Kids Photoshoot

Exactly a year ago, I participated in TwoPixels Photography's 1st Anniversary Giveaway. I was very lucky to be chosen as one of the 3 lucky winners. We had a photo session with Jazz and Sue at the end of November. We went to Taman Tasik Permaisuri in Cheras. The backdrop is very nice -- got trees, lake and colourful playground.

We reached there at about 9 (sorry we were late, girls), and the place was very crowded on a Sunday morning. We chose to wear a little formal for the session and I brought a change of casual clothes for the kids. The main purpose was to shoot the kids and while we're at it, take some nice family portraiture. As mentioned in my contest entry, hubby dislikes to be photographed. So this was a great opportunity to get him involved. Thank you, TwoPixels, for making my wish come true. ;-) And of course, must thank hubby dearest for his cooperation. hehehe

When we were walking around the (crowded) park, I felt so out of place. I can feel people (who're there to exercise) staring at this bunch of weirdos in formal attire. But what the heck, we have a mission to accomplish, so I tried to imagine we're the only ones there. :-) Jie jie warmed up to Jazz and Sue quite fast. But didi started to show his angry face after a few shots coz he wanted to go to the playground. Earlier, I'd promised to bring him to the playground after the photo session but he was getting impatient. Maybe he was only expecting a few shots. :D

~ didi showed his angry face while folding his arms ~

Jazz and Sue are very patient with the kids. We just couldn't get didi to cooperate. Things/words that normally tickle him didn't work. Thanks to Jazz's brilliant idea and Sue's iPhone, they managed to cheer up the grumpy boy.

~ Talking Tom Cat saved the day :-) ~

~ lovey dovey shot ~

From then on, the photo session went rather well. When we reached the playground, the kids were like monkeys off the leash. Jie jie went climbing high and low, swinging on the monkey bar, trying out all the slides. Didi, on the other hand, was rather cautious at the beginning. Once he's warmed up, he did his spiderman stunts as well. He loved walking on the "bridge" and playing slides. It was definitely a fun day for the kids. And as usual, tiring for the old folks. hahaha

~ the toothless monkey :D ~

~ spiderman in action ~

Oh, I almost forgot...

Happy 25 Months Old, TwoPixels!

Holiday Activities

There're only 2 weeks left of the long school break. How time flies! We didn't plan for any vacation this year end -- no budget and no time (PaPa's very busy). :-( Apart from playing tv games EVERYDAY, doing a lot of colouring and minimal writing, and revising with jie jie (mainly on BM and Maths), these are some of our activities so far.

1) Visited Petrosains StreetSmart Exhibition in KLCC.

2) Did science experiments. (a) Stole the idea from My Little Sprouts! and built balloon jets. (b) Grew dinosaurs in water.

3) Played and had a good workout at Critter Land.

4) Water play at home, in the rarely used 3-ring pool.

5) Had a great time wasting money at Sunway Pyramid's mini amusement park. I think their favourite is the bumper car.

6) Jie jie had her first try at ice-skating. We got her an instructor to coach her for 30 minutes (fee = RM60). She was taught how to balance herself, get up after falling down and of course, to skate. Not much she can learn and master in 30 minutes. At least she's mastered how to walk (on normal floor) with the skates. :-) She really enjoyed herself. Too bad it's quite far for us, if not, I'd let her take lessons. Never mind, we'll try to allocate time for ice-skating whenever we go to Sunway Pyramid. I'd love to try it too.

7) Watched Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale. As usual, didi was there just for the popcorn. He could not concentrate fully on the show. After he's finished his popcorn, he started to disturb me -- asked for more snacks, sat on my lap. Luckily he didn't roam around. I started warning him a few days before the outing. If he wants to follow me to the cinema and eat popcorn, he mustn't walk around or disturb me after he's finished his popcorn. Well, he kept half of his promise, ok lah. :D

Mommy The Dentist

XY's upper right central incisor had been loose for quite awhile already. A few days ago, she showed me her very loose tooth. On Friday afternoon, she came to me crying and there was blood on her finger. She said she knocked her mouth on didi's head and I saw blood at the gum around that loose tooth. While trying to wipe off the blood in her mouth with tissue paper, I just pulled out that tooth, without telling her first. It came out at my second try. She was still crying. I doubt it was due to pain. Must be because she panicked when she saw blood earlier. Then didi started crying and asked me not to pull out jie jie's tooth. hahaha Since when my boy became so "drama" one? Later jie jie told me it just hurt a little when I pulled it out. After that it was not painful anymore. Then I let her bite a gauze to stop the bleeding. 1 gauze was enough.

~ the bloody gauze ~

She was very excited as she knew she'll be getting a little something from the tooth fairy at night. She asked for a plastic bag to keep her little tooth and happily put in under her pillow at bedtime. The "tooth fairy" couldn't find the plastic bag in the dark and didn't want to disturb her sleep. So the "tooth fairy" just left the coin there without taking the tooth. As expected, XY was satisfied with her 50 sen reward. But she asked me how come the tooth fairy didn't take the tooth away. I think I mumbled something like, "Oh really? Never mind lah. Just give it to me." coz I was still sleepy. hahaha

She's been a really brave girl and never gave me any problems when it comes to dental care and dentist encounters. I hope didi will be the same too. Haven't brought him for a check-up before. Maybe I'll start psyching him and bring him before the holiday's over.

Big Eaters

We had Domino's pizza for dinner just now. For 2 adults (PaPa's not home) and 2 kids, I ordered 2 regular pizzas and 1 chicken crunchies. The chicken crunchies are quite spicy. Comes with tangy cheese dip. I don't really like it, prefer KFC's nuggets.

There's a promotion where you get a regular pizza for RM3 with purchase of any regular/large/extra large pizza. I received the info via sms. The coupon code is SM9. Feel free to use it if you want, as the delivery guy didn't ask to see the sms for verification. You can order online (under Redeem Coupons) or through their hotline. This promotion expires on 19/12/2010.

The kids ate 3 slices of pizzas each, the same portion as what we ate. That's equivalent to half a regular pizza. Oh my, they are really big eaters. And just less than 2 hours before dinner, each of them had 2 pieces of gardenia bread and biscuits. o.O Nowadays when we dine out, they'd have their own servings, instead of sharing. Of course I'm more than happy with their good appetite. Better have big eaters than picky eaters. :-)

I doubt their super big appetite has got anything to do with their water play in the morning. I took almost half an hour to set it up and fill it up with water (less than half full). We bought this 3-ring pool from Toys"R"Us in March. This is the 3rd time they're playing in it. Luckily SIL has an electric pump, if not I cannot imagine how long it'd take and how tiring it'd be to pump up the pool manually.

