BACKLOGS TO CLEAR

I have been very bad at clearing the backlogs, especially on my honey's & my mum's birthday (sorry!). So here I am trying to do my best in catching up with the pics & stories so far. Some pics are as far back as April (oops!) but they are here now for all to see. Will try to get most blogged but if I don't will still try to get all done soon. Happy reading!

My Baby Is 28 Months Old !!!

My little rascal is another month older. He's still small for his age ... sigh ... he's still not eating well. Having parents who love food, I wonder why Ryan doesn't seem so interested at all. All he wants to have are chocolate milkshakes & biscuits. Double sigh ... whats a mum to do?!

We decided to celebrate Mother's Day earlier. Since I do not expect any gift or surprises from Hubby & son, I decided to choose a nice place to eat instead. Since we have been wanting to try this new Halal restaurant called Fish & Chicks, I told the family that we were going yesterday night for dinner. The place is rather small but they do have seats outside. As my boy was his usual active self & was being rather talkative, his voice could be heard quite "well" in the small eatery.

Hubby had the fish & chips ($ 6.50), I had the BBQ Pizza ($ 7.00) & chose the Chicken Fried Rice ($ 4.50) for my boy. We had plain water for refreshments.


First came the Chicken Fried Rice accompanied with a small bowl of soup. The rice was extremely delicious, it had the "wok hei" taste, ie. the frying technique brought out the flavour very well. It also had big chunks of delicious chicken. The soup was a little bit salty. Overall, it was a winner!

The fish was a little on the small side but it was very crispy & tasty. It came with chips that was again overly salted. Nice but the fish could have been much bigger (though we've eaten some that were even smaller ... haha).

Meanwhile, the pizza was the last to arrive. It didn't look like much to shout about but it was actually very tasty. It had the right amount of BBQ sauce (which some place put too much) & they were generous with the chicken pieces that littered the pizza. As usual, I topped my pizza with slashes of parmesan cheese, chillie flakes & tobasco. This was another winner!

I didn't go there with high expectations but we were pleasantly surprised. It was definitely value for money, they don't even have service charge or GST. So what you eat is what you pay - nothing more! If I'm not wrong, they have longer opening hours during the weekends, so thats a welcome.

We will definitely drop by the place again when we have the chance.

Location :

Fish N Chicks, 602B Sembawang Road, Singapore 758458 Tel : 68520089


Happy Mother's Day to me .... !!!

Updated : Hehe ... I got a simple card from hubby & son. Well, its the thought that counts rite?

BEFORE I WAS A MOM

Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom, I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night ...

Before I was a Mom, I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at nightwatching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom, I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt!
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom, I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body
I didn't know how special it could feelto feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom, I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wondermentor, the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.


In retrospect ...

These words are so true & all Mums out there have been through it one way or another.

Motherhood is full of challenges but its also full of love, joy & devotion.

We wouldn't have it any other way.

MUMMY, MUMMY ... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !!!

I have always wanted to be a Mummy, since I got married ... so many years ago. In 2007, I was blessed by God, with a little bundle of joy & we named him Ryan. I can admit, more that 2 years on that mothering is DAMN HARD work. I always knew being a mum wasn't a walk in the park but I have to admit ... it did catch me off guard! I never expected nor knew that mothering came with endless sleepless nights, lots of panda eyes, lots of hollering, lots of patience & sheer exhaustion ... haha! (Was it just me or do all mothers go through these trying times?)
Sometimes, I feel like a zombie ... just walking around, doing the "pre-requisite" daily chores thats mundane, yet a real necessity. As I would say to Hubby, I can't really remember the first 6 months of my son's life ... oh no! ... I sound like a horrible mother! Thats because with the endless night feeds & diaper changes, terrible daily colic, medical scares, trips to A & E, doctors appointments, long hospital stays & surgery, etc. I was really having a hard time. As baby was born via emergency C-section, it took me longer to heal - physically, mentally & emotionally. All I can say is that being a Mummy .... its the hardest job in the world!

But almost 28 months down the road, as I am "celebrating" my 2nd Mother's day, I can say that I have survived! I feel so much joy & love when I look at Ryan. I am filled with pride today as I was, the day he was born. Even the littlest thing he does makes me proud, saying Tigger, cake & cold today; when he told me "no pat pat" tonight before he dozed into slumber land. My little munchkin brightens my day ... when I am down (haha ... though he can be the cause of Mummy's wrath most times). His smile melts my heart & the fact that he runs, dashes to the door each time he hears the keys turn at the door, just to greet his Papa ... I know that he loves us ... but I think we love him more (haha).

