Our year end holiday

Yuan took leave on 26th Dec to accompany us at home. That means we have a LONG weekend! It's 4 days long, coincidently I am also having my teaching Christmas break. Finally we get to spend time together, all 3 of us. We didn't plan what to do, but it doesn't matter coz as long as we're together, it's already enough.

On the eve of Christmas, we went shopping at Giant. I've bought RM200 voucher from groupon last week at RM170 and it's going to expire on 31st December 2014. We took the opportunity to shop for the plastic cabinet to store J's shirt. End up, we spend RM230. Reached home bout 12am, J dozed off in the car.

On 25th, we woke up 10am, ate roti prata then went to buy some hardware item. Went back home as it was drizzling. Cleaned the house. Went out for lunch at ji de chi and back home again. Basically it was a lazy Christmas :)

J can help clean the grill now

26th was a more fruitful day. We went to have dim sum for breakfast. Went to shop for sofa after that. Then, went to Jusco for some shopping. What back home to rest before heading off for char kuey tiaw for dinner. After dinner we went to auto city to have a look at the piano one of the Parent was talking about. We managed to take some photos there. They decorated it for Christmas and it was quite nice.

Testing out sofa

Taken on christmas (we went too early shop not open so went back home)

Taken on 26th, we went back again to shop

27th will be the most fruitful day as we spend the most today. We finally bought a sofa, but the sofa will on be delivered end of January... huhu.... Went out for brunch, had bak kut teh, cia xiang bak kut teh. It was reasonable but not as tasty as the Sei Hwa or Kota Tinggi's XO bak kut teh. Of course price wise, it's a little bit cheaper here. After brunch, we continue our sofa hunt. 

Look how happy he is

We end up buying the beige color one at RM1260. After surveying around Simpang Ampat, Alma, Prai, Perda. All single seat recliner is priced at about RM1400. This one here at Lazio Sofa, Perda is the cheapest and its full leather. Although the leather is bonded leather, but i believe others are also selling the same. This sofa's warranty is slightly shorter than others, the mechanism is 1 year, sofa is 5 years and no warranty for the leather. Other shops have up to 6 years warranty for their sofa and mechanism. Leather wise, it's 50-50, half of them do not offer any warranty, and half has 1-3 years of warranty. 

side view of the sofa we bought

After a long day, we went back home after buying some laksa and goreng pisang for tea break. J was already sleeping in the car when we were on our way back so he continue sleeping after reaching home. That night, we had cake for dinner. I baked yoghurt lemon cupcake and steamed milo cake. Decorated with whipped cream. 

The last day of Yuan's long weekend was spent at home. We were practically exhausted from our marathon shopping... Basically we ran out of budget for the month. haha~ so we stayed home and did nothing. I made Oreo cupcake for tomorrow's breakfast and cooked porridge for dinner. That explains why my stomach is growling already now! time to find some supper for this little Kathlyn in my tummy while J is already fast asleep beside me. 

I'm a blessed Mummy and Wife!

I love you my hubby XOXO

Yamaha LU-90, my one and only piano

Yup, Yamaha LU-90 is the model of my piano. My parents bought it for me in 1997/98 after I have attended piano lessons for 5 years. That time, I was already in my grade 5 when they decided to get me one to practice. How on earth I practiced b4 that? God knows...

That time, this piano was sold to them at RM8580.00. It was a new model but made in Indonesia. That is the reason it was priced cheaper than before. I'm pretty sure my parents did not survey when they bought it coz if they did, they'd sure know about reconditioned piano and would've consider it given it's relatively cheaper price. My dad was always busy working and my mum was lazy to take care of us. All they know is I have been learning yet there was nothing for me to practice on. I was MISERABLE!

Why did I dig this story out now?
It's because I have student looking for a piano now. Her mum said that she has no knowledge on piano and asked if I can help her get one. I, being too honest told her to survey around instead of trusting me straight. My intention was to have her shop around before deciding so that she or her daughter will not blame me later on, like how I blame my teacher. Ok, I don't really blame him but I'd rather he gave few options to my parents instead of asking them to get the LU-90. I was already grade 5 then and he should've known that LU-90 is for beginners and not even an exam standard piano, U1. Now that I'm a piano teacher, I wanna give my students the best options and not making decision for them.

This parent then shopped around and saw a U1 selling at RM5500. They were psyched coz they found a cheap piano so she asked me to help take a look. I went to the shop, saw the piano and tried it out. The shopkeeper, I think who is also the boss, warned me that the piano is not for play or test. Come on, why would a piano seller stop someone from testing the piano if the buyer has intention on buying. It's like stopping a buyer from test driving a car before buying. Will u wanna buy if u're not allowed to test? Well, I can't blame her as the piano is actually a used Yamaha. It was recond, then used and now being sold as 3rd hand piano. Further usage of it will exhaust the hammer and other intricate parts which need to be repaired. Now, that's why this U1E can be sold at RM5500, and still can be further discounted.

As a lesson, if you happen to be the parents looking for a piano for your kids, do trust your teacher and I hope if u are the teacher, please think for the best for your student, not your pocket.

J - growing up

Suddenly I had this urge to write bout J growing up. Since J was born, we decided to practice attachment parenting. Attachment parenting consist of 3 B's, Baby wearing, Breastfeeding and Bed sharing. Inadvertently, this also mean that he will sleep without hammock, no stroller and no pacifier. Ok, 1 by 1...

Baby wearing = stroller free
If we were to baby wear him, that also mean that he will not be put into a stroller. At first it was fine, coz he was not so heavy then. However when he turned 6 months old and his weight is about 10kg, u start to feel the toll. It's practically carrying a sack of rice! Everytime we go shopping, we will take turn carrying him. I will use the carrier I bought (pognae) and yuan will just carry him with his hand. End up, I will be the one carrying him more coz it's easier on a carrier. We've tried putting him into the stroller but we pitied him coz it seems like he's alone there and he looked scared. Hence, we decided that we will just bear with the weight...

Breastfeeding = pacifier free
One of the thing that will jeapordize ur breastfeeding journey and sabotage ur supply is the use of artificial nipple. That includes pacifier. Since we have decided to breastfed him for at least 2 years, we decided to not use a pacifier. Of course there were time we were afraid what will he do when he wanna latch on but I'm teaching so we bought a pacifier when he's a month old to let him try. It ends up he spat it out and refuse to be pacified. What a smart boy he is. So, there goes the pacifier into the bin.

Bed sharing = hammock free
Hammock was something unfamiliar to me coz my parents did not put me in a hammock when I was young. I had no recollection of any hammock in my house. The only place I saw it was at me aunt's place where she is a nanny and had to take care of few babies. For me, hammock is like a place where u get punished. It is a confined area and u get shaken to sleep. U don't get cuddles and kisses from ur parents. Isn't is sad to fall asleep alone? As a result, I told yuan that I will not use the hammock. It's painful to see J sucking a pacifier and hugged by a cloth to sleep. I'd rather he sucks on my breast, hugs me to sleep. But old people think that it's hard to not use a hammock and a pacifier. I don't mind really, I'll do my best to give the best to J, to shower him with love and care and kisses. So, J is hammock free as well. To him hammock is like a toy.

I'm sure some parents out there will comment on the way I bring J up, but to each his own. Everyone has their own thinking and own way of taking care a baby. This is my way, and I'm influenced by my childhood. I'm not judging, just voicing out my opinion.

Due to attachment parenting, parenting has became harder. Everything has to be done by ourselves. It's indeed tiring and I'm not sure if we can practice the same thing on Kathlyn. We will try to do the same and hope that Kathlyn will be as good as his brother, Jaevyn.

Jaevyn is down with hfmd

Poor baby boy huh... He barely recover from his chicken pox n in less than a month he has gotten the hand foot and mouth disease... His chicken pox scar is still around when we the rashes appear. We never would have though he would caught this hfmd coz he is taken care by me and had minimum exposure to other kids. But shopping at tesco, aeon and other mall will also increase his exposure risk.

It started last Thursday, he was a bit cranky in the noon. He woke up after his short nap and cried while pointing to his throat. I thought he choked on something so I tried to ask him cough it out but nothing came out. At bout 8pm when I finish teaching, his dad found out he has fever. We still went to see Celine caroling coz we have promised her parents. We thought it was just a normal fever so we went ahead. He was in a bad mood, he refused to eat anything at the caroling party. We came back at 9pm.

