today we joined the greater h/s community for a combined outing to e s'pore heritage fest.

now persoanlly i'm not one for remembering war heroes, nor for packaging "fighting" as something to be proud of. so i was a bit concerned about e content of this fest, and what/how it wd be presented.... but i thought, "well, give it a try...but be prepared to walk away."

so what did i think? the puppet story was a bit too gory imho. likewise e mention during storytime, of "a soldier who was strung upside-down from a tree and tortured by being poked in the side with bayonets",  (app they'd bn divided up into diff groups so the presentations cd be made more "age-appropriate". i never saw this happening though... i'd put both my kids in e 4-6yrs group. i was worried about what e grp of 7-9+yr-olds mt be told!)

the fabric collage craft session i found to be the most "safe". kayla's hero was "tiger my cat, cos he's very fierce but friendly".  kynan was stumped and cdnt think of any one hero he'd like to represent... so eventually he just chose something neutral: superman :-)

it was nice to see some familiar faces.... mums & kids we've known from our old playgrp, from chinese class long ago, from montessori now, and even from scouts...  it's indeed a small world here in s'p!

***1 important nugget of knowledge we brought home with us today, is that  you dont hv to be a fighter, to be a hero.  we learned 3 examples of this...

-Elizabeth Choy took care of the needs of e other prisoners when she herself was suffering. this was a selfless act. she was a heroine. we too, can take care of the needs of others around us~ in our group of friends, in our communities, in our homes...even if we think we feel worse  than them... ie less strength, less money, less time...  sill we can rise above these, for the good of those around us!

-another chap, a teacher with a strange long name, got together some men to build a wall to protect this country against the japanese army. they did not fight. they had drive and determination to find another way... that was heroic. this goes to show that smart thinking can be more useful in getting us out of trouble, than fists or weapons.

-a young mum sacrificd her life for that of her loved ones~ her children. she performed a heroic act by warning the eldest, and then pushing the youngest aside as she saw a truck plumetting towards them on a road-crossing. (my ds knows this story as i read it to him from the papers recently)  so risking one's life in the process of performing a selfless act, is obviously something heroic. it also points to the fact that we can be little heroes in our own lives today, just by doing what is right and good at that time...and without always putting ourselves 1st!  (even if we dont qt sacrifice our lives for it!)

this last Sat, saw myself and e kids share a lot with Aunty Y at Big Splash, East Coast. it was a swelteringly hot day, traffiic was quiite slow, and it ended in a downpour that drenched us all!

but we had a whale of a time! 

-Aunty A was late arriving, so as we shd hv shared a lot with her, we just set up in the empty space... (she later arrived with e kids, her helper, and Aunty J, who settled abt 5 cars down from us)  the kids clumsily helped lay out their toys (whiich they'd priced and bagged the nite b4) , with me giving them pointers on display :)  their goodies were the 1st to be sold. prices ranged form ard 40c to $4. they each knew what they were selling, and they collected the $ to go into their own separate little 'floats' of small-change. (they'd emptied their wallets into empty pastamania tupperware the night before :))  i dipped into this small change too, while selling some of their old clothes.  ;-)

-when sales slowed down i took them for a walk on the beach. they'd found L, an 8yr-old girl to accompany them (e daughter of another 'booter). as they sought customers to sell temporary tattoos to, it became clear that she was a good help in handling the $, each tiime giving e correct change... (until 3 families approached us all at the same time... then we ALL lost track of who'd paid what as coins changed hands so fast!  luckily  i came to e rescue or they wd have been fleeced! ;-))

-after e success of the tattoo venture, we returned to our stall for some lunch, and in time to sell a few items of clothing and more toys... then the kids retired out of e sun, beneath a den made of tarpaulin, a miniature tent and umbrellas. they counted their takings and i surprised our little helper with a payment for her excellent assistance. after hushed discussion, they came out and requested to spend a few dollars on some lttle plastic cartoon characters they'd spotted. how cd i say no, esp after they'd worked so hard!? :b so the next hour they spent going to-and-fro between a neighbouring stall and ours, as they made their prized purchases and exchanged them umpteen times after they spotting small defects.  ;b

-as the sun moved across the sky, kynan grew bored with his new toys, and noticed Aunty Y's relative blowiing balloons.  he asked if he cd pitch in to help, and before long all e kiids were all at it, even kay. balloon sales were slow at e stall, so ky asked Aunty Y if he cd go and try sell them at the beach. (he was hoping for a cut of the takings i guess.... they learn fast!)  i followed at a distance as they ran full of smiles and bundles of excitement, towards familiy groups, big bunches of balloons billowing behind them in the wind.   "you wanna buy a balloon?...2 for a dollar...1 for 50c?!" ...they called out in a chorus as they lined up from big-to-small before their bemused listeners .  many times they were turned down, but they were pesistant in spite of the heat, and happily returned empty-handed with a container full of change.

not long after, they went out again. this time, those ppl who had said no earlier, came up to buy of their own accord... they'd changed their minds it seemed. some earlier buyers even came for seconds, (after their rowdy kids burst their earlier buys). :b this was a happy scenario for the kids!  kay was selling the little ones the 2nd-time around, and sweetly ran as fast as her little legs wd carry her... trying desperately to keep up with the rest... then singing softly after their speel "u wanna buy some little balloons. 2 for 50c?"  the 3rd time out, she was the 1st to sell all of hers... at one stage a happy customer requested a ceratin one and she piped up "no u cant have that one!" to which kynan added "yes he can kayla, give it to him..." / "no he CANT" she insisted, "i LIKE that one!"  / "yes kayla, but we're SELLING them." kynan persisted...  it's not FOR U!  u HAVE to give it to him!" ...to which kay sheepishly handed it over.

-the kids later admitted that selling the tattoos and balloons was the BEST bit of the whole day. a truly memorable expereince for them. their only regret is that the rain came down b4 they had another chance at going out to sell more tattoos. "i'm sure there'll be another time," i consoled... :-)

-rain? yes, 1st sunburn, then a cool breeze, and then the rain... it is an amusing memory for me... at ard 5pm the heavens opened.  we rushed to pack up and shove things helter-skelter into the boot. of course we got drenched, but pleasantly so~ then we warmed up at CJ while waiting for my dh to arrive. Aunty Y's friies really hit the spot! (esp for little kay who was famished... having bn too distracted to eat v much earlier! tq Aunty Y for treating us! 

-later, when dh came to collect us, the rain had stopped and the kids were jumping about in e ppuddles. e rest of our friends headed home, but i thought e kids needed someh ot food in their tummies b4 heading home... so... as the takings had been good, i took our family all to Carls Jnr for a dinner treat...then off we went home for a long hot bath... a very nice end to an extraordinary day...!

