Putting resolution into action

Leo and I got a letter labelled ON GOVERNMENT SERVICE. All caps just like that across the front of the envelope. As a letter, wouldn't you feel a bit puffed up to have such a title printed on the envelope?

Leo opened the envelope and called me at work. After 4.5 months the Singapore Government has accepted our application to be Permanent Residents. Provisionally...

The provisional part means that we still have numerous tasks to do before we actually get the new ID cards, such as getting medical checkups for the three of us, filling out numerous forms, getting ID photos, beign fingerprinted, etc.

I enjoy living in Singapore and plan to be here for many more years so I'm glad that the PR application has moved one step along the government bureaucracy. The PR card will open a few benefits for me like a free library card, greatly help Leo in his work by eliminating the need to apply for work permits, and save us a lot of money once Liana starts school. Even though it won't bring me as many benefits as it does Leo and Liana, I'm still glad I have got it. I feel a connection with Singapore and want to have it officially noted.

Jnauary 2010

One of my perennial resolutions is to keep in better touch with my friends and family. This blog was created to do that. Unfortunately, I keep going through busy periods when I post nothing. Now is definitely one of those periods with so much going on at home with Liana and interesting new developments at work. And the period looks like it has no end. The bright side of having little time is that I have a lot of things to post.

Since I'll never have enough time to write proper posts, I'm just going to post short updates with the occasional picture.

Rosy Hearts Tulip Princess 2009

Today we all went to Liana's first party. It was thrown by her daycare center. All the kids brought a snack to share and a gift for the Christmas exchange. The dress code is fancy dress (i.e. British for costume party) and the theme was floral. I have been feeling sleep deprived since I had a terrible cold last weekend. At first I didn't even want to go because I felt tired and didn't want to bought together a costume with a floral theme. Radi, Liana's main care giver, put some pressure on me. I caved and went shopping Friday evening (the party's Saturday morning). I bought some grapes for the snack, a teething toy for $10 for the gift exchange and some lavender daisies for $1.80. Friday night Liana went to bed at 11 (her usual bedtime is 8:30) because she had terrible wind and spit up 4 times. I went to bed at almost 1 am. Saturday morning I wake up at 7, hunt up a vaguely Christmasy gift bag, wash the grapes and sew some daisies on a headband. Presto, we are ready to party in less than 30 minutes. Of course, I haven't showered, and nobody is dressed or has had breakfast, but we are still ready to party and Liana looks adorable. The dress is from Grandma Jo. Thanks Mom.

At the party there is a costume parade. Leo leads Liana out. She charms the crowd and is crowned Rosy Hearts Tulip Princess 2009. She got a sash, crown and a wrapped prize 2 times bigger than her head, which we are saving to Christmas to open.

The Rosy Hearts Tulip Princess 2009

Liana receiving her crown.

The Tulip Princess is nonplussed about all the attention. (Note that I am also in the floral theme. I would have worn flowers too but I had no stretchy head band to sew them too. )

The MLC

Liana is now drinking from a bottle with ease. We have no idea why she stopped wanting the bottle and then just as suddenly accepted it again. We now refer to her sometimes as the MLC -- mysterious little creature. Now that she can take a bottle I feel much more relaxed about returning to work in the next few weeks. I would have hated to think of her crying because she was hungry and stubborn about the bottle.

Liana has also had all of her shots. At the pediatrician, Liana screamed the loudest of all the kids. She even startled the doctor. I felt absurdly proud of her.

Pudding's new perch

We bought a new TV cabinet because the one the landlady had was very rickety and without doors. A pint-size baby could have pulled it over. Since Liana is also very fond of grabbing things and Pudding is fond of chewing on wires, we also thought it would be a good idea to put all of the electronics someplace neither one could get at them.

Pudding likes the cabinet because it allows him access to a place that was previously beyond him. He used to get so frustrated because geckos would scamper up there temptingly out of reach. He stays up there all day -- sleeping, washing and generally lording it over all of us down below.

Liana playing with bunny

We've noticed that Liana is able to see much better now and has more control over her hands. She's always been waving them around but now she is grabbing a hold of things with decision rather than just coming across something mid-wave. She grasps the end of her t-shirt and tries to bring to her mouth, and bashes the animals on her rocker mobile. She pinches Leo when she's getting upset although she probably didn't decide to do that. Before this Liana never showed much interest in playing with toys. Now she particularly likes the bunny Grandma Jo bought her. I think it is all the textures. The bunny is fuzzy and the blanket part is soft velour with a satin lining. She grabs it, rubs it across her face and then tries to chew it. I like in this picture how the small bunny completely covers her with some to spare.

Liana at 2 months

Liana has reached two months and has a new expression as a present. Her new happy expressions certainly make up for her increased fussiness. When she was 4-6 weeks old she accepted everything. Even a bottle straight from the fridge was OK. Now she often refuses a bottle even when she is hungry. I nurse her when she refuses the bottle but I worry about how Leo and the day care will cope once I return to work at the end of the month. Hopefully the fussiness will go away in the next few weeks.