Happy Sunday!

Papa and Mama "deposited" Gwendolyn at grandma on Saturday and went off for the My Fair Lady show at the Esplanade. Surprisingly, Lyn Lyn was quite easy in letting Papa and Mama off early in the afternoon, so that Papa and Mama can go home to settle some housework before setting of for the show.

On the gloomy sunday, where weather was terribly grey, Papa and Mama brought Lyn Lyn to Queensway to source for a new pair of track shoes (it's terribily difficult to get a pair for her...REALLY DIFFICULT!). To cut down on the amount of time spent for looking around, Mama asked the shop assistants directly upon arrival. Everyone gave the same answer: New Balance lah...got wide feet design! However, Lyn Lyn was just playing around and wasn't really concentrating on trying to shoes. In the end, we aborted the quest and set off for the newly extended Novena Square, only to be disappointed again that it wasn't great!

However, the only good thing about this new shopping is Haagen-Daz promotion: 1-for-1 takeaway ice-cream. In the end, Lyn Lyn and Mama have 1 cup each...Yum Yum!

After the yummy ice-cream session, Mama got in touch with Auntie Suzie to see whether her family is free to meet up. Why? Since Lyn Lyn has been asking Mama to talk about Auntie Suzie's house everyday. Finally, Auntie Suzie's family is free, so we met up for dinner at the Jurong West Red Chair Coffee Shop for dinner before setting off to have a fun time in their house.

Since Lyn Lyn hasn't been there for quite some time, she was very excited. Especially with the new piano that Ralston Gor Gor has...

She's amazed with this exercise machine of Uncle Ralph too! As a toddler, she's managing her balancing very well!


Wow, she's discovered such a huge ball at the bar corner...trying to play with Shannon Jie Jie together!

Look at me! I can carry the ball up high!

Hair cut at QB House

Papa and Mama wanted to cut Gwendolyn's hair for quite some time, especially behind. However, she's been rejecting the offer for many many times. Saturday morning, when Papa intended to get a haircut himself at the new QB House at IMM, Lyn Lyn was tempted to try for one herself! She was very excited initially, but when the hairdresser put the cloth around her and start cutting, she was scared. Mama has to be close to her and hold her hand. After a few snaps, she said: finished already. I don't want to cut any more. The hairdresser only managed to cut her fringe...oh well, at least the most important portion has been cut...

New Ikea at Tampines

The new Ikea store at Tampines was opened on 16 December 2006. According to the latest Family magazine, it is one of the family-friendly stores in Singapore. Papa and Mama decided to bring Gwendolyn for a trial on Saturday to check it out. FYI, the kid's playroom at Ikea Alexandra was a mere "ball-ground" and Mama has heard of some horror stories about that. Hence, no matter how much Lyn Lyn likes "ball ball", Mama refrained from letting her try.

This time, both Papa and Mama were amazed by the huge playroom at the entrance, with various activities for busy parents to drop their kids for some fun, whilst they go for their shopping. From the outside, Papa and Mama noted that there was a video area on a staircase, an activity table for kids to draw, some slide / crawling areas, etc. Lyn Lyn was so excited to know that she is tall enough to go inside and join the Gor Gor and Jie Jie's for some fun. We queued for a short while before Lyn Lyn is finally admitted. She excitedly removed her sandals, put on the number assigned to her container box and off she dash, exploring the new grounds all by herself. As all the parents are required to leave their mobile phone numbers when registering their kids, just in case anything happens, Papa and Mama enjoyed some carefree shopping for about 15 minutes.

Suddenly, Mama's phone rang. Someone from the "Smalland" informed her that Lyn Lyn was crying and requested Mama to go back immediately. From where Mama was, she tried to get back to "Smalland" as quickly as she could. Initially, Lyn Lyn was too upset to have noticed that Mama was standing right at the door. When she finally realised, she dashed all the way to the door and cried out loud. Below is an excerpt of the conversation of Lyn Lyn is being rescued from the playroom:

P: Papa G: Lyn Lyn

P: Was it fun?

G: (Sobbing) Yes.

P: Do you want to come back again?

G: No......

