Pam Ling's Ramblings

Dearth in posting

2009-11-18T13:12:00.004+08:00

Goodness! I know! My blog is DISGUSTINGLY back dated!

Joyanne is no more the wee little baby that obediantly lies in her cot or our couch and gurgles to herself. She is (although still a wee little baby) VERY much more mobile (eeps!) and has become VERY vocal (in getting our attention or telling us she DOES NOT WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE!).

Janine, if she is not smoothering her mei mei to death with her hugs and kisses, is busy thinking of ways to give me heart attacks. Like doing acrobatic "tricks" in a slippery bath tub or CARRYING her mei mei around the house BY HERSELF! She has also blossomed emotionally. Suddenly, she is no longer a little doll but a little GIRL with a lot of feelings.

WHERE HAS ALL THE TIME GONE?

I so want that uber cool remote control on Click for Christmas.

Ok...back to work! Will (do a back) post when I come up for air again...hopefully sometime this century?

My Reward

2009-05-19T22:51:00.005+08:00

More often than not, this is the expression I get after Joyanne has finished feeding.

Such bliss. And at 3, 4 or 5 am in the morning, that happy and contented look makes all the sleep depravation and efforts to totally breastfeed WORTH IT!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-13T13:30:00.007+08:00

Albeit 3 days late, but I am still happy as a lark with the little present and more so because the minute she came home from school, my little girl makes a bee line for me, hands me the flower, whispers "Happy Mother's Day Mommy" and plants a kiss on my lips. Awwwww....such sweetness :D

Needless to say this is going to go into my "treasure trove"

On that note, the kids in the hall also gave all the mothers a treasure box of sorts. Inside the heart shaped box were paper flowers and little notes from the girls telling u how much they appreciate what we the mothers in the hall have done for them. Sigh...who can ask for a better Mother's Day gift than these?

For all the tantrums we have to endure, the heart aches from discipling, dripping noses to wipe, hot feverish foreheads to cool, little butts to wipe, hungry stomachs to (force)feed, and more mommy stuff, such little presents adn gestures make it all worth while. And makes u appreciate all that YOUR OWN MOTHER has done and sacrificed and is STILL doing for you. We love you Mom!

Janine's Gallery: Of Fairies, Mermaids And Princesses

2009-05-11T22:57:00.006+08:00

Of late, my little artist has been very preoccupied with all things that exist in fairy tale land and it's reflected in her drawings. Most of the time, I will find her doodling princesses with long flowing gowns and tresses. But recently, she has expanded her "interests" to encompass fairies and mermaids as well.

Title: Fairy With Crown
Artist: Janine Ling
Medium: Paper, Ball Point Pen, Colour Pencils

Title: Mermaid
Artist: Janine Ling
Medium: Paper, Felt Tip Pen

I just love the way her faces are drawn with no "boundaries" - the eyes and mouths are suspended in space.

Growing Expectations: FINAL appearance

2009-05-05T09:28:00.005+08:00

*WARNING! This is a LOOOONG post*

Ahhh! Finally! Some time to pen my thoughts and put down on record how no.2 made her "grand" entrance into the world and into our lives!

Let's just say while we were anticipating her arrival and had great expectations of HOW she would arrive, like since she is no. 2, I expected the labour process to be faster as how it usually is with second and subsequent pregnancies, no. 2 goes and throws us a curve ball. While she is eager to meet the world, she sure TOOK HER TIME to do it! :P

Contractions

I starting having contractions at 3am on the 21st. It was more like a tightening feeling around the tummy and what made me realise it was contractions was that this tightening feeling came at pretty regular 5 min intervals!

Honestly, I would have still gone to work that morning BUT the only thing was that when I went to the loo, there was quite a bit of show! So that sort of set the alarm bells off in my head. No. 2 could be here TODAY!!! And I haven't packed my hospital bag yet! and darn! Looks like I won't be able to have my free cone at Ben&Jerry's today. Lol!

Needless to say the whole family was woken up by the "commotion" I was creating :P KY (obviously) couldn't go back to sleep and my dear Janine got woken up by all the shuffling I was doing up and down the bedroom trying to throw my things together.

Skeptism

I was so sure that with no. 2, things will progress very fast. And being such a coward when it comes to pain, I wanted to make sure I make it to the hospital in time for an epidural! So I insisted on going in to the hospital...just to be on the safe side! But despite having contractions, I was still able to get Janine ready for and even send her to school and THEN make our way to TMC. Hence, KY was very skeptical about this whole "baby may be arrive within the hours" thing. He kept asking me SO MANY times whether I was really having contractions. "You don't look like you are in pain you know". Apparently he wasn't the only one with doubts (you know who you are!!!). My answer to him was a slit-eye look and a curt reply that "I don't want to give birth in the bathroom or in the car ok!". But it so happens that his hunch was right (again).

Choices

We initially though of calling my gynae for her advice on whether to go to the hospital or not. But for some strange reason, her clinic line was diverted wrongly. So we couldn't get her. Then, since we are a few minutes drive away from TMC, we decided that we might as well go there and check instead.

For all the tightening and cramps that I was feeling, an internal check from the nurse only revealed that I was only 1.5 cm dilated! So we were given an option to either go home or walk around a bit to hasten things along. We opted for "home" and the rest of the day was spent enduring the little squeezes that were getting stronger in the comforts of home.

It was a good thing we opted to go home, as it gave us more time to put our things in order, spend one last precious evening playing a board game with Janine, making child care arrangements with my parents and getting some rest before our world as we know it gets turned upside down.

Finally?

After a restless night, we (I) decided to make our way again to TMC. The contractions were a bit closer and definitely more intense. I thought after a whole day of enduring contractions, I might be too far along to get my epidural so imagine my relief when the nurse checked me and found I was 5cm dilated - still VERY VIABLE for an epi! Lol! I guess God knows how much I can endure! And if KY wants another 2 more, I better make sure bringing them into this world is relatively easy peasy!

At 6.30am, after all the preliminaries were settled, I got my epidural and was EXTREMELY happy and relaxed. Little surprise why this jab in your spine has earned the nickname "happy-dural" :D I tried to get some sleep while in the labour suite but was distracted by HBO! Tsk tsk...we obviously aren't taking this baby business very seriously eh!

At 8.30am, my gynae, Dr Tan, comes in to take a look at me. STILL 5cm dilated!!! Goodness! So she breaks my water bag and puts me on a drip to regulate my contractions. After being instructed by the nurse to call them should I feel like I need to poo, I go back to sleep.

About 10am, I could feel some pressure at my bottom with each stomach squeeze, is no. 2 so I call for the nurse. The first one comes and tells me the pressure I am feeling are contractions and they are coming along fine (duh!). Thankfully, another nurse, the same one that attended to me with Dr Tan, comes in shortly, checked me and pronounced that no. 2 is ready to say hello! Wohoo! So she goes and calls my gynae.

About 15 minutes later, Dr Tan waltzes into the labour suite and engages us in some casual conversation while she preps herself and the nurse preps me. Because I am in no pain and this is the second time we are going through this, it all feels very surreal. We are feeling no anxiety, no nervousness, no fear, maybe a tinge of excitement but otherwise, it just feels like we are standing in line waiting for our number to be called so we can go "pick up" the baby.

Finally, when everything is in place, we do a few "practice" pushes. I am so relaxed that I can still grin while I push so the good doctor thinks I am not taking all this seriously. Tsk tsk! So I put a lot more effort in until my whole face turned red.

One push and no. 2's head pops through and I think she tried to nibble on Dr Tan's fingers while she was clearing her airways.

Second push and Joyanne slips into the waiting hands of Dr Tan at 10.33am! She gives a loud cry as Dr Tan places her on my tummy and for a second, my eyes water out of relief and joy as I behold my screaming daughter. The nurse then whisked her off to the baby warmer to clean her up and take her measurements.

And THAT's how Joyanne made her debut appearance. A little bit of fanfare at the beginning but a smooth and no fuss delivery at the end. So while I don't get to have a Ben&Jerry's Free Cone Day baby, I got an Earth Day baby. Haha! Either ways we are elated at her arrival and thankful for His guidance and providence throughout this whole pregnancy. Now we seek his wisdom as we bring up and parent our 2 little girls!

Sunbathing

2009-05-02T19:01:00.005+08:00

I don't like to sun bathe! *scrowl*

Although her jaundice level is low enough for us to bring her home, that doesn't mean she has no jaundice. So, we have been advised to let her sunbathe when we bring her back to help bring down the yellow-ness. The best time to do so is in the mornings before 11am and for 15 min to an hour. But looking at my daughter's face, coupled with the fact that she screams blue murder when we undress her to bake and CONTINUES to scream even when we sunbathe her INDOORS and FAN her at the same time, 10 minutes MAX is all she will tolerate. Lol. This baby is one chilli padi I tell you!

Yellow Yellow Yellow!

2009-04-28T12:43:00.007+08:00

Do I look cool or what?

Hmph!

Our no.2 has gone the same way her older sister did when she was born. Despite, NOT consuming much ginger in the last month of my pregnancy and even the last few days after delivery, supplementing her with glucose (in other words, plenty of fluids) while waiting for the milk factory (aka me) to get started, PLUS sun bathing her in the mornings, our precious Joyanne's JAUNDICE level still sky rocketed and she has to be re-admitted to the hospital. For TWO days.

Bah!

Apparently, it is very usual for babies on the fifth day after birth to develope high jaundice levels. Oh well, we WERE hoping with no. 2 that things can swing in another direction i.e. NO jaundice AT ALL.

Although this is sort of a run-of-the-mill kind of thing for newborns, having to hear from the doctor that your precious has to be re-admitted because her jaundice level is bordering on dangerous and then leaving her behind at the hospital in the blue room with other screaming babies similarly afflicted is heart wrenching! It definitely doesn't help the fact that for the next 2 days, she will be sleeping in a little plastic box (so not comfortable) and that she may be left to cry her lungs out while she is there :( I was close to tears as I gave her a little kiss and stepped out of the room. Argh! Talk about having to steel your resolve! :P

It's a good thing we are staying very near the hospital so I can do milk deliveries for the little girl. Whatever little breastmilk I can offer her now is like a part of me that can be there with her, comforting her. Bleah :P Only two days! Thank God it's ONLY two days!

Janine's Artwork: A Self Portrait

2009-04-24T22:01:00.005+08:00

Title: Me
Artist: Janine Ling
Medium: Paper, Marker pens

Drawn on the her last night as our ONLY child.

Growing Expections: FINALLY!

2009-04-23T16:52:00.004+08:00

"Hello!"

We proudly present our little bundle of JOY (literally) - Ling Hui Xi, Joyanne.

She made her debut appearance (a little earlier than expected) on the 22 April 2009 at 10.33am weighing a petite 2.9kg and measuring 49cm long.

We feel so blessed and loved by all the well wishes and gifts that have been showered upon us and little Joyanne. Thank you everyone!

Growing Expectations: Week 37!

2009-04-18T18:39:00.000+08:00

Its week 37!!!

We are counting the days!!!

More quick updates on the little one:

- She is now 2.8kg
- Mommy is apparently ONE cm dilated but no contractions yet :P
- Mommy has to monitor the little one's movement (10 movements in 10 hours...something like that)
- Technically, after next week, anything goes! How exciting!

Janine's Artwork: First Humanoid Drawing

2009-04-06T11:25:00.000+08:00

Title: Princess with long hair
Artist: Janine Ling
Medium: Paper, Marker pens

Joy Luck Club Lunch :)

2009-04-03T11:24:00.008+08:00

Ahhh...its always good to meet with long time friends on a whim. And when GOOD company is mixed with GOOD food, its the PERFECT formular for a GREAT time.

We thoroughly enjoyed the unqiue fare at Putien. The lor mee was delicious and while filling, was very appetising! The bamboo clams we had was also very yummy as they weren't overcooked or rubbery. Another interesting dish was Putien's kong bah bao. The fatty pork was sliced up and fried till they look like "worms". And mighty succulent "worms" they were! Hohoho

The other fantastic place we had lunch was Seventh Heaven. I think I enjoyed it more for all the ICE CREAM they offered! Hohoho! While they serve top notch ice cream, both alcoholic and "normal" variants (ya, I snitched some of the lychee martini even though I am pregger!), they also serve a VERY decent mushroom soup and delicious sandwiches!

If not for the recession, I dare say we might want to lunch together more often! Hohoho! Then again, as if we let something so trivial like "recession" come in the way between us and our love for good food and good company!

Growing Expectations - Week 35 and About Cravings Among Other Things

2009-03-28T15:06:00.007+08:00

Just so I will remember FOREVER.

For the early part of both pregancies, I had morning sickness - the ALL DAY queasiness that, under certain "triggers", can cause me to throw up. I couldn't brush my teeth without gagging from the bristles brushing my gums. Certain smells and even perfumes would put me off. My favourite foods like bread and chocolates became unpalatable because they would leave an unpleasant after taste. Overly sweet things were also a prob. Needless to say, during those early months, I lost some weight.

Thankfully, by the second trimester, my appetite would return and I can once again indulge. But then my tastebuds would be somewhat different. Things I normally will not eat, I will eat in great abundance :P

With Janine, my "favourite" food items would alternate between noodles, particularly wanton mee, and curry. ANY kind of curry! The spicier, the better!!! In fact, I was slurping up so much curry, that my tolerance for spicy stuff went up. But only in the curry department. Eating cut chillies or belachan for that matter was a totally different ball game. I attribute my curry and noodle loving phase to the fact that both food stuff didn't leave a funny taste in my mouth.

For No. 2, while I don't have any cravings in particular I do have a steeper inclination towards things that are NATURALLY sweet. Other than that, there have been no foodstuff that I particularly yearn for :P So I have been, until recently, been able to eat moderately and not excessively. So weight gain has been very controllled. HOWEVER, in the last month or so, I have become a carbo lover! Biscuits, breads, chocolates, sugars...I will snack and snack and snack on them! Who cares if I had a very filling lunch just an hour ago!

Good grief!

I do hope the fats I am accumulating now will "melt" away when I breastfeed No. 2!

Well, more updates on the growing little one:

- She is now 2.4kg
- She is still headdown and apparently pretty shy. We can't seem to catch her face on the ultrasound anymore :P
- Her movements, while still a lot, is not as vigorous as they were. I think she is running out of space so she can't really stretch her legs anymore! Hoho.

Tattoos

2009-03-23T02:38:00.000+08:00

I like the fact that WE like the fact that WE have matching "Dora the explorer" tattoos on our arms. ^^

At the moment, I am going along with the idea that if she plays around with these temp tattoos long enough, it will eventually stave off any desire in her to ever get a REAL one. Methinks it's the forbidden fruit mentality - the more you object, the more she will want to do it. Honestly, I know this argument can both ways. But for now, we are having some fun with this stick-on tattoo business :P I am still praying though that I won't ever have to cross THIS bridge on REAL tattoos with my children ever *faint*

Great Expectations - Week 33 And The Name Game

2009-03-20T17:58:00.005+08:00

So the NEXT question A LOT of people have been asking us is "Have you thought of a name yet?"

Yes...and no.

While, we have settled on the English name, we are having some problems with the Chinese one

Essentially, we want a name for No. 2 that means "thanksgiving"

Why are we putting so much energy into this name thing? Because I believe a name blesses a child with the attributes that that name brings. Furthermore, it also testifies to others what this child means to us.

However, because this is no.2 and I just LOVE to complicate and make things difficult for myself, I have also added OTHER criterias to the "perfect" name for no. 2. Like PREFERABLY should start with "J", have X no. of letters in the name, English and Chinese name should parallel each other, etc. Analism does that to you. Idealism too. Mix that with years of having your own or other people's name "mutilated" by "well-meaning" friends, teachers and relatives and even oneself! And, well, you get the "perfect" recipe of a mother with name issues! Haha!

Oh well, (less than!) 2 more months. Hopefully we will settle on something.

We better lah!

