Packed Sunday

As usual, went to church this morning. Caleb was in his new hat and new pants which I bought from "Pumpkin Patch", NZ.



He looked really sweet especially when he leans his head on our shoulders..aw.


And of course, when he smiles so widely!


After church, went with my parent's and brother's family for lunch at Chinese Swimming Club. We had buffet! So yummy..endless supply of sashimi, tempura, satay, ice cream, etc etc... Of course, I whacked the sashimi the most! Loved it!

I took papaya for Caleb to eat and he loved it as well!

Here's Caleb having a go in the arcade..


What a seasoned driver who doesnt need to step on the pedals! haha..

Then when we reached home, Janine and Caleb were placed on the wheelchair lifter to have some cheap thrill...as it elevates up..




After lunch, we drove to West Coast Park for a drum and percussion concert by Yuying Secondary School and other various groups.


It was fun! Though the weather was too hot for me! How I wished it was cooling..that would be perfect!

Despite the heat and noise, Caleb was sleeping soundly.



After which, he woke up and started walking in the sand.



The concert ended at about 630pm, then we walked to the car which was parked a distance away.


More picture of my new car. Yep, we kept the old car number.

New car arrived

We collected our new car- Honda Airwave on Thursday, 27 March 2008 in the evening. It's nice to have a new car when everything just smells so new...

Here's CT driving it this morning on our way to the Hougang wet market for buying of groceries and for breakfast.



And there's Caleb sitting on it..



There are actually 2 CNG stickers at the front and back of the car as its compulsory by LTA to place it. So, if ever you see a black Honda Airwave on the road with the CNG(Compressed Natural Gas) stickers, its most likely my car since there are only about few hundred cars using CNG only in whole of Singapore.

Comments on CNG so far? I love it! Well, the only small little downside is that its not as powerful as using petrol and you can tell when you start off the car with CNG but once the car is cruising along the expressway, you cant really tell the difference. But I love it so much because its so cheap! Its only about $10 per pump. And each pump can travel for 280 km. So, we have really saved a lot from this until one night, CT just decided to bring me and Caleb out for a drive round Punggol..just for fun. In times like this when the petrol prices are increasing, here we are, trying to 'waste' it happily.

It's also good to have CNG because you can also have the flexibility to toggle between using petrol or gas just by pressing a button. So, you can still use petrol if you like. But ever since we have the CNG tank installed, we hardly use petrol...

But above all these reasons, it is also environmentally friendly..and if you think it in the practical sense, the government will also give you a rebate if you have CNG. So, in the end, your car will be about 2k cheaper off the usual price. With so many benefits, I do hope more Singaporeans will install CNG tanks in their cars to help save the environment.

Ok, will take more pictures of our car when I have the mood. Hehe..

Caleb's 1st encounter with dragonfly

One day there was a dragonfly in my house and I told Vicky to help me get rid of it as it was still in my room. So, she bravely just went to it and picked it up with her bare hands. She even took it and stroked it..yeeks.



Caleb was also very brave and curious as usual...


He began touching it and at once instant, he almost squeezed it to death! I almost freaked out cos it was so gross when he suddenly snatched it away from Vicky. I captured that on video but havent uploaded.





Check out Caleb's brooch on his shirt..


Think the dragonfly was too injured to fly off..after what Caleb did to it.

Progress..

Caleb has really been progressing and developing well. Since I came back from NZ, he has been saying mama and papa..but of course, not yet knowing the meaning. He would just occasionally blabber it out.

Here's Caleb learning to use his training cup. However, right now, he enjoys using it to bite. Yikes..



He has also learnt to crawl very fast! Say given 5 metres, he would take probably just a minute to get to the end. Here's Caleb crawling underneath my computer to something that attracts him..



Yea, its a little messy below my table as those were the things I brought back home from school after I left my previous school. So, it is down there in boxes, collecting dust. I do take some things out once in a while to use for my teaching..but most of the times, it stays down there.



