Bangkok trip 2012 afterthought

1. Ascott is wonderful. We booked a two-bedroom apartment and requested for a cot for baby girl while the Tod bunked in with us. We love everything about the apartment! For me, I'm especially in love with the open-concept spacious kitchen with a counter-top that oversees the dining and living areas. The Husband and I are in serious negotiation as to incorporate such a kitchen for our future next home.

Other than the pool (which comprises of only a deep 1.7m pool and a jacuzzi pool making it children-unfriendly); we only have praises, praises and more praises. Oh, plus if you do not mind its location which is right smack in the middle of the CBD rather than shopping belt.

The service was impeccable. Requests for reservations at restaurants were made promptly. When we informed the housekeeping that the hot water faucet in our bathtub was not working, they immediately sent technicians up who spent more than half a day working extensively (i said 'extensively' because the repair works involved them taking out tiles from the side of the tub and removing false ceilings and sticking their heads into the ceiling.) on the problem. The problem was finally resolved, making a certain Tod very happy.

2. Despite spending weeks to organize and then days to pack up; the trip was rather ill-planned. Given that we have two small children who still require loads of nap times (think strollers, huge-ass diaper bags and all the sleep props we have to lug around!), it wasn't such a brilliant idea to go to a shop-and-eat-till-you-drop kinda destination on hindsight. A beach-y kinda location where one spend hours lounging in bed, by the pool and in various other parts of the resort would have been much less stressful for us.

3. With pt. 2 in mind, in order to continue my BKK annual pilgrimage tradition, we might just have to train the grandparents to rough the nights with our children so that the Husband and I can do a couple trip to BKK. That, or I ditch the children and the Husband and do a girlfriend trip instead. My girlfriends, any takers?

4. Always count the number of pieces of luggages / bags / children that we collectively have before we set off from home. And then do a roll call every time we move from destination to destination. Less off my mom who met us straight at the airport, we left home with 2 children and seven pieces of luggages between 3 adults.

Therefore, it is forgivable that the Husband unwittingly left his sling bag (with all our printed e-tickets and passports) on the couch. Thank God for the BIL who saved the day by waking up from his sleep (he was on night shift the day before), charged into our place (we stay in the same block), grab the precious bag and our car key, then sped like a maniac all the way from the "bukit" areas to changi airport in 25 minutes.

6. So proud of the toddler who conquered the waters on this trip. By the second day, she could go into the waters without any float but solely relying on the Husband to prop her afloat. Her afterthought for this trip? She wants to learn swimming.

7. Equally proud of baby girl who took to the cold cold pool very well. My conclusion? The girls' potential swimming prowess must be inherited from their daddy. You see, I'm hydro-phobic.

8. Considering that I barely combed two storeys of Platinum mall, I'm chuffed that I managed to fill up half a medium-sized luggage with new loots for the girls, myself and our kins.

My best buy for the trip? A pretty poofy dress for the Tod as she will be making her debut as a flower girl for my girlfriend's wedding end of the year.

9. My best decision for the trip? I decided to ditch my bulky Olympus camera and rely on our smartphones instead. We hardly took pictures anyway. And when we do, strangely enough, half of them are of the girls wrestling in various positions in the apartment.

10. Our (referring to the Husband and i) biggest regret for the trip? We didn't get to eat my steamed sea bass in spicy lime broth. We might have to go get our fix in Por Kee or elsewhere in SG.

Oh Anya!

(One Saturday night, leaving for home from my parents'.)

Me: "Anya, do you need to pee? We are going home and it will take a while before you can use bathroom again."

Anya: "No. Anya don't want pee-pee."

Me: "Are you sure? It will take some time, you know?"

Anya: "Yes, Anya don't want."

Me: "Okay, if you say so."

(In the car. Five minutes after setting off.)

Anya: "Mommy! Anya wants pee-pee!"

Husband and I: *Sigh simultaneously*

Me: "Alright sweetheart, you have two choices. You can either hold your pee till we reach home. It will be another 15 minutes. Or, Daddy can stop the car but then you will have to pee at the roadside on the grass."

Anya: "Don't want (to pee at roadside). Anya will hold pee-pee."

The Husband: "You sure you can hold?"

Anya: "Yes."

Me: "Okay. In that case, you hold your pee. If you cannot hold anymore, you tell us, Daddy will then stop at the roadsie for you, alright?"

Anya: "Okay."

(Another 5 minutes passed. We were playing her music & movement sings CD in the car. One of her favorite upbeat song came on. I started clapping to the beat, turned around and asked her to join in.)

Me: "Sweetheart, you like this song right? Why aren't you clapping?"

Anya: "Anya no hand; Anya hold peep-pee." (Saying that, she held up her right hand and gesticulate to show that her left hand is covering her crouch.."

... ...

Oh, Anya!

Spirited child

We have gradually come to recognise that we have a spirited child. One who is acutely sensitive to her surroundings. Who fusses a great deal over the slightest things. Who refuses to let us go outside her radius of 1m. Essentially, she is what some will call a high-needs baby.

With her, I have learned to accept that battles won today may lapse tomorrow, next week or next month. Whenever we have an achievement of sorts (e.g. with milk drinking), where we get to gain a teeny bit more comfort and confidence of being parents to two, she will throw us off again - either with the same old problem or another new challenge altogether (e.g. Sleeping - which is the biggest we issue we face right now). Sometimes, it feels like an impossible task, trying to set some structured routine into the life of a baby who does not seem to take consistency (nor changes, come to think of that) well at all. But then again, I suspect things might be worse had we not set any structure in the first place.

On the other hand, I trust that God made us unique in our own ways, and when we surrender to His pruning, our shortcomings can be refined to become strengths that can be mightily powerful in time to come. Already, I notice that she picks new skills very quickly (something that as a result of her sensitivity) - provided, of course, she allows herself to absorb what we are trying to teach her in the first place.

For example, I started teaching her to sign "please" in the last one month - somewhat half-heartedly (as opposed to Anya's time when I had all the time in the world). To my surprise, she gesticulated twice upon request so far. Also, she understood what I am referring to when I asked for her plush rabbit, open up and close her fists when we sing "Twinkle, twinkle, little stars" and to clap. Not every time upon request ( which I suspect has much to do her spirited temperament) but enough to let us know that she has picked up the skill/knowledge. All these, she learned, after a few repetitions from us.

As the realization of having a spirited baby sinks in, the Husband and I concluded one thing. What worked for Anya is unlikely to work for Arielle. Right now, we are scurrying off to read up for more insight into our issue before we are reduced to sleep-deprived pandas (not far off now).

On love and being loved

Yesterday, we finally feel well enough to go grocery shopping. In any case, the Husband is away for a work retreat for the next 3 days from today onwards. So it was high on our list to get grocery-shopping done.

Arielle was having diarrhoea and vomiting, therefore we left her at home with the Helper. So, it was just us and our firstborn.

Here is a snippet of conversation while pushing the trolley to the car.

Me: "Anya, do you have something you want to say to Daddy today?"

Anya who was in my arms, leaned forward to the Husband, who was in front of us, pushing the trolley, rested her head on the Husband's shoulder and said: "Daddy, I love you."

The Husband: "Aww.. Anya, Daddy loves you too." (then planted a kiss on her forehead)

Me: "Then Anya, do you have something to tell Mommy?"

Anya, with gusto: "And EVERYBODY LOVES ANNn-yYYa!" (Thrust both arms up in the air.)

(-___-;)

Yep. That's our cheeky girl.

Walking the walker

For two months now, we put Arielle in the walker for a short while almost everyday. Yet, she hardly made any attempt to go mobile. Instead, she would prop her feet on the sides of the walker. When she got tired of being alone, she would whine and cry until someone picks her up.

Kinda peculiar to me because Anya was already zipping in and out of different rooms in the flat when she was at Arielle's age. No cause for worries though. We reckon when she's ready, she's ready.

And before she is; we have the big sister to walk her in her walker.

Oh, and now... Just when we thought the worst of the bout of sickness in the house was over, Anya suddenly threw up repeatedly last night. We could not pinpoint any cause to it and consulting a young locum (in a 24-hour clinic in the wee hours) did not help either in clearing our doubts. When requested for him to prescribe something that could immediately stop the vomiting, the locum suggested a suppository form of domperitone. The Husband asked if the locum could give it to Anya there and then, the Husband said his response was: "Oh, you can give it to her yourself when you are home". Our consolation is that the suppository seems to be working. She has ceased vomiting since she woke up this morning.

As for Arielle and I, Arielle is still having the sniffles while I have developed a chesty cough. The Helper has also caught the bug while the Husband threw up at 4am this morning too although it appeared to be a one-off. Prayerfully, things will only improve from here.

Short update

Hi all,

We have been a busy bunch of people. With Arielle's feeding problem resolved, we have been going on a milestone-achieving roll. From training Arielle to play on her own to weaning both girls off their pacifiers, from going back to attending church service and starting Anya in Sunday school to planning on a short family trip, the girls have been constantly embarking on new frontiers every week.

Things however have come to a halt since a week ago. All because the girls and myself had caught a bad bad flu. So bad that we are still recuperating now. With all the drippy noses, perspirations (self-imposed air-con ban) and throw-ups, the washer has been overworked while we had to run out to restock our tissue and wet wipes supply yesterday.

Arielle was especially affected (the first bout of flu for her) that, for two nights, she could not sleep unless Mommy (or Daddy - only when she was really really tired) was carrying her. So imagine how Sleep-deprived we have been! And then there was the loss of appetite which I do not even wanna go into details.

Anyway, all's good. Right now, the usual calm and peace is gradually presiding over our little household again as we nurse ourselves back to good health. Here's a few shots of the girls (in pajamas, the most comforting attire when one is sick) in the past few days.