Dead exhausted

She was so dead exhausted from all the shopping that she fell asleep slumped over the side sofa! The amazing amount of things to buy, this is truly a shopping paradise.... and at such super cheap prices too! I can see where Mini Toons got some of their stuff....

The stuff here are so cheap! And seems like, people are really into bling with shops at MBK sticking on gems unto phone and NDS covers making it bling bling! Some are a bit the ohbiang la but some pretty nice ones. Check out some that we bought! Cool huh?

Sawadeeka!

This is what my home should look like.... either that or I should make sure I always travel in style... no more cheap hotels... yeah like real...

Daniah checking out her new home...

anywayz, the family is in BKK this weekend and staying at the Ascott. This is luxury living!

The girls got so excited to have their own room complete with a bathroom and tv!

It comes complete with a utilities area for washing clothes and kitchenette. The toiletries are all locitanne! And the best thing yet is all this is free... courtesy of hubby's company.... jealous right?

Tutup, tutup

Daniah is so quickly picking up words but it is so funny listening to her, how she mispronounces them and stringing her words into a sentence without the injunctions in between...

Ahnie, Ahbop and Ahto.... members of the last tailong gang? Nope, they are just Barnie, Baby Bop and Tomato, Daniah version! Or Cuca encing... to say that my cousin was urinating... how she knows that, I dunno, just her assumption cos the lady was in the toilet! ha ha!

She has also started labelling any skin exposure as shame shame and a quick order to "tutup, tutup, tutup!" or cover up... hopefully she does not do this in public, well not yet at least...

It does amaze me how quickly pick up the words around them and I think I can safely say that my kids do have an impressive vocab for their age.... for example, Tasnym admonishing Sarah last week "Can you keep quiet! I cannot concentrate!" when trying to do some Maths sums...

Who is that teenager?

Sarah suddenly decide one day that she was going to have her own room and sleep on her own. So we proceeded to convert the study into her room and have her sleep temporarily in the unused baby cot. And she proceeded to chase both her sisters out and start closing the doors to change clothes... but the last straw was when she kept the door closed and remained inside for an inordinate amount of time. "Since when did we have a teenager in the house?" I asked hubby. And the rule now is, you keep the door open! My baby is growing up! And she had no problems what so ever sleeping on her own.... it was only her mummy who was ever so worried and Tasnym as usual, wanting to make sure that she always has excess to the same room.

Talking about growing up, she graduated from K2 last weekend... the musical she acted in was hilarious but ok, at least we can rule out acting for her career! And definitely there were tears in my eyes as I saw her graduate and dance her graduation dance. Seems like I am more sad than she is that she is leaving her friends behind. Soon they will be just a passing memory to her.
Receiving her graduation scroll...

Seems ironic to me that as she was leaving friends behind, I reconnected with mine in a reunion of sorts at the graduation ceremony. Met 3 Secondary school classmates, all with graduating children. We have moved so far in our lives, while for our kids its just the beginning. And meeting them brought back memories of school.

As I went through all this, I could not help but think about some of my friends who have opted to home school their kids. I am not an advocate for homeschooling and am against the idea. Of course, I respect the decision that my friends are making for it is for the best of their own kids. I had asked one friend and she said that it was more for character building and to minimise negative influences. I felt that my daughter's experiences being in school, making friends and going through graduation was building character. True, negative influences may come but that is something that our parenting would have to manage as the time comes. I just felt that it may not be the best for children to be deprived of such experiences. I had negative school experiences but some of the friends I made in school were also some of my best. I regretted the fact that I never graduated from Kindy... yes I was a kindergarten drop-out! But thats another story... I think the teachers of those days can be hauled off for child abuse easily!

Primary 1 Orientation

We went for Sarah's Primary 1 orientation and had not expected that she would be brought away for a readiness test. we arrived a little late and the children were all clustered into their classes and walking towards the classrooms by the time we arrived. My heart stopped when Sarah was led away and Tasnym wailed away as Sarah walked off without even looking back! Oh my, my baby has really grown up! I think dear hubby was feeling the same way as he went off to make sure that she was ok in the classroom though we were told not to go up ... yes first time P1 parents...

And she came back without a single worry talking away about how easy her test was and the only problem she had was with the Malay paper where the Malay teacher had to translate the instructions for her! So malu! All she could complain about was how bored she was in the room, well obviously she would not be having any problems settling in... and my worries about food would be laid to rest as parents are allowed to be with their kids at recess for the first 3 days... the only worry this mother has left is whether she will make friends and good friends too... Seems like I am crying over the loss of her friendship with her best friend, Sabrina while she seems completely ok abt it.... still too young I guess to know the meaning of friendship...

I was just so surprised that day when I met old friends from Primary School, Secondary school and even from work were sending their kids to Primary 1 at Sarah's school, almost a reunion of sorts... Some friendships losta nd some friendships found...

And it was money flying out that day what with paying for the uniforms, socks, shoes, books... thank God the fees is on $5.50 a month. It was really almost like an International school, Koreans, Chinese, Indians, Caucasians, Malays, Japanese.... and I got so excited learning about how the kids were going to learn languages through speech and drama, have computer classes etc... all in Primary1! Makes me kind of wish that I could repeat my Primary 1 all over again.

And now we have got to start convincing Tasnym all over again that she would be in a different school from Sarah next year...

Its going down down down

I have been making a real conscientious effort in watching my calorie intake and its really making a difference.... but I have to admit that any effort at weight loss is precisely that... an EFFORT! There is no miracle cure to losing weight... it takes discipline but there are somethings that you can do to make it easier and make it look like you are not making much of an effort...

One thing I definitely learn is NOT to starve yourself and NOT to skip meals... you wont gain anything from doing that apart from making yourself HUNGRY, tremendously so.... it also does not work to deprive yourself of certain kinds of food... like my cousin found out, it just made her angry and resentful of her hubby who was happily eating away...

