dichai-isms

3 years

2009-10-14T09:17:00.004+08:00

To my very best friend,
my special companion,
my perfect match,
my unwavering strength,
my talented handyman,
the father of my beautiful daughter,
my lover and my soul mate.
You rock my world babe!

Happy 3rd anniversary :)

Kat's Pandan Cake Recipe

2009-08-23T14:41:00.003+08:00

In comparison to Auntie Chung's Pandan Cake Recipe, here is the recipe that I swear by. The last time I made this cake was documented in this post.

Ingredients
7 eggs (white and yolk separated)
125g sugar for egg whites
125g sugar for egg yolks
125ml coconut milk
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
150g plain flour
pandan essence

Steps
1. Beat egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar.
2. Beat egg yolks and sugar.
3. Fold coconut milk, vegetable oil and plain flour to the egg yolk mixture.
4. Fold mixture in step 3 to mixture in step 1.
5. Bake in oven 175C until brown (approx 45 - 50 mins).

The one about my baby's Beehind and homemade pie

2009-08-15T21:01:00.005+08:00

I'm not a big believer in cloth nappies. I don't understand why those so called "green" devotees claim that they are cheaper than disposables, environmentally friendly and are less likely to give the baby a nappy rash. I can go on forever about why this is not true, but I won't. Recently, my baby girl has had a horrible nappy rash that just won't go away. Nothing worked. Even the good old Sudocrem. And we change her nappy so regularly. What was a nappy rash turned into thrush. Then the doc gave her steroid cream, fungal cream and nappy paste. Steroid cream gave her blisters in the groin, and ouch, in turn a bacterial infection. Next strategy was Daktarin and Zinc and Castor Oil cream, anti-biotics and cloth nappies!!!

So began my search of modern cloth nappies. I didn't want to use the traditional terry towelling and spend hours folding the goddamn thing - time is already limited as is. I was recommended these Baby Beehinds bamboo cloth nappies. Sounds good in theory and looks cute.

But farkkkkkk ... at $25 a pop, plus you have to get an outer lining for $12 for waterproof ones or $25 for wool ones, not to mention flushable liners at $25 for 200. I spent $250 buying six cloth nappies. I put a cloth nappy on Mia for her afternoon nap. She barely slept for 45 minutes before she started crying 'cos she peed and was not used to having a wet bottom! So in the space of 3 hours, I had to change her nappy four times. And it gave her a red bottom. I guess it's early days.

On a different subject, my friend has been bugging me to blog about food. This is what I made for dinner tonight ... home made meat pie. I used shortcrust pastry for the casing and puff pastry for the top. It was a winner :)

Sweet cravings and the baking fairies

2009-08-14T20:45:00.000+08:00

Friday night, sick and stuck at home. I thought I would bake some Strawberry Cream cupcakes to take along to a friend's house for afternoon tea on the weekend. The hubby caught a *whiff* of the freshly baked vanilla cupcakes and was caught red handed trying to steal one. He reluctantly put the stolen cupcake back so that I could actually put the strawberries and cream on the cupcakes (and hurried me to do it too, grrrr). Hence providing me the perfect excuse of why my cupcakes look clumsy and demented. He he.

Admittedly, this is not my first time attempting this recipe. The last time I was going to bring it to a Mothers Group afternoon tea session (which ended up not happening, so no loss for the failure but that is another story altogether). Anyway, the last time I tried to make this recipe, the cupcakes turned out fine but the condiments and strawberries were a disaster!! I ended up ditching the whole thing in the bin. Do you believe in baking fairies? A good friend of mine told me about it recently .. and it is SOOOOOOO true!! Well, for me anyway. The reason why it was a failure last time was 'cos I was in a horrible mood and was REALLY pissed off with the hubby. So yeah, I really need focus and full attention when it comes to baking!

Add this to my list of bloopers Earn!

2009-07-18T17:49:00.002+08:00

When it comes to doing something really stupid or just outright embarassing, I have a list of them. Just ask my friend How Earn - he is keeping track!!! Haha.

In a classic DiChai moment, I decided to head out and take Mia out for a walk (and so I could cut a conversation short too). Maybe that's the karma?! Hehe :) I strapped Mia up in her stroller, grabbed the mobile and put it in my pocket, set the alarm and closed the door. And then it hit me - my keys were still inside! Uh oh. I panicked. I was supposed to pick up the hubby from uni that afternoon, but how could I when I have no keys? I was trying to think of clever ways to break into the house without actually breaking in. No such luck. Had to call the hubby back, who had to cut his lecture short and take the train and the bus back home on a Saturday and that took ages. So there I was, with Mia, locked out of our house, nowhere to go because it started showering. And Mia was due for her sleep in half an hour - eeks!

All the hubby could do was laugh at my blaséness with keys.

Pandan perfection

2009-05-19T19:44:00.004+08:00

Finally I have perfected Kat's Pandan Cake recipe :) The last attempt was very close indeed, but the taste wasn't quite right. I was very determined in making my Mother's Day present worthwhile. For those of you who aren't on Facebook, my hubby bought me a Kenwood Chef. I had had enough of beating egg whites by hand!!!

Thanks to Pauline for the information on using cake flour. I was so excited when I came across it in Chan Brothers Oriental Supermarket, as it was not even available in Perth a few years ago. This made a huge difference on the final result.

The hubby was so impressed that he said it tasted just like Kat's. That's a huge compliment as my friend Kat makes the BEST pandan cake I've ever tasted.

Fast forwarding time

2009-05-06T15:18:00.003+08:00

I know the oldies are always telling us "Never wish time away", but right now that's exactly what I want to do. Fast forward my life about 10-15 years. I am wishing that I had the power to manipulate time, just like Hiro Nakamura from Heroes.

I am sitting at my desk at work, struggling to stay awake. Purely exhausted, and in pain from the dry needling session at lunch time. The sleepless nights are catching up with me again. My 6.5 month old is still not sleeping through the night, despite having 3 solid meals a day and heaps of milk. I don't understand why she is still so hungry?! Not to mention playing up at 5am in the morning!

To top it off, my bogan neighbours were yelling some obscene language from midnight to 3am last night, so we missed out on 3 hours of sleep before we had to call the cops again. Why are people so inconsiderate?!

I am also dreading the next 3 months. My hubby and I are finishing off our last units of our postgrad courses, and he even has classes on every 2nd Saturday for the whole day and every Wednesday night. Which basically means I will be a single parent for the next 3 months. Sigh!

So yeah ... in my fantasy of fast forwarding time, it is 10 years from now. I have two beautiful and happy kids who sleep through the night. We all have fun on the weekends and after school, doing activities such as bike riding, baking, shopping, sailing, camping. If only there were such things as super powers.

Mia's first Mother's Day present

2009-05-05T21:40:00.005+08:00

I know why I became a mother ... so that my kids could make me the goofiest things and it would make my day. When I picked up Mia at day care today, her carer Bec presented me with a gift that Mia had "made" for Mother's Day. Awwww. It was all wrapped up in purple cellophane paper. Inside was a card with Mia's footprints - something I had wanted to do for a long time and Bec knew this :) The back of the card had a beautiful poem about mothers, and then the wooden spoon with Mia's photo that melts my heart every time I look at it. She just looked so happy. I'm so glad that she has fun at day care.

The asian mother in me

2009-05-02T13:37:00.000+08:00

When I was pregnant with my baby girl, I promised myself that I would accept her as she came. Then she came into the world, and she was this amazing creature achieving her developmental milestones so quickly and most times ahead of her peers.

She is six and a half months old, and she has been commando crawling backwards for nearly a month now. Even getting up onto her knees for a bit before flopping down. I've been trying to entice her to go forwards with endless array of toys, keys, her dummy, even me. She does try and reach it. And then when she can't, she gives up. Lazy bones. Grrrr. Today, we started back at Gymbaroo and I spoke about our dilemma to the instructor. She said it was normal, and it was a bit early to expect her to be able to go forwards and crawl. I guess I am just patient. And maybe a bit competitive? Haha. I've been seeing photos of my colleague's seven month old crawling onto all fours. Maybe it's the 'Asian' mother in me. Constantly pushing their kids. Lol. Poor Mia.

I'm going to hell

2009-04-29T15:40:00.003+08:00

So my work colleague couldn't collect my books like I said he would in my previous post. I decided that I was going to do it myself and conquer my fear.

Haha. I froze with fear when I got to the third step of the second set of stairs. I could not do it. But I really needed to get the books.

I rang up the librarian, asked him to bring down the books for me because I had a knee injury and could not climb the stairs. I know, I know I'm going to hell ... but I got the books didn't I?

My embarassing phobias

2009-04-29T09:38:00.004+08:00

My closest and dearest know about my phobia of stairs with "holes". If you don't know what I'm on about, here it is ...

Yesterday, it really bit me in the butt. I had to go to the Curtin GSB Library in the city to pick up the textbooks I had ordered for my last units. The lift was broken, and it had been broken since March apparently. The only way up was using the stairwell. And the library was on the fourth floor. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but the staircase had "holes". I decided to give it a go. When I reached the first floor, there was a metal bridge leading to the next set of stairs. I thought there was no way I could do it, and went back down. I asked the security guard if there was another lift in the building. He shook his head and pointed to the stairwell. Oh God. I gave it another try. This time I managed to cross the bridge, but when I looked up and saw how high the fourth floor was, I panicked and ran down the stairs sweating.

Now I have no way of getting my books. I'm trying to convince a work colleague to retrieve it for me. He has a bad back, so he said he will see. I may give it another try today. Keep you posted.

Lost my holiday home

2009-04-20T09:14:00.006+08:00

Last week, my in-laws sold their house in Denmark and moved to Melbourne. Whilst I am happy that we no longer have to worry about them being so far from family, I will miss the house in Denmark terribly.

I first met my in-laws back in June 2005, when my (then) boyfriend took me to Denmark to meet his parents for the first time. We left work at midday and made the long trip in the afternoon. I remember the drive so vividly. We were a new couple then, in the process of getting to know each other. We talked heaps and I had a great time. But as we drove closer and closer to Denmark, it was getting dark and I was getting cold feet about the whole "meet the parents" thing. I was so nervous that I started to shiver and almost cried. I didn't know why I was so scared. Waiting for me was a home cooked meal of roast chicken so delicious. Janet was such a warm and friendly woman, and she is one of the best cook I know! My father-in-law was probably a bit suspicious of me at first, but I think I managed to make a good impression by the end of the visit :) Phew!

Ever since then, Gary and I drive down to Denmark about 2-3 times a year. It is our escape from the city. The nights so quiet and peaceful. The weather always so nice and cool. The warm fire burning in the fireplace during winter. The sleep in (if you call 8am a sleep in), and the delicious eggs freshly picked from my mother-in-law's chook pen. The jigsaw puzzles we huddle over. The coffee and friand at McSweeney's. The walks along William Bay and Lights Beach. The food at Wilson's and Mary Rose. Canoeing down in the river. Day trips to Albany, Pemberton, Walpole and Nornalup. There is no place like it.

Christmas this year will certainly be different. Instead of driving for 5 hours, we'll be going on a 5 hour journey consisting of a flight to Melbourne, and then a 1.5 hour drive to Mentone. Instead of the quiet serenity of the country side, there will be a different kind of peacefulness in the suburbs. It certainly be a lot noisier as for the first time Mia and Blake will be spending Christmas together. But I'm glad Mia at least got to spend her first Christmas in Denmark.

Motherguilt: the screaming baby

2009-04-14T21:11:00.002+08:00

My patience has been wearing thin these days - my baby girl is no longer sleeping through quite so soundly, the solids thing getting me down, and her sudden clinginess to me ... omg. Ever since our trip to Manila for the So-Po wedding, things have changed quite dramatically.

Anyway, I finally found something Mia will eat - pears and pumpkin. And gosh, she loves pumpkin. After a week of "successful" eating, I tried feeding her twice a day. Breakfast and lunch didn't seem to do the trick in terms of helping her sleep through the night. So I thought I would try breakfast and dinner. Big mistake. I thought I had done all the right things by giving her dinner at 5 pm to allow plenty of time to digest food before bedtime. I don't know where I went wrong. At 9pm, she started screaming in pain. And I mean scream. I haven't heard her scream like that since she was diagnosed with acid reflux. But this time was different. Even the lunge squats did not help. Nothing I did could console her. I felt like the worst mother in the world. I felt so guilty about wanting her to sleep through again so I could sleep through.

It was a very long night. Every 2 hours of screaming. No sleep for either of us. And maybe this is a sympathy pain, but I had bad reflux last night, and I haven't had it since I gave birth. I pray to God that I never have to go through that again.

More things about me

2009-04-10T11:23:00.002+08:00

1.Where did you take your default picture?
At The Olive Tree for Hannie's farewell dinner, June 2005.

2.What exactly are you wearing right now?
Khaki 3/4 pants, pink top with puffy sleeves and thongs.

3.What is your current problem?
Can't sleep, painful hands, and a contract law exam!

4.What makes you happy most?
Being with my hubby and baby.

5.What's the name of the song that you're listening to?
None at the moment.

6. Any celeb you would marry?
Not really. I like to be anonymous.

7.Name someone with the same birthday as you?
Aaron Wong, Kane Marinko.

8.Ever sang in front of a large audience?
Yes, in primary school in Jakarta. Everybody had to.

9. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
No.

10.Do you still watch kiddy movies or kiddie TV shows?
Yep.

11. Do you speak any languages?
English, Indonesian, studied Mandarin and Japanese.

12. Has anyone you've been really close with passed away?
Not yet.

13.Do you ever watch MTV?
Not anymore.

14.What's something that really annoys you?
Indecisiveness, laziness.

Chapter 1:
===============
1.Middle name?
Don't have one.

2. Nickname/s?
Di, D, DiChai.

3.Current location:
Perth, Western Australia.

4.Eye color:
Dark brown.

Chapter 2:
===============

1.Do you live with your parents?
No.

2.Do you get along with your parent(s):
Yes, most of the time.

3.Are your parents married/separated/divorced?

Married.

4.Do you have any siblings?:
An older sister, an older brother and younger brother.

Chapter 3: Favorites
===============
1. Ice Cream:
Il Gelato.

2. Season:
Autumn.

3.Shampoo/conditioner:
Kerastase.

Chapter 4: Do You..
===============
1.Dance in the shower?
No but I sing.

2.Do you write on your hand?
Sometimes.

3.Call people back:
If I don't forget!

4.Believe in love:
Yes.

5. Any bad habits?
Worrying about insignificant things.
Impulse shopping.
See food diet. Lol.
Biting my nails.

Chapter 5: Have You..
===============
1.Broken a bone:
Amazingly no.

2.Sprained stuff:
No.

3.Had physiotherapy:
Countless times.

4. Gotten stiches:
Yes.

5.Taken painkillers:
Yes.

6. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling:
No. Too chicken to.

7.Been stung by a bee:
No.

8.Thrown up at the dentist:
No.

9.Sworn in front of your parents:
Yes.

10. Had detention:
Yes, once.

11.Been called a hoe?
Yes by my sister.

Chaper 6: Who/What was the last
===============
1.Movie(s):
Watchmen.

2.Person to text you:
Some girl on ebay.

3.Person you called:
Gary.

