Baby K Has Arrived!

Bearer Of Good News!

Pancake family is thrilled to announce the joyful arrival of Baby K. Weight: 4.11kg & Height: 52.5cm.

My SIL was in labour for 12 hours before her doctor advised her on CS. It was exactly 11pm two evenings ago when the doctor explained to my brother that the CS process would take an average of 45 minutes. 30 minutes past 11pm, I heard baby crying noise from where they named the "Recovery Room". Another doctor came out of the room and told my mother: "Congratulations! It's a boy!!!".

All of us waited impatiently for another 5 minutes before Baby K showed up. The very first moment when I spotted Baby K about 10 feet away from me, I saw him air kick-boxing wih his hands and feet. I couldn't believe it. I haven't seen a newborn as active as my nephew. He kicked hard and pushed the hooded towel away. He dislikes restrictions, he doesn't like to conform to the norm. HaHa ... exactly the spirit of Pancake family. What a Sagittarian Baby K is!!!

I called Woofhams immediately after that, and I couldn't control my happy tears into the phone: "Guess what, our new nephew looks like you!!!".

I have long lost faith in miracles, but Baby K has changed my perceptions on many aspects of life notably on marriage and motherhood. Looking at his smiling face, I found the courage to try motherhood. Seeing him busy kicking his hands and feet, I found life is beautiful. Feeling the happy atmosphere around me and seeing my brother holding my SIL's hands and saying Thank You many times in a day, I come to realise responsibility is a gift not a task. I dare to step out of my own comfort zone now, and learn not to be repulsive to the thought of falling in love again albeit the probability for me to fall out of love is high. I enjoy listening to my mother telling her friends repeatedly, "Hey, I am a grandma now, Yeah, Baby K is handsome, takes after his grandpa's tanned complexion, my big bones, his father's high nose bridge, his mother's height, his eldest auntie's broad forehead, his godmother-second aunt's eyes and lips, and I do think he has my strong character too!". Mama doesn't complain even if she only manages 4 hours sleep per night since the day Baby K was born. I honestly haven't seen my father's not-frowning face for years since his retirement. Indeed this world is a beautiful place to live.

My First Polar Trophy

Guess what! I've got my first Polar trophy from my exercise last week.

Child Birth Education

My SIL has started to feel mild contractions ie. at 6 minutes interval (the right panel). She could feel baby K is doing an internal rotation.

Are You A Phone Bully?

I hope today's posting will serve well as a precautionary measure for all (mobile and land line) phone users.

I received an international call last Saturday morning. Worrying the call might be work related, I answered it and 1 minute down the road I've noticed the woman on the other side has very thick Northern Chinese accent. I ended our tele-conversation after I realised she was trying to sell me "timeshare" property.

She called me again yesterday morning at about the same time. Our conversation went like:
Her: Ms, I would like to discuss with you on the timeshare property.
Pancake: Sorry, I have no time to talk to you, and I have no $ to buy any property right now.
Her: Ms, it won't take you too long. I will explain to you all details and you don't have to buy if you don't want to.
Pancake: I am really busy and I would appreciate if you don't call my phone again.
(Pancake cut the phone conversation promptly).

She called again this morning.
Her: Ms, I would like to discuss with you the property you've decided to buy in our conversation yesterday.
Pancake: Please put the record right. I have NEVER wanted to buy any property from you, and I have told you NOT to call me again on my phone.
Her: You talked to me last Saturday and you allowed me to talk to you yesterday and today you've asked me not to call you.
Pancake: Please set the record right. I have NEVER wanted to talk to you. I told you right from the second minute you called me last Saturday. Please DON'T call me on my phone again, and I warn you I will alert our Business Crime Investigation Department if you dare call me again.
Her: You know what! (she raised her voice). After talking to you three times, I think you sound like a pig and you think like a pig too.

