TRANSFORMERS, TRANSFORMERS ... EVERYWHERE!

Yes ... my boy is obsessed with Transformers. Yep, when I say obsessed I really mean O-B-S-E-SS-ED! He can watch the 2 Transformers movies all day, his record was 3 full movies in 1 day! He plays with his Transformers figurines every single day, I tell you! Yes! he even kisses them sometimes ... just to show me (or whoever's available) ... that he looo-ves them plastic robots. Yes, other robotic machinery are called "row-bot" (robot) but Transformers (which are "special" robots), are "blessed" (by Ryan), with the name of - "Mem-mem".

By now, friends & family know what Ryan means when he says "Mem-mem" ... & that excites him even more, I guess. When people amuse him by acknowledging his interests, he gets very excited & proceeds to gush about his "love-affair" with them "Mem-mems". My sis even said once - "Isn't he a bit young for Transformers?". I (really) never thought so ... as Ryan liked them, almost immediately, at 2 + years old. I only realised my sis comments were true, when I started searching for some accessories for Ryan. I had wanted to buy a small haversack with a Transformers picture (of Bumble Bee) or logo for his nursery class next year ... but all I could find, were bags that were sized for a primary school-er. Way too big for my tiny boy! We searched high & low for the bag & nearly gave up. Finally, we settled on a ... errm .... "replica", in a local pasar malam ... & it cost us only a mere 6 bucks!

I used to be a big snob about buying fakes (still am, I guess). Things that were not original, were shunned big time by me. I guess that's why I over-spent BIG time, in my previous lifetime (yep, the lifetime before Ryan was conceived & born)! Now ... I'm not too sure. I still don't fancy fake stuff ... sorry, their quality is horrible & the workmanship is downright disgusting (most times). But these days, I'll rather get a look-alike than buy a fake good that tries to pass off as the original thing. Yep, Ryan has used shoes that looked like Crocs (but they are not fake Crocs, ya!), Winnie the Pooh face towels, Thomas the Train bathing towel, etc. Things that are subjected to a lot of wear & tear & won't be able to last that long. Don't wanna spend money on things that get tossed ... just after a few months wear. Well, that's just me .... these days!

One thing that I refuse to buy fake - his Transformers! Almost immediately after the 2nd movie, the fake Transformers popped up in several small shops. Of course, Ryan never fails to point them out to me ... hehe, I guess in a hope that I'll buy them for him? Nope! ... Never have, never will! If I had to spend a small fortune to buy a toy that's supposed to transform from a shiny yellow Corvette to a COOL robot alien, then I'll rather spend my money on the REAL ones. So there! Yes, they are rather expensive but we've been lucky that we did not spend a large amount of money on his Transformers figurines, as we had a bunch of (free) Takashimaya vouchers, that needed to get used ... so we purchased my son's obsession with them. Thank God!

These pics were taken in the cavernous Vivo City. The 1st four photos were taken in the huge Toys R' Us, one of Ryan's favourite store (but of course!). There has been an Optimus Prime at the entrance, for the longest time (since the 1st movie?) but as Ryan didn't fancy Optimus ... until recently, he never wants to get his picture taken with the Prime. Now its sooo different! He's come to love & admire the Autobots leader sooo much, that he sometimes picks the Prime over the lovable Bumble Bee. Haha! kids ... they love one thing now ... another, the next minute! Luckily, I took the pics with Optimus this time (way in October), as Toys R' Us recently changed the huge figurine with a Ben 10 one! (Yucks! never liked Ben 10!)

All hail the leader, Optimus Prime!

Isn't Optimus handsome, Mummy? Can we take him home? Please ... pretty please???

These were taken in the store. Sshhh! I'm sure photography is not allowed but I kinda secretly snapped these 2 photos, as I knew Ryan loved them.

Mummy, I'm a Transformer too! ... Yes???

Well, we had some time for Ryan's old favourite (hehe, old ... as in just a couple of months old) ... Thomas The Train.

A jeep ... with Dinosaurs (& an egg) on top.

Hhhm ... looking a bit tired, I see.

This photo of Ryan on a carousel, looks rather dark (just like the previous 2 pics too). I really don't know why? Sigh! must be my digicam acting up again!

