Of things to do after my confinement:
1) Have a cold drink!
It is not so unbearable nowadays with the cooler weather setting in, but an ice cold drink is always welcome. As much as it may not be good for me, I do need this.
2) A refreshing new hair color
Leaving this to the good hands of my hairstylist.
3) A pampering pedicure
Some me time & pretty feet to look at (now that I can see them again).
4) Go swimming with my boy
Once given the go ahead by my gynae. Miss our weekly swims. Pray for good weather.
5) Indulge in non home-cooked food
This is another list I am making. I wonder why the cravings come now, after pregnancy.
6) Shopping
Some new clothes and christmas gifts. Online shopping meanwhile.
7) Start working out regularly
Swim, gym and strolls with the baby.
8) Watch a movie in the theatres
Have been contemplating to go during confinement.
9) Go out as a family
Can't wait to do so with our new family of four.
10) Plan a holiday
With our boy. Any tips or recommendations on places to visit with a 3 year old in Australia?
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
The joy a newborn brings
I can see it in his eyes.
How he'd come over to my place, rain or shine, bringing me lovingly boiled bird's nest, helping with marketing for my confinement meals and running errands for me. How he'd walk towards baby's room and watch closely as she sleeps. Once she stirs, he'd gently pick her up and starts speaking to her. How his eyes lit up as he shares with us when she finally opens her eyes and looks into his. How pleased he is when she drinks contently as he bottle feeds and burps her. How contented he is, just to hold her in his arms, gently stroking her with his hands. Those arms which held me, and those hands, have weathered over the years.
I may not remember but I am sure this is how my father sees me when I was a baby.
In
comparison to what he's done for our family, for me, I am really
ashamed of myself. I am happy that bringing my two lovely kids into this
world have brightened and enriched his life and how he is such a proud
and doting grandfather today. I can't express how thankful I am to have him in my life and how lucky I am. I love you so much Papa.
How he'd come over to my place, rain or shine, bringing me lovingly boiled bird's nest, helping with marketing for my confinement meals and running errands for me. How he'd walk towards baby's room and watch closely as she sleeps. Once she stirs, he'd gently pick her up and starts speaking to her. How his eyes lit up as he shares with us when she finally opens her eyes and looks into his. How pleased he is when she drinks contently as he bottle feeds and burps her. How contented he is, just to hold her in his arms, gently stroking her with his hands. Those arms which held me, and those hands, have weathered over the years.
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| Dad's first meeting with little Ava |
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| My dad & I (around 18 months old) |
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| Same same but different - his favourite boy |
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Baking With My Boy
Baking with a two year old does have its challenges and yet I really look forward to baking with Aiden as it provides him with opportunities to display his creativity, allow him to get hands on with the ingredients & mixer, and learn about ingredients & measurements.
Although it will take a longer time and create a bigger mess in the kitchen, nothing beats seeing his wide smiles when he gets involved in the process and finally tasting his own creations.
We have tried our hands at a few different cookie recipes and also a Betty Crocker's Muffin Mix.
Here's Aiden having fun at baking the muffins. Totally fuss free and just takes minutes and a 2 year old to do it. We do not recommend this, as the taste of the blueberry mix is pretty artificial and it doesn't taste good. I am going to get my hands on the RedMan Golden Muffin Mix which are much yummier and bake away with Aiden after my confinement.
We would also like to share this simple cookie recipe that we both enjoy (baking & eating).
I let Aiden control the mixer, which he very much enjoys as he seldom gets his hands on the electrical appliances at home.
What To Do:
Although it will take a longer time and create a bigger mess in the kitchen, nothing beats seeing his wide smiles when he gets involved in the process and finally tasting his own creations.
We have tried our hands at a few different cookie recipes and also a Betty Crocker's Muffin Mix.
Here's Aiden having fun at baking the muffins. Totally fuss free and just takes minutes and a 2 year old to do it. We do not recommend this, as the taste of the blueberry mix is pretty artificial and it doesn't taste good. I am going to get my hands on the RedMan Golden Muffin Mix which are much yummier and bake away with Aiden after my confinement.
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| Just add water, stir and spoon them into your muffin cases. Pop them into the oven and tadah! |
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| First we lay out all the ingredients we need. |
I will read aloud the ingredients we need, and lay them out on the kitchen top. At our 3rd baking session, Aiden can shout out a few ingredients before me. He also enjoys watching me measure out the flour and sugar, learning to read the scale.
