Small Notes From Me

Belt Presentation Ceremony

2011-10-15T10:30:00.000+08:00

It was an exciting Sunday (Oct 2, 2011) for us as Jules has just completed his first Aikido grading and we were full of anticipation on the belt colour he would be awarded. It was in this mood that we made our way to his school located at Tan Boon Liat Building.

aikiForest Dojo @ Outram

Little Aikido Practitioner

Waiting for Commencement of Ceremony

Address by Philip Lee Sensei (6th Dan)

Belt Presentation

Yeah … Red!!!

Change of Belt

Before & After!

Look at Me!

Graduating Class Photo

Monthly Highlights

2011-10-14T17:33:00.001+08:00

It has been ages since I last updated my blog and thought it was about time I posted an entry, especially when this was meant to be kind of an online journal. Since I am so awfully backdated, a monthly highlight should easily bring me up to date, so here goes …

May 2011
The Adventures of the Mad Chinaman Concert

May 27, 2011

June 2011
Kai Leng & Jasmine’s Big Day!

June 12, 2011

July 2011
Art Garden @ SAM

Jules went for a play date with his cousins to the Art Garden at the Singapore Art Museum and enjoyed a fun and educational afternoon!

Scribbling on the Tree of Love

Dancing Solar Flowers

Elephant Parade Singapore

GO (wood, acrylic & wooden chips exhibit)

August 2011
aikiForest Magazine Shoot

Julian picked up Aikido 3 months ago and his school was featured in a Japanese magazine, Mangosteen Club!

August 4, 2011

August 2011
Camp @ Underwater World Singapore

In an adventurous attempt, 3 families decided to participate in a 2 day 1 night camp organized by the Boys’ Brigade at the Underwater World Singapore. The kids were very excited, naturally, but the mommies and daddies were the brave ones as they had not camped in this manner for close to 20 years …!

Mass Camp Briefing

Quiz Time!

Night Expedition @ the Underwater World

Midnight Feast!

Getting Ready for Bed

Ice-cream Treat!

iDevices - Waiting for Animal Show to Start

Meet the Dolphins

Photo Opportunity

Feeding the Baby Sharks!

Certificate Presentation

The Families

The LPN Art School

2011-06-06T21:36:00.001+08:00

This afternoon (June 6, 2011), Jules wanted to do some art & craft after his haircut at Junior League and so I brought him to the LPN Art School at Suntec Level 3. Suddenly remembering that our family will be out of town during Father’s Day, I got Jules to do an “advanced” Father’s Day gift for Papa.

After going through the assortment of on-the-spot craft workshops available @ $30 per child, Jules finally settled on canvas painting. It was a first for him … and for me too!

Receipt for $30!

He started by doing a draft of the picture he wanted to paint on the canvas – a family portrait with a smurf-looking house complete with furniture, sun (in glasses!), clouds and tree!

Draft

Thereafter, under the guidance of the art instructor, he proceeded to paint on the canvas and topped off with some clay craft as the finishing touches. Voila, the picture was finally done after about an hour’s of hard work! It was a job well done!

The Masterpiece

The Proud Little Artists!

Last Shots at Singapore Expo

2011-03-03T11:14:00.001+08:00

February 27, 2011 (Sunday)

My Little Fire Fighter

2011-02-22T13:50:00.001+08:00

Occupation Dress-Up Day at LWPS (Feb 18, 2011)

“Make A Wish” Project

2010-11-30T13:10:00.000+08:00

Since its debut in 2005, the Marina Bay Countdown “Make A Wish” Project is back for 2010! This year, the LWPS children were invited to be a part of this so two weeks ago, Jules carted home of those huge, white Wish Spheres to pen down his wishes for the new year. Mommy forgot all about it until a reminder was sent by the school yesterday and the entire family settled down last night – finally - to complete the project!

We asked Julian what his wish for Singapore was and unhesitatingly he replied, “I wish that everyday is a quiet and peaceful day … so no one can disturb me!!” Hmm … Anyway, after about half an hour, the sphere was done with his Wish sandwiched between a smiley sun, clouds and birds above, and a world of sea creatures and a boat below! In Mommy’s opinion, it was a marvelous effort by Jules and simply b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!

Artist at Work

Clouds – one by Dad, Mom & J - guess who drew which?

#1: “I wish that”

#2: “everyday is a”

#3: “peaceful and”

#4: “quiet day!” – Julian Tan

Completed!

Love my Sphere!

Last Pose!

Concert Rehearsal … Right At Home!

2010-09-23T23:57:00.000+08:00

Every year, LWPS holds a year-end concert for their students and this year was no exception. Each class, starting from the youngest in the Playgroup, gets to perform at least 2 items, and parents always perked up and cheer wildly when it came to their kids’ performance (even when it’s an apparent disaster!). So really, we were never short of any applause throughout the entire concert … :)

For the past 2 years Jules had un-exciting roles like being an alien and then, a dragonfly who had to row a boat!

Dragonfly (2009)

This year, however, he came home excitedly and told me he was a Surfer Boy! Needless to say, he was eager to show off his moves and of course, being the good mother that I was, patronized his antics and rejoiced with him!

Hawaii Five-O Groove

A Poem Recital on the Land Down Under

Australia
Australia is a continent and it’s a country, too!
It lies in the South in oceans deep and blue.
Koala bears climb Eucalyptus Trees
Chewing on their fragrant leaves.
Hissing snakes and spiders too
Some of them want a bite of you!
But, lookout for shark and stinging fish
Like stingray and lots of jellyfish!
From her Boomerang to her Kangaroo,
From her Koala Bear to her funny Emu,
Australia’s home to so much wonder,
That it’s hard to leave this land, down under!

