Big sister’s quarantine journey

In an unfortunate event, the C+ is back. This time on Noelle. 😢😢😢

This is not unexpected as in this week itself, three classmates were confirmed positive; and they were the girls that she hang out with during recess, co-curriculum’s lunch’s and waiting time. So, Noelle’s the fourth student in her class this week.

Actually we suspected something amidst last night when she was lethargic and unlike her usual self. She slept at the isolation room, which she already planned to this long weekend (luckily). I kept checking on her before bed (she was already asleep). I felt her body warmish, but I didn’t bother to wake her up. I just let her sleep. At around 4am, she came to our room and told me that she couldn’t sleep. That was the time I told her to take the Covid19 test. The dreaded line almost immediately appeared once she put the droplets of saliva on the test kit. I quickly woke hubby up, we sanitise most touch points and get Noelle’s things ready. Etc…

When Nikki and Norrah woke, we tested on them. So far, it is negative and we really hope it will stay as it is. 🙏🏻

As of now, Noelle is her usual self. And being ‘Noelle’, she is usually active when she is supposed to sleep. She’s probably having an enjoyable time in the isolation room now as we supplied her with anything she needed and we allowed her to chat with her friends plus watch YouTube. One thing good is that she is pretty independent. She is still in positive spirit (which is vital now). Both sisters played clay art virtually with her just now. And I told her I will give her online tuition in the next few days. 😂

I just hope that it doesn’t spread across the household, especially to Norrah. 😞😞😞

Day 1 of quarantine

As of now, the ‘statistics’ for Noelle’s class stands at 6 positive cases in this week. 😓😓😓 (Noelle’s number 4)

If you think you won’t get Covid again after getting it, it proves wrong – as the case number 5 had her first Covid in Feb.

Despite we felt Noelle being warmish, the whole day she has been taking her own temperature – it has not reach 37.4. So, there’s no fever. She is almost asymptomatic for now (and we hope it will remain as it is). Besides nourishing her with home cooked and boiled drinks, we gave her vitamin C, probiotics and a lot of ‘love’. I even gave her Mimi snack and toblerone. 🙄🙄🤣🤣

Noelle has been very independent, non-fussy, non cranky and seems to enjoy her first day of quarantine. Her bff has been chatting/Google meet with her occasionally (really thankful to the bff’s mum for allowing this – she was also the one I broke the news to first, as Noelle eats with her bff and they get quite close). We are constantly on chat via Google chat (I installed on my phone so that she can contact me immediately if anything). Also, to call me, she just needs to click on her papa’s fb messenger to connect to mine.

I think only Nikki is feeling down that she can’t get near to jeh jeh. She actually wanted to help us bring food to Noelle, which we prohibited her and she cried. 😓 But, we let her prepare jeh jeh’s pyjamas.

We are also constantly monitoring both the younger ones and fed them the same goodies (except the junk food😛)

Thankfully it is the weekend, and a longer one. Hubby has been helping around.

get well soon my dear girl <<

Day 2 of Noelle’s quarantine

Still double line. Ok, as expected – don’t expect miracle to happen here. But thankfully, Noelle didn’t ‘suffer’ much but just slight flu. Her nose just ‘runs’ occasionally (seldom hear her sneeze); can see her wiping her nose very often. So, I made her her comfort drink – onion juice.

She woke up at about 5am, eagerly waiting for Nikki and Norrah to play air dry clay, which they did before hubby brought the two out to buy some stuff (detergent and vitamins). Also, with them two out, I forced Noelle to nap – which she eventually managed to nap for an hour plus.

After returning home and had lunch, they did art and craft virtually – hubby and the two just got the materials (design a bag) today. By then, hubby and I can’t wait to nap – so we push them to complete fast, told Nikki and Norrah to nap while we left Noelle alone to do her stuff (which I think she watched movie from laptop).

