My 2 Little Absolute Terrors

My 2 gals can be very destructive or should I reword it to say that they are rather curious and love exploring and discovering how things function?

Almost all the drawers in my house especially in my room and the gals' room as well as in the kitchen and in the hall are fixed with child-safety locks to prevent the gals from messing up and breaking our things and to prevent their fingers from being pinched by the drawers. But most of the locks don't get to stay fixed in their places for more than 2 days. Same goes for those safety corner protectors that we stick to sharp edges on tables and corners. They rarely stay in their places for more than 2 days before being ripped out.

This is the work of Sherilyn, the main culprit and ring leader. She yanked the drawer knob out and ripped the child-safety lock apart.


Another of Sherilyn's crime from another drawer in her room.


Yet another crime by Miss Itchy Fingers. She yanked off the child-safety lock from the oven door on the same day that daddy fixed the lock.


Clever daddy had to fix screws into the plastic corner protectors so that they can withstand Miss Itchy Fingers' ripping spree.

I Am Touched

I was so touched today when HipnCoolmomma left a comment in one my posts to ask if I was alright as I had not made any postings in my blog yesterday. When I finally sent out my post this afternoon, she was the first to comment on it. That was just so sweet and thoughtful of you Girlie. Thanks!

Well, life has been rather hectic for me for the past few days. Alycia and Sherilyn have been demanding a lot of attention from me lately. Whenever I start to work on my computer, the gals, especially Sherilyn will climb onto my chair to sit with me and start hitting my keyboard or try pressing the on/off button. Sherilyn will then demand that I read to her from the computer or she would bring out her books and beg me to read to her. So I have to stop everything I am doing and attend to her whimps and fancies immediately, lest she throws herself into a fit of rage and end up puking... she's Miss Pukey remember? Oh yes talking about puking, she also puked after her dinner 2 days ago and ended up eating her beloved favourite cereal. And she is finally weaned OFF from blended food for more than 1 week, YAY! But she only wants to eat fish with lots of fish sauce (soya sauce, garlic and spring onions all stir-fried) and doesn't like it plain. She still hates chicken.

Last night, it was Alycia's turn to puke when I brushed her teeth. Good thing she puked on the bathroom floor and not inside the room as it was already close to 11pm and it drives me bonkers when they mess up the bedroom with vomit at such an ungodly hour. When it was time for bedtime stories, I was already drop dead frazzled and sleepy and my eyelids just refused to stay upright. I hurriedly rushed off reading 2 Starfall storybooks to them and turned down Alycia's pleas to have her kids' bible read to her. Gosh, I really felt bad but my brain just couldn't function as I have been getting interrupted sleep for the last few nights when Alycia kept waking up and demanded that I go and sleep with her in the gals' room. I had also read a few books to them yesterday and in the evening we also walked to a nearby mini market to do some grocery shopping and thereafter went to the park. It was a long and tiring day and it was and is still hazy and that made me tire out easily.

Today, Sherilyn accidentally pooed in her pants and as I was rushing her to the toilet, the poop dropped on the floor!!! Oh how gross.... and my helper had to clean up the mess whilst I cleaned Sherilyn up. Later when I was typing a paid post and was about to send it out, Sherilyn came and ka ka cau cau and I messed the whole post up and had to exit from Blogger and signed in again.

It's really tough working at home when you have 2 defiant toddlers who constantly want your attention. Having said all these, I still have no regrets being a SAHM or rather WFHM.

New Toy

This is the new toy that daddy bought Alycia and Sherilyn from Toys R Us last Friday. It's a school tent, to complete the yellow school bus tent that daddy bought them one month ago. This school bus tent is both educational and fun to play with. Alycia and Sherilyn love to pour all their toys inside and sleep inside the tent and pretend they are camping.

One side of the school tent has an easle where the gals can affix a piece of paper to it and draw. There are also prints of the letters of the alphabet on the side of the tent.


The other side of the tent has a detachable clock with movable hour and minute hands. The tent also comes with alphabet and numbers pieces with velcro at the back that are attachable on straps of velcro on the tent. I can teach the gals mathematics and spelling on the walls of the tent.

Good Shanghainese Food

We had Shanghainese food at Dragon I Restaurant, Mid Valley a couple of days ago.

Let me tempt you with pix of the mouth-watering dishes :

'Siu Loong Pau' or pork meat filled dumplings with superior soup, to be eaten with black vinegar and shredded ginger. I love!


I don't really know the name of this dessert but it's filled with melted butter and salted duck's eggs. Very rich and creamy and definitely a no-no for dieters but I loved it anyway.


Stir fried four-season beans with minced pork meat and mushroom. Another of my favourite.


Fried hand-made 'pulled' noodles with pork meat, mushrooms and chinese cabbage. Don't really fancy it coz it's high in carbo but Alycia and Sherilyn adored it.



