Archive for September 2015

Letter to Reiko #41 We Are Back to Singapore!

Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0 Comments A+ a-

Hi Ko!!

The plane ride was significantly more difficult for us when it comes to you as compared to the last time! hehe.... is it because you are just more active and demanding these days? Or just Teeny Terrible Two?


Anyway the journey started significantly well as you played with Imm before we went up to the plane. You all pretended that this structure was a slide and keep sliding and going up again.


This time, it took you a long time to sleep on the plane.. you kept climbing up and down Daddy's and Mummy's lap which was very frustrating because we were super tired and you refused to sleep.. Kor was already deep in sleep! I wish you could sleep more like him at times, haha..

Some people we met on our second day. Auntie Rina, Uncle Andrew and the kids! You love to play with "jie jie". You always like older girls to play with. You were so happy to go to the playground again. However, all hell broke lose because there wasn't any swing at this playground!!! You started crying and everyone knows Koko is a loudhailer :P It took some time before you played *more* happily... :)


On the third day, you started developing a lot of rash on your forehead, arms, back and legs. It was pretty scary. We brought you to see the doctor and we have you a little antihistamine and put calamine lotion for you. 


Mummy played some montessori games with you and made sure you touch every game in the house so it would not be wasted.. haha.. it is so fun for you because there are "new" games everyday.


You love this rabbit that you got from Auntie Ade on your first birthday! We only pumped in air once and it lasted for a year!


On the last day, we went to Auntie Isabel's place and you love riding in this car.


You clung onto Mummy in the beginning and refused to get off my lap.


We tried to take a pic of all the kids on the couch but you just insisted on sitting in this bear.............................


This was you throwing one of your tantrums! Haa!


Now that we are back, all your rash has gone..... It was indeed a fruitful trip anyway as you played with popo a lot and she read lots to you. You just needed to ease into the new weather climate next time. We shall take note to put you in air con room first. After all, most of your life was spent in cooling climates.. :) UK and then Cape Town.

Certainly hope our next flight back would be better!! :p

Letter to Immanuel #41 Trip Back Home to Singapore!

Tuesday, September 29, 2015 0 Comments A+ a-

Hi Imm!

Our trip back to Singapore was great last week. Can I tell you that you are *almost* an angel on the plane? Anyway while waiting for the plane, you and Ko played your own sliding game since there was a tiny slope. It was funny watching how you guys can get creative and make up your own game.


This was you with your long hair before we went for our haircut.. hehe.. Mummy prepared some books for you and Ko to colour and you focused well. The trip back is always harder cos it was a morning flight.. that means you and Ko were awake most of the time!


And sometimes we had to occupy you with potato chips.. something we tried to avoid back home.


On the same day we reached back, we went to Aunt Tilly to have our haircut! She is our trusted neighbourhood hairdresser. Finally some cooling feeling around the neck for you right? You looked so much smarter with short hair.. hehe

The next day, we went to Aunt Rina and Uncle Andrew's new place. Your godbrother Alex has his own electronic drumset and played well! You also tried a hand at it.


We went to the playground shortly and you all played catching. Mummy cannot get used to the "sweaty looks" because it was a rare sight in Cape Town. Still, I am glad you had fun in different weathers (It was really a tad too hot for me as I was not used to it). Children sure can adapt well but you were a bit more cranky at other times (must be the weather! :P)


I guessed one of your best playmates in Singapore has to be Karlson! You guys met nearly 2 years ago but it was a great time for you guys. You played with his cars, laughed horrendously together and coloured together! This is a side Mummy hardly sees in you because I know you always needed time to warm up.... For those who do not know you, you might have your tantrum and even cling to me. You would whine (more than usual) and just refused to be engaged. But with Karlson, it seemed like you found your perfect playmate.



Another awesome highlight was being able to meet Eli! Your second godbrother!! hehe... You only met up with him twice so far because your godma was away in Taiwan and now in KL...


We went to Aunt Jenny's place for steamboat and you played with Cherisse again! She fed you ice cream. You loved trailing after Jerrell Kor because he has toys you like... robots and cars.. it is always such a fun and fulfilling time with them.


We went for our last playdate just before we boarded the plane and that was to Aunt Isabel's new place! But you didn't enjoy it much till later. You were about to nap and we had to wake you up upon reaching. Still, there is always next time and Mummy hopes you will enjoy it better! :)


Another playdate we had was with Aunt Melanie but Mummy forgot to take pics as I had to handle you and Ko! Then, you were just cranky :( Till later and you listened to Aunt Melanie reading to you.

Ok! now we are back to life in Cape Town where Mummy has brought over lots of activities to engage you! You like this Citiblocs and enjoyed trying to balance it. You whined a few times when it toppled. Maybe this game will teach you it is ok to fall and try again! :)


Now you enjoy doing 50-60 pieces of jigsaw.. Good job Imm!


Hope you continue growing to be a good boy and let your good sides shine instead of letting your whiny naughty side rule ok? :)

Love you!

Packing Up - Let's Go!!

Thursday, September 17, 2015 0 Comments A+ a-

This is a post on little trivia. We are off to Singapore for a week... I don't know if I have time to blog because there will be lots of errands to run and friends to catch up with. I really miss my friends and own Mummy's time in a way. However, I still made sure I did these few things before we leave for hot sunny (hazy) Singapore.

1) Made Barley Drink twice this week
2) Making sure we eat more veg
3) Me and hub take Cod Liver Oil
4) Packing my Essential Oils

These are sample sizes... perfect for being on the flight.


