happy parents

I was about to shutdown my Mac to go watch TV now that Joel is sleeping soundly and Elvis will have another late night at shoot, then i realized someone went to see Elvis' blog...so i also "kaypo" went to take a look...

It's been a while since i saw his blog. The last post was about his insomnia in New York in Oct 2007...then i think he stopped writing. Anyway, it's always written in Chinese so i have to practically guess the whole thing...plus it can be so tiring on my eyes and brain.

Anyway, i just saw it...and i'm really touched. Here's what he wrote. Please allow me to copy/paste it here:
请问你有甚吗感想？
这几天听到最多的问题就是－ 呵呵！！当爸爸了感觉怎嘛样？我都只能这嘛回答：呵呵。。不知到呀 ☺ 因为起初头几天根本没办法集中精神去感觉，一切来的太impact, 虽然有10个月的心理热身，但还是显得手忙脚乱，措手不及。今天心情开始平静下来，感觉也逐渐清析。我现在可以说的是，当了爸爸的感觉就是你会心甘情愿的去照顾这个新生命，无怨无悔的为他付出，虽然听起来很老套，但当你亲身去体验去证实的时候，还是很震撼的。前段日子有朋友说这个世界上只有父母的爱才是最真切和lasting ,当时听的时侯没多大感触，现在觉得非常贴切。宝宝出院后第3天因为皮肤过黄，需要再入院在日光灯下照24个小时，虽然是很普普遍的婴儿问题，但心里还是很难过，jo 也一整晚都在哭。你的心似呼在也离不开这个小动西。相信以后的日子里会有更令人操心的事，but I believe the joy that he give us will be more ☺)
Dated 30 December 2007

Joel has indeed brought us lots of joy in the past 1 year. We're like obsessed parents who look at him sleep before we go to bed...then i always say, "Sooo cute!" and Elvis will say, "Super cute!" We're crazy parents too! Haha! ;)

disappointed

A while ago, i was feeling a little moody and sad AND disappointed... Coz 1 of our friend from Nafa is getting married next month in Bali...and these other friends came up with all sorts of reasons NOT to attend. I know it's kinda short notice - like a month - but...

The background info here is that this dear friend is Indonesian, and she has ALWAYS traveled to Singapore to attend everyone else's wedding in Singapore! (At least for 5 wedded couples including ours) Although people can say she can well afford it, i think it all boils down to whether she really wanna be there or not. A trip to Singapore isnt cheap either. She has told me before the airport taxes are as expensive as her air ticket. And she always pays for her own accommodation which could be like S$1000 each visit (although we did offer to pay for her stay at Marriot when she came for our wedding - which she turned down). Imagine how much she would need to spend (even if she's rich). She could always give us/them the lame excuses people are coming up with now too, right???

- Some people are deterred from attending just by a mere $50-100 difference in the air fares.
- Some seemingly rich people with HUGE diamonds (the size of my thumb nail. No joke!) is deterred when the promo $260 air tickets are sold out (non-promo $130 more)...and says they're saving up moneys for "investment". How much difference in investment can a few hundred bucks be?
- Some people faked a play which they have already bought tickets for.
- Some people says taboo.
- Some people just dont wanna spend any money.
- Some people dont even bother to reply the emails.

Our tickets into Bali would take us back S$2500 on airfares. That's excluding hotels, expenses and angpao. And this trip would also cost us our May-Day holiday "to anywhere" (so we have to stay put in Shanghai)...and possibly miss a trip to Singapore this year. What can i say???

I just feel that everyone should try their best to attend - just like what she has done for everyone else. I'm so disappointed with these friends...and i know Elvis will be unhappy about this post. :/

P.S. FYI, these people (above) do not read my blog. ;p

my cooking 3

Today, i cooked my own lunch! Keke... Must show off here! ;p
- Egg & luncheon meat with oyster sauce (as previous)
- Ketchup prawns (new! anyhow-cook recipe)

Although it's only 2 dishes, i still eat until damn shiok! It will also be my dinner lah.

visitor

Vivienne has a Shanghai flight, and we're meeting her for dinner! Too bad her stay is only 1 day...then she flies back to Dubai tomorrow. ;)

P.S. Realized i forgot to take photos. I brought her to Itoya Japanese Restaurant at Huai Hai Road, then we had HK 许留山 Hui Lau Shan desserts. Yum!

hilarious

Okay, 1 more movie down last night - You Dont Mess with the Zohan (2008). Adam Sandler is always funny to watch. This movie is written and produced by him too.

