Princess Farmer Girl

I was applying lip gloss when E looked at me with a disturbed expression.  I usually use a tinted lip balm which is of course a lot more subtle than this shiny liquid that was screaming for attention, my son's attention that is. 

E: What is that?

Me: Lip gloss.

E: Eeew! It's disgusting!  I don't want to look at you!

C: Mummy, it's very nice.  I like it.  Can I wear it when I grow up?

When you have a boy and a girl, you do get plenty of interesting conversations with opposing perspectives.

Later, I asked E why he thought the lip gloss was disgusting.  He said it looked like blood! Okay, fair enough but hey the lip gloss was not even bright red in colour, it wasn't even red for that matter!  I'm learning to see the world through an eight year old boy's eyes and it sure is mind-boggling.

Now, let's steer clear of blood and gore and move on to something more pleasant.  The subject of today's post is actually C.  The princess in the house.  Or more accurately "the princess farmer girl", a new term she coined herself.  Simply defined as a princess who likes to take care of animals.  

 

Does the princess syndrome come inbuilt in every girl? By princess, I don't mean in a diva sort of way but in a "ooohh, I love all things girly and pink is my favourite colour" kind of way.

I'm finding it quite refreshing after raising a roll in the dirt type of boy, figuratively speaking.  Though, it can get somewhat frustrating especially when you are already late for an appointment and the princess has declared that she only wants to wear that particular dress which is in the wash.  She doesn't get her way of course and puts on whatever that was chosen for her, crying tears of despair as she looks longingly at that dirty piece of laundry which she has set her affections on. 

Her favourite dress.  If she gets to decide, she will choose to wear this every day.

Recently, she attended a wedding and ever since that day, she has been telling me on a regular basis that she wants to grow up quickly so that she can wear a wedding dress.  And she reminds me of the necessity of an outfit change.  One white and one red, she says in her best 3 year old serious voice. 

I'm quite sure she didn't get this girly girl thing from me.  I'm a low-maintenance kind of girl.  I don't brush my hair till it shines, erm I sometimes even forget to comb my hair.  I put on makeup only when I feel like it and that's usually when I think the occasion is worth the hassle of me preening in front of the mirror.  I love my well-worn tank tops which have holes in them.  Okay, lest you picture me in rags or worse gaping holes at inappropriate places, I shall clarify that the holes are really tiny.  And that's just my walking around in the neighbourhood attire.  I do dress much better elsewhere.  I'm low-maintenance, not a slob.

So, I don't think I contributed to her being this way.  Well, it's a fun phase and I'm enjoying her.  My princess. 

As the years pass, we will look back at this phase in her life and have plenty to laugh at and chat about over manicure and chi-chi high teas.  Just us girls.  The princess and the queen.

P.S. To the boys in the family, you are of course welcomed to join us.  It would be nice to receive some gentlemanly help with the shopping bags.

What's love got to do with a roach?

What a way to start the day! The morning routine was anything but predictable, what with me grabbing the toilet roll only to realize that I held in my hands a roach that writhed and wriggled for its dear life! I dropped that despicable thing and it fell on my lap!! 

Screaming at the top of my lungs, I ran out of the toilet and the hubby said calmly (as though this was an everyday occurrence), "I should have filmed it down." 

I was expecting nice-sounding, loving, sympathetic words to precede a heroic act. After 14 years, I'm still trying to get used to the fact that his love language is acts of service and not words.

But in a life and death situation such as this (life for me and death for the roach obviously), actions are most definitely valued over words.

In hindsight, the whole episode was rather hilarious. Imagine a half-crazed woman dashing out of the loo to be faced with a very willing audience of two. The kids respond to screaming of the blood-curdling type very much faster than the yelling of the high strung mum sort.

Bear in mind that I was answering nature's call when it all happened. My reflex action was to dash out and not pull up.

No nurturing mum image here. It looked like I was caught in the act with my pants down (literally). That was the sight that greeted the kids. Throughout this whole saga, the hubby was sitting in bed, looking at his phone. 

And he said those words.

He then proceeded to confront the enemy and deftly defeated it.

Who knew that a random incident such as this could stir up feelings of love very unexpectedly. I started to recall the many acts of love he had shown consistently over the years. It was easy to take for granted the seemingly mundane acts which often pale in drama to the romantic allure of flowers, gifts, fine dining and heart-melting declarations of love.

As I type, the hubby is helping me pack my laptop and stuff so that the bag can be ready for work tomorrow. He bathes the kids more often than I do, reads to them before bedtime (covers my reading duties when I'm feeling lazy), babysits them without complaint when I hang out with my friends. And not forgetting exterminating pests and bugs of all kinds and training our son to do likewise. (E now picks up dead baby lizards with a tissue and tries to gross his sister out with it.)

