2010 with Ryan's favourite Cartoon Characters

List of Shows attended:
Barney
Dora
Yo Yabagaba
Toy Story
Mr Men & Little Miss
Sesame Street

Next on the calendar...
Thomas the Train, Diego, Spongebob, and more!!

Cheeky Ryan in the month of November 2010

Some snapshots of Ryan. My boy is growing up.
Argumentative, Stubborn, Fierce, Cheeky, Lovable. Inherited all our good and bad traits.

In another 4months, he'll turn 3yo. Will he outgrow his terrible twos by then? Hopefully. School starts in Jan 2010. I hope he can cope with the classmates and teacher.

Diary - 25th September 2010

I was too tired last night to blog my diary... So now i'm taking the opportunity to do so while my husband is putting our active boy to afternoon nap. 

Yesterday was an advance birthday celebration for me and a post anniversary celebration for us.
Raymond had a pair of club suite tickets to F1 practice race on 24th Sept 2010.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both of us.

I met up with Raymond @ his office lobby at around 3.30pm and we walked to Gate 1 entrance.  It was a nice feeling to be able to avoid the queue and directly enter the arena.  It was raining while we were walking there so upon arrival, we bought a poncho each.  But the rain suddenly stopped! Aiyah... waste $$...

We walked quite a distance to the club suite which was located directly opposite the Ferrari Pit Stop.  So we have a considerably view from up there.

The sun was ultimately glaring!! Luckily I bought sunglasses from ALDO before going to the event.  Hehs, not that I was so bo liao lah... I happened to like that pair of sunglasses and I have been looking for a pair to replace the pair Ryan broke earlier.

Food was enjoyable, environment was lovely, people were fun.  All in all, I had a great time drinking endless flow of champagne!
Needless to say, Raymond had his fair share of black label / volka & gin...

Hyatt was the assigned caterer for the whole event.  It was a superb feeling to be dining with nice race cars in the background...

We had complimentary unlimited flyer experience.  But we only went once as it was quite boring except for the nice view.  Guess what! As suite ticket holders, we didn't have to queue!!   How fantastic was that!?

We left the event earlier than planned as we were rather tired after a long day at work...  Thanks again to my wonderful MIL, we managed to have yet another lovely evening as a couple.
Ryan was already fast asleep when we returned home.

Hopefully Raymond gets another pair of tickets again next year. kekeke

Mid-Autumn Festival 2010

Celebrated with both sides Grandparents... Daddy went to school, so he missed out the "fun".
We switched off all the lights in the house and let Ryan roam around with lit lantern.

Afterwhich Popo & Gonggong brought Ryan down for more lantern fun while Mummy & Nainai rested at home. :)

New looks that Ryan recently developed

He has been quite cheeky recently...
New things he picked up from exterior:

Pouting when upset
Fav phrases like - Where Are You! / Come Out! / Wait for Me! / Come Back Here!

He's quite a singer too... he sings along with advertisements... Drama songs... whatever catches his eye on tv.

Of course, he's become very polite. Saying Please & Thank You for almost everything... So much that you can't resist giving him anything he wants.
I like it most when he says "I Love You Mummy" and comes running to hug me.

My darling is starting school next Jan 2011. Hope he learns well and pay attention in class instead of trying to imitate the teacher! Lol

Diary - 21st September 2010

In the middle of the night when everyone is fast asleep,  I can't seem to get to sleep.  Tomorrow marks the 3rd wedding anniversary with my dear hubby.  We had a simple yet memorable evening together.  Though we did not dine in a romantic restaurant, we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.  I guess it is the companionship that matters most of all.

After a fulfilling dinner, we had a stroll discussing on how we could have curbed our temper and managed our time better in the past year.  After an enjoyable walk we went home at around 9plus hoping Ryan would have already been put to bed by my efficient MIL.
We could always count on her in times of our need.

Planning for the evening's program wasn't easy.  We spent 12 years together.  We were constantly looking for new and exciting things to do.. There weren't much that we did not venture into.  I also had trouble finding a gift for Raymond as he seems to have everything he needs.  Things that are on his wishlist were mostly too costly for me to handle.

