I am so looking forward to the school holiday. In fact I am already in holiday mood since this Monday. Haven’t been paying much attention to the kid’s school work since JS finished her school exam.

Hubs has got to work for the whole of next week, (factory running, Malay colleague all going on leave), so it is not possible to bring us anywhere. I am sure the ILs will bring the kids out. If not I am expected to bring the kids to their grand’s house. But I have other plans. Am going back to hometown with my parents for two days and the kids want to go for excursion. Promised them the bird park and planetarium. But planetarium is closed on Raya. Want to cover Lake Garden and National Monument too if I am already in town. And agricultural park is in our agenda too. Let’s see how many places we can cover in this week.

The bad news is that the children comes back with many homework. I am trying to get them finish it by weekend. So we can have peace of mind to just relax and play and not have to worry about unfinished homework throughout the week.

Oh..indeed he came home early. At 9p.m. That is such an accomplishment. The kids were delighted but quite can’t believe it at the same time. I suppose after all those disappointment of waiting, they have somehow know not to have to high expectation.

I don’t know how long good time like this will last before I “fatt lan zha” again. The good thing is that when I fatt lan zha, he will try his best to patch things up..though my stubbornness don’t always forgive easily. He has brought the children out for a car ride.

I actually heard him ask the children “Do you all like daddy to come home early?”

The instant respond I heard from WH was him jumping up and down, excitedly said “YES!! EVERY NIGHT!!”

No , I didn’t brain wash them, it is really their sincere wish from deep in their heart.

The school holiday is approaching. We had initially plan to go to the States in June. In fact if I were not pregnant, we would have gone last November.  SIL had promised the kids Disney vacations in LA and BIL also told the kids about camping trip in the Caravan. We thought of getting the visas for the whole family once JE is born, but a lot of things can be plan ahead but there will always be last minute changes. When we’ve decided to cancel the plan in February, the two older kids were clearly disappointed. Good thing is they forgotten about it quick too. The lesson learned is never to promise the kids anything, don’t even mention the plan until it is 100% confirmed.

Is the last day of school holiday, we haven’t been to anywhere for one whole week. Thought of asking daddy to bring the kids out on the last day. Since there’s a hot air balloon fiesta at Putrajaya, suggested daddy bring us there.

Hub invited his parents along. FIL initially quite reluctant to follow, MIL will forever follow as long as we are going jalan.

Left about 10-ish after picking PIL up. Reached Putrajaya, saw the hot air balloon from afar. Kids were excited. But after going two rounds still couldn’t find the road to the parking. The old folks couldn’t walk and hub is driving to look for the nearest parking so that they don’t have to walk. So after two rounds, he gave up as PIL weren’t patient and commented that it’s better to go makan than walking under hot sun.

Hub was so busy on the phone on work matter when he decided to leave putrajaya and we ended up at Alamanda instead of heading straight home. Had lunch there. Since the old folks especially FIL couldn’t walk and afraid to walk, we just walked into the first eatery we saw.  It was noodle house, and I must say the food is LOUSY.  Hub went to explore further and found Penang Village also nearby , so after our food at Noodle house, we walked over to Penang Village as PIL and WH didn’t order any thing from the earlier eatery.

After lunch, hub decided to drive to the hot air balloon area another. It was near 1p.m and no hot air balloon to be seen already. Saw the helicopter ride, hub went to check on the price. It cost RM120 per person for a 5 minutes ride.

The kids were dissapointed, first, they don’t get to get down from the car and walk about, never get up close and personal with the hot air balloon, 2nd, the helicopter ride was simply too expensive. I didnt even manage to snap any picture of the hot air balloon.

Then the kids were fighting, JL cried and MIL scolded the two older kids. WH was clearly not happy being scolded as it’s not totally his fault. Until today, I still feel that my PIL doesn’t like boy as much as the girls.

If I knew that we were spent time at the mall, especially a place like Alamanda, I would rather stay home or go other mall like MidValley, Gardens or even 1U.

