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Belated but made with love January 5, 2010

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Close to Heart & Home, Ethan, Hannah, Parenting & Motherhood , comments closed

I’m not the supermommy people claim I am.

My goal of knitting a little something for my kids kept shifting, but still I was determined to complete what I had started.

I began knitting a pair of babylegs/leg warmers for Hannah (with my Mom *correcting* some parts of the earlier stage) and planned on completing them before the wedding dinner party we were gonna attend in early December, but I only had one side of the babylegs ready then.

Still I persevered.  For Christmas, I told myself.  Amidst late night knitting sessions, and daytime knitting sessions, knitting in rounds with 4 nickel-plated double-pointed needles, where my little toddler would periodically volunteer to *hold your yarn, Mommy* and spin it around and around, I continued my project to fruition.

And about a week before Christmas, I finished the pair of babylegs for Hannah. :)

Then Ethan goes, “That’s for Hannah?” and gave me a puppydog look that would melt the stones in anyone’s heart.

I knew I had to make him something too.

So I decided on a pair of toddler tube socks.  I didn’t want to work on *turning the heel* for a pair of conventional socks and opted for tube socks instead.  These would fit any size too.

I knitted, and I knitted, along the way, I learnt how to do decreases too. 

Two days before Christmas I finished one side of the socks, and frantically started on the other side.

Unfortunately though, no amount of late night knitting would help me finish on time.  But I still continued after Christmas….for New Year, I said.

January the 1st came and went, but still the socks weren’t ready. :(

And only on the 4th day of the New Year, I finally cut the yarn and weaved them through the stitches, and heaved a sigh of satisfaction.

I did it. 

They’re belated presents for my kids, but they were both made with love.

You must remember this… November 4, 2009

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Parenting & Motherhood, Thoughts & Scribblings , comments closed

 
Photo credits

Things people should always remember NEVER to do/say to babies and toddlers:

  1. Touch or stroke their cheeks, hair, arms, …basically DO NOT touch them at all!  Who knows where the stranger’s hand has been prior to touching the baby or toddler?
  2. Offer their thumb, index finger, middle finger, turtle or whatever for the baby to hold on to.  Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT entertaining at all to see baby hold on to a stranger’s finger or any other item (see no. 1).
  3. Keep on touching a toddler’s hair or cheek when the toddler loudly protests and says “No!” Which part of “No” don’t you understand anyway?!
  4. Ask “Boy or Girl ah?” when clearly the baby is dressed in pink wih flowers.  Who would dress a boy in flowers anyway?  I tried dressing her up in a dress and also got the same response.  Please.  Observe and think before you speak.

*stepping off soapbox now*

I’m not a very good blogger August 13, 2009

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Blogging, Close to Heart & Home, Parenting & Motherhood, Thoughts & Scribblings , comments closed

 

I’m not a very good blogger because even though my family and I have been back in Malaysia for close to a month, I have not even published a single blog post about our return.

We got our broadband connection set up about a week ago, but I didn’t even blog about that.  And now I cannot blame my lack of blogging on the absence of internet.

I did not blog about how happy I was when I discovered my frozen EBM was just 80% thawed when we arrived at our hotel, and how I rushed to ask the hotel reception to quickly put it in the cold freezer.  I also did not blog about how the next day, when I went to collect the EBM, to my horror, they had put it in the CHILLER instead of the FREEZER and everything had completely thawed!

I did not blog about how we wolfed down all the yummy Malaysian food we had missed.  I did not blog about it because I didn’t even manage to snap pictures!

I did not blog about how my hubby and I, with 2 kids in tow, cleaned our apartment bit by bit, in order to make it livable.  Thank goodness we had the hotel to stay in for a while.

I did not blog about all the boxes of our shipment that arrived about 10 days after our arrival.  The many boxes certainly made our apartment that much smaller, and we aren’t even done unpacking.

I did not blog about how atrocious the traffic is.  I suffered withdrawal symptoms and had to force myself to drive when the need arose.  Needless to say, many a time I found myself flicking the wiper controls instead of the controls for the indicators.

I also did not blog about the EXTREMELY HOT weather.  Our electricity bill will definitely skyrocket this month (after several months of not having to pay).  I find myself having to turn the air-conditioning on most of the time.

My domain disk space breached the very critical 100% mark last weekend but I did not blog about it.  I found out it was due to some Wordpress core dump files which had to be manually deleted.

