Ethan's First Rusk

We gave Ethan his first Farley's Rusk when he turned 8 months old. We are pretty conservative and very much playing safe when introducing any form of solids to him.

These Rusks can be introduced to infants at/around 6 months old. However, we will try as much to delay introducing new delights for him to build better immunity and resistance. Not sure how much he will gain from this though. But sigh, as first time parent, will try to be as 'careful?!Q?!' as we can be. Just a note of consolation, he has been fine with most food we have given him so far.

We are quite pleased to be able to capture his first biscuit moment. From the first picture to the last one seen in his hands, 7 minutes.... and that's my son!

Picture taken on the 31 August 2009
1st picture: 4:37:56 PM
Last picture: 4:45:30 PM

Ethan's yiyi

Introducing Ethan's yiyi, also his ever faithful playmate and part time nanny!

This picture was taken in an open air restaurant in Seremban. Food was top notch but the it wasn't the most baby friendly place. However, Ethan's yiyi could actually find a comfortable position to feed our little friend. That's pure nanny-ing skills. SALUTE!

pizza on a sunday afternoon

Have been wanting to cook but just couldn't find a good time to do so. However, would love to get my hands back into the kitchen again, especially now that I will have to come up with more healthy meals for my little tot.

I made this pizza one Sunday afternoon after having a huge brunch. What made it fantastic was the fact that this pizza had more than 4 different types of cheese in it! I found some cheese that were gonna go bad, so decided to just throw them in and walla...

Who can ever say no to 4 different types of cheese, all baked together on top of a pita?

She

When we first set eyes on her, she didn’t have the best looking physique and stature among the rest. However, when spoke to her the first time, she was relaxed, composed, and above all, she blew us away with smart responses. She smiled at every sentences ended, and she looked into out eyes when we spoke. That got us smiling, all the way home.

I remember asking impatiently when she would be able to come home.We furnished her room with a new bed frame, new mattress, fixed up her new wardrobe and washed up her bed sheet and pillow cases for her.

I remembered the day when she was going to arrive. My heart was beating as I waited patiently for her. When she stepped in, I gave her my biggest smile. I was so pleased.
She was quick to respond, followed instructions enthusiastically, quietly observed details and was on her feet at all times.

She was all I ever needed. My help, and my assistance.

We brought her along with us, as a family everywhere we went. Introduced many of our friends and relatives to her. Made sure she feels assured and safe with us. We brought her out for dinner with us countless times. Made her order what she likes to eat. Bought nice clothing for her. And gave her more often than not, more that enough rest time, (from 8pm onwards).

Unconsciously, we have made her like a part of our very young and little family.

8 months past. We were starting to loose personal items and money seemed to go missing at times. All of us kept it to ourselves, thinking that we might have misplaced them. Then came one evening, hubs stomped down from the room and griping about how his USD went missing. We started confronting each other; me, my sisters and my mum.. and found out that all of us had our fair share of foreign currencies went missing.

Came out with a game plan. My mum will have carry out a closed door investigation, probing/questioning Lulu while Adrian and I did the same to her. Probed the both of them (she and lulu) and found out that they both had skeletons in their closets which only both of them knew. While both of them were put in separate rooms, they started to spill the beans, … and more beans. And finally we found out that she has been stealing things. We probed further and told her to come clean with us on what else she stole and we were very sure we lost money… and a huge sum of money, mind you.

She did not own up.

Lulu then confessed to us what she said and did while we were away from home. She looked guilty, but denied it. Many times. When Lulu told her to admit what she has done, she went berserk. She was screaming and hitting herself hard on her chest (Imagine King Kong) and pleaded with us to just sent her back. We were shock to see this person, whom we once trusted so much turned into an ugly monster. Little did we know?

We were sadden and disappointed with her. We sent her back to the place where we took her from, at 3 in the morning. We could not let her go near Ethan anymore since we have seen that shocking side of her. Very fast, we got her to pack her bags and very fast she left.

I was crushed.

After sending her off, we felt that emptiness and forlornness. It hit us quite hard and yes, nonsensically, we missed her.

Emotions aside, we had quite a bit to sort out since we got her officially in through an agency. She has our names in her Passport, Working VISA and I-Kad. We had to go back to the agency to make sure that we have officially declare that she is no longer working with us and that we will need to have her documents properly filed (this is just in case if she goes missing and the papers still states that she is under our care and custody).

We expressed our disappointment for being victimized. We were then told that we should lodge a police report for what she had done to us and she will probably be charged and sentenced. But that would however be the decision of the court.

We faltered no more and went straight to lodge a police report.

They took her and reprimanded her in the police station. When I looked into her eyes, I nearly teared. She looked sorry, but I told myself that that’s how she looks all the time. I held back, got myself back together quickly and waited as Adrian spoke to the sergeant.
It was quite a long wait. When Adrian was done, he came out.“We have enough evidence to charge her. She admitted that she stole our belongings and money” Hubby whispered.
She is still being remanded in the police station up till today. Not sure how long she would be there for. I still think of her. Praying that her sentence in jail would make her a better person.

Right now, I’m officially the full time maid after working hours. We’ve read so countless horrifying maids stories. Never thought it would happen to us. Not the most pleasant experience. We are still recovering, trying to take things one step at the time.

Despite all that, she is still in my mind… O dear Lord, please help us pull through this.

Ethan... at 10 months

How time flies. Ethan is exactly 10 months today, and 60 days to his first candle. This little angel of mine has brought us all (not just Adrian and I but my whole family, mum, sisters, and even the the maids) unspeakable joy. He loves to laugh, smiles when he's awake and he loves interaction.

Anyway, at 10 months, we have noticed some developments:

1. loves to play peek a boo
2. blows raspberries into the air
3. forming bubbles at the tip of the lips
4. giggling in front of the mirror
5. hiding under the sheets
6. the sound of the bathroom water tap turned on
7. going topless (feels outrageously happy when we take off his clothes)
8. shivers when pees
9. looks constipated when he wants to go to the toilet
10. sings, sometimes yell when performing number 2
11. queer obsession for fans, ceiling fans and standing fans alike
12. kicks his left leg (or one leg) when happy
13. stretches both hands downward-forward when excited
14. Ethan’s Number 1 love: he loves Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown