1 down, 364 to go.. lets see if I can stick to them

Happy New Year everyone and happy holidays as they say here.


I remember new year 2011 so well. I was sitting by my bedroom window in Singapore watching the fireworks over Marina Bay feeding Emma (who was only 2 months old) thinking how fast 2010 had come and gone. Does pregnancy do that to you? Fast forward one year and I'm in a new country looking out a different window watching 1.5 million people watch fireworks. Our serviced apartment might be in the centre of it all in Times Square but sadly the view from our window didn't quite live up to it. And as I welcomed in 2012 (alone) sitting watching the crowds of New York go crazy I thought how 'long' 2011 seemed. Does picking up your life and moving to the other side of the world do that to you?
I spent about an hour sitting watching the crowds thinking about all the new years resolutions I was going to make and try keep. 
1) Cannot hide behind trakkie b's and hoodies eating pancakes pretending its ok to be a bit chubby because I have kids and its Christmas. Must get off the couch and exercise more often. Most important resolution NOT to be broken!


Tomorrow is already the 2nd January-yeah!-which means we only have 8 days before the new lease on our apartment starts and 3 till our shipping supposedly arrives.
We have found a really lovely place to live in Hoboken New Jersey. It's a 10 minute walk to Path Station (one of Hoboken's train stations) which is a 12 minute train ride to 34th street station mid town Manhattan. It's not the suburban mansion I'd dreamt of with a space for my massive Jeep and acres of land for my 3 dogs and 2 cats but its got a a good garden, deck, outdoor and indoor jacuzzi and Hoboken has the most amazing view of New York. There are also 7 irish pubs between the train station and our house and 3 nursery schools within a 10 minute walk so we're all winners. And there's plenty room for visitors.  . 


Last week after the in laws left I experienced a slight melt down. Slight, ok serious melt down. 
I hate this blog to seem like my on-line therapy but I need to be honest. I guess I never really realistically thought about how time consuming two kids and a household for four could be, as well as how lonely it might be not knowing anyone or having any family around, before we moved. 
I don't think we made the wrong decision moving here but I think I should have thought a bit more about how it might have affected my life. Maybe if I hadn't had this preconceived notion that it would be magical and that the kids and I would wander the streets exploring everyday before coming home to me cooking them a lovely dinner and singing them to sleep, then I probably wouldn't be feeling this down. I should have known that it would be this shit.
I spent 2 days crying feeling sorry for myself and hating the world and everything in it including the kids. 
Then I realised how pathetic that sounded and how stupid I am. I am living in New York City - in Manhattan, with two healthy gorgeous children and a generous husband and I should be grateful for everything I have. 
2) Be grateful for the things I have and less annoyed because I haven't yet got to achieve the things I want. 


I sometimes wonder what goes through little E's head. Last night we put her to sleep as normal around 7.30pm only for her to scream for about 45 minutes before we decided to take her out again. (Control crying doesn't really work in serviced apartment living) I know there has been a lot going on so I'm not so fussed about sleep routines at the moment. Pete and I were sitting on the couch eating dinner so we plopped her between us, fed her rice, gave her 2 teaspoons of calpol and honestly I've never seen her go so loopy. She was running from one side of the room to the other giggling to her self, picking up toys and laughing at them, dancing in circles and doing very weird almost praying type poses that just made us laugh. How could we be mad with someone so cute? She happily stayed up till just past 10. William slept through the whole thing. William would sleep through anything. 
I cant decide who's easier to look after, him or her. For one, William sleeps, William can understand me, he sits still and watches TV, will occasionally co-operate and very very occasionally feed himself his limited choice of food. 
Emma on the other hand eats anything, doesn't strop as much, doesn't talk back to me, not great with sleeping but my God, doesn't f-ing ever sit still- I cannot get her to sit down and watch TV for 5 seconds. She follows you to the bathroom, to the shower, to the washing machine, to the front door, she's like an annoying little dog when you're in the kitchen trying to cook dinner and she just wants to fiddle with everything. Lucky she's cute. 


