Children and Hobbies

I'm sure you've heard the saying "An idle mind is the devil's workshop". That's why DH and me are always nagging our children to do something beneficial and educational; something that will develop their mind, body and spirit e.g. read a book, develop writing skills, work on their maths, do their workbooks, read the scriptures, learn their church primary songs, engage in sports, draw, clean the house, wash the car, help in the kitchen etc.... We are doing our best to get them away from the computer and television. We have been encouraging them to find out what they like to do and what they are interested in. In other words, we want them to develop a hobby or hobbies.

Currently, these are what the kids are into:
D1 cycles every evening. He and daddy does about 10km. Check out his new bike.

At first it was just cycling around the block. Then the rides were gradually extended as his strength and stamina increased. We'll see if he can be like Johan, an 8 year old boy who cycled from Pangkor to Penang (250km) in 4 days. Click on the link to read the story.
His other interest is drawing. Goodness knows how much paper he has gone through. He went through our whole stack of recycled paper like a hurricane.
He is beginning to be a collector too. What does he collect? Erasers! Yeah, kinda crazy. He has been using part of his pocket money to buy erasers at school. He was also so happy one day when he came back from school coz' he found some erasers on the floor. I guess I won't have to spend a whole lot on birthday and Christmas presents for him ;)

K is still wondering what she is interested in. She is a tough one for me coz' she likes to bum around. I know she likes music. She is always going online to look for song lyrics. I do wish to get a piano (when we have more space in the house). She has learned to read notes a little and can play with her right hand. I wonder if there's a music teacher around my area?
She kinda likes learning about other countries. I bought her a notebook so she could do like a scrapbook of different countries. Unfortunately, she has not put in much effort.
She says she likes doing craft but we don't see her doing much in that department. I was thinking of signing both of us up for a jewelry making class. We'll see how that goes.

D2... he likes to eat. Hahaha. No, we will not count that as a hobby. He likes to read books. Phew! After all my effort, at least one loves to read books. He is at the stage where he wants to do whatever his brother does, good and bad. Yikes!
He still likes to hang around the kitchen when I cook. I'll have to do some baking sessions with him in the future.

BabyK... well... her hobby now is to put whatever in her mouth except if it's food.

Mama's Parenting Tip

• Don't bog your children down with too much academic activities. Give them time to pursue stuff they love.
• Let your children know that playing computer, watching television or sleeping does not count as a hobby (well, not in your home).
  
• Be attentive and identify what your children have an inclination for. Help them develop their hobby.
  

Tom Yam Baked Fish

This has become one of my children's favorite dish: Tom Yam Baked Ikan Pari (Stingray). The first time I cooked this, I didn't cook a lot because I thought the children wouldn't eat it since it is a little spicy. The next thing I know, they are the ones finishing up the dish and everyone is sort of fighting to get some. I think the kids like the "Ikan Pari" because it is easy to eat. It's not like the other kinds of fish where you have to be careful of the bones. Plus, the sourish taste of the Tom Yam probably increases their appetite.

Anyway, here is how I do my Tom Yam Baked Fish.

Line the tray with aluminium foil. Then put everything on top of a banana leaf.
Everything = Ikan pari (stingray) covered with tom yam sauce, 2-3 stalks of lemon grass (crushed), tomato (quartered), sliced ladies fingers (okra), 1 big onion (sliced).

This is the Tom Yam paste I used. I put in about half a bottle of Life Tom Yam paste and a packet of Adabi Tom Yam Kung paste. This one time I used the Adabi packet without the Life brand paste (because I had run out), it didn't taste as good. It was salty and not very sourish.

Wrap it all up. Poke some holes on top. Put it in the oven for about 45 minutes. I had my oven at 200 degrees celcius.

Tadaaaa... this is what you get at the end. Squeeze some lime over for more umph!

Buying Insurance Tips

When I was 22 years old, I was approached by my boss' son to buy a life insurance policy. My pay wasn't very much and I had to pay for my car every month. I also was giving my mom some pocket money. Usually at the end of the month, I would have very little left. Saving money was really a struggle. And yet, my boss' son managed to convince me to get a life insurance policy.

Although the cash value of the policy doesn't amount to much, I'm glad that I made the decision then to get it. Something is better than nothing.

I know many people, me included, are afraid to meet insurance agents. We are afraid to be pestered to death. However, getting insured is an important matter. Life is full of uncertainties. We don't know when we may encounter death, an illness, an accident or a loss. Unfortunately, deciding what policy to get and with which company can be a difficult task. It is so important to get multiple quotes to do comparisons. After all, you want the best deal right? This is one thing that I didn't do when I bought my insurance. I was young and foolish then (and probably blinded by the good looking boss' son).

If you want a better understanding of the different types of insurance, you can check out Insurance on Wikipedia. If you want to find some local insurance agents, there are some websites that prove to be good resources like LocalInsurance. For example, if you looking to get a home insurance in Illinois, you just need to fill out some details and then, experience agents in your area will get in touch with you to offer the best deals. Because of the competition, you stand a chance to save some money because they all want your business. You can get quotes on auto, home, heath and life insurance.

Here are some quick tips as you shop for insurance:

• Read through the policy carefully. Don't miss out important details.
• Don't agree to extra coverage plans that are not necessary. They will throw these at you so you spend more and they earn more. So, just pay for the coverage that is required.
• Once again, get multiple quotes. Buy from the one that gives you what you need at a good price and not from the one that is the cutest :)

*This message is brought to you by your friends at localinsurance.com

Oh No! Baby Measles

Baby had fever for 3 days and then the rashes started to appear. If I was a first time mom, I would have freaked out upon seeing those rashes. However, this happened to KokoD1 when he was a baby. I freaked out then. Rushed him to the doctor only to be told that it was a common thing with babies and there was nothing to worry about. Roseola, that's what it is called.

Anyway, I did have a doctor take a look at babyK to confirm that that is what it is and not something else like Denggi. So yeah, baby has got the baby measles. The rash started on her face. Then it slowly spread to her chest, back and arms. She has some on her butt. None on her legs yet. Thank goodness it's not really bothering her. She's not scratching or feeling very uncomfortable. Still very active. Cranky at times, especially when it's warm. She's more sticky than usual. So I've just got to be very patient and work out those arm muscles. I think it affects her sleeping coz' she is waking up more than usual -- looking for her dear nen-nen for comfort.

