Rachel's Passport

Yes, we've finally collected Rachel's 1st passport!

As usual, our trip planning has to be 'postponed' as Rachel doesn't have a passport and by the time we've got it applied, I've kinda lost the interest and Papa's certainly not keen anymore...

Papa needed to attend to his work and to avoid waste of time rushing home to pick us, he decided to drop us off somewhere nearby.  We had a quick lunch at KFC and again, Renee, remembering the Lego roadshow(is it called 'roadshow'?...), asked to go there again and thus, we've wasted a good 45mins there - before Papa came back for us.

After picking up Rachel's passport, we headed down to Vivo City, in search of Renee's flowergirl shoes(failed to find again, no size!) and again, we ended up dining at Sushi Tei... This has been the 4th time at least, that we've dined at Sushi Tei during this school holiday!

Just a few days ago, suddenly recalling our wedding anniversary, I told Papa that since we've missed our ROM date(which I had thought was 13 May), we could celebrate our wedding date(sometime in June) since it's been a looooong time we've 'celebrated' our anniversary.  However, again, I've remembered the dates wrongly and retrieving our certificate for a check, papa told me that he was right, it is today! hahaha. Anyway, we've also forgotten to 'celebrate' it today, hahaha.

Never Too Late To Give a Gift ^_^

This being the last week for us to really enjoy the school holidays('cos papa's going away for the whole of next week, :<), I brought them out again, heeee(papa's complaining that Renee's gotta skip her practice becos of the outing, :<).

After our lunch at Breeks(again, 2nd time since the hols), we proceeded our little 'walk and look-see' escapade, detemined not to spend anymore $ today('cos we've already spent more than S$1K, just within the 1st 4 days of our sch hols outings!).  However, remembering that it's the Father's Day this Sunday and it's the day before Papa embarked on his week long trip, we thought it'd be nice to get him a little gift.

We shopped around Sephora and tried a couple of the men's fragrance before Renee decided to 'up' her budget - 'cos all the prices there are the regular prices, I  wonder what's the difference of buying from them compared to buying from the departmental stores where discount, gifts with purchase promotion would be more available...  In any case, their prices are all way over Renee's budget, I told her not to fret and took her to the individual shops at T.S.C.  Finally, she found one which she thinks papa would like at BodyShop and to maximise her gift package, she took the sales staff's suggestion to top up another S$7 and got the fragrance and shower gel set.

Then, I teased her that she's prejudiced, she's only got me an egg-tart for Mother's day but a S$50 budget for her papa.  At first, she didn't bother but later, she told me that she'd like to pay for part of the perfume that we both thought would be nice(and I almost bought it).  She told me to go get it but she could only afford part of its price.  So, to test her and since I like it myself, we went back to Sephora and got the parfume.  I reminded her that by getting us these gifts, she might end up with an empty coin bank and told her I won't tease her anymore should she decide to back-out of the 'deal'.  I told her I'm already happy and contented enough to know that she wants to get me a gift(she had wanted to get me something from the school's Mother's Day fair but... that's another story, hahaha), she doesn't need to feel obligated but she insisted.

Back home, afraid that I might not get the $ from her and as with previous occasions, she quickly want to count her coins after her shower, despite the pain at the butt from a fall in the shower, :(.  I was still in the shower when I heard her saying "Mummy, I only have 95dollars, and my coin bank is already empty...".  When I came out, I told her that she could keep her money but she said "when I said I want to pay for the presents means I want to pay".  Well, so be it, I took her coins, in any case, they'd go back to her, without her actually knowing it, :) -  Actually, it's good this way too, we should upkeep with the 'training', :).

Our gifts :-
Mummy's

Papa's

Flowergirl Dress 'Exchanged'

At Compass Point last evening, I spotted the same design of dresses at KP and realised that they do have one of size 5, in the colour that we've bought!  When the staff at MS branch called them to check on the stock availability, they had told us that they do not have it in this size, haiz...  Then, I saw that the dress also came in(with) pink colour flowers(!)  and although only size 6 is available(no size 5, again...), I quickly got them to reserve a piece and told them the situation.

Finally, before we head down to my mum's today, we detoured over to Compass Point again, for me to do an exchange of the dress... :

What's left now is a pair of matching shoes...