4.Person you hugged:
Mia.

5.Person you tackled:
Noone.

6. Person you talked to on IM?
Janet, my mother-in-law.

7.Thing you touched?
The keyboard.

8. Thing you ate?
An apple.

9.Thing you drank:
Water.

10.Thing you said:
Can't remember.

Chaper 7: Future
===============

1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Living in Perth still, with Gary and my children.

2. 10 years?
Evolved, secure, wiser, more travelled, no worries.

3. In 50 years?
Seeing my children's children, with Gary still by my side.

4. Where do you hope to live?
The south of France.

5. Do you want to be famous...
No. Used to though.

6. Do you want children? Or maybe animals?
Yes, would love both.

8. Will you have plastic surgery?
Yeah, my tummy tuck!

9. Will you stay in contact with anyone in particular?
Who knows.

Introducing solids: an anti-climax

2009-04-04T10:47:00.003+08:00

I've been waiting for this moment for a long long time - introducing Mia to solids. We waited to do it on a Saturday so that both my hubby and I could witness this great moment. Pfftttt ... she hardly opened her mouth wide enough for us to get the spoon in. And all she did was scrunch her face and spit it out. We even had to force it in at times. I don't blame her though - I had a taste of the rice cereal and it tasted very very bland. It was a very messy experience. I guess there is always tomorrow - maybe it might taste better mixing it formula rather than boiled water.

Manila madness

2009-04-04T10:01:00.003+08:00

I expected Manila to be a lot like my birthplace Jakarta, and I found this to be true in a lot of ways. Certainly the madness factor was on the same scale. But having said that, Manila beats Jakarta in the madness factor in terms of its international airport. I stepped off our flight and passed through immigration pretty quickly. So far so good I though. Hah! I swear everyone on our flight crowded around the baggage carousel, and nobody was cooperating. It was every man for themselves. I was relieved to receive a text message from Pauline's sister Sarah saying that she would pick me up. A familiar face. But when we got to the arrivals area, it was literally like a zoo and I thought I would never find her. Thank God she got to me first :)

I'll keep this short and sweet. We were in Manila for one of my best friend's wedding. I've known Pauline since we were eight years old. We were in the same class in Year 3, and boy was our first meeting memorable :P

Pauline - I'm so happy to have seen you marry the love of your life Steven. It was such a beautiful wedding.

I really have to thank Pauline's family, who were so helpful to us as we had our 5.5 month old baby travelling with us. Thank you for your kind hospitality and making our stay in Manila a comfortable one.

Hannie - you were the best maid of honour that a bride can ever hope to have. Thanks for being a gracious host and showing us around Manila.

I'm sad and happy this trip is over. It was such a treat to have two reunions with my dear friends, and to see two best friends marry their prince charmings in the space of three months. I'm not sure when we will do this again.

Family day out

2009-03-22T13:40:00.003+08:00

Sick of being stuck home weekend after weekend doing assignments, endless renovations and God knows what else, my hubby and I decided to take our baby daughter on a picnic at Synergy Parkland in Kings Park. The weather was absolutely beautiful - just the right temperature. We got there pretty late though at around 11.45am. Well, we had to wait for Mia to wake up from her morning sleep, feed her, change her, blah blah ... The park was absolutely packed with families, monks, students, you name it. Took us about half an hour to get a spot on the bbq - all for a measly two pieces of steak. My hubby politely asked this Korean guy if we could just put ours on his - like it would only take 10 minutes. He rudely said 'No. It'll be too messy!' Grrrr ...

Anyway, I think Mia did enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. She did get grizzly at the end, but she got to see the ducks :)

Then, now and the present

2009-03-22T07:38:00.002+08:00

Full name: Diana Chai Pattenden.
Nicknames: Di, DiChai, D.
Birthday: November 15.
Birthplace: Jakarta.
Zodiac sign: Scorpio.
Male or female: Female.
Kids: One 5 month old baby girl.
Last school attended: Curtin University.
Occupation: SOA Developer, whatever that means :)
Residence: Bull Creek.
MSN screen name: Diana.

APPEARANCE

Hair colour: Black.
Hair length: Past shoulders.
Eye colour: Dark brown.
Weight: As if I'd tell you!
Height: 160 cm or 5' 3''.
Braces: Nope, already had them twice.
Glasses: Contact lenses most of the time, glasses when I'm at home.
Piercings: Two in each ear.
Tattoos: Not my thing.
Righty or lefty: Righty.

FIRST'S

First best friend: Ellis. In year one. Don't keep in touch with her anymore.
First award: Best student in pre-primary 3. That was in Jakarta, when everything was a competition.
First time: That's for me to know.
First sport: Tennis.
First holiday: When I was one month old, I flew to Sumatra with my family.
First kiss: In high school ... ha ha ha.
First love: In high school ... ha ha ha.

FAVOURITES

Movie: Harry Potter .. it brings out my inner child fantasies :P
TV Programme: So many .. here goes - Dexter, Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, Greys Anatomy, Survivor, The Apprentice UK, Private Practice, My Family. I did really like Lipstick Jungle, but it got canned :(
Colour: White.
Singer: Don't have any.
Band/Group: Don't have any but I like The Fray and Coldplay at the moment.
Song right now: Fix You by Coldplay.
Friends: All of 'em?
Sweets: Not really into sweets.
Sport: Tennis as always.
Restaurant: Sandrino. Best woodfired pizzas!
Brand: Depends on the thing.
Store: Myer.
School subject: Mathematics.
Animal: Dogs.
Book: The Spoils of Time Trilogy by Penny Vincenzi.
Magazines: I read pretty much anything.
Shoes: Thongs or flat sandals.

CURRENTLY

Feeling: Tired, what's new?
Single or taken: Married.
Fighting with anybody: You could say that yeah.
Eating: Nothing.
Drinking: Water.
Typing: This crap. Ha ha.
Online: Yep. Always.
Listening to: The nice sound of peace and quiet. My baby is having her morning sleep :)
Thinking about: What to pack for my trip.
Waiting to: Go on a family picnic this afternoon.
Watching: Err .. on the computer.
Wearing: Peejays. It's Sunday morning!

FUTURE

Want kids: Already have one.
Want to be married: Already married.
Carrier in mind: To be on the Board of Directors of some Fortune 500 company! Ha ha ha. I'm allowed to dream right?
Where do you want to live: In the south of France .. in a little cottage in some little village.
Car: Mini Cooper S.

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX

Hair colour: Dark.
Hair length: Short and spiky.
Eye colour: Dark and mysterious.
Measurements: Tall, but not lanky. Not thin. Not fat. Muscles but not too much.
Cute or sexy: Both?
Pecs or bum: Bum.
Hugs or ...: Hmmm.

Craving for cupcakes

2009-03-20T11:59:00.004+08:00

My hubby has been nagging me to make some chocolate muffins, but I've been too lazy to do a recipe from scratch. So I cheated and bought Betty Crocker mix. My muffin tray are a nice size for patty pans and makes washing so easy afterwards. I put some chocolate frosting on the muffins .. Betty Crocker makes the best :)

myself

2009-03-19T14:44:00.003+08:00

***********FOODOLOGY******
What is your salad dressing of choice?
Potato salad dressing, or maybe caesar.

What is your favourite sit-down restaurant?
Blue Water Grill, Applecross.

What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it?
Spaghetti Bolognese.

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
Pepperoni, jalapeno, cheese, tomato, mushroom.

What do you like to put on your toast?
Vegemite.

**********TECHNOLOGY***************

How many television sets are in your house?
One.

What color of cell phone do you have?
Pink.

***************BIOLOGY******************

Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Right.

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A baby.

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
My baby.

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
No.

************BULLCRAPOLOGY**************

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
Yes.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Hmm. I'd have to think about this for awhile.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
Most definitely.

************DUMBOLOGY******************

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
About 4!

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
I got chased down the freeway for supposedly driving through a red light.

Last person you talked to?
Jerome. The guy that sits next to me at work.

Last person you hugged?
Mia.

**************FAVORITOLOGY****************

Season?
Autumn. I love the red leaves falling.

Holiday?
Christmas.

Day of the week?
Sunday.

Month?
April. Lots of public holidays.

***********CURRENTOLOGY*****************

Missing someone?
Kinda.

Mood?
Tired.

What are you listening to?
Conversations going around my cubicle.

Watching?
My computer screen here at work.

Worrying about?
Exams. Yuk.

***************RANDOMOLOGY*****************

First place you went this morning?
To the bathroom!
Do you smile often?
Yes. I think so.

How time flies ...

2009-03-17T14:58:00.003+08:00

One year ago from today, my very first and only nephew (so far) Blake William Jock Morgan was born. My sister-in-law was in labour for 10 hours and he had an all naturale birth (one brave lady!). Today he turns one, and my .. what a big boy he is! Can't wait to see him next month. Happy Birthday Blake!

This is a photo of Blake and Mia last time they met in November. She was 6 weeks, he was 7.5 months.

So much for couple time!

2009-03-13T14:34:00.002+08:00

We were all set to fly to Manila in 13 days for a friend's wedding, and it was supposed to be our first childless holiday ending with a food feast in Singapore. A few days ago, my motherhood anxiety got the better of me and I was toying the idea of taking Mia with us instead of leaving her behind. I thought, what if I was a five month old baby, and I wasn't going to see my parents for five whole days?! The thought frightened me. The thought of not hearing Mia blow bubbles for 5 days. Her cute smiles and laughs. Her touching my face and holding my pinky during feeding. The smell of her hair. Her loud sucking noises. Her funny babbling.

This morning when my friend said I could always change my mind, it was a sign for me that I am meant to have her with me. I immediately rang Singapore Airlines and bought a ticket for Mia. I felt so relieved. Like something heavy has been taken off my shoulders. Arrr ... the joys of motherhood!

My baby's new hobby

2009-03-07T19:23:00.002+08:00

While sitting on my hubby's lap during TV time, Mia wanted to lean forward - to suck on his juicy calf. Lol. Hmmm ... I hope you had a nice dinner Mia :)

Sticky date pudding

2009-03-07T19:18:00.002+08:00

I haven't made sticky date pudding for nearly 2 years. I think the last time was during my friend's last visit to Perth. My in-laws were coming back from Melbourne tonight, and knowing how much my father-in-law loooves his desserts I thought I would make it again. It tasted even better baked in the new oven - and sinful too!

This little piggy had a stack of bricks

2009-03-07T19:09:00.003+08:00

In preparation for our new pavers to be laid in about 8 days time, my hubby and I have been an awesome duo and removed 100 sq meters of our old brick pavers. It took us 3 sessions (one evening after putting the baby to bed, and two mornings while the grandparents babysat) - about 10 hours of back breaking paving removal while the hubby stacks them in our garage.

I can't wait for our new pavers to be laid. Stay tuned!

Hoping for the second one ...

2009-03-06T14:25:00.003+08:00

It has dawned on me just how fast the year is going, and my little one is almost five months old. The scary thing is that it means that trying for the 2nd baby is not that far away, especially if I want a winter baby this time round. Yikes!

For my 1st baby, I planned to give birth around October to November. Just to qualify for paid maternity leave. And I did, and boy was it close :)
For my 2nd baby, I'm hoping for a June or July baby. But I'll be happy with whenever really, as long as it's in 2010.

For my 1st baby, I planned to give birth naturally - the whole she-bang, no epidural, music, candles. Huh. At 40 weeks, I had a C-section as I still hadn't gone into labour and wasn't able to be induced (baby's head was free floating) and I had a spinal block.
For my 2nd baby, I'm hoping for a VBAC. I'm still trying to find a reputable private obstetrician who will do it. And my hubby doesn't like the idea as there is a very small risk of uterine rupture, or worse the foetus dying inside the womb. We'll see.

For my 1st baby, I planned to exercise til I gave birth. My trainer left for the UK when I was six months pregnant, and so it went downhill from there. Plus, every time I tried to do hard core cardio classes, I basically nearly faint afterwards. So I was reduced to aqua classes and walking.
For my 2nd baby, I'm hoping to maintain a balanced exercise program til my birth - aqua classes, lots of walking, light weights, meditation.

For my 1st baby, I planned to have a boy so that my baby could carry on the Pattenden name. At 16 weeks, my OB told me I was going to have a boy but it wasn't until my 20 week scan that I discovered I was having a girl. I'm glad I did have a girl though.
For my 2nd baby, I'm hoping to have a boy. I'll still be happy if I have a girl though.

For my 1st baby, I planned not to gain too much weight. This was going to plan until the last 4 weeks when I finished up at work. All I did at home was eat. And now I'm paying for it.
For my 2nd baby, I'm hoping my 1st will keep me so busy I won't even have time to think of eating.

For my 1st baby, I planned to breastfeed for at least 6 months. As it turns out, I could only do it for about 7 weeks as too many things were stopping me from doing it. Baby had a tongue tie - snipping it didn't help, it just exposed the fact that she was just a bad sucker. I had vasospasm and my GP wouldn't let me take meds to fix the problem. My milk caused baby to have lactose overload - I don't even want to relive that week.
For my 2nd baby, I'm hoping that it will be a nice bonding experience, and that I can do it for about 3 - 6 months. Unless the baby grows teeth first.

As I have learnt the hard way, pretty much nothing goes the way you plan it. So I'm just hoping for a better experience the next time, to inspire me to have a 3rd :)

Two green boogers

2009-03-03T16:53:00.002+08:00

My hubby stayed home sick today. We all have the cold, and it was his turn to entertain our baby girl, so he made up this song for her.

Two green boogers stuck in Mia's nose
Two green boogers stuck in Mia's nose
And if one green booger should accidentally fall
There'll be one green booger left in Mia's nose

One green booger stuck in Mia's nose
One green boogers stuck in Mia's nose
And if that green booger should accidentally fall
There'll be no green booger left in Mia's nose

My baby's got the giggles

2009-03-02T14:14:00.004+08:00

For the past few days, Mia has been miserable and grumpy. I don't blame her - with her getting her second tooth (click here to read about her first tooth), a cold and a thrush infection on her neck. Normally such a good sleeper (about 10 - 12 hours uninterrupted sleep at night), the last few nights have been hell. Crying pretty much every hour, I've had to comfort her and now I'm sick. And miserable. I've had to cancel Gymbaroo today, and I pretty much didn't feel like playing with Mia today. Bad Mummy huh? Seeing the sad look on her face, I decided to try to cheer her up, and I succeeded :)

Baby Fashion: Monsoon

2009-03-02T13:12:00.005+08:00

Love these pieces from Monsoon, but unfortunately they only deliver to UK and Ireland addresses :(

My family

2009-02-28T20:41:00.004+08:00

Addicted to online shopping

2009-02-28T15:02:00.005+08:00

Quick, someone hide my credit cards, ban the internet from me. I can't seem to stop shopping for baby clothes. My 4.5 month old is growing at a phenomenal rate, so I keep making excuses to shop for her clothes. Truth is I buy so many things, she hardly gets to wear half of the stuff I buy.

Times are tough. The recession is kicking in. At least now, I buy more "budget" baby clothes. I suppose if I wanted to be really skimp, I could just head out to Target, Big W, Coles or Best & Less, but somehow I just can't make myself. Online seems to be the best place to buy nice, good quality and reasonably priced baby clothes I reckon.