Catch it. Damn funny!

More info here.

I've also finished watching Heroes Season 3...very messy plot. Now, i better start with my Gossip Girl Season 1 & 2 (on loan from Pick).

explode

Last night 元宵 felt like it was World War III coz the sounds from the fireworks and firecrackers lasted a few hours...all the way till past midnight!

Firing & explosions...
Sounded quite scary to me...

P.S. Updated Sunday's pictures below... Bubbles...

cape no. 7

I wanna blog about this Taiwanese movie which we saw a few months ago.

Cape No. 7 海角七號 (2008)
Elvis heard from many people that he looks like the leading actor, Van Fan. Even he himself thinks they look alike (in the movie)!!! Elvis says it's scary. But i dont think they look alike. The actor is more handsome lah! Haha! ;p

The movie had 9 Golden Horse Nominations and won the Best Picture. It's very BIG in Taiwan! But somehow, we didnt like it that much.

yuan xiao

I've been seeing & hearing lots of fireworks and firecrackers this week...and many more today. There's nonstop fireworks - set off by different people - since the sky got dark 2 hours ago. Everywhere i look, there's fireworks - left, front, right! Becoz today is the last day of Chinese New Year - 元宵. It is a big deal here in China. Families are supposed to eat rice dumplings "tang yuan" today. They like meat and/or vegetables fillings. I prefer to stick to our typical Singaporean ones with sesame & peanut fillings.

I went to buy them this afternoon for supper with Elvis. Then Elvis said he wont be home too late, so i've asked Ahyi to go buy food to cook dinner too! Wah! Like a real yuan xiao meal!

Today, the 3 dishes taste yummy! I think coz it's more salty. ;p
- Prawns with the same bottled sauce (as before)
- Egg with vegetables (that looks like spring onions)
- Hong Shao Rou (which looks too watery)
- and of course, tang yuan


The Chinese also like to visit the temples, see lanterns and solve the "puzzles" (cai den mi)... I should have gone to ChengHuang Temple/YuYuan to soak in the festivities.

Happy Yuan Xiao, everyone! ;)

burn

We were on a Brad Pitt trail and watched Burn After Reading (2008) too. (Interesting official website) Also starring George Clooney. More info here.

With these 2 actors, it's a little hard to think that this is a comedy. Elvis was laughing most of the time... I just think that Brad Pitt's character/acting is so damn funny.

Dark humor. Black comedy.

traumatized

Good news! The blog has since been reinstated! (10 Feb)

Just got an email from my friend, Aaron, that he's started a new blog becoz his old blog was "automatically detected as a spam blog"! Now, i'm sooo worried that my blog could be wiped out too!

For friends who has created blogs specially for your children, maybe you're hoping that one day, they'll grow up and get to read the lovely diary you've written for them - since the day you met. BUT......

O no, this is terrifying! :(

spring

Spring is finally here!
The weather is quite nice now...not freezing-freezing (nose & ears) like the last few months. About 10˚C. But it's usually foggy and it feels very gloomy when there's hardly any sun.

The day is also longer now with the "sun setting" later at 5+pm. I really hate it when it sets at 4+pm during winter.

relaxed weekend

Daddy Elvis has meetings to attend this weekend (Sat AND Sun), so Joel & i stayed home most of the day. It's really tough going out with a heavy toddler - especially with the both of us wearing such thick layers of clothes. I'm still having muscle aches from Wed's trip to the museum (although i brought along the stroller).

