I wanna be a Photographer

(Love the concentrated look of Atria)

We had recently purchased our DSLR, so we have been taking quite a number of photos. We used to own a SLR before the gals came, but since then we just relied on the normal digital camera. It is just too cumbersome to haul the DSLR out.

Anyway, after numerous attempt to take clear shot of the gals, we finally decided to invest in one good DSLR. Well, I would just say the money is well spent as we are now able (phew!! finally) to take good pic of the gals in action.

Thus, Atria been rather interested in taking her photos too. And we seems to have a number of spare camera on hand, thus the hubby decided to pass one for Atria to have a take at it. Well, not too bad for a start. I like the way she holds the camera and try to take a good shot of anything she sees. We have yet to see what are the things she shoot, but I just simply love her looks.

Don't you think she look rather cool?? Hahaha... I know I am biased, but hey, she is my gal!

Weekly Blessings

Wow! Time flies... and its already Tuesday...

Well, always wanted to post a weekly blessing post on Sun or Mon, but never made it. But its all rite, better late than never.

So for this week (or in fact last), I am blessed with:

Super Duper Long weekend, allowing me to spend more quality time with friends and family (in particular the hubby)

Presidential Election, for allowing us the privilege to cast our vote to decide the "President" for our country. And also becos of the Reservist duty that the hubby is down for. Well, it turned out that the duty for PE wasn't as bad as we thought. In fact, we were able to spend some quality time together :)

The rain, that cooled down the weather and also allowing us to spend some quiet time at home with the gals. (We tend to head out for activities on weekend, but because of the rain, we decided to stay at home over the weekend)

Technology, that literally made the world smaller, and allowing to catch up with a friend who is half way across the globe and knowing that she is all rite.

Colleagues and friends at work, who are always there to help out when there is an urgent need and always ready to give me a lift home... hahaa..

My mum, who willinging help to babysit while the hubby and I had some couple time together (Mum, u are the best!)

The hubby, who is amazed by the amount of scrapping stuff I have accumulated over these 12 months (since I started scrapping), and shakes his head on the time. But nevertheless, is still willing to go shopping for scrappy stuff with me and offer his advice when needed. I have always to do a layout just for the hubby (especially since his Bday is coming),but just never find the right photo to do it. Will take a while, I guess..

Weekly Blessings

I missed out on last week's Weekly Blessings post as I was simple zonked out after work each day.

So this week, I am blessed with:

National Day holiday, a good break for me to hang out with the family and meet up with friends whom I have sadly neglected. So much have changed since we last met, I was so glad I am able to meet up with them.

National oral exam, giving me the luxury to come home earlier and engage in some personal hobby.

Change of portfolio at work, although tough, but at least it gives me the freedom not to be trapped in that little conference room and making a judgement of others (something I hate to do all these while)

My new Nikon D7000 (or rather the hubby's) which allow me to take clear shots of my girls (finally!!) and document their growing everyday. I love it!!!

Scrappy inspiration, which came zooming into my heads, and for once I am able to create 3 LO in a week!

Sis in law who "volunteered" to babysit Atria, giving me some free time to chit chat with others. She has been extremely patient and is such a doting "gu ma" to the girls.

My girls, who are a constant source of inspiration for me and also provides endless joy and laughter into my life. I am amazed at how much they have grown over these months.

Atria, whom seems to have grown sooo much over the months. She is becomes much more mature and able to understand the needs of others. She is such a sensitive child.

The hubby, despite being down with flu is still as hands on with all the cooing and taking care of Atria.

Wow, I am so blessed! As always...

Cheeky Faces

(Mei Mei being very satisfied with her 'Beard Papa Cream Puff')

Mei Mei has always been rather cheeky, more so than her Jie jie. While at one moment, she will be screaming her head off, once she settled down, she can show u the cheekiest of the looks... and you can't really bring yourself to scold her after seeing her smiles.

These shots are taken after she had a taste of the beard papa cream puff. She was just screaming at the top of her voice a minute ago. But once the hubby fed her the cream puff, she was smiling like nobody biz too. Looks how cheeky she is!

I really hope she will remain as cheerful as she is now and being so friendly too. She says "Hi" and "Bye Bye" to anyone whom she encountered and those aunties and uncles love her for that. She is kinda funny, but she is my girl.

A Date with Walter

(A date with Walter. Taken outside SAM. Using mostly SC June Kit - Paper Moon)

(Some close up shots)

(Another close up shot)

As posted earlier, the hubby and I brought our gals to SAM one of the weekend and we had a blast of our time over there. This pic was taken outside SAM with their iconic figure - Walter the rabbit.

I love rabbit. Almost wanted to get some of the merchandises. There was this rabbit looking balloon that was really so cute, but its expensive too!! I decided to save the money to buy other stuffs hahaa...

Anyway, this LO was done after a looooooong break. Been wanting to scrap ever so much but there is always something else to do at work. Hmm,... anyway, last nite, I told myself... No more! Its enough, I need to get my "creative juices" flowing. And hey, this LO was completed in less than 2 hrs. (I practically took about 2 nites to complete one LO, depending how many times I need to run and pacify my girl if she wakes up crying) So here I was rather happy with it, but still feel like there was something missing :(

Anyway, my head now is brimming with scrappy ideas, just need to find more time to scrap... lol... and time is really a precious commodity nowadays...

