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Mum, Misunderstood

June 19, 2013, 8:15 pm
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Never before has my life been under such scrutiny. I almost feel like a star because my every move is so closely watched. I'm a mum. And that means that I am judged, no matter what I do, or don't do. Even when I perform normal human activities that my fellow homosapiens do.

Alot of times, I am the last one left at the dining table. Which usually leads to a random member of the family asking me a simple question:


Depending on who that person is, it could either mean 'Wow you're still eating?' (said by my mother), or 'Can you be done soon?' (said by Max) or 'Hurry up!' (said by Poppy).

But that's what they see. Me eating. What they don't see, or selectively forget, are the things I do which result in me being the last one to start my meal, thus leading to the point of me being the last one to finish.

Things like I have to cook the meal, so I also try to clean up some of the mess resulting from the meal preparation while the others tuck into the food before I'm there. And sometimes I have to take a quick shower just because I'm all sweaty and yucky from the heat of the kitchen.

Sometimes I get to shower. Of course that doesn't mean that I get to do it alone, and quietly.


The reason why I'm 'so long in the shower' is simple. I get into the bathroom with the 2 kids. They do their usual bathtime routine : pee, brush teeth, refuse to take off their clothes, try to climb into the bath with diaper on, splash at each other, refuse to get out, get dried and dressed... And after they're all clean and dry, out they go, and then it's my turn to shower. But because I've been in the shower with them from the start, I can understand that it may seem that it's my own shower that's taking so long.

Sometimes, it's purely accusational. Funny, I never knew it was against the law or something to want to be asleep at 7am.


What others don't see is that each time the baby wakes, I'm up with her. I have to nurse her, and, to make sure she doesn't fall off the bed, I'm up with her till she falls back asleep. And, no thanks to jetlag, that's been happening quite a bit. So when she's asleep at 7am, all I want to do is sleep, and not (horror of horrors!) play hopscotch.

I bet you get some accusations too, don't you?

Disclaimer: I know they look a bit different but yes, these are still my drawings. Experimenting with different equipment!

And I know you're quite tired of me saying it but, I'm just gonna hafta. There are only 3 days remaining to vote for me! And you can vote every day too! Would you please? Pretty please with sugar on top?

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La Ronde - Home of Le Monstre

June 19, 2013, 10:33 pm
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The first roller coaster I ever saw was back in 1993, when I was 15 years old, at Playland in Vancouver. I was on a Girl Guides international camp, and my host brought me out for a day at the amusement park. I never forgot the size of the roller coaster. I also never forgot the geeky glasses I used to wear then (and no, they were not cool-geeky).

That roller coaster, big as it was, was nothing compared to this one that we saw at La Ronde last week. Aptly named Le Monstre, this monster is the world's highest double roller coaster in the world.



It goes as high as 40metres and has a maximum speed of 96km/h (speed limits at our expressways are what, 70? 80?). Apparently one route is gentler than the other, but good luck in remembering which was which, for your next trip. La Ronde is a member of the Six Flags group, which is notorious for its white knuckle rides that make big men cry like little girls. So did I ride on this? Hell, no.





The Park was open in the 1960s, and Max went many times as a child. It was nice to hear him point out some of the rides and for him to go on them with Poppy as he did with his parents when he was a kid.

But of course, over the years, more rides got added as well, one of which was Goliath. And it was this that Max and his childhood friend Lou, queued for 30 minutes for. I'm proud to say that they both emerged smiling like chershire cats and neither cried nor vomitted. Both of which I would have done, had it been me. The Goliath is a 3-minute ride of sheer excitement/hell*, delete where appropriate, depending on whether you're a thrill seeker or a scardey cat made to go on the ride as a dare.



So I'd tell him that Poppy, Calla and I spent a long time ooh-ing and ahh-ing at some crazy ride and desribe it to him, and he'd be able to tell me what the ride was. Like with the case of Le Boomerang.



While the boys were out riding monsters, the girls and I hung out at the kids' section, Au Pays de Ribambelle. And now that I think of it, I think all the rides I took were within this section. Oh no matter. I'm not big on rides. I am a mum, and I get my kicks by seeing my kids enjoying themselves :)

In this section, they only allow adults to go on rides when they are accompanied by kids. There are rides that kids can go on their own, but adults aren't allowed in on their own. Haha.


Poppy and I rode Tchou Tchou, which took us on a little ride around an old train track, and we enjoyed tooting our train horns and going Choo Choo! Oops, sorry. In French, we say 'Tchou Tchou!'.


The well-loved carousel, Le Galopant, was the first thing we hopped on. It's the first visible ride from the entrance. I never paid any particular attention to carousels but this one had the weirdest animals. Seriously, like rabbits and roosters.


Ourson Fripon was a familiar sight for Poppy; this was one of her favourite rides at Legoland. This was one of the rides where kids could go unaccompanied, and their mums could stand behind the railing to cheer them on and take pictures.


Monsieur L'Abre was my favourite ride. I made Poppy go on it with me many times. But she enjoyed it too. I simply loved watching our shadows as we went round and round.




La Mache du Mille Pattes was Max's favourite roller coaster ride as a kid. This was the one ride that Poppy went on again and again. First with Max's friend, Lou, then with me, then with her father. She must have ridden on this 10 times.

After getting her warmed up on the easier rides, the boys were excited to bring Poppy on bigger, higher and scarier rides. And I wait nervously down below, with the baby, as the three of them skip and laugh to join a queue. I have to give it to Poppy. She spies me down below and tells me 'My heart is beating very fast!' but each time I tell her that if she doesn't want to take the ride, she can back out any time, she shakes her head and insists she's good.

When they were on Pitoune, my heart pounded along with hers, and I'm pretty sure we both sighed a sigh of relief at the same time when they landed safely.




There were two rides that I would have loved to go on but didn't, either because of lack of time, or because it wasn't logistically possible. For Tour de Ville, I was there with the kids while the boys were off roller coastering.



I'm also a fan of the good ole ferris wheel. Unfortunately it was on the other side of the park, too big a distance to cover for 2 very tired kids. Oh well. There'll be other chances.


