Archive for the ‘RandR’ Category

If you have been following my blog, you will remember that my parents had a “Grandchildrens’ Day” last year. They declared another one last weekend and so happened that it was also held in May this year.

On Saturday, we proceeded as usual to my parents place for lunch. We had my mum’s yummy fried meehoon before the pool was filled up and the kids all hopped inside. Looking back, Brandon was so small one year ago, still sitting down in the pool, playing quietly. Now, he was walking around and splashing everyone with his spade! Bryan initially didn’t want to go in as he fear his head and face getting wet. We splashed him bit-by-bit and after a while, he too hopped in to join the fun. Only Bradley stayed on the sideline as the kids were rowdy. Just like last year, everyone got wet. This year, naughtier adults like VT and my elder brother used a huge pail to pour water over their “victims”, which included me. Even my parents were not spared! We all had a whale of an hour fooling around. My parents’ neighbours hate us by now, for the noise we were making.

After bringing the brood home for their afternoon naps, we marched back to my parents place for the 2nd highlight of the day – a barbeque! I have not had a home barbie since I had the kiddos so I think I had the most fun of all, stuffing my face with chicken wings, rack of lamb, sirloin steak plus grilled brinjal and corn-on-the-cob by the side. The kids have grilled sausages, beef patties topped off with my Dad’s scrumptious apple pie and roasted marshmallow. Everyone was stuffed to the brim. 

It was a wonderful opportunity for all of us to get-together, especially with my brothers since we are usually so tied up with our own families. The cousins also had lots of fun playing with each other. I am glad that my parents came up with this idea. Thanks, Mum & Dad!! 

P/S: No photos because in all my excitement (about the food), I had forgotten about the camera

It is one of those days when I feel really “BLEH”. Lots of negative thoughts in my head which I’ve been trying to shake loose the whole day, without much of a success.

What do I usually do? I shall drive to my favourite florist in DJ and buy myself some sweet-smelling flowers. Many people see flower-buying as a waste of money, but to me, just the sight of them puts an instant smile on my face.

Adios, “bleh” day!

Remember how I was saying that I was getting such success from sleep-training Brandon? Well, he has been sleeping fairly well at night – knocking off around 10:30pm and sleeping to 7am the following morning, waking up briefly only to take his milk at around 2am and 6-7am. Now that I’m going back to work soon, I expect this plan to fall apart sadly.

Yesterday I was at my PILs place and it was time for Brandon to sleep. Unfortunately, they could not take Brandon crying (actually, he was whimpering) even for 5 seconds so they promptly carried him and rocked him to sleep. Worse, they did not put him in his cot until some 10-15mins later, even after he fell asleep! I can see all my hard work (and Brandon’s tears) going down the drain. I feel very irritated and “mung chang” but I supposed there’s nothing I can say considering my MIL will be taking care of Brandon during the day. Just have to swallow it lor.

What a pity!

What havoc this evening!

During my confinement month, VT has been bringing Bryan home from my PILs. Then I will put Bryan to bed while VT watches over Brandon. Today VT had to return to work for an emergency. So there is myself, the maid and my CL. It all started when Brandon pooped so much until terkena my CL so she had to go wash up. So I had to tend to Brandon. Bryan started crying and screaming the moment I picked Brandon up (who was also crying and screaming). When Brandon stopped crying, I put him down and picked Bryan up. Then the whole cycle started again – pick one boy up, the other one cries. WALAU!!!! (All this time, the maid was taking a shower)

At the same time, my boo-bies were also screaming to be relieved. After all the chaos settled down, I took a drink to relax and sat down to be a cow. I would have expected a good volume of EBM as it was way past my expressing interval.

But NO……I only managed to express 2 miserable ounces.

I am at my wits end. I did all the “right” things – drink lots of water & papaya soup, rest, distract myself, express regularly even at night, etc. But still, these two stupid lump of flesh refused to co-operate. Now, I’m the sort who expects to see results whenever I work hard at something. This just isn’t happening.

I’m waving my white flag.
Subject closed.
Amen.

Blame it on the hormones, blame it on brain inactivity for the past month. Everything seems so frustrating to me.

Firstly, there must be something wrong with my boo-bies. Now I have been diligently expressing BM every 2.5hrs during the day and 3hrs at night (I’m exclusively expressing), for the past 3 weeks. You would think that 8 times of expression would yield some pretty good volumes of BM. That’s the frustrating part – I am still only able to express about 2.5ozs combined from both boo-bies. Surely that can’t be right??! I’ve heard of a fully-expressing mama who had hundreds of ounces of milk shored up in her freezer by the time her confinement was over. I can barely express enough to feed Brandon. I did ask my visiting midwife and she was puzzled as well. My only conclusion is that some women have fewer milk storage ducts – perhaps I’m only trying to make myself feel better.
Conclusion: I’m giving myself 2 more weeks. If supply remains the same, I’m going to scrap EBM.

Then, there’s my maid. She has been with us for 2 years and had previously indicated that she would like to extend another year. My maid is, I would say, almost close to perfect. Then suddenly she tells me that she wants to go home because she has pulled her back muscle and has been in great pain for the past 2 months. So now I’m kelam-kabut have to apply for a new maid. What sh*t timing. When the new maid arrives, I will have my hands full training her and taking care of an infant.
Conclusion: Maids – you can’t live with them, you can’t live without them.

Side track a bit – if anyone knows someone who makes ang koo please let me know. I need to source some for Brandon’s full moon.

I’ve created a new label called “RandR”. Nope, it does not stand for “Rest & Relax”, but “Raves & Rants” LOL Why did I create this label? Well, I find that a lot of times I don’t have anyone to rave & rant to. So talk to the computer lor….especially when the computer listens and doesn’t talk back!

My inagural R&R is about some people I know whom are so utterly manja and spoilt. Can go overseas alone but cannot take taxi from the airport, must have someone to fetch. I’ve be taking cabs myself since I started working, which was 21 years old! Then other things also must need company, until other people have to take leave/time off to accomodate.

It’s not my place to comment too much lah, but I feel so geram!!! If it’s my child, surely kena whack from me. Wouldn’t you as a parent, teach your child to be independent so that he/she will be confident? I concluded that some parents in fact want their children to rely on them so that they feel that they are still useful.

Are you/would you be one of them?