A Little Space to Call Our Own

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The 2 of us

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Brillante Weblog Awards



I am deeply honoured to be given this award by my favourite blogger June. I seriously have no idea what I have done to deserve this hahaa...THANKS JUNE!

Ok, I am supposed to thank some one...firstly, my little boy of course! who is such a joy to watch him grow and do his funny antics and silly dances. He give me so many reasons to continue blogging because he did so many things worth remembering. I think I end up only blogging half of the things that happen, those kodak moments when I said "I must record that down somewhere!!!". I also wish to thank, in advance, my little girl, whom will soon join her gor gor in being co-subjects of this little blog of mine. :) I also wish to thank all my friends who takes the trouble to read this blog despite being so busy with their own lives and kids.

I have also:
1. Put the logo on my blog.

2. Add a link to the person who gave me the award.

3. Nominate 7 other blogs. 4 can a not huh?

4. Add links to the blogs I nominate.

5. Leave a message for my nominees on their blogs.

I would like to nominate the following blogs. There are some that is private so I cannot put them here though... :p
*Rachel's I love reading the heartfelt daddyish sentiments from blogger dad as I can feel Daddy's love from his words, and I love his beautiful photos of his 2 little girls.
*Mamalim's A amazing homeschooling mommy with 6 kids, think she's preg with the 7th one. Admire her strength, perseverence, creativity...
*Terelle For their Mommy's (Lianne) quirky blogging and the fun things they always do)
*Rina's For details of her endless exotic holidays and her sentiments about her little girl.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Updates on Gor Gor and Mei Mei

More Updates on Jovann and his mei mei.

Little princess is 35 weeks now. :) Previous checkup at 34/35 weeks she's weighing well, Gynae said she will be bigger than her gor gor at birth. This little one is really more active at night. The past 2 nights when I am up working on my laptop around 10-12midnight, she is kicking and moving and pushing. I told her when she come out, she has to learn to differentiate night from day like her gor gor...hehe...

I am refraining from buying ANY MORE clothes for her hehee. Its really satisfying to see the new IKEA wardrobe filling up with her newly washed clothes, nicely folded. Have also finally gotten my act together and STARTED packing my hospital bag. 2 years ago, my bag was already nearly ready at this time, as I started packing at 7mths. This time, I only packed this past weekend, at 35 weeks. But I am bringing less things this time, coz from experience there's quite a few items we won't need. Its really fun packing hehe. :)

