Hort Park Hot Park

It's a great sunny day today. Took the chance to visit HortPark at Telok Blangah area. It was nice but not what I expected to be. We walked around the park, looking at the glass houses, played at the playground and took a break around the rain trees.

We walked on the bridge that leads to Henderson Waves that stretches 2.4km. We only managed 1.8km and decided to return to HortPark (yeah, we are not so game, to think of walking almost 5km both ways is enough to tire my mind and body). We walked a similar path in WA's Valley of the Giants when Kieran was 14 months old - the weather there and then was fantastically cool and it was a joy walking on the bridge amidst tall, old trees.

Back to HortPark main lobby, there some fringe activities such as Calligraphy, figurine making, dragon beard candy and art & crafts. The kids were thrilled to receive 3 calligraphy artwork with meaningful words - Xin Fu Kuai Le, Xue Ye Jin Bu and most importantly, Shen Ti Jian Kang for their grandmother (my mother), whom we will visit this evening.

A Vietnamese Tale

I read the report on Thien Nhan on today's papers with a heavy heart.

If you have a heart, please help Thien Nhan in any means you can at either here or here.

Kieran goes P1

2 January was another milestone for Kieran as he begins his primary education.

The evening before I asked him how he felt about tomorrow. He said he was scared and I shared with him how I felt the same when I was going P1 and it's perfectly alright to feel this way. The anxiety is understable and I told him that everyone does through the same as there are many new experiences awaiting for us to discover.

I couldn't sleep that night after preparing his bag and other stuff for after-school care. We reminded him to wake up between 6.45-7am the next day so that he would have enough time to leave home by 7.30am.

The next morning, before I could wake him at 6.45am, I was greeted by a wide-grinned (but blurry-eyed) Kieran with a cheery, "Good Morning, Mommy". I was pleased.

When I took him to his classroom, he was all ready. He was smiling at me and even asked us to leave after school while he was about to go for after-school care. Hubby and I then went home to dismantle Raeyen's cot and put aside their old but working toys. Raeyen then returned from his 1st day back at the Kindy. Our ever-cheery Raeyen came back in happy mood and was telling me he saw all his old classmates. After lunch, hubby and I went to the Salvation Army to donate the old toys and some clothes.

In the evening, we picked Kieran home and he was happy to see us, there was no trace of lethargy. His vice-principal was surprised that after 11 hours out from home, he was still active.

That night was the first time Kieran moved up to his double-decker bed and Raeyen to sleep on the lower-deck. Kieran was excited to be able to sleep on higher ground. We were worried if Raeyen would get used to sleeping on Kieran's bed as he has been sleeping in my bedroom since birth. But he was soon fell asleep in my arms at 9pm and slept soundly in his "new, big-boy" bed till 7.30am this morning.

My Dior

Hubby paid for a Dior Christmas limited edition ring as a present (birthday or Christmas) to me. It has a bow design with a dangled "D" which signifies Dior of course and hubby's name, and a pink Swarovski round crystal.

In the same month, I chanced upon another Dior ring at Isetan Scotts at 50% discount! I bought it as it's too dainty and pretty (not forgetting for its great value) to resist. It has 2 daisies in white mother-of-pearl and "Dior" encrusted with tiny Swarovski crystals.

While diamond is a girl's best friend, crystal will suffice in this global economic crunch.

The Day the Tooth Fairy Came

Kieran's first milk tooth finally came off on Thursday 29 December 2008. He had wanted to place the tooth under his pillow right in the middle like what Lola did in the book "My wobbly tooth must not ever NEVER fall out" so that the tooth fairy may replace it with a coin for him to buy something in return.

Due to hygiene purpose, we discouraged him from doing but discarded the tooth. He was nonchalant about it and said he would then dream of happy things like Lola did so that the tooth fairy would notice the gap between his teeth which meant he really did lose his tooth.

So what happened the next morning?

He ran to his dad with a dollar coin he found under his pillow. When I woke up, he showed me the same with a wide grin.

Holiday in HK & Macau

Went to Hong Kong and Macau from 19 till 24 December, the weather was good (sunny at day and cool at night) but the crowd was not (psst, I even scolded some people who tried to cut our queue in Disneyland). Our photos in Facebook.

Took SQ860 to Hong Kong on the 19th morning and were were greeted with a nice surprise when Raeyen and I were upgraded to business class seats!

It was great fun and a time for bonding with the boys after a year's of hard work. We played hard, slept till late everyday, munched whatever we like and returned home rejuvenated.

Therapeutic Skincare

Been to the Jurlique counter so many times at the Changi Airport duty free shop made me so wanted to try its products. The pricing wasn't attractive enough though I really like its natural ingredients especially the use of aromatherapy and herbal remedies.

