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Sunday, April 18, 2010

Sticking To Sticks

Of all the biscuits and cookies that they have tasted, sticks biscuits still top my girls' preference. With sticks, the biscuits are often polished off in a jiffy. No need to keep for weeks and months in the cookie jar till they turn soft and rancid. No wastage with sticks. I love sticks too. They were my childhood favorites too. I'll stick to sticks for rewards if they are good :)

Saturday, April 17, 2010

A Not So Disciplined Ballerina



This is a typical scene on a Monday night. Sherilyn comes home from ballet class at around 8:30pm and without even changing, she would sit at the dining table to eat her second dinner. As usual Miss Dilly Dally will take her own sweet time to eat, turning a deaf ear on my nagging her to quickly eat, she would walk round the house, join daddy who's watching TV and dilly dally away until she's threatened to hurry up or get caned. When all is done, shower taken and pjs on, she would only be ready to go to bed, with battery all conked out at around 10:30 - 11:00pm.

Zoom over to Old And New Stuff For Sale to check out my latest collection!

Friday, April 16, 2010

New Bib Again



I chilled out at the 100 Yen Shop 2 Sundays ago while the hubs brought Alycia to the hair saloon for a haircut. While browsing through the stuff there, I spotted a stack of plastic bibs with pocket (with cute pictures too!) and it only cost RM4.90. Plastic bibs must be their latest added items. It's rare to find cheap and nice plastic bibs with food tray / pocket. Without any hesitation, I quickly put one in the basket. Was so tempted to get all the colors too haha! Now, Baby has another new plastic bib to add to her collection. And did I tell you that I still have 2 brand new plastic bibs at home?

Free Great Tasting Recipes

Many mothers whom I know of struggle everyday to whip up tasty and healthy recipes for their family. This includes me as I have 4 pernickety eaters at home – 3 young babies and 1 big baby! When my mil is around, I can leave this hair splitting chore to her but whenever she’s away on her few-times-a-year overseas stay, I have to crack my head to draw up the week’s lunch and dinner menu every week on end. When my kids were younger, they were not that picky in their choice of food. Now that they have tasted the ‘real food’ aka adult food, they no longer want their bland, healthy stuff. They want food that tastes great - salty and flavorful food. They prefer take-out food that’s often laden with sodium and MSG but I try to limit their intake of take-out food.

I get annoyed whenever my kids tell me “oh no, not again mummy. I don’t like this!” to the dishes that they see placed on the dining table. Being greeted with such remarks after sweating it out in the hot kitchen preparing their food is really discouraging. On one hand I feel really unappreciated and taken for granted. On the other hand, they are just kids and they mean what they say. In times like this, I tell myself that I have to get some great cooking tips and recipes to whip up something different to whet my fussy eaters' appetite.

I stumbled upon ivillage.com when I was searching for healthy recipe for kids. There are hundreds of great tasting recipes from recipes for kids to low sodium recipes, healthy recipes, low fat recipes, vegan recipes, low budget recipes, quick recipes, recipes for breakfast, appetizers, main course and much more. One recipe that I have to try out is the sweet and sour chicken. This recipe does not require any stir-frying and it’s mess-free, quick and easy to prepare and looks absolutely delicious too. I have already book-marked ivillage.com and will definitely refer to this website to try out the sweet and sour chicken recipe when it’s time for me to take over the wok and spatula again!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

You Mess Up, You Clean Up

Baby must have seen her 2 jie jies cleaning up the mess they created. I have a rule in place at home. This rule was created recently as I just cannot afford the time to keep cleaning up the mess my 2 older girls create. Whoever spills drinks and food, they are accountable for cleaning up. Whoever plays toys and takes out the jig saw puzzle, they are responsible for keeping them once they're done.

When Baby spilled a bowl of Cheerios the other day, she ran to the table and pulled a few pieces of toilet paper.... and then began sweeping the Cheerios with the toilet paper. She then finished off by wiping the floor with a towel that Kakak had left outside the kitchen, just like how kakak does it everyday. She sure has a sharp learning curve haha!






