Flash Back Friday

This photo reminds me of the fastastic time we had at Bali two years ago. This was taken pre-baby. Bali is a place with a good mixture of adventures and tranquility.

I would definitely love to go back to Bali again.



What is Attachment? from Attachment Parenting International

"Parenting is not done through a book nor with a goal.
It is done solely with your heart and your soul. " - Beadsyy's Diary

My Crawling Baby

Greatness! I witnessed my baby crawling this afternoon. OH MINE!! Totally epic... (but pardon for another silent movie. It's strange that how the sound is omited after editing with Windows Live Movie Maker. Does anybody know how to solve this problem?)

Mommy is totally over the top today!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

 

Recipe to Anger Management

Last night, Hubby and I were having a casual chat before bed. I can’t recall what the chat was exactly about and why it turned out in a different way. I just knew that my hubby commented in a way I was not expecting him to about some decision or thing I did; with his impatient tone. At least, that was how I felt.

So the next moment was: I snapped. I lost my temper (in a passive aggressive way) and I cut my hubby short when he told me how much he appreciated his boss for his understanding. I did not yell and I don’t have to. My tone and body language was good enough to send him the message: “I’m pissed”. But at the very instant after I snapped, I regretted. I thought “Shit! Yvonne, not again!”

I knew this is (one of) my worst shortcomings; getting pissed when things do not go my way and not able to control my anger. Of course, this wasn’t the first time that anger had gotten the better of me and my sarcasm drove him away. And the way he responds is usually to walk away from that situation so that he can cool himself (and myself) too.

This always makes me very guilty for what I had done. Of course, most of the time, my ego (yes! the next evil-doer) will get the better of me and I will continue to sulk silently, refusing to be sorry for what I did or say. Sometimes, sorry seems to be the hardest word (no pun intended) to say.

But believe me, I am learning to improve my anger management every day. I felt being angry does not make me a better and happy person in any way. It’s definitely a lose-lose situation. I am learning to be more conscious of what goes around in my head (my thoughts), what comes out of my mouth and how I say it (my words). Sometimes, it’s the tone that is more of a conversation-killer than the words.

Below are some ways I use to help me manage my anger:

Self Acknowledgement
That’s when I agree I have THAT problem. As I grow older wiser by the years, I have learnt to understand myself better: How I think and behave, what are my needs and how I can give. Self acknowledgement is definitely the most crucial step before you can take on the next step in improving oneself. Through this, I also learn the best ways to deal with the problem.

 

Finding my own recipe
I don’t mean the recipes we used to whip a dish. But your own recipe to resolve anger. There are many ways to do it and most importantly, to find out what work best for you. For myself, if it’s a mild case, I prefer to talk or text it out, walk out of the situation, take a warm shower and followed by get a good sleep. But there are times such mild treatments are not good enough. When I feel REALLY angry and I know I need to get physical, I will either punch my pillows (or hubby if he allows! He is strong.), scream into my pillows (they are good buffers) or scribble, stabbed into papers with my pen or just rip some old magazines (thick coverpages are the best!) Sometimes, you just need to let it ALL out.

 

Suppressed my EGO
“Marriage is not a simple love affair, it's an ordeal, and the ordeal is the sacrifice of ego to a relationship in which two have become one. ~ Joseph Campbell” I can’t agree more! It’s no longer about the “I” but the “we” now.

 

Read About It
Whenever I feel I have an emotional or behavioral problem or situations that make me really mad (all the time), I will research and read articles about it. I am curious to know why I behaved in that way, am I normal if I do so and how I can solve my problem or deal with the situation when I am faced with it again. And internet is definitely the best place to find ALL my answers.

Living by quotes

“Give up all bad qualities in you, banish the ego and develop the spirit of surrender. You will then experience Bliss.” - Sri Sathya Sai Baba
I love to read and get inspired by quotes. They are simple but yet those few words or sentences are impeccable!
“If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It's very important to be aware of them every time they come up.” – Deepak Chopra

Self Reflection

constantly! To see through and understand yourself. Think about the bad and good you have done and the effects it has on others and yourself. I do a lot of self-reflection as I try my best to be a better person every day. Another way is to write a diary or an online diary – blogging. In this way, I will always be reminded of what I had said and to be accountable for it.
 

