Monday, December 20, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Toys Toys and more Toys
it's nearly Christmas and I've been looking for the perfect present for Matthew and we've decided to get him a balance bike based on the reviews from other parents and watching the kids play around the park. At 18 going on 19 months, he's the perfect age for it. Watch this video. There are so many different brands and variations it's very hard for a parent to choose which one. Hopefully we can decide which one before Christmas!
I thought this morning that it would be good to document/remember what kind of toys Matthew's 'into' at this age..
Blocks (Megabloks & Duplo) - loves these, plays with them daily for the last few months. Stacks them then knocks them over or pulls them apart and starts all over again. He gets lots of enjoyment from these.
Shape sorters - we have a few different ones (Tolo, Fischer Price and ELC) He plays with all of them, especially the Tolo one (great eBay bargain for $3!) and works the shapes in and out and opens the case to get the shapes out with any problems. Also plays with this daily.
Stringing Beads (see pic on left) - he loves these, even though the packaging says suited for children 36+ months, perhaps they could be choking hazard, but Matthew does not swallow anything he can't eat. We were introduced to these when we were at a friend's place for the playdate. They have a 3 children all of varying ages so it was great experience for Matthew to try out different toys before buying! (Sadly this family is moving away to Melbourne)
Wind up toys - Cheap and small but highly entertaining for Matthew. We have all sorts of these pint sized toys - cars, walking shoes, chattering teeth, a Mexican riding a horse etc. They are great to just throw in my handbag before heading out for a meal as after about 20 mins or so of waiting for food or for us to finish our meals Matthew can get very fidgety.
Cars/Plastic Animals - he's building a small collection. He got his first set of cars his 1st birthday and animals during his first visit to the zoo. Plays with these often too and amazingly looks after them well. Keeps them on display, lined up on his toy shelf.
Books - lots and lots of books. We have lots, close to a hundred children's books and counting. Some, which were given as gifts I've put away because he's too young for them. We've been 'reading' books together every day since he was born and he never tires of looking through them. He'll often sit on his own and flip through the pages. Our favourite or rather my favourite is this one (see right pic) called 'Kisses' by Barney Saltzberg. The best ones for small children are the hard board books with plenty of textures, colours and things to do (pull, touch, press, squeak etc). In Sydney, there is a great children's bookstore in Beecroft which organizes readings by the book's author. I havent been able to find anything like that in Singapore, even at the libraries. The consolation though is that books are much cheaper in Singapore, sometime up to 50% less than Aus!
There are lots of other toys that he likes to play with semi-regularly, like kicking one of his many (many) soccer balls or giving his drum kit a bash. But the best activity for an active toddler like Matthew is plenty of active play, singing & dancing, playing at playground with other kids and swimming. Makes them sleep really well ;)
I thought this morning that it would be good to document/remember what kind of toys Matthew's 'into' at this age..
Blocks (Megabloks & Duplo) - loves these, plays with them daily for the last few months. Stacks them then knocks them over or pulls them apart and starts all over again. He gets lots of enjoyment from these.
Shape sorters - we have a few different ones (Tolo, Fischer Price and ELC) He plays with all of them, especially the Tolo one (great eBay bargain for $3!) and works the shapes in and out and opens the case to get the shapes out with any problems. Also plays with this daily.
Wind up toys - Cheap and small but highly entertaining for Matthew. We have all sorts of these pint sized toys - cars, walking shoes, chattering teeth, a Mexican riding a horse etc. They are great to just throw in my handbag before heading out for a meal as after about 20 mins or so of waiting for food or for us to finish our meals Matthew can get very fidgety.
Cars/Plastic Animals - he's building a small collection. He got his first set of cars his 1st birthday and animals during his first visit to the zoo. Plays with these often too and amazingly looks after them well. Keeps them on display, lined up on his toy shelf.
There are lots of other toys that he likes to play with semi-regularly, like kicking one of his many (many) soccer balls or giving his drum kit a bash. But the best activity for an active toddler like Matthew is plenty of active play, singing & dancing, playing at playground with other kids and swimming. Makes them sleep really well ;)
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Matthew vs The Pea
He loves peas, always has, since the day he was introduced to them. We always have bags of peas in the freezer as it's a guaranteed winner at meal times. Tonight's dinner which comprised of creamy ham, cheese, pasta and of course peas went down a treat. But instead of just eating his peas, he decided that it would be fun to shove a pea up his nose, not once but twice.
The first pea was rescued from Matthew's nose by a little massaging to encourage it to come out. The second pea up the nose quickly followed the first, as the stern talking to I gave him didn't do a thing to deter him from doing it again. This time, Matty did a really good job of making sure it was tucked all the way up his little nostril. Massaging it out again didn't help as I couldn't feel the pea and it was shoved so far inside that I couldn't even see it when tipped the little guy upside down to get a better look. By this stage Matty's starting to get a little agitated and grabbing at his nose as i'd imagine it would be pretty uncomfortable.
Read on carefully as it might come in handy one day... The trick to getting a pea out of a toddler's nose is this. Cover the unblocked nostril with your finger and blow in the toddler's mouth. It works!!! A quick puff is all you need. The snot cover pea obligingly popped out in the first attempt to which Matthew politely responded with 'ta!'
... Thank goodness for Google.
The first pea was rescued from Matthew's nose by a little massaging to encourage it to come out. The second pea up the nose quickly followed the first, as the stern talking to I gave him didn't do a thing to deter him from doing it again. This time, Matty did a really good job of making sure it was tucked all the way up his little nostril. Massaging it out again didn't help as I couldn't feel the pea and it was shoved so far inside that I couldn't even see it when tipped the little guy upside down to get a better look. By this stage Matty's starting to get a little agitated and grabbing at his nose as i'd imagine it would be pretty uncomfortable.
Read on carefully as it might come in handy one day... The trick to getting a pea out of a toddler's nose is this. Cover the unblocked nostril with your finger and blow in the toddler's mouth. It works!!! A quick puff is all you need. The snot cover pea obligingly popped out in the first attempt to which Matthew politely responded with 'ta!'
... Thank goodness for Google.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
remember your 'ease' and 'ta'
I'm trying to teach Matthew some manners. He's pretty good at it but needs to be prompted most of the time to say his Ps and Qs. He's especially cute when saying 'ease', I find it really hard to say no when he asks for more hot chips and says 'merh ease, ...ease, ...eeease!' (more please, please, please!)
Matthew had his swimming assessment this afternoon so that the swim school can work out which class to place him next term. I must say both Dunc (who rushed out of work early to come along) and I are very proud of our little boy. Matthew did really well in the water and will skip past the entry level class and enter the 'Duckling Level 2' classes next year, joining other kids that are older than him. He had such a fantastic time, giggling and smiling his way through the 30 min session. The only time we saw his smile disappear was when he was busy holding his breath (or drinking the pool water) underwater. We were so pleased to see how confident Matthew's become in the water, he thinks he can swim already!
We knew he would love the class as really enjoys spending hours in the pool and can swim quite comfortably on his own with his floaties (inflatable arm bands). Now it's a matter of ditching the floaties and learning to swim without them. Besides swimming, Matthew likes a bit of a drink...
I also heard from his school last week, they'd sent me an email to let me know that Matthew will be enrolled into the 'Harmony Bear' class (how cute!) and the names if his teachers, he'll have 2, one to converse with him in English and another in Mandarin. The school also requested that I staggered the days which I brought Matthew to school in the first week so that they didn't have too many crying children at once :( ... First day of pre-nursery is less than a month away.
Just touching quickly again on the changes we've seen in Matthew lately. He's been putting himself to sleep every night for the past 2 weeks, no crying or whinging. He chatters for about 20 mins in his cot and drifts off to sleep.... I really really like this new change! Also, as though right on cue, both his lower cuspids are breaking through his gums.
This was supposed to be a short update, but turned out to be a fairly lengthy one... till next time.
Matthew had his swimming assessment this afternoon so that the swim school can work out which class to place him next term. I must say both Dunc (who rushed out of work early to come along) and I are very proud of our little boy. Matthew did really well in the water and will skip past the entry level class and enter the 'Duckling Level 2' classes next year, joining other kids that are older than him. He had such a fantastic time, giggling and smiling his way through the 30 min session. The only time we saw his smile disappear was when he was busy holding his breath (or drinking the pool water) underwater. We were so pleased to see how confident Matthew's become in the water, he thinks he can swim already!
We knew he would love the class as really enjoys spending hours in the pool and can swim quite comfortably on his own with his floaties (inflatable arm bands). Now it's a matter of ditching the floaties and learning to swim without them. Besides swimming, Matthew likes a bit of a drink...
I also heard from his school last week, they'd sent me an email to let me know that Matthew will be enrolled into the 'Harmony Bear' class (how cute!) and the names if his teachers, he'll have 2, one to converse with him in English and another in Mandarin. The school also requested that I staggered the days which I brought Matthew to school in the first week so that they didn't have too many crying children at once :( ... First day of pre-nursery is less than a month away.
