Bangkok Getaway 17-19 Oct 2008

We sneaked off to Bangkok over a normal weekend.

Normal in the sense that it is not a long weekend. It's just an ordinary, normal weekend.

19 Oct is a special day for us. It was the day we got ourselves attached to each other many many years back. Er, yes, we still celebrate this day even though we now are married and we have a wedding anniversary to celebrate.

Don't laugh lah. We are just romantic.

Anyway, we zipped off on Friday night (after PSLE marking) and zipped back on Sunday evening (to resume PSLE marking on Monday, for me). It's one of the craziest things we have done, but we love the thrill!

This was purely a shopping trip, so we were very focussed. Chatuchak Market and MBK -- we went straight there and whack!

It was a short but very sweet trip. :-)

Life is short -- work hard but PLAY HARD too.

Farmer Soo

My hubby is into gardening nowadays.

On weekends, he finds joy overturning soils and transplanting little buds from the pots to the mini "'plantation" which he has partitioned from our grass patch. We also have 2 tomato plants growing outisde our master bedroom. My helper had thrown the seeds there and they have miraculously grown big and borne fruits! We had eaten some of the tomatoes. How interesting.



Right now, we have chili plants, Chye Sim, tomato plants, Ginger and Spring Onion sprouting from the mini plantation. I am waiting for the "harvest" so that I can get to eat them.

If he is not doing planting, he will be at the fish pond cleaning it or disturbing the fish. Look how father and son are bonding over, er, fish.

As for me, I don't like messing with ants and worms, let alone fish (I'm scared of fish).

I prefer to bake! While Papa and ah Boy were outside doing the boys' stuff, Mummy was baking a chocolate cake. Look! Yummy yummy!

That's what I call a perfect weekend.

I put down ALL MY WORK and spend my time doing these things I like. Living in this new place has really enhanced our lives. I love my family life!

Farm Hopping - 11 Oct 2008

Recently, my kids keep talking about "looking for a farm". I asked my helper and she said it stemmed from the song "Old McDonald had a farm, ee ya ee ya o". So, we 索性 take them to some real farms this weekend. 11 Oct happens to be Teng Teng's 17th month birthday. And you know what? He now can ask "Mummy, may I eat please?" when he wants to eat something from my plate. I know "eat" is a transitive verb and must carry an object, but for a baby that is not even 1 and a half yet, I think I cannot ask for more. The object can come in later. :-)

Here's a Visual Treat ... ... ...

Hay Dairies Goat Farm

Aeroponics Veg Farm

Papaya Tree

Corn

Fu Gui Hua

Sunday Morning Breakfast

After breakfast at Mac (@AMK park), we strolled to the park nearby where there was a sandpit playground. Our typical city kids are not used to sand but on the whole I'm still pleased with their behaviour at the playground.

Thinking of Number 3

Recently I have been thinking whether we should have 1 more baby.

:-)

I know.

I had announced to the whole world that 2 is enough. When I suffered during the night feedings for Eston, I told my husband, we don't need 1 more round of this. At that time, he agreed totally with me.

Parenthood is very strange indeed.

When I look at my 2 cutie pies, I forget all my pain and yearn for more.

I have a feeling the next one will be a girl.

Discussed with hubby and he also felt like having more.

I've even thought of names already. Girl will be Estee, 尹亭。Boy will be Estroy, 尹锐。

So our plan is to wait till Eston turns 2 before we start planning. Ideally, when Number 3 is born, Eston should be 3 years old, toilet trained and independant.

The minute I am pregnant with Number 3, I'm handing in my stepping down request.

A Milestone for Xin Xin

After a couple of weeks of training, my girl is now toilet trained.

We started by taking off her diapers and putting her on the potty every half an hour. In the day it is fine, coz there are so many adults around to monitor her (of course I'm at work so it's really easy for me to say this. Credit goes to my mum and dad and of course my helper). It was the night time that is a nightmare. We tried to wake her every 2 hours to go tot he toilet but it was difficult for her (coz her eyes are still closed and then have to shee-shee) and it was also difficult for us. Eventually we still missed sometimes and then the bed would be in a mess. And getting up to go to work in the morning also became very tough.

Some experienced friends told us that such things cannot be rushed and so we decided to go easy on her (and ourselves). We continued with the day routine but night time - back to her huggies. Which still works pretty well.

I'm proud to announce that now my girl is off diapers in the day and she is able to articulate her toilet needs. She doesn't even use the potty now. She does it in the toilet. :-)

For my boy, he can tell us "poot-poot" when the need arises.

Well done, Xin Xin!

Sat Morning Walk

This is a typical Sat morning walk that we do. Spend some quality time with the kids, just playing. How much fun we have!

They love to 跑 跑 跑 ... ...

Instead of going to his rescue, Mummy takes photo ... ...

Swing you high high !

Taking a rest and dipping our feet in the jacuzzi ... ...

Eston loves the water ... ...

Estelle on the "high element" at the playground ... ...

That's me !

After that Estelle ordered us to take the other 2 seats ... ...

I'm charging to the slide !

Wowee ! I'm sliding!

Dr Soo Yin Xin

Recently, we bought her a Doctor playset, and now she wants to be addressed as "Dr Soo Yin Xin".



Look at how she plays doctor to her didi. So cute!

Ahh ... Open your mouth ...

Don't move ... Doctor is going to check you okay ...

The Singapore Flyer - 4 Sep 2008

Lelong Lelong!

Last Sunday on 7 Sep, I set up a tiny stall at a flea market to get rid of some of my stuff. Paid $5 for a space at AMK Ave 4 Blk 626. Sold only my bags and earrings for a start (did not want to cart too many things there and then in the end can't sell anything and cart everything back) and it was quite a fun experience.

It was mainly the bags that could move. I sold the bigger ones at $6, medium and small ones at $4. In the end I had to give discount, coz the crowd was a die-hard-cheapo one and they were out for real steals. For me, it was more to get rid of stuff and to gain the experience. I was a little disappointed that my earrings did not really sell, especially those that are handmade by me. I guess the crowd was wrong and I'm quite certain that the flea markets in town would be a better platform for the sale of my earrings. I'm not really bothered by the amount I make but it's more the satisfaction that people appreciate my designs that matters.

Anyway, I DID sell a pair of handmade Swarovski Crystal earrings to the MP Seng Han Tong who came and did his rounds. I wanted to give it to him free-of-charge but he insisted on paying. So I asked for $2 and he thought that it was too cheap. He paid me $5 which I accepted happily.

DEAL!

Total takings for that day - $62. Not bad for a start! I got rid of 2 big boxes of bags. More space in my cupboard for NEW LVs. Ha Ha!