Turning 2 at Changi

These were the last pics I managed to squeeze onto my blog. 

We celebrated Asher birthday with family at Charlie's Corner in Changi Village.  Our Changi stay was planned to coincide with his birthday, so we thought it'd be convenient to celebrate it somewhere in the area.  Plus, my Mum really likes the pork chops there :) 

The highlight for Asher and Aidan were the car/bike rides available just next to our dinner spot.  They started on the individual bikes, and later shared a car ride.  It amazed me how quickly they both got the hang of riding the bikes.  And the uncle operating the rides said that almost all parents were surprised!  The kids he sees all apparently take to the rides really quickly.  He kept repeating in Mandarin how you must just give them a chance to do it, and they will amaze you.  They did!  After just a short while they were both independently biking around the circuit.  But, there was one thing that highlighted that they were still just very young toddlers - they were easily distracted.  When an aeroplane flew by they'd go, "AEROPLANE!", forgetting to watch where they were going.  That's when we had to step in to prevent them from crashing into the curb/cones :)  Anyway, the uncle said that some of the older kids he sees can probably reverse park better than their parents! :) 

Happily biking on his own

Going for a spin in the car.  Aidan is really good with machines.  After a while he figured out how to steer the car and brake too!  Asher just enjoyed his joy ride :)

A small blackforest cake.  Predicted (rightly) that we'd all be too full after dinner :)

Pass It On

We're playing an unpleasant game of pass on the germs at home.  Jon came back from his trip feeling under the weather, and was down for the next 3-4 days.  He had really high fever, chills, bad cough (worsened by the haze), and a cold. 

Then just as he was getting well, I caught it!  My fever has gone as high as 39.9 degrees!  My face turned red and swelled from the heat.  The first time that happened it took hours to get it below 39 degrees.  Read that if the temperature goes above 38.8 I should call the gynae immediately.  When I did, I was told I should actually try to get the temperature below 38 degrees!!  But again my temperature soared to 39.5 and again it took hours to get it anywhere near 38 degrees even though I had taken panadol (can't take anything stronger), and was sponging myself non-stop.  To give myself some comfort, I ice-packed my belly, but not sure if that really helps cool down baby.

In hope of preventing Asher from catching the potent germs, my parents offered to help watch him yesterday night.  But this morning they called and said he's feverish :(  Poor boy!  If he caught our germs, it gonna be several days of high fever for him!  I want to manja him and take care of him myself, but as Jon rightly points out, I should take care of myself first.  Afterall, other people can help look after Asher, but only I can look after baby inside me...  But I miss Asher already, he was so sweet yesterday.  When I was knocked out in bed getting some rest and Jon was going to bring him out for a while, he kept asking me to come along.  I tried to tell him I was ill and had a fever, and reminded him about how he sometimes had fevers too.  He looked a little sad, and kept wanting me to go along, tugging at my hand, which I thought was very sweet.  Later in the evening when my parents came to pick him up, he again wanted me to go along.  I said that they missed him and wanted to play with him.  I didn't want him to think that because I was sick I didn't want him around. 

But now that he's ill, and I'm still ill, and Jon isn't even fully recovered himself, my parents have offered to watch him another night.  While I'm honestly grateful, and the rational part of me knows that's the best for all of us, me and baby in particular, cos I can get rest and hopefully recover quickly, the emotional part of me just wants Asher back now!  I don't want him to think that cos he's sick, I don't want him around.  Maybe I'm over-thinking things, but I hope he doesn't think that way.  Mummy's sick, she doesn't want to come out with me and Daddy.  Mummy's sick, I go to Gong Gong and Por Por's house.  I'm sick, I'm still away from Mummy/Mummy doesn't want me back.

Maybe he doesn't think like that.  I hope.

Anyway, went for a gynae check-up his morning to make sure baby's ok.  So far, things look fine and baby is still growing well.  Please pray that I'll recover quickly, that the fevers can be controlled below 38 degrees, and baby continues to be protected.  Also pray that Asher will not get it so bad and recover quickly.  And also for Jon too!

