Early Christmas for Rachel

It's early Christmas for Rachel this year. Yesterday, she got her new bicycle from me. Her old bicycle was a bit too small for her now. We got the 2 supporting small wheels out from her old bicycle but she was unable to balance herself after a few attempts. Initially, I thought of putting back the 2 supporting small wheels back for her but the shopowner said that the bicycle is a bit too small for her now, might as well, buy a bigger one for her? I have been wanting to get a bigger bicycle for Rachel for quite some time so I thought that was a good idea too and her old bicycle was a bit rusty at certain parts. So there she got, a new bicycle and she loves the color of the new bicycle.

After buying the bicycle, she saw a make up doll at one of those weekend stalls at my place. She has been wanting to get those makeup sets to play, but nowadays, the makeup sets were no long those paper plastered, fake type. They are using the real makeup with colors. I was worried if it will spoil her complexion and most importantly, I was worried that she makeup herself till I can't wash away the colors on her face. :P So now, there was this doll where she can play the makeup with. Instead of making up for herself, she get to do it on the doll face. I got it for her too. After she finish playing, she just use a wet tissue to wipe off all the colors and she can start making up all over again. Of cos, Rachel enjoyed playing with this doll as she gets to makeup for the doll. Once, she used yellow as blusher on the doll's face. I was really glad that there is such a doll out there. Imagine Rachel using yellow blusher on her own face! Well, I can imagine the headaches I am going to get when she grows up.... Rachel is quite a vainpot..

Today, she got a new Hello Kitty Handphone from me and my mum. The handphone that she was using was actually a pass down from my mum to Jonathan and then to her. Jonathan got a new China Handphone set from my mum then, those that enable you to watch TV while on the go. Jonathan found the Handphone very bulky and wanted to take back the Handphone from Rachel, so now Rachel has got no Handphone. Through my mum's friend, we got the Hello Kitty Handphone (made in China and dual sim card) for only $90. Rachel like having her own Handphone so that she is able to download her favourite songs, while for me is that I am able to contact her! Although she is only five this year, but she always like to play at the playground, or the basketball court, if not, she will be at bookshop playing games. At times, when I reach the coffeeshop after work for my dinner, most of the time she is nowhere to be seen. :(

Rachel's 5th Birthday Celebrations

Yesterday was Rachel's 5th Birthday. She had two celebrations in one day, one for the school classmates and the one for the uncles/ aunties/ gong gong/ po po - friends of mine and my mum. Same as last year, the celebration at night was held at the coffee shop, our usual hanging out place. :-) This year, Rachel is a Care Bear fan, as she has chosen Care Bear design for both her cake and jelly.

The school celebration was quite fast, lasting only 30 mins. Celebration started at 3pm, which is their Hi-Tea time. After the students settled down at the dining area, the birthday song was sung, cake eaten, they proceed to their music room for the party bags distribution by Rachel. The students sat down and wait for Rachel to call out their names to receive the party bag from Rachel. Rachel became the 'Teacher' then as her friends were trying to gain her attention to be called out. ;P Rachel actually scan through her group of friends and called those who were behaving themselves in the room first.

Jonathan told Rachel during the school celebration that he will buy her a present. After the school celebration, he insisted that I bring him round our neighbourhood to 'shop' for Rachel's present. He chose the snooker table because he himself wanted to play. :-) He actually opened the present and played with it first, citing the reason that he got to help set up the thing for Rachel.

The celebration at night was just simple dinner at the coffeeshop for mine and my mum's friends. The uncles/ aunties all either gave ang pows or big presents to Rachel. Dishes was ordered from the zi char stall and after eating, it saved me the trouble of cleaning up etc as there will be people cleaning up. That's why for I have been celebrating for Rachel's birthday at the coffeeshop for 2 years. :P I ordered a Care Bear Jelly instead of the usual cake for the night celebration. The jelly was home made and it was actually quite nice, but a bit costly though. Hmm... was too busy eating, forgot to take pics of the food. ;P Dishes ordered were fried mee sua, fried rice, duck, prawn roll, ngor hiang, mixed vegetables, satay and my favourite... chilli crabs.

