Category: Family/From the Heart

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Weddings & Flowers

Living in Canada for the last 10 yrs doesn’t mean that I want to lose touch with family and friends – in fact – i think we are a lot more closer now that we don’t get to see each other that often. But it is sad when the nieces/nephews or the best friends celebrates a special occasion and you can’t attend. But like all Chinese, we believe that we have to show that we think and care about them. Asked Barb who started work this year in January after taking a long break looking after her daughter. But what was most awesome was – all our friends from all over the world came together and used Proflwers to send her a bouquet of roses – to boost her confidence -she was thrilled i am pretty sure.

So the niece who got married last week was very touched to receive this from us all the way from Canada – we couldn’t be there you see – too long a flight – but we wanted her to know we care for her and loved her. Thank God for services like these eh – but it’s not new to me.. because some 15 yrs ago – i was using this service to send flowers to PB while i was in Singapore and he in Canada – i even have pictures of them to proof it.. hahahha!! Ahhh.. love.. what better way to show it then with flowers eh. Did you send flowers to your spouse lately??? or someone you miss ..?? I did received some from PB not too, too long ago – but that’s another story for another day.

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Life In This Small Town

Tis’ very sad to see restaurants/bistros/movie places – closing its door one at a time during the last few months – i wonder what is next for this town. 6.5 yrs ago – when i was pregnant with Chloe – i could eat nothing but quiche from this bistro – just a few doors away from our store. This Bistro kept me and Chloe alive for at least 6 months – i just couldn’t stomach anything. There are so many good people like the owner of this bistro trying very hard to make a living – but end up losing so much – just for trying. Owner of this place is very talented – i’ve eaten there many time during my 11 yrs in this town – so it came as a shock to us that they just up and left with no notice whatsoever.

There is currently a new MP – elected – a very young one – promising from what i see – so i’m hoping that with this new MP – we will see some small changes. Lately, the town councils have been more and more disappointing – i just read in the local papers – how they are $100K unprepared – so they claimed a mis-interpretation! WOW!! already there had been a lot of mis-interpretation in this town for the last few years – plus i can’t see how the town is not aware of what is going on with SWDAS – all these years – when they are even involved in the tri-county school thing. I am deeply troubled by what a lot of folks of this town suspect – but time will tell eh – time will tell. I’m just glad that our business haven’t been affected *touch wood* and thank God ! we are keeping our fingers and toes crossed.

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Local Library

We all believed in teaching our kids good value in life and reading is one of them. Chloe is no different from any kids and although we buy lots and lots of books for her – we still go to the library – to borrow some – so that she knows that reading is good. A few months ago, during the March break – I had brought Chloe to the library to color and read – she loves coloring and when she saw that there were coloring print outs for her to color – she wanted to go to the library more.

Alas, it was short lived – not the going to the library part but the print outs – after our first trip to the library – the subsequent ones were greeted with no new print-outs because the clerk there said that – that was all they have. She suggested that i bring my own coloring books the next time. You and I know that kids love the novelty of “new” stuff – they don’t want to bring their own coloring books. But that was alright – i didn’t say much.

But one afternoon, a friend came by with her kids and said “meet us at the library!” and since it was a saturday not really much to do in this small town – we said ok. I packed my laptop and got PB to send us to the library. The friend had 2 kids and they had gone to ask for some paper from the clerk – she gave them 3 pieces. When the kids were done that paper – Chloe being Chloe wanted more paper – so i went instead to ask – for some reason/s the kids didn’t wanna go. So this time the clerk told me matter of factly that the paper were for printing – and not for giving out to the kids – again she suggested that i bring my own the next time.

I was kinda taken aback by the lack of tactfulness – we are dealing with kids here – kids that the library had encouraged to come to the library – because reading is fun. But nope they won’t give us a few pieces of paper. So i guess – our donation to the library 2 months ago – thru’ “Adopt – a -book” for the library – didn’t mean a thing? What is a few pieces of paper right? 3 kids – 3 pieces of paper and they refused to print anything out for the kids to color ? We haven’t gone back to the library since – because of that incident – we are also re-thinking if we should encouraged our family and friends to “Adopt – A – Book” – afterall, donating more than $120 for those books didn’t mean nothing to them *shrug* – so we might as well be nonchalant and not do anything. Again, I am writing this after a month – not because I’m being petty – but moreso – I feel for my kid – who was quite hurt that the clerk won’t give her some paper to draw. And I feel bad for the many kids who will be going to the library and to be told off – to bring their own paper – if they wanted to draw. I’ve witness an incident whereby a foreign student had asked if he could borrow the phone to make a phone call only to be told to bring a quarter with him the next time *slap forehead* – i had actually wanted to come forward and give the kid the quarter – I can feel for the kid – and I know that if it was my Chloe – she would wished the floor would open up and swallow her. Tactfulness is important when dealing with the public – especially where kids are involved – for now – my kid (Chloe) doesn’t wanna go to the library – why? she said the clerk was a “meanie”. A lasting impression the library has on her for now – i can only hope that she will forget with time – but so far – i’m not getting any luck.

