Backtrack: Fries on 15 Dec 2007

Yes, haven't been checking email/facebook/blog again!!!!!

So now backtracking, cos wanna share our 1st trip last weekend to the big shopping mall, One Utama. We loved the X'mas deco at the new wing:

Didn't go down to see the pretty moving soldiers in detail. Side trips like that are a luxury now that we're shopping with a toddler in tow.

Instead, went on to MPH to find some storybooks for Sam to read. Or rather, for me to read to him, cos me getting sick of reading the same old stuff at home.

Was glad finally got a photo of Sam eating one of his fav foods: french fries!!!! (P.S. lovely polo t-shirt courtesy of Auntie LZ.)

Oh, I know all abt the health hazards of fries, esp. those sold outside. Never mind that I make the effort to press the oil & salt of the fries one by one before handing them to Sam. Can only console myself that Sam is thin enough to take in some oily fats anyway. ;P

When you become a mother, you'll rather your finicky son eats something rather than nothing, so I continue to allow him his weekly lunch of fast food fries.

Besides, it's one of the few foods he loves to feed himself, so that I actually can finish my own lunch leisurely!

1st time in Musical Car

Today the 1st time I put Sam in one of those musical cars - or whatever the actual name is - you know, those things that will rock & play music when you put some money (in our case, RM$1). Thought that will distract him from his constant endeavour to enter Giodarno Junior (why he likes the shop designed for > 3 yrs old, I have no idea).

Of course, didn't put any money in the car. There's be plenty of chances to do so in future, I'm sure, after he's learnt how fun that can be & learnt to howl for it. Lucky I saved the RM$1, cos Sam loved being in the new 'toy', it was 10 full minutes before he was bored of it! Hence I have plenty of time to record how he actually amuses himself in the car:

Relapse......Again!

Have lapse into my old bad habit again!

Have been keeping to myself for the past 3 days, never checked email, facebook, nor blog.

Basically abt the only things I did on the internet was to find a recipe to cook the codfish, & to find my fav drama serial.

The day before, I didn't even manage to have the time/energy to watch any of my fav programs in the daytime.......

It's so tiring to try to watch anything with Sam on my lap: ever since he discovered that the space bar will pause his fav i-tunes visualiser, he's been trying to press on the space bar whenever I'm trying to watch my shows, thus succeeding in pausing my shows every few minutes.

When he tries it while I try to simply read my fav entertainment news, the action becomes a "page down" command, so I get to see the ads at the bottom of the website for every 2 lines of news I read..................

And of course, me suffering from lack of sleep: nowadays can't nap in the daytime, cos have to make use of Sam's naptime to cook his lunch & our dinner.

With me trying to fix his new bedtime schedule to start at 7:15pm, this means I have to finish preparing all the dishes beforehand & let hubby warm it up in the microwave when he gets back. And yes, I have to re-heat again when I have my own dinner at 8pm. Or later, if have any trouble getting Sam to bed!

Hey, how did this become a complain session again????? Me merely wanna state my resolve (again) to make the effort to keep in touch.............

Couldn't Sleep Again!

Have been having trouble falling asleep for the past 2 nights.

Nope, this time, it's not because of little Sam.

It's because I've been watching the taiwanese music talent variety program before bed, and got so excited by it, I couldn't calm myself enough to sleep at 1am!

Must introduce this to anyone reading this who hasn't watched the show, 超级星光大道.

This is the American Idol equivalent in Taiwan, in terms of its popularity.
However, the contestants are not voted in by the masses; they are awarded points by 5 judges.
The viewers have no say at all, except to create a BIG hoo-hah on their internet forums!

What makes this program so popular???

After all, it's not the 1st or only music talent show in Taiwan right now.
However, the contestants from the 1st season got so popular, most of the finalists received recording contracts after the end of the season. One of the challengers even became as popular as the winner!

1 reason of the show's popularity is of course the judges, at least 1 of whom would be a guest judge.

A lot of the credit also goes to the compere, 陶晶莹.
I've never really thought she was a great compere when I 1st started following the program.
It was only after sitting through 15 torturous minutes of a malaysian Superstar finals (another music talent show) that I realise how good she is in creating suspense, engaging the audience, judges & contestants in small talk, & generally making the intervals between the singing interesting.