Hubby actually got her tealive and she ate fried rice for lunch. I thought she won’t ask for teatime, but she still did! 😅 After teatime, she did her tuition homework. She started writing her Covid diary, which I will read later. 🤣

Dinner as usual and she still take her usual fruits as night snack. 🤣 Good to see her continuing to eat like usual.

She didn’t really chat so much with her friends today as one (the one who also got Covid) went MIA and her bff was on her way to Desaru.

Hope she can sleep better tonight. Yesterday night, she said one of the neighbours was switching on the radio so loud that it affected her sleep.

Day 3 of Noelle’s quarantine

Boredom starts to creep in…🙄🙄🙄

Fortunately Noelle finally managed to sleep better, waking up at her usual 7 something (instead of 4-5am). But then, she can’t nap in the afternoon- lack of physical activity and hence she is full of energy. While she annoys me with some of her repeated messages/emoticons 😒🙄, I am also afraid of her mental health for these few days (after she stopped messaging me, I felt bad😣😔).

The girls started the day by playing playdoh, which took an hour or more. She had late morning snack but still able to take lunch before 1pm. (She is really making use of this ‘room service’, messaging me ‘hungryyyyy’ whenever she is hungry. 🙄🤣) After lunch, she was left alone to watch movie while the two other sisters played in the room themselves. Noelle managed to chat with her friends but short moments only.

I insisted her to shut the laptop at naptime – to rest her mind and eyes. Both Noelle and Nikki didn’t nap so we asked if they wanted to chat with one another; and so they did. Later on, she reminded me that I supposed to do virtual tuition with her. 🙄I was lazy but she kept bugging; so at the end, we did. We did maths today.

She still has slight runny nose and occasional cough. I continued giving her steamed onion juice, vitamin c, probiotics and fruits. She gets to enjoy some junk food (which she doesn’t get to eat/drink during healthy days😝). She never complain about the food I gave her; in fact she complimented tonight’s dinner. 😍🥰😘

I think she has been good in taking care of herself at age below 10 years old! Today I really felt like hugging and kissing her! 😔😔😔

I have to say that I needed more help in handling the virtual class than her. 🥲🥲

Day 4 of Noelle’s quarantine

Getting used to it…

Today I felt that Noelle is getting used to being quarantine. 🤣🤣 But she did tell me she misses seeing the sun and outdoor. She looks better too – lesser flu and cough (I feel)

Since hubby is working today (work from home because he can’t go office when someone is positive Covid19 at home), I am the CEO – chief ENTERTAINMENT officer. 🙄🙄🤣🤣 Luckily I managed to ‘korek’ a wau painting which I bought last year and they didn’t want to do that time. They enjoyed doing it today, which took them more than an hour and occupied them in the morning. 😊😅 After that, I taught Noelle how to play minesweeper. Before and after lunch, the two sisters played themselves while Noelle enjoyed her ‘me time’ with games and watching videos.

I put the two sisters to nap at 2pm and told Noelle to rest too. As expected, by 2.45pm when I peep on her, she wasn’t napping. So I told her to do her stuff and I gave her teatime. At around 430pm, we did tuition, which occupied us until dinner time. The same routine again – shower, clean up, night snack and virtual play/chat with her sisters.

And that’s our day!

it is the fifth day since Nikki’s last contact with Noelle. And we tested her – thankfully it is NEGATIVE. Tomorrow, Nikki will be able to go to school! So tomorrow, I will add my duty as a chauffeur.

Day 5 of Noelle’s quarantine

Slightly emo 😞

Noelle woke up later than usual. I was told because of the loud music and people talking loudly at wee hours that disturbed her sleep. I told her that if it has happened again, just scream ‘QUIET’ at the window. As a result of lack of sleep, I think she became slightly emo especially since Nikki went school, she thought of her friends and also she missing co-curriculum activities this afternoon. I then promised her to play badminton this weekend.

