The month of merry making...

DECEMBER - The month that arbitarily denotes that you should keep your weighing scale under your bed. Because dieting just doesn't make sense in the month of feast-ive season.

It also happens to be the month where parents - like frantic fans go around the island malls to fulfil your kid's dream of seeing their favourite TV cartoon character LIVE.

And so to avoid the frenzied crowd, we specifically took Jayden to watch Barney & Friends at United Square on a weekday. It really doesn't help when we have parents who think alike as well. -_-

19 Dec 09 - X'mas Gathering at The Yip's Abode

It started off with the casual idea of having a simple X'mas gathering like last year. But I was glad that there was a spontaneous member - Rachel, who decided to make X'mas even more memorable. So instead of just dinner and gift exchanges, there were also X'mas hats & bands and a neat red & black dress code.

The almost perfect red & black photo if not for an unassuming family who didn't read the theme. :p

I'm almost certain that Jayden loves X'mas - which meant log cakes, presents and lots of nice yummy food.

Hopefully, we can continue with this next year. Anybody want to volunteer their house? :)

24 Dec 09 - X'mas Eve

Instead of hitting down town and getting yourself stuck in the human jam, we decided to have a quiet X'mas eve at the comforts of our home. Bon and her partner came over and we had a simple X'mas feast.

Stuffed chicken from Hans
Black pepper bacon from Carrefour
Xmas cake from Conrad
The company of your friends & family on a quiet X'mas night. :)

25 Dec 09 - X'mas morning

Jayden, or rather the parents, couldn't wait until boxing day to open the presents. The X'mas tree was literally brimmed with presents for the son. All thanks to Mummy & Daddy's friends who doted on him.

The most favourite gift for the moment is the Thomas & Friends book collection from Auntie Celeste. It has now become his everyday bed-time stories. :)

This X'mas, I think Dylan and myself must have had a strong affiliation with bath works and chocolates & candies. I am now smelling of lavendar everyday.

Merry X'mas Everyone!

A very belated gift

When Liv asked what Jayden wanted for his 2nd birthday, I was stumped. Not that the boy has all the toys in the world - it's just that we didn't want another bulky plaything lying around the house.

And so the autocratic mummy pondered on other options - Enrichment, dancing, art and even swimming classes. We attended a trial at Gymboree Music. And I must say it was DREADFULLY BORING. The teacher failed to even get Jayden to dance. The long waiting list on the swimming classes was enough to turn me off.

So after much procrastination, I finally decided to bring the son to the Thomas the Train show - after witnessing how much he enjoyed himself at the Hi-5 Musical.

I requested for only Mummy and son tickets but who knows Liv surprised us by coming along as well! "Just to spend some bonding time with Jayden", she said. :)

Before the show starts

I was a little apprehensive on the show due to the last time we watched the free performance at Marina Square - Thomas was literally stationary all the time. How can a live show be anything interesting when nothing is moving?! It needs to be dynamic!

And we, together with Jayden, were pleasantly surprised at how comprehensive the props were. Definitely every dollar well spent! :)

Although Jayden loves Thomas the Train, I must shamelessly admit that I couldn't recognize any of the other characters (except very obvious Thomas) until that night! So very unglam.

Thomas & the crew

And there we have Jayden with his very exorbitant Thomas light spinner. We realized that Singaporean parents are willing to splurge on their kids. The poorly crafted toy costs 20 bucks and it was sold out before the show started.

Thanks Liv for the wonderful birthday treat! :)

How much was it again?!

Cookie Flavour - The Apple of My Eye

It used to be branded bags, clothes and accessories. Nowadays, cookies can be considered a luxurious gift as well.

The husband wanted to get something 'unique' for his clients this year. From Harrods to L'occitane to C&E - I have exhausted all ideas until someone recommended The Cookie Museum.

On first look at the place, it was delectably decorated in Victorian settings and a wide array of cookies, chocolates and cakes to choose from. Flavours unheard of - Chicken rice, laksa, nasi lemak. Not something I would have fancied for a sweet tooth.

And then I teased the husband to get a tin for me. I usually only eat chocolate chip cookies but these cookies were different. They were, as the sales assistant proudly mentioned, 99% FAT FREE. And of course, with the premium of being fat free, comes the very fat price tag as well.

