SAT, 29-01-11 : MONKEY BUSINESS!

We were on the way to Bukit Panjang Plaza to do some grocery shopping when we chanced upon this fella at the covered walkway, leading to the mall. It looked innocent enough but it clearly wasn't!

As Ryan was pretty excited at seeing a real life monkey so upclose ... he kinda squealed a little! But the monkey wasn't pleased at all & took a couple of grimacing steps forward & showed us his row of very sharp teeth. Arrgh! I was scared too ... not to mention my boy! Some guy even gave the monkey an orange (we shouldn't feed wild monkeys rite?).

Making our way back to our car, I assumed that the monkey would be gone but alas it was still there! He kinda recognised Ryan & walked over to my boy rather menacingly. We walked past it quickly. I realised that the adage that wild animals are dangerous were so very true! This small monkey was (ultra) fierce & it definitely wasn't afraid of people. Infact, it was chasing nearly everyone away with its extremely unfriendly ways.

Or maybe its was just lost (& stressed) & didn't know how to get back home ...

Well ... as we were walking away, I grabbed my digicam & managed to get a pic. I had to snap fast (& zoomed-in) as I wasn't gonna risk it, lunging at me after the camera flashed.

Naughty, naughty ... little monkey!

FRI, 28-01-11 : GETTING INTO THE GROOVE!

Getting back on track is never an easy thing!

I kinda realised that it would take me a bit more time (than expected) ... to get most of the BDP's (back-dated posts) written up ... coz we've been very very busy! And as long as the older posts ain't in order, its kinda confusing to do the daily posts rite? Ok, ok ... I get it now. So what I'm gonna do is just get on with the daily entries & sometimes do the older posts ... to kinda spice things up a bit.

Hehe .... yes, the  more rojak, the better!

Ok ... for some major news. We are M-O-V-I-N-G !!!

Yep, we managed to sell our apartment recently & we'll be moving on to a new place soon. We are still in the midst of trying to find our new home ... so that is gonna take some time. As we begin our new journey ... there's gonna be lots of packing, throwing & donating - the multitude of junk in our current place. Its gonna be damn tiring but also a new start for us.

The thing is ... our new place is gonna be much smaller than what we are used to currently but we are going to take things in our stride & make the best of what life has to offer us right now. Trouble is ... I'm a bit of a pack rat (ok, ok I'm a major pack rat!) so I will have a very hard time getting rid of my stuff. But this time round I don't have much of a choice, as our new place will never quite contain the contents of our present home.

Errm ... so I guess I need to purge, big time ... huh?

Taking about purging & moving along ... our cactus decided that it ain't moving with us to the new place. It broke into two recently! I had wanted to pass along this pot of cactus (its been with us for a couple of years) to my sis-in-law as I thought we had way too many potted plants ... but I guess that's not gonna happen now.

Boo-hoo!

Poor cactus! All broken up ...

DECEMBER 2010 POST : IT WAS SNOWING !

Yep, it was snowing in Ang Mo Kio. No, not real snow (of course!) ... more like tiny little bubbles (which made us itch later).

We went to the AMK Hub to snap some Christmas photos but were surprised by the huge group of people there, trying to catch some "fake" snow. Arrgh! too many people .....

Surprisingly, the photos here turned out much better than the ones taken at Orchard Road, which is supposed to be grander. Maybe its the more colourful decor or the cutesy Santas, Gingerbread Boys & Elfs ... but it translated well into photos. I guess you should never under-estimate the suburban areas for its own version of Christmas.

Before moving out ...

The Little Gingerbread Boy ... with his trusty Daddy-helper, in red.

Little Santa's turn now. Aww! ... doesn't he look cute?!

Mushrooms, mushrooms everywhere!

A photo with my Daddy.

Now, its Mummy's turn.

Are you an Elf ... little one?

Ryan, trying to run away with the Gingerbread Boy.

A stop at the Christmas Bakery.

DECEMBER 2010 POST : TRAINING IN THE TOILET

My son was at the tail end of his 3 years on Earth before we embarked on this perilous journey of toilet training. Yep, the grand old age of almost 4 ... don't laugh ok!

I knew he wasn't ready even if I had started earlier but here we are now ...

I never liked taking photos of toilets or loos but I relented, this one time.

Ryan was training for his 1st ever poop in the loo. Did he ... in the end? Nope, he didn't! But at least Mummy managed to get a few cute photos of him ... trying (very hard).

Errm ... don't worry! There ain't photos that need to be censored. Ryan was instructed by his Mummy to cover his "brotherly bits". No nude-ist pictures on this family-blog!

