May Day! May Day!

This year, May Day started with a birthday celebration for AhYe. For the first time in a long time, the whole extended family was able to dine out together, woohoo!

Looks like a kiddy birthday instead!!

These two cannot stop talking...

... or playing with each other wherever they are :)

Kai appreciating art (or not?) with Papa

The most powerful of them all - the phone!

Monday was makeup public holiday for May Day, and Tuesday was Hari Raya Puasa - long weekend! Went for their fave breakfast at Yakun. There are more seats now, yay!

Kai didn't realise he wasn't smiling; he was very happy with many pieces of toast!

Less happy here coz must study for exams over the holidays!

His brothers were happily playing together in the meantime...

They also decided to make Mothers' Day cards - to sell to me "with real money"!?!?!

Yang was the one who first mentioned Mothers' Day. He came to me during the May Day long weekend:

Yang: When is "happy mothers' day"?

Mama: Mothers' Day is next Sunday.

Yang: Can I buy flowers from the bookshop?

Mama: Awww... If you wish... Um, do you need me to give you money for that?

Yang: No, I have savings. I'll buy on Friday then.

Turned out he saw advertisements about it on TV. Hence the "happy" :p So he got Yu to join him in his little business... But in the end, they just gave me the cards :) Yang even scratched out the price haha! 

By Sunday though, they had forgot everything, haha! And no, Yang didn't get flowers too, haha! So long as they're healthy and happy :)

Got Yu to pose with YTF for a piece of school work on healthy eating

Both of them also marinaded fish slices for the YTF soup. But they didn't like it *.* 

One day, I dug out their library cards. Yu was very happy with his special card - can't remember why there was a special design in his year. Anyway, he wanted to go to the library. So we went for the first time in quite a while - no need to book slots! Oh yes, the freedom after all the COVID restrictions is still fresh, heh!

Only Yang and Yu borrowed books with their card. Kai didn't want to :( 

Yang and Yu read a newly borrowed book while Kai played Chinese chess with Papa

Taken three days late!

Gave them an ice cream treat on Friday afternoon, one day late :p Just nice, Kai finished his compo exams and Yu was home that afternoon due to centre closure. Will celebrate Boys' Day for as long as they will entertain posing in front of the koi streamers!

Managed to bring them to the playground on Sunday - not rainy! But I stayed home to mark Kai's practice paper before joining them. Mama was gan cheong for pup's first exams! It was so crowded in the mall maybe due to Mothers' Day, or we just seldom came here on Sundays... First choice Dian Xiao Er was full so we went to Hainan Story, also a good choice!

Observe their interactions while waiting for Papa to order

Kai taught Yang about the three states of matter using his ice

Grabbed my teddy bears for a photo!

We didn't have to pass by this stretch but they are also attracted to these machines! They love to look at these machines and watch people play while I love the music haha! Very expensive tikam so we never let them play. Up to $15 for a tikam toy!!!

Then it was Yu's long child care centre closure... He had a haircut during then - finally!

After watching SEA games and rooting for Singapore, woohoo!

Yu finished 18 out of 20 peaks of Fast Phonics before end of subscription - he can read well now!

Squeezed in a 1-1 breakfast with Yu before his brothers started their school holidays

One week before the term ended, I brought Kai and Yang to cut their hair. Then we won't have to rush to cut just before school reopens! :p Can cut in mid to end July.

Went to Beauty World. First, lunch. Brought them to the hawker centre. Lots of complaints. So I chose the first stall - Japanese food. Order katsu don for them. Good reviews, yeah! Then they had a haircut before I had foot massage, heh :p

Yes, I brought their phones for them to self entertain!

That night, Sito and I had our first date night since December!

Oh yes, pasar malams are back, woohoo! The kids were awake watching phone video at home. Called them three times in one hour. Quite ok to escape for a short time just downstairs :)

Genki Sushi for the first time! They like the conveyor belt

This boy likes Taiwanese sausage!

Yu would rather not hold my hand so that he could chat with Yang, who likes to hold my hand

AhMa's birthday lunch where Yang discovered 寿桃 - told him it was just a prettier 莲蓉包 :p

Suddenly, he looks like a big boy! Enjoying my 12345 pork ribs

We had a play date with K2 on the last day of May. K1 had school camp and K3 was kept in child care. Yu wanted to play so I struck a bargain with him - speak enough Mandarin and he gets to stay home. So he stayed home.

They took a while to warm up though. Last play date was five months ago. So I fished out the standby beyblades that Sito bought some time back. Armed with new beyblades, the "fighting" began!

