Psst

After thinking about it for awhile

and ding-dong-ing back and forth,

I've decided to start a Dayre account.

JENG! Surpriseeeee!!! =D

Don't worry la, I'll still be here. Blogging away, telling my stories, and sharing my tales. This isn't the end of Tinki Talks, the blog. BUT... I'll also be at Dayre. See, I never really took to Twitter, I don't like Instagram, and to me, Facebook is made for stalking; not talking. Problem is... I feel like my days keep slipping by without a memory considering how blogging consistently feels so impossible to juggle at the moment. :-/ That's why Dayre feels like the perfect middle ground for me right now. Microblogging via my iPad Mini or my iPhone – it doesn't take a lot of effort and I can totally do it on the go. Win!

So, feel free to join me

on Dayre at dayre.me/tinkitalks

to keep up with me and my daily life! =)

I promise I update Dayre waaaaay more often. =p

Getting In The Mood For Christmas

Was feeling a little sorry for myself today. While talking to Tim Tams (an old colleague from MCKL who's celebrating his birthday today!!), I felt sad somewhat. I'm nowhere near where I want to be with regards to my advertising career since the baby came along and threw everything else into the backseat of Life. T_T

So, instead of sitting around moping, I decided to leave my little boy to play with the maid in my room for awhile, and snuck into the study to gave myself a much-needed, long-awaited, Me-Time pampering. A little while later...

TADAAAAA!!

Please ah. This is mom-style nail painting ok. No time to shape, buff or remove any cuticles wan. The fact that I have a base coat and a top coat PLUS SHINY-SHINY BLING-THING GLITTER AT THE TIPS is an achievement in itself already. All in half an hour! What an achievement. *pats self on back*

Ok, now back to the baby

with my twinkly pinkie in the air. Harhar.

Cheerio! =D

Thoughts

...after reading this sad piece on the news.

Sigh.

='(

You never know what will happen until it does. And more often than not, by the time we do know, it's already too late. So, as corny as it sounds, I guess the only way to kinda-sorta-almost-but-not-quite beat Life at its own sorry, sadistic game of lives and losses, we should do all we can day in and day out to make each moment we have here and now, count. 

So...

Never let the sun go down (or the front door close) on your anger. Tell your loved ones how much you love them as often as Always. A million hugs and kisses will never be too many so hug tightly and kiss sloppily daily. Give out pats on the back and fist bumps liberally. Be generous with compliments and stingy with criticism. Be quick to forgive and even quicker to ask for forgiveness. Release/Reminisce the Past, enjoy the Present, and fret not over the Future. 

May we never be in her shoes;

may we never feel her pain.

God be with you and yours always.

My Problem With The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

The Husband posted that status update a few days ago. As you can see, it got many likes. BUT... it is inaccurate. Mummy is #1 la. Trust me. I tested it out, ok. He likes me more than Mickey Mouse. Nevertheless, we're not here to talk about my husband's inaccuracies. I'm here to talk about Disney's inaccuracies.


See, the Disney Junior channel is celebrating Mickey and Minnie's birthday throughout the month of November. Apparently, their birthday falls on 18 November every year. Yes, BOTH of them. TOGETHER.

???

How can?! Are they twins or what now??

But then... wait. Aren't they boyfriend and girlfriend, too??

OMG, what is Disney subliminally teaching our kids???

So, I got to thinking and here's what I have to say about the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse programme that goes on the Disney Junior channel at 7PM daily:

1. Mickey and Minnie share the same birth date... and a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, too? So, are they family or are they a couple? Twin incest ah???

2. Goofy and Pluto are both dogs but one can walk upright and talk, the other can't. Why ah? Such inequality!

3. And if Goofy's a dog, why the heck is he dating Clarabelle COW??? Interspecies mating?!

4. Daisy and Donald are two dating ducks. How come one has no problem speaking clearly and the other one clearly has a speaking problem???

5. And why doesn't Donald ever wear pants but always covers himself from the waist down whenever he appears in a towel??

Disney, why your characters so senget wan?!

Later my son watch already then confused, how??

The Final Instalment Of My 20s

I turned 29 today.

Not sure I can honestly say I'm where I want to be right now as I teeter on the edge of 30 but... I guess you could say I'm not where I don't want to be. Heh. Is that good enough? Well... when is anything ever really good enough, eh? So, yes. I'll confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that what I have so far has got to be good enough for 29-year-old me.


What have I to complain about anyways? I'm married to the man of my dreams, living my happy-ever-after life where we are both co-owners of a little, 72.5cm-tall, 9kg-heavy somebody we deem the most adorable, lovable, so-cute-until-cannot-tahan-able boy on the planet. Sure, a part of me really wishes I had a job that paid well in dollars and cents but... I guess getting paid in hugs, kisses and kiddie drool isn't all that bad la, right?

They say "The grass is always greener on the other side." I sure hope its true when it comes to birthdays on the "other side" of 30. To be honest, I don't remember enjoying the last few birthdays of my late twenties. Because of that, birthdays just seem to have lost their luster. "It's just another day" – the jaded ones always say. Well, it sure feels that way for me nowadays, so I really can't help but nod in agreement. Maybe what other people say will ring true for me, come 21 November 2014; maybe there's a chance that "Life (really does) begins at 30." Maybe. Hopefully? We'll see. 

