Prince Edison's Blog

Our Blog Has Moved

2009-01-11T21:26:00.002+08:00

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Our new home is at http://ourlittlesmarties.com/. Come and visit us!
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A Very Active Toddler

2009-01-09T09:47:00.002+08:00

Little Edison is becoming increasingly active and adventurous nowadays. His natural curiosity opens up a wide array of play experiences for him; especially when he can move around easily without needing to seek help.

Everyday, he will go up and down the stairs using different strategies. It is amazing to see how well he can coordinate his hands and feet in his movements. This has been a good exercise for him.

We allow him to roam freely and venture around the house. I strongly believe that too many restrictions can hinder his physical development. Therefore, we don’t confine him in playpen or play yard. We make him aware of safety by constantly reminding him to watch out what he does and warn him whenever necessary.

Little Edison has always been a brave boy. Occasional tumble is unavoidable these days due to his activeness. But this does not upset him at all. We give him plenty of encouragement and this helps to boast his self confidence.

He loves to show off his new talents to me. Sometime back, he demonstrated to me that he is able to walk backwards. I smiled at him and praised him. He was so proud of his newly acquired skills.

I’m so delighted with his amazing development and growing independence.

The Game Has Begun

2009-01-08T14:28:00.002+08:00

Two days ago, I mentioned about my plan to start blogging with Wordpress on a self-hosted site. This is what I’ve done so far:

1. I’ve bought the domain name for my new blog. It’s a dot com! I’ll hold on to the announcement of this new site until all the works are done. So, please bear with me for a little longer. Okie?

2. I’ve chosen a web hosting company for my new blog. Bryan from IXIY Hosting has registered my domain and set-up my new blog in Wordpress.

3. I’ve chosen a Wordpress theme. This is more tedious that I’ve expected. Wordpress has too many free themes to choose from. Thus, finding one theme that meets all my requirement isn’t so simple. At a start, I’ve decided to go for a free theme. Depending on the progress of my blog, I may get a professionally designed theme in future.

Bryan helped me to install my new theme yesterday. I was so pleased to see the results! It was such a breeze having an expert to do all the techie works for me. I don’t have to bury myself with the ‘Wordpress for Dummies’ handbook.

I’ve spent 2 hours reading the Wordpress tutorials last night. It seems to me that Wordpress is much more complicated than Blogger. Or maybe it’s just a matter of getting used to it. I'll have a lot more to learn.

Now, my biggest headache is to plan for the layout of my new blog. I don’t intend to copy this Blogger blog over to Wordpress. I want to create a totally new refreshing look. Thus, I will need a little longer time to achieve what I want.

Last but not least, I’ll need to install the plugins into my new blog before I can start writing. Let’s hope that the subsequent works are going to be fuss-free for me.

Second Anniversary

2009-01-07T11:37:00.006+08:00

7 Jan 09 – Today is the second anniversary of a very important date in my life. Two years ago, on this day, I was given the most precious gift in my life. It was my first time; I was so thrilled and excited with this big surprise. Although some of the mothers may have forgotten this date, but I can still remember it vividly.

So, what exactly is the date that I’m talking about? On this day, I found out that I was pregnant. It came so sudden and unexpected. My husband and I were so excited and happy. We quickly announced our pregnancy to our parents.

Coincidentally, this date is also my husband’s birthday! So, it was a ‘double happiness’ for us. On 7 Jan 07, we went for a nice dinner to celebrate my husband’s 31st birthday. After the dinner, we went for shopping. I happened to walk pass Watson’s and so I thought of buying a home pregnancy test kit. I had this feeling that I’ve missed my period for a while.

I really didn’t expect myself to be pregnant. Reason – my menstruation cycle can be quite irregular at times due to stress or lack of sleep. So, I thought that perhaps it’s just another stress factor.

When I saw the two pink lines for the first time, I squeaked with delight. “Dear, I’m pregnant!” Both of us were so happy with our new 'discovery' that night. Our smart little Edison has chosen a good date to inform Daddy & Mummy on his arrival.

As mentioned earlier, today is my husband’s birthday. I’ll be taking half day off this afternoon to celebrate this special day with him.

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To My Wonderful Husband,
Happy Birthday to You! My love for you grows and grows with each passing year. Wish you a great year ahead with lots and lots of luck.--

Buying My Own Domain

2009-01-06T09:40:00.002+08:00

It’s official. I’m going to buy my own domain today. I’ve been toying with this idea for several weeks now, and I’ve decided to go ahead and do it with courage!

Due to the limitations in Blogger, I’ve decided to set-up my new blog in Wordpress. I’m thinking of a new theme for my blog now. I’m not an expert in domain registration and web hosting. So, I engaged professional help with a very reasonable charge.

If you are wondering why I want to buy my own domain when free sites are easily available, let me explain to you. Free site is like a rented house. It doesn’t belong to us. We are restricted by the rental rules and regulations. Own domain is like our own house. We can decorate it as much as we like. It’s something that truly belongs to us.

Secondly, having a dot com or a dot net is much more professional. Compare www.prince-edison.com and prince-edison.blogspot.com. You will know what I mean. I’ve been blogging for a year now. I have a strong passion in it, and I want to bring this interest to a higher level.

Thirdly, it’s so affordable to own a domain. Forgo buying one dress and we can have our own website for ONE YEAR. We are assured of the security of our own website, as compared to those erratic free services. Furthermore, it’s ad-free!

Lastly, we deserve it. We put in so much effort in our blogs with beautifully written posts and fantastic pictures, we definitely want to preserve and secure them.

I’m looking forward to launch my new blog next month. That ‘auspicious date’ is however not confirmed yet. You will definitely be invited to my house-warming party!

My 2009 New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-05T13:55:00.005+08:00

This comes in later this year as I was too occupied for the past few days. Today is my first working day in 2009, I feel so refreshed and energized after a two-week break. I spent half an hour after lunch to think about my resolutions for this year.

My resolutions are yet very simple. Honestly, I’m not a naturally disciplined person. Thus, I’m keeping them simple so that I don’t lost focus.

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For myself
Eat well. Live well. Try to exercise. Plan some personal time for myself every month. Take care of my skin and hair (very important!). Drink more water and reduce the coffee.

For my husband
Love my husband. Spend more time with him. Understand and support him. Take care of his health.

For my son
Take great care of Edison. Coach him, teach him and guide him. Create enjoyable learning experiences for him. Organize more outdoor activities for him. Take care of his diet and health.

My blog
Improve my blog and writing. Buy myself a domain. I’ve been toying with this idea for a while. I think I should just do it. I truly want to have a website of my own.

My career
Deliver the best that I can. It’s not the right time for ‘job hop’.

New addition to the family
Probably, I can start thinking about it. (I mean ‘thinking’, not ‘planning’ yet!). I need to build up the courage. It’s really not easy going through the 9 months of pregnancy again.

My wishlist
I want to own a Rolex watch. My husband has agreed to get one for me this year. (Thanks so much, dear!)

2008 has been a remarkable year for me. I’m so happy now. I’m definitely looking forward to an exciting 2009!

Hello 2009!

2009-01-02T10:44:00.000+08:00

Wow, this is my first post in year 2009. I’ve been occupied with family visit this week; this explains the lack of posting in my blog.

What’s my resolution for 2009? I’ve been too lazy to think about it now. Perhaps, I should spend sometime to review the events that happened in 2008 and think of something more productive and meaningful for 2009.

Hmm. I wonder what 2009 has in store for me. I know that this year is going to be tough. So, the ‘key’ to survival is to save money and spend within my limit. With confidence, discipline and determination, I’m sure that we can ride out the recession with minimal damage.

2008 has been a really special year for me. I’m thankful for everyone who has played a part in my life – my parents, my parents-in-law, my siblings, my brother-in-law, my colleagues and my friends.

I'm most thankful for being blessed with a wonderful family. I’m thankful for my husband, Venneth, who loves me on my good days and bad days. I’m thankful for my son, Edison, who brings happiness into my life and makes it so complete.

Trip to Mount Faber

2008-12-27T22:40:00.000+08:00

For the past two weeks, shopping malls have been crazily over-packed with people due to the festive seasons. Thus, we are not going to any of these sardine packed malls for the time being. We decided to get a little closer to nature and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Anyway, we are not attending our lesson at Shichida today due to the term break. We headed to Mount Faber after our lunch. This is also Edison’s first visit to Mount Faber.

We enjoyed the serenity of the natural environment as well as the breathtaking sceneries. It was a sweet weekend getaway. Here are some pictures to share:

My favourite picture is this:

"Yo! What's that over there?!"

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This Christmas vs Last Christmas

2008-12-26T13:22:00.001+08:00

Christmas 2007 @ Vivo City

Christmas 2008 @ Paragon

A year passed us by in a glimpse of an eye. Our little Edison has blossomed into a 1.5 year old toddler; who is so intelligent, loving, active and adventurous.

Learning to Talk is FUN!

2008-12-25T11:56:00.002+08:00

Edison has achieved his biggest milestone in walking when he was around 12 months old. Nowadays, he is simply unstoppable – walking, climbing, running and dancing (yes! my boy can dance!). All these activities keep him busy throughout the day.

The next milestone that we are anticipating is talking. So far, he can pronounce these words clearly – mama, papa, bird, star and flower. We are delighted whenever a new word creeps into his vocabulary. This is a positive sign towards his language development.

There are a few words that are 'super sensitive' to little Edison. Whenever he hears them, he will react immediately.

Word: flash cards
Action: He will walk to our room, open the cabinet and pull out the flash cards.

Word: shower
Action: He will walk to the bathroom, take his shower gel and shampoo, and place them onto the floor.

Word: music
Action: He will pull his high hair to our dining table and look out for my lappie. We always sing together with the musical flash card slideshows in my lappie.

Learning to talk has been fun for little Edison too. Here’s my conversation with him this morning:

Me: “Edison, call mama.”
Edison: “Mama!”

Me: “Edison, say Jagung.” (maize in Malay)
Edison: “Ah-Ung.”

Me: “Edison, say Jambu.”
Edison: “Bu-Bu.”

Look at this picture. He seems to be talking @#$% language too! Cute! He talks with gestures too.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T09:28:00.000+08:00

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND AN EVEN BETTER NEW YEAR!

DIY Flash Card #4: Occupations

2008-12-23T22:14:00.007+08:00

In my earlier post, I mentioned about sharing my DIY flash card files. A few mothers e-mailed me to express their interests in sharing the flash cards. I’m so delighted. Thanks all for your e-mails.

I’ve uploaded all the flash cards in Microsoft PowerPoint in Ripway. The download links have been added to my previous DIY Flash Card posts. The short-cuts have also been created at the right sidebar of this blog. If there is any broken links, please notify me via comments or e-mails.

If you are using A4 size blank flash cards, you can print one slide per page. For me, I'm using A5 blank flash cards. So, I print in handouts with two slides per page. Two slides will be printed on one A4 paper. Then I cut them into two and paste them onto A5 blank flash cards.

This is set #4 for occupations.

Title: Occupations
Contents:
1. Doctor
2. Dentist
3. Police
4. Teacher
5. Scientist
6. Pilot
7. Singer
8. Pediatrician
9. Nurse
10. Soldier
11. Sailor
12. Barber

Download URL: http://h1.ripway.com/newbb77/Occupations1.ppt

Oatmeal: An Alternative to Porridge

2008-12-22T22:13:00.004+08:00

Edison has been a little fussy with food recently. He doesn’t want to eat porridge, no matter how hard we try. As a result, we have been cooking oatmeal for his lunch and dinner. He seems to enjoy eating oatmeal. Much to my surprise, he can finish one full bowl of oatmeal as compared to half bowl of porridge that he usually eats.

If you are having problem feeding your toddler with porridge, oatmeal is a good alternative for you. Oats are an excellent source of soluble fiber, protein, vitamin B, iron and calcium. It's a good idea to get our toddlers to enjoy oats from an early age, as they play a very important role in good health throughout adulthood too. Regular consumption of oats can reduce the symptoms of asthma, lowers cholesterol, aids in the prevention of heart disease and boosts the body's immune system.

Due to the high fiber content, oatmeal does not cause constipation. In fact, little Edison has bowel movement almost everyday. I would say 98% of the time; he has smooth bowel movement everyday.

Apart from all these nutritional benefits, oatmeal is actually quite easy to prepare. I’m using Quaker Instant Oatmeal. I mix one serving of meat/fish and one serving of veggie/egg in cooking oatmeal for little Edison. Here’s a simple recipe for oatmeal with fish and veggie combo.

Oatmeal with Threadfin and Broccoli

3 tbsp of instant oats (for one bowl of oatmeal)
Broccoli
Threadfin
Bovril (optional)

1. Cook broccoli with boiling water to soften. Finely chopped, then put aside.
2. Cut threadfin into thin slices and remove all the bones.
3. Boil two cups of water in a pot. Cook the threadfin once the water is boiled. Once it is cooked, scoop the threadfin into a bowl and mash it.
4. Don’t pour away the water that we used to cook the threadfin in step #3. Leave it in the pot to cool down for about 5-10 mins.
5. When the water is cooled down, add the instant oats into the pot and cook over small fire. Keep stirring to prevent sticking and clumping. Add the mashed threadfin and chopped broccoli with the oats.
6. Continue to stir and cook until we reach a smooth texture. I normally cook for about 10 mins and the oatmeal will turn smooth and creamy.
7. Finally, add Bovril or Marmite if you want. Turn off the fire and let the oatmeal to cool down for a while before serving.

This is Edison’s lunch of the day. Complete the meal with two teaspoon of cod liver oil.

A yummy lunch to meet his growing appetite!

A Toast to My Last Working Day in 2008

2008-12-19T13:39:00.006+08:00

Yippee! Today is my last working day for this year. I’ll be officially off from tomorrow till 4 Jan 09. The next two weeks are going to be a well-deserved break for me. My company is shutting down to reduce cost due to the terrible downturn. Nonetheless, I still need to follow-up on some urgent builds and pilot runs. I can't shutdown my mind completely.

Well, it seems like the holiday mode has been turned ON today. I’m seeing lesser people in the canteen and office. I’ve started to receive Christmas presents and chocolates from my colleagues. Now, I’m going to do some clearance & cleaning, throw away unwanted papers, polish my white board, change the calendar and set my out of office notice.

2008 has been a super busy year for me especially the first 4 months where Edison was attending infant care. Back then, I didn’t have a maid. I thought that infant care will be a better option than maid or babysitter. I was totally wrong. The infant care turned out to be a disaster! We made the right choice by withdrawing him from infant care in end April.

We employed a maid to take care of little Edison. People always say that finding a good maid is like striking a lottery. I’ve never strike any lottery before, but I think I’m really lucky to find such a good maid. Niti has been with me for 8 months now and I’m very satisfied with her work performance.

One of the main reasons is because I have a superb mother-in-law. She is the supervisor and trainer for my maid. She provides guidance and help to my maid whenever she need. She treats my maid like part of our family and I can see that my maid respect her a lot too. My father-in-law is a very kind man and he is always there to help us. I’m so grateful to both of them.

On the other hand, I’m grateful to my boss too. When Edison was sick, I took urgent leave to take care of him. My boss has been very understanding and she never rejects my leave application. I have a bunch of helpful colleagues who always help me during my absence. We all work like a team!

2008 has been a tough year, and we managed to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles. Now, come toast with me! Sayonara to 2008 and Welcome 2009!

More about Flash Cards

2008-12-18T11:46:00.007+08:00

Today, I’m going to blog about this boring subject again – Flash Cards. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you’ll notice that I talk a lot on flash cards. In fact, if you are with Shichida Method (SM), you know that we can’t escape from flash cards. I believe that it works somehow, and that’s why I’m putting so much effort in it.

