The Beginning of My Worry

CHEEKY FACE ZIHAN.... love you so much...

Yei... it 6.24am now.. and zihan didn't wake up in the middle of the night after she went to bed at around 12midnight... byebye jet lag...

Instant Mie Goreng @ 5am

It has been crazy. Just as I thought I hit the jackpot bingo of getting over this jet lag thing, my little one woke up again at 2am and couldn't sleep until 4am just now.

So here I am, unable to sleep on my own as I was feeling hungry, I cooked up a pack of instant mie goreng, AGAIN, for the second night. I have been having meals in these odd hours after coming back from Paris.

The three of us (me and my 2 daughters) were waking up at 2pm, having breakfast at 3pm and having lunch at 9pm. And eventhough the kids were having their milk at midnight just before they slept, the youngest one still couldn't adjust herself yet. I think ziyi might get over the jetlag by tomorrow as she didn't wake up in the middle of the night just now.

This is the first time I've been to someplace with a big time difference, I hope things will get back to normal when I travel to Jakarta next week. Yes, it's time to visit my grandfather again and to celebrate his birthday, then I will fly to my hometown Medan to pay respect to my late father for the 3rd year and to celebrate my mother's birthday as well. I am glad they all fall in about the same time, that I only need to book my air ticket once.

Good Morning to you! and Good night to me!

I Couldn't Sleep

It's already 3 nights after I return from Europe, and I find myself hard to adjust to the local time. I was awake whole night yesterday till the sunrise, and was having supper at 4am....

It was a great trip as we walked our way everyday around the city of Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris. The toughest part was my flight from Penang to Barcelona with Singapore airline Boeing 777 midnight flight and arriving 7am the next morning. It was a nightmare as I couldn't sleep due to several turbulence and buckle seatbelt called, and zihan's constant waking up. At the end I totally lost my appetite for the next few days with fully bloated tummy... luckily we stayed in an apartment, and we can cooked light porridge...

Both ziyi and zihan are also having jet lag... they were sleeping late and waking late past lunch time. And ziyi had a fever as soon as we touched down to my home sweet home. I think it could be due to weather difference. Today ziyi is a lot better, I put her on antibiotics as she complained earache few days ago...

I still have lots of unpacking to do, lots of pics to sort out. We took like thousands of pictures in those two weeks duration. And I still need to sleep and rest to recover. It's funny that we could accomplished a lot during our trip, we went out during lunch time till night time, we walked and see a lots of things, but 24 hours doesn't seem enough once I get home....

Zihan @ 37.5 Degree Celcius

Zihan woke up to a slight fever this morning, it was around 37.5 degree Celsius. After she finished 210ml of Enfagrow A+, I gave her Panadol. And zihan was particularly fussy, and I have to carry and while typing up my post.

I would usually wait and see if the fever go beyond 38 to 38.5 degree Celsius before I gave her Panadol, only give her cold compress around the neck and head. But we are leaving for Europe in 4 days, and I am not gonna take any chances. I might bring her to doctor tomorrow if she doesn't get better.

Could it be the chickenpox injection she took 3 days ago? But the doctor told me it won't cause any fever, even if it does, it will only show FOURTEEN days after the injection, today is only day four.

My New Toy

I have been wanting a new DSLR camera for quite some time. I made my decision to purchase latest Nikon for beginner level yesterday, the NIKON D3000. For RM2389, I get the body, the standard lens, 4GB Toshiba memory disc, tripod, carrying case, lens protective cover, and extra battery.

Few months ago, I was actually thinking of getting the D5000 model which come with video recording functions, which was about RM1000 more expensive than the model I got. I decided I don't really need the video recording function.

I now have a new toy to bring with us to our trip next week.... Hopefully we can all stand the bulkiness and take great pictures... Thank you hubby... so I guess this is my belated birthday present or belated valentine present or belated anniversary present? :)

Ziyi First Swim Lesson

When my mother came over, I usually stay with her @ her apartment in Penang. There is a private swimming pool which I seldom utilized. Since ziyi is already 3 years old, and she likes to play with water so much, I want her to learn some basics of swimming and safety. I expect her to be able to float by herself in deep water. I am glad to find a swimming instructor who is able to give a one on one lesson, and paid per lesson basis, and who is willing to come over to our apartment's swimming pool. Lesson 1: The weather was a bit windy with not much sun that morning. The instructor was guiding her through the water all the time. By the end of the lesson, there was a 6 year old girl who is already able to swim by herself. Ziyi was so excited that she made a few near attempts to dive herself into deep pool when she see the other girl in there. This is one of the reason I started her on swim lesson. She is uncontrollable when she see other kids around in the pool.

I was also having a relaxing time with zihan, who also loves to splash water with both hands. This float just gets on her way and prevent her small arms to reach to the water to splash.

Lesson 2: The weather was super hot. Before we enter swimming pool, I told ziyi, "Ahyoo.. so hot, how to swim?". She just replied, "Already put sunblock, can swim maaa..." The weather and my laziness are the main reasons that I seldom bring my kids to the swimming pool. I cancelled my swimming intention when the weather is too hot, too windy, too cloudy, raining cats and dogs, or when I am too tired, too sleepy....

Ziyi with her baby arm floats... which didn't give her the confident to let go of herself into the water, because it cannot support her full weight... I am going to get her a new one for the next lesson.

