I swear I'm a S*#T attractor. Really, all big and small S*#T happen to me all the time. Classic example would have to be when I was teaching. The WHOLE school was in the parade square for the morning assembly and I was standing in the centre and guess what,... a flock of birds went by and I felt something warm on my head. And it happened TWICE!!! What're the chances of that!!!
Anyway, it's always during something important that S*#T lands; like during one of the Minister's visit, I was tasked to recite the pledge and I happily reduce it by half... I forgot the words. Then there was the time I mimic this b/witch-of-a-boss, and she was standing right behind me. Then there was Lucas's Birthday last year where I fell with his cake.
So it's probably no surprise that tomorrow's Lucas's Birthday celebration and our fridge decided to take a break. Okay, it could have been worse, we could have collected his ice-cream cake today... ... BUT I had about 20 packets of EBM in the freezer! Those 20 pacs contained my sleep-deprived hard work. I was desperate for a fridge. Good thing I have good PR with my neighbours so I found a temporary storage. Phew...
But it was really a strange experience. I mean, how do you go around asking if your neighbour has some spare storage in the freezer for your breast milk? I'm not on such good terms as to bare my chest (metorphorically and literary) to them. It's a blessing that I have thick skin and shame immunity. I asked them if I could store my milk like I was asking if I could store some ice-cream. They were really nice and quickly rearranged the fridge for me.
Point is S*#T happens all the time... but for the most half of it, you just need a couple inches of thick-skin and just go with the flow.
And hey, half an hour later, my fridge was humming again, back from slumberland. I thought I shouldn't take the chance with my milk and it would be safer at my neighbours... then Vinc asked, "did you count the number of packets of milk???" ... ... oh man... ... S*#T!
Saturday 20 December 2008
Thursday 4 December 2008
Frustrations with the infant care
Generally, I'm quite a chin-chai parent. I'm not a kan-cheong spider so I don't freak out if Lucas or Lyra had a slight injury and I don't rush down to the infant or childcare when teachers call to tell me my kid had a fall or a fight. I am quite calm and as long as they are not in imminent danger, I leave the teachers to do their work.
However, a few episodes at Lyra's infant care made me see red. To begin with, the teachers there are not that fantastic. They are quite seasoned aunties and seem lacking in energy. Of the many times I have been there, I don't see them playing or engaging the children. Their function as 'teacher' is primarily care-givers; i.e feeding and cleaning.
Yesterday, when I was picking Lyra, I found my frozen BM had thawed in their freezer. Their bar fridge just wasn't cold enough. This is the second time it had happened. The 1st time, they claimed the electrician switched off the fridge to use the plug. They were unaware the milk has thawed on both occassions.
What was more appalling was the teachers suggested re-freezing so as not to waste the milk! I thought it is common knowledge that you should never re-freeze your thawed food. Had I not check the fridge, Lyra would have been drinking milk that has gone stale, fallen sick and we would be none the wiser. Sigh... In all, I discarded 9packets of BM. Had my supply been constant and abundant like when I had Lucas, I probably wouldn't have been upset... but this time round, my milk is dwindling and I had made it a point to wake up at 3 am to express so that Lyra would have sufficient. All my hard work down the drain literally. It was most upsetting.
The teachers are also very blur and will forget to tell me when Lyra runs out of clothes or diapers. They would use other kids clothes and hankies for her. It was sheer luck that I discovered so many of their mistakes because they prevent parents from entering the premises. I had ignored the instructions and went in daily anyways to check on my milk and Lyra's drawers. I wonder what other horrors there are and if I should change to another infant care, albeit at a less convenient location.
Anyway, I'm going to have a word with the Principal. I wouldn't mind forking out money to buy them a new fridge if I had to.
However, a few episodes at Lyra's infant care made me see red. To begin with, the teachers there are not that fantastic. They are quite seasoned aunties and seem lacking in energy. Of the many times I have been there, I don't see them playing or engaging the children. Their function as 'teacher' is primarily care-givers; i.e feeding and cleaning.
Yesterday, when I was picking Lyra, I found my frozen BM had thawed in their freezer. Their bar fridge just wasn't cold enough. This is the second time it had happened. The 1st time, they claimed the electrician switched off the fridge to use the plug. They were unaware the milk has thawed on both occassions.
What was more appalling was the teachers suggested re-freezing so as not to waste the milk! I thought it is common knowledge that you should never re-freeze your thawed food. Had I not check the fridge, Lyra would have been drinking milk that has gone stale, fallen sick and we would be none the wiser. Sigh... In all, I discarded 9packets of BM. Had my supply been constant and abundant like when I had Lucas, I probably wouldn't have been upset... but this time round, my milk is dwindling and I had made it a point to wake up at 3 am to express so that Lyra would have sufficient. All my hard work down the drain literally. It was most upsetting.
The teachers are also very blur and will forget to tell me when Lyra runs out of clothes or diapers. They would use other kids clothes and hankies for her. It was sheer luck that I discovered so many of their mistakes because they prevent parents from entering the premises. I had ignored the instructions and went in daily anyways to check on my milk and Lyra's drawers. I wonder what other horrors there are and if I should change to another infant care, albeit at a less convenient location.
Anyway, I'm going to have a word with the Principal. I wouldn't mind forking out money to buy them a new fridge if I had to.
Tuesday 2 December 2008
Topsy turvy Lyra
Lyra has adjusted to the infant care... hooray! Now, she will smile, laugh and chat with the teachers. She is a chatter-box and loves to have people parked right in front of her yakking away. Typical girl... I can see exploding phone bills in future. And there must be eye-to-eye contact when you chat with her or she will protest.
