Preggy No.2 Update2 - Week 23

Yes, time flies eh? 

Week 23.  Nausea is almost completely gone.  But backache and sleeplessness start to kick in.  Not forgetting, the frequent visits to the washroom during midnight.  I miss sleeping through the night.  

But it is all worth it whenever I feel baby moving and kicking.  The first time I felt it was sometime in the beginning of November.  It felt like butterflies fluttering  Although I am a mother for the second time, it all felt new and surprising.  It reminds of my first pregnancy.  Very nostalgic and sweet.

Isabelle enjoys feeling the kick by putting her hands on my tummy and once, she saw baby kicking so hard my tummy jumped.  She giggled.  So sweet.  

No, my obgyn can't confidently tell from the scan if Isabelle will be getting a sister or brother.  But DH is hoping for a girl!! You gotta be kidding!  However, I only pray for a healthy baby regardless of gender.

Goodbye Diapers & Hello Toilet/Potty!!

Updates since last potty/toilet training progress, I am so happy to share that Isabelle has now finally and officially graduated from diapers to toilet/potty!!

This is a backdated post.  Infact, she initiated to move on to poo in the potty when I was recuperating from my nausea at my parents' place about 2 months ago.  It happened one night, right before bedtime, she just automatically, told me that she want to poo in the potty and said she do not need diapers anymore!! Probably due to previous failed attempts, I find it hard to believe so I waited for to witness it again for the following few days. This time, it is for real! 

Preggy No.2 Updates - Week 16

In a blink of eye (yeah right!), we are at week 16!  My new 'bff' Miss Nausea is still around, but a whole lot less annoying.  I no longer spend that much time looking at the toilet bowl through out the day.  I had to be careful not to forget to eat or take food that disagree with my stomach.  

My recuperating holiday at my parents' home is coming to an end.  We will be returning to our home in a day or two.  And I will resume my usual routine as the cook, cleaner and driver.

I have to thank my DH for his utmost understanding on my long absence from home.  It meant a lot to me and has made my first torturing trimester so much more easier to endure.  And thanks to my parents for taking care of me during my 'off' days.  It felt warm to be home and to be surrounded by things, places and faces familiar to me.  But I am happy to be returning home again.

After being away from home for almost 2 months, I have lined up an agenda to keep me occupied once we are back.  A trip to my obgyn, hair salon, a treatment at the facial salon and several trips to the mall to get some new clothes to 'upgrade' and 'upsize' my wardrobe.

The next time I post, I hope I will be able to share my experience of feeling the first kick of baby no.2!

Till then, stay healthy and blessed!

I Wish...

I can hibernate and fast forward

all the way to April 2013!!

Preggy No.2 Updates - Week 8

Puke

And more puking

Continously puking

More and more and more

Yes, more of it

 

The toilet has become my second home, the toilet bowl became my BFF and just staying in the toilet is my new routine.

But thank God for listening to my pleas, I do have my good days. Hallelujah!

Over the last one week, I enjoyed half of the week feeling better and more human.

I can't help but to keep hoping I would soon gain back my appetite and energy.

I miss them so much.

 

DH has been very understanding towards my condition and that is what I needed the most.

Isabelle on the other hand, has been an angel.

She rushes to the toilet everytime she hears me gagging.

She would tell me 'Mommy, it is okay.  I will protect you.  Do you want biscuit?'

 

 

 

Preggy No.2 Updates - Week 6

Picture sourced from google search

My nausea officially kicked in yesterday at 6 weeks.  Today, I threw up 3 times.  Felt sick all day long.  Ate hardly few bites.  Even caught the flu bug.  Stuffy nose, sore throat. The more the merrier doesn't work for my condition now.

Don't feel like going anywhere, doing anything.  Laundry from yesterday still hanging out in the drying yard.  I have no intention to get out there to collect them.  Dishes to be washed.  Isabelle watching Disney Junior on her own, I am sorry sweetheart.  All that will be taken care of once DH comes back from his badminton competition this evening.  Perhaps this is one of the privilege of being pregnant?

I am hoping that the nausea will only stay for the first trimester, if not, just a few days weeks (wishful thinking).  I really want to feel better and spend more time with Isabelle, knowing after baby no.2 arrives, I will have less time with her. 

Next post, I hope to share about how I announce this pregnancy news with my parents and family.

