JUST SOME RANDOM PICS

Just some random pics to upload. The 1st three pics were taken at the famous Zam Zam restaurant (can't recall their exact name), opposite the majestic & historical Sultan Mosque. Many eateries serve the same food there but the ever jam-packed eatery, is more like an institution of sorts, with its famous beryani & murtabak. No other place comes close. Though they have raised their prices recently we still go there coz the food is so delicious, the teh tarik is "killing" & its still value for money. If only they could "contain" the aroma of the food to the kitchen area ... coz every time we go there, we leave the place smelling like a yummy plate of beryani. Oh well, you can't have everything right?!

On this occasion, we took my parents & my niece, Ayra along for the delicious lunch. It must have been a Sunday ... coz I don't really remember this day (haha!). Why am I so sure that it was a Sunday? Because most Sundays (at least once a month, if we can), we bring my parents out for some "makan", shopping, & sight-seeing. Though we don't go anywhere special nor expensive, its my & hubby's way of saying thank you to my parents, for all their support & love, that they've shown our way. Its more than filial piety I tell you coz we don't have to bring them out if we don't want to, but I know it "thrills" my parents, especially my mum, just being able to shop at leisure.

My mum is a bit of a home-body who doesn't really venture in public. She hates public transport (haha! who doesn't?) & prefers to take her own personal car-trips because she has trouble with her knees (which I totally understand). As only my brother-in-law (sis' hubby) & my hubby drives & own cars, its up to us to make the old folks happy. If trips out shopping & running errands makes my mum happy, hey why not. Its the least I can do to bring a smile on her face for all that she's done for me & my family. I can't buy her gold or bring her for expensive holidays or dinners but I sure can bring her out to buy this & that. Its just my small way to show her that I appreciate her love, her concern, her delicious cooking, her advise, her never-ending "nagging" ... oops! I mean, words of wisdom.

Talking about weekend trips out, we have one awaiting ... since mum hasn't been out recently.

Ryan in his Daddy's loving arms.

Ryan squirming away, whilst his grandpa (on hubby's right), ponders away.

This cutie pie is my lovable niece, Ayra ... a splitting image of her mummy, my younger sis!

The photo above was taken in KFC. At one point, Ryan loved eating the chicken at KFC. We used to go there at least once a week. I know, I know ... its not the most healthy of food but that's what my kid wanted ... so we go where Ryan eats the food, suckers we are. Lately we haven't been there much coz Ryan seem to not "appreciate" the food anymore. Besides, I have a bone to pick with KFC. I am a Chicky Club member (under Ryan's name coz only kids can join, duh!) so I get a 10% discount on certain purchases. What bugs me is that they sometimes tend to round up instead of rounding down the costs of each meal after the discounts (unlike NTUC, which rounds down).

I told the server once that if they insist of rounding up the cost, then I can pay with 1-cent coins (which I carry specifically for instances like this) but she said that they don't accept 1 cent coins (say what?!!!). They round up or down at their own discretion ... which is not right! Its not as if the membership is free! Yes, we do get free kiddy stuff upon subscription & a free magazine every quarter or so but that's besides the point. They should really standardise this issue ... & they shouldn't be charging their customers extra, when they use their cards. If this continues, I will definitely reconsider if I want to renew my membership for next year. Its the principle, not the miserly coins that matter to me. Arrgh!!!

One more shot, Mummy!

Aww! Look at their tilted heads ... they look so adorable together!

Mummy, look inside my mouth!

Hey, is that Snoopy on top?

Yup, its Snoopy all right!

Ryan, the ambulance driver?

Papa, can we go there next?

Over there, Papa!

A night look in Orchard.

A TRIP TO CHANGI AIRPORT

We decided to make a short stopover at the ever famous & efficient, one of the world's best airport - Changi International Airport. We brought Ryan here once, when he was much younger but this time round he appreciated the trip more coz he he seems to understand that the gigantic metal "creatures" on the runways were actually big, big planes.

As he calls them "copters" (short for helicopters), some passer-bys must be wondering why we teach our kid that aeroplanes are called helicopters but to heck with them. If my two year old son wants to call them copters, then copters they are. As long as he loves them & wish to call it whatever he wants to, I simply can't be bothered that people might think I am teaching my son the "wrong" thing. Who cares what they think?! If Ryan wants to call planes "copters", I'll be damned if I am gonna tell my son he is wrong, just to amuse those narrow-minded asses. So there!

Hhmmm ... his "wonderful" poses just keeps growing, doesn't it!

A sweet, saccharine smile for Mummy!

Papa, you hold the bag while I see the copters.

A wistful glance at the planes.

Concentrating hard on the aeroplanes taking off the runway.

