Our main gate arrived during lunch today! I loved the retro look and feel to it.

Prior to this, we were still using the flimsy aluminium gate that the previous owner left behind. And to prove how safe we feel about Singapore, it couldn't be closed properly and we used a cheap lock to temporary lock it. Thankfully, we had the main door's lock changed.

After work today, I waited for the hubs and K outside K's new childcare centre to collect her uniforms. Initially the principal said that it was fine if K doesn't wear her uniforms on the first day at school but I didn't want her to feel like she's the odd one out and collecting it today will allow me to wash them and have them ready to wear by Wednesday. 

Hopefully, she adapts well to the new environment.

I attended an off-site presentation yesterday evening and because there was a fire drill in the building, the presentation was pretty much short and sweet. As I was really early, I went for my hair-cut. The hubs fetch K from school and during the car ride, she fell asleep. But the hubs came by anyway and waited in the car while I was tasked to buy dinner after the hair cut.

K woke up about 15 minutes later, crying. I met them at the car park without any food when I saw the message and we brought her to the playground near the salon. She too, decided to have her hair trimmed and she braved through the cut and we went back home for dinner.

At noon time today, we brought K for a trial ballet lesson. It was for 45 minutes and at the end of it, K was given a blue tu-tu! I'm not sure if I'll sign her up for it. I haven't been to any other ballet schools to have an opinion of it. But she did enjoy herself and like any other toddler class, there were 1 or 2 of them who were given to distraction. But 1 thing I did like about it was the live piano accompaniment.

I'm not sure whether to feel happy or frustrated. To take it as a compliment or feel angry. Only in our 2nd day, not including the weekend, the hubs asked not once when I was going to start cooking again. He claims to miss my cooking. 

But somehow, being the OCD that I am, I cannot settle in properly with so many boxes still lying around. Most of our shoes are in paper carriers, in the storeroom, while waiting for the carpenter to fix the full height shoe cabinet. Most of the unopened toiletries too, are waiting to be placed in the yet to be cabinet in the master bath. Our dining table is strewn with odds and ends and the sofa will only be delivered on Thursday. If we're still enthusiastic about inviting friends over for a gathering, it'll probably only happen next month. So, if you're wondering why the invitation didn't come, you know why, here.

I told the hubs to let me please settle in first. This is afterall our first week. But today, he decides to go NTUC to buy groceries. He has a evening meeting tomorrow and I suggested to go the BIL's the day after to collect the last remaining box and on Friday, he is meeting up with Kenneth and Mavi. Ok, maybe I'm considering too much, He may want to start with the non-perishables first so that we can start cooking anytime we want. We'll see. At the meantime, please wait for my update here.

After dinner at Jerry's last night, we drove back and tried to put K to bed early as she did not nap at all during the day when Esther came by and they played. I had put a clean cover on the mattress that we have kept from her playpen and laid it on floor, beside the bed, the side where I'll be sleeping.

After her wash-down and milk, I had her choose a book that she'll like me to read while I went off in search of a bag of my belts, for one which comes with the dress I had intended to wear to work today. It's been 2 months of wearing almost the same thing to work everyday and you have no idea how much I miss the rest of my clothes, shoes and accessories. Anyway, it was such a frustrating search and K started getting restless, opening and touching my eye-shadow and then fiddling with my alarm clock that blew it. The hubs who was already in dreamland was oblivious to my frustration. I scolded K and hit her hands when she was turning my clock and then she cried. 

I got mad and told her no books for her and to sleep now. When she continued crying, I switched the lights off. And her crying grew louder. The hubs woke and as usual, more talk came out than action. He tried to pacify K but became fed up when she cried louder. All these while, she was looking at me. How not to have your heart pierced like that? 

I read her the book she chose, hugged her and when it was time to turn in, told her that she will sleep on the mattress. She lied down and started sobbing. While we have been telling her that she will have to sleep in her room soon, she had been saying she wants to sleep with us but it escaped me that even sleeping on her own will have such an impact on her. I lied down beside her, hugged and patted her until she fell asleep before I went onto the bed. I felt so bad! The hubs said he had wanted to let K sleep on our bed first before carrying her down on to the mattress. 

While I was on my own bed and relishing the fact that we no longer have to squeeze, I wondered if I did the right thing. I guess, eventually, she'll have to sleep on her own, whether in the same room with us or not. The hubs says he misses not having her squeeze our hands in the middle of the night and I'm so used to her moving around in her sleep that I no longer feel the weight when she so often plops her head on my tummy and starts sleeping like that. Parenting life is full of contradictions. I pray that K will understand the reason for the things that we have to do.

