Winter Solace

Winter Solace is one of the few of those big days of each year which my parents insist that their children be coming back home for dinner.

Usually, the dumplings are bought from the Supermarket, but this year my mom wants Isabel and Ally to try making it themselves.


Isabel came up with several design, and this snail was one of it. There was a pencil, butterfly etc...

Isabel working the dough like Playdough

Ally didn't really care about the design, she just wants a big chuck of sugar in whatever she makes.

Its all about family...

A trip to the salon

Though I mentioned hair cut here but the girls are very conservative when their hair is concern. Especially Isabel, she keep reminding me that she need her long hair so she can still bun it up during her ballet lesson. Ally is worst, she will never agree to short hair!

We went to Kimage in Rivervale Mall ( one of Isabel's favourite salon because they always offer her hair wash).

After they have settle down choosing their chair. The two automatically pick up the magazine and start flipping it.


It is also Ally's first experience!
Washing hair in the salon.....here is what she expressed.

Ally: "Mummy, i like it cos it is very comfortable".

Isabel pose for me after she had her hair trimmed.

Here the girls getting ready to go christmas shopping with me after the hair cut.

First Visit

After more than 3 years, we came back to the Doctor who delivered our 2 girls for us.

We found out that he has been promoted to Head of the Department, and now opens a night clinic in a fancy part of KK hospital which claims to provide premium services. But beside the free flow of coffee and tea, I don't see any difference it has with the other clinic.



But whatever it is, I'm not interested. I'm here to see the doctor to ensure that my baby is ok. that's all that it matters.

The doctor gave us a wide smile and welcomed us back, asked a few standard questions and proceeded to do the scan.


All this while, even with the talks of the coming baby, the idea hasn't really sank in to me yet. But when the scan showed the little fetus's heart beating in the black and white monitor, my heart leaped. I felt a connection... He may be only 0.68cm, but he's there, my baby... the little blipping light seems to be waving at us, trying to get our attention to say hello. Well, he got our attention alright...

"Don't worry little guy, daddy's here! We'll keep you safe."

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Kelong Trip

Last weekend, we spent 2 days 1 night in the fishing village of Kukup, Malaysia.

It was a simple place, where lives is simple... Although the fishing village has more or less commercialized becoming a resort for people who want to spent an inexpensive quiet weekend, it still has retained its original form for many years.


When we arrived, the first thing to hit us was the smell, we were wondering did it come from the sea or the stall selling salted fish.


The place has many photo-scenic spots, it should be a hot favorite for shutter bugs. Even with my 5 mega-pixel camera phone, I was able to take some very nice pictures.


The resort has bunker beds which the girls are very excited about, they've always wanted to try sleeping on the upper tier. Once they saw the bunker beds, they quickly climbed up and refused to come down.


To the two of them who are born and raised in the urban city, this is something new. They were saying that they enjoyed every moment of it. But the only thing about them is that they don't have the appetite to eat whenever they travel, it very frustrating to see them refusing food or eat very little during the trip.

We also went on a boat ride and visit fish farms out in the sea.

Interesting that most of the kelongs has a couple of dogs on it. I guess its better than installing a burglar alarm on it.


I know the water condition does not offer any big fishes, but I was just trying my luck to catch something and spent some father-daughters time with the girls.



At night, the owner even BBQ for us, he was very good at it, everything was charred to perfection, only thing was, he wasn't very generous with the seasoning.

I don't know how to play majong, but it can be used to play memory game with the kids.

Isabel learning to be a model...

As it was still early after we "Checked-out", we went to Jusco for a couple hours of shopping before heading back to Singapore.

Do you know what this means???

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS???????

A responsible Pet Owner

It has been a month since Isabel had her pet hamster .

Daddy thinks it is also the right time to teach her to be a responsible owner by getting her involved in the cleaning of the hamster cage. For the past 4 weeks, she had been observing how daddy does the cleaning.

Today is the first time she is doing everything by herself.

First, she carefully placed the 2 little creatures in the holding area. There, they are free to roam around the house while Isabel does the cleaning.

Next, she threw away the old and soiled bedding in the cage. Then she dismantled the cage and starts scrubbing the different parts with soap and water.

Here you see the hamsters checking out their house after the cleanning.

Primary School Orientation

Its the first time Isabel is going to the primary school that she's going to spend the next 6 years in.