I am more confident now, when I wasn't then. I am more assured of the decisions I make for the good of my son's welfare. I know what I have to do for my son's sake. I think I have become stronger & more "soft" at the same time. I am strict & stern when I have to & I "melt" & give in to Ryan, when he gives me those googly eyes. Aah! At last, I have learnt to be ... a Mother.

What does Mother's Day mean to me? It means that I when I die, I know that I will leave a piece of me behind, in the shape of my only son. My own flesh & blood, someone that I love unconditionally & loves me unconditionally back (I hope!). Someone who looks like me (ok ok, he looks more like his Daddy but who's complaining), has inherited my eccentricities (making sure his toy buses are in straight lines), someone who shares my "talkative" nature & "adventure" for food, someone I will readily give up my life for ...

To all the GREAT Mummies I know ... My own Mum, my Sis, Rina, my Sis-in-law, Kak Idah, my two buds, Lisa & Jessie ... I salute you ladies. You were Mummies before me but I never knew how "hard" & tough being a Mummy was, until I became one. I am humbled & awed. Kudos & warmest hugs from this Mummy to you. Its tough being a Mummy ... but at the end of the day, its all worth it

Last but not least, "A Happy Mother's Day" to my beloved Mum! Eventhough she doesn't "do" the internet, I just wanted to show my love for her. She has been there for me since the day I was born, so many years ago. And she's still here with me, as I soldier on my new journey as a Mother. I never "knew" nor appreciated the sacrifices, the tears, the heartache, the worries ... she had to go through raising me as a child. She accepted me as I am, with all my stubbornness & chided me when I needed it. She supported me through the years & gave me invaluable advise on raising her last & youngest grandson. She has held my hand & guided me when I was just clueless. She has truly been a pillar of strength in our family. I sometimes jokingly call her our "CMPB" (Central Man Power Base - a Military centre) because if you wanted to know whats the latest happenings amongst the siblings, in-laws, nephews, niece, etc ... Mum is the first person to know & help, if its needed.

She readily busies herself with the family affairs, showing that she cares & wants everyone to be well & happy. She calls us everyday (sometimes up to 5 times a day when Ryan was a newborn .. hehe!) not because she wants to know everything ... she calls because she cares & loves us. I never knew my Mum's perspective of self-sacrificing & endless unconditional love until I had Ryan. When you "carried" your baby in your tummy for 9 months ... the love you have for that child is indescribable ... only a Mother can understand!

If my love for my son is any indication of the love my Mum has for me (& my siblings), I know that I am loved, cherished & adored, & for that I am truly blessed ... I thank God!

I love you Mum! Happy Mother's Day to all the hardworking & beautiful mummies !!!

P.S : All Mummies are beautiful because they deserve to be ... after ALL the tears & sacrifices ...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !!!

SWEET DREAMS MY BABY!

As I write this entry, I feel triumphant & relief at the same time. Why you might ask? My baby took his afternoon nap ALL on his OWN! Why is that such a triumph in my eyes?? Because as confessions go ... this is probably 1 that many can't fanthom. As my baby approaches his 28th month of life, I have to admit to the world that Ryan has never, I repeat NEVER, been able to sleep on his own. Since he came out of the hospital, 11 days after he was born, he has been "patted" to sleep ... till last night. He has also never slept through the night ... constantly waking up for several night feeds, nightmarish dreams, etc. So I have never known a "good" nights' sleep since my baby was born. Not that I am complaining (duh!) but sometimes its hard on the mind & body when every single night is interrupted with constant "disruptions" ... from my little bundle of joy.

Why did Ryan "slept though" (take that with a pinch of salt, ya!) the night yesterday? Thats because as I patted him to sleep at 9.30pm (as most nights) he just refused to sleep. My patience was growing v-e-r-y thin as I glanced at the bedroom clock & it screened 10.30pm. I was getting very impatient with my baby. So I stood up & declared to Ryan (& hubby in the background) :

" OK, you don't want to sleep, fine! Then, no more patting! If you insist on patting, then don't sleep until morning!"

