RSS

Brainwashing

Choo-er Filed Under: Labels:
Radio & television till this day still remain great influencers to mankind. The influence is so great that even a young child is able to retain bits of what they watch or listen to. This is evident as my kids too are being 'brainwashed'.

Example 1 :
While deciding on where to go for dinner one night Cavin, my sister and I were tossing ideas and suggesting restaurants. Cayden too chips in and...

Cayden : Go to Wendy's daddy..... (suggestion gets ignored while we adults were still chatting)

Cayden : Fresh foods made fast... (everyone stunned and dumbfounded)

Me : Huh.....where did you hear that from?

Cayden : GOT (emphasizing that he is right). On the radio.



Example 2 :
Caitlyn could immediately identify the song 'Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas' from just the intro of the song. Even before the singing starts she would have muttered out either "Boom Boom Bak" or sometimes "Gotta get..get".



Example 3 :
Everytime when we are out and in the car without fail Caitlyn will be requesting for a Mandarin song which Cayden USED to like (Not anymore tho due to the never ending request from the sister for the song to be played. Poor boy is so sick and tired of the song by now :p ).

The song is Richie Ren's - 對面的女孩看過來 or Dui Mien De Nu Hai Kan Guo Lai (translated as 'Girl Over There, Look Over Here'). Caitlyn will be able to sing a line or two whereas Cayden can sing almost the entire song. The MTV can be viewed @ Richie Ren - Dui Mien De Nu Hai Kan Guo Lai



Example 4 :
The romantic side of Caitlyn and the eye for an interesting commercial.

Caitlyn particularly likes a certain part of the Malaysian version of the Ribena - Lemon Meets Blackcurrant "A Perfect Match" TV commercial.

Briefly about the commercial : It has a very catchy tune which has an overall feel and inclination towards Indian music and movie production. The commercial follows the typical Indian movie plots of two single souls in search of love > boy meets girl > both fall in love > dance around a tree (but there's no tree in this instance but just dancing in a circle. However you would get the drift.)

Caitlyn will always wait for the part where the Blackcurrant runs towards the Lemon. Without fail she will shriek with excitement when the Blackcurrant's hands meets with the Lemon's; just before the pair breaks into a dance :)

The commercial can be viewed @ Ribena "A Perfect Match"

edit post

Merdeka Spirit

Choo-er Filed Under:
Cayden's Montessori has always been supportive of our national celebrations by getting the preschoolers to dress up according to the occasion.

The whole month of August was dedicated to celebrating Independence day.

The first Friday of the month was Malay and the kids wore Malay costumes to school. For lunch, they were all made to sit on the floor and had nasi lemak [minus the sambal tho].

Should have gotten this 'Hang Tuah' a songkok to complete the look.
Totally forgot about that :p





The following week was Chinese but somehow Cayden couldn't tell me what was the food they had. I guess it would have most likely been some Chinese style fried rice.





Kung fu kid aka. Choo Fei Hung





His classmates and teacher
[kesian the lil' Caucasian kid was the odd one out]



The final week before the school break was Indian or any other race in the country and it turned out to be a Bollywood fiesta in the school. The kids had roti canai for their break.

James & Cayden attempting Indian dance moves..


Group act
[Cayden the only one still dancing :o ]


Finale - Solo performance
[I think he does like to dance :) ]



Photographs courtesy of Yee Peng (Ming Han's mummy)

edit post

Growing up too quickly

Choo-er Filed Under: Labels:
In a blink of an eye my daughter is so "grown up" now... I feel. And today Caitlyn is exactly 20 months old.

She knows how to look good and in fact WANT to be in her best. She also try as much to help around the house.....creating extra mess for mummy to clean up (actually).

Anyway, here are some shots of her... (not very clear shots coz taken with the handphone)


Helping mummy in the kitchen...



Trying to strike a pose



Trying to juggle the bottles while staying balanced.



* Grin *




Anyway her latest motto is
"Friends are forever,
Boys are whatever"










edit post

Another year older...

Choo-er Filed Under: Labels:
As I turn a year older, my son too turned a year older 2 days before I did. He has indeed grown to be wiser.. (*So proud of my boy*)

Daddy was in Singapore and was chatting online with me so I casually asked Cayden to say something to daddy and the following was what transpired:-

Me : Cayden, mummy is talking to daddy online. Do you want to say something to daddy?

Cayden : Good night daddy. I love you, sweet dreams...(pauses)

Cayden : Where is daddy now?

Me : Daddy's in Singapore. Why?

Cayden : Daddy got bed to sleep or not in Singapore?

Me : Ya, of course...

