Macha Jelly

Wanted to get the recipe from Kayoko but didn't bump into her, I goggled for a recipe. And this is what I found(Roslyn, take note of this). I tried it today, I hiao-hiao want to mould into Hello Kitty & with the leftover tried on Pooh as well. Looks good hor? But when pouring realise it's a little too watery as compared to Kayoko's.
I waited patiently for the jelly to set. Then as I tried to remove it... alas! too soft, can't. But you know what's the good thing? When I ate Kayoko's jelly, it does melt down and reshape the jelly again. Put it in a container and it don't seem so watery. Did a second batch (double portion) for my family. Tried to adjust the water, still watery. Hmm.... what's wrong? Hmm......never mind, wrap it up to make it look asthetically nice, put kisses and write sweet notes on it so they'll swallow everything in one gulp *no pun intended* (I did try to put ribbons but hor.......my fridge can't fit so tall. kekeke! so removed everything after taking this photo)

Athena luv it. She loves Japanese tea, so I will try to make more jelly for her and perhaps try cupcakes etc...
I remember mom mentioned to me before that it's slimming & tummy flattening*ahem ahem* - drink more.

成功 or 失败. I should say it's a little 失败. がんばって!!

Now my trusty Macha powder is running low too. Goash! It's been a nihon-month for me, been hanging around all the Japanese corners lately. Athena been mistaken countless times as a Japanese when she's with me (look like one, but when she opens her mouth - she's not the typically gentle Japanese girl. Hee!) .. ai yah like that hubby should have taken up that offer in Tokyo, she'd be so happy.(actually I don't understand why she loves Japanese stuffs so much. Influenced by mummy?) Tomorrow, I'll need to head down again to stock up. Good thing I'm meeting Hiroe after Ari's Shichida class, so I can ask her some things as well as stock up from that Japanese store in PP's basement.

Anyway, I found myself quite confused with agar-agar and dunno what nots, so found this link.

While I was looking at green all the time, I turned into a green monster (with envy) when girlfriend MH sent me an MMS of the durian puffs she made. Really envy her capability, can bake; can cook. She's so patient... I can't even find much time daily.

Here's me signing off!

Guess what I found?!

Dropped by Prima Deli on the way to PD. And you know what I found?
Know why the excitement? Coz.........okay I'm going to let this out now. This is going to be my lil' Aricia's 2nd birthday theme.

Not a popular theme.. infact SSC is not popular let alone this SSC-Berry Princess. So I'll need to get some things online.
Cake-wise I need to source for customisation. But since I notice Prima Deli has SSC cakes now, it gives me a backup just incase I cannot find someone to make one for me. (KZ was telling me, "mom you bake one for Aricia birthday." Ehh.......can't even cut my cake properly, still dare to make cake for everybody to eat??) But then again that particular 3D design they have hor?? They use the same deco set as I've seen on the web and they made it soooo.... expensive. Ay, I forgot! I do have a SSC cakepan right?? Hee! I can imagine my readers who are on the invite list finding excuses not to come if I mention I'm baking her cake. Haha!

Watch out! A polar @ home

Aricia is so funny.. she was watching Baby Noah (again?) - this is her favourite at this time.

One part, she saw a polar bear swimming in the water. She laid down on her tummy and move both arms and legs - swimming. ??!! LOL

That's not it, at the end of the show, a lion and elephant appears. She 'roars' and shakes her head like the lion.

Aricia's calling out the animals

Was watching her Baby Noah show with her and she was telling me what the animals are when prompted.

A good progression, she managed to say 'elephant' as 'eh peng' and not 'zou'.

The rests of her pronunciation :
gorilla - ah la
kangaroo - ah loo
flamingo - ming go
whale - way
dolphin -pin
panda - bear (points to it excitedly)
fish - shis

Fever!

