(2007/02) February

smurfy,

most likely Aug/Sept. Will go there first myself for the first few months. Sigh... dunno if i can survive the few weeks without my gals around.
 


think u shld start a routine one month prior that.. for the girls to get used to life without u...

hey hey, a few months after aug/sept, the weather will be cold in china right? keke stock up on ur cold/winter weather clothes.
 
Jelly..Heard abt the kindy at Pasir Ris too..good comments so far..But I think its better u bring Ahxi to China..not good for kids to be apart from mummy too long..no good for their development..seriously..

Smurfy..Think tat is a gd idea by the teacher..bringing the kid earlier to warm-up before class..maybe u can try that first see how it goes.
 
jelly, waaaah you gg to go without your girls? Not possible to bring them along?

Wonder how PVL is doing, long time never see her posting :p
 
sunsweet,

i also thinking whether to let cherish join those playgroup.. but considering her phobia of school..i dunno whether she is ready now.

sometimes i feel kinda "weird" that she is not attending any class..but on the other hand, i want to let her enjoy her childhood..

I also in a dilenma..for playgroup, it is only up to a certain age..meaning she gotta re-adjust to another kindy again..i also tot of putting her in PCF nursery...
 
Catz,
I'm here. Bit busy
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, esp Wednesdays. Brought Gabriel for his 2nd jab yesterday. Found out that he's a lightweight like Sarah, only 10th %ile. PD actually couldn't believe it, cos he doesn't look like 10% only. She made us go and weigh him again. Hehehe, and this time, he had 'lost' another 100g. But his height is 75 %.. Anyway, last night was a terrible night. I hardly slept at all, cos he was fussing almost all night. In the end he ended up in bed with us, after a dose of paracetamol. Still didn't really sleep much. sigh. Hope this doesn't repeat.
Anyway, I think I must pay more attention to his feeds instead of always worrying about what the other 2 rascals are up to when I'm feeding him. And he doesn't seem to drink much. When I did some breast compression to encourage him, he just pulled off and let the excess milk drip down his face. Silly boy.
 
PVL..Nice to hear from u..Yup bf in peace la..the other 2 kiddos know how to entertain themselves..haha.
Gab had a fever after the jab is it? Yup guess after he end up in the bed..u can sleep too..haha..if not its back n forth to the cot..U need the rest! Yr PT cleaner still comes once a week right?
 
Stella,

after discussing with Hub and MIL, we will just let Lil J promote to the next class in her current playgroup.

3 times a week, 2 hrly.. school fees $260++

Afraid the change of environment for her..
 
Jelly,
I think you will miss the girls terribly!
No way you can bring them along?

Why did you stop JG playgroup? The lady did tell me attending the playgroup will give priority for Chiltern House, but I simply don't have the energy to accompany Soph for the playgroup now, and esp since she is doing well unaccompanied in her current nearby playgroup.

smurfy,
yeah, I think I will put myself on the waitlist anyway, then meanwhile source for a nearby nursery for her first. Have asked hubby to go and pick up enrolment form later.

PVL,
Gab is prob the lanky type! Lucky baby, so tall!
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Maybe he is really distracted when bf-g? My neighbour's younger son is like that too - always kaypoh-ing around to see what his jie jie is doing.
 
pvl,

ya i understand the distraction. both me n my dd get distracted at times, esp during the first few mths lo. but dd now can drink finish her milk w/o much distraction liao. but she also a small bb
 
sunsweet, today is bak chang day? wah biang I dunno.. just eat only.. hehe.

PVL, I can imagine how distracted you would be.. if I had a 3rd one, I think the poor baby would starve to death.. hehe. Guess he's one of those ' eat to live' babies, not the 'live to eat' type.
 
huskie,
Are you using amahs on wheels? How do you find their services?
My PT helper is stopping her cleaning cos she has some family issues. Now I'm looking for a new housekeeper. Thought of trying those professional ones. Any feedback? Any ideas? So many companies available, I'm not sure which are the better ones.
 
PVL,
I just stopped using AMOW last week.
I used to have a very good amah before maid came. Then maid came and I stopped AMOW contract, so they allocated her to another family.
And after maid left, I resumed AMOW service, but they gave me a terrible amah - I saw her using the blue cloth (meant to wipe glass surfaces) to wipe toilet bowl, and the pink cloth (meant to wipe toilet bowl) to wipe the bathroom vanity area where Soph's toothbrush is placed. I questioned her and she said it's the same! How can it be the same when it was AMOW who made me buy the different coloured cloths and coded the cloths themselves?

