kynan's on his roller-blades again. he has a new-found interest in trying to learn. (so much for "i think i'll put them away until i'm 10 or 11!")

i help him get them on, then he wobbles out the front door, and walk-skates up and down the corridor outside. he's fallen 4 times at last count. though dh and our old neighbour-lady are full of fright and fear, i think he's doing rather well. i don't know how to myself, so he's teaching himself. i leave him to it. he certainly has great persistance. if he wants to i know, he'll eventually succeed. somehow he always does....

a few weeks back he started 2-hr gym classes twice a week here in bishan. it's much more than i'd want, but it's all they offer, so no choice really. he loves it. his favourite bit was trampolening. now he says his best bits are hand-stands. we've put a balance-beam outside for him to practice on. in just 5 lessons i see incredible improvement, and a much sharper attention to detail, (such as the point of the toe, or position of a hand or foot.) he loves it, and even kay is leanring a thing or two!

montessori lessons still provide a very hands-on self-learning experience.  both kids are equally focused, just on differing age-specific activities. ky prefers to do again and again what he knows and likes. kay prefers to do a little of something old, and a little of something new. i find her looking around and asking in directions other than where she shd probably be for her age.  it's a pleasant motivator to kynan this, as he's then inclined to want to try what she's just done! :)

chinese speech and drama classes are ongoing, and they really seem to be a very light-hearted part of his week. he can proudly count to 8 now... or is it 10? i'm not much help unfortunately. kay enjoys a nice treat and a book or 2 with me next to the pool during that time. i thought we might swim again once our ears are properly well. 

we've not been swimming for many weeks because of illness, but we have fitted in an occassional playdate. unfortunately our old /and new  playgroup timings clash with gym and chinese class, so for the time being kay is not seeing much of her "little friends". she's really looking forward to her b'day party this tues though, as she knows she will see them then.

kynan has a movie nite next fri with his big buddies. (i've told him 1 or 2 may sleep over if they like.) it's a milestone for him... having taken good care of his sis for 3 years. he misses his friends who're mostly in school now, so this will be something fun. also, i know he's had a rough time coping with the growing demands of his little toddler sis who's now blossoming into a very-verbal-sparring-partner. so this is a little thank-you gift from me to him for being such a patient and loving big brother. :)

family weekends have been fun with a few late nights watching performances and staying up for fireworks. we're all glad daddy is recovering... and this is a rare priviledge which the kids appreciate.

my new part-timer has started. she is a much-needed pair of hands until i get my op done. i know i cant deny it. i do need help. she needs training, so that takes up quite a lot of time, as i need to be home with her twice a week now, 3hrs each.. i work alongside her for now, as it seems to give her greater confidence, and on my part - i know it gets the job done.  :)

my mum and special-needs sister are coming over to visit in 2weeks time. so having help to get the shelves and fans and behind and under things done, is great, as it's something i've not managed for the longest time. now at least they'll arrive to a homely but less dusty house! :)  they'll be staying 3 weeks which is plenty of time to show them the sites, some nature spots, and hopefully include a short stay on ubin too! the kids are sooooo excited... they have it all planned out!  but i'm sure we'll all need a holiday after it to recover!!!

such a time of flitting about is fun! it gets the adrenaline pumping. better yet, it leaves one with a whole bunch of excitable little butterflies...

just back from a lovely holiday in Koh Samui... but more details another day :)

we went swimming every day. kynan loved it...that and all the beachplay.  by the time we left, he'd progressed from kicking a few metres with his kickboard, to going back and forth across a small paddling pool. it made me think that mb he was ready for some swim lessons, like joining a class where the coach teaches them at the deep-end... he'd certainly built up his strength, and confidence too...

back in s'pore at YCK pool, the slide and fountain were closed for upgrading. so he got busy with his kickboard again.  i challenged him to kick across the width without putting his feet down. he took up the challenge, but after a bit, said he felt like he wasn't moving anywhere. by then he was halfway, so i walked alongside him. he made it to the opp side, exhausted....

he was proud to hear he'd won a $2 prize for his achievement, then promptly said he wanted to try again. i asked him to rest 1st, but he went off again.  looking rather wilted, i knew he wdnt make it.... well, he got halfway and seeing him struggling badly,  i told him it was ok to stop and try again another day... if he wanted to. 

he seemed relieved and stood up. then turned back and said, "it's ok, i'll start all over again." and he did.  he went back to e edge, shook out his arms, then kicked and made it to the end. i cdnt help but reward his great effort again. so another $2!  (e 1st he chose to spend on a snack for him and kay, while e 2nd went in his treasure box) we rarely give money to e kids, except for phenomenal help with chores on occassion. so this was something very special for him. did it stop there? i wish!  :b

2 days later i was poorer yet again!

this time we went to Bishan pool and got in e deep end, ard 1metre or so.  this time he had semi-deflated armbands on, and we played a game where we took turns throwing and racing to retrieve a frisbee.  after a while i told him he'd move faster if he lifted his butt and kicked behind him,  ie instead of tip-toeing about. so he did just that. then he naturally started moving his arms in doggy-paddle, which soon progressed to front-crawl. he kicked well and was actually swimming! i was astounded.

