Mummy's Home Again!

My parents came back from Hong Kong on Friday the 24 April. As expected, Mom was trilled to see Jolie (and me) as she has been gone for about 3 weeks. Lots of gifts from my Sis! But they are all for Jolie only. Sigh, being the Princess has it's perks! One of my favourite was a pair of bunny slippers! SUPER CUTE!




Mom also bought Jolie a cute hat, which is pretty useful given the hot and sunny weather here in Singapore.



On Sunday we went over to their place to just hang out. Funny, my Dad, whom I have not seen for about 2 months, commented that I looked very fair, so did my Mom! Come to think about it, I have NEVER been said to be fair my WHOLE LIFE. Even as a child, I was quite tan from spending so much time outdoors and swimming. So it feels kind of weird! Haha, I think I need to get out of the house more.

Nearing dinner time, Mom suggested we ta-pao some food from the food court, so Mom and I carried baby to the shops downstairs. Before going to the food court, Mom suggested that we go walk around the supermarket. Which I find strange as we didn't have anything to buy anyway! But I just followed along as Mom carried baby into the air-conditioned supermarket and strolled to the fresh pork section.

There she said hi to the pork seller auntie, making casual conversations. (Apparently she knows mom) As usual, the auntie was like "Oooh is that your grand-daughter? Oh you're so lucky! Wah she's so cute!". After the supermarket, Mom once again detoured to another nearby store and hovered around the cashier counter, with the baby in her arms, just saying hi... Then the old couple had the same reaction as the pork lady.

Then it occurred to me... Mom was showing off her grand-daughter!

She was just carrying her around like a trophy, waltzing into shops that know her and waving the baby in front of them. Of course she didn't say "Hey everybody! Look at my grand-daughter!", but it's pretty obvious loh! Hahaha... I wanted to laugh...

The old couple was very nice and friendly, the fat auntie even carried Jolie awhile. My Mom keep saying, "soon it will be your turn!". I think the auntie wants a grand child too, so she was a little envious. Haha.. Mom's a show-off.

Anyway, we spent the whole afternoon at my parent's place and left only after dinner. It was really nice chatting with my parents again. Life can be a little boring when you don't have your family around.

CATS - The Musical

YEAH I'M GOING TO SEE CATS!

I wanted to watch this musical for years! The last time they came to Singapore was like, many years ago and I didn't catch it. They have been performing in London's West End and New York's Broadway since the eighties and after more than 20 years, they finally ended the show. I was so disappointed! It's like, no more chance to catch the show even if I can afford to fly to the States! So when I heard that they were coming to Singapore again, I was so happy lor!

I always try to buy tickets either for the first few days of the opening or the last day because the performance would usually be the best. I've already missed the opening performance, so I wanted to catch the last performance on the 3 May. My original plan was to watch it with Sis, but since she wasn't in town, I was at a lost. Who do I go with?

Cobby was naturally the 2nd choice but he's having an exam paper the next day. Furthermore he's not that into musicals, so he suggested that I go alone. HUH... So sad to watch the show by myself! I thought hard of WHO can I call! I really don't know who among my friends would like to spend $130 to watch a musical. I really don't want to miss this RARE opportunity to catch this show and I was so desperate to NOT go alone, I even considered "mushroom". -_- But after seeing me so distressed, Cobby decided to go with me!

YEAH!!!!!!! SO TOUCHED!!!!

So I happily booked the tickets. I'm going to see CATS!

Sunday Outing

We have started a routine to leave baby Jolie at my mother-in-law's place every Sunday. Then Cobby and I would go for lunch alone, or go take a walk nearby. So far, we would always be back by 3-4 hours. Today I suggested that we go catch the movie, "Fast and Furious" and have dinner out by ourselves. So, after dropping Jolie off at his mum's place, we went for a late lunch and caught the movie at Great World City.

The movie was great! I really enjoyed it, but Cobby was a little disappointed that there wasn't much focus on the cars like Tokyo Drift. After the movie we headed to Clarke Quay for our dinner, but I kept thinking about my baby, so we called mum to check on her. Only when we know that she had drunk her milk and was then taking a nap, did I feel more relieved.

It was a very nice evening as we strolled along Clarke Quay, looking at all the restaurants and wondering what to eat. I was constantly feeling tired and frustrated from taking care of baby, so our relationship had been a little strained and distant. But strolling along by ourselves along the river, hand in hand... it was really nice and I felt my love for my husband has been rekindled again. :)



We finally decided on the Tom Ton at The Central. They were having a shabu shabu buffet so we had a fabulous black pig shabu shabu! SUPER GOOD! Must try!




Although I was really enjoying my 'day-off' with my dear dear, tucking into our delicious dinner, I was also getting increasingly uncomfortable. All day long I've been thinking about my baby. "How is she?" "Did she finish her milk?" "Did she take her nap?" "Did she cry or fuss?". But during dinner, my anxiety really reached its peak. We took awhile to decide on what to eat, so by then it was already close to 8pm!

I started to worry if she needed to feed or sleep and I missed holding her in my arms terribly! I told Cobby my worries and felt bad for spoiling the mood of our "date". But he said it was ok, as he would worry if I didn't miss baby at all! Haha...

