Flashback Friday #43

23 October 2011: Blake walking home through the park connector leading back to our place, after dinner.

Flashback Friday #40

18 October 2011: It was an afternoon spent at Changi Airport again! As with the last trip to the airport, Blake and I went to all three terminals, and we played till Sean joined us after work to have dinner together. Before heading home, we spent some time at the playground in terminal 3!



Crawling around cos that's still the fastest way to move for him!During this time, Blake has yet to walk in multiple steps yet.






P.S. The next Flashback Friday is a surprise that I got from Blake when we were having some fun at terminal 3! It was a very, very pleasant surprise, so be sure to check back next Friday! J

Flashback Friday #39

13 October 2011: I brought Blake to the beach again. This time round, we spent time playing with sand! Hehe.

Initially, I didn't intend to let Blake go onto the sand. I solely planned to just let him sit on the plastic sheet I had brought along and just enjoy the sea breeze + view. But Blake slowly ventured out of the plastic sheet on his own, and there was no stopping him!

He enjoyed himself quite a bit, but I think he had a hard time moving around. During this period, he was still unable to walk unassisted, and crawling on the sand was painful for him, with all the sand and tiny stones.

Spent the afternoon there, before proceeding to the swimming club (mad love the club's location! Hehe.) to wash up and have dinner with Sean, who joined us after work.


First, a meal at McDonald's and playing at the playground!


Just before proceeding to the beach

Before venturing out onto the sandy beach

Flashback Friday #38

5 October 2011: Blake started to explore more during feeding time, and he ventured into pulling both his legs up from his baby chair, and setting them on the table. He only knows how to bring it up though. He had no idea how to put them back down, and it gets him a little frustrated when he's done with his feet on the table. Haha. It's a funny look for sure!

Flashback Friday #37

15 September 2011: Blake developed a slight fever after taking his vaccination. He was upset that we put the cooling patch on him, but was still in good spirits!




And in line with the new linky, Friday Five, here are my five tips on vaccination/caring for a sick baby:

1. Bring extra plaster to replace the one the doctor pasted after about 15 minutes. It's usually soaked with blood by then!

2. Have cooling gel patches ready for the onslaught of fever! The bigger the patch, the better. The longer it says it stays cool on the package, the better too!

3. If the cooling gel patch fail to stick on, like they are supposed to, use cute kiddy plasters to hold it down!


4. When feeding medication, use a syringe and put it at the back of your child's mouth, aiming for the side of the throat. Remember to squirt in a little at a go. Shooting it all at once might risk choking your child or having your child spit everything out!

5. Let your child sleep as much as he/she wants, but if they are up for food and play, give it to them! :D

Linking up with Mum in the Making:

Flasback Friday #35

13 September 2011: Blake enjoys brushing his teeth! I can't quite remember when we started giving him the toothbrush with some baby toothpaste, but he enjoys it a lot! Hehe.

Flashback Friday #34

For Blake's first birthday, we decided to hold the celebrations at a bungalow at National Service Resort and Country Club (NSRCC), very awesomely paid for by my dad, might I add J It was also a chance for us, as a little family, to have a mini getaway (like finally!).

9 September 2011: The day we checked in. My dad drove Blake and me down, and left after we have settled and found a little corner for Blake to do his own little thing.

It's actually made up of two sofa seats, with the cushions removed, firmly wedged between the glass panels, the bigger sofa seat, and a super heavy coffee table. Hehe.

After which, I took Blake out for a stroll in the area before heading for lunch. The cafe at the golf area was simply marvelous! Great food and service! J

Then I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get Blake to sleep, while waiting for Sean to join us after work! Once Sean reached the bungalow, we headed out for dinner, and walked around the vicinity further to see if we missed anything. It has been a really long time since we last came here!

After taking some photos, we headed back to the bungalow. As it was Blake's actual date of birth, we had a mini celebration for Blake's first birthday, with cupcakes from Twelve Cupcakes!

I had bought them the day before, but some of them got squashed during the transferring from car to bungalow L

Thankfully, there were three that survived! But one melted a little too much after microwaving, so we were down to two for photo taking. Still taste awesome though! J

Watched more TV while Blake played in his corner and then, it was lights out!

10 September 2011: The day of his birthday celebration! I woke up early to receive the McDonald's breakfast I had ordered in advance, before heading home to feed our pets. Then I met up with my dad. He drove me to Aunty Yochana's where we collected Blake's birthday cake, and he drove me back to NSRCC. I know, I have a super awesome dad J

While I was out, the birthday boy had diarrhea, and Sean was busied the whole morning trying to calm him down and make him comfortable. Sean took him out for a morning walk (while I was out and about), and he calmed down. It's always good to have a super hands-on dad for a husband. Hehe. I'm so blessed to have awesome men, like Sean and my dad, in my life!

Specially made this candle party favors for Blake's first birthday - Ribbons and Tape

When I got back, things were calmed and I started preparing the place for the party that night. Sean also started work on the BBQ pit, cooking all the food before guests arrive, so that he will have enough time to wash up.

My babies! J

When guests started arriving, the birthday boy fell asleep, and woke up just in time to cut the cake! Haha.

Yup, it was a candle-themed birthday party!

The night ended with a walk around the vicinity with lighted lanterns, which I brought along. It was close to the Lantern Festival then. Hehe.

11 September 2011: The day we check-out. Packed everything the night before and sleep till it was just about time to check-out. Haha. We were all so tired! After checking out, we went back to the cafe at the golf side and had a delicious branch before heading home!

All in all, it was a great birthday celebration. So thankful for all the people who came down to celebrate with us, and all the beautiful gifts given to Blake! J

Flashback Friday #33

22 August 2011: No idea why, but there was this period when Blake enjoyed stuffing this small little hand towel we use to feed him his milk (we call it the burp cloth) into his mouth.