Mid-Autumn Celebration

2010-09-22T14:07:00.000+08:00

Last night (September 21, 2010), a group of friends from the church celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Marina Barrage. There were lots of food, fun, lanterns and … photo opportunities! Made possible by our very own photographer, Uncle Francis!

Marina Bay Sands

The Singapore Flyer

“Picture Postcard” View

Mid-Autumn!

Family Shots

Friends

Jules and Dylan

* All images courtesy of Uncle Francis

A Note of Thanks!

2009-12-07T10:47:00.001+08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I'm Finally Turning 4!

2009-11-15T08:45:00.000+08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Splishing Sploshing Fun!

2009-11-13T23:34:00.001+08:00

“Swiddle”

2009-08-26T19:30:00.001+08:00

On Monday evening (August 24, 2009), we brought Jules shopping at Parkway Parade and he told me he would like to buy a toy boat.

Jules: “Mommy, can I buy a toy boat?”

Me: “What do want the boat for?”

Jules: “So that I can play with it and swiddle it around.”

Me: “Oh … what is swiddle??!”

Jules: “Swiddle is a ‘boat’ word. You know, move it around on the water?”

Me: “You mean, so that you can play with it and navigate the boat on the water?”

Jules: Yeeesss! So that I can navigate and swiddle it around!

I tried googling for the definition of ‘swiddle’ and found that no such word exists, except in the form of surnames. Jules has always been fascinated by words and I guess he has just invented his first word, for us in the family at least! Who knows? We may have a linguist among us.

For the record, if swiddle really makes it into the dictionary, it would probably look something like this:

swiddle
verb
[swiddling, swiddled]
1. Travel on water, moving back and forth or sideways
2. To move across the surface of water, especially by means of a sailing vessel

Through His Eyes

2009-08-25T08:00:00.000+08:00

On Sunday (August 23, 2009), Julian had a sudden whiff of inspiration and decided to do a portrait of Mommy.

He may be no Leonardo Da Vinci and the drawing nowhere near the Portrait of Lisa Gherardini but nevertheless, I am immensely proud of his first attempt at three and a half!

Portrait of Ma Mère

Fluff Ball

2009-08-24T21:47:00.001+08:00

Pebby has been with us for about 5 months now and he has settled down nicely as “one of the family” and blossomed into a cute little “fluff ball”!

External Influences

2009-08-21T19:58:00.001+08:00

Lately, TY and I have observed through Julian’s behavior and speech that he is increasingly “susceptible” to influences from his peers in school and around him. This led me to conclude that it is absolutely essential for me to rework my lifestyle so that I can spend more quality time with Jules, especially during his formative years.

A clip I received this afternoon further strengthened my belief!

Batman Jingle
Batman, Superman
Ali Baba, Chicken Man
Don’t Forget Your Underpants!

Followed by …

Jules: “Hey, there’s an ant! Quick, KILL it!!!

Now, where did that killer instinct come from??! Hmm ...

I later found out Jules picked up the jingle from a good friend in his class, who incidentally also taught him the Transformers’ theme song, “Transformers: Robots in Disguise!” And to think he hasn’t even watched a single episode of the animated series or movie!

I guess in this age we are living in, hands-on parenting is imperative and we cannot afford to delegate this responsibility to our parents, nannies, domestic helpers or even the schools, no matter how good they may be. Raising up the next generation starts right here in our homes - with our own children!

Road Signs Don’t Tell All

2009-07-30T08:00:00.000+08:00

A feast for the eyes. Soothing to the soul. Breathtakingly beautiful.

Navigating this area feels like driving through the scenic countryside of Australia. Unknown to many, nestled in a quiet, unnoticeable part of Bukit Timah, the Bukit Timah Saddle Club offers the perfect getaway from the hectic bustle of city life right here in Singapore.

I have driven past this road almost daily on my way home but the dingy-looking road sign gives no hint of the almost-paradise town that lies deep inside. After discovering this place last week, I came up with my own version to the old adage “never judge a book by its cover” - “road signs don’t tell all”!

With lush greenery …

Old fashioned road signs …

Horses grazing …

Cantering …

Standing …
Or guzzling 100 Plus (saw it with my own eyes!) …

You feel transported right into a different world.

Have a lazy breakfast or spend an idle afternoon in any one of the quaint eateries. With picturesque surroundings and an occasional horse trotting by …

You are guaranteed to leave feeling refreshed. Revitalized.

The Great Discovery

2009-07-29T08:45:00.000+08:00

I caught the Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery DVD a couple of weeks back at a friend’s place and it was simply awesome! In this all-new movie narrated by Pierce Brosnan, Sodor Day is coming and all the engines are busy preparing. When Thomas gets lost in the mountains, he discovers the old town of Great Waterton and very soon, the whole island is restoring the town in time for the big day. Complete with catchy songs and suspense-filled adventures, this episode also features a new engine friend named Stanley!

After watching it, Julian was so enthralled by the thrills of the movie that he “begged” me to buy him the latest Thomas set that was featured on the back cover of the DVD. I could not help thinking this was a really smart advertising move by Hit Toys Company!

After much sourcing around, I realized it was not available locally and had to buy it online from Amazon.com and shipped it in using Citibank Globeshopper. It was relatively hassle-free with reasonable shipping charges and the item arrived within a week! Top this off with secure payment via Paypal, it is no small wonder many parents are going online to shop for toys these days especially since the range carried by local toy distributors is so limited. Once started, online shopping can be addictive!

