Chinese New Year 2010

Following the Year of the Ox is the Year of the Tiger... and based on calculation using the Lunar Calendar, Raychelle would be 3 years old this year! 

My mum always refers to the Lunar Calendar and insists that we are all older...hahaaa.  Unlike our mathematical way of counting age based on birthday (eg. a child only grow by another year old upon reaching the next birthday), according to the Chinese' way of calculating age, the moment a baby is born into the world, he/she is automatically 1 year old, and at every next Lunar New Year, the child's age will increase by another year.  Thus 15-month-old Raychelle suddenly "skips" to 3 years old... I find this rather amusing...just imagine the vast difference between a 15 month-old & a 36 month-old toddler!  Well, since my mum says so, so be it! =)

Take a look at how "3-year-old" Raychelle celebrates her 2nd Chinese New Year...

Part 1: CNY Eve Reunion Dinner @Function Room of Compass Height

Raychelle already had her porridge dinner at home before going for the "4-Generations Reunion Dinner" with daddy's extended family, thus she just spent her time roaming about while the rest ate!

Part 2: CNY Day 1

Raychelle wearing new clothes, new socks, new shoes & carrying new bag on the 1st day of CNY

At my parents' house...notice that Raychelle had a change of outfit? The cheong sam was too hot for her, so I changed her into another new dress which was bought by her Ah Mah in Bangkok last year when she was only 3 month old.

At the house of Raymond's Grandma who is Raychelle's Great Grandma aka "Lao Mah"..

Part 3: CNY Day 2 (We visited Raymond's Gu Gu)

Part 4: CNY Day 4 (We visited Raymond's Maternal Grandpa, Da Yi, then we went to my mum-in-law's house)

On the 4th day of CNY when darling was sending me to work, I told him that ever since I've grown up to be an adult, it has been really a long time since I had so much fun & enjoyed CNY ... it's no doubt that a child can bring so much joy to the family! 

Praise & thank the Lord for the gift of Raychelle!

Monday Dinner Dates

Ever since our family of two becomes three, it's been very seldom that darling & I got to go out for a date just on our own.  Wherever we go, Raychelle will follow ... this is definitely not a complaint, cos we really love having her around, but then... when it comes to meal time, darling & I will have to take turn to eat - while one eats, the other feeds or humours Raychelle...hahaaa

Thus, I suggested fixing a weekly dinner date with just the two of us, starting this year 2010!

Every Monday night, Raychelle will stay over at my parents' house, because Tuesday is a CCA day during curriculum hours in my school and I have to reach school by 8.30am, hence it's more convenient for Raychelle to stay over instead of us having to shuttle her to my parents' house super early in the morning.  Furthermore, I have a colleague who stays nearby and drives, so I can catch a lift from her to school on Tuesday mornings, and darling can get to sleep a bit longer since he doesn't have to send me to school.  Since last year after I returned to work from my maternity leave, such arrangement had started.  However, last year, on Monday nights after knocking off, we would always go to my parents' house for dinner and played with Raychelle, then bade her goodbye & goodnight and proceeded home without her.  I guess being new parents (especially a new mummy) last year, we didn't bear not to leave Raychelle out of sight.

After a year with no real dates on our own, I felt that it's time for darling & I to catch up.  Besides family-bonding time with Raychelle, we need husband-&-wife bonding time too.  Since my parents have been the caregivers of Raychelle on weekdays for close to a year, Raychelle is naturally very close to them, and enjoys staying overnight at my parents' house, as most of the time when she stays over on a Monday night, she will get to go "gai gai" (go out for a trip) with Gong Gong & Po Po the next morning!  Knowing that Raychelle is very good hands of my parents, I automatically will have great ease of mind to go on a weekly Monday dates with darling. 

So far, our Monday dates are mainly dinner dates followed by window-shopping if we happen to dine at a shopping mall, but it's a good time for both of us to catch up!  On the most recent date, we managed to catch a movie - "Little Big Soldiers"!

Besides the weekly Monday dates, I'm now looking forward to our first overseas holidays since Raychelle's arrival - a short  Bangkok shopping holidays during my upcoming March holidays!

Our 1st Monday Dinner Date @Jerry's (Jalan Kayu)

Super Delicious Oxtail Stew & Buffalo Wings from Jerry's

Using our "Buffet Club" vouchers, we dined at Saltwater Cafe at Changi Village Hotel

Happy 3rd RS-Wedding Anniversary!

3 years ago, I would never imagine that I would one day forget about my wedding anniversary!

However ... Yes, I did - this year, TODAY!

