Dearest Ashley,
We are no longer going to use bibs with you anymore, Lil One. You keep on removing it from around your neck and we spend equal amounts of time putting it back on and actually feeding you! What a use of time! :p
Anyway, we're going to pack away all the bibs since neither you nor your Che-che need them anymore.
Papa and Mama love you!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Parks and Gardens
Dearest Princesses,
We tried to bring you girls to the kite festival at the West Coast Park today but it was next to impossible to have fun there!
We'd gotten there quite a bit after the start time and the roads were jammed with cars. There was no way to find a parking space anywhere at the Park so Papa let Mama and you both off before heading to the nearest housing estate to look for a place to park.
Mama brought you both around the place but could hardly find any space for you all to set up our picnic mat or even stand comfortably to watch the kites being flown though there really were many kites in the air. It was also very hot and Mama was worried that you both would get sun burnt.
Meanwhile, Papa had driven round and round the housing estates trying to find a parking lot to no avail. Finally, when Papa found one quite a distance away, Mama called to inform Papa that we should go off as the conditions were not good at all. Thus, Papa drove back to pick all of you up and we set off for the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden instead.
Papa and Mama were quite curious about what this Children's Garden was like since your school had brought you there for a picnic, Skyler. After we got to the Botanic Gardens, we walked quite a bit before finding the entrance to this Garden. It was filled with quite a number of fun things to do.
There was even a slide and Papa brought you up to slide down it, Ashley. Skyler, of course you couldn't resist it and you slid down on your own. There was also a hollow tree where we could be fascinated by how it could survive being so hollow and all. We walked over the suspension bridge just for the fun of it as well.
When they closed this Garden, we went to look for the swans at the pond. While we did find the swans, they were too far away for us to feed with the bread we had brought. However, we did encounter a water hen where we were by the pond and when we offered it some bread, it happily took it. The amazing thing was that there was another water hen in the bushes and the first one passed the bread to the second one which then brought it back into the bushes. This kept happening every time we gave the first one bread! It would take the bread then pass it off to the second one before coming back for more. It amazes us how cooperative these birds were!
The problem was that there were also pigeons around who also wanted the bread. Thus, the pigeons, which were quite numerous, would come and try to fight for the bread. We then split up and Papa tried to distract the pigeons with some bread while you fed the water hens, Skyler.
All in all, it was an interesting experience at the Botanic Gardens.
Papa and Mama love you girls lots!
We tried to bring you girls to the kite festival at the West Coast Park today but it was next to impossible to have fun there!
We'd gotten there quite a bit after the start time and the roads were jammed with cars. There was no way to find a parking space anywhere at the Park so Papa let Mama and you both off before heading to the nearest housing estate to look for a place to park.
Mama brought you both around the place but could hardly find any space for you all to set up our picnic mat or even stand comfortably to watch the kites being flown though there really were many kites in the air. It was also very hot and Mama was worried that you both would get sun burnt.
Meanwhile, Papa had driven round and round the housing estates trying to find a parking lot to no avail. Finally, when Papa found one quite a distance away, Mama called to inform Papa that we should go off as the conditions were not good at all. Thus, Papa drove back to pick all of you up and we set off for the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden instead.
Papa and Mama were quite curious about what this Children's Garden was like since your school had brought you there for a picnic, Skyler. After we got to the Botanic Gardens, we walked quite a bit before finding the entrance to this Garden. It was filled with quite a number of fun things to do.
There was even a slide and Papa brought you up to slide down it, Ashley. Skyler, of course you couldn't resist it and you slid down on your own. There was also a hollow tree where we could be fascinated by how it could survive being so hollow and all. We walked over the suspension bridge just for the fun of it as well.
When they closed this Garden, we went to look for the swans at the pond. While we did find the swans, they were too far away for us to feed with the bread we had brought. However, we did encounter a water hen where we were by the pond and when we offered it some bread, it happily took it. The amazing thing was that there was another water hen in the bushes and the first one passed the bread to the second one which then brought it back into the bushes. This kept happening every time we gave the first one bread! It would take the bread then pass it off to the second one before coming back for more. It amazes us how cooperative these birds were!
The problem was that there were also pigeons around who also wanted the bread. Thus, the pigeons, which were quite numerous, would come and try to fight for the bread. We then split up and Papa tried to distract the pigeons with some bread while you fed the water hens, Skyler.
All in all, it was an interesting experience at the Botanic Gardens.
Papa and Mama love you girls lots!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
School Picnic
Dearest Skyler,
You had your school picnic today. Your school teachers brought all the students to the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden this morning.
You'd brought your cookies along to share with your classmates and you got to share in the goodies that THEY had brought as well. Your teachers besides bringing you all around the garden to explore what they had there, also got you all to play games and all-in-all, you had lots of fun today.
Thank God for that as you'd been prepping for this picnic for quite some time now. Mama and Papa were very worried that the picnic would be washed out or that you would have to miss it for one reason or another as we were afraid that you would be so disappointed. When it rained in the morning where we were, we feared the worst! You can't imagine how heavy our hearts were when we thought that the picnic would be washed out!
When you got home, we immediately asked if you'd enjoyed yourself and whether the picnic had indeed been carried out. You were so nonchalant about it and when you informed us that yes, you'd gone for the picnic and that you had enjoyed yourself, we were so relieved!!! Sigh ... sorry, Lil Girl, we're just being parents who love you Princesses so much!
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
You had your school picnic today. Your school teachers brought all the students to the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden this morning.
You'd brought your cookies along to share with your classmates and you got to share in the goodies that THEY had brought as well. Your teachers besides bringing you all around the garden to explore what they had there, also got you all to play games and all-in-all, you had lots of fun today.
Thank God for that as you'd been prepping for this picnic for quite some time now. Mama and Papa were very worried that the picnic would be washed out or that you would have to miss it for one reason or another as we were afraid that you would be so disappointed. When it rained in the morning where we were, we feared the worst! You can't imagine how heavy our hearts were when we thought that the picnic would be washed out!
When you got home, we immediately asked if you'd enjoyed yourself and whether the picnic had indeed been carried out. You were so nonchalant about it and when you informed us that yes, you'd gone for the picnic and that you had enjoyed yourself, we were so relieved!!! Sigh ... sorry, Lil Girl, we're just being parents who love you Princesses so much!
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Water Area in the Zoo
Dearest Princesses,
Skyler, Godma Audrey took leave today to spend time with you and mei-mei.
Mama and Godma Audrey brought you both to the zoo today to play with the water at the Kidzworld. You had so much fun there together. Each of them took charge of one of you so that both of you could play. You had so much fun there.
After some time, you all quickly had a shower and dashed off to find shelter. You hadn't had lunch yet and it was going to storm. Thank God! You all made it to the restaurant just as it started pouring cats and dogs! Praise God! You all made it safe and dry.
You all had a nice little lunch there while it was storming outside. After a while, the restaurant staff closed the restaurant as they needed to prepare for a dinner function later that evening but as you all were still eating, they left you alone. Unfortunately, the zoo visitors that came after that were not allowed in and they couldn't get any food or drink there while it was raining outside.
When it stopped raining, you all headed out of the zoo but had to stop for toast as you wanted some, Skyler.
Thank you, Godma Audrey, for coming and helping to watch Skyler and Ashley so that you all could have some fun at the water play area!
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Skyler, Godma Audrey took leave today to spend time with you and mei-mei.
Mama and Godma Audrey brought you both to the zoo today to play with the water at the Kidzworld. You had so much fun there together. Each of them took charge of one of you so that both of you could play. You had so much fun there.
After some time, you all quickly had a shower and dashed off to find shelter. You hadn't had lunch yet and it was going to storm. Thank God! You all made it to the restaurant just as it started pouring cats and dogs! Praise God! You all made it safe and dry.
You all had a nice little lunch there while it was storming outside. After a while, the restaurant staff closed the restaurant as they needed to prepare for a dinner function later that evening but as you all were still eating, they left you alone. Unfortunately, the zoo visitors that came after that were not allowed in and they couldn't get any food or drink there while it was raining outside.
When it stopped raining, you all headed out of the zoo but had to stop for toast as you wanted some, Skyler.
Thank you, Godma Audrey, for coming and helping to watch Skyler and Ashley so that you all could have some fun at the water play area!
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Fun Activities - Baking Cookies and Riding a Swing
Dearest Princesses,
We had some fun today.
Skyler, as your school is taking you all out for a picnic soon, Mama decided that she would bake cookies for you to bring along to share with your classmates. You had so much fun baking with her as well. Together with Mama, you mixed the cookie dough and Mama put them into the oven to bake.
