Letter No. 28 - Singapore ArtScience Museum

Dear Lance,

We brought you to the Singapore ArtScience Museum last Saturday..

To the exhibit called: Future World - Where Art Meets Science..

And you had an amazing time exploring!

Watch the video to see what you saw..

Love,

Mommy

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References:

Location: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Letter No. 27 - No Bad Weather Days For You

Letter No. 29 - Kiss My Chubby Foot

Iguazu Falls, Brazil

So beautiful.. and we missed the Iguazu Falls the first time we came to Brazil!

From the Helicopter

If you get the chance.. make it a priority when you visit South America..

Be it in Brazil or Argentina!

It is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world for all the right reasons.

Spectacular, magnificent, and all their synonyms..

The Iguazu Falls is to me.. without exaggeration!

From the Helicopter

The pictures you see.. mine or on Google.. could never do justice to its grandeur.

So write it down on your bucket list!

* If the weather is good, one day is enough (Brazil Side) *

* Iguazu, Iguassu, Iguacu.. They're all the same *

(We did not go to the Argentina Side of the Iguazu Falls because we needed a Visa to Argentina)

Letter No. 27 - No Bad Weather Days For You

Dear Lance,

Whenever the weather is not good for you..
We cannot bring you to the park or zoo..

But then you need a place to run around..
So here is one of the places we have found..

(Watch the video to see your typical play time at the indoor playground)

Rainy.. but you are happy!

Love,
Mommy

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References:

Location: Polliwogs, Suntec City Mall, Singapore

Letter No. 26 - Friends Mommy Chose For You

Letter No. 28 - Singapore ArtScience Museum

Feeding Babies

On breastfeeding my 15-month-old toddler:

Nursing a human baby on the right.. 

Nursing a polar bear and a dinosaur on the left..

Because they must feed together!

-MomMi Corner-

MomMi Corner

I meet new people..

They ask me..

What do you do?

I am a mother..

(I pinch myself)

Of that child in blue..

Am I really a mother?

I always question..

The things I do..

Is this how?

Is this right?

I have no clue..

I am a mother..

This is something new..

I think and think.. These thoughts run through..

So I created a little space.. To park some or a few..

Just a little corner.. Just for me..

Of days when I step on a Lego Kitty..

Of days when I long to be just Mi..

Letter No. 26 - Friends Mommy Chose For You

Dear Lance,

You will need good friends you can keep for life..

So here are two.. I have chosen for you..

They bring you joy and you bring them laughter..

Their beautiful names are Heather and Harper :)

Love,
Mommy

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References:

Letter No. 25 - Happiest Baby in the Music Class

Letter No. 27 - No Bad Weather Days For You

Perfume Pagoda in Hanoi, Vietnam

I love Vietnam for its food..

Ben Duc Boat Harbour

And I love Vietnam for Hanoi..

Yen River

Although I did it in the past..

I'd say the Perfume Pagoda tour is a must..

Lotus Flowers

Amidst these lotus flowers in bloom..

Rice Paddies

Amidst these rice paddies green..



Row, row the boats with no engines..

Huong Tich Cave

Down the caves of religious worship..

Gate of Thien Tru Pagoda

A young tourist by the gate..

Thien Tru Pagoda

No perfume, but a pagoda awaits..

But let me get it straight..

It wasn't the pagodas.. but the journey..

It was this scene that captured my heart..

Letter No. 25 - Happiest Baby in the Music Class

Dear Lance,

We had no plans of bringing you to a music class regularly, but the first time I brought you to Kindermusik.. 

It felt like you found your heaven!

It surprised me that you seem to have no shy bone in you!

You'd always leave Mommy and walk around..

You'd always go to the middle of everyone and dance on your own..

You are one happy boy!

Stay that way, my baby! :)

Love you so much,

Mommy

--------------------------

References:

Location: Kindermusik With Love Studios, Singapore

Letter No. 24 - The Olivers

Letter No. 26 - Friends Mommy Chose For You

Impromptu Europe - Happy Birthday Bea!

It was a very very wonderful trip!!

-

Met a lot of people..

Met new friends..

Missed the bus..

Missed the bus again..

Slept in a sailboat..

Slept in a hostel..