-the Big Boy needs to hear from me that he's doing a good job with the little boy lately... that i've noticed his little attempts at bonding. :)  i need to be specifiic about what he's doin g right when it happens.  it'll build up his esteem, give him greater confidence, and make him realise that i do notice these things.  iit'll also show him that i trust him enough to let go, especiially during the tricky times. this is hard for me because i'm not used to him giviing a listening ear. :-)

-the liittle boy shows improvement with his tantrums. extra involvement from his daddy is doing him good! they are far less frequent and mostly shorter-lived. my 'homework' is to sit down with him each tiime when he cools down, and 'draw' for hiim/with hiim, the way he looks at those times, and how the people around him react (including kitty!). then i'm to draw a happy colourful picture of him happy and how his family wd react differently to him in that situation. (i havent needed to put this into actiion yet. it's bn almost a week)

-i asked about influences around him and in school next year... u know, how kids r attracted to certain personaliity-types. ii was advised to use the 2 teacup analogy... ie one with pure clean water and the other diirty. and how when e clean cup spends time within close proximiity of the dirty one, litlle by litle, drop by drop, the dirty water will be addded to my cup, ie through daily conversation, interaction... and 1 week/1month/1year later, my cup will be just as dirty as the other. so in fact i *have* become the dirty cup, and will be nclined to thiink and act in a siimilar manner.

-for mums haviing trouble discpliinng their children in a non-violent manner, ii hv been instructed to check out Aware's lades' groups, where such topics are dicussed in the presence of a guidance councellor. i have yet to check this out as i'ven bn tied up with oo many oher thngs... but its something i'd like to arrange for us mums who struggle daily/weekly with feeliings of anger.

my dear kynan,

today you u came back from archery and ran to the kitchen all bright-eyed and smiling and this is what u said: 

"mama i had 7 arrows today. i got all 7 on the board, and 2 of them hit the cross in the middle (that's the centre of the bull's-eye) ...1 first, then the other one rt next to it!"

you were so proud of your achievement. i asked u if u were trying really hard to aim straight and u replied: "no mama, i was just looking very carefully..."

you had thought that today's crossbow session was yr last. perhaps that is why u tried so hard? ;)  or is it just that yr skill has been honed? 

now u say u that y'r ready to try something new!...  and rock-climbing is what yr eyeing :b 

remember when u climbed halfway up the t/p safra wall without even any gear or ropes? u did it while waiting for our friends to arrive.  u were so excited and twice called me away from my lunch to come and watch... i'm surprised u actually made it down again... and thankfully without any knocks or broken bones!  (i can see that gym has made yr arm muscles even stronger than they were before!)  i see you've had a taste of a new challenge and now it's hard to let it go.   if only there were enough hrs in a week to do it all yeah? ;b

i am so proud of you my boy!  i love yr fiery spark! 

may you long enjoy enthusiasm for new challenge and adventure! :) 

with lots of love from your mama, xxx

yes, it's that time of year, and we'll soon be signing kynan up for primary1.

is he ready?  -he says he'll go when he's 20yrs old!

on a serious note, it's something we both knew would come to pass.  -he tells me, "mama i'm lucky i didnt have to go to school for so long... many kids had to go when they were still very little. but we cd do so much fun stuff. i've really been veeery lucky!"

just hearing this makes me feel even happier about what he has gained. not academics, but exposure to so many other opportunities.  i pray it will not stop when he goes to school... that we will not get so wrapped up in chasing grades, that we begin to forget about living.

he knows a bit of what to expect.

-he's experienced the kind of characters he'll have to deal with...a little taste of them at gym already. both the good and the bad. he's learned there to speak up to protect himself, and in defence of others. and when he cant do it alone, he's practising how to seek adult help.  i'm hoping these little trials will stand him in good steed.   -he tells me that if there's 1difficult character in gym, then he can expect a whole bunch of them to be in such a big class at school! :)  wise boy...

i remind him too that he's sure to find some good friends (and knowing him, i think quite a handful will end up being girls ;)) they bring out his sensible communicative side. :) the boys usually get together to do mock-stunts, compete, and generally boost each other's egoes. ;)  i expect we shall have many movie-nites, games-nites and sleep-overs in the years ahead, plenty for me to get to know them all.

any concerns on my side?

-strangely it's his health that bothers me most... there's app no medical officer at the school, so i hv no idea how they'll handle an asthma emergency. it will be scarey to leave him in the hands of young teachers with no experience. (especially if it's brought on by an emotional trigger, as that's when he usually refuses his inhaler)  in preparation he's just taken on e responsibility of administering his own puffs. this is more for when he's having asthma due to illness or envirnomental pollution... but i'm hoping he will learn to know his signs, and apply e same sense when his emotions come into play... a big responsibility for a little boy, but i see no other way (other than keeping him home of course...which wd be a whole 'nother ballgame)   so the best is just to pray that he grows out of these emotional outbursts before the big day... or that he learns to handle them in a better manner.

any other happenings to look forward to?

-kynan will get to choose his own schoolbag, which he's very much looking forward to!

-and of course, a new uniform! (the style of which he already says he doesnt like...that's the designer in him talking ;))

-and the job of gathering together his stationary, and underwear!!! he recently informed me that i shd pls ensure he has enough clean pairs on a daily basis! ;) the things they think about! :b

-a new task for me will be making school lunches... he's already joked that his will be looked upon longingly by all those who hv to go to e canteen.  he requests stuff like pastamania-type noodles, and mb some homemade pizza.  (better than the sandwiches i got 12 years of my life!)

-kayla's going to miss him. but i will be able to treasure some new 1-on-1 time with her. i think it will help to develop her confidence and her own special persona away from him.

-dh is going to hv to contend with a growing young man in the house...

-a whole new chapter for all of us! :)

yes, when we got back from holiday, we brought our kitty home. granny just wasnt able to manage it longterm. bless her heart, she was so willing to begin with... i think she'd do anything for her grandkids... but she's just not a cat person. so to avoid the strain, back he came.

we've bn so happy since. it's lovely having a new little baby in the house. he's naughty, like any little-ones can be!... gets all angsty when he's been cooped up, or when he 1st wakes up and is hungry or needing someone to play with him. he calms down when he gets to spend time outdoors... and has got lost a few times too!

we had 1 breakthrough a week or so ago when dh carried him down from the window-ledge. (a 1st for dh!) then today another major one... tiger had been 'lost' a few hrs, and i had to put the kids to bed. dh wanted me to go after him, but i informed him that the kids wd still come 1st. (it was already an hr past kay's bedtime and kynan was feeling too ill to sleep) when i got out, i discovered dh had bn out searching... and come back with the little rascal. found him hiding behind a plantpot on e 2nd floor... furtherest he's been yet!  so has dh adeveloped a soft-spot for him?  ;)  perhaps...

some nights he likes to purr on my lap as i sit at the computer. then he'll nip me if i'm not stroking him fast enough (which will get him a prompt time-out if he doesnt stop pronto!)

he's the most gentle with kay. she's had a few nasty nips and scratches though, before he's finally allowing her to carry him here and there...even when he's in a flighty mood!

ky is his best playmate... swinging his toys high and low for him to chase and somersault over... usually quick to move his hands and feet out of striking distance...  :b

i'm now closer to being 40, than i am to 30... scarey huh!

so how do i feel?

-i feel like our kids are still very young.

-like i have a lot more i still want to do.

-like i shd be taking better care of my health and what i put into my body.

-like life is not forever.

-like my dh shd play a more important role in my life, and i in his.

-that i shd be a good role model for e kids to remember.

-that i shd give back in what big and little ways i can.

-that i shd remember my past.

-that i shd actively seek e future for my family beyond this earth and beyond my days.

