Milestone: He is taking more than 5 steps! Finally!

23rd Aug 2009

He has been taking a few steps at a time but nothing more than 5 before he would just sit down and crawl instead. I'm a little worried that he will take much longer to learn to walk if he continued preferring to crawl than walk (since he finds it faster to reach his `targets' when he crawls). With lots of encouragements from my mother in law (who is staying with us during the school holidays, the maid who spends a lot of time with him and us), he finally managed to take more than 5 steps! Another great milestone achieved. :)

His First Haircut!

Date : 22nd Aug 2009

We have not cut his hair since birth although everyone has been telling or advising us to get it done for him so that he will have more hair. However, we just could not bring ourselves around to crop his precious baby hair especially when they are so soft. However, over the last one year, the only patch of hair that had grow seemed to be right on the top and center of his head. Everyone has been telling us how terrible he looked, but to us, that is his uniqueness. But I guessed the time is ripe for us to crop his hair to allow a more even growth, but not until we did what we had always wanted to do with his hair. Make it spiky!!!!

His punk spiky look!!!!!

We had a great time taking pictures of him with this new hair style. Once, we are satisfied, we took him to the hairdresser. We were worried that he will be not be still or will be yelling and screaming away, but surprise surprise....

He was so quiet and still throughout, seemingly enjoying the process, either the sound of the electric hair cropper or the sensation of his hair being cut.

He actually looked so different after the hair cut. So much naughtier. We actually had to take some time to get ourselves accustomed to him not having any hair. Our next hair style for him would be one with a little tail...hehe...

Holiday at E&O Part II

Second part of some pictures taken of Ryan while he was holidaying at Penang. He enjoyed every inch of the hotel, literally. He was crawling all over the room, crawling or trying to walk at the lobby, making out with all the waitresses and Mat salleh girls (even while he was having his swim in the swimming pool). This little guy has an eye for pretty girls and he knows one when he sees one..wink wink.

All the ladies were saying how cute he is lar and wanted to carry him. He doesn't seem to mind as long as they are pretty. He was giggling and laughing so loud in the pool that most eyes were on him while he was enjoying himself.

"See. E&O. You are staying at E&O"

Fooling around in the long bath tub in the bathroom.

A storm brewing on saturday when we arrived. Looked like a huge tornado is about to hit. Scary. Can't imagine the fear if it is the real one that close.

Ryan having fun in the lobby, crawling everywhere. Caught here crawling under some tables in the lobby.

In the midst of being undressed and getting him ready for bed after attending a friend's son full moon party.

`Chiak! Peek-a-boo'. Ryan having fun and making a fool of himself in the pool. Needless to say, he became the center of attention and he seemed to be enjoying every minute of it.

This little guy has no fear for water. He intentionally dipped his head and face into the water and start giggling and laughing so loud each time he did that.

`Face-off' with waves that were splashing against the retaining wall near the swimming pool. Pretty scary actually and I was hanging to Ryan so tight, waiting for the moment when the waves will come splashing down. It's that little boy in me that urges me to do.

'Totally overwhelmed!' The waves were just 8 to 10 foot tall but the power when they came crashing down was awesome. I had to turn away but little Ryan took it head on, not realising what is coming. Did it scare him? No way! He enjoyed it so much that he was crying for more!

Mommy's turn to play with him in the pool while daddy became the camera man.

Riding on the big gun.

The only time we could get him to sit still. He was afraid of the pricky grass. So, he did not move an inch from the moment we placed him down.

Holiday at E&O Part I

We went for a short weekend holiday in Penang. We have initially wanted to stay at Lone Pines but unfortunately they are closed for upgrading works till October. And, all the hotels around Batu Ferringhi were fully booked. Fortunately a good friend of ours got us a suite at E&O.

Well, it certainly is an experience staying in this charming hotel. Some of the layout and design of this hotel brings you back to the good days of the early 1930s while others give you the impression that you are in your parent's era, the 1950s.


A nice pair! Something that I have never lay my hands on before.

Something that we were trying hard to make sure that Ryan does not press.

The dresssing table in the walk-in closet. Creepy....

The elegant bathroom...

The bedroom and the two queen size beds and two TVs.

The antique lift with it's iron grille...

Marketing Gimmick or Misrepresentation?