Here’s a preview of what we bought.

RC Racing

2009-07-27T11:39:00.001+08:00

Julian has been bugging us over the last few weeks to bring him to watch what he calls “dirt track racing” so finally on Saturday (July 25, 2009), we decided to make the trip.

He was really excited and armed with a pair of binoculars, we set out to the only RC racing circuit I know at Turf City! However, there was no “dirt track racing” that day and he settled for “street racing” instead.

Trekking towards the destination

“Street track”

RC cars running on gasoline

Racing stand

Mommy taking a turn

Watching like a pro!

Lemme see the action!

Bridging the Generation Gap

2009-07-26T11:28:00.001+08:00

I have seen on so many blogs postings of visits to the zoo but seriously, how can we ever underestimate the importance of the Singapore Zoo as one of the “pathetically few” key attractions of our nation (!), and as a great place for friendship building and bridging the generation gap (even for a couple of hours) as people - young and old – come together, in fascination at encountering the creatures of nature up close and personal.

For our family, we had one such opportunity on a beautiful, breezy Saturday morning, where 6 of us – Ye Ye, Nai Nai, Daddy, Mommy, Julian & Nana – headed for Mandai and had a time of our lives!

Arrival at Destination

Posing at Zoo Entrance

Heading for Adventure

Directions

Jules: “I like trams more than animals!”

Getting Started!
The Primates

More Animals

Miscellaneous Shots

Jules’ and Mommy’s Favorite Animal!

Jules: “I really like jeeps too!!!”

Wait for Me!

Catching the Ferry Ride

Children’s Zoo

Just Strolling / Running …

Expressions

“Happy Face” Bread

2009-07-22T16:30:00.001+08:00

A good friend just passed me a box of very cute “Happy Face” bread she bought for Julian and I simply could not resist posting some shots of it here! I am sure Jules will absolutely love it!

She told me she specially selected one with a boy & a girl!

Tomica Town

2009-07-22T13:00:00.000+08:00

Being a lover of Tomica toys myself, I persuaded TY to help construct a Tomica Town for Julian since I had recently redeemed some Isetan vouchers. It was really fun as the both of us put it together while Jules was asleep. When we showed him the completed set the following morning, he went “waaaaaahhh” and was silent for almost a full minute, looking at it with mixed admiration and disbelief, before starting to play with it!

It is truly a beautiful set that will make any little boy’s day! His Daddy even made roads for him out of cutout cardboard including realistic-looking white markings on it! My favorite is the Nissan Showroom, complete with car and revolving car display turntable. Check it out!

Car Service Center

Garage & Road Crossing

Police Post

Nissan Showroom with Revolving Turntable!

Petrol Kiosk & Carwash
Our Tomica Town

Photo-taking Anyone?

2009-07-19T04:22:00.001+08:00

On Friday night (July 17, 2009) after the CG meeting, we celebrated Keryn’s birthday and as usual, we turned off the lights pretending there was a blackout(!), ushered in a mini-birthday cake and sang her a birthday song. But the difference this time round was that someone actually brought along a camera and I suggested taking some cell group photos as it has been quite a while since we last did so.

In fact, everyone was so enthusiastic about it, myself included, that immediately after the birthday song, we got Keryn to pose for the camera followed by taking group shots. To my dismay, I realized after the photography session that all of us were so consumed with capturing the perfect shot that we had forgotten the almost-sacred tradition of getting the birthday girl to make a wish, give a speech and presenting her with the gift! But of course, we made it up to her thereafter!

These are a few of the pictures that were painstakingly taken and thank God they turned out fine!

Birthday Girl – Keryn

Ladies Only

All Of Us!

A Beary Birthday!

2009-07-18T03:08:00.001+08:00

About a month back, one of my best friends’ son, Ryan, celebrated his 7th birthday at the Build-A-Bear-Workshop at Suntec City. Julian was really excited at being invited but unfortunately on the actual day, he fell asleep just before the party and we had to wake him up! Like the saying goes, the rest is history …

Jules was so grouchy at the party that I had to bring him out of the shop to give him a talking-to! I ended up capturing very few nice shots of him but what made matters worse was that my camera battery went flat at the critical moment when all the kids completed their bears and were holding it up for a shot! Thankfully, one of the mommies captured a great shot and emailed it to me, of which I am very grateful!

Don’t you just love the kids with their teddies??! This is one of my favorite pictures.

2nd row, 4th from left in red: birthday boy, Ryan

Grown Up!

2009-07-16T21:28:00.001+08:00

Despite the wide array of toys that my son has, he is persistently 'obsessed' with getting his hands on 2 other toys which TY and I refuse to buy him due to age inappropriateness. One, is the Speed Racer Lego Set which is far too complicated for Jules to fix, and the other, remote control toys. We made the mistake of buying him a remote control car many months back, only to have him smash it when the wheels wouldn’t budge as he tried to zoom it around with his hands!

So now, no matter how hard he pesters us, our answer to him is always "we will buy it for when you grow up ... when you turn 5 years old!” I guess that explains why in his little mind, 5 is an almost revered age and his aim since then has been to quickly grow up, “Look at my legs!!”

Roary the Racing Car

2009-07-15T20:27:00.001+08:00

Roary the Racing Car is Julian’s current favorite cartoon series. Set around a racing circuit, Silver Hatch, it follows the adventures of a bright red, cheeky, young and energetic race car with a white baseball cap! In fact, Jules loves it sooooo much he insists on watching it count-less times (literally, since I have "lost" count of the number of times the clips have been played, replayed and re-replayed!) before going to bed every night.

