Quiet Dinner at Home

We decided to have a quiet dinner at home instead of going out for our usual Saturday night dinner. We did not plan to cook, instead just bought and arranged the things we wanted. Only had to cook the sausages.  

Pre-dinner cocktail

Our platter (which kept getting taxed)

Wine with the platter. Match made in heaven

Little model had to pose with the wine too

Ah Kong and Ah Ma went out to buy burgers. So they came back and we shared our food also (bread and chippies and wine).

I'd say the happiest person would be Evan: the cheese monster. 

Mickey and the Roadster Racers

You had heard from your schoolmates about the event and kept asking to go. So we finally went to Gurney Paragon for you to enjoy the Roadster Racers.

After doing a little shopping to qualify, we picked up the tickets and started the fun. 

Posing with the poster of Daisy Duck

"Racing" in the very "fast" racecar

Doing a little coloring

Posing with the props

Then it was time to pick up Ko-ko. We parked at the side to let him have some fun playing with his friends before picking him up.

Little Ballerina

Our little ballerina had her first ballet performance. The shows were held in Penang PAC in Straits Quay. You performed twice, but since the first day fell of Hari Raya and Kakak was going out, we had to skip that show and attend the show on the second day. 

We were discouraged from taking any pictures, so I only have these from before and after the show:

Goofing around before the show starts

Finale.. group picture

You were so excited and kept trying to look out for us

The "White Princesses" taking a group photo

After the performance, we headed to Healy Mac for an early dinner. You even shared your "flowers" with me:

We're so proud of your performance. It was amazing. I could see daddy smiling (in the dark) as he watched you perform. 

Siblings

Looks so sweet.. why can't you both fight less and be nice to each other more often??

Little Missy is Down... with HFMD

It all started last Wednesday when you called me to say that you had a fever. Dismissing it as nothing much, Ah Ma gave you medicine and we headed back home after gym. That evening, you told me that your mouth felt painful. It thought that was your usual complaint if you were exposed to something causing your allergy.

The next day, you stayed at home to rest after the fever. When we went home you complained again about your painful mouth. This time daddy heard you and asked you to open your mouth. Oh my goodness.. it was full of ulcers. So we rushed to the hospital and luckily we made it on time as the last patient and had to be isolated while waiting to see the doctor, just in case our suspicion was true that you had HFMD. 

We waited for a while before we finally got to see Dr. Mary. And she confirmed it. Yup, you had HFMD and we were given strict instructions on how to handle it (always wash hands.. and I think I washed my hands at least 30 times each day while taking care of you) and what to look out for after recovery (possible side effects).

I stayed at home on Friday with you and we were both isolated in my room most of the day. You were quite well behaved, either watching TV or sleeping. The weekend was also spent at home with you playing around the house. The ulcers must have been really painful but you didn't complaint much. The only indication that you were in discomfort was the lack of you talking and of course, loss of appetite. By Sunday, you were almost back to normal, being more talkative (even talking in your sleep!!) and eating quite well.  

This was how you looked on the weekend:

Still tired on Saturday

Feeling better on Sunday, fixing the jigsaw puzzle

P/S: Gosh little girl, Ko-ko was asking why you sit so unlady-like.. 

On Monday, after much persuasion you allowed me to go to work in office. Tuesday was a public holiday and I guess you couldn't stand being cooped up at home anymore. Thinking we were going out, you asked me why I dressed you in shorts and then started to pack your handbag to go kai-kai.

In the end, we decided to buy food home to eat as you still had some ulcers. But you came long with us just for the car ride.

Today you look 99% perfect with just 2 last ulcers to clear. 

Get well soon darling. *kiss*kiss*

Happy Birthday, Ah Chor

Since Ah Chor's birthday fell on a weekend, we also joined in to celebrate her birthday. As usual, the both of you made her a card. Coincidentally, you both picked almost the same colored paper/card to make her birthday card. Here's the final output:

And the inside of her card:

And the both of you happily giving her the card at the restaurant. 

Kiddies posing with the birthday "girl"

She still cannot imagine that she is an "Ah Chor"

Teacher's Day 2018

This year we started our Teacher's Day project earlier. I just needed to keep reminding Mei-mei not to tell the teachers what we are making before the actual day. 

Here she is painting the "stems" of the flowers

A little message for the teacher at the back. She insisted on being in the picture also

As for Ko-ko.. the lazy boy didn't want to make anything. 

Happy Birthday Nanna

It's Nanna's birthday. We bought her an Indonesian layer cake and even brought back enough candles to celebrate her age (not disclosing here). But in the end decided to just go with one, or else (some young boy remarked) we may end up eating wax.

A photo with Grampy and the grand-kids:

We also made her a birthday card. This is Evelyn's card:

She says the top person is Nanna. Nanna thought that it was a fat woman. But Evelyn told her it is Nanna with wings.. 

And this is the card from Evan. 

All Grown Up

Cannot imagine that you have turned twelve. Another milestone. We took Friday off to bring you to the IC office to have your Malaysian Identity Card made. You had a haircut the weekend before that, as we wanted to ensure that you had a decent picture in the IC (you have to live with that picture until you turn 21 and make a new IC!!).

We left work and picked up Mei-mei from school. It was happiness written all over her face when she realised it was daddy and I who picked her up (she was being sad and difficult for the past few mornings when I dropped her at school). We had our lunch and as it was still early, we drove around and finally parked near school to wait for you.

Then we picked you up, and headed to Penang Plaza for you to freshen up and change into a dark colored T-shirt.