Daddy showing the finer points of appreciating the flying metal birds.

Reaching high!

I don't want to go yet, Papa!!!

When we were done admiring the planes it dawned to me that it would be quite a while before we can take Ryan on board a plane. Eventhough, hubby & me have been to parts of Malaysia & Australia, it will be some time before we can afford the costs of travelling by plane, as a family of three. I really hope it will be soon because I want to take my son for a ride on a plane, one that he will love & enjoy. My dream is to bring him to a Disneyland, if not the one in the USA at least the one in Hong Kong or Japan. Well, I can hope & wish ... that it will be soon!

BACK-DATED POSTS & MORE ...

Ok some posts that were way long overdue - my mum's & hubby's birthday in April. As usual, it was a small family affair, with a chocolate cake & some yummy food for everyone to savour. Its funny how some members of my family have birthdays that are so close together or even fall on the same day. It does make things 'simpler' though as we tend to celebrate every one's birthday, albeit on a small scale, its easier if we can kill 2 birds with 1 small stone.

As there are 15 of us in this family, that makes out to be at least a dozen or so of celebrations. I ain't complaining ... though I really wonder when my parents are no longer around, whether we will still be celebrating each other's birthdays. Deep in my heart, I really doubt that it will continue, as my siblings & me each have our own families & lives ... It really does seem that my parents are really the ones "holding" up & "gelling" this family together, with them gone, I guess so will the "united front" that we have ...

I still hope that in the future that we will still be able to have our usual mini-gatherings, meet-ups & outings or even holidays together. It would be really sad ... & such a waste, if we decided to stop it totally coz at the end of the day, family is all you have, to me anyway. Friends, colleagues, acquaintances, neighbours, etc. they all come & go but your family will still be there for you. Sometimes, they may not be able to help much but their presence & support is everlasting & is always much appreciated. Family don't have ulterior motives & don't go round thinking of ways to screw you up or "con" you, like some people we know in our lives. Well, most family that is ... haha!

Happy Birthday to two of the most special people to me ... Mum & Hubby. They are both my ardent supporters & greatest critics. I don't know what I'll do without them in my life. They may be born on the same day but till today, I don't really see much similarities between those two (other than the fact that they both love me ... haha!), except for several instances. I know, they both love their family very very much & they are both extremely self-sacrificing ... hhmm, I guess they are more similar than not!

I do wish I can make their birthdays more special but I do hope in my own small way, they both know that I love & treasure their presence in my life. Mum has been there for me from day one, caring & loving me as a mummy; whilst hubby has restored my faith in love, when we started our lives together. We have been through countless ups & downs but I never once doubted that we will come out of it all, stronger. I am grateful for both their love & unconditional support, for I know sometimes I am hard to love. My stubbornness, opinionated mind & talkative nature can a lot of times, be over-bearing & barely tolerated, but they still choose to accept & love me.

Especially hubby, who has been having such a tough time at work ... he has been strong & steady, keeping his pride intact in face of adversity & criticisms. I love you darling. No matter what we have in store for the future, I have the utmost faith in you. No matter which way you choose to turn, you have my & Ryan's utmost support & love. We know you will succeed in your choices & that you will show all those disbelievers & critics that you are a gem. They doubt your capabilities & question your educational assets but they are the losers in the end. They do not see the hard worker, the self-sacrificing employee, the workaholic, the 1st to arrive & last to leave mentality that you have, they don't see your potential in a different field, they do not treasure what you are ... it is their loss!

I can see & know that you will be a great success for I have faith in you but most of all I know that you will work hard because you want a better life for your family & that is something that humbles me. I know that I am blessed to have you as my beloved hubby. You take care of me & Ryan without complaints & ruse, you do things without expecting anything in return. you love us for all that we are, you think of your family 1st & foremost. I can't ask for more ....

Just a few pics etched, to mark my mum's & hubby's special day!

My mum, my son Ryan & my niece, Ayra ... posing for memories.

One more shot Mama!

Ayra keeps her peace sign constant ...

Just simple food for all.

The cake we bought from Prima Deli. It was extremely delicious, I will definitely buy this again!

Hubby & my mum, & of course Ryan.


Hubby clapping away!

Birthday gal cutting the cake, whilst Ayra "grabs" the 1st available piece to munch.

The family sitting around.

The kiddy gang!

My sis having a bite.

My siblings round the table.

RYAN'S VOCABULARY ... SO FAR

I have always wanted to get a list done of the words that Ryan has spoken so far but have not. To my utter amazement, my baby actually uttered his 1st word when he was just 8 months old. You may find that hard to believe but its really true. Guess what was his 1st word? It was C-A-T! Haha! Baby the cat (bless his soul) should be so honoured! I guess Ryan was tickled pink by the creature that was always lurking in the kitchen, that furry lil ball. The cat always scurried away when Ryan chased after him in his baby walker.