~ having a tea party ~

~ then pour water on each other ~

~ riding on jie jie ~

Critter Land

SIL and I brought the kids to Critter Land (knew about this place from Irene) on Wednesday. We reached there at 10+ and we're the only customers there till the time we left. So nice to have the whole place to ourselves. :-) The boys spent a lot of time at the Lava Dome, where they erupt a volcano with foam balls and play shooting game -- shoot foam balls from compressed-air guns. XY loved the Sponge Drop, doing the flying fox (I enjoyed it too) and swinging on the rope. There are also slides, big and small. Funny that they're not too interested in the big trampolines but they always bug me to let them jump on the small one at home. *roll eyes* There's a dedicated area for little tots -- small plastic seesaws, ball pool, padded obstacles, etc.

Baby XN who's 7+ months old, didn't play much. Don't know why she didn't really enjoy the ball pool. But she loves to munch on the foam balls. hahaha She was model of the day as her mommy clicked away, practising her photography skill. The colourful backdrop is very nice for a photoshoot.

Since we have the whole place to ourselves, the big kids (the mommies :D) tried some of the slides and games too. shhhh... It was quite tiring for the adults to move around the place as we've to bend almost 90 degrees with crawling/walking tunnels above our head.

~ "wheeee!" into the pool of balls ~

~ isn't baby XN super cute? ~

~ 3-storey high slides, very "chi kek" ~

~ the high spiral slide ~

~ shooting game ~

~ trampoline area ~

~ the flying fox, this is fun! ~

~ "Jane" in action :D ~

Critter Land is located at The Heritage Village (opposite Mines).The entrance fee (for kids 1 to 12 years old) is RM15 on weekdays, RM22 on weekends, school and public holidays. They open daily from 10am. When we're there, got ample parking space. And it's free after you validate your ticket at Critter Land. After 3 hours of play, we went downstairs for lunch, at a Kopitiam. There's also a cafe and Persian Restaurant. That's all we can see near the Kopitiam area. Didn't explore the place as we're very hungry already. Hopefully can bring the kids there again before the school holiday is over.

Growing Dinosaur

When we visited the Petrosains StreetSmart Exhibition, the kids participated in a game and received a goodie bag each. One of the gifts is a growing dinosaur. According to the note, it'll expand 600% in size when it's put in the water. It takes up to 72 hours to fully expand. When removed from the water, it'll shrink to its original size. Interesting, eh?

~ original size, about 2.5 inches ~

~ submerge in water for 72 hours ~

~ after 72 hours, about 5 inches ~

When I took it out of the water, it's a little slimy. All covered by something gel-like. After 72 hours, it only expanded 200%, so I soaked them in the water for another 4 days. But it didn't really expand some more. Well, maybe just a teeny weeny bit. And the orange dino cracked up like this due to over-soaking...

~ disfigured dino ~

A Memorable Day

The kids are having their long school break. I haven't planned anything for them. So far, they've been having a good time at home, watching tv, playing with toys and tv games all day long. Brought them to MegaKidz @ Mid Valley during the Hari Raya Haji holiday and the Petrosains StreetSmart Exhibition last Sunday.

Let them fully enjoy their holidays for now. I think I'll start giving them (especially XY) some work next week, just so they don't lose track of school work. Anyway, I won't burden her, maybe just spend half an hour a day for "revision". Got to prepare for Standard 2, right? She has to work hard and keep up her effort next year, to maintain her results. She exceeded my expectation by getting 1st in class. And she surprised me further when she was selected to receive the award for Best Subject: Mathematics. Unbelievable! Although she did some careless mistakes in some papers, looks like she really checked her work thoroughly in Maths.

We attended the Excellence Awards Ceremony at her school in the morning (very early, had to be there by 7:30 am) on 13th November (didi's concert was at night). She received a certificate and RM20 cash voucher (from a bookstore) for each of the award. The school awards the top 6 students in each class. Quite odd hor, usually it's just 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Maybe because there are only 4 classes per year so they can afford to award more students from each class. :-)

~ so proud of you, ah girl ~

As for her reward, she wanted to go to Kizsport. We brought her to MegaKidz instead. And she's just as happy.

His First Concert

CE had his first concert last Saturday night. I thought it was going to be difficult to put lipstick for him. Surprisingly, he didn't make much fuss. Although he said "No" at first, he was very cooperative when I told him everyone will have to put on make-up for the concert. I applied lipstick for him at home and SIL applied blusher for him at the venue (waiting room). We left the boys (CE and CH) with the teachers and went to wait at the hall, where I bumped into Anggie. It was really great chatting and catching up with her, without any distraction from the kids. :-) Hmmm, Wyson's mommy, where were you? Missed you again this time.

Jeremy's performance was the 2nd one, while CE's was the 4th. Jeremy was the leader of the pirates and the introducer of their dance. He did very well, giving the speech fluently. He's one very cheerful and smiley pirate. I didn't recognise him in front of the microphone because he was wearing fake hair with long curly locks. I was thinking, "Why is this girl giving the introduction, instead of Jeremy?" Ooops! But my question was answered when he started giving the speech. hehehe

I didn't know what is CE's performance as he didn't show me much at home. For his costume, I was only given a plain white round-neck t-shirt and a pair of black long pants (sheer-like material). Only at the venue I saw the teacher putting on a yellow shiny vest for him. So I was really surprised (and amused) when they announced his class is performing an Indian dance. He walked out looking around for me. I was below the stage, taking his photos. I waved at him and he saw me. Then while dancing, he kept looking at me. *shake head* But it was rather entertaining to see my cool boy shaking and dancing on stage. *syiok sendiri* hahaha

~ check out my Bollywood star :D ~

~ having fun on stage ~

CH took part in 2 performances -- percussion and pom pom dance. His dance was the last performance. It was accompanied by a fast-paced Chinese song. Very entertaining and they looked quite coordinated too. Well done to all the kids and teachers!

School Shoes

This is a sponsored post.

We bought XY’s first pair of white school shoes 2 months before the start of the school year (Standard 1) because she needed it for her kindy graduation ceremony. I chose the PVC type as they are easier to clean, without the need to put shoe whites. I also bought another pair made of canvas as a spare, in case of rainy days. The PVC shoes are double the price of the canvas ones. However the PVC pair only lasted half a year. I don’t really like the canvas shoes as they get dirty very easily. Now I’m waiting for the year end ‘Back to School’ sales to get her another pair of PVC school shoes. How nice if their school shoes are black in colour, then we don’t have to worry so much about white dirty shoes.