So what is your recipe to anger management?

I have a very understanding in-law. ((:

P.S: Anyway FYI, we were lovey-dovey after a short time-out and the night ended off peacefully. ((:

My Sleeping Child

Something strange is happening lately. Allysa has developed some wierd behaviour each night before she sleeps.

This is how our (usual)bedtime routine goes:

#1

By 10p.m, my darling will have her last feed.

#2

That's followed by our favourite bedtime story "The Going To Bed Book" by Sandra Boyton. It's short, simple and humorous. I love Sandra Boyton's books. And I can recite this story by heart now. ((:

#3

She will have some water before I place her on her cot.

#4

And if I'm lucky, she will probably fall asleep on her own. But that happened only once and lady luck hasn't been shining since.
#5

Anyway the usual is, I will rock and pat my girl to sleep in my arms. I treat this as a good time to get some toning for my biceps and triceps. Positivity is important!

 

#6

And here comes the bizarre bit: When she is falling asleep, she will start to grunt and moan alot. It's like saying her last bit before she sleeps. Probably she is saying things like " I don't want to sleep, Mom...I don't want to sleep, Mom...I don't want to sleep, Mom..."

#7

And follow by, pulling my specs, gorging my eyes, sticking her fingers into my nostrils or mouth (or both and nostril first!) I totally don't get this "routine" she has developed. I have been observing this for the past week. And how am I dealing with it? I just find it seriously...totally....absurdly....hilarious! Why but all these?

#8

And lastly, she will grunt and moan(again) till she falls asleep...*continue from #6. "I don't want to sleep, Mom...I don't ...want....to....zzzzzz".

#9

And if you think it's time to place her in her cot. You are SO WRONG! I had gotten tricked a few times whereby she woke up like a bunny when I placed her down. And I have to start from #5 all over again!

 

#10

In order to make sure she is really asleep, I have to rock and pat her a little longer before I place her down on her cot.

I know how some moms tried different ways to train their children to sleep on their own. There were the favourable and non-favourable methods. I tried both. But I guess at the end of the day, somehow and sometime later, my girl will be able to fall asleep without Mama's rocking. And probably when the time comes, I will be missing the days of rocking, patting, eyes gorging and nostrils digging.

Till then, I shall savour the blissfulness of cuddling and rocking my baby girl in my arms.

 

UPDATED: Poster to aid children in Japan - A Worthy Cause!

POST UPDATE: Please click here.

110311

The day that shook the world once again.

A massive magnitude of 9.0 earthquake followed by tsunami had caused a list of major catastrophic events to Japan.

Day after day, sadness filled the world. Newspapers, TVs, Internet are filled with reports after reports of the disatrous event.

Especially as a mom, it saddens me to see babies and children homeless and fighting daily to survive. Life is so unpredictable and fragile.

Once again, I was reminded to treasure my love ones and never take anyone or anything for granted. Most importantly, to remember to be thankful for what we have and live in contentment. I felt blessed to be living in disater-free Singapore.

They need our support and help. Blog Guidebook is offering a new poster design to help the children and families who have been affected. All proceeds will go to Save The Children: Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund."

Alternatively, you can visit here to donate. And once again, I felt empower to blog.

Do your part. Help spread the love.

Post Edit: I have just found out that another fellow Singapore Mom blogger is doing her part in fund raising as well. Mama J from Mum in the Making makes her own nursing covers. Currently, she will be donating SGD$5 for every cover sold. Hop on over to support Mama J's effort.

Happiness Project Week 1: Ribbons & Bows

I have never like ribbons and bows as much as I do now. What's cuter than a little baby girl adorning a pretty ribbon bow clip to match her little cute outfits?



Just a regular hair clip but love how it matches my baby's dress! Sweet ^^



Cuteness!

Dots or stripes.

 

Plain or colourful.

 

Satin or grosgrain.



(source)



I love them all.



Allysa's (& my) new collection



Ribbons and bows...Oh! How I love thee.

The Art Of Capturing Happiness

There is something about photographs that intrigues me. I love browsing at photographs of all subjects especially those beautiful backlit photographs, photography quotes and portraiture photographs of happy families. It just brings about the poignant stories behind each and every photograph. It’s like the photographs come alive and I was right there at that moment and place. Simply Magical and Inspirational.

with iPhone and edited with LomoLomo app

I have never been particularly interested in the art of photography. All I do was the usual point and shoot with my digital camera or mobile phone. It’s just simple “camwhoring” for fun. I am a total selfie.
 

