For my “only child”

Totally forgot about this for 2 weeks. First week was all the mayhem in prepping for che-che, second week was way too busy taking care of this troublesome lil' one + housework. 

Finally remembered and brewed this on 27th (Sun) night.

Love potion on a Monday morning 

As I was dishing out this for lil' one I can’t help but wonder how che-che is going to cope without the herb drinks. Will she return home weaker? 

I gave her some capsules 泡渗虫草, not a lot as I was worried if customs would confiscate them. Heart pain if they do. But they wheezed them through immigration and customs as they were the only aircraft that arrived so late after a 3hrs delay out of transit station. Wasted! Should have packed more.  

When there’s only the 2 of us

The day - 17th. I have mixed feelings in the morning, didn't sleep well last night coz was doing some stuffs last minute. My big baby is leaving me for a few months. 

17th morning

She asked for mee hoon kueh for her breakfast or the last-mummy-cook-meal. I guess this meal or the last few days' requests were welcomed with open arms as the mom don't cook that often. haha!  

Lesson of the day from Prof Teo : make people yearn for more when you do less of it on normal days

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I felt that loneliness in the car on the drive home after dropping lil' one in school and mom back home. I will try to make myself busy, there are just work to be done at home.

Could have asked mom to stay over but I didn't

Just had lots of work to do around the house. I know it's she mind her own business ; I mind my own. But when I work around the house, I like to have my music blasting, I like to be alone. I don't have to worry about noise disturbing her when she's around. 

When I work around the house I don't worry about myself starving because most times I'd get so engrossed and then forgot about my meals. If she was with me, I'll have to stop work to either pack or cook for her. And I can't possibly be cooking instant noodles for her right? I didn't have much time left before I need to pick lil' one up from school so I was trying to complete the tons of housework. 

That moment when I stepped into the house. 

The house was bustling with noise in the morning. "remember to bring xxxx...", "did you pack your xxx...." The hustle and bustle in the morning has suddenly turned into peace and quiet at home. 

Have to accept the reality that 2 of the noisy first floor family has left the house, have to accept the reality that what we had been excited and looking forward to since 2021 is finally here and my baby's going on a new adventure. 

House quiet and this pot greeted me. The pot that was left behind after che-che ate her mee hoon kueh. Sigh.....things that I do for my girl. 

can I touch the spoon and fork she last touched? 

siao eh! 

I stared at the pot and felt pain from a piece of my flesh torn off. Too emotional. But put yourself in my shoes, she's never been away from me for so long. And with me being a SAHM, I'm practically involved so involved in them 24/7. 

Immediately, I had to stop my mind from wandering off. (Quite silly of me, coz technically they're still  in SIN.) I.HAVE.THINGS.TO.DO. I think I should keep myself busy so I can stop thinking and worrying about her??  

Cleaning her room

First thing I did was to pull out che-che's bedsheets, protectors and towel for a wash and cleaned up her room. Cleaned the table and shelves, aired her room

I will still clean her room as per usual, maybe less hardworking on the ceiling fan as it won't be turned on. Then days before she returns home will send her blanket to the laundromat for drycleaning, wash her toys, vacumn her bed and lay new bedsheets for her. 

Cleaned the house

Two luggage bags out of sight. House looks as neat as before, only 2 person empty for now.

Things I do when hubby is out of town  

Dunno why but I had this habit since we moved here and when hubby is out of town. I like to draw my room curtain and put the ironing board near the window. I'll do some ironing in the night before I sleep, all in an aircon room. 

Can we go out??

Lil' one kept asking to go out on weekend, she doesn't want to rot at home. Wah.... I hate to go out leh! especially on weekends. Also, not this week as she intends to go back to KC on 25th to pass Teacher's Day gifts, this is the only weekend she has to do her baking.  

--- THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED ---

17th Aug (Thu)

Took the easy way out of packing dinner for her before picking her up from school. I finished housework late and was so so tired.  

18th Aug (Fri) : School - therapy @2.45pm - home

First full day just the 2 of us or second day if you take yesterday's in consideration.   
Brought her to the Taiwanese makan place at Cineleisure. Now lil' grandma can stop nagging at me.  

