Pillopets

Need to rein myself in soon! It's all too easy buying things online these days. I usually do it in the office, and it sure beats doing actual work heh heh. I mostly go for household things and toys/clothes for the kids. Sometimes I decide NOT to buy something. Then cave in after a few hours/days/weeks. Arggh! Like these pillow pets. I'd concluded they were bulky and not something the girls needed at all. Shortly after, had a chance conversation with hubby where I mentioned SE was born in the year of the Dragon. Also that there aren't many toys in the shape of dragons. And I suddenly remembered that one of the "pillopets" I'd shortlisted was a green Dragon. That was it... back I went to purchase!

I got this giraffe and I like my giraffe so, so much!

I got this dragon... it has a tongue

Both of us have new pillows, yay!

These pillow pets aren't too bad actually. They're good quality and soft. Though Ah Mah said SE's dragon looks rather scary. And Ah Kong said JE's giraffe doesn't have a long neck and is so fat it looks like a pig. Well these need to function as pillows so the shape can't run far from the basic! The girls like them - they're huggable and can be played with in different ways. Money NOT wasted, phew. :)

RIP Shadow

Our dog Shadow has gone to doggy heaven.  Came down this morning and was told by Ilyn, 'Mam, Shadow die already'. He wasn't well the last couple of days - off his food, vomited - but nobody expected it to be serious. He was only 5 years old, still young.

He was hubby's dog. Hubby wanted a BIG, BLACK german shepherd and bought Shadow for a substantial sum after visiting a few specialised dog breeders. We were living in my condo then so Shadow spent his first 3 months indoors in hubby's factory. It was initially a good life... hubby drove all the way twice daily to feed him, play with him, take him for walks. And bought lamb chops specially for him. 

But later on... Shadow was willful and as he grew, it became difficult taking him for walks as he would pull and run wherever he pleased. We were afraid he might cause a neighbour or worse, a child, injury by leaping at them. Hubby strained his wrist once. Walks became few and far between.

Hubby even thought of giving/selling Shadow off but nobody wanted a dog this size. So poor dog was relegated to his area at the back of our house.

Dog!

We were careful to keep Shadow away from the kids - didn't want to risk any damage from a swipe of his paw or a clampdown of his jaws! But he was still a part of their lives. JE often asked to be placed on the kitchen counter to watch Shadow outside. When she was only starting to talk, she told him sternly, 'A-dow, NO.' when he barked at my SIL. There would be no more cries of "Shadowwww! Su Ern dowan to eat!'.
Hmm. While I didn't have time for Shadow, the back area without his doggy presence wouldn't be the same.

Hope he's in a better place.

Hubby's birthday

Hubby's bday is exactly 2 weeks after mine. He's been sleep-deprived the last couple of weeks... his recent business venture is a F&B place that opens till 1-2am. He can't sleep late the next morning since I work normal hours, the kiddos awake at a certain time and his body clock wakes him up anyway. It was good that he could make it for his own birthday dinner! No cake since hubby doesn't like them.

We went to Windmill and ordered the same items as we did at The Ship for my birthday haha. (I still prefer Ship!)

Hubby with the big girl

Big girl making dreadful face, small girl trying to follow

Who's baadd

SE has been putting on this cap-n-sunglasses combo lately. Took some photos as I thought she looked really BAAADD.

Go on, make my day

If you DARE

Kidding! I don't bite! (well not usually)

Camerons Part 2

*Continue with Cameron Highlands*

Stayed at a 3-bedroom apartment in Crown Imperial for just under RM500. So spacious - took a photo of JE from the opposite corner for size comparison. (Note the collection of toys we brought along!) One room had two queen-sized beds side by side, perfect for hubby, me, JE and SE. Our maid slept in a room with a double bed+one mattress and the remaining room with a double bed+two mattresses was left vacant. Rather a waste, but at least we never had to queue for the bathroom!

Why this mummy take photo from so far away?

The temperature: COLD! I was shivering a little even with my jacket on. Both my girls aren't bothered by cold too much.

