First time at DUMC Children Church

Two days ago, Victoria attended her first children church session at DUMC. Daddy brought her there in the afternoon and she came back telling me there was a clown. She enjoyed herself somewhat, I gathered, but as usual with new environments, she was clingy.

I stayed home with William to have the time off.

This is one of our first steps to get more involved in church since last year was a very busy year for our family.

Domino's Pizza

Today Victoria went for a school outing to Domino's Pizza to see how pizza is made. A week ago when her principal informed me of this outing, she kindly reminded me to pack some food for Victoria as she won't be able to join her friends to eat the pizza due to her allergy to egg.

Last year when her kindy had an excursion to Vitagen factory, I decided to let her stay home, telling her that it's a school holiday. Instead, we did the clay painting project at home and had a great time. I didn't have the heart to tell her that her friends are going to the Vitagen factory and she won't be able to drink Vitagen which was her favourite drink then.

This year I think she's more matured and accepted the fact that she has to stick to her strict diet in order to get well. Many times her teacher tell me how matured and well behaved she is in school, whilst her friends enjoy cookies and biscuits and food she temporarily cannot enjoy.

So she woke early today. Or more like, I woke early to wake her up. We planned her food pack, which was her favourite fried rice with chinese sausage and long beans. She enjoyed it at the pizza place, and learnt how to roll cheese sticks. She even got a slice of pizza back for me, yummy!

Her teacher tell me that she ate her fried rice without crying, or asking to eat pizza. I'm proud of you Victoria and pray in next year's school outing, you won't have any diet restrictions.

Victoria in City Park

Victoria loves to go to City Park in Seremban. It's a relatively new park, quite big, complete with a huge pond with many many koi fishes and tortoises, playground and adult exercise area, land for football and kite flying, basketball court, jogging tracks, and skateboarding. Super! I wish we had this in PJ.

Anyway, Victoria has been feeding the koi fishes since they opened City Park about 2 years ago. She'd collect old breads and bring them along, and she'd play on the slides, swings and enjoy running around.

Whenever we are back in Seremban, we try to bring her to City Park to fulfill her wish list. Of course she wants to have Popo Gong Gong come along to relieve those happy memories, but sadly, they are not always available. Time flies. But as long as it makes her happy, and the weather is good, and it's a healthy outing, we will make our best effort to oblige this child, who will one day lose her excitement for the park.

Here are random pictures of her taken not too long ago.

Feeding the fishes



Look at all the fish in the pond!!
Running
A little too big for this, but she loves it

Rrruuuuunnnnnn!!! Daddy is chasing me!

Hair cut for William

Yesterday we brought William for his "first" haircut... in a way, because the first time he had his hair"cut" was a shave, so this is officially a real haircut, or actually more like a trim, in preparation for his big day next month.

We made an appointment with the same hairdresser who shaved his head when he was 4 months old, who is also the same hairdresser who shaved his sister's head when she was 3 months old and subsequently cut his sister's hair a few times. Not by coincidence. This lady operates from a house in a humble housing area, is very gentle and patient, and charged us only RM6 all the time without even raising her price for so many years.

So yesterday William got the first slot in the morning at 9am. Daddy carried him, whilst the hairdresser Ah Tan put a cloth around his neck, and we did expect some resistance from him, but he did not. He just cling on to daddy's arms, and allowed the lady to trim the back and sides of his hair. What a good boy! We remember the few times when Victoria had her haircut, she cried and cried in protest, and we had to ensure there was her pacifier, and toys to distract her. Only once, if I recall correctly, did Victoria not cry.

So ta daaaa!! This is William having his hair cut (coz Mummy can't do a better job)

Resting at home

Yesterday Victoria stayed home instead of going for her playschool as she came down with flu on Tuesday evening. She kept sneezing with lots of clear secretions flowing out from her nose. As William just healed, he too showed signs of a little flu.

So yesterday I brought the two of them to see the doctor in Taman Tun and they were each given antihistamine to combat the flu.

Victoria was rather restless at home, but admittedly I couldn't spend much quality one-to-one time with her as William was around and needed to be looked after, whilst the maid helped with the chores. There is this little jealousy (little I hope) in the older sibling and she shows it by not wanting the brother around, not wanting to be around the brother, sometimes taking his toys away, or keeping her toys to herself, or even explicitly saying she doesn't want William. It pains our heart of course, and we try our best to assure her, to explain to her that we should love our family members, and how "benefitial" William is or will be to her. She has her moments. I notice that she loves William more and is more accepting to him during the evenings and night. She would understandingly allow me to put William to sleep, then wait for her turn. I remember fondly those times she would kiss him without us asking, or she would pray for him.

Anyway, today I let Victoria stay home again. When she woke (surprisingly early at 745am by herself... I secretly wonder why during the school days it's so difficult to even stir at that hour?) she immediately asked for Daddy to bring her to walk outside the house. Just like the good ol' days.

Daddy brought her. They decided to sit car instead. She "bought" breakfast for me. It was wa tan hor and she told me there's egg and she can't eat. They went to the playground at the back of the house and she happily got her socks dirtied and proudly showed it to me and Kakak. After breakfast and William have slept, Victoria and I spent so much quality time together.

First, we went to the garden and let Tom the Tortoise walked out. For the first time, she took Tom out herself eventhough she said she was afraid. We "looked after" Tom by holding brooms each, and barring Tom from hiding or running away. Mind you, for a tortoise, he sure is fast. After a good half hour of exercise for Tom, we put him back in his container and fed him. Vic washed his container and put the vege in for him.

