picture perfect

E is 1 year (& 27 days) old!!

2011-06-22T21:10:00.024+08:00

E celebrated his 1st Birthday on 1 June 2011. Unlike his 2 older brothers, who had rather "extensive" 1 year old parties, we celebrated E's 1st birthday "more extensively" by having a week long "celebration" in Tasmania…..

We had a great time together in the outdoors, but more of that later.

On the night of the 1st of June 2011, we had chinese take-away to celebrate E's birthday. The meal was unmemorable, but the celebration was, and so was the reason for the celebration. E, dressed in his best PJs, smiled sweetly for the camera, and was all ready to eat his cake…. in fact, I somehow think he was rather exasperated after awhile, and wondered why the singing and photo taking was taking so long, and why we hadn't gotten to the best part yet…. the birthday muffin!

The last 1 year has really flown by, and it seems like just yesterday when you were born, and you looked so little and fragile when we brought you home. Papa was initially quite afraid to carry you, coz he was afraid he might drop you or crush you, but I guess you proved to be a real survivor, judging by what your 2 older brothers have done to you.

I'm not sure if it's because we were going through this for the 3rd time, but I will always remember you as a really easy and happy baby.

You did not fuss, and was always ready to share the attention and the limelight with your brothers. You understood the meaning of "WAIT", and were more than patient with all of us. You slept well, drank well, and always had a smile ready for us. You didn't even mind if you got your milk cold, and would even take a bottle from mummy….

You are your brothers' darling. They would be grumpy to everyone in the morning except you, and would smother you with hugs and kisses no end. They would talk for you, and could read your mind, knowing your likes and dislikes. They always shared what they were eating in the car with you (even if it was not baby appropriate food, and even if it was not good for you), and would gladly baby sit and play with you while Papa was cooking or clearing up. In fact, when you woke up and cried, or had a difficult time going to sleep, your 2 brothers would either try to "rescue" you, or soothe you, pat you and try to put you to bed. We can tell that you love them too, the way you hold their hand when they are crying in the car, or pat their back and try to give them a hug.

The last 4 months spent with Papa has been, I think, one of the best 4 months for Papa. You have been like an extension of him, going everywhere with him, and doing everything with him. You have been ever so patient, knowing that Papa only has 2 hands, and 2 feet, and I am really proud of you that you are able to sit down and play on your own, or watch patiently as we cook, clean and wash up. I think you will be a great cook when you grow up, judging from your love of food, and your early head start of hours of sitting in the kitchen ;-)

Your cheeky smile always perks up my day, and my only regret is that you are growing up way too fast. Sometimes I wish I could freeze the cheeky glances, and immortalize it forever (it doesn't help that I never seem to be able to grab my camera in time on most days). Your sweet gentle voice calling mama, papa and kor always bring a smile to my face…. and at least this time I can proudly say that your first few words were mama and papa (and not types of animals or food!).

We love you E, and pray that God will continue to bless you with a tender heart, and a love for Him and his people….. Happy 1st Birthday!

Text by Mummy and pics by Papa

Fishing

2011-05-01T09:15:00.007+08:00

With having to go to work, keep up with my medical reading (which I must say I am still very far behind in), cleaning, laundry, and watching the kids (the last 3 predominantly occupying most of ben's time), there hasn't been much time to keep up this blog and to post on our travel adventures since we arrived here in Melbourne. We have had quite a few, and we came with the intention of logging it all down on this blog, as a memory for us to look back on.... the places we visited, the food we ate, the people we met, and the places we vowed to return to.

So, to make up for lost time, and for simplicity, I've decided that maybe we should work our way forwards, and record the ongoings..... and along the way, work in the events of the past 3 months when we have the time. Yes..... it has been 3 months already since we first arrived.... somehow, time flies when you're busy ;-)

Last weekend was a super long weekend for us.... it included Good Friday, ANZAC day, and a public holiday in lieu of Easter, making it a total of a 5 day long weekend.

We started that off by going to Geelong with Uncle Tony and Auntie Lin on a fishing trip. We must really thank Uncle and Auntie for allowing us to tag along, because they had everything needed for the fishing trip (the rod, the line, the hook, the tackle, the bait, and very importantly, the licence and the "know-how"), and always ensured that we were well fed, and the kids were entertained.

Fishing for the kids started off with some excitement. Everyone wanted to hold the rod, cast the line, and reel in (even though there was no bite yet). However, patience was something that they are still developing, and it was not before long when they started to get bored.... so we ate sandwiches, drank milo/coffee, and played by the jetty while waiting for some bite.

We ended up having to go to 3 places before the real action began. After hauling up a variety of different kinds of seaweed, Ben finally caught a flathead ;-) Call it beginner's luck (or prayers by the kids to be able to catch and reel in some real fish!), Ben was the only person on that jetty who ended up catching any fish. Of course there were a few that were too small (and didn't make the length cut) and ended up having to be thrown back into the sea, but the kids managed to touch and feel a real moving fish, and they were happy with the thrills of hauling up a real fish that they caught.

Although we didn't have a chance to taste the first catch, I was told that the flathead tasted good ;-) Ben is now itching to get his own tackle box, rod and line, and go to Williamstown while the kids are in school, to try his hand at fishing again..... Maybe he will make a fisherman out of Elijah?

Disco Evening

2011-04-06T21:40:00.005+08:00

Last friday, Caleb attended his first disco party, in school. He was very excited, and had been looking forward to it since he signed up 2 weeks before. I must admit I was also rather intrigued by this event, as I have never heard of a disco party for 5-8 year olds, let alone one organised and held in school. I mean... are we really expecting 5-8 year olds to jive to the music, break-dance etc? Would they actually recognise any of the music, and what would the DJ actually play?? I therefore did what most kay poh and overly protective mothers would do.... I rearranged my work schedule for that day to make sure I was not working, so that we could all check out the disco together.

After a bit of a rest after school, Caleb got ready for the party. He

wanted to go dressed like Justin Bieber, so Dad had to get into the picture.... this mum has no idea what Justin Bieber looks like, let alone what he would wear. Sigh....

We were on our way. Half way to school, we realised we forgot to bring the entry ticket (it got left in his schoolbag), but all's well that ends well, the nice lady at the counter took our word for it, gave him a glow in the dark wristband and a bottle of mineral water with his name labelled on it, and let him in. We were all set to party!