Black and White.... Ziyi got sun tanned after an hour in the swimming pool.

When I forgot to bring stoller....

Ziyi and Scratch Knee

During our cruise, my mother realized that ziyi's knee has a light scratch and asked me to have a look a it. It's just a little scratch, so I took an alcohol swab to clean it and apply manuka honey active 15+, before I stick the Betadine antiseptic bandage. She was very reluctant and scream and tried to push my hands away from her scratch knee. She was acting like she just came out from a major operation and was unable to walk or came down from the bed. I have to wait for her slowly, yes.. very slowly to move down from the bed into the bathroom to brush her teeth and washed up. She just came back from the ship childcare centre, so I need to make sure she was all cleaned up before she went to bed. She refused to have shower, so I just washed everything else except that scratch.

Ziyi with her hurtful knee, and using her hands to protect us from going near it... She was behaving like it was the most painful thing in the world.... but you know what happened before she realized the scratch?

I think she fell down inside the childcare centre and nobody realized, so when I went to pick her up, I also didn't realized myself because she was so over active and went to the next door arcade to play some more.....

And she was climbing up the highchair by herself and get hold of the toy gun....

And ran around and settled for a while here....

Then she started to climb up again ....

....in a very un-girly manners...and played for a while in this ship one...
And we even walked down to deck 8 to have a look at the pictures. She was so happy and running around then... see her mouth... it was from the all-you-can-eat strawberry flavor ice cream party inside the childcare...

So the scratch on her knee was already there all the time she went up and down playing in the game arcade... We all just couldn't stop laughing at her silly act....

Activities Onboard Superstar Virgo Cruise

It was packed and full of passengers on the Friday and Sunday cruise last week. While waiting for the line, we decided to take a little stroll at the Vivocity shopping centre right next door.

It was my brother pushing sleeping ziyi back to the cruise centre after our shopping.

Yes!! finally we get our passport and cabin cards...

First thing that I always do when I get on the ship is to check their "Star Navigator" to see what activities around the ship for the day, and planned my day accordingly...

The first night on the cruise we brought ziyi to the "Galaxy of the Stars" where there was a band performing. She loves the spotlights and the music and slowly but surely moved onto the centre of the stage and started to dance ala ziyi style... :)

Then we went to the show on the Gala night. We went there early to choose the best seat. Balcony card holders can choose to sit on the upper deck, and I do prefer ziyi to sit on the upper deck because she can have a better view and won't disturb passenger in the front row as ziyi cannot sit still and likes to move around all the time.

I regreted that I brought her to this show where she learned the sexy girls flashing butts with only thongs and super mini skirt to the audience...

Ziyi with my youngest brother in the children swimming pool. This is the first time ziyi played on the water slide while getting more confident with the float in the swimming pool.

This is my favourite moment on the ship. There is usually an outdoor band in the adult swimming pool area in the afternoon at the start of the cruise where there are singing, dancing and fun activities. I enjoyed the music, fresh air, and watching people walking pass by...

There was a singing competition going with the contestants from the casino VIP members last Saturday. There were even a panel of judges. It was quite amusing watching mostly aunties and uncles singing... Ziyi was at the childcare centre while I was watching the show.

The arcade on deck 10. Ziyi likes to come and play in this area, without tokens or coins of course. She is too small to understand and enjoy the games, only a waste of my money.. hehe. Can you spotted ziyi at the far end. My threat to leave her alone was ignored. So I just have to be patient and wait until she was willing to follow me back to the cabin.

Line dancing. Ziyi had a very long concentration span on this activity, where she followed the instructions with all the other passenger from the beginning right till the end. I think it lasted for 30 minutes.

The "Charlie Childcare Centre" where ziyi spend about 6 hours inside, with 3 hours straight at one of the time. This is the first time ziyi went solo without me. She is yet have to start school at the beginning of next year. It cost SGD15 per hour for children 1 to 4 years old, and SGD10 for children 5 to 12 years old. I thought it was only SGD 8 and SGD 6 respectively a couple years ago... :)

There is usually an "Open House" at the beginnging of every cruise where parents and children are invited inside the childcare centre free of charge. All the other time is chargeable and parents are unable to go inside at all.

We went to watched the "ANITA SARAWAK" singing show. I never know this artist before. She is a great singer and entertainer with great body for her age. That was the last part of the show where she made everyone stand up and dance to the "Celebration" song. I was lazily sitting on the chair carrying zihan before ziyi insisted everyone of us to stand up and clapped our hands as per requested...

My relatives rent a Jenga games from the "Activity Centre". It was free for the first 2 hours (i think) with deposit which is returnable when we return the game. Ziyi also know how to play this game because she watched my sister in law played this before months ago.

View of Penang from our cabin. It's finally a week and it's time for me to disembark and come back to my home sweet home.

A bath rope can also occupied zihan for quite a long time while we waited for our passport clearance.

Inside the tender boat. My sleeping princess ziyi was in her deep slumber all the way till she reached home which is another one hour drive back across penang bridge.

I am glad my mother was around to help me with the kids. This is a view from the Penang Jetty where we got down from the tender boat. The cruise ship was too big that it has to be anchored far away safely from the jetty.

While I am in Singapore...