So I complained, and they sent me another amah the following week. This amah put the pink toilet bowl cloth at my kitchen sink and wanted to wash it there! *faintz* I told her cannot wash toilet bowl cloth at kitchen sink where my food is. Quite fed up woth the 2 lousy amahs they sent me, so no longer using their services now.
 
Huskie..Aiyoh..both so jialat..hahaha..think they cut back on training their amahs la..but we hav to pay so much..the agency fees is a lot leh..compared to those "freelance" PT helpers charge $10-$15 per hr..but sometimes these kind of amahs spend most of the time trying to chit chat.
Thats why I always hav 2nd thoughts getting PT help..until both me n hubby cannot take it then will get one.

PVL..My SIL's current PT help is very good..clean and thorough, n she irons fast too. She want to charge my SIL $15 now cos of private house rate..so my SIL don't want already. But her normal rate is $12.50.
 
Charis,
Got contact or not? Which area does she do? Aiyah, this is troubling me quite a bit. I like my current PT help, she's been with me for >2 years, since before Ben was born, and if not for her family problems..... I can't concentrate today! I don't think I can manage the dusting, bathrooms and ALL the ironing myself. I can manage the floors once a week, but that is not really enough.
 
On leave yesterday and today cos China public holiday and hubby follows china public holiday. Brought the gals to the zoo then registered Xi at Bethesda Kindy of Pasir Ris, then evening time we went Plaza Singapura to shop and eat. First time we had a full day family outing like this. Tired, but enjoyed.
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Sigh... I want to bring both of them to China with me. But for the first two month, I want to spend more time with the company to get familiaries with the environment and the job scope, at the same time looking for a suitable place in Xiamen (which is 2 hours drive from my office location) and nanny and maid. Of cos i hope the gals will adjust to the new environment well. But just in case Xi does not like the new place and want to come back, she still has a place in the school here.

AMOW used to give me a very good cleaner, then changed to another lousy one which last week i told them to replace. Yday the new cleaner came and will monitor her for a few weeks first then see how.

Huskie, AMOW never asked me to buy different colour of clothes. Actually i dunno whether she use different clothes for different areas or not cos most of the time when she came for cleaning we were not at home.
 
PVL, Huskie..My sil's pt helper travels to Bishan, Thomson..think she lives in Punggol. but I don't know if she's fully booked..cos she seems quite busy.
I'll try get her contact from my sil.
 
PVL, oh man, you really need the PT help, probably even twice a week when Gab starts crawling around and you need the floors to be ultra spick and span.

Charis, your SIL's part-time lady sounds good!

jelly, so everyday you will commute 2 hours just one-way to work? Er.. cannot get somewhere closer ah? Aiyoh headache for you.. anyway it's nice that you got family time today!
 
Charis,
Thanks thanks. I might arrange with AMOW if I have no other contacts by next week. Any cleaning is better than none lah. My place is not exactly that spanking clean anyway. At least the dust must be wiped away and the bathrooms cleaned.
 
Catz,

Nolah... My plan is to stay in the hotel near to my china office for the first two months and after that, move to Xiamen and bring my gals over. Xiamen is a better place to stay with better infrastruture and living condition compared to the province where my office is. My company is gg to set up another office in Xiamen soon, so i can work from the new Xiamen office or from home.
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Hi, how's everyone and their young ones?

wow, me having headache with Sherwin leh. He's super active now!!! Really dun know how to manage him liao. In the end, we gg to send him to playgp near my parents place in Jul.

Sunsweet, you still looking for sch? I sending sher to Creative Twinkle at Blk 766, they ok to accept kids as young as 18mths.

Here's Sherwin's recent pic:

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gigg,

he still looks chubby ley
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jelly, good to hear u more or less has plans. Hope the transition will not affect the gals too much. ya always must have backup plans.

me these days so tired. everyday wake up at 5 to pump n reach ofc by 730a.m. everday OT n these sat working. now wkends are really solely family outing w/o maids.

thankfully, my two kids are still close to me.
 
Gig,

I'm having Lil J in MMI for their workgroup (3x per week) and backup plan is Apple tree if ah mah cannot handle her with #2 ard..

my at St 52.. so can only consider all those nearby.. else its will be too diffcult for my MIL to arrange logistic
 
Paging PVL..I got the contact of my SIL's PT helper..but I kind of lost yr hp no..cos I changed my hp..Can u sms me first then I can sms u the no.? Thanks!
 
garfield, how was museum day? Me single mom, dunno which museum to go also :p Ended up in Marina Sq for the Thomas show and rides. Heh.