What You Need:
220g plain flour
50g corn flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
150g butter
100g sugar
30g brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Chocolate chips or any other dried fruits/ chocolate rice you have at home (as much as you like)
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| Mixing the ingredients together |
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| Into the mixer |
- Sieve the plain flour, corn flour and baking soda together and set this aside
- Cream the butter with sugar and brown sugar until creamy
- Add in the egg and mix well
- Add in the salt and vanilla essence and mix well
- Fold in the sieved flour in a few portions until it forms a dough
- Mix in the chocolate chips and shape the dough onto a baking tray
- Bake them in your preheated oven at 170 degree celsius for 20 minutes (adjust accordingly, bake till golden brown)
Creating the shapes he desires 
Adding in the chocolate rice. This boy would pause and ask me
if it's enough and I will tell him as much as you like :)
Love watching these small hands at work 
Our little baker at work, creating heart shapes & stars 
We are done! Yummy cookies.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Our Visit to River Safari Singapore
With my dad & Aiden, we paid Kai Kai & Jia Jia a visit at River Safari Singapore in October. There was much hype about this relatively new attraction in Singapore, being Asia's first river-themed wildlife park and here's our review.
1) Easy to navigate layout
The River Safari is divided into 3 main areas:
Rivers of the World which features wildlife species, fishes and aquatic life from 7 rivers, Wild Amazonia which features the Amazon River Quest (scheduled to open this year end) & Squirrel Monkey Forest and the highlight of the attraction, Giant Panda Forest.
We went with a stroller and the park was friendly enough for us to go everywhere with the stroller & the exhibits were well laid out for our discovery and exploration. Ideal for families with young kids.
2) Easy to read signages which are kids friendly
Most of the signages were very attractive and simple to read, with some interactive signages with sound effects, good for independent discovery for kids.
3) Educational discovery on the Rivers of the World
At the beginning of each river, there will be a unique signage sharing interesting facts about each river & the species found in each, a great teaching tool for parents with kids.
4) Air conditioned Giant Panda Forest
Each visitor is restricted to 15 minutes in this area, and reminded to keep very quiet. We were lucky to catch more than a glimpse of both Kai Kai and Jia Jia as both of them were in action. The air conditioned enclosure is a welcome escape from the humidity outside.
5) Interactive Squirrel Monkey Forest
Aiden's favourite memory of the River Safari has to be this Squirrel Monkey Forest. The very sociable monkeys were free to swing around and came very close to the visitors. One mischievous monkey even jumped onto a stroller, scaring the parents of the young child. The squirrel monkey is the most abundant monkey species of the Amazon rainforest, observe how they leap from tree to tree hunting for fruits and insects and hear them call out to the rest of their troop.
We took about 2 hours to complete exploring the River Safari, and did not think it was very worth visiting compared to the Singapore Zoo or the SEA Aquarium.
Lastly, a tip would be to bring your own water and snacks as the dining options are pretty limited. The Mama Panda Kitchen can be very packed, unless you would like to try the much hyped panda buns, or the River Safari Tea House located near the entrance for local food. There are also kiosks along the way selling drinks and snacks at exorbitant prices.
Getting to River Safari:
Address: 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
You can either self drive or get there via pubic transport, carpark is the same as the Singapore Zoo.
The entrance is at the same location as the zoo, on the other side of the ticketing booth.
Admission Tickets:
$25 per adult, $16 per child (3 - 12 years old) and $12.50 per senior citizen (aged 60 and above)
Or save more by purchasing the Park Hoppers including entry tickets to the Zoo, Night Safari, Bird Park and River Safari.
1) Easy to navigate layout
The River Safari is divided into 3 main areas:
Rivers of the World which features wildlife species, fishes and aquatic life from 7 rivers, Wild Amazonia which features the Amazon River Quest (scheduled to open this year end) & Squirrel Monkey Forest and the highlight of the attraction, Giant Panda Forest.
We went with a stroller and the park was friendly enough for us to go everywhere with the stroller & the exhibits were well laid out for our discovery and exploration. Ideal for families with young kids.
2) Easy to read signages which are kids friendly
Most of the signages were very attractive and simple to read, with some interactive signages with sound effects, good for independent discovery for kids.
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| Add caption |
At the beginning of each river, there will be a unique signage sharing interesting facts about each river & the species found in each, a great teaching tool for parents with kids.
