What a day!

Hubby and I were not working on Friday 26 January to send Yani off.

Yati wasn't well even though the doctor felt she was alright as there was no pain at her abdominal. He said it probably was something she ate or plainly an "emotional" thing, ie "magnifying" one's pain/agony.

We discussed with Yani about Yati's performance and if she were comfortable letting Yati mind Raeyen alone after she leaves Singapore. Yani was apprehensive at first but her honesty helped with our decision to send Yati back to the agency.

After fetching Kieran from the Kindergarten, we left (without Yati) for the airport. Yani said to me, "I like Raeyen very much."

As we arrived at the airport, Kieran handed his letter to Yani. She opened, read the letter and realised we also left her a bracelet. She said thank you and told Kieran that she will miss him and Raeyen.

As she went into Immigration, Kieran whinned, "Mommy, I want Yani kak-kak to stay."

It wasn't as emotional but definitely it was a pity Yani didn't want to stay.

We dropped the kids at Connie's place so that we could send Yati back to the agency.

At the agency, we selected another maid, Triana, who has 2 years experience in Malaysia, working for a Chinese family with 2 kids. Hope this one is OK.

In the evening, Yani SMS me that she has arrived in Jakarta safely and she missed the kids very much. I called her and Kieran asked if she would be back soon.

Today, we sent 2 maids away... but in 2 different emotions.

Kieran's letter

Kieran wrote a "thank you" letter to Yani as she leaves Singapore tomorrow.

Note that he added his self-styled "hearts" at the end of each line.

We promised to keep this letter as a secret until tomorrow when Kieran hands it to her. I wonder if it would be an emotional chapter for any of us.

Yani has to arrive at the airport at 1pm, and Kieran wanted to send her off. So we'll fetch him from his Kindergarten.

In fact, today has been eventful for me as I just returned from a business trip in Bangkok and had to bring our new maid to the doctor's as she's feeling nauseous. Luckily with my SIL Connie's help, we managed to bring her to the clinic.

Books for kiddos

Dashed to Borders at lunch and got 4 books for Kieran & Raeyen, all at 40% discount, what a steal.

Trick is, you have to be in Borders' mailing list to receive offers such as this one.

2 titles from Eric Carle:
1) Rooster's Off to See the World
2) Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

Another read

Am bound for Bangkok this Wednesday and I know that there's nothing I can do onboard the flight, so I decided to keep myself occupied with another read after I have finished S Kinsella's The Undomestic Goddess.

Went to San Bookshop at lunch and overhead this lady that Jodi Picoult novels were her fav. So I got myself one - Salem Falls - to try.

I had wanted to rent S Kinsella's Can You keep a Secret but the price is still quite steep, so decided to try other author for a change.

Shall update if I like it.

iSwoon...

My God, a look at this gizmo and I'm like "I gotta have it!" ... I mean, it's so cool. I told hubby it is so pretty and looks very me (hah!), hmm... what I actually meant is, it looks more like a girl's gadget.

Shall I wait till next year and live with my about-to-kong O2 Mini? I don't care about Cisco going to sue (or already sued?) Apple for using the name "iPhone" but I really want it! Think!

Yati's first tip

When Yati arrived at our home on Saturday, Yani (our exiting helper) is still around to guide her before she leaves on 26 Jan.

Hours later, Kieran suddenly ran to Yati and said, "Yati kak-kak, you MUST NOT go outside the window to clean OK? It's very dangerous!" Yati nodded.

Yati is getting on quite fine, at least the kids (especially Raeyen) are receptive to her. However her command of English still needs to be improved. Hopefully her progress is like Yani, if not better. We remember Yani first came with near-zero skill in conversational English. Now she is able to understand and speak very well.

New helper

We went to the maid agency to pick up Yati at about 3pm on Saturday.

She's a little taller than me and is learning the ropes from Yani. Raeyen was asleep when we arrived home. Kieran was indifferent to her though he's more comfortable with Yani.

When Raeyen woke up, he was "shocked" to see a new face in our home. He refused to let go of Yani and wanted to be carried by her all the time. Yati is very tanned, having returned to Indonesia for half a year. Well, it's still too early to pass any judgement how Yati would fare. Only time can tell, hope all goes well.

