Outgrowing

When Joram started complaining that our Melbourne Tram family tee was so tight that he could not put it on, I had the suspicion that it is about time to bid farewell to our very first family outfit. True enough, it was tough to put his hand through the armhole even with my help. 

We bought this set when we went Melbourne for my best friend's wedding 9 years ago. Since then, the little t-shirt had been passed down from one sibling to the next, ending up with Joram. After little brother was born, I had asked my friend to get bigger shirts for the older ones to complete the set. However, that can no longer be done anymore. At the beginning of this year, she and her husband moved to another city so there is no way to ask her to get a bigger shirt for my eldest so that the rest can be handed down to the next younger sibling and for us to give away the smallest size. 

It is doomed for retirement and will be kept together with the rest of our mementos. 

First Family Tee in 2008

8 years later in 2016

Goodbye Diapers!

Yay! I can finally say farewell to diapers for good! 

I was not expecting Joram to attain night dryness any time soon since he was only toilet trained a few months back. However, he surprised me with his willingness to avoid soiling his diapers when he sleeps. I used the same sticker system which worked for my no. 2. Of course, the attractive water-glitter stickers of his favourite vehicles helped too. He eventually achieved 20 nights of clean diapers (a star for each night) and was thus duly rewarded and tonight will be the first night he goes to bed in his underwear. Can you tell that I'm holding my breath? In anticipation of possible future "accidents", I also bought mattress protectors for him.  Just in case. :P

Stickers filled with
water and glitter 

Admiring his new sticker album

It is almost as if he was so pleased with his own accomplishment that he suddenly impressed me by changing into his school uniform all by himself when it was time to catch the bus today. I had been teaching him to change himself since the beginning of the year with little result. He had a tendency to give up easily or put his hand into the wrong hole and get stuck. I started being concerned about his lack of coordination since his older sibling all could get dressed by themselves ever since they were 2 or 3 years old. Looks like I needn't have worried at all. Praise God for that!

National Day 2017

To spruce things up a bit, we took the kids to the Jurong West Aquatic Centre instead of our neighbourhood one for our National Day swimming pool tradition. They totally enjoyed the water playground and the older two were so thrilled to try the super tall and long water slide. Every child got to try floating down the lazy river with Daddy, although Joram was a little frightened by the experience. As usual, we ended the day with watching the NDP on TV while feasting on Pizza Hut.

Jaide enjoying the big float

Joram was tickled
by the water gushing
out from the slide.

All enthralled by the simulation of our
civil defence dealing with terrorist attacks.

 

My 38th Birthday

I decided to try out indoor "sky-diving" for this year's birthday. But not before my dear Bear Bear brought me to IKYU Japanese restaurant to eat their mini kaisen don (seafood rice) with fresh sea urchin, scallop, fish roe and minced fatty tuna for lunch.

After an hour of training, we were all geared up and ready for our first flight! Watch the video below to see us experience free-fall in a safe environment. 

My older two kids made me cards as usual. The elder girl even gave me a kitty purse because she knows I love cats. And the interesting thing was that my worship vocalist leader actually made me chocolate cupcakes to celebrate for me! I was truly touched by the lovely and thoughtful gesture, although she got the date wrong... ROFL

A dear CG mate was so sweet to have thought of me when she was in Japan and bought me a box of beautiful rose-shaped chocolate as a birthday gift. They were almost too lovely to eat. Yet another faithful sister-in-Christ gave me a tube of Sanrio's My Melody hand cream once she realised it was my birthday. I'm truly pampered and blessed with such wonderful family and friends!