I always have problems buying shoes for my kids, especially boys shoes because my son is very impatient and fussy. Even though I bring them along for trying, I don’t really know how to check if the shoes fit them perfectly. Sometimes I can’t even feel their toes so I’m not sure if it’s too tight, too loose or just right. And kids being kids, it’s difficult to get a proper feedback from them. But after watching this video on YouTube that shows how to fit buckle-up school shoes for girls, I now have a rough idea. It shows you how to check around the ankle, sides, front and top part of the shoes. Now I have more confident in buying shoes that fit them perfectly and comfortably.

Kindy Progress Report

=== backdated post : 30 October 2010 ===

I went to CE's kindy for Parent-Teacher's Day to collect his progress report. 4-year-olds don't have any exams. So we just discussed about his progress in school. His class teacher, Ms. S, is generally happy and satisfied with his work. He's improved a lot compared to beginning of the year, in terms of behaviour and school work. She said he's ready and would have no problems in Year 5 next year, where there are more writing work, etc.

Some of the feedback :
* Can write alphabets and numbers on his own.
* Got used to the routines in class, e.g. lining up. He used to stray away from the line. :D
* Can concentrate better during lessons.
* Greet the teachers at the gate in the mornings and say bye when they bring him to the car after school. Last time, he just kept quiet and gave the cheeky look when the teachers greeted him.
* Participates well in class, to the extend the teacher has to ask him to give others the chance to answer. hahaha

The teacher's comment in his Report Card :
CE is a smart and cheerful boy. He is able to focus better during lessons now. He is now more confident in writing alphabet and numbers on his own. He is also good in phonics and he is able to do counting from 1-20.

I'm glad he's doing well in kindy and mixing well with his friends. At home, we have difficulty in getting him to answer or talk to us when he doesn't feel like it. He's very good at ignoring people too. :-| I was worried his "cool attitude" would be a problem. But looks like it's not so "severe" in school and he doesn't bully his teachers like how he bullies his Mommy. o.O

Lost And Found

Yesterday was the day to return XY's school books. As she's lost her BM Activity book, I had to see the teacher-in-charged to see what can be done. We've checked the local bookstore but it's out of stock. She actually lost it 2 weeks before her exam. She told me she passed it up to her teacher, Puan J (on a different day than the class as she forgot). So I asked her to check with Puan J and also ask her classmates. I went to see Puan J before the exam, in case she doesn't take my girl's words seriously. But she can't find them anywhere. I was told by the class teacher that I've to replace the book, otherwise, XY won't be getting next year's books.

So I waited and waited, hoping her book would somehow appear. But it didn't and it was time to return the books. I spoke to the teacher-in-charged and she asked me to see the Penolong Kanan at the office, Puan R. Had to wait 45 minutes to see her as she was doing an interview (overheard it's for Head Prefect). Puan R was really nice and helpful, said I don't have to replace the book coz it's the Activity book (they'll write off anyway).

On the way out, I passed by XY's classroom so I decided to tell her class teacher what Puan R said. Surprise, surprise! The book has been found! One of her friends had taken her book, obviously without XY's knowledge. The girl took it to copy some work which she didn't finish. And she said she didn't understand what Puan J said when she was asking the class about the book. Fine, even so, shouldn't you return your friend her book so that she can do revision for her exam? Or anytime earlier than return-school-books-day?

When she was back from school, I found out the teacher didn't say anything to that girl. So I told her to explain (nicely, of coz) to her friend that she shouldn't do that. Cannot take other people's things without permission (if the person didn't hear you, it's not considered asked :p) and must return to them as soon as possible. Actually I'm quite pissed because of the trouble I had to go through. Luckily we didn't really go hunting for the book. And XY was worried about losing her book. Worried her teacher will scold her. Although I told her I'll handle it, she was still worried. And every time she mentioned about the book, she'd get an earful from me. "If you hadn't passed up the book on a different day, you wouldn't have lost it... blablabla." Poor girl. It was not her fault at all. Anyway, I'm just glad things got sorted out and she received next year's books already.

So Blessed

I feel so blessed. I received so many birthday wishes via Facebook, sms, e-mail and phone call. The wishes started coming in as early as 3 days before the actual day (Wednesday). It really made my day(s). ;-)

Although I didn't get any presents from hubby (to be redeemed later :D), I'm very happy that :
1) Hubby made it a point to come home for dinner even though he was supposed to have dinner with his bosses.
2) CE wished me Happy Birthday the moment he woke up in the morning. *sweet*
3) XY tried very hard to be a good girl. Although she didn't really succeed (or maybe my expectations were too high), I'll give her credit for trying real hard. hehehe

Hubby bought back a green tea cake from Tong Kee. We had a simple dinner at home together with SIL #1, CH, baby and FIL. MIL is currently in Hong Kong visiting SIL #2. CE kept pestering me to let him eat the cake, from the time PaPa brought it home till after I finished my dinner. So I had to keep asking him to wait as we're still full from dinner. Finally it was time to cut the cake. The kids helped me blow the candle. Everyone loved the cake. It's very nice, not too sweet and has red beans in between layers.

~ green tea cake with layers of red beans ~

Being at home full time with the kids, life isn't very "interesting". And sometimes it feels like I'm trapped (with them) within the four walls. But there are many things to be thankful for. So even though life is pretty routine and uninteresting, I am very contented. Yes, I feel so blessed.

Of Examinations

Follow-up Eye Examination
Brought the kids for their eye check-up at ISEC yesterday. The last time they had their eyes checked was at Optimax in December last year.

Result for XY :
Previously : myopia (shortsightedness) of 25 degrees for each eye and astigmatism (left -0.75 and right -1.00).
Now : myopia (left 100 and right 50 degrees), astigmatism (left -0.75 and right -0.25).
She'll definitely see better with glasses but at the moment, can still do without them. Have to make sure she doesn't strain her eyes too much, otherwise she may develop headache. So she cannot sit too far from the white board in class to avoid straining her eyes.

Result for CE :
He has astigmatism of left -1.75 and right -1.00. At his age, he can still make do without glasses. Will have to do regular check-up to make sure his astigmatism doesn't increase too much till it affects his vision. It's a relief to know he doesn't have lazy eyes or squint coz during his previous check-up, the doctor said his right eye was weaker than his left.

So they won't be wearing glasses for now. Will continue to monitor their progress. They're advised to get their eyes checked again 6 months later. I guess eye examinations will be a half-yearly affair for us from now on.