The list of mundane acts goes on. 

Gosh, this is beginning to make me sound like a sloth. I work hard. I do. Really. Real hard.

I am guilty of placing a lesser value on those little acts of love. Today, I remember and I am thankful. I now know to look beyond the words (or the lack of) to find one who will rise to the occasion, whatever the need.

Not ending this with "I love yous" and other mushy gushy WORDS. I'll go make him a cup of hot drink instead.

I couldn't resist including this photo :) My man of action!

Caught in the Act

I have gone shopping with Baby C in tow a couple of times and it was amusing watching her imitate me. She would try on shoes together with me and attempt to put on the clothes I've tried in the fitting room. It's a refreshing change from the complaints I get whenever I shopped with E.

E has declared shopping a boring activity because "we just go in and out of the shops" and it's also "very tiring because we just walk and walk."

Boring? Well, my recent shopping experience was one of a kind and far from being mundane!

I bought a bottle of baby shampoo from Sephora and returned home to find that the item mysteriously became a bottle of peppermint body wash. I concluded that the cashier must have had placed the wrong item in the bag. I called the shop and was pleasantly surprised when the store manager offered to deliver the correct item to me in exchange for the body wash.

The store manager called me back shortly. She just viewed the footage on the CCTV and the cashier was seen putting the correct item in the bag. If that was the case, where was that elusive bottle of baby shampoo? Although it was now clear that it was not the fault of her staff, she did not retract the offer to deliver the bottle of shampoo.

Now, that is excellent customer service which I greatly appreciate.

I was still trying to solve the mystery when I received yet another call from her.

She found the culprit. 

She traced the footage from after I made payment and saw me passing the bag to Baby C (she loves to carry my shopping bags). And there she was caught in the act of removing the bottle of baby shampoo from the bag, placing it on the shelf, choosing the peppermint body wash and placing it in the bag.

The mystery was solved.

We had a good laugh and that was my CSI moment of the day!

Package delivered with a pack of mints and a personal note from the lovely manager

Let's stick to window shopping for now

Emotions In The Loo

I love this photo for the conflicting emotions captured. And the fact that it is shot in the toilet. I guess when you become a mum, you seize every opportunity to capture defining moments regardless of locale. 

And this photo aptly depicts the stage each child is at. E loves smiling for the camera and is very eager to pose for photos. He used to have this forced smile, a weird-looking grin when he was younger. He didn't really care for taking photos because that meant he had to sit still and sitting still when he was younger was a big deal to him! Now, he will be the one telling me where and when he wants to have a photo taken.

Baby C has her moods when it comes to photo-taking. It's not easy to get her to smile for photos unless it's a candid shot. When you ask her to smile, she'll simply tilt her head sideways - that's her smiling pose. The above shot was obviously taken when she was not in the mood. She didn't want to sit on the ledge, wanting to run around the toilet instead.

She'll turn 2 in four months time and she's getting more assertive and aggressive (just ask E about the hair-pulling and biting incidents). She just learned to say "no" and is using the word with relish. So here she was, very upset about being told to sit still while I took the photo.

I didn't manage to get 2 smiling faces, but it's a photo which will warm my heart; each time I look at it.

Linking up with:

Mess with Me: A peek into a mess-loving household

Linking up with:

Farewell to the hols ... soon!

We are almost there. The end of the school holidays. And can I honestly say I'm delighted! I miss my sacred afternoon hours of doing whatever I please when E is in school and Baby C is asleep. The holiday blues hit me early. I was displaying the symptoms. Moody and irritable with a short fuse.

Being out of the house does ease the symptoms. Unfortunately, I'm no sprightly 20 year old. After the first few days of zealous exploration, hunting down kid-friendly venues and activities (2 kids with me in tow), I was in dire need of a good massage and a soak in a hot tub. Now, that is of course an elusive dream. No chance of a real holiday for me during this school hols :(

The later part of the second week saw E and Baby C having high grade fevers of above 39 degrees so we were pretty much stuck at home until today. We were out and about finally, after what seemed like a painfully long time. 

So I'm thankful. Thankful that the holidays are coming to an end. Thankful that the kids were active and had an appetite despite the high fever. Thankful I didn't catch the bug! Thankful for the prayers of friends. Thankful for a loving God who answers prayers, my God who encourages and strengthens me when I'm feeling low. Thankful for heartwarming, laughter-inducing moments spent with the kids and thankful also for grace during the those times when I'm not exactly feeling the love.

Lest you think I morph into a teeth gnashing, hair pulling grump who rain on my kids' parade during the hols, here's some evidence of them actually having fun!

