tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-388797732024-03-14T11:06:29.829-04:00Ramblingsabout our two boys and mommyhoodBrainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-4927766533363322142011-03-16T03:11:00.001-04:002011-03-16T03:15:39.267-04:00March 2011 HolsA friend shared recently her notes from a session at church. The topic was on how to find time, and the sharing was given by Dr Tan Soo Inn.
As I find myself entering the second quarter of the year and feeling somewhat unprepared for it, I gave the notes a long hard look to see where the pointers applied to me. And there were a few.
I was struck by how I keep getting my priorities mixed up. Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-18439345131389031682010-11-18T11:23:00.001-05:002010-11-18T11:25:45.372-05:00What is Your Nest Egg Wish?Finally I find myself awake at this late hour, actually up to the task of writing an update on this long inactive blog.
What woke me from this super long "blog slumber" was an email from CPF InTouch inviting CPF members to contribute their retirement wish in return for a chance at winning an ipad.
Here's what I wrote:
"I wish for a retirement busy with activities that would make me happy.
Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-9818221168448627802010-06-01T11:26:00.003-04:002010-06-01T11:55:29.584-04:00KSS Sports Day 2010Apologies for the long long absence from updating the blog. This year seems extraordinarily busy!Thanks to the husband who uploaded all the photos from his phone, I guess a good place as any to jumpstart this blog back into life again, is with the KSS Sports Day on Sunday.This is our first ever KSS Sports Day. In fact, this is first time we are joining the Sunday School bunch from church in an Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-64031096210720010772010-03-25T11:28:00.003-04:002010-03-25T11:33:51.096-04:00It's been 20 years.The year was 1990. The class? A bunch of lively twelve-year-old tweens from class 6C at Henry Park Primary School. Form teacher was Mrs Anna Tan. It's been twenty years. In one week's time, I'll be seeing some faces I've not seen in twenty years, I kid you not. An old classmate has rounded up some of us on facebook and is organizing a class reunion. I've not been to one of these for a long time. Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-64218468517518810172010-03-25T10:39:00.007-04:002010-03-25T11:45:53.217-04:00The children growPhew, finally got some pictures up from my phone. The year must seem to have been off to a super slow start, if this blog is anything to go by. But really, that is hardly the case. Three months have passed in a flash, and I find I'm staring the end of March right in the eye. So much has happened between me going back to work, Dylan starting at nursery, E starting in JB, and G starting on solids. Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-66234652452238644882010-03-23T12:12:00.002-04:002010-03-23T12:17:48.778-04:00So much to catch up on, so little timeLooking through my phone and its growing store of photos, I realize that I've accumulated a humongous backlog of events and photos to transfer, sort, archive, and not least update on the blog.Trouble is my phone doesn't seem to want to let me bluetooth its contents over to the computer. Highly frustrating. Till I figure out how to get the photos over, and in turn, this blog going again, akan Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-52893675893458577262010-02-19T11:04:00.004-05:002010-02-19T11:36:43.590-05:00Each a face and a name among the multitudesTraveling along the PIE this afternoon in a cab I suddenly had a morbid turn of mind. It happens a lot these days, Elroy would tell you. I thought, in the event of a horrific car accident - don't ask me why I always think of this when riding in a cab - how would bystanders act upon seeing my horribly wrangled body? They'd have to search through my belongings and look for my NRIC or my civil Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-50213041299510416512010-02-17T09:58:00.003-05:002010-02-17T10:08:18.386-05:00IroniesWanted to post some pictures of the kids having a good time in Segamat with the maternal side of the family, but phone is refusing to successfully bluetooth the photos over, so I guess I'll save them for another post. Will keep this one brief. Found myself in two extremely uncomfortable positions all in one weekend. Firstly, we found money missing and I had to send our 5-month old helper back to Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-23141028675022181582010-02-02T10:13:00.003-05:002010-02-02T11:08:07.169-05:00G is 5 months old!I learnt today from Elroy who visited a psychiatric ward this morning, that there is such a thing as Post Partum Psychosis. A patient in that condition can totally lose touch with reality, and regress into an infant-like state. He described this woman who gave birth in November last year. She returned to work and suddenly started speaking and behaving as though she was a toddler, becoming Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-72084404616317363302009-12-28T09:41:00.007-05:002009-12-28T11:13:06.973-05:00A Look Back on 2009We've reached the close of another year. And what a year 2009 has been.To echo how another friend had described his year, this year has been a game of two halves. One half was played in a little town 160km east of Melbourne city, Australia. And the other half played out here at home, in Singapore. I think it's worthwhile to look back on the things we've achieved, reflect on the events that have Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-32383227413273003472009-12-26T10:48:00.002-05:002009-12-26T10:53:22.075-05:00Happy 3rd Birthday!Hard to believe that three years ago today I was lying in my Class A ward in KK, dazed and amazed that I was now a mother of a little baby boy. That little Boxing Day baby is now THREE years old, and quite capable of singing himself his birthday song, and telling everyone around him what a big boy Dylan is now.As usual, the Daddy beat me to posting about it, so no point in me re-inventing the Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-25649471508353213032009-11-30T09:48:00.005-05:002009-11-30T10:10:12.972-05:00Other November HighlightsToday, little G officially turns 3 months old. Brought him to KK for a hearing check, and everything is A-OK. I couldn't resist asking the nurse to take his measurements. Little G is growing well - at 7.5kg and 62cm long. At the close of November, as Americans tuck into their thanksgiving turkey, here in Singapore I'm finding so many things to be thankful for.Chiefly, dearest Med Student