School Examination
XY will be having her year-end examinations starting Tuesday (till Friday). So I'll be busy doing revision with her. And that calls for a short blog break. :p This is the exam season, so here's wishing your children (and you) ALL THE BEST!

The Hat Hunt

The other day, I was helping my sister-in-law to look for a hat for her baby girl. They will be attending a wedding dinner and she wanted to get a hat for baby, who doesn't have much hair now. :D I was browsing the net and I came across this website which has a wide selection of really cute kids and baby hats. Those are winter hats so it's not suitable for our weather here. But for those who are staying in countries with 4 seasons or you are planning a winter holiday, do check out Winter Hats Boutique.

There are so many designs to choose from and I particularly love this bright and colourful Kids Sunflower Beanie. Maybe I can get this as a gift for my niece. I heard that they are planning a holiday to Korea during winter next year. It will be perfect for my cute little niece.


Apart from kids and baby winter hats, Winter Hats Boutique also has a wide selection of women winter hats and men winter hats. You’ll be spoiled for choice. And at a very good bargain too. With this coupon code, "15OFF", you can get 15% discount off your purchase. Good news for folks in USA and Canada, shipping is free! I am sure the shopping experience with them would be a pleasant one as they are committed to providing the best customer service. Happy shopping!

** Note : I was compensated for my time. All opinions are 100% mine. **

Almost

That's one of CE's favourite words. My almost 53-month-old boy uses it very frequently.

Happily announcing the time, "It's 2:43. It's almost 3 o'clock."
He heard thunder. "It's almost going to rain."
After his evening bath, he saw that it's getting dark outside. "It's almost night time."

And sometimes used inappropriately :
CE : Today is 16 October already ah?
Me : Ya.
CE : It's almost 17 October ah?
Me : Ya. Tomorrow is 17 October.

He's learnt to read the time. I say read coz he's just reading the numbers. I doubt he understands the concept of time. He can read the digital clock quite well but for the analog one, he can only tell if the long hand is pointing at 12 (something o'clock). He knows for the hours, after 12 is 1. And for the minutes, after 59 is 00.

It's time to go upstairs to sleep. I told him it's 10:05 already.
"How come past 9:59 already?"
I just kept quiet. I reckon that's a question that doesn't require an answer. :D

He currently has an obsession with time. He loves to press the INFO button on the Astro remote control to see the time display on tv. Or look at my handphone screen. Or check the time on the computer screen. And then reads it out loud. He's become our official time announcer. Sometimes he'll stare at his Ben 10 watch (from KFC's chicky meal) to see the minutes change. hehehe... my funny boy.

This Time I Remembered

... to take back her tooth. Brought XY to the dentist again on Sunday afternoon as her upper left central incisor was bleeding a little. I think she was touching it and shook it too hard. So it became very loose and bled. She has been complaining that it was a bit painful when she ate. I was hoping it'll drop out by itself. But because it bled, off to the clinic we went.

We were told we had to wait very long for our turn. So I took her to the next block for a haircut. Cut her fringe short and trimmed the back a little. I prefer her to keep short hair but she's very reluctant to cut them short. Short hair is easier to maintain. Moreover, she doesn't know how to take care of or tie her own hair. Anyway, I gave in this time. Told her the next time we visit the hair salon, it'll be a proper haircut (= short hair).

~ with a missing front tooth and very short fringe :D ~

That night before sleeping, she asked for her tooth, so that she can put it under her pillow. She was very happy the next morning to find a 50 sen coin in its place. Although I've told her before that I (or PaPa) was the one who left the coin for her, she still believes in tooth fairies. Too much influence from fairy tales, I guess. hehehe

Life's Back To Normal

Hello everybody... I'm back! I've been away for almost a month and I'm really happy to know that I've been missed. *big grin* Now that Kakak's back from her Raya break (just got back yesterday midnight), my life is back to normal. No more housework. Yay! No more eating salty catered food. Yay! More time for myself and the kids. Yay! More time for blogging and blog-hopping. Yay! There are 900+ unread posts in my Google Reader. *pengsan* I'll visit you real soon ya... slowly, but surely. :-)

Before I continue, I must say a special thank you to hubby who's been really helpful during Kakak's absence. I'm so lucky to have such a "domesticated" hubby who has no issues with doing house chores. And very good at it too. ;-) Also a big thank you to my ever helpful and thoughtful SIL, who took care of most of our meals. It really saved me a lot of work and brain cells (thinking of what to cook). hehehe

As mentioned in my previous post, I was back in Penang for the 1-week school/Raya holidays. Didi complained of mouth pain on Wed (8/9) and doctor confirmed it was HFMD. He must have been infected before the trip. This round it was more serious, with rashes on his hands and legs (previous infection was in January, a mild one). Luckily he didn't have any fever, just mouth sore for 5 days. Good thing his appetite wasn't affected although he was in pain when eating. The mouth drop given wasn't really working. Jie jie's mouth pain came 2 days after him, on the day we got back home. She had fever that evening, but it went away after 1 dose of paracetamol. *phew* She also had rashes on her hands and legs and her mouth sore lasted almost 6 days. She relied mainly on ice and cold drinks during meal times. I'm so glad it's all over now. Please please please spare them from mouth ulcers in the future. It's such a torture!

Jie jie's school holiday was extended for another 2 weeks because the classrooms were used for the UPSR examination. I brought her to the dentist last Wednesday as her lower left lateral incisor was loose and painful (when she eats) and it bled sometimes. Her 2 upper central incisors are loose too but they're not causing any pain and there're no signs of new teeth coming out. So the doctor said they can wait. He extracted the lower left lateral incisor (using only the numbing gel) and filled up a hole in her upper left second molar. This is the 2nd time she got her tooth extracted by the dentist and she behaved really well. She did as instructed. All she requested was that I hold her hand while the dentist was attending to her. She even sat still on the chair behind the dentist when I got my teeth checked. Previous trip she was all over the place trying to see what he was doing and checking out the equipments. o.O

When I was making payment, she asked me a question. I had a hard time understanding what she said as she was biting on a gauze. After repeating many many times, I finally got it. "What's my reward?" A lollipop, which she "claimed" 3 days later. She was quite sad that her forgetful mommy didn't take back her tooth (how to get coins from the tooth fairy?). I forgot to tell the dentist I wanted to keep it. When we went back to the clinic about 30 minutes later (after packing lunch), they said they've thrown it away already. I told her not to be sad, as she already knew the tooth fairy is actually her parents. hahaha After thinking about it, I decided to put a coin under her pillow yesterday night, just to make her happy. Then she got confused with who's the REAL tooth fairy again. :-D Luckily I have her first two extracted baby teeth. Note to self : Must not be so forgetful next time.