At 12.36pm, che-che messaged to inform that they've landed at the airport. Flight was delayed and it's 12.36am!!! They still need to collect their car, not sure if immigration will be slow or fast, if there will be strict customs check.  

I was still messaging her at 2.18pm (2.18am) and kept urging her to go and sleep. And they haven't made any sightseeing plans yet. OMG! This girl also one kind, instead of playing her stupid games, she could have done a brief itinery or have an idea what to see.  

Sent her for her therapy and was discussing with her in if we should postpone her 25th therapy. Making that 2.45pm deadline when her teachers can only meet after 1 can be quite risky for her and me. I'd end up getting so edgy and may drive recklessly. Wanted to push her last session to 8th September as it's probably going to be PH on the 1st. There was a slot on another day which means lil' one will need to get excuse to be released earlier and she would have missed Mr Simon's lessons. Ms Wong overheard our conversation and decided to release her Monday's 5.45pm timing for us. Thank goodness!      

19th Aug (Sat)

Lil' one has to do some baking. So we ordered lunch in and I'm lazy to cook just coz I didn't want to clean the kitchen. She wanted Lixin fishball so I had mee-pok for lunch. I haven't had this for quite some time. 

yuzu with soda water + yuzu peel. Definitely taste so different from what is served in restaurants. coz there's sugar! Mine is less sugar (I need to include the sugar on the dehydrated yuzu peels)

She baked, I packed. So tired. We have lesser teachers to gift this year. She won't be going back to KCP as she has no time now that she needs to use her Fridays for therapies.

20th Aug (Sun)

Brought her to Hougang Mall. She wanted to go out, right? So I met her request. Hate it! Parking full in the open carpark next to HM and in HM itself. I parked the car in the nearby HDB but it was so far away. Whiny mom! 

Dinner - eat whatever leftover in the fridge. Totally forgot about the moo ping we bought at pasar malam. So yummy! 

21st Aug (Mon) [school - therapy - home]

Lil’ one has to be back in school today. I didn’t have the time to cook lunch so brought her to Hanis. Such a shame, the staff heard my order wrongly and gave chicken pasta instead of ham pasta. I switched my horfun with hers. 

School ended early at 4.30pm. I was waiting for her outside school so was able to reach her faster. Needed to rush her down for her therapy at 5.45pm. We arrived Orchard before 5pm and she decided to have her dinner first so we can go straight home and waste no time. Well..... she can eat fast if she wants to, she finished her slice fish soup in less than 30mins. 

7 hours later, on the other side of the earth, che-che had the luxury of eating in IHop for lunch. so unfair! 

22nd Aug (Tue)

Went back home after dropping her in school and cleaned the house. Tidied the two toilet’s mirror cabinets and the fridge (aka throw away expired stuffs)

23rd Aug (Wed)

Tidied the yard area. Tidied the second trolley. Didn't have time after that to clear the cleaning supplies trolley, maybe I'll do it another day

24th Aug (Thu)

Went home after Fight-Do as I didn't know where mom went. Did some necessities shopping at NTUC, packed both lunch and dinner for myself, and since I was going home I decided to cook her dinner so I don't have to go elsewhere to pack her dinner before picking her up from school. Porridge seems like a good choice of meal and the mince pork which I just bought came in handy.  

Had my Mee Siam the moment I reached home, cleared purchased items, housework, intensive cleaning in the PES. 

Alamak, I finally knew what something was missing! Forgot to brew lil’ one’s 田七 herbs this week! So busy around the house; so tired from lack of sleep - more to explain to that later - ; so tired from having to pick her up from school. 

25th Aug (Fri) - [school - KC - Mrs Hau]

Lil' one school from 8am - 12pm. 

Spent the day out after dropping her in school as I knew she often ends at 11+, going back home and coming out again I will extra journey time. I might as well éat snake' today and do housework later. 

After dropping her I went over to Changi City Point's McDonalds, hoping to sit there and do some housekeeping on my phone and also to do my blogging for those "On This Day" where I did the screenshots on the phone. Needed to clear the pictures asap as I have 29600++ pics in the phone. OMG! I was hoping I can find some time to do iMovie too but housework is keeping me so busy. 

Anyway, in the end I couldn't do anything coz che-che messaged me at 8+ to help her order her naniwadanshi  new CDs.       

