Visitors from Abroad ^^

 March seems to be an extremely busy month for me and my family... hahaha


After a nice short weekend in Prague, we came back to Berlin, to have a couple of days rest before Ee Ping and her mum arrived in Germany from UK to stay for 5 days. ^^


Ee Ping was a fellow friend of mine from Malaysia, Jo Lynn´s friend, who is currently residing in Loughborough, UK furthering her studies there. Her mum came to UK to visit and they were planning to tour as much of Europe and the world, and Germany was one of her stops ^^ We are happy to have her and her mum in Germany, and we took them touring abit around Berlin during their few days stay here 


Amelia was even more happier to find and meet up with Aunty Ee Ping once again, after their first encounter in Jo´s car on our way to dinner few years ago before we migrated down! The two of them together....... disasterous! Lolx.... although Amelia had a few behaviour swings (natural of kids) when they were around, trying to push her boundaries around as we had guests (normal of kids). In fact I am amazed that my daughter remembered her after so many years.... because the first time they met, she was only 3 then. And it is like 2 years now since they last met, and wow..... she remembered her well enough!


Ee Ping and her mum touched down on the 21st of March 2012 in the evening. We, the whole family, went to meet her at Schönfeld Airport after I picked Amelia up from Kindergarten, and hubby from work. By the time we reached back to our place, it was already past 6pm. We had our dinner out that night - plans to cook all dashed due to the late arrival home... nevertheless, wasn´t gone to waste. We took them to taste nice German Cuisine nearby our home before settling in for the night. Amelia..... was extremely excited to even get her to bed, but..... as soon the pillow touches her head, she instantly snoozes! *amazing* hahahahaha


With their visit down here, they get to be part of Amelia´s 5th birthday on the 22nd of March. We didn´t have such a big celebration. The morning part, with Amelia in Kindergarten, I took Ee Ping and Mum touring around before meeting up with hubby and baby at the Reischtag for our guided tour there. We had a nice early dinner at Amelia´s favourite Restaurant - Ha Long Bay, where everyone was completely stuffed. And.... later in the night, the cutting of her cake and the opening of her presents, which she was completely joyous about! A Hello Kitty birthday cake, a nice hello kitty winter hat from Aunty Winnee, which she gotten when we went to Prague, 2 beautiful necklaces from Aunty Ee Ping, a big pink kimono Hello Kitty plush Toy from Grandaunt Amy (Ee Ping´s mum), 2 big boxes of Lego from mummy and papa and some others that haven´t arrived from post yet xD


Anyways, we had great fun taking them around the past 5 days. Amelia, having even more fun, going bananas with Ee Ping and......she found another Lego partner in Ee Ping. xD 


Well, as Ee Ping and mum travels forth to Frankfurt, Paris and then to New York, we sincerely hoped their stay here was at least satisfactory :)

Happy 5th birthday my little Angel!

 22nd March 2012 marks a very important date for me and my tiny family here in Germany. It is a very special day not only for us, but especially for my little baby girl!


On this date, this year - 2012, my daughter turned 5! Can´t believe that it is already 5 years now that I am a mother. It just seems like yesterday when I was pregnant with her, getting tortured by the "morning sickness" of nauseaness. I still remember so clearly how I spend my morning every day at work, from 8am till 11am sitting in the toilet just vomitting my head off for 3 months! And then came the food craving of raw salmon - my poor colleague had to accompany me eat Sushi almost every other day because I was craving Salmon like crazy during my pregnancy.


I also remember so clearly the complications I had during my pregnancy, and not forgetting the labor I went thru just getting her out. Remembering how she looked like the instant she was born, the feeling was extremely unforgettable! But now....... after 5 years, after going through so many ups and downs together with mummy, her birth to her learning to turn and then learning to sit, talk and walk to the separation of my husband and me; my little girl has indeed gone through many ups and downs a little 5 year old has ever encountered. 


And yet, here we are today, 10,000km away from our birth country, starting life anew - for 1 year odd now - in the land of the Europeans, celebrating her 2nd birthday in Germany. =)


I can´t believe how proud I am, well other than the usual blood vomitting (occasions) and "she´s driving me insane" mummy, I am extremely proud of my beautiful smart and wonderful daughter that has just turned 5! She is learning so much nowadays in kindergarten, other than being able to speak a new foreign language, she also has learnt so much about nature, science, and even rules and regulations when being on the street! Things that no young toddler will get to learn in Kindergarten in Malaysia =(


Anyways........