Blog Break

I have been missing in action from the blogsphere for quite awhile already. Doubt anyone missed me. huhuhu Anyway, I'd better write something (will keep this short) before you all think that I've disappeared into thin air or I've gotten preggie (sorry Olive, your prediction didn't come true this time). hahaha I close shop already loh (for now). :-D

Here are the reasons for MIA :

#1 Was down with flu 2 weeks ago, with fever for 5 days (38+ºC to 39+ºC on the first 2 days). Went for blood test and nose swab -- got the Influenza B virus. Luckily PIL were around -- FIL helped to send the kids to and fro school. And that leads to the next reason.

#2 PIL were here to help take care of my 4+ month old niece. She was advised to be 'quarantined' as my nephew got the chicken pox (from kindy). So they stayed and took care of baby at my place. Unfortunately, SIL discovered spots on her the day PIL left (after taking care of her for 10 days and CH's spots have dried up). Poor baby, whole body and face covered with spots and I heard she's coughing and developed fever 2 days ago.

#3 Kakak has gone back to her kampung for Raya. I've been maidless since 29/8. She'll be away for 4 weeks. It takes awhile to adjust to life without that extra help at home. But so far so good. We've been "catering" food for lunch and dinner from SIL so it really saves me a lot of work from preparation, to cooking, to cleaning up. I'm so thankful for her help. I don't even have to think about the menu and the kids love her (or her maid's) cooking. From next week onwards, we'll cater dinner from outside for 2 weeks, till Kakak comes back.

#4 I'm now back in my hometown for the school break. First time bringing the kids back myself (by flight) without hubby. Luckily they didn't give me much problems -- minimal toilet visits and they held my hand ALMOST all the time. :-D

All these reasons = limited online activity. So I'm officially declaring a blog break till end of Sept. Have a good holiday and Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

A Typical Saturday

After breakfast, the kids will be asking for games. They usually play Wii games because nowadays I minimise their time on the computer. Want them to avoid staring at the computer for too long. That reminds me, I've to bring them for a follow-up eye examination. During the check-up in end December '09, didi's right eye is weaker than his left. So the ophthalmologist suggested that I bring him back after 6 months coz he was only 3+ years old then. As for jie jie, she has slight shortsightedness and mild astigmatism. Have to ensure that her condition didn't get worse.

Before they get to play games, I made them do some "work". Didi doesn't have any homework from kindy. It'll start next year. I bought some writing books for him but I don't really make him practise. He does them whenever he wants to. So he hardly does any writing exercise on weekdays.

I asked him to write the alphabets and numbers, from 1 to 10. But he said there's still space so he continued till 30+. Then he wanted to erase the numbers from 22 onwards. Don't know why, maybe they don't look nice. hehehe But I stopped him from erasing further as I wanted to record it down.

~ didi's alphabets and numbers ~

As for jie jie, she was exempted today. Yeah, some Saturdays, they are lucky that they get to play games straight away without having to "earn" it. :-) Usually, I'll do revision with her. And if we're not revising school work, I'll prepare some Maths questions for her to do.

Then it's time for games. They played for 1+ hours, stopped coz lunch was ready. After a short rest, time for nap. On Saturdays when jie jie has swimming lessons, she'd skip her nap. They ate fruits for tea-time and then went out to play at the porch. I'm so excited coz didi finally succeeded in pedalling the bicycle with training wheels. I was starting to get worried because he couldn't get it when I taught him months earlier. And he wasn't really interested in cycling or learning to pedal. Mind you, he's already 4 years old and this kind of motor skill should've been mastered at age 2. Moreover he's a boy, I thought this kind of activity should come more naturally? So it was a big relief when he "suddenly" know how to pedal on his own.

We had noodles for dinner as PaPa wasn't home. Usually we'll eat out on Sat nights. I prefer to eat out on weekends as I'm tired to think of what to ask Kakak to cook. :p Sometimes PaPa will pack food back so we don't have to bring the whole gang out.

This is how our typical Saturday goes. How do you spend your Saturdays?

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One-week Break

Huh? School holiday's not here yet. Well, it's CE who's having a "break". He's been skipping school this whole week. He was suspected of having HFMD. It started on Saturday morning. He woke up with a fever of 38+ºC. Brought him to see the paediatrician. He's got ear infection (left ear) and slight red throat. Doctor prescribed antibiotics, ear drop and flu medicine (Peace syrup -- anti-histamine and decongestant). His fever was very high (most of the time above 38ºC) on Sat and Sun. And came back very fast too, I had to give him paracetamol every 4 hours. Luckily the fever subsided on Sun night.

Brought him to see the doctor again on Mon afternoon because since Sun, he complained of pain when he eats and drinks. Doctor said there are some ulcers in his throat and some dots on the sides, near the throat. They look like HFMD but he can't be sure. Asked me to monitor him for the next 2 days. Apart from his throat ulcers, there are no rashes on his hands and legs. I checked with the kindy, there are no reported cases of HFMD. So, I'm not sure if it's really HFMD. But to be on the safe side, I kept him at home for the whole week. The pain in his mouth is finally gone today. Before this, I relied on the throat drop (pain killer) to make his meal times more pleasant.

I'm so glad he's almost fully recovered now. And he can go back to school next week. At least I can have some peace of mind in the mornings. When both the kids are together, they play rough, laugh loudly and quarrel too. Sometimes I pity them as they don't get to spend much time together on weekdays. Can only play together after jie jie's back from school and weekends. But sometimes I think, it's good also -- good for my sanity. hahaha

Genting Trip Jul '10

We went to Genting Highlands last Saturday for a 1-night stay. It was one of the birthday surprises for XY. She didn't know we're going till that morning itself -- when she saw the stack of clothes (hers and didi's) on the bed. We were contemplating if we should go ahead with the plan coz it was MyFM's 12th Anniversary Concert that night. I'm sure the place would be crowded. But surprisingly, it was quite alright. There are many vehicles in Genting but the crowd in the outdoor theme park and restaurants were better compared to school holidays. However, there was a jam on our way there (on MRR2) and we reached the peak at 3+.

Check-in at Theme Park Hotel was a breeze. Maybe because it was quite late already. I didn't manage to book the Family Room (2 queen beds). So I booked the Deluxe Room (1 queen and 1 single bed) coz the room size, according to Genting website, is bigger than the Superior Quad, which has 2 queen beds. For now, the 3 of us (2 kids and I) can still fit in the queen bed. I requested for a room away from the noise so we were given the KL view. The theme park view would be noisy because of the concert.

