tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-388797732012-01-20T02:13:45.646-05:00about our two boys and mommyhoodBrainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.comBlogger1631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-4927766533363322142011-03-16T03:11:00.001-04:002011-03-16T03:15:39.267-04:00

A friend shared recently her notes from a session at church. The topic was on how to find time, and the sharing was given by Dr Tan Soo Inn. As I find myself entering the second quarter of the year and feeling somewhat unprepared for it, I gave the notes a long hard look to see where the pointers applied to me. And there were a few. I was struck by how I keep getting my priorities mixed up.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-18439345131389031682010-11-18T11:23:00.001-05:002010-11-18T11:25:45.372-05:00

Finally I find myself awake at this late hour, actually up to the task of writing an update on this long inactive blog. What woke me from this super long "blog slumber" was an email from CPF InTouch inviting CPF members to contribute their retirement wish in return for a chance at winning an ipad. Here's what I wrote: "I wish for a retirement busy with activities that would make me happy.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-9818221168448627802010-06-01T11:26:00.003-04:002010-06-01T11:55:29.584-04:00

Apologies for the long long absence from updating the blog. This year seems extraordinarily busy!Thanks to the husband who uploaded all the photos from his phone, I guess a good place as any to jumpstart this blog back into life again, is with the KSS Sports Day on Sunday.This is our first ever KSS Sports Day. In fact, this is first time we are joining the Sunday School bunch from church in an

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-64031096210720010772010-03-25T11:28:00.003-04:002010-03-25T11:33:51.096-04:00

The year was 1990. The class? A bunch of lively twelve-year-old tweens from class 6C at Henry Park Primary School. Form teacher was Mrs Anna Tan. It's been twenty years. In one week's time, I'll be seeing some faces I've not seen in twenty years, I kid you not. An old classmate has rounded up some of us on facebook and is organizing a class reunion. I've not been to one of these for a long time.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-64218468517518810172010-03-25T10:39:00.007-04:002010-03-25T11:45:53.217-04:00

Phew, finally got some pictures up from my phone. The year must seem to have been off to a super slow start, if this blog is anything to go by. But really, that is hardly the case. Three months have passed in a flash, and I find I'm staring the end of March right in the eye. So much has happened between me going back to work, Dylan starting at nursery, E starting in JB, and G starting on solids.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-66234652452238644882010-03-23T12:12:00.002-04:002010-03-23T12:17:48.778-04:00

Looking through my phone and its growing store of photos, I realize that I've accumulated a humongous backlog of events and photos to transfer, sort, archive, and not least update on the blog.Trouble is my phone doesn't seem to want to let me bluetooth its contents over to the computer. Highly frustrating. Till I figure out how to get the photos over, and in turn, this blog going again, akan

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-52893675893458577262010-02-19T11:04:00.004-05:002010-02-19T11:36:43.590-05:00

Traveling along the PIE this afternoon in a cab I suddenly had a morbid turn of mind. It happens a lot these days, Elroy would tell you. I thought, in the event of a horrific car accident - don't ask me why I always think of this when riding in a cab - how would bystanders act upon seeing my horribly wrangled body? They'd have to search through my belongings and look for my NRIC or my civil

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-50213041299510416512010-02-17T09:58:00.003-05:002010-02-17T10:08:18.386-05:00

Wanted to post some pictures of the kids having a good time in Segamat with the maternal side of the family, but phone is refusing to successfully bluetooth the photos over, so I guess I'll save them for another post. Will keep this one brief. Found myself in two extremely uncomfortable positions all in one weekend. Firstly, we found money missing and I had to send our 5-month old helper back to

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-23141028675022181582010-02-02T10:13:00.003-05:002010-02-02T11:08:07.169-05:00

I learnt today from Elroy who visited a psychiatric ward this morning, that there is such a thing as Post Partum Psychosis. A patient in that condition can totally lose touch with reality, and regress into an infant-like state. He described this woman who gave birth in November last year. She returned to work and suddenly started speaking and behaving as though she was a toddler, becoming

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-72084404616317363302009-12-28T09:41:00.007-05:002009-12-28T11:13:06.973-05:00

We've reached the close of another year. And what a year 2009 has been.To echo how another friend had described his year, this year has been a game of two halves. One half was played in a little town 160km east of Melbourne city, Australia. And the other half played out here at home, in Singapore. I think it's worthwhile to look back on the things we've achieved, reflect on the events that have

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-32383227413273003472009-12-26T10:48:00.002-05:002009-12-26T10:53:22.075-05:00

Hard to believe that three years ago today I was lying in my Class A ward in KK, dazed and amazed that I was now a mother of a little baby boy. That little Boxing Day baby is now THREE years old, and quite capable of singing himself his birthday song, and telling everyone around him what a big boy Dylan is now.As usual, the Daddy beat me to posting about it, so no point in me re-inventing the

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-25649471508353213032009-11-30T09:48:00.005-05:002009-11-30T10:10:12.972-05:00

Today, little G officially turns 3 months old. Brought him to KK for a hearing check, and everything is A-OK. I couldn't resist asking the nurse to take his measurements. Little G is growing well - at 7.5kg and 62cm long. At the close of November, as Americans tuck into their thanksgiving turkey, here in Singapore I'm finding so many things to be thankful for.Chiefly, dearest Med Student Hubby

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-41498775884347941272009-11-30T09:12:00.005-05:002009-11-30T10:22:23.212-05:00

