Happy 4th Birthday, Ammi!

Ammi turns 4 today - 27th November. Ally and Anya turns 10 months.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, we did not celebrate by going out this year. Neither did we have a party - and with the twins sick, it was lucky we did not or else we may have had to cancel it due to the germs around the house, and thus the potential impact they would have towards our little guests.

We did celebrate - twice - once in school, yesterday; and another with family today.

This is the cheapest and most 'value for money' cake I have bought to-date. It costs only $20 for 0.5kg and comes with the free 3D figurines. I think I shall be lazy and buy more often from this shop, it is my favourite confectionery shop in the neighbourhood anyway. Loads of bread, and cakes, cookies and fresh waffles. Yum!

Thanks to Hubby, MIL and Aidan, I could finish the pinata in time, with their help. Aidan and MIL filled the goodies, Hubby drilled holes and inserted the strings. Good thing about this - it is recyclable! Pull-string pinata. Lastly, I love the picture of our rose amongst the thorns!

With free 'tutorials' from Youtube, and some planning tips from my 'mentor' Mich; I managed to gather up enough courage to squeeze in time to bake a Princess cake for Ammi. This was done over 2 days, roughly over 3 hours (thanks to my helper too, for laying out all the ingredients and to my little 2 elves who helped in beating the eggs, sifting the flour and pouring sugar/ water/ eggs into the cake mixture).

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I am glad that she is only four. Easy to please. I met her requirements, and she was pleased - Princess + Pink. Given that this is my first time doing this, I would give myself 10 points for effort and 5 points for skills... if you know any 4 year old who would like this for her birthday, let me know. Sorry, I don't do 5 years old and above... in case they complain about the workmanship! I am still amused Ammi insisted she wanted candles on the side of the gown, and I was asked the same question twice: "Why didn't you write the words in front of the gown?"... Hmm... because it is supposed to look like a dress, not a cheer leading banner. :D

Lastly, family picture albeit an awful one. Sorry babies and Sis, the other 2 had either my eyes or BIL's eyes closed, and Ammi's face was hidden in one of them. So this one looks best - even though 3 of you are not looking at the camera. Thanks, Sis for being such a great help this weekend. We had one of the busiest weekends ever (school party, prepare goodie bags, nebulising 2 sick babies, bake cake, graduation concert, sleepless nights because of constant waking of the babies, etc) and any additional help was greatly appreciated.

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And this closes us (and my extended families) of birthdays for this year. We shall rest in December, no celebrations but spending quality time with visits from relatives and family holidays. We will kick off January with the twins' birthday. As part of tradition (and since they can't decide at their age), A&A are going to have a 'Number 1' cake. Buy or Bake, that I shall decide later...

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

This is my/our first Halloween celebration.

This event has never been of interest to me, because it's all about ghouls and scares. The treats that come with it aren't appealing.

This year, our neighbourhood planned an inaugural Halloween getogether for its residents. Each ticket was $5 and there were face painting, hair spray, goodie bags, Jack-O-lantern carving competition and real spiders and crickets they dare you to eat!

We were going to dress Aidan up per his request, as a Mummy; but it turned out too difficult to roll toilet paper around his limbs and he was feeling hot so he went as mask-less Spiderman (because it was hot too) and Ammi as Snow White.

My little twins were at home since they still had runny noses but I turned them into Bunny Babies for 5 minutes. Darn the mozzie which has been stinging us for 2 nights. I still can't kill it, even after spraying insecticide in the room. My poor Ally's look is ruined by the red marks.

This is my Hubby with white hair, I think he will still look like this in 25 years' time.

Lastly, Ammi told me something really funny and sensible last night. "Korkor will go as a 'Mummy' to the Halloween party, I'll go as Snow White and... hmmm... You can go as a Mummy too because you are already a Mummy."

The World According to - Anya (III)

It is KorKor's birthday tomorrow. Although he is only turning 6 tomorrow, it feels like he is turning 60 instead because of all the birthday celebrations we have had over the week.

It started with our Cameron Highlands trip with Ah Gong and Popo and the gang (Shu Shu and Angie Jiejie, and Gu Gu and Gary Korkor). After we got back, Popo decided to celebrate Korkor's birthday and bought him a cake and gave him a really huge present. Heard that it was brought back from the USA - and the size of the box nearly gave Ah Gong and Popo a heart attack! But they gamely flattened the box and brought it back for Korkor.

After we returned to Singapore, we went to visit Resorts World. It was quite nice, me and Ally's first time staying in a hotel. There isn't much space to move around in the room, but the whole place smells nice and there was a cool bunk bed which Korkor and Jiejie slept but I never got to see what is up there because no one bothered to carry us up there! Hmph!

