Blogging from a smart phone

I must say that I am so happy knowing that Blogger has an app and I can now upload photos and blog from my phone easily! I used to have to upload pictures from my camera or phone into the laptop. Edit there before I can blog. And with two young kids then, it seemed impossible to keep up posting which was the main reason why blogging, as much as I enjoyed it, had taken a backseat. As I mainly use just my phone for photos nowadays, I can just edit them here too and then upload using the Blogger app and post from there! Well I can't do much else like changing the layouts or size of the photos but as of now, this is good enough. So maybe, just maybe, there'll be more posts in this blog from me again!

Square One

Three hours later from my previous post, I'm pretty much still where I was. Haha. Nope, I didn't get the dishes done. I did hang up the batch of clothings. Figured out that was pretty urgent as people were running out of underwears! Che-Che O came back not too long after and I spent some time with her cleaning up all the books she read and never placed back on the shelf and the stash of puzzle she did not get to complete before reading a bedtime story together and got her ready for bed. By then, it was already eleven. Papa got me my very well deserved signature hot choc with soy milk from Starbucks and I have just been sitting down indulging it with some oats. Aaaah.... Guilty? Well, kinda but I'm too sleepy now to be bothered. Tomorrow is another day. Goodnight world! - writing while lying down on a bed with a stash of laundry. Yes, I will be sleeping here tonight.

Mess!

It's now a quarter past nine at night. All is quiet. Che-che O and Papa has gone out and Master J is sound asleep. I have the whole house to myself and have the radio tuned into the usual Sunday night Jazz on Lite FM.

Sounds like the perfect time to chill with a glass of red.... but...
1. I've been down with a tummy bug. Started on Thursday night after dinner. I ended up with no dinner after dinner as they all came back out. Have been having body aches and a mild temperature till today. My tummy still feels raw and I certainly don't dare to stimulate it any further with foods that will make it churn. So I'm left sort of hungry. I will try to get two mouthfuls of plain oats in later as suggested by a friend. Ya, plain oats in water. Hmm.. yay. yum. Guess I gotta still feed old tum-tum.

2. Dear hubby cooked dinner and left the kitchen looking like probably what's in my stomach right now. A mess!

3. I see things everywhere! Table mats under the TV cabinet, building blocks on the lounge chair, puzzles strewn on the floor, a sock under the kiddo's exersaucer, a train toy on the sofa (now removed as I wanted that space), all these and more on top of a big bag of things to put away...

4. The washing machine just beeped signaling another load of wash waiting for me to hang dry. Meanwhile, there are three loads waiting for me to put away.

5. Project Organise Thy Study Room has been completely abandoned. I thought it would probably take me a whole month. I thought wrong. Perhaps a whole year???

I am honestly short of a scream away. It is times like these that I truly, truly, truly wish I have someone here as a domestic helper. Either that or the ability to wave a wand and utter iggety-ziggety-zaggety and zoom! the mess away! It's just impossible to cope at times. I seriously wonder how do those mommies with beautiful blogs do it? When will I have the time to get a sensory bin or a I-spy bottle done for Master J? Okay, rant aside. Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat. Tune up the radio and now get me those washing gloves...... before the fever acts up again......

Time to get organised!

This house comes with a little 'office'. I have sort of claimed it as my studio. Currently, it is in complete chaos! Due to space limit, I have many times stuff things in there and pile stacks of this and that up waiting for that one day when I am free to put them away. That one day is still no where to be found while I am left with a store instead of studio. I need to get organised. We have initially treated this beautiful house as a temporary shelter. Till we manage to find our own little abode. Looking at how the property prices go ridiculously crazily high here, moving into our own home looks dim. So we might as well start treating this house as home.

I have a few ideas here and there including getting a small kitchen island to increase workspace area as well as more shelves or even getting some cabinets installed. But first things first would probably be to sort out the studio. Needing some ideas on how to arrange and get some of the things organised in the most efficient manner. So Google, here I come!

2013

Can you believe how time can really fly!???! I knew blogging would be one of the last thing to do in my list since the the arrival of Baby (now Che-che) O's partner in crime, Master J, over a year ago. But I thought I could at least manage a few posts! There were so many places we visited, so many milestones achieved, so many new books read, so many new activities and events that I wanted to blog about but none made it here. Even to put up this post took me maybe 600 attempts? So yeah, a belated Blessed Christmas 2012 and a Happy New Year 2013! This new year, it is my hope that This Mama will be able to revive this blog now that Che-che O has started preschool and Master J is officially a toddler! (Yes, I now have a preschooler and a toddler!) I do miss this little therapy of mine, chit-chatting in the virtual world. After all, the main reason why I started this blog is so that I have a getaway from baby talk!

Cheers to a blessed year ahead!

Welcome Baby J!

