2012: Karen Arrives, Kayrin Rides

Another year wraps up. In 2012, chronological-wise, we moved home, i changed job and welcome baby Karen. The bonus baby's an exact replica of Kayrin when it comes to looks.
To end the year, Kayrin learned to cycle the same evening she got on a two-wheeler belonging to a neighbour. Her own smaller bicycle had been languishing at home because mommy didn't have the time to teach her.
I'm reminded of the time, in 1981, when I learned to cycle on a neighbour's bicycle in Butterworth. Swiveling left and right to balance myself at the backlane of the house, I crashed into a tua pek kong by the side of the lane. I cycled right after.

I Miss Google Maps

I may not be very good at navigating when it comes to maps but I've always loved looking at maps. World maps, street directories, wall maps and atlases all fascinate me and I'd peer for hours at any one of them.
Back in the days when the Klang Valley street directory was a thick book of several hundred pages, I'd pore over the maps each year a new book is published.
When Google map came as an installed app on the iPhone, it became a regular fixture in my life and I took it for granted. My life was made easier and I never asked, "What was life like before Google map?"
Then, Apple did something so idiotic it astounded me. Apple replaced Google map with something so lacking and not ready for use that I realized right away how dependent I had been on Google map. I almost cried.
Waze is fun to use but nothing beats Google map in its clarity. Please, please, someone get me a proper Google map app please.

Before I Forget

Before I forget, I cried when you were brought into my arms.
Tears of relief you've arrived, safe and sound, without harm.
Before I forget, you were both colicky,
Making a straight night's sleep impossible as can be.
Before I forget, nursing you was rather tricky,
One boob was not what you sought initially.
Before I forget, my favourite thing to do was inhaling your scent continuously,
even though grandma said that'd make you naughty.
Before I forget, my heart sings when told by daddy,
how hearing my voice would make you more than happy,
I was the cow whom you chose gladly.
I won't want to forget the days of having you with me as I went to work;
I don't want to forget how you squirmed inside my tummy,
Your hiccups inside made me laugh crazily.
Long after you've said your farewell, don't forget how much you matter to me.
Because I've forgotten everything but the perfect you, one arriving two weeks late,
and the other two weeks early.
I won't forget,
the joy I've had,
not once, but twice in this lifetime -- lucky me.

(Dedicated to my lovely girls)

Where Are My Biwas?

In June 2011, coming home from Tokyo, I had brought with me half a dozen Biwa fruits. They were so delicious that I wanted to share them with Kayrin and SF.
They weren't keen so I ate them. The seeds, I figured, could be germinated.
They did sprout in a pot in the old house and I was planning to move them to bigger space.
Sadly, they never came along when we moved home in February.
Awake at 1:07 a.m., with a sweet little girl asleep in my arms and a thunderstorm brewing outside, I longed for Biwa, the sweet, juicy orange-coloured fruits that remind me of early summer in Tokyo, when the rains made it too cold to walk to Bic Camera from Marunouchi.

I Bake

Make me climb the roof to fix an antenna, make me clean a car engine, make me polish my VW, and I wouldn't protest too much.
Make me stitch, or cook, and I want to cry.
But hey, I baked my first loaf of bread today. I baked my first anything, to confess.
It's all with the help of the Noxxa oven and plenty of advice from good friend Jacqie.

Potty-Trained

We have two such little potties at home, from Kayrin's days of being a baby in Singapore.
That little girl was potty-trained by grandma at two-weeks old.
Now, we've managed to train Karen. At a month old she'd pee when put to the potty even though her behind's not big enough to fill the rim. Amazing little girls.

Movies I'd Watch Again, and Again

Some movies stay with you forever. Here's my list of some of them, not in any order of preference. They've hit a nerve. They have scenes you never forget. They make you thank God for your idyllic, uneventful life.
(This is a post that will be in progress a long while)

- The Shawshank Redemption (1994; director Frank Darabont; Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman)
- Life Is Beautiful (1997; Roberto Benigni)
- The Green Mile (1999; director Frank Darabont; Tom Hanks)
- Gladiator
- The Sixth Sense (1999, M. Night Shyamalan)
- The Hurt Locker (1999; Katherine Bigelow)
Tell me what movies you play back in your mind from time to time.

(First published 24 Sept. 2012)

Note from Aug. 10, 2018:

A new movie I'd like to add to the list:
- The Post (2017, Steven Spielberg). watched it on the flight home from Washington DC to Dubai.

Kayrin's Little Sister

On Aug. 10, Kayrin's little sister popped into our world. We'd wanted a sibling for her and this tiny thing is a surprise when we knew of her conception. Arriving at 2.76 kg and 45.5 cm in length, she's a whole kati lighter than her elder sister.
We thank God for bringing her into our lives.
Little Karen's arrival also connected us with a bunch of friends again, from childhood friends we haven't seen for years such as cute Iwan's parents to my former lecturer and his wonderful wife whom we adore.
Such is the happiness of a baby at home. Family and friends sharing in our joy.

Transitioning Into 2012

Life goes on even if one doesn't blog. Time flies and on some days, time crawls by. In the past six months or more that I haven't come to this site, Kayrin has had to have a colonoscopy, I've changed jobs, moved house and crazily, conceived.
Who'd thought I'd be helping expand the family. Last year must have been the time I gave up hope. I returned a good friend's bag of maternity clothes, gave away Kayrin's baby toys, books, stroller. Some of that happened in 2010. Guess it was a case of fading hope.
Then, we went on holiday. Nowhere too far. Just to Singapore. A relaxed mind allows for babies to be made, so I'm told many times over by now. How wonderful that Kayrin will now have a sibling. For that, I bow my head and thank God.