"Please take your time to eat them" - the husband warned. The cookies burned a $45 hole in his pocket.

A little bit of something going on...

Not that we had alot of activities going on but blogging seemed to have taken the back seat when the year approaches to the end.

Just last Nov, we went to the zoo *AGAIN*. But this time with Dewi & family. Jayden simply loves animal watching and so we had to make the parental sacrifice.

Jayden has also started to accept Chloe whom he used to refuse saying hello to much less holding hands now!

And after much encouragement from Celeste, I decided to start baking again. I don't recall scoring badly in my Home Economics classes. Or it could be that I needed more practise now.

We woke up pretty early and brought the ingredients, tools and a very hungry stomach to Celeste's place and started baking.

I made a horrible mistake by putting ONE TABLESPOON of pandan paste when the recipe said one TEASPOON. *smack forehead*

And so my pandan chiffon batter looked like incredible hunk.

Celeste was nice to help me mix the ingredients. Noticed the 'surgery' hands in the photos. She didn't want to get her medicure scratched. Hehehe...

Because I halved all the ingredients thinking I could make 2 chiffon cakes instead of 1. It turned out like a donut - a very hard one too.

So for my first try, it was A FLOP. :(

Being very thoughtful (and perhaps have predicted my failure), Celeste prepared a set of ingredients beforehand and we made a coffee chiffon instead. "Must bring home something mah..." she said. And it did taste very yummy. :)

LC, if you're reading this, please don't laugh at me. :p

And we finally, or rather I, got the Xmas tree up at our place. Both father and son agreed to helped me put up the tree. In the end, Jayden only put up the star while Dylan put up one of the ornaments - it does not count ok! Our 3rd Xmas with the son this year. :)

I simply love the time of this year. Everything is so warm and fuzzy - time for celebrations, reminiscing and also getting fat!

Addicted

It used to be that four letter word that sends my heart pulsating rapidly. Getting the feet all burnt and sore was part and parcel of getting the good deals and discounts.


But when project B (for baby) came along, the shopping rendezvous slowed down and eventually stopped. Bringing a kid in tow just didn't seemed comfortably feasible any more.


Lately, I started to develop an addiction. The adrenalin was far more exciting than having to travel down town in search of something I may not eventually find.


The sheer exhilaration of pounding the keyboard, clicking the mouse and anticipating the arrival of your purchases a few weeks later in a neatly wrapped parcel was gratifying. Whoever said we need to get out of the house to do shopping?


From clothes, to accessories, toys, kids stuff, and even shoes. All you need is a very healthy mouse and keyboard that won't die on you when it runs out of battery. And when meagre item shopping doesn't satisfy, it's good to have contacts who travel overseas.



Introducing my latest hedonistic purchase... ...




Ahhh... ...whoever said early Xmas shopping hurts?

When it all comes to an end

After reading Celeste's critic on 2012, Dylan and I decided to catch the movie over the weekend. (Not that there were alot of movie selections to choose from these days.)

I thought it would have been another Armageddon or Independance Day action flick that would have had us applauding on the visual effects. However, 2012 struck me with a different tone.

Perhaps it was age that has caught up, perhaps it was motherhood that has enhanced my emotions. I had alot of revelations when the scene of people dying, people losing their loved ones kept playing in front of me.

What will I do if I knew the end is near? Most probably nothing. Because I'm not rich enough to be kept alive. But I know I will risk my life to make sure Jayden lives.

Before I was a mother, my priorities were just circled around myself. Having being taught to be independant at a very young age, I learnt the hard way that if I needed to get myself something, I would have to earn my way thru part-timing. Because of that, I worked hard to buy the luxurious items (be it a toy, a new dress or a nice pair of shoes) I knew my parents will not pay a cent for. I must admit that I grew up to be quite a selfish person and took money issues very seriously.

That was until motherhood changed me.

It has taught me that love is non-material, is unconditional and boundless. I still find children's cries annoying. But surprisingly, your own child's cries sound like a knife piercing through your heart. Your tolerance level magnifies a hundred times more. Their smiles warms your heart instantly. And most importantly of all, you never stop worrying for them, to make sure they always gets the best.

2012 - indeed a awe-inspiring movie. Kudos to the producers!