Just touching quickly again on the changes we've seen in Matthew lately. He's been putting himself to sleep every night for the past 2 weeks, no crying or whinging. He chatters for about 20 mins in his cot and drifts off to sleep.... I really really like this new change! Also, as though right on cue, both his lower cuspids are breaking through his gums.
This was supposed to be a short update, but turned out to be a fairly lengthy one... till next time.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Matthew's 18 months old!
we reached this mini-milestone on Sunday... This also means that we've been in Singapore nearly 6 months already, where has the time gone?
So.. what's been happening you ask? Well, life resumes as per normal after our very relaxing 2 week break in Sydney and the Hunter Valley. We enjoyed ourselves a great deal catching up with friends and family while we were there. Matthew especially loved chasing 'Whoa Whoa' (our golden lab) around daily and receiving early Christmas presents from Nanna and Pop. Not so relaxing was for us was Matthew's disturbed sleep during the 2 weeks, we probably only had 2 nights where he slept through! To complicate matters, Matthew also battled a viral infection which meant fever, coughing and generally being super clingy. We were very fortunate to have had grandparents on hand most days to help with looking after him.
There are lots of pictures from our trip away... here are a couple of my favourites.
His little canines (cuspids) on the top also made a sudden appearance during the end of our stay - which makes a total of 14 teeth visible. There should be 16 in a couple more weeks with the bottom canines erupting. The next and final lot of milk teeth will be his 2nd molars and they should make an appearance at around 24 months.
We've been back a week now and I'm glad to report that all remnants of the virus seems to have gone away and Matthew almost back to his normal self. I say 'almost' normal because, he seems to be a different boy lately. He's decided that using the blocks to build towers can be as fun as knocking them down. Playing with his shape sorter used to frustrate him, now he'll patiently work the pieces through without problem and when he's done will ask me to politely 'open' the sorter again so he can start over. After months of repetition trying to teach him primary colours (red, blue, yellow...), he's just put two and two together and his gorgeous big eyes light up like he's had an epiphone! There are other little changes which I've observed too, he now suffers from separation anxiety, particularly when he's away from me. It manifested itself while we were in Sydney. Before this I used to be able to step away for hours and it wouldnt bother Matthew in the slightest. It's all part of his development the experts say, along with the temper tantrums which we've had occasion to experience as well. All part of Matthew growing up I suppose...
Over the next couple of weeks, Matthew will transition from attending JWT Playgym to Kindermusik and Duncan will take him to have toddler swim classes on weekends. Matthew clearly loves dancing, music and swimming. Come next year, Matthew will begin first term at Pre-Nursery school (Jan 4 to Mar 12).
So.. what's been happening you ask? Well, life resumes as per normal after our very relaxing 2 week break in Sydney and the Hunter Valley. We enjoyed ourselves a great deal catching up with friends and family while we were there. Matthew especially loved chasing 'Whoa Whoa' (our golden lab) around daily and receiving early Christmas presents from Nanna and Pop. Not so relaxing was for us was Matthew's disturbed sleep during the 2 weeks, we probably only had 2 nights where he slept through! To complicate matters, Matthew also battled a viral infection which meant fever, coughing and generally being super clingy. We were very fortunate to have had grandparents on hand most days to help with looking after him.
There are lots of pictures from our trip away... here are a couple of my favourites.
His little canines (cuspids) on the top also made a sudden appearance during the end of our stay - which makes a total of 14 teeth visible. There should be 16 in a couple more weeks with the bottom canines erupting. The next and final lot of milk teeth will be his 2nd molars and they should make an appearance at around 24 months.
We've been back a week now and I'm glad to report that all remnants of the virus seems to have gone away and Matthew almost back to his normal self. I say 'almost' normal because, he seems to be a different boy lately. He's decided that using the blocks to build towers can be as fun as knocking them down. Playing with his shape sorter used to frustrate him, now he'll patiently work the pieces through without problem and when he's done will ask me to politely 'open' the sorter again so he can start over. After months of repetition trying to teach him primary colours (red, blue, yellow...), he's just put two and two together and his gorgeous big eyes light up like he's had an epiphone! There are other little changes which I've observed too, he now suffers from separation anxiety, particularly when he's away from me. It manifested itself while we were in Sydney. Before this I used to be able to step away for hours and it wouldnt bother Matthew in the slightest. It's all part of his development the experts say, along with the temper tantrums which we've had occasion to experience as well. All part of Matthew growing up I suppose...
Over the next couple of weeks, Matthew will transition from attending JWT Playgym to Kindermusik and Duncan will take him to have toddler swim classes on weekends. Matthew clearly loves dancing, music and swimming. Come next year, Matthew will begin first term at Pre-Nursery school (Jan 4 to Mar 12).
Friday, November 12, 2010
Matthew in Sydney 6-21 Nov
the lack of updates is due to the fact that we are on holidays in Sydney at the moment. We've been here a week now and Matthew and I have enjoyed catching up with friends and family, but have been a little busy. Yesterday, I took Matthew to the Early Childhood Centre for his 18 month checkup. All is looking very good indeed. He's tall and slim for his age (as expected, I mean look at his Dad!) and checks all the other milestones with flying colours. Tomorrow we head off from Sydney for the upper Hunter. I've posted a ton of pictures on Picasa already from our visit including a super one of Soc (our Golden Lab) and Matthew.
Seeing as I've had the luxury of babysitters this week, I've had some time with play on Photoshop. Here are some of the results...Look at 'em BIG gorgeous eyes!
Seeing as I've had the luxury of babysitters this week, I've had some time with play on Photoshop. Here are some of the results...Look at 'em BIG gorgeous eyes!
Lovely and Ethereal Matthew
Vintage Matthew
Old West Matthew
70s Matthew
Sunshine Matthew
Friday, October 22, 2010
Hazy Days
Before moving to Singapore my local friends had warned me that there would be days like these...
What I'm talking about is the haze from smoke fires that have descended upon the island. It looks a bit like the pea-soup foggy winter mornings you get in Sydney. But unlike those, this has been hanging around for days now. It got progressively worse as the week led on. The haze I've read in the local paper is due to the smoke from Sumatran fires brought here by the southwesterly winds. The Pollution Standards Index (PSI) went above 100 units, anything above this figure is considered to be in the unhealthy range :(
Today, the PSI is hoovering just under 100 mark.
Matthew and I have retreated inside and haven't left the apartment since yesterday morning for play gym. This has meant that we haven't been able to go for a swim for the past few days. Although it doesn't smell terrible, there is a hint of smoke in the air and you can definitely see it. Duncan who suffers from allergies is not terribly happy with the situation. I'm hoping that a big gust of wind will carry it off to sea. Here's a picture taken from our lounge room window of what I'm referring to...
What I'm talking about is the haze from smoke fires that have descended upon the island. It looks a bit like the pea-soup foggy winter mornings you get in Sydney. But unlike those, this has been hanging around for days now. It got progressively worse as the week led on. The haze I've read in the local paper is due to the smoke from Sumatran fires brought here by the southwesterly winds. The Pollution Standards Index (PSI) went above 100 units, anything above this figure is considered to be in the unhealthy range :(
Today, the PSI is hoovering just under 100 mark.
Matthew and I have retreated inside and haven't left the apartment since yesterday morning for play gym. This has meant that we haven't been able to go for a swim for the past few days. Although it doesn't smell terrible, there is a hint of smoke in the air and you can definitely see it. Duncan who suffers from allergies is not terribly happy with the situation. I'm hoping that a big gust of wind will carry it off to sea. Here's a picture taken from our lounge room window of what I'm referring to...
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Teeth! lots and lots of them...
The poor boy has 5 new ones *, which makes a total of 13 and counting. Fortunately though Matthew doesn't seem to be terribly bothered by all the toothy action.
* Edited to add: Oh dear, there's actually about 6 or 7 new teeth, one of his molars on the bottom seems to have pushed through overnight as well. There are sharp little bumps all over his gums - brushing his teeth is hard enough as it is.
Matthew for some weeks now has shown quite some interest in birds, hence we thought it'd be a nice thing to go to Jurong Bird Park on the weekend. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. Gorgeous gardens, pretty birds of course, loads of people (as we went on a Saturday) and the shows were entertaining. Though not somewhere I'd buy annual membership to but interesting enough to recommend to visitors at a loss at what to do when visiting us. Matthew's Poh Poh and Goong Goong paid us another visit over the weekend also, so Matthew got his little dose of home plus presents from from their recent trip to China - lucky boy!
Our flights are now booked too for our trip home to Australia, we'll be their from the 6th to the 21st of November and hope to catch up with as many of you as possible during our visit.