I’m done with this post now, even though I still do not think of myself as a good blogger, but hey, at least I made the effort to tell y’all that I’m still here! :)

Running on the home stretch July 14, 2009

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Breastfeeding, Close to Heart & Home, Thoughts & Scribblings , comments closed

While busy occupying myself with packing and shipping stuff, I’m glad I found time to simulate the packing of my expressed breast milk (EBM) before the actual day we are leaving.

I got a 9qt Coleman cooler and placed the Avent VIA cups of frozen EBM at the bottom and then put as much Techni-Ice as possible on top.

See?  There’s still some space between the cups of EBM, which is a no-no for transporting them.  I want them to not move around as much as possible.  So I prepared more Techni-Ice to place in between the cups.

I know what you’re thinking…why go to all that trouble to take just a few cups of EBM back, right?  I don’t have a lot because I breastfeed Hannah directly, and so I only expressed milk the few times when she overslept or if I felt engorgement.  So I only have 5 cups of about 4-5oz each.  All breastfeeding moms are kiasu creatures, so I take back whatever liquid gold I have, never mind that the cooler will take up a considerable amount of space in my check-in luggage.

Oh yeah… did I mention I am checking in the EBM?  I’m praying the lots and lots of Techni-Ice I am using to keep the frozen EBM frozen will do its job beautifully.

Sigh…can’t believe that we will be leaving in THREE days’ time!

Tomorrow, the movers will be coming over to pack and ship most of our stuff back in containers.  I am still in the process of finalizing the shipping list, … can’t believe how much we have accumulated over a span of just nine months! 

Tonight the PC will be packed up.  That means no more internet access for about 2 weeks, and no more blogging until then.

Although we are heading home, I can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness leaving this apartment that has been our home for nine months.  It was here that I had suffered labor pains while carrying Hannah and gave birth hours later.  We had arrived in the US a family of three but we are leaving as a family of four.

It was also here that through God’s will, I realized my dream of becoming a SAHM.  I will forever remember this place because I started my SAHM journey here. 

This place holds special memories for me, from my Californian driving test to my countless kitchen experiments, and oh yes, I will definitely remember the shopping, both online and off.  I will absolutely MISS shopping here.

But…

I guess we had to leave someday.

I’m sad but at the same time excited.  Looking forward to coming home, but not relishing the fact that it will be scorching hot back in Malaysia.  Looking forward to all the food we missed back home, but knowing in my heart that I will also miss California.

Bittersweet nonetheless… Catch up with y’all in a few weeks’ time, alright?

2 still-goin’-strong months July 7, 2009

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Parenting & Motherhood, Thoughts & Scribblings , comments closed

Not that I have been keeping count… :P

It just occurred to me that it has been just over two months that I had assumed the role of SAHM, Home Project Manager, if you may.  Not an easy task, mind you, and absolutely nothing to do with the kind of project management work I used to do when I was working, multi-tasking aside.

I realize how quickly time flies when I am kept busy.  In fact, I had hardly noticed it, but it will soon be time for us to leave this place in San Jose we had called home for the past 9 months.

I have been asked many questions, all of which I will attempt to answer now, in an FAQ kind of manner :)

Aren’t you bored, staying at home all day?
How can I be, when I have so MANY things to do?  Hannah keeps me occupied most of the time, then I have to plan what to cook, and how to cook it.  I have to clean and of course, for entertainment, I watch TV and/or surf the internet.  And for the past month or so, I have busied myself with packing lists and stuff related to packing.  So no, I am definitely not bored.  In fact, I can go take a walk in the park outside too, if I had wanted to.

You really look happier nowadays.  Why?
Cuz I am happier.  And I am happy that it shows.  It really means a lot to me that what I do keeps me sane and happy.  And I am happy to share my joy with all my loved ones.

No ridiculous pressures from work, I am faced with just the adorable giggles and lovely squeals from an innocent baby, the cheeky antics from a toddler and all the support from the man I love.  What’s there not to be happy about?

What do you do at home?
See #1.

Don’t you run out of things to cook?
Oh yeah I do.  But I see it as a way I can create new recipes with the stuff I have.  Some concoctions I have made up actually go down really well with my kid.  Nothing makes me happier than to see joyful hungry faces wolfing down food I have cooked with love and care.

What are your plans when you get back home to Penang?
My family is the most important thing to me.  I will be focusing on them first and foremost, especially finding a good daycare for Ethan.  And then I will need to settle into a workable routine that allows me to care for them in the best way possible.