For moms out there looking to find some info on baby measles, here are a few facts:

• It's caused by a virus so antibiotics don't help.
• It can spread through saliva. So cancel those play dates. If there are other babies at your babysitter's or daycare, you should consider keeping baby home instead or other alternatives.
  
• I've been told that there is no medication to get rid of it. You have to let it run its course. Best you can do is give medication for fever.
• The vaccination your baby gets is for rubeola (red measles), not roseola.
  

So, what to do?
Just have to be patient with the crankiness. Give lukewarm sponge baths to make baby feel more comfortable. Breastfeed often (if you are breastfeeding). Keep baby hydrated. Pray it the days go by quicker and baby recovers fast. Oh, and if you have other kids, like me, tell them to not get too close to baby. Do take note that some kids will purposely try to get it so they can stay home from school :)

My polka dot baby!

Baby is 9 Months Old

At 9 months old, babyK is a very busy-busy little bee. She wants to crawl everywhere, touch everything and puts everything into her mouth. She likes to crawl to the hamster's cage and grab the hamster's water bottle. She even put that in her mouth. As you can see from the picture above, she also wants to be like mommy and daddy and play with the keyboard and mouse.

To entertain her, her grandfather is always taking her to the door or out to the garden to look for the rabbit. So much so that her first word is “Rabbit”. Well, she says it more like “Ware-b”. The other day, I took her on a walk and she saw a cat. She called out “ware-b”. Hahaha. That was funny.

She doesn't like us to carry her that much anymore. She wants to be on the floor crawling about. She is now a pro at pulling herself to a standing position (with support of course).

Our latest thing to do with her is sing Happy Birthday. When she hears that song, she will clap her hands. I've also been doing a little sign language with her. I think she has learned to sign the word “more”. However, I don't think she knows what it means.

She's already got 2 teeth (lower). There's another tooth coming up; the top tooth. Heard her grinding her teeth the other day.

Eating wise, she follows her siblings and totally skipped the porridge stage. She now chews on rice, noodles and bread. So much for not putting salt and seasoning in her food. She's been eating whatever we eat.

She is still very, very sticky to me. Sometimes I hear her call “mamamamammmm”. Not sure if she is trying to call “mama”.

Nap time now is around 12pm-1pm and then again in the evening around 6pm. Thank goodness for nap times.

How Do You Get To Heaven?

I was reading the New Testament Stories with D2 and I asked him if he knew how to get to heaven. This was my 3 year old's reply: "We can drive there". I then asked him which way to go. Gesturing with his hands he said, "You turn here, then turn there, then go here. And when we get there, we take off our seat belts."

So there you have it people, a simple way to get to heaven. Anybody up for a trip? Make sure you wear your seat belts.

Cold Sausages

I was making sausage buns last Saturday. D2 stood next to me as I was wrapping the bread dough around the sausages. He innocently asked, "Mommy, why are you doing that? Are the sausages cold?"

Kids Make It Better

A few days ago I was introduced to the cutest children's book. It's called "Kids Make It Better" by Suzy Becker. You know how kids say the darnest things? Well, just imagine what answers you'd get when you ask them to solve world problems like pollution, war, homeless people and animals, the hole in the ozone, bad economic times, prejudice etc.... I'm sure we adults will never in a million years come up with an answer like "put chocolate milk in the water fountains" when asked what we could do to improve our school. My favorite was the answer to water pollution: "Have scientists make fish that love to eat tons of pollution." And you know what, there really is such a thing.

There are many problems in the world today. I believe our children should know about it. After all, it affects them too. I am definitely going to include this book into my kids' homeschooling. The words are simple and it has appealing whimsical full-color drawings. The best part is, it is not a book that you passively read. It's more like a journal. The reader is presented with two pages of fill-ins, prompts, and a space to draw his or her own ideas. I wonder what solutions my kids will come up with? What would they say would mend a broken heart and how would they stop nail biting?

When it comes to children, you think you will get crazy answers, but many times they surprise you with very wise answers. And there are cases where kids have made a difference in the world. The book gives some examples of such kids. Like the book says "Yes, Kids Can!"

If you're looking for a project your children can work on (especially for summer vacation), this is a good one. Click on the affiliate link below to get your copy today.

Kids Make It Better: A Write-in, Draw-in Journal

No More Screaming... I Hope

"A SOFT answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."
Proverbs 15:1

This is the scripture that my family is trying to put into practice this week. One thing that my house could do without is shouting. I'm ashamed to admit that the fault is probably mine and DH. We tend to shout when we get angry and upset and the kids have learned to do the same.

So, last Sunday, I called for an emergency family meeting. I introduced this scripture and asked the family if we would like to put it to the test. I said it would be like an experiment, to see how the home environment will be like when we turn down the volume of our voices and opt to use "soft answers". Well, not just soft in terms of volume but also soft in terms of gentleness. (If those families on "Nanny 911" can do it, so can we).

I noticed the nannies on "Nanny 911"like to use charts. So, me thots that a chart would be good for us too. So I drew up this simple chart and anyone who violated the "soft answer" rule would get a monster face. Oh, Mommy and Daddy is also included in this chart. Of course we need rewards to go along with this little program, but kids' and parents' rewards are different. The older 2 kids get 7 hrs/week computer time, younger boy will get 10 scoops of ice cream, daddy gets 10 hours of service from the rest of us and mommy... well, mommy is still undecided but it'll definitely be something to do with dessert. Rewards will be reduced for every 2 monster faces. For example, 2 monster faces will result in computer time reduced by 1 hr or 1 less scoop of ice cream.

So, is it working for us? Well, shouting sessions have definitely become less. Everybody is making an effort to change the way we talk to each other. We're not perfect but at least we're trying.

Anybody else up for this challenge?

Sale On Baby and Children Stuff

LittleWhiz is having their Mid Year Sale 2010. If you need/want to buy stuff for your kid(s), this would be the time to do it. They have slashed the prices and that means great savings for you. For example, they have a 4 in 1 Convertible Baby Cot Promotion Package that is selling for RM859. Original price is RM1382.80. That is RM523.80 for you. Save RM500 over bucks. No kidding man.

