2nd dose for JE

JE is all vaccinated now!  Location was so convenient too, only a short distance away from home.  (There were very limited locations for the first dose.)

Suffer first...

It was a small place and very fast.  Mysejahtera somehow couldn't register SE so she couldn't take hers.  There was a Tealive next door so of course JE requested one.

Now for something nice

Next need to sort out the appointment for SE.

JE's Birthday 2022

JE is 12!  

My lovely cake mmmm

And when your birthday falls in the middle of the week, there is a good chance of multiple celebrations.  First, lunch at Rolling Daruma the weekend before birthday...

Spicy mayo noodle mmmm

Then on the actual day (a Tuesday), dinner at Asiari near my parents' place for halal Chinese food.  Well fasting month had already started and first choice was very busy.  Birthday girl happily ordered a drink and the sis happily shared it. 

This Su Ern is taking so much

Finally cake the weekend after.  She chose a dense chocolate cake which I was rather happy to eat haha.

Happy birthday to me!

Of course after THAT, she still had a present to choose.  Talk about a looongg celebration!

Lost Piglet

This actually warrants a post.  Background is, SE has recently been happily role-playing with this piglet.  It speaks in a squeaky high-pitched voice and is VERY attached to JE whom it calls 'Potato'.  It will do things for Potato and just wants to be with Potato all the time.  It will also keep saying to JE "Piglet likes Potato.  Potato like Piglet?" (it's a very clingy pig!).  And when JE steps out of the shower, this little pig is on the floor outside the bathroom waiting for her.  The way SE built up its character made it rather cute.  Its favourite is Potato but it is quite affectionate to me as well.

These last 2 weeks, we have been hunting high and low for this piglet.  It was last seen on my dining chair and then couldn't be found when it was time to drive to our apartment for the week.  I was confident it'd be easy to find as where could it go?  The kiddos were always playing with it.  But our maid Jane has been turning the house upside down and it seems to have vanished.  Jane is very good at hunting for lost things some more.  We're all racking our brains what could have happened to it.  We had no visitors that day and we didn't go out.

SE has dreamt of it twice already.  Little pig where are you?  

Photo from happier times with it....

Mmm hug piglet

Cards and Resolutions

Oh where did March go... it's a new month already.  Been so busy with hubby's recovery sessions, getting the kids ready for school, work.  Luckily I can still work from home for now.  Which saves a lot of time on preparation and travelling.  I can nip away from work a while to take care of things like grocery-shopping, laundry and ironing.  Our maid now stays with hubby during weekdays so I have to manage uniforms for the kids - whether the day calls for uniform, sportswear or school shirt.

Will just pop the cards the kids made me for my March birthday here...

From SE, a cute penguin holding a balloon with an apologetic comment "This was rushed". 

Penguin from SE

From JE, an avocado haha.

Avocado from JE

Wait, what's that?  "Avocado is fat like mama"??

Poor avocado

I did manage to finally lose some weight before hubby's surgery.  But after that, what with staying home with food for comfort and without much exercise, with CNY... well the tummy became rather 'padded' again.  

Now that the kids go off with the transporter before 7.30am, I have time for some exercise before starting work at 9am.  Current resolution:  To finally fit into my work pants once and for all.  And after that, to REMAIN so. 

How was school

First week of school done and dusted. We'd all been exhorting SE to make friends at her new school.  Cousin Erin told her, you must SMILE!  Amidst other 'helpful' advice haha.

Day1

Me: How was school?

SE: Meh

She talked to kids behind and in front of her but "sadly has no friend yet".

Ok lah at least she did talk to people. Would be worse if she'd clammed up.  

Cousin Erin's report to all: Su Ern DID NOT make a friend today

Days 2 and 3

How was school?  Meh.

Cousin Erin's report to all: Su Ern STILL did not make friends.  Su Ern has NO friends.

Day 4

How was school? Boring.  BUT.  Confirmed I have made a half friend.

All right!! Way to go SE! Hahaha.

Day5

How was school?  I have made a new QUARTER friend.

Seems promising so far!  Let's see what the next week brings.  Socialising is harder than usual with the Covid social distancing SOPs in place.  

Focusing on friends as we think SE would feel more settled in once she has people to talk to.

I have to wear this?

New school new beginning

After 2 years in a Chinese class for kindergarten (I remember being ecstatic at finally securing a place in this class!) and 3 years in a Chinese school, Mandarin is still an alien language to SE.  My parents had been valiantly trying to coach her.  She has been as valiantly trying to avoid studying. Somehow words as simple as 'four', 'nine' and 'divide' are at times beyond her.  Obviously continuing the same path isn't the ideal option.

So... switching her to a private school for standard 4.  Tasks I have accomplished:

 

1. Selected new school and paid deposit

2. Sorted out her school leaving certificate - rather sad that we are exiting early!

3. Paid fees for the year - my cashflow was tight due to hubby's operation

4. Sorted out the transporter

5. Bought uniforms

6. Sorted out books - collected some from cousin Erin and bought remaining ones

7. Attended orientation 

 

It totally helps that cousin Erin is in the same school haha. I'm a bit of the worrying type, relieved that we're all set now.

Hoping SE will blossom in this new environment. English will be the main medium of instruction while books besides Maths/Science/languages are in Bahasa. 

Blossom, my child, blossom

Feeding the pets

The girls still play with their soft toys.  And SE makes sure they get fed....

Have some egg salad, Piglet

Here Rat, have a bite

Here's some cake, Piglet

 I find it cute haha.