I’m hangin’ in there, babe May 22, 2009

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

 

I found 10 minutes yesterday evening and managed to flip through an adorable little book which my good gal pal Audrey presented to me recently (thanks Aud!).  It’s called The Wit and Wisdom of Mothers.  While I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful pictures of animals in the book, the accompanying (witty) phrases sure did strike a chord within me as well.

So how do you think I have been coping with my current job as home project manager aka SAHM?  I would think I am doing pretty okay.  All it takes is some practice, some time and a whole lot of patience obtaining certain skillsets I like to call the “Mommy Multitasking Skills”:

These include, among others, the ability to:

As you can see, my life now is never with a dull moment, and I foresee even more exciting things happening in the near future!

Celebration in full bloom May 11, 2009

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Close to Heart & Home, Parenting & Motherhood, Relax & Celebrate , comments closed

If being a mother of one means receiving a dozen long-stemmed roses, what then does a mother of 2 get?

 

I hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day.  Mine was a simple yet enjoyable one spent with my family…

Happy Mother’s Day to me, and to all you special mommies out there…one day is certainly not enough to shower Mom with love.  That’s why Mother’s Day should be celebrated every day!

Pregnancy and other stuff March 1, 2009

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


Credits
Elegant word art (pregnant hot) from Bethany
Tout le monde dit I love you papers & elements from Le Journal du Scrap

Haha…blame it on my pregnancy hormones acting up.  In any case, doing tags like these in my 38th week of pregnancy do take my mind off the kicks and punches the babe inside is giving me everywhere I go.   Helps divert my attention from the increasing pressure on my back and hips.  Makes me forget that I have to pee every few minutes….well, somewhat…

Thanks to Slavemom, here’s the lowdown of how my first pregnancy went.  Check out the fullblown version if you are interested.

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?  Yes, in a way.
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?  Yes, of course!
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?  I felt very happy and blessed.
4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?  Not ever.
5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 30
6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?  Did a home pregnancy test.
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?  My husband.
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?  Yes (although the doc didn’t bother asking us if we wanted to know before he told us!) 
9. DUE DATE?  14 February 2006 (but I think the doc changed the date to 19 February 2006 based on baby’s size)
10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?  Nope, just felt more tired than usual.
11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?  Pizza Hut’s Super Supreme pizza and McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with cheese
12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?  Leg cramps that attacked me without warning in the middle of the night.
13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD SEX? A beautiful baby boy!
14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?  Nope.
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?  About 27.5lbs (12.5kilos)
16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?  Nope, though I would have loved one.
17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? See answer to Question #16.
18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?  Nope, except that the contractions lasted about 2-3 days, with several false alarms.
19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?  On a hospital bed in the delivery room.
20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?  Donno how to answer.  The contraction pains lasted for about 2-3 days before I delivered.  But from the time of admission till delivery was about 6-7 hours.
21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?  My hubby.
22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?  My hubby, the nurses and my OB/GYN.
23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?  Natural
24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?  Only laughing gas (which I took too much and made me throw up after that)
27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?  2.5kilos
28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?  January 31 2006.
30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?  Ethan
31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?  3 years old.

Tick tock I hear the clock February 23, 2009

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

 
Credits
Word Art (A Moment Like This) from Dirty Feet Designs aka Heather Benson

Today, the people from our relocation services finally arranged for the baby-related items we had requested to be delivered to our apartment.  We requested for essentials like a crib (which came with linens), a changing table (which came with a changing pad and sheets) and a chest of drawers (because there was no more space for baby’s clothes… hehe). 

I had also wanted a nursing chair initially, but we figured it would take up some space in our apartment, and besides, I felt I could make do with just using my nursing pillow.

Again, I felt a bolt of reality pass through me as it dawned on me that the moment we would be welcoming a new baby would be very soon.  Most of the items are in place and (I think) we are prepared, but at the back of my mind, there is always a “What if?”

Excitement… check!

Anxiety…check!

Looking forward to deprived sleep?…Ummmm……. *rain check*?? :)

me at 31 weeks preggers! January 15, 2009

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

Scrap Credits
Autumn Splendor QP from Kim B’s Designs using Autumn Splendor kit by Beth Long
Freebie Janvier  – Partie 1 elements from Scrapmalin
Viva motherhood word cloud from Viva Artistry