Ewan Turns Eight: Circuit Training over Circuit Breaker

Posted by May May 30, 2020

Ewan Turns Eight: Circuit Training over Circuit Breaker

Yours will be our last celebration for the month of May as you turn eight. An Eight over Singapore's two month long Circuit Breaker. You say you don’t need candles nor cake nor friends nor zoom.

Told you the alpha-male kind of black candles I carted out from Spotlight didn’t get delivered. Would you be okay with Faye’s golden sparkly ones from last week? You said, “I don’t need candles lah.”

Told you home-bakers and possibly all bakeries would be closed when Circuit Breaker was first announced. I may not be able to order any cake for you and you said, “That’s alright. We can bake our own!” Inside me, I went, “What! So Troublesome! Sian…” But of course, no matter how much I do not like baking, I’d still do it if you wanted a cake. I cannot remember if I said it out loud but you recently shared that you don’t need a cake either.

“Do you want to Zoom anyone on your birthday? Friends? Grandparents? Maybe you can get them to play the games with us when we go through the game stations together?” Daddy asked. You gave a 2-second thought and declined the offer. “We just play on our own. Don't need to Zoom anyone.”

All You need is US! You crazy fella, you weren't even looking forward to go back to school. When I told you you'd be alternating between going to school and HBL, you clenched your fist and went, “Yes!” To HBL.

“What do you want for birthday?” we asked you, your grandparents asked you, Aunty Jessica asked you. You couldn’t answer. Of course, that's also because you've got everything you've wanted already! How fortunate.

Shopping took a turn for a new. I typed in Decathalon.sg on my web browser and your eyes sparkled. Table Tennis! Archery! Roller Blades! Oh my goodness and you even went, “Skipping Rope! Mommy, S$2 only. I can buy myself.” *haha*

With that, we agreed that a Sports Day for your birthday would make an apt theme! Circuit Training if you'd like to call it. We planned your birthday only on the night of Faye’s birthday. So that’s just 2 weeks ago. I personally think it is brilliant since we missed so much outdoor fun the past two months! You contributed to most of the ideas including the Game Stations and Game Rules.

8 Stations for the boy turning 8 today!

1. Archery

We donned on our family sportswear Rainbow House [back in my days we used to have coloured Houses for Sports Day in school] outfits and started the games with Archery! It isn't a sharp arrow but a soft suction arrow. Safe but still better to have a clear path and not aim at anyone. Our corridor seemed like the perfect spot for this activity since it has a long narrow path!

This was a birthday present from 公公 and Pat Pat. On the eve your birthday, mommy and daddy set all the Game Stations up while you were asleep. I imagined you waking up walking sleepily towards the bathroom but to have your eyes light up when you see your birthday present staring straight back at you outside your door!

Who won this challenge? YOU! You walked away with the highest points.

2. Skipping

I think none of you, even daddy, could beat me to this. I did a lot of skipping when I was young and I doubt daddy did. Faye and you definitely haven't skipped before in your life! So I'm going to wing it.

At this Game Station, you siblings got into a fit. You little sister got angry because you put an X on her Skipping box. You got angry because you didn't know how to skip as well as I did.

It is okay! It is only but a game! Let's practice more together and you'll both be champions in no time.

3. Foosball

We got this table from Toys R Us before the Circuit Breaker. It was at that time when our government introduced Physical Distancing. I remembered it clearly because we were standing behind yellow lines on the floor at check-out.

I was feeling generous that day. You know my rules about gifting only on Birthdays or Christmas right? But I felt like tapping on your Love Languages and declared, "It's Toys R Us Day! And, it's not just going to be window-shopping. You both get to choose a toy each!"

You went berserk and chose this family game. Great choice because we got to pull it out for today's games!

4. Table-Tennis

This is a birthday present from your paternal grandparents. This retractable net set plus ping pong bats and balls is a perfect fit for our dining table! Well, it's retractable. So it'll be a good fit for any table *haha*

What meant to be Girls vs. Boys turned out to be One-On-One because Faye was not game enough to play. She's not the sporty type and she couldn't stand not winning. So she mostly sat at the Spectator's Seat [our dining chairs] or ran off somewhere else to sulk. Poor girl. But still, she said your party is more awesome than hers.

Oh! And you know what? Daddy and Mommy are enjoying this gift of yours so much! We love playing ping pong too. Did I already say we have the perfect dining table for it?

