Cough and Sniff

AN is coughing and sniffing again!

Argh!

Miss you more than I can say

Lying down now, but my boy is not beside me. No smiles, no cheeky gestures, no clumsy movements, no baby making those adorable attempts to imitate me. Those, plus the fever discomfort makes me feel like crying...

:(

I'm going to sleep, pop a panadol if fever still refuses to leave by the time I wake up, and then make my way to my parents' place after I feel better.

I should NOT be sick...

Away from my boy

My fever went down last night without the help of panadol. This morning, I was 37.6°C.

Mum called to offer help with ER. She said she will bring ER to her place so that I can have some proper rest. I was thankful but very unwilling to part with my boy. This will be the 3rd time he goes without me by his side. The first 2 times, he was at home. And I left him for slightly over an hour at most.

Hehe. I'm such a contradiction...I had been waiting for freedom but given the offer now, I'm cooking up excuses to scare my mum off her kind offer of help.

Mum assured me that she will be able to manage, so I let go. It's a matter of time ER will leave me anyway. Letting go is easier said than done though. I suffered a worse case of separation anxiety than AN did when she started schooling. ER up next.

On the bright side, if mum can manage him, I can start accepting jobs, something I had been subconsciously NOT been able to do the whole time.. And I can go dating with Mr Liow.

Judy, ER needs to learn to survive without your presence 24/7.

Fever just went up to 38.3°C again. It's a good thing mum took ER away. I really hate to have any of them start another round of suffering. They suffer, we suffer too. Thank God my mum is always around to help whenever we fall sick especially.

I wonder if the little tiger is fussing now. He enjoys bus and train rides. Should not be too tough on mum and ER yet, right?

Hongkong Pictures!

We didn't take much pictures this time. The most regretful part is, AN has no pictures of her and the little girls to remember when she grows up :(

The comforting thing is, this will not be the last trip together.

Here goes..

Before the flight turned hellish...




AN on the way there. She had a good time controlling her own programs for once. hehe.

Fever

I'm heating up at 38.8°c. So that explains my headache this morning..

I'm glad it's me but I can't figure out where I caught anything from.

Got to keep my distance from the kids. Please, Lord, protect them.

Exotic Tastebuds

Was ranting to my girlfriends one day weeks ago that ER doesn't like anything, and the next moment, he was interested in my brocoli stem.

Just as I was chopping red capsicum for his mashed potato for lunch, he wanted to see what I was doing. And he wanted "mum mum" pointing to the chopped pieces of capsicum. I gave him a piece and he wanted more.

So, for tea, he's having raw capsicum. I would hv removed the skin if I had known he wanted it raw. He's taking a long time to chew, but he's ready for more.

My kids have interesting preferences and habits. Lol!

Headache

Been having headache on and off during the Hkg trip and keeping it under control with the help of panadol.

Having headache again. :( it's been 2 weeks. I should be healthier than that. Havent felt unwell for this long since AN's birth.

I hope this headache is due to the cold virus. I used to have constant headaches resembling migraine when I was younger. Please do not let it come back. I hated it as much as the stomach flu symptoms. They paralyze me...

Hope to sleep it away before ER wakes up. Please, go away.

Enjoying Schoolwork

I know it sounds wierd that AN had been working on improving her (super simple) addition during the whole vacation but that was what she enjoyed each day!

I brought a few books to read to her but we ended up reading only 1. She wanted to bring her assessment book too, so into the luggage it went.

The few nights before we packed it in, she couldn't stop working on the sums. I had to remind her to take it slow. Otherwise she will run out of sums to do during our trip.

So, after washing her up each day at the hotel, she would beg for either of us to help her.

Last night, before she fell asleep, she remembered she hadn't done a single sum and starting sobbing.

"Mummy, I forgot to do my school work today...tomorrow I want to do a lot."

Because we allowed her to watch TV (for being cooperative these few days), she forgot about her math. And she felt guilty, or simply sad.

AN is unlike what I expect in a child. I did schoolwork only because I had to. I practiced my music, only because my teacher would check on my progress weekly.

AN is familiar with school pieces and has mastered Cannon in D (super simplified version) because she heard me play it and loved it. She remembered it was our wedding song from our DVD.

She learnt the melody (short and simple first part only) by listening, and I showed her 2-note chords to accompany her right hand. She spent the half of the day, randomly turning on the electone to practice. That same night, she asked me to listen and she performed it for me.

I finally feel what my father felt whenever he heard me play for him when I was little. The enthusiasm emitted from that little body is extremely contagious!

I don't think AN is gifted though. I'm just glad she enjoys what she has to do. For that I'm very very thankful!

Show of Concern, or Showdown?

She had been unwell since we returned from Hkg, so Mr Liow suggested she rest at home this weekend. In fact, she told me herself during the holiday that she would PROBABLY come over to our place on Saturday night BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO GO TO CHURCH FROM OUR PLACE. That's her main reason for coming, if she does come. SIL is out of town and she wants to stay home with the nieces. That's perfectly fine with us.

Suddenly at 1pm yesterday, she arrived with lunch only for herself. She said she didn't know we were home, otherwise she would have called to see what we wanted for lunch. It's ok, because I got lunch for ourselves after PTM (no music class today. It was PTM instead).

But she was extremely touchy. Every question Mr Liow asked her, she replied in frustration.

Mr Liow, with no ill meaning for a start: "Wow. You uploaded pictures in FB. 100 over of them?"

Her sounding agitated: "Yes. All your pictures. Why?"

Mr Liow: "And you tagged me one by one?"

Her, sarcastically: "You don't like it? I won't do it next time."

Me (trying to play peace maker) : "No, he meant you could have saved lots of time if you tagged the album instead of the pictures."

Mr Liow, frustrated at her outburst, could not be bothered to pacify her: "You made my phone ring 100 times."

Short while later, Mr Liow asked if she felt better. That blew the fuse. She got VERY upset and asked: "Are you worried I'll pass the virus to your kids? If so, I'll leave rightaway!" Without another word, she got her stuff and stomped off.