While Mama carried on with the baking, Papa brought you both out to the Park to play. We got to the playground where you both stayed to play for some time. Papa put you in the swing as it is designed for toddlers like you, Ashley - it's all covered up and totally safe and you wouldn't be able to fall out of it. Skyler, you pushed mei-mei in the swing for a while and both of you enjoyed that for a while.
Skyler, you also played with the slides, one of your favourite equipment in all the playgrounds we've visited. Papa also brought you up to slide, Ashley.
After spending quite some time there, we headed home to an flat filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies! Thank you, Mama, for baking so many yummy cookies!
What a great day!
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
We had some fun today.
Skyler, as your school is taking you all out for a picnic soon, Mama decided that she would bake cookies for you to bring along to share with your classmates. You had so much fun baking with her as well. Together with Mama, you mixed the cookie dough and Mama put them into the oven to bake.
While Mama carried on with the baking, Papa brought you both out to the Park to play. We got to the playground where you both stayed to play for some time. Papa put you in the swing as it is designed for toddlers like you, Ashley - it's all covered up and totally safe and you wouldn't be able to fall out of it. Skyler, you pushed mei-mei in the swing for a while and both of you enjoyed that for a while.
Skyler, you also played with the slides, one of your favourite equipment in all the playgrounds we've visited. Papa also brought you up to slide, Ashley.
After spending quite some time there, we headed home to an flat filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies! Thank you, Mama, for baking so many yummy cookies!
What a great day!
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Trying To Sleep
Dear Ashley,
We're left so tired by your inability to sleep through the night or even sleep through a few hours at a stretch, Lil One. We need to sleep to have enough rest and energy for the next day's activities but you keep on waking up every couple of hours and this is wreaking havoc on our systems. We've been carrying you to soothe you back to sleep all this while but we're so exhausted now. So, we decided to see if you can learn to soothe yourself back to sleep.
We let you cry it out last night just as some 'experts' say we should do so that you can learn to soothe yourself back to sleep as the belief is that we are preventing you from learning that by carrying you when you wake up and cannot go back to sleep. It totally didn't work! You cried and cried until you were hoarse and you had cried for more than an hour by the time we gave up. This is not something that we feel is right for you - to hurt your throat for so long. Thus, we gave in and carried you until you fell asleep again.
Sigh ... well, our love and compassion for you have ruled the day once more. Until another time.
To sleep ... perchance to dream!
Papa and Mama love you!
We're left so tired by your inability to sleep through the night or even sleep through a few hours at a stretch, Lil One. We need to sleep to have enough rest and energy for the next day's activities but you keep on waking up every couple of hours and this is wreaking havoc on our systems. We've been carrying you to soothe you back to sleep all this while but we're so exhausted now. So, we decided to see if you can learn to soothe yourself back to sleep.
We let you cry it out last night just as some 'experts' say we should do so that you can learn to soothe yourself back to sleep as the belief is that we are preventing you from learning that by carrying you when you wake up and cannot go back to sleep. It totally didn't work! You cried and cried until you were hoarse and you had cried for more than an hour by the time we gave up. This is not something that we feel is right for you - to hurt your throat for so long. Thus, we gave in and carried you until you fell asleep again.
Sigh ... well, our love and compassion for you have ruled the day once more. Until another time.
To sleep ... perchance to dream!
Papa and Mama love you!
Monday, August 24, 2009
I Want My Mama!
Dearest Princesses,
It's so great that you both are reciprocating Mama's love and dedication to you both.
Mama sacrificed her career and is suffering quite a bit trying to balance her studies with taking care of you both full time and so it's quite satisfying that you both love her so much! While it's an added burden to Mama when she wants a break, it's also reassuring that you both love her so much that you both need her to be with you rather than someone else! We think it'll be very saddening for us if we'd had a maid and you both clamoured for the maid instead of either of us.
Skyler, you'd a bad night the night before. You couldn't sleep and ended up sleeping very late at night. Then, you woke up super early to see Papa off to work with mei-mei and went back to bed again a bit later in the morning. Thus, when Mama had to go to school, you were still asleep. Mama didn't want to wake you earlier as you'd had so little sleep. When you got up, Popo had come to care for you. You were so distressed that Mama wasn't around that you cried and cried for her. This resulted in your having to skip school as Popo simply couldn't get you ready for school.
While this is distressing and stressful for us, Papa is glad that you love and need Mama so much.
Ashley, you're very similar to your che-che! You'll always have moods where you'll choose who you wish to be with. Most of the time, you'll seek Mama out and want to be carried by her or just be with her. It's so sweet!
We're so glad that you girls are so close to your Mama! We pray that we'll always be a close-knit family.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
It's so great that you both are reciprocating Mama's love and dedication to you both.
Mama sacrificed her career and is suffering quite a bit trying to balance her studies with taking care of you both full time and so it's quite satisfying that you both love her so much! While it's an added burden to Mama when she wants a break, it's also reassuring that you both love her so much that you both need her to be with you rather than someone else! We think it'll be very saddening for us if we'd had a maid and you both clamoured for the maid instead of either of us.
Skyler, you'd a bad night the night before. You couldn't sleep and ended up sleeping very late at night. Then, you woke up super early to see Papa off to work with mei-mei and went back to bed again a bit later in the morning. Thus, when Mama had to go to school, you were still asleep. Mama didn't want to wake you earlier as you'd had so little sleep. When you got up, Popo had come to care for you. You were so distressed that Mama wasn't around that you cried and cried for her. This resulted in your having to skip school as Popo simply couldn't get you ready for school.
While this is distressing and stressful for us, Papa is glad that you love and need Mama so much.
Ashley, you're very similar to your che-che! You'll always have moods where you'll choose who you wish to be with. Most of the time, you'll seek Mama out and want to be carried by her or just be with her. It's so sweet!
We're so glad that you girls are so close to your Mama! We pray that we'll always be a close-knit family.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Good Teachers
Dearest Skyler,
We are constantly being reminded how important it is for you to have good teachers.
We brought you for your weekly gym session today and your usual teacher, Pearl, was on duty. She really seems to be in a different league compared to the other gym instructors there. She's able to manage all of you very well and she really ensures that each of you is taught properly and affirmed after every attempt at a skill. We don't see the same firmness and assuredness in the others. We can see why you like her so much.
You also have fairly caring teachers in your nursery as well. Teacher Sherlyn has been very patient thus far and you seem to like her lots too. We've been in regular contact with her because of requests, etc that we have to make on your behalf or to explain your absence in school and she has always been nice about it.
We so hope that your experiences with teachers will always be good, Lil One.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
We are constantly being reminded how important it is for you to have good teachers.
We brought you for your weekly gym session today and your usual teacher, Pearl, was on duty. She really seems to be in a different league compared to the other gym instructors there. She's able to manage all of you very well and she really ensures that each of you is taught properly and affirmed after every attempt at a skill. We don't see the same firmness and assuredness in the others. We can see why you like her so much.
You also have fairly caring teachers in your nursery as well. Teacher Sherlyn has been very patient thus far and you seem to like her lots too. We've been in regular contact with her because of requests, etc that we have to make on your behalf or to explain your absence in school and she has always been nice about it.
We so hope that your experiences with teachers will always be good, Lil One.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Summer Festival @ The Japanese School
Dearest Princesses,
We brought you both for the Summer Festival @ The Japanese School this evening. This is something that we watched on Japanese TV programmes before where school students will attend a fair / carnival of some sort to celebrate the coming of summer in Japan. The female students would dress up in yukatas (Japanese ethnic attire) too.
When we got there, we were told that we could not park within the school compound. We were directed to the industrial estate nearby to park. We went one big round to get to it and then had to walk back to the school. Thankfully, it wasn't too far away to walk. We decided to leave the stroller in the car as we felt that it would be too crowded to push a stroller in the school and we were right. However, this meant that we had to carry you again, Ashley, which of course left us tired once again.
There was a long queue for tickets to get into the fair but the queue was quite smooth flowing so it wasn't too bad. After getting the tickets, we went in and looked around.
To our disappointment, there didn't seem to be many things going on. There were only a small number of games stalls and food stalls. The queues were super long though as the crowd was huge but the stalls were few. However, there were a few girls dressed in 'yukatas' though many of them looked Singaporean.
While we were walking, Papa was carrying you, Ashley. At one point, we had to stop for a short while for Che-che to do something and Papa overheard a group of Singaporean girls behind us talking about how cute you are! One of them even took a photo of you! Her companions then chided her for not asking permission from us before doing so but she never did so. :p Anyway, Papa didn't bother to turn around as this has happened quite a number of times.