One of the things Poppy and I really enjoyed was sharing a horribly unhealthy snack. Yeah. Well, it's a carnival, so yeah. Bring on the fried mini donuts with melted nutella, y'all.


There is lots of action going on, but there are also quiet spots. Around the rides, there are always benches for tired feet.



I also love the stretch of old-fashioned boardwalk, where Calla and I spent a long time just stretching out while waiting for the trio go on La Pitoune.






It's prohibited to bring food into the Park but we went with the idea of bringing lots of snacks of the kids, knowing that amusement parks aren't really known for their choice of nutritional meals. But in our hurry, we realise we had forgotten to bring any snacks at all! And so, that's how our 14-month old got introduced to the humble pretzel. I consoled myself with the thought of the pretzel being not so bad because it was so tasteless.

And also, thanks to the kindess of the vendor operating the crepe stall, Calla was given a banana. For free.





Thankfully we went on a weekday, and the kids here don't go on Summer break for another week. So the Park was reasonably empty. When we arrived, we fully expected throngs of people. We stayed from 11am to 5.30pm and the longest queue we encountered was 30 minutes for Goliath. Most of the kiddy rides were so empty that Poppy was able to stay on them for several rounds without having to re-queue.

Save both time and money by buying your tickets online here. No queues at the ticket counter (because you'll be able to print the tickets at home), and you'll save $10 per ticket! With prices at $52.99 for adults and $36.99 for kids, and taxes on top of that, we want to save whatever we can! 

Disclaimer: this is not a sponsored post; I did not receive any compensation from La Ronde to write this 

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Oh and as Dora the Explorer would say, 'I need your help!'


You can vote everyday! Well, only if you want to. Not forcing you. No pressure. Just that it would be nice if you did, that's all. And I'd really appreciate it. Just sayin'. Unpressuringly


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Marche Jean-Talon: A Splash of Colour!

June 20, 2013, 10:13 pm
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When we were at the Jean-Talon market (supposedly the most famous one in Montreal), a random thought crept into my mind: Our very own Tiong Bahru market is frequently hosting visitors, both local and foreign, and while we often smile at them, we could hardly understand the draw of a market. I mean, it's just a market, right? And there we were. At a market. And a gorgeous one at that :)

You can get almost anything from this market, from cheese to organic meats, ice cream to potted herbs, from flowers to maple syrup, freshly made pastas (I wish I had bought some!) to salamis, fruit and vegs to pies and tarts.



If we moved to Montreal, we'd totally do all our marketing here!

Don't you just love the explosion of colour!

Prices for fresh produce were mostly cheap (cheaper than supermarkets), but prices of food were high

To me, this shop totally sold exotic meats. They had rabbit, goose, duck, horse, moose, and the usual beef, lamb, chicken

We spent about 3 hours there, including lunch, and mostly just walked around leisurely, looking, smelling, sampling, ooh-ing and ahh-ing. It's a wonderful place to chill and experience life like the locals. We were there in the early afternoon on a weekday and it was not crowded at all. I mean, it wasn't a dead town, cos that'd be scary, but we didn't have to jostle at all, so that was nice.

It wasn't an exceptionally hot day (we all had thin jackets) but who can say no to maple crunch ice cream?


Calla the garlic thief - she kept going back to this stall to grab garlic.

Why do bicycles always complete the picture in any given market scene?

At the plants section

In need of a diaper change

Apart from being totally gorgeous and bright and cheerful and clean, the market also gave us the opportunity to see some new things, and learn other things about foods we already knew. For example, garlic:

My first time to see garlic like this!


I would have LOVED to grab pots and pots of herbs!!!

Anti-vampire cashier

I love how everything is displayed so neatly!

Everywhere we turned, there was colour, colour and more colour! It was hard not to feel happy when being surrounded by so much vibrance.

Love, love, love!

So cute with the umbrellas, don't you think?

Honey for you, honey?

Max and Poppy and the world's biggest carrot that cost us.... 50 cents.
Pwetty blossoms!

A wild Poppy amidst the other blooms

How clever is the way they display the fruit, ready to be packed to go?
Desserts, and Poppy experiencing a sugar rush

Poppy and her Mamie

Main course and dessert, not necessarily in that order
 And after that l-o-n-g walk, we headed home :)

'We're not sleepy at all!' they insisted. Yeah, ok.

Marche Jean-Talon is located at 7070 Avenue Henri-Julien, at the corner of Henri-Julie and Jean-Talon, Montreal, QC, H2S 3S3. It's housed in Little Italy, and the closest metro station is Jean-Talon. Enjoy!

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What the H?

June 22, 2013, 8:39 am
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We lived past few days in a bit of a confused state - here we were enjoying the cool crisp air of the start of Summer, on the tail end of our holiday in Canada. Just yesterday we had a lovely picnic in Mont Royal Park, a beautiful park that was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same landscape architect that designed New York's famous Central Park. 


Yes, sky that we can see. In a colour we all know. Blue.


But it isn't without a bit of guilt. Because in this same period of time, our friends back home have braved smoke, dust and horrid smells to get to work. Those lucky enough to not be working declared home arrest on themselves, locking themselves at home in their air conditioned rooms. 

Some have booked themselves into hotels, others have sought refuge in homes of relatives out of Singapore. 

Pictures courtesy of my Dad in Singapore

Our family and friends. People we love, people we have known for years, people with young children, not unlike us. 

"Stay where you are," they urge. 

"Prolong your holiday," they beg. 

"Don't come back now, it's horrible," they plead. 

We appreciate everyone's kind thoughts. But as much as we'd like to stay, we have to come back. We are not looking forward to sore  throats or itchy eyes but we are doing all we can now to boost our immunity and prepare for the inevitable. 

H may be for Haze, but H is also for Home. And that is why we will be bidding the cool clean air goodbye and boarding a plane in 12 hours. See you soon, Home.

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Time for the Things that Matter

June 25, 2013, 5:30 pm
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I recently turned 35. I mean 25. I look no different from what I did last year. Or at least that's what my old failing eyes tell me.

