Friday, February 24, 2012

The birds and the bees

Last night, I accidentally let Adam see me not wearing my shorts and he exclaimed "Mummy 你的鸟鸟破了!" which is loosely translated to "Mummy your birdie is torn!" and he asked why's that?
I nearly DIED. Andy had gone for his soccer game and I was left alone to handle the awkward situation.
I had to go on and on about "No, mummy doesnt have a torn birdie, Mummy has a fanny" and "You are a boy, you have a birdie. Daddy is a boy, he has a birdie too. Mummy is a girl, mummy has a fanny, not a birdie"

Thankfully he changed the topic to playing with his toys.
Can't get much private time around here, can I??


Time for me to go read up on the Birds and Bees to children. A 2-year old!!
When I was young - 10 yrs old was considered young for sex education during my time - my Dad just passed me a book on sex education and asked me to read it myself.
I then asked him, Why is it that boys' birdies stand up when they see girls?
My Dad brushed me off and said I was not supposed to ask such things. (?!?!?!?!!)

I suppose I'm not gonna be the kind of parent my parents were.
Any useful tips on broaching this subject, and those popular "where do Babies come from" topics are most welcome.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Adam on Sunday

I pulled myself together this Sunday morning and actually made French toast for Adam's brekkie.
What seemed effortless in the past now seems to be a huge challenge. Even cooking a simple dish. Luckily, he didn't mind that it wasn't my best effort and finished everything together with his Vitagen.



Adam was busy on his Playdoh set while I was cooking breakfast in the kitchen.
Notice the Thomas ride-on in the background? It's his mode of transport around our home these days.
By the way, I salvaged lots of those white sterile paper from OT. They're really handy for doodling / protecting furniture.

I asked what he was making, and he replied he's making "Kai kai".





This is Adam's final product of himself, missing a pair of legs and arms.


My son is growing up so fast. Too fast. His motor skills are amazing me at alarming rates.
In 3 mths' time, he will be 3. I'm not sure I'm prepared for that!!
Please be Mummy's baby forever.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Pregnancy - revisited

My ideal job
I have been extremely bummed lately, always wanting to sleep, cannot concentrate at work, making mistakes etc... So I did the wise thing and consulted my very wise and reliable friends & Hubby over my serious need to lie down 24/7.
I need a job which allows me to lie down all the time, as opposed to standing up and walking about all the time.
These are their suggestions:

Meena: Prostitute
Charmaine: Andy's sex slave
Andy: a Blow job.

See? I knew I can always count on them.
Confinement Lady
I did not engage any confinement lady when I gave birth to Adam because my MIL was available to help cook and do the chores for my 1-month confinement, and also because we were staying with my in-laws then.
This time, the situation is very different and we figured it'd be best to hire someone "professional" in this aspect to do it.
I called several recommendations from friends / relatives / online forum but many were either already booked for the months of Aug-Sept (speaking of kiasu-ism) , or charged exorbitant rates like $2500- $2700!! I remember during Adam's time, confinement nannies were only charging $1800!
Dragon Year is really, really a Baby Boom year.
I'm already having visions of myself camping overnight and volunteering to mow the fields of our choice Primary schools in future. Shudder.


Anyway, during my last checkup after I fainted at work, my doctor has prescribed me iron & multi-vits to boost my energy levels and overall wellbeing.
I'm seeing slight improvements on my energy level, although I'm still tired but at least I can still function as "normally" as possible.
I even managed to read books to Adam at bedtime (I always say choose 1 book but he will take out 5 at any one time) and play with him in the evenings instead of hiding under the sheets the first thing I reached home. Gratitude.

Here's the latest ultrasound photo of our little little (and highly likely last) bean.

Just the previous visit, it was still a teeny bean pole with a yolk sac and suddenly it has expanded to include limbs and a face!

My lack of interest
Before I was preggy, I had all these mental prep-talks of how I'm gonna be a glowing mom-to-be armed with my knowledge and experience of being a mother.
I hate to admit, but the truth is far from it.
I've totally lost all my moods, I don't bother with makeup these days and everyone at work's been asking me why I look so pale all the time.
Truth is, I just cannot be bothered. Sigh. I've totally let myself slide.
Charmaine asked me today, what would I like for my Birthday??
I replied her something very Aunty - please get me Takashimaya vouchers because I have no wishlist this year.
Knowing as how I am now, I will probably use the vouchers at the Baby Fair for my kids instead of myself.
The unthinkable is happening.

