Missing the Staycation

Back from our 2D1N staycation at the York Hotel. Due to serious "miscomm", we were not able to fulfil our cruise dream so as consolation, bro organised a staycation for the family. This was what I have been looking forward to, a break from the routine and it ended so fast!!! But thanks to bro for paying for our accommodation. Our first time at York. I would not say it was luxurious but it was not too shabby. I am like Evans; who wished that the staycation could last a little longer. I really miss the time spent together at the hotel and the places we went.

What welcomed us at the hotel lobby was a long queue to the White Rose Café. We planned to bring the family there for its traditional buffet lunch but this period it was the Penang Hawker Fare special. Still I did not expect the crowd. After tasting the food, I was even more puzzled for the rave and its popularity. For each pax $34, I seriously did not find the buffet very fascinating. All you could have are the simple hawker items like Fried Kway Teow (which by the way had the longest queue); Oyster omelette; Prawn Mee; Kway Teow Soup; Ice Kachang; Chendol; Min Jiang Kueh; Penang Laksa; Lor Bak; Fruit Rojak; Kang Kong cuttle fish; Pasebur (some sort of salad). Woah I pretty much named all the items. My personal popular items would be Oyster Omelette and Prawn Mee which at least tasted decent. Noticed many patrons were aunties and uncles whom I guessed might appreciate the food for its history or as a celebration?

Happy that we have settled the check in and finally entered the restaurant after the long queue

Hungry boy savouring his kway teow soup

My papa got Evans a piece of the min jiang kueh, which he loved and hubby thought it was the best item in the buffet.

Papa, hubby and bro went to queue for the buffet food so that we all could fill our stomaches fast... each could only get 2 portions each time but with the limited food choices, we pretty much covered the entire line rather fast.

In celebration of the Penang Hawkers Fare, while hubby filled up the lucky draw dip, we figured to have a little fun with the props. I got 2 lucky dips but only got a non-woven bag.

After lunch papa brought Evans to his former workplace - Goodwood Park Hotel to visit his old colleagues. And the boy came back with a plum fruit and a piece of very expensive strawberry shortcake ($9.10)! Luckily they got it at 50%.

The 1st afternoon at the hotel was free and easy. While Evans was taking a nap with hubby; parents resting in their room and bro suntanning by the pool, I went to shop a little while at the Far East Plaza. Came back with a melon tea for bro, a KFC froyo yogurt ice cream for me and OCK snacks... It was a furiously hot afternoon, the skin could tear!

My parents and bro's room was at the Annex Tower and ours was at the main tower which mean we had to take a different lift and it made it more troublesome for Evans to "visit" them. LOL! But their room was really spacious with a queen size and 2 single beds! Facing the Hotel Quincy, it was quite nice and cosy. Bro helped to "upgrade" our room size to one that was slightly bigger which to me, no complaint, I enjoyed the space, though could tell our room was a little older. Its showerhead really bugged me. I was trying very hard to manipulate between the cold and hot water to put a bath for Evans. It felt like some rocket science to even reach the "right" temperature!

My parents and bro's room - Premier Quadruple, really spacious!

What we did for the night was simple but it was memorable for me because how often does the family get this chance to walk along Orchard road, with no concern of the time and rush for the transport, since we just stayed a few streets away. I recommended bro to The Ship for dinner and glad that the family enjoyed the food and ambience. It was one of my favourite lunch places and I thought they might like the place too. Though it was a busy evening, the service provided was decent and prompt. The Ship has always given me a positive impression with sincere service, not overly attentive but reasonable.

All set for dinner and oops, photo bombed as the lift door opened. LOL!

The dinner sets we had

Photo by Evans

Another photo by Evans

A scary photo by Evans... LOL!

A very happy boy

He really loved spaghetti!

All happy after the dinner

The lights along Orchard Road, captivating.

After going to Takashimaya to get some stuff from the Baby Fair, we slowly strolled back to our hotel. It was a nice and easy stroll but it got rather long. And to think we did not get any supper back to hotel because seriously we were quite full. But when we were back to the hotel, after settling down, hubby tempted me, asking me if a Mac would interest me. @)*@)$&*#... and it did. And so he did to get me the burger while I tried to make Evans sleep. Guess he was too excited, but he was also very excited to set the alarm for the next day's breakfast. The sleep felt all at home but not when Evans kept kicking me away because he thought I was hubby. (Hubby and I switched positions on bed so Evans thought I was him.)

Like Evans, I too looked forward to the breakfast. At staycations, I always look forward to the international buffet breakfast, the time to indulge in the spread of bread and main courses. Evans woke up, in extreme happy mood and was having fun playing with the hotel lights switch. He said he wanted to "surprise" papa with the lights when he woke up. Funny boy. When hubby played along, Evans let out an adorable giggle. 

Now that Evans could drink milk direct from his cup, he finished the milk more quickly and we were all ready for breakfast at 8.30AM so we gathered with the rest of the family at the lobby. Breakfast was at the White Rose Cafe.

Evans, woke up a chirpy boy!

Mama, enjoying her porridge

Evans and the bread with jam

Evans with jiu jiu

One of my favourite combo... the waffle was really crispy and fragrant. Topped with the peach dessert, it was really yummy!

Papa commented that the breakfast at Marina Mandarin was better but of course, the price was different too! As the morning crowd grew, we had our fill and decided to just go back to our rooms to rest a while before heading for the pool. The pool was big enough for Evans and hubby to have some fun. :) Mama and bro were amused by how Evans swam. The way he kicked his legs and the way he chuckled brought smiles to our faces. He seemed to be swimming a lot fast at the pool there, perhaps the pool wasn't big so it made it easier for him to maneuver? 

Finally we had to say goodbye to the staycation. Should be thankful that we were given late checkout time till 2pm. But still it's always hard to say goodbye to a break/holiday/time off work. Hubby brought the family to Dome at Dempsey Hills for lunch before we called it a day. I almost forgot how good its club sandwich was! Oh and the sweet potato fries were also great and they went really well with its salsa and tar tar sauce. I had the Mango Passionfruit freeze which was totally refreshing and made me feel "happier". 

Ending our staycation with Dome

Funny Evans and his selfie

But when we returned home, I felt a little depressed (and tired). I really miss the staycation very much somehow. Well I think I miss every staycation but this time, I felt it stronger. Maybe it meant a lot to me for this break off work or it meant a lot to me that my bro planned this for us... I just miss this lah! No other words to put it across. Certainly hope we can do this again sooooon!

Evans' and Mama's Day Out to MBFC and Bugis

Decided to take an early break (before our staycation) and took leave to spend some time with Evans, while my mama could meet up with her friend. Mama and I brought Evans for the haircut early in the morning. While he was at the haircut, I went out for a short breakfast (Mac!). And then I brought him back once he was done while mama continued her haircut.

I knew Evans had longed for me to bring him for MRT rides again. So I thought why not meet up with hubby at MBFC for lunch, then Evans would be able to ride the EW and DT lines. So I got Evans all dressed up before we headed off to his bus and MRT "adventure".

Met up with hubby at the Paradise Inn for lunch and Evans was very happy to see papa. I did not tell him we would be meeting with papa but he guessed it because he saw papa's message to me on the menu. Nothing escaped his eyes.

Before hubby needed to go back for his meeting, we took a stroll around because I did not quite have a chance to go near his workplace. The place looked busy with many office people and I was just glad I did not have to be stressed about the time to go back office and I could have some alone time with Evans after that.

After parting with hubby, Evans and I went to shop a little while at Bugis before we went back to my parents' place for a nap. Evans has passed his nap time but still looking happy.

 "I had fun, Evans! I hope you too, had a lot of fun!"

