Bubs n' Babes

Kyla's Twilight Concert

2012-01-17T10:42:00.002+11:00

We're back after a looong absence. Absolutely had to post this perfomance on our recent holiday. Enjoy...

With the Chios in London

2011-07-14T21:25:00.004+10:00

Next stop: London. After 14 1/2 hours from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi, 7 3/4 hours on to London was nothing :) Big thank you to Chris for picking us up from Heathrow, and an even bigger thank you to him, Emilynn, Ashley and Caitlin for their wonderful hospitality.

The girls had a lot of fun together.
The cutest little girls!
Chris and Emilynn.
Bubs and Babes.

The Big Trip - first up, Dubai!

2011-07-11T21:33:00.005+10:00

Bubs' 40th was celebrated with a month-long epic (well, epic by our standards anyway, as opposed to the lucky people who travel for a year) holiday. The flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi wasn't exactly eagerly anticipated, as we couldn't be sure how KRW would react/behave for 14 1/2 long hours. Fortunately she was wonderful, probably due to having a TV at her disposal pretty much the whole time. So we got to Abu Dhabi in one piece and then took the Etihad coach to Dubai.

At the Burjuman Mall.
XVA Cafe in Bastakiya.
Dubai Creek.
Lunch beside Dubai Creek.
Just before the Dubai Fountain shows.

Our little dancer!

2011-07-10T21:48:00.002+10:00

This footage is a few months old, but still good fun. How cute is she :) KRW is actually starting dance classes next weekend. If she can overcome her initial inhibitions, that is! She's often resistant to new things or people, but once she gets going, it's hard to stop her...

Kyla's 3rd Birthday

2011-05-31T22:21:00.004+10:00

Thought I'd better post some pictures before we get to her 4th Birthday! The party was held at Babycino's Cafe in South Yarra. Kyla had requested a chocolate and strawberry cake, which Babes then proceeded to skilfully decorate in the Dora theme.

KRW up close

2011-03-01T22:22:00.003+11:00

A couple of shots of the lovely little girl. Note the wound on her lower lip, she tripped and fell in childcare and had a close encounter with a twig. As you can see, she wasn't too traumatised by the incident...

A round of applause for the dancer!

2011-03-01T22:13:00.003+11:00

As the pictures show, KRW luuurves dancing. (Didn't get that from her dad, that's for sure.) We're planning to enrol her for dancing classes on a Saturday morning, but it's halfway through the term now and we're about to go on a month-long holiday. Patience, young lady!

Queenscliff

2011-03-01T22:06:00.002+11:00

A beautiful day in a beautiful town doesn't mean Kyla has to be cooperative...

Lunch at Sunnybrae

2011-03-01T21:53:00.002+11:00

Foodies rave about this restaurant that's all the way out in Birregurra (about an hour's drive from Geelong). And since we were already in the Bellarine Peninsula for the weekend, we thought we'd give it a shot. Bookings were made almost two months in advance, as they only open for meals on weekends and the place fills up quickly. The foodies were right, lunch was really good but there's no photographic evidence unfortunately! It's all about local produce, including vegetables from their own garden. Google it for a review lah :) As for Kyla, her lingering memory of Sunnybrae is the resident canine that kept wanting to jump on her...

The Wongs in Sunshine Coast - Brisbane

2010-12-23T22:32:00.002+11:00

OK so Brisbane isn't exactly in Sunshine Coast, but it's only an hours' drive from Caloundra. It was really good catching up with Yung Mei, an old friend from KL who's now settled in Brisbane. She's since had another little one, congrats Mei! Oh and the food at Thai Wi-Rat was yummy...

The Wongs in Sunshine Coast - Noosa

2010-12-23T22:28:00.003+11:00

I know some people who make it a point to go to Noosa every year. Of course we had to go and see what all the fuss was about! Is it nice? Well, yes. Is it for us? Well, I'm not sure. I think we prefer the down to earth atmosphere of Caloundra!

The Wongs in Sunshine Coast - Australia Zoo

2010-12-23T22:15:00.003+11:00

It was a short drive from Caloundra, so we thought, why not? We're not Steve Irwin fans or anything, but here was a great opportunity for Kyla to see lots of animals. Off we went! Not bad I suppose, but I must say I expected a wee bit more...