after a bit he asked if he cd try swim across e width. i asked him to wait until nxt time, as he looked exhausted. of course he had other plans though... got halfway across, then with encouragemnt made it to e end. he never put his feet down... so, like b4, i was $2 poorer!  he was so so proud...

now i've told him, "no more prizes until u swim the width with no armbands!...else i'll be bankrupt!" ( with no lessons, i'm thinking it mt happen just b4 he hits P1...)but then i may be wrong.

oh and kayla's progress?

in e shallows she's fine away from me, but in e deep pool, even with armbands on, she'll stick to me like a leech.  this week she taught herself something new:  "look mama, look wot i can do... me blowing bubbles!" and indeed she was...so we all went about e pool, noisily blowing bubbles together. and kay was very amused as they kept going up her nose. :)

well done my chickadees!!! your mama's very proud!

on Sunday we all overslept, so had to miss church :(  when we finally awoke, dmage was already done, so we lazed longer in bed.

e kids got up.  it was kynan who dressed kay and got her her breakfast. very sweet, they were both in their Sunday best and neither was keen to change...  we had a special outing planned for e day...

as we've bn learning abt food and growing produce, we took a trip to e farms. we went to 4 on Sunday: a couple that grew fruit and veg, + e goat dairy, and farmart.

...and what were our organic health food spoils?

-2 sticks of sugarcane that e kids sucked and nibbled on in the car.

-some wholemeal homemade breadbuns with apple, cinnamon and walnut.

-a bottle of chocolate-flavoured goats milk.

-free cooked quail eggs, which both e kids gagged on but i enjoyed.

-1 bag organic brown rice. (of which i'd tried a free sample in a medicinal-tasting chinese soup)

-crunchy fresh battered fish, fried on e spot.

-crunchy fried quail pieces. (dangerous small bones, but kay loved it, so i spent an eternity picking them out for her... she finished e lot! ..."like bacon mum!" :))

-2 cups preservative/ sugar-free icecream. v v v yummy treat to end e day! i had e honey, which was a delicious subtle creamy flavour. while e kids and bal liked e mango which was veeery sweet.

*e highlight of e day for kayla was feeding the goats. we didnt even buy a bag of hay... e kids just picked it up off e floor by scraping it together into little piles. e goats saw  what they were doing and waited hungrily at their feeding troughs.  :)

*e highlight of e day for ky, was holding a little white bunny in his hands, at a farmart petshop. at the same place, i marvelled at some beautiful golden-necked lovebirds... i wd have really bought a couple, but cringed at the thought of vacuming scattered birdseed each day...and oh, they wd look so much better free!

*bal was a star and drove us everywhere willingly, and in spite of the heat.... a big TQ darling!!!

last weekend was wonderful. one of those that make u feel like yr on holiday :)

Sat we spent e whole day at sentosa, palawan beach. we had lunch nxt to e landscaped stream, while e kids played forever in e sand, occassionally taking a dip in e stream to cool down. i'd forgotten how long kids can be entertained in the sand! :b it was nice for bal and i jus to relax in e cool breeze and people-watch while enjoying a meal. later we shifted to e beach under a shady tree, where e kids played some more in e sand. i lay on a mat while bal went off for a long swim. as evening drew nearer, we went across the rope bridge to e little island look-out, and e kids played alongside the calm shallow water, digging holes as deep as they cd go. no-one wanted to go back. it was just one of those nice clear pleasant days, and somehow if we'd closed our eyes we mt hv imagined we were on a desolate island somewhere...

when i got home i realised i'd got a sunburn. and unfortunately i hadnt been in my swimsuit, so hv ended up w sleeve marks across my upper-arms :( the kids thot it looked v amusing!

today we went for a New Zealand fair at Novotel, Clarke Quay. i'd spotted the ad in the paper, and was there more for the Maori dancing.

i wasnt dissapointed, and Bal was sure glad i dragged him along too! :) there were lots of yummy foods to try: super cheeses, unusual soups, fab and not-so-fab wines, light beer, super-hot sauces with delectable tandoori chicken, quiche, superb vanilla and honeycomb icecream...and not-forgetting the crackers and dark chocolate...which the kids couldnt get enough of!

the dancers were great, and performed a number of different pieces, with the hakka last... this is something like a battle warning cry to their enemies... ie "now's your chance to get-the-*-out of here!" it was pretty fierce, with lots of screaming, slapping of thighs, stamping of feet, and wide-eyed glares with tongues sticking-out, which all seemed so primeval amongst us "educated" and fully-dressed city-dwellers. 

the songs were eerily soothing, and the voices were held perfectly with just a guitar for accompaniment.  they had fluid movements and their whole bodies translated the songs and the mood conveyed.  the young maori ladies had chin tattoos and wore simple printed skirts and blouses overlayed with dried reed stalks. the guys were very ehem natural. there chests were bare, adorned simply  with a necklace of whale-bone or shell. a large hawks' feather ear-ring touched the shoulder. their lips were smeared with a purplish tattoo.  a woven waistband held in place dried reeds, which barely covered their butts and bits. on their legs were prominent maori tattoos.  (well, all marker-pen apparently...but no-one cd tell!)

the kids were transfixed. bal watched in wonder.  i was amazed...  it was such an unusaul and beautiful way to spend a Sunday afternoon... and something each one of us really enjoyed immensely! 