Recently, the distributor of the Roary line of toys in Singapore told me that this newly-launched UK character is set to become as big as Thomas the Tank Engine! Here’s a sample clip of the “mesmerizing” and attention-grabbing cartoon.

A few weeks back, I upgraded my iPhone to the latest 3.0 firmware and with it, came a host of functions like SMS forwarding, MMS, video recording and even a Voice Recorder! I decided to try it out and Jules readily agreed to do a Roary rendition, albeit not a very professional one, for his Daddy and me! He even contrived to put in the sound of the camera flashes and the vrooming effect of the cars!

So here goes …

Soong Lin’s 4th Birthday Party!

2009-05-28T11:12:00.001+08:00

Last Sunday (May 24, 2009), Julian was invited to Soong Lin’s 4th birthday celebration at his place. The party was complete with an extremely hardy Spiderman piñata (that simply would not break no matter how hard the kids tried! The stick broke though!), Ben 10 birthday cake, party packs and balloons for the kids, and yummy food for everyone else!

The Invincible Piñata

Happy Birthday, Soong Lin!

The Playroom

Igloo Tent

Little Builders

Building Fun

2009-05-27T18:46:00.001+08:00

DIY Building Set ($18.55)

Blueprint & Building Materials

Getting Started

I’m Done!

My Little House

Weekend with Auntie Apple

2009-05-26T11:44:00.001+08:00

Last weekend (May 22-25, 2009), Auntie Apple from Taiwan, Taipei stayed over at our house as she was attending a good friend’s wedding. This was her second visit to Singapore this year.

Jules was really excited at seeing her again as she charmed him the last time by presenting him with THREE Tomy trucks upon arrival! This time round, she didn’t disappoint him and Jules received another 2 extraordinary-looking construction vehicles you don’t find in Singapore!

Beyond the gifts, Auntie Apple was an excellent playmate for him, being actively involved in Children’s work back in her home church. There was so much fun, laughter and play at our house over the last few days and Mommy had a good time catching up with her as well!

Shots Taken by Auntie Apple

Posing with Auntie Apple

Jules: “Look at my picture when you miss me!”

My Portfolio 2009

2009-05-25T16:07:00.001+08:00

Last Saturday (May 23, 2009) was Parent-Teacher Day at LWPS and Julian’s teachers presented us with a portfolio of his work. TY and I were so proud to see how much Jules has progressed and what he has accomplished over the last 6 months!

Art & Craft Work

My “S” Book

Mother’s Day Card 2009

Puffer Fish

Jules In Action

Julian’s First Playmobil Set

2009-05-25T12:55:00.001+08:00

Few weeks back, someone gave me a copy of the Playmobil catalogue and ever since Julian chanced upon it, he has been “nagging” me to buy him the Car Repair and Tuning Workshop Set (4321). After ringing all the shops I know that sell Playmobil toys (which are far and few in Singapore), I finally located it at one of the shops called Action Toyz.

This set has to be every boy’s dream workshop, complete with extra change of tires, miniature tools and tool box, and a car jack! But it came at a pricey $99.95 and I managed to cart it home at a 10% membership discount!

Play Dates (Part B)

2009-05-19T15:15:00.001+08:00

Bear & Chicken Go Camping (April 4, 2009)

Staged by SRT’s The Little Company at DBS Arts Centre

My Best Friend at LWPS (April 6, 2009)

Playing with the Train Table at our Home

May Day Outing (May 1, 2009)

Water Games

Swimming Fun

My Daddy & I

Swim Date With Ryan (May 17, 2009)

Poolside Play

Play Dates (Part A)

2009-05-19T14:37:00.001+08:00

TY and I try to schedule play dates for Julian as much as possible so that he gets to have lots of fun, build friendships with other kids and develop important social skills like sharing, compromising and turn-taking. This is especially important to us with Julian being an only child. So even though it can get really tiring (for us!), we trudge on despite the “hassles” involved and Jules clearly enjoyed every single moment of those times! To leave him a memorable and unforgettable childhood … it is definitely well worth it!

Zoo Outing (February 1, 2009)

Family Photos

Showing Exhibits On the Ferry

Enjoying the Ride

Funny Faces

Smile … Say Cheese!

Let’s Do It Together!

Thomas & Friends Show (March 15, 2009)

Our Favourite Blue Engine

Looking for Thomas!

Dressed For A Rainy Day

2009-05-08T10:54:00.001+08:00

Personally, I do not quite fancy raincoats cos even though it keeps your child dry in the rain, you (the Mommy) typically get wet when the dripping raincoat is being removed!

So this morning when it was raining cats and dogs, a Christmas present from Uncle Francis came in handy and became an improvised Terrycloth-Poncho! This works perfectly when used for short distances in the rain as it keeps Julian dry by absorbing the rain and Mommy doesn’t get wet when removing it either!

Back view

Front view

Posing for the camera

I love my Poncho!

He’s A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!

2009-05-02T21:36:00.001+08:00

October 27, 2008: Crystal Jade Kitchen (Holland)

November 25, 2008: On the way out of school (LWPS)
December 6, 2008: SSO Babies Prom (Victoria Concert Hall)

January 17, 2009: Jelita Cold Storage

January 26, 2009: First day of CNY (Binjai Park)

March 25, 2009: Dr. Julian Tan (LWPS)

March 25, 2009: Playground (West Coast Park)

April 22, 2009: Julian & Pinky (Home)

May 2, 2009: Famished while waiting for food at Ashton (Suntec City)

The Marketplace SME Fiesta 2009

2009-05-02T20:37:00.001+08:00

From 10to 12 April 2009, thousands of people flocked to the fiesta which hosted close to 60 exhibitors, showcasing the products and services from a wide range of retailers, offered over 3,000 employment opportunities for job seekers and was patronized by high- business executives and famous celebrities such as film director Jack Neo, TV celebrity and food connoisseur Moses Lim and bestselling author Nanz Chong.

