One Step At A Time..

Close friends knew I had some issues with my kid, her school and childminder recently until we hired a home helper.

We've been spending more time with Amber since our helper came on board. More quality time, that is, going to the park, reading, watching movies together and basically just activities together with here as opposed to previously, spending time together was being together but doing different things, hubs with his work, me with my endless housework and she, screaming for my attention by doing things that annoys me and what should have been a beautiful evening together turns out like a volcano erupted.

Jaclyn sent me an article that Mamapumpkin wrote.  I got hubs to sit down and read the article, line by line, and we both agree we have done more wrongs than rights and we could do a lot better rights moving forward. This article was an awekening for us. Nobody said parenting was easy. Scolding and caning is bullying. If we don't make it right now, we'll pay the price later. 

We make changes, a little at a time. I take responsibility for primary care, ensuring she is fed, clean and comfortable while hubs steps in on situations that calls for a stern voice. We practised.. no shouting.. but firm reminders, over and over again.  

Baby steps.. we'll get there.

Manuka Honey Is Good For You

I went on a Manuka honey buying frenzy today. Isetan KLCC had a special offer for only RM99.95 per jar of Manuka Active 20+. The normal price is RM158 and I took opportunity of this good buy to stock up !! Everyone was buying a few jars each and I think this is a good testimonial on the goodness of manuka honey.

 

Amber is a fussy eater and always lack of appetite (being allergic to the egg, dairy and yeast makes her situation worst, lack appetite and lack of food choice, sigh !!). My sister in law advised me to give Amber 2 spoons of Manuka honey daily. I find it helps to improve her appetite and keep her healthy. I was a bit under the weather recently, I took a scoop of undiluted Manuka Active 20+ and  I feel energized almost immediately :D

You can get more information on Oregan Manuka Honey from their website. Open the jar and you can see very 'active' honey, smells good and tastes great. Manuka doesn't leave a strong sweet aftertaste like other honey but if I have sore throat, I take a scoop, undliluted,  I can feel the undiluted manuka honey  'arresting' my throat, as if the antibacterial properties are working at healing the infection. 

The healing properties of Manuka honey. I vouch it works :D

Lor Mai Kai

Lor mai kai is our family favourite and I always have a stash in my freezer, for just-in-case occasions when Amber is hungry and wants a little bite.

Since she is only allowred very limited food due to her allergy condition (no eggs, dairy, yeast and fungus, including mushroom), I try to suit her palate and cook extra of her favourites.

I have a very simple lor mai kai recipe :

 

Glutinuos rice - 250 gm, soaked overnight and steamed for 30 minutes

Deboned chicken thigh, sliced to bite size portions, marinated with ginger juice, oyster and soya sauce and dash of sugar

Char siu slices

 

Sauce for rice - 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce and dash of chinese rose wine (mei kuai lu)

 

Stir over steamed rice

Place a slice of chicken and char siu over aluminium cups and top with premixed steamed glutinous rice

Steam over rapid boiling water for another 30 minutes.

Tadaaaa .......

 

A small portion of lor mai kai.. just perfect for supper.

 

80 sen a diaper

Amber's on Mamy Poko every night. Blame it on the lazy mom and dad's whose too lazy to move our butt to wake her up to wee wee.  However, lately, she's been waking up at 2am or 3am to go toilet.

By morning, her diaper is dry. We reward her 80 sen for every dry diaper. I gave her the liberty to choose what she wants to buy with her money. She bought a 'chop' . ie rubber stamp from Populars and she's saving more to buy Wrigley's chewing gum :D

I hope she keeps it up and be confident enough to go diaperless soon :D

Sorry for kissing your butt!!

Something really stupid happened today. I had to be out of the house for some reasons and I had no idea where to go. In my mind , I wanted to go for a facial but have no a place in mind. I called hubs to chk tomorrow's schedule, if we were gg Ikano and if we were, then I wouldn't go there today. My mind was hazy and while plugging on my handsfree at a stop junction, I didn't realize my car was not in complete stop, still in D mode.


KRANNNGGG!!!!

I kissed the butt of a black Perodua!!

S*** !!!!! We both got down and the driver was a middle aged lady. I apologized profusely and requested to stop somewhere safe so we don't block traffic behind us.

The lady got down and assessed the damage, minor scratches to her paintwork but my front bumper was dented. She said it's ok but I volunteered to pay and gave her my number.

2 hours later, while I was having my facial done, I received 4 missed calls from her, then came a message: Repair RM120, pls pay o/wise I'd have to make police report.

Kinda pissed me, I sincerely wanted to pay her, she needn't threaten me w a police report. I could have ignored her as I don't think there was grounds to make a police report. She didn't know my name or took any photo. Would the police be bothered w such remeh temeh claims ?

She'd probably think I was scooting off when I didn't pick up her call.

Anyway, I transferred RM120 to her bank ac asap. A cheap price to pay for a reminder to be more alert when driving.

Me, The Medicine Man

Been feeling under the weather lately. Stressed or dunno what.. I can't exactly pinpoint out. Not sleeping well and Amber's nightmares ain't helping either. I engaged a helper and things around the home have to change. Schedule need to be in placed, fridge needs to be stocked up, food labelled and house rules set in place.

