Who would have thought...

We received this email from D's aunt in Winnipeg on Sasha's birthday.

Hi! Hope all is well with you. I expect you're getting ready for your trip to Malaysia. It is this coming weekend that you leave, isn't it?

Will you have a little party for Sasha or do they do something at her day care? Hard to believe she's only two. She's so bright and active. Give her a hug and kiss for me.

I think I've spent the last month just waiting for spring. Still lots of snow left - there is about 2 to 3 feet covering the perennial bed in the garden. It's suppoed to get as high as 9C today, but back to -2C tonight and only a high of 0C tomorrow and staying cool to the weekend. Went to a garden centre yesterday with sister, Anne. Just had to see some growing plants and flowers.

I was at Derek and Kristi's for Gordon's birthday. They have a gorgeous home! Gordon didn't look well - He said his hip was giving him a lot of pain (arthritis) and he certainly looked as tho' he was suffering. Poor guy. I think he'll be glad to get to a nice hot climate.

Have a wonderful time in Malaysia.

Love, Aunt Hilda

I had meant to respond but with the birthday arrangements, packing and travelling, I assumed D had done so because he checks his email 1000 times a day on his crackberry. I figured I would get back to her this week with profuse apologies. She is a stupendous lady who totally adores Sash so I figured it she would understand.

We were informed last night, rather late last night, that she passed away on Thursday. Worse still, the neighbours only found her yesterday but it is thought that she may have pased on Thursday. She was sitting on her couch and they only realised something was amiss when her papers were not picked up off her porch. Her only daughter, who lives in Calgary, will be flying in to Winnipeg in the next few days to sort out funeral arrangements. Sash and I will be flying in to Winnipeg on Tuesday morning while D will fly in on Wednesday morning as he is away until Tuesday. We will stay for a week as I think D has come to the realisation that work should not be a priority and that the call could have been regarding another closer member of the family. FIL thinks we should not trouble ourselves by flying back just for the funeral but he doesn't really understand. I feel gutted that I did not respond to her last email with even a one-liner thank you. D recalls not even bothering because it was as he termed "time wasting non work related email" (hence the whole re-prioratisation). Aunt H is, or was, the closest thing I had to a mother in law and she was absolutely, absolutely lovely. And she adored Sasha, always remembering her birthday, even our wedding anniversary. Making sure she had toys to play with whenever we visited her house even for half an hour. She joined us for my birthday dinner last year, and bought me thoughtful presents even on her rather limited pension. Her passing is a surprise to everyone because she was rather dynamic, and while she was 74, her Mum lived to the ripe old age on 94. We are still grappling with accepting that she is no longer around. This has, suffice it to say, a rather bittersweet Mothers Day.

Yea for customer service!

Gosh it has been a busy few days. Got home late Monday after an eternity on the train (where again Via Rail exceeded expectations with early boarding and economy class coaches...steward provided Sash with a blanket and pillow..and confused her by calling her pumpkin a few times...to which she replied.."I not pumkin. I Sasha!"). Took the subway home and stopped by the Sushi resto round the corner for some takeaway. Sash had a grand old time playing with her new found toys so it took us ages to put her to bed. The next morning we woke up rather disoriented, wondering where we were. It felt great being back in familiar surroundings!

Random thoughts about train travel:

I find it disturbing to hear the train whistle going off mid-travel. My initial thoughts: Is the train engineer warning someone off the tracks? Another train maybe? But a split second later I recall D telling me that it is a legal requirement for the engineer to toot the horn/whistle near every crossing. But does this stop me from worrying? Of course not. So during the 7 hour ride from QC to Toronto, I must have freaked out for 35 split seconds in total...

Unlike in planes, people tend to want to chat more. It may just be Canadians, but random strangers from 3 seats away would strike up conversations. Makes you long for the headphones used in planes mainly to avoid conversation with others...

We have spent the last few days running mundane errands like sending off the dry cleaning, stocking up the freezer and fridge, buying more flowers and plants to experiment with, starting a mini herb garden etc. And oh yes, making arrangements for yet another visit to Montreal in a few weeks for a conference. Yup, we are going there again. This time we will need a babysitter for Sash as both D and I will be presenting papers in the same session so I have been contacting the hotel and conference organisers to sort this out and carry out the necessary background checks. We will be driving this time as we need to stop by Kingston on the way back for another conference so at least we don't need to book tickets etc. Did I mention that Spring/Summer is conference season??

