Finally managed to bring Mal to the library last weekend. We went to SengKang Community Library which is near ??’s house. Were there for close to 3 hours while Daddy went for his soccer game. This is our first visit to the library since we came back. Like many libraries in Singapore, it was crowded especially with kids. With so many kids running around, it was hard for the place to be quiet and silent. We could only borrow 4 books with every library card, as compared to 50 books when we were in the States. So with 2 cards, we managed to get 8 books. Not a lot but still it took us close to 3 hours to choose the 8 books! and these are what we got …

We have been very lucky to have some really nice neighbours staying at our block. The kids are mostly around the same age and so are the Mummies. Last Friday, before rushing out for our dinner, we managed to squeeze some time for the kids and Mummies to mingle around. Auntie Chweeling had arranged for a mini lantern carrying session for the kids. Didn’t prepare any lantern for Mal but he was happy carrying his luminous stick torch ?? bought him instead. He was however too scared to try out the firework.

Mal finally had a proper haircut at a hair salon. It costs 15 bucks, much more expensive than Daddy’s haircut which is always at neighbourhood barber. We almost gave up bringing Mal to a barber or hair salon cos he refused to let anyone touch his hair except us. So for the last 2 years that we were away, we trimmed his hair ourselves. From someone who know nuts about cutting hair, I am quite proud to say that I trimmed his hair all this while. Would prefer to let a barber do his hair, cheaper and in a way, not pampering him too much, but we thought, so long as he agrees to get a proper trim, it doesn’t really matter where.

So the other day, we brought him to the hairdresser together with ?? and Uncle Eddy. We thought that it will be easier to convince him when he sees that he is not the only one getting a haircut. Sure enough, with a bit of persuasion, he was willing to give it a try. Having his favourite people around sure make a difference.

Currently the 2 of them are the darlings of the SIMs. They are just 3 days apart. Having them around liven up the house. She is such a cutie! so sweet and gentle, think Mal is going to enjoy playing with her for the next few months that we are back. (hopefully is play and not bully!)

Do we look like twins?

was at our backyard hanging out clothes yesterday when I took this picture using my 12X zoom Power Shot S2.
The 2 years that we were away, the HDB flats behind our place were demolished and transformed into a green patch of land with young trees planted. This man, who probably stays around this area has found a better way for this piece of land…practicing his golf swing!

Daddy took this yesterday while Mal was helping to wash the dishes in his Halloween apron.

It feels good to be home, at least for the time being. It feels good to just hang around in town, sitting at a cafe on a lazy afternoon, watching people rushing around, observing the latest fashion in town. I am so used to this place.

I still remember how I used to fear going to town when Mal was a baby, having to push a stroller, carry a sling, a bag full of Mal’s barang barang and always worrying about nursing facilities wherever I go. Maybe I have gotten used to bringing Mal out on my own, maybe it is easier to bring a toddler out than to bring a baby, maybe my 2 years stay in US have trained me to be more independent or maybe I have learn to take things easier and learn to slow down to smell the roses.

Went to Borders at Wheelock Place yesterday afternoon to get a book for Mal. We used to frequent this place when Mal was much younger and I have always enjoy going there. There are books to keep him occupied and there is food to fill our stomach, everything within the same building. Was there yesterday to get Mal a book on Space. We had promised to get him one when we were in Phoenix but it slipped our mind. This morning he woke up and suddenly turned to me and asked about his space book. We thought we should keep our words. His latest obsession is space and planes.

He was sleeping in his stroller while Daddy search around for his book. I had the luxury to stop by Substance to grab a couple of shoes. They were having storewide sales up to 70%! Who says there are no good deals in Singapore! Think it is just a lame excuse invented by some shopaholic to justify her addiction! Daddy will be glad to hear this coming from me, cos he is right, there is no need to stock up on things. Ultimately, I will still shop when I get back to Singapore!

Mal’s sleeping habit is more or less stabilized before we came back. We gave up letting him sleep in his own room after seeing him so traumatized. We allow him to sleep in our room, only if he sticks to his own little bed. Since then, sleeping through the night was never an issue.
Here in Singagpore, Mal has a room of his own since he was a baby. This room was however a ‘white elephant’ in the house since he slept with us when he was a baby. With our stuff still on the way, I thought he should sleep with us for the time being again. Of course, Mal was more than happy.

So for the first few nights, 3 of us squeezed in our king size frame with temporary mattress bed. It was uncomfortable and disturbing and I eventually called quit 2 nights ago. We decided that he should be shifted to his own room even it means risking him rolling off the single size bed, without side rail.

We put up his moon night light, exactly the same as the one he had in Phoenix and surrounded him with pillows to prevent him from rolling off. He calls it his castle. Thanks to the many stars and moon that we used to decorate the ceiling, he was quite receptive to the idea of sleeping in his new room, under the stars and moon that glow in the night. And just like that, we succeeded. The transition was smoother than we expected.

Mal is now sleeping in his OWN bed, in his OWN room. This is another milestone reached at 3 years and 5 months old.

We were at the traffic junction outside paragon when we saw a man in wheelchair, playing music with his keyboard. His legs were both amputated. A box was placed in front him for passerby to drop their donations. People zooming around him, with few paying much attention to him, it was Mal’s first encounter with such a scene.
This is the reality of city life, or maybe life in Singapore. Back in Phoenix, the old and handicapped are not the needy. They shopped in supermarket like us, eat in nice restaurant like us and have their own transport. They don’t seem to be crippled by their handicap and I am always amazed by their optimism and independence. Maybe ultimately it all voice down to money. Maybe we can be like them if our government is more compassionate. Maybe.

familiar Ngee Ann City in the heart of Orchard Roadwe were trying to pose with the water fountain behind us actually my new Panasomic Lumix sucks at taking outdoor pics, I really miss my Canon PowerShot !