The Kingdom Under My Bed

We arranged for an extended family outing to the Esplanade for the kids catch a PLAYtime! production called "The Kingdom Under My Bed".  I didn't realise that PLAYtime! productions were put up by various theatre companies.  This time around, it was Teater Ekamatra, a different group from the one which did The Magic Island.  I felt that it was not as good as The Magic Island.  The storyline was complicated, there were very many characters, the actors sometimes spoke too quickly and with poor pronunciation, and some characters (one in particular) seemed to scare plenty of the kids (they started wailing and crying when that character came out!  Aidan let known his opinion by simply raising his hand and saying, "Stop!").  The parts that appealed more were probably when there were songs, and when they showed some shadow-puppetry.  Ironically, the character that stuck the most in Asher's mind was the bunny rabbit, who was actually a character created to allow the backstage guy to bring props on and off the stage. 

Next time, I'll make sure to find out who is putting up the PLAYtime! performance before deciding to go for the show.

After the performance, we had lunch together before hanging out by the bay area.  Good thing there were 6 adults, and we could take turns making sure the kids didn't trip on the steps and tumble into the water! :)  And as it was a super hot day, and ice cold fruit slushes from Chill Out! were the perfect remedy.  I like that the slushies are made from pure fruit juice, so even though they are a little bit pricey, you feel like you're having a healthy option while cooling down.

There's the merlion!  (But they're pointing in diff directions, hmm)

Making sure they don't topple into the bay :)

The IR looming behind

Merlion in the distance

We should be paid for these series of pics!  Free advertising - endorsement by kids!

Stuck to their straws.  Anya looking very demure here :)

 Stripey Father & Son :)

Loewen Garden's Farmers' Market

Who'd have thought there'd be a farmers' market in Singapore?  Thanks to my cousin, we've discovered a new spot to head to for breakfast "overseas".  Organised by The Pantry Cookery School, the Farmers' Market is held twice a month on Saturdays.  It's not quite the Borough Market that I love so much, but it's as good as it gets in Singapore I guess! 

There are stalls selling French Provencal produce, Spanish jamon & paella, Cornish pasties (I never thought I'd find them in Singapore!), artisan breads, UK beers & ciders (if I weren't preggers I'd prob pick up a pear cider!), pretty cupcakes, jams & spreads, and tapas-y olives, stuffed tomatoes, and artichoke hearts which I love!

You get the feel of being overseas, but you also pay as if you were overseas.  Things aren't cheap.  But since we were there to enjoy ourselves and the experience, we just closed one eye :)  

 The stall by Little Provence which imports foodstuff from that area in France.  The tapenades looked great, and I had difficulty choosing just one to buy home.  Will probably go back again sometime to buy home another flavour (or two, or three) :)  The one I got - green olives with sun-dried tomatoes - was heavenly!

 

 The 'rib-stickers'!  Didn't get one that day cos wanted space to try other things :)

Too pretty to eat!

A rare sight here

We bought a box of paella to try, and it was not bad, though I think I've tried better.

Yum yum yum

 

Bacon butty.  Can anything with bacon go wrong?

 

There's also a little shop called The Childrens Showcase that sold many pretty and unique things.  Not seen many of these products anywhere else, which arguably makes the price-tag worth it.  Lots of colourful melamine ware too (Jane!!  Are you still looking for them?).  I picked up 2 pairs of kid's chopsticks, and a giant bubble maker - which Asher currently enjoys playing with in a non-bubble-making way (more on this in a next post) :)

If I had a daughter, I think I'd be sooooo tempted to buy this!

 

I particularly liked that the place was very kid friendly.  There were many play areas and play things available - blocks, bead-chasers, riding toys, wire jeeps for pushing around, and a proper playground.  Asher made a new friend there too, a sweet older girl called Chloe.  She took a liking to him, and helped him climb up climbing frames, up the ladder to the slide (which is high and very fun!), and even slid down with him in tandem several times.  And Asher looked so happy, heh.   

Two very sticky children :)

 My breakfast the next morning - organic bread, tapenade, artichoke hearts, and sardines.  What a great way to start the day!

Runway Raiders

It was a sunny Sunday.  Clear blue skies.  We decided to bring Asher to see aeroplanes take off from Changi Airport.  He's seen aeroplanes ascending in the distance when we are at East Coast Park, but I wanted to show him aeroplanes taking off, and what better place than from the runway itself? 

