(2006/01) Jan 2006 MTBs

Ky
ha ha dun make me envy I already dunno what is sleep liao. Sleep is not a luxury to me. Ha ha shower is. My only peaceful time alone.

That 8 pm cooking is easy lah. also 20 mins because just cooking aglio olio mah
 


mashy,
order tingkat for lunch / dinner. much easier. the washing of the utensils, do it quickly when she's asleep. do you have to do laundry daily? I do it once a week on weekends when hubby around to help. Dump into washing machine (even for newborn clothes).

i know the carrying and crying part. that happened with meg and i always gotta spend time carrying her to sleep. And she always wakes up when I'm pumping! Then i realise its cos of the sound of the medela pump that wakes her up. So I go another room to pump.

babies tend to sleep better tummy down too. You might wanna try that, but gotta watch her constantly. some babies also sleep better in those net rocker but i wonder if that's good for their posture. my niece slept in the rocker day and night 24/7 from newborn till like 6months...:S

Till now i feel the gals somehow more difficult to care for.
 
SSF
Aden is in full day childcare. Charmaine only in full day childcare for 1.5 years. But I am very happy with where Aden is now and you can see the difference between a childcare kid vs a non childcare because Aden is more independent.

Some childcare has good curriculum. You just have to source
 
Hi mommies,
havent logged in a long time!

Mashy,
what my neighbour does with her 3 kids (3months, 1 n 1/2, and 3years) is bjorn her baby while she does cooking. So she can cook and wash and clean with two free hands, while the baby is strapped to her. I tried it with L and it feels a little cumbersome at first, but at least it frees your hands, and giev you mobility.

Congrats, Aileen! Big step you're taking...

CL,
even when I take a toilet break, I have little people screaming for me... sian!
 
mashy
your gal sounds like mine. she cannot be put down one and when i had to cook lunch, it's really listening to her cry while i cook. for me i made a mistake of not trainig her earlier so now she is very attention seeking and cannot be put down or left alone much. but it will get better. maybe when older u can let her watch tv? mine doesn't like to watch tv so very hard to leave her alone.

aileen
congrats! what made u decide to do that?

SSF
i m toying with the idea of cc too but in Pasir Ris i dun think i can find very good cc or at least one that meets my expectations.

yesterday i realised how much jh has improved. he actually wrote chinese words and can read a lot of chinese words! i dunno whether sending him to cc can achieve the same effect or not. but one thing for sure is that he will be more independent.

i may send jx to cc so if i do that, i may want to send both to the same cc to simplify things.
 
I think mashy hand-washed the newborn clothes, hence daily. I did that too, and I do it either late at night when hubby was ard, or first thing in the morning before ... the kids' clothes get into the washing machine only abt a yr back only ...

CL, I know u *don't* sleep! sorry, not meant to be envied. I can't help it... eyes just cannot open ... I want to wake up early too but cannot leh, any tips to wake up early? but b4 they actually open, i'll be sleep-walking ard to run away from K coz he wants to drink milk n I refuse to give him ... very bad habit I know ....

.ky.
 
CL - can share on the costing? i saw Cherie hearts which is near my place. any comments? they seem to have centre s all over singapore.

sy - i am also skeptical if the childcare can teach as well as zoophonics does. will have to go check out the place first.
 
SSF

I going to let C be in full day CC permanently. At first still wanna put him back on half day, but now with a needy bb, cannot liao.
sad.gif
Miss spending time with him...

ky/tracie
I machine wash everything, incl bb's clothes. If not cannot tahan. She uses so much clothes/cloth nappies a day! SHe kept regurgitating her milk, so everyday mess up a few cloth nappies.

Today she's much better. Think it's coz i didn't pump this morn and she was able to drink more at noon and i switched on the aircon to keep the room cool for her. So now she's asleep. phew! Hope she stays this way everyday. Going to have to see how long she sleeps. I think my milk has finally stablised coz this morn woke up my breasts are still soft even tho i also didn't pump last night.
 
mashy,
hang in there, it's only a couple of days that aunty left. Soon you will get into a routine and all will be well. Gotta bear in mind that main focus is looking after baby. All other things like housework gotta close one eye for now.
 