We went to Orchard Rd Paragon shopping centre for lunch at my favourite restaurant Sushi Tei. There were 5 of us, my mother, my brother, and my 2 girls. Ziyi was so excited to get to play on the tiny merry-go-around at the Paragon Playground. This is the first time I agreed to insert the $2 to make it move... since zihan can also get to enjoy and play.... don't waste money since it's so expensive...

The Barney ride, SGD1....

Ziyi entertained zihan while we shopped around... I didn't quite in the mood for shopping.. because I hate to carry the shopping around..... with 2 kids, it's just not very convenient to make any purchase...

We went to MUJI to get some sweets. Ziyi insisted that she wanted the marshmallow, and she was so impatiently holding up the pack of marshmallow at the cashier while squeezing and squeezing the package. My mother told her that she can only choose one out of so many choices, and it took her a long time to make her final decision on the marshmallow. So she wasn't going to put it back even if I told her so....

I just found out that there was a NEW shopping centre called ION...

Ziyi was walking quite a lot from Paragon shopping centre up to here next to Wisma Atria, before she finally gave up and request to sit down on the stroller.... and I have to put up my sling to carry zihan,.... ziyi immediately fell asleep after a short push in the stroller...

The food court at the basement.. called FOOD OPERA.... hearing the name is already quite grand... there were lots of varieties of food to choose from...

The children toilet. I couldn't resist snapping some pictures of the toilet because it was just too grand and clean...

Singapore Airline office was relocated in this shopping centre at the top floor...

Ziyi having macarons..... My brother bought a mixture of six pieces of SGD12...To be honest, I didn't like it, it was too sweet. My brother and my mother also think the same. This is the first time we tried macarons.... It was from TWG Tea counter... even the mooncake sample that I tried, I found it too sweet...

One of my fantasy shop with lots of small figurines. I like window shopping in this shop....

Ziyi in front of a florist shop, with a giant flower arrangement ready to be send to the grand opening of CHRISTIAN DIOR....

We decided to have dinner at one of the Chinese restaurant at the top floor. My hand was so itchy that I have to snap this picture of this private room... so grand... I am so sua pa kao... (jungle monkey)

We were the first customers... but the place was quickly packed.

The restaurant menu.... it was of high quality paper...

My shark fin soup SGD38, about 75gram worth of shark fins... it was nice, and different style to other many types of shark fin soup that I tried before. That was zihan first time tasting shark fin, and she had a big bowl of rice with it...

My brother inside the elevator of Ion shopping centre...

Eye catching....

On the way to taxi stand. Coming to this shopping centre is like entering a 5+star hotels, most staff I saw were wearing black suits, there was even a guy wearing proper uniform at the taxi stand to help us with our things and stroller....

Cruising

I just got out from the cruise with my mother, ziyi and zihan. We shared a balcony room, the 4 of us...... That was the arrangement that I made for zihan, I prefer to confined a small space for her to wonder around rather than to request for a baby cot. Instead, I requested 2 additional blankets to spread on the floor during sleep time, and 6 additional pillows to cover the hard surfaces and sharp corners...

I just found out that zihan likes water, she will splish splash both her hands all the time, she even protested when I take her out.... I took both girls to swimming 2 times, while my mother waiting for us at the side.... Taking both girls to swim certainly takes up a lot of time, both girls just have to wait for their turn when it's time to clean up and shower afterwards.....

The much awaited menu for the gala dinner.

I was trying to push ziyi and carry zihan around before the gala dinner, so that both of them sleep while I could enjoy the dinner..... Too bad.... BOTH of them could not fall asleep....

The show that kept ziyi awake for the night...

Taking pictures while waiting for disembarkation....

I am now in Singapore until I join the cruise again on Friday and Sunday then back in Penang on Monday..... I need some sleep.... I can hardly have ME time while on cruise because ziyi is just too excited about everything....

3 Years 3 Months Ziyi

Ziyi is now almost 100cm, around 15kg+ ( I think). I haven't weigh her for a while. She is still on Pediasure complete vanilla flavor 3 times a day, 150ml each in a bottle. 1.8kg tin packing is around RM108. Ziyi is very particular about her milk, she can differentiate her Pediasure from other brand of milk. A month ago, I tried to switch her milk to Enfagrow A+, but end up she was drinking her milk super slow, about 30 mins. Then I tried Mamil gold, step 3 and step 4, with this one, the bottle still remain at 150ml an hour later, even though she put the bottle teat in her mouth all the time... So, zihan gets to try and finished different kind of milk, luckily her little sister is not as picky about milk brand.

She still likes playground very much, especially there are other kids around. She can make a friendly gesture, and a moment later I already found her playing and chasing with other kids ...

This is her latest passport photo. We brought her to take this picture because she needs to submit the latest picture to the immigration and attached in her passport. I love this picture very much. Her facial expression in this pictures just make me want to have a look at it again and again and again...

Occasionally, she likes to play with this babysling from Peekaroobaby and carry her "botak" (bald) baby around...

Ziyi is getting better in going up and down the escalator...

She is particularly fascinated about make-up....

Sometimes, she eats very fast.. but most of the time, I need to hold my patience in waiting for her to finish her rice...

Ziyi likes to play balls, big or small, and throw into a bucket.. like playing basketball... and she will shout, "Hooray.. I winner I winner.." when the ball she threw landed inside the bucket... and she would insist that her dad or me to play along as well...

Once in a blue moon, she can really tidy up the bed....

Whenever she went to the garden, she will picked her grandma flowers and give the flowers to everyone....

