Amsterdam the teaser...

Finally caught Josiah singing his third favourite song (after "Wheels on the bus" and "Jesus Loves Me")

Guest Post - Missing u...

This is a guest post from Shaun while the family is back home in Malaysia. They've been back for about a week now and thus far it looks like things are ok. They've managed to meet up with some old friends and even renewed some nasty habits (like biting?).

Its getting late at night coming from the bible reading (Mark 1:1-8) and I really miss the family and MY in particular. We got to talk for almost an hour today which was great - a mini celebration for passing my UK driving test (finally!). Doesn't beat having them here though.

It's strange because lately I'm the one that's off travelling while working and now the shoe's on the other foot. When I'm away, I feel terrible - not that places like Algiers or Istanbul are terrible but its not that much fun. Didn't think that staying in London would feel so lonely.

This all comes back to Michael Buble of course and I thought that the song is quite apt for the occasion. London is large and has a population of 8 million yet one can feel incredibly lonely here. So here's Mr Buble saying much better than I can - because without you babes, I'm ready to come home.

Also, since we're on a theme today, I don't do this often enough but Mr Buble wrote this for then girlfriend but it seems that I've been much luckier in love. I've married a girl who means "Everything" to me. Thanks for putting up with all my nonsense. Its a long way to March 20 for me but I'll be here waiting for you.

On a little side note, this is my first attempt at embedding a youtube video, so am hoping this works.

Three Years Old : What a milestone

Happy New Year, folks....a bit late but then again, anyone who knows me would not have even raised an eyebrow. Typical of me. Have not changed and probably never will. No new year resolutions for me!

Back to this post to celebrate Josiah's 3 years on this Earth and all his accomplishments so far.

Turning three has been so exciting for Josiah and I. No one told me about how it seems like your baby matures overnight and is replaced by a mini adult, capable of holding opinions, conversations and most important - holding his PEE. Yes, the regular type of pee from your kidneys....bring out the trumpets and drum roll please because Josiah is almost 90% potty trained. It happened suddenly and all that tug-of-war over potty business just vanished. On day, whilst we were bumming around the house - he just went to the toilet, pull down his pants and had a wee. ON HIS OWN. No pleading, threatening, no bribes.... Just felt like he needed to go and went. And he has been dry all day and all NIGHT. Just like that.

Magic. The feeling - oh, so sweet...

Now for the 10% failure bit - well, he seems to still enjoy the "number 2" whilst standing in his nappy. He'd ask for one and no amount of threats, bribes and pleads from me would change his mind. But at least I never had to clean out a soiled undie so am quietly trying to look at the bright side of this weird scenario my son has caught me in. Am praying for that sudden magic to happen again and trying not to pull out all my hair before it happens.

Three Years Old : What a milestone

Josiah has been the type to need a nap. It may be a late nap in the day but without it - he is absolutely cranky by 5.30pm. In the last week, he has been able to stay awake without having a tantrum and then sleeping for 12 hours straight at night. Oh, sob, sob....this day that I have been dreaming off since he was born has finally arrived.

Magic. The feeling - oh, so sweet...

And to add to this - he has finally settled into his nursery. It only took 4 months but for such an intense boy, this is brilliant. He no longer cries when I drop him off and in the last week he has even been happy to stay on when I come to pick him up.

To celebrate his new independence, Shaun and I finally had our breakfast date. We dropped Josiah off and went for a nice, poshy breakfast at the York and Albany which belongs to one of Gordon Ramsay's chain restaurants.

The feeling - oh, so sweet...

Three Years Old : What a milestone

Random milestones off my head includes:

- Josiah sleeping on a toddler bed now with his own duvet. I know, unbelievable that he was still in a baby cot and with a sleeping bag until three. But this is me, and anyone who knows me wouldn't have raised an eyebrow :p

- Josiah says, "Don't kiss me, Mummy" and so proving that boys do grow out of kisses faster than girls.

- Josiah says, "Josiah's sweetie pie is house" because he loves staying at home. He has his toys, TV and bed here. Who needs to go out?

- Josiah says, "Yi, err, san..." and my pathetic efforts of trying to teach him another language pays off.

- Josiah tells me, "Mummy your eyebrows are black" whilst rubbing my eyebrows. This is why I am so blessed to be able to stay at home and not miss moments like this.

The feeling - oh, so sweet...

I love you, Josiah.

I may not be your sweetie pie but you will always be my sweetie pie.

Ho, ho, hooooyaa....

Shaun was meant to go to Algeria this week but thank God that he didn't because just after 4pm on Monday, Josiah got the "man flu". Misery all around this Christmas, folks. To date, his temperature is still holding on despite administering 4 hourly paracetamol via syringe (his favourite way of taking medicine). I have given him numerous sponge-wipedowns, two of which occurred at 3am on consecutive nights. My new carpets arrived yesterday evening and he has managed to puke on it by lunch today. In my sleep deprived haste to wash out puke-filled bedsheets, pillow, pillowcases from previous night - I managed to overlook a used disposable nappy in that pile and it went straight into the washing machine. I purposedly put on the LONGER wash thinking of all that yucky puke.

It is a week before Christmas, a week before I travel to Ireland and I have one sick boy, one jelly-filled washing machine, one new carpet with a funny smell to it, one load of puke and jelly filled laundry yet to be dealt with, one anniversary outing cancelled, one pair of sleep deprived adults in our lovely cold home.

So ho, ho, ho to everyone else in the world who is actually enjoying their Christmas season.

Oh, did I mention that my anniversary plans had to be scrapped tomorrow as I brave through my third consecutive day INDOORS. It is a record since Josiah was a baby.

And it was snowing this morning. Hooray...or not. I don't know because I am not human at this point. I am just a breathing machine focused on getting by another night without sleep.

