bye, 2010

Evolution for us all in 2010. In nutshells.

KK

Tries unsuccessfully to kickstart a cycling-to-work exercise regimen but he does walk home from the MRT every day, a good 15-minute walk. Does that count?

Gets salary increments and I ask why doesn’t he demand for more because he jolly well can and he states flatly: “I want to come back at 7pm without my laptop and I want to “ling-long” after work. Why would I want to make myself so stressed and busy?”


* Photo by Jo

ME

Take on too much work, try out too many things, realize I never want to commit to a full-time (or even a part-time) job ever again because my heart is firmly at home. Try to start an exercise regimen which works for 10 months until I start part-time work. Oh and I get one white hair (in photo below).


* Photo by Valente

DAY

Drops his first tooth, starts asking us what is pornography and condoms, becomes arrogant and know-it-all, gets into gaming with a passion, but is essentially still a very sweet, helpful little boy who carries groceries, opens doors and holds lift doors.



JO

Sweet factor rockets, ultra co-operative and loving, “I love you’s” all day long. Confidence flies through the roof, from backing off of everything to Little Miss Gung-Ho, finally starts loving school, starts her do-re-mis, learns to read, learns to perform. We become very very fond of her. It’s been a long journey from her Killing Two’s.



LU

Turns prettier, goes off the diaper, learns how to wear her own shirts, dresses, pants, panties, shoes, hats, sunglasses, brushes her own teeth, feeds herself, starts to jump, starts dancing and twirling to music, becomes gu-niang, learns to eat spicy curry, becomes feisty, scolds people “Stop It OK!”, becomes quite the TV queen (courtesy of Gina who only knows how to pop her in front of the TV), learns how to stand up to her siblings. And her parents.



On to 2011!

parties

Funny thing about us and parties. Over Christmas, we attend three parties.

The funny is in what constitutes “we”: Me, Day, Jo and Lu. Minus KK.

He wants no part in partying. He goes to play golf, cycles solo, watches TV at home while we stuff ourselves silly with ham and cake.

All three parties, of course, belong to my friends.

The kids (still) love parties and merrily follow along.

Quick picks:

JIANXING'S

In which Jianxing wipes my kids’ feet when they come back from the playground (so as not to dirty the floor) but we have a good time messing up the house and playing with Eva, mummy Jolene (and Jianxing) anyway.



POL YEE'S

In which me and Luke play Christmas carols on Pol Yee's piano (me on right hand, him on left), Day and Jo are the only kids at the alcoholic all-adults party, and Day merrily engages in conversation with my friend starting: “Are you a Christian? Do you believe in God?”


* Jo and Sarah

YANMEI'S

In which the ex-choir folks lustily sing carols, Day plays with someone else’s Beyblades – and gets addicted, and the girls fight over Vera and Daen's toys.

tree spotting

On a night which the next day’s news described as “thousands thronging Singapore's Orchard Road shopping belt for last-minute buys, resulting in massive human and traffic jams”, we went Christmas tree-spotting. At Orchard Road.

Objective: To see the lights.
Party: KK, I, Day, Jo (on KK’s shoulders), Lu (in pram)
Crowd meter: 8/10. We could move.
Worst squeeze: Ion Orchard
Mood: High. The kids (not Lu, who was sleep-deprived and exhausted) were oddly happy despite the throngs, gamely flashing V-signs, counting off every tree they spotted and taking photos(including with tiny little four-footers outside every other shop and restaurant like this one)



I only count the main ones.

Tree 1

Right outside the Goodwood Park Hotel where we stayed a night, and the only reason why we dared to step onto Orchard Road at Christmas. (we only had to walk. And we could easily go "home" if it got too much)



Tree 2

Inside the Hyatt where we also saw Santa Claus. Lu is not happy.



Tree 3

Outside Tangs which won some “Best Dressed Building Contest” this year (it was pretty) and the Christmas tree made of recycled SKII bottles. Jo right below the Burberry sign.



Tree 4

Paragon’s mod tree. We didn’t bother with the main tree. Too crowded.



Tree 5

The Ion Orchard giant (it’s across the road) which we had seen earlier.



This was the best tree of the lot. Not by appearance.