-

Park Guell, Barcelona

Screamed at Las Ramblas in Barcelona..

Got a tan from the Hop On Hop Off tour bus in Lisbon..

Ate cheap Tapas beside an old woman who drank 5 glasses of Beer for breakfast in Salamanca..
Salamanca? Salamanca. Salamanca?! Salamanca!

Stranded.. Knocked at a sleeping Hostel late at night in Santander..

Ate the best Tapas and Churros Con Chocolate in Bilbao!!

Lazed at a Chinese Restaurant for a whole day in Girona..

Swam in the nice and cold beaches in Cagliari..

Ate ice cream while sitting at the fortress in Alghero..

Belem Tower, Lisbon

-

Great friends.. Lots of food.. Funny adventures.. Funnier misadventures.. Cool weather..

Less our very heavy handcarried bags..

Perfect! :)

-

While sitting at the fortress in Alghero..

"I wish everyday life was like this.. Eating Ice Cream.."

"Hahahahaha.. just eating ice cream??"

"No!! I'm not finished with my sentence!!" :))

Happy Birthday, Bea!!
Next time, we will have babies in tow! :)

Letter No. 24 - The Olivers

Dear Lance,

Last Saturday, we spent time with one of your Godfathers..

Your Ninong Oliver :)

He loves playing with you!

And also, we all met somebody new ;)

Watch the video and see how much fun you had.. and who?!

Love,

Mommy

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References:

Letter No. 23 - Poofy the Neighbour's Dog

Letter No. 25 - Happiest Baby in the Music Class

Location: Mad for Garlic, Suntec City Mall, Singapore

Letter No. 23 - Poofy the Neighbour's Dog

Dear Lance,

When you woke up from your afternoon nap today..

I brought you to our neighbour's balcony to see their dog, Poofy.

We were supposed to just say hi, but their grandmother was so kind..

She let us come in to pet and play.. and offered us bananas and candies.

You had a wonderful time.. and I really enjoyed watching you..

Watch the video Mommy made.. and I am sure you will enjoy watching yourself, too :)

Love,

Mommy

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References:

Letter No. 22 - Found My Nemo

Letter No. 24 - Your Ninong Oliver

Letter No. 22 - Found My Nemo

Dear Lance,

When I changed you into your Nemo swimsuit last Sunday..

You were so excited.. You ran to Daddy to show him what you were wearing!

You don't really know Nemo yet.. But I think you were thrilled to be a clownfish in the swimming pool :)

You know.. I got you this swimsuit in Disneyland when you were still a baby inside my tummy.

I waited a year and a half for you to finally be able to wear it..

And I am so happy to see you happy in it! :)

Love you my Nemo,
Mommy

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References:

Letter No. 21 - The Toddler Tales

Letter No. 23 - Poofy the Neighbour's Dog

Letter No. 21 - The Toddler Tales

Dear Lance,

While you were sleeping today..

I made this video for you..

I hope you'll enjoy it, my baby! :)

Love,

Mommy

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References:

Letter No. 20 - First Haircut..
Letter No. 22 - Found My Nemo

Summer in Lake Tahoe, California

Dear Family,

I am sharing these memories..

Of one beautiful summer day in Lake Tahoe, California..

To daydream.. and reminisce..

The times we had together! :)

Years have passed..

Our babies have grown..

Don't you think these photographs need to be updated? :)

Really hoping to see you all soon!

Bolivia - La Paz, Lake Titicaca, and Uyuni Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni) Itinerary

I have to warn you that this itinerary is very hectic.

But this was also one of the most fulfilling trips we've had..

With only 7 full days to spare and lots to see..
We could not have explored Bolivia any other way..

Sunset at the Salar de Uyuni (Salt Flats)

--------------------

Flight - Singapore to Sao Paulo - Singapore Airlines
Flight - Sao Paulo to La Paz - Boliviana de Aviación

Day 1 - La Paz

Land Transfer - Airport to Hotel - Taxi

Accommodation - Rendezvous Hotel - 1 Night

Mi Teleferico Cable Car System (Public Transportation), La Paz

Day 2 - La Paz to Lake Titicaca - Isla del Sol

Tour - 2 Days / 1 Night - Late Bolivia Tours

Land Transfer - La Paz to Copacabana - 4 Hours
Boat Transfers - Copacabana to Isla del Sol to Copacabana 
Land Transfer - Copacabana to Puno, Peru - 2 Hours

Accommodation - Casona Plaza Hotel c/o Tour (Puno, Peru) - 1 Night

We engaged a travel agency for our Lake Titicaca tours just because it was our first time in South America, and we did not know what to expect yet. But do it on your own if you can because we realised it would have been really easy, and so much cheaper!