Lego and New Friends

I had planned to stay home today but with such hot weather(we had to have the air-conditioner switched on the whole day yesterday! - and I took the opportunity to do my ironing, heee!), I decided to take the kids out! heee.

With papa dropping us off, we chose Raffles City and when we arrived there, we spotted Lego's promotional roadshow(for LegoLand) upstairs and Renee insisted on going over.  She's always been ok playing alone by herself and so, seeing that there weren't much people around still, I left her to roam around some of the shops, nurse Rachel, whilst she entertained herself with the Lego blocks.  When I went back to her, she's already made friends with an American girl who came with her Singaporean mummy.  The mummy was very friendly too and soon, we were chatting away as well, :).  We even exchanged mobile numbers before we parted, :).  They told us the date of their trip to the upcoming Lego Land and extended their invitation for us to join them on the same day, we'll see.  I hope we could join them(and their friends) but as usual, we'll have to depend on Papa's schedule...

Another FlowerGirl Dress

A last minute arrangement and we met up with Karen and her younger girl at MS.  It's been awhile and with such a short meet up, we hope to do another when they're back from their trip.

With our playdate leaving early, we took the opportunity to shop further, hahaha but this time, it's for her swimsuit(need something thicker to keep her warmer) and remembering the tops I've seen at Mothercare the other day, I got Renee these :

Then, after our dinner, we went back to KP 'cos I've forgotten to ask them to check the availability of the dresses at another branch and ended up buying the one and only piece left on the spot, lolz.  What made Renee really happy was - Papa, for no reason, picked up a high heeled sandals and told her that it's pretty nice and she took the opportunity to bug him to buy for her!  After some 'negotiations', she got her wish... :

The Flowergirl Dress

The pair of heeled sandals she bugged her Papa for... 

Although we were unable to find a suitable pair of shoes to go with the dress, we thought we should get the pair of stockings first...

The KeyBoard Pad?

This is what our ex-neighbour gave Renee on the day we moved out of D'Chateau and I've kept it from her(not wanting her to be distracted with the want to play with it constantly) til last weekend.  Perhaps I should have let her dabble with it earlier, who knows it might help her with her music theory, even alittle?...

We Love To Shop!

We've been going out everyday since Tuesday and today, unable to resist yet another outing, I took them to Marina Square and whilst jiejie's playing at the playground, Rachel and I roamed around the shops, :).

Saw this and thinking that since jie jie will be dolled up at their cousin, Lyn's wedding, mei mei should be too!  So, I got her this, heeee, although I'm not sure if she'd keep it on, :)

Then, remembering what I've promised Renee, I got her these :

Bought this pair of shoes for Rae over the earlier wkend

The Ordeal and Thank Goodness for the June Holidays!

Finally, the mid-year school holidays are here!  As discovered during the earlier March holidays, I really feel the big difference about the school holidays now that Renee's in the formal school system.  For the past few weeks, I've been like a mad woman, trying to watch over Renee's practices - something which I hardly managed to, due to the need to attend to Rachel's needs and  the house-chores.

The highest point of stress came from Renee's preparation to the latest Nafa internal examination as it also served as the audition to the performance at their year end concert and the participation to the International Competition at Italy next year.  Renee's reluctance to practice hard/seriously almost drove me crazy!  She's still a kid, we told ourselves but as the teacher remarked "这是一个难得的机会"(this is a rare opportunity) and only a few are given the opportunity to go for the audition.  Thus, we felt the obligation to push her abit more, especially during the last 1 week since she's also been falling ill on and off for the earlier weeks which also affected her practices(but still... haiz).  But, seeing that she's finally feeling alittle tensed up(strange, since she didn't seem bothered abt her laziness to practice), we decided to 'let loose' even during the last crucial days - whatever will be, will be...

Having to stay home(so that Renee can do her practices, however willing/unwilling she was) alone with no help(hubby's out most days and nights too! even when I was hving high fever myself these nights...) had also made me felt soooo trapped, so this break will give me some allowance to relax abit - and I sure need it, badly!

Although Renee's shown reluctance to practice her violin and we were at the point to think that perhaps she still didn't see the importance of this audition, when she proved otherwise(arrrggggh, in this case, I really dunno what to say anymore...) by being nervous during the studioclass a day before the fateful day(her nervousness can be observed obviously over the video which I'd be posting up at FB soon).  She even 'followed' what her fellow classmate did(another selected one) and placed her bow on the violin whilst waiting during the piano part, aiyoh!

