Doraemon gift from Lynn

Daryl posing with Doraemon!

Daryl pressing Doraemon red nose!

Giant Doraemon from Lynn

My 35th Birthday is coming so my good friend Lynn and her hubby to be (Boon), asked me out for dinner and I brought my little terror along. As Boon will be slightly late due to work, we choose Fish & Co as our dinner venue. Anyway, there wasn't much choices in AMK Hub too.

While we are queuing for a seat, my little terror was getting restless and keep wanting me to carry. So to pacify and distract Daryl, Lynn decided to buy Doraemon for Daryl when she learn that he like it and she bought him the gaint Doraemon!

I need to rant!

Shawn was involved in the YOG project, thus basically he is working even on weekends. There are days where Daryl was already fast asleep when Shawn reached home after his work and still sleeping when Shawn left for work in the morning.

At the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy, at times I found it too tiring to be taking care of Daryl alone in the weekend as perhaps due to my pregnant hormones, I am a little less patient and easily irritated. Thus, I really appreciated my good friends and parents help during the weekend.

It was already very tiring for me to take care of an active 2 years old plus boy alone and it was even worse when he is sick. Thus, I decided not to bring him out except to my parents home this weekend after feeding him his medicine in the afternoon.

How did he get his running nose and bad cough, well I cannot be sure that it is not due to his outing during the long national weekend, although he was well until the day after national day.

It was okay, that you did not inform us that you are down with slight flu and cough, and did not wear a mask to cover up (although I do hope that you will), coz I do understand that all these was not an issue at all in the olden days where there are less strange and deadly virus around. It is me who should have been alert and not let Daryl share the soup with you. Nevertheless, it is still okay with me that Daryl might have caught it from you, as I do think that at his age, it is also good to fall sick at times to build his immunity.

What upset me is that you seem to imply that Daryl could have caught the flu bug due to bringing him to join the crowds, giving him food that in your view is of no nutrients. Come on, what do you expect from outside food. Yes, I do agreed that home cooked food is the best, but how can I cooked, when I was home alone with Daryl who now prefer to eat rice with dishes than porridge. Also, it is not true that fish and porridge is the best for kids at his age. If you go tell a PD, he will tell you that there are alot of nutrients that vegetable and meats will have and not fish.

Why I am upset? It is because, you seem to forget that I am Daryl's mother, so how will I want to give my son junk food right? Also, claypot rice do not mean that it is dry and hard, as I have told you, I give Daryl the soft portion, while the dry and hard portion, I eat it myself. Furthermore, that night, the mix vegetable rice are left with not much dishes and being a pregnant woman, I also have craving for food and since I am sharing with him, I need to get something that I would like to eat too.

I know you really dote and care for Daryl, thus, I do not fault you for what you have said although I do feel hurt and upset. I may not be as great as a mother like you, but being a full time working mum, I can only say I have tried and do my best. I even go to the extend of surfing net to search for nutritional soup receipe or food to cook for Daryl, and I was cooking almost every weekend before I was pregnant. I have sort of stopped cooking on weekend due to my morning sickness in the 1st trimester and now due to Shawn busy work schedule.

Our views on how to bring up a child might be different due to generation gap, but I know you mean well especially when it come to Daryl, but pls do not forget that like you, I am also a mother, and a mother to Daryl.

NDP rehearsal firework

Naughty Daryl prefer to stand and take individual photo of himself so it took quite a while to coax him to take photo with his ah ma hugging him.

We are trying to teach him to pose the V for victory pose, but he don't know how to so this is what it end up to be.

What is the father and son looking at? NDP rehearsal firework!

Tired Daryl who just wake up from his short nap and could not resist the comfortable sofa at Harvey Norman to just lie there to rest.

On Friday, my colleagues mentioned that there will be Firework today and people at various area like Marina Square should be able to catch it. Since the dress I rent from Maternity Exchange which was located at Marina Square was due for return today, so I thought we might as well stay there till 8pm to watch the firework.

Since Shawn was out in the morning for work, and we have no idea what time will his work end, I can only plan to bring Daryl out alone by myself, since my Dad do not want to watch the firework as the timing crashes with his favourite Taiwan Drama (yes, the never seem to end AI).

