Letters to Reiko #66 Your First Stayover

Dear Ko,

So young and you had your first stayover!! :) That's a record! You simply love hanging out with jie jie-s and Cherisse is officially your favourite one.. both of you are just soooooooo GIRL.. sometimes at home you would walk around wearing your sunglasses and hanging a bag at your wrist. I wonder where you got that from because Mummy is not that vain...... right??:) You would be asking me what you were going to wear on your way back from school everyday... and I have to bring you to the cupboard for you to choose. Unlike Kor, his would be ready on the bed. I choose. Haa.... Anyway this was such a cosy stayover.. just that it was a bit squeezy and for the first time, you were being squeezed by someone instead of you squeezing Mummy to the corner when you slept with me and Daddy in the past. Hehe!


A nice dinner cooked by Auntie Jenny. You love the Japanese noodles! But you look a bit unglam in this photo.......................


After dinner, Cherisse taught you how to be play the piano. Please be Mozart and start earning your keep.



This was you at Cherisse church. It was great that the kids could play and have fun activities as well as have a bible story telling session after that....

Letter to Immanuel #66 Your First Stayover and Another Score Check!

Dear Imm,

There are so many things happening each week and Mummy seemed to be busier than in Cape Town... probably because Daddy isn't around and sometimes you can be just tough to handle. This is another late letter.. Mummy constantly has to play catch up to capture all these memories but I will try to do it. Better late than never. :) What striked me last week: Mummy has to rack my brains to keep you on the right track to be a loving, focused, well behaved, thoughtful, faithful boy that it leaves me exhausted at the end of the day. When you are good, you are just my perfect little boy. Sometimes, you just want to be "sayang-ed" and I refused to sayang you.. maybe because I always tell myself that I have to be strict and "wait" a little while. I struggle being a tyrant mum waving her cane to get you to bed every night and one who just wants to snuggle with you and hold you tight because I know you are growing up everyday and might not be my little boy anymore.

Still, I try my very best to make every week fulfilling and fun for you, just because you are my little boy and will always be.... in my heart. We went for a stayover at Jerrell Kor's house! Here is us having dinner together. His mummy cooked a sumptuous Japanese noodle dinner for us. It is simple yet filled with love. Mummy hopes that when we have our new place in 2 yrs time, I can also cook for your friends and see your happy faces.


You must be thinking, "what is the big deal Cherisse?" Hehe... actually you were very excited but I don't know what is this expression on your face. haa! This is such an awesome bed right? However, I took a looooong time getting you and Ko to sleep because you guys are just so excited. The routine to sleep is always a hard and arduous one, even at home. :(


The next day, we had lunch at Jpot. After our meal, Cherisse, Cherilyn and you were busy playing with the ice....


Some updates at home. A new chart Mummy did to keep you in check. This week is week 3. Mummy tends to die down in enthusiasm and not focus on the points. I must learn to commit so you in turn, can commit. :) It is so easy to lose focus when there are seemingly more important things.


This time I pasted a picture of the rewards. Each tobot is worth a certain number of points.  I told you that I would only buy for you when you reached the certain number of points. They are 75, 85 and 100 points. Actually all of them are hiding in the cupboard right now. :)
I attended a course at your school. Story telling! And made a puppet there...

Letter to Reiko #65 With Funny Faces

Dear Ko, (one week late)

You have such a lovely smile. I love to see your happy face. This was you just before attending Berries Class! This week, You strike me again in your persistence to wear nice clothes. I guess the genes of boys and girls are worlds apart, especially in you and Kor's case. What strike me also was that you need less sleep and would always sleep even later than Kor.... and would want me to be beside you... gee...

Letter to Immanuel #65 Art Science Museum and Our First Movie Date

Dear Imm, (oops this letter is one week late so expect the next one very fast!)

I think this week was one of the most happening for you. It was the first time you watched a movie, we had a playdate with Darryl, (which was what you wanted for the longest time) and we also went to the Art Science Museum with Aunt Isabel, Uncle Zhen Yang and Jun Feng. This was you at the Art Science Museum... you were really happy to see the lights. Mummy really enjoyed myself too upon seeing the fusion of art and science, which was what I had hardly envision. Two subjects, worlds apart, can be so beautiful together.






