The youngest BIL text me before lunch to ask if there would be any plans for the hubs birthday. I replied no but can be arranged. So he said he will check if he can get off and will let me know. I have no plans at all for the hubs' although he took the day off but we did have plans to eat out and I've asked him since yesterday to let me know where he wants to eat.

In the afternoon, the youngest SIL confirmed that they can meet us at my requested time of 6:30pm. And so the hatching started. Since the hubs could not decide where he would like to eat, I made the decision, bought a small cake and brought it to the restaurant first. The hubs and the girl arrived a little after 6pm and I did a purposeful walk into Isetan while the youngest BIL and his family arrived and went to the restaurant first.

The youngest BIL had called the 2nd BIL but he and the baby was sick. According to the youngest SIL, her husband had wanted to call their mother but changed his mind because the FIL's brother from the UK is in town. So, the hubs' birthday dinner was just a cosy 6 of us, the way I prefer.

I paid for dinner, although in reality, didn't had any plans to surprise the hubs but he was happy, thinking that I planned it all. If the youngest BIL had not messaged me, it would have just been dinner for the 3 of us. And so since we had company, we had more food choices.

The 3 of them came up to our place after dinner and I passed the NIL his belated Christmas present, which he liked very much, thankfully. It is a Star Wars jacket. By the time, they left it was almost 10pm and I still had to do the laundry. But I shall not complain. The hubs spent his birthday day alone and even washed the master bathroom. 

Happy Birthday to the man who tolerates me so much.

It has been a busy week at work and like all things, this too shall pass. Lol.

The hubs scored a complimentary staycation at Setosa again, making it almost an annual routine for us. He always manages to get it in his birthday month but this time, we stayed at Hotel Michael. Personally, I still prefer Festive Hotel although our first time at Equarius was the best but in terms of location, the furthest. Hotel Michael was situated nearest to the shops and very near the monorail station. 

We did a lot more this time round. The hubs reckons it's because K is older now and we can do more things. After dropping our stuff in the room, we went for our much needed lunch, took a walk while the hubs waited to redeem the hotel voucher at the membership counter and went back to the room for a short nap. About an hour later, we went to Imbiah Monorail station and took a walk towards the luge station where the girl was so hesitant to ride but after seeing kids her age or younger, she braved herself to go, sitting with her daddy, of course. After that first luge, there was no stopping her. Thankfully, I bought us 2 rides. But because the sun was so strong, we decided to return later for the 2nd ride.

We then took another walk and went to 4D Adventureland. The hubs has some ex-colleagues working there and scored us tickets again! Only the show and shooting game was more suitable for K. She had her head down on her daddy's lap the whole time during the extreme log ride where we sat in a spaceship like machine and it was moving all over.

We then returned to the luge station after all the 3 stations at the adventure land, had pretty good dinner at the beach, caught some fireworks and then took the skylift back up in the dark. 

This morning, we took the monorail out to Vivo, had breakfast and took the monorail back to the hotel where the both of them changed into their swim outfits and we took along K's sandplay toys. We spent about 2 hours at Palawan Beach before we had to head back to the room, to bathe and check-out.

It was a pretty well-rested weekend, despite the scorching heat. And I thought the heat has descended upon on us for the CNY season until the lovely strong breeze came back to us at night. :)

Although I had wanted to cook on Friday evening, because we have so much roast beef leftover from Christmas, the hubs managed to convince me to go out. And so we did! I'm glad we did because we bought quite a few pieces of clothing for the girl at a sale and managed to grab 2 pieces for myself from the older kids section. Hahahah...am so glad I can still wear them and with some allowance!

I did the usual laundry on Saturday morning and then cooked lunch. Fried Brown Rice with Chinese Sausage and Ham. 

This is the last meal I cooked for 2016 and I had extra so we brought them over to the PIL's. But unfortunately, enough only for 1 so the hubs packet something else for the FIL. We stayed at the PIL's for about an hour and met the hubs' aunt and uncle who happened to drop by while shopping nearby. 

We then left for the White's for a steamboat dinner, which the hubs is not a fan of. But they have been good friends and have tried inviting us once before but we couldn't make it. The Victors joined us later after we were done with our dinner as the place wasn't big enough to have everyone eat together anyway. And then some of us, meaning actually involving me, played playstation, while the hostess and her bff, Gaye, were talking with Deb's mother. And then we counted down at their home and left a little past midnight. The girl literally slept from 2016 into 2017 because it was way past her bedtime. Lol.

And on New Year's Day, we started the year right with church service and the 3rd SIL dropped by our place with Esther to collect some roasted beef that I had offered her. Seeing E play wif K, I suggested that E stay for dinner at our place and then we'll send her home. The 3rd SIL was agreeable thankfully because who knows, with PSLE this year, E may not want to play with K as much when she enters secondary school. After dinner, the hubs decided to drive through Chinatown to take a look at the lights but unfortunately, the lights were not up yet and it was pouring.

And today, I suggested to the hubs to pop by the 2nd BIL's place so that we could pass them whole lot of toys that the girl has out-grown. We ended not keeping any for memory's sake. There are just too many. And so, the hubs arranged for the youngest BIL and we all met there. Unfortunately, I forgot the Christmas presents for the 2 nephews-in-law! We ordered pizza and KFC for dinner and left at about 9ish, sending the MIL home first because she had spent the night there.

That's how our New Year's eve ended and New Year's started. I remember being so excited for the count-down parties pre-K...but now, it only means getting a year older. :p

The Victors handed down a Sylvanian house to K and yesterday evening, the hubs decided to bring it to the bedroom at bedtime. I had the idea of reading Hansel and Gretel and suggested to K to use her minikins as Hansel, Gretal, the Woodcutter, the Stepmother and witch. So there we were, the 3 of us  with me reading from the book, the hubs using the minikins to act out the scenes and our captivated audience of 1, K watching.

When the 'show' was over and K lying down, the hubs layed down beside her and told her that I said that we should not be patting her to sleep anymore. On my part, it is because I think she needs to learn how to sleep on her own. Our ex-neighbour's daughter sleeps by herself, in her own room. But with K, she still wants to sleep in ours and when we said no patting, she started tearing. She was quiet but we could see the tears rolling down her face.

It is so heart-breaking. Our daughter, though she wants to grow up, still needs and wants us so much. She always sits right beside the hubs at the sofa and he always complains that she is literally sticking onto him. I always tell him, it won't be so in a couple more years. 

So, yes, a reminder for me to savour the present where she still wants us. I always want her to be at 2, where she still needs me and since she still shows that she does, I should relish these moments. it won't be so in a couple more years.

The Victors & Whites brought over 3 bags of books when they came over for our Malacca trip 2 weeks ago. And then there are some more bags of books that were given to K from a church member. K has yet to be able to read on her own, totally yet so I've kept some of her baby books still.

On the eve of Christmas, this was the main reorg I had set out to do. Move our old Ikea bookcase into the girls' room. Thankfully, we did not throw it away as we were holding out for the eldest SIL to pick it up from us as she was very keen on having it. 

The girly pink bookshelf and the empty space on her left where we had her red Ikea table, which has since been moved out to the living area, and her toys strewn all over the left side.         

                                    

And now, the revitalised bookcase with her storybooks and toys. The pink bookshelf has then exchanged places with the Ikea bookcase.

Let's hope she will spend many good hours reading the books here and that this area is kept as neat as it is now. 

I had wanted to go to the ice-skating rink after the Christmas party at home but everyone except me thinks it's not possible. They were right....I was exhausted at the end of the day and only took a shower when the clock past midnight. Anyhow, am so grateful that the eldest brother helped mopped the entire house and I could wake up feeling relaxed on Boxing Day.

Esther who had her cousin from Malaysia, from the SIL's side, stay over, had planned for some skating on Boxing Day and suggested to me to join them instead because it was cheaper too. I had wanted to go on Christmas Day because they had some Christmas special going on. But anyhow, I brought the girl along and this is our 2nd time at the rink. The patient husband sweetly sat rink-side for that almost 2 hours while we or I glided happily. K tried standing and walking on the skates for awhile but otherwise sat on the skating aid for almost the whole time. Esther and her cousin fell a few times and Josh joined us a while later. I didn't buy all the nephews and nieces anything this Christmas so paid for Josh. Esther and her cousin arrived before us so I couldn't do so for them.

But we enjoyed ourselves and I would love to go back again. Maybe when the girl's childcare centre closes next and I'll bring her again.

After our nap, which I completely knocked out from all that activity, we drove over to the Victor's for their Christmas dinner invite.

And it's so anti-climatic that we are back to work today. My body is aching from that almost 2 hour work-out at the rink and I am still longing for the bed.

We spent the whole of yesterday at home, just to do some 'spring-cleaning'. We had dinner at Jem and also did some grocery shopping.

Today at church was like a family affair. It was only the 2 brothers' family and mine who were present. The rest of the church members were all overseas. Thus the usual church Christmas lunch and gift exchange were scrapped off and since the eldest SIL already ordered a log cake, it was shared amongst us. And then we all adjourn to the usual coffee shop for lunch.

While Jerry's family and the eldest SIL went back to his place, the rest came to mine to rest. Well, actually just the eldest brother, Tim and Bev. After making her pasta sauce, the eldest SIL called for the eldest brother to pick up the sauce. And she wanted to come over as well so she can rest a bit.

I started preparing at about 4, which in my personal opinion, was early but everyone else came at 4ish! The 2nd SIL, with her good intentions, helped me out in the kitchen but it ended up with me thinking that I should have started preparing a lot earlier so I could do things my own way. But like what I said, she has her good intentions.

                                         

 

There was so much food although the 2nd SIL had whatsapped me privately asking me if there would be enough. In the end, there was so much left over! 

After the food, was the gift exchange which, we played the same way last year and in our previous church. It does not fail to add laughter and great fun. I think my brothers would have wanted to stay longer that's why all of them came so early this year but the night does not wait. When everyone left, the eldest brother helped me mop the entire house! My eldest SIL, never fails to help me with the washing. The 2 of them stayed over and we viewed photos from our Tokyo trip till almost midnight. Even K.

We had a great family time this Christmas. And I hope you had a blessed one too!