@ The Beach

In the evening, we decided to let Kiki play with the sand for the first time.

She took a while to learn to use the spade to unearth some sand and transport them into the small bucket.

@ The Beach

I was hesistant to let Kiki sit on the sand barefooted or have her hands in sand because I was worried she might rub her eyes with sandy hands and that would put me in a frenzy.
However, after several nudges from my sis, I relented.

@ The Beach

Then, Kiki got up and began walking. She walked and walked a long distance and looked at my sis from afar and called out to her: "Yiyi!" she says. "Yiyi!" she called again.

The uncanny resemblance of her walking posture.

@ The Beach

I am surprised that Kiki didn't squeal with delight since it was the first time her feet is in the gentle waves. She seems to be processing the sensation in her head, watching the water running up to her and retreating into the sea.

After we've washed up, we went home as mom & aunt Helen came over to play.

Kiki delighted aunt Helen when she read from the flash cards.

She can now recognise and verbalise - banana, avocado, bear, apple, daddy, mommy, carrot, grapes, dog, horse, cat, bird, I love you; and several others. She calls the watch "tick-tock" (derived from Hickory Dickory Dock) and she calls me "Puppy" (a cross between Papa & mommy). She recognises my sis and will address her as Yiyi.

Sunday 31st October 2O1O

Today, we're having her lesson in Japanese and so we put on the cute little Yukata and a Hello Kitty bandana.

With her new found skill on moving independently, Kiki gets off from her seat and jogs up and down at the back of the classroom and re-joins the lesson only when the activity is interesting to her. I don't go after her nor get angry, I patiently call her name and wave "come!", albeit with little success.

Guests

Saturday, 3oth October.

Colin & Sons came over. Supposedly to help drill the shower holder onto the bathroom's wall but since the silicon glue worked well, we skipped that idea. And so, Colin chit-chatted with Bren while I played with the boys, alongside Kiki. (Colin is Bren's army friend, both are medic).


St. John (back row), Randy & Kiki.

Mini-havoc, so many toys we've got!

I've got a set of broom & brush with a dust pan for Kiki as she is always using our broom (magic-clean) to clean the floor. All kids love to clean the floor (including Randy-boy). They think it's fun. I think, they are just mimicking the adults and mimicking is fun.

1-Altitude

The restaurant had an OK ambience, all furnished in off-white & pale earth-tone.
The food was not too bad (for me) but generally, we all thought it was a tad over-priced (S$351 for four persons - starters- bread, salad, sushi. main courses- king prawns, sirloin steak, baby chicken & baby lamp shank (guilty!) and a round of gourmet coffee & tea.
The saving grace was the good company I was in. It was an unusually intimate night and we surely grew closer. (yes, even with old friends, you need to talk in-depth to get in-depth).

Also, the consolation was the bird's-eye view of our city from about 282 mtrs off the ground.
(63rd Floor)

The Esplanade on the right, looks like the eyes of a houselfy I'ld always say.

Our Supreme Court, the Padang, Peninsular Plaza, Singapore Cricket Club, City Hall.

The Marina Bay Sands, The Flyer, the new place that looks like a lotus flower.

Steph's BD - 1st November

I met Steph for her BD and had dinner at Crystal Jade, Holland V. (Thurs, 28th Oct)

We make a point to meet up at least two times in a year, catch up on our regular lives and to update each other of our kids' development. Step's second girl is 3 months Kiki's junoir, so there's lots of common developments.

We've made two more dates over the next two months, I'll treat her to a Kumar show (stand-up comedy), plus she wants to come over for Christmas as she has yet to visit my new place. She says none of her other friends will want to watch Kumar with her and that she's never been to one. Oh, for a person who laughs so easily, I'm sure she will enjoy Kumar. Ha.

Kite Festival (Malaysia) Nov 2009

Last year, Bren accompanied his friend, Jason, to a kite-flying festival in Malaysia.
Just look at the variety of flying canvas they've got. I think some of those shouldn't be called kites, they should be classified as floats. Nonetheless, they are very interesting. Just take a look at them.

Bear, fish, cutterfish, crab, stingray, etc.

Is this an Indonesian motif?

A parrot!

These, I would call them kites.

Mom's BD

Mom's BD was on the 18th of October. I am really not a food person and won't know caviar from ikura (salmon roe). For me, it's always the place least crowded that I'll settle for. Quite against the logical rule where the highly sorted after outlets are deemed the best. And so, when mom came by for her birthday, we walked into the Chinese restaurant where all the tables were empty.

Surprisingly, the dishes were quite delightful. I think you can never go wrong with Xiao Long Bao (little dumplings). The small bundle instores a squirt of soup that bursts from its wrapped skin and gives so much delight to the mouth, yum, yum! The spinach dish was exceptionally tasty with a whiff of burnt garlic within the soup. I will surely return to that restaurant for more.

You may find it morbid but I will tell you this,,,,,,,, I put on my dad's watch everytime we have a family event. You know, it is my way of having him there. (see the red arrow pointing to the watch I was wearing). I don't grieve over the passing of my dad but it doesn't mean I don't miss him. There is still a sting to my heart when I miss him and I just thought he would surely liked to be there, and so, I put on his watch on some small, private, family occasions like this.

