Staycation Day 2 of 2: SEA Aquarium, Underwater World & Dolphin Lagoon

Finally time to finish up this post, for the staycation in May! Haha!

For the first part, read here: Staycation Day 1 of 2: USS & Crane Dance

We woke up pretty late the next day, took a late brunch (almost 12pm) and resumed our adventure.

Utilising one of the TVs of course

Late brunch @ Toastbox

  

Cousins!

If this was not tired enough..

This should be..

History in the making

I didn't know what that was

Water puppet!

Palembang

I think this hanging ships and boats are super cool

How things were transported in the past

Looks minangkabau to me

Refused to enter Typhoon Theatre



 As IZ refused to enter the Typhoon Theatre, which later I learnt I was lucky, coz IZ would be really scared of the "show". But I somehow felt amiss, coz I really wanted to see!

And so we waited for the rest to join us again, in SEA Aquarium downstairs.

Sitting cosily, everywhere he goes

Wreckage - I was told from the show in Typhoon Theatre, is it?

Really difficult to get good shot in there

Either too dark.. or too bright

So colourful

Concussed during lunch time

Grandfather's Clock

He has been obsessed with grandfather's clock.. No, all kind of clock for some time now..

Last night, upon our arrival back from Taiwan, he did this and told us "my grandfather's clock and the ah gong sitting on this chair!"

No words could describe my pride.. My boy!

Toys for the creative mind..

We are now in CingJing farm on a week vacation.

Couldn't help but to blog about this toy while we are resting our feet. (Will blog about our trip when the time comes.. Haha)

I was reading The Hurried Child by David Elkind last week, trying to rush before I am due to return the book.

One of the chapter talked about best toys for children. Although the book was written a long time ago, the context is exactly useful for current parenting situation.

From The Hurried Child

Anyway, I'll only talk about toys in this post. I personally do not like electronic toys. Meaning battery operated.

They are not just annoying as they have loud music usually, but I can't see the point of playing with them. They do not enhance or encourage children's imagination and creativity.

Guilty though, I did buy electronic piano for him, but that's a different toy altogether.

Anyway, today, while we were hiking in a short trail here, in the cold mountain weather, we came across a shop that sells kids stuffs.

I bought this pipes look alike blocks, fits perfectly into "encourage children's creativity".. Let their imagination runs wild..

And so it did.. Now, a good few hours after we bought it, IZ is still playing with it, all by himself, on the floor in our villa room.

And voila! 

We had grandfather's clock, wall, walking stick, water spout, telescope, trumpet this far.

Talk about imagination runs wild, good buy!

Staycation Day 1 of 2: USS & Crane Dance

My sis originally planned to go Beijing for vacation, but as there was H7N9 outbreak, she decided to cancel on that and came to Sg instead.

So, we agreed to do a short break in Sentosa, instead of driving here and there.

My bro made hotel reservations and I booked the tickets to USS and SEA Aquariums.

It's IZ's 2nd staycation, both in Sentosa. I doubt he remembers anything from the last one when he was 16 months old.

First day: we covered USS, gosh, were we tired. We didn't manage to cover all the attractions despite being there from 11ish to the closing at 7pm. We also went to the Crane Dance after dinner. Checked-in to Michael Hotel, to be given a pleasant surprise. Free upgrade to their suite! Woohoo!

Second day: we covered SEA Aquarium, Underwater World as well as Dolphin Lagoon, and we ended the day with Songs of the Sea. Beautiful!

Attractions that I like:
1) 4D shrek - though I wish it was 5D instead and I was not carrying a timid toddler
2) Light Camera Action - I simply love the effects! Couldn't believe they were fake!
3) Rockafellas - street dance by a group of 5 male dancers, IZ was mesmerised, his first street dance performance.. and he clapped!
4) Lost World - the shootings and explosions couldn't be made more real.. and love the splashing of water onto audience!
5) Merry-Go-Round - nice dreamy world for the dreamers
6) Crane Dance - it was romantic I wish my hubby was with me
7) Songs of the Sea - gosh, it was a spectacular show!

Attractions I missed:
TONs actually.. as I was with a toddler.. a timid one at that.

We took mrt to Harborfront! ;-)

He asked me "what's that?"

From the very beginning

Pop corn, anyone?

Gigantic ship - how nice if they do Titanic here? :-p

That's where we were!

One of the live performances

I can't figure what's with his expression.. whether he was enjoying. or not..

Mr. Frankenstein.. you'll notice we didn't queue for any of the characters.. wasting time!

Another snack shack



Our first ride

Magadascar!