We did try to squeeze in some time for his Gymboree play class on Sat though. We signed up for the Gymboree play class in Singapore, but we missed it coz we were too busy catching up with family & friends...so it's been a while since Joel last went. As usual, we realized he's slower than other babies...and cant really manage the obstacles on his own. (He's also always the youngest in the group lah) The only thing that he does better than the others is SMILING & LAUGHING! Haha! Maybe i should bring him there more regularly and on weekdays too since i can bring him there with Ahyi. There are some lifting (the baby up) exercises which i really dont have the strength to do now. (But Ahyi says she has motion sickness and cannot take taxi) :/

Huai Hai Road - art bookstore and Gymboree



I decided to stay home too on Sunday noon...to catch up on my Heroes Season 3. Maybe we'll go out for dinner together if Elvis finishes his meeting early today...

Huai Hai Road - Grandma's Kitchen for some "tonic soup" for the body. (The 1st picture is the ingredients inside the soup)

Trying out the bubbles gun. Coz Joel seems to like the bubbles from his play class. The kids were asked to catch the bubbles...but Joel always just smile and look at them. Funny boy. ;)

curious case

We watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Although the story obviously cant be true in real life, i felt it was rather sad. Made me sob. After the movie was over, it still made me think of it over and over in my head.

Try to catch it. More info here.

mama mama

Joel has really been enjoying saying Mamamama

...and blowing bubbles! :o

stanley

Just stole this completely drool material photo from a friend's blog... (Thanks, Aaron!)

As i look at this picture...and spotted the pacifier, i'm wondering if Joel will look that cool someday - with his small eyes and thick lips. Got a bit of potential, huh! I only wish! Haha! Suck in those cheeks, Joel. 黄立行! ;)

special menu

It seems that many people are rather impressed with my recent home-cooked meals! Keke... ;)

I'm "not" very picky with food...but there are some things i dont eat eg. squid, sea cucumber, any chewy stuffs, green leafy vegetables, bittergourd, anything bitter... I cant think of anything else now, but when i come across it, i will know...and pick them out from my plate!

I DO LOVE eggs (any style), luncheon meat, cabbage, prawns, crab, chicken wings/drumstick, anything potato... Not forgetting instant noodles, McDonalds...

So...i specifically told Ahyi what are the vegetables and the meat i eat/like...she went to the market to get them...i told her what to cook with what (so at least i dont get some weird dishes), what "special things" to add... And i get a rather decent home-cooked lunch! ;)

And also thanks to my mother & sisters for sending the dried mini oysters, dried scallops, dried whatever - the salty & smelly stuffs. Of course need to buy lots of bottled instant seasoning too! Haha!

P.S. Ahyi was quite "funny"...coz she wanted to cook the chilli prawns BEFORE the cauliflower. So i told her to cook the veg first then she dont have to wash the wok twice. Hmm... Even i cant cook also know that. What was she thinking??? :/

cooking 2

This is what Ahyi cooked today. Food i like!
- Prawns stir-fried with black bean/chilli sauce (the glass bottled ones)
- Cauliflower with pork slices (I added mini japanese dried oysters)
* Egg & luncheon meat (I added oyster sauce...YUM!)
- Cabbage soup (I added dried scallops, ikan bilis & dried shrimps. I also took an egg out but she forgot to add it in.)

* I fried the egg/luncheon meat before she arrived...coz i dont wanna "trouble myself" to teach/explain how to cook it. I like my egg/luncheon meat this way with oyster sauce! Super nice! ;)

For the prawns, i peeled the shells and Ahyi just used the seasoning directly from the bottled black bean chilli. No extra seasoning needed. For the rest of the dishes, i took the dried goods for "extra seasoning" and told her to add them in. Haha!

at the museums

Wednesday, we went to the Shanghai Art Museum & MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) with Ann after lunch at Afternoon Tea.

It was an exhibition by Wu Guan Zhong 吴冠中. I think it's his private collection (of various artists) which he will donate to Singapore, China & Hong Kong museums after the exhibition. Amongst all the artworks showcased, we were the most impressed by the elder Wu's works - very contemporary although most were Chinese ink paintings! And considering his (old) age...it was truly avant-garde!