Here are some of my favourites:

Doesn't have the current styles online, but they have really good sales online. Postage is really quick, and best thing is when you have buyer's remorse, simply send it back or take it to a store and get a refund :)

Good for Osh Kosh basics.

Really cheap Baby Kaboosh clothes, which cost a fortune at baby stores. Quite slow for postage though.

A bit plain for my liking, but great as presents.

Mia - Rolly Polly expert :)

2009-02-27T14:35:00.003+08:00

This is taken today, a few days after my previous post on Mia's rolling ability. I must say she's quite an expert at rolling from back to tummy now. She's always doing it, and throws up half her feed in the process - gross! She's started to commando crawl a bit now, and can pivot on her tummy really well - which means that she's very close to crawling. Scary.

Gross habits

2009-02-27T14:27:00.003+08:00

What's worse - sucking your thumbs, or your toes?

Thank God It's Thursday

2009-02-26T12:43:00.002+08:00

Today is my Friday - thank God for that. I know what you're all thinking - yeah, yeah I only work two days a week.

I have had a productive week so far. Borrowed heaps of books on contract law for my Contract Law assignment. Submitted my uni contribution for this week. Done the groceries for the week. Downloaded all the shows for my hubby - yes, now it's become my chore, and I don't know how it did. Did heaps of ironing. Bought new pj's for my baby girl, who's almost outgrown the ones I just bought not long ago. Solved stupid bugs at work that has been bugging me - that means my customer and project manager will be happy when I have something to showcase next week :)

Sigh. If only that was all I had to do for the week. For tonight, I have to clean the house 'cos the in-laws are arriving tomorrow. Finish the superannuation and insurance application forms 'cos ever since we got married, my hubby has decided that I'm his personal assistant, which means I have to do everything. Start researching for my Contract Law assignment due in 2 weeks - yikes!

I have a migraine and I'm exhausted. It is 2pm, and I just wanna get home and give Mia a big kiss and cuddle.

Mia mosie

2009-02-24T14:53:00.004+08:00

When you become a mother, sometimes you do silly things to entertain your baby, anything to make them laugh or smile.

Every morning after breakfast, I would take Mia for a walk in her pram around the neighbourhood. Sometimes we walk my hubby to the bus stop on the way to work. Sometimes my hubby and I would walk Mia together on the weekends. Sometimes it's just a walk to day care.

When it's just Mia and I together, it can be pretty quiet when she becomes immersed in her surroundings - whether it be the birds, or the trees, or her toy cow, or just the pattern of the fabric in her pram.

I was bored one day, so I made up a silly song about my baby and sang it to her while we walked. She thought it was hilarious (though she had no idea what I was singing about). Here are the words:

Mia mo-sie
Cheeks so rosy
Lots of boogers in her no-sie
Likes to suck on her toe-sies
And smell the daisies

Stupid huh?

Rolly Polly Mia

2009-02-24T14:15:00.008+08:00

It is always rewarding to witness your baby's development. My baby Mia has been exceptionally quick in this area - she never ceases to amaze me.

The first time she rolled over from tummy to back was around 1 month.

She didn't really master this skill though til around 2-3 months.

When we had a day stay at Ngala, the Child Health Nurse made a comment to not be surprised if we find her on her tummy after her sleep at 4 months - and that was considered early for rolling from back to tummy. She was 11 weeks then. The next day (New Years Day), Mia surprised us by achieving this feat after one of her daytime sleeps.

She didn't do this again until last week. It was morning, and Gary and I were getting ready for work. I put her on her back on the playmat and returned to find her on her tummy. Yesterday, she just kept rolling onto her tummy everytime I put her on her back. She has mastered rolling over from back to tummy at 18 weeks and 5 days! And what's even more amazing is how far off the ground she can lift her body. She literally tries to sit up by herself when she's in the car seat or in the bouncer, and sometimes she does mini stomach crunches. *Cute* The Gymbaroo instructor was impressed and said that Mia has strong stomach muscles.

I managed to get a video of Mia rolling over when she wasn't looking ... he he.

That's my show and tell for today :)

My baby's first tooth

2009-02-22T02:02:00.001+08:00

This past week my 4 mo daughter has been really whingy and restless, not happy being left anywhere to play for more than 5 minutes at a time. I've been tearing my hair out, especially after coming home from work - tired, hot and trying to cook dinner at the same time whilst trying to keep her happy in the rocker. No such luck. The silly songs I make up and sing only entertain her for a little bit. She has been really clingy to me, crying as soon as I leave the room. That's pretty unusual for her. And ... I thought babies were only meant to have separation anxiety at around 7 months.

I've had a nagging suspicion that Mia was teething, but I thought maybe I was just being neurotic. Even my Dad thought she was teething, and I told him that he was being neurotic. Babies usually get teeth around 6-7 months. I mean sure, she's been drooling heaps, and I felt her gums and it was kinda hard. Listening to other mothers at Gymbaroo talking about their babies teething, I thought "Nah. Surely teething can't be this easy." Mia hasn't been waking up at night, screaming every 2 hours.

Yesterday I caught a glimpse of Mia's first tooth erupting from her gums. Wow. I was amazed. First tooth at 4.5 months. Mumsy didn't think that it was unusual as all of us kids had ours at around 4 - 5 months. Mia must have inherited my genes for quick development. Funny thing is we bought teething rings last week, and her mouth is too small for her to chew on them. But she has figured out that if she holds a dummy in one hand and tilt it towards her bottom gum, voila - an instant teether. What a smarty pants. And a toughie :)

25 random things about me

2009-02-15T05:47:00.000+08:00

I'm a thinker, and people would say that I'm a quiet person. But I can be really 'crazy' at times, especially around people I know well.
I can be a little obsessive-compulsive. I like putting things in an organised fashion. Cups with handles facing the same way. Iron absolutely everything. All stainless steel appliances immacutely polished.
I used to be very skinny as a child. My parents used to get accused of not feeding me. Now - they get accused of giving me fat genes. Lol.
I'm obsessed with food. I'm always thinking of what I want to eat for lunch.
I'm a choc-a-holic. On Christmas Day five years ago, I ate SOOOOOO much Ferrerro Rocher chocolates, I made myself very very sick and had to lie in bed for 3 days. Now I won't touch one, and I'm on a chocolate free diet. One month chocolate free so far :)
I hate window shopping, but I do lurve to spend. I love shops with a website - then I check out what I like, try it on in the shops and buy it if I like it. This way I spend a lot of money in the least time possible, instead of waste a lot of time and not spend anything!
In high school, I wanted to be in the medical or health field. Then I went to uni, had to dissect a dead person's leg in human biology lab, and decided to quit and take Computer Science.
When I first met my hubby at the pub for work drinks, I thought he was cute even if he acted like a drunk. Ha ha. I was secretly disappointed to find out that he had a GF.
I spend a lot of time thinking about how to renovate and decorate my house to my liking. Maybe it's just easier to smash it down and start again.
I want an extreme total makeover, starting with the stretch marks and loose skin on my tummy.
I am addicted to exercise, but I hate to exercise alone. That's why I hired a personal trainer for two and a half years. Now my hubby won't let me re-hire one :(
I once took weight loss capsules designed for clinically obese people in secret for a week. Let's just say, what came out turned me off such things forever.
My childhood hero is Steffy Graf.
My idea of a perfect break is staying in a nice country side cottage overlooking the hills, rugged up in front of a fire and drinking hot tea. Maybe that's why I love staying at the in-laws' so much.
I think dogs are so cute, but I'm terribly scared of 'em. Especially the little ones. Would you believe that I once was chased by a toy poodle all the way home? Lol.
Strangely enough, I get good ideas and solve hard problems when I'm in the shower or sitting on the toilet.
During Cheng Beng in 2005, my aunt told me to pray to my great grandparents and ask them to send me a good man to marry. Funnily enough, a month later I started dating my now husband and was engaged to him 6 months later.
I always thought my first born would be a boy, and in fact my obstetrician told me I was having a boy. After seeing some cute baby girls at an aqua aerobics class, I told a friend that I wished I was having a girl. One week later, I had my 20 week ultrasound and found out I was actually having a girl, not a boy!
My very first best friend in Perth bullied me when I first met her. She made me cry by telling me that her father was a policeman and was gonna come and get me. Lol.
When I was a child, I was a picky eater - I would only eat rice, eggs and soya sauce. Now I eat anything and can't stand picky eaters!
My father used to bribe me into doing my brother's paper rounds by helping me deliver them in the car and buying Red Rooster afterwards.
I used to hate cheese and mayonnaise. I would never touch McDonald's. What happened?!
I used to love creating chipmunk comics - the storyline was about a friend and her "crush".
I used to collect stickers. Every week, a friend and I would walk to Garden City and spend $50 on stickers each time.
I had braces twice. The last time I had it, I wore it to my own wedding.

First born

2009-02-11T14:06:00.001+08:00

Here you go mums - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born!

Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Yes .. extremely planned, up to the EDD.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes.

3. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION? I was in denial. Lol.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? No.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 26.

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? We were planning our pregnancy and my hubby had a feeling that I was pregnant so we did several pregnancy tests, all of which came out positive.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Besides my husband, a friend ... only cos she asked me on the night I found out, and I couldn't resist.

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Yes, and it was wrong the first time.

9. DUE DATE? 14 October 2008 - on our 2nd wedding anniversary. Mia was born the day after.

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Yes, all throughout the pregnancy.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Sushi, sashimi, ice-cream, tuna, avocado, Coke, coffee.

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? The endless advice!

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? Female.

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? Sort of, I always wanted a boy first, but hubby wanted a girl first. All is good though, I am so blessed :)

15. HOW MANY KGs DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? 16 kgs I think. And most of that was in the last 4 weeks. Yikes!

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? No.

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? Didn't have one.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Severe acid reflux and anaemia.

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? St John of God Murdoch.

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? I wasn't. Couldn't be induced as Mia's head was free floating!

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? Gary.

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Gary and about 12 other people from the medical profession.

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? C-Section.

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? I had to have a spinal block during the C-section, and lots of anti-inflammatories, pain killers and morphine afterwards. Not nice.

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 3.6 kgs - the obstetrician's estimate was spot on!

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? 15 October 2008

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Mia Claire

31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 17 weeks

Working mom v SAMH

2009-02-06T14:42:00.001+08:00

I never thought that I would actually enjoy being a Stay at Home Mom (SAMH) until I went back to work this week. When we came home with Mia from the hospital and I was left with the daunting task of looking after her alone while the hubby was at work, I was terrified. Bored. Desperate to go back to what I was good at. I felt that I was no good as a mother - in actual fact, I didn't know how to be a mother. But weeks went by, and with the help of a wonderful nurse at Ngala and my dear and wonderful hubby, I gained some confidence, got some much needed rest and bonded with my baby girl. I take her everywhere with me now. Shopping. Groceries. Markets. Baby Gym. Walks. It's been so nice seeing her grow up and be a happy little camper. Her laughing with me (or at me?). Rolling around the floor gym. Seeing her use her hands to grab her toys. Putting absolutely EVERY thing in her mouth.

On Wednesday, I went back to work for the first time in five months. It was kinda hectic and very busy. Wake up at 6 am. Take a quick shower. Get dressed. Make breakfast for Gary and I, and wolf it down. Wake Mia at 6.30 am. Give her meds. Feed her whilst drinking my tea. Change her nappy. Get her dressed. Pack her bag for day care. Put her in the stroller. Gary and I then walk her to day care. Walk to the bus stop. Get on the bus and then the train. Walk to work. Work til 4 pm. Catch the train to the station. Wait for Gary and get on the bus. Pick up Mia from day care. Play with her for a bit. Feed her and give her meds. Cook. Eat dinner. Gary does Mia's bath while I load the dishwasher and wash all the bottles and pack for day care for the next day. Dress Mia in her pj's. Read Mia a bedtime story. Feed her again. Tuck her in bed. Prepare for the next night's dinner. Clean the house. Do the ironing. Do some uni work. Watch TV with Gary. Bed time. Phew!

I can tell you this - life as a SAMH is so much simpler. You don't have to run around like a headless chicken. And I'm only working two days a week! Wait until March when I add another day, and Gary has the Friday off. Men have it so easy!!!

A lot of "firsts"

2009-01-22T09:10:00.001+08:00

I don't know why I'm feeling so determined to conquer my fears today. But I have, and I'm so proud I survived :) Don't know why I'm making such a big deal out of this actually, but when you become a first time mother, maybe you might get my drift.

Usually, I drop off Mia at my parents' house and then I walk across the road to the FF in Myaree. But I haven't been to the gym since New Years Eve, and decided that I wanted to do a Body Attack class instead of Body Pump, and that was on at the FF in Cannington. I didn't want to drive ALL the way to Winthrop, and then back towards Cannington, so I decided to put Mia at the creche at the gym. She was good - the ladies loved her *beams*

Then I decided to do my grocery shopping since I needed to post some parcels. It's not my first time grocery shopping with Mia on my own, but it is with a stroller! BIG mistake. I had to carry a basket in one hand, and put some stuff in the stroller basket, which is not very big at all. Still, somehow I managed. Lucky it was not a long shopping list.

As if that wasn't enough "firsts" in one day, my hubby rang me up to sell our old textbooks to the second hand bookshop at Curtin Uni. So there I go again with the Baby Bjorn, baby bag on one shoulder, and a bag full of heavy textbooks in the other. The ladies at the bookshop were nice enough to help me fill out the contract paper luckily.

And here is the final first. I had to go to Garbo to return some stuff that I decided that I didn't want. And I thought, gee Mia has been good. Maybe I can try on some clothes. So I fed her in the parents room and it took agessss. There was no aircon, so it was quite sticky. Mia didn't want me holding her for her feed so I had to feed her in the stroller while she turns her head from side to side like crazy - it took me 45 minutes. I did manage to go into three shops before she started getting really grumpy. To be fair, she hadn't had much sleep today and I was pushing her a bit too far. Bless my little girl - she had been good, and I did manage to buy two tops for myself and some accessories for my friend's little girls.

M.I.A.

2009-01-21T03:14:00.002+08:00

Sorry guys, I've been M.I.A. for over 3 months now. I've got this tendency to blog away like there's no tomorrow and then, boom, no posts for ages!

The biggest news is that I finally had my little baby girl :) Mia Claire was born on October 15th at 8.10 am, 50 cm, 3.6 kg/7 pounds 15 ounces. The early days were tough and extremely exhausting, evem depressing. Having a reflux and colicy baby has tested my inner strength to the max. Becoming a mother has been the biggest challenge of my life. It's now been 2 months since Mia was diagnosed with acid reflux, and after getting her on medication as well as getting her into daytime sleep training ... I can finally say that I am enjoying being a mother and am bonding with my baby girl. Sure, there are still bad days once in a while but hey ... there is no such thing as a perfect baby. I've stopped wishing for one. I've finally come to a realisation that my expectations about motherhood was somewhat unrealistic and that I should accept life as it comes. I sincerely thank my beloved husband, dear friends, sister-in-law, GP and Ngala nurse. Without these people, I would not be on the road to recovery. Mia had her 3-4 month assessment by the CHN today, and she is soooo tall for her age that she is off the charts!!! And her weight-for-age is in the 97th percentile. Woo hoo!!! My baby is thriving BIG time. Guess she got her Daddy's tall genes :)

A sad piece of news is that my father-in-law has been diagnosed with Parkinson's, so they are selling up in Denmark and moving to Victoria. We have just spent our last Christmas at the house in Denmark and I will miss it heapppsss. I'm glad that Mia got to spend at least one Christmas there. I must say that I won't miss the 5 hour drive!!!