Till then, enjoy the lovely weekend!

We Are Preggy!!!

My period was late.  My breast was so tender and so sore, so much more than the usual pre-menses soreness.  I was feeling tired and sleepy as early as 8pm and mind you, I usually go to bed at 1am.  

I told DH that we can wait few more days because we let the excitement take over us or do any tests.  DH was anxious.  Last Wednesday evening, he went to get the kit and we tested right away.  Second line wasn't as dark as the first yet it appeared nevertheless, but faintly.  Somehow I knew it is a YES, although it caught me by surprise and left me in a stage of disbelief.  DH was both happy and confused.  He spent the whole hour after that googling 'FAINT LINE ON PREGNANCY TEST KIT'.  Nothing convinces him, so the next morning, we went to my obgyn.  

The truth settled in and we are all very delighted!!! Although, I can't deny that so many things are going through my head right now.  But this is all good and blessed news!

So, yes, Isabelle will have a sibling next April! :)

I am just so blissed and thankful that we are just a few steps away from completing our family.

After this, really want to tutup kilang! :) 

Cooking ~ Mee Rebus aka Mee Jawa

Mee rebus or known as Mee Jawa to some, is one of my favourite food.  When I was younger, my Mom used to buy this for me from the Taiping market once a week.  Here in PJ, it is difficult to find one that taste close to this version or suits my tastebud.  They are either too starchy or too watery.  And this is also one of the food I crave for most of the time.  Therefore, I challenged myself to make one to feed my cravings.

Ingredients:
GRAVY
1.  One bowl of steamed and blended potatoes
     (I used half potatoes and half sweet potatoes)
2.  1 packet of curry paste
3.  Chicken or Ikan bilis stock or water (3-4 bowls)
4.  2-3 Diced fresh tomatoes

GRAVY - Seasonings
1.  Asam juice (about 3-4 tsps)
2.  2-3 tsp tomato sauce (optional)
3.  2 tsp of palm sugar/sugar
4.  2-3 tsp fish sauce or 1-2 tsp salt

GARNISHING
1.  Noodles (I did a mixture of yellow noodles and meehoon)
2.  Sliced fried beancurd
3.  Fried crispy youtiau (chinese crullers)  *Usually, prawn crackers are used as garnishing
4.  Hard boiled eggs
5.  Crushed toasted peanuts
6.  Spring onions (optional)  *I could not find beansprout, I figured this would do
7.  Sambal belacan (optional)

Method:
1.  Heat oil and saute curry paste till fragrant.
2.  Add in stock/water and simmer.
3.  Add in blended potatoes and also tomatoes.  Stir well. 
4.  Add in seasonings and simmer for another 10 mins.  Adjust seasoning according to own preference.
5.  To serve, arrange noodles in bowl with garnishings.  Top with the gravy.  Enjoy.

Result
Me - Not bad for a first try!!!
DH - Woah.  Can you make this next week again?

Favourite Moments

Yes, we still co-sleep with our little Isabelle who just turned 3 this May

And I am loving every moment of it,
even though it means having her hands punching and slapping my
face throughout the night,
her saliva drooling and drenching me and my pillows.

Eventhough her toys occupies like 30% of our small queen sized bed
and DH has to continue to sleep on the pull out single bed next to us
(so near, yet so far).
And lately, she seems to enjoy sleeping on my FACE!
Last few nights, being half asleep, in the middle of the night,
she literally turns my face to face her and then, yes,
slept on my FACE!


Despite all that, she made all that my favourite moments
and I would not trade it for anything else.

Sunday Afternoon Project

Did this earlier today.

Toasted them all in 3 separate batches.

They are all ready to go with salads, garnishes, dishes or just as snack.

Healthy choice, especially the sunflower seeds.

Cooling them down before storage

All bottled up
Sunflower seeds, peanuts and sesame seed

Now that the weekend is coming to an end in just about a few hours' time, the long week ahead is already waving hello to me.

Wishing all a lovely, productive and most of all, a peaceful week ahead!

Singapore - July 2012 (Part 2)

We stayed with my cousin who resides at the Somerset Serviced Residences

and

we were lucky to be in Singapore during this time to catch

several rounds of the National Day Parade rehearsal (pictures below).

The unit faces the Singapore River, beautiful view.

Goodbye Singapore !!

Singapore - July 2012 (Part 1)

 

Spent the last weekend in Singapore.