So. How did I spend the 24 hours I turned 29?

Well, I missed the actual "turning 29" cos I was in bed before midnight yesterday. Haha. Then, I spent most of the night feeding my fussy, always-hungry little boy. (No, he is so not STTN yet. Sigh.) Then, I got out of bed waaaay before I wanted to – at 7.30AM – cos that same little boy decided that the morning of my birthday should begin at 6.30AM. *groan*


After that, my day was same-old-same-old-day-in-day-out until 3PM when I packed my life in KL into a cramped sedan, exited Subang, and hit the North-South Highway. (Goodbye, KL! You know I'll miss you much – as I always do! T_T) 360km North, a traffic jam, and a Police summons later, came dinner at CRC (where we bumped into Dee! =D) and then it was back home to wash up and get settled back in Penang.


After the lights went out, I tried to steal some time away to bond with my MBP that I haven't seen or touched in over a month, to blog about my lacklustre birthday but... as fate would have it, my son decided that tonight would be the night that he would stay up till midnight and fight me as he fends off sleep. Perfect timing as always! Yay! Not. -_-''' So, yes. It is only at 30 minutes past my birthday that he finally knocks off and I am rewarded with some time alone with my thoughts.


And here I am. Typing on my comp, thinking my tangled thoughts. Thoughts too complicated to be worded; thoughts too disenchanting to be immortalised; thoughts too private to be put on a page.

Ugh.

You know what? This post is getting depressing.
And you know what else? Birthdays just suck la. >(

My day felt pretty normal before I started writing this post, to be honest. It felt like "just another day". And I did feel happy-ish initially. But now that I'm doing a recap, it feels like the lamest birthday e-v-e-r. Sigh. WTH, man. Oh well, at least there was cake.

Happy 29th birthday, me.

Note To Self: Please la... Make your 30th birthday a bit more happening can?? Don't later look back and regret not doing anything special like this birthday and the last few birthdays past. Never learn wan ah?? Kanasai la. *slaps self*

Kids These Days!

Check out what my son got

from his Papa early last month:

I tell you ahhh... Aiya, I also dunno what to say la!

See, I received my first mobile phone when I was 17. The Husband received his when he was 16. And now, thanks to The Husband, JZ beat us both to it. The Husband gave him his first mobile phone early last month. On the 5th of September 2013. When he was 9.5 months. Before he can even talk. *rolls eyes* Tsk tsk. This Papa ah... spoiling him kau kau. Next thing we know he's going to get his own car when he's 8-years-old, before his feet can even reach the pedals. *snorts*

Shitty Conversations

The Husband and I have been married a little over 2 years. Before we officially tied the knot, we took our time and ding-dong dated each other for a good 10 years – since January 2002. And before that, I knew him and served in the same church as him since we were in lower primary – back in the early 1990s. Needless to say, we obviously know each other through and through and talk about anything and everything. No holds barred. No shit spared. Haha. And this *points below* was the shit that came up tonight.


SHIT CONVERSATION #1

While watching Masterchef US on ASTRO.

The Husband: *thoughtfully* I feel like shitting, man. 

Pam Song: *sighs* Me, too. 

The Husband: *nudge* Go shit now la! While he's sleeping. Go! *nudge nudge*

Pam Song: *frowns* *thinks hard* *shakes head* Lazy la. Can I just relax first ah?

The Husband: Ok. I also want to relax. 

*pause in conversation as we watch

Gordon Ramsay screw people over

on Masterchef US*

The Husband: *turns to me* Eh. Shitting is relaxing wat. 

Pam Song: No. 

The Husband: What you mean no?? Why not?!

Pam Song: I cannot even lean back!! I have to sit straight up the whole time! Haiya, mai la!

The Husband: @_@ WTH???

-------------

SHIT CONVERSATION #2

During a commercial break.

The Husband: Ok la, I want to go shit now. *proceeds to walk to the common bathroom*

Pam Song: Eh!!

The Husband: *stops in his tracks* What??

Pam Song: I shit first. 

The Husband: You go and shit in the room la. I shit here. *points to the common bathroom*

Pam Song: I don't want to go into the room. Later he see me how?? No! I shit here. *points to common bathroom*

The Husband: Aiya ok la ok. *walks back toward the TV couch*

Pam Song: Awessum! *walks toward the common bathroom*

As we cross paths...

The Husband: Eh, wait. Why you must shit first? *a frown appears* You don't want to smell my shit issit???

Pam Song: Abo???

The Husband: Eh!!! I don't want to smell your shit also!!!

Pam Song: *snicker* Too late. *shuts common bathroom door behind me*

-------------

SHIT CONVERSATION #3

After I poop, I come out of the common bathroom

and see The Husband still lazing on the couch.

The Husband: *sees me* *GAGS HYSTERICALLY* *fans self as if he's suffocating*

Pam Song: Haha. Idiot. *proceeds to blow the air from the bathroom toward The Husband*

The Husband: *uses cushion to cover nose and mouth*

Pam Song: Hahaha. Nonsense la you.

