Our first ever trip away without little one! Wasn't that far but it was so refreshing I could do with a few more days haha. It was a 3 day, 2 nights stint out at Titirangi via Airbnb at a place which opened itself only last October

The accommodation was amazing and it suits couple type people due to the nature of the house and how it's all set up. We spent the first day on a 4 hour hike (yep,  we were that enthusiastic about hikes) so much so that we were warned out towards the end of the day and snuck out to New Lynn mall for dinner at Goode Brothers and shop for lunch to pack for the next day.


It was sleeping late and waking up late for a change without the need of thinking about the necessities of our little one,  and it really brings back the memories of our past couple type moments. Of course it would get boring after time but this in particular was refreshing. We also had some sort of continental breakfast too at the accommodation place.


Last day we checked out at 11am thanking the host George for being such a great one as he even put in the effort to get us really decent cake for dC's birthday. Off we went to yum Cha before heading home to catch our little one napping. We couldn't see how much he missed us until much later when he surprised me by asking me to carry him and he gave me a big hug. He was chatty and singing.

Definitely saw moments where signs of his character has come out and he's interaction has improved. My parents came over and he noticed them. He asked me for water. He didn't want to be on the baby chair at the restaurant. He finished off the nursery rhymes we sang for him. He now closes his mouth when he kisses. And he eventually replies if we give him a chance to. So our next move is to wait for him to and encourage him.

I'm always haunted by this little melancholy feeling whenever I'm around my little one. The guilt of leaving him, the sadness of watching him grow up, the slight regret of not spending enough time, the incapable emotional endurance of withstanding the frustration if spending more time, the sadness of leaving him with another daycare person, gosh and more to come once school starts. This feeling will always be around and it has grown to be the norm. Still, it's so strong that I can write about it.

Long weekend!

What did I do what did I do….well, pretty much the usual haha. Loads of kids activities so it started off with a Bang at the movies where Ezra only watched it for a good 5 mins before he got bored. So off I went gallivanting with him up and down the cinema (where he accidently bang his head against a window) and then to the toy shop down the road (where he greedily played with many fire engines). We had lunch (good ole pizza) at Garrisons and caught up with people. And then on was another birthday invite and spontaneous event the next day, bbq at a friend’s place. Will talk about that later in the second paragraph. After that we then took our time to head to my parent’s place where Ezra is getting more confident at running the outskirts of the trampoline. I took the opportunity to take more of his favourite things for speech therapy on Thursday. Dinner was at Mamarich and Ezra too spent time making wonderful mess exploring the food he had.

Sunday started off later in the afternoon, where we head off to a friend’s place who pretty much have everything a little kid can wish for. Really cool toys, a backyard, bbq, 2-storey house with a warm sundeck. Comfy modern living room but little E was a little overwhelmed with the environment. We tried to get the both boys to play with each other but it isn’t happening. And I think little E was a little anxious and feeling the need of being led by me. I had to rush off back for class and came back again which of course took 3 hours since this event was organised spontaneously. Coming back I knew something was gona happen and it was true, Ezra missed me and felt lost even when dC was there. Sigh. And he’s not used to the kids rowdiness since he hasn’t been exposed to playing with them. The only place that he opened up was the bathtub. So he felt much better in the bath with the kids playing side-on with foam.



I’ve never asked for this and I do wish sometimes he appreciates his dad more often. Oh well.

There were more plans on Monday but the weather clouded it on its entirety. So the plans for the beach was scraped and I was sulking because it was my extra day off. So I pushed to go indoors eventhough it’s a short time at Kelly Tarltons. Ezra was grumpy, and I had no idea what he was moaning about all morning (sore stomach I’m guessing) so it was on my nerves. He felt much better when I took him for an hour an abit at Kelly T. He was mesmerised not by penguins (since they stood still on land and floated above water) but the conveyer that took him around the aquarium. He took time to look above (after 2 rounds of running round) before we were told to move onwards. And it took time for him to notice the wet area at the Playland. I pretty much went into the playland with him and he was happily following my lead. Down the slide, up the stair, through the bips and bops and then he was attracted with the numbers and letters on the wall. He admired the fishes in the aquarium (specially those clown and blue fish from Finding Nemo) but of course was attracted to dipping his hand into any aquarium. Gotta come here again :=).