Luckily I had some time on my hands since he had to work slightly longer than usual.  Walking aimlessly, I stumbled upon a Topman boutique.  I suddenly recalled that he recently developed a liking for long sleeve t-shirts.  So I got him 2 pieces of different designs.

Just before I went to bed, many things came to my mind.  I remembered our wedding day.  All the hassle of choosing the right outfit, the right helpers, etc... Two significant people came to my mind almost immediately.  They are our hainanese pals - Zhong Hui & Ivy.

All thanks to them, our wedding fell into place the way they were meant to be.  We didn't request for their help in advance, but after knowing that we had some trouble with our helpers, they immediately volunteered their services without us asking.  For that, I am eternally grateful to them.  Thanks gals!

As usual, the sotong bride forgot to arrange for many things.  The simplest things like signature pens, tea ceremony items, etc... They literally saved our day! (Or rather saved my husband from having to face a post-wedding bridezilla) LOL

As I am typing away in the night, both my darlings - hubby & son are fast asleep in their own beds.  I am thankful to GOD for many things that happen in my life.

I thank GOD for bring my husband to me.
I thank GOD for giving me a lovely son.
I thank GOD for giving me the courage to face any adversary that may come along my way.
I thank GOD for the loving family that I have.

One day, maybe just one day, I will finally learn to be the catholic my mom always wants me to be.  But until then, I am happy just the way I am.
I love my husband and my son.  I do hope they love me as much as I do.  Nothing else matters as long as I have my family with me.

Finally, I'm getting tired.  I'll end my super lengthy diary here.... For now.

August Updates

Ryan had his MMR vaccine done on 28th Aug 2010. Surprisingly, he felt no pain during and after the jab. He was yelling before entering the PD's room. I think he might have some pre-doctor jitters. hehe

Updates:
Height: 90cm
Weight: 13.9kg
Age: 29mths & 3wks

Based on his health booklet, he's able to perform all actions on the page that states 2-3 years. Only thing that is lacking is his ability to draw a straight line.

But the doctor said he's manage to do it with due practice.

July 2010 Photos

Li Ann came back from Japan for home holiday. So we had a mini gathering @ Rochester Park.

Father's Day Dinner @ NUSS Guild Restaurant

Doraemon Event @ Marina Square

We didn't want to enter the venue 'cause we are afraid Ryan cannot be controlled in there. But we regretted after squeezing with so many people while standing outside.

May 2010 Randam Photos

It's been a long time since I updated this website. Look out for more updates on Ryan soon...

27th Month Developmental Updates

Ryan is in the peak of the terrible twos... He has his own character.  Refuses help in doing everything.  When he's helpless, then he will ask for help.
Sigh... Very headache dealing with him.

Weight: approx 13kg
Height: approx 89cm
He's like an adult.. (Unreasonable, impatient, fierce)

Well, most adults can control their emotions.  But all adults can be the above if they choose to.  So I can't blame him if he is displaying the above 3 symptoms.  Since he is just a toddler, he can't control his emotions.

I'm just glad that we are able to get this far with many more years to go.  Currently he's able to perform the below stated.

Child's Age	Mastered Skills (most kids can do)	Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)	Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
27 and 28 months	• Jumps with both feet • Opens doors	• Understands descriptions (e.g., big, soft) • Draws a vertical line	• Starts to recognize ABCs
29 and 30 months	• Brushes teeth with help • Washes and dries own hands • Draws a vertical line	• Draws a circle	• Puts on a T-shirt • Names one color

31 and 32 months	• Recites own name • Draws a circle	• Puts on a T-shirt • Recognizes ABCs • Brushes teeth by herself	• Uses two adjectives • Points to objects described by use
33 and 34 months	• Names one color • Names one friend • Carries on a simple conversation	• Alternates feet going up and down stairs • Uses prepositions (e.g., on, in, over) • Speaks clearly most of the time (75 percent can be understood) • Stacks eight blocks	• Is toilet trained during the day • Wiggles thumb • Expresses a wide range of emotions

Trial of Formula Milk before bedtime

Feel very guilty... Ryan just vomited all 200ml of formula milk after 5minutes of drinking it.