Baby J was finally delivered safely and naturally on 30 November 2011 weighing a whopping 3.75kg! (I blame it on the Penang food!!) He was still feeling all warm and fuzzy in there and had to be induced out 6 days post due date. It was a relief when all that weight was taken away and then whizz! boom! bang! and he is already two months old! Time flies when you have a baby to care for, and even faster when you have a toddler as well!

Baby O is officially now Jie-jie O who loves her Di-di to bits! She has been such a little gem of a sister. She had her share of temper throwing and attention grabbing antics but generally, she has been such an understanding little girl. She would play on her own knowing that I have to tend to the baby and is ever ready to grab me a piece of muslin cloth or nappy when needed. Amazing coming from a two and a half year old.

I do feel sorry for Jie-jie O sometimes as she would often say 'Papa, can you play with me?' when he gets back from work (like right now!) as I have not been able to spend the time doing things with her like I used to the last two years! To begin with, I was super huge this pregnancy so even before Baby J's arrival, I had pretty much stopped most activities. I couldn't sit at the play area with her so she was left to play on her own most of the time. Cooking a meal felt like I was moving a whole house so she was left to our trusted and never failing babysitter, the television a lot too. Sigh... So I have tried to work around that and try to play and read together with Baby J now or do something with her while he naps since he has a more predictable routine now. On the other hand, I feel like I wish I can spend more time nurturing Baby J as he is growing up so fast!

Well, this is what life is now with two! Absolutely no time for myself washing the never ending pile of laundry and all, but at the same time enjoying double the smiles, double the hugs and double the love... ;-)

Preparing for a new sibling

Got this from one of those baby sites that I subscribe to and thought I would share it with all those expecting another bundle of joy as it is pretty applicable to our family as D-Day draws nearer:

Be aware that your daughter will need plenty of attention to assure her that she is not being replaced by a newer model.

1. Plan on giving her plenty of one-on-one time with Daddy. Though it is not inevitable, close spacing (less than three years) can create friction between siblings because both will have high needs for parental attention.

2. Read books about babies. You will still have undivided attention to give to her, which will help her adjust to a new situation. Begin reading books to her about babies coming into the family and talk with her about the baby in utero. Though she will not completely understand, she will be primed for the baby's arrival.

3. Stagger the timing of changes. If a new bedroom or bed is required, make this change at least four to six weeks before she becomes a big sister. Your daughter will be less likely to associate her new room or bed with displacement. Any changes that you believe necessary should not coincide with the new baby's arrival.

4. Encourage her regular contact with babies. Teach her the concept "gentle" in touching babies, as well as other living things such as cats and dogs. This will help her get some practice in before she becomes a big sister.

5. Allow her to still be a baby. Despite the fact that she will become a big sister, do not rob her of her own baby-toddlerhood. Don't assume that she must sleep in a bed instead of a crib, especially if she still enjoys and feels comforted by the crib she is now using. Continue to diaper her and offer her the bottle or breast, if you're breastfeeding. She is still very much a baby herself! Expect her to want to be held and even play "baby" by being cuddled and cooed in your arms.

6. Expect moodiness. Don't be alarmed if she seems more clingy or crabby than usual. She will need to express herself and see that her place in the family is still secure. With time and your consideration, she will adapt and gain a sense of mastery (rather than jealousy) about her new role in the family.

7. Remind her that she was a baby too. Show her pictures of herself, the attention she got and the gifts that she received when she was a new baby.

8. Buy a few special toys. It may also help to buy a few gifts that are just for her, so that when you are receiving gifts for the baby and attention is being showered on the newborn there is something for her.

9. Encourage her to help once the baby is born. This will give her a sense of competence. She can bring a diaper to Mommy, take an adult by the hand to show the new baby or giving the baby a toy.

10. Show her the benefits of being a big girl. Involve her in activities she can do which separate her from the new baby and give her the message that she can do certain things because she is not a newborn. Sitting on your lap and pointing to pictures as you read, putting a simple puzzle together or other activities appropriate to her development will continue her excitement in her own growth and the things she can do now that she could not do as a baby.

Whether a new child is being born or a teenager is leaving for college, transitions in families require profound physical and psychological adjustments. Family researchers have identified changes in daily family household membership to be the most stressful. It's natural for your toddler to regress during this time.

Unsettled

I was just thinking this afternoon while Baby O and I were snuggled together about to have a nap... that I am feeling more settled now after slightly over a year in Penang...

Then, it struck me that things will change again as the little one will be arriving very soon in November!!

So I tried to think of when was the last time I felt settled and somehow that felt like a reeaaally looong time ago! Let's have a look at all the major changes in my life...