More about Jovann Gor Gor

o He says "fump! fump! fump!" whenever he's jumping.
o That day on the way to sending me to work (15 sept), he saw a motorbike, and
he said "motorbike....motorbike....where you going??"
o Nowadays when he wakes up, he will say "Daddy...make milk...Fofan...please". and this morning, after his "please", he said "bye bye" to Daddy indicating he can go now to make the milk hehe.
o He can finally say "daddy, change (shane) song (fong) please.
o He laughs very PR-ly when something's funny. super farnie on his birthday
party in response to June.
o That day, when i sms daddy to ask is he coming to fetch me, he called and
Jovann said "fetching Mommy!" into the phone! he sounded so happy, its so
nice to anticipate him coming to fetch me. :)
o 15 sept, we brought him to Madonalds, and he kept saying "Macdonalds"! even when we went out of the house to fetch me to work, he
said "going Macdonalds!".
o He's been refusing his food, sometimes going without one meal, not even a single spoon of it. And he don't snack, so no chance of filling him up in between meals. So worried about his weight and nutrient levels...sigh....have sought advice from friends, from PD, from parenting instructor...
o At Ma ma place today, he hasnt seen them for a week as Ma Ma was sick last week. He ran up the steps to their bedroom, banged on their door and called for them! Once in the room, he ran amok like a little hurricane, "fumping" on the bed, on Gong Gong, everywhere. He was that happy to see them.
o Hubby said he climbed up and down the stairs today 3 times, each time counting the number of steps, but getting it all different at every attempt coz he goes "one, two, fhwee....one two fhwee four......nine ten elephen twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen!!!!
o He has been throwing quite a bit of thantrums...sometimes screaming all the way from outside till we reached home.
o This morning when I leaving the car to go work, I told him "mommy go work". But today he said "no no, no work!" and started protesting and refusing me to leave. Daddy then told him "Mommy don't work no money to buy toys for you" and I added "If mommy don't work we can't go swimming". And immediately he said "Mommy go work! BYE BYE!". Hahaha talk about being realistic.
o He also loves to dance to music, and I love watching him...
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o He has a new favourite toy, his Thomas & Friends Big Loader that we bought for him for his birthday. This toy is cool, its so nolstagic coz I rem having a toy of the same configuration when I was a child. In this version, Percy loaded himself up with ball bearings, and proceeded to dump them somewhere. Not sure if its deliberate, but this caused the ball bearings to go all over the floor. Thomas then came along, activates the truck and scooped up the ball bearings, which Thomas will then carry and put them back properly in the original place. (I don't understand half of what I am saying, I think I am not making at all sense with the description above as I am hopeless in construction terms. Just see the video lah....)
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o He needs comfort items recently....he will go into the kitchen and grab 1-2 metal teaspoons and hold them in his hands while he go about playing or watching tv. At one point of time, he was obsessed with his purple plastic fork and must hold it in his hands once he reach home. When myself or the maid is feeding him his nightly cod liver oil, he will ask to hold another spoon in his hand, and it MUST be the spoon thats similar to the one we using to feed him. He won't eat his cod liver oil unless he holds that spoon in his hand. Its really weird. On the day of his birthday, he insisted on holding the GAIA Baby lotion bottle at night when he drinks milk, brush teeth, and go to bed. Same for next night. The following night however, he changed it to the Natures Gate organic baby lotion. Either way, he insisted I use that to massage for him instead of the Buds Baby one I was using. He also grew attached to his small pillow with the pillow case of a butterfly on it. He kept pointing and saying "butterfly". one afternoon before his nap he realise the cover has been changed, he threw a fuss and kept asking for "butterfly, butterfly!!!" until Daddy had to go dig in the laundry basket for the pillow case and put it back on just for that nap. Later on, he told J butterfly had to go take a bath.
o For some reason, he has been saying "bicycle...oh! bicycle....oh! bicycle....oh!" on and on and on once afternoon, at the same time, riding Daddy on his tummy and bouncing up and down hehehe....

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Boy Boy = Big Bed

19 Sept. The day after Jovann turns 2.

This day marks a transition. We are moving him to a single mattress, to be put on the floor beside our bed, in place of his cot. His cot will be used by his mei mei. We prepared him by telling him the night before that he is a big boy already, have to say bye bye to old bed, that tomorrow he will sleep in new big boy bed. Not sure if he understands, but he nodded and grunted. :P

The next day, Daddy bought the 4inch thick foam mattress and brought it home, together with the bedrail from Isetan. IKEA also delivered their new wardrobe the same day, and Daddy spent the afternoon at home tidying up the place and fixing the bed rail onto the single mattress, laying a protective cardboard underneath to protect our paraquet flooring.

Then when on the way back home, I told Jovann that he will be able to see his new bed later. When we entered the house, I brought him to say bye bye to his old cot,which is now residing in his real room beside the new wardrobe. Also showed him the new wardrobe, telling him the top rail will be for gor gor's clothes and the bottom rail for mei mei's clothes. He seemed to understand as 10mins later after his bath, he ran to the wardrobe, banged the doors opened, and said "Jovann's clothes, meimei's clothes!"

He seemed to like his new bed a lot.....he kept bouncing on it....walking on it,and at one point of time said "sleep sleep", and pretended to sleep. hehee...

This is of him playing around on it before bath. Thanks to Malcolm's mommy's advice, I have taken out a set of cute giraffe bedsheets, intending to get him excited putting it on.






After bath, put the bedsheets on. Jovann kept wanting to drink his milk immediately on it, but we asked him to slow down, and helped us put on the bedsheets.