 



Only recently, after the birth of Allysa, I knew right away that I wanted to capture all the beautiful moments that are happening in my life; every second, every minute of it.

 

Life's beautiful

the A-Ha moment!

 

When I started blogging, then I tapped a little deeper into photo-editing programmes. It’s definitely a whole new arena and I can’t say how much fun and satisfaction I experienced whenever I finished edited a piece of art.

sorta my first work

edited this. Love the effects too!

with iPhone and edited with Instagram. Simply...Cool!

It’s just amazing to see that the same photograph can omit a different feel when presented differently. Having said this, of course I’m not an expert at this moment. At least, not right now. But I know soon, you will see better works from me. Photographs that tell stories and inspire too.

I promise.   

Walk With Me (For my dearest hubby)

Sometime ago, my hubby requested that I design a collage of our photos so he can use it as his lappy's wallpaper. And then, I have an idea after my earlier post.

Hope you like it!

Walk With Me

Allysa is growing up very quickly! She never fails to amaze me with her new development. Like on Monday, she miraculously picked herself up from her tummy to sitting position.

Pardon me for this mime and bad lightings. Taken with my iPhone which was available when this happened. But then, I'm just too thrilled to complain. And Hurray to my first success of posting a video on my blog! 

Besides this, Allysa enjoys moving around (alot) now. She doesn’t quite like to be restricted in a stroller nor in our arms now. This little lady can’t wait to acquire her freedom to walk.



Walk With Me Daddy

Walk alongside me, Daddy and hold my little hand.
I have so many things to learn that I don’t understand.

Teach me things to keep me safe from dangers every day.
Show me how to do my best at home, at school and at play.

Every child needs a gentle hand to guide them as they grow.
So walk alongside me, Daddy -
We have a long way to go.”

Helen Bush

 

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

 

A Taste of Mynamar

Yesterday, I got the chance to try this special Burmese Tofu Salad that was prepared by a relative’s helper from Myanmar, of course. It was much to my delight that I get to savour this very interesting version of Tofu.

Unlike the usual tofu, Burmese tofu is actually made out of chickpea flour, also known as besan flour. The flour is mixed with water, turmeric, and a little salt and heated, stirring constantly, until it reaches a creamy consistency. It is then transferred into a tray and allowed to set. It is matte yellow in colour, jelly-like but firm in consistency, and does not crumble when cut or sliced. It may be eaten fresh as a salad or deep fried. It may also be sliced and dried to make crackers for deep frying.

So yesterday, we had the salad version. This is a highly nutritional dish as chickpeas are a good source of folate and protein.

Burmese Tofu

3 cups Chick-pea flour(Pare Hmont)(Garam Dhal Powder) 15 cups water 1 tsp. vegetable oil 1/4 tsp. ground tumeric (yellow powder) 1 tsp. salt

Mix the chick-pea flour and water together with a whisk or eggbeater. Let stand overnight, about 12 hours. Next day, strain the mixture through a thin cotton cloth slowly. Scrape out the residue from the cloth and discard it. Let the balance of the liquid settle for 3 hours. With a soup ladle, carefully remove 6 cups of liquid from the top of the mixture without disturbing the balance. Discard the 6 cups liquid you have removed. Rub the bottom of a large pan with the oil. Pour in almost all of the balance of the liquid (9 cups) and add the turmeric and salt. What remains in the original pan is thick chick-pea sludge, about a cup. This should be reserved in a bowl for future use. Bring to a boil the 9 cups of liquid and cook over moderate heat for 30 minutes, stirring continuously. At this time, add the chick-pea sludge, which is a thickening agent, and continue to cook over low heat for 10 minutes more, stirring the thick mixture firmly. Remove the pan from heat. Turn out the mixture into a tray 12x4 inches and 3 inches deep, lined with a clean, cotton cloth. Cool completely, uncovered, overnight. At this stage, you may slice the firm tofu into pieces of whatever size you wish. It is ready to use. To make a salad- A few pieces of tofu, some shredded cabbage, pea shoots and onion slices. Drizzled with sesame oil and sweet soya sauce. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and deep-fried garlic on top. Voila! To fry- Cut the tofu into 2 inch square pieces 2/3 inch thick and deep fry them in oil for a few seconds. Happy Tasty Tuesday! Hope you will enjoy this interesting and healthy tofu dish.

