Here is the Winnie the Pooh cake

Looks like this photo, no?

A good ex-neighbour of ours tried some of it yesterday and was blown away by the taste.

"Where did you get such nice cake? As good as Creative Bake's!" She always orders Creative Bake cakes for her kids' birthdays. Her almost 3yo son, especially, loves Baby Bop, and at his 2yo birthday I saw a 3kg Baby Bop cake. It was yummy too, but I couldn't afford (nor can we finish) a 3kg cake!

So I guess for her son's next birthday at the end of the year, it'll be Prima Deli who has Barney cakes. Mine is from Bengawan Solo.

Happy Birthday Ruvie

Who is now sitting on my study floor saying, "Eh mamamam... Eh mamama..." to himself. He woke up this morning to Happy Birthday songs from Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore and Barney, and he loved them. We will be going for his birthday dinner at Crystal Jade Shanghai La Mian XiaoLongBao later this evening.

And we'll be collecting his Winnie the Pooh cake later from Bengawan Solo. When trying to decide what design to order earlier this month, I had been considering a Barney cake (official ones can be found at Prima Deli with a marzipan Barney pic, 10% off for UOB and HSBC card holders ). Turned out the little one prefers Pooh after all, because we bought him a Barney soft toy (granted it wasn't very soft), but he still prefers his Pooh bolster when he wants to nan-nan.

On a totally different note, Ruvie has lost loads of weight in the last year. All of my friends and relatives will remember how chubby he was when he was a baby (13kg at 10 months!) and now at 2yo, he is about 10.6kg, somewhere around his sister's weight when she was this age. So there you have it, breastfed babies will lose their puppy fat! And maybe, just MAYBE, he will be able to fit into the XL BrightBots which he outgrew at 6mo.

Now I need to go find something to satisfy my hunger since I know my family will never be able to "achieve" an early dinner.

Complain complain, life is so mundane

Update: The cake turned out rather eggy, and, somehow, not cheesy nor sour enough. I think I'll chuck this recipe out. Nothing beats Chantal's New York Cheesecake. But I also liked some other No Bake Cheesecake from the same site.

I am feeling rather bothered that I am bothered by the nitty gritty things of life. While some are talking about getting nominated for awards, others are discussing political issues and other more IMPORTANT subjects, like losing a loved one.

But here I am, stressed out because the kids are both sticky to me at the same time, my husband is in one of his Idon'tcareyousaidyouwouldhandleallthekidsissues moods, and the elder one is sick and I can't attend to her because I need to nurse the younger one to sleep and HE's refusing to let me go, and I HAVEN'T DONE MY LAUNDRY!! So MUNDANE... my worries seem.

I received an email from an old acquaintance yesterday, asking me how I am. I am so tempted to type all these words again, complaining about how I have so many little problems. After all, when people ask you "How are you?", they are really sincere and want to know how you really are, right? I've always felt obliged to tell the truth, in detail.

Thinking back, I've been pouring out sob stories to customers (closer ones), mailing lists and friends recently. In defence, I HAVE been ill the last 3 weeks, so bad I hardly even used the computer except for perhaps max 1-2hrs a day (now THAT's really little, ok). But again, it all seems so MUNDANE.

On second thought, what's wrong with being mundane? I am a stay-home mom turned work-at-home mom. My life centres around my family, my children. It was only because of my family that I developed the passion for all these parenting methods, which now are the backbone for my business. Breastfeeding, babywearing, EC, co-sleeping, all these came about because of my family. How else could I have the confidence to take over the store?

And routines are comforting (albeit my routines are not so fixed). Knowing the laundry is done, nobody is hungry, the kids are learning and growing everyday, everybody is healthy and strong... what more could make a mother satisfied? Surely anything else is only the icing on the cake?

I think I know where I stand now. I can do more to enhance my life, it is nowhere perfect, but at least I know that if I can at least fulfil the needs of my family, I know I have done my part as a mother. And from there, just like a child who knows his parent is always nearby to protect him and support him if necessary, I can go further.

And I have found a new recipe for lowfat cheesecake! Got all the ingredients, just need to find some spare time to make it! I LOVE baking!! Even my son can't wait to try it!

The Puppy learns to Bite

Sooner or later they all get to this stage, when they discover that their teeth have "killing power".

I've been nibbled on a couple of times the past few days, but only gently, whereas Daddy was actually ferociously bitten on the hand. Ruvie had gotten his hands on some safety pins and Daddy was trying to take them away, when he turned his head and chomped down on Daddy's offending hand.