We made our way to the Italian room, where the disco was held. Every effort had been made to set this room up like a real disco. The windows had been blacked out to darken the room, and there were strobe lights and a few small disco balls hanging from the ceiling. The DJ (who was also the bouncer for the night) was playing Katy Perry, and some of the kids were swaying to the music, and doing funny moves.

Caleb walked around and looked for his friends, and they started in search for the stalls at the side which were selling lollies and sweets. I must say this event was really organised for the kids in mind.... it was reasonably priced (at $5, which included entrance fee, 1 glow in the dark wrist band, 1 bottle of mineral water, and 1 hotdog with bread), and there were stalls at the side selling sweets at 5 cents per piece, or 50 cents for a small bag full. Also lollipops....All very affordable ;-)

Dylan was totally fascinated by the party. With eyes fixed and glazed, he refused offers to go to the playground, but instead chose to stick around at the disco to check out what the big kids were doing.... what he could look forward to when he was "of age"..... I secretly saw him swaying slightly to the music, and taking in all the sights.....

Half an hour into the event, the children were hustled out into the courtyard for sausages and bread, and this was when it really hit me.... my little baby has grown up! He initially stood around with me and Elijah, and we were talking while he was eating. Subsequently, he noticed a few of his friends, and moved over to join them. Watching him from across the courtyard, I could see my baby trying to find himself, trying to fit in, hanging out with his friends, and growing up.... fast. Time has really flown by. Wasn't it not so long ago when he first said his first words, took his first steps, and ventured into unknown territory holding on to my hand for reassurance? I felt a sudden sadness, that time had just zoomed by so quickly, and I don't seem to have captured it all... but then a greater sense of pride filled me, coz I could see that my little baby had grown up, and was now a more confident individual, with a kind and big heart.....

A, B, D and E subsequently left the party for dinner at Macdonalds next door to school, so that C could have some privacy and some fun with his friends.

I asked Caleb later after the disco ended why he didn't dance.... and his answer? "I did dance.... but not when you guys were around..... don't you know the rule, no dancing when your parents are around!" LOL!!!!

Happy Birthday D!

2011-03-12T20:27:00.016+08:00

Dearest D,

Happy Birthday!! Mummy, C, E and I love you so much. Thanks for bringing heaps of joy and sunshine to our lives.

How quickly you've grown!! It wasn't too long ago that you were still tottering about and your vocabulary was limited to signing "Food"! I still can't get over your wicked sense of humour.

Papa: (Lying down on the floor, totally exhausted at the end of the day) D, please go bathe!
D: No, I'm a dirty princess. (Walks over to Papa, and bends over my face) I'm giving you true love's kiss.

That totally cracked Papa up and also recharged my batteries.

I hope you enjoyed both the Birthday Parties that we threw for you at our new home. Given the limited utensils and cutlery, we tried our best to have a decent spread. I'm sure you loved the Dora cake that Mummy ordered and the cake from Brunetti that Godma got you.

Papa's very impressed at the way you have settled in here. You still have your very singlish speak but certainly enjoy hanging out with your "Ang Moh", Asian and African friends in school. I'm glad we'll be home in time to celebrate your 4th B'day so that you don't get to speaking Australian like Kor Kor.

A month after the big move

2011-02-28T22:33:00.017+08:00

I was to have updated this blog once we got to Australia and regularly thereafter. I was to have more free time than when I was working. I was to have time to stop to smell the roses.

Alas, often things do not work out as planned. It has taken more than a month before I found time to blog. My typical day is longer than when I was at work. I usually get up by 7:30am and don't get into bed until after midnight. The upside is that I fall asleep every night without any difficulty. And the most common fragrance that wafts through the air is lemon zest from the various floor and dish washing detergents.

Yet, I seem to enjoy the change and can't help but believe that its better than I could have ever hoped it would be. I keep thinking - I should have done this earlier. I don't enjoy doing the household chores and changing soiled nappies. I think only masochistic people suffering from severe boredom can enjoy such things. But its great spending lots of time with the family. It is wonderful watching the boys grow up (although there is a strange sadness that they are growing up too quickly).

To help preserve the memories, I was inspired to start this blog again. Nothing more inspiring than to start with food!!

I do enjoy cooking so the boys are forced to enjoy my cooking. The preparation starts with marketing - which no longer means a lunch at a decent restaurant but actually going to the market to buy raw produce. The stuff at the markets (Vic Mart and Footscray) are really fresh and the selection is eye-poppingly wide.

If we want it any fresher, we send C to the farm.

And after working so hard squeezing the udders, C needs to replenish his strength -

(Those were pics of C eating Claypot Rice (cooked in steel pot), Grilled Ginger Teriyaki Chicken, and Roast Leg of Lamb.)

I've also tried my hand at Jiang Chong Veal, Steamed Chicken with Ham and those red little herbs, Carrots and cabbage soup and Hainanese Chicken Rice.

2010-11-30T22:46:00.013+08:00

Hey C,

Happy Birthday!! I'm not sure if you know that you are the reason that Mum and I decided to start the blog. We wanted to note down the amazing things in your life but there were so many that we couldn't note all of them. But Birthdays... there's always space for. We know how much you love birthday parties, especially your own.

That's your 1st Birthday. We had a massive party at the club. I think we had close to 100 guests. You would be delighted to note that since that massive party, we have not had a birthday party for any of our kids at the same scale. (I guess that will be the case until D and/or E can read and discovers this entry.) Anyway, Mum got a cake with a picture of your first car.

I'm not sure how much you remember your 1st B'day but I do remember that you started to totter around just a few days before your party. At your party, you were eager to show off your new skill and we spent most of the time running after you. Well, it's your party after all ...

2nd Birthday! A party at Mama and YehYeh's place. I think we catered for about 50 guests and had tables in the garden. Unlike your 1st B'day, where you probably didn't understand much of what was going on, this time you were very excited to blow out the candles. Between Audrey and you, there was no worry that the cake would be saliva-free. I'm really glad that you are such close friends with Audrey, just like a sister. She's a real sweetie.