Mr Liow kept cool about that, and I didn't know if I should stop her from leaving. Ermmm...she didn't look happy when she saw us the moment she stepped in and every conversation Mr Liow and her engaged in, she appeared....challenged, defensive, angry.

Mr Liow told me later that he did ask her out of concern of course, but partly also because he wondered why she still went to church despite being unwell and should be home resting. And he was worried the kids would catch the virus from her again.

The 4 of us have all suffered for 2 weeks: 1 week before Hkg and even during the trip. The kids and Mr Liow have FINALLY recovered. I'm almost recovering. Yes, we as parents of 2 young children are selfish creatures. At this point, which parent won't be over protective?

Where was she when she was well and the kids are sick? She was never here to help till weekends and if she had programs, she wouldn't stay home to help too. We have come to terms with that. Now she's sick and the kids are well. Why can't she be more understanding? Has she never taken care of sick children? Won't she feel heartache to see then suffering those agonizing symptoms??

What, I wonder, is this grandma thinking? At this stage, is it still only about herself? About how 'useless' her son is? Which grandma who is unwell will make her way to recovering grandkids and throw tantrums because the kids' parents reacted instinctively? Mr Liow didn't even ask her to leave and asked if she felt better, and she had to make it seem like she was victimised.

Tsk....you weren't in a good mood and specifically came to spoil ours? How more unique can you be?

Holiday Summary

Day 1 - Sunday, 19 Feb

Reached airport at about 5am. Had breakfast before boarding. Kids slept most part of the flight there. Ears ached terribly towards the last hour. TERRIBLY EXCRUCIATING PAIN! ER started fussing about the same time. I suspected he was experiencing the same pain because we were all having blocked nose. Poor baby... :(

Hearing was down to only 30% of usual for the whole day (ears cleared up on day 3 but was randomly blocked again because of my stuffy nose anyway).

Met Neigi and he took us out for desserts and then Symphony of Lights at Tsim Sha Tsui.

It was very windy and cold. Kids were hungry but lousy mummy me forgot to bring ER's snack out. Thank God the Dawn had some bread to share with him. AN finished her Goldfish. That hungry?

The cold temperature took effect on our nearly recovering kids and ER had fever in the middle of that night. Neigi himself had a high fever after that too.

Day 2 - Monday, 20 Feb

It was supposed to be Ocean Park day with Pei and Dawn but coz ER was running a fever (37.8°C), we decided to take it easy.

Met Shiyun and family for window shopping at IFC after Tim Sum at hotel, and then dinner with the rest of the gang (Pei and Dawn's family) at Lou Fo Chon.

Day 3 - Tuesday, 21 Feb

Disneyland day. The 3 families checked out after Tim Sum breakfast together and we took a shuttle together to Disney!

Rainy day but Disney HK was better than what I heard it was like. I did have my queue cut into but it happened only once. It was relatively clean too, not floor full of spit like i heard. It wasn't the least bit crowded, so we didn't have to spend too much time waiting in line.

AN loved those rides she took except for Space Mountain. She cried after the ride and was angry that we had to go through a completely dark tunnel throughout the ride. The 'galaxy' inside the tunnel was not bright like Anaheim's and Florida's. Yes, AN is scared of the dark. lol!

She had a go at driving (can't recall what it's called). It was the same one we tried at Florida when she was 3 years old. She drove me and a 2 month old ER in my womb then. 2 years later, we did this again. It felt different (and track is different as well)! 2 years ago, she giggled as we crashed from left to right. Now, she complains about the track being too windy. She finds it fun still, but has lots of ideas how the track could be better. -_____-"

There were other rides she took with the girls and she TOTALLY loved the company! I am still lamenting over the fact that she could have spent more time with them if she and ER had been well :(

Flying Dumbo was our last ride. AN wanted to ride on a pink Dumbo, so Mr Liow went with her the second time. She was so tired by then she actually fell into a deep sleep the moment she sat on THE pink dumbo. Mr Liow did the flying on the kiddy ride instead. LOL! So funny.

It continued to drizzle and since both kids were knocked out, we didn't wait for the fireworks and parted ways with the girls.

Guess they caught a cold again. AN coughed so hard she threw up all the milk she had before sleep hours after she fell asleep. ER too, coughed in his sleep the whole night..

Day 4 - Wednesday, 22 Feb

Kids woke up late because they hardly got any rest the night before due to the cough. We finally found the food court and kids and I enjoyed the 皮蛋粥! That was regular food court standard, but in Singapore, it was restaurant standard!

Boarded a cab to Ocean Park but the nice driver suggested we go do something else instead, because it was already 1pm then and the park closes at 6pm. He suggested Noah's Ark, so we went for it.

It was good! Lots of information, facts and Ark-related materials in the exhibition. It was like bringing to life, the Noah's Ark that AN had only been reading about. There were also movies about biblical events related to the Great Flood, before and after it happened.

We spent about 4 hours there and only when we tried to find out how to return to the hotel did we realise there was a direct 20 mins shuttle from Royal Plaza to the attraction at merely 20hkd per pax.

We had dinner at one of the 茶餐厅 outside hotel, took a slow stroll to experience walking the streets of Hongkong but kids were tired by then, so we returned to hotel.

Day 5 - Thursday, 23 Feb

We checked out of our room, left our luggages with the hotel and then took the MTR from Prince Edward (which we realised may not be Prince Edward Station later) to Central and walked to the tram station to get to Madame Tussauds at the Peak.

It was raining, again. The umbrella was packed in the luggage, so we had to walk in the rain.

It was a steep way up. Very interesting. We thought we would have to give the Peak a miss this time and were glad to know the wax exhibition is located up here!

Had lunch there before proceeding to take pictures with the famous people.

Returned to hotel once done, got our luggages and left for airport.

Flight back was better for me. Air stewardess was extremely caring! She noticed when I took my medicines and asked if I wasn't feeling well, suggested I suck on sweets during take off because otherwise my ears would hurt bad like it did when we came. She then brought me sweets and ear plugs.

We were home in no time. I'd love to go back to Hongkong again, but maybe not with her again please. It would have been much more enjoyable without having to please Empress Dowager at the same time.

