One virus, many plans dashed

Sounds tragic but not really.... Cait's down with a damned cold. Had touches of fever off and on... I reckon it'll probably be full blown tomoro. Derrick has to take half a days' leave to care for her while I park and ride to the office.. gotta wake up at 5 bloody 15 in the morning. It's ridiculous having to travel an hour to the office for a 2 hr workshop and then another hour back. Absolutely ridiculous.... well... 8.30pm now time for bed then, if I want to wake up before the worms do.

No sleep

Finished work at 7am after a 10hr shift and went gallivanting! Haven't slept a wink yet. But When HOuse comes on.. I bet you I'll fall asleep even before they break for 1st ad. Tomoro cheong again ah!!!!!

Bryan back to day care

Welcome back, Jeya! Poor Bryan has been saying "I want to go Aunty Jeya's house" for past month and it was heartbeaking having to tell him over and over again that "AUnty Jeya has gone for a holiday!" With that, marks my going back to 10hr shifts, starting now. No fun... couldn't sleep during the day, so I think I will suffer tonight. For now, I have CSI: Miami to keep me company in between calls. It's been busy so far...
Tomorrow, long day... hope I can drive safely around. Few places to go to, grocery shopping...
Then hopefully, back at noon for a nap.

Last day of annual leave.... what leave??

Honestly, I don't know if a 4x5hr shift is better than a 2x10hr shift. We'll see what happens next week when Bryan goes back to daycare. A lot of changes from next week onwards. Will keep you updated...

Back to work

Got up at 1.45am for a 2am start shift just now and I've got another one tonight. Crazy, huh? Hope I am able to get some sleep later... a bit tough cos it's a weekend and the kids and hubby are at home... CHAOS! Busy day ahead too with Cait's one hour swimming session and birthday bash from 6.30-8.30pm tonight. I feel like sleeping in.........

It's 3am now and have been at work for past 1 hr and already many calls. After 1 month of leave, I am a bit sluggish. But what to do? Have to work cos bills can't wait!

Nah.. hansem boy

Ah pui khwa tian see kee... all 4 feet and 27kgs of him... look at that tum-tum! All the sam chung yook... I will have to get new winter jammies for him... The ones he is wearing like below don't fit anymore.. nights are getting colder... have to go shopping soon. Day carer comes back next week, so he will go back to day care on days he doesn't have kindy. At last, I get to have some alone time... although, thinking about the last month, it's been alright having him with me for the whole day. I guess he's older now, so it's easier to manage him, but I can see a long and difficult road ahead of me in terms of getting him integrated to mainstream school. Well, I guess that's the good thing about being here in Oz... plenty of support system.

No tears

Took my livestock for his innoculation today.... Yup... over here, they have 4 year old immunisation. Poor Bryan had his doses on his arm and the other on his thigh... I anticipated struggles and braced myself for having to pin him down but surprisingly, he was still, WATCHING the procedures the whole time and all he said was "so painful, Mummy" twice. No tears. So proud of him. Of course, he was rewarded with a huge jellybean and a tongue painter. Let me see if they allow me to upload photos or not today, of Bryan's Elmo cake.

Bryan Turns 4 today!

Bryan told his teacher excitedly, "Miss Harding, it's my birthday today!" no prompting....
He helped give out 29 lolli bags in class today, so he felt pretty important. Oh yes, not forgetting the "no.4" badge he had on today. I wanted to bake him a choco marshmellow cake today but I saw the Elmo one at the supermart and since he loves Elmo, kau teem... no need to slave over the oven, after all, Caitlyn had tennis an hour after school. Rush rush rush.... had to cook dinner some more leh...
Apparently there's some problems with uploading photos... will try later.....

Kiasu or not?

I attended Caitlyn's Parent information night and her teacher and headmistress gave us the lowdown on what's going to happen this year. The teacher shortage here is hitting close to home. Boh kau teachers, boh kau misi, boh kau low koon, boh kau looi.... loong choong boh kau... chin cham hor....

Kakis

Our kids' kakis singing the happy birthday song

Bryan flanked by 2 beauties....

Happy birthday to Bryan!

Ran around like a headless chicken during home open at 11am. Got the Mackers, the KFC and dang pizza place hadn't open! Friends arrived at 12noon and everyone ate and made merry and had a gay ol' time. Bryan couldn't stop smiling and singing during the ice cream cake cutting. Boy was he beaming! This is how his Freddo Ice cream cake looks like...

The kids seem to love it but I find it a tad bit too sweet. He received lots of clothing which is always a good thing because he is already wearing age 6 clothing and I haven't bought much for him so far. Of course, I couldn't resist getting him his helicopter and his pumper truck... noisy sial...............have to steer him off his crocs, alligators and wobbegongs.........

Birthday celebration tomorrow!

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, so won't be able to get online till night time. I have ordered and paid for tomorrow's lunch with Mackers and KFC, so tomorrow all I have to do is to collect the food. Unfortunately, we also have a houme open tomorrow at 11am, so I have to do all the running about, with Bryan in tow, mind you and we all know he isn't an easy boy to deal with. And all Derrick has to do.. is to take Caitlyn for her swimming class tomorrow and back... easy job. If we traded places, we'd be having the birthday lunch in the evening. Trust me....

Things I find in my garden

If only I keep finding gold nuggets in my garden in stead of just balls.... balls of different shapes and sizes..... and 1 phallic shapped rocket .....

