Clubs, Blades and Walking the 4-Wheeled Monster

Last weekend, we got you some golf clubs - or at least borrowed some for you. The boy who lent them to us was a 7 year old boy named Gerard, who is the son of one of your Papa's ex colleague. You spent some time in his room watching him play with his Pokemon chips. Quietly. ***QUIETLY!!!***a rarity these days***

Yesterday, we went to Pasir Ris park. Again, there were kids belonging to your Papa's circle. This time, 2 girls. A 6 year old named Alicia and a 9 year old named Amelia.


These kids definitely match your energy levels better than us old ones. Could see you enjoyed their company a lot. I also realised kids 6 years old and above are much much better at playing the 'leaders' role. They are less competitive & also more generous with young ones like you. Gerard gave you 2 Pokemon magnets and 4 Pooh bear stickers. The girls shared their milo biscuits with you willingly.

Walking the Bicycle



I really want to laugh at you. You looked 'pissed' when the bicycle refused to budge like a stubborn dog.

Oops! ***Hahhaaa!

Todd-out

Lockout: the temporary closing of a business or the refusal by an employer to allow employees to come to work until they accept the employer's terms.

Todd-out: the temporary self imposed enclosure or the refusal by a toddler to allow adults to enter until such times as when the toddler figures out how to unlock himself from enclosure or when a locksmith is engaged.

9:15pm
Todd-out #1. Toddler locks himself in a room. Everyone rushes to the door. Toddler turns the lock and manages to unlock the door. Comes out grinning from ear to ear, basking in the attention of 4 adults (1 set of parents + 1 set of grandparents).

9:25
Todd-out #2. Toddler manages to lock himself in a 2nd time. This time, toddler is not so lucky. Turns the lock but cannot get the door to open. Starts alternating between screaming for help and laughing. Laughs gleefully when someone on the other side tries to open the door. Zero signs of toddler panicking. Adults gives toddler instructions. Toddler tries to follow, then screams "Cannot! Ah Mah! Mummy! Cannot!" Adults gets tired of waiting for the toddler to unlock the door. Ah Kong the locksmith is engaged. Door Opens. Toddler tries to hide behind opened door and laughs when discovered.

Note: FIND ALL THE KEYS TO ALL THE DOORS IMMEDIATELY AND PLACE THEM IN AN ACCESSIBLE PLACE.

Flashback: 1970s. Girl ,4 or 5 years old. Locks herself inside a room in her Uncle's flat. In those days, the locks are box shaped and comes with a tiny latch and a round knob. The latch is rusty and stiff. Girl trys to prey the latch open. Fails. Girl screams for help. Gets a scolding first and then was given instructions on how to unlock the door. Girls know how it work but latch refuses to give way. There is no key. Girl tries to figure out how much of a trouble she'll be in when she does get out. Someone outside figures out how to unlock the door. Clever! There are glass window louvers above the door. Glass panes are removed one by one from its aluminium brackets. Boy cousin is lifted and squeezed through the gap. Boy cousin gets inside the room! Door opens. Girl is freed! Girl gets more scolding on the spot. Back home. Girl receives a thrashing.

Tampopo Cot

While waiting for a table at Tampopo (Liang Court #B1-50), you asked, "the food go round and round? BY take take take??" We had conveyor belt sushi some time back. Eh... 2-3 weeks ago? Was pleasantly surprised that you still remember something from so long ago.

We ordered:
**Fried Silver Fish
*****Black Pig Ramen
***Gyoza with Black Pig
*****Kyushu Ramen
*Teriyaki Cod
Bill: $50+

The Ramen was especially delicious and you loved the Kyushu version, polishing up everything that we put into your bowl.

Cot
Finally retired it to the storeroom today. Doesn't make sense having it there if you won't sleep on it, even after we've converted it into a junior bed. Every night is like merry-go-round. We have a King size divan bed with 2mattresses on the floor flanking it. Each night, all 3 of us, we'll take turns sleeping on at least 2 of them. When it gets too crowded on the divan, one of us (either your Papa or I or sometimes the both of us) will have to take refuge on the mattress. Sometimes, you'd follow suit and then someone has to get up and back onto the divan. It's a nocturnal circus! *sigh*

"Bicycling"

One hippo, Sixpoopoos & some scotchtape please!

