22 months: Gadgets

Andre is really good with this tozzle game. He could match all the shapes in the puzzle. Really worth the US$1.99 i paid for this app

"Daddy, how come you play the big one and leave me with the small one?

22 Months: National day at West Coast Park

Holy Cross church organized a family outing day at the west coast park

Brekkie at Macdonalds. Andre finished up the fillet.
First time at jumping castle.

With Adelle jie jie

With Janelle jie jie

See how steadily Andre climbs the spider web

Andre picks up the leaves and threw them into the dustbin

Got really hot by noon so we headed home. But we really like the spacious playgrounds. we'll be back!

Ooh, and here's a picture of the picnic. Gong gong is doing warden duty distributing the food stuff.

22 Months: National Day in school+ alphabets

I decided i had it for work on Friday. The nonsense just kept piling up. There is simply no end. I can't seem to find a point to let go, but this final SRG nonsense is like the wake up call, ultimum. Had wanted to take half day on Friday, but ended up staying in the office till 6 pm, and stuck in a traffic jam for 1-1/2 hours. Right then, i made up my mind. Monday i'm going to take MC (heck care the 4 meetings i have lined up; i just need to look sick enough). And I'm going to start my maternity leave on the 3rd. It's 2 weeks early... i really need the break to stop thinking about work, be happy and slowly transition to welcome my new baby.

Saturday at Sentosa left me with a most excruciating pain at my right hip. Sunday, perfect (but painful!) reason to take MC. After many panadols, i finally feel better on Monday, and that's when i went with Andre to his National Day celebration at zoo-phonics.

Boy! I had been missing so much! School is so fun, and i could sense the enthusiasm and passion from the teachers. Hearing all the good comments really made me beamed in pride. Praises like how obediant Andre is in class, how fast he picked up the alphabets, how fast he developed in his speech, how Zara wanted to marry Andre! All thanks to Aunty Yuli for bringing Andre down to his twice weekly school. As the children sang National Day songs, Andre participated by clapping , and jumping and waving the flag wildly. He even got a little flag tattoo on his arm. I could see a more confident boy now, mingling with his classmates, showing me his favourite toys in class. Definitely, there is no signs of social issues. (Esp when he gave Zara a BIG HUG when asked to pose for pictures). I can see that he is happy to have me in class, choosing to sit on my lap all the time.

Came evening, we were playing with Andre with alphabets and i was surprised he could recognise so many characters. K, M, N, O, Y, E etc.. and i know all these will not be without the effort of Aunty Yuli, and the school. And i'm secretly jealous that i wasn't the one that contributed in bulk to Andre's educational development so far.

21 Months: Sorry

Andre was playing with his stack up rings when he got overexcited and hurled a ring at Aunty Yuli's head. I've seen a few times when he will purposely throw things at others. Without hesitation, i got up, grab his hand, and spanked it really hard. It wasn't hard enough to make him cry, but it was sufficient to shock him. "No Andre!, When you throw things like this, it will hurt people. Mummy do not allow you to do this again".

Next moment, he blurted out "Sorry". Coming from my less than 2 years old boy, i was shocked. These are times, when he never failed to amaze me.

On hindsight, he was probably bored and seeking new ways to play. And he has yet to discover, there are right and wrong ways to play. Spanking was probably too harsh, but at the turn of the moment, i really wanted to catch his attention. (It's really not something i advocate. I always believe the more you spank, the more this method becomes useless). I tell myself, if Andre repeats this again, i am just going to keep his toys.

Andre is overall a very obediant boy... i feel guilty sometimes for not being able to play with him more. He gets so restless and bored. I can see so much energy in him, but he has no where to channel his creativity in our small, small apartment. *guilt*

21 Months/32 Weeks: Welding couse completed

This time round, didn't really get the nesting instinct. I remembered during Andre's pregnancy i was madly cleaning the entire house, all by myself. The degree of cleaning was insane. Maybe that's why Andre is a bit 洁癖 now. Whenever the floor is slightly dusty, he will go "Clean! Clean!".