You can eat what you want, the key is in moderation... and the way to get to that is to cut it back bit by bit... like I mentioned earlier, there is no miracle cure, if you want a fast way, go join that weight loss program... whats' the name? Biggest loser? And trust me they will work you off your butt... if you do have the time to lose weight gradually and want it to last cos you change the way you eat and know that you have no discipline? Go slow, its easier on your body and easier for you to follow through...

What are my tips?
1) Drink lots of water and green tea... wash away the toxins and jump start our metabolic rate
2) Lessen your portion bit by bit so your body gets used to eating less
3) Increase your activity level... I know some people hates exercise so do other stuff that dun feel like exercise but burns calories just the same such as walking round the mall for 1.5 hours, that will burn close to 200 calories and is the same to walking around the tracks... or you can wak faster than what you usually do, walk up the stairs, walk from one bus stop away but I think the walking around the mall is definitely the easiest for me!
4) Allow yourself that cake or favourite food.... just not everyday and lessen the portion as well...
5) Eat a fruit before your meal so you feel full and would eat less as well

As time goes by, you increase this bit by bit as well.... and soon you find yourself more active and fit... and naturally eating less as well... all leading to weight loss

Try it... might work for you to

Soyee!

It is so interesting to see how a baby develops language... one day they can say nothing, and then one syllable and overnight, that then becomes one word and one sentence...

One day they dunno the word and the next they do...

Just like Daniah...one day she says, more, more, the next she starts saying somemore and then completely stuns us one day when she said, I want some more.....how appropriate for this bottomless baby bird who would never fail to open her mouth wide and go "ah, ah, ah" upon seeing any food trays coming her way!

then out of the blue, she started saying Soyee to everything, whether it was her fault or not....So she would bump into something and then goes "Soyee! Soyee!"

She is also a terror in school, pushing kids out of the way in school... I wonder how that is gonna turn out? Push someone away and then say Soyee? Well she already know how to blame others... just ask her who has drawn on her hands etc.. even when caught red handed with a marker in her hand, she will point to her sisters and say "kakak"!

Hari Raya Blues

Don't you feel that this Raya feels different somehow? And it is not just me saying it ... the feel is just not there... on the first day, I said to my hubby that it appears as if we were the only ones out and dun seem to see any other Malays doing the same... not on the roads, not at the bus stops... some were saying that it is cos of the exams but dun tell me all the Malay families are having kids facing PSLE, or their O or A levels...

Even the taxi drivers are complaining that somehow they did not seem to have many Malay passengers this round... The recession hitting hard?

I dun seem to understand the recent spate of articles in the Malay papers recently criticising the way the Malays celebrate Aidilfitri... some I do agree... like the Malays who dun fast but go over the top when it comes to celebrating... or those who overspend and start overhauling their home each year till they go into debt... but is it so wrong the we visit our relatives and for them to visit us in turn? Isn't it berkat to have people coming over to our home and if we only should visit the elder and dun get visited in return... well I think it becomes very sad...so I only get visited when I grow old and not before?

And what's with the criticism of us wearing baju kurung only during Aidilfitri? Would they rather we dun wear it at all? Isn't it good that at least we do... to keep that culture alive....

Why must it always be a criticism about what the Malays do while the other cultures are praised and placed in high regard for what they practise? What about borrowing some or learning from what that is good and yet keeping our own culture alive minus the negatives? So, I am all for bringing up the spirit of Ramadan... but we do not need to denounce our spirit of visiting in Aidilfitri. There was an article highlighting how in some other cultures, families would invite others to their home for feasting during Ramadan cos this is a way of earning good deeds... but the question I have is do they invite those of the same status as them or do they invite the poor? Cos if they do the latter then good but if they do only the former, then what is so great about that? And we can also invite the poor to our home during Aidilfitri right?

Even the culture of asking forgiveness on the mornings of Aidilfitri is bashed... that is not on practised in Singapore but also Indonesia and Malaysia... that is our culture... what is so wrong with that? Isnt it a good thing as a practise? Of course, I agree that we should not just keep this practise to Aidilfitri to seek forgiveness and it should be a regular thing we do .... but to bash this just because the other cultures dun do it? That I dun get.... Diversity is not a crime...not that I know of anyway...

The things kids say!

Grandpa (Yayi): I want to be a hero, you think I can be a hero?
Sarah: You cannot become a hero, your stomach is too big!!

Tasnym to Daniah as they see the Superstar Virgo
Tasnym: Daniah, Sarah and I went on that ship. You never go because that time you were not born yet because mama and papa not yet get married!

Gosh the scandal! Mama and Papa not yet get married? With two kids already in tow?
: )

Anyway Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf zahir dan batin to all Muslims! And my diet went completely downhill with all the good food we feasted on these past 3 days....my weight has gone up up up!! stay down, stay down!

unfortunately this year, our ketupats did not turn out too well. Half unravelled in the water while the rest were to hard... all cos we put in too much rice... must remember to only put in 1/3 next time! All my backbreaking work to waste...

It was also a very tearjerking Hari Raya as we got the girls to also salaam and ask for forgiveness early that morning... Tasnym started crying even as she saw me cry while Sarah hid behind the sofa!

This year was also a different one for me... for the first time in my life, I did not go to JB on the first day of Hari Raya cos my granny had gone to KL instead. It feels so different and it felt like I did not have her, I actually teared as I spoke to her on the phone... how easily we take things we have for granted... And for the first time ever, I was actually told that I strongly resemble my late paternal grandfather, whom I have never met before as he passed away when my dad was only 3. Interesting huh? Out of all my cousins, I am the only one who has taken on the most Indian features especially with my nose... as my cousins say, the witches' nose!

Its going down!

And to my happy surprise... I now weigh 64.5... for the first time in I dunno how many years... my hubby is jealous though... mwa ha ha....