We have realised and accepted that once we move and settle in Hoboken we can't afford to hire a nanny. Once my work visa has been processed we might think about it, but even then we can't hire one without me having a job and I cant get a job without having one. So we started googling schools. There are at least 10 nursery schools in a one mile radius of our house. There is even one two doors down. But again, without me working it's an additional expense that we just don't think we should pay for. 


Well, that was until my slight serious melt down last week. I guess when you're Pete and you get a phone call from your wife telling you that your son needs to go to a nursery school or boarding school or reform school or band camp five days a week otherwise..(I cant bring myself to repeat what I think I said I might do) , you start to reconsider the schooling budget. 
So we're seeing a school on Thursday for William to go 5 days a week 8-3. But suddenly I feel sorry for him. He'll feel like he's being punished and I'll hate dropping him off every morning and then keeping little E. He'll think we're off to drink baby chinos and have fun without him. And then I'm stuck with little E all day. Little E who doesn't sit still, who wont let you shower or pee in peace and who hates sleep. Maybe I should be dropping her off and keeping Johnny Drama. Who is easier to look after? Then I remember they're MY kids and I should love being with both of them. 
3) Appreciate the joys and happiness my children bring to my life and stop complaining about the time I have to spend with them. 


Other than that I need to...


4)Declutter my life. I have to stop buying and collecting things that might one day look good in a house I don't yet own. 
5)Stop buying toys. My kids do not need anymore toys. FACT
6)Keep in touch with all my friends and family and try be the best mother, sister, wife, daughter and friend I can be. 


And I think that's it. If the world is going to end this year I better make it a good one.


Happy New Year everyone.x

They drive me crazy...

I wish I had it in me, but I just don't. I cannot be a full time mother. As much as I love my kids, and I do- very very much!, they are driving me crazy. And it's only been a week on my own. Not even. I'd like to meet a full time mom who loved her role as full time mom more than anything else. I know there are some of you out there. Maybe if you told me what it is you do that makes 'it' bearable it would help me understand how to deal with my two terrors 24/7 and appreciate this time a bit more. I honestly have good intentions. I even bought playdoh and art and craft materials last week to paint and make Christmas decorations with William. Emma seems content sitting on the floor eating fishies most of the day. Yet when it comes to actually doing things neither cooperate and eventually one starts crying, the other throws a strop and we all end up annoyed. Me more than them. 

This morning Johnny Drama was throwing fits before he even got out of bed. I understand that moving country must be a shock to them and that maybe this is his way of dealing with change, but it would be so much nicer if I wasn't around to witness it ALL day. 

Yesterday was one of the coldest days I have ever experienced in my 31 years. We set out really early (to avoid the New York last weekend before Christmas crowds) to get some last minute Christmas presents but twenty minutes into our walk both kids had hibernated into a complete state of shock and I could hardly feel my legs. It was 22 deg fahrenheit;  -5 deg celsius. WTF? Seriously? And that was in the sun. We found Bloomingdales (which I have to say is not one of my favourite stores) bought a few North Face jackets for the kids and came home for the rest of the day. Trying to entertain two small children in a very small non baby friendly serviced apartment with limited toys is proving quite hard. I hope Pete's company understand and appreciate my children's creativity and their crayon drawings all over the walls, fridge door and TV. Would I cope better in my own space or should I resign myself to the fact that I just don't like looking after my kids all day? Does that make me a bad mother? and a bad person? 

I am looking very very deep for inspiration and calmness, to remind myself that they are beautiful small human beings who probably know nothing of what's going on at the moment and that I should be more understanding to their vulnerability, but amongst the bread sticks, broken toys, fruit loops hiding in the carpet, continuous repeats of Fireman Sam and the annoying repetitiveness of me shouting 'Don't do that' I cant seem to remain a nice person. 