The garang mummy me is not worry about bringing my 12 kg over boy out alone but my good friend Grace who Daryl call her godma is worried coz I am already going to 6 months pregnant mah. Although I can managed to bring Daryl out alone, but it is really tiring to carry him if he refuse to walk or fall asleep lor.

Like today, Daryl refused to take his afternoon nap before we went out. So after lunch at Ajisen Bishan, he fall asleep when we are travelling on the circle line MRT and was still sleeping when we reach Promenade station. I can only managed to carry him and walk to Millenia Walk as it was really too tiring to continue carrying him and walk to Marina Square. Luckily, Shawn have already finished his work, so I arranged to meet him at Millenia Walk so that he can take over and carry our sleeping handsome. Daryl woke up in his daddy arms shortly after and we proceed to Marina Square.

We hang around Marina Square for about 4 hours over before it was finally 8 pm and we head to the crowded outdoor area of the food court to watch the firework. We did not finish watching the firework, as when it stop for a while, Shawn claimed that it have finish as he is tired carry Daryl so we head to the carpark. We heard the sound of firework in the carpark and realised it have not finish yet, and only managed to watch another 1 second of it when we are out of the carpark.

After watching the firework, we head to my mother in law place to pay her a short visit before we head home.

Visting Kaleb's on Thursday evening

Pictures taken and design by Wanlin.

Wanlin help me to pick Daryl up from his nanny's place since we are having dinner nearby after Shawn inform me that he have to work overtime last mintue. So we decided to bring Daryl up to her house to visit little Kaleb and also to let both boys have a short playtime together while waiting for Shawn to pick us (the mother and son) up later.

Surprisingly, my naughty and usually bold Daryl was shy and 'timid' at Wanlin's place, probably because he is in unfamilar environment ba. He was close to tears when his Kaleb didi pull his hair which he normally won't when they are in their weekend class. He dare not even snatch back the biscuit he was eating (given by Wanlin) when his Kaleb didi take it away from his hand (muahahaha).

Overall, he was like so 'kuai' and well behaved lor....not his usual terror behaviour back at home. He was okay and happy playing in Kaleb's play room after Wanlin switch on the nursery rhymes. He only stick to me after little Kaleb pull his hair again. But, he refused to go home when Shawn come to pick up. So, I concluded that he is not frighten by Kaleb pulling his hair or taking away his biscuit, but it is more like he is 'afraid' of the unfamilar environment and have yet to adjust himself to it yet.

Then when Daryl saw his daddy, the first thing he say to his daddy or I should say 'complain' is : "Didi.......hair (with his hand actioning pulling).....ta didi.......ah ma ta.....auntie ta...."

Confused Shawn look at me who are laughing away and I told him that Daryl is complaining that Kaleb didi pull his hair, who was later beat by his (Kaleb) ah ma and mother.

Muahahaha.....at times the way kids talk is like word guessing game lor.

Daryl is going to have a little sister in November 2010

Yes, I am expecting again and this time with a little baby girl. Shawn is looking forward to have his little daddy's girl since his little boy is more sticky to me.

The baby gender is confirm on 9th July during my detail scan. Even though way before Dr Beh have told us that it is 60 to 70% confirm to be girl. We have been preparing Daryl on his little sibling when Dr Beh confirm my pregnancy in late March. However, as Daryl is still young and at the awkward age where one moment he seem to know and understand but the next moment he is like do not know what is going on, so it is abit hard for us to really explain to him.

However, being a sweet boy, I remember that there was once, I ask him what will he give baby when baby is born, he ran into his little tent and take out a ball and gesturing to give to baby in front of my tummy. But as he is also a rather 'stingy' boy, when I ask if he will share his toys with his baby, he will scream and say 'mai mai', yes, he speak abit of hokkien.

Before we know the baby gender, and whenever we ask Daryl if he want a didi or a meimei, his reply is alway 'mai mai'. Haha....guess, he is afraid and worry of sharing his toys and sharing our love and attention ba. (Silly little terror, mummy and daddy will love you all the same)

After baby gender was confirm, we have decided on the name almost instantly (we already more or less decided when it only 60 to 70% confirm). She will be named Sheryl. (Must be fair, you see, the first alphabet in Daryl name is same as mine so no. 2 one must be same as Shawn lor). Furthermore, beside the names (both Daryl and Sheryl) rhyme, their meaning are about the same, which is the main reason that I chosen this name.

