Month: May 2010

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Stubborn Bug

So Chloe threw up like the Merlion this evening – at about 9pm while eating her snack – more than a week after she first threw up and more than 5 days since she last threw up – it’s back again! Luckily we have a Toto toilet for all her puking session – else there is gonna be a lot of clean up to do. The stomach bug is very stubborn and we thought she was doing so well – cramps still and she does try to throw up when she gets her cramps but nothing came out till tonite. As much as we would like to listen to the doctor and wait it out – do we not want to check if there was something else wrong. Afteall, Chloe hasn’t been this sick all her life – i know she will survived it – but the waiting game is hard on the poor kid – who is already a stick and now not eating much.. and throwing up everything. Darn!

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Kids & Jewellery

I never planned to buy jewelery for my kid – in fact – i feel that they wouldn’t know how to appreciate it at this age. Afterall, she is only 6 yrs old and won’t know any better – but I rather buy her jewelry whereby she can appreciate and keep for her own kids instead of costume jewelry or toy jewelry that she throws away and forget all about it after one day.

So while up in the city – earlier this month looking for life insurance lead, we found a Swaroski store in Halifax – and of course, we had to look for stuff for the princess – she don’t know the value of it – except that it is shiny and pink – but this swaroski crystal is definitely worth the $50 something dollars we paid for it – it shines even without any lighting. You see had i been back in Singapore – i bet i would be buying gold for her – but here in Canada – gold for children is a no – no. So tell me what is your take on children and jewelry ? while back home – it’s a way of showing off – here in Canada – it’s a way of show good taste.

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Keeping Healthy When Your Child Is Sick

So Chloe is still puking today and as much as i wanna do other things and catch up with work and the store or even read about irvingia gabonensis, it would just have to wait. You see, I’m far away from home and friends and don’t have many here – so i can’t get any help – in terms of someone helping out with the housework or with taking over for a few hours to look after chloe. So once again, if you are thinking of braving it out and migrating – better think about it again. So, we depend on ourselves and a lot of people out there are the same way like us. So when your child is ill – moreso, you have to keep yourself healthy – afterall, we already sleep so little hours. Some of you might think that we can always go to bed early – but when you have a child that doesn’t sleep and leave you much time to do other things – you just have to give up on some sleep.

So when chloe is this sick – which is normally isn’t – thank God! i try to eat well and rest well and try not to work too much in the store nor online – but i know it is not easy because we are still constantly worried about her. But one has to try and one has to make the spouse sleep when one has too like i do – for PB just have too much interest – but who doesn’t eh.

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Stomach Flu In Kids

What is the most heartbreaking sight a parent to see? I think it has gotta be seeing your child sick and not only any kind of illness but the ones that you see them puking and in pain. But of course, that’s not to say that other kind of illnesses does not break our heart.

It was the Victoria Day’s long weekend here in Canada – and the weather was just gorgeous – we had planned for a BBQ at our backyard and enjoy our new outdoor fireplaces and shoot some fireworks this weekend. But alas, even the best laid plans weren’t the best laid plans because when you have a kid/s – you just never know when they will catch something.

It all started on Sunday morning at 2am – when Chloe woke up and started puking – she puked in her room because she didn’t get up quick enough to run to the toilet – and even when she did – she puked all over the toilet too. Poor kid – she was so apologectic – mannnn..!! it just broke my heart – here she was feeling so lousy – yet she kept saying ” I’m sorry mom! ” mannnn!!! i was almost in tears. She is still puking and having tummy cramps – slept the whole day on Sunday and Monday – she was a bit better for a few hours and after lunch everything went downhill again. But she is a real trooper and no milk and we try feeding her with gravol but she didn’t like it and would bargain with us even though the puking is bad. I wished they would give her something for her cramps but nope – the doctor said to wait it out. Damn! Even adults can’t take the cramp what about her being a 6 yrs old ! damn! damn! damn! At times like this – i wished i was back home in Asia.

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Relationship With A Foreigner

So you think that you survive a long-distance relationship or even fall in love with a foreigner and live happily ever after? Before we even begin – let me tell you about the dark circles under eye, from the time difference we have here and Asia. And for those who are not aware of this – most of the “angmohs” i’ve met can be very quick to fall in love and also to fall outta love.

Why do i say that? well, we have a long time friend who just came back from Calgary – and he came out of a very bad relationship. When he first visited us – a few weeks ago – he swore never to see another “crazy” Canadian again – hahah!! apparently, the one he was with or left – was psychoville. But guess what today, he was in the store and happily introduced a woman to me – and called her the love of his life. *slap forehead* – well i can understand if the woman was a beauty or with legs or bums or whatever – but this one – *ahem* – no legs, no looks, no body, no hair, no nothing – if you know what i mean.

Plus he isn’t the first person doing this since I’ve been here for the last 10 yrs – relationships in this town can be as flimsy as your napkins these days it seems. It saddens me – to see people treat relationship this way. So if you are thinking of having relationship with a foreigner – well, i have only one advice – make sure you spend enough time long – distance with him to know that he is worth it.

