New Year, New Rush, New Hopes

Dear Aidan,

January is always a continuation of December in this household. So are February and March.

Life gets busy because we prepare for Christmas - not just the tree or Christmas Mass but also our hearts to receive the arrival of Jesus. And as we slip into January, there are birthdays (Mama's), the start of your new school term, the planning of your birthday in February, preparations for Chinese New Year and sometimes, a new adventure.

This year, Mama wanted to do something more for the poor. Apart from donating clothes, cash and toys (you did a great job parting with some of your favourites for some kids in Kenya, by the way), I thought of spending time at a soup kitchen.

Found it! 

So the 'new adventure' took me to an industrial building at 6.30 am and introduced me to the world of fast-paced chopping, mixing, cleaning and cooking. At the Willing Hands Soup Kitchen, there are people of all ages helping out. The uncles and aunties are usually sorting out vegetables, chopping them or cooking. While the young ones break open, beat and flavour trays upon trays of eggs, pack the cooked food, sort them in trolleys and clean up.

The chefs start early

Helpers at the food-packing station

Choice #1: Fried rice with gravy chicken. Vegies haven't been added yet.

The food eventually get dropped off at old folks' homes, halfway houses as well as community centres.

The uncle who started this project cooked breakfast for a few of us. I sat down next to him and listened to the story of how he started the project. He was a businessman before. But after retiring, he decided to give back to the community. Raw ingredients are sponsored by generous donors. Volunteers come and go although there are close friends who have become regulars.

Mama was on her feet from about 7 am till 2.15 pm. The shift finished at 12.30 pm and many volunteers left at that time. I felt bad for the two domestic helpers who stayed on to clean the large woks and piles of trays and cooking utensils so I decided to stay back to help, too. It was a good.  I wanted to go out of my way and I managed to, even though you were on my mind all morning.

It is good to help people. Mama always encourages you to help your friends and teachers at school because it shows that we care. Why should we care? Because we are all connected. The world is just a very large house with many, many family members living in it. No matter what we look like, what language we speak, we are all bound together. Caring then becomes contagious. When more and more people care for one another, the world becomes a better place to live in. There would be less sad people. And less angry people.

You can care by giving away your toys to kids who have none. You can care by helping your friend up when he or she falls down. You can care by - yes, Aidan John Pereira: using less soap and water. Because while it's fun to make bubbles and spray the bathtub because "it's on fire, Mama!", it's also wasteful. Do you know some people don't even have water to drink?

Thanks for a yummy dinner, Papa and Cheeks!

Serious concentration: Money counting in progress

This month, Papa and you also surprised Mama with lots of love and gestures for my birthday. First, both of you bought a lovely Spanish dinner for me. Papa said you took $15 out of your little Barney savings box for this.

At the restaurant, you were so impatient to pay that right after we had ordered our meals, you took your share out of your little pocket and went straight up to the waiter. He looked at your $15, laughed and said, "Young man, I think you have to stay with Uncle tonight to do the dishes." Ha ha.

Uncle Michel, Uncle Ian and Lana

Dillon, Uncle Khin, Uncle Neil, Aunty Su Yin with Mama at the back

Unwrapping Mama's presents in a corner

Milo-sharing with Lana while Theo tries to get to the yummy bits at the bottom of his glass

Over the weekend, you boys also planned a surprise dinner for Mama at the Hong Kong Kitchen restaurant and invited Poh-Poh, Uncle Khin, Dillon, Uncle Neil, Aunty Su Yin, Uncle Michel, Aunty Glenda, Lana as well as Uncle Michel, Aunty Kea-Nai and Theo.

It was fun night. Halfway through the 3rd course, Mama found you and Theo on the carpeted floor, digging into my presents and unwrapping them. I think we lost about 10 incense sticks that was part of Uncle Khin's present that night.

After dinner, you and your two best friends follow Papa, Mama, Uncle Ian and Uncle Michel to the mamak stall for a hot drink. (Aunty Kea-Nai was sick and couldn't come for dinner while Aunty Glenda was busy with their new baby.) It was nice to see you sharing your Milo with Lana.

Mama, I fixed it!

This year, you were quite hands-on with the Chinese New Year decorations. I was very proud of you for helping out.

You had the best time sticking the two cardboard snakes on the door (it's the Year of the Snake this year). But before that, Mama told you a story about the 12 zodiac signs in the Chinese calendar.

When Papa got home, you two climbed onto the dining table to put up a wall banner.

This year will be the second year we celebrate the Chinese New Year without Kung-Kung.

Mama still feels the loss because not only is this his favourite festive season; it's usually close if not on his birthday. I hope you'll always remember him, too.

Mission accomplished!

As your imagination starts to take shape, you're beginning to show how far it can go with a topic that seems to recur from time to time. You call it 'Baby Music Class'. It's an imaginary place you bring up whenever you disagree with Papa and Mama and whenever you believe the impossible happens. Basically, it's baby paradise and it absolutely has nothing to do with music most of the time.

