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Chillout session at Chili’s March 3, 2008

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Drooling & Cooking, Ethan , 14comments

It was a really a spur of the moment decision.  The claypot chicken rice I had cooked for lunch was all finished, thanks to our lunch guests: uncle-in-law, brother-in-law and his fiancée.  So we had the perfect reason to go out for dinner last Saturday night.  What started out as a trip to McDonald’s ended up with us walking into Chili’s Gurney Place.  Would you believe it was our first visit there, since it opened so many moons ago? (well, a few months ago we *almost* ate there, but were turned off by the non-politeness of the welcoming crew)

Anyway, we stood outside and waited to be seated.  No one came for a good one minute or so, and when the lady came to ask us how many people in our party, she did so with nary a smile.  But we thought we would bear with it and see how the whole experience would turn out to be.  We were then ushered to our table and provided menus.

Hubbs ordered the lamb shoulder and I ordered the chicken monterey.  One cool thing about Chili’s is that they offer bottomless fruit juices, so of course I went for the mango juice, while hubbs went for the pina chillada (non-alcoholic, mind you.  Pina COLLADA is alcoholic, CHILLADA is not).  

By the way, don’t you think the mosaic design on the table is way cool?  Really unique.

Just like Friday’s, kids get to dine for free at Chili’s too, so I ordered a plate of spaghetti for Ethan and I was also pleasantly surprised that Ethan’s drink was on the house too.  My boy loves iced lemon tea and since it was not in the list of kids’ drinks, I requested for it and was delighted that they willingly obliged.  He finished the whole glass all by himself too!

All in all, the food was fantastic.  I especially loved the lamb shoulder and would definitely order it the next time I go, IF I go.  Service was well below par, I’m afraid.  In addition to the no-smile-greeting we had, right in the middle of our meal, someone interrupted us in a weird manner, I might add, and asked us how we found our dinner.  I notice this is something most restaurants practise these days, but unfortunately, it wasn’t done with tact, and so it appeared rather fake-ish. 

When we were leaving the restaurant too, no one thanked us for coming, unlike the jovial goodbyes we get at Friday’s.  There were no free balloons to give out to the kids at Chili’s too.  But then I suppose most Malaysians tend to overlook the bad service and go for the food, huh?  As long as there is bottomless chips, drinks and free food for the kids?

Snap, crop, arrange..voila! February 12, 2008

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Close to Heart & Home, Ethan , 25comments

Three days before the Chinese New Year, I received the finished product of the personal project which I had been working on for months on end. Forty pages of photos of Ethan all captured in a 30cm x 30cm black hardcover-bound photobook, worth every second of the time I had spent laboring over it.

Never mind that I had to redo some of the pages over and over again because I was not completely satisfied with them initially.
Never mind that it took me weeks to finally get in touch with someone from Photobook to iron out the details of the order.
Never mind that I had to upload the photobook file at least four times because they got corrupted every time I did the upload.
Never mind that I had to follow up with Photobook to find out if my order would be able to arrive before Chinese New Year, only to find out that they had already shipped it out two days before my inquiry was made.
Never mind that I had to personally call the courier company to follow up on the status of the shipment, only to be told that they had gone to my house and claimed that no one was around. And never mind that no notice was left to inform me that they had tried to deliver the parcel.
Never mind that my hubby and I had to drive all the way to the courier company to pick up the parcel, because we were only too anxious to see the finished product.
Never mind that we had to wait a further 10-15 minutes before we finally held the parcel in our hands.

Because all this trouble was so worth it. I decided to create a photobook with Ethan’s photos after Jazzmint recommended Photobook over Pixart. At that time, my Pixart project was almost done, but I still took her word for it, and am happy to say that I have never looked back since. Compared to Pixart, I must say that the lamination quality of Photobook’s albums are way better. Just seeing the digital scrapbooking I created come to live on the pages of the photobook is really inspiring. In fact, I am seriously thinking of starting on another one for the next two years culminating with Ethan’s fourth birthday, and hubbs even suggested creating one for our wedding photos too.

So overwhelmed with pride November 9, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Ethan, Memes & Tags , 15comments

In life, there are so many things that one can be proud of. I was proud of myself when I got good results in my SPM. I was proud of myself when I was able to be independent. And there are countless other moments when I was filled with pride too. But Ehon has asked me to name just ONE moment, so out of all I am going to say my proudest moment was when I gave birth to Ethan boy. The feeling and realization that I was actually bringing a life into the world was extraordinary. I was overcome with joy and emotion as soon as I heard that baby screaming and crying ! I will never forget that experience, ever. And I highly recommend it to everyone. Women, I mean :P Well, the daddies can be proud too by being in the same delivery room when baby is born. :)

1. Ehon’s proudest moment is when he swept 5 out of 6 trophies at a State First Aid Competition.
2. Giddy Tiger’s proudest moment is when she brought Ethan boy into the world.

