To Parkway Parade we go

Brought Karyn to Parkway Parade Shopping Centre today. Went to Ichiban Sushi (or was it Boshi?) for lunch. I've been wanting to collect sufficient stamps to redeem a $20 voucher. And the card expires on 31 Jan 2008. Hence, I've got about 2 months to complete it. That explains why we've been eating Jap food every other week. If I could have my way, I'd eat it EVERY week! Hehe...

Let's see what's on the menu

Cheeky


I'm on Barney's ride!


Are Barney's eyes or mine bigger?


Check out my pink balloon from the newly opened Borders


Hey, it can double up as an umbra* when it rains

*Karyn can't pronounce the word accurately; she says "umbra" for "umbrella"

Mummy's birthday

Hi everyone! Today's my mummy's birthday!

But she didn't have a major celebration like my 1st birthday. I think we celebrated last weekend already, when we had dinner at a Japanese restaurant, Mummy's favourite. Can't remember the name though...

Anyway, Mummy went to work as usual today and fetched me home after work. Then Mummy said since she still had her make-up on, we should take pictures!

The birthday girl
(Whew! For once, the camera focus is not on me!)

My daddy and mummy

Well well, the camera focus is back on me again, just as I expected.

Let me flash you my radiant smile!

Wooo!

Karyn loves to play on the slide.

So far, Hubby and I have brought her down to the playground downstairs a few times (can count on 1 hand). Ah Ma has brought her several times. Her Ye Ye and Nai Nai will bring her to the playground every Sunday afternoon when we visit them. Hence, she's very familiar with and adores the slide.

Every morning when we walk past the playground to go to the car park, she'll go, "Woooo!" That's the sound we make when we assist her down the slide (she still can't control her own speed yet).

Daddy's giving me a hand on this

How do you like this pose?

Lao Ma's birthday

It was Lao Ma's (Mummy's grandma which means my great grandma's) birthday and we celebrated at yet another Tung Lok restaurant at Paramount Hotel.

Yeah, Mummy said we've been going to Tung Lok's Noble House near Shenton Way for the past couple of years to celebrate Lao Ma's birthday, ever since I was in Mummy's tummy. Can't remember how old she is now... at least 8o, I think. There were so many candles on the cake that I lost count.

Lazing at home before the dinner

Yes, I'm ready to start feasting


Why must I eat this pasta again, Mummy? I want 10 course meal!

Mummy said I'm SO clever and adorable that I made everyone at our table laugh till we almost bent over. Want to know what I did? Read on...

Lao Tionh (Gong Gong's younger brother) asked me if he could carry me to look for Gong Gong who had left his seat to talk to somebody else at the other table. So I shook my head, no. I'm quite comfy in my seat and I'm not THAT familiar with you lor... The next thing I knew, I saw you rise from your seat and coming closer and closer to mine. Just as you bent down next to me, wanting to carry me up, I instantaneously zoomed into what was left of my dinner. Then, everyone else at the table laughed so heartily. It worked! You left me alone! Yay!

Mummy said I was so scheming to have thought of this trick to prevent Lao Tionh from carrying me. Of course! But I had to sacrifice leh... I was already full and had stopped eating. In order to carry out this trick, I had to make myself swallow another mouthful of I-can't-even-remember-what food it was.

After that, all I could remember was taking photos and more photos, and more photos...

Don't we look like we're dancing?


Stand closer, Daddy!

Oops, don't tell anyone I farted...

Another picture, when are we going home?

Ok, one last photo with Yi Yi. I'm dozing off...

Huh? Look where? I'm zonking out soon...

My little terror - Part 1

Trying out the kiddie laptop

Searching for her own choice of toys

And I don't mean the 5-year-old boy sweeping the toy cars off the shelves...

Believe it or not, I'm talking about Karyn. In fact, it's not the first time she had "terrorised" other children. Let me narrate one of the incidents.

Today, we were shopping at John Little Marina Square. I was shopping for a sling bag. While we were at the bags section, the husband was carrying Karyn. He had come to me and complained about her throwing a tantrum when the handbag that she was carrying was taken away from her. So I coolly told him to "handle" her; I wasn't ready to let my shopping be interrupted.