To be fair to her, she did help to carry ER. And the kids benefited from the leftover hot water she made for herself.


Warning: Negative thoughts below.



























It would have been MUCH MORE FUN if we went without her. She started grumbling about the walking, assumed we were lost and got upset with Mr Liow for not asking for directions and then kept quiet when she realised we were NOT lost, grumbled about the pricey food when she usually would spend even more on buffet meals on herself and instead, suggested something our kids don't exactly eat much of. She said the Peak was like our Mt Faber, and then sarcastically commented: "It's so foggy, come up for what?". To her question, it was for Madam Tussauds which happened to be here! Didn't she know? Or does she get a kick out of snubbing others?

She didn't enjoy and seemed bent on dampening our mood too...

The 4 days before were no better. Why does she have to be like that?? It is a holiday! Why can't she stop behaving like a spoilt rich woman for once?

Up till the last moment when we reached Changi airport, she was upset the niece didn't receive Mr Liow's message about our flight details and sarcastically commented in anger: "Ask him to do things, always never do. $1 to send a message only, I pay him lah!"

Mr Liow wasn't free and easy all the time! We have 2 sick kids and we were sick as well. Mr Liow had to keep track of our timing, where to go, how to get there, every minute details. With so much on hands, he still remembered to send the message! Who knows why the niece didn't respond to it! What has it got to do with $1?? If she hadn't thought $1 was too much, why didn't she do it from her own phone?

For once, why can't she stop behaving so spoilt? THIS IS A HOLIDAY TRIP.

Hot hot night

Back home now. Andy came to fetch us even though he has to go to work tomorrow. So appreciate that!

And we came home to a spotlessly clean house! Mum changed and washed our sheets, cleaned our toilet. Even our floor mats are clean.

Don't I have the best mum??

Compare that with you-know-who. This trip is simple reminder that NOT all 妈妈都是一样的。Some mums expect to be waited upon, care for herself and her own belongings, make comments that really reflect some shallowness...

Me: "Poor Ethan, so young and so sick. Must have cried hard coz his ears hurt during landing."

Her: "I'm even more pitiful. I have flu and earache when plane landed too."

At Disney

Her, sarcastically: "孩子生病还要吃这些." (when we thought of joining the rest of the group having burgers for lunch)

And she bought CARAMELISED POPCORN for the sick kids.

Double standard?

At the peak, just because she finds the chinese food costly, she immediately suggested having much at Burger King.

Hello? Thought you were concerned about the kids?? Apparently not! This same person ALWAYS emphasised on "life is short. Spend on whatever you feel like eating."

Yeah. Spend on herself. Who cares about my kids?

She starts blaming for miscommunication, for things that do not go her way, for too much walking. She says she knows cantonese but doesn't want to open her golden mouth to help order food or ask for things. We were looking at map to find our way around and she was fuming at the side, blaming Mr Liow for refusing to ask for directions. I suggested once that she ask since she can speak cantonese but after the service staff finished explaining, she looked at me and asked if I understood those instructions.

Wah lao....



If u can't understand those road names, leave us to consult the map! Stop trying when u are not as capable as you think you are!

Being sick on a holiday is bad enough. Bringing a self centered person along just made a holiday as lousy a u can imagine.

First Wifi

At Hongkong airport now, waiting to catch a plane home. We had been without internet access for the whole time.

Will update more when we get back.

We were all sick throughout the 5 days. The adults (Mr Liow, MIL and I) had very terrible earache during the flight here. ER cried badly towards the end as well. Must be our flu, because no one else seemed to be experiencing the same agony. It was excruciating! I was amost sure I'd be bleeding from my ears before we land :(

Terrible earache, sleepy spells from the pill I took, screaming baby who wants only me...it was living hell :(

AN loved the time she had with the girls too. We need another one of this holiday together again.

I seriously hope we are all well the next time. Cranky and unwell kids are not fun to bring overseas :(

Insomnia

Been sleepless the whole night!

Shut my eyes for hours and I couldn't go to sleep.

Am I excited? I don't feel it in my stomach. It's been almost 2 years since I had been overseas (malaysia doesn't count). I probably am unknowingly excited. I must be, right?

Judy, just enjoy being away. Be positive! Everyone will come back next week, recovered and refreshed!

Peaking, I hope.

Feeling nauseous. Took a panadol and hoping to feel better in a while.

This should be the peak of my attack. I will be Ttbetter from tomorrow.

One blessing we received was, AN's music lesson for tomorrow will been postponed. We were just getting a little worried about missing lessons because Ms Lim will be going on maternity leave from March (earlier if bb comes sooner than expected). In this case, we won't miss anything

Phew.

I'll probably not be able to post anything till we come back, unless there's wifi in the hotel.

See u all next week ;)

Adults Down

AN is coughing but no fever now.

ER's airway seems to be clearing up. He's still randomly coughing but not choking on mucus-blocked airway now. His nose is leaking green mucus which Dr Alison assured me was more a sign of them drying up than an infection after looking into his nose.

Mr Liow's cough is getting worse. Mine too. I'm still drowning myself in Vit C and honey water. Hope it helps.

I'm sort of excited, but more worried. I fear being sick away from home. I'm a coward.

I hope I've got everything covered for ourselves and kids.

Damn!

I don't know what I want to damn but I need to scream at something.

ER is barely recovering and AN is sick. Now it's her turn to cough and throw up. More to wash up.

HURRAY!

The pile of clothes that I thought I can finally pack into the luggage is still sitting there.

FOR GOODNESS SAKE, I DONT EVEN REMEMBER WHAT I HAVE TO BRING OR BUY. IN FACT MY MIND IN IS A BIG JUMBLED MESS NOW!

No sleep is a biggie, because it screws the human mind and ...... WHEN WILL MY TURN COME TO TAKE A BREAK? HOLIDAYS ARE NO BREAKS. THEY ARE MY SECONDARY DUTIES, CHORES AWAY FROM HOME.

Now I'll be on standby to clear puke from the other room as well.

How more magnificent can mums be?