I was worried that I didn't have enough breast milk for Ryan. Since he already drank from both sides and he still refused to sleep, asking for more milk.

So I asked if he would like to have pediasure instead since Mummy's milk isn't making him full.
He agreed, so I made him a sachet.  He finished the entire bottle without whining.  I really thought he was hungry since he ate quite little during dinner.

Apparently the experiment of feeding formula milk before bedtime isn't working.  Breast milk should be sufficient.  He probably wants to nurse for comfort.

Not sure if anyone can answer my question:  I do not feel any engorgement even after 10hours.  I am doubting my ability in satisfying Ryan's tummy.  Any help?

A story worth reading & sharing

A True Life Reflection…………
get your tissues ready

4 years ago, an accident took my beloved away and very often I wonder, how does my wife, who is now in the heavenly realm, feel right now? She must be feeling extremely sad for leaving a husband who is incapable to taking care of the house and the kid. 'cos that is the exact feeling that I have, as I feel that I have fail to provide for the physical and emotional needs of my kid, and failed to be the dad and mum for my kid.

There was one particular day, when i had an emergency at work. Hence, I had to leave home whilst my child was still sleeping. So thinking that there was still rice leftovers, I hastily cooked an egg and left after informing my sleepy child.


With the double roles, I am often exhausted at work as well as when I am home.. So after a long day, I came home, totally drained of all energy. So with just a brief hug and kiss for my child, I went straight into the room, skipping dinner. However, when I jumped into my bed with intention of just having a well-deserved sleep, all i heard and felt was broken porcelain and warm liquid! I flipped open my blanket, and there lies the source of the 'problem'.... a broken bowl with instant noodles and a mess on the bedsheet  and blanket!

Boy, was I mad! I was so furious that I took a clothes hanger, charged straight at my child who was happily playing with his toy, and give him a good spanking! He merely cried but not asking for mercy, except a short explanation:


"Dad, I was hungry and there wasnt anymore leftover rice. But you were not back yet, hence I wanted to cook some instant noodles. But i remembered you reminding me not to touch or use the gas stove without any adults around, hence i turn on the shower and used the hot water from the bathroom to cook the noodles. One is for you and the other is for me. However, I was afraid that the noodles will turn cold, so I hid it under the blanket to keep it warm till u return. But I forgot to remind you 'cos I was playing with my toys...I am sorry Dad..."



At that moment, tears were starting to run down my cheeks...but I didn’t want my son to see his dad crying...so I dashed into the bathroom and cried with the showerhead on to mask my cries....

After that episode, I went towards my son to give him a tight hug and applied medication on him, while coaxing him to sleep. Then, it was time to clear up the mess on the bed. When everything was done and well past midnight, I passed my son's room, and saw that he was still crying, not from the pain on his little buttock, but from looking at the photograph of his beloved mummy....



A year has passed since the episode, I have tried, in this period, to focus on giving him both the love of his dad and mum, and to attend to most of his needs. And soon, he is turning seven, and will be graduating from kindergarten. Fortunately, the incident did not leave a lasting impression on his childhood memories and he is still happily growing up.


However, not so long ago, I hit my boy again, with much regrets. This time, his kindergarten teacher called, informing me of my son's absence from school. I took off early from work and went home, expecting him to explain. But he wasnt to be found, so I went around our house, calling out his name and eventually found him outside a stationery shop, happily playing computer games. I was fuming, brought him home and whack the hell out of him. He did not retaliate, except to say, 'I am sorry, Dad'. But after much probing, I realized that it was a 'Talent Show' organized by his school and the invite is for every student's mummy and that was the reason for his absence as he has no mummy.....



Few days after the caning, my son came home to tell me, the kindergarten has recently taught him how to read and write. Since then, he has kept to himself and stayed in his room to practise his writing, which I am sure, would make my wife proud, if she was still around. 'cos he makes me proud too!



Time passes by very quickly, and soon another year has passed. It's winter, and its Christmas time. Everywhere the christmas spirit is in every passer-by...xmas carols and frantic shoppers....but alas, my son got into another trouble. When I was about to knock off from the day's work, the post office called. Due to the peak season, the post master was also on an edgy mood. He called to tell me that my son has attempted to post several letters with no addressee. Although I did make a promise never to hit my son again, I couldn't help but to hit him as I feel that this child of mine is really beyond control. Once again, as before, he apologized, ' I'm sorry, Dad' and no additional reason to explain. I pushed him towards a corner, went to the post office to collect the letters with no addressee and came home, and angrily questioned my son on his prank, during this time of the year.