So, do check it out if you are on the look out for booster seats, car seats, bags, cooler, breastpumps, nursing bras, cloth diapers, nursing poncho, baby carrier and baby slings, baby cots, baby gift sets, strollers, teething toys, developmental toys, organic baby products, crib sets, receiving blankets, swaddle blankets, rattle booties, socks, bumbo baby sitter, Dr Brown BPA free bottles, breastmilk storage bags, safety gate, playpen etc.... Ya, so many things.

I've bought stuff from them before. So far so good.

Just click on the affiliate banner below and start browsing.

What Do You Wear To Sleep?

Are you a pajamas person? I used to be. When I was growing up, I used to wear those cotton 3/4 pant pajamas. They were very comfortable, especially for our hot weather. I haven't been able to find those kind of pajamas nowadays. The ones I see at the store are all long pants. I did find some that were selling online at womens pajamas. They call them cropped pants. This online store has lots of varieties to choose from: flannel, thermal, footed, cotton, chemises, lingerie, silk and satin. I didn't even know there is such thing as moisture wicking pajamas. Sounds like a good thing though coz' the weather these days is soooo hot, you sweat like crazy. They also have couple matching pajamas, but I doubt my husband is the "let's match pajamas" kind of person. My kids on the other hand would jump on the idea of matching pajamas with each other or with me.

When I was studying overseas, I indulged myself in a pair of silk pajamas. Ooooh, they felt very nice on the skin. They were my favorite thing to wear when I was home. Yeah, pajamas were not only for sleeping. They were for lounging around the house too.

When I was pregnant, I wore caftans to sleep. It was comfortable as there was lots of room for the big bump. Plus, it was nice and airy. Good for those hot nights (I mean weather kind of hot okay).

Now that I'm back to breastfeeding, its t-shirt and pants for pajamas. Very boring if you ask me. I think I would like to get back to women's pajamas. I don't know. Maybe it's the relaxed feeling you get when you change into some nice comfy pajamas at the end of a looooong day. Don't quite get that feeling with t-shirt and shorts. I guess I'll have to add "buy women's pajamas" to my shopping list. Hope I find some nice ones to choose from. Silk again? Hmmmm..... something to consider.

My Heart Dropped When I Saw This

Every evening, D1 goes bicycling with his dad. Day before yesterday, he came home with this face.


Waaaa! Can you imagine how I felt when I saw all those cuts and bruises on his face? My heart dropped. As I was cleaning him up, I couldn't help going "aiyoh, aiyoh, aiyoh". DH of course told me to "cut it out" as it was making D1 feel more miserable. The worse part is, I couldn't put any plaster (bandaid) for him. If you know my son, bandaids have a miraculous way of making his injuries less painful. Later I was out in the garden cleaning out the fish pond, I could hear him upstairs screaming and crying away as his father dabbed iodine on the wounds. I think his screams could be heard by every house on my street.

You must be wondering "what happened?". Well, we suspect one of his bicycle brakes (the back one) was not working very well. So, when he pressed the brake, the front one worked and the back one didn't. Hence, his bicycle tipped forward and he fell forward on his face. Listening to him tell me the story of what happened, I think he may have been following too closely to his dad. That is why he suddenly braked.

Anyway, thank goodness he didn't break any bones or sprain any muscles. Thank goodness he didn't get hit by any other cars or bike.

This incident reminds me of one day long ago, when my mother came home to find my brother lying on the bed, bruised and injured from a motorcycle accident. I now know what she felt at that very moment.

MAMAS PARENTING TIP

• Make sure your kids bicycle is in good working condition.
• Get bicycle helmet and knee pads (that's on my to-do list).
• Teach them some road rules and signs.

What were some heart stopping injuries your child encountered?

What To Do With Leftover Satay Sauce?

We bought satay at the "pasar malam" last Saturday. It seemed such a waste to throw away the delicious satay sauce. So, I kept it in the fridge and tried to figure out what to do with it on Monday. This is what I eventually cooked up.

I don't know what to call it yet. Basically it is satay sauce stir fried with fried tofu and long beans. Thankfully, it turned out to be quite delicious. So, if you want to try, here is the recipe.

TOFU IN SATAY SAUCE
Ingredients:

• Egg tauhu (Cut to a squarish shape. As square as you can.)
  
• Tau Kua (Cut into squares.)
  
• Long beans
• Garlic (minced)
• Soy sauce
• Satay peanut sauce
  
• 1 Egg (break into a bowl)
  
• Wheat flour and rice flour (Around 70% wheat flour and 30% rice flour)
  

How To Cook?

1. Dip the tauhu in the egg, then coat with the flour mixture.
2. Deep fry in oil, then put aside.
3. Saute the minced garlic until almost turning brown, throw in the cut long beans.
4. Add some soy sauce for taste.
5. When long beans are cooked, add the tauhu back into the wok.
6. Pour in the leftover satay sauce.

Last minute I decided to add some fried garlic. If you're a garlic lover, you will love the extra garlicky taste.

Okay, so what do you do with your leftover satay sauce?

Baby is 8 Months Old

Baby is now 8 months old. She didn't put on much weight from her last check-up which was about 2 months ago. She's now 7.8kg (up 300gms). I often wonder how some parents get their baby to finish 1 bowl of porridge or cereal. My kids were never into porridge or cereal; And this baby is no different from her siblings. Don't look like she likes meshy food. She would rather chew on an apple. I've had some success giving her tiny pieces of bread. I bought some sweet potatoes from the store yesterday. Gonna try my luck with those.

Her favorite game: Peek-a-boo.
We play this 2 ways.
1) We put a handkerchief in front of our face. She will pull it down. Sometimes she tries to put the handkerchief in front of our face. Unfortunately her hand coordination is not too good yet, so the game doesn't quite work. But it's amazing coz' you see her intelligence growing and she's trying to communicate.
2) We hide under the blanket and she comes looking for us.

She is standing.
This is her favorite position right now. You'd think babies liked to be carried. Well, not quite anymore as this little girl will wiggle and wiggle till you put her down. Once or twice I caught her letting go of her support. "No baby, you're not steady yet. Maybe next month okay."