Happy 4th Anniversary, Shaun. Here's to many more fun years (refer to above paragraph) together with me.

I think I have got cabin fever. Treatment for that? A trip back to sunny Malaysia should be an instant remedy. Except that it costs too much and at this point I am too tired to even shower.

Despite this I did manage to bake a cake for Shaun's birthday coming up this Saturday. My first attempt and I'd have to say, it did put a smile on my face

:)

Happy Birthday Babes!

35 months old: My backside is number 3 and other tales

One month short of his third birthday, Josiah is talking in longer sentences now. Going to nursery has definately added to this aspect so here are a few things he says now.


"My backside is number three"

Don't know the background of where he got this but he told me this when we were running around in circles. I did ask him what number was MY backside and apparently it is also number three. Hmm, go figure...


"I don't like it"

Applies to just about everything that is different from the norm. Trying to get him to put on new shoes/jacket/hat/watch different episodes of his favourite shows will be met with a resounding "I don't like it" response which if no action taken on our part to retain the 'normal' bit of his life will result in a meltdown. So frustrating. I am hoping it is just a toddler phase and refuse to believe that he might just be a very confident kid who knows what he wants ALL. THE. TIME!!!!!



"Stop talking, say bye-bye"

Hahahaha, this is him getting upset when Shaun and I are talking to anyone on Skype. He absolutely hates it and will make it clear to the other party that he wants our attention. It is really rude and I have spoken to him about it but it still occurs and I admit I sometimes bribe him so I can say hi to my parents or in-laws!



"1,2,3,4....10. Ready or not here I come"

Josiah's version of hide-and-seek is him asking you to stand at HIS chosen corner and then him pretending he cannot find you. If you actually hide then he is upset and tells you to stay at his chosen spot. Obviously this game is only played about 3 times max before I get bored. I do not have patience for these sort of games.



"Josiah farts"

Woohoo, and he does quite a fair bit of farting and is quite proud about it. He jumps around after that and says, "What's that noise" Too much MAN-ness for me....yucks....



"I love it"

Normally referring to his favourite food which at this time is yogurt, ice cream and cake. Yes, he is my son and he has a sweet tooth just like me. Shaun enjoys watching the both of us literally fight for a piece of cake. Depending if we have guest or not - I will really fight with Josiah for my share of cake. But if there is a guest around, I'd grudgingly let him gobble up my dessert and put on a sad pout for Shaun who alway sides with Josiah on this matter. See these men just gang up on me all the time.....




"I am too busy...with (insert toy here)"

Apparently Josiah is too busy playing with his cars/trains/aeroplanes to even go out to meet Daddy for dinner. So much for loving your parents - we are obviously only a substitute for anything with wheels or can fly. Boo hoo.

And here is my sweetie pie in his Thomas top which I got for a bargain 50p!!

Our first christmas tree

We finally took out the second-hand christmas tree that has been sitting in storage since 2007 and put it up. Josiah was so excited and helped with putting in the branches. I went out to get some baubles (correct term for hanging christmas balls) and beads. Voila, here is is the Ow Yang Christmas Tree 2009. The lights that came with the tree only lasted one day after we forgot to switch it off before we went to bed.

Josiah loves to pull the lower balls off and throw them around like a real ball. Luckily they are now shatter proof and will kinda bounce even!

My sister says the tree is still too bare but then I think it should be bare so that I can buy more stuff every year!

Winter Wonderland 2009

Goodbye Autumn, hello, my ol' misery-bearing friend, Winter.

Being the type of person who prefers the weather to be cooler - I absolutely dread winter. This will be my third winter in London but I do not look forward to it anymore than the first one. The adage of one "getting used to it" does not apply to winter weather. I mean, it is one thing to prefer being in 20C with air conditioning and it is another to be walking Josiah to nursery in the rain with temperatures about 10C.

Goodbye short sleeved tops, shorts, sandals. Hello to bulky jackets, gloves, scarves, boots, umbrella, hat, heater and the dreaded flu!

Being the type of person who is normally not so flu prone, this round with me having to walk Josiah to nursery and working up a sweat in cold, windy weather has made fall ill at least three times to date. And this cold weather will be here until March or April next year.

Goodbye to walking in the park at 6pm. Hello to staying in two days in a row (my maximum stay-in record so far) The park now closes at 4.15pm and the playground at 3.45pm. Why? Because it is pitch black by then and obviously no one wants to go to the park but ME??!!

Can you see why people get Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) here? I would be S.A.D too.... apparently the lack of sunlight and miserable weather makes people depressed. You don't say.

Anyhow, I am just ranting about the weather here so when I finally go back to sunnier days, I would relish it and remember how miserable it is to be cold almost 5 months of the year.

Remember how troublesome it is to have to layer up like a blimp and still feel cold.

Remember how Josiah hates to be layered up or wear any hat/glove/scarf making it twice as hard for me to even think about going anywhere knowing that he might catch a cold.

I miss home so very, very much.

Of course London is not home to me. It never was and I tried to make it home. But every time I am once again caught in the rain, cold and miserable with no bus in sight. All I want is to go home.

I think I have SAD - what do you think?

Oops, I forgot that I was going to blog about the Winter Wonderland. Yes, folks, there are some upside to winter. One of our favourite is visiting the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, having a hot fresh German sausage and hot chocolate whilst watching people go ice skating and sit in the rides. This year, we went in the afternoon right after a heavy downpour so there wasn't such a big crowd which was fine with us. We got our sausages and Shaun even had a corn on a stick. Josiah refused to take any rides so we did not stay too long. My highlight was the yummy sausage and the singing reindeer! Check him out at...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JXA1AeFpKY