the place was a-buzz with foreigners... little kids running and gawking in every direction.  sadly though, barely a local about.. what a sorely missed opportunity! 

had a quick trip away, just dh, myself and the kids. the drive was good, as the kids slept some of the way. both kids hated the stops because of the flies on them & their food. kay started roaring at them, not that it did much good! :) dh bemoaned the hygiene levels at the foodstalls. i noticed however that the toilets were cleaner than most public loos in Singapore.

the hotel equatorial was a welcome respite. we had a club room again, so went straight up, w/o the hassle of check-in queus. the view was lovely this time, one balcony overlooking the pool. the other looked over some older residential homes, with greyish smoke-shrouded hills vanishing behind. we got an extra bed and cot, and the kids n i chilled and unpacked while bal went exploring. we ordered room service for an early dinner, and bal came back with some chilled drinks just in time. then we popped across to explore the shopping centres, ambling in a light rain inbetween buildings. some nice warm goey-choc-marshmallow-cake gave us just enuff energy to make our way back...

across the road, beneath the new shopping-mall, we made our way through a meandering heritage gallery...the usual cheap hand-made/ factory-made curios. while walking, we came upon an iguana on a step-stool, (taking a break from his tourist photography job outside). he was so colourful and beautiful to look at, and tame as can be. the kids touched him, and kay was absolutely fascinated. she stroked him countless times, chuckling as his back-spines tickled her hand. and even more surprised when he turned his head to look at her. "look mama, he moved! look, he's got 2 eyes. look, they're moving!" it was hard to pull her away, and when we caught up with bal and ky, they'd already bought a small iguana squeaky-toy.  kay then spent forever trying to choose a baby crocodile to be it's friend. (the waiting was made a whole lot worse by the unbearable smell of rotten eggs coming from a stall but one foot away!)  i was glad to leave... after that, a short walk past the cannons, and some 200-year-old trees, and an old school...and then we were back at our hotel... then bath, story, and early to bed. for the kids, not us ;)

unfortunately, the next morning we had to request a room-change. our kampong neighbours had been lighting bonfires in the night, and the smoke drifted directly into our room. ky's asthma had worsened, and i was wheezing all night. at breakfast dh was suggesting we just go back early. of course i declined... the kids hadnt yet had their trishaw ride :) and i wanted another piece of that goey choc cake ! ;)

so after sniffing out 2 rooms and 4 balconies on the opposite side of the hotel, we were all set for a more enviro-friendly night. one of the new balconies overlooked the back of a school, where some students had pitched tents for a school-holiday-camp.  the other had us looking over the shiny new rooftop of a shopping cntr opposite, and another construction-site alongside. behind that lay the palace (?) gardens, the fort, and church up on the old hill. while nearer the horizon, the modern city roads met some highway, with the sea as a backdrop, and away beyond that to the right, lay an island not far from the shore. this place is all about contrasts. with the awful pal of smog hanging over the whole area, i wished for a moment to be on that island.

ky was still coughing, but keen to go swimming. so that's what we did. bal went off exploring again, while the kids and i got some sun. the water was chilly, but i got in.  ky didnt care and went from one pool to the other messing about. kay stayed near me, pouring water on the plants, and being girly. bal returned later, played w the kids a bit, then fell asleep on a deck-chair. lunch was at about 3or4pm... pizza, fries and satay for me and the kids, while bal had something light. we attempted to do more window-shopping but didnt get very far...kay was simply too tired, and neither bal nor i had the energy to carry her...

but we managed to stop by a nice little kiddy-store selling educational toys. it's called "elly's". i could have bought so many things there, and the kids were very well occupied. in the end, we settled for 2: a monkey-math balance game, and one of a series of mind-challenge-games...ours being one about pirates (easy guess who chose that ;) then we headed back for a snooze :) bal let us sleep too long though. we really didnt want to go...but we dragged everyone up...with promises of a trishaw ride!

so off we went! the boys went in one and the girls in the other. we had bright lights flashing on ours, while the boys had blaring music. we stopped at the pedestrianised night-market. it was a-buzz with people, and i had to hold the kids tight for fear of losing them. we were slow shoppers so bal went on his way and met up with us later....and just in time too!...i needed the all-important $! ...and what were our spoils?  -2boxes pineapple tarts (1 for me & 1 for mil), a necklace for me (which ky chose), 2 necklaces for my sil's, + a cricket, a grasshopper, a cockroach and a frog (the kids wanted them...imitation of course)

the next morning we did very little, then headed back to singapore. we stopped 4 or 5 times, as dh was sleepy, and i was just all cramps from sitting down! dont think we'll be going back for a while... it was a nice break... you know the feeling...no regular routine, (which for me means no housework, washing-up, cleaning, or daily chores hanging over my head) but i think dh liked it...anything to break the cycle of work, eat, sleep.

perhaps our next break will see us getting some more fresh air from a beach getaway...

Homeschool:

-is going wonderfully! We're all enjoying it.  Kynan just told me tonight that because of it, every day is the best!  Which is a great pat on the back for me :) Kay is a great "sitter" and doesnt need occupying much during leson time. When she's had enuff, she'll just play with whatever manipulatives, puzzles etc are hanging about. So we're covering a nice amt of work, and going beyond what i'd hoped in some areas. Kynan is showing strength in grasping maths concepts, and his writing has improved tremendously. Kay likes singing, and painting, and shows skill in phonics and rhyme. Just from my work with Kynan, she can now recognise small letters a-g. She also picks up new Malay words well, and occasionally says them out-of-the-blue.

