Brekkie for 30m1d: Omelette with seaweed
I thought of preparing for her to eat in car when we go to wet market. But she woke up early, so gave her this now and waiting for traffic jam to subside before heading off.
Ingredients:
1 egg
Some coon tasty cheese
Cherry tomato
Dry unsalted seaweed
Olive oil
Steamed for 10 minutes
Steamed for 15 minutes.
Fresh orange juice the traditional way to quench thirst on a hot day – by my 2.5yo
Ingredients:
One orange
Ice cube
Video <here>
Ingredients for fried rice:
Mixed grains rice
Olive oil
Garlic
Minced pork marinated in grape juice
Sweet corn
Shiitake mushroom
Cherry tomatoes
Lazy meal today : Dry curry chicken using Vonniez’s curry paste, gifted by Carole Choe
Just require: Rice bran oil, onion, the paste and half chicken (marinated in blended fresh turmeric)
Today marks our 30 months of breastfeeding journey. She still does requests for direct latches, but more for “comfort” as I am “running out” of milk at the moment due to hormonal changes.
No, it is not due to “menstrual” or because she is growing up and hence my milk is running out; but a pregnancy that caught us by surprise (so the myth of breastfeeding could prevent pregnancy is debunked plus however accurate our estimation, “accident” does happen). In fact, I guess our girl knew of this pregnancy the earliest as she started to become very clingy during the week when I missed my menstrual (other sign: my boobies became very sore especially when she latched).
It took me a while to “digest” this fact. PLUS I had (and still having, though it is improving) bad morning sickness since 6-7 weeks of the current pregnancy. I couldn’t eat and drink well – as I puked almost all that I ate and drank. It was THAT bad until I eventually lost my breastmilk supply (I think) by week 10. In the midst of this, being a stay-at-home-mum (SAHM) with no MCs, I still got to execute my duties of caring for the little girl – including her meal times, managing the active toddler (ensuring our commitment on home schooling during her toddler years) and housechores – where some days I just feel like “dying” off. In fact, I think I had the hardest time of being a SAHM in the past 1-2 months. But, I survived (and hope I will survive)….
The amazing thing about this girl who latches 2 hours consistently since birth is she has grown so much in these two months. She began to sleep through the night (sttn) from 28mo onwards (https://17chipmunks.wordpress.com/2015/05/05/28-mo-the-mark/). She also started to request less of nursing – longer hours (https://17chipmunks.wordpress.com/2015/06/08/little-17chipmunks-is-undergoing-natural-weaning-process/). And, I could now “negotiate” with her on how long the latches could be. I would say she is a truly understanding little girl who will let go when I say “enough”.
Note: Given that I could dictate the breastfeeding relationship (I let her comfort suck for a minute or so now), I didn’t really discuss further with my gynae on the possibility of breastfeeding this 2.5 yo. Moreover, when I first met him and I did mentioned to him that I am still breastfeeding, he responded by saying that “she (my girl) is able to go without being breastfed” (which is undeniably true – given that she does take her solid healthily).
My point is I never thought of having a second pregnancy this “early” because I am not sure how I would deal with a much attached little girl. However, when the time came/comes, the “crazy” thoughts of how she will survive “without” me for a day or two (when I am away for labour and hospital) are tapering off (though I still think about it at times – 101 of possibilities). From a little girl who clings on mama so much, she has turned more independent. My only worry was/is what if she falls sick. In the past, I used to nurse her, where she usually recovered in no time after marathon of nursing. But last week, when she caught mild fever due to the weather, she managed to recover in less than 24 hours – by me giving her coconut water and her large intake of fruits – I would definitely agree that the 2 years plus of breastfeeding has strengthen her self-immunity. For a record, she has gone without antibiotics for more than a year (ever since I turned a SAHM when she turned 13 mo).
Not many actually figured out that I am expecting as I kept mum about it (I wasn’t being superstitious, but as mentioned I was still digesting the fact and “suffering” from morning sickness) plus I don’t look preggie since I actually lost weigh in my first trimester (no one actually realise when I go out for playdates/playgroup with my girl; I am into my 15-16 week now). But, I would sincerely thank a few who get to know about my pregnancy as I actually seek their advice on gynae and handling two kids as a SAHM – namely EY Li and Kavitha Balachandran; thanks for assuring me that things would get through and I could be still “alive” despite going through a bad morning sickness with an active toddler plus sharing your breastfeeding journeys (with a toddler along) when your second one arrived. And also Quinnie Tan for helping me prepare a mindset on how things would run when number 2 arrives; offering help even before the time comes! Thanks also to Quinnie and Vanessa Lau for reassuring me that “siblinghood relationship” (which I lost faith in) does happen – and it really depends on how the parents bring them up. <Vanessa, Kyle’s love and brotherhood to Keith was really an eye opener to me! J>
Now that my 2.5 yo sttn and request shorter plus less frequent latches, I am better rested (especially at night, though I still wake up occasionally to check on her :P). Well, I think I shall “enjoy” this period before we welcome our next baby and begin our breastfeeding journey in this coming December. Given that I have successfully and fully breastfed my number 1 (until now), I am confident to do it again for my number 2! (Thanks to her too – she debunked many myths of raising babies who are breastfed.)
I seriously hope I won’t run into tears and frustration again when time comes especially I am opting to do my confinement alone again plus with a pre-school-er around, then (to save the stress of being nagged, following superstitious beliefs and ensuring a smooth breastfeeding jouney). I don’t put much hope on tandem nursing as the big sister will turn 3 by then – but it truly depends on her wants and needs at that point of time; for now I shall enjoy the fullest with my little girl before multiplying love (I am still figuring out how!).
P/S: And, nope we are not sending her to play school anytime soon – as we don’t want her to feel that we are “sending her away” when her little sibling is arriving/ arrived.
Sunday lunch: Big pot zucchini mee hoon kueh in radish mushrooms soup
I have been busy since morning preparing lunch and also cleaning the second room. I made my hubby iron his own working clothes too. Good thing – the girl played on her own – not electronic gadgets but her pretend play toys!
Stir fry tong fun for 29m29d lunch
Ingredients:
Tong fun, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
Olive oil
Garlic
Shiitake mushroom
Baby corn
Cherry tomatoes
Bok choy
Egg, beaten with some pepper
Dinner: Rice cooker stew egg tofu served with mixed grains rice
Egg tofu, coated with tapioca starch
Shiitake mushroom
Green zucchini
Cherry tomatoes
Leftover soup
Pepper
Olive oil
Everything into rice cooker.
Bake under preheated oven of 180 degree celcius for 15 – 20 minutes.
Steps as in the video – -> my home activity again with my 29m28d!
Snack for the day and weekend!
Happy Friday!
Soup:
1 arrow root
3 carrots
A small bowl of skinless raw peanuts
Chicken carcass
Chicken breast
Water
Boiled for 2 hours
Sweet potato mee hoon kueh dough – steamed purple sweet potato, all purpose flour, tapioca starch, olive oil, water (no exact measurements, usually knead an amount sufficient for both of us and some for her to play with)
Just added bok choy, lastly.
Done!
Just require:
2 eggs
200 ml chocolate flavoured milk (if you are concerned about ‘chocolate’, you can always use pure milk) -I used Dutch Lady Pure Farm Chocolate flavoured milk for this
Mix the both like in the video and steam for 30-40 minutes. Great dessert. Best served chilled.
This is also part of our homeschooling activities with my 29m27d! <Video>
17chipmunks 