They also played board games

They played so well that JY and I went downstairs a few times to buy food, leaving four kids home alone and warning them against big bad wolves :p Closed the door - yesterday, I left it open when I went to fetch Yu and came back to find that Yang had helped to received a package *.*

After the play date, I let them play Nintendo while I tidied up. Then we headed for dinner downstairs. For the longest time, Yu always wanted the char siew bao from Sheng Kee when we walked past. Today, I finally got it for him - and he didn't like it *.* 

Continued with beyblades after dinner!

Our sofa is in a very sad state now.... Let them trash it. Then they can sit on the floor :p

Hot day so let them watch video with aircon - must rest on same pillow!

And now, it's all quiet inside their room. They must be tired from active playing instead of vegetating in front of TV whole day! Happy :)

The end of May is also the start of four weeks of school holidays. See how I survive next month...!

First cycling trip

I had wanted to do this for the longest time!!

Even though Friday was the last day of term, they had no school as all the teachers were involved in PTMs. So we took a trip to West Coast Park!

But I forgot that I had to make barley water and clean Robot-kun on Fridays. So we left one hour later than planned. Took a taxi to avoid getting there too late.

Got their bikes!

I had wanted them to try two wheels but they were reluctant. So ok, four wheels. And I got myself a city bike (vs. mountain bike where I had to bend lower) to ride with them.

But the kiosk was quite flexible. We had a free second hour and could change to two wheels to try if we wanted to. So I set an alarm and off we rooooode!

But not for long... We stopped every few metres coz one cycled into the grass, one needed water, one knocked off the bell, another one needed water, one couldn't get up a slope, one needed water again. In fact, we never cycled for more than five minutes at one go *.*

And we reached the playground within 10 minutes. They played for a short while. It was quite a hot day but the cycling path was kind of sheltered part of the way.

They were digging a trench when I approached them - plenty of opportunities in some years' time? :p

Swings!

Kai reached the slide! :)

Resting on some steps

Eventually, we went back to the kiosk to try two wheels. I demonstrated, gave them theory, led their legs, held the bike, ran with them, etc. Times two. Damn tiring! They didn't manage to ride on two wheels. Yang was very frustrated and complained a lot. He said he didn't want to cycle anymore! But think he was just tired. After some lunch, he decided he wanted to cycle again next time.

We had lunch at Macs of course! I told them how I learned to cycle - trying and trying on an adult bike along my corridor, then finally succeeding at Pasir Ris Park after PSLE. Hope they will continue to try! If not, there's always the family bike....

What's this?!

Wanted to take a photo of them enjoying nuggets but they both blinked when I snapped! Yes, can see that Kai also had a burger. I didn't expect them to finish 20 nuggets all by themselves! Lucky I got myself a burger instead of relying on leftovers this time :p

Second shot - one expressionless and one funny face

Took a taxi back coz it was getting late and I wanted to get some chores in before fetching Yu for their second dose of COVID vax. And I was so tired!!!

Why are my kids never tired? :p

Finally vaxxed!

So their vaccination was derailed by a COVID infection.

They finally got the second dose last Friday, yeah! But all reluctantly!

Look at how Yang hugged his arms right before his turn, hoho!

Like last time, I didn't whip out my phone fast enough to capture Kai getting his shot... But like for Yang, Yu was there to watch everything...

All done - no blood, unlike GeGe's

And then Yu ran off!!! I had to call him back for his turn *.* Like last time, I had to grab him tightly and as the needle went in, he gave a loud yelp. And that was it!

Got three boxes from masks from the centre so I carried a lot of stuff to dinner at BPP food court - also had library books to return, Yu's school bag and our usual bag. When we got home, I gave each a cup of coconut water - no coconut no video! :p

Had to return the books one day earlier coz we were supposed to be out the next afternoon. However, unlike the last time when Kai and Yang had a sore arm and Yu nothing, Yu went down with a fever and a very sore arm. He also had tummy ache. 

Kai and Yang had sore arms too, and Kai had fever at one point though he claimed he was hot coz he was covered up in bed. Well, you must be feeling unwell so you went to bed in the middle of the afternoon?!

Poor thing

But can still play *.*

Can still bully Mama

Yang brought him toys - so sweet!

Yang also helped me give Yu medicine, by fetching his water and propping him up. Such a sweet boy :)

Yu eventually took a nap, smelling like a baby coz of the tummy oil :p Sito said the room smelled like baby :p He was all good when I woke him. Kai was also active by then.

Now, I remind them not to run about all the time. Can die, you know? Yes, I told them that. You want to die? :p

Kai and Yang are home so it's easy to control. Yu still goes to school but I told the Chinese teacher personally and also emailed them.

Hopefully, the kids don't need booster any time soon!

Kai's first exams

Kai had his first full exams this term: oral exams and listening comprehension in April, and written papers in May. Last year, his year end exams were cancelled so he only had his oral exams. 

A few weeks before that, he stated in an English assignment on goals that he wanted to score at least 90 for every subject in the mid year exams. I told him that he could aim high but he must also put in the necessary effort. So I sat down with him to study on almost all weekday afternoons. There was, of course, quite a lot of whining.