I don't embrace change easily. In fact I hate changes especially nail biting ones, like engaging a new helper, changes in Amber's schedule or changes at work. It stressess me out !!!!

I had sleepless nights and the worst was after a few rounds of coffee from a nights out with friends. I stayed up till 3am .. typing out helpers schedule, dos and don'ts and house rules. Having made mistakes with my Cambodian maid before, this time I wanna set things right.

Sleepless nights + stress from re-organizing the household = Anxious Me !

My body was weak, vision blurred, mind blur and part of my face was numb. Hubs was worried about hypertension and quickly got my blood pressure checked from the home bp monitor.

Turns out.. I'm not hyper but have hypotension

and I googled.. classic symptoms of low blood pressure include :

Changes in mental status (difficulty concentrating, confusion) or a sense of "impending doom" or anxiety


...ooopps....

gotta boil some red date water and nourishing soup tonight.

and that is me.. being my own Medicine Man.

BFF Gathering

My best pals from school met up not-too-recently, 2.5 months back. I know.. late in delivery is better than never. I better note down, some readers already sneezing when they visit this blog now. *dusty*.. 

We met at SL's house at Mutiara Damansara. Took advantage of her new house as an excuse and she has 2 helpers.. so her house is the best place to meet. I practise BYO now, (bring your own food and bring your own maid), I simply cannot cope without a helper,  big gatherings esp with lots of kids at my humble home.

Hui Qian (SL's daughter) came up with menu and activity list for the guests. Too cute !

SL was an excellent host. She got in one of those helium balloon pumps and we had lotsa colorful floating ballons. The kids were ecstatic.

 

It's a rare occasion for us to meet up, with our husbands and kids too. EL is in London and she only comes back every 3 or 4 years. She had a baby girl recently, Adrianna and

Jo, EL, SL and Me... BFFs ! We may not meet very frequent but when we do, it's always just like the good old days..

Going Up Genting Again

We went up to Genting Highlands last Sunday for a day trip.  On Saturday, we celebrated Amity's 1st birthday and BIL's stayed over at our place and the whole troop went up to Genting Highlands early Sunday morning. The family holds a yearly pass to the theme park and this is a good excuse to go up the highlands more frequently to fully utilize our pass.

I dislike food at Genting Highlands and the fast food there is crap. Despite paying premium, we were greeted by very dry fried chicken and ultra mini fries. Tsk .. tsk... I hope they'll buck up, I don't see any reason for chickens to taste less and dry at high altitudes. BIL brought us to a new makan place @ the Mushroom Farm. Food here is very reasonable and delicious. You can even arrange for a pick up from any part of Genting to the restaurant and back. Now, this is service and I'll skip the fast food on my next trip and have our meals at Mushroom Farm instead.

I didn't go for any rides except the 4d Magic Motion. Amber went for the kiddie rides with her cousin sister Yuen Wen. We were there at separate times and Amber wanted to ride The Spinner. I wasn't game for it but she insisted she can manage.

With a heavy heart (and till now, I still don't know why I let her up the ride), we let her go on her own. She lined up, followed the queue and both hubs and I fretted over her like shouting and talking to her outside the ride ring (we really looked like a bunch of nervous cowards, too scared to go up the ride and too scared to allow the little bud up the ride)

On her own. I didn't take any pics during the Spin, my legs were wobbly and heart thumping hard..

I was so afraid something unexpected or bad might happen. What if Amber cried for help? What if she wanted to get out during the Spin, what if the whole Spinner came crashing down.. All kinds of stupid and nerve wrecking thoughts ran through my mind and I prayed for the ride to be over asap.  

She didn't scream, cry or laugh. She looked stoned.

When it finally came to an end, she was helped off her seat and she came running towards us.. stoned.

I asked if she was scared..

'No, just a little bit scared..

.

.

.

FASTER LA.. MY SHEE SHEE LIKE WANT TO COME OUT LAH !

oOOO... Oh ..dear.. we. laughed. so. loud.. she. was. scared. till. she. nearly pee-ed !

Century Egg Jewels

A good friend got these for me :

 

All the way from Hong Kong, the famous Yung Kee century eggs. I've heard so much about it and I love century eggs, yums & slurp.  :D  :D  :D

 Neatly packed, 6 eggs in a box with pickled ginger.

Knock and peel the shell off to unveil the 'black gold'

Ohhh.. yumz.. the yolk is translucent and runny.

I love it so much... and the 6 princely century eggs were slowly devoured by me and hubs.. one by one.. slowly, relishing every bite !

Thanks Jac !

Yeast Free Bread

 Found a pack of Orgran's yeast free bread at Vitacare on offer as it was near to expiry. I was excited to dish out some bread for Amber.

 

Instructions were pretty simple and easy. No kneading needed. The final product looks impressive.

 Looks like bread, smells like bread BUT... it's not bread.

Amber didn't quite like the texture and she pleaded me not to bake anymore again.

Sigh.. I guess she'll have to wait till she outgrows her yeast allergy before indulging in bread with kaya and butter.