Specky Deck

We have come to terms with the fact that Dec will need to wear glasses from now on.  Anyway, technology is so advance nowadays.  When he’s older, we’ll see whether it is possible for him to go for lasik or whatever procedures that can help him shed his dependency on glasses.  He finally got his virgin pair of spec.

These photos are taken 2 months apart.  He looks pretty studious with his glasses right??? how deceiving :p  I’m just worried that he won’t know how to take care of his specs when he goes back to school tomorrow.  I forsee that he’ll probably need a second pair within the next few weeks.  He is an active boy and one of his favorite pass time is to play with balls.  Thus, I wonder whether he’ll know how to protect his eyes and specs while playing with his peers.

For a boy, he’s actually got quite long eyelashes.

It’s a pity that he’s got to hide his long lashes behind his specs from now on… Let’s hope with the aid of his specs, his astigmatism will stablise.  His next review will be in Jan 2009.

Dec’s new found hobby

Dec is very much into snapping random photos using my hp recently.  I must say his skill has improving progressively.  He used to get all blurred images and more often than not, you’ll not be able to make out what he is shooting at.

Of late, he is able to take sharp images of both still and moving objects/people.  A bulk of them still turned out blur, but I think he deserves some encouragement.  Now that he won’t be able to become a pilot as he so wish (due to poor eye sight), maybe I should encourage him to work towards becoming a photographer.  hmmm I’m never a forward planner, never good at planning, what’s wrong with me?! Shall just leave him to explore his own interest.

Anyway below are samples of the photos he shoot using my hp and it include his own self taken potrait….

and yeah… he dictate his poor old mama to be his model….he will direct me according to his preference.  “mummy look here look here!!  I say look here!!”  “mummy do this do this” <— showing me how to cringe my nose while i eat my piece of pork rib.  “mummy say cheese!!” most of the photos are taken quite ok it’s actually picasa that chops off the photos that’s why u see our heads geting “sliced off”… 

Hmm when he can handle things more carefully without dropping them, I may consider lending him my digi cam for him to try.

Bumpy July

This month isn’t a very good month for Declan.  So far we’ve spent about $500 on his medical bill…  Early this month, we noticed a lump at the back of his ear.  Quite a big one, thus we sent him down to see his usu Paediatrician.  Dr didn’t quite know what it is and he was given some medication and we were told to monitor him.  If the lump don’t go down or grow bigger, we were to bring him back.

After a week on medication, the lump was still there.  So back to the Paeds… and did a blood test.  Fortunately the test turned out normal.  Afterwhich, we notice the lump is subsiding ever so slowly.  Then, he came down with a bad cough and was breathing quite strenously….. so back to the Dr…  Dr noticed that when he breathed, his chest sank a little which wasn’t a good sign.  Dr worried that he might develop bronchitis or asthma, again we were told to watch him.  Few days passed and he recovered.  phew!!!

Yesterday, while fooling around, he climbed onto mil’s coffee table, lost his balance and fell backwards.  He cried the whole house down.  When the incident happened, I was about to start expressing milk.  I heard the commotion and my heart dropped, for awhile I thought a cupboard had collapsed on him, all thanks to a freak accident that happened 2 years ago.  I ran out of the room and was told that he had fell off the table and bumped his head.  OUCH!! 

Poor boy was covering his face the whole time when he cried.  He refused to remove his hands from his face.  It took him quite awhile to calm down and not long after, he was all over the house again… playing with his cousin.  Just when I thought all was well, came another thud!  (less than 2 hours from the 1st thud).  I froze a little, no loud wail.  I looked towards mil’s room and saw Dec standing at the door, holding his forehead.  He had walked into the door jam and it seemed like he didn’t dare to cry out loud.  Probably worried that he’ll be reprimanded.  In the end, he couldn’t keep it in and burst out crying again. sigh….

So the above is his “prized possession”.  He got another ba lu ku hidden amongst the hair from the 1st fall.  On a lighter note, I overheard him telling his dad this when the dad wanted to bathe him :” Daddy, you don’t touch my ba lu ku ok?”  hahahhaha I think it must be really painful for him to remind his dad not to touch it.

