Horses @ Saddle Club

Horses @ Saddle Club
1 June.

Arianne has recovered from her fall and is ready to rejoin Aquaducks. Auntie Brenda mesged mommy the day before and they decided to celebrate by having lunch at Saddle Club after the swim. Auntie Brenda booked a table at Riders Lodge, which she has never been to before.

The food was sumptious and reasonably priced! Mommy Daddy gorged themselves with the huge American breakfasts costing less than $10 each, and the Pehs had pasta and fish and chips. The kids, I had my porridge with fried minced pork and spinach, while Arianne had fried rice with her gigantic new bib on. hehehee...

Later on, the 2 of us frolicked around the cafe, poking into corners and disturbing other diners.


Molesting the Saddle Club mascot........




dirtying hands on the window sills.....






......peering down the balcony into the stables of horses.....so fun!


Come lah, dun be shy lah....



Eerrr...this photo taken by Auntie Brenda...


This is what she meant to take...heheee..


Ms White and Mr Blackie...


Mr Cheeky and Miss Sweet

Term Ends for JG

Its PARTY TIME!

This post is a bit belated...not had time to update recently, so get ready for the barrage of postings soon hehehee...

24 May was the last class in Julia Gabriel for the term. It was real exciting, such a party mood! Many arts and crafts to play (fizzzzz and spotty bubbles), potlucking, alot a lot of music, and both parents were in the class. Mommy took a total of 24 videos and Daddy 700 over photos of the class!

On the way to class. It was supposed to be a teddy bear party, so everyone of us are supposed to bring our favourite soft toy. of course I brought my pooh bear, which I hugged happily throughout the car journey. But somehow, the softoys were forgotten by the teachers and students alike when the tea time came. :P








Today marks the first time in class I obliged the teacher and attempted to say what she asked me to! Usually I will go to the teacher when asked, but will keep quiet when she asked me to introduce myself. But today, I think I was in a pretty happy and obliging mood, or just that I am into the phase where I imitate whatever people say to me. In any case, with Pan Lao Shi holding onto me, I actually said the words "大家好 我是涵茗 谢谢!!" and amidst the claps and happy praises from the teacher and Mommy, I went toddling back to Mommy's lap smiling so proudly to himself.



His proud moment...


I ran around the class today showing ppl how to tap the magic box as usual, and I simply love the bubble time where teachers blew bubbles all over the room to the bubble song! I tried chasing bubbles and got so distracted I sat on the lap of 2 parents I dun even know!

When it's snack party time, Mommy helped me put some of the food other mommies daddies bought on my plate and brought it to me. There were fried rice by Mommy, sausages and fish fingers, jellies, jap cheese cake, pandan kaya cake, cereals, papayas and fruits. Actually mommy didn't get me the jelly, until I saw a girl eating it and I wanted to grab hers. So Daddy got some for me, and I like it so much I asked for more. Mommy only let me eat one more jelly.

The tea spread...


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Its a great term at Julia Gabriel. He enjoyed himself so much, its a joy watching him play.
What has he learnt these 10 weeks?
- Even more sociable. Besides the first lesson when he's still rather cautious, the 2nd lesson onwards he will approach the teacher when his name is called, and let her hold him while she tried to get him to say some words....he never did...until....
- 2nd last lesson of the term, he said the letter "Z" and tried to pronounce "Zebra".
- last lesson, he said those chinese words "大家好 我是涵茗 谢谢!!"
- sits mostly quietly at the table and self feed...though he still spits out some of the food
- dance crazily to the music, and clap even more noisily when the music ends.
- improved concentration span during story telling times
- loves the Magic Box and will go forward to bang on it all the while that the box is passed around

Jovann recieving his Certificate....such a proud moment! :P


We are coming back next term of course. :)

Photo with his lovely JG teachers!
Teacher Hui Min was telling the rest how sociable he was when he came into even her makeup class, not appearing to be out of place at all. I told her probably coz she's there hehehee..


she was tickled how easy it is to make him laugh hehee..

