7 Months

It has only been about 5 months since the Battle of the Bottle, yet it feels like ages and eons and eons of time ago since that happened. The only reason I'm bringing this up is because recently Spud decided that she no longer wants to have anything to do with the boobs anymore. Na.Da.

I'm afraid she has officially gone on a boob strike...and I think for good.

Once a very close and guarded ally, she now treats my boobs like a natural enemy. In the last two weeks, she no longer wants me to nurse her like I usually do when I come home from work before putting her to bed. She has definitely shown a stronger preference for The Bottle and she screams her head out, crying bloody murder every time I shove her The Boobs. She will tug, she will gum, she will twist and pull really hard; and she does not even have any teeth yet! She literally does not want to go anywhere near my boobs, and we both ended up distressed after every try. She only calms down when she gets The Bottle. Talk about coming from a humble beginning!

To be honest, I don't really mind that much. It kind of makes weaning off the breasts a little bit more easier than I could ever hope for. However, I can't help being two minds about it as well. I mean, being able to just "whip-it-out" as and when she needs it can be really convenient than having to pump all the time just to make sure she has sufficient supply for the day.

That being said, while I don't mind Spud going off the breast sooner than later, I sometimes miss that closeness breastfeeding brings. (Ok. I admit I cannot believe I just said that! *blush*)

I suppose it is her little way of telling me that she is now truly done with my boobs; albeit in a somewhat violent way. 

Oh well! I guess it is just one of the littlest sign that our little imp is growing up...

On fours

This picture gave me the chuckles...

Everyone's on fours here, but Silver Bullet's like The Giant in a little minion's world! Makes for a funny, yet endearing shot.

Signage

Seeing this sign just once while coming up the escalator and going into the baby's section in one of the departmental store here was enough for me to do a double-take.

If I had not known any better, I swear I'd be royally disgusted thinking that this was done in a bad taste; especially since I know how infamously known Thailand is for pornography.

The thing is, I do think this is an honest mistake (a bad one, no doubt!) made from sheer ignorance.

This actually  happened to be a sign designed to tell customers of the mall that if you go to the right, you will find:

a) a section where you'll find stuff for babies and infants

b) a separate section for women's undergarments

Now, why the above 2 sections are housed on the same floor next to each other is simply beyond me. It is not only nursing or maternity wear, but the whole works of LINGERIE!

That's another only in Thailand moment for you!

“That Phase” feeling

Like it or not, this country can tire you out.

Every once in a while, that “I-need- to-absolutely –get-the-&%#$-out-of –Thailand- pronto” feeling creeps up to me unannounced. I realised it usually happens when I have been “cooped up” in this country for more than 3 months at a stretch. I remember I almost went crazy last year after not being able to travel anywhere out of Thailand when I got to my 3rd trimester. I call it the “That Phase Feeling”.

It is also during this time when I would bitch and moan about everything and anything about Thailand and the sundry that comes with it. It is also my one dark phase when I’ll feel constantly antagonized, ranting just about anything and everything Thai and Thailand (poor Silver Bullet’s ears!)

It is, but a phase I go through every now and then. When it gets like that, I know it is time for us (or mostly for me) to get out of here for a while for a change of scenery.

I can attest though, while “That Phase Feeling” has been lingering about me for a few days now, it still is not as bad as how I felt a couple of years ago.

I guess, it helps that besides Spud being the constant distraction, the blow is softened from the fact that I can start doing a 4-day work week for the whole of this month! It turned out that I still have some leftover vacation leave from last year, and so, I need to use them before end of March or risk losing them altogether! Sweet.

On top of that, Songran is coming up in a month’s time. That usually means, like the previous years, it will be one big vacation for us over a long public holiday period in Thailand. It really is a great time to go vacationing without taking too much off days. Get this:  we only need to take 5 days of vacation leave to get a 2 weeks fully-paid vacation day! It will be a shame not to plan anything at all, and if anything, it is a crime to BE in Thailand during that time.

For that, we already have something planned for there is definitely somewhere else we have to be.

While I’m a little anxious of having to travel long haul with an infant, I am certainly so looking forward for the fact that we will actually be getting OUT of Thailand for a little bit. Can’t wait.

Lazy days

Here's a glimpse into the art of laziness...

Now, there's something to blame for me not completing my work. Andy just refuses to leave my laptop alone! :D

Times like this, I really wish I'm a cat. Imagine getting so much done by doing absolutely jack-all.

"Inspirer"

This is no ordinary card.

This is a name card I received while exchanging pleasantries in a corporate environment.

The company's name as well as the name of the person printed on the card are blurred out to protect the innocent.

And that word there below the name is actually the person's designation. Seriously. I'm not kidding.


And, to my knowledge this particular person ain't no therapist. I question if I should take him seriously.

It is a very interesting job description nonetheless and I cannot get over it.

Only in Thailand.

Seat-Belts

I still remember my sentiments from years ago when Singapore made it mandatory for passengers sitting at the backseat of a car to put on their seatbelts. At that time, I hated it.

But then, like it or not, I quickly got used to it. We all did, given how unyielding the law can be. And now more than a decade later, not wearing any seat-belts while travelling in a car and sitting at the back seat, feels so wrong and so unsafe.

Yet, very unfortunately, that is how we usually travel in any taxis here in Bangkok. While they do have the seat-belts in place, there usually isn’t anything for anyone to latch the darn thing in. Hardly safe... considering most, if not all of the taxi drivers here drive like a maniac thinking that they will be the next legend like Michael Schumacher. In fact, I can safely say that I will be hanging on to my dear life in 8 out of 10 taxi rides here, each time fearing for my life with no seat belts on.

That being said, imagine my surprise when I actually got into a cab equipped with not only a seat-belt but a latch visible in the backseat as well! That thing you call a working seat-belt did wonders to my anxiety each time I get in a cab here and I reckon, it must have been the only very few cabs I have been in so far with a properly functioning seat-belt.

It almost felt like I struck lottery!