Victoria before she sleeps

We sometimes have problem putting Victoria to sleep in the afternoon, getting her to nap is definitely a challenge, especially when she is back in her popo and gong gong's house. We call that her castle, since that is where she spent the first 2.5yrs of her life, and is well loved and pampered, and she does as she pleases there. So she is the Queen. Here in PJ, and everywhere else, I exercise my rights as the Queen Mother. : )

Before going to sleep, she went to the toilet herself, pulled down her own pants, and went to "shishi" by herself. I only helped her to wipe up. Then she obediently washed her hands, like how I "trained" her to. I was already impress by her independence in going to the toilet.

Then she picked her own socks. I helped her wear it. Then she picked the tiger softtoy above my bed and talked to it. We played with it for awhile before I reminded her that it's nap time.

When we were on the bed, she is again playful. As usual. She asked to hug me. Which I happily did. Deep inside, I am so touched as her hugs are so precious (mind you, she's quite stingy with her hugs). Then she touches my face. Asked me to open my mouth to check my teeth. "See if there's any broken teeth, mummy." Hhmm.

Then she told me she's going to her Office. Which means she's going to sleep. And she asked me how should she go... by bus, or train? I said Bus. She said Train. So I said, Ok, Train then. She turns over. Then she turned back and said Bus, ya? I smiled and said Ok, Bus then, hoping for the tenth time that she will go to sleep. She turned around and for another time, turned back and said, Train? Sigh. Is she trying to confuse me? Cheeky.

then she plays with my hair. Pulls it and pretend to count. And then she tells me about her day in kindy today. She puts her arm between mine, and showed me the "chicken dance" she learnt in school today. I smiled. Very interesting. Asked her some questions, and apparently, she danced with her Teacher Ming Choo. Then she tells me that Teacher Ming Choo is not feeling well today, and only came into class for awhile.

After that, she told me that when Daddy gets home, she will show us all how the "chicken dance" goes. : )

She asked me to hug her again. Told me that everyday we must hug in the morning and at night. : ) I'm so happy. Then she asked me if I sayang her. I said yes, of course. We all sayang her.

I told her to sleep now. We are going to a friend's surprise birthday party tonight so she must rest. She then asked me the obvious. Where is the present? What present did Daddy buy? Will there be candles and cake? I said I dunno, it's a surprise. Then we sang the Happy Birthday song together at her request. : ) Oh and we sang the "You Are My Sunshine" song together too.

Finally she turned around asked me to "pat pat" her, which means, gently beat her bum at a consistent rhythm to put her to sleep. A short while later, she slept.

Mission accomplished.

Saying Grace... Amen

Victoria in when she was about 2 yrs old, used to close her eyes when we give thanks before every meal. So when her Gong Gong prayed at one time, and was exceptionally longer in his prayer than usual, Victoria "politely" dropped hints that she wants to eat already, and kept saying "Amen... Amen... Amen..."

Hilarious.

Oh.. and she sometimes peeps too when we say grace. How I know? I peeped at her.

Can you give me the moon?

During my confinement month, Hubby did a lot of reassurance outings with Victoria which are short trips out at night after work, to buy bread, do banking, pump petrol, see train, see neighbourhood dogs or even for a short drive. Victoria knows how to "take advantage" of her daddy by asking for chocolate biscuits, cream buns, ice cream and other goodies from her daddy during such trips.

However, during one trip, Victoria asked her daddy while daddy was driving. It was only the two of them, and she touches daddy's face, asking "Daddy, do you love me?" Of course Daddy said yes. He loves her dearly. And the little girl replied, "Then daddy, can you take the moon for me?" (Coincidently, we have a musical toy for William which used to be hers, in the shape of a moon. She'd sometimes be possessive over this toy). Thinking that she meant the musical moon, Hubby said, "Of course, but the moon is at home."

Victoria then said, "No daddy... I want the moon... up there!" She pointed to the sky. Ahhh... and Daddy said (with the heart melting), "Victoria, if Daddy can take the moon for you from the sky, Daddy will. But it's too high up, and nobody can reach the moon."