We made the move back to our own crib yesterday morning. Although the hubs had Wednesday in his ideal plan, I thought Friday would be a better day. But since we have a young child, I realise it is not. Without K, we could have moved in on Friday and sort of roughed it out by sleeping over towels spread on the bed but of course we can't do it with her. 

Since Wednesday though, we have been moving our stuff bit by bit from the BIL's to our new home. But even on Saturday morning, we had such a load in the car that the car couldn't go very fast. We still have 1 box in the NIL's room as well as a stroller that they are passing on to K. 

The carpenter came over on Saturday morning to discuss on our shoe cabinet as well as the cabinet for the master bathroom. Sadly, he is not able to replicate the same design as the one we had in our previous home. That design is a class of it's own and we loved it so much. But what to do. No point thinking about it anymore. 

Then Jeremy, Ivy and Bev came over sometime before lunch at my invitation and we all went for lunch nearby. The town council is about a 7 minutes walk from our place and there are lots of mom & pop shops there, a hawker centre, a few coffee shops, a wet market, clinics and whole lot of other services. K's new childcare is another 10 minutes walk from there so it'll be a lot more convenient for me next time when I need to pick her up from school. 

We drove to the mall in the evening and I tell ya, there is Jem, Westgate, Big Box, JCube, IMM, we are spoilt for choice! We went to NTUC after dinner to buy an ironing board, my calcium intake which was missing for the past 2 months and some other stuff. Oh, we got ourselves a nice looking Philips rice-cooker too! But I'm not ready to start cooking yet though. I'm still very tired with lots of unpacking still to be done!

Jerry came over to our place after church today with Gideon and Esther. Ever the handy man that he is, he vacuumed K's playpen mattress, all her pillows and our existing pillows. He also helped fixed the water outlet from the washing machine to the tap and I could finally clear the backlog of clothes. I hope to be able to put everything in their place soon but there seem to be so much to do that I am overwhelmed. So overwhelmed that I am lost what to do next.

The Power of an Innocent Prayer

Some 3 weeks back, after the routine morning wash-up for K to prepare her for school, I stood up and felt a sharp pain shooting down my right leg, starting from the middle of my right bum. It became so bad that I couldn't bend at my waist to wash my face or rinse my mouth and it was so painful that I couldn't do so with my right foot flat on the ground. I had to position my right foot as if I was wearing heels.

I did not dare wear my heels for the next few days and the next week, consulted a TCM sports massage practitioner and he had to use the cupping technique on my bum. Not in any position to feel embarrassed here as the pain was worse than the embarrassment. Usually when the glass container is removed and the area is bluish black, it meant that a lot of air had been sucked out. But in my case, it wasn't so....which means it wasn't air. Then the practitioner continued with slapping my butt literally and massaging. The hubs who was there said he could have done the job. :p 

Anyhow, I suffered and endured the pain and sometimes it got really bad. When I was on my feet for quite a long while cleaning the new place up, it hit me again. Sometimes, turning in my sleep is a pain in the butt, pun intended literally! However, strange thing was, when I put my heels on, I did not feel the pain! I must be born to walk in them! And when I wore my flats, the pain will return.

So that's the story of the pain that I described to the hubs, which is worse than giving birth to K.

But I wanted to say is, last night, while I was praying with the 3 of us lying on bed, K decided to be cheeky. When I was done, the hubs told K to pray and she did! She prayed to thank God for giving her good health, things that she has heard me pray about. And then, she went on to pray for God to heal my pain. So that Mummy can bend and be ok. I didn't think much of it but thanked her for having me in her prayers.

Today, as I woke up, I declare that the pain has left me! In all seriousness! I'm no charismatic but I'm wearing flats today and although we all pray in our own little ways, haven't we all done it with half-doubt? Then don't. We all need a little or a lot of childlike innocence and believe!

After dropping K off at school, the hubs dropped me off at a bus-stop before his workplace to take a bus to Jerry's. He wanted to send me but not wanting him to inconvenience him, I told him I'll take a bus and it only took about 20 minutes for me to reach Jerry's.

While Josh had made plans with his friend to do some studying at school, Gideon opted out this time and Esther came to accompany me. Esther was ever so willing to lend a hand and helped me with unpacking K's toys as well as my mountain of clothes. The hubs was grumbling over the weekend when he realised a lot of the boxes belonged to me! 