When Darling came home early at 5pm today, I was kind of surprised because I thought he had told me in the morning that he was going to have a long day at work.  I was in the kitchen, about to prepare Raychelle's dinner while this naughty little girl was napping, when Darling popped in and thrusted me a Starbuck bag and a cute little bouquet of flowers, saying, "Happy 3rd Anniversary, darling!"  I was taken aback, because I had actually forgotten that today is our 3rd Wedding Anniversary!  I didn't expect Darling to remember and specially took the trouble to buy nice meaningful gifts of flowers (just a tiny bouquet cos he knew I'm the practical type who don't want him to spend a bomb on big bouquet which will die off in a few days time), card (with his mushy lovey dovey words, but I love it), "The Buffet Club" membership (very practical for glutton like me), a Hong Kong travel guide (Darling promised next year we would go there for holidays) & a starbuck stainless steel mug (maybe I've been saying for a long time that I'm going to get one from Starbuck for my morning Teh or afternoon Earl Grey in school) for me ... I was simply very touched & of course, HAPPY!!!

Darling still had to rush off for his work at 7pm, so I suggested going for dinner at the nearby Bliss Restaurant @Punggol Park... on me (cos I really felt so bad to forget our wedding anniversary)!  I quickly cooked Raychelle's porridge and had it ready in a lock-n-lock container by 6pm, and off we went for our sumptious dinner at Bliss Restaurant, with Raychelle!  The dinner was good, Raychelle had her fun stroll with daddy at Punggol Park, and we managed to be home by 7.30pm for Darling to go off for his work... a short but lovely evening spent together as a family in celebration of our 3rd RS-Wedding Anniversary! 

Praise & Thank the Good Lord for the most wonderful gift of my RS-Family!

Raychelle has her own snug seat in our new Toyota Wish! 

Darling enjoying his Gratin Steak

Raychelle simply can't sit still...

Mummy & Raychelle!

Raychelle & Mummy smiling sweetly for the camera!

Raychelle seemed bored!

Darling & Raychelle waiting for Mummy to finish her Grilled Garoupa

Raychelle trying to smile for the camera

Raychelle making a funny face...

Simply bored!

What shall we do now?

Raychelle & her milk bottle

Raychelle reaching for her water

A family shot - kindly taken by the Bliss staff

A last shot at Bliss before we left

My 3rd Wedding Anniversary Gift from Darling!

 

Happy 1st Birthday, Raychelle!

The tiny little bundle I held in my arms last year this day, has turned 1 today!  Praise Lord for the wonderful & blessed 1st year we have with Raychelle ... looking forward to enjoying every moment of Raychelle's growth & development!

Last year, we had 2 days of massive celebrations of Raychelle's 1st month.  This year, we decided to keep her 1st birthday celebration simple yet cosy, sharing the joy with guests who are our really close family members and friends.  Hence we held Raychelle's 1st Birthday Luncheon at our house last Saturday, 31 October 2009.

A happy & blessed RS-Family

Mummy dressing up Raychelle

Pretty Raychelle with her fave Nanako

Mummy feeding Raychelle Chicken Drumstick*

2 Red Eggs for Raychelle*

"Mian Xian" for Raychelle*

Raychelle's 1st Birthday Cake baked by Mummy with LOVE

Raychelle cutting her birthday cake with Daddy & Mummy

Raychelle getting ready to taste her birthday cake

Daddy "pinched" a bit of the heart-shaped orange butter cake for Raychelle

Guests: Ah Mah & 2nd Uncle

Guests: Gong gong, Po po & Yi yis

Guests: Granduncle Thomas, Grandauntie Rose, Aunties Annabelle & Cristalbelle

Guests: 3rd Granduncle & Uncle Xiao Kang

Guests: Ganduncle Johnny & Uncles Ryan n Sean

Guests: Godpa, Godma & Didi David

Guests: Uncle Melvin, Auntie Angeline (mummy's gd fren) & Chie chies Asley & Alyssa

Guest: Yi yi Xiujin's gd fren - Auntie Joanna

who's also the official videographer of the day

[*Eating Mian Xian with Chicken Drumstick & 2 Red Eggs for 1st Birthday has been a tradition in Mummy's family ... even till today, Po po will prepare a birthday "Mian Xian" set complete with 2 red eggs for the birthday person in the family!]

The RS-Family thanked all who came to celebrate Raychelle's 1st Birthday!  We hope you have enjoyed yourselves as much as we have enjoyed ourselves!

Raychelle is growing day by day...

How time flies ...  Last year this time, I was still wondering how the "bump" in my tummy would look like ... whether she would have double eyelids, would she look like me or hubby etc... Now that the "bump" is out since last November, it's amazing to see her grow and change each day!  No wonder friends who are parents always say babies grow very fast... it's true!  Praise God for this miraculous "bump" who has grown into an adorable & active 10-month old Raychelle!!!

8 mth-old Raychelle - she loves to read!

9 mth-old Raychelle's 1st visit to the Zoo on Mummy's 32nd Birthday!