Well it seems like I am losing weight so much faster now as compared to the months when I was exercising... I have not been exercising much for the past 2 months as had been too busy and fasting... I don't think exercising was the wrong thing to do, it helped to increase the metabolic rate definitely... but in itself was not sufficient to cause a loss... I suspect that the months of exercising however, helped me to lose my weight now... I actually lost 3 kg in the fasting month alone when I actually took months to weigh 1 kg previously... definitely it is a combi of both diet and exercise that really aids weight loss....

This was such a huge difference from last year when I did not lose weight at all during the fasting month... the exercise regime I went thru this year I think set the stage for the weight loss once I started cutting down on the food intake... and cut I did... with half portions even at break fast and not taking too much junk food laden with calories....

The trick now is to ensure that it does not go back up after next week's feasting....

First time first try... part II

First time, first try.... and yes! Sarah is in the swimming class... learning how to tread water and jumping off platforms!! Tasnym? Well yes, she is still in the class... but no way would she jump off the platform or let go of her training board. She was screaming away in terror when the coach tried to take it away from her!!

And a first too for Sarah... she fasted the whole day for about 3 days, though most days has been half days.... fantastic for a first timer... she did all that while tasnym did her version of the fast, not eating but just drinking milk... enough to make her face rounder again!

First time, first try

Ramadan is here again and to all Muslim reeaders, May you have a blessed Ramadan! this year is a little special as it is Sarah's first attempt to fast... half day albeit lasting to about 12 and today at 1 as I try to stretch it a bit at a time... it took much to persuade her... she was not convinced that Tasnym was not of age to start... I somehow suspect that she would last more than just half a day if Tasnym did not keep on insisting to eat and drink in front of Sarah... and she would do so saying at the same time that she was not fasting and thats why she could eat... truly deserving the dagger looks thrown by Sarah!

Funny thing was how I had to practically lift Sarah out of bed for sahur and guide her with her eyes closed to the kitchen.... I think not too far away from many adults too huh? And the demands for doughnuts and nuggets be it for sahur or buka... the demands is not befitting someone who is only fasting for half a day... ok lah for support sake...

Well it was a first day for Tasnym too yesterday... a first for her to attend her swimming class... Sarah though was still not convinced and remained adamantly stubborn against partaking in any classed, thank you very much! Although I did detect a hint of envy and the feeling of being left out, fear was a much bigger emotion to overcome... last night tho out of the blue she agreed to join the class but its still early days yet to see whether she will remain true to her word next Sat..

Putting on her flippers...
Tasnym was obviously enjoying her class as she chatted away with the coach, who was not exactly paying much of his ears on her!

Face of fear as she makes her first swim out..

Expose it not

What does it look like to you? I was shocked when I saw Sarah sculpting this one night and realised that she was making a girl holding the bowl... the blob next to it is Tasnym's work... looks like a head of sorts... sometimes this girl amazes me... I really should be placing her in some art class... she has been bugging me for it... we just did not feel that the one by Crestar was meeting her needs... if you have any recommendations let me know....

Looks like some nostalgic picture from the past right? This was actually taken in Singapore, in Sembawang ... the girls were having a fun time doing what every kampung kid has done ... trekking through the lalang and weeds in search of treasure... interestingly it was the grandfathers calling out against this... the same people who did this when they were young...

NO wonder I cannot lose weight... just as the scales show a definite dip downwards during the week, it goes up again in the weekends... what with all the family functions we attended just these past 2 days alone... yes, I did cut down on the amount taken but the sheer amount of good food alone was sigh... just too tempting... and you dun get such good food often, so never mind just eat... after all fasting month is just a week away.... hey I am sure you go through such indulgences too! And I think somehow everyone had that same notion in mind as they tucked in and organised such feasts... quick, quick the fasting month is coming! eat, eat! That would explain having to attend 3 such functions the last 2 days alone...

Finally, finally I managed to convince Tasnym to join a swimming class at my good friend's condo... after she watched how the other kids got to wear body floats and flippers and decided hey, she was game! Sarah, however, was a tough nut to crack and remained adamant... good thing though, the daddy managed to convince her to release her deadly grip on him and float while wearing her life vest...

Interestingly there was an article in yesterday's papers about women in France fighting against the government who was trying to initiate a ban against women wearing a burqini in the swimming pools.. a burqini? I never knew that was the name for it...its basically the surfer suits that Muslim women have taken to wearing in the pools complete with head gear... the reason for the ban? cos they are trying to stop women from having to cover themselves head to toe while swimming... I read that and was going HUH? Isn't that a perogative right for women to decide for themselves what they want to wear... Hey if they are not stopping people from baring all at the nudists beaches, why are they stopping people from covering all? Or is that just a voyeuristic way to ensure that they get to see bare skin? I mean there are no safety reasons to prevent Muslim women from wearing the surfer suits...if you can wear it for surfing and diving... why not the pool?

And funny thing was that I experienced the same at my friend's private pool at the condo... residents apparently complained about my choice of wear... the security, however, defended my suit as it was appropriate swimming gear... it is afterall accepted at public swimming pools here... but cos I was wearing a sports beanie over my hair, I was hauled out of the pool... what was wrong with wearing a sports beanie? It was clean... same like any suits as it clung tightly to my head, same as any swimming cap, made of similar material... and it does not pose any safety issues ... well as my friends told me... the residents at the condo just loves to complain... well as technically they own the pool, I guess they have the right but please do it within reasonable grounds...

Pre-obese

Yup that was what the health check report revealed ... that I am at pre-obesity... having 10 more kilos to go before I am safe from risks of heart problems.... 10 kilos.... the magic no to my pre-wedding weight...

How I envy my friends who remain super yummy slim after each birth... even worse those who can tell me that they don't even have to do anything to lose the weight, that it just goes away naturally! And here I am struggling to lose every single kilo, as it see saws up and down...