Since we arrived home, no less than 5 people, from my trusty neighbours to the check out girl at my local fruits and veggie shop, have encouraged me to take advantage of the Canadian Avent recall of BPA bottles. You see, after being criticized (or shall we say dragged through the mud) by consumers for their position with regards to the use of BPA in bottles, Avent has relented and offered to refund parents for Avent bottles returned to various stores, such as ToysRUs. The extent of their recall is amazing, full refunds even without receipts. So this morning I dug up my Avent bottles, which luckily I had not chucked out, and returned them for a credit of nearly 50 bucks. Full refund, no questions asked. I wonder what Avent will do with these hundreds and thousands of bottles returned throughout Canada (everyone is sending back their bottles!). They will not be introducing BPA free bottles until late Summer while I think (I am not sure whether it is a legal requirement or due to customer demand), Canadian stores are only stocking BPA-free plastic or glass bottles. As I was returning all 8 of my Avent bottles, there were many other parents using their refunds to purchase the BornFree or glass bottles. I wonder how Avent will recover from this? The funny thing is, design wise, I found Avent to be superior to the much more expensive bottles. It is a shame that their brand name is now associated (at least with the Mums that I come in contact with) with dangerous bottles and corporate arrogance. But I suppose the damage will only be contained in Canada as I read somewhere that the UK has only just started publicising this issue. In Malaysia, it seemed like business as normal. Perhaps the Canadian government is paranoid...but I am not one to complain because with the refund, I bought Sash a playset comprising a sandpit/pool with a picnic table and umbrella. I figure that will just about make up for the unnecessary hormones in her body. So if you are in Canada, dig up those bottles...

Quebec

We have been in Quebec for the past few days. We started our second leg of our Spring work/holiday with a train ride from Toronto to Montreal on Wednesday evening. It was my first Canadian train ride, similarly for Sasha. I must add that I am duly impressed. We dragged our luggage, Sasha's backpack and stroller onto the Eglinton subway station and connected with Via Rail at Union. We had booked the tickets online and we were able to get our tickets for both our outgoing and return journey from the ticket office in Union. The ticketing agent advised us to be at the gate 5 minutes before boarding and to request early boarding. We did as we were told but did not have to get hold of anyone to seek early boarding as the ticket master found us and directed us onto the train personally. There was another single mother with her 6 month old baby also boarding early and we chatted about how civilised the process was, in comparison to the early boarding for flights that inevitable turn into a mad rush by airmile card holders and parents with 15 year old kids. We arrived in Montreal close to midnight and headed straight for the Delta hotel, where we were being put up by the meeting organisers, only to be told that they had overbooked and they were going to help us get a room in another hotel. Now, in situations like this I find that you have a choice of either going apeshit, which is totally understandable considering the time and the toddler you have with you, or you can just go with the flow and ask what can be done. We chose the second option and they found us a room at the Ritz-Carlton Montreal, and paid for our room and taxi ride to get there. Alls well that ends well I guess. I do wonder though where the Ritz puts people up when they overbook. The next day we returned to the Delta where they also provided complimentary breakfast and room upgrade for our stay. I am liking this Montreal hospitality. After the meeting, which involved some Ministers and others from the research center, D informed me that Sash and I were invited to the dinner being held at a rather posh resto near the meeting venue. The food was gorgeous, and our daughter behaved beautifully. We were worried at first but hey, they invited us and presumably they would be prepared for a 2 year old and potential behaviour issues. I must say that Sasha does surprise us sometimes.

The next day, we rented a car and drove to Quebec City where D's co-authors live. They had invited us to stay at theirs for the weekend. Initially I was very reluctant because I think I know my mailman ...Rob, or Bob..something with an ob...better than I know JM and C. Also, they do not have kids and I am always weary of putting people out..especially when the kid they will host in their home is still jet lagged. But they were really keen to have us over and D needed to discuss some work with them. Also, I have never been to QC so I figured what the heck. And am I glad that we did come. They have been ever so hospitable and welcoming. They were initially worried that their home is not child friendly and offered to go out and buy some baby gates. You see, they live just outside of QC in a 3 story chalet set in the woods at the bottom of a ski hill, facing a gorgeous lake. It is such an idyllic setting that I cant even begin to describe how beautiful it is. I reassured them that Sasha is well aware of her limitations and that we will watch out for her. And boy does Sasha love the house. The house has a wrap around deck on the third floor where JM and C hang a multitude of bird feeders that inevitable attract all sorts of wild life. Sash has been sitting on the deck all day pointing out the yellow and red birds, the woodpeckers, the squirrels and the rabbit. JM and C are originally from Northern France so we have been having French style meals, such as steamed lobster, steaks and salads served ever so simply with bread, but with a rustic style that is just so sincere. We visited Old QC yesterday and I honestly feel like I should be using Euros instead of the Canadian dollar. I have heard that Montreal is very European, but I find QC to be even more so. I now totally understand the separatist movement as I keep having to remind myself that I am in Canada. Toronto seems a continent away.