The Neighbourhood

The Arts

The Great Outdoors

The Invasion

It's been weeks since the invasion of my inseparable shadow. I'm in desperate need of space.

Though it does wonders for my self-esteem to be highly desirable, it does nothing for my sanity. I wonder why the sudden change? Baby C used to be content playing on her own or with her brother but have since morphed into the shadow that lurks all day.

When I'm at the computer, she has to be seated on my lap. It's impossible to check emails, FB or do anything remotely productive with her plonked in front of the computer. She jabs at the keyboard with fervour and monopolizes the mouse.

The kitchen with all its potential dangers has become her playground when I am cooking. I closed the door to the kitchen once, leaving her outside. Her insistent knocking and dramatic crying made it very hard for me to focus on the task at hand. So now she's in the kitchen with me when I cook, having the time of her life; emptying the laundry basket, maneuvering the dustbin and attempting adrenaline inducing stunts such as climbing on a stool to reach for plates in the dish drainer (actually the technique is more grab and drag to the ground). 

I'm not spared from her prying eyes even when I'm in the bathroom. She's there when I'm taking a shower and there when free smells are generously released. Too close for comfort.

She clings even in the still of the night. I used to ignore her cries and she'll go back to sleep after a short while. Now, she has to be held. I'll oblige from time to time. Or if I'm feeling really crappy and my maternal instincts numbed by sleep deprivation, will walk out of the room and sleep on the sofa. She protests with loud cries but decides to go back to sleep when she doesn't see me in the room. It only works when I am NOT in the room. I'm usually too exhausted to go back to bed and end up sleeping on the sofa till morning.

Where did my easy-going baby go? Mums need to think in terms of phases in order to maintain sanity. The consolation that it'll pass helps in raising the endurance threshold. Just don't ask how long it'll take for the saga to be over.

The paradox: I am loving the squeals of delight, complete with the stamping of little feet in excitement and a little celebratory dance (her version is swaying from side to side) that greets me after I'm away from her for an extended period (that could mean just half an hour). I go out for a quick dinner. She cries pathetically when she sees me leave. And when I return, open the front door, the sight of her being so ecstatic at having me back, makes me fall in love with her all over again. Well, at least until the next cling and whine episode ......

Don't give me the look. No, I'm not changing my mind about needing space!

Double Deluxe

Two dates in a row. It's not what you think. My pragmatic man did not turn into a hopeless romantic overnight. Well, one of the dates did fall into the "you rock my world" category ... erm ok I'm being a tad dramatic here. It came close and would have been so if the night could go on.

TGIF. Literally. I had two lovely dates 2 Fridays ago. Play date. Hot date. What did they have in common? Good company! All in all, a satisfyingly good day!

I only managed to take two photos during the playdate as it was challenging enough trying to chat and keep an eye on two "love to roam" kids at the same time without throwing a camera into the equation.

Since it was Baby C's first sandplay, she was obviously curious about the taste of sand.  She conveniently fed herself with the blue rake in her hand. 

We had a mini Chinese lesson on nature and the kids did leaf texture rubbing. I think E wasn't too pleased with the result and decided to draw his own leaf instead. He wrote the word "happy" and I guess that revealed how he felt to be out of the house, having fun outdoors. 

The kids spent most of the remaining time running around the playground and using sticks to draw in the sand. They drew lines in the sand - directions which lead to the treasure. And they started digging to find the treasure.  I love imaginative play!

Now, for something more serene. Date night. My friends have been raving about The Coastal Settlement but I was undecided about going there. Friday afternoon and still no place in mind. Then I saw this "a cafe where nature meets vintage".  The same much raved about place. Coincidence? Looks like that's THE place for us.

Reservations need to be made in advance as it is a popular hangout.  My indecisiveness meant that we had to settle for a late dinner at 9pm as it was was fully booked before that.

I love the ambience.  It was a quirky mix of elegant chandeliers and vintage stuff.  The food is not too bad but nothing to rave about. The highlight is the place itself.

XO Prawn Alio

Wagyu Burger

A real ride in the night would have been the perfect finale

Wish we had more time to linger in the alfresco area

#This post is linked to Merry Mondays.  Link up and spread the happy bug.

Out With The Old, In With The New

I've been inspired by the blog makeovers happening around me. I was contemplating a makeover but the technomoron in me cringed at the thought of being bombarded by all the technical blah blah blah.

Makeover plans were on hold but I sprung into action when I saw this DIY guide on Susan's blog. Looks easy! I was crazy enough to stay up till 4am last night to get it up. It is actually quite a no-brainer but I have an affinity with technical glitches so that explains the late night. 