Charis - our playgroup ready to go? My friend not interested after all, guess it will be a cosy affair!

Giggler, Sherwin so chubby still! happy little boy. He jealous of #3 or not? Never post more photos of your gang of 3?
 
Catz..Yup according to Huskie the room has been booked for us! 3, plus Yael and my mil and another friend of huskie's and another of my friend with a 2yo daughter may join us.
 
yippeeee..

OK I will be MIA for the rest of the week, heading to church camp, will be busy packing the entire house and kampong into bags. Hehe.
 
Charis,
I've paid and confirmed the function room this morning - the room should be able to take 6 kids with accompanying adults comfortably.

So I'll confirm attendance here for these dates - 16, 18, 23, 25 June:
- Catz and Beth
- Charis and Yael
- chocbabe and Ryan
- Huskie and Soph
- Huskie's neighbour (V) and Isaac
- Charis' friend and kid

Logistics:
- I don't have the magic mop stuff, cos I've switched to using vaccuum cleaner since I got my handy Electrolux, so you may have to bring that yourself.
If you need me to buy it, let me know.
- You'll need to bring the groundsheets/bedsheets and audio equipment too, cos mine is wired to the walls... sorry about that!
- There are no miniature tables and chairs in the function room, but there is a glass tabletop dining table and some chairs.
- Room opens at 10am for our session, so I'll see you there (they may need my receipt) and the rest at 1015am.
- My payment to you: I don't have your account number, so I'll just put the cash in an envelope for you on the first day of class.
- Closer to the first day, I'll send message over FB to Catz, Charis and chocbabe on address... prefer not to disclose the info on forum. Thx.
 
huskie, charis,
I have 2 king size quilt cover which i intend to throw away soon, so if you guys wanna use it as "groundsheets", please let me know... charis??

Need to rant abit here. Was really pissed earlier cos nowadays when i discipline ryan, he will run to his grandparents and his grandparents will happily pick him up when he throws a tantrums. I was so pissed, i carry him over and go to the room. I wanted him to finish his tantrums and then talk to him to teach him what went wrong... hate it when there are grandparents around cos they really spoil them!
 
chocbabe
then u bring ryan to the room to discipline him? i am thankful in this case here, my mum's the onli one in control of QY... I oso lost control of him now.
 
jas, u really going to china? sigh, I may have to relocate too. Told my hb and he said no. So, i will prob reject though its a director position.
 
chocbabe, ya got pro n cons when u have grandparents around. for me, it easier cos i dun stay w them.

catz, i went to the air force one n it no good la. got many planes but not much excitement ley. then the guy who demo how to fly diff type of paper planes was boring n not expert himself.

anyway, we take alook at the exhibits since we are there already. then we head down to giant n ikea nearby for shopping ;p

cherry,
yr co also ask u to relocate? hiaz, now bad times la tat y co keep asking us to transfer or relocate. I am also transferred out of my main office... in ulu place now... ;p which explains y I hardly in here these days. though director post, got to see whether move is good for the family esp the kids lo. so it a promotion? but if u reject, how? remain as it is?
 
cherryale
ur situation same as my company's HR. was given the opportunity 3 yrs back when our asia main HQ shifted over to china. being HR, she has to be stationed there. she rejected the offer.. and maintained as manager for SEA HR... well,i guess these r some of the things u have to give up for the sake of ur family...

giggler
4get to reply u yesterday. hey, sherwin is a happy lil boy right? i recalled the last few pics u posted of him oso smiling happily type
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garfield, smurfy, in my case, its for development but tough lah since our kids are still so young, hb is also not able to relocate so even expat terms also not enough to attract. If reject will remain status quo. actually our area hq is here so even if stay on also will have a lot of opportunities.
 
cherry, u are also been asked to be relocated? To China as well? Haiz.... I wish i can say "NO" like u. But my case is quite unique and subject to regulatory requirements etc. Unless the project fails, else I will have to relocate and station in China. Sigh x3...
 
ya I wouldn't wan to relocate perm overseas at this pt too. so luckily they just posted me outstation nia. just the travelling is longer. working hours are longer since site is 24 hours operation lo. good pt is i get to earn more now. minus pt is i spend lesser time w my kids
 
Huskie...I'll try to bring the mop.