* Edited to add: Oh dear, there's actually about 6 or 7 new teeth, one of his molars on the bottom seems to have pushed through overnight as well. There are sharp little bumps all over his gums - brushing his teeth is hard enough as it is.
Matthew for some weeks now has shown quite some interest in birds, hence we thought it'd be a nice thing to go to Jurong Bird Park on the weekend. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. Gorgeous gardens, pretty birds of course, loads of people (as we went on a Saturday) and the shows were entertaining. Though not somewhere I'd buy annual membership to but interesting enough to recommend to visitors at a loss at what to do when visiting us. Matthew's Poh Poh and Goong Goong paid us another visit over the weekend also, so Matthew got his little dose of home plus presents from from their recent trip to China - lucky boy!
Our flights are now booked too for our trip home to Australia, we'll be their from the 6th to the 21st of November and hope to catch up with as many of you as possible during our visit.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Cebu
We're back from our holiday to Cebu in the Philippines with Matthew's Uncle Tim. We all had a great time and it's such a shame that holidays must come to an end! Cebu is highly recommended as a holiday destination for rest, relaxation and diving. Matthew had a lovely time, although was a little cranky at times, we assume due to a little bit of a cold (which came and went) and possibly due to the 3 new teeth that are coming at this time. He spent everyday either swimming, playing, running around being naughty, biting, eating, drinking 'Ju Ju' (banana or mango shakes) impressing and collecting new girlfriends or sleeping beautifully through the night and 2-3 hours during the day.
By the end of our stay in the Philippines, Matthew had attracted the attention of A LOT of ladies and girls. In return, he gave lot so of cheeky grins and cuddles and a lucky few even received frangipanis hand delivered from Matthew. As result, the female staff (and some of the male too) and guests knew his name and would call out a 'hello Matthew!' to him every where we went.
We stayed at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu for 6 nights and found the staff there to be very attentive and friendly. There is enough to do (if you like your water sports & spa treatment) at the resort to keep you occupied for a weeks stay. However additional activities come at a price. The most costly for us being the scuba diving, but it was well worth it. Duncan and Tim managed to accomplish 5 dives each and I managed to squeeze in 2 dives ... my very firsts. The AquaSport shop which doubles as an accredited dive centre was a minutes' walk from our 2 bedroom suite. The in-house spa which is one of the best in Asia is located 2 minutes walk from our room. We took advantage of both as often as Matthew permitted :) There is also a children activity centre and playground which Matthew took advantage of a couple of times. In addition to the usual resort facilities, there's also rock climbing wall, archery and firing range and free activities for children and adults scheduled throughout the day. One of the evenings, we took advantage of the Butler service and went out for grown up dinner and drinks while Matthew slept under the supervision of not one but two babysitters.
A quick update on Matthew's modeling career, he was offered a job which we unfortunately had to reject as the assignment shoot was scheduled for the period while we were away. Here's hoping the next job will be better timed next time.
By the end of our stay in the Philippines, Matthew had attracted the attention of A LOT of ladies and girls. In return, he gave lot so of cheeky grins and cuddles and a lucky few even received frangipanis hand delivered from Matthew. As result, the female staff (and some of the male too) and guests knew his name and would call out a 'hello Matthew!' to him every where we went.
A quick update on Matthew's modeling career, he was offered a job which we unfortunately had to reject as the assignment shoot was scheduled for the period while we were away. Here's hoping the next job will be better timed next time.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
16 Months old today!!
This is Duncan's FAVOURITE photo of Matthew at the moment. (I wonder why??)
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Matthew 69 weeks
Matthew's Goong Goong and Poh Poh paid us a short visit a couple of weeks ago, and the little guy had a great old time asking for 'Sheee' (Cheese) and 'Brue' from his grandparents while I wasn't watching. He also got to spend one on one time with his Poh Poh so that I could duck over to Malaysia for the day to run an errand. Matthew missed me only a little and asked for his 'Nya nya' (Mama) only at nap time, other than that he was totally fine not having me around for the day.
I've recovered from my cold and finally regained enough energy to keep up with Matthew. Gosh he's such a handful some days! Always up to something naughty. His language and communication skills have really taken off these few weeks and is such a delight to interact with. He's always making me laugh throughout the day with his little antics. He is growing not only in stature but also as a person. I've got a couple of new videos on YouTube for your viewing pleasure :) One of the new videos is of Matthew swimming solo with his floaties, kicking his legs furiously. We had an impromptu swim lesson a few mornings ago and the swim coach gave me a few tips to encourage him to swim.
Life lately has been pretty relaxed for Matthew and I, a bit of shopping, play gym, play dates with friends, swimming and lazy lunches... Duncan however has been extremely busy at work. We are all looking forward to taking a holiday together in Cebu in a couple of weeks. There is also talk of Matthew and I joining Duncan on one of his business trips if that eventuates. Our firmer travel plans entails a trip back to Sydney for a couple of weeks in November and in December a short holiday in Hong Kong staying with some of our friends.
Our next visitors to Singapore will be Matthew's Grand Aunty Ade, arriving in a week and Uncle Tim arrives a few days after that. It's really nice hosting family from Aus.
a haircut might be in order...
I've recovered from my cold and finally regained enough energy to keep up with Matthew. Gosh he's such a handful some days! Always up to something naughty. His language and communication skills have really taken off these few weeks and is such a delight to interact with. He's always making me laugh throughout the day with his little antics. He is growing not only in stature but also as a person. I've got a couple of new videos on YouTube for your viewing pleasure :) One of the new videos is of Matthew swimming solo with his floaties, kicking his legs furiously. We had an impromptu swim lesson a few mornings ago and the swim coach gave me a few tips to encourage him to swim.
Life lately has been pretty relaxed for Matthew and I, a bit of shopping, play gym, play dates with friends, swimming and lazy lunches... Duncan however has been extremely busy at work. We are all looking forward to taking a holiday together in Cebu in a couple of weeks. There is also talk of Matthew and I joining Duncan on one of his business trips if that eventuates. Our firmer travel plans entails a trip back to Sydney for a couple of weeks in November and in December a short holiday in Hong Kong staying with some of our friends.
Our next visitors to Singapore will be Matthew's Grand Aunty Ade, arriving in a week and Uncle Tim arrives a few days after that. It's really nice hosting family from Aus.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Matthew (I've lost count of how many weeks)
... I'm going to apologise in advance if this blog makes no sense and for the lack of photos these few days. I'm sick, Matthew was kind enough to pass his icky germs to me over the weekend. Little Man however bounced back after 24 hours of mild temperatures last Thursday and is back to driving me crazy with his pointing and bossing me around. Normally I'd find this pretty amusing but not this week, not when I'm sick.
I suppose I can now post that Matthew was shortlisted to be the cover model for a parenting magazine last week and attended his very first 'casting call' on Wed. I was informed that it was 'highly confidential' and was sworn to secrecy - I still don't really comprehend why? - hence refrained from telling the world about it. Unfortunately, he didn't make the cut which in hindsight was a good thing as Matthew had a temperature the next day which was the day a 4 hour photo shoot had been scheduled. It would have been a very bad 'stage mummy' thing to do to make your sick 15 mth old toddler 'work'!
My side of the family arrives this weekend - hooray! I'm looking forward to Matthew spending lots of time with his Goong Goong (Grand-dad)and Poh Poh (Grandma) and Auntie so I can take a rest.... ZzZ ZZ ZZzz Z
I suppose I can now post that Matthew was shortlisted to be the cover model for a parenting magazine last week and attended his very first 'casting call' on Wed. I was informed that it was 'highly confidential' and was sworn to secrecy - I still don't really comprehend why? - hence refrained from telling the world about it. Unfortunately, he didn't make the cut which in hindsight was a good thing as Matthew had a temperature the next day which was the day a 4 hour photo shoot had been scheduled. It would have been a very bad 'stage mummy' thing to do to make your sick 15 mth old toddler 'work'!
My side of the family arrives this weekend - hooray! I'm looking forward to Matthew spending lots of time with his Goong Goong (Grand-dad)and Poh Poh (Grandma) and Auntie so I can take a rest.... ZzZ ZZ ZZzz Z
Monday, August 30, 2010
Melaka Road Trip Update
Hello All, I'm pleased to report that we made it home in one piece! Melaka was great fun as both Matthew's Auntie Kim and Grandfather Goong Goong were there to show us around and babysit. We left the house at 8:30 in the morning and 30mins later (a few left turns and mucking around with the newly acquired GPS) we headed for the Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia. Although Google Maps had predicted that the drive would take around 3 hours, the trip itself was closer to 5 hours due to the queue at both the Singapore and Malaysian immigration check-points. A little more mucking around as we figured out the toll system for travelling on the Malaysian highway also set us back a little time. Sat afternoon was spent enjoying the spoils of Goong Goong's durian hunt. Wikipeadia reckons it has a 'unique' odour, but Duncan and most causasians would say it stinks :) I had given Matthew a piece of durian to try in the past and he had not taken to it, but it seems that Matthew doesnt seem to mind a little bit of durian delight in the afternoon!
