Another fall...

Sigh... I think I'm just a bit too old to start playing this game of netball. Last saturday, I fell over again during a match! I don't even recall how it happened. It was in the final quarter.I either kicked my opponent or she kicked me. Well, this time, thank God no skin left on the ground. Rolled over, got up and carried on. BUT, about 5 hours later, my left ankle was hurting, and I was limping around, in che K's exact words "like and old lady". When I finally got to put my feet up at night, there was a small swelling, and severe pain, that I felt like amputating the foot off!!! I now know how my patients feel... the very thought of having someone mobilise and treat my ankle was just too painful, so I decided to treat myself... 2 days later, lots of ice, elevation and neurofen, I'm walking normally, and even contemplating a run tomorrow morning. 

Having said that, I had the most fun playing WD on saturday. Although we lost, but I think I've found the position that suits me best. Really hoping that I'm better by this weekend so I can play again.

Well, the papa K has been so busy this last week. Having 3 or 4 assignments due within a week. I can sense the stress is building up. But i really thank God for sustaining him, and us. K has decided that the family needs to take priority, so we've been privileged to have him home every evening to help feed the girls and then putting them to sleep before putting in a good 2-3 hours of work. I try to stay up to support him, whilst trying not to snack with him too much... I know that some of the NZ guys have been staying in camp, only going home on the weekends. So I can't complain. It could be worse. I really grateful that K tries to spend as much time as he can with us, especially on the weekends, knowing that some of his peers put in so much more time than he does... Sometimes he feels that he's losing out, being Singaporean, you just can't help comparing yourself with others. I feel it's the quality not the quantity. Like I said, it could be worse... imagine 1 whole year like that in Singapore, where the workload and the competition could possibly be double!

Today was also the 2nd time I led songs at the playgroup. It's been such a joy. Although it's just 10-15 mins, singing 3-4 songs, but the adrenaline that flows through me, and the happiness and smiles on each one of their faces, is just enough to keep me going till the end of the day. The children are easy to please. Their rapt attention from beginning to end, as long as you are talking or singing, us just remarkable... who ever said children had short attention spans? Just ignore the parents observing you, be silly, and jump around for the kids!

Exercise Log: 

Wednesday, Thursday am run:

Time: 30 mins

Route: 4km up to Palmer Cr

I need to start exercising again soon!

Somewhere over the rainbow...

The view from our window...

Update: some photos in previous posts. Including my bruised knee...

Totally weaned... finally!

Yes! As of last week, I'm officially not mei K's cow anymore!!! As a grand old age of 16 months, I've finally managed to wean her off the breast during the night, and we are all getting much better sleep now! It took a whole week to get to this... a whole week of sleepless nights for all of us including che K. Che was waking up in the middle of the night crying and screaming, perhaps having night terrors, but definitely woken up by mei's cries which sometimes lasted up to an hour! After 3 nights, I was ready to throw in the towel. The disturbed sleep I was getting nursing her through the night seemed much better. At least it was sleep, and I was the only one who was disturbed. It first started out as trying to get her to go to sleep by herself, and to be independent of us throughout the night. However, our ever agile mei K was just to smart for us, and climbed out of her portacot several times, falling down on 2 occasions. So, we decided to just sit by her cot just to ensure she doesn't fall out, but to let her cry herself to sleep. That really didn't work. It just made everyone in the house so highly strung and grouchy from the lack of sleep. Che K was acting up in the day, being moody and just not talking to anyone. So we lost that battle... But the good thing that came out of it was that she had already gone for 3 nights without nursing! So I persisted another 3 nights on my own in a separate room with mei tugging and pinching and pulling at my tits every 45 mins or so... Again, after 1 week, I was ready to surrender. But, I thank agony aunt C who encouraged me to press on... and I did for 1 more night. That night, I won! Every time mei woke up that night, she just tossed, turned, found my arm, then promptly fell back to sleep without a whimper. Hallelujah! 