This maternity leave, I'm overjoyed to discover that places to go and things to do for little tots are aplenty in Singapore. In fact, some of the best places are free of charge.Jacob Ballas Children's Garden - so named after a Jewish-Singaporean stockbroker and philanthropist - is a veritable garden paradise for little ones, tucked away at one corner of the Botanic Gardens.It has designated areas

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-85895677215752416472009-11-27T09:56:00.003-05:002009-11-27T10:06:08.913-05:00

A month to go before D turns 3, I decided a visit to the dentist's was long overdue.Naturally, I was worried that he'd flip out, but it helped that while we waited to go in there were a couple of children's illustrated books beautifully explaining what goes on when you sit on a dentist's chair. I read it aloud to him, pointing out to him all the quirky and exciting things he'd find in the

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-16127867793694951912009-11-20T09:44:00.006-05:002009-11-20T10:40:06.508-05:00

I subscribe to a weekly e-newsletter called "Upwords with Max Lucado" - an established christian author whose reflections on biblical concepts are refreshing and easy to read. Today's article was on 1 Corinthian's 13: 8 - "Love Never Fails." In a nutshell, Lucado reflects on the truth that unfailing love is only accomplished by God alone.It made me think about the quality of my love as a mother.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-31106907965607243172009-11-17T20:14:00.003-05:002009-11-17T20:20:43.763-05:00

One other thing occupying some of my maternity leave is preparing for our church's upcoming christmas presentation. Check out this website to find out more about THE GREAT BIG CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY... book your tickets early to avoid disappointment. =) Here you see 6 of us singing Point of Grace's song, You Will Never Walk Alone, recorded during our rehearsal for last Sunday's preview at church

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-54457286129346663572009-11-17T09:50:00.003-05:002009-11-17T10:12:29.733-05:00

People wonder what moms do during their maternity leave - now that the government's upped it to 16 weeks. I'm loving the lazy mornings, enjoying a slow breakfast with the little one, reading the papers. I'm loving the afternoon naps, and the free time I use to catch up on reading or the latest episode of House on Surfthechannel.com.What I love most is having daylight hours to bring D to places

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-78119461962582182322009-11-10T10:00:00.007-05:002009-11-10T21:09:40.901-05:00

Here's a belated post on what it feels like to be married for five years and being mom to not one but two boys. I've come to believe that when God blesses a couple with children, He does so with a chuckle in His throat and a glint in His eyes. Surely, nothing tests a marriage and one's character like becoming parents! It's been a funny and often heart-rending journey for us two jokers. I don't

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-15211571021416603022009-10-27T02:06:00.004-04:002009-10-27T02:45:31.223-04:00

Went through some old family photos, and saw my son in me and myself in my mom.Do you? The mommy is in the red dress, the other kid is her cousin

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-55419569837112845772009-10-20T10:08:00.004-04:002009-10-20T10:47:06.977-04:00

One evening was taking D out for a walk in the neighborhood when we stopped for a chat with R who lives down the road with his wife and four kids. Seeing the little active tyke, he suggested getting D a helmet when he cycles out on the road. Seeing sense in his advice, I did just that this weekend. Here he is taking out his new rocket-and-alien ship themed sports helmet for a test ride:On Sunday,

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-54276574088454208682009-10-15T03:34:00.006-04:002009-10-15T04:20:17.287-04:00

A friend messaged me today and asked in passing if Dylan was enjoying school. It's now almost three months to his third birthday. He's barely 3!In some societies it can seem perverse to subject such little ones to a life of regiment, albeit for only three hours a day. He's in his uniform at 1110hrs sharp, gets in the car by 1115hr and the minute I arrive at the school's main gate and stop the car

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-12287666862139239202009-10-11T04:21:00.001-04:002009-10-11T04:21:59.401-04:00

Dylan, spying his baby brother's toothless grin, turns to me and says:"Gareth's teeth fell out!"

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-11769429752350096082009-10-11T03:51:00.003-04:002009-10-11T04:18:51.126-04:00

Baby G is 6 weeks old today. He's growing fast, and though still a little jaundiced, he is looking every bit the cutie to this mommy that he is. Like the laundry my helper E. puts out every morning, she lays him out in the morning sun too. Now that he's a bit more aware and responds to stimuli, you can see him eyeing me (and the camera) with some interest:A little closer:And closer up still:

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-19774793466348421882009-10-06T09:52:00.004-04:002009-10-07T11:04:16.736-04:00

I've forgotten how much I enjoy gazing at my newborn while cradling him in my arms. At 5+ weeks, he's acquired quite a repertoire of noises. Other than the "I'm hungry, feed me!", or "carry me" pitchy cries, this little cutie is full of grunts, snorts, coohs and aahs - amazing noises that emit from him sometimes even with his mouth closed, or when he's at the breast. Each noise is accompanied by

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-88696706104427643982009-10-05T10:06:00.006-04:002009-10-07T10:38:17.272-04:00

A month later, I'm starting to realise how different second-time motherhood has been for me compared to when I had Dylan. D's arrival startled me - not only because we realized how ill-prepared we were to deal with the "aftermath" - the night wakings, how a baby changes the dynamics in our marriage, the constant need for attention, the rocking and cuddling, and figuring out what the baby needs

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-2988269108417817462009-09-23T06:21:00.006-04:002009-09-23T06:47:56.199-04:00

