Take me to the Ocean Blue

We and the kids dived underwater and swam with the Green Sea Turtle through stunningly beautiful corals in the Great Barrier Reefs and New Guniea.

Almost.

We were at the exclusive screening of Imax - Under the Sea at the Singapore Omnimax Theatre, a strategic scientific collaboration of Mead Johnson Nutrition (Singapore) & Science Centre Singapore.

And seriously, nothing beats watching the sea creatures that the kids had gotten to know about from books and pictures, all come alive, face to face, in the huge screen!

Initially, I was a little worried that the kids might be scared of the huge screen and the loud sound effects. And true enough, once the lights dimmed, Katie was patting her chest and saying "怕怕".

But as the dazzling array of fishes and sea creatures quickly filled up our entire vision, the kids started to forget their initial fear, and actually got quite excited.

There were many favourites.

Jamie loved the seabed mass of garden eels swaying and dancing in unison to flirtatious music. It tickled Jamie who grinned and shouted "跳舞!" while Kate chuckled and moved her body with the eels.

© Warner Bros. Pictures.

The kiddos also got pretty excited when the jellyfish and sea turtle made their appearances. And they were even more intrigued when the sea turtle started nibbling and dining on the jellyfish! We learnt something new that day.

The 40 mins show was good till the last drop as it ended with curious, playful Australian sea lions poking and nudging at the cameras. They were so close I felt like I could almost touch them. Jamie said they look like Fuji, our bichon frise. I think he was right.

© Warner Bros. Pictures.

I particularly liked the music. Soothing at times, amusing at times, and occasionally making my heart beat a little faster in anticipation of wild creatures like the scary great white shark, or when the cunning cuttlefish suddenly unleashed its tongue to snap up its unsuspecting prey.

When the credits rolled and the lights came back up, Jamie was shouting 'MORE!".

Till now, Jamie still brings me the Under the Sea poster, points to the sea lions and jellyfish affectionately and says he wants to watch the "cartoon" again.

Now I don't let the kids watch a lot of cartoons, but this one, I say Yeah!

What's more exciting is from 5-30 November 2009, all customers will be rewarded with a complimentary ticket for one child into the Science Centre Singapore every purchase of Enfagrow A+ / Enfakid A+ / Enfa School A+ (Only available in Fairprice outlets)

We will most probably be there again for another dive with the sea lions!

Sewing for Katie

Not many people know this, but I love to sew. I didn't like the home economics classes that much in my Secondary school days, coz', well, I never loved going to school all my life anyway. So I really don't know when and why I started liking sewing.

But I do remember buying a machine and making a quilt with piping and all for my boyfriend when I was 18. Lucky guy. Till now I think of asking it back from him. Just kidding. Anyway, we're still great friends now, and apparently he's still using the quilt and the seams haven't fallen apart yet. And by the way I think he's still in love with me that's why he's still using it. haha. JUST KIDDING, ok?!

Anyway.

I've always wanted to sew little pretty dresses for Katie. A friend said if she has a daughter, that is what she will be doing all day long. I am so ready to get it going, if only I have more time more energy, and of course a working sewing machine. Anyone has any recommendation what is a good and affordable brand to purchase?

I'm so excited about it.

Of course you have to eat

I'm not a good talker. Not a good conversationist. By default, I don't like to talk much. I rather write.

Now if you know me personally, you'd probably be puzzled. Coz' I DO talk. A lot sometimes. And that is really because I make a conscious effort to make myself talk. Yes, it's a conscious effort. I'm weird.

But there will be times when I just can't keep my mouth shut. Like this morning over the phone with the dentist.

"Hi, I have an appointment with you at 2:30pm today. I'll like to change it to Friday instead."

"OK. What time?" She sounded annoyed and irritated.

"1pm?"

Pause. Deep breath over the line. Then came this - "We don't work at 1pm, Miss. We have to eat, you know!" Geez, she almost shouted into the phone.

Usually, I'd just say, ok, then another time, blah blah.. and hang up. And then gripe about it to my poor husband after.

