The farneeest blog by a mom!!!

If your day hasn't been right, and you feel that you have been a lousy parent....
If your child is sick and has puked and pooped all over everywhere except the toilet and puke bucket....
If your home looks like an absolute mess, instead of the picture perfect home you've dreamed about or even started with....
If your child just hit another child, and you feel so sorry or embarassed...
If you're sick and just need a couple of hours off/in bed, and your husband is around to help, but the kids just want you....
If you feel like you know nothing about parenting when you're now a parent, compared to you knowing somethings about parenting when you weren't a parent...

...this is the blog for you. And you will laugh lots. Promise.

Jul flew by and Aug is here already!!

What happened to time? Time flies by at supersonic speed when one is pregnant and with two kidlets!!!!

My parents came at the beginning of Aug, and I was bringing them around and planning for the two kidlets' birthday dos. Initially, they were supposed to be simple celebrations. One at home for the family and then cupcakes and good bags on their actual birthdays at school. Multiply that by two kids = 4 separate dos.

And oh ya, I am about 35-36weeks pregnant....I forget that sometimes, and walk at super fast speeds as if I am not carrying a baby. Just that everyone I meet keep asking me when I am due. Like I am due anytime, coz the tummy is just super low. I forget it's my third pregnancy, tummy hangs lower and lower each time. and I don't know that #3 will be even heavier than the first two.

Anyways, MIL said we should throw a party for Jon who's birthday was on Aug 10, since my parents are in town. So we had three days to prepare. Not much coz I've already ordered the cake - Toy Story of course - super relak me said just cook some beehoon and curry for adults, and nuggets and fries for kids lor. Then MIL said we should invite some of Jon's and our close friends. Plus Simon's siblings and their families, we had about 11 kids. OK, menu had to be increased with about 30 adults and 11 kids. Ordered roast pork from Mr Ho, who has the crispiest and glistening skin, satay (but our regular seller was celebrating Ramadan and wasn't cooking for a whole month. luckily sis-in-law had another supplier). Oh, and more goody bags to buy.

With two kids, and me being pregnant, I didn't really take photos. Simon, who's usually tasked with the job, was helping take care of Jill, while I made sure everyone had drinks and food, and the kids were playing with the toys without Jon fighting or snatching. Thankfully, he was a good boy and was too excited to snatch anything, except do pull Mr Doraemon ride with Nathan and Cavan.

Managed to take a couple of photos when he cut his cake.

Jon and Jill didn't eat much, but drank so much. Gave them more milk and they knocked out in the afternoon. Simon and I knocked out too for the afternoon. Dad kept asking mom if we're going to bring him out for a drive. I think I inherited that from him - wanting to go out all the time instead of staying home. haha.

Here're some photos of Jon at school with his friends. They had a fun time choosing which dinosaur cupcake they wanted. He ate his cupcake, sans cream, just like me. Fresh cream too, urgh!

MIL told me we will just do a simple celebration at home for Jill. We agreed, she's only two years old and wouldn't know what's she's missing. Just give her cake and a pressie and she's happy already. But poor Jill had a fever on Thu night due to her teething, and it went on for three days! Thankfully, the fever subsided on Sun morning and she was well enough to go Sunday School.

Ordered a simple cake in the shape of a star and had some decor pieces on them. Enough mini balloons for the kids - Jon, Jill and cousin Mabel. Cousin Qiqi was down with fever due to teething too.

Jill was a little frightened of the firework candles and that kept her from going at the cake to lick the icing. But once the candles died out and I cut her a slice of the cake, she immediately wanted to eat it. She loves cakes...just like her daddy who likes sweet stuff (but not cake). She received a baby doll from one of our friends. Thought she wouldn't really play with dolls coz she wasn't interested in Mabel's baby doll. But she proved us wrong and immediately put the pillow under the baby's head and gave it a pacifier while I was trying to pry the fake milk bottle from the box. Ahhhh, girls have this instinct to play with babies huh? Well, not proven with my three nieces. This one still has hope! haha

Here are photos from her celebration at school the next day. She was one happy girl, and smiled so widely till her eyes disappeared.

One thing I note about young kids is that they don't like cream. So, while they oohed and ahhed over the cute cow cupcakes, they still prefered a plain cupcake. So, all the extra paid for the cupcake was wasted lah, except for nice photos, haha!

Catching up

Aiyo! I have not update my blog for a whole month!!! Pai seh...I'm been busy with kids (chicken pox and what not), deciding on stuff for new house, and was so tired at night that I will fall asleep even before the kids (and got so mad when they decide to play and climb up and down, taking a whole hour to sleep).

So, I will just summarise the month in photos.

Our outing in Miri before we left for Singapore, we took the kids to the beach. It was the first time for our family. Jill had such a thrill walking up and down the beach, while Jon played with his pals.

Simon, Jon and I went to Singapore for a week. We left Jillian at home with grandma coz I don't think I can take care of two kids while Simon went for his check up at the doctor. And my tummy is so huge now. While I have so many cravings, I couldn't satisfy them coz I was recovering from bronchitis, and Jon still had a little of the cough, and Simon too.