Ky's developmnts:

-Night-training has bn put on the back-burner for now, for after 2 mo's of me waking him, he's now showing less will-power than before. As i don't want the effort to be all on my part, we've both agreed to leave it for now, and try again in 6mo's or so.

-His trainer-wheels have just come off his bike and he's had one sesion downstairs with me...hard to kp Kay out the way though while trying to teach him... so i think he's gonna hv to just learn this gradually on his won. He took his bike out and went ard the house today, which i'm ok with, just trying to get his balance w/o peddling. In oticed he was able to take his feet off the floor at times, adn still remain upright, so that's some improvement.

-He's overcome his fear of being left alone at Chinese class. It's only 1.5hrs long, but it was a big milestone for him. Took him abt 2 mo's to settle. Last week it was granny who did the dropping and fetching while i took Kay to the dentist. He was great! He says that now he's 5 he's ok. Since the w/end he's been asking when it's gonna be Friday. (ie his Chinese lesson day :)) And just today i overheard him singing many times over:  "I love to go to Chinese class"... which both Kay and I thought was rather amusing.

-his fav animal has been a horse for the longest while. before that it was foxes. his fav colour rt now is purple. while not so long ago it was black and dark blue.

Kay's developments:

-she talks a lot when home just with the family.

-she's relating well with Kynan, and they can play together for hours, esp if they are both well fed and rested.

-Kay's a night-owl....loves to be up late with mommy. for now i dont mind as she's not too rowdy and helps me get my chores done.

-she's a real daddy's girl.... very sad if he goes out w/o 1st giving her a kiss and a hug! and likewise for coming-home-time!

-she's growing well, eating well, tall but not chubby. but, trying to get her to eat fruit and veg requires a great deal of perseverance!  (she's a meat, dairy and carb fanatic)

-her favourite colour is yellow rt now. so no more pink phew! and she likes pockets!

-her fav animals are cats and "good doggies".

Bal's busyness:

-Bal has been very busy of late...partly because of work, and partly because of a Masters course which he's doing part-time. inbetween that, there's still the usual camps and special school functions which he has to organise...so most nights he's completely tied to his laptop, then the sofa briefly for CSI or Singapore Idol, then bed.  :)

Our weekends are wonderful as we make a point of getting out the house and spending time as a family.  Our usual haunts are the parks, east coast, the zoo, the reservoirs, Esplanade waterfront, church on Sundays, and a visit to Dadima (granny) in the afternoon. if it rains, we mt end up at the airport, Marina, or Suntec Shopping Ctrs. (not my fav, but it gets us out! :))

-Me:

Being a fulltime SAHM (stay-at-home-mum) keeps me rather busy, what with cleaning the house, taking care of my plants, cooking, shopping, playgrounds, playdates with friends, weekly library trips, occassional doctor's aptmts, and of course a little prep and homeschool time thrown in...makes for never-a-boring day! oh and we recently had a couple of visits from a travelling friend, so that got me out-and-about to both unusual and favoured tourist spots.

I enjoy my free-time a lot. there seems to be so much more of it this year. i have more time to just play, or sit and listen to the kids. and of course, my computer time is quite high, but only once everyone's asleep.  :b

I recently had my wallet stollen from my bag at j8 Popular. It infuriated me (and Bal especially!)...and having to settle cards with banks etc is no pleasant task. both our IC'S were lost and still havent turned up, so that's going to be a veeery expensive hole in our pockets!  :(  onc bitten twice shy. we guard our bag now. wherever we go, kynan stays watch if i step one foot away from the stroller. my little guard dog,...i wander ig he'd bite? :b

Not so long ago we had a ladies' nite out. my 1st snce Ky was born. it was great, and nerve-wrecking to leave the kids alone with Bal for the 1st time...thank goodness his mum had off work that nite. Only 1 small grouse...he took them to see the reservoir... instead of to Dadima's for dinner... so the poor kids only ate ard 9+pm, (instead of the usual 6pm)... they were apparently ravenous! They survived though, in fact they were most well-behaved, and Kay didnt even cry... so here's to many more such endeavours in the near future i think!!!

 Chinese New Year has come and gone.... (and thank goodness most of our neighbours' fascination with incense-paper burning has subsided for the time being!...)  Well, we had an invite to go over for dinner at Bal's workmates' rather pleasant landed property. it was nice to actually meet some new people and indulge in totally adult conversation. (the kids played alone just inside the doorway for a few hrs... while e adults had steamboat dinner out on the front lawn beneath the stars.) amongst conversations of politics, neighbouring countries, and families, the guests also spoke of dance-clubs and babysitting arrangements, and family-n-friends lunch get-togethers. this is so unlike Bal and I and where we're at rt now. and although these couples had kids in their late teens, it felt like we were the ones showing our age! but let's see what becomes of it :)

There's something about Pulau Ubin that just keeps drawing me back there.

