Annual report - 2013

After a hiatus spanning two years, the bar's annual report post is back.

• 2013 was the year when Xena turned two. Fortunately, we didn't experience the terrible twos at all, which makes me very very suspicious. Hopefully 2014 will not usher in an era of the terrible threes.
• 2013 was the year when Xena started preschool. And living up to the precedence set by her nerdy mommy, she loved it from day one. Hopefully 2014 will see her more at school and less in the hospital.
• 2013 was the year when all I posted on the blog were Xena posts and more Xena posts. Hopefully 2014 will change that.
• 2013 was the year when I only wrote an average of 2-3 posts per month, and even those were mostly compilations of my Facebook posts on Xena. Tsk tsk. Hopefully 2014 will change that too.
• 2013 was the year when Viv and I managed to do two holidays - a short one in Phuket and a longer one (a road trip in Australia that I am currently covering in Hopscotch). Contrary to our expectations, Xena did not give us much trouble. Hopefully 2014 will also allow us our two holidays.
• 2013 was the year when I published six more books, bringing my total book count to 18. (For the uninitiated, no I'm not some cool author that writes best-selling fiction. I write boring science assessment books for kids.) My time-management skills were really put to the test as I juggled taking care of Xena alongside my deadlines. Hopefully 2014 will bring in some happy royalty statements.
• 2013 was the year when, after a long long time, I indulged in a five-hour shopping spree with a friend, while Viv stayed at home and watched Xena. As I like to say, that truly was 'duty-free shopping'. Hopefully 2014 will bring many many new pairs of shoes (and ahem, the money to buy them with).
• 2013 was the year when McAloo tikki burger arrived in Singapore. It was yum, therefore it was kind of depressing that they took it away. Hopefully 2014 will bring it back, and all the other yummy things that only McD in India has.
• 2013 was the year when the terrible haze struck our clean and green Singapore, and the PSI shot to an unbelievable high of 401. Hopefully 2014 will be clean, green and haze-free.
• 2013 was the year when I reintroduced myself to my sewing machine. I made two dresses for Xena. With bolster covers. Hopefully 2014 will see more time for, and more creations on, the machine.
• 2013 was the year when some very dear friends from our university days visited us. It was so so so great to see them again. Hopefully 2014 will reunite us.

I have yet to finalise my list of resolutions for 2014, but I do have a blanket wish for 2014. Good health for everyone, especially Xena.

Have a terrific new year, bewdas! Thanks for hanging out at the bar. :)

Christmas comes but once a year

For Xena's first Christmas, I put her on a mat, made her wear a $1 Santa hat and took a photo. That was it.

For Xena's second Christmas, I took her down to our building's management office where they had put up a tree, made her wear a snowman hairband and took a photo of her against the tree. That was it. 

For Xena's third Christmas, she got her own tree, her choice of ornaments that she helped put on the tree, presents from everyone (!) during our secret Santa party, and a special gift inside the stocking she'd hung the night before -- the much-coveted light-up Hello Kitty shoes that she had been asking Santa for.  

Is it any wonder therefore that she looks so smug?

Merry Christmas, bewdas! :)

Turning over a new leaf... and eating it!

Xena finally wants to eat something... and guess what it is? The leaves of a tree! Yes, she literally describes how she's going to gobble up the leaves of a tree. And also how I rescue her from the tree using a beeeeeeg ladder, and then put it back in the storeroom.

PS: My apologies to non-Hindi speakers, it's too much to translate. Seriously. :)