5. The Body Coach

We were introduced to The Body Coach on YouTube by your P.E. teacher. This was one of your P.E. Home-Based Learning lesson set by your teacher and we all fell in love with Joe's classes! You were thinking of the Game Stations and declared that Joe shall lead a class for the family on your birthday.

It was a funny episode. I think it was the First of May episode where he dressed up as a knight and his little children as baby dragons running around the room! We had fun exercising. Your Game Rule for this Station was: No Stopping.

Wah... We were tired by the fifth station and boy did we stop to catch our breaths and rest.

6. Badminton

Mommy shifted the furniture in our patio and Wa La! We suddenly have lots of space to play the sport without stepping out of our home! I love Badminton; more than Daddy. Let's have a friendly match again tomorrow!

Who won? Ahhhh I think let's call it a tie.

7. Happy Birthday Whipped Cream Smash

The two-hour indoor Sports Day ended with an inaugural [surprise] cake-smash on the birthday boy’s face! We used whipped cream instead because Faye disagreed with a cake smash, “How can we waste food? I don’t think that’s a good idea.” *nods nods* Yes Mdm! Waste a bit of cream can? There were no canned whipped cream in the supermarkets and I resorted to making my own while you were playing your game of Badminton with Dada.

You were totally caught by surprise after you blew out the candle and I wasn't expecting you to get mad! You screamed!

I made two plates of whipped cream. It was actually meant for the boys but Daddy quickly passed you the second plate and told you to smash Faye in her face! I didn't think she could take the joke but so glad she did. You missed her face and it ended up all over her clothes! Now guess what? She helped herself in the end, picking up all the whipped cream on her t-shirt and smearing them on her face!

No pictures for that because I couldn't handle cream and photography at the same time but we caught them on video! Ask me to show you again when you read this.

8. Water Play

Without a messy whipped cream fight, we wouldn't have anything to wash off at Water Play! You kiddos had fun.

Faye managed to force a hug on you at Water Play! She was so sweet to say she loves you and wanted to hug you all day today. Look at your face? *haha* "I'm so happy to see you today kor!" she chirped.

"Why? But you see me every day what!" you rebutted.

You are so loved son! By everyone of us.

CRAFTING THE BIRTHDAY DECORATIONS

Mommy and Faye Faye wanted to do more than just play. We wanted to decorate the house up! 妹妹 eagerly asked me about my plan for party decorations and I decided to upcycle the materials we have at home to craft our own birthday buntings and cake toppers since I couldn't find any Sports Themed birthday stash anywhere online.

I know you couldn't care less about decor*haha* Because you are such a boy. Thanks for indulging us in our handicrafts as you watched us on the sideline and agreed they looked nice!

Everything was hand-made by your sister and I! We took out the leftover brown paper from her birthday and stared drawing triangles. Triangles make buntings and buntings shout Birthday! Faye was loving this project and took so much pride in drawing, cutting and pasting.

While making your buntings, I thought, "Why not draw our own cake toppers too?" We had been collecting used ice-cream sticks for I don't know what reasons but we now found a purpose for it. I will be sticking the toppers on the ice-cream sticks on your impromptu off-the-shelf chocolate cake. Erm, which you went "Wow!" at but didn't eat. This is the second or third birthday you sat out of your own birthday cake and chose to play instead!

Ah yes. We cannot forget the Game Cards. Each player will hold our own personalised Game Cards and once we completed each challenge, we will either cross [if uncompleted], tick or keep score. Game Rules written at the back set by You!

I used the backing of the drawing block and divided it into four parts. It has the perfect paper thickness to make a card. Proud of what came out of this one!

YOU

Reminding myself to be kinder to you even on days when you project bad attitude and bad manners. The two things I have very low tolerance for. Yet, part of the reason [some nurture some nature at play] you have bad attitude and manners most likely stems from watching me. I can only say “I’m sorry. I will try harder.” And you would reply, “It’s okay. I’m okay. I’ve forgotten about it already. Do you know Lord Spryzen can spin and burst his…”

Mommy goes, “Huh?”

You have this ability to switch from a solemn mood to a light-hearted one. Thank you for growing up with me and for always teaching me how to be better as a person too.

MCDONALD'S

Oh My Goodness! MCD!

We haven't had McDonald's in months because they closed after having a few cases of COVID-19 working in their premise. Daddy suggested making your birthday extra happy by surprising you with a Happy Meal.

The delivery arrived at our door. I told you to go pick up our dinner. You saw the sticker, "McDonald's" and screamed at the top of your lungs!

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY EWAN!