Me: Hippopotamas
Son: Hipotamas
Me: Hi-PO-PO-tamas
Son: Hi-PO-tamas
Me: Hi-PO-PO. 2 times PO-PO then tamas ok?
Son: HiPOOOOOOOOOOOOOtamas!!! OK?
*SIGH*

6 times! you POO-ED 6 times today! How can any toddler be so full or s**t? One piece fell out while we were in the hawker centre and a fly promptly went for it.
Son: Mummy, housefly eat BY's shit.
*FAINT*

Later, at East Coast Park, you picked up a humongous fallen branch and tried to put it back, sticking it inside the crevices of the tree trunk.
Me: What are you doing?
Son: Repairing the tree!
Me: Huh??
A while later, frustrated by many unsuccessful attempts...
Son: Mummy!
Me: What?
Son: You got scotch tape?
*HAHhhAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa!!!*

Charity on wheels

Swung by a thrift shop on the way home today and found a bike going for $20. It looked new! There was not a single spot of rust on it. Then, they offered me a carrot I couldn't resist. Hari Raya & Deepavali holiday special. 20% discount! So, there! Paid $16, lugged the darn thing to the boot and drove home as fast as I could.

Situation, Consequence & Solution

M: Eh Papa, your son very smart leh.
P: What do you mean?
M: He can state the situation, the consequence and then the solution to it all in one breath.
P: Like?
M: No shoes, cannot walk, Mummy carry!
P: Chey!

Face-Off with the Old Man

Scene #1: Toys all over the floor.

Bigone - BY! Keep your toys!
Littleone - *ignore*
Bigone - BY! Keep your toys!
Littleone - *throws 2 pieces into the box
Bigone - Some more over there
Littleone - *tries to walk away
Bigone - No, keep your things first!
Littleone - Don't WANT!
Bigone - Do you want to face the wall?
Littleone - OK!
Bigone - You want to face the wall?!!!?
Littleone - YES!
Bigone - *proceeds to make you face the wall
Littleone - NO!
Bigone - Then keep your toys!
Littleone - *trapped
Bigone - *silent
Littleone - *sits on the floor, pretends to play with the toys
Bigone - *silent

10minutes later
Littleone - *lying on the floor, fingering the toys
Bigone - *still watching you

Another 5 minutes later
Littleone - *falls asleep lying on the floor
Bigone - *huge sigh, picks up littleone and puts littleone to bed

CYC

Went to the tailor at Raffles Hotel Arcade with your Papa. Your old man hasn't got a new business shirt in years. Yes, years! He had like a dozen tailored while he was working in Thailand between 2000-03 and then, that was it!

Prices at CYC for a men's business shirt starts at $90. We chose one that costs him $127. It's not too bad, considering that you old man wears them for an average of 4-5 years... we can amortise them at $32/year. =P

I think he got a bit overwhelmed by the fuss. He told me later that in Thailand, you choose the material, they take your measurements and off they go to make the shirt. Here, he was asked what kind of pleats he wanted on the back, collar stiffness, 1 or 2 buttons on the cuff, the type for initial embroidery, button color, pocket and so on. The lady was pretty good with her recommendations. All we did was just nod like bumpkins.

So, in about 10 days, we get to collect The Shirt - a cream colored one with a slight tinge of pink ( the in color now leh!) which by the way, according to the expert, matches his skin tone perfectly!

Vivo City

Checked out Vivo City today. Itched all over as a result. Must be allergic to the dust. The building is pretty much completed, as least from the looks of it from the inside. But about 30-40% of the tenants are still busy setting up. *Scratch*

First shop I saw was Crocs. They are UGLY! I can't fathom how they can invade this city of non-boaters so succesfully. They come in such psychedelic colors, it brightens up nothing but ankles, no, nothing but itself and dulls everything except say just maybe, on rare occasions, the sun in the tropics. It's a visual pollution! *Urgh*

Noticed a couple of new clothing stores for kids - Gap & Pumpkin Patch.

