Christmas 2009 for Kendrick

This Christmas Kendrick is a happy boy with lots of presents and new toys! These few days we also attempted to do different things with Kendrick like bring him to Botanic Gardens and Kite Flying. Unfortunately, we could not do the latter yet due to bad weather. Guess we'll have to plan for another day! Nevertheless, it's a happy few days of celebration and eating and shopping with different sides of our family. Here are some photo highlights for this Christmas season...

Christmas Eve at home - Kendrick wears his new Christmas PJs that I bought for him from the KL trip a few months back. Thought he looks very cute in such tight fit clothes!

Christmas Day - Visit to Botanic Gardens in the day time

Kendrick poses cheekily beside Mummy

We wanted to capture Kendrick attempting to do this action of bending his knees slightly to peek into the lake cos he saw his Papa did that...

Papa and Kendrick with Swan Lake behind them - not many swans though...saw only like 2 or 3

Sitting on a tree trunk. This trunk was quite nice for kids to try climbing or walking on it

Kendrick points out to something that he saw

I like this next 3 photos of Kendrick. He was walking round this pillar like thing, which is actually a sun dial on top. We were playing peekaboo when we took these shots

Sitting on the grass area. Kendrick has some funny expression here..as if he really don't like it. Ha ha!

Our only family shot before we leave the park

Christmas Day Dinner at my Uncle's place - Kendrick becomes a cute bunny?!

Or perhaps a White Tiger!

Christmas Night - Taking photos with his presents before we open them at home

This year, Kendrick knows how to ask us to open his presents and we get him to pose a little with each gift

Finally done with all the unwrapping! I guess Kendrick's feeling really happy now!

Party Weekend Part 2 (13 Dec 2009)

We brought Kendrick for a 2 year old birthday bash event held at Go Go Bambini (Dempsey) on this particular Sunday. It was organised by the Jan 08 mothers from the Motherhood Forum thread and we decided to take part for fun. Some of the Mummies prepared the goody bags, name tags and the birthday cake.

When we were there, the program started with free play in the indoor playground, followed by mini games, more play time and the food. Although overall some parts of the games were a bit messy, it was still a fun time for Kendrick to play in the indoor playground anyway. It's also the first time that he was able to slide down the slide himself without us holding his hand :) When it came to the food time, it was quite interesting to see how all the parents were busy watching over their children as they all sat at the long table eating their own food. Ha Ha! More junk food for Kendrick with sausages, fries and nuggets! But Kendrick liked the water melon instead and asked for it many times. By 12.30pm in the afternoon, the party ended and most parents gradually left.

Playing in the indoor playground

Game time for the kids - some dancing to the music and not moving when the music stopped

Time to catch bubbles when the music stopped too

Kendrick manoeuvres the obstacles a lot better compared to when he was much younger

Coming down the bigger slide by himself!

Enjoying the shorter slide a lot as well!

Snack time! Here we are posing with another Mummy, Eileen and her son Jayden. Nice to be able finally meet you in person!

Group shot which was quite a messy affair too. Ha Ha..

Happy 2nd Birthday to my darling in advance as well as to all the other tikes born in Dec-Jan!!

Party Weekend Part 1 (12 Dec 2009)

My colleague Cindy celebrated her 2 sons' birthday at McDonald's this weekend and invited us to the party. Her hubby being a great Star Wars fan, actually invited the Storm Troopers characters to the party as well! Kendrick generally had some fun playing in the mini indoor playground and then having some junk food which I've not let him try before. Ha ha...His first taste of chicken nuggets and apple juice....I guess he loved the apple juice a lot for being sweet :)

Family shot with the Storm Troopers!

Is that Kendrick in there?

Looking like a birthday boy wearing the McDonald's birthday crown :)

Cake-cutting time. Kendrick surprised us by bravely standing in there for a shot too. Think the playgroup helped him open up a bit to other children :)

Playgroup Class Day 3

Today is the 3rd and last day that I'll be bringing Kendrick to attend his playgroup class. In the morning, he was in high spirits when his Ah Gong and Ah Ma came along and fetched him to school. However when we first arrived at the centre, Kendrick was rather apprehensive about entering the classroom. He did not want to move in at first. I encouraged and moved him in and told him to play with his friends. The teacher then passed him the small play mat to get him started. With that, I slipped out of class quietly. Once Kendrick got started on his free play, he seemed fine. No crying, no fussing. Just playing. I continued to observe him for an hour and noticed that he knew how to put back the toys to the shelf when the teacher asked him to. He even learnt how to keep back his play mat into the common basket. As for music and movement, he's still stiff. Ha ha... not much participation unless the teacher pulled him in to hold hands in a circle, etc.

As for the rest of the time, I believe the class did some simple artwork together. Through it all, I'm pretty certain Kendrick was quite obedient, following the tasks as per asked. By the time I came back again to check on him, he already finished his snack that I prepared for him and was moving into some Chinese video time. The teacher played some Chinese songs DVD and Kendrick was very interested since it's got to do with the TV! He readily sat ahead and even close to the Chinese teacher! Eventually when it was close to 11am, he saw me and his Ah Ma standing at the window watching him. We could tell that he called out towards us, but did not really worry too much. He sat down again eventually to finish up the class.

I would say that overall, I'm quite glad that Kendrick appears to be settling into the playgroup class. It certainly helps that he feels comfortable so far. I tried asking him about what he did but I don't think he's able to really articulate that yet. So hopefully in time, he will be able to tell us about his day at school!