Mal with ice cream man outside Paragon
water and fountain never fails to intrigue him
Mal, Gucci and Hogan!

Mal trying out a suit in Taka, it was really cheap after 50% sales at SGD 39.90. It comes with the bow tie, white shirt and inner vest. A much better deal than what I got from Dillards!

handsome?Mooncake Festival is around the corner and there was a huge mooncake gala at the basement of Takashimaya, where we found and bought this little piglet made of mooncake skin for Malpiggy piggy, I am going to bite your butt!
makan time. The new food court in Wisma Atria makes me jump with joy! I was so happy to see so many yummy food! The food court was designed like the kopi tiam in the early days. I LIKE!

It has been cloudy and rainy in Singapore for the past few days. Not really heavy rain, but slight drizzling which helps to keep the temperature cool, but still humid. With the drizzle, it makes taking transport a bit of a hassle. Daddy was out the whole day yesterday running errands and thus I had to lug Mal along when I went to town for some ‘pampering of myself session’.

Went for a haircut at Shunji, thanks to Auntie Ophe’s recommendation, love the hairstylist, she’s korean and happens to be one of the director. Before going to the States, I will never have paid more than SGD 30 for a haircut but now, I would splurge one which cost me more than 70 bucks, simply because I was too deprived! I think I need and deserve a decent cut! even if it is just a little trimming to shape my hair.

I like the hairstylist cos I like stylists who talk. She analysed my previous cut, asked me what I want and told me how she intends to do my hair. To me, it is important to understand what your customer wants. Sometimes I felt almost suicidal going to a hairdresser, under the mercy of a pair of scissors. Then again, there are times when even after all the talking, we still walk out of the salon feeling unsatisfied. Ultimately what everyone wants is to look good, so if the hairstylist knows how to make the customer looks good, it doesn’t matter what the customer says she wants, cos she might not know what wants, simply because she doesn’t know what she will look good in. But then again, what is good looking may be very subjective. If one is blessed with a beautiful face, one is more or less guaranteed to look good regardless of the hairstyle, for the less fortunate ones, we will need super skillful stylist with super good skill to convince us into believing what they deem will look good on us. But then how many of us can afford such a stylist, if there is one. Maybe if we are lucky, we may discover one who is good and cheap and is yet to realise his or her own potential, I can ramble on…

The pampering session also include a visit to a beautician. This is my first visit to a beautician. Having super sensitive skin, visiting a beautician is a BIG NO to me. It took me a lot of courage to heed ??’s advice to visit her beautician and I am glad I did it, it is a milestone reached

As for Mal, he had his few first stints too. Taking the taxi to Orchard Road and riding in the MRT (his bullet train). So far, he had tried all 3 forms of public transports, ate in a kopi tiam, and passed by a wet market. I am so eager to expose him to the ‘Singapore lifestyle’!

Mal at the bus stop

Mal in a TIBS bus
enjoying the greenery

Mal having lunch at Kopi Tiam

yum yum!

We are finally back in Singapore! after been on the road for 5 days.

We left phoenix on Sunday morning, drove 4 hours to Palm Spring for my last shopping spree, headed directly to San Diego Del Mar Doubletree, stayed for 4 days 3 nights before driving along the coast, making our way to LAX, flew 20 hours and finally we made it home!!! (P/s: the beds at Del Mar Doubletree was super super comfy!!! should crown them the heavenly beds!)

I was hesistant about travelling before coming back. I thought it was neither here nor there, as in, neither in Phoenix nor in Singapore where my heart is. Coincidentally, the last weekend that we were in Phoenix happened to be a labour day weekend, thus a long weekend, and so most of the people were driving somewhere for a short break, we decided to follow suit. The trip to San Diego was mostly for Mal, a chance for him to visit Legoland and revisit Sea World, as it may be a long time before we will be back again.

The flight back to Singapore was tiring for me, having to sit up to sleep for the 20 hours flight as we were cramped into 3 seats where Mal would take up 2 seats when he naps with his legs stretched over my lap. It was cramped compared to people sitting in the middle row where each person had the luxury of lying flat for a nap, taking up the full 4 seats. Actually I shouldn’t be complaining cos Mal was super well behaved throughout the whole flight. I think he enjoys the flight more than me. The thought of boarding a jumbo jet excites him. He was eager to watch the take off, the landing, even if it means having to wake up in the middle of his nap! He enjoys the food and snacks on board and at 2 am when we finally reached Singapore, he was more awake and excited than me!

We were welcomed by a sweet surprise at the airport and with that, it marks the next chapter of our lives. It feels good to be back, even if means, having to bear with bad attitude cab driver the moment we set foot in Singapore, who drove recklessly even when there was a kid in his back seat not restrained by car seat, having to rub shoulder with not so friendly and kiasu Singaporeans , who are always in a rush, always wanting to be ahead, having to bear with the humid weather, having to drive at 40 km/h at highway cos there were simply too many cars.

Sad to say, like many other Singaporeans, our complains for this little country, are almost endless, still… this is home. Like what we always tell Mal, home is where the heart is and this is home simply because here is where our friends and family are.