Starting Full Day Childcare Tomorrow

In a dramatic turn of events, I received a phone call in the middle of our shoe-shopping, informing me that the childcare centre has finally received their permit & hence can start operations tomorrow.

So instead of spending my time planning my week ahead, I ended up spending my afternoon putting Sam's school bag together. And since Sam loves to peel off stickers, I crazily stuck stickers ALL over his bag, plastic bags, toothbrush, mug etc.

Hubby commented it was lucky we've just found a new pair of shoes for Sam this morning, JIT for his school. Truely, it's almost a miracle Sam was in a shoe-buying mood, and a covered-toe version to boot. Oh, it's a bit irritating that his version of Crocs actually costs more than mine, but well, I was gratified he could actually put it on & off all by himself, and seems to enjoy wearing it so much. Hubby was simply pleased he doesn't have to see a 4th incarnation of the Clarks sandals Sam was so fond of.

Now, I'm trying to rest & relax as much as it's motherly possible with Sam in the house, cos the next few days are gonna be tough. For me! Already I'm trying to imagine how it's possible for me to go off for a decent lunch...........

One Week of School Holidays to Bear

Sigh!!! Just as I was starting to panic about not being able to find the spare pillow for Sam's childcare nap next week, I received one of my worst phone calls of the month: the centre is not ready to start next Monday as planned!!!!!!

Now I'll have one week of childcare-centre-less time to spend with Sam. To entertain him, hopefully teaching him something useful in the meantime & not just that shopping is fun.

Urgh!!!!! And to think that I've rejected an assignment last month in anticipation of next week's Sam-entering-new-school-ruckus!!!!! What a waste of my chance!!!!!

Let's see..........a visit to the library, & then artwork painting. That ought to do the trick for 1 of the 5 weekdays.

Now what should I do for the other 4??????????????

Dunno if I have the energy to bring Sam to the Birdpark on my own........the water playground would be fun for him, provided he doesn't get sunburnt.

Haa! Might as well bring Sam to see the doctor if his nose is still running next week! That's keep him occupied for another morning!

What else......................Help!!!!!!!!!

Sam's Registration Photo

Tada!!!! My handsome Sam posing especially for his registration photo in his new childcare centre. Isn't he lovely?? ;)

The Kind of Things U Get in a Birthday Goodie Bag

I know all the enthusiatics mothers who took the trouble to prepare gift packs for their children's classmates in school meant well. But why can't they just include more healthy snacks & less junk?????

Today Sam received yet another elaborately decorated birthday goodie bag from a fellow classmate in his playgroup. Except for the box of Coco Crunch, which is at least a healthy cereal despite of the chocolate intensiveness, there's also a marshmellow sweet, a TimeOut chocolate bar & some savoury biscuits. And a whistle.

Now, I'll rather have more of those party whistles & toys than figure out how to hide the TimeOut chocolate bar from my son, cos I don't usually allow him such titbits. I'm still trying to find a way to get rid of the packet of Twisties from another goodie bag 3 weeks ago. Think I'll just eat that myself & get hubby to devour the TimeOut. The marshmellow sweet I'm reserving to use as a rewarding treat when Sam behaves well.

Don't understand why Singaporean parents tend to give such titbits in the goodies bags. When we were in KL, the expat group of mothers tend to put more party toys in the bags. The snacks they used were healthier too. Sam once received a packet of orange juice even!

Can't wait for Sam to start in the new childcare. At least over there, the centre has guidelines & recommendations for parents to use healthy snacks eg. raisins in the goodie bags.

Sam's New School

Today went to visit Sam's future childcare centre: The Little Skoolhouse By-The-Treehouse at Safra Jurong. It seems great! They can go to the water playground & the indoor playground once a week, and there's actually a courtyard for them to play ball games & ride the tricycles!

Now hoping very hard Sam would take well to the new whole-day curriculum. He seemed to like the new place when we went today, especialy after he saw the tricycles. ;) 1st June, can't wait for it to arrive!

1st Visit to the Zoo

Yesterday finally managed to get into the Zoo. Had planned for the trip on Good Friday, only to find the carpark already full & roadside parking all the way down to the Orchid Garden at 10:50am.

So was rather glad it wasn't so crowded on a 'normal' Sunday at 9:50am (yes, we made the effort to go earlier this time round). Sam still refused to put on sunblock, but after the distastrous Birdpark experience I covered him in the white cream despite all his protests and cries. And am I glad I did!!!! Look how red he was that night after a mere 3 hrs in the Zoo! (and half that time in the shade too!)
Fortunately most of the red-ness faded this morning. Now, only the area around his neck is still itchy from the sunburn.

Talking about the trip to the Zoo, Sam's reactions to it really burns me up! Oh, he did seem to enjoy seeing the hippos & the otters & one crocodile sleeping in the water. But while I was excited we managed to catch the feeding of the mousedeer etc at the Rainforest, Sam was actually frightened by the sight of feeding gibbons. Goodness knows why??

And when hubby excitedly pointed out the white tigers to the little bugger, he found the exhibit of the tiger sounds more interesting than the sleeping big cats. Okay, to be fair, it would really be more fun pressing the buttons to hear the tiger's roar than to watch them sleep............

But not to be interested in the Elephants of Asia show????? The animal show is only 30 min, we had a clear view of the magnificent beasts, and Sam spent the 1st 15 min snacking & drinking (ok, so he was hungry). Then, hunger satisfied, he started sucking his thumb and cuddling up to me, and after another 5 min, told me: "Mummy, no zoo, go 'gai gai'!"

I nearly went up in smoke!!!! He rather go shopping than visit the zoo!!!! What more can I do???????

Getting Sam to Drink Water

Sam hasn't been drinking water during his playgroup since last week. He may have finished his biscuits, but his water bottle would remain full when I fetched him from 'school' 2 hours later. Bugging him about it only got him to take small sips.

So yesterday I went on a shopping spree in NTUC Xtra (yes, I know, of all places, but that's the only place open in Jurong Point at 9:45am in the morning) and bought 3 new bottles: a 250ml Rubbermaid, one tall Bob the Builder with shoulder strap, and a very tall bottle with racing cars pictures.

Well, Sam didn't touch his biscuits today, but he finished the whole bottle of Rubbermaid! Talk about the appeal of a new item!!!

So now I'm keeping his Pigeon bottle for home use. Plan to use the small Rubbermaid one for his playgroup. The Bob the Builder one for when my mum fetches him after school, so that there'll be extra water for the journey to his grandmother's place. And the ultra tall racing car version for weekends when we go out, then won't have to worry about running out of water.

Hopefully this will be enough to keep his interest in drinking water...........