After a weekend of visiting hitorical sites, hiking, and eating, we head back home tomorrow morning. We are taking the train as the 8 hour drive would have been just too tiring. Although it will take longer by train, D and I are both in agreement that we don't really enjoy road trips by car and we much prefer to spend the equivalent hours seated in a train with WiFI access. I cant wait to get home to my own bed. On Tuesday, we start getting Sasha back into her old routine..wish us luck.

It is 9.52am and I have been awake since 2.30am. Sash slept pretty soon after coming home from daycare at 5.30pm yesterday and woke up fresh as a daisy at 2.30am. I was able to persuade her to stay in bed until about 4.30 when her Daddy woke up, which she took as license to get up and play. We decided then that we might as well start the day so prepared our coffee, bagels and mangoes for breakfast. We had to keep reminding Sash that the sun was sleeping and it is dark so we could not go outside. She remained by the glass door licking the door while waiting for the sun to rise. So now in addition to having to pack for another trip I have to Windex the window.

She asked for chicken at 6.30am and a few minutes ago asked for pizza. Now, chicken I am prepared for, but pizza? I had to make do and toasted a piece of bread with cheese and spread some ketchup on top. She actually ate half of the rather dodgy concoction. She must be as tired as I am.

D is in the office grading some papers. Funny, I used to think that my exam results in Uni were mainly based on the amount of effort I put in, the hours of studying and regurgitating. I now realise that it very much depends on the grader, in that if he has a kid with jet lag at home, the person taking the exam is pretty much screwed.

MsJ, a fellow blogger and great friend has commented that I do not look preggers. For the record, that pic of D and I at the massage pavilion in the Andaman was taken pre-buffet breakfasts and bucket loads of local delicacies. Allow me to illustrate..



The picture above was taken on the day of our arrival....0 buffet breakfasts, 1 plate Cantonese style fried rice and ice cold water.



Fast forward to 3 buffet breakfasts, 2 Andaman burgers, 1 tepanyaki dinner, 2 6 course set dinners(lamb/norwegian salmon)at The Restaurant; 1 set meal at the Gulai House and copious amounts of carrot/apple and watermelon juices. This was taken at the Datai poolside while waiting for yet another set meal to commence 9we ran out of places to eat at our own resort). PD started kicking about that time...possibly to get the food out of the way. The kid was probably wondering what the hell happened to a bagel a day for breakfast...



Fast forward to 6 more buffet breakfasts (only a pregnant woman is able to pile on waffles next to hokkien style noodles and an omelette and get a smile a from other guests), 2 more Japanese dinners, A Thai feast, bucketfulls of nasi lemak (coconut rice with trimmings), and whatever Malaysian delicacy and voila..I am obviously and truly preggers...I am going on diet and hopefully by August I will lose at least 9 pounds..hahahahaha.

Hell on earth is being jet lagged. Hell in hell is having to entertain a jet lagged 2 year old while jet lagged.

We arrived home at 2.30 am, dumped our luggage and tried to sleep. Sash couldn't, so we couldn't. We gave up by 5.30am and had an early breakfast in the sunroom, looking out into our green and transformed garden. We still cannot believe that when we left there was a few feet of snow on the ground. The neighbours have been asking how Sash was during the long flights, especially the practically continuous KL-HK-Vancouver-TO leg back home. We told them she surpassed expectations. Well, if one expects ones kid to have an ear infection and scream all 20 hours that is. I believe when you have low expectations, it can only get better from point zero. No, seriously, she was pretty excellent during the flights. We only had to use the Dora DVDs in the middle of the HK-Vancouver leg, she ate some of the kiddie meal, slept alot, decorated her screen and seat belt with stickers that her Auntie Dora gave her, and did not puke once. Did I mention in my earlier posting that she puked twice on our way to HK from Vancouver and also in a taxi in HK (with it being 32 degrees, it was a special kind of nasty)? We took her off milk then...unfortunately, she has refused to drink milk since. Our section during the HK-Vancouver flight was filled with Aussies on holiday, and I think we were as apprehensive of them as they were of Sash. Upon landing those around us told us that she behaved beautifully, and if I wasn't so sleepy I would have extended them the same compliment. Again, I am kidding. I get sarcy-funny this way when I am seriously deprived of sleep. Sash's world has gone topsy turvy, hence our world follows suit. She is wide awake at night and really perks up at 3am. This morning, at 4.30 she declared her hunger and wanted chicken. D finally sent her to day care at 8am. It may be unfair to inflict a jet lagged Sash on J, but I need to get some sleep and get the laundry done because we have to pack for our next trip to Montreal and Quebec City on Wednesday. As usual we have left the travel arrangements far too late and it will cost a bomb to fly or take a train, so we will probably drive it. I hate long flights, but I detest long drives. The last time we took a road trip with Sash was when we were house hunting in TO and driving up from NY every other weekend. It was tough with an 11 month old then, it will be brutal with a 2 year old I imagine. Again, think bad thoughts, think bad thoughts.

