Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

This post is outdated, but I’ll publish it anyway =)

I had the privilege to be the magazine’s photo contributor last May for their special feature articles on ‘Why I love going to school!’.

[No, I didn’t write any of the articles =) ]

They wanted photos of happy school-going kids, kids doing their crafts, reading and playing at the playground.

And so they chose these four shots =)

Anya was flying this kite near the Marina Bay Sands when I took this shot.

She drew and wrote her name on it when all five of us went to the Picnic at the Lawn (Marina Bay Link Mall)

[Click HERE to view more of photos of our trip there]

And I like this shot. And the ‘message’ that can go behind it.

Somehow, it conveys a contrast between

… simplicity versus grandeur

… child-like free spirited fun versus adults ‘often-addictive fun’ inside the Marina Bay Sands building

… being outside and free versus being confined inside

[I loveee watching babies sleep so soundly]

Brie who’s been sleeping a lot during the day, ie. Waking up just for her feeds and dozing off again soon after, has started to have longer waking hours lately.

[And err, I hope that would mean ‘longer’ sleeping hours at night, as opposed to frequent requests for feeds – every 1- 3 hours, throughout the night =)]

When Brie is asleep, she can sometimes grunt, stretch her arms and legs out, frown / smile for a split second, or … scream out a hysterical-‘pick-me-up-now’ cry all of a sudden! It’s like she’s just had a bad dream or something (Whenever I hear this kind of cry, I’d immediately go to her and pick her up to calm her down)

[I do wonder if babies can have a bad dream. The issue of ‘Can babies have a bad dream’ is apparently still debatable too. What do you think? Can babies have nightmares?]

In the first three weeks of having Brie at home, whenever she made ‘noises’, Vai would immediately tell me that Brie’s hungry and that she wanted to be breastfed =)

I then went to explain to both Anya and Vai how babies cry for different reasons, and not only because they’re hungry. I tell them how I too need to check and find out why Brie fusses or cries.

In simple terms, I shared with Anya and Vai how babies can’t ‘speak’ just yet, so they would cry to tell us when :

– They’re uncomfortable (eg. Soiled diapers)

– They’re too warm / hot or too cold

– They’re hungry or thirsty

– They’re tired (eg. Overstimulated for too long?)

– They want to be cuddled and soothed

– They need to be burped after a feed (ie. Gassy tummy)

– They’ve just had a bit of a shock, eg. Woken up by a sudden loud bang

– They’re not feeling well / in pain

So now, they both would first ‘take a guess’ before telling me what they think Brie wants whenever she cries or makes noises =)

Btw, do share your thoughts and views on this yeah. I’d love to hear what you think of babies and how they communicate through crying.

…

To read more on babies, why they cry and how to soothe them:

–  Babycentre.co.uk >> Seven reasons why babies cry and how to soothe them

–  Mayoclinic.com >> What to do when your newborn cries

–  Askdrsears.com >> Seven things parents should know about baby’s cries

First of all, I’d like to say THANK YOU to all of you who left birthday messages and wishes for me!

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

=)

Am thankful too for the fact that my husband and children are around, all healthy and well, and that I get to spend the day with them!

[We didn’t have much of a ‘celebration’, but we did go to quite a few places today]

Start of the Day

The kids and I made Ham and Egg Bread Tarts!

Our very first time, and we liked how yummy and yet simple they’re to make!

(Will share the recipe soon! =)

…

Waterfront Promenade @ Marina Bay

It’s Family Day Out today (National Family Celebration‘s closing event!), and I LOVE LOVE LOVE their Flea Market!

Imagine getting SEVEN pieces of clothes I liked for just SIX DOLLARS!

I would happily call them my birthday presents!!

[Was too busy browsing the Flea Market that I completely forgot to take photos while we’re there, hehe]

…

*Scape, next to Cineleisure

We’re here to check out the Singapore Social Media Day event!

[With Janet and SK from SPH]

It was my first ever visit to *Scape AND I was AMAZED at the flea market stalls they had there (and the big turnout!). Should really check this place out over the weekend more often, I guess =)

[Stalls underground]

…

Singapore Flyer

And this was where we ended our day-long journey!

