7 years ago on this day...

.. I was heavily pregnant and the tummy was about to burst anytime. We were in Ipoh, having just simply renovated my inlaw's old house and moved in. Papa came back from Brunei to lend a helping hand during my labor (for me to bite!) and celebrate CNY together.

That night, we *jeng jeng jeng* after been separated for a few months. Then early next morning, we went to my gynae's for our weekly check up. I was so heavily pregnant that the people there kept asking me "joong mei sang tuck ah?"... and the nurse also said "If by tomorrow still not in labor, she (my gynae) would be on leave already and your case will be handled by someone else"...woah~ I kept praying that that day's better be the day.

When I went in, I was immediately told to lie down and checked by her. Lo and behold! She said I was already in labor, my cervix already opened up 5 cm! My hub and I looked at each other and then he asked her "err??? means what ah? When is she going into labor leh?" Duh! We looked really darn bodoh! She asked me if I wanted epidural or not, we looked at each other again with a big ? on top of our heads. I asked for her advice and she told me, looking at my "sihat dan kuat"-ness, I can try to do without it. So, ok! Here we go!

She told me to be admitted right away! Not even giving me the chance to go home and pack my stuffs. I pled with her to let me go home and take my things, it's not very far away jek. So, she said ok, but have to be quick!

Then we lengang-lengang kaki, went to eat dimsum with my mil, go back home to take a shower (as I was advised by friends I had better do!) and take my already prepacked luggage to go to hospital again. I even wanted to take a nap first!

When we were there, it was about 1pm, after coming out from the clinic at about 10+ that morning. Everything that followed was so new to me, being shaven, poked at the ass to "clear the usus besar", and changed and lying down to rest. There wasn't any pain at all, and we were just waiting.

The doctor came on and off to check my cervix, and it was opening up, albeit a bit slowly. She said when it reached 9cm, we can start "hoi kung". Hub was getting restless, checking out the machines here and there and I had to keep an eye on him like a kid, telling him not to play with this or with that!

By late afternoon, still nothing! I slept a bit. Doctor came and asked how I was. I said "nothing!". She then gave me some "boost" by injection, I think, to start off some contractions. By 6+ to 7, I start to have some "feelings". Hub told me he was thinking of going out for awhile to grab a bite first, I machar him and firmly told him he is NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

From 7pm, the feelings came strongly and rapidly, and then suddenly the whole labor room was abuzz with actions finally. The doctor was called, and work began. Honestly, I didn't know when to do what. The nurses guided me, told me not to yell out, saving my breath to push. It did help actually. Then by each contraction, and what is shown on the screen, all of them told me to push hard. The first wave came and gone, only the head was seen.

The doctor said "If you can't do it by the 2nd time, I would have to cut you up!" I shivered upon hearing that and was determined to do it the 2nd round. She used vacuum to help me suck his head out too and with a mighty push, he was born, slightly over 8pm. What a huge relief!

This guy weighed 3.8kg when born. Quite a big sized baby, apparently, with a big head somemore.

I remembered hub looking at the bb with a "disgusted" face, then at me dearingly, it's very rare he looked at me like that. Then he planted a kiss on my forehead and said thank you & "sanfu sai nei". The baby was plonked on my chest and I saw him for the first time. My first impression was "why the face like tai kau meen geh?". Anyhow, I was so happy to see him.

1 hour later, I was wheeled out from the labor room, and I saw HL and my mil outside. HL asked me "sang jor la?". I replied "haiyah..", she said "you don't look like it!". That was a good one!

I called my mom to tell her the good news too, and upon hearing my voice, she also said "sang jor la? you don't sound like it". Fuyoh! I am so amazed with myself. Still looked and sounded so energetic, kononnya.

He was such an easy baby to take care, he gave me so many feel good moments of being a new mommy again. Breastfeeding came so easily this time and everything else is not much fuss with him either. He would just play on his own when he's awake, then go back to sleep when he's tired and wailed awhile for milk when hungry.

