Food trail Saturday

Yesterday was one of those rare Saturdays where everything seemed to happen so nicely.

Matilda's tuition kid cancelled so we had the opportunity to get out of the house for brunch, which is my all time favorite past time! 

For some reason my body decided to wake up earlier than anyone ought to on a Saturday and with no one else awake and nothing to do, guess what I decided to go clean the house! I feel quite proud of myself given that from 830am to 1030am I managed to clean the house, take a bath, shower Shanah and give Noah his morning clean-up! I'm the super daddy (sometimes!).

The sky threatened to kill our brunch stop at Grub which I've been attempting to go to for the longest time, but God had it taken care of because the clouds held back! Also a super big thanks to Christine who went down much earlier to get seats for the Das family! 

It is always crowded at Grub but after having my first long awaited meal there I think I've had better if not more at other places. However I guess what I like is the setting - trying to recreate that Aussie brunch feeling that I love so much - so they get points for that. Maybe I'll try the burgers next time!

Then it was off to Tiong Bahru heritage trail for our first time. It was another treat for us because there's so much there I never knew about - certainly deserves a few more trips! We were planing to go to 40 hands to sit down for coffee and bible study but in the end we settle at the cafe down from it called Poteato which was quite a surprise!

This was really a treat - sweet potato fries! Really love this and I've not seen this anywhere.

Matilda and Shanah then took the opportunity to roam round the place - hopefully we post some photos up soon!

After Tiong Bahru it was off to the Public Garden market at the National Museum. Yet again God held back the rain long enough for me to get Shanah out of the car, across the road and into the museum!

This time we were hoping to try something different so we avoided Food for Thought at first but in the end it was the only place that we could sit down for Noah to have his milk! We got toast bread and potato balls (although the menu calls it hashbrowns I think that isn't the right description!) for Shanah and to our surprise she finished most of it!

It wasn't the intention to cafe-hop but it just happened that way. The real goal was the market so off we went. I guess the thing that always catches my eye are the stores that sell handmade children clothes and I never knew so many Singaporeans do this! It is cool to know not everyone is trapped in the usual social climb - keep chasing your dreams people!

We got what Matilda wanted and a gift for Thaddaeus, the newest baby boy in town and off to the hospital to pay a visit. 

Of course having done mostly eating for the whole day, the last craving to fulfil was some good chicken rice! So we went to the new Wee Nam Kee at United Square but the queue seemed too long for us. Again it was just a good day. I went in to try the queue and in less than 10 minutes we were seated! I don't know why but when the nice man saw Noah and Matilda he let us go ahead to sit at a table for 4, even though we sort of had 2+1 baby chair! 

Western food is good but nothing really compares with a good Hainanese Chicken Rice!

It was a day of good food, good fun, great fellowship, cooperative weather, easy to get seats and car parks and most of all a day that you can just smile and say thank God for family and thank God for taking care of us :)

The sweetness of it all

I feel like superwoman.

No really, I really feel like supermom today. Between 10 diapers, 5 baths (not including mine), numerous clothes changes (again not including mine because who has time for that?), boogies, boo-boo kisses, story book reading, hugs, cuddles and meltdowns, I really feel quite super.

I'm learning this week to not dwell on the toughies and to take much joys in the highs. The little boy peed on himself/me/the bed? Naahh, it's just pee, it's alright. Shanah poo-ed into her newly changed diapers after her bathe? It's ok, just another diaper change.

Instead, I'm trying to dwell more on the sweetness of my children. The sweetness that comes with Shanah giving me a smile after popping up from her sleep in the morning, Noah smiling when i pick him up from bed, cuddles after bathe, reading together.. and even the diaper changes. Because one day, i know I'm gonna miss all of these.  Even the 1000 'Mummy what's this?' questions and even more so the pretend play, the baby negotiation, the cheeky smile when she asks for a jelly or Yakult and her going, 'Mummy are you happy now?' to check if I'm still upset at her.

I think too often I allow a single bad event of the day to dominate my feelings and emotions. I allow it to take control and then declare it a horrid day, hence allowing everything that follows through to be horrid. You know what? Horrid only makes more horrid.

Recently I overheard a mother using words like 'get lost' and 'go away' to her teenage daughter. Not judging, but I wouldn't want to be the one at the receiving end of such words. And I really hope I wouldn't do the same.