Daddy wants to help. But how? Both kids want me. One just cried till she threw up (i understand she's sick but it's still frustrating! I'm human! HUMAN!)

He took few hours off on 2 separate days to bring ER to pd. That meant work piled up and his punishment is, he makes up for those off hours when he gets back.

Plans for an enjoyable CNY break were dashed because some big shot came and he worked his ass off during CNY right till last Thursday. Now kids are sick but work overwhelmes. I don't want him to help because he's got mountains of tasks at work.

Who are those sickos who demand government servants take low pay? Which part of government service deserves low pay? If he's paid by hour, my hubby should be earning tens of thousands. He's only bringing home a fraction! And in USA, they are in the MILITARY, and respected. Here, groups of people are whining when our government servants are only employees, like those whiners.

When will I get my husband back? When will they stop piling him with huge responsibilities just because he's "capable", "due for promotion" or "no one else can do it better"?

I'm going crazy cleaning and caring for 2 sick children, packing (packing NOT JUST CLOTHES! I need to put in what my kids may need. I have to foresee, predict, be all knowing, try to not forget or overlook anything that they may need), for my so-called break. I'm worried, taking notice of medication, cooking, chasing after the 16 month old monkey....i can't even remember what else keeps me up from 8am (earlier before Mr Liow helped me with preparing AN for school) to past midnight before I finally get to shower and prepare ingredients for ER's meals the following day.

So, either I get my hubby back, or he brings home tens of thousands monthly.

I can write all I want, because I get none of the above.

(I feel the frustration leaving me now....won't be long before it comes back when either kids throw up...)

Damn the sickness!

AN Down Again

With what this time?

Mum called saying AN is running a temperature now @ 37.9°c. It's not that high but mum says AN feels terrible.

Given mum's panicky character, I think she feels terrible for AN.

Sigh....

Come. All you rubbish things that just have to happen before our trip. COME.

What can be worse than me wasting some air tickets and just stay home to care for them?

Added @ 4pm:
I think AN is happily unwell. Mum brought her home and is helping to watch over ER now. With me all to herself, AN asks to be read to, and she wants me to hug her till she's asleep.

Guess she prefers to be sick and get some attention than wait in vain for me daily for the past few days.

Silly baby. :)

Missed Call

I was checking ER's lunch in the kitchen when he started calling out: "mama! Mama!"

I came out and saw him smiling at me, carefully holding my phone with both hands and towards me. I took it and saw 1 missed call!

So cute! He must have heard the viBration (was on silent) and recognised that mummy needs to have the phone when it vibrates.

Already when he heard it ring yesterday, he went "ay?", stopped everything he was doing and started looking around. He stood next to the dining table and pointed at it while calling "mama!". My phone was ringing on the dining table and I was excited to realise he is growing more aware of his surrounding.

So cute....

So much to pack

Wahaha! 1 luggage for AN in the past and I'm trying to squeeze winter clothes for 2 kids into that same luggage.

ER has nothing thick enough and so, sorry baby, you will be in your sister's thicker clothes. I'm sure you'll not look like a girl. Hehe.

Am pulling out whatever thick clothes we have and ER is glued to TV. Just this once. We have not much time and I've so much on my mind that I pulled out more than we need. Got to put them away later. Rooms in huge mess now.

Bringing training pants for AN too because I don't know if we will be able to find a toilet in time. It's a foreign land. That will be her mobile toilet.

I know why I'm falling sick too. I had been sucking the thick greenish mucus from ER's nose. You'll probably cringe in disgust, because if u have a baby who chokes on his mucus and does nothing just because you think it's disgusting....let's just say we have different practices. That's what most mums will do for their babies (most, because my MIL will....NOT).

Aspirators never got anything out. I don't know if electric ones exist but manual ones do not work.

I'm drowning myself in vit C and honey water now, trying to kill the sore throat.

Ok gtg for now.

All Sick. This Time Siao Liao...

I had a sore throat that kept me up last night. Argh!!!! ER is starting to sleep better *sob sob* but *sob* now I'm keeping myself up *sob*

Mr Liow is complaining of a sore throat too.

AN's cough is back, this time worse than last Saturday's.

AND THE TRIP IS JUST 3 DAYS away!

I'm going to get a mask. We shall not pass the virus around, especially not back to the little one.

:;/($:)&)&"$&:;(.??!?,):(:-:;)$)()(@"$"$,():
(swearing in alien speech)

Liow Zu Er

She enjoys writing chinese characters. She was interested to learn when I showed her how her chinese name was written and she had been writing them everywhere since then.

I thought her chinese characters look really neat for a 5 year old. Hehe. Maybe it's beauty in the eyes of beholder again

(^______^)

Review

Dr Alison saw ER again this afternoon for a review.

His wheezing has improved. These (medicines) will continue till Friday. Hopefully by then, he'll be able to breathe better at least.

The fussy boy has all the medicines that DO NOT require him to knowingly consume by mouth. So special. Didn't know there are Zyrtec drops that are colourless, odorless and tasteless.

Updated 20th Feb:
Zyrtec drops are colorless and odorless but it tasted like alcohol. It was easier top feed though, because I could easily scoop back into his mouth what ER pushed out. It's only 5 drops, so there's minimum mess.

AN hated it though. She rather have the regular ones but too bad I brought only the drops for this trip.

Some Rest

I was getting increasingly tired by the minute and Mr Liow noticed. He asked to help but there really wasn't much that he could help with because ER needs me near him.

By bed time, ER was cranky because he was choking on his mucus each time he tried to nurse. His frustrations, adding onto my second day of no sleep silenced me. I had to choose to keep quiet or behave really cranky too. But I didn't even have the energy to express any other emotions anyway.

Mr Liow came in to rescue me. He asked me to lie down to rest while he played with ER. I did. One moment I felt ER sitting in my back as Mr Liow was teasing him, the next thing I know, it was almost 2am. I had 3 hours of rest. It was a blessing ER didn't wake up during that 3 hours too!

He slept better last night. No puke and hardly any choking. His fever had gone down to mid 37°c on average without medications (fever suppositories) for more than 24 hours.