Obviously I was very angry after hearing those comments that I don't deserve. I've alerted Brunei's DST and B-Mobile mobile phone operators. I've also lodged a police report. If any of you is experiencing phone harassment as such, please do not keep it silent. Alert your phone operator and inform your Business Crime Department. I believe sedikit sedikit jadi bukit, together all of us will help to mitigate this business scam.

Sleepless In Brunei

May be it's due to my over-consumption of coffee today, I couldn't believe I am still wide awake at this hour. Or may be I am just too happy today because I've just found out that one of my favourite authors, John Twelve Hawks (check my posting on October 30th 2006), has recently released his/her second book, The Dark River.

Also, I've heard updates this morning on Sarah Strohmeyer's Bubbles Betrothed & Bubbles All The Way (see enclosed pics on respective book covers).

Way Back Into Love

Way Back Into Love, step 1: You've to clear the (cluttered) spaces at the corner of your mind.

Thinking

I guess all of you might be slightly fed up with my baby talk hehe ... Well, now sharing with you one of the few songs I am currently listening.

ps: I saw him again today ;-)

Listen to Mama's Words Part 1

Listen to Mama's Words Part 2

曲: 周杰倫 Music: Jay Chou
詞: 周杰倫 Lyrics: Jay Chou
Part lyrics of Jay Chou's "Listen To Mama's Words"

小朋友　你是否有很多問號　為什麼
Hey kid, you seem to have many questions!
別人在那看漫畫　我卻在學畫畫　對著鋼琴說話
While other kids are reading comics, I am here attending arts classes and only have piano as my only friend.
別人在玩遊戲　我卻靠在牆壁背我的ABC
While other kids are playing, my back is always facing the empty wall reciting on ABC.
我說我要一台大大的飛機　我卻得到一台舊舊錄音機
I told you Mama, I wanted a big aeroplace, but I always got an old recorder.
為什麼　要聽媽媽的話　長大後你就會開始懂得這種話
I asked you why. You told me to listen to Mama's words and told me one day I'll understand your every word.
長大後我開始明白　為什麼我跑的比別人快　飛的比別人高
Now that I am older and I began to to understand your every word .
將來大家看的都是我畫的漫畫　大家唱的都是　我寫的歌
One day others will read the comics I created and sing the songs I wrote.
媽媽的辛苦　不讓你看見　溫暖的食譜在她心裡面
Mama wouldn't let you see her hardship, she knows the warm recipes by heart.
有空就多多握握她的手　把手牽著一起夢遊
When you have time, hold her hands.
聽媽媽的話　別讓她受傷　想快快長大　才能保護她
Listen to Mama's words, don't let her get hurt. You might want to grow up faster and be able to protect her.
美麗的白髮　幸福中發芽　天使的魔法　溫暖中慈祥
Beautiful white hair, happiness growing beneath.
在你的未來　音樂是你的王牌　拿王牌談個戀愛
Music is the key to your success in your future, use it to be your niche.
唉　我不想把你教壞　還是聽媽媽的話吧　晚點在戀愛吧
Sigh, I don’t want to teach you to be a bad kid. Please listen to your Mama's words and don't get into any relationship too early in life.
我知道你未來的路　當媽比我更清楚
I know your future path, but your Mama knows it even better.
你會開始學其他同學在書包寫東寫西
Soon you will start imitating friends and write things on your backpack.
但我建議你最好寫　媽媽我會用功讀書
But I would advise you not to do that and tell your Mama that you will put in your best effort to study hard.
用功讀書　怎麼會從我嘴巴說出
Geez, I couldn't believe I told you to study hard. Those words from my mouth.
不想你輸所以要教你　用功讀書
I teach you because I don't want you to lose. Study hard kid.
我找不到童年寫的情書　你寫完不要送人
I couldn't find the love letter I wrote when I was younger. Anyway, don't send that letter out.
因為過兩天你會在操場上撿到
Because you will find it on the playground two days later.
你會開始喜歡上流行歌　因為張學友開始準備唱吻別
Soon you will start to like pop music because Jacky Cheung is about to sing Kiss Goodbye (Kiss Goodbye is a popular Mandarin song that was a hit in the 90s).
聽媽媽的話　別讓她受傷　想快快長大　才能保護她
Listen to Mama's words, don't let her get hurt. You might want to grow up faster and be able to protect her.