And then when it gets really tough, like during naptimes, I pray for sleep to come soon.. or the hubs to return home from work early as a surprise :)

 

Precious gifts

Why I'm doing this

Today was a toughie. A majority of the day was spent battling milk, noodles, toys, baby and toddler. It's one of those days I get dizzy just wandering around my very small flat, trying to get things into order. I think I had to seriously talk myself out of just giving it all up and plopping down infront of the telly with a very cold green tea in my hands - which i did, at 8pm - twice.

Still, I know I have come rather far in this motherhood journey - much more to learn though! Just a couple of years ago, with a baby girl in my arms, I could barely fix myself a decent lunch. With her permanently latched on, I would searched google like a madwoman, trying to read up on everything concerning breastfeeding and babies. Then, i would look to my husband as my hero when he returned from work and my mortal enemy when he left for work the next morning. Today, I can manage breakfast, lunch and most things a toddler needs to thrive. The only thing is that I usually look like a mad crazy woman when my husband returns from work. You know how some articles say that wives need to doll up for their husbands? Pffffft. That's lala land.

That being said, I very much love my day cum night cum 24/7 job. I love how there's no boundaries between my job and my personal life and that I get to see my munchkins all the time. And that I can wear my PJs all day. But really, I wouldn't have come this far without God and my faithful momsy friends who are there for me each time I think the going gets too tough. It really must be some Godly intervention to arrange for like minded friends to walk through this journey with me.

The first mumsy blog I read was one ranting about her difficulties in breastfeeding. That brought me so much comfort, to know that there are other mothers there who are having a hard time with this breastfeeding and parenting gig. For many days after, I would religiously go through the blog, often laughing and loud and finding much comfort in this one sided relationship (ha!).

With this blog, I really hope document my journey with the children - to have something to read and look back on in fondness when the house grows quiet and the teenage angst and empty nest set in. In reading this, I hope that they will know how fun (fingers crossed) their childhood was and above all, how very much they are loved.

So here goes! Meanwhile, I'm ending with some pictures of food because I'm really hungry now. And its 2.30am, so randomness is allowed.

It's been awhile

It has really been sometime since anything has happened here, an exact opposite of what has been happening in our lives and the first thing I needa shout out is - THANK GOD FOR HIS BLESSINGS!

I've been thinking for a really long time about this blogging thing, about sharing my life with the world at large, and about having an avenue for memories to be stored. Physical diaries aside (where we store our secrets uhhuh), I would like the kids to read about how cool mom and dad are. And how their childhood was like. So well, I would really want to say something exciting like, 'something's brewing!' or 'stay tune for exciting changes!!' #throwspompomstotheceilingfan. But the truth is, all that has been brewing, has been in my mind for ages - blogging more, updating the layout, yada yada. I just need to find time to do it and be a SUPERMOM! I guess i shall just leave it as - I hope more posts will come!

Meanwhile, some photos from a not so recent trip to Perth :)

Flying solo plus one

I kid you not, flying alone with a toddler isn't exactly for the faint hearted. Given a choice, i would always fly with the Daddy so that there's always someone to turn to for a quick toilet break or a mini me-time. If first class isn't an option, consider a flight with full economy services and more leg space for the little one to explore. The major airlines usually reserve the first row seats for passengers with infants (classified to be under 2 years). This allows for the bassinet to be in place and much leg space to wander (for both toddler and parent). Full economy flights also provide meals and toys for the little ones, so that thankfully, does distract them for quite abit of time.

We have been really blessed to be able to travel to Hong Kong quite a bit this year. Most flights were taken with the Daddy but after paying exorbitant prices for a short 4-hour flight, I decided to heck it and go for the budget option which was slightly more than half price. Brave, i know.

So here's what worked for me when flying with my little one.

1) Choose a flight where your child will spend the most time asleep.

The flight there was a breeze. The front row seats for Jetstar Asia were reserved for passengers who paid more, but they reserved the second row for passengers traveling with infants. Good enough for me! Because we chose a super early flight (6.30am), Shanah slept through most of the flight, waking only to nurse. Success!

2) Bring along a few of your child's favourite snacks

The flight back was a challenge - it was right smack in the afternoon and Shanah managed a 1.5 hour nap. When she woke and fussed, i took out some grapes (her favorite then), which kept her occupied for quite a bit. When she grew restless from sitting on my lap, I placed her on the minute space between my seat and the seat in front while she picked on more grapes. When the grapes lost their attraction, i began rummaging for crackers, which quickly lost their powers due to the law of diminishing marginal returns.