Ky
I am a early bird from young. And when in school I study thru the nite and go for exam then sleep in the pm. So it is by habit. Another thing is I can nap anywhere anytime one. So if my husband does not talk to me in car, and Aden is sleeping I will doze off in the car.

SSF,
Different cherie hearts has different standard I feel because it is franchise so must go in feel and check then decide.

Previously when Aden was with Cherie Hearts - and I signed up during open house there was a 20% for first 6 months so I only paid $360 after subsidy monthly, if I stayed on then it would be $450 after the 6 months.

Then I found out about Yuquan which is 2 street nearer to my office. After subsidy is $600. More expensive but curriculum wise not bad. The reason I changed more for the chinese as Yuquan was doing chinese enrichment for NYPS so I thot Aden can have a headstart.
 
Thanks ladies! I procrastinated for the longest time and finally made this step. My Edgar wanted me home very badly, he cries in the morning whenever I leave for work so I usually go to office with a heavy heart, if not heavy eyes as well. And I feel very guilty all the time about leaving my kids at home with the helper and my dad. Plus now my dad can barely cope with 2 young active boys, so I decided it's time for me to quit the rat race and spend more time with my family. I don't want to miss my children's early childhood days when they are the cutest possible only to regret later about not spending enough time with them. Simply put, life is short so I want to live life to the fullest. Take good care of my family and pursue my own interests! :D
 
aileen - well said! I wish you all the best in your new "job"
happy.gif


CL- thks...Cherie hearts called and i am surprise that the pricing is cheaper than C's zoophonics. enrol 2 kids is even cheaper at $280 per child for full day. wow! zoophonics is already $380. i sounded my mum out and she said up to me to decide although she is not so pro into childcare since she was a teacher before.

anyway, i will be gg to kinderland tis sat. there is an open hse. will go check out the area with my kids.
 
Sysac,
Yes, during the hols cos don't want Isaac to miss school if possible. We are most probably staying at Langham Place at Mongkok or Shangri-la at TST, yet to confirm. Will be going to Macau for 1 night cos HB wants to check out the casinos!

Mashy,
Sigh... I can understand your frustrations. Matthew also wants to be carried all the time. He needs attention when he's awake. And he can't sleep very long at a stretch. Now I'm still clearing maternity leave by working flexi-week and whenever I'm home alone with him, I end up carrying him in a sling very often, almost every other hour. If not, there is no way I can do anything!

Re. SAHM
Aileen, envy envy!
I was just thinking about this SAHM thing... Was SAHM when Isaac was 15 to 20 months old. Though it was a short 5 months, I felt that I had made a difference in his growth and learning. Now I wonder whether I'm shortchanging Matthew cos I won't be able to spend such amount of time with him. If it wasn't for the $$$ factor, I would prefer to be SAHM. Sigh... We are financially ok if I were to stay home, but I feel responsible to continue earning my own keep to give my parents allowances and pay for my insurances, plus save a bit for 'private money'. Don't want to burden my HB to support my parents and insurances as well, though he doesn't think of it that way. Shall see how, I may consider switching to part-time scheme next year. But by doing so, I think I can forget about career advancement.
 
aileen
envy envy!! i wish my hb is so supportive but sigh, he wants to change jobs and so wants me to go back to work...

re chinese
jh has shown tremendous improvement in his chinese. yseterday i realise he can write and read chinese well. he was writing and showed me a few words that he wrote. and when i read chinese books to him, he could read a lot of words. just now took a pack of cards and sounded him out and he cd read over 20 words.

queen
i feel that i dun do as much with jx though i m a SAHM now. maybe cos i always feel so tired and she is so difficult to please. but fortunately she likes to read so i can read a few of her fav books to her. and she always follow the brother so i always tell myself, make sure i teach jh well so that the effect spill over to jx.

but there are some things that she does better than jh. she is really endearing! and she knows how to wear her pants. i will hold up the pants and she will auto put her leg in. really a funny sight.
 
