An experience at Pulai Desaru

We made our way to Changi Ferry Terminal to catch our 10am ferry.The terminal was a pathetic place.It seems as if no one was there.Even the security post lacked a guard.It was a far cry from Tanah Merah Terminal.There were no food or titbits available for us to buy so it was fortunate that we had stopped by McDonald's to grab some fish fillets.We wondered how the people who worked there survived at such a BORING place.


My son who can hardly sit still at the terminal before embarkation.

There were barely twenty people on board the ferry.The journey took us by surprise as it took only 20 minutes to get to Belungkor Terminal.We reached the hotel way before noon but there was no available room until 2.30pm so hubby and the little one hit the pool before we went for lunch.

Splashing in the pool!

The ambience and menu at the hotel's restaurant didn't tempt us at all,so lunch was a 5-10 minutes drive from the hotel.We had to pay RM24 for a return trip.We filled our rumbling tummies at this place called 'Din's Corner'.It was just rice with your own choices of side dishes....it was okay I guess.Total cost was RM12,including drinks.What was really nice was the 'tapai'....which is actually fermented cassava.It was very nice-white and smooth with the right amount of sourish taste.It cost only RM2 for a tub (super cheap!).Hubby promised to get a few on Monday before we head home : )

We managed to check in our room when we got back from lunch.The room was spacious with a king-size bed....the bathroom had a clean bathtub,a separate shower and vanity areas.I was happy with these but the rest was abysmal.We could feel grains of sand in the carpet and the balcony,well sucks!It was suicide to open the sliding doors to the balcony....the dangerous-looking grilles,all rusty and eroding,made it impossible for us to be at the balcony.

The little one exploring the room.

As dark clouds loomed above and both hubby and baby were yawning away,we crashed onto the king-size bed and slept the afternoon away (this was hubby's idea of a good holiday-catch up on sleep!).

Dinner was a 30 minutes drive in which we had to fork out an exorbitant amount of RM110 for a return transfer.Hubby was lamenting that he should have had our car here.It was probably cheaper and more convenient to get around to different places.

Anyway,we had great seafood at Jade Garden,Sungai Rengit.We had grouper,baby squid,crabs and lobsters.Yumm!My darling son was eating rather well.He scouped up his rice with baby squid and fish and had a good fill,before running off to say hi to some lobsters.....

The next day,after Subuh,I woke up to find that it was already 9.10am!My baby girl was kicking inside me,wanting some food.Hubby and I rushed to get ready for breakfast as it would end at 10.In the midst of rushing to put on my hijab,I slipped and fell!Ouch!Before anyone panics,I'm fine,not to worry!I fell on my knees so now I have two bruises there : ( After that,I have learnt to be more careful,especially when I was stepping on the tiles.

Breakfast was as abysmal.I noticed a mountainful of nasi dagang that no one bothered to take so I can only imagine how that tasted.It was to the beach and pool later....

We didn't spend a lot of time at the beach.It was definitely not as gorgeous or as safe as at Bintan Lagoon Resort.The waves were unpredictable,sometimes lapping high and scare our baby (even me!).The grains of sand were not as soft and clean as at Bintan's too.After dipping in the waters,the three of us spent copious amount of time in the bathtub together!hah!

All in all,hubby and I agreed that this was the first and last that we are going to Pulai Desaru Beach Resort....and Desaru,for that matter.Though it wasn't as fantastic as when we were at Bintan Resort,we definitely had precious,quality time spent together.We laughed off all the things that were abominable and focus on getting the best out of probably our last trip before second baby!


Fun with his daddy!More pics at Multiply.

P.S.Thanks for the fun time,sweetheart : )

Sweet Pink Or Baby Blue?

I had my detailed scan at 8pm and as always,we were anxious to know if our baby would want to show us its gender.When my gynae asked us to see it for ourselves,my heart was thumping!Did I see it right?

Hmmm......so,would my baby be wrapped in a sweet pink or baby blue blanket when she/he is born??

