CNY: Ostrich Farm, City Park and an Accident

Wednesday, 13th February (Day 4)

This morning after a good ol' Indian breakfast, Gong Gong brought us all in his first Camry - the car that Vic "grew up in" to an Ostrich Farm about 20 minutes drive from Seremban.  The weather was not gloomy and constantly drizzling.  It didn't look like it was gonna clear up anytime soon but we took the chance and continued the short journey to the Farm.  Hopefully, we can get short rays of sunshine there.

Alas, the weather was the same when we walked in and was greeted by the owner, Abraham, who runs and owns Jelita Ostrich Farm.  Gong Gong brought cousins Grace and Andrew a few months back so he knows Abraham from the earlier visit.  We spent some time chatting with Abraham, hoping the drizzle will stop as there are no shaded walkways, and ostrich rides are in the open.

After 15 minutes or so, we decided to leave much to the disappointment of the two kids as they didn't get to go near, touch or ride any ostriches.  But we got some pictures of this visit...

Three ostriches in the background.  Vic asked a question on how to identify the gender to which Abraham replied that male ostriches have darker feathers, and the females lighter. 

At night, we had dinner at Seremban 2 followed by a visit to Yee Yee's house.  The cousin-get-together was one noisy but happy affair of chasing each other round the house!

Steamed garoupa

Thursday, 14th February (Day 5) - To the Park!!

The next morning, the weather was brighter and we quickly left Gong Gong's house with all 4 kids (Vic, Will and cousins Grace and Andrew) and a bicycle to Seremban 2 City Park.  The two girls took turns to cycle, whereas the boys preferred to run around.  As it was during the weekday, the park was not crowded and we had many opportunities to snap pictures.  However, it's NEVER easy to get all 4 kids to look the same direction at the same time.

Honestly, boy boy... I think you're a little too big for this!

This is a bicycle for one, not two but Vic sure knows how to "bully" little cousin sister to give her a ride.

Whaddaya know... it was coincidently Valentine's Day and I got a kiss and a hibiscus from this handsome young boy at the park.  Surprise surprise!  He told me it's because I was special *laaammmmm*

A little National Geographic at the park.  We saw this bird with a freshly caught fish in its beak, trying to figure out how to swallow it.  We observed it for awhile but nothing happened.  Just as we turned away, hubby saw the bird finished off its breakfast in one gulp (well, not like its got any teeth to chew anyway)

See saw is too boring for her??

After cleaning the kids up, we bade goodbye to Popo Gong Gong and left for home in PJ.


Friday, 15th February (Day 6)

This morning the kids and daddy excitedly rode their bicycles out to Uncle Morgan's house a few roads away to visit Tai Gong.  We had planned to have breakfast after this visit.  Just as we left Uncle Morgan's house, Vic asked if she could speed up to go over a road bump.  Daddy was a few meters ahead of me and William (I did not cycle as it was easier to supervise the kids with my two feet on the ground) and since Vic has skillfully did this just that morning, we let her go.

Big Mistake...

... because as I watched her sped and cross the bump, she suddenly lost control of her bike and fell.  The bicycle went to the right, whilst my little girl tumbled on the ground at least twice, then sat there and cried.  The seconds were like slow moment, still fresh in my mind and I can only thank God there was no vehicles and no head injury or broken bones.

She scraped her left elbow very badly, a centre area was deep into the tissue.  The side of her left knee was also scraped and bleeding.  She was crying non stop and I wish we could just turn back time so she didn't have to suffer like this.

What was supposed to be a nice morning ride to breakfast and back, turned out to be a horrible experience for Vic.  Thank God Aunty Maria was around and we called her to send me and the kids back, and also loaded William's bike into her car boots.  Daddy parked Vic's bike at Uncle Morgan's house, and cycled back.  He ta paued breakfast for the kids too. 

Back at home, Vic wouldn't let me wash her wound and couldn't stop crying.  Only after Daddy came home and I fed her some noodles, then she let me quickly rinse off the small sand and dust particles from her elbow.  Still, it was not good enough, and we decided to bring her to the nearest GP.

She's never seen so much blood on herself before.  This is REALLY painful 

Leg and arm bandaged.  I wrote a letter to her class teacher to excuse Vic from PE lessons for a week.  A girl unknowingly pulled Vic's injured arm this week and got whacked twice by the Teacher.