~ deluxe room ~

If you don't like the idea of using 3-in-1 soap for washing your hair
and body, remember to bring your own shampoo and body soap. :-)

~ view from the room ~

Next, we had tea-break at Hainan Express (something like Toast Box), near the hotel lobby. This is the kids' second trip to Genting. Their first was in June '08. That time, we only went to the indoor theme park and the pool. So this trip, we skipped the indoor one and went for the outdoor theme park (the entrance is just next to the hotel). By then, it was already 5pm.

The kids had only about 2 hours of fun coz it rained. :-( We only rode in 3 rides, kids had some fun at the playground and they played 2 rounds of the Junior bumper car (had to leave coz the electricity for that section was suddenly cut off). When we were checking out the game stalls, a guy won a big dragon soft toy and was very kind to give it to XY. We think he must be a high level staff or he won't be able to win anymore soft toys as every customer is limited to winning 3 big prizes only.

~ back home, XY with her dragon ~

It was very cold as it was night time and raining. The rain was getting heavier so we left the theme park and went for dinner at First World Plaza. After that, back to the hotel to prepare the kids for bedtime. Then hubby went to make "donations" at the casino. hahaha

The next morning, the kids and I had breakfast in the room as hubby was still asleep. Ate the bread and biscuits I brought from home. The kids just can't wait to go to the pool. The Rainforest Splash Pool is located near First World Indoor Theme Park. With the cool weather, it's really nice to soak in the heated pool. The water level is only at the knee so you've to sort of lie down to "soak" in it. There's a mini playground in it (refer to picture) and 2 big water slides that adults can play too. Remember to bring along your hotel passbook to entitle free entry for 4 pax. With First World Hotel passbooks, you're entitled for some discounts.

~ mini playground in the pool ~

We spent less than an hour at the pool then went back to the hotel to check-out. After a simple lunch of fried rice and noodles at the hotel's Chinese restaurant, we headed home. Initially, we wanted to stop by the strawberry farm on our way downhill but looking at the tired kids (didi already fell asleep before we reached Gohtong Jaya), we skipped that. All in all, we spent less than 24 hours in Genting but the kids sure had a great time.

Superb Memory

... when it comes to her favourite food (particularly snacks) but she can be quite forgetful in every other things.

She forgets what I've just taught her, when we do revision.
She forgets that she shouldn't shout into didi's ear.
She forgets that she shouldn't run in the house.
She forgets that she shouldn't jump on the bed/sofa.
She forgets to pass up her work in school.
She forgets to wear her watch to school.
She forgets to sit nicely when she's wearing a skirt.
... and the list goes on.

Some days, I let her drink milk or vitagen in the car on the way to school. I'll usually take it out from the fridge 10-15 minutes earlier so that it's not too cold. The kids have sensitive lungs when they were much younger (CE still) so I don't let them take cold drinks/fruits/food straight from the fridge. XY has no problems taking cold stuff now. But I guess it has become a habit (for me), that's why she still has to wait awhile before consuming the drinks/food.

Anyway, back to the story. The other day, we were already in the car, getting ready to go out of the house, then XY exclaimed that I've forgotten to take her drink (which was left on the dining table). So I've to get out of the car, unlock the house door, take her drink, then lock the door (again) and get into the car. This has happened twice and BOTH times, she reminded me when we were in the car, before I reversed it out. Superb memory huh... when it comes to her favourite drink. :-)

Versatile Blogger Award

I've got an award. I've got an award. The Versatile Blogger Award! Wooh-hoo!


To accept this award I must:

1. List 7 random things about yourself
(a) Nowadays, I scold (the other drivers) a lot when I'm behind the wheels. :p Bad influence from hubby. hahaha
(b) I don't have any decorations in my car -- nothing on the dashboard or dangling from the mirror. Don't know why, but I guess it's a good thing as there's no obstruction of view.
(c) Currently, I'm using 12 types of products for my facial regimen (of coz, not all at the same time lah). Errr... but but but how come my face not smooth like tofu. :p
(d) I like to hug a bolster to sleep.
(e) I don't really know how to whistle.
(f) Recently, I discovered that it's very easy and convenient to download English movies/series from the internet. Looking for the right subtitles (that sync with the show) is a breeze too.
(g) I have difficulty sleeping after drinking chinese tea.

2. Share the award with up to 15 other bloggers
3. Link to each of the recipients and let them know they've won via comments on their blogs
Won't be tagging anyone as most of you have done it already.

4. Thank and bring the love back to the person you won the award from by linking back to them
Thank you Joanne, for the award and tag! I'm truly honoured. And sorry for taking so long to complete it. :p

On Her Birthday

~ take picture first before going out ~

We ate dim sum for brunch at Tai Thong. As usual, she had dessert after she's finished her meal. But for her special day, I allowed her to finish the whole portion herself. She chose jelly with longan dessert and was very generous to give me a few mouthfuls. :-) Later on, she had another treat of ice-cream cone when we passed by McD. She was very happy coz she had the whole cone to herself.

After that, we headed home for the kids to have some rest as there'll be a "party" at night. As usual, I've to make balloon decorations. I think it'll be a ritual for years to come (till they outgrow it) as when you do it for one sibling, you've to do it for the other. This time, I just hung the balloons at the curtain rail -- a bit lazy lah. Well, as long as the lil boss gave the green light, anything will do.

~ standing on the sofa ~

It was a very simple dinner. We had Domino's pizza and Kakak's fried bihun. As for the cake, XY chose the design (she's starting the "princess" phase) and I chose the flavour -- blueberry vanilla sponge cake. First time I ordered from Sugar Bun. Not bad, not bad.

~ princess cake ~

~ didi was crying coz he got scolded and whacked
by PaPa for breaking one of the candles ~

Knowing that she loves presents (who doesn't, right? :D), SIL and I purposely wrap her gifts individually. So she got 6 pressies all together. I even wrapped the swimming suit which we bought the week before (she tried before buying) and treated it as her birthday present. hahaha

~ she especially love the musical jewelry box
and custom-made bracelet from MLTB ~

3 & 7

Slavery Bliss is three! It has survived another year. Yay! Although the postings are getting lesser and lesser, I'm very thankful to you all, my loyal readers (real and virtual friends) for your continuous support.

Since I got bored with the old header and template, I decided to give this blog a facelift. For the header, I must give credit to Jazz for the inspiration. Her tutorial on collage pictures was a good guide.

