Standing at the crossroads...

I am a bad decision maker. To be frank, at times I also wondered whether I married the right man! Ha-ha! I must be kidding...

I started to take a Master program in 2007. When I first received the acceptance letter from UM, I was so elated that I praised God for giving me what I wanted. I completed all the courses within 2 semesters and I'm 0.03 to the first class grade. I was confident that I can finish the program before the 10th semester.

Then, I prayed for a child. I thought, "If I'm reading and learning so much, why waste it? I should have a baby and let the baby start learning when he is in my stomach." And I got a child!

So, came the morning sickness and early pregnancy bleeding and I had to be in crib condition for the first four months of my pregnancy, walking around the house only when it was necessary such as going to the toilet to pee, poo or vomit the food I just ate.

So, that made me lost my semesters. And that was not all. Even after I was fine, I got lazy and enjoyed the pregnancy - all I did was eat, sleep and watch TV. A-ha!

Came sixth semester, a sweet adorable child was born and all I could think of was him alone and nothing else. Another semester gone and when I came to my senses, I realised I have not many semesters left.

The 8th semester has just ended and not even a chapter is approved!

At times, I wanted to give up so much, I cry, calling out to God to lead me. God sent His angels through church members and strangers to encourage me to go on though I was having a bad time with my supervisor. After picking up on the momentum for some time, I was on the bad mood again and again, thought of giving up.

Now, I am standing at the crossroads, not knowing whether I should continue with my thesis or leave everything behind.

To be frank, the reason for hanging on for so long was due to:

1) Money spent

2) Time spent

3) Effort spent

4) Good results

5) EVERYBODY knows I'm taking this program!

Yes, indeed it's reason no. 5 which made me hang on there and suffer so much!

Today, after reading Max Lucado's weekly devotional email, I found some peace...

Why am I worrying about HOW people might think and see me? I am as good as before. I'm blessed to have a son and yes, Jesus asks us not to worry about clothes or food. He blesses us accordingly and I believe whether I'm going to finish my Master program, God has His way...

I should learn to let go or let down my pride and walk away when I know that God loves me for being me, even when I don't have my Master degree.

Yes, Jesus loves me...

Carrot omelette

I like eggs and so do my husband and son.

I hope you like this variation of omelette.

Pictures showing process (Clockwise from top left)

Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 inches of carrot (cut into thin slices)
1/2 teaspoon of salt

1) Beat the eggs with the salt.

2) Stir-fry the cut carrot.

3) Add in the eggs and make sure the mixture cover up the whole pan.

4) When it is almost done, cut the omelette in the middle and turn it over to be cooked on the other side.

NOTE: The heat should not be too high - otherwise the eggs mixture will get burnt easily.

Minced meat and carrot porridge

Ingredients (for 1/2 bowl of porridge)

1 tablespoon of rice
1 tablespoon of minced meat
around 2 inches of carrot (diced into tiny pieces)

1) Put 1/2 bowl of water to the ingredients.

2) Double boil for 3 hours and it's done.


3) Add pinch of salt / 1 teaspoon of soy sauce to it.

Note: My son eats quite little. So, if your child eats more, do get the ratio right. I'm used to double boil because I can do other things as the slow cooker cook by itself and by letting the timer takes control, I feel much relaxed.

My birthday

My birthday has always been plain.

When I was in primary school, I always hoped that people would know what I wished for and get them for me. But those remained as wishes. Dad never had any birthday parties for me. And so, I didn't get any presents for  my birthday.

When I was in secondary school, I shared with other friends to buy presents for birthday girls (yes, GIRLS only because I was in all girls school). In return, I hoped that when my birthday comes, they would get me something I wanted too. I got mugs, glasses and cups. I wondered why my friends thought I liked drinking so much. Probably because I always brought a 1.5litre bottle of water to school.

When I was in varsity, I did the same as  in secondary school. Yes, occasionally my friends did gave me surprises. But still, I didn't get what I wanted...

Sometimes, I feel myself like a little girl, refusing to grow up without the presents I wanted. I'm yearning for people to understand me and give me something I wanted...

And now that I'm married with a child, my wishes of getting glamourous or beautiful presents have turned into wishes of HEALTH and REST.

Yea, I've prayed for Health for my son because he is weak all the time, having to take medication for his cough. And Rest...I'm so exhausted, I needed a good rest.