Listen To Mama

Whenever I think of baby K, I couldn't help wondering will his character take after his eldest auntie? I recalled when I was 15 and was at the most rebellious phase of my teen life, once I had a big argument with my mother because of boy-girl relationship issue. I said to her," Mama, you are too controlling. You are too strict. I have rights, you know, my friends said that's human rights. And I need space too." Then I slammed the door and went on hunger strike that day like a typical 15 yo.

I had a great laugh at myself a moment ago when I thought about those words I told my mother. She might have probably forgotten those angry words, but I always remember every word my mother told me the next day when I finally decided I was too hungry to be angry.

Mama said to me:

• "Don't expect everything in this world will always go our way particularly now when your thinking is muddled with what-you-called Love;
• One day when you are more sober, you will realise you will not survive with just bread and water;
• Parents will always care for you and support you, but others outside this family have neither duty nor responsibility to take care of you;
• Don't expect food on dining table and don't expect others to give you things without costs;
• Never take for granted that those things you want will drop from sky for you either;
• There is no miracle in this world;
• Only you can create your own miracle for yourself."

Aren't These Cupcakes Cute?

Aren't these baby-theme cupcakes cute?

Belated Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Welcome Baby K Committee

My family set up an informal "Welcome Baby K Committee" when my SIL was 10 weeks pregnant. The Chair of the committee, of course, has to be Grandma LL who also plays multi roles as Labour Advisor and Finance Advisor. Grandpa Golfer is naturally the Deputy Chair. Members made up of the soon-to-be-Daddy & Mommy, Aunt Pancake, Aunt Woofhams and Uncle B. Grandaunt Rosemary is the Associate Member who offers advice from proper disposal of placenta to baby's first bath. Grandma LL puts a quota on membership, and she also insists on rules for "no kissing on baby's cheek or forehead until he's older", "no saying the baby is fat or thin in front of him", & "no photos-taking of baby using all kinds of cameras without Grandma LL's approval".

Can you sense how anxious is this family to welcome the new baby, haha ...

Since last night, I keep asking my SIL the same question: So, you feel contraction yet?? What, not yet?? Strange, it's due date tomorrow. I believe myself are fed up with my questions and comments. I am an over-caring auntie, don't I? Perhaps if these tees come in my size, I should wear one which says: Look, my nephew takes after my cuteness ... haha!!!

Enclosed photos from Welcome Baby website.

Complacency

A man said to a woman: Geez, women are so difficult to understand. Before married, my then girlfriend told me her love needs a refuge. Now that she's my wife, she told me yesterday that we both need space.

Pancake overheard and commented: May be in between a refuge and the space, you'd probably should try to help find her first.

*****

Part lyrics of my current favourite song:

Kelly Clarkson's "You Found Me"

Is this a dream?

If it is

Please don't wake me from this high

I've become comfortably numb

Until you opened up my eyes

To what it's like

When everything's right

I can't believe

You found me

When no one else was lookin'

How did you know just where I would be?

Yeah, you broke through

All of my confusion

The ups and the downs

And you still didn't leave

I guess that you saw what nobody could see

You found me

You found me

So, here we are

That's pretty far

When you think of where we've been

No going back

I'm fading out

All that has faded me within

You're by my side

Now everything's fine

I guess that you saw what nobody could see

The good and the bad

And the things in between

You found me

Don't Judge A Watch By Its Look

After extensive net research and price comparison for 4 weeks, I've finally bought my first Polar Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) watch last Thursday. I bought the F11 though I did mention once in my comments many weeks ago that it looks boring.

