Singapore pictures - Part One

The trip to Singapore was eventful. There was a wedding. Family dinners. Family outings. Meeting up with friends. Great shopping. And loads of eating at various famous eating holes. Annabel was great most days and I was really relieved that the warm sticky weather did not get the better of her. She did have a misfortunate food allergy incident that winded her in the hospital. We had to spend a night at KK! How scary was that. It all came good in the end so it was not all that bad. I have posted pictures of our little "adventure" here. Oh. And Mel suffered from a bad case of food poisoning just 3rd day into his holiday. The poor guy spent most of his time in Singapore lying in bed and eating crackers. boohoo

Anyhoo. Here are the pictures as promised. And as there are quite a few I'd like to share. I will be posting them in a few entries.

We flew with Singapore new A380. Boy was it spacious!

Stairs leading down to the lower deck.

I had a personal bag compartment!

She looks so darn cute in the bassinet. Annabel's first time through Singa custom.
Annabel's first bus ride.

The prettiest candy treat in town!

In line for the famous Ghim Moh Nasi Lemak

I cannot believe we can still find Ting Ting candy!

A full package Singapore experience cannot be complete without a

traditional bath in the kitchen sink!

Vivo City
Shopping for chilli crab night! Thought we'd "Do A Karen Cheng" at the wedding reception.

The grand lobby of InterContinental.

Back from holidays!

We are back from Singapore. It has been a great holiday with once again too much eating, catching up with friends and family, shopping and more eating. I have finally downloaded all my pictures and had them printed as well! That's such shocking news!! So I'll be posting them for you all real soon. Hopefully.

It's good to be home.

It's over!

The final exam has finally come and gone! I left feeling like I did alright. Probably not distinction quality but still I am glad it is over.

This afternnon, I am one happy lady.

Singapore. Here I come!!

Another long night

Looks like it's going to be another oil burner night. The assignment has been handed in and I aced my last test. Just one last hurdle to jump, the final exam come Monday. Than it's home run from there on end!

I could just smell the sweet sweet humid air of Singapore.

Excited.

Alicia Keys

I cannot believe it. Alicia Keys is touring Australia come December.

And I HAVE TICKETS!!! WOOHOO!

Thanks Gen!

Click here for more details.
Bimbadgen Estate
Ticketek.com Alicia Keys 08

Hanging on

It's now past 2am and I am 80% to completing our group assignment.

I am so past tired and my bums are starting to numb out from sitting in front of the lab top for way too long. But despite the aching bones and drooping eye bags, I am starting to feel a tiny bubble of excitement brewing deep inside me.

The end is near and yes I can feel it.

Night out with friends

Just a simple night out with friends filled with interesting conversations, good laughs and great food.

Not far now

About 3 months ago, I enrolled myself into a post graduate accounting course. It was a decision spurred on by half wanting to enhance my overall marketability (in terms of job prospects) and the other half, to make full use of my maternity leave to accomplish something other than caring for my baby.

The whole experience of going back to uni has been great thus far. I enjoy the lectures, the interaction with the other students, and the forming of new friendships. Above all, I enjoy the little breaks I get from my daily routine of baby diaper and endless washings.

But there were also the long nights I had stayed up to catch up on the studying. The Saturdays at campus working on the group assignments. And the frustration of not having enough time to do just about anything else.

It is now fast approaching the end of the course and though I am still enjoying it. I am happy the end is near. It has been somewhat exhausting and I miss spending time with my husband. I have one more test to sit, the completion of the assignment, and than the final exam to go. And waiting for me at the end of the tunnel, is my trip to Singapore. Just 3 and a bit more weeks to go now.

Watch out for the little hands

A couple of weeks back. We took Annabel to the city for lunch at a sushi train restuarant. She was quite amused at the moving plates and was relatively happy watching them pass her by. That was 2 weeks ago. Of late, she has started to reach out and grap at anything within arm's reach. I have to constantly watch her now. A catch up over a cup of tea with friends is not quite as relaxing as before. And this is only just the beginning.

Better enjoy my peace while it last!

Annabel @ almost 7 months

I cannot believe Annabel is just 5 months shy from being a year old! She is weighting just under 7kgs now and can sit quite comfortably on her own. She has also become very proficient with her hands and is able to hold her toys with ease. Amongst her babbling, you could quite clearly make out a "dada" and "papa" now, which makes Daddy the happiest man alive.

Daddy has recently taught Annabel to stand, and since, she much prefers doing that than lazing in her rocker. Mummy is quite happy holding her for most parts of the day, excepts when Mummy needs to do the washing and cooking. Studying is getting harder too because Annabel seems to prefer mummy's thick accounting textbook and calculator to her flashy bright fisher price gadgets. In fact, she seems to prefer anything that mummy touches!

Annabel has started taking semi-solids and it has been so much fun. She has tried apples, pears, bananas, pumpkins, avocado, carrots and many more fruits and veges. Of the lot, banana has been her top pick. And proving to be a true offspring of a Tang and a Yip, she is capable of scoffing down a (large) banana in just one sitting. Followed by a standard doze of milk on the side.

Taking her to the supermarket is one of mummy's favourite pass time. Mummy could show her all the different delicious and colourful foods she has yet to try!

Swimming classes have been progressing well too. Annabel loves being in the water and would kick almost instinctively when put on her belly. She has been diving too and spots a super cute frog like movement when put under water. It always amazes mummy how comfortable she feels in the water.

Last but not least. Annabel will soon have 2 tiny teeth to add to her bag of tricks. She seems more amused at them than troubled thankfully and enjoys sticking her fingers in to feel them more often than should. Mummy on the other hand, who is still breastfeeding, is (quite understandably) not too amused.

Deprived

Singapore

For about 3 months, the husband and I have been discussing about making a trip to Singapore to attend a wedding in September. We had gone back and forth for the whole 3 months and finally this week, we decided we are going to make the trip. I am so excited! It has been over 2 years since I had set foot on my motherland and I miss her terribly. Making the trip with us are also my folks and the in laws. And I could just tell, it will be an incredible reunion.

Above all the anticipation. I am most excited to introduce to my daughter the country of my birth. I cannot wait for her to breathe in the hot humid air. To smell all the different culinary delights from my multi-cultural land. And for her to meet the family and my friends. Even if she is too young to comprehend it all. It will still be such a special moment for me.

So the countdown begins. Just over a month now.

So the fight for the remote begins....

Ribs and Bibs

This has definitely been my week. Not only did I get Friday night off (being mummy). I also got to hang with the gals Saturday night! 2nd night in a roll!! The husband had been a darling and had been taking care of Annie on both nights. Honey, you are the BEST!

So Saturday night was Ribs at the famous (ridiculously hard to get in too) Hurricanes. I had eaten at their reputed Bondi restaurant and have been dying to try out their new Darling Harbour restaurant. And I have to say, it has been worth the wait. It was truly a gastronomical treat. The ribs were just as juicy and tender as I remembered. It is meals like these that I am SO glad I am a carnivore.

Brave women in bibs.

New mates & Chocolate

It has been a long while since I had been out and about by my lonesome. So when my uni mates suggested we met up for dinner and hot chocolate one Friday night, I was absolutely delighted. So the little one was left home to get all cosy up with Daddy while the mummy took some much needed me time.

Since starting my studies, I have been blessed to have met four wonderful and amazing girls. They are all smart, beautiful and ambious. And of course fun to be with. It really made this going back to uni experience all that more enriching for me. Their endearing warm friendly personalities have made all those 4 hours weekly lectures fly by and those Saturday project meets fun. Not to mention all the great chocolate treats that is always there just when you need a sugar hit! You guys are the best.

And of course, I had to post our delicious rich hot chocolate treat we had at Max Brenner. Hmm.

Gladiator heels aka Fierce shoes

These are so hot right now. Sadly, I really don't think I can pull it off!

Meet my daughter (again)

Only this time. It's The Model.

Flexing my brain muscles

So, I am into my 4th week of my accounting course and it has been great thus far. My classmates / project group are all fun and loving people. And the lecturer is as interesting and witty as hell. Sure, there are quite of bit of reading and assignments that needs doing. And the occasional disciplining of the wandering mind that needs checking more often than hoped. All in all, it has been manageable. And judging from my first quiz results, I think I am doing alright.

But this is still early days so I am not counting my chickens just yet. Give me a couple more weeks into and I may be singing a completely different tune. So while the optimism is still in the air, and the CAN-DO spirit hangs on. I shall end by saying just how glad I am that I had taken the plunge and had given my brain muscles a much needed overdue work out.

Meet my daughter, the drummer.

Spa Day

ooOoh. I had been looking forward to this day for weeks! Last Xmas, amongst the many great pressies I received. 2 absolutely stood out. They were both vouchers to a one day spa treatment at 2 reputable luxurious spa day salons in Sydney. And for a tired out mummy like me, it spelt heaven.

Gen (the other lucky soul who was given the same fabulous gift) and I had just spent our Friday afternoon at the Orient-express (The Observatory Hotel Sydney) located a stone's throw from Sydney's historic Rocks getting insanely pampered. Besides indulging in an hour of full body massage, we also used the gym, the steam room, the sauna and who could resist a nice dip in the starred skylight pool. The whole experience was amazing and we left feeling absolutely relaxed and rejuvinated.

My only complain is my attire. I know I'm only petite. But surely they can do better than that!