For no reason, Athena had fever last evening. Teacher Mumta called to inform me at 4+, mom helped me pick her up coz' I was on my way home at that time.
At first I thought I'd let her skip her Berries and rest at home, and pick up the book + worksheets on way home. But then she seemed so fine and was playing happily with di-di. So........she was faking it? She complained to me that she was tired. (well, she's always tired on Mondays) When we were on our way, she showed no signs of being tired, so I let her go into the class. She whine for awhile and then was okay.
I promised her, I'll let her rest on Tuesday at home. Never did I realise that the promise became a jinx instead. She had fever in the night, let her sleep with us so I can watch her and didn't want her to get too close to mei-mei.

Fever went up/down like roller coaster. Funny thing about fever is that it usually spikes up in the night. Now, as I'm typing this I hear her making funny noise once-in-awhile. Will bring her down to PD tomorrow, probably will have to miss her music lesson-will see how. I never had to worry much when she has fever (different if its Aricia) but this time round, even before she asked me to baby-her I decided to sponge her; gave her the cooling pad on forehead; slept on cooling mattress.
Pray hard she's alright tomorrow if not....may have to go down to KKH. Sians! KZ was just saying "I notice.. everytime Sir going off long (long trip), the children fall sick." She's not kidding and she reminded me, yes almost every time!!!

Stuck on me

Since school will start for the 2 Princesses next year, I went to order these labels for them.

So many, think it's 50 each, stick where?

Guilt?

Umm... let's just say I've relaxed a little on Aricia's home sessions.

Normally on Wednesdays, I'll skip the sessions. Mondays - if I'm out the whole day I'll skip too. What I try to do is if I need to run errands, I'll try to do it on Mondays since I will need to bring Athena for her Berries Class.

Guilt? Not really... think age is catching up on me.

Meanwhile, I've stopped making the flashcards. Gotta try to finish putting the holiday photos in the albums (halfway done through Taipei's + NZ's to do) And birthday preparation. And I'm always stuck coz' the stupid bloody server (okay... there I go again) slow. Hmm.. maybe see this week can do it or not using brother's computer. Need to complete the online purchase.

Huge huge damage

MH reminded me about car servicing, I forgot all about it.

So today, I sent Mr Nissan to Ah-Chong (Tan Chong) for some TLC. And while waiting, I train-ed down to Orchard. (First big stupid mistake - I headed towards North?? Had to change train 2 stops after I got up from Toa Payoh.) Needed to send my Miss LV for repairs. Damage done! Around $200 for the 2 handles.Will take 2 months or more, he thought I was worried... assured me "don't worry, your bag is in safe hands." I found it funny he said that and quipped, " Oh! As long as it's away from my 2 kids it's in safe hands for sure!!" The zipper is an eye-sore to me, but it costs another $100++ so I thought I'd do it next time. Lao-niang mei-you-qian-le.
My cabin bag and another bag also needs some repairs which I might send it down another day.
Stopped to look-see. Ai yoh so tempted to buy new bag. *control,control*

On way back to the station, had to pass Guess?. Initially wanted to check out Warehouse, Top Shop in Wisma. In the end..........I was stuck in Guess? and I'm $500 poorer. Must drink rain water for the rest of the month liao. Umm... maybe can bento for myself??

Trip to Phoon Huat

While she was in her Berries class, I went over to Phoon Huat to get spatula. The last cake, I had to use butter knife and actually took out the frying ladle - just in case I needed a bigger and flatter thing (okay, don't laugh ok??)

On my shopping list was :
1) spatula
2) lazy susan so I can turn the cake do an even spread of buttercream or frosting
3) something that can help with cutting the cake even
4) thermometre

In the end, I only bought the spatula. The cheapest lazy susan they have is $7+. Cheap! But no space in my cupboard now. Of course they carry the Wilton Turnable but I only bake for family (see how lucky unlucky they are) so save up $$.
I don't have any thing to hook up the thermometre in my oven

School Vacancies By Phases : III

IJ Katong - 170 avail
- 32 taken , 138 avail for Phase 2B/2C

St Nics - 87 avail
- 39 taken, 48 avail for Phase 2B/2C

RGPS - 187 avail
- 48 taken, 139 avail for Phase 2B/2C

Tao Nan - 164 avail
- 43 taken, 121 avail for Phase 2B/2C

My guess - think both Tao Nan & St Nics will ballot this year

** I should be getting my letter from the school this week.

Prodigy

Wow! Check this boy out!!

