Last two weekends

Sorry for my absence.

Qiqi's birthday

Two weekends ago, we celebrated cousin Qiqi's birthday. Look how cute she is in her birthday outfit! She must be the cutest fairy ever..yes, biased Aunt here. Check out the cute fondant cake.

Jon had a blast of a time, and Jill was contented to watch the older kids play while in the safety of the play pen. Good thing she didn't mind being there, coz Simon and I could have our dinner. But all too soon, we had to leave coz Jill didn't feel well.

Good thing we brought Jillian home, coz she was not only cranky and sleepy, she was actually not feeling well. Aiyo, cham lah, coz we're flew off last Thur to Singapore to attend my friend's wedding!

So last week was spent nursing Jill, feeding her, helping her sleep despite a horrible and phlegmy cough. She hates taking meds, and I know that's from me. Again, we had a couple of nights and many afternoons of cleaning puke coz her throat was choked with all the phlegm. Sigh...but thankfully she felt better after four dosages of anti-biotic (over 2 days lah) before we flew.

Weekend in Singapore
I was in Singapore last weekend for Gilbert and pamela's wedding. Gilbert's an old friend who didn't exactly believe in marriage while Pamela wasn't the type who would go for someone shorter than her. Well, they ate their words.

Before their wedding, I managed to meet a couple of friends on Fri. But I didn't manage to meet Pooi to grab the scallop square cut outs which she did for me for a friendship swap that she is organising. She was busy with work and was going to go Made with Love after an event on Fri night. But that would mean a super rush for her, and we know how traffic to Orchard Rd can be on Fri and Sat nights...killer! I was at Wheelock Place and decided to go Liane's. Found the Friskar's punch and they had a promotion and I enjoyed a 25% off for every two items! I limited myself to just eight items....yes, I was good and spent under S$100 *pat myself on my back*.

I didn't make many appointments coz it's a weekend trip and I had to take care of tired Jillian who needed her naps and rests while recovering. She slept like a log during her naps, and was so cute when she was awake. Thankfully, she enjoyed being taken care by my sis-in-law and could play with my pri 3 niece, while Simon and I attended wedding of Gilbert and Pamela at Capella. I didn't take photos because I wasn't in the mood to. Why?

Mom's ill....

Coz my mom was so frail and had this chesty cough that has been coming on and off the whole year. She's always been so skinny, but this time when I went back, she was all skin and bones. I asked her to go see the doc. She has been seeing a Chinese doc and taking Chinese traditional meds. But I told her TCM works usually at the beginning stages of an illness or when one needs help at the tail end, the recovery stage.

She came back from the doc, and I asked her what he said. She told me the doc asked her to go to the poly clinic the next day (sat) for further check up. I told her it's very serious and how come she didn't ask more. But you know how old folks are. they don't like to know more, and therefore they don't ask more. Also she sometimes just follows...never questions. She had asked the doc if she could go on a Mon instead of Sat. This doc has great bedside manners and told her nicely that poly clinics are always busy, no matter which day of the week. i told her that's a very nice way to tell her she needs to get a check up done asap, without being forceful or instilling fear in a patient.

My bro and I brought mom to the poly clinic last Sat, while Simon stayed home with Jillian. I wasn't sure if Simon would cope and even thought of going back to check on the sick but recovering girl, and then return (since we estimated it may take 2+hrs to get to see the doc). Thankfully, I trusted Simon and waited with my mom.

Talk about efficiency, Singapore style, coz we registered at 9.30am, saw the doc at 10.40am, went to do x-ray at 11am and collected meds at 11.15am. The x-ray would have been ready in 45mins and mom could have gone back to see doc, but there was a long queue of patients, so doc had already told mom to return on Mon.

We bought lunch and were back home by 12pm. Had a quick bite, and when Jillian woke up, we went to United Square to buy some stuff for the kids, esp for growing Jon who needed new PJs. Simon had a craving for Subway, which we gamely stuffed ourselves before heading back home to prepare to go for the wedding dinner.

Thanks to my sis-in-law, I left the feeding and bathing of Jill to her. She had to trick and bring Jill away, my niece helped to entertain Jill, so we could shower and change. I enjoyed catching up with old friends and the groom at the wedding...but I didn't have the mood to take photos. I didn't even bring my camera, which Simon noticed. Guess my heart was heavy knowing that we're flying off on Sun, while mom's x-ray results would only be avail on Mon.

I managed to wake up earlier and had a chat with mom on Sun, while Simon and Jill slept. I told her with her frail health, the nasty chesty cough, and family history of cancer (her bro passed away due to cancer), there were a few possibilities. From the best to the worse, which is the dreaded C. We chatted, and I told her I would pray for her. I told her 67 years is not too old, but she is not exactly young and strong. But she can take care of her health so she can come stay in my new home (ready next year), see the grand children grow, tour a few more countries (intending to bring her to Taiwan), etc.

After the chat, Simon and Jillian woke up around 9am. which was great coz we had to leave soon to be at the airport at 11+am for our 1.30pm flight. If Jill had woke up earlier, she would have needed a nap, and I would have to interrupt her sleep. Quickly fed Jill and gave her her meds and bathed her, did last packing and my whole family saw us off in the cab.

I was also grateful that two of my closest pals, one from college and the other a very good friend and ex-colleague, came to the airport to see us off. We had a craving for Burger King and thankfully there was an outlet at Terminal Two.

Jill who was awake the whole morning, had her milk and slept the entire 2hr flight! Yay, coz she is a handful the last three flights (last trip plus this trip back), and would climb all over us, and I had to walk her up and down the aisles. We felt a relief when we got back home in Miri. Hmmmm, Miri is becoming more of a home to me now, huh?