*Attended niece, Deborah & Joshua's beautiful wedding*

*DH could not join due to work - SULK*

*Did some sightseeing*

*Had a catch up dinner with an old friend*

*Bumped into a long lost friend since 1993 on the streets of Singapore!! Talk about small world*

*Enjoyed the reunion with family and relatives*

  -----   No time for shopping   ----

Tiring but it was all fun and memorable.

First time flying via Jetstar.
Better than AA because we don't depart from the
gudang-like airport.

Assorted yakitori @ Waraku, Central
Dinner with Sarah

Night view of Singapore River
Clarke Quay

My little princess, so cheerful on Saturday morning
at Chijmes for the wedding

With the beautiful bride and dashing groom

Guess what is inside?

Raffles Hotel's little elegant wedding favour

Isabelle checking out the wedding favour

 Isabelle and Ah ma (Belle looking astonishly at the trishaws)
Outside Carlton Hotel, Bras Basah Road

I Will Protect You

Scenario

I accidentally scratched my wrist against the sharp edge of the wardrobe while  I was springcleaning.



Conversation

Isabelle :  Mummy, what happened to you?

Me : Oh, mummy accidentally scratched my hand.

Isabelle : Hah? Bleeding? Pain pain?

Me : Ya,a little bit. (show her the tiny cut)

Isabelle : Ok. You wait for me.

Me:  Where are you going?

Isabelle:  Get tissue.  We need to wipe the bleeding and I will doctor (check) you.

Me:  (pretending to be very sick).  Doc Belle McStuffin, am I okay?

Isabelle :  You are okay now.  A bit of fever.

Me:  I feel really not well.  How ar Doc Belle McStuffin?

Isabelle:  Okay, you need to stay in hospital.

Me:  I stay hospital, then how about you?  You stay at home with Daddy, wa?it for Mummy to come back okay?

Isabelle:  No. I stay hospital with Mummy.  You don't be scared.  I will protect you.  And I take care of Mummy.

Me:  *** melted ***

Cooking ~ Salted Fish Pork Belly

This recipe is known as Ham Yu Fa Lam Pou (in English means Salted Fish Pork Belly in Claypot).  But as usual, the lazy me took the shortcut of cooking this, minus the claypot.  Instead, I cook this in my green ecopan. :)

Ingredients:

1.  Pork belly (thinly sliced)

2.  Sliced ginger

3.  Minced garlic

4.  Onion (cut into wedges)

5.  3-4 stalks of dried chillies (soaked in water)

6.  1 stalk of spring onion

7.  *THE STAR OF THE DISH*  Salted fish (baked in oven or panfried without oil till you smell the stinkiness.  Set aside.

Seasonings:

1.  1/4 tsp sugar

2.  A dash of pepper

3.  1/2 tsp soy sauce

4.  Some water

Method:

1.  Heat oil.  Saute ginger and garlic till fragrant. 

2.  Add in onion wedges and then the salted fish.

3.  Add in pork belly slices.  Stir and add in a dash of sugar.  Let it caramalise (but not burnt).

4.  Add in dried chilli and stir.

5.  Add in seasonings and add a sprinkle water.  Stir well. 

6.  Add in spring onion right before dishing out.

RESULT:

Me -  More salted fish next time.  But ok la... can do.

DH - Yum.

DS -  Good ler!!!

Diaper-free Night ~ 1st Trial

Image sourced from google search

Isabelle suddenly decided to ditch her diapers last night when we try to put it on for her just like everynight before she go to bed. I was doubtful and do not really like the thought of getting up from my slumberland and change the wee wee stinky sheets at 3am, just in case she wet the bed. Hence, I line double layer of towels under her sheets.

Reminded her over and over again that she will need to wake me up should she feel the urge to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. She gave us her promise but I was not convinced. I woke up several times to check on her. Okay, she was dry and so was the sheets.

Morning came, no wet sheets!! Looks like my baby is a big girl now. Not bad at all for her first trial. We shall try again today! 

I am one happy Mommy for 2 reasons.  My girl can go diaper free completely, soon and no longer have to purchase diapers anymore!  Oh, and we can really travel light from now on. DH was happy with our little precious' achivement yet feel a little bitter because he feels that our daughter is growing up too fast and will need us lesser very soon.

