FTWM

It's been more than 2.5 years since I quit my full time job. The last few weeks I have finally transitioned back to being a FTWM. It have been crazy after I join the project teams for 2 condo projects. One is Arc@Tampines, an Exec Condo and the other is The Luxurie at Sengkang. Burned so many weekends and weekday nights camping outside the site or outside MRT station giving away flyers and explaining to passerbys on the condos. RaeAnne thinks my full time job is a flyer distributor. When she saw Arc@Tampines flyers on the floor in our estate, she told me: "Mummy, your flyer". Had to tell her that that one is not Mummy's face so it's not my flyer. haha.

Today, was selected to join the team to serve walk in customers at The Luxurie. Very lucky to get the chance since I'm not experienced like the rest of the old timers. It's a good experience serving walk in clients especially when I was one of those visiting Baywater showflat long long time ago.

Finally closed my first deal for rental today. Record price of $2700 for a 4rm unit in Tampines. But most importantly, I got the tenant profile that my landlord wants after answering more than 40 calls, shortlisting only 9 tenants for viewing and he only liked 2 tenant profiles. Finally, signed the tenancy agreement with the one who was renting at the next block. Talk about fate. haha.

Feel guilty towards hubby and especially the gals cos I really hardly have time with them since I started doing projects. Mei Mei gets it worse cos she will be at MIL place whole day from 11am till 9+pm. At least, for RA, we spend the evening with her after picking her up from CC at 6pm. Still working hard to find work life balance cos I have just started out on this career so got to be more 'piah' to expand my network. :P

Happy birthday to Maa Mee

Last night, while at ILs house, RaeAnne was calling me, then I heard a lower, muffled Mummy. Wondered why RaeAnne's voice sounded so low, and turned around, then I heard it again. It was Raelynn calling Maa Mee. The first time since last year when I heard her call Mummy... Before this we have been trying for months, but when either Hubby or I ask her to call Mummy, she will point to me instead to indicate that I am her Mummy but she has never opened her golden mouth to call me. :P Asked her to call Mummy again last night and this morning, she said Maa Mee, Maa Mee repeatedly. Music to my ears. And it is really a timely birthday present for me. :)


My birthday morning started early at 5+am, with RaeAnne peeing on her bed but hubby helped to wash and hang the bedsheets after I rinsed it. But she did redeemed herself, by doing a flower artwork for me as present. It was actually supposed to be homework for her show & tell tomorrow. But since it's a flower, asked her to do it for me as my birthday present. Glad to say that she did it all by herself, from colouring to cutting and pasting, with a little bit of help from Mei Mei, who helped her to colour the shortest flower.


In the late morning, hubby brought the gals to ILs house. Hubby and I had a peaceful buffet lunch at Carousel, Royal Scotts on Plaza. Hubby even arranged for them to surprise me with a birthday cupcake. :) We had Curry fish head dinner at the CC foodcourt for dinner cos needed to buy a cake at Prima Deli and bring to ILs place. Bought a cake and brought it to ILs place for cake cutting with the gals cos we had forgotten about MIL's birthday last week on 31 July. Asked RA to sing a happy birthday song for Nai Nai first. Both RA and RL loved the cake though it was chocolate mint, keke. A relaxing and rewarding birthday indeed. :)

On course

First day on course at ERA, delayed by 1 month. The course was enjoyable, learnt more tips from the trainers. :) Bad thing is that I need to take cab and rush there after sending RA to class and lock the door after MIL brings RL so taxi to and fro costs almost $30. :(

Good thing though is that ILs did well for the first day, MIL picked up RL at 11am then RA at 530-6pm. Both gals napped well (thanks to the cold/cough med ;P) and they had eaten and showered by 7pm. MIL has to leave for her karaoke lesson at 730pm so hubby and I went early after quick dinner at coffee shop to pick up the gals. We were home by 8pm so had ample time to shower and put the gals to sleep. Both of them slept before 10pm for once. :)