-that life is for living and loving, and growing, and experiencing... and sharing a hope.

-what kind of a legacy do i want to leave?... what legacy will be the future that my children inherit?

what will they remember of me?  a legacy of faith, of love, of joy, of peace, of kindness, of humility and self-control, of patience and gentleness, of a heart that is good. these are the fruits of this life that God has given me.  not money, nor honour, nor rank, nor power... for i cant put those to good use.  but what i can use are the talents that God has bestowed on me... it is my prayer that my hubby and the kids find theirs, and that they be blessed with joy and peace, and a sharing of love, as much as i have. 

-God's glory lasts forever, but i am but a seed in the wind...

so far i've never gotten ill at exactly the same time as dh or the kids... somehow my ilness always strikes after, if at all... this time was no different....

last week was my turn. we got back from east coast fireworks display very late... with kay sleeping in e car and then on_ straight through the nite, until 6am.

the result of not having nursed her to sleep, was for me a rather nasty bout of mastitis. it was with me for a week... pain, nausea, fever, redness, clear signs of what i'd been through before, but on the other side...

i didnt know this cd still happen to a mum nursing a soon-to-be 4-yr-old child. didnt even think i was producing enough milk rt now to cause engorgement or blocked ducts... very irritating. i was so sick of visiting docs for e kids, that i really didnt want to go through it for me.

so i decided to try get through it myself. ie save e antibiotics as a last resort.  i slept early and skimped on e housework, but my days were otherwise e same, no-one aware of e pain i was in.  i still took ky to his classes, incl gym, as we'd alredy missed a class when he was sick...so i didnt want to miss again and waste anymore $... e walk is usually easy, pushing e stroller with kay and e bags, but that day i nearly fainted halfway across e field. (was the sun really that hot/ or was it the fever i didnt know...)

all i can say is: thank goodness for pharmacies and e panadol i picked up on the way home... 

that night i was feeling so ill. i cdnt even eat. i bathed with e kids and they helped out. the milk didnt seem to be flowing very well, so i thought i'd have to resign myself to e fact that i'd be seeing a doctor e next day.  one last ditch attempt at fixing it myself: after putting e kids to bed, i took a whole cabbage out e freezer, sliced it, and applied e icy cold compress direct to e skin. an hr later i went to bed soothed. and the next day my prayer was answered... happily e red flush had subsided and i was almost painfree. hooray! :))

it's funny how we seem to have long stretches of good health, then suddenly a whole avalanche happens and buries us for a little while...

the last time e kids were sick was ard january this year. and that was for ky's headaches and racing heartbeat... it's thankfully been quiet since then... but lest we become complacent, God has just dealt us a healthy bout of ill health. :)

well, kay has had a tummy-ache for a month, and it may be pointing to a dairy allergy. so she's now in the midst of trying to modify that and hoping the problem will soon pass.

ky came down with a runny nose and cough after meeting up with some sick buddies. within a day he was wheezing, and by e 2nd morning, lying unhappily wilted on e sofa, too dizzy to walk. i thought it was his blood-oxygen levels getting low, but waited til after lunch to see if his inhaler wd kick in. it never did, and he only got worse, so off we all went to kkh...

along e way ky was feeling faint and threatening to puke in e kind gentleman's taxi.  we were whisked in to e red doors quickly, once arrived... someone helping push him in a wheelchair to e bed while i took care of kay and e paperwork. (poor kid, he was scared and didnt want to leave me...)  he had 3 rounds of inhaler there and by night-time still showed no improvement. 

he'd also stated puking, which was qt out of the ordinary. it was a young doc he saw and i noticed too late that the normal action plan had not bn followed.  his growing palour, dizziness, wheeze and vomiting really bothered me as i'd never seen him that bad b4.  i smsd some friends to pray for him, then called dh to come over and help with kay after work. together we saw him throwing up repeatedly...all meds, food and even water.

at 9.30pm i finally asked dh to get kay home and bathed. e doc wanted him admitted but dh preferred i go home and settle kay...going back later to admit him if necc. poor kid...we were finally discharged with a bag of liquid meds, none-of-which he cd keep down. 

later that night he was up constantly with his head in the bucket...his whole body racked with spasms as he cried and cried in pain and whooziness. i packed his bags at 1am and was ready to call a cab...only to realise he was too heavy for me to carry and too dizzy to walk.  so i lay down with him and prayed and prayed and held his hand, promising it wd soon pass, and we both fell asleep...  

and the next morning all was well!... still nauseaus and wheezing, but starving hungry!  a good sign indeed!  and good ole granny dropped by with prata, loads of 100-plus (and even lemon tea for me!...)  

as expected, 3 days after e kkh visit, kay came down with an unexplained fever which lasted a while...high at night, moderate in e day.. then after 5 days, it just mysteriously left... so strange... but the tummy-ache still lingers on...

........................................................Mozart Experience: National Museum

we went with Aunty J and her brood. e kids hardly stopped to spend time with each other once inside (except perhaps when they locked themselves into the carriage time and again!). we arrived when it opened and it was pleasantly quiet. the kids managed to do everything they wanted when they wanted, except the calligraphy section where they had to wait qt a while. this section was poorly designed. it really shd have offered more seating, perhaps 2 more tables the same size wd have bn more adequate.

kayla loved dressing up. she changed numerous times, and studied herself in the mirror, straightening here and there. then she walked to the bike/carriage to don a horse's head and tried to peddle. later on she requested a moustache and changed to boys clothes. (still with the horse's head on!)  at the calligraphy table she was not too happy at all the giggles and smiles she kept getting...all because of her funny attire! 

we left when some kindy kids arrived and it started to get noisy. timing was perfect for some lunch. but 1st we toured an interesting art installation on perspective. the kids found the swimmer going across the wall to be incredibly realistic. (like they were viewing him rt in the pool!) even i cd appreciate it :) then they headed out and played with their friends in a kiddy-zone. after that, lunch was calling... and a little run-around the museum of course!

when our friends left, we settled down to what turned out to be a rather expensive treat while we waited for the rain to stop. when it finally did, it was only abt 3,.30pm, so we decided to head back to Mozart.  it was very quiet by then... probably about 10 or fewer kids in total.

our kids had lots they still wanted to do... ky decided he was ready to dress up now that it was quieter :) and with fewer eyes looking his way.  after some posing, they headed back to write something for their daddy using the quill and ink. then on to their 2 favourite spots: 1 where they cd pound their own herbal tooth-powder, and another, where they cd make their own healthful teabags. the students manning the booths were very sweet with the kids, particularly the young men. (...mostly from the art college they said.) the kids were treated with patience and given special attention, even allowing them to make teabags for their moms and dads, in addition to their own!  so i got to choose my special mix of ingredients. :)

before leaving, the place was practically deserted, so the kids tried their hand at toys from that era. kayla's favourites turned out to be a wooden hobby-horse that she pranced abt on, making horsie sounds as she went... along with a little wooden wheeled animal on a tattered string, which she pulled here and there.

kynan tried his hand at the wooden spinning tops, actually managing to get some to spin by looping the string ard and then giving them a quick pull. (i wasnt terribly good either). his favourite though, was a wooden hoop which he mastered rolling about the floor with a wooden stick. (him and the hoop ran into a partition wall a few times, but otherwise, success! :))

it was hard to pull them away... i was worried about how bz the mrt wd be heading back during rush-hour... and how cranky kay mt be.   thankfully she fell asleep in her stroller, but with a very moody, pouting look on her face...and still boasting her black swirly moustache! (sure to brighten the way for fellow-passengers i discovered! :))

another very productive day... and more fun for the kids than i'd ever imagined it cd be!

it's still the holidays and we're busy busy busy having fun outings...