I can do a scout

Don't get me wrong. Don't even go there. I am not doing anything with a scout boy. This morning, I had a little scout approaching my door with a very tempting offer. Too tempting for a crazy- stay home Mom who is plagued by mess and chores to clear on a beautiful Monday morning. He said that it is scout week and would like to offer his help for any job. ANY JOB?!

We had one visit yesterday and it was tended by my hubby whom nicely rejected his offer for labour and still contributed to their fund raising campaign. I thought maybe I could do a scout if I met one. So there this morning, I met one but I rejected his offer.

Seriously, how could I get this poor scout boy to help me with my chaos? Besides, what does he know and what can he do? Can he clean up to my standard? Does he even help his poor mom to clean up his own room? And if he helped and did not do a thorough job, isn't it a total waste of my time to redo things all over again? I might as well spent the time doing things myself which is definitely more efficient for a time constraint mom?

In my case, it's only six days max!

It drives me nuts just by managing the cleaning and tidying work in our bedroom shared by three - My hubby, me and of course, our baby. We co-sleep together, with Allysa's cot placed just by my side of the bed. We had removed one side of the gate so I will be able to access to Baby with ease, especially in the wee hours of the night as I fight the pop-the-pacifier and unturn-the-rolling-baby battles. Before this, when we weren't so smart, I had to get up and out of our bed, walked to her cot and checked what was happening whenever Allysa cried. Usually, it was the case of searching for her pacifier (it dropped out of her mouth after she fell into deep sleep) and it can happen MANY times in a night. It killed me. Period. Plus I was a c-sec Mom and it did not quite help when I had to do a lot of crunches act a night. Lo and behold, my dear hubby finally suggested that MAYBE we can remove one side of the gate to facilitate my nightly duties. I was liked "OKAY! THANKS so much for telling me, like SIX MONTHS LATER?" But anyways, I am just glad that the nightly crunches acts are minimized now.

I just hate to do chores. But I love tidiness. Probably, this is the reason that I get upset when my room is in a mess again. I am definitely not your typical domestic goddess who keeps the house spick and span in a chanel tweed suit while looking clean and groomed. I am sure Anthea Turner will cringe and freak on the sight of my room. I am definitely not the perfect housewife. But it probably does not give me quite enough reasons not to keep the room in a good condition since I am a full time stay home mom now? Well, after all what I do at home are only nappy-changing, baby-bathing, baby-playing, baby-feeding, porridge-cooking, milk-preparing, laundry-folding, toys-cleaning and if I am lucky, I could squeeze in time for blog-blogging and net-surfing.  

It only makes matter worse when you are not just cleaning the regular dust and fuss in the room and baby’s but also cleaning up after a thirty-something grown up. You get me? This drives me crazy than any other thing! Men… arrgghh…Of course, I am sure you might have met a tidy one. Lucky you!



Some day, my prince househusband will come

So till the day I magically transform into a domestic goddess or discover a magical wand that cleans up my room in a swipe or two, I shall just submit myself to this routine of cleaning and whining as your barely homemaking stay home mom.
(Oh yes. and blogging is done in the midst of all cleaning. I need a break!)

Back to DSLR

If you have realised the way my photographs are taken lately, you might have guessed what happened to my Nikon DSLR. Yes, it was chucked and piled up on my shelf, amidst my magazines and books. It was all filled with dust when I brought it down last night. I admit I am not very good with taking care of my things even not-so-cheap buys like my DSLR. Guilty. I gave my camera a good dusting and turned it on again; followed by some shots of my baby girl who was just playing casually at her play corner.

Since I got my iPhone, I have stopped taking photographs with my DSLR. Of course the major disadvantage about it is the hefty weight and bulkiness. And it's not as accessible as my mobile. Sometimes, when I want to take some spontaneous shots of baby, I hate it when I have to go all the way to my cupboard and unload my camera from my cam bag (and that's why I stooped to leaving the camera on the shelf). I felt it's too much of a hassle.