Happy blessed 5th birthday Mein Schatz, my wonderful beautiful little angel! Thank you for these wonderful years....... Mummy loves you ever ever so much!

A weekend in Prague

 Just one week before my little girl´s 5th birthday and just 3 days after her major teeth operation, my daughter and I ventured into the Eastern part of Europe, to a place called Prague. We made this weekend trip together with a fellow friend, Win Nee. Only the 3 ladies, no hubby, braving the streets of Prague with sightseeing and shopping!

Our journey started with a slightly teary goodbye, especially from baby to papa, as hubby won´t be travelling along with us this time around. Amelia was really reluctant to leave him behind, stating her fears that he too would run away by the time we come back from our Prague holiday. Did take us some time to convince her that Papa ain´t going anywhere and that he will be waiting for us at the station on Sunday to pick us up!


We had a very early journey.... our train ride from Berlin main station to Prague main station starts at 645am. Hence, we all had to leave the house by 530am *yawns* to go to the main station. Hubby accompanied us there..... with a 4 hour 40 mins ride train, I managed to get more winks on the train, while....... my daughter, overly excited about her train ride didn´t really sleep at all!

We reached Prague just on time! 1130am and the most interesting part was there wasn´t any immigration checks like the airports, so no funky nice stamp to put into me and Amelia´s passport from travelling around! :(  But nevertheless, it was a good trip. We met with Win Nee at the train station and then made our way to the hotel, which seriously was just a 5 mins walk away from the IP Palvola metro station! *Cools* 

We didn´t do much on our first night there, well firstly because I caught the bug and came down with high fever that night. Though we managed to go for some small sights to the Museum, Starbucks, Old Square, the opposite side of Charles Bridge, the Emperor´s summer palace and etc, I kinda knocked out early together with Amelia (who was also recovering from slight fever after her operation) in the hotel while WinNee toured the place on her own *shucks* Guess it´s even more a reason to go back to Prague with hubby in the near future ^^

The weather in Prague, those 3 days we were there, was actually quite nice and warm. The sun was shining high and the weather ...... well hot enough that you barely need the use of your jacket, unless of course after sundown ;) It was indeed a blessed weather, at least while sightseeing we don´t have to freeze our butts out! Though I have to say.... one thing about Prague, I highly doubt its a place to go with kids.... I barely see any children around, for one thing. Secondly, the shops around selling the souvenirs and such... they barely even have toys being sold! Amazing! It´s like as if this entire place doesn´t have any children population! 


Maybe cos Prague is a place filled with too many historical sights and barely any sights for kids to have fun with... don´t know.... Even Amelia was finding it somewhat boring in certain aspects, especially when we stay at one place for too long. We visited the old Palace - we have the choice of choosing 8 different sights to see in the palace or 4. We took the 4 one as we were worried it would take too long in there as according to the ticket guy, the 8 sights normally took about 2 days, which we don´t have the time for. But nevertheless, even 4 sights was long enough! By the time we are done with it, it was almost 5pm. We had to make our way down all the way from the hilltop, rest awhile at the riverside before making our way to Charles bridge for the beautiful sunset view on the bridge! The view is remarkable I tell you!

There are alot of photos for me to upload, which I still haven´t been able to upload in my Multiply website, except on Facebook. My multiply webpage is still not up-to-date with the newest photos. But then again, I am hopeful. I have already uploaded right up till 2011, and there is only the day trips made in 2011 and the holidays we had back to Kiel, which there are a few killer albums where the amount of photos are tremendously alot. But I am hopeful that I would be able to finish completing my entire Multiply webpage up-to-date before the end of April!