4) Air conditioned Giant Panda Forest
Each visitor is restricted to 15 minutes in this area, and reminded to keep very quiet. We were lucky to catch more than a glimpse of both Kai Kai and Jia Jia as both of them were in action. The air conditioned enclosure is a welcome escape from the humidity outside.
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| Look at my paw mummy! |
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| Where's my boy? |
Aiden's favourite memory of the River Safari has to be this Squirrel Monkey Forest. The very sociable monkeys were free to swing around and came very close to the visitors. One mischievous monkey even jumped onto a stroller, scaring the parents of the young child. The squirrel monkey is the most abundant monkey species of the Amazon rainforest, observe how they leap from tree to tree hunting for fruits and insects and hear them call out to the rest of their troop.
We took about 2 hours to complete exploring the River Safari, and did not think it was very worth visiting compared to the Singapore Zoo or the SEA Aquarium.
Lastly, a tip would be to bring your own water and snacks as the dining options are pretty limited. The Mama Panda Kitchen can be very packed, unless you would like to try the much hyped panda buns, or the River Safari Tea House located near the entrance for local food. There are also kiosks along the way selling drinks and snacks at exorbitant prices.
Getting to River Safari:
Address: 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
You can either self drive or get there via pubic transport, carpark is the same as the Singapore Zoo.
The entrance is at the same location as the zoo, on the other side of the ticketing booth.
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| On our way, a 40 min drive from the east |
$25 per adult, $16 per child (3 - 12 years old) and $12.50 per senior citizen (aged 60 and above)
Or save more by purchasing the Park Hoppers including entry tickets to the Zoo, Night Safari, Bird Park and River Safari.
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| My mama panda |
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Becoming Mummy Of Two
I struggled with breastfeeding this time round, and still trying my best to make it work. We sorted out Ava's tongue tie which could be one of the reasons for the difficulties in latching when we were discharged, and am glad things have improved. Now it's sticking to the schedule and be hardworking at breastfeeding & pumping (thanks to an efficient Medela Freestyle pump - will share more of my experience in a separate blog post)
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| 'I want my milk now!' |
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| 'No more pictures Mummy.' |
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| Crafting with my dear son, Aiden. Happy to see the smile on his face. |
'Children needs your presence, not your presents'.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Same same but different
November has been a difficult month for me (as you can tell with the lack of blog posts). It is the busiest month at work, and it was also the last month for us to get ready for our second child, Ava, who was scheduled to arrive via c-section on 3 December.
The latter is in past tense, because our baby girl sprang a surprise on us at 36 weeks, just like her brother Aiden, who decided to come out at 35 weeks plus back in 2011! If early signs (pun intended) are anything to go by, they should get along pretty well.
Look how similar they looked at birth! Unfortunately, they also share jaundice, tongue tie and low birth weight between the two of them. A quick visit to a clinic settled the tongue tie, and now it's up to Mummy Cher's breast milk and the sun to fix the rest. Seeing how Aiden has grown since 2011 really helped to put me at ease the second time around. Unlike the first time when I was constantly worried, I am confident that things will be ok for Ava in time to come.
I am also glad that all the prepping which started months ago helped Aiden to settle into his role as a brother and protector of his baby sister pretty quickly. We will share our personal experience/tips on how to prepare your first born for a newborn in time to come (we need to make sure it really works!).
Even with all the similarities between brother and sister, it is also already apparent how different Aiden is compared to Ava. From their cries, I (and our neighbors) could tell that Aiden is the gentle giant, whereas Ava is the chilli padi. From their feeding habits, I could tell that Aiden is the "eat-all-you-can" type, whereas Ava is the "fine-dining" type. You know, a small bite here and there, and some conversation (or cries) in between. I have a feeling we can't use the exact same parenting methods that we used on Aiden this time around.
One thing's for sure though, life will never be the same again (and again) with Ava joining our family. Looking forward to it!
The latter is in past tense, because our baby girl sprang a surprise on us at 36 weeks, just like her brother Aiden, who decided to come out at 35 weeks plus back in 2011! If early signs (pun intended) are anything to go by, they should get along pretty well.