Purposes of Flash Cards
If you are wondering what the purpose of practicing flash cards is, let me give you a good introduction about it. Flashing the cards in a high speed activates our child’s right brain and empowers their memory ability. When we flash the picture cards, we read out the words at the same time. While the pictures are processed by the right brain, the left brain picks up the language. Both sides of the brain are connected during the process. In addition, flash cards can also increase our child’s vocabulary.

Topics for Flash Cards
I focus on the basic concepts; i.e. colours, shapes, sizes, numbers, orders, time etc. Understanding these basic concepts is the most important milestone for a one year-old. In addition, I also make picture cards with the same theme or topics, i.e. types of flowers, occupations, food, fruits, things you’ll see in town, Disney characters etc.

Pointers
I want to share with you four important pointers when we are practicing flash cards with our child. [taken from Shichida Method Parent Education Course Manual]
1. Do not repeat the same set of cards at a time.
2. Start with 100 cards in the first month, then to an average of 250, and then slowly move forward to 1000.
3. Have a title for each set of cards.
4. Set the cards higher than the child’s eye level.

DIY Flash Cards
I’ve made lots of them. In fact, it’s very easy, not to mention the cost savings if we make the cards ourselves. We can customize the pictures, themes and topics the way we want.

Sharing of Flash Cards
Yes! E-mail me! I’m open to sharing of flash cards and resources. Oh, I’m thinking of sharing my flash cards in Power Point format with you. I need a web hosting site for me to upload these files. Let me think of how to do this.

Read:
DIY Flash Card #3: Sesame Street Characters
DIY Flash Cards – It is so easy!

Okay, after a long post, let’s relax your eyes with pictures of cute Edison...

--Yippee! Christmas coming! Can you see the snow? =)

Thoughts on Parenting: Avoid Raising a Spoiled Child

2008-12-17T06:17:00.001+08:00

1. Is your child’s unreasonable needs constantly met?

2. Is your child’s annoying whiny behavior often tolerated?

3. Is your child’s minor wants are always met at great cost even if they cause severe inconvenience to others?

Any ‘yes’ to the above questions means that we are potentially spoiling our kids. I read these questions over and over again, think and think. Honestly, I don’t think I have a ‘yes’ for any of them.

Children of this generation are becoming more spoiled. They have power over their parents. We have seen many of them at shopping malls, MacDonald’s and at schools. They throw tantrums to get what they want; complete with screaming, whining and crying. We should not let this happen to our children.

Spoiled children are caused by permissive parenting; parents who don’t set the limits and constantly give in to their children whenever they throw tantrums or cry. Spoiled children often find it hard to share, wait for their turn, appreciate what they have and accept what they don’t have. Negative behaviors such as selfishness, bossy, rude and bad tempered are often associated with spoiled children.

We can prevent this from happening by setting the limits and maintain healthy boundaries for our children. Be firm and do not give in to their screaming or crying, let it falls on deaf ears. It takes a strong willpower to say ‘no’ to them. When we say ‘no’, we really mean it. Always be consistent.

I would like to share with you a very beautiful write-up about ways to prevent our children from being spoiled. Click HERE to read.

In short, we should spend more quality time with our children. Do not replace time, love and affection with money and material objects. We should provide them with the attention that they need, always set limits and maintain the healthy boundaries.

Currently Watching 'The Gem of Life'

2008-12-16T13:16:00.004+08:00

I crashed into bed at 10pm last night and had my 9 hours of beauty sleep. Phew! It feels so good and refreshing when I woke up this morning. I was so exhausted yesterday due to the lack of sleep for the past few nights. I’m on another drama marathon. My brain malfunctioned yesterday, and I realized that I should get my hands off those DVDs and get some sleep.

I’m currently watching The Gem of Life (珠光寶氣), a Hong Kong TVB mega drama with 82 episodes. The Gem of Life is said to be the most expensive TVB production to-date and it took one year to complete the filming. Be dazzled with the glamorous life styles of the rich and famous, elegant wardrobes, diamonds and expensive sets. Be exposed to the ugly sides of socialites. This drama has them all. Full of trills.

The drama revolves around three sisters played by Maggie Siu, Gigi Lai and Ada Choi. I’ve watched 8 episodes to-date. I would say that the first 8 episodes give a very good introduction to the many characters in the drama. The three sisters have their own marital problems that lead to their divorce at the beginning of the drama.

This drama has three celebrities that I adore – Gigi Lai, Moses Chan and Bowie Lam. They did an excellent job in the previous TVB hit War and Beauty. I’m a bit disappointed that Charmaine Sheh is not in this drama though. Another piece of sad news is that Gigi Lai is retiring from showbiz. This will be her last series, sobz…

I’ll be off for two weeks starting next Monday, so this drama really comes at the right time for me. Yippee!

I want that Dotty Top!

2008-12-15T14:46:00.003+08:00

I was surfing Shinnpark’s website this morning and a lovely dotty top caught my attention. I clicked on it and I was so pleased with what I saw. Risolene Dotty Top - a spaghetti strap white cotton top with print on black and polka dots. It is so pretty and cute. Perfect for that Sunday outing!

This is one of the items under the Perfectly Wrapped Collection which was launched last Wednesday. If you are looking for a dress for your Christmas party, then you should take a look at Shinnpark. The dresses are awesome, plus the prices are so affordable!

Within an hour, I made my order and received my order confirmation. This Risolene Dotty Top will be posted to me tomorrow. Eeek! I’m so excited!

Snow Effect Widget

2008-12-14T10:00:00.006+08:00

Christmas is around the corner. Want to add some "X-masy" feel to your blog? How about some snowflakes that trickle down the page?

You can add a simple snow effect widget to your blog with just a few clicks. Very easy, no need to crack your head with those XML codes. It works wonders on dark background. If you are interested, check it out here:

Add Snow Effect

I've added the widget too. But due to the light background in my blog, it is not obvious.

Drama Marathon is Back!

2008-12-12T09:15:00.003+08:00

Hey, I guess I am back! … Back to those days where I watch dramas in a marathon way! It has been 1.5 years since my last drama marathon. And now, I’m officially hooked again!

It all started last Monday when I watched the debut of this Taiwanese romance comedy called 不良笑花 (Miss No Good). It is now showing on Channel U from Monday – Friday 7pm.

Initially I thought that it’s just one of the too many teen idol dramas from the Taiwan entertainment industry. However, after watching the first episode, I found that it’s actually quite refreshing and funny. Rainie Yang and Wilber Pan pair up for the first time in this drama. There is lots of chemistry between them.

The story is about Jiang Xiao Hua (played by Rainie Yang), a jewelry store owner with a screwed fashion sense and a head of bouncy curls. Prince Charming Jia Si Le (played by Dean Fujioka) came back from Japan with the intention of dating Xiao Hua. Xiao Hua engaged Tang Men (Wilber Pan), a famous fashion guru whom she met by chance to transform her into an upper-class lady worthy of Si Le. Along the way, she fell in love with Tang Men.

I’m really excited to see Wilber Pan as an actor and I’m not disappointed at all. He is a very natural actor. I’m impressed by his performance in this drama.

For the past three nights, as soon as little Edison dozed off to Lala Land, I immediately hopped into the study room, switched on the computer and glued my eyes on the monitor to watch this drama on YouTube. Guess what? I’ve completed watching the drama last night. 13 episodes in 3 nights. Not a bad record huh?

Another TVB drama marathon is coming up soon for me. Hehehe… I’ll tell ya later.

How Life Changed

2008-12-11T11:02:00.003+08:00

People often say that parenting can change us in almost unimaginable ways. It’s true. For me, I don’t keep late nights anymore except for little Edison. I don’t go out without a kid in tow, unless I desperately need some alone time. Everywhere I am, everything that I do, little Edison is always in my mind and priority.

The same goes to my hubby, but to a lesser extent. He still meets up with his friends for drink, play computer games etc. I do understand that a regular dose of ‘personal time’ is important, especially for the men. But I prefer to stay at home and take care of little Edison.

So, what are the changes in ME? Mmmmm, let's see.

I no longer brave the Orchard Rd crowds to shop for latest fashion clothing, cosmetics, perfumes and accessories. In fact, you will see me when there’s a sale at Toys ‘R Us, Mothercare, Pumpkin Patch or the children’s departments at Robinsons or Takashimaya. Toys, children’s clothing, shoes, groceries, books, flash cards etc; they are always in my shopping list!

I’ve also revamped my bookshelf. No more Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Nicholas Sparks and Nora Roberts (although they used to be my favorite authors). It is now solely devoted to What to Expect series, Gina Ford’s baby trilogy, Tracy Hogg’s baby whisperer, Annabel Karmel cookbooks and various parenting books.

In terms of dressing, no more tubes, high heels or ear rings for me. I find them not suitable especially when we go out with our toddlers. I'll clad in light clothings and sandals or flats during the weekends.

How life has changed for me! I believe all of us (mothers) will have the same experience as me. We all changed for our kids.

He Calls 'Mama'

2008-12-10T14:39:00.003+08:00

Until now, Edison doesn’t talk much. At 14+ months, I’m not sure if this is considered slow in speech development. He doesn’t call anyone, even if you ask him to.

But there is ONE exception.

Me: “Edison, call Mama”
Edison: “MAMA” (loud and clear)

Of course, this doesn’t work all the time. If he is occupied with toys, he will not respond. I would say 70% of the time, it works.

My heart really melts every time he calls me MAMA. I’m sure many first-time mothers out there will feel the same too. It’s really a very good feeling!

And another 30% of the time, he would babble about something that I don’t quite understand. I know he is trying very hard to talk and communicate with us, he just need a little more time.

In addition to ‘mama’, the words that he can pronounce clearly are ‘papa’, ‘star’ and ‘bird’.

About Me

2008-12-09T17:47:00.002+08:00

About the Author - Edison's Mum-

I am a full-time working mother to Prince Edison (born on 11 Sep 07). I’m a Malaysian, born in Ipoh, currently holding a Singapore PR. I’ve been staying in Singapore for 8 good years. I love this place and I love my life here.

I came to Singapore in year 2000, after I graduated from University Technology of Malaysia with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical/Electronics. As I started working in Singapore, I spent another 2.5 years doing my post graduate study in National University of Singapore. I graduated with a Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering in year 2004. But none of these degrees have any relevance to my current field of work.

Career
I’m currently working in a US MNC in the electronics sector. I plan for the supply of products based on their demand. I deal with numbers everyday – customer forecast, shipment plans, inventory level, product cost, production capacity and lead time. Ultimately, I deliver what the customers want and maintain a healthy inventory level for my company.

Family
I’m happily married to my hubby (Venneth). He is a wonderful man. He is thoughtful, funny, helpful, loving, dependable and supportive. I gave birth to Edison in 2007. He is an adorable, intelligent, loving and spirited little boy. Both of them are the most important person in my life. They are my inspirations and my strength.

Parenting
Life is always beautiful with children. Edison brings joy, happiness and surprises to my everyday life. The experience in raising him has been bitter sweet. I’ve learnt so much for the past one year and I’m still learning. I will continue to improve and provide the best for Edison.

Interests
I love taking pictures, dressing-up, shopping, reading, writing and learning new stuff. Although I’m obsessed with shopping, I’m still very careful in my spending. I don’t go for luxury brands, unless really necessary. Nowadays I find great pleasure shopping for clothings and toys for Edison.

Recently I've started to enjoy blogging. I write more often now. I’m still new but I'm eager to learn.

Contact Me
I love to hear from you. Drop me a note at emily77 (at) mymelody (dot) com.

Pretty Edison?

2008-12-08T14:42:00.003+08:00

Sometimes I like to put on nice hair clips on Edison... With a pair of big round eyes & relatively fair complexion, he looks a bit girlish with the hair clips...

I wonder if Edison's mei-mei (younger sister) in future will look like this picture.. :)

Mattel Toy Sale

2008-12-07T11:08:00.005+08:00

I can’t believe I actually did this. It was the first time in my 30 years of life – to go for a toy sale on a weekday!

It’s the Mattel Toy Sale at 1 Lok Yang Way. I was told by my friends that there are lots of good buys in this toy sale, with discounts up to 90%. Fisher Price and Barbie are the two favorite brands in this sale.

My hubby and I reached Lok Yang Way at around 11:45am. Finding a car park was our first challenge as the road was already full of cars when we reached. The place was hot and super crowded. As we made our way through the crowd and hunt for our toys, we were sweating like mad. Worst than the C&K warehouse sale, it’s really like fighting a war here!

The crowd reached its peak at around 12:30pm. From the amount of toys that the people are buying and the length of the queue at the cashier counters, I can conclude that the toys must be really cheap. Can you imagine what will happen if the toys are free?!

Our damage was minimal (I think!). Only $190 for 4 items. I couldn’t find anymore suitable toys for Edison. Here are our loots from the sale:

FP Little People Music Parade Ride-On $35
FP Little People Shop n’Learn Market $40
FP Doodle Pro Colour $25
FP Trike to Bike $90

As we reached home, we cleaned the toys and displayed them nicely in our living hall. When little Edison came home, he got a very BIG surprise! His eyes beamed with joy when he saw his new toys. That night, he played with the music parade ride-on until 11pm!

They're All There!

2008-12-05T09:55:00.000+08:00

There is really no excuse for the lack of exercise in my weekly routine when:

1. there is a free gym at my place (ok, not really free cos my hubby pays for the management fees).

2. there is a swimming pool that is sparkling clear just below my unit.
3. there is a huge nature park just 3 mins walk from my place – Punggol Park.
4. there is another free gym – at my workplace, complete with staff shower facilities.
5. one year membership at the Amore Fitness (which I already paid!). With free use of their gym and steam bath facilities.
6. tennis court, basketball court, badminton court, cycling track, sauna. They are all here!

Call me a lazy bum! I just can’t get those lazy bones off me. I’m turning into a couch potato pretty soon. Rounder and rounder each day. I can't seem to bother. Sigh.

Perfect Foundation!

2008-12-04T16:09:00.005+08:00

Looking for a compact foundation with oil control, pore control and UV control? Try this: Christian Dior DiorSkin x3 Control. I’m using it now, and I love it to bits. Light coverage, stays fresh all day and maintains a matte and even complexion. It’s my ideal choice!

DIY Flash Card #3: Sesame Street Characters

2008-12-03T10:59:00.007+08:00

Edison’s attention span has improved tremendously. He is able to sit and listen attentively during our home practice. Last night, he amazed me with his initiative. He pulled my hands and walked into our room. Then, he opened the cabinet and pulled out the flash cards. I was so surprised!

I’m motivated to make more flash cards for him. Since he loves Elmo so much, I’ve made this set of cards with Sesame Street Characters.

Title: Sesame Street Characters
Contents:
1. Elmo
2. Cookie Monster
3. Abby Cadabby
4. Big Bird
5. Ernie
6. Zoe
7. Bert
8. Oscar
9. Rosita
10. Grover

Resources:
http://www.sesamestreet.org

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Download URL: http://h1.ripway.com/newbb77/Sesame Street Characters1.ppt

Read:
DIY Flash Card # 1: House of Disney
DIY Flash Card # 2: Sports

December 2008

2008-12-02T14:44:00.004+08:00

Being the last month of the year, December is usually the busiest month for everyone. A month of celebration and festivals; full of parties, happiness, family traditions and get-together.

December is also a popular month for travel. However, this year, we are not going for any year-end holiday. The main reason is because of little Edison. I feel that it’s too difficult to travel with a one year old toddler. Secondly, in this economic downturn, I opt to be a bit more conservative in my spending. So, save money for the rainy days ahead.

I will be off from 20 Dec 08 – 4 Jan 09 due to company shutdown. I’ll make use of these 2 weeks to accomplish something meaningful for myself and my family:

1. Try to exercise (at least!)
It’s not the first time that people think that I’m pregnant again. Sigh. I take it as a compliment; they think that I’m so ‘productive’. Anyway, accepting the fact that I’m really putting on weight now, I should start exercising. For a start, what about 20mins of gym exercise every night?

