Ivy was speaking to The New Paper at a press conference for LG's Health Plus products, where she was honoured with the award for 'Eco-mom'.
BY THIS time next year, one MediaCorp actress may be flying the coop.
Three-time Best Actress Star Awards winner and yummy mummy Ivy Lee, who gave birth to her fourth child in May, is thinking of giving up acting and relocating to Hong Kong.
Her Beijing-based husband Raymond Choy, a director-producer of Chinese and Cantonese dramas, often travels to Hong Kong for work.
Said Ivy, 36: 'Raymond misses being a part of our children's lives, so we want to change that.
'We've been thinking about it for quite some time, but the decision will be finalised only next year.'
She said that after a 16-year career, she has no plans to enter showbiz in Hong Kong and will be content to be a full-time housewife.
Her last role was that of a financially-stretched mother in the 2008 drama, Love Blossoms.
Ivy said she won't miss acting as her main concern now is taking care of her kids.
Her friends and colleagues have all been supportive of her decision.
Eco-mom
The 1993 Star Search winner is remembered for her roles as a lawyer and loving wife in Channel 8 dramas Family Matters and Double Happiness, respectively.
Ivy looked slender and showed hardly any signs of the pregnancy weight she carried till two months ago.
Her oldest daughter Mikki, 12, twin boys Nik and Dash, both 4, and newborn Leah have kept her on her toes, even though she has two maids to help her.
In case you're wondering, Mikki is named after Mickey Mouse, Nik and Dash are characters from the movie, The Incredibles, and Leah is one of the Jon & Kate Plus 8 brood.
Ivy first met Raymond in China in 1995 while filming the drama series Royal Monk, which he produced.
A surprising statement, considering that she has starred in countless commercials such as for Tianpo jewellery and OCBC bank, with her kids.
They got hitched two years later. Given the nature of his work, they have often endured geographical separation throughout their 12-year marriage.
'We're both very independent people and have got used to this lifestyle. Our relationship works because we trust each other,' she said.
But when it comes to her children, Ivy said she would prefer her husband to be an integral part of their childhood.
And Raymond is currently feeling the drawbacks of his job.
He had confided in Ivy some time ago that he felt his conversations with Mikki 'lacked depth' and there was 'a barrier' between them.
Talk to his daughter about frivolous topics such as computer games has left him wishing he was around to inculcate values in her, something he hopes he won't miss out on for his younger children.
His fears seem to be well-founded as Ivy revealed that her kids treat his absence with an 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality.
Said Ivy with a laugh: 'But when they see him again, they will ask him for toys. I myself asked for a (Italian luxury brand) Tod's diaper bag.
'I told him a $2,000 gift, spread across 12 years, is worth it since I've never asked for anything else before.'
But an expensive bag certainly can't take the place of an extra pair of hands.
Despite having two maids, Ivy admitted she often feels swamped - what with having to feed, read to, watch television and play games with the active tots.
Making sure her kids eat healthily has been an uphill task as they love french fries and ice cream.
Ivy allows them the occasional indulgence but is strict with herself. The busy mum doesn't have time for exercise and has to rely on slimming treatments and facials to keep herself looking camera-ready.
Her diet consists of soup three days a week to limit her calorie intake.
Ivy also insisted that she wouldn't be having baby No 5 as her brood is more than she can cope with at the moment.
Her initial plan was to have three children as she has two siblings herself.
Newborn Leah is a nice bonus, but the 'factory' has closed, joked Ivy.
Uprooting her kids is a cause for concern, considering that Mikki, who is in primary six, already has many friends in Singapore.
'Yes, I've considered that. But I think what's most important now is that the family is together,' she said.
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'The move is only for a year or two to see how things go. If we really can't adapt, we will definitely move back here.'
She claimed to have no desire for her kids to emulate her career path but conceded that the choice was still theirs.
Commercials
Ivy explained that these shoots were 'short and easy' - for example, her twins were only required to play with toys in the commercial - but it would be 'much harder work' being a full-time actor.
'I just hope they will have a good education. That's the most important thing to me,' she said.
Work-wise, Ivy hasn't decided what projects she will take up next and will weigh her options only when her maternity leave ends in three months.
But she is quick to add that she will appear on screens only when she is 'in good shape'.
When we commented that she doesn't have much more weight to lose, Ivy looked amused.
'All women know that once you take off your clothes, you can see all your imperfections and I for one am no different.
'For now, I'm more concerned with getting up in the middle of the night, pumping milk and feeding my baby.'