Just like how kakak and mummy wipe the floor.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Sleeping Child

Baby and Sherilyn were sleeping on my mil's bed one afternoon. Kakak was cleaning the girls' bedroom. Alycia who came back late from school after Calligraphy class was so worn out that she plopped herself onto the floor and went into lalaland like this....


I'm really amazed with this girl. She can sleep anywhere and anytime, even in the most awkward of positions and places, even on a stiff and hard log furniture LOL!!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Drink Lots Of Water Baby

It ain't an easy task to get Baby to drink water. Whenever she's given her sippy cup, she will run away, sometimes as if inviting me to chase her... which I have absolutely no time and energy to chase her round the house in order to get her to drink water. I threaten and bribe her a lot in order to make her gulp down water.

Everyday, I say this to her whenever she refuses to drink water. I say this so much that I now recite this like a nursery rhyme and I'm sure very soon, Baby can also recite this "Drink Water' rhyme HAHAHAH!!

Drink Water Ryme:
If you don't drink water, you will get infection,
If you get infection,
You will get injection,
Please drink water
Mummy has no more money to pay the doctor
Drink lots of water
You don't need to see doctor
Baby, drink lots of water
No infection
No injection



One sure way of getting her to drink water willingly is to give her a new cup or tumbler. This was also the case with Alycia and Sherilyn last time when they were about Baby's age. That's how my kichen cabinets are now filled with tumblers!

On a typical Sunday

On a typical Sunday, daddy will bring the girls swimmng and cycling in the evening. It is during this brief 1 hour that I get a respite from the girls...


First go cycling round the condo, then off for a dip in the pool...


Daddy fixing Alycia's bicycle...

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Cassandra's 2nd Birthday



Yesterday Baby was aware that it was her birthday. She knew that being the birthday girl, it was her very special day and was given the immunity to being naughty and mischievous. She played with the water faucet and sprayed water at Sherilyn jie jie in the toilet/bathroom and wet the entire toilet area, yet mah mah did not cane her. After playing with the water faucet when mah mah reprimanded her, she did monkey faces and pulled the comforter off mah mah's bed and onto the floor... yet she wasn't caned.

After her shower yesterday morning, she refused to wear the clothes she's supposed to wear at home. Instead, this pig-headed girl insisted that she must wear kai kai clothes and wore this dress meant for outing at home.

The whole of yesterday, she kept saying she wanted to eat ice-cream and Daddy dearest went to Mid Valley to get her Baskin Robbins.

At the steamboat restaurant last night, Alycia jie jie would perhaps remember Baby's 2nd birthday for the rest of her life. Before the food came, Daryl khai yeh (god father) accidentally knocked down Alycia's glass of 100 Plus and spilled the content on her clothes. She was soaked in the sticky 100 Plus from top to bottom!! Daddy had an extra sleeveless basketball vest in the car but she wouldn't wear it coz it looked SO awful on her. Imagine donning on a bright red XXL sleeveless basketball vest muahahahahah! Die die also she wouldn't want to don on the chilli red XXL vest. Khai Yeh was corroded with guilt and felt really bad. He wanted to go out to buy her a t-shirt but mah mah said no need. It so happened that he had an extra t-shirt (which was also XL size) in the car and he got it for her. But she also die die didn't want to wear it. After much persuasion, she finally donned on the XL adult, men's t-shirt over her 100 Plus-soaked jeans. And nope, she didn't look like a fish out of water, in fact we think she looked CUTE in the oversized t-shirt. I tried to snap her pix but she kept avoiding me and was enraged :D

For those of you who are my Facebook friend, you can view pix of Baby's birthday dinner and Alycia in the oversized t-shirt.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Cassandra Is TWO Today!





My sweetie-pie Baby Cassandra is no longer a baby. She's now a toddler, a big little girl who speaks like she's 3yo. Exactly 2 years ago around this time, I was lying on the bed in a 2-bedded room at Sunway Medical Centre, just out from the recovery bay in the OT. I still remember everything that transpired inside the OT, the other patients who went into the OT room and everything that I saw.