But once in awhile, he would go "BAWLLLLLL" loudly out of a sudden, without any warnings. Kinda showed his peculiar character even at that very young age.





And he's turning 7 tomorrow. My little boy. This weekend will be a birthday party for him. Come la, don't be late, ok?

Warning: Pics yang tersangat hiao

Saturday was a day to fatthiao. With a valid excuse.

It was the big day of an ex-coursemate's and I promised her, not only I will be there for the dinner, but also as a "accompanying sister" in the daytime's ceremony. Such an honor to be asked. Though I felt a little bit weird being a "jimui", but nonetheless happy indeed.

A bugger friend laughed at me on yahoo chat that afternoon saying since I am already an auntie, I am not qualified to be a "jimui" anymore. I told him I will always be qualified, right until the day I go for a sex change operation.

Indeed, I felt cheerful and happy to dress up sikit, not everyday I can do so lor. Though the attire is somewhat "old", but it's a good feeling to be able to fit into them once again.

My first outfit for the day...


It's bought more than 10 years ago and made of pure silk. It's very comfortable and cooling, very much suitable to be worn in our hot country. Plus, it looks really good in me, or me in it (I think!)

In the evening...

Congrats to the newly wed!

JM remembered it's the gown I wore on my wedding night. And she had to add that I had wore flats which made the combination all wrong! I had to admit that.

Then again, that was what my marriage all about. Me making sacrifices to accommodate my hub. Sounds a bit stupid, but I guess sometimes, this what marriage is all about to make it work. (at least for now)

Initially, hub hadn't plan on going, since we didn't know who would be here to babysit the kids. Certainly not taking all of them along as the "bill" will come to a hefty price indeed. As was the case, I confirmed with the bride that I would be coming alone. At the last minute, my hub joined in and that made us a bit crowded in that table.

We had fun that night, though there were only like about 6 of us while the rest were strangers to us. The food was great too though the ambience is a bit noisy, as always.

We made it back home about 12 that night, after over 1 hour in the traffic. Such a crawl along the route back to NKVE Rawang toll from the restaurant.

The next day I had an awful diarrhea. Wonder if it was the food the night before or the breakfast that morning. Sent mom to train station to catch the train home while hub was away almost the whole day attending 2 weddings (1 a Malay's and the other a chinese at a posh hotel setting). As if that's not bad enough, the water taps ran dry at about 5pm.

I was worried about the toilets not being able to flushed with the bad lausai. Hub came home and brought some pails of water up while we went downstairs to the clubhouse for a cold shower. Not being able to cook for dinner, we tapau food home and ate the food in disposable utensils. I warned the kids to eat dinner without messing up the place and surprisingly, they can do it if they want to. Heiz.. can I use this tactic everyday?

Lucky the water supply came back when it was time to sleep and the upset tummy was ok the next day.

(pssst: now see hiao pic already, faster comment i look very very piaoliang la, wait for what? dunwant to say?? *roll sleeves up* say that again! ..... *on the knees pleading* say la, i belanja you yumcha yau dim wah jek?)

Sick after days of shopping.

I'm sick. Cough and flu bug. Last night my throat made me choke till half death, and I only managed to sleep at about 2+. And today I looked zombed out, but somehow still couldn't sleep during the day. Ihatechew, bug!

Blame it on my laziness, I had been watching TV other than doing my motherly roles but I was too lazy to boil herbal tea for the family and myself. I hold on to the belief that once or twice chinese herbal leong sui a week, keeps the bugs away. Finally, it hit on me and meimei. Poor her, coughing hard too like me.

So my mom who's here on a holiday, had been pampering us with all the motherly food and stuffs. Hub had been away for these 2 weeks, and what do I do? Of course, go shopping for CNY clothes la, what else, right? tee hee!