The doc gently cleaned up both wounds, applied a layer of gauze netting to avoid the gauze sticking to the fresh wound.  Then he applied an antibiotic ointment before bandaging the wound up.  At the clinic, I see Vic winced in pain as the doctor cleaned up her wound yet she held her tears and gave her full cooperation.

However, back home over the next few days, this girl was super manja with me.

A couple of hours later, she even managed to join us to an open house at Aunty Diane's.

For bathing, I put a plastic chair in the bathroom for her to sit.  I told her to put her injured leg up on the toilet bowl to avoid water from dripping down her leg and she lifted her left arm too.  A little water too near her wound and she'd give out a scream!

The doctor did another round of dressing for her the next day, before I was told to take over.  I'm now officially the in-house nurse, but the first time I did it for her on Sunday was quite traumatizing as the gauze and netting got stuck to her wound during the night.  She refused to let any of us take it out for fear of pain.

So after nearing an hour I think, we gave up and had our breakfast whilst Vic sat in the wet kitchen by herself.   Sometime later, she came out with the bandages off which she later told me she just yanked it out when she realized she had no other choice.

I think this accident will leave a scar on her arm and leg for sometime.  We are already on the look out for a set of safety gears - helmet, knee and elbow cap for both the kids. 

Vic have not mentioned fear of riding her bike and I hope she will not let this hinder from taking on challenges ahead, albeit with more wisdom and safety measures.

Bang Bang Bang!!!

That night, we let go of fire crackers(just as what we do over the past 2 years) and this year the kids are old enough to play some Pop Pops and hand sparkles fireworks.  They lovvveeedd it!!

The leftover firecrackers didn't break up nicely... must be China quality

Home cooked steamed white promfret - nice mou?   Fish still very fresh even after 1 month in my freezer, hehehe

Chinese New Year in Singapore (Eve - Day 3)

The Monday before Chinese New Year, William came down with "headache" (according to him) and fever.  Gave us a short scare as he has never complained of a headache or head pain before, and he's not one to cough up some drama to seek attention.  When we first heard of this, I brushed it off as his temperature was normal, but just to be on the safe side, I let him skip school the next day.

In the afternoon I had a scheduled appointment in Mont Kiara and was stucked in the afternoon traffic jam (in fact, traffic all around PJ has been heavy since a month before CNY for whatever reason).  Imagine my heart racing when my maid called to inform me that he felt feverish.

That night, we brought him to see our usual paediatrician who checked him to be normal.  Possibly viral and hopefully not due to visual.

Thank God the next day he recovered and was good for school.  He was happy to skip his Chinese tuition though!

Saturday, 9th February 2013 (Eve)

We locked up our house and made our way southbound to Singapore.  Mama Yeh Yeh left separately from Seremban but we met up at the Tuas rest stop for a snack before passing Immigration.  Traffic was generally smooth and we arrived our hotel before check in time.

This year, we decided to stay in a different hotel from the previous years.  Previously we have always  made Holiday Inn Atrium our temporary home in Singapore but this year, we booked into V Hotel due to its convenience of a MRT station just beneath it and independent shops and eateries outside.

I will do a brief review of the hotel later.

We managed to check in early at 1230pm into a triple room on the 5th floor but was later transferred to the 8th floor so that we can be on the same floor with MaMa Yeh Yeh and Yee Sok's family.   Our rooms were in all different corners but that proof to be no issue to the kids who happily race to MaMa Yeh Yeh's room whenever there's a chance.

I took no pictures of the room, because I forgotten and also because the picture in the hotel website is all there is to see  (hint:  small).

We had time to bath the kids, put them to sleep, catch a quick nap myself before bathing and leaving to TaiPo (great grandma)'s place.  We are having homecooked for Reunion dinner!

MaMa Yeh Yeh brought down soy sauce pork belly and pork stew.  We brought down a huge frozen 7 star garoupa fish cut into half, for steaming.  TaiPo showed us her "la sau" and I picked up some secret recipes.  ; )  I brought down my tong sui which I aptly call, the "8 Treasure" as it contained 8 items.  Sugarless but sweet enough to sweetened the Reunion.  Glad everyone enjoyed it.

Sadly, as we were all busy eating, I forgotten to snap pictures...

At night, we had a Family Movie Night in the hotel room.  We joined both the single and double bed together, and the four of us huddled together watching The Pirates!  Band of Misfits.

Finally, a show that none of us have watched before instead of the millionth times of repeats.  In this show, Queen Victoria was the "bad guy." Hehehe... a nice movie with light English accents.


