No inspiration to write

So random pic #1 from a birthday party we attended last Sat: Jake with his spidey face painting with a weapon in hand, smashing the pony pinata. He wasn't wearing pants because he was playing with water with his feet in the pool you see in the background. #badassbaby

Random pic #2: we had dinner and plenty of wine on Sat evening with the husband and his friends. This was us at 2am. The foundation of this little two-tier was a national cheerleader and his girlfriend, who's standing elegantly on his hands is a pint-sized little girl who looks so little I feel like I can lift her like that too (ok, I probably cannot). What happened after this is even more mention-worthy - that the husband and I attempted to do this too. No pics, but also no broken bones #thankgoodness

Random pic #3: my kids this morning. I love how they look so similar and cute together #buaytahan #biasedparentidonchcare

Saturday loving

A grueling run at 0730 today. I pushed myself and did well! Very pleased! 7.4km on trail at a pace of 6.12 

Spy my little-big girl going off for her swim class. While I laze on the lounge chair and enjoy the peace and quiet for this 45minutes. 

#shiok

Diapers no more!

Well, nearly.

So it's been years that Kate's been toilet-trained and she only wears her diapers at night time (she's fine to nap diaperless in the day). We've been too lazy (with Jake being such a poor sleeper, we really didn't have the energy or the desire to throw anything into the mix to make our poor sleep worse) and truly, getting Kate off diapers isn't a priority. The only remote mention of it is how we tell her she's a big girl and she ought to stop wearing diapers. All talk, no action.

Then on Monday, her diaper leaked.

Our routine is that she puts her diaper on after her night bath and something must have gone wonky and she wet her pants (she obviously knows how to use the loo but since her diapers are on...) Instead of putting on a new diaper, I don't know what got into me but I told her to take off her soiled pants and just put on a new pair - without a new pair of diapers.

I told her that she should try sleeping without diapers because she's a big girl already... and the elements in the universe must have been aligned at that point because she did as she was told. (To those who aren't parents, you do not understand how something as simple as the child obeying without resistance or fuss is like striking lottery, or better!)

And so it began. I took precautions such as asking her to use the loo before going to bed, and I put a waterproof sheet beneath her bum. On the first night, I could tell she was kinda worried because she tossed in bed for a bit and then woke up to use the toilet. We encouraged her and she did really well for 3 nights in a row.

Yesterday was her forth night and she had an accident; but we cleaned her up in no time and she went back to bed.

I recall her having a few wet accidents when she was training to nap in the day without diapers, and I am prepared for her to have a couple of accidents; but I am soooo proud of Kate and I know that she will be fully trained very soon.

So this, deserves an entry on its own because it is yet another milestone of my little firstborn.

So proud of you my original munchkin!

Little flip flops for my little man

My family is one who loves their slippers. I wear them nearly everywhere and I love them. (Don't nag me about their poor feet support. My havis have print and bling and all!) 

So anyway, back to slippers. Kate has a few pairs and Jake recently received a few pairs as gifts. 

The first time he tried them on, it flopped (ha ha). Then he tried them again and after three tries, this little man can walk in his mini havis! 

Sooo cute. 

Thankful Tuesday

730am: both are still asleep and I look at their peaceful faces and my heart bursts into a million pieces. 

Monday

745am: Jake was drooling in his sleep and I went to fetch my phone to snap that... only to have him awakened and reading a book to himself (fine, he was merely flipping through the pages without reading). So cute.

Breakfast: Jake's beginning to exert his independence at his grand old age of 22 months 3 weeks old, and have been very firm about wanting to feed himself and sit at the "adult table". Here they both are, together. An upgrade from the floor. 

Lunch: a not-so-healthy/ spy-the-alotta-nachos kinda salad at my desk

Evening: Bubble time at the playground. This boy is obsessed with bubbles 

8pm: bath/water play time.

A good day. Feeling thankful!