A month after your 2nd B'day, you started school at SJCK. Mum and I were really worried that you wouldn't be able to adapt but you sure proved us wrong. The first week or so was stressful for us all but once you got into the swing of things, we couldn't stop you from attending school. BTw you even said you wanted to marry Aunty Stephanie, your DD teacher.

Your 3rd B'day also marked a new phase for Mummy and Granny - All B'day cakes for the Kids would be baked by them. And I'm sure you must be thankful. The cakes were not only yummy, the decorations were only limited by your imagination.

As you can see from the photos above, your 4'th B'day was Dinosaur themed. Mum noticed that you took a real liking to Harry and the Dinosaurs and was ever willing to make your wishes come true. She even got your Godma to make a Harry clay figurine. I think it was in that year that she went for cupcake baking classes and, as you know, she has put them to good use.

As usual, you had 2 celebrations - one in school and the other at home. At your request, we had a magician/balloon sculptor. You know your birthday celebrations are never simple and even when we wanted a simple BBQ for your 5th B'day, we ended up having a catered BBQ with a Satay man and lady making Roti Canai. Aren't you lucky!!

Before we get to your B'day bash at Mama's house, the photos above show - That's right - your 5th B'day in school. It was meant to be Shreked themed after your 2 visits to Universal Studios and watching Shrek 4ever After. But due to some postal errors, Mum found out only 2 days before that the Shrek decorations weren't going to arrive in time. She went into hyper mode and managed to get you Toy Story decorations, which she placed ever so artistically on your B'day cake.

And that's a really photo of Aunty Sylvia and the Birthday Boy. You are really blessed to have her as your teacher and friend.

And that's the Satay Man at your home party celebrations.

Superman also needs to eat his favourite food - fishball. We are really proud of the decorations that you made for the party (with a little help from Granny). It gave the party a Shrek - under the sea adventure feel.

And you really have to thank your Mummy for the fantastic cake. She not only made the "Keep Out" sign, she also created the toilet! Ultra-realistic!!

Happy Birthday Caleb!! Papa and Mummy pray that your birthdays will forever be filled with happiness and joy!

Our Sweet Elijah ;-)

2010-09-05T21:02:00.012+08:00

Elijah has just turned 3 months old, and looking back at the last 3 months, he's really grown quite a bit. From a birth weight of 3.25kg, his most recent weight 2 days ago was 6.915kg! He's more than doubled his birth weight already, and Daddy says that that proves that Mummy's milk is best ;-) (haha, and free and convenient too, since he doesn't have to wake up at night to feed Elijah ;-))

First bath at home

At 2 weeks ago.... comfy in Granny's arms

Daddy makes a real good pillow

Is that a smile I see??

Is it nap time already?

Other than growing in size, the last 3 months have also seen Elijah progressing from near constant sleepiness, to now cooing and playing. He has a really nice and pleasant temperament... very undemanding... I don't think it's only because as 3rd time parents, we are a lot more relaxed, but rather that he is really not a fussy baby. We very seldom hear him cry very loudly, and although he fusses on and off and wants to be carried (which I guess is normal for any baby), his cry is usually a whine or a whimper (unless that is ignored for prolonged periods), and he can sleep through his brothers' endless chatter, singing (which is very loud), quarreling, temper tantrums and crying. I don't know how, but he seems to understand his brothers' need for attention, and in his own way is willing to share the attention with them.

Lazing around on a late morning...

Mummy making me "do a workout"...

Caleb and Dylan have also been darlings in their own right... from attempting to change Elijah's pampers when he is dirty and fussing (see earlier post), to offering to give him milk (even breastmilk!) when he is crying and hungry. They even sing to him in the car when he cries in attempts to calm him down...

Dylan trying to wear the breastfeeding pillow so he can "feed baby Elijah".

Caleb thinks Mummy also produces Milo and Apple juice.... Gosh... is Mummy really a vending machine???

Dylan looking on as Elijah sleeps, trying not to make too much noise so that he doesn't wake up...

"Er Ge" paying extra special attention to his "Xiao Di"..... always wanting to carry "baby Elijah"....

"Da Ge" carrying "Xiao Di"

Guess u can see how difficult it is to take a nice picture of the 3 of them all together???

I just thank God for our 3 lovely boys, and I won't exchange them for anything!

Unfounded Worries!

2010-07-04T23:15:00.008+08:00

Since Elijah arrived, I have been plagued by a constant worry each time Andrea calls. I fear she will tell me that Dylan climbed into E's cot and sat on his face or that Caleb swung E around and dislocated his arm. These are the less worrying damages that I fear the 2 "big" brothers will inflict on E.

I can't say that these fears are entirely irrational. I also grew up in a family of 3 sibs where the oldest brother did cajole the middle child to chew steak made of rubber pieces with lots of ketchup on top and wrestled with the youngest brother, who is 12 years younger, until my parents' bed broke. It didn't help that I was the oldest brother and more often than not, behavioural traits are hereditary.

Thankfully, neither C nor D have given me any cause for worry. In fact both of them have been exemplary.

C has been a great brother to D, and that has rubbed off. Here's D trying to help E change diapers.

I guess my worries are unfounded, at least for now...

E has arrived!!

2010-06-02T17:19:00.007+08:00

After much anticipation and waiting in the hospital for about 30 hours, E finally arrived. But it must be said that the timing was perfect. (Disclaimer - this statement and the paragraph that follow are made by a passive participant in the birthing process. The passive participant has never experienced any uterine contractions nor gone through any form of pain that is half as excruciating. Apologies in advance to any mother, in particular my better half, if the descriptions are inadequate, inappropriate or downright wrong.)

The early admission meant that Andrea could have a night's rest before the big day. Being in the hospital allowed her to have greater peace of mind as she knew her antibiotics which had to be administered at least 4 hours prior to birth would be given in time. Then came the whole day of waiting, which allowed her to clear her emails and buy those much needed bedsheets, where else but online. She must be one of the few women who contribute to retailers on the other side of the globe, while on the delivery bed. Awesome!!

Waiting for E

2010-06-01T01:44:00.003+08:00

As we suspected, Baby E really wants to be a June baby. Andrea had rather severe contractions in the afternoon and was admitted to labour ward. However, they eased up in the evening but not enough for her to be discharged. So here we are again ... waiting. We finally decided that Baby E would be Elijah Choo. After going a whole big round, I can only say that it was simply divine.