During our very short stay, we manage to squeeze in a visit to a couple of the tourist sites around town and came away with a few snaps, these have been posted in the usual spot.
During our very short stay, we manage to squeeze in a visit to a couple of the tourist sites around town and came away with a few snaps, these have been posted in the usual spot.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Matthew is 15 months old (tomorrow!)
I'm posting his 15th month update a day early as we will be heading to Malacca on our first road trip in to Malaysia. Pretty exciting as we haven't purchased any maps and will be relying on google maps on my phone to get there! Should be a laugh, maybe a few tears too, we'll see... We picked up our new car on Tues and are enjoying to freedom of driving and getting to know our new home a bit better. Matthew loves grooving in his car seat dancing, clapping and kicking his legs to the radio. He also fell asleep in the car on the way home from play gym yesterday.
At 15th months of age, Matthew is still an EXTREMELY active and alert little person, he's on the go non-stop every waking minute. He's enjoying life very much and is still getting himself involved in everything and observing the world around him with a very keen eye. He loves to communicate to us in both sign and verbally and is adding new words and signs to his vocabulary every day. This week he signed 'Teddy' and 'book' for me for the very first time, he's only done it once so far and I'm still waiting for him to do it again! Matthew loved signing 'water' for his Nanna and Pop while they were here, and more than a few occasions would trick them into fetching his water bottle just because he could :)
Matthew loves to ...
... play with the phone and hold it up to his ear and pretend to 'chat'. He's worked out where to plug-in Dad's audio/video cables for the amplifier and enjoys pushing and pulling the plugs in and out. He knows that the mouse controls the cursor on the computer screen and which remote controls the air-cond in the apartment and loves to play with them. He loves to pull apart blocks and is a destroyer of all things that ding, beep, plays music or moves. He loves anything with buttons and has pressed the emergency button in the elevator on more than one occasion (actually, I've lost count of how many times I've had to apologise to the security staff). He loves going through my wallet and pulling out all the cards and coins too! He loves roaring like a lion and will walk around with his toy safari animals yelling 'RRRRRrrr!'. He likes drinking the water in the swimming pool :( His favourite food is still blueberries and he also loves oats and looks forward to a big helping every morning. He's still a great little independent feeder with a healthy appetite and has a well developed palette for a toddler , I've just discovered that he loves olives, balsamic vinegar, chilli (will eat chilli sauce straight out of the bottle), pepper and raw garlic. He's even tried a little bit of wine offered on my finger tip and wanted more.
I'll post some pictures of Malacca next week some sure.
Can't possibly be comfortable with his head dangling like that!
At 15th months of age, Matthew is still an EXTREMELY active and alert little person, he's on the go non-stop every waking minute. He's enjoying life very much and is still getting himself involved in everything and observing the world around him with a very keen eye. He loves to communicate to us in both sign and verbally and is adding new words and signs to his vocabulary every day. This week he signed 'Teddy' and 'book' for me for the very first time, he's only done it once so far and I'm still waiting for him to do it again! Matthew loved signing 'water' for his Nanna and Pop while they were here, and more than a few occasions would trick them into fetching his water bottle just because he could :)
Matthew loves to ...
... play with the phone and hold it up to his ear and pretend to 'chat'. He's worked out where to plug-in Dad's audio/video cables for the amplifier and enjoys pushing and pulling the plugs in and out. He knows that the mouse controls the cursor on the computer screen and which remote controls the air-cond in the apartment and loves to play with them. He loves to pull apart blocks and is a destroyer of all things that ding, beep, plays music or moves. He loves anything with buttons and has pressed the emergency button in the elevator on more than one occasion (actually, I've lost count of how many times I've had to apologise to the security staff). He loves going through my wallet and pulling out all the cards and coins too! He loves roaring like a lion and will walk around with his toy safari animals yelling 'RRRRRrrr!'. He likes drinking the water in the swimming pool :( His favourite food is still blueberries and he also loves oats and looks forward to a big helping every morning. He's still a great little independent feeder with a healthy appetite and has a well developed palette for a toddler , I've just discovered that he loves olives, balsamic vinegar, chilli (will eat chilli sauce straight out of the bottle), pepper and raw garlic. He's even tried a little bit of wine offered on my finger tip and wanted more.
I'll post some pictures of Malacca next week some sure.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Matthew 64 weeks - A visit from Nanna and Pop!
This week Matthew's been treated to a visit from Nanna and Pop from Aus. They've even coined a new nickname for him, 'Destructo' (Daddy calls him 'Godzilla') as he likes to pull apart and destroy everything! - blocks and train sets especially. Matthew's had a wonderful few days so far out and about town, by the pool and yesterday we went to the zoo. We kicked off the visit to the zoo by watching the elephants splashing about in their bath and Matthew even got a chance to feed them. We even had a lovely breakfast with the orang-utans and some other furry and not so furry friends (snakes). Matthew would have loved to have pounced on any of the active animals, but showed a clear disinterest in anything that didn't move. I've got lots of pictures posted in Matthew's week 63 and 64 Picasa gallery - certainly a week to remember in years to come.
In the last couple of weeks, Matthew has been doing lots of baby talk and his favourite word at the moment is 'brue brue' which means blueberries, his favourite food. We avoid mentioning the word 'blueberries' as he'll run to the kitchen and attempt to open to fridge door to get at the blueberries. 'Brue' can also mean food in general, and at dinner time he'll yell 'brue! brue! brue!' lots until you feed him. He's also started saying a 'nose' which sounds more like 'news' as he'll say it when pinching his nose at the same time so it comes out very nasally (very cute!).
Pic of Matthew pinching Pop's 'news'.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Singapore's 45th Birthday & Hungry Ghost Festival
Singapore celebrated it's 45th Anniversary since gaining independence from Malaysia on Monday, for us, this meant that Duncan could enjoy his first 'long weekend' since arriving in on this little island country YAY! We enjoyed lots of family time together and even squeezed in a few of play dates and swims with Matthew's friends Charlie (3) and Lizzie (nearly 2) and new friend from our building Hayden (1). We stayed away from the celebrations to avoid the heat and crowd by lazing by the pool at a friends' place. The only thing which made National Day any different from any other weekend for us was the armored tanks that came thundering down the road that night and the fireworks display we could see in the distance.
On a more interesting note, Tuesday was the start of the Hungry Ghost Festival. According to Chinese tradition, the 15th day of the seventh month (I know it's August, but keep in mind that Chinese New Year was celebrated on Feb 14 this year) in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month, in which ghosts and spirits including those of the deceased ancestors roam. On Ghost Day, ghosts and spirits are believed to visit the living. On the fifteenth day the realms of Heaven and Hell and the realm of the living are open and both Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to amend and set free the sufferings of the dead. Sounds a little scary doesn't it?
This past week with Matthew has been a bit of a blur. Matthew is back to his bad habit of biting again. My shoulder is covered in little Matthew bite size bruises. Saying a firm 'No' doesn't seem to cut it and he thinks it's funny when I pull the 'Mummy's angry' face. He often does it when he's overtired although he does sometimes like to nip at you when you least expect it. I guess that's why they call the 'ankle biters' (yes, he's bitten me on the ankle before).
Oh yes, .... between visits to the playgym and pool over the weekend, we managed to take a look at a couple of cars. It looks like we will have a little Honda Insight, which looks remarkably like our old car in a couple of weeks.
On a more interesting note, Tuesday was the start of the Hungry Ghost Festival. According to Chinese tradition, the 15th day of the seventh month (I know it's August, but keep in mind that Chinese New Year was celebrated on Feb 14 this year) in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month, in which ghosts and spirits including those of the deceased ancestors roam. On Ghost Day, ghosts and spirits are believed to visit the living. On the fifteenth day the realms of Heaven and Hell and the realm of the living are open and both Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to amend and set free the sufferings of the dead. Sounds a little scary doesn't it?
This past week with Matthew has been a bit of a blur. Matthew is back to his bad habit of biting again. My shoulder is covered in little Matthew bite size bruises. Saying a firm 'No' doesn't seem to cut it and he thinks it's funny when I pull the 'Mummy's angry' face. He often does it when he's overtired although he does sometimes like to nip at you when you least expect it. I guess that's why they call the 'ankle biters' (yes, he's bitten me on the ankle before).
Oh yes, .... between visits to the playgym and pool over the weekend, we managed to take a look at a couple of cars. It looks like we will have a little Honda Insight, which looks remarkably like our old car in a couple of weeks.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Matthew 62 weeks
I made this compilation of pictures from Matthew's first year and Matthew just loves sitting on my lap and watching it with me. Besides using it as a tool to get Matthew to sit still for a few minutes, I use it also to point out the people in his family so he remembers faces and names while we are living away from home.