Sash misses her Tot, Nenek, Puteh, Baby, Maya (Tot's 3 cats) and Auntie Dora..in that order..ok, to be brutally honest, she misses the cats and then Tot..sorry Tot (or Tok). At 11.30 to past Midnight, as I was seriously contemplating asking the docs for toddler appropriate sleeping pills, she was singing Jingle Bells and meowing over and over again, looking for Puteh in the basement.



I think we need a holiday after this holiday.

It is our last day in Andaman. I would say Langkawi but due to FIL's physical constraints, we have for the most been staying close to home. Not that I am complaining in any way as I have been here enough times to want to appreciate the resort life, and with the Canadian dollar being as high as it is, massages and mocktails don't seem horrifically expensive. I am a Malaysian who finds it shocking that a nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk with condiments) can cost Ringgit 31 when I can get it for RM3 at normal outlets. D really enjoyed the Canopy Tour as he is now able to tell Sasha that he can do a "Diego". Diego is Dora's animal rescuer cousin who lives in the rain forest and swings from tree to tree occasionally. We figured I could have been able to undertake the tour if I wanted to, but since FIL wont even let me slide down the water slide (something about same reason I am not allowed to water ski, water in punani, premature labour...didnt want to ask for details), chances are he would have vetoed the abseiling and flying foxing across a gorge.

We miss Sasha terribly and have decided that there will be no more holidays without her. She is enjoying herself with her Tok, Nenek, Aunties Dora and ED, learning new Malay words and torturing the cats, and we figure she may be having more fun than us. Unfortunately we can only see her tomorrow afternoon as we have a presentation at the stock exchange tomorrow morning and it would be cruel to take her away from her comfortable surroundings just to stick her with an unfamiliar babysitter early the next morning (just as we do every time we travel for work). We have saved some origami from the 2 Japanese dinners we had as a present for her. She has enough T-shirts. Our eco guide tells us that there is a 2 meter resident monitor lizard living on the resort grounds. My mission today is to find it. Right after I have my last buffet breakfast..and lounge by the pool a bit.

It is raining heavily outside. I am in the room after having a rather heavy buffet breakfast with FIL and lounging by the poolside as he slept in his room. He was up the whole night with the runs so after taking a couple of tranquilizers (beauty of being an MD is that self medication is not frowned upon and you have access to cool pills) he has been in dreamland since breakfast. D is on a rainforest canopy tour, absailling down some tree I suppose. I am as expected not allowed to do such things due to my pregnancy. Yet another fun activity I have to refrain from...but I guess if the baby has to float in water without any outside stimulation for 9 months, I should not complain too much. I have just finished The Other Boleyn Girl. I have learned that it is best to read books that you dont mind losing or getting wet on holidays...disposable books. And this definitely was. I am however going to look for some more historically correct books on the subject as it has piqued my interest.

We had dinner the The Dining Room, Datai last night. We are running out of restaurants to try but the food so far has been exceptional. When FIL informed me of his runs, I initialy felt guilty, being official tour guide, host and all. But then after that split second, I figured he hasnt eaten anything I have cooked myself so his condition really isn't my fault. Still, I feel bad for him because I remember getting the runs in India and it is an experience I would not wish for my worst enemy.

I seem to be unable to download any pictures. I suppose there are drawbacks to Island living.

Pensionistas

I cannot believe it has been 10 days since we left TO. So much happening in the past 10 days that I am in that proverbial blogger conundrum...not having time to blog when there is just too much to blog about. I shall try my best to provide little excerpts...

Last night, we decided to have Tepanyaki dinner in the Andaman resort Japanese restaurant. When we were seated the 5 occupants of the other seats nodded politely and sipped their sake. We were not about to give up this opportunity to have a chat with people other than ourselves, so we set about asking questions. How did they decide on Langkawi as a holiday destination? Where are they from? The 3 women on our left, self described Pensionistas (love this new term), were from Germany and instead of the usual girls night out, they travel the world for weeks on end. One chatted with D about his favourite German city, while I had a discussion with another about our Indian experiences. The couple on our right were from Estonia and they chatted with D's dad about the Bolsheviks and the culture in Bali. Globalization at its best.

We arrived in Langkawi yesterday afternoon and D's dad (FIL)finds it difficult to reconcile the modernity and pace of Kuala Lumpur with the lush tropical rain forests and the pristine beaches surrounding Andaman resort. He has always found D to be the more travelled of all his kids, and I sense that he has taken pride in the fact that a kid from Winnipeg has chosen a unique lifestyle that involves moves across continents and, how shall I say this nicely, a distinctly exotic wife (ehm, ehm)...but I think now that he has visited Malaysia and Hong Kong with us, he sees D's travels and life from a whole new perspective, in that what he finds astonishing, D takes forgranted. He marvels at D's adaptability in situations and I suppose his worldly outlook. He has had a glimpse into our lives and commented that "this is a far cry from Winnipeg". I don't think he sees D as the baby of the family anymore.

