Story time

Kai: Come, come, mummy. I have a story to tell you. (Holds up drawing.)

Me: Ok. Tell me.

Kai: (Places toy aeroplane on the runway that he's drawn.) One day, you, Papa, and I went to the airport. Then we saw an aeroplane take off on the runway.

Me: That's lovely. Erm.... where's Kit?

Kai: He is crying, so he has to stay at home.

Here's looking at you kid

The inevitable has happened; though it happened earlier than I expected. After spending four frigging hours in Singapore National Eye Clinic, the pediatric ophthalmologist says Kai has astigmatism. It is recommended that he wears glasses when he watches TV programs.

I grew up in the 70s where options for children's frames were limited. All my bespectacled girlfriends and I had those HUGE, oversized, dorky plastic frames that did nothing to help us through those awkward growing up years where one starts becoming more conscious of one's looks. (The irony is that the same HUGE, oversized dorky plastic frames are considered a fashion statement now by many.)

But things are so different now fashion wise for children. (Isn't that how we get kids the likes of Romeo Beckham?) He picked this red pair himself and refused to budge even when his daddy offered him other options. I am glad. He made a good decision. Fashion-wise, that is. Red accentuates his skin tone, the shape fits the frame of his face, and yada yada yada. Anyway, he must be pretty pleased with how he looks and how it sits on his nose because he's been very compliant with wearing it!

This is his playground

You can bring Kit to the world's most amazing and fun-tabulous playground on earth, and he wouldn't bat an eyelid. No siree.

All he wants to do is muck around with the woodchips (in Australia).

And stomp on metal grilles covering drains and hug the lamp posts when he's back home.

My 4.5yo SNAG

My 4.5yo is a sensitive new age guy (SNAG). While other boys his age are into Ben 10 and superhero cartoons the likes of Spiderman and Superman, he is hooked on Scooby-Doo. His favorite character in the old-school cartoon series is not Scooby Doo; it's brainy Velma. *beam with pride*

He loves flowers too. In fact, he was so excited when I said we'd go shopping for flowers in the wet market last Sunday. And today he made me promise we'd grow a flower garden soon.

Watch out ladies. He's such a SNAG, he's a definite catch.

A 15mo's blog entry

Dear Mummy,

Baby toys are so 'yesterday'. I am a big boy now, and I deserve better. So please do not ply me with things like a toy phone. It has no real dial tones, no speed dial, no volume control, and no voice messages to delete. And don't try to fool me with cordless phones that don't function either. I know they don't work. Big BOY is watching; there will be consequences.

So when I insist on jumping on a stack of CDs, for instance, let me do what I wish. When I want to open that bottle of calendula cream and walk around the house with the cap in my right hand and the bottle in my left hand, let me have my way.

Or else, as gor gor Kai would say: "If you don't listen to me, I won't give you my stickers."

Love, your son Tan Kit

My 4.5yo

My 4.5yo loves trucks. Railway trucks to be exact. When he was two, we brought him to the "A Day Out With Thomas" show and though he wasn't talking much yet, he was blabbering with excitement when he saw Thomas' Troublesome Trucks in 'real life'.
He never outgrew his passion for railway trucks though he has fleeting love affairs with an engine once in a while. (The current favorite is Hiro.) He loves filling up his trucks with tiny stones and other whatnots he finds outside, and shunts them around on his Thomas tracks.

So imagine his delight when he saw REAL coal trucks^ on display in Blue Mountains. He examined the couplings. He stared at the wheels. He sat outside a mine entrance and stared and asked a thousand and one questions about the exhibit inside the tunnel (which features a mine worker and his tools).

He attempted to take pictures of a truck^.

Another attempt^.

He asked Terence to take pictures of the wheels^.

And the trucks^.

If childhood ambition doesn't change with time, I would say he's sure to become a railway engineer. And I love how steadfast he is with his passion; it's another thing about him that makes Kai, Kai.

More from our Sydney getaway:

- Trekking in Blue Mountains

- Anxiously waiting for...

- Road trip snacking and its consequences

- Where the wild things are

- Paddling like a hamster

- Summer in Jervis Bay

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