Love Letters to Natalie
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Last Day at Kids Loft
Dearest Nat,
Today marks the last lesson at Kids' Loft for you. Teacher Lavina is going on maternity leave and will only be back in July.
Grandpa steamed a cake for you to bring to class today. We were told to bring something each as a mini celebration to mark the end of the term. So today during meal time, we have a variety of snacks like cookies, cakes, papaya etc. All the children were very happy and you surprised me by having second helping of the papayas. You don't quite like papayas at home so perhaps sharing them with your classmates make them taste better. Talk about peer influence here.
Today is really a special day because Daddy went to observe you in class too. Daddy is on MC today and he drove us to school and stayed behind to join us. I guess you are quite happy to have Daddy around in class. It sure makes a difference!
To make your day extra special, Mommy brought you to the zoo after lunch with Daddy. Auntie Lily came to pick us up at home and we went to the zoo together. It is free cone day at the Zoo today. While Qile was enjoying his special ben and jerry ice cream treat, you were sleeping away in the sling because you were too exhausted after class. Mommy enjoyed the cone on your behalf and got you a toy orang utan.
You had lots of fun at the zoo today with Qile kor kor and Auntie Lily. Qile kor kor introduced you to the names of all the elephants there. The highlight of today has to be the elephant feeding session. Auntie Lily grabbed us good seats at the front row and we paid S$5 each for a fruits basket to feed the elephants. You enjoyed feeding the elephants very much and came home all excited telling Daddy about your experience. Seeing the happiness on your face makes me feel that the Friends of the Zoo card is indeed our best purchase last year!!
I am very thankful for Auntie Lily and Qile, always remembering us when they go to the zoo. It is always more fun when we go together. Today is indeed a wonderful day and I thank God for it!
Love,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 7:28 PM
Monday, April 24, 2006
Morning Faces
Dearest Nat,
What I like most in the morning is waking up to your many funny faces. You are so expressive in the morning. You will treat me like a pillow, put your head on my stomach, play with my belly button, crawling all over me and talk to yourself when I pretend to be still asleep. Once I open my eyes, you will start showing me your funny faces and then I will shower you with many ticklish kisses and make you laugh.
I can't describe how happy I am to see you growing up as a very happy and jovial child. You love to be cuddled and kissed. You love to crawl into my lap just to be cuddled for a while before crawling out to continue with your other activities. You show us your love for us by kissing and hugging us.
What amuses us most is the way you laugh recently. We don't know where you pick this up from but you will sometimes cover your mouth with one hand when you laugh. I guess you find it funny too. You are really growing up fast. You are 16 months old now and from a needy baby, you have grown to become a playful toddler, with your own mind about things.
I love you so much and I'll always remember every heart-warming morning we spent together.
The best thing to wake up to - your morning faces
Love,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 11:52 AM
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Easter Party
natnat's mom at 6:10 PM
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Shoes Story
Dearest Nat,
Despite telling myself not to get you another pair of shoes until you have outgrown your existing ones, I have yet again succumbed to temptation and ordered a pair of Bobux shoes for you through an online spree organised by my friend. Didn't even know the existence of such a brand until today. Sigh... the evil of online shopping.
I went to browse at the website out of curiosity without any intention to buy any but the shoes looked really comfortable and different. I thought it is not such a bad idea to get you a pair since it is not too expensive as we are buying directly from Bobux.
I also got Aunt Sandra to bring out all your new shoes to check whether you can fit into them. Luckily we checked coz 2 our of the 3 new pairs are just nice for you now. They are still a little loose but you are able to walk nicely in them already. The first pair of shoes that I got you was from Clarks. It has pretty sequinned butterfly on it and is in a nice purple colour. I will be putting that pair away soon because I think you are going to outgrow it already. The beige Pigeon shoes should be able to last you a while more but not for too long either. The new Colettee sandals that will last you at least another 6 months, as what the sales assistant told me.
