Aunty Nita

The time has come, 13 years down and it was time for her to go home. Nita came to this family at a mere young age of 23, a transfer help who couldn't get along with her previous help. Came here and became part of the family and yes its rare to get help that works for more than 1o years. 

I believe that Trev and I got together for about 10 years already, married for 6, dated for 4, known since I was 18? erm Seriously cannot remember, yea I suck in things like this.... Basically what I was trying to say is that she has been around ever since, from those days of my MIL cooking till the last 3 Xmas, she was the one that cooked. If you celebrate Xmas u will know that the cook plays an important role and trust has been build if she can be the chef for the occasion. 

Last 3 years has been a breaking point for her ever since her mom passed away.. her dad has been requesting for her to go back. With the birth of her nephew and niece, she has took over loving Victoria like her own niece. She sleeps with V during naps and puts her to sleep when we are not around, yes they are that close. V no longer asks for the grandmom for night sleeps but with Nita, they have their story telling, fun time in the room with Fluffy. Its hilarious looking at them have such fun... which is why Trev and I have time to go for dates.   

Even our house dog is looked after solely by her, sleeps with her! After the death of our other maltese, they bought another one and we all accepted her suggestion of naming her Fluffy. Yes this dog is going through depression for sure, the last few times when she went home for a visit, the dog went quirky. 

Time has arrived for her to go back, she is 36 years now, health hasn't been good with the knees. Too much climbing of our evil stairs at home... went in and out of the hospital many time to drain water our of her swollen knees. So when u put everything together, it was really time. She has been proposing to go back for the last 2 years but was not approved by my MIL as she feels that she will suffer when she returns to the hometown... but eventually after much discussion, MIL finally agreed. 

Yesterday was her last day, we had a farewell dinner and bought her a cake. Prior to that, she has visits from most relatives who came to visit her and have her angbaos. She received more than 2k of angbaos and we joked at her becoming a thousandaire. *note I have generous neighbors, left and right of this unit lol... I bought her a Coach bag instead, for her to if ever have a new job in the corporate and look the part. She gets my Mary Kay products for gifts normally instead of money as I find that she doesn't spend on herself. 

I skipped the airport farewell coz I will breakdown. Everyone went to sent her off and I was told by V when she came back from school "Mummy Tita Tits left for good already and I cried" Its time like this that you pray that the next person that comes into this family will be as well loved by everyone...... 

V insisted on the flowers

V and her loves... Tita Tits and Tita Jean

the usual suspects at home to keep my princess busy daily

of course, she thinks its her cake

had to take one for the road... blessed are we to have a helper that keeps the family sane

No its not me!!!!

Baby, this is you... 

nope its not!! 

Do you have a child that refuses to admit that they were once a baby? I have one....

Although we have her photos around the house, she just insists that its a baby not her. When u asks her where she came from, she says she appear from the floor. oh man... then the drama when we show her her infant photos... loads of tears coz they DO NOT look like her.

Then we actually all agree to it... she looks so different. Can't really blame her, can we?

1808

I got into my 1st accident....

Its the day after as I was really exhausted after the mayhem and slept early. I woke up at 630 am, hungry. Got myself a hot bowl of bird's nest for breakfast and blogged. I had already wrote a long post but it went missing :( whats new right?

Yesterday was such drama.. small one. The driver didn't stop his car at the stopline and rammed into me, the car that was driving normally on the road. I actually could see it coming towards me and accelerated, thank goodness I did that coz if not it would have been at my door. I came out to scold the driver of the peugeot but he was struggling with his door, he couldn't open and his bumper was loose. The benz got away with a scratch and the rims of the rear right were scratched scratched :( (did I mention the car just arrived? yea I am pretty screwed)   We did the necessary things and I drove off...

Arrived at my event and did the setup, made a call to Trev and he insisted that I go to the hospital for I was feeling discomfort as BB was moving too much. Guess it was due to the impact from the seatbelt.... I went back to event, delegated the duties, apologized to the guests and consultants and cabbed to KKH. Made a call to Dr Han- Thank goodness I have his direct no and was given instructions on what to do. It was really really assuring.... 

After the hoolubuloo at the delievry suite - I was even placed in the same room as the one I went to get my diahorrea checked before I had V. So u can imgaine the thoughts that I had that time :( I was so not ready to have the baby.... kept myself busy that time by FB-ing and sms-ing to erase all negative thoughts. Dr came to check and there was no dilation and contractions *thank god. I left the and cabbed back to my event.

I came home really exhausted and waited for V to come back from dinner. At that moment she came back with my MIL and 2 helpers, I said a little prayer to thank god for the help he is rendering to us. I felt so assured that my gal is so protected by the people she loves and that the parents are able to go and get things done, including the mini drama I had and still carry on like nothing happened.

The car has be sorted I think, gave all the info to the agent in charge of it. Will leave it to the guys to deal it it when they come back from the biz trip. For me, my role is to ensure that baby will be safe till full term and think driving is not a good idea for now. Too much of a scare and its not worth it.. will be cabbing for the next month. Will leave the 2 cars driveless for now..