Another Jayden and Ziv moment

What do you do when the 2 men in the house needs to be at work on a Saturday?

We made our own plans and had lots of fun!

So Celeste invited us to her place to swim. The weather was good. The place had a nice shelter so we didn't need sunblock. However, the water was COLD, very cold. And for someone like me who cannot tolerate coldness, it must have been mother instincts that made me determined to jump into the pool with Jayden.

Mummies, we're all ready to get wet!

Ok, we jump in together!

With the help of Celeste's float and self-timer, this photo was made possible.

And how did we manage to keep the boys occupied while the 2 mummies showered in peace???

Dancing to Hi-5

All the jumping and dancing must have zapped up his energy. Jayden had a long nap when we got home.

Thanks for inviting us over and the sumptuous lunch! :D

Paradise Trip

So having too many annual leaves usually resorted oneself into going on a holiday, instead of withering the precious days away in your own boring land.

And when you have a toddler in tow, your choices are pretty much limited. This is also to avoid having a very impatient bawling kid on board the plane for the next 6-7 hours.

A one week vacation to Club Med Bintan was something we reckoned to be ideal for a family trip cum birthday retreat for the two year old son.

Whoever invented the portable DVD player was a genius! It kept Jayden occupied the entire ferry ride. Jayden was so pre-occupied watching his favourite shows, he didn't even bothered what the gal was offering him - Gerber bites, something which he has stopped eating ever since he found Kokocrunch.


** After 2 hours of travelling on ferry & coach... **

Jayden can't wait to get into the pool

The one thing that we liked about Club Med was the endless flow of food and drinks - AT NO EXTRA CHARGE. Jayden helped himself to lots of milkshakes, ice cream and cakes, very much to his delight. As it was meant to be his birthday retreat, we didn't restrict his food intake and allowed the happy boy to indulge. By the end of the trip, we suspected that the son had put on weight.

Of course, other than eating & sleeping, sleeping & eating, there were alot of sun activities as well. We swam, built sandcastles at the beach (literally) and got ourselves very very sunburnt! *ouch*

And when the little one took his afternoon nap, we each took turns to participate in the club's in-house activities. I went snorkelling and wind-surfing while the unadventurous husband went to the gym.

It was a fantastic trip for the trios - alot of family bonding and getting fat together. Jayden exceptionally loved the fact that he could sleep with us on the king size bed. He usually sleeps in his cot at home.

Where should we go next year?

A little adventure down east

A while ago, I chanced upon a message on Rachel's MSN indicating that she wanted to go kite-flying.

After much procrastination and faux talking from the husbands, the gals decided to plan on our own and told the men to just bring us to the place when the day comes.

And all it took was just 1 day of msn chatting, emails, sms-es and all was set to go! Gosh, and men always complained that we women always delay their time. Tsk tsk.

I must compliment the ladies for doing a great job in making the picnic possible. There were soba, sandwiches, hot dogs and when Jess offered to bring spirits, I didn't thought she would mean it literally!

We had a wide spread of food & snacks, sipping on ice cold bacardi under the skies. Enjoyed ourselves thoroughly chasing after the boys, trying to make our kite fly for at least 5 minutes before it crashes back on the ground.

We still failed to fly our kite and it was concluded or rather, we assumed that our kite is faulty. *denial*

So when is next time Mrs Tan?

The 2nd birthday

The thought of child birth used to give me the chills on which I swore that I will never go through such painful body experience.

730 days ago, I lay on the hospital bed with a drip on my hand, anxiously anticipating the birth of my son. I was going to be a mother. Somehow, the daunting bloody image on my head just disappeared.

2 years on, I still looked at Dylan and quizzed "Can you believe we're parents?!" The teeny weeny jelly bean that grew in my tummy has transformed into a talkative, inquisitive young boy.
Jayden loves to talk, sing & dance. Sometimes when we can't understand what he's talking about , the boy gets frustrated and he'll try his best to form short sequential sentences to get the message thru.

Nowadays, he repeats himself incessantly to make sure we fulfil our promises. I will always joke to Dylan that our boy is like a fly that we cannot buzz away. Heheheh...

I cannot help but reminisce on the times when he was just a cluesless infant, cheering on whenever our boy achieves a milestone. I have to admit. Our boy has grown. But I cannot stop wishing that time will go slow.