Yesterday, i completed 15 days of night classes, daily from 4th Jul to 26th Jul. It's a certified welder inspector course and i did not too badly for the final assessment.

Paper 1: 95%
Paper 2: 87%
Paper 3: 100%
Paper 4: 90%

It is not easy, for most nights, i am mostly zonked out. Really like to thank my husband for bearing with me all this while, my dear Andre for missing out Mummy during the evenings and also my precious no. 2 for accompanying me to class (and exmas) for all evenings. Much as i don't want him to, but i think he'll make a great little welding inspector in future. Next question is... Should i go for the actual AWS (American Welding Society) CWI certification? That is $2000... if i fail, that's it manz... but then and again, it's a recognised certification and my dumb boss is willing to sign off all courses now ... hmmm

Anyway with the course over, i am like "free" up at the moment. Seriously, i don't feel like doing more office work. Ben made a good statement that day, "No point piaing if your boss chooses to be biased". But i should seriously work out what are the things I'll like to accomplish before i go on leave exactly 1-1/2 month's time.

Following the success of Andre's 1st year baby book, i am inspired to do one to document his 2nd year, and the same for Adik's. Maybe i should just do 3 books for each, one for each year. As you know, we don't remember things that happen beofre 5 years old. Maybe with better milk formula now, now kids can remember things as far back as 3 yrs old. It takes tremendous efforts and cost(Stickers do not come cheap you know). But i am just so proud of my boys that i want to remember every moment of them. And the fact that the only book that Andre wants to pull out to filp is his 1st year picture book, makes it even more worthed it.

OK, coming back to the topic, the nesting instinct this time is to buy lotsa stickers. It's mad, but i luv luv luv these colourful stickies. Also, I seriously hope to be able to catch up with this blog which i left off since a few months back since i joined this maddening job. And finally set up a place for little Yuyang to welcome him. For these are the things that make me truly happy within. How much i can achieve during work just gives me a sense of accomplishment, not true happiness.

21 Months: Oh no! Too social?

We were at this pitstop at Machap and walking towards the car after coffee. Andre out of the blue sat on a kerb and we thought it was strange cos there were so many flies buzzing around. And then we realized that he is looking at this Malay girl around his age, trying to catch her attention while coyly sitting there like a good boy.

Then the Malay family walked by... and he promptly got up, trying to follow the girl. The girl skipped a little, and Andre showed off his little jumps."Jump! Jump! Jump!". We started going down the stairs, but Andre continued following the family... omgosh! what a skirt chaser ... and he's not yet 2 years old yet.

On hindsight, i realized he's very gentlemanly and sociable with girls. While queueing for the bug ride at Genting, there was a family of 2 girls sitting opposite us in the queue. He immediately called "Jie, Jie!" and the other little girl (who is probably older than him "Mei, mei!". Can see that the parents were very impressed. And then he followed by extending his little hand out for a warm handshake with both girls. And then in his limited childlike language, point to the back to let them know there are many cars. (He's sharing his favourite things in life).

To be frank, as a mom, i feel so darn proud of him. Sometimes, the little things he does, really move me, and i can't help tearing a little.

Genting trip was sure tiring. But how else will I have to chance to experience these kind of golden moments?

20 Months

Andre has grown so much over the past few months, not physically, but i think he has advance by leaps and bounds in the social and intelligence aspects.

With the recent diagnosis of the gestational diabetes (again), i have been told to walk after every meal. It's really hard to do so in the office (after all, people will start to think who is this weird gal walking around like a marshall), so end of the day is the most pratical time. I must say, it has opened a great opportunity to bond with Andre.

Discovering the huge playground at Mayfair Park, so far, i have been bringing Andre there for walks from 8-9pm. Just Andre and me. Mummy and son time. I'll push him on his little tricycle, and talk and sing to him along the way. In response, he'll name every coloured car that passes us, "Black car!", "Blue car!"

