My big project

There are more than 1000 precious photos stored in our pc. I was too lazy to sort out because I didnt know where to start ! Realising Kieran is turning 4 next month and my baby girl is no longer a baby (shes going to be 6yo next yr), I forced myself to get down to some serious "work".

Last week, my scrapbook journey began.

The Evolution of Parenthood

Came across this funny list in one mummy's blog. How things change after each baby ! So guilty but its so true !!

Your Clothes -

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby: Your maternity clothes are your regular clothes.

Preparing for the Birth -

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don’t bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn’t do a thing.

3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.

The Layette -

1st baby: You pre-wash your newborn’s clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby’s little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can’t they?

Pacifier -

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.

2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby’s bottle.

3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Diapering -

1st baby: You change your baby’s diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.

2nd baby: You change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, if needed.

3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Worries -

1st baby: At the first sign of distress – a whimper, a frown – you pick up the baby.

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.

3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Activities -

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out -

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home 5 times.

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home -

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older child isn’t squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Home

We had our reunion lunch with Richard's relatives, in chinatown. It was great. The kids love being around them and I am so grateful for the joy they bring into our (quiet) lives.

I wish I could have a reunion meal with my family in Singapore. I wish I could bring my kids to (SG)chinatown to feel the festive mood. I feel alittle sad they dont get to experience CNY the way I did when I was young. I miss the gathering at "big" & "small" aunties' house and the karaoke sessions with my cousins.

The very thoughtful gong2 & popo mailed us some CNY decors for our home - decors I dont appreciate before, now I love them !! Thank you!

Thank you nai nai for the 2 big angpows !

We will like to wish all our friends & relatives a Happy Lunar New Year & Valentine's Day! 身体健康！天天开心!

Slowly getting back to my feet

I didnt realise how much I miss home & how lonely I felt (for the past 1 year) until we went back to Singapore for a 5 weeks holiday.

I miss - the company of great (long time) friends; the evil look on my sister's face when she broke my (bejeweled) score; my brother's lame jokes; my cousins' naughty jokes & laughter ( even Steven yee jiong's suan-ing felt like compliments!); the crowds, the noise & the Xmas lightings along Orchard Road.. and my laksa & satay bee hoon.

I want to celebrate Xmas in Singapore next year.

Baby Tristan

My cousin's, Sheila, cutie baby boy.. and the new look was his naughty uncle's doing !!




My mom & baby Tristan

Dust Storm

Early this morning, I woke up to a red/orange glow outside my bedroom window. When I looked carefully I saw this:


My neighbour's car was covered by thick layers of orange dust! For a moment, I felt like I was in Tom Cruise's War of the Worlds movie - our blue planet invaded by some visitors from Mars !

Then to my horror:


My balcony !! Layers of orange dust too !

Been a year

No updates because my kids were unwell for the whole week - cold & cough, very common during winter. I think their systems have sort of gotten used to it so they hardly rely on medications now which is a good thing ! Anyway, they are well & active.

Been exactly 1 year since we moved to Sydney ! It wasnt easy for me - sold our home, our car & leaving my family but looking back now, I'm glad I gave Richard my 100% support to take up the job here. Hes definately happier; so are the kids.

I'm thankful to God for all the opportunities. I've learnt to be more patient, loving & understanding towards my kids & husband.

To my family & friends overseas - thank you for your prayers & support too =)

I survived !

Past 6 days, without daddy, have been pretty challenging for me but I survived ! I thought I would lose my cool in front of my kids & I'm so glad I didnt.. they have been really cooperative & obedient. The only sad thing is I didnt lose a kg !!!

Looking forward to see daddy tomorrow morning - We miss him so much !

7 lonely days

Tomorrow daddy will be going away on a business trip. I shudder at the thought of it.. how am I going to survive & keep my sanity for the next 168 hrs ?!?!

Although I am pretty used to taking care of the kids during the day, by evening time I am totally exhausted (from the bickering, crying, entertaining & housework)! Daddy always help out when he comes home after work.

Anyway...

Daddy, have a safe trip & dont forget to buy the 101 items from DFO for mummy. We will miss you!

Supermom = Superkids

I received overwhelming reaction from friends, after they read in my Facebook about how my kids waited PATIENTLY for me to get my hair cut & straightened today. Do I have a choice?

Ha ha ha !!

I had to do my marketing & desperately needed a haircut so I brought Kayla & Kieran to Eastwood, a suburb popular for asians food stuff. It was difficult to move around with a pram so Kieran had to walk & he enjoyed it. We had soy sauce chicken rice for lunch at this really small restaurant - shared a table with 3 other old men & they kept staring at us like we were some exhibits !

Then I bought some groceries and left them in the car, before going to the hair salon... & I was there for ... er... 2hrs. The kids just stood next to me & occasionally jumped and sat on my lap. They were very good.. they are my super kids.