I want to explore this beautiful city but I know that as soon as I've layered each of them up, packed the pram, got myself together and out the door I'll regret leaving the warmth and comforts of the apartment with two needy children who do not enjoying sightseeing as much as me. 

Big big Sigh! 

Maybe I should put it down to Monday blues, missing my home comforts, family and friends. Tomorrow will be better. 

I used to live in Singapore...

We made it! We're finally here! 

It's still a bit surreal. I've been trying to post this since we arrived on Saturday but between jet lag, adjusting to the cold, exciting shopping trips to Macy's, exploring our neighbourhood (near Times Square) and housework I've been slightly distracted.

I'm so glad that the last ten days of packing, moving, goodbyes and the dreaded 19 hour flight are finally behind us. I never want to do that again. 

When we first moved to Singapore four years ago I loved the concept of living an expat life, being a tai-tai and traveling Asia. I never thought about the downsides especially the goodbyes once our time was up. Saying goodbye to my friends and to a city that I had grown to call home was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I cried the whole way to the airport. 


So a brief breakdown of the past 6 days...
The 19 hour flight was bearable- actually the first few hours were quite fun. You just gotta love business class. I'm not sure if it was the blood shot eyes, the 17 suitcases we were carrying or the fact that Emma was just being her usual cute self but upon arriving at the business class lounge we were quickly ushered aside to the First Class Private Room. 10am in the morning and champagne, Tiger Beer and as many cookies as my kids have probably every dreamt of, on tap. It was a really lovely way to say goodbye to Singapore.
As much as I loved being in business class and enjoyed the champagne, fillet steak with mustard crust, boiled veges and endless yummy chocolate, cheese and red wine, flying with kids in business class is just not the same. We tried to order kids meals prior to our flight- turns out the system didn't work so Will and Emma where left with the same food options as us, which also included Lobster thermidor; steak tartar or tuna tataki. William ate six bread rolls, Emma nine. Easiest $14000 Singapore airlines ever made. 

We arrived at Newark airport at 5pm Eastern Standard Time (?) and I couldn't believe it was dark already. What? Why did no one tell me it was just like the UK with days beginning at 8 and ending at 4? It came as a shock to the system, as did the 2 deg wind that hit us in the face stepping out the airport building. I did laugh at the time as both Will and Emma burst into tears at exactly the same time. 


It's been five days since we got here and it feels like weeks. There are so many things I'm completely overwhelmed by. I forgot how moving country just seems to take over your life. In a nut shell : 
- double prams (strollers/ carriages) don't fit through doorways in New York
-Santa Claus at Macy's now knows William would like a biscuit for Christmas
-Macy's is the largest store in the world yet doesn't sell prams/carriages (not convinced)
-House hunting with 2 kids in tow is NOT fun
-Order a brownie in America and you get six.
-Times Square after mid day is impossible to walk around
-Duane Read sells everything
-Housework is completely overrated
-Central Park is awesome
-Two people today asked me if I was the nanny
-Need to learn fahrenheit to celcius conversion before I give my kids hypothermia
-I must remember not to leave paint pots close to the stove when trying to cook dinner
-Must not get into a habit of putting on my pj's at 3pm just cos they're warm and comfy 


Today was Pete's first day in the office and at 8.30pm he's still not home. Bit of a change to Singapore when he strolled in the door before 7 most evenings. Tonight's also the first night since we got here that I've managed to stay up past 6pm. Pity I've had no one to talk to. It's been a great first half week here but I am really missing all my lovely friends.


More news to come soon...

Chicken dancing

Today I had my second tearful breakdown. After playing with the kids for most of the afternoon ( I have this new found enthusiasm to actually sit down play lego and enjoy it!) I helped organise their dinner, supervised feeding and even suggested post dinner playground activities including taking both kids for a swim at 6:15pm. So it came as no surprise, after I'd asked Johnny Drama for the gazillionth time to stop throwing things, that when the pink tea pot came flying across the room hitting Emma on the head I completley lost the plot. I'm embarresed that my helper got to witness my foul mouth and incredibly pathetic air punching but I couldn't stop myself. Yes I know he's only two and yes I know that I should lower myself to his level, talk calmly and then go make a mark on his star chart before banishing him to a naughty spot for five minutes, but at the time shouting horrible swear words and punching the air whilst doing some crazy chicken dance seemed far more appropriate to vent my anger.