NOTE: I "applied" for my leave but was rejected. =( *sob*sob* But as long as my son is healthy, it's good enough...Can't be too greedy, right?

NOTE: I've to thank GCL and PL for the surprises and presents they have given me. I didn't forget about the cake, flower, necklace, perfume, etc. Thank you...appreciate that! 

Tong Sum with black and red dates to cure dry cough

I have been having dry cough for almost 2 weeks now. The "dry" I mean is those cough without phlegm and I can feel my lung is sort of breathing heavily at one time and breathless at the other.

This is what recommended by the Chinese medicine shop.

10 Tong Sum (Codnopsis Pilosulae Radix)
1 handful of black dates
1 handful of red dates

1) Cut the Tong Sum sticks into small pieces.
2) Remove the seeds from black and red dates.
3) Add in water to the brim of the pot.
4) Put to slow cooker for 4 hours or boil for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes.

NOTE: My cough has reduced. Another good thing is that, my son's diarrhoea has stopped after drinking this!

What to do when my baby is having diarrhoea?

I was really panic when my baby first have diarrhoea. We have given him Rotavirus vaccination and I thought it would have solved all the diarrhoea problem. But I was happy to early. When my son started to have more than 10 times of diarrhoea and with 'extreme' stomachache, we knew that he must see a doctor. (Extreme stomachache cos it woke him from him sleep and made me cried non-stop).

It was a Sunday's evening and all the clinics were closed. We went to a neighbourhood clinic (the only one which was still open). The doctor appeared to be confident and commented that we should have sent in the child earlier. He gave medication to stop the diarrhoea but the medication didn't work!

The next day, my son had diarrhoea, at least once in every 15 minutes! It really scared me and we sent him to the hospital to be checked.

OK. These are what you should do when your baby is having diarrhoea.

1) Calm down. Has the child been vomitting? If yes, then, it might be serious and need to be admitted. Blood need to be taken and tested to see whether it has been infected. If blood is OK, parents can monitor the child at home.

2) Let the child drink more water. Doctor said that there is NO medication to stop the diarrhoea for toddlers. It will stop when it is time to stop and the medication given by the clinic's doctor is in fact, bad for the toddler! Oh my! I can't believe it. A doctor giving out medication to harm my son? Believe it or not? So, be careful parents out there when you're giving your children medication. The only medication the doctor will give is ORS (Oral Rehydration Salt).

3) Let the child eat well - My son doesn't really want his porridge. So, I've to be more creative with my cooking. =(
But he takes Milo with biscuits, which is good. And he also takes black bean soup.
Doctor said as long as he is eating and drinking, it should be alright. Just let him snack more often to replenish his/her energy.

4) Let the child rest well - I on the classical music for my son while he is taking his nap. Research shown that babies listening to classical music tend to feel more secured and sleep better. And I believe after all the diarrhoea, he is extremely tired.

5) Use disposable diaper for the time being (if you're using cloth nappy so far) - I used cloth nappy with my son but because of his diarrhoea, I can't be bothered to use the cloth nappy now. Otherwise, I will have to wash the nappy and I believe before I finish cleaning one nappy, he would have soiled another! In fact, he almost finishes a pack of 54 diapers in 3 days because of his diarrhoea. Just make sure that you check your child diaper every 15 minutes. Otherwise, he/she will have serious rash.

6) Buy good nappy cream - the child will definitely have rashes after all the diarrhoea. So, get one tube of good cream. I'm using Aloe Vera gel because I find that it is soothing and helps reduce the soreness.

7) Mommy rests when the child rests - Take a break. Leave the house chores aside for the time being and take a good rest. It is stressful enough to have a child who needs to clean up constantly.

So, the main key to diarrhoea baby is - RED (Rest, Eat, Drink) and of course, with the accompaniment of a good nappy cream!

NOTE: Doctor said that as long as the child appears to be active and eating and drinking, just let him be. He will regain his immunity soon...it is a process that every toddler (0-3 years of age) have to go through. So, Mommy, don't worry.

(see pic: my son is still bouncy and active. nobody will believe he is having his diarrhoea with almost 20 times a day!)

Steamed tapioca

My friend told me that tapioca is a good food for detoxification. Whether it is true or not, it is a good snack to have.

1) Cut the tapioca into half. Then, into a quarter. You should be able to peel off the skin (shown in pic.).