Thanks to all our dear friends for the gifts and well-wishes! Hard to believe that in a week's time, our second bundle of joy will turn a full month old. This mommy is feeling well-rested and rejuvenated, having been pampered in the last three weeks with post-natal massage, jamu wrap and yummy confinement food.Same can't sadly be said for baby G. Even after a 3-day stay in KK's Nursery Ward 71

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-75460135118360002292009-09-12T05:41:00.000-04:002009-09-12T07:00:54.241-04:00

From this:To this:It's been almost two weeks since baby GS Koh arrived, just three days after the Daddy made a surprise early flight back from Melbourne. As I'm posting this (much much belated!) blog entry I can't help but feel so very grateful to God, our friends and family. So many prayers answered. A true testimony to how being specific in our prayer can be a powerful thing. Answered Prayer #1

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-48868323921839087602009-08-24T11:19:00.003-04:002009-08-24T11:40:07.764-04:00

In yesterday's Sunday Times, was an innocuously titled article "Graves with No Names". (http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_420289.html)It reported on abortion statistics in Singapore - an astounding 30 abortions a day, 12,222 abortions in 2007. This almost beggars belief, and reading the story made my heart ache so for the little ones who were never given a

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-26587448211724992722009-08-10T11:50:00.001-04:002009-08-10T11:59:11.542-04:00

It's hard to imagine that almost 2 months have passed since the last entry. Returning home, starting work, and re-orientating little one and myself back into a totally different kind of routine while entering my final 2 months of pregnancy really has taken more out of me than I predicted! Here we are, just a little less than a month to go before baby G arrives. Big brother D is only starting to

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-50552224553840694562009-06-22T03:28:00.002-04:002009-06-22T03:37:02.612-04:00

Little D has been a happy chappy since Daddy came home a week ago. Now, I see for myself how important his Daddy is to him, though he expressedly doesn't show it much when the father is around. He sleeps more soundly at night now, and though he still wakes up at 5am calling "mommy, mommy" the night terrors are gone, thank God! And even though the father claims to be squirmish about father-son

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-37490542134628609832009-06-22T02:18:00.006-04:002009-06-23T01:52:12.634-04:00

Gong gong watches on as little D playsFunny how as the years go by more and more fathers appear in my life.As a wee child, because I hardly ever got to see my grandparents, my father was the only father I really knew.Growing up, an increasing sense that there is an awesome-ness to life that makes it bigger than our inevitable deaths finally brought me to my knees, and I accepted Jesus as my

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-36607353425800095002009-06-12T11:40:00.005-04:002009-06-12T11:55:57.208-04:00

It's been an interesting 2 weeks, coming back home and heading back to the office. Suddenly, the life that we left behind seems like a distant memory fading fast away. For me, at least. For little D, little phrases he utters betray what's inside his heart:"Daddy... in Australia" followed quickly by "Dylan... Australia!" "Go Airport!""Fun... Gymbaroo Today?"Thankfully, he's also adapting well

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-13656852589382349732009-06-06T11:27:00.002-04:002009-06-06T11:47:05.168-04:00

This morning D saw his favorite Bob the Builder and Barney characters come alive in a live concert at the Singapore Expo. It was his first time, and my first time braving all the possible things that can go terribly wrong when one brings a little toddler to a show - losing him in the throngs of parents and excited children waving their glow-in-the-dark sticks and tambourines, facing a public

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-84865146978763031262009-06-06T11:05:00.003-04:002009-06-06T11:25:18.858-04:00

It's hard to imagine that our pint-sized tot is already "gor gor" to two little boy cousins, half a year and 1 year younger than him. In little D's maternal extended family, he's number 5 out of a brood of 7 (8-to-be!) grandchildren between my brothers and I. With so many playmates among him, that was certainly one thing we missed living in Australia - D having cousins big and small to play with.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-81843864330247286642009-05-31T10:23:00.006-04:002009-05-31T22:06:23.292-04:00

Every time we pulled into the driveway of our Churchill home, the three of us would never fail to say to each other "Here we are... home sweet home". Over the past 11 months plus, that cosy light brown brick 3 bed-room house indeed became home and hearth for us three, and I felt sad saying goodbye that final time when we pulled out of the driveway and headed into Melbourne. And now, a week later,

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-31923594049786474002009-05-21T07:50:00.003-04:002009-05-21T08:12:05.346-04:00

This morning at the LC playgroup, the moms threw a simple farewell do for us since this was Dylan's last time at the playgroup, party hats included! We took the opportunity to give some of D's more bulky toys to the playgroup so that the other children can get to play with them. Although it led to a few tears when D couldn't bear to see other kiddies on his beloved trike, in the end his parting

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-82320732722695659852009-05-20T09:39:00.005-04:002009-05-20T09:51:15.079-04:00

At bedtime tonight, little D peers over his bed and notices that his dump truck (along with his other toys and books) is missing. Looking to me, he asks, "Where dump truck?" I reply, "Sorry son, dump truck and all your toys are sealed in the box now, all ready to be air-shipped back to Singapore!" So, after almost 11 months and some tough decisions about what to keep and what to give away/ throw,

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-44051753196517268512009-05-20T08:54:00.004-04:002009-05-20T09:29:35.925-04:00

Final week here in Gippsland, Victoria, sees this small family trying our best to let little Dylan enjoy himself to the fullest, and exploit the play spaces of which there is no shortage here. Each place we bring him, I think to myself, yup, his last time running around... his last time on this swing... his last time at this playground... etc. Which makes every moment this week a little

