family bliss

Just for today and tomorrow, I am back at the helm of my old show to cover for a colleague.
Gosh, how did I manage this 5 days a week, every week?
I strolled in at 530am, and was so distraught + stressed.
Stress really takes some getting used to.

Anyway, all went well and ... sigh, i do miss the adrenaline sometimes.
Plus all those chances to learn and absorb.
It's a busy week, with plenty earnings out, especially fr the oil majors, and a load of inflation indices out too.
Anyway, the lesson of the month is: invest, not save!

And after that, had a nice quicky lunch with my husband and son at NYDC Wheelock.
Nice jazzy brownie for me, baked penne for Terence and oodles of fun for the lil one.
I really enjoy simple family moments like these.
If you'd asked me just 2 years ago, I'll never imagine I would have my family by 27.
I thought i'll still be shopping my life away.

frens + work

I feel such injustice.
Career-wise, that is.
At a crucial time when everyone is superseding forward, I am takinga back seat.
At a time when I can do so much, learn so much, I have to rein it in, hold it back.
At a time when I wanna inflate my paycheck, I am instd force to downsize and restrain.

Anyway.
I gotta remind myself that unlike many who go home to nothing, I have a beautiful son.
Who is funny, happy, healthy, active, cute and best of all, all mine.
The balances of life... indeed delicate.

Am excited, will be meeting a v good fren on Tuesday.
D the menace, my ex-colleauge in Reuters.
He is moving on finally, to a new job and probably new ventures.
I am happy for him.
He was my best fren in Reuters.
And still as funny, honest, spirited, smart as ever.
It's hard to explain how we click, but I do treasure this frenship.
One of the very few that stays good even after we no longer work together.
I'm happy that we are not good frens just cos of working circumstances.

With a baby in tow, I really really really miss my frens.
IT's not just my career that's in the back view, my friendships have taken the brunt too.
But what can i do?
I am seriously starved of time.
Just an hour a day to myself involves a team of effort + logistics.
Let alone a 3-hr jaunt outside with a gd pal.
I have tried to do the best I can, and i'm happy that none of my frens have deserted me.
But still, I am not catching up with them often enough.
If there's a last-minute drinks session, bet your last penny I can't make it.
If there's a dinner gathering on a weekday, it clashes with Marco's feeds.
If it's a lazy wkend brunch, oh, it just clashes with what's my busiest time of the day.

What i have are extremely limited POCKETS of time when i can slip in and out within 3-4 hrs.
Yes, that includes travelling time, parking time, etc.
So don't hate me if I wanna meet somewhere convenient + near,
Cos much as I'd like to visit Changi T3, eat seafood at Tanah Merah, have leisurely coffees at Siglap or hiking in Mandai,
I JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME!

I try and I try, and most of the time, I can only thank God I have a supremely supportive and hands-on husband.
He sleeps late so I can sleep in.
He works hard so I can forget abt my bills.
He wakes early so I can go out.
He does every freaking thing that accommodates my lust for shopping/coffee/salon treats.
And my mum + father-in-law.
These are the angels who REALLY help with Marco.
Who are why I'm still sane and alive.


But frens go to the core of me.
They are the ones who have seen me thru all stages of pathetic/happy.
They are the ones whom I count on to keep me sane.
They remind me of who I am, and have to be.
They remind me of another life, before marriage & babies.
They remind me of what's equally important [besides family].
They make me laugh, giggle, smile and do funny things.
Their gossip, life adventures and smart-ass anecdotes are priceless.
They lend to my life a social, humourous, intellectual, shallow edge that is so essential.
They are the yin to my yang.
They complete me the way only frens can.
And i can be a complete buffoon and moron with them.

If you are reading this, pls know that I really miss you!


This morning, I went to the salon.
A new one at China Square court.
Great stylist, she gave me the exact kinda cut I wanted.
Got rid of my shaggy/impossibly frizzy layers and chopped off 3 inches.
I feel so good.
And best of all, it was cheap!
I did chemical treatment + express treatment + cut at only $158.
And to think, in my desperate plea to find a gd hairdresser, I almost plonked down $179 for a cut at a chi-chi salon in town.
Good thing i balked at the last minute!
God gave me the sense to realise $179 is just exorbitant for a hair cut.
If I did what i had today at the salon, what would my bill be like? $800?
Too crazy!

So i was gone from 10 - 3pm -- what a luxurious looong break.
And tomorrow morning = shopping time at River Island.
I love!

My latest resolution: Make over my wardrobe.

What I lack:
-- smarter tops
-- elegant tops
-- dressier stuff
-- heels
-- comfy-size clutches
-- good bags
-- denim jeans: dark skinny + slim straight in regular-blue
-- printed tops
-- luxe-casual stuff: shorts, sandals, dressier flats
-- updated earrings
-- bikinis


What I have too many of:
-- dresses
-- casual tops
-- skirts
-- solid colour, one-tone tops
-- small bags
-- regular shorts/berms




Current Obsession: JEANS, and whatever matches it.













--

July 2008 - My baby at 10 months

July 12/13

It is a fantastic wkend.


Here's why:





1. My 2 boys' birthday - It is both Terence's 31st and Marco's 10th month birthday.


So you can imagine the love going around...





2. I went shopping! I actually had about 3 luxurious hours to shop by myself in town. Bought Terence a Hugo Boss watch [ very very nice!] and incredibly, tonnes of stuff for myself. Went to the Heeren after what seems like 25 years... and spotted some nice new boutiques. Went home with his timepiece, a silk top, heels + a small heart-shaped choc cake.





3. Miraculously, I had time to shop again in the evening when my mum looked after Marco and i turned up an hour early for dinner with Terence at holland village. Was idling around the few boutiques and.... omg, came out with 2 bags! A Chanel 2.55 sample piece from the Paris fashion show + a dark brown faux leather bag. Both of which I've been hunting ard forever!

This is totally unexpected, but gorgeous!!! And on that morning, I had traipsed ard Takashimaya and was so desperate for a brown bag I almost plonked down $840 for a Botkier bag [on sale] or a Cole Haan one for $690. That said, the Cole Haan one is still lovely in my mind, and I may just get it. The leather was very soft, light and great colour.












3. We had a fab dinner at Hog's Breath Cafe and he loved the steak + ambience. Chill, good food, huge servings, great service -- I highly recommend it.

4. In fact, we were in such a good mood we bought a giant tub of Cold Rock ice-cream back for my brother. If you don't know yet, our fave Aussie ice-cream is here. Right smack at Holland V, with all the mix-ins that i missed so much. They have incredible, genuis flavours like Ferroro Rocher, cheescake, Tia Maria... with lil mix-ins you can choose, from Oreos and Malteses to choc chips, almonds, waffles cones, graham crackers. What a joy!

5. And at 6.30am this morning, I woke up for my run. Yes it felt like shit. Yes i panted like the pig i am. Yes it was horrible to be so slow, heavy and just... pathetic. But what the hell, i did it. What i used to run in 1 straight route...i now have to break it into 3. And even then, I was awfully pathetic. No worries, I'm planning misery episode No. 2 tomorrow.




So it's one of the best weekends in aaaages. I'm happy.

Marco - almost 10mths

Marco is growing all the time.
I'm making more of an effort to get him out more, 'socialise' more...
In part cos it's gd for him at this stage,
and also cos we're gog to Bali in 3 months!

It just struck me -- I have had Marco about the same time now as I had him in my tummy.
Nearly 10 months.

He is turning 10mths old next week, and wat joy.
At this point, he's certainly a much happier and joyful lil boy.
He can eat well, crawl super fast, stand firm... just short of walking and talking.
He can express what he wants and hates.
He observes people and places and things.
He is curious abt other babies/children, and seem to prefer them over adults/oldies.
He loves music, and can 'dance' to his favourite happy songs.
He loves gadgets and balls and vehicles.... and i always think, what a typical boy he is!
He remembers and knows certain words we use often, like 'ball', 'tree', 'bye', 'car', 'walk', 'open'...
He knows his grandparents & uncles/aunties.
Most of all, he loves me & terence absolutely and unconditionally.


Life has been great after my new work arrangement.
It's like the turning point of this year.
I finally can be the mother/employee i want to be.

Can't ask for more.
Praise the Lord.



Random thoughts on my head:
-- how to celebrate his 1st birthday?
-- preparing for Bali: passport making, doctor checks, wat to buy/prepare
-- how to save/earn more money?