2. Spend time with my husband
After our first post-baby date in Oct, we both agreed that we should spend more time together as a couple. We still have a long way to go together as husband and wife. We will do our very best to keep our relationship strong and alive.

3. Spring cleaning
I will start doing spring cleaning for my house. Dump those boxes in my store, clean-up the wardrobes, pack-up the old clothes and shoes; and clean the fridge and kitchen cabinets. The last time I cleaned my fridge, I actually found some rotten potatoes! Eeeek! Sounds scary, but it’s true!

4. Make flash cards and music slideshow
I have a new project this month. I want to make flash cards on Alphabets Phonics. Little Edison has started learning phonics in his class, so I should start doing home practice with him. And make one more music slideshow for him – The Bear Party!

5. Organize a Christmas lunch for the family

This will keep me busy running around in December. Going to be another fruitful month, it seems.

Kiddy Rides Fun Again!

2008-12-01T14:22:00.011+08:00

Yesterday, we spent our evening in Marina Square. The Christmas decorations were fantastic, we instantly felt the dazzling Christmas spirit. Most of the shops are having sales now. We were lucky enough to catch the Sesame Street show just in time!

We were searching for some toys for little Edison. He loves to play with plates, cups and spoon now, so I thought of getting a kitchen set for him. But on a second thought, I’m worried that this is maybe too ‘girlish’ for him.

Daddy found this police car in Kiddy Palace. We did a 'trial' on it. Little Edison loves it so much! But judging from its size, this police car is really not suitable for our home. Apart from the police car, we have short listed a few exciting toys for Edison. We are hoping that we can find them in the upcoming Mattel warehouse sale (it’s this coming weekend actually!)

Something caught little Edison’s attention again. This time, it’s the animal rides outside Kiddy Palace. His eyes beamed with joys as he saw the little girls riding on the animals. With $2 coins in my pocket, I popped them into the bear. Little Edison happily rode the bear with my helper.

It was another fun filled kiddy rides session for little Edison.

Creating Picture Collage

2008-11-30T06:59:00.000+08:00

Well done, my boy! We love your smile...

-----

I like creating attractive picture collages. They can be made into beautiful desktop wallpapers, poster prints, calendars and photographs.

One collage with multiple pictures and expressions. This is the latest collage that I’ve made.

Some picture collage softwares are free for download. I’ve tried Shutterfly Studio and Google Picasa. Both of them are generally easy to use. You can personalize your collages anyway you like; add picture borders, change background, add captions etc.

Skinned His Knees

2008-11-29T04:52:00.002+08:00

[He refused to look at me when I snapped this picture]

Two days ago, Edison fell down outside Grandpa’s house and skinned both knees. He was probably running or walking too fast, without holding on to Grandpa’s hands.

He kneeled down on the road as he fell. As a result, he skinned his knees. He was shocked to see his knees with a little bit of blood. Grandpa & my helper immediately carried him back, cleaned the injured areas, disinfect and attached plasters on his knees. Surprisingly, he did not cry. Wasn’t it painful, my boy?

Well, this is the down side of an active toddler. Bumps, bruises and scrapes are all part of every day life. Every time Edison has a fall or knock his head, I will tell him that it’s part of growing up.

He walks, runs, climbs and crawls everyday. He is unstoppable.

The up side is that a busy toddler leads to a tired toddler, which leads to a decent nap, which leads to a happy mummy. Yay!

Charles & Keith Warehouse Sale

2008-11-28T10:13:00.006+08:00

Charles & Keith Warehouse Sale

Up to 70% Off

Date: 27th Nov 2008 (Exclusively for Members*) /28-30th Nov 2008 (Open to Public)

Time: 10am-8pm

Venue: 21, Tai Seng Street Charles & Keith Building Singapore 534166

---------

Ever since we shifted our office from Lorong Chuan to our new building in Tai Seng, we have been aiming for C&K warehouse sales. Our new office is just right across the street from C&K!

--[My office - the blue building which is just across the street from C&K!]

Our dream finally came true yesterday as C&K launched its warehouse sale from 27 Nov – 30 Nov. As early as 10am, some of the female staffs in my company sneaked out of our office and headed to C&K building. Half an hour later, they were back with more good news – C&K staff did not check for membership card (even though they said 27 Nov is exclusively for members) and there are tones of shoes and bags for grabs at irresistible prices!

What I can say, “No government today? How come they can go shopping during office hours?” And the short answer is “Yes!” Apparently, our big boss was on business trip yesterday.

From 11am till our lunch hour, 2/3 of our female staffs were already in C&K warehouse. Amazing? I and my colleagues joined the crowd during the lunch hours. No doubt there are tones of shoes and bags with up to 70% discount. Some of the shoes are even sold at $9 per pair!

We had a hard time finding the right shoes and bags due to the overwhelming crowds. After half an hour of battle, we left the warehouse and hurried into the cashier counters. At this point of time, there were almost...

- 50+ people queuing at the cashier counters (circled in RED)

- 100+ or more in the warehouse

- 200+ or more waiting outside the warehouse! (circled in BLUE)

--[Photo taken from my canteen window]

The crowd reached its peak at around 12:30pm. We were glad that we survived the battle and managed to crawl back to our office in ONE PIECE.

If you are a size 4 or size 7, or you like super high heels (3 inches & above), then this warehouse sale is good for you. If you are an average size 5 or 6, you can give this a MISS. Most of the nice designs do not have size 5 and 6.

I was literally disappointed with the warehouse sale. After spending half an hour battling with the crowd, I can’t find anything for myself. Frustrated & unwilling to leave the place empty-handed, I simply bought a pair of heels at $17. This pair of heels will probably end up collecting dust in my store room.

Until about 6pm, I can conclude that 98% of the female staffs in my company have been to C&K. From the 20s to the 40s, non-executives to managers, singles to married; there are simply no exceptions. When it comes to sales and shoes, all the women will go crazy!

So, anyone going for the 2nd round today?

Photographic Memory Home Practice (Part I)

2008-11-27T10:21:00.008+08:00

It is coming to five months since Edison started his lessons at Shichida Method. I have not started any home practice on photographic memory yet. So I’ve decided to start it this week. It will take a little time and efforts to prepare the home practice materials, but I’m determined to do it.

Photographic memory is defined as the ability to memorize something at one glance, and this is one of the functions of our right brain. Every week, Edison does a lot of practices on photographic memory in his class. In order to enhance these weekly inputs, I need to start practicing with him regularly at home.

I have a few ideas in my mind now. I will elaborate on one of them in this post.

Step-by-step Instructions:
1. Prepare two seemingly identical pictures. Example:

2. Print them out on A4 size papers. Cut and paste them into A4 size blank flash cards.

3. Show our child one of the pictures and keep the other one. Tell him to take a picture using his ‘special camera’. Let him look at the picture for about 3 seconds.

4. Now, put the two pictures together and shuffle them. Show him the two pictures and ask him which picture he saw a moment ago. Let him point to the correct picture.

Simple?

This is probably the easiest and simplest memory game that we can do at home. You will probably ask me where we can find these identical pictures. Remember when we were young; we often played with this game called ‘Spot the Differences’. We were given 2 similar pictures and we tried to spot the number of differences between these pictures. You can google about this topic in the internet and you can find lots of similar pictures for our memory games.

For a start, I will use pictures with single object. (like the pictures featured in Step 1 above). Then, we can slowly progress to pictures with several objects with minor differences. See this example:

Here is one of the website where you can download the similar pictures: My Kids Corner

I’ve made two sets of memory games last night using the examples listed above. By 11pm, it’s all done and I crashed into bed.

I will practice with Edison tonight. Let’s see how the progress is. I will update again.

Adding the 'Related Posts' Widget to Blogger

2008-11-26T06:18:00.001+08:00

You may have noticed it, I have added the ‘Related Posts’ widget into my blog recently. Unlike Wordpress, Blogger doesn’t have a pre-made ‘Related Posts’ widget. Thus, we need to employ some hacks in order to add this widget to Blogger.

The ‘Related Posts’ widget in Blogger works on label basis. The widget will display a number of posts with the same label after our last blog post. We can customize the number of posts and the number of labels to be displayed in our blog.

Hoctro has developed the widget for Blogger. You can download the codes for free from his blog. I'm quite pleased with the results after adding this widget. You can give it a try too! :)

Download: http://hoctro.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-and-improved-related-articles.html

Christmas Coffret Sets

2008-11-25T17:36:00.005+08:00

I love Christmas time. It’s the time for Christmas sales, lots of shopping and the most fantastic skincare and perfume coffrets. The Christmas coffrets are beautifully packaged, offer exceptional value for money and always seem to please. They are perfect as Christmas gifts or simply as our own personal treats.

The leading prestige skincare brand SK-II has launched its exclusive Christmas coffret sets. Each set is specially designed with the ideal combination of products featuring their all-time favorite Facial Treatment Essence. Being an SK-II devotee, these coffret sets are simply too irresistable to me.

I’ve found what I want for Christmas! I want an SK-II Pitera® Radiance Set!

SK-II Pitera® Radiance Set
Set contains:
• Whitening Source DermDefinition 30ml
• Facial Treatment Essence 150ml
With the following complimentary products:
• Facial Treatment Cleanser 20g
• Facial Treatment Clear Lotion 40ml
• Facial Treatment Cleansing Gel 15g
• Whitening Source Derm-Revival Mask 3pc

I love Facial Treatment Essence. It has been called “miracle water”, with a bit of exaggeration; but it sure works! It is hydrating and balances skin’s sebum secretion. If you are interested to try out SK-II products, this SK-II Pitera® Discovery Set is perfect as your starter kit.

SK-II Pitera® Discovery Set
Set contains:
• Facial Treatment Essence 75ml
• Facial Treatment Cleanser 120g
With the following complimentary products:
• Facial Treatment Clear Lotion 40ml
• Facial Treatment Cleansing Gel 15g
• Facial Treatment Mask 1pc

We are back!

2008-11-24T10:59:00.003+08:00

We are back from Ipoh. Yippee! All of us are so exhausted today. Little Edison dozed off to Lala Land again. He seems to have a nice 'sleeping trip' in Ipoh, probably due to the cool weather.

A lot of things to update about our trip. Although it's a mere 3 days trip, there are so much of happenings. There are not much photos in my camera. Little Edison has been clinging to me all the time, and thus I don't really time to take photos.

Ok, will post more updates later this week. I need a GOOD REST today to recharge.

New Blogger Template by Birdie

2008-11-21T08:00:00.000+08:00

Hi Readers,

Birdie has just launched a new blogger template called Welcome Autumn. Here's a snapshot of the template. It is sooOOoooo beautiful! It gives me a totally refreshing feeling too. In addition, this is a 4-column theme. Wow!

If you are looking for a new template for your blog, this will be a perfect choice.

Download - Welcome Autumn

The Precious Moments

2008-11-20T06:05:00.001+08:00

I found this cute picture of little Edison as I was browsing through my photo archives today. He was only about 2 months old then.

How quickly time flies! I can’t believe I actually took this picture ONE year ago! He looked so funny in this picture.

KIDS. They can’t stay little forever. In fact, they grow so fast and they become more and more independent. When they started schooling, they will have their own friends. When they started working, they will have their own colleagues, girlfriends and boyfriends. When they are married, they will have their own family.

You see, there isn’t much time for us to ‘dominate’ their lives. I’m glad to spend every single growing-up ‘bitter-sweet’ moments with little Edison. As I always said, every moment is an experience and every moment is precious. It cannot be reproduced; that’s why it is so precious. I will treasure every moment that I spend with little Edison.

A Long Break this Christmas

2008-11-19T16:24:00.007+08:00

Last week, my company announced a year-end shutdown for 2 weeks from 22 Dec 08 till 2 Jan 09. I was completely over the moon when I heard of the news. Finally, I can take a super long break this Christmas.

This is part of their cost-savings initiative due to the current economic downturn. Many technology companies are conducting shutdown or skeleton workforce to cut down their expenses. So, this isn’t a big surprise to me.

Well, I need to make good use of these 2 weeks. I can’t go on a vacation as my husband needs to work during this period. So, what else can I do? I have this on my list:

1. Make a trip to my hometown and spend some quality time with my parents

But, I’m still not confident to travel to Malaysia alone with Edison (even if I can bring my helper along).

2. Invite my parents and my newly-wed sister and bro-in-law to Singapore

They can enjoy the festive Christmas celebrations here.

3. Clean my house, esp. the store room, my shoes, old clothings, old toys etc.

4. Go for slimming! I bought a slimming package last year (bought on impulse again!).
Only attended 2 sessions, left with 8. So, I should complete all the treatments now.

What else? I still have 4 weeks to plan for this shutdown. If you have any good suggestions for me, pls do leave me a comment. Thanks!

Cost of a University Degree

2008-11-18T18:16:00.006+08:00

Have you ever wonder how much a university degree will cost in the next twenty years? This question just popped into my mind out of a sudden this morning. So, I start googling on this topic today. I’m completely freaked out when I see these figures:

Whether it is for overseas or local studies, the cost of university education has been marching up. In Singapore, the increase in mainly driven by inflation, government subsidy and university policy. These are, more or less, the same factors that drive cost increases overseas.

Since January this year, out of my own initiative, I opened a savings account for Edison. This account is solely meant for Edison’s future university education. I started with $400 per month.

--
Assumptions:
Based on 13 months salary per year
Based on 20 years of savings (and working)
Exclude bank interests
Exclude hubby’s savings

So,$400 x 13 months x 20 years = $104,000. Just barely sufficient for a 3-year local degree!

In order to support a 4-year local degree, I need to start saving $500/month from year 2009. ($400 x 13 months) + ($500 x 13 months x 19 years) = $128,700

If I'm a little bit more ambitious and I want to send Edison for a 4-year degree in Britain, this is what I need:

∑ ( [$400 + $200 (Y-1)] x 13 month )

Y=1

This formula means I need to increase my monthly savings by $200 each year! $400/month in year 2008, $600/month in year 2009, $800/month in year 2010 till $4200/month in year 2027. I will get $598,000 if I do this!

Wow! It seems like studying locally is perhaps the most economical option for little Edison. Mummy will have a really HARD time supporting him for an overseas degree (unless I strike a TOTO!)

After today, I will stop dreaming about being a SAHM.

Shinnpark's Collection

2008-11-17T14:49:00.007+08:00

Last week, I stumbled across this really cool online fashion store named ShinnPark – a local blogshop completely about fashion clothings, accessories, bags, shoes and even stationery! Complete with pics, descriptions and measurements.

I was instantly captivated by their Flutters Collection. Flirty dresses and lovely tops that come with warm spicy hues and sorbet colours. I have always been a big fan of halter-neck dresses. Thus, I couldn’t resist this Maeve Gold halter-neck dress with gold plated metal chain around the neckline. It is indeed a prefect dress for any occasions. In addition, the price is really affordable.

Without wasting much time, I sent my order via e-mail on Thursday morning. Within the next hour, I received an order confirmation e-mail from Shinn Park. The dress has been placed under reservation for me for one day, pending for my payment. I quickly login to my internet banking and make the payment. The dress was posted to me the very next day through registered mail.

On Saturday morning, the dress was delivered to my door step. I was totally amazed by their prompt service and most importantly, the lovely dress! I love it soooOOOOoooo much! I haven’t worn a halter-neck dress ever since I gave birth to little Edison. Reason – every time I try on a halter-neck dress, I look so FAT in it. Thanks to my tummy and that extra 3kg that I put on after I gave birth.

But but but… I have a totally different feeling after wearing this Maeve Gold dress. In fact, I was surprised that the size is totally fitting for me. I certainly don’t look fat with this dress and I feel young too! I cannot imagine that a $25.90 dress can make me so happy. Nu ren ar!