It's all done, I'm so happy. It's tough looking for some good nice tees for the boys, coz they are all so boring stuffs. I was considering to get one of those bold loud CNY red and gold outfit for the kids this year, but nah.. it's too.... fugly and expensive. Furthermore, I don't think they will be worn after cny is over.

So, it was all tees for them, as they hate shirts and collared stuffs. My priority is that they are comfortable in the hot weather during those house hopping around.

But for meimei, it's sooooo hard to resist those pretty clothes. I keep telling myself "enough! she has enough new clothes jor, but....." sigh! Blame it on my good taste! When I see any nice ones, I would look at the price tag and keep to the budget. Yesterday I was browsing around again, and dem! those 2 pretty little frocks are too hard to give it a pass! In any case, which one was?

So, she has 6 pieces of new clothes to celebrate the new year, where the boys have 5 each and my hub, 3. As for me, woah! I'm not telling... oh, and I have a new year hairdo too! An afternoon of coloring, treating, cutting and perming. 1 pat joe, 2 pat yau. Very the "hot" now! I mean, the credit card bills.... die, when the statements are here.

1 more month to go for CNY

Xin lian lai lor... tuk tuk chiang!

We have new clothes and shoes for cny already, have you yet? This year, my eldest bro is coming home with his family. Although it would be just the same old routine year in year out, day in day out, but one thing never fails to make me look forward to it is, no, make it two things.... putting on the new loot we bought for the kids and meeting friends again.

Meeting friends is always fill with laughter and joy, even more so when blackjack is held.

I'm gonna go shopping for more clothes. Which reminds me.. my hub don't have anything new for the festive season yet.

Are those colorful paper cranes pretty and cute? Making more of it to decorate up the home instead of those bright red and gold ornaments.

What I'm reading now.

It's actually not what you think it is.

You know what I mean?

It was interesting in the beginning, then it became draggy, predictable, boring but it's my principle to follow it to the end, so I am wasting my sleeptime over it and I am so sleepy everyday that I hate I slept late the night before and before too, so I promised myself I would sleep very early last night and just as predictably of myself, it ended up just the same, hence I pressed the fast forward button, watching the show in an animated fast forwarded motion to catch the last episode and end my darn addiction once and for all when at last, I realized this is not the final disc yet and dammit, it's already 1am which means in another 5 hours' time I have to wake up to get them going to school, causing me zombified now when I know I can catch a nap but I can't because the part time maid is here and I'm waiting for korkor to come home from school. End of rant.

The kind of play and fun they so love.

Children. Why do they love to make fun of one another? Is it so fun?

For a long time now, at almost perfect timings, both the boys would sing a silly tune (something like.. fei see xiao ding dang) and meimei would give a loud "HMMPPHHHH" or a loud high pitched whine, which can be very irritating.

Then when korkor and meimei gabung together and sing another tune (like... v-shaped open sink) and didi would turn into an incredible hulk (minus the change-of-size and torn-of-clothes-except-the-undies routine) running after them and treating to swallow them whole.

Why is that so irritating to them, in the first place? It's not even nickname to begin with! And it's nothing vulgar or suggestive, why would the respective phrases have such an effect on them?

And do I tell the offending duo to stop the disturbance? Are they doing something wrong when korkor pointed out cheekily that he's not saying anything vulgar or doing any physical injury? Is it helpful to tell the big kid to "yeong" small kid? Do I step in and solve this problem for the victim? But I do not know how to solve it too, to begin with.

Hence, as I normally try to practise, I would try and meditate my mind away while they "have fun", or leaving them to settle and sort out their own problems. But it's really not that easy, especially when we are confined to the small area of a CAR, and I was trying my best to weave around the traffic, avoiding to bang the little bird flying and crossing the streets at the same time, with this accompanying loud and noisy, VERY irritating ruckus they are making at the back.

Then, finally there's this time I reprimanded meimei for wailing like a baby when all they were doing was singing a stupid tune. I talked to her and asked her why she's acting like this.