Gosh... It was deep enough to bleed...

Why I Chose to Breastfeed my Kids beyond the First Year

My son is now almost 21 months old and when people without my circle of friends and relatives find out that I'm "still breastfeeding him", they invariably ask, "When do you intend to stop?"

My reply, also invariably, is "My daughter was nursed till she was 4 years 2 months old." And that, most invariably, leaves them open-mouthed and speechless.

Before I proceed, please be informed that Full Term Breastfeeding refers to breastfeeding a baby beyond the first year. Do not call it "extended" breastfeeding, because that would imply that breastfeeding beyond the first year is abnormal, and that is certainly not true.

Look, you tell me, we know breastfeeding is best for babies and all that, but surely 6 months, or at the longest, a year is way more than enough?

Not nearly enough for me. And I will tell you why.

1. Full Term Breastfeeding gives my child better health

As long as my child is drinking my milk, he receives antibodies, immune factors, and other scientifically as-yet-undetermined beneficial substances from me that helps him to battle viruses and bacteria so that he falls sick less often, and also to bounce back faster if and when he does fall ill. Don't believe ANYONE who tells you that breastmilk loses its health benefits after 3 months or 6 months, or whatever number of months they cook up. They display their ignorance of science by saying that.

2. Full Term Breastfeeding continues to promote bonding between me and my child

I am a busy WAHM (work at home mom) of 2 kids with no helper, no parents or in-laws to help me with childcare. With so many chores to do every day, I find it hard to fit much so-called quality time with my kids into my schedule. Breastfeeding my older child ensures I sit down at least a few times a day to have some close, body-to-body contact with him, and allows me to cherish his babyhood before time flies all too quickly away. During these quiet periods, my child and I enjoy the close proximity and love that we share.

3. Breastmilk never ceases to be the most complete food

Although children over a year old are usually already taking solids, my milk will always make sure that they get practically every nutrient they need. Especially when they reach that picky stage where they will eat nothing but french fries, or when they fall ill and have little appetite for table food.

4. Breastfeeding is still the most convenient

I am able to satisfy my child's hunger, thirst, and need for comfort and love, no matter where we are (ok, except when we are walking around a busy market).

5. Breastfeeding helps to calm my child in times of stress

Makes the toddler years easier. Hey, I need all the help I can get!

6. Nursing helps to put my child to bed

Bedtime struggles - sayonara!

7. Breastfeeding helps me to slim down

I'm still burning loads of calories through nursing my child each day. Again, I need all the help I can get!

8. Breastfeeding delays the return of my menstrual cycles

My cycles first returned when my daughter was 7.5 months old. With my 2nd, I stayed period-free till he was 19 months old. Besides having less mess, PMS and discomfort to deal with, I know that this is healthier for my body, as with fewer menstrual cycles, my system is exposed to less of the harmful effects of oestrogen. And this in turn lowers my risk of developing breast cancer. The longer I breastfeed, the lower my risk.

If you are breastfeeding a baby younger than 1 year of age and enjoy your nursing relationship with your child, but have been "advised" by people around you to stop, do think carefully before you supplement with formula or other milks. There is nothing harmful to you or your baby about Full Term Breastfeeding, and if you stop now and regret later, you may never be able to return to the past.

If you would like to ask me more about Full Term Breastfeeding, email me.

EC update: 20 months

Of late, and by that I mean the last couple weeks, Ruvie's been verbally communicating to us that he needs to pee. He usually stands with his feet slightly apart, and has an odd expression on his face (this is different from for poo). If we see it, we catch on and ask," Do you want to sheeshee?" Whereupon which he says "Ng-ng" (which actually means poo but yeah, he needs to go).

So off we go to the bathroom and he pees on cue, the little darling. Our pee miss count is down to one or two per day, including when he's with his Daddy.

Poo, though, must be CAUGHT by us. Just this morning, I was in the toilet myself, to be informed by Rayzel that "Ruvie ng-ng on the floor!" Ah well, that he can't really hold, except when he's outside, and he will try to inform me by looking very harried.

Are we looking at graduation phase 3 soon?

Live in the right country and nobody will nag you

I have often heard people on one of my mailing lists (it's called the big EC list) talking about how they received raised eyebrows and "Are you crazy?" looks whenever they mentioned that they have been gently potty training their babies. Some have even been rudely told off and ordered to shut-up.