Now, I’m looking at their accessories. I’m hooked again! Its Swarovski Dazzle collections are absolutely stunning and unique. As pretty as diamonds, these accessories are perfect companion for any outfits. So, this one is now on my shopping list again... Yay!

It’s so much fun to browse and shop here. After the shopping spree, don’t forget to take a look at these cute emoticons at the bottom of their webpage. Super super cute! You can use them in your blogs and MSN too.

Wedding Congratulations!

2008-11-16T06:00:00.001+08:00

Dear Stevie & David,

How marvelous it is to be able to congratulate you on your wedding. We wish you all the happiness that you both deserve as you travel through life together. While you may experience those challenges of life, you will never again be alone in conquering these issues for each of you bound together in marriage form a tremendous power to exceed, to persevere, and to help each other be all that each can be.

We are glad to offer our thoughts on what makes a happy marriage:

never take each other for granted
remember it is the little things that make a difference
always make time to spend time together, no matter how busy you are
always have respect for each others feelings
and last, but certainly not least, always talk about things that are bothering you

Once again, please accept our sincere congratulations on your wedding.

"A wedding is a start of togetherness... of walks in the rain, basking in the sunshine, shared meals, caring for one another and sensing the love that a marriage carries."

Looking forward to your wedding this coming Saturday.

Yours sincerely,

Sister, Bee Bee & Bro-in-law, Venneth

Difference between Man and Woman

2008-11-15T22:17:00.003+08:00

I usually hate forwarded e-mails due to the massive amount of junk mails that entered my mailbox everyday. However, this one seems to be an exception! When I opened the e-mail, the subject “Difference between man and woman” and the cartoon drawings caught my attention. I couldn’t stop laughing when I read through it. Super funny, but it’s also 100% true for me! I can’t help posting it here!!!

What about you?

Amazing, isn't it? Hehehe...

Shopping Online

2008-11-14T17:34:00.007+08:00

Recently, I’m getting a little addicted to shopping online. This obsession started soon after my maternity leave. At that time, I was too busy with my work plus taking care of Edison. I simply didn’t have time to go out shopping. Even if I do, it’s still such a hassle bringing a baby along, especially when I am trying out clothes.

Initially, I was a bit skeptical towards shopping online. I thought that it would be risky to give our personal particulars and credit card information to the merchants. I fear that this information would be made public.

However, shopping online today is safer than ever before, not to mention a whole lot easier. Just a few clicks on my computer, the items will be delivered directly to my doorstep. Fast and hassle-free. My husband just cannot understand why I’m so tempted to click on that “Buy” or “Add to Cart” button.

I love American brands of children clothings - Gymboree, BabyGap, Pumpkin Patch, OshKosh etc. Their designs are fantastic! Although some of these brands are available in Singapore, but sometimes, it is still cheaper to buy from their online stores. Having said this, my Gymboree loots from the US spree have arrived. Hehehe.. I’ll be making the collection from the spree organizer tomorrow.

Now, I’m tempted to order some clothes from Old Navy as they are having 30% discount. And JShoppers is having their free shipping campaign too. Help! Help! Somebody please burn down my computer before I make any further damages to my wallet! Or simply chop off my hands! I'm so addicted!

Learning Skills

2008-11-13T13:57:00.008+08:00

[Experimenting with the remote control]

It’s really amazing to witness how much Edison has learnt during his first 14 months. So much that I simply couldn’t write it down, even if I tried. From a baby who knows absolutely nothing about the world into which he is launched, he becomes an active learner who thinks, interprets, relates and remembers. This transformation is truly astonishing.

He constantly seeks new learning experiences himself as a result of his own natural curiosity. I viewed him as an active learner. He likes to imitate what the adults do too. We just have to show him once, and he will master it in no time.

The other day, I showed him our family portrait. Much to my surprise, he can point to the correct person when I call out their names – Mummy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa and Godpa! Amazing, isn’t it?

By looking at his body gestures, I know that he can understand some of our daily conversations. Just to name a few…

“Edison, are you scared?”------------He will pat his chest with his hand.
“Knock your head, pain pain!”-------He will pat his head with his hand.
“Edison, how to tip toe?”------------He will stand on tip-toe.
“Edison, wash your hair.”-----------He will put both hands on his head and rub his hair.
“Edison, wear your shoes.”---------He will sit on the floor and stretch out his legs.

As he embarks on his learning journey, I will continue to guide him and create meaningful and high-impact learning experiences for him.

JSHOPPERS - Free Shipping & Handling

2008-11-12T16:10:00.006+08:00

Once again, JShoppers launched its free shipping & handling campaign from 11 Nov 08 - 25 Dec 08 (noon Japan time). This means you can buy any amount (even if its only 10 bucks!) with absolutely ZERO shipping & handling fee.

-
However... when this happens, you have to place your orders fast! JShoppers will be flooded with orders now and some of their favourite items will surely run low in stock.

From my past experiences, the items will reach our door steps within one week after we have submitted our orders. I'm amazed by their prompt service.

Check them out if you are looking for new Christmas outfits for your little darlings!

DIY Flash Card #2: Sports

2008-11-12T06:00:00.003+08:00

Title: Sports
Contents:

1. baseball
2. badminton
3. soccer
4. diving
5. tennis
6. rugby
7. hockey
8. basketball
9. cycling
10. golf
11. boxing
12. water ski

Resources:

1. http://www.pdictionary.com/english/browse.php?db=sports

2. Microsoft PowerPoint Clip Arts
-

Download URL: http://h1.ripway.com/newbb77/Sports1.ppt

Read: DIY Flash Card #1: House of Disney

Prince Edison - 14 months

2008-11-11T06:00:00.001+08:00

Hooray! Edison is 14 months old today. These are pictures of him taken at 2 months vs. 14 months. It’s absolutely amazing to see how much he has grown over the past one year.

Edison has always been a good boy. He rarely fusses at night. And even if he does, it’s just because he is tired. Usually he goes to bed at around 9pm, after practicing his flash cards with Mummy. His attention span has improved tremendously this month. I can flash up to 100 cards in one session now. I’m glad that my hard works have finally paid-off.

Edison walks a lot now. Although he still topples and falls at times, but he is able to stand up on his own and continue walking with courage. That’s my boy. I’m so proud of him.

Read: Prince Edison - 13 months

Shichida Kindergarten

2008-11-07T15:24:00.004+08:00

I received a brochure from Shichida Method last weekend. It says ‘Shichida Kindergarten - a mini university at pre-school level.’ As I read on, the brochure has a very impressive introduction of the Shichida Kindergarten which will be opening in January next year.

I was captivated by their syllabus. Their concept is just the same as university. Instead of the commonly used ‘terms’ and ‘subjects’ in ordinary kindergartens, Shichida Kindergarten uses foundation modules and elective modules. Their syllabus encompasses a wide range of learning, from literary skills, creativity, whole brain learning, convincing speech and lots more. You will be amazed by the level of activities that they introduce to the students.

Good things always come with a ‘price’. This kindergarten is charging a whooping fee of $800 a month, for a mere 3 hours class per day. Currently, I’m paying $800 every 3 months for the Shichida enrichment class that Edison is attending. To me, this is already considered as expensive. I still feel a little ‘heart-pain’ when I sign my credit card bill every 3 months for $800. So, I cannot imagine myself paying $800 every month for this kindergarten!

A typical PAP Community Foundation (PCF) kindergarten charges about $100 a month for a half-day programme. School fees for private kindergartens, however, vary from several hundreds to over one thousand per month for their full-day programmes. Despite the hefty fees, many parents still choose to send their children to private kindergartens.

So, can I conclude that Singaporeans are rich?

Perhaps the role of kindergarten has changed tremendously over the years. Parents are more focused on pre-school education to build up a strong foundation for their children. It’s not just learning A, B and C, but we want an effective education that will nurture our children and challenge them intellectually, emotionally, physically and socially. Better trained teachers, creative and stimulating atmosphere, enriching syllabus and smaller size classes are the factors that contributes to the hefty fees.

Somehow I wonder. My mother never taught me flash cards. I studied in super ordinary neighborhood schools. I’ve never engaged any private tutors. But I can still make it to the university. So, I’m sure my little Edison can do the same too.

But again, time has changed. Nowadays, children are more advanced than their older generations. At a tender age of 1 year old, they are already learning ABC and counting. Their education journey and future career path will be much more challenging.

.....

However, despite me thinking that these private kindergartens are ridiculously overpriced, I am still considering to enroll my little Edison with a private kindergarten. Hehehe! It’s difficult not to be ‘kiasu’ living in Singapore. After all, I’m not going to have ten children. I’m only planning to have two. So, I’m going to give them the best that I can afford.

If you are interested in Shichida Kindergarten, they are having an open house this weekend at their Tanjung Pagar branch. Don’t miss this opportunity if you are keen.

DIY Flash Card #1: House of Disney

2008-11-06T13:28:00.011+08:00

Last night, after Edison dozed off to Lala-Land, I quickly started my mission to make one set of flash card. With the assistance from my helper, the flash cards are completed within an hour!

Title: House of Disney
Contents:
1. Mickey Mouse
2. Minnie Mouse
3. Pluto
4. Donald Duck
5. Daisy Duck
6. Winnie the Pooh
7. Piglet
8. Eeyore
9. Tigger
10. Lilo
11. Stitch

Download URL: http://h1.ripway.com/newbb77/House of Disney1.ppt

What I used:
UHU stick, blade, cutting board, long ruler, printed pictures, blank flash cards

How I do it:
1. Download the disney pictures from these websites.
http://i-love-disney.com/disney-gallery/
http://disney-kingdom.com/

2. Make flash cards using Microsoft PowerPoint. Insert one picture into one slide. Print them on A4 size papers using a colour printer.

3. Next, cut the pictures in accordance to the size of the blank flash cards. I am using A5 size blank flash cards.

4. Paste the pictures onto the blank flash cards using the UHU stick. UHU stick does a better job than glue. Less mess and no spillage. You don't have to worry about the flash cards sticking together due to the excess glue.
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5. Finally, write the names of the Disney characters (i.e. Mickey Mouse) at the back of the flash cards. This enables us to read out the names when we flash the cards.

These are the pictures of the flash cards and PowerPoint.

Discount Vouchers to Give-Away

2008-11-05T16:59:00.005+08:00

Hi Mummies,

We have the following discount vouchers for milk powder to give-away:

1. Mamil Gold: $2 off with any purchase of Mamil Step 2 or Step 3 (800gm). Valid till 31 Dec 08.

2. Wyeth: $3 off with every purchase of a 900gm can of Progress Gold. Valid till 1 March 09. [Total 2 vouchers]

Pls contact us if you are interested to get them. Thanks. :)

Bonding

2008-11-05T09:22:00.008+08:00

Bonding:
- It is a process that happens over time.
- It doesn’t happen in a split second.
- It is essential for the emotional wellbeing of our children.
- It will last a lifetime.
- It is an instantaneous connection with our children from the moment they are born.
- It helps our children to develop into an independent and competent person.
- It strengthens out relationship with our children.
- It takes time, patience and lots of efforts.

Activities that promote bonding:
1. Read a book
2. Daily playtime
3. Touch them
4. Bathe them
5. Cuddle them
6. Talk with them
7. Breastfeeding
8. Respond to them promptly

I did all the above activities regularly with Edison, EXCEPT #7. I still regretted it until now because Edison did not take much breast milk in his early months. Due to numerous reasons, my breastfeeding journey has been a total failure. I'm such a lousy mother. Sigh.

For my future #2, I promise him/her that I will try my very best to give him/her lots and lots of breast milk. I’ll learn from my previous mistakes and I’m determined to do better job next time.

Protect Your Blog Pictures

2008-11-04T13:13:00.018+08:00

Not long ago, I found some methods of protecting the pictures in my blog (by preventing them from being downloaded by surfers) .

To my fellow blogger friends, if you wish to protect the pictures in your blog, you can follow these few simple steps:

Step 1: Disable the Left Click
With the left click disabled, it will stop surfers from saving any images from your blog.
1. Go to Layout.
2. Click on Add a Gadget -> HTML/Javascript.
3. Copy and paste these scripts into the content column.
http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex9/noright.htm
4. Save it.

Step 2: Disable the Right Click
After we have disabled the left click, we will proceed to do something about the right click. So, what will happen when you right-click on the image in your blog? Yes, the image will pop out in its original size in another window. Surfers can save the image from the new window. So, we need to disable the right click as well.
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1. After you attach a picture in your blog post, click on Edit HTML.
2. Remove these clauses from the content. See picture, underlined in RED.

Step 3: Disable the Image Toolbar

Image toolbar is the rectangular toolbar that pops up when we move our mouse over an image in our blog in IE. This toolbar allows us to save, print and e-mail the image in our blog. We need to disable this feature so that our blog images are not so readily exposed to downloading.

1. Go to Layout -> Edit HTML
2. Add this short META tag inside the header file, between < 'head> and < /head >
http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex9/imagebar.htm

Ok, we are almost handicapped by now! (after we disabled so many functions) But but but... Guess what? Surfers can STILL download images from our blogs! *Faint* But I won’t write about how to do it now.

Probably these methods can help to guard against 70% of the unauthorized downloading from our blogs. But it is still better than no protection at all, am I right?

Other options that you can explore:
1. Add a watermark to your blog images
2. Add a copyright disclaimer in your blog

So, it’s all up to your own judgement, which method works best for you OR whether you need them. If you have a more effective solution, please do not hesitate to share it with me, either via comments or e-mail. Thanks.
-

The World of Blogging

2008-11-04T11:57:00.004+08:00

The blogging world is still quite new to me. Although I’ve started this blog more than a year ago, I didn’t write much during the first few months. Lately, my passion for blogging seems to have blossomed. I read a lot of articles about blogging from the internet. I learn new things everyday and I add them into my blog. And now, I’m 90% addicted to blogging.

I promise that I’ll continue to keep my passion for blogging. Blogging is FUN and my BLOG is the best place for me to share my happiness & sadness, ups & downs, my daily living and my boy’s growing up.

Recently, I’ve seen many of my friends joining the blogging world. I’m so delighted to see their blogs. I’ve added them into my blog list, and it’s getting longer each day.

Happy Blogging to all of you!

November 2008

2008-11-03T16:56:00.005+08:00

I’ve decided to write something like this at the beginning of each month. I'll take a little time, do some thinking, plan my schedule for the month, list down my missions to accomplish for the month and follow-up on the progress.

November is a great month for me, because:

- It’s my birthday month!

- My quarter-end is over! This month, I’m expecting a lesser workload in the office.

- My sister’s wedding is around the corner. We will be going to Malaysia in another 2.5 weeks. I’m already counting down to the trip. Honestly, I really miss my home soooOOOooooo much!

- I can take a short break from work.

Missions to accomplish this month:

For Edison:

- Make an appointment with his PD and schedule his chicken pox vaccination.

- Make one musical slideshow for Edison. I have selected this new song ‘Let’s Make a Salad’.

- DIY another 3 sets of flash cards with these topics: International Currency, Cartoon Land & Organised Dots.

For my family:
- Organise a family outing to the park, beach or somewhere outdoor.

For myself:

- Take half-day off mid of this month and go for a facial & massage.

- Decide whether to go for a haircut.

Others:

- Buy a birthday present for my nephew, Jaerone.

- My helper’s birthday is coming too. Need to get her a present as well.

That’s all for now. Can’t think of anything else. So, what's your missions for November?

-
Quote of the month: A little at a time EVENTUALLY makes a big difference.
--

New Shoes

2008-11-03T09:44:00.007+08:00

On my birthday (last weekend), I bought 2 pairs of shoes for my precious Edison. It's funny, cos somehow I didn't really buy anything for myself on my birthday. But I felt happier buying stuff for my boy. Maybe that's the nature of a mother. We just love to spend money on our kids!