His answer, amidst his sobbing, was :  The letters were for Mummy.



My eyes grew teary, but I tried to control my emotions and continued to ask him: " But why did you post so many letters, at one time?" My son's reply was: " I have been writing to mummy for a long time, but each time I reach out for the post box, it was too high for me, hence I was not able to post the letters. But recently, when I went back to the postbox, I could reach it and I sent it all at once..."



After hearing this, I was lost. Lost at not knowing what to do, what to say....

I told my son, " Son, mummy is in the heavenly kingdom, so in future, if you have anything to tell her, just burn the letter and it will reach mummy. My son, on hearing this, was much pacified and calm, and soon after, he was sleeping soundly. On promising that I will burn the letters on his behalf, I brought the letters outside, but couldnt help opening one of the letter before they turned to ash.



And one of the letters broke my heart....


Dear Mummy,

I miss you so much! Today, there was a  'Talent Show' in school, and the school invited all mothers for the show. But you are not around, so I did not want to participate as well. I did not tell Dad about it as I was afraid that Dad would start to cry and miss you all over again. Dad went around looking for me, but in order to hide my sadness, I sat in front of the computer and started playing games at one of the shops. Dad was furious, and he couldnt help it but scolded and hit me, but I did not tell him the real reason. Mummy, everyday I see Dad missing you and whenever he think of you, he is so sad and often hide and cry in his room.  I think we both miss you very very much. Too much for our own good I think. But Mummy, I am starting to forget your face. Can you please appear in my dreams so that I can see your face and remember you? I heard that if you fall asleep with the photograph of the person whom you miss, you will see the person in your dreams. But mummy, why havent you appear?



After reading the letter, I cant stop sobbing. 'cos I can never replace the irreplaceable gap left behind by my wife.....




For the females with children:

Don't do so much overtime. If you cannot finish the work, it must be some kind of problems within the company, and it is not your sole problem. Feedback to your boss. Endless overtime may not necessary be the answer to the problem. Take care of your health so that you can treasure and take care of your little precious.



For the married men:

Drink less, smoke less, cos nothing can replace your good health, not even business nor clients.

Try thinking this way, are you able to work till your clients are totally dependent on you? or your boss is totally dependent on you? In this society, no one is indispensable.

Take care of your health, so that you can take care of your little precious and your loved ones.



For those singles out there:

Beauty lies in loving yourself first.

With confidence and loving yourself, you will see the beauty in other things around you. You will be able to work better and happier. Don't let your health be affected by your work or your boss, so nothing matters more than your well being.

Ryan is Two!

A belated blog about Ryan... He's 26months now.

He has become a individual character of his own since he turned 2.  He has a fiery temper.  I have become a good friend of the "cane".

He dislike bathing.. Chooses who showers him, decides what time to bath & the duration of his bath time.
He enjoys playground time.  Almost everyday, Ah-Ma will bring Ryan down to the playground downstairs for about 2 hours.
Almost every weekend is spent at an indoor playground.

He says a lot of words now.  His mandarin is not good.  We having been trying to speak to him more in mandarin but it doesn't seem to work.

His favourite:

TV shows
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Hanny Manny
Dibo The Gift Dragon
Animal Mechanical
Barney

Songs
Twinkle Twinkle
Old Macdonald
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Row Row Boat
Barney "I Love You"

His development update: Standing @ 87cm, weighing 13kg.  He sings all his favourite songs quite accurately.  He knows my name & Ah-Ma's name.  He refuses to remember Daddy's name though.
He knows his alpha & numbers well.  I am teaching him colours now.  He speaks accurately enough for us to understand him well.  He does not like to speak in full sentences though.  He usually uses shortcut.  Eg: The chicken is not nice to eat.  He will say: Chicken no good.

