Holiday Mood

Yippie, holiday is coming, today is my last day at work, then I am off for the rest of the year. The girls are waiting excitedly to visit their grandparents at Sitiawan and Penang. So tomorrow morning, we are setting off to Sitiawan for a few days, then to Penang. will be back to KL for Christamas and then heaqd back to Sitiawan again for a family get together. My sis from Tawau will be back also. We will be celebrating my parents 70th birthday and take family photo!
Oh i so look forward for the break!

Something about me

In another five days time, my status will change from full time working mum to full time mum for a while then to part time working mum(2 days a week) from 2009 onward. I am excited about the changes but at the same time feeling pressured as I want myself to be more involved in my girls life yet not sure how will i manage. I guess it is the uncertainty that's stressing me.
I intend to home school Qi Ning and Qi Yu since it is only pre-school. I am learning up the phonics myself and am having a hard time remembering all the sounds hence the stress! hahaha getting old, memory is failing.
One thing i am very please with myself is that I manage to get a scholarship for my PhD study even though is only for a year but is renewable yearly. At least is some kind of affirmation for me and also will serve as a motivating factor to complete my study in the duration the scholarship allowed for if I want to renew it next year. Thankful to God for His provision of the scholarship!

My girls

The two girls are growing up real quick. They are now at the stage where they can play very well with each other and also fight and argue with each other. I love them so dearly and Qi Ning would say :"I love you much more Mummy!"

Recent Happenings

I have been so busy till no time to blog and blog hop for so long! Now, finally everything is slowing down. Exam is over and all the seminar is over, I can "kiew kar" liao.
So many events have taken place within the last one month. Celebrated Qi Yu 2 year old birthday, celebrated our 5th year wedding anniversary as well. Sat for my first semester exam, received the news of getting my scholarship. Finished marking exam paper and submit the grading to UM. Signed the scholarship contracr, did the stamping etc. Went to Melacca to give a seminar. It was really a hectic month. Glad that things are slowing down.
From next year on ward, i shall be fulfilling Qi Ning's request to work part time only. My boss offer me part time, two days a week. Is quite a good deal. Really thankful to God for His ever faithful provision.
I perceive thing will be different next year but will be for the better with more time with the little one. Do pray that I will make good use of my time.

Art Class

Today is the first time Qi Ning attending an official art class. She seem to be excited about it. The teacher is a lady from china and she is teaching from her home nearby my house. There will be Qi ning and another girl who is 8 year old.
I am keen to find out how she fares being in class by herself for the first time. We have never leave her alone in any place prior to this. The teacher initially say it will be one and half hour but we felt might be too long, so we are starting her with one hour first.

one more month

In another month time, Qi Yu will be two years old. This little girl of mine is growing up so fast. She has definitely grown taller but I did not get her meausrement. During the Raya holidays, everyone commented that she is so much taller now.
At 23mths, this little girl of mine impressed a lot people with her singing. she could sing many many songs now till mummy also lost count. All the sunday school songs and also the song from the 四千金CD that was passed down by my sis-in-law. It is very enjoyable to sit down and listen to her singing. Now she will sing for others as well when she is in the mood. I think she getting a bit more sociable.
She has also begins to develop her reasoning and has been using the word because for quite sometime liao. Recently, we were talking about the big bird who cooked breakfast for the grandma and brought the breakfast to the bed for grandma bird who broke her leg. We had the following conversation.
Me: "Can Qi Yu cook breakfast for mummy and bring it to bed for mummy ?"
Qi Yu: "No, because Qi Yu is too small to cook!"
See she is good in answering back now!
She still have not learn to sleep through the night and still need mummy to nurse her to sleep. I try to wean her off the breast but failed! She is quite a light sleeper and wake up easily. So mummy is still having panda eyes!
She is a delightful little girl, i just loves her soft voice! Happy 23 mth old my dear Qi Yu.

Sian

I have been so slack in updating lately. Was so busy caught out by work, study and what's next after i quit! There is just so much on my mind.
Last friday, I bang my car in um carpark. I don't know why I was so careless, my mind was just so blank when it happen. ANd that cost me RM500, all the left front light is all gone and the car is still in the workshoptill today. So "sian" I am!