His mucus had turned greenish though.

AN's cough seemed to have worsen though. Sigh... But she was really sweet. Mr Liow came over to help me with ER and asked her to go to sleep on her own in house room. She did, at least till I fell asleep.

4 more days to our holiday in Hongkong. Wonder if the kids will be well enough to enjoy.

I'm so tired

I slept more when the kids were newborns. If ER doesn't recover soon, I'm going to faint out of fatigue.

So tired that I can't even recall details now.

Can I please have a break today? Just 2 straight hours of sleep.

Please.

Update

ER woke up crying every 10 mins or so last night because he couldn't catch his breath properly. On several occasions, he coughed so hard he threw up again. I was exasperated after a few rounds of changing him and myself because he was throwing up every 15 mins on average from 11pm to 3am. The laundry in the bathroom to rinse of his puke is as high as 5 days' worth of laundry in the basket. On the other hand, I was relieved that he could breath better after throwing up.

I nebulised him at 2am and stuck the fever suppositories up his anus. From about 3am, he started to sleep better, still waking up to cough quarter-hourly but he hasn't puked since.

For both yesterday and today, Mr Liow had been helping me get AN ready for school. There wasn't much about ER he could help me with when our boy is exceptionally clingy to me because he's sick. So he's helping me with other stuff. Poor AN hadn't much time with me for 2 days and when I went out to say goodbye to her before school, she cried.saying she wants me.

Sorry baby. Mummy needs to care for the baby. For some reasons, ER seems to be weaker than AN used to. Maybe second children get to sample more viruses and bacterias because of an older sibling?

Anyway, the boy is finally sleeping soundly. I'm gg to catch some forty winks too.

Poor Baby

Thank God for carriers.

I can at least carry him around and still have my hands to do laundry. It's not that I don't want to concentrate on caring for him. I can't ONLY keep lying down with him when there are patches of puke at different parts of the house and the increasing amount of soiled clothes and blankets.

Moreover, he can breath better in an upright position.

Poor baby is sleeping now in the carrier. Hope he gets better rest this way.

My Hubby Hears

AN slept with Mr Liow last night so that I could focus on caring for ER.

This morning, Mr Liow commented that he woke her up twice last night for toilet: 1am and 4am.

I was surprised and asked how he knew that was AN's timing. He answered that I mentioned. I actually didn't expect that he would remember it (it's nothing important enough for him to know, much less remember).

This compared to your mountainous pile of work in office is like a speck of dust. Thank you for hearing me when I share these simple routines, dear.

All Talk

One (Saturday)

"Let him throw up. It'll make him feel better.", she said as she was sitting comfortably watching from afar. That I know, and I was letting him throw up all over my body and hair. How was that 'encouragement' about to help anything, I wondered.

Once he was done puking, I passed him to Mr Liow to change into clean clothes before I changed him.

While Mr Liow was tending to the grouchy and stinky toddler and I was getting out of dirty clothes, I thought (too highly...) that she would help clean up the mess a little, or help remind AN not to go near.

But what I saw after I was done changing and ready to wash ER up, was her soundly asleep on the couch. All talk, no action.

I went to clean ER while Mr Liow cleaned up the mess after that.

Only after ER was changed and cleaned up, she 'woke up' (suddenly) and offered to help carry him so that  I could cleared the stuff from the table. Even then I noticed how she would carry him away from her each time he coughed so bad that he looked as if he would throw up again.


Two (Sunday)

We had to bring ER out together with us for AN's music lesson. We already know it's too much to ask of granny to stay home to care for sick toddler who may throw up on her. I won't want anything to happen to my baby if he did throw up on her.

We came home immediately after that. Mr Liow went to park the car while I took the kids back home first.

MIL was home just minutes before we got home. She came over to comment that ER looked flushed (he was having a fever, WEREN'T YOU AWARE after being around for 2 days??). I put some stuff down and said I'd take him in the room to nap, again assuming (too positively) that she would stay around with AN, just to keep her company while I was away.

AN DIDN'T need her. I just thought a grandma usually wouldn't leave a 5 year old by herself. You know, just in case curiosity gets the better of her like that 6 year old boy who fell out of the house and died (a story she likes to bring up to remind us to be watchful!).

The moment I left AN, I heard her telling AN: "Nai nai's going to bath."

Yeah. Go.

ER took a while to doze off and my sweet girl came in to ask: "Mum, is everything ok? Is he ok?"

That entrance woke ER and he didn't want to sleep anymore. Mr Liow was home by then, and grandma was still BATHING.

So relaxed. The highest level of nonchalance I've ever seen.

I'll panic if the rest of the family is in some level of chaos (like in the case of yesterday when one is cleaning up, one is watching a dirty toddler, there's a mess right outside the kitchen and a chance the 5 year old may be too inquisitive for her own good or can't wait to get something from the kitchen and step on the puke.)

But she could sleep while we were rushing about.

I'd never leave a child all alone AND GO SHOWER until or unless I'm sure she's outgrown that age when curiosity is still a danger. SHE ALWAYS EMPHASIZED ON BEING CAREFUL WITH CHILDREN BUT THAT'S ALL SHE'S GOOD AT: Telling others to do it.

患难见真情

That chinese idiom sums up what I DO NOT SEE in someone whom we are supposed to respect. I see no 真情。

Merlion Boy

ER sounded like he couldn't breath well this afternoon, so I tried to give him some medicines for his cough and airway. He hated it and threw up more than that tiny bit of medicine.

Huge mess.

He didn't seem to be panting like that time in October when Dr Allison suggested we nebulize him because his airway was badly blocked then and there was no way we could get any medicine into his stomach.

I am keeping my fingers crossed although I am half expecting a messy night of many pukes tonight. That is the norm.

That's not important. What's most important is, he sleeps well and is able to freely breathe tonight.

We wanted to bring the kids to the Chingay passing through the main road nearby but of all days, they have to be sick.

IT'S SUCH A PITY! AN had been looking forward to it and this happens only once a year.

I feel so sad she didn't get to see the mobile displays :( She didn't know that we missed it though, but that doesn't make me feel less guilty for having 'lied' to her in a way.