Well it was a great reminder that I haven't got things ready for the BB, and that with Trev away for 2 weeks , it can be pretty handicapped when I am not ready. Coz the house has to be ready for the arrival.. I alwsys thought that Trev will be here when the BB comes and he can run the household, but God has his plans and reminds in life to teach u little things, isnt it.

I said a BIG THANK YOU To my guradian angel last night and V was like "what u say mummy?" I told her to thank her angel and she was "oh not yet, I will say later" but I insisted and she too shouted "Thank You!"

 Its things like that that you realized they are always around....  have you thanked yours yet?

my little chef

V has been watching alot of cooking shows on youtube, she has been requesting us to buy her this mixer and that baking thing. In this house, nobody bakes.... its a house of food- as in the talent is cooking not baking. The bakers are in other household and we are not short of them in this family. 

Nobody craves much for sweets here, if we do, its just a phone call away and it arrives within the next few days. We have awesome bakers in the family... 

So this child likes baking... I reckon its easier than frying right? So its off to buy Betty Crocker hahahah. I do not wish to weigh flour, sugar etc. I mean I can bake, but I don't LOVE it to have all the equipments here. Those were the days when I cook and bake, yes this pair of hands can cook. 

I didn't bother getting her a mixer, just a spoon to mix it ... but hey she is quite a talent. then again how tough is it right?

betty crocker to the rescue

just this easy.... mix mix mix

seriously easy 

happy camper

like all bakers, they don't eat much of their own food! 

training her for beansprout plucking

was a pizza day.. 

$45 worth and we made 12 pizzas!!!

Besides the baking, there are days when I will do cooking with her, jelly making, pizza making.. things that gets her entertained and gets praises for! She enjoys eating her own food, well there are days when its a success and some days just mediocre. We will be moving to cooking soup and blending smoothies soon. 

34 weeks

Visited the gynae today...

We decided on donating the cord blood and had a grueling interview (questionnaire) to fill up. Like omg the questions!! Only if the husband was here... It will be loads easier! Anyway,donating the cord blood is a great idea for the society as many ppl will get a chance of life with this opppotunity :) . If we do need the blood in future, there will be a nominal fee to pay (if it's still available), sibling pays $250 & if we need to take others from the cord bank, it costs $26,000. It feels great to have come to this decision, we kept V's cord blood and found that it was pretty redundant as its a better chance for the society to make use of it. God will have his plans....

Baby development : bb is crazily heavy at 2.8kg ! Yep I have another 6 weeks which means by is going to be huge... How fun for the delivery :( . Dr expected bb to be even heavier than V, who was 3.42kg at birth (already a toughie to get her out) lets see if this one will hit 4kg. It's really amazing if you see me and tat my tummy is tiny but inside is a heavyweight. No wonder l weigh heavier this round! I have not change my dressing expect for some tight fitting dresses the I bought at L size, but I don't wear any maternity dresses or rather didn't buy any. Yea body is pretty much the same ... That day I did makeup training class and after the class, the ladies was asking me to go clubbing with them! I was like "hello I'm expecting" ! Trust me it was only then the looked carefully at me and was shocked! Lol .. They thought I was just bloated... Bleah....

The discomfort has increased, with the irritating heartburn nightly... The stomach is getting really heavy and is sometimes almost impossible to get up once I lie down :(

Today I paid for my stay in kkh and it's estimated low of  $4.7k, high of $5.6k. Like how did hospitals get so expensive ;(.... Medisave covers $2k+ and I signed with my credit card for $2649!! Yikes... It's an increase of $800 since our last birth at 2009... And they so called renovated the rooms hahaha... If you do the sums, Dr consultations are on the average $100 with the test at 3months -$300 +, detail scan $400 + ...  Like today there was swap test for strep b $150+, increased visitation, vitamins, pills .. Believe it has reached $2k.  

Calculated of using cash is $2k & $2.6k = $4.6 k (minimum) let's just round up to $5k per child without calculating medisave. Hmm.

Potty training

Princess has been a darling most of the time, with the exception when she doesn't nap - the crankiness is to die for!! We have successfully potty trained her, yea there are accidents but till date like 3-4 times; always under the father's care. *sigh

She started to be off diapers for school for about the whole of this year already, started when teachers commented on the interest in using the toilet when her friends are doing so. Then we went potty shopping and she got herself a nice yellow potty with cover and all. Started her daily on potty at home, then came that rash she caught outside (which means she is still on diapers outside till date). Night potty training started about 3-4 months ago and has been successful!  I did it the cold turkey way, no pull up even. Prep talks every night and eventually she got it right. Pees before she drinks milk, pees after if she is still awake.