However, after we got to where we wanted to go, we stopped and Papa let you stand on the floor! Imagine our surprise when we saw you holding onto a yo-yo balloon (something one of the stalls had - a water-filled balloon tied to a rubber band so that one could play with it like a yo-yo). Where on earth did you get that! You must have held on to it for quite some time! Did the big che-ches give it to you?
Anyway, we decided to queue to fish a yo-yo balloon for you too, Skyler, so that both of you could have one. You managed to get one that had stripes on it. It was so nicely designed that mei-mei wanted it too! :D
We then walked around a bit more to see what else they had - not very much as it turned out. However, there was a stage that they had set up on the school field where several groups of students took turns to perform on. Skyler, you wanted to go onto the field to have a picnic and while we wanted to let you do that, it was getting too late and it was still very crowded so we decided to give up on that. Also, we couldn't get any food for you to picnic with as the queues to the food stalls were simply way too long!
We ended up at a stall where they encouraged people to play a few games to get a souvenir. Mama ended up playing all the games - five stones, chatek, memory-matching, and Skyler, you played 'kuti-kuti' with erasers with a lady in charge there. We got a 'ketupat' as the souvenir.
We were exhausted by the time we left. It had been so crowded and it'd been one long day. We also had to walk the whole distance back to the car!
We hope you girls enjoyed yourselves.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
We brought you both for the Summer Festival @ The Japanese School this evening. This is something that we watched on Japanese TV programmes before where school students will attend a fair / carnival of some sort to celebrate the coming of summer in Japan. The female students would dress up in yukatas (Japanese ethnic attire) too.
When we got there, we were told that we could not park within the school compound. We were directed to the industrial estate nearby to park. We went one big round to get to it and then had to walk back to the school. Thankfully, it wasn't too far away to walk. We decided to leave the stroller in the car as we felt that it would be too crowded to push a stroller in the school and we were right. However, this meant that we had to carry you again, Ashley, which of course left us tired once again.
There was a long queue for tickets to get into the fair but the queue was quite smooth flowing so it wasn't too bad. After getting the tickets, we went in and looked around.
To our disappointment, there didn't seem to be many things going on. There were only a small number of games stalls and food stalls. The queues were super long though as the crowd was huge but the stalls were few. However, there were a few girls dressed in 'yukatas' though many of them looked Singaporean.
While we were walking, Papa was carrying you, Ashley. At one point, we had to stop for a short while for Che-che to do something and Papa overheard a group of Singaporean girls behind us talking about how cute you are! One of them even took a photo of you! Her companions then chided her for not asking permission from us before doing so but she never did so. :p Anyway, Papa didn't bother to turn around as this has happened quite a number of times.
However, after we got to where we wanted to go, we stopped and Papa let you stand on the floor! Imagine our surprise when we saw you holding onto a yo-yo balloon (something one of the stalls had - a water-filled balloon tied to a rubber band so that one could play with it like a yo-yo). Where on earth did you get that! You must have held on to it for quite some time! Did the big che-ches give it to you?
Anyway, we decided to queue to fish a yo-yo balloon for you too, Skyler, so that both of you could have one. You managed to get one that had stripes on it. It was so nicely designed that mei-mei wanted it too! :D
We then walked around a bit more to see what else they had - not very much as it turned out. However, there was a stage that they had set up on the school field where several groups of students took turns to perform on. Skyler, you wanted to go onto the field to have a picnic and while we wanted to let you do that, it was getting too late and it was still very crowded so we decided to give up on that. Also, we couldn't get any food for you to picnic with as the queues to the food stalls were simply way too long!
We ended up at a stall where they encouraged people to play a few games to get a souvenir. Mama ended up playing all the games - five stones, chatek, memory-matching, and Skyler, you played 'kuti-kuti' with erasers with a lady in charge there. We got a 'ketupat' as the souvenir.
We were exhausted by the time we left. It had been so crowded and it'd been one long day. We also had to walk the whole distance back to the car!
We hope you girls enjoyed yourselves.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Another Buffet Lunch
Dear Princesses,
We went for yet another buffet lunch this afternoon. As our favourite buffet place has given a 1-for-1 deal for lunch, we decided to take advantage of it and go as often as we can.
This time around, neither of you fussed very much and we had the longest lunch at the dining table ever!
You didn't feel sleepy at all during the lunch, Ashley, so neither of us had to help you to sleep. Thus, we just ate and ate and ate! You are able to eat quite a bit of food that we eat now so we fed you whatever we thought you would eat. Actually, you would try everything! However, your lack of teeth right now limits the number of food stuff that you can try.
Skyler, you weren't so hungry though today so you didn't eat a lot. But you did eat your usual favourites like ice cream and cake and such.
Towards the end of the meal, both of you got bored of sitting around eating and wanted to go for a walk. As Papa was full, Papa brought you both out for a walk in the lobby. Ashley, you were so excited with climbing up and down the stairs. Thankfully, the steps were few in number! We also walked around the lobby a bit until Mama was done.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
We went for yet another buffet lunch this afternoon. As our favourite buffet place has given a 1-for-1 deal for lunch, we decided to take advantage of it and go as often as we can.
This time around, neither of you fussed very much and we had the longest lunch at the dining table ever!
You didn't feel sleepy at all during the lunch, Ashley, so neither of us had to help you to sleep. Thus, we just ate and ate and ate! You are able to eat quite a bit of food that we eat now so we fed you whatever we thought you would eat. Actually, you would try everything! However, your lack of teeth right now limits the number of food stuff that you can try.
Skyler, you weren't so hungry though today so you didn't eat a lot. But you did eat your usual favourites like ice cream and cake and such.
Towards the end of the meal, both of you got bored of sitting around eating and wanted to go for a walk. As Papa was full, Papa brought you both out for a walk in the lobby. Ashley, you were so excited with climbing up and down the stairs. Thankfully, the steps were few in number! We also walked around the lobby a bit until Mama was done.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Choices
Dearest Skyler,
We have been trying to teach you the need to make a better choice and today was yet another opportunity to do so.
You woke up a bit cranky today as we'd gone to bed so late yesterday and you woke up so early this morning. Anyway, we were clearing out the kitchen and we took out the tub of love letters that had been bought around the Chinese New Year period at the beginning of this year but never got around to eating. Thus, they've been around for a few months. We wanted to try them to see if they were still edible.
You spotted the tub and insisted on eating one of the love letters. We were reluctant to let you do so as they'd been around for so long. We then tried to discourage you from eating it by telling you to choose between eating this probably stale love letter and having fresh Pocky biscuits later during lunch. You started whining about wanting to eat the love letters then and there and that you would forego the Pocky biscuits that you love so much! We felt that this was a bad mistake and a very poor choice but to make you stop whining, we decided to give in to you.
Papa gave you one love letter after trying one himself. It was still crispy but tasted somewhat stale. It wasn't nice at all. But Papa knew that you were not going to stop whining until you took one yourself no matter what Papa might say. Papa felt that it was still safe to eat though not nice at all so Papa gave you one. You agreed with Papa that it was not nice at all.
But you were a very good girl. At lunch, you didn't ask for a Pocky biscuit at all! You got your marshmallows instead as we agreed while we were at home that you were not allowed Pocky biscuits but you were still allowed marshmallows. However, we really didn't want to deprive you of your favourite Pocky biscuits so towards the end of the meal, Mama asked you if you wanted the biscuits and you of course replied that you did and we allowed you to have a few.
We do hope that you learn to make the right choices in life, Darling. This is a very minor decision as far as repercussions go but these are the baby steps you need to take to learning how to make decisions that count.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
We have been trying to teach you the need to make a better choice and today was yet another opportunity to do so.
You woke up a bit cranky today as we'd gone to bed so late yesterday and you woke up so early this morning. Anyway, we were clearing out the kitchen and we took out the tub of love letters that had been bought around the Chinese New Year period at the beginning of this year but never got around to eating. Thus, they've been around for a few months. We wanted to try them to see if they were still edible.
You spotted the tub and insisted on eating one of the love letters. We were reluctant to let you do so as they'd been around for so long. We then tried to discourage you from eating it by telling you to choose between eating this probably stale love letter and having fresh Pocky biscuits later during lunch. You started whining about wanting to eat the love letters then and there and that you would forego the Pocky biscuits that you love so much! We felt that this was a bad mistake and a very poor choice but to make you stop whining, we decided to give in to you.
