Rou Migrates

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Rou Says in "Mummy's Birthday"

It's mummy's birthday again! Though I wasn't out and about last year, I still managed to participate in the celebration. Must say, the food wasn't too bad. Here's last year's family picture, of all four of us. See me? I'm the bulge!

HA! *smug look* I'm here this year. Papa took us all to the Japanese restaurant at Laguna Country Club.

Mummy fed me that gooey thing but *slurps* those other stuff on the table look goooood.

Gimmi some of that, pleeease?

See? That's how you should put the spoon in my mouth. I'll show you! Hmm... mummy said something about "mou ngan tai". What's that?

Oh! It's time for that song! Yippie, I can clap to it. Why does mummy look so glum?

Family picture. Look at me cover gorgor's face with my shoe. Gimmi some limelight, ya!

Who? Hoo? Why is everyone hoo hoo? Gorgor looks happy. Well, I'll let him have some "happy" since I covered his face in the last picture.

Now he's really enjoying himself. Oh, and we watched many many aeroplanes land while we were in the restaurant. HAPPY!

Mummy said she enjoyed herself too. Happy birthday, mummy. I'm tired... and I'm still holding on to that shoe.

Happy Christmas

Christmas as a season in our country is always filled with activities. Lights and events downtown, gatherings with family and friends and of course, the giving and receiving of presents. It is so easy to forget the true meaning of the celebration. Every year I sit myself down in a conscious effort to reflect on the sacrifice Christ made by leaving his Father to begin his life as a mere human, and to prepare Himself to be the Lamb of God. I realise that no matter how I attempt to reflect, revelation, and more importantly, heartfelt appreciation of the love of God will not come simply by my efforts. Only God can choose to reveal his mysteries, and in this case, a continual understanding of His love, through His Spirit. May it be that I will always be humble, so that as the years go by, my heart will not decide that I already know all these and hence forfeit the true joy of understanding the Father's heart.

In any case, we took the kids around and had our share of all the rah rah affairs.

Our church was allocated a slot to present some song items along Orchard Road and our cell members went down to support the event. But first, we had to feed the brood. Family pic taken by Sheon, who thought the "off" button was the "shoot" button *haha*.

Miniature neons

Waigong and Rou watching the show as the crowds passed them by.

Mei and Mei, again!

Gabe and one of his favourite aunties, livingjoyfully.

There was a drum set behind the performers and guess who crept up to it and discreetly helped himself to a tom?

The heralds

The novelty of the performance wore off and Gabe decided to do what he loves most -- car watching. He stood with turtlepower, yelling in delight when buses to blocked his view of the big water fountain across the road.

Some decorations were pretty enough to get us posing.

Separate trip downtown. Mei and Gabe filling the tummies before our trot began.

Nice, breezy evening. Rou's happy.

Rou with the Ion Christmas tree in the background.

Glitter.

The loot.

No prizes for guessing what Gabe's favourite gift of the year is.

Mini Santarina Clips

When Gabe was a tod preparing to celebrate his first Christmas, waigong and waipo bought him a little santarina clip, which is available in abundance along Orchard Road during the festive season. When Rou came along, she had to have one too, because "gorgor has one". And so the grandparents added another clip to my take-out-once-a-year box of stuff.

Alas, Rou has too little hair that is far too fine for the clip to hold on to. It stays on for a few seconds and promptly falls off at the slightest movement. Since we have them, we might as well make the most out of them.

Passport Me

We are planning a short holiday to a nearby island and were about to secure our flight arrangements when we realised Rou needed a passport! So began the DIY part of getting the kid's photograph taken, the very first step in the passport application process. Gabe has his own story, having his three-month-old head plonked on a diaper cloth for the shot. Rou, we decided, would just be pinned down on her brother's bed.

Boy, it was tough getting the bulldozer to stop clambering ALL OVER.

Then when we got her to lie down, we had to literally hold her hands down, straighten her clothes and then begin the arduous task of getting her to look at the camera.

Failed attempt with flash. And with a wriggly cheeky worm.

Urgh, I need a smile not a constipated look!

Then the dance began.

And the toe sucking. We must have taken 30 shots before we decided enough was enough. We perused the shots and everything was horrid. So we decided (finally) to attempt a second round.

Well, her hair's neater, and she's dressed better. Hopes up!

Then she starts performing pretty well, but still too many NG shots.

And we finally got this one. Not perfect but it'll do.

After all the photoshop work, we have our final product. Well, I'm glad we took the effort to go for a second attempt, because round one simply had nothing for us. Otherwise, we would have to use this:

A shot of her at 6 months. Or worse, THIS:

The bad-hair-day thing would totally go down in history.

She's a Girl Alright.

Me: Mei, kiss mummy!

Rou: *slaps her hand on my cheek, pushes my face away, scratching it in the process*

On another occasion,

Me: Mei, kiss mummy!

Rou: *plants a kiss on the cheek, then plants a kiss on the lips, and again*

Me: Ok ok! Enough! *wiping off her saliva all over my face*

Rou: *and again and again and again*

What's with the fickle-minded, mood dependent behaviour? Maybe it's got something to do with this.

10 months old

Rou Rou's 10 months old! Each month is like a little milestone and I'm glad I'm putting down the little details on this space because nowadays, I can't seem to remember much about the kids when they were young and it's nice just to browse through the pages reliving the old times.

She can respond to the instructions "give" and "clap". Waves hi. Raises her hands when you declare "hallelujah!". Throws her head back and laughs. Observant and quick to respond by grabbing (especially) the "forbidden fruits". Sticks her tongue out slightly and does her phooo, sending saliva splattering all over. When my phone chimes to alert me to an incoming message, she'll flip her head really quickly in the direction where I keep my phone. Still puts everything into her mouth. Outgrew her pair of M-sized shooshoos (courtesy of livingjoyfully). On three bottle feeds a day, six ounces each time.

Still no sign of teeth, but the hair's coming in!

Still bathing in her green tub, and enjoying every minute of it.

Pulling herself up with whatever's available. At time of publishing, the papasan chair's been sold.

Crawls around the house looking for me when she realises I'm out of sight. Loves crawling to the dining table, pulling herself up against our legs and begging for food. If unsuccessful, cry like she's not had a bite to eat since the beginning of time.

Latest craze: tunneling. Good thing she's short enough to stand up under the table.

I remember taking a similar series of pictures for Gabe when he was 11 months old.

And now there are two.

My two children and their individual choices of satisfaction.

Gimmi a hug!

Rou's always trying to be affectionate and of course, we are all but crutches to the kiddo who's trying to stand. Doesn't help that she scratches and grips while she's at it, and the brother's not too keen on getting hurt. Here's Rou trying to be part of the action while Papa's getting Gabe into his PJs.

The bull pretty much bulldozes her way through, over, under whatever barriers are in her way.

Once in a while, I still get overwhelmed with the fact I'm a mother of two, that I'm in my 30s, and that they are growing up so fast!

Smile at the camera please, Mei.

That's more like it.

At 10 months, Rou was definitely smaller than her brother when he was the same age. On a separate note, I love sleeping babies.

Rou with her maternal grandparents.

Rou's style: grabbing your clothes with her right hand when you carry her, as if to up the sense of security.

Happy birthday Papa! Erm... what's a birthday?

Ah... nice breeze and view of the ocean, with waipo and her sisters.

Happy family!

My happy family.

Yeah, in a family where the girl's the bulldozer and the boy's the chatterbox!