Ziyi still sits nicely and safely whenever we go out in a car....

Sometimes she can arranges all the pillow in a way and claim the territory as her playground..

Ziyi and me in our favourite Italian restaurant... that was the first time we seat outdoor, and I totally enjoyed the view.... Ziyi likes to eat spaghetti, with lots and lots of Parmesans cheese.
The studio shoot that we took couple of months ago....

Steaming Steamboat

Last Sunday we went to have steamboat. It was one of the most satisfying steamboat for both of us, and zihan.. perhaps? Ziyi was asleep all the way in the stroller.

Zihan was getting impatient when waiting for the food to arrive. She played and bite the plastic bib. This was the first time I let zihan wear a plastic bib hand down from ziyi...
For RM50, we actually got 4 big plate of seafood combination, there were one medium size white pomfret, 2 medium size crab, about 8 medium size prawns, and 1 big plate of meatball and fish ball combinations, dried sotong, chicken meat, and crab sticks. We also side order cintan mie, and a big plate of spinach.
I think zihan had about 8 fishballs and cuttlefish balls, 2 slices of white pomfret, one prawn, one slice of chicken and some cabbage, and some cintan mie... She got to play with the raw lettuce when she had enough and hubby and I still continued eating....

It was very enjoyable dinner while ziyi was sleeping for the full 2 hours, otherwise she will wonder around and became a very demanding girl before we finish eating...

A pacifier, plastic spoon, plastic bowl, or raw lettuce and spinach would kept zihan occupied when we finish off eating... Zihan was also sitting on the high chair for 2 hours while she gets to eat and play...

A takeaway for ziyi.....

We finished off everything, everything was so fresh.... It was Sunday and the restaurant was packed. The restaurant actually have a separate air-con section of "chu char" and non air-con section for steamboat...

My favourite snack

I seldom eat snacks, because once I munch on my favourite snacks, I know I don't have the ability to control my intake, I will not stop munching before it finishes. So since I know my bad habits, I am very selective in buying snacks. Snacks doesn't come cheap and it'll only add extra calories and fat to our bodies.

My old time favourite would be this Japanese Calbee potato sticks salad flavor. I must admit, once I munch, I cannot stop, and one pack is usually not enough. It cost RM7.99 each from Cold Storage. I bought 3 packs. This Calbee potato sticks have a very short life span, from the date of production to the best before date is only 3 months, so the Cold Storage won't even have it in stock sometimes. I can save the money for other things....

Zihan @ 13 months

Weight 9kg+, height: , drinks EnfagrowA+ 3 times a day @ 150ml each. Zihan usually takes one 2 hours nap. I am still carrying her in a sling and rock her to sleep during nap time and night time.

Zihan @ on of the kopitiam in Penang... (cannot remember which one)

Zihan at Penang airport on the day my mother flight to Hongkong by Cathay Pacific got delayed by 6 hours.

Zihan @ one of gettogether lunch by surname ONG association @ CRC restaurant in Penang. This is the picture I took before the food arrive, see her grumpy face.... but once the appetizer arrived, zihan was happily eating right to the dessert.

Zihan's first visit to Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang.

She likes her Barney book, will giggle when I read to her...

She is able to sit down on her high chair during the entire meal, provided she gets to eat from the appetizer right to the dessert...

Zihan @ her cousin birthday dinner...

Mummy ran out of toys to kept her occupied while the adults were busy chatting, and food finished. So she gets to play with the restaurant's plastic glass.

Zihan is now learning to cruise while her hands hold onto something.... I can't wait the day she is able to walk on her own, last time ziyi started to walk @ 15 months.

Zihan can also concentrated in playing her toys for a very long time, she is particularly fascinated with those purple colour round plastic block, and will only choose and take the purple one out of so many others blocks.

Zihan and me taken by ziyi. Luckily ziyi started to use my handphone to take pictures, so I can see more of my face in the picture... ;)

Visa Granted

Hubby just picked up my passport yesterday. My visa to Europe has been granted. Yei! I am going to Europe this October with hubby, 2 kids, my mother, and mother in law.

We will make our first stop at Barcelona for 3 nights, then hop over to Madrid for 4 nights, then finally into Paris for another 5 nights. Eiffel Tower.... Here we come!!

It's so complicated and troublesome for Indonesian citizen where we need to apply visa to almost anywhere. Hubby has to fist picked up the application forms and requirements from the Spain Embassy, then I need to personally go to Kuala Lumpur to apply for the visa, and wait another 2 weeks.

But my case is much better than my mother's. I am allowed to keep my passport until the visa granted, and there wasn't any queue at the Spain Embassy at Kuala Lumpur, and the office hour for visa application is from 9am to 1pm.

With my mother case, she needs to go directly to Jakarta to apply, and the office hours there are 9am to 12noon. When she went there, she was given a queue number and was told to come back the next day eventhough she already have ALL the completed application form and ALL the necessary documents with her.

She went there again the next day at 9am. It was so troublesome because of the Embassy location where it's a 3 in 1 (3 persons needed to be in one car to enter certain areas). So she went with a driver and my brother. She was made to wait for 2hours+. There were so many applicants, and travel agents, and only one person in charge of the visa applications. They are all waiting to apply to visa to Europe for this coming Raya Holidays. My mother was told she was applying the visa way too early.... But they accept her application anyway, and gave her a date to go back to pick up the passport on this coming Sept 4. She is grounded for the time being because her passport has to be submitted together with her visa application.

