Hermès - The Gift of Time

Brought the kids (and cousins) to the Hermès Gift of Time exhibition at the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. It is a small exhibit with installations meant to define time.

Quantity time not quality time

It was really heartening to hear the boys say that they like having mummy and daddy home with them even though they get more scolding and smacking when we are home. This confirms my belief that children at this age requires quantity time and not quality time with their parents. They have not much idea of quality time. They are just happy with mummy and daddy sitting next to them while they play. We don't even have to be playing with them.

Daily happenings..

We have just a little more time on our hands these days, and so, what have the kids been up to?

The boys started swimming classes about a month ago. They have since gained much water confidence and can now paddle by themselves while clutching onto their swim noodles. After just a month or so of lessons, the 2 of them are as brown as toast now.

Kieran started Chinese class at Tien Hsia this term. After just 7 lessons (#8 was a review session, #9 was a mini recital), he now recognises some 28+ characters and can recite about 6 poems in Mandarin. In fact he attempts to speak in Mandarin more these days. He will point out different vegetables/ fruits in the supermarket and say their names in Chinese. An amazing achievement for someone who once didn't utter a single word in Mandarin!

Both the boys had their end-of-year concert at their kindy last week. Kieran was performing a song called "Barnyard Animals Worship" and he was great as a little brown dog! The song opened with him shaking his little butt, and I thought that it was really cute. He actually warned us prior to the concert that we were not to laugh at his wriggling butt!

This was Kiefer's first concert and we were so proud of him. He was singing and dancing to his song "This little light of mine" and we could see how much focus he put in to get everything right. I thought he was the cutest little kid on stage. When he first came onto the stage, he started looking around for us. We could see his usual look of annoyance (the "why-you-never-let-me-xxx" look) when he could not find us. He was quite a blur bloke actually. We were waving and waving at him but he just didn't see us. Finally, at the end of the segment, as they were getting off the stage, I yelled "Kiefer!". He heard it, spotted us and yelled a really loud "MUMMY!". He was so adorable that the audience started laughing too! We saw his entire face light up when he spotted us. That's my little rascal!

 

Chicken Robot (by Kieran)

Eye (by Kiefer)

AT-AT (by Kieran)

We've finally taken their box of Duplos out of storage and they've been building and building and building the last couple of days. 

Really looking forward to the holidays really starting. Things haven't been slowing down in school for the 2 of us. So we are really looking forward to the break!

The long overdue family road trip

Warning: Image heavy post!

The last time I remembered doing a road trip like this was when I was really little. I remember that it was a road trip to Desaru with all my aunts. I even remember that one of the days fell on my birthday and I received a Tweety Bird soft toy then. The last holiday that I remember having gone with my parents and both my sisters was the one where we went to Indonesia and that was ages. Also, I remember that the last time I went Genting Highlands, I was still a wee little girl. Small enough to be still riding the 20 sen kiddy joy rides while my father was next door on the jackpot machines!! :P 

This trip kind of took 3 months to plan and coordinate. I brought the idea up during CNY this year and was surprised that everyone did take to it. Big sis was the one who made the hotel bookings and so off we went! :P 

We drove off at about 645am (It was supposed to be 630am but the people who were supposed to give us a ring when they drove off didn't. :{) and met up at the first rest stop when we passed the Tuas customs.

Improvised the "in-flight entertainment" with the iPad! :P The boys probably watched for about 30mins before we reached Melaka.

Our first stop was Melaka. We stayed at Equatorial again. However, with sis' corporate booking this time, we managed to get the premier rooms at the rates that we'd usually pay for the superior. It was really spacious and came with the day bed which, the children slept on that night. Having that extra bed really was a lifesaver now that they boys are quite big. It is quite a squeeze having all 4 of us in a king sized bed already! 

Day bed at Equatorial

As usual, we had brunch at Dim Sum Garden (at Bandar Hilir) and then did some shopping at Pahlawan before checking in. After a good nap, the boys went for a swim and then off we went to Bei Zhan (Jalan Kota Laksamana 2/17, Kota Laksamana) for dinner. This time around, with BiL around, we got to go to the Portuguese Settlement for a stroll. We originally wanted to have dinner there but it started raining at dinner time and so Bei Zhan it was.

 

 

Orange juice and the vegetable + pineapple juice. Signature juices at Bei Zhan. They have another potato + apple juice which I never really liked.

All the kiddos on this trip. One rose among the 5 boys. :D

After an overnight stay at Equatorial, we left for Genting after lunch. Lunch was at this nonya restaurant called Nancy's which I thought the food was just alright. Not exactly fantastic but expensive (compared to Bei Zhan). 