During our plane ride from KL to Langkawi Island, there was a baby sitting with us in Business Class. And he cried most of the 55 minute flight. There were a quite a few irate passengers, who I guess, unlike us, paid good money to get away from that element. We on the other hand cashed in airmiles and had just left our 2 year old daughter with her doting grandparents for the duration of our week long holiday. We were just relieved to hear a baby cry, and it wasn't ours. It was kind of nice in a perverse sort of way to just sit back and sip our drinks...

D, FIL and I enjoyed a massage this afternoon. I had the pregnancy massage, which just means I was not able to have the aromatherapy oils, the post massage tonic and no squishing of tummy. D and FIL had the full on aromatheraphy massage. The spa is situated within the rain forest, and we were massaged while facing the Andaman Sea. Life doesn't get better than that. It was pricey but then when else will we all be back together in Langkawi to enjoy such an experience. One of my greatest regrets in life (and I do not have many) is not splurging on the hot air balloon ride over the fairy chimneys in Capadocia, Turkey, thinking that it was a bit to much for my budget at that time. My chances of going back there with 2 kids in tow are pretty slim now.

I have decided to rent a car and take FIL around the island tomorrow morning, take in the gondola ride up the mountain and have lunch at Bon Ton, my favourite restaurant. He thinks we should take a hotel limo because he is not overly confident with my driving abilities. Neither am I actually as I have not driven a car for 2 years...but then hey, I say this is part of the adventure. As long as I remember that the driver's side is closest to the line in the middle of the road we should be fine.


On the way back to Kuala Lumpur, we stopped in Hong Kong for a couple of days. We spent one day at Disneyland Hong Kong. Well, half a day as it is rather small....actually maybe even 4 hours. I liked Disneyland HK. It is probably an absolute waste of time for anyone over the age of 5 as there are hardly any rides that older children would enjoy, but as a parent of a two year old that recognizes Mickey Mouse only from the front of her diaper, it is perfect. The wait times for rides was 10 minutes, compared to 2 hours at North American Disneylands. It was less commercialised. But then this may be because Sash is too young to be an avid consumer so we did not buy her a single souvenir. Oh wait, we bought her a rain cover. Because it was drizzling at one point. It was dead easy to get there by MRT (underground transit) and at the Sunny Bay station, we boarded a special train which had Mickey shaped windows and other Mickey related decor. It was an interesting expeience. Been there, done that, did not have to buy the overpriced T-shirts.

When I am pregnant, I find the baby doesn't irritate me in the least. It is everyone else around me. Today, I am irritated with my obgyn and D. My obgyn for telling me to sleep on my side from here on as there is some sort of vein that connects to the placenta or something in there that effects blood supply to baby...whatever it is all I heard during the consult was "sleep on your side to ensure proper blood supply"...which I don't normally do as I sleep on my back. I know she is trying to help but I figure the baby should work with me on this and also move his position instead of me moving mine for the next few months. Seriously, if he wants more oxygen, work for it baby. D because he has taken it upon himself to remind me at least 3 times a night that the baby needs blood/oxygen...every time he wakes up to see what Sasha wants and any other time he wakes up himself and finds me on my back. To do this, he wakes me up and nags...ok, he reminds me of what obgyn said..but at 2.30am, it is irritating . At 3.30 am, it is a bloody nuisance. By 5.30am I just tell him to bugger off. But I change positions anyway...

The loot

This morning, I had Sash go around to her friends' houses and thank them for celebrating her party with her. She passed along (rather reluctantly I must add) a little loot bag which is not exactly filled with a bunch of loot, but a stuffed animal I bought at Ikea (I so love this shop now especially since we discovered one less than 15 minutes away) along with athank you card attached. As there were only 4 children at the party, I decided to make the cards myself instead of buying the pre-printed pack of 12 and chucking out 8 (like I did the invitations). The bags themselves are also adult friendly and can be reused for occasions other than child related. I admit, along with being too lazy to figure out what to stuff in the loot bags, I find that when Sash receives one of these I will always have to go through it to take out age inappropriate toys and candy, while she looks on screaming MINE MINE. I did not want to put my neighbours through that...especially after sugar infusing their kids last Saturday. Sugar is such a no-no here. It is, I think, thought of along the same vein as crack cocaine. Parents joke about being sugar nazis, but in a serious way.



