Julia Gabriels

we are officially studying in JG

Why? Coz mummy flo is bored and BB [V] was driving me up the wall (then) Remember the previous post of her being whiny and all...

I made the decision on a wed and class was to start on thurs.. made few calls, got all information... then called daddy trev about it and we went to class the next day.. rash? I don't know.... Guess there has to be some reason things happened so fast?

So we love love love the lessons.. like always ;)

One of the main reason I think that steer me towards JG was the teachers... remember I attended the holiday program? I enjoy the culture there as everyone is happy, smiling, expressive and how they always hug the children in class. Which mother doesn't want their child to be taught affections in their life; I mean not by family members but by other people. I some how don't see her primary 1 teacher hugging her ...

Besides that... I like the track records of most teachers there; having teachers that work there for more than 10 years or so shows that human factor play an important role in the organization. The school must have a good culture to be able to retain teachers with a such passion.

A big decision of joining lessons was actually to bring back sanity to me.. get in touch with the "world" besides the usual group... I don't think I'm very kaisu to start class at such young age for now I realize if you are a Stay At Home Mom with nobody at home.. trust me you will find things to do manz...

1) go hi tea every week which I have tried and end up with a hefty credit card bill or spend great time with the child and still chalk up a hefty credit card bill ;p

2)stay at home, get upset with everything around me and deal with a handful child... repeat the same old DVD's and play the same toys...

like you can tell.. the issue is me!

SO I was in class yesterday and we mummies have great small talks together... and I was asked this

Mummy X: Where will you put Victoria in N1?

me: ermmm??? (in my head.. WTH is N1?.. oh F does she mean nursery one? oh F how old is N1? ) not sure yet.. what about you?

MM X: I will put Kayda in MGS barker road.

me: its around here issit it? why this choice?

MM X: oh its actually my niece who is in there, I went there to take a look and like the surroundings there....

me: icic, I'm actually quite clueless in this aspect... haven't gotten to do some readings yet

MM X: Haha I did my research oredi... LAST YEAR

me: Oh really.. tats very interesting, anything to share?

MM X: you mean the top ten?

me: (WTH lor, nursery oso have top ten?????) Heard about this St James with a long waiting list... and a lot of other schools that have them too (btw when my gf told me about this st james I was like st james the disco?? then she was wa lau flo!!!! kindergarten lar.. then I was like wtf how I koe right???? and she rattled a long list but i can only remb st james coz of the club ;p)

MM X: there are actually alot of them with waiting list... tell me what you are keen in then I can share....

Okie I don't have any smart questions to ask which is why I'm writing this entry coz I'm reading up!!!!

27 Jan 2010

BB [V] woke up to the sweetest melody of her birthday song, from mummy flo of course.... somehow she knew it was her day and wouldn't stop smiling and clapping her hands... Daddy Trev went to work early early to do his work so that he can spend the rest of the day with the princess. We didn't have any thing plan just that we wanted to let her have ice cream but in the end the timing was way off and she was sleeping twice when we were around a ice cream parlour. DD T wanted to have a picnic ( play sand and water) at east coast but I was like*rolls eyes* so bloody hot!

So after some discussion we should let her do things that she like... so its off to polliwogs...

A preview of all her pressies
MM F was inspired to do a shoot with her left over birthday cake that we cut in JG class with Ern the day before... would love to post the photos but she was topless and we were advised by her policeman uncle in Australia not to post "naked" pictures online.. for you will be surprised at the number of perverts in the world searching for "nude" baby photos. *sighs* what is the world coming to???what was left of the photoshoot.. like you can see, she was crawling around...
Off to Polliwogs.... we decided to put a DVD player for her, haha typically Singaporean right??? but really, it keeps her quiet!! We found my old DVD player that I used to travel around the world with.. yes, I was TVB show junkie *hangs head* Hey I can't deal with Indian channels/Japanese commercials/french, germans shows or what better still stuck in a hotel that has only CNN.... the whole night okie!

It came with a nice pouch to hang on the headrest and car battery charger... how useful :) So we placed a Sesame Street dvd to entertain her ride... ROCKs!! only drawback is that she don't know how to fall asleep and when she starts crying I must pull the battery charger and put on her music so that she can sleep.

We spent a good 1 hour in Polliwogs...