Weekly Blessings

I am following this particular blog by a SAHM (who is also great at scrapbooking) and this mum had a weekly blog post on blessings. I thought I would follow her example and do a weekly lists of blessings too. So this is my first blog post on weekly blessings.

I am blessed with:

A great granny to my 2 gals who is always there for me whenever I need her help and support. Especially now since the hubby might need to be go overseas pretty frequent and often last minute.

My sis (who my gals warmly called yi ma ma) who is there to help ferry Atria home and to lend a helping hand to my mum and to me at times when everything seems crazy.

Short meetings and training at work, that allows us more free time to do our "own things" which have been piling up.

Friends from way back, who are always so accomodating and enthusiastic in organising gatherings and ensuring that I am not left out of the loop... since having both gals, my social circle has resolved around the hubby, my 2 gals and close families.

External trainers, for allowing me to see the beauty in many others, whom at other times might be hidden.

Harry potter, who accompany me faithfully for the past 11 years and providing endless entertainment till the very end. I am gonna miss it.

My 2 gals, for providing endless fun and laughter to our somewhat routine and boring life.

My ever so hands on hubby, who despite being so terribly tired, will read to Atria and ensure she is well taken care of at nite while I "lure" mei mei to sleep. The hubby has been incredibly understanding to my impatience and sometime rather curt and blunt reply.

Hey, I am truly blessed this week! :)

My Safety Blanket (aka Napkin)

(With her "safety blanket" while drinking milk)

(Fiddling with her napkin)

Mei mei has this perculiar habit since birth. She loves to rub her face and fingers with the white muslin cloths (we called this napkin) whenever she is drinking milk or going to sleep. I cannot remember when did we (my mum and I) introduced the napkin to her, but for as long as I can remember, she has been having her napkin with her all the while. I guess it serves the purpose of being a Safety Blanket, just that it is not exactly a blanket. Talking about safety blanket, her jie jie never really have this problem until mei mei was born (and that will warrant a complete post on its own)

When she is going to sleep or feeling super duper tired, she will look for the napkin. Though she can't really say it yet, but when she is shown the napkin, she will grab it and bury her face in it, and at the same time, exclaim with delight! Thus ever since she is born, we have to bring at least 1 napkin with us whenever we go. I have never worry about not bringing napkin before. The napkin has become more important than her milk powder and pacifier... haha...

Phew! Mei mei does not really recognise the "smell" of the napkin, so every few hours we will change the napkin that she is holding on to. Just cannot tolerate the eewwy smell of all her saliva(since now she is starting to drool more as she is teething badly), milk and sometimes perspiration on the napkin. Shudder!!

I am trying to distract her from the napkin by introducing a REAL blanket to her at nite. But mei mei does not really take to the idea yet. She is currently lying on the blanket while holding on to the napkin at the same time. And sometimes she wants 2 napkins!

I am just wondering when will she outgrown this!! :)

Ice Cream!!

(@ Bens & Jerry Ice Cream Vivocity)

Last Sunday, the hubby and I brought our gals all the way to Demsey Hill for breakfast at Bens & Jerry. Our initial plan was to have brunch and followed by some ice cream. But when we finally arrived there, we were rather unexpected by what we see.

We wanted to go to some places that are not our usual hangout thus I goggled for kids friendly places in Singapore and saw this link to Bens & Jerry Restuarant as one of the most kids friendly places in Singapore. What I had in mind (from the pic I saw on the net) was a big playground with a vintage looking bus whereby the kids can play their hearts out. But what greeted us was totally different. Well, we were not disheartened by it and rather really had a nice Big breakfast (we will be back again I think). After that, we wanted to go for a walk around Demsey Hill (as that was our first time there too) but the heat was rather unbearable (especially with 2 young kids)

So in the end, we made our way to Vivocity as we promised Atria we will be having Bens & Jerry Ice Cream. Well, the ice cream we had and it was yummy. We managed to take a number of photos of Atria especially (we needed the photos for her kinderland homework) and after the ice cream, we went to the playground to let the gals run around.

It was tiring day for both gals as Demsey Hill and Vivocity were quite a distance from home. But I am glad we made it there cos the gals do get to see more things rather than the usual things at our usual hangouts.
We should be out more often over the weekends, and I am just loving the times spent with them (no doubt it was really tiring too!)

USA Bound

(USA Bound - A mini notebook for her to document her next phase of life)

One of my colleagues at work is going to the US soon. So I made this mini notebook for her to document her phase of life.

Talking about this colleague of mine LT, I can still remember the initial years when she just joined us. The rest of us were rather skeptical of her and a few others who came along at the same time. Hahaha... those were the days.

As years passed, we have grown closer. Not to the very close type, but close enough to share common hobby, secrets etc. We have worked together for many occasions too, and through all these, I truly admire her dynamism and dedication to whatever that is entrusted upon her.

I truly wish she will have an enriching journey in the USA, although I am surely going to miss her too.