The Husband: *gets up to open the balcony door*

Pam Song: Please la. As if you can smell anything from here!

The Husband: The smell never reach only. It... *with conviction* WILL. COME. *opens the balcony door* See, I rather smell haze than smell your shit.

Pam Song: -______- Beh tong lu ah.

-------------

And that, my friends, is how
romantic married life is after kids
come into the picture. Haha.

The end! =)

3 Enjoyable Reads

1. 10 Things You Don't Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kids by Mackenzie from Raising Wild Things.

2. 5 Lies Christians Believe by Jessica Morris.

3. Hunger Hurts by Ms Jack Monroe from A Girl Called Jack.

You're welcome. =)

Rainbow Pencils By Duncan Shotton

How freaking cool is that?? Yes, please! I would most certainly love for my son to grow up in a world where there's always a bright, colourful rainbow waiting for him at the end of every blunt pencil. =)

[Via This Is Colossal]

Homemade Smoked Salmon Angel Hair Pasta

Cos Delicious stopped selling theirs.

Men Will Never Understand Women

Was scouring the web, doing some "browser" shopping (as opposed to "window" shopping) last night when I suddenly turned to The Husband and said:

Pam Song: *dreamily* I wish we lived in the US. 

The Husband: Huh??

Pam Song: Or Australia also can.

The Husband: Wha-? *confused* Why?!

Pam Song: So I can buy stuff online from HauteLook.com – they only ship to the US, Canada and Australia. =(

The Husband: @_@ YOU WANT TO MOVE YOUR WHOLE LIFE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY FOR A... A... A WEBSITE!?!

Pam Song: Haha. You know what I mean la! 

The Husband: *matter of fact-ly* No. You're mad.

Pfft. Men. My girlfriends would totally get me. -_-'''

Anyways, if you're in the US of A, Canada or Australia and haven't heard of HauteLook.com, where have you been?? You so don't know what you're missing out on, man. Now, stop reading Tinki Talks, hop on over to HauteLook.com, drool your mouth dry, and shop your eyeballs out. The deals on designer and branded goods from the US are so super unbelievably fantastic I'd kill to be where you are! If you're in the US of A, Canada or Australia, that is. Haha! =p

p/s: Don't forget to use my personal invitation link!

Parental Abuse

A busted lower lip, courtesy of my son.

Sigh.

I really don't understand la. How is it possible that a 9-month-old's head is this hard?? And why can't he sleep like a log (literally, please!) instead of helicopter-ing all over the bed at night, all through the night?? Turn here, turn there looking for his sweet spot on the bed... like a worm! He gave me that busted lip in the middle of the night last night. (I took that picture this morning.) And during his afternoon nap today, he gave me another bruise under my chin. I'm a real pretty sight to behold now, I can tell ya that! -_-'''

Great Anniversary Gifts In The Form Of Photography

An anniversary is really a special time for any couple – but the proper way to celebrate can be tricky. Some celebrate by having a night out, some people keep the occasion small, but the point is to be together and to be happy.

This year, why not try something different?

Find a professional photographer who has professional photography studio equipment and create a special anniversary gift for the two of you. Create images that you can remember and cherish for years to come.

Sample image.

Yes Com USA is a great company that has a slew of photography-related gift ideas for your anniversary. Make this anniversary unique and get each other something that is special to you both. It will not only give you memories, but will provide you with a memorable photographic timeline of your life together.


Photographic Anniversary Gift Ideas

1. Portfolio – Have a professional photo shoot done with you and your significant other. It will be a great gift you can both cherish for a long time.

2. Memory book – Have a compilation book of your past photos and memories made up. It will be a great way to look into your past as a couple.

3. Calendars – Have a calendar made, with each month's photo being a photo from your lives together. Add in special remarks and dates to personalize it and make it unique to you.

4. ‘Special Moments' portfolio – Make a portfolio of your most "special moments" together. Have it created and edited beautifully, so that the book reflects the beauty of your lives together.

5. A Photo Poem – Write some poetry, and include special photographs that go along with what you write. It can be a very unique, funny, and heart-warming gift.

Sample image.

An anniversary can be just another day, or it can be a day to truly appreciate the one you're with. Show how much you care by putting thought and effort into your gift ideas – give your significant other something worth remembering. Photos are a great way to remember your past together, and are something you can take with you into your future.


[Sponsored Post]

Listerine ZERO

Does anybody know where I can buy this particular "flavour" of Listerine in Penang? So far I've only ever seen and been able to buy it at Cold Storage, Sunway Pyramid. Nowhere else in KL/Selangor, much less in li'l ol' Penang. The usual "flavours" we find everywhere else are just too pedas for me la. I cannot tahan. Help!

"To Phak Or Not To Phak" – That Is The Question

Little JZ has been a well-behaved boy all along. In the past two weeks, however, he has slowly become more demanding than usual. You see, he is finally at an age where he knows exactly what he wants... but is still unable to get what he wants without our help or permission. Unfortunately for him, most of the time, what he wants isn't what we want him to want. Thus, that help, he doesn't get. HAHA. And that is when we, as parents, have the supreme honour of witnessing the occasional mini tantrum that consists of whining and some thrashing – all in his effort to push the boundaries and hopefully get his way.

