Cass used to suffer from monthly UTIs when she was a baby. My gynecologist first detected a problem during my 16-week pregnancy scan. Her right kidney was dilated. Because of that finding, he arranged additional scans, 3D scans, and even an amniocentesis to investigate further. When Cass was born, all her initial tests came back…
Category: Cassandra
The Best Investment I Ever Made: Raising a Reader
Cass, my youngest daughter, wasn’t an early reader. She only started recognizing words at around age five. I still remember her teacher telling her to eat more eggs so her memory would improve and she could recognize words more easily. Perhaps she simply hadn’t found the right books yet. Everything changed when I introduced her…
The Airport Scare Before Our Disneyland Dream
It was 6 December 2015 (10.5 yrs ago) — a day I will never forget. We were at KLIA, just two hours away from boarding our flight to Hong Kong. The girls were excited, especially Cass, who was only seven years old and looking forward to visiting Disneyland. Then, the moment we arrived at the…
When Your Children Discover Passions You Never Had
Both my eldest daughter, Alycia, and my middle daughter, Sherilyn, started ballet lessons when they were 4 years old. They’re now 23 and 21. Alycia disliked ballet from the very beginning and eventually stopped after a few years. She later moved on to kickboxing, Muay Thai and tennis instead — definitely more her style! Sherilyn,…
Cassandra Turns 18 — A Sweet Celebration in Ipoh and Beyond 🎂
Cassandra turned 18 this year — such a special milestone for our youngest girl, and one that felt especially meaningful to celebrate as a family. On 31st March, Cass took the ETS train from KL back to Ipoh right after collecting her SPM results. We were so happy she came to Ipoh straight away, and…
From Jigsaw Floors to Rubik’s Cubes: A Little Throwback to 2016
While scrolling through my Google Photos today, I stumbled upon a photo of Cass taken in February 2016. She was holding a Rubik’s cube, completely absorbed in it — and just like that, a flood of memories came rushing back. Back then, both Alycia and Cass were crazy over the Rubik’s cube. Alycia’s high school…
First Day of SPM: One Down, Many More to Go!
Today marks the beginning of the SPM written papers, and what a way to kick-start the exam season — with Bahasa Malaysia, the must-pass subject that decides the fate of the entire exam. No matter how many As you score in the other papers, BM (and Sejarah on Wednesday!) are the gatekeepers. No pressure, right?…
From Picture Books to Prizes — Cass’s Beautiful Journey as a Reader
Cass walked through the door today, looking as calm and collected as any normal school day. Then she casually said, “I won something in April this year and I only found out today,” and pulled out a trophy from her bag. My heart stopped for a moment. She told me — in the most nonchalant,…
A Whirlwind Week of Flu, Dance Win, and Family Moments
It’s been a rather eventful and exhausting few weeks for us. The pesky Influenza bug seems to be making its rounds in our household. My husband caught it first a few weeks ago, then it was my turn, and now poor Sherilyn has been down with what I suspect is a mild bout of Influenza…
The Midnight Mechanic
If you’re a parent of a teenager, especially one in the thick of major exams, you know the drill. The house becomes a backdrop to their intense, often messy, always exhausting routine. Chores fall by the wayside, sleep schedules invert, and you learn to appreciate the rare sight of a cleaned plate left in the…
SPM Prep, PTE Scores, and a Mother’s Concern
The start of the week brought a mix of relief and celebration for my daughter, Cass. After a grueling three-hour session for the Pearson Test of English (PTE) online competition, she received her score: a remarkable 82 out of 90. This places her firmly in the “Advanced” range of the PTE Academic scoring scale, which…
Balancing Act: SPM and Pearson Test of English (PTE) Finals
Today marked a major milestone for Cass, as her SPM journey commenced with the Chinese oral test. As part of the first group, she was out of the house by 6:45 a.m. and back home before 9 a.m. While her classmates will be taking their turns throughout the rest of the week, the main written…
My Last Parents’ Day After 15 Years
Today may be a Sunday, but it wasn’t a sleep-in day for us — Cass had to be at school bright and early for Parents’ Day and report card collection. As one of the official photographers for the school (she’s in the Photography Club this year), she had to be there early to capture the…
A Peachy Chicken Chop and the Cost of Dreams
Cass’s lunner (lunch + dinner) yesterday was a delicious yet simple homecooked meal — air-fried chicken chop with tomatoes and blanched broccoli. The chicken was marinated with a mix of teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, a bit of oyster sauce, Lea & Perrins, black pepper, minced garlic, dried rosemary, and my secret twist — St. Dalfour’s…
Silver Shine at Skate Malaysia 2025 – Cass’s Big Day on Ice
Yesterday was Cass’s big day — Skate Malaysia 2025, the event she had been preparing for tirelessly for over a month. All the hours spent training, all the sacrifices, and all the juggling between school and skating came down to that one performance. And honestly, I think I was more nervous than she was, not…
The Great Chocolate Chip Heist
Besides butter and ice-creams, Cass also has a serious love affair with chocolate. She especially loves chocolate chips generously scattered on cakes and cookies. So it came as no surprise when I brought home a loaf of double chocolate cake topped with a layer of shiny, sugary chocolate chips, and she immediately asked, “Can I…

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