But last night, I just felt that, still, my DSLR is the best. Seriously, the quality of my cheat-edited shots (taken with iPhone)came nothing close to those taken with my DSLR. And I just love to hear the clicking sound again. I made a promise to myself last night. That I need to improve on my photography knowledge and skills. Till now, I have not really read through the manual. Nor do I understand terms like aperture or the figures that just appeared on the LCD screen. I'm just clueless about it all. I have been sitting on this for the longest time.

I am excited about the new project I am going to embark on. And that brings me back to my 2011 resolutions. Damn! Told ya, pregnancy screwed my memory. Anyway, I am so-going to get myself more new add-ons for my camera. Whoo Hoo...time for more shopping!

Five Question Friday

Howdy! It’s time for Five Question Friday with Mama M and Think & Tell with Yvonne.

1.     Do you know what your REAL hair color is?

Of course I do. It’s black. But to jazz it up a little, I got it coloured dark brown so it doesn’t look too boring but yet suits my current lifestyle.

2.     Do you plan ahead for summer, or fly by the seat of your pants?

The latter! I love spontaneity and the element of surprise that comes with it. And being a Gemini, I am rather fickle and emotional. I believe that being happy with what I do is a choice too. So sticking strictly to the rules or conforming to the society is not quite my style. But I am definitely not a rebel though my mom might think likewise. ^^ Seriously, I guess it happens that my life was pretty much of a drama(past tense) but I learnt to embrace whatever comes to me with great optimism.

And I am glad my is only getting better than ever.

Can't get any better than this!

3.     What is your favorite meal to cook?

I would say it has gotta be my hubby’s favourite dish of mine - Seafood pasta and currently, Allysa’s porridge. Nothing beats seeing your loved ones enjoying your cooking.

 

4.     Do you get offended by not receiving thank yous?

Sometimes. And it pisses me more when there isn’t at least a smile of gratitude.

5.     How did you meet your best friend?

We met in secondary school when we were thirteen. We were classmates and coincidentally, joined the same extra curricular activities in school. I guess that's how our friendship blossomed. We have been best friends for more than a decade. Though we might not talk and meet up as often now, but the bond that we built is still as strong and lasting.

My best friend, Jamaine!

 

That’s all, folks! Stay tune next week for more Five Question Friday. And if would like to join in the fun, check it out at Mama M’s blog. And remember to leave me a comment so I can check your replies too.

Lo Amo Tortino al cioccolato dal cuore morbido

Or I love Molten Chocolate Cake. Recently, I tasted this divine dessert over my date night with Aloysius at La Villa. I sweared I was brought to heaven and back. The texture of the crusty cake mixed with the sweet taste of melted chocolate is simply to die for.

Besides the dessert, I love everything about the restaurant. I felt I was brought to Italy and enjoying our little Il bel far niente. What a lovely night!

 



 



Our Antipasto



Seafood Grill

 

Two very satisfied customers


And did I miss out anything? Whoo yes ....

Got to share this divine Molten Chocolate Cake recipe I got off the net.



 

Molten Chocolate Cake (Tortino al cioccolato dal cuore morbido)

Ingredients for 6 persons
5 Whole eggs 250 gr. (8.81 oz.)
150 gr. (5.29 oz.) Bitter cocoa powder sieved
250 gr. (8.81 oz.) Sugar
140 gr. (4.93 oz.) 0 Flour
130 gr. (4.58 oz.) Butter

1.     Butter 6 little cake moulds, lightly flour them and tap out the excess flour.

2.     In a mixing bowl, put the butter at room temperature, add sugar whisk it and slowly pour the eggs.

3.     Now it's time to add half flour previously sieved, and begin to stir.

4.     When the flour is amalgamated add half cocoa powder, stir always from bottom to top.

5.     When the cocoa powder is well amalgamated, add remaining flour, finally add remaining cocoa powder.

6.     Once batter reaches the right consistency transfer the chocolate batter to a pastry bag and fill the moulds.

7.     It's very important to freeze the batter before baking, in this way you will have the chocolate melted heart.

8.     When the chocolate cake is frozen and oven ready, put it into preheated oven at 220 degrees C (428 F.) for 8-10 minutes.

9.     Remove the cake from the mould, dust with cocoa powder, put into a plate and serve.

(Recipe source)