Papa gave you one love letter after trying one himself. It was still crispy but tasted somewhat stale. It wasn't nice at all. But Papa knew that you were not going to stop whining until you took one yourself no matter what Papa might say. Papa felt that it was still safe to eat though not nice at all so Papa gave you one. You agreed with Papa that it was not nice at all.
But you were a very good girl. At lunch, you didn't ask for a Pocky biscuit at all! You got your marshmallows instead as we agreed while we were at home that you were not allowed Pocky biscuits but you were still allowed marshmallows. However, we really didn't want to deprive you of your favourite Pocky biscuits so towards the end of the meal, Mama asked you if you wanted the biscuits and you of course replied that you did and we allowed you to have a few.
We do hope that you learn to make the right choices in life, Darling. This is a very minor decision as far as repercussions go but these are the baby steps you need to take to learning how to make decisions that count.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Sea Creatures
Dearest Princesses,
We decided to make it a family day today. We'd not really gone out to do something together due to our business so we decided to do so this afternoon. We had several options but several of it was disqualified due to the rain in the morning. Finally, we decided that we would all go to Sentosa to visit the dolphins and the Underwater World! By this time, actually, the rain had stopped and the clouds had cleared. But we decided to visit a place that was sheltered in case the rain came back.
It was a fairly long drive down to Sentosa as it is directly opposite to where we live on the island so we had to cross the island. It was a good thing that both of you had a short nap in the drive down or you would have been so much more tired there.
We managed to get a tram to the dolphin lagoon and buy tickets in time for the dolphin show. It was so funny there. We managed to get into positions where you both could see the dolphins but you both lost interest in these creatures soon after the show started. Ashley, you preferred to stare at the pigeons that were flying over head and walk around on the sandy beach. Skyler, you preferred to play with the sand - you used your naked hands to dig around and when we chided you for doing something so dirty, you used your shoes instead to sweep the sand around. Sigh ... What about the dolphins??? :D
Anyway, since neither of you were interested in the dolphins, we decided to head over to the Underwater World and beat the crowd that would be heading to the buses when the show was over. When we got there, we decided to have a short little picnic at the tables there as we were thirsty and you girls were a bit hungry.
At the eating area, there were several peacocks. The amazing thing was that these peacocks were on the roof of the sheltered walkway, etc! It was a sight to behold when one of these peacocks spread its tail feathers out on the roof.
We then viewed the huge sea turtles in their pond before playing with the fish in the pools at the entrance. You girls were quite fascinated by all the different sea creatures on display. The rays kept on splashing in their pool too making quite a lot of noise. Skyler, you wanted to touch the fish but as you had a paper cut on one hand and sort of a sore where you suck your thumb when you sleep on the other hand, we didn't allow you to as we were afraid of your getting an infection in the less than clean water.
In the revolving underwater section, we were somewhat bemused by you, Ashley. Instead of viewing the underwater creatures, you were more interested in climbing up and down the stairs and trying to find out how the conveyor belt worked! We ended up spending our time making sure you didn't hurt yourself and we couldn't really view the sea creatures. It was a good thing that you were interested, Skyler, so we could take turns to help you look out for interesting creatures.
There was an incident that was so tragically funny! There was an exhibit that allowed people to crawl into to view the fish from inside a dome. As you are not tall yet, Ashley, you could just walk right into the section. Of course, you were too short to see the fish but that wasn't your aim anyway; you just wanted to walk through it. You kept on doing it over and over again and laughing all the while. Once, you were about to walk into the space when you realised that there was an uncle in it! You were so shocked by his being there that you started crying! So poor thing! You made the uncle feel so bad! :p
Anyway, by the time we left, it was quite late already and both you girls were exhausted. But so were we as we'd not brought your stroller, Ashley, so we had to carry you for the most part as you still can't walk for long. And we didn't really want you to walk at a few places as it was dangerous since you have a tendency to wander off.
We hope that you girls enjoyed yourselves being with family the whole day!
Papa and Mama love you!
We decided to make it a family day today. We'd not really gone out to do something together due to our business so we decided to do so this afternoon. We had several options but several of it was disqualified due to the rain in the morning. Finally, we decided that we would all go to Sentosa to visit the dolphins and the Underwater World! By this time, actually, the rain had stopped and the clouds had cleared. But we decided to visit a place that was sheltered in case the rain came back.
It was a fairly long drive down to Sentosa as it is directly opposite to where we live on the island so we had to cross the island. It was a good thing that both of you had a short nap in the drive down or you would have been so much more tired there.
We managed to get a tram to the dolphin lagoon and buy tickets in time for the dolphin show. It was so funny there. We managed to get into positions where you both could see the dolphins but you both lost interest in these creatures soon after the show started. Ashley, you preferred to stare at the pigeons that were flying over head and walk around on the sandy beach. Skyler, you preferred to play with the sand - you used your naked hands to dig around and when we chided you for doing something so dirty, you used your shoes instead to sweep the sand around. Sigh ... What about the dolphins??? :D
Anyway, since neither of you were interested in the dolphins, we decided to head over to the Underwater World and beat the crowd that would be heading to the buses when the show was over. When we got there, we decided to have a short little picnic at the tables there as we were thirsty and you girls were a bit hungry.
At the eating area, there were several peacocks. The amazing thing was that these peacocks were on the roof of the sheltered walkway, etc! It was a sight to behold when one of these peacocks spread its tail feathers out on the roof.
We then viewed the huge sea turtles in their pond before playing with the fish in the pools at the entrance. You girls were quite fascinated by all the different sea creatures on display. The rays kept on splashing in their pool too making quite a lot of noise. Skyler, you wanted to touch the fish but as you had a paper cut on one hand and sort of a sore where you suck your thumb when you sleep on the other hand, we didn't allow you to as we were afraid of your getting an infection in the less than clean water.
In the revolving underwater section, we were somewhat bemused by you, Ashley. Instead of viewing the underwater creatures, you were more interested in climbing up and down the stairs and trying to find out how the conveyor belt worked! We ended up spending our time making sure you didn't hurt yourself and we couldn't really view the sea creatures. It was a good thing that you were interested, Skyler, so we could take turns to help you look out for interesting creatures.
There was an incident that was so tragically funny! There was an exhibit that allowed people to crawl into to view the fish from inside a dome. As you are not tall yet, Ashley, you could just walk right into the section. Of course, you were too short to see the fish but that wasn't your aim anyway; you just wanted to walk through it. You kept on doing it over and over again and laughing all the while. Once, you were about to walk into the space when you realised that there was an uncle in it! You were so shocked by his being there that you started crying! So poor thing! You made the uncle feel so bad! :p
Anyway, by the time we left, it was quite late already and both you girls were exhausted. But so were we as we'd not brought your stroller, Ashley, so we had to carry you for the most part as you still can't walk for long. And we didn't really want you to walk at a few places as it was dangerous since you have a tendency to wander off.
We hope that you girls enjoyed yourselves being with family the whole day!
Papa and Mama love you!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Dearest Skyler,
You were still fearful today of your teacher's red nose. Sigh ... While we acknowledge and accept that your fear is genuine, we also feel that you have to overcome it quickly. It isn't something to be fearful of to begin with and it's not a nice thing to have people know that you're scared of them because of a skin irritation that they have no control over.
To help you overcome this fear, Mama related to you the story of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It's a Christmas time story that has the main idea of how a little reindeer was ostracised by his fellow reindeer because of his shiny red nose. However, Santa Claus (this fictitious Christmas figure) chose him to lead his sleigh on Christmas Eve as it was really foggy that night as the story goes. After Rudolph had been shown this favour, all his reindeer friends were willing to play with him. Mama hoped that this story would teach you to accept your teacher's nose and not be afraid of it. And that just because she had a red nose, it wasn't a reason to fear her and make her feel bad.
Mama also played you the song over our audio set and you kept on listening to it over and over again. It must have surprised our neighbours to hear Christmas music being played at this time of the year.
Anyway, you agreed to be brave and go off to school and you did. You came back still scared of the red nose but you promised to continue to be brave and continue to go back to school.
Well done, Lil One!
Papa and Mama love you!
You were still fearful today of your teacher's red nose. Sigh ... While we acknowledge and accept that your fear is genuine, we also feel that you have to overcome it quickly. It isn't something to be fearful of to begin with and it's not a nice thing to have people know that you're scared of them because of a skin irritation that they have no control over.
To help you overcome this fear, Mama related to you the story of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It's a Christmas time story that has the main idea of how a little reindeer was ostracised by his fellow reindeer because of his shiny red nose. However, Santa Claus (this fictitious Christmas figure) chose him to lead his sleigh on Christmas Eve as it was really foggy that night as the story goes. After Rudolph had been shown this favour, all his reindeer friends were willing to play with him. Mama hoped that this story would teach you to accept your teacher's nose and not be afraid of it. And that just because she had a red nose, it wasn't a reason to fear her and make her feel bad.
