It's all in the wig!

"All I got was this crazy paper wig that looked like a chef's hat?"

We spent the afternoon at the National Museum, together with Evan and family, to immerse our girls in the legend behind Mozart, the prodigy. It started with a toddler workshop, whereby two super hyped up men entertained the kids with familiar song and dance, and finally introduced Mozart by wearing an uncombed wig, an oversized plush velvet coat, a frilly neck tie and some crazy dance moves to his music. Not sure if Mozart would have liked being portrayed that way but it sure got the kids into a tickle. After the workshop, Johan took over and accompanied Sera into the interactive Mozart exhibition, where the kids were exposed to the 19th century era in which Mozart lived.

After the museum, it was time to fill our tummies with food so we headed to the Japanese Food Bazaar, Sukodo, for dinner. Dinner was a 3 hour affair! But it was a leisurely one and the girls were also occupied at the indoor playground. Thanks Evan, Simon and Chloe for the good company!

Before the workshop, we were at the Murmurs Playground. That's Johan posing while Sera chooses her colour pencils

Sera and mama drawing up a storm!

Sera and Chloe join the other toddlers, trying to figure out the two guys entertaining them

All warmed up, the girls join in the song and dance

The Mozart imposter ...

Sera testing out the quill

Johan trying out a wooden toy

Sera finally gets her turn

Cradling a wooden baby ... 'Sleep baby sleep'

To the barber's

Customer: Johan
Where: New Star Barber shop, along east coast road, which boasts a family of Indian barbers spanning 3 generations
Cost: S$8 (includes a head and shoulder massage, hot towel smothered over your face, some 'exotic' smelling oil smeared on your head)
Spectator: Sera
Her enjoyment level: Very thrilled ... and the photos says it all!

So that was our Saturday morning. A trip to the Indian barber for a quick fix to Johan's already short hair. After that, a stop at a hot and crowded kopitiam (coffee shop) for some local iced milk coffee (for Johan), milk tea (for me) and barley drink (for Sera). Very nice!

Sera was a very amused spectator

Check out the tools of the trade all laid out on the table, and the chair that Sera was sitting on is probably older than ages of Johan, the barber and Sera combined.

They play, I try to relax ... while we all wait

After today's gynae visit, the numbers are as follows ...

• I gained another 700 grams in 7 days (groan ... okay, I know I should be way pass the weight gain dilemma)
• My belly measures at 38 weeks
• The baby is now 3.3kg
• Gynae is pretty sure that this baby is going to be the same weight as Sera at birth, meaning 3.59kg
• That means, according to him, the baby would be that weight in a week's time
• And lastly, just before the visit ended, gynae said that he wouldn't be around for the estimated delivery date, which is supposed to be on 7 July. (Fantastic ... but maybe the baby will decide to 'meet and greet' us earlier than estimated)

Anyway, we were hungry after the visit so we made our way to East Coast Park for a light lunch. I also decided to indulge in a 600-calorie coffee ice blended drink just because I was feeling very hot and bothered, and I felt like I needed a caffeine boost then. So while I sipped on my ice blend, I took silly photos of Johan and Sera, and read all three sections of the newspaper. I know ... it's tough being pregnant!

Sera ... SMILE!

Sera ... SMILE ... show mama your pearly whites. Ahhh, not like that!

Sera ... SMILE! Now show mama your teeth. Okay, I give up!

Sera always loves to sit on Johan's shoulder ... and at the same time groom him

It was getting unbearably hot and sticky, therefore ... off with her top!

It's just something all kids have in common, to climb up the slide

She collapses at home

And the celebration continued

On her birthday itself, we dropped Sera off at school, with a little cake so that she could share it with her friends. And the photos here were taken by one of her teachers. Sweet!






She had a great day at school and was singing the 'Happy Birthday' song throughout the car journey to ExplorerKids. We were there for 2.5 hours ... and the kid that enjoyed it the most was none other than Johan!

At the Toddlers' section ...

for 3 years and below

Father and daughter playing 'snakes and ladders'

Sera's birthday party

We had a lovely celebration for Sera's 2nd birthday with family and good friends. Her cousins and uncles (all below the age of 8 years old : ) played with her at the pool, just before they dug into dinner. I hope everyone had a good time because Sera surely did. Thank you dear family and friends for celebrating Sera's 2nd birthday with us, for the generous gifts and also the many well wishes from family and friends from abroad. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SERA!

After a swim, the girls were relaxing on the sofas, checking out the karaoke selection

The colourful balloons brightened up the room, thanks kor, ma, auntie Ivy and Sue for the balloon decorations!

Of course, there was an abundance of yummy food ....

