New Year Celebration

We had a bbq party near Aunty Fi's block this evening. Mummy had a hard time persuading Daddy to bring both of us. Luckily we behaved well and didn't make Daddy regret his decision. We had Danial and Yazmin, Austin and Cayley and Ian with us for the party.

However Dan and Yaz had to go back early for bedtime and Ian came late so Mummy didn't manage to catch them in her camera. We both had lots of fun playing with balloons and bubbles and also enjoying the sumptous food Mummy and Aunty Fi prepared. And not forgetting the fishballs Aunty Carmen brought for us. The adults had prawns, shisamo, scallops, beef steaks, sotongs & alot of other food for the bbq.

The daddies and mummies had as much fun cracking silly jokes, tuning a portable TV to watch Little Nyonya (though it failed), drinking champange, lighting up sparklers on trees & etc ...

Mummy hopes we'll be able to have more of these kind of gatherings even after we move. (anyway we'll still be nearby) But the headache part is we won't have Aunty Aida to "jagar" us and help wash the stuff after the tired bbq session.


Reyden: Daddy, I also want to learn how to set up a fire


Balloons and bubbles


Balloons ...


Austin: Let me blow some balloons for you all


Wah!! Look at the sumptous feast!!


Yummy donuts contributed by Aunty Caryn and Uncle Matthew


Tucking into the food


Sweetie Cayley


Uncle Philip "lighting" up the tree

School

Mummy's post:

This would be kind of a positive post considering that both of their crying period had shortened from few hours to 10-15mins today. I witnessed for myself how both had put up a "dramatic" show outside the school and when I was going off. The next moment I could see them playing happily as I peeped from the windows. So they are just putting up a show for me? Teachers had feedback that they are adjusting well, started to take naps in school too. Of cos I'm happy with these developments. Therefore had gotten them a school bag each for their "barang barang". Though these are too big for them but we need something big enough to hold all their towels, diapers, clothings, milk, milk powder, snacks & bottles.

I'll be looking forward to the day that they'll say "bye bye" to me with a smile.

Pig's Tail with Huai San

This is a yummy recipe that Mummy had gotten from the newspaper. The recipe is for improving of the digestive system and helps in appetite. Not that we need to improve our appetite but the 2 main ingredients, huai san and foxnuts are good tonics for the spleen and stomach as well. This is a soup for the whole family, adults or young children especially for those kids who has poor appetite.

However cos of the pig's tail, those with heaty constitution are not recommended to drink too much of this. Or alternatively can use pork ribs or fish head to replace. But do remember to get a fresh fish head.

Ingredients
1 pig’s tail, chopped
1 piece of fresh dioscorea yam (生淮山)
10 dried Chinese red dates
2 dried scallops, rinsed
20 lotus seeds　(莲子)
*10g of Foxnuts (茨实)
A handful of chinese barley
1 litre water

Seasoning
1/2 tsp salt to taste

Method
Rinse pig’s tail. Scald in a saucepan of boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Drain well and place all ingredients in a slow cooker and slow cook on high for 2½–3 hours. If cook over small fire, cook for 1.5-2 hours. Add huai san in the last half an hour for better taste texture.
Season to taste

Pictures of some of the ingredients in case it sounds "foreign" to some of you.

芡实 Gordon fruit, Foxnut


生淮山Huai San (fresh dioscorea yam)


Soup in making

Sweetness ...

Mummy also felt sweetness in her heart whenever we kiss or hug each other before sleep. She says this is the most rewarding thing for having us.

Reyes' haircut

Mummy brought us to Compasspoint Supercut today for Reyes' haircut. It cost us $23.50 which is $2.10 more than what we paid for Reyden's haircut the other time. All cos of the price increase for the festive season. Daniel went with us too. Aunty Fi was pretty stressed over his haircut cos he'll scream and shout everytime. And to our surprise, he sat quietly throughout the haircut, probably cos he had seen Reyes gotten her hair cut 1st.

Now Reyes looks sweet and neat with her new haircut, though abit silly looking with the short fringe but it should be just nice by CNY.


Gor gor sat on this before, right? I'm as stylo too.


Done


Dan's turn for a haircut.


Mummy, don't I look sweet and neat now?


Reyden


What's there? Food?


Our friend, Daniel

Merry Xmas 2008 to all!!

We wish all uncles, aunties and friends a Merry Xmas! May all be blessed with good health and happiness. Thank you once again for all the mavellous pressies received, we love each and every of them a great deal.


Reyes the reindeer


Our personalised Xmas pressies from Aunty Fi and Aunty Sally. Thank you!!


Mummy's Xmas pressie for us
She got this Crayola Color Wonder Fingerpaints for us. It looks clear, but each one paints a different color. Fun for us & no mess for her.


Our artistic work. Mummy didn't have the chance to catch us doing it cos her hands were equally busy and messy.

Good things

Mummy's post:

Ok, I've decided to do some justice to the childcare in case people read about all the scary things and started putting off the idea of sending their kids to school.

They did learn quite alot of things in school for these 2 weeks. Reyes knows all her body parts in Mandarin. She can point to the right places when I asked her where's "眼睛，鼻子，嘴巴，头，舌头，颈，小手，小脚 & 耳朵." The teachers say that she had learnt these from the Mandarin nursery rhymes they sang everyday. She can even says "老师"　& both knows their chinese names when called. The funny thing is Reyes will sometimes mixed up her chinese name, "瑞诗" & "老师" cos it sounds similar. Another funny thing that the teachers commented about her is she's very protective of her brother. She'll help her brother to snatch back his water bottle if their peers took it.

Reyden though not as proficient in his Mandarin, is picking up things fast too. He could say "s-kool" & "cher" (teacher) now. The teachers had also commented that both their fine and gross motor skills are good and they are self-feeding themselves well. Both can finished a quarter cup of drink on their own without much spilling now.

I must say I'm pretty proud and happy with these 2 little "terrors"' developments. And of cos credits are given to the teachers, therefore I had bought a log cake for the teachers to show my appreciation to them. I know it's not easy to take care of these 2 for even half a day.