Ah-Ma is training him potty-time.  But Ryan isn't keen.  Most of the time, Ah-Ma needs to drag a screaming boy to the toilet and try to force him to pee.  Other times, he will just pee then, inform.

I told Ah-Ma that Ryan isn't ready.  Give him a few more months, but she is insistent on getting him trained.  So I left her in charge of training.  She washes Ryan's underwear every hour or so as he is always wetting the floor.

He is so difficult to discipline nowadays.  Throws toys around, latches on me for comfort so often.  When I refuse him, he will whine & scream.  I ran out of ideas how to handle him.
He has short attention span.  Daddy blame it on the TV addiction. Mostly my fault since I can't entertain him much at home.

Now I work 4 days a week.  Fridays are when I am alone at home with him.  If his TV programs are not on, he will stick to me like a leech.  Cooking with him alone is also tough.  He whines when I am not by his side.  I can only whip up simple dish like pasta or porridge.

Going out with him is a challenge.  As he grows older, he knows right from wrong.  But, he also knows how to handle his high strung Mummy!

Having said everything, I do enjoy Ryan's companionship a lot.  Ryan tend to be very loving towards me too.  Ask him who is Mummy's "Bao Bei", he will answer "Ryan Bao Bei"
He will also say I love You when being asked to.

All playschools in the nearby vicinity is all fulled.  He will only get a slot in next January.  I know Ryan is looking forward to attending school.  He is so bored at home.  Nobody entertains him.  I can only get educational toys for him to self entertain.

I hope that he will not be rebellious. I am still learning how to be patient towards him.  I find myself yelling at him very often.

My wish is to wean him off by age 3 & transfer him to Ah-Ma's room by then.  Currently he's sleeping on a single bed attached to our queen bed.

Ryan, please don't be so nottie.. I really want to be a good mom to you.

May Day Fun @ Fidgets

It was Ryan's first time @ the big kids section. Initially we were afraid of shoving & shuffling, so Daddy accompanied Ryan up the steps.
After getting up, we realized that there are many roller barriers that prevent big sized kids from getting through.
So Daddy had to come down and observe Ryan from the ground level.

Very spacious in the play area. There are 3 separate play areas in the big kids zone. So there will not be congestion.

Recommended for active toddlers who have too much energy and parents who have too little strength to play with them.

Doraemon Family

Trying out various indoor playgrounds

Chiang Mai Holiday - 24th March to 30th March 2010

Attendees: MIL, Raymond, Petrina & Ryan

Day1 - 8.20am flight to Chiang Mai
Spent the rest of the day walking around hotel streets & Pantip Plaza

Day2 - Booked a taxi for the whole day (1,200bht)
Went Doi Suthep Temple, Bird Nests House, Kad Suan Keow Mall

To be continued....

Ryan's 2nd Birthday celebration - 06.03.2010

As Ryan's birthday is on wednesday, we decided to celebrate in advance for convenience.
We had absolute fun that day. We bought party pack for Ryan plus helium balloons which he enjoyed very much. We had his favourite cartoon cake which was identical to his bedroom wallpaper.
We bought food from outside as we didn't want to have additional load prior to doing the cleaning and purchases.

Day 14 of CNY

As a yearly tradition, we went to my uncle's place @ Hilltop Condo to have a family gathering.
Ryan refused to swim. Therefore we let him play at the playground after dinner.

Wedding of Lim Bor Lian & Jazreel Wong - 21.02.2010 *Marina Mandrain Hotel*

As my grandparents have difficulty walking, they missed the event. But the whole Wong gang adjourned to their place to witness the tea ceremony.

Ryan's Home-made Slide

A video on how he uses his slide.

ChuSi - Trip to River HongBao

Ryan was lucky with the 'gold' numbers that fell from the 'God of Fortune'... Hehe. He managed to attract 2 numbers on his head.

CNY celebration

Our CNY has always been filled to the brim... Since the addition of Ryan in 2009, it has become the standard visiting with no frills.

ChuXi
5pm, dinner at home wil MIL, BIL, Raymond, Ryan & Myself.  Meal cooked by MIL with some assistance from me.
After dinner, we brought Ryan to church together with my family.  He slept halfway through the mass as it was already 11pm by then.