Lord, Please continue to work in building their bodies up and give me the energy and patience to tend to our needy unwell kids.

AN- Cough, Runny Nose, Fever

She's running a temperature of 38.6°C and displaying the above symptoms. I took her temperature and gave her a fever patch. She asked if she could have medicines, so I gave.

It's sooooo much easier now! I don't have to coax or force her. Goodbye to days of struggling with medicines (at least for her).

If ER has to catch anything from her, hope it'll happen from today.

Sick

It's been 2 good months at least and we can't stop being thankful the kids had been well. ER had a bad one in Oct and both had minor sniffles or coughs here and there in December.

It's been 2 months since, compared to every alternate weeks like they never recover from being sick.

Both are coughing slightly now, and AN is sniffing.

Praying that they recover soon, else the poor kids will be terribly uncomfortable next week for the hongkong trip.

So Much Ice

I love Gong Cha Milk in Alisan and Camelia. I love their special foamy, slightly salted milk (a little like whipped cream in fact, but more liquid-y).

Not all outlet makes the same quality drink though.

This one at Greenwich sadly, doesn't make yummy drinks. And look at how much ice there was in the cup. I finished the drink in 5 mins (1/3 of how long I generally take). No wonder la! So LITTLE tea inside... BOOOOOOO!

I like those from City Square best. Thomson Plaza  and Nex, next. The outlet near Tampines 1 and this one at Greenwich just tarnishes their own reputation.

Hmm.....

Happy Me

ER had 120mls of milo + milk this morning and a few pieces of koko krunch.

Lunch was rainbow mashed potato (purple carrot, pumpkin, green bean, yellow capsicum, tomato) with cream cheese and he finished a good portion.

I went over to my parents' place and mum made him porridge. He had probably 60% of what he used to have before he turned fussy.

He had about 100mls of milo + milk before bed.

This doesn't sound like much but this makes me a very very happy mum.

Such is the joy found in simple matters.

I pray for tomorrow to be the same. Please?

Hehe.

Eye Sight Screen

AN came home after school speaking of an eye check. So this was it!

*phew*

No vision issues as of now. Hope she inherites get daddy's super bionic vision.

My Fierce Tiger

The 'Tiresome Two' has started! (not too terrible yet)

His sister was watching over him one day and I overheard her asking him: "Why are you so......difficult?"

How difficult is this 16 months old?

- Whenever he's restricted or not allowed to do something (walk in the busy carpark, play on escalators etc), his body stiffens up and he throws a fit.

- He is rejecting food and hardly accepts milk. I wish I don't know how much or little he eats because the worry accumulates with each meal rejected. This is my greatest challenge among all other 'difficult' behaviours my toddler is outgrowing.

- He's waving things around and making sounds with them. One will think he's using things to beat everything in sight but he's really learning what sounds they make. We encourage him to 'yang yang' (gently stroke) anyone he 'attacked' either with hand or 'weapon' instead and he's starting to get it.

One day, he had a stick in one hand and tapped it on AN's head like a drum. AN shouted out in pain and he immediately used the other hand to stroke her while bending over to baby talk her. He realised too late that his sister's head is NOT a drum or table. Too cute. Lol! AN forgave him and quickly reminded me: "Mummy don't scold him. He doesn't know."

- He pulls everything out of the cabinets and drawers when I have no time to stop him. Tonnes of repacking to do after that.

- He wants to pole dance on the shaky standing fan, climbs HIGH up the gate, window grilles, coffee table, dining table and even the kitchen table top!

- He turns off the tap with one hand as I wash the other, and tips toes to turn the water off the mixer when I shower him.

- The list continues, but let's move on to the good and lovable part of my little darling.

Developments (Speech)

He says these:
- Mama (me)
- Baba (Mr Liow)
- Jie jie (AN)
- Popo (mum)
- Nene (we assume it's nai nai - mil)
- Mum mum (food but most times he wants water with 'mum mum')
- Mem mem (he wants to nurse)
- Duging (Duckling)
- Wog wog (Walk walk)
- Dog
- Ball
- Bao bao and sometimes hug hug (when he wants to he carried)
- Airborle (Apple)
- Baby
- Barborle (Bubble)
- Sit
- Upoon (Open)

Behaviors

He does these:
- obeys simple instructions (keep the toys, pick that up, get me tissue or whatever I point to)

- randomly kisses us when he feels like it or imitates us (Mr Liow kissed 3 of us goodnight last night and left the room. ER looked up at me and went "mmmmmah....", repeating till I kissed him and he returned me his cheeky grin

- laughs because we laugh, even though he most likely has no idea what we are laughing at. Funny boy goes: "HAHA!" and slaps his laps.

- hides things. He likes to take things out, just so that he can put it back. He occasionally decides to change where they go back to.

- shakes his head to indicate a 'no'

- has a fetish for shoes and loves to keep stray shoes in the shoe drawer.

- knows how to protect his little fingers by SLOWLY pushing drawers in and STICKING HIS FINGERS UP IN THE AIR so that they don't get crushed.

- asks to go for a walk by putting on ANYONE'S shoes and says: "walk" as he points to the door.

- goes "uh-oh" and "eeeeee" when he sneezes food out, then goes looking for tissue or cloths.

- puts index to mouth and blows when we tell him to "shh".

- does the actions for "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "If u are happy, clap", "I'm a little teapot" where he falls to his side at "tip me over and pour me out"

-Shakes to music oh-so-cutely

- loves peekaboo

- runs away laughing whenever i tell him "I'm coming to get you!"

- takes very mildly spicy stuff. Mum made fried rice for the adults. He wants some -_____-". And he didn't seem to realise it was spicy, had a few more spoonfuls before he had enough and walked away.


I find him very alike AN at this age in many ways but more expressive in his body language (except when he's in a tantrum fit). AN was more verbally expressive.

In being a mum to a second child, AN played a big part as an excellent helper. It helps relief some built up tension. She offers to feed him when she sees me go quiet in exasperation and sometimes gives him her food from her spoon (even though she still gags if she sees him eating. He used to be a messy eater when on semi solids).