A Day Out With Dylan

2010-05-23T00:56:00.010+08:00

On 21 May 2010, my wait to go on a school excursion with Dylan (or Caleb for that matter) finally ended. (Mum had been hogging all the school outings, but since she's 38 weeks pregnant and due anytime, I got to go!)

I got to spend the morning with Dylan and his 2 buddies Arryan and David at the Jurong Bird Park. Arryan (who is half Rwandan and half American) is really spunky and has an appetite to match Dylan's. David is a sweetie that spent most of the time on the bus trip sharing his food with his 2 buddies. I wonder whether they actually snatch David's food during a normal school day.

I thought the Bird Park had changed quite a bit such my last visit... Actually it probably changed so much that I can't seem to recall visiting an outdoor tourist spot in Singapore with so much a/c spaces.

The kids had quite a lot of fun, getting to pet a cockatoo and standing on an ostrich egg...

That's Dylan with a Macaw's tail feather.

Let's get it started ... restarted

2010-05-11T16:39:00.013+08:00

Its been almost a year since the last entry and during this time, quite a lot has taken place. Dylan's started school at Faith Montessori. Its more a daycare but he only goes for the morning activities. Apparently he's the darling of the teachers and the Chef Aunty. He asks for seconds, thirds and fourths until the teachers actually tell him that he's not allowed to eat anymore. After meals, his tummy resembles a bloated puffer fish

Caleb's now in K1 and having a good time. He's one half of a blossoming romance, with the most sought-after girl in this class making up the other half. Over milo and a muffin, he agreed that there were other girls in class who like him but he only likes M. These events were corroborated by his teachers when we met them at PTM.

Andrea thinks she will deliver any moment now. She's been looking good. Apart from the gait, you can't quite tell she is pregnant - that is when you see her back view. Things are quite different from the front, the bump has just been growing. We are glad that Baby E has been growing well inside Andrea.

Weekend Getaway

2009-06-29T23:23:00.011+08:00

It was rare but we could actually take leave on the same dates at a week's notice and we decided to make a quick dash to Langkawi. We travelled quite a bit alone with Caleb, but since Dylan arrived on the scene, we travelled as a pack (with the larger family). We finally plucked up the courage and ventured 2 on 2. No regrets!! (Perhaps only 1 - wished that it could last forever)

That's us at the highest point in Langkawi. We took quite a scary "Caleb"Car Ride up but the view was worth it. I think it was quite a technological feat to build the cable car towers.

Having fun at the plunge pool in the villa

The kids... rather all of us enjoyed the villa, especially the kids. It was fun spending time togethe doing nothing much at all. I don't quite buy that "quality time" theory. Most of our pictures are in and around the villa because that's where we spent the most part of our time.

The beach was literally a stone's throw from our back door

Caleb enjoying the really comfy bed, after soaking in the big bath tub.

Dylan had fun in the bath too, but nothing like having one custom made

Food was pretty good too

Adventures at Kota Kinnabalu

2009-04-10T13:50:00.008+08:00

Last weekend, we went to Kota Kinnabalu for a short break. It was a really enjoyable break for all of us.... and best of all, we got to spend time together ;-)

Many firsts occurred during this holiday.

1) Auntie D got pick-pocketed for the 1st time.... thank God someone caught the pick-pocket, and she got back her wallet intact.

2) It was Dylan's first trip on a small speed boat.... we had to take a speed boat from the mainland, to a small island off shore for better waters for swimming, snorkelling and sand play. Dylan enjoyed the boat ride immensely. Look, doesn't he look like the wind is putting him to bed?

All of us getting a little tanned from the sun...

Caleb, being buried in the sand by papa...

Our little dino drinking coke...

3) The kids got to feed the fish and swim among the fishes. Caleb even saw the fishes swimming past him using his goggles ;-) Come to think of it, Papa ran away from the fish coz they attacked him while he was carrying the bread in the water!

4) Auntie D, Mummy and Caleb tried para-sailing for the very first time. Caleb was the bravest of us 3 .... the boy really knows no fear, and was rearing to go from the start, despite being told he was going to be suspended in mid-air like Pooh in a hot-air balloon! I think mummy was the most scared of all. All the possible came to mind.... Having said that, the ride was really quite safe, and we all had a good time. After Caleb came down from the para-sail, he said. "that was really fun.... can I go para-sailing again?"

4) It was the first time Caleb fell asleep at the dinner table while eating (he actually had a mouth full of food, and we had to wake him up to finish chewing!). I guess he had a really good time at the beach playing sand and swimming, and after all that fun (and no nap that day), he was quite tired by dinner time. He went from talking incessantly at the top of his lungs one minute, to sleeping on the table in the next minute! ;-)

Fresh seafood dinner on 1 night

Caleb enjoying bathtime in the hotel....

Happy 82nd Birthday Tai Por!

2009-03-26T22:07:00.004+08:00

It was Tai Por's 82nd birthday last Sunday, and Dylan was all smiles as he celebrated with her.... it was kinda like a joint celebration (a 2nd birthday celebration for Dylan), since Tai Por couldn't make it down to his 1st birthday party due to the rain.

He was certainly in the mood for smiles that day..... ;-)

Dylan's 1 !!

2009-03-21T09:14:00.016+08:00

It's amazing how time flies... it's been a year since Dylan was born, yet it seems like just yesterday when we came home together from the hospital.... the 4 of us.

The kids have had a great year, learning to love, learning to share, and learning to put the other before themselves. Of course there have been quarrels, fights and a fair amount of tears, but then they wouldn't be siblings if there weren't all these, right?

Dylan has grown so much over the last couple of months, and we celebrated his 1st birthday 2 weeks ago with a birthday bash.... He must have sensed that there was something going on that day, coz with all the excitement, he only took a 10 min nap throughout the entire day! Imagine how tired he was when we finally blew out the candles and cut the cake ;-) He promptly went to sleep after, and reappeared much happier a little later ;-)

Water Babies!!

2009-02-12T23:16:00.008+08:00

Both Caleb & Dylan love splashing about in the pool. It's wonderful seeing them so at ease in the water.

Caleb will be starting his proper swim lessons tom. Will let you know more about it.