My son is no dope. I sometimes think for the age of two he knows far too much. He knows how to count to 20. He knows the difference between right and left. He can count to 5 in spanish. He can name the seven days in the week. He can recite about 10 songs (in tune) and is already learning to write. He knows that blue and yellow make green. Figures I don't have a scrap of patience for him when he plays dumb and throws things, pretends to run into walls (as he thinks that's funny!), won't use the potty or wont listen when I know he understands exactly what I'm saying.

So after his hissy fit this evening I decided to give him the cold shoulder. I dressed him and Emma in silence, prepared their milk, put the TV on for them and sat down without saying a word. He skulked around for about ten minutes before it got to him and he creeped over to me and mumbled 'Sorry Mommy, I love you'. And so we're back to where we started... until the next flying tea pot tomorrow.

I just dont know how to crack the evil in him. I wonder with other mums in Singapore - do you ever feel like you're kids are spoilt? And not only for toys and activities but attention. I remember growing up in South Africa in my back garden with sand and dirt, a great wooden wendy house my dad built us, a green jungle gym and a tire swing. I dont remember indoor playgyms, Royce kids gyms, music class or centre stage at the age of two. Do apartment bought up, city living kids demand more than their suburban small town, playground, dirt eating companions? I hope so. Maybe space, less attention, no helper, a big sandpit and a trampoline might help me calm my crazy child down.

Tonight I'm home alone enjoying the sounds of Singapore's finest construction classics from the building site across our road. I swear to God if I move to suburbia in New Jersey and they decide to relandscape our neighbourhood to build some amazing shopping mall or block of flats - I WILL GO MENTAL!! Singapore building regulations are sh*t. 9-5 people.
Its 21:25 and they're still going for it. I'm sure New York City is no quiet place but at least it's constant noise and only for a month. I laugh writing this- I've just been back to the UK on a parental/ inlaw conference and remember commenting (complaining) on a couple of occasions how quiet it was there. Maybe I'll miss the sound of the cement truck doing its thing. One things for sure, I'm certainly not going to miss Ms Heffalump doing her chicken dance in the flat above us every evening. What are you doing up there that makes so much noise???? #sooverapartmentliving

Tomorrow is Saturday. My last Saturday in Singapore. It also means it's the start of my last full week here. I've been here 4 years and I've only 1 week left. One week to say goodbye to so many things and to so many amazing people.

It's raining pouring old man snoring

Two weeks today we're gone-ers.
I'm pretty annoyed that yesterday evening, our penultimate Sunday, was ruined by rain. The Henderson Sunday ritual for the past year has been The Merry Men, great beer, chicken wings, kids dinner, ice-cream and a walk along the river. Instead we were forced to take cover at Bar Bar Blacksheep a pub a few doors down, drink horrible tasting beer, eat overpriced tofu vegetable fried rice and watch as the skies opened and the place flooded. I feel like I've cheated on my favourite pub and sad that one of the places I love in Singapore where the staff know my kids names is now just a memory. Sigh. At least one of our family had his fair share of fun. Average toddler today, You Tube sensation tomorrow.

Jumping around naked in muddy puddles. Oh to be a kid again!

Johnny Drama has been quite up and down these past few days. Is it wrong to call your toddler schitzo? Just as I was writing some of this yesterday evening I was thinking how lovely he is sitting on our sofa watching Peppa Pig on the battery (Ipad) and talking to himself about how he has big feet(not sure where he's learnt that) and how much he loves loop loops (cheerios). Five seconds later he's face down on the sofa, screaming ' I want mommy come to bed with me' and wailing like its life or death if I dont, when dh is actually offering three bedtime stories... God sakes child!