In Singapore, if you talk about this, you will most likely get surprise, along the lines of, "Oh, is it possible? My mom told me she did this for me but I didn't really believe this can be done."

Part of this has to do with culture. Singapore (and other countries in this region) have a lot of Chinese, Malays and other ethnic minorities. People of generations past didn't have (much) access to disposables and probably couldn't afford to pay for them anyway. And they were smart. They didn't want to wash so many cloth diapers. They'd figured out that the best way is just to bring the baby to somewhere to do their business, after that clean up and move on.

What I am shocked about is why "mainstream" people in the West would go so far as to really be so negative about something they don't know about.

1st sex education lesson - 5yo

A few nights ago, my daughter came up to me holding a condom packet in her hand. "Mommy, what's this?"

I was peeling a pear. "Oh, it's called a condom."

"What's it for?"

"Well, it's for people to use when they don't want to have a baby."

Silence for a few seconds as she thought that out. Then, "But you and Daddy have Ruvie and me."

"Well love, we used this before we had you and Ruvie, before we were ready to have babies."

"Is it long or short?"

"It's neither. It's like a plastic tube, like a wrapper."

Silence again. "Mommy, after you and Daddy have enough babies, can you show me how to use it please?"

I almost CUT myself. Stupid pear d:)

"Oh, I think when you're a little older you will find out on your own how to use it; you won't need me to show you."

KYA???!!!

18.5 mths pp. total of 27.5mths

That I have been period-free. Ahh.. the wonders of breastfeeding, especially really nursing on demand and full term breastfeeding (which means nursing beyond one year).

So I started using my Mooncup today, a little apprehensively, but I am super pleased with the results. After the initial tension, I was able to relax and let it do its work. It's been so comfy that I would have forgotten if not for the cramps, and my ecstasy about finding the solution to my problems!

Top 10 UNUSUAL reasons to breastfeed

#10 -
Breastmilk can take the place of water when your kid is really thirsty and there's just no water available; just pop it in!

#9 -
Run out of facial wash? Use breastmilk as you would your facial wash and rinse off with warm water. Very moisturising!

#8 -
Breastmilk makes your coffee/tea/milo taste heavenly; add to your drink as you would creamer.

#7 -
Breastmilk can also help relieve the itch from mosquito bites; squirt some on the bite and rub it in.

#6 -
#Breastmilk is marvelous at curing sore eyes, something I've been really grateful for the last couple of weeks during which my almost-5yo girl often complained of "eyepain" and "eyeitch". She just did again tonight, which inspired me to write this post.

#5 -
Breastmilk can be used as an antiseptic when your kid gets a cut outside and there's nowhere to wash the wound. Squirt at the wound, do not rub. Air dry. Also applicable to adult wounds. (Sidenote: be a little more discreet when squirting)

#4 -
Want a larger bosom but implants are a no-no? Breastfeeding often gives women a larger cup size for the duration of breastfeeding or at least in the first year, so you can look better while being a mom! That is, if you WANT a larger cup size (like I do. ALL the time.) Might need you to spend more money on buying a bigger sized bra though.

#3 -
Got insomnia? During breastfeeding, your body releases a hormone called prolactin into your blood, which helps you to relax and (at least for me) feel sleepy.

#2 -
Breastfeeding gives me a reason to eat as much as I want, ANYTHING that I want, on account of all the calories that are burnt up during every nursing session. Bye bye diet, hello chocolate, ice cream, and other fattening stuff!

AND THE #1 UNUSUAL REASON TO BREASTFEED IS -
Breastfeeding can help you to eat more at a buffet; just nurse your kid and presto! you're hungry again!

Phrase of the Week

"I don't want."

"I DON'T want!"

This boy is getting more and more talkative. Converses with himself, and I can already tell that he will have fantastic projection like his mom d:) Really tough on our ears especially when we're in the car.

On the other hand, his pronunciation seems to be improving. Can even pick up Cantonese!

Btw if you're looking for a good roast meats for CNY, our fav is this stall in Loyang Industrial Estate, at the canteen there. Name's Chan Kwong Kee (Singapore). Not cheap, but worth every penny! Also makes a very satisfying lunch/dinner, if you happen to be in the area, and if they've still got any meats left. IME they sell out roast pork by dinnertime.

So that's what teeth are for!

Hi everyone, it's me again, Ruvie.