Same ride ... but a much better photo, rite? My silly camera is playing tricks on me again!

IS IT DECEMBER ALREADY???

Yep, a whole year is nearly coming to an end ... so have you done everything you set out to do in wee January 2009?

Me ... I stopped making new year resolutions so many eons ago ... coz first, I never get them done (haha! lazy being the key word here). Secondly. resolutions become meaningless when its all a bunch of "promises" that are always-never fulfilled. Thirdly, I know myself too well ... it'll just be a waste of time to tell myself, order thyself to go and do something ...

So after all is said & done, the year is gonna end whether I made resolutions or not. Whether I made it through the year, unscathed & alive is more important to me. This year has been a mixed bag of emotions - good & bad, happy & sad. There were high points & low ones were, aplenty.

I learnt a lot about myself ... how weak I can get, how strong I can be, how the future ... can be changed if I want it to. As we enter the month of December, I foresee a bunch of enjoyable times ahead - with bonuses, birthdays, public holidays, etc. But December also brings a lot of sadness to me too - its the month my lovable cat, Baby died (last year, in 2008). It is also the month my dear Mother-in-law passed away.

I know Hubby always gets (very) sad this time of the year. I know he misses his dear mum very much. I miss her too ... sometimes. She was a gentle, loving, wonderful lady. I lucked out when I got her as my mum-in-law coz I never had an "evil", demanding, naggy or ever-imposing MIL, like a lot of married women. I had a relatively smooth relationship with her. She was very caring, ever self-sacrificing (to a point of suffering) & she's always concerned about our well-being.

One of my greatest regret was not being able to have my son, Ryan ... whilst she was still alive. I know she would have loved Ryan very very much. He (Ryan) would be her only grandson ... to carry on the family's surname. And I guess coz Ryan looks soo much like his Daddy, I know Mum would have loved him even more.

I was blog-hopping the other day & saw a bunch of cute photos of a cat that looked like Baby. I was quickly reminded of him, how he used to meow (excessively), greedily eat too much, slept like a piggy & being nonchalant about most things around him. When he was alive, he did not fail to "irritate" me (most days) but I knew I loved him. Being with me for close to 18 long years, he was like a "son" to me, someone that I had the responsibility to take care of ... until his end of days.

Why do we miss the ones we love so much ... when they are surely gone? Is it because we miss telling them, how much we loved them, how much they mean to us, how much they brighten our days, how much regret ... we would feel in our hearts because we were too shy ... to say it? Why do we keep silent with tender words of kindness (& love) but easily lambast those who hurt us? Isn't it more fulfilling to tell someone you love them ... rather then being nasty & horrible to them? We don't value the ones that we love, the ones that love us despite our imperfections, in spite of all our weaknesses, in spite of all of our wrong-doings, in spite of all our warts! Shouldn't we show & profess love ... now .... before its too late ... for regrets!

I do not wish to live with regrets (though that's aplenty) ... that's why I am making a concerted effort (more than ever) to tell & show the people who love me .... that I love them too. Who knows ... if our time runs short? Who knows if its our (or their) time to leave? Who knows what tomorrow brings? Everyone ... please give the ones you love, a big hug tonight! It'll be worth it, I tell you!

Sigh ... I guess we all miss ... the ones that are gone, the ones that are lost .... but they will always be remembered in our hearts ... forever.

Rest in peace, Mum & Baby! We miss you both ... always!

P.S : As I write & read this entry, I can't help but have tears in my eyes. Yes ... I'm mushy & cry easily but ... I can't help it. That's just who I am, I guess.

RYAN'S B-I-G RED RIDE

This ride is pretty realistic ... it really does look like a real sports car. The ones that we surely cannot afford (& even if we could ... we wouldn't). The ones that most (much) older men (with lots of moolah to waste) ... experiencing a mid-life crisis ... would buy! Its a red, black, mean machine ... & my boy enjoys sitting on it ... if only, for awhile.

As my Hubby pointed recently, to his son - "Like Mummy said ... Never, ever buy a car, that costs more than a house!" ... Yep, I really said that, whilst commenting about how wasteful & frivolous people can be ... with their hard-earned money. But I never thought that Hubby would turn my many often-ramblings, into a quotable QUOTE! Haha! I see the "wise-ness" in it ... & yet I guess most people, really don't!

