Colour playdough

Experimenting homemade play dough that can last at least 7 days without being refrigerated

1. In a non stick pan, stir 1 cup (all purpose) flour, half cup salt, 2 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp cream of tar tar and 1 cup water under medium heat until it becomes stiff.
2. Cool down in an aluminium foil.
3. Divide the dough and add food colourings.

Notes from my facebook friends:

From Phoebo Wong: 2cups flour, 1/2 cup salt, 2 tbsp cream of tartar, 2 tbsp oil, 1 1/2 cup hot boiling water. Mix n knead well. Can last for few months at room temperature of you put in air tight container.

From: Jennifer Melanie Ng Gade:

She had ‘ugly’ eggless banana cream cheese pancake since she was rushing me to prepare her brekkie.

For lunch, I cooked cheese creamy pasta for our girl (garlic, buna shimeji mushrooms, leek, pieces of roast chicken, cream cheese, leftover soup, olive oil).

For dinner, fried chicken rice (mixed grains rice, garlic, celery, pieces of roast chicken, buna shimeji mushrooms, olive oil)

*pieces of roast chicken – yesterday’s leftover chicken

Storified:
I’m feeling much better today. So far, only vomited twice in the morning. And I am going on very light meals. Breakfast was bread with lemon tea (I was told not to take tea after interrogated for what I ate in the morning since I vomited) and lunch was mee hoon soup plus some mineral water in a kopitiam (I ate very little, I have phobia vomiting already). I will be eating bread for dinner. I am hungry but no appetite (meaning stomach is growling but when I face food, I don’t feel like eating). Blessing in a disguise – I lost weight that I gained since joining DHM – so chefs please don’t tempt me to cook ‘fatty’ food ya!

Ice cream maker play dough

This is not our first time playing dough (as in I made the dough for her – it is actually the leftover leek pan mee dough – so, it is truly natural ingredients. Setback – it can be only used once). This time I took out the hand-me-down playdough ice cream maker (from my cousin) and we have a lots of fun with it (even though I was slightly unwell). This actually occupied her for almost half a day when I was nearly “death” on the bed. Here’s a video of her having fun. <Video>

Thinking back, playdough was one of childhood favourites too. From a rationale perspective, all the squishing, squeezing, rolling and molding it is a completely engrossing tactile experience for a kid.

I think I need to try out a recipe that could make the dough last longer – so that we can bring it when we travel.

Simple meals on a sick day

Parenthood is a steep learning curve. I just found out today that handling her vomit and loose stool can be contagious. Yes, I got it since wee hours – vomiting, lethargic. Yes, I am unwell. I am losing appetite and vomited twice too.

The whole of today I just got to play dough with her and nursed her. I told her that I need to sleep, asked her to play herself and look for me if she needs anything. She answered ‘k’ and independently played herself. But, she came and look for me like every 10 minutes to nurse – and happily went off.

Fortunately hubby took work home and he kept an eye on her while I napped and lied on the bed the whole afternoon. I basically puke any food intake. Hope it will end soon.

Quick hands – managed to make banana cream cheese pancake for her breakfast.

For lunch, I made a quick stir fried minced pork (marinated in orange juice, cornflour and pepper) and spinach. I just served it with rice (both me and my girl, hubby had lunch before returning).

For dinner, I have earlier marinated one chicken breast and thigh with lemon grass, honey and yogurt. I just left it in oven to roast for an hour under 150 degree celcius. Hubby and girl are having this with rice and spinach boiled in leftover beetroot soup. Hubby has packed porridge for my dinner.

little 17chipmunks @ 25m28d

It’s been a while since I updated about our girl. If I remember correctly, the last update was before we went to Bali, which is in December last year. We have been “busy” since then. I find that the updates have been a good reference point for me. Hmmm… Maybe I should keep up this habit but not as frequent as previously.

Like many have said, her learning curve is at a faster pace since turning two, especially in terms of words that she can pronounce.