Stupid Computer

Or over intelligence computer... ? Whichever.. it pissed me off.... I was in the middle of writing my post, and it suddenly all the windows automatically closed one by one, switched off, and automatically update itself....

This is hubby's computer and I seldom used it, it did actually asked me for an update like 15 minutes ago, and I click restart later. Normally with my computer, the warning will come back up again and again and again, until I click OK.

Such a bossy computer.....!!!

Shawn Dedek

Shawn is ziyi's cousin, my brother's son who lives in Medan. They likes to play together when they meet. So when Shawn is not around, ziyi will ask for her "Shawn dedek" almost everyday.

When we made cookies. ziyi said, she wants to give some for Shawn dedek. When she has chocolate, she said she wants to share with Shawn dedek. Sometimes she will tell me she wants to go Medan and play with Shawn dedek.

So, since one in Penang, and the other in Medan, this is the best I can do for her....
...video call through msn.... and lately ziyi likes to take my handphone and take picture by herself. The above picture was taken by her...

Good Host

This is a backdated post. My friends just updated these pictures on her facebook, and it remind me of ziyi when we were at Jakarta last time.

I would say ziyi has a total opposite from me. I am more a quiet persons with strangers. But when ziyi saw any kids, big or small, she will become super friendly, or bossy? :) She will dig out any snacks to share with another kids, take drinks for them, and ask them to play together. Ziyi will transform into a super bubbly, super friendly, and super host.

Ziyi showed my friend's daughter, Happy how to feed fish at my grandfather house in Jakarta.Then she will start getting bossy and would try to help her friend to feed the fish, which sometimes could make them cry....Then ziyi will offer some biscuits for her friend and herself.

She also digged out some bread to share.

Those were only a few things that ziyi's share with other kids when they come and visit. She will also went and take and empty cup and fill the cup with water herself and give it to her friends.

All her good hosting only limited to kids, adult not included.... :) I remembered there was one time in Medan, my mother just bought a extra large size grapes and put them on the table. Then when my friends come with her daughter, ziyi immediately went and grabbed one grape and gave it to the other kid, she would insist that the kid take the grape when they refused. Luckily, she didn't grab the grape and give it to the kid's babysitter.... It could make my mother fainted if she really did that... hahaha

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries

It was ziyi's cousin birthday yesterday, so I thought we could bake some cookies together. It's been a long long while since we last bake our own cookies. So, I decided that perhaps we could make some healthy yet delicious cookies with all available ingredients at home.

I still have some Hershey unsweetened cocoa powder, a pack of dried cranberries, and some organic big oats leftover from zihan, some butter (hardly enough to make this batch), a few eggs, letover flour and icing sugar, bicarbonate soda, baking powder, vanilla extract from ziyi's birthday cake last time. So there are basically all the ingredients in this homemade cookies making.. :)

I never follow exactly one recipes, cause i think cooking is based on personal preference and taste, and feelings. There are millions of cookies recipes on the net, but i just follow my feelings and mood at the time...

Here are the cookies in the small toaster... Yeah... If i have a big oven, maybe it's take less than half the time i took to bake everything. Big oven is 5 years ahead plan, when i have bigger kids with bigger tummy to feed.

First batch of cookies with dried cranberries on top.... It did not work because the cranberries got dried up from the heat and doesn't stick to the cookies. Perhaps if i put some egg glazing on the top it will stick? Maybe next time.

Here is the second batch where i decided to buried the dried cranberries inside the dough.

Some finished homemade cookies for ziyi's birthday cousin. I let ziyi put the cookies in the box by herself.

Ziyi was having fun making the cookies together.

Here is the methods:

1. First, I wash the dining table with dishwasher soap, and rinse with water and dry with wet towel very very clean, cause we will be using the table as our work station in doing the kneading later.
2. Then, ziyi and I wash our hands with soap and wash really really clean.
3. We used a little bit of butter, using our clean finger to grease the aluminium foil as a base in the oven later. Very thinly grease is enough. (I forgot that the butter need to leave out in room temperature a few hours before so, it's not hard to mix)
4. Then we mixed our wet ingredients. Mixed 1/3 block of butter with 3/4 cup of icing sugar and 1/4 of Hershey unsweetened cocoa powder. Mixed well. Then cracked 2 eggs, I showed ziyi how to crack 1 egg, and she cracked another one, then mixed again, put less than 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and mixed well.
5. In the shifting pot, shift 2 cups of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda.
6. Then mixed the wet and dry ingredients together using our hands, it's really icky doing this part, so i didn't take any photos. Then mixed the dough with about 2 cups of oats, i added some more flour cause i felt that the dough is too wet and sticky. The dough need to be kneed and rolled until it doesn't stick on the table or our hands.
7. Ok, now the fun part, i asked ziyi to make small balls from the dough and press it on the aluminium foil, we were half singing roll roll roll the dough making to a ball, merrily merrily merrily life is but a dream... :)
8. Then I remembered my dried cranberries, so i asked ziyi to put one cranberries into one cookie dough. she was very good and very helpful.
9. Then let it bake for 15 to 20 mins, because my toaster is automatically switch off when it gets too hot, so, i just based on feelings when it's done.

