Beach Xmas at 1U

Better get on with these posts before December is over!  SE was keen to check out Xmas deco at the malls.  Deco didn't seem to be up very early this year - think there wasn't any yet a month before.  Anyway we checked out 1 Utama first as they are usually creative on the theme.

It was apparently 'A Beach Xmas' this time i.e. an Auttralian one.  We didn't like this that much.

Beach huts

More beach huts

The new wing area was better.  Then again, I always like plants.  There was an area with pampas grass...

Pampas grass behind us

Deco on the Xmas trees was a bit unique - I recognise banksia.  I don't know what the others are but I guess they are other native Australian plants.  

Mummy says this is an Aussie Xmas tree

I guess this theme is lost on many Malaysians.
 

Specialist #1

2 October 2023

After considering various doctors together with their working hours, I selected one at UMSC.  This doctor has Saturday clinic hours which I thought would be good to avoid missing work/school.  UMSC is also the hospital hubby had his surgery back in 2021 and has been returning for check-ups.  Hubby wasn't keen after checking her credentials.  Anyway decided to go for it.

Waiting

When we got in, doc asked what the problem was.  She then asked various questions about our lifestyle.  She requested me to leave the room and asked SE about her school, any problems she was facing.  SE replied that everything was fine.  I went into the room again and doc said for a first session, she wouldn't go further.  We finished in under an hour and doc said to see her again in a month.

Hmmm.  Nothing much achieved.  No urgency either if next visit was only in a month's time. 

I thought SE put it quite well:  This visit is the most useless.

 

Panic

This is a painful topic which I'd been hoping will go away by itself, but it's obvious now that it will not.  I will delay the posts to blunt the sensitivity.

23 September 2023

Back in June 2023, I took SE to a doctor to check why her weight was so low.  She was given an all-clear.  However since then, and despite our efforts to push it up, her weight gradually meandered downwards from 28kg in June to 25kg in September.  In a panic at a sudden half-kg drop one weekend (weighing takes place on weekends as the scales are at home and not our apartment), I took her to our neighbourhood paediatrician.

Blood being taken from a skinny arm

This doctor is a caring one whom we'd taken the girls to as babies and toddlers.  I only didn't go to her this round as hers is a stand-alone clinic and I'd preferred a medical centre with access to more facilities.

Her prognosis:  No good.  Doc took time to check SE and concluded she was suffering from anorexia.  She had the symptoms of malnutrition, was emaciated (this one is obvious to the eye), lacked energy, had 'lanugo hair' on her abdomen which is apparently a sign of an eating disorder.

Doc took the trouble to call me that night when the blood test results were out.  It was past 11pm and I was about to go to sleep with the girls.  We spoke for over 20 minutes.  Doc advised to see a specialist urgently and ended by saying that she will be thinking of us.

My poor, poor girl.  Anorexia is an adult-sized problem and she is just a kid.

In case she reads this:  This journey will be a tough one, you have to walk it yourself, but Mummy will be beside you every step of the way.

Quick one

 Just realised I only had 1 blog post in November.  Quick catch-up:

1. End-September, I was officially out of the project I was in.  Almost everyone in the team was envious of my escape haha.  There were various tasks the bosses insisted I had to finish though.  Oh well, that's over now.

2. I was sad to hear of Nancy's passing.  I traced back and found we had been commenting on each other's blog since 2015.   That's a long 9 years... feeling as though I have lost a friend even though we have never met.  My comment on her last blog post has disappeared but she won't disappear from my memory.

3. I have been going through a very trying period at home.  I didn't blog about it because it was (and is) ongoing and sensitive.  But I shall as I want to record this.  My goal is to be able to look back at it one day and say:

    Oh that was a terrible time.  

    I'm glad we are out of it already.  

    And we never want to go back.

Silly hats

What my girls were up to at Ah Mah's birthday...

JE: I have a hat

SE: Oh that is really chic

SE: I want a hat too

SE: There! Now I'm fashionable too!

JE: Copycat...

Entrepreneurship Carnival

SE's school held an 'Entrepreneurship Carnival' (translated loosely to 'Karnival Suka Ria' aka 'Fun Carnival' which has quite a different meaning!)  recently.  It was supposedly to give students a chance to run their own business.  Well maybe so for the more senior students. The ones in primary school basically had a good time haha. 

It was open to others and JE insisted on going.  Oh well, so I took time off work to take her there.  SE had gone off earlier at the usual time via the transporter.  The place was bustling!  There was music, petting zoo, haunted house and all kinds of stalls.  First, some shopping... 

Let's buy this

Then it was time for SE's shift at her stall.

Yes, that is a good choice

JE wanted to paint a bag.  I had planned to just wait, but got into it as well.

Blobby done by me. Frog by Mummy

It was so fun that we left some for SE to do.  We basically did the 'creatures' we play with - Blobby, Monkey, Piglet etc - and whatever else came to mind.

I shall do Little Yellow Dog

 Overall, totally enjoyed ourselves!

Ah Mah's 80th Birthday 2023

Ah Mah is 80!  Now same octogenarian rank as Ah Kong who turned 80 last year.  A special occasion for a special person, so we wanted a memorable event.  Booked Copper Mansion for a course dinner. :)

Private room

Can choose songs and sing

Some pics of the more photogenic food....

Thai lemongrass pork skewers

3-season platter (yes 3 and not 4 haha)

Roast duck

Italian-style prawns

While the food was decent, we agreed it didn't justify the 2k bill.  The place was nice though.

Ah Mah, Ah Kong and the grandkids

Whole family

Happy birthday to my dear mother, and here's to many more to come!

Latest Eggdogs

SE did well at her last exams.  For our record, she got 'A's in all subjects.  Hers being a private school, we expect there to be an emphasis on making students can score - by fair means or foul!  SE thought she didn't deserve some of her 'A's.  One was a paper where the teacher practically gave them the essay to copy.  Another was she happened to study the right thing.  Putting all this aside, still, definitely an excellent effort.

The eggdogs apparently appear whatever the results.  :)  As before initially, here and here, these are the little creatures which are drawn at the end of the papers...

Eggdog on the Maths paper: Eggdog don't know its angles 

An apologetic Eggdog

Eggdog has high standards, coz this paper was an 'A'!

My far is this one below.  One of her teachers noticed these creatures, and wrote his own response.  Love it when teachers interact like this!

The Eggdog who studied last minute

 

Haircut

Took a before and after haircut shot of the girls.... this Upin/Ipin mural is on our way to the shop.  The girls always want to have hair as long as they can get it.  The previous round, both girls ended up in tears after their haircut.  The ladies at the shop were pretty shocked at their super-unhappy customers!  

Actually JE liked her layered style after a while.  SE remained totally displeased... 

 

Before

After

The haircuts were barely noticeable this round especially for SE.  I'm sure the shop ladies remembered the tears previously and took care not to upset their customers too much.  Not worth my money also haha.

Lantern festival

The kiddos are big now (how time flies!) but they still wanted to play with lanterns this year.

Hehehe

Just lighting lanterns and taking a walk round the neighbourhood.

Us and our lanterns

Why not, as long as they want to!

 

For the record, we had dinner the previous day at Ah Lye Fish head (not as good as we remembered).  And mooncakes from sis and gin-and-tonic from bro this night.  We tried to leave early to join hubby who was home alone. 

Melaka 2023 Last day

The last day of our Melaka holiday.... decided to check out the swimming pool at the apartment, which looked quite nice in the pictures.  My main gripe about this particular apartment was the designated carpark... it was located 5 floors up.  Every time we went out and came back I would be grumbling away.    

Mummy and me

Glamour type of photo according to Mummy

For lunch we had nyonya food at Lin Neo - selected by SE.  Food was all right, nothing to shout about.

Last lunch in Melaka

And that was our Melaka holiday.  I enjoyed it and managed to put on 1kg (sighhh).
 

Melaka 2023 Day3

The next day... master tour guide SE had unearthed some museum options. Our plan for the day was the maritime museums.  

Sidetrack:  There were some not-so-nice work emails expecting me to attend a call.  I had not planned to as it would mean me sitting down at the laptop - yes brought it even on holiday - while the family waited for me the whole morning.  

By the time things were sorted out, I checked and found the museum had closed and would only reopen later in the afternoon.  It didn't improve my mood although I told myself the museum-closed situation had nothing to do with my work woes.  Anyway we headed to a different museum which was open, the Customs museum.  