Enjoying her ice cream... she does not need to worry about her weight, remaining ever petite despite eating so much!



Sigh... another year has come and gone and another birthday... this just strengthens my resolve to lose that weight! Yup ts my birthday today and apart from losing weight, I have also made another resolution but I think that one I will keep to myself and not share heh heh... sounds mysterious? but well it is something very personal.

I am grateful for all that God has given me and this birthday brings along with it new challenges, a new job, more responsibilities... and new reflections that somehow makes me question life and my place in this world.

Talentime

No neither my girls nor I just joined the Talentime... not the Singapore Idol either tho I seriously wonder about all the talk that the next Idol would be a non Malay.... Its a singing contest, what has race got to do with it? I do know though that when it came to the finial results between the 2 pairs - Taufik vs uh... whats his name? and Hady vs Jonathan (?)... race had everything to do with it... tho no media would ever highlight it... for fear of sparking serious recriminations... but the thing is that no Malay would vote for the Chinese singer though the non Malays may vote for either one... by virtue of that alone... the number game would shift in favour of the Malay singer....

Anyway... I am actually referring to the movie by Yasmin Ahmad... which I just finished watching... where race is featured strongly as an issue... I have become a fan and am greatly saddened that we have lost a great talent... I loved it how she weaved issues in a non-preaching way... when a girl said "dia masuk Islam bukan masuk Melayu" when an arrogant Datin questioned why their Chinese helper did not change her name despite her conversion... or when she depicted the Datin as being so righteous and holier-than-thou over the helper whom she had thought was a non-Muslim and yet does not pray... nails straight to the root!

I want to catch her other movies but seem to have difficulty finding them in Malaysia... until I read the websites and realised that basically her movies were not accepted by the Malaysian authorities who had wanted to ban her movies or censored chunks of it... Only people who have things to hide would have fears of such insecurities that the truth will be exposed... If you know where I can get Muallaf and Sepet, do tell me...

Me? A nag? Really?

This is what my friends say I have turned into since I became a mother of 3....I think my maid would definitely agree cos I can go on and on about one thing. I know of friends who are mothers and I can definitely confirm that they are naggy... Though dun ever expect them to concur! Seems like being a nag is a natural thing after becoming a mother huh?

Just like yesterday when Tasnym fell on the escalator and even as I carried her away, the first words from my mouth was, see I told you, this is what happened when you don't want to listen and hold my hand.... My hub insisted that it was my fault cos I should have been in control rather than relinquish it to her (he is the other nagger in the house)... easy for him to say, he is not the one who had to deal with the slippery hand that keep tugging and twisting out of your hand... just cos she thinks that she is old enough to stand on the escalator on her own... and if I insist on holding on to her wrist, she will go Ow, Ow, pain pain! ... so drama when I am not even gripping! So maybe with this episode she will learn enough not to stand on the escalator without holding hands and I can stop nagging for once... you think? She does not even want to hold my hand as we go thru throngs of crowds at the malls...

Every night, how can the nagger in the house not come out? Go and brush your teeth (x10) Go and put on your sleeping underwear (x20) Go and urine before you sleep (x30) Dun read the book lying down (x40)

Its the same in the morning, wake up, drink your milk, go and bathe, put on your uniform, comb your hair..... all x50.... how can I not turn into a nagger, you tell me?

Primary 1? Already?

The girls in their outfits for racial harmony day...

Sarah was registered for Primary 1 last week. She is now officially going to attend Tanjong Katong Primary as of next year.... and nothing can make me feel so old as that fact.... not even the fact that my next birthday is coming up fast.... nothing alerts you so much to your age as seeing your children sprouting up like taugeh in front of your very eyes!

Before I know it she is going to be in Secondary school.... with all the younger ones in Primary school... and then I will be fully certified as OLD! And to think that my primary school days are just like yesterday in my memory.... I remembered my mum being with me those first few days in school and also at recess, making sure I do the right things. I doubt they allow parents to follow their children anymore now right? Now I worry, would she know how to go to the toilet, would she know which food to buy and what not to buy? Would she be ok? To think that she is so fussy about eating... she may just end up telling the makcik that she wants just plain rice or just plain noodles without a single drop of gravy, meat or veggy... and I may get a referral to CPS yet for neglect!

Luckily we did not have much problems registering her as the daddy was an old boy of Haig Boys. I don't think our parents use to bother so much about which schools we go to, unless they had a speciific alumni. You just register at the school nearest your home, full stop. No thinking about what CCAs the school offer, their PSLE results etc... I think we make it so much harder for ourselves, worrying about every possibility. Now having registered her in a school at Katong, we have to think about the commute from where we live....and thinking about moving homes.... yet another headache...

When I first heard about Tanjong katong, I liked the fact that they had a large international community in the school and was getting a reputation for such. I had wanted my kids to be exposed to the different cultures .... I had also liked the fact that they had a good sports culture... (still an Olympic-athlete-mama wannabe!) So it was a good thing when we found out that the school had been a merger of Seraya Pri and Haig Boys and so we had auto admission.... why did they close down Haig Boys I wonder?

My next concern was how Tasnym would cope with Sarah entering P1. She has always been ultra possessive of her sister and true enough she made the nice decision of not going to school anymore when Sarah leaves kindergarten.

Tasnym: Mama, when Sarah go Primary 1, I don't want to go to school, I go stay at nenek's house!

Only when we persuaded her that Daniah would be joining her in school that she finally agreed... my mum though started worrying at the idea of Tasnym taking care of Daniah! It took us much persuasion for her to agree to go to school when Sarah went for her P1 registration... I guess the thought of keeping her doyens of boy-friends in school waiting for her made her change her mind! Another worry for my mum who is worried that Tasnym has more boy friends than girls!

Next Jos Yeo? Not!

Sarah: I don't want!