She firmly tells ER 'no' when hw 'beats' me, but then turns to remind me that he doesn't know better and is still young.

It is no wonder how the little one follows her around like a little ducking behind its mum sometimes. And he goes to hug her. I like to watch that happen.

MIL asked if I feel safe allowing AN to watch over him for that short 5 mins while I go get stuff. I do because I have no choice to begin with, but also because she is worthy of that trust. She says she will watch him, she does. She can't stop him from falling but she tries. Under the care of an experienced granny, the boy has fallen countless times. Therefore, it's not important how old the guardian is, but how responsible and responsive she is.

I can't say enough how much I appreciate the way she is behaving as an elder sister. She reminds me of Baileys...

Baby Really Doesn't Eat

On good days, he eats SOMETHING. He no longer have meals. He has spoonfuls of this, bites of that. Total calories definitely do not exceed 300. Do they even add up to 150?

On bad days, he only drinks water and refuses EVERYTHING that tastes like anything else.

I've had experience with AN but this is not something I'd like to be good at; handling a fussy, or technically, an almost non-eating 16 months old. You can't imagine the frustration, unless you have one like both of mine...

:(

I'm desperate. So I'm now feeding him Honey Stars. Yes, sugar in the morning. What else can I inject into his stomach so that he doesn't faint from hunger?

I know, kids eat when they are hungry. But he NEVER really gets hungry. If he does, he grabs his water bottle. If I keep his bottle out of reach, he wants to latch.

And I think the notion of "kids eat when they are hungry", refers to KIDS, like AN after 3 years old. Because when I had to deal with fussy eating AN back then, I never saw her eat because of hunger. She was NEVER hungry. He is too, NEVER hungry.

How on earth did I get AN to start drinking milk? I'm gg to dig into my old blog to teach myself again. This boy walks about (unlike AN), shakes his head (did she do that when we first started?). He just refuses to be anywhere near his food.

And he can't chew gummies yet, even if he wants to (I don't think he even wants any). Liquid multivitamins means he had has to drink it, or eat it from his food. That's as good as not giving him any.

sigh....

Bear with it. It will pass in 2 years and 2 years pass in the blink of an eye.

(sounds like at joke at this point)

But it will pass. Look at AN. She's proof.

AN's First

AN reached another 'First'! Two of them in fact.

She was hungry and when she heard Mr Liow (who had no dinner and came home near 10pm last night) was going to make some (spicy) noodles for his 'dinner', she couldn't sleep.

I allowed her to go have some but didn't realize she had quite a lot of water too, because the noodles was spicy.

And she woke me up at 1.15am. She wet herself.

I wake her at 1.30am every night and occasionally at 4.30am too if she had milk or water before sleep (sometimes I let her sleep through because she seems to be holding her bladder well enough now!). The routine worked for us and for 3 weeks (before this), she stayed totally dry.

I was actually pleased that she woke up last night to tell me she wet herself. When we first started, she could continue sleeping without realizing the plastic mat was wet.

At 3.30am, she woke me up again. This time, she told me she needed to 'pass urine' (she's been using that instead of 'pee' since months back. Teachers probably taught her to label her this need in a more 'adult' way. I miss her telling me she needed to 'pee'...... But anyways....).

I brought her to the restroom. Lots of pee.

This post marks 2 new achievements:

1) Her improving intolerance towards a wet bed

2) The even more important ability to wake up on her own accord to 'pass urine'.

That's so cool. My daughter is so cool. Hehe!

ER resembles AN

ER looks like AN when she was younger. They have different eyes but still manage to look like each other.

Amazing that carrying the same genes makes people look alike amidst obvious differences, doesn't it?

Hi Maen!

Hey baby girl,

Look what I found? Your ribbon. This was from your very last grooming before we left Singapore in 2008. I I found it in my handbag.

I remember you came back looking soooooo sweet I was worried the ants would carry you away that night.

You are turning 7 end of this month. How time flies. If you are a human, you will be in Primary One.

Do you know that ER behaves like you? He throws tantrums too when I'm out of his sight: he screams for me. You used too, when I left the house without you, remember? The only difference is, when you had to chew on something because you were teething, you never bit us. The little tiger does when we stick a finger in his mouth.

I'm thinking of a place to keep your ribbon because I dare not lose it but on second thoughts, it's going back to where I found it because I'm afraid I'll forget where I leave it if I try to safeguard it too much.

Baby, are you happy today?

Funny Application

If we one day, look different.

Posey Poser

3 consecutive shots, 3 different expressions

The Earth Under Our Feet

AN learnt about our earth in January.

In one of her lesson, Miss Sue asked the kids to draw what they thought were underground.

I was more captivated by what AN drew was above the ground: our family, particularly ER in my arms.

But, no Baileys and Maen.

She still asks about them but we can see she is starting to forget them...

Painful because Mr Liow and I just spent our first Chinese New Year without our Baileys.

And no matter how much fun we had recently because of the holidays, it was not the same. It will never be the same again.

Accomplishment With and Without Kids

http://www.nickmom.com/blog/nickmom-originals/what-you-can-get-done-in-30-minutes-with-without-your-kids/

For those who cannot figure out why mummies always take so long to accomplish anything, including finish a meal, this is a nearly perfect illustration simplified!

Thanks mummyP for sharing this in FB. Hehe.

A Doting Grandma Is...

- One who sees neat stuff that she thinks the grandkids may like and gets those for them, regardless of price, whether it's 'made in China' or sold at pushcarts, Chinatown, NTUC or branded stores like Taka and Isetan.

- One who notices her grandkids' likes and dislikes.

- One who will go through ALL THE TROUBLE AND DISTANCE AND INCONVENIENCES to bring grandkids to fun but crowded places, by public transport because kids enjoy such places, occasions and sights.

- One who thinks of bringing her grandkids out to the library, or to cycle, or a walk to the supermarket when there are free time.

NOT

- One who only gives grandchildren coins to save up on weekends

- One who buy clothes for her grandchildren once in a blue moon AND TELLS THEM THOSE CLOTHES ARE SOOOOOO EXPENSIVE. It's like the cost of the gift was the main point, not the surprise of that gift.