One night, after a 30-second tantrum before bedtime:

The Husband: Kiam phak liao la ee!! (Manglish Translation: Kurang ajar already la he!!) *turns to me* Eh sai phak liao boay??? (Manglish Translation: Can whack already or not???)

Pam Song: Phak la! (Manglish Translation: Whack la!)

The Husband: @_@ Lu oo phak meh? (Manglish Translation: You got whack meh?)

Pam Song: Phak! (Manglish Translation: Got whack!)

The Husband: Oh.

*pause*

The Husband: Wa mai phak la... (Manglish Translation: I don't want to whack la...)

Pam Song: -_-

NATO kau kau man.

Ini Mia Bapak

While taking an evening walk

with our son in the stroller...

Pam Song: Dog coming. 

The Husband: Ok.

Pam Song: *turns to The Husband and asks* Will you protect him ah if the dog attack him?

The Husband: *super defensively* What kind of stupid question is that??

Pam Song: Just answer the question! Will you protect him?? Or will you run?

The Husband: I run la! 

Pam Song: HAHAHAHAHA. I knew it! Idiot. 

The Husband: *2 seconds too late* Fine. I take him and run. Ok??

My Thoughts On Being A Mom

Being a mom means having to sacrifice your time, your energy, your career, your hobbies, your health, your beauty, and sometimes even your sanity for the sake of another whom you consider more precious than yourself. With just one child under my wing, already I feel like I've given all I have to give. Yet, daily, I find myself continually giving more and more. And then, when I'm all dried up and tired out from giving, I dig down deep and give some more.

Being a mom also means that I often leave the house with crazy hair, with my glasses perpetually covered in fingerprints, and with zero accessories on. I feel eternally sleep deprived and I can't really remember what it's like getting more than 2 to 3 hours of sleep in a stretch, day or night. The skin on my face is disgustingly dry and flakey because I just couldn't be bothered to make time to tone or moisturise anymore. And since we're at it, I also haven't had a facial in goodness knows how long. Oh, and because I nurse, I don't get to dress up in pretty dresses anymore either. Heck, I never get to wear dresses, period! 

But because I am a breastfeeding mom, I also have the opportunity to experience and understand what selflessness and sacrifice is, too. Because of this, I can honestly say that I am thankful for small hands that grab at my hair, tiny fingers and thumbs that cover my glasses in fingerprints, and baby skin that I have to be careful not to scratch or hurt with earrings, rings or watches. Every day, I put my baby to sleep at the expense of my own rest, and rub lotion on skin that's a million times softer and smoother than my own. And I'm grateful that my clothes are limited by the fact that I am able to fully breastfeed my son and raise him on milk that's made just for him. 

Almost 8 months since my induction into this crazy club, I confess that I've learned it's not always easy being a mom. Sure, roughing it out in the real world all day long is tough; meeting deadlines, preparing presentations and making sales. But I personally think it's tougher when it's your whole world you're caring for 24/7. I don't know how celebrity power moms do it and still look like a million bucks while they're at it. This motherhood thing, it's hard work! Work that comes with no day-offs, no MCs, no public holidays, and no weekends. It's incredibly demanding and unbelievably exhausting. But thankfully, it's supremely rewarding, too. =)

Shen + Pam Turn 2!

2-years-old with an 8-month honeymoon, followed by a 9-month pregnancy, resulting in a 7.5-month-old baby boy. I don't know about you but if you ask me, I think Shen + Pam have done pretty well thus far. =)

Shen + Pam on Sunday, 3 July 2011

just hours before our ROM.

Hypocrite

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust 

in your brother's eye and pay no attention 

to the plank in your own eye?" 

 – Matthew 7:3 (NIV) 

Oh, how quick some of us are to judge our brothers but then proceed to fall right into the very same complacent pit as they did, when we eventually find ourselves in the exact situation.

Voodoo Magic Water

The last time Mama came down to KL, she told our maid to place a bowl of water in an out-of-the-way corner of every room before night falls. So that when we turn on the air-conditioning, our skin (including my son's) doesn't dry out la. She did so without question at first. But after Mama went to bed, she came to me and asked:


Maid: Ma'am...?

Pam Song: Yes?

Maid: I have question.

Pam Song: What?

Maid: Why... *low whisper* ...every room must have water? *lower whisper* What is meaning?

@_@

BWAHAHAHAHA.

Because of air-con la, girl.

Not cos of anything else.

No jampi-jampi here.

Top 3 Learnings From Having A Live-In Maid

1. Nobody knows exactly what you want or how you want it but you. So, if you want anything done right, you've got to roll your sleeves up, get your hands dirty, and do it yourself.

2. Good help is hard to come by. So, be thankful for what – who – you've got. No matter how bad it is, remember – it could have been worse.

3. If it's foreign help you've hired, language will always be a problem. So, be prepared to explain yourself again and again and again. And if it still comes out wrong after that, try again next time.

