day 675 | june 20, 2013 | Cabin Fever

It's been a maddening week. In my 2-year old daughter's words "What the haze is going on?!" Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) has been doing roller-coaster loopsy loops, staying in the higher end of the scale, and breaching hazardous levels. Because of this, we've opted to stay home, and since PSI 290 was breached yesterday, we've started turning the airconditioning on and sealing off most of outside air.

For the first few days, we thought that this would lighten into an acceptable range fairly quickly, perhaps in the span of a couple of days. But as days wore on and PSI 154 became 190, jumped to 290, and peaked at 371 (so far), it's looking like we might be with the haze for a while yet.

(As of June 21, New high of PSI 401. "Sustained PSI average levels above 400 on a 24-hour basis may be life-threatening to ill and elderly persons.")

While the leaders try to work out a "compromise" to address the problem, us regular folk will simply have to hold steady, and keep on keeping on.

day 674 | june 16, 2013 | Stay-at-Home Dad

It started a week ago. H formally changed status from a working dad to a stay-at-home dad. True, it's a temporary situation, but I can understand how it must be a huge shift for him. To add to the challenge, our lifesaver is on home leave these next two weeks for her daughter's birthday. It's going to be primarily him taking care of the kids and managing the house. It's his first time handling the kids all by himself, for a duration longer than an hour.

day 676 | may 17, 2013 | Gardens by the Bay

My mom and younger brother were in town for the school holidays, and having them is always a good reason to check out places we've never explored before. It was my first time inside the domes of Gardens by The Bay. Roo and Red went with their daddy several months back, where they waited for me in cool air-conditioned comfort as I photographed clients and played with the sun next doors at Marina Barrage.

It should be a beautiful walk around sundown, even if you simply intend to explore around the general (free) areas. I'd be quite keen to do this again at around 4:30ish or so when the sun's a tad gentler. We went at noon, and other than lunch by the SuperTree, we headed straight in for the domes to stay cool. If you're planning on checking out the domes during these hazy days, they might be a good idea for a bit of indoor-but-outdoors-y activity.

My mom and my daughter :)

day 684 | may 13, 2013 | Art Garden 2013

Our third year in a row to explore the Art Garden in the Singapore Art Museum (SAM). I love that the little ones have opportunities like these to learn about art and self-expression. While we may be a tad critical about some of the activities/features, we also recognize how every Singapore child is fortunate. Museums of my childhood were not nearly as fun or interactive.

It's the final week for the Art Garden so do catch it while you still can. The night festival is going on this weekend as well (check it out!), and you can find various activities going on around the SAM Front Lawn, National Museum, Peranakan Museum, and Armenian Street. I've bought some tattoos, tried some nibbles, watched live art installations, as well as listened in on a couple of bands along the walkways. Love the night vibe, and I'm reminded of explorations with a friend in Paris for Nuit Blanche. Haven't brought the kids out for it yet, but I'm hoping we get to do so this weekend! (Let's see if my physical batteries last.)

For now, sharing some of our favorite snaps from an earlier visit in SAM with the brigade, my mommy and my younger brother. :)

day 672 | april 13, 2013 | KL Eats

Home away from home, which used to be home for us. I travel to KL about once a quarter for shoots, and schedule multiple sessions in the span of a few days. Because I'm always hungry for time with my little ones, I bring them along when I can. My schedule is always packed though, and it is doubly more challenging to travel with little ones versus going solo. The added complexity is not just with packing, but also scheduling -- they have nap times, and I need to organize play dates, make sure that there's regular food breaks. I'm the sort who can forget to eat, and will sleep only when my body fails me. My little ones keep me grounded and human. On the flip side, I'd like to think tagging along with their mommy's work trips have made the little ones a little bit more resilient... just a little bit.

Hotel = Playground

day 669 | april 7, 2013 | Art of the Brick

Super Sundays. We've often wondered about what the inside of the Art Science Museum looked like. We've sat several times by the entrance of the museum, appreciating the pretty lilies in the pond that surrounds it. When we're in the area, we like lounging along the shaded sitting spaces as we contemplate the colorful Singapore skyline.

The kids are currently in a "builder" phase. They love wooden blocks, lego blocks, and pieces of train tracks that they can put together to build something that's their own. The few trips to Legoland further feeds that interest too. So when I told them that this exhibit was all about a boy who made many things using just lego bricks, they were sold on the idea. "Yey! We're going into the spaceship!"(Red kept nagging me about going back to Legoland after that.)

day 667 | february 23, 2013 | Ice Cream Entrepreneurship

Red was pretending to give away free ice cream at the playground. Kids were lining up at her booth, taking turns to order various ice cream flavors one at a time. She takes it so seriously, that she also operates a pretend ice cream plant by the slides, where she pretend manipulates some levers and knobs, and pretend directs her employees. 

Lesson 1: Find what you love, and do it!

Looking at her, she obviously loves running her factory, definitely more than interfacing with her "customers." It takes her more than a couple of minutes to address one customer (she takes her sweet time at the plant and orders her customers to "be patient!" and mumbles to herself). Surprisingly, the older kids were still there, lining up, and happy to wait for their ice cream. 

Lesson 2: Discerning customers understand that good things take time to make right. (Perhaps that. Or maybe, if you've got a monopoly, people are more willing to accomodate your quirks.)

day 664 | february 12, 2013 | Exit Dragon, Enter Snake

Since experiencing Chinese New Year celebrations for the first time around 7 years ago, I've come to associate CNY with huge family reunions, lots of food, and at least a set of new clothes. After moving into our first home, I've also come to associate it with the mad panic of spring cleaning. I like the reunions and food bit; the shopping and cleaning, not so much.

This year, I had three goals for the CNY: First is to get a snap of all the little cousins together. Second is to train Roo and Red to independently wish their elders "Happy New Year" without my constant supervision (More coffee time for me in the future), and lastly but more importantly, to get some quality playtime and "hanging around" moments with the little ones to make up for my constantly crazy busy schedule these days.

Chronicled our first three days of the new year in images, and if this sets the tone for the year ahead -- then even this not-so-lucky pig might have a great year despite all the numerologists' and feng shui masters' forecasts. Oink!