mott’s mutterings

Despite my very bestest efforts in doing the best for my kids, this happens.

I very very very kek-sum la. You know how MANY years I have been shouting at them to "SIT BACK" whenever they watch TV?

You know how MANY litres of saliva I wasted shouting at them?

I sometimes wonder WHY I bother?

I just hope that this was not a direct result of spending too much time watching TV watching the TV too near. I hope it’s just a genetic thing…at least, I can say it was unavoidable! If they were spending too much time watching TV, then it’s really MY fault, isn’t it? How come this mother adopted this kind of babysitter?

Do you know how frustrated I am because I know that he WILL lose his glasses..and I WILL get very annoyed because we have to buy NEW ones..which costs an arm, leg, neck and nose! So damn bloody expensive man!

I give up la……..I should really save all my saliva and voice and not shout at them anymore. Not shout, "DON’T TOUCH!". Not shout, "FINISH YOUR DINNER NOW!". Not shout, "CLEAN UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Then again, how NOT to? Then I’m not really a mother anymore…I’m just a maid! WAKAKAKAKAAKAKAKAKAAK! 

This is a really funny tag..quite true somehow. Thanks to nomadic-mom…heh!

88 characteristics of a typical Chinese :

My answers are in PINK! 

1. You look like you are 18.
Ehe……Yes, when I wear my glasses, t-shirt/shorts n flip-flops

2. You like to eat chicken feet.
I never did…but now, I’m lovin’ it!

3. You suck on fish heads and fish fins.
Oh…gimme curry fish head ANYTIME! Fins? Errr….duh….

4. You have a Chinese knick-knack hanging on your rear view mirror.
Solly la… I find them rather distracting.

5. You sing karaoke.
Oh man…if you only saw my video in Facebook! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

6. Your house is covered with tile.
I wish…but, this Aussie Home ain’t. SIgh…

7. Your kitchen is covered by a sticky film of grease.
Not really. Since maid MIL likes to mop and clean-up everyday. *evil grin*

8. Your stove is covered with aluminum foil.
No, but maid MIL wants to cover it with alum foil!

9. You leave the plastic covers on your remote control.
We lost our remote during the shipment. Sigh..yes, we either have to walk to the TV to change or we don’t bother at all! But, my parents did just that!

10. You’ve never kissed your mom or dad.
Not my mom, but my dad, many times!

11. You’ve never hugged your mom or dad.
Got larrrr….

12. Your unassisted vision is worse than 20/500.
Oh…for sure, for sure!

13. You wear contacts, to avoid wearing your "coke bottle glasses".
Sorry la..I don’t have coke bottle glasses, I have one of those new fangled multi-coated, bla bla bla glasses.

14. You’ve worn glasses since you were in fifth grade.
Fifth grade is how old arrr?

15. Your hair sticks up when you wake up.
Errm…not really, it’s just more like a jungle out there.

16. You’ll haggle over something that is not negotiable.
Ah..but then???!!

17. You love to use coupons.
Don’t you?

18. You drive around looking for the cheapest petrol.
This, I definitely do. I get damn angry when I’ve filled up and drive pass a cheaper petrol station!

19. You drive around for hours looking for the best parking space.
No la…. I just walk la..not pregnant anymore, must lose weight!

20. You take showers at night.
Of coz….must shower EVERY DAY! or night.

21. You avoid the non-free snacks in hotel rooms.
If I take, I’d replace it…WAKAKAKAKAKAAKAKAKAKAKAAKKAKAKAKAA!

22. You don’t mind squeezing 20 people into one motel room.
20????? No la..I don’t have so many pren leh…10 la..mebbe la…

23. Most girls have more body hair than you, if you are male.
I think for most Chinese men, yes!

24. You tap the table when someone pours tea for you.
The Hongkees started this leh…not our fault!

25. You say "Aiya!" and "Wah!" frequently.
Ah..But then???!!!!!

26. You don’t want to wear your seatbelt because it is uncomfortable.
Nonsense…must wear. I think this one applies to sei-ah-bengs leh..