Growing up...

My little boy is growing up...

I still love watching him sleep.... the innocence of the tender years.....



I especially love watching him slowly waking up. In fact, one of my FIL's favourite past time is to be there to wake Jovann up from his nap. He will get up with his recent fav "aiyah aiyah..." like an old man, then switched off the aircon, and turned off the purifier with his feet like what Ma Ma does.

Today, happen to come across some old videos of him when he was only less than 6mths old. He was playing with Daddy on the bed and giggling a lot. It brings back such tender memories, so sweet and poignant. How my little boy has grown, lost his baby fat through his activeness, and am actually starting to talk now. Time flies.

This morning, in the car on the way to work, he actually pointed out and said the words "car", "Bike", "Truck", "Bus" to me... and he said to me, with his hands on an imaginary steering wheel, that "Daddy's Driving". Then when I tell him Mommy going to work now, he said "bye bye" to me...

When back in the office, Daddy gave me a call and when I picked up, I heard Jovann telling me "I love you" in his baby pronounciation on the phone. Its so super sweet...hearing his voice over the phone like this.

Sentosa on May Day

On Labour Day, I went to Sentosa with Reubern and Arianne. Its my 3rd time in Sentosa, my 3rd close encounter with sand, and Daddy Mommy is so pleased that I have now finally conquered my fear of sand! Though I was hesitant, but I could sit on the sand, and play with sand toys, for very very long! Last time, I didn't even want to step on sand with my shoes on! Mommy Daddy is proud of me...

After washing up, we proceeded to Vivo City, and chilled out at a cafe for an hour or so before meeting Der Nen for dinner at Shin Kuriya. Reubern's Mommy was not feeling well so she could not join us. :P

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Reubern at the Airport!

25 May, Sunday

This is the 3rd time I have been to the airport. First time when I was 10months old, to send 3rd uncle off to study, 2nd time when me and mommy daddy flew to Melbourne, and this time with Reubern, to visit T3! Its my first time in T3 actually, and with all the hype I was pretty excited, especially when Daddy Mommy keep telling me days leading up to it that I am going to see "airplanes".

We reached there just after 5.30pm, and I saw some planes from the viewing gallery of T2. Mommy wanted me to try watch planes from T2 first coz she heard from Auntie Joanne the viewing gallery at T3 don't show much. However, we were quite sad to see that even T2 viewing gallery has been modified, to allow the transit passengers from the floor below to have a closer view of the planes at the expense of ours. Our view was not blocked by a further layer of windows and frames. But its ok, I still saw some planes! And I love gazing out the window, and sitting on the ledge. I fell on my butt the first time I sat on the ledge, but I still continue doing it hehee.

We took the sky train to T3, such a big space for us boys to run! Reubern was running all over the place, and I was chasing after him. We stopped at Dian Xiao Er to have dinner, where Mommy found that she likes the fried bee hoon. The dishes were excellent, but nottie me refused to eat the dinner Mommy cooked for me, fried mee sua. I also didn't even ask for their food, so Mommy concluded I am not hungry. She could only leave me alone while Reubern happily gobbled up the rice and dish Auntie Joanne cooked for him. I didn't show interest in food at all. Mommy Daddy decided to try again later.

We proceeded to the viewing gallery, and found that it has the same design as that in T2, which means we get next to zero view at night! Boo hooo....I can't see any airplans at all.

But still, the huge space is redeeming in itself, hehehe I had fun running! Mommy Daddy had to double up a lot of times to catch me and Reubern. After some time, we went to coffee bean to have a drink, where Mommy Daddy tried feeding me again. This time, I managed about half the portion, then stopped.

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I enjoyed my evening with Reubern very much!!!!!

Animal Resort

The Vesak Day Holiday, we decided to visit Animal Resort, at Seletar Farmway. Daddy and Mommy have been there a few times some years back to see dogs and bring friends there (before they have me), but it didn't occur to them it will be a nice place to bring ME!

