The Electric Lunch Box ~ Meal # 1 (Chicken, Anchovies & Pumpkin Porridge)

I bought the SEED electric lunch box online about a week ago. Everyone was talking about it in the group which I joined which talks about baby food and all. Also, the main reason I bought was because I could cook in small quantity for Kenzie (and Baby G later). I could cook a small portion of porridge, or a small portion of rice and soup or a small portion of rice and egg, etc

It looks kinda cute, don't you think? Tried on it on Saturday. Porridge with chicken, pumpkin and 'ngan yue zhai' (small type of anchovies which look like maggots, hehe).

Portion: 50ml rice (which was too much for Kenzie), water (agak agak), 3 large chunks of pumpkin, large chunks of chicken breast and a handful of 'ngan yue zhai'.

I filled the bottom of the electric lunch box with 80ml water, and started to cook the porridge. I filled up with water at the bottom and also in the porridge pot for a few times to let it continue cooking. Afterall this is the first time I'm using it, so I am not good at the measurement estimation and all. Porridge ready in about 1 hour.

Verdict: I didn't really quite like it, to be honest. The switch kept auto-on and off during the whole hour. It will auto-off when it gets too hot, then auto-on again after like 1 minute or so. This went on and on for one hour. Hubby said this is not a good thing. This means more electricity is being used. But hey, I've already bought it (and it was not cheap ok), so I will have to keep using it every weekend to whip up small portion of food for Kenzie.

Confession

Should I blog about this? Well, it's not a secret anymore if I publish this post. But I just could not keep it to myself any longer, haha.

Someone confessed on Wednesday that he has feelings for me. Woot! I still have "market value", haha. I would not reveal details such as his name, his position or whether or not he is married or single. You know, just in case.

I asked since when he was attracted to me and why. Afterall, we are adults, so we talk like adults. You know, like, talk about it. He said I am like the perfect girl, kinda like the superwoman, can cook, can work well. Duh, I told him anyone can cook. He said there's something about me...just something, you know what I mean?

I am contemplating whether or not to continue writing.

Ok, let's continue. He said he feels like he wants to see me everyday. And when he does, when he is near me or when I talk to him, his heart will beat faster. I am ROTFL! (Rolling On The Floor Laughing) OMG! Sales talk. You think I believe him?

Oh by the way, this is me, right now, right here. I dare not post my whole face because I feel fat and ugly.

I Do Not Hate...

When I have done almost everything and he is still restless, I just have to offer my boobs. Then he will fall asleep.

Despite what I have blogged here, here & here to express my thoughts, feelings and opinion, I am NOT a jealous freak. Guys, I am going to say one more time:

I do not hate:-

• The breastfeeding forum.  
• Mothers who breastfeed until her child turns 5 and her boobs still have milk like a cow.
• People who post testimonies about their breastfeeding milestones saying how proud they are once they hit the 6th month journey, or 12th month journey. [If I am one of them, I am proud too, and I will also post on the wall and show off to let all my friends and the whole world know I can, and am still breastfeeding until today]

I hate when they:-

• Proudly show off their EBM packs in the freezer day after day. [So? Whats the point of sharing this? How would those who do not have extra to store feel? It is exactly the same like posting your stupid 3D pregnancy ultrasound pictures (in FB, not in personal blog) and it is an eye-sore especially to those who are trying to conceive but still couldn't get pregnant after trying for 5 years]. **Ok, I know what you are thinking. "Well nobody ask you to look at the pictures, bitch! You are just jealous coz you don't have milk". Yes, I know it's a public forum and you are free to post anything, but please, to be really honest, they post those pictures to show off and tell the whole world they have so much milk. If you can prove I am wrong, PM me, and I will give-away some free goodies to you

***I call these people "sang farn shue" (Direct Cantonese translation would be = Raw Sweet Potato).      Find out the meaning yourself if you don't know what it means. 

• Post nonsense and waste time writing junks such as 'It's 3am now, I am moo-moo-ing, anyone here? I am tired. [Tired, please get lost or go to sleep]
• Say things like 'OMG my supply is getting lesser, I feel so sad and I am afraid I need to top up with FM, I hate myself, I really hope I don't have to start FM, please help, I feel like dying. [It's not the end of the world, you talk as if people who needs to top up with FM should just go burn in hell and not fit to be a mum]

Get the gist now?