DD T got stuck... look at her watching how clumsy DD was

her gym wear to show off her nice legs...
Daddy T was more keen on showing her science.. floating air ball
teaching her how to shoot...
we thought we will let her play a little on the beach, but she did not like it... mainly I think its to hot!
We went to church for evening mass for some blessings and off to dinner. She was suppose to have her 1st ice cream but fell asleep... and didn't wake up till 830.. was too late for her little tummy... so we will do it on her chinese birthday... but looking at her lying there, hasn't she grown all big now?
I couldn't resist this sweater when I was in oz... D.R.A.M.A Q.U.E.E.N.. this was her something new for her birthday... I wouldn't let her wear pettiskirt as she was going to polliwogs... so she had to be in her gym wear...
showing off her pressies
must have family picture right?
what better way to end the day with a new nice cool rocker chic sleep wear...

Her 1st year

Dear Victoria,

As I watch you sleep, Mummy Flo is overwhelmed at how much we as a family have gone through this last one year.

Last year at this time, in less than 24 hours, you cited yourself for the biggest and most difficult challenge ALONE. Mummy's short labour showed us a lot of your determination and eagerness in facing the world together with us. In years to come, remember this.... your family will always to be there to face every challenges you have with you.. From 27 Jan 09 - 27 Jan 10, Mummy and Daddy has started to see you going from frail tiny little bub to now a baby that is so vocal and moving around so fast. Its weird to say this at this point, but we can see you getting really independent and I will look back at the times of you being so reliant on us... something I will miss much alot.

You must know that you were brought to show us the true meaning of unconditional love and zero expectations... in return, we as your parents promise to teach you great things we were taught not in school but through life experiences. We do not see academic as the utmost important part of your life and not wish to include you in this country's craziest rat race. We however will help buffer because Mummy and Daddy were ridiculously hopeless in school and expect that you "if have" our weird genes might be one that is streetwise more than academic wise. Whatever it is, you will do well.. which ever route you choose.

My decision of not working for the last one year was the greatest decision we have made as we want you to know in life there are no shortcuts. You reap what you sow and we sowed a great foundation for you to follow through. We learn your peeves and loves not through people but ourselves, this in return allows us to widen your loves and eliminate the peeves. The day will come when mummy will go back to work because I want to be able to have great conversations with you beyond the colours of your schoolbag or clothes you wear. To have parents that work will allow you as a child to widen your horizons on what is to come in your life and that not all is easy peasy lemon squeesy.

As you may have realised by now that mummy is the planner and daddy is executor. I decide, I propose, he decides for the longest time how to go about getting it done. Its a long road ahead but we believe we will go through it together as a family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICTORIA!!!!

Love you lots

Mummy

Her future

today we visited the man who gave her the chinese name

I am not into fortune telling or what not.. though I do read into astrology like Linda Goodman birth signs character or what not, I mean who doesn't read Linda Goodman when they were young?? Like how how compatible THAT guy is to my star and if it will ever be happy ever after?

I however do not read the stars moving around the skies or whether it becomes a straight line and all that shits. Regardless of what ever, we take everything with a pinch of salt like always.

So there is this guy that DD T consults with for business... you know businessmen and their interesting way of doing business right? This guy is Grandpa John's guy which in return has become the family guy that they turn to for like example; when to open office after chinese new year and choosing of office space etc...

I was always very doubtful of things like that for I feel that I depict my own fate.. but as years go by I see the things that have been done or said to the people around me who consulted him, I do sometimes realize it may not just be self fulfilling prophecies anymore.

So we visited him today just to show our princess to him and DD T wanted to know when to open office after CNY... Then he mention few things that I do see the need to blog it down before my memory fails me (like so often now)

This is reading her date of birth and hour in that special chinese book:

Fast, mature, intelligent: she progresses very fast, we don't have to worry a single thing about her studies for she will breeze through them..

Wealth: Got plenty of money.. hers n daddy's (he didn't mention about the mummy you know.. hmmpff!)

Career: Succession of daddy's biz or if she can really study, law and medicine is a good choice.. daddy says no to lawyer though mummy thinks if she can grow up to be like granduncle Judge Roy Neighbour, will be cool...

Health: Great

Then he mention she is very strong willed something we can see now... horrible temper she has... he cautioned us in our way of upbringing and that we should NEVER use the hard way and use only reasoning with her. For if we don't do it the right way, she may rebel and gosh I think will be a ride. So if one day you see us talking to her in an adult way, please pardon us for that is our way of bringing her up. Try not to tell us your way of upbringing your child for ours is quite the special one.

