Holiday! We're all going on holiday to Kota Kinabalu!  Hooray!  It's been ages since we have had a holiday.  Apparently, the hotel we will be staying in has got a great wireless connection, so I will be updating as we go along. This will be Stardust's first plane ride where he gets a seat all to himself.  I've packed a big of goodies for him to keep him occupied during the trip.  My biggest concern Stardust's Youtube Favourites - Day 7 Stardust loves this clip.  He points at it and says 'Pika! Pika!' and laughs hysterically.  Who could resist these funny little rodents?  Even Sir David has an idiotic grin on his face when he watches it from behind a rock. Stardust's Youtube Favourites - Day 6 I'm not sure why Stardust enjoys this video.  I think it is solely because of the llamas.  And the fact that they are wearing hats.  That totally cracks him up.  As to the nature of the dialogue, all I can say is...there is no cussing. Stardust's Youtube Favourites - Day 5 As you can probably tell by now, Stardust's favourite videos tend to be music related.  This particular video elicited a very emotional response from him and he even shush-ed me with a wave of his tiny hand when I started talking to him halfway through the video. The Aged P's purchased a copy of her debut album, but he doesn't appear to enjoy listening to it.  I think that this is because the Stardust's Youtube Favourites - Day 4 Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole does a lovely interpretation of this classic song and I'm in awe of his breezy and effortless vocals, especially when I consider that he probably has breathing difficulties (watch the video and you'll see why).  I'm sure you've heard this piece before, seeing that his recording has been used in several movies.  Stardust instantly relaxes when he listens to hawaiian Stardust's Youtube Favourites - Day 3 I have always felt that Ernie from Sesame Street had all the best songs.  He got to sing 'Rubber Duckie' and 'Imagine That' and 'One Fine Face'.  This song about visiting exotic places is particularly beautiful and makes for a great lullaby as well.  Stardust could listen to this song forever and ever.  It is one of my 'go-to' songs if Stardust is particularly fretful. Stardust's Youtube Favourites - Day 2 Stardust calls this the 'World Video'. Sometimes, in order to unwind in the evenings, we'll often sit together and watch one of our DVD programmes.  At the moment, we are ploughing our way through the BBC Planet Earth series (which, I understand, has also been shown on the Discovery Channel).  I like the fact that Stardust enjoys watching nature programmes, and the fact that the three of us That's right, I'm watching you Stardust's bedtime ritual is as follows:1. Milk2. Storytime3. Devotions4. Prayers5. Cuddles6. SleepWhilst Stardust drinks up his nightcap, he's usually allowed the privilege of watching a video on youtube. It's fun letting him watch a new video every evening, just watch his reaction. Now that Stardust is older and better able to express his opinion, he will occasionally request certain videos Revelations Sleep is a precious commodity in this house, which is why we have taught Stardust to sleep on his own. He is an independant little soul and treasures his privacy. In fact, we realised that he slept longer hours when we moved him to his own room! Although I do envy my peers whose children fall asleep in their arms or who snuggle up to them at night for comfort, I do not regret the decision to Conversation MDH: So. TSCD: Yes?MDH: When are we having another baby?TSCD: I don't know. When do you think?MDH: Let's aim for when Stardust turns 3. Or thereabouts.TSCD: Ok. But...MDH: Hmm?TSCD: This sounds stupid but...whenever I think about being pregnant again, I feel really put off by the memory of nauseating all-day sickness and...and...MDH: And..?TSCD: And I only just started buying clothes again! Happy Year Of The Tiger Well, we had a pretty busy weekend, what with visiting relatives and shedding money and stuffing our faces with pineapple tarts and impromptu music rehearsals. What a whirlwind of noise and activity! Stardust has collected enough angpow money from his well-wishers to fund a term or two of enrichment classes (we decided that it would probably be in his best interest to invest in his future, Bye, Happy CNY and Valentine's Day Well, the Outlaws are leaving today and I do feel sorry to see them go. Stardust has had SO much fun with them around, and it was nice having the company. They are leaving just in time - I wouldn't know what to do with them during the bustle of the Chinese New Year period!This afternoon, I have been mostly stuffing AngPows with $2 notes in preparation for the great annual shedding of cash. Being My New Brother For my birthday, after much wheedling and coercion, my parents finally agreed that they would give me a new brother.Here he is:Isn't he lovely and red?I opted for the cheapest, most basic model available because - let's face it - I am no surgeon and I cannot sew to save my life (or anyone elses for that matter). I vaguely recall sewing a pair of electric blue boxer shorts during home economics Online Jewellery Shopping: Lushae Jewelry I like to try and support small businesses as much as I can. Small businesses are always friendlier, more personable. Now that many small companies have started stores online to save on overhead costs, it is so important for them to maintain good customer service. I was a little bit apprehensive when LuShae Jewelry contacted me via email and asked me to write a review of the store. I have never Happy Birthday, Stardust On the morning of the party, I woke up early and put the finishing touches on the party food.Then, because I had forgotten to do so the day before, I quickly cut up napkins into triangles and stitched them together to make strings of bunting. MDH helped