16 June, Sat - Day 1, Melbourne

After a horrifying plane ride of puking, crying and pooping, we finally arrived at Melbourne at 6am on the morning of 16 June.

This was the start of a totally no-itinerary-planned holiday. It was planned as such, cos with a 1.5 year old and an almost 3 year old, we decided to play by ear.

So we arrived at Uncle Jerry's and Aunty Puay's and planned our itinerary, or what we could. No typical visits to the Great Ocean Road or Yarra Valley as most couples would have planned....it was a totally kiddy itinerary. Still fun nonetheless. :)

Today, we set aside for recovering from the plane ride with a little bit of shopping at Knox City, Vietnamese Pho at Bayswater for lunch and Nando's chicken for dinner (the peri peri sauce is yummers!).

Check out how knocked out they were on the car ride from the airport back to Olga Street.

The Things My Almost-3-year-old Says

I was down with a flu a couple of weeks back, so I was wearing a mask around the house.

Kieran: Mummy, take out the tissue.
Me: It's not a tissue. It's a mask. I need to wear it because I am sick and i don't the germs to go to you.
Then my mother added: "Yes, don't go so near mummy, cos she is sick."

The next morning, my son woke up and said, "Mummy, you are not wearing the mask. You are feeling better already?"
Me: Yes, a little bit better
Kieran: So I can come near you?
Me: Not yet darling. Let me get fully better first ok?

Then again the next morning.... Kieran: Mummy, your germs finish already?

From Hubby and the Brood

"Adeline Sim!" the office despatch uncle called. I looked up and saw him walking toward me with a bouquet of flowers.


And with the flowers was attached this card....


And then it hit me why my hubby and I had this conversation last week.

Hubs: Is my wife working on her birthday?

Me: No. But if my husband wants to take me out, I can try to apply for leave.

Hubs: He is taking you out but at night.

I am normally quick to pick up such sussing out by my husband. But somehow, this time, it totally slipped me. I really thought he was asking me out for dinner.

So, the flowers arriving at the office was indeed a surprise. :)

Conversations with My Son

Here are some excerpts from conversations with my two and a half year old.

Me: Do you want to go over and play Hide & Seek with the je jes?
K: No, I don't want.
Me: Why?
K: Because hide and seek I cannot find them!


K: This doughnut is good.
Grandpa: No la. Doughnuts are not very good.
K: It's good, Grandpa.
Grandpa: No la. Not good.
K: Don't talk. You don't talk.


I had a glass of coke and Kieran wanted to drink it. And our conversation went like this:

Mummy: That's iced coffee.
K: No, it's not coffee.
Mummy: It is. And children cannot drink coffee right?
K: It's not coffee.
Mummy: Then what is it?
K: Coke!
Mummy: No. It is coffee.
K: I need to try.
Mummy: No need to try. It's not coke,
K: Please, mummy, can you let me try?

How to not let him try like that????


Grandma: Kieran, can you bring the contol here for Grandma? That one.
Kieran: Grandma, don't say "one". What is "one"?

This one was picked up from me. He learns really fast. But speaking proper English starts when they are young right? I hear SOOO many people saying "That one. This one. The blue one." Seriously. WHAT IS "ONE"?


My father was singing the zoo version of the birthday song for me and....

Grandpa: Your mummy is like the monkey in the zoo
K: Mummy is not monkey.
Grandpa: Oh. She is like the donkey.
K: No Grandpa. Mummy is not like donkey.
Grandpa: Your mummy is like the elephant then.
K: No. Mummy is not like elephant. Mummy is not anything!


Here is my oh-so-cute-and-clever 2.5 year old! :p

Trick or Treating

Halloween.

Rarely celebrated in Singapore as it's more an American tradition. But thanks to the many expats neighbours we have, Kieran had his first taste of Halloween last night.

Initially terrified by the lit-up pumpkins in the night, the fear was overshadowed by the candies being distributed at the Halloween-participating households.

So, unprepared, without any costume and proper trick or treating accesories, my first born went about the neighbourhood in his tee-shirt and berms, collecting candies in his plastic bag (compliments of the first house he trick or treated at).

Jack O Lanterns paving the neighbour's driveway

Kieran trick-or-treating

Kieran picking candies to fill his plastic bag

Sharing his loot with Kaitlyn

He had so much fun he woke up this morning looking for pumpkins and Halloween.

Thank You For...

Being a wonderful husband.

Being a great father.

Bearing with me and my bad temper.

Your patience and understanding despite my sometimes unreasonable behaviour.

Making time for me and the kids despite your busy work and study schedule.

Most of all, thank you for loving me.

Happy 3rd Anniversary.

And just like that, we have been married for 3 years. 3 years of marriage, 2 lovely kids. Many more anniversaries to go, I'm sure. As for the kids, let's just stick with 2 for now....they're a joy but more than a handful to manage. :)

My Cutie Pie at 8 Months

At 8 months, Kaitlyn has 2 lower front teeth and 2 strands of hair. Ok, I exaggerate, but the hair growth is still slow and sparse.

And she can:

- sit on her own.
- crawl.
- pull herself up to stand. And while she's up, the tries to stand with one hand, while using the other to grab her bolster. One in 5 times, she succeeds.
- wave bye bye.
- cry like she has been hit or has fallen when you stop her from doing something. The cries immediately stop when you let her resume what she wanted to do.
- suck her thumb big time. Just like her brother.

Very cute.