PS: i have no problems bringing my own paper but at times – when a parent forgets – i feel that the clerk should have been a lot more understanding and a lot more flexible. A little bit of kindness goes a long, long way.

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Vitamins & Your Kids

Have you count your blessings for having your kids of late? I do everyday ! Not only because Chloe is a rather good kid – but because even though i complained that she doesn’t eat meat often and never a piece of bread – she takes her vitamins with no problems or any medication. Not that we want her to take more vitamins from tablets – and not from natural sources but we count our blessings that we are able to supplement what she is missing.

Chloe rarely have any problems taking medication – she doesn’t like the needles of course – that freaks her right out – even just talking about it. But like i said – we count our blessings and often i acknowledge that God works in mysterious way with everyone of us – the kids especially. We never really taught chloe how to take vitamins – we just started when she was young and now – she does it on her own every morning after breakfast. Yes – count our blessings ! have you ?

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Time Out Tips

While many mothers would say – that they are not like other mothers and only write the good things about their kids and never the bad ones – i too understand that Chloe is not all sweet and angelic. But having said that – Chloe is often good more than naughty and if she was naughty – we often see it as she wants attention more than being bad. And I hear you all – mummies and daddies out there – we have a living to make and we have commitments to work – in order to bring in the bread and butter.

My own mother had to work 6 days a week – and i think because of that we were never really closed – and I’m truly sad about it too. So for Chloe – even though we own our own store and can have her with us all the time – we too have to work. And like all kids – they never get enough attention and they act out – Chloe does that sometimes too.

Up to last October – it was only the babysitter who has given chloe time out – so we are pretty newbie when this time out thing is concern. And if you hear PB going ” Cut it out!” when we are out with chloe – that’s because he is the disciplinarian in our relationship. But like PB said – although the standard is a min per year of age – it is not meant to punish the kid – when you give your kid a timeout – it is to help regain control and if she won’t sit still during time out – it’s ok – because she knows that there are consequences.

Another tip is to track when your kid is having a tantrum or breakdown – did she get enough to eat and nap time? if she was hungry – or even if she wasn’t feeling good – but what if your child has a meltdown in the mall ? Chloe only did it once – in her entire life – but what would you do? We turned right around and send her home – just once – and it never happened again. My time out tips? never to shout at your kids – in public or at home – time out first – reason later and explain the consequences. Any tips to share? mommies and daddies out there?

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Dressing Up For Summer Camp

As you all know – Chloe is in summer camp now – at least 4 days a week – and this year – we see a lot of difference in Chloe and her summer camp. How so ? last year – she won’t go to any camp without the babysitter – this year – she doesn’t wanna miss camp. This summer camp is also very far and as you all know we bring her in late and bring her out for lunch and then send her back for play time with other kids. Plus – they also play dress up at Summer Camp – so i stopped doing my review on phentramine and helped her pick up the dress and accessories for her dressing up day tomorrow.

Can you guess what the theme is? Yes – is a Blast from the Past – back to the 70s. So we tried many dresses ( from her Kai Mah *godmother* in Singapore) and her hair do too – thanks to Auntie Jenny from Down Under who sent her the polka dot scarf to be used as a hair band. I told Chloe how lucky she is – because during my time – my mother had no time to play dress up with us. But how can one blame her when she was the only one bringing the bread home – and looking after 4 kids with no help. I still cannot fathom why my mother would have so many – even though my father refused to help with the first and second one. Parents who does that – are so irresponsible – if you cannot give the best and your time to your kids – you shouldn’t have any.

Even though we send Chloe to summer camp – we still bring her back for lunch, therefore, it doesn’t make for such a long day for Chloe and it sure doesn’t make me feel guilty like i’m farming her out. Even when we do send her to her grandparents it is only because we want her to bond with her grandparents and that she will be safe there. I’m glad I waited for the right person to come along to have Chloe – else i might not have end up with someone who would help with Chloe too – now that would have been too devastating for me. What about you? does your spouse help? did you have kids with the right person..??