Here is Ally posing again - trying to look cool by the poolside. There is no nice picture of me because I was brawling on the next chair.

After we went to bed, I heard that Daddy and Mummy brought Korkor and Jiejie to take a walk around the resort. They went shopping at Candylicious and bought back jelly beans, iced blended drink and some sugary sand. Looks really nice but I keep hearing Mummy tell the Kakaks and Korkor and Jiejie - "No sweets for the babies." so I am not sure when would I get to taste them. Did you notice Jiejie got the cheek to wear the orange hotel's slippers for a night's out?

The next day, we went to Univeral Studios. While the adults and Korkor and Jiejie sat on rides, me and Ally sat in our twin stroller. We sat, and sat, and sat around - getting out for feeding, diaper changes and when we scream when we decided we had enough of being pushed around (literally). Lots of people came and smiled at us - because we are twins.

Overall, we had fun because we saw a lot of new things and because we were outside, we ate a bit of rubbish too. We love the bread adults feed us - by the way, Ally didn't tell you she is a fussy eater in her previous post - I am a better eater and I eat everything that is given to me. Ally doesn't like asparagus, she doesn't like spinach and she keeps everything in her mouth for a long time before swallowing. She likes to drink water though, I wonder why... it is so bland and I try to spit out as often as I can when the adults feed me that.

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Tomorrow there is going to be a school party for Korkor. No big celebration at home this time - Korkor chose to visit Resorts World this year.

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I know Mummy is literally sweating over his birthday cake. I saw her bake the cake today and she changed 2 T-shirts and spent a few hours in the kitchen. I hope they bring me and Ally to school tomorrow...

National Day 2010 Long Weekend

We started the day with a visit to the water park. But no pics because it was too chaotic and crowded and honestly, I was worried too that someone would notice me taking photos and swipe my phone since we were going to leave our belongings unattended while going to swim.

This is my favourite pic of the day - jet planes flying past our area and this went on for almost an hour as the planes returned to their air base after the show held at the Padang.

Ammi and Denise at Timothy's birthday party

Kids enjoying the magic show. This is a really funny clown!

Another birthday party with Claudia (and Charlize)

Inconsiderate neighbours who put chairs and broken drawers (10 points for recycling them though) to 'chope'/ horde parking spaces. That's Anya with Papa on the left.

Stopping to sniff (and pluck) Ixoras on the way to the playground. We were wearing baby carriers this evening, except for Aidan. Ally with me, Anya with Papa and Ammi has her doll.

Kids are all grown up and confident on their bikes.

Ally and me

Sulking because he wanted to go to the other playground but he has to wait for Ammi to finish her swing play first.

Happy 45th Birthday, Singapore!

Picnic

With 5 years of your life, you could enrol in a graduate program, complete it and get a new job; or you could meet someone, fall in love and get married with a dream home you call your own; or you could stay in the same job, get promoted and be heading a department of your own/ maybe have an overseas work stint; or you could pick up hobbies, such as wine appreciation, golf, photography, scuba-diving and travel to faraway cities for shopping trips or getaways with your loved ones or girlfriends.

Or... in 5 years, you could build a family - get familiar with brands like Avent and Medela, be introduced to Barney, Dora, Hi-Fi and Pokemon; crack your heads over whether to send them to 'Berries', 'Phonics', 'Kumon', 'Shichida' or 'Tumble Tots' or 'Kindermusik' and wonder when is the right time to send them for swimming or piano classes - and grow them kids like those below, who happen to be 5 years old and younger.

Meet Charlize, Claudia, Brandon, Aidan, Amelie, Eleanor and Emma. Absent: 7 month old Baby Ciara and of course, plus our 2 halves in the making.

It was a nice picnic we had last Sunday and I was glad someone got the kids together to take a group photo! Looking at my friends' kids, it is just amazing how fast they have grown and how time has flew by.

Of course, things can't be perfect - so here's another picture of them in their more 'natural' state.

The Party Happens

Thanks to all for your company, smiles and presents for Aidan & Am's birthday party.

Aidan turns 4 in 2 days' time while Am will turn 2 next month. We are unable to hold a party next month due to several family commitments so we had a combined party for the kids. Notably, every little guest who was came last year has grown lots. I wish I had more time with spend with each family. Being socially-deprived parents in terms of catching up with friends over weekends, this was a good time to meet everyone and see the whole family.

I am happy too because Lulu got to come home for possibly her last birthday party with the family. She had been hospitalised for the past 8 days, and is still refusing to eat. I am mentally prepared she may not last past the month of October. The vet said today she is likely to sleep 90% of her time because she is really old. All her illnesses are likely to be caused by her old age, still it pains me to think that "she has had enough for the past 16 years".

Well, enjoy the photos and check out the little starlets who came to the party.