I did see it right!Between its thighs,well,I didn't see anything 'protruding'.Hahaha.So,my baby's a girl!!!I'm delighted...and so is hubby!We are most happy to know that our baby girl is healthy and doing well,alhamdulillah : ) And so my shopping spree for baby girl's clothes shall begin,hubby said rhetorically as we were gloating over this last night.Opps!

And while I was blogging this,something caught my eye which made me smile like crazy.Darling hubby has cheekily drew something on our calendar marked 21 Aug....



In all this bliss,I must remember to pack our bag a.s.a.p.Yup,we're going on a mini trip early tomorrow morning so au revoir....Can't wait! : )

Brain Stimulation

Been thoroughly busy the past few days.Sometimes,it seems that 24hrs in a day is not enough.Plus,I get to see hubby for only 3-4 hours each night during a weekday,lesser if he goes for his training.But carpe diem,eh?I'm always looking forward for weekends!

Since the second Parent Course last week,I've been busy putting things together to start home practice for my son.Hubby and I got his picture flash cards,dot cards and memory linking tools from the Shichida bookstore.Then,we browsed for other materials at Popular bookstore.I have to do a number of learning tools myself and this takes creativity (a department which I lack...haha).This right-brain learning at Shichida is definitely not based on that 1 1/2hours weekly class....Indeed,parents have to put in a lot of effort,and I really mean a lot,to have practices and perhaps,change habits at home.Home practices are to be done everyday and it takes between 15-30minutes,which is really not that long,but to make this a routine takes discipline and patience.

If this sounds military to you,it's not.It's actually a lot like child's play.These home activities are to stimulate the right brain.We have senses,image and memory play with the child,whereby most of the materials are home-made.And it is always important to be fun for the kids.It is play time as well as bonding time with mum or dad.My son looks forward to this everyday.I have just started the 65 Days Dots Calculation Training with him as well as flashing at least 150 picture cards each day (I nearly got papercuts!).Though it may seem weird or uncomprehensible,flashing cards at a high speed to a child,activates the right brain. Quote : "When a large quantity of cards is shown at a high speed,the left brain,which works at a low speed rhythm stops functioning,yielding to the right brain that works at a high speed.This develops the right brain memory that allows them to memorize things in a flash."

There are a lot of things that I learn though the Parent Course and the course of my child's class every week.Not only do my baby gets to learn,hubby and I learnt massive amount of information through all this.But what is important is that my son has fun learning and always looks forward to it!

P.S. My second baby is 20weeks now!I can't wait to have a peek at her/him tomorrow! : )
Oh yes,alhamdulillah,Dania,the baby of good pals of mine,are out of the hospital....and I hope she's doing well now.

From nosebleed to itchy butt

Counting the days.....

Till the 9th...No,not because it's National Day and I'm excited about it.It's the day hubby's coming back from Australia.He's away for a longer period of time as he had to visit two cities so baby and I spent some weekends at home : (

Absence makes the heart grows even fonder,eh?Hubby said it's even more difficult for him to go overseas for work now....already missing us when he's only at the Changi Airport.Me too actually : ( Baby and I are always looking forward to hear his voice on the phone,it feels like he's just next to us.

I wish I could hibernate till the 9th...hehe....Meantime,our son has been looking for his daddy every now and then....calling out for him and asking 'where are you?' (or in his own words 'are youuuu?'

Anyway,I had quite a shock when I experienced a nosebleed a few days ago.I thought perhaps it was because I had played rough with my son and I had hurt my nose or something.Then it happened again at night,3 times!The third time it happened,I couldn't fall asleep again,kept thinking what was wrong with me.The paranoia set in...and silly questions ensued....I was contemplating to ask a doctor's opinion about this....until the next day,perhaps it was Nature's way to reassure me I'm ok,I received my periodic email from BabyCentre,and there it was-a topic on nosebleeds.....

Since my second trimester began I've had several nosebleeds. Why?
Inconvenient and even embarrassing as they can be, nosebleeds are a perfectly normal pregnancy symptom. Your increased blood supply puts pressure on your nose's delicate veins. The membranes inside your nose may also swell and dry out, especially in winter. These changes can cause those veins to rupture quite easily, bringing about minor nosebleeds.

