Thanks to my son's none existent chewing habits, and his fussiness for food, I have recently embarked on a bento craze. So have a few of my closest mommies, and we all had fun sharing pics!
I hasn't done as many bentos as them I think, lazy lah...also can't find the time to do it for all meals hehee. But here are a few pics of some I HAD done.
#1 - 1st Bento. Breakfast. ***yogurt, rusk, fresh blueberries, chocolate milk, sliced plum, nutella sandwich, scrambled egg*** Verdict (by Jovann): He only ate the usual, which is the yogurt and chocolate milk. He tried the rusk but didn't like it, only pretended to put1 blurberry into his mouth and spit it out, and didn't touch the sandwich, plum or egg at all. Sigh.
Of course, being the persistent mom, I tried again. Cannot let my bento purchases go to waste right? Ai pia jia eh ya!
#2 - Thomas Snack box ***Lychee jelly, buttercookies, bah hoo, raisins and honey stars*** Jovann's Verdict: Exactly as I had predicted to my mommy friends before that. He woke up from nap and saw this, and went all excited, even threatening to cry when Daddy teased him and didn't wanna give him. Then he proceeded to finish up the 2 cookies and ate quite a bit of the lychee jelly. Didn't touch the raisins, honey stars and bah hoo. Sigh.....my purpose of bento-ing was to get him to chew food he won't otherwise chew. But no go still.But....at least he ate 2 cookies instead of 1? Hahaha!
Side note, as J not eating well in school, I have resorted to making such a snack box everytime (If I am the one fetching him) and let him have it on the way home. Bad I know but I don't want my boy to go hungry without breakfast. :(
#3 - Dinner. Not really a real bento, just made the rice into heartshapes, and dumped the food into the box thats all. Heee....what an ugly one. I nearly didn't put this photo but find the heartshape rice cute lah. ***blackcurrant juice, blueberries, sweetpotato and pork ribs soup, stir fry tau kwa with minced pork, and rice*** Jovann's verdict: It did help him to eat more rice! He asked for "more heartshaped rice"! But no no to chewing still. He also didn't self feed, mainly scooping dishes into the soup, then scooping soup into the minced meat. And yep, the blueberries stay unmolested.
#4 - Bento Dinner before his 1st Night Safari Trip. ***watermelon (stars and bunny shaped), stir fry mushrooms with xiao bai cai, pan fried teriyaki salmon, grapes, rice (bunny, dog, bear)*** Jovann's Verdict: Well, if you guys reading this are imagining he was so impressed by Mommy's efforts that he self feed each and every morsel, you can't be further from the truth. heee. Well, Mommy here still feeding him, but also letting him play with it at the same time lah. Anyway, this bento shows some benefits, however tiny, in that he started enjoying watermelon FOR THE FIRST TIME! nono still to the grapes though! So, you can see.....baby steps at a time!
#5 - Snack bento I brought to the Night Safari that night. ***mini sponge cake, watermelons, grapes***
Jovann's verdict: Both J and DN took one look at the offering, and turned away to attack Auntie June's kueh kueh Bento. Heehe! lowest point when even DN didn't eat, but he did take the sponge cake but then decided to give it to his Dad! Well.....thats fine with me coz the cake is from Four Leaves lah, I didn't make it! But but but.....J did in the end ask and ask for more watermelon and cake, again and again on the train. :) Well...I said BABY steps right?
#6 - soo....Mommy took Auntie June's example and made a kueh kueh bento for the Bird Park trip! Hehee! that was rather well recieved by J. Though he only ate what he likes e.g. the pink wah gor kueh and the banana thingie.
#7 - Breakfast in playtex tray ***pureed pear, wah gor kueh, grapes (I don't give up do I???), scrambled eggs, with prune juice***
Jovann's verdict: Jovann enjoyed eating from this tray. He even self feed some of the scrambled egg, and the grapes FINALLY gets noticed this morning! He....looked like....he was chewing the grapes. Hee!
The reason why our blog was in hibernation mode for nearly 3 weeks - J being sick for 2 weeks plus and me getting all busy gearing up for the inevitable return to work! *big sigh*
Dear Jovann was sick a few days before CNY, having runny nose initially. After seeing a GP (this is the last time we will see a GP if a kid is sick), his runny nose instead of getting better developed into a super chesty phelgmy cough. The antibiotics prescribed by the GP didn't work.....because it wasn't bacterial in the first place! the poor boy had to put up with loose stools for the course anyway.