Ad-worthy

This looks to me like a print ad for a fruit drink.

She's pretending to drink from the bottle.

My Sis & I

This is my sister's impression of me --
and this is the impression she has of herself --

-_-"

My Sis & I (Part 2)

And this is my impression of me.

My Birthday Present

Each year around this time, Brendan & I will count the coins collected in our piggy banks. The amount saved will be my "birthday present" and I would use it to get myself something I really like. For many years, it had always been cameras. (how practical). This year though, I have not thought of what to get yet. Well, I'll have several weeks to mull over this and I'll let you know if I do get something eventually ok?

A Shining, New, Bicycle!

Last week, I went out for lunch with my colleagues and chanced upon this bicycle store at the mall. I didn't plan on purchasing a bicycle for Kiki because all the bicycles or tricycles I've came across are not age appropriate. The seats are too far away from the paddles and are normally suitable for toddlers aged two and above. So Lo and behold! I was over-delighted when I saw this cute number and to add to the sweet deal, its seat is adjustable!
It is suitable for toddlers of 18 months to 3 years and cost SGD 130.
Kiki is learning, albeit slowly, to use its paddles, and for the time being, she is just as delighted with her shining, new bike as I am.
Almost every person remembers the joy of having his first bicycle.
I remember my dad kept the surprise for me in his room and let me discover it one night.
I think that night I cycled round and round in our small apartment and in the kitchen till past midnight. I don't think Kiki will remember any of this (bicycle episode) as I think early memory starts around age 4 to 6. Anything before it may be fleeting. Nevertheless, I hope that this blog serves as a chronicle and will give her a glimpse at our regular lives.

http://www.redwagons.com/radio-flyer-girls-grow--n--go-bike.html

Entry on "My Hometown"

http://media.straitstimes.com/stlytebox/ndp2010/myhometown_page_river_valley.html

The online version of the article

For all who asked,, the prize was a canon digital camera.
(did you notice that the few recent photographs posted here have a different feel/perspective?)
Ha.

1-Altitude Bars & Restaurant

I'm going for dinner at this breath-taking rooftop bistro.
Shall keep you posted!

Bistro@Ayden

My sis' friend works at a newly opened Bistro at the Pasir Ris Park and we went to its opening party last evening.

You can enjoy your meals and have a bottle of cool beer, wine or coffee while your kids have a pony ride or cycle at the park. There is a pony gallop operator that sells tickets at $10 for a ride aound its tracks. Adults can also have a go at it as long as you're under 75kg. (these are ponies, not horses). Few feets away, there is the bicycle rental operator also.

So, head down to the bistro for a relaxing, enjoyable, evening with your family.

Bistro@Ayden located at 61, Pasir Ris Park (End of carpark C – free parking lots).

Operational Hours:
Mon to Fri: 4pm to 12 midnight
Sat & Sun: 11am to 12 midnight

Bistro@Ayden

Bistro@Ayden

Looking on at the girls, training with their ponies.

@ The Playground

Joy

Joy was in town for six days and so we met for a night.

It was also PW's birthday but I was so tired and had a migraine that whole afternoon, I didn't get her a bouquet like I had planned on. (sorry, mate).

I could never have imagined that I had actually worked with these colleagues for only two to three years but we became friends for 13 years and counting.

Carol's boy is now 19! I could still remember playing with him when he was a pre-schooler. Gosh, I am gonna be 40! (in another 3 years that is).

We plan to catch up next at Carol's place after her son's "A" levels. I sure look forward to fill out the details of our lives and share the warmth among these friends.

What makes a City Great?

Article Link: Joel in Singapore: 'Challenges in attracting newcomers'

Article Link: Singapore's Demographic Winter

Apple

Last evening, Kiki flipped a flashcard and said "Air Pul"....
To my surprise, the card shows a few rows of green apples.
Wow! I was grinning from ear to ear.

"Maricar! Maricar!" I exclaimed. "Did you teach her this?"-- pointing to the green apples.
Maricar taught her the other apple that is on the wall of Kiki's bedroom, it is a red apple, not green, but nevertheless, seems like Kiki recognizes apples now. It was the first time Kiki verbalized the word without prompting.

Just that morning, she recognized her name- Rachael.
"Ayecher" she said.
I asked "What's your name?"
She repeats "what's your name?" (non-accurately but close enough for me to figure it out)
I prompted: "Rachael",, she said "Ayecher", and as the day unfolded, she said Ayecher a few more times, like recounting a nice sounding word.

Ten, ten, ten

Today, Mark got married.

I still remember the photograph that my aunt Jessie sent to us, during the time she relocated to Indonesia with her hubby who was doing business there. The picture was with Mark, painting on the easel. The sun had its lights casted on his sides and Mark had a joyful smile on his face. And that was some twenty odd years ago.

Today, we celebrated his big day and welcomed a new cousin into our clan. All my good wishes are with them.

Hip, hip, hooray!

Ten, ten, ten

Kiki in a sweet, little, bubble dress, complete with a pair of shinny maryjanes.

My gosh, she reminds me of me.

Cousies