Pretty Me

Never seen Gwendolyn so girlie before?! Can't agree with you more! It was so difficult to get her to put on a dress...at least, she's worn once and Gong Gong Por Por's effort is not wasted!

Dora Lookalike Competition

The long awaited Dora Lookalike Competition is finally held on Father's Day at Forum the Shopping Mall. Gwendolyn is all excited and has been "practising" her Dora dances, tag lines and Spanish words by watching her Dora VCDs! She insisted on performing the Pirate Show and needed the pirate costumes, but they were so difficult to find. Mama helped her with the usual Dora costume, bracelet, some stars and most important of all, her natural Dora Lookalike appearance!

We arrived at Forum at around 2:15pm, whilst the registration won't start until 3:00pm. She went around the basement area and sat herself down in front of the bookshop to watch the Dora VCD again, before her actual competition, waiting for Summer and Rachel, another 2 contestants! When Uncle Don arrived, he commented that it was so confusing to see so many kids being dressed up in the same way, as if a cloning problem outbreak at Forum!

Before the competition: Summer and Gwendolyn relaxing at McDonalds!

Prizes for the 3 winners!

There were 50 registered contestants for the Lookalike Competition, but Mama doubt that all of them have turned up! All the kids were being arranged in alphabetical order and seated in front of the stage, waiting for their turn to go up one by one. They're being judged by their costumes, personality and ability to act like Dora! Mama told Lyn Lyn that she needs to introduce herself by saying: Hola! I'm Gwendolyn and I'm pretending to be Dora today! (in Dora's usual speaking tone). Lyn Lyn was practising quietly after Mama and trying to remember her lines. After that, Mama told Lyn Lyn to try and sing/dance one of the songs, e.g. We did it! and then she was quietly trying to practise the song as well. She appeared to be able to remember what she's supposed to do on stage.

Patiently waiting for her turn to go on stage

Hopped on stage confidently

Once she got on stage, she got distracted by Joanna, the host, as she was asking Lyn Lyn questions and Lyn Lyn's forgotten about what she's supposed to do...

G: Lyn Lyn; J: Joanna

J: Hello, what's your name?

G: Gwendolyn (a big round of applause and cheer)

J: Oh, you've got a fan club here! You dressed up like Dora! What's hanging on your sleeve?

G: Boots (trying to grab the hanging Boots from her sleeve)

J: What are you holding in your hands?

G: Stars

J: Do you know how to say star in Spanish?

G: (Hesitated, with hints from J) Estrellas!

J: Thank you. That was lovely!

And that ended her "performance" on stage!

After the "hardwork", all the contestants were asked to go to the back of the waiting area to wait for the remaining contestants to complete their "performances". It was so nice of Ms Angeline and Ms Wahila to come all the way to support Lyn Lyn in the competition! Both of them came behind and spoke with her and she was so happy to see them as well. Especially Ms Angeline, as she's been spending most of the after school evenings with Lyn Lyn since she's enrolled at Etonhouse. After her departure from the school, I believe both missed each other's company so much! So touching...

After all the "performances", the contestants were once again brought on stage to sing together and took a group photo!

Lyn Lyn was standing at the back roll, third from the right!

What's more exciting? Dora and Boots came out from the back of the stage to meet and greet the kids again! All the kids were crazy about them and rushed to hug both! Lyn Lyn's asked both Boots and Dora to hug and kiss her little Boots!

When the results were out, Lyn Lyn didn't win anything, but all contestants received a goodie bag, containing a Dora water bottle, Dora lunch box and a Dora/Diego notepad! Most important of all, a certificate of participation! It was really fun for Lyn Lyn on that day!

At least, Papa Mama knows that Lyn Lyn doesn't have stage fright and she can stand up confidently on stage! It's really a good experience!

Bikini

It's not very often that Gwendolyn is willing to wear a girlie swimming costume, but last Sunday, she was willing to put on her bikini for shower! Surprisingly, she was posing for the camera too...cheezzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Some of you may find this bikini familiar...coz she's worn it for her first set of studio pictures when she was 7 months old!

She can wear this bikini both at 7 months and 3 years old, was she too fat when she was 7 months then?

My Cousin Zoe

Mama's auntie, uncle and cousin: Dai Gu Por, Gu Cheung Gong, Auntie Winnie, Uncle Jack and my cousin Zoe came to Singapore 9-11 June. We went for dinner at Vivocity's No Signboard on Saturday night and then Ng Ah Sio Bah Kut Teh Sunday morning. After Bah Kut Teh, they all came to my house for some mahjong. (Yes...travelled all the way to play mahjong...) Zoe and I watched tv together and she liked my "Wheels on the Bus" bus very much. After that, Papa brought us to feed fish downstairs, before all of us set off for seafood at Long Beach Seafood!

Dora's Backpack Workshop

9 June 2007 was the Dora Backpack Workshop, which Mama registered for Gwendolyn last week. Summer and Rachel are joining in as well.