Kynan mentioned that it's got smaller since the last time he was there. ... No, my dear, you've grown bigger! :))

Kayla was v v v excited to go on the "blue boat", and kept yelling "We're moving! We're moving!'

It's great that she's now old enuff to appreciate, and add to memory such experiences.

We had another h/s family join us, friends i've known for a few years, since i 1st started on my h/s journey.  so we had pleasant company, both for dads, mums and kids.  surprisingly, kynan hardly joined dh and i while his mate was there. they chose instead to skate-scoot, play with light-sticks, or just keep busy searching for interesting rocks and shells, or play in the water. while kay see-sawed between keeping company with the boys, and entertaining a 3mo-old bb.  she was in a very pleasant mood most of the time, and likewise for kynan.

we stayed in the same duplex chalet overlooking the field at the back. it was lovely and peaceful, and we had the added bonus of seeing abundant birdlife amongst the trees, while we silently viewed them from our upstairs bedroom window.  such is the convenience of having nature rt at one's doorstep. kynan even spotted a family of 5 hornbills, while i saw 2 seemingly looking for a suitable nesting spot within the eve of a roof. it was a pleasant surprise.

The 1st couple of days were rather rainy and blowy, and fitted in nicely with our story of Noah, the previous week.  our bedtime story was "the boat"...about a boy who rescued an old man and his menagerie of animals, in a torrent of rain, from an island sinking beneath the flood. the illustrations were beautiful, and again very befitting, as they were mostly in grey, our colour of the week. :) we reflected on this story as we went back to singapore the next day, with our boat rocking to and fro, on a rather choppy sea.

Our trip to the island was most opportune, as it coincided nicely with a few elements from our story for this coming week: "Owl Moon". (though of course the kids don't know that yet ;))    (Daddy-time, animal tracks, and camouflage...)

-Daddy-Time:

In our family, there are a few things that only a dad can do well, and taking a kid for a bike-ride is one of them!  u can only do it when you're old enough to sit nicely in the seat, and of course old enough to be away from mummy for a few hrs at a time.

Going out on the main jungle roads is a treat to be earned, and then you have to behave too!... no whining, crying, tantrums, or else daddy comes back!

And the rewards are great!... whizzing along at speed, relaxing at the back while daddy does all the work, observing fab flowers, trees, fruits, and other interesting stuff from a great vantage point...and mb even a nice cold drink at the end of the journey. even if it comes around but once a year, it's still worth the wait!

-Animal Tracks:

Kynan found a line of paw-prints on the beach just today. i suggested we follow them. so we did, in both directions...sometimes fading where the tide had washed them away... then kynan spotted them again further on, and continued his trail excitedly. but he was rather dissappointed when both ends dissappeared into some rocks. we soon chanced upon the owner, a big brown dog, lying in a shady spot near the front desk...a bit too well-camouflaged for my kids' liking!!!

-Animal Camouflage:

Ky foind a hard-to-spot turtle, sunning himself , semi-submerged.  he looked just like a rock from a distance, and it took kayla a good 5minutes before she finally cd see it!

Later, we followed a grasshopper about, as it hopped from grass, to wall, to bush, and finally onto a tall green fan palm... noticing each time how much easier or more difficult it was for him to be seen.

While waiting for our boat, we found a lone mud-skipper, darting about at the shoreline. it was so well camouflaged that the kids didn't notice at first. then we walked up-and-down a few times startling it, and watching it skim across the water, before resting in a fluster on a rock.

Our last camouflaged-critter-discovery, was a small crab scittering amongst the rocks. i've only ever seen sandy-coloured crabs before, so i was surprised to see these little black ones, partially hidden beneath small rocks of exactly the same hue. and they were not easily startled. in fact, we were almost on top of them, and they still did not move. if we'd had a container, we cd easily hv caught a few to take back home. but we didn't, so they were free. :)

i was rather surprised at kynan's interest in nature this time around.

-he remembered that this was the place we had done our last nature walk and made a nature collection. he was keen to do more such, so we brought back some shells and seed-pods this time around.

-he recognised a bottle-brush tree outside our chalet, and named it correctly, noticing that this one was yellow. he commented that though the ones we'd previously seen were red, he actually preferred the yellow.

-he queried me abt the names of some other plants, but i didnt know, as i'd forgotten my guides this time around. so we'll have to look at that when we're free.

-on the way back, he noticed a fish-eagle, and a heron.

well done Kynan!

***i only wish we'd brought a sketch-pad. i think that'll be a must-have for next time. (and yes, there'll be many-such next-times :))

Our year-end holidays were a busy time for us…

-We went to Lankawi for a full 7 days, which was superb!  Kynan had bn looking forward to it for absolute weeks… (see our other post)

-Bal was working the rest of the time, except for the odd trip to the zoo or granny.  So I happily kept the kids and myself occupied by visiting friends and fun places.  Of course, we also decorated our Christmas tree, fairy-lights and all! And before our guest arrived, we added ribbons, baubles, and handmade straw decorations to our corridor plants. Stockings were hung, Father Christmas visited, and he did and didn’t bring all the kids had wanted, but still they were happy.

-Uncle R, our guest, arrived not long b4 Christmas, and stayed abt 2 weeks. He had some wonderful photo’s to show (and I hv 2 sitting on my wall rt now!)  Kynan had so bn looking forward to his visit!  He shared his room willingly, and Kay gave up her bed and moved in with Bal and I. 

