I don't understand why

As parents, your children always look to you for answers. It starts from infancy, their pleading eyes asking you why their soiled diaper hasn't been changed (usually precluded by indefatigable shrieks), for instance. Then they become toddlers and pose you the dreaded "Why?" every other second (if you're wondering, after the 183585603928484094th time, I turn the tables round and ask "Why do you think it is so?" and that elicits a "I don't know" and the story ends. For maybe one minute.) When the children get into school, it becomes a given that either Mummy or Daddy can help me with that seemingly impossible algebra question (aside to Bielet and Bieny: go straight to Papa if you need help with anything to do with Chinese; go to Godma Paula if you need help with any other homework). And so it goes...

But newsflash (to my baby bies), actually, I don't know it all. And I especially don't understand why the following [parenting edition]:

1. Kids always want the other kid's toys
There are a gazillion toys and books in the house (my mum claims I have turned her place into a toy warehouse) but no, every time Bieny takes one toy, Bielet rushes to play with it. And when Bielet is in the midst of lining up her cards or pens or figurines, Bieny will speedcrawl over and nab one. Then the super dramatic Bielet will cusp all the toys in her arms (to protect them from for Bieny) or just brush everything away (if I don't get it, neither can she). I've seen it happen in school and on playdates too. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, KIDS?!

Caught in the act: Bieny accosting her sister for the toy (in her baby way, that is)

Snatching Mr Men books from each other, but in a more playful way. Thank goodness.

2. Parents compare
Okay, I know everyone does it. When I first heard that my friend's baby (2 weeks younger than Bieny) started walking a day before she turned 7mo, I was like, "MEIMEI WHY YOU STILL CRAWLING ONLY?" And since then, I have repeated that everyday. Bieny turns 14mo today and she is still content being on all fours. #hangoutwithdoggietoomuch And when another friend told me that she intends to enroll her child in enrichment classes for brain development, I was like "Omg, how come I am not kancheong and putting Bielet in those classes too? And how come I don't even know of those classes?" (Note: this is the reason kiasuparents.com has such a large following.)

But after 10mins max of fretting, I go on with my life. Because at the end of the day, the most important thing to me is that the girls are healthy and happy. For now, anyway, check back with me when they get into primary school.

3. There are designer threads for wee ones
This is not a case of sour grapes (yes, I did also read that Fann Wong's bub got gifted a Fendi baby clothes set). But seriously, at the rate the kids grow, my heart aches even for the 3 for $10 clothes I get from the market. I saw the cutest Gucci Kids shoes and did what every sane parent would - I bought the knockoffs. And those Ferragamos that Bielet was wearing, she chose them herself (from the same knockoff store in Batam). I didn't buy the shoes so that the girls would fit in with the fashionable crowd. I did because they needed shoes: Bielet Bigfoot is growing out of her Nikes I bought as her school shoes at the start of the year, and Bieny Baby just needs some sort of clog to protect her toes because she prefers to tippytoe) - and it could have been any other shoe (non-garish, of course).

I actually was thinking of setting up a designer clothes rental store for children previously. Because who has that kind of dough to actually purchase those stuff? Apparently, a lot of people.

The said 'Ferragamos'

4. 150ml is not the same as 150ml
Truly baffling. When you fill water in a Tommee Tippee bottle and pour it into a Philips Avent bottle, 150ml from one is not 150ml in the other. At least for my bottles. Both are England-based companies, so how come the volume is measured differently? Maybe I should check using a measuring cup to see which one is 'correct'.........