The Wongs in Sunshine Coast - Caloundra

2010-12-23T21:44:00.004+11:00

I know this trip was back in August, but oh well, there're some really nice shots here. The original plan was to go to Fiji, but the Chinaman in me could not justify the astronomical amount that would have cost. Hence to Plan B! A quick search online revealed cheap flights on Tiger Airways to Maroochydore, as well as an excellent deal on a 1-bedroom apartment in Caloundra. All for less than one-third of what that Fiji trip would've cost. That money we saved is going towards our epic trip next March/April, but that's another story!

Kyla's latest talent - the sequel

2010-07-21T22:40:00.003+10:00

Ladies and gentlemen, heeeeeeere she is again! Don't bother turning up the volume, it's too soft. But obviously the pictures tell a lovely story...

Kyla's latest talent

2010-07-11T17:47:00.001+10:00

Here's the latest reason/excuse for the long absence. KRW has been in secret training! Here's the result:

The Wongs at Pirianda Garden, Dandenong Ranges

2010-05-04T21:36:00.003+10:00

We brought Grandpa and Grandma Wong here to look at the autumn leaves. But they're not the only ones who enjoy leaves, Kyla does too!

The Wongs and Riddells at Loam, Bellarine Peninsula

2010-05-02T22:54:00.002+10:00

Deep within the olive groves of the Bellarine Peninsula is a restaurant called Loam. It had been garnering rave reviews in the media, so we thought we'd make the journey to check it out. The menu - if you can call it that - is somewhat unusual; instead of choosing dishes, customers select the produce and the menu is then crafted from that list. It was a very good meal, except for the wagyu which was a wee bit overdone. This dining experience also provided a bit of serving inspiration for Babes... dishes were served on what turned out to be tiles, and so when we got home, she went straight into the shed where some tile samples had been kept (from a recent bathroom renovation) and pulled a few out! One last note: Loam have just been included in Food & Wine Magazine's Go List 2010 under 'Rising Star Chefs'. Well done, guys!

Grandpa Wong's Sweet & Sour Pork

2010-05-02T22:44:00.003+10:00

Bubs had a special request for dinner one night, and visiting Dad kindly obliged with this masterpiece. And yes, it tasted even better than it looks!

Kyla and her Mummy's zucchini

2010-04-28T21:10:00.002+10:00

Here's KRW posing with something Babes is quite proud of; one of the first 'fruits' of her labour in the garden. There's more to come, I'm sure!

From one beach to another

2010-04-28T20:58:00.003+10:00

The beach tour of the Mornington Peninsula continued (and ended) with a stop at Balnarring Beach, where Kyla loved watching the catamarans coming back to shore. Considering how much fun she seems to have running on the sand, I think we'll be back before too long. What the heck, let's buy a house by the beach. Whaaaat? Sorry? How MUCH? Oh well...

At Flinders Beach

2010-04-28T20:52:00.003+10:00

We had been promising Kyla we'd take her to the beach, and finally we did. It wasn't really swimming weather as it was cold and windy, but we all enjoyed the walk anyway.

Port Phillip Estate - Mornington Peninsula

2010-04-27T22:27:00.005+10:00

One of the meals during our Mornington Peninsula long weekend was at Port Phillip Estate, a beautiful winery in Red Hill. Can't exactly remember what we had, but possibly: Marinated kingfish with fried capers, fennel and lemon oil, and Chargrilled yellowfin tuna, skordalia, grapes, pinenuts, pickled anchovies among others.

The Wongs and the Chiengs

2010-04-27T22:19:00.002+10:00

Kyla Rose Wong and Mia Chieng had somehow never met until now. Did they get along? Well, kind of. As for the boys, of course we did!

Amanda and Jason's Krabi Wedding

2010-04-27T22:12:00.003+10:00

I know, I know, this is more than two months late but what the heck. Here are a couple of pictures from 14 February 2010, which was a triple celebration of the wedding, Dad Ting's 70th birthday and the first day of Chinese New Year. The fact that it was Valentine's Day was completely immaterial, ironically.

