Not so stuck on you

I ordered some personalised labels, bag tag, and clothing labels (iron-on) for Kai from stuckonyou.biz (introduced by Adeline) before he started school. But it didn't make it in time for the first day, so I had to use the functional black and white do-it-yourself labels for a start.

My goods finally arrived this week, but I didn't have time to try them out until today. Overall, I would say the quality is average although the designs and concepts are very cute.

Verdict:
1. Bag tag: Too big for my liking, and VERY hard to put on. I guess the plus is that you can print additional info using your own label-maker (i.e. address, telephone number) and stick it on the tag.

2. Personalised stickers: The cutest of the lot. I ordered the shaped vinyl labels because it is microwave and dishwasher safe. The quality isn't too bad. Suffice to say I'm most pleased with this.

3. Clothing labels: I added my telephone number underneath Kai's name. Instructions say to use a medium-hot iron, place the provided parchment paper over the label, and place the iron over it for 10 seconds.

Maybe my iron was too hot, but bits of the label lost its gloss and one corner didn't attach to the t-shirt too well. I wonder if the end result is suppose to look glossy or matt (like rubber print on t-shirt). A little of a disappointment since it isn't all that user friendly. I suppose I need to get the iron temperature right, but it shouldn't be all that difficult to use right?

Terence asks me to relax. It's suppose to be a fun exercise, and not meant to stress me out!

My husband

Eight (not seven, as posted previously) years of marriage can drastically change a man. But not my husband. He's consistently surprising and funny. But sometimes, only I understand his jokes, which makes it even funnier.

He has plenty of wise words to share too, which we will impart to Kai eventually:

1. Money is always better in your own pocket.

2. Why do things today when you can do them tomorrow?

3. Treat your friends like your enemy, and your enemy like your friends.

Happy wedding anniversary, Terence.

I'm a tough cookie. Don't mess with me.

Second week of nursery, first day: He hugged his teacher, turned around and wave bye bye to me.

No crying, no tears, no tantrums.

My jaws dropped. Teachers were relieved; they warned that kids sometimes kick up a big fuss after a weekend away from school.

Restaurant Ember: Never disappoints

Pan seared Chilean seabass with mushroom and smoked bacon ragout, truffle-yuzu butter sauce

Terence seldom suggests what I should blog about. But he made a request yesterday: How about writing on restaurants that have never disappointed us, ever.

Restaurant Ember is one of them. Situated in the uber-chic and retro Hotel 1929, it is helmed by Executive Chef Sebastian Ng who has many accolades behind his name. Google "Ember" and you'd find people raving about different dishes. But one dish that always gets a standing ovation is his Chilean seabass.

I love the foie gras too. The saltiness of the sinful slab of liver is nicely balanced with the sweetness of pear chutney or caramelized apple sauce. I love how my knife would first touch the crispy, lightly browned exterior which teasingly resists the pressure but which would willingly give up the soft, soft flesh within.

Heavenly.

Finally, between the apple and banana tart, I would recommend the former. Having said that, the banana tart is definitely worth ruining your health for too.

Where:
50 Keong Saik Road, Hotel 1929
Tel: 6347 1928
Reservations a MUST

My funny valentine

Kai made this in school for us. All right, all right... he only painted it and stuck the hearts, but I teared nevertheless when Ms Lee passed it to me. (He was sleeping when I picked him up today.) That's what my baby had been doing the past two days; making a valentine gift for me.

Abusing childcare teachers: Day 1 & 2

"I feel sorry for the teachers," says Terence on Kai's first day in school.

"They're probably thinking: 'Another crying kid. Why do I have to put up with this.' "

So when I told him Kai threw up on Mrs Poh after crying so much today (second day), he says, "I feel so sorry for the teachers."

I like it when Terence shows me a different perspective of things; it does take my mind off the situation.

Here're the things we did to 'abuse' the teachers:

1. We didn't hang around. We brought him to his classroom, kiss him goodbye, and told him that we'll pick up him later. Promise.

2. Leave him screaming and crying with the teacher.

Here're the things he did to 'abuse' the teachers:

1. Cry so much that he had to be carried, consoled, distracted. (He's heavy and is slippery as an eel when he's upset.)

2. Cry so much that he threw up. Now we know why childcare teachers don't wear new clothes to school.

3. Jump up and down, struggle when mummy leaves the room.

But seriously, separation anxiety aside, he's doing fine in school. I can tell that the teachers care him for genuinely and kids are very perceptive about who's nice and who's not. And so the fact that he likes his teachers gives me comfort that he's in good hands.

I'm no expert in this matter, but here're a few things I learnt just from preparing him for school:

1. Label everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, that your kid is bringing to school.

This means you label the milk bottle AND the bottle cap. I thought I had labelled everything until Terence saw the condition of some milk bottle caps in school. The minute we were out of school, he told me to please, please, please label Kai's bottle cap as well. Ours seemed pristine compared to the rest, which looked like they belonged to a dump site. Don't ask us what other parents do to their property.

I even labelled how much milk he drinks on his milk bottle, so no one forgets. That was how pedantic I got with labelling.

Oh, and it saves the teachers a lot of trouble. Almost everytime I'm there, I hear them asking: "Whose [insert property] is this?". And believe you me, a lot of little boys like Thomas the Tank Engine. Your son might end up drinking from somebody else's cup.

2. Tell the teachers everything they need to know about your kid's habits.

I sounded like a nagging grandmother when I told the teachers what time he likes to nap, what time he likes to have his milk, that he doesn't like water running down his head and face when he showers, and etc. But Kai's teachers took me very seriously. They could tell me what was his habits/schedule like in school vis a vis what I told them, and how we can all work together to help him adapt.

