清明节 Qing Ming 2023

It's the Qing Ming period again. We didn't have a gathering for some years due to COVID though I know some elders went together to pray. This year, it happened that Yan was back and staying with Ah Yee so the Qing Ming gathering was a good time for the family to reunite a bit.

Then we happened to go to our new place for measurements last Saturday. We had wanted to let the kids sit at the staircase to play Sito's phone while we were with the interior designer but Sito had a better idea - drop them off at Mum's place! Luckily she was free. And we found out that Mum and Dad were going to 光明山 that afternoon so we decided to let the kids tag along. Only Sito went with them as I had a church wedding to attend.

They went in AhYe's pickup from work. The kids seemed to have enjoyed the ride! I remember enjoying rides in pickups as a kid, heh! Not common these days... They ended up at Macs after that and took the train home. I was maybe two trains behind them all the way from Kovan!

AhYe teaching them about their ancestors

Hope they learnt something from the experience. It would be great for them to carry on the tradition...

Yesterday was Good Friday and also the Qing Ming gathering for my side of the family. It was a wonderful day for the kids. They got to meet their second cousins finally and played with them. When we last met A in person, she was a baby who was afraid to let me carry her, and now she's almost ten! Later she let me hug her - so nice! :)

We were saying it's sad that their second cousins of their age range were in different continents - two in UK and two in Canada. Two more second cousins in Singapore were older and girls so can't really click...

Playing Uno - Yang and Yu got distracted by TV and toys

This one got very comfortable with JiuJiu...

This year, we stayed in the house and did not go to 碧山亭 like before. We started a bit late as we ran out of incense sticks! But eventually, we got down to praying. And then it was a period of waiting and burning of incense paper. My kids saw the burning last Saturday so they continued with their TV... During the wait, we also took family photos - all of us and by generation. Ours was the largest group!

Starting now

All of us!

The three younger ones played with B's toys

Our ancestors must have known that the kids were waiting - Yu had gone to the table at least twice and once almost grabbed a snack box! - so we got "approval" to start eating at the very first try!

A spread of food including a cup of coffee for Grams :)

The kids' table

After lunch, Sito and S brought the five kids to the playground. The two men chatted at the playground while the wives chatted with the cousins at the dining table. When they came back, we were still chatting! So they went down again after a break in front of the TV. 

The remaining cousins enjoying durian puffs while chatting

Looked at old photos - so much memories!

This one asked for pandan cake

It happened that LY just renovated the shophouse second floor so we went over to have a look. The rest of us hadn't been there for some 30 years since the provision shop closed! So much memories...

Where a rattan chair used to be

At the balcony

Ah Yee and Mother in the kitchen

Behind the kitchen were the WC and bathroom. The WC used to be a squat pan and little me couldn't use one so I pooped on newspaper laid out on the floor outside the toilet!!!

Came out of the shophouse to find these five playing catching

So many of us, great for 老鹰抓小鸡！

They were all so cute!

Next was ice cream time at Macs!

Oh yes, the adults sat at another table to chat. The kids were chatting among themselves and quite happy. Then more wanted fries even though Yang and Yu couldn't finish their ice cream *.*

Yu was too engrossed with newfound love - BBQ sauce - and didn't turn for the photo

Oldest to youngest with the two monkeys holding hands - so sweet!

Yan and me - finally a photo together after we forgot when we met for lunch on Monday!

It was a great reunion + Qing Ming gathering. When shall we meet again??

Another Legoland itinerary!

Yes, we have been finetuning our Legoland itinerary - around food and massage, hoho! The kids have their fun, and so must the parents, right?

In December, our first day was a Tuesday and Legoland was super crowded. Since we suspected that this was due to the water park being closed on Tuesdays, we skipped Tuesday totally. It was a great choice!

Wednesday, 15 Mar

We're back!

No more than 90 min door to door. Spent some time getting our suitcase into the locker though...

The VR ride is usually Kai and Yang's first stop but it wasn't open so Sito brought them for other rides while I brought Yu where he wanted to go.

But first, let's cheer Papa and GeGes on!

They also went on the big dragon...

.. while we sat the Merlin merry-go-round five times! We spotted them coming down the stairs on our fifth ride and came out to find them.

Yu running to Papa to tell him we rode five times!