We set off pretty early at 9.30am! Auntie Brenda, Arianne and her auntie got into our car, and it was with high spirits that we reached the animal resort. Right weather, not too many people. Perfect! We met Clarice with Auntie Megan, Auntie Henry there.

We bought appropriate animal feeds from the stall there, and that day we fed goats, ducks, goose, fish, rabbits, tortoises, and also gigantic fish in the dark murky pond deep into the resort. I even saw a beautiful peacock! and I obligingly said "peeee.....cock!" when prompted by Daddy Mommy. With the goats however, think I managed to feed them once, then one of them launched towards me and I got scared so I refused to feed them again. Saying "no no no..." whenever Mommy asked me to.

When walking towards the back of the resort where the peacocks and swans are, Daddy and Mommy asked me to dance and I wriggled in Daddy's arms in my version of dancing, sending them into fits of laughter.

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Lunch was had at the place itself, with nice fried rice and fried noodles cooked by the old auntie. This is one of the rare times Mommy didn't cook my lunch and braved out outside food for me. But I was rather nottie, refusing to chew much, either spitting out 1 out of 2 spoon of fried rice that were put into my mouth, or will hold the rice in my mouth for the next 5mins. Ended up I didn't eat much.

It was a fun and tiring morning. We left around 12.30am, and I very quickly dozed off in the car while Arianne was still behind me wide awake! hehee...

Formula 1

Just found these photos in my HDD when doing some house keeping.

Gearing up for Singapore's first Formula 1 Race!!!

Gentlemen......start your engines.....


And Reubern if OFF!!!!! Jovann, why are you still smiling there for???

20 Months Old!

Oh dear, time flies. In 4 months time, we are celebrating his 2nd birthday! Didn't we just celebrate his 1st??????

On the day he turned 20 months, we brought him to United Sq. He had a great time there in Growing Fun, then ELC, playing with the magnetic alphabets, toy cars on the track, tool box....and doll house!! hahaa..yes doll house! I caught him squatting in front of a pink doll house, peering in and saying hi to the dolls outside. I asked Daddy to look and to take a photo, but he refused! Hhhmmph....macho-ness....

We then went to play with the projection lights on the floor in front of Guess. J had a swell time stepping and stomping his feet to the changing graphics and lights. Then off to have prata at the Jalan Kayu Prata Cafe. He ate some mini mouths of egg while playing with his new puzzle toy from ELC. Then it was Toys R Us, before heading home.

Time really flies...
At 20 months, Jovann likes to do the following:
... point at my tummy and say "baby!"
... insisted on lifting up my shirt to kiss and hug my tummy fondly
... favourite bed time books as of now is "Goodnight Thumper" and "The Little Engine that Could"
... Recognise from the 2nd book Elephant, Horse, House, Trees, Blue Train, Red Train, Cow, Monkey, Clown, Airplane, Giraffe, Teddy Bear, Number 6, 7, 10 and will point them out to me when asked,
... Refuse his food
... hates eating breakfast. Except at Ma Ma place, dunno why.
... 28 May, realised he can read/recognise the following words/pictures, coz he will say out the words when we show him the item/word in the Baby's 1st Words book : Boy, Shirt, Socks, Shoes, Boat, Car, Truck, Train, Airplane, Bear, Apple, Banana, Cat, Dog...
... He is sleeping through the night again after we turn down the room temp and remove his sleeping bag
... chatter to himself and to us non stop
... Finally, at the last lesson of Julia Gabriel this term, he actually said, or tried to say, the following sentence when prompted by Pan lao shi: "大家好 我是涵茗 谢谢!!". I was so proud!!! So was the little nottie boy, his face aglow with praises when he came running back to my lap.
... His "I Love you" and "I Miss You" sounds more distinct now
... He loves to do his sexy dance when the Diamond advertisement by Beyonce comes out. Somehow he can differentiate between usual dancing and when we ask him to do "sexy dance". hehehee. Something like this...(video taken at Animal Resort in Seletar Farmway)
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A Morning at Botanic Gardens

A Botanic Morning....