Waiting time! Was told this is mild.. :-S

You'll have to be taller than the red line if you want to enter.. Don't try to risk entering "illegally", seriously, your kid may not have problem sitting on the boat, but he/she will definitely have problem seeing EVERYTHING in there! Turning their head would be tortorous, I guarantee!

Quite an interesting ride actually, if only the boat and the narrations timing could be aligned better

Pussy cat



Merry-Go-Round

Far Far Away for 4D Shrek

Quenching thirst with an ice cream! He finished the whole stick by himself (except for 2 bites that he reluctantly let me bite)

Re-charging at the end of the day

Another live-performance - street dance

Interesting group, Rockafellas

IZ was mesmerized, but he clapped, unknowingly..

He was famished, he asked to eat by himself

Checking in to Hotel Michael.. given a pleasant surprise.. free upgrade to suite! Straight ahead is the make-up table, to the left 2 basins, to the right a bath tub, further inside, to the right, shower room, to the left, the toilet!

I should have taken this shot from the opposite angle, the tub was facing a tv! Where got time la!

The shower room - I didn't take the toilet bowl.. the bathroom, in short, is HUGE, no, make it MEGA HUGE

The comfy bed - IZ slept from 11+pm to 10+ am, broke his personal record

The living hall, with a dining table - facing a tv.. did I tell you there's another TV in the bedroom?

How cool! 6 Capsules of Nespresso including 2 decaf!

Very nice romantic Crane Dance

Wished hubby was there with us

Unfortunately the timid boy was scared too

I somehow concluded that my no-intention of bring IZ to USS at least now was right. He couldn't enjoy much, except for the roaming and wandering in the ample of space. I couldn't enjoy either, how to if he hide behind me most of the time?

We will go again.. when one day IZ need to know about how movies are make.. know more of the characters.. of when he wants to his heart jumped out to his mouth with the roller coasters etc..

Till then, I'll give USS a miss, unless if it's FOC!

Meeting teachers.. May'13

Kinderland takes in kids who turns 3 in that year. So technically IZ turns 3 this year. He joined when he just turned 2! That's the advantage / disadvantage (depends) of being a December baby.

And so, before the school holiday started, IZ has attended 2 terms in Kinderland Serangoon, in Pre-Nursery.

On why I chose Kinderland.. there are a few reasons, I can't tell you now, which is most important, as they gel up together.

1) The school is walking distance from our home (2 blocks, 1 main road away)

2) while CS Montessori was also walking distance (additional 1 more main road away), Kinderland's fee is generally cheaper.. we are paying about $1610 a term (whereas CS would charge about $2400 a term for nursery onwards - if I've not mistaken)

3) Kinderland has a COMPOUND! I have nothing against schools at the void deck nor houses turned into schools.. but I cannot imagine myself studying in the settings, so I would not want to put IZ into somewhere I wouldn't want to be in the first place.. Compound is cool! you can jump, run, chase and all.. they also have a playground right outside the school!

4) did some readings, apparently Kinderland kids can adapt better in Primary school (well, I know it depends on individuals.. but then, I'm trying to minimise the risk you see)

5) as we have a helper and an elderly at home, it just doesn't make sense to send him to childcare, I only need him to be away for few hours a day to play with his friends, so he can minimize or eliminate if possible, ONE CHILD SYNDROME.. Haha! But more selfish reason was I couldn't bear to send him to full day childcare.. My poor baby..

6) also sending him for a few hours means few hours less facing the tv? I really do not like the fact that he watches too much tv at home.. Not that he has never watched tv, but usually with a time limit..

Ok.. and so...

We were invited to our first PTG (Parents Teacher Gathering) at the end of the first term (in March). Why GATHERING? Coz we really just gathered to be briefed by the teachers on what they taught the kids in the term, took a look at their portfolio, took their activity book back, and also what's the theme for next term and if we've got any feedback - whole class of parents, really.

Then, we were invited to our first PTM (Parents Teacher Meeting) (notice the difference?) at the end of the second term (just last week) and this time, we were given time slots. I was given a slot at 9.40-9.50. So short right?!

I thought 10 minutes are not enough too.. but apparently 10 minutes for each English and Chinese teacher to review with parents, INDIVIDUALLY this time.

Ok, what I get to know from Ms Fizah was not something new. I spent a good 15 minutes talking to her over the phone when she called to talk about the MINNIE book. Right, so we've more or less caught up with each other before this. What's more, I was very pissed while waited for my turn as the time slots were not respected, and I really do not have much of anything, what to say PATIENCE.

She told me IZ had less of Humpty this term, to my disbelief, seriously. Coz I can swear we listen to Humpty for 10,000 times if not 1,000,000 at home!

Chinese teacher told me his Chinese improved, which is good enough. And we think so too!

We are looking forward to next term :-)