But my kids are 5 years and 14 months respectively. And the growth and changes in them are so drastic, thinking about it just makes me want to cry. 


In the past 14 months, I watched in amazement as my little one learnt to flip, move, sit, crawl, stand, walk, drink from a straw and feed herself. At each milestone, I clapped and celebrated as well as wiped hot flashes of tears as they welled up in my eyes. 

I clap because I want to encourage and support my kids in everything they do. Because I'm their mum and that's my job. I cry because with each milestone, it reminds me that they are growing, and growing fast. And also because well, I'm their mum and it's my job. 

I want to do away with all these time stealers so much that it hurts. Oh it hurts each time I tell the kids to wait a minute while I do the dishes or mop up spills. 

I want to be able to make time for the things that matter. Like holding my baby's hand and going for walks. 

I want to bring them to parks and watch them play.



I want to be able to sneak a peek at their special moments where they bond as sisters, and feel my heart swell up with pride. Yes, even if they are doing things they know they're not supposed to be doing. Like jumping on the bed.


I want to be there each time they say "Look, Mama!" and show me silly things. 


I want to have the time to just watch them be individuals as they explore. 


I want to have the time for the things that matter. To cuddle them, to read with them, to stroke their hair, to kiss their cheeks, to tell them I love them. 

I don't wantto spend all my time fighting them. They're girls and there is a high chance we will have our clashes in their teenage years about boys and earrings and clothes and curfews. But now they're babies and I don't want to have to fight about things like diapers. 

Which is why I am in love with these things:

Yes that's a diaper. On a bench. At one of the top universities in the world. And yes I changed my baby there. Why? Because it took me something like 5 seconds to do it as opposed to spending 45 minutes walking around a 200 year old university campus looking for a possibly non existent diaper changing station. 

And after that quick change, we were back in action: walking, talking, playing, cuddling, living. No squealing baby who didn't want to lie on the cold bench for a diaper change. No frustrated Mama having to wrestle squealing baby with karate kicks. No flying diapers.
(Disclaimer: of course her modesty was protected. It's very easy to remain covered when one is wearing a little dress) 

I have active kids and having a well-fitted diaper means that my baby can do all kinds of acrobatic tricks without any fear of leakage. Also, the absence of flaps keeping the diaper in place means that she won't spend half an hour experimenting and checking if she's able to remove the diaper mid-poo.



In our hot and humid weather, the little one is often dressed only in a diaper to keep cool. Knowing that she is in a diaper that will keep her (and my floors) dry makes me feel secure; mopping pee from the floor really isn't one of my hobbies.




Because spending time with them and doing things with them matter to me. Everything else should be done quickly and gotten out of the way so that I can focus on the things that matter.
And as their mum, all I can do is my best for them, make sure they know I love them, and watch them as they sleep, reminding them not to grow so fast. 



Calla wears Drypers DRYPantz. Want a sample too? Check out Drypers' Facebook page for more details, and enjoy their nibblets of parenting advice too!


This post was brought to you by Drypers. I was compensated to write this, and received Drypers DRYPantz to sample. All opinions, pictures, and soppy Mama ramblings are my own.
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Same Same but Different - Jetlag

June 27, 2013, 12:48 pm
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Before I became a mum, I travelled. Well not much, but a fair bit. Both for work and for leisure. And I would always face jetlag head on, by sleeping it off.



And I do, carefree singleton that I was.

Now that I travel with kids, my brain tells me that I should tackle jetlag the same way.



Only I don't.

This is how we have been fighting jetlag at home. They start off by joining forces and ganging up on me.



Then they decide to take turns to torment me. When one gives in to sleep, the other gets up to play, great tag teaming effort to prevent me from sleeping. Yay, sisters rule and all that.

Calla may only be 14 months old but she already knows what buttons to press. She uses her sweetest voice and says the cutest things at 2 in the morning. She also climbs on me and attacks my stomach with raspberries. It's hard to maintain a straight face when there is a symphony of farting sounds (that aren't actually farts) followed by peals of baby laughter in the room. That's her strategy. Making me laugh so I can't be angry with her. Sneaky.



Sometimes the requests are really random. But sometimes they're quite legit. I mean, I can understand. I would be hungry at 3am too. But I'm an adult and my brain is sometimes stronger than my stomach and it can tell that digestive organ to SLEEP IT OFF!



Anyhow, Poppy's tactic is a little more direct. She doesn't usually beat about the bush.


I'm sure that at some point, I'm standing and sleeping but hey, I can never tell.



So that's pretty much the whole night. I tuck Poppy into bed after a million stories, and tell her sternly to stay there till the sun is up, I climb wearily into bed and then Calla stirs. I nurse her, in the hope that she'll fall back asleep. After what feels like an hour, she does! And just as I relax my tensed back, I hear my door creak open. And it goes on all night.


What about Max? What's he doing when I'm playing the game of "Keep Mama occupied", you ask? Actually don't, ok? Just don't.

Well, he takes over at 5am when I accidentally swat his arm a few times and subconsciously yell out "My turn to sleep!". Seriously, accidently. As in, I was actually aiming for his face but the accuracy of a sleep deprived Mama isn't really good.


Disclaimer: To give the kids credit, they have managed remarkably well, given that they've had a total of 19 hours on the plane plus an 8-hour stopover, and are adjusting well to the 12-hour time difference. So far so good. This morning we graduated from having supper at 2am to having breakfast at 4am. As my once favourite band (that was apparently performing in Montreal during our trip) New Kids on the Block would say, "Step by step, oh baby".

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We're Going Out!

June 29, 2013, 12:27 am
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We go out a lot as a family. But wherever we go, the getting ready part is more or less the same.

I start by getting everyone ready. I tell Poppy we're leaving in five minutes when actually it's something like 15. I'm so clever aren't I? She's usually reading something from her Magic Schoolbus pack, or Arthur Has Chicken Pox, or a Berenestain Bears book. Whatever it is, her eyes are glued to it, and she doesn't seem to hear me.