Science Centre: Dinasuar Exhibit with lifelike robotic dinasurs.

kids loved this. there was an enormous t-rex outside that drew lots of attention. the ones inside were smaller, but just as eye-catching. what i loved was that they'd gone the extra mile to put up some realistic-looking back-drops. ky told me that it wd be great if their legs cd move up and down off the ground so that they cd actually walk about... "then they'd REAAALLLLY look real", he added. none-the-less, he was so entranced at one section that when i touched him on the shoulder, he very nearly hit the ceiling! we all had a good laugh! :)

.................................................................. Science Centre: Chemistry Workshop.

we signed up on the spot, and discovered that parents were not allowed in. that did not deter kayla. she came back excitedly for her name-tag later on, and holding kynan's hand, dissappeared inside without a 2nd-glance!  so i was left alone to eat my lunch and play with my h/p. :) after abt an hour, they excitedly emerged with a tub of slime which they'd mixed and coloured themselves.... along with a smaller tub of home-made toothpaste "with real minty flavour!" they had to let me know. (this almost caused kayla to puke that night... "too salty/ spicey" 

....................................................Science Centre: Dinasaur Omnimax Movie

the above two were 'free'... ie once yr inside e snce ctr, no other charges apply. omnimax cost extra though, but i think kay got in free.

this was the 1st-time i'd been to one of their movies since kynan was about 2+yrs. he cdnt remember the last time, and kayla had bn nagging me since she's known about it.... so finally we went!

yes, it was dinasaur theme that week for our kids' homeschool, so as chance wd have it, all this was a real bonus! i felt dizzy at times when the scenery moved real fast... so had to close my eyes until it past. (thought it was my age catching up, but kynan told me after that he'd had to do the same. perhaps it was because we were very close to the front?_or?)  kayla was a hoot!... for half the show she kept looking sideways and down at the bottom of the screen, earnestly telling everyone:  "the floor's moving! the floor's moving!" 

e content was good. the kids came away learning a few things they'd not known before. they were sorry when it ended... but the waterplay area was calling loudly... :)

we drove to Malacca and spent 1 night there, at the Equatorial_ Club rooms.

as always, the hotel service was wonderful, the food delicious, and the afternoon cocktail tea was a feast.  we took a nice long walk down the river and had a meal at a promenade cafe. hubby met us later for a trishaw ride. thek ids went alone in one (which scared me to deah!) whiled h and i shared another. the kids were sooooo excited. after that we took a walk through the new mall to do some window--shopping. kay cdnt keep her hands off he merchandise... a real little lady...

that nite ky slept on his own bed, and kay slept in a cot. she only got out once or twice for milk... so dh and i had a superkingsize bed all to ourselves.... until about 2am that is... when kay spilled half a bottle of water on my side of the bed! she wisely snuggled next to bal as i mopped up the mess_ leaving me to sleep damp on the bottom half.

we took a long drive to Cameron Highlands e next day and stayed at Century Pines for 2 nights. the hotel was a bit dark on the higher levels, so i chose a brighter room with a groundfloor garden, looking out to the front (though the back ones had a lot of privacy and backed on to the jungle, so wd have been even nicer. i loved the morning birdsong very much indeed.)

the room was quite spacious, like Equatorial, but the wooden furniture and flooring showed some scratches (which didnt bother me, but it did the hubby) the kids liked the sliding-door access to the patio and garden.  and again we had a bed and cot for the kids, with kingsize bed for us. 

the hotel was very clean and free of mould and damp, which is what i was after... (some others in the same loacale are not up to the same standard in this respect).  none-the-less, the overall impression is nothing too fancy...more of a business/ conference hotel. however, we did see a lot of small malaysian families though. 

the location to me is it's best asset. just outside the main carpark is a large playground with a range of swings and climbing equipment. what makes it special, is that the paths have been lined with an array of beautiful flowering shrubs and trees. next to this park is a large grassy field, separated by a little stream. there are cute bridges going over the water at different spots, with little wodden seats for u to rest and enjoy the sound of the birds, and the lilting water.

if u follow this stream up past the side of the hotel, it goes up through the trees and comes out at a little waterfall. my 6yr-old cd mange the walk fine, though my 3-yr-old had to be carried some bits where the terrain grew too muddy or steep. (wear long pants and comfy walking shoes. and take water and camera.) we went across the rope bridge which took us a little up the mountain along some steps and over some winding tree-roots. this path comes out at a bridge going over the waterfall... or up ito the mountains for the more intrepid hikers.

just outside of the hotel driveway is a whole row of sundry shops, cafe's and coffee-shop-type eateries. it's far enough away from the hotel for the traffic not to be heard, yet within a 5-10minute walk. further up this road is an open-air market square, which we didnt have time to visit.

we went to a tea plantation and enjoyed some tea and scones at the cafe. (be warned, the cream was not real cream though. it was some white atificial tasteless froth.and the toilets at these stops are rather grim...so get kids to go at the hotel)  at this tea plantation the view was pleasant however, and the breeze rather brisk. (bring yr jackets). we took a little hike down the hill... passing some wonderfully-scented pines. the kids ran most of the way... only taking one or two tumbles!  at the bottom was a little stream, (sadly with rubbish on its banks) .... but it gave us a beautiful vista up into the green-tea-covered hills. the kids were delighted when dh held on to them so they cd get a feel of the icy clear water.  the hike back was good excercise for the adults, but challenging for the little one. the elder one played in the dirt while waiting for us to catch up :)

alas we were not too impressed by the fruit and veg plantations that we passed.  i think we were expecting something like the open fields of the English countryside... but unfortunately all the produce was hidden under ugly white plasic sheeting which was used to make their 'greenhouses'. it was a real eyesore against the hillsides... especally when it covered big swahes of the once-geen land. we didnt even stop. the litter strewn alongside the roads was also much of a turn-off. it was probably this overall dissapointment which led us to leave Cameron 1 day early. (if i came back to these hills i think it wd be only to hike the trails with the kids when they are older. we wdnt visit the fruit and veg farms.)

so off we headed to Sunway Lagoon, Pyramid Hotel, for a 2-nite stay. the room was smaller than th rest and faced a wall. it was also the most expensive. there was no separate bath/shower/toilet. it was all combined, so a bit of a drag if the toilet was occupied. pillows were terribly soft and they had no more to provide us with. not quite value-for-money. the breakfast however was the best we'd had yet on our whole holiday... a wondeful spread of noodles, curries, rice, prata, omelettes, chinese pow, and all the usual hot and cold western fair. i really feel like they catered well to n international palate.