This week, my last full week in our flat, is chock-a-block. 1st birthday parties, last playdates, last visits, last shopping expeditions, last full week with Fely (our helper) and last three days for William at school. Sigh (again). Or so I thought. Johnny woke up this morning on cue at 7:10 full of good things to say, happy chirp about painting, pools and playgrounds and I gave in. I figured I'd save myself the drama and him the crocodile tears and call it a day on school. I mean what's three days anyway. So he's officially retired. Aged 2 and a half. Boy genius. Ten minutes after my pang of guilt and good intention of keeping him home so we can learn to bond for when it's just the two of us, I realised I had a 1st birthhday party to go to this morning without him. Luckily I'm still able to pack him off with our helper to a 'dinosaur' playground and chicken and rice for lunch. Tomorrow we'll bond. Promise.

I am getting really nervous about the big move now. I dont really like change. I'm a creature of habit. I've been to Limoncello for dinner about 5 times; have had the ravioli everytime, been to Boomerang for dinner about 50 times have had the cajun salmon everytime; been to PS Cafe for lunch about 50 times; have had the ceaser salad everytime...so you get where I'm coming from. I like familiarity, I like routine, I dont like surprises.
I'm nervous about so many things. What if I get there and hate it? What if it's so dam cold the kids never want to leave home and after two week's of being stuck in a serviced apartment when we're forced to eat delivery, take outs and loop loops, I'm fat, semi comatose on wine and suicidal? Ok, so that's pretty dramatic but I'm scared. I hate all these What if's?

Over the past two weeks several of my friends and friends of friends have come down ill with nasty stomach bugs. It seemed everyday I was running into someone I knew who knew someone that had been affected. It's one thing I've never loved about Singapore. Germ pollination. It seems that once a bug hites the sandy shores it takes over the island stopping at nothing- a bit like Contagion. So, as a closet paranoid neurotic and vomit-phobic mother I have kept my kids in semi-quarintine the past 2 weeks hoping that it would pass and we could escape vom free. So far so good. Sadly however I've heard of two little babies this week in hospital for nasty infections and my neuroticy levels have sky rocketed. Last night I clocked less than two hours sleep just staying up worrying that whilst my family, dear hubby included, snored peacefully, horrible little bugs were flying through the window infecting us with horribleness. I woke up this morning feeling awful, sleep deprived and miserable. As much as I want to enjoy my last two weeks in Singapore, I could do without a stomach bug and could do without two weeks worrying about it.
I have had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach for days now and I have to keep convincing myself its the cupious amounts of wine I'm drinking - and not the Rotavirus.
A tummy bug is surely not the end of the world though right? I mean it lasts at most a few days and then is gone. Hey, could even help me lose the extra muffin top before Christmas. My major concern is a tummy bug on a 19 hour flight. The last, and only, business class flight I've done was ruined by the masses amounts of red wine I drank for three days before we left London four years ago. I'll be dammed if some ugly looking parascopic bug can stand in the way of free flow champagne, flat beds and lobster thermidor. 
Sigh!

So, here's to a stress-free week of moving, packing, admin, bug free baby activities and more farewell lunches.

What is a life without friends...

Do you know who yours are? For real? What would it be like without them?

There's nothing quite like the feeling of being hungover. A feeling which I find myself feeling a lot these days. I sat down for a minute this morning calculating how many glasses of wine I had yesterday. Thinking about it didn't make me feel much better but turns out it must have only been about 5, if that. And that didn't make me feel much better either. How can I feel this rough after only 5 glasses of wine? Something must be wrong.
I wonder today if its because I'm feeling slightly rough, reflective and tired that William seems more irritating than ever. Johnny Drama woke up from his day time nap and has said 'I want somesing Mommy' about fifty times in the past 5 minutes. He's been sent to his room twice, had two seriously stern looks, one raised arm and a couple threats to his backside. God, still 4 hours till bedtime.