Back in the ward, I was really anxious to take a closer look at my 3rd princess... though I remembered only vaguely that she was very fair during the brief 1 minute or so first-time-ever, fresh-from-belly moment in the OT. I was still shivering from the side effects of the spinal cord anesthetic. I could not move, only felt pins and needles on my feet and could only feel partially the lower part of my body.

The year 2008 and 2009 had been very, very eventful, emotional and painful for Baby and me. For those of you who have been following my blogs, you will know that Baby, my tough little cookie had endured a lot during the first 14 months of her life.... 2major surgeries (not including 1 minor eye surgery 3 weeks ago), countless jabs and IV drips.

Fast forward 2 years on, she's now healthier, no longer on daily antibiotics and no longer gets monthly UTI attacks which required hospitalization / IV drips.

I thank God for this sweetie-pie that He has sent to me. I pray to God that He will bestow Cassandra with good health, longevity and happiness always.

Happy 2nd Birthday Baby girl. Everyone loves you VERY, VERY much!

I Need A New Digital Camera

The top three items in my wish list include a new digital camera or a DSLR. My 3.5-year old digital camera is giving me the peeves as it is on the verge of conking out and has been acting up lately. It does not snap pictures instantly and most times, the capture effect is delayed by a few seconds. To snap pictures of babies and kids’, you need a camera that has an instant capture effect (what do you call this?). Do you have any good digital cameras or DSLR to recommend? I’m not sure whether to get a Samsung, a Nikon or a Sony.

Safe Weight Loss Pills

I wonder if there is really such a thing as safe weight loss pills in the market, safe as in a pill that does not cause any negative side effects to the body. If you have taken a weight loss pill and have not suffered from any type of ill side effects whatsoever, I’d love to hear your story. I have never taken any weight loss pills and the nearest to a weight loss product I’d taken was some kind of tea that helped me move all the sludge out from my guts!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Baskin Robbin's Pink Day

This picture was taken 2 Wednesdays ago. It was the day before Baby's Chalazion eye surgery at ISEC. After the appointment with the ophthalmologist, we brought her to buy ice-cream as promised. We didn't know that it was Baskin Robbin's Pink Day. BR's Pink Day falls on every Wednesday and if you have anything that's pink, you will be able to get 2 scoops of ice cream of your choice at a discounted price of RM7.50. Coincidentally Baby was wearing a pink t-shirt so YAY, it's her lucky day!

BR's Pink Day:
All you gotta do is : Show up with something pink to BR staff... eg : finger nails painted in pink, pink pen, pink hand phone, pink shirt, pink tie and etc.

Get a Double Jr. Scoops at the price of a Single Regular Scoop!

Pay only RM7.50+ to get 2 of your most favorite flavors!

Additional : you can upgrade your sugar cone/cup to a yummy Waffle Cone with only RM1.50+ !



Cheeeeeese mummy... see, I'm wearing pink!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Cutting Baby's Fringe

Baby is getting a fringe cut here from mah mah. Whenever my mil is around, she will help me trim Baby's bangs but when she's overseas, I have to take over this chore. It really ain't easy to trim them real straight when she keeps fidgeting. I usually need 2-3 days to get her bangs straight!



For those of you who are looking for a second hand ring sling to wear your baby, do hop over to Old And New Stuff For Sale. I'm selling my Baby Loft purple silk ring sling at only RM60 inclusive of shipping (original price is RM149.90) .

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Homecooked Dishes

Here's a meal from one of our dinners last week, all of which was cooked by my mil:

Organic brown rice cooked with organic Japanese pumpkin. This is good stuff but my girls don't know how to appreciate this yet :( They prefer plain white rice.


Braised chicken with potatoes and tomatoes. The sweet and sour taste from the tomatoes can really whet one's appetite.... this dish is really palatable, yums!


Hakka pork with wood ear fungus and dried oysters... another of our favorite dishes.


Stir-fried leek flowers with fish cake... Baby's favorite dish.