Changes

They say the only constant in life is change. Even though i know it but when is time to change, it can be so tough at time!
I am making a major change today by putting in my resignation letter. I have been working in the college as a counsellor for the past eight years and making the decision to move on is not an easy one. I don't know what I will be doing next after quiting here. Hubby say to concentrate on my PhD and maybe do a bit of part time.
Letter has been typed and signed, waiting to be sent in to the relevant people and I am moving on. What comes next I really don't know but I know the God who hold my tomorrow. So I guess with that knowledge, I can step out in faith!

Walk by Faith

Last nite, the people from 生命之路came from Sibu to share on how they started their evangelistic trust and how God told him that to do God's work, one must not based on man own understanding but must be based on what need to be done for the kingdom of GOd. don't let the financial resource constraint what one need to do. he was sharing how when there is only RM3,000 in his account when the need for that moment is to produce CD worth RM16,000. He obeyed God's prompting and went ahead to get the CD and started distribution. when they finished distributing, the money also came in for them to oay off the debt. He challenge us to step out to experience God.
For the last two months, hubby and I have been talking about me quitting my full time job as Counsellor and maybe to concentrate on my studies and maybe just do some part time teaching. I have been struggling with it for the longest time, wondering how we can manage with all the rising cost. Hubby assured me that we will be ok but still I am kind of worried.
But since Wednesday, I have been seriously thinking about leaving. Originally I was thinking of leaving only after i am sure I can get the scholarship but now, it seem like is time to leave. I felt i really should move on and allow God to lead my next step.
As I look back, when I resigned from church in 2004, I also had no where to go but God provided the job at just the right time. So I think I should just step out by faith again as HE knows what's best for me.

Working's Mum Dream

Qi Ning have been requesting that I work on alternate day. Last night I was asking her why she want mummy to be home all day. Guess what is her answer? Her answer was "i loves you" heart also melted after hearing her answer!
So i am working hard to get a scholarship from the University. Just saw the advertisement on Monday where UM is giving out scholarship for full time post graduate study. If I can get the scholarship then I will quit my job and be a full time student. Then I think I can be home at alternate day as requested by Qi Ning if not more.
I told her about the scholarship application and she has been asking me if I have got the scholarship almost everyday. How i wish is so simple, apply and know the result immediately. I am so tempted to quit my job but can't if i don't get the scholarship. The closing date for the scholarship application is next friday. They told me they will atke about 1-2 mths to process the application and if i don't hear form them within 6 mths that means no hope liao. So is still a long process of waiting and dreaming about getting the scholarship!
How' nice it would be if I do get it then I can have more time for my girls.

Snap shot of my girls

Long time didn't post any photos of my girl, here are another two recent photos of my precious darlings. Qi Yu is now 21 mths old and she is chatter box at home but as quiet as a mouse when there is any unfamiliar faces around her. She can sings many many songs and attempting to do self care task such as dressing and wearing shoes and sock by herself now.
Still not much hair but is growing. after the milkstrike, I thought I could wean her off totally from my breast but she is fighting for her right. So she is now back to nursing on demand!
Qi Ning is growing up fast as well. Even though she is not attending kiddie yet but she can write her own name now. She was proudly showing it to us this morning. She always tell us she don't want to go to school as she want home schooling!
Qi ning is quite independent now as she can do most of the self care task by herself, like changing her dress, tying her hair(of course not as tidy), putting on sock and shoes for herself. She liks to help up with the house hold chores whenever she is in the mood. Nowadays she will make her request known to us as to what she want for her birthday etc. She is a sociable girl who is always inviting friends to come over to her house!
Life is fun with two girls!

Bikers

It seems like this is a seoson for cycling. The children in my neighborhood are cycling and my Qi Ning caught on the fever and my baby girl also want to cycle. Luckily, we have two bicycle at home so each girl can have one to themselve.