Let me begin by telling you what I like to do with my chompers these days. Firstly, I've got 4 nice big molars at the back of my mouth now, so I can eat a little more food, and bigger mouthfuls too, although still nowhere like the jiejie who lives two doors away and is only 5 months older than I am. And I've got this funny, small little tooth on my lower jaw, next to my incisors. Mommy simply cannot identify which type of tooth it is, because it's so slim.

Anyway, other than munching on whatever Daddy or Mommy or Jiejie is eating ( I insist on tasting even if they tell me it's "spicy", what's "spicy"? Can eat or not?), I love to BITE PEOPLE, heh heh heh! I've bitten Mommy many many times, on her thighs, tummy, arms, regardless of whether there's any cloth on it or not. Even once on milky! Daddy and Jiejie haven't gotten so many little nicks because they don't hold or hug me as much as Mommy does.

Other things I like to take a bite from are pillows, the bolster, my soft soccer ball which is made from some pseudo leather (wah, I know how to use the word "pseudo" somemore), and even Jiejie's and my shoes! But somehow Mommy and Daddy always come and snatch the shoe away once they spot me.

If I knew it was so fun to bite people and things, I would have done it earlier! It doesn't hurt anyway right? Well, when Mommy uses her teeth to bite me, it doesn't hurt at all. In fact, it's even ticklish and makes me laugh! So if it doesn't hurt me, then I guess it doesn't hurt them either.

Yay! I love my teeth!

"No?"

He has picked it up from his almost-5yo jiejie.

"Are you sleepy?" "No?"
"Do you want milky?" "No?"
Anything that is phrased in the intonation of a question, even if it isn't directed at him, will receive a pre-recorded "No?". Sends us into hysterics sometimes. We are trying to counter it by having Ray reply "Yes" to some premeditated questions.

And guess who is beginning to throw tantrums at 16mo. "Fake" crying, lying down on the floor and wailing, is all part of the process as he picks up loads from his jiejie. Which is why we really need to teach Ray well, so she can set a good example for Ruvie.

It has finally happened

This is the first time my 4yo is away from me for a night, and it feels strange. She's been admitted to KKH for observation of shortness of breath and bronchitis, and Dad's with her. Baby and I came home about 12mn and after lots of fussing and crying, he's finally asleep.

I look back and realise that this is only the start of her growing up, that there will be so many more nights, as she grows up, when she will be away from me, and be fine about it. I can still recall so many scenes when she refused to have anyone but Mummy, even for a nap, because she needed to nurse to be happy enough to sleep.

And yet, what a change - recently I offered to nurse her, but she giggled and said, "No thanks!" I asked her," Don't you want to nurse?" "I don't want," came the answer. She doesn't remember how to latch on, she told me.

I guess most of her independence came after weaning. As long as she didn't need to nurse to sleep, she was fine, generally. But my boy, on the other hand, CAN sleep without nursing, that is, if he isn't with me, or if he's in his childseat and I'm driving.

I feel a little sad... But I know it's time to move on.

PASS THE WINE, SOMEBODY!

Newly Mobile

Passed on my first try! Pop the champagne!

But I might have beaten a red light yesterday, gulp.

Oh well, it's good to be independent and not have to wait for the-only-one-who-could-drive to bring me out for errands. Makes my business so much more, er, run-a-ble.

Now to organise an EC gathering, something I've wanted to do for so long.

Anyone wants to offer their house?

How do you measure a year?

365 days? 365 and 1/4 days? 52 weeks? In terms of hours, minutes and seconds? In terms of the joy and sadness, ups and downs, that you went through?

A year ago, I was experiencing labour contractions for the first time in my life, although it was my second baby. I never expected it to feel like THAT. And of course I'd hoped and hoped that it wouldn't end like THIS. But the outcome was positive for both of us, mother and baby.

I'd dreamed of my baby all through my pregnancy. Sometimes, it was a girl. Sometimes, it was a boy. And other times, I didn't know the gender! But when I asked my husband, is it a boy or a girl, in the OT, he took a look, smiled a sheepish smile, and said, BOY.

And Reuvel was here to stay.

I am the Prince of Mischief

Hello again everybody,

Today I want to tell you about my pastimes. You must be very surprised - wow, I have pastimes at 11mths of age? Why yes!

One of my favs is crawling over to the clothes bureau, pulling the bottom drawer out (I'd do the higher ones if I can reach them), and throwing ALL the neatly folded clothes inside (my jiejie's) onto the floor. I pretend I'm digging for buried treasure. But I absolutely detest it when Mom and Jiejie start shouting, "No Ruvie don't!" and rush over to erase all my efforts. They usually barr me from opening the drawer again. Hey! How am I supposed to find any treasure?