Aileen,
I also facing the same problem...Damien will asked me almost everyday if he has school the next day....coz he relates with when it is not a school day = holiday = mummy is not working on that day.
OMG!!

I wished that i had the courage just like you to have this big move.
 
Aileen
Wow! It's a big step but a fruitful one! I'm sure Edgar will be really pleased!!
happy.gif
Enjoy your time with both boys. So when is your w.e.f date to be a SAHM?

Mashy
You're using cloth nappies for your gal or she's on diapers? I remembered when I couldn't cope with D when he was younger, I gave up on the use of cloth diapers and just used Pet-Pet for him. So lesser washing to do and I can concentrate on him. I normally leave the heavier chores in the evening when hb gets home from work so they can bond while I clean up, but in this case, it might not work for you as time with C is so precious. Like what ky mentioned, could prepare the food/ingredients that you plan to cook the next day on the night before...

When I was out of sight from D when he was a nb as I needed to do the chores, like Chicken Little, I placed him in the rocker and carried both him and the rocker into the kitchen's dry area and talk/sing to him while hanging up the laundry. Hope all these 2-cents inputs helps.

SSF
With regards to CC, their main aim is to help care for the children. Most of the learning activities usually occur in the morning while after lunch, it's nap-time/rest time for 2-3 hours, depending on the centres. But I believe they will be on "par" with kindy standards as they are still required to prepare the children for Primary 1 as well. I've seen in D's current CC that those in playgroup/pre-nursery classes will take their nap while the older kids will have their own short break and than have more learning activities in the afternoon. In this case you have to really source for the center that caters what you need for both boys.

Mummies, I'll be heading to San Francisco with my hb for a short trip. He's there for work while I'm there to sight-see and relax.
happy.gif
I'm excited, it's my first trip to the USA!
 
mamachan - wow..so finally ya leaving soon for SF. enjoy having quality couple time together. i guess D not tagging along right? how long will you be away for? so shiok! i kinda miss US too esp their premium factory outlet. haha...u are right abt the CC. will go check out and see see.
 
cherie hearts
Ariene is in cherie hearts GOMBAK now cuz MINDEF staff have a $100 discount. I've not really sent my girl to any childcares before but I thought they were quite good, considering they cost me only $15 more than her 2.5hr program at St Josephs previously. BTW anyone has 2nd hand cherie hearts uniforms to sell or giveaway to me? My only complaint is their uniforms are kinda expensive and I need to get 4 sets!
 
CL/BP/SSF
hahahaha, apart from scrapbooking items where it's so cheap, I'm more excited visiting USA, taking in the sights and hopefully can take lotsa nice pictures!
happy.gif
D is not travelling with us...even if we want to bring him along, the flight is full! I confirmed my air ticket only 2 Fridays ago.

Definitely hitting the premium outlets! I've sourced a few places and found one that has the most premium outlets so it would be good to spend the entire day there window-shopping/shopping. haha. I think will end up buying more clothes for D man!

This trip had been a long wait for me...it's been a dream to travel to USA since 5 years ago.
 
Mamapanda
when aden was in cherie hearts he only needs to wear their tee and shorts. No need that uniform.

And I have 2 free ones from them when I signed up during open house.
 
Mamachan

wow, that's wonderful! Enjoy your trip!

I'm using diapers. No way i'll use cloth diapers. too tiring.

Today started on a right foot. Managed to do the laundry, make lunch, fold clothes and bathed my gal in the morn. She's in a better mood in the morn and she sleeps till abt 9am+ so i've some time in the morn to do some stuff. Will see how it progresses from here.
 
btw, any of your kids had baby acne? how to deal with it other than waiting it out till 4-6mths? my gal's face is full of 'pimples'. very ugly.
 
CL
this yr still no need uniform but next yr need ma so start asking around. u still have ur polo tee and shorts? mind pass to me if u dun need anymore?
 
Mamapanda
mine is not polo tee. It is crew neck. I can pass you if you want but you know Aden size quite big.