Daddy told me this when he came home. I was surprised she asked this. But just to be cheeky, I added... "Hubby, if she wants the moon... I want the stars"

:)

They love each other

Victoria loves her brother dearly. Despite the occassional possessiveness over toys and stroller which used to belong to her, she shows her care and love openly and generously. How? She kisses her little brother's head, sometimes when i'm nursing him, and that's truly an act of love and unselfishness. She hugs him, and also kisses his cheeks. She loves carrying him, sometimes up to a few times a day and I have to discourage her in case William gets bodyache : ) Of course, when it comes to helping out, she enjoys bringing his face flannel, putting on his hat, buttoning and unbuttoning his shirt, accompanying him and playing with him during bath time, sings to him and she even mimics us adults with baby talks!

William? He's too young and too small to reciprocate. But I know he knows he's loved dearly by his sister. He wakes up 7am-ish to wake his sister up for school. He plays on the bed while waiting for his sister to wash up and dress up. He sends his jie jie off to school at the doorstep or garden. And when it's time to pick Victoria up from school, he's usually awake around 11am, takes his milk, plays and waits to get into the car to Victoria's kindy.

When it's Victoria's bath time at 2pm, William is most of the time awake and playful. He takes his water obediently when Victoria spoons it to him and he watches her admiringly as she dances and sings.

Aahhh.. as for jealousy? People ask me if Victoria is jealous of the new baby. Well, sometimes. Sometimes Victoria says she doesn't want William. But all in all, I think we have prepared her well while William was still in the womb, and she has prepared herself too. She sees William as part of the family and is excited for William to grow up and play with her one day.

Sing A Song of Six Pence

This is Victoria's latest fav nursery rhyme. We have a book where I'd would sing the rhymes to her during bedtime, and sometimes she will sing to me, and sometimes rarely we will sing together.

Lately, she loves Sing A Song Of Six Pence. I think because of the actions. Or more because there is a "King" and "Queen" in the song. (Truly I tell you, naming her after royalty is no mistake...)

So we made a crown. For herself. The King. For me, the Queen. For William, the err... Prince... and Daddy... jst to be fair. Haha. Here's a pic of William with his crown which jie jie made for him.

And one of smiley William (that smile lights up my day)

And finally, this is Victoria in her "little pink riding hood" sweater. The only reason she wears it is because of the Little Red Riding Hood story. Else, we'd have wasted RM150 on a mothercare sweater (tsk tsk... i'm putting this down so Vic will know this in the future).

Victoria loves her baby brother William

Here are some more lovely pictures I took recently of my little darlings. Victoria jie jie is really adorable. She's been asking to carry her baby brother almost everyday which we allow her most of the time, and is always around to help out when William is changed. She will take out the diaper, make sure the clothes, mittens and booties/socks are there, and even play with William. Recently, she has taken on extra responsibility of wearing the mittens for William without hurting his fingers (like the first time, unintentionally) and also buttons and unbuttons his shirt.

This is William all dressed up to go to church last Sunday. We attend DUMC (Damansara Utama Methodist Church) when we are in PJ btw.

This is Victoria with her usual messy hair and favourite doll, Hailey (or affectionately known as Heh Heh), carrying little brother who is all dressed up:

More Pics

Not writing much this time but will let the pictures speak for themselves and a little caption. Enjoy them.

Guess who nibbled on the chiffon cake?

Playing his mobile toy...

Victoria jiejie loves to push the stroller with bb William inside

Enjoying her ride

Outing at 1Utama... and a little flirt

William William. When Dr Ong my first gynae, made his predictions about Victoria, he said she will be my little helper. True enough. She is indeed one. Then came William. When he confirmed that we had a boy, and before I left him to transfer to a KL gynae where I will deliver, I asked him for a good prediction again, secretly hoping that Dr Ong will say my boy will be smart, and grow up to be a doctor.

