Stomach Flu

It's now the 3rd day since we've gotten the bed rail for Renee's new bed but she still wanted to sleep in our room.  I would normally not give in so easily, especially given that we've let her slept with us for the past week, but seeing that her chance of doing that with us would be lessened when her sibling's born(esp. during my confinement period), I just allowed her.   That however, was the wrong decision.  She had been hving late nights, eating biscuits/ice-creams, not drinking enough water and sleeping with us with the air-conditioner on('cos I feel hot!), she's got the stomach flu today!

She first started complaining about stomach pains, not too long after her breakfast and papa brought her to the chinese physician(I had thought it was 'heatiness' although her pain did seem abit more serious than before).  They came back home shortly, with her dress soaked wet and hubby told me it's because he'd rinsed her dress as she vomitted on the way to the doc's.  She started vomitting and had diarrhoea when back home and it's such heartache to see her like this ad though I'm not supposed to be too near her or handle her toileting(when maid's busy), I couldn't help it...

Hope she gets well soon...

New Bed, More *Packing!

Instead of getting the item that we'd gone out for this morning, we ended up getting a bed for Renee! hahaha.  We had actually decided against getting her one now, due to space constraint but don't know what's got into us today, we couldn't help ourselves, lolz.  However, as we might not bring it over when we move again, we did not get her the one which she'd orginally wanted, but she's fine with this(she's also fine with it when we'd explained to her earlier that we will not be getting her 1 now but will get her a nice one later....).

I had thought to have some rest when we got home but again, I couldn't and so, I got up to do some more packing in the room, Renee's room and 'transferred' some items here and there.  This is just me, simply can't sit around, haiz...

As Renee had asked to go to the inhouse playground by herself whilst we 'shopped' (we didn't bring the maid along, 'cos wanted her to cook lunch), she had not known which bed we had chosen for her, she was soooo excited about it that she said she'd sleep in her room tonight but as she was giving me a brief massage(she saw me taking a break after packing papa's off stuffs in the room, she told me to take a break and agreed to give me a massage when I'd jokingly asked her), she 'fell' to the ground for sitting too close to the edge of our bed and remembering what I've told her about someone's child's arm being badly hurt due to a similar fall, she declared that perhaps she should wait til we get her the bed rail, hahaha.

Then, when papa came home and fixed up her bed, she was so happy at its sight that she said she'd like to 'give it a try', but when she heard us instructing the maid to leave the mattress under Renee's bed in the morning in case she falls, she decided that she's not ready afterall, sooo funny, :D.  So, as u can guess, she is now sleeping with papa on our bed, :).

*There're gonna be more packing/adjustment in the next few days, oh man...

**Renee was busy writing whilst we both were busy packing/fixing up her bed.  Then, I found a note each, under our pillows... A thank you note to papa, for buying and fixing up the bed for her and to me, for allowing her the joy of hving fun(referring to the playground I suppose. as usual she's even made some new caucasian 'friends' - I only knew when I saw her waving and running to 1 of them when we were snacking later), she'd even added, in both notes "I wish I could do something to thank you but I don't know what to give...", awwww.....

Baby Stuffs II

Following my prenatal check-up on Monday, we headed to the Takashimaya BB Fair again and this time round, to get the rest of the 'main' essential stuffs - the (1) Pram/Stroller, (2) Car Seat and the (3) BreastPump.

Actually, to save cost, it would be more viable for us to get separate items for (1) & (2) - meaning, each for its own purpose, from birth to 3-4yrs old but hubby's got his heart set on the Quinny Zapp stroller for a long long time and thus, when we found out that it'd cost more to get the full set(with the infant car seat) from Mothercare, we decided to head back to the fair today.  Hubby felt it'd be better to get an infant one so as not to interrupt the baby's sleep when we move in and out of the car - hmmm, makes sense and since he's the one whom would be carrying it to the pushchair, let him decide...

Finally, we got the Quinny Zapp Extra(for its full reclinable function so we don't have to convert it later so that the child can sleep properly when out in the stroller - not good to let young children to slp in upright position) together with the recommended Maxi Cosi infant car seat, both at an offer price of S$832.00 and though their colours don't match exactly('cos they're frm different brands but recommended by both stores for its compatibility), at least we're able to obtain the colours that we wanted, :).  What's even better - they delivered them to us the next day!(whereas we'd need to self-collect at Mothercare) - just when Li and Wayne're at our place, :D.