This is the edited version so it doesn't run too long and small enough a file so I could post it on here. Enjoy :)
This is the edited version so it doesn't run too long and small enough a file so I could post it on here. Enjoy :)
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Matthew 61 weeks
The photo shoot yesterday went well and we managed to get some amazing shots of Matthew which will be ready to be picked up in 2 weeks from now. The shoot with the photographer didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped but in hindsight, knowing Matthew's temperament of not being able to sit still for very long I should have had an inkling on how the shoot would go. We still had a good time nonetheless and were both very very tired by the end of the day. We arrived at the studio on time and were met by Yvonne (Matthew's agent) who helped decide which outfit Matthew should wear and eventually picked out a bright green tee and shorts combo. Next was hair and make-up, Matthew had his hair combed (with a comb) for the first time ever and had some blush and lip gloss applied. Matthew thought the strawberry lip gloss was particularly delicious and wanted more! The shoot itself took about 10-15 mins which I'm sure to Matthew felt like an eternity. After the shoot, Matthew had his height, chest, waist and feet measurements taken so that this information could be printed on his model card. Can't wait to see the official pictures as the raw pictures already look very cute :)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Matthew is 14 months old today!
To celebrate, I took him shopping, not that he enjoyed it much. We needed clothes in the next size up and also for a photo shoot Matthew would be doing tomorrow afternoon for his modeling portfolio. Yes, Matthew will be a pint sized model. We auditioned last week with a modeling agency and they just loved him because he was so friendly and cheeky (and of course cute too!) Matthew has an agreement with the agency for the next 15 months, which means that they have exclusive rights to his professional images, representation and will collect commission on all assignments he completes. It's just a bit of fun on the side to make life here a little more interesting. I'll be sure to post pics of his photo shoot, provided that I'm allowed to do that!
You may have noticed that this past week's pictures have been full of Matthew with various 'Aunties'. They are some of my girlfriends that I've reconnected with since arriving in Singapore. Matthew just laps up the attention on turns on the charm at every opportunity. Such a boy!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Mucking about on iPhoto
Monday, July 19, 2010
Matthew 59 weeks
Matthew is getting more naughty everyday. He loves to rummage through the kitchen drawers and cupboards and pull everything out. He also loves anything with buttons and will press them 'on' and 'off' and 'on' and 'off' and 'on' and 'off' and 'on' and 'off' and 'on' and 'off' .... well you get the picture.
He's officially down to one sleep a day now, napping usually around 11am and will sleep for anywhere between 1.5 - 3 hours. Lunch plans are normally placed on hold until the little emperor wakes. This week he's also learnt to shake his head from side to side (as if to indicate 'No') and I thought him how to hail a taxi yesterday :)
Over the last few days Matthew has grown attached to a white teddy bear and we have great fun doing a little role playing with Teddy. We've been showing Matthew how Teddy likes to lie down in the cot and go to sleep. Last night Matthew did as he was told and laid down and place his arm around Teddy and went to sleep. So sweet!
This past weekend was all about trying to get a little time to relax for a change. Saturday was family time at home and a little shopping and a late lunch afterward.
On Sunday morning we were invited to a party that was hosted by the parents of one of Matthew's friends from his play gym. Left is a picture of Matthew having fun on the slide. After the party was lunch with friends, who were also kind enough to help us do a little car shopping. We hope to sort out the logistics of getting a car and start driving sometime this month so we can do a little more exploring!
He's officially down to one sleep a day now, napping usually around 11am and will sleep for anywhere between 1.5 - 3 hours. Lunch plans are normally placed on hold until the little emperor wakes. This week he's also learnt to shake his head from side to side (as if to indicate 'No') and I thought him how to hail a taxi yesterday :)
Over the last few days Matthew has grown attached to a white teddy bear and we have great fun doing a little role playing with Teddy. We've been showing Matthew how Teddy likes to lie down in the cot and go to sleep. Last night Matthew did as he was told and laid down and place his arm around Teddy and went to sleep. So sweet!
This past weekend was all about trying to get a little time to relax for a change. Saturday was family time at home and a little shopping and a late lunch afterward.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Matthew 58 weeks - Uh Oh
Matthew's favourite word this week has been 'Uh Oh'
Probably because Mum said 'Uh oh' when was told that the lovely 3 seater Italian leather lounge was not going to fit in the lift nor the stairwell and therefore sadly could not be brought up to our 8th floor apartment. Aside from that, the move has gone well. The relocation company sent a team of people to deliver and unpack all our belonging and take away all the boxes which made it relatively stress free. Having someone else unpack meant that I spent the first few days searching for things as I had no idea where things had been placed! The new place is lovely and spacious enough for the 3 of us. As I mentioned in the previous post, the walls were all freshly painted and I'd arranged for a handyman to help me mount our paintings and pictures to make the place feel more like home.
We live in a suburb called Ang Mo Kio (AMK), it's so large you can consider it a little town in itself. The train station (MRT) is a 15 min walk away for me with the pram or 9 min walk for Duncan with his much longer legs. On the way to the train station there is also a wet market (meat & fish) and another which sells local fruit and veg and also several cafes & hawker stalls selling local fare. The nearest shopping mall (AMK Hub) is located right next to the train station where you can get everything you need. The mall houses a very large grocery and department store and loads of smaller specialty stores. With so much variety available nearby, you have a choice between a SGD$27 steak air flown from Australia or a SGD$3 bowl of noodles for dinner for example. The facilities at AMK is definitely catered toward families, after all this is Singapore's suburban heartland. We are geographically located in the centre of the country, but you've got to remember that Singapore is a small island so getting to anywhere from where we are is generally no more than 30 mins. To put things in perspective, it takes Duncan 30 mins to get to work on the train and the main shopping district Orchard Road is 6 short stops on the train which takes 13 mins.
We've already had our first visitor to the apartment, my sister Kim came to stay with us to help watch over Matthew while we attempted to tidy up a bit more. However, much of the weekend was spent lounging around the apartment or by the pool and dining out once or twice :)
Just so Matthew and I could do something fun together and get out of the apartment for a while, we ventured to the Singapore Art Museum yesterday. Matthew had a fabulous time! He was completely enthralled with EVERYTHING he saw and was giggling and smiling and yelling and running around (when allowed to) the entire time. I highly recommend this for children and adults too of course!
To coincide with the art theme, Matthew completed his first piece of art work in crayon. I call it 'A Study in Blue, Green and Red' and hangs proudly on our fridge door. Later this week I plan on taking him to visit his Great Grand Aunt, one of the very few relatives we have in Singapore.
Probably because Mum said 'Uh oh' when was told that the lovely 3 seater Italian leather lounge was not going to fit in the lift nor the stairwell and therefore sadly could not be brought up to our 8th floor apartment. Aside from that, the move has gone well. The relocation company sent a team of people to deliver and unpack all our belonging and take away all the boxes which made it relatively stress free. Having someone else unpack meant that I spent the first few days searching for things as I had no idea where things had been placed! The new place is lovely and spacious enough for the 3 of us. As I mentioned in the previous post, the walls were all freshly painted and I'd arranged for a handyman to help me mount our paintings and pictures to make the place feel more like home.
We live in a suburb called Ang Mo Kio (AMK), it's so large you can consider it a little town in itself. The train station (MRT) is a 15 min walk away for me with the pram or 9 min walk for Duncan with his much longer legs. On the way to the train station there is also a wet market (meat & fish) and another which sells local fruit and veg and also several cafes & hawker stalls selling local fare. The nearest shopping mall (AMK Hub) is located right next to the train station where you can get everything you need. The mall houses a very large grocery and department store and loads of smaller specialty stores. With so much variety available nearby, you have a choice between a SGD$27 steak air flown from Australia or a SGD$3 bowl of noodles for dinner for example. The facilities at AMK is definitely catered toward families, after all this is Singapore's suburban heartland. We are geographically located in the centre of the country, but you've got to remember that Singapore is a small island so getting to anywhere from where we are is generally no more than 30 mins. To put things in perspective, it takes Duncan 30 mins to get to work on the train and the main shopping district Orchard Road is 6 short stops on the train which takes 13 mins.
We've already had our first visitor to the apartment, my sister Kim came to stay with us to help watch over Matthew while we attempted to tidy up a bit more. However, much of the weekend was spent lounging around the apartment or by the pool and dining out once or twice :)
Duncan and Matthew trying out the water slide at our condo complex
Just so Matthew and I could do something fun together and get out of the apartment for a while, we ventured to the Singapore Art Museum yesterday. Matthew had a fabulous time! He was completely enthralled with EVERYTHING he saw and was giggling and smiling and yelling and running around (when allowed to) the entire time. I highly recommend this for children and adults too of course!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Matthew 57 weeks
Bit of a scheduling hiccup today meant that Matthew and I are staying at the serviced apartment rather than at our new home supervising the crew of people delivering our furniture, 3 painters and a handyman that I'd organise to come mount our TV and paintings. Just as well really, as I woke at 3:30am this morning in a bit of a panic wondering how I was going to manage them all and look after Matthew at the same time. So instead of utter pandemonium and chaos created by boxes and packing material, leather lounges and open tins of paint plus a 1 year old (imagine the disasterous possibilities!!) the painters are left to their own devices to get on with sprucing up the apartment ready for Mr.Grubby fingers to put chocolate and cheese on the walls.