27. You love Las Vegas, slot machines, and blackjack.
I no money for Las Vegas leh..

28. You unwrap Christmas gifts very carefully, so you can reuse the paper.
Ya la..you think what? Wrapper not worthed it to buy leh!

29. You only buy Christmas cards after Christmas, when they are 50% off.
ERr…I try not to buy at all, send la…e-greeting! FREE!

30. You have a vinyl tablecloth on your kitchen table.
No la…

31. You spit bones and other food scraps on the table. That’s why you need the vinyl tablecloth.
Apalah……u think we what? BARBARIANS AH?

32. You have stuff in the freezer since the beginning of time.
O.o..just got me new fridge..so, is this the beginning of time?

33. You use the dishwasher as a dish rack.
*sheepish grin* Yes…only because I have no space on my beautiful kitchen island for a dishrack! Too unappealing leh!

34. You have never used your dishwasher.
Errr..yea wor..I tried to use it today, but gave up coz it just seemed too much work! Washing by hand seemed easier and faster!

35. You keep a Thermos of hot water available at all times.
Yea…becoz of Baby, must la…or else, his bottoms wud be wiped with COLD WATER!

36. You eat all meals in the kitchen.
I used to coz the dining area is part of kitchen mah…..but in this new home..no la.

37. You save grocery bags, tin foil, and tin containers.
Yea..how to save tin-foil? Dirty already mah!

38. You have a piano in your living room.
No la…notchet!

39. You pick your teeth at the dinner table (but you cover your mouth).
No la…but my folks do!

40. You twirl your pen around your fingers.
Yea….but now quite butter fingers…fat already mah!

41. You hate to waste food.
Oh..i eat everything! MUST. NOT. WASTE!

42. You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing.
Got got got…even three pieces of leftover delicious char siew, you want?

43. You don’t own any real Tupperware - only a cupboard full of used but carefully rinsed margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars.
Everything aso I got, Tupperware, Lock and Lock, Tesco ware, takeaways, jam jars, sauce jars… you want?

44. You also use the jam jars as drinking glasses.
Apala this? Got mugs mah…!

45. You have a collection of miniature shampoo bottles that you take ever time you stay in a hotel.
I used to..but sudah dikebas by my boys already!

46. You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel (travel means any car ride longer than 15 minutes). These snacks are always dried and include dried plums, mango, ginger, and squid.
Wahhhh……..*slurps slurps* I love shin-mui’s!!!!!!

47. You wash your rice at least 2-3 times before cooking it.
I thot it was 7 times! Dammit! My mother conned me!!!

48. Your dad thinks he can fix everything himself.
Of course! And so do I!

49. The dashboard of your Honda is covered by hundreds of small toys.
No la…that Honda didn’t last me very long!

50. You don’t use measuring cups.
Why not? If bake cake, must la!

51. You beat eggs with chopsticks.
Chopsticks? You think I who arrrr? Wok With Yan ah?

52. You have a teacup with a cover on it.
D-uh..no la…

53. You always look phone numbers up in the! Phone book, since calling information (*69) costs 50 cents.
Now got online…do online lor…

54. You only make long distance calls after 11pm.
I got capped plan…no need to wait for 11pm.

55. If you are male, you clap at something funny and if you are female, you giggle whilst placing a hand over your mouth.
But I’m female and I clap at something funny and laugh damn loud! I don’t giggle leh…So, does that mean I’m really a Chinese Male????!!!!

56. You like Chinese films in their original undubbed versions.
D-uh? Ah.. but then?

57. You love Chinese Martial Arts films.
Some only la..

58. You’ve learnt some form of martial arts.
No la..but my brother did!

59. Shaolin actually means something to you.
D-uh…

60. You like congee with thousand-year-old eggs.
Not really leh…

61. You prefer your shrimp with the heads and legs still attached.
errrrrrr..depends on the sauce 

62. You never call your parents just to say hi.
I just did!

63. If you don’t live at home, when your parents call, they ask if you’ve eaten, even if it’s midnight.
Eerrr…..midnight? That wud be an emergency call lah.. I dun want that kind of call!

