Category: Kids

Once again, the last few weeks have passed by in a whirl.

Felix and Alexis took part in their first swim meet two weeks ago. It was very ambitious of us because they had only attended seven or eight classes before the Swimin12 Sports Day. Alexis was very insistent that she want to take part because she wanted to get a medal. Fortunately, the little miss got what she wanted and went home with a silver medal.

I also took Felix and Alexis ice skating at 163 Mont Kiara. It’s a tiny ice skating rink but really fun since it’s not so crowded. Skates there are still very new. The ones at Sunway Pyramid were vile. I paid RM5 for newer ones at Sunway Pyramid but the pair they gave Alexis looked pretty worn in, and when we swapped that pair for the older ones instead, she got a blister that burst in 20 minutes.

Alexis is flaunting her new bob in the pictures. Really Jason’s child, can’t stop looking at her reflection and loving her new hair.

Since Valentine’s Day fell on a Monday this year, J and I decided to celebrate on Saturday. With kids, schooling, Loki etc. it’s just easier.

Early

LaLaport is yet another behemoth of a Malaysian shopping mall built on what was Pudu Jail (I do not have plans on going or staying there after dark 😅 Lord forbid I should see hanging corpses like in Sixth Sense).

We packed them off to their grandparents for a sleepover and headed to LaLaport before dining at Skillet at 163.

If nothing, we can be proud of the architectural beauties we have in Malaysia. It’s obvious we don’t have the population or spending power to justify so many of these new shopping malls. Yet, Lalaport is gorgeous.

We got some bits and bobs at Nitori, the so-called Japanese Ikea. Nitori’s electronic and sleep sections really remind me of Harvey Norman, and the household section had many Ikea reminiscent items but it really doesn’t deserve to be called the Japanese Ikea. 😂

Definitely returning to visit Rollerwa and Coo & Riku with the kids. I took Felix and Alexis to Rollerwa in 1U and they absolutely loved it and have been asking to go again.

We also spotted a cotton candy stall that sells huge ones shaped like giant Hello Kitty heads or unicorns, and I just need to fulfil that dream for Alexis (read:me). Haha.

Our meal was lovely. Can’t go wrong with foie gras, wagyu and champagne. Haha.

What went very wrong were pictures of me in my full Ursula glory. I very much need to lose weight. As opposed to being in a mental state where my weight doesn’t matter to me, I want to be in a physical state where my weight doesn’t matter to me. I want to be in photos with Jason and the kids without my dramatic “Woe is me, I’m fat” breakdowns.

Actual

Valentine’s Day was in fact a bloody affair thus the blog title. Unbeknownst to us, Alexis was allergic to her temporary studs. Both her ear piercings got infected after a week of wearing. There was pus, dried blood, and when I tried to clean the piercings last night, there was screaming, crying. Bad mom guilt struck hard again.

We took her to the doctor for peace of mind. She got antibiotics, a good cream, and meds for the pain and itch. Hope it will all be over soon without her losing the piercings.

On a car ride a few years ago, I asked my dad a random question in my usual habit.

“What is the one thing you wish you had learned but didn’t?” His answer was playing the piano.

The Gift.

He was unsurprisingly really happy when the neighbours gave him their Yamaha piano. It was left in their empty house for many years after they moved to a condo and their children migrated.

Seeing the piano, Felix wanted to learn to play. He asked me to download the SimplyPiano app for him. I subscribed for a year on the condition that he would practice whenever he is at Wai Gong and Wai Po’s place.

Felix didn’t break his promise and really impressed me with his progress. I have no idea where his musical gift come from as Jason and I aren’t exactly musically inclined.

The Second Gift.

Eventually, I realised Felix was the only one playing the piano and I asked my dad if I could have it so that Felix could practice more. My dad very sweetly agreed.

Once the piano was in my house, my own suppressed wish to learn the piano came out in full force. I created a profile on SimplyPiano too and starting playing. Every. Day. At least half an hour. I’d play even more if I didn’t live in a terrace house with neighbours I actually liked. Without Felix’s abilities, my lack of rhythm, hand eye coordination, tone deafness has meant slooooooow progress. I really can’t even begin to describe how much joy I feel when I play a song I like. Missed notes or beats be damned.

My joy was unfortunately curbed by the memory of my dad saying he wished had learned to play the piano. I didn’t like knowing my dad didn’t have to option to learn to play cause he gave the piano which was a gift to him to us.

Considering the cost, I couldn’t bring myself to ask Jason for, the ultimate fantasy, a black piano.

The Third Gift.

I am undeniably blessed in many ways because one of my ex-colleagues turned bestest friend heard of my black piano fantasy, and decided to give me hers! A fancy Kawai black piano!

She hasn’t played it since secondary school and has migrated so she offered it to me!

The piano did need some TLC. Both piano tuner and I were shocked at the crud that had collected in there. Haha.

Anyway, my fantasy black piano now sits gloriously at our music area.

We were really revelling the whole of last week because it was the school holidays.

I’m only 75% through Conversation with Friends. Ergo 2 unnecessary online shops. Haha. Just waiting for the parcels now. Harry Potter jammies for Felix, Alexis and I, Skechers sandals for my hooves (Being a UK 2.5 sucks, womens shoes start at UK 3 usually.)

As always, it’s been ages since my last blog post. So much has happened since.