Lousy outing, spoilt my mood.

Of course I am also not every happy as to why EACH and EVERY family outing we have to include PIL and/or SIL. Can’t we have our own family time. It is happening week after week. Even now that hub is planning for a vacation and that will include SIL and FIL too. The last trip we had was two  years ago to KK when JL was still a baby. I just don’t understand, why can’t we go somewhere on our own.

Told the kids

“HOLIDAY IS TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF HOMEWORK AND PLAY ALOT ALOT”

and this is what they have been doing. Playing and have loads of fun.

Here’s the photo of shortbread cookies we bake the other day. The house was in a mess with flour and bits and pieces of dough everywhere. Luckily got maid to clea up after us. The cookies were a success though first time making and the shape not that nice , but it taste yummy (certainly not good for someone who wants to go on diet..it’s fattening and sweet!!) , daddy the food critic says it is nice and been munching on it, so I know we had passed.

It’s school holiday, PIL came over to visit the kids, wanted to bring them out for meal and at the same time brought fruits over for us to offer at that altar as it is newmoon of the lunar month today.

The two older kids didn’t want to follow grannies out for lunch. The grandparents were rather dissapointed. When they were about to leave, JL cried and wanted to follow them. MIL carried JL and brought her along.

An hour or so later I called to check on JL and asked if needed me to go fetch her home. MIL said she is alright. I wonder if she will be alright to stay overnight at grands’s place. Will see later if I go fetch her or get hub to pick her up on the way back from work. (the pest controllers are coming later in the afternoon, I might not be able to go out and avoid the jam).

JS also went out with Gu Ma on Sunday. Spent the whole day out and came home at 7pm. Went to catch Alice In Wonderland. Gu Ma didn’t want to bring WH as she knew WH wouldn’t enjoy the movie as he will be covering his eyes 50% time of the show.

Now, my 3 older kids seems to be coping fine outside home without me. Their wings are slowly growing bigger and stronger.. well, glad I still have a little baby by my side.

Note: It’s 9.14p.m. JL has been out since 11 a.m this morning. Hub called at 8.30p.m saying he is still in the office, will pick JL on his way home. Looks like they will be back way past 10p.m

Daddy

From the very beginning, he was supportive. He may not always show he cares, he may not always talk nicely to the kids and he may loose his temper fast, but he loves his children deeply. He prepares everything in advance for the kids and make sure that everything is in order. Little things that other people might take for granted he always plan ahead. Every child is his pride so as our latest addition.

Every night, he lies down beside JE, watch her with affection and that night I even heard him said “she is so cute”.

Mummy

It has been tough for me at the beginning when I found out that I was pregnant with JE. She was unplanned and I am so stubborn to accept her.  Adding on to the anguish was the screening result that shows that there is a high possibility that she might be a DS child.  There were times that I told myself to accept her wholeheartedly, but most time I was living in resentment.  I have been on an emotional roller coaster ride. But I am glad that the moment I held her in my arm, all the negative thoughts vanish.

She is part of the brood, she is just like any of my other children. I am glad that I am able to bond with her at birth and I know I will love her just as much as I love her siblings.

JS

The night I was away in the hospital, JS asked my mum why I have so many babies. I am not too sure why she asked. I am worried that she feels less love and insecure again.

The moment she saw baby (she was the last to see baby , as the kids never get a chance to go to the hospital, due to the express check in and check out!!), she was very excited. She can’t wait to carry baby, but she also knows that she just got back from school and she needs to shower first before she carries baby ( I need not ask her to). The whole night she asked to carry baby, she lies beside baby, keep touching her.

The first thing she does when she got back from school now is not lingering outside with her friend but came straight to see baby. Even when she is doing her homework, she get distracted and keep popping in to check on baby.

She told me “This is my baby, not yours”

She also told me “Mummy, next time I want to have 4 children like you” I told her it is very painful to give birth. She said “Mummy can do it, I also can!”