Why would someone ... anyone spend S$ 250,000 on something, with four wheels! A car is just a means of transportation, it gets you from Point A to Point B. As long as it's safe & affordable, we are happy as peaches. Do you know what a quarter of a million dollars can do for the poor or needy? Do you know how much a charitable organisation can do with that kind of money? Do you know how many families can be helped with that moolah?? Isn't there a better way to spend that hard-earned money ... than being a show-off ... that's parading, telling the whole world - "Hey! I can afford a Porshe/Ferrari/BMW .... can you, huh?" People can be so wasteful sometimes, it really amazes me ... what goes on in their head!?

I let Ryan sit on this ride ... coz its the only sports car we can ever "afford". Even if Ryan can afford one (when he's an adult), I hope I would have instilled in him, values ... built enough character & maturity ... to see that wastefulness is not how, we try to lead our lives. I hope, even when Hubby & me are long gone ... my son will not lead a spendthrift life. I hope he will be an independent, thrifty & wise young man ... who knows the value of hard-earned money. I hope he leads a purposeful life. I hope he can tell ... what's a necessity ... what's a luxury; whats a need ... whats a want! I really hope ... he will make better choices in life!
As I grow older, I am (definitely) more jaded ... towards a life of wastefulness (if there's such a word). I feel myself becoming more simple (in my thinking) ... in how I lead my life now. I see the frivolity in a lot of things people do & that even includes my own stupid-buying-decisions (in the past). What used to be important to me then ... is no longer important to me now. Does that make ... any sense?
I am long past ... the material stage of my life. Maybe, as I approach my own mid-life (crisis) - usually the 40s (rite?) ... I have come to re-examine my own life & question a lot of what's happening around me. I now tend to make decisions that will simplify my family's life. A lot of things don't matter so much ... to me. Is that so difficult to accept ...?
Its not that I suddenly hate shopping .. on the contrary, I still love to (window) shop or buy (necessary) stuff. Its what I buy now ... that's a great contrast, to what I would have bought ... in the past. Its not that I suddenly hate (eating) food ... I'm still very much a foodie-to-the-core. It's just that all that expensive & delicious food ... is just that, only food! Food, whether in a foodcourt or in a high class restaurant ... still feeds our stomach, still satiate our hunger ... in the end, all food turns to poop! Duh!
As Hubby will be changing jobs next year, we as a family ... are gearing up for pretty tough times ahead. We will make it ... I know we will! Its just that it will be tough, in the beginning but I hope at the end of the day ... we will emerge stronger & better .... in spirits & financial standing.
We now tighten our belts ... so tightly. We cut costs whenever we can, we delay purchases that are non-emergency, we put off things that can (surely) wait, we spend less & yet ... we spend more time together. Infact, we are closer as a family now because we find other more meaningful things to occupy our time - yep, we do mundane things ... like spring cleaning our home (ever so often), go kite-flying, go to the library, go to public playgrounds ... activities that make happy memories, albeit cheaper ones.
Yes! ... we are definitely going the "el-cheapo" way ... but it seems to make us cherish each other, even more. Isn't that ... SUPER ironic ??! ...

Time to go!

A GREEN RIDE IN JB

Sometimes my parents (mostly just my Dad) join us, on our (at least, once a month) grocery trip into Johor Bahru. No, no ... not so much to buy groceries themselves (coz we can do that for them, easily) ... but mostly just for the simple outing instead. They are always welcome to join us ... as long as they don't mind the numb-ing of their bums ... whilst waiting to pass through (both) the checkpoints, hehe!

I took these, whilst my boy was on his (usual) rides in JB. My Dad tried to amuse his grandson, as Ryan was busy going round & round aimlessly. These rides are so much cheaper in Malaysia, so I try to indulge him whenever we are in JB, rather than back home.

He tends to (always) chose the same ride, at the same venue ... he's (always) never tempted to change his fav "vehicle" ... unless its already taken by another rider. Most times, he ends up choosing a scooter or bike rides, seldom cars or jeeps, etc. Hhhmm ... I do wonder why? Well, maybe its just Ryan's preference, that's all .. nothing more.