How can I stop a nosebleed?
When your nose bleeds, remain seated and put pressure on the bleeding nostril for at least four minutes. (Don't lie down, the blood could run into your stomach, which could cause nausea or vomiting.) Consult your doctor if you frequently have heavy nosebleeds, or if the above measures don't stop the bleeding.

Can I do anything to avoid them?
• Avoid nasal dryness, especially in wintertime or in dry climates by coating the edges of your nose with vaseline or you could choose to use a humidifier inside your house • Blow your nose gently. Aggressive blowing can lead to nosebleeds. • Drink extra fluids to help keep all your tissues, including the mucous membranes, well hydrated. As annoying as a nosebleed can be, it's a temporary problem likely to disappear after you have your baby.

So there....I was mildly comforted after reading this.I didn't get this when I was pregnant with my first so it didn't occur to me that it was due to my pregnancy.I guess it didn't help that the weather has been sooooo hot these days too.

The other night,since I couldn't sleep or chat with hubby as he was away,these fleeting thoughts came to me...I'm not complaining or such,it's just something that I didn't do anymore,not for some time,before I got married or since baby arrived.It's a phase of life...whereby certain things change,sometimes even without you realizing it....

• It has been two years ago that I last watch a movie at the cinema.I remember walking hand in hand with hubby at nearly midnight after a movie when I was heavily pregnant then....and that was 2 years ago.


• I don't go to Orchard Road every week like I used to,before I got married.


• I can no longer hop from one shopping centre to the next,now that my son's 'shopping' with me.


• I hang out with friends no longer than 3 hours now.


• Except for some special occasions,my curfew is before 7pm....since I put my son to bed at 8.


• I miss holding hands with hubby when we walk....either we have to chase after our little one or he wants to be carried by his daddy...so I'd just hold hubby by his arm.


• I don't get to sit beside hubby on the front seat.No more lovey dovey while driving...hah.It's time to sit by and keep watch on the little one at the back.....


• I miss taking a plane for my holiday.The last time was to Hong Kong.Hubby's not keen to take our young son on a flight...lest our little one becomes uncomfortable or cranky.

Which kind of reminds me....our next destination is in 2 weeks....yay!We couldn't get the resort on 'stilts' so this is our next option,since hubby doesn't feel like having a roadtrip this time.

I could only presume that this would be our final trip before baby number 2 arrives!I'd be in my third trimester soon,then deliver baby,then confinement...blahh...blahhh...so next trip after this would be hmmm.....in 5 years' time?!!! Nooooooo!!!!Nahh,hubby and I are too 'itchy-butt' to stay in Singapore for long! *grin*

No Carly,So Hamptons Instead

Like I said,it's just the beginning....

That five-letter word has been said oh,so often....and I've been thinking about getting it for eon.

So,I took a little trip to town and got myself this....

*grin...grin...chuckle...*

*shriek*

Yes,I know it's just a bag....opps no,it's not just A bag....it's a Coach! : )

I didn't get myself a Carly,something which I wanted for some time.I got the new Hamptons instead...quite spacious,I think it should fit all my baby stuff plus mine.Though it's a tad more expensive than in the States,I got a kick out of shopping for it.I was torn between the Hamptons Vintage Leather Hobo,the Bleeker Patent Tote and Hamptons Signature,so eventually,I decided on this before my baby boy got bored with mum's shopping.

So now,I can shut up whenever I see a Coach bag...coz at last I got mine... : )

Boo hoo!

We had a good meal at a relative's place on Saturday,celebrating the birth of their second grandchild.It was after 4 when we make our way to the car.Our precious son was carried by sis-in-law.We were chatting when all of a sudden,sis-in-law tripped and fell!There was no time to react,one moment she was walking beside me and the next,she was on the ground.I tried to grab either of them,but my effort was futile.I heard a loud thud as my son's head hit the rough gravel!At that moment,it seemed as if I couldn't breathe.I dropped whatever I had in my hands and grabbed him.He was crying so loud by then,it must have hurt so bad.I checked and re-checked for any injuries over and over again.Fortunately,I didn't see any....but that loud thud....I was quite sure he'd be bleeding.