Athena played her violin on Saturday (to have her complaining) "mummy my fingers pain." Imagine this boy... strumming and moving his fingers up /down the frets on an acoustics - the strings are damn painful.(sounds familiar - so I can't blame Athena for complaining?? She takes after me. Hee!) Such beautiful pieces........i want to be his neighbour - free music everyday. Wait! gotta eat kimchi??

Top Of The World



Yesterday Once More - this is my favourite song.


With or Without You

Soothing to the ears right? Must admit the acoustics guitar have very nice sound. Sister used to have one then she sold it away. I was secretly hoping she don't sell it away coz' I did pick it up to play, can't do the strumming well; tried plucking but usually can't play long coz' it's painful. Then as I kept my nails long, found it more difficult. The strings are hard, which once due to my geh-kiang-ness helped to tune for her and the string snapped. (which was why I was quite scared of tuning Athena's violin). The frets are smaller than the classical guitar so I found it easier. But ask me certain chords, I still remember where to place the fingers.
Honestly speaking, it's easy to pick up other instruments if you know how to read notes and you start to learn what the strings' notes are etc..But playing it extremely well (like Sungha Jung) is another thing. You gotta keep practising and practising. Umm....... I do give up things halfway so now I'm so insistent that Athena don't follow in my footsteps. Shucks! More hidden secrets of myself out

Hokkaido Fair

Would you believe me if I told you that I've passed by many of these Hokkaido Fairs in malls but never walked near any stalls?? Why I never stepped in? It's always so crowded + if I had wanted to look for Jap snacks, I can easily do it in Meidi-ya or better still if hubby can bring me to Japan.

And today marks the history of me squeezing with the throngs of people in looking for food in ultra-mini Hokkaido in TM. Applause please!
Bought some 大福餅 and so tempted to buy potato croquette, which I was dreaming of it since seeing it last Friday at Meidi-ya. While queuing, I bought some donuts and the famous Hokkaido Curry Bun. Just gotta try what's so famous about it, anyway it's just the same Japanese curry what! But then, I love Japanese curry, I love donburi, I love macha, I love.... I love anything that can be eaten. Glutton! Ooh....so です ne. It's fried, since so bored now decided to check for recipe. Hint hint : Moo Han, make for me. Heehee! I'm not shy..

Aricia : development

extracted from babycenter.com

19 to 24 months
Your child now understands as many as 200 words, though he'll probably use only 50 to 75 of them regularly. Many of these words will be nouns that designate objects in his daily life, such as "spoon" and "car." Between 18 and 20 months, his pace will pick up as he acquires ten or more new words each day. If he's especially focused on learning to talk, he can add a new word to his vocabulary every 90 minutes — so watch your language!

During this phase your child may begin stringing two words together, making basic sentences such as "Carry me." Since his grammar skills are still undeveloped, you'll often hear odd constructions such as "Me go." He's understood for some time that he needs language, and he'll attempt to name new objects as he observes the world around him. He may overextend the words he already knows, though, so that all new animals are called "dogs," for example.

Starting around his second birthday, your child will begin using three-word sentences and singing simple tunes. As his sense of self matures, he'll use "me" to refer to himself, and he's likely to tell you what he likes and doesn't, what he thinks, and what he feels. You may hear him say, "David want juice" or "Baby throw," for instance. (Pronouns are tricky, so you may catch him avoiding them.)

**********************************

Day by day, we notice that she understands us more.

Asks her "Aricia, where's your milk bottle?" "Bring it to me to wash." She goes to wherever she threw her bottle and bring it to us.

Now she has another nickname - The Drawer Opener. She likes to help KZ when she needs to put the cutleries back in the drawer after drying them.