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-28013975515954074572009-05-17T05:14:00.004-04:002009-05-17T08:23:45.599-04:00

It's been an exhausting couple of weeks, to say the least. In the nick of time - or should I say by a stroke of divine grace - I found out that if we were to return to Singapore in June as planned, and if I resumed work on 1 Jul, when baby #2 arrived I would not have accumulated enough days of service to qualify for paid maternity leave. Thank God for supportive bosses, a last minute change of

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-62100498977775359622009-04-28T09:37:00.005-04:002009-04-28T09:50:25.375-04:00

The weather's turned this week for the colder, so instead of going out for walks after his nap in the afternoon, we've been cosying up indoors. Yesterday, we whipped out the play dough again, and to my surprise, little D breaks into a full rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" inspired by the star-shaped cookie cutter he'd been playing with. Out came my camera to capture the action, but he

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-30181813638097459332009-04-27T09:23:00.004-04:002009-04-27T09:49:23.517-04:00

The one time you can count on D to really be good and enjoy himself is when he's at play. Sitting still, listening to Mommy and Daddy's instructions, not so good. Put him in a space with lots of options to swing, slide, run, and ride, he's off and having a blast. Here are some moments from this month that highlight little D at play!Slippin' and slidin'Friends D & G brought their little darlings H

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-12559290853731569612009-04-15T19:42:00.006-04:002009-04-15T19:52:31.563-04:00

My sis-in-law A emailed this video link, and watching it made me cry. Produced by one Ferdinand Dimadura and set presumably in the Philippines (or maybe Indonesia?), it's titled "Chicken a la Carte". "How can your laughter bring tears to my eyes?"View this movie at cultureunplugged.comI suppose one sobering effect of the world financial crisis is that it makes us more sensitive to the plight of

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-83737867400425421612009-04-06T02:59:00.005-04:002009-04-07T04:21:15.906-04:00

I am amused to no end by D's malapropisms - you see he's not yet learned to pronounce many words properly yet - so what happens is he sounds like he's actually saying something else altogether... which can be pretty funny. Here are some. When he says, "big yodel", he means he wants to watch a "video", when he says "dish shway", he means "this way", when he says "tradition", he means "train

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-78824983479812594782009-04-06T02:44:00.002-04:002009-04-06T02:52:19.883-04:00

With Easter just around the corner, the schools are taking two-week Easter break, and so are Dylan's usual playgroups and lessons. That means this mommy will have to think up new, inexpensive ways of keeping the little tyke occupied. That can only mean one thing: home made play dough! I got this recipe from K, a lovely grandma who makes the play dough for playgroup, and found to my relief that,

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-49106775782951198572009-03-31T07:22:00.003-04:002009-03-31T07:41:56.644-04:00

As March wears to an end and the second trimester brings more wakeful afternoons and early mornings, I'm beginning to feel the passage of time more and more.And along with that, a realization that our days as a threesome (Daddy, me, and little tyke) here in this countryside town are numbered. Am learning to enjoy the present, including the beginning flutters of the 4th Koh inside. We are blessed

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-68534195899738149722009-03-22T21:38:00.010-04:002009-03-25T08:31:22.852-04:00

Now that Dylan is more verbal, we find ourselves enjoying him more and more, watching him express himself in so many precocious ways, and seeing the growing confidence in him when he praises himself with words like "Good job!" and "Well done!". So cute.Now that he's got the words, he's also a happier child in general - not as easily frustrated and tantrum-prone, and more responsive to our cues.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-53248115212415013712009-03-19T07:02:00.006-04:002009-03-19T08:13:53.643-04:00

If all seems quiet on this front lately, it is partly because we've bought our tickets to fly back in June, and have been busy counting down the 3 months to hitting the bak chor mee, wanton mee, kway chap stalls... and of course, reuniting with friends and family after a year. Happily, I've also managed to secure a place for Dylan in BFEC's pre-nursery class commencing in July. For 3 hours daily,

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-4654904177824147222009-03-07T00:12:00.002-05:002009-03-07T00:50:53.373-05:00

Over a month ago, on a whim, the father bought a $1 orange balloon from Toys R' Us in Chadstone, and it turned out to be a rather lasting investment. The orange balloon had been sitting prettily inflated in our living room, remaining unflappable in the face of many weeks of D sitting on it, plonking his tummy down on it, kicking it, squeezing it, and on one occasion even biting it. Till at last

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-53261238661033693512009-02-21T06:41:00.004-05:002009-02-22T00:30:57.718-05:00

Back in January an Aussie 2-year-old toddler caused a furore in the art world after a Melbourne gallery director was fooled into exhibiting her work thinking that they were the abstract pieces of an artist named Aelita Andre. Not to be outdone, I thought it was time for D to graduate from months of abstract finger painting to using a paintbrush. Of course, he has a long way to go before I can

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-30353097499309820372009-02-15T07:07:00.006-05:002009-02-15T07:39:06.717-05:00

I've a confession to make. Actually, two.There is this quirky American TV sitcom called How I Met Your Mother that I really love watching. It's a guilty addiction I picked up in the months spent in Boston as a student. Alyson Hannigan who stars in the show and is currently pregnant - says she has a "pregnancy brain". A rather distressing thing to experience I think... you go about the day feeling

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-54701964336434874382009-02-07T07:55:00.006-05:002009-02-07T23:47:49.701-05:00