And here I am spreading the love today, by tagging:

May
Adino
Hijack Queen
Paik Ling
Simple American

Ethan On All Fours! July 17, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Ethan, Memes & Tags , 11comments

Not only have I made new friends just by being a blogger, my boy Ethan has also made some new buddies too. Recently Rinnah jiejie wanted to know more about him, so she’s done what any blogger would do: tag Ethan! I just did a *seven* tag for Ethan and now while Ethan relaxes in front of the TV watching Baby Einstein, I will do a *four* tag on his behalf (isn’t it a coincidence that Ethan’s Daddy’s favorite numbers are 4 and 7? Hmmmmm……)

♥♥♥♥♥

Four jobs I have had in my life:

  1. “Babble-er”
  2. “Cruise-er”
  3. “Crawl-er”
  4. “Walk-er”

Four places I have lived:

  1. In Mommy’s womb
  2. In the hospital where I was born
  3. In Penang
  4. In the hearts of my loved ones

Four places I have been on vacation:

  1. Ipoh (Mommy’s hometown)
  2. Taiping (Daddy’s hometown)
  3. Kay-el (Shopping haven)
  4. Anywhere with Mommy and Daddy

Four of my favorite foods:

  1. Siew-Mai
  2. Rice (nasi lemak, banana leaf rice, fried rice, chicken rice etc)
  3. Ipoh Chicken Koay Teow (kai-see hor-fun)
  4. Wan ton mee

Four places I would rather be right now:

  1. Riding on the escalator in Queensbay Mall
  2. Riding on the escalator in Gurney Plaza
  3. Riding on ANY escalator
  4. Sleeping on Mommy and Daddy’s bed

Four friends to tag:

  1. Hin Lerk
  2. Jayden
  3. Bryan
  4. Evan

In all Randomness June 29, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Ethan, Memes & Tags , 12comments

When I am bored, my mind will wander. A happy wandering mind, is all I can say. Sometimes I think about life, sometimes I think about food, sometimes I think about what to write and sometimes I think about why I am thinking what I am thinking. Thus begins the process of random thoughts, and what a coincidence, because recently, Malaika’s Mummy wanted me to list down 7 random things about Ethan.

  1. Ethan’s favorite color is red. He is attracted to anything that is in that hue. In fact, he also looks good in red. Hmmm..apparently he looks great in blue too (see picture above)
  2. Ethan loves to eat rice. Any type of rice, you name it, he loves it. Nasi lemak, chicken rice, banana leaf rice and belacan fried rice makes up just the tip of the iceberg.
  3. Ethan was born on the last day of January, and according to the Chinese calendar, on the 3rd day of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
  4. Ethan likes to throw things out of his cot.
  5. Ethan likes to bite the ears of his soft toys, especially the dogs. Could it be because he was born in the year of the dog?
  6. Ethan will only wave buhbye to his baby sitter.
  7. Ethan is a light sleeper, waking up at the faintest of sounds.

All done with total randomness and in true random spirit, I am randomly passing the baton along to the following, please do a *random* tag on 7 random things about your doggie :)

I Wanna be a… June 27, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Close to Heart & Home, Ethan, Memes & Tags , 19comments

not a Care Bear but a….

Yes….that’s right. That’s what I choose to be, if given the choice. And indeed I have been given a choice. It’s a no-brainer, really. Angeleyes and Everydayhealy have both asked me to choose if I want to be a Sexy And Hot Momma (SAHM) or a Fat Thighs Wobbling Momma (FTWM). No prizes for guessing which one I pick… hahaha…..

Okay….jokes aside, an SAHM actually stands for Stay At Home Mom and FTWM is the acronym for Full Time Working Mom. I would, without a second thought, prefer to be an SAHM because:

  1. Being an SAHM means spending quality AND quantity time with my son. This is especially crucial in the formative years, i.e. before the age of 5. This is when the child’s brain is like a sponge and is able to absorb information and knowledge in the most effective manner. I believe that the time I spend with my son is worth so much more than the dollars I will be getting in a paying job. True, I won’t be able to spend as lavishly as before, but I can tell you for sure that just one adorable smile from Ethan will be worth more than a million bucks! Top that off with a hug and a kiss and him saying, “Thank you Mommy, I love you!” and I am positive my heart will melt like butter on a barbecue grill.
  2. I want to participate in kitchen experiments because I love cooking! As an SAHM, I would be able to take this love of mine to higher levels and (hopefully) cook up yummy and nutritious meals for my family. Staying in Penang for so many years, I have been exposed to all varieties of hawker food, which Penang is famous for. But there’s a limit to that, and in the end, home-cooked food is always the best. With more time on my hands, I hope to be able to cook more, not only during weekends. Maybe when I am a SAHM, I will cook during weekdays and take weekends off to eat out :) Oh and maybe…just maybe, when I become a SAHM, I will finally be able to fulfill my goal to start my food blog!
  3. By being an SAHM, I (think I) would have more time to do things which I love. Things that I have shelved away for now because I simply have no time, for instance (in no particular order):

~~~Instructions~~~

Here’s how it works:
1. So easy peasy, if you were given a choice, would you be a SAHM or FTWM? Just provide 3 darn good reasons.
2. Include your post link to the list below and Finally,
3. Tag another three mommies
List:
1. Immomsdaughter prefers to be a SAHM
2. Miche prefers to be a SAHM too.
3. SYH prefers to be a PTWM
4. Everydayhealy prefers to be a SAHM
5. Angeleyes prefers to be WAHM
6. Giddy Tiger prefers to be an SAHM

~~~End of Instructions~~~

And what do these 3 mommies choose then?