As you can see, the boy wasn't too happy to be told to sit on the throne. He's bare bodied coz I didn't want him to tug on his tank-top (which he does).

My boy ... looking a little tubby in this pic. He finally managed a weak smile.

DECEMBER 2010 POST : SOME RANDOM PICS

Here are just some random pics that were taken in December 2010.

 Doing splits at home.

 Armpits are in fashion ... yes? no?!

 Being the kiddy-ambulance driver.

 Mummy, hurry up & take the photo!

 Ermm ... aren't we eating a lot these days. The singlets' kinda snug, don't you think?

Ryan's cheeks are getting rounder. Here you can see them "cleaning" the table ... in public.

DECEMBER 2010 POST : LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

When most school closed for the year end holidays, Ryan was still having his morning classes. His last day of school was on the 10th of December ... whereas most kids were already having about 2 to 3 weeks of hols earlier.

Oh well! more school days means ... more learning? I can't (or shouldn't) complain!

 What is it with my kid ... & stickers on the nose?!

 Some of Ryan school friends ... who also had star stickers on their noses.

The kids were asked to come dressed in their own attire, that's why Ryan isn't in his school uniform.

 Have to thank Ryan's teachers for obliging us & taking photos of the kid's last day of school.

The little girl on Ryan's left is his best bud in school, Amelia. They always hang out together. Isn't that sweet!

DECEMBER 2010 POST : CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN ORCHARD

Singapore is famous for the Orchard Road light-up during Christmas. We sometimes go downtown to snap a couple of pictures but sometimes ... time doesn't permit or the crowds get to me.

There is not much picture-taking etiquette here ... so it bugs & irritates the hell out of me! Usually after a few choice photos, we give up & just enjoy the lights.

This year was slightly different. We had a chance to snap more photos than usual. We went there with friends & so after some light shopping & simple dinner, we snapped away.

 Taken outside the Republic Foodcourt (?) in Ion Orchard basement (a rather high-class but expensive foodcourt).

 Here are the 2 kids - Miss Faith (daughter of my friend, Jessie) & Ryan ... with 2 goat statuettes.

Errm ... we were there to take pictures of Christmas lights ... but as you can see, my old digicam doesn't take very nice night photos. Oh well!

 Arrgh! too many people walking and standing around. Didn't manage to get a better pic.

 An upward view of inside the fake Christmas tree.

 Ryan, standing at the exit of the lighted fake tree.

 Doesn't the tree make me look small ... hehe!

 My best bud Jess, her lovely daughter Faith, my son Ryan & that's me (in red).

It may look like Ryan is "pushing" Faith here ... but he was just trying to get away. By this time he was getting "tired" of all the many photo-taking poses. A model has his limits ... you know!

 A bevy of lighted musical instruments. Cute!

Ryan wanted to pose beside this decorated Christmas tree (inside Ngee Ann City).

DECEMBER 2010 POST : RYAN'S BUY OF THE WEEK - A WHEEL OF BEN 10

Eventhough Ryan have new loves now - Bayblade, Kamen Rider, Batman & Power Rangers ... among many, he still loves his Ben 10.

I spied this Ben 10 (4 figurines in 1 pack) for 10 bucks at Carrefour recently (such a good deal!). I thought it might make a good add on to his pile of January birthday gifts (which we were accumulating slowly). When I told Ryan that I will only buy it if he agrees to open it on his birthday, he nodded.

Blah! it did not make it pass the night !!! He whined & whined ... all night to open it ... & the very-tired-to-hear-any-more-whining-parents .... relented!

DECEMBER 2010 POST : A FAMILY SLEEP-OVER

We have been having a sleep-over (at our house) for awhile now but I never got any photos (busy & distracted I guess).

My parents & my niece sometimes come over our place for a sleepover (usually during the school holidays). My boy just loves having his cuz over ... he can have playtime with her for the whole day! That boy never tires!

The 1st two photos were taken on arrival. All ready for the sleep-over.

The rest were taken the next day ... on the way to lunch & before sending the gang home.

 Hehe! ... see how loving they are!

 My niece, Ayra with her (always) peace loving sign!

 My loving parents.

The whole gang ... minus me (the photographer) & Hubby (who had gone to pick up the car).

 The kids ... with their usual antics!

Ryan had some stickers with him ... & of course he decided to stick one on his nose! Ayra decided to follow suit! 

 Whilst waiting for our murtabak & other yummies ...

 Hubby was feeling kinda tired .... can you tell?

The guy working there was feeding the huge flock of pigeons ... I wonder if that's wise though, as theirs is a food establishment. Oh well, we were on the 2nd level ....