His fever went up to 40 C, yuan wanted to give him fever med but I insisted on not giving. He is able to sleep that night, without waking up or whimpering or crying. That night, I googled and his symptom looks like it was tonsillitis. If that's the case then his fever should go away soon and his throat will recover as well.

The next day, yuan took half day leave because we had to go into Penang to get something done. In the morning, J's fever dropped, to bout 38, so I presume he's recovering so we went to Penang that noon. Brought J to swim at Springfield. It was a tiring day, we even bought a cake before coming back home, just because Kathlyn felt like eating it :p

Friday night was ok for J, perhaps he was tired swimming and playing and didn't get any proper nap. Saturday morning was suppose to go Pei Lin house cos her piano will be delivered today. We went together with J. It is during then we saw J has red spots on his face. In the car on our way to lunch, I saw spots on his palm and leg. I was like..., gosh, don't tell me it's hfmd! True indeed. We went to Tc yeoh's clinic and he confirmed it was hfmd. That night was the worse night.... Luckily Yuan took care of him while I get to rest as my round ligament was pain, due to the expansion of my uterus accommodating Kathlyn... J couldn't sleep whole night. He slept around 11pm, whimpering in his sleep, and officially woke up at 1am. Yuan played with him till 4am when he finally felt tired and sleep. During that 3 hours, yuan told me J kept asking him to apply calamine lotion on his feet. He must be itchy, during his sleep as well, he keep moving his buttock. I assume it's itchy as well. It wasn't that bad when he had chicken pox.

Luckily it was a weekend, yuan was around to help me take care of J for 2 full days. Yuan was exhausted, and he still has to go to work on Monday. Luckily he can go in late a bit.

This is J taking his nap on Monday evening... His rashes went off a bit, but there are still ulcers in his mouth and lips. Some blisters starting to dry up...

Perspective

Perspective is the way we look at things.

This morning I woke up feeling sad because I dreamt of my grandmother who passed away in 2008. Time flies, it has been 6 years since. Before she pass away, I couldn't imagine life without her but look at me now, still surviving after 6 years. I don't know how I did it but time passes no matter how reluctant u are. So why suddenly "perspective"?

It is few hours after I woke up I thought of what I told my husband few days back. It's about his job as the production engineer. I told him then, that job is a boring job, no sense of accomplishment. Everyday u deal with quantity, how many pcb has been assembled, 100, 1000 or 10000? The only objective in your job is to produce maximum amount of workable pcba in the shortest amount of time. Years will only go by and in the end u realize that ur job has been meaningless. However, today, my perspective on his job changed. It just changed, with nothing to trigger it.

It came to me today that my husband job as the production engineer is like the front line soldier going for battle. He mentioned before that his job is stressful, 1 mistake and he will get the whole batch of scrap pcb. 1 wrong component and the whole batch of pcb is useless. He needs to be highly concentrated in order to not make 1 mistake. Come to think of it, his job is indeed challenging. I mean, how can a front line soldier job be boring? Every morning he wakes up prepare himself to battle. He has to battle with the machine, the operators and his fellow colleagues.

I think it is only today that I realize every job is actually meaningful. It's just how u look at it, ur perspective towards it. I used to look down on people doing sales, I even said that when I went to interview for a sales engineer post. I couldn't accept that people who does that actually get paid more than people who do the technical stuffs. Well, I guess my perspective will change. Honestly speaking,  perhaps I don't have any experience with sales, i still can't figure how their job match their pay.

Another perspective that I suddenly thought of, (well this thing actually got me started thinking on other things) is about being a music teacher. I have been teaching with my own perspective and own expectation on students. Have i ever look at it from the students' perspective? Why must I stereotype them? Thinking that they don't practice is purely due to their laziness just because that was my reason? I think a course should be given on "Perspective". I hope I will be able to do it one fine day. Just keep this simple idea in my blog so I don't forget it.

Last Month of 2014

It has really been a while since i last update my blog. Seems like this blog is dead, thanks to TM... i finally have a landed connection at home, I can hv unlimited broadband and I can online anytime I want without having to worry about reaching quota at the end of the month. Gosh~ luckily it's over.

I'm so gonna start blogging back, with my son turning 22 months old in 2 days' time, I am finally getting some time off for myself. But..... in 6 months time, I'll have to take care of another newborn. Tiring, but it's all gonna be worth it.

There ain't much to say now, till then... (it'll be soon :P)