P: What happened?

G: ......

P: Were the kids rough?

G: Yes......they hit me.

P: Then what happened?

G: I hit them.

Experiencing the theory: Survival of the fittest without people she trust! Bad move...

To distract her from thinking about the bad experience again, Papa and Mama brought her for some food! This is a huge eating restaurant & cafe again, with a pavillion structure for kids to play within and parents sitting around the pavillion. Lyn Lyn was all happy again playing in a confined environment with both Papa and Mama in sight! At first, she was playing whatever was available. In the end, she got herself acquainted to a Jie Jie and started playing Ring-around-the-rosie. Initially, it was only the 2 of them, slowly, the crowd increased to 3 and then 4. Eventually, when we have to go, all the kids at the Pavillion were singing and playing that! What a scene...

Badminton @ the HP Club

Gwendolyn went for a badminton session with Papa and Mama on Sunday to stretch her limbs. It seems that she enjoys racket games...Uncle Don booked the badminton court at the HP Clubhouse from 10am to 12 noon! Lyn Lyn just managed to wake up to catch some exercise. Initially, she was excited about meeting Summer again for some fun. But when she got to know that Summer is unable to make it, she was a little disappointed. In the end, she decided that she can take on the adults single-handedly...here we go!

Warming up

Trying to hit the shuttlecock

Aiming - Coaching by Uncle Victor

Strength training - Coaching by Auntie Tonya

Take a rest, have a drink

Balancing - Passing the shuttlecocks from Auntie Tonya to Auntie Eunice

Playing Hi-5 the baby way

Not forgetting her Spot and Steve!

Drying hair after her shower

Dora Balloon

Finally found a Dora balloon and Gwendolyn loved it!

Choo Choo Train and Swing Swing Swing

During Christmas, IMM offered free choo choo train ride on level 2, right outside the food court, for kids. But kids less than 3 years old must be accompanied by parents, who has to pay S$3 per ride. So Mama accompanied Gwendolyn to try out the "indoor choo choo train". In fact, the choo choo train was going at very high speed within the shopping complex! Mama find it a little dangerous for the kids sitting in the train and passerbys around the shopping area!

After the exciting train ride, we proceed to the playground at level 2, which is meant to be for the older kids (Lyn Lyn saw it during the train ride!). Then there is this hanging slide thing that she's set her eyes on for quite some time, that is not for age, but she was eager to try. Since the playground is not as crowded as the normal days, she played it with Papa's help...she loved it!

Don't eat my ice-cream, okay?

What's so special about Gwendolyn eating ice-cream? Aren't everyone sick of seeing her eating ice-cream already? What's so special this time is that after paying for the ice-cream and she needed to keep the change in her pocket, she entrusted Mama with her cup of ice-cream, pointing 1 finger at Mama and said : Don't eat my ice-cream, okay?! Both Papa and Mama were in SHOCK.....

Dora's house

Papa and Mama's bought Dora's Talking House for Gwendolyn as her X'mas present. It enables her to appreciate more on what's in a house and the related Spanish terms used by Dora's family (fyi: Dora speaks both English and Spanish!). However, Mama haven't read the information on the box entirely and only noticed that the box contains only : Dora, Mami, Popi and a sofa! There is no other furniture, except for those wall-mounted talking items. As such, she's still unable to play and utilise the house fully.

Dora's empty "talking" playhouse

As such, we now need to slowly build up the furniture for this new house. The suggested items are shown below. Please note that even GRANDMA (Abuela) is an "item" to "decorate" Dora's house!!! Papa and Mama have since then bought a dining set for the family to at least sit down together for a meal! If anyone happen to see these items, please let Mama know, because they are quite difficult to find too!

The possible place to find these items? Toys R Us..........................????? HELP..............

Spot and Steve collection

So many......All 7 must be together all the times...You see that single blue Steve? Bao Bei Gu Gu bought her a blue Steve for X'mas present without knowing that there was a blue Spot (which Gwendolyn has seen before!)...when Lyn Lyn accidentally discovered blue Steve hiding behind the X'mas tree, she went to Mama excitedly and screamed! How come? Why is there a blue Steve? Where is blue Spot??? Mama just thought of telling her that Mama need to ask Auntie Nelly for help and source for a blue Spot, just in case she becomes all teary one day...