we arrived on a tues and unfortunately the theme park was closed. so we relaxed and explored the shopping mall alongside. we also found time for a movie, Kung Fu Panda... which the kids and i thoroughly enjoyed! then dh treated Ky to a game of ten-pin-bowling. kay tried her hand at it too, but actually had to use 2 hands to get the ball rolling.  they both say its something they'd like to do again...  it cost all of $2.50 (including shoe-hire for kynan... very good value!)

the next day at 11am we were almost 1st-in-line for our tickets, and only left ard 6pm. unfortunately they're very strict aboutt not allowing food and drinks in... not even water...so that was a damper rt at the start. once inside though, it was pretty quiet and we had a fab time in the various pools. dh joined us and later went back to the hotel when we went off to explore the animal park/petting zoo. there the highlight was a little show where the kids got to hold a real live large albino python.... much to my worryy and delight (esp for little kay who chose to follow her big bro... and ended up holding the wriggling head!!!)

trying to buy lunch after was a nightmare...the kids were tired, seats were hard to find, and the serving staff terribly disorganised. (my food kept being given to other people... and for some reason, although i was in one of the queues, others were served ahead of me form the side... just shouting out their orders and thrusting their money forwards... locals perhaps? i actually raised my voice/shouted at staff for the 1st-time in my life. yes i was that exasperated!!! so totally not me!!!... but it finally got the point across)

before calling it a day, we headed up the hill towards the funpark and the kids went on some 'tame' rides. then we headed back across the long overhead bridge and had one last swim before closing time. none of us wanted to go back... it really was with heavy feet... and we all begged dh to let us stay another night. unfortunately finances did not allow...as this was the priciest stop of our journey. but we had plenty of happy memories and lots of photos to look back upon.

that night before leaving, we met with my sil who lives in kl, along with her 2 kids (same age as our 2). it was wonderful to see the kids together. in spite of the time and distance, they clicked immediately, like they'd never been aprt... and it was wonderful to see our 2 youngest girls relating to one-another in such a grown-up manner... holding hands and chit-chatting shyly as they walked along. aaaah! and kynan... of course chasing after the elder girl... happily shrieking and laughing as they went.

we all went to bed ard midnight and were wondering how on earth we'd be up in the morning to drive back to singapore... we felt msierable for it. kynan cdnt wake up, and kay had a rare meltdown... from our room + 30 minutes into breakfast. finally she settled and i was able to eat.  they both slept well in the car due to their late night beofre, so we made brisk time... stopping only twice along the way back to s'pore.

no-one wanted to go back home, so we went to the bishan-hotel instead... unpacked and 3 lots of laundry done in no time! now we nedd to recover :)

i went and saw the counsellor just before our driving trip, over a week ago.

the kids waited alone in the reception area with some seaweed, paper, crayons, and a small bag of toys for kay. fortunately there was only one squeal from kay after about 40minutes, and i resisted going out to check on them. after a 1hr session i was very very surprised that they were actually still doing ok without me.... and after that session i came back feeling like perhaps something had clicked.

here's feedback for my own terrible memory to ponder on:

-kynan is angry and doesnt know how to express it.... well, that's plain and obvious... ;)

-he needs a male role model to spend time with him.

-he's apparently getting enough time with his mum.

-father-son time alone, shd be encouraged more and more.

-boys his age need to know from their mums, that even if their dad is too busy to be with them, he still loves them very very much.

-their mum must build up the dad in their kid's eyes, and make them feel loved and special. so even if their dad cant say it to them, they will still consistently be hearing it from mum.

-some dads were just not ready to be fathers.... even years down the line they may still be battling with  expectations thrown up by fatherhood.

-a boy *needs* his father. no-one else can be that role-model to him. a father should not treat a son with distance between them, like someone else's child, a colleague, or like he's his 'boss'. he just needs to give his son love...like a father. he needs to show him honest heartfelt love and care.

-work will always be there for a man, children will not.

-if a man has built up walls between himself and others, then those walls cannot exist between him and his son. he must little-by-little break them down and let his son see him as he is. he must be open and allow his son to come to him without turning him away. a child should not feel rejected by his father. if this is the case, then the older he gets, the less he will come to him... building more and more of a divide between the two.

-both parents shd look back at their own relationships with their fathers. if these were not as they wd have wanted them to be, then they have to heal their hurt and put it behind them. (the counsellor suggested that a parent wd do better seeing a proffessional than trying to overcome this with their spouse.)  they should look back at their own parent-child relationships and learn from them... like how they are affecting the way they are fathering their children now. they shd consider how they might want to do things differently with their own children, to have a better, more open, father-son/ parent-child bond both now and in the future.

-parents should aim to be the mother/ father they wd want to have...so that one day when they are older, they and their kids will not have regrets about their relationship.

-as a couple, they must learn to control their anger with each other. so that they talk through issues in a civilised non-judgemental manner, rather than becoming angry over differing views.  it's ok to have differing views and to express these, and to be heard and listened to. each person is an individual with individual needs. we cannot rely on other people for our own happiness and well-being. the same applies for the children.  we are each responsible for our own emotions.  our views dont have to be accepted by other people, but it's still ok and neccessary to express them. we should make ourselves heard. 

-and when people listen to what we want, we should also realise that it doesnt neccessarily mean that we will be given what we want... and that's ok too. parents and children can sit down, communicate their wants and needs, and even give a wish-list.   they shd listen to one-another and discuss which wishes can be granted, and how and when, and in return for what.

-kynan needs to see good listening and problem-solving behaviour in action through his parents.

-kynan has enough of talking, explanations and understanding consequences. he needs to know that he is being treated fairly, especially when it comes to displays of love and affection towards him and his younger sibling.  in particular, at this age a son is in need of affection, time and positive affirmation from his father.  as he grows towards him, looks up to him, and strives to emulate and compete with him, a son needs a father as a positive role-model.

-to encourage wise choices and kind behaviour, a simple sticker chart is used presently...  but we've been told to do away with negative consequences. ie the child shd not be allowed to choose a 'time-out', 'smack', or 'withdrawal of priviledges' etc as one of his options. instead, we should merely point him on the right track every time.  ie when he calms down, he is to:

a) tell us what he did wrong,

b) tell us what he will try to do if it happens again,

c) apologise to those he upset, immediately after the altercation  (whether with a hug, a pat, a kiss, sitting closely, or in words.)

