Xmas Party

We did not have our usual party at home, since the house renovation is not complete yet, but Aunty Jamie had a party at her place instead. So after you nap, daddy and I got busy to prepare a dish to add to the spread that Uncle Sin Tien and Uncle Sin Chuan would be buying for the party.

When everyone was ready, we packed into Ah Ma's car (food & presents) and headed to Annabelle che-che's house. Everyone was already there and the food was already spread on the table. Shortly after the ice was bought, we started to feast on the yummy food. If you don't already know, daddy and I prepared the tomatoes for the bruschetta.

Good thing Uncle Sin Tien had also prepared mashed potatoes. You loved that but that was all that you ate along with some sausages. The rest of the time was spent playing with your cousins. After dinner was cleared away, it was the highlight of the day. Presents! Here's all the kiddies going crazy opening the many presents under the Christmas tree.

Here's a pretty picture of the Christmas tree...

And a pretty picture of a pretty little girl...

And finally a little boy all KO-ed on my bed after the party (which included a round of vomiting just before we left the house to go home..)

Merry Christmas

Too bad we didn't have a Christmas party at the house yesterday. Too bad, we didn't even have a party to go to yesterday. Too bad you weren't still felling your usual self yesterday. But that didn't stop us. We had to rush through dinner as you kept complaining about feeling cold. Must be your fever again.

So after dinner we went home. I gave you your medicine and shortly after that you fell asleep on my bed. You didn't even want to change into your PJs. I wrapped up the presents and then daddy and I had a round of "treasure hunt". I know I packed the ornaments into one of the boxes, but which box exactly was a mystery! So we opened almost all the boxes looking for the ornaments and at last, we found it!!

By the time we started to set up the Christmas tree, it was already Christmas day! Yup, this is the first time the Christmas tree will be up for less than 1 month!! But it was worth it. When you came down this morning and saw this...

Closer inspection of "who's" going around the tree...

... and the smile that was on your face was worth the loss of sleep I had (since you woke me up early this morning!!!). And of course first to receive a present was daddy and I. Giver was Mr Evan Ban. You'd wee wee on our new bed! Sigh.... Thanks for the wonderful present.. Merry Christmas!!

The nomads are home

Yup, just 2 months after our last move, we've moved again. For the LAST time!!! We're back in Minden although not everything is ready yet. Well the house alarm is up and the gate is up (without the automatic mechanism) and of course all the doors are finally here. The move was originally planned for last Friday, but certain circumstances resulted in us delaying the move by a week.

Of course there are still lots of things which need to be done for the house. Like the built-in furniture for the rooms as well as the living hall. Also the garden landscaping is yet to be started on. So, here's how we're living:

Well, one good thing is we've now got Internet connection at home, unlike in Sri Tanjung Pinang with it's terrible mobile phone reception! And that's what we're both doing while daddy, Ah Kong and Ah Ma are either downstairs or out getting things done for the house.

The move was yesterday and you were at home as yesterday was a public holiday. Unfortunately, I had to go to work, as I had already signed up for a training which I could not withdraw at the last minute (wished I did, it was so boring!!). So daddy made a total of 3 trips to and from Tanjung Tokong to move our things. On the third trip he round by the office with you to pick me up. By the time you arrived, you were sleeping in your car seat. Poor little guy.

That night daddy went out for a wedding dinner while Ah Kong, Ah Ma and Kakak went back for a last round of things for the day. We were both at home alone. It was a little funny living in this house with no curtains. Thank goodness the curtains will be install this evening. Better privacy for us.

Daddy also had difficulty having a good night's sleep as we've been so used to living in a place with security, first the condo with the guards and then in Sri Tanjung Pinang which was a gated community. Our house is fully secured with alarm, but it's still different I guess. One thing's for sure, the alarm sure if loud, as Ah Kong triggered it yesterday evening and you almost jumped right out of your skin!!

Busy Busy Day

After Thomas' birthday party, we had to go home take a bath and when everyone was ready, off we went for the next party of the day. It's both your Tou-tou's birthday dinner. The traffic was heavy heading towards Air Itam. Dinner was to be at The Suffolk House Restaurant. The next thing we knew you'd dozed off in your car seat! Aiya...

We were the first to arrive and daddy had to carry you into the restaurant and let you sleep on 2 chairs. By the time everyone arrived and they started to serve dinner, you'd napped for nearly an hour. Just right.. so we tried to wake you up. Here's your quite blur face:

Dinner was served and everyone had a wonderful time, chatting and enjoying the food. After you'd eaten your dinner, it was time to exercise! Yup, you started to run around and play games with Abby and Anna. Thank goodness we were given a dining table which was further away from the other guests. Otherwise, either we'd scare the other guests away or we'll all be banned from going there ever again!

By the time everyone had finished the main course and dessert, it was rather late. But a birthday dinner is not complete without the cake. Ta da!!

Beautiful isn't it? And it's delicious too....

Here's the birthday Great-Grandparents:

And everyone enjoying dinner:

A Bubbly Party

Your little friend Thomas was to celebrate his 3rd birthday. We almost could not make it as we were supposed to go to KL. But last minute cancellation of the trip and also because we did not get to move house as planned made it possible for you to attend the birthday party.

We had to go out to buy the present early on Sunday as we could not find something suitable when we went to Gurney Plaza on Friday. By the time we got back and you'd eaten your lunch, it was already close to 3pm. There goes my plan to get you to take a nap first. As 4pm rolled by, you were all excited. I changed you into singlet and you didn't want to change your shorts and off we went, across the road to Thomas' house. As we rang the doorbell, I realised that we'd forgotten the most important thing of all... the present! Alamak! We walked back to the house, picked up the birthday present and crossed the road again.