Contrast

Having me some "cooling" mangosteens

on this hot and humid Sunday. =)

Habits

"Old habits die hard. Bad habits die harder."

– Pam Song, 25 May 2013

iHerb – The Most Awesome Website EVERRRR!!!

Discovered the wonders of iHerb shopping earlier in the year and I've never looked back since. (If you haven't heard of it, OMG HOW CAN???) In fact, I enjoy shopping there so much that I shamefully have to admit that... I'm hooked! (I, urm... placed my fourth order this morning. =p) The stuff there are crazy cheap, I tell you. Like... totally flippin' CRAAAZY cheap. No kidding!

Here's what I ordered during
my first purchase back in March '13:

• Barbara's Bakery, Baked Cheese Puffs, Original, 5.5 oz (155 g) – $3.14
• Summer Infant, Dr. Mom, Oral Care Set, Ages Birth & Up, 3 Pieces – $6.11
• Tooth Tissues, My Dentist's Choice, Dental Wipes for Baby and Toddler Smiles, 30 Wipes – $5.80
• Munchkin, Soft-Tip Infant Spoons, 3+ Months, Six Pack – $4.29
• Munchkin, Easy Squeezy Spoon, 4+ Months – $6.34
• Munchkin, Safety Bath Ducky, 0+ Months – $2.55
• iPlay Inc., Green Sprouts, Cornstarch Hand Teether Rattle, Sage, Stage 2+, 3+ Months – $8.25
• Hugo Naturals, Essential Mist, French Lavender, 2 fl oz (60 ml) – $2.16
• Promax Nutrition, Energy Bar, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, .70 oz (20 g) – FREE (Originally $1.65)
• St. Dalfour, Organic, Pure Ceylon Tea, 0.07 oz (2 g) – FREE (Unrequested and thrown in by iHerb)

As you can see, I bought LOTS of stuff... at LESS THAN HALF the price I would find them locally, be it in-stores or online, PLUS a $10 discount off the total bill. HAH! And yes, they ALWAYS throw in a little freebie for good measure. =p Best part is it all only cost me a mere $34.64 USD.

$34.64 USD!!

DING DING DINGGG!!!

Hello, that's like, RM100 only wei!!

Crazy cheap or what???

So now, my go-to website to purchase natural baby/organic beauty/general healthy stuff from the US of A for me, my baby and my family is iHerb. Some of the stuff are actually available here but are more than DOUBLE in price at the supermarkets and on Malaysian online stores; some aren't even available here so that's uber cool, too. And at the end of the day, I pay there super cheap prices while only coughing up a surprisingly affordable shipping fee (ONLY $4 USD!!!) to get my loot right to my doorstep.

Let me give you an example of how cheap is the "crazy cheap" I'm talking about, ok. See those Munchkin baby stuff up there? (The three most colourful things in the picture that I've so helpfully made obvious for you to see. =p) I put in the work, did my research and found that babydash.com.my sells them, too. And, so you know, babydash.com.my's prices for quality baby goods are pretty much the lowest you'll find in Malaysia already. Now, look how much babydash.com.my is selling those things on discount for:

At iHerb, that rubber duckie costs $2.55 (i.e. ±RM7.50) and it's RM19.70 on discount here. That blue squeezy spoon costs $6.34 (i.e. ±RM19) and it's sold for a mind-boggling RM63 on discount here. And those colourful soft-tip spoons? They're $4.29 (i.e. ±RM13) on iHerb and a whopping RM23.90 on discount here. Haha. Crazy, huh? What's crazier is that I also got $10 off my total bill at iHerb so that effectively means I got 25.9% off whatever iHerb original price I quoted here! How awesome for me!

And now, here's where
it gets good for YOU, too. =p

If you've never placed an order on iHerb before, use my referral code – ZDT612 – and you will receive $10 off your first order of $40 USD or more like I did!! And don't fret if you haven't got that many things to buy. (Although I doubt you wouldn't when you've seen what they've got to offer. =p) You will also get $5 USD off ANY order less than $40 USD... with no minimum purchase amount! =D =D =D

Just so you know, you'll also be doing me a favour by helping me earn online credits when you use my referral code. Haha. Win-win la, right? Cos, really. It's a SUPER steal for you, too. =p Lots of quality health supplements and beauty products there as well. Not just baby stuff. Pages upon pages of everything, all at a discounted price. Can see until go blind. I see the beauty section and baby section for 3 months already still never see finish. Still scrolling. HAHA.


Bestest part of all the best parts is that now, USD is weak. So it's really the perfect timing to buy, buy, buy! So, yes. Go check out http://www.iherb.com now and don't forget to use ZDT612 when you check out so you get your $10 USD discount! Don't say I never share good things with you. =D

Website: http://www.iherb.com/

Referral Code for Discount: ZDT612

UPDATE AT 9:48PM ON SUNDAY, 26 MAY 2013: ARGH! I forgot to tell you one super important detail! *slaps self* Now is the PERFECT time for you to burst your iHerb cherry cos this month, they've got a special promo – "May Special: Extra 5% off for orders below $60 and 10% off for orders over $60.00! Ends Friday, May 31st, 2013." OMG, what you waiting for?? Hop on over to iHerb now!

