A steal at $10.90!

We've been looking for a pair of sandals for Ai Ai since she is outgrowing her current pair fast.

Being the shoe queen she is, she loves trying on new shoes at the stores.

We tried Collettee, Clarks and Bata, but there doesn't seem to be anything suitable.

She doesn't seem to walk well in some of these shoes, especially the $55 Clarks as the soles are just too stiff.

Yesterday after our breakfast ritual at the Wanchai Cafe, I decided to pop into Royal Sporting House to check out Rider, and we found this pair going for only $10.90 (usual $25). It's soft and flexible on the sole and Ai Ai walks really well in them!

Is this the beginning of Terrible Twos?

Yesterday Ai Ai insisted on wearing her pair of new blue shorts.

I told her they were still damp from the wash and she will have to make do with the pink pair.

But she insisted and when she didn't get her way, she threw a tantrum and cried for 20 minutes!
Is this what they call terrible twos?

She's recently been really opinionated about what she wants to wear, including her shoes... so if you ever catch her wearing mismatched clothes, please do not think she has a colour-blind mommy or a mommy with bad fashion sense!

I will miss this look

Today marks the last day of Ai Ai's breastfeeding and the end of my breastfeeding career.

Yes, we're weaning her off, much as I cannot bear to.

We've weaned off all her day feeds and left her with only the last evening feed for the past 2 weeks.

I told her gently why we need to wean her... she seemed to understand this will be her last latch, and didn't want to let me go.

Tomorrow night will be the real test as she will not be having this evening latch.

I wonder how she will react...

Vivocity with Grandma

We went to Vivocity with Grandma yesterday for some waterplay.
Unfortunately, the waterplay court was under maintenance, so Ai AI didn't get to play that.
We just went to the 3rd floor wading pool area for some walking in water.
Roy came back from his work retreat today and met us at Vivocity, and we had dinner with Ian too.

This is a picture of the Soup Queen drinking her wintermelon soup.

Bishan Park with Issac

This is her latest good friend, Issac, who is also our neighbour.
Since Roy is away for work retreat, I had the use of the car today and we drove to Bishan Park.
It's the first time Ai Ai sat in a swing and she loves it!
She's got a good sense of balance too - sitting on this saucer-like thing that you can turn around. I didn't manage to capture her on it cos this mommy was too worried about her falling off.
But Vicky (Issac's mommy) commented that Ai Ai knows how to turn herself around so she can balance herself, so I actually didn't have to worry at all.
Hmm... I can't help it. I was never a playground kid!

Vicky brought the spades and pails etc so the toddlers can occupy themselves after they're done with the swings.

She also brought yummy peeled grapes, and Sophie kept asking for it!

My Birthday

A birthday card from the little artist with some help from her Daddy.

She woke up this morning but did not say "Mommy" and "Daddy" which are her usual first words in the mornings.
Instead she said "Poop".
Roy put her on her little bear throne and guess what? She started giggling but did not poop.
The cheeky monkey just wanted an additional star on her Potty Chart!
And she thought she could get it just by sitting on her throne and saying "Poop".
Hmm... no poop, no stars!

After her noon nap, we decided to go to Hort Park since it was cloudy in Bishan and I thought it'll be a good time to go.
But it turned out more like "Hot Park" so we went to Vivocity for some waterplay instead.

This is Ai Ai enjoying herself with her Daddy. Good thing we had some extra change in the bag.

This is Ai Ai after her change of clothes - decked out in her 3-6M Gap dress... you can see it's a little short, but the width fits well... now you know how slim she is!

Her Babylegs tights helped complete the look so it's not too short and skimpy.

A day with Ai Ai

This is a tired Ai Ai sleeping in her car seat on the way to Ikea.
Roy needed to buy some wood from Ikea for the pull-up bar and we also wanted to test her out on the toddler beds.
Will post a picture of her on the pull-up bar when I can get a clear picture.

That's the Ai Ai sleeping in a wagon full of doggies at Ikea.

This is Ai Ai at the fitness park after her noon nap.

