Well-balanced Weekend.

We arranged for band practice on Saturday so in order not to feel so bad about leaving the kids, I took them out earlier in the day for some fun.

In hopes to tire them out so when they spend the next couple of hours sleeping at home minded by Matriarch and helper, we ran for practice.

When Sunday came, Mister had to sleep in after a graveyard shift but I've gotten used to doing things with the kid/s on my own so I planned to take Munchkin to a Cat Show since the little one is skittish of cats. Taking the almost 4yr old out now is convenient cos I don't have to carry around diapers and milk bottles plus she makes great conversations (at any time there's always someone to say I'm pretty even though I look like a train-wreck). But most of the time, I feel wretched about leaving the 17mth-old at home with the helper. So we waited. As soon as the younger one shut her eyes for her 11am nap, Munch and I got dressed and left. It's less of a heartache when the other one sleeps so she doesn't miss much. By the time we got home, it was the elder's turn to nap so I didn't waste any time, got Pumpkin dressed and off we went to a another heartland mall.

Sense of achievement there when both get equal treatment. Now let me think about ways to manage this with a third kid.

Gig + Zoo Weekend

Sometimes I wish The Spouse works regular office hours so that we can do normal family weekends instead of him having to take leave to do so. Since a friend was coming down from Indonesia, he took both last saturday and sunday off work. We made use of sunday for the zoo which I've been wanting to do for loooooong while. Quite a shame we took this long since we don't live that far away.

Munchkin loved feeding the goats. I think we found ourselves another regular spot.

Mini gig-goers

Sunday got fine (what more with Mister beaming ear to ear over pool's win) and our trip to esplanade with the kids was fab. from the weather, to the bands to the sound technicals, to our parking spot, to our seats (thanks faezah who spared us centre top space when the place is almost packed to brim) to the company. mocca+yuna+typewriter = one of the best reasons to take the trip down with the kids.

The Father-in-law's Band

Chanced upon an interesting blog today. One that has photos of the father-in-law in his hey days. A dude he was.


http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/ by andy young, my father-in-law's ex-bandmate.

Munchkin's Art Digitized

I finally managed to scan some of Munchkin's art to manipulate and animate them. Wanted to practise a bit of action scripting but all that I tried applying failed to work so I only kept to the basics of basics. Gah.. I'm not a programming person. Guess will just have to stick to visual art. Have a lookie.

Munchkin's New Toy

The Mister showed her a dollhouse and she had no reaction. He showed her the drumset and she went wild so he got that for her. She could hardly wait till we got home, even told a stranger who was taking the lift with us, "i'm going to drum!".

This was my brother fixing the set for her.


I got it video-ed here.

and here for facebooksters.

Guess What?

We found a new Elephant!

The family went shopping at Causeway Point last night and we decided to take a look at Kiddy Palace (I didn't see it here the last time I checked) and there it was, only two pieces, almost hidden by the bigger toys on the rack. We showed Munchkin and she beamed but we wanted her to know that it wasn't her old one (though I bet she could tell) and that we had to purchase this so she should be aware that not everything she lost can be retrieved.


We did this while our man tried out a new shirt.

Before heading home, Mister suggested we get the other piece (did I mention before we like to over-react?) without her knowledge. It was after all, only $4.50. And the best part was, the twin brother elephant saved the evening. At the payment counter, I was flustered not being able to find my discount card (we bought other things as well lah.. not that I die die must get discount for a $4.50 item) when another sales person came and asked if I bought the same elephant earlier. I showed her the receipt and lo and behold! They kept my card cos I had left it there earlier.
Phew.

Desperately Seeking Elephant

HELP!

I bought Munchkin this elephant from Kiddy Palace the last time Pau and I went to Marina Square. She had grown so attached to it ever since, they were practically inseparable. Yesterday afternoon, I took Munchkin out to Causeway Pt and before heading home, we loitered around Sunplaza while waiting for the crazy rain to simmer. At this point, I realised Elephant was missing from her stroller. The 1st time I asked her about it, she threw me a blank expression. When I told her she might have dropped it, she acted like she didn't hear and tried to change the subject. When Mister came home, I made him ask her so as to make sure she knew what was going on and that she wouldn't be screaming her lungs out asking for the Elephant. Again, she seemed nonchalant and tried to divert our attention to something else. After much analysis, we concluded that she might be feeling upset especially so that it was her own fault that Elephant is missing.

It broke our hearts more to see her taking the loss so maturely so we went back Marina Square the same evening in hopes to get her a replacement. As I had presumed, they don't have it anymore. But I'm still keen on getting her a new one therefore if you were to come across this elephant being sold anywhere, PLEASE alert me. I remember the tag was a copycat of TY beanie's. Munchkin took very long to fall asleep last night, tossing and turning, but it made me proud that she didn't utter a single word about the Elephant despite her hot-tempered nature.