(Sigh... Strictly NO photography)

Born in Yixing, Jiangsu in 1919, Wu Guanzhong taught painting at the National Chungking University in the early 1940's. After travel and study in France for four years, Wu Guanzhong returned to China where he currently resides and teaches. Wu Guanzhong is internationally known, and exhibitions of his paintings were held in San Francisco in 1989-1990 and in London in 1993.


Some of the exhibits at MOCA, featuring 'Couples in Contemporary Art':


Elvis & i always enjoy visiting these museums. The admission fees are also very cheap - only ¥20. The Shanghai Art Museum is the old 1934 British Racing Club building with a famous clock tower. It also house the very "hi-so" roof-top restaurant Kathleen's 5 with a spectacular view of People's Square. MOCA, on the other hand, is a very modern-looking greenhouse situated WITHIN the People's Square Park. It is just next to Shanghai Art Museum, about 5 mins walk inside the park (i.e. if you dont get lost).

Somehow, i always dont take a picture of the cool glass buildng coz we're always rushing there and rushing off. Haha! (That's me) These pictures below are taken from their website (to show you). You wont imagine this building inside a typical park! Impressive, right? ;)


I kinda like this park coz there's the very cliche chinese-chinese residents amidst the somewhat modern environment. Nice restaurants and cafes can be found inside the park. Some teens dressed in Japan/Harajuku cosplay fashion can be seen on weekends. Older folks gather to play chess, dance and jog. (They love to do all sorts of song & dance!) On Sundays, you'll be shocked to see A LOT (maybe hundreds) parents gathering to matchmake their children - all equipped with detailed data! They will hang these A4-sized paper on the trees for people to browse freely...and fix up something if the parents are keen. If you already own a house, got more advantage! Haha! Ann also pointed to me her favourite building in Shanghai across the street (see right) It looks somewhat 'Cosmopolitan' and has a rusted metal look. Really a cool-looking building!

After the art lesson in-and-around the park, we walked around People's Square - the underground shopping area, Raffles City and the "Bookstores Street". (Books are extremely cheap and plentiful here! But mainly Chinese ones lah)

Joel also took his first "da tou tie" (big head sticker). This is it! Kawaii! I also havent taken any of these stickers in years! And that's Joel's red packet from Ann on the far left. ;)
(For the Chinese, they do not need to be married to give away angpao. After they start working, they can give angpaos to their elders and young children. The minimum rate of angpao here is ¥100/approx S$20! No one will give amounts like our Singapore "market rate" of S$4/6/8/10)

new animal book

Joel was reading this book from Aunty Yen Yen for a while before i got him on candid camera:

ahyi cooking

Ahyi has started "extended hours" at our place from this week. It was just cleaning/housework from 1-3pm Mondays to Fridays. Now, she stays till about 7pm to help look after Joel, play with him etc. I'm also "trying out" to get her to cook lunch for me when she comes in at 1pm. So far, i've tried her cooking once on Tuesday.
(Wednesday, i went out with Joel and told her she could leave after cleaning. Today, i ordered McDonalds. Not becoz her food is not nice. I just felt like eating McDonalds.)

It's simple fare
- cabbage with pork slices
- chicken drumstick with soya sauce/chinese wine
- tomato & egg soup (which turned out looking more like a dish instead of a soup)

The taste... ehh...is very home-cooked. Nothing very yummy or very yucky...

Everyone must be curious! Here's how it looks:

our singapore diary

Friday: Shanghai PVG to Singapore
Shanghai Terminal 2 has a cool playground while waiting to board the aircraft. (The first picture shows a charging station at the waiting area. Good for laptops! T2 is really built for Expo 2010.)

Saturday
Rise & Shine! This is what Joel does every morning. Bang his head against the wall...

A visit to GongGong, PorPor & Terry before dinner...

Our reunion dinner at House of Peranakan Cuisine...
(Yes, we're Nonya)

...and coffee break afterwards. That's cousins Xan & Xavier. Xan bought Joel the Teddy (named Teddy) on the left, and they also bought Joel the LeapPad system (which Joel already has...so we let Aunty Sandra give it to her friend's kid). Anyway, THANKS SO MUCH!