Kay was very shy and only warmed up a few days b4 he left. Kynan on the other hand, enjoyed his company, as he provided free entertainment with bubbles, balls and aeroplanes.  I think it was like having a really big brother around.  When the time came, he was saddened by his sudden departure, asking me why he cdnt  instead just go see the orangutans in the zoo? (His next stop on his overland trip was Borneo uc.)

It was lovely to catch up, show him a few sights, and perhaps give him a taste of the ups-and-downs of family-life.  Oh and I do miss my washer-upper! He worked quietly in the mornings b4 we awoke.  But he objected to being called our magical fairy, (understandably)…so we settled on ‘elf’ J

-These holidays have been a time of change for Kayla. She’s become more clingy to Kynan and myself, after spending so much time with us. It’s a drag for him sometimes, and exhausting for me, but it really shows us how big her heart is.  She really is such a bundle of love, and all she wants is to be loved back 100x more. 

On the upside, her nights have become better. We thought that it was sleeping with us that helped on that front, ie being away from noisy Ky tossing and turning all night… but she’s been back in her room a few nights now, and her pattern’s not changed. She’ll only wake once or twice now once I’ve put her down. I thought I wasn’t tired cos I didn’t feel it, but it’s only now that I’m sleeping longer stretches do I notice the difference… my eye bags have lightened, and I’m feeling fresher. But on the downside, extra long sleep is making me chubbier :) Or is it all those cooked meals and treats over Christmas time? Mmmm…

-New Years Eve was pleasantly different this year.  We’d planned to go see the ships set off their flairs and sound their horns at East Coast. We’d even done a recce for the perfect spot near the new bouganvilla garden, the day b4…but as it turned out, we never made it that far. 

We dropped by a private party with some of Bal’s old school-mates. Previous years have bn a bit rowdy for the kids, but this year turned out slightly more sedate. Kynan was happy and not too hyped, so we stayed on. He’d had an impromptu nap (and a long one at that!) in the afternoon, so he was all set to party til late!  Kay had had a short nap, and survived amazingly well. (Last year she fell asleep 10minutes to midnight). 

Kynan won a watch by lasting a few rounds at a dancing game, then gave it to her. (She’d wanted to play but started to cry as soon as the music started.) The gift cheered her up no end… Then there was the stick of candyfloss, and a sentosa beach party tattoo that kept her going a bit longer. 

As usual, Kynan played rough with the guys, esp the host who encouraged him, (a black-belt karate SEA Games champ no less!).  Kynan showed him his best moves.  Uncle PY was impressed by his strength, and endurance, and offered to give him some 1:1 lessons. Kynan said ‘not yet’, but he was very proud to get a soft punch/kick baton as a gift from him for practising on. 

By the time we went home, I was pleasantly tipsy (1^st time since b4 Kynan was born), and it was very nice to enjoy some really good wine…which they’d saved especially for us. (Thanks M! …even Bal appreciated it J) The kids and I only slept ard 2am on New Yrs Day, with Bal in bed well b4 us.  We all woke up at 10/11am next day…just in time to go out for lunch. J Aah, that’s what holidays are made for!

-The day after New Yrs Bal had to be back at school, so the kiddies and I had our 1^st day of school too!  It was a new experience for the 3 of us, ie being only us, and not having any of his friends present…but it’s going remarkably well… a new page in our home-schooling diary.

-So long 2006… Let’s get going 2007!

The best thing about going to Langkawi is that by the last couple of days no-one wanted to come back.  We were all talking abt the next time…

Some of the highlights included:

-Taking a cable car up the highest mountain there, then across a bridge spanning that mountain with another at their highest points. We were basically walking through the sky, which was both scary and exhilarating.  We took photos with the other tourists, then went down a hidden track on the opposite side. It meandered downhill through the thick jungle vegetation, but we stopped on a little way down just under the shady trees and I nursed Kay there as we listened to bird and bug sounds. It was serene. And dear Kynan thought the photographic opportunity too much to miss, so he went downhill a little further and took a snap of us. Bal was rather bemused and joined in.

-We spent a few days driving about checking out the beaches, esp those on the northern side by the ‘posh’ hotels. We spent something ridiculous on a salad at one-such, but the ambience there was wonderful. The gardens were magnificent with enormous trees inhabited by giant squirrels, massive stone castle-type walls, and a quiet stone path that took u over a stream and on to a magnificent beach of powdery-soft white sand.

-Another day we found a busy stretch with a family-friendly beach café.  The tables were out on the sand with a kiddy pool under a large shady tree. And in a small kiddy tent alongside, some kittens cajoled on grass mats and cushions.  Every now-and-then their peace was disturbed by a plastic-toy-wielding 2-yr-old, beset on bashing them on the head.  (No, not our 2-yr-old!  She went to the rescue.)

-That same stretch of beach stretched far out to the sea, providing a soft muddy bottom, and free of waves, so great for kiddies to play without fear. Ours had so much fun that it was hard to pull them away for mealtimes. We also caught 10 tidal hermit crabs there, and very easily too.