The one and only photo she has with Elephant taken last weekend.

Eid 2008

Munchkin threw a professional tantrum on the morning of Eid.


Hello lilac and purple to us and 3/4 of the malay community we saw on the streets that day.

Serenaide 3.0

Mister took out his guitar (tong) and played something unfamiliar. Then he said "I want to get something recorded".

Suddenly it hit me. I don't remember where my bass guitar is.

Beef for Buka

If there're only two items of consumption that my man is passionate about, it's teh and steak. So the kitchen was his yesterday.

Filial Piety vs Post-Natal Confinement

The family spent a night at Swissotel last weekend because Matriarch had made advanced booking for a discounted stay in conjunction with her friend's birthday. I couldn't let her go on her own because filial piety wins. Well at least.. I did my best keeping confined to the hotel's premises.. and maybe the basement of Raffles City Shopping Centre.

Munchkin with her Cousin Sirin

Me doing the Karen Cheng at 2 weeks post-natal. 10kg down, 10kg more to go.

Probably our first couple pic since our wedding.

Morning after.

Delivering Marsha

I don't usually like to embed youtube vids but I just have to show how amazing it was that (at 0.57 onwards) doctors were working on me while I was fully conscious. Like Mister said, they looked like mechanics working on a car.

The Hair Salon

As I get heavier and Mister hardly being around on weekends, it is a big deal that we managed to accomplish two things last Saturday and Sunday.

1. A fruitful trip to Arab Street for Mister to find his fabric for Eid outfit.
2. Munchkin's 1st professional haircut.

Mister insisted we go to his regular, The Hair Salon at Far East Plaza for Munchkin's 1st professional haircut cos that's the only salon he trusts (he's been going there for like more than 10 years). In fact, the other Serenaide guitarboy, Remy, also got hooked to Alan's (owner cum stylist) service after Mister's recommendation some years back (so now you know where that typical 'Serenaide hairstyle' came from).

We got Munchkin's hair layered and not exactly shortened so it's not heavy at the bottom anymore. The top part of her hair was almost straightening out because of the weight, so now that it's lighter, there is still a chance for new hair to curl. I'm just glad that her hair is now tangle-free and the sides no longer cover her face.

Hello VE

Pregnancy update. So we saw the Obygyn last friday and said hello to our first Vaginal Examination. I never had one with previous pregnancy because of early birth. Obygyn had to check if this is going to be another early birth so I was kind of expecting but not looking forward to this examination. I had my palm pressed down my eyes while he was examining so I did not see Mister's expression or what he was doing but if he was watching, the words to "The Hands of The Doctor" must have ran through his head.

So verdict is:
1. Baby is at now at 2.5kg (anything beyond this will more or less confirm me for a C-Section).
2. Obygyn is still not confirming me for a C-section cos he said the weight might stabilise till birth so I still have chance for a normal delivery.
3. It's not going to be as early as before.

So we'll wait till next appt for further updates. Dreading another VE.

Unintentional Dad's Day Dinner

Unintentional because it was supposed to be a birthday dinner but it fell on Dad's Day. Plus it was partially my brother's (who has been a dad for almost 11 years) treat so it turned out more of a Dad's Day Dinner at the Carousel. Matriarch had always suggested dinner there but it is constantly fully-booked so we managed to do a way advanced booking for last Sunday.


My brother the Midnight Hero (he only sleeps in the day) with Munchkin and my niece.


Me as the dugong. I've lost my collar bones and jawline. We'll work something out later.

Picnicking @ Botanics

Saturday was a picnic day at Botanics with the "family geng".


Shaft pointing out squirrels to Munchkin.


My potluck item - Secret Recipe's signature Chocolate Banana cake. (2 candles for 2 Liverpool FC die-hards birthday boys who received Man U item from a Man U die-hard).

Bass Guitar or Stroller?

The initial plan last year upon getting this Epiphone Viola Bass was to use it for the recording of Serenaide's new material.

But the vocalist knocked the bassist up again and practice sessions were majorly disrupted. Plans had to be shelved so the band goes on another maximised maternity break.

Since the guitar was bought, it had only been caressed once for 2hours and was untouched since (plastics not even removed yet).


Being the 'struggling musicians' that they are and with coming of baby no.2, they figured that it's more practical to sacrifice the guitar and get a stroller AND a car-seat instead.

So anyone wants an Epiphone Viola Bass (with hard case) for $450?