The loss and devastation of yesterday's raging inferno - all 11 of them - in Victoria's "Worst Day in History" hit home today, after we found out that a friend of ours lost their beautiful home, and effectively all their material possessions to one of them. I'm in shock. The reply on my phone reads: "but we are safe and we have the love of a God who doesn't make mistakes". In sending the first

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-54303435318272952582009-02-07T01:13:00.009-05:002009-02-07T06:43:43.248-05:00

A weight's been lifted off my shoulders this week, after I finally plucked up the courage to send a very important email to my bosses.So here it is, officially.WE'RE PREGNANT AGAIN!Going by last Friday's ultrasound, I'm about 9+ weeks now, and in the throes of first trimester fatigue and general lack of appetite.Which means having to prepare lunch and dinner without the least inclination to

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-90152800776836247532009-01-30T07:18:00.004-05:002009-01-30T07:44:20.206-05:00

Our son the aspiring basketballerA very belated Ox Year greetings to all! =) We've decided to bite the bullet and enrol D in the somewhat expensive Gymbaroo for this coming semester. Yesterday was Open Day at the Traralgon branch, so I took the little tyke down to see if he'd be keen on all the play equipment. At the far end of the hall, he spied a little girl toddling up a series of steps to a

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-5363096977515972382009-01-24T06:24:00.007-05:002009-01-24T07:07:49.934-05:00

Be warned - what follows ain't pretty so if detailed descriptions of the excretory nature disgust you you may excuse yourself from reading further. ******Our Dylan told his first ever toilet joke recently. One evening, as we sat round the table after dinner, the little prince let off a long, loudly audible whoosh of gas. Not a mean feat considering the thickness of his diapers. After a slight

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-59192242990656155882009-01-18T07:08:00.004-05:002009-01-18T07:39:26.049-05:00

"Look at the love-letter moulds!"We've been blessed with getting to know some good people who have migrated here from our part of the world. Yesterday, we visited one of them and caught a glimpse of what life is like making a home away from home. With CNY just around the corner, M had arranged for her Chinese friends - a group of overseas Singaporeans, Malaysians and PRC - to come over to bake

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-22619222844050621542009-01-01T06:16:00.005-05:002009-01-01T07:13:23.479-05:00

Starting a new year is a little like going on a blind date for the very first time. You aren't sure how special the person you meet will turn out to be in your life, but you are willing to give it a shot. A little nervous - why not? Lots of reasons to be apprehensive with so much uncertainty at stake - but you know if you don't give it that one shot, it's a missed opportunity that's never going

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-46278274295202244842008-12-31T06:35:00.003-05:002008-12-31T07:00:48.773-05:00

2008 has been a good year. It's been a special, memorable year. You saw me reach my third decade and enter my fourth. In some ways, turning 30 feels a lot like starting life afresh, all over again. I'm a mere infant again, leaving behind everything I thought I knew to discover a whole different world. In a few more days, I'll be 1 year old. Now, I can say I know what it is like to fly over 30

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-59230329819448502912008-12-29T07:16:00.003-05:002008-12-29T07:31:17.141-05:00

For this post and maybe the next ones, as the new year dawns on this little family, I'm going to indulge in a little retrospection. A year ago, the joy of watching our firstborn turn a full year was tampered with the sadness of having to leave him behind while both of us pursued our personal academic and career goals. This year finds both parents spending 24/7 with him, this Mommy now on a no-pay

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-20291981138437025742008-12-29T06:35:00.004-05:002008-12-29T07:16:07.919-05:00

Finally found some time to catch up on the birthday boy's adventures. Early on boxing day, while the rest of Melbourne queued outside major department stores for dibs on crazy stock-take sales, the Koh tribe got up and made our way to the Mornington Peninsula to pick cherries. Once again, the Daddy has beat me to breaking the story first, so get the sweet and juicy details from his blog

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-77587803356601882032008-12-26T01:03:00.003-05:002008-12-26T01:20:24.954-05:00

First, a very blessed Christmas to everyone, and a happy new year! We've been spending the last couple of days here in Melbourne with E's cousin, so access to Internet is more limited. To keep things short, here's a very happy birthday to our little monkey, D. Will post more pictures and stories in future posts shortly. At 2 years, little D is now 12.62kg and standing tall at 85cm! What an

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-3645820136210610062008-12-21T08:00:00.006-05:002008-12-21T16:15:10.660-05:00

Tonight, Dylan saw fireworks for the very first time at the finale of the Carols by Candlelight event near here. What a treat! He was a little bit frightened by the crack and sizzle of the loud pyrotechnics - he clung on to me while I covered his ears - but it wasn't enough to keep him from being fully entranced the whole 3 minutes during the show. On the way home, he kept using the malapropism "

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-53959229275836883062008-12-20T06:13:00.005-05:002008-12-21T08:00:07.450-05:00

Sticking to the theme of walking.Taronga Zoo, situated on a slope on the north side of the bay, offers some spectacular views of the city centre and harbourfront. Following recommendations from some of the tourist review sites I found while researching kids' places of interests in Sydney, that was where we found ourselves on Monday.Dylan's expressive vocabulary has been growing exponentially in

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-8476562416373954412008-12-18T06:28:00.005-05:002008-12-18T07:23:48.620-05:00

Sunday saw us spending our first morning in Sydney, a first for me and Dylan in this vibrant city. It was also the first day in three days of driving that we didn't take the car around at all, opting instead to take the train into Circular Quay and explore by foot. Stepping out of the train station into the promenade between the many wharfs, we were met with the iconic sight of the clothes hanger

