Mummy, you need to eat that!

One afternoon, while I was busy knitting a scarf and barely noticing what was on TV, Greg suddenly said "Mummy, you need to buy that." I looked up to see what he was telling me. It was a tv commercial, and it was showing a lady in a bikini showing off her well toned body. I realize it was the Xenical commercial and I smiled as I knew what was my son trying to tell me. What he meant was "Mummy, you are too fat and you need to eat this to lose all that weight."

I pretended not to understand and asked "Why do I have to buy that."

He sheepishly came and hugged my hands gently telling me "you loo wey." He had speech problems back then and what he meant to say was "you loose weight".

I acted puzzled and ask "why loo wey?" He quietly replied "you pat, momma." Until that day, I didnt' realize my son knew what was fat and thin. It was just so funny to see how he was trying to be diplomatic and not hurt mummy. Even at this age he knew to come cuddle up to me before giving me the "blow".

I've to admit this is the first time someone came and told me I'm fat and I didn't feel hurt or insulted. Wait till he is 15 and tells me that.. then he'll see what will happen.

Back to eating my keropok.

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My baby is going to Kindergarten

Today seems like another ordinary day, getting Gilly ready for school and finding out Greg has a slight fever. Gotta blame it on the crazy weather over this weekend. It was freaking 36ºF which sounds very cold but with weeks of 18-20ºF, 36ºF does feel warm. Now what do boys do when they think its warm? They refuse to wear their wintercoats and then... he catches a chill.

This isn't the biggie for mummy, I took him to Gilly's school. It wasn't his speech lesson today but to register him for Kindergarten. Yes, my baby is going to Kindergarten this fall. Another mom who was signing up her oldest child asked me if I was crying. I laughed and told her I can't wait to get out the champagne when he jumps up the school bus in August.

I don't know if I would really be jumping for joy or crying. I remember tearing up realizing that Gilly wasn't with me all the time anymore when she left on the school bus on her first day of school. Now Greg, for the past 3 years he has been my little best buddy always following me everywhere while his sister was in school. I really don't know how I'm going to feel. Yes, I've plans to start stain glass class and cake decorating class but not having my "baby" with me will be something I'll have to learn. For the past 8 years, I've put my life aside to attend to my babies. I guess I'll be on another journey again. For now... I'll enjoy the next 3 months I have my "baby" with me.

Gregory when he was just born.


Greg now

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My Saturday Surprise

I woke up this morning and when I went downstairs, I found this box in the middle of my kitchen. Greg had dragged it to the middle so that I could trip over it. I wondered who sent it to me as I didn't buy anything online lately. To my surprise I recognized the sender... yahoo.... must be food .. it was from Raymond See of MyTasteofAsia.

I wondered what goodies he sent and quickly I opened it.. Its just like Christmas!!!
Here is my loot!!














I'm excited to see the seafood paste as its Lent and that means every Friday I'll have to cook fish or shrimp. MyTasteofAsia has a very good selection of Malaysia food supplies. It helps alot of us who have not gone home for along time. My kids have fallen in love with our Mamee noodles. They just love snacking it and has since taught their kwai-lo friends to eat it. This past Christmas I ordered some of the curry paste and gave them away as presents. My friends were delighted as they just didn't dare venture into cooking our South East Asian cuisine. The paste helped alot. I'll post some of the dishes when I've cooked them.. my weakness is eating up the food before my camera can do anything...

Notes by Jane: I just tried the teh tarik and I love this version as its less sugar.

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Kids & their thoughts

My kids are now 7 and 4. Throughout these years they have kept us on our toes and very well entertained.

I've decided to write down some of their thoughts. Its just amazing how a tiny litle human can think of things.

My all time favorite....

Gilly was then 4 years old. While driving to preschool, she started noticing the houses that we drive-by would have 2 garage doors (3 car garage). One day she tells me she wants a house with 2 garage doors. I told her we don't have the money as only Daddy works. This went on for weeks. Another time she played at her classmate's house and noticed her friend, J had a walk-in closet. Again, she tells me she wants a walk-in closet in her room. I again told her we don't have enough money to buy a bigger house with a walk-in closet. I told her if she doesn't mind going to daycare and I would go to work then we can have a bigger house. She agreed at first until I further explained that I would have to stop her ballet lessons as I would be at work and she would have to stop preschool as she would be in the daycare from morning until almost night time. She then said "I want Momma stay home."

Then... she starts telling me she wants another baby sister. Here we just had a baby boy (Greg) and there she starts asking for another sibling. I guess I'm not the only who was dissapointed in not having a baby girl.. but another this quick??? hahaha no way.... I laughed and told her "No.. only Daddy is working we can't afford another baby. Another baby means we need more baby food and diapers." She tried convincing me that since she doesn't wear diapers, her baby sister can have her share of diapers."

A few weeks passed and in the car again(it always happens in the car), suddenly the request of baby sister started again. I smiled and told her the same thing "Daddy is the only one working so we can't afford another baby". She was quiet for awhile and then came the sell -- "Mummy, how about this? You go have more husbands then we can have babies." I was shocked and tickled at the same time at her suggestion. She kinda got the concept of more people at work = more $$$ = more babies. She just didn't know mummy can't have too many husbands at the same time.

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Tinley Park Shooting - Why are people so dumb??

Yesterday, while driving out of our local library, my cellphone rang and it was my hubby. He asked where I was and when I told him I was just leaving the parking lot. He told me not to return home. Next came the shocking news which took me 10 minutes to digest. "Don't come home, there is a gunman driving around. Cops are all over the place and I can hear the helicopter. They don't know where is the gunman so just don't come anywhere near this area". My neighbor had called our house to warn us.

Wow... here in my car, I have 2 guests from NYC visiting. Boy they must think this place is worse than NYC... that was what I thought.... I kept driving while I was still digesting my hubby's call. I lived in a quiet neighborhood, how can this happen? I finally told my friends and my 2 little ones as they were in the car. I called a friend who lived nearby, to warn her about the incident.

Even at Costco, I overheard someone's phone conversation. Obviously that person too was warned not to return home. Its a sick feeling when you know you can't even go home to your own house. I was looking for cop car to ask if it was ok to even go back and that was 4 hours after the first 911 call.

Yes... I live in Tinley Park and the strip mall is named after my subdivision. Its just a few blocks away and this mall is only 2 years old. We were so excited when we first heard this patch of cornfield will turn into a mall... with Target coming in.... now.. its going to remind us that 5 people lost their lives in this insane/stupid attempted robbery. How can someone be so stupid to kill innocent people while wanting to rob a place???? Can't they just rob the place and walk away without shooting anyone??? Those were just ladies who most probably won't be able to overpower a big man!!!! I do hope they catch that heartless person and my heart, thoughts and prayers is with those innocent victims' family.

We finally went home at 3 pm and we got this city wide call from the Village. They were informing us about the incident. The ironic this was it was already in the news and on the internet. Too late Tinley Park Village, that call should have come right after the shooting incident not 4 hours later. That would have been more effective..... and why did they call us again at 3:56 A.M ???? Oh well... at least I know their phone announcement system works!!!!!

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