Funny Pictures

We have twins?



Same skirt but the smile is a giveaway. Lol.

This is the princess taking her nap. So funny that she is so properly dressed with nicely tied and pinned hair. Must be getting ready to go kai kai but coaxed to take a nap.


Mummy Lim

Cruise

We are back, boohoohoo. Holidays always fly past so quickly. But we had a good time. Lil Shauna is more participative this time and we did more.

The trip didn't start well. We arrived early but to find that I had left my mum's ppt at home. So, it was a mad rush home and back to habourfront. It was so lucky that my mum found put early. Otherwise, she will probably hate me for having to leave her behind.

Then it was the usual queuing. Apparently, there was not much privilege despite staying in a balcony cabin. I was happily helping the princess take photo while waiting for Daddy Lim to check in.



But it was a breeze after the checking in. We didnt take any pix of our cabin but this is Lil Shauna at the balcony.


There werent much do so on the 1st day other than dinner and the usual scouting around. Lil Shauna insisted on a swim and she had a dip in the pool with Daddy Lim. And then it was ice cream.


We went to the child care's open house too. We have never been there as Lil Shauna was really young during her previous trips to the cruise. I was surprised to find a mini indoor playground with eating area, TV lounge and even sleeping area in the CC. They also have so many programs lined up for the kids. I suspect many parents happily threw their kids in the CC for hours while they enjoy themselves. I was tempted to do likewis ebut the CC disallow adults' companion and the princess was too scary cat to participate the activities on her own.


The princess definitely wasnt at her best behaviour, but was still managable.


After we tucked the kids in, Daddy Lim and I had some quiet moments.The coffee tasted especially nice when one can have it in peace.


We took some silly photos. And reminded ourselves that about 3.5 years ago, we were ar the same restaurant, deciding on Lil Shauna's name.


The 2nd day, we had breakfast. Lil Isaac's 1st attempt on the high chair.


And induldging in yummy bread for breakfast.


And more fun dipping in the pool.


Family photos.



Lil Shauna is into posting with the sign 3!


The cryise berth at Redang and we went to the beach too. I was too occupied to take pictures of the beautiful beach. The water was really clear and we can see fishes swimming in the water. But the weather was too hpt for Lil Isaac's comfort and we left shortly, to the comfort of air con onboard the cruise. This is Lil Shauna on the way back to the cruise. We have to take a little speed boat to the beach and back.


On the 2nd night, the kids were tired out and turned in early. Daddy Lim and I had time to ourselevs too and we contributed $400 to the casino. -______-" Of course I regretted big time after that. It was fun but that $$ can be put to better use lor. Pui!

We didnt do much on the 3rd day and it was soon to go home. ;( Hiz, good time always fly by. I think we will go back to the cruise. It is easier for us with young kids. Tahan, tahan...

Mummy Lim

The Plan

For reasons beyond me, Lil Shauna was cooperative in attending school and a few days later, started being difficult again. It was tough on my mum, trying to alternate between coaxing and coercing her. For me, I hate to receive calls from home nearing 8am bcos I will hear a crying and pathetic Lil Shauna at the next end and there is nothing much I can do. Those calls often left me feeling helpless or irritate the hell out of me if I am busy.

So, I have asked to transfer Lil Shauna to the afternoon session starting July. I don't know if this is a right choice. The afternoon session will definitely screwed up her schedule and robbed her nap. Plenty of adjustments needed. She will have to make new friends too. I only hope that going to school will be easier for her if she gets to take the school bus with Felicia. There is no turning back. Lil Shauna is doing a swope with someone in the afternoon class. There is no slot to switch her back to the morning class if plan fails through. Kids are very adaptable. She will make new friends and be fine, right?

She has started her school holidays and we missed the teacher-parents session. I wonder if the teachers are having school holidays too. I am hoping to speak to her teachers to find out Lil Shauna's performance in school.