A week ago, Gary, Mia and I flew to Miri for our dear friends Charles's and Li-Ya's wedding. It was such a reunion for us girls - Pauline, Johanna, Trifina, Joanne, Jessica and Li-Ya. We all stayed at the Marriott Spa & Resort, and had such a good time. Was emotional seeing my childhood friend walk down the aisle to marry the love of her life. I'm soooo happy for the lovely couple, and I know that you guys will have a blissful marriage - make sure you give Mia some playmates soon 'kay? *Grins*

Drop baby drop

2008-10-13T16:50:00.001+08:00

Maybe the last "good" night sleep I will have for a long time to come. Sigh! Bub is still showing no signs of dropping. Actually my stomach is getting higher and higher by the day. Weirddddd ... so much for my hard work of turning posterior baby into a left occiput anterior baby, supposedly for the 'perfect' delivery. Oh well, I'm not giving up yet - there is still tomorrow. Please feel free to crash Mummy and Daddy's 2nd year wedding anniversary. In fact, Daddy will be so thankful 'cos it means he won't have to sit his test :)

I promise there is nothing scary down there, so DROP, BABY, DROP!

Uncle Tony's "Cheat" Canoli Recipe

2008-09-23T06:10:00.002+08:00

My ex-boss gave me this recipe. He used to bring in delicious cream horns to work sometimes, and they tasted absolutely fab. Very easy to make to, but not quite authentic Italian. I didn't know that depending on the region you are from in Italy, the shape of the canoli is different. Apparently I was supposed to make the ones that look like it's in a cone, but the ones I ended up making are typically Sicilian.

What you need:

Hollow stainless steel canoli shells. I used canoli tubes, bought them from an Italian deli called Princis at Romano's in Beaconsfield.
Olive oil.
Puff pastry.
Icing sugar.
Cottee's Vanilla Flavoured Instant Pudding.

Preheat oven to 180C.
Divide the puff pastry into 4 strips or squares.
Coat the stainless steel shells in olive oil, and wrap the puff pastry loosely around the shell. Start from the narrow end and work your way around the larger end (if you are using the cones).
Put in oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove the shell and cool.
Make the vanilla pudding by adding milk to the mix and whisk well. Leave it to set for about 15 minutes.
Use a piping bag and fill the shells with the vanilla pudding.
Dust some icing sugar on the shells.

Not the best looking canolis I've ever seen, but still quite yummy!

Authentic Malaysian Cooking

2008-09-20T09:08:00.001+08:00

I came across this blog from a friend's blog . It has LOTS of authentic Asian recipes ... and they look soooo YUMMY!!! Can't wait to try!

There's a giant in there ...

2008-09-19T15:05:00.000+08:00

I went to the obstetrician yesterday for the usual antenatal visit. Bub has had yet ANOTHER growth spurt. She is now 2.9 kgs (6 pounds 6 ounces), which the OB reckons is a really good growth over the last 2.5 weeks. Right ... good growth equals my first stretch marks on my stomach. Yikes! Her head is a little bigger than average - wonder who she gets that from :P

OB's words exactly: "Not a big baby .. but not exactly small either."

I just have one plea to bub - please come early, or you will rip me to shreds!!

19 years in Perth

2008-09-18T09:28:00.002+08:00

Tonight, at just before midnight, marks 19 years since my arrival in Perth. I was 7 years old then, and thought Perth was such a quiet and eerie city with no cars to be seen, and emptiness everywhere. We stayed at my dad's friend's house since our house in Winthrop had not completed build. I had to sleep in a room with my sister, with a poor excuse of a blanket (actually it was just a sheet), and was freezing. After all, I had just come from a hot and humid Jakarta, and was not used to Perth's chilly spring weather. I remember crying and telling Dad I wanted to go home BADLY. He was actually going to turn around and move us all back 'til my mother talked him out of it and to just let the kids adjust. In a way, I thank her for her sensibility (is that a word?).

Looking back through the years I have spent in Perth, I have so much to be thankful for. There are so many things to list, but these are the more notable ones ...

My dear besties - the girls who've always been there for me through everything. Love you guys heaps xx

My parents - if not for them, I wouldn't be here in the first place. Even on my wedding day, Dad manages to act silly - LOL!

My "dumb and dumber" brothers - HAHA - my life would be so dull if you guys weren't around to drive me crazy ...

My in-laws - you've taken me into your family and always spoil me, especially down in Denmark :) Janet - thank you for your delicious dinners. Dinner is always my favourite part of the day when I'm down in Denmark, and missing the games of Rummikab!!

Julie, Ben and Blake - the nicest extended family I could ever ask for.

My unborn baby girl - I can't wait to meet you. Muach. I'm sure you'll be the source of joy to us for years to come.

All these employers have contributed to my personal and professional growth in some way, and my career wouldn't be what it is today without having worked in these places. Also met some wonderful people, some of which I'm still friends with today. You's know who you's are :)

My wonderful hubby, with whom I share a wonderful life.

Things to look forward to ...

2008-09-17T17:21:00.001+08:00

Shopping for normal clothes again. There are soooo many nice dresses and blouses in the stores that I've been dying to try on, but probably couldn't get away with buying now without getting funny looks from the shop assistants.

De-shrekking my hands, feet and legs. I swear I have literally swelled up overnight. One day I went to lunch with my colleagues and noticed that my right hand ring was quite tight. Hmphhhh.

Going to the gym and jump around as much as I want without getting dizzy.

Ride my bicycle again. Miss those afternoon rides around the river.

Eating sushi, sashimi, sushi, sashimi, sushi, sashimi. Get the picture?

This will still be awhile yet, but drinking a nice cup of coffee and eating heaps and heaps of chilli 'til my stomach hurts :)

Having a reunion at my besties' weddings next year - it's been too long since the last reunion guys!

Spending Christmas in Denmark. Have not been to Denmark since last Xmas, which is very unusual for us. Looking forward to Mumsy-in-law's delicious meals and desserts, the gorgeous beaches, the nice cool weather ....

And last, but not least I look forward to meeting my baby girl :) Awwww ....

Desperate Housewives

2008-09-17T09:59:00.001+08:00

Previously on Desperate Housewives ...

So I've started my maternity leave this week and become a desperate housewife .. haha. Thought it would be all nice and peachy, but to tell you the truth life is so dull and boring I would rather go to work!

My daily grind so far consists of: waking up, have breakfast with the hubby, take a nap til 10 am when the hubby leaves for work, go on the laptop to see which one of my friends are available to chat (thank God Jess is mostly always there .. muah!), eat lunch by myself, watch a bit of daytime TV, do some chores around the house, get a few quotes for more renovations, prepare dinner, wait eagerly for the hubby to come home from work, eat dinner, take a stroll around the neighbourhood, read a book and off to bed. Boring huh?

If only ...

I was like Bree, then maybe I could bake or make my garden look pretty. Not that I haven't tried ... haha. I'm trying not to eat too many sweets before my appointment with the OB/GYN tomorrow. And if your garden was anything like mine, you would understand why you wouldn't bother :)
I was like Gabrielle and had a super duper rich hubby, then I could shop all day. Sigh - that would be heavenly! But then again, shopping is not exactly great in Perth.
I was like Lynette .. on second thoughts, scrap that. She's got too many kids!
I was like Susan, then I can happily paint away ...

A message to my beloved girlfriends: c'mon and join the Mumsy's club and then we can all be housewives together :)

Lady of leisure?

2008-09-12T10:08:00.000+08:00

Today is my last working day for 2008 - can't believe it. Feels so unreal. This time last year we were flying off to London to start on our big European holiday. And that felt unreal. Even now, it feels like we never went.

How time flies! In about 4 weeks time (or less with any luck), I am going to be a mother. OMG. In the mean time, what am I going to do? Be a lady of leisure? Hardly. I don't know how to sit still. I get bored way too easily.

On a bright note, I received my annual salary review letter today and must say that I am very very pleased. I am even getting a bonus, which was unexpected, especially because I am working for the government after all! And I helped my colleague figure out a work problem that has been bugging us for weeks. What a nice way to end the working year :)

Pizzas ... yum!

2008-09-09T07:55:00.001+08:00

This one is for you Jess :)
So easy to make, and a guaranteed success.

Ingredients:

Pizza bases - don't use the frozen ones unless you really have to. I buy these ones from Woolworths bread section, but they can be hard to get. It is Quattro's Bakehouse & Fine Foods Pizza Base Unsauced Twin Pack.
Pizza cheese - recommendation is Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus, otherwise you can just use any Mozarella or Cheddar cheese. This one is a combination of Mozarella, Cheddar and Parmesan.
Pepperoni* - Get Dorsogna
Ham*
Pizza sauce - Get Leggo's
Mushroom*
Tomato*
Green capsicum*

* Can be substituted with any topping desired.

Directions:

Preheat oven to about 200C.
Spread pizza sauce over the base.
Sprinkle a bit of cheese.
Place all desired toppings.
Sprinkle more cheese.
Place on pizza trays. I use Analon Suregrip Pizza Crisper - really recommend it as the holes make your bases nice and crispy :)
Put in oven for about 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is golden.

Voila!

Men can't live without women

2008-09-05T07:00:00.000+08:00

My hubby has been working from a client's house these past few days, and comes back to me and says:

HUBBY: You know when you go to other people's houses, you really appreciate the house that you live in.
ME: Really? Why is that?
HUBBY: Oh this guy's house - looks like it hasn't been vacuumed in 2 months. No clean dishes anywhere - mountains of dishes piling up in the sink, and the toilet hole is black.
ME: Doesn't his wife clean?
HUBBY: Nope they are divorced.

It figures.

Married men live in paradise. They come home to:

A house that is cleaned, mopped and dusted at least once a week.
Freshly laundered and ironed sheets to sleep on.
Home cooked meal every day.
Disinfected toilet with nice toilet paper.
Clean and ironed shirts, pants, peejays, underwear etc.
A cup of tea while they put their feet up.

Working late ... AGAIN

2008-09-03T14:39:00.001+08:00

It's 6:39 pm on a Wednesday, and I'm still at the office itching to finish work. Last night, I had to stay til 7:45 pm for stage 2 of a project rollout, rightly named Trouble Call System ... haha. I ate dinner at 8 pm last night, and arrived home at 8:30 pm. I know, I know - doesn't sound THAT late by Singapore standards, but I did start work at 7:30 am yesterday - a 12 hour day for a heavily pregnant woman! I was so exhausted when I got home, but my mind was racing at a million miles an hour so a hot shower finally sent me off to sleep. Mind you - felt like I just did an overnighter or something.

Bosses found out this morning how late I stayed last night, and they expressed their concern. Didn't do anything about it though, did they? Talk is cheap!

I think I'm gonna be here for quite a while yet :(

Baby update: what else?

2008-09-03T04:28:00.000+08:00

Sigh ... nothing else is going on in my life except the pregnancy of course. Just a quick update - I'm now 34 weeks (although I have a nagging suspicion that it's actually 35 weeks). Bub is now 2.28 kgs and is in a sideways position in my belly. Which explains why my tummy is so huge when looking sideways!!! Oh well, at least she is no longer in posterior. I don't feel so bad about my obstetrician anymore - he is actually a really competent doctor, and his arrogance is probably due to the fact that he's Irish. Gary was looking at all the certificates on his office wall at our antenatal visit yesterday, and came to a conclusion that he's actually Irish and not English! Which explains his mannerisms quite perfectly apparently ...

I'm getting really quite annoyed at the endless baby advice people try to give me. Why do women always insist they know best just 'cos they've had a baby? And why do they assume that every woman will have the same experience as they did? Everyone seems to think that they own this baby that I'm carrying!!! And what's up with people trying to touch your belly without asking? Grrrrr ... I feel a bit violated. I was really annoyed when a female colleague of mine told me (for the nth time) that I should be taking a year off work instead of 6 months. I nearly told her to mind her own business. Maybe I should, but then again I don't really want to create conflict in the workplace. To cut things short, many women go back to work 6 months after they've had their babies, and it doesn't make the babies worse off. I think you have to do what's right for you in the end, and not explain yourself to anyone. Oops I better stop there - I can go on and on for hours blogging about what else has been annoying me. Hah!

Got a late night at work today and tomorrow (at least 12 hour days for both days). Not happy Jan, as today is supposed to be my day working from home. I'm tired and cranky, as I was supposed to be winding down from work these two weeks.

Buyer's remorse: I don't want a conehead baby

2008-08-27T17:54:00.001+08:00

The last antenatal class at SJOG Murdoch last night was very interesting indeed. It turns out that we weren't the only couple seeing Dr X, and they too had buyer's remorse. The other woman was told that her baby was in a breech position, and there was nothing she could do except to have a C-section, and she's only 35 weeks. From what I've heard, usually OBs do try and manipulate the baby to move head down before even suggesting a caesarian. They didn't trust his opinion, so went behind his back and consulted another OB for a second opinion. It turns out that he was correct, much to their dismay.

Our main complaint, as well as theirs, was that Dr X is arrogant. I have iron deficiency and was prescribed iron tablets by my GP. When Dr X sent me to get a glucose test done for gestational diabetes, I mentioned that I had a followup blood test for iron anyway. He said that I didn't need to have one, and threw my form in the bin! He reckons so what if my iron levels are still deficient? What could I do about it? Um, I would have thought an iron infusion, or injection?!

Anyway, enough of that. When a midwife from SJOG called me to make an appointment for my pre-admission interview, and she asked me if Dr X was doing a C-section. From that, and from reading his notes, I had a bad feeling that he is a pro C-section OB. My worst fears were confirmed by the midwife last night. Apparently he loves his golf, so he prefers to do C-sections and that 75% of his vaginal deliveries are assisted with vaccuums!!! Her advice to me: be firm, shut up and push my heart out, unless I want a conehead baby. I guess at least I'll be finishing work a week earlier than planned - to get some rest to get ready to do some pushing!!! And to toughen myself up not to use epidural or pethidine.

Eating like a pregnant woman

2008-08-26T10:40:00.001+08:00

I have broken my rule about eating for two. Up until Week 26, I have been really good about not literally eating for two, and was exercising as per pre-pregnancy. I gained hardly any weight, actually was losing weight - suppose the endless morning sickness and reflux contributed to that. I've stopped vomitting for quite a while, and my appetite is pretty much back - actually I'm pretty much hungry all the time. Or is it my eyes? Hehe ... I think I'm just making up for lost time?

I'm always thinking about the next ice cream to eat, or toasted cheese and tomato sandwich at 9.30, or maybe I could have a hot chocolate today. No wonder I've stacked it on in the past 7 or 8 weeks. I've become the FAT pregnant woman I vowed not to become. Dr X's orders - no more Milo - just empty calories - "shocking" were his exact words. Well excuse me. Can't help it if that was the only thing that helped me sleep at the time.