When will I get my mojo back???!!!!

Many updates from the Tan household

ME
I fainted at work today. Unglam. I was all scrubbed up to assist in surgery when I saw white spots and had difficulty breathing. The next thing I knew, I fainted. (Just for your info, I've assisted in many surgeries before and it's not the gore that blacked me out.)
And the next next thing I knew, I was being wheeled around a wheelchair to the A&E dept for some medical attention.
Oh. My. God. Totally embarrassing.

According to the doctor at the A&E, I'm having something known as "vasovagal", which my husband thinks sounds very genital - "vaso" = blood vessels. "vagal" = sounds like vagina.
Means what? My vagina has many blood vessels. ??? Crazy husband. That's why I cant believe 100% what my husband says.
It really means a sudden dilation of vessels which makes blood pool elsewhere and make a person faint.

And this is the reason:

I missed my period. Been 2 months now.
I peed onto a contraption which returned the following. POSITIVE.

I initially didnt wanna tell anybody yet because I've not crossed the 12-week mark. So far I've only told my Mom and my Aunt. But for some unknown reason, my Dad "could tell from my face" and so could 7 hundred other people whom I've met ONCE a year during CNY.
And as of today, my whole dept knows.
It doesn't help that this pregnancy is much much more untolerable than my 1st.
When I was preg with Kai, I could manage 3-shifts in a hospital ward, working 6 days-week, and had no adverse reactions whatsoever.

Leg cramps in the middle of the night, expanding waistline, intolerance to smells (shampoo/soap/perfume), intolerance to sights of certain foods, all seem a distant memory.
On top of that, extreme fatigue, exhaustion, the need to lie down 24/7, food adversity, lack of appetite, exotic food cravings all seem very new this time round :(
I never used to have any cravings in my previous pregnancy, 'cept for once or twice when I felt like eating the Chinese 9-layer multicolor cake.
In these 2 mths, I've already craved for --- pasta with sundried tomatoes & fetta cheese (what?!), cornflake & raisin cookies, and Marks & Spencer potato chips with Sea salt & Balsamic vinegar (what?!?!?!), and Chicken in a Biskit which I've made my poor Charmaine & hubby hunt for.

In summary - I have just set myself up for 9 mths of torture in exchange for few hours of marital pleasure with the husband!!!!


ADAM
1 month of being in his new school hasn't turned out nearly as well as I'd imagine. In fact, it was pure torment for all of us.
We had to fight with Adam to get out of bed every morning, fight with him to put on his uniform (which he hates), fight with him to physically get his ass to school, and then fight somemore at home when his tantrums escalate.
My little preggy heart can only take so much.
I withdrew him from Learning Vision, as discussed and agreed with my good Hubby & family, and switched Adam back to his old school, where he's now back with his friends again, after a month of hiatus.

He seems to be enjoying himself more now, give and take some hiccups and teething problems with the switch-over. But generally all is good now. Thank GOD!

Lesson learnt --- we parents all think we know what's best for our child but sometimes we should just take a step back and be more in tune to our child's needs.

And the other day, I was at home on a weekend, with a terrible need to nap (not new to my husband and kid anymore).. So I said to Adam:

Me: Mummy needs to rest for a while on your bed Ok?
Adam: Ok mummy. Mummy go sleep. Good night Mummy!!
[5 mins later, he enters the room]
Adam: Mummy??? You sleep?
Me: Yes baby. Mummy is tired and needs to rest for a while Ok?
Adam: Ok mummy. Mummy go sleep. Good night Mummy!!
[I shut my eyes ..again... and dozed off]
[10 min later, he re-enters room]
Adam: Mummy? You sleep?
Me: Yes baby. Mummy is tired and needs to rest. Now. Ok??
I chased him out the room (his own room, bad mummy) and closed the door and napped for an hour.

