Go Go Lego!

Chubbs has not recovered from his bought of flu symptoms, so he has been home a lot. He's vomited his lunch/ breakfast out almost everyday, and it's very worrying when he's lost half a kilo in just two weeks. I've started giving him Pediasure, hoping that he doesn't wither down to nothing.

Anyhow, to make it fun for him at home, we've given him new sets of Lego to play with. Some are actually NEW, that we received as gifts, or that bought for him, but we also uncovered troves of old Lego, which belonged to my younger brother-in-law, Shan, who's turning 21 this year. And even after more than 15 years, they are in almost mint condition. So we gave them a good wash, before giving them to a very happy Chubbs, and he can now build a tower twice his height with all the blocks. Woot!

It Has Begun

Barely two weeks after starting school, Chubbs took his first sick day. His nose has been stuffy since Wednesday, but there was no fever, cough, etc. However last night, his condition worsened so much that he could barely lift his head or walk. He ran a fever last night, and complained of ear ache, and he fell into deep sleep the second his head hit the pillow. Another boy in his class, has been sick for two days with the same symptoms too, because they've been sharing Goldfish crackers. I've mentioned to the teacher that food-sharing should not be allowed because germs spread all the more faster with the help of saliva-coated fingers.

So today, he stayed home with me, and he was very chuffed about that. Even though he has enjoyed school so far, he misses me very much during those couple of hours, and cries everyday when I drop him off. So I make sure that I'm one of the first to pick him up everyday. This is what he says everyday once he wraps his arms around my neck, "Mommy, I missed you. I was looking for you. Can we go home now?"

The first half of today passed leisurely, and I really miss the times I spent with him alone at home. He drew on his new Ikea easel and ate a proper lunch (he never eats any of the lunch provided in school). He also taking his first nap in months, as I type this. Hope the rest will help him recover, and he'll be back in the school playground on Monday.

Daddy's drawing of a rocket on the left, and Chubbs' on the right.

Chubbs' Ultimate Snack

Everybody I know loves popcorn; especially the kids. But too often than not, the popcorn is made with bad and excessive fat, sugar, salt and colouring. What's meant to be a whole-grain, healthy snack has gained a bad reputation as an artery-clogger. So when Chubbs asks me for popcorn in the late afternoons, several times a week, I make a pot of it, with extra virgin olive oil, and nothing else. And it is delicious! Chubbs and I easily polish off a big bowl of it, and feel very happy, and strangely virtuous afterwards. So guys, give this a try at home (if you haven't before). It takes the merest of minutes, and you'll feed yourself and your kids something yummy and nourishing.

Ingredients:-

Extra virgin olive oil- enough to lightly coat the base of a heavy bottom pot

A large handful of dried popcorn

Method:-

1) Lightly cover the base of the pot with the EVOO.

2) Scatter the dried popcorn all over the base of the pot; making sure that there is a little room between each kernal, so that they can absorb the oil and have space to pop.

3) Cover the pot with the lid, and turn the flame on to medium.

4) The kernals will start popping soon. Wait until you can't hear anymore popping, open the lid, pour the fluffy popcorn out, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt if really necessary, and serve warm!

Happiness Can be Found at Infuzi

Last night, our very kind friend, JW, bought us dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Infuzi. It's owned by an old friend, Purdey, and we always have delicious meals there, like this other time. He was so little then, Purdey can't get over how fast he's growing up.

We stuck to the classics, and Fuzzy and JW ordered foie gras to start, and I chose the scallop carpaccio. The shellfish was so tender and sweet, it melted in my mouth. It went perfectly with the subtle but aromatic black truffle dressing. The boys enjoyed their duck liver very much, because it was crisp on the outside, and melting and unctuous on the inside; beautiful with sips of red wine in between.

A large portion of foie gras for the hubby.

Scallop carpaccio with truffle vinaigrette.

Call us boring, but all of us had the Maine lobster pasta for our main course. I just can't stay away from this! Fresh, sweet, succulent, crunchy lobster pieces, with noodles doused in such flavoursome oil... I close my eyes and dream away. I always tell Purdey that this is my death row dish, and she always says, "Choi!"

The very predictable order of Maine lobster pasta in lobster oil, with extra noodles.

The souffle is a must here, just because not many places even offer this. And the few places that offer this, don't quite do it as well. It's a great way to end the meal because I don't leave feeling bloated, my sweet tooth is definitely satiated, and I WANT MORE!

Coffee souffle with chocolate ice-cream.

Purdey very kindly handed Chubbs a bowl of vanilla bean ice-cream, and I asked him whether he wanted chocolate or vanilla, and he said, "I want both." And so he greedily slurped them up.

Purdey and Chef Freddie run this restaurant like a well-oiled machine. It's French classics at it's best, with immaculate service, but you'll be paying just a fraction compared to the big guns out there. I love that it's located in the lush, green surroundings of the Biopolis, and even when it was full-house, like when we ate there, it's still a quaint, quiet place to dine. So when you're looking to treat yourself and some loved ones, give them a call.