Sunday, 10th February (Day 1)

We went down for breakfast at the Kopitiam (foodcourt) before doing our customary pai nin with Mama Yeh Yeh in their hotel room.  Kids love this time of fooling around with the camera, monkeying around the room (applicable to William and Theodore) and of course, receiving angpows.  Ahhh.... they are only this young once!

As our hotel did not invite lion dance, we headed back to Holiday Inn Atrium to catch the lion dance at 10am.  We arrived 15 minutes late and hubby blamed it on the speed limit on the highway... hehe!  (It's CNY but the cameras are still working, and don't play play when you are in Singapore where the currency exchange rate is 2.5 times more!)

Catching the last 15 minutes of the lion dance... it was WORTH IT!

William touched the baby lion

Something something something

Posed beside the two lions

The kids (others as well) found joy in stroking, touching, jabbing and teasing the lions on the grounds.  William have no fear, whereas the sister maintains her distance

Kids enjoyed picking up gold coins.  Good thing both their shirts have got pockets!

See Daddy and William's shirt?  They are both the same pattern!  Mummy buy one.  : )

A picture with the Choy San

Our tradition on the first day every year is to visit Tai Po at her flat and spend half a day there.  During this time, all the other aunties will drop by to visit with their children (now all adults).  We have our usual simple pai nin of good wishes, lunch, giving of angpows to whoever still unmarried and chit chats.  The kids busied themselves with ipads, iphones and tv.

Look!  Vic cooking, for real ok?!  She's standing on a stool and frying her very own fried rice... with help from Taipo

Why is the normally smiley boy so gloomy in this picture?  I guess that's coz I paused him from cookies or ipad for this pose with Uncle Reyna in yellow (yes, Uncle, no joke!) and cousin Theodore in red. 

Balancing a mandarin orange on his hand... he goes, "Look, Mummy!" and I say, "Quick, smileeee!!"

In the afternoon while I put William to sleep, Vic sneaked out for a swim with Yeh Yeh at the hotel pool.  I did not check out the pool but I heard it's nothing to shout about - they don't even have a kiddy pool!  At night, we went to Changi Airport for dinner and walk around.

And I'm amazed by him... how does he learn how to hold the elderly's hands? 

I like this toothless pic of Vic... after 6 months still no sign of new teeth

Kids playing around the Angry Bird play area. 

Monday, 11th February (Day 2)

Today we have lunch at 5th Aunt's house in Tampines.  Another round of lou sang which me and the kids love (although Vic can only nibble on selected parts) and Daddy takes a little, out of courtesy because this lucky man has been lou sang-ing non stop even before CNY! 

At night, we ate at the food court near Bugis area, a familiar place to TaiPo.  I saw couples eating a huge plate of yee sang as their main and only course!  Wow!  Singaporeans are really into yee sang!  The yee sang stall even had a queue of eager patrons.

Bonding time!

Tuesday, 12th February (Day 3)

Today most stalls reopen and we had a different kind of breakfast instead of the noodles at the Kopitiam.  We bought some buns (SGD1.5 each) and pork chop rice (SGD2) and ate in our room so we can multitask packing.

We checked out nearing 11:30am and headed out of Singapore.  For lunch, we stop over at Yong Peng and ate a hearty meal of steamed fish teowchew style, signature dish fried mee hoon, mee sua soup, etc and enjoyed their freshly blended pineapple, soursop and pineapple mix passion fruit!

Traffic was heavy after Yong Peng and not because of any major accidents, it was because of the number of vehicles travelling back into the city.

Knocked out!

We arrived Seremban slightly past 5pm, rested and then headed out for dinner with Popo Gong Gong at Kong Ming Restaurant in town, where a reservation was made earlier by Gong Gong.

We had the group package, comprising of the usual lou sang, prawns, fish, braised beancurd, etc...

At Popo Gong Gong's house, we have our very own baby lion show... hahaha!!  The kids took turns wearing the lion head and peeling real Mandarin oranges.

That's all for Eve to Day 3!  More to come on CNY... Gong Xi Gong Xi to everyone.  Wishing you a year of good health and God's abundance blessing. 

When there is just enough...

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

His ambitions at 4 years 9 months old

A few mornings back, William told me and hubby his 10 ambitions... yes, you heard me right... it's TEN ambitions when he grow up. 

The next day, he asked me if I remembered, and I had to lie through my teeth, "Yes, of course I do."

As if he can detect my little white lie, he asked me to recite them... obviously to test me. 