Fish Fillet - Oriental Style

18.08.2013

Had some fish fillets chucked in the freezer. I couldn't remember how long they were there, so I cooked them for dinner.

My mum gave some 'choy keok' or sometimes known as 'suin lat choy' (kai choy cooked with asam jawa, dried chilli and roasted pork knuckles). Picture not taken as I was too hungry and couldn't be bothered to take picture, plus, those were not cooked by me, so I didn't have to record it in my blog, hehe.

Stickers First, Then Lunch

17.08.2013

Did some stickers activity with Kenzie. The sticker book and stickers were bought by my mum. Only Hello Kitty sticker book was available, who cares if it looks girly?

We did some vegetables and fruits stickers. Oh and some Mr. Men characters as well.

See his OCD gesture? He made a fuss when he could not stick properly in the book and when the glue kena his fingers.

And then, lunch. Ikan bilis porridge with wolfberries, carrots and potatoes.

He ate the whole plate, yay !

Still Breastfeeding

I am still breastfeeding and will still breastfeed Baby G as long as I have even one single drop of liquid gold left. I have already mentioned many times, that I too, wanted my boobies to produce milk like a cow, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, but it just didn't happen the way I wanted. Full stop.

So people, please, I support breastfeeding also ok. Just that I can't stand it when people proudly post their 100 packs of EBM pictures in FB/forums, condemn mothers who feed FM and talk as if FM is a poison beverage.

Kenzie Can Read & Sing

Am trying to impress a blogger mom who is giving out freebies in her blog. Hopefully she checks out my blog and will be impressed with Kenzie boy, and thus, select me as the winner! Hehe.

Video # 1 - Kenzie singing the alphabet song while arranging neatly (like OCD) the alphabet wooden chips

  

Video # 2 - Kenzie singing the fish song which goes like this: 1,2,3,4,5, once I caught a fish alive, 6,7,8,9,10, then I let it go again, why did you let it go, because it bit my finger so, which finger did it bite, this little finger on my right.

Video # 3 - Kenzie reading from the flash card

Video # 4 - Kenzie reading a long & full sentence from the flash card

Ok, don't misunderstand please. I am not a tiger mom. I don't force Kenzie to do stuffs he doesn't like.
*As if I can "make" him read/count if he is not a fast learner or if he hates it. Duh.

He is a naturally born smart kid (I think). He knows his A-Z's before 1 year old. He knows his numbers (up to 100) from 1.5 years onwards. He talks like a parrot from 1.5 years onwards. He listens when being spoken to and  concentrates when being taught. Tell him one time, and he remembers.

By the way, we don't really "teach" him stuffs. Only grandpa teaches him and writes stuff on the Doodle Pad. Grandpa draws words, pictures and numbers. We don't.

Well, Kenzie is still a normal boy who cries and sulks and makes my blood boil. Here's a video of him crying for no reason.

BM vs FM (Part II)

Baby G was having fever yesterday after his jab in the afternoon. Since newborn til present, he already has fever for 4 times. Yes, 4 times. Each time after each jab every month, regardless whether the jab will cause fever or not.

I could not be bothered asking the pead whether that jab that month will cause fever or not, because I just know Baby G will develop fever after that.

Things to ponder:
Kenzie was not a breastfed baby. He had breastmilk for a few days though, around 1-1.5oz for only 1 feeding a day (yeah, how pathetic is that?). He NEVER developed fever due to jab, yes, read carefully, "NEVER". He only had fever due to viral infection or throat infection, but NEVER due to jab.

Baby G was breastfed for 2 months. Although my supply was not abundant, I managed to have enough for him during the daytime. He will always have a fever after each jab every month.

Now you tell me again about this whole BM vs FM thingy? I'm sick of it.

Just something to share. In the forum, a mother was asking this:
"Should a baby be fed with water after FM? Will the water 'wash down' the 'goodness' of the FM?"

Guess what? Her question was replied with many hate-notes and you-are-so-stupid replies. One of the reply was:
"I am laughing my tears out. "Goodness" of FM?

Another reply:
"ROTFL, FM has goodness? Then what is BM? LOL"

Another reply:
"Please read up. FM has nothing and BM has everything"

Another reply with reference to the many hate-notes:
"I guess she really doesn't know, don't be so sarcastic lah, hehe, you all can educate her mah"

Excuse me? "she really doesn't know"? Are you saying that she's stupid and doesn't know that breastfeeding is good? Come on, if can breastfeed, who doesn't want? Of course there is a reason why she could not breastfeed longer right?

Hello, if I can still breastfeed until today, I also want, ok? You think formula very cheap? If my breasts can produce milk like a cow, I also want, ok? Of course I know breastmilk is still better than formula milk.

OMFG.

My blood was boiling when I was reading the post. It makes me feel that mothers who don't breastfeed "no die no use" (mm sei mou yoong)
-Direct translation from Cantonese-

I think I'll die faster if I continue to be in the forum, but I do not want to unjoin just yet, as there are many non-BF related issues they discuss sometimes, that I find beneficial.

The Aquaria - Nothing To Hoo Haa About

Kenzie's nursery would only be opened on Wednesday, so I decided to take a day off on Monday because hubby told me he would bring Kenzie to the Aquaria. We went on Monday as it would be less crowded.

When we reached the Aquaria, there was already a long Q to the entrance. Once we went in, Kenzie did not like the environment as it was dark and crowded. He kept asking to be carried instead of walking+exploring by himself.

The trip ended after just 45 minutes! Nothing to hoo-haa about, nothing much to see, nothing much to explore and the space was small (compared to the one in Langkawi). Oh, and no penguins too, sigh. I thought there would be penguins as the Langkawi one had penguins. Anyway, for a 2 year-old, the place was not that bad. Just that he kept requested to be carried and whined a lot. Nuisance!

We had lunch in one of the restaurants, and then came home.

After a short rest at home, we went to the nanny's to take Baby G for his checkup+jab around 2pm and yes, the paed confirmed that the patch on his cheek was ringworm. Gave some cream to apply.

Some pictures to share.

Mini Chocolate Muffins

Tried baking chocolate muffins using the same recipe for my banana muffins. The only difference was that I replaced the bananas with chocolate fudge.

By the way, mil gave us some chocolate fudge last two months and it was from another friend. It was sitting in my fridge for that long, untouched. It will expire soon, in September, so I was thinking why not try making chocolate muffins?

Natural Remedies For Sick Babies

I have personally tried the followings to both Kenzie and Baby G for:

1) Mild fever (> 37.5°C, but < 38°C) - slice a few lemon pieces, put under the feet, covered with socks. Tried on Baby G (mild fever after his monthly jab). Fever subsided the next day. I wouldn't say it was because of the lemons because mild fever will still subside and be gone the next day or so, right?

2) Flu & blocked nose - Slice onions or lemon pieces and put in a bowl next to the kid. Tried on Kenzie when he was having flu+blocked nose. Onions didn't work and the whole house smelled terrible. Tried lemons immediately and he could sleep through the night with no difficulties in breathing.
Then tried on Baby G the other day with sliced onions. This time, it worked. Blocked nose was cleared after just 1 hour, and flu fully recovered the next day!

3) Cough - steamed oranges (only applicable for toddlers above 1.5 years old, in my humble opinion)

Oh, let me tell you first. The methods above were all based on other mother's own experiences which I read from the forums I joined in the internet. It may work for some but not to others. If symptoms persist and you can't stand it, consult the paed or buy medicine from the pharmacy. Else, just leave it and let it heal by itself.

*I usually only bring the kids to the paed when there is a fever of > 38°C. Else, for flu or cough (if it's not serious and I'm not bothered with the runny nose, midnight coughing+vomiting+phlegmy voices and all, I let it heal by itself or try natural remedies.

Here was what I did last week for Kenzie's cough. I cut open the tip of an orange and poked holes on the flesh using a fork. Put a little bit of salt on top so that it will be absorbed into the flesh easily while steaming. Steamed for half an hour and let Kenzie eat both the juices and flesh of the orange.

It worked for him. Ate for two nights in a row and the cough subsided significantly. Note: Might work for some and not work for some. Different people, different results. Go to the paed if you are impatient

and do not believe in natural remedies.