3. Many parents may disagree with me, but I think it's better to drop off the kid in school right from day one rather than hang around.

I personally believe Kai will adapt faster this way. We always make sure we say goodbye to him and tell him we will come and pick him up after he has finished his lunch. When I pick him up, I'll listen to what he did for the day. Then I'll tell him he did a good job because, for instance, he ate noodles all by himself. I also reinforce how fun it is for him to do new things and meet new people.

It doesn't mean that my heart doesn't break when I hear him cry. But it's another stage of life he needs to go through, and we must all learn to adapt.

Anyway, he is still a happy camper after school. Doesn't look like he's scarred for life.

Hat trick

We could never get Kai to wear a hat. So he surprised us today when the hat that I put on, stayed on.

He didn't quite like the waves coming in and the sand sliding away underneath his feet. But he was pretty contented scoping sand into his bucket. Terence and I were just ogling over how cute he looked.

Me

If you ever wonder why I don't often post pictures of myself, well it's because I look like a bloody maid these days.

Weekend comes and I'd throw on any old T-shirt because who cares, it's gonna get dirty anyway. I don't bother with my hair anymore because I don't have time to go for my haircut and it looks bad anyway. I just put on a hairband and squirm everytime I walk pass a mirror. My brain is degenerating because I don't have time to read. And everytime I attempt to do so, my son will pull me off my chair to:

1. Sit next to him while he plays.

2. Read him a book.

3. Play him a Thomas video.

4. Cuddle him.

And when I finally find time to do what I like to do--blog, husband asks me how come I'm always blogging. I ask him why is it he's always at the driving range. I'm snappy, irritated, rude, tired.

Don't even get me started on what goes on during the working week.

And the only time I got to get something new for MYSELF for Chinese New Year was right after work, before I picked up the carrot cake for my mother-in-law at a Chinese restaurant. Just that half an hour. So precious.

Why not longer you ask. Well, so I get to see my kid before he goes to bed.

Maybe men are better at putting their lives in neat compartments. But I couldn't even go for my weekly Yoga class after work on Monday without missing my boy. That's why I haven't been going.

So different from the carefree days before Kai came along.

But just as I was sitting exhausted that day in playschool, head throbbing like a time bomb waiting to go off, and watching Kai explore the soon-to-be-his classroom, he ran back to me with a fistfull of jigsaw puzzles he had found. The old puzzles were like new found treasures to him, and he chose to share them with me.

I suppose I have to look like a maid for a long time more.

A new beginning

For everyone else, 7 February marked the first day--signalling a new beginning--of the Lunar New Year. But for me, it was 6 February rather than 7 February, that inked the start of another new stage for Kai and I.

Kai's going to playschool right after Chinese New Year (CNY). And 6 February was the day I brought him to celebrate CNY with his new schoolmates and teachers.

After two weeks of searching, talking and visiting different schools, we finally decided on one which came highly recommended by our neighbour. It wasn't just the standard things that bowled me over (e.g. programme outline, food, teacher/student ratio), but everyone I met with/spoke to gave me a good impression. For instance:
- Staff spoke proper English
- Teachers I met in school would actually walk me to where I need to go or give me proper directions; none of the point-in-the-general-direction-and-hope-she'll-find-her-way attitude
- Teachers will pass on messages I have for the principal
- Everyone who picks up the phone speaks with clarity and knows what's happening

These small things matter. A care for details speak a great deal of staff's work attitude.

I guess what clinched it was when I walked through the gates on 6 February, a teacher came up to us and said: "Are you Tan Kai? Come here darling, and join your friends." Plus, despite having so many squirming kids to attend to and a concert to put together, the teachers seem to have eyes at the back of their heads and are where they are needed everytime.

And my heart was bursting with pride when I saw him sat down and ate his porridge all by himself without no one to guide him. I knew then my five-month of training him to feed himself has paid off.

So that's it folks. Come Monday, after I hand Kai over to his teachers, I'll tell him I'll have to leave now but soon he'll be eating breakfast with his new friends and learning new things. And after he brushes his teeth and baths, I'll come and pick him up. Promise.

Then I'll kiss him goodbye, turn around, and walk off. I know he'll burst into tears, jump up and down, and I'd feel like I've abandoned my baby. My heart will probably break. But I've to trust the teachers and school we've picked. And above anything else, I've to believe in my boy. He is a strong 'un; he'd be ok.

I scream for ice cream

We knew of the Ice Cream Chef even before the media reports came out. Turned out that the owner is the son of a friend of my father-in-law, so we could sample two tubs of their ice cream. I thought their chocolate ice cream is simply divine.

So if the ice cream craving strikes and if you're ever in the East, go to the Ice Cream Chef where they'll toss some ice cream and condiments for you. I'm a really simple girl, so chocolate with Maltesers work well for me. Best of all, they open till late. Just chilling on the seats outside while the rest of the neighbourhood settles in front of the goggle box after dinner kind of reminds me of my student days.

Where:
520 East Coast Road#01-06 (Ocean Park Condominium)
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 12pm to 10pm; Fri-Sat 12pm to 11pm

Surely this can't be healthy?

Kai's repertoire of food is growing, and I still don't understand why certain foods are ok and certain foods are not ok from the clinician's point of view.

Let me explain:
- Terence says no to chocolate but gives him chocolate ice cream AND chocolate truffle cake.
- Terence says no to cheese cube (the Laughing Cow brand) but gives him pizza.

What gives?! There's no justice in this world.