Snug and happy.....




He fell asleep after brushing teeth, though he took about 5-10mins longer than usual to fall asleep. He was moving on the bed too much, trying to get into comfy position... :P

Tonight will be the test....I am crossing my fingers and toes....

Friday, September 19, 2008

Happy Birthday Jovann!

18 Sept Today is the actual day I turn 2! :)

These are my lovely presents from my birthday party! Thank you Aunties and Uncles!!! :)


Mommy Daddy took leave today to bring me out to do the things they know I will enjoy.

In the morning, Mommy fed my breakfast, and my lunch was cooked and packed, and we set off to FIDGETS at Turf City. Its a place Mommy has always wanted to bring me after reading about it in Auntie June's blog, but the last time she tried, it was after 6pm and they were closing. :(

Today I managed to go! Its a cool place! we even have place to put our shoes.



Daddy introduced me to the Little Fidgets area first. I was quite hesitant with the playground, not daring to step on the netting even after much persuasion. Only when Daddy went under the netting and placed his head underneath, then I was willing to step across, on Daddy's face, hahaha. Even so, surprisingly, I lost interest after one round, and attacked the 2 toy cars there instead.





Mommy and Daddy had a little breakfast at the cafe nearby, then brought me over to the bigger play area, where there were LOTSA colourful balls, and the self cleaning system Auntie June was talking about! It was fun, after getting the hang of it, I keep on asking Mommy to carry me so I can put the balls inside the bulls-eye and see them coming out one by one in the chute hehe! 3 cute Korean kids came and joined us in the play area, and they zoomed down the slides happily. Daddy climbed up the huge slide with me, and dropped me from the top, with Mommy apprehensively getting ready to catch me when I come down. Both Daddy Mommy were very scared that I may get scared and leaned forward when zooming down, and fall, but they didn't vocalise their fear. Daddy just dropped me gingerly, and Mommy leaned as far up as she could. When I come zooming down, I had this "Uh-oh, what have I got myself into" look on my face. Luckily, I didn't lean forward, but when I reached the bottom, I had this super stunned look on my face. Mommy clapped her hands and cheered, and I stood up and gave a big grin to the Korean Mommy proudly. Hahaa....Daddy Mommy only then breathed a sigh of relief.

Daddy showing me how to put the balls in..




I had a fun time in the ball pit, throwing balls and laughing. Daddy pushed me onto my back a couple of times, and cover me with balls and I got up laughing in glee.







Only too soon, it was getting late. Mommy wanted to bring me to the zoo in time for the pony ride at 11am, so we gotta leave soon. Auntie June, DN, Auntie Ling and Sophie were oredi there, and they were helping Mommy get the pony ride tickets! Mommy persuaded me to leave FIDGETS by telling me we are going to see elephants. And I willingly climb out of the play area, and on the way to the Zoo kept chanting "See elephants! see elephants!".

Sophie and DN just finished feeding the kangaroos when we reached there. I was only allowed to pat the kangaroos, which I didn't want to. The kangaroo hopped away before I can pluck up my courage hehee.



Mommy is not sure if I dare to ride the pony called Buddy, and sure enough, I didn't want to. Even after much coaxing, and asking me to pat the pony, I refused. The uncle was very nice, saying we can refund the ticket price at the booth.


He spent some time sharing with us things about ponies. Did you know that you are not supposed to pat/touch horses at the rumps? Coz its the blindspot in their line of sight, and they get nervous when ppl touch them there and may hurt you. I learn something today! Sophie and DN were very brave, both patted Buddy although they didn't wanna ride him.




The pony uncle even sang a birthday song for Jovann. :)
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We then went to have lunch at the Forest Fare. Mommy had nasi lemak and Daddy mee goreng. While me? I refused my porridge, and only ate a few token mouthfuls of Auntie June's fried rice and fried bee hoon. For some reason, I am very taken to her, and kept asking her to carry me. I even refused Mommy at one point of time!

