Last Sunday, despite having a cracked head (wahaha), we went Johor (Batu Pahat) for my grandma's 88th birthday... EIGHTY EIGHT leh, cannot miss no matter what, somemore grandma always seem happier if we were there, and also Rachel haven't met this greatgrandma of hers (yeah, she has 3 of them, 1 in Klang, 1 in Ipoh and another in Johor)...

Seriously, just think about it, she's 88 years old, how many more birthdays can we spend with her, another 10 would be a blessing eh? -- NOT that I want anything to happen to her, but we need to face the facts sometimes...

Just so you guys know, WE DIDN'T BRING A LOT OF THINGS THIS TIME AROUND... We initially planned to stay overnight, as I was on MC on Monday (to open stitches mar), so thought no need so rush, since the dinner was at night... We only brought 1 big bag for the clothes for all 3 of us (Tecky, Rachel and me lor), 1 bring around bag for Rachel and and and, THAT'S IT! WAHAHA... MAJOR improvement eh??? Anyhow, we came back the same night after all the preparation, because my mom wouldn't want to let my brother drive alone, after the accident he had the other day... hmm...

It was HAVOC eventful... As some of you might have known, my mom's side of the family is SUPER HUGE! Lucky not everyone was around, some in Korea, some not free etc, else, EVEN WORSE... Just considering grandma's son/daughter/son in laws/daughter in laws/grandkids/grandkid in laws/greatgrandkid (lucky no greatgrandkid in laws yet), there's about 100 of us... Imagine how to fit everyone in 1 house... WAHAHA... yeah yeah, greatgrandkid itself, she oledi have 30++ maybe... hahaha

Aiyoh, my story damn long this time...

Anyway, Rachel met with many of her cousins (first time meeting relative that is of same generation as her leh), and her 10 days older cousin (daughter of my cousin that is residing in Miri now, they came back for the occasion & CNY)... That's her (name is EnEn) in the photo... I TELL YOU!!! So different carrying her and Rachel leh, she's so much easier to carry, lighter (average weight as opposed to the overweight daughter of mine) and doesn't struggle as much as Rachel, and she quietly lets EVERYONE carry her...

What I was disturbed is that, cousin didn't tell me that EnEn was sick, until after we let all the kids play together and touch and all, then only say, she's sick! AIYOH, I hope Rachel doesn't catch the virus.... :|

Anyhow, Rachel was averagely obedient... haha... No major fuss, except she doesn't allow ANYONE to carry her, except me... So I didn't have much time to catch up with the rest of my cousins... The dinner was OK, Rachel had bits and pieces of things (mostly baby biscuits and bread) throughout... And lastly, let me show you PART of the havoc... hahaha... Below is the photo of maybe a quarter of the family in the restaurant... There was about 20 tables dinner, inclusive of some extended family and friends...

Labels: Events, Rachel's Outing, Trip

There was a BIG bloggers meet last Saturday, in Charcoal Bay (Jln Conlay)... It was also to 'celebrate' LaundryAmah & AnnieQ's birthday... It was total HAVOC I tell you... SO MANY ppl, SO MUCH food, SO many kids, SO much talk... I don't think I talked to everyone, I know I've been jumping here and there, but it was FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN!!!! We should do this more often... hahaha...
p/s: too bad it's non halal... *roll eyes*

Below are the photos I've compiled, I (and Tecky lar of course) took a total of 160 photos just that night! *slap forehead* Now thinking of how to send to everyone, and I have a headache trying to select the photos to post here too... I like all of them, but this are a few of the cuter photos of the kids that I compiled... There's photos of other kids too, but but, too many to put up all lar...


p/s : No name tagging, so you guess who is who lar... And no blurring out faces too, cuz err, a little too small also lar... :D

I really had a good time... Meeting (finally) with everyone after reading so much about them... hahaha... It lasted until pretty late, we left about 10++pm I think, and I have never seen Rachel so tired... As soon as I put her on her baby seat (haven't even buckle up leh), she konk-ed out instantly...

p/s: yeah yeah, I forgot to Thank Angie for the cake... YUMMY!!!! Arigato eh... And Tracy too, for the blackcurrant jelly...