In the midst of ‘serious’ business, the organizers thoughtfully provided a haven of fun for the kids that came. So while Daddy & Mommy were busy browsing the booths and getting a makeover (Mommy only!), Jules was not to be outdone! He was an active patron and a repeat customer of the wide array of games stalls, craft corners and fun activities offered!

Getting started!

Look at me row!

What fun!

A fellow boater

Bouncing so hard all the pictures captured were fuzzy ones!!!

Craft corner

The finished products – a pearly seashell & colorful transformer

Pebble a.k.a. Pebby

2009-05-01T19:23:00.001+08:00

Pebble or affectionately known as “Pebby” has settled down comfortably into our home. Thankfully, he is almost fully toilet trained and knows his boundaries in the premises. So last Monday, I decided to allow Pebby to freely roam the house for an afternoon since he had just been to the groomers the day before. And he looked soo-oooo cute, napping at different corners in the house that I could not resist taking snapshots of him!

Under Jules’ highchair

Under the TV console

Next to the sofa

Sayonara, Mioko!

2009-05-01T18:32:00.001+08:00

Last weekend, our family hosted a farewell party at our place for one of Julian’s ex-classmates, Mioko, who was returning to Japan for good this week. Everyone was excited as their N1 teachers from the previous year, Ms. Sabrina and Ding Laoshi, were supposed to join us. Unfortunately, they could not make it at the last minutes but we still had a whopping crowd of 6 families that came – 11 adults and 9 children to be exact! And all the kids had such a roaring good time that when the party finally ended, they were reluctant to bid each other, and of course, especially Mioko, sayonara.

The Boys - playing Repairmen

The Girls - playing Housekeeping

Playing with trains, cars & more

Dipping into the Goody Jar

Look at our Goody Bags!

The LWPS Gang

Sayonara, Mioko & Ririka … we will be missing you!

My Sticky Corner

2009-04-23T14:53:00.001+08:00

About a week ago, we came across a great and inexpensive idea for Jules to explore his creativity. It comes in the form of a sticky board (made up of double-sided sticky sheet mounted onto a foam board) and an assortment of scrapbook materials such as buttons, spangles, straws, sweet wrappers, etc.

Materials!

Jules having fun sticking and un-sticking!

The Masterpiece

A Blog or a Dog?

2009-04-23T13:02:00.001+08:00

Sadly, my Blog “died” approximately 1 month ago when I decided to get a Dog. Actually, it was not an intentional purchase even though TY and I have been considering getting a dog, on and off, for the last 3 years.

Last month, TY chanced upon a great deal on the Honda forum. Someone was selling a 10-month old pup – a salt and pepper Miniature Schnauzer. We drove all the way down to Seng Kang, checked out the animal, and sealed the deal on-the-spot for $450! We walked away that day, the proud owner of Terry, later renamed “Pebble” by Jules.

Little did we know, our lives were changed that day on Saturday, 21 March 2009! For aspiring dog owners, it is literally like having a second baby in the house, no exaggeration!

Pebble and his temporary home on Day 1

3 of us “camping out” in our Living Room to keep the dog company!

Pebble comfortable in his permanent lodge at our Balcony!

Blow-drying Pebble after a shower

Jules and Pebble getting acquainted!

To be continued on the art of dog-keeping … …

Colour Therapy (Part 2)

2009-03-18T14:52:00.001+08:00

I have been feeling rather down since Sunday when I found out that my grandfather has been hospitalized. He hasn’t been feeling well of late probably due to his old age (he is 85 this year!); but my guess is that it could be because he is missing my granny, who passed away about 3 months back, a great deal.

Back at work on Tuesday (March 17, 2009), coupled with the fact that I had to take care of Julian who was sick over the weekend and the office workload, I felt a sudden onrush of fatigue and needed to take a quick breather. So during lunchtime, I decided to pop by Nail Addiction at Suntec Tower 3 (opposite Carrefour supermarket) for an unscheduled manicure.

From the moment I stepped into the shop, the soothing music, relaxing hand massage, pleasant chatter with the manicurist and the alluring array of colours started to take effect on me. After 45 minutes of nail pampering, I felt “rejuvenated” and ready to tackle my day’s challenges. Colour therapy works, again.

With our cosmopolitan lifestyle and heightened stress level, we need to find our own stress antidotes to keep our balance in life. Since we have only one life to live, let’s it to the fullest - being true to ourselves and to the God who made us. And along the way, remember to stop and smell the roses!

Colour Therapy (Part 1)

2009-03-18T10:46:00.001+08:00

On Monday (March 16, 2009), I decided to keep Julian home as he had been coughing the night before and waking up at half hour intervals, complaining of pain in his throat. I was kept awake till 4 a.m. before he finally dozed off to sleep! That morning, he woke up close to 10 a.m. (which was very unusual as Jules normally wakes up at 7 a.m. ++) and I decided to indulge him since he was unwell.

Me: “What would you like to do today? Since you are unwell, Mommy will stay home with you.”

Jules: “I want to paint!” You know, those new things you bought for me in the (magic) cupboard?”