The SIL came by too, when I asked if she wanted to come take a look. While Esther and I walked over, she and Gideon cycled. By bus, we're 2 bus-stops away. She commented that the kitchen design was almost the same as our previous place. Yes, indeed it is. I like the L-shape design as I prefer to do the washing while being able to look out of the window as opposed to facing the wall. And although the length of the kitchen is shorter, thus I do not have as much counter prep space, the kitchen is a lot broader and has a big walking space. The SIL dropped by again during lunch time to bring us lunch and red bean soup! I am indeed feeling so blest.

It is so tiring that I'm not sure I want to repeat this again. I really cannot imagine how the bestie does it every 2 years when her lease expires. 

However, something to lighten my day! Uncle worker helped fix this up today. :)

And so according to plan, K and I arrived at Jerry's near lunch time yesterday and after taking lunch, the 2 boys followed me while K was left to play with Esther. When we reached, 1 worker was already there and still touching up. While I tried to clean and mop the floor, the dust and dirt just kept coming until I decided not to bother.

Someone from Singtel came by at about 2pm to set up our internet and our storage bed arrived too! I'm loving the colour the hubs has chosen although somehow it doesn't show on the photo.

The 2 boys who followed me were tasked to clean the cabinets and various chores when the movers arrived at about 3ish. 

Today, after doing some shopping for some plastics storage containers and stools and at Ikea, we went off to JE again. We dropped by Jerry's again to borrow his rainbow vacuum cleaner and at the same time, left K there to play with her cousins. Only Gideon volunteered to join us this time as Josh has a friend coming over. 

Today, the hubs was able to vacuum and mop the place. I cleaned and washed the shelves in the fridge which was smelling musky. Gideon helped with wiping and miscellaneous chores. He did enough for us to give him some pocket money for a good days' work. Lol.

We did not stay as late today as both the hubs and K have to go to work and school tomorrow. I'll definitely take the day off work tomorrow to do more unpacking. The hubs asked if we can move in by Wednesday but I find it so disruptive, being a mid-week. So by next Saturday, we will move in for good.

With the handover delayed by 1 day to tomorrow, we decided to go to town today, after work, to do some shopping. As I was early, I popped by Daiso to buy some household stuff and when the hubs and K arrived, we had dinner and then went over to Isetan to buy a new set of bed linen. 

I washed the bedsheet and pillow covers when we returned to the in-law's so that we can start using them when the new bed gets delivered to our home on Saturday. Thankfully, the in-law's had done their laundry yesterday. Hopefully, I can also wash the quilt cover tomorrow or Saturday since the hubs says if possible, we can start staying at the new place this weekend.

Although the handover will be tomorrow, our full height shoe cabinet and cabinet for the master bedroom has yet to be fabricated. I take it as a blessing in disguise as we can still seek the help of the workers if we need help in fixing anything else. The movers will bring our stuff over from the warehouse on Saturday afternoon so my plan is to go over to Jerry's on Saturday late morning, have lunch there, leave K behind as the 3rd SIL will be around so K can play with Esther and I'll troop over to our new place to do some cleaning up. The hubs, who has a morning event at work, will be joining me after lunch and hopefully we can get more cleaning done. The ever-sweet eldest SIL volunteered to help with the cleaning but I do not want to trouble her so I will not be calling her.

Once the movers come, we'll be busy with loads of unpacking and I can forsee the whole of Sunday busy with unpacking, unwrapping, fixing the shelves up in the storeroom and so on. I've already preempt my Manager that I may have to take leave on Monday. 

Anyhow, I'm excited and really can't wait to move back into our own home. 

We took the day off yesterday as the hubs had arranged for the curtains to be measured, the laundry system to be installed and I have arranged for the fibre optic people to come in as well for the new house.

We allowed K to sleep in but she woke us up instead, wanting to go pee. We sent her to school after their breakfast time and off we went. The curtains people were so punctual and in fact, they were actually waiting for us when we reached. Selection of the curtains for the 3 bedrooms and living room was over and done in about an hour. Thankfully I am not the sort who will deliberate too long. The same was with our tile selection too. Then the laundry system installers came together with the optic fibre technicians. The plumber was there as well and we could tell him where to fix our bathroom accessories. 

We went off for lunch and the hubs suggested catching a movie after. So we did! We drove back to check on the house and saw the aircon installers there. The place is taking shape nicely, except for a few works that need to be rectified.

The lights are up and I'm loving the side cabinet and our wardrobe. I'm loving the laminate choices though I am still trying to accept the ones in the kitchen although the hubs thinks that they are ok.