"INTERNATIONAL BEER PROMOTION. Daily. Time : 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m."

Whey you walk past this poster and look at their promotion, what do you think that they were promoting and what is the duration of the promotion?

We were staying at E&O during the past weekend for a short break and I came across this at one of their outlet. My wife was looking at me and said, "Wah. You happy lor! International beer promotion and some more whole day!" Honestly, I was excited looking at the range of international beer that was displayed at the poster and the whole day promotion period.

So at 4p.m. we happily walked into this outlet and ordered our snack since they have their burger promotion. Fortunately, I am sober enough to ask what kind of international beer do they offer and at what promotional price? Shocking as it sound to me, this was the waitress answer...

Me: "So, you have beer promotion right ?"
She: "No sir. Not now. Only happy hour."
Me : "Huh? Happy hour? What time is your happy hour?"
She: "5 p.m. to 8 p.m."
Me: "But your poster outside says "11:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. daily"
She: "Oh...That is our opening hours sir."
Me: "Huh? Eerrr...ok...so what kinda of international beer do you offer?"
She: "On the menu sir. Tiger, Guiness and Kilkenny"
Me: "Huh? That's all?"
She: "Yes sir."

At this point in time, I am really not in the mood to argue with her and I don't intend to spoilt my holiday over a glass of beer. But what happened to the Corona, Asahi, Leffe that were in the poster?

Wife: "How about your burger promotion?"
She: "Oh. That we have the whole day."
Me: "Huh????"

Two seemingly similar messages in the same poster but with different results. So, is this just a marketing gimmick, pure oversight or gross misrepresentation.

Anyway, since by the time, the burger arrived, it was already 4:30p.m., I just waited till 5:05 p.m. (just to be certain) before I ordered my Kilkenny draft at happy hour price. A holiday will be a holiday and nothing is gonna spoilt it.

Latest Release : A mouse cum handphone...COOL!

Have you ever had that problem when you were busy blogging away and working at your computer when you mobile rang, and you have to get up to search for your mobile phone (which you have just forgotten where you have last placed it). How you wish if you could answer that call there and then since you have just settled in nicely and comfortably. Well, Ryan might just have the answer for you, the latest IT gadget that will take the world by storm, - the mouse cum handphone (at least to the one year old baby's market!) How cool is that! No running around the house searching for that darn handphone. Just pick up your mouse in your hand and put it against your hear and bingo, it turns into a handphone immediately!

Yupe. This is his new trick that he has learned from us when he observes us talking on my mobile phones. Now, he will put almost whatever he has in his hand to his ear and pretend to be talking on his `mobile' whenever he hears us saying `Hello! Hello!' Now, we just got to make sure that we don't cry out `Hello! Hello!' when he is holding something sharp in his hand...haha.

Next invention in the pipeline: An iron cum handphone. Watch out for it's release soon. Guaranteed to give you a `hot lasting impression' .......

Five Giant Leaps!

Date : 31st July 2009
Time : 8 p.m.

Ryan took five `giant' steps on his own without any aid for the very first time! He has been standing on his own and walking around holding on to sofas, chairs and cabinets for quite a while now. He has attempted to walk on his own without any aid but had not been very successful other than a small step. He finds that he can get where he wants to go to faster if he crawls and he can really crawl. If he wanted to `sprint crawl' he will put his head down and crawl like mad (just like the F1 drivers putting their head down, a term used to denote pushing to the limit).

Yesterday evening, as usual he was crawling and walking around the sofas. At then it happened. He stood up unaided (he was quite a distance away from anything to hang on to). My wife was sitting on the floor some distance away from him. As he stood there for 2 seconds as if thinking what to do next, we were busy encouraging him to take those few crucial steps. Of course, our heart was pumping with excitement and at the same time with fear that he would fall and hurt himself! Then he took his first step forward! Our instinct was to immediately rush over and put out our hand behind him just in case he falls. We have done that a couple of times, and he would immediately reached out for our hand and hang on to it. So, instead of holding out our hands, we just encourage him to walk further towards my wife, seated in front of him. He held out his arms to trying to reach my wife and started to take the next step. After a good five steps, he finally sat down, looking as excited as we are.

This is yet another milestone in his journey. For him, it was just five very little steps, but for us, these were the five biggest leaps in his life as he continue his journey and his adventure in this world.