I didn’t know what I had gotten myself into … Cos some moments later, my spick and span house was slathered in paint though I had painstakingly laid newspaper extensively over the floor! Anyway, Jules enjoyed himself tremendously so it was well worth it!

The Artist

Painting Equipment

The Artist in action!

Jules’ favourite Disney Pixar Cars!

Julian: “I can paint a Rainbow!”

My son visibly perked up after the entire painting session . I guess Colour Therapy – a combination of colours, enjoyment and laughter - works! Like an old saying goes, “A merry heart does good, like medicine.”

Children First! Weekend

2009-03-16T03:40:00.001+08:00

Last week happened to be the Prudential Children First! Singapore International Festival for Children 2009. As parents, TY & I believe in giving Julian exposure to the creative and performing arts at a young age and we are on the constant lookout for good performances to bring him to. For this event, we decided on 2 shows – Bed Time and Martha - after browsing through the catalogue. Both turned out to be wildly entertaining (for Julian, at least!) and a whopping success!

Bed Time at The Arts House, Gallery (Saturday, March 14, 2009)

Bed Time

This performance is produced by Katarsis, Education & Theatre (Spain) and is a charming and amusing non-verbal show that runs just like a dance choreography. Although called Bed Time, there is hardly a moment of rest or slumber! In their innocence and candid imagination, the two friends explore a world of adventures; they find great
pleasure in transforming small things that surround them
into magnificent dreams and creatures. This Bed Time surely beats
counting sheep!

Traffic Light Pillow!

Fiddling Around With Other Props

Photo Opportunity!

Filling Out Our Feedback

Julian: “My Feedback Form!”

- The End -

Martha at Raffles Hotel, Jubilee Hall (Sunday, March 15, 2009)

Martha

The second performance by Catherine Wheels Theatre Company (Scotland) is about a rather eccentric woman named Martha who lives by herself in a strange house on the beach of an island off the west coast of Scotland. Martha does not want any friends; she thinks she does not need any. One day, a cheeky goose shows up on the beach and refuses to leave in spite of Martha’s hilarious attempts. Stuck with each other, the unlikely pair ends up having a great time until the fowl must return to its family.

Martha is then left with nothing but her memories of the goose. She begins to realise that having a friend or two might be a good thing after all. The show’s amazing appeal transcends time and age as it has intrigued audiences of all ages for almost a decade with its moving, funny and warm story of friendship and trust.

Collecting the Tickets

Raffles Hotel, Jubilee Hall

Watching The Show With Kean & Aunty Irene

Waiting For The Show To Begin

Showtime Over!

- The End -

Make-A-Lorna-Bear

2009-03-16T00:33:00.001+08:00

On Saturday (March 14, 2009), we went for lunch at Jack’s Place at Parkway Parade and chanced upon a make-a-bear shop called Cool Bear Workstation. Previously, we had only patronized the Build-A-Bear-Workshop at Suntec City Mall and Singapore Flyer, which is an American franchise. This particular one at Parkway, which is a local brand, have their flagship store at Esplanade. In comparison, the prices of both are similar, but the quality of bears and costumes for Build-A-Bear-Workshop is far better. What I liked about Cool Bear Workstation though is that their bears are somewhat cute and really soft!

When Julian saw the bears, he was so mesmerized that he decided to make mommy a “green” bear (since green is his current favourite colour)! Fortunately, the service staff diplomatically told him that his mommy seems to prefer a brown bear (from the horrified expression on my face!) and persuaded him to abandon green in favour of brown. And so, I took the opportunity to snap lots and lots of photos and hence, this blog entry on bear-making …

Step 1: Choose a Bear

Thank heavens, it’s brown!

Step 2: Pick & Put the Stuffing Into the Bear

Getting the Stuffing!

Stuffing the stuffing!

Step 3: Choose a Heart

A Basketful of Hearts!

Hmm, red is not nice …

Pink is my colour!

Step 4: Scribble A Message!

Sweet secrets!

Step 5: Make a Wish and Stuff the Heart

Oh, I wish … …

Putting my heart into the bear!

Parenthesis: [Snacking On The Job!]

Winnie the Pooh and his hunny pot?!

Step 6: Stitch the Bear

Oops, forgot to get a snapshot of our bear so we borrowed someone else’s!

Step 7: Wash the Bear

Step 8: Pick An Outfit & Dress the Bear

White and blue check shirt

Step 9: Pay for the Bear!

Nothing in life is for free!

That completes the approximately 30-minute bear-making process. But why Make-A-Lorna-Bear? Because all the children in Julian’s pre-school are known as Lorna kids and he says, “The bear must wear the same uniform as me; he is a Lorna Bear!” And so, for $47.90, a Lorna Bear was made!

Ta-Dah!!!

Glittery Art

2009-03-14T21:12:00.001+08:00

Got up this morning and my son wanted to do art and craft. He went to
my “private toy store” and pestered me to let him get one of those “glittery art” kit for him. I am the kind of mom who buys toys (& books & clothes & what have you …) whenever there is a sale and stocks them up for future use. One at a time, I would pull the toys out and give them to Julian whenever he hits the toymaker’s recommended age. To him, this cupboard is like the magical wardrobe that leads to Narnia or the Magic Faraway Tree from the Enid Blyton series because there are always new surprises lurking inside and the stuff never seems to run out!

Julian is now slightly over 3 years old and after some hesitation, I reckon he could handle it. So together, mother & son, we embarked on our first glitter art handicraft experience! Personally, I enjoyed it tremendously and countless times playing with Julian, I feel like I am relieving my childhood all over again! I seriously wonder if any other parents feel the same way too or is it just me?!!!