-The second hotel at which we stayed was set in off the main road, and not far from the airport.  It was a pleasant drive through virgin forest to our bungalow set low on a hill, overlooking the beach of a quiet cove.  This place is a real gem, away from the crowds but still well-kept. The best thing about it is the natural setting: a combination of jungle and beach. We had the wonderful thrill of spotting numerous wildlife there: about 5 large monitor lizards feeding on the rocks, a few squirrels skitting about the rooftops, 2 fish eagles flying low over the cove, a large wild hornbill, a multitude of sand crabs, little fish that swam in small schools around our legs, and a large family of ‘ring-eyed’ monkeys that fed in the trees next to the pool, along with some loaners of another breed.  Oh yes, and best of all: 2 sea otters that dived silkenly amongst the boulders below our breakfast table, and then they were gone!

-Aaah, some wonderful memories with our little chickadees…

things have bn kind-of stressful lately, and i really felt the need to just spend time with the kids. just the kids n us.

as ky was still contagious, and kay cranky, it was e perfect opportunity to forego h/s and just 'be'....

yesterday we just woke and ate, watched hrs of animal planet, did laundry, ate, read loads and slept...kay didnt want me to leave her side, and all she wanted was sleep and milk-milk. so that's what we did!

today started out being another 'i want mama, milk-milk, and mama-carry' all day kind-of-day...but i nipped it in the bud cos i wasnt in the mood to mope about taking care of a whiny newly-turned 2-yr-old.  (well, that's just how i felt!)... instead, i decided we'd have to distract her in a major way ...so today was a decidedly 'busy' day.  so-much-so that we didnt even have time for a nap! (well, that was my planning actually, but we wont tell the kids that now will we :))

am.

-all had breakfast & i read the paper.

-folded laundry, and the kids each put away their own.

-when it was time to wash dishes, kay naturally pulled up a stool to watch and add a running commentary. usually she'd stay until the end, but today ky called her off halfway, to go ride bikes outside. they came in just as i was done.

-then kay picked up toys and ran errands for me, while ky vacumed the corners, behind doors, under my desk, and other hard-to-reach places. i then vacd everywhere while the kids tidied the playroom.

-ky stripped his matress and pillows and sent them to the laundry. i re-covered everything while the kids played being cats...meowing ard the house on all fours.

-ky and kay used discarded bedsheets to turn themselves into butterflies and flapped ard the room.

-we all had a game of hide-and-seek. wwell, the kids started then i joined in. kay needed some help u see, cos she kept chosing the same hiding spot.  even with me in the picture, she'd still call out to kynana to come n find her, thus giving away her "perfect hiding place" :)

-had lunch & finished reading the paper.

pm.

-i needed to get outside, so got a few pails and scoops, and the kids helped water the plants. that done, i drenched the corridor and gave ky a large broom to scrub it clean. kay used a sponge to wipe marks off e outside walls, and then cleaned e gate while i cleaned the sills.

-changed and read 4 books on the sofa while the kids had milk.

-both kids did some embroidery with yarn and a plastic needle. kynan did need little rows using different colours for each. he managed 4 in abt 20-30min. kay did an abstract pattern by poking the needle in and out randomly.  she managed 3 colours.  when i'd had enuff of re-threading needles, i called it a day. ...it takes time, we'll continue another day, i promised...

-decided on an early dinner, so took food w us down to the undercover playground. (it had been storming heavily all day) -kids ate quick and i charged them toll to get past me on the playground. $10 to get up/down the step/ $5 if u crawl under the barrier, $5 to climb up/down the ladder, climbing on top of the 'walls' is free as u mt break yr neck! i made about $80 in half an hr. (pity it's invisible money :o)

-we then went for a walk ard an unexplored part of our neighbourhood. this was an hr or 2 past kay's naptime, and she was still running down slopes and following imaginary pathways, so we were doing qt well.
-we headed up the sloping overpass and sat on the bridge watching vehicles pass far below. we chose our favourites and guessed which one's the other mt like. poor kay did this in all earnestness, as if it was for real. 

-on our way back they each had 2 more slides, with kay quietly repeating...'just one more! just one more!'

-ky wanted to go with me to the prata shop, but kay was winding down and asking to go home. we convinced her, and off she went...following kynan as he balanced on the edge of the pavement as it wound around and down the slope, and soon she was off running agn.

-we spotted a cat, much to kay's delight, as we crossed the carpark. she was still walking...no 'carry me mama' yet...!

-while waiting for prata they drove their cars at the pay-sit-upon rides, only i had no change, so the jiggled about and made the noises themselves :o

-ky paid for e prata and lime jc, and with the change i paid them for helping with chores. ky got $1, kay got 20c.  i usually pay them abt once or twice a month, esp when i notice they've worked willingly, well, and beyond my expectations. they do major chores once or twice a week. today was a good day for clearing and cleaning.

evening.

-we all made it home. kynan even raced me up the slope. of course he won! :) at the door i noticed Chewy's owners were back from work. it must hv bn ard 6/6.30pm. so i dropped the prata on the table and we headed out agn for some kitty-cat-fun-time. kay came to her senses (after seeming rather sleepy)... and became all talkative and animated as she conversed with the cat. we played abt 20mins, then it was kynan's turn to be asking to go home. (though he'd never say he's tired ;))

-by 7pm the kids had bathed, had another light snack, and were settled on the sofa for milk and stories. kay was asleep in my arms within 5min's. at 7.30pm kynan clawed his way up to his bunk and floppd down exhausted. 'i luv u mama. it's been a fun day!' after prayers i left them in dreamland.

later...