You think his whole bumpy journey is over??  NOT YET!  His appointment with Dr Khoo was this morning.  Sigh.. heart ache ahhh… Dr Khoo confirmed that he’s got astigmatism in both eyes and for his case the only solution is to put him on glasses…. He cited a few possible reason for his condition.  Firstly, it’s genes. yeah… my fault… I’m a blind bat…. Secondly, one of his eye is bigger than the other so the smaller eye will have poorer eyesight… thirdly, one side of the eyelid is a bit droopy thus adding pressure to the eyeball and thus changing its’ curvature…. There goes his dream of becoming a pilot… oh have I ever shared that he wished to be a pilot??  “pop!!!” can you hear his dream popping??

You think it is over??? STILL NOT YET….

For unknown reason, his neck started to swell… We discovered the swell this afternoon and it got worse over the evening… The whole family kinda freak out…. Initally I was quite cool about it and am quite sure it was harmless.  Then, almost the whole family was exclaiming quite loudly and getting very panicky…. which made me felt I was a lousy mother who’s not concern about my kid….So off to NUH Children Emergency we go at 10pm.  Doctor checked him and assured us that it is nothing major.  It looked like an insect/mozzie bite and the reason for the swell was probably due to friction by scratching or rubbing.  It is not swelling of the lymp nodes.

sigh….  I hoped tonight’s trip to NUH will be the last of the whole bumpy/lumpy episode.  Let him be well pleaseeeeeeeee………  If any insect needs to have a feast, come to the mama lah, any virus or whatever nonsense, bad luck, just head towards the adults lah, leave that poor kid alone!

Updates on Kenji

It’s been a long while since I last update on Kenji boy.  He’s turning 8 months old in a week’s time. 

He had since started on some solid food.  I first tried to feed him cereal when he was about 6.5months.  He kinda rejected it.  I made just a spoonful and after a few dip into his mouth, he actually gave me the nausea look……  Dec first tried cereal when he was just 5 months old and by the time he turned 6 months he could handle cereal quite well.

Of course I didn’t give up.  I urged mil to try giving him bit by bit in the afternoon while I was at work.  We finally succeeded and he’s grown to love cereal.  Mil also started  him with porridge.  She’ll usu give him porridge mixed with sweet potato or correct.  He had also tried some pureed potato and apple. 

I hope he would grow to love the mix of puree that I’m gonna try out.  Years back, Declan wasn’t adventurous with food.  Alot of the puree that I prepared for him actually went down the chute… so sad….  Hopefully, with Kenji, he’ll learnt to appreciate my effort.

He’s yet learnt to crawl.  However, he spent a big load of his time on his tummy and he’s able to shift himself a little distance by simply struggling.  He can sit up on his pram more steadily as well now.  As the months pass, he had also developed some temper.  He knew that by crying hard and long enough, he’ll ultimately get us to pick him up…  He’ll usu deploy this tatic when me and the dad are both scrambling around the house trying to get ourselves ready for work.  As if he’s worried that we’ll forget about him and leave him behind, he’ll usu start to cry as the time of “departure” drew nearer.  Nothing can comfort him, except if we pick him up…  Fortunately, on the whole, he’s still pretty mild mannered.  phew….

On one hand, I am eager to see what kinda character he would ultimately developed into, on the other, I secretly wish that he’ll always remain as a baby..  hmmmm woman!  can never make up their mind!! right?

Declan turns 4

Declan turned 4 on 28th June.  Like last year, we ordered a cake and let him celebrate with his friends in school.  Last year we chose the cake for him.  This year, he walked pass a cake shop and insisted on getting a cake from there.  He chose that particular cake because of the toys placed on the cake.  At first we did not want to relent as I thought the cake don’t really look nice and the toys looked kinda fake.  After much resistance from Dec, I decided to go with his choice since it is his birthday.  It should be about him not me right?  So, yup! He got to decide on the cake that he wants.   He was happy and I was happy too

The cake didn’t taste too bad though.  The kids love it too.  Just like last year, the boys can’t wait to pluck the toys off the cake. 

His little friends sang him a birthday song and the teachers helped to divide the cake.  Dec’s teacher also taught him how to serve the cakes to his little guests.

I must say the little host did a pretty good job with the help of the teachers.  Can you spot his best friend Julian who seems more interested in the toys than the cake?? hahah boys are boys after all.  After serving his friends cake, instead of waiting for help to clean the cream off the toys, my boy actually “self cleaned” them.

