Eat, drink and be married!

Somewhere down the road I decided to make/bake/create a dessert for him to celebrate his monthly birthday and I did!




13 months - Yogurt drops while we had a banana chocolate swiss roll from Flor.




 14 months - Bread while we had a swiss roll




15 months - He fussed while we tucked into strawberry shortcake!




16 months - Baked bananas on bread



17 months- I reverted to getting a cake he couldn't eat and boy did he cry. Rainbow cake from Paris Baguette.



18 months - Banana icecream



19 months - Blueberry cherry milk pop!




20 months - Steamed milk pudding topped with strawberry heart




21 months - No bake peach cheesecake




22 months - Blueberry-Grape Jelly with compote






23 months - Apple rose tartlet




24 months - Homemade Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich (I was fearful of nut allergies but it's been a-okay so far, hooray!)

With that, 24 months flew us by and we have been parents for two years. TWO.



Looking back at his newborn photos and videos, those send a tear or two rolling down my cheek.


How far have we really come when just today, we have serious adult conversations and he answers me almost without prejudice and the most conviction to the simplest questions I pose. He amuses me in so many ways, touches my heart in ways that are beyond and also tests my patience like a teenager would.



Was it really just yesterday this little bugger stumbled out of me and the first thing I said was - yay, I am done being pregnant? Was it yesterday I cried buckets because I could not keep up with his appetite for milk and I felt so horrible having to open a tin of formula? Was it just yesterday I baked him a smash cake cos I was too giam siap to get him a baby friendly cake?


This same little fella can unbutton his pjs, point out all the motorcycles and squeal so excitedly everytime one comes into view...tell me in the most unamusing yet hilarious manner where his little p is (yes I do not believe in replacing sensitive bits with baby language - no no please). The way he says good bye to his pee cracks me up all the time. Just yesterday he went "Hallelujah, praise the lord!". All our hearts went into a puddle of goo. Yes baby boy, love God too with all your heart and mind and soul. For he gave us you and every blessing we've had so far. I can go on forever talking about him and well the mushies are in the card I wrote...year 2 in this time capsule for cards and one day you'll get to read all of them. :)


His second birthday went by with him telling us his birthdate and chomping down his first homemade peanut butter and banana toast...and of course, a slice of his birthday cake.


"For I know the plans I have for your declares the Lord, plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11


I'll end off with our favourite verse, one that you can fill in the blanks so confidently. Grow well, grow healthy! To many more birthdays, happy blessed two!

One day late and...happy belated wedding anniversary to the Hubba. With a child in tow, the focus of this blog has shifted to all on the bub and sometimes I forget why this blog was even started. Four years and I absentmindedly thought it was 8. HAHA.

It has not been an easy 4 years, we struggled, fought, had our fair share of disappointments, teary episodes and then...we all emerge a little stronger.

Nobody ever said marriage was easy work, and it wasn't mean to be. It's strange almost how I have forgotten most of my own vow yet I remember part of his - to make me laugh, cry and laugh more than I cry. And well...he did live out that promise and to many more of these annoying years..!

Looking back on our wedding day highlights...I cannot help but muse...we were all skinnier, younger looking and...thought marriage was just the next chapter. :)

His first Teachers' Day and while it's not quite considered so since Cyrus hasn't started school but I thought it'd be nice to remember the teachers who contribute to these play group days. He probably will not remember Teacher Rino who cups his cheeks and gives him sucha squeeze, or Teacher Zoe who always has a huge smile and a hug many years down the road but at this moment, I hope these teachers know how much I appreciate them.

I baulked at the idea of creating handicrafts for them since our horrific craft sessions have landed both of us messy and messier. Perhaps next year?

Core and deskin 2 apples, simmer in water over the stove for 20 minutes till fork tender. Blend with 2 tablespoons of water till smooth.

Red cabbage food colouring recipe

Shred 1/8 head of red cabbage, fill pot with enough water to submerge red cabbage and simmer for 15 minutes over slow fire. Remove red cabbage and reduce remaining liquid to 1/3 volume. Cool for later use.

This entry was timed to go out nearing his big ONE and last week, ST ran an article on parents splashing on such celebrations. For sure there will be opposing camps and views to how much should be spent on this special milestone and in response, this is my take. :)

Where do we start on this since it's supposed to be a Onederful One and it sets the tone for all future birthdays. I remember frowning upon the idea of babies not having a first bash to commemorate their first years and think that these parents are just giam siap.

(Sorry to the friend for using his cake for this post even!)

The unnecessary invitees

I think these grate on me more than I think they do. What usually starts out to be a cosy gathering ends up more often than not, a bash of some sorts with attendees that weren't intended in the first place. Friends of, cousins of...and the list goes on. I've had my wedding attended by a friend's friend just "because he had nowhere to go." so you get the drift.

What I hated about having a full month even

I'd like to wave this off and say never again. The crazy amount of effort going to so many places getting stuff - helium tank, trays of soon kueh and ang ku kueh...and doing set  up an hour before the party and having guests arrive earlier is nervewrecking to say the least. Did he remember? Of course not. Were we knackered? You bet.

So why do it again?  

And of course watching the people around me sweat it out from the weeks before the party to the week before, the day before and actual day...I am just not ready to go through all that again. 


The trade off

So then private affair it shall be with the close ones and enough birthday cake that the bub will remember the day for. Plus he gets to taste cake! Maybe he will or will not lament about not having any of those fondant cakes bigger than him in future but I hope he knows we love him all the same and birthdays aren't just about showing the whole world he is getting a year older.

What did I trade it off for?

A family shoot, DIY cake smash shoot (which I'm hoping against all odds will turn out fine...!), an excursion and family dinner. Well most importantly, we are taking it easy and enjoying this special one year of being parents...being chill.

And one for the tireless mom, now grandma who's been instrumental in C's life and mine.

"The best Moms get promoted to Grandmas" would sum it all up. The love she has for me and now for C warms my heart so much, so much. She even declared if she knew that children were sucha ball of fun and joy back then, she'd consider having more. HAHA! Second time parenthood it seems then.



Best understood in cantonese, and it's back to the daily grind and mommy duties!

I've not exactly been the most hardworking with the updates for the bub and CNY is already here! Last year we were still toying with the idea if I should announce to our relatives yet. Fast forward one year, the bub's already here and possibly the last one that we aren't chasing after him.


And that wrapped up the long weekend and I'm already missing it.

To good health and happy times, have a prosperous year everyone!!

30 days whizzed by so fast, I felt at some point that I was trapped in some time machine and truth be told, planning for his full month occurred way before that - when I had all the frivolity and time in the world to think about theme, food....candy table and more. Leaving me to just handle confirming my choices during confinement. Overplanning, is never a bad thing I realised. 

 

The star of the day all dressed in bananas. My original outfit could not get delivered in time, bummer! Thank goodness I found something in time.



Frivolous momma had nails to match too!


Buffet Caterer - Yeh Lai Siang



I've heard good reviews about Yeh Lai Siang and decided to engage them for his full month! Honestly, I was tempted by the hainanese chicken rice and steamed chicken that was part of the menu but ended up not even ordering either.



Portions are big and fed more than 70 people with my 50 pax order.



Stir Fry Gui Hua Noodle
Yeh’s Curry Chicken, Potato Spice





Yeh’s Homemade Bun with Stewed Meat



Sliced Fish with Celery Concoction



Traditional Teochew Braised Duck



Prawns with Sambal Glazing



Vegetables in Yam Basket


Packet drinks that we added on to supplement the refreshing lemonade that came with the buffet.


Candy Table - DIY

I went a little over bananas with my theme of bananas - so punny.





Jara Petit Cheese Cups



Sucresdelices Steamed Cakes

Banana Milk

Banana Chocolate Pocky



Chocolate cake by Awfully Chocolate



Ang Ku Kueh



Bananas
Banana choco pocky




Kettle corn

Decor - Taobao

I refused to pay $15-20 per balloon so it was off to Taobao again for the foil balloons and then rented a helium tank to fill them! #effortmax

Full Month Packages - DIY

For the special team of doctors and nurses who made such a huge difference in our lives. While our journey was not smooth sailing but here's to our unsung heroes of National University Hospital.



Instead of the regular full month packages, I wanted something more meaningful for this Sin-HK by product.

I sourced for the steamers from Taobao and the various vendors for different elements in the package.


Homemade red eggs!





Glutinous rice sushi anyone?



In its full glory! 

 

With that the precious bub turned one month old - thankfully he slept through the rara whilst his parents and grandparents were mad tired. Onward to more milestones!