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Hair Cut Nightmare

Jovann has been having his hair cut by either me (just that 2 times before I chicken out) and his Ma ma. He has been the most obedient when having his hair cut by his Ma Ma. So on 13 April, whilst we visited the huge Mothercare outlet in Harbourfront, we decided excitedly that Jovann will have his first proper hair cut. We were so sure he will enjoy it, after all, there's toy cars he can sit in...cool!

Wrong.

From the time he entered the store (Hua Xia), he started crying once we put him in the toy car. Never before. And cried even louder when we tried placing him in the proper chair. In the end, I had to sit with him on my lap on the chair, both of us draped with salon protective sheets (but i still get hair all over me). But throughout that 1/2hour of torture, Jovann was crying and screaming all the way, yelling "ma ma, ma ma, ma ma" as if upset with me for putting him through this. My heart aches and so does hubby's. After that 1/2 hour of nightmare hair cut, we promised never to bring him there again.

Its amazing what a simple hair cut does to you...

The cute little Jovann before the haircut.






The cheeky boy after the hair cut!

The sweet things Jovann do

You have always been affectionate, and that warms my heart coz after knowing I am carrying a boy in the 1st pregnancy, I always worried if my boy will be true to form - noisy, boisterous, loud, too busy running around with toy machine guns and not in the least affectionate or loving. but fortunately, you are everything a mom like me would want.....

When you were younger...you already tend to look up at me when I asked you "Do you love Mommy?" and give me soft wet kiss on my lips in response.
Now, when I asked the same question, you will gaze at me and sometimes tighten your arms around me in a hug.

When we leave Ah Ma Ah Gong's house in the morning, you will sometimes cry for us. And you like to come to the metal gate and give us wet gentle kisses through the bars, on the lips.

You cry for me when I reach home, sometimes pushing aside Daddy to reach out to me with both hands, with a beseeching look in your eyes. When I carry you over, you will give me a bear hug and have a contented smile on your face when I started planting kisses all over your cheeks while you try to tell me about your day in your toddler language.

Sometimes you will place both hands on either side of our face, turn it towards you, and kiss us. The more we pretend to resist, the more you do it.

You like to feed me with morsels of food, either with your hands or with your spoon. Its so sweet that when you are eating you are thinking of me too. When you are playing with your cooking toys, you will walk halfway through the house to feed me with your pretend food.

Last night, in the middle of the night you cried. Daddy carried you to our bed, and once you lie down you searched for me. Our face was close, and you lifted your right hand and placed it gently on my left cheek, softly feeling and touching it, and you softly called "Ma Ma....". That was ultra endearing....you kept doing that on and off for the next half an hour, as if you wish to ascertain that your mommy is still lying beside you. and you slept with your right arm over me protectively.

Today, the first time you gently brushed my loose fringe away from my face so you can see me better. You did that twice...with a super adorable expression of concentration on your face, its so sweet.....

When we bathe together, you will help me soap or try to wash my face...

Everytime we are in the lift and someone gets out before us (or if we get out before the others), you will wave and called "bye byeeee!!!" to them in your high pitched kiddy tone that is so cute. Everyone, even the most sour-faced neighbour, will wave back at you.

I like it when you look around the whole house for me, or wait outside the toilet door, banging on it, waiting for me to come out, calling "ma ma....ma ma" all the time.

When I pout or say "pain"...you will sayang me on the head...sometimes you kiss the painful area too. When Lao Goh pretend to hit Ah Gong once during CNY, your eyes brimmed over with tears and you sayanged Ah Gong after looking reproachfully at Lao Goh. Even with your friends, once a friend was crying coz he lost out in a toy fight with another toddler. You walked over to the crying boy and sayanged him...