She's getting more strong-willed nowadays. I wanted her to wear her brown polka-dot Pedipeds, but she insisted on this pair of sandals, shouting "White, White, White"

Sigh, is this the beginning of terrible-twos?

Thanks for the help, Mum!

Mum has been a great help during this trying period for me, taking care of Sophie while I walk with Nei Nei on her last journey.
It's only now that we realise why so many young couples choose to stay near their parents... so they can have the family support when needed.
We originally got our place in Bishan thinking that it's central to both parents' homes so it's "fair".
Yes, it's central by distance, especially if you see it on the map, but obviously things don't work this way!
You have to be really near, like how Sam and Amy's homes are.
Still, we think Mum and Dad should spend their retirement days doing what they enjoy, not running after some young toddler and tiring themselves out everyday.
I believe that was what Roy told me Dad once mentioned.

Anyway, thanks for your great help, Mum!
Sophie learnt lots from you these 2 days :)

P/S. Dear Roy, thanks for being so supportive, especially in the funeral rites and in holding the joss-sticks willingly. It's never easy for a non-Taoist/Buddhist to hold the joss-sticks, and your actions meant a lot to me and my family.

Thank God for Grandmas!

The other day, Mum Belinda came over to help out for awhile so Roy and I spent the afternoon by ourselves. It was good for me to recover from my nasty flu too.

Ai Ai was really happy to see her "mama" (she cannot pronouce "grand" so she calls Grandma mama).
She kept squealing "mama mama" in delight, esp. when Mum brought her out.
When Mum put her down for her afternoon nap at 2:15pm, she didn't cry, but just stayed in her cot talking to her animals for a full hour before falling asleep.
She was probably busy updating her friends on her day with her mama.
When she woke up from her nap, the first thing she said was mama!

It's really amazing how kids love their grandparents... reminds me of my own younger days.

I didn't manage to take any clear pictures of Ai Ai and her mama, because they were all blurred from Ai Ai's active movements due to her excitement.

Last Letter to my Nei Nei

Dear Nei Nei,

I would like to ask for your forgiveness.
Please forgive me for being angry with you and not visiting you as much in the recent years.
I got upset after hearing what someone close to me said about what you did.
You could have really said those words but may not have meant what you said.
You could have simply been influenced by others and said those words.
Whatever it is, the anger should not have remained in me.
I should have let go. I should have visited you more often.

I must say that I had a good time chatting with you in these last few weeks of your life.
When I was a kid and used to sleep with you, I'd wake up in the night touching you, listening to your heart thumping to make sure you were still breathing and have not left me.
When I told you this 2 weeks ago, I could see that you do cherish the times we spent together.
You even reminded me how I used to help you wrap your feet in thick blankets because they were constantly cold.

When I woke up unconscious from a fall at the beachside, you were the one holding me and rubbing medicated oil on my nostrils.
When I refused to submit to my kindergarten teacher's indignant punishment to stand on the chairs and pull my ears because I did no wrong, you were the one who came to school to pick me up and apologize to the teacher for my wilfulness.
When I swung the bag of oranges like a pendulum and the bag broke and the oranges rolled all over the market grounds, you were the one who chided me softly and helped me pick them up.
When you found out I could not see in the slightest darkness, you were the one who played hide and seek with me in the dark.

Last week, you asked me again why I gave up a good-paying job to stay at home and look after Ai Ai.
Because I wanted to share such memories with her.
Because I never shared such memories with Mommy.
I am not blaming Mommy in any way as she had to work and support the family.
But if I can adapt my lifestyle to look after Ai Ai full-time and share such memories, what is a few thousand dollars a month?
Although I simply remained silent at your question, you seemed to know what I was thinking and just asked me to have a second baby as soon as possible.

These last few weeks must have been a terrifying period for you.
I could sense your fear of the unknown - of death, and of not knowing what your own state of health is and what will happen to you in the next few days, next few weeks.

Rest in peace now, and one day I will see you in heaven and we will live out our memories again.