Making Music

2009-03-13T10:30:00.008+08:00

Making Music by Hi-5 Band

Bang that drum
Go bang bang bang
Hit that cymbal
Go clang clang clang
Shake that rattle
Go shake shake shake
Make it shake it
Shout it out
Make it shake it
Sing it loud

Make some Noise
Ooooh
Make a sound
Ooooh
Make some music to
dance around to
Make some Noise
Ooooh
Make a sound
Ooooh
Make some music to
dance around to
jump up and down to
sing out loud to
Making Music for you

Making Music for you

Lyrics: L.Carey / C. Harriott

Malaysia Boleh!

2009-03-12T11:45:00.001+08:00

Our family took a mini vacation to KL last weekend and it turned out to be a wonderful getaway! As it was a budget trip and only a 3-day holiday across the Causeway, we did not expect very much. But much to our surprise, it was one of the most enjoyable trips ever!

Making Our Way There!

We arrived KL at about 3 p.m. in the afternoon of Saturday, March 7, 2009 (sorry, details of how we got there cannot be divulged …) and checked-in immediately at the hotel. We booked our accommodation via AsiaRooms.com and it was a hassle-free, cheap and pleasant experience!

TY had read reviews that the hotel we were staying at was rundown and rather dilapidated. Nevertheless, we decided to take a chance and go ahead with it anyway since it had a huge shopping mall and amusement park right in the hotel, and convenience was of paramount importance when travelling with Julian!

Well, I was not a single bit disappointed. The room was spacious, clean and well-maintained. Since a picture speaks a thousand words, see below.

Berjaya Times Square, Superior Suite

During the trip, one of the best things that happened was that Julian (who is typically camera-shy, or rather, camera-aggressive) learned to pose and to take photographs!

Pose #1: Mommy & I

Pose #2: Daddy & I

Pose #3: Me in Bathtub

Pose #4: Me & Häagen-Dazs

Pose #5: Me & My New Guitar

Pose #6: Me & Beautiful Picture

Shots by Junior Photographer … They Just Get Better!

Another thing that really amazed me was the friendliness of the Malaysians. Everyone, from the bus captain, taxi drivers, hotel staff, right down to the hotel guests, were generally warm, kind and affable.

In fact, during a particular taxi ride, the wife of the taxi driver was riding with him in the car while he was working (imagine that!) and they asked if we were ok with the arrangement. We were fine and throughout the trip, the couple chatted with us like long-lost friends. And Julian decided to do an impromptu rendition of Dick Lee’s Rasa Sayang and wowed the couple. What an apt choice of song!

My son certainly enjoyed himself thoroughly right till the end of the trip. And guess what?!! He even made a new friend on the way back!

My New Friend, Chloe!

With great shopping … …

Bought Myself An Old Fashioned Wind-Up Clock & “Inspiration” Beans

Yummylicious food … …

Room Service, Anyone?

Excellent service standard … …

Checkout Time!

We only have 2 words to sum up our entire holiday … Malaysia Boleh!

Ahoy There, Matey!

2009-03-12T01:32:00.001+08:00

Last Friday (March 6, 2009) at LWPS, Julian had his annual Pirate Theme Party and mommy was busy as usual looking for ways to dress him up. This year, being smarter and more experienced, I recycled his pirate costume from the year before and added in some other bits and pieces …

Pirate Costume 2008

Snipping & Cutting!

Finally, at 7 a.m. that morning, I managed to get the costume ready, only to find a reluctant pirate …

“I am NOT a pirate! I am JULIAN TAN!”

After much persuasion and coaxing, to my immense relief, Julian finally got into “pirate-mood”!

“Do I look good??!”

And before long, he was ready to hit the road! Er, I mean, ride the high seas …

“Ahoy there, Matey!”

Surprise!

2009-03-06T00:43:00.004+08:00

Last night, Julian received an unexpected gift. When we reached home, lying at our doorstep was a large children's book tied up beautifully with shimmery, gold ribbons. On it, a note was scribbled, "Hello Julian, this is a surprise present for you! Love, Aunty Vivian”

Aunty Vivian is a downstairs neighbour cum owner of Absolute Wine, a wine bar, tucked away in Binjai Park. When Jules saw it, he was absolutely delighted and reciprocated by delivering a pack of his favourite Ferrero Rocher chocs unhesitatingly to her shop. On top of that, he decided to put his newfound drawing talent to good use and made her a “CAR card”, complete with his signature at the bottom (see green squiggle)! And early this morning, he stuck it proudly on her red letterbox before trotting off to school with Daddy!

Personally, I was touched by this simple gesture of kindness. Life is a web of relationships and we usually find them in the most unlikely places and in the most unexpected faces. For us, it started through a series of hellos and goodbyes, but the real surprise was that unknowingly, through time, a friendship between us was forged.

Dick Lee Wannabe

2009-03-05T23:47:00.010+08:00

Family and friends know that of late, I have been crazy over Dick Lee’s songs and compositions. If you do not know by now, he is a renowned Singaporean singer, composer and playwright, having written numerous musicals such as Beauty World, Hotpants, Fried Rice Paradise, et cetera, et cetera ... As a result, TY and Julian had to endure countless replays of Dick’s 30th Anniversary Concert on DVD! But to be totally honest, I think they'd rather enjoyed it actually. In fact, I believe I made a convert out of my son and he has since been an avid Dick Lee fan and an “aspiring” performer! Who knows? He could be a future star in the making!