Anyway, more info on the growing little one at 33 weeks:

- She is now slightly more than 2kg
- She is still head down (good!)
- She is considered quite "low" already so she MAY come at 38 weeks? Well, let's see how eager she is to meet the world :P I don't mind. Don't exactly relish having to labour on my birthday :P

What Holiday?!

2009-03-18T13:30:00.003+08:00

Just as the school holidays roll in, so does the flu bug! And so vicious is this bug that it steam rolls not just one person but two! And it CONTINUES on its destructive path by striking down whoever is within 1m of the last person it infected.

It first started last Sunday with Janine and I coming down with the flu. Janine was the worse of the two of us as she developed not only a fever that lasted a couple of days, but an extrememly congested nose that resulted in her hacking away, even while she is sleeping! Her coughing can get so bad that it would at times even cause her to throw up whatever little she had eaten those few days :( What a bummer for the little girl.

A trip to the doctors thankfully dispelled any fears that she could have developed some sort of infection (which would mean pumping her with antibiotics...yucks!) or bronchitis (which may mean even more serious medication...double yucks!). So all we have to do is give her "normal" medication to manage her leaky nose which is causing her incessant coughing.

And THEN, just when we are on the road to recovery, BOTH my mom and my helper are starting to feel that itchy scratchy feeling in their throats! BAH! So looks like this WHOLE week of supposed holiday will be spent nursing ourselves and the little girl back to optimum health. Whatever wonderful plans I had in store (like bringing her to Go-Go Bambini's this week) are flying out the window. Honestly, this flu bug couldn't have struck at a better time! *sulk* Then again, I guess I AM thankful that it IS the flu bug and not something more serious. And AT LEAST she managed to catch her Disney on Ice show last Saturday, which I hope makes up for this crappy week she is enduring. Sigh.

Random conversations - Just like you

2009-03-15T23:40:00.000+08:00

M: Janine...what are you doing?
J: I am painting my fingers.
M (mock horror): Why are you painting your fingers?!
J: Cos I want to be like my Mama (KY's mom)...
M: ...

Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes

2009-03-15T21:44:00.010+08:00

Ahhh...the school holidays are here! And what better way to begin it then with a trip to the Singapore Indoor Stadium to watch Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes!

I would have brought her myself only I had my gynae appointment to go to, so the task fell on her Mama (KY's mom) to take her. And, like with the Thomas show we brought her to last year, she was equally thrilled about going for the Disney on Ice show. She was telling EVERYONE that "I am going with Mama to see Disney princess tomorrow" [Note: Janine uses "tomorrow" for anything that will happen in the future. Hence, something that will happen next week will be classified as "tomorrow". Similarly, anything that happens in the past, no matter how long ago, is considered "yesterday". Concept of time still not there yet, but it's interesting the associations she makes between events and when they are held.]

So, did she enjoy the show? OF COURSE! According to KY's mom, she sat through the first half of the show without moving an inch from her Mama's lap and so enraptured was she by all the dancing and ice skating, her eyes were practically glued to the little ice platform in the middle of the stadium. She only decided to stretch her legs and "skate" during the second half but I daresay she had a jolly good time at the show. And to make the deal even sweeter, she SUCCESSFULLY managed to badger her mama to buy the "Ariel" mermaid doll after the show! She has this thing for mermaids at the moment, and the "Ariel" doll being able to shed her "tail" for legs only intrigued her more I guess. That and maybe the fact that Ariel was the star of the show? Well, she was one happy little girl that Saturday afternoon.

Here is the princess striking a princess pose!

Like how the Mastercard advertisement would put it:

Price for tickets - $XX
Price for buying doll at the show - $YY
Letting your daughter have a good time with her Mama and to see the smile on her face - PRICELESS

Some things money really cannot buy. That said, if it takes money to bring about that PRICELESS situation, then I say its money well spent and I will spend it again! Hoho!

Well, THANKS Mom for helping me bring Janine to the show! AND for the doll too!

NO WATER!

2009-03-05T21:04:00.006+08:00

A water pipe burst somewhere on the school compounds today and has left us high and dry literally! Not a single drop of water is coming up from the taps in our block! That means no way to bathe, wash clothes, wash dishes, and even GO TO THE TOILET TO ANSWER NATURE's CALL!

Apparently some taps (and showers) in the other block are still dispensing life-giving water, so hopes not all lost for the 400+ boarders staying under our roof. AND there is a water truck, despatched by PUB, stationed outside for us to gather pails of water for our needs. So, conditions in the hall are still "liveable", a tad bit inconvenient and slightly chaotic BUT still can tahan! Lol

Nonetheless, WE (KY, Janine, our helper Janice and myself) have "uprooted" ourselves momentarily to seek "refuge" at my parents' place until this little crisis has blown over!

It's times like this (and sadly ONLY at times like this) I realise and appreciate just how blessed we are to live in a country where there is RUNNING WATER! Just turn the faucet and TA-DAH! Call me spoilt or a clean freak, but I cannot for the life of me imagine staying and living somewhere where CLEAN water is not so readily available. If ever I will have to "weather" such conditions, I REALLY pray God will give me the sanity to "endure" it all.

Mr Cane

2009-03-01T10:35:00.004+08:00

There's a new "addition" to the family - Mr Cane!

If he is hanging at the back of a chair or anything, which means he is NOT being used, he is "happy". Otherwise, he will have a "downcast" expression :P

Yes. I am one of those parents who believe that if you spare the rod, you will spoil the child. So in our household (and BOTH grandparents' home!) you will definitely find the rotan lying around somewhere. Cruel? I think not. Afterall, "train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

Of course there is a fine line between disciplining out of love and disciplining as a knee-jerk reaction to a misdeed/misbehaviour or, horror of horrors, just because I was in a bad mood. Already I am finding myself crossing this line so many times that the line is blurring. No good. Hence a decision to take this disciplining matter to a more "creative" level.

I don't know how good an idea this is to "personify" a disciplinary tool :P But our mischevious little princess appears to like the idea and more importantly, she catches on that as long as she wants Mr Cane to wear a blissful expression on his face, she'd better be behaving :P

Let's see if this "novelty" will last long...hopefully long enough for her to learn good habits, practices and discipline.

New Ice Cream Haunt

2009-02-26T11:12:00.011+08:00

OK...it's not like we stake out any particular ice cream shop in the first place lah, but it's just that now we have ANOTHER place to go to if we want really nice AND not overpriced ice cream.

We had (from left to right) their classic flavours Strawberry and ChocoMarsh (for the kids and myself), waffles (for myself) and from the premium selection (read: has LIQUEUR) Rum Rum Raisin and Bailey's & Bourbon (for the non-preggers adults).

I luuuurve the ChocMarsh and the waffles. The balance between chocolate and marshmallow was just right so you don't have an overly sweet and not too rich but yet still chocolatey ice-cream experience. Judging from the way the 2 kids downed their strawberry ice-cream (Janine was also "stealing" a few spoonfuls of my chocolate ice cream), it must have been a delicious treat for them as well, and not surprising since Udders boast of using "only real fresh strawberries" for this flavour. The only disappointment was the Bailey's and Bourbon which KY felt just wasn't alcoholic enough so no kick for him there :P

Anyway, besides good ice-cream, Udders also provides some games/toys which helped to keep 2 hyper toddlers very much occupied. That and their big eye catching chalkboard. Thankfully (or not so thankfully), Asher and Janine were more interested in the CHALK than the board, otherwise, according to the sign on the board, their will be "cursed" to fail their next spelling test *ooohhh...scary* Lol.

Well, THANKS for the yummy treat LH and Aunty Sharon. We had a great time just chilling and enjoying great company. Will definitely be back again to try their Udder flavours! ^^

There Is A Higher Throne

2009-02-24T13:59:00.002+08:00

Ahhh...one of my favourite songs at the moment ^^ (Thanks M for the "recommendation"! Lol) The lyrics of the song are just so "deep" and poetic and Kristyn Getty, the female vocalist, has such a nice timbre to her voice. That said, I love ALL the songs in Keith and Kristyn Getty's album "In Christ Alone". But THIS song is my favourite from the whole collection.

I think I am at a stage where songs that speak of His awesomeness and faithfulness strike a strong but no less comforting chord in my heart. It's like they help turn my perspective from one that focuses on the problems/pressing needs/frustrations that constantly bombard me everyday, to one that focuses on how great and marvelous our God is and reminds me of what truly matters. And then when I do that, life's problems just look so small and trivial in comparison to how big He is. Because when I remember about all the wonderful things God has done for me (and the generations of people before me), surely there is no problem too big for Him that He cannot handle.

The songs from this album is like a healing and soothing balm to my soul right now. And after having listened to the whole album like dunno-how-many-times, I feel so empowered, the world can just throw me anything now and I will not be fazed! Hahaha! I think this is the kind of confidence, courage and boldness God would like to see in His people. ANYWAY, enjoy!

There Is A Higher Throne

There is a higher throne
That all the world has known
Where faithful ones from every tongue
Will one day come
Before the Son we'll stand
Made faultless through the Lamb
Believing hearts find promised grace
Salvation comes

CHORUS:
Hear heaven's voices sing
Their thunderous anthem rings
Through emerald courts and sapphire skies
Their praises rise
All glory wisdom power
Strength thanks and honor are
To God our King who reigns on high
For-ever more

And there we'll find our home
Our life before the throne
We'll honor Him in perfect song
Where we be-long
He'll wipe each tearstained eye
As thirst and hunger die
The Lamb becomes our Shepherd King
We'll reign with Him

"Yam Sheng!"

2009-02-23T16:12:00.004+08:00

Wedding dinners are SUPPOSE to be focussed on the couple that is hosting the dinner and especially so when you are giving them the traditional 3 toasts. But at this last dinner we were invited to, my little girl unwittingly stole the limelight! Well, the attention from our table was diverted at least.

She had a jolly good time lifting up her glass and shouting "YAM SHENG!" at the top of her lungs (for once her mommy is not telling her to keep her volume down)! We were tickled by her enthusiastic participation in toasting the newly-weds.

Oh! And don't worry. That's only plain water she was toasting with. No alcohol or chinese tea were consumed by the little girl in the process (though syrupy drinks were sipped in abundance throughout the whole dinner!)

Random Conversations - Fan Vs Aircon

2009-02-21T12:07:00.005+08:00

For the last week or so, Janine's nose has been drip drip dripping. Nothing serious. Just a leaky faucet. Despite religiously rubbing her down with vicks and pumping her with cod liver oil, her nose was still dripping. And THEN, KY's nose started dripping too!

Bah!

So last night, mommy declares, "since the two of you have runny noses, no switching on the fan to sleep tonight!"

And then the little girl chips in, "no fan then we switch on air con ok?"

*faint*

Great Expectations - 28 weeks

2009-02-20T23:37:00.003+08:00

I have reached the state where the tummy has "blossomed". So, much to the "delight" of some of my frens, I am looking much "rounder" and have started "waddling". So officially, the "honeymoon" 2nd trimester have ended and I can look forward to more roundness and more waddling I suppose.

And then, technically, its ONLY.2.PLUS.MORE.MONTHS to popping!

Gosh! Where did all the time go!?!

Eeeps! Time to start putting all the baby stuff together!

But so far, besides the 1st 3 months where nausae, tiredness and an almost non-existant appetite rendered me a near useless mommy, this pregnancy has so far been pretty smooth and if not for the growing tummy and accompanying seismic activity from the little one inside, I feel no different from my pre-preggers days. Actually, in all honesty, I was expecting to be totally frazzled by now, what with juggling the mommy-ing of a very active 3 year old who is constantly bouncing and clambering around (and on!) me, work, after-work duties PLUS all the physical and hormonal changes being pregnant brings. But I think by His grace, everything is still "cool". Ok, so there WERE times when my patience was stretched REALLY thin and I snap. But generally, things are still cool. And I thank God for that ^^

Maybe, as some people say, with your second pregnancy you tend to be more laid back, more relaxed, not so "gan cheong". In a way, I think it's true because having gone through one pregnancy already, I am mentally and physically more prepared for the changes. I know what to expect, what things to avoid, what I have to do, etc. It's not like when I was carrying Janine and every new symptom caught me by surprise and I find myself scrambling to cope with the new change. So in a way its easier.

That said, I think it's also because His grace and providence has sustained us so far and kept my sanity in tact! There were days when I felt everything was just to much to bear, mentally exhausted from a days work at office, still have duties to complete when we are back, a little girl that decided that TODAY she wants ONLY my attention and be a total nuisance about it, etc. But somehow, something happens and things turn around. I can only say that it has to be because God did something.

Ok, these are just some thoughts...I think maybe being preggers has also made me more long winded. Oh wait...I think that's from being a mommy. No wait, I think its just a woman thing. Ah wait...I think its just...ME! LOL!

(OK OK...u can stop rolling your eyes now :P)

Anyway, some information that may interest some:

- No. 2 is approximately 1.2 kg
- I have gained about 6 kg (the other 4.8 kg BETTER be from the amniotic fluids and what not lah!)
- Her limbs are longer than average (like her sister ^^)
- She is in "engage" position (meaning she is head down already)
- (I suspect) she is going to be another morning baby (a lot of "activity" going on inside in the mornings. Afternoon is a "quiet" affair. Just like her sister)

Random Conversation - Morbidness?

2009-02-14T00:19:00.005+08:00

Father and daughter had a rather "interesting" conversation the other day...

J: Last night, I dream someone come into our house and shoot us...piang piang piang like that.
KY: Oh? who did the person shoot?
J: Shoot Papa and shoot Mommy
KY: aiyoh...
J: and shoot Janine and Aunty Janice also
KY: and then wat happened?
J: and then got blood and everyone die
KY: ....

and then maybe cos she didn't like the idea that all of us dies, she changed her story when I enquired further.

M: oh...so Papa died?
J: no...Papa didn't die
M: eh? then wat about Mommy? did Mommy die?
J: no Mommy didn't die?
M: what about Janine?
J: Janine also didn't die
M: oh, so just shoot only but we didn't die
J: yes.

Hmmmmm...incidentally, while we were in China, during a hike up a "hill", we passed by several tombs. Having never seen anything like this before, the curious little girl of course asked us what those were. We explained that they were tombs which people built to put the bodies of their loved ones in. In short it was "a place where some people will put people who have died already".

After that, for the REST of the trip, she would very often tell us that inside a tomb got "dead people" and she would at EVERY opportunity asks us to draw "dead people". She would then point to the various doodles (that I drew on HER request) and proclaim that this was "mommy dead", "papa dead" and "Janine dead".

OR she would attempt to draw them herself! *faint*

A rather "happy" dead person, complete with crossed out eyes :P

And then recently, she got to talking to her grandmas about what happened to their moms and her "dead people" repetoire now includes being "buried in the sand/ground" or "cremated".

Morbid? Of course at first I was rather perturbed and didn't want to draw "dead people" for her, especially not one where KY, Janine and myself are suppose to be "dead"!. But then, I realised it was a good opportunity to introduce the concept of death and how, as Christians we believe that while we may die in our natural bodies, we will have eternal life in Heaven.

So, while it may seem morbid for a 3 year old to keep going on and on and on about "dead people" and "dying" and being "buried in sand", I think it's her way of grappling and making sense of this concept of life, death and the life after.

Becoming A REAL Dancing Princess

2009-02-09T23:27:00.003+08:00

Instead of sending her for enrichment classes, I decided to send her for "proper" classes outside of school. And since the little girl just loves to dance, BALLET was the obvious choice.

Actually, I have been wanting to send her for ballet classes for a very long time as I believe for ANY form of dance (even gymnastics), a BASIC foundation in the ballet arts will serve her in good stead in the future especially if she decides to persue dance (or gymnastics) more seriously when she is older. Moreover, the discipline, poise and grace learnt from ballet may also do her good since she can be quite the sam seng! Hehehe! However, the earliest most dance schools will take in students is when they are at least 4 years old. Still a looong time more for Janine. We tried a "dance appreciation" sort of class at Jitterbugs, but I felt it doesn't suit us. Then I heard of a dance school in United Square that accepts girls at 3 years. And the rest is now history.