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-21610705071334448122008-12-17T07:25:00.004-05:002008-12-18T06:56:58.363-05:00

The drive between the Snowy Mountains and Jervis Bay was long, taking us north through the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) towards Canberra before turning off to an undulating highway winding back east, to the coast. It didn't help that the day was gloomy, the sky heavy with storm clouds and intermittent rain making visibility low. Great for the passengers, not so great for the driver! Going

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-26509382793445743292008-12-15T06:42:00.004-05:002008-12-15T07:21:45.504-05:00

Next day saw us leaving Cooma, and driving up a gentle incline for 60km or so, past sleepy ski town Jeeralang into the Snowy Mountain region. Even at the tail end of November, while the rest of Australia enters the summer months, we could see patches of snow decorate the mountain range, freshly fallen just that Sunday. Oh, so pretty! It was time to whip out the tripod for some family pictures:

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-36159503257096299292008-12-14T07:09:00.006-05:002008-12-14T21:20:04.657-05:00

After a hiatus from blogging thanks to our Internet-less holiday to Sydney and busying ourselves preparing for the grandparents' arrival, I'm finally able to sit down and catch up on some of the things we've been up to.At the Victoria-NSW borderUnlike our September holiday to the Grampians, I'm going to do our road trip to Sydney a bit more justice by breaking it down into what we did each day. A

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-77190162171120449502008-11-26T07:06:00.007-05:002008-11-26T07:46:04.091-05:00

Our young gymnast got to display his agility recently, when his playgroup held its Christmas party at a local gymnasium. A rather run down facility, the gym was nevertheless a veritable toddler paradise, equipped with an adult-sized trampoline, , beams, parallel bars - and most importantly, lots of padded ground area to prevent bruised knees! First event: Floor. It's a great way to warm up to

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-54051500514206932952008-11-15T06:59:00.005-05:002008-11-15T07:21:13.924-05:00

The little tyke has been going for swim classes. And loving them. Just a stone's throw away from E's med school here in Gippsland, the indoor 25m pool where the classes are held at is heated, oh blessed reprieve from cold days. Surprisingly, though we're in the thick of spring, one rainy day can bring temperatures back down to the 10s here. Here he is, all changed and getting ready to take the

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-33066132749326855802008-11-15T06:39:00.005-05:002008-11-15T07:23:20.507-05:00

As any parent would testify, getting a squirming toddler a haircut can be one harrowing experience for both the toddler and the scissor-handler. And we've decided that this is probably one battle that we'd be better off not fighting. My folks advised that we could do it on our own, and they tried to explain to me over Skype how I should just hold D's hair up with me left hand like chop sticks and

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-13232922182680680422008-11-03T08:07:00.016-05:002008-11-05T07:45:57.309-05:00

Tonight, the United States has chosen its new president-elect. Topping news headlines all over, Obama's historic campaign to become America's 44th president is stirring an excitement that seems to ripple through the rest of the world. I'm watching all the coverage on Aussie telly with a somewhat detached fascination. My interests for the last year and a half, after all, has been of a more

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-39094968787384308472008-10-31T08:11:00.010-04:002008-10-31T18:27:44.248-04:00

4 years ago yesterday, this mother was a blushing bride trying her hardest to let the stresses of a wedding day slide by.What I remember most about that day - indulge me a little in this trip down memory lane, won't you ... was the love that surrounded us. It wrapped around us tightly - this love from our friends, some of whom were far far away but sent missives - funny and wise words of

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-30280515266798563702008-10-25T20:02:00.003-04:002008-10-25T20:37:01.775-04:00

At the playground yesterday, a girl on a swing - couldn't have been older than 10 - said something interesting to us.Pointing to D who was playing on the swing beside her, she asked, "When did you born him?" I said, "Almost two years ago now". Her reply? "Two years is a long time!". I thought to myself, is it now? I guess so! The girl had been carrying her pet cat, a brown tabby cat which kept

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-90091486426955164522008-10-23T07:46:00.012-04:002008-10-23T17:23:07.622-04:00

Was reading the daddy's blog tonight, about a young paraplegic who is now suffering the life-long consequence of a single reckless moment pulling a stunt on his motorbike. "As a father, it certainly does worry me when I think of how D, though just 22-months now, will eventually hit his teenage years. As parents we do our very best to bring our children up to know right from wrong, to be able to

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-25940800764224776392008-10-13T07:16:00.008-04:002008-10-13T08:05:03.595-04:00

Will post more on our trip to Melbourne a bit later. For now, some thoughts festering inside me, along with the remnant germs, are fighting to get out. Being sick makes me think a lot, since my body isn't up to much more than curling up in bed. I put it down to the fact that past 30, the woman's body not only begins to lose its nubility and elasticity, bouncing back from a simple common cold also

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-26757042995766944472008-10-08T08:09:00.004-04:002008-10-09T02:04:29.032-04:00

It's been a little while since the last update. Here I am, nursing a chesty cough and head groggy from all the meds, and realizing that it can take a lot out of a person to just sit down and write, when all the person's body wants to do is collapse in a heap in bed.But duty calls - so much to tell of the Koh family term break road trip! One of our first destinations was to take a 200km scenic

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-25505422525815314842008-09-26T00:44:00.004-04:002008-09-26T01:50:07.681-04:00

