An event to be marked.

My little girl is now a young lady...
05.03.2014 age 7
(Coincidentally, this was my EDD date for her too)
After several times of asking and asking, I finally relented to let her wear earrings....

Will share more soon.

Another huge huge hurdle....stress

It's finally done and I heaved a sigh of relief.
What am I talking about? The P1 registration man...
Yes, Oh Man. Never have I felt so stress ever since I stopped working....

This was really caught off guard and I regret not having to plan ahead and regretted not even considering to do PV. PV stands for parent volunteer. And now gotten myself into such situation.

But I'm just glad it's over. Or should I say, the beginning.....

It started with reading up lots and lots of information on kiasu parent forum, which really provide lots of details. At first the information doesnt make sense, but then slowly I start to monitor previous years balloting history and what's good about this and that school.

Because I am not a church member, or GRC member, or a PV, I do not fall into the Phase 2B.
Hence, I am in the Phase 2C, where everyone else who have not registered their child in the earlier phase will then register in this phase.

Basically, after Phase 2A2, the remaining leftover vacancies will be divided equally between Phase 2B and 2C. Given that my gal is in the piglet year, wow wee, lots and lots of babies and surprising results this year. Many were caught offguard with those very popular schools with just 5 to 9 vacancies left for 2B and 2C.

Not surprising for my case, I've been monitoring Hong Wen (which is within 1 km of my place) and St Margarets Primary (which is more than 2 km of my place) after my parents recommended this school. Reason being my nieces are studying there now and my parents thinks they are well behaved and receive good grades etc.

Hong Wen is the "best" school, a SAP school, among my area which means it places lots of emphasis on Chinese and P1 kids will learn Higher Chinese. Unlike other non SAP school, only if the child has maintain good chinese grades, will they be recommended to take HCL (higher chinese) in P5 onwards. Because everyone staying at my estate would be trying their luck at Hong wen, ONLY those 1km will get the chance to smell the balloting. This year, 2013, 83 balloted for 52 seats within 1km. That's how competitive they are.

St Margarets on the other hand, is located just behind the Istana. Distance is an issue. But other than that, the balloting history shows yearly balloting for more than 2km. So I will definitely have to ballot.
2012, balloting for more than 2km, only 1 girl couldnt get in. I feel sorry for her...
But for 2013, Gosh...26 balloting for 10 seats.

here's my story...
I waited till day 3 before I decided to register.
Headed to Novena Church to pray and ask for directions....

At 315pm, i made the phone call to SMPS and the lady told me, 22 more than 2 km and 17 seats. So there will be 5 who will not be successful. I take it as a sign to just go ahead. Afterall, just 5 will be unsuccessful and I might not be the one right?

I called HW, they told me 81 balloting for 52 seats. My heart was with SMPS, but head with HW. Higher chance at HW, but I thought, heck, maybe 6 unsuccessful?

By then it was already 330pm, so we quickly rushed down and was caught in a massive jam!!! Hb was grumbling all the way and asked if today is the last day and whats the hurry..I was like yes, today last day. Cut off 430pm...So we kept silent until we hit the school compound at 4pm. First time register mah, gan cheong, dashed into general office, didnt even see any P1 registration sign board to direct us. Pengz...then hurry go into the chapel and quickly register.

By then, the lady told me, there are now 24 more than 2 km and fighting for 14 seats. Heart abit sank and there were still people coming in to register, then the lady next to me said she has twins. The other daddy was waiting for his wife to withdraw fr another sch before registering at SMPS. All those 1-2km were safe! But I'm not...praying hard..

Then we left. I called the school at 5pm and was told, 26 will be fighting for 10 seats. Heart sank further. But I cannot do anything now, except to Pray.

I went to Novena Church everyday since Thursday until the day of balloting on Tuesday. Prayed so so hard.

The balloting day came. It was really tense, nerve wrecking and so serious. I went alone as hb couldnt take leave. My fingers were so cold while waiting..

Then the pastor said a prayer for all of us and started. I must complain. The stupid ping pong ball metal cage. The VP turned the metal cage SOOOOOO gently such that the balls hardly jump up and down or get jumble up randomly. They merely sway left, right, left right. No movement, except moving fr left to right! And then the metal scoop is positioned in the center portion, so only those ping pong balls in the center portion will have a higher chance of being scooped up.

And the result shows, the mid range numbers are the most numbers being called. And riesia is in the mid range number 15.

Numbers called 13, 11, 17, 18, 19 but not mine!!! I prayed sooooooooo hard. It was hard reality when I realise it's over. Officially over. We were ushered out to fill up the waitlist and some left without filling up.