The first pair - white shoes with light blue laces from Hello Kitty Taiwan. They are so soft and light; with non-slip soles too. Very suitable for toddler who just started walking. In addition, white shoes can compliment any outfits. They are perfect for every outing and every outfit.

The second pair - light brown colour squeaky shoes. Edison simply adores them; he can walk with a squeak at each step. The shoes have velcro strap that secure the shoes to feet. They also have the non-slip rubber soles. Suitable for the evening walk around the garden and neighbourhood.

His little growing feet definitely deserve some pampering with all the nice shoes. :) These shoes are available at Kiddy Palace. Check them out if you are interested.

Possibly Related Posts:

My New Shoes

Homework #1: Paper Craft

2008-11-02T15:39:00.004+08:00

This is Edison’s first homework from his Shichida class. He has completed it last week. It’s a paper craft project using torn newspaper.

It is actually very easy to do. You can try on your own at home too.

Step 1:

Print a picture on an A4 size paper. I found this website with lots of pictures that we can use for paper craft or colouring.

http://www.coloring.ws/

Step 2:

Get a small piece of newspaper, magazine or colour papers; and a double-sided tape. Put the double sided tapes on a few areas on the picture.

Step 3:

Teach them how to tear the papers into smaller pieces. Edison likes to tear newspapers, so he enjoys doing this paper craft activity.

Step 4:

Attach the small pieces of newspaper onto the picture (on the double-sided tape).

Step 5:

Voila! We are done!

This is a good beginning for the toddlers to explore the joys of arts and crafts. If you are looking for a fun and exciting way to spend quality time with your active toddler, you can give this a try. It’s easy, cheap and fun!

---

Our First Post Baby Date

2008-10-31T15:25:00.013+08:00

Yesterday, my husband and I took some time-off from work to go for a date. It was our very first post baby date! We have been craving for some personal time together and we finally made it!

With work commitments and a child at home, the time that I spend with my husband has been scarce. In addition, my husband’s new job requires him to work on shift. This means, he has to work on alternate weekends. Due to all these factors, sometimes we neglect each other’s need for love and affection.

My friend once told me, ‘We can’t be circling our children 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. We need to have some time for ourselves and our husband.’ I totally agree with her.

Now that we go dating, I feel ‘connected’ to him again. I see him as my boyfriend, instead of my husband and father of our child. I recalled all the lovely things that we did when we were dating each other. We have so much of time, we have so many things to do, we share the same dream and we love each other. Catching those moments of togetherness now, it’s simply amazing!

We took a nice long stroll along Orchard Road. Do our regular shopping, leisurely and with slow speed. Anyway, it’s just the two of us! NO searching for baby changing room, NO changing diaper, NO feeding. Nothing. We just take our own sweet time.
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After all the fun, we went for a buffet dinner. We called up Ellenborough Market Café at Swissotel Merchant Court. But they were fully booked! We ended up with international buffet at Sakura, Orchard Shopping Centre. From 7pm onwards, the restaurant was full of people. Hey, I thought Singapore has entered a ‘technical recession’?!?! It seems like buffet business is not affected at all.

We had a huge dinner - sushi, sashimi, prawns, tom yam seafood soup, herbal prawn soup, herbal black chicken soup, baked oyster, mussels, spaghetti, siew mai, dumpling roll, yam paste, beef steak, otah, satay and lots of fruits. I can't imagine I can eat so much food!

After our dinner, we quickly rushed back to fetch our little Edison home. As usual, he was super excited when he saw us. He knew that Daddy & Mummy had a great time.

It was an excellent evening. Both of us had a good dose of couple time. We definitely need more of this!--

Evening Activities

2008-10-30T09:35:00.005+08:00

In the evening, these are activities that keep our little Edison really busy - walk around the garden, smell the flowers, see the puppies (neighbour's puppies, not ours!), pull the grass, watch the children playing badminton... and most importantly, wait for Mummy to come home from work! He will get a big hug and lots of kisses from ME!-

Smelly Pillow

2008-10-29T13:50:00.009+08:00

A new member has just joined Edison’s family of ‘Smelly Pillow’. Let me introduce his new Winnie the Pooh bolster to you. We bought it from Watsons last weekend. From these pictures, you can see how happy he is with his new bolster.

Before this new addition, he already has two smelly pillows at home; they are actually bean sprout chest pillows which he has been hugging since his baby days. Until now, he can’t seem to let them go. No matter how frequent we change the pillow case, these pillows still have his ‘baby milk smell’ and that’s why they are called Smelly Pillow. We even have to bring one of them in the diaper bag when we go out. Otherwise, he will have difficulties getting into sleep. Strong addiction, huh? It’s similar to how I’m addicted to coffee. If I don’t have my morning coffee, I will have headache in the afternoon.

When I first saw this bolster in Watsons, I told myself “Hey, this bolster is cool!” I showed it to my boy. He immediately snatched it from my hands and hugged it tight. He even kissed and bite the pillow. “OMG! What are you doing, Edison?” He refused to return the pillow to me. I’m stuck!

The two cashier ladies were smiling when they saw Edison’s reaction. I admit he was kinda funny. He loves this bolster so much! I have no choice, but to walk over to the cashier and paid them $12.90 for the bolster.

Then, we left the shop happily with the Pooh bolster (still) in Edison’s hands. Now, this bolster become his #1 companion to sleep at night.

A Bad Fall

2008-10-28T15:39:00.003+08:00

It all happened last Saturday night. Initially, I didn’t want to blog about it because it was too heart-wrenching for me. But now, everything seems fine and I have a little courage to recall what really happened that night.

I went to bed with Edison at about 10:30pm. At around midnight, Edison had a nightmare and he cried badly (with his eyes remain closed). I carried him onto my bed, pat him and gave him some comfort. In just a short while, he slipped back into his sleep. So, I let him sleep beside me for the night. I put some pillows at the other end of the bed to serve as a guard. Soon, I fell asleep too.

Suddenly, I heard a loud thump! I woke up and I realized my bed was empty. At that moment, my heart stopped beating. AAAhhhhhh! My Edison!!!! He fell off from the bed!!! He started crying. My hands were trembling when I carried him up. I felt so horrible; it was all my fault and negligence!

He must have knocked his head against the floor. I carried him and comfort him. He stopped crying in about 2 minutes. Then, I put him on my bed again to do a thorough check for injuries. His scalp was slightly red and I felt a small bump on the left side of his head. I immediately wrapped an ice pack with a thin handkerchief and rolled it on the bump for ~15 mins, to reduce the swelling.

Both of us went to back to sleep again. But that night, I woke up a few times to check on Edison. I was soooOOOoooo worried.

The next morning, Edison woke up at 6am for his first milk feed. He finished up 180ml of milk. I checked on him again. No injury on his body. Thank God for protecting my Edison. The bump on the left side of his head was still there, though the swelling has reduced quite a lot.

On the next 24 hours, I observed him very carefully. No abnormal behaviour, no loss of appetite, no vomiting, no fever and no crankiness. As a matter of fact, he seems to be unaffected by the fall. Edison is really a very brave boy.

Somehow, I still couldn’t forgive myself. I apologized to my son for causing him so much pain and fear. I didn't even know how he can roll over the pillows and landed on the floor. It was such an unfortunate incident. "Sorry to my dear Edison, Mummy will never let this incident happen again."

Hide-and-Seek with the leopard

2008-10-27T15:29:00.008+08:00

This is Edison's latest toy friend - the Leopard. He loves playing hide-and-seek with it. I will hide the leopard somewhere in the living hall, not too visible to him. Then I will tell him, "Edison, where is the leopard?". He will search for it.
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He will squat down and check underneath the sofa and table. Then, he will flip the pillows on the sofa. He look clueless if he still can't find it. Then, I'll give him some clues. He goes searching again.

Once he found the leopard, I will shout 'Tadaa! Leopard is here!". He will giggle and laugh. It is quite funny.
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I like happy kids. They laugh at the simplest thing in life. Edison is one of them. He is always happy and cheerful.

My Hometown - Ipoh

2008-10-24T15:46:00.004+08:00

Ipoh is the state capital of Perak. It is located north to Kuala Lumpur; about 2.5 hours travel duration by car. In general, Ipoh is much more peaceful as compared to big and busy cities like KL and JB. Ipoh is popular for its nice food and relaxing environment. That is why many people view it as the best living place for retirement.

However, one of the main reasons that restrict visitors from traveling to Ipoh is that there is no international airport in this city. The nearest international airport to Ipoh will be Penang. From Penang, it takes about 1.5 hour travel duration by car to reach Ipoh.

I travel to Ipoh by coach. There are various luxury Super-VIP coaches from Singapore to Ipoh. Just to name a few – Grassland, Sri Maju, Konsortium Express and Five Star. These double-decker coaches are amazingly comfortable and affordable. They are equipped with luxurious reclining chair, adjustable foot rest, LCD console entertainment system, ample space for luggage and most importantly, they are noise-proof! On an average, the travel duration is about 7-8 hours from Singapore to Ipoh, with 2-3 toilet breaks in between the journey.

Have you ever heard of the term “Yi Pou Leng Lui” (meaning: Ipoh pretty girl in Cantonese)? Ipoh is also well-known for pretty girls. (ahem, I’m not referring to myself!) It could be the results of the clean and mineral-rich water supply from the waterfalls. The pretty girls are believed to have perfect clear complexion after consuming the water. But in reality, you don’t always see stunning beauty like Michelle Yeoh in Ipoh.

Ipoh is one of the cities in Malaysia with higher percentage of Chinese residents. Cantonese and Hakka are the two most prominent dialect group in Ipoh. Ipoh is famous for nice food, mainly due to the variety of cooking styles. It is not surprising to see Malaysians travel all the way from KL, Penang and Malacca to enjoy the best food in Ipoh.

TOP FIVE great food in Ipoh:

#1: Horfun – Although horfun can be found in many places, including Singapore, but the horfun in Ipoh is smoother, softer and tastier. You can’t find it anywhere else, except Ipoh. Horfun is served in a variety of flavours too – with soup, with curry, with asam laksa or simply dry horfun with a mixture of sauces. They are absolutely yummy, no matter how you consume them.

#2: Bean Sprout Chicken! – Comprises chicken meat, bean sprout, fish ball soup (optional), chicken innards (optional); served with rice or horfun. The chicken meat is amazingly tender and juicy. The most famous bean sprout chicken in Ipoh is with "Lou Wong Restaurant". But nowadays, there are just too many nice restaurants that serve this delicious bean sprout chicken.

#3: White Coffee – It is originated from the old town in Ipoh. This coffee has a strong aroma and a unique taste. The most popular coffee shops in the old town are "Sin Yoon Loong", "Sun Yuan Foong" and "Nam Heong". Nowadays, instant white coffee powder is available in supermarkets in Malaysia and Singapore. But for the Ipoh residents, nothing beats the taste of a cup of freshly brewed white coffee from these shops.

#4: Dim Sum – char siew pau (roasted pork bun), loh mai kai (glutinous rice), egg tart, chee cheong fun, siew mai, har kau (shrimp dumpling), porridge, carrot cake and lots more. Unlike the restaurants in Singapore, the dim sum restaurants in Ipoh operate in a slightly different manner. They don’t give you a menu for your order. What you have to do is – wait for the waitress to push her dim sum trolley to your table, and then you order the items that you like. She will cut the dim sum into smaller pieces and place them on the table for you. My favourite dim sum restaurants in Ipoh are “Ming Kok” and “Foh San”. During the weekends, they are usually super crowded.

#5: Curry chicken bread – bread filled with curry chicken. This specialty originates from Kampar (an old tin mine town ~30km south of Ipoh). But now, this curry chicken bread is widely available in Ipoh. Ideal food for tea break!

I still have a lot more to write about Ipoh – the Green Town, my favourite Assam House Restaurant, Sam Poh Tong, my lovely house in Ipoh etc. I will save them for my next post.

To be continued...

Edison's Passport

2008-10-23T15:36:00.006+08:00

Edison’s passport is ready for collection today. I applied online via APPLES (Application for Passport On-line Electronic System) last weekend. The online application process is so easy and fuss-free. It takes me less than 5 mins to submit my application. These are the photos taken for his passport.

Among all these photos, only one photo passed the ICA's requirement. That is the bottom right photo. It fits just nicely when I uploaded it during the application. Hey, why he is not smiling?! No matter how we hard we tried, he just refused to smile. So, he looks a little funny here, with his mouth a bit 'du du'.

I recalled myself queuing at the Malaysian Immigration Office as early as 7am when I was applying for my first International Passport many years ago. With a set of form that require at least half an hour to fill-up and a long waiting plus processing time, the application process was so challenging and stressful in those days. I hope that the system has been improved by now. Well, I’m a Malaysian and that’s why I’m holding a Malaysian Passport.

We are going back to my hometown, Ipoh, in the 3rd week of November. That’s why Edison needs a passport. My younger sister, Stevie, is getting married in November and we will be traveling to Ipoh to attend her wedding. I’m so happy for her; she is finally ready to tie the knot with the man that she loves. Stevie and David are the best & perfect couple. They have been together for a long time; they compliment each other and they have such good chemistry together.

Stevie & David - The Gorgeous Couple!

I’m so excited about the trip. I missed my hometown a lot. Ipoh is an awesome city; it’s the city where I was born; it’s the place where I spent my first 18 years of life. I have a lot of fond memories there. I am going to blog about this city soon. So, please stay tuned.

Thoughts on Parenting: Parenting Goals

2008-10-22T16:38:00.005+08:00

Parenting isn’t always easy. All of us struggle at some point to figure out what is the most effective way to handle certain situations and how to be the best parent possible. There is so much information available out there; from parenting books and websites to advice from our parents and grandparents. But how do we know who is right and what is the best parenting style for us?

To begin with, let’s just ask ourselves what are our parenting goals. To me, my goals are to bond lovingly with my child, encourage and promote independence, and to mentor and assist in his academic and life skills education. I realize the significance of being a parent and my responsibility in raising a happy and healthy child.

We have our own unique personality and character. Our children have their own individual needs, developmental growth and habits too. Because of these differences, we need to develop our own parenting style that works for us. Having said that, there is no 100% perfect parenting style in this world.

I emphasize a lot on LOVE and LIMIT. Love is the most important element in my relationship with my son. I express my love by hugging and kissing him everyday. This will create a sense of protection and security to him. Imagine a newborn can recognize their parents’ love with just a simple touch with their hand! It’s the same concept here. I learn to understand more about him and respond to him with love and praise. My objective is to create a positive emotional growth in him.

On the other hand, setting a limit is very critical to discipline our child. Children need rules and limit. They need continual guidance and guidelines from us. We need to establish a healthy routine and some basic rules for them to follow. Sometimes we may feel that we are too strict or too lenient. It is so difficult to strike a balance. We love our children, but on the other hand, we don't want to spoil them.

Parenting is a life-long journey and commitment. Discover the new life created by us and make a positive impact in their life. Good Parent = Good Children, a simple equation but there is always truth in it.-

Marriage Life - Before & After

2008-10-18T09:33:00.003+08:00

I seem to have a different perspective of marriage life after I gave birth to Edison. I used to believe that having children would greatly increase the chance of marital stability. But now, I have a different thinking. Having children will improve the likelihood of collapse of marriages.

Well, is this exactly true?

Before Edison was born, we rarely quarrel. Every time when my hubby went on an overseas assignment, I missed him terribly. We talked on the phone everyday without fail. I would count down by days till he returned from his trip. I would give him a really big HUG when he returned. Those were the days.

But now, my hubby and I aren’t always happy. We both have our own parenting style; we have our own commitment to work and our parents; and we think differently too. Sometimes our difference in opinion and mindset caused us to fight. Small arguments are too common. But then, there are BIG fights that involve crying, screaming, swearing and even hurtful statements. There are times that I can’t help but keep thinking that we are just not meant for each other. Worst case scenario is we avoid talking to each other for days. Yes, it’s true! The more we talk, the more we fight! I choose to remain silent.

