Update

Hi all,

We have more or less settled into our new environment. A bit squeezy but comfortable. We are still looking intensively (saw 11 places over the weekend) and that is making the kids (and ourselves) tired on weekends. Last weekend was really trying and tiring. Can't blame the kids for being crabby by dinner time. Renee gets really grouchy if she doesn't get her afternoon nap and that made our Sunday dinner at Vivocity really miserable. Our dinner companions had to endure her screaming until she finally fell asleep in Eugene's arms. And to top it all of, the irritating restaurant manager (we think) pissed us all off. Not a place we would want to go back to anytime soon!

Number 2, a few of you have asked after my boobie. It is doing fine and dandy, thanks!

Number 3, I managed to get out of washing my own undies. Just accumulate enough of my clothes so that it warrants a round of washing apart from every one's clothes! Woo hoo!

Back to our outing on Sunday, Renee was so tired and wanted me to carry her. My capris kept falling off (I should have worn a belt) so I had to keep putting her down and pulling my pants up. The repeated carrying has caused a really bad strain on my right wrist. Will be going to the sinseh to have it ironed out otherwise carrying Russell and bathing him will be agonising.

Here are my two lovely kids in the car joining us on our house hunt.

Searching for a new home

We have finally moved out of Dunman View. Yesterday we did the final cleaning and walk round our lovely home and closed the doors of a chapter of our lives.


Of course we had to get some last minute swimming done, which Renee was ever glad to agree to! What a 180 degree change, she now LOVES going to the pool! We brought Russell into the pool as well and our dear son loved it sooooo much he fell asleep in his float! Check this out! Guess we need to find a place with a pool, huh?

Last two days staying at my in-laws were spent unpacking and putting away things, bone-breaking work I tell you. There are some things that I will just have to do differently, like hand-washing my underwear. Geez, wonder what a washing machine is for. Old-fashion thinking lah, man and woman undies cannot wash together, sigh. And that the kids cannot bathe too late even though they are dirty as hell, yucks! Eugene also chills out too much as his parents are ever willing to do EVERYTHING for him. I told him not to get too used to this way of life!


We have 7 appointments to view places this weekend and more once Eugene reads the Classifieds tomorrow. Wish us (me) lots of luck, need to find our own space again.

Countdown

Our last few days in our beloved house....so sad. Here's a picture of my mini-mes and myself with our boxes.....

Not much time to spend at home to "enjoy" my lovely house, instead we've been looking for our new place rather intensively and also doing the last minute packing. We've got so much stuff, which makes me wanna commit to an old, large WALK-UP apartment which is probably also great for the kids to run around. But it is pretty expensive and we're debating the pros and cons of getting it instead of a newer condominium.

Watch this space.....

Jab

Finally, at 4 months, Russell took his 6 in 1 jab. The delay was caused by his bout with cough and cold over the last few months. I was so relieved that Dr. Vas said, ok, today is the day. My brave rascal-boy was as brave as his sister. Didn't make a sound for both the 6 in 1 and the pneunococcal, just like Renee. Dr. Vas was very pleased and said just by this observation that he has high EQ. Wow.....She was also extremely pleased with his progress, gave him full marks and called me a wonderful cow. Ha ha.....8.12kg my friends! No wonder our arms are given a good workout everyday!

Russell at 4 months

Hi guys, sorry for the delay. Here is Russell at 4 months.

Thumb sucking is still his favorite pasttime and now he likes to blow bubbles with his saliva. Hmm....

I wonder....

how many parents are experiencing or have experienced dealing with a difficult 2 year old kid. As I mentioned some blogs ago, Renee has been really naughty and I wonder how much worse it can get.

I analysed some time back about why we as parents say "no" or "stop it" to our kids.

1) what they are doing is really dangerous
2) they are not conforming to OUR way of doing things
3) we are too lazy to clean up their mess

I have started scolding Renee more intesively these past few days and just in time for Eugene to come back to be the "good guy". I asked her do you love Mummy? She says "no, I love papa". Major sting.

Defiance and whinning all the time has pushed me to pure tiredness sometimes and that explains the scoldings. The standing at the wall punishment doesn't work on her, she enjoys it. She doesn't understand it is a punishment. Today, I was actually relieved when my in-laws took her out with them. So ironic since I have been "fighting" to be with her at all times in the past.

This is what it must truly feel like to be a parent. When the kids are younger, they can't argue, hit back, talk back and glare back at you. Here is where I need to collect myself and convince myself that we can get through this stage of growing up. After Renee turned 2, her language skills picked up really fast and now that she is able to verbalise her feelings and wants, she is taking this to a whole new level. I have to admit I wasn't prepared for this learning curve to be so steep for me.

Good luck to anyone who's out there in my position.