3) Prepare a flight bag of activities (books, toys, etc)

Shanah gets a new book each time we fly because a new book always appeal to her for the longest time. Sometimes I buy them ahead and keep them for the flight while other times i simply bring along an old favourite that she hasn't read for awhile.

We also downloaded some kids app on the iPad as a last resort. I like the idea of the iPad as a special treat so that we can use it to bribe and cajole a screaming baby. Unfortunately when this baby wants to scream, she simply screams. 

4) Always have the ultimate bribe prepared

The ultimate plane survival was... Ben & Jerry's ice cream! Thank you Jetstar for carrying that!! I don't know any toddler who can resist ice-cream, especially when allowed to feed themselves with spoon, hands, fingers and toes. :) I didn't hadve the hands or energy to capture good photos, so here's one with a really happy girl and her ice cream. 

5) When all fails, grit your teeth and give the little one loads of cuddles and kisses

It's tough being little and kept in a confined space :)



Well, there are actually a bunch of other practical stuff that i always carry along - like my usual baby bag, TONNES of wet & dry tissue, water, gummies (in case the ears get blocked due to air pressure) and a toy or two. I heard of some people who feed their babies cough medication to get them to sleep - though i have my reservations about this.

If you are looking for more advice, hop over here - not the best, but pretty sound! 

P.s. If you are flying for the first time, one of the main concern would be your baby handling the change in air pressure during ascend and descent. Allowing them to suckle or drink fluids will help them handle it better.

Canopy at Bishan Park

I still can't get over the fact that it's already November. November smells like Christmas on the doorstep, it smells like holidays coming along and if we try really hard, we may imagine snow flakes on our windows despite the warm humid weather. It's the time of the year people feel little more relaxed and the atmosphere is generally happier, chipper and well, merrier. I'm getting excited thinking about what lies ahead of us for the rest of the year, the projects i wish i would do (and may never get around doing) and the things we would prepare for Christmas.

And just like that, it's been a full school year since we made the decision for me to stay home and take care of the little one. It's getting really enjoyable and I'm proud to say that I've acquired a few skills of my own. Meanwhile, a much slower pace of life and loads more free time also made a happier me. Weekends for one are no longer a rush to get things done, enjoy ourselves and complete a thousand other things we wished we could do during the week. And I find myself finding great joy in a slow brunch and a cup of coffee with the family.

Canopy Garden Dining 
Bishan Park 2
1382 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1
S(569931)














To be honest, this wouldn't count as a food review because the only photos i have of the food are the one with pancakes and steamed milk. Food isn't incredibly impressive; we recall eating a better version of everything else elsewhere. The price on the other hand lies on the lower end of the recent cafes bubble in Singapore, pretty reasonable if you ignore the fact that you are not in town. What really beats hand down is the ambiance and friendly staff in this cafe - we pretty much made ourselves at home and sat for as long as a toddler could endure (couple of hours). The staff didn't mind the little one wandering around and the neighbourhood crowd was friendly too.







And the best part of it all? Being able to wander around Bishan Park to walk off the full tummies and allow the little one to run wild! I like to imagine we are in Australia or something, surrounded by nature and blue skies.






Current fascination - Umbrellas and bags

And that made a perfect Saturday for me. Loads of sunshine and love :) Blog soon again, i hope! Haha.

Celebrating Mothers

I recently attended an event which saluted a group of one hundred mums in their participation for a future technology related project. By the sound of that, one would expect that the mums involved would mostly be young, hip and beautiful. In actual fact, they came from all walks of life. The working mothers, the SAHMs, those doing part time work and juggling childcare, and so on. But they were all beautiful indeed.

As I watched each of them walk up the stage to collect their token of appreciation, a thought struck me. All these ladies were mothers and all of them were going through similar struggles (and lots of joy) that I'm going through. I was awe struck and humbled by this simple fact: no matter how they look on the outside, all these mothers all share a strong love for their child and a deep desire to see them grow well.

Allow me to explain further. There was a mum who was dressed a little like a manga character. She had her hair dyed in a bright colour and her choice of clothes was pretty interesting. Without sounding too presumptuous, I believe many wouldn't have expect her to be a mum. But she is one indeed. The impeccably lady next to me spotted a huge diamond ring and an air of importance about her. She might be some big shot in a company, but she's still a mom. And of course we have the ones who were dressed casually or those who like myself, the one arm bandits (the other hand holds the child). Though vastly different, we were all mothers.