On the actual day, we weren't allowed into the exam room and standing outside, papa's overhead and told me(I've gone to nurse Rachel whilst waiting for her turn earlier) that Renee has forgotten some parts of the exercises piece earlier.  However, from the bit I've heard, I think she played ok, though I missed the 'forgotten part', :P.

Prior to the exam, the teacher had told us that he'd arrange with us again for the lessons during the school holidays but we did not hear from him and began to worry that perhaps Renee really didn't do well afterall.  I was tempted to phone the teacher but papa told me not to...  However, unable to resist the wait and with the need to clarify the lesson arrangement with the teacher, I phoned the teacher this evening and boy, were we all SOOOOO relieved to hear him say : "哦, 拉得很好, 所有的老师都觉得她拉得很好, 只是Kayser她有拉错".  Of course, as a parent and for the good of her future, we certainly hope that besides the group performance, she'd also be selected as a soloist at the concert and as a participant to the competition,  but with such a remark, honestly, we are very happy/contented already... *phew*

Maidless and an Empty School

Just a couple of days working for us and the replacement maid had already shown us her true colours!  Geez, request after request and she even showed me her displeasure outright when I chided her for her repeated mistakes! She didn't bother to try and remember the daily chores' routine(would even 'change'  my instructions), didn't sterilise my baby's drinking bottles(which led me to wonder if she's really wash them clean) and even left me to doing it myself in the end, etc etc etc.  The worst being that I have to be her walking alarm - twice on one same morning after being told/explained a week ago(she did that on her 2nd day with us!) that she cannot resume sleep after she's switched the alarm off - she thought she could sleep in as late as us on days that Renee need not go to school, geez!

We could already see her incompetence on her 3rd day but the agency reminded us of the contract's stipulation that we have to use her for at least a month(we'd still have to pay her 1 mth's salary if we send her back earlier), so we thought perhaps we could try giving her another chance and maybe, just maybe, she might change.  However, laziness is something that's super hard to change and especially so when one's not putting an effort and thus, we decided to send her back earlier.  Unhappy with the situation we Singaporean employers have to put up with in such a situation(am 100% sure I'm not the only one and certainly not the 1st with such situation), I called up the MOM(which said that they can't help us and made me wondered why they take our monthly levy for?  Their policy has always been foreigners pro and our Singaporeans' feedbacks are not taken into serious consideration, etc...) and in the last resort, the agency itself.  It's only upon the desperate mention of my approaching an MP, did I finally get a compromise on the agency's part, for us to pay the lazy maid half a month's salary.  MOM was supposed to get back to me on this matter(also only upon my mentioning of getting the MP's help, did I get them to try and look into my case) but if I were to wait for their response, I think I would have gone crazy, plus I'm not sure what she, the maid, would be capable of doing- such rebellious maid is dangerous to be kept around, especially when we have young ones at home, So, we decided to send her back to the agent's office on Saturday. Although I may be depleted of the energy to even relate fully to you about the maid, but if you wish to know and if we do get to meet-up, I'll try to provide the info...

So, for the past 2 days, I'm totally bashed just doing the house-chores(worser now when the unit's bigger-we've decided that if we're going maidless, we'd need to get a smaller place in the future) whilst having to look after Rachel's needs and I have my hubby's eyes over the kids.(though he went out in the evening to watch soccer, leaving me alone at home with the kids - I had to tackle the chores and Renee was alone to watch over Rachel when I go for my shower!) I can't imagine those days/times when he's not home and I'm alone - it's sooooo hard to tackle the chores when Rachel refuses to sleep in her cot most of the times!

Today, already so tired and aching all over, Renee has to make us wake up early for nothing - because, there's no school today!  She must have been day-dreaming away or looking around in school and whatever she was doing, she certainly must have not paid attention 'cos how else would she have missed the information that there's no school today?  When will this girl learn to concentrate and pay attention,   She's the same when it comes to her music theory lessons, she'd try to copy down notes when the teacher is still talking/explaining, OMgosh, how is she going to cope when she goes higher level in her learning! Haiz...  Now they're all back to bed and I'm still awake - this is me, no matter how lack of it, I'm one who has difficulty in resuming my sleep after I'm awake.

Meanwhile, we have standby a selection of Indo maids and will have to decide if to give it another try when the agency confirms their availability...