Phuket: March 2011

with the poise of Kentucky's fried chicken

Spa. Skinny dip. Sun. Spice. Nice. Tropics. Live. Laugh. Love. Adventure. Villa. Private. Insane. Wild. Wish you were here. Walking on sunshine.

What kind of a Mom is I?

You are 100%* Mom!

You are SUPER-MOM. You are the envy of every mother. You have perfect kids and balance it all wonderfully. You beleive in a strict schedule with every little detail worked in to a T. Your home runs like a clock and you like it that way.

What kind of Mom are you?
Take More Quizzes

I'll remember to ask Adam next time.

Going away

My beloved Hubby booked us the next available weekend flight out of Singapore, but not before attending the Babies' functions over the past weekend.
This time, it'll just be the 2 of us, going to a foreign island, locked away in our secret paradise.

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Cheers & happy weekend~

Home schweeet home

Where many more fond childhood memories will form. Not from falling off the slide I hope!

I don't know about you, but I love balconies! BBQs, inflatable kiddy (and doggy) pool-parties, sipping bubblies.... You get the idea.

View from our balcony

The place where cooking misadventures will begin.


Welcome home.

a Baby Shower and a Big One

AM Session: Josiah's Full month shower
Venue: Pinnacle at Duxton

Babies bring loads of joy to everyone, especially their parents! Here's wishing Baby Josiah to grow up to be a healthy and happy bubs, and continue bringing much joy to everyone around him :)

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PM Session: Noelle's 1st Birthday
Venue: NSRCC 38P

My niece has reached her biggest milestone yet - turning ONE!

It's been a super duper weekend for us, especially Adam. He enjoyed himself to the max!


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Edit to add:
By the way, the navy blue ruffled blouse I was wearing is from Polkadotpigs.

[Olivia blouse $26 mailed] Click here
[Olivia blouse $26 mailed] Click here
[Olivia blouse $26 mailed] Click here

Only $26 mailed. Add $2.50 for Registered mail. The girls were very friendly and prompt in my email replies, which made my first online order from them very pleasant.
My shorts are from Osmose at Wisma and cost only $29. Everything below $60. A real bargain if you ask me ;)

Long Bar

Paul's wife, A, and Morgan have gone back to Thailand to settle some domestic issues so after some sofa-shopping today, we headed over to Long Bar at Raffles Hotel to meet Paul for a fix.



The boys had Singapore Sling while I had my favourite...

Cosmo

We were probably the only Asians in the entire bar. Talk about minority group in our own country.

The culture here is, you stuff yourself with peanuts and wash down with booze... and then throw the peanut shells on the floor. Initially I was hesitant to dirty the floor, but Paul chided me and said "Go on! Because this' the only place in SG you wont get fined for littering!"

my organised mess.



If this image is blur, you are drunk!!!

Black halter blouse: from a shop in Chinatown
Black corporate shorts: Zara
Bag: Balenciaga Anthracite Part-time
Belt: Hermes epsom leather (this color is) Gold belt with gold buckle.
*** edit to add: The belt costs SGD$1050, correct at time of posting. But Gold is currently OOS as it was the last piece at time of purchase in both Liat Towers and Ngee Ann City. Left colors like Bleu Jean and black.



Hope you are having a great weekend, because we certainly are.
For a couple who's getting the keys to their new home in a week, we're super slack, because we havent even decided on a sofa set yet!
Either the head-rest is too short, making your neck strain just to sit the couch, or the shape/size is not right. ARGH.. Hubby says I'm too fussy.... but no choice lah, for the $$ you spend on purchases like this, better be fussy and satisfied instead of shoddy and regretful right?

Have a great one!
V.

Steamboat dinner with my Family

Went for steamboat dinner tonight with my Aunt LY, Grandma, brother JJ and his gf Liping.... and of course, my boys.
It's a rooftop steamboat at AMK central. The spread is decent with my favourite shelled cockles and prawns.
Unlike most steamboats I've been to, due to its outdoor rooftop concept and a huge industrial fan, the venue is actually very airy and well-ventilated. We enjoyed ourselves eating and laughing and didn't sweat one bit!