Burnt by steam

2008-08-24T10:17:00.001+08:00

I decided to host a steamboat lunch at my place for my family. It's been ages since I've organised one, so when my Dad wanted to have one I though 'heck, why not have it at our place?'.

On the gastronomic menu:
Fresh prawns, scallops and squids from Innaloo Seafood Market. These were delish, and yes we are obssessed with seafood to drive up north to get the best.

Sliced beef, chicken and pork.

Yong To Fu.

Tofu - I accidentally swallowed a whole one of these while steaming hot out of the pot, and still paying for it by burning the lining of my esophagus. Ouch. Boo hoo.

Wonton Egg Noodles.

Chinese Cabbage, Bok Choy and Oyster Mushrooms a.k.a. "sperm" mushrooms, as Gary calls it.

A choice of chicken broth and seafood broth.

The simplest meal you could ever prepare :)

Why you should never ever get a games console for your hubby

2008-08-17T11:40:00.002+08:00

Recently, my hubby somehow managed to convince me to get an Xbox 360 to replace our current media centre running of the original Xbox. I must've been drunk or something when I suggested that I get it for his birthday. And my "dumb and dumber" brothers bought him the racing wheel to go with it. Now my lounge room is in a constant mess, and my husband is unresponsive. Happy Birthday Gary!

grrrrrr ... i need coffee!!!

2008-08-15T04:39:00.002+08:00

It is Friday morning, and I'm sitting at my desk at work instead of "working" from home, and I am soooooo sleepy. Seriously tearing my hair out ... I need some caffeine, or maybe I should contemplate sleeping in the sick room again.

Placentophagia

2008-08-10T04:35:00.001+08:00

Isn't it ironic that last Sunday, we were joking around with Vix and Mikee about eating the placenta, and after reading an article in Mother & Baby magazine about a woman eating hers ... I am seriously considering eating it?! Sounds gross? Yeah definitely, but it is a common practice in some cultures and it has some very attractive benefits.

The benefits

It may deter the onset of postpartum depression. The placenta contains high levels of various vitamins, such as B6. Eating the placenta enables the mother to "reclaim" these vitamins and put them to use in her own body. It may also increase a mother's blood levels of a hormone known as CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone), a known stress-reducer. After childbirth, the hypothalamus doesn't immediately receive the signal to begin producing CRH again, which can lead to postpartum depression. Eating the placenta can raise a mother's CRH levels, reducing symptoms of postpartum depression.
It may help replenish nutrients lost during childbirth as human placenta is rich in various essential nutrients such as iron and protein.
It can increase breastmilk production, especially in women at risk for low milk supply.
It can stimulate uterine contractions and slow postpartum hemmorhage. Eating the placenta triggers the release of oxytocin into the bloodstream, enabling the uterus to quickly heal and tone itself after childbirth. It immediately enables the uterus to contract and quickly return to its pre-pregnancy size, as well as slowing postpartum bleeding. Imagine having a flat stomach a few days after birth instead of waiting 6 weeks?

Some yummy recipes ...
Each placenta weighs approximately 1/6 of the baby's weight. Cut the meat away from the membranes with a sharp knife. Discard the membranes.

Placenta Cocktail: 1/4 cup raw placenta, 8oz V-8 juice, 2 ice cubes, 1/2 cup carrot. Blend at high speed for 10 seconds

Placenta Lasagne: Use your favorite lasagne recipe and substitute this mixture for one layer of cheese. In 2 tbl. olive oil, quickly saute meat of 3/4 placenta, ground or minced plus 2 sliced cloves of garlic, 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1/2 diced onion & 2 tbl. tomato paste, or 1 whole tomato.

Placenta Spaghetti: Cut meat of 3/4 placenta into bite size pieces, then brown quickly in 1 tbl. butter plus 1 tbl. oil. Then add 1 large can tomato puree, 2 cans crushed pear tomatoes, 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tbl. molasses, 1 bay leaf, 1 tbl. rosemary, 1 tsp. ea. of salt, honey, oregano, basil, and fennel. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Placenta Stew: Meat of 3/4 placenta in bite size chunks, 1 potato (cubed), 1/4 cup fresh parsley, 2 carrots, 3 ribs celery, 1 zucchini, 1 large tomato, 1 small onion. Dredge meat in 1 tbl. flour mixed with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp. paprika, pinch of cloves, pinch of pepper, 6-8 crushed coriander seeds. Saute meat in 2 tbl. oil, then add vegetables (cut up) and 4-5 cups of water. Bring to full boil, then simmer for 1 hour.

Placenta Pizza: Grind placenta. Saute in 2 tbl. olive oil with 4 garlic cloves, then add 1/4 tsp fennel, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1/4 tsp. thyme, and 1/4 cup of wine. Allow to stand for 30 minutes, then use with your favorite home made pizza recipe. It's a fine placenta sausage topping.

Now I have to work out the courage of telling my obstetrician - yay! I'm sure he will be very pleased NOT. He'll probably lecture me that there are no inherent benefits and be skeptical, as I expect Western doctors to be.

Sources:

Job ad for a mum

2008-08-03T07:12:00.002+08:00

WANTED: Person to work, often 24/7, in chaotic environment. The successful applicant must have outstanding communication and organisation skills and be proficient in all the following areas: counselling, events management, nursering, catering, teaching, home maintenance, odd job repair skills, transportation, sanitation and conflict resolution. No previous experience is required, as on-the-job training will occur on a continually exhausting basis. While no paid holidays, superannuation or stock options are offered, this job offers limitless opportunities for personal growith without remuneration.

Taken from Motherguilt by Ita Buttrose & Dr Penny Adams

Quite appropriate don't you think?

From gym junkie to couch potato

2008-07-28T03:35:00.000+08:00

I used to be a self confessed gym junkie, working out everyday of the week even twice on some days. I would reject lunch invitations from friends and colleagues cos it meant missing out on exercise. Then I became a bit smarter with my exercise routine, and mixed in cardio classes, personal training sessions and yoga, and even had one day off. When I became pregnant, my exercise routine didn't change. I added an aqua aerobics class with a friend one day a week. I made a vow to myself that I wasn't going to use my pregnancy to become slack. Then my personal trainer left on a 6 month European adventure in mid June. I did start off working out by myself and doing the classes as usual. I was sick for a week and stopped exercising, and by the time I got back to it - it was just too hard. My legs were reubbing uncomfortably against my ever growing tummy when I tried doing the rpm classes. I could no longer bounce up and down and lost my agility. I felt dizzy instead of feeling good from the endorphins. Now I'm just a lazy couch potato and has to be dragged by my hubby to go for a walk around the neighbourhood. What has become of me? I've become my own worst nightmare - a sloth! No wonder I've put on so much weight.

Rock-a-bye baby: Momma needs sleep!

2008-07-23T03:55:00.000+08:00

I've had three weeks of okay sleep, but help - the third trimester has arrived and sleep deprivation is back with a vengeance. There's no way to get comfortable 'cos my belly is just getting huge. Bub seems to be lying right on my bladder, so there's also the frequent trips to the toilet. Stomach upsets have become worse. My legs cramp. When I do drift off to sleep, bub decides that she doesn't care for her position and turns over with a tummy shaking flop. Or a few leg exercises and kicks me hard. Even when I am sleeping, it's not a deep sleep as vivid dreams and nightmares keep me on the verge of awakening.

simple amusements

2008-07-22T07:52:00.001+08:00

Solaitre is such a simple game yet it is so entertaining. I've recently become reacquainted with this old game during an external training course while waiting for my peers to finish their lab exercises. The frustration ... arghhh! Still haven't been able to win a game of Spider Solaitre yet and I used to be so good at it. I think that's half the attraction really. Gary and I used to spend half an hour every morning having a Solaitre Showdown on msn messenger.

Recently I switched to Windows Vista Business as my OS and was annoyed to find out there were no games installed. Except today I just realised that they are installed, just hidden. Easy fix - lol! So there goes half my day working from home ...

Pregnancy does not mean frumpy!!!

2008-07-15T03:29:00.000+08:00

While a pregnant body is a beautiful thing, it should be kept tastefully hidden, not flaunted as a fashion accessory. But who says that beauty and fashion has to go out the window during pregnancy? Maternity clothes are designed to make you more comfortable during pregnancy, and they fit differently than your regular clothes. So having said that, the biggest mistakes are (1) to buy normal clothes in a bigger size than you normally would wear, and (2) to raid your husband's wardrobe - NOT attractive!

You don't have to go and rush out to buy maternity clothes as soon as you know you're up the duff. Early in my pregnancy when I wasn't quite showing yet, I used a belly band - a solid band of fabric, nylon and spandex, that you step into and pull up around your waist. You can use the entire length of the fabric, or fold it down for less coverage. It was in fashion in 2003 'cos I remember having a white and pink one.

You don't need to spend a fortune on maternity clothes - pick clothes that match the season. Buy clothes that layer nicely to span more seasons and changing body temperatures. This can help you save money. To give you the illusion of having more clothes, consider how the outfits you buy will mix and match to create more outfits for you. My recommended pregnancy survival kit:

a couple of pants in neutral colours
a pair of jeans
a couple of singlets
a nice skirt
a couple of dresses
about 5 tops

My two fave maternity shops are Pumpkin Patch and Mother and Me. Mother and Me can be a bit on the pricey side, but they have the basics in a wide range of colours. I've been to both the stores in Garden City and Murray Street, and both ladies were extremely good in giving fashion advice and how you can mix and match the basics. Even non-pregnant women shop in there!!! A secret that one of the ladies tell me is NOT to buy cardigans from maternity shops, as they are exactly the same as non-maternity cardigans but jacked up in price. You are only meant to button the top 2 or 3 buttons and leave your belly exposed anyway.

Winter is a bit tricky as it is so hard to find something warm for my growing belly. I've just chosen to wear coats that have buttons as opposed to zippers. Another option is wearing a shawl over a long sleeve, but even that can not be warm enough for Perth's sudden chilly weather this winter!! I've started to wear dresses with a pair of tights and boots or ballet flats. Very comfy indeed. I did manage to find a nice warm long cardigan from Witchery that has been staple to my winter wardrobe. One of the reasons why I bought it is I will be able to wear it after my pregnancy as I didn't have to get a bigger size to fit my belly since it only has one button :)

I wished we had this store in Perth GlowMama. Maybe for my next pregnancy ..?

shop-a-holic?

2008-07-14T07:26:00.000+08:00

Help ... I cannot stop shopping for baby stuff. My unborn baby has already got a wardrobe FULL of clothes, but I was really bored on the weekend and after reading "Baby Love" (they specified that a newborn needs 4 cardigans and socks), I bought some from the online Pumpkin Patch shop and managed to spend another $250 on more clothes. Not to mention I decided that I needed more clothes to accomodate my ever growing belly, I bought some more maternity clothes for myself too. I think bub is gonna have more clothes than me soon - lol. Is this a pregnancy side effect, a first time mother syndrome or just me being me? He he.

Week 26

2008-07-11T04:51:00.000+08:00

Dear Bubby,

When I first found out about you, I was overwhelmed - I wasn't sure if I was ready for your existence. I hadn't expected that your daddy and I would be able to create you so quickly. I know I should have been grateful really, but somehow I wasn't. I knew I really wanted you badly when that stupid GP said that you may not be viable.

Even though I was throwing up everyday and had to give up all my favourite things for you (coffee, chocolate, chilli, tomatoes, tea), I didn't mind doing it. I was so thrilled when the obstetrician told us that you were going to be a boy, but was puzzled and shocked to find out 3 weeks later that he had gotten it wrong and the foetal anatomy scan proved that you were, in fact, a boy. A week before that, I had seen some cute baby girls at aqua and had thought 'How nice it would be if you were a girl' and even dreamt that you were a girl. I didn't know at the time, but when we found out you were a girl, I felt devastated. I thought I had wished my baby boy away, and I couldn't accept you.

I cried for hours and hours, days at a time. I blamed you for all my physical and medical discomforts. I locked myself in your room cos I didn't know how I was going to cope with you. Your endless kicking drove me insane at times. I couldn't even bare to touch the beautiful Emmaljunga pram we bought for you. I felt guilty because I felt I couldn't be a good mother to you. I felt I couldn't cope with anything anymore until one day, I had a wake up call and my heart opened up to you. I realised that all this crying, misery and sadness would have an effect on you.

I love it when you respond to my touch, and when you kick for daddy. I love singing you lullabies before we go to sleep at night, even though I don't know all the words. Even with all the pain and discomfort, you are worth it cos I know I couldn't bear to lose you. I will treasure this secret bond between you and me as long as it lasts ...

Pregnancy countdown

2008-06-27T05:30:00.000+08:00

Old Wives Tales - to be taken seriously or just for fun?

2008-06-12T12:01:00.000+08:00

Carrying High, Carrying Low
The general story goes that, if you're carrying low, you're having a boy. If you are carrying high, then you must be having a girl.
Conclusion: I'm carrying high and I'm having a girl :)

Heartbeats
If you're having a girl, then the fetal heart rate will be above 140. A boy will have a heart rate below 140.
Conclusion: Bub's heart rate has been around 161 - 167 beats per minute, and she is a girl :)

Weight Gain
if your husband puts on weight during your pregnancy, then you will be having a girl. If he doesn't put on a pound, then you're carrying a boy.
Conclusion: Gary hasn't put on any weight, and we are having a girl :)

Is Her Face Round and Full?
If people tell you that because your face is round and rosy you are having a girl ...
Conclusion: none.

Hairy Legs?
Has the hair on your legs grown faster than normal? Or has it grown just like normal? Because if it’s growing faster than it did pre-pregnancy, then you’re said to be having a boy.
Conclusion: I think it hasn't grown any faster ... and it's a girl :)

What Does Your Belly Look Like?
A basketball or a watermelon? Because if it looks more like a basketball, then old wives say boy, but if it more resembles a watermelon then it’s a girl.
Conclusion: I think it's more like a basketball, and it's not a boy!

Checking Out Your Wee!
Ooooookay…. now apparently if you have bright yellow urine, then you’re carrying a boy, but if it’s dull / clear, then you’re carrying a girl.
Conclusion: Depends on the day, and whether I've been well or not, so no points for this one.

Pimples, Schmiples…
If you get acne during pregnancy, apparently you’re having a girl, and if you don’t, then you’re carrying a boy.
Conclusion: Lately, I have been getting soooo many pimples and yes, it's a girl :)

Are You A Lefty or a Righty?
So when you sleep, do you sleep on your left? Because if you do, then it’s a boy for you! On your right, a girl is in sight.
Conclusion: I sleep on both sides, but prefer the right .. and it's a girl.

Your Flowing Locks
Has your hair become thinner and dull? Or full-bodied and glossy? Thin and dull says girl, gorgeous and glossy says a boy.
Conclusion: I say full-bodied .. not sure about the glossy bit. No conclusion.

Where Are You Carrying Extra Weight?
Even those extra pregnancy kilos is said to give us an insight into your baby’s gender! If you are carrying extra weight at the front, then you’re having a boy… but if you are carrying extra weight on your bum and hips, then you have been carrying a girl.
Conclusion: Extra weight is definitely at the front, and haha it's a girl.

Ahhh, Now I Know Why We Learn Maths At School!
Because if you combine your age at the time of conception with the number of the month you conceived and the resulting number is odd – then it’s a girl on the way. If the resulting number is even, then it’s a boy for you.
Conclusion: 1 for January (conception month) plus 26 (age at conception) = 27. What do you know ... it's an ODD result and it's a girl :)

Sweet, Salty or Sour?
Are you craving sweet foods like juice, fruits and chocolate? if so, old wives say that you could be having a girl. But if you’re craving sour or salty foods, then you could be having a boy. It’s also said that if you are having a boy, you will crave protein like meat and dairy.
Conclusion: More sweet foods and it's a girl.

The Wedding Ring Over The Belly Trick!
Get your wedding ring (or other ring/needle/pin) and attach it with a strand of your hair or some string. Lie down and dangle the ring over your belly. If it starts moving in circles, you are having a boy, or if it moves like a pendulum from side to side, then you are having a girl.
Conclusion: No conclusion.

Morning Sickness?
Did you experience morning sickness in early pregnancy? If you did, then you’re said to be carrying a girl, but if you didn’t have morning sickness, then it’s a boy.
Conclusion: LOTS of morning sickness, and it's a girl!

Cold Feet?
If your feet get colder than they used to pre-pregnancy, it’s a sign you have a boy on the way. If your feet are the same, then it’s a girl!
Conclusion: It's the same, and yes a girl.

Seems fairly accurate so far .... just a bit of fun really :)

A tribute to my unborn daughter

2008-06-12T11:57:00.000+08:00

Sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I wanna hold you til I die
Til we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you til the fear in me subsides

The chorus to Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill that was in the Johnson & Johnson baby powder advertisement back in 1996 just gets me thinking about my unborn baby. It gives me such a warm and fuzzy feeling when I think about holding a soft and vulnerable baby in my arms. It makes me want to protect her and love her so much to the best of my ability, even though I sometimes have doubts that I can. Finally my maternal love is starting to surface :)

The Evolution of Parenthood

2008-06-07T07:04:00.000+08:00

Your Clothes -

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby: Your maternity clothes are your regular clothes.

The Baby’s Name -

1st baby: You pore over baby-name books and practice pronouncing and writing combinations of all your favourites.

2nd baby: Someone has to name their kid after your great-aunt Mavis, right? It might as well be you.

3rd baby: You open a name book, close your eyes, and see where your finger falls. Bimaldo? Perfect!

Preparing for the Birth -

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don’t bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn’t do a thing.

3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.

The Layette -

1st baby: You pre-wash your newborn’s clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby’s little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can’t they?

Pacifier -

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.

2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby’s bottle.

3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Diapering -

1st baby: You change your baby’s diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.

2nd baby: You change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, if needed.

3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Worries -

1st baby: At the first sign of distress - a whimper, a frown - you pick up the baby.

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.

3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Activities -

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out -

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home 5 times.

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home -

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older child isn’t squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Kick ... hehe

2008-06-01T11:59:00.000+08:00

Feels amazing to feel that a little life inside of you is truly alive, kicking away :)
Bub has been kicking away since the night before we found out it's a "she", and not a "he".
Maybe she's responding now that we started calling her by a girl's name, and not a boy's.
And like mother, like daughter ... she is truly a wriggly worm ... hehe :)
Even the chiro actually felt and saw her kick my tummy at Friday's appointment.
She finally kicked for Daddy Gary yesterday as well.
Ouch .. no wonder my stomach muscles are so soreeee.

Week 20

2008-05-27T13:25:00.000+08:00

What a depressing week this has turned out to be. I had a really good week last week - no vomitting, very little hurtburn and LOTS and LOTS of energy!

This week up to date:

My nausea is back
My acid reflux is back
I have a fever
Sleep has been crap
I've started vomitting again
The yellow stomach acid in the morning thing
Burning stomach and chest
Exhausted during the day
I feel like my stomach is gonna explode
My belly button has disappeared
Stomach cramps
Bub is moving around like a restless worm

Arghhhhhhh ... I'm only halfway today. Seriously wanna cry. I'm not tough enough to handle pregnancy. October is still a longggggg way away.

It's a BOY, wait NO it's a GIRL

2008-05-23T01:15:00.001+08:00

I still can't believe it. Four weeks ago, we were finding out the sex of the baby and Dr X was sure that it was a boy. I mean, we saw the willy with our own eyes on the ultrasound machine. We got used to the idea of having a boy - I mean, I felt it too. I was sure that it was a boy. And I was happy.

Three weeks after that, Jess and I did a Saturday aqua aerobics class and saw all these adorable llittle girls having swimming classes, and suddenly I kinda wished I was having a girl. And then 3 days later, I dreamt that I was having a little girl. So can you imagine the shock I had at the fetal anatamy scan, when the doctor asked 'So do you want to know what you're having or do you already know?' Confidently, Gary and I both nodded and told them that we already knew. The doctor and sonographer both said 'Then Dr X would have told you you are having a baby girl?' Huh. We laughed and said 'No way. How could it be? We saw the willy.' Apparently, the difference between the penis and the clitoris at 15 weeks is hard to spot. One is pointing up, the other pointing down and depends on which angle the ultrasound was taken, it is easy to get it mixed up. The doc then added 'Dr X often gets it wrong.'

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I feel like I've lost my little boy. And who is this little girl inside of me?!

Baby nursery furniture

2008-05-04T10:27:00.000+08:00

Some ideas ...

Boori Sleigh 3 in 1 Cot Junior Bed Sofa, in white as pictured in
http://www.babybunting.com.au/product_info.php?product_id=8f53295a73878494e9bc8dd6c3c7104f&name=&title=Boori%20Sleigh%20Cot/Bed%20White
A little on the expensive side, just over $1,000 but it has a drawer at the bottom which I really like. Depends on how expensive the other stuff are ...

Boori Classic Cot Junior White
An alternative, without the drawer at the bottom. More reasonably priced.

King Parrot Scout Cot/Junior Bed

Boori Two Drawer Changer

King Parrot 4 Drawer Chest + Tray, in white

Being up the duff

2008-05-03T12:02:00.003+08:00

I'm now 16 weeks and 5 days pregnant to be exact, so I think it's time to tell you about my experiences so far ...

Week 5 - Never doubt a woman's instinct. We hadn't been trying for a baby for long at all, but there was something in our minds saying "take a pregnancy test!", and so we did. No joke - noone was more astonished and in denial than me when two home pregnancy tests indicated positive. omg - I'm going to be a mother. Arghhhhhh! I went to a random GP to get it confirmed, but ended up with this really shit Indian doctor, who asked me "How could you be pregnant if you had spotting?" Derrr - I thought she was a doctor? And then it gets worse. "I'm not sure if this pregnancy is viable". What the ... ? That's not the kind of thing you say to a first time pregnant woman. Gee - at least do some tests first. And then, "Are you sure you want to keep this baby?" Ummm ... I am married and yes, we did plan this pregnancy. Haha - I proved her wrong, and thank god she is no longer my GP anymore.

Week 6 - Nothing much happened. I don't really feel pregnant, except I can't breathe properly. Not sure if it's the hot and humid weather or what. Gary had to bring me to Sir Charles Gardiner Emergency Department during a uni lecture. The nurse didn't find anything, so she told me to wait for the doctor. Three hours later, still waiting. I felt a little bit better so we decided to skip it and go home. There are some real weirdos in ED, including some dude who had an itchy dick due to sleeping around too many women. Gross.

Week 7 - Definitely bigger boobs. Yay! Nausea has started to hit me .. doh! I am eating all the time just to alleviate the nausea. It's hitting me all the time, not just in the mornings. I go through the actions of vomitting, without actually vomitting. It's quite violent actually. It would help if I could actually vomit something. Anything. I think I am definitely having a boy. Call it a woman's instinct - can't ignore it :)

Week 8 - Some serious vomitting going on - I have vomitted everywhere: at the Convention Centre, in carparks, on Murray Street, in my backyard. I have cursed myself big time. Be careful of what you wish for. The last straw was when I vomitted three times in one morning, and the last occurrence was a very acidic vomit which went through my nose and ears. Ouch big time. My head hurts so bad and I have an assignment due the next day. Gary took me to the GP on duty at Farrington Medical Centre, and that's when we met the kind and gentle Dr F, whom I fully recommend. He diagnosed me with acid reflux, which means no coffee, no tea, no soft drinks, no chilli or tomato, and I have to get the head of the bed raised. The doc also wrote me a note for uni, so that I could withdraw from uni to reduce stress. Not sure how I feel about that, but bub comes first. Not all bad news - I had my first ultrasound and met bub for the first time. It was so amazing and a moment I will always remember for the first time in my life. Very strong heart beat at 167 bpm, but the bub looks like one big blob. Lol. TIP: When told that you have to drink 1L of water and not pee 1 hour before the ultrasound so that your bladder is full, it doesn't mean that you have to be busting, like I was. You can actually pee for 15 seconds and then top up with a glass of water. I wished someone had told me that.
We told our families about the pregnancy - seem to be very pleased. I think Gary's family were a bit surprised though.

Week 9 - Zantac and Mylanta has really helped. I felt pretty good all week til Friday when I started to vomit again. There is something about scrambled eggs that I can't seem to keep down. I've lost 1 kg. This is the week where the embryo develops male or female organs. Awwww ... I'm dying to find out.

Week 10 - Gosh. I feel like I could eat a horse. I'm definitely feeling heaps better. Reducing the stress from uni has definitely helped, but I'm so damn tired. Tried aqua aerobics for the first time, and gosh it is harder than I imagined. Maybe it was because I didn't know we had to bring a water bottle, and I was dehydrated. Definitely a good workout, much gentler than the high intensity classes I like to do - Body Attack and RPM. Will definitely have to make it a regular part of my lifestyle.

Week 11 - My nausea has not died down like they said. I vomit without fail every morning - it's all mucus and stomach fluid. I vomit some of my meals out. Not nice at all. I have trouble breathing. My chest feels tight sometimes. I read on the net than breathlessness is common in the third trimester. I'm still on my first. Tried to make an appointment with Dr F but he is so damn busy you have to book 3 weeks in advance.

Week 12 - Our first appointment with Dr X, the obstetrician. Yup he has lived up to his reputation of being quirky. I quite like his sense of humour - it's nice to be able to relax. Saw bub on the ultrasound again :) Very active bubby - dancing around everywhere. Finally started breaking the news to friends, and finally told work. I'm glad everyone is very reassuring and supportive. So relieved to get the secret off my chest. Had my trimester ultrasound. Bub had a snooze and it was quite tricky to take the pics. Very big head, not unlike mine ... hehe. Gary thought he spotted two nuts.

Week 13 - Definitely starting to show. I look like I have a bloated stomach all the time. Heaps of trouble breathing and desperate to see the doctor. Was told by the nurse to go to the hospital as the doctor was really busy. The receptionist was kind enough to let me leave a message. Felt better after aqua aerobics so I didn't bother to go to the hospital. Dr F agreed to see me on the Saturday after getting my message. He gives priority to pregnant patients :) Am diagnosed with asthma.

Week 14 - What a terrible week. Very tight chest. Lots of vomitting and coughing out blood in mucus. Dr F is very concerned, and thought I may have some blood clotting. That was ruled out pretty quickly - thank God otherwise the trip to Melbourne would definitely be off. After some collaboration with Dr X, he has prescribed me with Losec - as his gut feeling was that the bleeding may be caused by an irritated gullet. The next day the symptoms became worse, so he sent me to the ED at St John of God Murdoch. Gosh it is so much better than Sir Charles Gardiner. I was given a bed pretty much immediately. The doctor did an EKG, some blood tests and was going to send me to a chest x-ray. Another doctor overruled the x-ray as he didn't think it was a life or death matter therefore not beneficial to risk the baby - thank God. I was a bit worried when they wheeled me into the x-ray theatre and there was a poster of a baby saying 'Mum - tell them I'm in here.' The other doctor on duty prescribed me with nausea tablets called Maxolon and then sent me home after 4 hours.

Week 15 - Not a good week at all. Had two good days in Melbourne, and then started vomitting heaps. Was so constipated one night - my stomach hurt so bad and I kept vomitting. Could not sleep and didn't know how I was going to survive the flight home. Threw up every meal and even fluids. Omg - I have had enough. We went to ED in Murdoch again, and they hooked me up to a saline drip and strong nausea medicine. They tried the Maxolon intravenously at first but that didn't work. My wrist hurts - being hooked up to a saline drip is painful. The doc thinks it was a combination of gastro, urinary tract infection and the pregnancy as well as G.E.R.D. Felt heaps better after the saline drip and the stronger nausea meds, and went home after 3.5 hours.

Week 16 - Didn't go to work on Monday, although I felt a bit better. Was a bit worried that I still have not pooed yet. After eating crabs at lunch, I threw up and had diarrhoea. Tuesday - felt a bit better but the acidity is killing me. Wednesday - felt great. Wore my new maternity dress and had heaps of compliments at work. Finally people are starting to notice that I'm pregnant. It seems my stomach just grew overnight. Even Jo, my trainer, whom I just saw on Tuesday mentioned it. I definitely look pregnant now. Thursday - found out that the bub is a boyyyyyyy!!!! I knew it. So far so good ... it's Sunday and I'm still feeling reasonably good though I threw up a bit of acid this morning. Prob shouldn't have eaten ice cream at Peter and Narelle's last night. Gary has put his foot down and put me on a GERD diet - which means bland bland food :(

Can't wait to start buying baby furniture!

A whole new world of emotions

2008-02-04T18:03:00.001+08:00

disbelief.
joy.
acceptance.
anxiety.
fears.
elation.

I think my life is about to change forever ...

My dream kitchen ... part II

2008-01-06T15:14:00.006+08:00

Things never happen like you planned them, do they? In this instance, I am glad :) We had a designer from Joyce Kitchens design a kitchen for us, and it will be awesome. Quite different from my original ideas, but in a GOOD way. I guess designers had their training for a reason right?

Here are the artist's impressions of the new kitchen:

The pantry will be changed to double aluminium doors with glass, and the overhead cupboard above the fridge will now be a single door instead of double.

All the materials will be different to the original:
Laminex Natural Timber Veneer doors in Tasmanian Ash with the grain applied horizontally to create a sense of space:

Granite Transformations Rocksolid Granit® benchtop in Sabbia D'oro

Aluminium kickboards

Long handles for cabinets and drawers in a brushed stainless steel

Glass splashback and kitchen tiles to be decided later ...

We also opted not to go for Blanco kitchen appliances because the cooktop just seemed too flimsy and felt cheap! Also, we were warned against getting Fisher & Paykel dishdrawers since the inside was plastic and there were quite a few customer complaints of leakages. We purchased all Smeg appliances and managed to upgrade to a stainless steel dishwasher for $300 (Smeg had a promotion whereby if you purchase $6,000 worth of kitchen appliances before 31 December 2007, you get a free dishwasher).

Here is what we purchased:

Cooktop 90cm gas CIR597XS

90cm Stainless Steel Chimney Hood K7099/90

Pyrolitic Oven SA130P

Microwave Stainless Steel SA31MX

Microwave Trim Kit TK70X30

Dishwasher Built-In SA8605XTD

Aquaport Undersink Dual Filtration System

My dream kitchen

2007-12-08T13:22:00.000+08:00

I'm so excited - we have finally decided to get our kitchen renovated. There's probably nothing wrong with our current kitchen, but it doesn't really fit in with the contemporary theme of the house (well, neither do the bathrooms really but let's leave that for another day.