Other than sightseeing in Prague, this weekend to Prague was indeed good and resourceful. I found out alot of things about my ex husband, more than I ever know before, things that could just make me faint out of horror! I can never imagine the things going behind my back that he has done and said. True, after learning the facts and truth from her, my initial reaction and feeling was shocked, hurt and slightly angry. After all that we have been through for the past 12 years, all the help not only myself but my own parents have given to him and his family, I cannot imagine he would go and stoop till such low levels to gain trust and respect and etc from others by creating such stories. But then...... after some time, and alot of advicing from her, I told her the truth. Initially... after hearing her tell all these to me from not only her but other of his ex colleagues, I am truly angry hurt and sad. But then again, it has been so many years, and also its been 5 years now. Our little girl is already 5. I don´t see a point of being angry or hurt with him anymore. Because for me, I know and he knows, what truly happened between the two of us. I myself know what really happened and what didn´t. I answer to no one human but to God. God Himself can see what we all have done. So there is no point in getting pissed and angry about it. All has passed. We all have moved on. 


I will just take my past as a very strong learning curve. I will not clarify with him, nor will I clear my name with the people whom he has tarnished it so bad. Instead, like my daughter every night does, I will say a prayer, that God will still take care and protect him irregardless of where he is. For me, I love everyone - after the time of hurt and pain has crossed, and the time of thinking has crossed, I will still continue to love even the ones who hurt me so bad. And, for the sake of our growing daughter, who is already now living a new life 10,000km away from her birth land, I just wish for her to grow up into a beautiful successful and loving woman. The rest is of no concern. We are all mankind, growing old and dying eventually. I put my faith and love in God, just like how my parents have taught my daughter to do. I will do the same with her.


Thank you for this nice trip to Prague together with you, my dear friend. It was indeed nice bonding with you, although in such circumstances. I appreciate all your advice and info (even if it is like many years too late, but... like the saying says, better late than never ;) ) but you need not fear. The past is indeed behind both me and Amelia. We are now living the present and making the most out of it together with the people around us who loves us.

13th March 2012 - The Scary Day

 And so, the day finally approached. The scary day of my daughter´s life. The day where she had to go to the dentist to do a "major" operation - for her age that is..... to replace 11 out of her 20 teeth she has...


Now, I know many of you readers, upon reading that said statement above will be thinking... WTF?! at the age of 4 and 11 out of her 20 teeth she is having needs to be replaced and repaired? How the F did that happened? Did the mother give her too many sweets or something? Well, then let me explain to you. Amelia had caries on her teeth, most of it. And this does not come out from pure eating chocolates, sweets or improper brushing or even not brushing her teeth at all. 


Mind you, she brushes every day, morning before going to school and after every meal she has in a day and also before going to bed. I really meant it when I said people here are kinda "health freaks" for a reason.... but anyways, no side tracking...... she was taught like this from the day she started going to Kindergarten last year. Initially, like every - ok, majority - people do, she brushes twice. Once, in the morning after waking up and then the last will be before going to bed at night. However, this changed after attending kindergarten and the teacher actually taught her brushing her teeth, and also when to do so. Hence, she does it every time she eats. Normally on weekdays its only twice - when she wakes up in the morning and night before going to bed. The rest of the times, she brushes in school when the teacher brings them to eat.


Anyways, bout a month ago, the health ministry came to do an inspection in the kindergarten - yea, they have health people coming to check the kids in all the schools and kindergartens once every 6 months. And well... the dentist came and checked her and we have a nice "love letter" recommending us to go to the dentist - which we were about to go as she needed the doctor´s recommendation letter to go to Pre School this year in August (Yea, here they have to do medical and dental check up every time before going to school No letter of recommendation / letter of approval from the doctor, the kid can´t go). So our trip was "fast forwarded" thanks to this letter.


She has caries. Dental Caries is something which is not only caused by eating too much candy sweets and not brushing teeth. If you actually read it up, it has many causes including dental hygiene and many other tiny problems. ** Being a parent sure ain´t easy... every time I need to do alot of research on behalf of my daughter ** So, we brought her to the Kids Dentist (Kids and Adults have their separate doctors, normally rarely you can go to the same one for adult and kid), which was about 1/2 hr away from our home... that was the nearest. The dentists there, not only they were friendly, they actually know how to do their job in calming the kid and persuading them to open their mouth to let them check. And.... most interesting part of all.... they actually have a TV hanging from the ceiling for the patient to be able to watch CARTOONS while being checked by the dentist!!!! 