He would come in the door, saying it was his worst day ever coz he would have to study after lunch. I reminded him of the deal we struck at the end of P2, i.e. he could choose between tuition outside and revision with me at home. Of course, I reminded him of his goal. Hr grudgingly continued studying.

The day after his last paper, he came home to say that he got 82/100 for science, and that so and so got 91, 93, 94 etc.

Kai: Is 82 good? What AL (achievement level) is that?

Mama: Good enough! Think it's AL 2?

Kai: XX got 94. That's very good, right?

Mama: Yes, now you know it's possible to score above 90.

A few minutes later..

Kai: I think 82 is not good.

Mama: It's ok. AL 2 is still very good. Just need to maintain at least this level.

The next day, with Papa...

Kai: 82 is good enough, right? Al 2...

Sito: *checks* That's AL 3.

Kai: Huh....

(Oops, I got it wrong!)

We started talking in terms of AL to prepare him for PSLE. Ok, very kiasu but better that he understands where he stands early. He already knew that K1 had AL 4 for his PSLE last year and went to one of the best secondary schools in Singapore. He had been salivating, hence the high goals in his English assignment.

Anyway, he got all his results back. English: 86; Chinese: 78.5; Maths: 82; Science: 82. Total AL 12. He also dropped a few names who got higher or lower than him. I think AL 12 is decent and proportional to his effort. But it was clear that he wanted to do better. I think he can if he understands that he needs to work for it *.*

When he brought his papers back to sign, we went through where he could do better, and punched numbers into a spreadsheet to see what he must get at year end in order to improve on his overall AL for P4. 

For maths, he has to be more careful. For science, he needs to study more and be more complete in his answers. For English, he needs to work on his composition. For Chinese, he needs to speak more, which is the most difficult of all...

Hope he understands where he stands after his mid year exams and is more willing to put in the effort to do better next time!

Vesak Day heng heng

We had such a scare on Vesak Day.

I was on the PIE, lane 2 or 3, when a grey van suddenly turned left into my lane. I immediately swerved left to the next lane to avoid crashing into it. Of course I didn't have the time to check blind spot! I spotted a white car or van on the lane to my left which thankfully did not ram into us.

So so lucky!

Don't know what the grey van was doing! For sure didn't check blind spot. But the way it turned was also strange. Normally, we change lanes quite gradually. This one did a very sharp left turn.

Very lucky for us la...

And the superstitious in me said that we were safe coz we were on our way to a temple...

I was looking at going to a Buddhist temple on Vesak Day and landed on the one in Balestier so that we could go to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall too. There was also a park nearby.

Swing outside the museum

Taken by Yu :)

Sito first noticed that this 鸡仙人 looked like KFC...

There were also Marvel superheroes - Captain America is on his new shoes!

A lady informed us that there was an activity as part of the Singapore Heritage Festival with vouchers to be won so Kai was motivated to go into the museum. But these kids really 走马看花 and dashed through the place *.*

Where did Dr Sun visit?

Comparing with bound feet

The last question required us to go to Zhongshan Park. It was a very small park, and not the kind where you can kick a ball about. We brought a ball that wasn't used *.* Anyway, we got our vouchers!

Next was the temple. The last time I went to a Buddhist temple on Vesak Day was maybe 30 years ago?! And the last time I went to one was during maternity leave for Yu, i.e. 2016/2017.

Took off our shoes and went in. Only Yang allowed me to share with him about 拜拜 :) No need to ask for anything, just 拜 after the close shave on PIE!

Kai was really grouchy about it so we left very quickly. Why is everything boring to this boy??

We spent some time in Zhongshan Mall and bought a Rubik's cube for Yang. Then we sat down at Macs where the boys played a game on my phone while waiting for New Ubin Seafood to open at 6 pm.

Over-ordered! And the prawns hadn't arrived yet!

Kai had a lot of beef, Yang had a lot of bee hoon, Yu had a lot of fries, haha! We had to pack fried rice, bee hoon, prawn balls and chilli crab tarts home. Had them for lunch the next day, supplemented with bacon, but the kids didn't like the fried rice.

We were on our way to the carpark when we realised we hadn't spent all the vouchers! So we went back :p This time, we got Kai a complex Rubik's cube with 12 sides - he hasn't solved it yet but he's close!

Waiting for the car to be lifted down

I parked at the building next to the mall coz blur. And as there is no grace period, we stayed there. But quite fun, the kids got to see a lift carpark at work.

Besides the vouchers, there were also a paper activity, a bottle of water and a pack of tissue in each goodie bag from the museum. We dug out the activity the next day.

Yang and Yu put their paper stationery holder together

With that, we said bye to Vesak Day holidays. No more until July!