1. Mommy Khong
2. Shooi
3. Jin Miin

All About Ethan April 13, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Ethan, Memes & Tags , 4comments

Today is Friday the 13th and surprise, surprise, as a slight twist to the regular tag, my boy Ethan got tagged by My Baby Bay.  Yup, this meme will be all about Ethan (and not about me) for a change, so I’ll do it on behalf of him :)

On the Outside
Name: Ethan
Date of birth: January 31 2006
Current status: Single
Eye colour: Dark Brown
Hair colour: Currently light brown
Righty or lefty: Not sure yet, but I am exhibiting signs of being a lefty.  Mommy and Daddy are SO confused! :P

On the Inside
Heritage: Chinese
Fear: Of being left alone without Mommy and Daddy
Weakness: I’m a very strong boy, no weakness that I can think of  ;)
Your perfect pizza: I’ve only tasted the crust of the pizza, and most of it ended up on the floor!

Yesterday, today & tomorrow
Your thoughts upon first waking up: Nen-nen-nen-nen-nen, Mommeeeeee!!!!! 
Your bedtime: 9:30-10:00p.m. but I’m trying my best to stay up later nowadays, much to the frustration of Mommy and Daddy.  Hehehe…
Your most missed memory: Huh??? Duhhh… 

Your pick
Pepsi or Coke: I’m only allowed milk, water and sugar-free fruit juices.
McDees or Burger King : Neither yet…but I ADORE bread.  Any kind of bread..oh yes, and char siew pau too!
Single or Group Dates : Huh?  What dates?  Is it like raisins?  I had some wholemeal raisin buns yesterday for breakfast.
Adidas or Nike : Adidas.  I used to have a pair of red Adidas, but I can’t wear them anymore. 


 

Lipton Tea or Nestea : No tea for me.
Chocolate or Vanilla : Haven’t tried yet.
Cappucino or Coffee : Can’t drink coffee yet, only Mommy’s milk for me.

Do you…
Smoke: Of course NOT!
Curse: Nope.

In the past month
Drank alcohol : Nope
Gone to the mall : *giggles with joy* Daddy and Mommy takes me to the mall almost every weekend.  I love the escalators there :)
Been on stage : Nah…
Eaten sushi : I had chawan mushi last friday at Soba Yoshi (yumyum).  I’m not allowed the raw stuff YET, although I see Daddy and Mommy thoroughly enjoying themselves with it. 
Dyed your hair : NO

Have you ever…
Played a stripping game: NO, but I get into my birthday suit before my bath :)
Changed who you were to fit in: Never had to change.

Marrriage
Age you’re hoping to be married : Huh?  What’s getting married?

In a guy/girl
Best eye colour: In a guy, like Daddy’s; in a girl, like Mommy’s
Hair colour: In a guy, like Daddy’s; in a girl, like Mommy’s
Short or long hair: Either one will do, short hair like Daddy’s, long hair like Mommy’s

What were you doing?
1 minute ago: Throwing my toy blocks all around the house.
1 hour ago: Having breakfast: Mommy was breastfeeding me.
4 1/2 hours ago: I was sleeping.
1 month ago: Pretty much what I am doing today, except my walking speed last month was a little bit slower.
1 year ago: I was only 2 months old then, I’m guessing I was crying a lot?

Finish the sentence
I love: sleeping and drinking milk and eating bread and char siew pau.
I feel: so loved by Daddy and Mommy
I hate: nothing
I hide: nothing
I miss: my Daddy and Mommy while they are at work.
I need: Hey…Daddy and Mommy give me tons of lurve, that’s all I ever need! :D

There, I’m done.  It was really fun putting myself in Ethan’s shoes for a change.  I am now going to tag:

Have fun doing this guys!

Farewell My Trusted Friend April 4, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Ethan, Parenting & Motherhood , 6comments

Yesterday I bade a fond farewell to a good friend, a trusted one at that… We’ve known each other for a little over a year, but we’ve grown so close to each other. I said goodbye to my cooler bag. My beloved cooler bag, which I used to transport the EBM I expressed at work back home for the past one year or so, and has served me well has done its duty. I noticed it was torn for several weeks already, but I only had the heart to throw it away yesterday.

Well, this does not mean I am putting the brakes on breastfeeding. I have another cooler bag from Avent which I will be using from now on.

So….when will I stop breastfeeding? I can’t answer that question myself, although many people have posed this question to me. There are so many factors governing the reason why I am still continuing with my labor of love:

Now, isn’t he inspiration enough? :D

Five Wishes March 12, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Ethan, Memes & Tags, Parenting & Motherhood , 4comments

I got tagged by Miche after leaving my mark on her blog.  I have to list down 5 wishes I make for my kid this year.

My prayers for Ethan Boy:

There, done!  I’m not tagging anyone for this one, cos most of the mommies out there have been tagged.