Kai and his favourite person in the world

The contrast between young and old is compelling

The it couple


After dinner at the playground

I absolutely adore my family!
This weekend, we'll be busy sourcing/confirming our sofa, refrigerator, etc etc... and we have not one but TWO baby functions to attend - my niece's 1st birthday and Andy's distant nephew's full month shower.
It's gonna be a busy weekend.

Painting

Kai came home from school not feeling tired, so instead of napping, he asked me to take out his paint materials, and I obliged.





Our beloved Border collie is supervising his baby brother :D

End of School term

It's the end of Term 1, and Kai's teachers gave me a compilation of the art & craft he did in class.




A surge of happiness overwhelmed me and I feel so proud of my boy for being all grown up.
It's been a whole term of him sitting through 4 hours of school without me around and he actually even enjoys school. It's not easy for a child less than 2 and thank goodness we don't have to deal with clingy issues and seperation anxiety.

Great job Kai!

Mischief-maker 1 with his trademark MM2.

Thank you, God, for bestowing on me a wonderful and doting husband, and for giving us a happy and beautiful child. We hope that Adam will grow up to be a beautiful person, both inside and out.

I ♥ my boys.

Beat

These days, Kai is often raising his hand (always his right hand, don't ask me why) in a threaten-to-beat action and saying "Beat" in Mandarin. My apologies but I am not in the mood to look for a translated Mandarin substitute for the word.

And everytime, I would ask him (in Mandarin) "Who beat Kaikai?"
Kai: Teacher. *short pause* Beat.
Me: Teacher beat Kaikai??
Kai: *usually smiles sheepishly or smacks me lightly, or both actions simultaneously*

Last night, he did it again. When asked, he said it was Teacher at first. When asked again, he said "Daddy" and he grinned. The Daddy in question was of course, just beside us so I turned and asked "Daddy did you beat Kaikai?" Andy gave me a blank stare trying not to laugh and Kai grinned sheepishly.

This action has been going on for quite a few days now, so I asked one of the teachers at his playschool this morning. The teacher explained to me that every teacher adores Kaikai because he is lively and happy in class. After I got home, his teacher-in-charge called me and explained to me rather anxiously that the school has a no-hitting policy and nobody has ever smacked him before and that she has to clarify with me.

Ok, to make things a little clearer - in our family (including my in-laws), we do not practice corporal punishment. We do not even have a cane in the house and we have never laid hands on Kai. So if he was really smacked by anyone at all in school, I would at the very least like to know the situation preceeding the beating and be given an explanation.
I won't do drastic measures like sue or write to the press of course and his teacher really needn't be so anxious because I know how difficult it is to look after pre-schoolers and I won't complain to MOE and cause her to lose her job or anything. But surely I had the right to be informed?
But seems that my son is not beaten afterall.

What's up with the words & actions?

Life as a SAHM: Insight

If you think the job of a SAHM equals that of a Tai-tai, then I urge you to think again.
Envious of being a SAHM? Here's an insight of one:

- Not having to wake up to alarms anymore? Think again.
My new alarm is none other than my son. He wakes up earlier than all of us, so no matter what time I sleep the night before (I'm not working now right? I can go out for late night movies or supper with Hubby right?? Right.) I still have to wake up at 7am to prepare Kai's milk, and pack his school bag (if it's not done the night before due to waiting for towel or uniform to dry)
When everything's rushedly done, I send him to school so that he is in time for breakfast.

- I am mostly in glasses and T-shirts/shorts now, because what's the point of dressing up when there is nobody at home to appreciate it except my MIL and dog. So out goes well-groomed and well-heeled working-class adult. This is where Frumpy Housewife comes in.

- The obvious: Doing the roles of a mother, a wife, a cook, a maid, a teacher, a nurse... ALL without being paid and efforts not recognised by society. A Mom is not a job just because she doesnt draw a salary??? On top of that, no leave, no MC, no medical benefits, no bonuses. But Moms still do it. Round of applause please.

- It gets lonely. Why? If you are under the impression that SAHMs do nothing but hang out with other SAHMs and form a Tai-tai clan, it's a myth. Because when I drop my son off at school and fetch him back, the other carers I see are not fellow Tai-tais, but really maids and Grandmothers! Maids form their own cliques. Grandmothers cannot be bothered. The SAHM is the odd one out.