Example #1 of your usage of 'Baby Music Class':

Me: Sorry honey, the bumper cars are only for kids who are 6 years old and above...
Mr. Cheeks: Never mind, there are bumper car rides in baby music class. 
Me: Really? Do you have to pay for the rides?
Mr. Cheeks: No, it's free for children.

Example #2:

Papa: The church is so beautiful right, Mama?
Me: Yeah, quite modern.
Mr. Cheeks: I've already see this church at Baby Music Class.
Me: Wow, what else is there in Baby Music Class apart from music lessons?
Mr. Cheeks: There are pretty flowers there also. You just pick the colour you like and then go.
Me: Are the flowers ALSO free?
Mr. Cheeks: Yes, free.

Meanwhile, we've also started you on Drama Class (Monday afternoons) and Sportsball (Saturday mornings). You seem to enjoy both and it'll be interesting to see how you develop especially with Drama Class as you do switch between being confident and shy in different occasions.

Books you're reading this month: 'Daddy Lost His Head' (Quentin Blake and Andre Bouchard), 'Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak)', 'Mad at Mommy' and That's How (Christoph Niemann). That last book is an imaginative look at how a few things like steamrollers and fire-engines work (e.g elephant's trunk acts as a hose while a bird is behind the siren).

Bedtime treasures

Destination Everywhere: Year-End Holidays 2012

Dear Aidan,

You are a very fortunate little boy. Papa works hard for 2 offices so we can do what we love best - and I don't mean shopping but travelling - and that's we did last year end!

Airport at Langkawi: "Are you going to dig the sand with that, Aidan?"

Being towed about like a Mini Maharaja

"Come on in, Aidan. There are no sharks here."

Getting ready to play!

"Are they going to eat me?"

Volleyball time!

What's a holiday without some silly fun?

The pool had laughing gas

Happy Aidan, sandy Mama

First up was Tanjung Rhu in Langkawi (Malaysia) for 6 days. Followed by Christmas in Bangkok with Poh-Poh, Grandpa and Grandma as well as Uncle Brian and Aunty Angeline. Then, at the start of the new year, you and Mama tagged along for Papa's annual company trip to Hua Hin (Thailand).

I think you had a really good time. At every destination, you proclaimed each was your 'favourite holiday'.





Bangkok: It was a short stay that straddled Christmas Day. Our hotel was right smack in the middle of the city and connected to a shopping centre. From the get-go, you got presents from Grandpa, Grandma, Poh-Poh and Uncle Brian and Aunty Angeline, from superhero t- shirts (a new obsession) to trailer trucks. It was Christmas after all. But this particular season of 'receiving' became a headache for Papa and Mama when we returned to KL though. Because you started asking for presents everyday.

Going off to our next destination...Bangkok!

Dinner-time at Asiatic, a busy and colourful promenade by the river...

A photo-session after our donation to orphans

Good ice-cream at the MBK Shopping Centre next door

Kissing the feet of Baby Jesus

Christmas Mass in Bangkok

Little gifts from Santa after the Mass

Christmas Dinner at the Londoners

A picture with the Chef that took a liking to you

We noticed a few emerging traits during this month-long escapade, though. Firstly, you're becoming a friendly little boy, offering "hellos" without fear to anyone we meet or bump into.

When it was just the three of us at Tanjung Rhu, you were also fine being left at the Kids' Club on your own. (Okay, caveat: you were more comfortable when you were the only one there the first few days. But you made a new friend - James - on the third day and that was great!)

Trainspotting at the windows

Secondly, when we were with Papa's colleagues in Hua Hin, you were eager to follow Aunty Elaine and Uncle Chris as well as Uncle Akmal and Aunty Aida around. In short, you dumped us a few times and didn't look back.

Your appetite for movies is also growing and Mama has had to keep tabs on how much of it you watch. Thankfully, for now, it's about 1-1.5 hours.

There's another part to your growing up that's not the best thing however: I notice that you don't really badger Mama to head to the playground anymore. And when Mama encourages you to, you state quite strongly that you'd rather be indoors.

I guess kids change all the time as they grow up. But it's really important to be outdoors every day to get some fresh air and exercise. It's also good for your eyes.

Hopefully, when you enrol into the Sportball program next year, you'll rediscover your passion for football.

Welcome drink at the hotel lobby, Hua Hin

Mangrove tour by boat 

Making your way up the caves like a steady little man...

Can you remember this scene, Aidan?

Feeding the little doggy in the cave

Telling Aunty Elaine your long story about the falling rocks

It must be said that you do have quite an adventurous spirit. You're a kid who swings between 'being like Mama' (cautious observer, homebody, sensitive) and 'channeling Papa' (gregarious, restless, inquisitive). During our climb up the 480 m hill to the caves, you were a good sport. No complaints about tiredness or meltdowns over the unbearable heat of the day.

We were very proud of you that day.

Finally, Mama has also noticed a growing bond between Papa and you. I still remember when you were under 3.5 years old, when you gave Papa a bit of a hard time: every time he came home early to see you, you'd drag your feet to say hello or get the hug he wanted to give you. And whenever it was Papa's turn to wake you up and prep you for play-school, you'd be grumpy and teary.

