However, this year, we did not have a Mother’s Day dinner. We had a Mother’s Day MEGA DINNER FEAST! *faint*

At the end of it all, I looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant!!! *laugh*

Right after those plates and bowls were cleared.
THESE spiky green durians were placed on the table IMMEDIATELY!

THE ONLY CHILD, out of the six kids, who is interested in durian. Well, he DOES live up to his nickname ‘Fruit King’! *laugh*

Allan asked for a 15mins break before the NEXT FOOD comes onto the dining table. Well, everyone definitely need a small break from all the biting and chewing. We need time to digest!!! *laugh*

After 15mins was gone, oh man! Everyone was still very full, but we must have the cake cutting ceremony no matter what…..

This year, my 2nd SIL, with the help of her friend’s discount card, bought the famous Guanaja from Rive Gauche.

Ok, as mentioned in my previous post, the first few hours of Mother’s Day was indeed a happy one for me because of the my nieces’ sudden urge for a sleepover.

My wish of feeling like a Mother of 4 came true. Preparing 4 kids for bedtime was fun, especially when its my dream combination of two boys and two girls. *grin*

Still, I was pleasantly surprised and moved by the greeting from my eldest niece (who could not make it yesterday), when she arrived at my in-law’s place after us.

Chirpily, she came infront of me, squat down and called sweetly, “Omma!”
*smile*
Read this post to find out why she calls me that: “Me? Omma?”

Lovely gift from her, isn’t?

And when we went down to the playground for an hour of playtime, before the MEGA DINNER FEAST was served, my two elder nieces created a mini Mother’s Day bouquet for me.

Aaawwww…. so sweet!
*heart melted*

How was your 2012 Mother’s Day celebration? I had a blast! I hope you did too.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

MOTHER’S DAY 2012

Every year, somehow I would missed posting my Nephew’s Birthday. Often doing back-dated post. This year too! *eyes rolled*

Well, maybe my heart is not with him or rather its the other way round. *laugh* For me, liking him did not come easy, even though I favour boys more than girls.

He is very demanding and likes to make a mountain out of a molehill, hence often causing every other kid, who is near to him, to get a scolding. In the end, no one likes to play with him except my friendly-to-all-Binbin.

W.D. loves to fake-cry and gets his two elder sisters into trouble. *pout*

Being cared by so many different people at the same time with different styles, explains why he is what he is today. There are no ‘regular‘ guidelines for him to follow because someone’s “Yes” could be another’s care-taker’s “No”. How confusing can it be for the child, right?

*sigh*

Since young, Allan and I are the 6 children’s playmates on every Sunday. However, I would shun away from W.D. as much as possible because, to me, he is a time bomb, until recently….

W.D. and his Mummy

Yes, over the recent weeks or maybe months, he started to come to me very often, asking me kiddy questions and updating me his latest wishlist.

Today, he was clinging to me like a koala bear! Sat on my lap and refused to get up for a really long time!

I could not explain why, but somehow, I liked it. *laugh* It was then, that I realised, I have started to like this boy.

I sat him closer to my body, smelled his hair and kissed his head. Hey! He liked it as he gave a broad smile when I did all of that. *grin*

Yes, for the first time, I realised I am starting to feel ‘OK’ with this nephew of mine.

Happy 5th Birthday Nephew W.D.!

Happy 5th Birthday Nephew!

So he had his massive advanced birthday gift when we gave him the Chalet Birthday celebration during the March School Holidays.

Then, just like previous years, birthday celebrations start on the eve.

FUN!!!

On 29th March…..

While Allan was in a meeting near Bugis, I was in the Arcade with the kids.

For me, its strictly play-without-putting-money-in when they are at the Arcade, especially after coming back from our Batam trip.

Yet, when the doting father came to meet us after his appointment, $5 were exchanged for tokens and the kids went crazy over collecting the tickets which came out from the machines.

At 12 Midnight…..

SING!!!

To my birth family (not my current family), birthdays are very important and it must be celebrated. Totally different from Allan’s birth family.

No matter how chaotic the situation may be. My parents will still have our Midnight birthday cake cutting ‘ceremony‘.

Since my dad and mom can hold on to that tradition under those circumstances back then, I see no reason why I should stop when my own family now is living so harmoniously.

EAT!!!

After the mini argument between Binbin and I over the choice of cake for the chalet celebration, read post “Learn to be Better Parents Every Day“, this round, it was a time of conviction between Allan and  Binbin.

Me to Allan: “You will Never believe what birthday cake he wants for his actual day.”

Allan: “Strawberry Shortcake.”

*jaws dropped*

Me: “How did you know?!”

Allan: “The tone of your voice tells me that its a cake that NONE of us will like to eat.”

*laugh*

Allan to Binbin: “Binbin, you want to buy the Strawberry Shortcake because you like to eat Strawberry right?”

Binbin: “Yes.”

Allan: “But you like to eat Chocolate Cake too right?”

Binbin: “Yes.”

Allan: “But there is no chocolate inside the Strawberry Shortcake.”

Binbin: “Huh?! Then what’s inside?”

Allan: “Vanilla and Strawberries.”

Binbin: “Orh.” A little disappointed but still stayed firm on his decision.

Allan: “Why don’t I buy a Chocolate Cake and a packet of Strawberries, so you can put the Strawberries on your own piece of Chocolate Cake. Then you can have Chocolate and Strawberries at the same time?”

