Blogging from the Taipei hotel now.

Yey, I'm still in one piece!

Ha!

Our first family trip!

Lucky the boys were ok during the flight..

Raythorous's 1st flight!  And I think he performed better than his kor kor's first flight. At least he was OK to sleep in the bassinet, albeit for a short while only. 

And the kor kor only fell asleep during the end of the flight..

And like the kor kor's first flight, we also ordered a bday cake for raythorous!!

But the cake was served when both boys were asleep. No choice.  The only free time is the time when both are asleep. Duh. 

At Taipei airport

And the hotel is really thoughtful. Besides the cot that we requested for, they also provided bathing set 

  

Really super 贴心。

I was still super worried on how to bath raythorous. Now no need to worry liao. But we will only stay in this hotel for 3 nights. Hopefully the rest of the hotels that we'll be going to will also be soo thoughtful.

OK,  so far so good.

Everyone is asleep now. 

Lucky raythorous is ok to sleep in the cot, unlike the kor kor when he was at the same age.

Now just praying raythorous won't wake up in the middle of the night. 

OK,  nights!!

Ok, after months of thinking and thinking and thinking... and asking of soo many pple for their opinions....

I have decided to bring my dear didi along!  

Haii. 

Just can't bear the thought of leaving him behind la.

So, all in for a tough trip with 2 folks and 2 kiddos.

Really good luck xia.

The packing alone already took me almost one whole day! 

Really!

OK.  

Good luck.

纠结

ok, will be travelling to taiwan in a few days. 

yeah, the 'kiasu' trip that was booked last july, is going to happen in a few days! 

ahhh.

ok. actually, 很纠结. in fact, i have been 纠结-ing for the LONGEST time.

to bring mr raythorous? or dont bring? 

the whole world has been telling me not to bring him. ok, not the whole world, but almost the whole world.

if dont bring him, things will be very much easier, cuz only need to handle 1 kid, which is easy peasy la. but.... i will feel ultra duper guilty lor.. 

if bring, it will definitely be a lot lot lot more difficult. it will be tough, and i probably will get stressed up and likely to flare at everyone when that happens. so... why stress everyone out when it's supposed to be a holiday?? anyway, raythorous wont know a thing right?

and why bring him to somewhere where there is no proper food and accomodation (for a less than 1yo) ...

and y bring him along when we jolly well know we probably will not be able to properly handle him? 

haii. 

i know if i dont bring him, everyone including myself will enjoy more. much more. and he himself probably will be better off too as he will continue to get nutritious food, and undivided attention from the grandparents... 

but then again.. it will be the longest period that i have ever left him. never even left rayous behind for so long.. so why now... 

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

haii.. 早知道就不plan这个trip le.. 

actually, at point of booking, our intention was to bring him de. but along the way, and especially after the staycation, it was realised that it will really be quite a nightmare to bring him along.... so... 

ahhhhhhh...

我不知道 我不知道 

怎么办???? 怎么办????

today is a relatively happy day!

cuz.... raythorous finally slept thru the night! he slept without waking up till about 8.30am?! woahahh! that's superrrr great achievement!!

i think he did it once before also, but apparently that was only 1 off. i was still quite happy, thinking that he could actually sleep thru so fast. who knows... 

but actually, i felt raythorous is better than rayous liao la. though there were times when he also woke up every hr (some days even every half hour?!), but overall, the experience is like better than rayous leh. haha. 

past few days he was coughing, so he woke up quite frequently in the middle of the night. yesterday finally slept thru, but i hope it was not due to the effect of the new medicine that were given to him. 

yeah, both boys still coughing and runny nose. also cannot remember how many times we went to the pedi liao. think it was 2x for each boy? each time $100+, so i think, we spent about $500+ just by seeing the pedi only. really horrrr... haii...

anyway, really hope raythorous is sleeping thru liao. if so, life will (slightly) be a breezeeeeee... =) 

today also 'passed' both boys to MIL, while we steal some time to go pak-tor. 

like i say, past weeks had been madness. really need a break xia. 

so today, finally get to get my hair cut. hahaha. yeah, too long, difficult to wash and dry. so, cut shorter le lor. contemplated cutting even shorter, like above the shoulder?? but decided not to, cuz if i really do that, i probably will never get to grow it long again, cuz once it touches the shoulder and curls up, i will want to cut again. also wanted to do treatment, but not enough time, cuz we had a massage session booked at 3pm.

yeah, went massage at this place in shaw tower. shiooook. we took the promo trial session, initially said just try, dont wanna sign anything, but in the end, we still signed a 10 session package at $600+. so each session (60mins) will be $60+ which is really cheap la. now, hopefully they dont close shop ok. ha. 

and after that, we went hotpot at hai xian lao. dont know why, but i really love the hotpot here. 