I shouldn't have judged the F11 by its look, it actually turns out to be a very good exercise partner and reliable calories counter. If you are a gym junkie, then F11 is an exerciser's dream comes true. A revolutionary heart rate monitor that creates a workout programme to guide me to my personal goals. The OwnIndex will determine my fitness level, track improvements, and provide motivation. The OwnCal feature counts the calories that I burn and the OwnZone feature will automatically determine each day's target zone. It also comes with a wearLink coded transmitter made from a soft, fabric material. The electrodes, which pick up the heart signals, are integrated right into the strap for added flexibility and comfort.

The instructions manual says it will display a trophy when I complete the workout programme designed for me based on my age, gender and fitness level. I am working towards receiving my first trophy from my F11!!!

A Trip To Beijing Part 1

A Chinese athlete: Zhang Yi-Ning

Chinese sports brand

A Trip To Beijing Part 2

In other parts of Beijing ........

Chinese sweets

A restaurant which used to be the residence of a Chinese princess

Outside a tea house

A famous dessert street in one of the popular Beijing streets: Wang Fu Jing

Are You A Road Bully?

There is a T-junction near my house. I have stayed in this area for 11 years, and never one time I have bumped into a road bully as rude as the one I saw this morning.

There were many cars coming from both sides of the junction. To be safe, I have decided to wait till the road was cleared before I made a right turn. Suddenly, I heard a very-very-very loud, long honking from a yellow car behind me. I took a look and knew the boy in the car behind was highly annoyed. When he noticed I was looking at him from my rear mirror, he threatened me with his "warning" face. He probably anticipated I would retaliate with provocative look on my face, but instead I was trying to take down his car license plate number.

That boy is barely the age of my students. I was upset the moment I thought of he is one of the 50% of our younger generation that our society, our economy and our country will depend on. If all his counterparts in his age group were behaving like him, what are the values ruling our new generation - is it "you win because you are more fierce" or "you look cool because you are a fighter"?????????

I always believe in sedikit sedikit lama lama jadi bukit (direct translation: we contribute our individual part and eventually when everyone does the same, we will see the amazing improvement). I know I sound nosey by advising the following, but we can't just pin on teachers in schools to teach our children everything. Let's start a little exercise and see if 1 year down the road, we see any difference in our surroundings:

1. respect women - just because they are born women doesn't mean by default it is their responsibility to clean, cook and know less than you;

2. respect other road users - you don't cherish your lives doesn't imply others have no rights to treasure theirs;

3. respect ourselves - we actually look very stupid when we drop our EQ on the floor.

To Do List Part 1

Three cheers to Sasha Cagen! Her To-Do-List has just been released as a book. According to blogspot review, it is "PostSecret" meets "Getting Things Done". Both blog and book are collections of her to-do lists, mailed or emailed in by people.

I am thinking and wondering if I published my blognote of 21 months and named it after my blog - will there be anyone buying my book??

Pardon me of my slight tint of depressed tone in my previous line.

I've thought of a better plan to develop the philosophy of Pancakeism than the book. Thanks to Woofhams's creative idea! Yesterday Woofhams told me if I had a cafe one day, I could name it "Pancakeism (TM)". I'll post my revised plan when I am not too busy.

Hooray! 3 days to my sis-in-law's due date!

post script: The enclosed photo from http://www.todolistblog.com

Top Of The World

Taipei from 101 Building: At sunset, very soothing.

Taiwanese breakfast:

My maternal Grandpa used to eat this breakfast with chopsticks every morning. Porridge with chopsticks, wasn't he amazing!! He was the only grandparent who wasn't born in South East Asia. Our Mama told us that Grandpa migrated to South East Asia around 1936 when he was only 16 yo; he was originally from a Southern Chinese province called Jin Men or direct translation - "The Golden Door".

Gifts For This Christmas

Happiness & Health for everyone in my Family. More Money. Less worries. New Boyfriend. Polar Watch. Marc Jacob's Daisy Perfume. Ferragamo Handbag. Straight Black Hair. Lost 5 kg. Buy more feminine dresses. 12 laps. More Confident. Less Self-Doubt.

Another Phase Of Life Part 1

Thanks God it's lunchtime. I've been so busy since morning that I've forgotten how swift time flies until I caught a look at my watch a while ago.