Something that surprises all of us is that she said ' 我不要 ' twice, (I didn't get to hear it myself. Tried asking her to say it again but she refused). We didn't expect chinese words coming out from her mouth, all the time I thought she's going to be an angmoh giah or a Japanese girl - since she first started saying wee bits of Japanese words/sounds apart from English.

Recognises animals, tested her on animals when I flash the cards.
(pics of)
dog - says "dor"
cat - says "cat" (followed by her signing and a cute meow...)
lion - says "ra i yon" ライオン(oops! that's Japanese)
tiger - says "tee ger"
rabbit - says "where bit"
wolf - says "dor" (dog - thinks it's dog)
elephant - says "zou" (Japanese)
sheep - says "shi" (thank goodness she didn't add a 't' behind, will sound like 'shit' to me) (then bleeps like a sheep)
hen - says "hen"
duck - says "duck duck"
horse - says "hor"

Sentences : Her recent sentenceis "wa s hare (wash hand). Weeks ago, before I realised she was learning to speak in 2 word sentences, she tried to tell me something. It was drizzling and she wanted to tell her talkative mummy who was talking to grandma that it started to rain. She said "mummy.....wain wain." And then started singing "Rain, Rain, Go Away.

Numbers - she's reading 1-10. But then sometimes she can recite all the way to 12 - coz' that's the floor we live. Sigh............. Strangers looked at this little girl who'll look at the number and then start saying the number. Sometimes she can say it backwards,but sometimes she'll continue the number forward instead of backwards. She's confused, I think.
That reminds me, a couple of weeks ago I was teaching her 6 : "Aricia, say six". My dear girl who was standing up; sat down. She thought I asked her to sit. I found it funny.

Singing : She's making efforts in singing the songs - always the last word of a sentence.
Eg. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
"Twing............li.......star
ha.............are!
Ah .................high!
Lie...............sky!"
If you notice my exclamation mark behind the sentences. Yup! She emphasise on those words very loud.
So far, she tried :
1) above song
2) Eensy Weensy Spider
3) Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes
4) Where Is The Beehive (learnt in Shichida. She remembers it and starts reciting to me, and stretches out her fingers to count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And ends with a "ting" and hits her chest coz' I used to pretend the bees came to sting her.
5) Rain, Rain, Go Away
6) Old MacDonald Had A Farm
7)Teddy Bear (with a snore at the end of the song, also taught by me-hee!)
8) Skinamarinkidinkydink (sings the " I ler you" and pouts her lips with the 'you')

Little Miss Bye-Bye
When doing LM, we normally have this part where we'd turn the cards over and we'll say : eg. "Flower. Bye-bye flower. (point next card) balloon. Bye-bye balloon" etc.. I've overheard her saying to her cards before, "bye bye fau-er, bye bye. bye bye beh-lun, bye bye" and whatever picture cards she plays.

Now, it has become a habit of hers to say goodbye to everything. She says goodbye to the wall mural outside Athena's school, she says goodbye to the "cold cold" - cold storage in supermarkets, says goodbye to ice-cream, says goodbye to a dog, goes into lift says hello and goodbye to "ah-ti" (aunties) "ah-ger (uncles) when they're walking out.

This evening at Compass Point, KZ told me she called one lady in Kiddy Palace. (According to KZ, that lady has a son who looks slightly older than Athena.) That lady was so oooo happy, she turned to look at Aricia & KZ. "she called me auntie? Papa (calling her husband) papa you see your son until now still don't call people. This girl so small call me..... How old is she?" Before KZ could answer her, Aricia ran away and KZ had to ask to be excused.

This evening, she put on a hairband on her own and asked us "nice nice?"
Aricia is a happy-go-lucky child. She finds enjoyment in everything she do. Whatever Athena did to entertain us; Aricia did it ten-folds. Wonder where all that energy come from. She's one naughty girl but かわい neh!

Class

She did better in class today, far much better.

No screaming; no frustrations from mummy. But she's been clingy to me for the past 2-3 weeks.