As for the BP, I had wanted to try out a new brand - Ardo, but as it's not easily available at most major stores, so for the sake of convenience, I decided to simply stick to Medela's which I can obtain from the fair as well. This is the brand I've gotten the last time too, but from past experience, I decided to get one that's with 2 phrase pumping and a quiet motor this time round, heee.  Hope I'd be successful in B/F this time(without the engorgement/blocked ducts problem like before.  Very scared, just the thought of it, what with the high fever and horrid shivering all over, yueeeek but that wld mean sleepless/restless nights for me lor?...).

I've also been searching high and low for a hair and body wash that's organic(and free of parabens, SLS, etc) and most importantly, without the ingredient that would trigger my migraine - Lavender!  and I've been hving a hard time.  Finally found one at the Buds store @ Square 2 yesterday whilst waiting for Renee's class to end(brought Yunita for her haircut as well - wah, impressed with their sterilising/floor sweeping process).  Thereafter, we headed to the supermarket and bought, errrm no, I should say stock up! hahaha, on diapers, facial tissue and even toilet paper, hahaha.

And this morning, after getting the boxes down from our storeroom to check for more pass-me-down items from jie jie Renee, :), I realised that quite abit of stuffs can't be re-used(more stuffs can't be reused, haiz) but at least we've already gotten the more essential ones ready('cos I've bought some others which are of similar usage, to standby, phew) so at least for now, I don't have to worry if I'd have the time/opportunity to go get them on time in the near weeks...

New Strings

Today's practical lesson's held at 1 of nafa studio classes due to a concert.  Despite having played the new kinsey pieces ok, Renee made various note(key) mistakes and teacher Xu questioned what was wrong with her.  Then, she was asked to play again and did it correctly, haiz...

Teacher Xu relayed to us some rather positive feedback about her 'performance' at the earlier MC and that relieved me alittle, though actually, I've quite forgotten about it already, heeeee.

As for her theory learning, it seems like Renee's not doing very well in this area 'cos she doesn't seem to be able to do some of her homework.  Not sure if the lessons are complicated(esp. when it involves bass clef) or  too fast for her and I'm getting really worried.  'Cos even if she manages to do ok/well in her practical, she might not be able to progress or perhaps even continue if she doesn't pass the theory exam - which will be in a couple of months' time and I may not have the time/energy to try and understand the theory work(which I'm already hving some difficulties...) myself to coach her at home, especially after the baby's born, how? haiz...

Ok ok, enough stress/worry for me.  Let's go to the lighter side of things.  In order to utilise the item exchanged value at Synwin, I decided to have her violin's tail piece changed(easier for her teacher to tune also) as recommended and for the change, I was also advised to have the set of strings replaced as well.  1st, the exisitng strings are already shaped and to put it back may not have the desired effect, plus, the recommended strings set doesn't cost alot but would make a difference in its sound production, so I immediately agreed, heee.

When collecting the instrument, I was also told that the existing strings had been set abit too close for comfort and he had taken the initiative to set it a little wider apart.  Then, as we were waiting for papa to meet us(he'd walked over to Suntec in search of a salon for his haircut), I suddenly remembered that I should have gotten Renee to try the violin out with the newly set strings since it's abit different now, but she didn't want to get back to the shop.  So, no choice, I asked if she'd like to try it then and there on the spot and surprisingly, she'd rather do that.  She tried it out whilst sitting(she loves to do that, sooo lazy and it's not so good a habit for young graders to adopt) and unknowingly, some passerbys stopped and listened, hahaha.   Some were heard commenting 'good' but I guess it's probably because they don't know, hahahahaha.

Gift for Sibling

Passing by SK jewellery, I took the catelogue on baby/children's jewelleries to tease Renee about getting a gift for her sibling.  With obvious good mood, she agreed heartily and back home, this is what happened :

R : (showing me the catalogue) "Mommy, can I know how much will it cost if I buy this, this, this, this and this for _ _?"

Me : "hmmm, I think it'd be more than 1,000 dols"

R : "oh man, so much, do I have enough?"

Me : "I don't think you have, think you would have to go and work"

R : "..."

Me : (not wanting her to feel sad) "nevermind, don't have to buy for _ _, you're still young anyway"

R : "but I want to..."