Mashy
old wive's remedy, use the rice water to wash, just like SKII. My fren's CL did that for her son
 
mamachan,
i dun believe that you will just window shopping..my hb can come back with additional of 2 more luggages during his trip there. Unfortunately i missed the chance to tag along.
 
mamachan
envy!!! i want to go US very much but hb not keen cos so far away.....i was there for 6 months and i love SF. sigh.....really miss the place.

mashy
great! hope your girl is like this everyday...there are good days and bad days. i realise that when jx goes without sleep for sometime there will be days that she keep sleeping as if to make up for it!
 
baby acne
Ariene had sensitive skin, in which the milk rash developed into angry red baby acne as we didn't know how to handle it as new parents then. When we brought her to the PD for her vaccs, the PD gave us very mild steroid cream to apply on the face to stop the acne. To avoid the face from becoming too dry, u'll need to apply moisturiser on top of the cream. Have u checked with ur PD if your gal has sensitive skin and whether the acne is due to infection of the milk rash? If it is, you'll need to work harder on keeping ur gals face clean of milk traces, sweat n saliva. They will cause the skin to break out in rashes, which eventually will become infected acne if not taken care of properly. I'm so sick of applying creams & moisturisers for A too but I don't have a choice as her skin will break out if I get lazy.

CL
Yes pls if u don't mind. BTW, A is wearing size 30 now but she can still fit a size 28. What size ur Aden's shirt?
 
Mamapanda
hmm, different sizing it is size 24. Anyway I pass you and if it fits you just go ahead and use. If not can wear at home like dress
 
Thank mummies! My last day is end of the month. HB was very supportive, instead he was just afraid I'll not get used to it. But after I went on 2 weeks leave earlier on to try out, I feel that it's manageable, not as tedious as I foresee thou I have to say there was the initial fear. Fear of losing ME time, no career advancement, no social status, no extra $$, no life, fear of turing in yellow face housewife etc... But all those fears miraculously disappeared by the 3rd day. I just told myself to look forward and don't look back. Since that day I made up my to be a SAHM :D

MAmachan,
wow good for u! have a good time in SF. All the sb shopping, premium outlet shopping and clam chowder! *drooling*!!!

BP,
Edgar asks exactly the same question. It took me almost a year to come to this decision. You consider lah! :D
 
Aileen, BP
then my son must be the weird one. Wake up : Change uniform, I need to go to school.

From far : My school, yeh yeh, my school.

Get down the car : Oh quick, we have to be fast.

At the lift: Faster faster, if not daddy don't wait for you.

At the door: Bye bye mummy, then greet teacher, greet pantry auntie, dun bother to turn back and walk to his classroom
 
aileen
envy!!! i wish i can be more brave to throw in letter. enjoy your days with your boys!
my gal has been asking me to stay at home since don't know when. everyday, i can only reassure her that I will be back home on time to fetch her and didi from my in-law's place...

mamachan
wow!!! enjoy your trip!

CL
i am always amazed by your energy. ever since my gal goes to the childcare, i need to wake up at 5am+ to cook lunch. then at night, got to prepare the ingredients and sleep at around 11pm. everyday is so tiring... i really wonder how you cope with so little sleep. yesterday, i didn't even know that my boy woke up middle of the night and cried. :p
 
sunny
it is a habit lah from young. And as I said I can nap in car and doze off easily so I get my 40 winks as and when I can so I not so tired.

Yday KY came over and she must have thot I am crazy to reach home at 8.15 and still have to prepare dinner.

I can only do simple 1 dish meals lah.
 
CL,
there's nothing wrong with aden lah! every child is diff. It's better to have a happy child than one who sulks and whims in the morning!

Sunny,
thanks! since ed could talk or even before that, he would cry when i go to work. it's really very saddening. everytime i tear myself away from my crying boy, i question myself if i'm a terrible mum. he asked me "why do you have to go to work? why you can't pick me up from school like xxx's mummy? why we need so much $$?? why can't you come home earlier?" why can't you play with me? i'm so sad when you go to work. i want to cry when you go to work..." These are some of the things he will tell me. So I decided that I couldn't live with that guilt anymore. And I need to spend more time with him, else I'm afraid he will grow up emotionally scarred.
 