So, today at 25m28d:
1. She is a strong willed toddler (as before too) – in terms of wanting to do most things by herself even though she may not be capable yet.
2. Her mealtimes are becoming challenging for us – as in she is interested to self feed herself (showing more interest in using utensils and fuss when her fingers are dirtied) at the beginning and then runs away – and wants us to spoon feed her while keeping food in her mouth.
3. She is totally a Frozen and Minion freak. She can’t go by one day without both.
4. She is becoming more chatty, though I may not totally understand what she says. (She’s only chatty after warming up)
5. She can be very independent – playing by herself and walking by herself when we are out.
6. She can also be very clingy – pulling my trousers and crying like the world has collapsed when she needs me.
7. She either loves or hates her papa to the ‘max’.
8. She has a little more focus than before – she can actually sit during her playgroup.
9. She can be a very friendly toddler after knowing people well enough or warmed up. She melts people’s heart by her hugs and kisses.
10. She can be irritated even by the sight of other toddlers for no apparent reason.
11. Her favourite word is ‘nowan’.
12. She is also trying to form phrases/sentences. For example, she wants me instead of her papa to brush teeth with her – she will say ‘mama brush teeth’.

She is really growing too fast that sometimes it is difficult for me to accept it.

Discovering the absorbency of the sponge

After going through some toddlers activities ideas, I thought of trying the “sponge and water play”. Since we were grocery shopping today, we got a set of 4 sponges for less than RM2. I cut off one of them into different sizes while one remain as it was. I allowed her to transfer water from one tupperware to another – experimenting how the sponges absorb water. She did few spills and asked for more water, as I mopped the floor. Hmmm…guess I need to teach her how to use the sponge to wipe of the water on the spills.

The play lasted about 20-30 minutes. She stopped playing when I walked away to tidy up the living hall.

The video of her focusing on the play <here>

Today I am “lazy”, so just cooked one dish. Stir fry pork with long beans and cauliflower.

Pork – marinated with fresh tomatoes, pepper and cornflour; stir fry with onion oil (without marinate) and set aside.

Then stir fry garlic in oil, add in long beans and cauliflower. Add in the tomato marinate plus some soup. Until almost cooked, add in the pork.

To be served with leftover beetroot soup and mixed grains rice.

 

Me time lunch – eat before the wailing

Leek mee hoon kueh in beet root soup served with chilli padi & garlic dipped in soy sauce plus coffee float

Companion – medela freestyle

My girl’s lunch was the same mee hoon kueh without onions and ikan bilis

100% watermelon sorbet to soothe the cranky toddler who woke up from late nap

*use ice cream scoop to scope, then freeze

5th ELC playtime in 2015

The day didn’t start as well as it could have. My girl pooed loose stool twice and vomited twice. After her first loose stool and vomiting (she vomited last night’s rice which wasn’t digested for more than 8 hours), I gave her mee suah soup and apple barley drink. She then vomited the mee suah and immediately let her directly latch. I let her rest herself and she pooed again. After I bath her, I gave her some dry cereals (Alpha bits) and pieces of honeydew. We have playtime today and she insisted to go when I asked if she wanted to stay at home. She was her usual self during the playtime session. (I still believe never treat one person sick for the person to overcome an illness, if any.)She was more than her usual self – less running around (which means less chasing around) and quietly seated (I am not going to complain about this!). The theme for today is medical. Medical toys were introduced and she actually got the chance to wear the nurse custome but didn’t want to.

We ended our day out by visiting the departmental stall, supermarket and her usual playland at McDonald’s. She had her usual Yoplait mixed berries yogurt (some may say it is not good for the body during diarrhea, but well, it contains good bacteria which is good for the body). No more vomiting thereafter, but loose stool twice again later in the day. She is still her usual active and happy self.

After her playtime session, she wanted her usual Yoplait mixed berries yogurt – and so I gave with close monitoring (dairy should be avoided but yogurt has good bacteria). Fortunately, no more puking. We went home and she nursed to sleep. Thereafter, I quickly cooked dinner. She woke up and ate a bit of mixed grains rice with soup and fish. She drank quite alot of apple barley drink. She took half a Mandarin orange while I prepared vegetables cutlet, which she later took one piece.

She did pooed loose stool once again. But overall, she is still her usual happy and active self. Hope the episode of ‘stomach flu’ ends.

Today’s dinner:

1. Pan fried threadfin with garlic and ginger
2. Stir fry Chinese cabbage, bok choy and button mushrooms.
3. Beetroot soup
4. Vegetable cutlets (potato, carrot, onion, spring onions, black pepper)

Coconut milk curry chicken and stir fry sawi

I actually bought grated coconut and thought of making nin-kou. But after seeing the high price of nin-kou at pasar malam, I aborted the plan. I then used the grated coconut to make coconut milk.