Thats the only response I could get from her as I persuade her to go for swimming classes. Not even the fact that her best friend was in a swim class and I was trying to enrol her in the same one could change her mind.... Not even if it meant she had a friend in the class....

Tasnym? She is even worse! She would be screaming bloody murder and hanging on to me with a death grip if I ever bring her to a deeper pool!

Go down the water slide? No way!

Their fear? The water, deep water to be precise. I wonder if it had anything to do with us bringing Sarah in to the deep pool when she was a baby and letting go.... I was just persuaded by all those commercials of babies wide eyed swimming in the pool that I had given it a go.... hmmm.... maybe not the thing to do heh?

Actually she reminds me of me when I was much younger.... my primary school had swimming as its PE lessons and we would trek our way to the Yan Kit Swimming Pool to go for our lessons. I would cling on to the sides and not let go.... and if anyone had ever been to Yan Kit swimming pool... the deep pool is super deep! The teacher without fail would write in my report book... she must get over her fear of the water... hmmm ok......

Even younger yet, I remembered wearing my swimming float and yet never getting any wetter as I remain seated by the side! Hmmm... not to far off from what Sarah is showing now anyway.... Actually... Sarah and Tasnym are way better than what I ever was in the pool at their age...And yes I can swim now... thanks to lessons while in JC.... though not good... but well enough to get over the other side... uh... not length wise ok... just the width.... people are always so puzzled as to why I have never done scuba diving before... cos I can't swim 50 m la deh!

Oh well.... Jos Yeo she definitely is not (and neither is her Mama)!

Lets see what other sports I can train her up for the Olympics....

Plastic Panadol?

Today is my second day at home on MC as I am nursing a fever and a bad cold... which explains why I suddenly have the time to update my blog...

H1N1? I have no idea and neither do the GP what with the community spread and all...

You know with the current situation, its hard for someone like me who generally tends to self medicate rather than go to the doctor... not that I am afraid or anything, just that I can't stand having to wait so long in queue, especially not when I am sick when I would just prefer to be lying in bed than to sit in queue on some uncomfortable plastic chair, staring at the electronic number board just wishing for it to magically change to your number.... as you glance nervously at your cardboard number slip.... although you know, just like you had known ten beeps ago that your number would only be coming in after no 29 and now its only at 10.... sigh... I think it just makes me more sick sitting at the doctor's clinic... I would say thats where any community spread would be happening... what with the old man hacking away with mouth uncovered oblivious to all the horrified looks around him ... to the child who coughs right into your face.... I think for the elderly they think its best to let all the germs out rather than keep it within them, so dun keep the orifices covered!!

I only go to the doctor when I really need the MC or when I am really sick that I need antibiotics. And even then I take my plastic chair and sit far away.... who knows how clean or dirty these clinics really are? How frequently or thoroughly do you think they can swab those chairs? There was even one time when I actually got bitten by bedbugs at the clinic and went into the doctor's office with fresh red welts on my arms! Uh yes I still go to the same clinic.... what can I say, the doctor is good.

I mean this is only true of course if you just have the common ailments.... I dun think I really need someone looking down my throat to tell me I have a throat infection, uh yes wouldn't I know that already considering how painful it is to swallow? Did you know that you could get very good medication through the pharmacies? And its much cheaper too! I do think that pharmacists need to get more recognition for the job they do. Actually they are pretty good at prescribing medication that works for common ailments. I found it so funny when I hear of people who refuses to buy the exact same medication from the pharmacist preferring to get it from the doctor, thinking that it would be fake maybe? Uh folic acid is folic acid wherever you get it from... and this is Singapore, not some country where the panadol may have been mixed with some plastic powder or something! If you've got a prescription, you can even get the medication from the pharmacist without having to queue at the doctors. That saves you time (no number cards), and saves you from having to deal with the horrors of germs and viruses at the clinic!

Standard Chartered Run

And run they did! Both girls did us proud with Sarah going all the way and Tasnym running about 3/4 and walking for the rest. Now they liked running so much, they have been bugging us to bring them for runs on weekend... not that we had time to do that since the Kids run...

I think we will definitely go for it again, and it was a nice touch having the girls get medals for their effort...
The girls with their medals and tired out from the run

Thought it was funny though how some parents were pressurising their kids so much during the run... ease up will you? Its just a fun run, not even a competition... it reduced some kids to tears the way their parents were pushing them to keep running! Mr! The medal is not even real!

Cakap Melayu

The non-Malay speaking members in the house!

I feel so ashamed... my kids can't speak Malay, especially Tasnym who with her pelatness somehow completely changes the word altogether... poloh-poloh?

I thought that I had it covered, speak English at home, speak Malay at my mum's and learn more Malay in school... surely that would be enough... until I realised that even my mum got drawn to speaking in English as they refuse to respond in Malay... and the teacher in school faced exactly the same problem... and to think that the girls actually attend an Islamic Montessori where most of the kids are Malay... and yet they dun speak Malay! Worse yet, to my amusement as I watched the girls play with their friends, at a recent birthday party, they actually speak English with an accent... dun ask me American, Australian or British... sounds like a complete rojak to me! I could only roll my eyes in response!

So I decided something needed to be done before my kids start failing Malay in school. Malay? How can you even fail Malay? My cousin's son did precisely that and it spurred me into action. So Saturday became speak Malay day... where I would not respond if they don't speak in Malay... you should see the look of dismay on Tasnym's face and exasperation on Sarah's! It even silenced them from talking as they figured it would be much easier to just remain silent that to say anything at all!

I would say that 2 weeks down the road... my effort has borne some fruit as Tasnym now speaks a little more Malay than she used to in her short 4 years of life! They still sound very odd though...: )

As for Daniah, I don't even know what language she speaks... a possible cross of some tribal stuff that requires every twist of the tongue... and the funny thing is she will speak complete sentences just that we have no idea what she just said!