My thoughts were in a mess as I stepped out. In fact, when I stepped in, I saw the list and the number 15, I was thinking, why not 19. 19 has always been my lucky number. and true enough, number 19 was called. but not mine..

I took the bus home. it felt so long. I was so disappointed and sad. I teared on the bus. I had wanted the journey to end at Phase 2c, but now I've to continue on to Phase 2c Sup with other schools that still had vacancies.

And so days went by and today, 14th Aug, finally gotten a place at Canossa Convent. We were deciding between marymount and canossa convent and it appeared CCPS had a higher chance of securing a place than MCS. So this time, got experience liao mah, took our time to go down, hb took leave to support me. When we called, they said left 7 vacancies. They had 36 vacancies for phase 2c sup. so we went. When we arrived, we saw a small crowd. A couple came along to register as well. Abit worrying liao...saw 2 parents having small talks, so I joined in to find out more.
The lady said, 25 SC were more than 2km when she registered...Abit scare liao.

So came our turn and was told :
1 km :1
1-2 km : 5
more than 2 km : 28.
Total 34 of us. SOOOOOO...if 3 more come by, then there will be balloting.
If 2 more come by, then, its just nice, no balloting....danger zone for the last 1 hour left lor...

We left. This time round, we werent so gan cheong anymore.
I KPO called up Marymount and was told, there's 30 fighting for 17 seats. of which 8 are less than 2km. The final score put up by MOE was 41 for 25 seats.

And the final score for CCPS was 41 for 36 seats, of which 5 were PR. They couldnt come withdraw in time....
I'm just so happy and relief. More of relieved. 36 for 36 seats. It's a close shave. I think if one parent were to come by to register, definitely balloting liao and 1 girl will be unsuccessful. Just so glad it's settled....at least no more stress until she starts school.

So that's my P1 registration journey....
If you are asking, then what about my boys, since riesia's in a girls sch?
Been there, play smart. Now I PV lor. LOL. Despite hb's persuasion that I have no time, I can MAKE TIME no matter what!

And even if I'm truly in the safe zone, coz SAJS is within 1km from where I stay under Phase 2c, it's still risky. My gf who is involved in this year's Phase 2c, said there was only 6 seats left for those within 1km. So there was balloting involved for 6 seats for those 1-2km. Those more than 2km, didnt even stand a chance. I'm so glad I stand a chance in CCPS. Phew.

I've been holding onto the wrong iphone all these times

Yeah, you read it right.


For the past 1 year, I have been holding onto the wrong serial number iphone that was sent to me by Apple. How I discover?


I was complaining about my iphone home button faulty and had wanted to make a one to one exchange. I took out the Applecare certificate and the tax invoice that I had received from Apple and headed down to M1 shop on a Sunday with the 3 kids.


It was already frustrating enough to keep pressing and pressing my iphone button and it's not working. And then plus the 3 kids making a scene at M1, it was horrible. Then came the news, "I'm sorry mdm, your iphone is no longer in warranty." I shoved the certificate plan infront of his face. He said he will check and came back few mins later.


"Mdm, how many iphones do you have?" I went blank. And then he proceeded to tell me that the serial number on the certificate does not match the serial number on my iphone. In my heart, I was thinking die lah, no more warranty means I cannot change my handphone liao. And I was hoping my mum made a mistake in passing me my dad's iphone certificate.


So we left the shop disappointed and with a crying Reyes. Sigh...I started calling my mum and then search online to find out more about how to track the serial number.


And then I managed to log onto Apple customer care under my mum's ID and she printed out the whole list of tax invoices that she had bought the iphone for the past 18 months. She bought 3 extended applecare warranty - for me, my dad and my bro. Itchy hand, I did a search for dad's serial number and voila, his also stated no extended warranty and the serial number does not match the tax invoice! But bro's iphone had no issue.


So the person who is holding onto the serial number iphone stated on my tax invoice has extended warranty, whereas I dont. Same goes for my dad's case. We made calls to the sales personnel in charge and he doesnt seem to be of any help at all. For all the purchase my mum made, only these 2 phones were made with this idiotic guy - Victor. And in both cases, such things occur. The usual sales rep wasnt around that time so mum had no choice but to place order with this guy.


So we started a long call with apple customer care in Singapore, transfer to Australia, and then back to Singapore. I was being hung up sharp at 5pm while on hold on the australia customer care service. Ridiculous lor and they never called me back too.


The worst thing for a big and reputable company like Apple was to insist that there is no such serial number on their record, when my mum read my iphone serial number to them over the phone. And to also insist that THEY will NEVER make a packing mistake. Come on??? It's not about the $99 that we paid for the extended warranty. It's an internal mistake made in your company and you want to push the blame to your consumers? Misleading me to think my iphone has warranty and then embarassed myself at the shop.


So I sent them a photo of my serial number on the iphone box and my dad's one as well. We waited for days and mum called and scolded them daily. LOL. Eventually yesterday mum said she received a call from the management, an ang moh lady who kept apologizing for the bad service provided by the Singapore customer service lady who told my mum to go ahead to complain. And the verdict? They transferred the extended warranty to my serial number and will be sending me a revised applecare certificate.


You know, all these problems could have been easily avoided. For those who purchase the extended applecare warranty from the retail shops - m1, singtel or starhub, you should receive an applecare box that requires you to register your iphone online.


But the problem here is, if you click on extended warranty on apple online store, it's an auto enrol, where they will register for you immediately your iphone serial number. So if you are like me, purchase an iphone, then purchase the extended warranty, they will register a serial number of the iphone and then have that iphone sent to you. Should the packing department make a mistake to pack the wrong serial number, you are doom.


And please put up your hands, how many of you check the serial number of your iphone against your certificate?


I wrote to the press, am hoping they will contact me back soon. I dont believe this is a one time off case for such a big company like Apple who handles thousands of sales daily.

Long time

OMG, I didnt even realise that my last post was in Dec 2011...

Well, that shows how busy I am lah. :>

My life is so busy, 24/7 with the kids and I hardly have any me time anymore..boo hoo.
First I had the worries after my confinement lady left, of how am I gonna deal with 3 kids during the school holiday break.

Then I had the worries of how am I gonna send 2 kids to school with an infant in tow. If I can cope with a crying baby in the car and still being sane on the road?

Then now, I have to face Ryker's first sickness of his life, the dreadful runny nose and cough, that he cannot take any medication due to his age for now.

And it doesnt help that I am falling sick yet again and I am holding back all medication for the worries of passing it onto Ryker.

So many worries...

I hardly have my precious afternoon naps now since by the time I reach home with the kids and settle them, it's almost time to prepare dinner. At times, I have a precious 15mins rest if Rie allows me too. I've been neglecting R n R and I feel soooo bad that I dont have the time to coach rie on her studies. Been neglecting Reyes too and we hardly have our bedtime talk as well. As usual, he would still wait up for me in bed no matter how tired he is. Sometimes I get so frustrated, coz he refuses to go to bed when I'm still feeding Ryker or craddling him. Feel so terribly bad.

Ryker's been a good boy so far, cross fingers. Sometimes he's a little cranky in the car. But he's been quite a good boy, falling asleep on his own sometimes after feed. He's so loved by everyone in the family, probably coz he's the youngest and all the other kids are already grown up and now we have a newborn, something fresh from the oven.

I must admit hb and myself are really adoring him and treasuring him every moment. No more chance to carry any newborn or to look after one until probably our own grandchild arrives.....I now understands Jan when the whole family love their latest addition when he was born....

Shag

It's been such a long time since I last blog...been so shag, I hardly have enough time to rest.

In short, the confinement lady has left and this is my first week handling 3 kids. Not easy, and I'm still coping. And with rie refusing her afternoon nap, that means I either cannot rest at all the whole day till night time or I nap every 5 mins and she will run into the room asking if I'm going out to the living room with her. It saddens me being selfish to leave her alone outside to self entertain herself and hearing her say " nobody's with me outside". But I'm really so dead tired and having only 2 hours sleep interval throughout the night.

At least she is very independent and will self entertain herself and that allows me to catch a little more few minutes of nap.

My busiest hours is in the morning and it lasts till lunch time. Thereafter afternoon is a more relax time when the boys nap, then come 5pm I'l be super busy again.

In my mind, "beat the 5 mins" keep flashing through.
5 mins to do up something while little Ryker is napping, or 5 mins to hurry finish up something while little Ryker is quiet at rest. 5 mins to finish up my lunch, sigh...how long can I last?Jiayou

Hello Kitty dispenser

To encourage R n R to drink more water, particularly plain water, I bought this Hello Kitty Water dispenser from a spree and its working. Or maybe working too well, coz rie kept drinking lots of water on the first day!

and it sure did encourage Reyes to drink more plain water instead of Ribena daily too.

love

Everynight prior to bed I would have small chats with Reyes. Then kiss his cheek and he kisses mine. Then I say I love you Reyes and he says I love you. And tonight after kissin his cheek, he said I love you first before me! So sweet

my hero

Me : Later mono (monster) catch mama. Reyes : I rescue mama!