Cayden : Don't let the bed bugs bite too..
.

edit post

The Best Man I Ever Knew

Choo-er Filed Under: Labels:
When we married, I saw you as perfect,
The ideal husband and more;
I thought I knew all about you,
All the things to love and adore.

But when you became a father,
I saw new qualities to treasure.
You enrich all our lives in fresh ways;
As a dad, you bring so much pleasure.

Our children are forever blessed
To have a father like you,
And I love you more than ever,
Daddy.




To my own Papa:-
Papa you are my hero,
Now that I am fully grown.
I still love and respect you,
The best man I've ever known.

I knew when I would marry
That my husband had to be
A great man, just like my father,
Papa, my hero you'll always be.

Thank you, Papa...for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!





Adapted from poems by Joanna Fuchs


edit post

Another Choo comes along.....

Choo-er Filed Under:
Mum : Year of the Pig next year is going to be a good year you know?

Me : Why ah?

Mum : Good, because it is going to be the Golden Pig!

Me : So??

Mum : Cayden is almost 2 now. Get another child. Pig is good and GOLDEN PIG better still.... Normally people born in the year of the Pig generally lead an easy and carefree life...
Ok..Mind set. Let's get a second child. If it means better life for the child means indirectly would be better for me too :)

Trying...trying...trying... yet again no easy process. In my heart - Hmm... I may just miss the GOLDEN PIG year.

After some tests, medications, injections and finally we have something growing in my tummy. Phew...still in time for the year of the Pig and in fact also made the 2 year gap between the kids.

Finding out that you are pregnant the second time around is just as exciting but then I would say that I don't remember much about the second time but I can still recall clearly what I went through during the first. I never thought I would be excited considering that I'm not the type of person who gets surprised easily (according to Cavin).

Anyway, being pregnant second time around is really different. It was more difficult...but still tolerable coz I know many friends who suffered worst. This time around I was still spared from morning sickness but heartburn was bad. As usual the sense of smell is greater but luckily this time I didn't have to endure the smell of the neighbour's cooking...no more curry smells and I wasn't disgusted by the smell of detergent.

Due to my already stretched body from the 1st pregnancy this time around I bloated up faster and was rounder. Surprisingly didn't really put on that much weight. It could be also the fact that I was carrying a girl hence I felt all the differences and carried differently.

The EDD was 24 Dec 07 ...omg a day before Christmas. Friends and relatives were all giving the same comment that I should hold on till Christmas. On the contrary I didn't want Christmas day and reasons are :

1) My gynae said that he may be on leave then (Eee...I don't want a different gynae seeing my down there)
2) Hospital charges doubles since it is a public holiday (Me being thrifty :p)
3) My baby will only get a birthday present which doubles as a Christmas present too :(

20 Dec 2007 - Was a public holiday for Hari Raya Haji and I was feeling fine coz I just went for my check up a day before that. I wasn't sure whether I heard the doctor correctly but I distinctly remember him mentioning that there may be slight bleeding coz he just did a pelvic examination, so I don't have to panic. So since the bleeding was more like staining, I just took that it was normal. Later in the evening I could feel very very mild tugging at the side of my stomach. Am quite certain that the baby was gonna arrive sooner than EDD. So we decided to go to the clinic the next morning.

21 Dec 2007- At the clinic I told the nurse that I have slight bleeding and was told to wait my turn. After waiting for a few more patients it was then my turn. As soon as the Doc checked, it was confirmed that the baby was on the way. The nurse outside got a scolding for not informing the Doc of my condition.

In I went to the labour room. Anticipation was just as great. MIL came soon with Cayden in tow as we were worried that the hospital nurses may not be attentive enough. This time labour was gonna be faster coz second delivery. No hiccups this time around in fact there were so many people to check on me till I felt that it wasn't necessary.

Before the Doc could have a bite at his lunch the baby was coming. The whole room was filled with trainee nurses till I couldn't even see where Cavin was (pretty much like a scene from Grey's Anatomy only difference is that these were nurses and those were Docs). There were like 20 over people cramped into the room. Well most of you would ask why I allowed everyone to witness the delivery...to me, at that point of time nothing else matters...JUST GET THE BABY OUT!!!

21 December 2007, 1.37pm - Caitlyn was born.

Photos of her are lesser. The enthusiasm sort of died down. Here are some (blurer ones are taken with handphone camera :p )

Newborn



1 month old



3 months


10 months



October 08



"Yo...yo...it's my 1st BIRTHDAY!!"