The Wongs, Yeohs and Zeitounes at Barkers Wine Bar

2010-01-21T21:42:00.003+11:00

Umm... not that the Yeohs and Zeitounes (or even the Wong parents) are in any of these pictures, but we enjoyed a leisurely rainy Sunday lunch at the fairly-new Barkers Wine Bar in Kew. Here's 1) KRW keeping herself occupied, and 2) Bubs' Fish and Chips. By the way, welcome to Melbourne, Fadi, Cindy and Sophia!

Al fresco dining

2010-01-21T21:37:00.002+11:00

With some really nice summer evenings - not too hot, not too cold - we've taken the opportunity to get KRW accustomed to outdoor dining. On this occasion, we brought her high chair out onto the porch. She seemed to enjoy it, but was also distracted by the vast running-around possibilities outside...

A good habit

2010-01-15T21:43:00.003+11:00

Whether she knows what she's reading or not, Kyla loves books and constantly asks to be read to. But here's a video of her reading to herself. Well, sort of anyway. She's actually more interested in the mirror, but we thought it was cute anyway!

More random iPhone pix

2010-01-15T15:59:00.002+11:00

KRW's performance

2010-01-13T22:24:00.000+11:00

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Kyla Rose Wong!

KRW's 2nd Birthday - the invite

2010-01-04T22:43:00.002+11:00

Here's the invitation for Kyla's second birthday bash: Babes' idea, designed by Jason and Amanda, produced by Bubs. These were delivered in DVD cases as if they were real Hi-5 DVDs. Kyla's first birthday invite was a Rolling Stone magazine cover. What shall we do for her third birthday?

More recent random pix from my iPhone

2009-12-30T00:46:00.002+11:00

A day at the beach

2009-12-30T00:19:00.003+11:00

Bubs, Babes and Kyla Rose made our way to Half Moon Bay in Black Rock today, just in time for a yummy lunch at the Cerberus kiosk there. Beautiful bayview aside, that was probably one of the best fish and chip meals we've had, with almost tempura-like batter on the fish and near-perfect chips. Only problem was that the regular serve of chips was so large, I'm ashamed to say we had to waste some.
We then adjourned to the beach, where KRW played happily in her cute lil' bathers (a gift from her Aunty Hikaru). Pictures below... no shots of the food, however.

KRW's 2nd Birthday - more pix

2009-12-28T22:15:00.001+11:00

KRW's 2nd Birthday

2009-12-23T00:31:00.003+11:00

Kyla celebrated her second birthday on Sunday 20 December 11am at Federal Reserve in Mount Waverley. Bubs went over there at 8.10am to 'chope' (Malaysian slang for 'reserve') the picnic area and start decorating, while Babes and Mans prepared the food. Many thanks also to Mars and Jag for their help with the decorations and BBQ respectively. And thank you God for the lovely weather once again! Here are some pictures (by popular demand from KRW's grandparents), with more to follow soon.

The Wong Family Veggie Patch

2009-12-09T21:06:00.003+11:00

What used to be a fairly bare backyard is now a full-scale vegetable garden. Bubs had almost nothing to do with it (obviously!), and would like to thank Jason for his blood (and yes, there was blood after he hurt himself with the mattock), sweat and tears in helping Babes with it. If it's any consolation, at least Bubs now knows what a mattock is. Do you?

Mums' Group Joint Birthday Party

2009-12-09T20:58:00.002+11:00

The Thornbury mums and their families recently got together to celebrate the kids' birthdays. Not that you can tell from these photos, which are all of one particular birthday girl. Gee, wonder who that could be...

Random pix from my iPhone

2009-12-03T22:08:00.003+11:00

Here's Kyla Rose looking very smiley and happy. I've gotta say though that these pictures were taken during a bit of a difficult period when Kyla was sick and cranky. So these are not a true reflection of Kyla's emotions (and ours!) at that time. You have to admit she's cute though!

Beside the lake in Daylesford

2009-11-23T22:03:00.002+11:00

The Wong family enjoyed a beautiful spring afternoon before driving back to Melbourne. And of course the lovely Kyla Rose was allowed to indulge in a couple of her new favourite pastimes: swings and slides. She has quickly develop the ability to spot a playground from a mile away.

The Wongs at Sault, Daylesford.