Kor Khao Lak (Dec 07 - Jan 08)

2009-01-31T19:23:00.008+08:00

We went to Kor Khao Lak, about an hour north of Phuket, to celebrate New Year! I thought it was one of the best new year celebrations ever!!

We even got to see a Mermaid!!

Caleb and Mommy just outside our beachfront villa.

On the RPL to Kor Kaho Lak.

New Year Lantern

pirates ah har!

2009-01-30T18:23:00.003+08:00

Caleb attended a friend's birthday party in August and the theme was princesses and pirates.... this is our little mean pirate.... ah har!

Puzzle Mania

2009-01-30T18:06:00.003+08:00

Caleb has a fascination with puzzles.... he loves the challenge of a new puzzle, and the satisfaction of being able to complete it. He may not be patient enough for art & craft, colouring, or lego, but somehow, puzzles are different.

He's even managed to convince his granny to buy him all the puzzles in the series..... When he goes through puzzle mania, he covers the whole bedroom floor with the completed puzzles before nap time.

An overjoyed caleb after completing his puzzle ;-)

Photos from Dylan's first month celebration

2009-01-28T22:38:00.008+08:00

I know this is a little late, but I wanted to record some of the photos from Dylan's first month celebrations....

Obviously, the star of the show didn't know that he was the reason we were having a party..... coz he was more than contented just sleeping.....

While he was sleeping.... we were feasting on seafood (not that he could really have some, even if he was awake!?!), with a wonderful view of the sunset....

And of course the ABCD team in blue (Dylan's not in the pic, coz he's asleep... but he's also in blue ;-))

Last but not least, not forgetting the cakes, cupcakes and gift boxes we had to celebrate with friends, family and colleagues....(ok, so maybe mummy went a bit overboard with all the blue stuff....;-))... No time for red eggs this time round.....

Caleb's beloved Di Di Dylan

2009-01-28T01:18:00.012+08:00

How time has flown by. The days have turned quickly into months, and Caleb's initial apprehension and jealousy (It's not all about me anymore!) when Dylan was born, has turned into a brotherly love so sweet, filled with lots of hugs and kisses.

Here are a few pics of Dylan when he was first born:

Caleb coped with Dylan's arrival bravely, and turned to his "best friend".... his papa.... when he grappled with issues about why he now had to share mummy with someone else. Here is a snippet of their conversation:

Caleb: Papa, why does mummy have to feed Di Di?

Papa: Because Di Di has to drink mummy's milk.

Caleb: Why does Di Di have to drink mummy's milk?

Papa: Because only mummy makes milk for Di Di.... Wait a minute... let me check, maybe Papa has milk for Di Di?? Do you think papa has milk for Di Di?

(Caleb laughs...)

Caleb: No..... Maybe I have milk for Di Di???

(Caleb lifts up his T-shirt and checks.... then chuckles.... )

Caleb: No, I also don't have any milk for Di Di.

Papa: So I guess mummy has to feed Di Di, yah?

Nowadays, Caleb has only hugs and kisses for his brother (other than the occasional grouchiness when he wakes up from his nap ;-)), and is a great source of comfort for Dylan.

Some illustrations if I may:

Dylan: (crying his lungs out in the car)

Caleb: Di Di don't cry, Kor kor is here, ok? Kor Kor sitting next to you. Kor Kor sing to you... you don't cry.... (Caleb starts his rendition of "Jesus loves me this I know")

Caleb: Di Di don't cry.... if you cry anymore, Kor Kor going to take ruler and smack your backside!

Dylan: (crying again)

Caleb: Mummy, I think Di Di is hungry. I think you better give Di Di milk.

Caleb: Di Di, don't cry... I tell mummy to give you milo or apple juice from her tummy, ok?

Okie, enough of child talk, more pics of the boys:

The next holiday - Med Cruise

2008-05-22T20:45:00.006+08:00

This post is almost a year after the last. With facebook, I thought that there was no longer a need for this blog but as I was going through the previous posts with Caleb, I realised that they marked many milestones in our lives. Now that Dylan has joined the fold, Andrea and I decided (rather Andrea insisted) that we should keep this blog going....

And what better way to start than with the holiday after Phuket in May 07 - the Get-away in Costa Del Sol followed by the Mediterranean Cruise on the Voyager of the Seas in Sept 07

PHUKET!!

2007-05-26T22:04:00.000+08:00

Papa and Mama decided to take me to Phuket so that they could spend more time with me before Mama started work in the wards again.

I love water slides!

2007-05-21T21:24:00.000+08:00

Recently, I discovered a water slide at our pool downstairs. Wow... it's really fun... see how much fun I'm having? Nowadays, a ask to go for a swim everyday... :-)

Off to the ZOO!!

2007-05-07T00:24:00.000+08:00

It was another good trip to the Zoo! Gandma and Gong Gong haven't been to the zoo over 10 years and I did my part to show them around. I'm a Friend of the Zoo afterall!

That's Ah-Chek and me on the back of the truck!

That's Ah-Chek in his natural state.

Shoppin around

2007-05-06T02:10:00.000+08:00

I've recovered from that bout of illness. Actually, I was up and running by the time the last post was up. But Mama and Papa have been real busy and haven't found time to post more new pics. They did find time to bring me to the mall.

The HFMD gang!

2007-02-18T22:59:00.000+08:00

You must wonder why I've been so silent for such a long time? Well, over the last 1 month, I've been down with diarrhoea (and a rather sore and painful butt), and then after I recovered from that, I got HFMD :-( I was house bound for quite awhile, but lucky for me, my Uncle Alex had HFMD too, so we got to spend quality time together chilling out at home.... and of course I got to spend time with my papa too, coz he stayed home to look after me ;-)

The HFMD gang hanging out at home ;-)What did we do to entertain ourselves after we got over the initial fever, discomfort and pain from the ulcers? Lots of running around at home, watching TV/baby signing time, playing ball, drinking cold drinks and snacking (this is the only time mommy allowed me to drink all the cold stuff I wanted, eat ice-cream, and even eat snack on all sorts of crackers. I didn't even have to eat my proper meals ;-))Ok, so Mommy couldn't resist taking a picture of my rash as it was developing.....