I admit that I myself tend to limit it to weekends and special occasions but it is difficult because D and I dont only have a sweet tooth, we have the whole freakin set. He has to have something sweet for dessert after dinner, while I melt at the sight of Choc Choc Chip. So to balance our guilt (both ways for giving in and not giving in), we limit her intake to chocolates only on weekends, and only when she asks really really nicely. We do not reward her good behaviour with chocolates, but with stickers instead. She is not allowed candy or candy bars, only good, preferably dark 70% or milk chocolates. She is allowed only one cookie, but she can have as many crackers as she wants. She should consider herself lucky though because one of her friends at her party was allowed, for the first time ever, a chocolate cupcake with icing removed. She is not allowed ANY sugar at all. I think D would die if he didnt have any sweets in the house...

Spring is here at last

The weather today is just glorious, glorious, glorious at 15 degrees and extremely sunny. We have spent every moment possible outdoors, just going to the park, then walking along Yonge with the excuse of stocking up Sasha's summer clothes and the local nursery to buy trays of pansies. Sasha insisted on wearing her winter jacket, but also her sunglasses. And of course she had to carry Dini and her new bag of Mini Mr Potato men which she received as a birthday present. Met a couple of other neighbours at BabyGap/Nursery doing the exact same thing. While Sasha took her nap I planted the pansies in the 3 new planters we bought at Ikea last week. Our old planters burst from the accumulated snow and freezing temperatures..and of course our failure to ensure proper drainage. No danger of that happening this time because I used our drill to drill extra holes at the base of our new planters. At last, some colour to greet us when we get home..if they survive.



No sign of crocuses or tulips in our flower beds, and this may be because it is still too early, or the squirrels have dug up all the bulbs. Probably the latter. It is still pretty muddy out back, with the snow still melting. An excellent excuse to wear our very cheery wellies.



As I type this D is BBQing our dinner. Steak for us, chicken for Sasha. After dinner, we have to head out to the drugstore to stock up on diapers for the trip. Anything else I can get in KL, but I find the diapers there, albeit the same brand make, very different. They fit differently and they do not hold as much. Also need her Tylenol and cough mixture, just in case. Once we have packed for Sasha, we can start thinking about our own packing. I don't know about other families, but I find it surprising that someone who is 1/3 our size takes up 3 times our luggage space..combined. I just usually bung whatever I find into a suitcase and zip it up. Travelling with a 2 year old involves deciding on what she will wear to airport (warm layers, no jacket (too bulky) but not too warm as she will be in the taxi/train), which pyjamas she will wear on the plane (footed as she will be walking along), slippers (for walking in the lounge), spare clothing in case of pee leak and/or vomit (a set for every 5 hours of travel time), 1 diaper for every 2 hours on plane (not forgetting layover and potential delay time)...basically, double the amount, wipes, plastic bags to dispose of diapers and wipes, books, Dora DVDs, headphones for laptop, Dini (and now mini Mr Potato heads), snacks, spare bottles, sippy cup, pacifiers, pain killers (less than 100ml), pashmina to be used by either Sash or D as a blanket, socks and spare socks, flash cards, and other odds and ends, including spare clothing for D and I in event she pees/vomits on us (and this has happened). Items have to be divided between diaper bag and hand luggage, depending on accessibility. Lets not talk about her luggage, with clothing, ladybug night light, books, shoes, bottles, medication in quantities above 100ml, bath time necessities, sunblock, hats, swimsuits, and the list goes oooonnnn...I feel that it takes 2 weeks to prepare and pack for this 2 week trip...sigh. I should not complain though. We will soon be in the happiest place in China...

Sasha's Birthday Brunch

We have been getting Sasha ready for her party for the past few days, reminding her that she has to share her toys, and to play nice. We dressed her this morning in an outfit she received as a gift from Doug's Aunt and Uncle about a year ago. She loved the balloons and the decorations but was more interested in the confectionary tower. The brunch was quite a success, if I do say so myself (patting self on back). The adults enjoyed the fruits, waffles and breakfast sausages and more importantly the kids had fun just playing together. The cupcakes were a hit, especially since I forced the guests to take the leftovers home. If I am going to have a sugar infused kid at home, so are they! Sasha has had cupcakes 3 days in a row, so her annual quota of sugar has pretty much been achieved.





Sash really liked the Belgian chocolate animal lollipops that were stuck on each cupcake. I must add that I really liked them too.











Happy birthday our darling little angel!!

