Parenting

Just had a session with someone who was shocked that I did not bring Megan back home every single night of the weekday. Despite my explaination that Megan may be asleep by the time we finish work and we do not see it as a good practise to wake her up just to drive her home to sleep for the night, I was labeled as a bad mummy.

You must spend time to bond with your baby.
I don't think I am not bonding with the baby. We are bonding fine....
You should bring her home everynight! You also need to bond at night.
But she is sleeping. She is asleep by 8ish.
You know YY, the baby can bond with you even when she sleeps... she can feel your body warmth and recongise your scent... She should be WITH you...
Huh? Megan sleeps on her own in the other room... why does she need to sleep in our bed when she feels safe and secure in her own room?
That is the problem with you Singaporans. You give birth and you don't bond. You guys are working so you should not let Megan sleep so early... Let her sleep at 11 plus so that you have time to play with her after work... bonding bonding...
WAT?

Advertisments lie.
They protray insurance agents as people who listens to our needs. It feels quite the opposite when we spoke to an agent on our and Megan's insurance coverage. Ken could not convince her that what we really intend to get is a basic coverage because she (speaking with love and passion about her own very young daughter) feels that all parents should leave at least a million dollar legacy for their kids! Don't you love your daughter? Don't you want her to be well taken care off?

Yah Yah Yah.. It is exactly because I love her that I think she should learn how to earn her keep. And hmmmm not spending every minute of my off work hours with Megan does not mean that I do not love her. Yes kids are important but not soooo important that they need to consume my every breath of life...

If there is one thing I have learned since becoming a mother... is that parenting is extremely personal. Every parent has their very strong opionion on how to bring up their kids and outsiders' opionions are not always well recieved. Ken's and my mum have very different approaches to parenting as well. Who is to say which is better in the context of a different circumstance on a different kid? Even Ken and me do not always see eye to eye on this topic.

but at least both of us are clear on some things.

No sleeping at 11pm because mum and dad want to play with you. And sorry... no legacy...

Happy 6th Month Old!!

Happy 6th month Megan!!

I remember the time when she started crawling in circles... then she started to crawl backwards when she wanted to reach an object in front of her... A week or so ago, she finally lift her heavy butt up and start coordinating her legs and arms. And suddenly, she advanced forward! Suddenly she can touch her care bear.. I think she noticed it too.. Because her eyes lit up and she turned her head to search for me for affirmation. "Did you see that!!!?" She laughed heartily.

I dropped everything and clapped my hands, praising her and encouraging her to move towards me... And she did!! And BOY!!! How extremely happy and proud she was... She could not stop practising the crawl and soon she was out of the mat, onto the floor. I called everyone to announce the big news. "hello hello.. Megan can CRAWL!!!"

This marks a new era.. the era of mobility. The end of our freedom.

She started on her rice cereals at 5 months and I don't think she really likes it. Nevertheless, she

now officially joins us at the dinning table during meal times. Our meal times I mean. NICE!

Oh yes, she started to teeth and feeding becomes difficult as her gums hurt and she has no appetite. But, count ourselves lucky she did not develop fever, only crankiness. Only grandma can handle her when she unleash her fury! WOW, tigress..

 Who would have thought that 2011 elections is so damn exciting!?

 Even Megan loves to watch the rallies

yes, you can so tell from her eyes that she has made up her mind which parties to support!

Of coz, watching daddy win puzzle fighter on the PSP is also Megan's favorite past time. I suspect Megan loves daddy more than me. I try not to be jealous... I try.

Grab Megan to pose for the blanket collection series that mimi made and my gal is a natural! However last photo looks like a "see, no pimple" shot! What is she thinking!!!!? Model for wrong product issit??!

I am such a egoistic mother... Ken and me recently love to bring the dumpling out for shopping trips on the weekends.. Ken wanted her to see more people and not be afraid of new faces.. I just LOVE hearing strangers praise her and fall in love w her... and I can carp on such " so cute" praises FOREVER...

What a loser...

Why did everyone ask me what I did to her hair??