But I think the main reason why I got hooked is because of the contestants in the 1st season.

It's quite obvious they really love singing, and enjoy doing so on stage.
This passion really makes their songs very 'touching', very engaging to watch.

While it's fun watching them improve week by week, it is even more interesting to realise they actually became good friends despite the competition, and the amount of tears they shed everytime one of their numbers got kicked out (by themselves!) is quite, er, amusing! ;)

Now season 2 is not so engaging, partly cos the contestants don't seem to be able to put as much emotion into their singing.

Or maybe, as my hubby says, I'm already too involved with the 1st season. How I wish the DVD collection of the show is available over here!!!

Anyway, will still continue to watch the 2nd season, since now it's down to the final 6 vs the quite impressive challengers (one of whom is a malaysian!). Very exciting!!!!

But, I still prefer the 1st season leh! :)

Must try to catch it on cable here this Sunday. Haven't been able to watch it for the past few months cos of Sam's bedtime. :(

So spent all my free time today collecting my fav clips from YouTube! Have posted it at the end of this blog, enjoy!

Birthday Thoughts

So, my 31st birthday has passed me by for 3 days already............such a quiet event this year. I was in no mood to celebrate, trying to get Sam to sleep. Besides, which woman would want to celebrate being > 30 yrs old?

But am very glad hubby tabao dinner back that day, saved me the effort of thinking what to cook & the chore of cleaning up. And he thoughtfully bought me a birthday cake (though why 5 candles, he couldn't explain), which we're still trying to finish up in the fridge. And of course with my new hp as birthday present bought last month, I can't complain much more, can I? ;)

And it was absolutely heartwarming to receive the phone call from friend LN, she's always a thoughtful one to make the effort for the long distance call. I tend to keep to myself when left on my own, but chatting with her always bring back the 'kick' in me, reminding me the joy of interacting with others.

And the thoughtful emails from close friends, who make the effort to remember the day. I feel so guilty about not remembering their birthdates correctly! Haven't even updated my email address book properly since I stopped working, had been so slack...............

Most surprised by Facebook, really makes keeping in touch with friends so much easier & fun! Though it's quite impossible to keep up with all the numerous applications available (it always makes me wish I'm still single without a troublesome toddler), it's really an interesting way to interact with people you care about.
For one thing, I've received 3 virtual b-day cakes that I can indulge in without worrying about putting on weight! ;) Wonderful invention!!!

Talking abt cakes, I'm now regretting didn't tabao the birthday cake for LZ & me when we met up last month: I should have eaten more of the red bean/green tea combi then!!!! Oh, it feels like such a long time ago since we 4 gals have met up to celebrate a birthday!

像当年, when we were only schooling gals, we could have held 4 birthday celebrations each year; now, with us in different countries, & hubbies & babies to drag along, it's becoming a challenge to have all 4 meet up at the same time.........kinda makes one wish there're more weekends in a year, huh????

Feeling so old now.......................

Prince or Princess?

Yes! Finally managed to capture Sam on film while he's wearing my hairband!

Nope, I didn't put it on him. He loved to do it himself & watch us laugh, then laugh with us. Sometimes he'll even pull it off my head!

Doesn't he look so girlish wearing the hairband like a crown?

Wonder what he'll think if he sees this photo when he's all grown up......... *hee!*

I wanna Sleep!!!

I need to complain!!!!!!!

Why isn't my little boy one of those who sleeps like a log, naps effortlessly, and in general, simply an easy-to-take-care toddler??????

Why haven't I had a peaceful night ever since I had him? Worse, since I've been awake every 2 hrs during my pregancy, in total, I haven't had an 8-hour straight sleep for > 2 years already!!!!

Yesterday night was one of the worse ones over the past week: after sleeping peacefully at 9pm, he started getting up at......................*drum roll*

1:30 am,

2:30 am,

3:30 am,

5:30 am,

6:30 am, &

7:30 am,

before becoming fully awake at 8:30 am, by which time, his mother has a splitting headache & a monster temper to go with it!

Okay, can't complain too much, gotta go.........no, not for the blissful bed, how I wish I can!!!! have to prepare his lunch while he's napping, so I won't have an audience at the kitchen door.......

Who says it's easier to be a homemaker than a career woman????!!!!!!