Hello?

Little Missy is now at a very cute age (next month she turns 2!) I’m having a lot of fun just watching her everyday (that is when she’s not challenging me).

One of her latest top 5 favourite activity is pretending to talk on the phone…

Yes, that’s our house phone not a her toy phone. She likes them both!

If you think the photos are cute, check this out.

Did you catch her saying, “Daddy. Where… you?” I’m so pleased I managed to capture this on video.

Is it just me (and I can’t help it, I’m her mommy) or do you think it’s very cute too?

Music to My Ears

Finding out that my son has mild hearing loss in his right ear was difficult for me. And after some “grieving” I’ve come to terms with it. I no longer quietly wish somewhere in a corner of my heart that things would be different, that he would be “normal”. I’ve accepted that it is what it is. The hearing problem is not going away and that we’ll just manage it.

Having said that, I’m not above feeling pangs in my heart every now and then especially when I see (hear?) other boys his age rattling off stories to their moms. It’s worse when I observe younger boys with amazing speech ability. This “pain” (I think) is only something moms of “different” kids know of and struggle with. 

At such moments I tell myself to NOT compare but to focus instead on Hubby-jr’s progress.

And I am so thankful that he IS progressing.

“What are you doing mommy?” he asked me several times this week. It’s the first real question he’s ever asked me. Yeah sure he’s been asking me for stuff like water, food, tv, etc. for the longest time now. But this, this was a real wanting-to-know question. Not a request.

Today he even asked me, “What are you eating mommy?”

Let me tell you these questions are music to my ears.

A year ago, his language ability was so delayed he couldn’t even answer me when I asked him what he did in school. These days he can tell me a thing or two about what he did in school. And now he’s starting to ask me questions. For a speech delayed child this IS progress people!

To top it off, he told me sometime this week, “Mommy I enjoyed talking to friends on the school bus.”

Friends? Talking? Wow! A year ago he wasn’t even socializing well!

Hallelujah! Just keep the music coming. Sweet music to my ears.

Wordless Wednesday - A Different Point of View

Look, mommy.

Alright, what the heck? I’ll try and see your point of view.

To view other Wordless Wednesdays go here.

Fruits of My Insanity

Ta da! Here’s two photos to show off some of the fruits of my temporary insanity. Both the tv console and the dining table used to be half filled with clutter. Now…. 

Not bad eh?

After the usual hectic weekend I’m pretty much back to myself. Yes, I’ve stopped the housekeeping madness. But I’m trying to maintain what I’ve done. At least (hopefully) until my parents’ next visit. It’ll make them real proud.

Green Eggs And Ham

Are there any “green eggs and ham” in your life you ought to try?

Temporary Insanity

Just after I talked about simplifying I was seized by temporary insanity. Since yesterday I’ve been attempting to transform my “refuge-camp like” flat to a perfectly kept one. If that’s not insanity I don’t know what is. And yes, it is temporary. Sooner or later my true-loathing-cleaning/tidying-self will return.

It started when I was invited to drop by a neighbour’s house two days ago. I am not exaggerating when I say that her house was I-M-M-A-C-U-L-A-T-E! Absolutely spotless. Absolutely free of clutter. Not ONE thing was out of place. It was like walking into a resort. Mind you, she has two kids and both are the same age as mine. Well yes, she has a full-time domestic helper but still…

I was awestruck and a tad embarrassed about my home.

After that I became somewhat possessed! I went into tidying, rearranging and throwing frenzy mode yesterday. In the morning my kids were left pretty much on their own (of course later hubby-jr went to school). “Mommy’s busy, busy, busy.” In the evening they were still left alone. “Sorry kids, mommy’s tired, flat out, exhausted!”

I had no time or energy to cook either, so hubby helped pack dinner home. As we were having dinner later I told him about what I did and why. “Is this why you’re exhausted? Can you please not do this anymore?”

