Celebrating at Marina Bay Sand

At just two weeks shy of turning two years old, you have clearly left your babyhood in the dust.

Gone is the marshy mellow that would lay in my chest and sleep for hours. No longer can I keep you in the stroller or highchair for more than 15 minutes. nor can I make you eat all the wholesome and nutrious meals that I planned. You have definately come into your own. Facing out. Ready to take on the world.

But I am not ready to eat your birthday cake this fall and not remember how awesome these two years were. I want to file away these magical moments. I want to remember the sweet smell of milk on her breath and the lavender scent of your lotion I used after your bath.

Today marks the kick off of the string of celebrations we are going to have for your big day.
Your grandma popo kick start by checking us in to the Marina Bay Sands for a night together with your cousins!

A grandmother's love

My happy Marshy! This is the Pooh Bear cake you had requested for.

Since we are not celebrating your birthday in Singapore this year, we brought forward this celebration so as to make up for any cousin and Marshy loss time and to make sure you can blow out the candles together with your beloved cousins!

Amazing cousins.

Giving cousin Vanness a kiss!

Marshy really enjoyed her cake and herself that day. Thank you, popo and Yeema and cousin Val and Vanness for the wonderful celebration!

Ooops! We did it again.

Yes.We did it again. Ok ok. I did it again. I am the mastermind. We school hopped again sometime back. And this time, I enrolled you in My Gym. It has always been my yearly resolution to hit the gym weekly. At the same time this year I have a new resolution to NOT be in denial. Therefore it has been quite obvious that I 'll never have the time to go to the gym in my near future. So now every Friday, MArshy and I will go to the gym. Marshy's gym.

Till today, my sis still cannot understand why am I spending these funds to send Marshy for 'enriched' and 'scheduled' play when you are already playing constantly at home. Haha. well. Maybe it is the socialisation, or the sportsmanship that I want you to pick up. Maybe I want sports to be part of life. Anyway, whatever, let's just enjoy and soak it up!

It's kind of fun when you get to experience the different acrobatics/gymnatics stunts there. The teachers are really good in coaxing and helping the little people do all the exercises.

Sometimes when I watch you pull yourself up on the monkey bars, or doing a somersault with the help of your teachers, it made me cry inside. I am so proud of you. I didnt know it was possible to be proud of such a small little person. But I am.

I also don't know who decided that a mommy could blink and her squishy newborn would be a mobile toddler. Time is moving too fast. Watching you roll and flipped mademe realised you are changing at the speed of light. You don't slow down when you discover your world.

Favourite time of the session- Swing!

Swinging in the room of bubbles!

Saying Hi to the animals!

The days have disappeared into nights in a orangey haze. We have been out and about and even said hi to the animals at the zoo.

We went to the zoo in the hottest of days but coolest of winds. Marshy had a silly smile on her face the whole day. The big broad beaming kind.

Because Daddy is bringing her to the Zoo.

This is Marshy's third visit to the zoo but this time as a little toddler who finds magic in every little thing. You are a cheery and chirpy one. You hardly nary a whine when you were melting like a butter under the hot sun.

You are a brave little one. You took the bananas and apples and fed them to the elephants without hesitation. But you didnt like the slimy feel when the elephant tried to lick you!

My adventurous and daring Marshy in action!

The past-the-naptime-but-I-still-want-to-play-look on Marshy.

This is one of Marshy's favourite segment from the Animal Friends Show. Skipping with the dog. The next day, you took out a leash and wanted to skip with your toy puppy!

Besides the Animal Friend Show, we managed to catch 2 other shows out of the 4 shows that day.

Hello Sunshine!

July is looking good. There are swim dates, little gym dates, zoo date and a trip to look forward to. For these reasons, July is one to love.

I have always wish I could give you more pool time even though it is a tiring task to get you in a swim suit. I think it is a little like trying to put two weeks of clothes into a overnight bag. But anyway, this month we get to swim again and again! So I lathered you up in sunscreen, blow up the baby raft and wiggled you into the swim suit and headed to the pool.

As soon as you saw the waters, you were kicking your legs and flailing your arms. You went down to the pool without any hesitation, leaned back and soaked it in.

Still having your favourite shades.

You grined and giggled. Kicked your feet and splashed your arms. Just enjoying yourself thoroughly in the waters.

All these times, I have never swim with you before. I have always been the photographer. Watching you playing happily and getting excited outside the pool and trying to capture all these favourite moments. But you have started to wave at me and asked me to join you. "Mama, come! Mama, swim! Mama, Fun!"

I will, I will, darling. Even if it means to suck in my post baby belly as I do it.

This July

Today you turned twenty three months old. Just a month away from being TWO! This led me to think about how we are going to celebrate that. Last year, we had a big bash(BIG in my context as birthday celebrations are foreign territory to me). So what are we going to do this year?

Whatever we decide to do this year, I hope when you grow up and you'd remember all the hoopla and fuss we make over you and how I always make a great deal from your birthdays. Yes, it is a day where narcissism and an "all about me" attitude is not only allowed but encouraged.

So this year, a different plan. For my little Marshy who is turning into this wonderful little girl who I so so love.

Till now, I still get this achy feeling in my heart. That feeling that says I love this little girl more than I could ever imagined. That incredible love soaked heart of mine still leaps with an indescribable rhythm when she's in my arms.

Happy Twenty Three months !