Shit That Smells Like Sai

OMG, my son just did a #2 and I almost died. HIS SHIT DAMN SMELLY, WEI!!! It's NOTHING like what he was pooping while he was only on breast milk. -_-''' This time was more liat and waaaay stinkier. POOH! And he's just had two measly tablespoons of avocado purée so far, ok. TWO! Come on! How can two tablespoons of creamy, tasteless, wintery-green avocado... give me this??? #@*(^%@!!! How to tahan liddat, I ask you??? *faints*

Naturally, I had to complain

to The Husband about it...

OMG, he laugh??!!

Pfft.

Wait la. Just wait till I make him change

a dirty diaper for once. Then only he know.

HMMPH! >(

I Jump, You Jump... Except When Skydiving, Ok?

While watching ASTRO just two minutes ago,
a skydiving feature or advertisement appeared.

Pam Song: *turns to The Husband* Would you go skydiving?

The Husband: *thoughtfully* I would.

Pam Song: Wah. Really?? Not scared meh?

The Husband: Tandem ok lah.

Pam Song: Ooo... With who? =D =D =D

The Husband: *blinks* The coach lah! 

Pam Song: -______-''' CHEHHH... I thought with me!! 

The Husband: ... ... ... *matter-of-factly* We'll both die.

 *crickets*

A New Era Has Begun

Hello, pasty purée and mushy mash! I'm so not ready for a life you yet. But YET! Here we are. Face to face. Or should I say face to fruit and food? *snort* Anyhew... Today is but Day 1 and already, I miss the super convenience of exclusive breast feeding. Bleh. 


As you can see from the pictures above, I put the avocado I feed my baby, JZ, through a mini sieve with a metal spoon. Why the low-tech method, you ask? Well, cos I just discovered today that my online-purchased Baby Bullet is a lousy fake and is therefore not suitable for use. UGH.


Firstly, the blender doesn't fit well and plastic shavings actually come off when I try to screw on the blade. @_@ Like, WTH kind of quality is that!? Secondly, the "bullets" smell super strongly of plastic so I highly doubt that they are BPA-free at all. That means I can't even use them for storage even if I decide to ditch the blender. RAWR. Dang you, DealMates!!


So this Baby-Bullet thing makes me a wee bit angry. Plus, I'm also a little emo about beginning this moving-on-to-solids journey, too. Sigh. I can't believe that my son will turn 6-months-old in four days. Where did my baby's infant days go?? How did they fly by so quickly?! How dare Time go by without my consent?? I'm not emotionally ready to start the weaning process yet!!! Boo hoo... T_T 

Ok, enough with the ranting. Now, it's time

to be the proud parent and show off. Haha.

JZ scoffed down the avocado like a champ! With no mess, too! Planned on giving him one tablespoon only but he wanted more so I ended up giving him a little over two tablespoons altogether. Almost a quarter of the whole avocado! Haha. So tham jiak! If he continues eating like this – fingers crossed – I don't think we'll have a problem with baby mealtimes. =p

And Again

D.I.Y. pancakes.

...only more this time. =p

Breakfast Of The D.I.Y. Kind

Felt like having fluffy pancakes for breakfast this morning

so... fluffy pancakes for breakfast, I made! =)

I didn't make an obscene lot of batter this time around (only one small cup of flour!) but even after making FIVE medium-sized pancakes for breakfast, there's still a little bit of batter left over. It's stuffed into the fridge for now but... I guess that means I'm having fluffy pancakes for tea later, too! Haha.

Yesterday's Sunset

Been a long while since I've had the time

to take in the beauty of a sunset.

Yesterday was no different, of course. -_-

Snapped that picture you see up there in half a second. Between my bajillion baby chores, with a baby in a soiled diaper in one hand, and a camera set to Intelligent Auto in the other. Nowadays, this momma's just got to take what she can get. :-/

A Pack Of Memories At Only RM1.50

Found it at the local fruit store that I frequent. Still so good after... what... 20 years??? So long since I've had it until I also cannot remember liao. And still so cheap, too! Only RM1.50!! Score la! It shall be my personal el cheapo treat each time I do my fruit shopping for the family from now on. =)

Nobody else seems to like eating it anyways. Offered one to my maid and she ate it, like, suuuuper sloooowly. I thought maybe savouring it lah, right? So, when she was done, I asked if she wanted another. Mana tau, the girl hesitate for a bit, then say, "Urm... It's ok, ma'am. You eat." 

BWAHAHAHAHA. Mai suak!

(English Translation: "Don't want, done!")

Lunch!

Laksa from Nibong Tebal.

A day old but still soooo good.

Happy Mother's Day

...to me! HAHAHA.

Picture taken during Sunday-cum-Mother's Day Celebration Service

at TOP this morning while I fed my son.