忙里偷闲 . 小幸福，真的很开心.

CNY ConT'd

last day of the month! shall continue with the cny post... LOL...

5th yusheng for the yr! abalone yusheng ok! 

yeah, hubb's colleagues came over for celebration =) 

6th yusheng was during team lunch at lokkee plaza sing

7th yusheng was w bnf peeps at jumbo. haha, finally ventured to somewhere other than sushi-tei. LOL

and the 8th yusheng was w collections peeps on 元宵 at manle hotpot..

huat huat huaaat ahh!

yep, so total of 8 yusheng this yr. haha.

happy cny.... again! 

yeah, the past few days had been whirlpool!! supposed to be back to work today, but i extended my leave to today. who knows, now our (hubb and me!!) turn to fall sick. so went to the doc and were given MC today and tmr. 

uh. ok, 也好. can rest abit more. tmr supposed to send rayous back to school, but just got to know that his school has more cases of confirmed HFMD cases, so, likely tmr and the whole week wont send him to school liao. uhh..

and both boys, though better, are still coughing and runny nose. realllyyyyyy siannnnn.

anyway, at least now the new maid is here. at least household chores can leave to her liao. but re-training a new maid is super siannnn. and worse still when there is communication problem. 

she's ok so far, but also the slow slow type. and communication also got problem. though i tried not to flare, but i still kidda flare when she couldnt understand me. grrrrrrr. it's really very frustrating one leh, when the kids are throwing tantrum, and you tried to ask her to do something but she just cannot understand! 

okok, chill ok chill ok. only the what? 3rd day??

anyway, this time round, i specifically wrote out the schedule for her liao. in both english and bahasa ok! took me quite sometime to come out w this ok...

stated everything out properly, so she wont do things haphazardly and any-o-how. 

有条有理... hopefully like that can minimise the differences in expectation...

and i kind of pity my previous maid now. honestly, i did not really give her any specific instructions, so she just took things in her own accord. and many a times, i find her 'too' hardworking.. like when i always see her, she is always cleaning something. why must always clean the window? why must always clean the walls?? nothing else to do liao meh? waste water waste detergent etc etcc.. probably that had also contributed to why i started to dislike her... 

ok, start afresh ok. and with the cameras around, i can also better understand what this maid is doing. like this morning, i cannot comprehend what she has been doing since she woke up. how come still hasnt hang out the clothes in the morning?? after reviewing, then found out she was doing other chores... then i got less pissed. haha.

ok, so, too bad for the previous maid. hopefully everything will work out well for this maid ba. 

changing maid is really a waste of money and time. really!!! nightmare!

Just had our house installed w cctv cameras - living room, kitchen and master bedroom. 

Yeah, previously we only had a ip camera installed at mil's place, no cameras at our place. But since we are starting this maid thing all over again, then might as well start right from the start.

These few days had really been hectic. Lucky I settled the things at work and took leave from wed PM to Friday. Else, I probably would have died from fatigue and stress by now.

Both boys were sick. So took leave to be w rayous, while mil took care of raythorous. Yes, I'm lousy. But it's just impossible to take care of 2 kids alone. I don't know how the olden days mothers do it, but I admit I cannot OK. 

Lucky now both boys OK already. And the new maid is ready for collection already. We'll be bringing her back either tmr (hubb happened to need to work this sat, hopefully he can end early, then we can bring her back) or sunday.

So rightfully, all these should end by Monday. Life should go back to normal by Monday. Lucky I took one more day on Monday, to train the maid.

Hopefully this maid don't give me major problems again. And I promise myself not to flare at her and spoil the relationship again. Replacing a maid is a nightmare and I definitely do not want to go thru it again. 

顺顺利利OK. 

yes, my dear maid left. 

not left my household, but left sg and back to her home country.  

yes, we repatriated her. 

sent her back to the agency on 14 march and she was repatriated on the 19 march. hopefully the agency really did send her back and not let her be a transfer maid. 

actually, all along, i already dont quite like her.

in fact, the first sight at her, i already dont quite like. i interviewed her via webcam, and saw her photo on the bio-data. but somehow, when she appeared 'live' in front of me, the 'feel' is different. 

anyway, i also cannot explain why i dont like her. it could be the many many small small incidents that caused the hard feeling.. 

things like.. 

1) crying in my household when i was still doing my confinement becuz somehow, she had a misunderstanding w the confinement nanny. kaoz, i was already super troubled back then, and these 2 ladies, who are supposed to come relieve my load, came to give me problems instead! that i was quite pissed 

2) wearing ring and necklace without seeking approval. ok, u may think it's no big deal, but i dont like it. 