Mama also played you the song over our audio set and you kept on listening to it over and over again. It must have surprised our neighbours to hear Christmas music being played at this time of the year.
Anyway, you agreed to be brave and go off to school and you did. You came back still scared of the red nose but you promised to continue to be brave and continue to go back to school.
Well done, Lil One!
Papa and Mama love you!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Red Nose
Dearest Skyler,
You came home last Friday sharing with Mama about how scary one of your teacher's red nose is to you. You seem to be genuinely afraid of the redness of her nose, Lil One as you keep coming back to it.
It finally came to a head when you declared that you were too afraid to go to school as you didn't want to see your teacher's red nose. We know that you were not trying to play truant as you were really really scared but we couldn't really figure out why a person's red nose would create such great fear in you. Poor Darling.
Mama called the school to ask your teacher about this and she was informed that the teacher in question suffered from skin irritation and her nose would become red under certain circumstances. Apparently, she'd always suffered from this so we wonder why it is that you're only commenting on this now.
Hmmm ... did Tai-po's passing away affect you resulting in this situation? We really don't know how much you've been affected by her passing away and our attempts to explain to you what death is about. We just hope that you'll not have any concerns that you can't share with us so that we can help you deal with them.
Anyway, we let you skip school today so that we can comfort you and give you time to build up your courage to go back to school to confront your teacher's red nose. We do pray that you get over it quickly. You can't keep on skipping school on account of that!
Papa and Mama love you lots!
You came home last Friday sharing with Mama about how scary one of your teacher's red nose is to you. You seem to be genuinely afraid of the redness of her nose, Lil One as you keep coming back to it.
It finally came to a head when you declared that you were too afraid to go to school as you didn't want to see your teacher's red nose. We know that you were not trying to play truant as you were really really scared but we couldn't really figure out why a person's red nose would create such great fear in you. Poor Darling.
Mama called the school to ask your teacher about this and she was informed that the teacher in question suffered from skin irritation and her nose would become red under certain circumstances. Apparently, she'd always suffered from this so we wonder why it is that you're only commenting on this now.
Hmmm ... did Tai-po's passing away affect you resulting in this situation? We really don't know how much you've been affected by her passing away and our attempts to explain to you what death is about. We just hope that you'll not have any concerns that you can't share with us so that we can help you deal with them.
Anyway, we let you skip school today so that we can comfort you and give you time to build up your courage to go back to school to confront your teacher's red nose. We do pray that you get over it quickly. You can't keep on skipping school on account of that!
Papa and Mama love you lots!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Wanderer
Dearest Ashley,
You are really a little wanderer!
Papa had brought you along to Che-che's gym session today. Mama had some work to do so she couldn't come along. As such, Papa had to care for you both alone. The thing was that while Che-che was in the gym, Mama wanted Papa to video record her so that she could watch what Che-che did today. Of course this meant that Papa had to split his attention between you and Che-che and video recording Che-che!
Papa did fairly ok for most of the time until Che-che ended her session! Papa had brought you outside to sit on the kiddie rides and for a short walk around the gym area while carrying you back to the gym so that he could record Che-che's activities. At the end of her session, Papa was helping Che-che to clean up and thus had to focus his attention on her for a short while. As we were in the gym reception area which was an enclosed area, Papa was willing to do that for the short while necessary to help Che-che. However, when Papa looked up, you were no longer in the reception area!
Thankfully, Papa spotted you just outside the gym doors! A family had just left and you had taken the opportunity to go out with them! Papa then had to dash out the doors to grab you while you were happily running off to who knows where! What a heart-stopping moment!
Papa was so unhappy with that family! That family had little children of their own and they had noticed that you had walked out with them and there wasn't anyone with you and they didn't bother to stop to find out what you were doing with them and bring you back inside the gym to look for your companions! Sigh ...
Anyway, thank God that Papa spotted you in time otherwise, ... (shiver!) Papa wouldn't know how to look for you! You were so fast!
Don't ever do that again!
Papa and Mama love you!
You are really a little wanderer!
Papa had brought you along to Che-che's gym session today. Mama had some work to do so she couldn't come along. As such, Papa had to care for you both alone. The thing was that while Che-che was in the gym, Mama wanted Papa to video record her so that she could watch what Che-che did today. Of course this meant that Papa had to split his attention between you and Che-che and video recording Che-che!
Papa did fairly ok for most of the time until Che-che ended her session! Papa had brought you outside to sit on the kiddie rides and for a short walk around the gym area while carrying you back to the gym so that he could record Che-che's activities. At the end of her session, Papa was helping Che-che to clean up and thus had to focus his attention on her for a short while. As we were in the gym reception area which was an enclosed area, Papa was willing to do that for the short while necessary to help Che-che. However, when Papa looked up, you were no longer in the reception area!
Thankfully, Papa spotted you just outside the gym doors! A family had just left and you had taken the opportunity to go out with them! Papa then had to dash out the doors to grab you while you were happily running off to who knows where! What a heart-stopping moment!
Papa was so unhappy with that family! That family had little children of their own and they had noticed that you had walked out with them and there wasn't anyone with you and they didn't bother to stop to find out what you were doing with them and bring you back inside the gym to look for your companions! Sigh ...
Anyway, thank God that Papa spotted you in time otherwise, ... (shiver!) Papa wouldn't know how to look for you! You were so fast!
Don't ever do that again!
Papa and Mama love you!
Riding a Whale
Dearest Skyler,
You had such a great time at the gym today.
Teacher Pearl had come back from her conference and she was running the class again. You had lots of fun doing all the activities and the activity that capped it all off was your riding the 'whale'! Teachers Pearl and Gerry had lined up several of their gym 'cushions' and then surfed you kids along all of the them across the length of the gym! You were taken for this ride twice! You had such great fun! You were laughing throughout the 'ride'!
You're becoming so much more confident with the skills that they are teaching, Darling. It's so great to see you progress not just in being able to perform the skill but your willingness to try. Well done, Lil One!
Papa and Mama love you lots!
You had such a great time at the gym today.
Teacher Pearl had come back from her conference and she was running the class again. You had lots of fun doing all the activities and the activity that capped it all off was your riding the 'whale'! Teachers Pearl and Gerry had lined up several of their gym 'cushions' and then surfed you kids along all of the them across the length of the gym! You were taken for this ride twice! You had such great fun! You were laughing throughout the 'ride'!
You're becoming so much more confident with the skills that they are teaching, Darling. It's so great to see you progress not just in being able to perform the skill but your willingness to try. Well done, Lil One!
Papa and Mama love you lots!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Car Seat
Dearest Ashley,
Darling Girl, we have finally turned your car seat around to face the front. You'd slept for quite a bit of time while we were waiting for Skyler to end her gym session and then over dinner. By the time you got up, we figured that you were NOT going to sleep on the journey home and you would probably protest all the way back.
Thus, we made the decision to turn your seat around so that you could see what was going on. We were quite reluctant to do so as this is supposed to be more dangerous for you as you are still very young and your body may not be able to absorb the shock of an accident as well.
However, we felt that it would be good for you to face the front and be able to see more the world as we drive past it rather than be on your back all the time and only catching small glimpses of the sky through the back window of the car.
You were totally thrilled by the novelty of facing the front! You could see both Papa and Mama and of course Che-che. Not only that, you could look out the window and watch the scenery and other cars as we passed by them. You didn't make a sound of protest at all on the way home!
Of course, we also benefitted from being to watch you all the time and being able to interact with you.
But we're still very cautious about being involved in any accident as it is still quite dangerous.
Papa and Mama love you!
Darling Girl, we have finally turned your car seat around to face the front. You'd slept for quite a bit of time while we were waiting for Skyler to end her gym session and then over dinner. By the time you got up, we figured that you were NOT going to sleep on the journey home and you would probably protest all the way back.
Thus, we made the decision to turn your seat around so that you could see what was going on. We were quite reluctant to do so as this is supposed to be more dangerous for you as you are still very young and your body may not be able to absorb the shock of an accident as well.
However, we felt that it would be good for you to face the front and be able to see more the world as we drive past it rather than be on your back all the time and only catching small glimpses of the sky through the back window of the car.
You were totally thrilled by the novelty of facing the front! You could see both Papa and Mama and of course Che-che. Not only that, you could look out the window and watch the scenery and other cars as we passed by them. You didn't make a sound of protest at all on the way home!
