Wo-oh-oh-oh...One Singapore!

It wasn't that long ago when I would purposefully avoid the crowds during the NDP and choose instead to watch the parade from the comfort of home. But somehow having kids changes your mind about such things, so we traipsed our 3 Jos down to the Marina Barrage to enjoy a live screening of the parade over a picnic with good friends - Joce, Se & Jon, and family - Ji Chek, Jonah, and Amber. 

The kids were mighty excited of course, not just because of NDP, but because they were meeting up with good pals Asher & Ellery and Emma, Hannah & Becky. 

As you can imagine, it is close to impossible to get a good pic of all 8 at once. 
These were the best we could manage

There were quite a lot of people by the time we arrived at about 4.45pm but thankfully the Nairs had arrived earlier and choped us a nice patch of green. 

Joash celebrating his first National Day!

Pre-parade horsing around with Uncle Jon - Human Playground

This is my country, this is my flag...
Majulah Singapura!

We enjoyed the parade...the kids especially loved the planes and the helicopters, and we get a really good view of them from the Barrage. The performances were entertaining too, very impressed by the story-telling segment where the stories were illustrated by a large contingent of people changing the colours of their coats...impressive! Must have been rehearsal intensive and harkens back to the old times when LEDs and laser displays were not available. I also thought the merlion was pretty cute...cheesy but cute. 

And then the fireworks of course. We had a better view of them than we did last year, but still would be much clearer if MBS weren't there...hah:P 

Fireworks display

As for the controversial national day song, Josiah & Emma were singing it non-stop post parade and Josiah kept singing the chorus the entire walk back from the Marina Barrage to Bay East...guess it's pretty sing-a-long and catchy for little kids after all :P