Keeping kids still in car

We actually did not really go out over the weekend as papa was busy with work. Plus we need to run errands (aiyak..no need explain la, we ‘like’ to go mai go lor! 🙄 if ‘you’ think going out with three is ‘easy’…)

Anyway, the current ‘greatest’ idea 💡 (my idea) to keep them still in car and don’t bug me from buying cold bottled water is….tadaaa…’freeze a cold bottle water overnight’! So they have cold water throughout the journey while learning how to patience, observing how ice turns into water! 😆😆😆

They were still good in the supermarket. Same strategy but today Nikki didn’t want to hold my hand but want Jeh Jeh to hold her instead! So I just watch them! Noelle obediently held Nikki until towards the end! Also, given that they have one bag respectively, I have to ‘fairly’ put my groceries in them! 🙄 Today Nikki did threw a fair bit of tantrum in the supermarket because she took some bread which we aren’t going to eat – so I put back! As usual, she sat on the floor and wailed! 🙄 Noelle successfully distracted her with Glico. Then going through payment, Nikki wanted to remove each of the groceries from her bag by herself (and she was scrabbling in the bag🤦🏻‍♀️). It was the same when we have to put back the groceries into the bag. The man and lady at the back were looking – they might be thinking why I weren’t helping (I just told myself ‘don’t bother on how others think’) – because Nikki didn’t want me to help! But everything ends well, at the end! 

On the way back, I do think Nikki will fall asleep – Noelle knew mama didn’t want Mei Mei to sleep (as I couldn’t carry two up to our unit), so she did distract Mei Mei from falling asleep! So the cry baby face from Nikki! 😆 Eventually she did took a five minute nap in the car!

Maiden attempt going out alone with 3

Successfully brought them three to the supermarket alone today! 
– briefing and reminder to the girls before we set off (on how they must behave)

– a place where parking is easily available 

– take lift instead of escalator

– just put chosen grocery into environmental bags (so limit purchase too); each of them has one bag 

– don’t use trolley (as they could get uncontrollable in it or fight for it)

– of course, babywear 

Noelle was very obedient; helping me a lot with carrying and even unloading groceries at cashier counter! 
Nikki was better than expected. She held my hand most of the time (maybe because she is afraid of strangers)! 

I nursed Norrah before we went down the car; so she was asleep most of the time.
Having said that, our time in the supermarket is just less than 30 minutes! I also allowed them to pick something they want – which were bread and glico. 
A supermarket with the least crowd helps our outing too! 
✌🏻✌🏻up one level today 😊😊😊

Good bye chicken pox!

I think we can officially bid goodbye to chicken pox! The pox on Noelle has all dried up and peeled off! 
Here, I would like to jot down some of the things we experience for the benefit of others (plus for our future reference 🙄 Norrah is the only one who hasn’t get chicken pox now)!
1. It started with flu/cough/fever! Well, accurately as read in the book titled ‘Germs’, all these germs get into human body via flu/cough/saliva. Both Nikki and Noelle had flu before the fever and the rash appearing! The rashes appears to be like pinkish bed bugs before turning into watery pops! 
2. Taking anti viral medication is not necessary if the patient is willing to take a lot of fluids and fruits! Well, Noelle did not take any medication but Nikki did – the recoveries, respectively, were at same level/days. Noelle was obediently taking all the fluids and fruits I prepared for her. On the other hand, knowing Nikki was tough with food and drink intake – she was on the medication (it was a 5 times a day for 5 days thingy)! 
3. The most difficult days are the first three days – start with first day fever and the first two days of itch/pain. Kids and crankiness make it worse!🙄
4. NEEM leaves – the ‘miracle’ leaves. Wash and boiled; then soak in it (add more water when soaking)! Agak-agak the amount! I took advice from a facebook friend to also wipe the girls with neem leaves water during diaper change or before nap or after being sweaty! 
5. We did applied a (vicide)cream that the paed prescribed/recommended (which is confirmed steroid free -paed says steroid will make situation worse)! And we think that bedak sejuk – after all didn’t really help! 
6. Life goes on as usual though we avoided getting in contact with people! We eat as usual and they were even given ice cream and cake treats! 
7. As the paed says, newborn has their own immunity plus the immunity from the mummy (who had chicken pox before) – Norrah has managed to ‘escape’ from getting chicken pox. She did get in contact with the two girls (how to quarantine?). We also sleep together (only the first two nights hubby and I routinely changed bed – we gave up altogether when hubby caught flu/cough); some more Nikki and Norrah tandem nurse! Plus breastfeeding Norrah helps some how(qua)! She did had some pinkish bed bug kinda rash on her face (few) but I quickly wipe her with neem leaves water and it disappeared! 
8. The caretaker (that’s me) needs to take a lot of fruits and liquids too – to maintain healthy. I only fell slightly ill towards the end. I quickly boiled some neem leaves (added some sugar) to drink! (I did google and read about it). It works miraculously – for the first time, mild sore throat didn’t turn into flu!  
9. I did change the sheets and blankets alternate days plus wipe here and there (But i don’t know how much that help)! 
Thanks for all the well wishes! 😘👍🏽✌🏻
**Getting chicken pox young seems ‘better’ – as the pox appears fewer than expected! And surprisingly none on their bodies (Nikki only has one on the body)! None of their faces – though the little bed bug rashes did appeared- they disappeared quite fast! 
Anyway, still not totally sure if we will give Norrah the chicken pox vaccine in the future! 🙄

Cheese spaghetti with poached egg

This is as simple as 1,2,3!