These days, it's "Papa, Papa this-and-that". I'd be lying if I said I don't feel a pinch of bittersweetness. After all, it's but one sign of things to come not so far into the future. But I'm definitely chuffed to see our family grow in love on different levels.

It's the Silly Father and Spawn Show!

You'd better pay to be entertained, Mama!

What do you mean, no ice-cream today?

As with all fun and good things (and you'll learn this as you grow older), our holiday ended seemingly all too quickly. When we got back to Singapore, your new school term was already well into the second week. Getting back into the groove of a routine was tough on everybody. You were grumpy the first few mornings, too. So was Papa.

But Life is like this. We work hard. We play hard. And in between, we travel to meet the world, and the world delights us with its variety of colour and experiences. 

Meanwhile, we must find Life's joys also in the small moments, not just in special holidays. Otherwise, we would be quite miserable for most of the year.

Anyway, these are books that you're enjoying this month: The Incredible Book Eating Boy (Oliver Jeffers), Tyrannosaurus Drip (Julia Donaldson and David Roberts) and Walter the Baker (Eric Carle).

I must put in a word about books: You love reading so much that you're always trying to get Mama to read more than 1 or 2 storybooks! As it happens, you also love playing so much that there usually isn't any time to do more than 2 a night!

Your favourites this month: Tyrannosaurus Drip has been getting a lot of requests!

Early Christmas Things

Dear Aidan,

By now you will know that at the Pereira household, Christmas comes early. The tree goes up early, the party happens early and thoughts of holidays invade our minds early too.

In fact, this year, we are going away for a long, long time come 19 November. We won't be back in Singapore till the 13th of January so you'll be missing a week of school.

As you get older, you understand the concept of holidays more. You actually said you like staying at hotels and yes, you ask about a thousands times whether 'today' is the day we're all going for our trip. Until the day actually arrives. But long before the day did arrive, we were busy 1) decorating and putting up the tree 2) planning our Christmas party with your friends, Lana and Theo as well as their parents.

Helping prep the tree

Mr. Cheeks' favourite pose for anything

The finished tree

I'll admit you did a great job helping us with the tree. You watched Papa attach the stands, fanned out the branches, and handed us baubles. In fact, you even tried your hand at hanging the decor - a tip by the way: it's good to spread them out Honey, instead of putting them all in one corner!


Halfway through the task, you broke into a spontaneous dance. It so happened that Papa had the Alt J CD spinning in the player and a particular song got you to your feet.


We were quite surprised at what a natural dancer you were. Looks like performance is your thing. In fact, looks like we should enroll you in Drama class next year!

Everyone's favourite tree-decorating moment

And as per tradition, after the tree was done, Papa carried you so you could put the star on top. Tea and pineapple tarts followed. Hmm, you ate about 5 out of the 10 on the dish.

A week later, we threw the small Christmas party. There were steaks, soba noodle salad and curried chicken wings plus a salad for the adults. And sweet and sour pork with buttered rice and broccoli for you and your friends. Mama even had special Dora and Chuggington plates brought out for the occasion!

The Christmas spread...Praise God!

Mm...wings!

Aunty Kea-Nai and Aunty Glenda talking about babies and work

Always happy with friends around

Everyone arrived about 7 o'clock. And the house was just full of giggles and silliness. The boyishness really cropped up between Theo and you. Just endless laughter for no reason. Poor Lana had to sit apart a little to avoid the noise.

Look, we're boys!

A-hahahahahaha!

Now, I don't know exactly what happened but you had a meltdown while the highlight of the party unfurled. You see, Mama had bought fluffy reindeer antlers and a Santa Claus costume because Uncle Ian, Uncle Michel and Papa were going to dress up and surprise all you kids after dinner. But when they came out of the room - Uncle Michel being Santa pretended to ride on Uncle Ian and Papa who were the reindeer - you were sullen and didn't want to smile or kiss 'Santa' to get your gift.

After-dinner movie!

Uncle Ian: I don't know this fellow!

Someone's sulking on Mama's lap

I think your unhappiness started to build up early on when Lana and Theo rummaged your toy box when they first arrived and started playing together. I remember you were caught between wanting to share and making sure they didn't just grab your things. You'd want your toy back seconds after allowing them to play with them and that just wasn't right!

I have to admit I was disappointed with you. While I cherished the fact that you were grasping for control, you have always been a kid that shares willingly. This display made me wonder if you were just tired of being the 'good guy' all the time. When we asked you the next morning what had happened, you said you were tired. I gave you the benefit of the doubt but I also told you that it was unacceptable to be rude in front of guests. We then agreed that you'd go to your room next time to calm down if you ever felt overwhelmed by anger.

Aidan, life is all about give and take. Not hoarding. Not who's the fastest, first and most powerful. When you go to your friends' homes, I'm sure they have a tough time learning to let go of their toys too. But remember, when you show a good example, they'll follow soon enough. Don't wait for them to start, you can make the first move. Taking initiative is another one of Life's valuable lessons which will help you out in the future!