Jonathan enjoying his long, long you tiao at Whampoa Market. I used to eat here when I was a kid after seeing the doctor there.

When we returned back to Miri, Jill started school and attended for a mere three days (Jon four days) before she had chicken pox. Cousin Mabel had it and since hey slept together, it was inevitable that she got it.

She had it much worse than Jon coz of her mild eczema. But on day 4, Jon's looked just as bad. I recalled a friend asking if we should give our kids the CP immunization, and I said no need lah, since they have so many jabs (plus not compulsory). Well, after this, #3 is definitely going to get his jab when he turns 18months!
We decided to start Jillian at play group/nursery coz #3 will be arriving in mid-Sept. I don't think I can cope with super clingy koala Jillian and take care of #3 at the same time. So she gets to go to school earlier rather than wait till next Jan. She was so happy to go to nursery. But she doesn't want her milk and water on the first day...too excited and stimulated. Thankfully she took water over the next few days. I tried to give her water from a bottle, but she just doesn't know who to sip water from the straw. Strange coz she can sip our drinks with the straw. How to solve this?

In her school uniform

Simon and I celebrated out 10th anniversary with a quick dinner at a local Italian restaurant. Pity we didn't try Salt at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. But this will have to do.

Then we also celebrated Simon's birthday in Jul. The kids just loved birthday cakes. Look at them trying to grab at the cake, and Jon blowing his biggest breath ever to help his daddy blow out the candles. It's 7 weeks countdown till number 3 arrives. But my tummy is super low. People keep asking me if I am going to give birth soon. When I had Jon and Jill, they were pretty low too, but #3 is the lowest.

Since we've started on naming the two kids starting with 'J', I think number three should have a 'J' name too right? Any ideas what to name a boy? I like Jordan and Julian (but the two Julians I know personally are quite the buah ya leh), Simon likes Jimmy. Help, help.

This is an art piece done by Jonathan over two sessions. After the first session, most of the kids comaplined to the teacher that their fingers were painful after rolling all the coloured crepe paper into tiny balls. Jonathan managed to complete his piece on time after the second session. Some of the other kids couldn't fill in the black background. Sending Jonathan to this art and craft lesson has taught him patience!

I managed to go to Made With Love when I was in Singapore to collect the coasters for the swap in mid-Aug. I am furiously colouring away and hope to complete end Jul to send them back. Then come Aug, it will be a busy time with the kidelts' birthdays. And God willing, my dad will be well enough to travel with my mom to come and spend a month here in Miri. He has a weak bladder and has a catather and urine bag to help him pass urine. Hope his condition will stablise and not worsen.

Where did the last three weeks go?

Well, after returning from the weekend at the rainforest resort, I was down with a horrible cough. Apparently, the cool air in the hills with me sweating so much and not drinking enough hot water resulted in me getting a cold cough.

Then Jon came down with a high fever (thank goodness after cousin Oscar left) for 4 days, followed by a horrible phlegmy cough with a runny nose (overlapping 4 days). We saw doc on the 3rd day to get meds and that got the blocked nose running for a good 3 full days. Jon was so sore with me cleaning his nose area. Phew, when it finally stopped running.

Thankfully MIL heled take care of Jillian at night otherwise she would have been down too.

After Jonathan recovered, I was down with fever and the cough persisted. I even caught a chill in the between and was shivering to the bones on two nights and during an afternoon nap. So I didn't blog about all these. too tired, and not so nice details.

Turned out I had acute Bronchritis and had to take anti-biotics. The fever fever immediately. Baby in my womb is fine. Still have a slight cough.

Now Jillian has a phlegmy cough, but thankfully only at night. Simon, Jon and I are leaving in an hour to go back to Singapore, while Jillian will stay home this time. I wish I could bring both, but Simon needs to follow up with the doc, and I can handle only one on my own. Now, cousin Mabel has chicken pox and the two girls are playing together every night having fun. They want to expose Jill to the virus so she can get it over and done with. I'm so going to miss her, esp after not sleeping with her for a whole week.

Visitors to our part of the woods

Last week, Simon's brother, Darien and his family visited us for a week. With wifey Ee Chiew and son, Oscar, and Ee Chiew's parents. We planned a few activities and spaced them out in case the kids get exhausted. Or in case they get use to the activities and demand for them every week! haha.

We went to the Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort. I was there two plus years ago when they first opened. So I know they have completed their main hotel building and the food will be better. Anyways, it was a fun-filled weekend stay for Jonathan and his cousin Oscar. Didn't bring Jillian coz not enough space in the car, and I don't think we would have been able to manage two kids outdoors!

We had a buffet lunch upon reaching there on Sunday. After lunch, only one room was ready so we went on a tour of the placed on a trailer pulled by a huge tractor. Jon loved the ride, and was very obedient throughout.