Then, she went into the room and I overheard her saying to our helper :

R : "I still owe my father money for the cake he paid for me for my mommy's birthday"

Helper : (maybe heard me saying this) "you go to work"

R : "but I can't cycle and I'll take 1 to 2 days to scoot there.  I can't take taxi, it'll be a waste of money"

Helper : (knowing we're Buddhists and must have heard us before) "pray to Buddha"

R : (must be quoting what I've said to her b4) "cannot, you think money will drop from the sky like that?"

I found it really funny and even our maid also kept on laughing.  Probably still feeling excited/relieved/happy over her MC, she spoke rather loudly and though I couldn't really catch up with the rest of the conversation in full, I managed to pick up sentences like :

R : "how am I going to have money, my mum's birthday also coming,  how am I going to buy her a gift" and I heard our helper said something like "make" and she said she doesn't know how to.  It's only when she came to me then I realised what she meant by that.  I told her that ya, she can always make me a gift/card, it's good enough, don't have to really buy me a gift but she said "but I don't know how to make a cake, blah blah".  Then she asked me how much would a cake cost and...:

Me : "it depends, you can buy a 1 dollar or a 2 dollar cake".

R : "how about a big one?"

Me : "it can cost  more than 30 dollars"

R : (indicating a smaller size with both her hands) "how about this size?"

Me : "maybe 10 over dollars".

R : "ok, I go write down" and as she's walking back to her room, I heard her muttering, rather loudly : "oh my gosh, I still got to pay 10 dollars. I can't stand it", hahahaha.  Ya, actually it's me who can't stand it this time, LOLz  :D

1st Masterclass

Not knowing what to expect during Nafa's masterclass, I just try to prepare Renee as per her teacher's instructions.   However, unlike her previous ABRSM exam, we weren't given much time for preparations and things had also turned out alittle different from what we've been told.  No harm done though and fortunately, Renee wasn't the 1st to be called so she can roughly gauge on what to expect, :).

On her teacher's suggestion last Sunday, Renee managed to memorise the alternative piece by Tuesday and so, for the rest of the week, she wasn't 'made' to practice alot as I didn't want to pressurise her too much, :D.(Although she's memorised a few notes in the wrong key and had to make way for adjustment juz hours before the MC). 

We were abit late today but the MC hasn't begin and when I noticed the kids que-ing up for their violins to be tuned by 1 of the teachers, I quickly took out Renee's and got her to que up as well.  Surprisingly, she joined the que willingly, :)

Before the session began, 1 of the teachers(I think she's one of the senior teachers) 'warned' the children to do their best and play well as their performances would be watched/judged by the masterclass teacher(whom she claimed they themselves wld even address as teacher).  After the 1st 2 violinists, the masterclass teacher halted the class temporarily and asked for the audiences' preference.  Renee put up her hand to cast her vote and there I was worried "Oh no, is this what all the children will have to go through? What if no one votes for Renee later?" hahaha.

Whilst waiting for Renee's turn, we watched the MC teachers 'stopping' the children every now and then, to correct their posture, playing techniques and that got me even more worried 'cos out of all these kids, only Renee + another kid were not from their prep-class and if they need correction, how would Renee fare?  ^-^".

Finally, Renee's name was called...  I had thought/half-anticipated that she'd hesitate when it's her turn, but she walked up to the stage readily.  She even bowed alittle(when she had said she wldn't and I've told her she can skip it if she's not up to it since none has done so, though it's requested by the teachers) and smiled nicely when the teacher commented that she liked her violin(with the ribbon), hahaha.  She started her scales(in separate bowing) when the teachers nodded for her to begin but she took a little while to compose herself like I've told her to, when she's to play 1 arpeggio(in slurr bowing), hahaha(actually I found she took abit too long hahaha, probably due to her mentally selecting which one to play.  This was 1 of the last minute 'changes' as we'd told that they'd be prompted like ABRSM exams style.   It was later announced that that would be done on their 2nd MC.  Luckily these changes are very minor and easy for Renee to adapt to at the last min, and had not waited for the teachers to tell her what to play).  On her kinsey piece, she ended it with a 'move' taught by her teacher and some parents even 'wow-ed' whilst many of us laughed - 'cos this was not expected in the MC, hahaha, so funny(neither had I expected her to do it either).  I was simply relieved when the MC teacher had not made any negative nor corrective comments about her playing, *phew*.