Hello Okto, goodbye Disney

At least for the older girls that is... no longer does Disney hold much fascination for Sarah... her favourite channel now is Okto... much to my chagrin as I am fully opposing to the very best I can, their watching violent cartoons on TV... not that I am very much in control as the remote control dun seem to reach Eunos from my office! My mum is not much of a help as she allows the girls to hold full reign over the tv! Her excuse "I can't control them... they can switch the tv on their own!" Since they've learnt how to change the channels and control the remote... they have full reign over the tv...

Even at home, Channel 34 has become so passe as they start preferring 32 instead with the more action packed cartoons rather than pocoyo and the like, meant for the younger folks. Pocoyo and little einsteins have been relegated to Powerpuff girls and Power rangers! But this would also mean that Daniah has no chance to develop her own tastes and watch appropriate fare as she is dictated by her sisters' taste... Already as it is, she is playing toys meant for older kids and not with her own.

My kids are getting more rowdy and I really want to blame it on the TV. But I also wish that my mum can be more firm with them in ensuring that they dun watch certain shows. Funny thing is they only reiterate this whenever I am around and start changing channels when I come home! I know TV is the easy way out, rather than having to entertain them and manage their squabbles, switch it on... that settles everything... I guess it also does not help that Okto only shows more appropriate fare in the mornings, when the girls are in school, while the more violent stuff goes on in the afernoon...

My blue eyed girl

Somehow Tasnym has developed a fascination for make-up... she would wander off on her own whenever we went out shopping only to be found in the make-up segment.... so her father decided to buy both girls eyeshadow palettes to play with... and this was was the outcome...Blue eyes everywhere..... even Daniah was not spared her brushes...


not looking too happy with her make-over!

and least of all her teddy bears who are now all wearing blue eye shadows!

Baby tooth over and OUT!

Sarah's first milk tooth for the fairy...

Sarah has finally dropped her first baby tooth... after a week of the adults agonising whether it would drop off in time to allow for the tooth, that was fast growing behind, to have room to grow... We were busy agonising whether her teeth would be crooked and she would lose her winsome smile!

Various attempts were made to tie her tooth to a string but no way is this girl allowing us near her mouth with any piece of string in our hand... she would inspect our hands first before allowing us anywhere near her... clandestine attempts were made at night when she was asleep but to no avail...

Finally after much reminders for her to shake it Sarah, shake your tooth... it finally dropped off on its own yesterday... she placed it in a small plastic bag and had wanted to bring it to school today to show all her friends... but unfortunately she has got to look for the plastic bag first as it has now gone missing... perhaps its with the tooth fairy?

and now the pressure is on for the loose tooth next to it...

Sarah with her new look...

Her Royal Highness

Dress bought in Edinburgh Castle, Scotland - $20

Tiara bought at Disneyland Hong Kong - $15

Bag - a gift from her first birthday party - free

The total look - PRICELESS!

Working Gals

Daniah.... hard at work...

the interesting thing was how she actually knew how to put one hand on the mouse and one on the keyboard!

I had to bring the girls to work today as both sets of grandparents went away on their vacations.... leaving us with no caregivers...

They basically turned my office upside down, running around, laughing and screaming and entertaining all in the office! And making an absolute mess!

Pimp my ride!

I bought my girls a cabriolet jeep last week ... toy one lah.... and they can jolly well buy their own car in future when they have saved up enough money on their own! It was quite big and I got it for a steal at a factory warehouse sale... it even has a remote that could be used to move the car around especially considering that Daniah can't drive! Cool right? Even I wished that I could fit in.... Funny thing though is the music that the car could play... irritating and loud ah lian songs! typical of something made in China! I can't understand why all those toys made in China somehow all play the same songs?!!?

Tasnym's princess cake... she had a princess cake for school too!

We celebrated Tasnym's fourth birthday last week on 19th and for a while she was in denial... insisting that she was 3 and not 4... and to think that its not like she was reaching 40! We had to talk to her in accepting that she was now 4... she was resisting being that much older... wanting to forever be a baby...

For the first time ever, I brought them to that play area in Downtown east.... I was initially thinking that only kids could go in the maze, only to realise later that even the parents were climbing along with their kids... so with Daniah on one arm, I climbed along... and what a workout it was... my muscles were aching!

Daniah in the ball area for toddlers under 3 .... though Tasnym was happily jumping in cos she says that she is still 3!

And we went to the zoo again.... seems like its becoming a ritual to go to the zoo on birthdays! But the water play area is definitely good and so much fun for the girls... and I'm sure for dear hubby too, who went in the water slides as well!

Daniah going down the water slide....

Join me, join me...

I have to say that I am truly amazed at myself and the progress I have made. I went from someone who basically had not been exercising for a supremely long time last Oct to exercising almost every day now! Going from not even able to survive 5 min on the treadmill to now going for 30 min non-stop without any problems...

See what a little effort can do? It just takes one step forward to get moving and grooving and soon, it would be that much easier.... trust me.... I know many have said to me... "I can't".... "I won't be able to do that".... etc etc.... hey, I was there and I know too how hard it was to even start... I was one of those who was saying... "I can't" too....

But I made that resolution to start and start I did... albeit very slowly... just dun push yourself too hard, I started off at once a week, low impact... slowly building in exercises into my lifestyle and now here I am, going to the gym 4 times a week, going aerobics once a week and changing my weekend lifestyle to be one that is more active - bringing the kids for rollerblading and such...
I told myself basically that I cannot wait for others and if I want to do something about my weight and my fitness, its got to start with me... so what if I am alone in the gym or dunno anyone in the aerobics class? at least I dun have to worry that people I know are laughing at how uncoordinated I am or how my flabs jiggle as I turn!

And I've got to say I simply love my Wii.... I have yet to lose in boxing I tell u! and Wii Fit is soooo fun! It really helps to you to keep grooving and moving and in such a fun way too! Wii Sports is my next favourite....