2004 - we got engaged and started planning for the big day
2005 - I changed jobs a few months after the big day
2006 - we moved into our own home
2007 - moved halfway across the world to the UK
2008 - relocated to another state for job's sake
2009 - became a mother for the very first time and left the UK
2010 - relocated to Penang
2011 - unsure of what to expect when the prince makes his royal appearance end of the year!

Wow... yeah... thaaaaaat loooong ago! I thank God that through everything, He has provided the support that we needed and has never stopped blessing us. So even though I have not been feeling entirely settled, I am truly and wonderfully blessed!

Uninterrupted Sleep

Since Baby O's birth two years ago, I cannot recall many nights of restful sleep through the night. Most of the time, I will be rudely woken up by a foot on my face, or with a nice hand slapping across me. Since we are preparing for another baby now, we have been thinking a lot more about our sleeping arrangement when the new member of our family moves in with us. Ideally, Baby O should be sleeping on her mattress on the floor on her own (because we are not ready to move her out of our room yet) and her di-di or mei-mei will be placed in a cot. However, call it instinct or whatever you want, Baby O has been EXTREMELY sticky and insists on Mama sleeping next to her since she sort of found out that she will be expecting a sibling. Previously, she was ok with Papa putting her to bed. There were occasions when if she don't see me in the room with her, she will cry so tragically even though Papa is there with her trying his very best to comfort her without any success. The crying immediately stops as soon as she hears the door knob turns expecting no one else but me. These last few nights however, we have tried again to cajole her to sleep on her own 'special' big che-che bed. She seems proud to have a special bed but still insisted that I sleep next to her. Having all the pelvic pain and all with this pregnancy, it just seems difficult to lie comfortably down there with her but I tried to to get her used to the idea and eventually moved back up onto our bed.

We managed to have her on her bed a few nights now but someone has to sleep there with her. Last night however, she wanted to sleep on her special bed again and wanted me to be next to her. After a few minutes, I explained again to her that my hips are aching and I have to go back to sleep on the bed. She surprisingly didn't whine or cry this time but she did climb on to the bed to be next to me. I doze off but later felt her climbing down to her own bed again. I opened my eyes slightly every other minute to have a peek at what she is up to next and smiled when I saw her lying comfortably on a pillow with her little bolster. She even placed the blanket on her body which she usually kicks away when we do it for her. And after a few minutes of adjusting here and there, she finally fell asleep.

Initially, she still woke up at about 5-7am and climbed back onto our bed but these few days, I wake to find her still on her mattress most mornings. I have to admit that sleep has been good these few nights without me having to wake up every so often to check where Baby O is on the bed now and if she is being covered by the blanket/pillow/me/dear hubby or at the verge of falling off the bed... Then there are no more nasty foot of hand surprises. As I am a super light sleeper, even the flick of her hair can wake me up so that's gone now as well.

So do I miss sleeping next to her? Honestly, not really as she is still in the same room by my side albeit on a mattress. Plus we do still sleep together if I have a nap with her. I think I will only miss it if we move her completely out of the room but that seems like a very far fetched idea at this point in time! Meanwhile, I'll just enjoy my uninterrupted sleep for now...

This Mama Is Feeling... A Lot Better!!!

I have finally regained enough energy to want to blog! Yes, it was a first trimester that I never had and wouldn't want to go through again! Well, considering that I had a relatively smooth sailing pregnancy before. This time round, you name it, I had (or still having) it. Started with an insatiable appetite! That is not bad but if I don't get food in in time, I will be nauseous to the core! To make it even more interesting, I was hungry every hour or so! Sometimes I overeat as I was so hungry that my food goes undigested and frequently comes out again the same way it went in looking very much like what it was before.. oops.. sorry for the details..

The heightened sense of smell deterred me from entering the kitchen. I could not bear the smell of food being cooked. I could not smell the leftover smells of cooked food. I could not stand the smells of certain foods like seafood. Dear hubby had to tapau (take away) most meals including lunches for us. He had to rush out during his working lunch hour so we won't starve. Poor Baby O was fed everything under the sun then. No more delicious and nutritious homemade goodness. (Am sure she is actually more happy with the tasty salty and sweet food though! Hmm..)

Then there is the need to pee in the wee hours of morning. Like every night. Even though I try to avoid drinking too much liquid after certain hours at night. 

At the same time, I was also having extreme fatigue. I can be talking to Baby O one minute and my eyes will closed the next. But come night time, I can't sleep. Either I'll be awake till 2 - 3 am or I will wake up at 4 - 5 am and can't go back to sleep till 7 am. This baby is really preparing me very early on! I was so tired that the TV became a regular babysitter for Baby O. I felt really guilty as I could barely give her the attention that she needed.

I craved very particular foods which was actually a good thing come to think of it as it made life easier in the sense that we know where to go for say dinner immediately and head straight there instead of usually having to think about where or what to eat. Dear hubby should also be thankful that my cravings weren't that out of the world and mostly obtainable within reach.

