Night Out

It's time for the bi-annual Family Day again. Of all my 14 faithful years serving the organisation, this is my second time attending such an outing. I didn't regret buying the cheap tickets one bit.

Hubby and I plus the two kids met up with his best buddy, wife and two kids as well. It was held at Sentosa's Palawan Beach. Free food and awesome goodie bags. The evening started of great and the kids never bothered about the inflatable playground as they were too busy chasing each other across the sand. Matin as usual was engrossed in piling up sand in the middle of the goal post, oblivious to everything.

About a quarter to 9pm, everyone walked the short distance to watch Songs of the Sea and the laser display thing. We nearly couldn't get in because hubby's friend misplaced the tickets. I've got all 4 tickets tucked safely in my bra as I've got my hands full with the still uneaten food and my carrier and clutching a whining Matin who couldn't understand why everyone wouldn't go in.

It was like watching The Amazing Race as the couple blamed each other on who lost the tickets and the husband had to make a mad dash to the nearby carpark, either to get away from the angry wife or just to check in case the tickets were under the spare tyres in the boot - as if.

The kids mending the gates were easy on us and let us in minus the tickets (I don't think they'd like to hold my sweaty ones). We were the last ones in and the sweet kids ushered us to the best seats in the house. Smack dab in the centre. Turned out that there were lots of empty seats! The show was meant for our staff and their family only. Hah! All that fuss for nothing.

So that show entertained the kids who were so excited by everything. Of course the dads had to join in the fun and flirted with the performing teenage girls just to annoy us. They even throw in a "Eleh, lagi lawa muka bini aku bangun tidor" at the holographic image of the Princess in the story. I was glad this event was held at night, in the dark.

I was expecting a mass jam at the carpark but everything went on smoothly, even at the causeway. We headed up to Changi Village next to meet up with two more of his friends. Both kids were sleeping so peacefully, I didn't have the heart to wake them up. It was afterall 10plus. But I've earlier chased them around the house and forcing them to have their naps in the day in order to hold this night. This kind of late night outing happens only once in a blue moon and I didn't want to spoil it for hubby who couldn't wait to meet up with his old buddies. I couldn't wait to meet up with their wives too.

So there we were at Changi Village hawker centre catching up on each other's life stories. Danial was wide awake especially if he's got Hasnita and Halicia for company. Matin was sleeping on my lap, so I didn't have trouble with him running all over the place. After midnight, we headed on to the beach. I was usually very testy about beaches at night, especially where babies are concerned and when I'm having my time of the month but the beach was littered with tents and there were so many people!

The girls and I retired near the jogging track under a streetlight and talked some more while the kids raced each other again. Matin, wide awake copied everything his brother did. The guys gathered on a stone bench a few metres away and lepak like a pack of poker players, smoking, and talking quietly. Once in a while, someone would let out a dirty joke and they'd all burst out laughing themselves silly.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out how the campers could sleep here. The planes from the nearby Changi Airport roared overhead every other minute. Even our conversations have to be constantly interrupted by the passing planes.

It was almost 2 am. None of the kids showed signs of fatique. We've ran out of stories to tell and have came to the "bitching about each other's husband" part. Just as it was getting interesting, the husbands decided to call it a night. Sheesh. We said goodbye at the carpark before zooming off to different parts of the island.

Back home, much as I hated it, I have no choice but to drag the sleepy, protesting kids to the bathroom and showered them with warm water. I couldn't let them sleep in their dirty clothes and sand filled hair! Once the ordeal was over, they promptly went back to sleep, snug in their own beds, probably dreaming about the Princess who looked like their mom who just woke up from bed.