Hubby Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-41498775884347941272009-11-30T09:12:00.005-05:002009-11-30T10:22:23.212-05:00Jacob Ballas Children's GardenThis maternity leave, I'm overjoyed to discover that places to go and things to do for little tots are aplenty in Singapore. In fact, some of the best places are free of charge.Jacob Ballas Children's Garden - so named after a Jewish-Singaporean stockbroker and philanthropist - is a veritable garden paradise for little ones, tucked away at one corner of the Botanic Gardens.It has designated areasBrainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-85895677215752416472009-11-27T09:56:00.003-05:002009-11-27T10:06:08.913-05:00First Trip to the DentistA month to go before D turns 3, I decided a visit to the dentist's was long overdue.Naturally, I was worried that he'd flip out, but it helped that while we waited to go in there were a couple of children's illustrated books beautifully explaining what goes on when you sit on a dentist's chair. I read it aloud to him, pointing out to him all the quirky and exciting things he'd find in the Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-16127867793694951912009-11-20T09:44:00.006-05:002009-11-20T10:40:06.508-05:00Love Never Fails?I subscribe to a weekly e-newsletter called "Upwords with Max Lucado" - an established christian author whose reflections on biblical concepts are refreshing and easy to read. Today's article was on 1 Corinthian's 13: 8 - "Love Never Fails." In a nutshell, Lucado reflects on the truth that unfailing love is only accomplished by God alone.It made me think about the quality of my love as a mother. Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-31106907965607243172009-11-17T20:14:00.003-05:002009-11-17T20:20:43.763-05:00You Will Never Walk AloneOne other thing occupying some of my maternity leave is preparing for our church's upcoming christmas presentation. Check out this website to find out more about THE GREAT BIG CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY... book your tickets early to avoid disappointment. =)
Here you see 6 of us singing Point of Grace's song, You Will Never Walk Alone, recorded during our rehearsal for last Sunday's preview at churchBrainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-54457286129346663572009-11-17T09:50:00.003-05:002009-11-17T10:12:29.733-05:00Fun @ Kids Amaze, Safra Toa PayohPeople wonder what moms do during their maternity leave - now that the government's upped it to 16 weeks. I'm loving the lazy mornings, enjoying a slow breakfast with the little one, reading the papers. I'm loving the afternoon naps, and the free time I use to catch up on reading or the latest episode of House on Surfthechannel.com.What I love most is having daylight hours to bring D to places Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-78119461962582182322009-11-10T10:00:00.007-05:002009-11-10T21:09:40.901-05:005 years, 2 kids and a few kilos later...Here's a belated post on what it feels like to be married for five years and being mom to not one but two boys. I've come to believe that when God blesses a couple with children, He does so with a chuckle in His throat and a glint in His eyes. Surely, nothing tests a marriage and one's character like becoming parents! It's been a funny and often heart-rending journey for us two jokers. I don't Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-15211571021416603022009-10-27T02:06:00.004-04:002009-10-27T02:45:31.223-04:00My son is me, and I am my motherWent through some old family photos, and saw my son in me and myself in my mom.Do you? The mommy is in the red dress, the other kid is her cousinBrainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-55419569837112845772009-10-20T10:08:00.004-04:002009-10-20T10:47:06.977-04:00Busy WeekendOne evening was taking D out for a walk in the neighborhood when we stopped for a chat with R who lives down the road with his wife and four kids. Seeing the little active tyke, he suggested getting D a helmet when he cycles out on the road. Seeing sense in his advice, I did just that this weekend. Here he is taking out his new rocket-and-alien ship themed sports helmet for a test ride:On Sunday,Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-54276574088454208682009-10-15T03:34:00.006-04:002009-10-15T04:20:17.287-04:00Watching them growA friend messaged me today and asked in passing if Dylan was enjoying school. It's now almost three months to his third birthday. He's barely 3!In some societies it can seem perverse to subject such little ones to a life of regiment, albeit for only three hours a day. He's in his uniform at 1110hrs sharp, gets in the car by 1115hr and the minute I arrive at the school's main gate and stop the carBrainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-12287666862139239202009-10-11T04:21:00.001-04:002009-10-11T04:21:59.401-04:00No teeth?Dylan, spying his baby brother's toothless grin, turns to me and says:"Gareth's teeth fell out!"Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-11769429752350096082009-10-11T03:51:00.003-04:002009-10-11T04:18:51.126-04:00Six Weeks OldBaby G is 6 weeks old today. He's growing fast, and though still a little jaundiced, he is looking every bit the cutie to this mommy that he is. Like the laundry my helper E. puts out every morning, she lays him out in the morning sun too. Now that he's a bit more aware and responds to stimuli, you can see him eyeing me (and the camera) with some interest:A little closer:And closer up still:Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-19774793466348421882009-10-06T09:52:00.004-04:002009-10-07T11:04:16.736-04:00Time with the EldestI've forgotten how much I enjoy gazing at my newborn while cradling him in my arms. At 5+ weeks, he's acquired quite a repertoire of noises. Other than the "I'm hungry, feed me!", or "carry me" pitchy cries, this little cutie is full of grunts, snorts, coohs and aahs - amazing noises that emit from him sometimes even with his mouth closed, or when he's at the breast. Each noise is accompanied by Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38879773.post-88696706104427643982009-10-05T10:06:00.006-04:002009-10-07T10:38:17.272-04:00The first monthA month later, I'm starting to realise how different second-time motherhood has been for me compared to when I had Dylan. D's arrival startled me - not only because we realized how ill-prepared we were to deal with the "aftermath" - the night wakings, how a baby changes the dynamics in our marriage, the constant need for attention, the rocking and cuddling, and figuring out what the baby needs Brainjuicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387729913277516269noreply@blogger.com0