Sunday
We went down to Orchard Road to shop for a while before our reunion dinner...but most of the shops were already closed by the time we got there! That's cousins GuanLin, YuHang, YuXing & baby YiChen (in the background). Joel's dearest BearBear's nose is also used as dental floss. ;p

Lunar New Year - Chu 1
Visiting to GongGong/PorPor, then to Elvis' brother's new house. (Everywhere Joel went, we took off his pants coz he was too HOT!)

Joel well-rested after his beauty sleep...

Lunar New Year - Chu 2
Went out with Daddy's friends Uncle WeiYang & Aunty Janice to Serangoon Gardens then "Chun Dao He Pan" 春到河畔 at Marina (which was super boring we left almost immediately). They're expecting their first baby boy in June. ;)

Dinner at Ben & Sharon's home... Joel has sooo much fun rocking in Claudia's sarong! HAHA!
3 toddlers - Riya (19mths), Claudia (25mths) & Joel.

Lunar New Year - Chu 3
(Forgot to bring camera out...so these are from my lousy camera phone) Brought Joel for his Chickenpox vaccination...followed by shopping...met GongGong, PorPor & Aunty Audrey at Suntec for lunch...and finally dinner with Mommy's ex-colleagues at Tambuah Mas at Paragon.
3 toddlers - Daniel (18mths), Kaede (11mths) & Joel.

Lunar New Year - Chu 4
Lunch at Ricciotti with Elvis' ex-colleagues who came from everywhere...

Then we went shopping at Ann Siang. Daddy shopping again at his friend's shop Asylum. Discovered this cool brand - Surface To Air. Bought shoes & clothes - all within 15 mins! (Mommy faint)

followed by Haji Lane...

Tea break at Shokudo & dinner at Cedele

Then we went to Aunty Yali's house... (Elvis sister who looks exactly like him & mother of that sweet little boy, YuHang)
Joel counting his angpao money before bedtime. Not bad! Haha! ;)

Lunar New Year - Chu 5
Mommy slept & slept...

Lunar New Year - Chu 6.
Visiting Elvis' secondary school friends & our Nafa friends... followed by dinner with family...
Baby Amelia (9mths), Amanda (4yrs) & Lele (6yrs).

Uncle Ryan, Aunties Stella & Jessica playing rolling Mandarin oranges with Joel...which he can never catch. So you can see from the last picture Joel is pretty pissed. Haha! ;p

Lunar New Year - Chu 7
Changi Airport T3. Everyone wants a piece of our little pig...

Uncle Elvis & Joel makes (15mths) baby cousin YiChen unhappy. Terrible! ;p

That's Joel's baby meal which is quite yummy - mashed sweet potato, chicken (which tasted a bit like Campbell...and Mommy ate all of it coz Joel doesnt want it), some mashed "food" (on the right), some caramel-tasting pudding as dessert, a bun and fresh milk. And that's Joel kaypo-ing on board...


Most "memorable" about my trip back to Singapore:
#1 "Ah Mi To Fo" chanting at my in-law's house for 7 days & 7 nights! It was rather disturbing with its glowing cum rotating lights at the altar - totally hypnotizing with the audio AND visual! (Faint)
#2 I was also down with stomach flu from Chu 3 which caused me to vomit and had diarrhoea for the next 3 days! I also lost my (good) appetite coz i felt nauseous every time i ate. So...i actually didnt get much of the CNY goodies and delicacies! :(
#3 Everywhere we went, there were kids! (Faint)
#4 Joel was super "sticky" to Daddy and clings onto him very tightly! Sometimes, he doesnt even want Mommy! I'm not complaining - although it does makes me look quite "helpless" and useless. Haha! ;p

15 degrees

This is jet-lag face. We're back in Shanghai... Surprisingly, it was about 10˚C when we arrived last night! (Supposed to be really cold at minus˚C) Now at 4pm, there's fog but it's still 15˚C. ;)

And we were awaken by firecrackers this morning! Bright & early!
Welcome again to my Shanghai blog.