Imagine... By the time she finishes her education there, she'll be a teenager...

This orientation day, she'll meet her new friends, the new teachers that will help shape her future, her character, let her experience new culture...etc.

All this time, she's been avoiding the subject of going to primary 1, she misses her friends in Kindergarten and she knows that its the beginning of a very competitive academic journey.


Once in the main hall, she started to get sticky and refused to line up in her class. After much persuasion by us, she finally sat in with the rest of the children.

I can understand her anxiety... new environment, new faces, zero friends...

At first I thought she was doing ok...


But when she turned to look in our direction, then we realized she was still crying...

But as the program got started, she was soon distracted by the performances of the older kids in the school.


After she was brought around the school compound by her Form Teacher, she was much better.

Although this is not our very top choice of school... or the second... or third... But still, I have to put faith in the Singapore education system.

Graduation Concert

Everyday for the past weeks, I have been listening to Isabel sing and rehearse the lines for the concert. Ally, who may be only 3 years old, but has heard the lines so often that she too knows it by heart without ever once looking at the script.

Mommy who missed the last year's concert due to her being in New Zealand, prepared Isabel for this big day.

I was very excited too, I charged all the camera batteries, cleared all the memory cards to ensure they have enough space for photos later, I bought 3 new tapes for the video camera, juiced up the battery and backup battery, dug out my tripod stand for better stability. NO way am I going to miss a single moment of it.

We were quick to spot Isabel standing in the front row waiting to receive the cert from the Principle.

Next she did her opening lines... She was obviously very nervous and spoke a little soft, but I kept smiling at her and gave her a thumbs-up to encourage her when she looked my way.

This year her dance sequence may not be as good as last year, but she did it just as well.

Dancing has always been one of her stronger field, where she has shown much potential in it. She was relaxed and very natural, did all her steps without hic-cups.

Again... I am bias... I still think she is the prettiest little dancer on the whole stage.

Below the stage, her supporters shouted her name, tried to follow her dance movement. In fact, Isabel has taught Ally to do those dances and the 2 of them have been practicing together all these weeks.

Grand Finale, all the children of SKMCC did a song item together with all their teachers. It was a touching moment which received thunderous applause from the parents.

Isabel the big sister is always looked up by the younger kids.

She has done very well for the concert and I'm so proud of her.

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Happy Birthday Isabel

Isabel has turned 6 last Saturday... but friends have been celebrating since days before.

I remember the day she was born like it was just yesterday... I was in the delivery room with my wife, and I was thinking... in just a few hours, it will no longer be just the 2 of us, our quiet world will be changed forever... Boy, I had no idea what I was in for...

And turned it did, life was never the same again. But its a good experience to feel the love grow for her.

A week before Isabel's birthday, the regular gang of children were herded together to celebrate this big sister's birthday.

Among the presents received is this Musical Keyboard which none of us knows how to play. Maybe during the holiday, we'll sign her up for some piano lessons.

Her next present came from her Gu-Ma (my sister). I didn't think she would have paid attention to what the kids like nowadays, but as it turned out, she bought Isabel's favourite pop artistes High School Musical and Hana Montana's merchandise all nicely wrapped in a box by herself.

The gift consists of a High School Musical photo frame, Hana Montana T-shirt and a Handbag

Every year no matter who's birthday, this Gu-mah will always prepare another present for the other sister so that she won't feel left out. So, Ally got a similar looking Hana Montana handbag.

I think her happiest celebration was with her classmates in school. She get to wear her favorite dress to school, its so exciting to see her friends running around and her going to her friends to take pictures.

We ordered the cake from Mr. and Mrs James Chan (j88chan2000@yahoo.com)

The kids are absolutely lovely

I bought her a Disney perfume meant for children.

Mommy bought a pair of Roborovski hamster which was promised months ago. 1 male, 1 female.

The kids keep coming up with names for them. At first it was "Wall.E and Daisy", then it was "Troy and Gabriella"... I think they haven't really decide yet as they can't differentiate between them.

She isn't afraid of them, and she even promised to help feed and clean their cage as and when needed.

Ally also handled the hamster well. Holding them tenderly, very soon, the hamster got used to their hands and didn't try to run away.

I have cleared my aquarium and its ready to be converted into a new playground for the hamsters and its off springs, if any.

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