Aileen,
Definitely not now, but in another 2 yrs time, I will consider to become one.
More challenge when both kids are in Primary school.

Hahaha..hopefully i can strike today's toto 3millions..part of my fear will be overcome.
I will choose become one immediately.
 
Aileen, BP
ha ha even if I strike 4D or toto or a large fortune drop from sky. I think I dun have the courage to go Full time SAHM.

When I work from home, the 2 days that I get to office is a bird flying out from cage.

So ha ha I will only consider the option when Charmaine goes Sec 1
 
Aileen,
Welcome to the SAHM club! Am sure Ed & Ty will be very very happy to see mummy around!

CL,
Where to get those rectangular pan? Daiso have?
I wanna get one to make the egg for sushi le.

Mashy,
Hang in there! Can ur parents help since they staying with u? Like leave the cooking part to them? Or like what others suggested....tingkat? Maybe ask around ur neighbors to see if any local day helper available?

Babylon,
Can share why u wanna be a SAHM when ur kids reach Primary sch? I was thinking when they reach P1, I can go back to work cos they are less dependent on us liao. Hehe.
 
aileen
great that your hb is supportive. after staying at home for 1 year, i can see the pros and cons. of cos the kids are closer to me but then i find that i dun trust maids anymore. when u stay at home and u see the way they do things, u start to wonder whether u will let them handle the kids. at least that's my experience. a lot of little things suddenly surface. and i find that the kids are not as independent as i like them to be. maybe cos i have helper also. so if i dun help jh, he will go to the helper to ask for help.

but of cos the time spent is worth it.

CL
what 1 dish meals do u do?

mummies
i can't find a helper. when the maids hear that i have 2 kids and no grandma to help, they dun wan to come....

SSF
which cc are u considering?i think i wan to start scouting ard.

i was telling hb that we need to re-evaluate maid's job scope. depending on my salary next time, we either get 2 maids or do without a maid and send both to cc.
 
SY
my 1 dish meal - California Temaki which my Chuas all love.

I have a picky husband so it is not easy to please. Usually japanese food do the trick.

Japanese soba with tempura. So while boiling water for the soba, I am frying the tempura liao.

Oden - a fish cake soup dish.

Wenyl
I got mine from Takashimaya 9.90, I think Daiso has.

At what point to turn SAHM
Some says before 6 , when they are like sponge good to have mummy around to see through their development

Primary school - Foundation for education

Secondary school - For me, ha ha i will consider only at this point because 1 no need so much care giving , 2 more to be around as a person to talk to and 3 to monitor closely they don't turn astray as they spend more time out of the house at this point.
 
BP
same thinking as wenyl. thought when kids got to P1, they will be more independent liao. is it because because you wanna stay at home to coach their homework?

SY
i guess when there's helper at home, inevitably the kids will not be so independent. didn't know that the maids nowadays are also choosy on the employers...
for me, i would rather send my kids to cc than getting maid.
 
Abt the becoming SAHM discussion, there are some that would never become SAHM despite all the options and support given and yet they can manage so well ... for me, I know I'll never be able to go back to fulltime workforce in the next 10 yrs ... for one thing, I'm really hating office politics n I think I fit in better with kids. I've asked my kids if they prefer me to go back to work n then I can buy tons of expensive toys n bring them go travelling around the world, and they said NO. They do like to go to school ... I can't ask my #1 to stay at home coz I like him to .... no, he must go to school. But at the same time, they can't not have me not here. I guess becoming a SAHM or not is by one's choice. There are some that are just happy to see their parents on nights and weekends and they grow up very close to their parents too, and the mothers themselves are happier with that arrangement too. It's also the people you are mixing with. Out of 5 mothers on my floor, 4 of us are SAHMs. My SIL whom has a strong influence on me when my kids were younger is also a SAHM since she was pregnant. The only one who ever frowned on my decision was my own mother. But she eventually quieten down since both her daughter and DIL are sahm, like her ...

