Author: mamabok

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Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone ! This is Chloe getting ready to go to church for the Easter hunt and then headed over to Grammie’s and Grampie’s for another hunt and then supper there. Every year’s Easter is much more enjoyable for Chloe now that she understand the hunting of the easter eggs – but this year – she knows that Easter Bunny wasn’t gonna bring her any toys but chocolates and candies because she admitted that she has got too much toys. The dress is from her Kai Mah Lina – from Singapore and this is the first time she is wearing it. Her grampie said she was all dressed up fancy today – hahah!!

Time has really flown – she is still our baby but yet look at her – she is all grown up – it seems only yesterday that she was still a toddler learning how to walk. She is as naughty as ever – and so whiny – she would win the contest for the Whiniest child hands down. But she is also adorable, cute and most times very funny – we count our blessings every day – and Easter today – also reminds us of all the blessings we’ve received indirectly because of Chloe. All we wished for Chloe is to be healthy, happy and honest.

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I Wanna Be A Happy Mom !!

Who doesn’t want to be a happy mom right? but with so many things going on with one’s life – it is more a conscious thing than saying – I will be happy if and when. So now that things had gotten a bit more calm at the store – no more employees to worry about woohoo!! I am able to tell myself or rather force myself to look after myself first too. You see, like all moms – when i go shopping – and with every good intention – I walk into the mall wanting to get something for myself earnestly but ends up with stuff for Chloe or the store – or even the spouse. I sometimes, get Grammie’s pepsi first rather than my own personal items *smack, smack” – yup I’m this way. Many people including myself thinks that when so and so is happy, I will be happy too – but we cannot be more wrong! because how can the other person be happy if you are not? just like chloe or PB – how can they be happy – when I’m always grouchy or screaming or stressing out myself right? So yes! this year I’ve consciously taken care of myself and doing the things that I need to do for myself first – it’s not easy – I still fall back to my old routine and thinking – but I’m doing it – so half the battle won there. So remember girls – if you want to be a happy mom – you have to stop, breathe – and spend time for yourself and treat yourself – in other words – love yourself today!

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Explaining Death To Kids

We passed by the cemetery today – and Chloe who had been obsessed with death lately asked PB why is there so many dead people at the cemetery and she also wants to know if we were gonna buried her there – when she dies. We’ve not been very good in explaining to her about death and in fact had been avoiding it – because Chloe had been a little dramatic since her cousin’s sudden death last year. At one point – Chloe had said she felt like “killing” herself – and PB had shouted at her and told her never to say something like that – because her cousin Nick had done just that – and that was unforgivable! Yes! trauma or what!

Anyhow, what made me really sad was that she wanted her to get her pink flowers to be put on her grave when she dies! *sigh* – so I knew that we had to explain death clearer to her – without traumatizing her further. But how the heck do you tell a 7 yrs old about death – and how would she deal with it? So we tried – but then Chloe told her that her Aunt Helena told her that everyone dies at some point *slap forehead* – so she wants to know when she will die – and what if we died ? so what is going to happen to her ? she started wailing and said she didn’t want us to die – so we had to stop. Now we have to go and find out from Grammie what Aunt Helena said to Chloe and then try again another time – in a different setting and in a different way but yes ! we read more about it – talked to our doctor about it and will try again – when the question is being asked again.

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Celebrating The Small Stuff

Did I tell you that I’m a helicopter mom? Yup ! that’s me alright! and although PB never ever tell me not to do anything – whether I’m being overly protective or overly alarmed or immediately jumping up to help Chloe when she falls, gets upset that her friends don’t want to play with her – or even if she gets mosquito bites – I’m also learning to take a smaller step backwards each time Chloe complains about something.

For those who had been following this blog for a long time – you would know that Chloe had changed school last year – and her Grade Primary teacher had gently mentioned that her diction isn’t all there yet. Of course, we had refused any help given that she had to change school in the middle of spring – we didn’t want to stress Chloe. But that didn’t mean that I wasn’t stressed nor was I not thinking about it. I thought of it constantly and almost signed Chloe up for private tuition or was checking out Mariposa – a learning center in town.

As usual, PB was very relaxed about it – and didn’t agree nor disagree when I had suggested help for Chloe and Chloe’s Grade 1 teacher had helped by putting her in a reading help class in school – not the recovery program but something extra on the side. We are grateful for it – because Chloe loved her reading class and we are pleased to announce that Chloe’s reading had improved tremendously since her last report. Like Chloe’s grammie used to say – it will come when she is ready – and I’ve gotta constantly remind myself of that – when someone says that Chloe is not there yet about anything. Different kids just are ready at a different pace – and I cannot compare my kid with others.

