Go go bambini with Kongkie

KONGKIE decided to hang out with us for the day.

We spent a couple of hours walking around Wisma and Taka, with sushi for lunch. Then we went off to Dempsey to pick up Z's milk and to play at Go Go Bambini.

While I sipped my latte, Kongkie spent some grandfatherly time with Z...

Watching her wrestle toys from the other kids...


Pose for photos....


Climb up...


Climb down...



Bet you can't guess who was more tired at the end of the play session.

SuperZ

I BOUGHT this T last year in Australia when Z was just a few months old.

She can still wear it now - but it's getting a little tight around the belly...

Ow

TOOK this photo on my phone to MMS D to show him Z's bruise.

I don't know why but it wouldn't go through so I thought I'd post it here.

You gotta love those cheeks!

Zoe fell out of a shopping cart...

...AND hit her head!

It was a big fall.

Now poor Z is sporting a rather impressive shiner on the right side of her forehead.

But she is ok. All is well though both of us were a little scared for a while.

Big smiles tonight at bedtime.

Thank God.

Kongkie's party

BALLGOWN on for Kongkie's 62nd birthday party.

Since Z got all dressed up, we had a bit of a photo session with her.

But she wasn't really co-operating so nothing really turned out nice.



Here's a semi-decent one with Poppy.

Z greeted the guests and then went off to bed. She wasn't really too socialable. For some reason she's been very clingy these last couple of days.

Our gift to Kongkie was a dinner party for 14 of his friends - and family.

I cooked and grilled and stewed and baked. Everyone had lots to eat - and lots to drink.

Party!

East Coast Brunch

WE walked by the seaside while D cycled from home to meet us for brunch.

Z had a bit of a snooze.

The foggies joined us after church.

We ended up having pub grub.



Z ate baked beans. She likes them... and the after effects are predictable.

Piggy back

THERE is a notice board at The American Club where expats get rid of their stuff when they leave the country.

Scored this baby backpack for $15.

Chic-huahua

ZOE had a good bow-wow session with Kopi this afternoon. She seems to really likes dogs.

First visit to the zoo

BIRTHDAY Celebrations at the Zoo!

I wanted to do something family-ish with just the three of us. And I thought it would be nice to do something different.

D took the day off work. We joined Friends of the Zoo, had brekkie, walked around a bit and watched the polar bears get fed.


Then we headed to VivoCity for lunch. As we were leaving, Z spied a purple blob.

It is one of her favourite characters so I let her sit in the car with the whole Barney gang.

She loved it so much that I had to pop in a dollar.

And off she went. She just LOVED the ride. Another first.

MMR jab

TOOK Z to the doctor's today to check on a big red swelling on her foot.

Turned out to be ant bites that she had a bit of a reaction to.

At fourteen months, she weighed in at 9.8kg and is 80cm long.

Since we were there, the Dr decided it would be a good time to give her the MMR and Chicken pox injections. These immunisations supposed to be done when babies turn one but we decided to delay it a little.

I held her arms tight and then she got shot in both arms simultaneously by the Dr and a nurse.

She didn't even flinch.

What a brave girl!

(Obviously does not take after me because I HATE NEEDLES!)


My mom felt so sorry for her when she heard that she immediately popped over.

You can see the bandaids on her arms.

But Z wasn't at all antsy from the jabs.

Hair!

FINALLY, I can gather up enough of a bunch to tie a pony-tail!

GoGoBambini

HAPPY anniversary Kongkie and Pops!

This morning, Z headed to her grandfoggies to wish them Happy Happy.

After lunch with them, we headed home for a nap. And then I decided to take her out for dinner to a new play place at Dempsey for Moms and tots to hang out.

Z didn't really like drowning in balls and preferred to play outside the pit. Or perhaps she didn't like the bratty kids.

There are two areas for the children: 0 to 3 years and from 3. But sometimes the older children sneak into the baby area to play and they can be very wild.



Oh... they serve champagne by the glass there!

Walkie at Botanics

A WALK at the Botanical Gardens turned out to be a picnic in the park.

