Growing Up..

You are getting more chatty these few weeks. You have picked up many new words. Mama is able to understand you better and you seem to understand mama better as well (of cos there were times you understand but refused to listen!). Mama is very pleased with your progress. You are able to identify and call out the names of every member in the family (papa, mama, ah mah, gong gong, jie jie, kuo kuo, puo puo). You are also able to recognise many animals (dog, pig, elephant, rabbit, bird, cat, fish, horse), objects (ball, car, book) and actions (draw, kick, drop, throw). You have also learned to tell mama what you want (yes versus no and Ribena is something which you will always ask for!).

Most importantly, you will tell mama when you need potty for "big business". This is a major milestone which you have achieved. Mama is having bittersweet feeling as I watch you grow. :>


Home @ Hillview

Zoo

We went to the zoo again today, it has been 8 months since your first visit. Mummy has been looking forward to bringing you to the zoo as you seem to like animals and could recognise several animals now.

We invited Charmaine and Chloe jie jie to join us. They always enjoy spending time with you and would even fight among thmselves just to push your stroller! It was a very pleasant afternoon, walking leisurely and enjoying the sightseeing :>

Having a great time at the KidsWorld.

Charmaine and Chloe jie jie

Your signature smile!

Baby Show

Mummy registered you for baby show again when auntie Ann Jee forwarded the details of this event at Jalan Besar CC! We woke up early to get you ready and on time for the event.


Mummy "preparing" you outside the assessment room! Mummy looked so serious, hope you were not under too much pressure!!

When you were being called for assessment by Dr Lee, you were already pretty tired because of the long wait and hot weather. Dr Lee was quite thorough with the assessment. You were being assessed on motor skills (puting different shapes into their respective place, stacking blocks on top on one another), language skills (showing you pictures of bird, apple, bear), balancing (walking and kicking a ball) and diet (which she need not assess at all!!). You cleared all the tests and gave Dr Lee a flying kiss before leaving the room! Maybe the flyng kiss helped, you won the second prize in the healthy baby contest!! Mummy is so proud of you!!


Sound asleep when we went on stage to collect the prizes!


Realised you have won after you woke up from nap at home..:>

Little Guilin

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. We woke up pretty early and went for McDonald breakfast. Then we went to Little Guilin which is close by to our house. Though daddy and mummy live in our current place for several years, this is our first visit to "Xiao Guilin". It is a nice change from our weekend grocery shopping at IMM!

Raffles Marina

Mummy was on leave today and we went to Raffles Marina with Ah Mah, Charmaine JJ and Chloe JJ. As usual, you were in very good mood when leaving the house. When we were there, we had some snacks, spent some time in the games room and watch people bowled. You enjoy going out, regardless of destination, and will refuse to go home. You are getting really playful. Mummy wish you will play hard and work hard as well in future..:>


Enjoying fries at Raffles Marina

Holiday to Bintan

We went to Bintan last weekend with Cuiyi Ah Yi and family. Mummy was looking forward to this short getaway. The ferry ride was quite long (2 hrs +) then followed by bumpy car ride before we reached the resort. Luckily all 3 kids were feeling alright throughout the journey. Though the place was pretty quiet without much activities, you had fun. You played with sand, walked along the beach, sat in the 3-wheeler...


First ferry ride...

"Sayang" Hanah meimei :>

Walking happily towards the kelong restaurant..

Playing sand with Sarah Jie Jie

Strolled along the beach with papa in the evening..

Independence

Mummy notices that you are keen to pick up self-care skills recently. You would want to walk without holding mummy's hand and eat on your own without being fed (of cos mummy has been resisting that as you will mess up the place!). You are really growing up fast. Soon mummy will miss carrying you in my arms..



Sarah's 4th Birthday Party @ Telok Blangah Height

On the Phone

We visited Gong Gong and Puo Puo today and you were extremely chatty. You picked up the handset and started talking. Everyone was amused by what you did and had a good laugh:>

Library

Both daddy and mummy were on leave today and we decided to bring you to the library, hoping to cultivate your reading habit from young! Though you were behaving, we have to leave the library when you started making conversation with jie-jie and kuo-kuo there! They were amused by your eagerness to talk, though no one understands your language!

Special Saturday

It was an activity-packed Saturday. We started the day early - breakfast at Turf Club, followed by visit to Riders' Club. You were excited to see horses for the first time and at such a close distance.