The drive up to Genting was really quite nice. As we made our way up the mountain, the air got cooler and cooler. I think hubby had a great time doing a Grand Prix up the last bit of the mountain! :P

 

This was a super expensive meal we had at the FOOD COURT at First World hotel. 5 bowls of bak kut teh + you tiao and rice cost us RM$100!!! And the soups came in rice bowl sized bowls!!! Also, it was just really very average tasting. So anyone heading to First World Hotel, here's the warning. Avoid this bak kut teh stall in the food court!!!

First World Hotel is a really cheap and tacky looking hotel from outside. Who on earth paints their hotel to look like this??? And its check in lobby is one crowded place. I felt as though I was in the check in lounge of an airport or something! However, I must say that the interior of the hotel is pretty decent and that it is really very convenient to be staying there. The shopping is there, the amusement park is also there. Can't ask for anything more.

We dragged the couch over and draped a sheet over. Small fry slept in the couch for the next 2 nights, giving us more space on the bed. :D He actually enjoyed having a "bed" of his own.

The 3 of them were the only ones that were still within the height limit for this ride.

They went nuts spinning the teacups round and round. Towards the end, I saw Kiefer slumped to the side, hanging on to his dear life! I was giddy just watching them!

This was the ultimate photo of the trip!! :P See my 2nd sis' face? Priceless!

Just the 4 of us here!

Trying to act out the scene from Jurassic Park I. The other boy just didn't go away tho' he saw us taking pictures!! Gonna crop him out when I photoshop this picture! :P

There was some clown-themed thingy going on at the park. I thought they looked horrendous tho'.

Small fry loved following his Josh Kor Kor around on rides.

His first time driving a bumper car on his own. He couldn't get the car to move in the beginning and kept wondering what we we trying to gesture to him. However, once he got it, off he went!

Can't tell that these 2 are just 6 weeks apart in age, can you?

Till our next trip again!!! 

  

Mum's 60th (59th) Birthday!

We just celebrated Mum's 60th birthday on Monday night at Yan Palace. Well, according to her year of birth, it is supposed to be her 59th, but according to some Chinese tradition, we had to celebrate her 60th a year earlier!!

Anyway, we all had a really fun time eating and singing. And I'm sure Mum was really happy that night too because she had some of her good friends celebrating with her. For many years, I've always missed her birthday because I will definitely be out of the country on my holidays. So this year, we made it a point to stay in Singapore for her birthday.

The cake was from Pine Garden. I thought to try a new flavour "Apple Martini" that they had. Well, the kids weren't crazy about it. However, I love the prettiness of the cake. :P 

Today is her birthday itself. Happy Birthday Mum! Hope you like the flowers. :)

What a week(s)!

Everything started with Kieran being a little sick, then me coming down with a bad case of cough and cold and losing my voice and then Hubby with the hearing problem. Then Kiefer got a viral infection somehow last weekend and had high fever all through the weekend. The fever only abated after about 3 days and right now, he is still recovering from the post-viral rash! (and yes, hopefully everything subsides by tomorrow! It's our little baby's 1st birthday tomorrow!! :D) We simply went through cycles of being sick, recovering partially and falling ill again. :(

However, the most 'memorable' incident to happen this week would really be the one where Kieran puked right onto Daddy's face! I think he was nursing a mild flu bug (that was barely noticeable except for the lousy appetite) at that time. He was just finishing up his milk when he suddenly complained that he had a tummyache. As I was trying to get Kiefer to sleep at that time, I called for the Daddy to come in to take him to the toilet. The Daddy carried him and without any warning, from the corner of my eye, I saw this projectile spray coming out from Kieran and onto Daddy's face!! The next thing I saw was Daddy's face (nose, mouth, everything), shirt was covered with puke. The sheets got it, the floor had it, the comforter was also marked. In the end, both father and son simply marched off to the bathroom and hosed down. And me? I had to strip everything and start the laundry going at 10pm at night! It took 3 loads of laundry to get everything cleaned! Also, I had to mop the floor too! After this entire episode, all Kieran said was "Mummy, Yakult please?" :P

PS: it was such a Kodak moment, but if I were to go get the camera instead of attending to them, I was sure to get an earful!! :P

Day at the Flyer.. again.. (P1)

 

Kieran finally sat on his own for a haircut!! No crying, no whinning. In fact, he was really happy to get his hair cut!! We've come a long, long way!!!

Since we had the Family Pass for the Singapore Flyer, we went there a couple more times this holiday. (We are at ride #12 already!!) Brought along out Nikon today and thus, some nice photos for memories (and scrapbooking!! :D)

 
 
 

Day at the Flyer.. again..

 

This kinda sums up our day at the Flyer!
 

Family of Four