*i have chosen to use the same reward chart and rules for the younger one too, so that the elder does not feel 'singled out'. this way they can also work towards a shared goal. they both enjoy the novelty of it, and it's working well...even for the younger one, which is a pleasant surprise.*

we're just back from a wonderful day out.

mid-afternoon, a few families met at HortPark and took a leisurely stroll along the new walkways to VivoCity. the 1st part was on the metallic bridge and raised walkway above the treetops. i found it to be warmer than i'd expected, although it was overcast. there were some stretches where u cd make use of stairs as a short-cut instaed of a winding ramp.

when it ended at the top, we came to a map on a board. in front of us was a road with a sign saying "waves bridge" to the left, for us to follow a pavement along the road. to the rt was another road with no sign, but also going downhill. in the middle of the two, was a tar slope going steeply uphill into the trees, to the 'hilltop walk". some people we met told us there were "LOTS of stairs" that way, so as we had some little ones asking to be carried (and a stroller), we decided to take the roadside. well, as it turned out, all paths met a little way down the hill...not far at all, (as the stairs wd have bn mostly downhill....on hindsight i think we cd have enjoyed the jungle walk up on the hilltop... had we only known more about it's length and difficulty.

from here, the walk took us through a carpark and up a slight tarred slope to the wooden waves bridge. it was silent as one walked across the planks, which was very condusive to it's peaceful setting. the handrails on the edge were perfectly smooth to the touch, which said vlumes about the exacting quality of its workmanship.  we found it to be wonderfully cool and breezy over the mid-section, so we stopped a while as the kids ran and climbed and slid down the curved sides of the raised seating. it was such fun that one cd tell they really didnt want to move on. :)

after the bridge, we meandered along pavements up to the top of mount faber...passing the jewel box (where e fish-pond cafe had recently been demolished and was now undergoing major construction-works.... so no chance to stop and feed the fishes) . as we started the downhill section, the kids went over to e harbour lookout-posts and had a breather, while we all ate snacks and enjoyed the view.

a little further on and we found a steep set of stairs pointing out e "Marang Trail".... this led all the way down mount faber and came out at the open-air carpark opp harbourfront mall, rt next to one of e harbourfront mrt exits.  so we took this same underpass and came out in the basement of  VivoCity...our final stop.

we headed for the landscaped gardens on the top floor, bought some food, and ate dinner picnic-style as the sun set around us. the kids then stripped down to their undies and frolicked in the water beneath the stars. it was 8pm when we finally packed up and headed home... with all the kids still running about like little monkeys! :)

after-thoughts-

*we'd left Hortpark at ard 3.15/ 3.30pm, and we got to VivoCity at ard 6pm. so it took us ard 2 1/2hrs at a leisurely stroll, and with plenty of rest-stops along the way.

**in the group we had 6mums, 1dad, 1helper, 2x2yr-olds, 2x3yr-olds, 1x5yr-old,  3x6yr-olds, 1x9yr-old, and 2teens. the 2yr-olds needed carrying quite a bit. my girl (3 1/2yrs) requested to be carried 3 times for short stretches...up the steeper slopes. and the other 3yr-old told me that she was "veeeeery tired" as we approached the jewel box. so it was qt demanding for the young ones, though all were still pleasantly contented. those who were 5+yrs had seemingly no complaints about distance. in fact they were still racing after each other as we headed down the final steps of the Marang Trail... (btw, watch out for mozzies on the last stretch... we encountered loaaads as we stopped to sit on a log-bench near the bottom. so wear longpants and put on repellant before heading down.)

***a very doable walk... my kids want to go back to HortPark and the Waves bridge in particular...

aaaah hols are great! most paid classes have been cancelled, so we're veeery free!

and somehow we've been bumping into puppets here, there and everywhere...

today we went to a puppet-show by 'toy box' at tanglin mall. it was great fun! they started with a sing-along and some excercises, then moved on to a seemingly-improvised strorytelling.  all the kids were enthralled ,and the mums were smiling too! it lasted an hour, and at the end we got a $5 gift voucher to use at a nearby toy-store. (no minimum purchase!) apparently this show happens on the 1st mon of every month at 2pm. the only reason we got to go this time is because kyna's gym teacher is away on holiday... else he'd be otherwise-occupied... but i'm sure we'll try be back again in future! afterwards we walked to the botanical grdns and met dh for a picnic... we had a whole roast chicken, sausages, salads, and oranges. it was fab... the kids collected stuff to make a pretend fire next-to our 'camp'. dh was being bitten by mozzies so we didnt stay long...

a few days back we had another fun experience... we had a puppet-making workshop at amk library, and were surprised at the beginning by a short puppet-showt put on by the teachers from 'the little skoolhouse'. now in today's world of perfect-and-polished-everything,... i found the childlike simplicity of the show, tto be quite endearing....

afterwards, the same teachers led little workgroups of kids in making their own puppets of varying style. we only had an hr to spare b4 a zoo trip, but in that time, they watched the show, and then completed 3 puppets each. it was surprisingly peaceful inspite of the crowd, and as we were leaving, i obsereved our kids using their favourite pieces to talk to each other in funny voices. later on when we got home, we even put on a little puppet show behind a sofa cushion. it was very dramatic, with lots of laughter.

neither of my kids are the performing kind... they are simply too self-conscious.  so it was nice to see a little flicker of self-expression as they tentatively tested the waters.

on the offside, i can see my little girl has the talent of voices within her,... from the way she speaks to her animals and makes them relate to one-another. she even speaks animatedly to her food before she eats it! :b now that's something!!!

so i really think i need to just put my inhibitions aside and help them on this bandwagon! :)

the best:

-a lovely big 8-man tent for the 4 of us.... put up by dh while ky looked on.

-a nice spot with long grass to pitch our tent...and a break inbetween the rain.

-dh stayed overnight with us_finally!!!

-he was pleased to inform me that e police-post was just a few metres away :)

-after pitching e tent, he went home for a shower and a rest :)

-he gave me an ear-splitting electronic whistle to be used in an emergency... jic we were attacked by a wild dog or some other wild creature. :) 

-we had time to explore the park, spotting 2 squirrels, a whiptail lizard, a cat, some wild parakeets, and plenty of minorbirds looking for worms. 

-e kids also found some nice low trees  to climb...ant-free to boot!

-some special discoveries were a cluster of canon-ball trees, with large scented flowers and spiky branches..all making for eye-catching photographic splendour. some pinetrees had their fronds withing easy reach for plucking their fragrant needeles... likewise for a eucalyptus. the pods were too high, but e menthol-scented leaves were within reach. for e 1st time, i also noticed it's bark...wonderfully light and papery... the kids were perplexed and took some samples back to the tent with them.

-kayla got her "camping puddles" (she'd prayed for rain, and it miraculously came...after weeks and weeks of dry sunny weather!)

-friends came over, so e kids had some playmates...7 altogether. (kynan was esp pleased abt this!)

-best memory: kids running in e rain, faces bursting with smiles and laughter. little feet tottering, & testing damp sand. bigger feet charging and splashing through grassy puddles. 

-kids' happiness is contagious: inspite of being soaked in e rain, i felt young and carefree all over again!.i actually enjoyed the crunching gritty sand squished between my toes,  then rinsing them in puddles, and feeling the cold prickly grass make way beneath my feet.

the worst:

-we only stayed 2days and 1 nite

-it was only halfway through the nite that i discovered dh had the most comfy spot in the tent! (while i'd been trying to curve my spine in S-shapes around a small anthill and a knobbly root, lying otherwise hidden in long grass.)

-we were so near the main beach walkway that the daylight-bright-bulbs of the lamps caused it to be daybreak inside our tent all night long  (thank you darling dh ;))

-the roar of fishing boat engines resounding near shore at night...scarily similar sound to jets being fired up for battle. 

-on and off through e nite, i heard the resounding boom and echo of large metal coffins falling from e sky...they must have bn abt the size of our bedroom. and occassionally they set off alarms that broke the dawn air with a sound so shrill they cd hv been announcing a prisonbreak! not a good spot for a peaceful night, considering how near the shipyard is!

-discovering after a midday thunderstorm that our comfy new tent leaks....badly!

the future:

-we want to go camping again...but i'd prefer longer.