RaeAnne is 3.5 years old

RaeAnne is 3.5 years officially today. Sigh, yesterday she refused to sleep after 1 hr. she slept on mei Mei's cot bed though I told her that Mei Mei will be coming back to sleep on it later. She moved back to her own place but was defiant, tried beating me or beating the bed beside me. When I tried to leave her since she wants to beat her, she fake cry and whine. Then she started to cough and vomited 1 small mouthful by the side of the bed, kept telling me never mind. I ask her to wipe herself so that she realise that someone has to clean up the mess she created. But she wipe the floor then wiped her mouth with the dirty wet wipe. So I hit her leg, how dirty can you be? She started to cry again. Told her to hush and drink water. Went back to sleep again, still sniffling, coughed again and this time she vomitted all over on the bed, dirtying the bedsheets again. Lost my temper at her and grabbed her from the bed roughly so that she won't vomit again on the bed. Feel guilty now. Sorry, darling. Mummy was feeling tired and grouchy but couldn't sleep cos you refused to sleep.

Actually, RA's been quite guai recently, even ILs said she was more guai than Mei Mei. Yesterday evening, she kept all the books and toys on the bumper mat (anyhow stuffed in though) cos I told her she needs to keep all the books, if not we are not bringing her to Ikea. Ikea's her fav place now. Every night, she wants to go to Ikea play area. But after we checked her in, she stays in for less than 10 mins. She would cry when I'm out of sight or not paying attention to her even though I am just outside the glass walls. Think the Ikea aunties must be getting impatient with us.

Sigh, I think what adds to the stress is not having a maid. But having a maid is a problem cos the gals become so reliant on the maid to do everything for them, the maid gives into everything they want too. Managing the maid is a different set of problems all together, can be different drama on air everyday. But not having a maid is also a problem, PT cleaners can't come everday, we can't afford them everyday anyway. End up the sofa, kids' toys and bumper mats are pertually dusty. I get tired of the endless wiping and cleaning up everyday esp when they are sick and vomitting.

Oh well, let's see how things progress after next Tues when I start my course and work 'full time'. Maybe if the kids and I are not in the house, once a week cleaning by the PT cleaner will be sufficient. :P

Belated post

Long time no post. Busy looking after RL and running errands on my off days. Every Fri, I try to go for tuina cos my backache is really bad after 1 long day of looking after the kids and cooking.

Passed my exams and got my CEA license. I am already a full fledged real estate agent but still need to go for the internal ERA course from 26 July to 29 July.

RaeAnne caught a cold and runny last Wed after sleeping too near the fan. Brought her to see dr this Wed after she developed a cough. She vomitted on the bed twice this week due to coughing after drinking milk. When we had to change and wash her queen sized bed bedsheet, mattress protector, mattress cover for the 2nd time at 5am in the same week, I wished Filamie was still around. :P

Anyway, I also caught the cold bug from her, started a runny nose and sneezing 3 days ago. Didn't accompany hubby to town today cos think I need more rest. Tom got to start cooking and looking after RL again. :P

Wonder when I should hands off and let MIL bring RL back everyday after school. by right, I should start on 26 July but my team leaders seem much more eager than me. So, we'll see. Maybe I should start easing MIL in this coming week since I'm sick. Not keen to pass the cold bug to RL so it makes sense to let her handle RL more. :P

Raelynn is 19 months old! ;)

Just realised that Mei Mei is 19 months old today. She is 10.6 kg n 79cm tall. The biggest change for this month is that we started sending her to PG at the The Learning Train PG at blk 702 since mid June. She is getting better and better, just cry a bit when she reaches school and when we start to take out her shoes and before I leave her to the teachers. When I pick her up at 11am, she is usually smiley and not crying. But, yesterday we have a setback cos her fav teacher Chris (also RA's fav Teacher) has just resigned. I spoke to her and found out the reason. Dun blame her for leaving but wish timing could have been better ie. wait till RL is more settled in school. Oh well, things are always changing and even a 19 mth old is not spared from learning to adjust. :P