Chocbabe..As for the bedsheets, not sure if it will be slippery. Im thinking of bringing my bedspread..though its not used for the bed..I occasionally use it as a throw over the sofa..thicker and heavier than a bedsheet.

Jelly, Cherry, Garfield..
My cousin works with LV..she's a sales director and has to travel to Europe very frequently, very good pay and travel allowance on top of grooming allowance..from the time her kids were born, they hardly saw her..the kids not close to her at all..She quite sad sometimes, miss them..but she told us she no choice cos her hb don't hold a secure job..and has alot of credit card bills over the years that she has to help pay..if not she'll gladly give up her job.
 
jelly,
How's your new AMOW cleaner?
I forgot to add that I rejected one of the cleaners cos she used the toilet brush to scrub the rim of the toilet bowl... i.e. the part that we sit on. I think that is not acceptable and unhygienic leh, even though I am not a very fussy employer. That's why asked them to change.

They actually asked me to buy the full set inclu mop system plus window squeegee which will add up to $50+, but since I already had a mop, I chose to buy only the cloths for $20.

Sigh, now still hunting for a good pt helper!

btw, my friend just came back from Xiamen. She says it's quite a nice city, very modern. I guess relocating there with the kids wouldn't be that bad - look on the bright side, it'll be quite exciting!

chocbabe,
I empathize with you, cos my sis faces the same problem as you. In her case, it's not her inlaws, but my mum :p
And when she reminds my mum about how my mum used to be so fierce and strict with us but now so laxed with my niece, my mum will simply reply "Times are different!"
 
huskie,

tomorrow the new AMOW cleaner will come. Will see how her preformance then. If still not good, will call them to try give me the Indian lady, Maria which came to clean our house two weeks ago. They never ask me to buy the mop system and cloths lei. Strange... We also feel the AMOW standards drop, but we cldn't find other reliable PT cleaner, so will stick to it first.

Yay, I went to Xiamen with hubby two weeks ago. Hubby also commented Xiamen is one of the best city to live in China, clean and modern. Food wise also no issue as pretty close to our taste here.
 
huskie,
yes i know what you mean. last time my mil used to cane my husband and his bro when they were kids, but now can tell me must use soft approach, etc.. sigh...
 
jelly, tat good to hear positive feedback. think of the bright side. act my job here also not too bad la as now I drive to work.

charis, yr cousin high flyer like cherry. me not this level yet la... haha
 
Jelly..There's a saying..grandparents are here to spoil..haha..My dad and my FIL spoils Y too..The 2 grandmas TRIES to be more strict though haha..but ok for me cos they don't take care of him full-time.

I also heard Xiamen is clean n nice..hope all of u adjust well there.

Garfield..No need to be high flyer la..be SAHM is high flyer u know..tough job..but rewarding..haha! No point climb so high in career but spend so little time with the kids, then they don't do well in school or emotionally need attention etc..that's my personal opinion la. Hope one day u'll consider to be one..hehe.
 
charis,

how i wish i could! but then i will not have my spending power too. furthermore hb is also not high flyer so i dun think we can survive with one income. also the time spend w kids are shorter so tat will also mean I will cherish n spend more quality time w them when i can. not sure lar. wat i mean is i see them less often so tend to be more patient w them lo. so have to see those wks w/o maid if i will lose my temper... hmmm...

ya to me, most impt is my family lo. my opinion is to work hard n get $ for family too but I will also wan time for family too. so shift work is out of my scope. will prefer not to bring work home. i not really career minded lo. tat y i hesistate at first to relocate... but many of my frens are. to me, first few yrs of childhood is v crucial. i wan to know their milestones n grow up w them lo. if i can, i think i will be sahm for tat few yrs. but then i still need a job to survive lo. i also wan to be indep too.
 
garfield

i was a sahm last week cos my mum when for holiday..wah biangz..i feel so happy when i return to work today..at last got adult interaction.. u know when i was at home last week..i was so desperate to talk to female friends..to the extend that i went downstairs to chit chat with other sahm..haha

in short, i prefer to work and earn my own keep..unless i can be like milkie like that..leading a tai tai lifestyle..haha
 


stella, i will be sahm for abt half mth! dunno can made it or not .... hahahhaha

ya to be stuck at home... unless i able to find a rgt time when both of them have enough sleep n food... haha act i already thinking of bringing them out in the afternoon but scare of the worst i.e zz wan me to hug... cos i not intending to bring stroller... well see how it goes... cos i know i be v bored at home by 1 week.
 

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