What do they say about kids that talk (very) early? That they learn to walk later? Well, it was kinda true for Ryan. He only started walking at 13 months. He was just getting the hang of walking, when he fell terribly sick at 15 months & had to be warded for 12 days at the local children's hospital, with surgery (& lots of follow-up visits). It was a really stressful time for us. Whilst he was there, he had to be poked (so many times I lost count at 12 times) because he had small veins (duh! he was only 15 months old - what do u expect doctor!) & also because the juniour doctors took him like a practise pin-cushion.

He really wasn't feeling well ... high fever and all. The drip was on the left hand here.

Look at that face ... my poor boy! Notice the drip is on the right hand here.

Taking him round the ward for a stroll, he was having cabin fever. By this time, they decided to poke the drip on his left feet.

Holding the "Stitch" pen I bought for him, to cheer him up.

My baby still managing a cheeky smile, after all he's been through.

I think, someone should tell these juniour doctors to practise/learn their skills elsewhere before they poke mercilessly on my sick child. I even had to "help" the doctors hold my screaming child down so that they can inflict more pain on him ,,, so that they can "drip" him. It breaks my heart just thinking about it but as I told them solemnly ... it was a necessary evil, it had to be done (duh! like we had any choice). Ok, ok why am I talking about the hospital stay ... its because after poking so many veins on both his tiny hands & arms, they told me they couldn't find any more veins so they had to poke him in the feet/legs (& when the feet were done too, they had to poke at the NECK - OMG!!!). Do you know how painful that was ... for Ryan & for his parents to watch?? So with drips on his feet, Ryan couldn't walk ... not that he had the inclination nor the energy to walk. So by the time we left the hospital, Ryan kinda "forgot" how to walk (since he was so new to this "business" of walking) ... my poor poor baby!

Last day of hospital stay. We dressed him in his own pants as we were eager to bring him home. Here he is walking round the wards, for the 1st time in 12 days. He was very wobbly & unsure of his tiny steps.

The pics weren't very clear coz it was taken by my old handphone, not the digicam. When you are dead tired for 12 straight days & your baby isn't well, you don't think of bringing the digicam with you. I wasn't sure of putting up the pics from his hospital stay here coz it was s sad reminder of his terrible ordeal. But I thought, well good or bad ... things happen for a reason. Putting it up was a window into our world of being Ryan's parents & it showed how we managed to pull through together as a family.

When Ryan's all grown up & sees these pics, he would be surprised that mummy had the "strength" to even take pictures of him, whilst being exhausted for 12 straight nights from non-existent sleep. It was a real drainer but it wasn't anything compared to what Ryan had to go through. Imagine being 15 months old & having strangers constantly touching, poking, hovering over you. Not to mention the never-ending doses of medication, temperature taking, blood pressure readings, drips, bandage-changes, blood tests, ultrasounds, x-rays, etc ... but most of all - the surgery he had to endure. It was a best forgotten nightmare ... one that I wouldn't ever want to repeat (though I think hubby & me are practically pros at it by now ... haha!)

Ok, I am totally digressing. When I think of all that we've been through as a family, as Ryan's parents ... its been quite a ride, so far. We've had our ups & downs but we are still here, standing & breathing.

Today, Ryan spoke some new words :

01. Eh-bow (elbow)
02. Armpit
03. Ring (my wedding band)
04. Sheep (from cartoon "Word World")

And some that has been in his repertoire :