This weekly post is late because we've just been SO busy. Saturday morning was spent avoiding the torrential rain that buckets Singapore without notice at Loewen Gardens Farmer's Market. The market was small and cosy. We managed to find all the lovely gourmet treats that we are so used to in Sydney there.We arrived armed with cash :) and made a beeline, past the free range eggs and the home brewed beers, straight for the olives. We bought some lovely bright green Sicilian and marinated kalamatas olive, which were promptly consumed 10mins after we got home. Other yummy things on offer were baked goods, French spreads and oils and of course organic fruit, veg and flowers. Matthew enjoyed sampling everything on offer.
After a short rest (and wait for the rain to subside), we made our way to Universal Studios Singapore at Sentosa Resort. It's exactly what you'd expect from a theme park, crowds (queues), rides, fast food, entertainers, shows and lots of outlets to purchase park merchandise. Surprisingly Duncan and I had a good time. The park layout was well thought out, with good selection of food available, facilities for babies and stroller hire if you hadn't brought your own. There is a daily quota of entry tickets available so you need to purchase your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. However that being said, due to the fact that we'd purchased our tickets in advance we had to go on the day selected even if it turned out that the weather was crappy. Fortunately by the time we got there the rain stayed away. Majority of the rides aren't suitable for little ones so Matthew was limited to only a handful. He had a busy day just soaking in his surroundings, including sitting quietly on my lap eating his sultanas while we watched the Shrek 4D movie. He even endured wearing the 3D glasses for 2 whole minutes! He didnt mind terribly queuing up for rides and waiting for shows to start and was very patient the whole day not fussing once. A word of advice though for families thinking about going with really young children (under 2). Littlies dont have a clue what's going on and most of the shows and performances have really loud sound effects which meant that we spent most of time covering Matthew's ears to protect his precious eardrums. I personally would recommend waiting till children are a little older to make a visit to the park.
Sunday was brunch with a girl friend for me and a little Matthew and Daddy time for the boys. We met up at our new apartment to pick up our keys and to conduct an inventory after lunch. After that was a mad dash to the shops to pick out a present for little newborn Jake who is 10 days old today and then to drop off his gift in the evening. That pretty much in a nutshell sums up our weekend. The next few days will be spent busily unpacking and settling in to the new apartment and I will blog again when we get up and running.
This weekly post is late because we've just been SO busy. Saturday morning was spent avoiding the torrential rain that buckets Singapore without notice at Loewen Gardens Farmer's Market. The market was small and cosy. We managed to find all the lovely gourmet treats that we are so used to in Sydney there.We arrived armed with cash :) and made a beeline, past the free range eggs and the home brewed beers, straight for the olives. We bought some lovely bright green Sicilian and marinated kalamatas olive, which were promptly consumed 10mins after we got home. Other yummy things on offer were baked goods, French spreads and oils and of course organic fruit, veg and flowers. Matthew enjoyed sampling everything on offer.
A very confused Matthew with some of the characters from Madagascar.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Things to do on weekends
It's school holidays in Singapore at the moment, unlike mid-year school holidays in Aus, the kids are on holidays for 4 whole weeks. I know of very few working parents who are happy about this. However, school holidays come with some advantages too.
A few of the restaurants offer a discount off the bill if you come in to dine early. Perfect for parents with young kids who like to occasionally indulge in a bit of yummy mud crab and still get home in time before the little emperor gets cranky!
There are also live shows and activities for older kids at many of the malls. We're steering clear of these as along with school holidays, the GSS (Great Singapore Sale) which runs from the 28 May to 25 July is on right now as well and besides Matthew is a little young for them. The GSS means that EVERY store in Singapore is on sale, which is great if you are an avid shopper, but along with the bargains to be had, there are the crowds and the queues to deal with too. Grrrr.
Tonight we're going to check out the Singapore River Festival. Living a stones' throw away from the river at Clarke Quay we might as well brave the crowds and see what is happening at our doorstep. There are street performers, art, parades on the river and also jazz and wine. Matthew is a huge fan of all things neon and flashing... hmmm, come to think of it, the last time we did this Matthew didnt sleep too well that night :(
Next weekend, I'm dragging the boys to the farmer's market at Loewen Gardens which is held once a month and run by a cookery school here called 'The Pantry'. So you see there's never a lack of something to do on the weekend, and once we tire of Singapore, holiday hotspots like Phuket and Cebu are only a short and cheap flight away.
A few of the restaurants offer a discount off the bill if you come in to dine early. Perfect for parents with young kids who like to occasionally indulge in a bit of yummy mud crab and still get home in time before the little emperor gets cranky!
There are also live shows and activities for older kids at many of the malls. We're steering clear of these as along with school holidays, the GSS (Great Singapore Sale) which runs from the 28 May to 25 July is on right now as well and besides Matthew is a little young for them. The GSS means that EVERY store in Singapore is on sale, which is great if you are an avid shopper, but along with the bargains to be had, there are the crowds and the queues to deal with too. Grrrr.
Tonight we're going to check out the Singapore River Festival. Living a stones' throw away from the river at Clarke Quay we might as well brave the crowds and see what is happening at our doorstep. There are street performers, art, parades on the river and also jazz and wine. Matthew is a huge fan of all things neon and flashing... hmmm, come to think of it, the last time we did this Matthew didnt sleep too well that night :(
Next weekend, I'm dragging the boys to the farmer's market at Loewen Gardens which is held once a month and run by a cookery school here called 'The Pantry'. So you see there's never a lack of something to do on the weekend, and once we tire of Singapore, holiday hotspots like Phuket and Cebu are only a short and cheap flight away.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Matthew 56 weeks
...only another week to go before we get the keys to our new apartment. It will be so nice to move into our own space.
We are settling into Singapore well. However I'm not used to the price of good quality meat here, especially beef and lamb. Also the price of organic goods is at least twice the price of that back in Aus, eg 1 litre of organic milk is S$ 12.95! Fortunately there are plenty of alternatives and it's a matter of finding them.
Matthew's capacity for learning and grasping the world around him seems to be excelerating, so much so that it's a source of frustration as he's able to understand a lot more than he can say. We try to introduce a new word into his vocabulary each week, for instance this week it's 'Duck'. Though I've found that he'll understand some commands and words surprisingly quickly, while others he'll simply ignore no matter how many times you try... He also enjoys time alone to do some fun independent exploration (under supervision of course).
Matthew is still signing the word 'eat' and occasionally sign a modified version of 'water'.
This is the sign for 'eat' or 'food'
Here is a video of Matthew signing for us.
We are settling into Singapore well. However I'm not used to the price of good quality meat here, especially beef and lamb. Also the price of organic goods is at least twice the price of that back in Aus, eg 1 litre of organic milk is S$ 12.95! Fortunately there are plenty of alternatives and it's a matter of finding them.
Matthew's capacity for learning and grasping the world around him seems to be excelerating, so much so that it's a source of frustration as he's able to understand a lot more than he can say. We try to introduce a new word into his vocabulary each week, for instance this week it's 'Duck'. Though I've found that he'll understand some commands and words surprisingly quickly, while others he'll simply ignore no matter how many times you try... He also enjoys time alone to do some fun independent exploration (under supervision of course).
Matthew is still signing the word 'eat' and occasionally sign a modified version of 'water'.
This is the sign for 'eat' or 'food'
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Matthew 55 weeks
Things we don't care to mention....
I was asked today by one of the Mums at Matthew's playgym if I blog about everything and I promptly answered 'hell no!'. If I did you'd be reading about the time Matthew ate a rehydrated sultana that fell out of his dirty nappy. Oh yes, you heard right :( this did happen and was the most disgusting thing EVER!. You'd also hear that Matthew threw the remote control for the aircond in the toilet tonight and yesterday morning said with much glee;
Matthew: Dad dad die die die!
Mum: (giggles - surely he has no idea what he's saying)
Matthew: Mum mum die die die!
Mum: (frowns)
I was asked today by one of the Mums at Matthew's playgym if I blog about everything and I promptly answered 'hell no!'. If I did you'd be reading about the time Matthew ate a rehydrated sultana that fell out of his dirty nappy. Oh yes, you heard right :( this did happen and was the most disgusting thing EVER!. You'd also hear that Matthew threw the remote control for the aircond in the toilet tonight and yesterday morning said with much glee;
Matthew: Dad dad die die die!