This is my old header and template, posted here for my keepsake. :-)


Today is also XY's birthday. We were supposed to go for a 1-night holiday but because didi just recovered from flu and PaPa's extremely exhausted (been working REALLY late this whole week), we decided to postpone the trip to 2 weeks later. She wasn't disappointed coz she didn't know about the trip in the first place.

She didn't change much compared to last year. Apart from being helpful, loving sister and rude girl, this is her at seven years of age :
Weight - 22 kg
Height - 123 cm

Big Crybaby
She's a big crybaby at home. Cries easily when she doesn't get what she wants. When didi bullies her (whack or say something that irritates her). When we scold her or raise our voice. Sigh... she sometimes cries for no valid reasons.

Independent
She can bathe by herself. Still not good at washing her own hair though. Before she goes to school, she'll bathe and change into her uniform on her own.

Nap
Now that she doesn't nap on school days (she's in the afternoon session), she prefers not to nap during weekends too. I sometimes force her to nap when I know they won't be sleeping at their normal bedtime. Basically she doesn't need a nap when we stay home the whole day. But she'd surely doze off in the car, on our way home after an outing.

Vain
She's getting more and more vain by the day. Every time we go out (even to the coffee shop), she wants to change into something nice. :-| If we go kai kai, she'd surely ask for a dress. She loves to accessorise herself. Even tying a string around her neck (to act like necklace) would make her happy.

Teeth
She's lost 2 baby teeth (lower central incisors) and although the permanent ones were very visible before the extraction, they are nicely aligned now (luckily). The upper central incisors are loose now. But no sign of the permanent ones. Hopefully they'll drop off by themselves without visiting the dentist.

Nosy
She's very interested to know what we're talking about, what I'm writing/typing. Sometimes when I'm drafting my post, she'll be next to me, reading and asking questions (really irritating!). She can read quite well. Although she doesn't know the meaning of all the words, she can roughly understand the content. So better not write too many bad stuff about her here. hahaha

~o~o~o~ Happy 7th Birthday, XY ! ~o~o~o~

Crybaby Didn't Cry

Last Friday, XY was given 2 injections and an oral vaccination in school. She was so proud to tell me she didn't cry at all while some of her classmates did. (Then why is she such a crybaby at home? hmmm...) She repeated it many times coz she wanted me to praise her many many times. *shake head* I found out from our paediatrician (when I brought CE for consultation) the vaccines are MMR, Triple and Polio boosters. She complained her left arm hurts and doctor said it could hurt for 1 to 3 days. I think the pain subsided on the 3rd day.

Rewind to 3rd July...
PaPa went alone to collect her report card. I was home with the kids. We're very pleased that her teacher didn't have anything to complain. When PaPa asked about her talkativeness and restlessness, her teacher said it's normal for Standard 1 students. In other words, she's within the "tolerance limit". hahaha

For the mid-year results, only 4 subjects (BM, English, Maths and Science) are calculated to determine the position in class, although 8 were tested. She made us so proud by getting 4th in class (out of 41). Position in the whole standard will only be calculated after the year-end exams. Before her exam, I told her it doesn't matter what position she got, as long as she doesn't do careless mistakes. I'm really happy she did less (not totally none) careless mistakes as compared to her assessments earlier. And she's also getting the habit (with constant reminder) of checking her work before passing up her papers.

So as to reward her, we'll be going for a short holiday (just 1 night) to celebrate her birthday (coming soon). I've also bought a pencil box (the rectangle box type. It's one of her "nice-to-have" things) and custom ordered a bracelet from Mom's Little Treasure Box as her birthday gifts. The pencil box would be a surprise but not the bracelet coz she chose the charms herself. Now the only thing pending is the cake. The "boss" hasn't decided on the design she wants. The "party" (to the kids, birthday = party) will be a simple dinner at home with her cousins (staying opposite).

Sports Day 2010

Yesterday was CE's kindy's Sports Day. It was held at Stadium Universiti Tenaga. Although it rained at the beginning, it soon stopped and the weather was just nice. It wasn't a windy day but wasn't hot either. The events were held on the track, right in front of the spectators stand (which has a roof). That area was shaded as the sun was behind the stand.

~ waiting at the students' camp for guests to arrive ~

CE is in the blue team. He was very happy with his blue t-shirt when his teacher distributed their sports tee. You see, blue is his favourite colour. But the funny thing is, when we went to buy his sports shoes last Wednesday (last minute thing coz the teacher said Crocs shoes are not suitable for running on the track), he chose a red and black pair (instead of the blue and yellow one). He loved his shoes so much he wore it in the house (while it's still new, if worn already, I won't allow it :p). At first, he refused to wear socks but I told him he has to wear socks with sports shoes. Otherwise he cannot go to the stadium. He was still fussing and complaining but I ignored him. Don't know why he hates wearing socks so much. Luckily he didn't complain anymore when we're at the stadium.

~ his 1st pair of sports shoes ~

In his event, squeezing sponge with water into a small bottle, CE's team came out first. And he got a gold medal. Every student who participated will get a medal as there're only 3 teams. Jie jie was very envious of his medal and when they got home, she got him to trade it with the trophy she got 2 years ago. hahaha And he agreed! She's been "wearing" the medal the whole day. *shake head*

~ prize giving ceremony ~

I met Anggie for the first time. Jeremy's in the same kindy as CE, but different branch. The pretty mommy is very friendly and Jeremy's such a smiley boy, like his mommy. When we introduced the boys, they waved and said "hi" to each other and shook hands (as per our request hehehe). I guess we'll be seeing more of each other as there are some combined events for the kindy (annual concert or excursions).

There's Always A First Time

As a SAHM, I hardly buy new clothes, especially when there isn't a need. But I do make sure I have at least SOMETHING new to wear during Chinese New Year. :-) Shopping for clothes at the malls is just too troublesome with kids in tow. You can never shop in peace when the kids are running all over the place or complaining and whining because you're looking at something they're not interested in.

Although there are many online boutiques, I've never shopped for clothes online because... I just don't know how to. I'm very small-built and petite (with spare tyres at the wrong places *blush*), so it's actually very difficult to find clothes that fit me perfectly (especially dresses) off the shelves. So I'm wondering how can I actually purchase clothes without trying them on?

When I heard that Malaysia Online Boutique - Irenelim Fashion is giving out free dresses for bloggers and website owners, I knew I had to grab this chance. A real-life practice. I pick what I like (from their huge selection), imagine how I look in it, make sure the measurements fit and then wait for the delivery. I get to go through the whole process, WITHOUT paying for it (just need to pay for postage)! Cool, eh? Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to continue browsing their catalog.