In the first few months after he arrived, we used it to protect his clothes from milk spillage during feeding time, and when we burped him. Hence, the name given - burp cloth. Haha.


8 September 2011: One day before his first birthday, and it's bath time with Daddy! J

A Possible Taboo Subject

I guess only a few know how Sean and I really got together. It’s not something we go around telling, and when asked, we give a really short version of how we met. Back when we first started out, the mere mention of our age difference and his occupation will have people frowning. We kept everything pretty low keyed. That explains why there were so few photos of us together before marriage. Even after we got married, it was still something we do not really talk about. I also ran the idea of writing this post by him before starting work on it. I wanted to make sure it was something we are both ok with. It should be fine to talk about it now, considering we have been married to each other for going eight years now, and having two children.

It all started when I was still wearing this uniform:


This photo was taken much later, after we got married. Haha!
I was 15 when I first met Sean. He was 27 then, and he was a trainee teacher in my school. All I know was that the moment he stepped into the classroom for the very first time, my breath was literally taken away. My heart did not skip a bit. Instead, it had beaten so hard that I started to blush and turn red in the face. Thank goodness nobody noticed! Something in me just flipped the moment he walked in. I was attached to another boy at that time, so I brushed it all away as just a crush, an infatuation. There was no way Sean will be attracted to me at all, anyway.

After his training was done in my school, he moved on to another school and I never saw him again, until two years later.

We were at a mutual friend’s home for a gathering, and that was when he took notice of me, I think. I was very shock to see him there, and again, I blushed quite badly the moment I saw him. It was just like when I saw him for the very first time. But the feeling was not mutual. He had no recollection of me at all! He even thought I was someone else’s girlfriend from another school, which meant he thought I was interested in girls. Haha! It was really funny when he revealed that, after we got together.

Anyway, after the gathering was over, our friend’s mother (super awesome lady) drove all of us home as it was very late. Sean and I were the last to be dropped off. It was then that we managed to talk to each other. I was sitting at the back, and him, in front. We spoke without looking at each other much. When we reached my place, he was asked to send me up as it was past midnight by then, and she worried for my safety. I declined the offer as I was still attached to the same boy. I did not want anyone in the family to think I was a two-timer, should they see him walk me home so late at night. When I got home, I sent him a text message to inform him that I’ve reached home safely. I had previously scribbled his mobile number on my notebook (copied from my friend’s). When I did not receive a reply, I thought he did not want anything to do with me.

The next day, I went to ask another friend for his number, just to be sure that I had the right number and he chose not to respond. I know, I sound like a crazed girl. Haha. When I got the number from my friend, I found out that I had the wrong number! So I quickly sent him a message, and I got a respond almost immediately! I was so happy when he replied!

At that time, I was in a pretty bad relationship – one that I truly want to forget – that I cannot seem to get out of. We started to send text messages to one another, and then it evolved into calls that would last through the nights.

I remember one of the calls we had in the afternoon had me rushing to meet him near his place. We were talking about his car, and he was attempting to describe it to me. I told him I could not imagine it, and he said if I was interested, I could meet him near his place to view his car. And I did. Haha. That car turned out to be our wedding car later :)

More calls and text messages later, I told him about my upcoming 17th birthday, and how I was excited for it because 17 is my favourite number (my birth date too!). He then said he would get me a gift. He said he would get me some hair accessories for my long hair, but I told him not to as it was not practical at all. I only like using black bands (still do). Then he said he would get me contact lenses. I was shocked. I had been bugging my mom to get me contact lenses but it was a big no-no! So naturally, I was all high and excited about it.

We met up to get the contact lenses, and he showed me how to put them on. I remember the place (not the date). It was at McDonald’s, the Princess Theatre branch at Bedok Interchange. I also remember he ordered Fillet-o-Fish meal to eat while teaching me. Haha. It was after this that we started to spend more time together. I started to tell him about the relationship I was in, and he told me I had to get out of it before things got worse. I was afraid, but he said he would be there for me should things go wrong. In short, Sean was my knight in shiny armor :)


Prior to getting together
After I was out of the relationship for good, Sean asked me to be his girlfriend. All this happened within a span of 10 days – from the moment we met each other again after two years to getting together. It was past midnight when he asked me, and I said, “Yes”, putting our start together on 24 July 2004.

The first week together had a lot of firsts for us, and things just got better from then. Life for me could not get any better.

Or so I thought.

It was some time in July/August 2005, after being together for just a little over a year, we were watching a movie on his bed when he asked me to marry him. There was no ring, no flowers. Just a cuddle with a laptop playing a romantic movie in front of us. I was obviously shocked. I was only 18 then, but I said, “Yes” to him again. He then spoke to my parents about it. They were naturally worried at first, but they gave the nod. We started the house hunt after.

When we finally found the home we want to start our new life together in, we received news that my grandpa was breathing his last breath. We all rushed to be by his bedside that night. My grandpa’s passing marked the start of more rushing for us. My mom said with my grandpa’s passing, we need to hold our solemnization within 100 days of his death, or we will have to wait at least a year. We could not wait a year, not when we have just found the home of our dreams! And so, by 29 October 2005, we were husband and wife.


We did our own solemnization door gift, probably the time when I fell in love with making my own personalized door gifts. Hehe.


We gave out honey sticks :D


A little something we put together to decorate the car


Looked really tiny! Haha.




We kind of, sort of, had a beach solemnization. Hehe.

Our tea ceremony, and wedding banquet were held a year later on 9 December 2006.









More photos:







That's about it. That's how we got together, and started a family of our own :)


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