The backup plan. I will be visiting 3 CCs across the road with Lil Shauna in June. If she likes any of the CCs and I find it good enough + her unable to adapt to the afternoon session, I will switch her. The only comfort is that Popo can walk her to school. I hope things work out fine.

Mummy Lim

Holiday

We are going on a holiday! We are going on a cruise tomorrow! La la la la la... I am so looking forward to the holiday. I hope the kids be good, I hope our holiday be good. It must be good, it better be good. Woohoo!

Mummy Lim

My Little Gym

Lil Shauna has been to so many different kinds of enrichment classes, most of them play gym cos I realized that she loves them the most and the running and jumping helps to burn some energy. I am not sure if it is bcos she's older now but we found My Little Gym best and we signed her up for 3 terms. By the end of it, she's such an expert swinging on bars and walking on beam.

Today marks the last of her lessons. We have decided not to sign her up for more terms. I think she has enough of running and jumping around and we should start focusing on music and academic classes.

It is Show Day, where family and friends are invited to see what the kids have learnt. Lil Shauna was as happy as ever, climbing and jumping. Lil Isaac was happy to be in class too.

Lil Shauna has always been shy but after all these lessons, she's finally showing some independence. She used to hate the parachute.

And she can now balance on the high beam. I am so proud of her.

She hugged her teacher at the end of the lesson and I was actually feeling sad on her behalf. I did tell her that today will be her last lesson and that we will focus on music and phonics in the future. Probably bcos of the promise of more classes, she didn't seem sad.

We might be back, maybe when she's older to join their gymnastic class. I will miss jumping and running and monkeying with my princess in the gym class.

Mummy Lim

I Wish for More

This is one of the rare nights that Lil Isaac only woke up at 3am for his night feed. I had a few hours of uninterrupted sleep before the night feed, which made me a happy mummy.

He didn't cry bloody murder or scratch himself crazy but was dreamy. He latched and went back to sleep. No fuss at all!

I love such nights and hope for more. It was so peaceful that I find it so abnormal and couldn't sleep after that. Haha.

My Lil Isaac loves to give mr surprises. I shall take this as his belated Mothers' day gift to me. So, when is he going to sleep through?

Mummy Lim

Happy Birthday!

We didn't have any bday party for Lil Shauna this year. We threw her a party for her 1 year old and also 2 year old bday. We had initially wanted to throw her a party at one of those play gyms this year but realized that she doesn't have enough friends. -.o" hohoho. So, we decided to have multiple celebrations for her with family and friends then.

She had her 1st celebration one day b4 the actual day in school. She had decided that it will be Strawberry Shortcake theme this time and we got her a big cake.



As usual, she was the only one in the entire school who was not in her uniform. She was happily walking around in her pink dress.


She seems really proud that we were down in school to celebrate her bday and waited patiently as the teacher set up the cake for her. It was so interesting to see all her classmates crowding around her, discussing about her cake.


We were worried that she wouldn't agree to stay on in school after the celebration and I was prepared to bring her home. But she cooperatively stayed on, no fuss at all. Hmmm.. Who says that she doesn't like school?

We had a 2nd celebration for her on her actual day with my family. We had a great dinner and a 2nd strawberry shortcake cake. Lil Shauna happily blew the candles and cut the cake.



One of the rare family photos.


The weekend following her bday, we had a 3rd celebration with Daddy Lim's family and our 3rd strawberry shortcake cake.



Daddy Lim 'cleverly' asked for chocolate spring for all 3 cakes, meaning that all the 3 cakes taste exactly the same. Still, the princess was happy and she is such a cake cutting expert by then.


We are intending to get Lil Shauna a 4th cake to celebrate with the girls next weekend. I am sure to ask for another flavor sponge cake. Lil Shauna will be thrilled. She is still asking every other day if it is still her bday. Kids are so fortunate now.

Mummy Lim

Disappointment

Polliwogs is such a disappointment. Their website looks wonderful and they have really nice pix on their website. It gives an impression that both the indoor and outdoor play areas are humongous.