Our Dearest Jayden,

It is Fate that you become our son. We hope in years to come, you will remember the happy times Daddy and Mummy is trying our best to provide for you.

We don't know if you will grow to love or hate us. Daddy and Mummy will always love you, despite the many times you try to bully Daddy and Mummy has no choice but to be the disciplinarian.

The times when you fall sick, we end up having sleepless nights making sure you get well on track soon. We're certain that your body immunity strengthens each time and you will grow up happy and healthy.

Mummy is always cracking her head to make sure each birthdays spent is always memorable and enjoyable.

Looking forward to celebrating more years before you turn old enough to only want to celebrate with your friends.

Happy 2nd Birthday son.


We Love You Lots,

Daddy & Mummy

=======================================================

** 17 Oct 2009 - Celebration at our abode **

Organising your son's birthday is alot harder than your own wedding. From the cake, to the food, toys, guests list - all has to be meticulously taken care of to make sure the son and his friends had an enjoyable time.

We're pretty sure Jayden enjoyed himself that evening as we could see that he has peeled himself out of his shy shell and mingled with everyone.

First, it was THE CAKE. Why I called it THE CAKE? It's because it cannot be just any other cake. The son has specifically requested for a Barney chocolate cake this year. We used to be able to overwrite his choices but these days, he dictates what he wants.

Of course when the son requested for one cake, the fervent parents decided to get all his favourite characters. There was a 2kg Barney & Friends cake, a Thomas the Train agar agar and Cookie Monster lolli cookies for his guests to bring home.

All thanks to Elsie's recommendation on this freelance baker, Jayden's wish was fulfilled! There was a slight boo-boo on the Barney cake as it didn't turned out what I've expected because I requested for a specific design. Fortunately, it turned out nice.

To ensure that the little guests were occupied, I converted Jayden's room into a play room. We even bought a big Thomas Train ball tent so that it can accomodate more kids in it.

It was rather amusing to watch Jayden's expression when he first woke up and ran into his room to find the surprises. He literally screamed TRAIN! MUMMY TRAIN!

We hoped the guests enjoyed their time in our tiny place. Sorry if we weren't a good host or the food tasted bad. (although we hoped it didn't taste horrible)

Thank you for taking your time to attend our son's birthday. On behalf of Jayden, we will like to thank you for all the toys and red packets. He is certainly one lucky and very delighted boy. His toys collections have manifested and have started to flood his room and the living room area. The only reason we will be moving house would be to find a bigger room to fit the toys in.

** A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL **

Jayden's 1st year

Jayden's 2nd year

And he is TWO

Happy Birthday our dearest son! You are TWO today.

Daddy & Mummy hoped you enjoyed your birthday celebration over the weekend. We're quite certain you had quite a smashing time because you had 2 slices of cake.

And what's next up for you today? Club Med Bintan!

Please behave in the next 5 days when we're there.

Birthday post will up when we're back.

Love,
Daddy & Mummy

Going to school

Jayden has attended the playgroup for the past 2 weeks. Initially, I was a little apprehensive if he would adapt well to the environment, given that he was always under the care of my in-laws or myself.

My worries were unfounded. Jayden would eagerly put on his school uniform and shoes and each time I asked "Do you like school?", my little boy will chirply replied "YES!". :D

The teachers left positive remarks on the boy's behaviour. Albeit there were times I would peek into the teeny tiny pinhole and find my son to be the only one running around whilst the rest of his classmates were quietly reading. -_- Dylan uses the excuse to call his son "OUTSTANDING".

But that doesn't matter. Our main objective to put Jayden in the playgroup is to socialise and interact. Expecting a 2 yr old toddler to sit through 1.5 hours without itching a butt is deemed to be too challenging. We will leave the 'focus area' when he is older.

In less than 3 days, our little terror is turning 2.

Ristorante Bologna

It could have been the misleading words - first, renowned, amazing spread, that tricked me into booking a slot with them.

Was really looking forward to authentic Italian food - pasta, vongole, ravioli truffle, aglio olio, pizzas & more. I even excused my already expanding waist for that day. Booked for the lunch buffet 2 weeks in advance and even excitedly reminded Dylan to block his calendar.