2009-11-21T21:54:00.003+11:00

We haven't gone on nearly as many roadtrips as we would've liked since moving to Melbourne, so off we went to spend an October weekend in Daylesford. The first dinner was just down the street at Sault. The food was very good, but I think we'll have to go there again in January or so, for the simple reason that the fields surrounding the restaurant are filled with lavender then.
Anyway, it must've been the sheer joy of being on holiday or something, but I can't seem to find any pictures of the food...

Why the long absence? Here's why.

2009-11-10T22:23:00.001+11:00

For once, I don't really have to explain why there haven't been any posts for so long. The video will demonstrate what Kyla has been secretly practising, hour after hour, day after day. It may not be tennis (yet), but hey, it's a start towards her parents' retirement plans. Enjoy.

KRW in KL - Pantai Seafood

2009-08-01T22:33:00.006+10:00

Here's Kyla at a yummy seafood dinner. Guess it's a sign of the times that there are no pictures of the food! Anyway, here she is with her 'godsister' Emma:
And with Uncle Marcel :

Kyla Rose Wong, Yoga Assistant

2009-08-01T22:28:00.003+10:00

KRW has been helping Babes with her yoga. Before too long, she'll be doing the Downward Dog and the Warrior. But for now, she's making do with the Sit On Mummy.

This video's for you, grandparents!

2009-06-04T21:06:00.002+10:00

Both sets of grandparents were really hoping KRW would start walking while they were around in March and April. But our little girl does things in her own time, at her own pace. And speaking of pace, may we present Kyla Rose Wong!

More random KRW pictures

2009-05-15T14:39:00.004+10:00

It's been a while, I know. And I'm gonna keep trotting out the same ol' excuses... anyway, here are some shots of Kyla taken with my mobile phone... meanwhile, she's been spending three days a week in childcare for about a month now. Is she enjoying it? Umm, not really. But we'd like to think she's gradually getting used to it!

One very tired girl

2009-04-15T22:18:00.003+10:00

One day, KRW refused to go down for her afternoon nap. But she showed remarkable stamina and resilience in lasting through the evening. Here she is during dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant, obviously exhausted but gamely hanging on. Awwww...

Faster than a speeding bullet

2009-04-15T22:12:00.002+10:00

Kyla Rose loves hangin' out on the couch, throwing herself across it every chance she gets. Here she is, caught in mid-action!

What big teeth I have!

2009-04-10T22:09:00.003+10:00

And aren't I just the cutest thing? (Note by Bubs: can't remember what she had to eat that day, but it must've been really yummy)

Getting Kyla to sleep

2009-04-10T22:00:00.004+10:00

It looks like KRW is picking up one of Gregory Lim's traits: the 'I don't want to sleep' attitude. Here she is, ready for bed...

She's tired...

But no way is she giving in without a fight! The cot is empty because she's thrown everything out...

More Kyla pix

2009-04-04T21:19:00.001+11:00

Yummy food for Kyla... and Bubs?

2009-04-03T21:50:00.003+11:00

Babes sent me out one evening with instructions to get KRW some bottled food. The brief? 'Get her something you yourself would eat.' So imagine my sheer delight when I found this at Woolworth's... looks like the sky's the limit! They'll be selling Char Kuay Teow-flavoured baby food next!

KRW - more pictures

2009-04-03T21:31:00.005+11:00

Once again, apologies for the lack of posts. The last few weeks have been absolutely crazy, work-wise. Here are a few more shots to share, especially for Kyla's Aunty Manda who's in Singapore for a couple of months...

Our daughter, the Coke addict

2009-04-03T21:19:00.003+11:00

I like the occasional ice-cold glass of Coca-Cola, but lil' Kyla Rose has gone and finished a whole bottle! Just look at the guilt on her face. Of course, she refused to touch the Pepsi...

Taken with my Sony Ericsson K800i

2009-03-04T01:05:00.004+11:00

Random pix, in between being really busy with work and family.

The Misadventures of Kyla Rose

2009-02-13T23:41:00.003+11:00

Based on photographic evidence, it seems our little girl has learnt the power of money. And in the next picture, unfortunately what she HASN'T learnt is how to be more ladylike...