This one is my sister Su-Su

The next morning we did the typical Camerons attractions - strawberry farm, honeybee farm, cactus farm, vegetable farm, market etc etc. But JE complained she wasn't feeling well. She didn't have a fever but was rather lethargic. And wanted to go back to the apartment instead of visiting more farms. Oh-oh. Luckily I'd brought along Panadol syrup and she perked up enough for us to resume the tourist-y activities. Phew! Must always bring Panadol on holidays just in case!

SE now... was super-clingy.  I walk a couple of steps away and she starts crying. Saw this kinda face a lot, sigh. On the bright side, it was nice carrying and cuddling her since she's soft and warm. :)

I want Mummy!

Camerons isn't a cheap place - accommodation, food, basically everything. Except for one thing - STRAWBERRIES! They were big, cheap, beautiful! I buy lots of strawberries since JE (currently) likes them. Prices at Camerons were less than half of those in KL!

Strawberries for me! And strawberry-tie thing in my hair!

Oh, it was such a good break. Cool weather, fresh air, fresh vegetables/fruit, greenery everywhere. Ahhhh. After that it was back to KL with the heat and haze. Argghh.

JE: Don't wanna take photo

My birthday

Interrupt the Camerons posts for a more important event... my birthday! Haha. As usual, I took leave from work - must celebrate myself, and what better way than being able to do what I want for the day. Even if it's a small thing like turning off my daily wake-up alarm!

This year I had plans to send the kids over to my parents and have a movie/lunch date with hubby. But a business opportunity suddenly came up. So I kept the kids in for the day and just went for dinner. Hubby made it a point to return home early and suggested a classier dinner than I had planned, so all was good. :)

Chose a slab of brownie (hubby rushed up to pay, which was good again!) and stuck 2 candles in it. JE thinks I'm one year old because last year I stuck one candle in my slice of cake. So this round I continued the trend by putting in TWO. It does happen to be my real age, minus some decades. Heh heh.

Pictures... I didn't realise SE was so happy until I saw the short video!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to MUMMY, happy birthday to you

JE immediately positioned herself to blow out the candles (hey it's MY birthday!) but I managed to pull myself together in time to blow out one.

It was overall a good evening!  JE ate well and SE behaved too.

Nom nom nom

This one is my lollipop!

(Dinner was at The Ship... not super-pricey. Just that our maid was there and I ordered her the same thing so it adds up! Not nice to just get her the cheapest item lah)

Cameron Highlands trip 2014

Just back from 3d2n in Camerons Highlands! I've been wanting to take the kids for quite a while now. My last trip with my family (parents, sibs, in laws, Justin and Elyssa) was before JE even existed. It was virtually impossible to arrange a repeat trip with my family though. And hubby kept worrying about landslides. So what to do? A girl has to do what she has to do... book accommodation, take annual leave and lay the guilt trip on hubby. Hehe.

The sun was scorching hot when we left KL. Air quality wasn't good either. We stopped at Tapah for lunch - felt like I got half-roasted merely crossing the main road from car to shop! I was beginning to laugh at myself for packing jackets and long-sleeved shirts.

We stopped at the Iskandar waterfall. Ahh this was nice. It was a Thursday and there were very few other groups.

Greetings from the waterfall!

Tried to lower SE into the water. Somehow her legs weren't where they were supposed to be...

No no, my feet don't like! (Toes all curled up too)

JE wasn't much better. I managed to get her feet wet by holding her like this...

Just when I had written off my city kids, they started to enjoy the water. Both happily got wet from head to toe! (Hubby was busy issuing dire warnings about them falling on the rocks, catching a chill etc)

The big girl:  Wheeee!

The little girl: Wheeee!

Had to tear them away, heh. Drove on up the hill. Gave JE a lollipop to ease any boredom/motion sickness. SE bawled trying to get one for herself - not giving her sweets yet. Much later, stopped at Bharat tea plantation. It was getting a bit chilly so it was nice walking up/down the tea slopes.

My mummy says har, all those are tea bushes

Why the fuss over these leaves? Can eat one meh?

By the time we reached Brinchang, it was really cold! Wished I'd packed MORE warm clothing!
OK, continue in next post. :)