And of course, the highlight of each day was going for "walk walk", and getting my daily dose of fresh air. We had to sneak out though, make sure we didn't meet anyone in the lift, and I wasn't allowed to touch anything other than my car.... Didn't even have a chance to stop and say hi to any of my friends....

Oh well, it wasn't all miserable. I managed to spend time with papa and mommy coz I gave them a fever too, so they had to stay home as well ;-)

Investigating dustbins....

2007-02-18T22:35:00.000+08:00

Recently, I've been fascinated with dustbins and throwing rubbish away.... Here I am investigating what people actually place into the dustbin...

My Tai Por's 80th Birthday Party in KL

2007-02-18T21:45:00.000+08:00

Last month, I did my first road trip to KL for my Tai Por's 80th birthday party. The journey wasn't too bad.... I ate most of the way there, and slept for the last 1 hour of the journey ;-) What did I do there other than celebrate Tai Por's birthday? Well, there was lots of eating (basically we hopped from one coffeeshop/restaurant to another) ..... and shopping.... and I got to stay up really late..... :-P Also, we visited by great-granduncle and auntie, and I got to play with their "dog dog". These are some pics of our trip....

Bouncing....

2007-01-20T14:53:00.000+08:00

I received this new toy for my birthday in December. After watching tigger a few times, I figured that I can get a good workup by following what tigger's doing....

What are chairs made for?

2007-01-15T23:53:00.000+08:00

In our endeavours to teach Caleb that chairs were made for sitting (to watch TV, read a book etc), we got him a musical chair. I guess he had other ideas about what chairs were made for... here's his first encounter with the chair.....

The many things you can do with one japanese soup bowl....

2007-01-15T23:25:00.000+08:00

Last month, we went to Sushi Yoshida for Saturday lunch. There, I discovered that there are actually many things you can do with a japanese soup bowl....

The actual day....

2006-12-30T11:04:00.000+08:00

We had a 2nd celebration on my actual birthday on 1st Dec. Nothing grand or anything like that.... I went out with my Tai Por for lunch at one of my favourite restaurants (Crystal Jade), and then we had some cupcakes as a pseudo-birthday cake :-) I love eating cupcakes... they're yummy.... and not too sweet ;-)

My 1st birthday

2006-12-17T00:44:00.000+08:00

I celebrated my first birthday with a birthday bash 3 weeks ago. Although I wasn't sure why there were so many people around, and what all the fuss was all about, I sure enjoyed myself eating and playing with my friends. Here are some pics.....

Sentosa

2006-12-04T21:44:00.000+08:00

Early in November, we spent a Sunday at Sentosa... that was my first trip there, and we had loads of fun at the beach...
See.... I'm a survivor... I managed to brave the dessert (with all the sand and heat)....
After mission "dessert storm", we went straight for the swimming pool, which was definitely a lot less salty than the sea....

Finally, after a few laps in the pool, I finally retired to our room for siesta time and had a good snooze before we left for lunch... ;-) What an enjoyable sunday it was :-)

walking part 2

2006-12-03T19:43:00.000+08:00

Walking around the Suite!

2006-12-02T18:28:00.000+08:00

My first steps caught on video. The carpets were really cushy!

Living it up!!

2006-12-02T18:07:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Uncle Darren, we managed to spend a 6-star weekend at the Fullerton Hotel. Hey Uncle Darren, remember to send me the photos we took at your wedding! Aunty Weilin, please remind him!

First words....

2006-11-17T20:53:00.000+08:00

I thought I'd take this time to pen down some of my thoughts about Caleb's first few words, so that maybe he can read this when he is older.

The past 11 months have just been amazing. Time has really flown by, and Caleb has gone through the different stages of cooing, vocalising, babbling, and now, saying a few comprehensible words. As first time parents, we used to listen intently at every sound that he made, wondering whether that would his first words to us. Every mamamamamamama and papapapapapapa sounded like he was calling out to his mama and papa, even though I'm quite sure he was just babbling and not specifically calling us at all. :-)

We were quite blessed that although he couldn't talk yet, Caleb picked up a few signs quite early on, such as indicating that he wanted more, and that he wanted to eat. This certainly took away some of the frustration that came with us not understanding what he wanted, for both us and for him as well. You must understand that I'm not a strong advocator of allowing your child to watch TV too early on in life (bad eyesight, future cough potato etc), but I must say that this video really helped us to learn an easy means of communication, which he is now using more and more. He would watch his favourite video (baby signing times) over and over again. I once tried to see if he would lose interest if I blocked his view. But when I stood in front of the TV, he tried to move his body left and right to see past me, and eventually when he was not successful, he climbed out of his bumbo chair and changed position so that his view was unobstructed ;-)

This last 1 week, Caleb started to say a few more things (which is what inspired this post). He initially could only say "nan nan" and sign "milk" when he wanted some milk, "mum mum" and sign "eat" when he was hungry, and say "Mmmmm", when I showed him a picture of a cow. However, over the last few days, he's surprised us with "bird"while we were driving along the road, and "dog" when we saw one while we were in the lift. Initially, I passed it off as a coincidence that the syllables he was saying sounded like those words, but then he kept pointing intently at the animals, and he wanted me to acknowledge that I knew what he was referring to. Seems like he really loves animals, doesn't it? ;-)

Our only complaint (haha!!!), between Caleb's papa and myself, is that he seems to have learnt to call all these pet animals before "papa" and "mama"! He only screams "pa" or "ma" in desperation.... :-) Oh well, I guess you can't really be picky about how your child develops, just to thank God for each tiny step that he takes, each word that he says, each breath that he takes, that God has blessed him richly with good health, a happy disposition, and a big smile on his face :-)

Caleb's mom

Thank you che che Audrey

2006-11-17T20:21:00.000+08:00

It's not my birthday yet but I've already started opening my birthday presents ;-) Thank you Che Che Audrey for picking out this very challenging and colourful stacking toy for me, and also for the cute baju. Can you see? I'm practising my hand-eye co-ordination and fine motor skills :-) Che Che, I miss you so much. When are u coming back to play with me? Everytime I see your picture on papa's computer, I call out to you, and smile, and try to talk to you, but mummy says that you can't come over to play just yet, and that I need to be patient.......