Of course, we also benefitted from being to watch you all the time and being able to interact with you.
But we're still very cautious about being involved in any accident as it is still quite dangerous.
Papa and Mama love you!
Comic Convention
Dearest Princesses,
We visited the Comic Convention at Suntec City today.
We saw lots of people in costumes walking around. Most of them were dressed in attire worn by characters in comic books, movies, etc. Both of you were fairly intrigued by most of these people and their costumes.
While we were walking around, came a booth manned by members of the local chapter of the 501st Legion - a group of people who are fans of the movie franchise 'Star Wars'. This movie series is something that both of us are fans of. Papa has most of the novels based on the characters in the movies. We also have a few toy replicas of the ships and such from them.
Anyway, there were a few members of the 'Legion' dressed in the Imperial Guard, TIE Fighter Pilot and Storm Trooper uniforms. They were willing to have a photo taken with anybody who donated a sum of money for the 'Make-A-Wish' Foundation. As we were fans, we decided to have a photo taken with them and donate a bit of money as well. The problem was that both of you got very scared by the costumes! Ashley, you started crying and Skyler, you kept on trying to get away though both of us were carrying both of you.
We quickly had our photo taken and dashed off so that you both would calm down. Poor Darlings. You must have been so frightened by the fact that you couldn't see the faces of these people as they were hidden by their helmets.
Oh well, hopefully, we can introduce you girls to these characters in the future so that you won't be so frightened by them.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
We visited the Comic Convention at Suntec City today.
We saw lots of people in costumes walking around. Most of them were dressed in attire worn by characters in comic books, movies, etc. Both of you were fairly intrigued by most of these people and their costumes.
While we were walking around, came a booth manned by members of the local chapter of the 501st Legion - a group of people who are fans of the movie franchise 'Star Wars'. This movie series is something that both of us are fans of. Papa has most of the novels based on the characters in the movies. We also have a few toy replicas of the ships and such from them.
Anyway, there were a few members of the 'Legion' dressed in the Imperial Guard, TIE Fighter Pilot and Storm Trooper uniforms. They were willing to have a photo taken with anybody who donated a sum of money for the 'Make-A-Wish' Foundation. As we were fans, we decided to have a photo taken with them and donate a bit of money as well. The problem was that both of you got very scared by the costumes! Ashley, you started crying and Skyler, you kept on trying to get away though both of us were carrying both of you.
We quickly had our photo taken and dashed off so that you both would calm down. Poor Darlings. You must have been so frightened by the fact that you couldn't see the faces of these people as they were hidden by their helmets.
Oh well, hopefully, we can introduce you girls to these characters in the future so that you won't be so frightened by them.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Manual Dexterity
Dear Ashley,
You're developing much better control over your fingers, etc. You've taken to walking around the flat and pulling and pushing, picking up and transferring items that you can reach. You've also started pushing whatever buttons you see including the buttons controlling the fans that we have in the flat!
Sometimes, you happily push the button to switch off the fans and then you just leave them off resulting in our feeling a whole lot warmer but you don't seem to mind that! And when Papa switches it back on, you take that as an invitation to switch it off again just to show that you can! :p
You've also tried to switch off the power outlets that you have access to. Sigh ... That's so dangerous but there's little we can do about that except ensure that those you can reach are safe enough.
Oh well, it's great that you're growing up, Lil One. But you must remain safe, okay?
Papa and Mama love you!
You're developing much better control over your fingers, etc. You've taken to walking around the flat and pulling and pushing, picking up and transferring items that you can reach. You've also started pushing whatever buttons you see including the buttons controlling the fans that we have in the flat!
Sometimes, you happily push the button to switch off the fans and then you just leave them off resulting in our feeling a whole lot warmer but you don't seem to mind that! And when Papa switches it back on, you take that as an invitation to switch it off again just to show that you can! :p
You've also tried to switch off the power outlets that you have access to. Sigh ... That's so dangerous but there's little we can do about that except ensure that those you can reach are safe enough.
Oh well, it's great that you're growing up, Lil One. But you must remain safe, okay?
Papa and Mama love you!
Bedtime Routines
Dearest Princesses,
We've evolved our bedtime routines a few times over the years since you joined our family, Skyler. Now, we've to include routines that include you, Ashley.
Once we declare that it's bed time, we have to ensure that so many things get done. We try to get you to help clear up the mess, Skyler, before we head to the bedroom. Then, we have to force you to try to clear your bladder before you get into bed as we are afraid of you needing to get up in the middle of the night to ease yourself as this might wake Ashley up as well and we would end up trying to help both of you to fall asleep again.
By the time you get to bed, we'll then say a little prayer before Papa brings you out to the living room, Ashley. By this time, you're so used to the routine now that it takes only a short time for you to fall asleep. However, as it takes you, Skyler, a longer time to fall asleep, Papa would lie down on the chair and pouffe with you, Ashley, asleep on Papa's chest and wait for either Mama to come out to signal that Skyler, you had fallen asleep, or after a sufficient amount of time, Papa would carry you, Ashley to your bed.
The only problem of course, Ashley, is that you are still unable to sleep through the night! You keep waking up every hour or so - sometimes sooner, sometimes later. You will then scream until we attend to you. Sigh ... We're so looking forward to the day that you can sleep for a longer period of time!
Oh well ... :D
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
We've evolved our bedtime routines a few times over the years since you joined our family, Skyler. Now, we've to include routines that include you, Ashley.
Once we declare that it's bed time, we have to ensure that so many things get done. We try to get you to help clear up the mess, Skyler, before we head to the bedroom. Then, we have to force you to try to clear your bladder before you get into bed as we are afraid of you needing to get up in the middle of the night to ease yourself as this might wake Ashley up as well and we would end up trying to help both of you to fall asleep again.
By the time you get to bed, we'll then say a little prayer before Papa brings you out to the living room, Ashley. By this time, you're so used to the routine now that it takes only a short time for you to fall asleep. However, as it takes you, Skyler, a longer time to fall asleep, Papa would lie down on the chair and pouffe with you, Ashley, asleep on Papa's chest and wait for either Mama to come out to signal that Skyler, you had fallen asleep, or after a sufficient amount of time, Papa would carry you, Ashley to your bed.
The only problem of course, Ashley, is that you are still unable to sleep through the night! You keep waking up every hour or so - sometimes sooner, sometimes later. You will then scream until we attend to you. Sigh ... We're so looking forward to the day that you can sleep for a longer period of time!
Oh well ... :D
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Soup
Dearest Princesses,
It's interesting that we frequent Han's so frequently nowadays. We'd lived fairly near it for so long but we just never stopped over to have a meal until we were pregnant with you, Ashley. Since we started going there for meals, we've continued all the way until now.
And now that you're ready for solid foods, Ashley, we've introduced you to the food there as well. One of the current items that we all share is the mixed vegetable soup! All of us will drink the soup because it's so tasty! We've also taken to mixing the soup into your cereal, Ashley, and also giving you a few pieces of the fish as well.
Skyler, you also love soup now. You're becoming just like your Mama. But now, you prefer the sandwich to all the other food items that they have so you'll always have that with a mug of Milo. You really love Milo too!
Well, looks like we'll continue to go there for meals for the foreseeable future.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
It's interesting that we frequent Han's so frequently nowadays. We'd lived fairly near it for so long but we just never stopped over to have a meal until we were pregnant with you, Ashley. Since we started going there for meals, we've continued all the way until now.
And now that you're ready for solid foods, Ashley, we've introduced you to the food there as well. One of the current items that we all share is the mixed vegetable soup! All of us will drink the soup because it's so tasty! We've also taken to mixing the soup into your cereal, Ashley, and also giving you a few pieces of the fish as well.
Skyler, you also love soup now. You're becoming just like your Mama. But now, you prefer the sandwich to all the other food items that they have so you'll always have that with a mug of Milo. You really love Milo too!
Well, looks like we'll continue to go there for meals for the foreseeable future.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
National Day
Dearest Princesses,
Today, we celebrate our country's 44th National Day - once again, this is the day our nation became independent.
Skyler, one of the lessons that you've learnt from school is the trappings of a national identity. Your teachers taught you how to sing the National Anthem 'Majulah Singapura' and how to stand when the Pledge is recited - with fist on heart. The amusing thing is you mispronounced most of the words of the Anthem! When we tried to correct you, you insisted that you knew the words and continued singing the Anthem using whatever sounds you liked! :D
You were also taught the song 'Count on Me, Singapore' and you came home teaching us the actions to go with the words. When the song was played during the broadcast of the National Day Parade / Show, you immediately got up to sing the song and perform the actions. It was so cute watching you do that as you had such an intense expression on your face while you did it! :D
Skyler, you're becoming a true blue Singaporean! :D
Ashley, obviously, you're too young to understand what is going on with regards to nationalism and such so you were tottering around the flat while all this was going on. Well, you'll learn soon enough, Lil One.