-8/10pm kay woke a few time for milk, and i checked mail then loaded the machine.

-ard 10+ bal was back (late mtg then pub w a mate) i'd sms'd him to bring me back a bacardi breezer... a very very very rare treat :) (think pre-kids)...well, he actually did!

-so off i went for a nice long hot bubblebath, ...with 2 choc-chip cookies and a breezer in hand...a lovely end to a lovely day! :)

-and tmw?... haven't thot abt that yet...

-oops, forgot to hang the laundry...got-to-go!

who wd have thot that with a 3hr nap so much cd get done!

...and no, i dont mean that i worked while the kids napped :)

this was our unproductive productive day:

we set out this morning to go to the zoo.

but we were slow to get organised, what with breakfast, and meds, and inhalers...so bal went down to meet his insurance chap while we finished up. his friend was an hr late, so that put us back qt a bit.

in that time we all did a good tidy of the floors...and swallowed down some lunch.  the zoo was some incentive u see :)  and off we went.

on the way there, i noticed the sky seemed very grey. kynan thought it was going to rain...but this didnt look like rain to me. the trees in the near distance looked decidedly grey, smokey grey...was it the haze? the further we drove, the worse it looked, but inside the car all was well.

we'd all puffed our inhalers b4 leaving, so the coughs and wheezes were at bay. for a while anyhow.  halway there i stopped talking cos it just made me cough and wheeze more. was feeling rather bad, but thot a good walk in the fresh tropical air wd do me good. 

at the zoo carpark, bal opened the doors, and in rushed a gust of really strong woodsmoke. it made me gasp.

but we'd gone all the way there...

bal sugeested we head for somewhere indoors like a shopping cntr instd, but i'd packed the kids swim-stuff, and i cd tell ky was looking forward to it...so we agreed to limit it to just 1 hr. 2 more puffs later, and we headed for the main entrance.

i cd see clouds of smoke amongst the trees between the night safari & zoo, n thot perhaps the fire was on their land? kyana said, "let's just walk around it."  but kay was coughing too, n the smell was just too overpowering...had to head back to the car, with genuine promises of  "trying another day."

bal was feeling sleepy, i was breathless, n kay was slightly cranky, so we decided to head home. once home, bal lay down and was soon in dreamland. i started some laundary, then kay n i joined him on the bed...great i thot... i'd sneak out later to get some work done. kynan was happily chilling on the sofa with milk n cookies, so i'd have an easy time. :)

at 5+ we finally came out of slumberland and bal was rather shocked at the time...yes, we'd slept for 3hrs! goodness knows what kynan had done in that time, cos i know he didnt sleep :)

bal still said he wanted to go out somewhere, so i suggested he let me wash the dishes and feed the kids 1st.  :) well, of course he washed them...he wanted to get out the house remember! :D

then while the kids'  food cooled, i sent them off in different directions as we tidied the playroom. wonderful!

then off to the den. the kids ate easily and happily did their puzzles. now that's what i call multi-tasking :)  and better still, while waiting for us, bal brought down the dry laundry.

the kids went off to drive cars, and i soon had the wet load up. "ok guys, ready to go?"

ky: "no mama, we want to play cars!"

mmmm, ok, change of plan. 3 cheese sandwiches for me. 

bal: "i just nd to go to the car for something." e kids rushed for their shoes and scooted out the door. i hurriedly folded clothes and dried up the dishes. 

ky: "hello mama, back again!"

el to bal: "let's bath them and go for a night drive".

ky: "no mama, we want to play."

me again: "it's no use, let's stay home!"

and so it was...

the kids went off to bed...and all was quiet.

well, kay was soon up agn...

... until 11pm, asking for noodles n cookies.

she happily buzzed between sleepyhead-bal in the room, and buzybee-me in the kitchen...and to be honest, neither of us minded... :)

i chanced upon this site and i luv it!!!!

learned all those folds as a kid and had forgotten how...

rem so many hrs of fun, esp w the waterbombs in our back yard :b

http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-flowers.html

now u know what i'll be doing tnite ;) ...if only kay wd stay asleep...

hv fun!

tday on the way home kynan saw a schoolgirl with henna on her hand...

he didnt forget and pestered me at home to do it for him.

he described exactly the kind of rocket he wanted, sky-drawing the outline, then adding: "with a face on the pointy part, and flames at the bottom..."

of course kay wd not be left out of the fun...

"draw! draw! fowers"

so she got a flower and swirls up her rt arm.

"more! more! deh arm! fower"

...so she got another flower and more swirls up and down her left arm too. :)

and there she sat for 5minutes waiting for it to dry before bathtime.

some arm-waving in front of the fan helped things along too.

then she dunked them in the water and got the creeps when she saw the black bits wash off. kynan telling her that they looked like "swimming ants" didnt help much. 

"oh no more!"

with the black relief off , the pattern was barey visible. and she was clearly dissapointed. kynan too, as he hadnt wanted to wash his off at all!

well, they both went off to bed looking forward to a darker design in the morning...

please please pease  i hope!!!