As a variation, I sometimes try to pull and throw piles of neatly folded laundry which Mom or Dad has stacked up on the foam mats, so they have to fold the laundry again. I am of the opinion that they don't have enough work to do, so I generally sneak up when they are absorbed in watching TV.

Let's see... What else do I like to do? Ah yes, recently I have taken to playing with the shoes which are placed next to the front door. After handling them all over, I sometimes chew on them a bit. Everybody else seems to see something wrong with this, because as soon as they see me doing it they'll come over and take me away. And Mom calls me a puppy. Why?

And I dunno why, but these days, when we're home, I don't like to go when Mom brings me to the toilet or potty, even if I know I need to go. However, after she gives up and leaves me be, I will do a huge pee or poo and Mom will have to clean me and it up. Perhaps it's because I'm crawling now and learning more and more things everyday so I can't be bothered to do little things like pottying. Just today, I did a huge poo right next to the potty in the STUDY and was playing with it when Mom returned from the kitchen. She went up in smoke of course, but couldn't be angry with me for more than 1 second.

But although I create a lot of chaos for Mom, I know that she is very glad that I can now hold my pee all through the night till the next morning. I am also happy that Mom can now sleep more and better at night because of this.

I wonder what else I can cook up tomorrow...

Two Milkies Are Better Than One

Hi everybody,

My name is Ruvie. I am 11mo now, and I will be 1yo soon. Wow! I can't believe I've already been in this world for almost a year now, and I've learnt a lot about the people around me.

For example, last month, I learnt that my mommy has TWO milkies, yay! In the past, I usually had "milky", and I didn't understand why sometimes I had to close my left eye, and sometimes I had to close my right. But one day, when Mom was lying down flat on the bed, I crawled over to latch on to "milky", and then hey! I could see another!

Immediately I let go and moved to "um" the other one, and then hey! There's the first one again, peeping at me! So I let go to go back to the other one, and so on and so forth, causing my mommy lots of anguish because I had let go in the middle of a letdown and milk was spraying all over my face and wetting mom's bed.

Oh well. I LURRRVE MILKY!!!

WAHM now

Phew... I never knew running my own business would be so tiring and mind-boggling.

Thankfully, I don't have to do the financial planning, but getting everything in order, trying to stay ahead of the competition ON TOP OF running the family is taking its toll on me. I've been getting this neck stiffness a lot. It doesn't go away with massage (not that I get much of that anyway), keeps me from falling asleep, makes me real gonggong at times.

However I also suspect it's got something to do with my fan or eMac. ARGHHHH!

I just thought this belonged here

Hello everyone,

I have two kids - Ray 4yo, and Reu 10mo. When I became a mother for the first time, I didn't do any research on parenting, and just assumed things would come naturally. Boy was I wrong! It was only through much trial and error that I finally found my groove to parent as my instincts told me, and subsequently, I found out that what I'd been doing all along had a name - Attachment Parenting.

It began with breastfeeding - something that I felt was the only way I would feed my babies, not only because of its uncountable benefits to baby and mommy, nor because I totally didn't believe in formula, but mainly because I felt it was the right thing to do. And so, I nursed Ray on and on, despite lots of obstacles and always having to bear with the naysayers. Later, my son Reu was born when his sister was 3.5yo, and since neither of us was ready to wean, I tandem nursed for 9 months.

Now in retrospect, perhaps the most important baby paraphernalia I have ever bought is the sling. It helped me to carry Ray with me everywhere I went, and now Reu. My first sling was from Moms In Mind, and I've still got it, reluctant to sell even after I bought a few more. Then I discovered the Maya Wrap through friends, and I was awe-struck. Such beautiful material! I HAD to get one for myself. I also learnt to use a selandang the traditional way, from G, long ago.

A close friend posted something about Elimination Communication on a mailing list I was on. After I checked it out on the web, I knew that was the way to go. So Ray, then 7mo, began her infant potty training days. She "graduated" when she was about 1.5-2yo. When I was expecting my second child, I knew I wanted to EC from his birth. Well ok, I admit I did use disposables here and there the first couple of months, but we moved on, and by 9m, Reu was diaperfree.

We have a family bed (well actually it's 2 mattresses on the floor), and it helps us to respond to our children in the night. You see, my family believes that when babies cry, they have a need to communicate. So, we respond. And that is the very basis of Attachment Parenting.

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"That's what it's all about!"