-never again at west coast park... too noisy at night!

-mb pasir ris, which is where the kids and i still enjoy. (nice n shady in e day, n peaceful at nite)

-we need to find a tent that doesn't leak (2 purchases returned and still no success)

-dh says taman negara mt be nice...mb before he retires :)

just saw an ad in last weekend's paper and chanced upon this new organic warehouse store at jalan pemimpin, just a little walk up from 'Moms-in-Mind'...

*Country Farm Organics Mart, 59 jalan pemimpin, #01-02, L &Y Building, tel. 64746887*

www.countryfarmorganics.com.sg

they get fresh produce in every thurs (bread rolls, fruit, veg), so go after 2pm if that's what yr after. otherwise, stock yr basket with noodles, pasta, sauces, flour, natural rocksalt, grains, pulses, nuts, oils, milk-powders, juices, kids 'healthy-times' cookies, dried fruits, honey, cloudy apple cider vinegar, brown rice, and plenty of other heathful whole foods. they even stock organic household cleaners, hygiene products, and one brand of gel-free 'organic' diapers. :)

i was selective with my purchases and came away with items mostly in the cheaper price ranges (some 30-50% off). check yr expiry dates and be sure u can consume the products before. i found the pasta/noodles, seeds, grains, pulses to be the best value. they come in simple packaging, often with cooking, serving guidelines & suggestions on e label. this makes it easier for one to try out new things. the package sizes are also just right for a family meal or two.  *some products bought in bulk from overseas, then packaged in Malaysia under the name "Country Farm" .

for an idea of prices, here's a list of what i came away with:

-brown rice beehoon (vermicilli) : $2.80 for 400g, Malaysia

-brown rice tomato beehoon :$3.50 for 400g, Malaysia

-organic spinach noodle: $3.20 for 250g, Thailand

-pearled white barley: $$2.60 for 500g, Finalnd,

-organic sunflower seeds: $2.40 for 200g, Inner Mongolia

-organic wheat bran: $1.45 for 250g, USA

-healthy times apl & cinnamon teddy-cookies: $7.00 for 2 boxes_150g  each (usual $7 p/p_expry 1mo')

-apple cider vinegar: $6.00 for 1 pint, USA

*carried away in 2 bags, with some free organic info/ reading materials thrown in.

i wd have bought more, were i not having to carry it all the way back home in 33 degree heat ;) nxt time i will make a bee-line for e 2-for-$10 jars of pasta sauces. (there weren't many left though, so i guess its a popular item... :)

verdict?

-if you shop carefully, definately value-for-money. by choosing wisely i was paying ard e same price for organic as i wd for regular items at ntuc. i'll definately be going back on a regular basis.

give it a try next time yr in the neighbourhood!

my little boy is going through a tricky phase rt now... Mr Nice Guy for a few weeks, then WHAM!... suddenly the darkest side of the dark-side is revealed...

he's a great kid!.... full of humour, and laughs, and fun stories, busying himself and his sister for hrs at a time... being creative and inventive, and sporty, and strong. but occassionally, something flips... if he doesnt get his way, he resorts to whining, and bawling, and cattawalling, and he can go on and on! and on!

-so here's the crunch! -  if we give in, he quits immediately, like nothing even happened! :-o but this is not the direction we want to go. we believe there are some desicions which an adult needs to make, and the tantrums of a 6-yr-old are not going to change that.... so we persist to try and find a solution...

-compromises? yes, they worked when he was younger, but not anymore. he wants to be in the drivers' seat 24/7. so any compromise he'll just refuse, merely continuing to demand what he originally wanted. or he says "whatever you want"/ "you choose." but when we do choose, as per his request, then he will still not follow through with it. ie he just continues his whining, crying, screaming monologue.

-if we stick by our guns reg e original issue, then he'll just kp whining and keep at it for hours (really, we've tried...)  and then he will just get more and more wound up, crying, sobbing, shouting, falling on the floor and flailing about. until eventually, he'll hv an asthma attack and need his inhaler... at which point he's so fed up that he'll refuse it, fight if we try, and get more and more breathless and hv more and more excrutiating chest-pains, and scream all the louder... at this point the only thing that helps is for me to leave the room.  it's very scary for me to leave him in this state, but there's nothing i can do to help him... i just hv to kp popping back until he's ready to quieten down and co-operate. (i hope!) and a lot of prayer goes a long way to soothe frayed nerves...

-another scenario.... if, along the way, we give in, but then go back on what we said, then the whole process just starts all over again... (foolish mb, but we were willing to try anything!)...even agreeing, (to get him to be quiet and listen), then stopping to reason about his foolishness. but he was not able to comprehend the gravity of his behaviour at that point. rather, he just persisted in doggedly chasing after his original want! which got us back to square one...a tantrum in full swing on the floor :(

-withdrawal of privileges, saying sorry, promising not to do it again... all are not lasting, even if he obliges at the time. we think we've won his heart. he prays about it and seems remorseful...but with time he forgets and does the same thing again a few weeks/months later....

-sending him to his room.... he wont comply and he's now too strong/ heavy for me to insist. if i try, he gets violent, both physiaclly and in words. so at this age, i know it's not e way to go. likewise for a smack to the butt. it just provokes him further, and makes him want to get even. (not the response i'd be after)

-you'd think it wd appeal to a kiddo's conscience if their mummy had had enuff and started crying...? nope...   he merely tells me "good, you can go cry all you want."  hmmmm.... so now i dont let it affect me.  i've learned to walk away and just ignore it.

-it's hard when there's another sibling in the house though. it's hard to continue with normal activities over the noise and distraction.   we cant leave tthe house to escape it... (at these times i wish we had a secret garden. )

-this last week or more, the younger sibling has started mimicking his behaviour :( and then treats him with anger and disdain after such episodes. another minefield...

-the turning point?  when e elder one used a clenched fist to physically harm me, that's when the repercussions of his behaviour finally hit home to Mr Jackal. finally all was quiet.  (the little one was shocked and scared. and dh was angry when he found out.)  and me...?... i set about with purpose, trying to find a way to teach one in his shoes, how to self-regulate his anger. some people call it anger-management, others say it's all about learning to control impulses.

-either way, there's a reason we cant always get our own way in life. we are not the centre of the universe. we live in a world of countries, with cities and towns and communities, and neighbours and families. we are a part of a whole. in our small part we mt not see e big picture.  so there are times in our lives when we have to trust the rules and guidance and wisdom of a higher authority. (eg.as a child, we cant be provoked to anger each time an adult tells us the way certain things shd be done. likewise, as an adult, it wd not be productive nor wise to be provoked to anger each time our boss requests something to be done in a way that's contrary to how we'd like it to be!)  we wd not make great progress in the classroom nor the corporate world if that were our attitude... we all need to learn to deal with these issues, and find effective ways to de-stress, or release the pent-up feelings we get along e way.... (and that goes for the adults too!)

i am optimistic that this is just a phase.... a part of growing...

i am learning and listening and discovering new ways to work through such phases in our lives...