Now that Aussie dollar is almost on par with Sing dollar, my dearie SIL Connie helped to buy me its latest star product from the Biodynamic Beauty range. I can't wait to use it for a therapeutic moment to pamper my ageing skin. I am always on a lookout for age-defying elixir to prolong my youth. The fact that I am near 40 is freaking me out!

The Kids' Concert

Last Saturday, 1 November was Kieran's graduation concert and Raeyen's maiden performance. It was a moment we have been looking forward to witness these little milestones at the Victoria Concert Hall.


Their videoclips can be found in my Facebook.

Mom's ill

While preparing to go to work on Thursday morning (23 Oct 08), I received a phone call from my 2nd Sis. She said Mom was found immobilised and sitting by her bed. She called the ambulance and was told Mom probably had a mild stroke. She was sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital immediately. I rushed down to meet her and eldest Sis at TTSH's A&E Dept.

The neurologist said Mom had a severe stroke that caused 75% damage on her right brain resulted in paralysis on the left part of her body. She also had a heart attack that morning but the doctors couldn't deduce which came first or they came in parallel. Her heartbeat was irregular and they also found that she has a 3.6 x 3.7cm meningioma tumor on her left brain and high in cholesterol. All these plus her age at 78 don't present a good picture altogether.

On the second day, the doctor summoned that all my 3 brothers (from Shanghai, Toronto and Perth) should retunr home to see Mom as her condition wasn't positive then as she actually deteriorated from day 1.

However, she progressed steadily on day 5 onwards. I believe that her miraculous progress was due to the return of her sons, family support and her own fighting spirit. Nonetheless, we feel the pain having to see an active person that she was to rely on enteral feeding tube now and for being bed-bound at the moment.

Today, she was transferred to Ang Mo Kio Hospital as her condition stabilises. She will be there for a couple of weeks for rehab and to receive physiotherapy. In fact, today was also her first step into eating porridge with blended side dishes, which made her and us happy.

Mommy, you must continue to be strong and we await the day you can take your first step by foot. We love you!

Conversation with a 3-year old

While trying to make Raeyen sleep one night, I had a little conversation with him.

Me: When gor-gor (Kieran) was 3 years old, I didn't have to make him sleep like I do to you now.
Raeyen: I am 3 years old, gor-gor is 6!
Me: Yes, you are 3 now. I'm talking about when your gor-gor was 3 years old some time ago.
Raeyen: No, I am 3, gor-gor is 6! Tomorrow I am 6!
Me: If you are 6 tomorrow, then gor-gor will be 9.
Raeyen: Huh? Why change number now?

December holiday plan

Planned to bring the kids to HK Disneyland but our air tickets are still on waitlist. It would have been perfect if they are confirmed so that we may book everything well in advance. Including Cirque du Soleil's Zaia at the Venetian Macau.

Photoshoot at the Kindy

The Kindy had a photoshoot for the kids, K2 graduands and their families.

Rachel is 7

We celebrated Rachel's 7th birthday at her place last Sunday, which happened to be the Mid Autumn Festival too. My eldest brother, ie Rachel's dad, who works in Shanghai, brought home a huge box of nicely packaged mooncakes for the double occasion.

The kids were the happiest as they swang sparklers, sans lanterns (coz the old-fashioned me prefers the cellophane lanterns in rooster or gold fish design, but couldn't find any at neighbourhood shops) under the moonlight.

The birthday cake has snow white and the 7 dwarfs (dwarves?) and in strawberry vanilla flavour from Four Leaves.

Unfortunately, the birthday was less noisy like yesteryears as our eldest sis, 2nd and 3rd brothers' families were not there.

Glimpses of Mumbai

Second time to Mumbai recently and with all business trips, every trip is "touch-and-go".

Caught glimpses of this busy sleepless city while in a car.

Had dinner with an old friend, Amit and his wife, Chitra. It was a great evening as we chatted about old times, work and family.

Mumbai is a great place as the people and food are good, but not the airport and bad traffic, . It is also sad to see people (especially kids) living in the slumps. Mumbai is plagued with monsoon and I wonder these people living under tins and plastic must have a terrible time. We should be grateful for what we have, really.

Movie: WALL.E

The whole family watched this cute movie with May & Megan at GV Max, Vivocity on Saturday afternoon.

It was a nice cosy movie about love, very endearing but we are not sure if all our kiddos actually understood the storyline. May was worried that it probably is not so suitable for kids.

Nonetheless, it's cute.

After the movie, we had dinner at the White Dog Cafe... great food and service!