I was going to catch up on sleep this afternoon while Baby C had her nap but I couldn't resist the lure of the blog. I had to add the finishing touches. There is just something strangely addictive about making your own personal space look good.

So here it is. No big deal to many but it's an achievement to me (since I'm clueless when it comes to stuff like that). I love colours hence the vibrant background. As the name of this blog suggests, I hope the spirit of adventure is reflected in the blog design. 

And amazingly, I'm not too exhausted despite being sleep-deprived. I think I'm surviving on the adrenaline rush of completing a DIY project!

 

Tools I used:

1) Colour Lovers (for the background)

2) Picnik (for the banner)

Note: The bad news. Picnik will close on 19th April. The good news. The premium features on the site is now available for free to all users. You still have a few weeks left to explore all that Picnik has to offer.

New School Enthusiasts

E started the new year in a new school. He was looking forward to it. I was too. Though my enthusiasm wasn't exactly fueled by noble reasons. We had the following conversations about school in the first week.

Conversation 1 (On the first day of school)

ME: You are going to school today. The NEW school.

E: I know why you want me to go to school. So you can do your own things.

Ahem. Was it that obvious? I was secretly counting down the days to the new school term. I wasn't used to having him with me the whole day for an extended period. He has been attending a childcare centre since he was three. Well, there was a 9 months stint at home when he was entering the terrible twos and needless to say; was a physically and emotionally exhausting time. It was first time SAHM meets Tantrum Throwing Spitfire. A rude culture shock.

But it was rewarding despite the challenges and a very precious time in our journey together as mother and son. A time I learned much about myself and also really got to know my spunky kid.

Fast forward three years later, it is yet another opportune time to connect with E on a deeper level. I've had the luxury of devoting myself fully to caring for Baby C the past year since E was in full day childcare. I felt like I wasn't spending enough time with E and the decision was made to enrol him in a kindergarten in 2012.

He has been home with me since December and let's just say the emotions involved were reminiscent of the terrible twos days. It is definitely more manageable than before. We are both older and more temperate (just a little more mellow and a little less fiery). That helps I guess. 

The thing is we are both so similar. I think the main cause of conflict is our ability to feel emotions intensely and our need to be in control thus leading to countless power struggles and emotional outbursts. Some experts give advice about choosing our battles wisely when it comes to dealing with strong-willed children. I find it hard to follow that piece of advice and seem to declare war ever so often. I'm anal and adamant about even inconsequential things since I have this strong need to be in control and have things done my way.

And we ever did the crying in each other's arms scene after a major showdown. How's that for drama? 

So I'm glad for the respite from our intense interaction when the new year began. E spends 4 hours in school in the afternoon and Baby C naps during that time. Great for indulging in a bit of me time!

Conversation 2

 

ME: Hurry. You are going to be late for school.

E: Which school?

ME: Huh? The new school of course. You won't be going back to your old school.

E: Oh. So when the new school becomes old, can I go to another new school?

ME: ???

Should I be glad that I need not worry about his ability to adapt to new environments or should I be concerned about his need for novelty?

Baby C is enjoying the walks to and from E's school

Having fun at the playground after school

One of the bonuses of having E in a kindergarten instead of being in full day childcare is that the siblings get to spend more time with each other. For that, I'm truly grateful. It is immensely heartwarming to see them enjoy each other.

Ka Boom

I can't believe it happened. I'm still in a state of shock. We escaped unscathed from a mini explosion of sorts. Thank God for His protection.

My mother-in-law made porridge for Baby C and kept it in a thermos flask. I was dishing out the porridge when IT happened. The glass interior exploded. I heard a "poof" (the same sound you get when you smack an air-filled plastic bag) and glass fragments literally jumped out of the flask. There were glass fragments on my clothes, face, hair, on the table, the floor and then I remembered that Baby C was seated behind me.

To my relief, she was fine. But there were bits of glass on her hair and clothes. I gave her a quick shower just to make sure she's glass free. I cleaned up the area and did a thorough check before declaring it a safe zone.

I shudder to think of the repercussions if I did not have my glasses on or if Baby C was next to me instead of behind me. My glasses possibly protected my eyes from flying glass fragments and my body probably shielded Baby C from the onslaught of glass bits since she was seated behind me.

I might be suffering from post-trauma paranoia. I keep feeling pin pricks (imagining glass bits embedded in my skin) on different parts of my body. And I'm wondering if I swallowed any glass. There was one teeny bit in my mouth which I promptly spat out. Hmm, how much I swallowed is most likely determined by how wide open my mouth was when IT happened. And my gap is usually gaping. So there are reasons beyond mere aesthetics for keeping one's lips together. I'll learn from this.