Thinking that it is huge, I was a little surprise to see a small building tucked in a corner. There were many people crowding at the shoe shelves, right in front of the entrance. Polliwogs was really crowded such that the air condition felt weak. In fact, the place was warm. I am surprised that the girls can still run and jump around, climb and slide for 2 hours. It is also more expensive than Fidgets, $18 per kid for only 2 hours play.

The seating area was pathetic. There is definitely not enough tables to take the crowd and we join many others who were without tables, hoarding some corner in the indoor playground.

We were lucky that we eventually found one of the party rooms available and open to public. The air condition was much stronger, making the visit bearable. And bcos the place was so crowded, the food orders were mixed up. We got additional food, which we happily tucked in. This is probably the best thing that happened to us in Polliwogs.

After the 2 hour, we rented a bicycle with a child seat and went cycling. Lil Shauna was happy to be pillioned. Daddy Lim and I took turns, with him pillioning her first. When it was my turn, I suddenly found her very quiet and found her knocking onto my back. She has fallen asleep and scared the hell out of me. I had to call Daddy Lim to save is. Heng nothing happen.

It was really tiring day. Holidays and weekends are definitely more tiring than work.

Mummy Lim

My Nightmare

Lil Isaac is spourting his 3rd and 4th teeth at barely 7 months old. Yes, they are the top 2 and it formed a deadly trap together with the 2 bottom ones.

He sometimes bite our fingers when we feed him solids, especially when he gets too excited and we yell in pain. Imagine the same impact on my poor nipples! I can only remind myself not to force him to latch when he's not ready or keen to protect my poor nipples. And to avoid feeding a tired and cranky tiger.

He is beginning to go on milk strike when we are outside. Cruel as it sound but it is a will power game, seeing who give up first. I am determine to wait especially after being bitten several times by the tiger.

Pain!

Mummy Lim

No Problem

We have no problem getting Lil Shauna to school this week, none at all.

Monday was school holiday and she was happy to be jumping around at home. On Tuesday, she had a mission. She was supposed to go to school to tell teacher that mummy is going down with a bday cake to celebrate her bday on Wednesday. She was very cooperative and no tears at all.

On Wednesday, I insisted that she had to take the school bus and promised her that I will meet her in school. She was miserable while waiting for the school bus and was tearing while seated on the bus. However, she was chirpy as a bird when I saw her in school.

Yday, she went on a school excursion. I told her that she has to wear her school uniform so that her teachers can recognize her. She willingly wore her skirt and no tears too.

Today, there is again no school bcos it is the older kids' turn to go for the excursion. I expect our princess to be happy too.

So, what is the source for her to refuse school?? I scratch head lah.

Mummy Lim

School

I have spoken to Lil Shauna’s principal several times on Lil Shauna’s school refusal. We suspect that her refusal is either due to the need to wear school uniform or the bus driver. The latter is bcos she suddenly insists that she is scared of the bus driver uncle last Friday and Popo ended up sending her to school via SBS bus instead. -______-“ We tried asking her but there seems to be no concrete answer. She will agree that she doesn’t like school bcos of whatever that we ask her and we don’t know if it is bcos the questions are leading.

The principal assured us that she will get the teachers to pay a little more attention to Lil Shauna, that they will not force her if she doesn’t want to change into her uniform. She mentioned that Lil Shauna will hush quickly even if she arrives in school crying and most importantly, she participates in the activities in school. She also assured us that the bus driver is nice and attention. On occasions that Lil Shauna cries on her way to school, he will ensure that she is properly taken care of when she gets down the bus and is handed to a teacher. The principal encourages us to continue to send Lil Shauna to school and monitor. I did see Lil Shauna learning and I do agree that she always return home happy after school and can sometimes relate to us what happened in school. There is also no nightmare so far. So, I don’t think she hates school.