On fun factor, which only happened the next morning. We passed by at about 10am when Orchard Road was still a ghost town and the kids went into the tree, which is really a giant tepee.



They were the only ones in there.



The piped in music, breezy interior and sparkly lights inside kept them running on a delirious high for a good 45 minutes.

time to party!

sundays

Sundays are Me Days.

It’s also KK’s Me Day as he plays golf.

The kids are out of the house by 7am (KK plays early golf), so KK can drop them off at their Tata and Nene’s place.

I wake up to a quiet house with a smile on my face.

I walk downstairs to buy the Sunday papers and eat oats with honey (always).

Once upon a time I would then enjoy the rest of the day. Meet friends for a meal. Watch a movie on my own (with nachos and cheese). Check out new places.

I haven’t been able to do that for months.

I think the last time was in June or July. When I realized I had plenty of credit card points to redeem for free movie tickets and I gleefully lined up next week’s movie. Only it never came.

Instead, once I finish the newspaper, I get up and I vacuum. I fold clothes. I pack things.

Then I turn on my desktop and laptop and bounce between the two, doing work here, doing work there.



By way of entertainment, I watch my only spot of TV for the week, on Youtube. I just finished X Factor UK.

Lunch is a treat. I grab a book and head out to the nearby coffeeshop where I get my favourite Thai tanghoon salad. Or Hokkien Mee. The book is great company.



Post-lunch, I nap. These few weeks, I stop myself from napping. Too much work. I drink some tea (it keeps me up) and I keep plugging away.

In the evening, the kids return.


* Lu gleefully wearing her boat-shoes and holding a box of Hush Puppy panties for herself.

We head to my folk’s for dinner.



They have had a long, boring day at Tata and Nene’s. As they grow older, they get more resistant to spending an entire Sunday there. “It’s SOOO Boring!!!” they chime.

It’s an entire day of TV and games.

The things I used to do with them, clearly no one else will bother until KK returns and brings them to the mall.

But I am OK. I can’t be there seven days a week. And we are supremely grateful that Tata and Nene are still able and willing to take on the trio for a day a week.

saturdays

Wonderful, lazy Saturdays.

Typically, in waking order: Lu (7-plus), Day, me, Jo, KK (10-plus).


* The late-risers

We go for breakfast – anywhere from expensive sausages and eggs to market porridge – and have our morning outing.

Outdoors, indoors. Just go places. The kids are best in the mornings.

This week we head to the mall. Raffles City.



Afternoons, me, KK and Lulu nap. Day and Jo muck around the house. Draw, play, go on the computer, watch a DVD. They never nap. When Lulu wakes up she joins in.


* Her stairway to toy heaven


* The girls are into this "head touching" thing for photos. Odd.


* Lu's Saturday production

Sometimes, the kid’s Tata and Nene come by on Saturday to stay the night.

My mother-in-law (Nene) heads straight to the kitchen where she proceeds to put everything where she thinks it should be – Ribena on the floor not the table, wet cups in the cupboards not the rack, towels out in the sun not hanging in the bathroom.

Of course I proceed to put everything back on Sunday. And she knows I do because the next time she comes she re-arranges it all again.

But it’s one of her favourite activities – she just loves to sit on our Ikea footstool enjoying the breeze and munching rice she cooked in my rice cooker - and I would not dream of depriving her the pleasure.

Nights I often have gigs.

Often, I try to cook.

If I don’t have a gig and the in-laws are staying the night, I head out for a bite and a drink with KK, our one spot of couple time which happens once a month or two months. (all the stars must align: In-laws staying, I have no gigs, KK has no EPL soccer match to catch on TV). What are the chances?

fridays

Fridays we all enjoy. Who doesn’t?

Even though we don’t do anything, by sheer virtue of the fact that it’s Friday makes us smile.

Jo always asks: Mummy is there school tomorrow? She always laughs in delight when I say no.

Me, I don’t do much work on Friday. Because I know I have the whole weekend to make up for it.

That’s right. I love my weekends because that’s when I get a long blissful uninterrupted stretch (the whole of Sunday) to work.

Fridays, the kids go to school, both Day and Jo finish at 130.