3) there was one day when i was sick and i locked myself in the room whole day w raythorous. she did not even bother to knock and find out if im ok.... probably if i had died in the room, she also wont know. see, this kind of helper...

4) there were several times when i fell sick and coughed like mad shit. again, not even a word of concern from her..

5) and many a times, i felt that she was the one who passed the cough virus to me.. 

6) there was also one time (during confinement) when she saw me packing in the room, but again, she did not offer any help. some kind of helper seriously... 

7) then there was one time i asked her to help me sew something at night. after that, she just passed me the completed work and went to sleep, without even asking if im satisfied with her work or still need more alterations..

and there were many many many other incidents also...

oh, and she always has this black face. 看了就讨厌. and she likes to walk very far behind us. if u are an outsider looking at us, u probably thought we were strangers. 

anyway, i can tell u, when im at home, i dont really talk to her. during that 4mths maternity, besides giving instructions, there is no conversation b/w us. slowly, things worsen, and the mere sight of her also irks me. so, naturally, every thing she does, i also 看不爽. if she does a little wrong, i will flare at her. 

it really was a very unhealthy relationship. i dont allow her to touch the boys unless absolutely necessary. things like wiping the milk bottles dry, i also dont like her to do it. sometimes, i also dont know y i still hire her, when i still need to do so many things myself.

then i found her dodgy and not forthcoming. also never really listen to what we say. told her if she brings anything back home, she has to inform us. kenna caught never tell us. also told her if she damages anything, she will have to tell us immediately. again, still never tell us immediately. 

i totallyyyyy dislike her.

there were many times when we wanted to send her off already. but due to the money and hassle involved, i 忍, despite knowing that this is really very unhealthy. 

the last straw came when she again spoilt something and did not tell me immediately.  and always finding excuses to cheat her way out. so, gave her one good thrashing again. the next day, she did something wrong again. so i got pissed and i asked her if she still wanna work here or not, and if she wants, pls do things properly. in the past, she will just keep quiet and say she wants to continue working. but this time round, she said she wants to work, but if im not happy, then send her back to agency. 

fwahh. 

ok, great. so, i told her to pack and go. then she told me she still got stuff at my MIL's place. fine, after she packed, we went there to collect. wah, then saw she bought make-up la, nice nice slipper la, all hide at MIL's place, never bring home. 

and the ultimate came.

i saw 4d betting forms, nicely completed. she said she wrote for fun only. and it was not until i saw the 4d slips, that she finally admitted she asked my MIL to help her buy 4d!!

what nerve! 

a freaking maid asking the mdm's MIL to help her buy 4d! 

and all the while, i was kept in the dark!! 

i tell u, i almost shred her apart! 

if she had been honest and upfront and told me all these, i would be ok. but she chose to hide and kept me in the dark. and when kenna caught liao, she still dared to lie. 

see??? 

freaky right??

really a relieve to have sent her off. no more eyesore!! and after she left, we saw a notebook and she wrote a long message inside. got an indon fren to translate and apparently, she wrote that im the worst employer she had... 

wah kaoz. 

din know she was soo unhappy w me. every time ask her if she's happy, she said she is. asked her if got anything want to say or voice out, she said dont have. in the end wrote so many things, say i rude to her, say i picked on her etc etc etc... 

really horrrrr.. 

lucky sent her off liao, else dont know what she'll do to us.

grrrrrr...

anyway, after she ciaoz, all household chores are back to us. after this trauma, i really had qualms hiring maids again. i really contemplated the possibility of not having one. but,  it's really not easy, with 2 kids around. can is can, but u must have a super zai and steady husband who is willing to help out enough... which i dont unfortunately..

so, much of my time was spent in the kitchen, washing the bottles, washing the plates, hanging the clothes...etc etc. 

there was 1 night when i waited for rayous to fall asleep, before i  sneaked out and went to wash the bottles. who knows after a while, there were footsteps running. and so, in his pj, carrying his pillow and sucking his tutu, this rayous said he wants me to sleep w him.

ohhhh... 

so, because i had to do all these chores, i delayed my child's sleeping time. and because i had to do all these chores, i couldnt spend more time w my children. honestly, my time can be better spent than stuck in the kitchen doing all these labour work. 

yes, we need a maid. i want my time to be spend on quality stuff, not all these manual stuff. 

and so, we hired again. used a different agency. transfer maid, interviewed her face to face. younger, taller, plumper and fairer. apparently tmr shld be able to collect her liao. 

ok, abit of a rush in hiring her, i admit. but we did went/phoned a few agencies, but no suitable ones. so, just take this one lor. 

wish me good luck ok. 

i guess i need to control myself  and manage my own expectations first la. 