-at the beginning of May, we attended an evening spring concert at our church, in aid of St Andrew's Autism Cntr.  it was somewhat of a surprise for all of us, as it was mostly 18th century hymns and meditations on piano and organ, with accompanimnet in latin and greek from the choir. it was immensely peaceful, and i was so glad my dh styaed on with us. the children sat through wonderfully, with kynan trying to make out the words and follow in the programme. our favourites were: "PanisAngelicus" by Cesar Franck, sung by soprano soloist Maureen Kelly (a 16yr-old with the voice of an angel!). our 2nd-favourite was: "Libera Me", part of "Requiem Op.48" by Gabriel Faure, sung by soloist baritone Michael Kelly (this was probably our overall favourite piece of the whole show...both for the clarity of the singing, as well as the composition of the music.)  we all left that evening truly uplifted in spirit...

-later in the month, we went to a musical theatre performance of "Ferdinand he Bull". it was held in a small theatrette quite far from where we live. we were blessed to get a ride from Aunty J/H, there and back. other than an australian clown production which we attended a few yrs back, this wd be our only other "paid" event, so it was somewhat special. the kids were excited to see a lot of familair faces at e event, as it was organised for e homeschoolers. once inside, their eyes were glued to the stage from beginning to end. kay's favourite chaacter was e son in bull-fighting regalia. kynan lyked e duke. (me too! :) we stayed for a queston-time and some quick photo's afterwards, picking up some yummy chocolate cookies on the way out!

-the following week we had the good fortune of being remembered by a friend when some free tickets were going around... it was for a 2-man puppet-show at the Esplanade (we'd never been there for an indoor performance before...so of course we were jumping for joy!!!)  kynan was again rather flabberghasted that we knew at least half the people sitting in the theatrette... from scouts and playgroups... :)  the show itself was set in a puppeteer's workshop. the narrator, in a white apron, sat and told stories while repairing them. the puppeteer, with a strong, lilting irish accent, was dressed in black from head -to-toe, and manipulated e puppets on a workbench alonside, adding great personality to each of the puppets with his wonderful voice-overs. Kayla's favourite was a little red-head puppet called Michael (he'd got into some trouble with the fairies when he'd messed with their fairy-tree, on their fairy-mound. kynan liked another larger male puppet, dressed in a smart suit. we took photo's of them afterwards. kynan had hoped e other puppets wd be on display outside too, as he was keen to see up-close how they had bn made...

-just yesterday we went to an artsy party in the park, held at our favourite- bishan park!.... again, we knew almost 30-40people there, from playgroups, scouts, and mama's gatherings. it was rather amusing. :b all e stalls had already run out of their wares by the time we arrived, so the kids were mildly dissapointed. but once the performances started, all that was forgotten. towards the end of the event, they both ran off to the front of the stage to get a closer look at their favourites:  the hip-hop dancers from woodgrove school, and a show by Player's Theatre, ie the same group who'd done "Ferdinand". the story they put on yesterday was "If you give a mouse a cookie". the mouse and the kid in the house were very amusing. and i probably enjoyed the story itself more than i idid Ferdinand. ;)  kayla pulled the mouse's tail when he (she) came off the stage later. she thought it was very amusing and they both laughed (a big step forwards in the bravery-department for little kay!) and she kept talking about the incident all evening :)))

-i notice ther're a few events coming up at Boat Quay and Esplanade for the arts festival. unfortunately they're all rather close to our kids' bedtime... but as it's the holidays, we mt just make a few exceptions... :) 

a new little boy came to us today.

"now u hv 3 little kids to bath, feed and play with," kynan said with a smile.

we got him at lunchtime. he'd been abandoned at the playground.  before we knew it, his minder was gone. he came straight over, hoping to share our lunch. God had other plans... it started to rain. we looked around and there was no mother, father, nor minder in sight, so we hurried him home with us. what else cd i do? i cdnt exactly leave this lost waif standing there in the rain...

after a hearty meal of chicken, milk and water (no he didnt want the rice), he'd gathered enough  energy to play soccer with the kids. tug-of-war followed. then they took turns to hv him sit in their laps. i so wished i'd had my video/camera, butt dh had accidentally taken my bag in the car with him to work :(

after food, and all the fun and games, as any good baby knows, sleep shd come next. and so it did. he slept from 3-6pm. wow! what a star!...none of my kids hv ever napped that long! when he awoke, he had a snack, followed by a good bath. he squealed at 1st, but after a while he settled down and even let me clean his mucky ears!

then into a big soft towel he went, settling for a cuddle in my lap, as the kids ooohd and aaahd alongside :)  he smelled just like a newborn baby, and they cdnt resist each planting a gentle kiss on his forehead. then he spent half-an-hour trying to dry himself off better tthan i'd done! kynan was especially amazed by his gymnastic manouvres.

playtime came again, followed by dinner, and sleepyhead was soon in dreamland.  the kids were so happy and hyped the whole night.  dinner went without a hitch (kynan even wolfed his down!),  and i managed to wash their hair too.

just as we were heading for the bedroom, the lil one awoke (yes, it was indeed a cat-nap...only 1hr long!), and he just wdnt be left on his own. well dh is completely freaked-out by his presence, so i had no choice but to take him with us.   i thought he'd misbehave and get the kids all worked up, but he was an angel... as storytime started, he settled down in my lap, gave my hand a little nuzzle, then intently  listened to 2 stories with his little head resting sweetly on my knee... his sleepy eyelids were battling hard to stay open.

i had an idea to let him sleep on a cushion beside kynan while i gave kayla milk, but ky complained that he kept wriggling! so back he came to me, making happy sounds as i lay down and rested him on my side. kay reached across and stroked him. in response he moved closer towards her and showed his affection by trying to chew on her hair!  i pulled him back my way, and he finally settled down again, draping himself across my chest. (mmmm yes, very comfy... not!)  but the warmth was rather soothing, esp when his head shifted up to the crook of my neck.  

the peace did not last long though... kay voiced her irritation that his tail kept tickling her fringe! so i shifted him to the other side, and thankfully they were soon all fast asleep... 

i sneaked out e room with the youngest in hand.  just like e other 2, he didnt want to be put down, so i sat with him in my lap while doing computer-work. :) after an hour though, my hand was all sweaty and my arm crooked with a crick. so i put him down... he's now sleeping on the sofa, stretched out like a feline...

so will we keep him?

i'd love to adopt the little cutie...but then i fear that dh (presently thunderous ;))  mt just turn our home into a cyclone-hit disatser-zone! so i'm not taking any chances...

dear granny has come to the rescue: we can take Little Tiger there tmw... to stay. what a gem of an old lady!  the kids are so pleased...cos then they can pop over and see him whenever they want :b (but i mt just manage to sneak him back and forth when all is quiet on the homefront :))

oh yes, in case u were wondering more abt what he looks like...

he's a tabby and white, with the traditional *chopped and knobbed type tail so common on the s'pore ones. his fur is slightly spikey on top, whiich gives him a groovy style. his large pointy bat-ears cd probably help him fly if he fell from a height, but they do nothing for his looks.

oh and the poor thing is a bit scrappy-looking because of his long gangly legs and protruding bones, particularly at his hips. but he's certainly making up for whatever it is he's been without though.... he eats a lot, drinks a lot, and calls out for company... quieting only when he has a warm lap and a hand to cuddle and snuggle... purring contentedly until falling asleep. 

it's hard not to fall in love with him.  :)