Baby Llama, Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca

Day 3 - Lake Titicaca - Floating Islands of Uros to La Paz

Tour - 2 Days / 1 Night - Late Bolivia Tours
Boat Transfers - Puno to Uros Islands to Puno
Land Transfer - Puno to La Paz - 5 Hours

Accommodation - Rendezvous Hotel - 1 Night

Totora Boat, Floating Islands of Uros, Lake Titicaca

Day 4 - La Paz to Uyuni Salt Flats

Land Transfer - Overnight Bus from La Paz to Uyuni - 8 hours - 9pm to 5am - Todo Turismo

No Accommodation - Slept in the Bus - 1 Night

Witches' Market, La Paz

Day 5 - Uyuni Salt Flats or Salar de Uyuni

Tour - 3 Days / 2 Nights - Red Planet Expedition
Accommodation - Salt Hotel c/o Tour - 1 Night

Salar de Uyuni

Day 6 - Uyuni Salt Flats or Salar de Uyuni

Tour - 3 Days / 2 Nights - Red Planet Expedition
Accommodation - Economic Hotel c/o Tour - 1 Night

Pink Flamingos, Laguna Hedionda, Uyuni

Day 7 - Uyuni Salt Flats to La Paz

Tour - 3 Days / 2 Nights - Red Planet Expedition

Land Transfer - Overnight Bus from Uyuni to La Paz - 8 hours - 8pm to 4am - Todo Turismo

No Accommodation - Slept in the Bus - 1 Night

Laguna Colorada, Uyuni

Day 8 - La Paz

Accommodation - Casa de Piedra Boutique Hotel - 1 Night

Casa de Piedra Boutique Hotel, La Paz

Day 9 - La Paz to Sao Paulo

Land Transfer - Hotel to Airport - Taxi

Flight - La Paz to Sao Paulo - Boliviana de Aviación

I hope this is helpful! :)

Also check out: Peru - Lima (Nazca Lines) and Cusco (Machu Picchu) Itinerary

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References:

Our Budget for 9 Days Per Person with shared rooms - November 2014
(EXCLUDING INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS to and from La Paz)

Accommodations - USD 85

Taxis and Cable Car Rides - USD 25
Food - USD 30
Todo Turismo Overnight Bus Round Trip - 74

Lake Titicaca Tour Inclusive of Food, Transport, and Accommodation - USD 220

Uyuni Salt Flats Tour Inclusive of Food, Transport, and Accommodation - USD 190

Total Per Person = USD 624

(Could be way cheaper if you go to Lake Titicaca on your own, without the tour)

Letter No. 20 - First Haircut.. Second Haircut..

Dear Lance,

I miss your original hairstyle..

Lance at 12 Months

I loved it.. and I never wanted to cut it!

But at some point, I had to.. because your hair was already tickling your ears.. you kept scratching :(

Then I thought.. maybe it was time for Mommy to discover her talent in baby hairstyling..

Which apparently, never existed :)

Sweetheart.. I'm sorry your first haircut didn't come out the way I envisioned it to be..

But you should know that I secretly loved it crooked and funny.. It was so cute to me!

------------

Lance at 14 Months

2 months after.. 

You're back sitting on your high chair at the balcony..

And Mommy is still doing her on-the-job training as your hairstylist.

Well.. it seems like you'd have to bear with me and your haircuts a little longer, Lance..

Because I am enjoying this.. and I'm not ready to hand you over to the experts! :)

Don't worry.. funny or perfect hairstyle..

You are still as adorable.. and I am still as crazy over you!

   

Love,

Mommy

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References:

Letter No. 19 - Keeping You Busy

Letter No. 21 - The Toddler Tales