Is that Hubby's finger I see?

Grandpa ... amusing his grandkid.

My Dad ... trying to make Ryan come to him.

Ryan, making the most of his short ride ... by going further ... away.

IT'S BREAD TIME

We enjoy our simple cuppa (of tea, usually) every so often. When we get the chance to have a leisurely chat, over some toast(ed) bread ... we will indulge (ourselves), whenever we can.

These were taken at Ya Kun (our favourite roti place). Whilst waiting for our serve of roti, we let Ryan listen to his fav (over-played) song by Linkin Park (see here ... on why this song is constantly on the re-wind). I got some funny pics from my son, this time ... hehe!

My two (cheeky) boys ... looking cute!

More cheeky antics!

Look at Ryan's pose ... is that a cheeky look or what? He's coming out with some funny moves, these days. Gosh! I don't know where he learnt them from ...

Another funny pose! Can you see Hubby's handphone near the plate of bread? Can you guess what song, its playing?

Ok, this photo ain't pretty but ... I just had to include it. So unglam rite? Haha!

Another not so pretty photo. It looks like Ryan ... lost all his baby teeth.

Not a good look on him, ya?

Ahh! This one's better!

UP DOWN, UP DOWN ...

Have you ever seen the "Little Einsteins" from the Disney Playhouse Channel? If you have, you might have heard this phrase before ... by June (I think) when asking Rocket ... to move "Up down, up down" (in a sing-song tone).

As you can tell, Ryan is a rather big fan of the toon. He picked up these phrase & uses it every so often ... in his daily life. I managed to capture his actions, of mimicking those words in photos. If you look at the photos, & imagine saying - up ... down ... up ... down, whilst doing the said action, you can see the sequence in the pics. So (very) lame ... but nonetheless cute (at least for me) ... haha! Enjoy!

Looking contemplative or serious? Ermm ... I can't really tell.

Is it my imagination ... but does everyone look fatter ... lying down?

Ok ... here we go!

Ready, set ... go!

Up ...

Down ...

Up ...

(Oops! Another) Up ...

No more "down" Mummy! ... I'm done!

All smiles!

I'm giving Mummy, one of my brooding model-like pose!

One last shot, for Mummy!

I RESOLVE TO ....

Yes, I resolve to do a lot of things in life but not all of the things get done! Yep! I can be such a procrastinator but I am only human! First & foremost, I resolve to do up A-L-L of my back-dated posts ... especially ones that have pictures to go with them, all awaiting my lengthy commentary (in blogland). As far as I can see, I am almost halfway through & aim to get everything up-to date, before the end of the year. That will allow me to start 2010, with a new batch of photos and stories - no more back-dating into the past!

But ... to my slight "horror", I realised that there is a big batch of photos (taken my my trusty Nokia) ... sitting there, "waiting" for action too. Oh no! I've totally forgotten about them, as I've come accustomed to taking most of my pics with my digicam. Previously, I did take lots of photos with my 5-mega pixel camera phone but I've decided to concentrate on my digicam as its of a higher mega pixel (8.2), even though its much bulkier. Its makes for downloading of pics to the computer much easier too (lesser hassle lah!). Hhhmmm ... now I realise, that I got another batch of pics, waiting in line for me. Arrgh!!!

I try not to make it a chore coz I wanna enjoy doing up the posts to accompany the photos but when you have a whole bunch of photos, languishing in computer land, its gets somewhat frustrating & "tiring" at times. I wish I didn't take so many photos sometimes ... but I am one of those people that just find simple joy, in every little (mundane) thing that we do. Even a simple tea time ... or my kid giving me a cheeky smile ... calls for a photo opportunity. Yes, I can be so LAME!

Sometimes I wonder if I'm being silly ... giving myself much "stress" over nothing! Its just that its such a waste to let these digital photos just sit there in my hard-drive, doing nothing! The photos were already taken, memories captured ... I felt it was my "divine" duty to at least put it up in my blog ... for everyone to see, especially for Ryan's sake. As he grows older, I find that he's acutely aware of our outings & enjoys looking at the photos that I've snapped ... when he sits on my lap. He smiles & recalls certain things that we did on each outing & even mentions the company we had for that day. It shows his enthusiasm, his zest for life, his enjoyment & his reminiscence of each "adventure". Even photos from an uneventful trip to a playground, keeps his spirit (very) high ... until of course, the next trip to the slides!