So far I have an inkling where they come from but then again, I am surrounded by kids so I am just going to keep them in my garden and wait for them to come and claim their stuff.

Valentine's Day tomorrow

I wonder what I'll get tomorrow.... One thing for sure, I will be getting a big fat bill from the Paediatrician. Derrick will be driving cos I have no idea where the new clinic is. Anyway, made last minute plans to celebrate Bryan's 4th birthday this Saturday... doing lunch. So had to get the presents, the party-boxes etc... but the wrapping paper. tomorrow will go shopping with Bryan to get the rest of the stuff.... now where to get the ice cream cake ah?

New Year, New plans

I'm thinking of doing lesser hours per shift so that I can care of Bryan and concentrate on his education. He seems to be lagging behind some kids and I am dead worried. Will be seeing the paed to sort him out first and see what happens then. Anyone out there with experience with handling ADD/Autistic/ADHD kids, do drop me a line.

2nd year of Lion Dance

Twas a busy morning, having to literally scream at Caitlyn to get ready for Church. Already late, had to go pick Mary up from the Old Age facility. She's a sweet 90+year old lady who goes to church with me every Sundays. The WA Chin Woo Athletic Association Inc arrived on time and the Lion dance started as soon as Mass ended. It was great. This year the Lions did the climbing thing to get the "chang". The spectators lapped it up. The kids and adults enjoyed "feeding" the lions and taking photos of the performance. Unfortunately I was busy running around like a headless chicken during the performance to make sure everything was in order. Ratna and family dropped by to "pai leen" and I had a good chat... to unwind a bit. A bit pooped now. Will sleep soon after "40 Year Old Virgin"

House Hunting

I'm getting rather tired of looking for builders to build our new house. SOme of them really tidak-apa attitude. Some only provide lip service. Some "yes" men but NATO. Sigh. The search continues. In the mean time, have appointed new housing agents to sell our house. Hope they have better luck than the previous one.

Back to work tonight

I have a God-forsaken 2am start tomorrow morning. Hope I can get some sleep before that. I'm thinking about a whole Process Re-organisation... So please pray for me that I am able to get this house sold. Long story. Will log on again at 2am later to add more. Now need to gather the herd and shower the sand pit off them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here's wishing you all a Happy Chinese New Year, the year of the Rat. Here's hoping that it will bring you good fortune, good health and lots of love. Please do come and watch a Lion Dance performance at St. Emilie's Catholic Primary School by the WA Chin Woo Athletic Association Inc, this Sunday, 10/2/08 at about 10am. Bring your friends, family and oh yes,.... don't forget your cameras! Everyone will have a chance to "feed" the lions. See you all there!

Bryan's first day at school

Getting the kids ready for school was stressful that by the time I sent them to school, I was knackered. Bryan didn't cry - not surprisingly- he was never the cry baby. Everything was ok, the only thing was that he just didn't want to listen to the story being told. Sigh. Paediatrician's appointment on Valentine's Day.. let's see what he says then.
Cooked up a storm from 11am onwards for "reunion dinner". Phil and kids came over and Angie came over for dinner too. I cooked chicken herbal soup, drunken king prawns, Hong-Kong style pork ribs, Fried vege, fried spicy-chicken thighs. Phil cooked curry chicken. We had longan, lychee, rambutan with pineapples for dessert. Shiok eh?

First day of school for Bryan

It's Bryan's first day at St.Emilie's tomoro, Kindy Blue. Somehow I feel as if he's too young to go to school. Caitlyn was so different at his age.... Caitlyn knew her alphabet, phonics, her numbers ... but then again I shouldn't compare cos Caitlyn's foundation was built in SIngapore, so it was more stressful.. and don't me started with CHinese lesson which she absolutely did not like. I hope I don't cry when I see him into class. OH I know he's alright without me... he's never the teary type. You can plonk him anywhere with any carer and he'll just blend right in. He doesn't wear school uniform but I'll still take a photo of him tomoro, with his bag and hat.. Can't wait.....

Congratulations to me!

Aced the Citizenship interview. I slogged the entire book... who the first PM was, who were the early settlers, what the crest is... and all I was asked was what my responsibilites and rights of being a Citizen. Within 10mins, it was all over. I aced it. What happens next is that I will have to wait for the City Of Gosnells to send me a letter tell me where to go sumpah with my kids. Phew. Finally, it's all over.

What Chinese New Year .....

I've engaged Angie and her hommies to perform the Lion Dance after Mass next SUnday... will be looking forward to the Tong tong chiang... or as my gastronomical split personality will call it my Lontong Chiang..... Hard to get mandarin oranges here... oh well, oranges will have to do.. the poor Lion heads will be packin'.. so don't mess with them...

2 more sleeps to go!!!

2 more sleeps to my Citizenship interview. Very nervous. It's also Cait's first day back at school. Also Bryan' first day back at speech therapy after a loooooooong holiday.. and oh.. Derrick's first leave taken this year... So many firsts... Wish me luck!

Manic Monday

This Monday is Caitlyn's first day back at school at a Year 2 student. Bryan starts Kindy at St. Emilie's Primary too but his twice a week schooling only starts with a weekly Wednesday class for 2 weeks first and then full steam ahead after that. Well whatever he has, he still has Day care with Jeya the other days.... this year will be his last year with daycare as next year he will be in school full time, just like the cheh-cheh.
Will take photos and post them.. Aiyo.. reality just sank in............. need to dig out the uniforms for Caitlyn and see if they still fit!