This is our new home

This is our new house in Telok Blangah Towers. To us, it has very, very special meaning. We were extremely lucky to be able to ballot a unit here. Praise God! There are only 300+ units, but there was 10,000 over people who applied. We were number 127 in the queue. Buy 4D also not so lucky. The date that we were asked to select the unit falls on Feb 1. That was the date Kevin and I started to date. Coincidentally, Kevin's parents were in Singapore, and so we selected the flat together with both side of parents. The day we were asked to place the deposit was 28 May 2008. That is our wedding day. I almost wanted to go down to HDB, gown and all. But it's too much Ra ra la .. so we went down on 30 May 2008.

So after waiting for 4 years (our little family has grown from 2 to 4), HDB, finally says that our flat will be ready in 1st quarter 2012. We are all extremely excited towards our sea view unit. <3 <3 <3

17 weeks

Oooh .... i have feel little guy giving me tweeny weeny punches in my tummy. Sometimes, i'll suddenly shift, or have a hiccup, and the boy will give me a mighty kick to shock me! :) It's fun at this stage to be pregnant ... i am so in love with this little new guy. Cheeky one i must say Andre's taking well to his little brother... whenever i ask where is di di? He will lift up my T-shirt and give my belly the loudest smooch. Isn't that so sweet as well?

Andre at 17 months

This boy never fails to amaze me and make me proud.

Last sunday, we went to school (BJG)... and he behaved most angelicly. There was another 15 monther that was roaming around the room restlessly, and his mom was like going "RAPHAEL!COME BACK! 1!! 2!!! 3!!! *fingers pointing up one by one* " and the little boy just went back to his mom for less than 3 seconds before he starts roaming again. My Andre? hehe, i just have to quietly say "Come Andre, sit with mummy".. and he guai gaui came and sit at my lap. LOL.. i think i must be the coolest mum around (haha, though i know this is one of the days he is being exceptionally quiet and guai). During class, he will walk to participate beside the teacher, yet he will not disturb the other students. When teacher gives him something, he will take and give to me immediately. When teacher asks to return, he will put the stuff back into the box.

But seriously, and keeping my fingers firmly crossed, Andre hadn't been much of a tyrant. He's a boy of little words, very cheerful, and somewhat cheeky at times. When he plays, he is seriously concentrating and just simply needs you by his side to watch him. He loves his mega blocks, making mega structures now. He love his golf clubs, which he imitates his swings after daddy. He likes popping things out of the window ... we lost a du du and a baby pillow. He is desperately tryng to shove his golf club down the window which we believe he will succeed one day.

He likes dancing and have a fanstastic beat to it. When we return home, he will promptly remove his shoes, and we'll say, keep your shoes, and he'll do just that. We clap enthusiastically, and Andre will be very pleased and proud of himself. Every evening, before bedtime, we'll go, keep your toys... and Andre will put his clubs back to the container, and all the other toys back to their repsective boxes. Then he'll want either daddy or mummy to give him milk, after which, a short bye bye, kiss kiss, friend kiss, and he'll promptly walk into the bedroom with Aunty Yuli.

Well, so this kind of rounds up our adorable little angel at 17 months. His vocab has improved, repeating whatever we says... Little horns are starting to surface (the other day, when he throw the iphone out of frustration, and daddy scolded him "So BAD!"... he was going like "bad... bad .... bad... bad". And nowadays when Victoria hits him, or when people takes his school bag, he'll go "NO!!" shows that he is typically cool, but not easily bullied either. Speechwise, not very vocal but displays good grasp of syllabus. Motor skills wise, i think he is much better than most kids, and most recently has learnt to walk up and down stairs without any help.

And the most endearing "Where is mei mei?" He will point to my tummy and indicate there .. (haha, at this point of time, we still do not know whether baby #2 is a girl or boy).. Maybe Andre is a better physic?