H1N1

When Ryan was down with virus infection a couple of weeks back, the doctor adviced us to get H1N1 vacination for Ryan once he gets better. So, over the weekend, we brought Ryan to get his H1N1 vacination done. Cost us RM100 but somehow we felt so much more relief, knowing that he has got the vacine. Moreover, with the new maid at home (who is giving us a different set of nightmare and headaaches), we planned to get Ryan back to a day care center next Monday. The objective is to get him to learn some discipline and socialising skills.

Can't wait to see how he would react going back to daycare since he stopped going when he was 5 months old. We sent him to a day care when he was 4 months old but because he was constantly sick after he attended the day care, we have stopped sending till now.

Wish us luck.

Roseola Infantum - Another Harry Potter spell!

Last week Ryan came down with on and off fever averaging between 37.8 C to 39.9 C for a three days. With the H1N1 issue around, we were quite worried as the normal fever medicine seemed to able to just bring it down for a couple of hours. However, a comforting thought was that he was active as ever and did not have a runny nose.

On the third day when the fever still refused to break and we noticed that his eyes a little puffy, we brought him to see his favourite `uncle' , his doctor. One look, and my dear friend uttered another word akin to a Harry Potter spell - ROSEOLA INFANTUM! We were like OK...errrrr...what kinda of a spell is this???

So, we were taken on a whirlwind 5 minutes medical lesson.

Roseola Infantum is a viral infection that usually infects children of between 6 months to 24 months. (How lucky we must be. Ryan is now 22 months!) It is known to be caused most commonly by a virus known as human herpevirus 6 (HHV-6). It is a mild viral infection which can be mildly infectious.

Symptoms include 3 to 4 days of relatively high fever. Other symptoms include puffy eyes, swollen glands in the front or back of neck, bulging `soft spot' at the head (fontanel) and mild diaahea. And just as the fever breaks on the 3rd of 4th day, red rashes which is not itchy will break out throughout the body and will finally subside only after 3 to 4 days. Apparently, this infection is often confused as `baby measles'.

No medicine is necessary except to control the fever to prevent it from going unnecessary high.

To eliminate the possibility of dengue, Ryan has to `donate' his blood for a blood test. He is definitley much much braver than his mommy. He did not make a single sound even when his finger was poked and a tiny syringe was inserted to draw the required amount of blood from his little finger. He was looking intently at his finger and at what the doctor was doing, curious I am sure. The moment it was completed with a plaster over his finger, he then turned to us with his recognisable frown and show us his wrapped up finger. As usual, he required a kiss on his tiny finger from both of us to assure him that everything was alright.

As informed, the rashes did come after fever went away and the rashes did subside after 2 days. As for Ryan, he had a good time showing his wrapped up finger to everyone including his kakak, asking for a kiss.

And we have just put another spell into our arsenal of Harry Potter spells that we have accumulated so far in our parenting journey....

Super Glue Syndrome

Ryan is going through his `Super Glue Syndrome' phase now and believe me, it is a nightmare for us.

We used to be able to get the maid to feed him, play with him, entertain him and bath him even when we are around. But lately, he has grown SO VERY ATTACHED to us (especially my wife) especially when we are around in the house.

Whenever when we are around, he would just refused to go with the maid and throw a big tantrum if we `forcibly' push him to the maid if we have to get certain things done in the house. He is so sticky that he would not want to maid to feed him, bathe him or play with him. He just want US! I can't even take a bath without him tagging along into the bathroom.

Going to work in the morning is a nightmare because he would be wailing and yelling his head off and not wanting us to go to work. So, I have been trying to leave for work even before he wakes up in the morning to avoid having to see him crying pitifully, wanting to follow.

I wonder when this phase will end because it is extremely tiring going through this `super glue syndrome' with him. Any advice?

My father, My refuge, My rock

It was pouring dogs and cats yesterday evening. I was working on my study table while little Ryan was with the maid downstairs having his meal. It was a thunderstorm. Lightning was flashing everywhere, thunders were roaring and the wind howling. My little Zoewe the toy poodle was literally trembling and just won't leave my side. Suddenly, with one mighty flash and a thunderous roar, the power supply was cut!

I rushed down and found my maid carrying Ryan. The moment he saw me, he stretched out his little arms and wanted me to carry him. I took him over and held him close to my chest. Being curious as he is, he pointed to the lightning and thunders and was making his famous frowns with his eyebrows. Then another lightning stroked not too far from our house. I can literally see the lightning bolt zig zagging down. He immediately snuggled his little head into my chest and put my hand over his ears. I held on to him to assure him that I'm there and everything will be alright. He stayed perfectly still (something that is very unlike him). The thunderstorm went on for a good 30 minutes and throughout the whole period, he just hang on me with my hand over his ear. Then I found out why he was so still. He felt asleep amidst the thunderstorm. He must have felt so secure, so calm, so safe and so assured that the thunderstorm meant nothing to him anymore.