Alhamdulillah,sis-in-law was fine...and so was my son.Sis-in-law was mortified and of course,blamed herself for what happened...I even noticed tears in her eyes as she apologised....we all know it was an accident.No one wanted this to happen.We were just glad that no one was hurt.

I was pacifying my baby the entire time afterwards....hugging and kissing him endlessly...then trying to make him smile again.He stopped crying after a while but was still holding me tight.Hubby and I kept a lookout for any signs of distress or injury that day.He played as usual...as active and chatty as ever,and he slept well during the night so we were relieved.But that incident got me shook up.I kept hearing that loud thud and the incident kept playing in my head over and over again.I kept thinking,what if the worst happened?If his head bled?If we had to rush him to the hospital?I could have been more swift in catching him or trying to break the fall....I should have walked on the left instead of the right so perhaps that would have prevented the fall,right?Those crazy questions kept ringing in my head.I kept stroking his head that night when I was breastfeeding him...and I couldn't help having tears rolled down my face.The only way I managed to ease my unsettled emotions was by talking about it with hubby.He helped pushed my paranoia away.

It took me a while to be fine again...and I've since stopped checking his head for any visible signs of injuries.But I hope that kind of thing will never happen again.It's one thing when you are hurt,it hurts even more when your child is.

Anyway,we got him a nice gift that evening.Went to a furniture store and got him a bright-coloured study table and chairs....so he'd have a nice place to do his drawings and schoolwork : )

At the store.....

After several minutes of screwing and knocking,hubby and I managed to get these up!Notice my son's 'art pieces'? ; )

Inflation Vs Retail Theraphy

So I have this sudden urge to shop....such itch!

I like this feeling and loathe it at the same time.It means I NEED to go shopping,which is soooooo fun!It also means I'd burn a hole in my wallet...a thing that would set me staring into space and blinking while I calculate the damage....

Not that I'd stop myself,of course!Especially since it has been too long since I indulge (I'm not certain if hubby would concur..hehe...).So I gathered myself and darling son to one of the nearest malls in the area.

My list of things-to-buy seems endless so I took a breather and think of needs before wants (if it helps!).Shopping with an active toddler is not easy.I have to have my eyes on him AND the merchandise that I'm browsing.I thought having him in a lingerie store won't do me much harm...he couldn't break or harm anything there,right?So there I was intently choosing some delicates when the store's sensor alarm went off.Everyone looked towards the entrance-who 'stole' from the store,we wondered?There he was,my son,standing by the sensor,looking at me with those innocent eyes,a white bra in his hand,and asking me,'why?why?'.I was embarrassed,but it was all so funny at the time that I couldn't reprimand him.The ladies in the store laughed at my son's antic.Trust my son to muse them,eh?*grin*

Anyway,we got home with bags of nice stuff for his daddy,him and me.Some Calvin Klein's and DKNY's for hubby and tons of Fox tees and pants (since a lot of his clothes are getting a tad too tight for him),a Spiderman watch and a remote control car for the little one.

And yesterday,my binge couldn't stop so I got these too....

...for my son and his little sibling.

I'm dying to get some maternity wear since my normal clothes are starting to feel snug.My old maternity clothes?I've sold some off and some,well,just didn't seem stylish anymore.Hehe.I managed to get this truly comfy pair of black pants which doesn't cost a bomb!You know how it is-maternity wear are often expensive!Of course the not-so-expensive ones usually look drab.Oh,Marton-Bell's having a sale now...hmmm....

The Great Singapore Sale might be over...but moi,I'm just starting!

Anyway,can't help but post this up in my blog....My darling son all geared up to go shopping with yours truly.... : )

Where do I start....?

Much had happened the past weeks since my last blog.Some were good...while others,well,let's just say they were tests in our life.

My grandmother passed away on a Saturday morning.It was quite a shock.One moment we got a call saying that she was very ill...then the next,she had passed away.It didn't get to me immediately....not until I saw her lifeless body that I began to cry hard.She was the woman who had taken care of me whenever mum needed to go to work.She was the woman who had tirelessly reminded me to do my prayers religiously.She was the woman whom I wish I still have a moment or two with....I still remember my last moment with her....I took her hand and put it on my belly,telling her that she's going to have another great-grandchild,and that,she'd pray for me it'd be a healthy baby girl.