Every human/child alike sleeps in 90 mins block and so I will always time her 1st cycle. If she sleeps at 9pm, we will pick her up to do a pee at 1130am. Then the next pee by experience is 3 cycles later at 5-6pm. If its a week end and we will wan to sleep in late, we will do a pee at 2 am before we sleep and so it will last till 8-9am.

Normally V sleeps at 10-ish, so I will do the 1st pee break at 1or 2 am before I sleep and Trev will do a 6am. He has tried to be lazy and skips either one but V always is quicker than him. Then he gets a scolding from me, for being lazy. Yea there are days I don't have pee duties for baby carrying drives me tired. But 80% of the time I am in...

Next round is to go diaper less outside, but we are holding it back till she can hold it real well... sleep training is the milestone I was aiming for and we are 80% there. Just gotta wait till she is older when she can auto wakeup and do it herself or hold it in for min 10 hours. I know that will be about when she is 4/5 years old.

Me at 32 weeks

Im currently at 33 weeks, this was taken last week.

I am getting weaker by the week and this week has been heartburn + fatigue.

It's the same problems that haunted me during my 3rd month and I guess this is reversal time. Baby is now 2.2 kg- yea, small compact tummy but heavy :( . It gets difficult to turn in bed hahahaha, and getting out of bed! Coz the minute I am comfortable lying down, suddenly the bones gets stiff and muscles gets tight. Thank god that my gyane allowed me to use Salonpas plasters for my hip bones. I had to reconfirm with him for google was against the use of it.. his words "Google always say no to everything"

Weight has been piling on quickly this round for I am on junk food most of the time, how I wish this child eats more. Sigh, I survive on chips and chocolate for baby likes small quantity. Which means I grow fatter this way right? coz its rubbish food, so am trying for more salad and veggies now.

me at 30 weeks

with Victoria I had more photos of my tummy and etc.. though I better document this one before the stomach flattens!!! Here is me at 30 weeks, seriously think I look real awesome. This self praise I am giving myself for hey I am carrying a human being and yet I look like I am able to go and get hooked hahahahah!!

helpers ...

there was a "big" drama last week regarding the help that we have at home...

Yea we took another help, she came when I was in Dallas... although me n trev was her "boss", we never much care for a employee and employer relationship. It was somewhere 2 months ago, I convinced my father in law that we need an additional help. Yes, he is that anal about another one more woman in the house. But you see he doesn't see the workload that is necessary to maintain a household, he comes back when all work is done. Our helper has been with us for 13 whopping years! So you can imagine the clockwork this household goes through everyday, and her ailing body that has been punished by the stairs in this house. She came to me one day, telling me of her hope of going home as she misses her father and her ailment of her aching knee. I listened to her story and made a call to the husband, fixed an appointment with my father in law that very day.

I drove down to the office, sat down and spoke to him about the need of having that 2nd help. That empathy must be given to a employee of 13 years and her wish of going home. It was a simple 10 min convo and I left his table... his decision was to send her back immediately and not even wanting the 6 month unpaid leave she requested. I insist on maximizing her permit and giving her the 6 months unpaid leave, reminding him that help of such is a rarity.  Went into the warehouse and spoke to Trev and state my case. In the end it was their turn to have a discussion.

I came back and waited for a decision, family called for a meeting (without the mother in law), spoke and came to conclusion. Her desire to go home and rest at least 6 months there, we requested her to stay until as long as her permit allows, train the 2nd help before she leaves. I was very firm on this as I am due in september and do not wish for major cock up when I go out for my appointments. So all was agreed, info passed on to the MIL and she shot to the sky about such preposterous decision of 6 months unpaid leave, insisted on 3 months. Me - cannot be bothered with a change of decision,  FIL - whatever, Trev- just to keep the Mum shut.

The hunt of the helper went on, without my help. 1st- I am a noob when it come to this. Trev went through 4-5 helpers before he was able to get this one that came - a transfer. During that time, man, he was so afraid of updating me on the situation to this for me to take this long is incompetent.

So she came finally.... then one day she told my MIL that she wanted a transfer!!! bitch. I checked with Nita on what happened and realized she was reprimanded that morning by her coz the work was not up to par. So it came a seniority and juniority thing - and I though it only happen in SQ *rolls eyes. Made a call to the husband and we came to a decision quickly. We were keen to send her back, but the agency called back to explain on the situation. The new one -Jean is just purely stress on the workload that is to come when Nita leaves. She didn't complain about us ill treating her but how we dote her like a daughter etc. Which ever it is, we requested for a new helper that will arrive in 6 weeks.

The whole family was pissed with the saga, spoke about it but it boils down to our decision for she is ours. In the end, I decided to call for a meeting the next day with the 2 help.... got them to explain to me what exactly happened and behave like adults women; not young girls with PMS. Made my stand about them having a roster for this month to ensure work is evenly distributed... Trev gave his lecture and I was very simple; I insisted on a system. If this system doesn't work, its bye bye time for then its laziness. For I think if they can use hp, watch tv, chill out and sleep early in this household and still complain=purely attitude problem.

We are watching her....