Taxi disservice

I returned Singapore past midnight of Friday. Got into a Comfort taxi greeted by silence from the driver.

When we reached the foot of my block, I politely asked the driver if he could kindly bring my luggage up the small curb. He waved his hand and replied, "No lah, I'm tired". This is atrocious!

Angrily, I carried my almost 25kg luggage while having my handbag and 3 carrierbags on hand!

That was my second unpleasant encounter with a Comfort cabby, which I let the first one slip, I decided to lodge a complaint on this one. I called their hotline upon reaching home and the operator, Zan took my call professionally and promised that a customer service manager will feedback in a week's time.

Sleepless in Hong Kong

Went to office in the morning for a whole-day training, grabbed quick lunch, called Raeyen and managed to rent another book by S Kinsella - "The Undomestic Goddess". Finished the training, got back to my desk for quick emails before dashing to my taxi for the airport.

That's a kind of "topsy-turvy" life I lead sometimes... which I don't fancy! I didn't get the chance to hold & kiss Raeyen goodbye this morning coz he was sleeping in such an angelic way, hmm...

Before I boarded the plane earlier, I called Kieran @ 6.30pm.

Me: Hi sweetheart!
Kieran: Hello Mommy! Are you on the plane already?
Me: Not yet sweetie, Mommy is about to board the plane though.
Kieran: Are you taking Tiger Airways?
Me: No, I'm taking Singapore Airlines.
Kieran: Weeee, Singapore Airlines! I like! When are you going to take me on a Singapore Airlines plane?
Me: I promise I will but please don't pester me when, I certainly will take you and di-di on Singapore Airlines.
Kieran: Yeah!
Me: OK, Mommy gotta go, I love you, be good to everyone and Raeyen, and listen to Papa, Kak-kak and your teachers ok?
Kieran: OK! I love you too, Mommy.

Ooh, my heart melts, instantly.

Happy 1.5 years old, Raeyen!

Hello Raeyen dearie, Mommy wishes you a great Happy 18-month Birthday!

I wish I could be home for you, arrghhh... the anguish and somewhat guilt is beyond words!

Promise you will be good, love your gor-gor and grow up well and happily.

Can't wait to hug my chubby "koala"!

Mealtime frenzy

Mealtime with Kieran is hardly enjoyable because:

1. He simply doesn't like his food (except fries)
2. He takes his time to eat
3. He cannot sit still nor properly
4. He doesn't listen

We are at our wit's end and the idea of eating with him freaks us out. Like most parents, we would like to bring our kids to nice places for a good hearty family meal together. But his behaviour is putting us off.

We tried many ways:

1. Eating with him every weekday evening
2. Taking him out for meals on weekends
3. Reasoning with him
4. Refusing his meal the next time after he fouled his meal
5. Doing what "Supernanny" says in her book
6. etc... the list goes on

Sometimes I wonder if his behaviour a result of us not eating with him when he was younger? Hubby & I love food but why can't him?

None works! We are in a fix and don't know what to do.

Swelling ear

Kieran woke up this morning with a swell on his left ear, probably a result from some kind of nasty insect bite. Which also means, I gotta take urgent leave. Besides the swell which makes his ear larger than usual, his body was full of rash on all joints, groin and neck.

Took him to the PD at 9am with Raeyen so that 'lil bro can also get his 5-in-1 booster jab.

PD said Kieran also has mild bronchitis, which may also give the rash. The rash could also due to the rabbits or guinea pigs that he came into contact when we took the kids to the Animal Farm at Jalan Kayu yesterday afternoon.

Raeyen took his injection very well as usual - no cry. But the after-effect of this jab is fever for 2 days.

Kieran has 4 medications, including an antibiotic (Klacid) and Raeyen only has Paracetamol.

All these came in untimely as I will be going to Hong Kong for meeting tomorrow and only back late Friday night. At least my 3rd SIL agreed to come by my place tomorrow afternoon, phew!

Finished reading "Shopaholic & Sister", gotta rent another, maybe "Can You Keep a Secret" from S Kinsella again, just in case I don't fancy the movies onboard SQ, I still have my read.