Then we had to get off and walk through the animal farm. Aiyo, if Jill was with us, Simon would have to carry Jill and I would have to hold Jon's hands and pray he doesn't run off. Jon was OK to see the little ducklings, goats and lambs. But he wasn't as curious as his cousins (Stanley and Grace also brought Qiqi along).
We also went off trail to see some small waterfall, where the water dripped down from some vines. Local myth was that if you wash with the water that had dripped from the vines, you will look five years younger. We didn't really believe but splashed our face with the refreshing cool water.

Went back on the trailer and went to the peak of the hill, I think a couple of hundred feet above sea level and got a few of the vast oil palm plantation owned by Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation. Jon kept pointing to the grey clouds and wanted to take photos of them.

Then we went off trail again onto a downslope path to see two small waterfalls. They are in the Lambir National Park that is located next to the resort. Jon was happy to walk on the wooden planks and even picked up a little pebble for his bug jar. I was perspiring furiously from the good workout.

Then we went on a boat ride and the tour guide feed the fishes so we can see them up close when they came to feed. We also saw two guys on a boat with their huge catches. Was wondering if we would have those fishes for dinner, haha!

After the tour, we went back for a rest before hitting the water park. While it's only a couple of months old, rust and algae were beginning to show. It's a pity coz it looked quite nice. If only they had bought equipment that is meant for water play and not the usual playground.

There wasn't much to do in the evening after dinner. We hung out to chat while Oscar and Jon had a go at the traditional drums. That was until I realised Jon was sitting on the notice that said not to touch the drums! Aiyo...

The next morning, after breakfast, we went to play at the water park again before heading for home. Yay, so happy to see Jillian.

Time to smell the flowers?

I made some simple ruffle flowers for Jon's kindy and Sunday School teachers. If only they can smell nice...

Malaysia celebrates Teachers' Day on 16 May. I saw a promotion poster at a country club for teachers' Day celebrations in May and asked Jon's kindy teacher when the actual day is. Thankfully, I have some time to make the presents unlike last year when I found out a couple of days before the actual day. Still getting used to a May celebration, coz in Singapore, the day is celebrated in Sept.

As Jon will be missing school next Mon (Jon's uncle and family are coming over, and we're going to stay at a tropical resort), I have to complete the flowers to be given to the teachers today.

Here're some bright and cheery flowers using Sassafras Lass Me Likey papers, topped with owl stickers. We grew up being taught that teachers are wise like owls (",). PS: I don't know why the photos appears like that when in the folder, it's the right side up!

And some using sweet old stash from Heidi Grace, topped with SSF chipboard animals and flower chipboards from La-di-dah.

Here's the tutorial from PaperVine for making the ruffle flowers.

Important day today in Singapore

Today is polling day in Singapore. First time ever, 82 out of 87 seats will be contested (could have been all 87 if not for one Opposition party that took a while to raise the S$80,000 deposit needed to run for election in one ward and was late in filinf nominations papers by 35seconds).

I can't go back to vote coz MIL can't help me take care of my two kidlets plus another grandchild. So I will pray that Singaporeans vote wisely for Singapore's future for the next five years.

I've posted so many messages about the General Elections in Facebook over the last 10 days. Due to the overwhelming increase in number of new candidates joining and standing for alternative parties, the main ruling party has finally reacted somewhat to the sentiments, questions and issues that the common people have raised. It took the alternative parties to raise them.

Rallies by the AP have seen attendance of up to 30,000!!! while the ruling party had a max of 3-5,000 people. The people are more aware of issues, thanks to social media. Even the mainstream media are publishing photos of jam-packed venues for APs (instead previously of some obscure corner where there're only a trickle of people), and have given more coverage to these emerging new voices.

Exciting times indeed. Voting is from 8am to 8pm and online coverage will start from 10pm. Good, the kidlets will be asleep and I can go online to view the results. Praying for more seats for APs so that alternative voices can be heard. It would take a long, long time before a new govt can be formed. and no, no toppling over of current govt. They have done an OK job, till the five years. Just that the way the ruling party crams down policies and directives down our throat without consultation or consensus has irked the people. And they have not heard and answered the people. And no, upgrading is no longer a carrot. It has not been since the last GE five years ago. Wake up, my dear politicians, and listen. Listen to the common folks and not your party people who will only say what you want to hear. And we want MPs to serve with heart, to listen with empathy and to act with compassion. Your tonality and words matter. You have to walk the ground and talk the talk of commoners. Unless you come down from your high seats (and your high pay), you will never be able to understand what we feel and need.

Moving onto a lighter note, here's some of Jonathan's art work done on Saturday mornings. He is learning patience in colouring the objects/still life, and filling in every spot of the drawing paper. I didn't learn how to colour like that, and in school. the art teacher just left us to draw and colour on our own without even teaching the techniques. I am just happy that Jon enjoys the one and a half hour lessons on Sat mornings.

Lastly, here's wishing all mothers a Happy Mothers' Day. You may or may not be celebrating this weekend, but you are thought of by me. Thank you for all your efforts in taking care of your families!