Day 12- Xander & The Tree Wizard

"XANDER Claus has come to town." This refrain resounded on many a facebook walls and now on this blog. Yes, Win's Boxing Day darling has finally arrived, after poor Mama Xander laboured for more than 20 hours.

Looks like I will have to add a baby room with cradle and the works in my palace cos X-man wants a spot in history too.

For the time being, the plans for the palace are of course on hold for a teeny while cos Dada has not been sleeping much.

In the usual Chinese tradition, Mama X will be in "confinement" for 1 month. Its called "confinement" cos both Mama and baby will not leave the house until the mother is properly nourished with Chinese confinement food.

Exactly 1 month after the baby is born, the parents will organise a feast, for all their relatives and friends. This is also when the proud parents will show off their ever so cute baby. 26th Jan is also the Chinese Lunar New Year. Xander really picked a great day to be born. Anyway, Win said he would also try to finalise the plans during this 1 month.

I am now thinking of incorporating a "showing-off Baby Xander" scene in the dollhouse. Don't think the Bride will want anyone to steal her thunder though, especially a cute baby.

The one thing I did for my palace today was to visit the TREE WIZARD, Christopher Pereira, at his 1st solo exhibition at Sculpture Square. Chris makes miniature trees and he is probably the most notable tree maker in Singapore. His work was selected as a gift to the President of Singapore in quite a prominent gala event here in 2004 where the National Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards were given out. He also told me that he has been invited to exhibit at the Singapore Arts Museum in the early half of next year.

I sought Chris out because I had wanted to see if he can make me a big banyan tree and some frangipani trees for the palace. I had wanted the Banyan Tree that Buddha meditated under. Chris promptly corrected me and told me it was a bodhi tree and not a banyan. I love trees and I am one of the lucky few whose house is surrounded by them, especially banyans. I may just have a banyan anyway.

Not only can Chris make me any tree I want, he can also help and guide me in the building of my Mughal palace!!

I was so thrilled that I invited him home to show him the plans, pillars etc. We got really carried away and even talked about how if the dollhouse should turn out well, it could be featured at Chris' next exhibition at the Singapore Arts Museum!! I am to visit his workshop soon.

It is good to have met Chris today cos unlike everyone else who thought I was too ambitious, he told me "everything is possible" . He seemed keen for us to work together. I had better talk to him about my limited budget for the palace before anything happens.