After the dinner, I took out the jelly for the 'jelly cutting', and there were only 3 kids singing the birthday song, namely Big Rachel, Rachel (birthday gal) and Jonathan. The adults were busying chit chatting with each other... After the kids had their jelly, they proceed to the next block to play with the fire sparkle, bomb bag and pops that I bought for them to play.. One of Jonathan's friend came to join them for the fun. Guess what? They used up the 100 sticks of fire sparkle that I bought in less than an hour!

We went back home at around 10.30pm, carrying all the birthday presents. When we reached home, Rachel started to open all her presents. This year, she received a dress with necklace & bracelet (from me), 3 bags (Minnie bag from Jenny Po Po, Hello Kitty from Harng Min and Care Bear from Ivy), 1 Care Bear DVD & tibits (from Harng min), a princess lunch box and tumble (from Ivy), 2 big soft toys (Mickey & Pooh Bear from Pauline & Lao Gong Gong), 1 Hello Kitty sticker maker (from William) and a small snooker table (from Jonathan). After Rachel finished opening her presents, she was ready to knock out for the night. :-) After all, she had a day full of activities, fun and attention from people!

Disappointment

This evening, my boss announced to me that this year, we will be getting only 13th bonus (AWS). Reason being economy is very bad, money is very tight and of course, to save cost.

I was utterly disappointed with him. Some time back in June, he told us to give him our Key Indicative Performance (list of things that we do) for him to judge our performance and that our performance bonus will be based on this list. Of course, he will also add in his own expectations to our list. Well, now this indicative list is useless!

What more disappointing was he initially told me that he will be giving me a trip to Japan this year. Next thing was that the dates clashed with his own personal events and thus we were all unable to make it for the trip. In order to "compensate" me, for the next few mths, we got to work harder and help him achieve his target for the year, I will be rewarded with a travel package worth $3,888. Guess what now? Of course, due to the bad economy, the trip and the package gone. He had encashed the Japan travel tickets for cash and now using a small portion of it to pay for a trip for me and my girl to our favourite place... Genting! W**!!!! (those who know me well will know what it means! :P) And that happens to be my birthday gift from him too! That is at the moment our favourite place because that's where I can afford to bring my family to! Based on the miserable pay that I'm paid and the bloody long working hrs, it is really depressing!

He has never given me any respect of the fact that I need my rest and it's way after working hours and I need my family time with Rachel too! By getting pay from him, means that I have to work 24/7! Having said that, he just called me to give instructions for work to be done tomorrow. I have been seriously thinking of looking for a job for quite some time, and of course, hoping that I have a better boss this time! Now, it's time for me to move on.

Rachel.... Growing Up

Time really flies... must admit that I'm getting older. :(

Last week, I brought Rachel to have her passport photos taken. Her current passport photo was taken when she was 1 year old. I am worried that she might not be able to pass through immigration one of these days as her outlook has changed over the years.

As Rachel grows older, her face shape becomes sharper (no more baby fat on her face) and her eyes seems to be getting smaller... Sigh.. When will I stop mentioning her small eyes??? ;P

Racial Harmony Day

Yesterday was Racial Harmony Day for Rachel's childcare. They were told to wear clothes which represents their races. Rachel got to wear this Cheongsum which was bought by one of my mum's friends.

Well, I must add that Rachel is quite an attention seeker! When she reached her school, the principal and teachers were "wowing" and "oohing" at her dress and she got the smirk face on her. :P There were other children wearing the same outfit but different color and I just wondered if they got the same treatment when they arrived.

As usual, I brought Rachel in to her class and within minutes, the whole class were crowded round her, including her form teacher telling her how pretty she looks etc. I thought I could get away then. Next thing I knew, Rachel called me and waved me a sweet "bye bye" and blow goodbye kisses to me with all her classmates and teacher watching.. Sigh, another attention seeking act by her.