me to put up the bunting around the room - doesn't it look festive?Stardust was awake by then, so MDH took him for a walk whilst the Outlaws and Party Preps Day 5: Catering Planning the menu for the party was quite a challenge for me. I wanted to make sure there was enough food for everyone and that the food would also be toddler-friendly (ie. low sugar, no salt). I also wanted to make sure that the bulk of the menu could be made in advance of the day - to minimise stress on myself.So after careful consideration, here is the menu that I came up with (I have Party Preps Day 4: Utter Chaos. I can't separate the light from the darkness! It's Chaos!!!!Update:Okay, fine, it wasn't that bad, really. I managed to complete what I wanted to accomplish, it was just a little harder than I thought it would be. The people in the flat upstairs decided that it was time to do a little bit of DIY just around the time when Stardust was settling down for his nap. They only spent 20 minutes with a Party Preps Day 3: Odds and ends Here's what I did today:1. Went grocery shopping and bought all the ingredients for the party food as well as disposable tableware. I really want to get to the stage where we use melamine plates instead of paper and plastic but the fact is that I don't own enough unbreakable picnicware at the moment.2. Trimmed Stardust's hair. I tried taking him to the local ten-dollar hairdresser today but the Party Preps Day 2: Party Gear I always think that birthday parties are just not complete without party hats! They encourage people to get into a party mood and to relax. It is hard not to smile when you're wearing a silly hat! I want all the adults and the children to wear party hats, but I don't really like those conical dunce hats that are sold in the shops. True, they have bright and cheerful designs printed on them, but Party Prep Day 1: Stuffing the swagbags Stardust's 2nd birthday is coming up at the end of the week, so this week I will be absolutely swamped with party preparations! I am so glad that the Outlaws are here because I need all the help I can get.This is a single income family, so we can't afford to hire caterers and buy expensive party gear, so I have to be innovative and try to keep within our tiny budget.Last year, I stuffed the Alphabet Art - E Stardust received this brilliant book over Christmas, Alphabet Art, by Judy Press. It has so many cool crafts ideas for preschoolers! After looking through it, I went out to Art Friend one weekend and bought a whole load of tempera paints and coloured construction paper. It was so exciting!We've been going through the book systematically and learning a new letter each week. Stardust just loves Cycle and seek Stardust loves his tricycle. He has started pedalling on his own and is quite good at steering around obstacles, which means that we have started playing 'cycle-and-seek' - I run and hide behind a pillar and he cycles round to find me. Now that the Outlaws have come to stay, he has been having so much fun playing with them. Grandpa likes to hide in corners and leap out at Stardust as he cycles by Rub a dub dub I don't have many toys in the house (yet). This is partly because I am very fussy about the toys that Stardust does get to play with. There is just so much garbage out there and I really don't want it cluttering up my house. However, the main reason for the lack of Fisher-Price here is because I like Stardust to be innovative with what he does have available to him. Stardust plays with wooden The Outlaws are coming!!!!!! frantically cleaning the house WHERE did all this dust come from I thought I just cleaned all this up yesterday and now it's back again everywhere I look there seems to be another DUPLO brick hiding away I am sure we did not have this many DUPLO bricks they are just breeding away in the dark corners of the house okay the floors are now immaculate now to make sure the guest bedroom is done up all Happy Housewarming to us The housewarming presents started trickling in the minute we finished unpacking all our boxes - finally, after 5 years of dragging them all over the UK and then across the ocean to Singapore. You wouldn't believe the sort of stuff we've been receiving. Most people want to give us heirlooms (dust collectors) to pass down through the ages. May the accumulation of junk begin!Here's a list of the top Meh I do not seem to be able to keep my shirtfront free of toothpaste stains. New Years Barbeque = Madness 0700h - Wake up0715h - Hurriedly feed MDH and Stardust0745h - Kick MDH and Stardust out of house to get them out of the way0750h - Bring out Implements of Purification0900h - Make cakes, salads and icecream. Cram everything into the fridge and freezer.1200h - The food for the barbeque arrives. MDH and Stardust return, hungry and thirsty. 1201h - Feed MDH and Stardust.1220h - Put Stardust down Taking Stock I was perusing my previous journal entries and I have realised (to my own horror) that the last time I did some good old-fashioned soul-searching was in January 2007. That is to say, I have been preoccupied with so many external issues in the last three years that I have not been able to do any introspection.I have changed so much that I can hardly recognise the tremulous slip of a person from Christmas Christmas is a good excuse to...1. Spend quality time with family2.Chill out with friends 3. Make music and sing carols 4.Remember a very special birth. Happy Christmas, everyone! The colours of the rainbow TSCD: Okay, sit down nicely on this chair Stardust: I sit down.TSCD: You can have this to play with...(jams a finger puppet on Stardust's thumb)Stardust: Fish!TSCD: Yes, it's a fish. What colour is it?Stardust: (scrutinises fish) Green. Green fish.TSCD: Um, no. It's a pink and orange fish.Stardust: Green fish.TSCD: No, it's a pink and orange fish.Stardust: PinkTSCD: And?Stardust: Or....TSCD: