It's good to be back!

22nd Oct 2009 Thursday


Haha.... Decided to go with Kindermusik for another term. Looking at how much you enjoyed the class and how happy and comfortable you were with this class, I decided to respect your feelings and signed up our fifth term. So enjoy, Marsh!

We missed the first lesson since we were in Melbourne last week but when we came back for your class today, you were so happy to be back. You walked right into your classroom yourself without waiting for me!

I am so happy to be back !

Teacher Angel and you started a new game together this week- dribbling the ball.

You are really good in this now- helping Teacher Angel to keep all the balls.

Daddy has been really busy these weeks but he made the effort to take the time out to fetch us to class today. Afterwhich, we went for some shopping at Taka and then headed to our favourite restaurant- Li Bai at sheraton Towers for dinner. We used to come here very often. Before your time, when I was preggy with you and when you were few months old.

Oh. I am starved, mum! Where is my yummy food?

Your favourite double boil fish soup!

Cheers! You are really good at toasting these days. And you will hold on to your water bottle and go around toasting to everyone around you. Oh yeah, you can actually pronounce the word: cheers very very well!

Cousin Kimmy in Melbourne

We stayed with your uncle Quinn and his family in Melbourne. Their place is like our home in Melbourne. This time they have an addition to the family- your cousin Kimmy! Cousin Kimmy is about 4.5 months younger than you are. And you girls seemed to enjoy yourselves very much playing with each other! I am so glad you have a playmate there!

Hi cousin Kimmy, I'll take the bouncer and you can have the walker. Ok?

What? Another hug?

Another pic?

Cousin Kimmy, piggy and me!

This pirate ship is so cool! I am going to get Dad to ship one back to Singapore.

Saying goodbye on the last day!

Home Sweet Home

19th Oct 2009 Monday

We are back! It has been a great and much needed holiday for me! But I am exhausted! So exhausted that I have to hybernate for a few days to recuperate. Too much things going on in our life now. Anyway, some preview pics below. More to come!

On our flight to Melbourne!

On our return flight to Singapore. We took the Airbus 380 for our both flights.

Not as Easy as ABC

I think I am on the right track to raising a reader. SO glad that you seem to have shown an enduring fondness for books. At least you don't chew them up! You will do anything to get your hands on the books around you. Be it your own books, my novels, your dad's magazines or our organisers. Most of the time, you will put them in front of you and go through them page by page patiently. You would flip every page using your thumb and index finger till you come to the end of the book. Sometimes you would blabber as you turned the pages. I think this is your way of Reading Out Loud. And you can spend a long time doing that!

My little reader!

Look how serious and engrossed you were!

Have you seen a bored Marshmellow before?

Caught you looking bored one of the lazy afternoons. You just sat there with your pooh bear and stared into the air.

I am bored, mum!

I am genuinely bored, mum.

Did you just said you want to go to the beach?

Anyway, a few friends told me that since you appeared to be bored these days, I should consider

having another baby to keep you company.

So they say the first child gets the brunt of a nervous parent's paranoia and the last child gets away with murder. But my precious, you are going to be my first, last , my everything.

I knew with perfect clarity that I love you and that nothing else matters. Not even your boredom!

Graduation Day Again

8th Oct 2009 Thursday

Time really flies. It is Graduation Day again. It has been a long 8 months with Kindermusik. And both of us had really enjoyed our time there. I was still contemplating to stop this Thursday's class for a few reasons. Of course one of them being me going back to work soon. Nevertheless, due to the nature of my work schedule, I do have the flexibility to continue to bring you for the thursday class. But on the other hand, I am thinking of finding you another enrichment class other than Kindermusik. We are going to start JG in a few months' time so I was hoping to try something else in the mean time.

I have been thinking about this for some time but I am hesitant to stop this thursday class because I am going to miss the friends I made over these months. I don't have too many mummies friends whom I can relate to. And none of my own friends wanted to gab about baby's diet, babyproofing and so on. You get what I mean?

However, I brought you for a makeup class on Saturday and I observed that you were really reserved and not your usual self. You don't seem to enjoy the class the way you always did in your thursday class. You just kept looking at Ms Angel whom was`the only familiar person around the classroom. You must be wondering where are all your friends?

You know what, Marsh? I was feeling the same way too. I felt like an alien who has just landed from another planet. I am not trying to be judgemental and it is probably me but the class besides being chilly (from the aircon) was COLD. Initially I thought everybody was ignoring me. But No! Nobody was talking to each other and all the parents were acting as if they were from different planets and do not speak each other's language. They just came and left in silence.

I then realised that both of us were so lucky to be in a class surrounded with all the nice and friendly mummies. The atmosphere was definitely different and I would definitely want you to be having fun in a loving and cosy environment. So now I am having second thoughts about stopping your class.


Here is our beautiful Trudy- receiving her certificate from teacher Angel

Hmmmm.... where is mine?

Finally it is my turn! My Fourth certificate from Kindermusik!

Mum, I am going to miss the balls too if you stop my class....

Heard they say you are leaving our class?

Can you not leave? Please?

Mum, I can't get Tory to stay! We are going to miss her.

Melbourne, here we come!

My own internal mommy war has started even before I am back to work. The day I knew I am going back to work, I began viewing everything through the telescopes lens of a person with limited time.

The time I do have with you is a scarce resource, precious as black pearls. And I do want to do something special with you before reality sets in and life has to go on. Therefore, I have decided to go ahead and bring forward our holiday plans!

I know most babies your age would have travelled at least half the world but you have just gotten your passport last week. I have been conflicting myself with the decision to bring you overseas ever since you turned 6 months old. I can imagine the fun and excitement travelling with you but I was living up to my reputation of a paranoid mum. Not too sure if I was hormonal or was just gripped by catastrophic fantasies. I was insecure and not confident to travel with you. I was just not ready. Thousands of 'what ifs' swam in my head. What if you fall sick? What if you are uncomfortable on the flight? What if you can't sleep well? I was afraid I couldn't protect you. These what ifs are enough for me to delay our travelling plans till now.

I reminded myself that the dawn of my SAHM status is going to be over in a finger snap, so savour every second with you now and just heed my gut instincts and do what I want us to do! So Daddy and I are bringing you to Melbourne this coming Wednesday! We want to have a get away before I goes back to work. This is our first family trip and you are going to meet all your uncles and aunts and lots of cousins there for the very first time! You may not know but we have a big family scattered everywhere in Australia.

This is a very special trip to Melbourne, Marsh. Theoretically, this is your second trip there. My last visit was dated back to Dec 2007 when I was already pregnant with you without realising it. I wonder and am curious if you can still recall and maybe find the place familiar?

Anyway, although this is going to be a short trip, it is like a homecoming for us. I have tons of things to pack for you. I better get started. I am excited, are you ?