I am so wasted. Poor deprived child. He's gonna grow up developing psychological problems because his mother is always sleeping/tired/"stomach so big with baby inside" <-- he went telling my in-laws, traitor!!

Ok that's enough updates for now. Feeling giddy typing this. -___-
Off to nap.

Friday, January 27, 2012

About living as married couple

Apart from keeping seperate bank accounts, Andy & I also keep seperate toilets. Yes - we have a His & Her toilet in our household.
He has very graciously accepted the master bedroom toilet as his, whirlpool and all, while I humbly take the common toilet as mine. No issues with me, since I've used the tub less than 5 times since its installation. Adam obviously uses it more than the 2 of us combined.
Taking the common toilet also means I have one less bathtub to scrub.
Most importantly, I do not have to wake up in the middle of the night to pee and find myself rudely awakened by sitting on drops of yellow PEE on the toilet bowl rims!!!!!

I take pride in my toilet. There is always soap and perfume available, and it's always clean.
This evening, I happened to walk past Andy's toilet to the MBR to get clothes when a whiff of AMONIA attacked my sensitive nasal passages. This calls as a crisis which cannot wait till the part-time helper arrives.
I went to Andy's toilet to check it out and found out that his toilet bowl is filthy and pee-stained and I had to hold my breath and scrub the toilet bowl. All for my adorable husband. This man must have a bladder in overdrive to turn a whole toilet bowl yellow. Ever heard of "Love me, love my dog?" *hysterical laughter*

Marriage is hard work I tell ya.
And my point? I dont know what my point is after all this typing because I'm dead tired and wish to sleep this instant.
But I wanna say - Andy is a filthyshitbag and I'm the one who is an angel. That's my point. The end.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Dad's 60th 大寿 - 20 Jan 2012

My ol' paps celebrated his 60th birthday on last Friday by throwing a 10-course dinner for 60 at Peony Jade.
Consisting of our relatives and his childhood friends, he did have a grand time that night :)






My aunts and our relatives from Aussie.


Dad's childhood friends whom he grew up catching longkang fish and played marbles together.


more Childhood friends.


His pretty (ahem) daughter and son-in-law and his favourite (one & only) grandson.





Hongkie relatives


Longevity peaches for every table, every guest




Adam's present to Grandpa








[still waiting for my bro's photos as he was the other photographer that night :]

Friday, January 20, 2012

Taiwan, Jan 2012














Finally our Taiwan trip photos are up. What a painstaking process it was editing and uploading those photos.

The link to the album can be found here. For your visual pleasure.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

2012 - the beginning.

2012 has been big and busy for us thus far. We just came back from Taiwan, and the photos are taking FOREVER to load on Picasa.

Adam officially starts Nursery. That's right! My baby is going to official school now!! He's my forever baby, no doubt he's turning 3 in 4 month's time, but still the thought of my pesky little baby who still can't use the potty / sleep on his own/who wants me to be there all the time, well it's just very hard to stomach the fact.

He's attending school at Learning Vision which is at my workplace, so every morning Andy drops me off to work and Adam off to school (I can't deal with the fighting and crying when we need to part). In the evenings, my FIL comes to fetch us home.
The first week has ended, and has been full of emotions for Adam, especially since he still hasn't gotten used to the new environment, new friends and new teachers. When asked, he replies that his friends have no names, and his teachers have no names. That's NOT true of course! But it's just his way of expressing that he hasn't gotten used to them yet.
Poor kid.

As for us adults, the grandparents get the weekend duty which allows me plenty of time to catch up on lost sleep, and my me-time.
Ok I'm feeling lethargic just typing this post. I need to go sleep now. (even though I just woke up an hour ago)... Zzzzzzz

Friday, December 30, 2011

Wedding of Angeline & Sean

My long time friend, Angeline, tied the knot today at Fullerton Hotel.
Since secondary school, we always knew that Angeline would excel in everything she does. She came from the top class, quit polytechnic to join SIA after getting our O's, and now she has left the airline to venture into something else, where she met her sweetheart Sean, the man who would ask her hand in marriage. Together, they bought a dream home and finally decided to get married on this fateful day.
So really, it didnt come to any of us as a surprise that they would have a lavish & glamorous wedding - she would only deserve the best!