She's trying to imitate our speech.
The only way to get her to stay still when I'm putting on her diaper is to play "Round and round the garden, goes the teddy bear." Recently, I've heard her say "wow wow wow" when I do that. Also, grandpa often takes her to the door and asks her to call "Rabbit!" So funny to hear her calling for the rabbit. (Yeah, we're so unimaginative that we have no other name for our pet rabbit).

Play is the main agenda of the day.
Play = exploration. She is always looking for things to explore. You look at her face and you can almost hear her brain cells clicking away. The siblings are also enjoying her more now.

Well, that is babyK at 8 months old.

p.s. Scrapbook layout was done with My Memories Suite scrapbooking software. It is really easy to use. If you want to get one, click the following affiliate link and use this promo code for 15% off: MMS15off (Valid until the end of May 2010. Not much time left. Quickly get it before the offer ends).
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A Flying Whale?

D1 just burst into my room babbling about how D2's whale is flying in the air. What? A flying whale? Ok, let me clarify what's going on by showing you the picture of the "flying whale".

Disappointed that it's really not a flying whale? Actually, the "flying whale" is D2's bicycle training wheel that is somewhat damaged and so, is up in the air rather than touching the ground.

This is the conversation about the flying whale.

D1: Mommy, mommy, D2's "whale" is flying in the air.
Me: What? D2's got a whale? (Of course I know what he meant was "wheel". I just wanted to pull his leg a little).
D1: No, no, his "whale".
Me: Yea, you said "whale". I didn't know he had a whale. Wow, where is he keeping it?
D1: No, I said "whale" (getting exasperated).
Me: Yeah, I know that's what you said - whale.
D1: I mean the "whale" that can roll.
Me: Wow, he has a whale that can roll. That's fantastic. I want to see it.
D1: NO. The... (he was going to say the word but stopped to think)
Me: The what?
D1: The TIRE.

Hahahahah. Of course I eventually taught him to say "wheeeeeeel" instead of "whale".

Cheap Children Books

Just a heads up that BookCloseouts is having their "Smart Start to Summer $0.99 Sale". Yeap, they have selected children books that have been discounted to 99 cents! This is ending 26 May 2010. Don't miss this opportunity to stock up your home library.

Just to make sure I have it clear, this is 99 cents in US currency. If you are Malaysian, don't be disheartened. It is still a good deal if you convert to RM. But I would advise that you buy in bulk to make it worth your while coz' you have to spend on shipping. 2 things you can do:

1. Combine order with your friends
2. Buy more with the intention to sell, either to your friends, online or at a weekend bazaar.

I used to get some books from here when I was running my 2nd hand online bookshop. You can get some very good selections at very good prices. Definitely better than some of the books you get locally here in Malaysia.

I've been borrowing some children books from the library at my housing area, and it is very disappointing to see the low quality of English in some of the books. The English is downright terrible in some of the locally published books. For example, there was a book about how a boy got sick after getting caught in the rain. He changed his shirt but was still "a little shivering".

Anyway, back to the book sale, do take a look and see if any of the 99cent books appeal to you. Just click on the affiliate banner below.

Candy Flowers

Mother's Day is next Sunday and the primary children at church usually hand out a gift to the women folk. Well, my primary president wanted to give out chocolates and I suggested making candy flowers to make it look more presentable. So, she got me the stuff and this is what I crafted.

I hope the ladies will like it. If you want to learn how to make this, I've got the instructions here: How To Make A Candy Flower Bouquet

Happy Mother's Day Everyone

Here is a video by Kelly Corrigan and it is perfect for Mother's Day. Every mother needs to hear the words "Thank You". Those 2 words does wonders for our spirits (especially when we are down) and makes us want to do more. Here is my "Thank You" to my mother:

• Thank you for making sure I have enough to eat
• Thank you for trusting me to drive your car around (even when I just got my license)
  
• Thank you for making those trips up to visit me and the kids
• Thank you for worrying about my welfare
• Thank you for taking me to the swimming pool when I was a kid and teaching me how to swim

Through Facebook, Kelly asked her friends and fans to list all of the things that mothers want to be thanked for and to share photos. What a great idea. Here is what I want my kids to thank me for:

• Cooking everyday
• Choosing to stay at home (not running away) even though I often get headaches from the noise, fighting, whining and complaining.
  
• Giving you the best milk as a baby - Breastmilk
• Taking you to church every Sunday and teaching you the gospel
• Stocking up the shelves with books, books and books
• Getting up in the middle of the night to change your diapers
• Taking pictures to document your childhood days
• Teaching you how to do chores around the house so you can be independent latter in life
• Always letting you eat the drumstick
• Putting bandages on all your cuts and bruises

Okay, okay... don't want the list to get too long. Hehehehe. So, what would you like to be thanked for this Mother's Day?

Teething Blues

Baby's first tooth is making it's appearance. So happen, my good friend from loooong ago (my primary days) was very kind to purchase a Sophie the Giraffe for babyK. She's in S'pore and couriered it over. I wanted to take a picture of baby chewing on Sophie, but instead this is what I got.

She saw my camera case and immediately dropped Sophie. So quickly she crawled over and grabbed the camera case. If only she was this enthusiastic about food.

Caterpillar Story

This is my beautiful Periwinkle plant. It's a very hardy plant and the best flowering plant in my garden (not like I plant a lot of flowering plants).

Then one day, it became "botak" (bald) overnight. We thought it was the rabbit but she seemed an unlikely suspect. Upon further inspection, we found the culprit. Can you see it?

Yeah, there were more than 15 of this "it". This was the last one on the plant that was not "murdered" yet. Decided I should take a picture of it before it's execution. Just in case you are a pro-caterpillar person, I have already been reprimanded by my brother for being a butterfly-killer. And yes, he is right. The plant is growing back it's leaves again. But I still really, really, really hate caterpillars/worms/leeches or anything that looks like it.

Well, guess what? The butterflies must have had a convention or something and spread the word about how wonderful my garden is to bring up their little ones. The victim this time is not my periwinkle plant but my curry plant. I didn't know caterpillars ate curry too :) This time, I put some of them in a jar. Sorry, I had to kill the rest. I'm pleading my case under the excuse of exercising pest control. Anyway, my kids were taking a good look at their "science experiment" when suddenly out darted this red color fork-like tongue. Immediately there were screams of "eeeeee" and "ewwwww". Take a look at the pictures below. What is that??????