64. When you’re sick, your parents tell you not to eat fried foods or baked goods due to yeet hay.
OF COURSE LA! HEATY MAH!

65. You know what yeet hay is.
D-uh..Opps…just answered that in 64.

66. You e-mail your Chinese friends at work, even though you only 10 feet apart.
Errrr…. yea hor! Too much effort to get up la!

67. You use a face cloth.
For my bubs, yea la…for me, no la.

68. You starve yourself before going to all you can eat places.
Errr…no la…. If I did, I’d be too grumpy!

69. You know someone who can get you a good deal on jewelry or electronics.
Not in this country.

70. You save your old Coke bottle glasses even though you’re never going to use them again.
Err..no such thing now leh..but coke plastic bottles I save!

71. You own your own meat cleaver and sharpen it.
Ah but then? I even blogged about how to sharpen it!

72. Your toothpaste tubes are all squeezed paper-thin.
Ah..but then?

73. You know what moon cakes are.
Sigh..it’ll be expensive here!

74. When there is a sale on toilet paper, you buy 100 rolls and store them in your closet or in the bedroom of an adult child who has moved out.
You got that right! So damn ex man, toilet paper!!!!!!

75. Your parents know how to launch nasal projectiles.
Wah..no la, we IS proper!

76. You iron your own shirts.
If I had to.. I wud la

77. You play a musical instrument.
Of course, the piano and my vocal chords!

78. Even if you’re totally full, if someone says they’re going to throw away the leftovers on the table, you’ll finish them.
No la..if can tar-pow, why not?

79. You’ve eaten a red bean popsicle.
Yar…but I don’t like, I prefer durian!

80. You bring oranges (or other produce) with you as a gift when you visit people’s homes.
Ohh..this is a MUST! If not, very pai-seh leh visit ppl!

81. You fight over who pays the dinner bill.
Depends lor..if cheap place, OF COURSE LA!

82. You majored in something practical like engineering, medicine or law.
Where is business????

83. You live with your parents and you are 30 years old (and they prefer it that way). Or if you’re married and 30 years old, you live in the apartment next door to your parents, or at least in the same neighborhood.
No la…this one fail la..I live in completely different country!

84. You don’t tip more than 10% at a restaurant, and if you do, you tip Chinese delivery guys/waiters more.
I’m not a tip-happy person!

85. You have acquired a taste for bitter melon.
Ok mah….no meh?

86. You eat every last grain of rice in your bowl, but don’t eat the last piece of food on the table.
Depend lor….if MIL tell me to eat, I wallop lor!

87. You know why there are 88 reasons.
If not 88, jialatt la!

88. You see the truth in this and then send it to all your Chinese friends.
Some truth la…. who want to do? I can’t believe I had to make my answers in PINK, 88 times…jialattttt!

I gonna ask MamaBok to do…coz she’s the only crazy chinese blogger I know in Canada!

I sound like a rapper……y’know the OPP one. Did I just get blank looks? Ah well…….

OCD .. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I suspect No.1 has it. Ever since we moved to this place, I have found that he is getting more anxious in getting things right in the house. I sorta noticed it when we were in KL, but it was fairly mild. I just thought he was a neat kind of person. He would make his bed everymorning, ensuring that his blanket covered his entire bed properly. No mess in his room, that kind of thing.

When we moved here, I noticed that he would re-arrange all our slippers and shoes and put them properly.

Then, he would arrange all our placemats on the dining table properly and the tissue box MUST be in the center.

So, everytime he returns from school, he’d first go to all our rooms, and make our beds. He would make every single bed properly. Anything that is not supposed to be in the room, he’d throw it out. Then, he go to the dining table and push all the chairs in, and ensure all the placemats are placed properly. Even when I ask him to set the forks n spoons, he’d do it with precision. Mind you, he’s only 5! 

I’m a lil worried because I’m wondering if it’s an environmental factor (because we moved so many times, and with the new baby and all), or it’s inborn. I checked online and there are two schools of thought. But, both schools of thought say that it’s treatable. 