Is she learning to act so that she can become an actress?? I hope not! :)

New Toy in our Family

Rachel has been pestering me to get her a PSP since January this year and I kept dragging it. Firstly, cost factor and secondly, I don't want her to get one as I knew Jonathan will be the one playing it most of the time. During CNY, the two kids just don't mind go house visiting then as they wished to collect as much Ang Paos as possible to fulfill their dreams of getting a PSP. Even when they 'hit' the target, I just kept delaying getting one. It was really too expensive to get a brand new one! $380 for a set! My heart ache even though it's not my money.

For the past 3 weeks, I borrowed a PSP from my brother to keep Rachel occupied when I had to work OT during weekends. I bought a 2GB memory card and downloaded games for Rachel. One of the Saturday, she on the set and the set just couldn't read the memory card at all. Went back to the shop which helped us to download the games for Rachel and they guy said, Oh dear! It seems that the card reader is spoilt!. To repair just the card reader part, it cost $100+. My God! Just imagine Rachel's face went blank and pale! Especially that the set belongs to my brother and surely he will screamed our heads off.

No choice lor, got to call my brother to tell him the bad news... true enough.. screamed my head off lor. As for Rachel, she was so scared about her uncle scolding her, refused to go to his place for the next few weeks. My brother asked his friend to check out what happened.. Chey! the memory card sticker got stucked inside. Phew!

After this incident, I really felt that getting our own set is still better. At least, if it was spoilt by us, no one will grumble or get angry with us. So I set out to 'enquire' about brand new sets again. But the 'cat' part of me is still there.. refuse to part with the $300+:P I guess 'upstairs' knew about it and sent me an angel. I got a call from the HP shop salesman on Sunday while Rachel was having her music lesson. He told me that he had a 2nd hand PSP and it was still in good working condition. Asked if I'm interested. Price... only $160. I was like.. Wow! Can check it out man! Not too expensive and anyway for Rachel's use there's no need to get first hand set as I don't know whether can she handle such an expensive toy!

I told Rachel about it and she was really excited about it. We immediately head back home to check out the set. Guess what? It was a bright pink set and Rachel just love it! Her favourite color! We check out the set, reserved and went to draw money for payment. I got my brother to help check out the set again and he said it seems okay. She was really proud of the set even though it was a second hand one. This was the first time she uses her own money to get something which she wants. Hopefully, she will really take good care of this new toy.

I guess from now onwards, in order for me to save my money, I will just tell both the kids to start saving and and get in themselves.

Rachel's Art Class Drawings

After 1 month of Art Lesson, I think Rachel did quite well for her drawings now. :)

For her first lesson, I did blogged about it.. Her python-ducking. Ha ha ha. On her first lesson, Teacher commented that she don't know how to draw, drawed very ugly etc. Her little pride got hurt so badly that night. :) No mood for MacDonald's dinner after that. For her second lesson, dear Rachel was so stressed that her Teacher told me that she actually went to the toilet 4 times in 1 hr! After we left the class, I asked Rachel about the frequent toilet breaks and she told me that it was because she don't know how to draw. Sigh.. Poor little girl. So i supposed that was the reaction that she will have once she's stressed.

So for her third lesson, I told Rachel that I will accompany her to give her moral support. Surprisingly, she did draw quite well that day. To-date, that's my favourite drawing. She got a A+ for the first time and that really booasted her confidence. After the lesson, she told me : Mummy, I can draw, you know? Next lesson, you no need to come to my class with me." :)

For her fourth lesson, I gave her a call at home before she left for her lesson. Told her that I will fetched her after her lesson and also told her that I don't want her to keep going to the toilet. When I went to fetched her, she was the last one to finish coloring. Wonder what she was kaypoh-ing about in the class. :P This time round, she got another A and was of course, very proud of it. Because, this time round, she managed to get the A without mummy around. :)

Music and Art Classes for Rachel

One of the weekends in January, my little darling told me that she wanted to learn music. I was happy as well as shocked. I remembered one year ago, I brought her to Yamaha Music School and asked if she wanted to learn Music. Her answer then was a straight and firm NO! Yet, now she herself told me that she wanted to learn. So that very afternoon, both of us went down to Yamaha Music School at Jurong West to find out more about the course. We were told then that the course already started in January 2008, but there will be another class in April 2008 and we could registered our name under their waiting list for April's class. Rachel was quite disappointed then that she couldn't start immediately.