We go home and do nothing.

Well, I do get Jo to practise. Her sole practise session all week for the evening’s music class.



In the evening, I bath them all and we go for class.

This Friday night music class routine hasn’t changed in nearly three years. We like Friday classes because we don’t want to touch our weekend.

We dine at the hawker centre. I started insisting that we eat at the hawker centre instead of pricey places with not very nice food, like Yoshinoya and Pasta Mania, and the routine’s stuck.

Friday night has become a time for the kids to expand their gustatory universe of yummy (not always healthy but heck) hawker food.

We plonk ourselves on the smoking tables (because that’s right next to the playground and very few people actually smoke), the kids run off to the playground while I leave them to order.

KK is never there yet. So the first time, it was a bit of a stretch of faith for me to leave them all to their own devices swinging and running around a playground, while I walked out of sight. But we’ve all become used to it. I just keep my fingers crossed that nothing like this happens while I am away.

I have brought back fish sliced noodle, chicken rice, fishball noodle, char kway teow, beehoon soto, popiah, porridge, chin chow, sugar cane. It’s all good, but the kids are best with noodle soups.



Between bites of food, they play.

I bring Jo up to class while KK takes on Day and Lu. Two years on from the old routine, things are much better for KK now.

He goes shopping – Day complains: “Papa was doing his things again. Shopping at G2000, Marks and Spencers. Haiya.” – sometimes they go to the arcade for Day to have a go at the Animal Kaiser machine, sometimes Day does some art and craft.

Jo still enjoys class.



Post-lesson, we meet up, Jo insists on buying a pretzel, I insist on buying a bubble tea, we go home.

The kids sleep late. Maybe 10pm instead of their usual 830-9pm. It is Friday.

thursdays

Thursdays are much like Wednesdays. Nothing much happens, we go home, I cook.

But between Wednesday and Thursday, I try to bring them out at least once.

It’s actually more relaxing to bring them out because there are things to see and do and they don’t bother me so much.

Plus they don’t create any havoc around the house.

Plus it is wonderful going to places on a weekday afternoon, when all is quiet and empty. That's the best way to live in Singapore.

What do we do?

Go to a friend’s house.

Go to the library.

Go to the beach.



Go to the bookshop.

Go to the supermarket.

Go for tea.

Go to the mall.

Go to the playground.



As long as it’s going out. They generally like going out.

wednesdays

Wednesdays are Grocery, Cooking, Back-Home days.

Meaning I bring the kids home – not to my folks’ place – after school and for the rest of the week, we don’t get home-cooked food unless I cook.

Which I course I do.

KK is generally of the opinion that the price of home-cooked food – not the dollar value but the act of having to wash dishes – is too high a price to pay. I suppose, after a day’s work, a normal man would just want to lie back, put his legs up and watch TV.

To encourage him to not hop outside and buy back some greasy overly-salted packed food, I have learnt how to wash while cooking – like when the vegetables are simmering – so he has less to wash.

Anyway.

Wednesdays I buy groceries. (I’m very last-minute that way). With Lu in tow, we go to a supermarket or to the wet market.




* Lu takes a picture of me buying a papaya

I buy like one carrot, 2 onions, 3 potatoes, 4 chicken thighs: Just enough for one or two meals. So I am not under pressure to clear out the fridge. Our fridge is very empty.


* By Lulu

I drop Lu at Gina’s so she can sleep, slog at the laptop, pick Jo up, pick Lu up, pick Day up.

For the rest of the day I have to be in top form. And I do mean Top Form.

Being home with the trio is generally not a relaxing exercise, especially since I restrict TV and computer time.

That means they interact a lot more. Fight. Quarrel. Scream.

They also roam around the house a lot more doing things. Dragging my pillows into the living room to make pillow houses. Raining little bits of Playdoh all over the house. Playing dress-up and leaving a trail of clothes.

Typically, I have something new to do every minute.

I chop garlic. Jo wants to poo. Lu spills her milk. I wipe Jo’s backside. I wipe up the milk. I chop vegetables. Day has a question. Lu wants the black marker pen. Jo wants to draw. Day fights with Jo. Jo’s chocolate cake is strewn all over the bedsheets. I cook the rice. I clean up the cake. I mediate. Lu wants to wear the ballerina dress. Jo has a mosquito bite and needs loving. I love.