That moment was so precious (to me at least) because I felt that I being his father, I have managed to provide him the sense of security that he needed. I was determined to make sure that he felt safe and calm. I was determined to stand there with my hands over his ears as long as it takes. I was prepared to hold him close to my chest for as long as he needs. That moment defined what fatherhood is all about.

And then, I was reminded that I was taught years ago that our Father above would love us, protect us, shield us, comfort us and will provide a refuge for us whenever there is a storm. I never really appreciate nor understand how He would feel and His determination to provide that assurance until I saw Ryan sleeping soundly hanging on to me amidst the lightning and thunder clapping all around us. Now I must said, that I have a slightly better understanding of how much He would go through for His children because I would go through anything to make sure that my previous Ryan is safe and well.

Rock of Ages, Cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee...

A roaring Tiger year for a little mouse ...

2010, the year of the Roaring Tiger. I'm 20 months old now and this Chinese New Year, we did not go back to my grandma's house in Kampar. Instead, we managed to convince her to come to our house to celebrate the Chinese New Year with me. And this is how I spent the first few days of my Chinese New Year ..and it was FUN FUN FUN!

It all started with our reunion dinner with both my grandmothers at our favourite restaurant, Ta Ta Di near our house. As no Chinese new year is incomplete without the traditional `low sang' I had my very FIRST `low sang' with both my grandmothers. It was fun seeing adults playing with their food and they allowed me to do the same for once. Wish I am allowed to do this everyday!!!

I've learnt the second thing that Chinese New Year must have is gambling and it mahjong is a MUST. Since I am Chinese, it doesn't really hurt to start young. So, here I am, having my very FIRST mahjong game! Apparently, the harder you slammed the mahjong on the table, the more fun it is! Interesting!

Since the weather during Chinese New Year is so very very HOT, I went for a dip at my aunt's condo swimming pool.

On the second day of New Year, I went to my maternal grandmother's house for dinner and my dad introduced me to something called the motorcycle. But the power of the bike is a little too small to my liking. Bring on those 500cc monsters and then we will be rocking! (But for now, I settled with this)

Of course, since this is only the second day of New Year, every dinner is only complete if we have another `low sang' and playing and tossing with my food. So, here I am, playing with food with the adults again and this time, I managed to get more food OUT from the plate onto the table...hehehe...

And of course, to sharpen my skills to prepare me for my adulthood, I have to played more mahjong ....

Since this is the Tiger year, my mommy made sure that I have my tiger outfit to sleep with. So, here I am in my own version of my Tiger skin (minus the tail of course!)

And daddy made sure that I know that he loves me by kissing me and tickling me pink...Sigh...To make him happy, I just have to endure his pricky pricky face brushing my still silky smooth cheek....A son got to do what a son got to do....

And I get to play with my favourite toy, my very own bubble gun! Woooweeeeee......

I must said that Chinese New Year is certainly FUN and TIRING! After all those excitement, I think I'm going to take a nap and get ready for more. By the look of things, I think daddy needed the nap and the break more than I do....hahahaha

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR EVERYONE AND MAY THE TIGER BRINGS YOU AND ALL YOUR LOVED ONES A YEAR OF ROARING SUCCESS, HEALTH AND WEALTH....

Our very own `Horse' Riding

Ryan likes to play a while before he eventually sleeps. Tonight, as usual, he wanted all of us to accompany him in the bedroom while he watches cartoon and goofed around before he decides to sleep. He was sitting on his bolster while watching TV when suddenly, I have this urge to play cowboy and indian with him. We didn't have horses but we have our bolsters. So, we `rode' our bolsters round the bedroom shouting and laughing and mommy was busy clicking away with the camera while we ride into the sunset.

I think I was like a fool riding on that bolster but every moment was priceless as we shouted with excitement and laughed our heart out because I knew that there won't be many such moments as he grows up. So bring on the bolsters and ride on...Yeeee haaaa......

Hard Rock Hotel Part II

This is the continuation of our holiday in Hard Rock Hotel in Penang last December. This was also Ryan's first time playing on the sand and walking the beach. We were worried that he would be afraid but to our surprise, he showed no sign of fear and was happily kicking away. He enjoyed kicking at the waves so much.

Father and son enjoying our morning walk along the beach. Priceless!

Mommy and Ryan, both putting their best foot forward together. Another priceless moment.

Wheeeee......sand and dirt!!!!

WOw!!!...What a feeling! Having the waves splashing on me!

