New Year Resolutions 2010...

It was that time of the year again, the very last day of a year, that Mummy sits down and reflects on the past year, which seems to be an eventful year where we see the very ups and downs of a worldwide economic crisis. Despite the ups and downs, Mummy feels that it is the time to give thanks as God has seen her and our entire family through 2009, especially since God has blessed her with wonderful and lovely kids like Shannon and ME (hahaha...) and giving protection to Daddy during the Ritz Carlton bombing that took place in Jakarta just one month before Shannon was born...

Work tended to be slower in the earlier part of 2009 as Mummy is basically working in the capital markets where all IPOs died when the crisis hit. That was why Daddy and Mummy decided it was time to give me a little sister this year. And so we had Shannon added to our family in August. She is so adorable and I simply love her. Mummy is definitely glad when friends and family commented that Shannon looks more like Mummy (especially after having dealt with all comments about me being a photocopy image of Daddy...)

Daddy and Mummy also had their long awaited annual vacation to New Zealand with little Shannon in Mummy's tummy. It was a place that they had wanted to visit for a long time. And finally, they had the opportunity to do it in April. It was definitely a trip worthwhile as they enjoyed the beautiful scenery at a lower cost due to the depreciating NZD.

Since little Shannon arrived, Mummy's always had her hands full, either busy with me or Shannon. It's been really tough especially since Daddy recently took on a new project role at work that requires him to be travelling and away from home for more than 50% of the time. So it has been rock-and-roll every night as Shannon and I bunked in with Mummy on her king-sized bed... As the capital markets recover in the latter part of the year, Mummy has also taken on another US IPO and that has definitely kept her really busy since she returned to work in mid November.

So as we look forward to a better 2010 (as all the economists have predicted), we continue to ask God to watch over our lives.

Some of Mummy's Favourite Shots...

Mummy has been snapping a lot of photos for Shannon and ME this month, as she breaks from her job for Christmas. Here are some of Mummy's favourite shots...

Visit to the Doctors...

All three of us - Mummy, Shannon and I returned from Shanghai with a flu bug. In fact, for Mummy and Shannon, it grew bad for them as they developed a fever during the flight.

On the very next day after we arrived in Singapore, we all went to see the doctor. Mummy's doctor told her she shouldn't have flew since she had the ear infection and couldn't equalise her right ear during the flight. As Mummy was still breastfeeding, she only asked for mild antibiotics that could allow her to continue to breastfeed Shannon. However, after finishing one course of antibiotics, Mummy's right ear is still not alright. So now, she had to go on stronger antibiotics and has to stop breastfeeding for a week at least. Mummy visited a ear specialist who explained to her after doing tests that her middle ear was infected due to the flu and will take up to 2 weeks to recover. It's been a week already, so hopefully by this coming Sunday, Mummy would have recovered and be ready to return to Shanghai.

As for Shannon, Mummy's decision to let Shannon rough it out was caught offguard as Shannon ended up with bronchitis. Or rather, maybe if we had not flown and without the changing environment, maybe Shannon wouldn't have ended up like that. Of course, we never know. It was scary when Dr Ngiam told us Shannon got an infection in her right lung and needed an X-ray to determine if it was merely bronchitis or peumonia (which she will have to be hospitalised). Luckily or not, it was bronchitis and Shannon had to be on the neuboliser for one week. She is recovering and still waiting for Dr Ngiam to give her the go-ahead before we can return to Shanghai...












As for me, I am left with a mild cough and running nose, so Dr Ngiam figured that this would be relatively easy to treat.

I guess, it will not be an easy winter, since the temperatures have been dipping so quickly. In fact, Mummy just heard from her colleagues that Shanghai has snowed for the very first time this winter yesterday afternoon.

Our Flight Back to Singapore

It was a big trip for us, with just Mummy and 婆婆 bringing me and Shannon back to Singapore alone. Now that I have turned two years old, I have my own seat.

Unfortunately, due to the erratic weather in Shanghai, all of us have fallen sick over the past 1-2 weeks. In fact, it all started with me as I brought the flu bug home 2 weeks ago, with a fever, cough and running nose. Since I started out school, I seem to be getting "updated" with the various strains of flu bugs.

The worst thing is I have spreaded them to Shannon for 3 times now. The first two times, Mummy has brought Shannon to the PD who said Shannon needs to rough it out and get well on her own as medicines will not work for her. So this time, Mummy decided to let Shannon rough it out. See later post on what happened when we got back to Singapore...

Then Mummy also caught the flu bug the weekend before we were leaving for Singapore for Christmas. It appeared to be relatively mild so Mummy left it to recover on its own. On the morning that we were supposed to leave for Singapore, Mummy woke up with her right ear really blocked and was wondering whether she should take the flight anyways. She decided it should be ok, but she was proven wrong as her right ear really hurt badly at the take offs and landings as Mummy couldn't equalise her right ear. See later post on what happened when we got back to Singapore...

