(30 Jun Sun) Date without the kids!

 

On Sundays, papa and I would try to have a date without the two of you and park you two at Ah Ma's house : ) It had been a long time since we had a date...coz Ah ma hurt her hand and papa always volunteered to look after the two rascals while mama went to church...

But not today. We went to church (Marina Bay Sands) and had high tea at TWG... ooo the tea (first kiss) was such a sweet pink colour and most aromatic. The muffins were scrumptious and the macaroons yummylicious...ooooo....

Recently, we were clearing the stuff at Ah Ma's house coz lots of furniture had been attacked by termites. Dad stumbled upon mama's old diaries...ya mama loved to write...I documented a huge portion of the courtship years...daddy remarked it was so surreal to read those entries now, well, we had been together for almost 14 years and married for almost 6 years...so many things had happened...two kids, two houses, changed a few cars, I changed job, stayed in USA...what a very remarkable and blessed time... God is good...very very very good.

Cheers to tai-tai-dom.

Daddy looking all chiselled and serious...

Our greatest blessing is to be entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of you while you walk on Earth...



Xiaoyi could not resist taking a photo with the charming feline...

Tong, ah ma loved you to bits. She almost worshipped the ground you walked on...hahahah...ok, kidding...Recently, you were having dinner with us. You put a ngoh hiang on the table and Xiaoshu demanded to have a bite. Ruffled, you rapidly stuffed it into your mouth. Xiaoshu continued to tease you, you crossed your arms and said "no". Then you covered your bowl with your hands...Ah Ma asked if she could have the ngoh hiang and you immediately fed her. She was truly elated and gushed she loved you "duo duo" (lots in hokkien). XIaoshu continued his harassment, not believing that he could not coax you into parting with the ngoh hiang. You persisted...Ah ma tried again and you fed her yet again! She was absolutely enamoured. hahahaha.  Xiaoshu tried yet again. You finally gave it to him. We reckoned you just wanted him to buzz off...hahaha...everyone at the table was tickled by your antics...

You sticky TA(pe)Y! You had such powerful lungs, always screaming when you could not get your way. TSK. You loved to come and whine outside the bathroom door when mama bathed with jie jie...

 

Our darling xun xun sweetheart. You are the dream child all parents want, always agreeable, teachable and so endearing...heh...well, you mostly whimpered when you got upset, unlike tong tong who went into a mad rage...ha...papa said tong tong was actually an angel when compared to his peers. Tong understood lotsa instructions and he tried to verbalise his needs. It was unfortunate that he had such a godly sister...haha, papa said that since Tong behaved like an angel, you behaved liked God. orrrrr...my sweetie pie sugar pumpkin...

Ok, it was 4am. GOT TO SLEEP. mama learnt in church today to believe and declare God's words. I believe and declare God puts us at the right place at the right time, His plans are to prosper us, we will see His goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. He will teach you and put His laws on your hearts...and you would be a testament and glowing testimony to His goodness...

In Jesus' name, AMEN.

(30 jun) Swimming, splashing and rollicking!

The two of you looked forward to Saturdays with Daddy as he often brought you to swim. Well, on this Sunday, the whole family decided to go and have a dip!




Both of you knew the route by heart now...

Tong in his diaper, all ready to save the world. When we took the lift, Uncle Amin, the security guard would often tease us by talking to us through the intercom. Xun, you were really funny, you often gave false names...like once it was princess pea...another time it was Milly...

Uncle Amin always called you Dora as he knew you love Dora. You told him you were Milly instead...He misheard and called you Lily...giggles

papa said Tong had grown so tall and could wade in the pool confidently now. He refused to go into the ladybug float. papa commented that Tong might slip sometimes and would not know how to get up on his own though he was way taller than the water. He would instead start floating with his face in the water. So, he got to rescue him and TOng would be willing to sit in the ladybug float...for awhile...ha

Papa raved that I was a hot mama...

Hey, Marina Bay Sands had an infinity pool, we had one too! It copied ours. hahahaha...

Xun, you loved to play "Tag" in the pool. Daddy discovered that you were very amiable when playing this game. You would always go deliberately slower during some rounds so that the other person got to win. Then you would cheer and congratulate the person. We did not know where you learnt this from, probably from Kai Lan. But mama sure was glad that you knew how to be compassionate and not overly competitive at such a tender age. Yeh...winning was NOT everything.