I have even inspired others in my office to join me.... that simply amazed me....me? inspiring others to go to the gym?

What's inside your nose, Tasnym?

My kids seem to be developing all sorts of bad habits recently and it is driving me up the wall! What with Sarah having her thumb in her mouth..... although thats nothing new.... but she is turning 6 this year!!! and she does not seem any nearer to getting rid of the habit.... the irritating thing tho is her purposely putting her thumb in her mouth so that I will see it and scold her for it... her way of finding attention! Its cute when she was a baby... but definitely not cute now... I dun even want to smell her thumb! The nail has turned all brittle already... and she has also taken to biting her nails! Urgh!

If that is bad... Tasnym is perpetually having her finger in her nose! I seriously do not know whats in there that needs to be dug out almost every time of the day.... can a person have so much boogers?! In public mind you! Funny thing is when you address it with her, she will say "No, I neveeEErrr" with the finger still in the nose! And my mum has even caught her tasting the boogers too.... yuks, even the thought of it is so revolting! Oh God, people will think we never taught our kids properly... Once she is done with the nose, she will start peeling her lips making it all raw and red... she won't even allow me to put on lip balm to prevent it from peeling!

Social Graciousness begins with ME

I feel quite proud of Sarah and how she has been wanting to be a helper to others, opening doors and trying to look out for those who might need her help... this has been something that the teachers has been noting abt her even when she was younger, her ever ready willingness to help her friends...

Sometimes she gets carried away, keeping doors open for a whole crowd of people walking thru and not surprisingly, many did not even acknowledge what she was doing, just walking thru without even giving her a glance or saying a word of thanks.... not that she was expecting it anyway... she was just wanting to help cos I had told her this was a way to help others...

If we have more people like her, Singapore would be a much gracious place but I won't be surprised if in time, Sarah would get tired and stop wanting to help so much esp if her efforts continue not to be acknowledge...

And I realised more and more that basically graciousness begins with us... we are expecting it too much from others... whining and complaining abt how this or that person was ungracious etc... even to the point of bitching and calling that person names, cursing that driver for cutting our lane and swearing loudly at how ungracious that driver was being.... without realising how ungracious we were becoming ourselves by doing that.... we keep putting the ball in other's court to be gracious without realising or remembering that essentially if we all start being gracious ourselves, we would soon begin to realise that the world was beginning to be that much better place to live in cos everyone is putting the expectation on their ownself to be gracious and simply NICE!

So shall we begin?

Armpit attack!!

I really can't stand it when I see people showing off their armpits by wearing those sleeveless tops.... some people have very nicely toned arms and just does not go waving their armpits around... and that's fine... my grouse is with people flabby arms, unshaven armpits or armpits that simply should be kept hidden at all cost for various unmentionable reasons here.... why do you really want to show off such an unflattering part of you?

Dark armpits, those with flaps of skin.... please just keep it to yourself ok? Especially the men... oh men I can really faint at the sight of springy bushes of the clearly low-insight men holding on to the bus rails showing off all they have for all to see.... how can they even stand it, themselves... and how do they even manage to put down their arms? It is so bushy that I suspect they have to make quite an effort just to hang their arms down! Perhaps that is why they keep their arms up?

I also dun understand how people with really bad figures wearing very skimpy outfits... to me when its not good enuf to show off, just keep it to yourself... which is why in the gym and aerobics classes, I am the one with the baggy ts and long pants... you would never see me caught dead wearing those skimpy outfits... maybe when I am leaner and slimmer, I might but no way am I showing off unflattering parts of myself to others!

And yes finally, months of workout is showing the fruits of my labour, with slimmer butts and thighs.... so maybe just maybe.... I can show off something in aerobics class one day : ) but no way would it be the armpits tho... just keep that one to yourself ok?

To Wii anyone?

I succumbed and decided to get a Wii but my dear hub beat me to it and bought me one hee! Super thanks dear hub! And its so fun! No sitting around and just pressing the controls, you get to get to the action.... I really felt like I was playing tennis in Wii Sports and cooking, stirring, chopping etc in Cooking Mama though I can never get my stove and oven controls right and my food always got burnt!

To add to my Wii, I bought the Ultimate Adventure Challenge and the Wii Fit... the Ultimate adventure challenge esp is good for the girls as they get to run and jump on the mat without having to worry about the controls ... they were having so much difficulty with the controls with Sarah not knowing how to steer and keep getting stuck by the side of walls in Mario Kart! Tasnym is the sore loser, stepping out of the competition and refusing to play on whenever she realises that she was losing... sigh! And she will throw tantrums and quarrel with Sarah!

So now I have Mario Kart, Sports, Pitfall, Cooking Mama, Sims Kingdom and a whole stack more courtesy of my friend who lent me her games.... now... to only find the time to play!

Singaporeans Gracious?

I definitely dun think so... especially after my last 2 weeks experience in US and Vancouver ... after what I experience there on a daily basis, I now truly understand what customer service and graciousness really mean....

You are really made to feel welcomed and like they really care about you, and its all genuine... you know they are not just putting on a show.... struglle with a stroller thru a door, you have people walking out of their way to open the door for you, no need to ask..

Pushing the girls around in this stroller is no mean task and a tough butt workout!!

To think that people feel that Singaporeans are becoming more gracious.... yeah right! I just walked into Kiehls at Taka the other day, the salesgirl never even bothered acknowledging me. When I asked for the price of the lip gloss, "26" was the curt reply with a sharp nod when I said thanks, maybe she was busy especially with the store being empty! We've got a long way to go I tell you. I can still remember how I was treated when I went into Coach and was treated so well! You will get the same treatment even from any other smaller shops as well, people greet you, ask how you are doing, chat with you and go out of their way to serve you. Anyway, bad service is not tolerated with people ever ready to complain if they receive what they perceive to be bad service....they are willing to complain even if it was someone else receiving bad service (I actually saw that happening in MacDonalds'!)