But I assume she's heard me because sometimes as a mum you have to assume such things cos if you don't, then you'll keep repeating and be accused of nagging. And I get busy doing other stuff. Like packing my bag and making sure we are prepared for anything - dry weather, wet weather, hazy weather, Armageddon.

So I pack everything, and then some, cos who knows when you will ever need a pair of scuba flippers or a party hat, right? And my phone, of course, my phone. Heaven forbid I forget my phone. What if I miss a wonderful milestone and fail to capture it on camera and post it online for all to see? What sort of failure mum would I be! Disaster! Calamity!

At some point I also remind Max that we're going out, and remind him where we're going. Why not, since apparently secretarial services are part of my job scope. And why is everyone so curious to know where we're going anyway? Just put some clothes on, brush your teeth, pee and let's go already!

Just so you know, I don't really say "some random place". I actually tell them where we're going, who were meeting and what we'll be doing. Cos I'm all about honesty. Except sometimes I say "It'll be fun!", knowing full well it probably won't. But I'm a mum, and advertising is also part of my job.

In the midst of all the packing, I also pick out Poppy's outfit and tell her.



I'm not one of those mums that needs to dress her kids in all kinds of fancy brands and stuff. But I choose her outfit so that Max doesn't have to do it. Because the few times I delegated the task to him ended up in her dressed like this. Or similar.

Meanwhile, in Poppy Land, finally, a response! But not quite one I was hoping for.
I tell her ok fine, we will go to that oh so fun place and do that oh so fun thing, maybe there'll be bouncey castles and ice cream and stuff (or maybe not, maybe it'll just be a dinner at my parents' house, but hey, life is a box of chocolates, no? What if my parents suddenly decided to hire a clown for dinner entertainment?). I do it in the hope that she'll jump up and say that she'll get ready right away! Of course it doesn't work. What are you, a novice parent?

But Max decides to help us out. He's Canadian so he's big on laws and such. Did I tell you that one bitter cold Winter day, one of his friends politely refused to give us a ride because he didn't have a car seat for Poppy? So we ended up walking in minus a billion degrees with winds and all for 20 minutes. It could have been a 3 minute car ride. So anyway. He brings in the law talk. Like "the law" means anything to a 5-year old.

So finally we head out. And then, of course, this happens.
 Parenting, huh?



* Disclaimer: to all my 3 Canadian readers, I mean no disrespect, y'all. Just saying it was a long walk. And I didn't have good shoes. And I was pregnant, that's all. And it was a long walk. But I have a profound respect for all members of your law enforcement crew. Particularly those on horses cos that's just so cool, isn't it! And by the way, one of Max's friends was a Mounty!





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How to Not Plan an Awesome Party in 5 Simple Steps

June 30, 2013, 7:11 pm
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We celebrated Poppy's 5th birthday party yesterday and had lots of fun. But I did a major booboo with the party favours. Here's how you can too! In just 5 simple steps!

1. Score a bundle of awesome party favours at a great price halfway around the world. They're heavy but hey, there's a price for perfection. And they ARE perfect.

 2. Buy ten sets in bright vibrant colors and plan your entire party around those colours.


3. Daydream about the kids having a blast with their party favours.

4. Forget to pack them in your suitcase when you leave for home.

5. Go ahead with party anyway without party favours 


Ed's note: Poppy and Calla's nana turns 90 next week. I'm sure she and her friends will have a fab party and enjoy their super fun colourful balloon wands. 

Yes I bought lots of giant bubble wands at a fantastic price. No I didn't stop to think that I was depriving other kids in Montreal the joys of giant bubble fun. Yes I believe in retribution.

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P is for Penis

July 3, 2013, 8:09 pm
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Based on the title, you must know that this post ain't gonna be about unicorns and magical fairies. To those of you who think that I should not mention the word "penis" because this is a family blog, here's my response:



3 fingers up, followed by 3 fingers to the side. It means "whatever". Max taught me that. We're mature like that.

So seriously. Penis. I mean how do you think we had kids in the first place? There's your family blog for you. No penis, no family. No family, no family blog. See? That's the link.

But I digress. Today's post is not about the penis. I hear many of you out there sighing a sigh of relief. You're welcome.

Today's post is about the v-v-v-v. Wait, please give me a minute to compose myself.

Today's post is bout the v-v-v-....

I can't do it. I can't say the v word. I don't know why, but I just can't. It seems vulgar to me somehow. Hey, v is for vulgar too! Wow. Awesome discovery.

It kind of reminds me of a scene from Harry Potter where all the wizards can't say the name of He Who Must Not Be Named.

 Anyway yes I know I have one. No not the wizard. Again, Biology 101, you will need a penis and that v-thing for baby making. For most babies anyway. But I still can't say it. And it's not just on my blog. I can't say it in public either.  (You know that by saying "down there", people would generally understand? If not, some gesturing and pointing might help).

I can't even say it to my kids. So we have our private parts cutesy names. And no, I'm not gonna tell them to you.  They're private, hello? But they're not "twinkle toes" or "pixie dust" or anything like that. Cos that'd be weird. And wrong. But totally funny.



I know there's the whole debate of telling kids the proper names of everything but really, I can't say it. I'm ok with saying penis though, I don't know why. But the v word? Can't. I just can't. Don't make me.

They'll learn ultimately. I did. From some sex ed video I watched in school when I was 10 with about 100 other 10 year old girls crammed into the AVA theatre (the only room in school with aircon at that time). Oh by the way it was from that video that we learnt the proper pronunciation.



Really, this is how it looked like in the video. Complete with a male voice reading out the instructions. You can be sure we said it over and over the whole day on school. Or maybe the whole term, I'm not sure.

So I'm just wondering. By show of hands, who here teaches their kids the proper names, and who has made up names? You can choose not to share the names, no problem. In fact, yeah, it'd make me more comfortable if you kept your private parts private. No offense but yeah. Don't wanna know.

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Drypers Little Day Out

July 3, 2013, 9:05 pm
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Are your kids fans of storytelling? Do they go crazy at pirate ships and choo choo trains? Anyone here enjoys speech and drama performances?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, I hope you don't have anything planned on Saturday, 6 July, because have I got news for you! 