Elephant Ride
Initially I said no when Daddy asked me if I wish to ride elephant. Only when I saw ppl getting onto the elephang then I got interested and I nodded my head yes when he asked again.So we got into the queue and Mommy went to buy tickets!


Auntie June, who refused to get onto the elephant ride coz she remembers her experience on one when she was younger, had to overcome her disgust/fear of it when DN said he wants to ride too! Poor Auntie June was so brave, she got onto the elephant saddle behind us, then happily proceeded to take a lot of photos hehee...





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Watching fishes. Sophie looked so sweet with the little red umbrella!


DN and Sophie went home after this. We proceeded home for a nap to recharge too. When I woke up, Mommy cooked me my birthday mee sua. :)





But I refused to eat...sigh...I actually said "no mum mum!" when they tried to put me into the highchair. Mommy packed it into Tiger food jar to bring out as my dinner.

Off to Swimming at Seletar Country Club! I have been here to swim only when still in Mommy's tummy. She remembered she swam here and got many braxton hicks during the swim hehehe. Today, the pool was nearly empty! There was only a jie jie there with her parents. I had a lot of fun here, laughing and splashing once I got into the water in the baby pool.


We spent only 10mins there before Daddy brought me into the adult pool's medium depth area, where I splashed and laughed and "chased" daddy all over the pool. Mommy Daddy felt so happy that I am enjoying myself, we had so much fun we didn't take much photos, heheee..... at one point of time, music was blasting from the speakers at the poolside as there was a function going on, and I started swaying to the music.











I caught sight of the jie jie at one point and saw she had a ball with her. I kept saying "ball ball ball!" and Mommy in the end went up to her to ask if I could play the ball with us. She's so sweet passed the ball immediately to me. We played passing the ball between jie jie and me for some time.



Daddy brought me on 3 more rides on the water slide before washing up for dinner. :)
WWWwweeeeEEEEE!!!!!


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Thomas Birthday Party! I am 2!

I am turning 2!!! Mommy Daddy threw a Thomas & Friends theme Birthday Party for me, and I enjoyed myself so much more this year than I did the last year, coz I am bigger now and more aware and love to play with my friends.

Daddy Mommy chose this theme coz I chose the Thomas sticker 3 out of 3 times when Daddy let me choose it. Mommy did up the choice of about 10 over cartoons for me to choose from, and I keep on choosing Thomas and went "mas mas!". Anyway, here's all about my party. :)

13 other friends came to celebrate with me. I have 2 lovely mylar balloons, one of them is a HUGE one in Thomas shape. And 40 other helium balloons...

2 Days before the PARTY
Mommy busy packing goody bags. As my party will be on the 15th day of the lunar 8th month, she managed to find mini electric lanterns, safe and small enough to stuff inside the goody bags. She wanted each kid to have one, so they will not be without a lantern during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She found this at a party shop in Middle Rd. Only one shop stocks them. :)







Done!


Party Day!






I Love my 2nd Birthday Cake! It has a realistic Thomas on the top, with "steam" coming out of it! There's even a small green Percy (my favourite) coming out of the tunnel! I was so excited when I saw it Daddy had to grab my hands to prevent me damaging the cake. Mommy got the cake from Auntie Glad (www.gladcake.blogspot.com) who does LURVELY cakes. :)




I had a little "accident" before my nap. The helper was moping one part of the floor so it was wet. Mommy didnt want me to go over so she held my hand but I struggled as I wanted to go see what auntie is doing. Think my wrist was strained/sprained, and I kept whining after that. Mommy had to hold my hand gently up, with my elbow bent, so that I am comfortable.

When the balloons came, I kept wowing at them, and grabbed the biggest Thomas balloon I can find, the jumbo one. and won't let go. I held it with my left hand which was uninjured.