KRW - random pix

2009-02-06T21:14:00.004+11:00

Profound apologies for the 'intermittent' nature of my posts. I blame this on an exhausting combination of Chinese New Year festivities, demanding clients and general stress and fatigue. Anyway, here are some recent pictures of our lovely little girl.
Kyla Rose in her CNY dress.

In another lovely outfit.

Our little girl loves pulling both Bubs and Babes' glasses off.

Kyla's first birthday - more pictures

2009-01-20T21:16:00.007+11:00

KRW with her mummy and Aunties Jen and Hikaru.
Kyla Rose Wong is overwhelmed by all the presents she got.
Group photo.

Like father, like daughter (again)

2009-01-09T22:57:00.002+11:00

Kyla Rose is once again demonstrating a liking for the same type of food as her dad. We had roti (with butter chicken, but that's not relevant to this post) for dinner tonight, and little KRW had about one-third of a roti. Which is a lot for a one-year old girl, and more importantly, is A HUGE AMOUNT for Kyla Rose Wong. That's my girl!

KRW's new favourite toy

2009-01-09T22:47:00.002+11:00

Kyla's current favourite toy (as of a few weeks ago) is not a Fisher-Price or a Playskool or anything from Toys R' Us. It's an Angeline Ting creation, fashioned intriguingly and irresistibly from a Qantas water bottle, a Gap label and a... clothespeg. You can rattle it, spin it, turn it upside down, the possibilities are endless. And yes, we're looking into the marketing and distribution of it.

KRW's first trip to Phillip Island

2009-01-03T00:43:00.003+11:00

No, we didn't see the penguins. Every time Phillip Island is mentioned, I get asked if we went to see the penguins. For some reason, these lil' creatures aren't very high on my list of things to see. Maybe when Kyla's a bit older...
Anyway, we rented a lovely townhouse for a week from Christmas Day to New Year's Day, and had people coming in and out throughout the week. But this post is reserved for random shots of KRW on the trip:

Christmas Eve at the Wongs

2009-01-03T00:28:00.002+11:00

We hosted a Christmas dinner at our new home, with an assortment of roasts (lamb/chicken/turkey) and various other delights. And yes, Kyla Rose had her fair share of Chrissy yummies. Which we're sure had nothing to do with the fact that she woke up sick on Christmas morning...

KRW at Marlene's 30th birthday

2008-12-23T23:23:00.002+11:00

Just some random shots of our little girl at Marlene's birthday bash. Of course, Kyla's wearing a lovely outfit given to her by the birthday girl

.

Kyla's first birthday presents

2008-12-23T23:09:00.002+11:00

Kyla Rose Wong is a very lucky girl indeed, judging by the number of presents she got for her first birthday. An extremely huge THANK YOU to everyone who blessed our little girl with a birthday gift. Please also rest assured that all monetary contributions have gone straight into the KRW scholarship fund.

Kyla's first birthday

2008-12-23T22:55:00.003+11:00

KRW celebrated her first birthday at a park/playground around the corner from our new Mount Waverley home. Bubs and Babes are actually waiting for pictures from Attila and Amanda's cameras as the proud parents of the birthday girl were too busy mingling and making sure adults and kids alike were comfy and well-fed. Until we get better pictures, here are a few samples.

Inculcating reading habits

2008-12-17T23:03:00.002+11:00

At Bubs & Babes Inc, we encourage our offspring to pursue a healthy interest in literature. No expense is spared to acquire the finest reading materials. So it is indeed heartening to see Kyla Rose Wong displaying such unrestrained joy with a book in her hands. Even if it is occasionally upside down.

Cousins in the bath

2008-12-12T23:16:00.003+11:00

Des, Su and Charlotte were in town for a wedding, and they were our first guests at our new home. And speaking of our new home, please excuse the reduced frequency of blog posts, we've been busy with work issues, moving etc. You have NO IDEA how much stuff we've managed to accumulate, but at least it's done now. We'll post pictures of our Mount Waverley residence before too long. Oh, KRW's the one on the right, just in case you were wondering...

Like father, like daughter

2008-11-30T21:17:00.003+11:00

We introduced KRW to roast duck the other day, and she enjoyed it very much. She's at a stage where she'd rather have what her parents are eating, instead of the yummy food that her mum has specially prepared for her. Oh and she had a little bit of Hainanese chicken rice at Malaymas last night too, but I didn't dare to give her some char kuay teow. Or maybe I was too selfish to give up some of that precious commodity!