The next day, which was a Sunday, we went down to Jurong West Street 51 where most of the enrichment, tuition centres were, to check out the Music schools and courses there. We went to Cristofori Music School. Rachel wanted to learn Electone Organ but I told her no. Firstly, we must have the Organ at home in order for her to practice, and there was the cost factor to consider. Secondly, she was too short to step on the pedal with her left leg and control the volume with her right leg if she were to be seated on the stool. :P. Learning piano seemed quite okay for me except that I got to get the piano, and for Rachel she may have to exert lot of strength to play the key. 2 down and left with Electronic Keyboard. Cheap to get the Keyboard and also just right for Rachel. There was a time slot for Sunday, 3pm - 3.30pm and it was an individual course. Rachel was very interested then and wanted to start the lesson immediately. I registered her for the course then and told her the lesson will start only in February.

We got a 61-key keyboard through my sister's boyfriend who's working in a toy warehouse. Cheap and free! It cost only $20 as it was a display set with a little crack at the back (which was not noticeable), and was a gift from him to Rachel. :) So far, she has started the lesson for 1 month and starting to play with both hands. :)

As for the Art Class, it is held at the CC which is less than 10 mins walk from my house. 4 of her friends are in the class and she wanted to join them too. She had her first lesson last night. Guess what? They were told to draw a Python! Nearly faint when I went to fetch her after her class. Of all animals why must the teacher teach them to draw that????? And guess what? My dear girl, anxious to go home, did not finish coloring the background. Teacher rejected her work of cos and she had to finish coloring the background as well as to draw the outline. At the end of the whole thing, her Python to me looked more like a duck. Ha ha ha ! :D

She showed her teacher her artwork and when the teacher was commenting on her work, she was very disappointed. Teacher showed her again how to draw the Python and as it was only her first lesson, she was given a B for the coloring and effort. :) After that, we went to Mac for snack. She was still very grumpy and disappointed as it was shown all over her face. I asked if she enjoyed the art class, she said: No Lah! Teacher don't know how to draw snake! I don't want to join already. Ha ha ha. Then I realised that her little pride was hurt by the teacher's comments. Told her it's alright, as it was only her first art lesson. Next time, listen to teacher's instructions carefully. If don't know, ask teacher again. At the end, bought her a Mac ice-cream cone and she cheered up again. Sigh...

Today, she is practising at home, learning to draw that Python to show to her teacher that she can draw. Ha ha ha

Long time no post...

It was really such a long time since my last posting. Whew! Had been really busy, with what? Work lor, what's new?? Well, since when have I become such a workaholic? Where have all my party life went? Sigh.

During these few months, nothing much happened. Home - office - home life as usual. This January was different becos it was BONUS TIME! Hurray! Worked for 1 year just for this day! Just as my paycheck was being deposited into my bank account, my mum told me that she needed to get a new cupboard to store all the things in the kitchen, namely the floor rags, etc. She has even checked out the design, measurement, price and color available for the cupboard! I bought another cabinet for my room. So there goes part of my paycheck.

Since Jonathan is in the morning class this year, my mum will have to bring Jonathan to school at around 6.45am and so I will have to wake Rachel up and change for her etc. Her mummy here is already always waking up late, already not enough time for ownself still got to tie Rachel's hair. Sigh... So here I am, suggesting that she cut her hair short, since her teachers have also been telling her that. She agreed to cut her hair, and when I brought her to my hairstylist, he asked us what design we had in mind to cut. Rachel replied : Cut the same design as my mummy. :P She loves her new hair style, especially when people commented that she looks like mummy. She just hate it when people told her that she looks like "him".