He wants her to learn music.. for music calms her down greatly and it does wonder for her temper... so mummy flo is going to introduce her to all sorts of instruments and let her chose her favourite the day she is ready. I really hope is not going to be a cello or a harp coz I will flip!!

So is this all going to help? I'm not sure... though its interesting that he mention things WE all knew even though he has never met her. These are things we have spotted and are already introducing to her like Kindermusik and her music time with Grandpa Jon... just that he reinforced it that now its a must.

20 years down the road ... I will pull this post out and compare ... then maybe I will go and get my prophecies read though by then there will be nothing much... except when will I die...

Her 1st donation

Mummy Flo: Can Mummy take abit of your angpao and donate to Haiti?

BB [V] replied with fervour: Can!!

Ahhh... my little girl with a big heart

Dear Victoria Eden,

Thank you for your donation to UNICEF in support of children. Your contribution will enable UNICEF to provide urgently needed medicine, nutrition, shelter, and protection for children and their families.

Please print and retain this message as a record of your contribution as your gift may be tax-deductible depending on the laws of your country.

The following summarizes your contribution:

Payment Amount: USD$50.00

Reference ID: 10538XXXX

UNICEF contact information:

Mummy decided that she should share abit of her love that she has been receiving...

May you Victoria grow up to be a person with great compassion.... XOXO

Her bash

her party bash

we just finished the ONE year old party!!!

Venue: Hog's Breathe Cafe CHIJMES

Theme: PINK!!!

Cake: Cupcake Divinity - Tiara!!

Photographer: Ken from Black Box Photography

Party Favours: Customized Name Stickers

People Invited for party: 60+++ ppl and 30 children.. quite the mayhem

So we invited mainly HER friends 14 children + her, will be 15 little ones... our friends whom we cross paths lots in the past one year and of course their little bubs.

No relatives were invited as we felt it was a baby party and its going to be CNY soon... they can play all they want during visiting... we want Victoria to have as much fun with her friends as she possibly can. No relatives except one great grand mother who was very interested in attending... the other one recuperating from her eye operation and we feel that the party might be of a mayhem for her to be there.

So I usually not care much about parties in the past you know... but I guess when you have your own child, you do everything within your means to make it work. In a child's party there will never be expectations from the child, so whatever you do will always work. Even the parents of the child's friend will have zero expectations too. It doesn't matter if the food sucks or that service is zero or that the colours don't match or the venue is in some goddamn unforgiving place ... coz they are there mainly for the child.

Is planning for the party a hassle? its a yes and no.. like all parties; planning it ain't fun (for me at least) I'm working within the budget and still have spare cause we decided against the puppet show for the children were not at least interested in watching when we were in Brayden's party.. and no kindermusik as they can do 20 babies max and what was I supposed to do with the other 10... the age range was a hassle too... so DD T saved quite a fair bit which he was pleased about.

Stay tuned for the photos of her party + opening of all pressies on the birthday + her lunar birthday.. and DD T told BB [V] today in the car that he will bring her to Ben & Jerry's on her birthday cause I told me she can eat ice cream only after she is one... of course he remembered and is very determined to feed her 1st!

Blink blingz

http://www.bdazzle.sg

costs: earrings white gold with small blingz $98 + 2 bottle cleaning solutions = $116

they offer 6 weeks after care, which means they help u

1) check on the piercing after 1 week

2) week 2 they rotate the earrings for us...

3) week 6 will remove earrings for us n clean the stub and put back

I did my research and this place is considered as the pro ... even better than GP .. though pricing seems exorbitant but it was my choice coz I prefer to use white gold than stainless steel and of course the blingz is also me lar...

coz only 1 reason.. NICE MAH :)

BB [V] : don't u dare!
guess who got her face messed up
her 1st
so PREETTYYYYY!!
so tired after the mayhem

so Ern's mummy saw her blingz today while we were in class and went to the store in town straight after. Her bill came up to $250, so we were curious why the difference... then we realized her was 3pt diamond and mine 3 pt man made diamond...

interestingly enough, both of us were not offered a choice... guess it gotta do with the store and a outlet? whatever it is they both have been blinglifed :)

Her 1st steps!

Mark 18 Jan 2010

After all the grumbling.. she did it.. :)

1st steps

the last one week was 1/2 steps....

today we swore we saw her taking 3 tiny steps to the table....