Labels: Events, Gathering

~ Backdated Post ~


Hmm... I call this part 3 (saving the best for last), but it's the actual reason why we were in Penang in the first place... For LiSze & SK's wedding...

This was Rachel's first wedding dinner attended... Throughout the dinner, she behaved TREMENDOUSLY! Didn't really want to sit on the baby chair that the bride got the hotel to prepare, but she sat on our lap, got carried around a bit, and at the end (about 10:30pm or so), slept on Tecky's shoulder (of course, WAAAAAY pass her bedtime)... I do think the wonderful singing from 2 old chap helped a lot... hehe...
p/s: Rachel clicked with 1 of my friend very well, he's the tall lengchai (Cantonese: Good Looking) standing on the most right (behind his gf with a white shawl) in the group photo... hehehe... She let him carry her, and sat on his lap, quietly, playing with his GF and looking around... Good eh? hehehe...

It was sorta like a gathering for the rest of us eh? (of course just part of the coursemates lar)... A get together, after so many years from graduation... Of course, it could have been better (like if we could all sit together, or like if we could spend more time chatting and catching up), but oh well, better than nothing leh! I wonder when will be the next 'gathering' time for us, or at who's dinner (hehehe)...

Labels: Events, My Stories

Rachel's 1st Christmas...

Of course she is too young to know and understand any celebration, but granduncle had a christmas (cum birthday for my aunt, ie Rachel's grandaunt) party yesterday night... Granduncle (and aunt Ellen of course) gave Rachel her first x'mas gift, properly wrapped up... Rachel being Rachel as such young age, was more interested in the paper than the present!!! (I'll post photos of this when I have them from my uncle, I have to add, it was taken with D200!!! OMIGOD, I LOVE those photos... and that camera... SIGH! I want one... hahaha)...

Aunt Ellen was a little sad seeing Rachel only cared for the wrapping paper... hahaha... It WAS very farnee leh... She was so engrossed with the wrapping paper, even when I took the present out for her, she didn't give it the slightest attention!!! Even when she dis, it wasn't for the bear itself, but the small paper tags attached to it! When I turned it upside down so the paper tag cannot be seen, Rachel tug on the washing label attached to the bottom! *slap forehead*

But I'm very sure that that in a few months time, Rachel will know how to enjoy her present... hehehe.... For the record, this is Rachel's first X'mas present, a cute little white bear, with "BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS" written on the chest... hehehe... :D

Labels: Events, Rachel's Gift

We are going to PENANG!! Yeah, I hope that it wouldn't be too jammed up... But oh well, we didn't choose the date... Cuz we are going for LiSze's Wedding...

Here's to wishing LiSze a wonderful wedding day, and also a happy and prosperous life ahead as a couple... A friend for Rachel soon I hope... hehehe... :) CONGRATULATIONS again... Can't wait to see the beautiful bride... :D

Labels: Events

I have SO many things to blog about, but so little time, that I don't even know where to start... haha... So I guess this blog is going to have bits and pieces of things, with my mind jumping in and out... :|

Firstly, most importantly, Rachel is confirm teething!! :D
White bumps appeared on her lower gum on Thursday (16 November 2006). She's starting to rub her toys across her gum, and fussing a lot more... I'm not sure if the latter is related, but I sure hope the fussing and manja-ing decreases when her gum feels better...

Secondly, Rachel can now roll over all the way (she rolls from back to tummy towards her right side, then from tummy to her back again, also to right side)!! I first saw her doing this on 12 November 2006 (last 2 Sunday), but because the bed wasn't leveled, I tot it was just gravity and the slanting which helped her, so I dismissed it as coincident, but she did it on a leveled mattress on the floor again one of the weekday (if I remember correctly, it should be Wednesday 15 November), and again yesterday 19 November 2006! I'm very happy, I did not miss this!! Hehe... In fact, even the maid-babysitter didn't know about it, until I announce it to everyone yesterday... However, little Rachel is still VERY lazy, she won't even turn to her tummy much, so chances of seeing her turn all the way is pretty slim... She likes to lay there and play, or demand to stand more nowadays.... That brings me to the 3rd point, she can stand unsupported for a while now... We help her hold onto something, either the bar of her playpen, or daddy's legs, and she can stand for a while...