Yikes! 

So I went along from No.1 to No.9 and forgotten the tenth, which he ALSO forgot so finally he said wanted to build buildings and I gave him the magic word... DEVELOPER!  Learn a new word, son... but he pronounces it as "Diliveper"... cuteness!

I'm listing them down quickly now because I'm afraid I may forget if he test me again.

Here they are... (though not necessarily in this order and the comments in bracket are solely mine)

1.  Pilot  (so mummy can get free rides to Europe, especially UK)
2.  Astronaut  (so he can pluck the stars and give them to me)
3.  Policeman  (to catch the bad guys and kungfu them)
4.  Fireman (so he can play with water, not fire!)
5.  Cartoon writer / artist (since he likes drawing and cartoons, might as well create his own)
6.  Architect (his latest interest in buildings under construction)
7.  Artist
8.  Doctor (mummy suggested one... hehe)
9.  Worker (funny one this... coz he likes doing all the Handy Mandy jobs)
10.  Developer

Will check with him again in 10 years' time...

A Love Letter To William

My dear boy boy,

Last Wednesday, it was one of those times that I casually mention to you that you will have to sleep in your own room one day.  I thought you were like your Jie Jie, who needs a few years to really "move out" from our room.  Even as I write now, she's still retaining her PR status. 

You said, "OK Mummy, tonight I'll sleep in my own room." I got a shock that you'd say that very night itself, which left me not much time to prepare the bed and even my heart.  So I said, "Tomorrow ok, boy boy? Not tonight."  And you immediately agreed. 

So the next night, on Thursday 31st January 2013 marked a historical milestone in your life.  After cleaning up, you sat in your room waiting for mummy, holding on to two chosen story books.  Mummy was late as I was tied up with a long distance call to the UK.  But when I came in, you showed no agitation nor impatience.  You were with your "babies" the soft toys, and after I read half the story of The Little Mermaid to you and tugged you to bed, prayed for you, I walked out.  I asked you a few times if you really wanted to sleep in your room, and you assured me yes. 

I checked on you a few times until 2am when I finished my work.  You were sleeping soundly.  The aircon was put on 3 hours timer, the fan on first speed and you were covered.  I was worried you would wake in the middle of the night and cry looking for me. 

Alas, but you didn't. 

Not even when the security alarm woke me at 745am in the morning, when I rush over to check on you.  I found you awake, just staring at the rocket light hanging above your bed. 

You were so proud you slept in your own room, all by yourself.  And Mummy Daddy are proud of you too! 

Friday night, we came home late after cell gathering.  I know I promised you to put you in your own room, but because you slept early during cell time, I was afraid you might wake middle of the night looking for me.  So we placed you in your own bed in our room in your unconscious state. 

The next morning, you woke up upset and instead of greeting me, you asked me why I didn't let you sleep in your own room.  I was quietly sad that it mattered that much to you, as if sleeping with us now is such a bad thing. 

Saturday 2nd February 2013.  You reminded me that you'd like to sleep in your own room again.  Sigh... I gave a suggestion that you can always sleep in mummy's room, but you insisted your way.  So I guess you're really growing up now.

Again I tugged you in, and after saying our prayer, I left you with such a heavy heart.  That night mummy cried missing you, boy boy. 

I missed you holding my hair which I think you do so little now, and you don't hug me and say you love me enough.  When I went to check on you at 1am, I stroke you hair and missed you even more.

I asked myself if I had done right by saying that you should sleep in your own room ONE DAY.  I didn't know you'd just take my suggestion and go.  I didn't know you'd even want to sleep in your own room EVERY NIGHT now.  I mean, you're NOT even 5, boy boy... is this how soon you'll be leaving me?  Then my thought flew to the inevitable... when you'll be leaving me for university and that would be less than 15 years' time.  So that means another 15 cakes and you'll be... GONE!

Can my heart really take this?  I mean, Daddy and I always joked that you'd be leaving us one day, and he'll tease me that you'll put your girlfriend before your insecure mother.  Well, can you imagine this... your insecure mother have EVEN a trying time now to adjust to you moving to your own room!!  So, I did what an insecure mother would do... I told Daddy to tell you to hug me and kiss me more, haha!

Daddy did just that - he slept on the floor that night, waited for you to wake so he can tell you that the first thing in the morning.  Today you kissed me soooo many times and I really think you're such a darling!  But that doesn't change the fact that you still want to sleep in your own room, everynight.  You said this to me this morning, "Mummy, I love you and I will sleep with you SOMETIMES only but other times, I will sleep in my own room."