Arts and Crafts

Chubbs tried out two new arts and crafts activities in school, which I haven't yet done with him at home. Using glue to stick coloured paper onto a drawing of a flower, and finger/ hand painting with real paint! He's usually a very clean boy, and doesn't enjoy getting his hands (or another part of his body for that matter) dirty that much. So throughout the glue session, he constantly asked me to wipe his fingers with a wet wipe. But I think he liked the finger painting a little more, and was thoroughly engrossed in it after the teacher showed him how. He even had to don an apron before the craft, and the kids looked super adorable in them!

The Beginning of a Long Journey

Formal education has officially begun for Chubbs. Since yesterday, he'll be going to pre-nursery for three hours on weekdays. Here's a little bit about his school... it runs on the same schedule as primary schools, and will get term breaks, and mid and end-of-year breaks. There's a gargantuan fleet of school buses to ferry kids as young as two years old and the teachers use walkie-talkie to coordinate the pick-up of their students by parents in waiting cars after school. The school has a rabbit hatch and fish pond on their compound, and the students plant and care for papaya trees, and a huge variety of herbs and plants, which they later harvest and eat.

We have been preparing him for school for some time now, hoping that it'll ease the transition. He enjoyed school very much, mainly because in his classroom, there's a fully-equipped play kitchenette, where he spent almost all his time at. Fuzzy and I stood back as much as we could, so that he could interact freely with his classmates and teachers. The only time he looked to me for help was when he got jostled and shoved by the girls for the toys in his hands, and when a girl snatched the cooking pot he was holding, and whacked his head with it. To escape the mayhem, he went to read on his own at the library corner, and waited until everyone sat down for a story before heading back to the kitchenette to have the whole area to himself. Fuzzy now dubbs him "the renegade".

Overall, he loved school, and refused to leave because he wanted to cook more. I told him we'd be back and he seemed a little comforted by that. He hugged both teachers before leaving, and once we got into the car, I asked him if school was fun, and he immediately said yes. And throughout the day, he kept asking me, "Mommy, was it fun in school?" And I always say yes.

A light lunch soba noodles, miso soup, egg and steamed corn before school.

Playing before we left home.

No admittance unless you have a decal on your car.

My school-boy.

Waiting at the gates before entering the classroom.

Playing "cook-cook" with his classmates and teacher.

Picking out a sticker.

It's Been a Long Time Coming

We've known for a few months now, that this day would come... it's the last day before Chubbs is officially a school-boy. He starts pre-nursery tomorrow, as a boy who's two years and four months old! My baby boy is not a baby anymore, and is going to school; he's going to don a dusky pink uniform, carry a Thomas the Tank Engine school bag, sling a Bob the Builder water bottle, and sit in a class full of two year olds. I can't believe this day arrived so soon!

I figure I'd be the one who suffers separation-anxiety tomorrow, not Chubbs. Bring on the Kleenex! I'm not going to be a pretty sight, I tell you.

My boys.

This 2011...

... started off rocky because little Chubbs came down with the flu on New Year's eve, and he was miserable and groggy half of the day with a fever. Poor boy. So after dinner, we tried to brighten his day by sticking glow-in-the-dark stars all over our bed and his cot. He thoroughly enjoyed this. We finally put him to bed early at 11pm, and quietly ushered in 2011, just Fuzzy and I, with the boy with the most-kissed cheeks in the world, snoring gently beside us. Could not have asked for more.

Jan 1 turned out a little better because Chubbs' fever went away with the good sleep, but the drippy nose launched Phase 2 of the attack; thick, green mucous blocked nose. YUCK! But my son is a trooper, and managed to enjoy the day going Japanese supermarketing with us, even though he threw up on my hands while eating dessert at Tampopo :/

When we got home, I told Fuzzy to play with/ entertain Chubbs while I prepare dinner for the little one. And this is what I returned to find...

The second day of the new year, the little one's nose was still very stuffed, and he snorted away uncomfortably, but we managed to get a lot done. Chubbs especially enjoyed the trip to Vivo City, where I went to pimp my Ray Ban Wayfarers. He loved looking at the cruise ships, and trains that went to and fro Sentosa.

Fuzzy and I even enjoyed some dark drafts and pretzel (Chubbs ate most of it) from Brozeit afters. Chubbs loves the bar/ restaurant because of the cool murals on the walls. He actually asked us to bring him in to look at the drawings more closely. How can we refuse our son? So we had to go in for a few beers, no?

After he gets his drink, we get ours.

Chomping on his bread while enjoying the view.

Admiring the goats, storks, sheep, etc., on the wall.

This photo is classic! Chubbs' going off about some problem with his toy Ferrari, and Mommy blocking it all out with a swig of ale.

After a simple Japanese dinner of soba in miso soup, edamame, cherry tomatoes, and egg, Chubbs wound down and get ready to go to bed.

Playing in his playpen; which he absolutely adores doing.

Playing in GrandPa's room before bed.

Scrubbing off all that gunk of the day.

Combing his hair with the brush he had since infancy.

Then attacking Mommy with it.

Here's to a peaceful, joyous, healthy new year ahead. Happy New Year, everyone!