When we are reading "Blessings Everywhere" and we get to the page where 3 friends were hugging together with the words "Bestest friends in three way hugs", you will turn towards me (or Daddy if he reading to you) and hug us. Recently, when we are reading "Goodnight Thumper" and we get to the page where Mama Duck was kissing her 3 ducklings good night, you removed your milk bottle and bent down to kiss the ducklings too.

Once at the zoo, Mommy was sweaty under the hot sun, but you suddenly took it into your head that you wanna kiss my neck, and that was so itchy both of us were laughing away. Recently you found out mommy feels tickled at the neck, so if I tickle you, you reciprocrate by tickling my neck and both of us would be giggling like kids.

***** You are our wonderful gift from above, and the love and blessing of our lives *****

SLEEPLESSSSS!!!

Hi, just wish to blog this down so I remember one of the worse nights putting Jovann to bed. Sigh...he's been having sleeping problems. This boy has slept through the night since a few days before he turned 4 months. Then at 1yr old, he started waking up, but in 1-2 mths, it resumed back to sleeping through. on and off he will wake up, but we have grown used to it. During my 8 weeks of pregnancy, he will wake up middle of the night and want to sleep in our bed, snuggle close to me, so close I can smell his sweet breathe, and contentedly fall asleep. And now, at my 15.5 weeks, he is doing something worse...well....not totally terrible lah, but to a sleep deprived pregnant mum and an overworked sleep deprived daddy, there were better times. He's been waking up middle of the night, crying in his cot. sometimes we managed to put him down in his cot to sleep again after carrying him, soothing him by switching on lights, feeding water, and patting his backside till our hands nearly fall off (he will point at his backside if we stop patting by the way). Sometimes, he will wanna go into our bed. We tell him, lets go to your bed. he will say "no...." then point at our bed and say "There.". If we attempt to put him into his cot, he will cling to us like koala bear with surprisingly strong leg muscles grip, and scream his lungs off. If we put him into our bed, he will STILL wake up middle of the night AGAIN, talk to himself, sit up, try to wake us up by leaning over us and peering into our eyes, laugh at something that crossed his mind, until he grew bored then fall back to sleep. But tossing and turning and KICKING all over the narrow space between hubby and me. quite dangerous for my tummy, and now i worry about lying on my left even though its the best position for preggies, coz J is on my left.

Sorry, I digressed. Back to what happened last night. Jovann had a 5-in-1 booster jab that morning. Daddy went out for a night of golf. Not on the green, just a much needed driving range workout. Mommy at home alone with J and maid, whom btw is only helpful (where sleep is concerned) in making milk.

8.50pm - Daddy left house. Sent him off at the door to let J know Daddy wun be home to put him to bed, so pls dun ask for him.
9pm - Milk in bed (note, already given a nice warm shower, nice organic massage and changed into PJs). Read books.
9.15pm - Stop drinking milk. Sat him on my lap and cuddle in the dimmed room, reading 2 of his current fav books to him.
9.25pm - Brush teeth.
9.30-9.45pm - Want me to carry, refused to be put into bed (he USUALLY not like that). but eventually, when I know he is ready, asked him "lets go bed bed", he looked up at me and subtly nod his head. Put him down in cot, assume sleeping position. Lights off.
9.50pm - Lay down in my own bed, pat his bum bum, sing to him. seems like he falling asleep (he usually fall asleep this way, at this time). Then suddenly sat up, crying as if scared. calling "ma ma" and saying "bao bao". I let him be for a while, sometimes he give up and lie down. but tonight it grew louder. Carry him up, he made the sign of "water". Brought him out to prepare water for him. came into room to drink.