These photos were taken on Saturday at a playground near my house. The first photo is that of my two girls and their favourite play mates from the neighbourhoodSuanne and Julian. Qi Ning can manage the bicycle by herself as the training wheel is attached while Qi Yu still don't really know how to peddle yet. She just put her feet on the peddle for show. But she enjoys sitting on the bike and having me pushing her from the back as if she is carrying me on her bicycle. She seems to like the idea that she is big enough to be carrying mummy around on her bicycle!

On strike

For the past two days, Qi Yu goes on milk strike. She refuse to drink powder milk as well as breast milk. Her usual quest to be nurse at night also stop! Even though I have stopped expressing milk at work, each day when i reach home after work, her first request is "Mummy, I want nen nen." But this request stopped two days ago. And ecah night before she sleep she will request for her fix as well and in the middle of night, she sometime will request for comfort nursing. But all these stops in the last two days!
She had fever on Monday and then go on strike Tuesday. She is drooling a lots, maybe she is teething again. Also because we had too much of a durian feast lately, so everyone is down. Qi Ning was also not well and mummy too.
From the strike, I think I am going to wean her off the breast permanently now. At first I thought it would be difficult to wean her off the breast because before the stike, any mention of weaning her off the breast will bring about a big fight from her. Now with the strike on, even when I offer her she would say "NO". Looks like mummy is going to have a breeze again in weaning my girl off the breast! :) But I do hope she won't goes on the milk strike for too long. Will need to ask her jiejie to persuade her to drink cow milk as she likes to follows her jiejie!

After 30 months....

Yes, is about 30months liao, my good friend didn't visit me and yesterday she came by. It has been 30months that I have enjoyed without the monthly period pain or discomfort that goes with it. but now it has return with a vergence. Yesterday was the first day and I had bad headache, today is the second day and I am having period pain.
After so long, i sort of forget what it is to have menses, now I am feeling it all over, don't know whether should celebrate or what. Hubby said is good isn't it, is normal to have mense!

Two months more...

In another two months time, Qi Ning will be turning four, how time flies. My girl is a big girl now. She can do most of the self care tasks by herself now. She can change her own clothing, tie her own hair, wear her own shoe with sock, brush her own teeth and feed herself. There will be time when she would want to "manja" mummy and want mummy to feed her. I try as much as I can to encourage her to be independent. Overall, she managed all the self care task quite well.
Qi Ning is a sociable girl and she loves to invite people to come to her house for visit. She loves to play with other children who are slightly older then her. She can play badminton quite well and the other day, she was teaching a girl who is 7 year old how to serve a ball! I was having a good laugh observing how she was showing her new found friend at the play ground how to play badminton! she seems to like to be a teacher, I guess that give her a sense of control.
She loves durian, this durian season, she really get to eat lots of durian especailly this few days. I think she is like mummy, loves to eat and can really eat. So I have to always remind her not to overeat.
Two more months to her 4 year old birthday and she has been reminding mummy to buy her birthday present. Mummy has to really look around for a present for her, if not she would be disappointed. But with kids, I think whatever present given with love, would be apprecaited, so i don't have to worry about the price tag yet! :)





She is

New journey

Last week the semester at UM started and that mark the beginning of my PhD journey. I finally decided to plunge in to take the challenge. It was a stressful week to begins with as there were so many thought going thru my mind. To study or not, to teach or not, how many classes to take, what subject to take, to resign or continue working . etc , it was so stressful.
My Prof. told me to apply for tutotship in UM and offer me to teach one subject in UM. I applied for the tutorship, no news yet but I am tecahing one class. He asked me if I wnat to tecah another class, after consideration and making all the necessary arrangement I say yes. Then was told that due to some techinical limitation on the amount a part time lecturer can claim, only claim a maximum of RM9000 per semester, I am not able to take two class. Now I have to reschudule my class and everything. So upset with them for messing around with my schedule! And even though I have registered as student, I can only starts to borrow libary book one month later, how inefficient! Only consolation I have is that I get a staff parking after paying a RM20 deposit so I don't need to fight for parking space as I can park at the designated area for staffs.
There are no answer to all the questions I have but at least I am more settled now, knowing that I can only teach one class, take two subjects. Still need to change the class time with my students. They probably think that I am frickle minded but I have no choice. So wish my all the best as i goes on this new journey!

