Life Without Eggs

Daddy Lim picks up electric guitar when he was just a teenager. I suspect it is to impress the girls. Anyway, he owned this electric guitar with a super big Power Ranger sticker and it is now sitting in our store room. After ignoring the "hobby" for the longest time, he is at it again. It is an expensive hobby. All the new toys and gadgets are expensive stuff. The best thing is that there is always a better guitar, a better amp, a better pick, a better...

He had been trying to jio people to form a band, but not many people share his enthusiasm, especially when work and family commitments come into the picture. After a long search, he finally found this group of people. He has been jamming regularly with them and he is enjoying himself. In fact, he has found a chance for them to perform at the Company event! They were trying to find a name and while discussing about fried rice & eggs, they tot of the name "Life Without Eggs". Cool... -.o"

This is them jamming away. Dun ask me what are they playing, just some very loud music with somebody singing as if he is shouting. Interestingly, they were very into this song as compared to the other pop songs. Still, they cant perform this cos nobody is gg to understand. Haha.

We were debating if we should let Lil Shauna learn guitar, bass, drum or keyboard. Daddy Lim says no guitar. Too common liao.. Lol!

Mummy Lim

Lil Shauna's Passport Application

I thank God for the person who invented speaker phone. I rang up ICA today and was put on hold for a super long time. The voice system claimed that they were experiencing high call traffic -- at 9am in the morning. Ha! Anyway, I put the phone on speaker and went about doing my work.

After what seems like forever, I finally managed to speak to an officer. I was a little embarrassed relating our story. I bet the officer must be controlling her laughter at the other end of the line. Anyway, she checked and reverted that ICA has yet to receive our application, but there is no need for a fresh application. Once they receive our application, they will either send us an acknowledgement or call us to inform. Then, they will proceed with the application. When the passport is ready, we will then bring the photo down to ICA.

True enuff, I received a call in the afternoon to inform that they have received the application and will proceed accordingly. I was a little surprised at their efficiency. When the passport is ready, we will have to bring Lil Shauna and her photo down to ICA. However, instead of the usual minutes, we will have to wait up to an hour after we hand in the photo before we can collect the passport.

Well, at least they dun charge us double for our stupidity. ;p

Mummy Lim

Shopping Is An Addiction

Women do shop alone, but we prefer company. We tend to buy more when we shop with company. Somehow, the urge to buy is contagious. We cannot resist sales and big discount. Any shop that hangs the word "SALE" is worth exploring, just in case they have good and cheap stuff. If an item is worth buying, we have to consider getting it even if we dun need it now. There is never too many bags, shoes, clothes, accessories, etc. There will always be a chance to use the new item one day. Afterall, we always need some new bag to go with that top and shoes to match that bag and accessories to go with that bag... You get my point.

I was never into online shopping. I prefer the real feel of shopping. The need to see and touch and to walk the entire street, going into different shops, comparing prices before getting The Piece. It was until I became a mummy that things changed. With a baby in the picture, shopping becomes a challenge. Though unwilling, the husband can stand outside the shop and wait while I pick & choose. I can choose to pretend not to see his impatient look too. With a baby, if she says no shopping, she means it.

SingaporeMotherHood forum opens up a whole new experience. The bulk purchases (BPs) and sprees mean that I can still do shopping without going to the shopping mall. It is a temptation hard to resist especially when BPs and sprees are wat accompany me in the lonely nights while I express. See, it is not entirely my fault. It doesnt help that things come cheaper via such BPs and sprees. BPs and sprees organisers love to catch my attention with discounts too. -.o"

To date, I have purchased the following from BPs and sprees:
- 2 nursing shawls
- 4 pairs of leggings for Lil Shauna
- 1 big bag
- 1 toy
- 2 story books
- 3 tops
- 1 dress for Lil Shauna
- 1 bottle of fernugreek
- 1 tube of destini nappy cream

The latest additions are 4 bibs.

The best part of the whole experience of BPs and sprees -- I have introduced my colleagues to it. The girls are crazy over the cheap bags and clothing. How to resist temptation when all the rest of your colleagues are browsing and choosing and buying and talking about it? Kekeke.. It is not that we are easily influenced, we chose to share the joy. ;p

But of course, online shopping cannot and can never totally replace real shopping + window shopping. We still need to walk the malls. So, if Daddy Lim is reading this, do take note. Lol!