Think when Caleb grows up, he would definitely be good in computers as both CT and I love computers and spend a certain amount of time using it so much so that he enjoys sitting on our laps to watch us.



Sometimes I wonder and pray that his eye sight does not go bad because of me since we are exposing so much computer and TV to him. I do wonder...should I change my whole lifestyle and interests for his sake? Should I not be spending time watching TV or playing with my computer? Should I be reading more books in front of him? But I just want to be true to myself as well and not put up a facade in front of him..so how do I do that and yet influence him in a better way, rather than staring at glaring screens?

Parents returned

My parents touched down from NZ today at the same time as I did last week. So in the day time, CT and I packed and brought all our stuff back to our house already. Then we returned to the place in the evening to wait for their call.

When they called, CT and I went to pick them up from airport. I drove the van while CT drove my brother's car as my mum told us that they need more space for their luggage! It's amazing how one van can't fit all 5 of them, including their luggage!

Anyway, when we picked them up and came back to their place, my mum realised that they actually got the wrong luggage! It was another persons'! She was so shocked and perplexed as she didnt know what to do as we have never encountered something like that before.

Their luggage is quite similar to each other, so it was a case of mistaken identity.

It was rather frustrating especially when my dad needed the things inside the luggage that was missing. He needed that to help him to sleep better and have better blood circulation. My mum tried to call Terminal 3 to report the lost luggage, but the number was not even listed in the Yellow Pages or even when she called the Singtel directory assistance (1-0-0 number). They couldnt find the Terminal 3 number as it is still too new and not listed. So they felt quite helpless not knowing what to do. My dad even called up his old friend who works in CAAS to check up on the number.

Anyway, it was only a day later that they managed to retrieve the bag. The person is a Malaysian and she went back to Changi Airport to meet up with my mum to exchange the bag. However, she did not even apologised as both parties claimed they were the last ones to get the bag, so therefore, the other party is to blame for taking the bag by mistake. Oh well, it was really an experience my parents would learn from and hope to quickly forget about!

Whatever it is, glad they arrived safely and had a great time in NZ!

Back dating

Note to all readers: I have been backdating my blog. So, scroll down further for the new posts!

Good Friday Service

On Good Friday, my church had a combined service at Expo. It was a nice time as there was a choir as well as orchestra playing in the background. We actually parked our car at Tanah Merah MRT station, and then took the train down to Expo.

Here's Caleb practising his walk while waiting for the train. Right now, I feel quite safe because he has not yet learnt how to walk and run. If he can do that, I will definitely fear for his safety in the train station!



Anyway, after the service, we dropped by at the Baby Fair as well as the Book Fair to take a look. This was really a classic case of killing 3 birds with one stone.

After that, we took a train down to Terminal 3.



Oh boy, it was crowded! CT actually commented,"Where in the world do you find locals actually going to the airport just for leisure and fun, except Singaporeans? Its really true as in other countries, airports really mean airports..for arrival and departure. As for Singapore, its like a shopping centre or some tourist attraction where Singaporeans would also visit time and time again to catch the sights and eat at the restaurants! More so, with this new terminal where there is a supermarket in it and lots of shops.



Caleb was quite intrigued by the fountain that shoots out water at the terminal...


After our lunch at the food court (which was disgustingly crowded), we walked around and met few of my church friends as well as ex-church friends.


Then, we took the train back from the airport back to Tanah Merah to collect our car.

On the way back to my parent's place, we dropped by at my relative house to take a look at the newborn and visit my cousin, Shermaine. For pictures of her baby,Luanne, do take a look at her blog as I didnt take any pictures as she was having her feed when I visited her.

Anyway, here are Shermaine's other children- David and Jody. Look at how 3 of them mingle.


I really do hope that they will grow up playing and liking one another.

Meaning of Good Friday

What does Good Friday mean to you? An extra day to celebrate because it is a public holiday? A day to make use of to go abroad since it would be a long weekend?

Why is Good Friday good? Why is the day when Jesus died good? How can Christians all over the world celebrate the death of Jesus?

