The hubs and I took the day off work today to spend time with the girl. It is today, 6 years ago that I gave birth to her. Oh, how I wish time had stopped when she was 2 or 3. Now at 6, I scream at her almost all the time but on the whole, she is still pretty much 'manageable'.

After her birthday party on Sunday, we all went about our normal routine on Monday. Today, the first thing she did when she woke up was to ask if she can open her presents. Some of her friend's parents are so generous with their gifts!

After breakfast at home, we brought her to watch Peter Rabbit, our first with her but not her first movie. Tim brought her to watch Paddington Bear sometime in December or November on 1 of her school closure day. 

After the movie, we had lunch before proceeding to Westgate to 'build-a-bear', sponsored by Tim. Despite that, the hubs still had to top up about $15.(!)  We then went to Popular bookshop to use the vouchers that the hubs had redeemed from his credit card. Incidentally, today is the last day of the validity! Yikes, we spent some time looking around to make full use of the $60. 

And then we went home to nap because the girl was complaining about how tired her feet were. In spite of that, only the hubs and I napped while the girl sat beside me on the bed doing her stuff.

We ended the day with dinner at another shopping mall. Initially my plan was to go to the carnival but thankfully we did not. It rained so heavily when we were having our dinner.

This is the last year we can take the girl off school for her birthday or even a holiday. This precious year with her is to be treasured. :)

The party is over and the pre-party stress is hopefully leaving me. I was so stressed preparing for the girl's 6th birthday that my menses went haywire and came about 2 weeks earlier than expected.

We decided on a Rapunzel theme and about 1 month prior, I saw a few Rapunzel theme cakes and got the girl to make the decision. Paid for the cake and the home baker said that she will send me an invoice but it didn't come. 2 weeks later, I asked the home baker about it and she said she was just discharged from the hospital *cue alarm bells* and was not able to send me the invoice. After checks on her carousell page, I noticed that she was still actively uploading pictures. And then when you start panicking, more doubts come your way. That was when I also chanced upon a negative review about this home baker, not delivering and not refunding the money. I wasn't going to have a birthday party without a cake! I was contemplating ordering a cake as a back-up. The hubs said to buy cakes from brick and mortar shops in future.

She still did not send me the invoice as promised and another week later, I asked her again. Finally, I received it few days before the party. 

What was meant to be a party invite for just her K2 friends ended up being extended to the hubs' friends, who ok, are now mine as well. Catering makes more sense for at least 30 pax so I extended it to them as well as to the 2 siblings of the hubs' and their family. And this was also suggested by the hubs. On my side, I had only asked Tim and his new girlfriend to come and it was also because I needed help in decorating the function room. 

The 2nd BIL had to ask the hubs if we are asking their parents to come. Why does he have to ask?? If we are, we will. And then the youngest SIL was telling me that her hubs had wanted to visit his parents on the same Sunday that we were holding the party  and when informed, commented that he will tell his mother. Thankfully the SIL said it was not for him to do so. Why are they such busybodies?? The hubs said it is normal for grandparents to want to be part of their grandchild's birthday. Sure, then I will invite ALL my brothers as well and increase the buffet to feed 40 pax. But it was too late to make any changes so we stuck to our guest list.

We arrived early, decorated the function hall and then it started to pour! Thankfully, all her friends came and had fun. They had fun playing 'pass the parcel', 'pin the tiara' and the all-time favourite pinata. The cake was great! It was moist and soft and I liked the ondeh-ondeh cupcakes. I will order from this lady again despite the fright I went through. Afterall, I am now her customer.

This is meant to be the only 'big' party that we intend to celebrate the girl's birthday. Since at 6, this is the last year of her childcare days, probably may not study in the same primary school as her friends she has been with since 3+? It's like a grand closure of sorts to her 'carefree' days. So I really wanted it to work thus drowning myself in unnecessary stress, really. 

Oh well, we shall see what happens next year. Lol.

We had a hectic weekend, with the girl's abacus lessons starting again after a 1-week break for the CNY. While she was in class, the hubs and I took a short bus ride to his friend's condo to check out the function rooms that he had booked for us. By the time, we surveyed the place, we had to pick the girl up to Ivy's home for a lunch invitation.

We grabbed there, had lunch, stayed for awhile and left for the girl's ballet class but when we reached the station, it states that it was a 56 minute travelling time and at that time, it would mean we would be very late. So we ended up heading straight home instead. We all managed a nap before I had to wake the girl up again for dinner and then walk her to school because their childcare had an invitation to  perform at the constituency CNY dinner.

After sending her, the hubs and I went for a drink at the market, lingered around until it was their turn to perform. All of them were quite good really. A good experience for them too with it being the girl's first public performance.