Then we went in, she obediently washed her hands with soap, and I peeled a pear for her to cut and mince. She love using our small chopping board and a butter knife to mince her fruits, and keeps to the condition of finishing it later. I sat down by her side as she requested, not doing anything but just taking a spoonful of her minced pear now and then out of obligation.

After that, we sat down for awhile to play paper doll. Then I bathed her as she was sweaty and sticky and scratching her scalp. Then we played computer games. She sat on my lap as she watched me play (I like this, coz she wants me to play and just enjoy watching). Shortly later, I told her to rest as I think her medication has been kicking in and she'd feel sleepy by now. She asked for a story and I took the Puzzle Bible story out. As I did that, she spontaneously told me, "Mummy I missed you".

As I type this, my tears swell. I felt so touched. I missed you too.

After the stories, I told her to close her eyes. As I watch her sleep, I pray to God for a moment longer before William wakes from his morning nap, just so that I can have this happy closure with Victoria.

Daddy Mummy still love you very much, girl. Eventhough our family is now four, William multiplies our happiness and I hope she will feel the same too.

Climbing stairs and love bites

William has been very active lately. It's now that I start to see the little rascal in him. He used to be innocently playful, very generous and forgiving, never demands always giving, but lately he'd cry when we take his favourite toy or thing that he's holding. He's also started climbing onto tables everytime I place him on my lap, whether it's our work table, or the coffee table or the dining table.

Two days ago I jerked up from my morning nap and rushed to his room to check on my "sleeping" baby. He too have woken from his nap, and was quietly playing by himself like he used to. Only this time, I found him near the electrical plug point, and holding an electrical wire. I said, "William!" and he gave me his biggest, most cheerful welcoming smile. I now cover both the electrical points with safety plugs.

Then yesterday when I fed him his dinner, he kept standing up on his high chair and I have to keep saying, "Nooo.. William.. no!! Sit down." Then I'd slowly bend his legs and put them back in the high chair. Before I know it, he's trying to stand again. My my... so dangerous. Now I warn the maid never to leave him alone on his high chair even for a second. This guy is a risk taker, man!

Today he climb our two flights of stairs, from the living room up to his room. Then he went for the bottles and things arranged on the cupboard.

Last night I wanted to put him to sleep but he was exceptionally playful. He lunged at me, climbed over me, hugged me, and bit me so much and so hard on my shoulders and upper arms.

I've been warned before I gave birth to a boy, that boys are much more playful, naughty, and energetic than girls. Guess I better heed this warning now ; )

Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday hubby and I celebrated our 5th anniversary. Five years of being stuck together in marriage. : ) 11 years of knowing each other. The first time we officially met, was at Liverpool Lime Street train station just a week before Valentine.

Just as the other times when our parents come to babysit and help watch our kids, we are tremendously grateful. This weekend Popo Gong Gong spent the weekend in PJ so that Hubby and I can have some time off to celebrate. It has been sometime since we really had time together, without the kids and maid.

He made a booking at Lafite, Shangrila Hotel KL. Their earliest booking time was 7pm so we went for that and used our member's voucher for a 50% off their Ultimate Experience, which comprise of a 12-course fine dining menu, and a complimentary bouquet of flowers.

We left the house around 2pm, after lunch with Popo and GongGong. We headed straight to Sg Buloh nurseries to look for some landscape quotation for our small garden.

Dinner time

We expected the dinner NOT to be filling, since it was fine dining and the food should be bite sized. But the portion became a little bit bigger as we moved down the course, and I was almost stuffed out by the 6th course. I forgotten to take the picture of the first course, and only remembered after I've finished eating it. That just shows our excitement! But the lighting where we sat was not in favour of any good photo shots as it causes a shadow on our food, and a flash would make the picture too bright. Anyway...

The menu comprise of (in such order)

1. Inside Out Pizza (crunchy and tasty)

2. Caviar Donut (yummy!)

3. Foie Gras Brulee (so-so)

4. Corned Duck Mosaic (also so-so, I didn't enjoy the salad leaves)

5. Cheese and Onion Soup (not too bad, it had this unique small bottle of tomato puree which you squeeze into the soup that ends up like noodles)

6. Truffle Orzo (must try!)

7. Scallop Chowder

8. Foie Gras Volume 2 (nicer than the Foie Gras Brulee)

9. Kamikaze Sablefish (soft and juicy)

10. Lamb Mediterannean (I was already so full, it was difficult to fully appreciate this dish, but it's very unique and the lamb was tender and juicy)

11. Chocolate Puzzle

12. OMG!! I just realised that we only had 11 dish... where's the 12th?????

Flowers complimentary from Lafite

Enjoying my soup

Flowers on the table that came in the shape of a crystal ball

We were awed by the amount of glass and mirrors used in the wash rooms

We left the place around 9pm and I must say that towards the end our minds were on the kids. Whether they have slept, whether William cried the whole night missing mummy to put him to sleep... and I guess that was why we didn't count all our dishes before we left.

Anyway, it was great having to experience the highly recommended Ultimate Experience. Ask me if I would like to experience it again, I'd say nah. Great time, because it was spent with a very loved one, my one and only honey... but there are many other great places and great food for us to explore.

William was asleep when we got home. He didn't cry. Victoria was with Popo and Gong Gong. She was down with flu that day too. We gave her a dose of polaramine and paracetamol before she slept.

It was a good day, and I remembered telling hubby before I closed my eyes, "I wish everyday was our anniversary".... then it's zzzzzzz