She is quite amazing. She is only 2 months and 3 weeks but her development surpasses the norm. Already, she is able to lift her upper body up on her arms and is able to turn from her front to her back. Lucas could do all these only when he was about 3-4 months and that was considered fast! We found that she could flip on one of the weekends when I distinctively remembered putting her on her tummy only to find her on her back a few minutes later. Sometimes, she shocks herself awake at night cos she turned from her favourite tummy pose to her back. After which she will wake up the entire neighbourhood (except Vinc) with her wails
Compared to some of the other infants I have seen, she is really very responsive; definitely not a 'gong kia'. :) I think in a year or so, I'll have my hands full with 2 fiery tempered and equally stubborn kids. And I think Lucas and Lyra are equally matched... ... although I suspect Lucas will probably be at the losing end in most battles. Not because he is weaker but because he is tough on the outside and a softie on the inside. He will probably give in to mei-mei and kick himself for it. Sigh,... ... I really love the 2 of them to bits... ...
She is quite amazing. She is only 2 months and 3 weeks but her development surpasses the norm. Already, she is able to lift her upper body up on her arms and is able to turn from her front to her back. Lucas could do all these only when he was about 3-4 months and that was considered fast! We found that she could flip on one of the weekends when I distinctively remembered putting her on her tummy only to find her on her back a few minutes later. Sometimes, she shocks herself awake at night cos she turned from her favourite tummy pose to her back. After which she will wake up the entire neighbourhood (except Vinc) with her wails
Compared to some of the other infants I have seen, she is really very responsive; definitely not a 'gong kia'. :) I think in a year or so, I'll have my hands full with 2 fiery tempered and equally stubborn kids. And I think Lucas and Lyra are equally matched... ... although I suspect Lucas will probably be at the losing end in most battles. Not because he is weaker but because he is tough on the outside and a softie on the inside. He will probably give in to mei-mei and kick himself for it. Sigh,... ... I really love the 2 of them to bits... ...
Monday 1 December 2008
Migraine again
Today is my 1st day back at work after 11 weeks of Maternity Leave. I wonder if it is coincidence that my migraine attacked yesterday and today. :P
To be truthful, I haven't been completely out of touch with work either as my itchy backside will itch to log on and my fingers prompted to punch a few email replies. But I have tried very hard to curb the urge so these are limited to really VIPs (very important projects).
My colleagues are glad to have me back and already they have handed the projects they were covering back to me. I had requested to meet them tomorrow to hand over,... but guess they couldn't wait. :) Which is just as well since I don't want to sit and laze around.
For the rest of my ML, I'll be taking Wednesdays off till July 2009. I'm not sure if this will materialise as I'm workaholic and I can't leave work undone on a Wednesday. But I'll definitely try my best. Think I'll sign Lucas up for some fun courses to do then I'll have little choice but make sure I'm out of office.
From now till Lyra progresses to childcare in March 2010, my mornings and evening will have to run like clockwork so that I can send Lyra to infant care, Lucas to childcare, me to get to office on time and then the cycle repeats in reverse for evenings. I would also have to plan my day tightly so that I can express my milk at 10am, 1 and 4 pm. Unlike in MCYS (where my colleagues who are mostly parents), I doubt my colleagues here (who are mostly singles) will be as understanding and tolerant of my milk production schedule. And this time, it will really be a challenge since my milk factory is malfunctioning and barely meeting demand. Wonder if stress-laden milk will impact the taste and qaulity of milk.
To be truthful, I haven't been completely out of touch with work either as my itchy backside will itch to log on and my fingers prompted to punch a few email replies. But I have tried very hard to curb the urge so these are limited to really VIPs (very important projects).
My colleagues are glad to have me back and already they have handed the projects they were covering back to me. I had requested to meet them tomorrow to hand over,... but guess they couldn't wait. :) Which is just as well since I don't want to sit and laze around.
For the rest of my ML, I'll be taking Wednesdays off till July 2009. I'm not sure if this will materialise as I'm workaholic and I can't leave work undone on a Wednesday. But I'll definitely try my best. Think I'll sign Lucas up for some fun courses to do then I'll have little choice but make sure I'm out of office.
From now till Lyra progresses to childcare in March 2010, my mornings and evening will have to run like clockwork so that I can send Lyra to infant care, Lucas to childcare, me to get to office on time and then the cycle repeats in reverse for evenings. I would also have to plan my day tightly so that I can express my milk at 10am, 1 and 4 pm. Unlike in MCYS (where my colleagues who are mostly parents), I doubt my colleagues here (who are mostly singles) will be as understanding and tolerant of my milk production schedule. And this time, it will really be a challenge since my milk factory is malfunctioning and barely meeting demand. Wonder if stress-laden milk will impact the taste and qaulity of milk.
Cheeky monkey & chubby hamster
Lucas is really a proud Gor Gor. And he loves Lyra very much; never failing to kiss and hug her or sing and 'perform' for her. But lately, he has also been displaying som anxiety traits. He has been wetting his undies at night and recently he has been testing Vinc and my patience. He is also beginning to talk back and at times his rudeness is appalling. Just 2 days back, he asked if I was deaf... because I had asked him to brush his teeth twice even though he had responded the 1st time that he IS brushing his teeth. He would also want to do the same things as Lyra such as having milk when she is feeding or showering when Lyra is having her evening wipe down. Weekends are the worst as he is cooped at home all day. Half the time, he is asking if we can play with him. I'm usually too tied up with either doing housework or fussing over Lyra.
I think he is trying his best to adjust and I try to spend a little more attention and time on him but that's really also very limited. I'm sure it's tough on him.
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