Above picture from "Will Write For Chocolate".

A colleague asked me yesterday: why are you always seem to look so happy?

Pancake: Because my philosophy told me my emotion doesn't rule my life, and my mirror told me I look older when I look grumpy.

Hollywood Babies

According to the enclosed link, US Weekly Readers is running a poll to see which celebrity baby is the luckiest of them all based on which superstar parents they have. The contestants are Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Suri Cruise, Sean Federline and Violet Affleck.

I would have thought Violet Affleck top the vote with both parents by her side in most pictures I've seen. To my surprise, most Americans voted for Sean Federline!?

Anyway, which celebrity baby name you think is the coolest?! I would say is Shiloh Jolie-Pitt.

More More Baby Talk

My sis-in-law is 38 weeks and 5 days pregnant now - it's another 10 days plus-minus before her due date. Being first-time aunties, myself and Woofhams are very excited. I asked the gynae too many questions this morning that she even said to me, "don't worry, baby is very healthy. See this is his head, this is his heart beat." Geez, baby K must be very excited knowing his mother, grandmother and auntie are there to see him. His heart is beating so actively. I hope one day when he grows up, he will read my blog and I want him to know how excited we are to welcome him to this world and to this family.

We have chosen name for baby K many months ago, his initials will be KS.T. Being a very organised person, I have even started to think of a girl name for baby K's girl sibling. Regarding baby names, my roles are to search, choose, and short-list. My mother and my sister Woofhams's roles are to improvise and add more flavour to the name. My father's role is to nod (meaning: agree) or frown (implication: disagree). My brother's role is to adopt or reject. If reject the name, the whole name-searching process will start all-over again. Isn't it interesting!

Currently, my favourite girl names are: (1) Destiny Hope and (2) Isla (pronounced: Eye-La). What do you think of these names?

If You Think I Am Strong, You Have To Look At My Sister

There are basically four types of athletes in my house. My father and my sister are talented athletes, because they are the two who bring many medals home. My mother is a hidden-talent athlete because she doesn't like sports. However, I believe she will be good in racquet games if she chose to change her mind on sports, because I inherit good arms' strength from her. My brother is a natural athlete, because he is the Jack of all sports and excels in all. He will perform even better if he decides to quit smoking. I am a nurtured athlete, because I didn't do much sports previously and now I am trying to catch up with what I have been missing.

I don't aim to become a professional athlete but by next year this time, I hope I could run faster & longer than the speed & distance I am running now. One of my goals is to ensure that the running commitment I have set today will not be in vain.

All American Girl

One of my favourite sitcoms in the 90s.

B.D. Wong (1995): funny; (2005): too serious.

I Am The One That I Want

I was running late yesterday for a dinner that was scheduled to start at 7.30pm, so I tied up my hair in a bun hoping to look neater. Well, as expected ... I always hoped that I could look like the cherubic Devon Aoki but it turned out under the harsh light I looked like Amy Hill, the lady who played the wise, zany GRANDMA in the mid-90s sitcom: "All American Girl".

Sigh, nevermind ... If I can't change how I look, at least I can change the way I look at myself ;-)

Could you believe it!? - I had a crazy crush on B.D. Wong, who played Margaret Cho's medical student brother, when I followed the sitcom.

Not Good To Eat

Too cute to eat. I'd rather starve!

One Fine Day

One day I will own a cafe that sells all kinds of pancakes, and this will be the mug design that you will see in my cafe! Wow, I am such a productive dreamer hehe ...

Gender Equality

Being single, the value-added cost is men would assume you are hitting on them when you are friendly (even when you are not necessarily very friendly).

Caution: for the record, just in case if some of you are doubtful, the s.t.u.p.i.d. guy mentioned in today's posting is not the economics-maths craz guy (read: Demi-Kutcher Influence).

When I am friendly to a woman friend, they usually will like me more and a few times in my case, the younger female friends even grow to idolise me. Not even once in my case that those female friends would think I am hitting on them or doubt my good intentions.