Mummy Lim

Gu Gu Parents Episode II

We are big procrastinators. We are bringing Lil Shauna to cruise in November with my family. We have already booked & paid up but Lil Shauna still has no passport. My brother & SIL have been reminding us to make her passport so that we can provide her passport no. to the tour agency. My SIL was even kind enuff to print out the application form. All we have to do is to fill it up & sent it in.

We procrastinate so long before bringing Lil Shauna for her photo shoot. I wanted her to look pretty mah, so thought that we do the photo thingy in the morning when she's in good mood. Eventually, we had to bring her on a weekday evening. Although she wasnt grumpy, she looked bad in the pix. Bcos she cant sit upright on her own, she has to take her pix lying down. Who looks good that way? She ended up with roti prata face. I would cry if I have such an ugly photo in my passport. I already suffered that plight when I was younger. My old passport photo was horrible. I always have to "smuggle" my passport when I go tour with friends. Anyway, she's too young to mind such stuff. I promise to change it to a nice pix when she's older.

The application form was finally filled up. We hurriedly wrote the address on the envelop and Daddy Lim helped to fold and insert the application form when we saw the post box yday. We were quite glad that we finally sent in the application form.

Then, when we were home. I saw Lil Shauna's newly taken passport photo... -.o" We had sent in the application form without the passport photo... Win liao. Anybody knows what will happen next? Do we send in another fresh application with the passport photo or ICA will revert back to us?

Mummy Lim

What Lil Shauna can do

Lil Shauna is growing day-by-day. Although the PD says that she is likely to be slower bcos she's a premie, we see her growing stronger & stronger.

Lil Shauna is developing her fine motor skills. Other than grasping watever that we put in her hand + pulling her clothes to indecently expose herself, she can now reach out to touch & hold things. However, her hold is still not steady and there are many times where she gets frustrated bcos she cant get what she wants. Whatever that ends up in her hand must be brought to the mouth for sampling, just in case they taste good. She's also drooling like crazy. Whenever there's nothing else to sample, her hands will always taste good.

Her neck has grown much stronger. She still cant flip fully and tummy time is always a struggle. We do see improvement. She can now lift her head a little off the bed but most of the time, she still ends up licking the bedsheet.

Although she cant flip or sit or stand, she enjoys sitting and standing. She always smile when we let her sit or stand and demanding doing so very often. I bet she doesnt know how heavy she is. She's constantly torturing our arms and I am developing big biceps soon. ;p Oh, she can chuckle now! It is so fun seeing her laugh out loud.

People say "once bitten, twice shy" but we stubborn parents have to try 3x. All 3 attempts to make Lil Shauna sleeps in an aircon room fail miserably. She wakes up in the middle of the night crying not for milk but bcos of discomfort. I dun think she's cold cos we already wrapped her up like a bak chang. It is probably the dryness of the air, which irritates her nose. So, we will have to "suffer" with her until such a time that she shifts to her own room. Oh boy, that will be a long wait.

Maybe bcos Lil Shauna can now reciporcate, making playtime such fun (but tiring), we realised that we miss her alot. She didnt come home last night and we missed her plenty. Must kiss her double when we see her tonight!

Oh, nainai says that Lil Shauna looks like a boy. She wasnt the 1st to say that. So did that little girl who took lift with us one day, pointing to Lil Shauna and commented that "didi is sleeping" and my SIL's dad, who said that Lil Shauna looks like a boy too. Sob! What to do, the little proncess takes after the daddy. I hope that the saying about girls looking prettier if they take after their daddies.

She does look like a boy at certain angle. Arrgghh, must buy her more pretty clothes, dresses and all!

Mummy Lim

Busy Weekend

We had a busy weekend. I have loads to blog, but no time. Looks like I have to blog over afew milking session.

Daddy Lim & I took leave on Friday. We wanted to pamper ourselves. We woke up real early and Daddy Lim went for his routine blood & urine test at AH for his AS. Then we had breakfast at Mac. It was followed by a couple spas at aFond @ Holland V. It is our 1st spas experience. Not too bad, but I expected better.