If I am feeling really tip-top, I get them to help me cook. That requires 110% level of attention and twice the cleaning, but I think they like it?




* By Jo



If I am feeling shitty (which I am apt to do nowadays because I am so tired from the late night before), I turn on the TV.

tuesdays

Tuesdays are (“I Hate”) Speech and Drama Days, and Swimming Days.

I drop Jo off at school. Day is already there, for Gina brought him to school.

Gina comes over for her weekly (progressively lackluster) clean-up while I go off gallivanting with Lu.

Maybe we eat breakfast. Buy groceries. Go to the playground. Visit a friend. Run an errand.

Tuesday is No Work day because Gina is not able to take care of Lu for me. Usually, by the time Tuesday night rolls around, I cannot wait to get Lu out of my sight.

I put Lu to sleep. When she wakes up, we pick Jo up from school.

Tuesdays are Chinese Speech and Drama days. Both Day and Jo hate Speech and Drama.

Day pouts: “I HATE Speech and Drama!” Jo asks, every single night: “Is there school tomorrow? Is there Speech and Drama tomorrow?”

Jo finishes at 330pm. Day finishes at 430pm. I pick one, hang around at my folk's, then pick the other.



Then it’s time for swimming.



I cart all three to the pool, throw Day to Vincent, swim with the girls.


* Lu getting into the car and attempting to close the door

I am so proud of the girls. After a year of mucking around a pool every week, they are water-comfortable. Though they still can't swim.


* Looking so similar and different.

Forty-five minutes in, I drag the girls out of the pool, bath them, throw a towel over myself, bath for Day, drive back to my folks.


* Waiting for Day to finish. Lu scratching away. The pool water worsens the eczema.

We have dinner at my folks, which is always a luxury: To have home-cooked food without having to lift a finger.

Then we go back home to a refreshingly clean house.

mondays

I have been meaning to do my Routine series for months.

Because life as we all know it will change once the new year starts: When Day starts primary school and my last baby starts nursery.

As it is, for the last two months or so, things have already gone out of whack because I got busy and school winds down.

But for posterity’s sake. Our boring humdrum lives.

Mondays are Back-to-Routine days, and Monday night is Day’s Night of Sin.

Mondays are when I heave a sigh of relief as we go back to early bed times, fixed naps for Lu, home-cooked food etc.

Typically, everyone wakes up late on Monday morning because of the tiring weekend. I have to shake Jo up.

I fix the kids breakfast, Day nags the whole morning – “Jo it’s all your fault that we are going to be late! Can you HURRY UP?!”


* 8.45! Day is very stressed by the clock.

I bring them to school. I go for a prata breakfast with Lu, always with fish curry. By now, she is a curry connoisseur. She eats it by the spoonful.




* She and I love this coffeeshop

I bring her to the playground.





I drop her off at my folk’s place where Gina will look after her, give her a nap and cook our lunch.


* "Mummy don't go!"

Then I (used to) go to the gym and the library, those were some of my favourite moments. Until October when The Job came in and I haven’t gone to enjoy myself since then. These days I rush back home to work on my laptop.

I pick Jo up at 130pm. Bring her back to my folks. I eat my lunch. Jo watches TV. Lu wakes up and joins in.

At 3pm sharp, they turn off the tube (I don’t allow any longer than that).

The girls play together.

At 430pm, I go to the school for the third time in a day to pick Day up. I have been going to that school three times a day for the whole of 2010.

We hang around at my folks.

We eat dinner.

I bring Jo and Lu home.

Day stays behind for his longed-for overnighter at my folks. He shrieks if we withhold his overnighter. He loves being the only kid in a household of four doting adults.

His Popo teaches him piano.



Then he does what he really wants: Play PS3 with Teng. He sleeps late, past 10. His Gong Gong tucks him in and sleeps together with him in an air-conditioned room.



In the above sentence alone are four no-nos in our household. No PS3. No late sleeping (as far as possible). No co-sleeping (as far as possible). No air-con.

Is it any wonder he wants to stay over?