Sunday, 23 January 2011

With the pending delivery date of mei mei (who has yet to be named) coming along fast and furious, I have been feeling the full effects of being 7-mths preggy. Big, huge tummy, tiredness and fatigue, backaches, the works! Yet, I am also hoping to spend as much time with my 2 babies before their little sibling is born.

Yesterday, Gary and I awoke early, and interestingly so did Lucas. Nat was still sleeping, so we decided to bring didi out for some one-on-one time. Trotted off to the market and MacRitchie thereafter. He had a great time enjoying our full attention and so did we, reminiscing on what it felt like to have just one baby to handle. We spent quite a while staring out at the canoeists rowing at the reservoir and Luke had fun playing with his own shadow.

By the time we got home, Nat was awake and Luke needed his nap. So this time round, we brought Nat out on her own instead. She has been hankering to go to the playgym for a while so off we headed to Go-Go Bambini at Dempsey. Nat is of an age where we can safely let her loose in the gym to have fun while we sit at the cafe sipping a cuppa. Little Miss attention seeker will run to the cafe to find us every once in a while, to tell us what fine adventures she has been up to. Again, I felt good that we could devote our full attention to her, something that is quite impossible when you are out with 2 kids all the time.


That evening, we headed to Botanic Gardens for a picnic. Weather was great, the place was not super crowded yet ambience was nice as there were quite a few families at the large green open field. While I couldn't really run and jump with the kids, I enjoyed sitting there, watching the bright, dazzling smiles on their faces.

I always tell Gary, looking at my pics 2 yrs ago and now, there is a distinct difference, i.e tiredness. It is not always easy handling the physical and emotional pressures from the kids and I really do feel it.But moments like these are what makes everything worth it.

Saturday, 15 January 2011

Did I mention that we have been trying to get back into the groove of exercise? Nature walks at Hort Park and Botanic Gardens are tops on the list. Looks like it's a hit with the brood!

Nat is still keeping up with her tennis lessons, and this time, we've moved on to learning service/smash. Cool!

Saturday, 15 January 2011

These are pictures of my little boy, of 2 years 4 months, that I managed to capture this week, during his first days at pre-nursery. It's the second time I am going through this, but it is never easy to let go. Suddenly, you realise that they are not babies anymore, no longer the newborns that you swaddle back from the hospital, no longer the little tots trying to crawl or take their first tentative steps, no longer the little people who constantly look aroud for you for reassurance during parent accompanied playgroup time. Like other anxious parents, you hide at strategic areas of the school, spying on your big boy as he troops out with his teacher to the playground or the loo, holding on to his little partner's hand and looking a bit blur. You wipe away the little tear in your eye and decide it's time to let go, after all, when school is over, he will still be your little baby, for many more years yet. What the heck, I'll go grab a latte instead.

Wednesday, 12 January 2011

My little boy's favourite part of the school day is not the singing, not the arts and crafts or even storytime.

He kind of enjoys the regular trips to the little toilets and I am sure his toilet training will soon be expedited once he gets into the routine in school. Here he is, looking a little bit apprehensive as he queues up for his turn in the loo.

Not too sure about outdoor and waterplay yet, but for now, he certainly loves snack time. Lucas is surely his Daddy's boy, a real foodie.

Monday, 10 January 2011

First day of pre-nursery for my baby boy. It's always a bittersweet feeling, nice because he is embarking on a new milestone in his life, sad because my baby is growing up so fast, makes you wish that time could stop at the time when he was a little baby you cuddle tightly in your arms. Nevertheless, these are beautiful memories to look back on and I am glad that Gary always makes it a point to join us for the first day. Poor baby was so tired he fell asleep on the drive home.

Saturday, 8 January 2011

I've been a lazy mum, over the holidays, have slackened on teaching my babies their alphabets and phonics. But it's the start of a new year, and I have taken up the task again with a new passion and dedication.

For Luke, it's starfall every day. We go through the alphabets in starfall and as a reward, he gets to play with other programmes in the website, like the gingerbread man, pumpkin and snowman (which are more interactive than the alphabet section).

For nat, she has progressed from alphabets to phonics. One particular website that I have found very useful is www.readingeggs.com. I first started off using it as a trial with her. Basically, the programme is divided into different lessons/games focusing on different letters and words. It is very interactive and nat can play independently most times without my help. She will run through 2-3 lessons each time and she has learnt to holler loudly when she needs me to help with some of the more difficult games. She has been actually playing this game for about 3 months.

The reward: Yesterday night, I was watching CSI on tv when she trotted into the room. Usually when this happens, I will pause the tv as some scenes in CSI are not so suitable for kids. Nat looked at the screen, which happened to pause at a subtitle, which read as "Hey, Flack!". She turned to me and said "Hey, Black". Oh well, missed the F but I was pleased because she has learnt to blend new words, which she has not seen before together and this is the first step to being able to read independently. Most times, when we read familiar stories at home, I can't really judge if she is blending the words or if she has just memorised the whole story.

As for Mandarin, I've yet to kickstart my home programme on that, hopefully by Chinese New Year. Wish me luck!

Tuesday, 4 January 2011

Best wishes for the new year! Here's what I wish for in the year ahead.

For happiness, joy and freedom for them to enjoy themselves as kids.

For silbling love

For my second-born to remain the sweet and affectionate boy he is

For my babies to remain in my arms forever

For a happy and strengthened relationship as a couple