But I made a "conscious effort" to talk today.

"Ofcourseyouhavetoeat.Everyonehastoeat.Ijustdidn'tknowyoueatat1pm.Maybeyoueatatnoonmaybeyoueatat2pm

howwouldiknowyoueatat1pm?" When I'm a little agitated, my words always come out in a hurry and I wouldn't know when to breathe.

Silence. So I added an awkward laugh.

She was much friendlier after that. I hope I helped to cheer her up.

The wheels of the Bike go round and round

We have upgraded. From a 2 seater to a 3 seater.



Now both kids get to ride at the same time.



Jamie insists on wearing the pink helmet every single time.

Happy kids on wheels...

I think we need to get another bike now. So the 4th person doesn't have to jog home alone.

L plate - Caution

For 2 hours, I will be trapped in the car with the obviously bored driving instructor, telling me to turn left, signal right or stop at the slope for the 18th time. To help him keep awake, I occassionally make abrupt turns to make him sit up and jam on the brake on his side of the seat.

Don't worry, Uncle. I am good at it. I drove manual without license at Langkawi and Toronto. You can trust me. I'll take good care of you.

haha.

Anyway, these recent driving classes are tiring. They make you repeat the same things over and over again, and even though you are obviously proficient at it already, they can't advance you to the next stage "because management says so." They make you go through the entire stupid system of an average of 20 lessons before you can book your driving test. Just so they milk enough $ out of you before you graduate.

Oh well. I take it as a break from the kids.

I also get a lot of driving tips from taxi drivers when they drop me off or pick me up from the driving school. It's quite funny actually. I kinda enjoy listening to what different "road veterans" have to say about driving. One friendly taxi driver even went as far as telling me to book the test on either Tuesday or Wednesday, between 10am-11:30am, and to go to a specific temple to pray the day before my test.

"Guaranteeeee you pass AH!" Uncle claimed. I laughed happily. Sure, Uncle. :-)

So, I still have another 30 hours of driving to complete before I am eligible to book for the test. Everyday I wish I had been more diligent in my younger days and gotten a Singapore license when I was 18. And who needed a license then when there were sweet guys asking me to take the SBS bus with them for dates?

Ah, stupid me.

Why not

When I'm not handicapped by backaches so bad that I feel like my body is going to break into 2 anytime, or headaches that don't go away even after popping 6 panadols in 8 hours, I actually feel quite good about myself and my life.

I feel like doing a lot, and I actually feel like I CAN do a lot.

It probably helps that Felix is finally back from his business trips. And we finally moved out of our old place and settled down at my mom's home while our new house is being renovated.

And I've been thinking. About how I have been leading my life, and how anal I have been about everything. I've been too hard on myself and the people around me. I don't know how to let others help me, to not feel bad asking for help. I need to accept that imperfections in life are perfectly alright. I know, I know, that's what Felix has been telling me for years. But this time, I'm really going to give it a shot. Really.

It doesn't have to be perfect all the time. It's OK if the kids watch a bit more TV. It's OK to go out and enjoy myself, without the kids. In fact, it's better for the kids to have a happy and energised mom, than a tired and grumpy one. That's an easy thing to say than do, but I'm going to try my best to get it right this time.

And as I go through mentally all the things that I've been uptight about, I realise, life would be so much simpler and easier if I just take it easy. So yeah, why not.

Wish me luck.

Need Sleep

These days I've been moody. I don't like my "job". I get frustrated by my "clients" too often. I feel like quitting my job.

I think it's because I'm so tired.

We are moving. Packing. Day in day out, when the kids sleep we pack. Plus driving classes every alternate day. And managing the renovations of our new home. And of course everything from changing diapers to feeding the kids to bathing them to dancing and painting with them.

Totally shagged.

I think I need to exercise.

But I just can't muster the determination to wake up at 6am to go jogging, when I only slept past midnight after all the packing and Kate has been crying on and off till 4am every night. Don't ask me why, I have learnt to not question her love for torturing her parents.

