Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

Yesterday was "Zhong qiu jie" (Mid-Autumn Festival) and we had a small celebration at home with Mum-in-law cooking up a small feast for everyone. The food was finger licking good and was chowed down in no time. The menu included fish maw soup, braised mushrooms, steamed promfet and pak cham gai (steamed chicken). As for dessert, we had pomelo, which is, according to my in-laws, traditionally eaten during this festival. Unfortunately, I have no pictures to show. (Sorry, as a new blogger, I'm still not used to snapping pictures of everything and everywhere I go)

We also lighted up some lanterns to set the mood of the celebration. I tried to introduce Dennis to lanterns but he was more interested in the candles and fire. Dennis watched Alex (my nephew) and I light up some candles for the lanterns and before we knew it, he picked up one and lighted it on his own. I was horrified and quickly sent him back to the house to watch his new Richard Scarry video. Leave him there any longer and he'll become a pyro just like his cousin Alex!

So that was the end of Dennis' little exposure to lanterns. Maybe next year, he might be able to enjoy the fun of playing with lanterns and not just the candles. I have my doubts.....

What an honour!

I had the honour to attend a buka puasa (breaking fast) dinner hosted by the Prime Minister at his official residence last Monday. It was an event organised for the members of the media and the organiser, a friend at the Prime Minister's Office, invited my colleagues and I along.

During the dinner, I had the greater honour of having the First Lady sit next to me. Actually, she chose to sit next to me! =) You see, I was sitting at the same table as some of the officers from the Prime Minister's Office (whom the First Lady was more familiar with) and since there was an empty seat next to me, she decided to take it. Man, I was so nervous, I could feel blood rushing to my face - I was blushing, which I don't normally do. And before I could recover from the shock, the cameramen, on discovering Datin Seri Jeanne at our table, rushed over and started clicking away. For the first time in my life, I knew what it feels like to be in the limelight, to be swamped with flash lights like a Hollywood star. =P

I felt so awkward and didn't know what to do. What do you say to do the First Lady? What if she's bossy? Do I have to watch what I say? What are the protocols? Can I leave her to go to the buffet line ?

But thankfully, she's a very nice lady, a graceful hostess, with no air at all. She started the conversation and engaged everyone at the table. She spoke with much openness and put everyone at ease (or at least me). As the night progressed, I began to losen up and was able to converse with her much naturally. It was indeed a memorable night! Now this is one story I can share with my grandchildren one day and I have to pictures to prove it! =)

PS: the First Lady looks much fairer and beautiful in person. Photos don't do justice to her.

From the left: Datin Seri Jeanne, me, my colleague and my boss, Nora ( don't know what she's doing)

From left: friend from PM' office, Datin Seri Jeanne, a journalist, me, my colleague and Nora

He called me Mama!

Dennis called me mama over the phone yesterday. He's called me mama many times (often in distress) but that's his first over the phone. It shows that he could recognise my voice. I was ecstatic.

I went home late yesterday, close to 10, and the moment I got in Dennis clung on to me like a koala bear. He wrapped his arms around my neck tightly and refused to let go. Even when we lie down on the bed, he held on to his arms firmly. Once in a while, he would pull my face to his and "kiss" me. I feel so loved!

Pretty Boy

I took Dennis to the mall last weekend and 2 persons mistaken him for a girl. And this was when Dennis was wearing a Thomas the Train checked shirt, jeans and a pair of, unmistakenly, boy sneakers. At 1.5 years old, I can't believe he's still being mistaken for a girl. They said it's his eyes and lips.

Ok, he may look a bit pretty here....

.....but not here, right??

Crouching Dennis, Hidden Poo

Dennis is a nocturnal animal. He sleeps pretty late by toddlers' standard - after 10 almost every night - and lately he's becoming nocturnal in more than one sense.

Almost every night after we have gotten him ready for bed, changed him into his pajamas and put on a brand new diaper for him.......he decides to POO! He will be squatting at a corner, motionless, concentrating hard, quietly doing his business. Hence, " Crouching Dennis, Hidden Poo".

The thing is no one expected him to go for another round because that final poo would be his third or fourth for the day! I blame it on the genes.... Keat hits the toilet just as frequently as his son does. Everytime I complain about having to clean Dennis up, Keat would defend him, saying that it's perfectly fine and normal to be so "prolific" (I can already see one aspect of father-and-son bonding going on well here).

I know pooping is good for kids but just twice a day - once in the morning and another in the afternoon - will be great.

Dennis in his "sarong" after Kakak Tina cleaned up his poo poo

The beginning of time

So, you may ask: why am I starting a blog now? Afterall, if I had wanted to start one I should have started maybe a year and half ago when Dennis was born. Well, my answer is simple. I recently realised that blog is a really effective way to stay in touch with friends and relatives scattered all over the world. So, instead of writing 10 emails to 10 different people, I'll just put up 1 post! Yes, yes, everyone and his dog knew about this ages ago but i just found out about it! I'm just not internet savvy la! The other benefit of blog is I am able to upload videos! This has been a bane of my life becuase most (or all) photo sites don't allow videos.

So, here you go, boys and girls, I've done it, my first post.