Off to Silo park we went, where we had fish and chips (lousy, remind me not to come into town for that meal) and playing with water and sand. We trained him to walk on different terrains so it was up and down the foothpath hill where he slows down and speeds up. I think it works his reflexes too as he had to co-ordinate and can’t really measure the height of the cement ground. Off home and it was timely for his shower since he pooped lol. We have the usual nursery rhymes in bed, but the lights needs to be off for an hour before he gives into his sleep at 10.30pm.

Yep, no surprises that he woke up at 4.45am this morning hungry but sleepy and pushed me out of bed.

Random day at the zoo...

That was what the weekend was all about just coz it was the only day the sun came out! My whole whanau was back too so it was a few trip runs to their place to just get Ezra out and about with fresh air and new environment =). Plus more mother and son bonding. I do am hoping he will have a sibling just so they both can get on the same level (doubt it these days, oh well). So it’s mainly on play dates (yay).

Saturday started off with me heading over to Mom’s with ezra while he is awake as we slowly thought of plans to do. It was initially lunch, but the weather was really good so a friend of ours whom I wanted to have Ezra tagging along with suggested the zoo. I did want to bring my sis along so off we went (as soon as dC wakes up). 3 hours was enough to enjoy the whole event. Li’l E was also engaged by Li’l B and we are amazed on his progress of observing other kids around him and he really wants to follow what they do. We are really hoping that things progress as the day goes and that it was just a mere milestone he had left behind maybe because we really attended to his cries which was a need back then.

Nothing much, hung out at Mid Valley where things has changed abit.
So happen there was a baby show and bump into a really old time friend who used to be a swimmer. He's got a kid who is 2 months shy from E. Big difference in sizes lol.

But the trip has been truly amazing, especially spending time with E. He was initially fussy with eating because of his sore throat, and through the trip he has gotten close to me. Clingy I would perceive. I was of course surprised and touched by his gestures. He now can fall asleep being held with his head over our shoulder and in the stroller.

And through the trip, you just can't stop wondering if your kid is ok as he has actually reduced his eye contact with many but me when he needs milk and this time when he needs a hug. It's hard as we struggle to teach him when he isn't looking. He is babbling and now tries to pronounce numbers. Often around the mall he stops and looks at numbers and letters.

Through the trip one things shakens my mind. With some of his 'milestones' behind, one would think he may have a mild 'Autism Spectrum Disorder' from afar. It's just worrying to see the symptoms read all labeled on him. And so the snowball effect of my thoughts began. Just how I predict death of my loved ones, I have a nature to accept the worse even before the worse may or may not happen. To get over the denial stage because embracing the uncertainties, embracing change is never easy. We too need our security blanket to come back to. So I tend to search hard, to see if he is subtly communicating in his usual conservative and introverted ways. As I too am subtle myself. The things that are listed in the disorder spectrum are the things I do right up to date. But of course I don't think my parents would remember the time I was barely 2.

My thoughts as others would perceive is how would I react should the worse come? Right now it's devastation. Right now I would be in sheer denial. Often we take things for granted and this has shaken me. I just hop I am doing the right thing. Or perhaps something to get me closer to him so that he can manage to get by with my support.

Anyway, flying home felt long as I had to stay awake to beat the jetlag. I saw a couple of movies though which was touching and fun. X-men Apocalypse and The Intern. Getting out of the airport was long through bio security but it didn't take long to get out of the plane and immigration.

7th Sept, Wednesday we drove down.

Always a welcoming country when you can drive and pay hahaha. I looked forward to this place for the accommodation is always pleasant with dC's brother around. Not only that, E can spend more time with his cousin plus his cousin's toys haha.

The house wasn't really baby proof as it had a lot of stairs and loopholes for E but he was careful and he loved the floors, to the point I dub him 'mopping boy' coz he literally also sticks his tongue to lick the floor lol.