Now I am 5 months plus pregnant (about 23 weeks) and enjoying every single little movements that little Sheryl make. I do think that she is much more active than Daryl last time lor and I do feel more unwell and tired this time too. However, being a mother, all is worthwhile as long as our little ones are growing well and fine.

After months of preparing my baobei Daryl, I do think that he is more or less aware of his coming little sister. Now, whenever, I ask him where is Sheryl, he will put his hand on my tummy. In fact, at times he will suddenly say sayang baby and sayang my tummy or kiss my tummy too. See how sweet my little terror is when he is not into his terrorism act.....muahahaha.

Although Daryl is abit rough coz afterall he is a boy mah, but I do see his gentleness when dealing with little baby. Coz I ever saw how he just stare gentlely at Johnny's niece and let the 6 month olds girl pull / mess with his hair when he is just over 1 year old at Johnny's son 1st Birthday. Then recently, I saw how he sayang and kiss his little cousin Xuan at my parent house and not forgetting how he will sayang and kiss his 9 months old classmate (baby boy) in the Music Together enrichment class. Somehow, I do believe and is confident that he will be gentle to little Sheryl too, as long as no one stir up his jealousy.

Now what we need to prepare little Daryl is for him to be less possessive of me, so that he will not be angry or jealous when I carry little Sheryl after she is born. Hopefully, we will be successful on this.

Ketchup Please

Our dinner at Cafe Cartel on Friday night where Daryl is enjoying the french fries even though he have already eaten his dinner at nanny's house.

Daryl saw Shawn dipping his french fries into the ketchup and he follow suit. However, after dipping, Daryl merely lick away the ketchup but did not eat the fries and after a while, he will put those fries back to Shawn plate and take new fries. So, when Shawn try to make Daryl finish his fries before taking new ones.....this happen....

Little updates on Daryl

Times passes so fast. Our little Daryl will be turning 2 years old this Sunday. Witnessing his growth and development have been the happiest moment for us.

Although he is not a fast learner, but he have indeed learn quite a lot of things after he passes 1 year old. He enjoy helping out with the littles things we ask him to, like fetching and passing things to us, helping us to bring the clean laundry from kitchen to our bed in the room etc.

With a playful nature, he start giving us funny faces and is alway up to some mischief. I almost have heart attack when I saw him standing on the seat of his little toy bike and trying to lift up the bike with his hands at the same time, u know those kind of bicycle act that some teenagers like to perform.

But this little boy is afterall still rather brave, coz usually he will not cry if he only suffered slight fall, but will come and tell me which part of his body is pain due to the fall. Even if he cried if it is more painful, it is also for a while only, not for long (as long as my parent his favourite ah gong and ah ma not around).

Then early this month, little Daryl promoted to be a little kor kor with the arrival of his little cousin Xuan. Then for the 1st time, I saw his angry and jealous face when my mum carried Xuan in front of him. But again it is only for a while, coz he very quickly break into smile when he saw my brother taking picture of him.

From what I observed, it seem that little Daryl sayang me more than his daddy. Coz he will vent his anger on his daddy. For example, if i scold him becoz he is naughty, he will beat his daddy, or if I say daddy is naughty or bully mummy, beat daddy, he will. But he will hardly beat me or will at times refused to beat me even his daddy tell him to.

Also, he is more sticky to me. When his daddy scold him or beat him, he will run to me for comfort but when I scold of beat him, he will not want to be comfort by his daddy but will still run to me. Even when he sleep with us on our bed, he tend to lie nearer to me or even want to share the same pillow as me.

He is also a rather possesive boy as he will not allow his favourit people like, me, his daddy, ah gong and ah ma to kiss each other coz he will beat us as only he can kiss us, muahahaha.

For unknown reason, he seem to be like those barrier in the carpark alot. Whenever he saw one, he will exclaimed :"ONA", his own words for barrier. He will also turn back to see the barrier even we have drive past it.

I did not forget on my aim to bake his 2nd birthday cake. It was always on my mind. In fact, I have the receipe and ingredient at home but due to my morning sickness, I am really unable to try baking the cake at all. Yes, little Daryl will be having a little sibling joining him in November this year. Guess, I have to give up my plan for baking him a birthday cake this year. Also, we are not holding any big party for him this year. Maybe the most is a small scale celebration with immediate family members.

Now, what I am trying to do is to slowly let him accept his coming new sibling without any jealousy.......