Sure, when Kai is at school I get some down time doing things I want like reading newspapers in peace, sipping hot Milo/coffee.
But other times I'm mostly busy with Kai, especially when he's at home and not napping, I need to keep him adequately stimulated most of the time - read him a book, do flash cards with him, play with him. Even when he is playing on his own, he often looks up to me to make sure I'm seeing his progress (at whatever he's doing : riding his vehicle, doodling etc) Therefore I NEED to be within his sight.
And this, can get really tiring because don't forget I get to bed late the nights before and it takes alot of energy just to get through a seemingly simple task of keeping a toddler occupied.


Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful that I am lucky enough to get the freedom to choose - whether to work or stay at home has entirely been my idea. My family is very supportive of whatever decision I make. And I do enjoy my time with my toddler because I'm well aware that one fine day, my baby is going to leave me for real school, go to the army, go to work, and I will miss him being a baby.
However, being a SAHM is nothing to be envious about, because many SAHMs are dying to get back into society. It's totally cliche I know, but the grass is greener on the other side eh.

YES!!!!

Whooppeee!!!
I wont be able to sleep tonight :)

Afternoon snacks & sample menu for Toddler

I have been asked by my sec-school cum Mommy friend about my sample menus for Kai so I thought maybe I can do a post on afternoon snacks for kids.

Today's menu is:
- Boiled organic apples with almonds
- Korean strawberries

The apples have been sliced and boiled with skin intact. Nothing perculiar, except that I wanted the almond-flavoured apple juice. Otherwise, just freshly diced apples will do just as well.
Normally when parents hear the word "SNACK", biscuits and chips come to mind. I usually serve fruits or cheese/yogurt as snacks. I do not give my child sweets/tidbits, though the occasional break in rule is inevitable, because I do not see the nutritional value and need of tidbits.

My MIL has been "well-trained" by yours truly. She now knows how to look for the right labels when she goes grocery-shopping.


For me, I'm "lazy". I try to prepare one-dish meals as much as possible so it's easier to feed a young child, plus it's packed with all the nutrients and goodies.

My sample menus:
BREAKFAST
- Organic oats with finely chopped fruits and cheese chunks.
Be sure to buy block cheese instead of cheese slices because the slices are what's leftover from the crafted blocks and further processed, therefore cheese slices will be higher in salt content than say, the same Cheddar cheese in block.
Cheese is good for calcium and a milk substitute especially for toddlers who've moved on to try more solids and drinking lesser milk.

- Wholemeal / Multi-grain / Rye bread with butter and organic jam
I try to buy bread fresh from the baker whenever possible, because those from the baker's are much lower in preservatives than the same type of bread off-the-shelf from supermarts.
Do note that freshly baked bread will have shorter shelf-life than brands like Gardenia or Sunshine, but they are also available in half-loaves. Price is slightly more expensive.

LUNCH & DINNER
- Soft rice or porridge with greens/yellow underground veg and a fish/ meat/ tofu.
I use Organic brown rice grains and I am careful not to overwash the rice, just lightly rinse with water is enough to preserve as much nutrients as possible.
When the rice or porridge is cooked and ready to serve, I sprinkle a pinch of blended Ikan Billis powder.
** Ikan Billis is high in calcium and iron.
I buy one packet from the Chinese grocer's, soak in water to remove as much brine as possible (used to preserve the ikan billis). After that, I roast them lightly over a dry frying pan to remove moisture so they become crisp.
When they are crisp, I blend in a handheld blender. This may be a tedious process but one batch can last you a long long time if you keep in air-tight containers.

These are the sample menus I shared with my friend and she was very thankful and inspired by the convenience of one-dish meals.
They are also easier to feed because children have shorter attention spans and cannot sit through a long & complicated meal.
Of course, I cannot cover every food item available in such a short post, but in general, I follow the Food Pyramid as my guide, and Everything in moderation.

Finally, I'm only sharing my experience as a mother and as an ex-nurse. The onus is still on the parents to find out what suits their child because different people have different taste buds, even our little ones! What works for my child may not work for yours, vice versa.