I hope she will be a good sister to little JE

WH

The happy go lucky boy. We told him that baby looks like him and that the birth experience was just like when I gave birth to him. He feels very related to baby about that.

He had been a little under the weather the day after I got back from the hospital, hence he had not really have the energy to entertain baby or look at her.

This two day he is back to his normal self, but the way he interacts with baby is different from the girls. Typical boy’s “tidak apa” attitude.

He will bring his toys to show JE, but I forbid him as it may accidentally hit on baby’s head.

The first night when I was home, he asked me “Mummy, how can doctor stop baby growing in the tummy?” I told him about taking pills etc. Then he said ” Can you PLEASE make one more. It is so unfair, so many girls. Make one boy for me please” I told him that is it expensive to raise another child, more over we will have to compromise on the quality time. He said nevermind, he wants a brother. When I firmly tell him that no, this will be our last, I can see tears in his eyes, disappointment written all over his face. Poor boy.

JL

She makes me proud. She assumed to the big sister role extremely well.  She’s the first to see baby (as she is the only one at home the time I arrived home, WH was still in school, JS just gone to school).  She was so fascinated with the new toy, she keep touching baby and checking her out.  When I wanted to hug her (since I was away for a night) , she said “no need, go hug baby”

The first night in the wee hours, she was woken up by baby’s cry. She climb over to baby and pat her and said “don’t cry” and even help me when I changed baby.

She has been so helpful with fetching the things for changing baby. She pat baby when baby cries. She pull up my shirt and ask me to feed baby and even want to help baby to latch on by pushing the teats into baby’s mouth.  She reminded her brother and sister not to stand /walk/jump on the bed, she reminded them not to touch baby’s head and be gentle but she herself being still a baby can be careless when touching baby (but she doesn’t mean harm).

I didn’t wrap baby up in the afternoon, she held baby’s hand and said baby’s cold and went to fetch the swaddle and insist of me wrapping baby up.

I am really proud of her as she is behaving and reacting so well and overly matured to.

The four days Xmas holiday for hub is coming to an end. Tomorrow he is going back to work. We didnt go anywhere for the Xmas holiday. As like the previous years, we had cook in dinner at SIL’s place and stay overnight there. The only difference was that this year SIL#2 is not celebrating with us and is at another part of the globe.

Can’t wait to open up the pressies under the tree.

Our simple and yummyliciuos dinner

Yummy chocolates

The most awaited moment for the children…time to unwrap pressies

JL with her pressies, including a new pyjama that she insist of wearing right away

On Xmas day, hub and me went to catch a movie at Mid Valley. It had been a LONG LONG TIME since we both go for a movie together WITHOUT the kids. Probably this would be our last movie alone before the baby comes and I will be tied down for another year or so again.

Later we had dinner at the restaurant with BIL’s family from Penang.

Enjoying the pork rib

Boxing day saw us staying at home as MIL had specially cooked Nyonya Popiah and other nyonya dishes at home. JS’s godparents came over to visit later in the afternoon as they will soon be moving to Aussie land for a good few years. They brought along lots of hands me down books for the children.

Books that had delighted the children

Though they woke up at 10.30 a.m this morning and wouldn’t need their nap anymore, so I let them play. But I was drained already , eventhough I also woke up late. I stayed upstairs for a short nap, while the 3 monkeys went downstairs to play masak masak. I can hear raising voice from the boy, but I think they weren’t really fighting. Finally I am up from my nap and 3 monkeys volunteerily came upstairs and said they are tired and wanted a short nap. That is already almost near 5.30p.m.  They are all asleep now.. wonder what time they will wake up…. I am sure they are going to be night owl tonight.

By the way, they asked me how many more days before the school holiday ends. I thought they enjoy themself at home so much that they don’t want the holiday to end, but to my surprise they said they miss school and their friends already. WH even said ” I think my friends are missing me a lot too”.

The children had learn about Youtube and Google and Facebook-ing…anything information they want to know, they will tell me “Go google it lah” and now they learn how to Skype.

Happily skyp-ing away with Ku Ma in the States.