What so good about having a daughter

Usually I wear quite casual to work, jeans most of the time. Since I'm work in IT company, and I don't have to go out to meet client, so our dress code is smart casual. But this year, the HR & Admin lady encourages us to wear more formal to work. So for a change, I started to dig back those pants and shirts, that I used to wear more than 10 years ago in my previous jobs. Surprisingly I still can fit in most of them! Hahaha! I am so happy. Most are long sleeves shirt and black pant, which will never outdated as office wear. Even though they are getting a bit tighter to wear now, but I'm happy able to fit in those clothes and wear them to work. Many thanks to breastfeeding. :)

Early of the week, my mom gave me some of the clothes that she cannot fit into them now despite she just bought them last year. So they are still pretty new as she hardly wear them. Few are even still the new one! (She just found out that she cannot fit into them when she wants to wear them.) My mom is still working. And she works inside a shopping center. So you can imagine that she get lots of chance to shop and buy clothes. And she got pretty good taste too. These clothes are not the aunty look type! (Else I won't take them. Hahaha!) I got 5 pair of jeans, 2 halter tops, 3 one piece dress and 1 very good quality cheong sum that she bought from her China trip. There were few others that are not so suitable to me so I did not take. The timing is just good. As I was thinking of getting some new jeans as those that I am wearing now are getting very old. :)

Yeah, I and my mom are about same size. She probably just 1-2 sizes bigger than me. And we are about same height. So it is very easy for us to share the clothes. Whatever she cannot fit, most of the time I can just fit to them nicely. :) I still can remember in the past, whenever I need to go for any dinner or function, since I don't have lots of nice dresses, I will borrow them from my mom. So the same group of people will not see me always wearing that same dress. We can even share the shoes! Yes, we have same shoe size. Very good for me, isn't it? Hahaha! You see, I got a mom who likes to shop, and she got a daughter (me) who seldom shops! We are just complementing each other. LOL! Since after giving birth to kids, whenever we go out do shopping, most of the time we shop for the kids. It has been very long time ago since me and hubby shop for ourselves. And if I go shop alone, most of the time I will come home with empty hand. But if I go shopping with my mom, I will come home with lots of bags! Hehehe! Luckily this happens only once in a while. Seldom get a chance to shop with mom anymore since we both have different timing now. And also I still have lots of clothes inside my wardrobe as I did not change much after giving birth. :)

It's fun to be able to share so much with my own mom. Also because she keeps herself up-to-date. Or even better than me since I don't really go shopping that much. Hehehe! I hope, next time when Lynn grows up, I will be able to do the same with her. It will bring us closer, more like friend or sister rather than mom and daughter. :)

Milk, Cheese and Butter

Since I was young, as far as I remember when I was in primary school, I don't like to drink milk. However every morning before going to school, my mom will make a cup of milk for us. During that time, I was like drink half cup and pour the other half cup away while mom was not looking (Shhhh!!!!! :P ). I just simply don't like the smell and taste of the milk. I still can remember that time I only choose to drink Nespray only, because the milk of this brand smell and taste least strong as compared to other brand like Dutch Lady. So my mom will only buy this brand. It continues even when I entered Secondary School. Until now, I still don't like to drink milk. Even during pregnancy, I did not drink milk at all. Cheese and butter too. I just cannot stand the strong smell and the taste. I don't eat this food since I was very young. And I'm the only one in my family who don't eat this food. While other family members love them so much. Hahaha don't ask me why. I think it's just like why some people don't eat durian. :)

Hubby on the other hand, love milk, cheese and butter very much too. The cheese and butter in the fridge are for him only. :D When the kids are born, I was thinking will the kids same like me, don't like these food or they will be like hubby, love them very much? Since both kids are fully breastfed when they were still a baby, so they should be following my diet right? As I never eat this food while I was pregnant and breastfeed them, so will they accept or reject them too? It actually turns out that Lynn loves cheese a lot. And she must have a cup of milk before going to sleep. Else she will wake up in the middle of the night crying for milk. Whenever she has bread, she will ask for either cheese slice or butter spread. We don't have margarine at home. Hubby does not fancy margarine. We buy butter spread instead. As for Hao, he eats everything the sister eats. So I believe he's also another cheese and butter lover. Three of them (hubby, Lynn and Hao) can finish one packet of the cheese slice very fast. They eat it as snack. Do the kids know that I don't eat this food? No they don't. :) Whenever Lynn offers me, I just tell her I don't want to eat. Hehehe! So I'm still the only one in the family who does not take milk, cheese and butter. :)

I don't want to be rude

Those of you who are living on the same country with me, I'm sure you may also get some phone call, from XXX bank, telling you that "Oh you are very lucky, in conjunction with our promotion bla bla bla you have been chosen to enjoy this special programme only offered to our special customers bla bla bla", right?