This time round the pelvic pain came much earlier compared to the previous pregnancy and that deterred me from doing exercises like walking and swimming which I really should. There were nights when I just couldn't find a comfortable position to lie in to relieve the pain. Thankfully, most times I know what will trigger it and try to avoid those actions (which includes too much walking in malls!).

So I am really, really thankful that I am SO much better now. Shall really enjoy this honeymoon trimester to the max before I get too big!

And time to dig out that What to Expect When You Are Expecting book again... How exciting!

He's Alive!

Amazing love
How can it be
That you, my God
Should die for me?

- Charles Wesley

How thankful, how reassuring.

Jaring Scam?

Mom called earlier informing me that there is a letter addressed to my name from a solicitor acting on behalf of Jaring. The content of the letter basically state that I owe them a few hundred ringgit since 1996. Yes, 1996! So many questions ran through my mind... Firstly, I don't recall ever signing up to Jaring for their services. We did use them at home before but never under my name. I was just out of high school then thus would not have applied for it myself. Mom would have done it and under a common family name. Secondly, I have never, not that I can recall, used the username mentioned in the letter. On top of that, I don't recall ever seeing a Jaring statement before in my life. So why would I suddenly be billed hundreds all of a sudden!?

Whatever it is, I need to get some detective work done. So I tried calling the solicitor's office and initially, it was always engaged. When it finally got through many dials later, no one picked the phone up even after a few more tries at different times. I will need to try again later. I was given two other numbers to talk to someone directly though but I'm hesitant to call these numbers. Somehow want to know exactly is going on and try to clear things up if necessary.

There are tonnes of online Jaring scams going around but I couldn't find any that sends a physical letter during my random search on Google. If this is a really a scam, how in the world did they get my full name and address? If it is not a scam, why have I not received any bills from then from 1996 till now?? Anyone experienced similar incidences before?


*Update: Managed to get through to Jaring, the guy on the other line seems to know what it is all about even though I have only told him my surname and a letter regarding outstanding payment. He also directed me to the same two numbers stated on the letter which I was reluctant to call initially. Still feeling skeptical, I dialed the number. I was only greeted with a 'Hello'. No, so and so speaking from Jarings Communication Sdn Bhd, nothing. I had to ask who is speaking, then explained about the letter. He actually has all my details down: Full name, address, telephone number. I told him that I had not applied for their services on my own before, bla bla bla. I asked how come I had not received any reminders before and then suddenly slapped with a lawyer's letter? Seems they sent out reminders through emails and incidentally my supposedly jaring email account was terminated in 2008. He then told me the only way to get my name off their list is to pay up or get a police report.

Conclusion, I gave it a little more thought and may just make a police report. The more I think about it the more absurd this whole thing is! I was probably either preparing for or maybe even in the exam hall itself sitting for one of the STPM (A-level equivalent) papers on the date mentioned! How did I find myself registering for Jaring services at that time, I have no idea!

Fall

Although absent from the blogging world, we have been going around in the real world. We have continued embarking on our discovering Penang adventures. There’s so much to see and wishing I have as much time to write about them! One of the most amazing discoveries is we found out there’s Autumn here in Penang!!! Leaves were falling from the sky a few weeks back! If only they were money instead..

Got Baby O out with me for a little sun and to clear the leaves. Have not even gathered them all and more started falling!! See all the ‘dots’ in the sky?

Busy, busy, busy!

Someone obviously doesn’t know how hard it is to clear them!

After numerous bags full of dried leaves, a broken new lidi (vein of coconut palm frond) broom, a very sweaty and dirty but contented toddler, an extremely sore back and thousands of calories burnt (I hope!), we managed to remove the carpet of leaves... ... ... only to find it covered again in the evening!

Yoohoo! Anyone home??

Ok, where and how do I start again after such a long absence from blogging?? I must say the long festive season (Christmas in December 2010 till Chinese New Year in February 2011) with lots of travelling here and there to be with family really thrown me off my routine completely and it has taken me this long to recover! Yikes! Anyway, am glad to be back and what better way than to wish myself a Happy 1st Blogging Anniversary! Didn't know where I was heading when I first started but it has been both rewarding and therapeutic for me to blog. Learnt so much in the process and made some new (virtual) friends along the way too! Hope we'll still be blogging same time next year!

This Mama Is Feeling...

Lots to do but just don't have the mood to do much. Anyway, it's still Chinese New Year... so I believe I'm allowed to remain in a holiday mood till further notice... ;-P  

Have a blessed Chinese New Year and enjoy what's left of it!! Apologies for the delayed wishes! (Aren't I glad Chinese New Year lasts for fifteen days?!)