DD T says that she is practicing to show off on her big day ;)

1st tooth of the year

lower 1 and 2: 18 August 2009

upper 3 x RHS : 30 November 2009

upper 4 x LHS : 20 December 2009

lower 5 x RHS : 15 January 2010

Wish list

I have issues...

despite she is less than 1 years old but damn she got more clothes, more things than me and DD T added together! and you wonder where the bloody hell did all these things come from?? and we can't throw nor it's not time to pass it now... gosh we have officially become a hoarders! *sighs*

But still we need to get things in preparation for the next one year...

So for her birthday wish list

Big items:

1) would love a nice storage box to keep her toys.. big big one!! so she will learn how to take her own toys and has to be safe enough to keep her toys on her own...

2) little tikes coupe pink car to go around the estate and to learn opening and closing of doors

3) little tikes shopping cart to push her toys around

4) electronic keyboard to put on the floor for her to jam

5) little tikes table and chair set

6) magnetic easel to learn her ABC'S

small items:

1) bedsheets to match her pink princess bed.. single size

2) a bathrobe with hoodie for her swimming.. she is going to outgrow her current one SIZE 2 pls

3) sandwich cutter or anything gotta to do to entice the appearance of her meals.. bite size ones... must be cute ya :)

4) long sleeves aprons for her painting adventures and of course to learn self feeding with her fork and spoon

5) magnetic ABC's or of fruits, veg

and of course... toys, toys, toys! for its never enough :)

interesting gal

she is growing at a super duper speed

I realised that BB[V] has a knack for weird stuffs... her mind works very differently from other babies (or so I think), while they are all excited at playing toys, she will be picking things from the floor .. like strands of hair, pieces of food, small bits of tissue papers, leaves on the ground, pebbles or what not.... her eyes like microscope lar

Like the photos I took today... she was pushing her walker around and so I caught a photo of her pushing and wanted to take a video.. while I was trying to adjust my camera mode and when I looked up... she managed to untie the string of the ballon from the walker lar!!!! and its a knot you know...

Walking?

early or late walkers?

There are early walkers and late walkers. Around fifty percent of babies usually walk by one year, but there is a wide normal range of walking, from nine to sixteen months. Walking is a matter of coordinating three factors: muscle strength, balance, and temperament, and the latter seems to influence the age of walking the most. Babies with easier temperaments often approach major developmental milestones more cautiously. Since crawling is speedier than walking anyway, confirmed crawlers are content to zip around on the floor like miniature racecars and show no interest in joining the tall and busy world.

Late walkers are more likely to be content to entertain themselves with seeing and fingering fun than with motor accomplishments. A late walker goes through the crawl-cruise-stand-walk sequence slowly and cautiously, calculating each step and progressing at his own comfortable rate. When he does finally walk, he walks well.

The early walker, on the contrary, may be the impulsive, motor-driven baby who has raced through each motor milestone before parents could get their camera ready. While there is no definite profile of early walkers, they tend to be high-need babies who early on left the lap stage and squirmed out of infant seats. Body type may also affect the age of walking. Lean babies tend to walk earlier. Early and impulsive walkers are often more accident-prone than their more cautious walking mates.

Parents who carry their babies a lot often ask, "Will I delay her walking by carrying her around so much?" The answer is no. In fact in our experience, and in the studies of others, babies who are the product of the attachment style of parenting (for example, worn in a baby sling for many hours a day) often show more advanced motor skills. No matter which baby in the neighborhood walks first or wins the speed race, the age of walking has nothing to do with eventual intelligence or motor skills. When and how your baby walks is as unique as his personality.

So BB [V] is not considered a early walker which means she is not considered impulsive which I think is good and she won't be accident prone.. *smiles*

So many parties

and DD T has been following us...

The husband is getting all confused with the many parties that we have been invited.. it has been a weekly thing in Jan and this week it was fri, sat and sun....

We missed the lots in Dec as we were overseas and making up now in Jan.... DD T is pretty amused by the "selected" people in selected parties and new faces in some...

He has been trying hard in recognizing the faces and has been probing me in the stories that each individual entails...

So his comments were.. "GOSH, if you put 2 women together and it spells trouble.. what not 30 women, its a concoction that brews problems"

So he is hanging around with daddies lots....

Getting info

so family always say that BB [V] is stubborn like me... but when I read DR Sear's, it means she has the spunk.. the same spunk that helps her get up after a fall and try again...