She has been ‘strong’ emotionally in the past few days. So, I really hope she can get through these two more days. And I know SHE CAN! Noelle, you can do it! 😘😘😘

She is better after her afternoon nap. Yes, she finally napped a longer one, more than an hour, I think.

I did revision with her in the morning, gave her some work that we then discussed in the evening. Her papa downloaded some games that interest them (but not get them addicted – my criteria set). 🤣

I would go tuition with Nikki soon. So, the night entertainment will be left to the papa! 😝😝

Day 6 of Noelle’s quarantine

Light in the tunnel

This morning she took the test and told us she was confused of the result. So, we told her to put on the stool and we will go closer to look. Gratefully, it was a negative. That gave her good spirit today and determined to complete her 7 days quarantine. 😊

And today she was pretty busy. One of her friends’ mum shared some homework and so she did them. She also did her artwork. She also had her usual virtual mandarin tuition this afternoon. I allowed her to come out of the isolation room to the laundry area to do the art. I also allowed her to skip nap today (so that she can sleep better at night; this morning she woke at 830am). Because of her work, I was also pretty busy – helped her get the art stuff (but she cleaned up herself) and she needed some help with her homework (besides all the daily chores, cooking and chauffeuring Nikki). I also took the opportunity to ask her give me her ‘contaminated’ Amber to wash, changed the bedsheet and washed everything else she used in the past few days.

I am thankful that this is coming to an end. Next, we will need to bring her to a doctor for a check up.

Day 7 of Noelle’s quarantine

The end of quarantine!

Today hubby went to office and hence, for the first time, Noelle was home alone when Norrah and I went to pick Nikki from school. Hubby kept her in chat when I drove to school, while Nikki video-called Noelle when I drove home. So, she wasn’t entirely ‘alone’. I also told her to take her first stepping out of her isolation room and laundry area. She did as told and she told me ‘it was AWESOME!’ 🤣🤣

While driving home, Nikki was ‘complaining’ that jeh jeh was going crazy during the video call. Then I told her – ‘jeh jeh has been stuck in a room with four walls and only allowed to go to toilet for the past 7 days’, and asked Nikki – ‘will you go crazy if you were the same?’ 🙄🤣 She immediately nodded but added ‘but I don’t see papa went crazy during quarantine!🙄🙄’ 😓😓

All three of them took a very long nap today (I didn’t bother to wake them up). They slept till 530pm. Noelle took the Covid test again to reconfirm the negative. And the first thing she wanted to do was swim. So, we went for a late swim! 🤣 The sisters also missed her a lot. They enjoyed so much today. Even Norrah who wanted to cry (because when she is last, she will cry) didn’t cry. 😅

We told her to eat dinner with us but she wanted to eat in the isolation room. 🙄🙄 I told her that would be the last meal served there. 🤣🤣 And tonight, she comes out to play with her sisters. But she will still sleep in the isolation room.

And this ends my Noelle’s quarantine journal. We can’t avoid the virus entirely; but we have successfully stopped it from transmitting to the household. I mark that as our success story.

Video: https://youtu.be/DHzpUibJ4D8

Understanding kids

Today we brought them to Decalthon (again) as we have few things to buy.

Noelle needed a new slipper as she outgrew hers AGAIN. 🙄🙄 She chose one plain coloured one (blue) and I told her to get the biggest size available there (just one size bigger than her current size). 🤣🤣 Then she saw another pair with patterns. Initially she thought of changing her mind to getting the patterned one. But after seeing the price difference of RM10, she retained her decision to choose the plain coloured one. ☺️☺️☺️ She even said that anyhow she will be wearing the slipper for short trips to the swimming pool or condo area.