Today, she did every thing and enjoyed counting the beads. Sensei was saying "Aricia is very good today... good mood?" I was winking my eyes at her, I'm really superstitious. The old folks always say never praise a child infront of them, must say the opposite..."

I have one headache though - to continue her Shichida or not. I see her improvements and can't bear to withdraw her out. But she'll be in school next year and must change class = change friends = change sensei. Plus now, I have no idea when Athena will have a long day in school.

Eliminating potty training?

Received this article from BabyCentre.
Let's just say that with or without this article, I would have the same problem potty training her.
She used to scream when I put her in her potty or toilet with the trainer seat. Now she don't scream that much, she'll sit in the toilet (with me supporting her) playing. I'll be trying hard; making all the sounds "tsh...tsh..." or ?"Nnnn...Nnnn....". My dear girl copies me and end up not accomplishing anything.
I can't put her in her potty; she screams even louder; runs away. And so I tried to buy her a new one coz' I thought it might be uncomfortable for her. Brought her to Kiddy Palace to try out. Wah..........you can imagine what happened lah! The moment I asked her "Aricia, mummy's buying you a new potty.."
A : no!
M : come and try..
A : naughty (and walked away)
M : (went forward to hold by her hand)
A : (screams)
M : come baby, try a new potty. You may like this
A : (screams even louder)
People around us looked at her.. and at me (probably thought I was a kidnapper)

Infant potty training: What it is and how to do it

Toilet training readiness checklist

I notice that sometimes her diapers are dry, perhaps she can hold her bladder already? But one thing though, she always tells me "ssh ssh" or "poo poo" after she has done her business. She has for a couple of times tried to remove her diapers.

Hmm..........perhaps I should just forget about the potty and put her in the trainer (but gotta squat there with her & hold onto her)

In the kitchen

Dunno why, just feel like nua-ing. After Aricia's home session and a playtime with her, decided to bake something fast instead of sitting down infront of the computer and get busy.

Turned out not exactly fast. Did a Shortbread, recipe taken from Periplus cookbook. And putting the whole butter for shortbread gave me butter fingers. I mean it - butter fingers. Sift flour also can drop on table; beat the icing flour with flour also can dirty my top; stir flours also splat on table. Guess it's just not my day.

Don't have time to finish everything, so tried a little on a small plate to test it out. Popped the rest of the dough in the fridge. Maybe will do it later with Athena.

Athena managed to play with dough. And the results? Superbly nice-tasting Shortbreads

Excited like a 'old' schoolgirl

The day - Phase 2A2.

Set alarm in phone, pasted reminders to remind myself since I'm so forgetful these days. Last night, hubby came home and I told him "tomorrow's registration day". His reaction "ohh! tomorrow." I didn't ask him how he felt, he hasn't displayed any objections or insisted that I enrol her in some school near our ulu Punggol for some time so I'm thankful and better keep my own mouth shut just incase he gets reminded. Hee!
But for myself, I'm so excited- really excited. I don't know how to describe the feeling... maybe I am overwhelmed with the fact that my baby is all grown up, going through another phase in her life.

I would have brought Athena along if the school is in the actual premises to let her see for herself 'the real school life', Well, she didn't have the chance coz' I went to the temporary school in Bedok. Excited and more excitement filled me when I got closer to the school (OMG! can't believe the feeling I have just with this registration), as I got down from the car. I heard children screaming; running. Oh! Recess time - the time that I love too! And memories come jottling back. They were excited during recess time, I was excited that my daughter is going to wear the same school uniform that I used to wear. (no lah! not passing it down. Now the school crest is sewn on. Ours at that time needs to pin a badge)

Signed in with the security and given a number tag - 16. (wanted to take photo but crowded lah! so paiseh..) I was directed to an office past the canteen. It's such a joy to see the happy childrens' faces. How lucky these children are, they have nothing in the world to worry about... but well they are suppose to be children.