=D

Cooking ~ Sambal Heh Bee (Dried Prawns)

After many weeks of irregular cooking due to being away, having visitors around, being 'tour guide', I am back!!  I got a little bit more ambitious today.  I made my Mom's recipe, sambal heh bee!  And I am glad to say that it turn out not bad at all albeit first try.  If only Mom read blogs, she will be happy to know I master one of her recipe.

 

Ingredients:

One bowl of dried prawns (soaked in water & blended/pounded)

 

Blended Ingredients:

1.  5-6 shallots or 3-4 big onions (blended)

2.  5-6 bulbs garlic (blended)

3.  3-4 red chili (blended)

4.  3-4 dried red chili (soaked in water & blended)

 

Seasoning:

1.  Tamarind juice

2.  Toasted belacan/shrimp paste

3.  2-3 tsp palm sugar

 

Method:

1.  Heat oil and fry blended ingredients till fragrant.  Should take about 6-8 minutes

2.  Add in toasted belacan, stir well till fragrant.

3.  Add in blended dried prawns and fry till fragrant.

4.  Add in palm sugar, stir well.

5.  Add in tamarind juice.  Adjust to preferred taste.  (Tamarind juice in this recipe should not make this dish taste tangy but to balance the taste).

6.  Stir till the liquid dries up.

7.  Done.  The frying process takes about 10-12 minutes.

 

RESULT

Me -  I wish I learn to make this sooner!!! I can have Mom's cooking at home more often now!

DH - "Good. Good. Cut more cucumber to eat with this."

DS -  "Good!!!"

 

 

NOTE:

Lesson learnt.  Wear gloves when dealing with chilis.  I had to endure the stinging on my fingers.  But I found a remedy online after all my attempts failed.  Rub with salt, lubricate with some water.  Wash off the salt with milk.  I repeated this process for 3 times and it works!!!

 

Cameron Highlands - July 2012

Aunt and her grandson came all the way from Hong Kong to visit us.  Apart from showing them around all the shopping gems in KL, we took them to Cameron Highlands last weekend.  Stayed a night at the Desa Anthurium apartments.  Really thankful we got a clean and tastefully decorated unit.  Had a wonderful time catching up with my parents and 3 other cousins who went together.  Isabelle had a great deal of fun too.

First stop at Lata Iskandar Falls



Lunch at Excellent Cafe, Tanah Rata

Isabelle and her icecream pancake.

 Nasi lemak sold out. So I had Chicken Chop Rice.

DELICIOUS!  Chicken chop was tender inside crispy outside and the gravy is rich and tasty!

After our visit to the Sungai Palas Boh Tea Plantation, we were caught in a massive jam.  Yes!  Traffic jam in the serene and quiet Cameron Highlands!!!  And because of that, Dad's Estima got into trouble.  We saw smoke flowing out of the engine!  Thank God we were right outside the Butterfly Farm and due to that, we had a decent spot to stop and get down to check the car.  The cool weather was a bonus too.  Can't imagine getting stuck in the midst of a jam, in a smokey vehicle and hot weather.  And at the same time, thank God that Isabelle fell fast asleep and slept through out the whole ordeal.  Otherwise, she would be fussing around and wanted to kaypoh with the situation. 

Sungai Palas Boh Tea Centre

Parked our 2 cars at the entrance of the farm and walked to the nearby restaurant (near to Equatorial) for an early steamboat dinner.  After dinner, the car cooled down and we decided we have to leave soon before it got too late.  Was doubtful because at 9.00pm, the jam didn't get any better.  Bumper to bumper.  According to the locals, this traffic jam is a norm on every Saturdays due to the Brinchang night market.  Lesson learnt. 

JAM JAM JAM!!!

After hitting the road to head back to Tanah Rata, Dad's car got smoky again!  It was worrying as it was getting late and not knowing what was the problem. And again, thank God, it happened right outside some shops along the winding road.  Stopped. DH send half of the troop (the ladies) back to the apartments as most of us are tired and it was gettting quite cold.

JAM on Sunday morning, Brinchang

Thank the Lord, after reaching apartment fighting through the ridiculous traffic, Dad and the guys reach the apartments soon after that.  Truly thank God that He make things work and everyone was alright.  Dad went to one of the workshop to get spare part for the car and everyone reach home safely the next day.

 

We were all thankful that God pulled us through.  AMEN!