The party had begun and a few of Thomas' friends were already playing with the bubbles and in the inflatable pool. You were reluctant to get yourself soapy initially, so you played on the ride on. Even then I had to wipe the ride on before you were willing to sit on it! Later on you started to put your hands into the tub of bubbles. Soon you were splashing around then it was time for bubbles. You loved blowing the bubbles. Even when the other children stopped to eat chippies, you ignored the chippies and continued playing.

When everyone went in to eat pizza, you started to bring out Thomas' toys and played with it. You ate a slice of pizza and the colourful fondant which was home made (and a little of the cake). Then it was time to go home. What happened? You refused to leave. It's always better to play with other people's toys isn't it? Sigh...

After a lot of persuasion and tears, we left. Went home and got ready for the next party for the day...

Celebrating Ian’s Full Moon

Today we celebrated Ian’s full moon. He’s certainly a miniature of Uncle Sin Chuan. We arrived at the lunch location, Hardwicke House just after 12 pm. There were a few guests who were already there. Soon you said that you were hungry and so we started on the buffet spread before the rest of the guests arrived.

"Where's my food?"

Daddy managed to take several pictures (like over 100 pictures..). After you’d eaten the food, you started to get pins on your bum and wanted to get out of the high chair. As Abby had also finished with her lunch, you both had a heyday running and chasing each other. Soon 2 of Abby’s friends joined you both in the chasing game.

As Ah Kong did not join us, we had to leave rather early as daddy wanted to go to Minden to help out Ah Kong around the house. They dropped us both at home before heading to Minden. Since you were running around so much, you KO-ed very shortly after that. Today is the first of a weekend of parties. We were supposed to head to KL to attend a wedding lunch today, but there were many celebrations in Penang and we were supposed to have moved on Friday too, that’s why we had to cancel the trip to KL. Maybe next time we can meet up with Uncle Ju Sern when he’s back next time.

Bath Friends

It's it fun when you're bathing and have bath friends (toys what else?) to accompany you as you bathe? Well you certainly love bathing with your toys, especially since where we are now there is a nice big long bath.

I guess you thought that I could be lonely when I shower. Here are 2 of your duckies accompanying me while I shower.

All Grown Up

A friend mentioned that you knew how to pose for the camera. Then I recalled that the pose looked somewhat familiar. Searched through my pictures in my PC and found it. One was taken when you were 15 months and the other was at the wedding dinner we attended recently.

Disco Kaki?

Let me leave you with this to laugh over the weekend...

.. with the 2 backup dancers

Back to School

20th November marked the last school day. On that last day of school there was an excursion. The trip was to go to the Penang Port. And best of all for you was the bus ride to get there. By the time we arrived in the morning, the bus was already waiting for you.

We picked you up at the end of your school day. When we arrived, you were sitting patiently with your other friends who went on the field trip. When asked about your trip all you told me was that the bus went "gong-gong-gong". Er.. ok. Later I found out that you were trying to tell me that the bus drove over a cover which gave way from the weight of the bus.

On Monday when I got back from work, Ah Ma said that you wanted to eat at 10am. I guess it's from the conditioning of having breakfast in school at 10am. For the next few days Ah Ma mentioned that you were bored. You went cycling at 10am, went to the playground, wanted to eat lunch early, asked for food all the time.

In the end, we decided to send you to the school's "Holiday Camp". On 1st December we headed to school. I had a tough time trying to get you up that morning. Sigh.. why is it that on days when you do not need to wake up you'll be up before the sun rises? And when it's time to wake up earlier you'd fuss and complain about having to get up.

But when we arrived in school, you were quite happy. In fact the teacher even commented "Wah.. he's real steady". You just waved goodbye to us and walked happily into the school. We've promised ourselves that we won't force you to attend school everyday. So if you are tired or Ah Kong or Ah Ma wants to bring you somewhere else or we're going somewhere, then you'll have the day off from school. After all it is school holidays, and you're only 3 once in your life!

Time for Buffet

A few friends at work had decoded to go to Rasa Sayang for the buffet dinner as they were having a promotion. Of course the invitation was also extended to our little kids. Um, when you asked my how come daddy wasn't joining us, I didn't have an answer to that. Of course naughty daddy had an answer "I wasn't invited". Oops!

Aunty Esther picked us up and she already had Jing Ee and Aunty Asher in the car. You've met Jing Ee the last time we went for dinner in E&O Hotel. But obviously you cannot recognise her at all. You both sat shyly side by side, but after a while Jing Ee started to ask questions and her mummy told her to ask you and you happily answered her (how far is the hotel? how long more to go? Good! Give you a taste of your own medicine of "question time").

When we arrived at the hotel, the rest of them had not arrived, but we started dinner without them. After all it's a buffet. You were braver this time. You were willing to sit at the table with Jing Ee while I went to get some food for you. Unlike the last time where you insisted to following me wherever I went, even if it was 5 steps away to get some desserts!

Soon Brettany arrived with the rest and you were even happier. After dinner and dessert (which included many round of marshmallow and chocolate fondue) you started to warm up and play around with Brettany. Jing Ee was more reserved instead this time. She rather sit quietly and enjoy more food.

The only decent picture of you. After that you refused to cooperate.

Enjoying the jelly

You even posed with the 2 girls (who are younger than you, but towering over you!)

It's interesting that just after going to school for 2 months you are no longer as shy as before. Aunty Asher even asked if I'd brought out the correct son. From such a shy child you were very outgoing and braver and could even hold a conversation with the adults! As we were getting off the car, you even gave Jing Ee a kiss (wah.. this is the second time!)