Besides Noelle’s slipper, we got Norrah a replacement arm float as hers punctured. Nikki has nothing necessary. Despite both sisters had something new, Nikki didn’t request for anything. ☺️☺️☺️

Sometimes I think we are blessed to have very understanding kids, who help us keep on our budget. 😉

Being the eldest at home

Things that I would like to remind Noelle (which I already told her):

Do not be a ‘bully’ because you are ‘academically more advantaged’ especially by age/experience. When your sisters need help, for example, using the computer, make yourself available to help and not ‘tease’ them for not being able to handle it (at the moment). You are ‘smarter’ now because you have more hands-on than them; and it doesn’t mean that you will be better than them forever. Helping them will not make you lose out but you can increase your own skills. You have also learn this in your Moral studies on how you should help your friends when they are in need and so this applies to your own sisters too.

(I am talking from experience on how I ‘hated’ being disadvantaged because of selfish person who didn’t want to help out even though he could, in fear of others getting better than him)

You are given a lot of free time in a day to do things that you enjoy. If compared to many others, you are ‘lucky’ that we don’t send you to many tuitions (except for Mandarin) as we don’t want you to lockdown your own time and our family time. Having said that, it means that when it is time to be serious in academic/studies, please do so. Doing your best is more important than results. So, as long as you have done your best, nothing else matters. Make learning an enjoyable experience.

We have entrusted to you many things. And hope you will continue to be a reliable person. 😘😘😘

Goodbye 2021!

It’s the time of the year when most people wrap up THE year.

As I penned this down, I have to admit that in 2021, I’m emotional and exhausted. I feel like a bad mum because I am not enjoying responsibility. Most times, I feel I am exhausted from the cleaning, cooking and being needed. I’m tired of being asked questions. At times, I feel like I’m dying for a real break from life for being a mom, from being needed. I feel very alone (fortunately I never break any friendship this year). I’m easily flustered and frustrated. I don’t have much time to self-care and get to know myself. I focus on the girls and sometimes I get ignored by them. I feel under appreciated. I feel envy of people ‘enjoying life’ while riding ON the things I do. I am tired of people who think they did so much but much is just for themselves. But, I hope all these are JUST misconstructed feeling.

Gratefully, there are things and people who often pull me out. Thanks for remembering my kids and me when we don’t even stay connected on day/week/month to day/week/month basis.

As we end the year, I hope for a happier me. And you too!

Happy New Year!

…..

It’s 31 December and so it is also time to mark down their reading list! This is the third consecutive years we do it – reading aloud one book a day (at least).

This year, Noelle has clocked in 530 books for the year. There is a massive increase as she also started included reading aloud a BM story book a day as the year went by. In addition to that, she read at least 48 long story books (she only started recording this in June, imitating her papa).

Also in 2021, Nikki joined the ‘party’. She read aloud 336 books (this also mean we read THAT many books with her).

This is not a reading competition but to cultivate good reading habits.

Good job to the girls!

Norrah, are you joining next year? 🤣

Reading list:https://youtu.be/MKFB3n-hqr0

Happy 9th year of motherhood!

On this day, 9 years ago, we went for our routine check up at the Gynae. We were caught by surprise that I need to undergo emergency c-sec because of irregular heartbeat. We didn’t choose ‘29 Dec 2012’ as THE day and we were practically ‘unready’ mentally for Noelle’s arrival.

3 years later (or 6 years ago), we actually chose THIS date eventually (29 Dec 2015) – because we HAD to be ready for Nikki since no one could look after Noelle (except hubby) and hubby (being an accountant) has books to close which means he just can’t go on leave as he wish. Despite being ready, I had to face the c-sec myself. What were unexpected is a 3-hours complication.

Fast forward today, we enter 9 years of parenthood. There are countless and priceless experiences as parents – sweet and sour, obstacles, etc. As we are walking away from ‘babyhood’ and stepping into pre-teen years, we got to admit the challenges are different. It will be another whole new experience.