This is monumental - guess what?

Kai is now too tall for the horse ride! We think maybe the measurement was a bit off... But anyway, he's so big now - don't vie with the small ones!

So they all went for the merry-go-round

It took a few rounds before Yang managed to ride with Papa

Kai is very strong - I just needed to steady the rope when I rode with him; he pulled :p

Lunch at our fave burger junction!

Perfect portions when we ordered two hotdog meals, one fried chicken meal and one nugget kiddy meal to share :) The location is also nice - we get to see many people getting wet on the volcano ride!

Sito built a propeller plane and a pack of Macs fries

Combined, they became an intergalactic object??

I still think the fries look like a hen, haha! We spent a lot of time in this place coz the kids like it.

Yu finally tried on the glasses! But he didn't wear it for the show *.*

Eh, friend ah? :p

We watched Officer in Pursuit. Long time no watch! Quite funny with the hotdog/corn/banana man. Yu had wanted to put on his glasses only when the hotdogs went flying but he dropped them *.*

How does the camel go? Under these two!

We were tired enough to leave before 6 pm - it was so hot!

Apartment was at level 28 - can see Legoland hotel from the lift

Took us a while to get a grab car to AEON. But we got there and headed for Vivo Pizza after grabbing some buns for breakfast the next day. We found that in December and decided we must return on their Vivo Day which falls on Wednesdays for discounted meals!

Kai had two pepperoni pizzas, Yang had one and Yu finished his regular meatball spaghetti!

They were all hungry by the time we got there so ate a lot. Sito had BBQ chicken chop while I shared a totally underwhelming cheese pizza with him coz I wasn't hungry and coz I really wanted to eat their chocolate lava cake haha!

Our next activity is not shown here - guess? :p

Yup, massage! Let the kids play on their own in front of us. We got a back massage after a foot massage. Sito could feel his feet after our trip while I could feel my back!

Thursday, 16 March

Water park day!

Oh yeah, I bought a photo though Kai was grouchy. No selfie stick when we went there :p

I spent a lot of time with this sweet guy :)

This time, we didn't take a lot of rides. Only Kai spent some time in the middle slides. But it was tiring coz it was hot. No one objected when we left.

Look at this sleepy pup waiting for our late lunch

Found these two looking at lobsters when we came away from the cashier

This time, we didn't pack bee hoon back. We ate it fresh right there! So yummy! Must wash it down with something sweet!

They were happy with their treats :)

I wasn't. I ordered coffee from JCO. It looked and tasted horrible! Then I saw the two ladies at the table nearby teleported to Starbucks next door - they had abandoned their JCO coffee!!! But the seats were comfy enough so Sito grabbed a doughnut, and brought the kids to Baskin Robbins next door to get ice cream back to JCO to eat. 

We went jalan jalan a bit and landed at the supermarket after deserting the cinema - the kids didn't want Shazam and I didn't want Demon Slayer since they wouldn't be reading subtitles properly so no point. Grabbed some snacks to bring home and picked some fried food and sushi to eat later in the apartment. Also got the kids a big pack of popcorn.

The fried food was a mistake. I felt so uncomfortable I had to lie down. Then I had to make myself vomit but I only retched. Took some time before I finally puked. But it wasn't the end. I had a tummy ache while feeling like I needed to puke - not a good combination! Then I puked again. Then I decided I couldn't puke a third time so I got Sito to apply some peppermint oil on me and went to bed. Woke at 3.40 am and felt better!

Friday, 17 March

New space to play Lego where the Star Wars room used to be

We played the usual stuff otherwise - Ninjago, boating school - and headed out for a simple lunch at the chicken rice shop. 

And they had cotton candy bigger than their heads!

We got separated from Papa!

Finally a good shot of them in this ride coz they were in the truck nearest spectators

The two big Sitos are strong!

We left before the park closed coz it was very hot and coz we wanted to go for Korean BBQ! For the first time, we sat at level 1. The kids didn't eat as much as last time though. 

Having lollipop while discussing how to swallow phlegm *.*

Nua-ing with their phone while we had foot massage

As it was still early, we sat down at Blackball for dessert. Sito and I had the signature while Yang and Yu shared a strawberry yoghurt. They didn't finish it so we drank it in the end :p Kai had some pearls from our bowl but Sito sneakily added a red bean which caused him to go yucks, haha!

So sweet :)

Saturday, 18 March

For the first time, we had breakfast at Medini Mall. The bakery at the supermarket was quite good! And the coffee was waaaaay better than JCO!

Not much queue at the splashing ride - no idea what the name is :p So it was time to use the raincoats! I bought a new raincoat for Kai so that Yang could have his and Yu could have Yang's. But Yang didn't want to ride so I gave Kai his old raincoat and let Sito have Kai's new raincoat. 

I waited outside but didn't see them in the queue. Then I saw that Yang decided to ride in the end so Sito gave the biggest raincoat to Yu *.* I rushed up to give Sito a poncho but he declined, hmph!

So here they go!

Yu was quite dry coz the raincoat was big. But Kai and Yang got their pants wet. It was great fun though!

Later, Sito and Kai went for roller coasters while the remaining three of us went to build cars. It was a 不见不散 agreement to meet at the entrance at 11.30 am :p

Bought more buns from the supermarket bakery for the journey home in case there was a jam and we got hungry. But our 12.00 nn ride was very smooth. Sito packed pizza for the kids and ban mian for us. Dinner was Macs in exchange for porridge lunch on Sunday :)

We both got a bit ill after coming back - no COVID. Sito said that we could not survive a week-long holiday. I have to agree. But seeing how we have "graduated" from bringing helper along in Dec 2019 to going on our own from Dec 2022, I say we have a good chance of going from tired to not tired and eventually to longer trips! Yeah!

Taking care of old Papa and Mama

Last week, Yu suddenly said he would take care of us when we were old. Awww, so sweet :) I just let it be and then we had further conversations:

1)

One night, I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He mentioned the wanted to become a policeman previously but you know, these things can change..

Yu: I don't want to be police. 

(He remembers!)

mf: Then what do you want to be?

Yu: I don't know. I don't what what (jobs) there are.
mf: Maybe you can be a teacher like Papa?

Yu: Oh ya, I can be a Math teacher. I'm good at Math!

mf: I'm good at Math too!

Yu: But counting is so boring, haha!

2)
Then on the bus one day, he talked about how old he would be when his brothers are x years old and in secondary school and university etc. 

Yu: When I go to university, you will be old, right?

mf: Yes, I'll be old by then (sad face)

Yu: When you're old, I'll take care of you and Papa. Because I will have money!

mf: Oh, where will your money come from?

Yu: You.

mf: um, I think you need to work to earn money...

Yu: Ok, I'll work. Math teacher. And I'll have money to buy cai fan for you. I'll buy three cai fan for you, Papa and me.

mf: With curry vegetables?

Yu: Yes.

3)

I posted on Facebook about him wanting to take care of us and JY asked if he would buy her a pack of cai fan too.

Yu: Ok. But I don't know how to go to her house.

mf: (Gosh, he wants to send the food over!) Oh, I'll bring you there ok?

Yu: Ok.

So sweet 💗

Somehow I really wanted to eat cai fan last Sunday. But it was drizzling so it was troublesome to head to the coffeeshop. And Sito was out for tea with friends and lost track of time. So I dropped Kai and Yang at tongue tip noodles while Yu followed me to the foodcourt to eat cai fan!

With curry vegetables of course!

Let it out, my poor Yang Yang!

Sunday night about 12.40 am, I woke to something at my legs. It turned out to be Yang. He came over coz his tummy was painful but the poor boy was just sitting there quietly.

I brought him back to his bed. Seems like a constipation problem coz it was the lower abdomen. And he hadn't pooped for a week. But he said he didn't feel like pooping. Gave him some oil and stayed with him.

But the pain got worse. I was worried and did a quick google. Worst case was a perforated colon. My heart... 

When I got back to him, I found him in a crawling position at the foot of his bed. He was trying to find me but could hardly walk! My poor boy!

I had him lie down and talked to him about going to the hospital. I had forgotten that he went in for constipation before so I told him about my case. Then I asked him to stay in bed while I talked to Papa.

Woke Sito and briefed him on getting Kai and Yu ready for school should we get back late. After preparing myself and stuff, I went to get Yang. But he could hardly walk! He rested at the sofa while I went to get Sito. We decided that he would send him instead as he could carry him; Yang is now too heavy for me to carry him.