When my anger has suppressed, I began to think rationally again. What really caused us to fight? How can I handle this matter tactfully in future? How could I scream at someone like him? How could I not realize what a perfect family that I have? But I was squandering my precious time fighting with him. Am I crazy?!

Then I realized that in a relationship, it involves a lot of gives and takes, respect and sacrifice for each other. I’m trying my very best to become kinder, more patient, always keep my temper under control and be a more thoughtful person. Isn’t that simple?

Sometimes love can be as simple as letting one go to sleep when the person is tired. Other times, it comes in the form of red roses or a nice dinner. Marriage isn’t always easy, but love can be - if both of us are willing to put in a little bit of effort.

I wish always cherish my family; my dear husband and my adorable son. I love both of you so much!

Home Practice Again!

2008-10-16T15:48:00.005+08:00

One week ago, I have restarted the daily home practice session with Edison. After the term break in end Sept, I was kinda lazy and I didn’t put much efforts to do home practice with him. So, I have to get back on track very quickly. Time waits for no one!

Every night after we reach home, I will take out 7 to 8 sets of flash cards for our practice. I try to keep the session short (about 10-15 mins) in order to capture his attention. If I’m lucky that night, I can flash up to 10 sets of cards (before he falls asleep!).

Edison will stand in his playpen, staring at me and the cards when I flashed them. Of course, sometimes, he will move around and doesn’t pay much attention. What I’ll do is to stop for a while, talk to him and get him to focus on the cards again.

This boy can be a little tricky at times. When he is lazy, he will pretend that he is sleepy. He will rub his eyes and hide his face with his pillow. After I keep all the flash cards, he will stand up again, make a little noise and want to go out to play again. Sigh, he drives me nuts sometimes.

Over the weekend, I can lengthen the home practice session by showing him the music slideshows, which he loves so much. I blogged about it last month on how to make a music slideshow using Microsoft PowerPoint. Now, I would like to share with you my first creation – Counting By Tens – Edison simply loves it! Ok, here’s the link for your download.

http://h1.ripway.com/newbb77/Counting%20by%20Tens%20(Rev1).ppt

It’s really not easy to do all these by yourself; especially for working mothers who are struggling with work and family, plus coaching the kids after work. If you have a supportive husband who can help you with this, please give him a BIG warm hug now.

Me? Well, I’m practically a do-it-all mother. No matter how tough it is, I still enjoy doing it. Simply because I love my son so much! I can be a Super Mum! Jia You! Jia You!

Possibly Related Post:
Linking Music to Flashcard Slideshow

Milestones in Language Development - 13 months

2008-10-15T13:17:00.004+08:00

Today I want to blog about Edison's milestones in language development. At 13 months, he has started to comprehend the world he lives in: When we name a common object, such as shoes, he will show that he knows what we are taking about by looking at it, pointing to it or picking up the object.

Although he doesn't talk much yet, but his ears are widely opened and he is eager to absorb all kinds of information. I am fascinated by how he uses pointing and gesturing to communicate with me and our family. He is able to connect names with the right person – daddy, mummy, grandpa, grandma, godpa and kakak. Nowadays, he can say a few words very clearly, i.e. papa, mum mum, tata & star.

These are some simple sentences that he can understand:

“Edison, where are your shoes?”
His reaction: Walk to the door and pick up his shoes.

“Edison, how to wear your shoes?”
His reaction: Sit on the floor, stretch out his legs and pick up his shoe (although he doesn’t know how to put on yet).

“Edison, where are the stars?” “Edison, where is the moon?”
His reaction: Look up to the sky.

“Edison, do you want to go home?”
His reaction: Walk to the main door at grandma’s house, waiting to go back home.

“Edison, do you want your smelly pillow?”
His reaction: He will quickly walk to me and snatch his pillow from me.

“No more?”
He will show you something like this:

My smart little Edison, Mummy loves you so much!
_

Like Mother, Like Son

2008-10-14T13:47:00.003+08:00

[Big picture = ME, Five small pictures = EDISON]

Not long ago, my sister found this baby photo of me in one of our childhood photo albums. She immediately scanned it and e-mailed it to me. Oh gosh, my boy really looks like me! Obviously, he inherits my flat nose and mouth. Our hairs look quite alike too.

Toys for a One Year Old Toddler

2008-10-13T13:49:00.009+08:00

Most Singaporean children are blessed with generous parents who are willing to buy toys for them pretty often. I admit that I’m one of them too! Well, nothing can beat the smiling face of Edison whenever he gets a new toy from me.

Although children do not need a wide array of expensive toys, but I do believe that a good selection of toys can help to stimulate their mental and physical development. So what is the ideal kind of toys for a one-year-old toddler like Edison?

Pushing and riding toys are the most important. Edison has a Fisher Price walker and this toy has always been his #1 favorite. These days, he walks a lot. His new mobile status shows great advancement in his gross motor skills and feeds his curiosity to explore the world around him. Although he can walk steadily now, he still enjoys pushing his walker around the house.

In addition, Edison’s dexterity is also improving. Thus, I need to continue to provide him with sensory and manipulative toys for his amusement. He will learn the cause and effects too. Among Edison’s toys in this category are his Elmo toy cell phone, remote control, Leapfrog Little Touch LeapPad Learning System and Leapfrog Learning Friend Tad. He simply adores these toys with attractive buttons and sounds.

Stacking and sorting toys play a very important role too. They help him to learn the relationships between objects of various sizes and improve his hand and eye coordination. Edison has 2 sets of stacking and sorting toys, but he seems to have lost interest in them. I bought another set yesterday, and this is him, enjoying his new set of stacking toys. I wonder how long this set can last before it is being dumped into my store room.
--

So what about plush toys? Edison shows very little interest in them. Maybe because he’s a BOY, and a boy doesn’t play with plush toys. Am I right? Anyway, we have 2 or 3 of them at home, which he rarely touches on them.

When Edison grows older (18 months maybe), I will get him a riding toy; a little car or bicycle with wheels. He can cycle around the garden in the evening. It will be a good form of exercise for him, besides developing his abilities to traverse his environment.

So that’s all about the toy talk today. To parents who STILL think that toys are a waste of time and money, its time for you to shift your paradigm. -

A Shocking Incident

2008-10-12T10:20:00.002+08:00

Daddy was so eager to attend the Shichida class with Edison yesterday. Oh, that’s cool! I felt an instant relief as I can finally take a break and an hour of quick shopping at Toa Payoh Central. For Daddy, it’s going to be a good bonding time between him and Edison. He has only attended the class once with Edison since we enrolled him in July, so it’s time for him to catch up with the lessons too.

We drove to HDB Hub full of enthusiasm. Edison had his one hour afternoon nap, just before we leave home to school. So, his concentration level should be at its peak for the day’s lesson.

When the class started at 4:15pm, I left the classroom and went for a quick shopping at the TPY Central and to search for some hair products.

Never did I expect that Edison will cry badly in the class. And yes, he really did! When I came back at 5:15pm (the lesson is one hour), I saw Edison’s teary eyes and red face. I got a great shock! Oh my poor boy, what happened to him? Did Daddy scold him? Was it because he is sleepy or hungry or too cold? My imagination went wild.

I quickly carry him and console him. Honestly, I never see him cried so badly before, not even when he fall down and knock his head. I just couldn’t believe what I’ve just seen.

So what has really happened? Apparently, he was looking for me during the second half of the class. When he couldn’t find me, he broke out in tears. Oh, my poor little Edison! I didn’t know that he is soooOOOoooo attached to me. I shouldn’t have left him in the class. I felt so bad and full of guilt.

It took me about half an hour to cheer him up and to make him smile again after the class. You couldn’t imagine how bad the damage was. I can feel that he was a little angry with his Daddy too. When Daddy called him, he simply ignored him. He even pushed away Daddy’s hand when Daddy wanted to touch him.

After the class ended, we went to Suntec City for dinner and shopping. Slowly, he has started to forget about the incident and became smiley and cheerful again. I was so happy to see him transformed into a smiley and cheerful boy again.

Prince Edison - 13 months

2008-10-11T23:33:00.008+08:00

This photo was taken during Edison’s first month celebration. He was too tired after the party and fell asleep soundly. Oh gosh, this picture is now one year old. How quickly time flies! Edison is now 13 months old, and is progressing well into his toddlerhood.

-
This is a quick summary of his development this month:

Movement
- Able to climb up the stairs but finds coming down is harder
- Walks confidently through the house and outdoor, although still topple occasionally
- Can stop walking and bend down to pick up an object on the floor
- Master the challenge of climbing out of his high chair

Hand-Eye Coordination
- Likes to play with a toy phone and able put the receiver on and off it
- Can build a tower of 2 or 3 bricks

Language
- Recognizes his own name
- Understand many more words than he can say; i.e. shoes, water, milk, sleep, bird etc
- Likes to babble and express his emotions

Emotional
- Determined to get his own way
- Throw a tantrum when he is frustrated
- Show liking to pets, i.e. dogs and fish.

Edison is taking ~630ml of milk daily with 2 solid feeds. He sleeps 10 hours though the night and 2 naps (about one hour each nap) during the day. He is slightly above 9kg now.

The coolest thing about Edison - he doesn't require any sleep training, and he goes to sleep on his own. All I have to do is to put him on his bed and dim the light. He will play with his pillows, smell them and sometimes bite the corners of the pillows. Then he will fall asleep, usually within 5 to 10 minutes. Isn't it amazing?

"To my dearest Edison, Mummy will treasure every moment with you. Mummy really loves you a lot! Mummy will always take good care of you."

Possibly Related Post:
Here we go down the memory lane

Potty Training

2008-10-10T15:33:00.004+08:00

We started the basic potty training for Edison when he was about 8 months old. We trained him to urinate in the toilet. We will carry him to the toilet every hour and after he wake up from sleep to pass urine. Initially, we make some ‘sh-sh-sh’ sound to signal him to urinate. Soon, he started to get used to the routine. When its time to urinate, we will bring him to toilet and tell him “Edison, let’s go to pee-pee.” Now, he will urinate every time we bring him to the toilet and he rarely urinates on his pants. During the day time, he is generally diaper-less (except weekends when he is outdoor), which is more comfortable in this warm weather.

Then, I purchased a child size potty from Kiddy Palace and put it somewhere that Edison can see it pretty often. From there, we let him explore the potty and sit on it when he shows interest. We want this potty training to be fun and stress-free for him. It just need a little more time, patience and encouragement.

For the past one week, when we sensed that Edison wants to pass motion, we quickly let him sit on his potty. He poo-poo in the potty without any fuss. It’s just so easy for him. Amazing!

Now that he can pee and poo in the potty, our next step is to make him aware of the use of his little potty. By using the potty consistently, he will slowly understand the use of it. I believe someday he will reach for the potty himself whenever he wants to pee or poo. This will definitely takes a little longer time, but it’s okay. He has already made a very good progress now despite his young age. I’m so proud of him.

Potty training saves a considerable amount of money since diapers are quite expensive. But most importantly, he feels more comfortable without wearing the bulky diaper and he can move around freely at home. Well done, Edison!

Kiddie Rides

2008-10-09T21:47:00.016+08:00

Last Sunday, we bought Edison to VivoCity and he had a great time with kiddie rides again. There are a couple of machines just outside the VivoMart.

Edison chose the Barney ride. The moment I plonked in the $1 coin, the ride started moving and the Barney music played along. Edison's hands automatically took to the steering wheel of the ride and started turning it like a Formula One professional racer. He seems to be able to co-ordinate his turning skills very well.

---

Even after the Barney ride stopped moving, he was still seated in the stationery ride happily. We moved him to the next ride - Sesame Street. "Wow, he drives like you, dear!" I told my hubby. His face beamed with joy as he continue with the ride.

Well, I guess next time, I will have to go to VivoCity with my pocket full of $1 coins.

Unmotivated or Demotivated

2008-10-08T18:04:00.002+08:00

I often get confused by these two words. Unmotivated and demotivated. Are they the same? Well, no. Depicted from the dictionary,

Unmotivated means Having no motive or incentive, without motivation.
Demotivated means Someone makes (me) lose motivation, esp to carry out a task.

Ok, so I think I’m just unmotivated. I have been doing the same old job for the past five years. That is probably the main reason for it. It’s really not a good time to change my job now as Edison is still young plus the job market is not so promising. Coupled with the global financial crisis now, haiz…. I think I just have to ‘rot’ here for the time being.

I have this strange habit. Whenever I’m unmotivated to go to work in the morning, I’ll just dress casually. Today, I just clad in a halter-neck top and a pair of white 2-quarter pants, with my noisy sandals. They make the ‘tak tak tak’ sounds whenever I walk. The noise level is comparable to those toddler squeaky shoes. Hehehe.. I must be crazy. Nonetheless, they didn’t make any impact when I stepped into my office due to the carpet flooring. Haiz!

Another 3+ weeks of suffering before my quarter-end ends on 31 Oct. Every shipment seems so urgent, every product needs expedition, and every single minute counts as we can’t afford any production downtime. This is what I call craziness!

Edison's Vocal Accomplishment

2008-10-08T13:45:00.006+08:00

When Edison started calling his Daddy four months ago, I was thrilled. ‘Dear, Edison is talking!” I squealed. Probably he didn’t know what it means yet, he was just experimenting it. But now, four months later, he begins to talk more often. We hear this everyday....

‘mum mum’ when he wants to eat something

‘pa pa’ when he sees his daddy
‘ta ta ta’ when he is excited or something.. (I couldn’t figure out what he means sometimes)
‘ah!” when he wants to show us something and his finger will point to that object

Sometimes, he will talk and make funny expressions at the same time, i.e. blink his eyes, stick out his tongue etc.

I am wondering if there is anything that we, parents, can do to speed up our toddler’s verbal development. Children’s brains are like sponges, waiting to absorb whatever information or inputs that we give to them. Therefore, I strongly believe that the more we talk to them, the more likely they are to talk and respond to us.

Below are some useful tips that I found on the internet.
1. Talk to them with a clear & proper pronunciation
2. Always use a light and cheery tone
3. Ask them questions. “Would you like milk or water?” "Where are your shoes?" It helps them to gain understanding of language, words and their meanings.
4. Read a variety of materials to them. Picture books, story books or flash cards.

5. Sing songs.

I’m pretty sure that helping them to learn how to talk can be one of the most exciting experiences for us. Watching their little face beam with pride at their first vocal accomplishment is a joy for us too.

So, come on Edison, when can you call 'ma ma'?

Life Transformers

2008-10-07T08:50:00.007+08:00

I was watching this new TV program called Life Transformers on CH8 last night. I am saddened by the real-live story of this 30 y/o woman who has suffered so much in her marriage life. She looked so skinny, fragile and haggard.

She is a mother of 3 children; her oldest son is 9 y/o now. She was married at a tender age of 21. Her husband committed suicide by jumping down from their HDB flat 4 years ago. He ran into a huge amount of debts with the loan sharks. Unable to pay off his debts, he killed himself.

The debts were mainly due to gambling. He didn't have any permanent job and has been jailed for selling pirated VCDs before his death. But what could have been worst? His eldest son witnessed the whole incident of his father committing suicide. He was only 5 y/o then. He must extremely traumatised by the loss of his father.

This woman is now battling with depression and the stress of raising up her 3 kids. I'm not sure if she has a job or any income now. I didn't finish watching the program, else I will definitely burst into tears. I really symphatise her and her children. I begin to wonder about their future.

People always say that the biggest fear for a woman is to marry the wrong guy. This is so true! A wrong husband can turn a woman's life upside down.

Here's a video clip of the show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Aa70CCRziI

I sincerely hope that this show can change her life.