:)

Wall decals

I've always loved wall decals but I have never seen the actual thing - the really nice ones - most of the time the designs I fancy are from online shops but not sure about the quality though. Today, I was so excited to see a little stall selling them & bought this beautiful decal for the wall near our alter.

With the help of a very patient & artistic friend, we completed the art work in no time !


Close up picture

Best friends

No matter how naughty & how disobedient they are sometimes.. when I see them laughing, talking & loving each other, all my tiredness & anger melt away.

I love them so much.



I often see people expressing their appreciation for their spouse in their blog & facebook and I begin to wonder when was the last time I openly express my gratitude to Richard..

Many asked me how do I manage 2 toddlers, housework & still remain quite sane?

Answer: a loving, supportive, understanding & able-to-tolerate-my mood swings husband !

Watch him eat

If you have a child who is a fussy eater like my Kieran, then you will understand how stress it is to spend time preparing a meal & desperately trying to get him to take a bite. Even more so after he lost some weight when he was ill last week.

Today I made macaroni bolognese & as I watched him took the first bite, swallowed and then asked for more, I felt like I had just struck lottery !!

So Kieran, now you know one of the ways to my heart is through your tummy !

For Sharing:

Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom, I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom, I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom, I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom, I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom .

Author unknown

New Look

1) I hope Nai nai doesnt fly down to Sydney to strangle me for chopping off Kieran's hair. I had daddy's permission ok !! Kieran's hair was getting too messy, fuzzy & tangled so I brought him to a hair salon today and ...

TA DAH !!

Not bad isnt it ?


2) Been wanting to get a huge bean bag for our living room.. Kayla & Kieran loves to sit on the cushions to watch tv, play or read. Finally saw one I like & along with 2 kids, I lugged home 2 bags of beans & the cover to contain the beans !!

It wasnt an easy task to empty the BIG bags of weightless beans into the cover!


Our cosy living room

While they were sleeping ...

Someone once told me that the house is a reflection of the mind & I totally agree to that. When the house is cleaned, the bed is made & the toys are kept away, my spirit is lifted and so is my tolerance level !

It was a beautiful day. While the man & the children were sleeping, I washed the balcony & wiped the railings.

Defeated

I cant remember when was the last time I was sick.. very sick.

Yesterday I had a sore throat then I started to cough. This morning I woke up I knew it will be the worst day of my life. My back is aching, my head feels heavy & I am coughing my lungs out!

Thank God for Richard. He will be on half day leave to take over my job.

Ok, till I get well.

I am back !

Until I figure out where & how to upload 100 over photos taken over the past 5 days, this is a summary of our adventure:

Last Wednesday (8th April), we went on a 3hrs roadtrip to Port Stephens with my MIL & the Tans. Quite disappointed with the resort we stayed in because I was expecting a room with sea view !! Ha ha ! By the time we checked-in, it was about 4pm and all the shops were already closed ! We had our dinner at this award winning restaurant. Five adults, 3 toddlers & 1 baby - it was one noisy fine dining I will always remember.

The next day, we visited the most unforgettable sand dunes & sand board down one of the manificent dunes. It was awesome !!! Then, we went for dolphins-watching and the dolphins swam & raced alongside our boat. Totally speechless !! We were very lucky to see so many dolphins.

We drove back on Thursday evening.

On Good Friday, we met Uncle Lee & family for lunch before going to church. The Tan family came to our house for dinner.

On Saturday, we brought the Tans to Chatswood for some shopping & dinner at the super-yum Jap restaurant.

Today, we went to the 2009 Sydney Royal Easter Show. Its a big festival held annually at the Olympic park for about 2 weeks. So crowded !! My head was pounding all the way.

MIL left for Melbourne liao. Sob Sob Sob...

p/s: Winter cum raining makes me home sick !! :(

Constipation no more

Sometime ago, if you recall, I had a very unpleasant encounter with this Ikea lady who refused to let Kayla into the play area because in her opinion, Kayla was not toilet trained. The incident bothered me for a week. Anger is as awful as constipation !

So I constipated for a week.

As the chinese saying goes " 冤嘉(enemy) 路载 (path narrow)", every time I go to Ikea I will surely see her & every time I will dodge. Dont ask me why, its just a natural reaction.

This afternoon, I was at Ikea & there she was AGAIN. Strangely, I didnt shift my position but instead, I smiled at her and she smiled back !!

Now, why didnt I do that earlier?

Stick-on labels

I like to "window shop" online, even more so now. My friend recommended me some great sites for special offers & discount codes !!

Last week I ordered stick-on labels (school value kit) for Kayla who will be starting pre-school on the 30th March. There are 200 labels of various sizes (includes labels for shoes and iron-on for clothes). Do I really need so many?? I thought. So instead of "Kayla Low" , I had them printed as "K. Low" . Now Kieran can use the labels too !!! Clever or not ?? Ha ha ha!


100% waterproof

The Mom's Song

Dedicated to the most hardworking people on earth - MOMS !

Thanks for sharing, Jan !!