What's for dinner?

Mother cooked something special for dinner on Sat. Normally she only cooked very typical Chinese homecook dish but on that day we had purely western food. Since I am there, so I get to "tumpang makan." Mother fried chicken chop, fish fillet, pranws and french fries, while I prepared the coleslaw.

Everyone loved the food except those big prawns. My father's friend bought it for RM10/each, the size was too big that I only can take 1/3 of it, and the taste not as good as those normal size prawns but more like a lobster.

p/s: Guess whose the photographer???? I bet u know if u read my previous blog.

Yes, it's she!!!

Jo1's school holiday assignment

The school term holidays started from 26 May until 10 June which is about 2 weeks. Jo1 has 9 pages of Chinese writing, 6 pages of Malay writing and 2 pages from her mental arithmetic class. On top of that, she asked me for more???!!! This happened on Saturday afternoon, right after her ballet class. She told me that she wanted to borrow my camera, and wonder if I can be her model. My answer is "Doe want-la, mommy's hair so messy, face.....t-shirt......" So, I told her why not u switch the function to "scenery" and take picture of all the flowers & plants in the garden (I taught her about "potrait" function last time). Ting........that's really something new to her and it sound interesting to her. She returned the camera to me 1/2 hour later, and I didn't turn on to see what she took until this morning........Suprised!!!! I have 136 new photos in my SD card. All taken by Jo1 within 1/2 hour time. From here actually can tell how adults influence kids on what we did. Mommy likes to take photos, now kids follow-la.....









These are some of the photos to "show off". I think the result is not bad for a 6 yrs old girl using the simple point & shoot technique.

Learn a lesson from Jo1

Reached home @ around 6pm, kids happily greet me with a warm welcome hugs. Jo2 looked different than usual, so I looked again and only realized that his eyes is darker around. I asked Jo1 what happened to him, did he felt down or knock on something juz now? She replied "no.", then I checked on him again only realized that it's actually Jo1 applied blue & green color's eye shadow on him. I laughed & laughed (w/ relief)......And then, Jo1 asked me:"mommy, why u laugh? As a mommy, u should get angry.....ok! Next time, if u see this again, u should angry and not laugh,ok!!!

How we cope w/ no maid.

This week will be the 2nd week since my maid run-away. I have maid to help out the household chores as well as look after my kids since yr 2002. Actually, the situation wasn't as bad as I thought. Everyone seems like no problem at all, esp Jo2 whom was my biggest worried since he "stick" very close to her. Surprisingly, he never ask where is his kakak, not a single day. The good news is he is now able to sleep thru until 5AM, which means no more wake up in the middle of the nite.......yoohoo to me!!!

As for Jo1, lucky me that I trained her to bath by her own beginning of this year. I felt that bathing & eating by her own are some simple things that she should know at this age. With or without Kakak seem like the same to her since she never like to follow Tini's instruction.

As for papa2jojo, of course there is nothing can stop him from going to work. Good sign is, he will take care of the kids during his off day. Unlike last time, he usually "snake" out with his friends whenever he can since he knows that he has hired someone to take care of his children. Spending more time at home is actaully a good chance for him to get to know them better in their growing stage.

As for me. I have better memory now. I used to be very forgetful, and tend to dependent on my maid on most of the things. Now, things changed. Not only that - I am freed also. Temporarily no step-daughter!!! Having a maid is actually an additional ppl to take care of on top of them helping us. The bad news is my plan to HK Disneyland on 28 May is cancelled.

All I want is "MILK".....mommy

Both my chidren love to drink milk very much. Jo1 supposed to fully wean off at the age of 5 but she pleadge me to let her continue until she turns 6. In this case, milk has become a powerful weapon for me to control them.

Case 1:
Ask Jo1 to do homework.......she refused.
Me: Go & do yr homework now if u want to drink milk b4 bedtime.
Jo1: ok......lo!!!

Case 2:
Refused to finish her meal.
Jo1: mommy, I am full oredi. I cannot finish the rice.
Me: U don't ask for milk later if u are full now.
Jo1: But, I can only finish the soup, can?
Me: ok.

As for Jo2, he is a frequent milk drinker coz he only takes 4 oz each time. So, I have more chance to so call "threaten" him.

Case 1:
Pointing his toy gun at me......pheng pheng pheng!!!!
Me: Hey, u shoot me ah??? If mommy die-liao no one make milk for u-le.....
Jo2: Sori....mommy (hugging me)

Case 2:
Me: Come and keep yr toy now.....time to sleep!!!
Jo2: mommy keep!
Me: No milk for u if u don't keep yr toy now.
Jo2: mommy & jie jie help! (since he knows there's no more kakak)

Run-away maid

My maid has run away from my house on Friday (11/5). She is now very "safe" at the Indonesia Embassy and protected by the officer there. According to the person in charge, she complained that she is over-worked, on the other hand she also complained that she actually prefer to work in a house where there is only 1 maid. She said she can actually finish all the house work by her own and doesn't need any help from other maid. I told her that it's impossible I let her stay in the house with my 2 kids during day time, juz only 3 of them while I am @ work. I have to bring them to my mother's place where my mother is around the house w/ my mother's maid. I visited her yesterday, she is so stubborn and looked different. The Kakak Tini that I know who used to take care, cuddle, hugging & spoiled my Jo2 has now become so different in overnight. I juz don't understand why she did this to me only after she worked with me for 1 year + 16 days. All the while, there is no complain from her. She even said that she is happy working for me, so I know there must be some other reason why she wants to leave, probably it has something to do with the letter that she received exactly 1 week before she ran. Too much work is juz an excuse if working for 4 person (2 adults + 2 kids)
The issue now is: she is now protected, I have to pay her the full salary even though she didn't finish her 2 yr contract w/ me. I think that is not fair to me. It's means employer is not protected, and nobody is bind to the contract, then why we need a 2 yr contract??? Who is going to compensate me for not working from now onwards until I hire a new maid??? What if this is a syndicate where they can transfer her to another employer and earn extra income??? What if they actaully take my maid out to work as a part timer during her stay in the embassy???
Lucky me, Jo2 didn't cry looking for her as I what I worried in the first place since he is so "stick" to her and spend day time with my maid. I actually have no problem handle him and everything is under control and not as bad as I thought. Afterall, I still "ALIVE" even without maid.

Sleep thru the nite

I have dark circles around my eyes ever since I became a mother. Waking up in the middle of the nite seem like a routine job for me. I have to wake up either to feed kids w/milk, to make sure that they sleep tide w/ blankie on(no nightmare).
My kids actually luv their milk so much that Jo1 was able to sleep thru the nite on the day I was admitted to hospital and as she knew that she is becoming a big sister. I was happy and surprised when my maid told me she didn't wake up the nite Jo2 is born. Since then, she is able to fall asleep on her own after drinking a bottle of milk and can lasts her until the next day. As for Jo2, I started to train him since he was 7 months, but I failed. No matter what method I tried.
Actually papa2jojo is the one who ruin my plan when I use the "cried out" method," he either will say that I am a bad mommy that don't let the child drink when he is hungry....or he will be the "Good Helper" (I call it KPC) to make the milk for his "baobei" son.
I hope Jo2 can sleep thru the nite before he turns 3.

Papa2jojo is a workholic

Papa2jojo has been working days and nights since last month. He actually can work non-stop for 24/7 and sometimes only take a nap in the office for less than 6 hours. My worries to him is that he might overworked and it might harm his health.
Last nite, he came home earlier than usual and he told me that his boss has actually cut his Apr's overtime hour from 123 to 100, the 23 hours convert to A/L. To me, it will actually cut to nothing since papa2jojo never used up all the A/L he earned. I know he will still work like a "cow" even though the boss did this to him. He don't care much since he like his job so much, too bad the company never reward employees who never take M/C or A/L with 100% attendance.