Drypers is throwing a huge par-tay and you're invited! The Drypers Little Day Out Carnival 2013 promises a day of fun with activities for the whole family. Games, play area, baking, gym and music sessions.

There will also be special Drypers Happy Packs on sale from $10, depending on the type of diapers you choose. Each pack is worth up to $40 and proceeds go to the KKH Health Endowment Fund which supports mothers and children who lack financial resources when seeking for medical help.

I would love to go but can't cos I'll be attending another happening event - The Singapore Blog Awards ceremony! - if you've voted for me, thanks :) If not, no problem, we're still cool.


The details
Drypers Little Day Out Carnival
Date : 6 July 2013
Time: 11am-7pm
Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 4B
Entry: Free by registering. Regisstion forms available on-site as well as at www.facebook.com/DrypersSingapore. Each completed registration form admits one family.

Please note that the event tab and the registration form are not accessible via mobile devices.

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Singapore Blog Awards - I Won! (Kinda)

July 6, 2013, 8:45 pm
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The invite said "Come in your 60s best" and I just knew what I was going to be. I dug through our costume box (yes we have one!) and voila, Inspector Singh was ready for action!

Our mission: to protect, serve and wriggle our moustaches



Poor Max. It's so rare that we go on dates and I had to dress as a man. An indian policeman with an awesome moustache, thank you very much.


We had to do a catwalk and a 60s dance. But Inspector Singh don't do no catwalk. No, he marches like a boss.


Yeah I had a gun and all. Army market and a good toy shop, that's all you need. 

And when invited to share a word with the Guest of Honour, Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, what's a police inspector to do but remain in character and wriggle his moustache? So that's what I did. He had a good laugh :)



No, I didn't win the Best Family Blog like I was nominated for, but I did walk away with the Best Dressed Award and a whole bag of treats! Thanks for the fun, OMY team!

Sorry there aren't any other pictures of the other participants. I was too busy getting stopped every couple of metres for photo requests. I asked to be paid 50 cents per picture but people just laughed. Should really work on my fierce policeman look.

Anyhoo, till next year!

Oh. My. Gawd. I just found out I was featured in Lianhe Wanbao.

This is pretty embarrassing indeed.

If a picture speaks a thousand words, what would a video say? Oh heck, just click on this image, and you can watch the video. I'm toward the very end. Enjoy.

Special thanks to the OMY team and the husband and wife blogging team Winston from The BlogFather, and Liza from Mother of Xander, for the pictures. 



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How to Know if Social Media has Taken Over Your Life

July 8, 2013, 1:30 am
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If any of these scenarios looks vaguely familiar, check yourself into the next available slot at Addicted R Us Pte Ltd.

I suppose we're all guilty of one or two of the following to a certain extent, but let's keep ourselves in check so that things don't get out of hand ok?

Happy Youth Day to all our friends in Singapore! To our overseas readers, Happy Day! Or Happy Monday if you like.





Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored by any official media body, nor was it intended to be directed at anyone in particular. Any resemblance to any person dead or alive is purely coincidental. Except for that parts that you think sound just like you, of course. Those are 100% intentional. 
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Kids are Programmed to Play

July 9, 2013, 9:05 am
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Today's post is inspired by a quote I saw earlier in the day, and just couldn't get it out of my head (later in the day, Poppy and I grabbed some materials and made it into a framed piece of art and it's now hanging in our living room)


It really got me thinking. Home is where our kids spend the most of their time. Well, mine anyway. And they spend most of that time with me. What am I doing with them/for them/to them, and how am I affecting the starting chapters of their lives? What am I doing to set the grounds for a good start?

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I remember, growing up, that we spent quite a lot of time with another family. Their kids were slightly younger, and people often complimented them on their good behaviour. Then they'd look at us (possibly bouncing around the house high on a sugar rush) and give my mum a look that not-so-gently reminded her of the saying that "children should be seen and not heard".

When I was old enough to understand (and not repeat secrets), my mother shared that while those kids were really 'kuai' in the eyes of the older generation, my mother secretly found them boring to bits and was far happier having lively, energetic, inquisitive children. I had a good laugh. That comment was so unlike my mother.

And here I am now, with 2 kids of my own. It's probably still too early to gauge Calla's personality, but Poppy for sure is a 100% extrovert. She draws her energy from other people and is able to make friends with just about anyone. Every teacher at every Parent-Teacher-Meeting tells us that her hand always shoots up first when there is a question to be answered. This year her form teacher told me that within 15 minutes of arriving in school, her hair always needs to be re-tied, regardless of how tightly I'd tied it earlier.

That's Poppy. She's a burst of energy. She is bubbly. She is loud. She's what my father would describe as 'having a durian butt', meaning that she just can't sit still.


But, she is very much like me - an extrovert, who sometimes just wants to get away from all the noise and have a quiet moment. I first noticed this at a school party when she was about 2.5. She kept getting out of the room where the party was held, and tried to hang out somewhere quieter. I didn't know better then, and got upset at her because she wasn't sitting and paying attention to the ongoings of the party like her other classmates were.

What I should have recognised was that 1) she was only 2.5 and staying still isn't really what 2.5 year olds are known for, and that 2) not everyone likes noisy gatherings.

Even know, she can be right in front, asking the balloon guy for a twisty balloon, or sitting quietly in a non-designated party room, focused on a toy. I no longer force her to join in party happenings if she doesn't want to.



So that's how it is with us. We observe our kids, and try to mould our parenting style to fit their personalities. Because, really, it's easier that way than trying to force them to obey.

Is she a spirited child? I don't know. She has her moments. She can be incredibly sensitive (like today she said "I'm going to cry" when Jake [of Jake and the Neverland Pirates] lost his ship), and can throw a killer tantrum. She is also extremely sweet, particularly to her sister. Well, except when she says "Calla is a dog so I will throw things for her to fetch". But that too, is fun in a way, I suppose.