Reached the IC office, but it wasn't open yet as it was a Friday and lunch was till 2.45p.m.. There was already a big crowd waiting to enter! When the doors opened, daddy queued and got a number. There was 20 numbers ahead of yours. Oh no.. but it was a good thing that they were very efficient. You were served within an hour and we only had to wait another hour to pick up your IC. But you were tired and insisted that you didn't want to wait to pick up.

So we picked it up for you the following Tuesday after dropping both of you at school. And now you are all of 12 years old complete with a Malaysian IC. 

Sadness

You are just so funny. Yesterday night you told me that you cried in school. Just because you missed me. We had another discussion this morning about me coming home in the evening after gym. You argued that it was already night-time by the time I reach home. But I said it was still evening. 

Went to school.. and this time I was faced with the drama of separation anxiety from you. You were all teary and would not let me go off to work. Finally brought you to Mrs. Sebastian's room where she told me about you missing me again *feeling guilty*.

Sigh.. little girl, you are very different from your Ko-ko. Although you may seem more independent at this age than he was, you seem to be more sensitive and would like to have more of our time. 

You have mentioned on several occasions that there were more pictures of Ko-ko (framed up) in the house than there are of you. *Guilty again*. I do take lots of pictures of you, just that I never got around to developing them. 

Ok, it's time to put up more pictures around the house.. and spend more quality time with you.

Sick Again

Ah Ma called me at work to let me know that you had a fever. It was very obvious that you were not feeling well as you were wearing your jacket when she picked you up from school.

We decided to bring you to see Dr. Mary as you had a bad cough which sounded very chesty when you coughed. As we were the first, it was over and done with within 20 minutes of the clinic opening. The problem was as you seemed to be having recurring fever, Dr. Mary asked us to have a urine test in case of urinary tract infection which she said was common for little girls who go to school and are not aware of the need to ensure the toilets are clean before use.

That was the challenge for the night. You had to fill up at least half of the bottle and I had to help you by holding the bottle to catch the urine mid-stream. The nurse advised us to give you more water.

After drinking 1/2 a bottle:
Mummy: Do you need to wee wee?
Mei-mei: Ok..
Results: A grand total of 3 drops of urine *cry*

Went to see the nurse and she laughed and gave us a fresh bottle.

After drinking even more water:
Mummy: Do you need to wee wee?
Mei-mei: No

Waited and waited and asked you to drink more water:
Mummy: Are you ready to wee wee yet?
Mei-mei: Ok..
Results: A grand total of maybe 5 drops. 

Mummy: Whyyyyy??? You told me you needed to wee wee??!!
Mei-mei: Yes, I did. But I cannot wee wee when you put the bottle at my down-down
Mummy: *cry*

Went back to see the nurse, and she told me we could top up if you wee wee within 30 minutes.

Gave you even more water... and after a loooong wait, you finally said that you needed to wee wee. And thank goodness, you managed to fill up a little over 1/2 of the bottle.

Total time spent at the hospital was 1.5 hours! What a long evening. Even more tiring and stressful than going to work!

Hopefully your results will return negative. We've got to see the doctor again tomorrow. Sighh...

Evan Turns 12

Dearest Evan,

As you turn 12 today, we wish you all the very best, all the joy you can ever have and may you be blessed abundantly everyday.

Lots of love from us all.

Evan's 12th Birthday

As usual, the birthday celebration was the Saturday before your birthday (as the 29th was a weekday). As you were turning 12, we agreed on this mustache. 

This time we opted for barbecue (your favourite), but we kept the menu simple. Daddy started preparing earlier, so by the time our guests arrived, most of the food was ready.

Cousins

We found these mustache straws. So suited to the party theme

After dinner, it was time for cake. This year we opted for a new cake shop and the gave us this very unusual candle.

Family picture

And then it was time to open the presents. There was a "mysterious box" which appeared out of nowhere after you got back from robotics class. So obviously, that was the first present you opened.

It came with this message, but I think in your haste to get to the present, you did not bother to read it,

After opening the many layers, you got to the present. 

Ah.. all smiles

And on to the other presents

 And the other highlight of the night was the handmade crossbow which Grampie made for you.

Cousins

This picture taken 3 years ago appeared in my news feed. And coincidentally there was one taken this Chinese New Year too. Look at how you have all grown up:

2015

2018

2018 Chinese New Year

Our Chinese New Year celebration started earlier than usual. We left for Ipoh on Wednesday night so that we were around to help prepare for the reunion dinner feast on Thursday and also for daddy to help around the house with the minor repair works. 

On Thursday morning, we woke up and headed out to buy McDonald's for breakfast. Then all the work began. It was a good thing Mei-mei had her cousins to play with and Ko-ko helped daddy (I think he did anyway... ).

After all the cutting was done, daddy's job continued as the assistant cook in the evening. He had to help stir the many veggies: 

And this is our dinner. Yummy popiah:

The next morning, we were up and it was Chinese New Year. This year the lion dance troupe were supposed to come at 11am, an hour later than usual.. so we didn't have to rush around to get dressed and ready before they arrived. They still came earlier but waited for us to get ready. 

This is the fruit basket prepared for them:

A picture of the two of us

Kids enjoying the show

The final outcome from our fruit basket (I think I took the picture upside down)

Then it was time to give/collect ang pow:

Our yummy mee suah lunch

Mei-mei's lunch was the egg and later also some of the noodles

And ang pow for our two precious roti Ban's

For dinner that evening, we were "challenged" to make a doggy lou sang. Chim Poh had received several samples.. so this was what we came up with:

Our dinner

Time to stir the lou sang

The second day of CNY was spent just enjoying each other's company and eating.

Every night we were treated to fireworks and also the kids had some fun playing with the sparklers and fireworks.
While Ah Kong and Ah Ma headed back to Penang after dinner on the second day of Chinese New Year, we stayed another night before heading home the next afternoon.