At 10+ lil' one messaged to inform that she will end school at 11am and there's no need to wait for M as she's at home doing HBL. We made our way to Uncle wanton as she wouldn't allow me to eat it on my own. Uncle managed to cook our noodles in time, I packed laksa and rojak for my dinner and sent her to KC. Sat in Starbucks after a trip to NTUC until she called at close to 3pm. She made her way to PP and then went back home. 

At PP : I saw kueh tutu and immediately thought of che-che. She likes this Chinatown Kueh Tutu 

Washed the bedsheets 2 days in advance so that I’ll have empty space on Sunday to do hubby’s laundry. Did some housework and sent her to AMK Hub instead of NEX. Mrs H brought forward the meeting, which is good, so I sent her down. I stayed home so I can get some remaining housework done. 

26th Aug (Sat) - [home - Dr Yap @ 2pm]

Woke up late and left home at 12.15pm to bring her for lunch before appointment.

I was craving for Project Açai, we checked out the new mall at Woodleigh. Had our early dinner at 4pm and reached home about 5+ 

I’m reminded of che-che who likes açai from Project Açai 

Didn't do any housework today except washing the towels, one day earlier. 

Did our first videocall with her and told her we'll make this videocall on every Sat 9am (her time). I want to hug my girl. I miss listening to her ah-boy boy songs.  

27th Aug (Sun)

No intention to go out anywhere coz we will have to pick hubby up at the airport in the night 

Saw that we have one pack of egg tofu left and decided to steam it for lil’ one. Cooked a small portion (about 170g) of rice in Thermomix. 

Nottie Girl refused to let me have a piece of egg tofu 😫

And since I’ve thawed the whole tray of minced pork, decided that I should just cook for dinner and clean the kitchen after that. A lousy cook can only think of thai basil pork. Wanted to finish the eggs also, so the pork and eggs make very good combination.  

Prepared her 田七 in the night, will be ready for consumption the next day. 

Left to the airport to pick up hubby. So strange for him to come back alone.... missing my big girl. How is she? Did she eat well? 

 

Laundry Pods

Was so happy when saw this promo in NTUC for $39.90 (UP $60.30) for 84 pods which works out to $0.475 per pod. 

Thought to myself “if only we bought more” for che-che to bring over. Just a silly thought though coz there’s no way she can fit all these into her luggage bag 🤣. 

Decided to check price for laundry pods in USA. Checked Walmart’s pricing. Wah…..so cheap. US$27.24 for 112 pods

Lovely bake

Nette passed me this yummy cookie bake via Megan, spoiling me rotten. 

She knows I will never decline cookies esp now. Her cookies came at a rightful time when I needed some sweetness.

Love you berry much babe! I truly appreciate your kind gesture and thinking of me.

The cookies are really yummy. Now I know why her bakes can sell so well and mine (if I ever tried) will never sell at all. Hmm...this gives me an idea, I shall one day pretend go over and volunteer help in baking and then steal her recipes. *evil laughter*

#tellmewhencanigobackketo#

Missing her

Miss che-che Athena Ting

I walk into Breadtalk, I saw the bread she likes.

I saw the nougats she likes in NTUC, usually would turn and asked her if she wants to buy BUT...she's not with me. Okay， 可以省钱。

Walked past Playmade and thought of her.

Walked past 九鲜 and thought of her.

Walked past Starbucks and thought of the times we sat there together while waiting for lil' one's therapies to end.

Saw 水信玄餅 in the menu and thought of her...可以省更多钱。

Walked past ATM and felt the need to withdraw money from there［好像很久没去 ATM］coz 1 of my "home-ATM" already deposited all her money before she flew off. (I call the girls my "home-ATMs" coz sometimes they receive money/angpows etc.. and put the money at home. If I need cash, I'll grab from their box and transfer the amount to them.

So now 1 ATM is closed; the other one not much money left at home 🤣. 

Just feel strange when walk into her room and see some stuffs gone. Just feel strange when I don't hear her blasting and singing away her Japanese songs.

Just feel strange when I don't hear her shouting

"Aricia!! I need help.", "Aricia come here!"