SO! After burning a reasonably sized hole in my pocket, our dancing princess is FINALLY enrolled in a BALLET school and is a BALLET student with her own BALLET outfit and is on her way to being a FORMALLY TRAINED aka REAL dancing princess. Let's see after 10 weeks what kind of "returns" my little "investment" has made :P

The Post-Janine's-Birthday-Celebation Post: More Pictures

2009-02-07T01:33:00.001+08:00

The Post-Janine's-Birthday-Celebration Post

2009-02-06T23:08:00.002+08:00

4 CAKES! 4 PARTIES! And all this while we were in the thick of Chinese New Year preparations and celebrations!

I think we overdid ourselves this year *faint*

But we (me at least!) had a lot of fun!

Celebration ONE - School

Both KY and I took some time off from work to celebrate her birthday in school. I always felt that something while it may seem so frivolous (both parents being around in school for her birthday), actually matters a lot to a child. And in the case of Janine, I believe it holds true. Not only was she super thrilled to see us STILL hanging around in school and setting up her cake etc, you could actually SEE that she felt EXTRA special that day. It was written all over her face. Here she is surrounded by her classmates from Gracefields who sang the "Happy Birthday" song for her in BOTH English and Chinese. This kantang mother is obviously very impressed at their billingualism.

Celebration TWO - With our CG

This was a simpler set up. We went to Uncle Geoff's club for lunch after church and celebrated for all the January babies in our CG (in this case only Uncle Joel and Janine. This lunch time celebration had to be simple because there was a BIGGER celebration awaiting us that night!

Celebration THREE - With KY's family

We had our annual reunion dinner with KY's parents on Sunday night and KY's mom never fails to cook up a storm for special family occasions. This year's reunion dinner was extra special because we were celebrating 2 people's birthdays as well. Coincidentally, my brother-in-law, Chee Tiong's birthday falls a couple a days before Janine. So you can imagine the feasting we were doing that night! Well, the little girl was super pleased with her Barbie Princess cake which she chose ALL BY HERSELF. She was even decked out in her favourite "Barbie princess" dress to match the theme of her cake! Lol! As you can see, she was one happy little princess!

Celebration FOUR - With our OH family and my family

This 4th and last celebration took place on the little girl's ACTUAL birthday. So to make it extra special and memorable, this crazy mommy decided to put more love into the whole affair and actually COOK (from scratch! none of that catering business!) a simple luncheon. And memorable it was because with barely half the food stuff ready, WE RAN OUT OF GAS! and we only had ONE HOUR left to the start of the party! Well, thanks to my mom's little electric stove, we managed to feed everyone but you can imagine the chaos! Hahaha! Oh and coincidentally (again!), Aunty Sharon and our little princess share the SAME birthdate! How cool is that! So this was definitely one party to remember!

Why are we pulling out all the stops this year to celebrate Janine's birthday? I know KY himself is wondering! Haha. Well, I think it's for a variety of reasons:

Reason ONE: Janine has started going to school and has made friends there. I thought it would make for some nice memories for the little girl. I, myself, remember fondly of those times (not a lot especially once I started primary school!) when I got to celebrate my birthday with my friends in school. Ahhh...those were like special days that stood out from the rest. So in a way, I wanted to create such fond memories for Janine to treasure as well.

Reason TWO: With no. 2 on the way, I am not sure if we will have the energy to throw such an elaborate set up for her again next year or for her subsequent birthdays. Of course we will definitely celebrate it with cakes and parties, but maybe not so many like this year. So I guess you can say its like one last MAJOR fling, going all out to indulge her in a celebration befitting our ONLY child NOW, before the new addition arrives and the dynamics in our little family changes.

Reason THREE: Her birthday falls (and will forever fall) around the Chinese New Year period. This year it falls on the THIRD day of CNY and with all the reunion dinners and CNY parties going around, its hard to pick ONE day to throw ONE party for her. So, while ideally we would like to have organised her party on ONE day, it was just not possible this year :P

So there! Justifications to the madness? Haha! Seriously, all that matters is that my little princess had a great time on ALL four days. And that she will know that as much as those days are special "just for you" days, more importantly, there are people in her life that love her and treasure her as much as we do. ^^

We love you, Janine!

Random Conversation - An Arguement

2009-02-06T09:53:00.005+08:00

Last night was on of those nights where, coupled by tiredness and yet still having a whole lot of things to settle before CNY, Janine's dinner entics just did not amuse me at all.

For a while now, this girl has been dawdling over her meals, taking as long as one and a half hours to eat...assisted. Some meal times were good - she would wipe up everything in half an hour without leaving her seat. Other times were bad - she would keep her PORRIDGE in her mouth and not chew/swallow, walk all over the place, etc. Those times were very trying times for anyone who feeds her. No amount of coaxing or "bribes" would goad her to swallow her food and finish her dinner within the hour.

Last night was one of those nights.

She started her dinner earlier than her father or myself and even when we were done, she was not even half way through. Even after I spent the next hour ransacking the whole house looking for something, the amount of porridge left in her bowl hardly moved.

I was peeved. So I set a timer out. She (obviously) didn't finished her last few mouthfuls when the timer went off. So I "confiscated" her porridge and admonished her for being not only a time but a food waster as well, how she was being a naughty and that she was making all of us angry. I even went as far as to threaten her that if she doesn't want to eat, I can very well let her starve and become a skeleton and die. Yes. I was ranting at my little girl. Ranting and raving. Going on and on and on. Piling frustration after frustration on her little conscience.

And then, midway through my ranting and raving, the little girl, feeling very unjustified, walked into the bedroom where I was, and declared very pointedly:

"I am a GOOD girl! I am not naughty! You! You make me so grouchy!"

And then she marched off to the living room, plonked herself on the couch with a book (to sulk?), all the while muttering the same phrase a few times to whoever was within ear shot.

My! My! Looks like mother and daughter just had our first arguement!

Just Because

2009-01-30T01:03:00.003+08:00

And So You Turn Three

2009-01-28T02:55:00.008+08:00

My little sweetie turns THREE today! How time flies! It's just so amazing how in just 3 short years you went from this...

to this!

Mommy really wishes I could put you in pause mode so I can enjoy you for all eternity! But you need to grow up and become the beautiful butterfly that God wants you to be. May His favour continue to shine on you all the days of your life and may your life be like a pleasing offering to Him. We love you Janine!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY my little sweetie!

Janine's Artwork: A Family Portrait

2009-01-20T22:57:00.006+08:00

It's NOT because I don't take pictures of them as fast as she draws them, OR because I can't find the time to blog about them (YES! IT'S TRUE!), OR because she "destroys" them before I can snatch the paper away. Though those reasons DO contribute somewhat, it's mainly because when it comes to Janine and her artwork, I guard them jealously and hoard them selfishly. I confess. I am like a private collector who only allows viewings of selected pieces from my vast collection. Hahaha! I did say I was selfish right?

But honestly, I will save (almost) every single scrap of paper (much to KY's chagrin) that has her doodlings, especially those that she took the pains to tell you what they were. To me, those drawings are like a small little peephole into what's going on inside that little head of hers which is obviously briming with imagination. It also lets me see the world from HER perspective and honestly, I am sometimes floored by what she sees.

Anyway, as promised some time back, here's a piece (yup! THIS is one of those limited views of a selected piece so SAVOUR it man! lol) that she drew while we were in China:

Title: My Family
Artist: Janine Ling
Medium: Paper, (whiteboard) marker

Anti-clockwise from the bottom right: KY drawn with little black dots shrouding his face which is suppose to be his beard/bristles on his chin! Hahaha! Mummy (me!) drawn with (long!) eye lashes because girls have eye lashes. She also drew her mei-mei (at my request) and apparently the baby is crying so there are tears running down her cheeks. Shs also drew a self portrait, complete with strands from her long fringe floating across her face, "like Queen Esther (from Veggietales)".

I am amazed at how she translates what she observes onto paper, and quite eloquently too at that for an almost 3-year-old if I might say so myself *beaming with pride*. Whoever said private collectors of art had to be objective about the artist they patronise?

Sleeping Fairy

2009-01-17T11:41:00.001+08:00

From this particular angle, plus the way her hair catches the sunlight, accentuating her curls even more, she looks like a little fairy (complete with pointy ears!) who happened to flit into the room and decided to rest her tired little head there.

Sigh...

I've got like thousands of sleeping Janine shots from since she was a wee babe. And I am STILL taking them! I can't seem to get enough apparently! Lol. Not because that's the ONLY time I get to take CLEAR and plentiful shots of my little fairy but because it's such a picture of PEACE and SERENITY. It is like, at that point in time, the world with its accompanying care and worries has stopped and taken a back seat to this moment.

Such a reminder for me that there are times, even when there are plenty of pressing things to be done (like CNY stuff AND other matters!) and there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to finished them, I (still) need to take time out and REST and recharge at Jesus' feet.

"For anyone who enters God's rest
also rests from his own work,
just as God did from his."
- Hebrews 4:10

Enriched

2009-01-16T09:37:00.007+08:00

Ahhhhh...the time has come!

School has only JUST started and already there is lined-up a string of enrichment classes that you can send your children to.

So...Do I be like some kiasu Singaporean parents and sign up IMMEDIATELY for EVERY enrichment classes to hone my daughter's creativity and talents at the first opportunity? Afterall, what if she, for lack of "enrichment", falls behind the rest of the pack and subsequently be disadvantaged educationally for LIFE? Eeeps!

But NAH! I don't think I am going to jump on that bandwagon and sign Janine up for every other enrichment class that she is eligble for just because "it MAY be good for her". Honestly, I think there is way too many enrichment classes floating around and I also think that, while enrichment classes are good, not all will be beneficial for my daughter. Furthermore, I am more inclined to let her enjoy her childhood and not be holed up in some classroom learning about phonics or reciting times tables, etc JUST YET.

I will definitely be sending her for some kind of enrichment class or sorts and I do have in mind where and for what I want to send her to, because there ARE things that I can't teach her and she will benefit from a more "formal" kind of setting. But I will be doing my pickings very carefully and delibrately. The last thing I want to do is kill whatever interest or joy she has in learning or going for classes that will help develope her talents. God forbid if all she can remember about her childhood was being shuttled from one classroom to another instead of out frolicking in the playground and enjoying the sunshine and fresh air!

My "BEST" Christmas Present Ever

2008-12-28T16:03:00.003+08:00

Only DOTA widows can truly APPRECIATE and be totally ENVIOUS of a "present" like this!

Christmas Then And Now

2008-12-27T17:44:00.007+08:00

I can really see how much my little girl has grown over the last few years.

Here she is at her FIRST Christmas...

Just a toddling little thing who was enraptured by the glitter-dusted balls hanging on the tree. She couldn't be bothered with the presents and showed nary an interest to even shred off the wrappers. Her parents were the ones instead tearing the wrappers off exclaiming in exaggerated tones at the gift uncovered in the hope that she would at least totter over and SEE what she got. Picking the biggest golden ball and "catching" the flashing lights were what intrigued her more.

Christmas NOW

We had to make sure she doesn't rip off the wrappers BEFORE Christmas! As long as she sees anything under the tree that looks like its a present, she will badger me over whether it belongs to her and whether she can open it now now NOW! It took A LOT of persuasion! Oh she is STILL very much intrigued by the Christmas tree ornaments. She keeps dismantling the ribbons and streamers and dances with them. The gold and red baubles were similarly plucked from the branches and made to become "eggs" or whatever befitting her imagination. Anyway, here she is having the time of her life tearing off (FINALLY!) the wrappers of presents after presents on CHRISTMAS DAY (yes, I am adamant that Christmas presents can ONLY be open on or after but NEVER before Christmas. That's MY tradition! Hohoho!)

To all who have so blessed our little girl with more than she can ever need or want, THANK YOU and a blessed Christmas and New Year to you!

Christmas In A Can

2008-12-23T23:37:00.000+08:00

As part of the build up to Christmas, we have been organising Christmasy activities for the boarders who are staying here with us during the holidays. One of the activities planned was for them to go to selected homes and do some good'ol Christmas Carolling and the response was very good! Quite a big group of them were gung-ho enough to lend their voices to the event.

So, as part of the "warm up" to the actual thing, some of us AHMs (KY and myself included) opened our apartments for them to have a "dry run" with their singing. So here you have it, our humble abode CRAMMED to near bursting with almost 50 people squeezed into the living room area!

Taking into consideration these were kids with no professional training whatsoever, it was a pretty decent effort. But more importantly, EVERYONE was having fun and just getting into the mood and spirit of Christmas.

Oh and what was my little princess doing while the kor-kors and chey-cheys were singing their hearts out? She was busy inspecting the guitarists' strings and tweeking the knobs, which resulted in a couple of guitars going out of tune! Basically, she occupied herself with everything and anything except listen or sing along to the carolling (which I had hoped she would do). And then I think she got claustrophobic or maybe overwhelmed by all that Christmasy vibes, because after entertaining herself with the calender on the TV, she barraged her way through the wall of humans to seek refuge in our helper's room :P

The funny things on her head were reindeer fashioned hair clips, a gift from one of the girls in the hall. Very into Christmas mode now! Cute ^^

Great Expectations - "And Its A .... "

2008-12-19T17:21:00.003+08:00

GIRL!

A routine ultrasound AND a detailed scan can't be wrong.

Looks like my little princess got her initial wish for a mei mei! And we are all thrilled to welcome ANOTHER princess into our fold. Looks like KY is going to be outnumbered for a while still!

Now we are hard pressed to think of a name for our second little girl...Hohoho!

O Christmas Tree...O Christmas Tree

2008-12-16T17:32:00.002+08:00

Ahhh...Finally! Our Christmas tree is UP!

Thanks to Janice (our new helper) who very enthusiastically and gleefully helped us to put up AND decorate our Christmas tree. If not for her, we would simply be too busy to have done anything until...after Christmas?! And then what's the point in it right?

Because of her efforts, the excitement, anticipation and the accompanying jolliness for the season seems to have flooded our living room ^^

Its begining to look (and feel!) a lot like Christmas now! Now...if only it will snow...:P

Luoyan in pictures

2008-12-15T23:35:00.004+08:00

For people who much rather the pictures do the talking, here's our trip to Luoyan, Fuzhuo, China in a montage of photos:

For those who prefer looking at people (particularly the handsome KY, pretty Janine and the gorgeous me *ahem*) shots...

For those who prefer to check out the scenery that we were spoilt with and other natural stuff...

For those foodies who want to see SOME of what we have been gorging ourselves on...

For those who just loves us to bits and wants to know EVERYTHING about us (in other words you are KAY POH! hahaha), then just look at ALL the photo montages lah!

Luoyan, China

2008-12-13T23:09:00.015+08:00

Ahhh...and so, we went to China for 8 days. We visited Luoyan, a provincial town in the Fujian province. It was our first "mission trip" as a family. It was more like KY doing all the "mission-ing" while I was the gleeful wife tagging along and doing little spots of shopping. Well, it couldn't be helped really, his command of CHINESE is MUCH better than mine so obviously I let him do most of the talking lah. I think for once KY wished I talked MORE instead of LESS. Hahaha. Oh well, short though it may be, it was nonetheless a pretty fruitful and eye-opening one.

Here are SOME HIGHLIGHTS of our trip:

Xiamen Airlines in-flight service is yucks

Being so accustomed to the good service from SIA and other airlines, I was quite taken aback by the seemingly lower standard of service at Xiamen Airline. Besides the rather brusque service staff, our lunch was "served" to us in little boxes. I felt like a refugee receiving rations! lol

What also peeved me was, despite indicating in our bookings that we have ONE child with us and hence we are ordering a CHILD meal, for BOTH the trip there and back, our special order seemed to be "non-existant". At least for the flight back we managed to get our special order but then again, we had to ASK the air stewardess for it. It's not like, just because you have a toddler with you its a given that you have special food needs (like with OTHER airlines). The air stewardess even told us, "oh you changed ur seats so we didn't know who the child meal was for". Hello?? How may children do u see on board? and isn't it part of good service to ASK passengers? So slip shod. Tsk!