Deep fried taro with radish as filling. Very tasty but again, a no-no for dieters coz it's high in carbo.


Rice with steweded chicken, chinese sausages and abalone in claypot. Nothing to shout about, I can cook a much tasty dish, aherm......


The gals enjoying their fried 'pulled' noodles. Even Ms Spitty Spat Sherilyn loved it and finished her bowl of noodles without spitting.

Breakfast Ritual

This is Alycia and Sherilyn's breakfast ritual each morning - reading or playing jigsaw puzzles or drawing and writing on their Doodle Pro whilst they have their breakfast.

These pictures were taken yesterday morning:

Take a look at Alycia's serious look as she was deeply engrossed reading this Peter and Jane series book. BTW, this book once belonged to my eldest brother Ray, me and my youngest brother Roy. Now, it's with the gals.


Sherilyn is a replica of Alycia. Whatever her sister does, she's sure to follow suit.

How I Made My 2 Brats Sleep

A few nights ago, Alycia and Sherilyn refused to sleep. Why? Because daddy was downstairs and they wanted to go down to play with him but I didn't allow it coz it was already 11ish pm and Alycia had cough and needed to sleep early. They whined and whimpered, jumped round the room, knocked on the door and yelled out to daddy and I got really pissed off. My temper was about to flare when I told myself that if I break out, it's going to worsen the situation as they would end up crying and most likely throw up and gosh, it was close to midnight and my helper was already fast asleep.
So I calmed down and sang "Jesus Loves The Children Of The World". Within SECONDS, the room was filled with silence, save for my melodious voice singing, aherm... It felt magical. As I laid on my back and sang, my left hand stroke Sher's head and right hand stroke Alycia's hand. I was multi-tasking.... singing and stroking 2 resentful toddlers to lull them to sleep. I sang for about 10 minutes but they were still not asleep yet. They were hypnotized by the song and kept asking for more. I sang another song but Sher only wanted THAT song, so I sang and sang for over 30 times until my voice went hoarse and then I pretended to fall asleep and started to 'snore'.
When Sher heard me 'snoring', she jumped up from bed, slapped my face gently to wake me up and said "mummy, what's that shound?" She then shook my shoulder and again said "mummeeeeee...... what's that shound?" I ignored her and continued to snore. She then went back to sleep and began imitating my snores and she went "kgorrrr... kgorrrr... kgorrrr.....". Boy, that was so hilarious, Sher pretending to snore in her cute babyish voice and I was trying hard not to laugh out loud and pursed my lips hard to contain my laughter. Minutes later, both Alycia and Sher finally drifted to slumberland and I wearily but happily sneaked back to my room to sleep.

Fridge All Locked Up

My 2 brats love to open the doors of the fridge and freezer to get their frozen teething rings or to rummage for food. In a day, they open and shut (with loud bangs) at least 20 over times. Not wanting them to wreck the fridge again, I fixed these gadgets to the doors :



Now, I have piece of mind!

Home-cooked Food

This was our dinner yesterday.

Stir-fried asparagus with tiger prawns and organic soya sauce. Notice the beautiful orange colored sauce? It's not curry but the natural colouring from the thick creamy roe of the tiger prawns. It tasted really delicious because of the flavourful essence from the big tiger prawns. The asparagus were crunchy and the prawns were succulent and juicy. The thick and creamy prawns' roe sauce can easily whet one's appetite.


Fish cooked in preserved soya bean paste (tau cheong), puffed tofu, shredded ginger, a dash of rice wine, spring onions and chinese celery. Sometimes, I alternate the soya bean paste with organic miso paste.


Winter melon soup with barley, fresh sea coconut, red dates and kampung chicken.

Lucky Day

Today must be my lucky day. I have just received 3 offers from Blogitive and without any hesitation, I quickly clicked on the reserve tab to reserve all 3 offers. Blogitive has so far been quite prompt in their payment and in responding to all my e-mails, unlike some competitors who don't even reply my e-mails. Of late, Blogitive has been quite slow in approving the posts that I had written for them. Some I've written more than 2 weeks ago but have yet to hear from Blogitive on the status. But I know they are in the midst of reviewing these posts as informed by them to me in a recent e-mail. Keep the offers coming to my URL Blogitive!

Tag : SAHM vs FTWM

Have been tagged by Mommy of 2 Angels. The tag is if I were given a choice, would I wanna be a SAHM (stay at home mum) or FTWM (full time working mum).

When I was still working in the corporate world, I was always yearning to quit my job to stay home to be with my 2 angels. Each morning I'd leave the house with an extremely heavy heart as I kissed my 2 angels good-bye. I was constantly thinking about my 2 gals whilst I was at work and I missed them terribly. I finally got my wish granted when my babysitter who was my mil had to go to Hong Kong to attend to some personal matters. I was at a cross-road and finally after months of soul-searching and deliberation, I finally tendered my resignation.