ChuYi
Woke up at 9am, toasted the carrot cake for breakfast. Bai Nian to MIL.  Taught Ryan to bai nian to his Nai-nai aka Ah-Ma.
11am, prepared Ryan for bath & his outing stuffs.  Re-checked the red packets.  Reached my grandparents' place around 1pm.  Very surprised that we are the first to reach since we were usually the last to reach every other year.
About 2pm, my parents, uncle & aunties started to come 1 family at a time.  By then, Ryan has finished his lunch and was ready to have fun.
We left the place around 5pm.  We went home to have dinner with MIL.

ChuEr
Raymond's relatives came over to our place as my MIL is the 3rd oldest sibling next to the 2 elder siblings who left the family group.
They sat around chatting while Ryan's cousin entertained him.  Around 4pm, we went over to my dad's eldest brother's place for the group bai nian.  As usual, my duty was to distribute red packets while Ryan receive the packets. We left the place at about 7pm as Ryan needs to sleep early that night due to early nap in the day.

ChuSan
We went over to my parent's place to Bai Nian.  Reached around 11am.  Had lunch there and left around 3pm since MIL is having guests over at our place again.  We had to be home since we were hosts.

ChuSi
MIL, Raymond, Ryan & Myself went to lucky plaza for lunch, then we slowly strolled downwards to plaza singapura to re-contract MIL's M1 plan.  We went to paragon initially to re-contract.  But M1 paragon kept having blackout.  They did not tell us to go other branches.  We waited for about 2hours to seal the deal.  Then they say they have no stock! Made us so cheesed off!  We had to go to plaza singapura to go through the process again!
After the lousy afternoon, we had a nice evening.  We went to floating platform to see the CNY deco and stuffs.

ChuWu
Finally, a day for ourselves... Raymond took Wed, Thurs & Fri off to enjoy the week better.
Raymond & Myself went off to catch movies.  14 blades & Percy Jackson.  super rare treat for us!
we went to get HTC HD2 for Raymond, then went to chinatown to get our long overdue foot reflexology.  The day was very enjoyable as a couple. I hope to get more of these days...

Ryan's self-made slide

We couldn't bring him to the playground often enough. Therefore he decided to invent his own slide.

02.02.10 - Ryan's First salon haircut

MIL & myself brought Ryan to Bt Batok for his first paying haircut. All along, Ryan's hair has been cut by MIL or my Dad. It was a 5min event.. :)
A few snips here and there, we're done!

While the hairdresser was cutting away, I was holding his head to make sure nothing unnecessary gets cut.
My MIL was busy feeding Ryan was marshmallows to keep him quiet. Apparently he is super afraid of hair falling on his face. So he kept super still yet he was crying. Frantically trying to get rid of the hair around his face.

Ryan @ 22mths 18days

All thanks to working... I missed so much of Ryan's development... I am counting down the days when my contract ends.  When I can go back to my normal life.

Ryan has learnt so many things while I was away.  Talking, Singing has become a daily routine.
Perhaps when I have some time, I will create a video of his songs.

Songs Ryan likes to sing -
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (English & Chinese) versions
Row Row Row Your Boat
Itsy Bitsy Spider
London Bridge

English words Ryan likes to use -
Papa
Mama
Ah Ma
Mummy
Daddy
Popo
Gonggong
Money
Put Back
Yeah
No
Please
Thank You
Ant
Love You
Sweet Sweet
Take Take
Elmo
Mickey
Manny (Handy Manny)
'O Toodles (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)

Chinese words Ryan like to use -
谢谢
蚂蚁
给

Non-Language words Ryan usually use -
Ga-Ga (dirty)
Mum-Mum (food)
Neh-Neh (milk)
Gai-Gai (walk)

I am glad he is learning something at home...  He will be starting his playgroup in July. Supposedly to be in January, but he fell ill, so the school did not keep a space for him then. 2hours a day.  I am not willing to let him go because I am worried about all the germs at school and I am not sure he will be well taken care of.  I fear rough play.  Many worries, many concerns. But after March, he will be 2.  I do hope he learns to take care of himself, at least for the 2hours he's at school.

Well, more updates to come.  When I have ample time to sort my thoughts...