On Saturday (18 Nov), my god-mum ('adopted' kind of lar) came down from Batu Pahat again, and this time around, with 10 (out of 19, yeah, she has NINETEEN grandkids, eldest around 13, and youngest being few months old... she'll have 20 if Rachel is included as her god-granddaughter, and Rachel's the youngest if so) of her grandkids (my nieces and nephews, in the age range of 1-12)!! Trust me, it was a total chaos, and a big headache... This is the first time Rachel in amongst her generation, as she's the eldest grandkid in both hubby and my side of the families, she only have cousins from Batu Pahat! They were SO noisy that she didn't sleep at all the whole day, until they left in the evening!! *phew*

Lastly, we bought Rachel a baby chair yesterday! hehe... We were initially looking for a high chair, but when we saw this, we fell in love with it!! It's from Fisher-Price... Yeah, a little pricey, we paid RM169 for it, but looking at how excited and comfortable Rachel was in it, it's totally worth the money... It can be strapped onto our chair, so she can eat at the table with us (there's an adjustable height leg to it, 3 levels), or it can be lowered (for safety reasons) and be put on the floor... I LOVE IT! I guess I was more excited with it than Rachel was!! Oh, I forgot to mention, there's a fitting dish plate with a cup holder that can be fit onto the tray, and a cover for it too... It's really really nice!! Oh, I think it helps train her with her sitting too, cuz with this, she won't be leaning in front... Too bad it's only for children up to 20kg... But we'll think about that when she reaches 20kg or when she couldn't fit into this now... :D
That's all folks! :D

Labels: Events, Milestone, Rachel Huan

I got a surprise yesterday morning on the way to work. As my old watch has sharp edges around it, I normally remove it before I reach home, to not accidentally hurt Rachel, and only put it on either on my way to work or when I reach office. Yesterday morning, after a reminder and some hints from him about surprises etc, I searched my handbag and found a new watch for my birthday! He took my old one out and replaced it with this without my knowledge... HeHehe... I was a little surprised, as hubby never was a surprise planner, and never any good in it, as I would always be able to see through him...

Dropped hubby off at the LRT station near Amcorp Mall (yeah, hubby takes the LRT to work), and was told he got a meeting at 9am, so ok, I'm not to expect to see him online until he finish his meeting then... Anyway, my colleague (Alice) 'dated' me for lunch in Pyramid, and I agreed not knowing and not suspecting what was coming, until I heard her talking on the phone saying 'Yeah, we are coming up now, meet at the foyer', that I suspected that someone else was coming along, but had no idea who... Once we got to the foyer, I was surprised again cuz hubby was there (in my brother's car)!! Questions like "how come he's in casual clothing?", "isn't he at work?", "how come he's here?" jumped all over my head, I must have had the weirdest, funniest look on me, while he has this satisfied smile on his face!! Yeah, he took leave yesterday, TRICKED me into thinking he was going to work by stopping at the LRT as usual, then took a bus back home to get my brother's car, waste some time, then come online and acted like he was at work, then picked Rachel up to come trick me to lunch, and Alice was in this too! Hubby contacted her and planned all this! So there I was in the morning, thinking that I have had my birthday surprise this year, and he was actually keeping more in his sleeves!!

That was our lunch! We ate in Tony Roma's (Sunway Pyramid). I like the ribs, tender and nice, but couldn't say the same for the chicken (BBQ chicken and buffalo wings)... The blended lemonade was good... Ambience is OK, service was wonderful... On seeing Rachel there, the manager even offered babysitting help, and when politely declined, striked up a conversation about his kid and played with Rachel a little... They even gave us a booth, big enough for 6, so Rachel could have more space! Very thoughtful... I'll definitely revisit, but for the ribs, and not chicken.... :D

In the evening, another surprise was awaiting when Alice got me another slice of cheese cake! Arigato, I ate that with hubby when I arrived home... hehehe... Arigato again Alice...

At night, there was a simple celebration with my family (it's some sort of a tradition in my house, since birth, every year's birthday will be celebrated, with at least a cake and red eggs, so this is pretty much 'expected' and no surprise here)...
Little Rachel was a little fussy, cuz according to hubby, she wasn't willing to sleep the whole day, and the celebration was a little pass her sleeping time too... She did cut the cake with me (hehehe)... It doesn't really feel different, but then this is the first year I'm celebrating my birthday as a mother, hehehe... It really does look like she knows what she's doing with the cake cutting doesn't it? hahaha...