A few months into being a SAHM, I realized that maybe I just wasn't cut to be a SAHM afterall as I didn't have the patience and endurance to be a full-time mom. It was a difficult transition for me as I wasn't used to doing the laborious and back-breaking job of washing poopie bums and potties, bathing two under 3yo screaming toddlers, teaching them, cooking for them, playing with them, stomach their endless nonsense, the list is endless. I was so used to sitting at the office and sometimes getting people do things for me. Now, I had to do things for people who don't seem to appreciate me.

I'd considered returning to the workforce during times when my 2 brats drive me bonkers but I couldn't bear the thought of my 2 angels in the care of a babysitter or a maid and not knowing whether they have had proper and nutritious meals, hygienically handled or whether they have been abused, physically and sexually.

When my 2 angels fall sick, I can give them the best attention and tender loving care round the clock so that they recover faster. If I were still working, I wouldn't be able to take emergency leave so frequently and the sleepless nights tending to them would render my brain foggy, thus would affect my work.

Despite all the meltdowns, power struggles and batttles I've had with my 2 angels, I have absolutely no regrets being a full-time mom to them coz they are only young once, they will only be toddlers, adolescents and teenaagers once and I want to be with them every moment of their lives, to share with them their joys, fears, anxieties, victories and all their growing pains.

Now, I'm into my 2nd year of being a SAHM. I've finally accustomed myself to the throes of being a full time mom and despite all the challenges and struggles I have to go through, I gladly choose being a SAHM over a FTWM.

Now, I would love to see the following mommies' choice :