She was so worried, and not sure if I can still nap. Mommy persuaded me to go into the bedroom and I actually let go of the balloon. I napped 1.5hrs without fuss. But when I woke, I was still in pain, and kept whining, holding my hands gingerly. Mommy so heartpain......even wearing my Thomas t-shirt for me caused much pain and I refused to wear one arm of it. Daddy managed to do it, and Mommy Daddy put ona bandage for me so that I will have less chance of further straining it and also to let guests know "pls handle with care". Initially I wasn't as active/noisy as usual, but I soon warmed up! by 6pm, Mommy noticed I was jumping around on the sofa and bracing myself with my right hand. I have recovered! :)

Before the 1st guests arrived, the food from Kriston came, and we busied ourselves with putting the mee siam gravy in the slow cooker, and the popiah filling in the rice cooker, to keep warm, so the guests will always have hot food. Mommy very hiao, went to arranged the prawns and hardboiled egg (ingredients for mee siam) in a rotating ceramic dish hehe.

Ah Gong Ah Ma are the first to arrive around 4pm, closely followed by Reubern and Auntie Joanne/Uncle Tony. Reubern busied himself with the Laugh and Learn home and Post Office once he got here hehee!


While Ah Gong was caught on camera playing with the train tracks.


Poor me still not as active as usual coz of my injured hand.


Mommy bought a Thomas shaped candle and guided me to put it on my cake.


Uncle Ros with his daugher Zea Oraida and Zhi Qin


My cousin Kieira and little friend Sophie.


Gong Gong with me and cousin Kieira


Little pretty Bernice with Mommy Auntie Yipei


Party in full Swing





Singing the Birthday song to me :)




Cake Cutting...


Mommy also ordered some temp Thomas tattooes from overseas. It contains pics of engines like Thomas, Percy and James, with railroad signs and other thomas stuff. She know some girls may not like Thomas things, so she also bought some flower, angel tattooes. So there were 2 bowls of the 2 diff kinds of tattooes, with a separate bowl containing water and 2 small sponges. When my guests enter the house, either Daddy or Mommy will put on the tattoes for them hehe. Mommy got this idea from Auntie Ling back during Sophie's 1st birthday!Oh and Sophie chose Thomas today. :)

Here am I with mine. I love them so much I wanted all Percy, Thomas, James...and Thomas again on both my arms! Do I look impressive with tattooes all over me and wielding a metal tongs!??




This Percy is on Arianne's hand.


What a day! Most of the guests have left, and some of my friends have stayed behind to have some fun. I was enjoying myself so much I kept laughing!




Auntie June did a Singlish Story telling using Thomas. For full unabridged original version (before my birthday), pls see DN's blog hehe.

I love Auntie June's story telling! Auntie Brenda said I kept doing the PR laugh. :P






Auntie June's was very excited over the 40 helium balloons above her, waiting to be inhaled! She sang me a birthday song!
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Daddy sang me the Thomas Song hehehe!
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Kissing my Daddy!!!


Mommies fixing up the mini lanterns to go downstairs. Lazy us actually wanted to stay in the house, switch off the lights and pretend we are "downstairs"! But the toddlers won't have it, so down we go...


Before we went down however, we ended up in my bedroom where the post office is. Three of us were giggling and playing in the post office,and our Mommies caught us sleeping together!!!

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J dancing as usual when playing lanterns...








This is the lantern we used, that was in the goody bag. It looks very weathered now hahaa...




What a LOVELY DAY!
Thank you to all who came!
My cousins Shauna and Kieira, My friends Cheryl and Jordan, Der Nen, Sophie, Reubern, Arianne, Clarence, Clarice, Zhi Qin, Zea, Bernice!!!!! I love you guys!

Credits
Food
- Kriston's DIY mee siam set with sambal prawns
- Kriston's DIY Popiah/kuay pai tee set
- Home made potato salad (with russet potatoes, hardboiled eggs, sauteed ham with green capsicums and red onions, bacon bits, italian seasoning, black pepper and salt)

Thomas Decorations, Thomas goody bags, Thomas party fillers and Thomas Mylar balloons
- All Aboard Toys
- Birthday Direct

Latex balloons and the rest of the goody bag items
- AZ Trading and all over the place

Birthday Cake
- Gladcakes