There's just too many things to mention in this trip so let's go step by step, day by day. We settled into the house first, and the surroundings. Next day (Thursday) we took a trip to NEX mall and E had a lot of first times. Manage to get a car trolley when shopping for groceries and he also had a ball playing with the wading pool of his cousins. He was still down with the cold and cough so we were weary of course. All good though, the bug don't last in a warm country.


Dinner was stumbled across a Teochew steamboat (we wanted to go have porridge but walked the wrong way).

Friday we had no plans as E was unwell to meet his friends (one of my gym mentor) so we abruptly went to Vivo city hoping to get into the wet area. Was so hot so we pretty much hung out at a toy shop or around the malls in general as E loves sleeping in the mall (he can literally sleep for 2 hours in the stroller).


Saturday was Elliot's birthday (the reason how we timed our trip here). Poor birthday boy had a few days of long nights so he wasn't himself on the day. Happens haha. As usual I had to watch out for E because he just love lying on the floor. One person commented how they would expect the parents to tell the kid off for doing that. In my mind I wondered why as he is exploring.

He loved bubbles. That was all that matters. And stickers on the wall.

It was off to visit another old friend of mine, whom we met at Kindergarten. He just had a baby boy born too. Poor parents they are having it rough for the first few months more than us. Different bottles, different teats, long hours just to get the little baby to survive and they actually was trying for over a year. His apartment is amazing though but not baby proof yet haha. Baby steps as one would suggest. They wish that they could swap babies with us but we have our worries too.

So good to see him again this time as a dad :)

It was another mall again after to get E to sleep (don't we love malls). This time this mall is called 1 KM (Katong Mall).

Sunday was my favourite day as I got to team teach with a real good buddy of mine in a class I used to teach! It was surreal to meet familiar faces again and of course catch up after for lunch whilst E was sleeping. The fun bit too was that he could run around freely in the busiest MRT on weekdays. So I had not much worries letting him go with decent space.

We also took him out by the river where the pavement was hot. He was just happy running. And then when he needs to he comes back to the stroller as a security. We then walk to areas where we could cool him off before hitting the Air conditioning spaces. Singapore is really suited for kids to be honest. Cleaner, and there are convenient ways to taper them to change in some ways.

On Monday (Hari Raya Haji) I got E and myself to go meet some girl friends of mine. We got dropped off at my favourite place Maple Tree Business Park since we are early and so he was walking with me and the stroller for over half an hour. He's really good, holds on to me tightly whilst we walk to the side of the road where traffics go past. He was drawn to the bus with the loud noise and I had to use some screen time when he ate.

Off again to 1KM to meet with more friends. He was really obsessed with the arcade areas as I let him loose after his nap and so I quickly had to find distractions. Very interesting nature he has.

Tuesday was the eve before I head back and the family spontaneously decided to go to Marina Sands. There was dinner plans with a family friend out West but didn't happen so re-arranged dinner whilst I go teach my other favourite usual class with my all time Mentor. Gosh, you can never learn enough from him. So many tips and cues I could use for my class. It was a messy class though as my phone decided to die on me but I think I manage to grab the class's attention.

Juliet was bawling her eyes out when we left, it was heart warming I teared. But it was time to head back indeed and loving car rides Ezra slept most of his trip back.

To the malls and food bwahaha...

I haven't been updating much lately because there isn't much to update =P. Last weekend was literally spent on training (running), hanging out at home while waiting for the cleaner to clean up the place (yes we have one), window shopping at the malls and eating. Hmm, I guess the only thing different that I did was to checked out far west and there's actually a large sports complex that consisted a swimming pool next to a badminton hall. Kinda cool to go for a dip on a Sunday afternoon =). It also had other facilities like tennis and squash courts, a stadium for running and a sushi restaurant. It took about an hour to get there though but hey ho, all about exploring.

AnYwaY, weekend before that was spent at Underwater world and this time D came along! I'm super extra prouder of my sis and the way she performed and this round, I get to touch the dolphines! weeeeeeeeeeee...

Few pics from the event:


D loved the tunnel and we went around 3 times, so I did kinda 'hint' him about getting a scuba license mwahaha.

This weekend will be packed with relatives, which will definitely make us actually explore Singapore more ;)