Don't believe what you are told!

Case 1 - 5 minutes does not equal 5 minutes.
So many times we were "dubbed" into thinking places that we wanted to go to were nearer than we thought. Once, KY asked for directions to the NEAREST toilet and was told it was "very near", a mere "5 minutes walk" from where we were. Thank God I wasn't the one with a high tide, because the "5 minutes" walk was actually 10 (or more for me)

Case 2 - A "little further on" really means a few more kilometers!
One of the afternoons, we decided to "conquer" the "small" hill Feng Shan in Louyan together with a group of newly found friends from one of the church groups in Singapore who were also here in Louyan.

Going up up UP! Still very energetic and spritly at the start...

All of us were tired by the time we reached the summit and although there was a big "playground" as a reward for making it to the top and Janine was having a ball of a time trying the different apparatus, I and a few others were quite ready to head on home. But our guide suggested we walk down by the other side for a different view and he ASSURED us it was a pretty fast way down too. THAT walk down not only took us slightly more than an hour before we reached the bottom, it meandered round and UP the hill too! So there were many times instead of walking DOWN stairs, we were walking UP MORE stairs that seem to lead DEEPER into the hill. Argh!

Going down...NOT!

Already exhausted from the initial climb PLUS worrying that the little girl is missing her afternoon nap PLUS the fact that the water bottles we brought along were near empty and we are not even near any form of civilisation made one pretty grouchy me who was trying VERY hard NOT to grumble and complain any more than I already did to KY :P

Well, THANK GOD that the wonderful people from Fuzhuo Methodist Church were with us for the walk and the younger more energetic ones (Kor2 Gerald and Chey2) took turns to carry and entertain the little girl for us from the start of our climb to when we FINALLY made it back to base. What a GREAT help they were!

Toilets

While there is marked improvements in the design of their cubicles ie MOST toilets now have DOORS, whether the locals USE them is another thing! I have on a few occasions walked in on ladies, with nary a care in the world, half way through their business with the toilets doors WIDE OPEN. Talk about cultural shock!

The worst toilet that I have been to most certainly is the one located "5 minutes" away from the barbeque site we were at. Although there were individual cubbies, it was almost as good as a hole in the floor which everything went down to. You can also imagine the "aroma". The girls' loo was also particularly bad compared to the guys'loo because there were USED sanitary napkins littered everywhere! Eeeks! To keep my lunch down I got KY to keep watch while I steal a few moments in the guys' loo instead :P

Road ettiqutte

Although there is suppose to be a highway code in existance, most locals (motorist and pedestrains alike) don't observe them! Lol. But I must say, while traffic may seem haphazard and the drivers drive fast and tailgate, they GIVE WAY when another vehicle indicates their intention to change lane. So unlike Singapore. Singaporean drivers are too aggressive for their own good I feel. That explains why our country is reputed to have the highest no. of traffic accidents.

The people in Louyan

While my initial impression was that they were a rather rude, impatient and somewhat unfriendly kind of people (from the experience on the plane plus a lot of experiences on home ground!), the week we spent in Louyan showed me that the Chinese population in Luoyan was different, well, at least those that we have met and gotten to know better. They showed us that they were very warm and sincere people who, if you were in a fix, would try to go all out to help you. Or they would try to match their timetable to yours. It's really all about putting the needs of their guests before them. So it goes without saying much that we did enjoy quite a bit of pampering from our hosts ^^

They were also a people who will hold you in high esteem. Nobody will address you by your given name. You are always addressed as "XX lao shi" ("teacher" in chinese), XX being your surname. It would be highly disrespectful if you or they were to call you by your given name. Very different culture for me, because back home its the reverse! I call (almost) everyone by their first names, even my bosses! Here's something we can learn from them! While it's a little formal and stiff, but sometimes, without such formalities, we can appear to be rather rude and uncouth ourselves.

It was cold cold COLD!!!

Mornings aren't so bad. But come evening, when the sun sets, so does the temperature! the lowest it has gotten while we were there was 10 degrees at night. To make things even more "intereseting", the room we were staying at did not have a heater! I have never worn so many layers of clothes in my life. Even with a proper fleece jacket (plus many layers of clothes), walking around at night was quite a challenge!

According to Suit Khuin, the weather actually warmed up a bit for us while we were there but they are expecting it to drop more as winter sets in! GOSH! While the cold is a refreshing welcome from the blazing heat and humidity we are used to on our sunny island, I told KY I doubt I can withstand such cold temperatures for an extended period of time :P That said, I think the only person who didn't mind the cold was Janine! She took it better than the 2 of us! Maybe because most times she was running about the place and was always in constant motion! Haha! Anyway, because of the cold, she had some really nice rosy cheeks after the trip ^^

My daughter never ceases to amaze me

She kills a wasp-like insect BY HERSELF! No fear *faint*

She makes friends with total strangers! Here she is holding hands with a little girl whom she met at the Fuzhuo zoo while looking at giangantic gold fishes just a few minutes before this shot was taken.

She can charm the adults there (except her parents) into getting what she wants. Here she is getting "unauthorised" access to pat the parrots at the zoo. By right to even get the bird to fly to you, you need to wave a dollar bill up in the air and the birds will swoop down on the note, land momentarily and fly back to their handlers. By left, Janine just walked right into the enclosure and charmed the "chey chey" there into acceding to her request to see the birds.

It's amazing what kids can get away with. Good for us too! *chuckle*

"Nostalgia"

2008-11-26T23:26:00.000+08:00

On the LAST Sunday of OCTOBER, our little princess made her stage DEBUT!

She has spent many weeks practising and rehearsing with her classmates and, like all proud parents, we were looking forward to this day to see the little princess dancing on stage with MUCH anticipation and enthusiasm. Even her grandparents got into the act too! Here's her mama helping her to put on make-up (YES! Make-up!!! My barely 3-year-old is wearing make-up for the FIRST TIME!)

Janine's class was one of the first to perform and they danced, wiggled and skipped to the song "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head". KY and I were thoroughly impressed that even at such a young age of 3 (Janine's classmate are older than her by a year :P), they could REMEMBER the choreography so well. Everyone (including Janine) executed their steps like clockwork! NO help or prompting from their teachers!

Other classes also performed and with each performance, we were even more awed and impressed at not only the creativity that the teachers of the school have put in choreographing their class' performance (there was a class that had some of the children replicating a shower and telephone!), but also the seemingly complex moves the children made which we felt got even more complicated the older the children were. There was one class that made my jaw drop because part of the dance routine had the girls hula-hooping for a good minute. Non-stop. And the girls did not even drop the hoop. Not once!

The finale was very heart warming. All the classes came out to give a rendition of 3 songs, one of which was "Worthy is the Lamb" and ALL the children were taught to perform it with sign language! Seeing even Janine signing for "lamb", "crown" or "victorious" brought tears to my eyes. Surely the Lord is doing something in the lives of these children, afterall " Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" (Matthew 19:14)

Janine signing "lamb"

She is SUPPOSE to be signing "victorious", but looks like she got caught up in an Edvard Munch moment (hmmm...the sibs seem to have something in common...lol)

It was truly a grand and impressive affair for KY and me. We are so proud of the accomplishments our little princess has made thus far and we are grateful for the love and care the teachers at Gracefield have lavished on her to help bring out the best in her.

Definitely looking forward to NEXT year's concert. ^^

Ode to Tomato

2008-11-23T08:18:00.004+08:00

(Humour me. I'm in one of those eccentric moods! Hahaha)

juicy and sweet
tiny and red
oh what a nice treat
you'd have made instead
alas your fate
of ending on a plate
was dashed to pieces
when the little missus
squished u between covers
as a surprise to others
who'd open the case
and instead of a disc
find u in place
oh what a sight this!
But it's not all bad
so don't be so sad
cos u made it on a post
your memory no ghost

"Papa, can you tell me a story?"

2008-11-22T23:54:00.001+08:00

Here's KY making up a story for the little girl using her small wooden blocks. From where I am sitting at the computer, I can make out something about a "lady bug" and some other "bug" working together to do something.

One thing's for sure, KY is the FUN parent, who will romp around with the girl (when he has the energy and NOT on the computer) and spin stories or make up a game out of thin air. He is always so ENGAGED with the girl.

Me? I am the grouchy, uptight parent who too often wields (or threatens to wield) the cane and, even if I have LOADS of energy, does utterly boring things with the girl like WATCH her play with her toys because try as I might, I take a SUPER long time to think of any CREATIVE play. So I end up just fiddling with her toys together with her for a while before giving up and leaving her to "explore" on her own. Sometimes, for lack of a better idea, I just suggest a cartoon from her growing DVD collection. Its a good thing she is a TV junkie like me so the two of us are very comfortable just chilling on the couch :P I am SO the engaging parent. Pfffft!

Ok, maybe the ONE creative thing I like to do and Janine likes to do as well is to draw together. Oh, I simply love drawing for her because even (to me) the most awful slipshod cartoon brings forth squeels of delight from the little girl. Even KY's STICK figures renders the same reaction from her! Lol! She finds great delight in watching her "tiger", "Nemo", "Thomas" or whatever character "come to life" under my pen. And she has no lack of creative juices either. She will add on her own "stories" or characters to the pictures that I have drawn under her requests. We love to see what she will come up with and we have had quite a lot of surprises (YES! I promise to post some of her creations *fingers crossesd*). Ok lah, maybe I am not THAT boring a parent lah *consoling myself*.

Hurricane Janine

2008-11-22T23:52:00.000+08:00

Our living room in the aftermath *faint*

Hohoho...and the "Hurricane" is sitting all content on top of the "debris", seemingly basking in the glow of her achievenment!

A Family "Portriat"

2008-11-16T22:10:00.004+08:00

Janine and I were having some fun with Playdoh this afternoon (courtesy of KY's mom ^^) and we came up with this:

Guess who's who. Lol!

Janine had specially asked for me to make one for "baby". So sweet ^^

Techno Babe!

2008-11-16T12:48:00.002+08:00

FYI, that's my pda handphone that little girl has in her hands! She's obviously VERY comfortable scrawling something on the little screen with the tiny stylus.

Not much initiation on our part really. We simply, on occasions, shoved the stylus into her little hands and directed her to "draw" on the "paper" on the screen. And she caught on marvelously. To the extent she will ask to "draw" on my handphone when she sees me whip it out to check for messages or what not.

Her generation is most definitely the "high-tech" generation. Goodness!

Growing Expectations - 15 Weeks

2008-11-06T23:47:00.003+08:00

Here's another "profile shot" of No. 2.

I can assure you that THAT is a face and with some more (ok...A LOT more!) imagination, you can (sort of) make out the hands/arms that are crossed in front.

I wanted this entry to be the entry to announce whether No. 2 is a boy or girl. At least it would be a whole lot easier to PROPERLY be able to refer to the growing human inside me as a he or she :P But, the little fella is obviously not the sort to subject himself (generic) to some "indecent exposure". The WHOLE time the ultrasound was trained at the bub, No. 2 just simply refused to uncrossed his legs and reveal what's between those little kicking limbs! Eventually, he got fed up and wriggled off somewhere out of the "prying" eyes of the ultrasound. Probably to sulk and (maybe) suck his thumbs or hand in some "corner" of the womb (YES! We SAW the little one happily chomping away at his fingers during the ultrasound!)! Displaying A LOT of personality already huh? Lol!

Anyway, all was not in vain, because Janine got a chance to glimpse at her little brother/sister. The kind doctor let her clamber up to sit astride my legs so she could see what was going on on the little screen. No. 2 seem to "know" his big sister was watching so he turned around and gave a "high 5" to Janine. You can imagine how elated the little girl was after that.

After that visit, Janine now refers to No. 2 as "my baby". "My baby is inside mommy's tummy". Lol. And for some strange reason, instead of "mei mei" (younger sister), she will tell you "di di" (younger brother). No matter how you suggest otherwise, she will insist "di di".

Oh well, ANOTHER 4 more weeks to the next visit and maybe ALL will be revealed!

He Will Carry You

2008-10-20T10:28:00.004+08:00

The last few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for the girls on the floor that my fellow AHMs and I am currently overseeing. What with the stress of preparing and taking exams, getting back results, rushing to finish PW reports and presentations and then having to face the possibility of being relocated to another hostel in your final year and "start all over again".

I must say, while these girls are pretty tough and have taken everything that we have thrown at the them in this past year very well in their stride, this year end crunch is really coming close to being the hay that breaks the camel back. Even we AHMs feel it too for them and much as we wish we could do something MORE, some things are just out of our hands. So besides being there for them and offering them a listening ear, the next best thing we can do is to pray for them and trust that God is there carrying them through this tough time.

I was moved by this song that Aunty Chin Yee (one of the AHMs) led for Chapel last evening. It really spoke to me about the current situation we are in and reminded me that even when things seem impossible and difficult and or so turbulent, we are not alone in our struggles and that we have an awesome God to lead us through. And so I thought I would share this song to the girls on our floor to encourage them to look to God and draw strength from Him. After all, the One who "knows the plans [He] has for [us], plans to prosper [us] and not to harm [us], plans to give [us] a hope and future" (Jeremiah 29:11), will surely "never leave us, nor forsake us".

It is also my prayer that when Janine and her sibling(s)(and of course all readers of this blog!) come across this post in the future, they will similiarly be reminded and encouraged to "cast all their cares on Him for her cares for us" (1 Peter 5:3)

He Will Carry You

There is no problem too big
God cannot solve it
There is no mountain too tall
He cannot move it

There is no storm too dark
God cannot calm it
There is no sorrow too deep
He cannot soothe it

If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know my brother that He will carry you
If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know my sister that He will carry you

(Bridge)
He said "Come, unto me
All who are weary
And I will give you rest"

He Will Carry You - Manao Company

Random conversations - Girl of boy?

2008-10-12T23:13:00.003+08:00

As my helper was putting Janine into her high chair for her to have her dinner tonight, the conversation at the dining table somehow turned to "the baby in mommy's tummy" and the following exchange ensued:

H : Do you want mommy to have a boy or a girl?
J : (without hesitation) Girl!
H : Then what if the baby is a boy? Will you still love the baby?
J : (again without hesitation) Yes!

Awwwwww...how sweet :) I wanted to squeeze her silly after I heard that. A fellow mommy in the Hall had shared with me how her eldest didn't talk to her for 2 days after her no. 2 was born and this happened despite their efforts to prepare the girl way way way before hand. So I really wonder how our own little girl is going to take to her new sibling. Friends have asked me if Janine knows whether she is going to be a big sister and while we have told her, so theoretically she knows, I doubt whether she fully UNDERSTANDS the implication of it all.

Anyway, this question on whether she wants a baby sister or brother has been posed to the little girl several times and in varying forms and always, her answer has been a VERY FIRM "girl" or "baby sister"! Lol. Oh well, we shall see if she gets her "wish"!

Growing Expectations - No. 2 Says "Hi!"

2008-10-12T22:26:00.005+08:00

The little peanut has really GROWN from three weeks ago! Little ARMS and LEGS that actually move and twitch (!) have since sprouted and is bearing more semblance to a baby than well...a peanut. Hahaha!

Here's a latest ultrasound snap shot of no.2 and it looks like he's (generic) giving us a "high five" from the womb!

While we can't exactly feel or see any changes exteriorly at the moment (though no. 2 IS making his presence known by making his mommy feel nausous 24/7!), it's so amazing and exciting to see the growth that is taking place inside.