When I am friendly to a man friend (as I said, not over friendly), I always seem to invite wrong responses. Recently, a friend that I've known for about 2 years is keeping a distance. It's not that I am upset over him, I am just disturbed by the thought that he told our mutual friends I am probably interested in him when he is not ready of reciprocating my feelings or any commitment. Yet.

Geez ... I felt like my tongue has been bee stung at the moment when I heard about the "avoidance" from a third person. The guy concerned could have told me himself if he suspected I was taking a derail in our friendship. For goodness sake, I would have thought I am more 'Renée Zellweger' than 'Paris Hilton'! I should revise my friendly behaviour. Wait a minute ... is he dillusionising that he is Jien or Thorpedo. Immature man.

Even Smurf Will Laugh At This!

Below story was adapted from a comic strip that I recently read.

The mechanic knocked on the door and called out: Mr. Thornnapple

Mr Thornapple: Yes, coming!

Mr Thornapple: Is my car ready?

Mechanic: Yup.

Mr Thornapple: We've made it just like new for you, as you requested!

Mr Thornapple: WONDERFUL! You were able to fix that knocking in the engine and the squeak in the brakes and that thumping noise in the suspension??

Mechanic: No, I'm sorry. But we weren't able to repair any of those things.

Mr Thornapple looked puzzle: Then how did you make it just like new?

Mechanic smiled: We have turned back your odometer!

More Baby Talk

I am in writing mood these few days. Probably it's because the weather is good, my mood is good and it's the first time in many years that clerk knows how to file without me guiding her much and younger colleagues are finishing respective reports on time if not submitting earlier.

God is answering my work prayer!

***************
Here's a comic strip to make you laugh and to kick away Monday's blues:

Subject: Baby Blues (adapted from "Write From Karen" website)

Good News to share: Baby K is due in 17 days time according to gynae's calculation! Can't wait to be Auntie!! I will be Ta-Ku-Ma (direct translation from Mandarin: Eldest Aunt aka addressing father's eldest sister).

Quotable: The Pursuit Of Life

"To transform the Earth, we need to transform our inner world and free ourselves from the prison of our own mind and thoughts"

Bhikkhuni Tenzin Palmo writes for Bangkok Post Outlook

Quotable: Learning

"Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous." - Confucius (551 - 479 BC), Chinese Philosopher

Post Script: Actually, I believe if Confucius was still alive, he would have said - thought without "real thinking" is even more perilous (for example, anti-terrorism is more terrorising than helping - to name only one: burdensome airport security check!)

I Am A Sunny Person

Like Mr. Bean's movies, Nancy has never failed to make me laugh!

Check also my posting on 25th November 2006.

Monster Theme

Missing Teddy Monster Report

Exactly 11 years ago today ie. 3rd November 1996 22:45, I received this interesting e-mail from DL.

Reward Offer

Last seen two weeks ago, Teddy Monster was last seen near the Brunei International Airport.

Since that day, there has been no traces of this Monster, even though some rumour indicating sighting near Singapore. There were also traces of Monster aspiration for U Education in Australia ... This bear is also known as YoYo or J, depending the particular mood of day.

If your assistance can lead to the successful re-capture of Teddy Monster ALIVE, you will be flown (full expense paid) to Cyber Zoo.

Write back if interested.

DL, Chief Teddy Monster Detective

The Origin Of Teddy Monster

Woofhams and I used to have probably more than 100 Teddy Bears in our room.

Woofhams gave away some after she got married. I packed many of mine in boxes because I don't have time to clean them. These are a few that still stand tall in our house:

Gift from Woofhams (received 1997): Mr Pilot & His Cutey Girlfriend

Woofham's McDonald Collection (adopted 1999): Puppy Love

Gift from Dato K (received 2004): Graduation Bear aka Nerdy Bear

Walkers Bear (collected 1997): Teddy Bear that had made me put on 1 kilo (I ate 5 packets of crisps to exchange for it back in 1997 Keele days)