9 mth-old Raychelle on her tricycle

(she can't ride it yet but she can balance on it for a few sec while mummy took the shot!)

10 mth-old Raychelle on a blue Rocking Horse @Dr Rhonda's clinic

Mummy with Raychelle!

Raychelle, the little drummer-gal!

Raychelle is now 8 month-old and she has started crawling since I bought the "Pooh-mat" for her last month!

Besides the exciting crawling practice sessions on the mat, Raychelle also kena her 1st "balugu" (bump) while on the mat... happened when yi-yi Xiujin came to play with her during my school holidays. Both of them were having a good time playing with Raychelle's musical instruments - shakers, piano, drum, tambourine, when Raychelle who was sitting upright did a "humpty dumpty" fall backward and her head landed on the piano with a "tud" and she started crying loudly! I was on the phone with my mum, and immediately I hung up the phone and went to pick Raychelle up, at the same, sweeping my hand around her head to examine for any "balugu" and there it was at the back of her head, a little "balugu"... poor thing!!!

Since the "balugu" incident, I was very cautious about letting Raychelle play with her musical instrument toys. I will only allow her to play with them maybe once a week under my supervision and I will also always ensure that none of her musical instrument toy gets behind her, in case she does the "humpty dumpty" backward fall again, I don't want her to risk hitting anything that's hard enough to give her another "balugu"!

Today, I decided to let Raychelle have a music-make-merry session after her lunch, as she refused to sleep and seemed to be having a lot of energy. Previously, she could only wave her shakers and tambourine or any-o-how hit her piano keys, but today she could beat her drum pretty well! She did a few sets of drum beating with her 2 drum sticks, quite a cute and hilarious sight, especially when she tried to aim for the drum properly with her drum sticks! As I was videoing her, she surprised me with her improvision - beating the drum with her hand, like those tribal dance...she must have recalled Daddy beating the drum with his hands and dancing around .... smart girl!

Raychelle has indeed grown so much and learning real fast .... I'm so proud of my cute little baby girl who has brought me countless joy & laughter since her arrival!

Thank you God, for the most wonderful gift of Motherhood & the most lovely gift of my little darling Raychelle!

Raychelle Learning to Crawl

After going back to work on 26 Feb 09, the mid-year school holidays are finally here again! I'm so glad to resume my FULL-TIME MUMMY vocation!

Raychelle has grown so much during the last few months and it's really a delight to see her learn so many new things, like recognising English words, Chinese characters, picture cards, Math dot cards (all these are based on the Glenn Doman's learning methods for babies); eating from spoon; sitting up without support etc...

However I was quite concerned about one developmental stage that Raychelle must go through, yet hasn't gone through, and she seemingly unwilling to go through... the stage of CRAWLING! I've read from Glenn Doman books that crawling is a very essential stage for babies as it will affect their brain developmental progress ... if a baby skips the crawling stage, it is actually not a good sign, and it may imply future developmental problems (eg. poor motor skills, reading problem etc).

Though Raychelle has only turned 7 month-old, she is rather advanced in her ability to sit upright without support. One reason could be due to the fact that she's a chubby baby with lots of cushioning on her bum, hence she is very stable in supporting herself while sitting upright. Thus she is able to sit and play with her toys for very long. I also notice that other babies (usually babies of thinner frames) her age who can't balance themselves while sitting, will normally lounge their bodies forward and start "propelling" to move.. which causes incidental crawling, hence these babies enjoy crawling to reach for things that attract them. Unlike those babies, Raychelle doesn't seem to have any incentive to crawl because she is already very comfortable sitting up and playing with her toys. Whenever I turned Raychelle on her tummy on the bed, she will start "grumbling" in a very pathletic expression and sound. I also realised that it could also be due to the fact that she is chubby, she finds it harder to lift her body when she moves her hands and legs while on her tummy, hence she doesn't get to experience "incidental crawling", worse so while on a bed where her body tends to "sink" into the mattress! I was worried that if I don't help to give Raychelle the opportunity to learn crawling, she may be too comfortable in her sitting position that she may just move around on her bum, and one day just stand up and start walking while skipping the crawling stage.

Hoping to provide Raychelle the opportunity and safe environment to learn crawling, I went to Compass Point "Mini Toon" to buy a 130x200cm mat (something that those Yoga mat)yesterday. Of course Raychelle's 1st session, as seen from the video, was not a very pleasant one for her, as she was very unhappy to be placed on her tummy down position and was not willing to make any effort to inch forward despite me placing toys as "baits" (partly due to her past experience of no movement while sinking into the mattress). Nonetheless, I am confident that with more practice and loving encouragement from mummy and daddy, Raychelle will definitely make her debut crawl and gets to enjoy the crawling exercise once she masters it!