I've never seen such things before (so disgusting and "geli"), so I went to Mr. Google for some answers. I believe it is called an osmeterium. It can emit a foul smell, so you could say it is a self defense mechanism. So many years of schooling and I never knew of such thing.

I have about 4 caterpillars in a jar... errr... actually 3 left (1 died). I hope they make it all the way to becoming a butterfly. Not just because butterflies are better looking than caterpillars, but also I want to know WHICH BUTTERFLY IS THIS!

P.S. You can read about my previous 3 caterpillar projects here:

• Science in a jar
• Caterpillars again
• Lime butterfly again
  

Gum Care Tip

A few weeks ago my teeth became extra, extra sensitive to cold. I ended up in a dentist's chair to get rid of a toothache. I had a hole in my tooth and had to get a filling. But the hole was not my only problem, I have a very bad case of receding gum lines.

The dentists asked me if I brushed my teeth very hard and use hard bristle toothbrushes. My answer "Yes". She asked me how long I have been brushing this way. My answer "I don't know. A very long time." She said "Probably since you knew how to hold a toothbrush eh?"

That got me thinking... where did I get the idea that I need to brush my teeth vigorously hard to get it clean? And the best part is, I think I've passed on that idea to my kids.

The dentist advised me to switch to a soft bristle toothbrush and brush gently. And that is the message that I passed on to my kids when I came home. My daughter said "Oh, ok" and my son said "I thought I need to brush very hard to get all that dirt off my teeth."

MAMA'S PARENTING TIP:
Teach your children to brush their teeth gently. Don't let them suffer from receding gum lines later in life.

Baby is 7+ Months Old

BabyK continues to progress at a fast rate. 2 weeks ago I was elated that she could push herself off the floor onto all fours, like this:

Hey, no escaping out the door.

Then, she learned how to push herself off the floor into a sitting position.

A few days after that, she started to do this. Yup, she pulled herself into a standing position.

This is one very busy baby. We can all learn some lessons from babies. So today, it is
BABY'S PARENTING TIP:

• Work hard
• Keep moving forward
• Progress everyday
• Don't give up
• Improve
• Learn new skills.

Stylish Mother's Day Cards

To my American and Canadian friends, there is a very special deal over at Tiny Prints waiting for you. There have just launched a new line of stylish printed greeting cards called Tiny Prints Greetings. They have cards for Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, anniversaries and graduation.

What's So Special?
You can personalize it, schedule it and even send it online.
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Buns, Buns and More Homemade Buns

Friday I made cinnamon buns. Yummm!



Today, I made sausage buns (and a few cinnammon buns).


It's bun fever in my home now. Really putting that breadmaker I bought a few months ago to work.

This is the dough recipe I used. I found it online and it turned out really good. I will just list down the ingredients. For further details on how to make it, you can click here: Harvest cinnamon rolls.

Dough Recipe:
1 cup milk - warm (they asked to heat it in microwave but I didn't)
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature and beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups bread flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (optional)* (I didn't use it)

The cinnamon buns I made came out really huge. I admit I'm no expert at spreading the dough, rolling and cutting them. It turned out to be quite a messy job. If you really want to do it right, I guess you can check out YouTube. Maybe that's what I should have done in the first place. Hahaha. This video below shows you how to spread the dough so it forms a rectangle. The guy has another video that shows you how to roll the dough after that.



If you want to make the sausage buns, you just take some dough and roll it in your hands (kinda like when you play with playdoh and roll it to make it look like little snakes). Then you take a sausage (Americans call them hot dog) and twist the dough around it.

MAMAS PARENTING TIP:
Just a warning about sausage buns that you buy at the store: This one time a friend of mine bought sausage buns for a "makan" gathering, I discovered that it was moldy inside. Some people had already eaten some. They didn't know because they didn't look inside. Also, on a few occasions my kids got a stomach ache after eating sausage buns we bought at the store. I suspect the sausages were not fresh anymore and that's why they were selling it for cheap. So, do think twice if you're going to buy sausage buns at the store.

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It's painful to lose your blog that you have nurtured for many, many years. So, don't forget to backup. If you have a blogger account, you can use this utility to backup. You can save all your posts in an atom/XML file. Check out this page to download the utility.
Blogger Backup

Okay, that is my good deed for today.

Baby is Almost 7 Months Old

*This digital scrapbook was done with Polaroid My Memories Suite.
Click here for more information: Software For Scrapbooking

From the moment she opens her eyes, she is ready to explore. She can wiggle her way around now and she's always after something e.g. books and papers left on the floor, water bottles, the table fan buttons. I can't imagine when she can actually crawl. That means she will get to things faster. Oh boy! Right now she can push herself off the floor. She's been practicing hard. She gets on all fours and rock back and forth, as if ready to launch. Her siblings say she is doing "pumping" exercises. No wonder she has so much upper body strength. Hehehe.

I see no teeth coming thru yet.

She can call for you like if she wants you to carry her. Instead of saying mama or papa, she will just whine like "hmmmm hmmmmm" and have her hands stretched out.

She's not really eating solids these days. She seems to have lost interest. Maybe it is because she was sick a few weeks ago. But there is no fast rule that babies must eat solids at this age. Until she is ready, breastmilk is still #1.

Lil' K, lil' K, you really know how to keep your mommy on her toes.

Put Fun in Fundraisers

Last year, my girl came back from school with a card. It was a card that most parent's dislike. No, not a report card. It was a donation card. The kind that have you asking friends, colleagues, neighbors and relatives to write their name and how much they are willing to take out of their wallets. I hate doing that. When I was younger, my school had me do that too on occasions. I remember my mother was so bold as to approach the Yang diPertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan (the king of our state at that time) to donate. They used to play golf together once in a while.

Anyway, this kind of fundraising is not a good idea if you ask me. It's a win-lose situation. I know charity means not asking "what's in it for me?". However, shoving a donation card into someone's hands and asking for money is like slapping them with a summons. There is no excitement there. People would appreciate getting something back in return. How about brochure fundraising? For example, over at FastTrack Fundraising, they have brochures for gourmet cookie dough. So, instead of a donation card, people get to flip through a brochure to select what yummy cookie dough flavor they want to buy. There's also brochures for scented candles, magnetic fridge frames and Crayola cooking kits. Another cool fundraising idea is to sell discount cards. You could approach local stores like restaurants, hairdressing salons and recreation places to participate. Everybody likes discounts.