I used to think myself as rather sacrificial for choosing to take care of little S. This event however, has taught me that I'm not alone in this journey, and there's really no reason to go about sticking my nose in the air and act all important and awesome. Some mothers choose to balance their jobs and family for whatever reasons. And I salute them, because it's not easy; in fact I find it terrifyingly hard. Some found other arrangements that best suit them. Whatever jobs these mothers hold, whatever arrangements they have, in many ways more than one, I believe they make sacrifices everyday. All for the love of their children.

This year I celebrate my very first Mothers' Day. This time last year I was spotting an incredibly fashionable bump and experienced my first hyperventilation from work. This year, I'm blessed to be able to enjoy a nice afternoon waffle and pen this down (all with one hand). But physical changes aside, I have also matured. I've come to learn that we are all indeed more similar than what i initially thought. Mothers for one, are united by the love for their children. The things that I use to hold in high regard all these years all pale in comparison to this simple, yet astounding fact.

My mummy would insist we do nothing because it's all a commercial gimmick. But I take Mothers' Day very seriously, more so now as a Mum. We should go about thanking our mums and showering them with love everyday. And even more so on Mothers' Day, just because. No reason needed to sprinkle the little extra love.

This Mothers' Day I salute all mothers. For their love and sacrifice that I can't find the right words to aptly describe. But especially so, i salute my own mum, for being my inspiration, my role model and my constant pillar of support.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8 NIV84)

Enjoying now

So my sister bought herself an iPad with her first ever official salary. And that makes all of us so jealous, even little Shanah who couldn't keep her eyes and hands off the shiny and glittering smooth screen. She tried so hard to be part of the party, crawling and reaching out, standing on my legs, pulling my hair, just to get closer to the new woohoo.

A couple of thoughts ran through my head including an attempt to sound and feel intellectual by stating the different world our kids today are growing up in. But one thought stood out clear - my little girl's growing up. She's not going to crawl and globber over me for the new stuff all the time. One say she's gonna demand her own stuff and want to play them by herself. And pretty soon she'll be earning her own keep to buy her own stuff.

Getting alittle ahead of myself I know. But really these little fingers aren't gonna be small and chubby for long. Those cute cheeks and tummy will one day make its way for a ravishing young lady. I don't think I'll ever see her that way, she'll always be my little baby.

Be still my racing heart.

Have to treasure the moments. Trying to. Even the difficult ones that contain mainly screaming and whining. I love how she wants me. Still.

We are back from Disneyland!

And we are back from Hong Kong, our first ever trip as a family of 3! That is if you don't count trips with Shanah in my tummy.

It's been an explosive and exciting trip. But mostly a very experiential and memorable journey to discover the joys of sharing the big world out there with our little girl and learning alittle bit more about the spouse. And i can't get over being able to spend so many days with the husband without him going to work. I believe our little girl was rather thrilled to have dada around all day! Less thrilled about being unable to crawl and explore on her own since we were constantly on the go.

More pictures coming soon I hope! Meanwhile the laundry basket is choked full of clothes and we gotta do something about it before it explodes or we run out of clothes to wear.

Worrier's worry woes

As much as I hate to admit it. I have evolved to be a worrier. I wish I can evolve myself back to the happy go lucky self of yesteryears where I should worry more for my term papers to do better in it. Then I go about worrying that I'm a worrier and that adds on to more worries. In fact, i worry that there's nothing to worry about because I might miss something in the process.

Slightly nuts. But being a parent, I want nothing but the best for my child and maybe one of the negative side effect for me would be this. Which is bad because it stops me from enjoying each fun time to its fullest. When I'm watching my little girl crawl in glee and speed, the back of my kind goes into worry mode. Sometimes i don't even know what I'm worried about.

So well I'm kinda sick of this something-might-be-wrong feeling. I figured if little S is not gaining enough weight, it's time to tackle the problem face on. If its about her school, then I should get started into the kiasu parents mode and start searching for one. And its about my future prospects as a SAHM, then I should just give it a try, either way. Cos worrying doesn't help.

But for my emotional and mental health, I should just admit that i'm one silly worrier and then quit being one. Just quit. Darn those silly hormones that never seem to go back to their pre-pregnancy stage.

The guys who coined the phrase Just Do It were wise. Just quit it worrying and start living! Quit it quit it quit it.

'Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:34