May 2009 (17 months)


edit post

Choo Junior

Choo-er Filed Under:
After 2 years of honeymoon-ing we decided it was time to expand our little household. Month after month went by, pressure was really mounting (from both mums, aunts, relatives..) after almost a year of trying I FINALLY conceived. It was quite easy for me to remember when we first found out that I was expecting as my gynae appointment was a day after one of my God-sis cum best-est pal's wedding day back in November 2004.

EDD was to be 17 July 2005..yay..the baby's birth date is gonna be close to mine.

Pregnancy was a breeze...no morning sickness, no cravings, not tired..phew. Thank God the only problem I had was heartburn which I only suffered at the 3rd trimester. Everything went on so smoothly and I didn't even realise that the baby was coming...

6th July - Was going for my routine at Dr. Foong's clinic. Coincidentally Cavin had a morning meeting so he couldn't accompany me. Normally he would accompany me for all the check ups. Happily sent him to work and drove myself to the clinic. Waited patiently for my turn a little longer than usual as I was a little late to the clinic. Then came my turn.

(Entered the consultation room)

Doc : On the bed... (his usual remarks as soon as you enter the clinic coz he has lots of patients so no time is wasted. Somehow it sounds so obscene)

Doc : Let's see how things are today (as he peers at the screen for the ultrasound monitor..he is not that young so eyesight not that good and tends to stare at the screen for a long time, which at times gets me worried that something is not right)

Doc : Everything looks fine. Let's do a pelvic...(pauses) You are 3cm dilated. You don't feel a thing? Not even slight tummy ache......Nurse get her to the room.

Me : Can it wait 2 more days coz then my son will have the same birthdate as me?

Doc : No. Nurse get her upstairs now.

Me : Then can I at least re-park my car coz it is at the metered parking bay.

Doc : Ok. Nurse follow her to re-park the car.

Me : Don't worry I'll be back. I'm perfectly fine and can manage on my own.

Doc : No. Can't take risks. Nurse follow her.

As I left the room I called Cavin and he was just as surprised as I was (I think). Anyway, he immediately informed his mum and my mum as well. Was admitted and in labour room at about 10.30am.

I was all ready... (actually NOT, I was quite nervous)so was Cavin who came straight from the office in a cab all ready with the video camera and camera. Hmm..come to think of it why was he carrying the video camera to work coz he came straight to the hospital from the office. Anyway, MIL came at about noon. Doc came in before he went for lunch and examined the dilation. He estimated the baby to pop at about 5pm, as he puts it "just in time before he leaves for the day"

Waiting.....

(Even had time to call the office to chat while waiting... :p )

Waiting......

Minutes passed by like hours. MIL was constantly monitoring the fetal heartbeat monitor and the drip. She noted 2 dips and alerted the nurses. The drip was also not functioning properly as it was dripping faster than it should have. The Dr was called and I was to be preped for a possible surgery in case of an emergency. That really got me worried...

Soon the pain came. I was only about 6cm dilated... the process of labour was sped up and could be due to the drip.. At one point I really couldn't stand the pain. I could feel the natural bearing down (the body natural system of pushing) The Dr was paged. I was still asked to hold on coz I wasn't fully dilated and may tear the perineum. Although I was given the gas, it totally didn't help (I feel). Anyway the Dr. arrived soon and once he performed the episiotomy I was finally allowed to push. All it took was 2 pushes and the baby was out. Thank God it didn't take forever for the Doc to arrive.

6th July 2005, 3.41pm - Cayden was born. Just 2 days before my birthday...which means I'll not "forgive" him if he ever forgets my birthday :p

Newborn


Like father, like son


"Go ahead, make my day!" (November 06)


Almost 2 (April 2007)


First day at montessori (March 2008)


3 1/2 years old


edit post

Choo Incorporated

Choo-er Filed Under:
Being born a Wong I was legally Choo-incorporated on 02.02.02. I could still remember it was not easy to accept the fact that I'll be called a Mrs Choo. Even till now, I may just walk pass and totally ignore anyone who calls out to me "Mrs. Choo" or even worst when they go "Chow Thai" (Mrs Choo in Cantonese).


BUT I am slowly recognizing it coz these days some of Cayden's school teachers or other parents do call me Mrs. Choo.

At work I have more or less established myself using my maiden name so I don't think I'll be changing it. Even on Facebook, Twitter and email addresses, they all bear my maiden name which I don't think I'll change.

Well, to sum it all up I AM proud and thankful to be my husband's wife but I AM equally proud of my own Surname because it is a very important thing in Chinese culture.

edit post

Finally...

Choo-er Filed Under:
After much thought I have finally psyched myself up to starting a blog. Though a bit behind time (I feel) but it is never too late to start.

A BIG thank you to my ever supportive colleagues who gave me the encouragement. You know who you are :)




edit post