Why does it bother you so much? Why do you want to admit it's you that they are singing about foolishly? Can you learn to ignore them? Because the more you cry, the happier they are and the more they are going to sing that silly song. And I'm not going to tell them to stop because in future, it's highly likely you will have to learn to deal with it with other children as well.

Quite a mighty long and serious lecture there. But does it work? NO! It's still ongoing like before as usual. Heiz, I might as well learn to get used to it.

All these changes in 2010

In 2009, there were some slight changes to our daily lives, being korkor switched and started his year 3 in a new school with new friends and new teachers, me staying home and having all our privacy to ourselves again (my mom went home to Ipoh).

For this year, the changes had been didi joining his brother in his school and meimei starting off to another kindy too. Yeah, I was pondering to make that change or not before and MY advised me not to, being it's her last year of preschool and she's so used to the environment there.

But the distance was really killing me (kwacheong a bit la, yes) and this new preschool has an equally sound and popular system. Plus, I think kids have are very adaptable, if not, they had better learn to be, since changes are just constant in our lives. I guess it might not be a bad idea to let her try on some other learning system, apart from the one both the boys were exposed to. The determining factor would be the distance, it's so kindly near to us, just less than 5 mins drive away, compared to 20 mins before. To and fro la.

She wasn't really looking forward for the change, being mainly missing her old friends, used to the old environment, and (I suspect) influenced by the korkor that the teachers in the new preschool are unfriendly and fierce.

The first week of school was rather heartbreaking. She didn't cry, but she didn't jump up from bed or looked eager to school either. When I pick her up after school hours, she would be tau tap tap and when asked why, she just brush it off saying... "tired". Looked so pitiful indeed.

But she still would carry on with the idea. The 3rd day, I tried to "bribed" her with a new pair of shoes, it's hers if she would tell me she loves the new school! (Don't mention the cruelty of that, please). She ended up crying finally. Oh dear, it so broke my heart.

I didn't unreasonably forced her to say she loves the new school anymore, instead I shall let her slowly get used to it and tried to encourage her subtly. (like...Tell me! Tell me NOW!)

By Friday, all the books were taken home for wrapping and I was trying to show how very pretty and colorful the books are and how exciting all these lessons gonna be!! (the hypocrisy, duh!) She still wasn't very enthusiastic and by evening, I was getting a little fed up.

I gave her the ultimatum, if she didn't like this school, fine! I'm not gonna force it on her and she would just have to stay home and learn with me! Then I rattled on that she's not gonna make any new friends, not gonna need to wear any pretty pink uniforms, not doing any science experiments blah blah blah.. *gasp* I guess that mighty scared her off and she finally relented to make more effort to like the new change. Poor girl!

Then I left a long note for the teacher, asking her humbly to give her more attention and encouragement to make her blend in faster. It seems rather selfish of me to make that request, but I guess it's worth a try.

Today, I can see that there's a little bit improvement and she's really making that effort to like this. What a brave little girl she is. I think she should be ok. Else, I'm gonna just bribe her with more aiskrims, cute stuffs, gaigai outings or whatever. Am I such a good mommy! *blek*

As for didi, we have decided that he shall stop learning to play the piano. It's furious getting him to practise daily, and without practise, I doubt this new skill can be learned at all. So, after the longest consideration, I made myself calm and accepting instead. Learning to listen to him, I let him start on drum lessons, hoping at least he would learn to enjoy music somehow. Driving him to the class that very first day, I had this vivid imagination of how a charmer he can be swinging the drumstiks (NOT KFC kind ah) high up in the air while drumming up a very interesting ... (what do you call that?) beat?

As for korkor, I changed him from his last piano teacher to an individual class to another piano teacher. This new class gonna be on Saturdays, and hub said be prepared for a lot of lessons missed. I think I have to agree with him, but really, going about on a weekend is lot less stressing than rushing over to the center on a weekday during rush hour traffic. So far so good.

I'm beginning to like 2010 already.

This is how weekends should be.

Life's been quite good, for this weekend so far.

