Chinatown

Singapore has a big Chinatown (and Chinese population.) This is Pagoda Street.

I wasn't planning on the foot massage, but Josephine from One One Massage on Pagoda Street was out drumming up business. She said "your baby can sleep." But Ariel woke up and had fun in the room (we were the only customers.) All the ladies had fun meeting her. I always use One One Massage and recommend it when you're in Singapore! Josephine said Ariel's two hair swirls mean she's "fierce like a tiger" and that she has Phoenix eyes.

Year of the Rabbit decorations were still up.

bookish

Between Raffles Hotel and the Central Library is a big used-book shopping area. Ariel played on any stairs she could find there.

Singapore has great libraries. This one has a large open area for kids to read or play. These Italian Trioli chairs are for sitting or playing. Other kids were lining them up like trains and pushing them around. Some were using them as rocking horses.

Ariel got in on the action. It's fun to see all the books in different languages. We read some Chinese board books.

in the room

Ready to swim. The YMCA's rooftop pool was a nice afternoon break.

view from our window

The Cathay cinema across the street had multi-colored lights at night.

Study break: books are her comfort items.

She likes to watch herself eat and laugh!

Singapore activities

These short videos summarize most of what we did in Singapore.

at the zoo:


at Haw Par Villa:

(She practiced the "stair approach" everywhere we went.)

near the Central Library:

at the zoo

We're getting settled after a warm and exciting week in Singapore. Singapore is always a treat because it's warm, clean, safe, fun, and diverse. And English is one of its four official languages (the others are Mandarin, Tamil, and Malay.) breakfast at the YMCA, where we stayed

At the zoo, Ariel was most interested in plants, leaves, sticks, and dents in the sidewalk.

scouting for emus and kangaroos in the Australian Outback

water play!

Rushing water is so interesting!

Cainz

We shopped at Cainz (a store like Home Depot-plus-Wal-Mart & Petsmart.)

my little helper!

a crawlspace by the decorative cat stickers

Ariel & TaTa find the soft heart pillows.

"Be mine, TaTa!"

Ariel likes to play with TaTa's sunglasses.

Happy Valentine's Day, Jeff! We miss you so much.

Ariel is 18 months old today (the 15th, Asia time.)

I spoke too soon

Last night we were surprised with a big snow. It was very pretty, but is melting quickly.

Contrasting & comparing a golf ball and snowball.

Ariel's God Sister and "China Sister"


snow shark
(I'd been running on the treadmill and pulled my pajamas back on to go outside, so not looking my best!)

The snow flattened our palm tree

and broke a few branches.

snowy day

Riding the Dora-mobile. This toy is a hand-me-down from Audrey. Ariel can ride it in a circle around the kitchen, living room, and entryway (with me steering.) It's fun for both of us.

the real blizzard of 2011

She loves her new books - shapes, colors, numbers - from Grandma Barb and Papa Rich.

Lately, she spends a lot of time reading books on her own. Some current upstairs favorites are "B is for Books" (Sesame Street) and "Feely Bugs" from Ben & Cody.

Who's the boss?

eating yogurt melts

Year of the Rabbit

We've been catching up at home, getting ready to celebrate a late Chinese New Year together. We were honored to meet Yaoyao's new baby yesterday, while Ariel and Becca played together. Welcome baby Sydney!

Have a shoe.

Thank you.

Busy at the piano.

a concerto for her brothers

happy naptime, Schmig

The A Report

• shows preference for certain books by presenting them to me for cuddling & reading
• feeding herself Gerber Yogurt Melts
• likes to feed me
• new hobby: pushing the shopping cart when we shop
• still 8 teeth in front; no molars yet

Blizzard of 2011

It snowed a little, then the sun came out.

a good morning to cuddle up on the couch

Ghibli

We went to the Ghibli Museum in nearby Mitaka.

(view from the Ergo Carrier - so great for train outings.)


The museum is set in a park, and is so popular, you have to get tickets a few weeks in advance. Studio Ghibli makes great animated films, like Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Laputa Castle in the Sky. The museum had original sketches, short films in a movie theater, artwork, 3-D animation, stained glass, and windy staircases. Ariel slept through the whole thing (good, because space was tight!) It also had a large, furry "cat bus" from Totoro, but Ariel was too small for it.

Afterward, we played in Inokashira park. It's a popular day trip for people in Tokyo.

Ariel loved talking to the ducks, geese, and swans at this aviary.

a little Qi Gong

In 2 months, this park will be alive with cherry blossom parties!