But Dr Ong said William will be a playboy. I was like, huh. Hmpk. That's not good. But according to Dr Ong, doctors these days dun earn much. But a playboy would? Anyway, looking on the bright side, that means William will have good looks, good height, and charm. Hhmm... very good. Very good indeed. And I will the the hot mama walking beside him. : )

So last Saturday 19th July, we went out for a family kaikai. William's second outing. We went to 1U and had lunch at Jarrod & Rawlins. While waiting for our meals, a waitress came by and played with him. He responded. Lotsa laughter and eye contact. They even held hands! Aarrghhh... and hubby, Vic jiejie and me were just looking! I manage to take a pic.

Here it is...

And here's Victoria...

And this is Victoria poking me with a fork... I think she wants to eat me.

And another pic of William... all dressed up for his kaikai.

And Victoria going for a train ride with Mummy.

Victoria didn't nap

Victoria's routine here in PJ is lunch after school, which ends 12noon. We normally arrive home by 1230pm, then it's lunch which takes approx 1 hours coz she takes her own sweet time to munch, chew and swallow. Of course every kid her age is easily distracted, and understandably cannot sit still but Hubby and I would like to instill in her a good habit of finishing her food at the dinner table first, before running off.

So after lunch, it's half hour of rest or play before bathing time at 2pm which is also a favourite time for her as she loves to play with water and get naked (and sometimes round around like that). Sorry Vic, for exposing you like this.. I mean... your notty little act, but I'm sure many kids go through this as well. Kakak bathes her and these days we count when we wash her hair. She used to scream and yell and cry because she didn't like the water to even touch her face, or go into her eyes. But she is braver now, and resort to the fact that washing hair and water going down her face is inevitable. Thank God. So it's not so stressful now.

By 3pm or 330pm she should be in bed... but yesterday she didn't seem sleepy, or cooperative when we tried to put her to sleep. So I asked her sternly if she wanted to. She said no. Obviously. So I off the aircon. Took out her socks. And changed her long sleeve, long pants to shorts and short sleeve. She didn't resent.

Since she didn't sleep, I was pissed. But I didn't scold her. Later in the evening, William was crying. The maid was cleaning our car. My bladder was full. When I put William down on the basinet to answer nature's call, I was half angry. Because Vic didn't sleep and I can't too. When I came downstairs, Vic was sitting next to the basinet, gently shaking it, and she pulled the muscial "moon" for William.

My heart soften. As I sat beside her, I looked at her bb brother. He has stopped crying. And Vic told me that he just wanted to sleep. That's so sweet of her. She is truly a good sister to William. I know I can count on her to help care for William.

Deep in me, my prayer is strong for the two of them. William, I whisper to him... now your sister takes care of you... but when you grow bigger and stronger one day you must take care of your sister.

Crown for you

Yesterday as I was singing the "Sing A Song of Six Pence" rhyme for Victoria during bedtime, she asked me where was all her old crowns we made with paper. I said I dunno, possible Kakak threw them away. So I suggested that we make them today as our project.

Today after school she happily reminded me. So we did that after lunch. We made one big crown for herself first, by measuring her headsize then sticking the paper up, cutting it, and coloring little gemstones on it. Then I suggested we made one for little William too and they can both weat their crowns together. She was excited.

We didn't finish our project as it was already 3pm and time for her afternoon nap. So I promised her we will continue after dinner tonight.

After dinner, she wanted Kakak to color her crown, not me, altho' Kakak was putting William to sleep, and have not had her dinner or washed the dishes. So I tried to convince her otherwise, that Mummy can color her crown too. She threw her color pencil on the floor, I told her to pick it up which she did, then I told her, Fine, she can just wait for Kakak. When Kakak put William down and helped her with her project, I went upstairs to play my PC game... and sulked.

When Kakak and her finished coloring, she happily wore the crown and came upstairs to show me. Touched my face, asked me to sing the "King" song for her again, which I did, and then she said, "Oh no, there's a Queen. You be the Queen" so she went downstairs to make a crown for me.

How sweet. So young and still know how to "ampu" me back.