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Summer Fest 2010

So Canada’s Day is over and we are waiting for Seafest 2010 to begin – which is in the middle of this month. So far the weather had been hot and humid and doing my nuphedragen reviews can take a while because with the heat – i just can’t concentrate much. But yes – Chloe starts summer camp in a few days – and we can only hope that she wants to go there after the first day. You see – previous years – she was afraid – she needed to bring her babysitter a long – which defeats the purpose of training her to be more independent.

This year will be the first summer – we don’t have a babysitter – and yes – we are grateful for all the years our sitter was with us – 4.5 yrs – but Chloe had grown so much 6.5 yrs old now and she really needs to be independent – plus i cannot afford the drama-rama. So yes ! it worked out pretty good when the sitter asked for her separation papers last year in October – when we didn’t have much hours to give her.

Has it been different without the help? Yes – but not very much – because the sitter is always with us – except for nights she brings Chloe home for a few hours to feed her but we managed for the last 8 months and we did pretty good but that’s not to say we are not grateful for the sitter’s help for the last 6 yrs. But it all worked out really good – as you can see – Chloe is a lot more independent and we get to save a bit of money – and in return I don’t need to do so much work online. So yes! have a great summer everyone! if you have a babysitter – good for you – if not – it’s still good.

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Summer Camp For Chloe

Summer camp started for Chloe today and i had kept my fingers crossed in hope she would take to camp and that she won’t say she don’t want to go. You see I had it all planned out – 2 days in summer camp – 2 days at Grammie’s and 3 day with us – 2 at the store and 1 at home – that makes a week. We figured that getting her active and out in the sun and fresh air is the best sleep aids we can get – because she will get all the exercise she needs and the interaction with other kids and get to bond with her grandparents.

So she came back from camp today – not without any glitches of course – a little but she still wants to go back tomorrow – woohoo!! so yes – we will send her to day camp tomorrow – since Grammie can’t take her tomorrow. We will wait for the next day to send her to her grandparents then. And if she wants to come home for lunch – she can – it’s already a milestone on Chloe’s part in my opinion.

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Having A Westerner For A Father

So it is Father’s Day today – how did you all celebrate yours? We had a simple meal in a restaurant and that was it – i didn’t get any thing for PB – we’ll wait till Chloe is older – but Chloe did give something she made at school for her daddy. It was a very cute handicraft. And we headed out to PB’s parents and bought him a bottle of rum.

My own father was never a father to me – in fact – i used to lie to my friends and co-workers that he was dead. Less questionings and no need to tell grandmother stories – much easier. But over here- i made a mistake by telling the truth – thus giving me an excuse to rant about my good for nothing dad.

What is it like to have an “ang moh” – Westerner for a dad? One thing for sure – nothing like the Asian men I know from home – who won’t even change the baby’s diapers when the wife’s hands are full. PB is a very hands on dad – he does most of the major stuff. You see my health haven’t been good – ever since having Chloe. Poor PB is the one who does all the heavy chores and also the responsible stuff – like medication and testing of fever temperature. He makes breakfast for the brat everyday, wakes her up for school everyday and brings her to school everyday and before that – packs up her snack box everyday too.

Back home things are quite different – I never had a father while i was growing up – I chose well – for Chloe’s daddy – and I know that he loves Chloe enough to wipe her poopie even now – or change her or do anything for her. I cannot say that much for my father nor my brothers – who were taught that these dirty work were meant for the wives. Having an “ang moh” for a daddy is certainly a blessing – this one anyways. What about yours?

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My 6 Yrs Old Is A Sassy Kid!

Yes ! everytime a customer walks into our store – they would say – “ooooohhh! she is too cute!” and my reply? “she’s a brat!” in which everyone laugh. Love my kid more than my own life – i cannot remember the day when i was this sassy with my own mom. I tell yer – my mom had it easy and so did my good for nothing father. My 6 years old is so sassy – i have acne popping up everywhere.. i kid you not. I told PB for Christmas – he needs to get me the best acne treatment!! My 6 yrs old has an answer to everything and an excuse for every thing she wants to do – that we don’t approve.

Did she get sassy overnite..?? or did we teach her to be sassy? in our own unconscious manner – because we deal with some bad customer/s at our store and she overhears us when we talk about them. And the funny thing is – my sassy daughter loses her tongue when she is in school – she is so afraid to do or say anything wrong in school – totally angelic at school. So what gives..??