Underwater adventure with Finding Dory at Sunway Pyramid

We managed to drop by at Sunway Pyramid today to experience the “School Holiday Fun with Finding Dory”, happening from 27 May till 19 June 2016! She did three activities – find nemo, fish out a pollutant and colouring. She gets a stamp for each activity and at the end, we redeemed a sticker book!

After completing the activity, she was so focus with the sticker book that we could do our grocery shopping without much interruption!

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We had lunch before going out:

1. Kam heong pork chop
I air fried my pork that was marinated with sesame oil, oyster sauce and soy sauce overnight under 200 degree for 6 minutes and set aside

Stir fry onion in oil. Add in dried shrimp, curry powder, curry leaves, some soy sauce and water. Let it simmer before adding in the air fried pork. Let it simmer for a while and done!

2. Stir fry bok choy

3. Tofu with pork and mushroom

Stir fry onion in oil. Add in diced pork. Stir until almost done. Add in mushrooms. Stir until done! Then add in silken tofu. Mix gently! Done

Dinner: Stew chicken with tomato, onion and black vinegar

Stir fry onion and tomatoes in oil. Add in chicken. Then add in black vinegar, some molasses sugar and water. Let it stew until chicken is cooked.

Spinach soup

29

Put your marriage first to raise happy kids!

In a blink of an eye, our 21 days with hubby is ending soon – tomorrow being the last day! This is a real long break for hubby before he moves to another job (and we can expect nooooo holiday until next year)!

It was time well spent in the 21 days and it was getting to know hubby (as a papa and hubby)! In fact, I felt the real difference with his positive mindset and objective oriented – which meant he enlisted the many, many things that we have to tick off EVERY single day! It would be a LIE if I tell you that I ENJOY every single day as it was real tiring – running in and out of the house maybe twice or thrice with two kids tagging along! At one point, I felt staying just at home can be more sane.🙄

*While in the midst of ticking off the tasks, we have to ensure that the kids were rested well – and so that running in and out of house

**We don’t have a reliable social circle to put our kids with. Even if so, we won’t because Nikki is just 5mo and she needs mama!

The objectives set weren’t solely for one individual but everyone in the household – which include a family trip to Phuket, Noelle’s play date with her pal, Nikki’s paed visit, hubby’s medical checks, mama’s banking activities, hubby’s property matters, our daily groceries, paying short visits to the elderlies, our pasar malam visits, air cond servicing, car servicing, car wash, book fair and etc. Surprisingly we spend the least time on shopping mall hopping this time around! 😅

In the midst of all these, I can’t deny that I snapped at hubby sometimes – more because he hasn’t really under the ‘standard procedure’ between me and the kids 🙄😝 and Noelle can just go ‘crazy and rebellion’ when he is around😒 plus he irritates me with his nonsense😝! Sometimes I do resent that he has the freedom to get away from home to attend social activities or just to buy stuff – while I have to stay home!

Beyond all these, I am still THANKFUL that he is around; where I could still get my less than 5 minutes bath myself (because Nikki is looking for me), the daily upkeep of Noelle is ‘well’ handed, he takes us out, we get to go on a holiday, and etc. Most importantly, we (as in hubby & I) get to know each other once again – since Nikki’s arrival!

I certainly know (by reading and observation) – put your marriage first to raise happy kids! While the kids tag along with us everywhere, we do try to squeeze in/ cheat some ‘we time’ – since the ‘we time’ is so limited, it has also become precious! And we certainly know that we will have many more years of ‘we time’ when the kids leave home for good!

As one of my friends has put it nicely before – ‘there’s no first in and first out when it comes to life and death’ – so spend the time with the persons matter most! I certainly have no regret if my life comes to a full stop anytime!

Everywhere we go! 😘😘

Pressure cooker long beans rice

I figured out that chicken tasted better when I slightly air fried the chicken (with bones) before putting into the ppc! Using rice mode!

 Chicken was marinated with honey, pepper and oyster sauce (overnight). Air fried under 200 degree celcius for 5 minutes.

Together with the chicken, I placed one bowl of diced long beans, one carrot (diced), 2 cups (size of cup about 180ml) of mixed of white and brown rice and water about 300ml (less than 2 cups of grains).*

I used rice mode and let the pressure release itself before switching it off. I did not keep warm until dinner time (as I don’t like soggy rice).

*Sorry no exact ratio

Big Bad Wolf Box Sale 2016

We made it this time – and our first time with Box Sale!

The queue was long. In fact, we queued an hour for the boxes itself !

How did we manage the two kids then?

I was baby wearing Nikki; and she basically nursed to sleep:

We gave a pack of Pepero, which we bought on the spot, to Noelle; after seeing the long queue – as we foresee it will run over our lunch time. She then behave quite well – as it was her first taste of the whole pack of Pepero. Soon, she requested ice water and so we bought for her the cold mineral water. We told her that if she behaves well up till the paying queue, we will be rewarding her! And so Noelle behaved in an hour!

We bought the family package that cost RM160:

Upon entering the BBW, we looked for a book that could occupy Noelle (we didn’t take out our “weapon” yet) – and hubby found a musical book that could occupy Noelle (almost the entire time there)! We only took out the “egg” for her to play with in the last 15 minutes when hubby has to grab the final books that could enter the box!

By babywearing Nikki, we had no issue with her – just a little difficult for me to grab some books.

With that we spent almost two hours in BBW (excluding queuing time, with queuing time – it will be 3 hours).

Here are our book loads:

Definitely worth the time and price! Each of our family members has their kind of reads in the load!

Nursing lying down

I have to testify that we are so at ease with nursing lying down that – at times (during night), I remember that my 4m28d was nursing my left boob till I fell asleep; but the next wake I found her nursing on my right boob! 🙄🙄How did she move there? 😅😅Probably the ‘momster’ shifted her around while snoozing!

