Sibling Love and Rivalry

Lately, we talked about En Jun's increasing ability to converse and express himself.  With that, it also meant that the both of you are playing together much often.  Its always interesting to see both of you play with En Xi dishing out instructions like a "busy body" and En Jun obliging most of the time.  There are times when both of you can't stand each other and starts pushing around, but truth is that you care about one another very much.  Always looking out for another and asking for that one more goodie to share.

Today is another happy day, we watched a kid's show "PLAYtime! Hello Yasmin" at the Esplanade, followed by a visit to an experiential showcase of Total Defence (30 years) at the National Museum of Singapore (NMS).

Let's face it, Navy has the best looking uniform

I apologise for my left hand salute

Fire Fighter!

Army's Light Strike Vehicle Mk II

Navy is good, let's do it again!

Pressies that I bought from my trip to Brisbane, Australia

I take back my words

A week ago, I commented on En Xi's K2 English Teacher being "wayang".  Instead of commenting, I should have commended your teacher, Ms Norijah for her efforts to build your confidence in spelling.  Meet "Tom", the tiger puppet.

Tom and Pinky fighting for attention

You see "Tom" is Ms Norijah's way to reward her students for doing well in class.  You get to bring "Tom" for adventures and see the world, bring him home and play with him.  But sometimes he get's irritating.  Irritating when you insist us to role-play as "Tom" instead of us being your parents.

Chinese New Year just breezed past and we are now in Feb.  What a mad rush in Jan.  2015 will be worst, with CNY pushed earlier to 16 Jan.  Oh my, we will be so tired, but look on the bright side.  Since the festive period is all one after another from Xmas to New Year to En Xi's Birthday to CNY, we can quit pretending to lose weight and postpone exercise all together.  Now wait, there's Valentine's Day, then the Mar School Holidays, then Good Friday in Apr and there's Labour Day in May, not forgetting En Jun's Birthday in May too.....Ehh.... Go figure...

Was browsing through mummy's Facebook page and saw a couple of well taken photos from her Samsung Note 3 mobile that I never quite did capture with my bulky DSLR.  Posted here for memories sake.

2014 CNY outfits

Mummy bought us all a pair of trendy converse sneakers from Korea

Its not always with you guys ok, we need a break once in awhile you know

How scary is that with those pink shades?

Finger in Cheek, I must

Its either Ironman or Superman, definitely not the National Pledge

Check out that hand on the hip pose

En Xi's K1 Year End Concert

Halloween 2013

En Jun sure knows who to cajole (Ah Zhor 90th Birthday)

Lady with crossed legs and Man with arm over her shoulders.  Classic.  Just Classic.  Love the smiles.  Lovey Dovey

Undivided Attention

Our weekend routines are like this.  Sat, 0930hrs, we drop En Xi off for phonics class and proceed to have breakfast with En Jun.  1030hrs, we pick En Xi up and send her to Art Class by 1100hrs.  We will then idle until 1215hrs to pick En Xi up for lunch together with En Jun.  Head back home for nap time, then probably go to 'Por Por' house for dinner.  Recently, we found a great spot at Lower Pierce Reservoir and thought that it'll be great to spend some undivided attention with En Jun.  To play with you at your own pace and liking, no compromises from you, just like how we treat En Xi when we only had her.  I think you like the attention and thought for awhile.  When was the last time, I did a father-daughter or father-son bonding time?  Or even a parent-daughter or parent-son bonding time?  It sure feels great to hang out as a family and learn to work together as a team, but everyone needs to be pampered once in awhile.  I think we need to plan the occasional bonding time with either one of you only sometime.

We still haven't got you shades.  Apologies for using Pink again.

If En Jun favorite pose is "Finger on the cheek", Mummy's favorite must be "Twist"!

En Jun trying hard to twist while holding onto the spade

I think you are better off with the "Finger on Cheek" pose

You must be thinking, "What a masterpiece..."

So, this is pretty much Saturdays.  Sundays?  We always keep Sundays for family time.  Last week, we did Botanical Gardens.  This week, we did water play at "Wild Wild Wet" in Pasir Ris.  As always, En Xi had the most fun, but you managed to get lost in the water park today and got us so worried.  You even had the cheek to say its my fault that I couldn't keep up and look out for you when you actually dashed away on your own after shouting at me, "I'm going to that side!" in 2 sec.  Anyway, all is well.  Today is still a fun day.

My very first time....

When you have 2 kids and don't employ a domestic helper, you spend most of your time with logistics, cleaning, washing, bathing, packing and administration.  It is very different when you have only 1 kid where parents can take turns to care and play with the kid, while the other handles the rest of the stuff.