Not like she's getting married there (I WILL FOLLOW HER IF SHE IS!!), she'll be back before I know it. I will get used to it eventually.

Guess all parents will miss their kids when they're not with us. Do they miss us? Likely no.

Teacher's Day 2023

Lil' one made arrangement to go back KC on 25th. So it means she has to get busy.  

Didn't take pictures of another batch of cookies she did.  

I helped her seal the cookies 

Had them segregated according to flavours

Red velvet cookies which don't look red at all. Haha! 

I just realised I can use this heat press to seal the top of the ziploc bags to seal any possible air out. Wow! 

Each bag consists of these

Her stickers come in useful 

Tagged and ready for distribution 

She only prepared 8 this year. Small project but still take up so much time. And she left the kitchen dirty. Maybe next time should just outsource the baking products. 

*getting lazier and lazier each passing year* 

Thermie cleaning herself

 Woah! I'm a convert to this now.

I set Miss Thermie to clean herself while I was cleaning all the other utensils and bowls. She's so clever! Can I throw the utensils and bowls in there next time? Heehee!

She's so clean. I didn't have to worry about stickiness and yah... being as fussy as ever I still used the sponge to wash it again. Well.. at least I didn't have to scrub it or soak in hot water + sodium percarbonate  

And off she goes !

For the past few weeks she was very busy meeting up with her friends.

For the final week, she left the time for family. What a week it was!

Eating and eating.

Just last night she exclaimed she wanted to eat the mee hoon kueh and Mie Sedap and took some packs to bring over. Walked to bomb shelter - remembers she has some snacks. Open the fridge - saw her snacks.

Opened up the teabags drawer and helped herself to some tea. The whole time she was like in a treasure hunt like that!! Goes to show we can have another CB, we won't starve 😂

This - is my going to be 21yr old daughter. Sometimes is still a baby at heart. When she was younger, she'll open the fridge and see her food and gasped "food".

Now? She opens the fridge and gasped "I forgot I have this" 🤦🏻‍♀️

She wanted to eat lots of things 😂. 

Dream BIG and enjoy the journey. First you need to endure the long journey.

Met the family for a meal, not the first kid in the extended family to study overseas but she's our first kid to do so 😂

Taken in 2005 just before brother flew off. That same period, just few days after he flew off, we also went to the US for our own holiday.

She so hiao must wear necklace some more 😂. I love

this SIA kebaya dress.

This time is che-che flying off.

Ehh..... very dua jiak. Last time can kiap her head between the adults, now cannot 😂

And cannot sit on duakim's lap coz will break duakim's legs 😬

when che-che suddenly wanted to go karaoke

Her selected toys. Not surprisingly her white bear follows her where ever she goes.

Andrea (brown bear) also followed her on some holidays.

Andrea is a toy daddy bought for her from SYD when she was a toddler, so maybe she's also quite attached to this toy.

Hugging one of the toys she bought for lil' one's BD.

She's such a sweet sister. Told lil' one "choose what you want since I won't be around for your birthday." Her mother's and father's bd she also not around, how come we have no presents 🤔😂?

The toy that has many name change 🤣

Her last eczema jab before she flies. Wah....... Spent so much money each jab. She took x10 (or was it 12x jabs?). The initial jab she was required to admit into the hospital. Somebody got a single room in Mt E Novena.

Her life so far, she stayed in hospital twice. First time when she was born in Mt E (then there was only 1 Mt E.) and this is her second time.

Anyway, the money hubby spent on the jabs - we can get one Suites return ticket to her destination. Or can even get a small Birkin!

Very heavy things to bring over - 6.5kg!!

The cold may be too too cold so needs to take more care. Stocked up on the medication and the lotions

Then she asked for chai-poh. My first time doing this, k.

Then altho I did chk with mom how to do this, I still failed. Became caramelised chai-Poh. Che-che had a good laugh over my failure.

吃了甜甜贴在心里.

When I showed mom my failed chai-poh, she's so encouraging lor..... che-che had that chuckled look on her face. Oh well, my girl is so forgiving also coz she knows her mom is a hopeless cook

Tried it second time and she brought this over.

I can't believe I would do such thing lor..... no wonder mom always cook something for me when I go on long

flights. Now I understand 妈妈的心.

Only left with this small empty bottle at home so have to pack the rest into small bags

We tried to fulfil her wishes. On this day, we all woke up and left house at 7am (a rarity on a weekend) just to eat at Swee Choon.

All were so tired coz slept late the night before. I had 2hrs of sleep; the girls had 3hrs of sleep coz che-che bunked in with lil' one and they were talking.

After breakfast, we headed back home and went back to sleep after our shower 😂😂 真的是吃了就睡的猪妈女

#draggedourtiredbodiesoutofthehouse#

#draggedourtiredbodiesbackhome#

Dunno who's wish?

Ehh……

Hmm.....

I'm not joking when we actually went from one place to another just to satisfy her cravings.

Not forgetting the BBTs too! Muahaha! I told her she has one BBT near her. "I only like 九鲜's". That's good news, means she will COME BACK HOME! I must remind her about her kueh tutu, her potato corner, her waffles etc etc.. she's as gluttony as her mom.

Made mango boba pearl for her

Then .... She asked for this. Look the same as above pic hor?

Yup! Asked for mee hoon kueh "with a lot a lot of kueh" She wanted fried rice for next day's "breakfast and lunch and tonight's snack too!"

Since kitchen already dirty so I did the fried rice and put it in the rice cooker which we had to reach up the cabinet for it.

Kitchen is finally cleaned! And it's already 1am, I need to shower again. But kitchen look messy lah! So many gadgets outside

And then while we still have the fried rice the next day, she asked for mee hoon kueh AGAIN!!!!! Kitchen messy again.

I want my showroom kitchen!

Ye-ye came by.

Busy ah-Yi called and talked to her

Not forgetting - mama's hae bi which che- che likes. She had it since young. I left this to mom to cook coz l already destroyed the chai Poh.

Just some home cook food to make her feel ..... will she miss us??

Then we dropped by pasar malam and ate all sorts of food again. Fried ice-cream, fried Oreo, lekor, chicken skin.

Was suppose to eat mee hoon kueh but coz had junk food she's so full. I can't even rmbr what she ate that night after that? Instant noodles or was it ramen or ??

I'm confused 🫤 

She's going with 1 bag and that's it. But tompang some items in daddy's bag.

Pink bag - food items. Told her in any case need to declare just open up to show, it's all in there I dowan to put in different luggages. Can die if need to dig this and that, open the vacumn sealed bags.

It's her snacks!! Made in Japan.

Actual fact, she's opening a Japanese mart there lah!

She couldn't finish what she bought in July so decided to bring them over.

She even packed her ramen. Still have some more at home, she's not getting married there so will be back.

Last evening, duagu came by to see his "sng ga kia"

About last night.. che-che and lil' one

Lil' one is surely going to miss her "beastie"

Last night she was like "I want to eat xx. I want to eat yy.

I want to eat zz." She also asked for mee-hoon kueh.

Hubby n I looked at each other.

Yst afternoon, she wanted to go Taka. So had her tummy filled fr food to açai. Scary right?!

Told her I'll cook for her in the next morning (today). And so l woke up to cook for her. Sigh.... I can't believe this lazy mom actually DID THIS FOR HER DAUGHTER.

Kindda rushing. Coz I also needed to send lil' one to school.

Nice of her friends to come over to send her off. I mean…..it's a weekday and they have school so I wasn't expecting anyone to come by but they did.

She's been so so busy for weeks meeting friends from sec, JC, uni.

Mama wanted to send off her first grandchild

A tired me coz has to cook her mee hoon kueh in the morning. And last evening was spent checking the list.

Lil' one's parting present - a smack from daddy.

Just coz she told daddy ystd "anyway we're sending che-che off, not you. You're coming back so we send che-che off." Haha!

Last evening when I told them duagu is coming over. Lil' one asked why, so I told her "anyway he's not coming to see you. He's coming to see che-che. 🤣 #revenge#

Came home to see this left behind and reality sinks in.

I need to do all the housework. House is a mess coz I only vacuumed n mopped the house on Wed, left other housework aside. I wanted to spend as much time with che-che that's why brought her out Thu - deal with double mess

Sad!! Her white bear is with her.

Beginning to miss her. I shall do housework and keep myself busy.

Amplify music and zhor gang.