No. 2 was really cooperative yesterday and the good doctor managed to catch a few good shots of the growing bub. We even got his face! Here he is doing, in my opinion, an impression of Edvard Munch's The Scream:

Since he was so cooperative we tried to see if we were going to welcome another princess to the fold or have our pair. BUT, the little one seem to know something was amiss and wiggled away from our "intruding gaze". So your guess is as good as mine on whether no. 2 is a boy or girl! Hahaha! I do have my theories, but I will share them in another post.

Anyway, another 4 more weeks to the next check-up (and maybe to ascertaining whether no. 2 is a "she" or "he"? Haha!).

Children's Day @ East Coast Beach

2008-10-01T23:49:00.002+08:00

It was such a treat that Children's Day fell on the same day as Hari Raya Puasa (a public holiday) this year (or vice versa!). So what better way to spent our much needed break than to retreat as a family to East Coast Beach :) Here's the "monkey business" that we got into:

It would be interesting to point out that my uncles, aunties and even my parents had camped over night at the Bedok Jetty the day before to fish!!! Such happening people! For shame we, the younger generation, can barely keep up with their enthusiasm!

Nevertheless, we had a great time today with the extended family. It makes me wish for the return of those good ol' kampong days. Not that I had a chance to grow up in a kampong lah, but the taste of the whole extended family getting together, exchanging stories and experiences, doing things together in a relax setting is what I like and wish there was more of. UNFORTUNATELY, there are these rather distasteful things called Work and School which we have to return to tomorrow morning. Ack!

Random Conversations - "Do Not Disturb"

2008-09-27T10:50:00.006+08:00

"Mommy, don't distrub me. I'm reading."

OK, fine.

And then a while later, she was "reading" out loud some of her nursery rhymes. So, this mommy thought she could be helpful and recite some of the rhymes along with her...

"Mommy don't talk! Don't talk! I want to say myself."

And she carries on her own merry way.

Buay tahan (cannot take it ah)!

A Start!

2008-09-26T20:59:00.001+08:00

Paired little blocks arranged in a straight line (almost) equidistance from one another.

Hmmm...her anal side is surfacing.

Woe betide KY...he has 2 ANALyst to contend with! Hohoho :D

And here's our little shopper, packing her little arms with boxes of computer games while we were out to grab a bit of groceries last night.

The beginnings (of a shopaholic not gamer *ahem*) of what is to come?

REALLY woe betide KY...methinks he can kiss his wallet goodbye when the Great Singapore Sale next comes along! Wahahahaha :D

Sick...Again!

2008-09-25T19:54:00.000+08:00

ARGH!!! The girl is down AGAIN!

Earlier in the month, just a week before school was out, she came down with a persistant fever that refused to go away despite dose after dose of paracetamol. She ended up not going to school the WHOLE week. This time it's a bad bout of FLU! And it looks like she will be out of school again for ANOTHER week! :P

She has a nose with a loose faucet, a hacking cough and a fever that plays peekaboo at night. So on top of her bottle of paracetamol, which we have been pumping her religiously every 6 hourly to keep her fever at bay, 2 other bottles of meds has been added to her regime, one to dry up the reservoir in her nose and the other to get rid of the phelgm.

I pray that I am NOT about to start a mini pharmacy in my refridgerator and 3 bottles of meds is ALL we will need to last her through childhood. I find it very worrying that within a MONTH she has already fallen sick TWICE and with such severity too. For sure her constituition has taking a beating after this episode. So this paranoid mother has vowed to "por (dialect for strengthening or to nurse)" her little girl back to optimum health! Top on the list will be getting her to drink beef essence!

Growing Expectations

2008-09-20T22:00:00.001+08:00

Ahhhhh...In that blurry mess of black and grey is evidence of LIFE! You can "spot" our no. 2 by following the line of crosses that has been drawn from across the crown and rump of the growing little peanut.

At the moment, no. 2 measures about 7.5 weeks old and EDD is around 6th May 2009. Hohoho!

Following In Our Footsteps

2008-09-18T22:10:00.009+08:00

This photo was taken at our little outing to the beach this evening. It was kinda cute the way the little girl kept running to each footprint on the road and position her feet as such. It really embodies this song which I am now totally in love with because it resonates deeply with my purpose and how I want and should live my life.

For those who don't know the song, I have taken the liberty to append a little song clip at the end. Albiet a little skip in the track towards the end, the arrangement is quite drama and just serves to rouse the spirit. Haha! Enjoy!

Find Us Faithful

"We're pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find"

Find us faithful - Back to the Bible

Mid Autumn Lights

2008-09-10T10:13:00.006+08:00

Only until a few years back do I actually celebrate Mid Autumn festival. Previously, it was not a "tradition" of my family to celebrate Zhong Qiu Jie. Yes I do remember chomping on mooncakes in abundance and making/carring/burning laterns with much glee at a certain time of the year. But besides the mooncakes and laterns, this festival usually slips through without much effect for me.

But then, I got married and have kids (yes plural. Akan datang!) and currently live in a community where people DO observe the festival. So things which I previously did not give a hoot about, I do now. And I mean it in a GOOD way. I get to celebrate my chinese roots (though friends and relatives insist I don't have any because of my "kantang (potatoe)-ness" - yellow (chinese) outside but white ("ang moh-fied") inside) and what better excuse for the family /community to get together and have a feast :)

This year, we celebrated Zhong Qiu Jie early with KY's parents and we did it over a cosy and delicious bubbling pot of steamboat. We also hung lanterns in the trees which created an even cosier ambience. I can't help but think that Mid Autumn is the chinese equivalent of Christmas. There are lights, "presents" in the form of mooncake boxes and warm fellowship. Nice!

Janine was having the time of her life alternating between blowing out the candles (yes. REAL candles with FIRE) in the lanterns (which we painstakingly lighted and re-lighted) and "walking" Caleb's aeroplane lantern (which has wheels and can MOVE when placed on the ground). But her favourite still remains her Thomas light stick. The money spent was DEFINITELY worth it! ;)

Thomas & Friends Live!

2008-09-07T22:13:00.001+08:00

The LAST day of the school holidays! And I brought the little girl to catch "Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage" at the Singapore Expo today. Yes, I know. Trains and such are like so much more of a boy thing but Janine is an atypical girl that way. She's not content playing with barbie dolls or "masak-masak" (stereotypical girl toys) but is fascinated, if not, enthralled by boy toys - aeroplanes, trains and sometimes trucks! So besides her favourite "Jay Jay the jet plane", she loves Thomas too, particularly Percy because he is GREEN! The last time she was over at cousin David's home, she was in seventh heaven with his collection of Thomas the train and other peripherals!

So without a doubt, the girl was uber excited about the show! I only mentioned ONCE to her early in the week that I will be buying tickets to take her to the Thomas show and for the rest of the week, "Mommy going to buy ticket for Thomas" was on an (almost) endless loop. Obviously she has been waiting in anticipation the WHOLE week for this! Lol!

And I think it was a worthwhile wait for her. She got to see almost all her favourite characters live in action on stage, dance and clap along to the music...methinks she really enjoyed herself today because she was riveted from start to end and nary left her seat (except maybe once to sit on my lap). Even after the show she would still be re-telling to me the part where Percy gets trapped in the tunnel because of a rock fall.

And as if just bringing her to the show was not enough, her mother went further and spoilt her by buying a Thomas light stick (it cost me 15 smackeroos!!!!! And I STILL bought it! Can you belive it???), which she was so thrilled over and was constantly waving it about in the dark, and a jigsaw puzzle ($5 for a small piece of cardboard cut up into 6 smaller pieces). Daylight robbery I tell you but aiyah, once in a loong looong time is OK lah hor, Kin Yew? Hehehe...And anyway, from the way she was clutching and staring at her jigsaw during the intermission and how even tonight she is insisting on sleeping with her Thomas light stick, I think its money well spent lah! Hohoho!

I thoroughly enjoyed the show for the great Mommy and Daughter time together. I hardly spent much time with her this week even though it was the school holidays and all as we had "fostered" her out to her grandparents so they could spend some precious time with her. It was a nice break for us lah but I do miss the little girl. Heh!

Anyway, hope you had a great time today Sweetie, cos Mommy certainly did! ^^

Ahhh! Nothing like a nice cuppa ice-blended to wrap up a wonderful afternoon! Yes, it's go-all-out-and-spoil-your-daughter day today! :P

Great Expectations!

2008-09-01T10:41:00.002+08:00

The herald of exciting news! The 2 little lines in the indictator window says it all.

REJOICE together with us! Our little family of 3 is about to get BIGGER!

Random Conversation - Empathy

2008-08-18T10:43:00.013+08:00

While trying to egg KY on to get his bum off the chair and out the door (for once! usually its me he will be nagging at) so that we can be at church on time without having to zig zag through traffic and hurtle down the expressway at speeds I will not disclose for fear I will get an online speeding ticket(!)...

M (to KY): So...are you ready to go? Or are you still going to play your stupid games on the computer? (Yes, I am SO encouraging. Much as computer games are my sore point with KY, so is my perpetual rubber timing and nagging an annoyance with him. We have our endearing ways for each other! Haha!)
J (who was entertaining herself pulling her school worksheets out of her file and thus creating more mess for me to put away) : Papa do stupid things!
KY : What??
M (to J) : YA! Papa is playing stupid games on the computer!
KY : ...
J : Mommy is angry!
M (playing along): Yes! Mommy is angry!
J: Mommy is angry with Papa!
M (laughing) : Yes! Mommy is angry with Papa!
J : Janine is angry!
M : Oh! Why is Janine angry?
J : You angry, I angry also!
KY (to M): YOU! What are you teaching my daughter!?!

Ho ho ho!

As simple as that!

Things I have learnt after this exchange:
1. Children ARE listening to what we say. Even when they appear not to!
2. Children are VERY sensitive to the emotional vibes going on around them. I guess they pick it up from the tone/volume of our voices when we talk.
3. Children tend to pick up words that you rather they don't pick up!

I am reminded once again that children are not only mirrors or little sponges, but they are also like loudspeakers, sensitive enough to pick-up and broadcast the nuances characteristic of their family! Not that we use expletives freely at home or berate one another incessantly, but unless I am looking for embarressing moments (not as if I am lacking in this aspect...my dear friends in office may NOT comment further on this thankyouverymuch!!!), its best if we be more mindful of what we are saying to one another!

Random Conversations - Fear

2008-08-15T08:29:00.005+08:00

Last night, the little girl was trying to tell me about a story her class teacher, Mrs Yeo, told them.

J: Mrs Yeo tell me a scary story.
M: Oh is it? What scary story did she tell you
J: In a dark dark room....
M: Oh...in a dark dark room...and then what happened?
J: (cocks her head to one side) Hello anybody there?
M: Oh...was there anybody there?
J: (waving her hands frantically at me) Mommy don't talk!

And although she doesn't want ME to talk about the scary story, the little one OBVIOUSLY can't get it out of HER system. She brought up the story again while waiting for me to prepare her bottle of milk.

J: Mrs Yeo tell me a scary story...in a dark dark room...
M: (by now I have some recollection of the story that I had also read loong looong time ago) Oh...in a dark dark room...and then? There was a dark dark cupboard...and in the dark dark cupboard there was a..
J: (waving hands frantically again) Mommy don't talk! Don't talk the dark dark room!

So then it dawns on me that the story had given Janine the heebie-jeebies. And no wonder. The story ends with a GHOST popping out of a box @.@ Eeeps! Even I would get the creeps *shudder* My poor darling.

Of Red And White, Crescent Moon And Stars

2008-08-09T09:55:00.016+08:00

Janine's school celebrated National Day yesterday and we enthusiastic parents excitedly squeeeeeezed into the small hall to see our little ones sashay, dance and marched their little hearts out to the tune of some of our favourite National Day songs.

And of course, what's a party without FOOD? The spread was "downsized" to cater to their little taste buds (and perferences), but even then, look at the variety!!! They are on their way to being your typical food-loving Singaporean :D

I leave you with a short clip of Janine, together with her classmates, performing "Rasa Sayang":)(yes her DEBUT performance!) Look out for their little turn-on-the-spot at the beginning. The teachers spent many hours helping them to "perfect" that little turn so it definitely deserves some special mention :D

[Edit: Apologies! Having some problems uploading the video clip @.@ Ack! I promise it will be up akan datang!]

HAPPY NATIONAL DAY SINGAPORE!

Random Conversations

2008-08-06T14:06:00.011+08:00

Once, KY was vacuming the carpet while the little girl, perched on the sofa, was watching her all time favourite Veggietales. At one point, he had to stand in front of the TV to vacum a spot and inevitably blocked her view. Then...

J (after craning her neck this way and that): Papa...
KY: Yes Janine?
J: Please Papa, can you don't block me? I want to watch the TV.
KY: ...

Confirm TV addict @.@

Just the other day, while I was giving her a bath...

J (pointing to my toenail-less toe): Mommy pain pain
M: Yes, Mommy fell down and hit my toe. So pain pain (its a long story but that's generally what happened :P)
J: Mommy toe pain pain...got blood...mommy must go see doctor and put medicine
M: *chuckle* yes, must put medicine then not so pain
J: put medicine then not pain already

Doctor Janine is in. Btw, did I mentioned that she has her own doctor's kit? Complete with stethoscope (with heart pounding sound effects), thermometer (that displays temperature), kidney dish, syringe, etc which is all contained in a pretty and matching pink carrier case. Gift from one of KY's teacher friends. How cool is that.

This one is a classic for me. When we visited KY's parents this week, I had parked the car rather near to the drain that runs alongside their house. I had to fish something out from inside the car, and as a result, was standing rather close to edge of the drain.

J (after a moment of observing what her crazy mother was trying to do): Careful the drain, mommy
M: OK...
J: Careful the drain wait you fall down...then I cannot help you...
M: !!!

How true. From the mouths of babes comes words of wisdom :P

Rather precocious coming from a 2-and-a-half-year old, I must say. Whatever the case, her sentences are getting more and more complex...more coherent and still quite funny! ^^

Eat Your Heart Out Aunty Esther!

2008-07-22T18:22:00.008+08:00

My (pathetic) attempt at trying to re-create those artistic modeling shots that, even if it doesn't entice you to buy the dress that you probably can't fit in, lets your eyes linger a little longer at the composition or perspective of the picture taken.

Will I try again? Probably not in a loooong shot (no pun intended) because I discovered (to no surprise) that cajoling children to pose, hold that pose, smile etc while angling the camera or adjusting the setting to capture that image I have in mind, is no easy feat. Even if the model is my own daughter! That, if anything, possibly made the session even more frustrating. Or maybe what I REALLY need is a dslr? Hah! Excuses!

Anyhow, enjoy Esther! For your info, the brown one is her favourite to wear and dance in (which explains why there are more shots of her in the brown frock). Thanks heaps! and *MUACKS* (from Janine)

Model: Janine
Clothes: From Aunty Esther's shop in the US!
Photographer: Me!

Little RED Dancing "Shoes"

2008-07-05T22:41:00.006+08:00

I present to you:

Title: Little RED Dancing "Shoes"
Medium: LIPSTICK!!!!
Artist: Janine

My daughter, on top of discovering that her legs can be her canvas, has also realised the potential of the simple lipstick.

[Edit: Good friend Esther says the the lipstick marks look more like blood and, especially where it got smeared on the floor, makes for a rather gory picture. We joke and say I can use this picture in the future to scare off future would-be suitors who come a-knocking at the door. I can already hear myself "I am warning you...bring her back past the curfew hours and THIS is what's going to happen to YOU!!!!" while waving an enlarged version of the picture in their faces. Alternatively, I could use it to "encourage" the girl to be back by curfew hours "Come back after 7pm and THIS is what will happen to YOU!!!". Oh what fun. Parenting sure has its perks! *evil grin*]

I Am Very Proud Of You

2008-07-03T17:50:00.006+08:00

My dear little princess,

You did something today that made me very proud of you. It may seem like a little thing or even nothing to people, but not to me.

