XX is 3!

XX turned 3 years old last week and we celebrated the occasion in a low key manner. No big party at indoor playgrounds like his brother and only a small cake cutting ceremony at home with a few close friends after dinner outside. It has been communicated to the boys that they will take turns having parties each year. So next year, it will be KK's turn to go low-key.

Nevertheless we did something special for the day. We bought our bikes out for the first time and went cycling at the You Yangs Regional Park together with our friend Ken. Well, it was more like "attempted to go cycling". The You Yangs was no East Coast Park and we had no idea about the challenges of mountain biking on natural (and unpaved) terrains.

We finally found the parking place after more than one hour's search, by which time it was time for lunch. After gobbling down some sandwiches, we set off, with flies buzzing annoyingly in our faces, on one of the easiest tracks, or so we thought. Within a kilometre, we met an upslope. It wasn't very steep but halfway up, KK showed signs of exhaustion. He had to stop frequently to rest and drink water. Finally he informed that he couldn't go on anymore. We decided to turn back to the starting point to see if there is another even easier track. At which point, I also got a stomachache and had to use the 'compost toilet' there. It was, as the name implies, a toilet that uses natural decomposition in its treatment of your matters. No water, no sanitation. Regardless, I was very much appreciative of its presence in the wilderness.

Ken and Hubby (with XX behind on his child seat) went a little way more exploring the tracks but KK and I stayed at the carpark. He, too tired to move, while I anticipate another visit to the compost toilet. Our energies have been so focused on the cycling that we forgot all about taking pictures along the way.

Not satisfied with our short-lived cycling efforts, we decided to head for Williamstown beach afterwards. This is like Singapore's East Coast Park, with paved tracks and the sea view. KK did much better here and we finally did some justice to our new wheels. XX of course had no problems either way as he was being ferried all the way on Papa's bike.

I returned home and quickly set about frosting XX's car cake which I had baked and assembled the night before. XX had requested for a "strawberry and car cake", strawberries and cars being two of his favourite things in the world. I did a strawberry cupcake recipe and decided to give him a pink car cake. It was trickier than I thought, getting the cream cheese frosting to turn pink! Despite adding strawberry jam followed by raspberry coulis which I made last minute by cooking raspberries and some sugar, the icing only turned as far as a salmon pink. If I had some red colouring, a drop would have saved all my trouble but unfortunately, I don't.

We had a good and literally big dinner at Lazy Moes restaurant. When we came home, our 2 little guests have arrived to help sing the birthday song. XX seemed to have a much better idea than last year about his special day. He looked happily at his car cake, bounced excitedly up and down when the birthday song was sang for him and coolly blowed the 3 candles one by one. It was his special moment.

We had fun talking with our friends over tea and eating XX's salmon pink car cake with chocolate wheels. And guess what? He ate only the chocolate wheels instead!

(ps- have trouble uploading the photos, will try again later)