Binbin *cheerfully*: “Ok!!!”

In the end, my fruit prince was more interested in the Strawberries than the Chocolate cake! *laugh*

On Actual Day, 30th March….

BLOOD!!!

What a birthday gift he brought back from school! He came home with lips swollen and peeled skin stained with raw blood.

A collision between him and his classmate during PE lesson, the last lesson of the day. *sigh* Must it be ON his birthday????

Oh well, accidents do not choose when it happens. It Just Happens! *eyes rolled*

*Photo below was taken after the wound has been cleaned.

Regardless of how painful eating could be, or how long we had to queue (we queued for more than an hour!), he still chooses to go to one of his favourite restaurants, Tony Romas, to savor his favourite cheesesticks and corn.

Though Binbin did not have the magician to entertain him like how his brother had during his 8th birthday dinner at Tony Romas, he still enjoys colouring and solving the puzzles on the keep-the-kids-entertianed piece of paper from the restaurant.

Yup! With that ends Binbin’s 7th Birthday Celebration. Definitely a great blend of all sorts of emotions, but all in all, it had been good. *thumbs up*

Happy 7th Birthday My Dearest Binbin!

Happy 7th Birthday Binbin!

As today is a school day, her birthday celebration was brought forward to last Sunday, 25th March.

March is always a happy time for the Loh Family.

TWO birthdays in the same month and only one day apart. ZY’s birthday today and my Binbin’s birthday tomorrow.

Let’s start with the glorious food which my MIL has prepared (except the pizza of cos!).

Because of our introduction of cheese hotdog to my niece during Binbin’s Advanced Birthday Celebration at the Changi Chalet, two weeks ago, my MIL ‘scolded‘ us for creating more work for her. *eyes rolled*

Oh well, so long as the birthday girl is happy… all else does not matter.

Desserts : Grass Jelly & Longan with Almond Jelly

Presents from us. As usual we asked her for her wishlist and we fulfilled it:

Happy 11th Birthday Niece!

Why is he so happy?

‘Cos he just finished marking that ‘important‘ date down on his calendar….

One Day Before the Chalet….

Finally! The wait is over! Binbin’s birthday wish of having a chalet came true today.

We celebrated his 7th birthday in advanced. We took the chance to bring forward his birthday two weeks earlier to this 1-week school break. All 6 kids will have the opportunity to sleepover. Something that is very rare indeed for the Loh Family. *wink*

Previously I showed you the exterior of Chalet K of Aloha Changi Chalet in this blog post “Our Birthday Present for Binbin’s 7th Birthday“, so now here’s the interior:~

When you have 6 active kids with you, the most important thing  is to make sure that they are entertained at all times and at all costs! *laugh*

So what did I have up my sleeves when they arrived at 4pm and how am I going to make their excitement and energy last the whole night through till the next day?

I basically WORN THEM OUT! *giggle*

Entertainment 1: Get them to LEARN to start the fire for the BBQ and DO IT THEMSELVES too!

My favourite moment was when my bubbly eldest niece took out her MP4 and brought some music to all doing sweaty hardwork.

And Keatkeat managed to set up the fire for the small BBQ pit all by himself (with a little help from Binbin)

Entertainment 2: Candle and Sparkles Fun

Entertainment 3: Bubble Fun. NOT the soapy bubble kind of fun but the RUBBERY bubble kind of fun.

I don’t like the soapy bubble kind of fun because it makes the house sticky wherever the soapy bubble lands and they could not play near the BBQ pit because food was all around. Hygiene is so important especially when you have 6 kids, 2 old folks and 8 adults to feed.

So Rubbery Bubble fun is a better choice (in my view).

Entertainment 4: Illuminate Me!

At a place which can become almost pitch dark when all lights are off…..What better time than this to play with illumine sticks, right?

When all my tricks were used, the kids had their own kind of entertainment…

Boys acted Macho,

While Girls had Facial Treatment…

Wonder if all these Fun were too powerful, the girls could not sleep till it was 3.30am!!!! *laugh*

The two elder ones slept for 2 hours only and woke up at 5.30am…and left the chalet at 10am looking like walking Zombies. *giggle*

We must never forget that this day was made possible because of the birthday boy, Binbin….

and the people who came with “Wow” presents, to make the small party a lively, noisy and successful one.

Above: Presents from Yi-Bak and Family

Above: Presents from Bak-Bak and Bak Leong

Above: From cousin Z.Y, M.Y. and W.D.

Next came the present which made Keatkeat go green with envy and all the adults go “Wahhhhh…….”

The Gold Series GoGos!!!!

If you are new to my blog, you might not know that my boys are collecting GoGos and now both are hitting the 100 mark soon. Yes! Almost 100 GoGos already! *faint*

A golden present from Yi-Zhang and Ah-Yee. Flown all the way from England.

Below: Regardless Gold or not, Binbin still love GoGos. Thank you Cousin H.H. for the packet of Cool GoGos.

So in two weeks time, ON HIS ACTUAL BIRTHDAY, will we still have a mini BIRTHDAY cake cutting celebration just among the 4 of us? Definitely! Not going to break our family tradition of midnight cake cutting birthday celebration.

Binbin’s Chalet Birthday Celebration