“Okay,” I said. I was coming a little to my senses. By the end of yesterday I realized immaculate house was an unattainable goal for me (for us). It’s just not us - we’re not the orderly sort. And I think it would “kill” us if ever I became fixated with having an immaculate home.

Still, last night as I was watching American Idol I packed my room a little during commercials. I couldn’t help it. I was driven. A part of me was still in la-la land.

Actually a part of me still IS. I packed some more today but a lot less than yesterday. I’ve to seize this fervour as it comes by so rarely. Hey, I’ve managed to clear quite a fair bit. There are now only 2 to 3 problem areas left in my home. That’s down from 7 to 10! I’m so proud of myself (gush).

I’m actually hoping the insanity stays a little longer… at least till I’ve addressed ALL of them. Hmmm… well, maybe just almost ALL… there is this corner I just want to keep denying even exists. That corner (if it exists) needs some serious miraculous act of housekeeping.

Online Books Exchange

I don’t know why it took me so long but I just discovered BookMooch (thanks to The Sojourner). BookMooch is (in their own words):

A community for exchanging used books. BookMooch lets you give away books you no longer need in exchange for books you really want.

They are an international community with over 200 Singapore members! 

I’m so excited over this new discovery! I’ve lots of books I no longer need and after eons of not touching them, I’m convinced I’ll no longer re-read them. Yah, I finally came to my senses. The incredible amount of stuff we’ve accumulated since having kids is edging me to simplify, simplify, SIMPLIFY!

And what better way than to exchange used books I no longer need for ones I really want to read. This way I get to read more books in an “un-accumulative” way.

It’s such a cool way to recycle used books!

P/S: If you’ve other stuff besides books that you want to give away (instead of dumping), check out the Singapore Freecycle Network.

Little Miss Cheongsam

Pest Control

“Mommy, ants!” Little Missy tells me while pointing to a few ants on the floor.

Next thing I know. Splat! Splat! Splat! My little girl smacks the floor with the palm of her hands.

“Bye-bye ants.” She says looking at the floor. Then she turns to me and says, “No more.”

What the…??? I know, I know it’s not like its murder and yes it’s even amusing. The thing is I could hardly recall her ever witnessing me perform such an act (though after straining my brains hard… I think there just might have been that one incident… )

Yes I immediately concluded that she must have picked it up from me. It was kinda like deja vu (but I’ve never bid goodbye to my victims).

The next thing I’m thinking is, what else has she picked up from me that I’d rather she hadn’t? Oh boy! I don’t really want to know. I have more nasty habits than the “harmless” killing ants on the spot.

Boy, oh boy, I had better start watching my actions more carefully. I had better exercise more pest self control!

Chinese New Year

I’m getting sadder by the day as Chinese New Year Eve approaches. It’s the time of the year where I’ve always looked forward to being with my parents, brother, aunts and cousins for our reunion dinner. Well this year we’re not traveling back to my hometown.

While some of you may dread these family gatherings (and I can understand why, all the history digging and 20 questions…) but having lived away for so long and missing so many family gatherings (such as birthdays, etc.) I miss them A LOT.

My mom always whipped up a feast. The same yummy fantastic dishes that I’ve come to look forward to every year. My aunt and my two cousins would join us and we would just eat and eat and talk. After dinner we’d sit around snack on mandarin oranges and cookies and talk some more. We’d go over stupid things we did as kids (and as adults) and laugh over them. We’d talk about our granny whom we loved and we’d poke fun at each other. And we’d watch the usual silly Hong Kong Chinese New Year movie (in Cantonese!) or the Hong Kong Variety Shows on TV.

That’s what we used to do on Chinese New Year Eve. Now my aunt and cousins are living in Melbourne. I’m here in Singapore. My parents will be having a quiet threesome with my brother in Malaysia.

Sigh. I miss our reunion dinners.

Never mind. Next year will be Chinese New Year in Malaysia! Yay! (Hubby and I decided to rotate every year.)

To all who celebrate it, Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai!