Girls' day out

We had a girls' day out today, K and I. Her new passport was ready for collection and she had to be present so I decided to take her out for the day.

First, we made out way to ICA for the passport collection on a rainy morning where it would have been heavenly to just loll in bed. It was a pretty quick process so we didn't spend that much time there. It was more the traveling back and forth. And the parking wasn't so bad either. Jesus answers prayers!

Next, we went to the dentist at Hougang Mall for K to get her teeth checked. This was inspired by B's checkup just on Wed after he fell and chipped his front tooth. Dentist said it was not because of the fall but more because his front teeth were decaying slightly. :( All due to the boy only wanting to drink juice instead of water and constantly falling asleep while drinking milk. Sigh. Anyway, back to K.

Her first visit to the dentist was to a paedodontist. But she wasn't that successful with K that I decided we won't spend the money on a specialist but went to one that was recommended by my friend.  She was also very gentle with B so I made an appointment for K too. Oh yes, back to her first visit. She was very uncooperative and refused to let the dentist anywhere near her or look at her teeth. But that was back then.

Today, she is 4.5 years old and she knows that her younger brother had seen the dentist and not a single tear was shed. Pressure! Haha.

Here she was being examined.

Getting her teeth cleaned.

She was very pleased with herself and the visit cos she had loads of praise from the dentist and her over enthusiastic parents as well as the little balloon with water in it. A pink one!

After fretting for a while what we could do next since it had been raining the whole morning and hence, swimming was out of the question, we decided to go to the zoo.

She listed the animals that she wanted to see - stingray, otters, hippos, pandas (only arriving in one week's time), naked mole rats and butterflies.

The butterflies at the Fragile Forest.

The bats at the Fragile Rainforest.

At the naked mole rats exhibit.

Lunch at KFC where we saw many kids from My First Skool completely drenched in the water play area. Fully clothed!

Finally, a carousel ride after visiting the rabbits, goals and farabellas. At some point, she said that she wanted to sit on the horse but when I told her that I would not be able to sit on it with her, she chickened out. Never mind. A goal for the next visit perhaps? Or an elephant ride.

Gala Dinner 2012

It's fund raising again for the new church building. This year, P and I decided we would get babysitters so we could go without the kids. Mostly because the organizers and venue didn't really encourage / wasn't conducive for children.

Went shopping for a dress for the function as well as the many upcoming weddings for the remaining half of the year. We tried to take some pics of ourselves but didn't manage to get a nice one. This was the best we could manage.

This was me and dear K. Can you tell she is expecting? She is due in December! Can't wait!

This is our CG - Walking on Water. Pity the lighting was so lousy.It dawned on me during this dinner that our circle of friends and the people we now hang out with in church are completely different. If this was 10 years ago, we would have formed a worship team table. Although it's nice to know that we have grown in some ways, making new friends and journeying through with new people, I sort of miss the old ones - Mich, Earl, Kwan, Eugene, Eileen, Co & Mike, Cheem, Joey, Lorraine, Ben & Lynn, Kev & Amy, Keong. The ones I grew up with during those Frankel days. Those were the crazy but happy days, lots of learning and stretching but fulfilling.This is PE. Her family is new to the CG. I'm so glad they decided to join us. K and B now have two little friends (exactly the same age!) to play and grow up with. We have started spending time with this family and our children seem to get along fabulously. Too fabulously sometimes that they are positively wild!Meanwhile, what was happening with B & K while we were having a fabulous time listening to the aunty killer Earl sing and watching hilarious Kenneth lip-sync to the songs?B was deposited at my parents' place. Since he started school, he has been spending less time there. But he was ok. He asked for me a few times and only started to cry about 10pm. I think he was quite exhausted by then. So that was quite a huge step for him, being away from us for the whole night.Kim was with Cheem and family. It was Charis' birthday and they were having a small family celebration. They were very happy to have K over as the two girls do play together quite well. There was one other cousin who came and according to Tania, he asked to sit next to K. And so did the birthday girl. I guess it's nice to have a different face around. 

Here is K having her dinner. 

This was after the party. She was cleaned up and waiting to be picked up.

What a milestone for K. She was the most clingy toddler ever! She has come such a long way to become this independent. We are so so proud of her. She was also on her best behavior that night and greeted everyone very enthusiastically when they arrived. :) More playmates will definitely follow after this.

K swims!

This was K swimming on her own for a few metres this National Day weekend. Yay! Well done little girl! We are so proud of you. Incidentally, this is also the weekend she is trying to cycle without her training wheels for the first time.

B visualises

B seems quite visual. He was eating grapes one dinner.

"Look mummy, look like giraffe," he said. And it really did!

And on another morning, while eating apple, he said, "Look mummy, duck!"

And just this week, coming out of the bathroom, this is what he saw. "Bird, mummy!" he cried out. And again, he was right.

K says

K: When mummies get pregnant, how do the babies get into the tummy? Me: Papa will answer that question. LOL. Are we at the birds and the bees already? At 4.5 years old?!

National Day 2012

The kids were to celebrate National Day in school. They were told to dress in red and white. Took some photos before they left for school. It was hard to get the two of them to pose nicely. B kept hiding behind his flag. And when I took a nice one of him smiling at the camera, K was tired from waiting for the brother and wasn't smiling. This was the best I could get.

Here B decided he wanted a horn.




The whole school was ushered to the nearby badminton court for the station games.



The K1s.

The toddlers.

  

The older ones got to play games. 

Passing the rubber band with straws. That was what we used to do like some 25 years ago!

There was K receiving her rubber band. Am thankful they were the first class to do this. Wonder if the other classes had to reuse the straws? Eeks.

K being very careful not to drop it.

Pushing the ball with a paddle around the cones.

Kicking the chaptek. 

Transferring water with a plastic plate.

The young ones got to play with bubbles.

Sat in a circle and played simplified bowling.

Some prevented the game from continuing by holding the bottles.

B was looking around for K.

And yet again, not engaging in the activities for his class but was looking for K.

The little ones rejoined the older kids for a time of singing "Happy birthday" to the nation.

K was also looking for B.

B looking for K again.

Made to sit by his teacher.

They finally spot one another and waved to each other. How cute.

The family dressed in national colors to watch the parade with the grandparents.

The kids in red and white.

B's language development

How do you say "Banana"?

Somehow he can't say "banana" but he says "bantanana".

Before B went to school, the only Mandarin he knew was his name. And that was after drilling him so that he would know when his teacher was calling him. He was learnt two new phrases.

加油! 加油!

This is what his classmates would say during outdoors to encourage his friends to run.

不要

His favorite phrase these days when he doesn't want to do something.

Kim says

P: We can't eat MacDonalds all the time because it is not healthy. K: Because it's fried, right? P: Yes, that's right! (Very impressed) K: Fried. Like French fried, right? LOL

Ben says

Someone was practising cutting with a pair of scissors. 

B: Watch me, Mummy.

Me: Ok

B: Put down phone.

Me: (Oops) Oh, ok.