And to all you other mothers out there

who read Tinki Talks also la, of course. =p

Let's Talk About Hair

Here's a spot of trivia

for all you mothers-to-be:

You'll sport the best hair of your life – healthy-looking, smooth, thick, silky, shiny tresses that don't break or split no matter how you treat them – during your pregnancy. (Good-hair-day every day, yay! =D) You'll also lose the most hair in your life a few months after you pop. T_T


I, personally, started losing my hair in massive chunks four months after my son was born. Almost to the day. (Oddly, it appears that most mothers report the same problem when their babies turn four-months-old, too.) Well, it's been about a month-and-a-half since then and to my ultimate horror, it appears that my body isn't done with shocking me yet, and there is still more hair to lose daily. Look!

What came off and dropped to the floor as I ran a comb

through my post-pregnancy head of hair this morning.

-_-'''

And mind you, that's not even close to

what comes off whenever I wash my hair, ok. Sigh.

(No pictures of this cos it just looks too disgusting.)

Breakfast This Morning

Perak Road Hokkien Mee.

Why does cholesterol have to

taste so good... but be so bad? :-/

pH Fun

An alkaline water salesman came over today and tried selling me the idea of drinking alkaline water. Good for health, he says. Higher antioxidants, he swore. Live longer and heal faster, he claims. Uh huh. Well, sorry la, Uncle, but I don't buy it. Haha. Trust me when I say that I had waaay more fun watching the water change colour than listening to what he had to say. =p

From L-R: Kononnya "super good" alkaline water with new filter,

alkaline water with an old alkaline filter that needs to be changed,

tap water, and finally, super acidic and "poisonous" 100 Plus.

Brings me back to the good ol' days in school

when I used to terrorise Mr Kang's Chemistry class. =p

A Pinterest Surprise

Today, I decided to check out my blog stats and see who's been popping by my blog and find out how they ended up here. (Been aaages since I've done that.) To my surprise, I stumbled upon this pin on Pinterest and did a double take:

Click here to view from source.

@_@ 

Wait a minute... I know that visual quote!

I was the one who whipped it up! Haha.

A long, long time ago. Back when LDR

was still a big reality in my life.

I lingered around on Pinterest for a bit, checking out that girl's board and then I somehow ended up on a page that just made my heart stop. In a good way. Look!

"Pins from Tinkitalks.blogspot.com"

Wow.

It's actually quite humbling to see and realise that something so personal and meaningful to me has meant enough to so many other strangers that they felt it worthy enough to be pinned. But I guess it's because human emotion is universal. No matter where we're from, or what we look like. Inside, we're all the same. We all laugh and cry. We all love and miss. 

---------------

Related Post
---------------

• What It Means To Miss Someone [Thursday, January 27, 2011]

Dental Drama

I've always had pretty good teeth. And I was pretty vigilant with my 6-month to 1-year check-ups for the longest time. Even used to have a toothbrush, some toothpaste and a roll of dental floss stuffed in my top drawer at MCKL for whenever I felt I needed a brushing or flossing mid-day... or midnight, for that matter. -_-'


But then Life got in the way. I quit my job at MCKL, moved back to Penang, went on a 3-month holiday in Australia, got engaged whilst I was there, came back to Malaysia, started a new job at KRPG in Penang, planned a wedding, got married, turned 27, relocated back to KL, started freelancing for MCKL, and then got pregnant... all in less than 2 years. @_@


So, yes. As you can see, Life really got in the way back then. Haha. I don't know when it happened but I began to sideline my dental appointments – sacrificing them for precious meet-ups with the folks, family and friends whenever I find myself back in Penang with a little free time on my hands. I mean, come on. I'd rather be sitting down enjoying a hearty breakfast with people I love and care about rather than sitting in a waiting room at a dental clinic, waiting to sit in a dentist's chair. Wouldn't you?


When I heard that pregnancy could take a toll on dental health, I didn't know how true it would be until I actually experienced it myself. My teeth really went to hell after my pregnancy la, I tell you. I don't think breast feeding is helping much either. Remember that mysterious nightly toothache I had back in October last year? Well, turns out it wasn't nothing. The dentist just couldn't do anything for me at the time cos I was pregnant. -_-'''


After my son was born and I was done with my confinement, I decided to pop over to Penang Dental Surgery to get my teeth sorted out. I no longer suffered from toothaches but I was dealing with a lot of sensitivity. I assumed it was cos of all the vomiting I did, beginning from my first trimester, right up to the Week 18 of my pregnancy. T_T #morningsicknessucks


This time around, they could finally take an x-ray of that molar that was bothering me last year. And that's when I got the tragic news. Because I was pregnant then and had to put off treatment for a good 4 months, it's now too late to save that tooth. I needed a root canal!! -_-''' What??? Me?! A root canal!? At 28?! NooOOooOoOooooOooo!! T_____T


So, no choice. The dentist gave me two big-ass LA jabs, installed the dental dam and got to work. Or at least she tried to. My tooth just wouldn't numb up! I could feel everything she was doing! So she said she just couldn't proceed and suggested I see an endodontist (i.e. a root canal specialist) and get a root canal done by specialists and under sedation instead. But guess what. There aren't any endodontists in Penang. WTH. -_-'''


She suggested that I see Dr Jac Lam at Wisma Perintis (contact below) and gave me a super ugly, temporary filling to cover up the gaping hole she had put in my molar. :-/ But, me being the professional procrastinator that I am, I ding-dong-ed and dilly-dallied for a couple of months (I wasn't in any pain ma) before I finally made the call. And then I was told I could only see him a month later. So all in, by the time I managed to see Dr Jac Lam, it was already three months from the time my tooth was opened up.