I actually sorta ate 4 cakes (for birthday) this year (as photo below shows). One was when we had a farewell for a good friend that was going China and celebrated an early birthday of us all (4 scorpios together, me being one of them), 2 slices of cake (one from department colleagues, another from Alice), and the cake from my family...

All in all, it was a wonderful day... Actually, hubby never used to be a surprise planner, he never had surprises like this for me before marriage! I'm impressed... hahaha...

Labels: Events, Journal

I had a pampering session in the saloon on Saturday, a wash and a massage while hubby was at home taking care of little Rachel, although he wasn't really feeling well, was down with sinus due to the haze problem. However, from then on, the weekend was nothing but HECTIC!

We had a wedding dinner to attend to that night, good friend of hubs back in secondary school. So we were supposed to leave Tina and Rachel in my mum's place so they wouldn't be alone, but end up, EVERYONE had plans, and they still had to be alone at home.... *shrug*
I called back at 10pm (mother being mother, can never not call back eh?), and Rachel still wasn't asleep! Anyway, this was the first night she had to sleep without me helping her with her night routine, and I guess it wasn't really good for her, cuz on Sunday, she woke up CRYING and FUSSING and KICKING and VERY VERY cranky! (which continued the whole day)... I better not be doing this too often... :(

Sunday spells another hectic day.

Hubby's colleague/friend was supposed to come for lunch, and because he was bringing a bottle of Bordeaux, normal pizza wouldn't do justice eh? We did our shopping for today's lunch on friday night after work, when Rachel is asleep, hubby and I snuck out at about 11pm to Tesco (good thing Tesco's ope till 1am on Fridays & Saturdays night). We were prepared to have mashed potato, baked mushroom & broccoli, with pan fried BBQ lamb. Friend was planning to come see Rachel, and take photos, so Rachel was all pretty in her new blouse (mind you, it's supposed to be for babies of age 18-24 months) from grandma, and a pink jeans from AhYeng CheChe (bro-in-law's girlfriend in Australia). We then found out that Friend was not in the condition to come, and I was told that he still feels like shit today! So, err... The lunch was then shared out between hubs, myself and Tina, with a few more in the fridge! And Friend, if you are reading this, the next time, you'll come with food as well... HaHaHa... :D

So so, lunch verdict, a little too salty, but it was good. It would have been great with Bordeaux, really... HeHeHe... We were having lunch while watching bad luck Schuey's engine failure, and I'm super sad! I wanted him to win! I was all ready, to jump in joy, seeing Scheuy lead from the start after taking over Massa's pole position, but what luck! WHAT LUCK!!! I'm mean, I'm vicious and I hope Alonso will have an engine failure or any other problems and could not complete his race in Brazil and Schuey will win the championship, be the first to get 8 championship wins and retire in the spotlight. He still already is retiring as a star, but, it could have been better... :(

Anyway, the hectic Sunday has not even really started!

I had 3 crabs crawling around in my house for the whole afternoon before we cut them up for the night's steamboat dinner. Inlaws came over, to celebrate mom-in-law's birthday which was supposed to be last Thursday.

We had a whole full table of food. Imagine we only finished half of the things hubby and I prepared! And to top up, inlaws bought A WHOLE lot more, not knowing the amount of stuff we already had. The whole afternoon (except for the F1 race) was all about food preparation! FOOD FOOD FOOD! Rachel was fussing during dinner time, and therefore I don't have any photos to show. Rachel actually fussed the whole day, hubby was getting tired of caring for her while Tina and I prepared for the dinner, and couldn't stop complaining about Rachel being a spoilt brat!! Anyway, dinner was tiring, with Rachel fussing and cry, and InLaws getting restless hearing their beloved grandkid cry, but there was just TOO MUCH food. Actually, both hubby and I would rather have more food than to have not enough and everyone not satisfied. SIGH, super greedy... I know... Which explains the tummy discomfort today... :(

Labels: Events, Weekends