By the time we reached his mum's place, it was already 8.30pm. We have been separated from baby for about 6 hours! A new record! I quickly took her and held her close to me. I MISSED HER SO MUCH!!!! On the way home, I thought about how I can't wait to leave her at Cobby's mum's place in the afternoon, and yet, within a few hours, I was surprised by the intensity of how much I missed her and the need to hold her in my arms again.

I wonder if baby Jolie missed me just as much? Or was she indifferent to her Mummy's absence the whole afternoon? As she smiled in her sleep, I like to think that she was happy to be once again reunited with her Mummy, safe and sound in her arms.

Beautifully Imperfect

I first saw the commercial from UJ's blog. He said that it aired on TV after the Mission Impossible III. I didn't watch it MI3, so I missed it. The point was, I was in TEARS after watching it!

Super touching commercial by MCYS, but initially I was a little puzzled. Why use a funeral scene to encourage marriage? I found my answer in today's paper. Apparently it was directed by a famous Malaysian director Yasmin Ahmad, who was well known for her unconventional works.

According to a survey, many people were waiting for a perfect Mr or Ms Right to come along into their lives before settling down, but many don't understand that it is usually the annoying traits, or imperfections of a person that partners would treasure in the long term. I totally agree! I guess that's why so many people, including me, have tears running down their face by the time the commercial ended.

OK enough talking, PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO.

Hello Kitty!

Among the many toys the Sis bought for Jolie was this adorable Hello Kitty fabric rattler. She bought this from Taiwan and I find it so adorable!




Jolie's hands would always grab onto anything you put in them, so I made her hold the rattler and she just started shaking it! Haha... I don't even think she realised that there was something in her hands. So cute!

The other side of the moon

Jolie is 2 months old now, but it seemed like ages since we left the hospital with Jolie in our arms. I remember reading a friend’s blog, saying that she didn’t blog down much details of when her daughter was little because it would mainly consist of complaining and negative thoughts. I totally agree with her. Besides, where got time? The only time during the day for me to blog would be when she’s napping, and that would usually mean time for ME to rest too! So it would be choosing to rest my back and catch some Zzz, or to sit in front of the laptop to blog. Hmm, not a difficult choice really.



The 1st few weeks were really tough, even with Mom around to help. I remember one night, when we finally called it a day and I lay down in bed to sleep, I just broke down and started crying in the dark. My arms and wrists were aching from carrying baby the whole day, my Caesarean wound hurts, my nipples were sore and my menstruation came again. (Post-natal menstruation) I was just so exhausted, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally too. It was a complete breakdown. I cried to Cobby (who was by then shocked by my breakdown) that I never want to have another kid again. Sigh, it was terrible.



During the confinement period, I was a complete wreck. I felt trapped, stuck in a job that I hated but can never quit – FOR LIFE. So many times I wished that this whole baby thing was a nightmare and I could just wake up from and laugh about it. I even fantasized just packing my bag, take my passport and just leave home and the country. Go where? Anywhere! Yah, it would be irresponsible, but hey, both our moms and Cobby should be able to take of her right?



I guess my main frustration was that I felt so angry at myself, I felt useless and that I really suck at taking care of baby. Also, I couldn’t let go of my previous lifestyle. I missed being free and couldn’t accept nor adapt to my new life as a mother. The worst part was not having anybody to share my pain. Who can I tell that I hated being a new mother and sometimes even hating my baby, and understand?



Cobby would comfort me, saying that he understand, and is here for me, but what does he know? Mom would just call me to stop crying, saying that’s the reality of being a mom and my crying would only make everybody around more miserable. I know it sounds harsh, but I guess she doesn’t really know how to make me feel better because that’s the truth. Sis is a thousand miles away in Hong Kong and for once, I’m in a situation she’s never been in and that’s motherhood. Yee Mei would have been a great person to confine in, but I didn’t want to bother her as she is expecting and having a difficult pregnancy.



So I just have to keep my feelings to myself loh… When the world asks me how I was coping to being a mother, I just had to smile and say “I’m Ok”. But I was NOT!



Anyway, thanks to Mom’s ‘training’, I slowly (but painfully) started to learn the ropes of taking care of baby by myself. When I got better at the technical part of taking care of baby, I started to enjoy the fun part of it. Like playing with her, getting her to smile and laugh at her silly hair styles and actions. I also love it when she looks at me and make those coo-ing noises. When she smiles at me and goes “ah-goo…” it’s super hard to be mad her! My heart would totally melt and I would feel an overwhelming sense of love for the little life in my arms. So, yah, even though there are still hard times, life is getting better. :)



Now that we’ve grasp the part on taking care of her, I have to proceed to the other stage of the game, which is to have a life with baby in toll. Sis exclaimed, “No life? Create a life! Go out with baby! Have fun!” Yah, easier said than done, but nonetheless we are trying. Though troublesome, we’ll still try to go out with baby once in a while. Also, we’ll find ways to create some alone time without baby. It’s not easy, but we’ll learn and overcome it! Yeah!