I have lost my beloved grandpa in 1984 and now,her.....She's with Allah now,we'll always pray for her.

A week or so after her demise,my son was hit by the flu bug.He started with a running nose that behaved like tap water turned on.It only took a day for me to get hit with the bug too.Throbbing headaches came and went,accompanied by a stuffy nose and a bad sore throat.We sent our son to the doctor's twice and alhamdullilah,he's so much better now,especially after the fever went away.I hate being sick!I hate it more when my baby gets sick.At least,he's as active as always so it didn't worry me much.

I didn't bother to visit the doctor,simply got some prescribed lozenges and popped panadols one after another.Hubby's head massages helped a bit,though I sometimes slapped his hands for massaging my head a tad too hard...hehe....I'm glad that he managed to fight off the flu bug when it began to hit him.So last weekend was spent at home.I didn't feel like going out at all....Just stay home and rest.

Mum's birthday had just passed and we got her a sleek uPampie handheld massager and she loved it!I should try it when I'm at mum's one of these days!Due to the pregnancy,I hadn't had my personal masseuse knead my aching back for some time now.

I went to Shichida's Parent Education Course on Wednesday.The timing was awful for us and what was supposed to end at 10.30, ended at nearly 11pm.Of course hubby and son were waiting in the car....Hubby was tired as he came straight from work and my son was exhausted as it was way past his bedtime (he couldn't sleep without me of course).I was anxious and couldn't concentrate much when it was after 10....my mind was on my two men.Anyway,the first half of the course wasn't really helpful as the trainer talked about how fantastic Shichida is,its history and affiliates and too much hype about the trainer's children.I guess it's fine if all these are done in say,half and hour...?!What we,parents were there for was to learn about the techniques or best possible ways to teach our kids Shichida's way.....what we need to do at home everyday with our kids to boast their right brain learning.Mind you,we paid hundreds of dollars for that compulsory 3 hours course!We don't want to hear you hype about how this kid is great and your kids are great,etc. for nearly 2 hours.We all noticed how anxious the trainer got towards the second half of the course as she rushed through what she needs to teach us.*roll eyes*

I still have yet to go through all the notes on my own.There are a fair bit of things that I need to learn...Hubby and I hadn't discussed about the materials that we need to purchase too.

Putting that aside,my son likes going for his class.But children being children,they are often distracted easily and my son is the kind who wants to do things himself,so whenever I need to show him how to do an activity,he'd get agitated as he doesn't want me to do it.He'd want the materials for himself and do it on his own.Otherwise,he'd simply refuse to do it.Because of this,I have to tell myself to be VERY patient (especially when patience is not one of my virtues!).I guess being a parent changes us all!

On Saturday,we went to take a peek at our latest little one!



Our baby has grown quite a bit...still couldn't determine it's gender yet but it was so active,kicking its legs and stretching its arms.My gynae took two tubes of blood for a blood test and I really,really,really hope that I don't have to take any iron tablets this time round.I hate the smell and taste of those tabs.Yuck.

In the afternoon,we went to a chalet at Changi for little Akie's birthday celebration.



Her mum was my schoolmate....and it seems it takes us only once a year to meet each other.hah!Akie's also in Shichida and she's picking up 3 languages now and of course,being a Japanese,she has to know the language.Perhaps,my son could learn a bit from Akie.Now,he only knows how to say 'hai' in his Japanese song : )

Later that night,we went to the airport to send sis-in-law and niece who were off to beautiful Turkey.Poor baby was sooooo sleepy and tired by then....



I hope they would enjoy themselves as much as I did when I was there.I'd love to be there again,this time with darling hubby and children....in springtime (yup,I thought of it all...hehe...),but if they want to experience winter,I don't mind that again.Yeah....soon,right dear?Especially now that we are members of the Marriott Vacation Club! *huge grin*
No pressure,sweetheart.... : p

First day of school at Shichida

It was in March that we signed him up for a class at Shichida.As we couldn't get the one in April,we had to wait for another 3 months.The class is at Toa Payoh Hub instead of my preferred choice at Anson Road.So the night before his class commenced,we had an early night (I didn't want to overslept either!) and embarked on our journey early next morning.