I haven't hug you yet

Victoria is soooo sweet. A few times last week she would ask to hug me in the morning before she goes to school, and when she is back from school. Once, she said, "Mummy I haven't hug you yet. I must hug you two times everyday." But of course she doesn't count. At night, before she sleeps, there would be one or two special nights when she ask to hug me.

Awwww.

We are family

These days, we try to discourage Victoria from sleeping with us on our bed. Unlike last time, when she was younger we would allow her to sleep with us (also because we haven't bought her her own bed and she wasnt stay with us and ours was a king sized bed).

In response, Victoria would defend herself by saying, "Mummy, we are family. We sleep together."

Aiyoo. With that statement, how to convince her otherwise.

So I end up letting her bunk with me, with me falling asleep first, then when Daddy comes in after his studies, he will have to carry her back to her own bed. So consider that his exercise. : )

I'm cold

Today I sorted out William's clothings, putting away those that are too small for him to wear. How he has grown, and he is only nearing 3 months. Heh Heh, Victoria's favourite doll who is also her "baby", also wears some of William's clothings and Victoria does know how to pick the best. So as part of this exercise, I allowed her two sets of clothings to choose from the pile that cannot be worn.

She happily did.

Later as we were getting ready for our afternoon nap, William was already asleep on my bed, and the aircon was on, I told her that I'd like to off the aircon for awhile as I was cold, when in fact I was afraid that William would be cold but didn't want to tell her that, as she would definitely not agree to have the aircon off. She told me to cover myself if I'm cold, coz Heh Heh would be hot if the aircon was off.

Hhmm... didn't work.

Finally I off-ed it, with the promise that it'd be only for a short while. Then I fell asleep, while she continued to "oi oi" Heh Heh to sleep. I told her to sleep on her own when Heh Heh has slept.

The next thing I knew when I opened my eyes, she had on the aircon back herself and told me that it'd be for a while. Smart.

And then she took her duvet to cover me. How sweet. I shared it with William beside me.

Later when I woke again, I realised Victoria has even took her own socks and wore it herself.

My baby is growing up fast.

My prayer

When I conceived Victoria, my prayer for her even when she was still in my womb, was a simple one. That she be blessed so much by God, that she will in turn be a blessing to everyone around here.

As she grew, I know God has heard and answered my prayer. For she is truly blessed.

Blessed with very loving grandparents. Blessed with a good family background and relatives so many that she can hardly remember all their names... yet. Blessed with good health and lovely features.

Whenever I see the laughter and comfort she brings to others, I know her blessing from God overflows.

37 months later, William joined our family. Victoria again is blessed. She became a biau je when Grace was born to my sister in Sept 2007, and in April 2008, she became a sister. I will write more about the important and memorable incidences that lead to the current day.

And my prayer for William is for him to grow up to be a man of God. Strong in his faith, and protective of his "jie jie".

This is Victoria, taken during her 3rd birthday on April 10th 2008.

And this is baby William, taken when he is only 2 months old.

Me

I'm me. Irene. Some relatives know me by my childhood name, Mei or Mei Mei. Whichever that suits you. I think I'm still 21 at heart. Or maybe 23. But I'm actually 30 this year. My dream, since college days, was to be a tai tai. My college mates and I used to play "Tai Tai" and pretend to be one, with a Ahmad driver and a filipino maid called Maria (sorry to my cousin with the same name... i didn't suggest it, trust me).

I started work at 21, in a Singaporean bank, based in KL for 5 years. Then I left... for the sake of leaving because I didn't want to be complacent like my finance colleagues. So BP, as in British Petroleum, accepted me when I was 3 months pregnant. Not bad. Life was good there. And boring. But good for a pregnant woman so I didn't have much stress. You can say God is good or life is unfair.

After 1 year, I left. Then I joined the regional office of a French telco company. Not too bad, but then I was seduced by an offer to join an advertising firm. So I did. My last job was with Ogilvy & Mather as a Marketing Finance manager.

Victoria was 2 yrs 9 months old when I officially volunteerily temporarily retired. I was also 5.5 months pregnant with William then.