I love weddings - so happy and full of love, laughter, surrounded by friends :)
Here's wishing Angeline & Sean a lifetime of happiness and bliss.








My friends whom I've known for 15 years!! Missing in action is Carol - she's currently in a place where we'll be flying to tomorrow (TW) =P


My precious boys.




P.S. I really like the fascinator, so easy to wear and instantly glams up any outfit, especially now that I'm trying to grow out my hair again. I should buy another one in white or beige feathers to match light-colored outfits :D

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Batam - Dec 2011

We followed my MIL to spend Xmas with her brother in Batam.
It was Adam's first time boarding a ferry to Batam (even though he's already took a ferry ride to Macau) and now that he is old enough to understand what a ferry ride is, he was understandably very excited.

He's been telling everyone that he's going to "ride a boat" but when he finally boarded the ferry, he fell asleep and by the time he woke up, we docked. Poor boy was so disappointed that he "didnt" get to take his boat ride that he cried.


At Andy's uncle's house





Happy Boxing Day






Kelong seafood







Stopping for coffee and yogurt at nearby mall



Self-entertaining kiddo



MIL and her brother




cheeky monkey




While waiting for us to finish sucking our crab claws, licking fish bones and pigging out, Adam sang himself a Happy Birthday song and blew out his "candles on a cake" HAHAHAHA my silly boy is bored.










I spent 2 full days without warm water to bathe in, no internet, no wi-fi, no gadgets.... but had lots of spicy food, kelong seafood and more seafood. Until I became sick, literally!
And we nearly couldnt make it back because no more ferries! We managed to get the last ferry home and by the time we cleared customs and got home, it was already 11.30pm. I took a long warm bath and crashed. My own home never felt this good.
I'm now on MC trying to recover from fever and sore throat. Bummer!

Need to get well soon so that I can enjoy my Taipei trip this weekend :)

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Yuletide Party 2011

Kickstarted the year-end parties on Saturday 17 Dec 2011 with BBQ and booze.

This is the real Birthday cake for deserving Dec babies - a 2-tier lychee martini. Yums!


We had lots of Cosmos, Mohjitos, White Russian and red wine going on last night










Things are heating up. Time to start feeding the people!


The hosts =)











"Santa Claus" entertaining the children





















3 kids who speak 3 different languages put their differences aside and play in harmony. Adam graciously shared his toys with the kids and let them play in his bedroom. It's truly amazing.
I couldn't have asked for a better child. I'm so proud of you Adam. You are mummy's shining star =)



The guys gave Hubs a doll - a life-sized one - for good measure


You can't run away from this Honey.


Jason looks with admiring eyes and pouty lips


Taking turns to blow her... Sounds wrong!







Raymond got the largest lungs HAHAHA













thanks peeps for coming to our first year-end party held at our humble home.
It was great honor having so many family and friends to celebrate with us and we had a swell time...
Paul got drunk and went hugging my FIL and said to him "You're a good man"... (what the..???!) and my all-time Cheena Dad actually even liked mingling with our "ang moh" guests because he was impressed that they liked Singapore more than UK.
My Dad is the type of person who thinks Chinese people should always be proud of our roots and why should we have English names when Caucasians don't have chinese names yadayadayada.. so you can imagine what a huge sigh of relief I heaved last night.

It is always tiring to throw parties but all the effort is worth it eventually.
And I had lots of help from our helper Linda in restoring our messy house to "showroom" condition again this morning. Thank you Linda.

Life is not always a bed of roses, there will be times some people come and go, and then there are some who just want to be with you in happy times but once the honeymoon is over, they're out the door.
Only Family and true Friends are the real angels whom God sent to comfort us during our darkest times, to steer us onto the right paths when we stray, and to share our most joyous and happiest moments in life.
You guys made it happen, and we hope to host more fabulous parties in future =)
.
.
p.s. We will be packing up and first, celebrating Xmas with my MIL's family in Indonesia, then flying to Taipei to usher in 2012.

Bye guys and Yummy holidays!
Love ,
Veron, Andy, Adam.