The trip was really good with me buying half the coach outlet store! I just dun und why Coach Singapore has to jack up their prices by so much! The same bag in Singapore can be bought at just a fraction of the price in US. Shopping was definitely good with my luggage nearly exploding... and with such good service, who would not buy lots of stuff?

Playing on Grouse mountain in Vancouver... we had no idea how to make a snowman... anyway it was too cold for me to even want to try!

It snowed! And everything became a white wonderland...to think that Vancouver was once known as Sunny Vancouver cos it never was known to snow there...

And yes we got to experience snow for the first time! And ended up falling sick with me and the elder 2 girls registering 40 deg fevers! Must be the shock to the system to encounter such cold!

My best meal of the whole trip... eating at Crab Pot neat the waterfront... huge crabs, clams, corn and potatoes dumped on to your table and you dig in! YUM! It was good with the seafood being super fresh and sweet...

My meal of fresh oysters at the Pike Market

Pike Market.... where the fish go flying after you buy them!

Food though was a problem... not that there was no halal food but we had to really go out of our way to get them... So I went on a diet, not that I was not on one already! And I lost 3 kg! Which finally registered on the scales! What with all the walking, lack of food and 40 deg fevers! Ha!

The beautiful view of Mt Rainier and the Space Needle in Seattle.

Weighty issues

Drink lots of water - check
Drink lots of green tea - check
Eat lots of fruit and increase fibre intake - check
cut down food portions - check
exercise 5 times a week - check

So question is why is the weighing scale not registering a smaller number? I have drunk so much water that the toilet has become my second office and my green tea sachets are running out...

Friends around are saying that I look slimmer and that puzzles me... well I know there is conversion of fat to muscle ... with muscle being more compact and heavier... but it won't harm the stupid scale to register a smaller number would it? And it is so unfair (hmm.. this is giving me a sense of dejavu... have I made the same whine in earlier posts?) ... when I eat slightly I gain weight much faster than I can lose! Urgh!! Blame my mum, why must she make nasi rawan, roti kirai and kacang pool three days consequtively (eh how to spell this word)... sabo me like that!

Someday my prince will come...

Sarah: Mama, one day I want to marry a prince (after we finished reading Cinderella together)
Mama: Uh... okay...
Tasnym (starting to wail): I want Sarah! I want Sarah to marry me!!
Sarah: Eh girl cannot marry girl lah Tasnym!!

I think it was in every girls' dream... or almost every girl to marry a prince... the romantic dashing prince who is going to sweep you off your feet, ride off into the sunset, saving you from the stepmothers and witches of the time... seems like every girl dreams of being a princess... where did all these fantasies come from, I ask you... I blame it all on Disney... I mean before my girls knew the princesses, Tasnym's dream was to either become Mickey mouse or Barney. now she wants to be a princess and Sarah wants to marry a Prince... I think its also Disney's fault that we somehow inadvartently look for a prince in the non-prince guys who comes along... not willing to look at the genuinely nice guy cos well he is not a prince.

I never really thot about it before but I kind of now realised how silly the princess fairy tales are... I mean why must the prince in Cinderella use the shoe to look for her? You mean he can't recognise her face, just because she was all dressed up? After all they did dance together... didn't he gaze at her face long enough? He really needed the shoe to find the girl? And you mean only Cinderella has that shoe size and no one else did? Hmmm sounds like me actually, perhaps she too wears a size 10...

And that Snow White, the prince saw her in a glass coffin and fell in love with her... talk about being morbid... falling in love with a dead person and for them to just ride off in the sunset when they barely even know each other???!!! For all she knows, he is an axe-murderer...

See what these fairy tales are teaching our girls... that men are basically myopic guys who cannot even recognise/ see the beauty in front of his eyes (hmmm....kind of true actually) .... or that they should just trust in the guy who lifted them out of a coffin even though they have no idea what he is like... no wonder we have so many women just falling for the wrong guys... the guy just need to do something small and nice for the girl and she has fallen for him...

Its time for the stories to change... thats for sure!

1st birthday

Making sure everything is in order for the party...

Yep... everything is in place

Daniah's first birthday party had come and gone.... and I think (and hope) there would be a long while before I need to plan for another one.... already Sarah is telling me that she would like her birthday celebrated at the chalet and wants to have a pinata too!! bankrupt!

I dun have pictures from the party as was not holding the camera that day... pics are with the hubby and thing is he passed his camera on to his cousins who took photos of themselves! ha ha! oh well... I didn't even eat much... didn't even get to taste my mil's scrumptious cooking... just didn't have the appetite... so my diet is still in check despite the party... and yipppeee!! I have finally broken the barrier and am down to 69kg!! Pressing on downwards....

Counting her pressies

Thank you, thank you all, I love you!! And now if I can only find a way to stop my sisters from taking away my presents!

We spent the next day at the zoo and the night safari (which is a first for the girls)... not that Tasnym was aware of anything in the night safari as she had within 45 min of being there, zonked off to lala land!!!

Sarah... feeding the goats

Bouncing up and down in my little red wagon... who are you calling a boy?

I wish Daniah's hair would just grow faster... she is being mistaken for a boy that I have taken to ensuring she is in dresses... even with her pink mary jane shoes, a pakcik can mistaken her and called her "abang nak makan roti?"... the pakcik must have serious problems with his eyesight... for a moment there I was wondering who that old man was referring to... she is getting fairer by the day but no way would she be able to fight Tasnym in being super fair!

Its kind of funny cos the same thing happened with Sarah where all will mistaken her for a boy despite my best efforts to put hair clips on her etc. Alamak!! Tasnym, on the other hand has never been mistaken for a boy... her curls and looks are definitely girl but her behavior... oh my!