Birthday cake time! Sera was singing along while everyone sang the 'Happy Birthday!' song


"Sera, check out the bees on your cake. Grandma made them just for you!"


She cuts the cake


And pulls out the candles ... she appeared to know the steps to cake cutting. Apparently there's been too many cake cutting sessions in the family!


A happy family

The long awaited arrival ... well, actually second to the new baby

Papa's longest work day and longest flight to Singapore came to an end today when he FINALLY arrived! We were at the airport to receive Johan but didn't tell Sera why we were actually there. The whole idea was to see her reaction when she spotted her papa by herself. Ha ha. So when he was just a few metres from the glass sliding door of the arrival hall, we asked Sera, "Who's that?" She curiously looked, went on tip toes and even strained her neck (there was reflection from the glass doors) to see who we were referring to.

And when she saw Johan, her immediate reaction was to run towards the sliding doors crying out, "Papa ... papa ... papa!" It all happened too fast for us to react, but the security guard quickly ran towards her, attempted to stop her from entering the Arrival Hall. Ha ha! What a scene. Johan picked her up and she had this unbelievable, lovestruck look on her face. "Papa ... papa ... papa", she kept on whispering while touching his face, followed with kisses, hugs and many "I love you". Yup, she was deliriously happy and her emotions were unstoppable and overflowing. Her papa was finally here, with her ...

She leaps into Johan's arm and doesn't let go until we reach the car

Reunited, at last ...

She didn't even mind it when Johan placed this hat on her. Sera does not like anything on her head, per se.

Playing 9 to 5

Playing is hard work, at least for Evan and myself, two pregnant moms, who had to play hard with our little girls yesterday. Thank goodness grandma was around to watch over Sera! We set off at about 9am and didn't return home till 5pm ... and I was the most tired among all. Ha ha!

First stop, in the morning, was to Jacob Ballas Garden, at Botanical Garden, a lovely interactive garden made especially for kids till 12 years old. We took a leisurely stroll through the garden and then serious playtime happened when they stepped in the sandy playground and the water sprinkler pit. We spent the most time at the water pit just because it was literally the coolest place for parents and kids to cool off. Sera tried her hardest to keep dry, avoiding the sprinklers but mischievous grandma had something else up her sleeve!

Sera and grandma on the swinging bridge. Sera didn't like this one bit. Everyone was persuading her to get on it, which she finally did, albeit cautiously and not so enthusiastically.

Sera and Chloe at the sandy playground, helping themselves with toys that weren't theirs

At the water pit, Evan shows how to pump water manually.
The girls were quite fascinated by this simple contraption.

Ok, the following sequence is quite funny courtesy of grandma. Sera was trying her hardest not to get hit by the sprinklers. The problem was that she didn't realise that they came on and off every few minutes. So unbeknownst to her, grandma sneakily plonks her in the Danger Zone.

First STRIKE! She was doused in the sprinklers. She immediately went on all fours, and crawled miserably out of the downpour.


The shocked, little drenched 'rat'

STRIKE TWO! Again, grandma puts her in another Danger Zone. The other kids seem to know that the water was going to gush out from round metal plate in the middle. She joins them, unaware that ...


... she was, once again, being tricked by grandma! Ha ha ha


All dried up and clean, Sera and Chloe feast on healthy snacks prepared by Evan

We decided that we still had more room to have fun, so we drove to the other end of the island, to Downtown East. After lunch, which Sera slept through, we headed to Explore Kids for more monkeying around with the girls. After processing their 'club membership', we spend an hour in the indoor explore play park. Honestly, I was quite beat by then so grandma went into the Mega Play (a 3-storey obstacle) with Sera, climbing, crawling and bouncing around. Ha ha ha. Grandma will always be young considering she has to re-live her childhood over and over again with every grandchild!

And on the insistence of auntie Evan, we saved our littlest bit of energy for the Ferris wheel ride. Each family sat in their own little cage and needless to say, it wasn't just the kids that was so fascinated and maybe confused by the wheel, the adults were equally thrilled.

It was a long day but one that was filled with so much fun ... thanks Evan and Chloe for being so much fun!

Taking a photograph for her club membership

Bumping along in the Mega Play obstacle

Pausing for a photo before they continued their gruelling trek

Sera and grandma in a 'submarine' like tube

Disco like ball pool

The girls had a great time swimming in the clear plastic ball pool that had lights from below that changed every few minutes

All caged up in the Ferris Wheel


A top view of Evan and Chloe in the cage below us

Sera was clearly amused by the Ferris Wheel and was looking out for Evan and Chloe throughout the ride

A contented Sera, after a long day of play, watching Hi 5 ...