And oh, there's Free Parking! Or maybe I just happened to be lucky?

Thumb Drives

Found this picture in a thumbdrive which I haven't used for a long long long time....

Height Predictor

Works for kids over 2 years old. Height Predictor

"Thanks for using our calculator!Your son will likely be 6 feet, 2 inches tall at age 18. This prediction is a "best guess" but it's still just that -- a guess. Based on the formula we used,* there's a 58 percent chance your son's full-grown height will be within 1 inch (above or below) of this prediction, an 85 percent chance it will be within 2 inches, and an 96 percent chance it will be within 3 inches." ~ParentCentre~

Wahhh......that's 188 cm! And there's a 96% chance you'd fall between 5ft9 (175cm) and 6ft5 (196cm)

The Big Man: He will grow taller than you!
Me: I will still drag him down to my 164cm height for a big kiss and hug!

Golf

Showed your Papa these videos last night and he got very excited.
A Toddler Prodigy Golfer
Tyler Stock 2 year old Golfer

Looks like we're going shopping for junior clubs soon!

act3

Signed you up for drama classes. They are already in the midst of Term4 so we have to wait till January.

"Drama helps children explore their creative potential through story telling, role-play, movement, and improvisation. In our belief to develop children to their fullest potential through Drama, we encourage both vocal and physical expression. Drama is very participatory and develops in the child a sense of self-awareness and confidence. Prose, poetry, music, puppetry, masks and a range of other creative elements are used to set the imagination free." ~act3~

Teochew Speaking? Check

Your Papa's been speaking to you in Teochew recently. Last night, out the blue, you counted 1-10 in Teochew unprompted. Getting the intonations of #2 and #5 exactly right. He was so proud of you!

Nasi Padang

We cycled to Lot1 for lunch today. Got this window seat with a perfect view of the LRT & MRT trains going to and fro the stations. You wanted "mian". I ordered some but you ended up eating Papa's Nasi Padang instead. Yes, rice with vegetable curry gravy and a some fried sambal long beans with beancurd. Definitely tastier than creamy spaghetti with grilled fish huh? Wasn't it spicy or were you so distracted by the trains that anything goes?

Today is also the last day before I go back to work after a 2 and a half week break, to look after you whilst your grandparents are away holidaying - their first since you were born.

Had a busy 2 weeks. We attended a playgroup trial, went to the zoo twice, attended a wedding, made pizza, 2 trips to the PD, 1 trip to see a chinese physician at Eu Yan Sang, toured the university, played in various playgrounds around Singapore (Zoo, Bishan park, CCK, West Coast, East Coast...etc) and watch some videos - mostly Thomas & Friends vcds.

Where again?

Sakae Sushi

Stucked at home after visiting the PD on Sunday. Or at least until today when the weather was less hazy, less polluted and less hazardous. You had one more of those runny nose turned vicious phlegmy lung choking aka asthma episode over the weekend.

Went to Sakae Sushi for dinner tonight. You went crazy over the action that was going on at the conveyor belt. Of the 12 plates of food that we lifted off the belt, 9 was managed by you alone. At some point, you became very restless and demanded, "Do you want this?" repeatedly. Each plate that went by without us nodding that you could take it was the biggest disappointment in the world. Can you imagine? A toddler shouting on the top of his voice at the rate of 90 repetitions/min? ( this should be the approximate rate the owners of Sakae Sushi set the conveyor belt to, so as to deliver this many plates past the diner every minute. If I'm wrong, it's the toddlermeter's fault!)

Calories ingested by toddlermeter...Eh, I'm not sure. Anyone care to make an estimate on this? => 4 pieces of Ebi Nigiri, a spoonful of Chawamushi, about 25 Edamame beans and a mouthful of Okonomiyaki. Doesn't sound like much huh? You worked so hard at feeding your parents with the plates of plates of food that you fell asleep on your Papa's shoulder even before we got back to the car.

BTW, Sakae Sushi! Your food is surprisingly better this time around but eh... your jingle is totally unbearable. __(",)

Thomas Stamp

Thank you Auntie Victoria and Auntie Melissa for the Thomas Choo Choo Train Stamp! I love it so much, I want to eat it up!