In the year, I think I have become more like their ‘teacher’ than their ‘mother’. 🥲 I have to admit 2021 may not be my best motherhood year. My temper is ‘hotter’ and I became more naggy compared to all those years (so much so that when they get into ‘trouble’, they rather ask for help from their papa than me). At times, they (especially the elder two) will turn their deaf ears on me. Nevertheless, they are still very forgiving and I can still feel their love towards me.

I am not a perfect mum; but I will always try my best. There are times when I am just frustrated with myself than them; and they are not wrong in any sense.

Looking forward, I wish to improve on managing my own emotions to help me better respond to them. I wish to continue to have a good relationship with the girls and be their confidant.

Happy 9th year of motherhood to myself.

…..

Happy 9th birthday to Noelle and Happy 6th birthday to Nikki!

Hope both of you will enjoy the ‘programme’ of the day!

We brought them out for lunch at Sushi Zanmai.

our second dine-in in 2021, and surely the last for the year 🤣🤣 because papa is going office on the next two days 🙄🙄

Photos: https://youtu.be/fgqfemnhLa0

Chocolate brownies tower and chocolate moist cake

Plus waffle ice cream for breakfast

I baked two ‘cakes’ (besides the different choices of cakes by the two sisters, it is also just in case one of them fail 🤭🙄🤣; if two also fail, plan C – go buy😛). I started baking the afternoon/ evening before.

I cut and decorated the brownies tower in the morning while I let them deco the chocolate moist cake themselves (part of the birthday programme 😂). My chocolate ganache failed after I put it back into the fridge after I whipped it. It hardens. 🥲🤣 We settled just with some minimal deco.

I woke up in the wee hours (two nights consecutively) to DIY from scratch and set up the minimal decorations.

Photos: https://youtube.com/shorts/X44sprsDPpM?feature=share

This year, Noelle and Nikki prepared a little note and gift for everyone else (who is not celebrating birthday today and ‘attend’ their party). 🤣🤣🤣

Papa was in charge to write them a note on their birthday gifts too.

I prepared ‘door gift’ for them three 🤣🤣so that Norrah doesn’t feel left out. She is much more accepting this year that she ain’t receiving a birthday gift because it isn’t her birthday. Only when I took out Aunty Rachel Ong’s pressies for the jeh jehs (which she gave far back in August 🙄🤣), Norrah did pondered and asked me ‘how about me?’. I explained to her that during August, she received hers (which is THAT thing) in which her jeh jehs didn’t receive any that time. She nodded and agreed. Oh, my baby girl has grown up! 😘

Re-visited Rabbit Fun Land

The last we came here was 9 Sept 2018 (as per facebook’s memory)! 🤣 Three years back, we paid RM32 for everyone’s entry. Today we paid RM60 for 5 persons (RM12 per person – above 2 years old). We bought food from the farm too to feed the pets. No outside food for the pets allowed; reasonably said that it might cause problems to their animals. (I actually checked with them before coming).

Since it was 3 years ago, the kids have vague memory about it. Moreover, the farm has changed too. They used to have an enclosure where rabbits run freely; now they don’t. All animals except some goats are kept in cage. The kids love the rabbits and deers most. The goats are hungry and ‘scary’ to them! 🤣 They have other farm animals such as ostriches, peacocks, cows, goose and ponies.

Their cafe has also renovated and served ‘fresh’ food (as they are promoting). We were still with our no dine-in policy; so we had our picnic in car after our farm visit. The farm ensure a policy of mask on and visitors must be vaccinated. The farm is quite big. They have a play area – but our kids know that they weren’t allowed to play there (by mummy😛) at the moment.

It was an hour drive from our place; but no fuss by the kids. They were happy with the journey and the morning in the farm. We spent 2 hours there!