Happy Sunday

7am: making faces.
(From top) Kate picks her nose, Jake in a mid-sneeze, us with our supermodel pouts. 

8am: mixing pancake mix.

7pm: post-6km.

A good kind Saturday morning

... Looks like this 

5km run at Macritchie with the husband. 

Prata for breakfast post-run. 

Leisurely shower with the kids with Grandma. 

Time to clip my finger and toe-nails. 

Some tv time before they are home. 

Whee!! 

TGIF

This is my first full work week since the festivities from December. It's been a pretty long week. I'm thankful that it's over, for the lessons I've learnt, challenges I've overcome and am totally looking forward to catching up with my little munchkins, feeling a sense of separation anxiety from them after our holiday last week. I think this is pretty much how life will be - with the husband being busy and busier, with the kids being naughty/happy/sleepy/grumpy/sick... let's bring it on! Picture: June 2013

Krabi, 8 - 11 January 2014

I wanted to travel before the real year started; and the husband and I essentially only had a short window of 5 days where both our availabilities coincided. I had been nagging the husband if we can go somewhere/do something and we literally decided, bought our air tics and booked our accomodation 1.5 weeks before the actual travel date! It was a great decision and truly, a great holiday to add to our family album of travels.

8 December, 1420: Before taking flight

8 December: 1.5hours on flight-and-picking up our rented vehicle-later, we bribed the kids with snacks to keep them settled in on our drive from the airport to our hotel.

8 Dec: This is the children's playroom that houses lots of toys for children to play and run amok in. The kids used the rooms pretty much (at least once a day) and it was pretty great. After a short play/rest post flight... 

We had dinner at our favourite restaurant in Krabi. My favourites are the spicy chicken basil fry, tomyum soup; the husband likes their BBQ beef and Kate's favourite is the pineapple rice.

After dinner, we strolled the streets and indulged in some nutella pancake and ice-cream #onehappygirl

Father and daughter

9 December: After breakfast, we lounged/played water in the hotel pool. Our room had pool access on the ground level, highly convenient!

9 December: After a nap where the kids recharged after pool-time and I hit the gym, we headed to the beach where the playing continued. 

Nowhere more fun to do jumpshots than on holiday and at a beach. The kids tried but, well, they tried.

So apparently, no amount of water play is ever enough for kids. They still thoroughly enjoyed themselves playing in the tub.

10 December: Breakfast on our balcony lounge chair. That's yoghurt, btw. And again, after the morning meal we'll jump into the pool that's literally at our feet.

Then we will head to the beach (notice the horribly familiar, boring yet oh-the-best routine?); this is me with the kids on my lap/feet playing this "waves are coming" game. It's really simple. We anticipate the waves splashing in on us and scream with glee when we are washed about bobbing on our bums. Ha!

Birthday sandcake - Kate the little baker decorating it with seashells.

Singing "happy birthday"

And so, after the beach we'd hit the restaurant for dinner (yes, again. Every night we were there, that very same yummy one!) and two out of three nights we headed for ice-cream again. Simple routine, great pleasures, best kinda holiday.

And to end off, here's a deliciously cute picture of my little munchkins in their best beach gear.

Hearts, love and broken hearts

"Mommy, I draw a lot of hearts for you. I love you ok."

Kate learnt how to draw a heart on her own and she showed it to me yesterday. She very gladly drew it several times on this little drawing board and kept erasing and re-drawing it over and over. Then she presented this masterpiece to me. 

I went to bed feeling all fuzzy and loved and loving. 

This morning, Kate and I had a fight. 

She was in a mood, all weepy (probably from being tired from sleeping late and her nose was itchy and annoying her) and I was trying to be tolerant. Then she started fussing over what to wear (this, my friends, deserves an entry on its own how she is always – and I mean always – wanting to wear dresses) and when I didn't agree with her choice of clothes she started to be angry and what took the cake was how she slammed the wardrobe doors and was rude to my helper.