Like I mention earlier that it has been a tough and rough week

Things I have observed:

1) She gets all upset when I tell her "no", used to be able to stop whatever she was doing

2) She crawls further from her usual comfort zone; she usually will turn bac to look at me after 10 crawling steps

3) She started "keeping" her toys; meaning she puts her toys inside the box

4) She hates to sleep; gets all upset when the lights are off

5) She has learn about doors, knobs; constanly opening, closing and insisting to keep the door stuck at the magnetic knob

6) Must stand and stand; eat stand, watch tv stand

7) Wants me to be within sight; if not she will search for me... behaves like when she was 5-6 months = sticky

8) Wakes up every few hours = like a infant

Damn desperate = Dr Sears webbie..

"Developing children take two steps forward and one step backward. In each stage of development, they bounce back and forth from equilibrium to disequilibrium. While they're stepping forward into uncharted territory, finding new friends, trying new things, expect discipline problems due to the anxiety that tags along with experimenting. In each stage, expect the calm to come after the storm. The same child who spent two months in a snit may act like an angel for the next three. This developmental quirk can work to the child's advantage and yours. Spot which phase your child is in. If he's trying to move away and grow up a bit, let out the line. During this phase, your child may seem distant from you; she may even answer back and defy you. Don't take this personally. This phase will soon pass. The child is just in the "do it myself" phase and needs some space and coaching (including correcting) from the sidelines.

One day soon, as sure as sunrise follows nightfall, you'll find your child snuggling next to you on the couch asking for help with tasks and suggesting activities you can do together. You may even wake up one morning and discover your six-year-old nestled next to you in bed. This child is now in a reconnecting phase, a pit stop in the developmental journey when your child needs emotional refueling.

When parents and child are out of harmony, discipline problems multiply. If your child is trying to break away when you are trying to bond, you are likely to overreact to what may be normal behaviors of independence. If you are too busy while your child is in the reconnecting phase, you miss a window of opportunity to strengthen your positions as comforter, adviser, authority figure, and disciplinarian

"TADA" the calm before the storm.... good luck to all who have been having the calm, for the storm will be like mine!!! Though I can feel that the storm is diminishing soon.. *crosses fingers* Now I'm waiting for the reconnecting phrase cause we are damn bloody ready!

Tough week

its been 7 days or more?...

Its close to 1 am and she is still awake...

there was the fighting with her to force her to sleep a 2200-2230 .. hellavu lots of crying and screaming from her

the we relented and tried patting her to sleep .. didn't want Daddy T and so I tried walking her to sleep but failed..

2300-000 she was busy standing up on her bed and trying to climb down and up of the bed

0000- till now.. opening and closing the door and playing with her toys..

I'm so darn tired! its been 7 or more days of these nonsense...1st we thought she was teething and whacked a lot of the teething gel to appease her.. so I latch her alots and she wakes up almost every few hours and the naps are 1/2 hr types....

but slowly we discovered that it wasn't just teeth... she was trying to achieve something and is refusing to sleep... it so reminds me of her when she was trying to crawl...

gosh... guess she wants to walk..

Time alone

spending quiet moments...

I rushed my book the whole of yesterday and the new year's didn't seem anything special... just a glass of bubbly and my lappie with the family...

Ordered my book and it will be delivered by 11 Jan ... costs Daddy Trev 100 USD with shipping costs and all.. I told him its my effort and your wallet... :) You won't believe the sense of accomplishment I had when I ordered my finished product and am hoping that I will feel the same when it arrives... of course DD T's 1st question was "Are you selling your book?" (typical businessman hmmpff)

So next 2 weeks will be preparing for her bash... then the whole bloody world isn't replying to my emails as everyone is in party mode, which means I can get no shit done, which is frustrating me lots.... sometimes being a SAHM makes me feel I'm running a business or something.. I'm always on my lappie doing this and that...1st the blog then came the book then my newest passion of photography :)

gotta finalized the venue, cake, entertainment, guest list.. hell you know its like wedding! then its the who to invite, whether to invite or must invite thing that I hate most...

The worse part is that my brain is still on holiday mood and I can't bloody decide on what design I want on the cake and when I ask the father, all he was bothered about was how much? then I showed him the cakes, he started getting me all confused (one moment pink nice, then purple nicer, then back to this n that).. ain't all men? I hate to feel that I have no control what I want.. sux!

oh well, enough of ranting... I know all will fall into place soon....