In the mean time, I decided to see another dentist in Penang – Dr Andy at SmileBay Dental Surgery (contact below) – for a second opinion. To my surprise, I ended up really liking his service. He was very pleasant, personable, and knowledgable. Puts a lot of thought into his work, if you ask me. He also ended up finding FOUR cavities (other than that root canal) that he needed to work on. -_-' Told him I needed a breast-feeding friendly LA if he's going to be doing any deep drilling and that's when he said:


Dr Andy: Ahhh... You vomited a lot during pregnancy issit? 

Pam Song: *nods slowly* Uh huh...

Dr Andy: Eat in the middle of the night then too tired to brush teeth issit?

Pam Song: *shamefully* Urm... yeah.

Dr Andy: That's why your teeth are so sensitive and you've got cavities now! Quite normal, actually. A lot of my patients also suffer from this after pregnancy. Make sure you take Calcium. 

-_-'''

So, now you know. If you plan to get pregnant or are already pregnant, make sure you gurgle with mouth wash each time after you vomit, brush your teeth in the middle of the night even if you're tired, and supplement your diet with Calcium even if swallowing pills makes you want to puke some more. Don't make the same mistake I did. Sigh. =(


Anyway, I got my 4 fillings sorted out with Dr Andy that day – I highly recommend him! – and left the root canal work for the professional. Time went by and before I knew it, my appointment with Dr Jac Lam had arrived. And I must say that after having seen him, I am more than pleased with his work. He was kind, gentle and very professional. His gadgets were really cool and high-tech, too. Haha. Oh, and he was so good at his job that he managed to perform my root canal WITHOUT the use of any sedatives. Only LA. Woo hoo!

Post-root canal x-ray to ensure that the job was well done. The tooth

he worked on is the one that's standing on bright, white roots.

Yay for me, that x-ray showed that Dr Jac Lam did a good job with the root canal. Unfortunately for me, that x-ray also shows a cavity in the tooth next to it. -_-''' HAIH! One thing after another! Rawr! Thing is, Dr Jac Lam doesn't do fillings, or crowns, or any other piece-of-cake dental work like that. To easy for him. Endodontists only work on the heavy-weight stuff. Haha.


So... I went back to Dr Andy's dental chair in Penang a week later, to get my mouth moulded for the crown and that molar next to it drilled, cleaned and filled up. That was last Saturday. Dr Andy was kind enough to rush my crown out for me – in case I leave for KL earlier than planned – so I had it fitted in this Monday morning. That was yesterday.

My new crown.

Well, 5 fillings, 1 root canal and 1 crown later, The Husband is over RM4,000 poorer (T_T) but I'm glad that my dental health is now back on track, my toothache troubles are over, my tooth restorative work is complete and I can finally begin to enjoy going to the dentist again. Phew! What a rough journey. I haven't had this many fillings or this much dental work done since like... ever, man! I tell you ah... my next pregnancy – if there ever is another one – had better be different. I cannot take going through this horror again!


---------------------------------------
JAC LAM ENDODONTIC PRACTICE
---------------------------------------
Suite 4-07 Wisma Perintis,
47 Jalan Dungun,
Damansara Heights,
50490 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
Tel: +603 2094 2860

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 9am to 5:30pm
Saturday: 9am to 2pm, Sunday: Closed

p/s: I highly recommend Dr Jac Lam if you need any hardcore dental work done. He's VERY expensive (my root canal cost RM2,000 – without a crown!!!) but he's worth every penny you spend. Apparently, there are only 4 endodontists in the whole of Malaysia – 3 in KL and 1 in Johor. If you're looking for an endodontist, it might as well be him.


---------------------------------
SMILEBAY DENTAL SURGERY
---------------------------------

NOTE: They have many outlets in Penang. (See website.) I've only been to two out of the five and both times, I saw Dr Andy. I know for sure that he shuffles between the following two outlets so if it's him you want to see, I'd suggest going to either one of these two outlets:

TANJUNG BUNGAH (HILLSIDE) OUTLET:

No. 1-A, Jalan Tanjung Bungah,

Tanjung Bungah,

11200 Penang, Malaysia.

Tel: +604 899 3800

Consultation Hours: 

Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm 

Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays

ISLAND PLAZA OUTLET:

118-M-06, Island Plaza, 

Jalan Tanjung Tokong, 

Tanjung Tokong, 

10470 Penang, Malaysia. 

Tel: +604-8900 600

Consultation Hours: 

Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm 

Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays

Website: http://smilebaydental.com

p/s: I actually prefer Dr Andy to any of the dentists I've seen at Penang Dental Surgery. Their prices are competitive anyways. Plus, you never really have to wait long at his clinic, or wait weeks/months to schedule an appointment with him. Having said that, I've decided to jump ship and go to him for all my dental work from now on. You guys should give him a try if you're looking for a regular dentist.