So, a message to whoever is planning a fundraiser, especially schools (cause really, the mom is always the one going around asking for money, not the kids), please be a little creative and make it fun.

p.s. If you have lots of money and want to do some good in the world, you can check out the philanthropy forum.

* Brought to you by your friends at FastTrackFundraising.com

Homemade Buns

Mung Bean Buns

Normal buns (dinner rolls)

This is what I've been busying myself with the last 2 days. The kids have not really been eating the bread loaves I've been making. So, I decided to make sweet buns instead. Looks like I can't make them fast enough. They are gone in a wink of an eye. Just as I take them out of the oven, I will have one kid ask "Mommy, can I eat one now?"

The first batch was made with just bread flour and mung bean filling. Then Sis. Joyce suggested that I mix in some wholemeal flour so the kids' little tummies would feel more full. Tried that and the buns still came out good.

Okay, if you have a breadmaker and want to try making these buns, here is the recipe.

BUN RECIPE
2/3 cups water
2 eggs (beaten)
2 tbsp butter (my butter was hard so I just broke it into chunks)
3 cups bread flour/high protein flour (if you want some wholemeal, make it 2 3/4 cups bread flour, 1/4 cups wholemeal flour)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp yeast

If you want to add some filling, this is what you do. The filling could be red bean, mung bean, chicken floss (expensive) etc.... After the dough is ready, just pinch out a small ball of dough. Oh, put some butter on your hands so it doesn't stick to your fingers. Okay, flatten out the small ball of dough on the palm of your hands. Add in some filling. Fold the dough up to cover the filling. Then, flatten the dough slightly. How big the balls of dough depends on how big the buns you want.
Arrange them on your baking tray. Brush on some egg white on top of the balls of dough (this will give you the nice brown color on top). If you want, you can add to the taste by sprinkling on some sesame seeds (looks pretty too). Leave them on the tray and cover with a cloth for about 30-45 minutes. You'll see the balls of dough grow in size.
Pop them in the oven. Bake 200 degrees for about 15 minutes (until the top is a nice light brown color).

This is how you eat them: OPEN WIDE WIDE... AUM!

Get A Read or Spell Software for F.R.E.E.

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Do You Think Of Death?

Do you have grim, morbid moments? I do. When I was little, I remember waking up one night crying because I dreamed my mother died. My daughter has had a dream like that too. She dreamed I died and she woke up crying. Sometimes, I would ponder... what would happen if my husband died or if I were to lose one of my children. I wonder if I would be able to bear the pain? My parents are getting older everyday. I know one day in the near future, I will have to see them go. Can we ever be ready to handle death?

A friend of mine passed away a few days ago. Earlier in the year, a friend's sister lost her son. I cannot fathom the grief the family is going through. Are there any words that can bring comfort?

Easter is just around the corner and reminds us that Christ has overcome the bands of death for us. We will all be resurrected. There is the hope that families can be together forever. HOWEVER, we will still feel the emotions of losing a loved one.

During those days of mourning, I would think hiring a professional like Funeral Agent is important. I know I will be too devastated to even think how to plan a funeral. It will definitely be helpful if someone else could handle stuff like transporting deceased , paperwork and funeral services. All these things needs to be done competently and with compassion. The last thing you need is more stress.

I pray I will have the strength to face such trial when the time comes. May we all find peace and joy this Easter season.

"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"
(John 11:25)

*Brought to you by your friends at funeralagent.com

Mommy, SNAKE!

We had a snake "almost" come into the house yesterday. We were in the living room when our opposite neighbor came calling to tell us our rabbit had run to our next door neighbors house. Next thing I know, my girl is yelling (with real terror in her voice), "Mommy, SNAKE!" At first I thought she was playing a practical joke on her siblings (like she always do) but I looked anyway and saw the snake curled around the grill of the front door.

I quickly asked my neighbor to back away. Yelled for DH to come down. Like a hero, he came to save the day. He managed to kill the snake with a "cangkul" (hoe). Thank goodness it was a baby snake and didn't know how to retaliate yet. We don't know what kind of snake it was. Definitely not the harmless green garden snake. This one was black.

I shudder to think where the mother is. Or if there are other baby snakes. I thank Heavenly Father that we saw it while it was on the grill door. I'm thankful that it didn't slither into the house somewhere to hide in a corner. I'm grateful my DH was around to take care of the problem.

The rabbit was at my neighbor's house probably to escape from the snake. We tried to coax her back but she wouldn't budge. My neighbor said it looked like she was "menggigil" (shivering). Don't know what the snake was doing at my house. Looking to have a nice "rabbit" dinner or maybe "hamster" dinner? Whatever reason it came to my house, it gave me a reason to stop my son from singing Lady Gaga's song. I said all his "ula ulala" made the snake think he was calling him. Afterall, in Malay, "ular" means snake.

The dead snake in the "longkang" (drain).
Who can tell me what snake is this?

MAMA'S PARENTING TIP:

• Tell your children the story about The Boy Who Cried Wolf. It's not funny when the wolf (or snake) is real.
• Make everything into an educational opportunity. Time for me to do a lesson on snakes.
  

Funny T-Shirts For Boring Wardrobe

I like wearing T-shirts. It's comfortable and practical for my "work". It is perfect for cooking, cleaning and running around in this crazy heat. However, there are days when I look into my cupboard and wonder what to wear? Most of the t shirts are plain colored. Some have a little design to it. Sadly I admit, my t shirt collection is quite boring.

Maybe it would help to add a fun shirt like Nerdyshirts funny tshirts. The amount of time I'm spending on the computer these days, I could qualify to be a nerd. But no, the t-shirts there are not just for nerds. It is for anyone who wants a break from their boring t-shirts. They have a white t-shirt with graphics that make you look like you're wearing a working shirt with a black tie. They also have movie t-shirts such as The Hangover t-shirts. That one is quite cool. It makes you look like you have a baby strapped to you. New moms probably won't buy that though. They already have real babies strapped to them. Hahaha.