1) dont expect them to be honest and forthcoming. just like how u will not be honest and forthcoming w ur boss. 
2) allow pple to slack la, so long it's not too overboard. just like how u will slack at work also right.. 
3) if things are not properly done, say upfront. dont expect them to be zi dong, becuz if they are so smart and zi dong, they dont need to be maids already.
4) be firm, but nice ok. dont flare at pple again okkkkk...
5) be patient patient patient.....x 150
6) expect things to be done 70 to 80% only. there is no 100%. so longs things are moving, be it. dont have to drill to the nitty gritty. 

ok. really wish me good luck ok. 

im really traumatised by the 1st experience. never did i expect it to end this way. plsss, pray for me that this one will be good.... 

屋漏偏逢连夜雨....

my maid is gone (really want to blog about it, but no time yet.. ). 

didi is down w fake measles (and hopefully not something more serious than that..) poor little face and body covered with rash and he's cranky and sticky.. 

actually rayous fell sick first.. cough, runny nose, fever. then passed to didi who developed into fake measles. then just now in the middle of the night, rayous ran into high temperature again. lucky now came down liao...

and no maid to do all the household chores... 

shag... 

why like that.... 

children falling sick really super sian. 传来传去，几时才会好?? rayous passed to didi, then recovered. now apparently, didi passed back to rayous again... 

OMG. 

this really deters me from having more children... 

really need to pass this stage once and for all.

大年初九

大年初九 was a celebration at my place w the 2 families. 

and hubb somehow got 兴起, and wanted to engage lion dance to huat huat the house. ha. 

waiting for the troupe to arrive.... 

here they are!

huat ahhh! 

and huat cai yeh is here too! 

旺!

catered food that day, but the feedback this time round wasnt so good. maybe cuz no warmers, so the food were cold and not as nice ba. 

and yusheng were DIY!!! this brand of pre-packed yusheng-sides is good, cuz comes with the big plate to serve the yusheng. 

and the carrot, radish and cucumber were all shred by me one ok!! really DIY! salmon were bought from ichiban sushi. overall, the price almost the same as outside, but DIY cfmed got more fish slices! 

my 4th yusheng for the yr!

huaaaaaaat ahhhhhhh!!!!!!

honestly, the DIY yusheng quite yummy leh!!!! LOL 

ok, happy new year once again!!!!

ok, i guess my tooth issue has finally came to a closure. 

went for a review with the specialist on friday and he said everything's good. so next review will be in jan next yr liao. 

if everything really is well, then the tooth should not experience any pain anymore. 

woohoo! 

**pray**

so it's a $1.5K burnt to my pocket. lucky still can claim large part back from the company.

and that dentist said will refund me the previous money that i had paid for the 1st root canal.. though till now still no outcome... 

oh, and i love this specialist. such a gentle and nice guy. unlike that 1st specialist whom i consulted at wheelock place.. one kind... this one is sooo much better and professional! 

anyway, good luck k. 

please dont give me anymore problemmmmm! 

***pray pray prayyyy***

大年初一, 初二, and 初三

大年初一

visit to uncle's place, as usual

******

大年初二

haha, the 2 little ones... 

初二this year was a little more quiet, cuz there was no visit to popo's place. so just nua at mum's place lor. 

*******

and 初三 was a visit to yan's place and i had the 3rd yusheng for the year. hohoho

huat huat to a good year!!!!

met up with ex-colleagues ytd and got to know that an ex-supervisor hasnt been doing well. 

a recent pic of hers was shown, and indeed, 廋了,老了,坐轮椅了. almost couldnt recognised her anymore..but in the pic, she was still smiling heartily...

this afternoon, received news of her passing on le. 

technically, she was my ex-supervisor, but in actual fact, i was never really under her before. she was the one who interviewed me back then, 说起来我还得谢谢她, cuz she was the one who brought me into the bank. well, it's either her or the other man, or both. 

anyway, though she was the one who interviewed me, when i joined, she was away on long leave. apparently she was ill and had to be away from work for a long time. heard many horror stories about her, that she's a loud tigeress, the kind who will stand at the door and  wait and sarcastically 'greet' you when you are late for work. 

so i was quite worried when we were told that she's coming back to work. but then, after she came back, she no longer heads our team and apparently, she toned down alot. so, i never really had the chance to witness her 霸气 and 雄风.

10yrs down.. and now.. she's gone. but from that pic, can see that she's already prepared and glad that she managed to meet up with her ex-staff and 过了 cny 才走. 

RIP, Grace.

life's really short. sometimes, really dont have to 计较 too much. 

珍惜每一天，每一人。 

enjoy everyday, and love everyone.