So William, you have now tasted a little independence and loving it.  Maybe you're a boy too, and like to feel good that you have your own "territory" -  your own room.

I love you.  Remember our book, "Mummy's Little Boy?"  You'll always be Mummy's little boy.  Forever.

Love,
Mummy

Don't mess around with her

This year Vic and I chose Taekwondo as her extra co-curriculum activity in school.  We dropped Art Class for a start and hopefully start learning how to swim sometime this year. 

Last week, we registered Vic and collected her smart new uniform.  Here she is faking a pose for the camera:

The hall was very hot because the school was too "kiam sap" (stingy) to turn on the air conditioner, and there was no ceiling fan.  Not knowing what to expect for her first lesson, I chose a decent colored pink blouse for Vic, but that was probably a wrong choice due to the heat. 

This morning Vic attended her second lesson.  This round, she wore a black spaghetti under her white uniform.  Here are some shots of Vic in action:

Basic steps

Learning how to front kick

Master Kevin instructed them to sit straight upright, no fiddling and looking around and no chatting.

This is how you do a front kick!  A demo, from the Master himself.

Pay attention!  (I personally think she looks so sweet here)

And so begins her journey of learning self-defense.  Don't play play, ok...

Tom's first visit to the vet

Our pet tortoise of more than 5 years (who ran stumbled into my parent's garden then and subsequently designated to live with us because of Victoria - the only grandchild then) was aptly named Tom - yes, Tom the Tortoise, just like how I'd name any of the following - Herbert the Hamster, Frederick the Frog or Slimy the Snake.  But of course, we have no Herbert, nor Frederick or Slimy.

Just Tom.

Tom is a weird creature.  Always wanting to explore the world (read, escape / jau lou / lari rumah) but yet gets excited when he sees us return home either by popping his head out or waddling fast in his cage container.

But yesterday, when hubby left for work, he noticed that Tom was sleeping - eyes closed, not moving.  That's not usual as Tom would normally be active during that time.  He's not one to snooze in the mornings.

Then we noticed that his front two paws have a small area of redness near his nails, maybe looks like lesion. He slept the whole morning and we were beginning to worry.  Afterall, tortoises are supposedly hardy creatures, right.  If he can fall sick, does that mean it is something serious that warrants immediate attention?

So hubby came home during lunch, squeeze through traffic jam just to bring Tom to see a vet that a friend recommended.  I met him later after dropping William off at kindy.

Tom was given immediate attention because there was no crowd.  Dr Liong is a very kind, gentle and patient lady who took time to understand Tom's routine and diet.  As there was no change in either diet or routine, the vet could not diagnose the cause of the problem, but can only treat the affected areas. 

She took his weight - a grand total of 300g - and then prescribed Tom some medication.  He was given oral antibiotics (this is the tricky part as we have to get the drops into his mouth either by hiding in a shrimp or soaking him in medicated water), cream to apply on dry skin daily and some vitamins for bi-weekly intake.

The vet cleaning up Tom's affected areas

After 5 years, you only weigh 300g???!!  Where did all the food go?

Are you laughing or smiling to yourself in disbelief by now?  Or do I sound too serious here?  Honestly, hubby and I were controlling our laughter when we were with the doctor.  I mean, we are talking about a TORTOISE, alright?  Not a child nor a dog.

Not bad... got manicure somemore.  Getting her nails clipped

But I guess Tom is more than a tortoise.  Like any other pets (besides the fishes), they are apart of the family.  It was good that our maid followed us during this trip as she is the main caretaker of Tom. 

Finally, guess what?  A secret revealed!  That Tom our tortoise, whom we thought to be a male all these years, is actually a FEMALE TORTOISE!  So imagine that!  A mistaken identity.  But after a quick discussion with hubby, we decided to keep her name as Tom, and now we make a conscious effort to call him... a her.

To check a tortoise's gender, just turn the tortoise over and feel the bottom.  If it is flat, it is a female.  If it is sunken or indented, then it is a male. 

Tom oh Tom... do get well.  So far he has had two cream applications and a soak in vitamin water.  I have a prawn defrosting now so later we can insert antibiotic for him, slice it into bite size and hopefully, he'd just gobble that down without suspicion. 

However, both his eyes cannot open today.  I hope he'll recover very soon although the vet estimated 2 weeks for full recovery.