On the 3rd day of CNY, someone told me I am working 3 jobs.. #1 teacher, #2 giving tuition, and #3 being a mummy. Even then, there was no rest for myself, my only "personal time" is probably 15 mins in the weekday mornings?? The narrow sliver of time between waking up for the day and going out to work.. Weekdays I was full time #1 + #2 and part time #3, weekends full time #3 and trying to sneak in part time #1 when I can manage it.
On the 4th day of CNY, whole world turned upside down when my dad passed away suddenly of a heart attack. Was handling all the arrangements, with some last-minute requests by Mum thrown in, as well as entertaining guests, arranging overseas relatives arrivals / departures, staying up at night to 守夜.. no one else to do all these since I am the only child!!
After all the funeral arrangements, I now realised I have a 4th job.. that of a "child minder" to my all-alone mum who is now my "3rd child".. albeit one with the ability to make irrational decisions. I've to micro manage my mum's schedule, making sure she is not left alone, making sure she eats and sleeps, trying not to let her drive around herself - her driving is DAMN SCARY now that she is so distracted and depressed - spending as much time with her as possible.. which means running back and forth from Yew Tee to Upper Thomson to Bukit Timah since my mum does not want to move out of my parents place.
And please add, on top of that, I have *so many* things to catch up on work as I was away for those days, which happen to be just after CNY hols.. meaning that I have not seen some of my students for 2 weeks already!! Argh!!
How to survive!!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Birthday Birthday
Sophie's birthday is coming soon and she is mega excited over it. The girl keeps talking about it!! Haha!
What we're going to do differently from her 1st birthday party:
1. Self catering!! Being abit ambitious here.. we will get the respective grandmas to cook some food and make finger foods for the little kids to eat.
2. TWO playrooms! One for the small kids (12 months and below, in Zoe's room) and one for the bigger kids in Sophie's room. With different toys and activities.
3. Themed party! ZOO is the theme and I've gotten animals decor, animals door gifts, animal themed activities.
4. Big cake rather than cupcakes. Little Miss has been going on about her birthday cake too and I thought it would a nice idea for her to cut the cake herself.
5. Trim the guestlist to (mostly) parents with kiddies. I realised that adults without kids tend to get kind of bored at kiddie parties, which is why I've seldom attended a kiddie party when I didn't have kids!
What we're going to do the same:
1. Balloons! Miss Mouse's love.
2. Brazenly post up a wishlist for presents!
Little Miss has a great liking for:
1. Things to draw on (think washable markers, colouring books, Magna Doodle)
2. Stickers (which Mummy hopes to combine with educational materials - think books)
3. Pretend play (cooking , cleaning, being inside her house)
4. Toy cars (the big one in the nursery which we put her into) - I think the liking will also translate to tricycles and / or bicycles
Mummy wants:
1. NO NOISY TOYS (ahem ahem)
2. Toys that require input from the child (eg. Lego - those are basic building blocks and the child has to exert creativity to put them all together - and it can be used to build up so many things)
3. Casual clothes for the next 1 year
4. The ever fail safe VOUCHERS - NTUC is excellent, Capitalland is good, Kiddy Palace is good too.
What we're going to do differently from her 1st birthday party:
1. Self catering!! Being abit ambitious here.. we will get the respective grandmas to cook some food and make finger foods for the little kids to eat.
2. TWO playrooms! One for the small kids (12 months and below, in Zoe's room) and one for the bigger kids in Sophie's room. With different toys and activities.
3. Themed party! ZOO is the theme and I've gotten animals decor, animals door gifts, animal themed activities.
4. Big cake rather than cupcakes. Little Miss has been going on about her birthday cake too and I thought it would a nice idea for her to cut the cake herself.
5. Trim the guestlist to (mostly) parents with kiddies. I realised that adults without kids tend to get kind of bored at kiddie parties, which is why I've seldom attended a kiddie party when I didn't have kids!
What we're going to do the same:
1. Balloons! Miss Mouse's love.
2. Brazenly post up a wishlist for presents!
Little Miss has a great liking for:
1. Things to draw on (think washable markers, colouring books, Magna Doodle)
2. Stickers (which Mummy hopes to combine with educational materials - think books)
3. Pretend play (cooking , cleaning, being inside her house)
4. Toy cars (the big one in the nursery which we put her into) - I think the liking will also translate to tricycles and / or bicycles
Mummy wants:
1. NO NOISY TOYS (ahem ahem)
2. Toys that require input from the child (eg. Lego - those are basic building blocks and the child has to exert creativity to put them all together - and it can be used to build up so many things)
3. Casual clothes for the next 1 year
4. The ever fail safe VOUCHERS - NTUC is excellent, Capitalland is good, Kiddy Palace is good too.
Monday, February 08, 2010
The Smell of Kerosene
Smelling the kerosene brought back memories of my days in Guides, in VnR, the Orientation campfires I'd managed as a Students' Council teacher. Its a smell you only get to smell at campfires, which are always the highlight of any camp and the culmination of weeks of preparation. Everyone's spirits are high, there's singing and dancing and lots of fun.
On Friday, as thousands were waiting for the fire-lighting, delighted that the rain had finally stopped, I walked away from the Central Plaza to the lingering smell of kerosene.
Driving as fast as I could in Big Eddie, ended up missing Sophie's bedtime but was in time before Zoe slept. And for that few minutes, walking away from what I used to love was worth it.
Oh, but how I miss it.
On Friday, as thousands were waiting for the fire-lighting, delighted that the rain had finally stopped, I walked away from the Central Plaza to the lingering smell of kerosene.
Driving as fast as I could in Big Eddie, ended up missing Sophie's bedtime but was in time before Zoe slept. And for that few minutes, walking away from what I used to love was worth it.
Oh, but how I miss it.
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