... with that I stormed out of the room. Ok, I was being rather dramatic & overtly b***hy but I felt it was time Ryan learnt to sleep without patting from his Mama. I read recently in one of the parenting magazines that if you want your kid to sleep through the night (duh! which parent doesn't?), you just have to let the baby cry. Not "attending" to his cries & pleas ... we had to rough it out. When I read that I thought, well they don't know my Ryan. As a baby Ryan can cry non-stop for 1 & half hours (that was his record ... though I can't remember what upset him). So I thought if I had to hear Ryan cry for hours, in the middle of the night ... I couldn't possibly do it. I kept delaying it coz I knew Ryan wouldn't be able to do it ... & neither could his Mummy. But I think we, as parents sometimes underestimate our children? Though it was tough, we DID it!

I let him cry coz I knew he was damn tired as it was approaching 11pm & I dimmed the lights so that the room was darkened. I hopped on to bed & pretended to sleep. Ryan was bawling his eyes out. He cried for about 10 - 15 minutes ... then all was quiet. I guess he tired himself out. I could still hear rustling (his tiny movements) from his cot .. as he wasn't 100% asleep. He was still tossing & turning. Well, at least he wasn't crying! Finally about 20 minutes later, all was quiet. Heaven!

Ryan carried on waking up at least six more times that night. Each time, he cried & bawled. Several times, he tried to get my attention by touching me (my side of the bed is beside his cot). He even tried to put his BFF Barney beside me, trying to entice me to wake up & pat him (I guess). I turned round to pick up BFF Barney & put it inside the cot & tell him to sleep ... "Mummy, no pat pat". He kept on crying ... then he gave up, laid down & kept on sobbing. After a while, the crying stops but the rustlings can still be heard. A couple of minutes passed, then all is quiet again. Ahhh......!

During one of his bawls, he managed to cough himself hoarse (but of course) ... & he cried for "water". I stood up & took his water bottle & told him quietly " Ok, Mummy give you water but no milk. After that, you go back to sleep". After awhile, I took the water away & he turned to his left & slept. Wow! that worked ... & I smiled. I climbed into bed. Within a few minutes, Ryan wakes up & cries again (maybe he realised that he didn't get his nightly milk-milk). Sigh .... I tried to ignore him & soon he fell asleep on his own ... again.

To do this, I had to have the nerves of "steel" I guess. Hubby commented that it makes his heart ache to hear Ryan cry all night (duh! as if it doesn't break MY heart!). But sometimes, we have to do what needs to be done. We have to let our children cry so that they can lead "nomal" lives ... so that their parents can stay sane. We have to let them cry, bawl, sob, drool, fall ... all for the sake of growing up. Many a times in our life, as parents, there are things that we might not enjoy doing, the things that our children NEED to learn, accept even ... that life is full of challenges. Not everything in life is all peachy ... that we need to be tough, we need to be stern, we need to be strict, we need to be "evil" even ... all in the name of LOVE. We all want our children to grow into independent adults, to be self-sufficient, to be responsible, to be a good human being. So thats what we have to do ...

Today before nap time in the afternoon, I kep mentioning to Ryan that he was a good boy yesterday night "No pat pat, no milk milk". Hugged him & tell him that he was a good "big" boy. When nap time came, I gave him his warm milk bottle & asked him to sleep, "No pat pat", I reminded him. He kinda understood what I was trying to relay to him. Though he didn't nod off immediately, he soon dozed off on his own with no pat pat from his Mummy. I smiled ... & soon after I am on the computer writing about it.

It may seem so uneventful for some ... but its a new beginning for me & Ryan. Since last April, Ryan has vehemently refused any nightly pat pats from his Daddy, it has been Mummy's "job" to do so. It is with great earnesty that I announce, that now (hopefully) Ryan has come full circle ... & soon he won't even need pats from his Mama.

Tonight will be another round of cries & bawls ... but I hope that Ryan will make it through ... strong & well-rested. I expect it to last for at least a couple of nights before the coast is clear but I am hopeful ... & thankful for everything. I'm just glad that I decided to try .... or else how would I know that Ryan was ready. I think it was more that his Mummy wasn't ready. I will take away that ... as a lesson ... that I must at least try ... for Ryan's sake!