When You Just Don't Have Time

2008-10-03T21:12:00.002+08:00

I had a mini meltdown today. No matter how hard I’ve tried, I just couldn’t finish my work by 6pm. My work has been physically draining this week and I’m feeling extremely stressed out.

Its 9pm now, Edison has just stepped into dreamland. I will continue with my work after posting this entry into my blog. Something cool about my job – I can work anywhere, as long as I have my laptop, mobile phone and internet access. Basically, my job is to scold people and expedite shipments. Such an un-glam job! I hardly dress-up formally to work. But if you ask me to trade this job for one that involves heels and long sleeve shirts, I would rather endure with this un-glam job. At least, I can dress comfortably to work; wearing jeans as and when I like. Dress code is something that you simply can’t find here.

2008 has been a super busy year for me. I realized that I haven’t had a break or holiday since I returned to workforce after my maternity leave. Somehow, I feel that I’ve been spreading myself too thin. It’s just work and family. I don’t have any personal time for myself. When was the last time I had a drink with my girlfriend? Well, the short answer is January 2008. How pathetic!

I wish I have one day just for MYSELF every month. Then I can do something that I really enjoy, something that I always do when I was a single:
- Have a nice facial or spa in the beauty salon.
- Followed by 45-mins of lymphatic drainage massage. This is really good! It helps to reduce water retention and improve overall complexion.
- Body scrub and mask. Regular exfoliation is crucial for skin renewal and a healthy skin.
- Hair and scalp treatment.

Wow, feel like I’m in heaven now! Hehehe...

Ok, back to reality. I never regret spending 4 hours in the hair salon 2 months ago to rebond my hair. Now my hair is so easy to maintain. I just need a tub of hair mask; to be used as conditioner after every shampoo. Jean-Yip Bio-Treatment Hair Mask with Ceramide- it works wonders for me.

I have a few DIY beauty short-cuts to keep my skin under control (before it gets moldy!). Perhaps, someday I should blog about it. Instant beauty fixes that gets me ready in time to face the big bad world.

Ok, time to really start working now. Tomorrow is going to be another exciting day. It's a new term for Edison's Shichida Class.
-

Pumpkin Patch 20% Storewide Sale

2008-10-03T20:47:00.012+08:00

This is one of my favourite brand. Pumpkin Patch is now having 20% storewide sale on regular items. Enjoy 20% discount if you print-out this e-mailer. Or simply charge to your UOB credit card. I will be heading to Vivo City this Sunday to get some cool outfits for my Prince Edison.

Home Sweet Home

2008-10-01T12:55:00.013+08:00

It’s a public holiday today and I’m off from work. Since Edison is taking his afternoon nap now, I’ve decided to snap a few pictures of my house and share them on my blog.

Located in Sengkang, near the Punggol Park, this executive condominium is very windy and has a nice green scenery view. Our unit is located at the 7th floor, 1313 sq ft, 3+1 bedrooms. It’s indeed a nice and cosy little house for our family. A place that we can really enjoy living in it.

The coolest part of our house is the beautiful landscape and pool view from our living hall. We can hear laughters of children swimming in the pool on Sunday mornings. If we are lucky, we can even catch pretty girls in bikini, sun-tanning beside the pool.

On a windy day, we can enjoy the cool gentle breeze from our living hall. This unit is unblocked and most of the time, it’s so windy that we hardly turn on the fan. This is our most effective energy-conservation method. With the recent increase in the electricity tariff, we expect to pay ~$35 more every month on our utility bill (and no rebate!)

Our living hall, dining hall and kitchen.

Now that we have a kid in the house, it’s nearly impossible for us to keep our house neat and tidy all the times. Look under the sofa, you will find a toy car, a ball or even a baby biscuit! Edison’s toys are all over the house. As much as possible, we try to keep it clean by doing major cleaning up every weekend. It has been much easier now with a helper at home.

And this is Edison, playing in the kitchen (again). I often wonder why he likes to wander around the kitchen even if he has the whole living hall to play by himself. His favourite is playing with my instant coffee sachets and baby cubes in the kitchen.

Okay, time to catch up with Edison in dreamland... Enjoy the holiday! --

My new shoes...

2008-09-30T13:19:00.013+08:00

I have a new achievement this week. I can finally walk outdoor with my shoes. Hooray! These are my first 2 pairs of shoes... Waiting for a storage space in the shoe rack of our house...

3-Days Excursion with 3 Kids

2008-09-28T20:55:00.031+08:00

It was a super busy weekend for me. My mother, my brother, his wife and their 2 children, Jaynie and Jaerone, were in Singapore. We were out on the town for the past 3 days, with the 3 kids – Jaynie (2.5 y/o), Edison (1 y/o) and Jaerone (10 months old). The kids were having lots of fun. For Edison and his cousin Jaerone, it was also their first meet-up!

-Merry-Go-Round Jaynie, Edison and Jaerone

----

For the first time, Edison rode on a coin-operated kiddie ride. He was extremely excited and happy with the ride. Much to my surprise, he refused to get down after the game! When I carried him down, he yelled and threw his tantrums in the public. I was horrified & embarrassed. Luckily, I managed to calm him by tricking him on another game.

Edison's dad has been against the coin-operated kiddie ride. He doesn’t want Edison to get addicted to the rides and cause embarrassment in the public when he refuses to get down. In my point of view, playing with kiddie rides is part of their growing up. All of us played with them when we were young. As a parent, we need to discipline them during the ride and tell them when to play and when to stop. Eventually, they will listen to us.

-

-
This is a very special week for Edison as he has a lot of first times in his life.
1. First time walking outdoor (at shopping centers, garden, park) with his new pair of shoes.
2. First time drinking ice lemon tea with a straw. He has learnt the sucking and blowing reflexes.
3. First time throwing tantrums in the public!
4. First time riding a coin-operated kiddie ride machine
5. First time swimming in an adult pool

Going out with 3 kids is really no joke. It’s not always that they are so synchronized; sleepy, hungry and awake at the same time. If you encounter the worst case scenario, i.e. when first one is sleepy, second one is hungry and third one needs diaper-change, you will be totally lost.

In addition, we took almost 2 hours to get the 3 kids ready before we can leave the house. Every time when I get home, I heave a sigh of relief. It was so tiring, but enjoyable. -Edison will meet up with Jaerone and Jaynie again in November this year during my sister's wedding. -

My Typical Weekday Schedule

2008-09-24T18:10:00.001+08:00

6:30am: Edison wakes up, bright-eyed and with a bright smile. He will stand up and make a little noise to wake me up. He will take his first milk feed. Most of the time, he can finished 180ml within 5mins!

6:45am: I go for a shower, while Edison takes a short nap after his milk. Usually, he wakes up from his short nap at around 7:30am.

7:30am: My helper will clean up Edison and change his clothes, while I prepare to go to work.

8:00am: Leave home for work.

8:45am: Reach my office, download my more-than-a hundred e-mails while I’m taking my breakfast. Check out my friends’ blogs. Hey, I love reading blogs – peek into someone else’s life and follow-up on their children's growing up.

9:15am: Time to REALLY start working!

12:15pm: Lunch time. Catch up with fellow colleagues for lunch, chit-chat and a good laugh.

1:15pm: Back at work. Freshen up with a cup of coffee. Settle the remaining works for the day.

6:00pm: Happiest hour of the day! Pack my stuff. Go home and smell my boy.

6:30pm: It takes me half an hour (or less) from my office to my parent-in law’s house. After a long day at work, I miss my boy terribly. His smile will instantly energize me. I feel so important again - being a mother to Edison.

7:00pm: Have dinner with my parents-in-law. Spend some quality time with them before we return to our home-sweet-home.

8:30pm: Reach home. Play a little games or flash cards with Edison.

9:00pm: Edison goes to sleep. He is an early sleeper.

9:00pm – 10:30pm: This is my so-called “Prime Time”. I finally have some personal time for myself. Gosh! What I normally do within this 1.5 hours: read the newspaper, go online, read a chapter of my book and sometimes make some flash cards. I don't really watch TV.

10:30pm: Crash into bed. I consider myself blessed as I still have 8 hours of beauty sleep everyday.

Nonetheless, something important is still lacking from my schedule. I have to admit it, I just can’t hide. Lack of exercise, you are right! Extra pounds are piling up now, and I better do something about it. These days, I realized that I’m becoming ‘rounder’ and ‘rounder’!

For a FTWM, juggling between work and family life is so challenging and tiring. On top of this, we still need to find time for our personal upkeep and maintenance. From a woman’s point of view, looking good is just so important. We wouldn’t want to end up like a ‘yellow-face wife’ (huang lian po). I always envy mothers who can manage their family and work so well, and yet still look great and youthful.

I realized that my life has changed dramatically this year. I have many roles to play in my daily life – as a mother, a wife, a daughter, an employee (to my company) and an employer (to my helper). It’s challenging, but rewarding ultimately!

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Five Minutes Method of Suggestion

2008-09-23T18:25:00.001+08:00

My little boy seems to have some concentration problem during his Shichida class. He simply refuse to sit properly on his chair and pay attention to the teacher. He would crawl up the desk or down to the floor, playing with diaper bags, drinking bottle etc. Even a small piece of paper on the floor would catch his attention. He will crawl down and pick up it up immediately!

Our teacher, Eunice has recommended the Five Minutes Method of Suggestion to me, hopefully we can improve Edison's attention span in the class. At this point of time, I guess this is the only solution to it.

What is Five Minute Method of Suggestion?

I first heard about this method during the Parent Education Course (PEC). Besides the Eight Second Hugging, this is another method for parents to convey their love to their children. This method can be used to cure troublesome habits (i.e. thumb-sucking) and undesirable personality traits (i.e. selfishness) in children.

Why only five minutes?

During the first 5 minutes after a child has fallen asleep, the conscious mind goes to sleep, but the subconscious mind is still awake and functioning. We need to make use of this 5 minutes to work on the subconscious mind.

How to do it?

During this 5 minutes, we can express our wishes by softly whispering into our children's ears, when they have just fallen asleep. We can also tape our words using a recorder and then set it beside our children's pillow. Play it with volume set softly for about 15 mins after they have gone asleep. Do it every night. I would say, at least, a week or so, until we see the results.

How effective it is?

A mother (not me!) has cured her children's thumb sucking habit within 7 days! You have to try it yourself to 'see' the effectiveness.

The way I see it, I'm going to give it a try. I have recorded my speech using my mobile phone last night and will be making its first debut tonight. I hope it really works, and I'll update the results 2 weeks later.

This is my pre-recorded speech:

"My dear Edison. You are sleeping now. You can hear my voice. Daddy & Mummy love you a lot. Our hearts and your heart are always together.

Edison is a big boy now. You need to attend your Shichida class every Saturday. You're a genius. Your concentration power is good. You will sit on your chair and focus on what sensei is teaching. You will see flash cards. You will learn counting and ABC. You will sing songs. You will participate in the games that sensei introduces in the class. You will not make any noise. You will not crawl around the class.

Its a really good feeling. You will enjoy yourself with the activities in the Shichida class. You are a smart boy and you can understand everything that Mummy has just said. Everybody says they love Edison because he is such a good and obedient boy. Daddy and Mummy love Edison a lot too."

Resources: Parent Education Course (PEC) manual from Shichida Method.

Smart Little Edison

2008-09-21T17:34:00.003+08:00

I have this impression that Edison is a pretty smart boy. He can do a lot of things that I don’t think me and my hubby can do when we were one year old. He seems to understand a lot from our conversation too. Should I conclude that the newer generation babies are all smarter?

Improved living standard and better food quality make them smarter and healthier. I recalled myself popping fish oil supplement with DHA for fetus brain development as early as 4th month of pregnancy. It cost me $1 per daily for the supplement. From 4th to 9th month, I’ve spent $180 on fish oil alone (6 months x 30 days x $1 = $180). Not to mention others like multi-vitamins, folic acids etc.

These are the TEN amazing stuff that Edison has learnt so far:

1. When we ask him where the moon is, he will look up to the sky, trying to locate it. Sometimes, he can even point to the direction of the moon.

2. He can say the word ‘star’. Occasionally, he will point up to the sky and say ‘star’.

3. When we ask him how to turn on his Jumperoo, he knows where the ON button is and he can turn it on by himself.

4. When we ask him where the tiger is, he will walk over to his Jumperoo and pull out the tiger!

5. Besides tiger, he knows a few other animals too, i.e. dog, cat, pig, mouse and bird! He can even imitate a dog barking!

6. He can understand the words ‘milk’ and ‘water’ and distinguish them by the colour of the milk bottle.

7. When we show him his tooth brush and comb, and we ask him which one to use for combing his hair, he will pick up the comb. When we ask him which one to use for brushing teeth, he will pick up the tooth brush! He seldom get it wrong.

8. When he hears his favourite song, Counting By Tens, he will clap his hands.

9. When he hears the words “Which one”, he knows that he has to make a selection. He will point to the item that he wants.

10. When he hears the words “Want to eat?”, he knows that there is food for him to eat and he will immediately make his way to you.

Besides all these, he is a very active boy at home. I always wonder why he is so busy walking around the house and where he gets so much energy! Besides the 2 hours nap time in the afternoon, the rest of the times he will be all over the house.

~~ Caught in the act! ~~

He loves to stand on the foot of our IKEA lamp and shakes the lamp post. And he likes to bite every pillow in the house! He shows no mercy and leaves all the 4 corners of the pillow with his tooth marks!

I can walk!

2008-09-20T21:30:00.006+08:00

This week, I have mastered the skill of walking... I walk around the house everyday, from the living hall to the kitchen and bedrooms... Climb up the stairs has become my daily exercise routine now, and I'm such an expert! I can climb up to 3rd storey few times a day! I'm blessed with a pair of strong legs....

To my grandparents & Auntie Stevie in Ipoh, I want to show you these videos of me walking at home today...

A Brand New Look

2008-09-19T18:20:00.002+08:00

Tadaa! I’m launching a brand new look for my blog today! I like this new template so much. It gives me a totally refreshing feeling with the soft blue and white background. I hope you will like it too.

This is the third time I changed my blog template. I started off with a default blogger template. From there, I migrated to Disney’s movie Ratatoullie, followed by Birdie’s Secret Garden and now News from the Sky. I downloaded this new blogger template (News from the Sky) from Gisele Jaquenod & Birdie. All her designs are so pretty and cute. You can even download these awesome templates for free! Check this out!

http://www.giselejaquenod.com.ar/blog/blogger-templates/

Blogger Buster has also featured some truly awesome blogger templates which are also available for free download. You may want to take a look here:
http://www.bloggerbuster.com/2008/09/10-gorgeous-new-blogger-template.html

Every time when I change my blogger template, I learnt something new in the process. Uploading a new template isn’t difficult. The most tedious part is probably copying the widgets over to the new template. When I try to upload a new customized template to blogger, I will get a message asking if I want to delete most of my existing widgets. I always wonder "how can I copy my widgets over to a new template?" After reading this tutorial, I can do it so quickly and painlessly. These are some of my useful references:

How to upload blogger XML templates
http://www.bloggerbuster.com/2007/07/how-to-upload-blogger-templates.html

How to copy widgets from one template to another
http://www.bloggerbuster.com/2007/09/how-i-copy-widgets-from-one-template-to.html

HTML color codes and names
http://www.computerhope.com/htmcolor.htm

In addition to the change of template, I have also added a wonderfully simple search widget in my blog to allow readers to search through my posts. I hope it works, pls help me to test it. Thanks.

Blogging is FUN! Looking forward to add more new features in my blog soon.

Stay-At-Home Sunday

2008-09-15T18:00:00.020+08:00

14 Sept 08 – It was a stay-at-home Sunday for me. I continued my efforts to make flash cards for little Edison. With the help from my helper, we have completed our Action Cards – two sets with 18 cards per set.

The action flash cards are pretty interesting. I downloaded them from ESL Flashcards. From this website, you can download the flash cards in three different sizes. For A5 size blank flash cards, you should download the medium size flash cards from this website.