Mum: (giggles - surely he has no idea what he's saying)
Matthew: Mum mum die die die!
Mum: (frowns)
We love our cheeky boy.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Baby sign language
Matthew is signing back to us! After months and months of signing to him, he signed back for the first time the word 'eat' this morning. Once to his Dad and twice to me right before breakfast to tell me he wanted his oats!!
I've been using the Australian Baby Hands method for teaching baby sign language to Matthew. We were introduced to the author Jackie Durnin last May before Matthew was born and both agreed that it would be something we wanted to teach to our baby. Matthew signing back this morning, means that he's able to communicate his basic needs to us while he is still pre-verbal. Some of the other words I've been teaching him to sign are 'drink', 'book', 'fish', 'more' and 'finish'. (will try to post a video soon).
I've been using the Australian Baby Hands method for teaching baby sign language to Matthew. We were introduced to the author Jackie Durnin last May before Matthew was born and both agreed that it would be something we wanted to teach to our baby. Matthew signing back this morning, means that he's able to communicate his basic needs to us while he is still pre-verbal. Some of the other words I've been teaching him to sign are 'drink', 'book', 'fish', 'more' and 'finish'. (will try to post a video soon).
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Our New Home
Yay! we found a home in Singapore. Below are some pictures of our apartment(condominium) complex. Majority of the Singapore population live in apartments (like other heavily populated Asian cities -Hong Kong, Beijing). It's a 3 bedroom, plus study (glass cubicle and very much like a fish bowl) apartment on the 8th floor and apartment number 8 (08-08). Apparently a lot of the local folks have been interested in the apartment because the number '8' is considered lucky. (To find out more, click HERE) Hope it brings us luck! We move in around the first week of July. Our 20 foot container of 'stuff' arrives in Singapore on the 26 June and I'm really looking forward to being surrounded by own things. I'm sure Matthew will love being able to get his hands on the toys he scored on his birthday!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Matthew firsts ....
16 Sept, 2009 (15 weeks) Rolling Over
5 Nov, 2009 (22 weeks) Solid food
15 Nov, 2009 (24 weeks) Crawling
28 Nov, 2009 (26 weeks) First word (Mamama), sat up, 1st & 2nd tooth
Jan, 2010 (32 weeks) Standing, Cruising
20 April, 2010 (47 weeks) Steps unaided
30 April, 2010 (49 weeks) Plane ride
16 May, 2010 (51 weeks) Clapping
28 May, 2010 (52 weeks) Walking
but as all mums know, the first year is so much more than just a checklist of milestones. There are all those precious moments in between that cant be summed up in a list. x
5 Nov, 2009 (22 weeks) Solid food
15 Nov, 2009 (24 weeks) Crawling
28 Nov, 2009 (26 weeks) First word (Mamama), sat up, 1st & 2nd tooth
Jan, 2010 (32 weeks) Standing, Cruising
20 April, 2010 (47 weeks) Steps unaided
30 April, 2010 (49 weeks) Plane ride
16 May, 2010 (51 weeks) Clapping
28 May, 2010 (52 weeks) Walking
but as all mums know, the first year is so much more than just a checklist of milestones. There are all those precious moments in between that cant be summed up in a list. x
Saturday, June 12, 2010
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
to the Blackwells who had a baby girl!!!
We cant wait to meet her in November.
Erin Ave Blackwell
Born 12.06.10 at noon We cant wait to meet her in November.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Book, Water, Shoe and more
We made it to Singapore and have already made ourselves quite a little nest in our temporary apartment. Matthew has a bit of a cough, probably from the change in climate and travelling but that hasnt stopped him from being his mischievous self. He's walking a lot more confidently these couple of days, wanting to spend most of the day on his feet actually. I'm looking forward to the day when I can actually embark on one of our little adventures without bringing either the carrier or the pram. We are still a way off I think :) Matthew's dad still thinks he walks like a little zombie.
He's also understanding and learning words rapidly. It took him a couple of weeks to grasp the first few words but since then every couple of days he'll pick up another word. So far, we have 'cheese stick', 'car', 'book', 'shoe', 'bowl', 'spoon', 'water' (his drink bottle), 'grapes', 'blueberries' (aka 'bluebies'), 'carrot', 'pear', 'oats/oatties', 'ball', 'Mama' and 'Dada' to name a few.. I'm also pretty sure he knows the word 'nose' but because I havent been able to teach him to point and he cant indicate to me that he understands what I'm referring to. He also understands 'turn the page' (when reading a book), 'brush brush brush' (brush your teeth), 'ta for mama/dada' (give it to Mum/Dad), 'bathtime/bath' and 'bedtime/lie down'. He's never too impressed when told to 'lie down'.
Our limited conversations consists of;
'where's Matthew's water/shoe/ball/book?' etc
Matthew responds by fetching or going to the item.
'Matthew lie down'
Often after I've put him in his bed, I'll check on him and find him standing and chatting to himself. On the odd occasion he'll oblige and go to sleep when I tell him to lie down without having to set foot in his nursery!
I've got a cute new video of Matthew's progress this week on YouTube. Till next time.
He's also understanding and learning words rapidly. It took him a couple of weeks to grasp the first few words but since then every couple of days he'll pick up another word. So far, we have 'cheese stick', 'car', 'book', 'shoe', 'bowl', 'spoon', 'water' (his drink bottle), 'grapes', 'blueberries' (aka 'bluebies'), 'carrot', 'pear', 'oats/oatties', 'ball', 'Mama' and 'Dada' to name a few.. I'm also pretty sure he knows the word 'nose' but because I havent been able to teach him to point and he cant indicate to me that he understands what I'm referring to. He also understands 'turn the page' (when reading a book), 'brush brush brush' (brush your teeth), 'ta for mama/dada' (give it to Mum/Dad), 'bathtime/bath' and 'bedtime/lie down'. He's never too impressed when told to 'lie down'.
Our limited conversations consists of;
'where's Matthew's water/shoe/ball/book?' etc
Matthew responds by fetching or going to the item.
'Matthew want water?'
Matthew replies by putting both arms out for his water bottle'Matthew lie down'
Often after I've put him in his bed, I'll check on him and find him standing and chatting to himself. On the odd occasion he'll oblige and go to sleep when I tell him to lie down without having to set foot in his nursery!
I've got a cute new video of Matthew's progress this week on YouTube. Till next time.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
9 Boxes of toys?!?!
... but Matthew's only one! How did this happen?
The packing is in full swing, in fact by the end of the day everything that we need will be on it's way to be loaded in to a 20 foot container bound for our new home country! I'm hiding out in Matthew's grandparents place in the meantime to avoid the chaos. Last night was our last night in the house as we check into a hotel tonight for the next 3 nights before flying out on Sunday morning. It feels a little strange leaving Sydney again as it felt like only yesterday that we returned home from our last overseas stint.
Can't help but feel a little sad about the family we are leaving behind, but on the upside there are lots to look forward to. Finding a new place, settling in to life in Singapore and welcoming plenty of visitors over the next 6 mths! We're also planning to take Matthew to some of our favourite holiday spots and hopefully fit in some new ones as well.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
First Birthday Photos on Picasa
For Matthew's Birthday party pictures: CLICK HERE
Matthew had a wonderful time at his first birthday party.
Matthew's birthday cake made by yours truly.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Happy 1st Birthday Matthew
The day is finally here and our little man is ONE!!!
This past year has been fantastic, Matthew is such a great kid - he's bright, funny, affectionate and just so easy going (most of the time) We consider ourselves extremely lucky to have Matthew in our lives.
Matthew's been taking little steps here and there for a few weeks now, venturing further and further away on foot each day. Today he walked across his room to give me a cuddle and I had one of those proud magical mummy moments that I'll never forget.
Here is a picture of our TODDLER (sniff sniff) taken this morning;
This past year has been fantastic, Matthew is such a great kid - he's bright, funny, affectionate and just so easy going (most of the time) We consider ourselves extremely lucky to have Matthew in our lives.
Matthew's been taking little steps here and there for a few weeks now, venturing further and further away on foot each day. Today he walked across his room to give me a cuddle and I had one of those proud magical mummy moments that I'll never forget.
Here is a picture of our TODDLER (sniff sniff) taken this morning;
Monday, May 24, 2010
Matthew 52 weeks
Matthew 51 weeks
It's been a busy couple of weeks and I havent had the time to post. The flight back from Singapore was excellent. We even had comments from fellow passenger on how well Matthew travelled. On arrival at Sydney Airport is a different matter however... it's got to be the S..L..O..W..E..S..T airport to get through customs and quarantine! Fortunately for us, we were picked out of the queue and fast tracked because of Matthew. Little perks of traveling with little people!