Mussels in White Wine Sauce

I have not had many food recipe post of late. Not that I've stop playing with food. Just that the kind of food that I've been trying out now are no longer meant for confinement, since there is no need for that now.

We went for an Italian meal recently and had mussels for our appertizers. We loved it and hence, when we saw a recent offer for a box of New Zealand green mussels for only RM20, we grabbed it and attempted the recipe ourselves. It is a very simple dish and relatively easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

• Mussels
• White Wine
• Basil leaves
• Garlic
• Corn Flour
• Salt and black pepper

Method:

• Clean mussels thoroughly.
• Chop basil leaves finely and cut garlic in thin slices
• Placed mussels, basil leaves, garlic, white wine and a touch of olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper together and steamed for 15 minutes or until mussels are cooked.
• Remove cooked mussels to be used later.
• Transfer the remaining juice/liquid left from steaming the mussels into a sauce pan.
• Add a cup of water and simmer.
• Add additinonal chopped basil leaves if desired.
• Mix a teaspoon of corn flour with water and add into sauce pan to thicken the sauce.
• When sauce thickens, add cooked mussels and allow to simmer together for 2 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

A weekend at Shangrila KL

Recently, my eldest son, Reuben came back from New Zealand for his annual holiday as usual, he would insist on having his annual japanese buffet feast at Zipangu Shangrila KL. This year, however, instead of just having a dinner there, we made reservation for two nights during the weekend at the Horizon floor. I'm not sure which on my sons have more fun ...hahaha


Ryan with his `mermaid' pose at the swimming pool to woo the mat salleh girls.......

Daddy doing his bit to try to woo the Mat salleh girls...with no apparent success of course .....

Daddy and son looking at beautiful `birds' around the pool....wooweeee........

Ryan having his taste of pool at The Pub ........ Gaya ada ....

Yupe...that's the way to get it down. Firstly, place the white ball near the hole and aimed at it and hit it in...No? That's what my brother just did!!!!!

Evening cocktail at the Horizon Club. Lots and lots of yummy colorful deserts... Looks good mommy..quick quick...I want a bite !!!

Wow...Huge strawberry coated in white sugar with chocolate ....Let me have it ..Let me have it !!!

Yummmmm Sengggg...!!! Reuben Koh Koh.

2010 Count Down! Party Animal!

Date : 31st December 2009

Venue: Lobby Lounge Sunway Hotel

We discovered a party animal lurking in our 1.5 year son!

We wanted to have a count down where we could get Ryan to see some fireworks. After some last minute calls, we finally manage to reserve a place at the Lobby Lounge at Sunway Resort Hotel. At Rm80++ for only a drink, it was rather expensive, but then again, we were thinking that it is once a year affair.

We went early, drop our car with the car valet and walked over to Sunway Pyramid for our dinner. After dinner, we went for our count down party. There was a life band performing and from the moment, Ryan heard the blaring music, he was shaking to the beat! He was at it non-stop from 9pm till 12:30 am. He was the first, the youngest and the loudest dancer on the dance floor the whole night. We were not sure whether we were more amused or embarrassed but there he was, shaking and clapping away at every song.

Even the singers were amused. At one point, he was on the stage shaking and shouting away with the pretty lead singer.

At the stroke of midnight, there was a massive, colourful and dazzling display of fireworks and he was totally mesmerized. As the party gets hotter and the music beats picked up, so did our son, joining the mostly adult crowd in the dance floor. Finally at around 12:30 am., he remembered that he had not had his milk and asked for it. He finally dozed off with the milk bottle still in his mouth but not until the funniest thing happened.....

Half way through his sleep, while the music was still blaring away and the people still dancing, he suddenly got up (with his eyes still closed) and started to shake his hand (still dancing in his sleep), laughed and then clapped his hands before continuing with his sleep!

For us, it was the most memorable count down because we did it with our son. The RM160++ cover charge was, to us, well spent.

Happy New Year everybody.

Hardrock Hotel Penang Part I

Date : 11th December 2009

We have to attend a friend's wedding dinner in Penang on the 12th Dec. So we took the opportunity to book ourselves into the Hardrock Hotel in Penang with their promotional rate. The rooms were really nothing to shout about as they are pretty small and would not justify the normal rate price that they are charging. I'm not complaining this trip cause we were only paying 50% of the normal rate.

We left KL early in the morning and drop my mother in law and our maid in Ipoh before continuing our journey to Penang. To our surprise, the entire place was packed and crowded. We were lucky that the front office was kind enough to check us in without much waiting because we have little Ryan with us.

Honestly, we were not totally impressed with the lobby nor the room but it was an experience.