You know, sometimes life gets busy that we forget to laugh. Just yesterday I looked in the rear view mirror of the car and noticed I'm getting frown lines on my forehead. So, if your life could use a little humor, maybe a funny t-shirt will help. Why not take a humor break now and look at some funny pictures.

*Brought to you by your friends at Nerdyshirts.com

Baby Updates

We finally got around to cutting babyK's fringe. It is no more poking into her eyes but they are also no more wispy looking. I'm bummed about that. She looks so different after the cut. Just goes to show the influence of hairstyles on a person's look. Yeah, I know she still looks cute:)

SHE CAN SIT!!!!!
This is like one of the best milestones for baby. Errr... actually, best milestone for mommy because when we go out shopping, I don't have to carry her that much anymore. She can sit on the shopping cart. Such wonderful relief for my achy arms. However, she's not that steady yet. She will sometimes throw herself backwards. So we still have to kinda support her.
Oh, and that toy musical box she's playing with... that's her sister's. K got it for her 1st birthday. It was a gift from my brother. Can you imagine? That toy has lasted 8 years, through 3 different kids. The battery hasn't worn out and it is still working. Talk about a long lasting toy.

Time To Baby Proof The Home

I was just thinking the other day, in about 3-4 months, babyK will probably be walking. Her older 3 siblings all started walking between 9-10 months. This means we need to again increase our vigilance. It is time to once again look at my home and think what needs baby proofing.

• The baby gate for the stairs need to be installed again.
• Kids like to stick their fingers into "holes" like electrical outlets. I'll need some caps for that.
• They like to play with wires. Need to make sure that all wires are neatly tucked away.
• Look to see which furniture corner needs cushion. You know kids, they run without looking where they are going.
• Keep nagging the kids not to leave stuff on the floor, especially small things that baby can choke on.
• Make sure medication is stored at a place where children can't reach.
• Anything that is poisonous need to be kept properly like Clorox, detergents and cleaning products.
• Check existing toys for choking hazards.
  

It is scary that so many potential accidents can happen in the home. In fact, children are more likely to get hurt at home than outdoors.

If you are wondering how to baby proof your home, you can take a look at KidSafe. They offer the largest online selection of quality baby proofing products and child safety tips. Safety 1st, KidCo, Evenflo and Mommy's Helper are some of the brands they carry. You'll find stuff like Baby Gates, Child Safety Locks, Corner Cushions, Outlet Covers, TV Guards, Door Locks, Appliance Locks, Window Guards and much more. You might want to check out their KidSafe Blog too. They highlight stuff like product recalls, hazardous products, home safety tips and child safety products.

*Brought to you by your friends at kidsafeinc.com

Hyperactive Kid?

There are times when I get worried about my eldest son. He can't sit still and seem to bounce of the walls (and my bed!). I keep telling him the chair is for his butt and not his head or his feet. Yes, he rarely sits down normally. He is either upside down, facing backwards or with his feet on the chair. He also always gets the "do-you-have-ants-in-your-pants" comment from me. His pants doesn't last very long. The knees always gets worn out because he likes to be on the floor (even in public). He was also having holes in his shirt because he kept chewing it. Thank goodness he has sort of stopped doing that now (after many, many angry reminders from me).

I get worried about his aggression too. Sometimes he gets sooooo angry. If he was a whistling kettle, he'd be going "WoooOOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOO" with steam coming out his ears. And his "default" way to handle it is to hit someone.

He likes to make funny sounds; you'd think he had a built-in sound effects system. His mouth can be like a radio that doesn't have an "off" button. Usually, it's on "repeat" mode. For example, he has been singing Lady Gaga's "Oola oolala, rama ramama". And it's that same 1-2 phrase/lines over and over again. (Mommy is going "aiyo-aiyoyo). Talking about yo-yo, there are times when his emotions are like a yo-yo; one minute he is high, the next minute his mood changes to an ugly low.

BUT, he is not always like that. He has his good-boy moments too. Plus, I've not had any complaints from his teachers. He can sit down and read or draw when he wants to. When I give him work to do, he can focus.

It's just those times when he seems to be out-of-control that gets me worried. Even a church friend agreed that maybe I should get him evaluated for hyperactivity.

Soooooooo........... we took him to see a pediatrician yesterday. Guess what? He was on his best behavior. He sat down nicely, quietly and spoke with the doctor decently. Of course the doctor thought me and DH were nuts to bring in such a good boy to be evaluated for hyperactivity.

Well dear Doctor.... YOU'VE BEEN CONNED. My son even admitted that he had cheated the doctor. Sigh! Maybe he is not hyperactive afterall, just very cunning and too much energy. The other day he said to me "Mommy, why are you sleeping? It's only 2pm. It's not even night time yet."

One good thing came out from taking him to the doctor. He had some good advise for my son. Doctor said "Don't watch television, don't play computer games and no fighting. Read more books and listen to music". I paid RM35 for that advise. Ironically, that's what I've been telling my kids all these while. I guess when a doctor says it, it sounds more authoritative. When mom says it, it's nagging :)

MAMA'S PARENTING TIPS FOR LESS HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN:

• No TV
• No computer games
• No fighting
• Read more books
• Listen to music
• Give them more attention
  

Need Help Setting Up Your Own Blog?

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What Would Your Custom T-Shirt Say?

I love this baby onesie that says "bad hair day". It's really perfect for babyK as she really does have some bad hair days. I have another one that says "I love Daddy". Obviously I bought that to "polish daddy's shoes"; motivation for him to take care of her more often so I can have some free time. Heheheh.

So anyway, I was thinking, if you had to write something on your T-shirt, what would it say?

I was looking at some Cafepress custom t-shirts and saw some that might suit me. There's one that says "I'm not bossy. I just know what you should be doing." And I'm sure my daughter would reply with the T-shirt that says " All I hear is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..." :)

There are some food t-shirts as well. There's a cute one that says "Cereal Killer". DH would probably wear the one that says "Got Chili?" He can really eat spicy stuff. As for me, I would definitely wear the one that says "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." Some days I would need a shirt that says "What to cook?" If you're a mom who cooks everyday, you'll know what I mean. Sometimes you just want to get away from cooking the same ol' stuff. That's when websites like the Food Network comes in handy.