I have been worringly more reflective this past week. I guess with moving and leaving the familiar behind I have started to think back to when I first arrived in Singapore and what it was like moving somewhere where I didn't know anyone. Back then I didn't have kids so making friends was left to boozy nights out with work colleagues and meet ups with similar expats from social networking groups, usually also quite boozy. I made some great friends, some of which I still consider great friends, others not. Once William arrived and then Emma I met more and more people but then came the realisation that maybe some girls were only my friends because of our circumstances. We shared stories of midnight feeding, the size and consitency of poo and the joys of living an expat life in Singapore but that was it. No one talked much about life pre kids or a life we'd like with kids but without our kids, if you get what I mean.

I speak of William being Johnny Drama, being emotional and incredibly high maintenance but I forget that up until March this year Emma was exactly the same, if not worse. I had her three weeks early and I'm still convinced it was payback for taking her out my nice big comfy belly that made her the horrible little baby she was. And I say that because I can. I love her but she was pretty awful. So, after five tough months of not sleeping and generally being fussy it was no surpirse that I became a moody, short tempered, sleep deprived bitch. I didn't want to go on playdates, I never wanted to socialise and for a few weeks there were even days when getting out of bed was just too much effort. I cried all the time, I hated my life and I remember wondering what I'd done to deserve this. I know its classic post natal depression but I never wanted to admit to it. I never wanted to admit defeat. I never wanted to accept that I just couldn't cope. I hated that my 'friends' could. Why couldn't I?
And that's when I started realising who my friends were. My real friends. If I didn't call for two weeks and I ignored messages and accepted and then declined every playdate on offer, very few of my so called 'friends' stuck around.

I don't suppose I had some miracle cure but by the time Emma turned six months she started sleeping through the night, she seemed happier, we got a helper and generally life got better. The only problem I was faced with then was the lack of support. I was almost 15 friends down on Facebook.
How could I have been so close with some girls for so long and shared nearly every day of my exapt life with them only to be deleted out so quickly? I guess that's expat life for you. I now realise just because you're a mom, you have two kids that might be the same age as mine, you're from the UK or South Africa, you know someone that I know or are friends with someone I know -DOESNT MAKE YOU MY FRIEND! Proceed with caution! Makes me sound like a right bitch but I've learnt the hard way. You cant please them all.

So in two weeks time the unfamiliar starts all over again. I'm four years older with baggage and hopefully a bit more wiser when it comes to chosing who to share my poo stories with.
I'm looking forward to my new life and a world of possible new friends.

I found this really funny link to Wikihow on the internet today. How to live without friends.Just in case!

http://www.wikihow.com/Live-Without-Friends

pitthed

Someone once told me that I shudnt never blog wh n under the influence... so this might not be tooo long, or mightt not make any sense.

I am writing this now because I'm sort of overcome with emotion. Ok, yes firt off OI'm feelign possed,but i'm a;lso feeling grateful. I've just come back from a really loverly eveni9gn with friends and husband and realise that in 3 we3eks time Icant do thissort of shit. I wont be abletoleave my6 children and expect osmeone else to bath and putthem to bed. So many things i take for granted might come back to kick mein the ass.

Tick tock tick tock

Three weeks today and our house will be full of strange sweaty men. Oh and lots and lots of boxes. I will be packing my 'i'm sure its fake' Gucci travel bag, taxi-ing to the Fullerton where we are spending our last 2 nights in Singapore and heading out to dinner and drinks for the very last time. Tears are welling just thinking about it. 


As much as I really want to leave Singapore I cant but think how fortunate I've been to live here and how amazing this place is. Despite the awful weather, the annoying taxi drivers, the crab walking geriatrics, over priced toys, the barging out lifts and trains without waiting then pretending I'm dumb and don't speak english workman and the exorbitant price of alcohol and rent, Singapore has some amazing qualities. I love Changi airport, I love that it's walking distance for my husband to get to work and for my son to go to a very cheap nursery five days a week, I love the river and cafe culture and I love my helper (even though she is no.5). 