The Spaghetti Kid

2008-11-23T23:46:00.003+11:00

This little girl is steadily developing the kind of reputation that will leave all kinds of pasta quivering with fear. She has learned the art of mangling and torturing spaghetti beyond all recognition. Several times a week, her training sessions involve strand after strand of Italy's finest, all efficiently terminated. Here's some photographic evidence:

Kyla's (very) early birthday celebration

2008-11-16T02:58:00.002+11:00

Babes' mothers' group decided to celebrate all the kiddos' birthdays at Pender Park last weekend, about a month and a half before KRW's actual birthday. So there we all were with lots of yummy food including meats on the barbie. Kyla Rose wore an H+M dress her mum chose in Hong Kong last year, but she had it taken off later as it got quite warm. As for her actual birthday celebration, we told ourselves (before we had her) that we wouldn't go to much trouble to organise it, but it looks like we'll be going back on our word...

KRW in Sydney

2008-11-11T00:34:00.003+11:00

Kyla's first trip to Sydney was an interesting one. She refused to sleep on the flight over... until the last few minutes, of course. Which meant that Bubs and Babes ended up sitting in an empty aircraft, the last ones to leave as we wanted to make sure she got some rest. She enjoyed spending time with her 'godsister' Isabelle and her 'godbrother' Marcus, who were very good to her.Fast asleep, enjoying the seabreeze at Balmoral Beach.
KRW and Isabelle at a playground in Lane Cove.

KRW's first tooth

2008-10-19T19:17:00.001+11:00

This little bit of enamel made its appearance a couple of weeks ago, and we've finally had the time (and opportunity) to get a shot of it. Here it is, the first of many (we hope)!

Table manners

2008-10-19T19:10:00.002+11:00

KRW has a long way to go before she's ready for fine dining at three-star Michelin establishments. But for now, we're just happy that she's eating at all! The second picture reveals that food DOES eventually end up in her mouth...

Kyla Rose Wong: swimming or crawling?

2008-10-17T11:20:00.003+11:00

This little girl has been moving around quite happily, but she hasn't quite mastered the art of crawling yet. Once she has, we're gonna be pretty busy. I'm looking into attaching a GPS tracking device onto her...

Note to babysitters

2008-10-16T21:21:00.002+11:00

This post is for anyone/everyone who will (hopefully) be helping us babysit KRW at some point. It's pretty easy to tell when she's tired and ready for bed. Here's the signal: thumb in mouth and other hand covering it. Easy, right?

BBQ time!

2008-10-13T17:01:00.003+11:00

The family (and a couple of friends) took advantage of excellent weather to indulge in that age-old Aussie tradition, a good ol' barbie! Hosted by Amanda in her cozy Fitzroy premises, meats supplied and prepared by Mars and Jag, salads (and general expertise) provided by Babes. What did I do? Umm, walked out to buy bread and ice-cream. Oh, and helped ensure there wouldn't be too much left over.

The Templestowe Farmers' Market

2008-10-07T16:50:00.003+11:00

This is a relatively new event that takes place on the fourth Sunday of every month. We went along recently to see what fresh produce we could get (especially for lil' Kyla Rose). There wasn't much in terms of fresh fruit, slightly disappointingly, but the vegetables were decent. Some of you might know I'm not a huge tomato fan, but the truss tomatoes we bought there were absolutely delicious!

Another short Kyla video

2008-10-01T09:53:00.003+10:00

She doesn't say 'da-da' this time, but she's got the loveliest laugh. Yup, I know I'm biased, but hey, it's my blog :)

Kyla says 'da-da'. Or something to that effect anyway.

2008-09-30T09:46:00.001+10:00

Babes made many attempts to capture KRW speaking on film yesterday, and she eventually succeeded somewhat. Right at the end of this footage, you'll hear a little gem...

A lovely day for a picnic

2008-09-28T01:24:00.003+10:00

We took advantage of the lovely weather today to take KRW for an outing to the Fairfield Boathouse. It helped that the footy Grand Final was on, and a park that would usually have been chockers on a day like this was fairly quiet. As you can see, Kyla Rose enjoyed herself!