2) After peeling off the skin, cut the tapioca into cubes.

3) Put to steam above boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes.

You can serve with sugar or eat it just like that.

NOTE: You may want to wear a thin glove while peeling off the tapioca skin. Or you can choose to shred off the skin with a knife rather than peeling them. My right thumb usually gets hurt due to the peeling because the tapioca skin is rather thick and rough. And my nails also got dirty which took quite some time to clean up. So, whatever choice you use to clear off the tapioca skin, be careful not to hurt yourself.

Why is my baby (toddler) not eating?

This is one of the questions I ask often when my son starts to take solid food. I believe no mothers can sit comfortably or even sleep when their children are not eating anything when they are supposed to eat, just like adults do.

Mothers, take heart, observe your child and you'll know why s/he is not eating. Below are some reasons I get through observing my son and through reading books.

1) The child is not feeling well
Just like us, when babies are not feeling well, they will not eat, especially when they have SORE THROAT. And we won't know whether our babies have sore throat till they started to have cough or fever.

Suggestion: I usually give my baby honey when he is having sore throat. But be very careful with honey. Some honey might not be suitable for little ones. So, it is best to get a doctor's advise to treat the toddler's sore throat. Otherwise, you can try boiling Lo Hon Ko drinks to soothe his throat and lung.

2) Toddler is not hungry
If he is not hungry, it is obvious that he will not eat.
Suggestion: Do not give snack when the meal time is near. Have a clear timetable for the child. eg. 9am -breakfast, 12pm - lunch, 3pm - snack, 6pm - dinner, 9pm - light snack.

3) The food is not delicious
Trust me, babies know what is delicious and what is not. It's obvious that they won't eat something which taste weird. My son will usually take the first mouth and if he thinks it is not delicious, he will spit out the food and refuse to eat further.

Suggestion: What you think is delicious, the baby will think the same way. So, as parents, we have to start taking some healthy yet delicious food. Set a good example and the child will do the same. My mom takes raw vege - cucumber and tomatoes and so, my son follows suit.

4) The food's colour is not attractive
Children like colours!
Suggestion: Add some colours in the food - tomato (red), carrot (orange), cucumber (green), etc.

5) The child wants to play
When they are at the midst of playing, the child will refuse to eat because they don't want to be distracted.

6) Parents' eating habit
If parents are not eating the same food, baby will refuse to eat that too. My son prefers to eat the SAME FOOD at the SAME TABLE and SAME TIME WITH US. Some food like pork ribs, which I think is not suitable for him, he wanted to try! After he tried it, either he likes it or he spits it out. Whatever it is, he is satisfied that he tried and will continue to eat his meal.

Suggestion: Cook healthy food - steamed fish, boiled broccoli, carrot, steamed potato

Finally, listen to the child. If the child is hungry and well, s/he will definitely eat. Don't force her/him to eat lest the child has a bad eating experience. You can always make up the missed meal with some light snack later on - an egg, an apple, a cracker or two, etc.

Pray well and leave the rest to God...

NOTE: You may follow the links below to some healthy drinks:

Phlegm dissolver

Lo hon ko

Mashed potato and carrot balls

Tau cheong steamed fish

My son is sick again - and so, I've not much time to cook. I will have this dish when I'm busy.

1) Clean up the fish - make sure there is no more scales on it and then scar it on both sides.

2) Put 2 teaspoon of tao cheong sauce (beanpaste) and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of sugar on the fish.

3) Put the fish to steam with the rice.

You'll have the fish and rice cooked at the same time. I know some people might not like this cos steaming a fish for too long will cause the texture of the fish to be hard. But when you have no time, this will be a good choice!

Mashed potato and carrot balls (for toddlers)

My son has been picky on his food lately. I am so busy looking around for recipe and asking my friends on what they cooked for their toddlers. Because my son is a fan of BALL, I thought this recipe might work. And it did, indeed! You might want to try it out for your toddler.

Ingredient:
1/2 potato (removed skin)
1/4 carrot or 2 tablespoon of shredded carrot

Taste enhancer:
Few drops of soy sauce OR
Pinch of salt OR
1 tablespoon of milk

1) Put the potato and carrot to double boil (for 2 hours) or stim for at least 30 minutes.

2) Mash the potato (like shown in pic.2) and add in taste enhancer.

3) Roll the mixture into small balls (baby's bite size).