To me, I don't really mind getting this kind of phone call. I do understand that they are just doing their job. However lately, I met a person that I really cannot hold back and got myself very rude to him. He was trying to sell the insurance plan to me. Normally they will call up during office hour, and ask if you can talk or not. He said it is about a special program offer to me. And then he started to talk about this special program Apparently is an insurance policy. I tried to be nice and polite, and I waited until he finished explaining everything. I also tried not to be biased, and asked a few questions about it, just to make sure I do understand what he's trying to offer. Alright, now time for him to ask if I am interested on taking the offer. Well, the policy did sound good. I was thinking maybe I should check with my SIL, who is an insurance agent, about this insurance policy that he offered me. In another way, yes I'm considering getting it. So I told him I want to think about it. And that's where the story begins.

He thought maybe I was not too clear about the benefits of the policy, and tried to explain to me again how good it is, how different it is from other policy (apparently all insurance agent will do the same thing too). I told him I have no doubt on how good the policy is, I just want to discuss with my husband about it as it involved additional expenses to the household. He quoted example of Jusco member day, where the offer only valid for one day and I cannot go back few days later to buy the things paying the offer price which is not valid anymore. I then reminded him that, at least I was informed on when is the Member day in advance (Jusco will send mail to all the Jusco members before the event take place) and I can always go with my family and we can decide on the spot whether to buy or not. He continued to say things that trying to convince me to buy on the spot, telling me (again) how good the policy that I need not let it go bla bla bla. What I dislike about him, as if he's right all the time and I was not doing it right, or my action of discussing with husband is unnecessary. While being a consumer and customer, I believe I have my rights of doing thing according to my way and make my own decision about it.

It had been more than 15 minutes on the phone with this guy and I was in the office, early morning. I started get annoyed on his long winded speech and I finally told him that, I am not interested to buy anymore. I just want to hang up and continue with my work. I know I sound very rude. I definitely prefer a better way to end the phone conversation.

One month later, I got another call from XXX bank again on some special offer again. This time I become smarter and I asked is it about insurance policy. He said it is about an special offer to me, for my birthday actually and it will just take me 5 minutes. I recognized is the same annoying guy that I have spoken earlier. Immediately I told him, if it is about insurance, I'm not interested at all. As I do not need a new insurance policy. Well, he did not give up. He insisted I should listen to him first. And then he continued to talk about the insurance policy. I waited until he finished, and repeated to him that I don't need a new policy and I'm not interested. He still keep on asking questions about what insurance that I have etc trying to convince me this is different from my other existing policies and I should get it. Well, I already mentioned that I am not interested, why can't he listen to me? Anyway, I still answered his questions, and insisted to him that, I'm not buying! And I want to hang up because he's disturbing me to work! I know I am rude. But again, I don't want to waste my time on him. And he finally got the message and hang up.

He's not the only tele-marketer who calls me up. I do receive lots of other calls on this special offer thing too. But most of them, when I said I'm not interested, they won't explain more, they will just say Thank you for your time and hang up. I think it is important that in the sales and marketing line, you listen to your customer. Not necessary that even if you are selling the best product in the world, we must buy from you. There are time when we buy a product, not because it is the best, but because the sales person has the right attitude and that make us feel happy to buy from them.

Not so naive anymore

It is very interesting to see how a child grows. A lots of time, I'm amazed by the nature, like no one teach them (I mean the kids), but they just become like this. Being the youngest in the family, and constantly being bullied by my niece and also sometimes by Lynn in the past, Hao has become very protective. Whenever my niece get near him, he will shout at her, giving warning "don't come closer!" as he knows that she will snatch the toys from his hand. And with Lynn, we have been keep on telling Lynn don't snatch, but ask from Hao. She did change trying to ask Hao to give her nowadays, but Hao is also getting smarter, he won't give the toy to her easily anymore. He knows Lynn wants the toy and he "purposely" does not want to give her. Hahahaha! See, what you sow is what you reap. :D This is what I told Lynn "You see, last time you refused to share the toy with didi, so didi learn from you and refuse to share the toy with you now." When I told Lynn in the past, definitely she could not understand what I mean about that. Until now when Hao does the same thing to she. Well, it's just the matter of time for Hao to learn to share.

Nowadays Hao knows how to get our attention. He will call us "papa papa", "mama mama" all the time. Asking us to carry him, sit on our lap, want us to play with him etc. Sometimes, when Hao is sitting on one side of my lap, and Lynn come over to sit on the other side, Hao will complain and try to push Lynn away! My mom even told me that one day Hao tried to push Lynn away because Lynn refused to let him step out of my parents house. But at home, they will still play together. And very often Lynn will come and tell me "mama, didi refuse to give me toy"; "mama, you see didi take this to play"; "mama, didi ...... "; "mama, didi...... ". :D

In terms of food, whatever food that Lynn is eating, Hao wants a share as well. In fact, he's eating more than Lynn. Cheese, ice cream, vitagen, yogurt, juice etc you name it, all are their favorite. Every weekend, they will come to me asking for food almost every hourly. Hao started to choose what he wants to eat. If he does not want to eat that food, he will shake his head. He will point to the food telling you he wants more. He will point at the fridge and ask me to open for him to take food. He can finish the whole cup of fruit juice within 5 minutes but take half a day to finish a cup of plain water.