But the dining experience was such a let-down.

We arrived at the hotel lobby, hopeful and very hungry. It was a pleasant sight to see that the restaurant was almost packed at lunch hour. It was certainly delightful to see a wide range of food platter to choose from. It was not good news at all when we were told that our restaurant was actually oppsite across the isle.

It was then that we realized that our intended restaurant was empty.

The buffet spread was meagre - Baked vegetarian pasta, garden vegetables, fried garoupa (is it even Italian?), grilled chicken. The pasta of the day was overcooked. The penne was HARD.

The chef came out of the kitchen and greeted us. We could bearly raise our lips to smile. Dylan and I had to convince ourselves that perhaps it was cooked for Italians taste. Because the food didn't come close to any of the local Italian restaurants we've been before.

We munched on the butter bread bitterly - that was the only thing that could fill our stomach for a while.

We have tried all sorts of cuisines - Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Indian fushion, Meditarrenean, Italian, American, what not. But seriously, nothing comes as close as bad as this.

We left the restaurant with a very unsatisfied stomach and wondered where did the dining award came from?

Before October...

So before we bade farewell to September, I need to recall the snippets of events that we have encountered in just a span of 3 days over the long weekend.

Celebrations, celebrations and more happy celebrations to rejoice.

Bosco baby shower

Firstly, it was the arrival of lil Bosco - Chloe's younger brother. I love the smell of infants! They have a distinctive scent that makes you want to sniff at them like a maniac. Melts my heart when I saw Bosco falling into deep slumber after a satisfied milk feed. Reminds me Jayden used to be that tiny as well. :)

For Bosco's shower gift, I got carried away this time, thinking that I should put my rusty arty-farty skills back to use. And so.... ....

I decided to make my own diaper cake!

Ingredients: -
Pampers
Receiving blanket
Bip
Burp cloth
Romper
A pair of baby shoes
And lots & lots of ribbons & tape
And I must say that it was not easy at all! I can wrap a square, rectangle shape box anytime. But to wrap something circular is even tougher than changing diapers for my son! Sorry Dewi for being my guinea pig. Hope you didn't have a tough time removing the double sided tapes. :P

It was a pleasant surprise to see Lleyton there as well! The kids had a whale of time in Chloe's playroom.

It was a pity that we had to leave earlier as I wanted Jayden to take his nap before attending another birthday party in the evening.

Deon's 6th Birthday

It was Jayden's cousin's 6th birthday at Loyang Aloha. I must say, this has got to be the most extensive celebration we've ever been to! There were magic show, balloon sculptures, lots of toys to play with, face painting and alot of scrumptious yummy BBQ food. This is the reason why I often find my diet plans outside the window. ^_^

Oct babies 2nd Birthday Bash

From being in pregnancy, to delivering, to sharing baby woes, to celebrating their 1st year of milestone, this will be the 2nd year we're celebrating the birthdays for all the October 07 babies who are now toddlers.

How did we ever get this far?

Kudos to the bash committee for making this possible. And of course, the mummies whom we have shared our joys, poured our woes and all kept in the secrecy of our forum. kekekekek...

This year, we opt for an animal theme. We picked an Elephant balloon that was bigger than the son. I think it was me who wanted the Elephant, because Jayden couldn't stop calling it Monkey.

Happy Birthday to all October kiddos!

Next month, October. It is going to be another roller-coaster ride.


P/S: Thanks to Jessie for introducing this wonderful photo-editing software!

Laws of attraction

Just the other night, we were at the car park and we bumped into a young couple and their 1 yr + old daughter.

She has the sweetest smile and charming eyes. And she was smiling at Jayden.

Like a shy boy, Jayden whispered to me "mei mei" and smiled coyly. I responded candidly, thinking it was just another kid.

And once the little girl was out of sight, Jayden pat my shoulder and said "Mummy, mei mei cute"

CUTE?!?

Which part of the television programmes has my son been watching? I have complimented the boy in many ways - clever, smart, cheeky, naughty and none was ever associated with the word "CUTE".

It is indeed remarkable how the kid selects his choice of words. As long as he doesn't say "Mummy is ugly".

Before I forget

As the Son approaches his 2nd year, I have almost forgotten that he is no longer the dependant baby that relies on me to remember his feeding and sleeping schedule.