A bit of news: the sequel.

2008-09-25T11:12:00.003+10:00

Hot on the heels of KRW's first 'words' is her first tooth! The telltale sounds of something hard in her mouth hitting the cup she was drinking from was a dead giveaway. So Babes stuck a finger in Kyla's mouth and there it was. Which hopefully explains the little girl's abysmal appetite...

Pictures from Patsze's camera

2008-09-24T21:28:00.006+10:00

A big thank you to Patsze (who's one of KRW's three godmums) for spending last week with us here in Melbourne, and being such a great help in spending time with her and helping to look after her. We had a great time, and KRW and Pats bonded really well. Unfortunately I can't seem to find any pictures of the two of them together. (Guess you'll have to come back and see us again soon then, Patsze!)

No, there's no connection between Kyla Rose and the 'Wine by the glass' board behind her.

A family photo taken at Ripe in Sassafras (in the Dandenongs).

Kyla Rose enjoys spending time in the playground. She might not look like she does, but trust me she does.

More holiday pictures unearthed

2008-09-18T21:57:00.004+10:00

Not quite unearthed lah. More like I forgot I had taken some with my other camera. Here are Babes and Kyla Rose with Sue and Charlotte in Singapore:

Kyla Rose with Gregory and Zerlina's three little girls. Recognise her?

And Kyla Rose on our hotel bed (which she took over) in Chiang Mai, looking absolutely adorable.

A bit of news

2008-09-17T21:42:00.003+10:00

Sorry everyone, we haven't really taken any new photos in the last few days. There's something to report, however. Kyla Rose Wong said her first word. And guess what it was?
'Alfalfa.'
Well, maybe not quite 'alfalfa' but something that sounded like it anyway. That's since evolved to something that sounds like 'papa' but has more of a rapid-fire 'pa-pa-pa-pa' to it. But I'm now teaching her to say 'sustainability'. Stay tuned...

The great imitator

2008-09-09T10:41:00.002+10:00

Babes has taken great delight in teaching KRW a new 'move'. I think the next step should then be to teach her how to nod...
Meanwhile, our little girl put on 280g in the last two weeks. Woohoo!

More pictures of Kyla Rose

2008-09-04T22:08:00.003+10:00

We've been rather slack with the blog in the last couple of weeks, due to work, house-hunting and all kinds of other things. For now, here are some random pictures of the lovely KRW. She's still rather underweight (in some cases, she's still wearing size 000!), but has been eating a bit more in recent days. Let's hope she keeps growing... otherwise how to be Wimbledon champion lah?

KRW's sleeping positions

2008-08-30T23:16:00.001+10:00

Kyla Rose Wong can be a rather restless sleeper, as you can see from these pictures. Restlessness aside, she's been a bit more settled in the last week or so. Hopefully, she's settling back into life in Melbourne without a multitude of friends and family fussing over her all day. She's also eating better, which is a very good thing considering she's still significantly underweight despite her mum's best efforts.

We're back! - Part Four

2008-08-22T21:53:00.003+10:00

A few more photos from the Chiang Mai leg of our trip. As you can see, Kyla Rose enjoyed herself, especially looking at her mum and Dad wearing Thai massage outfits...

We're back! - Part Three

2008-08-20T21:23:00.003+10:00

In Chiang Mai, Kyla Rose went for lots and lots of walks (in VERY hot and humid weather!) with us. She explored the 'arty' neighbourhoods, rode in songthaews (red taxis) and had lots of fun. Along the way, we learned that she didn't need expensive toys to keep her occupied; give her a straw and that would keep her entertained for hours. Well, not quite hours but for a decent amount of time...

We're back! - Part Two

2008-08-13T23:06:00.002+10:00

Our holiday was quite an experience for little Kyla Rose; she got lots (and lots and lots) of attention from family and friends, and enjoyed many new sights and experiences. We wonder what she made of being dragged through a crowded, narrow and wet Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. KRW also had the privilege of sleeping in the same room as her parents throughout the trip, whether in a cot in Kuching, a makeshift bed in Chiang Mai or on the bed next to her mum in Singapore. I guess it was no surprise then that she protested loud and long back in Melbourne, when placed in her cot in her nursery.