So here I am. My new post is Home Minister, Finance Minister and CFO. My new boss, my hubby.

I achieved my dream of being a "tai tai" or homemaker before I turned 30. 10 years ahead of my target. But I don't have an Ahmad to drive me around, and I can't afford a filipino maid, but I have a good Indonesian helper who cares for my children, cooks well and is hardworking in the household chores. I thank God.

My children and hubby is my focus. Victoria and William are young, and I'd like to give them strong family bonds, and a happy guided childhood. So this blog is about them. My fear is to forget the sweet memories of their growing up years, so that's why I'm writing this blog.

Since I didn't start early on this blog, so I'll be writing about the past as well. I will write them as I recall them... I call them sporadic recollections. Bear with me as I link them up with the current day incidences.

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy putting these memories down in writing.

Oh ya, why the names Victoria and William? Because hubby and I met in the United Kingdom 10 years ago and this country takes a special place in our hearts.

My first entry: How we all came together

Hi. This is my first entry. In a way. And also an introduction to my two little angels (although sometimes the older one doesn't act like one).

Victoria Khoo Li Yen. She's my firstborn. Born 10th April 2005, one week after her EDD. A day later and I'd be induced. So right after her EDD, I make sure I do my evening walk round and round the garden in my parents home (where I'd be confined for a month) and during these walks, I'd tell her what day it is, and that she should come out soon.

Giving birth to her was not such a nightmare. Not as bad as I had expected or heard. I had some spotting on Friday afternoon 8th April, and the pain didn't come until Saturday morning and I even had my afternoon nap on that day then waking up to stronger contractions. Hubby was back from KL then, and prepared (I think). To cut the story short, I admitted to CMH Seremban at 830pm. The pain, just for record sake, was like severe menstrual cramps and Victoria was born about 6 hours later. Not too bad considering I was not really "suffering". She weighed a healthy 7lbs 4oz. Praise God.

I turned 27 that year. Victoria is the first grandchild to both my parents and Hubby's. That means, she has upgraded EVERYONE in the family tree, both near and far. I think some of us were prepared, some not but she was definitely loved to bits and pampered in everyway.

William Khoo Kah Wai. He is my second, and youngest (at the time of this entry). Born 29th April 2008 and 4 days before his EDD. I remember on Sunday 27th April, we went to DUMC church and I sat through almost the entire worship and sermon as I was too tired. That evening we went grocery shopping at Carrefour (Vic, Hubby, maid and I). The next day on Monday 28th April, I woke up dreaming I had contractions. I was so tired, I told myself that even if I was having one, I'd still sleep through it. : )

Later that morning, I was at Mont Kiara for two viewings with the agents and I remembered driving back tired. Thank God mom-in-law was around to help fetch Victoria from school. In the afternoon, I couldn't nap although I was lying beside Victoria. Before she slept, she asked me when can she see William (for weeks she has asked me that, and have been just as excited as us). I told her soon. But I didn't know I was having contractions then.

Only around 4pm, I begin to realise that the pain was coming very frequent and I timed it. Every 10minutes. Oh dear. In a way, I was prepared and yet not prepared. I smsed Hubby to tell him no.1 do his handover and no.2 do not panic. I think he knew better. He informed both side's parents, and got his Dad to be on standby to help take care of Victoria if I were to be admitted that night.

Again, to cut the story short, this time around the contractions were so much more painful and consistent. I had my dinner in pain. Before we left the house, we informed Victoria and she was upset because she wanted to follow. She plucked a pink petunia flower for me to take along to the hospital and we said goodbye. I was so touched. That flower accompanied me on the labour bed, and I placed it on my belly while enduring the pain. Lying in the labour room, I missed her more than ever.

William was born, with only the gas painkiller, 4 hours after admission. I was almost conscious all the way through this time, but because I'm a scaredy cat, I didn't dare open my eyes only until the Doctor has finished stitching me up.

William is the 3rd grandchild to my parents, and 2nd to my in-laws. He is the first grandson to both sides. He weighed 7lbs 12oz.