It does give ... the tedious "job" of updating my blog, a little spur & I have to admit ... the joy in Ryan's eyes, is the simplest catalyst ... that drives me to update this silly blog of mine, every so often. I really hope ... I will find the time & the energy to carry on ... at least for a little longer. Maybe once I get everything up-to date, it'll be less of a chore & more like a joy. Oh well, I'll just try my best & see how things go.

Meanwhile, life continues .....

EAT RICE ? SHI FAN ?

Lately Ryan's appetite has been slightly better. Errm ... am I gonna jinx it ... by saying his appetite is good? I dearly hope not!

Oh well! He is definitely eating more, compared to a couple of months earlier. At least he's eating more than his usual egg prata & McDonald's Chocolate Milkshake. He's now expanding his menu - local chicken rice, rice - with chicken, carrots, radish, potatoes, tomatoes, wolfberries, salmon, fish fillets, eggs (all these, mostly making up the ingredient list of simple home-cooked stuff, I usually cook at home). Most of these foodstuff are cut up into much smaller pieces & mixed together with his white & brown rice, so he doesn't really know what's inside his bowl! Sometimes I even try to sneak in tofu, broccoli & other (yucky) healthy stuff ... but I do what I can ... when I can.

I managed to snap some pics of my boy enjoying his simple fried rice with egg, at home. I set him up on his kiddy chair & let him have a go at his own lunch. Ok I'm one of those mums who loathe to clean up the big mess that kids make under their chair, whilst they eat.

Unlike most mums in the West, I am your typical Eastern/Malay mum .... errm, one that (rather) feeds her child & do with lesser mess-cleaning. I know I know ... it doesn't teach a child to eat on his own but I do what works for me & my child. It might not work for everyone ... neither is it the best thing to teach your growing kid. We do try to let him eat on his own sometimes (especially in public) but a lot of times ... my patience gets in the way & I choose to continue to feed him instead (or Hubby takes over). If we let him eat on his own, he would probably take more than an hour to finish his small bowl of rice. Sigh! I don't think I have that kind of patience ... tick tock tick tock!

All set up ... for lunch!

Oops! Dropped a grain. I hope Mummy didn't see that!

Mummy, I'm being a very good boy ... & eating my rice.

Another scoop!

Some cartoons ... to while the time away!

Yes ... I'm eating my rice Mummy.

Double oops! More rice on the floor!

Yeah! Lunch's over! Now I can play with my toys!

Trying to be cheeky.

Hi Mummy! Look at my fire-engine!

FRENCH THE FRIES ... PLEASE !

One fine day, Ryan simply announced - "I want french fries". Errm! Since when did Ryan know how to say - french fries! Hubby & me simply chuckled & (of course) I did not fail to ask him again, just in case I'm hard of hearing. Coincidentally, we were in McDonald's then ... so I guess that's what inspired Ryan's french fries guise. Oh well, if its french fries my kid wants, french fries he'll get.

That was a few months back, since then ... Ryan's "graduated" to asking for "big-gher" (burger) whenever he sees the big red arches. On a wimp, we decided to let him try a double cheese-burger (cost only 2 bucks, which is much cheaper) instead of a Fillet-O-Fish, which was my first choice. Yes, fish is so much better (& healthier) than (fatty) beef ... but then again, Ryan does not eat beef or other sorts of beef products, except for the DC Burger. Ryan do eat plenty of salmon (fillet or head) or fish fillets - cooked by muah at home ... so I figured - why not let him have a taste of beef, lest he boycots this meat, when he's older.

Oh well, variety is the spice of life, ain't it?

Ryan busying himself, scribbling on the serviette ... with Daddy's pen.

Don't know why Ryan enjoys playing with the digicam cover? Interesting, meh?

I guess here ... he's pretending to take photos of me?

Smile, Mummy! I take a photo of you instead.

More random scribbling.

Let me empty A-L-L the lovely & oily french fries, all over the tray!

It's really empty now!

Oh my God! Is that salt I see?

Oh well! A bit of garam, ain't gonna kill anyone? Who cares!