Hub is away for business trip while I'm stuck at home with the kids. When they get rowdy and noisy, it's timegood idea to take them down to drown the endless ruckus they create with outside noise. After all, the 4 walls do keep all the soundwaves around and bounced back to my ears making my head thump.

The last time we were at CK's home for New Year's eve BBQ nite, we felt sorry for the boys as they do not know how to ride a bicycle or skate with the roller blades. Theirs obviously are good at it, seeing the space they have around in their home to play at it anytime they like. That's one of the disadvantage of living in non-landed home, without much space to play in.

But hub was mighty determine that the boys learn to skate and play with him together. So, over the last weekend, we bought each of them a pair of skates. The boys were so eager to learn the new skill.

When I take them down to the pool area, the fresh outside air really gives me a change of heart and mind from frustatingly agitated to peacefully bliss. Watching the boys skate really tickles me to the bone. They are so funny, especially didi. Wished I had taken the cam to take their pics, I must remember to do that the next time.

Korkor asked if they can go swimming on Sunday, and I promised them a morning dip with the buns and milo for breakfast at the pool area. And that was what we had this morning. It was such a nice day. Can read books, with a cup of coffee in hand, them having fun, it's the best combination ever.

Later after lunch and shopping for fruits at the mall, we were home again, this time I laid out the table for them to draw and play on water colors. Gee.. they were so excited playing with water colors, I regretted we hadn't done more of these activities earlier during the holidays. After dinner, it's time to tuck them into bed earlier since it's schooldays again tomorrow. *yawn* I should be going to sleep too now, but yau want to watch another episode of "Beyond the Realm of Conscience" in this quiet night. How leh?

Sleep is what I need to do like...NOW.

It's Friday finally! I'm so sleep deprived that for the first time in donkey years, I had a sound nap yesterday's afternoon. I so wanted to sleep on but made myself to get up to wake the kids up. If they sleep longer than 3-4 hours, they would be wide awake even by 11. All of them are so tired that they have no problem plonking down on the bed and going to slumber right after that snoozing away for their afternoon naps.

Time seems not enough even when they are not going for any tuitions, except for Mandarin, which I'm too gungho to teach. By the time they are home and showered and lunched and napped, I let them watch cartoons for awhile and it's time to do some work. With the effort and determination I've put in during the hols to get them used to home tuitions, I am still determined not to let it slip away. Thus, they will be at the table doing homework, home tuitions, tergendala awhile for dinner time and back to the table until bedtime. I can't even find the time to watch tv, read some books or login at nights now! It was so busy and hectic days.

When I'm sleep deprived, naturally I would be slightly easily agitated too. One day, the boys were home after school and they were running around like wild animals after lunch. I was washing the dishes and felt really up to my head with those noise around. So I told them to stay at the laundry area right outside the kitchen and locked them in there. Boy! I'm so mean and pintai. Hope they won't grow up pintai too.

However, they seemed like it was fun and were brainstorming and coming up with funny ideas how to escape from the "gallows" and I didn't know to smile or to be angry. By then, I was feeling slightly sorry for them, but was too worked up to just open the door. Korkor was right, they weren't fighting or hurting anyone, but just playing with each other, albeit slightly wild and noisy. Man! I had to think fast of an excuse why I was punishing them indeed. Parenting is so challenging!

Oh, and did I mention I had dinner with Datuk Tony on Monday evening? We asked someone over to babysit the kids and had a nice evening out with 2 other couples and 1 diamond bachelor, entertaining the colleague from B'desh whom we went to Genting together the other day. The table was too crowded for all of us, so Datuk Tony sat at another table though. ;P

What the ?!

I'm feeling somewhat conned. The auntie whom I pay to fetch my sons home from school is raising the fees to another RM10, with the excuse of didi staying back any of the days. But we signed a *imaginary* contract, sum agreed upon mutually, last year, before the school holidays began. How can this be? Strictly speaking, she's breaking our contract T&C and is liable to be sued! Should I slap her with a lawyer's letter??

Actually the 10 bucks sounds like not much, but with 2 kids going to the same school, I feel a little bit guilty for not being the driver instead. The school isn't like miles away, it takes about 10 mins drive only (if there's no traffic), and I could have save the money for something better for them. Like toys? Or sports? I'm really in dilemma. Very the mm-gum-yuen also.

First day of school.

Both boys looking mighty handsome in my eyes. It was a breeze getting them up today and ready for school. I only realised today is the first day I let didi button up his shirt. Normal days he wouldn't be wearing anything with collar and buttons, except his school uniform, and I had been buttoning up for him all the time. We were already warned during orientation to let them wear and change their clothes themselves, as they need to get used to changing in and out from their school uniform to their PE t-shirt. It took quite sometime for him to master the technique of buttoning.

By the time we got out from the home, I was very shocked to see the traffic came to a halt just right at the cross junction of our taman. And with a snail pace, we slowly crawled and reached the school about 50 mins later. Usual time for the same journey would be about slightly less than 10 mins only. That was a record indeed!

For the fact that it's the first day of the new school year, latecomers even for korkor weren't punished. whew!~ Hope traffic would be smoother tomorrow.

There were 2 boys wailing in didi's class by the time we reached. Kernian-nya. The teacher then shoo-ed us parents standing outside the door and "close gate, release dog". Parents were allowed to lepak around the school canteen for just today to see that their little ones are doing fine. For me, I went home to see if meimei is ok enough to go to her school.

Of all days, last night she started developing fever. By the time I got home, she was still feeling unwell, and when she does, she would sob pathetically and manja-ly. So, home it was for her, and she had a blast watching cartoon network the whole of the morning.

When the boys got home, everything went on smoothly, didi came home nice and good with korkor in aunty's car. I can't wait to hear them talk about their first day of school, but there seemed not many activities for them. Well, what do I expect anyway? I was more concerned if didi kena again or not, and he told me in innocent looking big round eyes.."yeahhh... the teacher scolded me..." *slap forehead with rolled eyes*

I suppose it's not a big deal... yet! As long as he's not harming or disturbing his peers. I have to remind him over and over again that it's a BIG problem if he does. Hope he remembers that.

Last few pictures of 2009

Some images just downloaded from my camera which were taken from the last few weeks of last year.

Flowers blooming in my beautiful garden. The hot and vibrant colors can be make any day cheerful and bright.
Teatime at the pool while the kids happily splash around, what bliss! Should have taken a book with me to read as well.
Studying and working on worksheets during holidays. So much has been achieved for this holiday. Wonder how much of that is stored in the brains though.

Before orientation begins. Another milestone. Another new beginning of a chapter in his life.

He's being quiet and sweet, with just a little paper. His concentration on origami is amazing. Perhaps he can steal a girl's heart easily with just making a waterlily out from a normal square paper now.
The BBQ party at uncle Ck's home. Aunty Cl helping out the kids to make sure they don't burn the house down.
Meanwhile, at another corner, papa was BBQ-ing slices of meat, korean style. Yummy!

On the way to Genting, stopping by at Batu caves. A colleague from Bangladesh came for a honeymoon holiday, and we played hosts for a day.

Hot on this spot, very cold another hour later. Such a heavy fog we encountered in GH. With the drizzle around, we can't go for the outdoors.

The kids had a round of bumper car, and papa went to wall climbing. Not a very good achievement, he failed to reach the top. Yo! wasting money only.

His first try in this sport. Need mighty strong arms to pull this through.

People mountain people see. Hate the crowd, as usual.

She's the nice lady guest we have. Bangladeshi women really have charming features.

And that's all for the last few images to end the year. And how did the new year start off with? On the very first day, I met an old ex-schoolmate while having breakfast. Quite a surprise, since I hardly ever bumped into him before. And my hub finally met him too, after hearing of his name time and time again from HL.