4-Day-SAHM

I was a Stay At Home Mom for 4 days straight due to Matriarch being away for a short slightly-income-generating trip to Terengganu. Because the Mister had to work from 3pm to 11pm on weekends (which is the most humanely period to not be working), I didn't make plans on Saturday thinking I should be home busily nesting up but Munchkin woke up cranky from her afternoon nap so we went out to loiter around a little.


The most gorgeous thing about Munchkin at this stage is that she doesn't pick up something she likes off retail shelves and insist on holding on to it. On the contrary, I was the one who picked items with her favourite cartoon characters, showing them to her if she wanted them. She didn't even want to hold. Strange.. but I sure hope it stays this way. I ended up buying her a Playhouse Disney activity book and a dessert recipe book for myself (which I know will be one of those neglected buys sooner or later) and we shared a cheesecake at Coffee Bean.


As usual, Munchkin has her time limitations.

Boxers for Pregnancy

I remember reading a pregnancy tip somewhere that if you've gotten to large to fit into your undies, was to raid you husband's wardrobe for boxers. I swear it's one helluva useful tip I've ever come across since preggy. So snug ang comfy! But of course by blogging this, I risk the luxury of raiding his wardrobe ever again.

Imagine!

Munchkin's hyperactive imagination never fails to amuse us.

Her daddy once threw a pillow on top of her back while she was lying on her stomach on the bed, she immediately started crawling and said "tortoise".

Another time she took a bite off a cookie and upon realising that she had made a crescent shape, she held it up and said "moon".

A couple of days ago, she played with my coins and arranged two 10-cent coins over a 20-cent coin and said "Mickey Mouse" (10-cents coins representing the significant ears of Mickey Mouse).

But the best one of all was, one morning when we were having McDonald's Big Breakfast, she exclaimed "Spongebob!" which got us totally clueless where that came from till only later, we realised she was referring to the eggs.




-added-
I just remembered another occasion when my brother wore a Superman logo-bearing t-shirt. Munchkin said, "knife, knife".

Where's the knife?!

Strawberry Fields Forever

There is always a place in my heart (and dish) for strawberries. They trigger some kind of a happy chi in me. Munchkin loves them as they are, Mister loves them in his cereal and oatmeal although he doesn't really eat them (he loves his food pretty).

While we're at that title, let's squeeze in a youtube (although the song has zero to do with strawberries).

Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles.

Breakfast Thosai

Photos from last Sunday morning, breakfast at Mister's all-time favorite thosai restaurant along Upper Dickson Rd. He'll go only to Madras New Woodlands Restaurant for thosai.

Do You Remember the First Time?

If I were to write a lovey-dovey entry, it would probably only be on these two days every year.

15 May 2005 was when Mister and Missus were seated at Fort Canning showing the guests their story in animation done by me, obviously. I swear the older child being a girl towards the end of animation was purely coincidental.


It's an animation hor. It needs time to load.

This Day

This day three years back, these two got themselves into a fix they couldn't get out of.

Little did they know that three years later, they will be equipped with a screaming toddler and another one on the way.

It's a good fix made for good anyway.

Early for Eid

Eid always comes as a shock to me especially since I've got Munchkin. We were often too occupied to realise that we have not gotten our outfits ready, then I would end up doing the way the Matriarch and I never used to practise which is buying a ready outfit off the rack. This, I find inappropriate because the Matriarch herself sells nice fabric to be tailor-made into your own preferred design. This year, I foresee with the coming of a new family member, we'd be even twice as busy so I've decided to begin my quest early for the perfect color and design.

Then comes another problem. Finding that perfect design can be a chore because,

1. I have to rule out the sweet, conventional, roomy, baju kurung pesak because of Mister's opinion.
2. I'm done with layerings, what more with the hot weather. I'm so tired seeing the same see-through/lacy trend that's been going on for years.
3. No more tight, breathless kebayas or bustier inner-wears. The Mister likes his missus hot but sayang, I would need to give allowance to a 3-mths post-natal belly. Plus we'll have 2 kids to deal with this year so as much as you were able to handle one all by yourself the previous years, this year I will have my fair share.

So that leaves me with what?!!!


Tummy-sucking tight, french-lacy, bustier inner-wear kebaya like this cannot make the list anymore.

Vibrating Devices

Getting birthday gifts is the hardest because I'm a woman of all things practical. I have yet to get one for the Matriarch's 60th (can apply senior citizen ezlink already ok?). I'm so hardcore about giving practical gifts that I made the Mister do the same. Once he bought me a digital camera for my birthday, I got so worried about him buying me an expensive gift again that last year, I actually made a request for a vibrating device that I can stick into my mouth every morning and night.