NOTE: You might try to pan-fry the mixture. Roll out the balls on some corn flour + plain flour and pan-fry them. 

Stir-fry snow pea sprout

Pictures showing process (clockwise from top left)

Ingredient
1 pack of beansprout
1 small piece of ginger

1) Scrap off the ginger skin with a knife.

2) Flatten the ginger.

3) With 3 tablespoon of oil, stir-fry the ginger till fragrant.

4) Add in the beansprout. Turn it over and cook till done.

5) Dish up and add in soy sauce to taste.

NOTE: Chinese believe that some vege are considered "cooling" and are not good for those who are weak in health. So, ginger is a must in cooking those vege. Other vege which need ginger are Siu Pak Choy (Xiao Bai Chai in Mandarin).

Spicy chicken with mushroom

Pictures showing process (clockwise from top left)

Ingredients
2 chicken drumsticks (skin and bones removed and cut into cubes)
4 to 5 dried chillies (removed head and seeds)
3 mushrooms (soaked and cut into cubes)

For sauce:
1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 bowl of water
1/4 corn starch (for thickening)


1) With 3 tablespoon of oil, stir-fry dried chillies with mushroom till fragrant.

2) Add in chicken and stir-fry till almost done.

3) Add in sauce (dark soy sauce + water + salt + corn starch)

4) Dish up when sauce has thickened.

NOTE: If you like it to be spicier, use more dried chillies. 4 to 5 dried chillies can only provide very slight spice. Be very CAUTIOUS when handling with dried chillies. Make sure you have no wound on your hands or it will sting you throughout the day! Also do not touch your eyes when you're handling dried chillies. Always wash your hands properly after handling dried chillies.

Stir-fry prawns with three colours of capsicum

Pictures showing process (clockwise from top left)

Ingredients:
600gram prawns (remove shells and veins)
1 red capsicum
1 green capsicum
1 yellow capsicum
6 cloves of garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoon of tau cheong (tauchu) - beanpaste

Marinate:
1 tablespoon of sugar



1) Marinate the prawns with 1 tablespoon of sugar. (this will make the prawns to be springy after cooking)

2) Cut capsicums into cubes.

3) With 3 tablespoon of oil, stir-fry capsicums for around 1 minute.

4) Add in prawns. Stir-fry till almost done.

5) Add tau cheong and mix well with the rest. (water is not necessary as the capsicums and prawns will produce a little of water. but if you prefer the dish to have more sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoon of water)

Note: I'm not sure whether you'll like this dish. Some people might find the taste of capsicums weird just like my husband! and I've to finished off the capsicums all by myself!

Omelette (with onion filling)

This is a dish most Chinese have taken and remained as a favourite dish. Can't remember when was the first time that I took it but I had this quite often during my teenage years. Mom always cooked this when she couldn't think of any dishes to cook in the afternoon. And because this dish is easy to cook, it is suitable for busy adults.

Ingredient:
3 eggs
1 large onion
1 teaspoon of soy sauce

1) Beat the eggs and soy sauce till they blended well.

2) Cut the onions into small pieces.

3) Sweat the onion till it becomes translucent.

4) Add in the eggs. Let the mixture swirl and cover the whole pan (as shown in pic. left; bottom).

5) Turn to LOW heat and let the egg to be cooked slowly. Then, cut the omelette into half and turn it over to be cooked.

6) Dish up when egg has turned golden brown.

Baking for mother's day

I gave my students a baking lesson. Well, nowadays, you just won't know how much the children know. They might have seen a lot through television but they actually have no hands-on experience in cooking and baking. 

When I gave an egg to my older student, Joe, he smiled at me. His brother, Benjamin, was quick to say, "Hit the egg at the table's edge." 

Sometimes, we want the children to be "clever" and we thought that as long as they score in their exams, they are considered clever and we are relieved. But how about living skills? Are they able to be independent? Are they able to mix around well with others without getting into a fight? Do they understand that besides reading for tests, there are so many other things to read about to increase their knowledge in?

Joe definitely was not good at breaking an egg but I let him try. I can see the sense of contentment in the children as they see their own products coming out of the oven! And how proud they were when they presented the tarts to their mother! Benjamin said, "WE baked them."

Let your child try on little chores and you can see excitement in those little twinkling eyes and how proud they are to be able to help you without a 'kakak'.

Happy Mother's Day!