In the office, I saw 3 other mummies there. We will only know on the following Tuesday the total amount of registrants for this Phase. In all we have to go through 2 stations, while in the room a schoolgirl came in. She looked so timid; (all children are scared towards their admin staffs and teachers) and if not for her long hair she would have a striking resemblence with my Athena.
For myself, I have one more additional thing to submit to the school - my deed poll. Perhaps I was the only mother so far providing such thing (or the only mother to be so hiao to add name), so they were going through the deed poll to make sure everything is in running order. Spoke to the staffs and found out that the compulsory curriculum that the school offers : Speech & Drama and Dance. So it means once a week or twice, she'll stay longer in school. It was too at this time I confirmed the school session and ............got another shock. It's single session!!! Argh! Yes, I'm happy it's going to be single-session but I've already put Aricia in the afternoon session so I have to change her session (and now I don't know if there's space in the session for her) Very confusing right? They mentioned it's more or less confirmed single session, coz' they'll be back in the new premises by then. And they'll have catered food for the P1s for the first 3 days, after which the little birdies will be released on the 4th day with a buddy during recess.
Orientation date : 22nd December. I'd like hubby to come along too, hopefully he's in SIN.

Finally, to the 3rd station in the General Office. And I'm relieved that my child is finally in my school (though by procedures, they still say "wait for results" Ai yah... 170 places, sure can get in)
When I walked out of the office, I glanced up to second level and I saw Miss Rabot. Goash! She still looks the same from a distance.

Ooh! Can't wait for orientation and then it'll be a mad rush to get :
1) school bag?
2) cheapo stationeries in bulk
3) textbooks
4) school uniform
5) shoes from Bata
6) the white colour shoe polish (or white chalk - hahaha! that's what we do when we have spot checks)

Kitty rules!

Okay, okay I know you're bored with Kitty. I've not gone insane, suppose to do another character but I still have a few more packs of Kitty furikake to finish so decided that Kitty will rule on this Tuesday as well and probably next week and so on...

In her one and only Kitty box are sausages, egg, rice, ketchup. (boring hor? tell you she's really fussy/picky about food. I don't even know what to prepare for her!!)
Two packs of furikakes, one pack of Kitty biscuit + Kitty cutleries

Close-up

Not to spoil the mood, tea-break is : dunno what big kueh; kueh bulus and Yakult - in a Barney box

Stuffed with chocolates

Baked a whole cake, very different from my usual small and fast cupcakes.

It's chocolate cake with chocolate toppings. Baking it was easy, trying to decorate it simply was so-so. I tried to slice off and level the cake but then as I put the frosting I notice the cake was .... slanting? A slope? * embarrass*
I didn't eat the cake coz' I gave the whole thing to my family. I only took the scraps (so poor thing) and it tasted alright. I dunno how my family will react to it, whole household lao-sai tomorrow and help them to get MC from work??
Some things on top of the cake that will convince them to eat the cake - Ferraro Rocher.(thank goodness with my small slope, they didn't roll off) - hee! And some sweet words on the cake (which kindda melted as I lifted off to put on cake and a portion of it melted on my fingers - explains the 'y' is not complete and I forgot to put the dot on the 'i)' to make them go "aw...." and finish everything and forgive me if the cake is not nice.

成功 or 失败?? I don't know I must ask my family tomorrow and make sure they're not lying to make me happy.

The cake!!

School Vacancies By Phases : II

IJ Katong - 240 avail
IJ Katong - 69 taken (28%), 171 avail for Phase 2A1
- 1 taken , 170 avail for Phase 2A2

St Nics - 210 avail
St Nics - 77 taken (36.6%), 133 avail for Phase 2A1
- 46 taken, 87 avail for Phase 2A2

RGPS - 300 avail
RGPS - 89 taken (29%), 211 avail for Phase 2A1
- 24 taken, 187 avail for Phase 2A2

Tao Nan - 360 avail
Tao Nan - 190 taken (52%) , 170 avail for Phase 2A1
- 6 taken, 164 avail for Phase 2A2