Cold Storage Kids Run - 24 May 2009

Two months back, I signed Faith up for the Cold Storage Kids Run 09, under the non-competitive, 700m Blue Sky Chase category for kids aged between 2-4 years old.

Flag-off time for the race category was at 9.25 am but we needed to report in at 8.55 am. The only little tricky issue was waking Faith up, feeding her breakfast and making it out of the house before 8.30 am if we were to get there in time -- she usually wakes around 9-ish am.

With all the noise that Louis and I were making, Faith roused out of sleep by 7.45 am. Even though she was still groggy, we changed her out of her PJs, fed her a light breakfast and were ready to leave by 8.15 am. My MIL called to say that she would join us for the trip to the race. My dad, meanwhile, would rendezvous with us at the Padang.

Having decided to park at Raffles City Shopping Centre, we went up the carpark basement escalator to find scores of parents and kids geared up in their exercise togs and the race t-shirts. All of us were going in the same direction to the Padang.

The parent t-shirt reads "I'm a proud parent" at the back while the kid t-shirt reads, "I'm a proud runner". Faith's t-shirt hung a little big and loose for her, but since this wasn't meant to be a kids' pageant and we weren't out to make any fashion statement, it was totally fine. I forgo the standard-issue (or rather the race t-shirt that we were forced to buy - there wasn't any option not to buy a parent t-shirt during the online registration) and wore my own exercise gear.

Scorching was the word out at the Padang. Even though it was a short distance from RCSS to the Padang, I was perspiring profusely by the time. Faith's hair was totally drenched even before she started the race.

Faith and I headed to the holding area before we were shepherded to the start of the race line at 9.20 am. My dad, MIL and Louis continued to wait at the Padang while we were racing becos there was a supposed parent to kid ratio of 1:1. In actual fact, during the race, there were lots of family exceeding the 1:1 ratio but neither the organisers nor the race contestants really minded cos it was meant to be good fun anyways.

There were lots of young kids around Faith's age. I presumed young becos they were all being carried by their parents. One Caucasian mother was jokingly remarking to me that she hope we wouldn't have to carry our little ones for the entire 700m.

I knew I would be carrying Faith for part of the race becos I expected that she wouldn't want to run all 700m on her own. However, I figured that seeing other kids running on their own would inspire her to want to get down and race a little too.

Thankfully, Faith was a good sport and was gamed to hold my hand and run for more than half of the race. I only carried her midway through the race becos I was afraid she would be too tired out or would over exert herself. I put her down again to race for the last leg of the run.

When we crossed the finishing line, we were given a goodie-bag/plastic bag with water, a race completion certificate and two wrist-bands amongst other things. Even though it was not a competitive race, there were people distributing a star-shaped medal for every kid.

We met up with Louis, my MIL and dad after the race. We spend some time cooling down at the field and also collected some more goodies -- bananas and Dettol hand soaps.

By 10 am, we headed towards to the carpark while my dad headed off to walk around at Suntec City.

Even though it was a short 700m run, we were all tuckered out. Faith slept early at my MIL's place. Louis and I too catch a good 2-hour nap ourselves at home.

Its Faith's first ever race and Louis and I are PROUD Parents!

The first mother-daughter outing

It maybe seem unbelievable but up until now, I've never gone out with Faith alone. That's discounting any lone trips that I've made with her walking back and forth from between my MIL's flat and ours.

Thus, my daughter and I set another little milestone in our lives on Monday when we went "gallivanting" in Suntec City all by ourselves, while my mom took a well-deserved one week break from coming over to help me look after Faith.

Before having a kid, I've never had to worry over where I should and can go. But the thought of travelling in a cab to and back from the destination carrying a kid and a stroller in tow, added with the thought that I need to go somewhere with a nursing room so that I can feed her with some amount of privacy, I've decided to bring her to Suntec City. While there, I could have lunch at my favourite Vietnamese noodle place, as well as to parade my daughter in front of some office colleagues who have yet to see her.

Most of my colleagues "ooh and ahh" over her, as most people generally would over babies. The current count for whom Faith most resembles goes to my dear hubby, with only a mere handful saying that Faith looks like her mom.

Nonetheless, I think Faith enjoyed herself quite a bit, being the centre of attention, having many "aunties" talked to her and of course, being pushed around in her stroller. She was mostly well-behaved and happy except for times when she was hungry or when stationary in her stroller. Time flies when you're having fun. Before we knew it, it was 5 pm and nearly time for Louis to come pick us up to head home.

I felt that this trip out was a boost to my own confidence, knowing that I was able to handle her by myself. What perked me up was that I felt great seeing and talking to my colleagues/friends. You see... the thing about being a SAHM is that I'm mostly at home. So, going out and trying to resume some semblance of my life prior to motherhood was definitely a great mood enhancer -- its evil but I finally felt a bit like those rich tai-tais out having their hi-tea and enjoying themselves while the majority of folks were slaving away at work (BUT before any of you get your high horses up, let me declare that I'm not rich, neither was I having hi-tea ;)). Plus, I get to eat my favourite Pho Bo at Pho House. For that, I need to apologise and thank CC for being accommodating. I simply luuurve eating Pho Bo, and 90% of the time when I'm there in Suntec, that's what I want to eat and I'm sure some of my friends are sick of eating there with me all the time :) Hee hee...

Oh well... I'm really looking forward to my next trip out alone with Faith. Although when we do that, the both of us might be in another country, following Louis on his next assignment which would be coming up pretty soon.