Today (and for the last few days), because your Papa is over in Chiangmai, I (together with your Grandpa) brought you to school. I know you are not exactly very enthusiastic about school at the moment. And when I buckled you out of your car seat today, I noticed your down turned mouth and blood shot eyes.

I brought you in to your classroom, hung your bag on its hook, gave you a goodbye kiss and hug and proceeded to leave. You were VERY teary, but you didn't cry. You didn't burst into tears or kick up a racket. Instead, you clung on to your water bottle and barbie doll (instead of me), turned around and joined your classmates already seated on the floor.

In that spilt second I could see the pain of seperation in your eyes and I can only imagine the pain you must be feeling. To have to "step out into the world" and "endure" unfamiliar faces and processes, to be apart from the people you love and whom you draw your sense of securities from must indeed be extremely painful.

Instead of fussing about it and kicking up a racket, you grit your teeth and embraced that pain. Some people may say that you "surrendered" to the system. But I prefer to say that you, like some brave soldier, walked into your "battlefield" and took on your "Goliath". Although you were scared and unsure, you still went and sat with them anyway.

There will be many more events like this in your life, times where you will be thrown into situations you least expect or dislike, times where you and your ego will be placed in a vulnerable position, times where there may be no one familiar by your side to hold your hand and comfort you. But in those times, be my little soldier once more and bravely face your giants. For one thing, know that God who created you fearfully and wonderfully in my womb and who takes care of the flowers in the field and birds in the sky, will surely take care of you. And your papa and I, wherever we may be, will be standing tall and proud and truely blessed by the precious gift of you.

We love you.

Mommy

Body Art

2008-06-18T22:59:00.007+08:00

One evening, I walked in on this rather hilarious sight.

By chance, my little artist discovered that her canvas can extend to her legs as well!

Leave her alone to entertain herself for a moment while I finish some chores around the house and she manages to get up to some monkey business. [Note to self: when things get TOO quiet around the house, check on Janine IMMEDIATELY! :P]

I hope I am not looking into the future where she comes sweeping into the house and brandishes a fresh tattoo somewhere on her body in my face *shudder* I will most certainly freak out and demand she remove it or, by golly, I will scrub it off her skin till there's no trace of it left!

For now, it's just plain funny...so I just laugh, cross my fingers and pray that this is as far is it will go where Janine and body art are concerned. OK, so on top of being paranoid, I am also an old-fashion prude. But she's my daughter! Pfffft!

Fish Tank Updates!

2008-06-18T16:23:00.007+08:00

There are NEW additions to our tank community - 7 Cherry Shrimps!

Four of the seven whizzing around in their "quarantine" tank

An office colleague was housekeeping his tank of shrimps and I was one of the lucky few recipients who took home some of his "babies" ^^

Let's hope they survive in MY tank and don't get eaten / bullied / dismembered by the other fishes or themselves!!! Oh yes, they can get quite cannibalistic by shrimp standards...we have eye witness accounts to boot!

At Long Last...

2008-06-16T16:11:00.010+08:00

FINALLY! After 7 loooong years, you are MINE to have and to hold!

Interestingly, I have been eying the Canon Ixus ever since the beginings of the digital camera age. I remember droooling over the adverts and I telling myself that with my first pay packet, I am going to use it to buy the Ixus (back then it cost like $1000!). But then, my dad passed me his Coolpix 885 and so I shelved my little "dream". That was 7 years ago (has it been THAT long! Good grief!).

And then PC Fair 2008 came along.

Why did I wait so long? Well, I already had the Coolpix and this robust little digicam has served me very very well over the years. Only in the last year or so did it start to act up - battery goes flat after a few takes, the focussing is getting off, etc. And while my dad passed me his semi-dslr, the Kodak DX6490, I still looonged for a smaller, more versatile camera.

And what can I say but that I am thoroughly in luuurve with my Ixus 80! I luurve the quick start up, the way how all the functions and settings (there are so MANY settings lah - baby, night shots, fireworks, portrait, etc) are intuitive, quick and easy to access, the way I can hold the camer centimeters away from an object and still take CLEAR shots, the way it can detect a face (face recognition) and zoom in on it, the way its sleek body feels in my hand, the way I can easily slip it into my bag (or Janine's bag!) and bring it EVERYWEHRE with me...IloveitIloveitILOVEIT!!!!

Similarly with every other relationships, where the starting is always very exciting, fresh and fun, so is my relationship with the Ixus 80. There is STILL so many other functions that I am still exploring and playing around with. Its like suddenly my horizon has broaden and I can see and capture the world from perspectives that once I couldn't before.

Documenting life's little and not so little moments has just gotten easier, more interesting and a whole lot more fun.

Random Conversations

2008-06-14T23:25:00.001+08:00

Today, after dinner...

Me: Janine! Come, let's go and "pong pong" (take a bath) already.
J: Don't want lah, I just want to play.
Me: ...

And then later in the evening, after she has had her bottle of milk for the night...

J (inspecting the animal prints on her bottle): Got sun. The sun don't have eyes
Me: Yes, this sun don't have eyes. Where's the zebra?
J (points to the zebra): Theeeere! (pauses and ponders for a while) Not zebra... horse lah!

At this point in time, I cannot help but burst out laughing. I've got myself a Singlish speaking little girl :D

Little Girl Down And Very Out T.T

2008-06-03T23:29:00.005+08:00

Janine is down and out. Instead of trapising around the house, she is content to just sit on my lap and lean her head on my chest.

For Janine, this is a RARE moment indeed!

And when this happens, the alarm bells in my head starts to go off. And they ring even louder and more frantic as my mom recounts to me in detail how she managed to eat close to NOTHING today because everything that she took in seems to come out the same way (For info: she just threw up the miserable slice of bread she had for dinner all over the sofa and carpet because I was a little too hasty and fed her too much fluids)!!!

Even now as she sits on my lap, I can feel the HEAT emitting from her little body. She is running a fever and the last we checked it's 38.1 T.T

Our doctor friend's (Thank God for Teck Wah! Janine's paed, on all days, is away on leave!!) over-the-phone consultation assessed that it could be gastro-something something which translate to gastric flu. The good thing is, I just need to keep her hydrated (meaning get her to drink lots of fluids) the bad thing is that at her age, there is no medication that she can take to ease her symptoms.

AAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!

New Additions

2008-06-02T14:00:00.004+08:00

(If you think this is going to be a post heralding the arrival of another Ling, you will be sorely disappointed.)

I am pleased to announce that we are now proud parents of (used to be 8 T.T now) 6 Neon Tetras, 2 Mickey Mouse Fish (which I just bought from Clementi) and 2 Sucker fish ^^

Can you see them swimming HAPPILY in our newly acquired fish tank?

On ANY other occasion, I wouldn't want anything to do with keeping pets, let alone keeping fishes . Honestly, the thought of having to clean the tank, feed them, and make sure they STAY ALIVE is not something I relish.

But then, a fellow colleague at Oldham Hall, who was leaving, offered us his BIG fish tank...together with filter, a water plant, gravel and FISH!

And then the little girl LOVES fishes...or rather anything that swims and/or comes from the sea (dolphines, "nemo" clown fish...you name it she likes it). Actually, we have been toying with the idea (for some time already) of keeping a fish tank for her sake. I even talked to a good friend of mine and reserved a SMALL fish tank with him for this very purpose. But because of time and reasons stated above, we held back.

So now, with a free tank at our disposal, we decided to bite the bullet. Despite my earlier reservations, knowing that Janine will most definitely have endless hours of fun with them and in the glorious name of "education" and "exposure", we adopted the fish tank.

We probably will add MORE to our current brood ^^ I mean, won't they get LONELY swimming in that BIG tank? Must get more fishies ^^

Let the craze begin!!!

Edit: One of my Mickey Mouse fish JUST gave birth to more babies!!! Ohhh! What a thrill!

Bullies Beware!

2008-06-01T21:21:00.003+08:00

I just learnt TODAY that My daughter has succeeded in GIVING her first black eye.

Yup. And she hasn't even started school yet. She's a prodigy that way *roll eyes*

The unfortunate recipient? Her mama (my mom)!

I think ever since her fall from our bed at 8 mths old, her cranium must have evolved into metal. It at least explains why she seems unaffected by any knocks she gets.

It's really no joke when she runs HEADLONG, at FULL speed, into your legs or somewhere below the waist. And get off the bed when she starts throwing herself around on the bed!!! Too slow and you will suffer a similar "fate" like my mom or a bleeding nose like me because of that iron head of hers!

It heartens me to know that when she DOES go to school, she has some (natural) self defence mechanism in place so she won't get bullied that easily. On hindsight, as IF she will let herself be bullied in the first place. Eeeps! I am already mentally preparing myself for calls from school with regards to her future playground escapades!

My Number One

2008-05-27T10:49:00.005+08:00

People who think Christian music consist of (only) hymns or the slow moving (in other words BORING!) variety obviously don't have the Hillsongs Kids "Tell The World" DVD playing (on an endless loop) in their car.

Here's a SMALL dose, a clip of one of the songs (of the same title), from the collection.

So vibrant and so much ENERGY!

THIS is for KIDS. Can you imagine what us (most definitely cool and hip) GROWN-UPs would be listening to? We are such happening people. Really! Well, at least we try to be lah! Hahaha!

Now THIS is MY favourite take from the DVD and since I am the one with the car more often these days, it'll be no surprise if that track gets worn-out faster than the rest! Lol

Great way to get my engine going in the morning ^^

Disciplining In Public

2008-05-26T11:34:00.007+08:00

This post comes after our shopping trip to Takashimaya yesterday in which my dear daughter succeeded in bringing down one of the manequins in the store and breaking it to pieces!

You can imagine my rage, embarressment and dismay. I just turned my back on the little girl to pick something out in those trolleys displaying their wares and then in that few seconds of neglect, there was a thunderous sound of something crashing to the floor. I turn around to see the girl visibly stunned with the pieces of the manequin scattered at her feet.

My first reaction was to scream at her. "Janiiiine!!!! What did u do!???!" I was standing there deciding whether to smack her good and proper there and then or continue to rage at her. Then the nice salesgirl who was assisting me tells me, " It's OK madam, kids are like that, don't scold her in public"

A lot of thoughts coursed through my mind immediately by her that one statement

"Kids are like that"

WHAT!! You mean to tell me that that its OK for children to go around breaking things in shopping centres / public places? That such errant behviour in children is excuseable?

Do parents of this day and age subscribe to this kind of mentality that damaging a few things along the way is OK because "kids are like that"? And then if I don't agree with that kind of thinking does that make me a weirdo? Already as it is, I find myself being overly strict with the little girl. Like I will scold her if she takes too long to follow my intruction or smack her hands ever so often when she takes things other than her toys to play. Am I being an overly strict and fiercesome mother because I expect and demand that my daughter (and other children in future) to behave themselves in public (like no running around like some wild thing, no touching or pulling things down from the shelf)?

"Don't scold her in public"

Am I making a scene of myself if I were to discipline her there and then? And then I wonder about all the other times in the past when I scolded / smacked her in public for her misbehaviour. Do I look like some horrible, bad tempered, impatient, mad, deranged, unloving mother?

Am I hurting her pride (like what all those good parenting books will caution us)? Will such incidents scar her for the rest of her life? Is she going to grow up with some serious emotional hang ups all because her mommy lost her cool and smacked her in front of strangers?

But then if you don't address the issue there and then, then when? I don't expect a 2 year old to relate the punishment that she will be receiving at home to the incident that happened a few hours ago. I just feel that such method of disciplining just won't be effective enough.

And then, if I were to subscribe to that mentality that "its ok, kids are like that" and not discipline her, will I become a mother who can't control her child? I could already feel the looks of disapproval from the salesgirls who tried to piece the broken manequin together. I can almost hear them going "aiyoh...this mother ah, dunno how to control her child, tsk tsk". It totally didn't help that one of the sales girl, while picking up the pieces, kept looking at Janine @.@

After what that sales lady said, all I could do was just to glower at the little gir. I restrained myself from going further into a screaming rage (which in any other circumstances would definitely have happened).

To her merit, the little girl KNEW she did something wrong because once she got her senses back she was apologising rather profusely "Sorry mommy, I'm sorry mommy, sorry sorry..." and then as if wanting the reassurance that she was forgiven, she kept asking to be carried "carry mommy, I'm sorry mommy, carry carry".

Thankfully I wasn't asked to pay for the broken manequin. But I am left somewhat perplexed by the whole incident. I am still reflecting on my actions / lack of action for yesterday and wondering just how in future I should react if the girl misbehaves again (which I am sure WILL happen). I am also wondering if I did / not do something for the girl for her to be misbehaving like that?

Sigh...the woes of a mommy.

Random Conversation ...A Prologue

2008-05-15T16:31:00.004+08:00

I have a little planner that sits on my table that gives me little nuggets of parenting secrets everyday. One day (Mar 28) suggested that we "keep a journal of the funny things your children say. You may think you'll remember them - but the odds are you won't"

So I am going with the odds.

But I'm not going to just remember the funny ones, but those that capture the sad, happy, profound, difficult or light-bulb moments. To me, they will be like a little window that gives us a little peek into that particular time in our life as we watch our child(ren) growing up.

And maybe if there's enough, I can compile them into a book and publish them and make BIG bucks and retire early and travel the world and ...OK I digresss :P

Yup. That's the sentimental (calculative) mother for you! ^^

Now We Know

2008-05-12T10:17:00.005+08:00

This morning, the princess (got) woke(n) up earlier than usual and kicked up a racket when she realised that I was already up and getting ready for work (read: going to leave her for the next 9 hours). I, the hard hearted mommy, resolved not to let her crying get to me and carried on putting my things together, leaving the girl to wail and writhe in her Papa's arms.

After a few minutes of tolerating the seemingly anguished, distraught and heartbreaking cries of a little girl who obviously have separation issues, my sleep deprived husband rouses from his sleep and admonishes the screaming one with the promise of the "rotan (cane)" if she keeps this up.

With the battle clearly not in her favour, she, slumped on the bed, tries a (rather weak) last attempt to collaborate with her father in an effort to detain me at home.

J (in a small clear voice) : I want to bully Mommy, Papa, I want to bully Mommy.
KY (half asleep but evidentally highly amused but not wanting to show it): Why you want to bully Mommy? You bully Mommy you bully yourself you know. You already got a sore throat. Your voice already so low.
J (after a short pause): I want to disturb Mommy, Papa. Please. I want to disturb.
KY: ...

The truth is out, people! Looks like we've been taken on a ride all this while!

Dunno whether to reprimand or laugh at her.

Well, before I left the house for good today I snuggled her and gave her a big kiss, along with the promise to be back early to play with her (which she returned with a forlorn look and a small whimper).

My early morning entertainment. The sun is shining a bit brighter today and the monday not so blue ^^

I am sooo PISSED!

2008-04-29T10:22:00.003+08:00

Not at anyone. Just MYSELF!

Although I woke up at the same time I normally do (which is already way too early for me), I still ended up half an hour LATE for work because just as I was about to leave the house, I realised my access card was nowhere to be found which would translate into me being unable to get out of the compound. So I wasted like 15 minutes trying to find the darn card which was actually IN MY BAG all this time! (argh)

And then, when I FINALLY got myself through the door and was about to step into the lift, I remembered I left my lunch behind. So I made a detour back home to get my lunch which I find out later when I was already downstairs that it was NOT my lunch that I grabbed from the fridge but a bag of fruits! (argh)

And then when I was in the car about to drive off, I remembered I left my diving book UPSTAIRS at HOME! And so because I will need them when I go for my diving theory lessons later this evening, I made yet ANOTHER another trip back home. (argh)

And then, by the time I FINALLY REALLY drove off to work it was like 7.25am...the perfect time for a jam to form just outside our place because boys nowadays must be made of paper and can't walk an extra cm and need their parents to drop them EXACTLY outside the school gates! (argh)

And then while making a left turn, I think I almost knocked down some poor pedestrian at the zebra crossing because he was blocked by this monster of a bus that was next to my car. (argh)

And then, as if the day couldn't get off to a worser start, because I left my office pass in the car and in the process of retrieving the card from the car, I SCRATCHED MY NEW CAR!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!