Changi Beach Park

2 January 2007 is a public holiday in Singapore, so Papa and Mama continued to bring Gwendolyn for some outdoor fun! We thought that the Changi Beach Park would be a good place for her to play some sand and experience pitching and sitting in a tent, like Spot and his friends in one of the episodes, we set off for lunch at Changi Village for some nasi lemak before heading for the beach.

Beach-ready: Sunglasses, sleeveless T, beach shorts and slippers!

Lyn Lyn kept asking for chicken wings

Lyn Lyn called the Changi Village Food Centre : The Sand Restaurant

When we've finally found the perfect place to pitch the tent, Lyn Lyn got into action to help Papa with laying out the base, straightening out the 2 main support sticks and finally raising the tent.

When the tent was up, Lyn Lyn happily jumped into the tent and trying to zip up the 2 entrances...when Mama finally sealed up the 2 sides, she was scared and was on the verge of crying...well, it's an interesting experience for her to go in and out of the tent...after the tent was up and everything was ready, she started unpacking her beach toys and ready to play sand...Mama changed her into her swimming costumes, so that she'll be more willing to get wet and will not asked to removed her clothings like what she did at Sentosa Island few months back...so shameful! Haha!

She was happily building her sand castles, when suddenly, she heard a loud noise from the sky...what has distracted her? She shouted : AEROPLANE...she stared at the sky and waved good-bye to the aeroplanes that were flying pass...

Mama was a little tired and went to lie in the hammock that Papa has just tied to the tree...with the gentle swing and breeze, Mama fell asleep...leaving Papa and Lyn Lyn trying to build sand castles again. In the end, Papa was successful in building the castle and Lyn Lyn jumped happily...how many did they build in the end? FIVE!

Whilst Mama was napping in one of the hammocks, Papa and Lyn Lyn was spending some good quality time in the other hammock. Lyn Lyn stood beside Mama and gently rock Mama in the other hammock, singing : rock-a-by baby...it was so sweet and funny!

After swinging in the hammock for a while, Papa and Lyn Lyn had a little chat with her, sitting on the camping stools that Mama got from Rally Art! It is a completely different outdoor experience for her! We should do this again next time!

Unfortunate and fortunate: When we were about to pack up and leave, it started to drizzle. Fortunately, we have a tent and we hide inside until the rain stopped. After that, Mama brought Lyn Lyn to the shower point to wash off the sand from her body and get her changed into normal clothings. Unfortunately, it started to rain towards the end of the shower...fortunately, Papa has finished packing and reached the shower area before it started to pour again...

For more information about the Changi Beach Park, please visit: - http://www.nparks.gov.sg/park8.asp

Squash and Tennis

Papa and Mama left Gwendolyn with Grandma on New Year's Eve and went for karaoke with Uncle Don, Auntie Lena, Uncle Victor and Auntie Tonya. Papa and Mama didn't pick Lyn Lyn up until afternoon on New Year's Day. After that, we went home for a short while, but later, we went to Uncle Victor's house for some racket ball games! When Lyn Lyn knew that we're heading to Uncle Victor's house to play with Summer, she was all excited. But as it was near her nap time, she almost fell asleep in the car. Both Papa and Mama kept her entertained and kept talking to her, so that she can endure the car journey to get into some action!

When the 2 kids reached the squash court, they were all excited...couldn't wait for the adults and just drag out the rackets from the holders! Both Papa and Uncle Don were trying to throw the balls to the kids and let them hit. But Lyn Lyn seemed to have the upper hand of being "stronger" and have more "ball sense". She was concentrating in touching the ball when the ball was going her direction.

When the adults were ready for squash, the kids moved to the tennis court to try out another type of action. This time, the rackets are so much bigger and heavier...Summer got tired much earlier than Lyn Lyn and resorted in running after the tennis balls instead. Lyn Lyn persevered with Uncle Don and kept asking Uncle Don to throw the ball to her, so that she can aim and hit! Actually, her aiming was quite good and she can hit the ball as it approaches her! Papa and Mama can think about sending her for tennis lessons!

