Jack and his two front teeth

Jack's two front teeth have been ready to go for a couple of months especially one that has been drastically protruding forward due to another tooth growing behind. Yesterday he came running home ecstatic that he had lost a tooth but much to my disappointment it was not the one that really needed to go. But we didn't have to wait long as he came running in again today very distressed that the tooth was halfway there but needed more help. Jack does not tolerate pain very well so it took a while but eventually he managed to pull it down with a bit of help from Daddy! Hence the Tooth Fairy is called out two nights in a row!!

Big Miri Trip

At last the trip Iman has been anticipating for months is finally happening. Her Year 5 group are heading to an outdoor centre just outside Miri and spending three days doing fun activities. They will sleep in two big dormitories, one for the boys and one for the girls and the talk for most of the week amongst Iman's friends is who is sharing bunk beds with who - bunk beds being a novelty for Iman and most of the others. We managed to get a couple of photographs before she joined her friends and stole a few more when she didn't expect it! A few anxious parents there this morning as for many it's the first time away from their parents. But there's one thing for sure, they will all go away and have a blast!

Sports Day 2013

If the day ahead of them does NOT involve sitting in a classroom, Iman, Jack and Ayden all bounce out of bed eager to get to school which was the case last Friday in anticipation of the Junior School House Sports Day. 

For Jack now in Year 3, it was his first year participating in the track and field events. With the older Year 4 and Year 5s, Jack and his mates took part in long jump, chest pass, T-ball throw, and 100m and 400m races. Jack did well in the 400m coming third overall. This was Iman's second athletics day and she came second in the 400m and third in the long jump.

For Ayden, the morning took a different format this year than the usual races in the gym. They had activity stations on another field and Ayden keen as usual completed all his activities with gusto giving all his 110%!

What was probably the most exciting result of the morning was Blue House winning the house trophy and Iman as Blue House captain was very excited and proud to receive the trophy in front of the whole Junior School. Go Blue House and Captain Iman!!!

My Big Four Ohh

I think I stopped counting after 21 but this one is hard to avoid mentioning. I am blessed to have Donncha and Iman, Jack & Ayden, my loving and supporting parents, sisters, nieces and nephews. And not to forget a wealth of friends some of whom are like sisters to me - and who all tell me that 40 is now the new 30 but probably only because one or two of them are well on their way to 50!

Thank you for all the lovely presents. A MacBook Pro that is still in the box waiting to be taken out (Iman already claiming the MacBook), a beautiful necklace from my parents, new Pandora charms from the neighbours, and other wonderful presents from friends including a lovely candleholder, a set of intricate napkin holders & a sewing kit that will need some further thought and research before embarking on a project. And some beautiful flowers too - thank you all. Not to forget the Facebook messages from friends new and old, near and far; that kept coming in all day - thank you all for making my day a special one.

I started the day with the gym, lunch with Donncha by the Brunei River, followed by the JIS poolside and ending the day with a hotpot dinner with the family minus Donncha and my parents who are still away - thank you FaceTime. A simple day with my loved ones.

Our Iman is 10

I won't go into the details of 10 years ago, some memories are best kept in the past. But it all ended well and we found ourselves with a baby 2.23kg baby girl! And that was the first night of many unbroken sleeps - sleep has never been the same again and I wonder if it will ever be normal.

Our not so baby girl is 10 today. There was huge excitement when Iman open her presents this morning. There was a Pandora bracelet from Aunties and Uncle in Ireland, swim togs from Granny and Grandad - thank you. Ayden and Jack gave her a mini speaker and the main present was a Samsung Phone - which is giving Jack and Ayden some serious aspirations for the future.

We had a party in the evening with all the cousins. More presents - thank you for M'ah and M'Pah for the Fuji Poloroid - she loves it. To her PipiNana for the perfume, to Fatin, Zahra & Ma'Ann for the bag and dress and to Nini U for the toys.

And thank you for Donncha for perfect chicken and burgers off the barbie. We had M'ah and M'Pah on FaceTime for cutting of the cake - we missed you both.

Koh Lanta Boat Trip

On Christmas eve we went on a trip to the Four Islands tour off Koh Lanta. It wasn't the sunniest of days and we came across rain and a storm and the trip back was not the easiest but it was nevertheless an enjoyable day out. The snorkeling was fantastic and it was just great to be swimming in the lovely blue waters of the Andaman again.

A highlight of the day had to be the swim though the Emerald Cave. I had at some stage read about swimming through a cave to get to a beach but did not think we would be up to any of that. We pulled up to a cliff face and the boat man handed us the life jackets, pointed to the cave and said "Swim!". I then gathered in my elementary command of Thai that it would be a 10 minutes swim and its going to be dark - hence the head torch he was putting on! YIKES!!

The water in the shade was very cold and very deep. I normally hate other tourists around at these spots but believe me it was very comforting at that point. The swim through the cave was not for the fainthearted. It was not straight through and we were in between groups so it got very dark in there.  I somewhat felt like I as in a queue for a Disneyland attraction waiting for the ride to appear at any moment except that the adrenelin was magnified 100x and there were no cast members showing us the way. And it was a relief seeing the light emerge on the other side and to come onto an amazing white beach with crystal clear water!

And coming out again on the other side. Where's our boat gone?!!

And with all that swimming it was time for lunch. Here's our boatman carrying our lunch onto an island which name I don't know.

Now that's lunch with a view!

And after lunch it was more snorkeling and jumps off the boat

Countdown in Bangkok

We spend the last night of our holiday saying goodbye to 2012 and welcoming 2013. It will be our second time spending a new year in Bangkok, the first in 2005. Iman was short of 3 and Jack only 6 months old!

The streets around Central World should be filling up with people now. Earlier this evening it was gearing up for the thousands that will be there for the countdown.

We wish all our friends and family a Happy New Year and all the best in 2013!!