Ok, after a dip, time to go for lunch and Ah Ma's house!

(27 Jun) To the River Safari

It was the zoo's 40th birthday and the tickets were going cheaply ($9 for adults and $6 for kids). I thought it would not be that crowded considering that it was a Thursday. Little did I expect that throngs of people were as cheapskate as me. Ha!

Queuing up for the tics would take ages. So we headed to River Safari instead. It was almost kinda deserted, so we took a leisurely amble down the sheltered walkway, away from the maddening crowds and the sweltering heat...

You two loved bus rides...we could take the bus to faraway places like the Town even...

We would sing song, look at people, spot buses, eat snacks...Since we were supposed to visit the zoo, I dressed Tong up as a little tiger. He said, "ROAR" when he first noticed his get-up. You tried to put his hood over his head and he was mad. Ha...it was a tad too tight for him.

 

Ok, beginning of the journey...

We spotted peculiar creatures...hmmm...this looked like a cross between a fish and a crocodile...

Check out Tong's tail!

Tong gathered lotsa amused looks from the onlookers...he was so adorable in his little Tiger costume...

Xun, you loved to take photos nowadays. You requested for a photo with the crocodile. SNAP.

You found a friend! She was 8 but you had no qualms talking to her.

W

We

Kai kai and Jia jia. They were on loan to Singapore for 10 yrs as a gesture of the friendly ties between China and Singapore. Wonder if they would still be ard by the time you read this blog..heh





 

Watching the funny otter laze in the sun...

 

We only managed to find one panda...hmmm wondered where the other had gone to?

Yay! I loved every precious moment of being with you two... We were in an underground aquarium where we saw the manatee! You exclaimed that you loved the place and would like to stay at the aquarium FOREVER...laugh. So I agreed. Then you asked if we were leaving yet. "I thought you want to stay her forever?" You repeated you did! So we lingered for a little while more. Then you asked if it was time to go...You were such a funny girl...

Tong was duper excited about seeing the crane. He hollered, "bird bird bird bird" incessantly. Ha.

 We had a jolly good time. As usual, you whinged when we had to go home.  Tong fell asleep and we headed home. Alas, he only napped for 45 min, he would prob not take another nap, you prob would not nap too since he was up and about. Sigh, if I had known all these, I would have continued to visit Singapore Zoo. Alas, the vicissitude of parenting...

All in all, a glorious day!

 

(25 Jun) To the Treehouse Library

We were getting so venturesome, nowadays we would take LONG bus rides up to an hour to far flung remote places...well, both of you often got lulled to sleep on the bus...esp Tong tong. It was beneficial, coz he would wake up refreshed and we could spend a longer time outside and go back just in time for a late afternoon siesta for ALL OF US.

What a very enchanting entrance. I thought Singapore was really getting to be increasingly child-friendly with so many free and superior places...

Tong and you thought this was a playhouse and wanted to go in..haha

Even the shelves were shaped like trees...

A treehouse beneath a canopy of green and yellow leaves which were made from recycled mineral bottles...Tong was scaling it like nobody's business...

Cosy corners for people to read books...



The shelves were undulating and had a scenic backdrop, felt like we were transported to the lush forest...

Serendipity at work again! So happened that there was a story telling session so we lingered on to catch it.

You had to form groups to play games. You joined this bunch of big girls...

Listening intently while Tong roamed around...



Tong, you had this signature hand shaking motion whenever you felt excited...laugh...I thought you looked so cute in your little jersey...Daddy would be thrilled to wear it with you...

You naughty monkey. You went to disturb jie jie by climbing all over her.

Art work time...

Then more play at the touch screen animation wall...

You looked all indy with the hairband on your forehead..you said you were Snow Princess...

 

Tong was a little tornado, I always jested that we should enrol him in a race and he would surely emerge champion...

 

Just whiling the time away in the cab...we loved to sing...heh...

 

Alright...you woke up and were watching Bubble Guppies on Nick Junior and wanted me to accompany you...hugz...

 

Mummy really enjoyed all these escapades with the two of you...no doubt both of you were infuriatingly whiny at times...whimpering, whinging, carping, squealing...whatever...but at the end of the day, I had no regrets giving up my career for you! Auntie Shirley affirmed that it was all worthwhile seeing how adorable you two were...hahaha...

 

Love lots.