All I'm saying is, that every child is unique, and some folks don't take the time to understand their kids, expecting the same yardsticks to apply to everyone. So-and-so can read, Ah Boy's classmate can play the piano, how come our kid can't ride the bike yet - she's 7! Yes, there are guidelines and benchmarks, but perhaps we should worry less about these things, and concentrate more on the things that matter.

They are kids. They are made to play. To spin, to pretend, to jump, to skip, to laugh, to bounce, to get dirty, to experiment. 

I say it before and I say it again. They are only young once. I keep reminding myself. 



MummyMOO
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The Wheels of the Stroller Go Round and Round

July 9, 2013, 11:20 am
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We love our apartment very much, but I have to admit, there are a few things that I wouldn't mind not having. A four-storey climb for instance. I do the climb twice a day at least. With a baby strapped on me. Sometimes with groceries and whatnot.

Which is why, when I'm out, I choose to go as lightweight as possible. Strap the baby on, throw some necessities into my bag, and out we go, hands-free and fuss free. I envy those who have a lift that stops on their floor. If I had that, I would probably put my baby in the stroller everywhere we go. No baby's weight on my shoulders? Pram from door to door? Wow. My shoulders are pea green with envy.

Probably not a real fact but sure feels like one:
Kids feel twice as heavy when they're asleep. 

We do have a stroller though. When we bought it, we didn't do any research beforehand, but I knew that it had to be lightweight. We have a Combi something something and it weighs about 7kg. Which isn't much, no. When you're full of energy, or are able to carry it with both hands.

I do pop Calla in the stroller occasionally, depending on our destination. If we can get there entirely by train, or if we're going on foot, I'd much prefer the stroller. And if I choose that option, here's how I do it:



(Maintain this for 4 flights of stairs down)




It's better now because Calla can stand and walk. Before, I would have to carry her out in a baby sling or carrier, and the stroller, then leave the carrier in the letter box, and reverse the whole process when we get back home. I did the same when Poppy was a baby too. Not easy, but doable.

The bus. Hmm. This is what the hooha is about isn't it. Inconsiderate drivers who refuse to let mothers bring their strollers up the bus and insist their babies are taken out and strollers folded?

Yes we've done that. No it wasn't easy. Yes it's doable. No I don't like it.

There are many things that we want. Many things that we feel upset about if we don't get our way. But are we prepared to accept the consequences? Say the bus companies agree to let open strollers up buses, and bus drivers are to help parents with their boarding and alighting. I'm guessing if this happens, then there might be many more people who would jump on the stroller wagon. Are we ok to have our travel times lengthened because the bus driver would be real busy?

Are we prepared to have more crowded buses? What about those without kids, or those with kids without strollers? What if they can't get on the bus because its packed with more wheels? And have you seen the size of some of these guys? Some strollers literally look like tanks! Who's to say what the cut off size is? How many people would use "sorry I'm late today, there were 5 mums who needed the bus driver's help to get their strollers on/off the bus" when they arrive late at th office or school.

And how many open strollers can a bus take anyway? 3? 5? 8? What is the cut off number and what if you are the unfortunate one to be told you're one too many, please take the next bus? And then what? Raise another cry of how unfair the world is?

Whose side am I on anyway? No one's. I'm just saying that before we stick our fingers out and point accusingly at someone, we should remember that when we do so, there are three other fingers (our own, no less!) pointing back at us.
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Mama Needs a Drink or "I've Got a New Blender, Y'all!"

July 10, 2013, 5:30 pm
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I don't know about you but sometimes the kids just make me go "Urgh! I need a drink!". The problem with that is that I don't drink. As in I'm mildly allergic to alcohol. As in my cheeks don't get that lovely rosy blush when I drink; I simply adopt the bright cheerful hue of Sebastian the Crab in The Little Mermaid.

If there are any of you out there who share the same fate as me, good news, good news! There is hope yet! Thanks to my new Jamie Oliver blender, kindly sent by the folks from Philips, I am able to share with you a drink for every kind of mum! All original recipes by Gingerbreadmum!


ROCK THAT DETOX!
For the "Party or no, I'm going to have a drink anyway" mum

The soft sounds of lounge music, easy casual conversations (with adults), a drink in your hand.... It seems like it's been decades since I've had an evening like that. Is it the same for you too?

Well, this is my "kids or not, evening or not, I'm going to fix myself a cool drink in a cool glass anyway" kind of drink. Oh and on the plus side, it's good for detoxification and all.

Did you know? Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity among all fruits, are good for your brain, and also work as anti-depressants!



How to make the Rock that Detox
You'll need blueberries, watermelon, and lemon juice. Blend blueberries and watermelon, and mix with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Sip and remember a time when you could have real conversations. 



EXOTIC CRUSH
For the "I'm dreaming about an exotic holiday" mum

When 'tropical juice' is mentioned, people naturally think of a mix of oranges, pineapples, and bananas. Jazz up and blend up that exotic factor with a dose of kiwi for a drink that rocks your senses!

This drink is both filling and tasty. What more could one ask for in a drink! Well yeah, alcohol perhaps, but um, yeah, no.

Did you know that kiwis are rich in antioxidants, Vitamic C and high in fibre?



How to make the Exotic Crush
You'll need green kiwis, pineapple, banana, and apple juice. Blend and serve with ice, and continue dreaming about sitting on a deck chair by the pool in The Maldives. 



HI-HO ORANGE-O
For the "Wake me up before you go-go" mum

Why is it that kids are programmed to wake up so darn early! Everyone is bright, and chipry, and ready for action. Me, I just want to pull the covers over my head and sleep the morning away.

Days like these, I do not want to settle for boring old dry toast. That's just not going to do it for me. Days like these, I need something bright, cheery and happy, and this drink is it! It's bright orange and just looking at it makes me happy. And gulping it down while sloshing around in my bedroom slippers makes me feel like I can conquer the world. 

PS despite the name, it's missing the orange fruit :) I'm confusing that way.

Did you know that papaya is great for treating indigestion? It also prevents premature aging!



How to make The Hi-Ho Orange-O
You'll need watermelon cubes, papaya, apple juice and ice. Blend. Drink. Wake up and smell the roses.