Kendrick playing with some new stacking toys

Kendrick learns to keep the toys back onto the shelf when the teacher asked him to

Kendrick plays a new type of toy

During the music and movement segment, Kendrick continues to appear rather shy and uncertain about what to do. It's only when the teacher holds his hand or gets him to hold other children's hand then he does so

Some art and craft time

The last segment on Chinese involved watching some video on Chinese songs. This was the part where Kendrick seemed to open up and relax more. He was pointing animatedly at the screen a couple of times. I suppose he was telling the teacher what he knew

Kendrick spots Mummy and Ah Ma through the glass window!

Playgroup Class Day 2

Today is the second day that I followed Kendrick to his playgroup class. When we reached the class, I brought him in and told him to put his school bag down. Soon enough, the teacher approached him to ask him to get his play mat and sit down and play. With that happening, I quickly slipped out of the class. Again, I observed him as and when I could through the glass window, escaping from his view whenever he looked in my direction. So far so good too, no crying. I wonder if he is getting used to it? This morning while on the way to the centre, I asked Kendrick where we were going and he told me "School". That's a good sign I guess!

During the music and dance segment today, I noticed that Kendrick's still not warmed up to it yet. He basically just stands still when there is singing and moving. It's only at times that the teacher will try to bring him into hold hands or move around when singing 'London Bridge'. I probably want to feedback to the principal to get the teachers to encourage him on a bit more to move and follow the actions since he's still new.

After that, I kinda disappeared to do some walking around so I missed out what else Kendrick did for the day, but I could tell that it was some colouring activity. By the time I came back, it was just at the time that Kendrick and the kids were all queuing up to wash their hands. Kendrick saw me and thus called out to me happily! I guess from that point onwards, it was quite difficult for me not to be around. I thought I could still try to hide outside but he kept on calling out to me while inside the room and started to cry...haha...Ok, so I gave in and went inside since it was time for another birthday celebration. I could tell that Kendrick was really happy. With me around, he did his little 'happy dance' and even sang 'ABCD' song out loud after the cake cutting session was over. Sigh..my little baby! Wonder if he felt stressed when his family was not around with him?

Free play time - Kendrick plays with some toy cars

Kendrick plays with some puzzle like toy. I think he likes it as he's very into playing some simple jigsaw puzzles that I bought him recently

Music and movement time - Kendrick stands stiffly observing everyone else! Haha...

Still not much movement from him

Group shot of the play group and work group kids before the birthday celebration

Playgroup Class Day 1

Today marks the 23rd month of Kendrick and also the first day of him attending Playgroup Class at Totsville Montessori Centre :) The centre agreed to let Kendrick try out class for 2 weeks in December at half month's fees, before deciding whether or not to continue for the rest of the year in 2010. So here we were on this Monday morning. The night before, we explained to Kendrick that he would be going to school and playing with friends and Teachers without Mummy or Daddy being around. I wonder if the talk helped. When I brought Kendrick to class today, I sat in with him for a short while before disappearing quietly without him noticing.

As I watched from the window outside, Kendrick surprisingly adapted fairly well to the class and teachers. It was only when he turned and spotted me standing at the window did he suddenly realise I was not around and called out for me. I quickly darted away from his view and I could tell that the teacher managed to distract him. This happened a few more times when Kendrick again caught me viewing and disappearing in a short while. I must say that for Day 1, I'm quite proud of him that he did not really bawl in tears and cry uncontrollably. He did cry for a very short while and was calmed down by the teacher. Of course, this is just the first day. We'll have to see how he behaves in the next few days!

As I observed the rest of the class, Kendrick seemed to be able to fit in quite well as he played some of the games, stood around when singing songs and dancing, and sat at the table when it was time to do a bit of drinking water and colouring. Today was also one of the classmate's 2 year old birthday. I was told there would be a celebration around 10.30am, so it was only by that time that I re-joined the class in the celebration. Kendrick was happy to see me again and even came to hug me and stick close to me. Tried my best to get him to sit with his little friends but I guess once I'm around, it was a bit harder :)

Now just hope that the rest of the 2 weeks will go smoothly. Certainly don't know what to expect once I go back to work on Thursday....

The morning starts off with free play

The teacher opens up this tunnel like toy and I was happy to observe that Kendrick actually crawled through it himself :)

This is part of the music and movement segment. The kids just sing songs and do some simple dance. Older students from the work group join the playgroup toddlers at this point

After the music and movement, the playgroup class will settle in for some phonics and story telling

Kendrick had a bit of colouring time before the break. Although I did not manage to take the photo, the toddlers were actually attempting to colour the shape of the day. After that, was it was one of the student's birthday celebration, so all the kids gathered together, including the work group kids. Kendrick is looking so serious...haha..

While trying to get a shot of the kids, Kendrick stood up as he wanted to walk towards me instead of sit down

We finally left the place at 11am and my little boy was still happy and cheerful. Hope that he will remain strong physically too. God Bless Kendrick!

Christmas is coming...

Just a quick update of Kendrick and us when we recently went shopping in Orchard Road and took some photos of the big Christmas tree in Ngee Ann City. This year we've not done our usual walk down Orchard Road yet to see the Christmas lights...hopefully we are able to find some time for that!

Also, quite recently we brought Kendrick swimming again. We see some improvement now as he seems slightly less afraid of the water. With arm float and ring float all put on him, he was able to sustain being in the deep pool for quite a while as we tried to encourage him to swim or kick from one end to the other. Again, swimming is something which we hope we can squeeze in more time with Kendrick! Need to grow his confidence in water!

Our family posing in front of the big Christmas tree

Kendrick with Wai Gong and Wai Po

Kendrick posing at home in front of my little table full of presents and our small Christmas tree (which is very well blocked by Kendrick!)

Kendrick smiles quite nicely here in a shot with his Nai Nai