Before the workshop starts

Lyn Lyn was enthusiastic about making the backpack and map. She was proactively talking to the helpers there, to show off how much she knows about Dora!

Auntie Lena and Mama are helping out in making the backpack!

Fold the paper, glue the features and staple the backpack together!

All ready and prepared for next week's Dora Lookalike Competition.

Badminton @ Hendersen CC

Let me show you how good I am...a badminton genius!

Balancing the shuttlecork

Higher, higher, hit the roof...

New rides at IMM

Dora, Boots and ME!

Mama bought before the show!

In between the show and the photo session

Auntie Lena bought after the show!

Waiting to go on stage to take picture with Dora and Boots!

I forgot to ask Dora and Boots to carry me to take the picture!

Summer and Rachel too!

Dora's Sing-along Fiesta

Mama noticed from the Toys R Us flyer that there will be a Dora Sing-along Fiesta at Forum the Shopping Mall from 2-17 June 2007. As Dora is currently Gwendolyn's favourite cartoon character, how would Mama let go of this opportunity to bring Lyn Lyn to watch and meet Dora and Boots? Mama quickly informed Auntie Lena and both mothers agreed to bring the two gals to watch Dora on 2 June, Saturday!

Papa, Mama and Lyn Lyn arrived at 10:45am to have brunch there and observe the environment, so that Mama can plan for a strategy to get Lyn Lyn to sit nearer to the stage and be able to get a photo ticket to take picture with Dora and Boots! Once we arrived, the first thing that Lyn Lyn noticed was the retail store on a variety of Dora stuff. She was all carried away, asking Mama to buy this and that. In the end, Mama bought a new Dora cup, bowl, piggy bank and a bag. We happily went into Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant, right next to the performance venue and had some dim sum. Since we're early and the first customers, it was very cold. Mama quickly help Lyn Lyn put on her new jacket, which Mama bought from Taipei. Lyn Lyn was playing with the hood and enjoying herself so much!

Funny faces

After the sumptuous dim sum lunch, we proceed to the performance area and people's already been filling up the seating area! Lyn Lyn quickly ran to the front of the stage and sat down, despite there were already kids sitting around there before her!

Initially, she was waiting by herself and was quite bored. Finally Summer arrived, we smuggled Summer into the front row with her and the two were talking to each other!

The host appeared to teach the kids some simple moves before the real Dora and Boots make a grand entrance!

Out-of-portion Dora and Boots

Does it look like a Madonna concert, with audience dancing along her performance?!

Some lucky kids being chosen to dance alongside Dora and Boots...though Lyn Lyn was disappointed, she didn't shy away from her moves!

The Silly Chicken Dance

Lyn Lyn: Dora, watch me dance like you!

Last dance before they bid farewell...

P.S. Mama still need to download the pictures where Lyn Lyn took with Dora and Boots!

The Great Singapore Sale

25 May 2007 was the start of the annual Great Singapore Sale! Since Mama was busy building sand castles at Sentosa on Friday, we didn't manage to shop. Saved Saturday for the Navy Open House and we finally set foot at Takashimaya for the last day of the 3 special member discount!

But before heading to Taka, we went to Liang Court Audio House to look for the LG portable DVD player...where Papa and Mama haven't been hunting high and low...remember the Changi Beach trip where Summer and Lyn Lyn were both watching Dora? Yes, that's the one...and whilst being there, we shopped at the Japanese Supermarket at the basement and Lyn Lyn managed to catch the Doraemon cartoon...though in Japanese, she refused to go, but to continue watching...when arriving at Taka, she saw them displayed at the show window, she kept pointing and said 小叮当!

Throughout the shopping trip, Mama was focussing on clothings...and whichever fitting rooms Mama went in, Gwendolyn followed and asked to try Mama's clothing...as Mama brought her once into a fitting room to try on a pair of Minnie Mouse pants...and from then, she asked to try with Mama for EVERYTHING! She even asked Mama to remove her own clothings in order to try on Mama's...so we tried on for a while longer than anyone else and delayed other people's fitting time...hehe!

After shopping for a while and we're all thirsty and tired, we went for McDonalds for some snack...whilst Papa was buying the food/drinks, Mama told Lyn Lyn that her lips are dry and looked ugly...upon hearing the word ugly, she asked to see from Mama's mirror...so vain...

Taking care of her looks from a tender young age!

Oh yeah, before all the fitting room hoo hah, both Papa and Mama were busy hunting for the LG portable DVD player that Uncle Don has...it was out of stock for quite a while...it was good, very good shock proof qualities...and good value for money: only S$299...finally, Papa managed to find it from Best Denki at Taka...so immediately, without second thoughts, we bought one for Lyn Lyn, preparing for future long journeys, e.g. maybe a trip to KL next month? Lyn Lyn liked it so much that she asked to use it in her room before she sleeps!

Personalised DVD player for Lyn Lyn

Things bought on 27 May alone!