Sigh…. I just wonder if I’m ignoring him so much that it’s developed to this stage or what! I find he’s also quite sensitive nowadays and would get truly upset when small lil things don’t go his way. Like the other day, his Jap Slippers broke and it was as if, his dog died! He refused to let me buy a new one, he refused for me to throw his old one away…..! It was very upsetting for him…and me to see him so disraught over a cheap pair of slippers!

And the No.2? He’s going thru Middle Child Syndrome. Poor kid. He’s soooo sticky. He gets really upset when I’m not around. He sticks to me like glue when I’m feeding No.3. I’m feeling all torn up inside.

Mr.T asked me this afternoon, if it would have been better to have just one kid. I replied, it’s hard to go back to one kid now…now that I know how much ‘fun’ I’m having with three! But, I feel so exhausted everynight! I just am so thankful that I have the night to relax….putting them early to bed, has been a lifesaver for me……..

Now..I have to sort out all these issues with No.1 and No.2…………. haiz…… 

Being in Australia, it’s very acceptable to slap on sunscreen all over your body. In fact, everytime my kids go out for a game of soccer or just to ride their bikes, I normally, slather on sunscreen all over their exposed areas. Yup, their necks, their faces…just about anywhere that’s not covered. Given a chance, I would really like to try this brand new product, by Screen, Inc. to see if it’s not as greasy as they say it is.

See, skin cancer or melanoma is one of the highest cancer diseases in Australia, as the UV rays are extremely high here, even during Autumn.  That’s why I’m obsessed with protecting my kids’ skins with sunscreen. This new innovative sunscreen protects the face, neck, lips and ears! I’ve never actually slathered on any sunscreen on ears, but I’d give it a go, if I had a chance to! Any products developed by moms for kids, is a thumbs-up for me. And, it’s actually recommended by the U.S Skin Cancer Foundation, which definitely means that it genuinely works! Now, just need to get my hands on this product…I wonder when it’ll come to our shores!

See, when you get married in year 2000, you’ll NEVER ever forget how long you’ve married. Ppl who married before that, have to manually count..HA HA HA..just kidding! Don’t throw old shoes at me, please!

Yesterday was our 8th anniversary. 8th May 2008. Sigh….. for one of the few times in my life, I planned a romantic evening.

Me… the one who has bad hair and fat mama belly.

Actually, it was more of a surprise for him. I just told him that we were going out for dinner. I had contacted one of his oldest and dearest friend and her husband to join us. Thankfully, they are quite a food connoiseur (?) and knew where to eat.

They decided it would be at the Grand Hotel. Actually, it’s really a pub…it was a hotel, but the hotel no longer operates.

I had to organise a 24 hour day pass into the Citylink toll, because one cannot just simply go on the freeway…blady toll (similiar to Singapore), all electronic one. So, when I told Mr.T to drive into the toll freeway, he was very nervous. He didn’t want to get fined! Ha ha..Then he asked where we were eating, I muttered, "Oh..some pub!".

He went "Err OH!!! Errr..PUB?"

I said, "Don’t worry..it’s not some hip and happening pub. Probably some old fudgy pub which happens to have good English food".

Actually, I had NO clue what they served…so I saja cakap. He was like, "WAH??? Who recommended???? Sandee ah?"

Me, "Ah..ya ya..she said it was good" SORRY SANDEE…

When we got there, looking for parking, his friend n hub was JUST walking into the door,  I was soo afraid that he would have spotted them, that I shouted, "OOOIII…PARK THERE PARK THERE", pointing to the opposite direction.

Luckily he was so tired (from work), that he didn’t see them.

When we finally got into the place, he was really surprised. He knows how unromantic I am….so, he was quite appreciative of the fact that I ‘brought’ him out and planned this surprise.

It was a lovely Italian joint. Very fine dining at a very reasonable price! We wined and dined, and had  really good adult conversations. All in all, a fantastic and relaxed evening out. 

Our 8th Anniversary…hopefully, I won’t forget this evening..in years to come. I’m so bad at being romantic …so, if he ever accused me of being unromantic, I’m going to use this as my trump card! 

Mr. T accused me of something very serious a few weeks back.