Here is a picture taken at our Mother's Group baby's first birthday get together... all of our bubs are so grown up now :( (Matthew is in the stripy green top)
Here is a picture taken at our Mother's Group baby's first birthday get together... all of our bubs are so grown up now :( (Matthew is in the stripy green top)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Aunty Kim!! (Tai Yee Mah)
Matthew's Aunty (my sis) came to stay with us in Singapore the weekend, much to our delight :) Matthew had a great time clambering over her and showing her his new skill of standing and working the blocks through his shape shorter. Kim also got to see Matthew's charms at work wooing complete strangers while we were out and about house hunting! Unfortunately, she also got to see his cranky monster side as Matthew had a sniffle and a mild temp on Sunday. We hope to head over to Malacca (Malaysia) before Kim returns to her home base in Melbourne (as soon as Matthew's mum feels confident enough to brave the bus ride over).
Where is Malacca? Click Here
Where is Malacca? Click Here
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Matthew 50 weeks
Time has really flown and the little guy is BIG! He hasnt stopped eating since we got to Singapore and has been sporting this enormous tummy. He's getting chubby again and I love it! Yesterday Matthew and I walked to the MRT (Underground Train) station and caught the train to the city to have some lunch and do a little shopping. Matthew wasnt at all phased by the crowds or the train and took everything in his stride.
We went to the local kids gym this morning and Matthew had loads of fun. There were his old favourites like the parachute and the ball pit and well as some new ones which was pretty cool.We've signed up for the term and I'll start taking him to the gym a couple of times a week to spice up our routine. He's been going down for his naps really easily too as there's been so much activity during the day to tire him out. He's actually wanting to be put in his cot for a sleep!
I also had the opportunity to meet a couple of expat Mums at the kids gym, with both promptly inviting us over for a playdate! Matthew met Elissa who is Thai/Chinese and Roshan who is Indian/Belgian/Singaporean today.
sorry about the fuzzy pics, these were snapped in a hurry on the mobile while I was trying to keep an eye on things!!
sorry about the fuzzy pics, these were snapped in a hurry on the mobile while I was trying to keep an eye on things!!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Singapore! Hot Hot Hot
5th May - We went to check out a pre-nursery school y'day, it's dawned on me how fast little Matthew is growing up as I watched the other little toddlers play. I'll most likely start sending him to half day classes starting Jan 2011 so that he can experience what's it's like to play regularly with other kids his age. He'll also be able to start learning some mandarin.
Over the last few days a daily routine has started to emerge. In the mornings after breakfast, Matthew and I tend to stay in the apartment to play/read and once a week we'd head to kidsgym, before Matthew has a morning nap (1-1.5hrs). When he wakes, we'd have a little snack at home before heading out to explore/shop/play before resting to have some lunch at a cafe together. Being out of the apartment also allows the cleaner (Yes, I know how lucky I am!) to slip in and tidy in peace without Matthew following her around trying to 'help' :) Matthew would go down for his afternoon nap around 2pm. At 4pm when the sun is not so hot, we'd head down to the pool for about an hour before winding down for the day with a little quiet play (wait for Dada to come home from work) dinner, bath and then bed around 730pm. Here is a pic of Matthew...'look handsfree!!!'
3rd May - Life carries on for us in Singapore... our day started at 6 am this morning which is a small achievement as it means that Matthew is getting his body used to the new time zone. All 3 of us had breakfast together at the residents' lounge and saw Dada off to his first day atschool work. Dada wasnt excited or nervous at all but Matthew was. After taking Dada's work clothes to the dry cleaners and doing a small shop, we went to explore our little nook of Singapore. Our exploration didnt last very long as little fella was fast asleep in his carrier by 9am, hence I have time to update the blog :)
I've enrolled Matthew for a trial class into a kidsgym nearby (JW Tumbler Kids Singapore) and we start this Thursday at 930am. Tomorrow I have an appointment to view a pre-nursery school for Matthew. The wait lists for nurseries are long (as it is in Sydney)!
ps. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CAROL & TIM TODAY, much love, J, D and Matthew.
1st May - Singapore was a hot 33 degrees when we arrived yesterday but little fella coped OK, although we were promptly whisked away in a cab at the airport to our apartment so we havent spent much time at all outside in the heat.
Our 2 bedroom apartment is lovely and quite spacious and located right in the middle of Singapore's night life. Fortunately we are high off the ground (Level 19) to not be disturbed by the nightly partying downstairs. Matthew's room has a couple of spare beds so we are hoping that a certain Aunty who is not too far away will come for a visit very soon :)
This morning I took Matthew to the pool for about half an hour while Dada recuperated after catching up with some friends. So far so good, Matthew enjoys the water so I knew it was one way to get him tired out so he'll have a nice long nap afterward. We (all 3 of us) are off to do some house hunting this afternoon for about 3.5 hours so it'll be a real test of Matthew's tolerance of the heat and stamina. I know how overwhelming it can be so Dada might have to duck home with him so he can have a rest if it get a bit too much.
Over the last few days a daily routine has started to emerge. In the mornings after breakfast, Matthew and I tend to stay in the apartment to play/read and once a week we'd head to kidsgym, before Matthew has a morning nap (1-1.5hrs). When he wakes, we'd have a little snack at home before heading out to explore/shop/play before resting to have some lunch at a cafe together. Being out of the apartment also allows the cleaner (Yes, I know how lucky I am!) to slip in and tidy in peace without Matthew following her around trying to 'help' :) Matthew would go down for his afternoon nap around 2pm. At 4pm when the sun is not so hot, we'd head down to the pool for about an hour before winding down for the day with a little quiet play (wait for Dada to come home from work) dinner, bath and then bed around 730pm. Here is a pic of Matthew...'look handsfree!!!'
Hope to get some pictures of Matthew in Singapore over the weekend. Matthew's Aunty Kim is coming to visit on Friday evening so I'll have a spare hand to take some snaps on the camera!
P.S. for those who have been wondering about Soc. He's recovering from his surgery, latest update is that he's eating a little and went for a very short walk today :)
3rd May - Life carries on for us in Singapore... our day started at 6 am this morning which is a small achievement as it means that Matthew is getting his body used to the new time zone. All 3 of us had breakfast together at the residents' lounge and saw Dada off to his first day at
I've enrolled Matthew for a trial class into a kidsgym nearby (JW Tumbler Kids Singapore) and we start this Thursday at 930am. Tomorrow I have an appointment to view a pre-nursery school for Matthew. The wait lists for nurseries are long (as it is in Sydney)!
ps. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CAROL & TIM TODAY, much love, J, D and Matthew.
1st May - Singapore was a hot 33 degrees when we arrived yesterday but little fella coped OK, although we were promptly whisked away in a cab at the airport to our apartment so we havent spent much time at all outside in the heat.
Our 2 bedroom apartment is lovely and quite spacious and located right in the middle of Singapore's night life. Fortunately we are high off the ground (Level 19) to not be disturbed by the nightly partying downstairs. Matthew's room has a couple of spare beds so we are hoping that a certain Aunty who is not too far away will come for a visit very soon :)
This morning I took Matthew to the pool for about half an hour while Dada recuperated after catching up with some friends. So far so good, Matthew enjoys the water so I knew it was one way to get him tired out so he'll have a nice long nap afterward. We (all 3 of us) are off to do some house hunting this afternoon for about 3.5 hours so it'll be a real test of Matthew's tolerance of the heat and stamina. I know how overwhelming it can be so Dada might have to duck home with him so he can have a rest if it get a bit too much.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Matthew 49 weeks
Matthew took his first flight today, here are some snaps...
All in all the journey was pretty uneventful. There was no drama and no hysterics from Matthew. He was his usual wriggly social self, wanting to climb from one bassinet to the other, investigating the lights on the plane, smiling at other passengers, crawling and walking up and down the aisle (with Dada supervising). He also managed to go down for 2 short naps on the plane so Mum and Dad could have a bit of a rest. The staff on the plane were really attentive and helpful, getting our meals ready as soon as they saw Matthew napping. Matthew also got to spend quite some time hanging out with the pretty stewardesses from Singapore Airlines. He loved his chicken and pasta 'Toddler Meal' and loved having a taste of Dada's ice-cream even more. So much so, he got angry with Dada when it was taken away from him. Off to get Matthew settled in, update again soon.
All in all the journey was pretty uneventful. There was no drama and no hysterics from Matthew. He was his usual wriggly social self, wanting to climb from one bassinet to the other, investigating the lights on the plane, smiling at other passengers, crawling and walking up and down the aisle (with Dada supervising). He also managed to go down for 2 short naps on the plane so Mum and Dad could have a bit of a rest. The staff on the plane were really attentive and helpful, getting our meals ready as soon as they saw Matthew napping. Matthew also got to spend quite some time hanging out with the pretty stewardesses from Singapore Airlines. He loved his chicken and pasta 'Toddler Meal' and loved having a taste of Dada's ice-cream even more. So much so, he got angry with Dada when it was taken away from him. Off to get Matthew settled in, update again soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)