Video: https://youtu.be/U-QqfrFKJ2o

Positivism in the pandemic

Things that my kids taught me while in the pandemics:

• we don’t need a big physical house but a warm home to be happy
• we don’t necessarily have to travel around to enjoy ‘holiday’ but to just feel contented by pretend play holiday
• we don’t need luxurious food but only nutritious food to keep our body healthy and our tummy filled
• we don’t need indulgence to fill our boredom but activities to keep us occupied
• kids can still have a good childhood despite just staying at home
• we don’t need to add in more things in our life but to make use of things we already have
• we adjust our ‘lifestyle’ with the flow; we don’t have to be stagnant at just one decision/goal
• we reward ourselves occasionally to recognise our ‘achievements’, be it small or big
• we learn to manage anxiety in life and don’t suck up to a bad emotion
• while our world become physically smaller, our learning expands on a daily basis. I am happy to see all the little progress of the kids (be it the 4yo, 6yo or 9yo) on day-to-day

Most importantly, we are lucky to be still healthy and get to spend time together.

Mummy’s saloon FINALLY activated

After 8yo+ of parenting, this is my FIRST time cutting their hair. 🤣🤣🤣 I think I should have started it much earlier. 😛

This is one length hair style. So, it is pretty simple. With my flower eyes, I hope the length is ‘straight’. 😛 Hubby has to hold torch 🔦 light so that I don’t miss out the tiny bits. 🤣

They asked how much I am charging them. I told them RM25. Noelle really went to search for her savings box key so that she can pay me. 🤣🤣 Nikki was ‘smarter’ – she took specimen (fake money) RM25 and gave me! 🙄🙄🤣🤣

Not enough time to cut Norrah’s. I told her tomorrow – if she wants🙄🙄🤣🤣. She says she want wor….😂😂😂

Video: https://youtu.be/0PhzadHChvc

Release the burden

The month of October 2021 has been really the month of decluttering. It is not merely decluttering things that we no longer use; but also those ‘sentimental’ stuff – like given by some people. In the past, I have been holding these stuff because I felt ‘obligated’ to keep it – but after decluttering it, I do feel the ‘lightness’ (no more burden) of not having them anymore. In short, I feel – I don’t ‘owe’ anyone anything from those gifts.

For example, grandmother leaves kitchen utensils to the children. But the children just pass it on to the kids (meaning grandchildren). Some (grandchildren) may feel it a waste to throw and continue keeping it – although it may not be used at all. At the end, there’s lack of storage place and they can’t even buy new kitchen utensils that they want to own. But at the same time, the children (especially the wealthy ones) that passed down the items to the grandchildren – continue to buy utensils that they want without this burden.

I learn that the idea of inheriting ‘materials’ to our kids (or future generation) is just a BURDEN. This is to remind myself not to keep stuff that I think the kids may like but at the end it is just a burden. Living a minimalist life before we leave the world is one of the best things to do for our children.

Never take away the joy of learning

Have you heard this song before?

少年 Shào Nián <https://youtube.com/shorts/-S4mqjBAaCM?feature=share&gt;

Recently, she did a mandarin test with her tutor and the result came out that she merely passed for SJKC P1 level. 🙄🙄🙄 Actually, we didn’t mind the result. And since the papa doesn’t know what to reply to the tutor, he replied ‘seems like there’s still room for improvement.’ 🙄🤣 which it isn’t ‘wrong’ in the respond.

The tutor later replied 🤣🤣🤣 (maybe he felt intimidated with his ability to teach🙄) – “Actually Noelle is considered ‘good’ for a SK P3 student.” 🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, why we don’t mind the result – because it hasn’t taken away her joy of learning. Never a day we need to remind her to do her homework, and never a day we get a complain from her teacher. Every homework is settled by herself – unless she needs help, she will ask. She has been consistent in every detail and ‘reports’ to me whatever is required. She is pretty discipline in her attitude to work. And this is what matters at this point of time. Good attitude will get her where she wish to be in the future (in our opinion).

for example, she needs to practice singing this song twice every day (which is a homework given by her tutor). Nikki instigated Noelle to sing only once – since it is taking their time to play. But Noelle insisted that she needs to sing it twice. 🤣