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| Aiden on the left, Ava on the right. |
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| I was so happy to see Aiden gently stroking Ava's head. |
Even with all the similarities between brother and sister, it is also already apparent how different Aiden is compared to Ava. From their cries, I (and our neighbors) could tell that Aiden is the gentle giant, whereas Ava is the chilli padi. From their feeding habits, I could tell that Aiden is the "eat-all-you-can" type, whereas Ava is the "fine-dining" type. You know, a small bite here and there, and some conversation (or cries) in between. I have a feeling we can't use the exact same parenting methods that we used on Aiden this time around.
One thing's for sure though, life will never be the same again (and again) with Ava joining our family. Looking forward to it!
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| We took this precious family photo a few days before Ava joined us! |
Monday, November 4, 2013
No Monday Blues
How glad I am to have Monday off as my office is closed for Deepavali PH today. Taking the chance to spend some quality time with my boy and mum as we hardly went out together, we headed to the malls as it started to rain. And Aiden was a happy boy as long as he doesn't have to attend school!
Shopping for both of them makes me happy. At 34 weeks pregnant, there isn't much I can fit into, nor do I want to spend more on maternity wear - hoping to breastfeed (and work out) my way to a trimmer me in time to come.
What I learn and enjoy as a parent is how each 'accident' can be a learning lesson for both my child and myself. Today, this was one of the lessons:
#1 - We went to Wendy's for a light bite & Aiden followed me to the order counter. He wanted to have ice cream and I ordered him a cup. I passed the cup to him to carry to our table and reminded him to be careful, and hold it upright. As we approached our seats, he had a fall and the ice cream spilled all over the floor. A group of diners gasped loudly, and gave us a 'OH DEAR, how could you let such a young kid carry his own food' look, almost like this was expected.
Aiden got up quickly and hid behind a chair nearby, lowering his head. I wasn't angry at all with him, and just wanted to make sure he was alright. Very calmly, I brought him to our seats and checked if he was alright. I went to the order counter and the staff replaced the ice cream for us. I asked Aiden how he felt when he fell, and he said he was scared. I asked him why and upon prompting, it was because he was afraid he would be scolded. I took the opportunity to explain to him that when he fell, I was worried if he hurt himself. And that this was an accident and wasn't his fault so he wouldn't be scolded. I also explained that food can always be bought again but it is important to make sure that he is not hurt. He seemed comforted and enjoyed his food.
It made me feel good about myself as well, as I have seen too many parents screaming at their kids when they spill their food. I always looked at them in disbelief (even when I wasn't a parent myself then), as the poor kid was already scared and embarrassed, and their parents had to add to that by amplifying the incident.
Since two haircuts ago, Aiden has been really brave and cooperative, not whining or crying at all. Today, just before it was his turn, he got anxious and his eyes turned red, and he said he didn't want to cut his hair. I spoke with him and comforted him before he agreed to sit through the hair cut, with me holding his hand. Is this him exhibiting traits of a baby again with the arrival of his baby sister? I hope he'd cope well with her joining our family in a month's time and we have been prepping him for it along the way.
Shopping for both of them makes me happy. At 34 weeks pregnant, there isn't much I can fit into, nor do I want to spend more on maternity wear - hoping to breastfeed (and work out) my way to a trimmer me in time to come.
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| Showing off his new pair of boots |
#1 - We went to Wendy's for a light bite & Aiden followed me to the order counter. He wanted to have ice cream and I ordered him a cup. I passed the cup to him to carry to our table and reminded him to be careful, and hold it upright. As we approached our seats, he had a fall and the ice cream spilled all over the floor. A group of diners gasped loudly, and gave us a 'OH DEAR, how could you let such a young kid carry his own food' look, almost like this was expected.
Aiden got up quickly and hid behind a chair nearby, lowering his head. I wasn't angry at all with him, and just wanted to make sure he was alright. Very calmly, I brought him to our seats and checked if he was alright. I went to the order counter and the staff replaced the ice cream for us. I asked Aiden how he felt when he fell, and he said he was scared. I asked him why and upon prompting, it was because he was afraid he would be scolded. I took the opportunity to explain to him that when he fell, I was worried if he hurt himself. And that this was an accident and wasn't his fault so he wouldn't be scolded. I also explained that food can always be bought again but it is important to make sure that he is not hurt. He seemed comforted and enjoyed his food.
It made me feel good about myself as well, as I have seen too many parents screaming at their kids when they spill their food. I always looked at them in disbelief (even when I wasn't a parent myself then), as the poor kid was already scared and embarrassed, and their parents had to add to that by amplifying the incident.
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| Enjoying ice cream & french fries |
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| Before his hair cut |