Stir-fried brinjals with XO sauce and Chinese parsley... my mil's favorite dish. My girls and I don't really fancy brinjals but I like fish paste stuffed brinjals though :)

Monday, April 5, 2010

My 2 Little Earnest Babysitters

Getting Baby to pee and poo poo in the potty these days is a back-breaking, nerve-wrecking chore. She's now at a stage where she is resisting the potty. When she's in a good mood, she will obediently sit in the potty to pee or poo but when she's in a horrid mood, all hell will break loose. At times, my helper has to help me carry her and put her on the potty when she's in a screaming and struggling mode.

Here she's in a bawling and struggling mode at the potty. Both her jie jies had to coax her to pee in the potty... while I just had to snap a pix for remembrance... especially for Baby to see when she grows up, so that she will know how she had tortured me!








Alycia managed to coax Baby to pee by giving her the toothbrush (which is Baby's favorite item now!) and helped her to brush her teeth :D

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Clean Up, Clean Up

The other day, rascal #2 took out the kids' Scrabble from the drawer to play. After playing with it, she left the scene and refused to pick up the squares that were strewn all over the bedroom floor. Before I could even reprimand her, Baby who saw the mess said this "so messy jie jie"... and then she began to pick up the squares to put into the bag and sang the "clean up, clean up" song that Barney And Friends always sing hahahahah!! She is really learning fast. I hope she remains this helpful and not regress as she grows older.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Restoran Wai Kei, 4 1/2th Mile Old Klang Road KL

We had lunch at Restoran Wai Kei at 4 1/2th Mile Old Klang Road, KL 2 Sundays ago.

This coffes shop type restaurant serves very tasty homecooked-like dishes. One of their specialties is homemade fish paste.

Here's what we had:


Baby spinach cooked in superior soup with fish paste...


Steamed 3 types of eggs (chicken eggs, duck's eggs and century eggs)...



Braised pork ribs with peanuts and mushrooms...


Jue Geok Choa (pigs' trotters in black vinegar and ginger)... iheart this dish, but only the lean pork and the broth. I eat no fat or leg ligamen, eeeeks!


Braised fish slice in claypot....


My favorite 'yeong liu' (fish paste stuffed tofu, bean curd sheet, brinjal, red chilli, bitter gourd and tofu pok).

Restoran Wai Kei is located at :
S/Lot 2, Batu 4 1/2
Jln Kelang Lama
58000 KL
HP : 013-391 8269 / 016-227 6210

Business hours : 11:30am - 3pm; 6pm - 10pm
Closed on every Monday.

This is one of my favorite tai chau restaurants. If you want to eat there during lunch time, be prepared to sweat it out. I normally leave the coffee shop all soaked in my own sweat :S

Friday, April 2, 2010

Snacks For The Kids

Bought these snacks for the kids from Mercato d'Marketplace @ Pavillion:


Biscuits from Meiji. Each biscuit has a picture of a vehicle printed on it. Great and fun way of teaching the kids, especially Baby the different types of vehicles. The sugar-free nuts biscuits (made in Taiwan) tasted bland and dry though. They are not cheap too. Oh well, biscuits that are healthy are usually flavorless.


Plump and juicy dried cranberries.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

New Nike Shoes In Fluorescent Blue

Nice or not my new Nike shoes in fluorescent blue? Say nice lar coz it's very expensive :) I wanted to buy a pair of running shoes that costs RM100+ but the cheapest pair of running shoes for ladies at the Nike shop cost RM235 (and it's after discount!). I still wanted to buy a RM100+ a pair running shoes of a cheaper brand like Reebok but the hubs said he will buy me this pair :



And this pair of shoes is the cheapest running shoes for ladies in that Nike shop, at RM235! But it's worth the money coz my feet feel so comfy in this pair of shoes when I run every morning.



While I chose my shoes, my 3 gals monkeyed around at the shop.

Alycia doing a hip hop dance while Baby and Sherilyn played with the Nike balls.




"Mummy see, I can dribble the ball!"