I no longer can dictate what he should be eating/drinking. If it's something the Son dislikes, he will display his displeasure in the most dramatic way that you can hardly notice.

So before I forget, I just need to pen down some of the memorable milestones.

1. Jayden can sing the last word of each phase of the song such as - Twinkle x2 little star, Baa Baa Black sheep, Wheels on the bus, I love you Barney, etc
2. He still can't count but he can tell us which bus to go to Bishan - Bus 56
3. When asked on questions with "How many", he will always reply "2"
4. He can form short sentences like "Mummy come back, fetch Jayden, go back home"
5. He still loves riding on the bus and mrt. It makes me wonder when he will reach 0.9m
6. Jayden is able to relate and recognize things - like going to the zoo, seeing monkeys, elephants and polar bears.
7. I am glad that he shares his toys when asked. He doesn't have extreme possessivness.
8. He corrects us when we say "Bus-stop", when it's actually "Interchange" - where did he learn that from?!
9. Like every other kid, he loves music, especially grooving to hip-hop.
10. I cannot remember when, but he has learnt the meaning of saying "No".

And there are so many more things that I wish I can recall.

My boy is growing up and there's a part of me wishing that he can always be that little boy I can cuddle to sleep with, demands me to sing him a song, holds my hand tightly when he's scared and run to me for a hug when he needs one.

Look Ma, no hands!

Today marks the 1st day Dylan is away for his 2 weeks of reservist. The last time, he was away for 3 weeks. It was a challenge to ferry Jayden to-and-fro our place and in-laws single-handedly, given that our 1 yr old couldn't understand the meaning of "WAIT" in his car seat.

Now, coming to 23 months, the boy has understood that while Mummy is driving, he has to be strapped in the car seat for safety reason. Except that, our cheeky boy also understood how to traumatise his mother while on the road; by removing his shoulder belts and telling her matter-of-fact with a grin.

I am glad I have managed to remain sane in times like these.

The zoo trip

The last time we went to the zoo, we practically under-estimated the timing, thinking we could cover the itinerary in 2 hours.

So after months of queueing for the unbelievable hot-favourite company family zoo pass, it was finally our turn. The slight drizzle in the morning couldn't stop us either. We were DETERMINED to complete our trip. Of course, not without dragging our victims along - Celeste & family.

It started to rain after the polor feeding show, forcing us to take shelter.

The photos of the boys are simply adorable - if only I had the flash turned on!! :( Ziv warmed up to Jayden almost instantly. Jayden was more interested in Ziv's Barney bag.

The wet weather was starting to dampen our morning mood. So Celeste suggested we take the tram ride to look around. It was not a bad choice indeed as the boys still got to watch some of the animals in between stops.

The rain stopped just in time for the Elephant show. So we hopped back into action!

Obviously, Ziv loves the camera and Jayden just want to watch the show

I am glad we made the trip this time. Previously, Jayden could hardly appreciate the animals or feeding shows as he couldn't relate to them. But now, he can tell me the elephant is peeing when he sees one!

The elephant that drank too much

By lunchtime, we could see the boys were pretty worn out. Jayden usually have his afternoon nap after lunch, but we didn't want them to miss the finale - The water-themed park.

So, I bought TT (Thomas the train) balloons for the boys and it perked them up instantly!

Jayden & Ziv with their TT balloons

After 3 animal shows and lots of tram rides, we were finally heading to the long-awaited water-themed park. I nearly muttered some vulgarities when the sky started to turn dark again. How could it start to rain at our last stop?!?

We hurried ourselves to the park and before I could changed Jayden into his wetsuit, Ziv was already splashing happily without giving a hoot on his bloated diaper. *hehehe*

Ahhh...cool water takes away the heat

Jayden wasn't the least impressed with the water park and kept requesting to "Go back home". That was the 1st time our boy was making a decision for himself! We wondered if it was the thermal suit or we forgot to bring his water pail along.

Overall, it was a great excursion trip with the boys. By the end of it, Jayden was holding hands with Ziv, playing catching and literally shouting "Ziv kor kor" to play along. Ahh...I know I know, he needs a playmate. Maybe I should ask Celeste & family out more often. ;)