Brokenhearted

Was reading Tarzan story to RaeAnne, a bedtime staple since we came back from HK Disneyland. When I read that Kala was brokenhearted that Tarzan spend more and more time with the humans and less and less time with his gorilla family, RaeAnne said, "Mummy, I also brokenhearted because I go school, 我等很久你都没有带我回家。

Sigh, felt so guilty and brokenhearted when I heard that. Looks like it's almost 2 weeks but she still doesn't like full day CC. Every morning, she is still crying and whining that she doesn't want to go to school, she doesn't want to sleep in school, want me to bring her home, want Nai Nai to bring her home. But her cc teachers said she is fine, as in she sleeps in school n does not cry after I leave so maybe she is trying her luck.

Sending her to full day CC is the cheapest and easiest solution for us as adults since the maid refused to come back from home leave, Nai Nai cannot handle 2 young tots at home and I am going to get busy once I get my agent license, but is it the best solution for her? Even when I reminded her that she's the one who asked me to go to work when I said I got no $ to buy toys for her, even when I promised to earn $ & bring her on hotel room stays or buy a bathtub for her, she still say she doesn't want me to work.

Sigh... The dilemma of a SAHM going back to work. Will the extra $ (assuming that I do make $ as an agent) be worth putting her to full day CC though she is unwilling & the sacrifice of less time with the gals esp weekends? I don't know...

Professional Photo Shoot...... For Mummy ;)

Today is an easier day for me cos hubby asked MIL to come over and help in the morning. She was supposed to come at 8am so that I can bring RA to CC but I waited and waited but she didn't come. I called their house but no answer so had to assume she's not coming after all. End up I have to wake RL so that I can prepare her and go to RA CC together. Then MIL turned up. Poor Mei Mei was grouchy cos she got woken up from her beauty sleep, and because MIL suddenly came, I had to leave RL in her care and bring RA to school instead. Poor Mei mei cried and cried so I had to pacify her for another 10 mins until she calmed down. By the time, I left the house with RA, it was 830am. Late again, sigh. :P

But at least, arranged for MIL to bring RL back from school cos I need to go to Suntec and get my prof ERA photo taken. Bad hair, and bad complexion, so I decided to pay $50 for make up service. End up taking extra passport photos as well since already done the make up. After 2 years of no make up, frazzled hair, casual clothes of tees and bermudas, I finally look like a professional again. Haha. Even got convinced to take up their family photo promotion (up to 8 pax) for additional $69 (hard copies photo: 2 4R, 2 5R & 1 8R, soft copy at $8 each incl touch up) They have another studio at United Sq and that one have more toys for kids. Total damage: $200. :P


Rushed the photo down to ERA so that I can get my registration and sign contract with ERA. Paid more than $1000 today (OUCH!) cos need to pay registration, name cards, indemnity insurance & the ERA sales course too. :( Decided to go for the day course cos the evening course is too dragged out over 1 mth. Want to get the paperwork done asap so that I can apply to RA's CC for the subsidy. Wanted an employment letter but they can't give me that until I get my CEA license no. Oh well, so I asked for a duplicate contract instead. Will show it to the CC principal and hope it works.

Spent a long time at ERA office so I only reached home close to 7pm after taking a taxi. Couldn't pick RA in time so asked hubby to pick her up instead. She said I 'cheated' her cos I didn't go to pick her. Whenever she complained that she doesn't want to sleep in CC and ask why I am late to pick her up. I'll remind her that she's the one who asked me to go and work when I told her I have no $. ;P

Hubby and I didn't buy dinner for ourselves so after RA's dinner, showered her and we went to TM for dinner. Wanted to eat at Old Malaya Cafe but RA insisted that we go to MacDonalds. So, ended up eating fillet o fish instead. Rushed back to pick Mei Mei at 9pm. She actually fell asleep but was woken up by RA. :P

Just now while trying to make both of them sleep in the big bed, RA bit me so hard on my upper arm that she left a swelling on my arm. Dun know why she did it cos it was unprovoked. Furious with her so I beat her mouth and asked hubby to bring her out of the bedroom. She must learn that biting pp have serious consequences. No use saying sorry if you bite pp first, then say sorry when they get mad. :/

A Hectic Day....