However, I did call up the 3 CCs across the road for more options. I have explored all 3 CCs a year back when I was trying to decide if I should send Lil Shauna to a CC. We were lucky that 2 of them have vacancies immediately. If we enrolled Lil Shauna in one of them, she will attend half day CC in the morning and return home before lunch. The CC basically functions like a nursery/ kindergarten, they provide curriculum to get them ready for primary school, just that the other kids will stay in the CC for entire day while their parents are at work and there is no school holidays. I read on the forum that there is no fixed pre-school teaching curriculum currently, so each nursery/ kindergarten/ CC is allowed to develop their own curriculum and it is entirely up to the parents to decide what is good for their kids. Popo is not for CC if we have a choice. She has this impression that kids do less learning in CCs or at least she thinks that the 2Fs are learning more in their nursery and kindergarten now as compared to while they were in CCs.

The other option will be to switch Lil Shauna to the afternoon session. Felicia is in the afternoon session and she takes the school bus too. Switching her to the afternoon session will allow her to take the school bus together with Felicia. Hopefully, this will make things easier for Lil Shauna. On top of that, my SIL’s friend’s twin kids are also in the pre-nursery afternoon class and Lil Shauna does play with them quite a lot. The only setback is that it will screw up Lil Shauna’s routine. She is a morning person and usually takes an afternoon nap. To attend the afternoon session will mean that she has to skip her afternoon nap or might end up taking an afternoon nap after her class and thus drive the parents crazy in the night. But at least she will still be in the same school and same teachers. She will just need to make new friends. I quite like her teacher and I think she likes them too. The school is checking if there is any vacancy in the afternoon session if we really request to switch.

I asked Lil Shauna if she wanted to go to a new school and she said that she didn’t want to. I have also tried to encourage her to go to school by reminding her of her friends and her teachers and the fun things that she gets to do in school. Then again, it will be dependent on when we ask her. She tells us she likes her friends and teachers. But when she realizes that we are trying to coax her to go to school using her friends and teachers, she will insist that she doesn’t like them. -.o”

Of course, if given a choice, I would prefer to remain status quo. I heard that she did cry a little this morning. Last night, I told her to go to school today so that she can tell her teacher that Mummy is going down tomorrow to help her celebrate her bday. I wonder how else I can coax her after the celebration. Boohoo.

I hope things get better. The school holidays are coming. I don’t know how bad things will be when school reopens. I wonder if we are helping her to nurture her hatred for school. I have heard of parents who proudly relate how happy their kids are to go to school. Why not Lil Shauna? Haiz.

Mummy Lim

Happy Mothers' Day

I have worked hard for this day but I don't get big celebrations leh. I only get this flower from Lil Shauna that she made in school.

Or what's left of the flower. She peeled off the leaves and took out the ribbon. But she still proudly told me that she rolled the pink cotton ball and stick it onto the flower.

It is ok, I will patiently wait for my big celebration. Lol.

Mummy Lim

Hot!

It is so hot recently. So much so that staying at home is unbearable and we left the house super early to enjoy the aircon at shopping malls. And our destinations only consist of air con places.

At home, we have 3 fans in the living room and 2 fans each in ours and the baby room. At night, to keep Lil Isaac cool, he has a fan just for him.

On Sundays when we are at nainai's place, it can be really warm and she didn't have air con. Lil Isaac gets irritated bcos the heat makes him itchy. Desperate situations call for extreme measures.

We strip him and he had a good nap.


In fact, he was happy to be naked.



Mummy Lim

Early Night

It is only 9.30pm but we are all asleep. Daddy Lim had a long work day and is suffering from heat exhaustion. He was telling Lil Shauna a story but midway, it started to become illogical with exceptional long pauses. Then it ended abruptly. Lol.