Most of the cookies went into my tummies, that's why i tend to avoid making them. All the butter, sugar, flour are quite fattening... I tasted it whether it's done or not, and i kept tasting them till the final batch, cause it doesn't felt right, the cookies were actually a little bit moist inside at first. Now i couldn't stop munching on them... sinful... ziyi doesn't eat that much... maybe i'll make them into cookies sticks for zihan to hold by herself next time...

Kek Lok Si Penang

Mil said she wanted to visit her daughter last Saturday, so I drove her all the way up the hill to Kek Lok Si, along with mil's other daughter and granddaughter.... Mil busy laid down offerings for her daughter.... with ziyi so busy kepoh-ing..

View from mil's late daughter residence... it will become great view once the Kuan Yin Statue is completed.

Interior decoration of the residence block... the best block in this crematorium @ Kek Lok Si...

Personal offering for my sil, with mil's homecook dishes with rice, some homegrown custard fruit and other bought fruits, sil's favourite kopi-peng and roti bakar with butter and kaya from her favourite stall, mil's fried cempedak and fried ti-kueh. The little plastic box was cut apples that I prepared for ziyi, i think ziyi found it amusing to put together with other offering....

I think mil miss her daughter so much who passed away in a car accident almost 5 years ago, leaving 2 children and a husband behind. Now that her living husband is going to remarry, i think mil was upset, angry, sad, with a mixture of other feelings that made her visit her late daughter to have a heart to heart talk....

Well, sil... we do miss you dearly, and hope you find your never ending happiness up there.

Since we are up @ Kek lok si, Penang, I also took this opportunity to bring ziyi to the fish pond. I still have half a packet of fish food left in the car from last time.

Ziyi was all so excited with the fish and the fish food, with her older cousin taking care of her...

Picture of me and zihan taken by my eldest sil....

Ziyi joining the group of other kids feeding fish.

"Come fish come....."

Ziyi was so eager to share her fish food with other kids.. as always.....

Ziyi insisted I took picture of her with the snake.... I was so reluctant because of the hot weather and was carrying sleeping zihan... that'll explain her grumpy face and the close hands gesture. She won the battle... haha

Kuan Yin Statue under construction..... hmm.. it's been a while since I last brought ziyi up her to Kek Lok Si fish pond.....


What's more could I asked for..... a bowl of Air Itam Laksa afterwards.... Too bad I couldn't join mil n sil down there because of trouble to find parking space, and too troublesome to bring ziyi and zihan down in that hot weather.... But I had a tapao.... nice...

I am Mad

Just written up a long post about babywearing zihan on her first years.... and now it's all gone... dunno whether I have the mood to write up the same things again.... :(

Zihan is ONE

Zihan is 8.3kg, 73.8cm, and on enfagrow A+ 3 times a day, around 150ml each. The paediatrician said zihan did not gain weight since her check up 3 months ago, and suggest to give her vitamin supplements..... Zihan eats anything, most of the things that went into her mouth, only less than 5% came back out. So, I told our paediatrician that zihan doesn't need any supplement. Besides, I would be too lazy to remember to feed her the supplements anyway. Like ziyi, they both likes to eat durians.

Talking about durians, ziyi is so into durian that one morning when she half woke up, she said, "ziyi wants to eat durian...." hahaha

Zihan can now sit longer in the stroller, so I carry her less in a sling whenever we went out. Up till recently, I would carry zihan in a sling and rock her to sleep everytime during nap time of night time. Recently, I found out that zihan can actually sleeps by herself if we all lay down together, only takes a longer time.

Above picture was taken at the airport when I came back by myself from Medan and hubby mistaken my arrival time and still at home when we arrived, so ziyi helped me pushed zihan while I pushed our luggage up to the departure lounge to have McDonald while 3 of us waiting patiently for hubby.

Zihan inside the playpen. She now dare to take 2 steps and let go of her hands and stand up for 2 seconds... only inside the playpen.

Homemade swing.... with nets bought from Thailand many many years ago. That's the only time that zihan willing to sleep like that, and I took the opportunity to snap some pictures...

Whenever we go to Penang when my mother come to visit, zihan can sit in this highchair watching tv for a couple of hours, provided that we put on her favourite vcd. She is so concentrated with the tv that nothing can distract her attention away from the tv. Too much tv is not good? well, i know, but taking care of both kids by myself, tv is necessary....

I like taking pictures of their back.. it's so cute...

Zihan is fascinated with wheels, she will spend time to touch the stroller wheels, and quickly crawl to it whenever she saw the stroller lying around...

No problem sitting in the carseat for a few hours during day time... but cry when i drive by myself with ziyi and zihan in the carseat during night time..... nothing I did seems to quiet her down. Children music, singing with my crappy voice (which work very well with ziyi last time), talking to her.... zihan still cry. Then I figure out maybe she scared of the dark and switch on the lights for her.... immediately she stops crying and went to sleep....

Zihan was playing with cousin Shawn when my brother and his wife came to visit.

My mother with her three grandchildren. Ziyi was eating homemade huat koay by mil.

Mini celebration for zihan's birthday at home with all the food prepared by mil.... I am so phai seh for not being around to help... I was away the whole week to Penang because my mother and brothers n sister in law all came to visit. We even managed to have another studio photo shoots with all my family member from my mother's site.... much much better this time compare to the one I took for my wedding anniversary...

Unbelieveable

All these while, I am the one who is making the decision of what books to buy for ziyi. And she has also understand pretty well that mama would choose the books, papa pay money, and ziyi gets to read the books.

