well deserved parents. All of us cleaned our plates, belly filled. The end of Day 1 leave.