We're hoping to move in by the end of this weekend, making this our final week of our 2-month stay at the in-law's.

Thankfully the 4 days that the SIL was away, the hubs and I only needed to pick the NIL on 2 days. The BIL was able to do so on Wednesday and Friday and even bringing him out in the evening. They went to the 2nd BIL's home on Friday evening while I brought K to Junction 8 since I didn't have to rush back to pick the NIL anymore. I later heard that he made his 2nd Uncle angry...that's just how naughty he is.

With the hubs away since Friday, I made arrangements to catch up with Lynn and she treated us to hi-tea at Goodwood Park Hotel on Saturday! K, who normally has a voracious appetite, didn't eat much as I suppose she was still a little filled with lunch earlier. After hi-tea, the 3 of us went shopping! Lynn bought 5 pairs of shoes! Which reminded me of what I used to be pre-birth. I bought 1 pair myself and some clothes. It was nice that she had some patience to entertain K while we shopped. I then treated her to dinner. While we were accompanying Lynn to pick something up from Watsons, K had a trip and thankfully, 'only' bruised her chin. I said thankfully because kids their age tend to get it worse when they fall face down. She could have cut her lips, chin or something. Phew.

She took a fall again after dinner today when we were with the SIL's parents on the way back to their block. Again, she fell face down and this time, there were abrasions on her knee. I think her tummy might have broke the fall. 

I'm sure at the back of the hubs' mind, he must be wondering why does K always 'hurt' herself when she's alone with me. :p

The youngest SIL is on holiday in Bangkok with her parents and her eldest sister's family. She has left the rascal of the nephew-in-law behind and the hubs and I have taken the responsibility of fetching him from his after-school care from today till Friday. 

The hubs, who was supposed to have a 6pm meeting today, managed to pick K and I up from her school when his meeting was rescheduled to an earlier time. I was worried that I would have to manage the 2 by myself and the NIL is no easy task. Anyhow, we were relieved from minding him when the BIL informed that he has no soccer training in the evening and would be picking his son up. But I've got another challenge for this Friday as the hubs will be travelling to Ipoh with a number of colleagues to attend a wedding and I'll be alone, for real, in picking up K and then the NIL. Hopefully, the BIL has an early training for his boys this Friday and can manage the NIL.

Thus, we are not able to drop by JE this week. The hubs did go by during his lunch hour today to instruct the electricians the exact point where we want the lights fixed. Otherwise he reported that no other work has been done except for the 2nd and I suppose, final coat of paint. I feel that things could have been sped up if there were something done in the house everyday. My brother says that it's normal as contractors usually have several projects at hand. I don't recall having such an issue with our previous contractor. Hopefully, we have quality workmanship at the end of it all.

When we popped by last week, K spotted this when we opened the windows at the master bedroom. It's cute how she managed to see them when she's not tall enough to look out of the windows yet and she eagerly said:"Mummy, look, parrots!"

Parrots, they are probably not but how sweet this 2 lovebirds are. Looks like they are welcoming us! 

We did so much over the long weekend that we need another day of rest after the Vesak Day holiday today.

We placed an order for our storage bed and mattress on Saturday and then popped by JE. We were delighted that the vinyl tiles have been laid and are loving the choice that we made this time.

                                           

We then went to one of the malls nearby to check out sofas and saw this! 

We like it and at $2k for the entire set including the coffee-table, we thought it was a steal. But wanting to move away from the resort look, we took a while to give it a pass.

It was the usual on Sunday except that we witnessed a baptism when we went to East Coast after church. The kids played for a while and we had some food there before proceeding for lunch where I couldn't eat anymore.

And today, after doing the laundry, the 3 of us went to Suntec and finally ordered the sofa that we had our eyes on from the start. Hopefully, the upholstery that I have chosen will go well with the 'look' that we want to achieve. 

K also had some fun when we took a walk into the 'fountain of fortune' after the hubs and I did some window shopping. When we were on our way back to the BILs, she slept in the car and thankfully was able to nap in the room for at least an hour.

In the evening, we met the Victors and Whites for dinner at Dempsey. The Whites were giving us a treat as Jason was promoted recently and Ben & Jerry's followed after. K was so busy playing with the girls who we have not met in a while that she only had 2 spoons of ice-cream and I, on the other hand, could enjoy my chocolate treat! 

No one knows that we are moving, except for family and a handful of friends. So, we're looking forward to settling in, hopefully in another weeks' time and inviting them to our new home. :)