I gotta say, I was quite hurt by what he insinuated, but I didn’t react back. In fact, I kept a cool face and decided to let it slide. Ok..I was exagerating, I wasn’t hurt..I was more like, "Whateverrrrrrr".

Now, what was it that he accused me of? See, his aunt bought him a ring from Cambodia and told him it was his lucky ring.

She had passed it to his father, who then passed it to me, as Mr.T was not around to receive it. When they told me what it was for…I mentally raised one eyebrow and rolled eyes.

Becoz, I don’t really believe in these kind of things. Call me whatever you want, but I seriously don’t think just becoz you ‘put’ prayers into an object, it’s going to help you win lottery or something. If it did, then we’d ALL be lottery winners and we’d ALL get to buy our million dollar dream homes, with our award-winning designer kitchens and bathrooms…Ok, dreaming here.

Well, as I was saying, I just don’t understand why people place so much hope in such items. But they do, and they have a right to. And when my own husband does, I just close one eye la.

So, I told him that I really couldn’t remember where I placed that ring. During the time I was packing (for the shipment), it was all very messy..and I was sick with morning sickness. He gave me that LOOK, which sorta said, "You threw it away didn’t you?".

Ahh…… what can I say? Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. I couldn’t for the life of me remember!

Then a few days back, he found it. It was in one of those red cases (for jewelry), which I must have placed it in. See, how caring this wife is? To put it into a jewelry case "oh-so-carefully", even tho she didn’t believe in lucky rings!

*AHEM*

He just smiled at me, when I said, "SEE! I wouldn’t have thrown it away! Just becoz I don’t believe in these things, doesn’t mean I would disrespect your beliefs!".

*AHEM*

;-) 

With a heavy heart, I accept this "award" from SAHM. I’m not sure why but she has decided to stop blogging. Perhaps I may have to do it one fine day, when I have zero time, especially if the boys are bigger and I’m just a taxi/cook/cleaner/coach mum. Thank you very much for this award, SAHM. I am deeply honoured that this blog is one blog you enjoyed reading.

With this great honour, I now pass it on to this wonderful blog that I’ve been reading. This blogger is  a great mum to 2 beautiful boys and how she manages to work and take care of them, without a maid, is just amazing! I think she articulates her life as a wife, mother and daughter, very well.

So…WMD, my hats off to you. I’m not sure how you do it….what with the midnite shifts and going to work.  

I didn’t want to write about this when I was at the rental house.

I always believed that there was a "toyol" in that house.

Why? Every night, since I stayed at that house, at 3am…I’d hear very strange noises.

Somehow only at 3am.

The noise was very loud and heavy running on the pavement just outside my room. It sounded like a small kid thumping his/her way through. The first time I heard it, I was really scared. But subsequently after that, I got used to it. I thought if it didn’t harm me, then okla….

Scary or not?

I told Mr.T, he didn’t believe me.

Then I told my uncle…he told me, it was this….

BLADY POSSUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently, when they mate, they make evil devil noises. That’s whyla I was shivering in my pants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WAKAKAKAKAKAAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAAKAAAAAAA!!!! 

This is not a sponsored post, tho I wished it were.

This is just something I wanted to share with all of you…. and even if you don’t find it relevant….then you really shouldn’t be reading this right? Bugger off!

HA HA HA!

I bought this recently over the net, at the bambini pronto site. It’s super cool…it’s super convenient…and it’s quite idiot proof. Well, at least for me la.

Y’see, Mr.T has been making powdered milk for No.2 for bedtime, and most of the time, I find the temperature too cool. I also find that more often than not, there would be a huge lump of undissolved powder at the bottom of the bottle.

So, when I saw this and because this wonderful site had a Mother’s Day special (free delivery to Oz n Nz)..I immediately bought it.

By the time I took the picture, the boiling hot water had dripped into drinking water that is at an ideal temp for tots n bubs. 

It’s so convenient and fast.

I’m so sorry….I know this sounds quite Aunty..but it’s the best invention ever!!!!!!!! Sigh…I used to be ga-ga-ed over techie products….now..now..now..I go ga-ga over stuff like this.

I’m quite mad…no?