Lil Shauna spent the entire afternoon in Fidgets with the 2Fs. They were running, climbing and jumping. Adding on the fact that she woke up at 6.30am this morning and she only had 15 mins of power nap, it is no wonder that she's in lala land. Oh, I fed her cough and runny nose medicine too, drowsy formula. :)

Lil Isaac always go on a milk and sleep strike when he is outside. It is as if the outside world is too attractive and he must not waste time sleeping when he is outside. And so, he resist napping and is dead tired by the time we are home. A nice bath and milk and he cannot resist the ZZzzz monster.

Yes, I am worried. I am scare that Lil Isaac will end up partying with me in the middle of the night bcos he slept too early. And I am worried that Lil Shauna will wake up too early tomorrow. I better sleep too. Who cares that the voting results will be out later in the night? Goodnight.

Mummy Lim

I Love...

How Lil Isaac smells. He has this really nice baby smell on him most of the time. I don't know if it has anything with the fragrance free lotion that we generously smeared on him.

We always keep him clean and cool to prevent flare up of his eczema and he never has that chao seng smell. I will always smell him when carrying him and smell his hands when I latch him.

His room smells nice too, strong baby smell. Hohoho. I think I will miss this smell when he grows up.

Mummy Lim

Ouch!

I have 2 big headaches.

Lil Shauna’s Refusal to go to School
Lil Shauna started school as young as 22 months old. She is now coming to 3 YO and had been attending school for the past 14 months but things are far from perfect. When she first started out in the 2-hour playgroup, our helper will sit through with her in the class. It was only towards the very end that she doesn’t cry the roof down when our helper escapes from the class.

We are not allowed to sit through with her in her current pre-nursery. In fact, I only accompanied her for 2 days. I was so worried that she will cry buckets when she has to attend school alone but things turned out somehow fine. Then we were banned from taking the school bus with her after 2 weeks. There were tears and tantrums but things turned out fine too.

After I came back to work after my ML, I got to know that Lil Shauna refused to don her school uniform. There will be some drama every morning and she will end up going to school in her favourite clothes. Her teacher has recently highlighted the issue to us and we have resort to packing her school uniforms to school and the teachers will normally change for her when she’s in school.

The school hasn’t been the most forthcoming in terms of feedback and things are made worse when we don’t send her or pick her up from school. However, this is the nearest church school that I can find in our vicinity and I really wanted her to have exposure to Christianity at a young age. This is more so when I figure out that it will be tough to send her to a Christian Primary school in the future. The nearest is FairField Methodist Church and our chances are really slim considering the distance.

Recently, things took a turn for the worse and Lil Shauna has been refusing to go to school. We don’t know why and Lil Shauna cant seem to explain why. She just kept telling us that she doesn’t want to go to school and every morning is a struggle with loads of tears.

I searched on school refusal and found that it could be due to separation anxiety or that some stressful events happened in school resulting in her refusal to go to school. The solutions are basically assurance and working with the school to rid the source of stress. We are wondering if it is the insistence for her to don her uniform. I had initially wanted to talk to the teacher when I am down at the school on 11 May to celebrate her birthday. It looks like things cannot wait and I have called the school, waiting for the teacher to call me back. Haiz.

I am starting to doubt my choice of putting her in the church school that requires her to take the school bus. I am assuming that things would have been better if somebody can walk with her to school instead and fetch her back. I am starting to wonder if I should explore other options instead. There are quite a few childcare in our vicinity and I am wondering if I should allow Lil Shauna to attend those CC on half day basis instead.



Lil Isaac’s Baby Eczema
His eczema condition is irritating me very much. His eczema started after his 5 days “holiday” in KKH. We are not sure if the air con environment or the antibiotics triggered his condition but his skin started flaking and his eczema started thereafter. We tried numerous cream and lotion, from the Aquas cream prescribed by KKH to Dr Lily Aloe Vera cream, Baby California Calendular cream, some other expensive lotion prescribed by PD, Lucus Papaw cream, some other brand of calendular cream and currently Physiogel. I see people recommend and claim that it works for their eczema or their kids’ eczema, then I will buy and try. None of the above-mentioned can fully control or tame his condition. We do see more effects from Baby California and Physiogel. We are still in this expensive search for the magical cream that can control his condition. We have so many unfinished tubes and tubs of cream and lotion sitting at home. We basically stopped using and switched to something else if that cream/ lotion shows no effects.