E loves pampering his car. According to some of his coursemates, our trusty 11-year-old Hyundai Lantra - which has taken us on many a roadtrip across Gippsland's many scenic spots, even has a name - and it is Natasha. (Roll eyes.)What better birthday gift than something that makes our "Natasha" look even better than it already does?So here is the birthday boy's loot, including cards from Mommy

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-51056333731015031382008-09-21T09:04:00.003-04:002008-09-21T09:31:49.918-04:00

We've been attending a small Christ-centered fellowship church in Traralgon over the last month or so. Housed in a community hall building made of wooden-slats which must have seen better days, it is a stark contrast to some of the glossy mega-church buildings we have back home. Within its austere facade, however, is a small group of people who have extended Christ-like welcome and warmth to our

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-63624024727587662712008-09-18T08:45:00.003-04:002008-09-18T09:01:46.705-04:00

After our encounter with the surly magpie last week, we were in the mood for some comfort food, to remind ourselves how good it is to be alive. Heh.I had a bit of macaroni and tuna in a can left to use up, so I decided to do a variation of an Annabel Karmel recipe for macaroni and cheese. Essentially, I added some tuna and leftover scrambled eggs to the cheese sauce. The original recipe calls for

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-86906700536613324082008-09-15T07:57:00.003-04:002008-09-15T08:36:36.510-04:00

Dylan and I have come face to face with Aussie madness in a most unexpected form - from our feathered friend, the Aussie magpie. Now that spring is upon us (today being an exception because it was raining the whole day), I always look forward to bringing Dylan to the nearby playgrounds in the morning when the sun is out. A few days ago, we set out bright and early in the morning to do just that.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-13417428812266438532008-09-14T00:19:00.003-04:002008-09-14T23:37:30.393-04:00

This week, we're starting to really see the cheeky side of our son emerging. Things that tickle his funny bone include seeing Daddy imitate his tantrum by dramatically falling to the floor, making funny faces, and when Daddy bounces a ball off of his forehead. I'm starting to see the Daddy's boy in him, wanting to imitate the father all the time - be it in washing the car, shaving (he picks up

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-91604125553519973112008-09-13T02:25:00.004-04:002008-09-13T09:01:16.404-04:00

In a town about 45km from here, is a big old warehouse building retrofitted to contain three themed bouncy castles including "The Incredibles" and "Monsters Inc", and a humongous playstructure and a variety of kid-friendly toys. In short, it was wonderland for my 20-month old, and it lasted for two hours on Thursday, when I took him to Giggles Playhouse in Warragul. It was part of the Thursday

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-79103330329086523632008-09-07T09:04:00.002-04:002008-09-07T09:27:14.706-04:00

7 September was Australia's Father's Day, and the mailers we've been receiving in our box and television commercials have spared no effort in reminding us to get something special for our dads. So to fathers everywhere - keep up the great job! To the grand-dads, we miss you, and thanks for everything, once again! Dylan's daddy deserved a treat too. To celebrate this occasion (the second time this

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-70681137490285505142008-09-05T09:46:00.007-04:002008-09-07T09:00:02.362-04:00

One of the best things about being a full time mom is seeing the gross and fine motor skills slowly developing in this toddler day by day, week by week. Last Friday, on probably one of the first break-out days of spring when the early spring showers dissipated and we experienced a truly gorgeous sunny, warm afternoon, we took Dylan to this playground. Here he is, attempting to go down the slide

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-16604267448358928982008-08-27T09:25:00.003-04:002008-08-27T10:00:37.646-04:00

Dylan turned 20 months yesterday. Also, for the first time since we arrived in Australia, he spent an hour away from mommy when mommy placed him in a home-based day care. The little terror - in the space of that hour - managed to cause a boy to cry by hitting and kicking him after he failed to "return" a coveted toy, which just set our dear brat off into a tantrum fit, causing him to regurgitate

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-23109076730501639942008-08-24T08:59:00.010-04:002008-08-24T10:32:49.523-04:00

"What?! I won't get the new enhanced $6000 Baby Bonus CDA for 1st child?"Seems like the new perks to incentivise delivering and raising offspring have raised quite a hullabaloo in the press. There is even a sarcastic suggestion that Singaporeans will start only copulating after marriage if they can get more perks from the government, in a letter that was really about how many people hung

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-24940926190403206322008-08-17T08:04:00.005-04:002008-08-17T09:32:26.828-04:00

"Am I supposed to play with my food, mommy?"An update since my last post - hubby's back, yay! I've also returned from the verge of insanity, and am happy to say that the rest of the week went by without incident. It's strange, but the very next day, and in the days afterwards, the little boy was a lot calmer, happier and more responsive to mommy. Partly I think seeing mommy's emotional melt-down

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-60203187550325655812008-08-17T07:43:00.006-04:002008-08-17T09:31:39.608-04:00

Bringing up baby to be a responsible, discipline-loving and responsive child isn't easy. Babycenter provides an interesting and useful article that spells out what parents can do with infants and upwards entitled "The discipline toolkit - successful strategies at every age". Very worth your 10 minutes to read! E and I started implementing the Naughty Corner, and it seems to be working. For

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-18794753930168762902008-08-12T08:30:00.007-04:002008-08-12T09:52:58.280-04:00

E left on Sunday to spend this whole week at a rural indigenous community in Port Augusta, near Adelaide, as part of the med school course. That means that I have the whole house and the toddler to myself this week. Normally, if this happened in Singapore there would be no reason for anyone to bat their eyelids at this. But over here, I'm suddenly struck by how we're completely left to ourselves