Beach Outing with LWPS Gang

2009-03-05T16:37:00.000+08:00

On Sunday (March 1, 2009), we had a beach outing with some of Julian's schoolmates from LWPS and by word of mouth, news of this spread and we ended with 8 families and 13 kids in all! Mommys, daddys, mei-meis and di-dis all showed up, and even Baby Asher came along! We had a blast of a time!

Sandcastle-Building Fun!

Julian: “We are planting a Talking Tree!”
Baby Asher’s First Beach Outing!

It was so much fun, one mommy suggested, "Let’s do a BBQ next week!” And some of the daddys were even contemplating a drive-up trip to Ipoh within the next 2 months. It was a morning of wholesome fun and goodness for the entire family … what a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious day we had!

Do You Sometimes Not Like Me?

2009-03-03T01:22:00.005+08:00

On the way to visit my mother-in-law this evening, my son asked me, “Do you like me?” This was a standard question he enjoys posing to me and I replied in my usual fashion, “Of course, I do. I like you and I love you!” His next question, however, somewhat jolted me.

With great seriousness, he looked me in the eye and asked, “Do you sometimes not like me?” I was flabbergasted to hear this question from an under 4-year-old! Very quickly, I assured him, smothering him with kisses at the same time, “Mummy likes you and Mummy loves you all the time!” Guessing this could be because I had disciplined him the day before, I added, “Mummy loves you a lot but I do not like you to misbehave …”

I was reminded of the parenting principle to never tell your child “I don’t like you” even when they have misbehaved badly, but rather, “I do not like what you are DOING.” While young children may seemingly forget what had happened easily, nevertheless, they are more aware of their surroundings than we give them credit for. Therefore, we should never take them for granted. They are God’s gift to us and our gift to them should be unconditional love and careful nurture so that they can grow up to be happy, secure and confident individuals because self-esteem is the foundation of life.

Hearing God In the Ordinary

2009-03-03T00:51:00.004+08:00

During this year's Chinese New Year season, I had a “firsthand” experience with simple gardening as TY bought me a potted plant to beautify the house. He exulted the “potential” of this plant and how it promised to bloom multiple flowers of different colors. Daily, without fail, I would conscientiously water my plant and ensure it received enough sunlight in anticipation of what I would see. To my disappoint, a single yellow flower would bloom on certain days, while on others, there was nothing at all! The furthest it got was to produce 2 pink “withered-looking” flowers. But I doggedly held on to the "promise" that one day, the flowers would come into full bloom.

Today, my tenacity finally paid off! After 2 weeks of waiting and watering, I was rewarded with 4 magnificent, brightly-colored flowers that bloomed all at once. As I watched in admiration and wonder, Galatians 6 verse 9 came to my mind, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." I realized that we may not understand the power that lies within a seed but as we do what is needed, the flowers will naturally bloom in due season. The parallel truth is that the Word of God too is a seed. While we may not always understand the need to obey in contrary circumstances, but as we continue to do what is right and hold on to our faith without wavering, we will enjoy all the benefits that His Word promises to bring!

An attempt to tend to a simple potted plant has brought a profound revelation. It is no wonder the Master Gardener would choose to use the simplest things in life to portray and to remind His children of His eternal and unchanging truths. God wants us to hear His voice even through the ordinary things of life.

What A Wonderful World

2009-03-02T21:26:00.002+08:00

My belief that human beings are born with an innate sense of beauty was confirmed last week when a group of colleagues and I rushed to behold a rare sight of a double-arch rainbow outside the skies of Suntec City. We (both guys and girls) whipped out our cameras and handphones and started snapping photos of this beautiful phenomenon.

In the midst of this flurry of "clicking and snapping", the lyrics of one of the greatest hits of the late 1960s by Louis Armstrong involuntarily came to my mind, " ... the colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky ... and I think to myself, what a wonderful world."

Wisdom: The Practical Application of Knowledge

2009-02-28T20:54:00.002+08:00

A few nights ago, TY and I brought Julian (also known as Jules or Jay-Jay) to one of those cosy, almost-extinct neighborhoods we used to find in the 1970s in Singapore. We chanced upon a very unique "tikam-like" fishing game machine. That was the first time I had ever come across such a machine in all my life! Each game costs 50 cents and he played a total of 4 games, and ended with a bountiful catch!!! As a result, he was rewarded with a string of coupons which we could redeem for toys, somewhat like the gift redemption system at the games arcades. Unfortunately, by the time Julian had finished game #4, the shop was almost closed and we did not get to redeem a thing! Well, fishing as we all know, is a very time-consuming hobby ...

Today, on our way home in the car, Julian was playing with his unredeemed coupons and generally not putting on his best behavior, which is of course, an understatement. TY, who's patience had worn very thin, firmly told him, "Julian, if you continue to misbehave, we will give you one coupon for every bad behavior and when you have accumulated 3 coupons, you will receive a spanking from Mr. Spoon!" I was about to launch into my rhetoric of how we should reward good behavior and not reinforce negative behavior when my son, undeterred and with a cheeky face replied as resolutely, "Daddy, the next time when Baby Asher is naughty, I will give him THREE coupons so that I can beat him!!!"

We burst out laughing uncontrollably, and Julian joined in even though he was clueness about what was happening. Our 3-year-old son not only understood the essence of what we said but he could put it to practical application as well! What can I say?! You do not have to be old to be wise!

Footnotes:
* TY: My husband, Julian's Daddy, aka Tan Yong
* Baby Asher: Julian's 18-month-old cousin whom he has a constant love-hate relationship with