- One who will never bring children to crowded festive places (like Chingay 2012, for example) UNLESS SOMEONE DRIVES HER THERE or only if it conveniences herself.

- One who rather watch TV or better still, have friends who are free to ask her out, than be seen traveling on a bus with a kid to the library or supermarket.

- One who has never wondered how she can spend quality time with her grandchildren whom she meets only during the weekend.

- One who insists traveling on the bus with kids are too dangerous and always mentioning that the children should NEVER take a bus ride.

- One who asks: "Where shall we go?" on days she has no friends to go out with, instead of "Where can we bring the kids?"

Nobody likes to have their activities criticized by NATO (No-Action-Talk-Only) people.

You won't bring them to Orchard or Chinatown for festival lightups (because you think it's crowded and unsafe), buy them traditional Chinese outfits for Chinese New Year (because you assume those are 'made in China'), take them places by bus (because, again, you find it dangerous when everyone else who do not drive, at some points, ride on a bus everyday and do not get hospitalized) or do anything productive with them and that is perfectly fine with me, because they have another grandma who WILL go THAT EXTRA MILE for and with them.

But quit criticizing what my mum will do, just because you will not!

You asked if I will be at ease if my mum brings AN to Chingay. I will be, because my mum is capable. She brought my brother and I out to crowded places without my dad when we were young, unlike her who gets turned off by the crowd and never brought her kids to another one again, even when they went as a complete family.

I'm so proud of my mum who's so streetsmart and grandkids-worthy. Who needs the other haughty grandma? The only reason AN is excited to see her every weekend is because of WEEKEND MOOD! NO SCHOOL, ALL FUN. When daddy is overseas and no one drives, does she ever suggest we bring the kids out? Never...

Seriously, quit criticizing my mum's capability just because you will not do it, even if you can.

ER drinks milk and learns to understand

I had been whining 2 days ago that ER doesn't want any other forms of milk except for BM, and only if it's fresh from the 'tap'.

Because of that, I still am not able to accept weekday jobs, unless Mr Liow is home.

With the approaching Hongkong trip, I'm starting to worry about nursing him too. He's not going to be eating enough. He takes an hour to eat on normal days and I don't know if we'll be spending hours on meals, much as I won't mind to. AN had hardly any food when we travelled. I'm benchmarking him against her (isn't he now starting to eat like her then?).

For the past week, I'm trying to get him used to milk: Soy (both freshly prepared ones and packet), formula and fresh.

He doesn't like soy and fresh milk (which he would drink off my cup a month ago). But this morning, he had AN's formula with milo (he also doesn't like his own...). I had to spoonfeed him but I really didn't mind. If it makes him drink, I won't even mind performing acrobatics for him.

On a positive note, AN took an hour to drink 60mls of milk when she started. ER took half hour to finish 80mls. And this is his first day having his own serving of milk (drinking mine didn't count because those were just sips).

Tried giving him the cup to drink from when I noticed his interest but staring into the cup made him lose that interest. Am going to try later once he's addicted. That's what we did with AN. Hope it works with him.

Ending this with a new achievement: his ability to understand and carry out instructions. He had been doing what we asked lately but not all the time. We noticed him improving over the days and that excites us even though this is our second experience :)

Holding Hands

My Daughter Makes Me Feel....

SPECIAL.

AN came home and couldn't wait to show me this. She said she designed a gown for me to wear when she gets married (in future) and got her teacher to teach her to spell 'princess' but they didn't have time, so teacher wrote it for her.

This warmed me beyond words!

Not As Bad

After ranting about ER not having much to eat this morning (here, on whatsapp with my girlfriends and to Mr Liow), I gave up on his breakfast. It was mashed potato, one of those food he would usually finish in no time but had only 3 spoonfuls of before he started turning away.

I tried giving him cheese an hour later but he refused to open his mouth (thatis another of his favourite, but not anymore)

I went to steam brocoli for his lunch. Mee Sua with bai cai and brocoli, and cod. I steamed the brocoli stem for myself. He saw my brocoli stem and started chanting: "mum mum!", pointing to my bowl and signing 'eat'.

True enough, he enjoyed it  -____-"

Gave him his mee sua once it was ready and he had half a small bowl of it. Not much but definitely better than counting by scoops.

I packed those left in the pot to bring to my parents' place to feed him and he had more at their place.

Dinner was good. Mum made porridge for him and he finished it. And he had half a slice of cheese before sleep.

Hmm...I don't exactly know if he's starting to be finicky about food but thank God he ate today!

Live on water, air and BM

ER is surviving on air, water and breastmilk alone.

These past few days were pure nightmare. I had given him all the usual stuff but he didn't want to eat them. I resorted to feeding him his favourite which usually worked but now, he didn't even want his favourite!

He literally had nothing yesterday and from the looks of it, today as well.

That is soooooooo like those days with AN!

Good gracious....here we are again. I really was hoping a boy will make my feeding experience a little more different but I have 2 non eaters, regardless of gender.

Not just that, he cries when it's nap time too. Now he not only needs no food, he decides not to sleep as well, no matter how tired he looks.

Hmm...

It will pass. Press on.

I dreamt of Baileys

I was walking around my neighborhood and met Diane with a poodle instead of Bingo (her corgi). AN asked me where Bingo went because that was not Diane's dog. I remembered telling AN they have 2 dogs and Bingo was probably at home.

Then I noticed another dog looking at me. That gaze felt so familiar. At first glance, he looked like a poodle but as I looked on, I realized he looked like Baileys but taller and slightly bigger (not like a poodle anymore). He was walking but looking at me all the time. The further he got, the more I realized he was Baileys. (note: I will never forget him but he didn't look the same in the dream)

He came to the bbq area (I must have been following him because I had no reason to be there) and joined the crowd having a feast there. He had an owner.

The last memory I have of that dream was how he looked away and then turned back a last time to look at me one last time before disappearing into the crowd.

My heart ached when I watched him disappear....

Baileys I miss u.