So, we went to MPH during the sales last week when my aunt and uncle from Jakarta came to visit. While my aunt was busy choosing books for her daughter, ziyi was also busy browsing every single items. She choosed several items that was either too expensive or not suitable for her age, and very obediently put back all the things that she wanted me to buy for her, after much explanation and reasoning from me.

I went and browse books for myself while my aunt looking after ziyi for a while. And when we all finished and ready to make payment. Ziyi was telling me that she is getting a princess book and her ipoh was going to pay money. I checked the book out, close to RM30, a bit pricy for an activity book, and furthermore, not yet suitable for her age. And I was telling ziyi, "too expensive, and too big for you, put it back lah", Ziyi said, "NO, ipoh is paying money" and quickly grabbed the book from my hands and put it with the other piles of books that my aunt has chosen. I was shocked and surprised that ziyi actually know that the one who pay money is the BOSS, and I have no right to make any further decision as I was not the one who pay money.... kek sei ngo X 10times....

There she was, very tired and fall asleep after her ipoh pay money for the princess book she chosen.

Ziyi with ie-kung @ Goh Swee kee restaurant in Penang. I love the oni (yam paste dessert)

Her ipoh that was paying money for the book on the right.

The princess book that she has chosen. Ziyi is all mad about princesses and everything in pink lately.
My books. It's been a long long time since I last buy book for myself.

Step One ALmost Completed

We were up early today, leave home at 5.30am for KL and back home in one day. I need to apply for a visa in person at the Spain Embassy. Yes! I am going to Europe this October with hubby, my 2 kids,. mil, and my mother. It's so much trouble with Indonesian, we need to apply visa for everything.

I was thinking of leaving zihan behind with mil while hubby, ziyi, and I head to KL to submit my visa application, but I didn't see mil around since Sunday. Same tradition, where everyone will go everywhere without anyone business. I am getting used to it and actually starting to love this free do-what-I-want attitude but still live in harmony under one roof.... hehe

In preparation for our long long journey. I had ziyi and zihan ready the night before. I gave them shower and changed them in clothes that's was comfortable for sleeping and for outing. So when we are ready in the morning, I would just carried them and strapped them into their carseat, and they will continue their sleep on the journey. Luckily zihan didn't do her big business during our trip, and only did her poop as soon as we reach home. While we made a few stops for us and ziyi to go to the toilet. Ziyi and zihan were very well behave throughout the whole car trip.... I am glad and relieved.

So what was I up to? I have been sleeping very early (beyond 2am) when I was home during the last months. I have been busy organising our trip to Europe this October. We will travelling on our own and visit 3 places, Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris. So I have been busy looking for accommodations, searching, selecting, and confirming @ 3 places that we are going to visit. Plus zihan was having her first birthday last week, and my family also came to celebrate and I was away in Penang for the last whole week.... hm... have lots of ideas for my blog but didn't have the mood to update.... sigh...

First Visit to the Dentist

Finally I managed to book an appointment for ziyi to visit dentist for the first time. The dentist checked her teeth and we decided to fixed the upper front two first. Ziyi was very cooperative, she can sit quite still, let the dentist pick on her front teeth in preparation for the filling. Also can sit very quietly when the dentist insert a plastic barrier in between her teeth to do the filling. Only a little bit resistance during the filling part and ziyi had to got up and gargle her mouth with water....

Ziyi stopped being cooperative during the last step, polishing. I think she was so feared with the sound of the polishing grinder with water splashing, also added water suction. The sound was overwhelming, and i think the polishing act also left a geli feeling... So no polishing. The total cost for the visit was RM80....

Thanks to the dentist that let me take pictures.... I am so proud of ziyi. I remember I was very uncooperative during dentist visit when I was small... I hate going to the dentist....

Biting Nails

This is the latest habit of my ziyi. She would bite ALL her nails, both hands and both legs. I haven't cut her nails for a while. I tried to cut her nails really really short when she was sleeping one night, only to find she stills bites her nails the following day.

I am really out of idea until I read this moments ago. SOLUTION FOR NAIL BITERS. Hopefully she will stop her nail biting habits after I applied the solution. Gotta find it quick @ Guardian tomorrow.

After reading that, I also came out with a new idea, which is to buy nail arts and stick them on her fingers and toes. Just wonder whether there are nail arts in kids size....

My 3 Years Old Plus 1 Month

It has been more than a months since ziyi's last birthday. I yet have to find my mood to update my blog. But most of the time, ideas just ran around inside my head and never end up on my blog. During last month, I was also away to Jakarta for more than a week. This is picture of ziyi taken in Jakarta by one of my aunties. Ziyi is now 97.5cm tall and weigh 15kg. Drinks enfagrow A+ 2 to 3 times a day, between 100 - 150 ml. But this couple of months, she was drinking her milk from bottle exceptionally sloooow, most of the time until she felt asleep. This is not good for her teeth, but i yet have to find a way to tackle this. Switch from bottle to cup? Easier said than done... hehe

Enfagrow A+ price has rose drastically in this last month, the last time I saw was only RM78+ for a 1.7kf tin, now it went up to RM88+... CRAZY!! I think i rather find an cheaper alternative. Or wait and wait for a promotion....