We have not had our lunch and since we are too lazy to drive out for our lunch, we just went to the Hardrock Cafe for our lunch (at around 3pm). It was Ryan's first trip to his first Hardrock Cafe! The restaurant was not really crowded but it too quite a while before our meal came. Meanwhile, Ryan was enjoying himself having his pictures taken.

Continue in Part II.

Kiss Kiss

Ryan is one fast learner and has learnt to make many funny faces whenever we mentioned certain words. We have taught him to put his hands and wave against his nose when we mentioned 'smelly'. Now whenever he has pooed in his diapers, he would walk to us and make the `smelly' sign and point to his soiled diapers.

The recent word that we taught him was `kiss kiss'. Whenever we asked him to `kiss kiss' he would give me and his mommy a kiss on our lips...He will even catch hold of Zoewe, our toy poodle and will plant a kiss on her nose! (with all his saliva).

I just hope that he does not start kissing all the little girls in the park or he could end up with a tight slap on his face soon....or parents would come complaining about our `Casanova' son kissing their daughters.....

Pa Pa and Ma Ma

Date : 2nd December 2009

After months of trying to get Ryan to call us, he is finally shouting 'Pa Pa' and 'Ma Ma'. He is a very noisy and talkative boy, often shouting and yelling on top of his lungs in a language that probably only he can understand. When he got hold of any handphone, he will put it to his ears and will start rambling and yelling as if he is talking to someone on the other side. But no matter how hard we try to teach and coach him, he just refused to call Daddy, Mommy, Di, Mi or Papa or Mama until today.

The very first word that he is good at is 'Emm Mooi'. (In Cantonese, is No or Don't Want). Whenever he doesn't want something, he will be frantically shaking his head and repeatedly said 'Emm Mooi. Emm Mooi..'

Looks like he has two more new words into his limited vocabulary. Two words that both his daddy and mommy is SO SO happy to hear him repeat over and over again...

The Youngest Windows 7 supporter

Was in Sunway Pyramid shopping recently and saw this backdrop. Couldn't help but to get both mommy and son to pose for this picture. He gave a big Flying Kiss and thumbs up for Windows 7. I guess I should sent this picture to Bill and see whether we could get some advertising or modelling fees. Ryan is probably his youngest Windows 7 supporter!!!!

First Trip to Sunway Lagoon!

Backdated post.

2 Saturdays ago, we brought Ryan to Sunway Lagoon for the very first time. We knew how much he loves the water and we thought it would be a perfect weekend for him. And I'm sure that you would agreed with me that he has a fabulous time.

My wife has a free voucher for 2 theme parks which expires on the 30th Oct and another that gave us a discount. So, we woke Ryan up early and by 10:00 a.m., I was already waiting at the ticket counter to get our tickets and I was their first customer! Got our tickets and went for our breakfast before returning at 11:00 a.m., ready for our adventure.

The moment Ryan saw the water slides and pool, he couldn't contain his excitement. We quickly got our lockers and changed and headed straight for the water. He was having so much fun and just refused to come out.

And the most embarassing moments were when he started waving and smiling and eyeing all the young beautiful girls in their wet t-shirts and swim suits walking pass.....!! And his mother was blaming me and insisted that he inherited that from me!!! Hahaha....

Creamy Broccoli Soup - Good for Pregnant and/or Breastfeeding Mommies

Since it is a Sunday and we got tired of eating out, I've decided to cook dinner tonight. We still have four chicken drumstick left in the freezer and some frozen tiger prawns bought back from our holiday in Kota Kinabalu. The drumstick are baked with peanut butter and potato chips while the tiger prawns are simply baked with butter and garlic.

Our meals are never complete without a soup. Went online to search and came across this recipe, Creamy Broccoli Soup. Apparently, this soup is an excellent dish for pregnant and breastfeeding mommies since broccoli is rich with frolic acid. And the soup is relatively easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 crowns of broccoli, chopped
• chicken broth
• skim milk
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Boil onion, carrot, celery, garlic and chicken broth in a large soup pot. Add pepper to taste
• Add broccoli and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender
• Allow the soup to cool and transfer soup into blender. Add in milk and blend until smooth.
• Transfer blended soup back into pot and reheat the mixture slowly until heated through.
• Serve hot.

"Ka......!!!!!!!"

"KAAA.......!!!!!"

We found a old malaysia flag and gave it to him over the weekend. As he was waving it around, we were teaching him to shout "MERDEKA!". After a few rounds of us shouting excitedly, suddenly, without realising it, he was waving the flag and was shouting "KAAAA....!!" " KAAAAA...!!!" What a hilarious time we had seeing him running around the house with the little flag and shouting "KAAAA....!!!!"

Starting them young to love the country...hahaha