5. Let It Go is the answer for everything
When we needed to keep Bieny awake for her cake cutting at her first birthday party, the nearest mobile was whipped up and youtubed for the Frozen theme song. Ditto for when she was bawling her eyes out during the car ride where Bielet was trying to sleep and I was trying to concentrate on driving (I shoved the handphone to them and Bielet just kept playing repeat when the MTV ended). Or when I need to cut her fingernails. Change diaper. Finish her meal. As long as it's a distraction she needs, Let It Go never fails with Bieny. (It used to work for Bielet but now she's hooked on cbeebies.) It has to be the original video by Idina Menzel, and her powerful voice throbbing with emotion, not the Disney starlet version. We were at Casserole for Fathers' Day and Bielet asked the in-house Barnacles band to sing Let It Go, and it became a Pied Piper moment because children from the other end of the restaurant flocked to our side to hear the band give their Idina Menzel rendition! (And it became a children's party after that because the band got dedications of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, etc... Sorry. We didn't know it would open the floodgates.)

Sometimes though, Bieny deigns to listen to Demi Lovato's version (the one that non-parents are probably more familiar with and wondering why kids would be so enraptured - go listen to the original and you'll understand) or even Mama's (when the lights are out and there's nothing to do except listen to horrid off-tune lullabies by the mother). The song is magical, I tell you.

Bielet at the height of her Frozen-fervour. She was practically glued to the screen throughout this themed party. And yes, that's her in the Elsa printed dress.

Bieny in her super-grumps mood before the cake cutting at her party. We were waiting for my Ah Ma to come before proceeding to do the honours...

And as you can see, by the time my Ah Ma arrived, Bieny is being entertained by the Let It Go video on Godma Paula's screen!

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Of course that's not all I don't understand why, but it's getting late and urmmmm I don't understand why I should be blogging instead of snoozing. So bye, good nights!

Blah Blah Blah: The Past Four Months

In case anyone thought I fell off the face of the earth, I'm here! Just being a sloth blogger-wise, but technically, I was on maternity leave ;P However seeing as Bieny is already more than four months old (four months and four days today!), that excuse is kaput.

Not that I was lazing around doing nothing though - HULLO with a newborn, it's impossible that you're doing nothing!!! Other than rotating milking and diaper duties every 2.5-3 hours, I managed to squeeze in a writing assignment. Looking back, I think I was nuts to agree to it... I was still adjusting to my crazy new schedule and sleep was scarce (to say the least). But this assignment had been postponed for a few issues and I had really wanted to write it before I popped. So even after Bieny arrived, I was itching to do it.

If you're wondering what assignment, it was the pregnancy special! I posted an insta of the vintage poster-esque cover a while back.

Other than being a mama, I hoped that covering this would help my friends (who are trying/expecting/post-partum). One of my friends who is currently preggers read it and told me it had really useful nuggets of info and tips. I hope she's not just being nice (cuz she IS one of my closest pals) but anyway, it's still nice getting such positive comments :))

I was initially overwhelmed because 1) as usual, trying to squeeze too many ideas into too little pages, 2) as mentioned earlier, super tired cuz when on milking/diaper duty, there was no way I could write - and the start-stop motion of writing killed many an idea (and sure short circuited my fuse a gazillion times). Thank goodness I had loads of help - my mum for looking after the girls when I was going loco writing/interviewing/editing/re-writing, as well as the team back in office. At times like this, you truly appreciate having a good relationship with fellow colleagues (I'm but a small freelance writer but I feel the lurveeeee). Of course, we couldn't fit everything we wanted within the 18 pages - already damn a lot! - but I really hope that mummies-to-be or new mamas enjoyed reading it. Not many readers write in to say that they liked the issue or stories. (Me included, even though I might have read a magazine from cover to cover a few times, bookmarked ideas or tips, or even purchased some of the oh-so-irresistibly-gorgeous buys.) But as long as it DID benefit someone, then it's all good.

So while I was off-the-radar during my sixteen weeks of 'maternity', I was actually slogging it out at home from six weeks post-partum. Siao. When I had Bielet, I was really hands off work - but I was on paid leave see, unlike now where I only have pocket money when I accept assignments. Good thing I'm enjoying my articles!

If you know someone who needs help being preggerific, buy our Oct 13 issue before it sells out (or maybe, when Nov 13 hits newsstands lol).