After a round of running, both kids were tired and so, it's time for Uncle Don and Papa to play, whilst Mama was trying to keep the kids entertained, sitting down and watching both Papa play! How to keep them seated without running around? Mama has asked them to laugh out loud when either Papa missed the ball! In the end, both happily laughed throughout the game and we only have to leave the court when it started to rain...

Uncle Kim Siong's Birthday

As in previous years, we celebrated Uncle Kim Siong's birthday together on New Year's Eve. This year was a smaller group of only our 2 families, but we had a great time at the Otori Japanese Restaurant. We liked this place, as they offer a good variety for their a la carte buffet dinner at a very reasonable price with kids eating free. We believe if they knew how much our kids are eating, they would consider themselves losing out. Just see how much Gwendolyn ate that night: more than 1 bowl of udon, more than 1 bowl of edamane peas, at least 4 sticks of yakitori and a vanilla ice-cream! The daddies were busy catching up, whilst both mummies were busy taking care of both kids! See how much the kids enjoyed themselves:

Just when we're about to cut the cake, both Lyn Lyn and Frederick got all excited and both wanted to cut! We all sang happy birthday and Lyn Lyn blew the candle with Uncle KS...the funny thing was: Lyn Lyn was actually the one who blew off the candle...sigh...not the first time...she just loves to blow candles! After that, all 3 of them cut the cake together and all were happy after that! How funny...

Snow City

There is literally no winter in Singapore, even though the temperature can reduce to around 22-23 degree celsius at night...to give Gwendolyn a sense of winter (not that she hasn't been back to HK during winter time, but there's no snow in HK), Papa and Mama brought her to Snow City at Jurong East, which is just about 10 minutes away from home! Together were Uncle Don, Auntie Lena, Summer Mei Mei, Uncle Victor and Auntie Tonya. Before heading there, Papa and Mama bought her a new pair of gloves, so that her delicate hand will not get snow bitten!

We all waited for our designated time slot at 3:45pm, all dressed in the winter jackets and boots provided and ready to step into the snow chamber. To our disappointment, it was very small and crowded. There was only a small kids slide area and a major slope for "sledging". All of us queued for more than 15 minutes, just to reach the top of the slope and slide down within 2 seconds, in the cold temperature of -5.6 degree celsius! Gwendolyn was all ready to sit on the "floaty" to slide down, but in the end, she didn't like it, because when our legs contact with the "snow" whilst sliding down, the "snow" flew towards our face and she finds it MESSY! After the "slide" she said : I don't like snow going into my face. I don't like it and I scared! We went in for that short slide and left the chamber after that!

We can't bring our own camera into the chamber...so we bought this pic taken by them!

Lyn Lyn is not ready for snow yet!

For more information, please visit this website: - http://www.snowcity.com.sg/

To our amazement, there were caucasians in the snow chamber! Wouldn't it be no fun for them, as they should have experienced real snow in their home country? Or maybe, they're actually Singaporeans who haven't seen real snow before???!!!

Oh yes, before Snow City, we went into the lobby of the Singapore Science Centre to wander around, whilst waiting for Uncle Don and Auntie Lena. This is Lyn Lyn's first exposure to ScIeNcE! She was fascinated by the 2 apparatus on: (1) the exertion of pressure in the lungs, relating to how divers dive; and (2) effects to 2 slightly inflated balloons when pressure is exerted and released in a vaccum flask...

Comments added on 29 January 2007: Not sure whether Lyn Lyn is phobic from the experience in the Snow City, whenever she sees the picture taken inside, she'll remove it from the frame and said: I don't like the snow. I don't want to go again...Poor gal...

X'mas Presents

After all the parties, what did Gwendolyn got for this Christmas? Let's see :

Before

After

Lyn Lyn enjoys tearing away all the wrapping papers!

Thank you all the Aunties and Uncles for the lovely presents! I know Lyn Lyn will enjoy them a lot! Guess which one is her favourite? Mama thinks it's blue Steve...