Exercise log:

Tuesday am run

Time: 20 min

Route: Ararino St  8  Messines Ave 8   Fergusson Dr

Thurs am run

Time: 20 min

Route: as above

Fri am run

Time: 30 min

Route: Fergusson Dr  8   Palmer Cr  8   Messines Ave 8   Ararino St

Sunday am run

Time: 50 min

Route: Moonshine Rd 8   Moonshine Park 8   Trentham Memorial Park  8   Fergusson Dr

Happy 3rd Birthday K!

Yesterday, che K celebrated her 3rd birthday! We had a great time, and God really blessed us with wonderful weather for a day out in Wellington city. We had decided on going to the Wellington zoo instead of the Staglands wildlife reserve as we had found out that Staglands had animals running around in the open for us to feed them. But after the experience we had with K at the Lindale animal farm, where she was so freaked out by the goats and pigs who came so close to her, we decided the zoo would be a better option. 

The weather turned out to be the best day to be at the zoo, as it was not too windy (for Wellington, that is) and the sun was out! She seemed to enjoy herself, though she was too scared to get too close to the enclosures. It was a decent zoo (esp since it was in the middle of the city)... but being singaporean, we just can't help comparing it to our own zoo, and of course, there's simply no comparison. There are times like these that I'm proud to be Singaporean. Of course, we don't have kiwis or kangaroos or wallabies, or even kookubaras (we were fortunate to hear it laugh!). The interesting bits for me were really the native birds and animals. 

After the zoo, we went to have a late dim sum(they call it yum cha) lunch, then went up to the Mt Victoria lookout. We had dinner at home, and had the birthday cake, and ended the day by watching the Chronicles of Narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe at home. Yes, we haven't seen that one, and the next one is out already! For those who haven't seen the 1st one, I'd highly recommend it. It was awesome!! The parallels to the Christian faith was just so subtle, yet so powerful. I can't wait to see the next one, the Prince of Caspian.

  

Did I tell you that I made the cake? Oh... what a failure it turned out to be... it was the best tasting fudge brownie, but the ugliest looking Dora-wannabe cake! I was really too ambitious in thinking I be able to do that! Well, I'm too embarrassed to show what it really looked like here... maybe in private...For the record, only her black hair turned out right... I covered the rest of the ugly cake with lollies!

Today, we were invited to the house of a couple from church who were from South Africa. They had adopted a girl from China, who's 7 months older than che K. They got along so well, and played so beautifully. We were really happy that they managed to connect, and the adults got time to get to know each other over lunch. Che K really enjoyed her weekend thoroughly. Hopefully, we can try and make a regular play-date with her new friend.

Well, speaking to the couple, they shared with us the challenges of raising an adopted child. Although they had had her from 14 months, they spoke of the emotional baggage she still carries with her. She is a really cute, happy, extroverted child, who has boundless energy. She's so sociable, and speaks to almost anyone. Yet, at the back of her mind, she probably still has scars from the memories of abandonment, and the orphanage she lived in. Her parents said that she always portrayed babies as being very sad, and some images of many babies together in a room made her cry once. They also related a conversation with a counsellor who had counseled another adopted 4 year old. Somehow, it came up in the session that the child had related her fears and sadness with knives! This was later related to an attempted abortion while the child was still in-utero!

Doesn't it make you wonder???

Amazing little minds...

Today after church, che K was singing this song I was unfamiliar with... when I asked her, she said it was a song she had just learned in sunday school. It went something like,"I am the way, the truth and the life." In some rhythm... She just kept repeating this line, so I thought that was all she remembered.

Just earlier after we returned from our sunday grocery and mini 'sightseeing' trip to Eastbourne, she was jumping on the bed singing, (in words I tried to decipher) "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one see the power but with me." Something to that effect... After putting the pieces together, I realised what it was. "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." John 14:6. Of course, I had to correct her, and sing with her the right words to her tune. I then struck me how easy it was for an almost 3 year old to pick up and memorise these verses through play and songs! If only my mind was half as nimble... 