BM vs FM (Part I)

Since this is my blog, I am free to rant my feelings here. I don't feel good voicing out in public forums because I know I will be "bombarded" to death with hate-notes on my FB wall.

Here goes. I can't stand it when:
1) People proudly post and show off their EBM packs in the freezer. Yeah, more than 50 packs in the freezer. So?
2) People talk as if FM is a poison beverage. I was and I am sure many were raised with FM from birth. Breastfeeding is a personal choice. There must be a reason the mother of a child decides to stop breastfeeding. Health reasons, low supply issue & personal issues perhaps?
3) People post nonsense in the forum such as "It's 2am now and I have just finished moo-mooing. Anyone here"?
4) "This is my effect of EBM after having durian, bubble milk tea drink and carbonarra (shows picture of 10oz milk in the storage bottle). Gambateh all mummies"

OMFG !

I breastfed baby G for 2 months and stopped partially after going back to work. I still DL at night until today. I have my reasons of not breastfeeding longer. If you have been reading my blog regularly, you should know I have low supply issue although I pumped like a mad cow 24 hours a day. Before you people start to lecture me and telling me "DL DL DL" or "demand=supply" or "supply will kick in if you have more patience and don't give up", let me tell you that I too, know the science. You don't have to teach me ok? But please, low supply means low supply, even my sister who fully breastfeeds her baby faces low supply issue now and has to top-up with formula. So it's just that I face this issue sooner than her (and gave up).

Stop being so harsh to mummies who doesn't breastfeed or has to top-up with FM.
Stop treating FM like it's poison (you grew up with it)
Stop being so sceptical that a mother MUST breastfeed, else, she will be stoned to death.

I feel like a loser and feel like banging my head on wall until it bleeds each time I read the breastfeeding forum, even until today. It makes me feel mothers who do not breastfeed should just go die and burn in hell.

Ok, end of rant. Thank you.

***
FM - formula milk
BM - breast milk
DL - direct latch
EBM - expressed breast milk

The Usuals

The usuals. Stayed home yesterday as hubby needs to work from home to get a job done urgently. So we did not go over to my parent's.

Made pancakes with peanut butter and jam for Kenzie for breakfast. Then it was some play-dough time. Put both to bed around 1pm. They wokeup around 3.30pm and I boiled an egg for Kenzie as snack as he missed lunch.

Nothing much to report today. Hubby tapau-ed dinner back. Work tomorrow as usual.

Ladybug Gone Wrong (Recovered Post # 11 ~ 03.08.2013)

A project gone wrong. It didn't look like a ladybug at all. The pictures below are self-explanatory.

Christmas & Mr. Men (Recovered Post # 10 ~ 29.07.2013)

27th July 2013

Too early for Chrismas?

We did the Christmas Tree Hanging Mobile project and Mr. Men @ Mr. Happy project.

1) Materials needed: Christmas tree and hanging ornacles template, scissors, glue, string, hole puncher and crayons
*Of course I did the cutting, punching and stringing over and all. But guided him to do some stringing.

2) Materials needed: Mr. Men character template, smiley stickers, glue and scissors
*Of course I did the cutting and pasting, but guided him to do a little bit of the pasting.

Oh by the way, non craft related. Made pancakes for breakfast and Kenzie ate like 5-6 pieces. Yay!

Art & Craft Activities @ Home (Recovered Post # 8 ~ 29.07.2013)

26th July 2013.

Yep, we did art & craft at home this morning. It is a public holiday but hubby works today. I stayed home (what else?) and took care of the two.

Googled some craft activites ideas yesterday at work. Printed out templates and prepared the materials.
Here's what we did:

1) Ice cream project
The materials: ice cream and cone template, glue, scissors, crayons and colour paper sprinkles

Colour the pictures

Cut out the pieces

Glue the ice cream together

Sprinkle some 'coloured rice' over the ice cream

Done!

2) Baa baa black sheep
The materials: sheep picture, cotton wool and glue

Glue the cotton wool on the sheep's body and head

Done!

His attention span is very short. So the activity must be easy, simple and fast to finish.

Will need to cook dinner later. It will be in a different post.