Yang had the good sense to remind me to get his shoes as we left the house. No one remembered shoes when he went to A&E for his second febrile fit... 

It was 1.30 am by the time I watched Sito carry Yang into the taxi. Texted with Sito until 2.30 am before I fell asleep. Yang felt better while waiting. By 2.30 am, he was playing with the wheelchair *.*

Holding his jacket against his tummy when he first got there

He managed to see the doctor faster than expected - a sign said it would take seven hours!!!! They were home just before 5 am. I woke to find Yang in the shower. He slept in our bed for two minutes and decided he wanted to go back coz he was "stuck" in our blanket haha!

We were so tired after this night. Yang slept through his brothers' 6 am alarm. I was telling Kai to get changed in the other room etc coz Yang would not go to school that day, and he told me that he already knew as he woke when Yang went in to sleep.

Yang was still sleeping when I came back from sending his brothers. In fact, he slept until 9 am! I think Robot-kun woke him when I sent it into his room, oops.

So I learnt that he had a few sausage-size poops inside *.* So he was given an enema. Sito said he went OHHHH! Drama king la... Sito also heard him heaved a few sighs of relief in the toilet, hoho! 

Yang was given a laxative to take until he pooped more. It has been four days now but he had very little poop even though we made him drink more water than usual and removed all biscuits for tea. Hope he poops today... Let it go out!

Kai went for a camp!

I knew about the P5 camp from either yearbooks or principal's letters in the past year. But I didn't know when it would take place. So it was a surprise when I received the letter in end January about the camp in mid February. Need a sleeping bag?!

But thank goodness for Decathlon! It has made all sporting activities so accessible! I ordered a sleeping bag, three pairs of track pants, a cap and a pair of wet shoes, and collected them at HV. Kai tried the shoes on the spot and they fitted well so we were set!

Asked Kai if he looked forward to the camp. He said no. Then he said yes coz he could waste time and not go to school *.* Well, he was going, like it or not. Told him to just go with an open mind and enjoy himself, and to listen to instructions for safety's sake.

In his level T-shirt on the first day of camp on Wednesday, 15 Feb

He asked me to sit with him on the bus that day to remind him of the contents of his bag. Yang and Yu had a disagreement on the bus so they sat on their own. As I didn't sit with Yu and even held him back when he tried to get down from the upper deck before the bus stopped moving, he got angry with me and walked into the school without saying bye *.*

Saw Kai with a classmate as we alighted the bus. The other boy boarded near the train station and was carrying a sling gym bag with much difficulty as it kept slamming on his legs. I was glad I got Kai to empty his schoolbag and just use that. Reminded him to enjoy himself and be safe, and we were left with two boys for the next two days. 

SO PEACEFUL. 

Haha! Coz Kai tends to make loud demands, command his brothers loudly, and dominate conversations. 

On Wednesday, I asked Yang and Yu how they felt. They didn't miss Kai. Yang said it felt different. Yu said it felt "fresh". I was looking forward to accompanying them during bedtime, without Kai's loudness and without him lying on their beds and disturbing them. Unfortunately, I came down with a bad cold and could not stay long with them for the two nights Kai was away :(

We decided to wake up 10 min later on Thursday. The default alarm ring tone was softer. Both boys woke happy and Yu did not laze in bed or whine for the first time since he started school! We took the later bus and still reached school before 7 am.

They decided to sit together to chat and play

They love watching Papa play games

On Friday, Sito brought Yu to school while Yang stayed home for HBL. He had a lot of work on SLS, did some leftover writing homework from Thursday and planted some green beans. It was also "take your child to work" day for Yang. We enlisted AhYe to help - he video-called us from his workplace to show Yang around. I also showed Yang the videos that AhYe sent earlier. 

But I didn't manage to intervene the corresponding SLS assignment in time - his answers were too brief after AhYe took the trouble to show him around and text him on the skills required for his job. I was very upset coz I knew he just wanted to quickly finish everything else before the PE assignment which had many quizzes and games.

Posing remotely with AhYe

I was cleaning up after Yang's lunch when Kai showed up with a "I'm back!" - a little earlier than expected but great! Welcome home, my dear boy!

