Mervyn Hoe: My Daily Happenings

It's been awhile since I have brought my two children to the Zoo! And this time, it's fun because we walked our own pace, without rushing and even though there are so many people, we had our fair share of fun! Journey from our home to the Zoo.. Weather's so fine on a Sunday and boy you need an umbrella. The children brought their cute umbrellas there! We took a train stop to Ang Mo Kio. And my two patriotic children kept singing Majulah Singapura and waving their small flags as they walked through the train station! It's really sweet and heart-warming to see them hand in hand walking and Josh just followed Kate's pace.  Thereafter, we took the 138 bus from Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange.  Bringing children to the zoo, you just need to bring 3 important stuff! 1. Insect Repellent. Mosquitoes are inevitable, especially for me, being an A+ blood carrier. They love me so much. 2. Food - our food list includes 2 apples, 1 orange...

This thought came to me when I'm in the toilet. And it just awoken me and realize all the more one should appreciate your loved ones, especially your wife (for my case is Eve). The amount of sacrifice she has made is certainly what man won't understand. 1. The amount of excruciating pain she had undergone when she gave birth not only once but THREE times! For Josh, Kate and Gwen. For me, I will never be able to experience the birth pain. However, imagine my flesh to expand to 10cm, I think I will actually lie flat and faint.  2. The fact that during giving birth, there are two nurses (strangers) looking and staring at your genital. And the doctor will come and repair it after birth. This really takes lots of courage! I had mine checked by medical doctors and I will feel awkward and weird even though it's just a 4-5 second check. Imagine it's seen by them for more than 30 minutes and even hours! I will be blushing! Woa man. So paiseh but for Eve, she can go past this sta...

Someone asked me this question. " Why do I want to have so many children ?" At a moment, I was stunned. I need to answer in a calm and politically correct manner. I just answered because I love children! After the person left, I just wondered why the person asked me this question when the person has children already. And it just made me feel weird...  Anyway, I have came across this stigma that having a child will lose your freedom. Having second child will have your finances even tied down and no life. Having a third one means when will you be having your fourth one?  Is having children really so troublesome and tough? Not really.  Think about this... Trying to bring forward. I recently met a lady doctor. She is in her 50s and she has 4 daughters! Eldest is 28, and all of them are 2 years apart. The family picture shows a happy family! My gynae has 4 boys and all study overseas. They are still doing very well and happy too. And when one heard it, the word 'success' c...

Wow. I didn't know there is a meaning to Racial Harmony Day ? I thought it's just a day whereby we put on our cultural clothes and celebrate. It's one part of it, but the most important meaning is that on 21st July 1964, there is a racial riot in Singapore! Amazing. At Josh's school, they celebrated Racial Harmony Day and not only they wore cultural clothes, they also got a taste of food, such as Malay kueh, Yam cake, Prata... So funny! I'm so amazed that I know this just today! Not to old to know right? :) Anyway, both my children are so happy to be wearing the cultural costume!! For Josh's one, my father-in-law bought it at Yue Hwa at Chinatown . And what amazes me is that so many people go there for this celebration event! The 1980s picture! Kate's laughing at Steady for not wearing any costume? Ha! Josh just wants to be special and take a milk bottle to pose!  Who can split more? Josh or Kate? They are future kungfu masters? ...

I love to read articles whereby how Singaporeans can raise a large family. In the old days, our grandparents can easily give birth to 8-9 children and that's a norm! Cost of living is low then? I'm not really sure but what I know is they are usually well-knitted and they ate lots of home cooked food! Anyway, there are some well-known Singaporeans who have more than 3 children and their families are very happy and successful. They are namely  1. Fandi Ahmad and Wendy Jacobs 2. Darren Lim and Evelyn Tan Fandi Ahmad's Family What amazes me is that they have 5 children! Their age are 15, 13, 12, 10 and 6. And all of them look so good! Two elder sons represent well in sports in their school and their eldest daughter is an excellent sprinter! I'll be so proud of my children if they are successful in the field they like, isn't it? And somehow both Fandi and Wendy are managing their careers well. I guess it's the love for each other and the children that keeps the bond...

Wow! Last evening (20th July 2013), we had so much fun! We brought my parents and Kate to the Tropical Fruits Fiesta and it's well organised, just that it was so warm! It's only FREAKING $3!  And we are provided... 1. Buffet Dinner  2. Balloons 3. Galore of Tropical Fruits (Longans, Durians, Mangosteen) 4. Delicious Green Bean Soup and Pulut Hitam 5. Massage Sessions 6. A Booth about Dengue and the Aedes Mosquitoes 7. Lucky Draw We didn't know there is a dinner in the first place, hence we headed straight down to the place after dinner. We were greeted by balloons! And there are minion balloons! How creative! And Kate was given one! Later did we know that they actually made about 5 of them. We are so lucky to have one of it. This is the table laid out for us! Initially we thought that we will dash and grab as much fruits as possible! However, my creative mind proved me wrong. It was so well organised and each of us have a fair share of the fr...

Well, changes are inevitable. And when my third child is born, there are changes (not drastic ones), however, some adjustments have to be made. Routine   A morning routine for me now is this: 1. Go to marketing to get ingredients for our family. It's so frequent that they will give me auto discounts! 2. Eating breakfast with my two children (bread and goat's milk). Sometimes pancakes or oats... 3. Bringing them down for exercise. For example going to playground, park or cycling. Think the Childcare teachers, who saw me may think I'm a stay home dad. 4. If it's raining, we will do simple drawing, colouring of poster colours... Playing toys and water plants. I tried sweeping the floor and they followed too. Lol. 5. After that, I would pass them to my in-laws place, before Josh starts school. All these have to start around 7.30am . Otherwise, I will not be able to do marketing, which means no food for the family!  I will nap awhile aroun...

Wow! It's been back log for awhile! This post consists of the images that were taken from the Canon DSLR camera, and I finally get to retrieve and post to conclude the June Taiwan Trip! Decide to post some random pictures which are worth remembering ! Happy children when they touched down Taipei International Airport Picture of us at a padi field! Love the nature scene at Hualien Kate's turn to be thrown! She loves it! Actually anywhere in Hualien are fields of agriculture. One can just stop anywhere, and take a quick picture! Love this kissing picture!  Josh and I at the QiXingTan at Hualien My children and I at the QiXingTan. Love the whole place! A performance of the Taiwanese culture group at the Taipei Train Station The Taiwan tribe lady, and Kate is holding on to the $100NT given by an unknown uncle. We went to this place with fishes and ate their ice-cream! Delicious. Maybe because the weather is super w...

On Sunday morning, I decided to bring Josh and Kate to Bishan Park! They are all so excited!! And we even brought something new this time - Bread! We intend to feed some of the fishes there. They cycled there and we went down to the large drain along Bishan Depot. The children were so happy to see large apple snails, and Josh even pointed to me the apple snail eggs! He remembered the name too. So proud of him. This small park connector is so amazing. It connects the main road to the Bishan Park, overseeing the Bishan Depot. They threw the bread crumbs one by one. Strangely, the small fishes didn't eat any of the bread. After awhile, Kate realized it and I discovered her eating the bread instead.  Think she didn't want to waste them! So funny right? Love her! Kate puts the bread crumbs into the drain, Each has their own bread plastic bags. Caught in the act! Feed herself while feeding the fishes! My Kate just makes me laugh out loud! Bisha...