Short updates

Since I stopped updating Yiu Yiu’s monthly developments, I have not really been keeping tabs on her developments. Anyhow, most of her developments in the last couple of months are more on her verbal and memory skills, rather than physical ones. Here are some of them:

Physical
She can climb up the steps to the slides in the local playground. I was quite surprised when I saw her climbing enthusiastically up the steps when I brough her to the playground sometime last month.

Memory
She has two peek-a-boo books on animal which I read to her almost every night at one point. Once, while I was taking my bath, papa read to her and purposely left out the last word of each sentence and she promptly completed those sentences. I was quite amazed that she could remember all those words and placed them in the correct sentences, as there are five sentences in each book.

Verbal and comprehension
Mummy scolded Yiu Yiu at lunch (for something which I can’t remember now). Yiu Yiu retorted, “I’m angry, mummy no manners”
Mummy has stiff neck and complained to Yiu Yiu that mummy’s neck pain-pain. She came over, stroked mummy’s neck and said, “Yiu Yiu sayang mummy’s neck”.
Mummy has headache and complained to Yiu Yiu. Yiu Yiu said, “Mummy headache take medicine lah”

Her all-time favourite phrase now is “you know”. Most sentences will end up with “you know”.
Yiu Yiu wanna watch Barney, you know
Yiu Yiu wanna drink milk-milk first, you know
Etc etc…

The why’s have also started coming, though not fast and furious just yet. Her all-time favourite question is, “Why your nen-nen so big one, why my nen-nen so small one?” - PENGSAN

Weekend at Hyatt Regency Kuantan

I had to work (AGAIN!) last weekend. This time, it was a workshop in Hyatt Regency Kuantan, similar to the one in Parkroyal Penang two weeks ago but for a different group of customers. Several of our guests pulled out at the last minute, leaving us with extra rooms so each staff was given a single room instead of twin sharing. As hubby’s cousin was getting married over the weekend, he decided to make that drive back to Kuantan and came over to stay on Saturday night. The next morning, after a late and leisurely breakfast, we took Yiu Yiu the pool and the beach at Teluk Chempedak. This time, Yiu Yiu was a lot more at home in the water and didn’t need to hang on to me the whole time. She even floated on her own on her two arm floats, and was thoroughly enjoying herself.

At the hotel lobby

Can't wait to jump into the cool water

Happily frolicking in the pool

Wanted to do a Houdini on mummy

Sigh! This weekend is going to be another working weekend. Am leaving for Kota Kinabalu tomorrow and will only be back on Sunday. At least the meeting will be at a hotel which I've not been before, Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort, and I'm also looking forward to some cheap and good seafood.

Chief Minister of Penang

I got this from a forwarded email, checked out Mr Manager’s blog, and thought it’s a really nice story to share, though many of you may have read it elsewhere. Ning Baizura and her manager, Vernon Kedit Jolly aka Mr Manager were traveling to Penang when they saw YAB Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang traveling by himself without an entourage as would be expected of a Chief Minister. What surprised them even more was that the Chief Minister flew Economy, instead of Business, in line with his calls for cost-cutting. That’s leadership by example in every sense of the word. I salute you, YAB Chief Minister of Penang.

Photo taken from Mr. Manager's blog

Ferringhi Garden Restaurant

I was in Penang last weekend for a workshop. I stayed at the Parkroyal Penang along Batu Ferringhi but didn’t get a chance to step near the beautiful gardens, pool or the beach. I did, however, have dinner at this delightful restaurant, Ferringhi Garden Restaurant, five minutes walk away from Parkroyal Penang.

The restaurant is surrounded by an exceptionally well landscaped garden while its interior is tastefully decorated. It’s a big restaurant with our group of about 80 people occupying the front part of the restaurant, a small wedding reception occupying the back, and plenty of tables in the open air dining area in the gardens.

The tastefully furnished lounge in the restaurant

I didn’t look at the menu though as our dinner was pre-ordered but there’s apparently a huge selection of Chinese and Western dishes. We had prawn salad as starters, broccoli soup with garlic bread, grilled fish/chicken with prawn, and egg custard with ice cream for dessert. Food was good, with excellent presentation but service was a tad slow, maybe due to our large group and the wedding reception.

Saved from the dumps

Remember the burnt saucepan?

I had packed it into a garbage bag and left it outside to be collected by the garbage collector the next morning. As we wanted a good quality stainless steel saucepan, we bought the Zebra brand which costs us RM60. Seeing how expensive the saucepan was, mum decided to take it back and tried to scrub off the soot. And here’s the result…

I’d say it is 90 – 95% of its original condition, except for the melted knob on the cover. But the screw that held the knob together is still in perfect condition.



Looks like the burnt saucepan will be reinstated to full service.

Randoms shots

While watching TV in the living room last night, Yiu Yiu was clowning around with her balloons when she suddenly lifts it above her head and said, “Mummy you see, it’s raining. (Lucky) I got umbrella” (pardon the uneven length of her pyjama pants, beats me how it got rolled up like that).

And here mummy is a butterfly in the rain.

These “dirty cat” looks are taken after she walloped a piece of Kit Kat, after having pestered mummy for eternity and mummy finally gave in just to have some peace.

Weekend at home

Hubby had to work last weekend so it was just me and Yiu Yiu. We went to the TTDI park again on Saturday and Yiu Yiu had a ball of a time blowing bubbles for other kids to chase.

We then rushed home to get ready for an early Mother’s Day dinner with mum and my siblings. We decided to have an early celebration coz we figured most places will be packed next week. Furthermore, I have to go to Penang next weekend and it’ll be rather late by the time I get back next Sunday. Hubby got home as I was bathing Yiu Yiu. We had a simple dinner in Sungai Way, at a typical ‘tai chow’ restaurant with absolutely yummy food. When we got home, I smelt a strong arid smell the moment I opened the front door. This was what caused the smell.

Hubby was boiling some water and forgot to turn off the stove. I count our lucky stars that we only had to deal with the burnt saucepan, and no further harm came to the house.

Sunday was spent shopping for a new saucepan to replace the burnt one, and tiffin carriers, coz we started catering for dinner from the babysitter. Since she cooks for her family, we just ‘tumpang’ and she’ll simply cook an additional portion for hubby and me. In the afternoon, I stayed home to allow the weekly cleaners to clean the house. This time, the boss sent different workers, not the few regular ones who'd came before. These two were hopeless - couldn’t follow instructions even though they kept saying yes to this and yes to that when I briefed them, and lied about having cleaned out all the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen, even though it was obvious some were not cleaned. Worst, they didn’t even rinse out the mops after mopping. The kitchen floor felt slippery and I decided to mop it again while they were outside waiting for their boss to arrive to pick them. The water was filthy when I rinsed the mop. Now I understand the numerous negative comments I’ve heard/read about problems with Indonesian maids.