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Long Flight With A Kid

As you all know – i’m long overdue home – and even if i don’t go home – i need to go renew my passport in Toronto or Vancouver at the latest next summer. So we all know how expensive flights are even for a kid – and they pay full price after they turn 2 or 3 yrs old. So when Chloe was playing with her boxes – we had this brilliant idea to pack her up in a fedex box and ship her home – now that would be really cheap – muahhahah!! nah .. we were joking. But yes, to travel such a long haul with a kid can be quite daunting – especially one that doesn’t wanna go on an airplane.

But if we could ship her this way back to Singapore – i’m pretty sure – her godma in Singapore would be pleased – hahaha!! So we are gonna try a short trip this summer either to Toronto or Portland, Maine – that way we can ease her into flying and then she will know that after her vacation – she can come back home because her protest was – she didn’t wanna leave home. She thinks that if we go back to Singapore – we won’t be coming back to Canada.

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Trip To The City

As many of you know we don’t get to go up the city often – that’s because we own our own business and don’t have the help that we want to entrust the business to – to go away for a week or two. So when we do get a chance – everything has to be properly planned and we have to make the fullest outta the trip as much as possible.

This trip to the city was a fruitful one – we only left on Sunday – but had planned to leave on Saturday – but the spouse – well – he didn’t say it in so much words but i don’t think he liked the store to be closed for too long – hahah! so we only left on Sunday – and arrived on Sunday afternoon. Even though we did a lot – i wished we had more time because the hotel we were at – was right smack in the middle of town – and i would have done more shopping. But it was a good trip – we found new places we would liked to go back to eat and new asian grocery store! yay!! And this trip – chloe was really awesome – and on the way home – she slept all the way home. She even got to eat a few decent meals in the city – so i’m pleased. More on my trip – on another posts – stay tune for them.

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Kids Playing Games

As much as i would love to say that we don’t rely on the tv and gaming consoles to keep the kid busy – we do. But having said that – does it make us bad parents? hell no!! mannnn!! when we were kids – we were left alone all the time – to get into trouble – but with Chloe we watched her like a hawk. Sure – we let her play some games but we actively bring her out and make sure she does have activities outside of the store and home to do. In fact, kids these days are so blessed they are given so much opportunities to do so many things – you can’t imagine them living the childhood we did. So if you did let you kids watch a movie or two or play a game or two – so that you can get some work done – don’t beat yourself up eh – because as much as we want to do a lot with our kids – you and I know that there are other things that we too need to do.

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Meaning Of Mother’s Day

Many years ago, when I was celebrating Mother’s Day – my mother wanted a bouquet of roses from us and many years ago – we all know that in Singapore a bouquet of roses can come up to a good $60. Of course, $60 isn’t a lot now – when you are working and have the money – but some 25 yrs ago – I couldn’t afford it – but I still did it – because I wanted to make my mother proud. I wanted her to be proud and to be able to tell her friends what she got for Mother’s day.

Now that I’ve become a mother – I know I would never ask for perfumes, going out for dinner nor a bouquet of roses from my spouse nor my kid – why? because you do not measure love this way. Mother’s Day to me is a celebration of the kid who have given me a purpose in my life. Chloe has made me a better person – had she not come along – my life would have been meaningless right now.

While for my mother – it was a kind of safety net for her to have children when she is old – but for me – its about giving life and giving the life that i brought into this world the best. I don’t know what her future holds but i certainly do not want to burden chloe with looking after me when i am old – well – this has yet to cross my mind. All i want for her on Mother’s Day – is for her to grow up healthy and become a good person. The meaning of Mother’s Day to me – is not about me – it’s about doing the best I can for my kid on Mother’s Day.

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Migrate To Canada Pros & Cons

Canada is an awesome place – most people are nice – but like everywhere else – there are crooks, scammers, cheaters – well, you get the idea. Like I tell everyone back home and friends from afar – had we not own our own business – Canada would be a wonderful place and this town wouldn’t be so harsh looking and scrutinized that badly by me.

So you heard that health care is free in Canada – yes ! you heard right but if you need prenatal vitamins or any kind of antibiotics – and sometimes – if your doctor had been given favors to recommend certain pharmaceutical medication – you will be paying an arm and a leg for them. And yes – Canada is scenic – but did anyone tell you about the weather here ? It’s May here – and it’s still chilly! Winter can be harsh too – but there are no tornadoes here or earthquakes.

Ok, ok! so you still wanna migrate to Canada – i hear yer! free school for children – yes ! but like all public system in any part of the world – free means – not enough teachers to go around and if you are in the city – there are private schools but that would mean you have to work 24/7 or be in a high paying job or filthy rich.

I get asked this often – is it hard to migrate to Canada? I don’t really think so – Canadian immigrations have a few plans for those considering their migration – as for me – i came as a visitor and then became a permanent resident with my spouse sponsoring me – and of course – don’t forget you have to pay to apply to migrate here and take all your medicals here – like x-rays- blood test and an immigration doctor has to see you . Thereafter, you can apply for citizenship after 5 yrs. I’ve heard horror stories about immigration before – but in my experience with the Canadian immigration – they were nothing but nice to me – always helpful and insightful. If you heard stories of given a hard time – that must mean that there were problems with the application – I doubt Canadian immigration is out to get the colored people or biased in any way. I’ve always been treated with respect – be it a phone call or letter writing – so there you have it.