You girls will continue to learn what it means to be Singaporean as you grow older, Lil Ones. There is no rush as yet. Our country has achieved much over the years. However, the challenges facing our nation is still many. Your generation will have to face them soon enough.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Today, we celebrate our country's 44th National Day - once again, this is the day our nation became independent.
Skyler, one of the lessons that you've learnt from school is the trappings of a national identity. Your teachers taught you how to sing the National Anthem 'Majulah Singapura' and how to stand when the Pledge is recited - with fist on heart. The amusing thing is you mispronounced most of the words of the Anthem! When we tried to correct you, you insisted that you knew the words and continued singing the Anthem using whatever sounds you liked! :D
You were also taught the song 'Count on Me, Singapore' and you came home teaching us the actions to go with the words. When the song was played during the broadcast of the National Day Parade / Show, you immediately got up to sing the song and perform the actions. It was so cute watching you do that as you had such an intense expression on your face while you did it! :D
Skyler, you're becoming a true blue Singaporean! :D
Ashley, obviously, you're too young to understand what is going on with regards to nationalism and such so you were tottering around the flat while all this was going on. Well, you'll learn soon enough, Lil One.
You girls will continue to learn what it means to be Singaporean as you grow older, Lil Ones. There is no rush as yet. Our country has achieved much over the years. However, the challenges facing our nation is still many. Your generation will have to face them soon enough.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Copycat
Dearest Skyler,
One of the worries that we had when we registered you for school was your picking up undesirable habits from your classmates. This seems to have happened, Lil One.
You, on occasion, come back using language styles that we do not want you to pick up yet e.g. Singlish endings like 'lah' and 'one'. The funny thing is that sometimes you use them wrongly. We do understand that Singlish is part of our culture here and we do need to understand Singlish but we do hope that you do not use it as a norm, Lil One.
Other things are physical things that you do that make us less than happy. You've taken to putting your hair in your mouth and that's a terrible habit to pick up. When questioned, you would say that one of your classmates does that. We would rather you be the example than for you to pick up these actions from your classmates, Lil One.
Oh well ... we knew that these would happen. They are all somewhat harmless so far, Lil One. But we do want you to adopt what we want you to rather than pick up things from your classmates that we think is unsuitable, Darling.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
One of the worries that we had when we registered you for school was your picking up undesirable habits from your classmates. This seems to have happened, Lil One.
You, on occasion, come back using language styles that we do not want you to pick up yet e.g. Singlish endings like 'lah' and 'one'. The funny thing is that sometimes you use them wrongly. We do understand that Singlish is part of our culture here and we do need to understand Singlish but we do hope that you do not use it as a norm, Lil One.
Other things are physical things that you do that make us less than happy. You've taken to putting your hair in your mouth and that's a terrible habit to pick up. When questioned, you would say that one of your classmates does that. We would rather you be the example than for you to pick up these actions from your classmates, Lil One.
Oh well ... we knew that these would happen. They are all somewhat harmless so far, Lil One. But we do want you to adopt what we want you to rather than pick up things from your classmates that we think is unsuitable, Darling.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
The Explorer
Dearest Ashley,
You're growing into a real explorer! You simply are not content anymore to be carried around anymore. After being carried around in our arms or pushed around in a stroller for a time, you'll usually wriggle and squirm to get onto the floor so that you can walk and go where you wish to go and reach for whatever tickles your fancy. This is such a dangerous thing sometimes but you're a little tiger when it comes to this and it takes a lot of effort to stop you from doing so.
As part of this whole phase you're going through, you also usually try to avoid falling asleep. We guess you want to continue exploring this world that you find yourself in and sleeping does not help you do that!
Anyway, on one of your adventures in our flat, you ended up pulling the shoe rack onto yourself! Poor Lil Darling Girl! Papa heard you cry out and when he had dashed to you, you had footwear strewn all around you and you were in the gap between the shelves of the shoe rack! Thank God the shoe rack is so light and you were physically hurt. You were mostly shocked by the experience. Hopefully, you'll learn your lesson and won't do such a thing again. Well, we can hope.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
You're growing into a real explorer! You simply are not content anymore to be carried around anymore. After being carried around in our arms or pushed around in a stroller for a time, you'll usually wriggle and squirm to get onto the floor so that you can walk and go where you wish to go and reach for whatever tickles your fancy. This is such a dangerous thing sometimes but you're a little tiger when it comes to this and it takes a lot of effort to stop you from doing so.
As part of this whole phase you're going through, you also usually try to avoid falling asleep. We guess you want to continue exploring this world that you find yourself in and sleeping does not help you do that!
Anyway, on one of your adventures in our flat, you ended up pulling the shoe rack onto yourself! Poor Lil Darling Girl! Papa heard you cry out and when he had dashed to you, you had footwear strewn all around you and you were in the gap between the shelves of the shoe rack! Thank God the shoe rack is so light and you were physically hurt. You were mostly shocked by the experience. Hopefully, you'll learn your lesson and won't do such a thing again. Well, we can hope.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Night Safari
Dearest Princesses,
We all went down to visit the Night Safari this evening.
There was a discount on the entrance tickets and since this was the beginning of the long National Day weekend, we decided to take advantage of the discount.
We got there a bit later than hoped for as we had to have dinner before going down but we still had more than enough time to walk around the whole zoo. The whole place was very dark as the zoo operators needed to create the night zoo ambience but as we walked along, we realised that quite a number of the animals were the same as those we see at the Zoological Gardens (the day zoo). It was not as if the animals that they were exhibiting were all that much more active at night!
In the dim lighting, we managed to catch a few of the animals like we do at the day zoo. Most of them weren't really doing anything worth noting though. The paths were quite steep and narrow along almost all the trails and this made it quite a challenge to move around as Skyler, you would get tired of walking, and Ashley, your stroller would move all over the place thus needing lots of strength to get it to stay on the path.
While we were on the path, we came across a white rhino all by it's lonesome self! It looked so sad and lonely! We asked a zoo staff why it was that it was alone and he told us that it was just a part of the exhibit and that it was okay with being alone. But we really felt that he looked very very lonely. Oh well ... Poor rhino.
We'd wanted to get back to the animal show in time to get seats but we got lost at the East Lodge. We wanted to carry on to the entrance/exit but there were no signs pointing to the correct direction and we ended back-tracking along the Leopard Trail which brought us back to the Lodge. We finally figured out that we had to head towards the path that said Tram Station though we had no intention of taking the tram. Along the way, we bumped into another zoo staff and we asked him for directions and he did bring us towards the tram station but before that, there was a walking path that led back to the entrance/exit.
We went as quickly as we could but when we got back there, we were too late, there were no seats left so we left. It was already quite late anyway.
On the way out, there was a performance by a group of fire eaters and we decided to watch it. Skyler, a few weeks ago, you'd told Papa that you wanted to watch this performance so Papa put you on his shoulders so you could see over the heads of the crowd and watch the performance. Though we were a distance away from the stage, the heat generated when they breathed out the fire made us quite warm and you didn't like it.
After we left the Night Safari, Skyler, you told Papa that you didn't want to come anymore as it was dark and scary and the fire show was too hot and you didn't want to get burnt. Hmmm ... that wasn't supposed to have been the experience you were supposed to have had. Oh well ...
Ashley, you'd insisted on our carrying you for the most part throughout our walk around the Night Safari. This made both Mama and Papa so tired. Coupled with having to carry you, Skyler now and then, we were exhausted!
Oh well, we don't go often ... maybe that's a good thing.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
We all went down to visit the Night Safari this evening.
There was a discount on the entrance tickets and since this was the beginning of the long National Day weekend, we decided to take advantage of the discount.
We got there a bit later than hoped for as we had to have dinner before going down but we still had more than enough time to walk around the whole zoo. The whole place was very dark as the zoo operators needed to create the night zoo ambience but as we walked along, we realised that quite a number of the animals were the same as those we see at the Zoological Gardens (the day zoo). It was not as if the animals that they were exhibiting were all that much more active at night!
In the dim lighting, we managed to catch a few of the animals like we do at the day zoo. Most of them weren't really doing anything worth noting though. The paths were quite steep and narrow along almost all the trails and this made it quite a challenge to move around as Skyler, you would get tired of walking, and Ashley, your stroller would move all over the place thus needing lots of strength to get it to stay on the path.