I marinated half a chicken with coconut milk, some curry powder and curry leaves for 4 hours.

Then I blended garlic, onion, ginger and tomato. Stir fry the blended ingredients in oil before adding in the marinated chicken (including the marinate). I added more water into it for it to stew for 30-40 minutes.

Stir fry sawi – oil, garlic, leek, red pepper, sawi and leftover soup

We have some leftover soup to from yesterday’s old cucumber, carrot and apple chicken soup.

Today’s hubby’s last day off from the long holiday break. So, we went out. We had Texas chicken and burger.

For our girl, she had spiral pasta with fish sauce (pan fried fish fillet, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, baby corn, garlic, leftover soup).

It has been over a year since we started eating without salt & sauces at home. In fact, we spend majority of meals at home as it is difficult eating out with an active & easily distracted toddler.

And, my body, in particular, has been accustomed to it – to the extent, at times I have to puke (seriously vomit like morning sickness) after eating outside food. Not totally sure if this is good or bad.

This is my first time reading this article, but generally this is what I did over a year.

http://m.wikihow.com/Follow-a-Low-Sodium-Diet

German cookies

She’s sleeping, he’s busy, so I bake…

Finally – German cookies

Credit:

A short trip to Bukit Tinggi, Pahang

 

Today we went for a short sight seeing trip to Bukit Tinggi, Pahang which is about an hour and so drive from PJ. To enter Colmar Tropicale, it is RM12 per adult.

Bubble gun was selling at RM15.

We also got to visit the mini animal park at Berjaya Hills, where they charge RM3 per entry.

We stopped by at Kampung Bukit Tinggi – Garden Views Restaurant for lunch. Just 3 dishes (pork, taufu and vegetable) with rice and Chinese tea, cost us around RM42. Our girl had pasta with pork chop and vegetable sauce (which I separated from yesterday’s dinner) for her lunch.As I was afraid that we would get home too late, I did prepared fried vegetables rice (leek, red pepper, garlic and tai pak choy) and stored in the food jar. But we arrived home quite early – around 4 sth and even managed to boil old cucumber, carrot and apple chicken soup. I served the soup with yee mee, stir fry chicken breast (marinated in orange juice, cornflour and pepper) and tai pak choy for both my hubby and myself. Our girl had the fried rice that I prepared earlier.

Brekkie today – Chapatti with dhall (girl’s version with dragon fruit yogurt)

Chapatti – atta flour, yogurt, olive oil, water (left overnight), roll and dry pan fried

Dhall – leftover from yesterday’s lunch

We (hubby and i) had coffee float – hot nescafe with ice cream

At 25m25d:

Some may see it time consuming to prepare these food – especially for my girl – but I don’t think so. It is all about time management – and usually I ‘sacrifice’ waking up earlier or sleep later (I still spend the same amount of time with my girl). Moreover, during holidays and weekends, I have job segregation with my hubby – where he helps in showering and also ‘entertaining’ her (which is also part and parcel of his role as a parent) – and I could then rush through cooking.

We emphasise alot on eating at home – Besides eating healthily, we actually save cost from eating out (which is crucial when times are bad). Moreover, with our standard of living, I don’t think we have an option to request from restaurants to cook separately for our girl (who has not been exposed yet and we still think not the right time as she is currently recovering from eczema). Not having salt and sauces in most of our meals is an option (it is not a pity), and we are not confining others to follow us. Our belief is still – http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/sodium/art-20045479 Salt and sauces are not poison; but not eating them is not suffering at all.

“Parents are responsible for what is presented to eat and the manner in which it is presented.

Children are responsible for how much and even whether they eat.”

Nice read –
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/m/#publication?id=FY1059

Be open minded when reading it!

17chipmunks “met” a troll!

Pic source: trulioo.com

Trolling is an Internet slang term used to describe any Internet user behavior that is meant to intentionally anger or frustrate someone else, though not to be confused with cyberbullying a form of online harassment targeting a specific individual or group in a deliberate and hostile manner, or pranking, which similarly involves playing jokes on strangers for one’s amusement, but typically implies more coordination and intent. (Source: knowyourmeme.com)