In the afternoon, we visited Uncle Yee Long and Auntie Hwee Zhen. They have not seen you for several months and were really delighted that we brought you to visit them for the first time. Initially, you were walking happily around the house. But your interest level dipped after a while and got impatient. Then we left and adjourned to our next destination - Pierce Reservoir. This is your first time to the reservoir. The place was very lively with people fishing, walking dogs, couple taking wedding pictures, families having picnic etc. You also saw so many monkeys for first time. It was a fruitful day and you had many "first experience" accomplished. :>

Mischievous

You are getting more mischievous and difficult to manage nowadays. You would insist on what you want and refuse to cooperate at times. Mummy is getting worried whether you are getting spoilt with all the attention from everyone who dotes on you. Mummy believes in building your self- confidence by attending to all your needs/wishes. Maybe mummy is wrong! You ended in the washing basin today while mummy was getting ready to get out of the house!



Home @ Hillview

Chance Encounter

It was a nice Sunday afternoon and mummy brought you to the poolside for a walk for the first time since you started walking. While we were approaching the pool, a lady with a big camera on hand started snapping pictures of you. Then mummy found out that she was a guest of our neighbour who had organised a gathering at the clubhouse. She continued to take pictures for you while we were at the poolside. It was a nice encounter and we exchanged contact details before we parted.

Pictures taken by auntie Wendy

Child Care Centre

We went to Wee child care centre today to attend a parental workshop, together with Cuiyi ah yi and Uncle Leng Hong. Mummy was very keen to attend as teachers were there to take care of the children. It was a good opportunity to let you experience as well as assess your readiness to be taken care by an outsider.

We were early and you were very excited when we entered the centre. You were walking up and down the area which is fenced off from the rest of the premises and playing with all the toys displayed.

Before the start of the talk, you were taken to the infant bay since teachers were there to take care of you.

Hanah meimei is the first baby on the left

You started off well but about 40 mins later, you started looking for daddy and mummy and were crying so hard. Mummy felt so bad when I went over to check on you. But it was definitely a good experience for both of us since you will be going to school very soon.

After the talk, we went to Demsy for ice-cream. You got a lot of attention from the waitress, sitting next to Sarah JJ and enjoying yourself :>

Sarah JJ was having yummy yummy ice-cream! Drooling...

Walking with both hands in the air

Mummy came back from Pakistan and brought you out to the shopping mall. You were so excited since you were staying with Ah Mah the last weekend. You were walking around the open area with both hands in the air and very keen to check out all items on display with your new found freedom. Soon we will have difficulty running after you :>

Baby Steps

You have achieved yet another milestone today - walk without support. Mummy was in Karachi for work and Ah Mah told me this great news when I called home. You repeatedly returned to the same starting point after walking certain distance. You must be enjoying the attention and applause and showing off the newly acquired skill. Mummy cannot wait to see it myself and give you a big hug for this :>

Chalet part II

Today we went to another chalet booked by Jiu Jiu at the same place as the one we went two days ago. We were lucky that the weather was good and we were able to go to the pool. You were having so much fun.

Having fun at the pool with Aidan GG and Chloe JJ

Such a rare opportunity to take picture for the two boys sitting side by side

C & C Birthdays

Both Charmaine JJ and Chloe JJ were born in the month of March. This year they celebrated their birthday at Pasir Ris chalet. There were so many kids since it was the weekend before start of one-week school holiday.

Casting - 1st job interview

You went for your 1st job interview today! Auntie Audrey recommended you to her friend, who is a producer and needs a baby model for an advertisement. Mummy agreed to bring you for casting since I knew you would enjoy it. We went there in the evening, with the company of daddy, ah mah and charmaine jj. They were there to cheer you on! When we were at the studio, there were few people waiting for the shooting as well. You were in very good mood and very sociable that evening. When our turn came, mummy handed you over to your 'fake mummy - the female model'. You warmed up pretty fast but were too eager to get down to the floor to play. Obviously you did not understand what the producer wanted you to do! We were making so much noise behind the producer to make you smile. It was a fun evening though unlikely you would get the job!

Baby Sling

Till now, mummy has not mastered the skill of carrying you using the sling, though it was given to me by auntie Jasmine even before you were born. But it has become a "must-have" for auntie Tummy who takes care of you at Ah Mah's house. She will carry you to nearby places using the sling, it certainly helps to reduce the load on her. You look very secure and comfortable in the sling :>

1st Birthday Party

Time flies, you are one year old this weekend. Mummy still remembers vividly how anxious I was the night before you were due for delivery that I stayed awake the whole night waiting for your arrival. One year has passed and you are a "big boy" now! The passed one year was very memorable for both daddy and mummy. We were trying to cope with new responsibilities being first-time parents. We learned many valuable lessons along the way.

Today, we organised a birthday lunch for you at the clubhouse. We are so blessed to have our families and friends to share this happy occasion with.



Your "Thomas & Friends" birthday cake.



Photo taken with Gong Gong and Puo Puo.




Photo with mummy's girlfriends and their daughters.
You were the only "little gentleman" among the ladies!



First picture taken with Kaile GG



You were happily opening the gifts after the party
when we were back home :>