Notorious for my late-coming,we left the house very early and take an express bus.Delighted by the super-fast bus journey,my son was the first student to arrive at Shichida.We had our starter kit in hand,apart from receiving a T-shirt for my genius!

I was anxious to sit in class with my son and explore this right-brain learning programme.After some introduction,the activities for the children rolled out.There were 6 kids in his class,ranging from 21-24 months old.My precious one was excited whenever he saw his teacher taking out new materials for a new activity and would extend his hand to the teacher.There were some activities whereby he managed to recapture some images flashed to him,but he has not manage to determine numbers,such that when I showed him a certain number 10 and then asked him to point to me where was number 10 in the next card,he was unable to.But in the 'parent telepathy' activity,he managed to get the item right.Sometimes,he got a tad distracted by a kid seated on his right,who adored grabbing my son's items, and by another girl who cried whenever she stepped into the class (I sympathised with the kid and her mum coz they missed out the entire class).But all in all,he enjoyed being there.

We will have another class next week before I have to attend a Parent Education Course which would give us a better understanding on the programme and the principles of home practice activites,that is,to teach us the best way to tap our child's potential.

Why place my son in Shichida?And to start 'school' at such a young age?I am not a 'kiasu' parent who wants to enrol her child in as many activities and programmes,believing that he would learn everything.Hubby and I placed our son in this not only to have an insight on how to better bond with him while bringing him up in a stimulating environment....but also hopefully,with the ability to have photographic memory,he would be a 'hafiz' one day,Insya Allah.Amin.

Why,it's a Wii!

Hubby and I were excited to go to his company's picnic (though it was not really a picnic this year as it was held indoors!).The venue this year was The Legends at Fort Canning Park.Though we were not late,hubby drove like a race-car driver and we reached there way before 9.I was surprised to see a handful of his collegues were already there...I thought we had to wait upon an empty ballroom...They were far different from my former collegues,I guess,who loved a superstar grand entrance.haha....

Met his friends again and was introduced to some who are new in the company.There were a lot more employees there now since the company's doing rather well and employing more (which means more work for hubby as he needs to train them!).After about ten minutes or so,I was craning my neck to see if breakfast would be served for us.I was famished!Oooohh yes,what a delight when I saw carrot cake and sandwiches being served to my rumbling tummy.I wasted no time....and even had triple servings.*grin*

The rest of the morning was spent playing telematches.Darling son kept running forward to his daddy when he was playing those games and protested when I took him away from daddy so I had to amuse him with other stuff.Other older kids get to paint clays at the kids' area but since he's too young for that,I enticed him with those free-flow chocolates and raisins.

I was getting hungry (yet again) by 10+.Fortunately,more food was served soon after.I had some rice,noddles,salmon,chicken,mutton and vegetables....apart from chocolate eclairs!The food was yummy!But the eclairs can't beat the ones from Thomson Catering.Later,I had more fill of course...hey,I'm eating for two,ain't I?!

We were all anxious for the Lucky Draw....that's the hightlight of the entire event!Winners after winners were announced....hubby and I were quietly hoping that his name would be picked,though not so soon.He confidently whispered that we'd win the top 3...hmmm.....and so WE DID!Alhamdulillah!When the MC announced the second prize winner's name starts with 'I',hubby was beaming!So we got ourselves a cool......

...Nintendo Wii Sports!

We were gleaming....But we had decided that as fun as this could be for us,we don't really have the time for this (we are not 'gamers' or so to say too....),what with our young son and another baby coming up,it's not the time for this...maybe,when our kids are older,heck,yes...it'd be fun!

So yup,we have decided to put this up for sale (like our prize last year...hehe...).Hopefully,when hubby gets back from New Zealand (yes,I'm all missing him now!),we'll get a buyer and a good sale for this!

Anyone interested? : )