He looked so cute at the door - schoolbag on his back, small backpack and sleeping bag in front. I noticed he had turned one shade darker. Let him drop everything at the door so he could go wash up and get some lunch.

Over lunch, he willingly shared the highlights of the camp - coz he won in kayaking not once but twice! Thanks to that, I think, he didn't have much to complain apart from the dirty toilets and shower area. He did not poop in the camp at all *.* There was an amazing race and a campfire. I wanted to know more but he forgot this and forgot that *.* Hopefully there will be photos from the school!

So life returned to normal when Yu came home from school.

Steamboat dinner to celebrate his return home!

And breakfast next day was Yakun

Actually I was afraid he didn't eat well during the camp, since he's picky about food. But it turned out that food was ok. Bee hoon, rice etc. He said he didn't complain about the food but some of his friends did.

But I have a complaint - the cleaning up was gross! I had to dump the T-shirt he wore for kayaking and a pair of socks. His school shoes were yellow. I thought I could just wipe his schoolbag but he dumped dirty socks and underwear directly into it, leaving one of three wet bags unused! So everything was wet. Even the raincoat that wasn't used. I dumped everything but the shoes and bag into the machine in two loads.

Now the camping gear has been packed away, to be used two years later by Yang :)

Update 9 Mar

I just pulled out his camp booklet from our bookshelf (which is quite messy). I think the only positive thing about the camp for him was kayaking and only coz he won. If he had lost, this camp certainly did not achieve its objectives with this boy. I really don't know how I can help him be more open towards learning and new things. Sighs...

A week of a lot of food!

Usually on weekdays, I have a light breakfast, usually just coffee. I may have a light lunch if I feel hungry, usually a slice of bread. Then I'll have coffee when the kids are having lunch. Dinner is a proper meal. But this past week, I ate way more...

Monday: Met JY for breakfast at Empress Place; had BCM. Besides kiddy books, she gave me a lot of Japanese snacks she brought back from her trip so we ate those every day until Wednesday, yummy!

Tuesday: Sito and I stopped by Old Airport Road before meeting ID to discuss renovations. He had 老夫子 CKT while I had some random wantan noodles. And for dinner, we brought the kids to Captain Kim BBQ. The last time we went, it was to celebrate end of exams for Kai. This time, it was to celebrate Sito's freedom from work!

Thursday: Sito and I signed some documents relating to sale of our place and headed for Albert Complex. His turn to have some random wantan noodles while I had 百年 YTF. We also had goreng pisang and fried carrot cake - oops, too full! For dinner, Sito had Hokkien mee at a dine-in discount at BPP and packed chicken rice for the boys. I had glutinous rice packed from Albert Complex :p

Friday: Sito fetched the kids and took their bags home while they alighted at the bus stop opposite Bangkit market where I was waiting. Brought them for lunch - there were only four prata left so Yang had beehoon. Main agenda was to cut their hair.

Saturday: Five of us went to Gangsa coffeeshop for breakfast - this must be the first non-holiday time that Sito joined us for breakfast! The boys all had prata. Sito had CCF and I had beehoon. So full but I still met RI for coffee downstairs coz long time no see.

Sunday: Sito and I met GT, a friend from Kellogg, and his wife S for lunch at HV. Sito had ice cream waffle after ramen with extra noodles but I could have only a coffee after my regular ramen - unlike him, I don't run *.*

These two helped to BBQ a lot so we got to relax and eat too

He loves to fetch drinks haha!

Very nice YTF! But I bit into bittergourd *.*

Saw this and knew immediately what I must do :p

And again coz I didn't stick out my tongue the first time :p

Yang wore his tank top to lunch on Friday, putting on his shirt when cutting hair

He said he was getting used to the tank top. Finally! He stopped wearing it after once or twice in P1 coz he felt shy wearing so little. In the past few weeks, he wore his tank top on PE days but did not remove his shirt. This week, he started his new badminton CCA - he wore his corporate tee to try his luck but he was required to wear tank top. Since he enjoys badminton, he finally decided to take off his shirt on Friday PE day! So happy for him :)

Breakfast with Papa and Mama :)

Passing by the market area so Papa showed them pig trotters

And a rare public phone

At coffee with RI - her phone very good haha!

Must cut back next week! But I think we should head out again next Saturday for a family breakfast :)