Anyway, I have ordered an XL size of the Bobux shoes for you so that you have something to replace the Colettee sandals after you have outgrown it. I didn't dare to order more pairs because I saw 2 really cute pairs of shoes at Colettee today and I don't want to use up all your shoes quota at 1 go.
Your Por Por also kept a pair of my first shoes for you but I doubt you will be able to fit into them anymore. Hmph... and I was hoping to take a picture of you in the pair of shoes I have worn before. We need to huge cabinet to showcase all the cute little shoes that you have or are going to have.
Striking a pose in your new sandals
Take a closer look
Walking happily up and down in your new sandals
This is what I got you! I hope you will like it!
Love,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 12:28 AM
Friday, April 14, 2006
Good Friday
Dearest Nat,
It's Good Friday holiday today!
We all woke up early today and decided to make good use of the long weekend. We had breakfast together, went to Aunt Doreen's house to visit baby Gerald and pass her the baby sling and then we went to United Square to buy you a pair of sandals! We gave expo a miss because it was near lunch time and we were all hungry. Your Daddy said you have enough books to last you a long while which I agree.
The shoes at Colettee are so expensive but they are oh so comfortable. You lost your old pair at the swimming pool on Monday so I've been wanting to get you another pair to replace it. I decided to pay the exhorbitant price for them as they are really alot better than those cheaper rubber sandals. I like the soft leather and the broad cut. The sales assistant said that the sandals will last you at least 6 months and I really hope so. By the way, they cost S$35 a pair after 10% discount using HSBC card.
It is raining cats and dogs now. I hope to bring you out for a walk after the rain. It is Good Friday after all and we shouldn't spend the day at home.
Love,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 2:55 PM
Thursday, April 13, 2006
First trip with Mommy
Dearest Natalie,
We had our first trip out of Singapore together without Daddy last Friday. It was our "soon-to-be-an-annual-event" gathering with my best pals from secondary school days. We didn't go anywhere too far because your Daddy didn't agree of us going to Hanoi. We went to Batam Holiday Inn instead, which was only a 45 mins ferry ride away. As all we want was to be away from our lovely sunny island, so any other place is fine too!
I packed our bags like an excited school girl going for an excursion the night before the trip. Auntie Angel even came over to help. She brought along a blue sarong for me to wrap around during pool time. That was really sweet of her. You sensed the excitment and was hyper active the whole night, wanting a part in everything that we did and happily taking everything from the bags one by one when I wasn't looking. It almost drove me nuts when I saw everything on the floor again! Ho Ho Ho!
Auntie Angel came to pick us up at 7:45 in the morning and we all got into her car and began our journey to HarbourFront! Everything was bright and cheery and I thought what a good way to start out our day. We were met by Auntie Wanqin, Qimin and Youhong at Harbourfront. Angel and I decided to bring you to Macdonalds first while the rest helped us with the checked in for the ferry. They joined us for some Macdonalds breakfast before we said goodbye to Auntie Angel and went on the ferry to Batam.
The journey there was a breeze because you nursed to sleep shortly after we got on the ferry. You didn't wake up until we arrived at Indonesia. After clearing the immigration, we got on the hotel bus and went straight to the hotel. You were very happy to be at a new place and were cheery and smiley. You explored the hotel lobby and the the hotel room with much excitment and it was all too cute in my sight.
The first thing on our itinerary was shopping. We didn't really know where to go so we just went to the city center and got the cab driver to drop us at one of the malls. The mall that we went to looked like one of those old malls we used to have in Singapore in the 70s. It was poorly ventilated, the air was really stale and it was really warm inside. Obviously the air-con was set at a higher temperature to save money.
We stayed at the mall for a few hours. We had our lunch there and spent the most amount of money in the supermarket. You fell asleep again in the sling after we left the supermarket. While you were alseep, we saw a photo machine and decided to be young and cute again and took some pictures of us together. Ho Ho! It was good fun to behave like teenagers again! We shopped around for Kebaya with Auntie Qimin before we left the mall to go back to the hotel.
