Columns r up!

It's taken some time ... but the pillars are finally up on the first floor... soon they will be putting up the roofing... ;-). we have beloved friends mos n liz coming to visit from kangaroo island in australia next march.. hopefully the house will be livable by then.. fingers crossed!

Martin has been up the ramp and is mighty pleased with the views... we can actually see (to the right) mt. kinabalu (highest in south east asia) from our 360 degree balcony... and to the left is a birds eye view of our river snaking off into the horizon.... all in all, we cant wait for the day we get to sit on our balcony and have sunset drinks n laughs with friends n family... ;-)

CHRISTMAS SHOOT!

As you probably hv received our christmas cards by now (i apologise for the ones we accidentally missed out!), you'll know that we always go to the studio to do our annual photo shoot.. good excuse to glam up and take pro pictures.. esp since martin has plenty of family n friends who dont get to see us often or at all for the last few years..

we were going to make a trip back to uk in 2009 but i didnt anticipate getting preggers again so early... so martin might make a solo trip back but the kids n i will have to wait a few more years at least...

Martin is back to working full time.. he's good at running the resort but he doesnt really enjoy it... would rather be home with besra on the couch watching mickey mouse for the 100th time! hehe... ;-) or pottering about the land.. speaking of the land.. we found a local guy who cuts the grass at our place once a month now and this makes martin feel better as he worries the grass doesnt get cut n the mozzies will multiply.. the house itself is taking its time but that suits us.. will have a roof soon... then walls.. and so the story goes.. ;-)

as for me.. the pukeymonster in me resurrects its ugly head almost every day still but i'm coping... this new baby has a lot to answer for! for the first time in my life... i'm prone to rashes and acne.. something completely unheard of if you really know me.. sighs.. for some time i was a bit annoyed at having gotten pregnant so soon.. but my feelings have taken an about turn when i heard that my colleague who's expecting too suddenly lost hers... and she had a great appetite with no morning sickness... i guess it made me more thankful for the good things in my life, how ever unexpected.. ;-) anyway, scanned again last week and while i've lost 5 kgs to date.. the baby in me is growing at an expected rate with a good strong heartbeat and so far everything is going good... *counts her blessings again* ;-)

anyway, christmas is a time to reflect on family n friends and the year that was.. man it was a rough year... but things seemed to have fallen into place and i'm sooooooooo grateful for that. i love my husband, my baby girl, my baby-to-be, my baby's nanny/my companion, my father n mother, siblings, best friends, very good friends, friends, martin's family n friends... hehe.. basically everyone! so i figured i'd better write it down so everyone is clear on that! hehehehehhehe... MERRY CHRISTMAS, YA' ALL.. AND HAVE A FANTABULOUS NEW YEAR AHEAD.. !!!!!!!!!
One Big Happy!

Gooooooood daddy... listen to your little girl and all will be well.. ;-)

Boo! After about 100 shots baby started really enjoying the photo shoot... was hard work changing 6 outfits and hairstyles!

Here's a family shot with our beloved nanny included.. we dont know how we'd function without her! Thanks a million Aunty Marji!

I've joined the ranks of the aged... :)

My 31st birthday has just gone by... and i'm so happy lotsa ppl remembered! the night before the 28th my family n i went for steamboat which basically is a communal pot of boiling soup in the middle of the table and we cook and eat as a family.. hehe.. and the moment i stepped out of the restaurant... yup.. everything was upchucked into the nearby drain.. how wonderful, money not so well spent eh!
on the day itself, the power above was smiling down on me cos i didnt puke once.. sighs.. happy days are upon us? maybe, keeping fingers crossed that the worst is over. had lunch with paul, mior n chit at secret recipe.. and shopped for a bit. good food, great conversation, who could ask for more?
martin started work early so that he could finish early then we all went out for pasta n pizza in town.. dropped by a shopping mall and baby was doing her hooligan act by running from martin to me n back again in the shops and inevitably, yup, she fell n split her bottom lip with her two front teeth, cried, got blood on daddy's hanky, and then proceeded to puke all over his back as martin carried her. puking is her signature style this girl.. sounds familiar eh? hehe.. sighs.. daddy was less than happy as you can imagine. anyway, her lip is healing now n she doesnt seem too concerned so all is good.
anyway, good time was had by all... wonder what i'll be doing next year.. party at our finally completed house maybe? ;-)