When I am washing dishes in the kitchen, he will bring a stool, climb on it and see me washing. And then stretch his hand over the running water, or the wet basin to play with the water. Exactly like Lynn last time!

Hao likes to imitate Lynn a lot. Whatever Lynn shows us, Hao will imitate also. Sounds like kiasu hor. Hahahaha! But sometimes this is good. :) Like Hao used to complain whenever I wash his hair, as I would just shower the water right from his head while he's in the standing position. So he will complain when the water runs into his eye. But not so anymore after he saw that Lynn has no complain about it! I used to shower both kids together at the same time. Lynn can bath herself, and put on her own clothes. So basically I just need to attend Hao. One day when I was getting them ready to bath, Lynn told me "Mama, boy and girl cannot bath together." I'm very surprised with that sentence actually and I did not expect she will say something like that. I did not ask her but I suppose must be the teacher from the school told her that. Hahaha! I replied her "Other boys cannot, but didi can." Hahahahaha! When I first bathed them together, Hao got curious over Lynn's body and stretched his hand over wanted to touch her. And immediately Lynn shouted "Don't touch jie jie! " Hahahaha!

I have no problem taking care the basic needs of 2 kids. But when come to educate them, to love each other, to share with each other, definitely it's a much more challenging job. However at this stage, I don't want to think too much about that. I think it's just the matter of time for them to learn. I can see that Lynn is learning and she definitely loves the didi more then the didi loves her. So it's just the matter of time for Hao to understand about siblings love and we just have to continue telling the right thing to them. Despite Hao is getting mischievous, I have not become annoyed yet and instead, I enjoy myself very much to have them around me. It is very interesting to see how the 2 kids with different character, interacting with each others, and with people around them.

Going out for lunch

Finally, after one and a half year of eating buy-back lunch from office, I can go out have lunch with hubby. This is because, all these while, I was using the lunch time to do my homework - expressing milk for Hao, in the office. So for the past 18 months, I have not been stepping my foot out from the office for lunch, have not been experiencing the hot weather or raining days outside the office during lunch time. :) Except few occassions where there was some celebration during lunch time, I have to adjust the "homework" time earlier before lunch. Even during weekend at home, I was also expressming the milk at home, to maintain the supply. This time, I was really hardworking as I would like to bf Hao as long as possible.

2 weeks back, finally I decided to stop expressing the milk. Due to stress and mood etc, the milk supply has been dropping a lot. It is not worth to express now as I get little only. Thus I have decided to stop. But I'm still continue bf Hao in the morning before coming to work, and at night before he goes to bed. So in the afternoon, the bm is replaced by fresh milk. I will continue bf him at home, or whenever he is with me, as long as he still want it. I hope we can continue at least until he reaches 2 yesars old.

In the past, hb will buy back lunch for me in the office (we work in the same office). So while having my lunch, normally I will blog hopping to visit other blogs. Since I have started going out for lunch, the time spent on visiting blog has become less. I would like to apologize if I do not come as often nowadays. I have not forgotten my blogger friends. Don't worry, I will sure catch up on all the posts that I have missed and leave my comments whenever possible. :)

Another new year

It's the beginning of another new year. This year, I did not do any planning or any new year resolution. Why? Hmm just don't feel like doing one. Just want to let things be natural. Just feel like want to do whatever I feel like doing at that time. Noticed myself is becoming more and more emotional lately. I'm used to be less emotional. Alright, cheer up! Love this picture. He never fail to make me smile just by looking at his photo. :)


Hao is 18 months now. Can walk very well and steady. Likes to eat a lot. Never fail to ask for food, especially from Lynn and me, whenever we are eating. Cheeky too. Started to get interest in playing water. Whenever I'm washing the dishes, he will take a stool and place it next to the basin, and step on it to watch me do the washing. This morning, he climbed up the stool in the bathroom and watched me brush my teeth. :D He started getting very jealous with Lynn too (siblings rivalry - another big challenge here) and become more possessive to the toys that he is holding. If Lynn asks him to hand over the toy, he will refuse (even though he is holding two on his hands) and make noise to complain about it. Like to stick to me a lot. If I'm sitting in front of the PC, he would want to sit on my lap. If I refused he will cry. He does not speak too much words yet, mostly single word (except papa, mama, mom-mom, nen nen, hello) but we overheard he said "thank" (instead of thank you), jie (instead of jie jie) and try to imitate the words that we said. He know what he wants and if he does not want it he will shake his head. Know there are food in the fridge and will stand in front pointing it asking me to open the fridge for him for food. :D Well half year more terrible 2 will start to kick in so I try to enjoy as much fun with him as possible. :)