The thing about having an übersexual as a husband, is that he can sometimes be irritatingly sensitive. Admittedly, sometimes it comes in handy. I have not felt the baby kick at all, but D who now sleeps with his hand on my tummy (which is another rant-y post altogether), reassures me that PD is most active in the morning as he feels more kicks. As I still cannot differentiate my digestive movements from PDs, I usually get D to confirm whether he is still alive before I go to sleep. I had to ask the ultrasound technician to label and specifically point out parts we were checking as the whole screen was just a blur and a blob to me. D however could pick out the spine and the heart beating. D has so far asked me 5 times (I keep count of such irritations) how it feels like to be pregnant. He has mentioned many times that he wishes he could experience it, even for a day (and I often wish that he is the one pregnant too). He wants to know if I go around having that "Magical-glow-knowing-I-am-creating-life" feeling, if I feel, I don't know, stupendous or something. I am however the wrong person to ask such questions. I explained to him that I dont really feel any differently except for specific moments in time when I cannot bend over to tie my shoelaces, or when I find diffficulty in reaching over the sink to wash dishes. Other than that, nada. Well, I do feel fat if that makes him feel better. He will press on and ask if I feel the baby growing, and how that feels. By this time my irritation starts to show and I tell him that it pretty much feels like when you have poo build up to the size of a bowling ball for 9 months..but no pain involved. Other than that, I cannot explain it because I don't feel different. He then gets upset that I am not more poetic about my situation. I tell him that the poo analogy is about as poetic I will ever be. I really wish scientists would try to figure out how to get men pregnant already...just to save me others like me from such irritating questions. Funny, D will not ask what it feels like to pass said bowling ball out..I suppose sensitivity has its limits.

His sensitivity has reached new heights this evening as he was informed by Air Canada that his flight from Philly tonight has been cancelled and they have put him on a flight tomorrow morning..and if that flight isnt delayed he might just make her birthday brunch. If it is delayed, then he will miss her birthday party. He is freaking out because this might be the case. I am freaking out because I may have to entertain our guests on my own, and make waffles. Sash is freaking out because she has had 3 cupcakes (well, the icing) today. To calm ourselves down, we threw a ball to each other. She would throw it, I say thank you, she says you're welcome and it's my turn, I would throw it back, she would catch it, giggle hysterically, say thank you, I would say you're welcome, and this was repeated over and over again for 30 minutes. I gave her a bath, read 4 books and she fell asleep. I am going to turn in now and if all goes well, D will be back bright and early tomorrow...if not.....

Sasha turned 2 at 4.12pm this afternoon. I can't believe it has been 2 years since I first met her. 2 years of her many many firsts..her first bottle, her first spoonful of solid food, her first step, her first plane/train/gondola ride, her first word (which was Dada, dagnabbit) and her first sentence. Every day we see slight changes in her. She is more willful, yet this shows she is beginning to make choices. She throws tantrums, but this signals that she wants to communicate and is frustrated when she cannot get her point across. She is more manipulative, but this is a sign of maturity. This week she loves purple. She insists on wearing her purple trousers, her purple shirt and purple shoes. I took her shopping for shoes and after trying on the many pairs that I preferred, she chose a pair that she liked, which I am not too keen on. But hey, I choose my battles. She is showing empathy. She is concerned when her friends take a tumble and will go up to them and ask "Are you OK?" She can now climb and slide down the "big kids" slide all by herself. She is still not keen on the swings though. She is learning to recognise the alphabets and numbers. She is, all 36 3/4 inches and 25.14 pounds of her, a perfectly healthy, happy and well adjusted young lady. And for that I am ever so grateful.

She is also going to have a little brother. On the anniversary of her birth, we found out that the baby is a boy, he has 1 in 23,000 chance of having downs syndrome and 1 in 29,300 chance of having spinal issues (this is good apparently although I am still trying to determine if this is based on Canadian, North American or Worldwide data) so I will not have to undergo an amniocentesis, and that it is 20 weeks. We asked the ultrasound technician if she is positive about the sex, and she showed us this...



So yes, it is definitely going to be a boy. I had to ask if the size is normal as it doesnt seem to scale to me...seriously...dont you think that it may be a tad large? I mean I realize that the camera adds 10 pounds but I have this fear that PD may turn into King Kong Dong or the like...touch wood. But my ob/gyn says that it is a normal size...I dunno, but I guess I have to take her word for it. D has of course downloaded the scan on his blackberry and is telling everyone how research finds that children inherit the Mum's intelligence...and well, boys inherit other..ehm..traits from their fathers.

Other than opening a few cards and some DVDs we bought for her (more so for the long plane ride than her birthday), we are saving the celebrations for tomorrow and Saturday as D is away at a conference. She will be celebrating her birthday with her daycare friends tommorrow and her neighbourhood friends on Saturday. She will definitely have more fun this birthday than her last...dont they grow up so fast?

