Thursday, December 31, 2009

Auld Lang Syne, bye bye 2009

2009 is coming to a close...
....quick review for 2009 and 2010

Best thing which happened to us in 2009..

Wen Xin 雯锌, our cutie is already 7 months old!!
Revisit her birth ,
Day 1, and Day 2.


Come 2010,
- we wish for health and happiness.
- Wei will be attending Primary School, a new milestone.
- Daddy will continue blogging to bring latest gossip to friends.


Fireworks evening on 31Dec?
We were also thinking of a fire-works evening, maybe Marina Barrage, Vivo?
but we got too many constraints :p

- no need to stay out late, as kids will be tired. (but fireworks only at 12mn)
- lesser crowd (is there still a secluded corner in Singapore?)
- prepare to face jams, both human and machine :p
- maybe we should just cope up at home, and countdown from our hall haha


Happy New Year to all!! May all your new resolutions come True in 2010.

We leave you with Muppet's AuldLangSyne rendition.


Muppets AuldLangSyne link taken from here .

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Singapore National Museum

We went to National Museum on Christmas day.
On NHB (National Heritage Board)website, it is a 5min walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT.

NHB assumed we will navigate out of the massive DG MRT station easily :P
And to make things worse, Daddy walk the kids toward Singapore Arts Museum, instead of National Museum (ooops, these two buildings look quite alike)

Free entrance to all NHB (National Heritage Board) premises on public holidays.

Interior of Museum looks very modern and Grand.

We start our journey with History Gallery. Daddy opt not to bring the companion-set, as he suspect we will not have time for all details :p

** every display item or segments will have numbers displayed on the floor, or next to artifact. Visitors are supposed to punch in the "code", then the companion-set will provide information.

Video : the famous swinging chandeliers


Building has a lot of glass, even ceiling is see-through to let natural sunlight shines into Museum premise. We can imagine Raindrops would be a spectacle.

Displays..we do not need to understand all of them (for now)

Sir Stamford Raffles, Pri school kids should know?

Video : hightech multimedia slideshows..tinker your mind

Got a coffin, and Bell. This section covers traditional beliefs of the Locals
(be it Chinese. Muslims or Indians) . The coffin can look spooky if you are the only one in the hall!! (imagine the chantings, eeek!!) We hate to look in it's direction, as Daddy considers it inauspicious :p

Early immigrants from China started their own ethnic/dialect networks as a form of community self-help, but some degenerate to triads/gangsters.
Most coolies got addicted to opium to relive their hardships, ironically they become poorer and health deteriorated.

Portraits and albums line the halls.. example :
- Samsui women - Red Hat aunties at worksites
- MaJie - housemaids, with pigtails

Those born before 70s might remember one Black/White TV box for whole village. Everybody will crowd at basketball court to see their favourite dramas or news.
**we remembered there was a time when Singapore need water-rationing

Chic resting corner

We were once under GreatBritain colonial rule

Singapore was once unstable :
- strikes and riots
- communists turbulance


Japanese Occupation during WW2. Singapore was once called Syonan-To (light of the South).
War is cruel.

Some early campaigns, example :
- keep waterway clean
- everybody moving to HDB (from Kampungs)

Developing Singapore...

Video : Past national day Parades


Our Flag and National Anthem "Majulah Singapura".

Museum Open house also include diy doll making session for both kids and parents to participate. Just add "creativity".

On the way back to MRT station, the boys are visibly tired.

We spend so much time in Singapore History Gallery...we skip the other exhibitions, example :
- Philippines Fiesta
- Landscape(19th century)
- Quest for Immortality

Ooops. no flash, no Video. How to get material for blog?
And Daddy's camera did not get any good pics of active Yi, as the pics were blur under low lighting..

Daddy :
The Museum was packed right from 1000 opening. A lot parents had also brought their kiddos to infuse some Histories. Singapore is still a very young nation, but our diversity, and cultural-pot fusion, is one of a kind in the world..

Monday, December 28, 2009

Swiming Lesson - Rain and Gun

Yesterday, after our swimming lesson, we stay for another 30min.