She would insisted to put her own toothpaste on her own toothbrush, and brush her teeth by herself. Of course, I took over and finished brushing her teeth and tongue off properly. Even that, I already found 3 holes in 3 of her teeth lately. Thinking about going to a dental soon. Any recommendation?

Sometimes, she is so protective and caring with her little sister. This is zihan first time riding on a motion ride. She was scared.

Ziyi is very impatient and quick in almost everything (except the eating rice part). There she was, already finished with her own art work, and she went over to my friend's daughter to HELP. Of course her help wasn't very welcome. Ziyi was too kepoh.

She was very happy when I let her played around watering plants @ my grandpa's house in Jakarta.

Love playground so much, only when there are friends around. She get bored easily and like to explore other alternatives......

..... like painting. It was a very expensive activity in Jakarta, costing around RM10+ for a picture canvas and paint. She insisted that she wants painting and wants to paint BY HERSELF.

I like tutu skirts.... And I found this pink tutu in Jakarta... Ziyi likes to dance in it. I wouldn't make this tutu as her outing wear, but rather as a toy where she can take it out, and wear it, and dance in it whenever she likes.

Ziyi smiling and posing for me to take her picture.

This is my favourite shot. Guess what ziyi was trying to do sitting on the floor with the fly hitter on one hand and a broom on the other hand..... Yes! She was trying to hit ANTS with the fly hitter, and I guess that she would used the broom to sweep away the ants that she killed.

As zihan is approaching one years old. They are getting more along in playing. I guess I can be a little bit relax in a few more months....

Ziyi's skill in throwing ball is improving. She can throw in a straight line most of the time with some power. She can even make the ball roll on the floor.

Sometimes ziyi can be quite jealous with her sister and won't let zihan touch her toys. Especially when ziyi is in a just wake up mood, or when she just get a scold from me...

There my 3 year old ziyi. She is now becoming more and more cleverer in nagging. I would call her queen of nagging. She would nag and nag and nag and nag until she gets what she wants. She doesn't understand WAIT! which sometimes test my limit. For example, she would say "ziyi wants painting" REPEATEDLY until she gets all the necessary equipments to do the painting. Or when she wants to watch playhouse disney, she would say, "ziyi wants SIX ONE THREE, SIX ONE THREE, SIX ONE THREE" until we all gave up and let her watch her 613 playhouse disney channel on Astro..... and many many more....

Ziyi also starting to talk a lot and ask questions, "Ma, what do this?", which I have to correct her most of the time "WHAT IS THIS?", and she will repeat the same questions again and again and again until i give her the answer.

Handling a 3 year old is certainly a new challenge for me.

Zihan can wave BYEBYE

Yeah! Finally zihan can do something. She can wave byebye. I only realized her new found ability 2 days ago at a shopping mall, when we were saying byebye to the shop attendant, and I noticed zihan's hand also up and wave byebye. I was carrying her in a sling....

We have been teaching her to wave byebye, kissbye. And we practise everyday when hubby is about to go to work everyday.... I guess she is learning...

I am happy and pleased as a mother.. :)

Give me FIVE

It was our 5th wedding anniversary last last Saturday, and I managed to persuade my super busy and super reluctant hubby for a photo studio shoot. I would like something as a keepsake when I get older.... This is the quick second time studio shoot since our prewedding shoot 5 years ago. Even ziyi never went on for a studio shoot.
My favourite shoot of zihan.
Ziyi was very uncooperative during the shoot. Unlike usually she would pose when I took out my camera. She was running around the studio playing with the toys. Ziyi also insisted that I put lipstick on her lips after seeing my lips in red. She knew because I never put on any makeup or lipstick whenever we went out. But seeing her phopho or other aunties did their make up, she was very well aware of the steps.
I was only applied some lipstick on her lips, but she was asking for some red powder to put on her cheek, her eyebrow, and her eyelid. I need to pretend to put all those for her to prevent her from throwing tantrums.
So all the outcome of ziyi's photos were very still and open mouth because of the lipstick.Our family shoot with mil. I didn't managed to get fil to the scene because he was too busy.. hehe.. Lucky enough to have mil in the shoot, because she is also a reluctant type to do this type of studio photo shooting things....Then we proceeded to Rasa Sayang Resort for our dinner... with 2 kids. To be honest, it wasn't a very pleasant dining experience with my 2 girls. I made the point that we are to spend on quality food at least once a year. Well, my birthday, ziyi birthday, our anniversary, and zihan birthday all fell in 3 consecutive months. I think we deserved a big dinner in between..Zihan was not very cooperative since the beginning, unlike usual. I thought I would make it smoothly at out entire dining experience. Zihan usually very tham ciak and greedy girl who would sit quietly during our entire meal. But just for that day, she refuses half of the food i offered.I even need to take our hubby's phone to entertain her, but didn't catch her attention for very long, even get a soft reminder from the waiter for the loud noises.... So I quickly swallow the beef steak and forgot about the taste...But the free chocolate at the end was nice, ziyi ate 2 pieces. And the waiter immediately gave us another plate. But we were too full to eat. So sayang, should have tapao and slowly eat at home, considering it was such an expensive meal for the night...But one unenjoyable experience is still one memory to remember. We have a short walk to Gurney plaza afterwards. I like this post of father and daughter from the back holding hand in hand....

Our family shoot.... with zihan in the state of almost sleeping.... and ziyi at the edge of throwing tantrums.... luckily it all went fine....