Eat, drink and be married!

• He walks, runs and...sometimes breaks into a little dance by bending his knees (I call it dancing like an ah pek!).
• He can speak in two syllables - open, amen (so so so cute when he completes my sentences "in Jesus' precious name, we say....?", aircon, bubbles, aunty, uncle, ami for 蚂蚁.
• Chinese is so foreign to him, speaks with a jiak kantang accent. So far we've tried 蚂蚁, 我是.
• Loves cats when we have a dog who allows him to bully to now. His favourite book of all time - Cat Nap.
• He knows how to smile and many a time we end up with wrinkled noses and squinty eyes.
• Favourite food still remains banana! He can self feed pretty well though soup is still very tricky.
• We started school right on the dot at 18 months and a day. Read all about his journey in his other posts!

The hubba claims he was otherwise, yet the in laws sing a different tune.




Well, jokes aside...I knew we were getting ourselves into some teary and messy affair - it's juts normal toddler behavior when they cannot verbalise their unhappiness otherwise apart from really crying.




And we had loads of it.




Day 4 - The jab screwed things up for us. We were late, they went into assembly (cues panic because he's not encountered it before). Clung like a koala and cried for his dear life.


Day 5 - Damn the weekend, the dropoff was expectedly tough. Plus, no familiar favourite teacher.


Day 6 - Another group of new faces at play area for dropoff. He ran towards us and was picked up by a strange face. Cues a good 30-45 minute wailfest. The only time he settled down was when his teacher appeared.


Did we say the crying will stop, soon?


Day 7 - The heartless drop off continues. I walked off without looking back and I heard the wailing become sobs and kept my fingers and toes crossed I will not get a call.


Turns out apart from the morning fiasco, he was actually ok for the rest of the day and it was only on Day 8 did we realize it's because they offered him breakfast (TWO portions! and he already had breakfast at home) to placate him. Sigh, this boy, food is the root of all evil and good here.


FIRST taste of raisins and emo mama wish I were there to see him partake of the forbidden sweet fruit.


Day 9 and the same clinginess, refusal to be put down or left alone. He knew what was going to happen, with his faced scrunched up and one hand holding his wholemeal toast but he remembered to bawl so loudly.


By the time the car drove past the dining area 5 minutes later, he was barely sobbing and still munching his toast whilst laoshi carried him around.  WHEW.


Second week down...and when things are looking up, it's time for weekend and then the terrible bout of Monday blues.

And I speak as if he is 18.




18 months, that is. We knew from the start he needed to start some form of routine and school searching started really early for us. At some point, infant care was considered and that's how I embarked on this search for THE school.




Depending on which part of the island you stay in, starting early never hurts. In some cases, waitlists are years' long and some end up graduating without ever getting a place in the first choice childcare/kindergarten. Well fact is, kindergarten only starts at 3 years old, anything prior is play group.




We had a checklist in mind and after some hemming hawing and calculations, we signed up for his first school when he was a year old.




First day jitters




Yes me. More than C who probably had no clue what the fuss anyway. We collected his uniforms, got them tagged and when I finally packed his school bag, reality sunk in. My baby is going to school, this 2nd January onwards...every single year will be a school year.




Half day first for us, we wanted thing slower and more manageable than to already culture shock him with friends, teachers and having to take a nap in a foreign surrounding.




We took the effort to tell him more things about school a week prior, and then last minute hug Buddha leg by teaching him his Chinese name (ahhaha, sorry son, we decided to enroll you in a Chinese immersion class when we don't speak much at home).




I like the fact that the school had an orientation session for us parents, sent us communications before school started. However, I wish I was given the chance to bring him in a week earlier just to orientate but I do understand insurance and indemnities and all.




It was a 100% accompaniment on the first day where he explored his new classroom, loved the toys and food (Cheese sandwich! and Miso soup!). I would have cringed at even serving him miso soup but...school being school, close both eyes.




The first day went well except for the slight resistance to diaper changing by the teacher (I really cannot fault him here since all along it's been family who's been doing that honours, and suddenly a stranger!).




My pee break was nervewrecking because he ran after me, almost had a melt down and well was a sign of things to come.




Second day...more tears!




I discussed this with the teachers prior on my plans and we both agreed that I should transit him since we only had 3 days. He was left with the teachers for 2 hours and I'd return when lunch was over. Save for a few sudden realizations that I wasn't there, he was mostly distractible - phew!


And then the mother of all meltdowns at diaper changing again.



Thank god I wasn't there to see him cry - else I'd have cried along with him!




Third day - are we ready?




By fluke or not, he was dropped off without a tear...had so much fun he didn't want to return. Got his clothes and diaper changed without fuss and we almost felt that we could just transit to full day within the month.




