Week of parks

We have been visiting parks this week.

On Tuesday, I brought B to Jacob Ballas Children's Garden to check the place out. The tree house was great. There were two slides of varying heights and B loved them.

photo taken from http://www.singaporeplayground.com

He sat on my lap each time and would keep asking for more. That was the first place we went to and played until a troupe of PCF preschoolers came by. No pics of him coming down the slide. Pity.

Next we went to the suspension bridge. It was rather fun for B who has never experienced anything like it before. It rocked quite a bit when I got on. Though he was a little apprehensive at first, he did walk half the bridge on his own.

There is a little pond in this garden and there was ample variety pond life there - fish, plants and insects.

Here is B checking out his own reflection in one of the trough-like thingys.

Little Zacchaeus standing on a little tree branch nervously.

Today, we went to Bishan park. I was researching parks suitable for B and K. At the NParks website, here was the map I found of Bishan Park. Was very excited that there was a water playground. Of course, when I arrived I found that it was still under construction. I must have missed that bit of info somehow. And rechecking the site, I am still missing it. :s

It took about 40mins of to and fro from one section to another before we unloaded for the final time to bring B to a playground. At this point, any playground would do.

Here is the playground without the usual slides. But he used the domes as slides. Are they meant to be?

And I finally found a bucket swing! Since K's time I have been searching for one!

A sleek/modern design of a rocking horse thingy.

He found some stones and would lean out of this hole and throw them onto the floor. Then he'd run around the low wall to the other side of the hole to pick it up and then repeat it again.

Going to 公公 and 嬷嬷's house

Driving over to my parents' place, K said, "My heart is happy because we are going to 公公 and 嬷嬷's house."

Elmo!

Rainforest Kidzworld

Brought B to the zoo today. We targeted Kidzworld to bring him to the water play area.

When he saw the vast amount of water spraying everywhere, he was quite reluctant to enter the water area. After much persuasion, he finally did. Only around the water's edge.

Then he kept running back to the pram to take his shoes out, wanting to leave the area. Funny boy.

When I brought him back to the water, he would continue to play for a while more.

The highlight of the morning was leaving his footprints everywhere!

B @ 18 months

I love this series of photos of B. It was at Kranji War Memorial and his first time running down a grassy slope. He was chuckling so hard, his laughter was silent. Even K couldn't stop looking at him while they ran down the slope together.

The initial plan was for B to start school in Jan. But I decided to push that till July. I don't think he is quite ready. I remember K could feed herself somewhat even though it was slow. Messy is a given. But still, she was able to. B plays with his cutlery mostly and throws food. Only last night he was able to eat his meal of macaroni by himself. K was also able to speak more than B can now.

B's molars emerged at 17 months. All four are out now. His top two canines are also peeking out. Bottom ones not yet.

Language

He signs less now as he tries to say what he is trying to communicate instead.

He can now say:

• Papa
• Mummy
• Mama
• Gong gong
• Ah Foh
• Che che
• Elwee (Elvie)
• Daddy
• George (from Peppa pig)
• Bor (ball)
• bah-yoo (balloon)
• Fwawer (flower)
• twee (tree)
• Shoos (shoes)
• gog (dog)
• cat
• fwy (butterfly)
• Ish (fish)
• Fwog (Frog)
• Ber (bird)
• duck
• Eh-fant (elephant)
• but (rabbit)
• pig
• Or-trich (ostrich)
• pangin (penguin)
• terter (turtle)
• Cow
• bear
• Ane (plane / train)
• bow (bowl)
• pait (plate) - he points to show us he wants us to put his plate with food in front of him
• fan
• light
• poo poo
• fut (fart)
• jinjin (raisin)
• baby
• bubba (bubbles)
• thock (socks)
• thirt (shirt)
• thort (shorts)
• ah-per (apple)
• owanch (orange)
• fwoot (fruit)
• bad bad (bread)
• ball (fish ball)
• joo (juice)
• mek (milk)
• ding (drink)
• toe
• bog (box)
• fwoot (foot)
• wane (rain)
• wet
• wind
• car
• choo choo tain (train)
• cot
• ah-tee (auntie)
• ah-ker (uncle)
• Tyna (Chyna - dog)
• Dop (drop)
• Toe (throw)
• ade (head)
• air (hair)
• at (hat)
• eat
• thit there (sit there)
• back
• knock
• pat
• boak (broke)
• wan (run)
• zum (jump)
• march
• hop
• dan (dance)
• bars (brush)
• knock
• lie down
• O-pun (open)
• toes (close)
• chees (squeeze)
• stop
• pease (please)
• thowee (sorry)
• door (draw)
• sheek (shake)
• keek (kick)
• wutch (watch)
• bye bye
• night night
• ug (hug)
• hi-5
• where
• wound and wound (round and round)
• Om More (some more)
• Ba Bub (bunny wake up)
• Ug Dow (up down)
• coe (cold)
• Bup (burp)
• Didi (dirty)
• pain
• no
• oh no!
• oh dear!