Back at the hotel, we went to swim after resting for a a little while. You had alot of fun at the pool but was terrified of the jacuzzi. You tried to pull me away from the jacuzzi whenever we went near. It was rather hilarious. I liked to tease you by going near the jacuzzi and seeing your "no no.. let's get away!" expression after that. Naughty mommy!
We had seafood dinner nearby after our swim. The company was nice but the food was not. What was interesting was we saw a baby shark being fished while having our dinner. I brought you near to get a close up view of the baby shark. It was an interesting experience. After dinner, we got the waiter at the restaurant to send us back to the hotel at a nominal price. It is possible because I think we are the only customers there!!
Next was Karaoke. You were kept busy distributing us with the snacks provided and messing with our drinks. I knew you were tired from the way you played. You were in your hyperactive mode which usually occurs when you are too tired. I gave you a quick feed and you fell asleep soundly amidst all the noisy singing. I had a relaxing time singing my heart out, torturing the rest of your aunties. After Karaoke, we went back to the hotel and chatted till 12:30 am before we fell alseep.
It was a good gathering for us despite the boring place. It is nice to know that despite the commitments we have, we are still able to make time for each other and go somewhere together. I am also glad to be away from the daily mundanes and breathe again as an individual. Since your birth, I have been very occupied with my role as a mother, as a wife and as a daughter. The trip and the company of 3 good friends took my mind off all these for a day and even though I brought you along, I still managed to feel like myself minus all the roles and responsibilties. It was nice to be able to do something different with you out of the routine.
We have decided to make this a yearly event for us, to a different destination each time. I will be bringing you along with me again next year if the rest of your aunties don't protest coz I know I won't be able to enjoy myself without you next to me.
Our 1 and only group photo
A picture at the pool before we got out of the water
Love,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 5:23 AM
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Playschool and Wedding
Dearest Nat,
This week, you were asked to dress in something green to class. You have so many clothes but none of them in GREEN! I had to dig hard enough to find a pair of lime green pants my paternal grandma bought for you some time back. That pair of pants belong to your "wear at home" clothes as I don't really like the top that goes with it. Anyway, as that's your only pair of green pants, I matched it with another white shirt and let you wear it to school.
You were taught the letter "G" this week and teacher Lavina read you the story of The Gingerbread Man. I am very happy to find this book in your ladybird books collection I bought you long ago. :-) Teacher Lavina drew a gingerbread man on your hand, and a giraffe on your tummy and grass on your foot. You also finger painted a bunch of green grapes which I thought was really creative! \(^_^)/ As usual, you enjoyed your class and was very eager when it was time to say Goodbye - because you can't wait to have your hands, tummy and feet stamped. You sat right in front of teacher Lavina the moment you sawher bringing out the stamps.
After a few washes, the drawings on your hands, feet and tummy has disppeared. Before that when we asked you "Nat, where is the Giraffe?", you will pull up your shirt to show us. When we asked you "Gingerbread man?", you'll show us your hand. Now, you will pull up your shirt and tell us "No more!", or look at your hand and say "No more!" instead.
Asking me for your shoes. You know you have to put on your shoes before you go out.
We went to attend Auntie Yann Thean and Uncle Chong Beng's wedding lunch today. This marks the 4th wedding you have attended and we have at least 3 more weddings to attend this year. Auntie Yann Thean and Uncle Chong Beng's wedding was a simple and cosy affair at The Legends. I climbed up many flights of steps to reach the ballroom. It was good exercise for me, carrying an 11 kg you. Auntie Yann Thean looks really pretty today and I'm very happy to witness one of the most important days in her life. \(^_^)/ The food was good and I had a hearty meal with you. Your favourite food being the fried noodles and honey melon. I really have to try and lose weight though it is really difficult because I get hungry very fast.
At the lovely wedding reception with pretty Auntie Yann Thean
Well, that's all for this quick update. I'll write more next time.
Love,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 4:41 PM