Blanch spaghetti and some mushroom 

Top with poached egg

Top with shredded cheese

Mix

Serve! 

Yogurt melts activity and snack

Ingredients used: 

Meringue – one egg white + half tbsp molasses sugar + few drops apple cider vinegar 
Mix into

Yogurt mixture – 30g full cream milk powder (for baking) + 10g corn flour + 30g yogurt (used farmers union Greek style yogurt with honey)

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Bake for an hour under 100 degree celcius

Baked donuts

Noelle has been ‘requesting’ for donuts! Not that she tasted before, but because she is watching a cartoon that teaches how to make donuts! 🙄
So their sweet treats today! 
Recipe adapted from https://www.melskitchencafe.com/baked-doughnuts/ I cut ingredients to 1/3 of the proposed ones. Luckily I did as we have 9 donuts from the amount cut. I kneaded the dough with the breadmaker (basically prepared everything before they woke up), enough time for the dough to rest – after breakfast and bath! 

So we did the shaping with the donut mold which I bought 2-3 years ago from Aeon. <video>

Let the shaped doughs rise before baking! 

Certainly like it baked rather than deep fry. 

It was slightly over baked (by the golden brown colour) as I was in the midst of handling crying baby and preparing lunch for them while the donuts were baking. I need to make sure the donuts are just ready right after they eat lunch – lure them to eat lunch faster! 

The topping is just icing sugar! 

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It came up fluffy and soft !

Stew red snapper with vegetables and miso paste

Made this for the girls! 

Cook the veggies (I used garlic, celery, mushroom, sweet corn and tomatoes) in water. Let it boil like 10 min. Then add in miso paste. Add in the fish/meat. Stew until almost done. Add in egg and corn flour water. Simmer and done! 😁

Norrah’s second month jab at Klinik Kesihatan

We decided that I go alone with Norrah while the two kids stay at home with the half day ‘stay at home dad’! This is after confirmation from some mummies that I don’t have to do anymore checking (so I can handle Norrah myself). 
We left early with crying Nikki. Fortunately we didn’t wait any longer (to soothe Nikki) as the queue at Klinik Kesihatan was already building up when I arrived there. We were number 9 in our area code! They only started the checkings at sharp 8am.

Seriously, I have no idea how the system works – the numbers from different area and timing were all jumping all around. It not only takes patience to wait but heart beating (like waiting for the lotto numbers to appear). And it is not once but thrice for this second round of jab- first being weighing, second to see nurse and jab and finally to see doctor. Seeing doctor is only this round, I guess! The seats are really hot seats; once standing, they are up for grab (no joke! I was sitting at the corner, just bend my body and lift my butt up to check on the ticking numbers – my seat gone! 🙄) Certainly the right decision to leave the two girls at home! 

Anyway, the nurses and doctor are nice! This time they did the alcohol swab before injecting! Norrah cried a tiny bit! Yes, it is still free of charge (errr.. well, we paid taxes)! 
I nursed Norrah in the car before we left to tahpau lunch for me and hubby. Then I dropped by at sundry shop to get the seaweed noodles which Noelle has been requesting for! I cooked it immediately with leftover soup when I returned and she ate 3 pieces of the noodles. Nikki also has it without fuss! 
We will repeat the process in the next few months!

Our first outdoor after more than two months

The girls needed a good sweat out after being ‘sick’ for two weeks or so. And we thought going outdoor will be better – since less chances of spreading of any virus (if still possible). 

In an hour (which already drained us – hubby and I), they played at the playground, flew kite and play bubbles. This also marked Norrah’s first outdoor activity with us – though she remained mainly asleep the whole time there! 

We had roast duck rice and ‘sai mai lor’ before returning home! The three of them knocked off for 2-3 hours simultaneously, giving hubby and I the needed rest & peace time! 😁😁😁

Nikki had her first roast duck <video>

MPH book sales at Empire City

We anticipated a small crowd or none there, so decided to drop by after lunch (Noelle skipped her music class again this week)! And basically, there were just few people at the book fair! 

We would say the books there weren’t exactly ‘good’ (for adults, in terms of quality reads) but there are fair bit of quality Disney and Hasbro books. 

Noelle took part in two of the activities – building clay art with Faber tac it (similar to the one at MPH sales in Setia Convention months ago) and puzzle competition. 

There were 5 contestants! And we were LAST! 🤣🤣 Thankfully they still give out prizes to all participants or else we would have a whining girl!🙄🙄

I think we are building a ‘family tradition’ of frequenting book fairs/ warehouse sales! And the girls know what are expected out of them (behavior wise) when they are there!