SUNRISE SURPRISE 
For the "I've got a sweet tooth" mum

Sweet drinks are just for kids? Nah. I love sweet drinks but try to stay away from sugar. What's a mum to do then? Easy - throw in lots of ripe fruit! This is a perfect drink for an afternoon snack. This ensemble served the 3 of us at home very well - the tall glass was mine, the little glass was Poppy's, and Calla had the cut fruit :) Mango is her favourite. I wonder who she got that from.

Betcha didn't know that mangoes can help prevent dry eyes and night blindness!



How to make Sunrise Surprise
You'll need milk, mangoes, orange juice and bananas. Blend. Drink. Smile sweetly.

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I really had fun making all these juices. And of course, I couldn't have done it without this fella. Thanks, my new blender pal!

Find out more about the PHILIPS Jamie Oliver range of kitchen tools here
 
Keep life simple with the PHILIPS | Jamie Oliver range which includes a food processor (S$268), handblender (S$108) and blender (S$128). Available at leading electronics and departmental stores.

Disclaimer: I've been compensated to write this post, and also received a Jamie Oliver blender from Philips for purposes of review, but all opinions and pictures are mine.


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Oh My Gosh - My Baby is 5! (or Poppy's Birthday Party)

July 14, 2013, 8:26 am
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You might remember about me posting about how to not plan an awesome party? This was that party.  Thankfully it turned out well!

Poppy turned 5 earlier this month. 5. Gosh.

This year we went for something different. We chose to hold the party at home. We love having outdoor parties but because we weren't sure how the haze situation was going to be like, plus we'd recently been sabotaged by the weather for Calla's birthday party (which reminds me, it's not been blogged about yet. Ahem), we opted for a home-based party.

And that kinda freaked me out just a tad bit. Because we don't exactly live in a mansion. We have no backyard, no garden, no one area that screams "Hold the party HERE!". We live in a small 3-room flat that measures 88 sqm. Which is tiny for 7 kids plus their parents. So I took a deep breath and told the parents to drop their kids off and keep out for 2 hours.

Sought permission from all parents that kids would 1) be watching a movie 2) be given ice cream and 3) possibly brought downstairs for games if weather and timing permitted (we never made it downstairs in the end)

So it was (deep breath) me versus 7 kids for 2 hours. In all honesty, it was managable. Because they're 5. And because I assigned Max to take care of Calla.

Some "before party" shots:


I've never had any luck with hanging balloons so I figured why not secure them to crepe paper, and stick the crepe paper to the ceiling? I think they turned out rather well!

Ready for action! Truthfully the hardest part was to prevent the baby from moving stuff around. We brought the TV into her room and turned the bottom bunk of her bed into Media Central. With the curtains drawn and a cup of popcorn, voila, home-made movie theatre!

We didn't want to spend on themed cups so we used whatever plastic cups we had and decorated them with sticker dots and washi tape
 
So, the party!

The night before, I made little personalised tickets for the kids. Nothing fancy, just colourful tickets from recycled paint chips, and made little cuts (like perforation) so that Poppy (the ticket warden) could tear the tickets. Before the party she helped me label the seat numbers and she was able to then tell each child where he/she was to be seated.


It's so funny how she just plonked herself down on her seat and they all just crowded around her

It started with a bit of chaos but hey, that's a great start to any party!



We kicked off with a short story telling session. I planned that at the start because 1) that allowed me to manage the time, allowing for latecomers to arrive, while I told the story and 2) it was a good introduction to the movie we were going to watch.

Turned out that most folks arrived around the same time and the kids got really excited watching the 1970s version of Charlotte's Web. Thankfully none of them had seen it before.

This picture is slightly misleading. They kids switched between being screamers and shushers. But Poppy was pretty much consistent in her noise level (high)


And then there was silence. For approximately 2 1/2 minutes.


Waitress Mama was kept busy with orders of "More popcorn, please!"

And this was when I snuck out to start on the kids' dinner preparation (hidden veggie pasta with meatballs). Check out a little baldie in the front row. Did she care that it was nap time? Pffft. No.
Because we started the party late, I had to cut short on game time. But don't worry, the kids didn't know that.

We incorporated the existing things in Poppy's room. The blackboard for instance - I used it to remind myself of the itinerary

We started off with a round of Bingo. Actually alot of time was spent explaining how to play it!


Balloon Race!
Remember the balloons hanging from the ceiling? I asked the kids to each choose one. Little did they know that they were actually helping me to clean up. Mua ha ha.

One of the balloons had decided to deflate and it was a sorry sight among the others. I thought the kids would all avoid it but strangely though, they all wanted to have it. Kids are funny that way.

 

So I made them get from Point A to Point B with balloons between their knees, between their elbows, jumping, waddling, with a partner (front to front, back to back). You get the idea. Everyone squealed. Nobody complained that it was lame or boring or that they didn't get prizes (actually I did prepare prizes but I forgot to give them out). If I were to sum the balloon race segment in a word, I'd have to say it was pretty intense.

Actually most of the balloon race pictures were blurred :)


Twister. 
I think I've never owned a set of this game but remember seeing the adverts on TV. This was a last minute addition to the party and we set it up two hours before. Turned out to be an excellent addition.

I cut the circles and Poppy helped me paste them with double sided tape. Then we put the playmat over to cover them so that our little guests wouldn't suspect anything. Well and also to prevent Calla from peeling them off (which she did when she managed to sneak into the room). 

Quality check in progress

The group was not big, but too big for everyone to play at the same time. So I divided them into two groups. The girls played first, then the boys. Everyone enjoyed it but the boys were really into it. And while the boys played, the girls kinda cheered them on. That was cute :)




And you know what? Most of the party time was spent in Poppy's room :) There was a ringing in my ears for the next 24 hours but the kids had a great time so I think I did pretty ok.

The cake. Mmmm. Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe (do not click on the link if you are on a diet) answered my cry of help a few days before the party, and made Poppy's cake for half what I would have probably paid at any random cake shop. Thank you Diana for making sure my daughter had an edible and incredibly yummy cake! 

I simply dotted it with M&Ms which really made me Mum of the Moment.






"Show me how old you are!" Well um, some count better than others. Poppy was really enthusiastic

Everyone had ice cream topped with chocolate rice and sprinkles, served by the birthday girl

After the party, I asked what Poppy had enjoyed the most. I was really surprised that she said she enjoyed distributing the movie tickets :) I'm glad she enjoyed it. Once again, I'm thankful for another year and another low budget party. Being broke rocks!

Or actually, it doesn't :(

These were Poppy's past birthday parties!
Poppy turned 4 at the Road Safety Park
Poppy turned 3 at East Coast Beach





Disclaimer: Haha. Of course this post wasn't sponsored by anyone. 

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So You Think You Can Date a Cartoon Character

July 15, 2013, 8:56 am
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So we were watching cartoons one day and I had a random thought.

If I had to date a cartoon character, who would I date?

Hmmmm. I guess I'd probably go out with Handy Manny. He's a decent chap, looks like the dependable sort, plus he'd be really handy to have around the home. Really handy, haha.

And then I thought, "Oh my gawd. Did I just say that? Did I just think about dating a cartoon character?"

But like I said, it was a random thought. Not like I fantasized about buying a home with a white picket fence and having 2 dogs with him.

So while we're on the topic, here's a list of characters I might date, based on the shows that Poppy watches.

Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. Only because he's a pirate and that's cool. Plus, in cartoon land, he's probably the most bad boy good guy. Doesn't hurt that he's pretty rich too. He's got a treasure chest!

Maybe Ralphie from the Magic School Bus. He's not one of the main characters but when he speaks, it's often something rather intelligentish and totally not corny. I think he's one of those strong, silent types.

No, not Diego from Dora and Diego fame. Really, riding on your cousin's fame to start your own TV series? Please! Be a man!

I will not date anyone from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. And no secret agent pandas either. Simply because.

So there you go. A borderline disturbing post :D

Disclaimer: I'm happily married to Max bla bla bla and all that.


MummyMOO
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Because Pancakes Have Feelings Too, Ya Know

July 18, 2013, 5:30 pm
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I don't know when this tradition started, but we have been having pancakes for breakfast almost every other weekend.

It started one morning about a year ago when Poppy and I passed a neighbour's house and got invited in for the yummiest pancakes I had ever eaten. Plus, it was during the phase when Poppy was really fussy about food and she gobbled up the pancakes like I hadn't fed her in days. So needless to say, I asked for the recipe.

But making pancakes isn't just about making pancakes. Nooo, there's a deeper meaning to it. It evokes happy memories for Max because he gets to drizzle maple syrup on his pancakes (I say drizzle but I actually mean "drown his pancakes him maple syrup), it totally makes me feel like supermum because I whip them up from scratch and serve them with fruits (hello healthy Mama!), Poppy still gobbles them up, and now the best part is that Calla loves them too. Full marks for our family!

But over the past weekend, I upped it up a notch. And here we have it. Happy pancakes!




They're incredibly easy to make. Simply fill a squeezey bottle with your favourite pancake mix, and squeeze away! Here, I'll include pics:



Easy peasy pancake squeezy! Enjoy :)

And this is not my usual style (because I'm usually a recipe copier, not a recipe sharer), but this is such a yummy recipe that I just have to share it:

Whisk together in a large bowl:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk together in another bowl
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

I make mini pancakes so they're not so imposing, so I use a little soup scoop and pour them into my regular non stick frying pan. Fry over a low fire and flip them over once they start bubbling.

I love this recipe because the butter is already mixed in the batter, and I don't have to add any butter or oil when frying. Yay!


PS for those of you who have been to our house for pancake brunch, please speak up and back me up on this: isn't this recipe the absolute best!

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The Birthday Badge

July 22, 2013, 8:51 am
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Last month I was engaged by Drypers to write a post on making time for the things that matter (you can read that post here). I wrote it, and since then, thoughts about "making time for the things that matter" kept drifting in and out of my mind.

Then Poppy's birthday rolled by and I planned this low budget (read: no budget) birthday party for her at home. Now, usually, after her birthday party, I am completely wiped out. And this year was no different. Which is why when her real birthday rolled by, I had run out of energy but still wanted to do something simple for her in school.

Poppy's kindergarten allows the kids to ditch their uniform on their birthdays, which is really cool. But the tricky thing was that Poppy's birthday was celebrated on the same day that the class was having its yearly class photo taken. And the teacher didn't know what time her class was scheduled for. So her form teacher asked me to go to school in her uniform and pack her clothes in her bag, instead of letting her wear them to school.

In the name of practicality, I said "It's alright, she can stay in her uniform." Her teacher was the one who insisted, saying that the kids always feel special when they're the only ones in their own clothes for their birthdays. I felt so ashamed that I had almost denied my daughter the chance to feel special, just because I was too lazy to pick a dress and pair of shoes to pack for her.

I ended up not only packing her clothes, but also brought her cake and made some snacks for her classmates, and lugged everything, plus Calla to her school in time for her birthday celebration. But the thing I remembered the most of that day, was that I saw not her first, but her canteen auntie, who said to me, "It's Poppy's birthday today isn't it? She showed me her badge! She was so proud to point to it and tell me that she was 5 today!" Apparently she'd told everyone.


Yeah. The badge. A simple thing made from a piece of recycled cardboard and decorated with washi tape and stickers. Something I made in 5 minutes and stuck it on her uniform with double sided tape. Something I was afraid she might have been embarrassed to put on.

Something that had made her so happy and proud to wear that she had it on all day, in school through 2 change of clothes, and then after, when I brought her out for a movie as a birthday treat.


It was nothing fancy, but she had a wonderful party in school. Just having me there made it so special for her. Her teacher said she kept talking to her classmates about her little sister and told them her special nickname for her.

Sometimes, we forget that all our kids want, is us. And all we have to do is to make some time for them.


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What Our Kids Are Saying... But Are We Listening?

July 23, 2013, 9:16 am
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