Saturday, December 3, 2022

December 2022 Scuba Diving with the Cousins

 

Saw this program on Active SG and decided to enroll the children and got their cousins to join us too


1 long hour of theory. I wasn't there but Aunt Karen said the children seemed bored...

Finally, learning how to put the tank into the vest and hook up the various tubes


Oh oh...things were getting complicated


Finally, it was time to try diving in the pool


It was hard hard work...



It was good exposure






They looked like little tadpoles in this photo taken by Da Biao Gu from her home on the 37th storey of the block overlooking the pool

Then, it was lunch time at the kopitiam and playtime at Da Biaogu's home. How nice it is to have cousins whom one feels so close too...ah ...and enjoying childhood..erm and approaching adolescence together...ah I guess this meme is rather true of them...





Dec 2022 Family Day at Changi Naval Base

 

We were really lucky to be able to attend the Navy's family day at Changi Naval Base. It was hard getting there though. We set off at 9 am and waited for 40 min for a cab and was cancelled by the drivers thrice. When we finally decided to take the train to a half-way mark stop to wait for Ah Gong to pick us, I was notified that Comfort had found us a cab. Called the uncle and he said he was already there...but we were at the MRT station and I already cancelled the booking. Alas....well...too bad, we were going to meet Ah Gong no matter what...

It was rather hot but that was good as we got the chance to board all the three ships! The hardest to navigate was the frigate as the stairs were very steep and narrow and Mei had to climb up and down by herself. She was rather daunted at first but persevered, ah that intrepid adventurer. 



We could take photos on the bridge and deck...I had no idea why the command area was called the bridge...hmmm but aye Captain, off we go!


Loved seeing the little ones in uniforms...eh but the biggest one could only fit Yanjie and you you barely...so TOng and Xun could only wear the caps


Visited the museum too...Er Yi said that it was newly renovated...it was indeed quite cool


She met her very first boss in the navy

Mei enjoyed the small boat the most...they shared lots of details as it was a guided tour ..Yay a photo with the handsome captain...the audacious Tong was drinking water at every water cooler he saw in the frigate and a soldier stopped him and gave him a bottle of iced water. Ah, then when he went to the largest ship, he asked a soldier for water and got a packet of green tea. 


Yes, then he came here and asked for water again. The gall to ask the men to serve you water! BUT indeed, when one dares to ask, one often does get what one wants. Perhaps I should be bolder and ask for things that I want too? Hmmm



Tong doesn't like to smile for photos. Always stern and stoic. Like an officer? We were telling him that he should become a pilot as a pilot earns quite a lot of money. Papa even pulled out an article detailing how much an SAF pilot would earn in a lifetime vs a commercial pilot and it also plotted out the best remuneration plan - which is to be an SAF pilot and pivot to be a commercial pilot only way later...



We had lots of fun at the stalls which all had water-themed games. How clever. Won lots of navy stickers, life buoy keychains which we put on the Christmas...ah the Navy bear...while Tong chose a white Navy cap and Jie chose the notebook.

We had such fun...and only left at 5pm...would have taken longer if not for the fact that the kids wanted Youyou to go over to our place for dinner...

Yes, yet another fun-filled day!


Mei says the darnedest things, To Legoland, Sleepover

  

I am actually boiling mad now as I typed out the entire post already, published it and yet nothing was recorded. I wrote down funny things said by Mei and deleted them from my phone and now I can't refer to them anymore. SIGH.

Mei says the cheekiest things. 

Like the time she made up a song when she stayed up late and I was working and told her not to bother me:

Mei: When you are bored and you know it, say (sighed loudly and dramatically) 

Yes, she went on for a while...that naughty lass


She likes to torment Gege. Gorgor was her old old boyfriend. Gege was her old boyfriend and papa is her current boyfriend. She said she did not want gor as her bf as he taught her nonsense and did not want gege as he was weak. Terrible. 


When asked why she needed to keep all the toys on the bed, she said they protected her from mosquitoes. She was really good at retorting and thinking of smarty pants things to say on the spot:

Mei: Mummy, could I have strawberry milk?
Mama: (thinking that she already had lots of sweet drinks throughout the day and it was not her first packet of milk): Last drink Meimei
Mei: What, forever?
Mama: Last drink for the night
Mei: (innocently) I thought I could drink water?

Ah...mind blown



Her siblings love her. Gor gor calls her his one and only teammate. Jun was enemy no 1. Jie enemy no 2. Then Jun became an ally. Then he became enemy no 3. What?


She likes to tease Gorgor nonetheless. Once, after he fixed her computer: Thank you Gor Gor. You are the best gor gor in the world. Do you know that I love you very much?

She got into trouble once though. She was getting heavier but still liked pouncing on people. That night, she jumped on Gor and he was mad and chewed her head off. 


Mama: Oh you are at page 6!
Mei: Like gor gor, with a big tummy (I taught her to recognise numbers by spinning tales. Gor is like number 6, big tummy. Jun number 9, big head. Jie is 5 as S looks like 5.)
Mama: (Chuckles)
Mei: But we say there is so much of him to love. 



Up to no good, said she was a ninja



she had grown so much recently, really getting all lanky and bony



she has a funny sense of humour..


A knitted bag from Bei Gor for my birthday. They like to wear it like a balaclava. the other day, mei did it too..

Ma: Mei what are you doing?
Mei: Who is Meimei? I am fancy robber (maniacal laughter)


Jun got this furry blanky from the Genting Theme Park's store


The cousins came over to stay before the release of the PSLE results. Well, they were afraid they might not be in the mood to celebrate after getting the results. 


Never giving up an opportunity to go to the pool. Ah, I dug out the cow float. NICE.



Outdoor time...badminton



soccer


cozy and messy corner in the living room


Mama was kept busy the entire time with cooking and washing up. Cooked dinner on the first day, breakfast, lunch and dinner on the second. Gosh.





A photo from an longer while ago...Jun celebrating his birthday with the triplets


and the October babies - Er Yi, Jun and You you



Right after Jie's exams, we went to Legoland for a mini celebration during the PSLE marking days. 


It was Halloween so they had some fun activities at the entrance. We were supposed to spot some spooky lego figurines, go to various stations like the one where they had to make a pumpkin to earn a golden coin!



They took that super scary wet ride


Mei had a great time too. she was sad that she could not take the jostling horse ride as she was not yet 4 and a little too short. she said she would eat veggies to grow taller



Battery operated cars just outside the theme park


Role playing - what a cute fireman...



And a cute waitress at the ice cream parlour



Went to an indoor playground while the older ones played arcade games and went shopping


Dinner at an al fresco area...thrilled with the gigantic cotton candy they bought at the pasar malam...and Jie bought a really sweet-looking wallet for only 5rm


stayed in a beautiful penthouse 







Ah the lazy pigs




Attended the K2 graduation ceremony



Had a blast!