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I’m The Indulger

Parenting style – so I was reading Today’s Parents and I asked PB what he thinks my parenting style is ? Am I a balancer? A dictator? An Indulger? The Pushover? – in which – PB replied that I was an Indulger – hahahahaha!!! I thought I was the balancer – but apparently not. So I read again – and true enough – the indulger is most likely to be someone who endured hardship when growing up. Yes! there were a lot of things that I don’t have while I was growing up – a lot of things I wanted, a lot of things I envied my friends for. While being an indulger parent may make Chloe feels like she has high self-esteem because she is so loved and given every thing in life – without trying, it can also hinder her growth. This has been proven correct because for the longest time, I wouldn’t let Chloe do things for herself, so when she did go to school, they thought that she had motor-skills problem – but in fact, she wasn’t at all.

Being the indulger parent, also doesn’t help Chloe deal with mistakes and frustrations – and as much as I want Chloe to be happy all the time, you and I know that she will be faced with trials and errors in life and the sooner she learns how to deal with it – the better the character building will be. Good thing – PB said he is the Balancer parent – hahah!

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Spring Weddings

Spring weddings are so beauty – don’t you think? we’ve just attended one of a close friend and it was absolutely beautiful – despite the fact that the weather was still a bit too chilly for our liking. But the bride was beautiful and the designer bridesmaid dresses were to die for! I told PB that had I known that the bridemaid dresses were so gorgeous – I would have begged to be one of the bride’s maid – hahhaha!! But it was a beautiful wedding and everything was perfect – even the wedding cake were yummy and gorgeous. The bride and groom served us the wedding cake themselves and it was definitely a very nice gesture. The couple was the sweetest and I wish them happiness always.

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The Past, The Present & The Future

While I didn’t get a Cartier Trinity ring @ $73K from PB – I got one from him yesterday – outta the blue – hhahahaha!!! now aint’ that sweet – or WHAT???!!!?? I wasn’t expecting it – and was taken by surprised that he went to pick the ring on his own and hid it till yesterday. We were talking about weddings – when he took the ring out and gave it to me. Surprised ? for sure – I’ve always wanted a diamond ring from PB – well – specifically a Trinity ring – not an any old how diamond ring – but something that I would like.

Surprisingly, the ring he chose from Gold Works – really looked nice and I really like it. Well, I guess I’ll now I’m sure that he really value our relationship and loves not only his daughter but me. hahah!! Yes! i’m super happy!! can’t you tell?!?

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Best Laid Plans

I took a shower last night and cooked my rice and let it sit enough and put them in the fridge for the next day to fry some pineapple rice for Chloe to eat in school. And also planned to go out and get some stuff done before going to work this morning – but alas the kid got sick in the middle of the night and puked like 8 times and we only got to sleep at 8am. Didn’t get up till almost 11am and late for work and all – and my acne started popping out of course – what else is new. Every time, I don’t get enough sleep – this is what happens – *sigh* – but what can you do right? for folks like me – we just have the best acne treatments on stand by – like tylenol at home. Yes, you can’t have any best laid plans when you have a kid at home. Poor Chloe – was so gung ho about everything and didn’t cry nor anything – she even said she was sorry she had to wake us up. Poor kid!

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Officially 10 Years In Canada

So in May 15 2011 – I’ve been officially in Canada for 10 yrs. Yes! I came back here to Y-Town – after he spent 5 weeks in Asia with me. We traveled a bit around Asia – before coming back here – to a cold and wet town. Time did fly – and many asked me – how did I end up in Y-Town when I could be anywhere in the world. Isn’t it strange how one’s life turn out to be? is it really destiny ? or did I worked towards it? Many also asked if I had any regrets – because Y-town is such a small town and quite backwards with no food from home and high rise or even great shopping centers.

I missed a lot of things from home to be honest – mostly, the food, the weather and of course the people (family) from home. I also missed the freedom of being able to get from one place to another with public transport and the advance medical care in Singapore.

But 10 yrs – is a very long time not to miss home (Singapore) but the spouse’s business is doing well and if I didn’t come to Canada – I wouldn’t have such a lovely daughter nor would I have a spouse who respect me the way PB does and let me go crazy whenever I want. But PB is a good father and spouse – and I don’t think the combination I can find anywhere else – he is an honest person – with very little bad habits or flaws. No one is perfect – neither am I – so if he can bear with my craziness – I think I shouldn’t complained – I should count my blessings eh. So here’s to another 10 yrs in Canada!

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The Birthday Boy! My Ex-Boss

My ex-boss was from Greece but migrated to Spain because he fell in love with a lovely woman from Spain – and I do keep in touch with him – because he treated me really well – during the 3 yrs I worked with him. He was always fair to me – and never treated me like an employee and I had the same benefits as the engineers in our company. From traveling to expenditures – I was able to claim just about anything the engineers claimed. His birthday is round the corner and I know he like cigars for he always gets a box when he flies from one place to another for work – I’ve never seen someone who knows so much about cigars like him. My ex-boss – dear Mr Hernandez is turning 70 this year and I am going to get him some middleton black and mild cigars this year for his birthday, I hope he likes it and why try to stop the man at this age from enjoying something he liked so much right? And I do like the smell of cigar as compared to regular cigarettes. Happy birthday! Mr Hernandez.