before bed tonight

The kids were more "guai" tonight before bedtime... reading to himself and playing on her own :-).

Don't think they're always this peaceful... they're usually jumping, laughing, playing or fighting together most nights. Not tonight because they're down with fever and must be feeling quite blur after their medication... hehe.

Love this quiet time, but not the fever. Hope they get well in time for CNY!

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for BoeyJoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.

little reminders that make me happy

a blinking ufo... that signals that my favourite dessert is ready... actually i prefer the hot version with more "liu".
the snowflakes branch in pavilion was very accessible from my old office... my instant pick-me up. my favourite pasta, now available from my new office.yards and yards of pretty fuchsia frills. makes me smile imagining the new owner of this dress running her fingers through them :-)movie dates with my hubby, on friday nights, watched from our bed, after our kids had fallen asleep. couldn't remember when was the last time we had one...

my kiddos loving each other... and their happy feet :-)
what are the little things that make you happy? :-)

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for BoeyJoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.

grandma

My grandma with willpower so strong, is always so sure of herself, and has the courage of a lion. Highly intelligent, she attended school for one year, and later taught herself to read and write successfully. She has a fiery temper yes, but in all 34 years of my life I have never heard one bad word spoken from her mouth. I respect and I admire my grandma. I love her even more.

She fell from a staircase recently. Her knee cap shattered from the pressure, and she had a large swell on her forehead. My sister and cousins in Singapore quickly arranged for an operation.

She is 86 years old.

When I heard the news that day, I imagined the worse. I was so afraid. I was afraid on how she'll cope during the operation. I was afraid of the aftermath... losing appetite, losing weight, the pain. I was afraid of the after op physiotherapy. Can she cope?

I was so relieved that she managed the op alright. She's bed-ridden now. Could barely manage 2 spoonfuls of food each day. My eyes sting with tears thinking of her. Everytime the phone rings, my heart beats faster. I get even sadder thinking of her having to spend her CNY in bed :'(.

She has done many good things in life. Improved the livelihoods of many. Touched many hearts. Why did this have to happen to her? At 86?

Grandma... please get well really really soon...

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.

lost another 3

To date, HQ has dropped 4 teeth altogether.

He dropped his first tooth on the 29th November 2010 while he was munching on bread. It's a lower left middle tooth.

A month later, my 5 year old told us he could feel another teeth growing on his gum. We took a look and sure enough, we could see a teeth sprouting out. While his original tooth was still intact!

HQ has been complaining that two of his upper teeth were wobbly, but we always thought they will drop on its own, like his first. Blame it on us, we should have started bringing him to dentist visits.When we told him Papa will be bringing him to the dentist next morning to remove his tooth (hubby was clearing his leave on the last week of the year), guess how he reacted?

"I don't want to see dentist. I want my teeth to be like this. 2 layers, like a shark!"

He thought that his 2 layers of teeth is cool! o.O"

Anyway, hubby reasoned with him and brought him to the dentist the next morning. This was the first time HQ visited a dentist. According to hubby, HQ was ok sitting on the dentist chair, opening his mouth for a check, and tolerating the bitter anesthetic when the dentist applied it to his gum. But when he saw the dentist holding a pair of pliers and about to pull his teeth out, he blared his lungs out! Even the dentist raised both his arms and took a step backward.

Oh dear.

Luckily hubby was good at reasoning with HQ, and in the end HQ got his two teeth plucked on 30th December 2010. Other than that, his teeth are good with no cavity.So while many people are looking their finest preparing for the new year 2011, my little boy's mouth looked really bare. Two upper teeth and one lower teeth were gone. My heart ache a little everytime I see him smile with that big gap :-(.

As if not enough, last Sunday, 16th January 2010, HQ woke me up bright and early at 5+ morning. On his little palm laid a tooth. After checking I saw his lower right middle tooth dropped off in his sleep. Luckily he did not swallow it. And... I also noticed some white teeth sprouting out from his gum, thus pushing this original tooth out!

He now loves to take photo smiling, showing the big gap *slap forehead*4 teeth gone at 5 years 8 months old. 2 dropped on its own, 2 plucked by dentist. And 2 teeth sprouting before the original ones were out. I really think that's too early!

The other day, I was just chiding HQ to eat properly while gnawing on an ear of corn. Then I realised he had to position his corn sideway because he could not scrape the corn pearls out without his 2 upper and 2 lower teeth! I really felt so sorry for him then :-(. In the end, hubby used a knife and scraped the corn flesh out for him (my kids prefer corn from the cob; must remember to buy corn in cup next time). I really hope HQ's 4 teeth will grow all back before the next starts to drop. Else, how will he be able to bite and chew properly? *praying hard*

At what age your kids lose their teeth?

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.

we went on a boat ride

super back-dated post: 22 August 2010 (yes, very stale!)

We were at Mines Shopping Fair last August and when the kids saw some boats leaving out the canal, they wanted to ride on one too.

So off we went. Hubby and I had gone on one before at this same location when we were dating many years ago. For the kids, it's their first ride. Here's some of the pictures that we snapped.

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.

first day of kindy

On 3rd January 2010 (Monday), the kids happily went to kindy.

HQ was happy to join his friends, and QQ, well, she had wanted to go to kindy for, like forever. So, like expected, she's happy too :-).

HQ
On the first day of school, HQ came back reporting that he was picked on by 2 big kids (in size, not age). I was wondering, beside 1 classmate, who else could be taller than him? He assured me that he's taller than these 2 boys, but they're much meatier.

He was hit at the leg, arm and buttock. A teacher saw them and break them off. I was shocked. Can you believe this? Only 6 years old and ganging up to bully another kid? Well, maybe it's their ways of "playing" but even so, it's too violent isn't it?

We were torn between encouraging him to protect himself, or to tell his teacher. However, we reasoned that knowing how to protect himself is more important than knowing how to tell a teacher. Moreover, as he grows up and joins a big school next year, there won't be a teacher around everytime.

That night, hubby taught HQ some basic ways of protecting himself - raise both arms to protect the face, or when the body was attacked keep hands at waist to protect your organs, where are the important parts of his body, and run if out-numbered. Hubby stressed that it is definitely wrong to fight, but if someone attack you, you have to know how to protect yourself.

So, on the second day after kindy, the 2 kids came for a fight again. When we asked, HQ told us that he told them sternly not to fight. They hit his arms when HQ used them to protect his face. We asked him whether we should talk to his principal about this? (Anyway, we did told the Principal to keep watch on the two boys in case this happens to other kids). He told us "No need. If they beat me again, I will tell Teacher Y."

So grown up already :').

On the third day, when we asked HQ how was school, he told us that these 2 kids jeered at him instead. And ran off when he told them not to that. Good improvement, huh? :-).

HQ said that from day 4 onwards, the 2 kids never even say a word to him. Haha! We feel relieved that HQ is feeling more confident of taking care of himself. And not to be fearful :-). Think it's about time to start asking about self defense classes for him.

QQ
QQ on the first day of kindy.
Although this is the first time QQ attended kindy, she adapted well. The teachers commented that she's very "guai" (well-behaved). Did as she's told, very responsive and generally a very happy child :-). The only thing I'm very worried about is the food that they served her in school. Well, she did cry on Wednesday at school. Why? She said because her teacher took away her half-eaten bread. She only managed to drink a cup of Milo and a bite of bread. And she cried again when Porpor fetched her back, reiterating the incident. Haha! That should teach her to eat quicker next time! :-P


As of this morning, HQ actually groaned because it's Saturday tomorrow and he didn't need to go to school. o.O" Because he said, he has found 2 new friends, who are also his very good friends, a boy and a girl. I hope he will continue liking school :-).

And QQ has caught a flu bug *sigh...* Hope she'll get well really soon.

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.

"ah pek" in the making...

"Ah Pek" eating... "Ah Pek" playing... "Ah Pek" reading... ...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Oh no! Not her too!

Say hello to "Ah Soh".

*slap forehead*

* "Ah Pek" is a term used for an old Chinese man who likes to sit with one knee propped up. "Ah Soh" is the term for female version.

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.

where did 2010 go?

Well, 2010 just whisked by... really fast.

2010 was an eventful year for us... the ups and the downs, the good and the bad. We have no control over the bad ones, so we choose to focus on the good ones :-). In the end, what's most important is we are all together, safe, healthy and happy as a family :-).

On our family front
The kids grew a whole lot in year 2010 and experienced many of their firsts - first visit to the public library, first movie at cinema, first time going out with mama alone, first time at the beach (it's also QQ's first time staying in a resort), and they went for their first overseas vacation.
HQ turns 5 in May. He grew from a shy little boy to be more confident and out-spoken :-). He speaks Mandarin fairly well now, although he still prefers English. He's independant, matured and an intelligent little individual. In year 2010, he participated in his first (real) treasure hunt, made us proud during his concert, lose his first tooth, and got to watch Walking with Dinosaurs by BBC! My little QQ turns 3 in July. QQ was unwell for some time and a series of misfortunes followed. Despite all these, QQ has blossemed into a generous, giving and loving little girl. She's a fierce little tiger, whom we think nobody can bully :-). This is the first year she attends school, and she had loved her orientation week (today is her first day of school!).The kids suffered and got well from HFMD. Early year 2010, HQ, QQ and I were given the opportunity to appear in a TV commercial :-). End of the year, the kids got an iPad from Papa for Christmas. And that wraps up year 2010 for The Boeys family :-).


On the blog front
We attended our first Nuffnang event.
Received a blog award from Small Kucing; thanks Kathy!
We were spoiled with a dim sum buffet by Kancil Biru; thank you Nizaa!
I won something from Modern Carino, thanks to Mummy Ling!
And a necklace from Jewelery by S, thanks Sherry!
Some lovely aunties gave lovely pressies to QQ; thanks Aunty Elaine, Annie, Barb & Hui Nih!
I did my first photo tag.
And we had our first blogger mummies meet.
On sewing & nivnivHandmade
I sewed my first zipper in January and was surprised that it's not all that difficult :-). I wish I could have done more sewing last year; here's the compilation of handmade projects and refashion projects. Was really happy when a French online magazine featured this refashioned skirt, twice :-). I received my first commissioned work from Elaine (thanks, friend!), and that encouraged me to launch nivnivHandmade in late July :-). nivnivHandmade is a project that's really close to my heart. Since launching nivniv, my sewing skills has improved, and I got to sew more varried projects. I didn't mind that I sleep a lot less most nights.

Quality to me is most important. I had to close orders early for Christmas & CNY because I didn't want to rush too much and compensate on quality. I hope that I could have more time and better focus to do more on nivniv. I wish to thank my lovely customers again... I'm really grateful for your support and trust in my handiwork. If you haven't already, do join us at Facebook!

So yes, we had a really busy year in 2010 :-).

We hope year 2011 will bring more organisation, happiness, health and togetherness for us.

And to all my lovely readers, have a very blessed Happy New Year to you and your family!

(C) Lee Pei Yi. All rights reserved. Originally published for boeyjoey.blogspot.com. All images and text cannot be republished without expressed written permission.