The masseuse were aunties and they were not too professional. They were busy cleaning the bath tub (with us still in the room and wrapped in some red wine stuff) fearing stain cos we had some red wine drip. My auntie used too much strength on me resulting in sore muscle. The facilities wasnt too great either. We could hear the leaking tap. -.o" I guessed it has to do with the money that we paid. We only paid $300 for 2 pax for 2.5hrs. It would have easily cost $500 or more at those really classy spas places. Anyway, great "us-time". We probaby will try spas again somewhere else, maybe once every quarterly. Daddy Lim hates the wrap. He was screaming for help when he started perspiring under the wraps. Haiz, duno how to enjoy. ;p

After that, we went to collect Daddy Lim's medical report. He was given a free full body checkup for buying some policies with AIA. The check-up did detect elevated levels of potassium and duno what. But the doctor suspected that they are probably a result of his AS and the effects of the medication that he is on. He said that he wasnt too concerned, but advised that Daddy Lim goes regularly for checks in the future for monitor sake. Then we were off to fetch Lil Shauna.

We brought Lil Shauan for her swim on Saturday afternoon. I was so worried that she will end up crying again. Fortunately, she cooperates. She only swam for 15 mins before starting to make faces. There were so many other crying babies but she wasnt influenced. That's our girl!

She didnt swim like a fish this time. But at least she doesnt cry.

We then joined my Uni mates for dinner at Barracks @ Dempsey Road. Our 1st time there. We super mountain tortise lor. Even lost our way in Dempsey. The place was nice but it was 5 couples with 4 kids. We were busy coaxing, running after, carrying, feeding kids. Not much time for catch-up. By the time we were done with dinner, the kids started dozing off and it was time to go.

Sunday was spent at Nainai's place. Lil Shauna is starting to enjoy her toys. But she still prefers her fingers at times.

Mummy Lim

Power!

I am sick! Down with sore throat. That explains why I couldnt hear all the alarms set to wake me up to express milk (fyi, I set 4 alarms!!!). Then, the super alarm is at Popo's place. Result - I didnt pump for 9 hrs! Highest record so far. I even leaked milk from 1 side. Haha..

Mummy Lim

Too much words

The previous few entries no pix. Must be pretty boring huh..

See the cute little baby.

Then the parents.

We super long never take pix liao. Every other photo is of the little princess. This pix was taken in the car after P&K's wedding dinner. Super bo liao cos stuck in a "carpark traffic jam".

So, Lil Shauna looks like who? Too dark to see huh? Lol!


Mummy Lim

Calling?

One day, after a hard day at work, I started wondering about where this is all going. Days seem to fly by. It is a matter of feeling tired or more tired. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, no weekend to look forward to, no afternoon naps, no me-time, just lots of Lil Shauna, expressing milk, changing diapers, etc. We were in the car when I started telling Daddy Lim if God's calling for me is to go into some ministry. The conversation and thought was soon forgotten when work and more work piled up.

This afternoon, I saw the newsletter that D sent and I remembered about the thought. I was wondering if it is God whispering to me. Then the logical self surfaced and I started to debate with myself.

I have always maintained that we are spending whatever that we are earning. That explains why the amount in our bank is always stagnant or worse still, decreasing slowly. The balance only jumped during bonus time and fortunately, we are disciplined enough to keep a large part of it as savings. However, we have no real sense of our expenses and we decided to track for September. True enough, barely halfway into the month, we have already spent one person's take home pay and expenses are still mounting. We have too much sunken cost. The car costs too much and there is also the givings to parents, the insurance, etc. Anyway, it only proves my point that we are not able to survive on one pay.

That being the case, I cant quit, so I cant go into ministry full-time. Then how about volunteering like D? Nowadays, I barely have 6 hours of sleep every night. Waking hours are spent working, taking care of the baby or housework. There is not even time to walk a little slower, so how do I find time to volunteer without overtaxing myself?

I wonder if I am really hearing God. Are there too many burdens holding me back? I shared with Daddy Lim and he said that if it is God, there is no way that we can stop Him. Sorry Daddy, maybe God wants me to quit first, not you. ;p

Mummy Lim

P.S - Boss, if you are reading this, I am NOT quiting.. Just a thought ya.. I still need the $$. ;p

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wheres the box to type in msgs for the chat box? btw, no Judy, i really prefer normal milk to BM for coffee..