Sash finally met her pediatrician this afternoon. As per standard procedure, I was asked who referred the practice. I told the receptionist I Googled them. The doctor, DF, is probably 90 years old so he was very surprised that he can be found on the internet. He asked me how I settled on him specifically. I told him I found his name on a list of pediatricians on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website, he passed a criminal check and his office is 3 blocks away. As far as I am concerned, he is as good as any other in this socialist system. And I was right. He reassured me that in view of Sasha's maternal genes, she is not likely to be a huge eater. Give her vitamins and make sure she eats at least some meat for iron. She is still in the top 75% for height and so in view of the fact that she has presumably put on some weight since birth, she was given the all clear. He gave her Hepatitis A shots, and she didnt even cry....what a trooper. He asked about Malaria in Malaysia, and I reassured him that we were not about to go traipsing in the jungle. So no Malaria medication for her but she has to see DF again when she is home. My instinct tells me he's one of the good guys.

Alexandra Stoddard wrote about the 5-percent rule. That's when most people concentrate their energies on things that are for special occasions rather than the things that we do or use everyday....or 95% of the time. I used to do this, although it further translated to my saving things for special occasions. Saving the nice soap for a special occasion, the nice plates for visitors, buying only the good cheese for parties. Upon realization a few years ago that I was spending 95% of my life anticipating some later joy, I decided that I would consciously try to make every day a special day. When I receive nice soap or shower gels as gifts, I use them immediately. D bought some hand made soap from Cambridge recently, and every morning when I use a bar I think of the market where we used to have our lunch sarnies from Marks and Sparks. I now use the "guest" towels because, well, we on average we have guests stay with us once every 9 months and why have such nice fluffy towels collecting dust in the linen closet. When we feel like splurging, we head for the nice cheese shop round the corner and buy some nice Stilton we have yet to try, some tasty crackers made on some farm in BC and enjoy them with some nice vino...just us, just for the heck of it. We sometimes eat our dessert on our "nice" plates. Mind you, we only really have 8 nice plates (and salad ones at that) that D bought for me when we were in Amsterdam for my defence. The rest of our "china" are cheaper than cheap (white set of plates, salad bowls, cups and saucers etc for 8, on sale, $12)...and literally Chinese. We do use nice cutlery as I find nice, heavy cutlery really makes a meal. We drink our morning coffee from nice mugs. We only have 2 nice mugs though, as it doesn't really make sense to buy a whole set of 6 or 8 when we only need 2. We do have other mugs for guests, you know the ones you get for Xmas that says "Santa only comes once a year...aren't you glad you're not him". These we reserve for guests. Hey, they can lump it or leave it. I wear my jewelry (aren't all jewelry nice??) every day because I don't see the point of having them stored in our safe deposit box while wearing costume (which can be expensive too)...I follow the cost per wear rule. I don't splurge on unnecessary things, but neither do I put off enjoying nice things (and nice, pretty and enjoyable doesnt mean expensive..for example fresh flowers) as I may be hit by a bus/tram tomorrow...and I can so imagine looking down (or up) from where I am and thinking...DAMMIT, I should have opened that bottle of L'Occitanne shower gel!!

We are beginning to realize that Sash is getting to that stage where she can not only have a fairly decent conversation with us, but she can also put forward her views. For example, when shown a picture of a Lily, she will adamantly tell us that it is Not a Lily, but a flower...or that an eggplant is Not an egg...(I gave up on that argument). I think we have a lawyer on our hands...

We woke up this morning to another sunny yet brisk day. Before running a few errands, we decided to have a leisurely breakfast and tried out our new waffle maker. Love it, and love the waffles it makes! Took 3 minutes to mix the batter, and another 2 to make a waffle. We had them with fresh strawberries and banana, topped with maple syrup and whipped cream. This machine will definitely be used ALOT!

We walked to Melonheads where Sasha had her first big girl haircut. I must say I am rather impressed with the set up and the service. Sash could have chosen to sit on a horse, in a fire engine, in a train or in a helicopter while she had her hair cut. This being her first time though she was rather apprehensive so she preferred to sit with D. He read her a book while she had her first haircut. She was a trooper during the whole ordeal!





To commemorate her first haircut, she of course received a certificate and locks of her hair. Yet again, I am stumpped with this need to to certify. D of course immediately placed it in his special cabinet along with Sasha's crafts and other certificates. Yes, he has his own special Big wooden cabinet!





After her haircut, we set out on a quest for the doubles kit for our primary stroller. We use a Phil and Ted E3 stroller, which we love X10 and we needed to get the doubles kit, which will enable us to use it for both Sash and PD. Unfortunately, they have come out with a new sports model so it is difficult to get the accessories for the E3. We lucked out and found one in the apple green colour that we have at a shop nearby. As we found the service to be helpful and the salesperson knowledgable, we also decided to get a new travel system for PD as Sash pretty much used the one we have to death. Sash used the Combi which I liked but D didnt. We found one one that we both liked. The umbrella stroller reclines, is light enough and folds compact with one hand, which is crucial when you have a line of people waiting to board the plane. The car seat can also be extracted by using one hand. All in all a productive day....