These are our Action Cards.

In addition, I’ve started another attempt to make a musical slideshows with PowerPoint. I've selected a new song “Opposite Land” that we learnt in the Shichida class last week. All the slides have been prepared, and I’m in the midst of ‘tuning’ and ‘timing’ the slides. I like this song a lot though Edison doesn’t seem to like it so much. It teaches the opposite words that the child can learn easily from the song.

Preview of my “Opposite Land” Slideshow:

If you are wondering where I get the songs for my slideshows, let me share with you. The songs are taken from the Sing Together! You + Me = Fun Music CD, available at the Tensai Showroom at Shichida Method. Except for the foreign language songs, you can find most of the English songs taught in the Shichida class in this CD.

Edison is now a ONE year old toddler

2008-09-13T21:51:00.005+08:00

My little Edison is now a ONE year old toddler. I realized how quickly time flies. In a blink of eyes, one year has passed and my boy has blossomed into a cheerful and active little toddler. Looking at these pictures, I remembered how tiny and vulnerable he seems to be when he was born. But now, when I look at him, I can see his smile, his activeness, his inner strength and his love to everyone in the family.

11 Sep 07 – Just Born

11 Sep 08 - One year old

We are absolutely amazed by the rate of his development. Just two days before his first birthday, he proved to us that he can walk independently! This is his biggest accomplishment to-date and we were so delighted with his newfound ability.

He is always so alert and curious about little things that happened around him. His funny expressions never failed to make us laugh. He makes our life so complete and full of surprises. He will always be the NUMBER ONE in my heart.

‘To my Prince Edison, Mummy hopes that you will always be HAPPY and HEALTHY. It’s been a tough, awesome and remarkable year for both of us. Thank you for being such a lovely darling and Mummy knows that you have been a very good boy.’

Before my memory fails, I would like to do a recap of what happened in this eventful year.

Sept 07:
Gave birth to our first baby boy Edison via emergency C-section. An amazing experience to me. Being a first time mother was so nerve-wrecking. My eyes were full of tears when I carried my little baby for the first time. He looked so beautiful than I have imagined.

Oct 07:

First month celebration with family and friends. Everyone was happy with the new addition to our family. I was glad that confinement was over. I felt guilty as I almost broke all the confinement rules!

Nov 07:
Life has never been the same again. Waking up in the wee hours at night to feed isn’t easy at all. We were stressed out and clueless whenever he cried. Found my good friend, Mr. Pacifier! Simply can’t survive without it.

Dec 07:
Returned to workforce. I suffered from severe separation anxiety. Missed my boy every minute and every second when I was at work. Everytime when I sent him to infant care, I blamed myself for not being able to take care of him. It was so heart-wrenching.

Jan 08:
He appeared in a local magazine, modeling Chinese New Year fashion for them. We rushed to the newsstand to get a copy of it the first day it was published. My boy looks so great!

Feb 08:
He knew how to throw his tantrums. He was full of emotions. He turned away from strangers. He can flip in both directions when he was on his stomach.

Mar 08:
This month was tough. He suffered from teething pain and disrupted sleep. Dentinox teething gel was our savior. His first two pearlies finally appeared by end of the month. It was a relief!

Apr 08:
It was a tough decision. We have finally withdrawn him from infant care. Enough of stupid excuses from the infant care! We hired an Indon maid to take care of Edison.

May 08:
His activeness started. He crawled everywhere. He can stand on his own. He babbled a lot. Always cheerful and full of funny expressions.

June 08:
Beauty sleep was back. Edison has totally stopped night feeding. Great feeling! Even without any sleep training, he can sleep on his own without any rocking or patting.

July 08:
He started schooling at Shichida Method. Brand new experience again. Both of us learned and enjoyed a lot from the school. Make new friends as well.

Aug 08:
Getting a bit out of control. He is just too active, and we have a hard time chasing after him. Hide and seek is his favourite game. He will laugh joyfully.

Five important lessons that I’ve learnt this year:
1. Pacifier is a ‘must-have’. I salute to mothers who can make it without it.
2. A good electric breast pump is absolutely necessary.
3. Being a good mother is not just about being able to breastfeed.
4. C-section is not scary and painful after all.
5. No time to go shopping? Online shopping is as good and enjoyable.

I would like to thank all my family members for their continuous support and help during this critical year. A BIG THANK YOU for all of you.

A Young Fan of Thomas & Friends

2008-09-09T16:46:00.014+08:00

We bought Edison a set of Thomas & Friends toy as his first birthday present. Last weekend, we finally had the time to open and set it up. Wow, I must admit that it is not an easy task setting up the railways and track. It could be as easy as ABC for a young 5 y/o kid, but not for a 30 y/o mother!

After setting up the tracks, we slowly discovered that the train is actually battery-operated and can move along the tracks on its own! Hehehe... Blame me for being so 'sua ku', cos I really know nuts about this Thomas thing!

Besides the train, there is also a little helicopter that will fly and rotate after being triggered by the train. Edison is totally amazed and he will point his finger at the helicopter everytime it moves.

Here's Edison with his first Thomas & Friends toy set:

Oh boy, don't crawl over the track!

Obsessed with Rootote Bags!

2008-09-07T10:49:00.013+08:00

I received my first Rootote Bag which I bought from a spree in SMH forum yesterday… Oh, I love it so much! I got myself a Medium Luxe Capital Bag. I like their simple design, casual and yet perfect as an everywhere bag. I’m amazed by how much stuff that I can throw into the bag! It is very sturdy too, and I’m planning to get one as Edison’s diaper bag! My current LeSportSac bag looks kinda old now, and its time to get it changed.

I’m just too obsessed with the bags. I ordered another 3 bags from the spree – Medium Luxe Pink Dot, Medium Felt Swan and a Medium Luxe Floral.

(From top left: Capital, Pink Dot, Swan and Floral)

The spree price is only $26! It's simply too irresistable. The bags are direct from Japan. More designs available here:

http://www.superplanning.co.jp/rootote/index.html

You can also get them from Rootote Australian website too. But the price is higher. It costs AUD$39, excluding shipping.

http://www.rootote.com.au/

The spree in the SMH forum is definitely a better choice! :)

Employing a foreign maid in Singapore

2008-09-05T18:05:00.007+08:00

For a full-time working mother like me, employing a foreign maid to manage the household chores and baby-sit is inevitable. Having a good & reliable maid provides us with a true peace of mind.

On average, full-time Filipino maids who can cook, do general household chores and babysit earn about $350-$450 a month. Indonesian and Sri Lankan maids are paid an average $300-$400 a month. The difference is mainly due to the better English capability that a Filipino maid generally possesses. Differences in wages are depends on the maid’s experience – locally or overseas.

Besides their monthly wages, we need to pay the maid levy on a monthly basis to the government. The rates are $170 (concession) and $265 (normal). We are also required to pay for their insurance, which is about $200 for a 2-year contract.

The easiest way to obtain a foreign maid is to go to any of the maid agencies available in Singapore. From there, you can browse the maid’s biodata and handpick the one that fits your requirement. The process generally takes 4-6 weeks, depends on whether the maid has a valid passport in her home country. Agency fee varies from $88 to $688.

In my point of view, a good agency DOES NOT guarantee you a good maid. It’s all about your LUCK in picking a good maid. After which, it depends on how you treat them and discipline them.

If you need detailed information about the process of hiring a foreign maid in Singapore, you can read up this blog. Blogger Tamarind shares her experience with us. I find this blog very very useful when I was looking for a maid 6 months ago.

http://singaporemaid.blogspot.com/

MAID AGENCIES
I went to several maid agencies before I make my selection. Among all the agencies, I have chosen Sun Employment which is located at Bishan. We are satisfied with the service provided by Sun Employment and our maid arrived within 4 weeks after we make our payment.

This blog has reviews on various maid agencies, written by customers who have used them before. It is indeed a good read.

http://singaporemaidagencyreviews.blogspot.com/

TRANSFER MAIDS?
I will NOT take a transfer maid. In my opinion, if the maid is good, their employer will not transfer them. So, I better don’t take the risk. Although it could be due to the employer herself, I would rather hire a new maid rather than guessing why the ex-employer wants to change the transfer maid.

This blog has a list of transfer maids that have been blacklisted. Pls avoid them AT ALL COST!

http://singaporemaidcomments.blogspot.com/

MY INDON MAID
She has been working for me for the past 4+ months. So far, I’m quite satisfied with her work. She keeps my house clean, manage all the household chores independently and take good care of my son.

I can also see that she is happy staying with our family. She gained a whooping 7kg in just 4 months! It’s amazing to learn that she is even ‘heavier’ and ‘chubbier’ than me now. Haha!

This is Edison and his 'Kakak'...

Thanks Niti for being such a good helper! :)

Linking Music to Flashcard Slideshow

2008-09-04T17:50:00.007+08:00

This is something that I learned from the Shichida class: Linking music to flash cards or slideshows. In this way, you will make learning FUN for the kids.

I made a flash card slideshow using Edison’s favourite song COUNTING BY TENS. He will shake his butts and clap his hands whenever he hears the song. Amazing! Hehehe...

I use the Microsoft PowerPoint to make the slideshows. First of all, I design the slides based on the lyrics of the song. Example, for lyrics “I love to count by tens’, I insert a picture of two children counting using an abacus and the numbers from 1 to 10. I put the lyrics at the bottom of the slide. I put some animation on it too, i.e. the wordings will ‘fly’ out when the music is started.

After all the slides are created, I insert the music (sound file) into the slideshow. You can set the music to be played Automatically when you go to the first slide or When Clicked.

The most tedious part is to custom the music and set the timing. I set the music to continue playing from the first till the last slide. I adjust the slide transition based on the music. You have to time every lines of the song and adjust the slide transition based on the timing. It takes a great deal of time to complete this part.

Once this part is completed, I do a final demonstration to confirm that the slideshow is working well.

Edison likes it a lot. Needless to say, I’m delighted as my hard works finally paid off! Looking forward to make another musical slideshow for Edison this weekend.

DIY Flash Cards - It is so easy!

2008-09-03T17:14:00.019+08:00

DIY flash cards? Well, it is not as tedious as I thought. I made my first set of flash card last night. With the help from my hubby and helper, we completed 90+ pcs in about 2 hours! We have five titles altogether - Food, Things at Home, Counting by Tens, Animals and Numbers 1-20 (in Red Dots).

I bought the blank flash cards from Hiap Moh, a paper supplier in Singapore. The cost of the blank cards is:

1800pcs of A5 size (350gm) = $53.00
900pcs of A4 size (350gm) = $53.00

It costs you as little as 3 cents for one A5 flash card (if you make your own!). Besides the cost savings, you can design your own cards and select your own titles.

These are some of the useful websites that you can use as reference. I downloaded mine from BrillBaby.

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http://www.brillbaby.com/baby-downloads/flash-card-printout.php
http://www.search4dinosaurs.com/
http://store.banknotes.com/home.php
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/
http://www.mes-english.com/flashcards.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colors
http://www.eslflashcards.com/
http://www.lenntech.com/periodic-chart.htm

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These are my end products.... :)

ONE is Fun!

2008-09-02T14:29:00.004+08:00

My baby boy is now a ONE year old toddler. We had a little birthday party at home to celebrate his FIRST BIRTHDAY last weekend. Lots of food & fun!

We ordered a Baby Bugs birthday cake from Bengawan Solo. Chocolate sponge cake with blueberry fillings & fresh cream. Edison loves it to bits.

To our dearest Edison,

You are a little miracle in our lives. You bring us so much joy and laughters. No matter how bad is our day, your smile will instantly brightens us up.

Now you are ONE. You've blossomed into a smart, active and cheerful little boy. We are amazed by the rate of your development. You love learning and you are always curious.

When someone meets you for the first time, the first thing they comment on is your eyes. You have a pair of big bright eyes, framed with long lashes, that sparkle in the light.

We love you Edison. Happy FIRST Birthday!

Running out of toys?

2008-08-26T17:23:00.019+08:00

YES... I've run out of ideas what to buy and what to rent for Edison... He seems to lost interest in his toys too fast! The other day, our helper was persuading him to play with the new bicycle that I have rented. But he simply 'bo-hiew' her (don't bother about her).

He looked so 'attitude', right? Hehehe...

I just dig out whatever new stuff at home to be his toys... something new that he has never seen before to ease his curiosity!

Look at this! He loves to play with these skincare samples... He sat in my room for half an hour playing with them (without crawling up & down). This is amazing!

Last week, he ransacked the kitchen cabinet. Sat on the kitchen floor and played with the tupperwares for half an hour.

This is my little boy...

Daddy's Yummy-licious Laksa

2008-08-25T17:57:00.012+08:00

This is how it looks like. My Daddy's yummy-licious LAKSA.

Super HOT. Super SPICY. Super TASTY too. Simply irresistable.

Daddy is really good at it. Too bad that I can't eat adult food yet. Sobz... Mummy ate too much yesterday until she had sore throat this morning.

Birthday Cake for Edison

2008-08-24T10:39:00.004+08:00

After a thorough read in the SMH forum, I've came across this bakery called ECreative. At the first glance at their website, I was impressed. Their cakes look fabulous! Many forumers have written good reviews about their cakes and services. Thus, I have decided to give them a try too.

We have shortlisted the following cakes:

1. C0642: Flowers and butterflies design. So simple but yet it brings out the beauty of nature. Quoted from Edison's Godpa: Edison is a gift of nature. A true gem. So, this cake design really suits him.

2. C0590: Nature forest design. Very colourful. The animals look so cute. The flowers and waterfall bring out the beauty of the cake. Quoted from Edison's Godpa: Edison's future pathway would be a colourful and interesting one. He will meet lots of good friends at school to play with. The waterfall shows the cascade of blessings to all who joined him in his birthday celebration. Oh, this is so meaningful!

Number Two???

2008-08-23T23:04:00.025+08:00

Something to rejoice about. The enhanced Marriage and Parenthood (M&P) package announced by PM Lee at the National Day Rally on 17 Aug 08.

It happened once again. Singapore Government is generously giving more incentives to encourage couples to have more babies. Seriously, I don't think anyone would get married or have a kid just because of the incentives. But but but, if we are thinking of having another baby, it will make it a lot easier for us with the new incentives.

What attracts me?
1. Extended maternity leave from 12 to 16 weeks for working mothers. No need to work for ~4 months, but still get paid! I was jumping with joy when I heard this.
2. Paid childcare leave has been increased from 2 to 6 days. For parents with child aged below seven years old. Yes, I fit into this category. I can start planning my additional 4 days leave this year.
3. Unpaid infant care leave. This is NEW! Working parents will get six days of unpaid infant care leave per year if one has a child aged below two years old. Don't worry if I have burnt all my annual leave and childcare leave, as I still have 6 days of unpaid leave as back-up.

Besides all these, the Government has also increased the Baby Bonus, Parenthood Tax Rebate and subsidies for centre-based child/infant-care.

For more detailed information pertaining to the enhanced M&P, you can refer to the following link:
http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20080822-83616.html

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I have always wanted to have a baby GIRL. I dreamt about that little pinkish booties, pink dress with lace and pink hair bands. It will be nice if Edison has a 'mei-mei' (sister) to play with and share his toys.

On the other hand, I'm worried that I may not be able to handle two kids on my own. I may not be able to channel all my time and efforts to Edison. I don't want to add stress to my aging parents-in-law. Well, well, well, what should I do? Strike Toto, become a SAHM & I can take care of my two kids... Ok, start dreaming about it tonight.... :)

To my dearest Edison.. You are always my NUMBER ONE.. You are the most important to me... and whatever I do, its always for you... Life is like a box of chocolates, full of surprises & you will never know what you are going to get. Enjoy all that you have and be a HAPPY BOY always!

18 days to Edison's First Birthday!