When the grade I students had completed their 'performances', the MC teacher shared his thoughts on what he's observed, the wrong and the correct techniques he's seen, on how the violin/bow/postures should be 'controlled' to produce better music, the mechanism of the instrument and its bow, etc etc.  Those were valuable notes/advices but Renee was busy writing her story on her book. I would have recorded his 'speech' had I known earlier, so I could replay it for Renee later, haiz...  Then when he remarked that it's time for the stickers on the violins be removed, he said, whilst searching the crowd, something like "... there's a little girl but I can't remember which one now"(I didn't know whom he was referring to and though I noticed some audiences pointing to Renee, I'm still not entirely sure...), "she plays on tune without the stickers and this should be the way, we have to listen with our ears and not depend on the stickers to get the tune right, so you should all start taking off the stickers...".  That's when he went on to explain the difference and how is it tougher to play the violin as compared to the piano(jokingly apologising to the pianists present at e same time, ^_^) - not something entirely new to us but I hope Renee won't use this as her tool of argumentation when she faces tougher pieces next time!

More was shared by the MC teacher(and he ended with "you all go back and ponder over these" - oh man, poor us parents, lolz) and when it was time for the grade IIs to 'perform', I wondered if we could take our leave.  We stayed on as no-one seemed to be leaving but after a while, I couldn't stand it and went to check with 1 of the teachers at the back.  He said that we could and we happily did so, heee.

As there's still a good hour before her *theory lesson(haiz, another tough one to go through...), I decided to go for a tea-break at Fortune Centre but as we're reaching there, Renee said she wanted to go over to the Bodhisattva Kuan Yin temple.  Well, how can I refuse when it's pretty near and she's personally requested, so we went.

We had toasted bread with butter and kaya(needless to say, Renee's only got butter) for tea and she'd liked it so much that she requested for a 2nd round, hahaha(aiyoh, used to ask her to try ah kun's for breakfast but she'd always insisted on Mc's) but not wanting her to gorge too much on toasted bread, I suggested fruits and she said she wants apple, which she happily changed to a choice of orange when the former was not available at the stall.

When papa came to fetch us over to the teacher's for her practical lesson, the teacher asked "how's the masterclass?", the moment she opened the door  :). After viewing the video, she commented "not bad and, great ending"(probably being kind, heee), but as we can't be sure how she'd really fared, I asked if the MC teachers would share the children's performance with their respective teachers.  She said that it depends and asked if the teacher had made any comments/remarks about Renee's playing.  If they hadn't, then it should be alright...  Hmm, guess we should be able to find out the next lesson?...

Knowing that Renee had done ok during the MC, papa obliged her request to eat out(Mc again but luckily it's not Tony Roma's, else I'd faint man, kinda sick of it liao hahaha) and one can easily tell that she's feeling much relieved and happy, what with the constant chatter and laughing with Yunita, lolz.  Her joy even made her more co-operative during her practical lesson when she's least expected to be since we'd been out much earlier/longer than usual today - she re-learnt a playing technique today and did it quite well, just hope she'd still remember when she next practices...

*With no music background, I fnd it rather hard for me to help Renee with her theory homework.  Although she would try to explain to me what she's learnt but it's getting harder for me to grasp as their lessons progress on.  It's already hard for me to understand it on a violin, let alone when it's explained in the keyboard/piano way(in both treble and bass clef).  There were 2 sections from last week's homework that Renee was unable to complete and when I asked why she didn't inform the teacher that she doesn't know how to when the teacher had put '??' marks on them, perhaps Renee wasn't clear enough? but she claimed she did but the teacher told her that she still has to do it.  Oh gosh, since she doesn't quite fully understand and her mummy can't help her, how?  Headache for me...

To be fair, I guess it's rather hard for the teacher(not sure if she's also trained in violin or just piano) to coach each child individually due to the short timing and in such situation, I personally feel that it is actually tougher for the violin students as it's rather different from their instrument, etc, especially at their young age.  In any case, papa had suggested for me to seek her practical teacher's help and indeed, after her teacher's brief explanation(less than 5mins 'cos we daren't take up too much of her time for theory questions...), Renee seemed to have understood a little better.  I hope she really did 'cos I'm totally helpless in this area, :(