Honeymoon week

Early April was school holiday week and also 'honeymoon week' for me.  The kids and myself have been camping at my parents' house on weekdays since hubby's surgery.  All good, but... no maid services!  

It was nice to be at home where I didn't have to bother about cooking, washing dishes, laundry, cleaning the house etc.  We even had a 'popiah' lunch.  Jane made everything including the popiah skin.

Roll my own

It had been some time since we had gone out, so I took the kids out for Korean food.

Yums

I term this a 'honeymoon' as our maid will be going home for a month.  Timing isn't good with hubby not being independent yet. 

JE's birthday 2025

One tall candle and 5 short ones... JE is 15!  

Happy birthday to me!

She finally got her wish to have her ears pierced.  We went to 1U - a slightly complicated trip with hubby still recovering from surgery.  A wheelchair made it possible.  

Pamm! Done

Lunch was at Haidilao.  JE has a very small list of places she likes - at last count, there are only 3 haha.

Yum yum

She picked her birthday cake from Lavender bakery.  

Make a wish and blow out the candles

Happy birthday to JE!

She had a good day.  Kudos to hubby for making the effort, else we would have stayed home instead.  Happy birthday to our firstborn, always our best wishes for you.  :)

Leg

This girl, must sit in her own way while relaxing.  Lately one or both legs must be extended. I couldn't take a picture as she will quickly move back to a 'normal' position.  Then one day... caught her!

Sitting comfortably

She noticed I was snapping a picture.

Oh what is it?  I'm sitting properly what

Then another day... aha!

*Oblivious

 

Hubby’s progress

Recording hubby's progress since the brain tumour surgery on 1 March.  He was doing great initially.  The staples on the cut were removed on 11 March - 52 staples in all!  The doc said, eh why not going physio??  Which scared us into quickly booking an appointment.  Hubby had actually been thinking there was no need.

So... 18th started physiotherapy sessions.  We signed up for the package of 10 sessions then when the therapist noticed 18th was hubby's birthday, he gave a free session haha.

Ok do 15mins

Hubby had one complaint though.  He was taking 2 types of medication (Keppra and Lacoset) which made him drowsy all the time.  He decided to cut the Keppra starting on 19th.  

Not sure if related to medication but seizures returned:

20 morning 

21 night.  Increased Lacoset dosafe from 4 to 6 a day

27 morning - these were so bad we called an ambulance

27 night

Hubby increased Lacoset from 6 to 8 a day.  The good thing is, seizures seem to be controlled.  The bad, hubby is having headaches, drowsiness and loss of muscle strength.

Things are not that smooth at the moment.  

New routines

For now, our maid Jane is staying with hubby in our house.  I'm with the kids at my parents' house. New routine:

0550:  JE's alarm rings (I was so surprised she could wake up by herself!  Before this I had to wake her up and it usually takes A LOT of calling before she does)

0615:  My alarm

0635:  I wake SE and then go about preparing her breakfast and lunch for school

0700:  JE starts walking to school

0715:  SE's transporter arrives

 

I'm working from home at the moment which makes things easier.  I have time to plan, shop and make SE's lunch.  She hadn't been finishing her food so Jane had been progressively reducing the quantity.  SE said she only had 30mins for lunch in senior school which was not enough time.  Also... she was fed up of the rice+dishes she was getting. Consulted her on what she likes and then tried out new items - chicken-omelette wrap, tuna mayo in pitta bread, chicken pasta salad, soup with rice inside.  So far pretty successful, as in my 'customer' finishes her lunch!

Then on Fridays we go home for dinner since Jane is there to cook.  We try to avoid the fasting month peak traffic.  I would announce a planned departure time, expecting the girls to be ready.  Instead, I'd arrive to see this.... 

ZZzzzzzz

Anyway, luckily my work is rather easy at the moment.  Ommm.

Hubby's Birthday

Another person with a birthday in March... hubby.  It's March for me and hubby, April - JE, May - SE.  His family doesn't bother about birthdays so he's chill about whether there is a celebration or not.  This year, he got Korean food.  The cake was more for our benefit than his.

No need to celebrate also can lah

'

Happy birthday to me!

Check out the HALF head of hair haha.  He was trying hard to maintain normalcy the previous surgery - wearing a cap to cover the head, insisting he was fine when the neighbour saw him struggling to exit the car.  This round, he is much more relaxed.  

 

Oh #2

Referring to when JE got her first period... SE has started hers as well.  She is 12 and three quarters, which is exactly 2 years later compared to JE.  I'm very thankful (in fact had been praying for the delay!) for these extra 2 years - sorely needed to make up for the growth lost during her eating disorder days.  While her doctor said the onset of menstruation has no impact on height, I'm still convinced it does and googling also says girls only grow 1-2 inches after that.

Luckily SE had a height spurt once her weight stabilised.  At least she isn't a shorty-pants.

Hmm ok not bad

Incidentally JE did grow a few cm and is now slightly taller than me.  She was gloating about that, not knowing that that actually makes me very happy hahaha.