About En Jun

Just a couple of days back, En Jun was asking to do some painting, which very naturally (given the messy nature of painting) I brushed you off with my standard line, "Maybe, we can do this another time."  Then, it struck me when I couldn't recall when you actually did your last painting at home.  Wait.... Actually, you haven't tried painting before.  Felt so bad for neglecting you again.  Your sister has pretty much experimented things early in her toddler years.  Fortunately, you are independent, a very quick learner and not a fussy chap (You had to don En Xi's Dora themed apron and sleeves).

En Jun with "Dora" themed apron and sleeves

The 'SOP' finger on the cheek camera pose

About En Xi

You did great in School for this month!  Full marks (5/5) for your Chinese Spelling TWICE!  Kudos to your hard work and Mummy's creative efforts to help you.  English spelling is coming up soon and your teacher actually changed the spelling list from 5 to 10 words!  We were shocked by the daunting task at hand and Mummy subsequently send an irritated, but cordial email to your teacher demanding to know how we can actually achieve all these without killing your interest in learning.  Somehow, (we think) your teacher actually 'wayang' and had you learn the word "Ambulance" and had you spell it in front of your classmates in class.  Then, had you spell it to us at home.  Ok, sure, wayang or not, we don't really know, but you are looking very much happy and confident; and that is what it really matters to us.

Your rewards lucky dip box

Full marks! (5/5) for Chinese Spelling

Scary stuff awaits

En Xi's 6th Birthday Party

January is always such a busy time for us.  After Christmas in Dec, we have to quickly change the decorations in the house to the Chinese New Year theme.  So much parties to attend and before we can even prepare for Chinese New Year.  There will be En Xi's birthday celebration.  This year's party was especially special to En Xi.  You have been asking for a McDonald's Birthday Party since Mid 2013 and finally its here.  I must say it was really great fun and all the kids had a whacky good time.

And let the craziness begin!

Princess and Super Heroes Themed

Shichida Gang (Xuan Ying, Azela & En Xi) Why is Glenn Hugging En Xi?

Glenn Ong at it again

A return hug from En Xi

Let's not forget your cousins, Charlene and Julian

And also Cousins, Shou Rei and Shou Cong

Most of your classmates turned up, Class K2B

En Jun had to put a party hat for me

Presents! Presents! and more Presents!

Another Mini Celebration on the actual day

Cheeky vs Dainty

2014 New Year's Resolution

Another year has passed and reviewing 2013 resolutions, I see that we had managed to achieve most of our targets except spending more time as a couple.  Taking breaks on the 4th of each month was tough to schedule and there is always guilt of leaving you guys with your grandparents and to a certain extent, guilty of loading Ah Ma all the time.  And you know how Ah Ma is, always so caring and compromising.  Anyway, this year's new year resolution remains the same for all of us, with the addition of me, getting fitter and practicing my magic often.

About En Xi.

You seem to have grown up suddenly.  You are such a tall girl now and is taking up more responsibilities as an elder sister to your brother.  Its funny how you can be so caring, nurturing and patient with En Jun.  Then, out of no where, start your whining about En Jun not sharing again.  I love the way you smile.  Always so dainty, shy and princess-y.  You continue to be very creative in your artwork and have an imagination that spans no boundary.  We hope you find where your interest lies in, and for now, we think you might like to attend SOTA in future.  K2 is such a demanding year and like most parents, I can't stand our education system.  There is so much spelling to do in K2 for both English and Chinese.  Pre-schoolers are expected to be able to form a sentence with 7 words.  How times has changed.  I used to read ABCs only in K2.  What really makes matters worst is that P1 teachers are not going to slow down and help kids who develop later.  Really can't understand why this mad rush to learn when its now time to play.  Not to worry at the moment.  We are both helping you with your spelling and getting external help for phonics.  Don't worry, we are not loading you with tons of enrichment classes.  Just an hour of phonics and your favorite arts and craft class on Sat mornings. We are still having fun most of the time as a family.  In fact, we just did a Sunday picnic and soccer at the Botanical Gardens.

About En Jun.

The naughtiness in you surfaced after the Taiwan trip and we guess it must be your cousins, Shou Rei and Shou Cong that have influenced you.  Mummy misses the adorable side of you, but you are still as cute and most of times, just plain silly and comical.  In fact, you and En Xi make a great pair!  School has been great for you.  You have acclimatised well to the environment.  The not so great part?  Your eating and constant harassment of girl classmates.  You are growing up so much like Shou Cong.  Your teacher in N1B, Elosia says that you are a strong will child.  I told her, she haven't met your sister yet.

En Jun's starting Pre-School

A brand new year marks the start of En Jun's Pre-School, full day child care at MindChamps, Toa Payoh together with En Xi.  En Jun had little trouble acclimatising to the new environment and was taken through his steps by her lovely sister, En Xi.