J's 1st time at the GP
Fooling around with the tongue depressor
We kinda got quite worried during CNY coz no PDs in the right mind would open in the first 2 days of CNY right? Yet J was not getting better and his sleep was so disturbed and he vomited so many times from coughing. Our hearts ached...and finally a kind mommy (THANKS BM!) recommended a very good doctor who scored distinction straight away in my heart by OPENING her clinic on the 3rd day of CNY! even our own PD is not working yet that day. We nearly went down to Mt Alvernia to see a stand-in PD whom we didn't like, but thanks to the contacts from BM,we went to Mt E instead. Dr B strike us as someone who love kids, but is very matter of factual and doesn't over prescribed med. Even with the nebuliser, she was cautious and asked us to try it out on him in the clinic before prescribing us the med (in case he violently rejects it). She even told us NOT to buy the machine, just go beg-steal-borrow (in her own words), heee!
So....it happens that during CNY, we felt so proud of our son. We were gearing up for tears and thantrums and phyching ourselves up to pinning down his arms. But none of that was needed. Jovann took the nebuliser willingly, after only a bit of coaxing! I LOVE MY BOY. I suspect it could be coz we have been wearing masks around him recently (coz we can't fall sick as we are also handling Jazreel). But whatever the reason, he made us proud. Though seeing him with the nebu mask on makes our heart aches in places we didn't know existed, we are ultra glad he's so guai at times like this.
Throughout this period of sickness, it was super tiring for us too. I had to keep Jaz apart from J, therefore Jaz is mostly in her own room whole day, either napping or awake, coz J was coughing and coughing in the rest of the house. Moreover, just to be extra cautious, I change t-shirt/mask and wash hands (sometimes even my neck/collete coz both kids will burrow their face into my neck) everytime I walk into Jaz room or carry her, so does hubby and the maid. Not to mention the fact that J is super clingy to me and us coz he sick, so there was a lot of tears when I had to walk into Jaz room and J wanted to follow me for example. I know some will ask why don't I let the maid feed. Well, for one, Jaz hasn't been napping well during CNY, so I want to be there for her to put her to nap coz she prefers me. Secondly, if I am to protect Jaz from the bug, I want the freshest milk for her isn't it? Of course, I spend as much time with Jovann as I possibly can at other times.
Poor J coughed/vomited so much that once he start coughing, he would grab automatically for the nearest plastic bag we had prepared for him. Its lucky we have a maid, else washing the stained bedsheets night after night is no joke.
This is a small gathering I had with 2 other October Moms. There was supposed to be 2 more but they couldn't make it! We went to Swensens CWP, where to my surprise I met my Auntie there, whom kindly gave us free soup of the day and a discount,so sweet of her! the moms were pleased hehee.
Penny with Jaz. Penny stays near me and was so sweet she gave me a lift there!
The 2 babies! Auntie Penny came from work, didn't bring her little princess.
Our CNY this year is more laid back. Mommy was still on maternity leave, so we took our time to visit the working relatives in that first 2 days, then visited the rest on the 3rd day onwards. In that way, we could breathe better. Past 2 yrs was such a whirlwind rush with me alone Mommy can't imagine what it would be like doing the same with 2 kids this yr. Really tiring I suppose!
This is meimei on CNY morning in her new PJs. :)
Reunion Dinner with Ah Gong Ah Ma, and Lao Gou.
I was coughing badly and had no mood nor appetite to eat much. Auntie T brought me out to walk around in Kiddy Palace while the adults had their dinner. Little Jaz was awake throughout but being her sweet little self.
Reunion Dinner at Ma Ma Gong Gong's place.
大年初一 Our Family
Jovann finally in the chinese mandarin collar suit that Ah Gong bought for him for his 1st CNY in 2007, but it was too big then. :P
Visited Ah Gong Ah Ma first, then Gong gong Mama. Next to Chor Chor's place for snacks and nian gao as we do every year.
Jazreel was in her infant seat almost throughout the visit. She was awake but lying contentedly there. Gong Gong was amazed how gaui she is and went over to play with her. I went over enthusiastic about the concept of giving mandarin oranges and saying "恭喜发财", and kept on giving and giving until I ran out of oranges. Upon which I will give away the coasters lying on the table. **
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Mommy love how I count the oranges. Hee! Now....where did the "elephant" come from?? and now I suddenly tend to skip from 14 to 19! How I count :'1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, elephant (think I have confused "7" and "11" with the animal with the long trunk and big flappy ears), 12, 13, 14, 19! **
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Went back Ah Ma's place for dinner. After meimei and I are asleep, Mommy made a quick trip to Auntie xianzi's place. But she had to quickly drive back when Daddy called her and said meimei was crying.
大年初二
Awwww.....mommy went bonkers dressing Jaz up, such sweet shoes....
Lao Gou's place for lunch. I slept in the car with Daddy while they went up first with meimei. I was still coughing badly then so Daddy Mommy kept me away from the kids.
Our extended "family" including the god-uncles from JB. :P we only meet once a yr during CNY.