Leena (Baby Shern)
Barbara (Mummy to Chumsy Ashley)
Hui Sia


~~~Instructions~~~
Here's how it works:
1. So easy peasy, if you were given a choice, would you be a SAHM or FTWM? Just provide 3 darn good reasons.
2. Include your post link to the list below and Finally,
3. Tag another three mommies
List:
1. Immomsdaughter prefers to be a SAHM
2. Etcetera~Mommy prefers to be a FTWM
3. MummyInVain prefers to be a SAHM
4. Lovely Mummy prefers to be a SAHM
5. Mommy of 2 angles prefers to be a FTWM
6. Health Freak Mommy prefers to be a SAHM

What's That Nice Smell?

A few days ago, I baked a loaf of bread for the gals. After I had returned from my morning jog, I quickly prepared the ingredients and dumped everything into my breadmaker so that the gals and I can have fresh hot bread for lunch.

When the bread was almost ready, the sweet aroma of bread wafted up from the storeroom next to the kitchen. It's as if one has walked into a bakery. Alycia asked me what the nice smell was towards lunch time and I brought her to the storeroom where the breadmaker was. She was delighted to see a fresh loaf of bread in the breadmaker.



The gals and I almost wolfed down the whole loaf of bread for lunch.

What Dishes Am I Going To Whip Up?

We went shopping at Mid Valley the whole afternoon yesterday. As usual, as I went on my bi-weekly retail theraphy to de-stress myself, DH secretly bought the gals yet another toy but this time, I have to give DH credit coz the toy is both educational and fun to play with. Want to see the new toy? Wait.... let me snap some pix of it and post them later.

Anyway, I wanted to show you what I've bought from the supermarket at Jaya Jusco.

Fresh oyster mushrooms and Enoki mushrooms.


Fresh ginko and fresh lotus seeds (lin chee).


Fresh bamboo shoots.



So, want to see what dishes I am going to whip up with these fresh and healthy stuff? I haven't got a clue yet. Any good suggestions? I bought the mushrooms coz they are known to be wholesome, full of vitamins and minerals and anti-cancerous. Gingko seeds are supposed to be good for memory and blood circulation and the lotus seeds and fresh bamboo shoots... ah can't remember what they are good for but they are wholesome too.

Do come back to see what this quack and wannabe cook has whipped up, k?

Little Ah Sow

Alycia has caught the 'toy-obsession bug' from her lil' sis. All of a sudden, Alycia has developed an obsession with this Disney plastic bag that my mil brought back from Hong Kong weeks ago. Inside the plastic bag are her toy food, some Pooh Bear cards and some Lego blocks. Each night, she would bring with her this plastic bag filled with toys noisily clattering as she goes upstairs to her room and in the morning, she would carry the shabby plastic bag down, just like a little 'ah sow' (meaning middle-aged frumpy woman in cantonese) going to the market. Don't you think she looks ridiculous?

How to get angry leh?

Alycia and Sherilyn have completely different personalites. Whilst Alycia has always been a high need child, very sensitive and more reserved when she's with strangers, Sherilyn has a very 'colourful' personality. She is very chatty, fears no strangers and would greet anyone she meets on the street (which can be dangerous), very cheerful and slap-happy, just like her daddy.

Whenever I scold Sherilyn, she would either sing a song out loudly and lets out a loud pretentious laugh to overshadow my voice or she would run to me and say "mummy, kiss you", then gives me a wet kiss on my forehead and lately when I reprimand her and give her the fiercest stare ever, she would look back at me, straight into my fiery eyes, puts on the most pathethic look ever and then she would start blinking her eyes. First blink.... no response from mummy, then she tries blinking her eyes harder the second time and I try hard to suppress laughing and often, at her third hard attempt of blinking, I succumb to her hoodwink and would burst out laughing out loud. And when she sees me laughing, she jumps and laughs in victory, as if to tell me "i won again!". You tell me how to get angry with her leh? From fire raging in my head, her cute tomfoolery douses the flame instantly like rain water pouring on a raging bushfire. I wonder where she learnt all these from.

Ethnic Plastic Surgery and Breast Reduction

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At Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, there is a wide range of procedures from ethnic plastic surgery and plastic surgery for men to Beverly Hills breast reduction and breast augmentation to face lift, Los Angeles Liposuction and Tummy Tuck to Rodeo Drive Mommy Makeover, among others, with state-of-the-art facilities in a tastefully designed office that make you feel as if you have just stepped into a 5-star hotel.

Most Asians, especially Chinese (sorry, no offence to Chinese!) tend to have a flat nose. Had I known about Rodeo Drive years ago, I’d have advised my filthy rich erstwhile landlady to have her nose job and double eye-lid job done at Rodeo Drive, the ethnic plastic surgery specialist. Well, she had hers done at one of those plastic surgery clinics on a shop lot and I don’t think the plastic surgeon did a good job as I could see the scars on her nose. Maybe I should call her one of these days to tempt her to have a Los Angeles liposuction done there too since she is one of the vainest ladies I’ve ever met LOL!

My friend who recently had a Beverly Hills breast reduction job done at Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery has so far been very satisfied with their ‘treat you like a celebrity’ services, the skills of the plastic surgeon as well as the minimal post-surgery pain that she experienced from Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery’s Minimal Pain plan that was in place.

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Rubbing Vicks On Soles Of Feet - Part 3

Yesterday was the 5th straight day I applied Vicks on the soles of Alycia's feet and again, she slept soundly and peacefully through the night. Well, I am QUITE convinced now that Vicks did help to prevent the cough. Today, Alycia is feeling much better, her cough has lessened and the phelgm has also reduced. I must also give credit to Manuka Honey. Other factors which contributed to her speedy recovery include :

1) Sleeping in an air-condLESS room
2) Eating plain rice porridge with dishes that are mostly steamed
3) Avoiding heaty food like crackers, pan-fried food, sweet stuff and cold food.
4) Drinking lots of water and barley water
5) Getting enough sleep
6) Lots of praying

However, what works on a child may not work on another child as every child is different.

Tracing On Doodle

Alycia loves drawing and tracing on her Fisher Price doodle. Each morning as Alycia and Sherilyn eat their breakfast, they have a habit of either scribbling on their doodle or have me or my maid read to them or play jigsaw puzzle on the floor or dining table. Learning to scribble and doodle on the Doodle Pro has definitely helped improve Alycia's and Sherilyn's fine motor skills and that's one of the best toys I'd bought them. Best of all, the gals never seem to get bored with it.


Alycia tracing a picture and word from a flashcard on her FP Doodle Pro.


Alycia's 'artwork'.

My Latest Social Lifestyle

Often times, many of my friends and former colleagues ask me where I managed to find time to socialize after I'd ditched my so-called glamarous life as a PA to a big shot to be a stay-at-home-mom to 2 kids 1.5 years ago. Though my social life has reduced but it's not totally gone. I'm actively blogging and have made friends with so many wonderful blogging parents and am also actively involved in online parenting forums and online social network forums and the latest really cool and fabulous forum that I've joined is HerFabLife.

HerFabLife is the latest social lifestyle community for young and hip trend-setters women who are interested in the latest fashion styles, the newest restaurants, bars, spas, salons and retail store openings.

There is even a video that shows how a Japanese lady folding clothes neatly within seconds from HerFabLife website. Wow, amazing.... I will watch the video again to learn the skill from her.

Hey woman, if you'd like to be a part of HerFabLife, what are you waiting for? Go register for FREE now.

Sherilyn and Her Toy Ice-Cream

This is Sherilyn's latest craze and obsession : her toy vanilla flavour ice-cream. Not that it's a brand new toy, daddy bought the gals this toy about 2 months back but for the past few days, Sherilyn has been clutching on to her toy ice-cream everywhere she went, including sleeping with it. When she wasnt looking yesterday, I stealthily took the toy ice-cream away and washed it as it was laced with her saliva, only to have her screaming her lungs out when she couldn't find it the next minute and instead found her ice-cream all wet.