Then, from 10pm - 11pm (can't rem timing of the following events, but they are in sequence)
- carrying him, tell me wants milk milk. (?????) he didn't finish his milk just now, and maid has washed bottle. Maid busy washing clothes, so brought him out to make 120ml of milk.
He drank in his cot, I lay on my bed.
- Left 50ml but passed bottle to me. turn around, hug bolster and pooh bear, prepared to sleep. eyes closed, i gradually stopped patting.
- quiet for a while.......shld be sleeping, all's still. i prepare to get up. Then.....he sat up, crying for me. rubbing his chest/tummy, dunno what. but in retrospect i think its tummy. Cry as if in much discomfort. pointed at his diapers behind. Sign that he wish to poo poo. NOW???????
- Brought him to toilet, he pooed quite a bit. HOW MUCH DID MY MIL FEED HIM THIS TIME? touched his tummy, it was super bloated and hard. suspect indigestion. He is so happy sitting on the toilet bowl he REFUSED to get up. Asked if "done done?", he said "no". Asked "wash up, go sleep", he said "no...". Asked "wash up, mommy rub ru yi oil on your tummy". He looked at me interestedly and didn't reply. When tried to carry him up, cried. Decided maybe he not done. Put him back. but after 5mins, no signs of more poo. So carried him up again, screamed bloody murder at me. ignore his cries, wash him up, still crying, carry him to wear diapers, still screaming his head off.
- Gave him a warm rub rub on his tummy with ru yi oil. his hands all over the plc. brought him to wash hands, he cry.
- Carry him to room, soothe him for a while in my arms. He kept pointing at the bedroom door, saying "Open". I said no, he cry. He say "daddy". I said daddy not home, you sleep oredi he will come home. He kept protesting. (Note: He is closer/stickier to me than he is to Daddy. but somehow on nights like this it appears that toddlers are fickle)
- Pointed at bedroom phone. kept pointing. I asked he wants to call Daddy? He nod his head.
- Called hubby on the room phone, J held the receiver and kept calling "dad dad..... dadDad....DAd DAD.... DADDAD", with each cry sounding more plaintive. Daddy talking and soothing him all the while over the phone. Nodding his head when hubby asked him to be good boy and go sleep. hang up.
- Carry him up.....quiet for a while, then cry again. pointed at our wedding collage, pointing at Daddy's 2-3 photos and going "dad dad". asked him wheres mommy....and he actually said "where is it???", slowly find and eventually pointed at one photo where my hair is let down. HHmmph. seems like now I dun look like most of the photos??? *FUME*.
- Distracted him by walking away, wanted to call Daddy again. Same routine repeated like prev phone call. Hubby promised he coming back soon liaoz.
- Carry him back, say going "bed bed". he said no. I resigned and said "sleep with mommy?", and he still say no. but made the sign for MILK!!!!! I know he is indigested, so shld not give more milk. When i told him no, drink water can? he cried. Asked maid to make 60ml just to please him. When maid making milk, he asked for water!!! sipped a bit. when milk come (maid chose this moment to comment that he ate too much thats why crying), he don't want it. good with me. But kept crying, but in betw crying his eyes were threatening to close....this boy is tired but refuse to sleep! looking at the door, calling my maids name, hubby's name, my name. everything.
- carried him up to soothe him. only when he get down to the floor to play with the hifi set's mini disc slot did he calmed down. played for 5mins while I just sat on the floor dazed and totally drained out. He played with the cordless phone too, pressing buttons. Carried him up, say "bed bed" firmly. I can't be bothered and am too tired at this point, so I said "sleep with mommy." he ok. but insisted on putting back the cordless phone himself first. Fine.
- Prepared the pillows, off the lights, he lie down. played with pooh bear for a while before he eventually decided to sleep.
11pm - SLEPT (an hour after his usual time!!!)
Middle of night - wake up, sat up, talk, kick me, ask me to hug him, put his head on my chest and insisted on sharing my pillow so I cannot turn.

One of the worse sleeping nights I have ever had. When hubby rushed home around 11.10pm, he felt so bad and made milo for me and brought me the supper I heated up in the steamer.

GOSH.

Firm decision to train him off this. Give him leeway tonight coz of his morning jab. Traumatised?
We cannot sleep like this throughout my pregnancy.

I need some enlightenment.