All this happened in the first 2 hours of waking up today.

I fear for the rest of my life.

Edit: Ok the day didn't end as disastrous as it started. It was Ben & Jerry's FREE CONE DAY TODAY so the afternoon was a much better affair. PLUS, I managed to squeeze in a spot of shopping with my mommy before I went for my dive class ^^. So its NOT all blue today. God MUST have His reasons!

The Princess

2008-04-25T08:47:00.006+08:00

As seen through a good friend's (expert) camera lens.

And from the looks of things, she is a "princess" to a tee...from the porcelain complexion right down to the "dao" (lordly) expression! Oh...and don't get me started on how, at this stage, she prefers to be carried around or how her cherry tomatoes/strawberries/grapes must be cut to bite sizes or how she wouldn't tolerate a miniscule grain of sand in her shoe or...!

I think her father and I are going to have our work cut out for us in the years to come O_o

P/S - Yes, the curls are NATURAL (Kin Yew's genes we think). It's NOT permed nor do I sit her down with a curling iron every morning. Its not like she will sit still long enough for something like that (going to a saloon and getting a perm) or, rather, her mommy doesn't have that kind of energy in the mornings or see the necessity to do such "wuliao" (redundant) things. Honestly, there are already so many OTHER things to be done. Curling / Perming my daughter's (if it was straight) hair definitely isn't a priority.

I Scream For Ice Cream

2008-04-20T11:01:00.002+08:00

OK lah...I exaggerate. She doesn't exactly scream for ice cream. The princess just repeats her request like 1000000 times until she gets a reaction from you (either getting her ice cream or doing the screaming for her to pipe down). "Mummy! I want ice cream! Ice cream mummy! I wan ice cream. I want ice cream. Iwanicecreamiwanicecreamiwanicecreamiwanicecream..."

And ice cream the princess gets (today) because mummy just luuurves her curly hair and cheeky smile. Actually it's because mummy is out with a with dear old (ok YOUNG!) friend for some good "girls only" time that's why she gets to enjoy the special treat. ^^

Anyway, here she is with MY cup of ice cream because her strawberry ice cream (which she picked herself) was "sour" and she figured mine was better. Sigh! So girl! Lol

Thanks "Aunty" Angela for the nice treat! Best! ^^

The 3 Musketeers

2008-04-16T17:09:00.004+08:00

Janine, Zoe and Asher.
(photo courtesy of Aunty Sharon)

Got Milk?

2007-11-19T14:55:00.005+08:00

Yes! PLENTY!!!

46 cans (23 big ones, 23 small ones) to be exact.

This is OBVIOUSLY only a FRACTION of our collection.
The rest have been squrrielled away at our parents' houses ^^

All thanks to the Cold Storage's SMALL oh-by-the-way-this-is-on-offer-too advertisement in the newspaper last Friday PLUS Aunty Joyce's discount card ^^.

We had swooped down to Cold Storage (we went to 2 outlets only...pity!) like a pack of hungry lions to fresh meat and amassed the coveted tins of milk. I think we almost wiped out their whole stock! Tsk tsk! What to do? Singaporean what! Hahaha!

With the rising cost of everything these days (property, petrol, flour, and even milk!!! FYI: I used to be able to buy 1 can of Progress Gold for $18.50, now anything at $24 a can is the usual! Madness!), this offer (1 small can for every big can) was a VERY GOOD DEAL!

We joke that these 46 cans will be our (early) Chrismas present to our dear little princess and hopefully they will last her until her next Christmas. My mom is calling me a cheapstake now. Pppfffft! :P

Plaits!

2007-11-17T21:01:00.000+08:00

She actually sat still long enough for me to braid her hair!

I just lurve having a little girl...all the hair styling you can subject them to! Mwahahaha...well, at least until she manages to twist herself out of your grip or yank the ribbons, clips or ties out from her hair! :P

Talk About Getting A Head Start

2007-10-29T20:49:00.000+08:00

This is really NOT what I had in mind...

I'd like to think its because she absolutely LOVES to work the steering wheel and that kept her hopping from one "hot seat" to another and feverishly turning the steering wheel this way and that during the time we spent at the bowling alley after our lunchen yesterday at the Chinese Swimming Club. "Driving! Driving!" she tells you. We almost had to apply the crowbars to peel her fingers away from the steering wheels when it was time to go.

ONE gaming person in this family is more than enough, thank you very much. And I HOPE IT STAYS THAT WAY!!!

And then a friend of mine suggests to me that, given her "prodigious" talent, she probably can join the F1 races when it comes to Singapore next year.

I just rolled my eyes some more.

Sakuraya

2007-10-27T23:21:00.000+08:00

The weather was quite good today...no dark clouds threatening to unleash a heavy downpour on us. So Aileen and I decided, instead of frequenting the usual cafeterias around our office, to venture a little further today. We decided on Sakuraya, another Japanese restaurant tucked away on the 2nd storey of the Village Centre along South Bouna Vista Road.

Aileen recommended we go for the Sashimi as the cuts of fish sold at the restaurant are really fresh. So when we arrived there, we wasted to time in choosing a few cuts of salmon, salmon belly and swordfish.

We also ordered some other side dishes to go along with our sashimi platter.

Looks like such small servings right? Well, I was surprisingly stuffed after our satisfying lunch and was quite grateful for the short walk from the Village Centre to the bus stop! This was one meal that has not only met and but exceeded my expectations. The sashimi slices were INDEED very fresh and tasty. And the cooked food selections were equally tasty and well prepared as well. Needless to say, between the 2 of us, we practically cleaned up the plates (yes, even the wasabi...THAT was Aileen @.@) And the price (the MAIN consideration for me) was very reasonable. It was worth every single cent.

I also like the fact that the restaurant, by virtue of the fact that it is also suppose to be like a fish mart, sold other Japanese foodstuff there (miso paste, udon noodles, etc). So convenient.

I am definitely going to come back to sample the yummilicious sashimi again. This time I will bring along my dear, long suffering husband to savour the selection there. Compensation for the non-treat on his birthday perhaps? :P

Big Sister In Training ;)

2007-10-25T03:19:00.000+08:00

Here's Janine, after her Mama's (KY's mom) birthday celebratory dinner at the Golden Dragon Phoenix Restaurant located in Novotel Hotel, doggedly pushing baby Caleb in his pram ;o)

She must have decided that on no account should her Mama have to exert herself with the "tremendous" task of pushing Baby Caleb on the day the family is out celebrating Mama's birthday. So the little girl had insisted on taking over the reins of the pram from her Mama and was soon speeding down the lobby with baby Caleb in tow, leaving 3 rather anxious mothers (KY's mom, Dawn and me) to chase after her!

Well, given that Caleb was pretty quiet throughout the little ride she took him on, she must have done a pretty OK job, especially since this is the first time she is pushing a REAL baby in a pram ;o) WELL DONE, my little princess!

Bane Or Boon?

2007-10-22T23:29:00.000+08:00

I am so frustrated and disappointed with my present helper that I feel if I don't vent some of the angst SOMEWHERE, I am going to shrivel up from the inside out and die from all the negativity that is being generated if I have not already blown up like a volcano and cause some SERIOUS devastation.

Here is a list of things that she does/has done that has TOTALLY peeved me

1. She is so lazy. She can't be bothered to fold your clothes nicely or put them away your things in the RIGHT place. She'd rather squeeeeeeeze your belongings into whatever small space there is or chuck them somewhere in the house. I have to go treasure hunting for my stuff in my own house. I have found my bag in the kitchen cupboard where the gas canister is, my letters chucked in a box under yet another pile of things she has amassed around the house, mine and KY's clothes all mixed together, our CDs in the drawer where the TV remotes are placed and the list goes one. I am missing more things when she is here than with any other helpers that I have had in my lifetime! OK so I may be anal about my things but wouldn't you feel frustrated too when you can't find something that you know would have been in a particular location if someone hadn't gone and kept them and the person who kept them don't know what you are talking about (or pretends to) or doesn't remembers where she has kept them?

2. She lies. When she has done something wrong or has spoiled any of our things, instead of owning up, she pushes the blame to Kin Yew or Janine or anyone else she can think of. She must think I am blind to what's going on in my household.

3. She has destroyed/spoiled/broken SEVERAL of our things. My slow cooker (that I used to cook Janine's porridge), several clothes items, a photoframe, an EXPENSIVE China vase and not to mention the foodstuff (chopped garlic, pieces of raw meat, etc) that we dispose of on a WEEKLY basis because she has, with her superb housekeeping skill, left them to rot in the fridge. Even with SPECIFIC instructions on how much garlic to use or what portion of meat to cook, she STILL leaves a small fraction behind (maybe for her own consumption at a later day and time), places it in the fridge and completely forgets about it or doesn't tell you what she has squirreled away. It is so bad that it has come to a stage where we would rather do the cooking ourselves (and not as if she possesses ANY cooking skills) so that we don't find "surprises" when we open the fridge and whiff a dead rat.

4. She doesn't listen. Even after you show or explain the procedure to her for like the umpteenth time, she will STILL do it her way (which is most often the wrong way or the slipshod method). She simply REFUSES to do things the way YOU want it done. When you correct her, she has a thousand and one reasons for you, sometimes she will even glare back at you, or what must be the most nerve grating, she laughs! She doesn't listen not just to instructions but also WHEN we are giving instructions. Before you can even finish your sentence, she is off to do whatever it is she THINKS you want her to do, which of course will be wrong because she didn't get the whole picture. I harbour illusions where I can use a megaphone and SCREAM my instructions into her ear in the hope that maybe volume will help lodge the correct directions in her head.

5. She steals our food. And take this...NOT just our food but Janine's as well! I am so so SO disgusted. And mind you its not that we are NOT feeding her or depriving her of victuals. You should see the MOUNTAIN of rice she/we pile onto her plate at meal times. But then she goes and steals our food. I use the word "steal" because she consumes them WITHOUT asking for our permission and does not even have the decency to tell you she has eaten something of yours. And the best part is, when you confront her, she acts like she doesn't know what you are talking about and only when yuo start blowing your top then she has a light bulb moment and 'fesses up. The icing on the cake is when I find out she has been consuming my daughter's milk powder on the sly!! Every shred of self control I have is stopping me from striking out at her with a mother's instinct to protect her little one.

There is still a whole lot of other things that she has done that has thoroughly annoyed me but those are the top 5.

Honestly, I am at the end of my tether. On our part we have tried EVERYTHING.

1. Initially, we were VERY patient with her. When she first came to us, we were a bit lenient, closing an eye here and there where she made a mistake or done something wrongly. Our rationale is she is new and we need to give her time to settle in and get use to us, our routine and what we need or expect of her. We patiently explain how certain chores are done and even do it for her to show her how we want it done. She started off OK but then became progressively worse. After more than 4 months of working for me, she can still forget to help me cook Janine's porridge, still mixes up my T-shirts with KY's T-shirts or hang wet clothes on top of each other.

2. We made a time table for her. Ok given the language barrier, she may not understand our needs so we have tabled them out for her PRECISELY what is expected of her on a daily basis. We even got Lin, KY's parents' helper, who is also a Myanmarese, to translate and/or explain the timetable to her so she can follow. But for some reason only known to her, she chose NOT to follow the time table and insist on continuing on her own merry way, doing the household chores all wrongly and thus incurring even more work than neccessary for herself to do and our wrath. Only when I finally lost my temper and gave her a major shelling then she decides to be obediant...but even then, she only follows the time table partially.

3. We have held "forum" sessions with her. Together with Lin acting as our translator, we have tried to find out if she there is something bothering her (family matters perhaps) which is causing her to be unable to do her work properly here. Or maybe she just doesn't like us and wants to change employers? I mean, fair enough, I am not the PERFECT employer and if she is unhappy working for me I'd rather she tell me now so I can take the next appropriate step. But talking to her is like talking to a wall. You get NO WHERE. I mean, how DO you help someone who tells you she wants to work but "I don't know why I behave like this"?

4. We called the maid agency to talk to her. That was our last resort. Our trump card. And also to show her we mean business. Unless she doesn't pull up her socks, the likelihood of her being sent back is very high. The effects of the call lasted for about a week. And then slowly, she starts to slip once again.

KY tells me to just write her off as being stupid just so I can cope with all this madness. Because surely she MUST be stupid if she can't follow simple instruction. But she can laugh at a joke I cracked to my mom in Singlish! And she has even managed to make friends with OTHER (Filipino) maids from around my parents' estate! Obviously, she is NOT stupid and apparently, she CAN understand our spoken English reasonably well too...better than what we thought she was capable of!

The thing is you KNOW she can do the job. Its only after we have screamed, ranted, raved, railed at her like some pyscho employer from hell that she will do her work properly and flawlessly. But a few days later, her nonsense will surface and then we start the ugly cycle all over again. I can't be a screaming maniac every other day for the next 2 years can I? Do u know that EVERY sunday I go to church with a heavy heart because I feel so lousy inside?

Nam is suppose to be our domestic HELP, but instead I have even more things to worry about ever since she was around. I appreciate that there IS someone to help me clean the house, do the laundry and be that extra pair of hands to carry my bag and Janine's things when we are out and I am busy running after the little girl. But that is about all that she is doing! I can't trust her to look after Janine. I can't even trust her to do the household chores properly. Instead of relieving us, she is creating more problems for us and giving me tension headaches.

Everyone tells me to just throw her back at the maid agency and just get a new one. I think I should. I really should. For my own sanity. For the emotional, spiritual and physical well being of my family. But why do I hear a small voice telling me to keep her? Maybe I am hearing things...probably the ringing in my ears from my last shouting match or maybe I really have indeed gone mad!

ARGH!

All I can do is just cling on to the verse that says "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Surely He is stretching my patience and grace. And surely only He can "deliver" me from all this nonsense and give me the strength mentally to endure!!!

The Face Of The Future

2007-10-18T22:55:00.000+08:00

This is Asher Kam, son of Leong Heng and Sharon (a pair of truely inspiring parents and our new found friends in Oldham Hall), who not only is just slightly older than Janine by a month (he is a Dec baby) but has the energy level to match hers as well!

And the best part is that the 2 get along very very well - they will chase each other around the dining hall, are actually interested in what the other party is doing and are GENIUNELY delighted at the sight of each other. This has of course prompted many people in the Hall (and this crazy mummy as well), to entertain thoughts that they might actually end up marrying each other 20 or 30 years down the road! Someone even mentioned that they have the "fu qi xiang" (husband and wife look)! Lol.

Sharon and Leong Heng will tell you that this precious little boy is their miracle child. At a time where doctors would tell Sharon that it would be medically difficult for her to have a baby, Asher was conceived and delivered at full term with no complications whatsoever. He is a testament of God's hand of grace and blessing on Sharon and Leong Heng.

Its a delight and hilariously funny at times to see the 2 of them interacting with and influencing one another. This mummy is very happy. Not just because a prospective son-in-law is found right under my nose, but more so because Janine now has a playmate whose company she obviously enjoys very much and vice versa.

Even if they don't end up marrying each other, we pray that the 2 of them will grow up being good friends who will encourage each other positively. Doesn't everyone need a good friend to weather the trials and tribulations in life? We hope that Janine and Asher will be that kind of friend to each other ;o)

All In The Spirit Of Being Spontaneous

2007-10-15T23:05:00.000+08:00

Today distinguished itself as a day to be SPONTANEOUS.

Just before logging off from my work terminal in office on Friday, I SPONTANEOUSLY decided to take leave for today to spend a nice looong weekend with KY and Janine.

After breakfast today, we (KY, Sharon and I) SPONTANEOUSLY decided to bring Janine and Asher (a sweet little boy who often gets refer to as our "future son-in-law" - more in a later post!) to go for a spin at Vivocity.