Che Che Audrey, I heard from mummy that you are not feeling well. Hope that your itch goes away very soon and that you feel much better. I'll pray to Jesus tonight that he will make you better so don't worry ;-) Sayang sayang, ok?

Lots of love, xxoo Caleb

stacking up high

2006-11-17T20:20:00.000+08:00

I guess I was in the process of stacking the rings, but then I got distracted, and found that there were other ways to play with this toy ;-)

feeding myself part 2

2006-11-14T22:42:00.000+08:00

When at first you don't succeed, try again... and again :-) Thank you Aunty Jasmine for the very thoughtful bent fork and spoon for self-feeding, and also to Jayden for showing me that this can actually been done by someone our size ;-) Maybe I'll set up a Char Kuay Teow stall when I grow up......?

Feeding myself

2006-11-14T22:27:00.000+08:00

At Jayden's party last week, we sat together and had tea/snacks. As I was watching him eat, I thought to myself.... wow.... what a big boy Jayden is, he can feed himself already.... I gotta try that sometime too ;-) So when I went home that evening, I got some inspiration.... I insisted that mummy let me try to eat on my own...

Jayden's first birthday party

2006-11-14T21:22:00.000+08:00

2 weekends ago, I attended my friend Jayden's first birthday party. It was a really fun party and there was so much to eat and play with. Here's a picture of Jayden with his really nice birthday cake.... (by the way, Jayden is the one in the bear suit ;-))

At the party, there was this really cool play area for kids. Check out the different modes of transportation available at the party.....
I started with a boat ride first....
Then proceeded on to a doggie ride. I even tried out the roller coaster (soory no pics).....

We even got to take home a bear each... ;-) I spent part of the journey home getting to know my new furry friend.... talking with him, giving him kisses, and telling him about his new home :-)

Bathing is fun!

2006-11-14T21:16:00.000+08:00

Bathing is always a highlight of the day.... I love bathing, coz there is just so much to do in the bathtub.....

My first accident!

2006-11-13T20:46:00.000+08:00

I knocked into the camera man.... Thankfully, no one was hurt ;-) My mummy tells me it is not my fault coz the camera man was slow to get out of the way ;-) I love my mummy.....

Fast cars!

2006-11-13T20:36:00.000+08:00

This is me in my new car.... I love fast cars and speed... can you tell!?!

My new set of wheels

2006-11-13T20:20:00.000+08:00

It's not even my birthday yet and I've already started opening my presents.... thank you Gong Gong and Por Por for my new car ;-) Doesn't it just look so cool?? I've gone round the estate a few times and have even driven onto the main road outside. People sure look at you differently when you're driving a nice new car.... :-)

My favourite video

2006-11-02T20:07:00.000+08:00

My favourite video is Baby signing time. I can watch this video over and over again without feeling bored... I clap my hands and dance to the music, and thoroughly enjoy myself :-) Mummy says that this is the only video that I am totally engrossed in.... not postman Pat, nursery rhymes, elmo (to these, I usually get up and crawl away within 5 minutes).....only BABY SIGNING TIME!!!

Joy ride

2006-10-29T09:04:00.000+08:00

This is my first joy ride.... Don't you think I manoeuvre the car quite well? Anyone willing to lend me your car? ;-)

Carousel ride

2006-10-27T19:48:00.000+08:00

I had my first Carousel ride at Paragon after my Grandma & Grandpa's birthday lunch 2 sundays ago. We happened to chance upon this merry-go-round and I was really excited! Grandpa put me on it and I refused to let go.... so he had to walk round and round while the music played and the carousel brought me up and down and around... I think all in all we went round 5 times, until Grandpa was really dizzy... ;-)

Happy Birthday Grandma and Grandpa

2006-10-25T22:51:00.000+08:00

October is a month for birthdays...

It was my Por Por's birthday last Sunday and it's Gong Gong's birthday today.

Gong Gong, although you aren't in Singapore to celebrate it with us today,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to Gong Gong,
Happy Birthday to you
(no no, we didn't forget.... ;-))
*muak muak* (wet kiss from Caleb)

As usual, we celebrated their birthdays last week with more eating and feasting... we didn't take any pics at lunch though, coz we had too much cake already, so here's a pic of the triple birthday celebrations in Hawaii...

Working out!

2006-10-15T23:39:00.000+08:00

Recently, I've been practicing my crawling and balancing skills at the gym, and getting a good workout no doubt :-)

Also, I get to meet other kids my age and play and hang out, and we have loads of fun. I've made friends with a Korean girl in my class, and just the other day, she gave me a kiss..... Mummy says I'm starting young... wonder what that means..... ;-)

Papa's turned 30!

2006-10-14T23:38:00.000+08:00

In celebration of Papa's birthday, we went for high tea last weekend at the Marriot, and in full celebration style, we ate and ate until we couldn't move after that. Here are some pics we took ...

Diving in...

2006-10-14T23:30:00.000+08:00

I love swimming...

Lately, I've given up my swimming ring for arm floats. This way, I can get around a lot better.... Papa says I'm a really brave boy, coz I've learnt how to jump in on my own ;-)

Food glorious food!

2006-10-14T22:56:00.000+08:00

Since my trip to Hawaii, I've learnt to eat a lot more things. Thought I'll share with you a little more what my new favourites are....

SNACKS

Cheerios and Goldfish are my new favourites... and of course there is still teddy puffs :-)

These have become my favourite snacks in the car. As they say.... Don't leave home without them...

FOODS

Banana pancakes (....my papa makes a mean banana pancake, doesn't he?)

Egg sushi
Soba
slice fish noodles/mee sua

A trip to the ZOO!

2006-10-08T22:28:00.000+08:00

Caleb's first trip to the Zoo!
Check out the playground! Audrey, we'll have lots of fun here when you get back!

It was also Papa's first trip to the zoo in over 15 years! Doesn't he look excited??

Caleb just loved the butterflies!!

I love flying!!

2006-10-04T19:54:00.000+08:00

(That's how we kept him quiet throughout the flight...)

Kauai Pics...

2006-10-04T19:53:00.000+08:00

I miss you, Audrey!

2006-10-02T19:14:00.000+08:00

Aloha!!

2006-10-02T18:34:00.000+08:00

Postcards from Hawaii.... (Ain't I a lucky baby? :-))

This is my first time on a swing...

and my first time behind the wheel....