Would love to share this edited video clip from a movie with all of you. (Thanks Leslie for sharing it on your blog for me to know about it). Do turn up your speakers before watching it.



If you are a parent watching this, how would you have reacted? Would you save your child or those that are undeserving, and sacrifice your child?

Jesus died on the cross for all of us, though we were so undeserving. A huge price was paid to make this day GOOD!

May you have a great Easter weekend as you reflect on the meaning of it and that you may come to experience the love of our heavenly Father!

Days staying at parents' place

There was a day when I came home after work and saw Caleb sleeping soundly on his pram. He had to be in the pram as if not, Vicky wouldnt be able to get her work done as she's afraid Caleb might roll off the bed while she does her work.

I feel a sense of peace and joy whenever I see Caleb sleeps..It really warms my heart.



Here is Caleb after his nap..having his dinner.



Caleb bathes twice a day- one in the morning about 9am, and another time after his dinner. But the second bath is usually just a sponge and a teeny weeny bit of soap..just to clean him after his mess from eating.

He gets really messy eating as the food will end up on his clothes, face, nose, cheeks..hands, legs etc. Sigh. Thats why got to bathe him another time.



He has now learnt to also splash water all over..he would excitedly slam his hands on the surface of the water to get water all over me and his face. He likes that..


After his bath, he would spend time in the garden and enjoying the breeze. Here's him watching Vicky as she takes care of the fish pond.



Caleb can really stare and start to ponder at whatever he is looking.Very deep...in thought!


Just as the parents cant wait for him to walk and run, Caleb, too also cant wait. He would try to stand up even on the pram!



At night, we would eat dinner and watch TV. Caleb would be munching on his wholemeal bread. Here's Ashley also wanting a bit of the bread!


The days spent in my parents' place is a different lifestyle from what we live back at our home. I cant really explain but it's just different and though I should not compare, its nice to be able to stay at my parent's place for that week so that Caleb can also learn to be adaptable and be stimulated by all that is happening around him- the plants, animals etc, thus learning at the same time.

Another week of 'holiday'

After we came back from NZ, I stayed at my parent's place for one more week as they extended their stay there while CT and I came back first. So they needed me to stay at their place to feed the dog and fish.

So, this whole week, I took it like another week of holiday even though my work already started.

Because my mum places a mat on the mattress for some sort of blood circulation, this was what happened to Caleb when he woke up after sleeping on that mattress!

It was quite funny though he looked kind of gross..like some kind of disease!


Caleb had a good time at my parent's place as he enjoyed playing with my dog, Ashley. He loved looking at her, chasing after her and patting her.


Another thing he loved to do is to climb up the stairs!! Goodness..my boy has learnt that just within a day!



He also enjoyed going to the park nearby..



Riding his horse and taking the slides. This was his first time attempting a long winding slide.



I took Ashley out to the park as well. This was one of the late afternoons, close to evenings after my work when we went out together.



I used to bring Ashley out for walks quite often before I was married, and when I was still staying with my parents. I love my dog very much as she is so obedient and gentle...as well as responsible in keeping the house safe by barking at strangers who come near the house. She is the best dog I had so far! Prettiest as well!

While I was away...

While CT and I were away in NZ, Marianne has been taking Caleb and Vicky out almost everyday. It's really nice of her to have done that. So since it was the school holidays, she took her kids out altogether!

So the following pictures, are courtesy from Marianne's camera!

So, for that whole week, Caleb went to the Pasir Ris Library..





Then, another time was to the children's indoor playground - Go Go Bambini, all the way at Dempsy Road. Caleb looked like he had fun!



Here's Asher and Caleb...


And finally a picture of godma and Caleb


2 babies in the same position..drinking away.


Looks like during this week, Caleb really bonded well with the kids and godma.

Back at Marianne's place, look at how happy they were!


On another day, Marianne also took them to T3. They took MRT there..


Caleb was given a Osh Gosh hat as well as a TY beanie! Caleb loved it as he loves dogs!


Thanks Marianne for taking good care of Caleb for me! Really appreciated it!