A while later, he had to go to the Gents hence, I had to keep an eye on the little one while I shopped. I took this bag that I fancied and was examining it when Karyn asked to hold it. So I passed it to her. After that, she refused to let go of the bag. Happily, she put the strap over her shoulder and marched towards the direction of the store exit (which was just a few steps away)! I promptly ran after her, scooped her into my arms and went back further into the store. I hadn't paid yet!

Wanting to continue shopping further plus Karyn was fidgeting endlessly, wanting to get down and walk on her own, I let her down. The second I did that, she made a beeline for the store exit. AGAIN! And I ran after her, AGAIN! Luckily, I managed to catch hold of her before she stepped out and before the store alarm sounded for exit of unpaid merchandise. I can't remember if there was the sensor, would have been quite embarrassing if that happened.

After I foiled her attempt to escape with her bag the second time, Karyn was rather upset. She struggled non-stop in my arms and screamed to be let down. I had to forcefully restrain her and at the same time, coax her to stop struggling. It took quite a few minutes and more than a few bag distractions before she was satisfied with exploring further inside the store. Gosh! Is this the start of the "Terrible Twos"?

By the time we reached the toys department, the daddy came back. Whew! I was more than happy to hand the task of supervising the little terror back to him. I could continue with my shopping, this time I was looking for bibs. Before long, I heard a kiddie voice screaming. It sounded as if he/she was running and having fun. I looked over to the direction of the toys department and I saw this boy, about 5 years old, running away from somebody. But he was not the one screaming. The scream came from behind him. And what did I see? Karyn chasing him from behind!

Wahaha!!! What can be funnier than that?!?!?! I broke into a hearty laugh. Imagine a boy, more than twice her age, running away from her. She must have caused much harassment to the boy.

That's the problem with my girl. She's so super friendly that when she sees other kids around (no matter what age they are), she will go near them, tap them on their arm or chest and try to befriend them. And more often than not, the other kids will feel threatened or overwhelmed by her friendliness that they run away... Haha!

She's growing up fast!

Her signature cheeky grin

Sweet and demure

Time seems to zoom past faster than the blink of an eye. In less than 1 month's time, Karyn will be 18 months old, 1 and a half years old. That's like so grown up! She will be officially qualified for playgroup by then.

Actually we've started to scout around for a suitable playgroup for her. Went to visit the Ten Mile Junction branch of Montessori Pre-school some time back in Sep. She didn't really take to the place. I found the school quite cold (not the physical temperature even though it's air-conditioned but the ambience) and commercialised. I wonder if it's got to do with it being sited inside a commercial building.

Anyway, an ex-colleague mentioned she sends her girl to the Montessori at Graceland as she prefers the non air-conditioned environment. Yeah, it's said that kids are less likely to catch any sickness (cold or other viruses) from the other kids in a non air-conditioned school environment. Will take note of that and also go take a look at the school one of these days.

This restless girl of mine

Brought Karyn out for dinner at Bukit Panjang Plaza. Went to Hong Kong Streetz Restaurant. Wasn't our first time there; think it's the 2nd time.

The first time we were there, we learnt a major lesson about Karyn - she won't settle down to eat unless she's seated in her high chair. As all the high chairs were in use (actually we only saw 2, which is unreasonably insufficient for a cafe/restaurant. We spent so much time coaxing her to eat her dinner and she adamantly refused, preferring to play with the chopsticks while standing up next to me on the couch seat. It wasn't until we were finally given a high chair, at least 20 - 30 mins after we ordered our food, that she started to eat.

Anyway, this time, we didn't have to wait too long for the high chair. But Karyn was getting quite restless before the food even arrived. So we had to take photos to occupy her time and attention.

I want to see my picture!

Hmm, that looks like a yummy dish!

Why's my food taking so long?

Take a nice picture with Mummy!

Cheeky pose with Mummy

Daddy, the food's here. I want to eat!

Yup, Karyn can eat the same food as us now, just that we have to cut into small bite-sized pieces for her. In fact, she knows how to feed herself already!

Yeah, I love kiddy rides!