Kaki (friend) time

How could any pilgrimage back to Singapore be complete without catch-ups with some of my dearest and closest friends (including my dentist when it's due for my half-yearly check-ups...haha!)?

On 9 Feb, we paid a visit to my dear ex-colleague and friend Pauline, who had popped to her second Princess Raelynn earlier (the chubby one was about two months old when we visited). So. cute.

Rosabelle enjoyed playing around with Raeanne's toys, like the piano...

The fridge magnets...

And was game enough to take a group shot together. We had a wonderful home-cooked dinner prepared by Chef Pauline, complete with blueberry dessert, and she also blogged about our visit (more timely than me...) on her own blog. Pity we could not find the time to catch up later during our trip, but you can be sure a visit to the Teos will be on our calendar for our June visit!

And it was great that the Choons (now featuring their own blog - finally! I can view more updated catch-ups of my dear friend!) were also in Singapore over that period, and we got together twice!

Once was a swimming session at our place on 10 Feb. There was a slight miscommunciation about the swimming bit and I had Rosabelle decked out in her swim gear, complete with sun block, whilst I was ready too...

And the Choons came, without any gear, as they just wanted to pay a visit, but they could not reject poor Rachel's exuberance for the water, so in she went full monty - haha! The security guard waved no-no, so thank goodness I have built up enough goodwill with the aunty for her to close one eye since there wasn't anybody else around...

Since Rosabelle isn't as much a water baby as Rachel, I had to hold onto her and move her around with me to let her get acquainted to the water. She went into the pool for about another two times, and Wayne even got a Speedo life vest for her, but we did not get the chance to use it before we came back, so this time round in June, it will finally come in handy.

Hungry kid getting grub from Daddy Choon...

My oh my, how we've both grown from booze/fries/chicken wings/bitching days at Papa Joe's to the dedicated full-time mothers/housewives (!!!) we are now...

On 22 Feb, the Choons and Shis again met up, this time for lunch at P.S Cafe at Dempsey (supposedly owned and staffed by gays) - true enough, the service was highly sub-par (maybe because we're not their 'target' clientele?), and we saw quite alot of well-heeled folks, and some TV hosts like Guo Liang etc.

The kids had fun exploring the al fresco area, but I was more keen on sitting indoors in the humid Singapore weather.

Cheeky Rachel and her cute grin - Rosabelle does get over-enthusiastic at times with her (or any other kid for that matter), the poor girl...

I love unposey pictures of kids, and this is my girl wanting to give me a seedling she picked up from the floor.

Santa Choon with his ladies...

The food wasn't that great, and rather pricey, but in the end, it's the company that really matters eh?

On 12 Feb, I caught up with yet another dear friend, Angeline (realise that we've known each other for more than 10 years, since my Intern days at Publicis Eureka... sheesh...), and her older boy Belden. Pity her younger Glendon was ast the nanny's, but I'm looking forward to seeing him in June!

Reason I could not take a shot of both Rosabelle and Belden in the same picture is because Belden is absolutely terrified of Rosabelle. I brought Simon along (as he wanted to follow me and Rosie), and Glendon played well with him (boys being boys), and Simon was very well-behaved, eating the lunch that my mum prepared for him. Rosabelle was probably too excited about the new place, and with Belden, and refused the noodle/egg/broccoli lunch that Angie kindly prepared. Instead, she was more interested in running after and hugging Belden until he had to run behind his mummy in terror.

That's as close as they got before Belden ran away (see how blurry he is as he was scampering away?)...

In the taxi on the way back (I looked like a housewife with two kids bringing them around, and it was hard to get a taxi - we had to cross many roads and wait for at least 15 minutes...), see how lovey-dovey Rosabelle got with her Simon Ge Ge?

On 3 March, Belden's worst nightmare came true when we met up again at 3.3 Somerset, this time with our dear Amy as well.Belden was very well-behaved and fed himself lunch, but we had to put Angie in between the kids to buffer poor Belden from Rosabelle's amorous advances...I can't remember the name of the restaurant, but the food was a-ok and not too expensive. But as I always say, all that matters, and all I can remember, is the wonderful catch-up we had... :)

I had to physically restrain my girl from being over-zealous...

There are so many new malls and eating places in Singapore that I want to visit, but have not had the chance/time to. In the past, sans Rosabelle, my itinerary back was also filled with shopping, shopping, and more shopping as I can cover most of Orchard Road in my solo 8-hour mega venture, but it's another thing now as I do more kids-friendly stuff, haha...

The foodies in us went for dessert at this quaint place serving teas/coffees and pastries, and Belden was running away, going 'No, no, no!' and even tripping over himself as Rosabelle runs after him with outstretched arms going 'Ge Ge!'...

Another must-do on my Singapore pilgrimages in catch-ups with Jeannie, my ex-boss, mentor, and Big Sister - Rosabelle was wearing a Gap terry cloth romper I bought off Taobao - tres cute...

That's our girl in Jeannie's house, as she very nicely prepared mee siam lunch (and had noodles and egg for Rosabelle) for the adults - it was nice seeing my ex-colleagues Sin and Kit as well, and it was not easy to schedule this as all of them had busy schedules because of their kids (aren't we all such committing mothers?).

Rosabelle enjoyed Rachel's Princess room - see how gleeful she looked? On 20 Feb, the Shis also caught up with Rick, an ex-colleague of mine in China (he's also Singaporean), and his fiancee Chloe, at Everything with Fries as Wayne wanted to try a good burger (not that good...). We took a bus there together but I forgot to take a picture with the happy couple...aiya! Maybe the slightly undercooked-looking salmon caused Rosabelle's diarrhea after, and the food portions were rather small, but the dessert and service were good, so I can forgive that, heh...

I can't wait to meet all the folks back home again in June (and hopefully I can post more timely updates after...)!