So together with my parents we first stopped by the sailing club opposite SAFRA to see some planes from there.  Then, we drove to the side of the runway and watched the airplanes take off right in front of us!  We observed that for the more established airlines, the sound the engines of the planes made when taking off was much richer and nicer than for the less established airlines.  SIA planes really make nicer take-off sounds. 

Asher was eagerly watching the planes take off one after the other.  Big planes, and bigger planes - cos from there, they were all big!  And then of course we had to all imitate how planes fly, and Asher followed, particular enjoying being 'flown' around by Jon :) 

We managed to stay there watching the planes for a good while before we got hungry and headed for dinner at Charlie's Corner at Changi Village.  The food there is great!  My Mum loved the pork chops which were thick and juicy.  Many places serve their pork chops too dry.  The grilled fish that I shared with Asher was also well done (generous portions, not charred, very flavourful), as was the fish and chips my Dad had, and the hot dog Jon ate.  And as my Dad ordered a beer, he initiated the clinking of glasses while saying "cheers" just for fun.  Then, Asher picked up on it, and for the rest of the night kept on wanting to clink his waterbottle with us while saying "cheers" too.  Haha...oh dear.  What have we taught him? :)

At the sailing club

By the runway

Cheeky Chimps

Now, aren't the little ones just adorable?? :))

Hanging out

Newest addition to the family

Swwwiiinnngggg

Checking baby's foot for bugs

Vesak Day Picnic @ Botanic Gardens

I love public holidays.  I doubt anyone will disagree with me.  Public holidays mean Jon's on leave.  It means we have a day outside of our usual weekend routines.  It means a day for special plans! 

The plan?  Picnic at the Botanic Gardens with my parents and Aidan :)  I'm sure I've said this a million times, I love the Botanic Gardens!  And what a perfect day to go.  It was breezy, sunny, but a little cloudy so it wasn't too hot.  It wasn't that humid too.  Clearly many families had the same idea cos the Palm Valley was quite crowded. 

And there was something funny about the valley that day.  It was covered with little bits of white, almost as if someone had torn tissue paper and thrown it all around.  But it couldn't have been cos there was just so much of the tissue-like white stuff.  Then Papa solved the great white-fluff mystery.  The cotton tree's pods had burst open!  The field was covered with cotton!  I've never actually seen cotton fresh off a tree before.  I feels so soft, like wool but without the oily feel.  Yes, yes, I know that's why they call it cotton wool...but this felt more wool-like than cotton wool. 

Can you see the cotton on the field?

Papa bringing Asher for a walk to look at the fishes

A picnic has to have food.  What did we bring?  KFC breakfasts!  Convenient, no need to prepare anything, and I like the wraps, but it always feels like they're finished too soon.  Hmm..

The cosy party

Happily munching away on Cheerios

There was a little yellow butterfly that seemed to like my father very much.  It keep settling on him much to our amusement.  And Asher was most fascinated with the little creature. 

Asher poked it here and left a bit of the, I don't know what you call it, the powdery stuff from a butterfly, on my Dad's shirt.

It was then quite cute to see Asher take a piece of tissue paper nearby and proceed to wipe the spot! 

This was voluntary.  No forced child labour here!!  And how shiok for my father!!

Back from the boys walk.  My mum and I lazed on the mat while they strolled off somewhere.

Being pampered by his Nai Nai.  Aidan was quite hot cos it was getting warmer. 

He ain't heavy, he's my grandson

Daddy and Son

Since the boys came back from their walk, my mum and I decided to bring the little boys for another walk, but this time on their strollers.  We came across this lovely area of hanging red ivy which the boys loved.  It was intriguing and I was quite fascinated too.  It was fun to walk through the ivy again and again (and again).  Thought it was very interesting that they did this 'display'. 

Where's Por Por/ Nai Nai?

Asher was so contented and tired out by noon that he actually fell asleep while being rolled back to the car in his stroller!  That hardly ever happens!  Has it ever?  I can't remember the last time it did!!  We should soo do this again.