Everything seems to be going my way - there is a GOD! Initially, we were going to only get the face brick rendered, and replace the appliances. But after finding it impossible to get a sink the length of our current one, we decided that we needed to replace the bench top after all :) We also decided that we had to replace the cupboard doors since we have to cut out some cupboard space to fit in a dishwasher! So my secretly hoping to knock the whole kitchen out has turned out to be a reality - yes, there is a GOD.

And after visiting endless kitchen showrooms and endless research on the internet, I finally managed to persuade Gary to get my favourite materials and appliances:

Caesarstone® quartz surface in Nougat

Albedor cabinet doors in Fino Chambery

GlassKote backsplash in Volcano

Ceramic mosaic wall tiles in a satin finish

Blanco BOSE65 Contemporary 60cm single oven in stainless steel

Blanco BMO300X Stainless Steel 30 Litre Microwave Oven with flush stainless steel trim kit

Blanco BRCS9605X Connoisseur Wall Canopy

Blanco BCGF75 Connoisseur Flushline Gas Cooktop

Fisher & Paykel DD605M Double Iridium Stainless Steel Dishwasher

Oliveri UF11D Ultraform sink and PS113/1 Single Lever Sink Mixer

I need some sleep!

2007-10-30T19:38:00.000+08:00

Jetlag: a physiological condition which is a consequence of alterations to the circadian rhythm resulting from transmeridian travel on a jetplane.

Symptoms:
* Dehydration and loss of appetite: Tick. Don't mind if this will help me shed the holiday kilos :)
* Headaches and sinus irritation: Tick.
* Fatigue: Well, only during the day. I'm super energised at night.
* Disorientation and grogginess. Tick.
* Insomnia: Tick.
* Irritability: Well, that happens at any time really.
* Mild depression: Tick. Yes, can't mention about what on a public website ... just in case.

I thought it's only supposed to last a few days. Even tried sleeping pills (which I'm not supposed to), but that makes it even worse. The only thing that seems to work is a glass of cognac or whisky. Yes, I have tried sitting on my bed in the dark at 9pm and waking up at 7am. Still doesn't work. Daylight savings doesn't help! Even massage didn't get me to sleep :(

It wasn't the dryer's fault ...

2007-10-26T19:36:00.001+08:00

Or maybe it did shrink my jeans a little. I got on the scales and was horrified to discover that I had gained about 4-5 kg. Yikes! I need to ring my trainer real quick!

No wonder I feel like a pear :(

Au revoir ... the journey home

2007-10-26T19:15:00.000+08:00

We nearly caught the wrong train to CDG. Luckily, a man on the train told us that we needed to change trains at the next station. At first we didn't believe him 'cos the map clearly says that this was the line to CDG Terminal 1, 2 and 3. But when a second guy confirmed it, we ran out of the train. He even helped me get my suitcase off the train and kept the doors open so that I could get out. Guess some Parisians are nice :)

I hate CDG airport - it's not very well signposted. There was such a long queue, even at 6pm, to check in to the Emirates flight to Dubai (check in was supposed to be at 7pm). The staff at Emirates are so unhelpful and so inefficient. When it was our turn to check in, he told us that there was a problem and that we needed to see the Ticketing area and come back to check in. The Ticketing area said that we needed to pay 150 AUD for changing the dates, and the two Emirates staff were giggling about our booking in front of us in French. Talk about professionalism.

We wanted to finish our Euros, so we thought the best way to do that was to buy some alcohol from Duty Free. I think the girl couldn't calculate, or she pressed something wrong in the till 'cos we were only 85c short, but she said we were 1.55 EUR short. Gary joked if she could give us a discount. She obviously did not get the joke 'cos she was bitching about it in French to her colleague. Duh ... as if we don't understand the 'diskon' means 'discount'. Anyway, we ended up paying 1.55 EUR on our Amex. The merchant fee is probably more than that, so it was their loss.

The flight to Dubai was definitely not comfortable - what happened to the good Emirates service we had got on our way over to the UK? We were delayed by half an hour 'cos 3 people checked in but did not board, so had to wait for their luggages to be unloaded. Then they opted to feed us dinner instead of breakfast ... at midnight. How were we went to get any sleep? And the leg room - well, there was hardly any.

It felt like the longest time - we stayed at the Dubai International Airport Departures Food Court from 7 am to 4 pm, before checking in to Singapore Airlines flight and waiting another 4 hours before my flight. The food court was quite comfortable though, and we ate our breakfast and lunch there. I even bought and read 3 thick magazines in that time, and finished 8 sudoku puzzles on my Nintendo DS Lite.

Our 6.5 hour flight from Dubai to Singapore was quite pleasant. There was definitely much more legroom (seating configuration was 3-3-3 as opposed to Emirates's 3-4-3), and the air stewardesses were definitely more polite and considerate. And the cognac did help me sleep for a while :)

I wished we had stopped over in Singapore instead of transitting, even for just a day. I just had cravings for Asian food. Hmmmm ...

Finally, after what seemed like centuries ... we are finally home. Exhausted, and badly in need of a good shower and scrubbing. Now that we are home, I have mixed feelings about being home.

Space Mountain nearly broke my neck

2007-10-24T18:24:00.001+08:00

I managed to convince Gary to go to Disneyland Paris. Woo hoo! It took about a 1 hour train trip to Marne-la-Vallee but it was worth it. The 56 EUR per person Passe-Partout ticket (includes admission to both the Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park) was a bit pricey, but hey ... it was our last day of our trip, and it's not as if we haven't spent lots of cash already, and best of all it killed time before we had to go to CDG.

I was really excited when we entered Disneyland Park from Main Street, USA.

But when we went through Frontierland and saw the 60 minute waiting queue for Big Thunder Mountain, and nothing other than kiddy rides I thought maybe that I had outgrown all this Disney stuff.

Highlights:

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril in Adventureland - Whip-cracking adventure in a runaway wagon speeding through ancient ruins, tummy turning the 1st time. Not that scary the 2nd time round. Watch out for the looping near the end.

Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland - Rubbing shoulders with pirates on the high seas, there are two sudden, quick descents with this ride and we got a little bit wet. The attention to detail is remarkable, and a very enjoyable ride indeed.

DID YOU KNOW: The Pirates of the Caribbean films are actually based on this ride?

'it's a small world' in Fantasyland - Marvel as dolls of all nations sing and dance to the famous 'it's a small world' medley. A bit kiddy, yes I know, but it reminds me of the Istana Boneka in Dunia Fantasi in Indonesia. Just some childhood memories :)

Mad Hatter's Tea Cups in Fantasyland - Take a teaspoon of spin, and a twist of twirl, soon you'll be whirling round in circles in one of the Mad Hatter's giant Tea Cups. Dizzy stuff!

Space Mountain: Mission 2 in Discoveryland - A supercharged canon blasts you on a warp-speed ride into the unknown. omg, I don't know Gary convinced me to go on this one. Before going on this ride, I had read about it when I used to ready the Baby Sitters Club books. This ride is the scariest ride ever, and it nearly broke my neck. I couldn't sit properly and my face kept being bounced side to side. Huge headache afterwards, and Gary still tried to convince me to go on it a second time! What a lunatic.

Apparently, Space Mountain: Mission 2 has a 1.5G up hill launch at 68kph, two inversions (sidewinder and corkscrew) and an overbanked turn. All the other Space Mountain rides at the other 4 Disneylands has a max speed of 50 kph. It's no wonder I nearly broke my neck!

By the time we were ready to explore Walt Disney Studios Park, we had about 1.5 hours left before we had to leave. We really wanted to go on Crush's Coaster (a spinning roller coaster based on the movie Finding Nemo) in Toon Studio, but it was a 60 minute waiting queue.

We settled for waiting in a 30 minute queue to go on Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic in Production Courtyard. It was pretty cool - we got to experience some physical effects in Catastrophe Canyon, a rocky area with a fuel truck and water tanks inside of it. While the tram is stopped "filming" starts suddenly. An earthquake shakes the tram and causes the fuel truck to explode, sending a fire ball into the air. Then a flood of water comes rushing down from the canyon and from above the tram. When the earthquake subsides and the water stops, the set begins to reset for the next tram and the host on the tram tells guests how it was done as the tram goes around behind the set to show the back of the set.

I lurveeeee Paris

2007-10-23T15:29:00.000+08:00

Parisians are known to be arrogant and snobby, but there is something that I really love about the City of Lights. Not sure what it is exactly - perhaps the fact that it is sexy and sophisticated, cosmopolitan yet it has a strong culture ... exactly what I had imagined. This is one city with more complicated metro and train lines that the London Underground. The only thing that troubled me was that it was as freezing cold as Saumur.

In the morning, we were disappointed to find the Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) are closed on Tuesdays :( No wonder there was hardly anyone there. I did however get to see the Grande Pyramide :) I was amazed at how much space the Louvre takes up.

We visited the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris (Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris), one of the masterpieces of French Gothic architecture, famed for its stunning stained-glass rose windows, leering gargoyles and elegant flying butresses. It is said to be the true heart of Paris.

We walked along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the most prestigious and broadest avenue in Paris, to the Arc de Triomphe, where we plus heaps of tourists and policemen watched a Greenpeace demonstration take place. They pulled a big publicity stunt by sending 8 activists up the Arc de Triomphe to hang their anti-GMO message. They timed the banner to coincide with a 2-day conference in Paris on the environment.

Random pics ...

For dinner, we ate crêpes (very thin cooked pancake) with ham, cheese and mushrooms. Gets sickening quite quickly, but a good meal when you're on the go.

Shopping in Paris rocks. Thinking we would save time and collect our cash refunds at the downtown office, it turns out that we wasted our time since we could only collect cash refunds purchases made in Paris - so I was only able to get one of my cash refunds done (minus the customs stamp). And plus, there were millions of tourists from China hogging the cue claiming their refunds after their shopping sprees at Louis Vuitton, Longchamp, Hermes and Christian Dior. They each had at least 4 shopping bags each ... man that's some serious shopping!

We were rushing to see the Eiffel Tower at sunset. I suddenly had the courage to climb the stairs of the Eiffel Tower, but it was already closed for stair access as it was past 6pm. We hung around the Champ de Mars whilst waiting for the sun to set.

It was so nice when the Eiffel Tower sparkled before its lights were finally bright after it was lit. Very romantic indeed :)

Rid of liability

2007-10-22T15:14:00.000+08:00

We dropped off our car at the Charles De Gaulle International Airport. It was a challenge to find the rental return for Hertz, but we finally did it without a scratch :) Well, Gary did it.

We took the Roissy Bus to the Opéra Garnier in downtown Paris, which was walking distance to our hotel Villathéna on Rue di Athenes, in the heart of the trendiest area in Paris.

By the time we had lunch, it was 3.00 pm and I had spotted this sushi bar not far from our hotel when we were on the bus. We went there at closing time, but they still served us. We pigged out and had salad, miso soup, 30 pieces of sushi and sashimi, rice and meat skewers. Quite surprised at how good it was :)

We went to see Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower). I wanted to take the elevators to go up, but the queue was so long. Gary tried to convince me to just take the stairs - I was too chicken :(

TIP: Beware of gypsies - they are the king of thieves. Gypsies are easy to spot for their colourful but dirty and ragged clothes, and often in layers of thin scarves and shawls. The adults mainly beg—and are very pushy about it. It's the kids you have to look out for. They’ll swarm you, babbling and sometimes holding up bits of cardboard with messages scrawled on them in English to distract you. Then, faster than you can say “Hey!...”, they'll rifle your pockets while the cardboard shields their hands from view. We saw an English tourist nearly fall victim to one - he put down his bag and pulled out his wallet. Luckily, she was just begging. The same gypsie approached us 10 minutes beforehand.

Our hotel beds were really good, almost as good as the Marriott and even our ones at home. Another good thing was that the LCD TV had an in-built DVD player and it was free DVD hire from reception. I finally watched What Women Want.

Tank museum ... Gary - a happy man :)

2007-10-21T14:27:00.000+08:00

It is freezing cold in Saumur - not only is the temperature low, but it was cold and windy. Reminds me of the time when I went to Chengde in China with my parents and I didn't bring hardly any warm stuff. This time my cuddly and very warm dad was miles away :( I did send my really warm sheepskin jacket home (silly me, but I really didn't think it would be that cold this time of year) - all I had was my new leather jacket, but even that over several layers of clothing was not enough. The cold winds gave me a head cold and huge migraine.

Breakfast made me throw up this morning. Gary insisted that an egg boils for 3 minutes. When I peeled the skin, it was soft boiled but that was ok 'cos I usually lurve soft boiled eggs. Well, my stomach didn't like it at all and soon threw up my breakfast. Yuk - I hate throwing up, really hurts my stomach.

Saumur is perhaps the most elegantly bourgeois, with its graceful Château lording it over the handsome townhouses spread out below on both banks of the river and on the large island mid-stream. The town's 250-year association with the military, as home to the French Cavalry Academy and its successor, the Armoured Corps Academy, has only further elevated its pretensions. Even the local sparkling wines are renowned for their charm.

We crossed the Pont Cessard to see the Château, depicted in Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, the most celebrated of all the medieval Books of Hours. It was not open on a Sunday :(

As Gary had been looking forward to it for 1 year, we went to visit the Musée des Blindés (Tank Museum). Probably the most beautiful collection of German tanks in the world, and some of these tanks are still in running condition. We spent nearly two hours in there ... yawn!

We drove to a couple of wine tasting caves such as Gratien & Meyer and Ackerman Rémy-Pannier, but everything is pretty much closed on Sundays :( We did manage to find a wine cellar and bought a bottle of Saumur Champigny, the local red wine for 6 EUR! Gosh, if only we were allowed to bring as much alcohol as we wanted into Australia.

We had, by far, the best dinner in France at Auberge St-Pierre. We both had cream of mushroom soup for entrees, and I had the traditional bœuf bourguignon (beef stewed in red wine with carrots and potatoes while Gary has a French style roast chicken.

Finally gave up hope on Emirates and bought one way tickets from Dubai to Perth with Singapore Airlines. It's going to be a long journey home, and an expensive one too since we couldn't get a refund on the Emirates ticket.

TIP: You don't realise what money grabbing bastards some airline companies are until you try and change your ticket. First they told me that I couldn't change the destination on a return ticket, even though another Emirates staff told me I could. Fair enough. Then, they were gonna tell me that I couldn't just go on the 1st leg and not the 2nd leg, even though another Emirates staff told me I could. What a load of crap! They finally told me that it was OK, but not before charging us 150 AUD for changing the date. Even though they made money off us. Bastards.

Will always fly with Singapore Airlines now. Never had any problems dealing with them, even on an e-Ticket. I think they have earned their reputation for having the best service :)

Still on priority C

2007-10-20T14:13:00.000+08:00

It was another long drive to Saumur in the Loire Valley, famous for its chateaus and wines. We had a good meal at the "services" - surprise, surprise. It was freezing cold outside (about zero degrees according to the car), and I was wearing shorts 'cos I hate to wear jeans on a long drive.