Four days into it, I can only pray after the weekend we don't have that many tears to deal with come next week.




So there, our first week done and dusted.

We paid a visit to Pororo Park without an idea who Pororo was, apart from the fact it is a penguin. This would resonate better with fans but I was there just to check out what they had.





The only indoor playground to date with a train ride included in the ticket price, well one can go on it continuously and only for older kids.





Cyrus had a ball of time at the supermart, and that peanut which he insisted on bringing everywhere within the compound.





There were two slides in the area for older kids, a ball pit and sand pit which had no age limit and a toddler's area. Rather limiting, if you ask me.





The said toddler's area, as pathetic as it looked was actually a hit.





At least the toys were rather new!





Taking pictures to justify our attendance at the park!





One of us was clearly more thrilled than the other. See what I mean by he loved the corn and peanut toy?





Hooray to free rides, if he could, he'd probably go on it for eternity.







We missed the mascot show but just had to snap a photo for the album!


What I liked?


I liked how different this playground was from the rest, it was a mini theme park and even for me as an adult, I was intrigued.


What I didn't?


Well...it was an enjoyable experience but the prices are on the higher side for the space area that was for play.


What's next?


We will be back for sure and this time, I'd make sure we are well educated about Pororo!

The thing about parenthood, it cheapo-fies you if you're already not cheapo by nature. I actually think it made my closet auntie unlock itself even further. So Amazonia was also on the list since it offered free play for under 1 babies.





The catch was, while C plays for free, adults pay a nominal fee of a dollar each but we had to spend $10 at their cafe. And GST is chargeable.





For the older kids, the concepts of mini golf or space ball would appeal but for babies and toddlers, play area is limited and C was not too impressed.









The very welcoming playground front.





Locker area!







They took the safari theme very seriously, adorning their corridors too!





Those slides are made not for the faint hearted.





The older kids had such a ball of time, I'd love to go on one too...myself!








The other play areas that need supplements.





Toddler area!





Clear signages but as usual the older kids tend to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to.





Their cafeteria offers a rather limited menu and with that mandatory spend, I had to buy something anyhow.





Pricey café food and I ended up with 6 curry puffs, decent tasting but Old Chang Kee anytime.







What I liked?


There were adequate play areas within the toddler corner, except we had to keep telling the older kids off. A major pet peeve on my side but I do think this indoor playground does appeal with the usage of colours and there is a proper theme for all their play areas.


What I didn't?


The force spend policy. I mean I rather a higher ticket price than be forced to spend on food that was overpriced and okay tasting.






What's next?


A probable return when he's older!

We were in a hurry to check off all the indoor playgrounds that gave babies free play before he turned 1 and the day before he turned 365 days old, we paid XplorerHub at Downtown East a visit.


Woe is us when it was a weekday and they had kindergarten classes having their play time there - cues, plenty of screaming and running kids all over. Seems like Downtown East is perpetually a crowd favourite, all year round.





The older kids' area is definitely more exciting with tunnels, slides, and even an obstacle course!





The comparatively not as fun toddler area.





I don't ever get why kids are so interested in the ball pits! Probably the colours?





Twas a treehouse and he was most keen on badgering the button at the side.





Another hidden ball pit with bigger kids intruding.


What I loved?


The older kids' area and they have ample facilities for a birthday party even - some indoor playgrounds only offer a tiny room.


What I didn't?


It was really just a ball pit and a padded area for children under 3, Cyrus was barely interested and we spent more time taking photos than playing itself.


What's next?


I would return much later but it does not rank tops for favorite indoor playground.

Unlimited play time.
Free admission for babies under the age of 1.
Free admission for parents accompanying babies under the age of 1.
Free parking.

SOLD.








Slides for the older kids!







Toddlers only area.







Cyrus giving me the presidential wave.









Clearly a huge fan of mobiles.


This activity box amongst some other toys were clearly very well used with parts already missing and chipped.







The wall installations too were in need of some sprucing up.





What caught my eye was the cooking studio and there was an ongoing cooking class - how cute!





This sounds like a very good idea when he is much older and can play by himself.





Craft area for the older kids!




What I loved?

Play area for babies and toddlers was adequate with a number of mobiles and ball pit. Otherwise the slides were plenty for the older children, I would love to take on these slides myself! Plus it's FREE of babies under 1 and basically we didn't have to pay a cent for our family of three!








What I didn't?

The equipment showed signs of wear and tear, toys were clearly very well played with and some sprucing up is needed.

What's next?

I may return when he is older and can take on those exciting slides or even the interactive craft and cooking classes.