We then went with Ah Gong Ah Ma to visit Ma Ma and Gong Gong. Mommy tried to make me sleep there, Daddy tried to make gorgor nap, but both to no avail. So we drove Ah Gong Ah Ma home after that hehee.
That night, we went back to Ma Ma place to meet the relatives there. Meimei was washed up for the 2nd time outside, while chorchor's watching tv. After this experience (meimei woke up a few times that night), Mommy begged Daddy to remind her NOT to do this ever again!
大年初三 Daddy Mommy left me at Ah Ma's place (coz I coughing) and brought meimei to MeiMei yipo's house, following by my great grandfather's place. They made a trip to Vivocity too, to buy a cute bookcase for me! Mommy so happy she found such a nice bookcase at such a price. We went to Uncle Richards place to drop off a belated gift for his newborn. Then to Dua Pek's house to visit. Dua Mm with baby Taylon who is borned a DAY after Jazreel. 大年初四 Mommy decided to cook a quick lunch with the ingredients they stocked up for CNY.
Went Funan as Daddy wanted to buy the new VAIO. :P Then to my god ah ma's place!
Whew, and that more or less completes our visiting this yr! Only left granduncle's place to go! and thats in BP so no sweat.
大年初七 So fun! Today meimei met Adele and Spencer at Scrumptious Cafe. As I am still coughing, again Mommy felt I better don't go as I will have better rest at Ah Ma's place and there's young kids at the cafe too. She was rather dissapointed coz she's been wanting to bring me to Scrumptious for some time but they always close at 6pm.
Little Adele
Can kinda tell Mommy was drooling over the multicoloured icecream when she took this pic.
There was a cute kiddy table complete with chairs in the cafe.
Jazreel making her appearance
Her hairband never fails to bring a smile to the adults face.
大年初八 We made muffins!
Scooping the mixture into the tray.
I was busy putting the colourful candy bits into into my mouth...
Guess what happens when the muffins were done? I didn't wanna eat! How Mommy fumed....
大年初九 Granduncle's place in BP. Mommy went alone with meimei.
Just some photos I like when I am looking through my database.
Jaz is 3 months plus now...its really a joy watching her grow...
- She has started squealing to herself recently, since last Saturday. She squeals when she's happy, squeals when she's talking to herself, squeals when she's complaining. quite high pitch girly squeals, so funny. - She is very responsive with her smiles and chuckles, if you laugh or chit chat or smile at her, chances are she will reward you with a gummy sunshine smile in return. - She's more than a princess, she's an EMPRESS. Do you know whats her fav way of drinking milk sometimes? By lying on the bed, with her hands up on either side of her head, eyes half closed, me either lying over her (in a wierd position) and nursing her (my back and neck and shoulder screaming for mercy all the time), or bottle feeding her EBM. When she's in this mood, she dun want to drink when you carry her, she don't want to nurse when you carry her. But once I put her down, and feed, she drinks. Goodness. My little empress. - This photo is one of my fav, taken on a Wed afternoon. Just one of my regular snapping and captured her in this funny pose, it seems like she was laughing and dancing at the same time. Looks very vain hehee..or maybe she's doing gong xi gong xi.
- She loves to be on the changing table, even if she was crying the min before. She will look up, look around, and smile at the top shelf, many times chuckling happily, twisting her little torso, kicking her legs, squealing with mirth. Heee! - She complains herself to sleep sometimes. - Maybe I am lucky, or maybe my efforts paid off, Jaz slept through the night since that night I mentioned she slept from 9pm -8am. She has been sleeping through since, besides one single day when she's over stimulated and woke up once at 1.30am. Else she is managing 8/9pm to 8am/9am most days (sometimes waking up around 6am for a milk feed then back to sleep). - Jovann loves meimei very much, but now as he's sick, we have to seperate them, and he seldom sees her. I let Jaz stay in her room the whole day when J is at home. No choice... :( It IS tiring doing this, really hope J recovers totally soon. Not good for a small kid to be sick so long. the poor boy was on nebuliser, but I have to say I am proud of him, as he's quite receptive to using it.
Hey, previously mentioned that I had a peranakan kerbaya during my wedding. Coz my grandmother-in-law (Jaz and Jovann's chorchor) is a Nonya. My FIL is a half baba. hhmmm...does that make hubby a 1/4 baba...and Jovann a 1/8.....nevermine.
Friends were asking did I wear the suit complete with beaded slippers and gold brouch and the camisole. Yes I did. Somehow I find I didn't look good in it with that hair (now after watching the Little Nyonya I reckoned, on hindsight, that I should have bunned it up back then haa). So we only chose a few pics. Here's one! Its black and white lah, coz the coloured one I looked auntie I think. The top is red with pheonix, the bottom brown/maroon sarong. Yes a kerbaya does bring out the curves in you, even if you didnt have any. :P I was rather angular back then. Not the rolly polly me now after 2 kids. :P