Into my 3y4m28d of nursing – of course – with my second little one now!

Happy weekend mamas and happy breastfeeding !😘

Air fried egg

Lazy to on stove today: air fried egg 😂

150 degree, 4-6 minutes

Grease the ceramic bowl before cracking an egg into it

Classifying good and bad for health food/drink

 

What did we get from this:

She used to like kiwi a lot! Then once kiwi sting her tongue (as it wasn’t ripe enough). From then on, she started saying no to kiwi.

Today we did the good and bad for health food/drink! I am glad that she actually got it – when she saw me taking kiwi and asked what was I eating; I told her kiwi and reminded the ‘good for health’ item! She nodded and agreed to eat!

Fortunately the gold kiwi was very sweet! 😅

Cultivate the power of observation!

It’s pretty annoying how she loves to run around, lie on the floor, jump like her Peppa and etc around the mall! It is more challenging when we want to get things done!

Yes, we could ‘control’ her to a certain extent if we give her the iPad or phone (note: she can go even wilder with the devices)!

But it defeats the purpose!

She is supposed to explore her surrounding (or else don’t go out, stay at home and stuck the head on the screen. She has been given enough screening time at home. In fact, this is against Waldorf method! Lol)!

With two kids, we are still trying our best to go without devices when we are out and during mealtimes!

**This is our family rule; no right or wrong and you don’t have to be ‘same’!

In a way, it actually cultivate creativity! For example, when we were in the bank yesterday and waited for an hour plus and without any ‘weapon’ (or toy) in hand, she actually used her imagination to play with her papa! She became a drink seller! And she remembers sometime last year I brought her to the coconut stall to pack coconut water! She actually acted out how the coconut was chopped off before handing an imaginative cup to papa, collected the imaginative money and placed into her imaginative pocket! 😂

The power of observation!

Peppa at Danny Dog’s house

This is our first visit to EZ boy’s house; a play date that we waited for months – haha, for certain reasons only ‘we’ know!

Noelle was pretty excited about the play date as I told her about Thomas and friends plus the tracks that EZ owns! It got her more excited after I showed her a video where EZ was holding Thomas, the train. And this play date was also something she look forward after an overseas holiday (the reason I gave her for us returning home from Phuket)!

As usual play dates with EZ, they were more to playing themselves when it comes to toys! But they were more involved when it comes to physical activities – such as riding the bike and chasing one another! This also tells us that they don’t actually need toys to play with one another!

There was a slight incident when we adults were in the kitchen chatting – with EZ boy came in crying. Instead of instantly blaming Noelle, I went to her and asked what happened (and instead of running to EZ boy to see what happened)! I am proud that I did not begin with blaming her! I have learn to trust her and giving her the first to speak to me! I speak to her nicely and tried giving her cues on what has happened! Actually by one look, I sort of interpreted what happened (especially with finger prints on EZ’s face)! Lol! She agreed to apologize; and thereafter they played together again.

**We spoke about it when we got home and she told me that she wanted EZ’s toy which he didn’t agree to share. Then I told her, even if he doesn’t share, she does not need to hit or strangle or any physical contact (because until now we do not know what exactly happened) – just let mama knows and see if mama can do anything about it!

*From EZ boy’s point of view, it is his toys; so I would have much understand how he feels about Noelle playing his toys! But EZ has been very gentleman, in the sense, most of the time he just allowed Noelle to have his toys (except for the particular one they fought for – probably his favourite!)

Definitely another play date where I learn to be a better mum – a pat on my own shoulder that I didn’t over react in the situation!

Every child has their own character and personality! How they interact with others tend to differ! We can’t expect same reaction from different kids with a similar situation! And being different doesn’t mean, they can’t play together but learn to compromise with one another!

*It was Noelle who came with the idea of naming EZ boy as Danny Dog! My funny girl! And coincidentally there was a dog statue at their house entrance !

* mama really enjoyed this kind of play date where I can ‘slap my butt’ no need cook, no need clean up mess! tongue emoticon

Thanks again Quinnie for having us – for the play, preparation and food!

So what did my 3y4m+ ate during our latest trip?

Cheese and corn pasta using food jar – and yes, for four nights – without any fuss!

We’re holidaying and I ditched my inayou rice cooker this around. Only brought two food jars, some cooking accessories, pasta and light ingredients (my last option to use these ingredients)! 😂

We bought babybel cheddar cheese and fresh sweet corns from the supermarket!

Very easy to prepare actually!

Heat up food jar.
Put in some pasta and pour hot water. Shake shake and leave it for 5-10 minutes, depending how soft you want the pasta to be.
Pour away the water.
Add in the chopped cheese and some corns.
Shake, stir and serve (or leave it longer before serve)!

Sapu habis and she was so happy that she did 😚

For lunch: I packed some steamed rice and an omelette (cheese, tomato, onion and mushroom) from breakfast buffet for her into the food jar! (it may sound “unethical” but i am actually taking my own portion and kept it for my girl. And, we did not waste food) She had the same lunch for 4 days too!

For breakfast: She had her usual fruits, cereal and bread from the breakfast buffet!

We did ask if she wants to try our food – some yes and mostly no. And to the yes, once tried, she is satisfied and won’t ask for more. I am relatively surprised that she was bugging for chocolate (as she watches Peppa Pig alot) and I decided to ok to her on our banana chocolate pancake. After trying once, she never asked for it even when we offer her again. Plus, when we bought brown sticky rice, she thought it was chocolate rice – and she won’t want to try it. Well, guess I have to place more confidence with her on  – let her try some “not so healthy” food and let her decide if she wants again (in the mean time, explain to her on the pros and cons)!