Lolx..... Super cool technology man! xD

Checked she was.... and even had the diagram of her teeth on which is rotten and not. And.... with our nod of the heads, we got ourselves booked for the earliest operation a month later - March 13th. Talk about high tech and fast! ** I doubt I will ever get used to the speed they actually do things here! Compared to Malaysia´s style!** 


Operation day.... Today!


Had to wake up at 530am, her last meal must be before 6am, and making her eat breakfast.... guess today must be the most best day for her... being able to watch TV at 6am in the morning till 9am (couldn´t afford to have her fall asleep again and not wake up). Our operation time was even brought forward - and told last minute (definitely not appreciated, as from our home to the Operation hospital is a whole 1 hour and slightly more train ride!) at 9am to be exact!


But arriving at the operation room at 1030am, Amelia´s courage was slowly failing her. Hubby was great, actually purposely took a day off from work to accompany her there - upon her request - and was encouraging her and telling her that she can do it.... even when changing her operation gown, she was nearly in tears, but....... we managed to make her smile, and..... also took a few photos together =)
 
The painful part, for me that is, was when I walked her into the operation theatre and when they wanted her to lie on the bed... all hell broke loose!


You know, being a mother isn´t easy..... I don´t know how some mothers can don´t cry and have no feelings whatsoever when their kids are in the operation theatre etc, but.... every time my baby gets sick and even when going for her immunisation jabs, when she cries, I cry. I don´t like my baby in pain. I don´t like my baby being hurt.... be it physically or emotionally. 


But eventually, as the narcosis works its wonders, she fell asleep, and I had to leave the room.


Her operation was 2 hours long, but after operation, she slept and was kept there till 3pm. Her teeth now are all shining white. She has 4 teeth replaced with nice metal crowns. Brushing teeth now is a harder task as first we need to polish those nice metal pieces in her mouth (lucky not gold ones also :-s) and then also to take care of all the other teeth that was cleaned (seriously not even 1 stain of black in her mouth at all anymore).

So my baby´s teeth is all cleared and taken care of, rest assured for those of you who knows bout it and is worried sick bout it.


Technology here is indeed advance. Somehow, I seriously don´t understand why people back in Malaysia makes a fuss hearing she is going for Ops or doc...... Hell, they don´t bombard us with medications or rubbish the way docs back in Malaysia do. Here, even if you go to the doc with a minor cold and such, you don´t get medication for it..... for them, curing naturally is the best way of cure instead of medication! Well, for people like us, who came from a background and growing up knowing every little thing there is a medication for it... it may not sound right. But, after being here for 1 year, and encountering all the weather changes and the usual sickness that accompanies the various weather change, I can say Amelia is slightly more better off than how she was in Malaysia!


The doctors only gives medication when you are seriously critically ill. If not, there is no need to.


But, for my fellow family and etc, yes, we do have a mini medication cupboard - and its still growing - of medication not only for the adults but also for Amelia. So, the next time if you webcam with us or talk to anyone of us.... and you see Amelia sniffling, please don´t blow your top. We are more worried bout you than you are. And Amelia knows... I will not let anything happen to her.


Though I find the thought hubby always sleeping in the couch when Amelia is sick - so she can sleep with me in the big bed - very heartwarming..... His concerns, love and care over her is greatly shown in vast measures.

Another 1st Year Mark

10th of March 2012 marks yet another 1st year mark.....

Today, I celebrate my 1st year anniversary together with Sven.

Can´t imagine that it has been 1 year we have been married.... together with all the ups and downs, the tights and loose, the happy and sad times. 

Can´t imagine that so much that my daughter and I have gone through the past 1 year, really felt like 1 year! Somehow, it felt longer.... especially the part of us gradually settling down here in Germany.

But now, today, after 1 year being in the land of 4 seasons... I am proud to say.... my daughter has integrated herself perfectly in the society of the western world... wasn´t that hard for her to blend in actually.... I guess the harder part was getting used to the different climates here than the society.... 


In this 1 year...... not only my daughter but myself and hubby have grown to learn and adapt to one another...... us to adapt to the western world and hubby to adapt to our asian culture... Yeapssss..... we are practicing half asian and half german upbringing in our family. :)

But nevertheless,

Happy 1st Anniversary to my hubby.... and many more to come!