Firstly, people will start by saying "he is so cute.."...

I will say "it's a she.."...

"a girl? what did you do to her hair? why cut like that??"

Sigh.... we did not cut her hair... and we are all concerned that her hair grew so slowly.. and .. grow like that. Grandma even applied hair tonic and literally watch Megan's hair grow everyday. She can actually call me and tell me " I think today a bit longer"... then in the evenings "Today this side more hair already hoh???" See? We are all trying our best to get her hair in order... AND.. she is NOT a boy

Bad Company

I am distressed, devastated, crushed.

My backpacking kakis are packing their bags for Uzbekistan this June. I can swallow the fact that they leave for Laos without me one month before my wedding. I am ok with receiving a souvenir from their Tokyo trip last year. But. I cannot CANNOT forgive them heading out to Uzbekistan!!!! UZBEK!!! How do you even pronounce this country???

And why Uzbek? You gonna thank the jappy girl whom Ally discovered has visited India, Jordan, Morocco... fine.. I have no idea where this Jappy girl has visited. But the moral of the story is she has visited too many countries that they feel challenged or shall I say threatened on their street cred meter. To beat this jappy girl (although of coz no one is actually competing with them), Ally and Ix dished out three out-of-the-chart options - Sikkim, Xinjiang, Uzbekistan.

Me and Ally chose Xinjiang. Lx wanted Sikkim. Uzbek turned out to be the cheapest place to visit... SO it was decided... UZBEKISTAN...

Little dumpling is still young... of coz I can't backpack. So I am shutting out all these noise and chatter of their preparation. Friends are suppose to make you feel good.. Sigh... why did I have such bad company who make me feel... feel...how damn low my street cred meter is!

To my two beloved friends : Go mosque out and mutton out!

Animal Hairclips - we are in business

From a tiny hairclip, I finally launch my business in children apparel and accessories. Ok website is still under construction but things are already flying off the shelves by word of mouth. I really need to get my act together and do this properly though because my delivery time now is so slooowww... hey guys, every stitch is sewn with tender loving care and I am not into commercial mass production ok...Bear with me in the meantine

Since Shanice's birthday, I have created more animals for the hairclips and everyone has been choosing and buying from me as gifts for their friends or children. Cindy wanted all the designs in one box for her little friend and Grace wanted hers individually packed- one for each child. In the end, I standardized two types of packaging - the box and the cards.

Busy busy busy but happily busy. Friends showed me photos of their kids wearing the animal hairclips and oh they look so striking and sweet! Sigh, this is why I am in business.

Shanice One Year Old Birthday

Stacey's little gal is already one year old! wow... time flies.... In a hurry to attend the birthday bash, hence only have time to make some little stuff for Shanice... Am impressed with how cute these little hairclips and hairbands turn out that I think I will make more of those...

Having a baby girl is so fun!

Made all of these while watching "Ai" on TV... Of coz, everytime I sew a button or an eye, I have to show Megan. "You like this color Megan? Brown button with yellow petals?" Got to make her feel part of the process else she will grab my attention in other ways.... Basically, smile means approval. No smile means approval as well.  

Hope Stacey and Shanice like the little present. Team effort from Megan and Mummy.

Back at Work

Lipid Yoo, de Thunder Thighs is back at work! Mother and child separation anxiety? You mean me or her?
All of a sudden my slow life of baby sitting and watching TV is no more. Time becomes a precious commodity as everyday zooms by... Megan continues to grow stronger and healthier and she is no longer satisfied with lying down... Sit up, she insists! She has master the art of flipping over multiple times and she is extremely delighted with this new found skill...

 

After the news of an infant suffocating while sleeping face down, I am a bit concerned with Megan sleeping alone in the other room as she tends to flip in the middle of the nite. Ken is out stationed for a week plus so Megan now sleeps with me. Last Sunday I was woken up by her at 9am. I opened my sleepy eyes and there she is with her round head just above my left cheek, saliva dripping down my neck... Somehow she has managed to flip and crawl and wake her sleepy mummy up! Such a sweet way to start a day.