Other sayings that should be on my T-shirts:

• Go to sleep
• No, you can't use the computer
• They're not my children. I'm just babysitting
• I make milk. What's your super power.
• I'm not nagging. I'm just reminding.
• I'm baby food.

So, what would your T-shirt say?


Brought to you by your friends at cafepress.com

Baby is 6 Months Old

Baby is now 6 months old. Gone is that little baby I once held in my arms. BabyK is getting big. Went for her hepatitis B jab yesterday at the clinic and they weighed her in at 7.5kg.

Gave baby her first taste of solid food. Mixed some rice cereal along with breastmilk. She took it with no problem. I can see she is sooooo ready to eat. No gagging or pushing the food out with her tongue. Plus, she tries to grab the spoon herself. When I'm drinking water, she will try to grab my cup too. Once in a while I've given her plain water to drink. Unfortunately she ends up playing with the bottle more than drinking the water. Nevermind, at least she is exposed to the taste of plain water.

So, what else is this little girl doing at 6 months?

• Discovered her feet. Feet are now a source of entertainment. They seem to taste pretty good too.
• Little explorer. Can't crawl yet but she can move around. She will either tumble around or "worm" around on her tummy. In our home office, she's discovered where we keep the recycled papers (right at the bottom of the book shelf). She will constantly "navigate" herself there to rustle, crumple and eat the papers. If not, she will head over to my chair and try to lick it. I really have to keep 2 eyes on her. I need to grow more eyes and hands. An octopus baby needs an octopus mommy, ya know.
  
• Likes to put her hands on our face and mouth.
• Getting sticky. We're hearing more often the "I want mommy" cry.
• Discovered her voice. It can be pretty noisy when she decides to test out her vocals. A few nights ago I heard her say "Ah mama". I swear that's what she said. Last night I thought I heard her say "nen nen". I'm hoping she learns to say "papa" first. That way, she'll call papa every time she needs a diaper change or a bath or whatever. Heheheheh.
• Can sit up but with support.
• Sense of anticipation. I like to play with her "Round and round the garden, goes the teddy bear". When I say "one step, two step", she already anticipates that I will tickle her next.
  

Chilling out with the BIG teddy bear.

Mama's Parenting Tips

• Siblings really need to learn NOT to leave things on the floor. Baby puts everything in her mouth.
• Mop your floor everyday. Yes, when baby becomes mobile, mommy has more work to do.
• Sing nursery rhymes to baby. You can also start reading to baby.
• Instead of giving baby a pacifier, give baby a good rubber teething ring. I wish they had Sophie the Giraffe here.
• Don't give baby juice to drink. They'll get used to the sweet taste and won't want to drink plain water later on.
  
• When baby gets sticky, a baby sling becomes very handy.
  

Printable Games For Birthdays

What is the most important thing at a kid's birthday party? FOOD!

What is the next most important thing? GAMES!

It's no secret that kids need to be entertained at a party. You're asking for trouble if you invite a bunch of kids over and then leave them to entertain themselves. Here is one solution for you: Printable Birthday Party Games.

If you don't want to waste your energy thinking of what games to play, then take a look at the games below. These are easy and fun games. You can quickly finish your task of coming up with games using the resource below. Just click on the affiliate links below to get what you need. Have a fun birthday bash!
Printable Birthday Games

The Deluxe Birthday Party Games Collection - $19.95 Our entire collection of 44 printable games is included in this collection! Includes all our fabulously illustrated Birthday and Over-The-Hill games, plus the Personalize It! games. As many printouts of as many games as you want. Start printing as soon as you order

Birthday Picture Bingo-$6.99 A bingo for all ages to enjoy, even the youngest players. All squares have pictures so even the younger players can be a part of the fun. Call Card with pictures included. Start printing as soon as you order!

Birthday Charades & Pictionary - $ 6.99 Keep the entire group entertained for hours! Kids can play in teams or individually in this fun game of charades or pictionary with over 90 different cards. Start printing as soon as you order!

Birthday Hunt - $ 6.99 Turn out the lights and get your flashlights ready, it's time to find the Birthday Cake! Players search in the dark for paper cake cut-outs that were secretly placed around the party area. Start printing as soon as you order!

It's Easier To Shop Online

Shopping for young children these days is so convenient. I just have to sit in front of my monitor and click-click here and click-click there. I don't have to deal with restless children in the car. No need to pack 1001 things like diaper bag or snacks. Don't have to stress that the kids are playing kung-fu in the shop. No need to worry if can find parking space or not. I can just sit calmly and take my time browsing the internet for baby and children stuff.

The only problem is you cannot feel and inspect the product first. However, if you buy well known brands, you can usually trust the quality. Yeah, they may be a bit pricey but they usually last longer. You don't know how many toys my children have got that didn't last more than a week. Heck, some didn't even make it past 24 hours. For example, grandma bought a toy helicopter for D2's birthday last year. It had lights, sound and could move. The next day, the body fell apart. Another example, we bought D1 a toy martial arts set that had a plastic sword. Not long after, it broke at the handle. So, when it comes to buying toys for children, try to get good ones that are durable. If not it's like being "penny wise but pound foolish".

Anyway, back to shopping online. It's amazing what you find sometimes. I came across a website that sells Jellycat. Do you know what's a Jellycat? Sounds like something you can eat ya? But no, it's actually a very popular brand of plush toys. Some people collect them. Every year they come out with 2 new designs.They are really, really soft and come in different sizes. The truffle dog looks really cute and hugable.

There's also the Appaman brand of clothing. Apparently, celebrity parents love to buy these. Maddox and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt have been seen to wear it. Feedback says that it's very durable and it is easy to get stains off the fabric. The designs are trendy and most important, kids find it very comfortable to wear.

Barefoot Dreams is another brand that has been used by celebrity children. Their products include luxurious blankets, throws, robes, hoodies and v-necks for children. Suri Cruise (daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise) has been photographed adorning their BambooChic Toddler Hoodie. I guess they, like so many other parents, cannot resist the super soft fabric. I wouldn't mind a cozy, soft blanket for myself.

Well, that's my little find for today. One last tip before I go, to save money shopping online, don't forget to look for coupon codes and sites that offer free shipping.

*Brought to you by your friends at http://www.loulouscorner.com/