A photo together!


You were really attracted by this: something that you could draw and have it shown on screen! :)

So relaxing eh? :) You would try to run from afar and jump on the couch. One time, you hit your head as you land more on the side where there were no beans in the beanbag. Ouch!



Second swimming lesson! It was another coach as he was more suitable to teach the younger age group. It took you sometime to be adjusted to him as well ( as like all things ) but once you were warmed up, you learnt fast. The coach say you are really brave in water! You kept smiling at me and I know you really like swimming. However, before that, you said you didn't want to swim but wanted to swim the next day. I was so mad and told you  in a low voice, "if you go home now, I will never bring you to the pool again." This is how you always test Mummy's limits.:P Luckily in the end, you enjoyed it a lot. So boy... never go by your initial feelings, you must always commit in something and give it a try. Sometimes emotions will overwhelm you and you would not feel like doing something but always let your will to commit overcome your emotion ok? It always pays to be consistent and persistent.  (of cos when it comes to the activities you already like) :)


We went for a playdate at Darryl's place! Finally Aunt Joan is free as she is always so busy with tuition. Sometimes, Darryl will "reprimand" you when you bully Ko... hahaha...



On the way there by train! :) Once again, this stroller is sooooo heavy with both of you. I felt like I just went for a marathon when I reached their place..... hehe

Letter to Immanuel #64 Started Swimming Lessons and On Developing Gratitude

Hi Imm!!

Swimming has become one of your favourite activities though we have only been to swim twice in Cape Town. Mummy was quite eager to find you a swimming coach and we were supposed to start in Mar but somehow things just couldn't match for the time and location. Well, I believe that if you want something with all your heart, things will just turn out somehow. True enough, I found out that grandpa's friend's son is a swimming coach and things got started! We arranged for a time and you went for your first swimming class on 3rd April at Yio Chu Kang Swimming complex. You really enjoyed yourself and at night, you told me "Mummy, I really like swimming and I am thinking about it now." :)



Sometimes, when the coach told you to sit there and wait for him, you would start pressing the float into the water to do your little experiments and I would be so afraid that you would just fall into the water when the coach was not looking. It is just so worrying for me.. :(


This is a scene when both of you are relaxing nicely.. and Mummy too!


Your friend Ashton that you loved to play with! :)


Doing more complex work with you now. It is a bit hard to get you started but you will focus when you are at it. :)

Letter to Reiko #64 Breakfast at Botanic Gardens and Play Moments

Hi Ko!!

You really do love playing with playdoh and you would be so amazed at pressing it out. And you would use all your strength. I simply love to see the "gek" look on your face, hehe. I also brought playdoh along when I bring you to church so you could be occupied. Besides that, you would love to do your sticker books and write together with Mummy. I have to plan more things for you because you don't exactly like TV, which is actually a good thing. :) Activities we did this week was going to the Botanic Gardens and reading a lot together!





Playground has kind of became a constant. Since both of you don't play on weekends. Furthermore, Kor's friends will join in and he would refuse to leave...





Kor and his good friend Ashton and with grandpa! Kor's friend sure looks so cool :)



Yes and here is a pic at Botanic Gardens with Auntie Diana and Katelyn! I think it was a long time since both of you last saw each other.. both of you started holding hands and you love Katelyn's Frozen sunglasses (is that an oxymoron?) it was a super hot day and mummy walked quite a bit with you as I didn't know the brekkie place was so far away from the entrance.. And we didn't even go to our intended place but met at somewhere more convenient. Mummy sure had an extremely good workout. But thank you for being well behaved and making things easier despite the heat. When Mummy tried taking a taxi, you were also good and climb the stairs by yourself while I carried the stroller. Bringing you out is always such a bliss and I love to see you enjoying yourself.



This is when Mummy is super tired and just handed over something mostly forbidden so I can get some rest. :)