Old photo - so funny, like she notice a bee land on her nose.

It's here because I dont know why I did not blog it previously!

Lx and Ally says I never reply their emails on how to make Botero goddess a Botero Goddess. Ask me "to stop admiring my own creation/ thinking ways of how to improve this version 2.... which can go on forever..." I must warn Megan to avoid this uncle and auntie next time! Still dare ask me to bring my 7kg little dumpling for a "backpacking" trip somemore... who carry?

The divers came over to visit and had a grand time with the happy one.... Play play play.... Mok was supposed to exhibit his nanny skills but Kat end up carrying her. Bestest friend still not married.. What is wrong with this guy!? Kyra at 3+years can name almost all the fishes on TV - Manta ray, barracuda, puffer etc... Alvin tot Megan is a boy!!! Anyway, I suspect they all come to show off to me footage of their recent layang layang dive trip.... make me jealous only... sigh... where did i hang my fins?

March is gone and I need to plan for April or else it will disappear before my very eyes!

Things to do in April:
1. Stretch
My body is stiff! Yani says I must stretch and I will. Note to myself - stretch everyday. ok gym at least once a week... Corrine's mum is buying me some Malay massage cream - can bust cellulite! YEAH!!! Lipd Yoo the Thunder Thigh NO MORE!!!

2. Bake one batch of Pecan sandies

How about that brownie peanut butter cups stuff I say I was going to bake in Jan? Errr... yah err.. this recipe looks easier! hahaha... Cross my heart... I will at the very least use my brand new 16months old oven this April. Die Die will bake... oh ok.. instruction says I need a blender... hmmm I don't have a blender... ok maybe this will be Dec's project... hhahaha

3. Limit energy usage
Internet forums are full of comments by sporeans condemning nuclear plants because of the Japanese incident. I think they are missing the point. Nuclear reactors are a but a consequence of human's insatiable need for energy. The key is to use energy responsibly. This planet for our kids is already looking bleak and we are sitting here shaking leg in aircon room and saying that is japan's problem... April is the month I want to encourage (ok nag) people I know to live responsibly...

4. Printing story book one for Megan
Completed the drawings and in process of coloring... Here is a sneak peek on page one.

Megan's A-Z Animal Chart completed

It's finally completed. Ok its completed a long time ago but its finally blogged! Megan is of coz way too young to pronounce ABC but its ok, I will pronounce for her! She will just have to look where my finger goes.

Now for the makings of the chart:

I have decided on a deep red fabric as a base. Alphabets shall be cut out from lighter patterned fabrics. Dry lay looks great despite a few mistakes here and there! Love the color combi. Throughout the whole process, Megan has been patiently lying in her bouncing chair watching me. She loves to watch me sew and draw beside her.

Now where are all the animals? Gonna sort out them all out and begin the difficult process of sewing Velcro to their backs. I have thought long and hard on how to make it easy for Megan to stick all the animals to the chart. (weather she sticks them in the correct order is another issue altogether) Have experimented on hooks and transparent pockets but Velcro is the best solution. 

Opps sorry, miss out animal Z.

Ok, dry lay everything again. geee.... something is wrong. Bright and colorful yes but my eyes do not know where to rest. This is way too complicated with too many colors trying to grab my attention. The lighter letters are jumping out too much, overpowering the animals... Bad bad bad for Megan's developing eyesight.

Ok, discard all the lighter color letters and try again with all the medium tone ones... Ha, much better. The alphabets now resides into the background. No doubt this scheme looks less exciting and cherry but it's more focused. Ok, will decide to proceed with this one.

The reason why I have not been able to blog the chart is because I wanted a big cute button to finish off the pocket on the chart's top left corner and until now I still have not bought it. Never mind, blog first... This pocket is to store progress sheets. 4 out of 26 correct. 22 out of 26 correct!



Sorry, my model is not in a good mood these days and refuse to pose with a smile. My ex-boss, AM asked me to seriously consider putting all these into production and yah yah yah.... I am looking into it, boss!!