05. Copter (helicopter)
06. Train
07. Car (one of his 1st few words too)
08. Bus (his obsession)
09. Papa (he used to call Daddy but he stopped & changed to Papa)
10. Mama (took him a looong time to call me)
11. Nenek (Malay for Grandma)
12. Atok (Malay for Grandpa)
13. Kakak (Malay for Elder sister)
14. Abang (Malay for Elder brother)
15. Adik (Malay for younger sis/brother)
16. Bibik (Malay for Auntie)
17. Uncle
18. Auntie
19. Jie-jie (Chinese for elder sis)
20. Kor-kor (Chinese for elder brother)
21. Ti-ti (Chinese for younger brother)
22. Mei-mei (Chinese for younger sis)
23. Bar (Barney)
24. Bear (esp. for Winnie the Pooh bear from "My Friends Tigger & Pooh")
25. Tigger
26. Frog
27. Turtle
28. Cat (but of course!)
29. Dog
30. Pig
31. Duck
32. Fish (rarely)
33. Bird (he likes birds)
34. Toes
35. Neck
36. Rice
37. Bread
38. Milk
39. Tata (prata - local pancake)
40. No
41. I dun wan (I don't want)
42. I see a copter (I see a helicopter - we live near an airbase)
43. Ter (water)
44. Big ter (big water - for water features like fountains)
45. Sim (swim - we took him swimming recently)
46. Push
47. Pull (rarely)
48. Door
49. Clock
50. Book
51. Draw
52. Take
53. Ball
54. Chair (rarely)
55. Eyes (rarely)
56. Cook
57. Mum-mum (eat)
58. Bathe
59. Bubbles
60. Stuck (he uses this when something doesn't work or cannot be moved)
61. Knee
62. Dirt-dirt (dirty)
63. Bag
64. Fork (lately he has been saying this very often, hope he hasn't picked up the "curse-words" we have been muttering, when others cut dangerously into our lanes whilst driving)
65. Die (ermm ... I know! its a bad word for a 2 year old to say, trying to get him to stop)
66. Kick
67. Open (rarely)
68. Tree (rarely)
69. Light
70. Carry
71. Scared
72. Box
73. Wash
74. Watch (rarely)
75. Wear
76. Hot or hot-hot
77. Wet or wet-wet
78. Cry
79. Hair
80. Dun like that (huh?)
81. Go
82. Go outside (got it from me)
83. Go out
84. Take bus
85. Take car
86. Eat rice (or I wan rice)
87. Eat bread
88. No pat-pat (he used to be patted to sleep)
89. No milk-milk
90. No cry
91. Sit
92. Pete (a cartoon character from "The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse")
93. Dibo (a animation character - "Dibo The Gift Dragon")
94. Blast off! (a common phrase uttered by the gang from cartoon "Little Einsteins")
95. Tower (picked up from animation series "The Backyardigans")
96. Towel
97. Put
98. Close (sounds more like cose)
99. On top (when something's high up)
100. Keep it
101. Tit-bit
102. Keropok (Malay for crackers)
103. Duduk (Malay for sit)
104. Apa? (Malay for what?)
105. Habis (Malay for finish/ed)
106. Twinkle star (for nursery rhyme - twinkle twinkle little star)
107. Star
108. Tah (Chinese for beat/ing)
109. Beat
110. Bye
111. Hi
112. See you
113. Hello (rarely)
114. Tak nak (Malay for don't want)
115. Nunder (Thunder)
116. Rain-rain
117. Cover
118. Wipe
119. Bush teth (brush teeth)
120. I take ... (ball, book, bus, train, etc.)
121. I wan milk (I want milk)
122. Up
125. Up there
126. So high
127. Bike (Motorbike)
128. Crane
129. Truck
130. Ban (Van)
131. Sleep
132. Socks
133. Pants
134. Sirt (Shirt)
135. Hat
136. Cut
137. Hold
138. Pain (pain-pain)
139. Shoes
140. Wear Shoes (pants, hat, bag, etc.)
141. Boots ("Dora The Explorer's" pet monkey)
142. Kick ball
143. Trow (throw)
144. Pick up
145. Keep
146. Cut
147. Cut it
148. I carry
149. I put
150. Hole (hold)
151. I hole (I hold)
152. Doctor (rarely)
153. Fower (Flower - rarely)
154. One
155. Two
156. Three
157. Four
158. Five
159. Six
160. Eight (rarely)
161. Nine
162. Apple
163. Pear
164. Cole (Cold or cold-cold)
165. Fan
166. Wind (rarely)
167. Stand
168. Give
169. Bus stop (his favourite)
170. Bus go!
171. Train go!
172. Bye bus!
173. Bye train!
174. Bye ... (Nenek, Kakak, Bibik, Uncle, Jie jie, Kor kor, etc.)
175. Bye copter! (bye helicopter)
176. I sit
177. I go
178. Pay
179. I pay
180. Buy
181. I buy
182. I keep
183. I push
184. I take
185. Jum (jump)
186. I jump
187. Dance
188. I dance
189. Mama dance (he wants me to dance or he wants me to watch him dance)
190. Mem-mem (Spiderman ... haha! don't ask me why he calls it that)
191. I take train
192. I take bus
193. I walk
194. I run
195. Play
196. I play
197. I stand
198. I draw
199. I put
200. I trow (I throw)
201. I wear
202. Give
203. I give
204. Mama bathe
205. Papa bathe
206. I bathe
207. I bird (his penis)
208. Papa bird
209. Mama no bird (haha!)
210. I no sleep
211. Kiss
212. I kiss
213. Tutup (Malay for Close)
214. Big bird
215. Bawoon (balloon)
216. Tiger
217. Fall
218. I Fall