Drinking from the Cup

After Evans' stomach flu experience, as advised by the PD nurse, we let him try to drink milk from the mug instead of the milk bottle to minimise the "air" sucked into the stomach.

I am very proud of him that he did it and he drank his milk really well; quicker and less hassle for us to wash the milk bottle. I still remember how hard it was for me to quit milk bottle when I was little. I think I still drank from the bottle when I was in Primary 1!!!

Well done my boy!

After the Flu Comes the Phlegm

The past week was quite hectic, with work; Evans down with stomach flu and then cough with phlegm. I really had to learn how to compartmentalize the different issues happening so that I can better contain the stress and not react to it too adversely. I think it helps a lot when there were not too many comments/advice how we should "treat" Evans. Basically my help is my mom.

As the main care giver and because she is my mom, I took her feedback seriously and we started to worry how come Evans kept having recurring stomachache, despite the Colimix given by the GP. Though the less worrying part was he did not have anymore diarrhea, we still brought him to his PD. I took urgent childcare leave on Weds morning. Interestingly it was also the day when the sky showed a unique blue shade across the sky because of the eclipse. It was pretty nice, on our way to the PD. Thankfully, being there early also meant that we did not have to wait for long. Our PD is very popular. It was a relief for us after the visit. Doctor Cecilia Lee gave us probiotics and anti-diarrhea powder for Evans. Those are definitely easier to feed than the GP's Colimix which Evans complaint it as "spicy" and very bitter.

Easy to feed powder

Evans also took a urine test, just to make sure everything was ok. The visit was not cheap. It costs us $75. I guess that's the price for a specialist? But I rather have medicine that works and they do. Could see that he doesn't have much stomachache recurrence. And probiotics is supposed to be good for building his gut. Or maybe he is just recovering on his own... I don't know but I am just glad he doesn't have to be awaken by stomachache and diarrhea!

Waiting for my mama at the market

But just a few days later, we noticed he developed some thick phlegm and cough. As usual, he couldn't cough it out so it kind of disturbed his sleep a little. Started on Thursday and on Saturday morning, we decided to just visit the PD again. This time, it was a long wait, with so many babies and kids around. We really waited like more than 2 hours for our consultation and medication. I was tired because I did not really sleep very well the night before. Not too sure if it wa

s my hormone or what, I had very random and unrelated dreams being put together in a series. They made me sleep and wake and sleep and wake again. When Evans woke me up at 8.30am, I was thinking "Eh, I thought you have woken up earlier?", then I realized that was my dream. I was confused. Anyway, this time, Doctor gave us antibiotics and cough/phlegm mixture. And I am just glad that Evans is still as happy and cheerful.

Self entertainment is needed to distract ourselves from the long wait

Medicine that seems to work

The happy little boy who is all ready to sing for us

Evans has not been drinking milk for the past week! And we replaced his milk diet with bread (plain, sugared, or jam). He loves them. Not too sure if it is the probiotics but his appetite grew, asking for more servings. Many told me he is very skinny, especially since the stomach flu, we forbid him to eat oily stuff. The nurse at the PD clinic advised that when he is ready for milk, try to feed him using cup, instead of milk bottle to minimize the air sucked in. We will try that, and see how it works for him. He seems open to the idea for now.

Being a working (pregnant) mom has a lot of challenges. The challenges will be never ending, once you become a mom. I should probably reflect on this and write something on this experience, just for my personal reflection.

Be totally well soon boy boy and you will get to eat your favourite food!!!!!

A New Work Station

I have moved today!

Thanks to a few of my colleagues... XL for helping me to sort out the "rubbish" in my old boxes and Kelvin who helped me to move the bulky items to my new space. And today, officially, I have moved!

It was very nice of Chloe to give me this flower arrangement last week. Felt like a "housewarming" gift. Haha!