We were pleased to get a room with a views of the castle, theatre, Pont Cessart and majesty the river Loire of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Loire Valley when we arrived at the Mercure Bords De Loire Hotel on L Ile D Offard island in the heart of Saumur. We walked around the town centre and it is busy and bustling.

Called Emirates again and found out we were still on priority C. Started searching for alternative flights with other airlines, and found a flight with Royal Brunei and one with Singapore Airlines. Secretly hoping that we would move up the priority list tomorrow. Desperate to go home now :(

Sur le pont d'Avignon

2007-10-19T13:42:00.000+08:00

I am so peeved with myself. There were 2 seats available on a flight from Dubai to Perth on the 24th and at the time, we thought it was too early to go home. By the time (which was only like maybe 1 and a half hours later) when we called Emirates again, one of those 2 seats were gone! The call operator created me a Skywards membership so that I would be placed on the priority waiting list, and that to check once a day to see if I had moved up in the list. I had moved up from D to C. We decided to rearrange the rest of our trip (skip Montignac, Bordeaux and Tours completely, and instead go to Saumur) and cancel the rest of our accommodation. Luckily, we only incurred a 15 EUR cancellation fee for most of the hotels, and a 1 night cancellation fee for Bordeaux. Couldn't get in contact with the number for the Montignac hotel 'cos maybe the English website had given me a bogus number. So that's like 300 AUD down the drain!

Avignon is such a graceful city - it still has a 4.3 km city wall made of stone rampants.

Its turn as the papal seat of power has left Avignon with a treasury of magnificent art and architecture, none grander that the massive Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes). Built in the 14th-century as a fortified palace for the papal court, it is the largest Gothic palace in the world - but its undecorated rooms are empty.

Pont d'Avignon, or Pont St-Bénezet is the famous medieval 900m wooden bridge and is the subject of a famous French nursery rhyme:

Sur le pont d’Avignon
On y danse, on y danse
Sur le pont d’Avignon
On y danse tous en rond

We went to Alès to see a bambooserie - weird thing to do in France I know, but it was nice and relaxing :) It's home to Europe's largest bamboos, and great if you are a coy fish lover. The gardens are soooo beautiful and are inspiring us to do something with our backyard when we get home.

Our last sightseeing activity in Provence was the Pont du Gard (Roman Aquaduct) in Vers-Pont-du-Gard near Remoulins, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's built on 3 levels with different quantities and sizes of arches.

We headed back to the centre of Avignon for dinner, where we had a nice chat with a retired English couple from London. Nice to be able to talk to people properly when you're on holidays. I had steak with pepper sauce - something different about the taste of beef in France. It is delicious!

Exhausted and homesick

2007-10-18T11:07:00.000+08:00

Gosh I am so dying to get home. This holiday has been a good adventure but I think it's time to go home soon. Rang Emirates in Perth, but they told me to change any flight details I had to ring the Emirates in Paris and that I would be charged 75 AUD per person. It didn't say that anywhere on the e-Ticket. I did call the Emirates office in Paris, and they told me that all flights from Dubai to Perth was full for the dates I wanted (28 or 29 October), but to keep checking daily for any availabilities.

It was such a long drive from Rome to Avignon. I cannot believe that we had to drive for 11 hours. I finally had my turn driving from Italy to France. Gosh it is quite scary driving in Italy. The Italians drive through windy tunnels at 140 kph. And plus, changing gears using my right hand and driving on the left side of the car took awhile to get used to. Not to mention driving at high altitudes freaked me out.

When we reached the French border, driving was a bit more relaxing as the French do abide the rules and speed limits. They are crap drivers however, as they don't know how to stick in their own lane. There are countless times when we've nearly been swooped by a French car. We drove through beautiful parts of France: the chic and elegant Côte d'Azur (French Riviera, playground for the rich and famous, especially at stylist resorts such as Nice, Cannes, St-Tropez and Monte Carlo), Monaco (best known for its casinos, Formula 1 Grand Prix, high-rolling lifestyle, tax-free haven and of course, the Grimaldi family) and Marseille, France's oldest and largest city after Paris.

We managed to reach Hotel Du Parc in Avignon by 5pm and had dinner at the nearby restaurant. I thought that Provençal cuisine would be delicious as it is always mentioned on Iron Chef and I'm sure it is by world standards - just not my cup of tea. Not sure what herbs they use in their cooking, but combined with the goat cheese it makes me want to gag :( They use exactly the same herb on the popular lamb cutlets at La Cascade - though I love their lamb cutlets, I have to hold my breath in to avoid the strong smell of the herbs.

I miss Italian food :(

Roman ripoff

2007-10-17T09:53:00.000+08:00

October 15, 2007

The Torre pendente di Pisa (Leaning Tower of Pisa) is a genuinely shocking sight. Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction. The waiting time to tour the tower has 2 hours so we decided to skip it.

I feel so ripped off. The hotel I originally booked (Beethoven Hotel outside the Vatican) was full, so hotelclub.net suggested that I book the Center One Hotel in Rome. Looking at the photos, I agreed though it was a bit expensive at 139 EUR. Upon check in, not only did we not get a room at the Center One Hotel but at the Center Three Hotel, the bathroom was so small there's no possible way of closing the bathroom door when you want to do your business. Outraged, we checked out of the hotel 2 hours after check in and checked in to the Radisson SAS Hotel outside the Roma Termini Station. When we called Flairview Travel Agent in Sydney, they wouldn't give us a full refund unless we had a complaint in writing and after investigation. I can understand why Euro Hotel Clapham was crap - it was quite cheap by London standards. The Center One Hotel was supposed to be 3 stars! The Radisson SAS Hotel was also 3 stars and only cost us 170 EUR a night (well I guess that's a last minute rate but still), and was spacious and modern. Though breakfast buffet isn't great and expensive at 29 EUR per person.

After our trip to the self-service laundry, we were so starving we ate the first restaurant we found in the Roma Termini area. Big mistake - apparently the area around Roma Termini is filled with terrible Italian restaurants! I wished we had read the Lonely Planet earlier regarding food. I have no idea what they passed off as spaghetti carbonara but it was not bacon. Ewww ... I had to rinse my mouth a few times and suck on a box of Vicks to get rid of the bad taste!

October 16, 2007

I'm seriously in need of a good breakfast ... Italian breakfasts are so lame :(

We stood in the queue for about 2 and a half hours to get into Vatican City. For an impatient and restless person like me, that was like a lifetime! I think I pissed off my hubby with my endless whinging ... haha. Yes, I'm pretty sure I did.

The Vatican Museums contain an astonishing collection of art and treasures collected by the popes. Not an art connoisseur in anyway, after a while everything starts to look the same. All I really wanted to see was the Sistine Chapel, the private chapel built in 1473 for Pope Sixtus IV. The highlight: Michelangelo's wonderful frescoes, Creation and Last Judgment.

Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano (St Peter's Basilica) at Piazza di San Pietro (St Peter's Square) is testament to the religious, artistic and cultural significance of Rome. It is the most prominent building in the Vatican City. Quite impressive!

The Pantheon was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the state religion of Ancient Rome. It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings, and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world. Since the 7th-century, the Pantheon has been used as a church.

The high-baroque Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) in Piazza di Crociferi sprawls over almost the entire piazza and depicts Neptune's chariot being led by Tritons, with sea horses representing the moods of the sea. The custom is to throw a coin into the fountain (over your shoulder while facing away) to ensure your return to Rome; a second coin grants a wish.

October 17, 2007

You have to close your eyes and picture how the ancient arena the Colosseum would have appeared in its heyday - the marble covered building crammed with 50,000 spectators watching gladiators fight panthers, hippopotami and crocodiles.

The famous Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps) is longest and widest staircase in Europe that starts from the exquisite Piazza di Spagna and ends at Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti - the church that was under the patronage of the Bourbon kings of France. In the 18th-century, beautiful Italians gathered here, hoping to be chosen as artists' models. The narrow streets fanning from Piazza di Spagna to Via Del Corso are lined with expensive boutiques full of clothing, footwear and accessories from the likes of Gucci, Valentino and Armani. Furla on Via Nazionale has a nice range of leather goods and accessories and is easier on the wallet.

HATES: The Metro. Why is it that a capital city only has two metro lines? It is always full ...

Roman Forum

Circus Maximus

Rome's own Arc De Triomphe

Paper anniversary weekend

2007-10-14T09:09:00.000+08:00

October 13, 2007

We arrived at Hotel Donatello on Piazza del Independenza in Firenze (Florence) to discover that (1) we parked on a street that we weren't even supposed to enter as it was owned by the Italian Secret Service, and (2) we had to move to the sister hotel closer to the city centre Hotel Galileo as the hotel had lost power.

We headed to Piazza San Lorenzo, apparently the place to buy leather goods, clothing and jewellery, on a mission to find a leather jacket for Gary. We did buy one, but Gary kinda had buyer's remorse as he looked at other ones after the fact. It was still made in Italy, but the real good quality leather jackets are made in Florence. Luckily, it was quite cheap so he was able to buy a Florence made good quality leather jacket at a reputable leather manufacturer and shop at Piazza di Santa Croce.

We headed up to Piazzale di Michelangelo, a steep 600m walk from the southern bank of the river Arno, and saw the best views of the city.

The interior of the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte has beautiful marble floors.

TIP: Make sure you look at the price when buying gelato. You can usually get a cup for around 2.50 EUR and a cone for around 3.00 EUR. We didn't look, and got charged 9.00 EUR!

October 14, 2007

Our 1st wedding anniversary :) Gary and I had exchanged presents before we left on our trip to save luggage space. Keeping in with the 'paper' theme, I got him the 1st three Harry Potter books in hard cover to complete his Harry Potter hard cover collection, and he gave me a digital photo frame.

In the morning, we kept getting pestered by guys trying to sell fake '69' bags (supposedly Gucci), Louis Vuitton bags etc. They kept saying 'Excuse me? Do you know how much?' Man these guys are persistent. We kept saying 'No, thanks' politely and they still kept pestering us. To humour them, I asked them 'Ok tell me how much for this one'. They told me it was 75 EUR. I told them 'No' and offered them 5 EUR for it (to be funny), and they thought I was a lunatic and finally they left me alone. It was quite hilarious watching those guys pack their merchandise up every time the cops came. They just moved to different spots and they seemed to have this 'buddy' system to warn each other when they were suspicious of police sightings. Apparently its a 5,000 EUR fine for selling counterfeit products. And it's against the law to buy fake stuff.

We saw a copy of the statue of Michelangelo's David (the original is in the Galleria dell'Accademia) at the famous Loggia della Signoria, a 14th-century sculpture showcase.

Lined with jewellery shops, the 14th-century Ponte Vecchio was originally flanked by butchers' shops. But when the Medici built a corridor through the bridge to link Palazzo Pitti (built for the Pitti family but bought by the Medici and became their family residence) with Palazzo Vecchio, they declared that the smelly butchers be replaced with goldsmiths.

We beat the queue to see the Gothic Duomo at Piazza Del Duomo, one of the world's largest cathedrals and officially known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore.

For our anniversary dinner, we ate at a restaurant recommended to us, Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco. Set in the base of a 12th-century tower, this place milks its medieval look with exposed stone, odd iron implements hanging everywhere, and lights hidden in suspended cauldrons or the pigeonholed walls. We had a full Italian meal consisting of an antipasto, primi piatto (first course), secondo piatto (second course) with a contorno (vegetable side dish), and dolci (dessert). We recommend the tiramisu - so different than ones in Australia, the rum enhances the taste without overpowering it, and it is more like a mousse instead of a cake.

MISSED OUT ON: I wished we had time to do the day trip excursion to the Gucci and Prada outlets ... Next time!

City of canals

2007-10-12T08:09:00.000+08:00

October 11, 2007

We started our long journey to Venezia (Venice) early in the morning. As we approached the Italian border in Switzerland, coffee started to taste better though :) But then again, drivers are distinctively a lot more aggressive!

It was quite a challenge driving around Mestre (Venetian town on mainland Italy) to get to Tronchetto. We probably should have just parked our car at Tronchetto, but instead we took it on board a car ferry to go to our hotel in Lido di Venezia (Venetian beach island that splits the sea and the lagoon, famous for its annual Film Festival).

The beginning of my sore throat :(

October 12, 2007

Venice is the world's only pedestrian city, and the absence of cars makes it a particularly pleasant experience. We took the vaporetti (water buses) to Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square), the principal square of Venice and filled with tourists, pigeons, balloon vendors and policemen.

The buildings around the Piazza (anti-clockwise from the Grand Canal) are: Palazzo Ducale, Basilica di San Marco (St Mark's Basilica, seat of the Patriach of Venice and the most famous of Venice's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture), Torre dell'Orologio (St Mark's Clock Tower, houses the most important clock in Venice, St Mark's Clock, and adjoins the Procuratie Vecchie), the Procuratie Vecchie , the Napoleonic Wing of the Procuraties, the Procuratie Nuove, St Mark's Campanille (bell tower of St Mark's Basilica) and Biblioteca Marciana (National Library of St Mark's).

We paid 100 EUR for a 1 hour ride on the gondola. The first gondoliere we approached was quite rude, and was only willing to take 100 EUR for like a 3 minute ride. Our gondoliere was a pro and showed us the small canals as well as the Grand Canal and famous sights. It was such a relaxing and romantic experience, and a good way to see Venice :)

TIP: Make sure you establish a price and length of your gondola ride with your gondoliere before you get on it!

We checked out the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) on San Polo and the Rialto market. The bridge is one of Venice's most recognisable icons. Signature Venetian products are the carnival masks, hand-made paper and exquisite miniature buildings made by Moro (watch out for fakes - Moro signs his on the back) and Murano glass (again, watch out for fakes and beware of free boat trips to Murano - they are only one way).

Lunch was a superb (extremely large) size of pizza in Campo Santa Margherita for 1.80 EUR a slice. To save money, eat standing up as prices double if you sit down.

We visited Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace), the official residence of the doges from the 9th-century and the seat of the Republic's government. It also housed Venice's prisons and on the 2nd floor, the Sala del Maggior Consiglio is dominated by Tintoretto's Paradiso (Paradise), one of the world's largest oil paintings (22m x 7m).

It is hard to find a place to sit in Venice, and even a toilet. The signs to the toilets lead you to go round and round in circles. The toilets are not particularly clean, and cost you 1 EUR per visit. They sell toilet cards for 5 EUR. Just so that we could sit down for a while, we went to Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute, a 17th-century church.

We returned to Lido to check out the Italian beaches. The beaches are private and most of it are owned by the Grand Hotel de Bains and Grand Hotel Excelsior. The beach definitely cannot compare to Australian beaches though!

Dinner was a nice homemade pizza and spaghetti carbonara on the main street of Lido, Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta.

TIP: Most eateries charge a pane e coperto (bread and cover charge), ranging from 1 EUR to 4 EUR, and a servizio (service charge) of 10% to 15%. If a service charge is not included, you are expected to round up the bill or leave 10%.

TIP: Italians don't tend to eat a sit-down colazione (breakfast) - just a cappuccino and croissant, so don't expect much for your hotel breakfast. Cappuccino is only drunk in the morning.