His PD is not keen to prescribe him with medicated cream or oral medication. We are not keen too but do hope that there are medicines to control his eczema when there are bad flare-ups. We are just applying loads on cream on him at any time of the day. I have also been controlling what I am eating since I am still bf-ing but there are good and bad days and it seems that his condition is not related to what I eat but more so triggered by the weather condition. When the weather gets too warm, he turns up all red and sore. Poor Lil Isaac.

I read up a little on baby eczema and note that 60% of the babies continue with the condition into adulthood. Boohoo. The only consolation is that the condition may be less severe when they grow older. Recently, Lil Isaac has been waking up bcos of his itchy eczema. Last night, he woke up at 11pm and 2am. He wasn’t hungry but scratching and angry that his sleep is disturbed. When he woke up at 2am, by the time I had soothed his itch using tons of lotion, he was wide awake. Double boohoo. This leaves me very, very, very tired.

And I hate it when we bring him out and people started staring at him. It is still tahanable when people just look and ask. I hate it when people started giving me useless advices. Yday, this auntie was telling me not to kiss him on his cheek! Hello, the skin on his cheeks is dry not rashes lah. Then she goes on to tell me to apply powder to dry up the sore skin on his arm folds. Arrrrrgggghhhhhh, powder and talc are not good for the lungs lah. We are already applying tons of lotion lor. And we always get advices from all kinds of people whom we meet, from dry tea leaves to honey to stout bath, etc. We do try some of them but none work so far and I am sick and tired of hearing such remedies. I am even more sick and tired of repeating myself like a broken recorder that Lil Isaac has inherited baby eczema and it is not rashes and it wont help even if I don’t kiss him on the cheek. I know most of them meant well but give me a break. Give him a break. Poor us.

Mummy Lim

My Milk

Lil Isaac has been taking fbm recently bcos I needed to clear stock that is expiring. I have gotten immune to throwing away fbm bcos of leaking milk bags. Moreover, the fbm is at least 2 - 3 months old, packed with older and lesser nutrients than fresh ones, so it is not exactly that painful to throw them.

My heart aches when I have to waste fresh bm. I always shoot my mum and MA dagger eyes when they throw away milk that Lil Isaac cannot finish. I know it is hard to make a perfect estimation but still.... heartache lah.

Just this evening, I had to throw away a fresh bottle of ebm bcos it has crossed its shelf life. I realized it too late to convert it to fbm and didn't want to risk giving Lil Isaac spoilt milk. I poured the bottle of fresh bm down the sink and my heart aches.

Just now, for some crazy reasons, MA didn't wake me but warm milk to feed Lil Isaac. The milk was being warmed when I wanted to latch Lil Isaac. I could let her continue to bottle feed him while I express but Lil Isaac was giving me that Mummy-please-latch-me-look. I gave in and latched him and MA still asks me what to do with the warm milk!!!??? Hmmm, maybe she can drink it to have a better sleep? Arrrggghhhh... That is my milk lor. My time and effort to express, which explains why I am still up now. To you it is just milk. Boohoo.

Mummy Lim

Unbelivable!

Remembered that we went to the PAP rally and I commented that they seem to have more insiders than residents? The field was barely half filled.

Yday, we drove past the stadium. The flood lights were on, the seats were filled and people were cheering. I thought there was a soccer match by popular teams. No, it was the NSP rally speech! Unbelievable! The cheering sounded genuine. The crowed was at least 3x more than that of the MIW!

Lil Isaac was uncooperative and I couldn't attend the speech. I was really curious about what the opposition talked about to get such support. Anybody know?

Mummy Lim