We're back!

2008-08-09T22:42:00.005+10:00

After almost three weeks away in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, we got back early Wednesday morning. Babes and KRW went home to bed, while Bubs went to work. We're still recovering from our exertions (yes, it is tiring going on holiday) and will post more pictures when we've got a bit more energy. Here's a sample to tide you over. But first, a big thank you to family and friends for all their support along the way, especially our parents, Ellen and Boon Kit as well as Elaine (Kyla's honorary Nanny, pictured below feeding her) and Chris. It wouldn't have been anywhere near as fun (and would have been much more exhausting) without you all!

Kyla and her mummy

2008-07-16T21:38:00.004+10:00

Bubs has been busy at work finishing up before running off for a couple of weeks, while Babes has been busy packing for herself and the lovely Kyla Rose. It's the first time we're travelling with our precious little girl, and it'll be interesting! We think she's looking forward to the trip, as she's smiling quite a bit more in recent days... not in this shot though.

A quick update

2008-07-11T21:15:00.003+10:00

Kyla Rose is getting more smiley and chirpy, even amongst people outside the family. She's not really The Serious One any more, thank goodness. Also, her food options continue to grow, including broccoli, pears, carrots, cauliflower and pumpkins. She's also steadily growing into the Bouncin' Baby Play Place, pictured below.

Developing good habits

2008-07-06T00:55:00.003+10:00

I've been trying to get KRW to read more, and it seems to be working. No wonder she looks so pleased with herself in the second picture. In other news, we were pretty lousy parents this evening. KRW was being quite cranky and whingy around dinnertime, and we thought she was just tired and/or hungry. But when we took her for a bath, we found her nappy COMPLETELY soiled. Poor little girl... sorry, Kyla Rose!

The cutest sound in the world

2008-06-30T08:43:00.004+10:00

Came home one evening and heard an unfamiliar sound from upstairs. It was Kyla Rose bursting into laughter, entertained by her mummy. Very very cute!

Conversations with Kyla

2008-06-28T11:04:00.003+10:00

OK not quite a conversation but cute enough nonetheless! (Note: Babes' voice isn't usually quite that high-pitched, as most of you would know. Dunno why it comes out sounding like that!)

Daddy's girl

2008-06-26T22:58:00.003+10:00

Here's Kyla Rose Wong, starting off fairly simply before moving on to Tolstoy's War and Peace shortly after. Her first 3,000 word essay on 'The Role of Particle Physics in Burkina Faso's Economic Development' is due next Friday.

KRW is 6 months old!

2008-06-21T10:01:00.004+10:00

Kyla Rose celebrated her 'birthday' with a different rollover, and looked really proud of herself after. Here she is!

Another date for Bubs and Babes

2008-06-20T21:49:00.004+10:00

Bubs and Babes caught Michael Buble live in concert at Rod Laver Arena, thanks to Amanda, Jag and Marlene who not only got us the tickets but also babysat Kyla Rose. This Canadian crooner is hugely entertaining, and endeared himself tremendously to the 12,000 or so who packed the hall. Thanks, Mans, Jag and Mars! We really enjoyed ourselves, including strolling along the Yarra River and holding hands under the moonlight as we walked to and from the car...
(picture taken by Paul Trezise for the Herald Sun)

KRW's YouTube debut

2008-06-18T13:56:00.001+10:00

Light at the end of the tunnel

2008-06-17T21:22:00.004+10:00

Kyla Rose slept pretty well the last couple of nights, especially last night. Which is EXCELLENT news... unfortunately Babes got so excited about this development last night that she couldn't really sleep. Meanwhile, we've got priceless footage of KRW rolling over, which we'll try to post in the next day or two. Until then, here's a still shot just before she rolls...

She's still at it - Night 16

2008-06-15T22:34:00.004+10:00

Babes initially suggested not mentioning the number of nights in the title, but then we decided not to sugar-coat it. After all, having a baby isn't just about the cuteness... Anyway, after Babes put Kyla down tonight, she got up 20 minutes later. So we decided to let her cry. And now, more than an hour later, she's still at it. But just to remind us that it's all worthwhile, here's a recent shot of her. Oh and after last week's baby gym session she's also learned to roll over. Very cute....