I'm not proud of what I did next. I stormed over to the room and start to tell her off. When she started to cry even harder, my voice level raised too and it pretty much went downhill from there – I was getting increasingly frustrated as she started feeling weepier… and it all ended up in tears and I grounded the kids from going to the playground. *hmph

I left the house for work feeling horrible and when I saw the picture of her hearts to me…  

I'm not a patient person. I've been pretty selfish and well, still am bossy. I like things done my way and I like to have some form of routine in life especially since I think it's not a bad thing for the kids. And while I know that Kate is a lot like me – emotional by nature – I'm, selfishly and unfairly, not as tolerant as I ought to be. I know how she functions on feelings and really, I also know that she needs a patient and loving Mom than a "tough love" Mom. 

I've been in turmoil and beating myself up every time I yell at home and this is something that I've been trying to work at in the last year. But I think I haven't been putting in much effort.. And can definitely do better. 

Dear Kate, 

Mommy shouldn't have yelled at you – I feel horrid when I do so and I'm really sorry. Here's to more patience and love and no more yells, hopefully sooner than later. 

Thank you for loving me despite me being not the best mom.

I love you.

Mommy

The best kinda birthday

In my opinion, it's with family doing what you like most. And our little family has been to Krabi the second half of last week. It lapsed over the husband's birthday and I think he had a good time; as did all of us.

I'll write more of Krabi soon, but in the meantime....

Us on the beach with the husband's sandcake that the kids built for him!

My baby boy

This morning, it was very hard for me to leave for work. Besides the usual Monday blues, it was not fun to leave this cutie. 

When I came home, pretty late at 830pm, he was just about to sleep. I went to the room wanting to say goodnight but ended up staying there for an hour. He insisted that I sing him a lullaby (yes he can say that) and pat him to sleep! He also demanded that everyone else leave the room. I was thrilled to take on the task because he seldom (never) asks me to do this because I'm very seldom part of his bedtime routine, usually being occupied with the firstborn. 

It felt good (and hungry) to put him to sleep. 

First Sunday of 2014

8am: I needed a hot shower so in they came with me too! 

930am: We then headed for breakfast with the grandparents and hit the park for a bit after. I had so much fun monkeying around with them both. Playing chasing monsters, merry-go-round and swings. Don't mind Jake's over-excited face. He did enjoy himself. 

130pm: Lunch was a dim-sum family affair where the husband celebrated his birthday with a yummy chocolate cake. Coincidentally, we had dimsum for his bday makan last year too!

6pm: We ended the day with a lovely picnic at Marina Barrage. The weather was cool and chilly; we had hot dog and snacks and the kids (and adults) had fun with some water play, scootering about and kites.

9 little ones who probably had the most fun!

The husband gets his second birthday cake on the same day. Such a fun day with lots of laughs, love and happiness! Hope your day was as awesome and may this set the lovely tone for the rest of this year!

Love looks like this

Little girl at work

Yesterday, my blessed little girl received a free activity book from my friend.  I took it out and engaged her in it immediately that night. 

She coloured this shark on her own entirely, and it's not very clear but she drew a sun in on her own accord. I love it when she's all creative by her own initiative!

I helped with this pufferfish but it is pretty pretty huh!

First day of school in Kindergarten 1

This little girl goes back to school, for Kindergarten 1 this new year. She was filled with excitement at being reunited with her friends and I hope that her zest for school (hopefully love of her friends spill over to her love for learning) continues. And she's grown at least half an inch or more because her uniform is visibly shorter and we had to buy new white school shoes for her because her feet's already grown bigger!

Dear Kate, 

All the best for this new year, Missy. May you learn good behaviour, make new friends, pick up reading and do more drawing and everything that you enjoy to become the person you're perfecting. 

I love you so much, from Singapore to Australia to Japan and Thailand (insider joke), 
Mommy.