Sweet baby. You are such a cheeky monkey. You have this slide ways glance which amuses me to no end. Am sure it won't be a very friendly gesture when you are older. You certainly know how to defend yourself from your big sis. To get your way, you would tug at her clothes and hair. But you are learning to say "pease" without us reminding you.

But you love your sis and love playing with her. Throughout the day while you are with me, you would say, "Che Che". And I would reply that she is at school. You would then say, "Papa". And I would reply that he is at work. You would then be very pleased with yourself like you managed to get me to say what you wanted to hear. When we go pick your sis up, you would try to run and shout, "Che che!"

You love fruits. And when at your grandparents' place for dinner, when you are done with your meal, you would call out to Elvie for fruits. This never fails to bring a smile to your grandparents.

Just like your sister, you love dancing. When you hear a beat, your little body would start moving, sometimes with hand gestures too. You have learnt some new songs this Christmas. You sing along to Mary's Boy Child and Jungle Bells. When you hear Rudolph, you start to tap on your nose. You think every song should end with a "Hey!"

You got to sit on a swing the other day which you enjoyed very much. You are also able to go down a slide on your own now and you really enjoy it.

Every day with you is such a warm cuddly time. We love cuddling you. More than you do I think. When you sit on our bed to watch TV, you would put your head on our tummys and that just warms our heart. We love you baby. Every milestone of yours, every first, is such a thrill.

K turns 4

This year's theme is all about Peppa. K loves the character Peppa and her family. Here is the little girl opening her present while waiting for lunch with grandparents.

Peppa and her family figurines!

Papa and B watch on.

The cake. Also Peppa and her family but they look sunburnt.

Happy birthday K!

She is pleased with the cake. B can't wait to get his hands on the figures!

They huff and puff. B still eyeing the piggies.

Eating her cake. Oh, and here you see her Peppa top.

B smiling for the camera.

B giving big sister a birthday hug.

Birthday girl acting silly.

End of celebration #1.

Dinner that night at Urban Spoon, a newish place near our home. It serves really good food and plays very good music. K picked out her own dress which she calls "Bride / princess dress".

The two of them checking out the decor.

Cake from earlier.

K eating Peppa.

Laughing at Peppa without her snout, hand and ears.

B gets to eat George, Peppa's little brother.

He was not very pleased with how the earless and snoutless George looked.

End of celebration#2.

Celebration #3: School. This was the cake for her school celebration. Peppa with Teddy.

Her group: Red Apple.

With all her friends. All 31 of them! She was very uncomfortable about being in the limelight. I think she expected P and I to be next to her, not sitting by herself surrounded by her friends.

Her three teachers.

Serving her little friends cake.

Eating her own cake.

With her little friend with whom she has a love-hate relationship. She has known her for more than a year now and has always loved playing with her but also can't stop complaining about her.

The kids really loved the cake!

P was very impressed by this little friend. She was very polite.

Later that day we brought the kids swimming and she had some ice-cream as a treat.

On her birthday itself, we took her out. We went to the zoo. There were new exhibits. She loved the naked mole rats.

Tram ride.

Final cake. Agar agar.

Happy birthday sweetie. May you continue to grow in grace and compassion. May you love people and love the Lord. I pray that His blessings will be upon you all the days of your life.