The Butterfly Fairy and the Monkey Boy

It was a beautiful day for Halloween festivities this year. Although a bit cold and windy in the daytime, the weather was perfect for our Butterfly Fairy and Monkey to enjoy their first Halloween together hand in hand and working hard to get mom and dad the goodies (possible child labor?!). Both happily dawned their outfits and out we went to Halloween @the Heights. It is a popular event for all the kids each year along Hastings Street. I love how kids don't have to walk far from each merchant and there aren't any stairs to climb, perfect for our young little kiddies. It is a much nicer environment than going to the mall=) Sofia was totally into it this year, going into the stores herself and most of the time saying 'trick-o-treat' and 'thank you'. Nolan was clueless and just followed jie jie and couldn't believe he was getting goodies so he could put in his mouth! They walked a few stores together, we took turns carrying Nolan and he also spent some time in the stroller. Some merchants came out to give out treats so that was a bonus for Nolan in his stroller.

In the evening, Sofia and I joined the Spaas for some night time celebrations in their townhouse complex, which I also highly recommend for young kids cuz the homes are so close together with only a few steps each. I remember last year, we had to carry Sofia most of the time to go from house to house in the dark so it was a lot harder on the parents. I was so impressed by the amazing decorations and haunted houses set up by the neighbours. There were big spiders set up on a wire that came and scared passerbyers and dead bodies everywhere =O It was a big community gathering with hot chocolate, hot dogs and fireworks but unfortunately, fireworks were a bit scary for Sofia so we had to leave.

The night ended with Sofia discovering her fav candy, smarties so we have saved them for her and now it's the item of choice for bribes in the Chin household =)

Life took a dive in the toilet

Just reread my previous post and shook my head. I had no idea what was to come. My health was going to take a trip to hell...

It started with a quick painful growth of hemaerroids which reminded me of the post-partum times of discomfort sitting and lying down. There were a few sleepless night filled with pain and anxiety. I was referred to the only specialist in Vancouver and was told my appt was in 3 weeks! Are you kidding me? I couldn't watch the kids nor do anything except lie around with pain. I was an emotional wreak but luckily, there was an opening and I was able to get treatment on monday and since have been feeling 10x better. But before i could breathe a sigh of relief, Nolan was diagnosed with hands, foot , mouth disease, a very common childhood viral disease similar to chicken poxs. He had a mild case and didnt seem too bothered by it. Sofia had one spot on her mouth but nothing else. How did they get it? Preschool? Anyways, very contagious so on Sunday, My MIL and I both got sick. I had a fever and flu symptoms. By Monday, I felt better but then the spots came on my hand and feet. By Tuesday morning, I was woken up by immense itchiness. The worse were my hands, which have so many nerve endings that I simultaneously felt constant itch/pain/tightness. Oh I was miserable. Nothing gave relief and there was nothing I could take since it's a viral illness. I wondered if I would ever feel normal again. I hated not being able to watch the kids. I felt like Job in the bible and looked like someone with leprosy. I was desperate.

I went to see a Chinese herbalist and was diagnosed with being wet-hot so got some terrible tasting herbal meds to drink. I do believe that my balance was off tilt and it was about time, I would get as sick as I did now. The herbal meds were very subtle but I felt good inside, energized.

I am still not 100% and my limbs still show battle scars but am enroute to be healthy again. That was a 2week dip in life I hope to avoid for a long while. A mom of two cannot afford to be off duty:p

Life is good...

Let me savor it while it lasts, it's been a long time:)

It's day 3 with the kids rooming together and I wonder why we didn't do it sooner. Bedtime routine isn't completely seamless as I'm still BFing. Sofia still comes out a few times and wants us to sleep with her and Nolan just cries a bit. By 9ish, both are fast asleep. Yesterday morning, I heard Nolan at 6ish but he went back to sleep till past 7am! This has not happened in a long while and I wonder if it even happened in the past.

Dear Sofia started preschool on Monday and she did good. I think back to when I was worried she would have a hard time adjusting being away from home and now I wonder if I should've put her in 4 times/week instead of two:p she has become quite an independent girl and loves climbing on everything, including the toilet to go potty. She's discovered how to use the stool to give her height so is now our go to person for turning on the lights.

Dear Nolan is already starting to mimic others and trying to repeat what we say. It's pretty cute and darn I wish I could freeze him up as he is now.

Now is time for me to focus on my new career and myself cuz I truly believe that if I feel good physically and mentally, I'll be a much better mom to the kids even if it means taking a hour to myself each day.

Life is good:)

Roommates!

It has been a long few weeks of bad sleep for mom and dad. Nolan has been waking a few times in the middle of the night with the regular 5:30am wake up for a feed. It's been tough esp for mom who rarely naps and needs 5-6 hrs of continuous sleep. I would lie awake at night wondering how to solve this sleep deprivation...

We have been talking for months of getting the two to share a room so it would be less crowded in ours and hopefully better sleep for me. So tonight, I sensed that Nolan seem eager to sleep with his jie jie so we put them together. The transition wasn't that smooth and he is currently crying but it's not a continuous cry, just bouts of waah (I guess he's trying to go to sleep). Sofia seems to be ok with the crying. Let's hope this works out...They should both be pretty tired since it's 10pm already...

ok silence...a good sign...we'll see how it goes tonight=P

Mompreneurs

I haven't posted anything (not even any drafts to report) for almost a month. It shows you how crazy August has been. It's not really super busy with work or kid activities per se. What did change was Nolan finally showed his difficult side. For the first year, he was fairly easy to put down, ate fairly well and was a happy boy. Then after his birthday, all faded away to a little tot who cried/screamed when he didn't get his way, learned to spit or use his fingers to take food he didn't like out and was sleeping horribly. Was it due to his front teeth finally coming in or him just realizing how fun life is being awake and discovering the world around him?

All I know is for the past week, I have been waking up every 1-3 hrs from his whimpering which most of the time some 'shhing' helped and then the painful 5:30 wake-up with him not gong back to sleep followed by Sofia's early wake-up at 6ish makes for a very grumpy and tired mom for the whole day.

I was feeling quite bummed today, thinking about myself (self-pity) being awake at 5am until 11ish at night with no naps and it was taking a toll on me. Then a read the latest Urban baby & toddler magazine that interviewed the moms from the reality show Cupcake Girls on W. They talked about how to deal with balancing a busy work/family life and loved what they did. It was inspiring and made me realize that dwelling in my own self-pity and feeling half-empty is all about a choice in attitude. Successful Mompreneurs have to deal with all the crap at home and at work but it is in their attitude and positive approach which keeps them going.

I guess i'm just a bit worried with how I'll manage it all esp when i have been bitching away the whole day due to lack of sleep and work hasn't even begun to be super crazy yet...

Here's some useful tips for other working mommies out there =)
-Take one hour of every day to yourself with no kids.
-Get out of the house!
-Organize your day by chunking out time for work and family and make sure those times are focused on work/family with no distractions.

I can do it! (fist pump in the air) but a few extra hours of sleep daily would be helpful...

Happy back to school/work everyone!