School Holidays June '10

School started yesterday after a two-week break. Didi had no problems waking up in the morning as before. He seemed happy to be back in school. But jie jie was a little manja. She complained she didn't feel very well and said she didn't want to attend school. Well, she's actually coughing a little and having a little runny nose but is overall fine and not having any fever. So too bad, no valid excuse for extending her holidays. hahaha

I've been away from the blogsphere for almost a month now. Have been busy with visits from our family during the holidays and rushing for the submission of income tax. Phew... finally it's done, and so near to the deadline. :p And we've been nursing a very stubborn cough (we = the whole family *sigh*). Still not completely healed yet. Yup, even didi, who's been coughing for more than a month already. And when he seems to be getting better, his condition worsens the next day. Then better again. *scratch head*

PaPa recently bought a HD MediaBox (multimedia player). So I downloaded some movies for the kids to watch on tv. We watched Alice In Wonderland, How To Train Your Dragon and Shrek (all the 4 movies).

Tuesday, 8th June ~ The kids went for a Happy Camp (half day) organised by CE's kindy. It's open to siblings aged 4 to 8 so we decided to let XY join them. They attended a session of Kid's Yoga before visiting High 5 Bread Town in Shah Alam. I was at the recreation club where they had the yoga class but said bye-bye to them when their bus left for Shah Alam. They had fun stretching and running around in yoga class. And I guess the Bread Town wasn't too interesting for them. All they remembered was the magic door where they had to say "High 5" to make it open. :-)

~ doing yoga ~

Thursday, 10th June ~ Po Po (my mum) and WQ kor kor (my 11-year-old nephew) came visiting from Penang. They stayed till Sunday. The kids played Wii games from morning till night. :-| I brought them to the amusement centre in Jaya Jusco on Friday (at least that kept them away from the tv for awhile). They had no problems finishing up RM30 worth of tokens (mainly used by XY and WQ coz CE can still be cheated -- let him play without putting any tokens hehehe. He especially love steering wheels).

Tuesday, 15th June ~ PIL were here for 2 nights in conjunction with Duan Wu Jie (Dumpling Festival) and school holidays. They bought dumplings from Johor and we've been eating dumplings for breakfast/lunch the last few days. And I've still got some in the fridge.

Sunday, 20th June ~ Father's Day. We didn't have any celebration for PaPa. Gave him a day off. So he's off duty from fetching us around (for food or shopping hahaha). In the morning, I guided the kids to make a craft for PaPa. The template was given by CE's kindy and I made a copy for XY. They coloured the hearts and circles and wrote the words themselves (I had to spell for didi). I did the cutting, gluing and stapling for them.

~ artists at work ~

~ dragonflies for PaPa ~

3-in-1 Post

#1 His First Progress Report

Last Saturday, I went to CE's kindy for Parent-Teacher's Day. Discussed with his class teacher (Ms. S) on his progress in school.

This is her feedback :
* Good with numbers, alphabets and phonics.
* Can follow the lessons and do the work given.
* His writing is a bit weak. Needs more practice.
* Quite soft-spoken when answering questions in class.
* His attention span is very short during Chinese lessons. After a short while, he'll walk around or chat with his friends. :-| But he's not really like that in other lessons. O-oh, does this mean he's not interested in learning Chinese?

Overall, the teachers have no issues with him. And to my question if he's a samseng in school, Ms. S answered "No". *phew* :D

#2 Didi's Cough

Didi is still coughing. He didn't attend kindy this whole week. He developed fever on Monday morning and today is already the forth day. But his fever is stretching longer and getting milder. Hopefully that dosage of paracetamol taken this afternoon would be his last (for this round of sickness). Have brought him to see his paediatrician twice (Mon and Wed). Doctor suspected lung infection and prescribed antibiotics (Zinnat). He's using the nebuliser twice a day as his cough is quite chesty. He doesn't know how to spit out the phlegm. Although it breaks my heart to see him cough till he vomits, I guess it's a good way to get rid of the phlegm.

Ever since he took Singulair in early 2009, he's not had serious cough till now. I guess when you've not had it for long, it'll hit you hard once you get sick. *sigh* And just for the record, his weight dropped 0.45 kg in 1 week's time. I know it's normal, and he'll gain them back in no time, but still a teeny weeny bit "sam thong" (heartache) loh. :D Good thing is, he's still active as ever and behaving like normal, while taking up to 6 types of medicine in a day.

~ using the nebuliser (loan from SIL) ~

#3 Busy Week Ahead

XY's having her first exam starting Monday. The two assessments she had previously (for 4 subjects only) weren't calculated in the overall results, but this one is. So it's "important". And this time, all the subjects will be tested, 8 altogether, including Chinese. *Mummy sweating already* We'll be doing intensive revision from now till end of next week. So blogging and blog-hopping will have to take a backseat. Will sssslowwwly catch up with you all ya. And please, wish US luck! :-)

Lastly, have a great long weekend, everyone!

4 Years Old

Statistics (measured on 18-5-10)
Weight - 16.35 kg
Height - 107.2 cm

22nd May, 2010 ~ CE turned FOUR.
We had a simple celebration at home. Invited BIL and family over for dinner. Menu for the night : Kakak's fried bihun, sate (bought) and pizza (called delivery). Dessert was longan jelly.

This year, the birthday boy knew how to request for things. He wanted a cake in the shape of number 4. The minimum weight for that design is 2kg. So 2kg cake it is, just to fulfill the boy's wish. With so much leftover, we've to eat that chocolate sponge cake everyday, for the next few days. *jelak* He also requested for balloon decoration in the house (coz I did that for the past birthday parties at home).

We didn't get him any present. Totally forgot about it. :p Never mind, owe him first. Before his nap, I asked him what he wanted for a present and he said "Balloons". hahaha So while he was napping, I went downstairs to work on his "present". After some pumping, tying, climbing and sticking, he was very happy to see this when he woke up...

~ balloon decoration as requested by the birthday boy ~

He opened his (only) present before cutting the cake. CH gave him a Diego Mega Bloks set. Jie jie was very eager to help him unwrap the present but we told her to let didi do it himself. When he saw what was inside the wrapper, he went "Wah!". And they immediately played with it.

~ opening his one and only present ~

When I was getting the cake ready, the kids wanted to help with the candles. I guess to them, it's fun to poke the cake. So 2 candles for didi, 1 for jie jie and 1 for CH.

~ singing the birthday song ~

~ blowing the candles ~

~ cutting the cake with jie jie's help ~