I spent this evening at my first Singapore snow storm of 2011 at Central mall on the Singapore river. The Rockefeller centre won't come close; Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton and lots and lots of cheap bubbles. Its a pity Johnny drama 'aka Scrooge' didn't want to get out the pram. Maybe he knows its only November and far too hot to be celebrating Christmas. Hopefully he'll get more excited about the real stuff next month. 


Our service apartment has been approved and our new temporary residence from December 10th will be on Broadway, a five minute stroll from Central Park, within eyesight of M&M world. I cannot wait! We've booked the 19 hour direct flight and I was completely at ease about everything until somebody mentioned to me in passing the other day that the flight goes over the top of the world. WTF? I was all ready to fly over England and across the Atlantic. I'm not sure I'm comfortable flying over the North Pole. Has anyone done this flight? Can you share your experience? (Bear in mind you're talking to the world's worst flyer) 


I'm sure our month in Manhattan will fly by especially as it's Christmas so we're under a lot of pressure to try and find a neighborhood, village or state to consider looking at to rent long term. Moving to Singapore seemed a lot more straight forward. Being 42km wide has it's advantages. We're currently looking at Rye and Larchmont in Westchester New York and Summit, New Providence and Millburn, New Jersey purely because our relocation advisor said so. We've three weekends to find a place to live and considering it's likely to be snowing and -10 I can see this going horribly wrong. I'm still tempted by my dream to live on the Upper West Side but I guess I cant forgo a forest and football sized garden for the thrill of the city when I'm likely not to see much of it anyway. 


With all the emails that are coming through from relocation agents, new work colleagues and realtors ( I love that word!) I need to start practicing my American. 
Someone today asked me what rowt I was planning on taking? Rowt? Hello? Oh, you mean route. Get ya. 
Awesome, well why don't I reach out to you and touch base to see how you're doing. Oh, and dont forget your diaper and pacifier. 


Check out my grumpy baby! If looks could kill!

Hair of the dog

I know you should never wish your life away but I am really looking forward to the end of today. Yesterday was the first time in as long as I can remember that I stupidly decided it would be fun to partake in lunch time beers, afternoon champagne, early evening white wine and then a pre-dinner bottle of red. Despite all this I'm relieved I remember most of what happened all day as I woke up this morning with a rather lovely looking mark down my back. (see below) Only after I'd been 'tramp stamped' did I realise I placed complete confidence in the artist Apple and her colleague Whopper in actually writing what I'd asked. Sitting in a local bar afterwards I asked a local waitress to translate the chinese characters and was relieved when she said they spell William and Emma. Whhew!

As our moving day creeps closer and closer I am starting to think of so many more things I'll miss about living in Singapore. Yesterday was a prime example. Gorgeous hot mornings followed my tropical midday thunderstorms, lunch time beers sans kids along the river, champagne with an amazing friend and then home just after my helper had fed, bathed and put the kids to bed. Parenting here is just too dam easy.
I am also going to miss crazy Singaporean taxi drivers. I've heard that 90% of taxi drivers in New York can't speak English so I'm sad I might not get to have similar meaningless banter that some Singaporean taxi drivers are so good at.
I walked into a supermarket this morning and was welcomed by no less than 11 people. Hello Welcome, Hello Welcome. I'm really going to miss that too.

The Henderson house hold sale is finally over with almost everything in our flat gone. I've managed to sell all our white goods, most of the electrical items and lots of unwanted toys.
We've bought a few new pieces of furniture including a solid wood four poster bed and a great chinese medicine cabinet. Here's hoping that neither crack in the sub zero temperatures in New York. Has anyone ever heard such nonsense?

I'm off to watch yet another beautiful storm from the comforts of the couch. Here's to another week of admin, packing, sorting and socialising, oh and gyming. #gottagetmyfatlazybumoffthesofaandbacktothegym

C

PS: I tweeted Kevin Spacey yesterday wanting to know where he's staying during his visit to Singapore for Richard III. Bit miffed he hasn't replied.

