HQ turns 8 :-)

Our firstborn turns 8 today. Since like just yesterday the first time I held him in my arms. From an active, alert and incredibly cute baby, he blossomed into a responsible, intelligent, cheeky and playful as well as a thoughtful little boy. He's mature for his age and very much in love with life <3.

Happy Birthday my darling boy. May you be blessed with good health, happiness, safety and abundance of love always. Please remember that we love you very very much and always will <3<3<3

Pic 1 - we prepared small favors for HQ's classmates on Friday, consisting of homemade chocolate cupcakes and some small titbits. HQ told me that his friends said the cupcakes tasted very yummy :-). During recess on the same day, I packed a few McDonald's value meals for HQ be shared with his close friends. He said it's one of his best school day :-)

Pic 2 - on his actual birthday (today), we went swimming, followed by lunch at McDonald's (again!) upon his request.

Pic 3 - for his birthday present, he only requested for a monopoly set, and so hubby got him a twin set of monopoly and scrabbles. Just what he wanted :-)

Pic 4 - dinner at a restaurant of his choice.

Pic 5 - after all the baking for teachers' day (will post pics later) and cupcakes for his classmates, we brought HQ to a bakery to choose his birthday cake. This cake would be my target to achieve next year, to bake one like this standard for my kids' birthday :-)))

Although the celebration was simple, we're happy that HQ is a happy camper :-D

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission

Baba's birthday

Happy birthday, baba! Happy birthday, hubby!

We had a scrumptious dinner at our new favourite Japanese restaurant on a birthday weekend after the kiddos' swimming session. We always order the salted grilled fish, ebiko sushi, karaage, and tempura udon when we're there. Hubs loves their sashimi set. Add another chicken set meal, and we're too full already haha.

On the exact date of hubs' birthday, which is on a weekday, we went for dinner right after fetching HQ from school. It was a simple but happy meal at Old Town White Coffee :-).

And the third pic shows some simple cupcake that I made for hubs. It was my first time whipping buttercream, and it turns out delicious! I quite enjoyed spreading the cream over the cupcakes; messy but fun :-). The wording on the cakies are supposed to be purple colour but it looks like grey... hmmm...

Happy birthday honey! Here's wishing you good health, happiness, and a blessed long life ahead :-D

singapore trip @ 2012 (back-dated)

Just pictures :-)

A visit to the zoo is a must for my kiddos. Sis BIL brought us there; the kids had a great time with their cuzzies, G &R :-D

While we were in Singapore, Rafa and QQ attended a Craft Workshop for 2 days, organised and taught by my Sis' buddy. We hung out in the mall and public library nearby. I was impressed with how organised and convenient the libraries are. Here's Rafa playing at the park after his workshop :-).

QQ got her wish at last to go for the Duck Tour!

The Merlion seen from the Duck Tour. 

We also went to the Gardens by the Bay, which was essentially 2 HUGE greenhouses with monitored tempreture. They were lovely and impressive. Here's what they call the supertrees.  

The first greenhouse that we went to was the Flower Dome. Our cheeky kiddos :-)

Beautiful foliage: 

Pictures taken at the second greenhouse, the Cloud Forest. Here's the fall: 

As we were in Singapore for 7 days, it was a leisurely trip. Unlike previous trips, we took things really slow. Slept more, ate more, shopped more, and did less of sight-seeing. I actually prefer this kind of holiday, less stressful and tiring :-).

On the second day there, Sis drove us to visit Granny. She seemed frail and clueless sometimes, which really broke my heart. The saddest thing was she could not recognize me. The woman whom I respected most since I was a child, the kindest and strongest woman that I knew, the woman who looked after me when I was a child, didn't recognize me :'(. It took her a long time to finally realise who I was. I do so hope I am nearer to her so I can visit her more often.

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission

starting the school year @ 2013

HQ @ Primary 2 

This year at 2013, HQ is attending his second year of school in a Chinese medium primary school. He loves his new status as a Primary 2 student, and was on his own from the first day of the school year :-).

This year when school restarts for Primary 2, he asked for a raise @@. He asked once, and we explained to him why we will not be doing what he asked. He's fine with that, although this year he didn't save as much money. Guess he's a bigger boy now and eats more :-).

His favourite thing about school is still time spent with friends especially during breaks in canteen, and games played during PE. His good group of friends are same as last year; Thye Chee Sheng, Soh Vincent, Jason Leong, and Harry Chong. His closer girl friends are Fong Min Syuan, Low Kor Yee, Low Ye Xuan and Low Yan Wen. I find it very cute that these kids call each other full names :-).

QQ @ K2

Year 2013 will be the last year of QQ attending kindy. This year seems like no difference as last year; the routine ting xie, ejaan and spelling; the same friends, almost similar teachers. 

She will be joining her Korkor at the big school next year. She seems to be both excited and terrified to be going to Primary 1 next year. I don't blame her, as I too feel very worried about how she's going to cope with the tight discipline of a Chinese school. It seems that my littlest baby is growing too fast! 
 
(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.  

HQ's first year of school @ 2012 - curricular activities

Just some updates on the curricular activities that HQ has been participating.

HQ partakes in the following activities, which is very little compared to many of the kids I know :-). These are some of the updates:

Robotics
Held weekly and he loves attending this class very much. In year 2012, he has been selected to compete in a 3-day event among kids as senior as primary six, and he was awarded for his outstanding performance. He also attended a 2-day camp during the school hols and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Swimming
He only started lessons this year 2013. We actually enrolled him mid last year but was not satisfied with the instructor. It took us some time to look for another swimming school at a convenient slot. He now loves his lessons and look forward to it every weekend :-).

Wushu
HQ started learning wushu from school somewhere in July 2012, i think. The weekly practice of wushu has made him sturdier in terms of muscle mass, and his growth in height seems to be slowing down. He catches up the moves pretty fast and loves this sport immensely :-)

Just after 2 months of joining, HQ took his first wushu examination, which was held annually. His Sifu who was judging the examination commented to her SiJie (an elder girl disciple who teaches the beginners): "This little boy here fights like a little monk; he has great strength!".

Little monk; LOL!

Others
HQ was also awarded 2nd prize with a trophy for creative writing in English among his peers :-). 

I feel he has grown up so much in the past one year; physically, socially and intellectually. Although, of course, there's still lots of room to grow :-).

I hope he continues loving and excels in his extracurricular activities :-)

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.