5) Packing colouring activity for the plane trip ( it is always for the kids)

We also prepared gifts for Imm's previous class teachers as he has moved on to the yellow class. Only he and another friend moved on as the teacher said he could do slightly more advanced things than his classmates. It surprised me that they will move students periodically for their advancement. He really missed his teachers and classmates but is adapting well to it. We took the sand art that he had done previously and wrote notes behind. I wanted to convey that we should always show gratitude especially to the teachers (since I was one before, hehe! :P)


I prepared a smoothie jar/cup for each of the 3 teachers.


These days I have been doing more maths with Imm. We start to count in 2s and 5s together.


They are enjoying their puzzle together. Such a relief as Daddy came back late that day and I had no help.


Letter to Reiko #40 Enjoying the Animal Bonding Session

Tuesday, September 15, 2015 0 Comments A+ a-

Hi Ko!!

We went to the Safari last week and you really loved it! When Mummy asked you recently which animals you saw, you told me that there was rhinoceros, elephants, lions etc. When you saw the animals, you would say "my favourite rhinoceros" etc. Even when some animals were a distance away, you could spot them with your razor sharp eyes. You would wave and say bye to them after.

This was our lunch place Trecidi during our break whilst driving to the Safari. A shot with Auntie Huiwen!


There was this little toy corner as well and you and Imm would just explore the toys.


Near our family lodge at the Safari.


This was you and Kor posing at the restaurant.


You and your favourite swing at the playground. You would always say "my favourite swing!" and run towards there. Some playgrounds have no swings unfortunately and you would ask everytime, "where is my swing?"


This is such a cute shot! You kind of reminded me of Imm as you are wearing his old sweater... hehe



We learnt about this animal - the alpaca,when we went back from the Safari. You love to stroke it and touch its wool! :)


Mummy hopes that Ko will always love the animals around you!!

Letter to Immanuel #40 Being Focused

Tuesday, September 15, 2015 0 Comments A+ a-

Hi Imm!

What Mummy and Daddy noticed about you these days was that you were super focused these days! You were able to colour this picture with Auntie Huiwen for a pretty long time... even when it was bedtime, you asked Daddy if you could go out to continue colouring after our prayers. You enjoyed company. Mummy wished I have more time and energy to do more activities with you and I will try!! :) It is really nice because you put your energy and effort into it. Love to see the serious and focused side of my boy!


This is so pretty!! Masterpieces from both of you.


We went to the Safari and you really love the playground there. I guessed what matttered was the company, more people to play together with you.


There was this little house at the playground that you love to go into as well. 


You and Ko at the Safari restaurant!!


This was the first time Mummy learnt about alpacas too! You chuckled when they put the whole head into the bucket with the food. But most of them were just not very hungry that day.


You also love touching and feeling their wool.


Some activities we did last week was learning about animals in Chinese. You tried "milking" the cow.


Art and Craft session making a fish and learning how to say it in Chinese.


And also bird! Your classic wry look. hahaha...


Uncle Guo An and Auntie Huiwen left on Sunday. You really enjoyed playing with them. However, you can be so whiny again at times! Everyone knows your naughty side.. Auntie said that when you are good, you are really good! But when you are whiny and fussy, you are really super naughty! I hope they remembered more of your good side... when you helped Auntie to pack her things and wrapped the fragile things with paper... I know my boy can be superb when he wants to! :)

Safari and Alpacas Time!!

Tuesday, September 15, 2015 0 Comments A+ a-

 It has been a super busy yet fun week when my cousin and her husband were here. We managed to find time to go to the Safari together. This was the kids' third time at the Safari! I always enjoyed this animal therapy and to be among them. Imm loves to pet and feed animals more than just seeing them at a distance. Though it was a short distance from the vehicle at times, we were not supposed to touch them. Ko was the one who enjoyed seeing the Safari more. When she was 18 months old, she would already say bye to the hippos, elephants etc while Imm was just not so interested. 

We went to the Garden Route Safari, which was about 4-5 hours drive from our place.


This was taken near our family lodge. My cousin stayed at the hut nearby which had even greater views.



The giraffe just looks so good with the scenic view behind... what amazed me most about the giraffes was that they could clean their ears with their tongues. 



Elephants can make three types of sounds! Trumpets, roars or infrasonic calls for long distance communication.


The Elands.



The lion and His Lionesses


King of the Safari!


Here are the Springbok, the National Animal of South Africa. They looked so agile and graceful.


When I think of zebras, I think of serenity...



Here was a plant in which you could pull and it could become 4-5 pieces. Looks like a set of paintbrush... It was used in the olden days by the African tribes for painting.


Have enclosed the field guide as well!



Nearby to our lodges was the Reptile Park in which we saw crocodiles and snakes.


On our way back from Safari, we went to Alpaca Lodge. This was the type that Imm enjoyed more definitely because he could touch the animals. It reinforced my belief that he is indeed a tactile boy.




Many of them were just staring at us as we observed them. I wondered who were the ones being looked at...


It is funny how the alpacas will stuff their whole heads inside to eat the food - mainly of oats and grains.


They could actually pranced around pretty fast and kick with the hind legs when the owner tries to catch them. What amazed me was when the owner made a sound, all of them would gather in a herd and follow him.

When we asked the owner how he would know if the female alpaca is pregnant (since they are bred intentionally), he said that if the females spat at the males for next different occasions when they are put together, the chance is high that she is pregnant and they would be checked by the vet later on.


When we got home, Imm coloured the Safari pics with my cousin.


Guess which was the one my cousin coloured? Imm tried to imitate and focused for a long time. He is certainly into colouring these days. In fact, he was colouring when we were on the vehicle at the Safari while viewing the animals, which made us kinda pissed.


Well, one snapshot of the tiring parenting journey literally. It was more difficult when the kids did not sit in the car seats when we have visitors, since there was no space. 


However, we truly enjoyed this session bonding with different animals... :) I guessed that is one of the attractions here in Cape Town for me.
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