Jolie's Cot Mobile

Immunization

Jolie had her 1st immunization yesterday. We bathed and fed her as usual in the morning before heading out. She was in her sleepy mood, so she slept soundly all the way from home, to the car and to the clinic! I was glad that she was so sleepy as there were more people than I had expected, so she just slept quietly in her pram while waited.

When it was our turn I had to wake her up to be examined by Dr Garfield. Everything went very well! Jolie was 5.19kg and 61cm long. Dr said that she is growing very well and is bigger than an average 2 month old baby! So happy to hear that...

Then he gave her Rotavirus Vaccine and jabbed her buttocks! Jolie was already crying and screaming while he was examining her, so there wasn't much difference in the volume when he jabbed her. But the moment he was done I quickly carried her back into my arms and soothed her. Oh my poor baby! I hated injections too! But I guess the parents would always overreact because she was fine shortly after that.

We had planned to take up the immunization package that day and wanted to pay via the Child Development Account, the package cost only $99, but after adding the consultation fee, another eye test and medication fees, the total bill had came up to about $1176! We had only deposited $1050 into the account and the stupid Government have not topped up the matching amount. So we couldn't pay via CDA and had to pay the full amount via VISA... SO IRRITATING..!

Eh, I feel so cheated! If we pay via CDA, technically speaking we are only paying half the price ok... Argh! Sigh forget it, anyway I had received $1k in cash earlier in the month, as part of the baby bonus. I'll just transfer the money to Cobby to pay for the immunization. Sigh, having a baby is expensive! Luckily got baby bonus... Haha, one moment complain about the government, one moment lucky to have the government to help out with the expenses! Haha... very hard to please right!?

Anyway, the rest of the day was a complete nightmare. We went home around lunch time, but Jolie refused to sleep for the rest of the day! She was squirming and crying and looked very uncomfortable. I wonder if it was the immunization that made her that way, or was she just traumatised by the whole ordeal, or was she having her tummy ache? I was super tired by the end of the day and feeling so miserable as Mom was not around to help. Cobby had to go to class in the evening so I felt so lonely, tired and frustrated. When I finally got her to sleep around 9pm plus I was completely burnt out. What a day!

Happy Baby..!

Busy Weekend

Sis came back to visit again, but as usual, the 万人迷 had such a packed schedule, she came to my house straight from the airport on Friday afternoon! She was super happy to see Jolie as it was her first time seeing her since she was born. She kept carrying her and saying that she smelled so nice! Haha... She also bought loads of gifts like clothes and toys for her. Later Mom went downstairs and ta-pao her favourite, bak chor mee and we ate and chatted. Sis said that Jolie looked like me! :) After hanging around for a few hours, sis still had to meet a friend for dinner and another group at St. James that night!(Busy busy) So she showered and called Clarence to come pick her and her luggage up. That was Clarence's first time seeing Jolie too!




We met up again for dinner at Yee Mei's place and Yee Mei and family got to see Jolie for the first time. Sis had been to Toys R Us ealier, so she bought a whole bagful of toys for Jolie again! Haahaa... As usual, Sis was carrying her non stop the whole evening. When we left, I felt kindda sad. When she goes back to Hong Kong, who knows when she'll see Jolie again? Probably Jolie would be very different then. Maybe next time, Jolie would visit her in Hong Kong instead! haahaa...

On Sunday we brought Jolie to visit Cobby's Mom. They had already had lunch when we arrived, so we left Jolie with his Mom and sis and headed out for lunch. I've brought a bottle of milk along, so after lunch, we asked if Cobby's mom can help watch Jolie while we go out for a walk. His Mom was more then happy to look after Jolie, so we happily went to Borders! Actually I was quite tired and would prefer to go home and sleep, but going out without baby was quite liberating too. I only bought one bottle of milk, so we had to go home in time to feed baby.

But that day we found another outlet for ourselves. We wondered if we can do this every weekend - leave baby and a few bottles of milk with Mom so that we can go out! Sounds really good to me!

Short Again

Wah Kao Buay Dah Han~

The weather is so hot and humid these days, that my hair was constantly tied up in a bun. Not only that, now I know why most mothers have short hair. My long hair would spill all over baby if I don't tie it up when I'm carrying her, so in the middle of the night, when I wake up to feed her, I would have to tie up my hair again. Usually I would be so sleepy, I just fall back into bed with my hair still tied up! Haha...

So on Monday I decided to just go to the hairdresser at Toa Payoh and get it cut! Actually I've been to the hairdresser before Chinese New Year (Jean Yip at Woodlands), but I was very pregnant then, so it was quite uncomfortable for me to sit there for just a few hours. Besides, they keep trying to "sell" me their expensive hair treaments, so it wasn't a pleasant experience.

That day at Toa Payoh was really shiok. There wasn't much customers, so the service was superb. My favourite part was the shampoo-ing! So after a few hours of cut and colour and treatment later, I felt refreshed and light!



Hmm I can't seem to capture the haircut well in the photo. In real life it's much more shiny, "pong" and very nice! I always love the just-out-of-the-saloon look. I also like to swing my head left and right, like they do in the shampoo commercials! Haha... But I know the effect would only last till my next wash, but nevermind lah! Have fun while it last!