Anyway, I have been planning to go jogging since Kate was 3 months old. Never done it once. Such determination.

Now that Felix is travelling again. That leaves me alone to fight a depression I kinda feel creeping up on me.

My dream, my biggest dream now, is to be able to sleep. For 2 years. Ya, I think that would be sufficient.

I so want to feel alive again. I need to.

Life is too short to waste on waiting for time to pass so that bedtime can come.

Breakfast, Sir?

Recently, the issue about whether to hire a maid has come up again.

The problem?

The man is overwhelmed. He feels guilty leaving me alone with the kids when he travels, and when he's around he feels like he needs to relieve me of all the chores. And perhaps he has been a little too involved with the kids. He loses his temper a little too often with them. And he doesn't seem to enjoy time with them like he used to anymore.

We had a long talk.

Ok who am I kidding? We had a big fight. Actually, many, many fights.

Eventually, I was told I have the last say whether we should hire a maid, even though he "doesn't mind".

I say - if I can carry 2 babies to term, deliver them without epidural, take care of them all by myself without help since DAY 1, and breastfeed till I get boobs as hard as stone and suffer from mastitis again and again, I CAN HANDLE WITHOUT A MAID!

But that was the stubborn and angry me talking.

I have now passed that angry stage. I am at peace now.

And I have a plan too.

I am going to pick the fattest and ugliest looking maid from the biodata and scare the shits out of Felix so he'll give up his idea of being served breakfast on his bed.

Tell me, how do you do it?

On some days, the day seems to drag on longer than usual. Minutes tick by too slowly. The kids are more cranky than normal.

I open the fridge and wonder what to cook for lunch. Yesterday we had noodles, the day before we had porridge, and the day before the day before we had noodles again. So what today? Mee sua? With fish or with pork? With egg or without egg? Then dinner? Steam fish? Buy KFC ok?

Then the kids start to fight over a toy. Always wanting the same toy.

Then they start fighting for the water bottle. Always wanting the same water bottle.

And I fight the urge to look at the clock, coz' I know the minute hand hasn't moved since I checked 10 seconds ago.

And I fight the urge to turn on the TV and let Barney mother them for half an hour.

Sometimes, reading other mommies' blogs make me feel quite ashamed. There, people seem to be enjoying every minute of their time with their kids, having fun, loving being SAHMs and feeling honoured and priviledged...

And me? I am always looking forward to the time my kids go to bed.

So what am I missing out here? What are their secrets? How do you LOVE being a mom so much?

I mean, I do enjoy it, in general. Otherwise I won't be doing it for so long. But the everyday's mundanity of life make me drag my feet to work sometimes.

Plus a backache that is getting so bad that I have problems getting up from bed at times. That is, if I do get to sleep...

Big sigh.

Well, for the record, I love my kids to bits. (just in case they read this 10 years down the road)

But I think I need a break.

Jamie's first

Ever since I started speaking Mandarin to the kids about 1.5 years ago, Jamie has picked up quite a bit of the language, and has no problem forming complete sentences in Mandarin.

But even though Felix speaks solely English to him, he hasn't spoken a complete sentence in English before. It's always bits and pieces of words, like - "Mama, happy?" or "I like." or "Go playground?"

But today, Jamie said his first complete sentence in English...

He had brought his friend - the garbage collector (from a Lego set) to the toilet with him while he was taking a dump. And when he finished doing his business, he accidentally dropped Mr Garbage Man into the toilet bowl!

So there he was, Mr Garbage Man, floating in the bowl together with Jamie's dump. It was very gross. And very funny.

So for the next few seconds, I tried to save the poor dump man from the dump, while exclaiming "yucks!" in disgust every now and then.

And everytime I said YUCKS, the kids laughed. And laughed.

And then before I knew it, Jamie shouted - "That's So FUNNY!"

I thought I heard it wrongly. But he said it again later, and I had to laugh too, despite the trauma I was going through trying to save Mr Dump.

So there. My baby's first complete English sentence was -

"That's so funny." :-)