If only..

2006-10-02T08:53:00.000+08:00

Do you know that I have a Masters degree? Mama says I do as we took the exams together while I was still swimming about in her uterus.

Dancing to the music!

2006-09-18T20:45:00.000+08:00

Recently, mummy and daddy bought me this new table so that I can stand up to play. It plays different kinds of music and songs when I push different buttons and levers.

Initially, I was only interested in opening and closing the purple door. However, today I discovered that the banjo has this cool spinning thing which makes me dizzy.... and when I spin the rattle, it sings ABC....

I really like the music.... see, I'm even dancing to it :-)

I'm a big boy now....

2006-09-18T20:07:00.000+08:00

How do I know I'm a big boy now?

Well, I can eat toddler's cereal..... :-)

I discovered that there are 2 ways to eat breakfast cereal. You can have it with milk, or you can eat it plain (and hard and crunchy) .....

Caught in the act!

2006-09-15T21:14:00.000+08:00

After my dinner, while no one was watching, I sourced out more snacks.....

More, more, more.....

2006-09-15T21:12:00.000+08:00

When I get really excited about eating, here's how I ask for more......

I'm always hungry...

2006-09-15T19:51:00.000+08:00

I've got a ginormous appetite... or so I've been told....
My daily menu goes something like this:

When I wake up at about 6+am, I get my fill of milk from mummy

Then at about 8am, I have my breakfast, which consists usually of 2 tablespoons of oatmeal or barley (water not yet added to the cereal) and some fruit (today it was 1/2 a peach)
After that, I steal some of my papa's breakfast on his way out.... I usually look hungrily at him until he shares his bread with me (he's beginning to suspect that my mummy and Auntie Sri are not giving me enough to eat ;-))
Then, before and after my nap, I have more milk

For lunch, I either have pumpkin with sweet potato, or something else like a cheese or mushroom toast that mummy fixes
Then it's nap time again and after that, I get rewarded with more milk

For dinner, it's a bowl of porridge with some veggies and meat, (below is what I had for dinner tonight)

Followed by desert of some fruit.

Then before bed, I have a bit more milk and then turn in for the night.

Does that really sound like that much? ....... I keep telling my mummy that I'm a growing boy.... ;-)

Stuck?

2006-09-13T21:32:00.000+08:00

Is it me you're looking for?

2006-09-13T20:58:00.000+08:00

I heard a beeping sound, so thought I'd better check out to see if there was someone looking for me.... might be important!

discovery center

2006-09-10T22:17:00.000+08:00

Lately, I just discovered a play area downstairs which has lots of fun stuff to do... I can watch the water fountain, play "masak masak" in the water, and even climb over rocks and boulders ;-)

Best of all, the water isn't very deep so I can go crawling around and feel the sand, stones and even pick up bugs which have dropped into the water :-)

Oh yah, forgot to mention... check out my new sun suit....

Swimming

2006-08-28T21:23:00.000+08:00

On my way to the swimming pool,

to get some exercise, and some sun and fun :-)

Brushing my 2 teeth

2006-08-28T21:13:00.000+08:00

I have 2 teeth at the bottom, and 2 new ones coming out on the top, so thought it was time to start keeping them sparkling clean ;-)

My new car....

2006-08-28T20:53:00.000+08:00

My mummy and daddy bought me a new car so that I can enjoy the scenery, and see things the way everyone else sees them.....
OK, so maybe i got a bit tired after all that visual stimulation.....

My New Fan!!

2006-08-28T00:11:00.000+08:00

Under house arrest!

2006-08-11T13:08:00.000+08:00

Chip of the (not so old) Block

2006-07-16T21:36:00.000+08:00

Mummy's favourite pic :-)

Caleb's Cabana!!

2006-07-16T21:15:00.000+08:00

Need a ride??

2006-07-15T18:06:00.000+08:00

Picture Perfect!

2006-07-09T23:33:00.000+08:00

My menu

2006-07-02T22:12:00.000+08:00

In june, I started to eat very yummy food.

Here's a rundown of what I've tried so far.....

1) sweet potato
2) brown rice cereal
3) carrots
4) peas
5) pears
6) banana
7) pumpkin
8) avocado
9) apples

Of these, my all time favourite is still sweet potato ;-)

A Natural!!

2006-07-02T17:50:00.000+08:00

FOOD!!

2006-07-02T17:44:00.000+08:00

You can see how much I enjoy eating!!

Playtime!!

2006-07-02T17:13:00.000+08:00

On the High Chair!!

2006-05-31T22:55:00.000+08:00

Listen UP!!! The Boss is in town

I love the cold!!

2006-05-08T17:03:00.000+08:00

My First Trip!

2006-05-08T16:55:00.000+08:00

Caleb was a joy to travel with - Slept most of the flight!

Playing with Mama!!

2006-05-08T16:36:00.000+08:00

Cheers! I'm 4 months old!

2006-04-05T23:59:00.000+08:00

(No infants were hurt (or fed any alcohol) in the shooting of these photos.)

Think she likes me...

2006-04-05T23:45:00.000+08:00

Foot fetish?

Bumbo!

2006-03-26T19:37:00.000+08:00

Spring Collection

2006-03-26T19:13:00.000+08:00

These shots were taken just before my Papa went back for NS.

The Spa Pool

2006-02-26T09:25:00.000+08:00

Caleb had lots of fun at the heated bubble pool!

Smile!

2006-02-26T09:21:00.000+08:00

Little Caleb is beginning to smile lots and lots (and pose for the camera too!)

The Making of Caleb's Extreme Makeover

2006-02-12T22:26:00.000+08:00

Thanks Uncle Bernard & Aunty Geraldine!!

Extreme Makeover!

2006-02-12T21:59:00.000+08:00

Before.... After...

Water Baby!!

2006-02-05T19:11:00.000+08:00

My First Swim - in the bath tub!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

2006-02-05T19:05:00.000+08:00

Audrey - My Cousin!!

2006-02-05T18:51:00.000+08:00

Grandpa's helping Audrey diet!!

I can't wait to play with her but for now just have to see her photos at http://www.peekabooboo.typepad.com/.

Baby Cookie Monster ... at the end of 3 days of visiting!!

2006-02-01T22:22:00.000+08:00