And it was there at the wading pool located on the top floor of Vivocity that Janine SPONTANEOUSLY gave Asher a peck on the cheek!!

With NO prompting from us, the little girl, mid way of pouring water from a plastic mould into a little red pail, stopped, gazed and proceeded to plant a kiss on the unsuspecting boy! And then the 2 of them carried on whatever they were doing as if nothing had transpired!

Hmmmm...yet another incident that we the parents can whip out should we SPONTANEOUSLY decide to thoroughly embarrass either one of them on their wedding day ;)

I Spy With My Little Eye...

2007-10-06T23:58:00.000+08:00

...and what do i see?

MY TUTU (pacifier)!

Lol. That was my daughter - the pacifier addict!

And oh the faces she would pull when we took just a little too long in helping her extricate her precious from the small red tupperware container poised high up on the shelf. Lol.

This post is a "tribute" somewhat to that little girl who needed her "fix" everytime she went to sleep. Her "love affair" with her tutu even started to extend to beyond nap times. If it wasn't because my mom made it a point to NOT let her chomp on it any longer than necessary (only during sleep times, other than that NO tutu for Janine), I think the pacifier would have become a permanent fixture on her face! Because her mommy here would, on A LOT of occasions, be forcefully and purposefully shoving her tutu into her mouth and allowing her to munch away at the little pink plastic at times no where near sleep time...all in the spirit of trying to keep her quiet during church services and (especially!) during car rides!

Anyway, if there is such thing as a PA (Pacifier-holic Annonymous), my daughter would probably have stood up in the midst of the assembly of babies and declared "Hi, I'm Janine and I haven't taken a pacifier for TWO MONTHS!" Yup! the little girl has been pacifier free for the last couple of months. She no longer needs it to lull herself to sleep or to use it as some sort of security blanket or just because she had a "craving".

Everyone is of course VERY pleased. We no longer have to go crazy whenever we forget to pack her pacifier with us. Or quickly snatch it away from her and make our umpteenth trip to the toilet to wash her beloved because she had either dropt or flung it to the floor.

How did we do it? Ahhh...we didn't do anything actually...she did it to herself! Hahaha! She had unwittingly thrown her pacifier into the bin ON HER OWN ACCORD. We of course capitalised on the situation and quickly proclaimed to her that her precious tutu "no more" because it is "yucks" already. The poor girl was looking quite forlorn staring into the bin for a while before deciding that, while it may have been her long time companion for so many many months, it's just too eeky to put something from the rubbish bin into her mouth.

The next few days that ensued were probably the hardest for her (and us as well!). She would ask for her precious only to be painfully reminded that she had thrown it away. The girl had to go "cold turkey"! And what a lot of tossing and turning she would do before she could fall asleep. We struggled along with her too because it seem to take her forever to drop off to sleep, and when you are sleep deprive yourself, it can get very frustrating. There were moments when I entertained the thought of retrieving her extra pacifier (we had resorted to keep one in each home to minimise damage control when we forget to pack her pacifier with us) from the refridgerator so that she can just please go to sleep!! Thank God we didn't cave in and perservered on because now we are savouring the "fruits" of our labour ;o)

In a way I am going to miss her pacifier days. I get a kick hearing her call so endearingly for her tutu or seeing her twist the little gadget in her mouth, with or without her hands, into the "right" position (FYI: NUK brand pacifers or milk bottle teats have a special shape so there IS a "this way up" position) or to see her grinning away behind her pacifier or (when she still a wee baby) to see little arcs imprinted on her cheeks after some tutu time. But of course there are BETTER things to embrace...like being able to capture sweeter, prettier shots of the girl sans pacifier...and more importantly, NO NEED TO SCRAMBLE when we discover (much to our dismay) that we have once again left her pacifier on the table top.

For the record, she dropped her addiction earlier than I did when I was a kid. According to my mom, I was still slurping away on my pacifier until I was slightly over 2 when finally, after months of wear and tear, it went flat and I was convinced to throw it away. Haha...she is better than her mommy in a way :P

A Modern Day Parable

2007-10-05T22:58:00.000+08:00

My friend in office forwarded this to me and I thought I would like to share it with you because it strikes a chord in my heart. Here it is...

The Four Wives

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives.

He loved the 4th wife the most. He adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He loved the 3rd wife very much too. He's proud of her and always wants to show her off to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other man.

He loved his 2nd wife too. She is very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the nerchant faced some problems, he always turns to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business, as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the 1st wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took noice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I am dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. The answer cut like a knife right through the merchant's heart

The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No!", replied the 3rd wife, "life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!", replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devasted.

Then a voice called out, "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his 1st wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!"

Actually we all have 4 wives in our lives.

The 4th wife is our BODY. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

The 3rd wife is our POSSESSIONS, STATUS and WEALTH. When we die, they all go to others.

The 2nd wife is our FAMILY and FRIENDS. No matter how close they are or how much they hav been there for us when we are alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

The 1st wife is our SOUL. It is often neglected in our pursuit of material wealth and sensual pleasure. It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perchaps it would be a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we are on our deathbed and lament.

Ok. this "parable" probably has loopholes but the point I want to make here is what are you going to do to IMPROVE the condition of your soul? The little story didn't exactly give us any idea how we can "cultivate and strengthen" our soul. So HOW?

One thing I know is that the condition my soul is indeed in a very sorry state ["For all have sinned; all fall short of the glory of God" ~ Romans 3:23] and it is doomed to an eternity of death ["For the wages of sin is death" ~ Romans 6:23]. BUT, thank God there is a way to turn the situation around ["He (Jesus) died once for the sins of all of us guilty sinners, although He Himself was innocent of any sin at any time, that He might bring us safely home to God" ~ 1 Peter 3:18]. To get out of my miry situation, all I needed to do is just simple believe and receive my "get out of jail free" card ["To all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. All they had to do was to trust Him to save them" ~ John 1:12] And I am glad I did because my life since then has been filled with peace, joy, contentment and (very importantly) purpose. Oh of course there are many many times where I struggled (and still do) and life just seems to be filled with trials and difficulties. But with God, facing each testing moment is more bearable and I know that I will come out into the bright light victorious after my struggles in the dark tunnel of anguish and pain.

At the end of the day, what steps we make to enrich our souls IS a personal thing. And it WILL be a personal thing. Like the dying man, our material possessions and our family and friends can't go with us when we face Death. But Jesus can. He went to hell and back because of us and for us and that's why I know Death will not have a grip on my soul ;o)

So, how is it with YOUR soul today, my friend? Don't wait till it's too late to do anything.

(Jesus said) "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
~ Revelations 3:20

Ahhh...FINALLY! The Brunei Post!

2007-10-03T22:49:00.000+08:00

...in a photo slide show!

Hahahaha...

Aiyah...I am just too lazy to sit down and write a blow by blow account of our weekend in Brunei. And what better way to skirt around the issue than to post a slide show with photos after glorious photos of our Brunei trip? Pictures afterall are SUPPOSE to speak a THOUSAND words, no? lol! (Yes, Aileen and Shiwei...I know this is yet another testament to my laziness. Shhhh! :oP)

But lest I am accused of not making SOME effort, I have penned down the highlights in POINT FORM:

We will fondly remember our trip to Brunei as...

...our FIRST tirst time traveling out of the country (with a toddler in tow) by ourselves

...our FIRST time attending a friend's wedding overseas

...Janine's FIRST time travelling by aeroplane! (And she did very well ;o))

...our FIRST time staying in a 6-STAR hotel (The Empire)!!!

...our FIRST time bringing Janine to the MOVIES! We caught Transformers at the hotel's in-house cinema! (The hotel is so atas (high class)! It even has its own cinema!)

...the FIRST (and hopefully LAST) time we let Janine eat nonsense as staple for her 3 meals. Her "diet", during those 3 days we were there, consisted of Nestum for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which was supplemented heavily with muffins, pastries, cakes, popcorn and other sweet stuff, topped off with pathetic servings of some measley bites/chunks of fruits. Where is the nutrition in all this??

...my FIRST time getting a facial (it was part of the hotel package) and it was a HEAVENLY experience ;o)

...the FIRST time we saw and used a super luxurious baby high chair!

...where we toured most of the major landmarks and tourist sports in (get this!) 3 HOURS! Talk about efficient! lol!

...where we met our NEIGHBOURS!!! A charming Australian couple, on a mission to set up an authentic Aussie style grocery in Singapore, living in the SAME (!!!) condo and only a few blocks away! How cool is that!?

Well, we had a WONDERFUL time. Travelling with a child in tow wasn't as nightmarish as I had thought it would be. We handled everything rather well if I might say so *ahem* ;o)

So...where to next on the world map, KY? Haha!

She Won Something!

2007-10-01T23:26:00.000+08:00

My daughter is GIFTED!

Hahaha...OK this is a biaised mother's opinion. But really, you feel so PROUD when your child actually WINS something. Even if it's for something as frivolous as a colouring competition :oP

Here is her winning entry...

...which clinched her the 2nd prize for her age group ;o)

And here is her prize for coming in second.

A very colourful Beginner's Bible For Toddlers complete with a handy strap (so she can carry and swing her Bible around) and a velcro clasp (to keep the Bible intact).

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she won something. Especially since I know that the girl, at this age, doesn't colour within the lines. It would be an achievement if she doesn't start colouring off the paper and on to the floor / table surface / anywhere but the paper. So to win SOMETHING in a COLOURING contest definitely deserves some bragging on her parents' part. Heheh!

OK so she did get some help from Uncle Ben who helped her choose where the colours should go and even did some of the colouring. But hey! This, by and large, is still a Janine piece of work and as her parents we will still applaud the effort that she has put in. Simply because we know that, at this point in time, this was the best that she could do. And doing her best in whatever she does makes us feel proud to be her parents. Regardless of whether she wins anything or not ;o)

Kids Say The Darnest Things

2007-09-30T23:57:00.000+08:00

I have told (almost) everyone about this. All that's left is for me to post it on the World Wide Web for posterity!

Scene: In the living room. TV is blaring away. Mommy is slouching on the sofa in front of the TV bouncing Janine. Papa is watching TV and SMSing at the same time. Janine is amusing herself with the print on Mommy's T-shrit.

Janine: (patting and stroking mommy's tummy)sayang...sayang!
Mommy: Ohhh...Janine sayang mommy har? Aww...that's so sweet...Thank you Janine .
Janine: (patting mommy's tummy even harder) sayang...sayang...Baby! BABY! *squeals in laughter*
Mommy : .......

KY was obviously tickled pink by this.

I am left more resolute than ever to lose MORE weight henceforth! This and also because a pair of jeans, which I could squeeze into a couple of months ago, I can NO LONGER ZIP UP! Bleah...

This will teach me to teach Janine to go round "sayang-ing" my pregnant friends' tummy :oP

What did you say? No, no, no...that growing buldge around my waist is most definitely FATS. There is NO baby. I am NOT pregnant. Full stop.

Japanese Affair

2007-09-28T23:32:00.000+08:00

It's Friday. Finally.

Shiwei and I were itching to go stretch our legs and shake off the dowdiness of the week. And so we decided to traipse to not-so-nearby Vivocity and rewarded ourselves for surviving the work week by indulging in some very good Japanese food for lunch ;o)

Here's what we ordered at the Shin Kushiya Japanese charcoal grill located on level 2 of Vivocity...

A set meal called the Ladies Set and if you think that the servings look small and won't fill your tummy, think again. Before we even got to the dessert we already started to feel full...not the bloated oh-i-think-i've-gone-and-ate-too-much kind of full...but the just-about-right kind of full. And for the kind of price we were paying (about $23 per person) for that quality of food, we felt it was a worth every cent.

There were slices of FRESH salmon sashimi which just melts in your mouth, a stick of grilled salmon and chicken that oozes with goodness when you bite into them, a double portion of sushi, a small bowl of udon, pickled vegetables and a healthy serving of salad on the side. Best of all there was a small square of cheesecake to round up the scumptious meal :oP

Quite fitting that at the back of the packet of wet tissue that the restaurant provided there was a little message, which we found quite funny: "With the mouth-watering choices available at Shin Kushiya, you'll be needing this."

How apt. Just recalling and writing about the flavours and taste of our yummy lunch this afternoon is already making my mouth water again. lol. Hmmm...Shin Kushiya anyone?

The Object Of Our Envy

2007-09-26T23:23:00.000+08:00

Janine had her final booster shot and her 18 month physical examinations yesterday. No, that's not a typo error. She IS already almost 20 months but she went for her 18 month check up only just because her scatterbrain parents went and TOTALLY forgot about her appointment in Aug what with all the packing and moving. I only remembered about it last week and quickly set up ANOTHER appointment before my poor Janine has to take her shots all over again @.@

Anyway, on the records, Janine now stands at 88.5cm (plus minus a few cm cos she was wiggling) and weighs a hefty (to us) 10.6kg ;o)

On the charts, for her age, she is considered to be in the 97 percentile for her height and 50 percentile for her weight @.@ which in layman's term means she is tall and skinny.

The doctor who attended to us reassured us that the little girl is NOT underweight or malnourished. Her height and head circumference are proportionate to each other which means she is getting the correct and adequate amount of nutrients to grow. Just that she burns up all her reserves so fast (to which Janine demonstrated this fact by attempting to climb up the chair, touching the dustbin and even doing a little dance in the middle of the room) that's why she weighs much less than what another baby, given Janine's height and age, would probably weigh. The doctor advised us to feed her more carbo if we want to "fatten" her up a bit.

Fatten her up? Are u kidding?

#1. The girl is so fidgety. Too fidgety. Even when you carry her she will wiggle, squirm and lunge this way and that. At 10 kg it already takes a lot of muscle on my part to prevent her from crashing to the floor when she throws herself about in my arms. Any heavier and I think my arms will be in tractions.

#2. She has the beginnings of being a model...Singapore Girl...Miss Universe! Everything that I wanted to be as a little girl! Why would I want to "rob" her of the chance to fulfill my dreams?

#3. She can't be my "money saving" little girl any more if she doubles her girth now. I will need to go and buy her a new wardrobe of clothes! But not like THAT is such a bad idea...what a PERFECT excuse to do more shopping...Hehe ;)

#4. More importantly (and this supercedes all the silly reasons above) is I like her just the way she is now ;o) I don't want a michelin baby neither do I want an anorexic-looking child. Janine is just right ;o)

Honestly, I am not very worried about her weight or how skinny she looks anymore. It is no longer an issue for me unlike months ago when her eating habits were much to be desired. At this stage, she IS eating and drinking plenty of milk and snacking occassionally. Rather, I am AMUSED that, given her parentage, she remains such a slim and trim little girl. On the flip side, her papa and I are HIGHLY ENVIOUS that she, under doctors orders, is SUPPOSE to snack MORE! Ooooh...What we won't give to have that kind of freedom to eat as much as we want whenever we want and not worry about putting on those extra pounds!?

The Wind Beneath Our Wings

2007-09-25T01:28:00.000+08:00

"He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

~ Isaiah 40 : 29-31

Some Hard knocks In Life...

2007-09-25T00:37:00.000+08:00

..can draw blood and leave an unsightly mark on an otherwise pretty face. Like what happened (literally) to my dear daughter :o(

This is what happens when you choose to use one of your toys as some sort platform to sing / dance / climb to a higher spot in the house / everything except what it is meant for, slipping and subsequently striking your forehead on the CORNER of the coffee table @.@

Some people learn from their hard knocks and are careful to avoid situations which may cause them similar pain. In the case of Janine, however, she proves that we should never let our hard knocks scar us emotionally (even if they do physically). How do we know? She gashed her forehead on Friday. A couple days later, she gashed her left cheek by slipping on a step and then smacking her face on the next step while running up and down the stairs even after repeated instructions not to. You would think after Friday's scare the girl would be a bit more careful.

Well, there you have it! That's my fearless daughter for you.

Sigh...