He licked them clean and the 3rd hand belonged to Julian who I suspected was trying to offer Dec some help.

After food, came goodie bags!  The kids all can’t wait to dig into their bags and toss out the treats.

I gave Dec 2  ice cream treats this birthday.  One, 2 days before his b-day and another once on his b-day itself.  First ice cream treat was at Daily Scoop, sunset way.  He chose cookies and cream on a chocolate cone.  I must say that was a very wise choice.  The combi was very yummy!!

Looking at the pic now makes me feel like going back there for another ice cream treat!!

We had the 2nd treat at Swensen.

This time he chose banana split with chocolate ice cream from the kids’ menu.  While me and the dad shared a topless 5.

Instead of taking his own choice he started to dig into our topless 5……………….fickle minded boy…..

The celebration at school was done a day earlier as his actual b-day fell on a saturday. Thus on the actual day itself we bought a chocolate banana cake from secret recipe for him to bring it home so that his cousins can celebrate with him as well.  Heard that Sil was lamenting that every year we only celebrate for him in school and wanted us to do it at home as well. (truth is his school celebrations only started last year and almost every year we will buy a cake and let him cut it at home…..)

I tell u~~~~ this cake is really super duper yummmmyyyyyyy!!!!  The chocolate is heavenly!!!!  Can you tell it was me who chose the cake :x  He actually wanted a black forest cake but I managed to psycho him into getting this one.

That’s him and his cousins, his playmates.

I am thinking whether i should organize a proper party for him next year.  He is now old enough to enjoy the attention and fun of a party.. but I am not good with organizing such stuffs and I can’t depend on the dad to do such things…..  Simply singing song and cutting cake seemed a little boring now…. I’ve got a whole year to consider and collect ideas…  we shall see…

Happy 4th B-day Dec…  This year, mummy is in a pretty bad mood in the month of June due to many unforseen issues…. Didn’t meant to be inpatient…anyway, may you always be a happy and cheerful boy!

Sneaky Brotherly Love

Last night as I was busy placing all my folded laundry to where they are suppose to be, I heard a muffled “muak” followed by a whisper :” goodnight, I love you…..”

I turned to see Declan holding Kenji’s face and talking to him softly. Ha! what a precious sight.  Dec is usually quite rough, I’m kinda surprise at his gentleness this time.  Anyway I am not complaining.  Keep it up Dec!

I know I’m slacking again… will post more often when I manage to chase my sleepy bug away….

Genetic Sleeping Habit Part 3

Still remember my last 2 post on the dad’s and the boys genetic sleeping habit?  Can’t?  No worries, I shall help you refresh your memory :

And now, ladies and gentlemen, I shall present to you the last piece of evidence that this is really a genetic habit!

This is the revenge by the dad…. He got back at me for posting his unglam pic online, thus he took an equally unglam pic of me sleeping as well.  Nonetheless I am game.   I put them all up, I guess I shan’t chicken out too.

To allow you folks to do easy comparison, I put all our unglam pics into a picture grid, to faciliate your comparison :

Ohhh and I also manage to capture the 2 brothers sleeping in a simliar position at the same time :

Now, we really behave like how a real family should right?  I am pretty sure that when didi is old enough, he’ll want to nap without his shirt on as well, just like how all the men in the Lim family zzzz when they are at home.

 

My GSS (Great S’pore Sale) Kills

I love to shop during sales period!  This is the time when my dollar can really stretch.  Also GSS falls on the right month!  June!  July is bonus time!! Weeeeeeeeeeee!!! 

I left the 3 men (ohh ok 1 man + 2 boys) at home yesterday and went for a shopping spree in the evening.  Within a span of 3 hours, I brought home the following loot :

I am effecient ain’t I??  (ohhh the left most corner 2 pieces was bought on Friday)

Prior to yesterday, I already bought a black long sleeve blouse (from Reds) and another 2 tops + 1 dress online. PLUS a Titus watch.  (all of which are not in the pic)

I took the trouble to add up all my receipts this morning and my heart got stuck in my throat. *gulp*  Not really an unacceptable amount since 50% of that amount is attributed to the watch.  My 1st ever proper watch, putting aside my baby G lah.  Still… it is a sizeable amount to me….  I gotta console myself that it’s just once a year that such a mad spree will happen. (or maybe twice - during CNY period too :p)  Then again, looking at all the kills does give me a sense of satisfaction.. hehehheee

I think I most likely won’t stop here, I’ll probably add on more items to my GSS kills.  Hey I plan to buy a pair of brown shoes for work but then I stumbled on this black pair and it was really so comfy and they don’t have it in brown.  So even though I already bought a pair of shoe I will still need a brown pair See? I am able to justify my purchases!