Johnny Drama

I am finding everything these days so stressful and I cant work out if its just a mixtue of moving, the kids not eating or the fact that in 4 weeks time I'll be a full time mother and I'm not actually sure I know what to do or how to do it.
I cannot get William to eat no matter what I cook or buy. Everything comes with so much drama and eventually I give in. He's been on a diet of peanut butter sandwiches, banana's and 'pink chocolate' milk (nequick) for almost a week now. What am I doing wrong? I've tried most recipes in the Annabel Karmel book and three or four others but everything I cook comes with 100 questions, 30 minutes intense inspection and then utter refusal to touch it for various reasons. I appreciate he's only 2 and entitled to likes and dislikes but surely he's too young to be telling me 'I'm not eating that disgusting plate of food'? No? 

This morning it took Johnny Drama 'aka William' 4 minutes to go from being asleep to total meltdown. I wonder what goes through his little head when we send him back to his room 5 minutes after he gets up for some time to reflect. I feel like I spend every waking moment with him these days saying;
- That's not how you ask nicely
- What do you say? (please)
- Please stop saying I want
- You cannot have biscuits for breakfast
I keep thinking that when its just him, me and Emma against the world (well New York City more like) he'll be better, calmer, less obnoxious and I'll cope. God I hope so! 

We got the list of serviced apartments through this morning that we can chose to stay in for our first month in the Big Apple. Neither are exactly fulfilling my Manhatten dream. Is it too much to ask to live somewhere big enough for us and the two kids with a microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and a picturesque view over Manhatten for when we're snowed in? One of the apartments is located in Midtown east, just north of Gramercy Park near the Queens bridge. It looks alright, reviews aren't that bad and there are only 103 registered sex offenders in a one mile radius. I'm speechless.

The last time I was wandering around New York I don't ever remember seeing a supermarket? Given we can't really afford to shop at Dean and Deluca, where do New Yorkers get their bread and milk?

Check out my new section 'Peter says'. I figure I'm not the only one my children agrivate most days so Pete is now happily contributing to my blog with 'his point of view'. It should be amusing! I promise that all entries are completley his.

Week 1, 5 to go...

Day 1 diet isn't exactly going to plan with dumplings and beer for lunch. We've just come back from Orchard Road winter shopping, I was so excited to find heat generating underwear. I am just LOVING trying on all the winter clothes. I'm sure I'll miss Singapore, the heat and the pool (and of course my friends) but I can't help smiling thinking how different life will be 6 weeks from today. 

Me and this kids, pre nutrition / fitness plan days...

Me and hubby post nutrition/ fitness plan..10kg's lighter...

Watch out for the final pic in 5 weeks time - hopefully another 5kg's gone...

Everything is taking shape...including my belly

So we have 5 weeks to go till we move and everything is starting to take shape. Including my belly. There seems to be a lot of reasons to celebrate these days. We got our visas approved. Bottle of wine. We booked our flights. Bottle of wine. We sold our car. Bottle of wine. Its Thursday. Two bottles of wine. Its Friday and the start of a long weekend. Bottle of wine. 

How am I ever going to shift another 5kg's before we leave Singapore? I'm worried that once I arrive in NYC it will be so cold I'll be snuggly wrapped up under five or six layers of clothes that the odd chocolate bar or 10 won't go noticed. Then comes Christmas, more wine, pancakes for breakfast, bagels for lunch, pizza for dinner, chocolate, candy and more wine. My best option is to try shed 5kg's now whilst I can so that I can put it all back on again over Christmas. Check in tomorrow for my day 1 weigh in.

US Visa approved! Awesome! 

So it all begins...

This is all new to me, this blogging business. I thought the term blogging was a bit wierd and I still do. So please forgive me as I don't know many blogging do's and don'ts as I start my new ex-pat life, a new adventure and my blog about it.