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-1733250480968698802008-08-10T09:14:00.006-04:002008-08-10T10:44:00.601-04:00

Dylan has been going to two playgroups here in Churchill.Both are organized by moms and held once a week/fortnight at schools - one at a mission school, and the other at a local kindergarten - they call them "kinders" here. He really loves going to the one at the kinder because it has all the toys and manipulatives, and pretend corners where he can play "masak masak". Outdoors, the kinder grounds

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-22216569618871197852008-08-04T23:34:00.003-04:002008-08-04T23:57:55.148-04:00

It's a little disheartening when an ingredient you cherish so much doesn't seem to be appreciated by the people you are cooking for. But parents of young toddlers also know that you have to persist in giving a picky child a food that they previously reject - they say up to 15 times!Extending on this principle and hoping that it will apply to the bigger boy in this family (er-hem you know who), I

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-79443745843856388332008-07-26T08:57:00.005-04:002008-07-26T09:24:24.947-04:00

My pride and joy this week - improving on an internet Lasagne recipe from Exclusively Food with the addition of spinach and cottage cheese layers:Inspired by a much better attempt at a recent gathering, I decided to cook spinach with a touch of minced garlic, and added cottage cheese mixed with egg and milk as a more healthy alternative to the full beef mince layers. No complaints from the hubby

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-78148443001775592412008-07-26T07:52:00.005-04:002008-07-26T08:41:13.901-04:00

Thank you. I couldn't have said it better. Indeed, for all my pithy complaints, there is no other toddler I want to be mother to. And knowing that he is God's special gift to us, with all of his qualities and challenges humbles me tremendously. Perhaps we're all programmed by the way we've been brought up to be competitive. Even as parents, we eye other people's children, much the same way as we

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-21557474252842379332008-07-22T07:54:00.004-04:002008-07-22T08:53:30.827-04:00

In my first few weeks postpartum, it was a revelation to me that God made us to experience parenting, so that each of us can be held accountable for another life. My life was no longer just about me - what I want, how I imagine "abundant life" to be - but also how my choices and actions nudge my offspring a little closer to, or farther from, knowing his Creator. These days, I'm finding that God

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-73086631596802814462008-07-14T23:34:00.005-04:002008-07-14T23:42:59.020-04:00

Step One to finger-painting: get out the box of paint and canvas. Also, lots of wet wipes (not seen in these pictures but most certainly there) for when paint gets to places it shouldn't go, including Daddy's sofa, carpet, ottoman etc.. Step Two: Put on your paint-shirt! Although on the box of Crayola finger paint tubes, is indicated that colours may be washed off clothes, we've more or less

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-23647641890246180552008-07-10T08:33:00.005-04:002008-07-10T10:16:47.820-04:00

If you ever wonder what the good life looks like, look no further than a day in the life of young Dylan to find examples. He was a good boy today - woke at the very sane hour of 8.30am, enjoyed a lukewarm bowl of cereal, followed by a trip to the neighborhood grocer's to help mommy stock up the pantry. The trip sure worked up an appetite, because right when we came back he wolfed down a slice of

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-9045166289573310202008-07-09T08:42:00.006-04:002008-07-10T00:30:55.005-04:00

I'm nearly at the end of my third day of truly being tested as a stay-home mom; prior to Monday, E was around the whole time helping with the cooking and cleaning so it can't count. I'm surprised by how quickly the day passes. Because Dylan takes a long time to finish his meals, it isn't long after breakfast that I have to start working on lunch already, and I wonder sometimes if he is hungry

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-42573188077264129492008-07-04T08:01:00.003-04:002008-07-04T08:53:09.824-04:00

E beat me to it - breaking the first news and photos of our initial days here in Oz, so some of what I'm posting here is already old news. In a nutshell, it's been a fun first few days here with the Daddy, and we have all the photos to prove it! Read more in Back in Oz. My biggest worry coming over to Australia was what I should get from the grocer's and whether Dylan would eat my cooking.

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-84762880731818693462008-06-23T21:05:00.011-04:002008-06-23T21:31:40.676-04:00

I'll be the first to admit. When I found out that Singapore was going the way of London in building our own Ferris Wheel tourist trap, I groaned in disbelief. How unoriginal and kitschy can we get? But then, that was before the baby arrived.Before you know it, here I am, morphed into a parent looking for more stimulating experiences to offer a frisky and highly curious 18-month-old, and a way to

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-66883974629024648622008-06-22T21:22:00.002-04:002008-06-22T21:35:46.654-04:00

We're on a mission this week. In view of our imminent 12 months ahead of home-cooked food made by yours truly, the husband and toddler are super keen to stuff our faces with as much local yummies as possible.Just to give a quick snapshot of what this meant for us just this past weekend:1) First meal: Kway Chap (braised pork innards, meat, tofu with flat rice noodles)2) Lunch: Imperial Treasure

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-51955909215485274072008-06-15T22:50:00.002-04:002008-06-15T22:59:18.928-04:00

It was a sweet, but surreal, family reunion. Saturday afternoon, Dylan and I found ourselves rushing to the "Arrivals" boards in T3 only to find that we were in the wrong terminal. 15 minutes later, after rushing back to the car and driving to Terminal 2, the father of our son walks through the gate to a son smiling shyly at him and then excitedly running all over in the arrival hall. Dylan's not

Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0