Grubbs n Critters

April 2, 2012

If You Could Only See

This song has been playing in my head for more than a week now eversince I heard it on-air whilst I was chilling out with a good friend last weekend. It seemed so long ago since I last heard it, and while I recognised the melody, and could even remember some of the lyrics, I had no clue what the title of the song was!

Can’t bear the thought of not knowing, I then shamelessly asked the waiter for the name of the song. He kindly checked it for me and told me that the one that was played on air was covered by “Boyce Avenue” – a name I haven’t heard of before.

As I found out soon after, the song was first released by a band called Tonic way back in 1997.

I don’t know what it is about the song, but the melody (not so much of the lyrics this time) got to me. It gave me a sense of nostalgia, and I like the soothing voice of the vocalist.

Enjoy!

Our Sunday on April Fool’s Day

Category: Being Parents

Spud was pretty whiny when she woke up today, and got crankier by the second as the morning went by. I thought her body felt warmer than usual, although the thermometer registered a reading of slightly lower than 37 Degrees Celsius.

It turned out that she was a little under the weather, taking an unusual early morning nap when she was sitting with me in front of the TV. By 9 am, she threw up on Silver Bullet twice – TWO definite signs that she was not a 100%.

It must have been something in the air – as I, myself, have been nursing a nasty cough, a massive blocked nose and an annoying cold in the last few days. It could be that Spud must have gotten it from me. The weather here may have also played a part as it has been extra-ordinarily hot and humid in the last week.

We can’t really tell what it was, but after giving Spud a tummy rub, a foot massage and Spud dispensing a load of crap in her diaper after that, she seemed OK. She was a ball of energy again, and was literally bouncing off the walls.

She has not been as difficult as she was when she got really ill while we were in Holland, but the exaggeration that comes with her whining has certainly not gotten any lesser!

For reasons unbeknownst to us, Spud is certainly showing a clear preference for Silver Bullet when she feels under the weather; rejecting me every now and again throughout the day when she sees fit.

It is still not as bad as the last rejection fiasco we have had before, but I am still little bit annoyed when it happened. While I roll with it, and even handled it a little better this time I think!), I really just wish that Spud would snap out of it soon.

On a scale of 1 to 10 though, I’d rate the rejection today as a 2 if I were to compare it to the previous ordeal we had. So, not too bad, really, and I just have to keep telling myself that it is nothing personal.

My only wish is that Spud sleeps through tonight or both Silver Bullet and me can say bye-bye to a much needed rest…

Kidnapping in Singapore

Category: Being Parents

When I read this article on the recent attempted abduction of kids, I find it hard to believe that such things are actually happening in Singapore.

I mean, I grew up in Singapore. The clinically clean, harsh law, no-chewing gum nonsense, safe haven Singapore. A very safe place to bring up kids, with very low crime rate. The only crime story I remembered till today which scared the hell out of me when I was a kid was that Adrian Lim story who murdered kids and cooked them in curry.

For days on end after the news and after watching an episode of Crime Watch covering the case, I was actually quite scared to walk to school (I did not tell anyone of my paranoia; I put up a very brave front), for fear that some stranger would abduct me and make me into some sort of holy curry!

Hence, to read such news report on kids almost nearly get abducted right under their parents’ nose is quite scary. Being a parent myself now, I cannot imagine the anxiety of a parent if a child got lost while they are out together. Imagine MY anxiety if that ever happens.

On the hind sight, I also wonder if parents are just being paranoid. I am saying this because, in Thailand-baby-crazy country, babies and kids are touched by strangers all the time. Sometimes, when parents dine in a restaurant, the staff or diners at the restaurants have no qualms “taking your child away” to mind them for a little while for as long as you let them.

I have always been a little antsy when random strangers tug or touch Spud when I was carrying her, especially when she was a little baby. While I try to let it go, such inconsiderate act made me angry sometimes especially when I tried to get Spud to nap! She was a terrible napper when she was a baby, and there were times when after trying for several hours in trying to lull her to sleep, and when she finally was about to doze off, there was then some random strangers who could not just keep their hands to themselves; waking Spud up all over again!

But I digress.

Back to the topic.

Now, even though I am a little bit more lackadaisical about people touching her, I still refuse to let strangers mind her – and sometimes, I do wish I have eyes at the back of my head.

Truth be told, I can actually understand why parents use the toddler harness when they are out and about with their kids. Such stories about kids getting kidnapped are really not funny.