And CNY is approaching, got to buy new clothes. I guess, this year I spent the most on clothes. Just last Wed, I spent $320 on clothings in a shop itself. When I left the shop with the 10 pieces of clothings that I bought, I felt my heart bleeding too! Since when I spent so much on myself, especially on clothes! My God!

Last Thursday, in the morning around 10am, I got a call from my mum. She told me that Rachel's school teacher called her informing her that Rachel had vomitted twice in school since that morning. And as Rachel had ran out of clean clothes, her teacher asked my mum to bring new clothing for Rachel. Told my mum to bring Rachel to see the doctor, better don't wait and hurry! Guess what? I called my mum back 10 mins later, she told me that she was about to go and buy new sets of clothes for Rachel as well as to check if the clinic was still open. I was so angry and pissed off! What was she doing during the last 10 mins? Still chit chatting with her friends???? What can I say or do when I myself was still in the office? Luckily clinic was still open when my mum went to fetch Rachel back from school. The doctor said that Rachel's tummy was quite bloated and she should be okay. Just got to be careful with what she eats as her digestive system is not that good.

When Rachel reached home, she called me and told me that she had just seen the doctor and that she vomitted in school etc. Told her to take the med and sleep for a while and mummy will "try" to come back asap. As I was leaving the office at around 8pm, I got a call from my mum asking me where am I etc. As usual, working late again. Guess what? My mum said that Rachel had a fall and she had scratches on her face! My God! I was so worried about how bad the fall was? Did she hurt her eyes? And also CNY is approaching and she fell and hurt her face! I was so worried and went to took a cab back home instead of MRT. Thank God there was no q at the taxi stand, partly becos of the increase in cab fare.

Rushed all the way home and found that Rachel was already sleeping. Guess she was too tired due to the medicine she took and from all the crying she had from the fall. My mum told me that she kept questioning Rachel as to how she fell, she just shrugged and said don't know. There were no bruises or scratches on her hands and legs except her face! I was wondering how she fell too! Questioned Jonathan too but he said don't know too. When I looked at my sleeping princess with her bruised face, my heart just broke.. :(

Next morning as I bathe Rachel before she went to school, I asked her how she fell she told me that Jonathan told her to step on his shoulder. As she step on it, Gor gor fell and she fell next on the ground. That was how she hurt her face. Nearly fainted! Were they trying to play Lion Dance???? I asked her that how come Ah-ma asked her last night and she refused to say anything? Replied : Gor gor said cannot tell Ah-ma.. can only tell mummy. *Faint faint faint! So much for being loyal to Gor gor. Luckily her scratches are healing quite fast and well now. Told Rachel that if my CNY, her scratches still shows, she's going to stay at home with me. Since then i bet she must have been praying very hard for it to heal asap!

Last Sunday, I brought Rachel to Christofori Music School at Jurong West St 51 to enquire if there was any classes suitable for her. Found out that they have got a Children Music Course for age 4 and above. Rachel was so excited about it. We took a tour round the school (it was actually quite small). There were piano classes and Electone Keyboard classes going on then. I asked Rachel if she was really interested in learning and which one she wanted to learn? She told me that she wanted to learn the Electone Organ. I was surprised and happy at her choice becos that was what mummy used to learnt. :) But then, I told her no. Reason : she was too short and small size. How to step on the pedals and played on the upper and lower keyboard, yet still got to read the scores? So we decided to choose Electone Keyboard. Reason being the keys are softer than piano and also cheaper to get a Electone Keyboard than buying a Piano or Electone Organ. So, I registered her for the Electone Keyboard course starting on 3 Feb 2008. Rachel can't wait for the class to start. In fact, she insisted that she wanted to start learning that very day. I hope she will keep this enthusiasm going and not only for a short period of time.

Now, we are just counting down our days to 3 Feb 2008 and CNY for the great long holidays. :