Lots of Love,
YM

My Nei Nei and Dah Dah

I am Hakka.
This is my Nei Nei and Dah Dah.
They came to Singapore from China.
Nei Nei = Paternal Grandmother
Dah Dah = Paternal Grandfather

My Nei Nei came to Singapore at a young age to marry my Dah Dah.
She was born on the 11th day of the 8th month in 1922.
Only 16 when she came to Singapore to marry my Dah Dah, she had her first child (the girl she was holding in the picture) at 17 and her second child (the girl seated) at 18.
In this picture, she was not even 20 years old.
She has a total of more than 10 children.

She suffers from terminal stage cancer and is now lying in hospital, in a coma and on a life support system.
My youngest uncle and his wife whom she lives with have made the decision not to tell her she has cancer as they feel that she would get all depressed and negative.
In the recent weeks, she has been bugging my auntie (her first-born child) to return her these pictures.
She must know something.... and wants to relive her life again.

This is my Dah Dah. He was probably in his early 20s in this picture.

He is really a born entrepreneur.

He came to Nanyang (Chinese name for Southeast Asia, meaning Southern Ocean) to carve out a living as life was difficult in China.

He started out peddling haberdashery, then became an apprentice in a Chinese medical hall.

Having learnt the ropes, he started his own Chinese medical hall in a rented premise, using furniture that people discarded.

If you have been to a Chinese medical hall, you would know that the shopkeepers have rows of drawers in which they keep the herbs.

When he saved enough, he had a good set of drawers made, with Chinese words carved onto them.

And then they bought over the shophouse and rented out a room to another family.

He also invested in a joint venture with his older brother to set up a haberdashery shop.

He died 25 years ago... I still miss him and think of him occasionally.

Potty Training

Last Monday, Ai Ai suddenly told me "Poop" and pointed to her diapers.

I checked it but there was no poop, so I thought that maybe she wanted to poop.

I put her on her toilet training seat and started to distract her with some reading.

And then..... I heard the much awaited "plop" sound!

Decided to quickly do up a chart to reward her with a star.

This is a good start. I have not been potty training her at all, but have only been telling her constantly that if she wants to poop, she should tell me so I can put her on the toilet seat.

The following days, she didn't tell me "Poop" or "Pee" at all... but I didn't want to put up so many "Frowns" cos it does get quite discouraging, doesn't it?

Today's Visit to Dr. Wong

Dear Ai Ai,

Daddy and I are so happy that our visit to Dr. Wong today went well.
He said that there is no evidence of any hip dysplasia as the X-ray done 6 months ago showed a normal hip, and he also could not pop your hip out today.
However, there were still those obvious clicking sounds when he moved your hips, which he said could be due to tendons and not the hips itself.
As we still cannot determine where the clicking sounds are coming from, we'll need to continue to monitor them every 6-12 months (with the occasional X-ray) till you're 6 years old, so I guess you'll be seeing more of Dr. Wong.

He said you're just a very flexible little girl, and would probably do well in ballet/dance, but not in athletics or ball games.
In running, you'll probably not run as fast as other kids.
In ball games, you'll probably be clumsier due to your flexibility.
In a nutshell, you'll probably fall more than other kids in your growing years due to your flexibility, so we'll have to try and help you build up more muscles to counter this.

Mommy is now thinking of building a brachiating ladder for you... I wonder if Daddy has the time to do it this holiday?
The one at the playground downstairs is no good as it's too high for me to hold you up for so long, and since I am unable to see your face when holding you up, you always end up hitting your face or chin on the bars... so sorry about that!

Well, I may not be the best carpenter around, but I think I can attempt this project!
Maybe I'll start with a bar across the doorway to get you used to hanging first, while working on the brachiating ladder.

Our Lazy Sunday!

Brought Ai Ai to MacRitchie Reservoir for the first time today.

We normally go to Botanic Gardens, but decided to do MacRitchie today which is nearer.

First pic shows Ai Ai stopping to "grumble" about some dirt/leaves in her shoes... such a "gu niang"!

After the short walk, we headed to our favourite Thomson Plaza for some breakfast.