Twenty Months

Qi Yu is twenty months old today. Gosh the time just flies. She is one sweet darling to behold. At twenty months, she can sing and talk very well. But she will only sing to her family members i.e mummy, papa n jie jie. She won't sing to other poeple. still very shy and cling to mummy a lot.
Now she want to dress herself and will want to choose her own outfit. She would be very happy if she can successfully pull down her panty and sit at the potty by herself. She is toilet trained for the day time.
The growing sense of independence is getting stronger nowadays, she will exert her right by saying "this is Qi Yu" and push you away if you try to impose on her. When you ask her something and she don't want to answer, she would say "I don't know." And she know how to use the word because. She has got quite a good sense of comprehension. When ask her the who, what and why questions from the story books, she could answer quite well.
Still want to nurse to sleep and throughtout the night. This is one habit that mummy is trying to break but find it a battle.
Such joy to have her!

Milk Powder

With the recent increases in all sort of things, milk powder has also increases. Good for those of us who are breastfeeding, we saved quite a lot on milk powder. But there will be a time when breastfeding stop and we need to buy milk powder.
I breastfed Qi Ning till she was about 20months then I swiatch her to formula as I was few month into pregnancy. I am still breastfeeding Qi Yu who's gonna be 20mths soon and I am thinking of weaning her off my breast. I am tired of expressing milk when at work, mummy is getting lazy. So I was browsing through the prices of different brands of milk powder and talking to different mummy about the type of milk powder they give to their kids. Many try to give the best as claim by the advertiser. Those with all the DHA, AHA lah whatever knot being added to the formula so that the child will be cleverer by taking that formula. When I looked at the prices different between those which supposed to make the child cleverer, it is almost 3x more expensive.
For Qi Ning, when I wean her off my breast, I was fortunate to have the formula supplied to me via my SIL. So I didn't mind whatever brand as it was one of those that claim to have all the important ingredients to make the child cleverer. Later when the supply discontinue I just buy for her whatever that is cheapest on the supermarket shell. Sometime is Dumex, sometime is DutchLady.
Now that I am thinking of weaning Qi Yu, I am thinking of giving her the same milk powder that I give to Qi Ning. But then there is this nagging thought of if I have given my children the best in their growing up years in term of the kind of formula milk that I choose? I think the advertisers is feeding on this kind of fear that parents might have.
So shall I just give them the cheaper version of the milk powder or should I go for the branded milk powder which is 3x more expensive? Will they will less developed mentally just because i didn't buy them the 3x more expensive milk powder? Hopefully not! Looking at my girls at the moment they are growing up very well and are achieving their developmental milestones spot on! But being a mum, the nagging fear is still there, what if I miss giving my girls the best nutritions (aka milk powder) that they need to help their brain to develop in the early year! But I can rest a bit because I breastfed both of them for as long as I can!

Saturday Excursion

When we were young, we go places via public transport aka bus. But nowaday, almost every household have cars so travelling on bus become a novelty. Qi ning has requested to go on bus for a couple of time since last year. So on Saturday, we took a bus ride down to cnetral market. The two girls enjoyed the ride very much and Qi ning wanted to requested to go on another bus ride on Sunday!
I haven't gone on the bus ride for soooo long myself. If given a choice I prefer the comfort of private car. It took more than an hour from Puchong to Cnetral market and the stop and move cause me headache. But it is all worth all since the gilrs enjoyed it. Is an experience for them. MAybe when Qi Yu is bit older we will have another go at taking bus down town.

Hospitality

Qi Ning loves loves to have visitors. Very often she would ask why isn't so and so visiting us and ask if we could get her cousins to come to her house.
Last night, one of the church friend came for a visit. She was very happy. After greeting the guest, she went to the kitchen. I was wondering what she wants to do. I saw her pulling a chair and climb up to take a cup and starts pouring water. At first I thought she wanted to have a drink of water. Only later I found out that she wanna served the guest!
My maid was telling me that if there were visitors, Qi Ning would tell her to serve drinks, I guess now instead of asking the maid, she decides that she is big enough to do the serving herself! My girl is growing up.