In My Head

I have been much of a couch potato at home lately as my belly gets bigger. I rest on my recliner while teaching Charlotte homework, watching movie, reading newspaper, reading emails...not very good pregnancy exercise, I know.

One evening, I was watching TV on my recliner, Charlotte started to sing "mi mi mi, mi mi mi, mi so do re mi..." (Jingle Bells) and I was surprised how did she come out with that. She actually sang it correctly, the whole song. So I told her to go to the piano and play it out. I told her to go ahead as I can hear if she plays wrongly and I continued to glue myself on the recliner. I was expecting a boring right hand play, but she showed me this...

It was still boring, but I was very pleased! She is just starting JMC book 2 and she could improvise this!

Pat had told me to teach her "jingle bells" once after the Saturday lesson but I have been procastnating it. I was surprise to hear it came from Charlotte that night. Further more she was playing with her left hand too. So went next to her when she played it again. I asked her if her teacher had taught her this but she said no, she said "I had it in my head!" 

What's In The Mail?

I came home from work last Monday and saw a sweet pink color envolope, with very nice handwritting addressing to Charlotte Chan. I flipped to the back of the envolope trying to find who that was but it wasn't written. So I guess it must be a nice surprise to Charlotte. 

I went to pick her up from school and showed her her first (real) letter that came in the mailbox today. She eagerly tearing the envolope apart (first timer, don't know how to open an envolope) and it side it was a beautiful birthday card!   

It was a birthday card from Auntie Cheah Wei and her daughter Yan. I had invited them for the party but unfortunately Auntie Cheah Wei was travelling that time.

The card was a very authentic idea, every single words was hand written by Yan and that includes the address on the envelope (very nice job) and there is also a McD voucher. What a wonderful idea, thanks CW and Yan!!!

Charlotte's 5th Birthday Party

We celebrated all Charlotte's previous birthdays with just close family members. This year Charlotte started to request to invite her friends and she started counting down many months back. Pat and I agreed that we will organize a birthday party for her since she has established her own circle of friends now.

We made this party all by ourselves, invitation, decorations, cooking, kids activity and etc. Both Pat and I took a day off and started the preparation since 8.30am. We first went to the market and get all the fresh ingredient and my busy kitchen only got settled down shortly before 6.00pm, just right before the guests arrival.

Charlotte came back from school and her first reaction was "wah!!" and she exclaimed "Thank you mommy and daddy!" as she noticed all the decoration we had put up.

She especially excited with the children's table setting, she chose the party hat herself and I think it was a perfect choice!

In my kitchen, I have:
1. Hokkien mee (typical Penang prawn noodle)
2. Seafood Marinara
3. Roast quarter chicken
4. Mash potatos
5. Tang yuen (glutinous rice ball in pandan and ginger soup)
6. Cranberries orange cupcakes
7. Horlicks doggie cookies
8. Ice cream
9. Party give aways

From other kitchen supply:
1. Birthday cake
2. Mini fruit tarts
3. Sweet tapioca kuih

Too bad I didn't manage to take the pictrures of those food that I prepared, but that's not the highlight of the party. I think the highlight of the party was the cupcake decoration activity.

I baked the cranberries cupcakes, and prepared some colorful butter cream, fondant cutouts and sprinklers for the kids to experience cake decoration, and they can bring back their own creation :) I had a lot of help from all the mommies to make that session successful...

And the results...

I prepared boxes for the kids to bring home to share with their love ones. I think that was a lot of fun!

This year, the birthday song was sang very loudly and very warmly, and there was a lot of happy smiles we noticed. The birthday girl was definitely thrilled to have her friends around her.

The one thing she kept pestering was to present tea to us. I had wanted her to do that after the party but I think she wanted to show to everyone this special practise that her school had taught her. So we gave in and this was how she did it, in front of every guest...that was priceless!

Another priceless showoff - All these happy faces!

At night Pat asked Charlotte if she was happy and enjoyed the party, her response?

"Yes, and when is the next party?"  *mommy fainted*

A Big thank you to all for attending the party, and all the best wishes from friends and relatives!

A Letter To Baby

Charlotte wrote a letter to baby last week, I can't believe that baby's 1st letter was from her sister...

I love mommy because I like mommy. I oso love you baby so I like you baby. I love baby when baby come out. I will take care, I will not fight with baby. Baby is my friend, I love you baby. This is for you baby.
I am Charlotte. I oso your friend.

She's Such An Angel

I am very blessed to have Charlotte, she's such a sweet, understanding and sensitive girl even at this age. As I am marching in further at 2nd trimester, many of the early stage pregnancy sicknesses are gone but some new symptoms have surface too. When I was suffering from morning sickness, I tried to avoid letting Charlotte see or knows about it. I remembered once it hit me really badly and when I came out from the bathroom, Charlotte was crying and said "I don't want mommy to sick, I love you mommy!". It must be hard for her because I always seem strong to her and she probably felt insecure when I fall sick. It took her awhile to overcome and understand that I was ok after all.

Lately, I have been suffering from backache and I woke up with severe but sudden muscle ache on my left arm the night before. The pain was unbearable, but there was nothing I could do as Pat was not around and it was already midnight and I couldn't get help anywhere. I waited until morning came, get Charlotte ready, dropped her off to school, went to office for an important meeting and by the time I get myself out to hospital was almost 10.30am. I put on the cream subscribed by my Gyne all day when I was in office but it did not relief me much. I couldn't bother much at work because of my workload but when I got home, I felt like my arm was falling off my body. It was almost 9.30pm when I finally decided to visit to a nearby pharmacy and ask for help. I knew this pharmacist and he was very helpful for my last few visits to the store. He recommended my a patch and also a hot water bag. I immediately the patch on when I got home and Charlotte was watching me. She was again breaking down in tears "I don't want you to sick mommy!" while lightly pat on my arm. No matter how I assured her that I will be fine and the pain will all go away soon I couldn't stop her from crying so sadly. She was still sobbing when we went to bed. She did her bedtime prayer and this was what she said:

Jesus, I love my mommy and daddy, so please ask my baby to be good and don't make my mommy sick. Because she is so pain and I don't want my mommy to (feel) pain because I love her. Please ask my daddy to come home tomorrow so (that) he can help my mommy and my mommy not pain anymore. Jesus hear my prayer, Amen.

I was so touched hearing this. This is how sincere a kid can be, and I am glad that she knows to turn to God and ask for help. That night I hugged her to sleep and deep down I also pray to God to relieve my pain and let me have a good night sleep as I have a heavy responsibility at work and at home. I had a hot water bag on and I slept like baby in no time.

I am all recovered in the morning! Hallelujah!!