Seems like she's learning more from church than kindy... Well, as much as I wonder how much of Singapore they miss or who they remember, che K has on more than 1 occasion suggest that we return to her sunday school in Singapore. She said she preferred it there. When I asked if she was referring to the one where aunty C usually is singing and dancing, she said yes...(imagines mad mom grinning from ear to ear...) Of course, in comparison, SACC's children min is much more organised than the one at UHBC, and it's different in many ways. Firstly, UHBC's congregation is like 100, and there are like less than 10 children in K's class for kids 3-5 yrs. The children stay with the adults in service for the first 10 mins of songs and announcements, then go across the road to the hall. There, they sing maybe 1-2 songs informally, have a story read, and then have art and craft. So in all, I think it's just not as full on, and 'fun' for her. One other thing that I noticed though is that they have a creche for kids under 3. There's a big play area for toys, even a big doll house! I tried to put mei K there once, but alas... 5 mins later, she was bawling her eyes out. I'm still a bit hesitant to even try again.

Oh well, next saturday is che K's 3rd birthday... ambitious mummy has decided to bake a cake... since it's quite the norm here, as compared to buying one! Thanks to one of the ladies at our partners lunch, (ie partners of people on the staff course) I found a shop that rents out cake tins in various shapes. Brought che K to have a look, and to choose which cake she'd like. Needless to say, she chose Dora the Explorer... So mummy dearest is now trying to decide if I should use the Martha Stewart brownie recipe, which I'm not sure will take well to a mould, or an easy chocolate cake recipe. Both of which I've never tried making before... Just in case it doesn't turn out well, we might not invite anyone to her birthday party :p

Well, the plan is to bring her somewhere to catch a glimpse or to play with some snow, if we're lucky, otherwise to invite the Korean family to have a small picnic at the park. Will just see what she wants...

Hila-rious...

On the way to Wellington city, we drove past this billboard... an advert for Tui Beer... 

If Hilary wins, Monica gets her job back.

(click on the link above to see what it looks like)

Feeling the pressure...

Just wanted to put up the photos we've taken over the past 1 month. All the photos are now on FB. But if you are not on FB, then here're the links and here...

So the last week has been relatively uneventful. Big K is up to his ears in books (really!). The stresses of the course is building up, and even we can feel it. I've been trying to be the good supportive wife by staying up with him while he slogs it out... Over the long weekend (today NZ c

elebrates the Queen's Bday!), I just had to exercise by patience and understanding, and to try to occupy the kids while he studies. But, the 2 Ks were not so cooperative, and insisted that daddy play with them! Oh well, perhaps I could have done more by keeping them busy or bringing them out. Anyway, k wanted to 'make-up' for the 'lost' weekend by bringing us into the city. So we went... walked the Oriental Parade, drooled over the sea-fronting property, whilst talking over our investment plans which may help support our retirement...(not!) Then we had dinner at HK BBQ, which has been recommended as closest to the REAL DEAL. We had chicken rice! yums...

Today, as netball training, my legs were just like jelly, or my shoes were slippery, but i took 2 hard knocks on the court during team drills, both on my right knee! I was like flat out on my tummy both times! You know like try to fly but only skimming the surface of the netball court! How embarrassing! The 2nd time, I felt like a rugby player diving in for a try! Fortunately (or not) I was wearing long

s. The 2nd fall, I landed pretty hard on my knee and that hurt! I had like road-rash on my knee, and found most of my skin on the inside of my pant-leg... sigh... But after I sat out a team drill, I found myself playing better when I returned to the court!

Maybe my legs were just jelly from the run I did this morning...

This is what it looked like the morning after...

Exercise Log:

Sat morning run:

Time: 30 mins

Route: Ararino Street 8     Palmer Cresent   8   Fergusson Drive

Mon morning run:

Time: 32 mins

Route: Same as above

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" Psalm 1119:104-106