Kang roaming around the pool with his pump-gun.
Shoot on sight, be careful !!

Wei like to go under the raining-mushroom, just to feel water trickle down his neck.

Ready Action ! Wei slide down, Kang aim, and blast!!


We had so much fun, we broke the water pump-gun :p
Video : Kang ambushed Wei

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Happy 2nd Birthday Wen Yi

Mummy bought Wen Yi a small cake to celebrate his b'day at 奶奶's house.
More symbolic for us, but Yi does not care, as long as he blows the candle, and eat his cake :p

Wen Yi is 2 years old already..and entering Terror two stage now !!
He increasingly wants Daddy/Mummy's attention, and will not share anything with siblings, especially Mei Mei Wen Xin.

But he also adores Wen Xin.
One bus each, so will not fight !!

Video : Bus moment

Wen Xin has a lot of toys, the only issue is these toys are not feminine enough keke.
Kang was a bit moody, as he did not get to blow the candle :(

Blow candle..are you ready?

Multiple shots, capturing so many expressions. Daddy got headache choosing the photos..

Kiddos are full of gestures, mostly spontaneous!!

Boys and Bikes again.


Daddy/Mummy : For the next few months, we are already mentally prepared to handle his tantrums, until his Terror Two period tides over !!

Yi is still mumbling, and at 24 months old, he still refuses to speak a proper sentence.
But we are not worried, as Wen Wei also spoke up only at 26 months..

New phone for Daddy - Android HTC Hero

Android - new toy for Daddy.

Everyone is carrying an iPhone this season, and that is enough reason for Daddy not to choose iPhone :p
Daddy is traditionally a WindowsMobile user, so Android is totally foreign.
But reviews and HTC's OS HtcSense is intriguing.


Promotional ads




HTC customised Google Andriod OS (HtcSense) to suit Htc Hero, and it seems to be getting rave reviews. HtcSense has an interesting tag :
- make it mine
- stay close
- discover the unexpected

More --> HtcHero homepage

Actually, Daddy only need a phone for basic connectivity like phone and sms, and calendering. The other goodies are nice to have.
But since we pick up blogging, some nice-to-have become need-to-have :)
Examples :
- camera with auto-focus
- wifi
- widgets (yet to explore Android and Htc markets)


Nicer pictures, anytime, anywhere (old phone was always blur :p )


What can Daddy do while waiting, idling
?
- surf
- blog on the move
- maybe facebook and twitter :p

Mummy's Diamond and Daddy's Hero

Daddy is still tweaking with his phone features.
Once mastered, he can be an Android Hero :p

Friday, December 25, 2009

Birthdays Wei and Yi, Xmas parties 3-in-1

生曰快乐 文伟(Wen Wei) and 文驿(Wen Yi).
Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas !!

奶奶, 舅舅, 舅母 Kara and Joley join us in a homely celebration :)
To summarize :
#Step 1 - Eat
#Step 2 - Sing song cut cake
#Step 3 - open presents
#Step 4 - optional - fight over toys !!

Daddy like this group photo.. everybody look so innocent heehee.

Earlier, while the boys were sleeping, only Wen Xin was crawling around, and investigating the parcels. We know she is little Miss kaypoh.
Video :Daddy checking on kiddos' moods

Party starts now !!

Wei could not wait anymore, and start munching on KaniKama crabroll.
Wen Xin refuse to let Ah-Ma carry?
The kiddos entertain themselves.

Can you feel the festive atmosphere in our house?
The kids brighten up every minute !!

Video :Boys can be very rough with 舅舅, sometimes even climb overboard. Daddy is more serious, so can never be their best play mate :p

Sing Happy B'day song, Blow candle, Cut cake?
Leave it to the professionals !!
Video : Sing song..hooray

After we have finished dinner,time to open our toys. Showoff to each other (again).
Kara and Jolyn loves our cars and motors !!
Quick, more toys to open...
Video : opening the Christmas socks and boxes..


Kiddos photoshoot, infront of x'mas tree..

Daddy : the cake can be very simple, but as long as the kiddos have good company, that is all that matters. Everybody will be smiling and feel contented !!