We met up with Sasha and both girls picked up a boy along the way.

Bye bye Liz

THIS is Z's morning face.

I don't really get to see it that often cos the Nanny looks after Z when she wakes up at the bizarre hours of 5am... 5.30am...



Anyway this morning, the nanny who has been looking after Z since she was born left.

Elizabeth, after spending three weeks here to help us with our move back, returned to KL to take up a new job this morning.

There was time for a final diaper change.

It was all kind of sad but the good thing is Z doesn't really understand the whole concept for Liz leaving us for good.


I think it will be very hard on Liz as she has come to really love Z.

There were many tight cuddles that morning.

We now have a new nanny for Z.

Only but not lonely cousins

IT'S sweet how he loves her. And she him.

My little cupcake

NOTHING says "celebration" more than neon food colouring.

I baked Banana vanilla bean cupcakes with marshmallow cream cheese icing for a family-do at Aunty Lucy's.

Z stayed home as it was past her bedtime.

To make up it, we took her to Sunday brunch where she had a sugar rush of her own - pancakes with whipped butter and maple syrup.


We worked off the calories by checking out the Great Singapore Sale.

A walk to town for lunch

BEING a stone's throw from Orchard Road, Z and I decided to do lunch.

The mid-day sun was not kind to us.

So we ducked into a shopping centre where we discovered a playarea.


While I cooled down, Z worked up an appetite.

She tried to follow the big kids around but they weren't interested in entertaining her.

She quite happily played on the stairs.

Up and down.

Up and down.

Up and down.

Then it was time for sushi.

Z had her favourite dish: Agedashi Tofu - but only after she ate all her broccoli trees.

This time, she even got to eat the deep fried crispy skin.

Tasty.

Zoe: Caldecott Princess

TOOK Z to Caldecott Hill to meet up with some ex-colleagues.

After lunch at the TCS canteen, we headed to the news studios.

While I caught up with everyone, Z had a great time in the post-production room playing with the hundreds of buttons and dials.

Then Z decided she should be in front of the camera rather than working behind the scenes and tried to audition for a job.

Ta dah!

Settling back

DAILY routines have begun.

Z is so fun to cart about town these days. She's more than happy to take in new sights, do the things I want to, and can't really demand stuff.

Today after a brisk morning walk around the neighbourhood, we went to Simply Bread at Guthrie House for breakfast.

She had water with a raisin bun. A latte and a croissant pour moi.

Then we went grocery shopping. She helped put stuff in the trolley while trying to learn words like "Zucchini", "Mozzarella", "Lentils", "Kettle chips" and "Tampax".

She was such a good baby that I got her this as a reward for good behaviour:


She can only wear it for another 38 days...

McScare

THIS freaky toy came with Z's first Kid's Value Meal of pancakes and apple juice.

The stuff nightmares are made of.

We're back

AFTER KL, it is great to be able to have long walks in green, shady parks with the bub.

On the weekend, we went to the Singapore Botanical Gardens. Z had a long nap in her pram and then a little stroll.

Here she is wearing uggz-buggz shoes, evidence that I've done something I swore I'd never do: I BOUGHT MY KID SQEAKY SHOES!

Oh how they used to ANNOY me!

Squeak squeak squeak

Anyway, these cost S$9 from Tiong Baru Markets.

Not quite the fashionista this time.

The packing begins

THE boxes arrived a few days ago.

In preparation for the movers swooping in Tuesday to Thursday, I have been trying to sift through our stuff.

Categories of Stuff

A - Things we can't live without = GO NOW
B - Things we can live without for the next six months = STORE
C - Things I like but haven't used in years = GIVE AWAY
D - Rubbish = CHUCK

Maaaan. It's been tough. It's a bottomless pit of stuff.

Icky sticky stuff.

And most of it belongs to Z and D!

Daddy at work

A VISIT to the bank to say goodbye.

Z had a good time pressing some buttons while seated on the desk. Hope she didn't park a couple of million where it didn't belong!


After a while, D decided it would be safer if Z stayed in his office.