And today, the family are gathering together for dinner at Jeremy's home, as a close to the CNY celebrations. Since we were with the eldest brother and his wife from church, I brought the girl to the library to borrow some books for her upcoming project. Another task for the parents. Hiaz. So I guess, watch this space what we'll be doing. -_-

Our family had our reunion dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year itself and the hubs prepared curry chicken as our pot-luck dish. Our dinner was as usual wholesome home-cooked food. 

As in the past years, we went over to the PILs for lunch on the 1st day of the Chinese New Year and this year, we had home-cooked there as well. Almost a rarity! The hubs went to the drive-thru at Macdonald's before going to his parents anyway because we have been conditioned to expect nothing. Anyhow, the 2nd SIL cooked from her home and brought curry chicken, yes again, to the PIL's and the MIL cooked a simple dish of vegetables and soup. I had the burger and some rice.

We then went off, sending the 2nd BIL to his workplace because the hubs rented a car for the Lunar New Year but not as if we travel to many places for visiting.

My eldest brother and his family, minus Bev who was on flight duties, came about 4ish and hung around till about 6pm where we went for dinner before heading to Jerry's home to 'visit' M. Jerry and his family have gone back to the SIL's hometown in Batu Pahat and M was left alone but she had scores of visitors coming by and visiting her but who have all left by the time we arrived. I commented to the hubs that we should have M stay over at our place for the night for future CNY as it brings more festive cheer to our home. Otherwise, there's really no visitors to our home. Such a sad way to celebrate the CNY.

For the 2nd day, we went over to my Godsister's place to visit my Godma. Had lunch there, send M back and then proceeded to the hub's cousin's home. This is the routine for as far as I can remember. M hasn't been visiting her relatives as much as she would like to because there is no one accompanying her already. Hopefully we can throw in some visitations with her next year onwards. 

Since we haven't had anyone visit us, we invited the Victors over for dinner on the 3rd day, before the festivities die down because work beckons. 

I prepared chicken stew, toufu with minced pork, mixed vegetables and 2 omelettes. Thankfully, they all enjoy the meal and we even had a dessert of jelly and ice-cream that followed. The ladies even liked the doggie cookies I had baked so much! Wow....I wasn't expecting it.

Anyway, as always, we ask for good health for the year and a smooth one ahead.

Last Friday, a colleague and I were invited to a luncheon at the Tower Club, an exclusive members only bar and restaurant on the 62nd floor and where I had my first lo-hei for the year too. The generous service provider gifted their guests with this for the Lunar Dog year.

And yesterday the girl, sort of, and I baked for the first time ever. I had her help in sieving the flours which got her scolded by me several times. Then She helped to put on the 'ears' and 'nose'. There were some dough left over so I got her to personally make her own cookies. Thankfully, they turned out well and was very edible. It is definitely a boost for a baking idiot like me.

Having said that, how is your preparation for the Lunar New Year? We didn't buy much this year because we always have left-overs. And having the start of the Lunar New Year on a weekend, it really restricts us to not much weekends left for friends to come over. So we're not going to invite any this Lunar New Year because we're busy the next weekend and then the 15th day of the CNY celebrations ends the Friday after. 

And I'm not sure if it's just me or the same for everyone else, it seems like such a slow start to the Lunar New Year that there's no excitement at all! Well, guess we will all get there.....

The hubs has been working late almost everyday which means that I cannot attend the exercise classes like I would love to and which also means that I have to pick the girl up almost everyday now. However, he was able to come home earlier yesterday evening and by that, I meant after 7:30pm which still meant that I had to pick the girl and tabao instead of cooking. I am quite sick of 'tabao-ing' especially since this is not the China e-shopping site. Sigh.

However, shortly after he came back yesterday evening, the 3 of us went to a nearby block to pick this up!

The 2nd brother had text me in the day to tell me of this good deal and the fact that the collection was just behind our block made the decision easier for me to contact the chap to order a tray of them peaches. If the hubs hadn't come back earlier, I would have forgone this because when I asked the whereabouts exactly, the reply I received was 'I am in the van' and when I asked what time to collect, he simply replied 'tonight'. Dodgy I thought. We ended up collecting it from the house and it was filled with the sweet smell of peaches. Apparently, the chap is dealing in fresh fruits supply.

If the hubs was not with us, I would probably have problem carrying the tray back while handling K at the same time walking through the car park.

And so we have about 28 or so peaches in our fridge! Hopefully, they don't spoil on us too soon. Heh.

The girl's new tooth is starting to grow. I am not expecting it to grow out so fast! Hopefully her adult teeth will grow out nicely and not like mine.

If you notice, there's also another one sprouting out from behind an existing tooth! Why so fast??? It's also strange why the new tooth does not grow 'inside' the gap of the previous baby tooth. I am not sure if I should bring her to the dental clinics at the polyclinics or back to the one that I have brought her to before. I heard that there is usually a few month's wait for an appointment at a government dental clinic but of course the cost is much lower compared to a private visit. Need to do some 'homework' on this. Let's see......