LOVE the night view!

We received free tickets to the Flyer as part of the National Family Celebration’s Family Day Out. And it was like, EXTRA birthday presents for me! So grateful!

Here are more shots of the night!
(all taken with my Canon Powershot S90)

Now.

As for ‘Any wishes or thoughts on your birthday’ question, well … I definitely feel that time keeps on ticking away. I’m thirty five this year and IF God allows me to live till 70yo, that means I’m ‘half way down the journey’.

The question is, have I done what I’m supposed to do IN my life and WITH my life? Have all these years been spent fruitfully, gratefully and wisely?

I’m reminded that I need to be more grateful, more patient in handling ‘daily challenges’, and more wise in bringing up my kids and dealing with their ‘wrongs’. I need to learn to constantly remember that I myself am still far from the standard God asks of me as well.

S, that’s my food for thought today.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend with your loved ones too!

…

Oh btw, just in case you’re new to my blog: Our Everyday Things is in the top 10 finalists in this year’s Singapore Blog Awards, under ‘Best Family Blog’ category, and I hope you can support and vote for Our Everyday Things! Voting, daily, by the public is still open till 3rd July.

Just click HERE to register yourself for free (if you’re not yet a member of omy.sg)

Thank you! =)

Ask us a year ago if we had ever imagined having another baby in the family, and we would’ve said, ‘No’.

But then, God’s grace and goodness surpasses our understanding and plans.

And we thank God for this little one we have in our family today.

Loving our party of five!

We made this the other day.

Simple ingredients. Simple to make.

And, yummy!

[Based on Hamlyn’s ‘200 really easy recipes’ book]

Anya and Vai were happy that they ‘took part in the making’ too! (ie. Mixing the ingredients =)

Anyway, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

4 slices of white bread

50g unsalted butter

50g sultanas (we skipped this one, didn’t have any at the time)

Grated rind of 1 lemon (we used half)

300ml single cream + 300ml milk, or 600ml milk (we used 600ml milk)

2 eggs + 2 egg yolks

25g granulated sugar (We used white fine grain sugar)

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons jelly marmalade, heated (we used strawberry jam)

…

1. Spread the butter slices with butter, cut each into 4 triangles, place a layer of bread in the base of a greased (buttered) pie dish. Sprinkle lemon rind over the top and cover with remaining bread triangles.

2. Beat the milk (and cream, if using), with the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Pour mixture over the bread. Cover and leave to stand for 30 minutes

3. Sprinkle the nutmeg over the surface and bake in a preheated oven, 180deg C, for 30-40 minutes

4. Remove from the oven, brush the hot marmalade over the top. Serve hot.

…

Enjoy! =)

Ah. Haven’t I just given birth to this little girl?

And, she’s ONE month old today.

Already!

Many say that OTHER PEOPLE would be the ones feeling that time flies real fast, but if you’re the (sleep-deprived) Mom who cares for the baby 24/7, time ticks away real slowly.

Well, somehow I don’t quite feel that way though.

I mean, while I’d say YES to a good massage and an uninterrupted sleep, I DO feel time flies real fast too.

And, as much as this little girl wakes me up so very frequently every single night, I also don’t want her to grow too fast.

Loving and enjoying her babyhood!

…

Anyway.

Everyday in the past month, we’ve witnessed God’s goodness and we’re thankful for that.

We’re thankful for having been entrusted with baby Brie in our family.

And, we’re thankful for the strength, health and grace showered upon us daily.

We are indeed blessed.

[We had a simple get-together with Wilson’s brothers and family who came to visit Singapore today. Made homemade pizzas and cupcakes too =) ]

If you ask me,
I’d say there’s no such thing as a perfect Dad or a perfect Husband.

But there is a Dad
who gives his best for his family
who makes time to play Lego bricks, tell bedtime stories and pray with the children
who teaches values and strives to be a living example everyday

And there is a husband
who helps out with the kids and housework whenever he can
who sends text messages to his wife to simply share how his day has been
who strives to do his best to provide for the family despite all difficulties and challenges

…

Thank God we have such a Dad, such a husband, in our little imperfect home.

Happy Father’s Day, dear Daddy, dear Hubby …