RaeAnne is 1 month away from being 3.5 yrs old and today is my first day of trying out, looking after 2 kids esp in the morning since I'm now maidless. Poor hubby hide in the balcony while I got both gals ready to go for school. Mei Mei woke up first at 730am cos she is hungry so wash her face, brush teeth n changed to school uniform first. Went to wake RA in the morning n she refused to wake up. Threatened to leave her alone at home cos Mei Mei is all changed. While trying to clean RA, found out Mei Mei poo poo Liao so drop everything n wipe n wash her buttocks first. halfwaty through, RA said she also wants to poo. -_- while trying to wipe her bottom, Mei Mei went into the still wet toilet floor n slipped n cried. changed RA then finally left the house at 830am. :p thank goodness I bought a second hand buggy board so can push both kids. But got to push further to RA CC first then come back n drop off Mei Mei. :p

After quick bf with hubby, he went to work while I came back to prepare n cook lunch. Very tired cos Mei Mei woke up at 4+am then 7+am to drink milk (I have to attend to her cos as usual hubby KO) but i dun have time to nap.

Finish cooking porridge, steam fish with wolfberries & ginger, stir fry spinach with mushroom then rush to pick RL. Came back, tried to feed her but she refused to eat after 2 mouthfuls. Bo Bian change to cupcake but she ate less than half. Let her watch cartoon while I eat my lunch, was the dishes then bathe her. Feed milk she doesn't want to drink. 1pm, put her to bed but she refused to nap. Finally 2.15pm, feed milk again n 230pm, saw her sucking her thumb. Pull out her thumb n pat her n she finally slept. -_-

Start to prepare ingredients for dinner and cooked curry veg, already 4pm. Still tired so power nap with RL while waiting for hubby to come home. Started cooking again at 530pm. This time, cooked bah ku teh soup and steamed fish with RA's fav soy sauce. Luckily this time, both kids ate well so I'm not as 'qi keh'. :P

This morning, I just got my RES results online n I passed my exam. Yeah, can burn those notes liao. :) But the next ERA internal course is evening class for 1 month (starting 28 Jun, every Tues & Fri, 7-10pm) n I am not keen cos waste the whole day plus the course ends so late. By the time, I come home, it'll be 11pm liao. Definitely won't get to see the kids awake. But if it's 5 day day course then must wait until end July. But the sooner i finish the course, the faster i can get my cc subsidy. Dilemma. :p

Maidless

After being maidless for more than 2 weeks since 2 June 2011, must say it's really not easy. When my maid went back, RA peed on her queen size bed twice in a row though she hasn't had accidents for months. Even waterproof mattress protector didn't help.

Then ILs' place having renovation so we cannot bring the kids over even when my hubby has tuition. Have to ask my mum to come over and help me out for a while.Every night after putting the gals to sleep, hubby and I are busy washing clothes, bottles, tidying up the house when we used to surf net. Nowadays we are free at 12+am earliest, hardly have time to surf net, watch dvds or stone so we need to stay up late to have 'me' time.

Raeanne vomited from coughing last night, after catching a cold last Thurs. Maybe not used to sleeping in CC aircon. Raelynn also started a runny nose today. When the kids are sick, an extra pair of hands is useful esp when feeding med. :P

Now, at least hubby is having hols so can help out. If it's me again, dun know how I'll cope esp the morning rush to get 2 kids ready for school. Once in a while, the thought of having a maid again does cross my mind but I'll try to 'dong' as long as I can. Cos for now, I love having my house back. I can buy all the exp household or pots I like without worrying that the maid will spoil it. PT cleaners are good too except it's sometimes hard to fit them into our schedule.

But mainly, I love the closer family bonding without a 3rd party in the house. RL is getting more attached to me everyday though she still refuses to call Mummy. -_- she cries the moment I step into the shower and refuse to go out with hubby if I'm home. It's hard to cook or wash with a koala bear hugging my legs all the time, and asking me to 抱抱,抱抱 though. :P