CL, can u do us a weekly update of your dinner ... I wanna learn.

Mamachan, enjoy! U going later the year. Cool weather right? Remember to bring extra luggage there ... can help me "gang" back SB stuff too? *wink*

.ky.
 
Aileen,
my e also look forward for me to pick him up.. At one stage He wants to stay home with me or some times send him to school.. Times I will ask him things like mummy always scold you and cane you.. Why dun you ask octopus to catch mummy .. He will sweetly reply.. I dun wan coz later I miss you and I will be sad .. No one take care of me .. I will miss you..
I felt so touched .. So even sahm for life I dun mind..

Welcome welcome.. Yay now I got friend for high tea haha
 
CL ... I think u r thinking that way bcos #1 is a girl. Someone who has just turned SAHM when her girl is 10 shared with me her thots ... n it's the same thots.... girls that are going thru' puberty tend to be more emotional and prob exposed to more n it'll be good to have the mother closer by.

Wenyl/BP, primary school will have primary school problems. I'm starting to have that now, n it doesn't get easier.

SY, why 2 maids? U have to tell the maid that you need the kids to learn abt independence. To the maid, it's easier to do the job herself (eg, pick up that shirt n hang it up) rather than getting the kid to do it. That has to be scoped into her job but u hv to down-sized other job areas ... I'm functioning like a maid now, so I'm speaking from experience... hahaha!

.ky.
 
CL
yeah yeah post your weekly dinner here. my hb also picky. he dun eat a lot of things. he wont eat fish cake...

how u do the temaki?

ky
i also wan my kids to be more independent. i always tell the maid that jh needs to learn to do certain things. but they are quite protective of him one. my current one even cover up things for him. got once he beat her and she denied it. but my fren was at my place and she told me.

as far as possible i wlil try to get jh to keep his toys but things like going toilet etc, he does it on whim and fancy. sometimes he will refuse all help and other times he will refuse to go if no one brings him....
 
Ky, SY
I very japanese one because I find the dishes very easy to cook. Ha ha I dun cook daily. About 2-3 x a week only. The days without cooking will have soup to compensate for outside food lor. This is that much I can do being FTWM and home so late because sir's schedule very difficult.

Ky
Yes, because my number 1 is gal. And when she is sec 1, aden is primary 4 oso good time to watch out for boy I think since my aden is more playful.

SY,
Temaki is very simple. I just prepare the ingredient and will wrap for them like a cone when they finish 1.

So 1. cook the rice
2. prepare the tamago yaki
3. then cut all ingredient, crab stick, egg, Japanese kyuri aka cucumber, avocado into strips
4. The rice is ready, add in the sweet sushi vinegar
5. Wrap rice and ingredient up, put in mayonise and the fish roe aka ebiko. That's it. my very simple dinner. And some mummies here already tried before because ha ha this is my all time favourite easy to do dish to serve

This picture is taken previously on a day I forgot avocado

2829311.jpg
2829312.jpg
 
rena

when my gal gets easier, i can join u gals for high tea too now that C will be in full day cc. :p

CL
my boy very picky with food. He won't eat these.
sad.gif
He likes stew, so i make alot of japanese stews like niku jaga. Tonight making corn stew.

Re:SAHM
i think i'm also going to be SAHM for a very very long time. Doubt i'll go back workforce anymore. wonder what i'll do next... Ah, think abt it only when the 2 of them go pri sch...

Think it's a good thing not to pump. Hopefully the milk supply will keep up when her needs go up. feel so much more relaxed and she is more satisfied after each feed too. Has gone to dream land again after the last feed. Think my productivity very low. hehe. Take a long time to produce the amt of milk required.
 
wendyl/sunny,
I aslo think thati will have more time when my child goes to P1. But i so sort of rushing back home everyday for his school work. Totally no me time.
 
Sy - kinderland or cherie hearts as they are near my place. hee..u will join me if you go with the latter....no maid and 2 in CC.

CL- wah....looks good!!! impressive...
 


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