Beautiful flowers for my new work station from my new boss :)

The move was warranted because of the re-organization in the department. With a few colleagues leaving to join the newly formed department, we could not function status quo. I believe in this re-org and I definitely welcome this, as compared to the last 2 years working under a different leader. Also, I am looking forward to Bo's return to join the department. I think it will be a compatible blend.

Initially I was a little reluctant about this move because it was simply "too troublesome" for me to sort out my stuff and "find time" to do housekeeping. It turned out to be pretty simple when I "think big start small". And with my helpful colleagues, things got simpler. Another most important thought that came into my mind to make me embrace this change was "Not seeing it as what I have lost but seeing it as what I still have". I say this because my original workspace has a lot more privacy and it seems like I have more space around me. Thinking back, I think the concern is trivial and what I need to learn is to shut off the "noise" as I do not really have much "quiet corner" now. The consolation is I am seated with the people I like. :)

After note: I got used to my new work station really quickly and it is a good beginning! :)

Chir Chir Chicken

My very first time to Chir Chir Chicken. Have heard my colleagues raved about how delicious the chicken is... nicer than any fried chicken you know.

With 4 other colleagues we went to the branch at Somerset 313. Not very crowded for lunch and rather noisy in the restaurant with the chattering and loud korean pop. We kind of had to talk a bit louder.

We ordered 2 different chicken; roasted garlicy and crispy original. Woah I am impressed with its tenderness and not overpowering marinate. Really, the meat is soft yet the skin retains the crunch. I particularly like the crispy chicken better, simple but the tenderness and delicious smell win my heart.

Each of us spent $14. Might be a little overpriced for just chicken if you compared with kfc, etc. But really its taste is great and somehow didn't feel too sinful after that. It might be the lemon water... lol

Thumbs up.

The Attack of the Stomach Flu

This post is supposed to be one that shares about the school excursion with Evans to the Changi Beach but... it is a wet blanket on us when Evans suddenly developed fever and stomachache yesterday.

Yesterday evening after work, I went Four Leaves to get a load of mini breads for Evans's excursion. Hubby also got some juices and snacks. When I reached my parents' place, I wasn't greeted by Evans's usual cheerful self. Instead he told me that he had stomachache since afternoon. And mama was trying to look for his paracetamol as he had a slight fever too. It felt dreadful as we were all looking forward to today's outing, especially so for Evans. And he had paid for the excursion with his angpao money.

I was still bearing a slight hope that he might feel better over the night and be fit enough to go. Through the night he couldn't sleep well as he didn't feel good with the temperature and stomachache was acting again. Mama and I took turns to towel him and we diligently fed him paracetamol. At 4am, his stomachache woke him and he started having diarrhoea. And it came back on again in the morning 7am when he was still concerned missing the bus for the excursion. He was really keen to go.

Though fever seemed to have gone down, I couldn't let him go because it was too risky. What if his diarrhoea leaked again, what if his stomachache came back? He wouldn't have enjoyed the day. I got to explain to him a few times while he sat on the potty, trying to clear his diarrhoea. He was very disappointed that he cried, and kept saying that he felt better and he wanted to go because he had paid money. I felt really sad too but it was really for the better. He needed the rest. Disappointed, of course even for me and hubby but it was really a Hobson's choice.

We took him to see Dr Tan, the nice GP and got some medication. Dr Tan explained that it was stomach flu, affecting the digestive system. He could hear some wind in the stomach. He said it was virus from the environment, couldn't tell from who or how. When I consulted Dr Tan on the use of Ibuprofen and paracetamol, his reply was differentfrom what I heard usually. He said both are different medicines so it's ok to feed both at the same time when the fever gets high like reaching 38.5. And he said it's no point to wait for fever to reach 38.5 before feeding ibuprofen. We could just give ibuprofen first if there is sign of rising temperature. Point heard but we are not too comfortable with that as many said not advisable to feed the 2 together but I didn't want to question further.

Hopefully Evans would feel much better really soon.