A Toddler and a Gentleman

I've always known Max to be a charmer, but when did he start offering compliments?

So here's the story.

I was preparing to attend a birthday party over the weekend and put on what I thought was a cute little outfit.

That was when Max walked in.

He glanced up at me, then beamed like a proud little boy would.

I believe his exact words were," Oh. Mummy. You look So Cute!"

What a little gentleman. With good taste too!

All About Elmo

Seeing Baby Kate has found a New Best Friend in Elmo, I decided to do a bit of background check on him.

Yes, I am being protective, and rightly so, since the young lady is all of six months and 23 days old.

And yes, Elmo is a ‘he.’

I know that because Google told me so.

Google also told me that Elmo is three and a half years old (and has been since 1984), and is voiced by a puppeteer using his falsetto range (which explains the annoying voice).

You may know that he has starred in a few movies (Elmo In Grouchland, 1999 and Elmo saves Christmas, 1996) and did the talk show rounds (The View, Martha, The Rosie O’Donnell Show etc).

But did you know that he appeared in the political hit TV drama series The West Wing in 2004?

And testified before the U.S. Congress in 2002, apparently urging support for increased funding in music education?


I knew he was famous, but That Famous?

I suppose I could allow Kate to continue hanging out with Elmo.

After all, it never hurts to have another friend, especially a high-profile one with connections.

Kate, Meet Elmo

...and Elmo, meet Baby Kate.

Considering that she’s been entertained non-stop in front of the telly for the past 45 minutes, I think Kate may have looked past Elmo’s (very) annoying voice and found a good friend in the red furry muppet monster.

These heels are made for...

Toddlers tend to get away with anything.

Especially if it’s a little boy trying on Mum’s stilettos for the first time.


Here’s Max in my black Nine West three-and-a-half-inch heels, hamming it up for the camera.

Altogether now: “So Cute!”

Great Gossip

Thanks to a friend who lent me the entire first season of Gossip Girl on DVD, I finally got to find out if Serena and Dan stayed together, whether Blair and Nate 'did it,' and if bad boy Chuck and annoying wannabe Jenny got what they deserved.

If you haven't heard, Gossip Girl is an American television hit drama series about a bunch of socialite teenagers growing up in New York’s Upper East Side, who attend elite academic institutions while dealing with a whole barrage of teenage issues, involving sex, drugs, and alcohol.

I know what you are thinking.

What do these kids have in common with Me – a 30-something middle-class Mum with two young children living in Singapore?

Absolutely nothing.

But there’s something about the gorgeous cast (don't just take my word for it, have a look yourself), juicy script and teenage angst portrayed on screen that draws you in.

Of course, it helps that the show bears all the hallmarks of typical teen melodrama: back-stabbing, boyfriend-stealing, rumour-spreading, suicide-attempting and even date-raping.

So yes, I’ve been suffering from ‘Gossip’ withdrawal for several months now, since I left Melbourne in February, when the series, which was shown on prime-time television in Australia, was only mid-way through the season.

I was left wondering about the fates of S, D, B, N, C and J.

Until Last Weekend, that is. When I stayed up till 4am to finish the series. Two nights in a row.

The verdict: The series was worth every darn minute and the morning-after eyebags. It was as trashy, over-the-top and excessive as I remember it to be.

Now, if you’d excuse me while I work my contacts to get my hands on Season Two.

The Fine Art of Eating

Kate Eating Rusk from Lianne Wong on Vimeo.

You've seen a photo already, but can I indulge you with a video version as well?

Of Kate chewing on a rusk with amazing dexterity.

May I remind you, that this is the second time she's going at it in her very young life.

And for the record, the floor is Very Clean.

Last Week: A week of Firsts for Kate

First Solids (Gnawing on a piece of rusk)

First Flip (From back to front)

First Real Giggle (sharing a laugh with trigger-happy Mum)

London Travelogue

It's been long-overdue, but here are some photos of Max and his adventures in London.

Although I was not there and did not take the pictures, I shall attempt to be as creative with the captions as possible.

Max on board a London Bus

Max in Nana's living room

Max in Nana's kitchen

Max having yoghurt

Max posing with Cousin Alice

Max posing with Cousin Alice and Aunty Sara

Max posing behind cupboard doors

Max playing with Cousin Alice, with Nana looking on

Max playing with Cousin Alice, with No One looking on

Max after shower

When optimism prevails

Apologies for the incommunicado.

I’ve spent much of the week glued to the business channel on cable TV, moping over the dire state of the world economy.

Watching with bated breath as investor panic wiped out a hefty chunk of global stock market value (and my retirement savings along with it).

Disappointed that after 11 years of reporting business news, I’m none the wiser at protecting my own personal wealth. (If you haven’t read an earlier post about my investing track record, click here.)

I dwelled on the could’ves, would’ves and should’ves.

And then dwelled some more.

Finally (after some 15 phone calls to various financial advisors), I figured there’s nothing much I can do, other than to ride this one out.

Fortunately, I have a toddler who helped put things into perspective.


Look, he has lost the shirt off his back (and pants for that matter), but he’s still smiling.

Mask Crusader

Max came home from school today looking like this.

I think it’s safe to assume that some kid had a birthday party.

Or, a more likely scenario (not), his class had a Halloween party three weeks early, at which Max chose to attend as a certain Comic Book Superhero.

Who? You ask.

Let me give you a hint. Proceed to scroll downwards please.

Okay, FINE. I can hear all you closet Justice League Of America devotees begging to differ.

At least he nailed the colours.

Max had his hair cut today

No eyebrows...

Eyebrows!

We might as well have been in London

What’s wrong with this picture?

To answer the question, I like to draw your attention to the bottom-left corner of the photo.

See the clock?.

It says it's 2:35 in the morning.

I just like to point out that it might as well have been 7:35 in the evening, instead. Just as it was, in fact, in London.

Because as you can see, Max's having dinner.

Having jet-lag is a pain in the ass

A bigger pain in the ass, is when it’s your two-and-a-half-year-old whose body clock is upset.

For the past three nights, Max was up at the stroke of midnight, asking for milk.

And then for puzzles, Hi-Five (video entertainment for kids) and crayons. Not necessarily in that order.

When told that it was still sleepy time, he would respond in confusion, “But, but I slept already! Waah!”

Then it would be Kate’s turn to wake up (from the noise), asking for milk, a nappy change and her dummy. Generally in that order.

The scenario would replay at least three more times, until both babies eventually pass out, very possibly from exhaustion.

But not before 4am.

And not before leaving Mum impossibly wired, incapable of sleeping anymore.