The Shanghai Christmas Story...

Over the last two weekends now, Mummy has brought us out to look at the Christmas lightings in Shanghai, although this is really little compared to what we will see in Singapore when we get back in a few days' time. In preparation for Christmas, Mummy has started teaching me words related to Christmas like Merry Christmas, Christmas tree, Santa Claus, reindeer, Christmas presents, gloves, winter, snowman, snowflakes and of course, most importantly, Jesus... It's really funny cos Mummy has taught me Christmas tree before Merry Christmas. Now whenever Mummy ask me to wish friends Merry Christmas, I would say Merry Christmas tree... Hahhaha...

Here are the lightings at Jiu Guang...

See how bundled up I am with the temperature dipping almost 12 degrees celcius over the past two days. It's -3 to 2 degrees celcius this weekend as the cold front comes past Shanghai. It was freezing cold as we were walking outside, even to take photos. So whilst Mummy planned to bring me to view a few Christmas decorations, we did not manage to accomplish it. This is going to be a cold winter, given that it has gotten this cold in December. But Mummy doesn't seem to think this will be an issue for me, since I was born a winter baby and is not afraid of cold...

Here are the lightings at Plaza 66...

Shannon @ 4 months...

It was a tradition to give a chicken drumstick to a baby at 4 months, to signify that the baby is going to be ready for solid foods soon. I remember going through this process as well. Here's Shannon at 4 months, licking her drumstick. Watch how I participated in the process too as I also licked the drumstick... Hahaha...

Winter Shots of Shannon and ME...

I have been having so much fun with Shannon around. Mummy involves me in every aspect of Shannon's routine, including getting her diapers, throwing soiled diapers away, playing with her, carrying her and even feeding her and playing with her. I simply love this little sister of mine!!!

This is one of my favourite toys when I was as small as Shannon. Now every time Shannon has fun here, I like to join her too...

Christmas Fair @ Happy Kids

It was almost the end of school term @ Happy Kids. We had a Christmas fair celebration where small items made by ourselves are being sold at the fair with the proceeds being donated for charity. Check out the cookies I baked during my cooking class.

Here's my favourite bicycle and aeroplane at school...

Spot which is ME and which is Shannon...

Can you tell the difference between me and Shannon? Which is me? And which is Shannon?

Developments of Shannon...

Shannon has been growing so quickly. Now she loves to smile, laugh and make noises. She recently also learnt to lift up her head when lying on her tummy and even sitting down with some support. Check her out here...

My Craze about Thomas...

As you can know, I am crazy about cars and trains... Or to be more specific, anything that has wheels in them, hahahaha... Recently, Mummy just bought me this set of Thomas the trains that connects via magnet. I am simply thrilled!!!

To add on to this craze, my latest words learnt are car brands like Lamborghini, Porsche and Ferrari (Mummy thinks this is going to be such an expensive hobby!!! Hahaha...) Other related words learnt are taxi, crane and ambulance.

Shannon and ME!!!

Here's some photos Mummy took for Shannon and me this weekend. Look how well-behaved Shannon is compared to me...

Now I can also say: SHANNON when Mummy asked me what Mei Mei's name is...

I Am Sick Again...

It was just a few days after my 2nd birthday. I have been running a high fever for the last two days now, with a temperature as high as 39.8 degree celcius with no other symptoms like running nose or cough. Mummy had given me a depository in my butt and it has brought my temperature down last night so low that the thermometer was unable to detect. Mummy was so scared, but to her worse fear, after the temperature dipped, it shot back up again. So this morning, Mummy took me to the clinic.

After the doctor checked me, she told Mummy that my fever was caused by a throat infection. Whilst waiting for me to pee pee to get a urine test done, Mummy felt me shivering. When we retook my temperature, it was 40.2 degree celcius. So the doctor decided to give me some medicine in the meantime to bring my temperature down. Luckily this time, after the temperature went down and coupled with the antibiotics that the doctor prescribed, my fever subsided permanently. But I had to miss school for three days this week as Mummy decided that even though my fever was gone, she needed to keep me at home to make sure I only return to school when I fully recover in case I fall sick again or I spread the virus to the other kids in school... Sigh...

I Am Two Years Old...

I am finally two years old... And now I can tell others very clearly when they asked me the following three questions:

1. What is your name? Answer: Matthias (Sometimes, I say "Bus". Probably something to do with my craze about anything with wheels... Hahaha)


2. How old are you? Answer: Four!!! (Haha, cos I know this will make Mummy mad)


3. I am a BOY...

Our family shot...

My birthday present from Mummy. I am always "eyeing" this when I see other kids riding this whenever Mummy brings me down to the playground to play. Finally I have my own!!!