 

Everyone busy trading at a port. Except us

This museum was free to enter - we took our time to walk around and read signs.  This might help make history more real for the kids, though I suspect Melaka history isn't a large part of the syllabus any more.

Now what are these?

Our slow walkabout took about an hour, which brought us to lunch time.  I'd wanted to go to the Daily Fix cafe but expected a long queue.  SE again took matters in hand and encouraged me to check it out.  So we got there and... well the queue wasn't bad.  Kudos again to SE!

Food was good!  Hubby got the onde-onde cake (delightful.  No pictures coz I didn't expect it to be special).  We also had pandan pancakes (nice enough but a tad too sweet due to the coconut filling).  SE liked the ciabatta bread of the duck sandwich, though next time we should try the chicken.  The star for me was the sweet and savoury pancake - pancakes with maple syrup, caramelised banana, bacon and ham - what's there not to like??  Heaven haha.

Pandan coconut pancakes

Sweet and savoury pancakes

Then we went to walk around Jonker St again.  It's something of a tradition for these 2 to get these egg-shaped ice creams.  SE accepted one when reminded of that.

Our egg ice-creams!

Then SE prompted us to go for a river cruise.  This was sweet of her actually.... the previous trip, I was upset when I planned this activity only to find nobody interested once we got there.  So now we finally have done this - it was ok, just sat back and look left and right according to the pre-recorded guide.

All aboard!

Cruise-ing

So it was a full day again for Day 3. :)

 

Melaka 2023 Day2

Before the holiday, SE asked where we were going - my plan had been to eat and sleep hehe.  SE took it upon herself to research places to go.  That's why we had A Formosa and St Pauls' church on our list.  :)  

This one is Porto de Santiago

Tourists at St Paul's

I'd wanted to revisit Baboon House but assumed the wait will be too long.  SE reminded me to check it out anyway.  To my surprise, we were immediately beckoned in,  AND got the coveted table in the middle.  What joy!  Burgers and drinks were good and I simply love the environment.  The others... weren't as enamoured as me haha.

Happy mummy

Thanks to me

Papa and Jojo were there too

On to Jonker St after that.  JE was attracted by this model of a tall ice-cream.  I discouraged her as it was either the model was a scam or it'd be too big, but hubby said to go ahead.   

Take my RM9

So it turned out big.  And how do finish something so big?  Obviously it was a chore, everyone had a brain-freeze (SE didn't eat much.  These days she just doesn't) and JE ended up with melted ice-cream dripping as we couldn't eat it fast enough.  It also tasted like low-quality stuff.

I do NOT have ice-cream dripping all over

We were tired after walking all over Jonker.  But we had to find our way back to the car which was parked near A Famosa - fortunately we didn't get lost, just a little far.  Then back to the apartment to recharge.  It was rather late by the time people woke up.  I'd thought it was too late for the satay celup JE wanted as there would probably be a long queue.  Also our legs were still tired.  But SE thought we should anyway.  Surprise... we managed to walk right into Ban Lee Siang, no queue (although there was one next door).  

 

Mmm I like satay celup

 Overall, a perfect day!

Melaka 2023 Day1

The girls had a week of school holiday and off we went to Melaka.  We will 'take off' overseas one of these days now that hubby is better.  For now, local is still fine for us.

First up was lunch at Baba Charlie cafe.  Hubby's petai prawn rice was ok, but I didn't like the noodle texture and raw-tasting beansprouts in the laksa.  The kuih annoyingly runs out here so there isn't much choice unlike their previous other outlet (closed now).  I had been thinking of their onde-onde... next time will just find other places to go.

Hung around a bit until it was time to check in.  We got an apartment this time - way more spacious than our Jonker room on our previous trip.  

Take a photo of our apartment...

We just relaxed until it was time for dinner.  Then off to the pasar malam!  We got a table and had mixed sausages, grilled chicken wings, ginger-garlic lala (good) and fried lobak kou (this wasn't nice) and drinks (not worth it at RM11 each as they were diluted).

We are having a snack-y dinner

I enjoyed walking around the stalls buying various things since I haven't visited a pasar malam for ages.  JE had her heart set on a RM15 inflatable frog.  Oh well guess it could be used as a lantern at the upcoming lantern festival.

Yes I need a frog

Went back happily with various food items.  And Mr Inflatable frog.

Our loot