Seduced

I'm not exactly an arty character.. my credentials list like a kids pop-up book: short, spontaneous events that add a bit of colour to an otherwise regular life. Attended WOMAD once? twice?, attended 2? 3? plays because I've friends performing (read: free tickets), musical? no thanks I would rather be in the movies.

... so when Sapna called and said "Babe, I've got free tix to a show at the Esplanade", it was right up my alley. First I get to spend time alone (no kids, no hubby) with my best friend (something we TRY to do but hardly gets done), secondly its free and thirdly I need a distraction from the stress at work. I didn't even ask what the show was and because she and I think alike, she said "If it gets too boring, we can leave halfway and grab a bite". Haha.

Well, we didn't have time to get bored. We sat riveted throughout this performance? installation? called The Manganiyar Seduction.


















It was an Indian musical performance of a different kind altogether and never have my senses been fully and completely assaulted by something so seductive, so elaborate, so uplifting, so... arty! :)

Maybe its time to look out for the next Singapore Arts Festival, though I doubt the husband will enjoy it. He would rather watch men beat up other men:



















PS: I forgot to mention that President Nathan sat 3 rows behind us, enjoying the show for the 2nd time! Gaaaaah.

Program Play-date

The tricky bit about going from one child to two is managing the quality time you spend with each of them. And on that front, I have been feeling guilty about not allocating enough 'alone' time with Big Sis which probably explains the naughtiness and just.plain-out.stubbornness.

Even if she's probably at the age where they become more assertive, a small price to pay for their independance, I still feel the need to carve out our own YOU&ME time.

So I've planned Saturday mornings as our play-date to coincide with Sofia's nap time. And because we only have 2-3 hours by ourselves, my Masterplan will have to evolve around activities in the North. I find this link on Timeout extremely useful and have incorporated our own suggestions:

Sembawang Shopping Centre
Hop off at Sembawang MRT Station and onto the free shuttle. Head straight for Emiko Arts at Level 3 for some creative channeling of energy and a souvenir worth framing.
Cost: $5.50 for 20mins
















By 11am, she's ready for the free-to-use Splash Park & covered Playground.





















And by noon, we're at Hei Sushi or across the road at Daddy's Fish & Chicks for a Saturday brunch.
















Golden Village @ Yishun 10
If there's a good flick to catch, this is where we head down to.
Cost: $10 per movie entry for adults & kids above 90cm.


Little O-Zone at Orchid Country Club
A tad smaller than I'd like but enough romping around to kill an hour easily. Link here.
Cost: $7 for NTUC member / $8 for general public




Bottletree Park @ Khatib
There's longkang fishing and playground (with real sand!) and caged animals and so much more! Impossible to get here without a vehicle though!
Cost: $10 for longkang fishing.





















Woodlands Regional Library @ Civic Centre
The library organises storytelling sessions suitable for 3-6 year olds every Saturday (3-3.30pm) and every 2nd and 4th Sunday (230-3pm).
Cost: $0


Woodlands Swimming Complex
Public pools just got a facelift from SSC! Slides and waterfalls just upped the fun factor at an otherwise drab facility. I take Sofia along as she enjoys her waterplay too and usually naps longer after a dip!
Cost: $1.30 per adult per entry / $0.70 per child per entry

Its insightful how this article connects quality time with disciplining a child. I vouch for the fact that when spending our quality time together, Arissa is always polite, always obliging... a far cry from the obstinate nature she can and will freely display when I'm trying to entertain, feed or bathe the little one.

Its been a month since I started the Program- sometimes with Hafidz, sometimes without. And the results have been positive so far, just the other day Hafidz commented that she is much better behaved and seems so loving with Baby Sis. What can I say... sometimes you get more done with sugar than vinegar! :)

Ho-Hum

Lets see now...

High fever - check
Runny nose - check
Cough - check
Rashes - check
Sore eyes - check
Sore throat - check

...which makes me deduce, if we were living in the era before the advent of penicillin the lot of us would have long perished. *cough cough*

But on to more exciting things, Sofia will be turning 1 soon.



And although I will stop here before I go into the whole "how fast time flies" monologue, I can't stop myself from wishing she would stay my baby forever. Like Bill Cosby wrote in his book "you will always have a soft spot for your last one"..

And although I'm not a fan of big birthday bashes for 1 year olds (I mean, seriously its more for the Parents than the bub), I now have a chance to right the deflated birthday party that was Arissa's 1st.

I manage people and projects for a living, surely I can coordinate one birthday party, dammit.

*takes out notebook* now... where should the planning start...

Post-script
Did a little bit of research online (c'mon its Friday, I'm allowed to 'eat snake' riiight) and found this fantastic site to share:
http://yourhomebasedparties.com