Wish me luck, this next couple of nights! Sweet dreams!!!

Random Pics

Just one of the latest pic of hubby & son. They look happy here ... so that makes me happy!

P.S : They are both wearing red here (so was muah)... aww! Don't they look adorable! My little twin boys.

Ok ... Ok, have to admit I am waaayyyy behind in the updates on the blog. I have tons of pics to upload & comments to share but I just can't find the time to do it all. Just when I have the chance to update some ... I go take more pics & vids ... duh! It seems endless ... but its a good "problem" to have, I guess. More pics means more family time with my hubby & son, more wonderful experiences, more memorable escapades, more weekend outings, etc. I shouldn't be complaining ... ok, ok I won't! Just wish I had more time in my days ... to do more things in my life. Well, we all wish for that ... don't we??

Why do I have sooo many photos to upload? That's because I carry my digicam everywhere I go (in my bag) ... haha! Though its rather heavy & cumbersome, its the only one we have. Buying a new one is outta the question right now as we dun want to spend the money on it (haha! neither can we spare it). Actually, the digicam is pretty good, just wish it was much slimmer & lighter. Well, we can't have everything, can we??

Ok, I resolve to get most of the backlog done soon ... one day!

A Trip To Ah Kun

Ryan loves his kaya toast & since Mummy & Daddy loves eating at Ah Kun (Ya Kun Toast) ... he now loves it too. He calls it "bread" though.

Here are just some random pics I took ... of him playing, for the first time, with his new Doremon mini bus that I bought for him earlier in the day.

Isn't my Doremon bus cute Daddy?

Whilst doing up this post, I realise that some of my entries are rather plain or should I say rather "mundane". I take countless pics of my son & hubby doing the simplest fare like eating toast or posing at rides. Hah! our lives are sooo "exciting". Some blogs show people on vacations & such but mine shows my family doing simple stuff & nothing extraordinary. It may seem like I am taking photos of such mundane things but that's the life that we lead. We are simple people just living a simple life ... so our outings & such ... seem so ordinary to others. I can't blame them for thinking so but I am grateful for my simple life ... no dramas for muah!
Whenever I look though the blog, I usually have a smile on my face as each entry tells a story of the time that we spent as a family. I reminisent all the places we've been to, the places we dine, the things we buy, the experiences we shared. Due to our financial budget, we don't really get to do things that require a lot of money ... no vacations, no posh restaurants, no expensive "rides" for this family. We have learnt to live within our means & we will make it through. Even with our limited resources, I will make sure that my son doesn't miss out on the littlest things. We may not be able to give him a lot of new toys or the latest gadgets. Nor can we afford to bring him to overseas trips or celebrate huge birthday bashes for him ... but hubby & me will make sure that he gets the best that we can offer.
I've been feeling kinda nostalgic these days ... why? I dunno. All I know is that I wanna give Ryan the best that I can. I think all mothers & fathers want that for their children. I just hope that I can do that ... for my beloved son.

Another Weekend

We spent some time over the weekend over at IMM in Jurong East. IMM is a treasure trove of kiddy rides & "tikam-tikam" machines. These machines are full of trinkets & such of varying interests. You put coins in the machines, twirl the thing & out comes a surprise, in a plastic "bubble". We spied with interest some machines that offered Thomas the train trinkets so we decided to try our luck. Well, we weren't that lucky coz we "played" 2 times but got a bridge of sorts & a crane, instead of the much coverted trains of various colours. Well you can be sure when we next see one of these machines ... we will definitely try again. Wish us luck!

As usual, Ryan had a go at the various rides.

My kid concentrating very hard on "driving" his big yellow car

Looking very confident in his "driving" skills

Riding with Bob The Builder!

I'm driving Bob ... you just stay where you are!

I'm glad Bob stayed put, I can drive off now!

This is a big "statue" of Singa (I think thats its name) the mascot of such campaigns like the Courtesy Campaign (in the past). Currently its being "resurrected" for the latest "Singapore Kindness Movement". Why does Singapore need a campaign to promote kindness & courtesy & such??? Thats because its people definitely needs one! I have been at the brunt of many nasty & bl**dy inconsiderate Singaporeans many a times & though I'm sure that not every Singaporean is that nasty/awful, I have been unlucky to have met & encountered many that showed that there we as a nation, are definitely in need of some "education" in grasciousness.

Well, I welcome any campaign that hopes to knock some courteous sense in their "empty heads. Though Singapore is full of the kiasu & over-compensating stooges, I have met strangers who keeps my faith in mankind. I can only hope that Singapore can one day change for the better ... I can hope but I really doubt that it will happen anytime soon. As the years pass, I see it becoming worse & the how the next generation is being raised ... I doubt that Singapore will become a gracious society in my lifetime. I can only pray for Ryan though ...

Awww ... Ryan giving Singa a helping hand

Daddy, is that a PEACE sign I see?

There's Mummy!

OK, 1 cheesy pose for you, Mummy!

Another sip of the beloved milkshake.

When these pics were taken we were at Mac's. We decided to take the corner-most seats as it was one of the few seats untaken. On Ryan's left were a pair of youngsters who were on their notebooks. It was obvious they were there to take advantage of the FREE web-surfing. They did not even bother to buy any food or drinks. When we decided to take a seat beside them, the guy looked irritated. That kinda bugged me. As my hyper-active boy can never really keep still, it was obvious that Ryan "irritated" that fella even more. When we were seated, he didin't even bother to move his bag, so that left very little space for hubby & son to squeeze in the corner. As Ryan kept moving, he kinda got close to that fella's bag. Though Ryan didn't step nor "touched" the bag, the fella showed his "displeasure" by giving us the "evil-eye" & by repeatedly pulling his bag away but didn't bother to move it. I mean if you are really damn irritated by a two year old (who by the way, is just trying to finish his milkshake with the tiny space that you "gave" him) & there's plenty of space on your other side & in the front chair, why don't you just move that stupid bag? Not only did he squeeze-out my family, he had the cheek to give me a nasty look. I really don't understand these people that are literally free-loaders. They buy a single drink (some don't even bother with that cursory drink) & choose the most comfy seats & stay there for hours on end. It doesn't bother them that others are there to eat & need a seat to munch on their food. They simply can't be bothered with other people's needs ... they just care about themselves!

Too many times I have seen & encountered these inconsiderate free-loading creatures. They even have the cheek to use the electrical sockets to charge their laptops, handphones, mp3s, etc. It irritates me on end! They should just stay at home & use their own electricity! I have seen these ugly behaviour in coffee joints, libraries, below the void decks even (they find a electric socket to charge their handphones) & countless fast food joints. Its one thing to eat & go (like most people do) so that the next customer can enjoy the same treatment but to stay at their seats for hours on end without a thought for others is a damn disgrace! But then again, this is Singapore & everywhere you turn ... there are plenty examples of UGLY behaviour. I ain't no angel nor do I profess to be good in every sense but I ain't no table hogger either. I hope these people, will realise one day how inconsiderate they really are but I also know that if they can do it, they definitely don't care what others think of them. Well, that's obvious right!!!

More Rides

My kid never tires of them rides. Why are kids so attracted to them? Beats me!

It doesn't take much to make this kid happy!

Mummy ... see me fly!

"Bananas in pajamas ... are climbing down the stairs". So the song goes ... If you are about my age (which I'm not telling), you would remember these guys. They were sooo popular with the kids then but I guess there's plenty of distractions these days from other toons & such, simple fare like them Bananas B1 & B2 are sooo ol' fashioned. I kinda liked them ... but Ryan don't seem to fancy them much ... well, you can't please everyone, especially a 2 year old who is bombarded with Playhouse Disney triade of Mickey, Pooh Bear, Little Einsteins & Noddy!

Mummy, I'm gonna squint now ...

Let me press this red button & see what it does ...

Err .. the red button aint doing nothing!

Mummy, I finished my train ride ... we can go NOW!

Thomas The Train Ride

Ryan's latest craze, among others, is Thomas the train. So whenever we see Mr Thomas, he can't help but wanna ride him. This time we amused him with a coin ride. Me little munchkin was very happy!

His outfit kinda matched Thomas.

Aiyah! Why so tight?

Me no like when me ride train ... some kid touches me train.

When they ride, Mummy never lets me touch their ride ... coz its rather RUDE, don't ya think?

A happy smile, from my munchkin!

Looking smart indeed ... as the train conductor.

Daddy looking rather "worried" ... why Daddy?

Daddy, dun cover my face lah!