Week 163 and Week 76.5 - Waterfall FAIL and swimming WIN

Sorry again for the late posting – all of this move planning is keeping me busy (not insane busy, just continually busy).

Sophia is talking more - saying things like Bye, Yes, No, Bird, Dog, Mommy, Daddy, Imee, Please, More, Meow, Me, Mine, and others I cannot remember right now.

We ask her to say “I Love You” and she says “Bye!” instead.  I don’t know why, but it is cute.

Char is so clever these days.  On our way to the park we pass a car that is the identical model to ours – she says “Same car, but different wheels.” 

We had a surprise holiday last week and went to the Gardens by the Bay.  I was told that the waterfall was impressive so we went to that dome – the Cloud Forest.  It was a huge kid FAIL.  The kids were super scared of the waterfall – I think Matt has Sophia teeth marks around his neck.  The rest of the day went better but the beginning was rather ominous.

Sunday we went swimming with Ella and Marie at Tanjong Beach Club– it was great fun and provided some variety to our usual sole family swim endeavors.  We then saw Matt’s final hockey game (at a respectable 6PM as opposed to 11PM).  Char thought it was too loud and covered her ears, Sophia was a great fan – she sat attentively and clapped when everyone else clapped.  Afterwards we had a late Chili’s dinner with Daddy – we sprung for a molten chocolate cake as a late birthday treat and Sophia pounded it.  She loved it (as did I).  She is definitely a child after my own gluttonous heart.  When she was done we could not fasten back the bottom buckle of her dog!

Matt traveled Monday through Wednesday during the week.  We ended up at IKEA on Wednesday and I treated everyone to their own ice cream cone (Sophia’s first).  She was so angry and possessive whenever anyone tried to take it away.  She also was a colossal mess but was so cute and serious about it all.

Sophia loves bouncing a ball off her head - a future soccer player perhaps?

 

Charlotte and I with my birthday gifts on birthday morning:

Jisun and Clarice and I had an amazing lunch at Mozza:

Waterfall FAIL:

The menace:

Cute pic of Char and the fam:

Cloud forest:

This makes me laugh - I will name a restaurent "Allergen":

Charlotte wanted to take a picture next to the 'boat' (on top of MBS):

Marie, Steve, and Ella:

 

Retro inspired scenes:

 

Watching Hockey:

Park shots:

Natural light - no color correction!

And catching up on some videos on my phone:

Daddy and bubbles at Gardens By The Bay:

Sophia loves the blow dryer:

Sophia and Charlotte watch Daddy play hockey:

Sophia eats her first ice cream very seriously:

Sophia cooks rice for daddy:

Week 162 and Week 75.5 - My Birthday!

Severe apologies again for the late posting - I did not really feel like posting as it was my birthday!  What a nice birthday it was - Charlotte got me various Hello Kitty snacks (which she consumed later in the day), I had a nice girls lunch at Mozza (and blissfully reminisced when I was young and hip and lived in LA, once) and Matt took me to see Star Trek in the fancy movie theater.  It was great and escapist as birthdays should be.

I am also doing a photo project which totally sucked out all of my computer resources over the last 4 days (uploading photos via a non powerful computer = suck out).  But that for now is done so I can update le blog.

Before Dan and Laura left we spent a Friday afternoon with Charlotte at the Tanjong Beach Club and it was very NICE.  Yet another fun activity (e.g. weekday hooky) that I discover a month before leaving.  Char is a fantastic swimmer by the way - she jumps in the water and can swim for 2 seconds to you (if you are 10 feet from the edge). 

We went to dim sum with Clarice and Jisun this weekend - which was like 6 ships sailing in the night.  All the kids have their own agendas!   Lots of running around the restaurant for me (and if I can go off on a rant, the restroom situation outside Din Tai Fung Paragon is atrocious!  A queue outside the restaurant, a level above is VIP restrooms, you have to go up two more levels to find a women's restroom, so strange).

We got Charlotte a haircut on Monday.  The stylist remarked that she sits well for a toddler.  I even browsed a bit of Men's Health at the salon.  She got graduated bangs and it was only $10 at Lena L Ayoma Tokyo (ask for Nick)!

We have all had the collective sniffles and we have learned that Sophia can blow her nose!  Yay!  She can also drink out of a cup - we did not teach her, she just learned by osmosis.

Sophia also is grumpy and attitudinal - perhaps an early case of the terrible twos?  This has just manifested over the last week or two. 


I was showing pictures of Matt and I to Charlotte the other day.  I asked her who was in the picture - she said Mommy, Daddy, and Charlotte in Daddy's belly.  Cute cute!

Sorry this video is so long overdue - this is us singing Happy Birthday to Charlotte on HER birthday (well Apr 12).  It took FOREVER to post because Matt has been traveling and it is on his Youtube...

Romantic Sophia:

Astrid Lotus turned 6 months!

Sophia is cheeky with Uncle Dan and Auntie Laura (climbing on tables):

The fam (minus Sophia):

Uncle Dan and Auntie Laura:

I think Char is a crocodile here:

There was so much chaos at this lunch I could not be my typical shutterbug self:

Astrid wears the romantic hat:

Char's new 'do (I am certain I bribed her to look at the camera with this Oreo):

 

 

Grumpy Sophia:

Maelle tells Sophia, "You are grumpy!   Let me hold Marlene's phone [playing Gangnam Style of course]."

Nevermind.  I will just hold Marlene myself:

All this grumpiness is making me thirsty!

Week 161 and Week 74.5 - Mother's Day and DB and Laura come for a visit!

DB and Laura are here - our last set of visitors before we move house next month (we are moving to Macau again!  Yikes!  In like 4 weeks)!  It has also been wicked hot and then rainy.  The rain has been relentless for at least nine months (since Charlotte has been swimming).

Speaking of swimming- Char has been an awesome swimmer - jumping in the water (and swimming a bit before emerging), being fearless, swimming deep... she has hit her stride here.  Soon she will really be swimming soon - not sure if it is before we move so I hope we can find a good swim coach in Macau.

We took the girls swimming after a mother's day brunch at the Tanjong Beach Club.  Clarice and Mike and Olivia and Pippa sat next to us!  Sophia loved to swim - so we will try to go again before we leave.

Sophia and Ella are having arguments at the park over Ella's scooter.  There is some shoving involved so I cannot claim that it is all civilized.  Matt just wants them to fight it out - you know, playground style.  I think at age one that there should be some intervention - I want everyone to keep their eyes, you know?

Sophia is in a wear big people's shoes phase - she loves wearing Charlotte's Crocs (and I chuckle as it reminds me of my sister).  She was wearing them to the park this weekend and fell and busted her knee - thus officially entering the world of scraped knees and toddlerhood. 

I have started to put Sophia in the dog leash - she likes it!  I took her to the grocery store the other day and that seemed to be a good compromise between the stroller (which she loathes these days) and running amok.

Astrid checks out the garage sale:

Sophia's long (and shaggy) hair:

Char is too cool for her car seat:

Lovely Olivia!

And Pippa!

Mother's Day shots:

It was like wrestling alligators to get this decent shot:

Happy Mother's Day Clarice!

"Would you like some blueberry pancakes Mommy?"

Sophia takes in Tanjong Beach:

Sophia shovels:

Post swim car nap:

Post nap fingerpainting:

I cannot get Charlotte to smile for the camera.  Instead please find her model-pose shots:

Sophia scoots:

Serious Sophia:

Sophia shows Astrid some lovin':

If only I was on the other side of them!

Dog leash and sandals:

Sophia looks angelic:

Laura tries a green smoothie concoction:

Who needs a double stroller?