March was full of fun for our little family, as we went on a short staycation, visited the zoo, and Noah even went to the Night Safari with C one evening, while I had a girls’ night out. We had plenty of outdoor play time, especially during the March school holidays, and when the weather forced us to stay indoors, Noah was very busy with activities such as building, painting, and reading. We even made a TV for him out of a cardboard box, and he had a lot of fun with that too.
I think the highlight for all of us was our short 3D2N staycation over the Good Friday long weekend at Hotel Jen Tanglin. It was another one of our last minute decisions, and I actually booked it on Thursday, ie the day before! Thank goodness we were able to get the last available family suite, which was perfect for us. Noah got his own bed, which was converted from the sofa in the living room area, while our king-sized bed was directly opposite him, allowing us to check on him without having to get out of bed. He even had his own tv, which was pretty nice, since we could watch something else other than cartoons on our own tv in the bedroom.
All excited to be going for a staycation
The living room area
Noah’s bed for the two nights
Watching tv while waiting to go out
To be honest, the suite felt more like a serviced apartment, because it had a large Smeg fridge, filled with complimentary chocolates, fruit cups, and drinks, a microwave oven, plates and various cutlery, and even a separate sink and countertop in the “kitchen” area. Not bad, right?
The “kitchen” area
Smeg fridge filled with goodies
The pool wasn’t very big, but good enough for Noah. There were floats provided as well, but Noah preferred swimming around in his Puddle Jumper with C, while I lounged by the poolside, watching them.
View of the pool from our suite
He loves being in the pool!
The hotel is directly linked to Tanglin Mall, allowing us to grab a quick dinner there despite the heavy downpour on our first night. On the second night, our friends came over for a visit, and we all took a slow walk to Forum for dinner. How convenient! I also brought Noah to get lunch at the Tanglin Mall food court on our last day, since it was cheaper than ordering room service, and just a short walk away.
Dinner at Chilli’s
The three musketeers
Cheapo in-room dining
We didn’t plan our itinerary at all, since it was such a last minute decision to go for a staycation, but we ended up having a pretty good time just chilling in the hotel, and even visited the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden for the first time. Noah had a lot of fun playing at the playgrounds, while I appreciated the educational aspect of the place more. We’ll definitely go back again soon!
At the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden
We also checked out the Car Free Day activities with our friends on Sunday morning, and Noah had fun trying out various sports there. The weather was a bit too hot for all of us, so we left after a while to enjoy our hotel room for a while more, before we had to check out after Noah’s nap.
Participating in the Car Free Day activities
Noah was quite disappointed when we had to check out, and kept asking if we could return to the hotel again. Hopefully, we’ll be able to plan a staycation with our friends soon, so that the kids can entertain each other while we chat!
At the hotel lobby after we checked out
This month, I went for a long overdue girls’ night out with my friends one evening, and Noah had a great time hanging out with C, who brought him scooting at a nearby park, then to the Night Safari after that. He definitely made Noah’s day, and Noah couldn’t stop talking about the animals he saw that evening. Noah actually cried buckets when C went for a guys’ night out the night before, and kept insisting that he wanted to go out with daddy, so I was worried that he would get upset when I went out without him, but he was too excited about his Night Safari date with C to care that mummy was going out without him. Way to make mummy feel loved, Noah!
Night Safari with Daddy
Trying to convince C that his Tiger needed a new friend
We actually visited the zoo the day before C brought Noah to the Night Safari, so I was surprised that Noah wanted to go to the Night Safari so soon after seeing all the animals at the zoo. I was exhausted after our zoo trip, even though we took the tram at some points, so I think it was good that they had a father-son date at the Night Safari without me.
At the zoo
Another major event that occurred in the month of March was that Noah finally got to move out of his cot, onto his very own mattress. He had been whining about having to sleep in the cot for a while now, and I felt sorry for him, so I convinced C to make a trip down to Ikea to get a small mattress for Noah. I figured it was a good time anyway, so that he wouldn’t feel like he was kicked out of his mattress for the babies, and was pleasantly surprised that Noah himself told us that the babies could have his cot while he slept on the mattress. He was so excited that he wasn’t “trapped” anymore, and kept climbing onto our bed, or leaving his mattress to drink water/get another book/go to the toilet, that I almost regretted shifting him out of his cot, but things are more settled now that he has gotten used to the novelty of it.
First night on his own mattress
He ended up pushing the mattress next to our bed, so that he was nearer to me
He claimed that his “babies” wanted to watch him nap
How he ends up sleeping on most nights
I’ve been trying to let Noah have more outdoor play-time, since he is so active, and it’s been quite interesting watching him interact with the kids he meets at the playgrounds. Noah loves being around other children, and almost always approaches them first to ask them if they would like to play with him. He gets really disappointed when the playground is empty, or when the children are much older and don’t want to play with him. I feel sorry for him of course, but that’s the way life is, and he has to learn to deal with rejection on his own, so I don’t interfere.
Loving outdoor play-time
If C comes home early from work, he will bring Noah out to scoot or go for a run together. Noah has gotten a lot better on his skate-scooter, and I’m contemplating getting him a lighter balance bike so that he can learn how to balance on a bike, then learn to cycle after that.
Monkeying around on his scooter
Running at the stadium
When we’re at home, Noah usually spends time playing with his Lego and/or wooden blocks. He is into his Lego NEXO KNIGHTS now, and often makes up his own fight scenes and stories for them.
Building and playing
Noah recently started asking to paint at home more often, so I got him a watercolour palette from Daiso, and he loves it! I helped him with his painting of a rainbow, and he also painted a self-portrait on another day. He was also quite proud of his painting of five strawberries, and I thought it was really sweet of him to have painted one for each of us, including the babies.
Painting a rainbow
Self-portrait
Strawberries
My parents made a cardboard box TV for Noah one evening, and Noah had fun pretending to be on TV, then getting his toys to take turns in it. One night, he even put it on his mattress and told us that he was watching TV in bed!
Noah’s News Network
Noah’s version of the Discovery Channel
Watching tv in bed
For Noah’s end-of-term party in school, they were supposed to dress up as superheroes, and Noah’s given superhero name was “Innovative Chef”. I went to Daiso to get the materials needed, and modified a half-apron for him, with some fruits and vegetables from Ikea. Noah was very pleased with his apron, though it took some convincing for him to put on his chef’s hat.
His apron
Innovative Chef
It was a fun-filled March for Noah, especially since I brought him out almost daily during the March holidays, and I’m glad we got to spend so much time together. I do miss him when he’s in school, so it was nice to have him with me daily for a week. I was exhausted, of course, but that’s what being a parent is, isn’t it?
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