Me and my Fitbit.

I know I am not active. I try to be, but no where near where I would really like to be.

Recently I have seen my friends post their pedometer readings on FB for a record of their "activity" level.

That got me curious as to how active I really was. Then a friend told me about Up by Jawbone.

It monitors your activity level, as well as sleep.

I tried to get it at but was unsuccessful but got it's competitor instead - the Fitbit.

The guy at the shop couldnt advise me on how to use it, but I managed to figure it out from help on-line.

I have had it for slightly more than a week and I got my first fitbit report this week.

I am nowhere near the recommended 10,000 steps a day, but definitely better than my friends' average of 4000+ a day.  I average around 6300 steps a day which works out to approx 4.1km!! My most active day for the week was 9300 steps which unfortunately falls short of the 10,000 I was hoping for.

I also found out that I climbed on average 12 flights of stairs a day. I tell you, this is due to my absentmindedness!! I forget something, and I have to go back up to get it.

Another thing which it monitors is my sleep. I only sleep an average of 6 and a half hours a night. Sad. I used to average 8-9 hours. I need to get in more sleep. But somehow, my body clock automatically wakes me up each day. I reckon it has to do with age.

I tried logging in my food intake, but gave up after the first couple of days coz, by the time I got to logging in my breakfast and lunch, it tells me I have exceeded my recommended calorie intake for the day. And that's even before I have started on dinner!! Guess I have found the reason for my weight gain. I must walk/exercise more, coz I cant cut down my food consumption. I really dont think I eat that much on the average, but the fitbit obviously thinks otherwise.

One good thing about this gadget is that what I will do now is: nearing the end of the day, when I take a look at it and see that I havent walked much during the day, I will just climb a few more flights of stairs - just for the sake of increasing my activity level!!

How active are you??

D goes shopping for clothes with me

D loves to go shopping with me. She loves to go into the changing room with me and give me her comments.

Mum, you can't buy that.

Mum, it's too transparent. You will need a camisole if you are wearing it.

Too tight. 

No sleeves mum! 

Buy the purple!! Buy the pink!!

Not black again!!!

All those comments made another shopper turn around to me and say: looks like you brought your personal shopper with you!!

And with her shopping with me is probably the reason why I have a pink dress in my wardrobe!! Can't imagine how I allowed her to talk me into buying that dress. Can you imagine a 50 year old in a pink dress??!!??

D and Strangers

Sent D into the cake shop to pick up some cakes whilst I waited in the car outside (there was no parking and summons auntie was inspecting cars right there). 

The waiter offered her a free Choc lollipop and she kept shaking her head and avoiding eye contact!

When I asked her why, when she came out, she said: you told me not to talk or take things from strangers!!

So proud of you sweetie!! You were not tempted by chocolates, and most importantly: You remembered what Mum taught you!! 

D and the Cockroach

There was a cockroach in the bathroom.

I sprayed some insecticide on it, it died and I cleared it with some tissues. 

She was going: Ewwwww, ewwww!

Me: Next time when you become a mummy it would be your turn to clear it. 

D: Don't worry mum. Next time my kids would do it for me! 

D and her observation on Nerds

D came home yesterday and remarked to me:

D: Mum, nerds are bad at PE. (Physical Education)

Me: Really?

D: Yup, those that are really good at their studies can't skip!

(They are having skipping "tests" in school as part of their PE assessment, and a number of them are failing the test!!)

Me: That's probably because they are so busy studying they don't spend much time on exercising.

D: Jie, can't skip right?

(Jie is short for Jie Jie - meaning older sister)

D and vacations

Another D'ism moment. 

D: What's the most passionate thing Papa has done for you?

Me: Why?

D: Gold 90 (A local Radio station) has this contest. If you write in, you can win a holiday for two.

Me: And if I win, I go for that holiday with Papa and leave you behind with grandma ?

D: Of course not! You go with me. We can leave Pa behind!!

D and Legoland

D: can we go to legoland?

Hubs: Sure!

D: can we go please, please?

Hubs: yes, after your exams.

D: I want to go before I turn 13!!

(It is another 4+ years before she turns 13!)

D'ism

I have decided to record my D's conversations with us. There has been quite a few which has left us with raised eye-brows (whether because it was witty, sarcastic, or just D'uh!!). I am trying to retrieve as many as possible from my FB page. Maybe one day, she will come back here and have a good laugh about it. Hope you enjoy them too!!


She was helping her Dad with a game, and when she repeated an advise I had given him earlier on how to get a higher score. 

He responded: " Yes mummy, you have obviously been playing too much."

She then retorted: "If i am your mummy, then it was your grandmother who's been playing too much. I am just repeating what she said!"

Happy Children's Day

Children are God's gifts to us. As parents it is our duty to cherish and love them unconditionally, though at times it can be quite challenging.  They push us, dare us, provoke us, defy us and make us do things we thought we never could. But at the end of the day still we do it, only because they are our own flesh and blood.

Some are lucky, born with a golden spoon in their mouth. Others not so. It is our responsiblitiy as parents to teach them to treat others as they would like others to treat them. With respect. Treat all others as equals.

We should also learn to let go. Let our children learn to stretch their wings and fly, or even soar. To the best of their own individual ability. No matter what age they are, they will still be our kids, kids in our eyes, whom we want to always protect. But by letting them go, try, experience set backs, that is the only way they can learn for themselves. Like an egg, - life ends if the force is from the outside, but if broken from inside, life begins. Great things always begin from inside. (Jim Kwik). So dont be afraid to let your child explore and do great things in their own way.

To all the kids young and old - Happy Children's day!

Dedicated at all the children in the World ~ one of my favourite songs!