While we were on the path, we came across a white rhino all by it's lonesome self! It looked so sad and lonely! We asked a zoo staff why it was that it was alone and he told us that it was just a part of the exhibit and that it was okay with being alone. But we really felt that he looked very very lonely. Oh well ... Poor rhino.
We'd wanted to get back to the animal show in time to get seats but we got lost at the East Lodge. We wanted to carry on to the entrance/exit but there were no signs pointing to the correct direction and we ended back-tracking along the Leopard Trail which brought us back to the Lodge. We finally figured out that we had to head towards the path that said Tram Station though we had no intention of taking the tram. Along the way, we bumped into another zoo staff and we asked him for directions and he did bring us towards the tram station but before that, there was a walking path that led back to the entrance/exit.
We went as quickly as we could but when we got back there, we were too late, there were no seats left so we left. It was already quite late anyway.
On the way out, there was a performance by a group of fire eaters and we decided to watch it. Skyler, a few weeks ago, you'd told Papa that you wanted to watch this performance so Papa put you on his shoulders so you could see over the heads of the crowd and watch the performance. Though we were a distance away from the stage, the heat generated when they breathed out the fire made us quite warm and you didn't like it.
After we left the Night Safari, Skyler, you told Papa that you didn't want to come anymore as it was dark and scary and the fire show was too hot and you didn't want to get burnt. Hmmm ... that wasn't supposed to have been the experience you were supposed to have had. Oh well ...
Ashley, you'd insisted on our carrying you for the most part throughout our walk around the Night Safari. This made both Mama and Papa so tired. Coupled with having to carry you, Skyler now and then, we were exhausted!
Oh well, we don't go often ... maybe that's a good thing.
Papa and Mama love you both lots!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Climbing
Dearest Ashley,
You've developed the ability to climb! You've started climbing onto our furniture and this scares us silly! The problem is that you can climb up but you've not figured out how to climb off the furniture. We've been turning you around so that you come down buttocks first and we hope that you'll figure out that that's the way to do so.
You've climbed onto the Arjang chair, the bed, the sofa and even the plastic stool and stood on it! Thank God you haven't fallen off anything as yet. Remember to come down buttocks first, okay?
Papa and Mama love you lots!
You've developed the ability to climb! You've started climbing onto our furniture and this scares us silly! The problem is that you can climb up but you've not figured out how to climb off the furniture. We've been turning you around so that you come down buttocks first and we hope that you'll figure out that that's the way to do so.
You've climbed onto the Arjang chair, the bed, the sofa and even the plastic stool and stood on it! Thank God you haven't fallen off anything as yet. Remember to come down buttocks first, okay?
Papa and Mama love you lots!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
School Happenings
Dear Skyler,
You've come to enjoy school so much!
Every day, you'll ask Mama to tie your hair in a different way because you see your classmates have their hair done up in a particular way. This poses a challenge to Mama as she never really had long hair when she was growing up so her experience with hair tying is limited. But Mama has done a sterling job in giving you what you want. The problem is that when you get to school, your teacher will undo your hair as she says that certain styles are not allowed! :p
You and your friends have also started drawing or colouring pictures and giving these to each other every other day! So, every now and then, you'll ask Mama for paper and other materials to draw and colour pictures for your friends so that you can give them these. Also, you all keep exchanging stickers as well. All these are so cute! :D
We are so glad that you so enjoy your friends now.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
You've come to enjoy school so much!
Every day, you'll ask Mama to tie your hair in a different way because you see your classmates have their hair done up in a particular way. This poses a challenge to Mama as she never really had long hair when she was growing up so her experience with hair tying is limited. But Mama has done a sterling job in giving you what you want. The problem is that when you get to school, your teacher will undo your hair as she says that certain styles are not allowed! :p
You and your friends have also started drawing or colouring pictures and giving these to each other every other day! So, every now and then, you'll ask Mama for paper and other materials to draw and colour pictures for your friends so that you can give them these. Also, you all keep exchanging stickers as well. All these are so cute! :D
We are so glad that you so enjoy your friends now.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Learning Chinese
Dearest Skyler,
We bought you a whole set of Chinese CDs and books for you today. Mama had spotted these items at a stall in the Point and was quite impressed with how suitable they were for you. But, they were very expensive - $400 plus! We were considering getting them for you anyway as they were really suitable for you.
Before we did so, however, we searched the Net and found that another Mama was trying to sell off the exact same set that she had. Apparently, she'd bought it for her children some time ago but never got around to opening it and letting her children use it so it was still brand new. She was willing to let it go at a fraction of the price. We decided to get it from her and it was exactly the same thing but cheaper.
That Auntie had the whole set couriered over and now we are proud owners of many Chinese books and CDs. We've to start you on them soon, Skyler. You've already made great improvement on your Chinese and this can only help. You're confident enough to try using Chinese words and phrases on your own. That's so great! Soon, you'll be better in Chinese than Papa!
We love you so much!
We bought you a whole set of Chinese CDs and books for you today. Mama had spotted these items at a stall in the Point and was quite impressed with how suitable they were for you. But, they were very expensive - $400 plus! We were considering getting them for you anyway as they were really suitable for you.
Before we did so, however, we searched the Net and found that another Mama was trying to sell off the exact same set that she had. Apparently, she'd bought it for her children some time ago but never got around to opening it and letting her children use it so it was still brand new. She was willing to let it go at a fraction of the price. We decided to get it from her and it was exactly the same thing but cheaper.
That Auntie had the whole set couriered over and now we are proud owners of many Chinese books and CDs. We've to start you on them soon, Skyler. You've already made great improvement on your Chinese and this can only help. You're confident enough to try using Chinese words and phrases on your own. That's so great! Soon, you'll be better in Chinese than Papa!
We love you so much!
Stranded
Dear Skyler,
You were left 'stranded' after you came back from school today. However, you were a real trooper! You weren't fazed at all and calmly got yourself back to our flat without much ado.
Popo and Gong-gong had come to watch you while Papa and Mama went out to work. They were taking care of mei-mei while you were at school and when mei-mei fell asleep, they took the chance to nap too. However, they overslept and didn't go down in time to meet your bus when you came home.
The bus auntie waited sometime for someone to get you but when nobody turned up after a while, she accompanied you up to our flat. We weren't sure if she had our address on the bus with her or if you had informed her which floor we lived on and you were the one who brought yourself back home. We asked you at night and you said that you were the one who told her which floor we lived on.
We do hope that the bus auntie has our contact information with her on the bus though in case something happened, it would be easier for them to contact us. However, Papa thinks that this auntie may not have it otherwise, she could have telephoned our place to ask where we were and why we weren't there to pick you up. Oh well...
You've also memorised Mama's telephone number so well that you now and then will telephone her when you get home just to update her on your having returned home. It's so cute when you get on the phone.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
You were left 'stranded' after you came back from school today. However, you were a real trooper! You weren't fazed at all and calmly got yourself back to our flat without much ado.
Popo and Gong-gong had come to watch you while Papa and Mama went out to work. They were taking care of mei-mei while you were at school and when mei-mei fell asleep, they took the chance to nap too. However, they overslept and didn't go down in time to meet your bus when you came home.
The bus auntie waited sometime for someone to get you but when nobody turned up after a while, she accompanied you up to our flat. We weren't sure if she had our address on the bus with her or if you had informed her which floor we lived on and you were the one who brought yourself back home. We asked you at night and you said that you were the one who told her which floor we lived on.
We do hope that the bus auntie has our contact information with her on the bus though in case something happened, it would be easier for them to contact us. However, Papa thinks that this auntie may not have it otherwise, she could have telephoned our place to ask where we were and why we weren't there to pick you up. Oh well...
You've also memorised Mama's telephone number so well that you now and then will telephone her when you get home just to update her on your having returned home. It's so cute when you get on the phone.
Papa and Mama love you lots!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Teeth
Dearest Ashley,
Your teeth are really late in coming out, Lil One! After so long, we've finally gotten the opportunity to see one tooth stick out of your lower gum. We can feel a few others along the gum line but they're not really peeking out as yet.
Come on out, Ashley's teeth! We can't wait to see you!
Papa and Mama love you, Lil One!
Your teeth are really late in coming out, Lil One! After so long, we've finally gotten the opportunity to see one tooth stick out of your lower gum. We can feel a few others along the gum line but they're not really peeking out as yet.
Come on out, Ashley's teeth! We can't wait to see you!
Papa and Mama love you, Lil One!
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