 

 

I am 32

12th June marked the day that I officially turned 32.  I was never the celebrative type and am usually satisfied with a yummy cake and a great meal.  This year’s birthday I was in particular bad mood, thus, I do away with my b-day dinner as well.  Some issues cropped up at work and at home..

I’ve started work at a new place.  It’s just my 2nd week there and I’ve encountered some unhappy issues.  It really left me wondering whether I made the right move.  I’ve always emphasized that peers at work are important to me.  Fortunately my new team seems like a lovely lot.  That helped to mediate my negative feelings a lot.  Probably due to my bad mood, I’ve turned much quieter.  Didn’t really realise it until one of my new colleagues asked me ;” Ivy, are you usually that quiet at work?”  I was caught by surprise.  I’m never a quiet person…

Anyway, the gals were great.  Though I was just 2 weeks old there, they actually bought me a cake and sang me birthday song :)  I knew the mastermind was Trina, as she was with me in my ex instituition, one of my very appreciated peer at work.

 

These are the gals!  Pretty ain’t they?  The preggie woman with the victory sign is Trina.  This lot is quite different from my last group.  They are milder and more gentle, the last lot was noisy, rowdy and more gung ho. Nevertheless, they are equally sweet, nice and supportive. 

This year, I got 2 mango cakes!  Yummy! My favorite! The one on the left (from bread talk) was from my colleagues.  The one on the right (from prima deli) was from Kiat. 

That’s the best pic kiat managed to capture with my hp camera as my digital cam had KOed.  Couldn’t get a proper family pic too..  Declan sang me b-day songs many times that day.  He did 2 pre-recorded ones on the dad’s hp and did a few times live.  He seems more excited and happy than me.  Last year, after he sang me the b-day song, he proceeded to blow off the candle with much haste.  This year we managed to stop him in time for me to make a proper wish and blew off the candle myself.  phew!

Have you heard enough of me lamenting that about my dead camera?  Felt that it is a torture to hear me lament somemore?  No fears!  You won’t ever get to hear it again for a long long time.  TADA!!!!  I present to you my b-day pressie from the dad :

A brand new Digi Cam Canon Ixus 860IS! Yahooooooooooooo  I’m happy again!!!!  I can start taking loads of photos for the boys again!!!!  weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!  1 item taken off my GSS shopping list!!

Bad Eye Sight

I am upset… feeling a little lost too.  Both kids are invitied to go for a free eyecheck in participation of a research trial.  The results put me a little off balance…  The younger one is ok… it’s the elder one that is diagnosed with a problem….  The result shows that he has got astimagtism on both eyes.  His right eye is particularly bad at 300… while the left eye is at 100..  We are told that he was borned with it.

If the diagnosis is correct then I have a big problem as 300 degrees of astimagtism is a serious case.  He will need glasses.  He’s got such beautiful eyes…. Everyone that first meet him will compliment him on his beautiful eyes and long eye lashes…  I am very unwilling to accept the fact that he has to hide his eyes behind a pair of glasses from now on….

The diagnosis reminded me of a post that I read in Angelia’s Blog.  Her boy was also first diagnose as having astimagtism and in need of a pair of glasses and a reassessment by a renown ophthalmologist proved otherwise and the problem was eventually corrected.

I’m really glad that I read that post last year and am glad that information of the ophthalmologist was published on her site.  I will bring Declan to the same specialist to seek a second opinion.  I hoped that Dec’s condition will be similar to Aidan’s so that he can also get it corrected through surgery.

Do give us your blessings… we need it badly… :(  Not quite sure when Dec can see Dr Khoo as I can only call the clinic for an appointment on Monday.  I am keeping my finger cross…  I don’t wish my kids to be as blind as me….