tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52477761038716180502024-03-13T12:56:36.067+08:00Tales of Moppet & MunchThoughts on parenthood, childhood, and life in general.Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-77302221284363558512010-07-14T09:00:00.000+08:002010-07-13T16:33:01.687+08:00Of Sibling LoveThe little girl was watching TV, giving it her full and focussed attention as always.The little boy was keeping his sister company, messing about with his cars and engines, not really interested in a program that featured neither firemen nor trains.As the end credits rolled, their mother stepped into the room saying, 'Alright kids, time to turn off the TV. It's bedtime.'A wail of protest from theMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-18747687515028087202009-10-25T01:42:00.002+08:002009-10-26T00:49:57.979+08:00Ready, Get Set....Ready...Get Set...Just say these words to Munch and watch him throw up his arms and yell:GOOOOOOOOO!At 16 months, that pretty much sums up his life's philosophy. He's always on the go, taking on each day with astounding energy and endearing good humour.Although I had initially thought he'd be a bit later on his milestones than his big sister, except for that first roll-over which he managed a Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-73357068438258782632009-07-28T15:50:00.000+08:002009-07-28T16:14:12.666+08:00Tales from the potOkay, so this is not exactly the best subject for a comeback post, but given my abysmal rate of posting this year, I figure at least it's a post, right? D, this is for you :-)I have on occasion asked friends whose kids found all things potty hilarious, whether it's a boy thing, seeing that Moppet didn't seem to find it particularly funny. They assured me it wasn't, and that I only needed to bide Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-63481542304184544902009-06-26T21:30:00.006+08:002009-06-26T23:11:14.776+08:00You're One!It's been an eventful year, hasn't it, my darling?Starting with the day you arrived, it's been a such a full, rich, exciting year. We've had more holidays this year than in the last 3 put together. We've moved homes and countries, and you've accumulated more stamps in your passport than you have teeth! You've taken it all with your characteristic equanimity. I could learn a thing or two from Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-30046099348695862902009-05-26T15:13:00.001+08:002009-10-25T22:58:00.988+08:00All about MunchMunch is 11 months old today and I've probably done 5 posts on him, if that. It's not my fault, just blame it on the second child syndrome!Seriously though, I'm enjoying his babyhood so much more than I did Moppet's. Not that I didn't enjoy Moppet as a baby, but there was a lot more worry and self-doubt at the time. With Moppet, I'm finding her current phase much more enchanting than her baby Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-30563430347650264322009-04-22T14:43:00.006+08:002009-04-24T15:08:47.754+08:00Around the world in 80 clicksIt's taken the combined might of FOUR bloggers to get me off my arse and do this tag, so you guys can see what a ball I've been having (not!) here in sultry Singapore. The Mad Momma, Dipali, Gauri, and Kiran, have all invited me to join this virtual mommy globetrot and the ticket is to tell you 5 things that I love about being a mom. Only 5? Easy peasy! Here goes:1. I love that the simple thingsMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-54290179549647509912009-03-31T01:00:00.000+08:002009-03-30T21:57:35.722+08:00When did this happen?When did this foot high creature turn into a lanky, tree climbing little monkey?When did my poolside splashing tot become this grinning sea sprite?When did this book-chewing little bug turn into story-reading big sister?When did my babbling baby become a full-sentence uttering, mama-scolding, cab-driver- instructing young lady?Happy third birthday, my love!(It's too soon! Too soon, I say!)Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-39135768196311326852009-03-19T14:30:00.003+08:002009-03-19T16:16:35.461+08:00Settling inIt's funny. Before we started house hunting in Singapore, we set down a prioritised list of criteria, did many many hours of online research, and spent several days seeing apartments with our increasingly frustrated real estate agent. The evenings were spent comparing notes, refreshing our memories with photographs of the properties we were discussing, and assessing each apartment against the Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-59229683802345139312009-02-27T16:48:00.003+08:002009-02-27T17:18:46.604+08:00Living in SIN......and sorely missing Bangkok. I miss the fluidity and ease of the city, its vibrant energy and welcoming, accommodating air. Ironically, despite its shortcode SIN, Singapore strikes me as being rather strait-laced and well, rigid, for lack of a better word. But we're still settling in, and I'm told the place will grow on me, so I'm hoping that will be sooner rather than later.So hello! Anyone Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-84804520318690133682008-11-25T12:06:00.002+08:002008-11-27T11:05:58.889+08:00Moving Math8 flights in6 weeks to5 locations in3 countries with2 small kids equals1 very tired Mama with Zero time to blogWe're moving, folks. Reluctantly on my part - I've grown to love this city - but kya karen, when you gotta go, you gotta go!I have a few posts buzzing around in my head, but I don't know if I'll be able to get down to writing them for a while. Most likely Jan 09.If I may go into Oscar Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-1576261702935700882008-11-12T15:18:00.008+08:002008-11-12T18:18:38.276+08:00Logic and LegoShe has an answer for everything. Are you ready for some Moppet style logic? Moppet is whining for some pink ice cream. Mama reminds her of the time at the restaurant where pink ice cream was ordered for her and she refused to eat it, resulting in Mama having to eat her brownie with strawberry ice cream. [Ick!]Moppet (defensively) : I finish all the white ice cream.Mama: That was just whipped Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-33455776841857569972008-11-06T15:10:00.005+08:002008-11-06T17:30:12.113+08:00Turn over a new leaf, MamaSo Munch rolled over by himself for the first time this morning, quite by accident I suspect, going by the comical look of surprise on his face when he found himself suddenly nose to nose with a baby bear on his playmat.For weeks he has lain on that playmat making no attempt to turn whatsoever, just grinning gummily at me whenever I nudge him and say fondly, 'Move it, you lazy lump.' Then today, Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-69709177323280640142008-11-05T12:25:00.002+08:002008-11-05T13:08:33.069+08:00Come visit with meI'm over at Parul's today! Hop on over and say hi! I'm fairly sure everyone who reads me reads her too, but just in case you haven't yet discovered one of the wittiest bloggers on the block, do check out some of her other posts. Side-splitting stuff, I tell you.Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-47247132001190352622008-11-04T13:10:00.016+08:002008-11-05T10:45:55.341+08:00Back to (ir)regular programmingTo quote Dora the Explorer, (who's quoted a lot in our household these days): 'Yay! We made it!'Yes folks, the holidays were a super hit. The beach holiday was just the right sort of lazy, our time there evenly divided between beach, pool, siestas, drinks, and meals. Oh and some spectacular sunsets that had us all awestruck, but particularly fascinated Moppet. So much so that she actually, of herMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-74353484160411482082008-10-14T09:54:00.005+08:002008-10-14T15:25:50.733+08:00A holidaying we shall goIt's been a crazy couple of weeks, with the husband travelling and bringing home some virus that had me and the kids terribly under the weather, luckily one after the other and not all together. He then promptly took off again, leaving me to deal with Munch who broke out in a spotty red rash from head to toe. Turns out it was the same virus, and the rash didn't show up on older, tougher hides Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-36306175832723510872008-09-26T12:49:00.012+08:002008-09-26T13:39:49.581+08:00Three and ThirtyAt 3 months, he is my angel child. Happy, peaceful, and adorable.At 30 months, she is my wild child. Fiesty, impetuous, and unpredictable.At 3 months, he coos and gurgles, and makes the most delicious baby sounds.At 30 months, she sings her own songs, adding new verses to existing rhymes, or fitting different words to familiar tunes. She 'reads', tells stories, and is constantly telling everyone Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-38734268315904148512008-09-23T20:04:00.004+08:002008-09-23T20:25:46.665+08:00A big sister's prerogativeBig sis, baby bro.Come 'ere, you knucklehead.Don't be scared, I only want to kiss you.I also want to squash you like a bug, what fun!It's okay, we're like this only.And so the saga continues: she loves him one minute, hates him the next. He's just bewildered by it all.Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-50336643718652176412008-09-11T13:01:00.005+08:002008-09-11T18:10:06.651+08:00Mary, Mary, quite contraryShe's such a contrary Mary, these days. Whatever we say or do, she MUST say and do the opposite.Sometimes, we use this to our advantage. Take for example, this scene from last week:Moppet is doing her 'nangu run' after her evening bath, where she scoots around the house without a stitch on her. She ends up in the study and screams, 'Look, I'm nangu!' expecting her father to get up and do what Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-91034114464130727802008-09-01T12:07:00.008+08:002008-09-01T14:50:55.885+08:00Silly Sunday Som-solts(Or How Mama Got Her Groove Back :-)Sunday evening was pleasant and breezy, and since both the kids were up and alert, all four of us went down to the little park in our building. The husband and I sat on a bench with Munch and watched Moppet show off for us.'Mama, look! Papa, look!' she squealed as she clambered up the slide the wrong way, monkeyed her way up the frame of the swing set, and Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-11671484043754454102008-08-28T19:00:00.001+08:002008-08-28T19:07:16.287+08:00In this momentThere is a moment, every morning, when I look into my son's sleeping face and gently call his name. 'Good morning, pumpkin', I say, and watch his eyelids flutter and his face scrunch up at the sound of my voice. He stretches luxuriously and opens his eyes. A few seconds to focus, then his eyes light up and the most delicious smile of recognition spreads across his face.It is a moment that Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-47206464744249929512008-08-19T14:43:00.005+08:002008-08-28T18:24:29.393+08:00Back to schoolDropping Moppet off at school on Monday morning, I felt that familiar knot of worry, sadness and pride in my stomach. That will-she-be-okay feeling all mashed up with the happy-sad my-baby's-such-a-big-girl feeling.Why now, you ask, when she's been going to school for a whole year now, and loving it? Well, Monday was her first day in the 'upstairs class' - new teachers, a different classroom Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-48564500409900040162008-08-10T12:56:00.003+08:002008-08-10T13:03:04.853+08:00Six weeksFor those of you who wanted to compare, here are MnM at six weeks:Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-78299787296338764442008-07-29T15:11:00.011+08:002008-08-28T18:24:48.191+08:00One month of MunchIt appears Munch is going to be the family clown. Really, I think he's hilarious. I don't recall being this amused by Moppet when she was this age. To be fair though, I was probably too tense and worried about the whole motherhood gig to really enjoy her at that age. But with Munch I'm more relaxed, and able to laugh at all the silly squishy faces he makes, and enjoy the funny squealing sounds heMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-40589118094082257602008-07-16T14:15:00.006+08:002008-07-16T14:44:37.331+08:00MY Munch babyI know Mama's been blaming me and Munch for not getting enough time to post, but y'all know that's not true, right? I've been extremely well-behaved, really. Sure, there's an occasional tantrum, but give me a break peeps, I'm two, ok?Gotta say though, this Munch baby isn't all that much fun yet. He sleeps a lot - that's a bad example to set. Everyone keeps telling me, look Munch's sleeping, why Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247776103871618050.post-77704538849867710492008-07-12T16:41:00.003+08:002008-07-12T18:28:31.301+08:00The birth story - Part 3Contd from Part 1: It begins and Part 2: Endless nightRollercoaster RideI had had enough. Over 10 hours of painful labour and just 2 cms dilated? Cut me open, I moaned. Get this child out NOW!Hang in there, the husband told me gently, stroking my forehead. You can do it. Come on, let's give it another hour or so.The next 2 hours were a bit of a blur. The contractions appeared to have slowed down Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07112924346592375925noreply@blogger.com29